Eye-Openers

We like to be up-to-date, keeping an ear open to the Holy Spirit for his leadings and an eye on what is going on in church life and with different Christians. This comes from having a heart to obey God, being aware of the times (church and world) and encouraging Christians to enjoy the gift of life and serve their God.

Three March eye-opening matters caught our eye …

1. Reaching the ‘nones’
LifeWay Research’s Ed Stetzer (www.edstetzer.com/) penned an insightful article - 5 Things the Church Will Face in the Next 10 Years.

Dr Stetzer highlights matters essential to expanding the church in this age of self-centredness. But his number four focus - Evangelism in the Age of the Nones (No religion/church affiliation) – really got our attention.

It reads: ‘We are now increasingly facing what I have called a post-seeker context. This does not mean that seekers no longer exist. The Spirit is always at work in the hearts of people. But churches that once focused their energies and efforts toward targeting seekers are finding it more difficult to appeal to a constituency with little to no religious memory.’

He goes on: ‘Churches will have to find new ways to lead their people to reach out to their neighbours - not just attractional evangelism, but incarnational evangelism, as well - being, doing and telling good news where we live and work.’

2. Face-to-face evangelism
The immediate success of My Hope America with Billy Graham, a crusade with a difference. At least 10.2 million people saved to date!

This isn’t one ‘final-tour’ America-wide crusade by the 94-year-old evangelist. Its success is due to fresh thinking (actually first church thinking!) and a passion for souls. It’s been noted that ‘one-on-one conversations are the root of this relationship evangelism outreach.’

Franklin Graham commented, ‘My father is as burdened today about the souls of men and women as he has been at any time in his life.’ Dr Graham said: ‘I think it is going to be a tremendous time of evangelism. That the Lord is going to use it mightily. I’ve been praying that we might have a spiritual awakening.’

Coincidently we attended a particular church’s beautiful new building launch this month. 

It was encouraging to hear the observations of the visionary visiting minister, still highly respected in his senior years. ‘This church has every reason to rejoice and celebrate the Lord’s honouring of your faithfulness and commitment in enabling the reality of this great building,’ he pointed out.

But, he added, the building in itself isn’t the church, that the real church is ‘out there’ and that church people must share with and lead the unsaved to Christ, and then get them into the building.

This is the challenge to every Christian. Yes, it’s great to have a building, but such will become empty if there isn’t more one-on-one, face-to-face sharing of the gospel of Christ ‘out there.’

3. Evin prison

Two stories from ASSIST News (www.assistnews.net) gripped us powerfully...

‘Our nightmare isn’t over!’ recounts how American citizen Saeed Abedini willingly returned to his native Iran nine months ago to continue work on building an orphanage. Revolutionary guards took the pastor to the notorious Evin prison. This is where inmates are routinely tortured, and hanging executions are swift and sudden.

Naghmeh, his distressed wife, writes: ‘Saeed was [later] given his eight-year sentence because of his Christian faith. I know deep in my heart that unless we speak out and fight for him, Saeed might not survive the eight years in that horrific prison, especially because he continues to face continued abuse and death threats.’ (See #SaveSaeed- http://savesaeed.org/ )

We have the privilege of ministering to middle-easterners now committed Christians. They tell how God’s grace enabled them to leave their homelands, settle here and enjoy our religious freedom. Some tell of the perils Christian relatives back home face, that they are willing to go back to share Jesus and encouragements.

In view of what they’ve told us and what we pick up from ASSIST reports, we find it amazing that Pastor Saeed was so brave, so bold, to trust his Lord and return to help little children!

Sentenced to death, miraculously freed is the incredible report of Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh, two young ladies who also willingly returned to their homeland. Their God-given mission was to covertly distribute Farsi New Testaments and start two secret house churches.

They too were caught, imprisoned at Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison and sentenced to death for spreading Christianity. Amazingly, instead of succumbing to fear and the interrogation threats, these young Christians, committed to Christ, chose to take the dangerous step of sharing their faith inside that very gaol. Evin prison became their church!

Through God’s grace and intercessory prayers of Christians worldwide, charges were dropped; they were released in 2009 and migrated to Atlanta.

What gripped us here too is this: These two young people were so committed to Jesus’ great commission to share his good news with their own people, at the risk of their own lives, they dared to move into danger – to where promoting Christianity is a capital crime and official charges ‘of apostasy, anti-government activity, and blasphemy’ means sentence of execution by hanging.

Australia - the lucky country
Rereading these two stories, the willingness and commitment of young Christians to endanger themselves in sharing the gospel,we couldn’t help but recall an old truth: So many Christians in this land of (currently!) religious freedom just haven’t got a clue what it is to be persecuted for Jesus!

So many moan and groan when pastors call for commitment to growth projects, to connecting with the unsaved and unchurched. Worse, we rarely consider praying for ‘our Christian family’ in restricted nations such as the Middle East and Asia. Yet for decades these brethren have prayed for us!

Regarding the outstanding Billy Graham outreach, how many realise that face-to-face, one-on-one witnessing is the secret to connecting with non-Christians, preparing the way so the Spirit can lead them to Christ.

As for the ‘Nones’… we need to be Jesus in our locales, marketplaces, schools and such. Active Christians not afraid to move in the Spirit’s supernatural …and as Dr Stetzer put it - 'being, doing and telling good news where we live and work.’

The Importance of Connecting

Taking a break recently, we were wandering along a nearby beach when unexpectedly we met an old friend. In the ensuing chitchat she expressed how difficult it was to connect with people in her church, that she had done her best in reaching out to various ones but, despite promising, they hadn’t got back to her.

The result is that no meaningful contact has been established and this friendly lady is thinking about finding a more amicable church.

Then, last week, when I was in our local library a lady from another church recognised me and shared something similar: ‘There are so many lonely women in church that can’t seem to make a close relationship. It is so hard.’

We’ve also come across men who haven’t been able to connect in church life and be able to share their feelings. Then there are ministers of busy churches who do not have real friends to confide with. Some wrongly feel they can’t even share with their denominational leaders in case the ‘upper echelon’ thinks they aren’t spiritual enough.

The biggest shock is when a precious child confides with you that he or she feels they cannot share their heart secrets with anyone, not even their dad or mum.

Uniting closely
The reality is that everyone needs a friend! We all need to connect meaningfully with someone or our lives, even as Christians, will indeed be very lonely.

Lonely…that’s a word meaning ‘sad because alone.’ Connect…that’s a word meaning ‘join together, unite.’

The words connect, connecting and connection are very scriptural. In particular the Message Bible uses connecting in the sense of closely uniting, especially in relation to Ezekiel’s vision of the temple (Eze. 40). 

For Christians, today’s temple is church with the understanding that we are the temple of Christ (1 Cor. 3:16). Therefore in church circles it’s so important that Christians relate by connecting with one another and building mutual and meaningful relationships.

Love is all-embracive
Jesus gave a clear direction on this important matter: ‘Let me give you a new (meaning fresh) command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another.’ He went on to explain why this is so important: ‘This is how everyone (the world, unsaved people) will recognise that you are my disciples – when they see the love you have for each other’ (John 13:34-35 [brackets mine])

He was talking about love that is open to everyone no matter what culture, nationality, colour, education, irritating habits, personal problems or faults! There are no excuses for not reaching out to Christian brethren even if we don’t fully understand them or even their language! We simply appreciate them as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Recently we had the delight of ministering in a church where the brethren are from the Middle East and speak Arabic. What a joy to find them so open to the word of God, the moving of the Holy Spirit and so desirous of receiving our messages and the touch of the Spirit through our ministry.

We have connected with them, even by my (Robert) willingness to be embraced in their custom of hugging and ‘sacred triple kissing males on the cheeks.’ And what an unexpected blessing as a young Iranian, who so desires to be a prophet of God as well as seeing people come to Jesus, boldly gave me an encouraging word.

Yes, even we need encouragements from those who will make it a point to be our friends!

Involves responsibility
Connect is a great word. Dictionaries will explain that as well as uniting and joining it also means binding, fastening together, linking, establishing communication between, associating with, attaching.

To achieve a meaningful linking such as Jesus inferred means going out of our way to befriend people. Yes, it’s true that some people are hard to get on with and as God directs us to make friendships there’ll be times when we really have to make the effort and go the second mile. We may even find we are led to people we normally wouldn’t mix with but a beautiful relationship develops. And as we care for such people, we discover just how much they care for us.

Today a lot of churches use the word ‘connect’ to name their weekly home groups, such as Connect Group South. Funnily enough when we first church planted 30 years ago (way before church planting was a regular tag and few were really into such ventures), we called our five home groups connect groups.

Those were great days when we ensured that everyone in our growing church was connected, that no one would ever feel unwanted or lonely, even on Christmas Day if they lived on their own. We were strong on relationships as connecting means accepting responsibility and, like real love, it’s an action word!

Meaningful connecting
Normally Pentecostal churches have a spot when the leader encourages everyone to greet one another. But, sadly, it’s so often a shameful case of the briefest of greeting, with flimsy handshakes and eyes staring around elsewhere. No real connecting and reaching out and, abruptly shortened by the leader, it’s almost a case of ‘Let’s get on with the service – quick.’

Recently while ministering in Baptist churches we were delighted to observe how the Baptos really took time to greet one another, and with strangers such as ourselves as well, during what they obviously considered an important time of their gathering together.

It was more than merely a rushed few moments – we thought they’d go on and on! But we saw real love demonstrated, caring and sharing together. And after the service and ministry time they were so anxious to fellowship further around the traditional cuppa.

These were more than catch-up times – people were meaningfully caring for one another and asking warm-hearted, concerned questions. Paul’s directions of greeting [ie. embracing in the arms] with a holy kiss fulfilled scripture (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 The. 5:26). 

God’s heart
Back in the very beginning God’s heart was expressed as he recognised that his creation was lonely: ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I’ll make him a helper’ (Gen. 2:18).

That’s a principle of caring that blesses each gender, both male and female, children, teenagers, adults and seniors. And what God intends for us, we must extend in connecting with one another. It’s so easy to go beyond church services and ‘do coffee or lunch’ with people, including the unsaved.

In 1 Peter 2:5, the apostle urges us ‘Don’t lose a minute in building on…’ and lists characteristics including ‘warm friendliness and generous love’ (v 7). He confirms in verse 8 that these qualities bring their own daily reward as well as maturity in Christ and desires us to have them ‘down in black and white’ (v15).

Whether emails, visits, phone calls and whatever our differences may be… let’s all connect!

HITTING THE STREETS! The next step after great Easter celebrations

The early church may have begun as closet Christians in the upper room but all that changed when the fire of God’s power fell on them!

When the fire of the Holy Spirit came and totally encased them (‘entented’ - to re-coin a word that hit the church scene a few years back), they were changed, charged and commissioned! And they went for it!

Following that amazing outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, those first disciples of Christ immediately hit the streets praising God and letting all around visually see and hear that something incredible had happened to them.

A bit different from today when many Christians remain closet disciples, almost afraid to talk about Jesus Christ! We need to get with it!

With joy and thankfulness we celebrated the resurrection of our Saviour a few weeks ago. But Easter is passed; it’s time for the next step, time to, like those first disciples, move on!

What were the keys that undergirded the early church’s next step?
I once asked a question of a great man of God who, despite countless odds in troubled times, had hit the streets after his conversion, won hundreds to Jesus and eventually built a large city church.

‘What are some of the keys you discovered?’ I asked innocently. Abruptly he turned and looked at me almost with disdain. Then this remarkable pastor responded gruffly, ‘Keys, son? Keys? There are more doors in the ministry than keys.’

I would come to know exactly what he meant!

But in doing so I did discover three keys that helped the first church in ‘hitting the streets’ - ones that we must also employ to grow personally and likewise see our church grow corporately in a time of ongoing uncertainty with ‘wars and rumours of wars’ and strange occurrences such as spreading dangerous volcanic ash.

Really it was a time of embracing…
Firstly, they embraced the character of Christ that was theirs ‘in Christ’ as the insightful Paul put it (see Phi. 4:8-9… ‘think about such things’...and ‘put it into practice’).

Secondly, they embraced the command of Christ to share the gospel on every occasion locally and afar (see Mat. 28:18-20… the great commission).

Thirdly, they embraced the charisma of Christ to enable them to boldly share that gospel and move miraculously in the Spirit’s anointing and power (Read the whole Book of Acts, noting especially 10:38 and 1:8!).

And they went to it boldly!
They hit the streets in Acts 2, boldly explaining why they were so overwhelmingly joyous, boldly proclaiming the good news of a loving Saviour, boldly regaining lost souls into the kingdom of light and boldly demeaning Satan and his power.

Actually, Acts is the real never-ending story! Acts 2 was just the beginning, Acts 28 was not the end, and Acts 29 is still being written! That is… it’s supposed to be still being written about us and by us!

The opportunities are out there on countless occasions for someone’s life or/and circumstances to be influenced and affected by Christians moving in the Spirit - the supernatural - as did Jesus and the early church as they hit the streets in their next step.

Remember Paul’s warm welcome ‘connect’ activities from his own home towards everyone he met…the last words of Acts 28…‘Boldly and without hindrance preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ.’ And Paul was a guy who urged other Christians – us – to follow his examples (1 Cor. 4:16; 1 The. 3:7, 9).

Pentecost Sunday is coming soon…May 23
The funny thing is that while many non-Pentecostal churches every year faithfully recall that first Pentecost Sunday, so many actual Pentecostal churches don’t! Shame! No wonder the real fire is missing today.

Yes, thank God for the true meaning of Easter. But 2010’s celebration is over. It’s time to move on! Let’s be like that early church, be fired up in the supernatural of the Spirit and hit the streets!

The Good Shepherd and the CIA

The Good Shepherd... that was title of a movie that claimed to be about 'the history of the CIA and one of its young agents.'

Christians who really know their God and his word, the Bible, with thankful hearts truly understand that there is a real ‘good shepherd’, Jesus Christ. And that he has his own brand of CIA, not centred in Langley but in local churches and in Christians themselves.

This particular, peculiar CIA stands for Connecting, Involving and Advancing.

Connecting

The church of Jesus is primarily a place of personal growth through connecting in worshipping God, in developing a Bible-grounded faith and in being released in serving Jesus.

That’s why we have pastors – caring God-appointed shepherds – to expound the scriptures, ensure we’re flowing in genuine Bible-based worship, growing in our faith and to build a platform of expectation for the supernatural moving of the Spirit in every meeting.

In simple terms, Connecting begins with connecting with Jesus through prayer, Bible meditation and developing a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Connecting also includes ‘being there for others.’ This is where the rubber really hits the road! Real church … real body ministry that goes beyond what’s been taught but hasn’t been really heard or taken onboard at Sunday services. Christians getting together with one another and caring, advising and praying.

This is why many churches have different connecting opportunities…after Sunday meetings ‘cuppa’ fellowships, various midweek groups, especially home groups or whatever name they go under. And you can create your own connecting time …an invite to a meal or coffee time at home. Then the Holy Spirit can take advantage to open up hearts. Not only have Christians been helped and released at such opportunities but people have got saved!

Bible teacher Chuck Meissler has stated that he believes that this is where the church of Christ is meant to be…into fellowship - connecting - groups. And praise God that many have indeed been richly blessed through being part of at least one of such connecting groups!

Involving

Involvement is the opposite of being on the fringe, to being on the outside or at least only on the bank of God’s river instead of ‘diving in.’ Of being some kind of lone ranger on ones own, not really supporting your pastor and not buying into the church’s vision, programs or needs.

A great sign of a healthy church is when people seek God to be involved in church life and they commit fully to what he has shown them or whatever service opportunity their pastor offers. The blessings flow when we stretch ourselves in trusting the Holy Spirit and build Jesus’ local church through praying, caring, ’being there’, giving, encouraging one another and using our talents and time.

In Luke 15:1-7 Jesus painted a clear picture of a really caring person for whom nothing was hardship or bother when he had to help a sheep in trouble. Now we’ve heard sermons on this about Jesus being the good, indeed great shepherd and how the angels sing in heaven over ‘a lost sheep’ – an unsaved person finding Christ as Saviour and being saved. It’s a terrific salvation based story.

But we need to note two things… Jesus was speaking directly to a number of so-called religious people who did not want to be involved and weren’t caring. He began with ‘Suppose one of you…’ and then he talked about finding and bodily helping the poor sheep that would otherwise be perishing. And he keeps referring to the searcher (whether a shepherd or the actual owner doesn’t matter) rejoicing over finding and willingly carrying the load of the sheep on his shoulders (v5-7).

When we tie this parable in with other biblical insights and directions – John 13:34 (‘Love one another’), John 13:33 (‘Seek first the kingdom of God’), Acts 2:42-46 (Thousands of the early church being in pure togetherness with one another in fellowship including sharing meal times), and of course Heb.10:25 (a very clear instruction not to neglect gathering together and encouraging one another), we see that involvement is important to church and personal growth and development. And that the onus is on us, not just our pastors.

Matthew 6:21 is a great word of Jesus that can be our challenge in respect of church involvement! The big question is: Where does our treasure and heart lie? Start involving yourself in your local church!

Advancing

The kingdom of God is meant to be advancing through the strategy of the local church and every Christian. Numeric growth is important for any church. We need to, we should, grow numerically…especially if the church is in an overall healthy state, the word is taught, genuine worship is welcomed and the Holy Spirit is allowed time to exult Jesus.

It’s the church of Jesus overcoming the kingdom of Satan and the world! A growing church where people are blessed, the Spirit moves and its attendees discover great life principles and develop contented satisfying lifestyles is a shining beacon to troubled neighbourhoods.

And growth comes from us reaching out - connecting - to the unsaved. Salvation is a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit but our role is to do what Jesus asked of us… share the gospel’s good news and to make disciples of those who accept him. (See Mat. 28:19-20; Mar. 16:15-16).

There’s an old adage: ‘Sheep beget sheep.’ How do churches grow? Firstly prayer and a burden for the lost (that good shepherd principle again). Then through church folk reaching out to the unchurched and witnessing Jesus. And inviting people along to church and special meetings aimed at touching lives and meeting needs.

But also by us committing our time, talents and treasure to the running and development of our church. Then - and so important to remember this - through a sovereign move of God on prepared soil. Opportunities are around us toady! Let's advance.

Challenge

We have Jesus, the quintessential good shepherd to guard and lead us. And to care, provide and carry joyfully on his broad shoulders.

As for us, let’s really support our local church and buy into the vision. Let’s remember that other Christians are our brothers and sisters in Christ and support one another more. And of course also reach out to the unchurched. This way we’ll continue to grow personally and help grow our church!

And – as CIA team members – we also will become good shepherds.