Men, enjoy this Thanksgiving Week! The blog will resume next week.
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Sunday, November 23, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
John 4:10-15 Living Water
10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock." 13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." 15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water." ESV
This week Rick Phillips has some challenging thoughts for us as men about why our witness is often ineffective. Chapter 10 of Jesus the Evangelist pivots on Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. The Samaritan woman was captivated by the idea of living water that would forever quench her thirst. Jesus was offering something that commanded her attention. Here are excerpts from the chapter.
"The souls of men and women are thirsty for God, whether they know it or not. Nothing except God can satisfy the soul made by God for Himself. St. Augustine wrote at the beginning of his Confessions: “You have made us for yourself and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” Psalm 42:1 speaks for us all: “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.”
This was true for the Samaritan woman and it is true for you. You may have all this world can offer—riches, rank, place, and power—yet be utterly unfulfilled. Isn’t this the story of our time? Amidst gaudy affluence and every-ready entertainment, ours is a generation aching with thirst …
This was Jesus’ message to the woman at the well. He told her that as long as she continued drinking from worldly troughs, she would always thirst again. But, He added, “whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him well become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14) …
…Jesus spoke of a change that would result … new life from the Holy Spirit. To be born again is to have a spiritual fountain welling up within you, as God Himself lives and moves in your heart.
The results of this change … are faith, godliness, and unfailing spiritual joy … If you are a Christian, are you experiencing this?… Tragically, far too many Christians have found the true fountain of eternal, spiritual life but know little of its blessings of righteousness, peace, and joy. This is one reason our witness is often ineffective.
There are a number of explanations for this. Some Christians live close to the world and fill their hearts with worldly things. Are you like that? … If so, wean your heart from earthly pleasures and start serving Jesus at home, in your work, and in your play. Stop craving for worldly success, stop drinking from worldly troughs, and renew your commitment to Christ, and you will find refreshing waters flowing freely once again. Other Christians have stopped up the spring of the Holy Spirit with sinful habits or attitudes. If you are truly a Christian, you can never ultimately block God’s Spirit, but how much better for you to repent or forgive as needed and to walk in the light, cleansed by Christ’s blood and refreshed by His fellowship." (Phillips, 125-129)
Perhaps the reason that your witness for Christ is not compelling to others is that it is not compelling to you. Do you stand out in relief from the world around you? What is it that makes you different from those with whom you hang out? Jesus offered something more than just a list of “don'ts.” Jesus offered this woman what she didn't have– something that would forever quench the thirst for satisfaction. You can share common interests with others, but do you represent something beyond that commonality? For example, you can share being a fan of a particular team with friends, but is your mood dominated by that team’s performance? If your common bond with these fans is “wait till next year,” you offer nothing more than what they already have. You offer water that will soon leave them thirsty again. Perhaps you share a love of the outdoors and hunting with others. If your common interests focus on the beauty of the woods and the stillness of the early morning as you wait for a buck, you offer only water that satisfies for the moment, but lacks true satisfaction. Or perhaps your area of commonality with others centers on financial stability. But do those others see you as someone whose true stability has nothing to do with the ups and downs of the economy?
As men we are called to be leaders. Where are we leading our families and friends? To be men who have something truly valuable to offer, we must be finding our own satisfaction in the living water. When we are, we will want to offer it to others.
Take some time to consider why your witness for Christ is not as effective as it should be. Do you live so close to the world that your friends think you drink from the same water that they do? Think carefully about how you can offer living water to those around you. Make this a matter of prayer. Talk about this in your ministry group.
Dr. Gore’s Notes
Here is the link to R.J. Gore’s notes from our retreat. Why not take a moment and drop Dr. Gore an email of appreciation for his time with us.
rgore@erskine.edu
This week Rick Phillips has some challenging thoughts for us as men about why our witness is often ineffective. Chapter 10 of Jesus the Evangelist pivots on Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. The Samaritan woman was captivated by the idea of living water that would forever quench her thirst. Jesus was offering something that commanded her attention. Here are excerpts from the chapter.
"The souls of men and women are thirsty for God, whether they know it or not. Nothing except God can satisfy the soul made by God for Himself. St. Augustine wrote at the beginning of his Confessions: “You have made us for yourself and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” Psalm 42:1 speaks for us all: “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.”
This was true for the Samaritan woman and it is true for you. You may have all this world can offer—riches, rank, place, and power—yet be utterly unfulfilled. Isn’t this the story of our time? Amidst gaudy affluence and every-ready entertainment, ours is a generation aching with thirst …
This was Jesus’ message to the woman at the well. He told her that as long as she continued drinking from worldly troughs, she would always thirst again. But, He added, “whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him well become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14) …
…Jesus spoke of a change that would result … new life from the Holy Spirit. To be born again is to have a spiritual fountain welling up within you, as God Himself lives and moves in your heart.
The results of this change … are faith, godliness, and unfailing spiritual joy … If you are a Christian, are you experiencing this?… Tragically, far too many Christians have found the true fountain of eternal, spiritual life but know little of its blessings of righteousness, peace, and joy. This is one reason our witness is often ineffective.
There are a number of explanations for this. Some Christians live close to the world and fill their hearts with worldly things. Are you like that? … If so, wean your heart from earthly pleasures and start serving Jesus at home, in your work, and in your play. Stop craving for worldly success, stop drinking from worldly troughs, and renew your commitment to Christ, and you will find refreshing waters flowing freely once again. Other Christians have stopped up the spring of the Holy Spirit with sinful habits or attitudes. If you are truly a Christian, you can never ultimately block God’s Spirit, but how much better for you to repent or forgive as needed and to walk in the light, cleansed by Christ’s blood and refreshed by His fellowship." (Phillips, 125-129)
Perhaps the reason that your witness for Christ is not compelling to others is that it is not compelling to you. Do you stand out in relief from the world around you? What is it that makes you different from those with whom you hang out? Jesus offered something more than just a list of “don'ts.” Jesus offered this woman what she didn't have– something that would forever quench the thirst for satisfaction. You can share common interests with others, but do you represent something beyond that commonality? For example, you can share being a fan of a particular team with friends, but is your mood dominated by that team’s performance? If your common bond with these fans is “wait till next year,” you offer nothing more than what they already have. You offer water that will soon leave them thirsty again. Perhaps you share a love of the outdoors and hunting with others. If your common interests focus on the beauty of the woods and the stillness of the early morning as you wait for a buck, you offer only water that satisfies for the moment, but lacks true satisfaction. Or perhaps your area of commonality with others centers on financial stability. But do those others see you as someone whose true stability has nothing to do with the ups and downs of the economy?
As men we are called to be leaders. Where are we leading our families and friends? To be men who have something truly valuable to offer, we must be finding our own satisfaction in the living water. When we are, we will want to offer it to others.
Take some time to consider why your witness for Christ is not as effective as it should be. Do you live so close to the world that your friends think you drink from the same water that they do? Think carefully about how you can offer living water to those around you. Make this a matter of prayer. Talk about this in your ministry group.
Dr. Gore’s Notes
Here is the link to R.J. Gore’s notes from our retreat. Why not take a moment and drop Dr. Gore an email of appreciation for his time with us.
rgore@erskine.edu
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Witness to Ordinary People - Week 9
John 4:1-10
1Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2(although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" ( For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." (ESV)
The following paragraphs are excerpted from Jesus the Evangelist – Chapter 9
What approach characterized Jesus’ witness to ordinary people? What was His attitude to sinful people in need of the gospel? What logic did Jesus employ in seeking a hearing for His message of God’s grace? Jesus’ witness to the Samaritan woman is a gold mine in our search for an evangelistic method, for here our Lord Himself sets us an example of speaking the truth in love …
Many of us are ineffective evangelists simply because we are too lazy and self-centered. We are not willing to cross the street to meet people. We do not care enough for the eternal destiny of friends, family members, and co-workers to risk the social hazard of talking about the Lord. Our lives are focused on our own needs and those of our children, so we have no time to participate in outreach ministries. For many of us, the first step in doing evangelism is simply to care enough for the lost to become weary in the gospel. Those who do tire themselves in gospel outreach have sweet fellowship with the Savior who rested at the well…
Evangelism requires a caring motivation. But as Jesus’ example shows, the next step in sharing the gospel is crossing the boundaries that separate people from God. This Samaritan woman never would have come to Jerusalem, where Jesus had been preaching and working miracles; she knew she would not fit in among the Jews. So Jesus crossed the boundaries and went to her …
Jesus crossed three barriers. The first was that which separated Samaritans from Jews … [the second was that] this Samaritan was also a woman. It may not seem scandalous to us for a man to sit at a well with a woman, but it certainly was in Jesus’ day … Third, Jesus overcame a social and religious taboo by asking for a drink. Jews did not share utensils with Samaritans; doing so risked separation from the fellowship and worship of God’s people under the temple rules …
Why did Jesus cross these barriers? Because He cared for the woman’s soul. We, too, have to cross barriers to reach people for Christ … Many people are kept from God simply because they think they don’t belong at church. They assume that believers will look down on them. Moreover, they feel uncomfortable in religious surroundings, the way a Samaritan would have felt in Jerusalem. For all these reasons, they are not likely to come to us, so we have to take the gospel to them. (Phillips, 109-114)
In this chapter Rick Phillips reminds of the evangelistic opportunities that occur in ordinary life with ordinary people. Pursuing ordinary people may not seem particularly motivating. But that is exactly with Jesus did with the woman at the well. You see, ordinary people who are spiritually lost are headed for an eternity of excruciating pain and agony—just like famous lost people. Finding ways to have conversations about Jesus Christ and how he runs his world will take forethought and planning. It may even mean crossing uncomfortable barriers. But it will also mean giving the most important message on earth to ordinary people. These people are your friends, your neighbors, and your coworkers. These are the people in the checkout lane at where you shop. These are guys that you hunt, fish, and watch football with. These are ordinary people who do not know Christ. They may be exasperating at times, but like you, they need to know Christ.
Why not make a list of the ordinary people in your life? Then, after each person on the list, jot down a way to begin a conversation that will lead to talking about Christ. For example, if the person at the checkout seems down, you could say something to encourage him or her. Always make it a point to show appreciation for their help, especially when it seems like they are having a tough day. Then, as the relationship begins to grow, you can find opportunities to mention how Christ is an encouragement to you. Do this same exercise which each of the ordinary people on your list. Ordinary people need to know your extraordinary God!
1Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2(although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" ( For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." (ESV)
The following paragraphs are excerpted from Jesus the Evangelist – Chapter 9
What approach characterized Jesus’ witness to ordinary people? What was His attitude to sinful people in need of the gospel? What logic did Jesus employ in seeking a hearing for His message of God’s grace? Jesus’ witness to the Samaritan woman is a gold mine in our search for an evangelistic method, for here our Lord Himself sets us an example of speaking the truth in love …
Many of us are ineffective evangelists simply because we are too lazy and self-centered. We are not willing to cross the street to meet people. We do not care enough for the eternal destiny of friends, family members, and co-workers to risk the social hazard of talking about the Lord. Our lives are focused on our own needs and those of our children, so we have no time to participate in outreach ministries. For many of us, the first step in doing evangelism is simply to care enough for the lost to become weary in the gospel. Those who do tire themselves in gospel outreach have sweet fellowship with the Savior who rested at the well…
Evangelism requires a caring motivation. But as Jesus’ example shows, the next step in sharing the gospel is crossing the boundaries that separate people from God. This Samaritan woman never would have come to Jerusalem, where Jesus had been preaching and working miracles; she knew she would not fit in among the Jews. So Jesus crossed the boundaries and went to her …
Jesus crossed three barriers. The first was that which separated Samaritans from Jews … [the second was that] this Samaritan was also a woman. It may not seem scandalous to us for a man to sit at a well with a woman, but it certainly was in Jesus’ day … Third, Jesus overcame a social and religious taboo by asking for a drink. Jews did not share utensils with Samaritans; doing so risked separation from the fellowship and worship of God’s people under the temple rules …
Why did Jesus cross these barriers? Because He cared for the woman’s soul. We, too, have to cross barriers to reach people for Christ … Many people are kept from God simply because they think they don’t belong at church. They assume that believers will look down on them. Moreover, they feel uncomfortable in religious surroundings, the way a Samaritan would have felt in Jerusalem. For all these reasons, they are not likely to come to us, so we have to take the gospel to them. (Phillips, 109-114)
In this chapter Rick Phillips reminds of the evangelistic opportunities that occur in ordinary life with ordinary people. Pursuing ordinary people may not seem particularly motivating. But that is exactly with Jesus did with the woman at the well. You see, ordinary people who are spiritually lost are headed for an eternity of excruciating pain and agony—just like famous lost people. Finding ways to have conversations about Jesus Christ and how he runs his world will take forethought and planning. It may even mean crossing uncomfortable barriers. But it will also mean giving the most important message on earth to ordinary people. These people are your friends, your neighbors, and your coworkers. These are the people in the checkout lane at where you shop. These are guys that you hunt, fish, and watch football with. These are ordinary people who do not know Christ. They may be exasperating at times, but like you, they need to know Christ.
Why not make a list of the ordinary people in your life? Then, after each person on the list, jot down a way to begin a conversation that will lead to talking about Christ. For example, if the person at the checkout seems down, you could say something to encourage him or her. Always make it a point to show appreciation for their help, especially when it seems like they are having a tough day. Then, as the relationship begins to grow, you can find opportunities to mention how Christ is an encouragement to you. Do this same exercise which each of the ordinary people on your list. Ordinary people need to know your extraordinary God!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Week 8 - Who’s Listening?
I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. John 5:24a
Romans 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (ESV)
This week’s blog is condensed from pages 51-55 of Ken Priddy’s book, The Silent Church. Priddy’s work makes a good counterpoint to Rick Phillips’ book, Jesus the Evangelist. Phillips does an excellent job of laying out the content of the gospel message. Priddy, on the other hand, discusses the effectiveness of how that gospel is presented. This is, in some ways, the classic issue that committed Christians have faced down through church history—first, getting the gospel message right and then, getting the gospel message out. Notice how Priddy addressed this in working with the leadership of a national church. The same issues apply to us at Redeemer.
“With over 80% of American Protestant churches in plateau or decline, every regional and national church entity needs to provide resources to return the majority of its churches to health and growth. This was the intent when I presented our ministry to a particular national board. I emphasized that our approach to church revitalization is built on two platforms, spiritual renewal and strategic initiative. I explained that most churches tend to emphasize one or the other. Those that emphasize only spiritual renewal experience a “spiritual pep rally.” Interest and excitement flare up for a short season, but without backing the spiritual with the strategic, the fire dies out and ministry returns to status quo. Those that emphasize only strategic initiative chase the new methodology of the moment. This creates some energy and short-term gains, but without spiritual renewal the church’s ministry will soon return to status quo.
Later, I sat with the board’s revitalization committee. I soon discovered that this group resonated strongly with spiritual renewal, but wasn’t really appreciating the value of strategic initiative. I was asked: “I know there’s a place for strategy, but isn’t it really all about the power of the proclaimed Word of God?” Well, it’s hard to argue against the power of God’s Word proclaimed, yet I needed to defend strategic initiative. I knew they would respect a thoughtful, biblical and theological response, but it was time to break for dinner. So I asked, “Do most of the pastors in your denomination proclaim the Word of God?” They answered, “Yes.” I continued, “Then if it’s all about the power of the proclaimed Word of God, why are most of the churches in your denomination in plateau or decline?” Point – Game – Match!
That night I couldn’t sleep. I felt that I had made my point, but had hardly rallied these leaders to embrace strategic initiative. I prayed into the early hours of the morning, reading here and there in Scripture. Suddenly it hit me. It’s not just the power of the proclaimed Word of God—it’s the power of that proclamation when it falls on the ears of the unbeliever. Strategic initiative is the commitment of a church to put unbelieving ears within reach of Gospel proclamation.
The next morning this new insight was very well received. The riddle asks, “If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” The answer is, “Yes.” Sound, by definition, is vibration and as the tree falls, vibration occurs whether anyone hears it or not. However, if a Gospel proclamation is made and there are no unbelieving ears to hear it, has the Gospel truly been proclaimed? No. Webster defines the word proclaim as, “to announce or declare in an open or ostentatious way, to indicate or make known publicly or openly, to extol or praise publicly,” and defines the word proclamation as, “something that is proclaimed; a public and official announcement.” A strategic initiative will put an unbelieving public within range of the proclaimed Word.
Churches that choose to preach and teach the Word of God without employing strategies to penetrate their communities will continue to talk only to themselves. The strategic question is not, “What’s being proclaimed?” The strategic question is, “Who’s listening?””
Priddy is assuming that the content of the message must be clear and biblically orthodox. But once this is in place, who is going to hear the message? The truth of the gospel can be affirmed by those who already know it, but it can only be proclaimed to those who don’t know it. Thus, Jesus told his followers to go and proclaim this message among the nations to those who do not know it. Few of us have the opportunity to travel the globe proclaiming the gospel message. However, there are those in our daily lives who need to hear this proclamation. God has sovereignly placed you on this planet to proclaim the wonder of the gospel to those whom you know. There are men with whom you come in contact who are enslaved to Internet pornography; who are flirting with drunkenness; who are looking for excitement outside of their marriages; and, who are more committed to their sports team than they are to their families. You will meet others whose lives are tied to the value of their 401k or who are embittered by the nation’s political climate. These people need to hear the gospel proclamation. Yes, invite them to church, but also tell them why: proclaim Christ to them.
Romans 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (ESV)
This week’s blog is condensed from pages 51-55 of Ken Priddy’s book, The Silent Church. Priddy’s work makes a good counterpoint to Rick Phillips’ book, Jesus the Evangelist. Phillips does an excellent job of laying out the content of the gospel message. Priddy, on the other hand, discusses the effectiveness of how that gospel is presented. This is, in some ways, the classic issue that committed Christians have faced down through church history—first, getting the gospel message right and then, getting the gospel message out. Notice how Priddy addressed this in working with the leadership of a national church. The same issues apply to us at Redeemer.
“With over 80% of American Protestant churches in plateau or decline, every regional and national church entity needs to provide resources to return the majority of its churches to health and growth. This was the intent when I presented our ministry to a particular national board. I emphasized that our approach to church revitalization is built on two platforms, spiritual renewal and strategic initiative. I explained that most churches tend to emphasize one or the other. Those that emphasize only spiritual renewal experience a “spiritual pep rally.” Interest and excitement flare up for a short season, but without backing the spiritual with the strategic, the fire dies out and ministry returns to status quo. Those that emphasize only strategic initiative chase the new methodology of the moment. This creates some energy and short-term gains, but without spiritual renewal the church’s ministry will soon return to status quo.
Later, I sat with the board’s revitalization committee. I soon discovered that this group resonated strongly with spiritual renewal, but wasn’t really appreciating the value of strategic initiative. I was asked: “I know there’s a place for strategy, but isn’t it really all about the power of the proclaimed Word of God?” Well, it’s hard to argue against the power of God’s Word proclaimed, yet I needed to defend strategic initiative. I knew they would respect a thoughtful, biblical and theological response, but it was time to break for dinner. So I asked, “Do most of the pastors in your denomination proclaim the Word of God?” They answered, “Yes.” I continued, “Then if it’s all about the power of the proclaimed Word of God, why are most of the churches in your denomination in plateau or decline?” Point – Game – Match!
That night I couldn’t sleep. I felt that I had made my point, but had hardly rallied these leaders to embrace strategic initiative. I prayed into the early hours of the morning, reading here and there in Scripture. Suddenly it hit me. It’s not just the power of the proclaimed Word of God—it’s the power of that proclamation when it falls on the ears of the unbeliever. Strategic initiative is the commitment of a church to put unbelieving ears within reach of Gospel proclamation.
The next morning this new insight was very well received. The riddle asks, “If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” The answer is, “Yes.” Sound, by definition, is vibration and as the tree falls, vibration occurs whether anyone hears it or not. However, if a Gospel proclamation is made and there are no unbelieving ears to hear it, has the Gospel truly been proclaimed? No. Webster defines the word proclaim as, “to announce or declare in an open or ostentatious way, to indicate or make known publicly or openly, to extol or praise publicly,” and defines the word proclamation as, “something that is proclaimed; a public and official announcement.” A strategic initiative will put an unbelieving public within range of the proclaimed Word.
Churches that choose to preach and teach the Word of God without employing strategies to penetrate their communities will continue to talk only to themselves. The strategic question is not, “What’s being proclaimed?” The strategic question is, “Who’s listening?””
Priddy is assuming that the content of the message must be clear and biblically orthodox. But once this is in place, who is going to hear the message? The truth of the gospel can be affirmed by those who already know it, but it can only be proclaimed to those who don’t know it. Thus, Jesus told his followers to go and proclaim this message among the nations to those who do not know it. Few of us have the opportunity to travel the globe proclaiming the gospel message. However, there are those in our daily lives who need to hear this proclamation. God has sovereignly placed you on this planet to proclaim the wonder of the gospel to those whom you know. There are men with whom you come in contact who are enslaved to Internet pornography; who are flirting with drunkenness; who are looking for excitement outside of their marriages; and, who are more committed to their sports team than they are to their families. You will meet others whose lives are tied to the value of their 401k or who are embittered by the nation’s political climate. These people need to hear the gospel proclamation. Yes, invite them to church, but also tell them why: proclaim Christ to them.
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