Aug
31
2009
Jacob Burson wants to know: Can someone be a committed Christian and not serve in the local church?
Short Answer: NO
Now let me explain! First, I think it’s funny that we use the term “committed” to describe Christianity. The first Christians were being insulted. In Scripture, the word “Christian” isn’t used that often and when it is, it’s derogatory. It was meant to describe one who is a slave to Christ. To be Christian means to be committed. It means a person’s life is owned by Jesus! Second, if you’re a slave to Christ, then you do what Christ did. If there’s one thing that Christ did, it was serve!
In John 13, Jesus is having his last real hang-time with the disciples before he dies. John records him as saying that he wants to show them the greatest extent of his love. He wants them to know the fullest measure of his love. One of the most interesting things about that chapter is that Jesus clearly wants to show the extent of his love to those who are his. How does he do it? He washes the disciples’ feet. Now, that was a task reserved for hired slaves. It’s clear Jesus is making a huge point. Slave-like service=Fullest Measure of Love. Now check this: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” That’s a quote from Jesus if you didn’t catch it! It’s pretty clearly that when it comes to those who are HIS, we’re called to serve one another with radical love. At our church over the summer, I challenged people to out-serve one another on Sunday mornings! Not that we need to, but let’s move from Jesus to Paul.
Paul says that each person who belongs to Jesus has at least one spiritual gift and that gift is to be used for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7). Spiritual gifts are given for the building-up of the Church. If we aren’t serving within the Church, then we’re neglecting our spiritual giftedness. If we’re neglecting our spiritual giftedness, we’re neglecting the Holy Spirit, which is the same Spirit in Christ. So, bottom line is that we’d be neglecting Jesus Christ. One last thing: Paul says that we’re all members of the same body, the body of Christ. As a member of the body of Christ, we belong to each other. If you’re reading this blog and you’re a follower of Jesus, I belong to you! Now before you go crazy on that one, remember, you belong to me too! If one part of the body neglects it’s role, the whole body suffers.
*There’s one exception to this answer: The person who has just given his/her heart to Jesus Christ.
Can a person be an uncommitted Christian? Nope. Can a person be a committed Christian and not serve? NOPE!
Tomorrow’s Blog: Kent asked “Why Women Can’t Serve as Pastors (or can they)?”
Need to confess?
2 comments | Tags: Christians, church, Serving, Spiritual Gifts | Posted in Uncategorized
May
18
2009
Confession: I just a word that an old friend of mine used to describe our church reports. ”Churchgasm” is funny, but pretty descriptive of what our church is like. This Sunday was no different. Here are the highlights of today:
- Despite Rebecca being sick and Gregg being on vacation, things were almost flawless and didn’t miss a beat!
- Morgan and Ken did an amazing job with the computers.
- Ace was solid on sound.
- Gus was floating around like a worker bee.
- Sebren busted out an amazing Volunteer Expo.
- I was so proud of Jake. He led well in Gregg’s absence!
- I had a proud moment as the pastor of The Vine. Jake was leading worship with a Gregg Hampton original, and the people were blasting it!
- People were jacked about the news that we have the town’s permission to move ahead.
- We launched the “R U IN?” series this morning. We drew a line in the sand and asked people to get-in or get-out!
- 52% of our Sunday morning worshippers also serve on Sunday morning.
- 64% of our worshippers serve in some capacity.
- While some might consider that a “churchgasm,” it’s not. We’re not content with that number b/c before we can serve the world with the love of Christ, we’ve got to serve each other (John 13)!
- We washed each other’s feet this morning! J/K.
- We attempted our first stab at texting in worship. Text “Vine to the fullest extent” to 24625 if you’re in.
- At lunch at Monterrey with the Sebrens and the Westbrooks (that’s fun to say).
- Brayden explained how Elijah went to a woman’s house who didn’t have bread, but when she started making bread, it didn’t stop. He later added, God multiplies things.
- B/c God makes things new, Laney wants to know if God will give her a new Ariel doll b/c her latest purchase broke. I told her that sometimes God uses other people to give new things. She looked at me and said, “like you Daddy.”
- Brayden cried at bedtime and said that today was boring. Hmmm…does going to church, eating Monterrey with good friends, watching Superman, going for a bike ride, watching Tom&Jerry sound boring to you?
Need to confess?
No comments | Tags: church, monterrey, Superman, volunteer, worship | Posted in Uncategorized
May
8
2009
Confession: I wonder if people get more excited about sports than their spiritual journey. I know this is often the case for me. I’m a fan of UGA athletics. My wife and I have been season ticket holders since we’ve graduated from UGA, which for me was a really long time ago. I’ve mentioned before that attending a UGA game is similar to a worship experience: everybody pretty much dresses the same; people stand and sit in unison; people sing together songs that are memorized and if they don’t know the lyrics, the words are on the screen; usually a few people are in charge of the microphones and they’re coaching people throughout the game. Throughout the game, however, people generally show more emotion and excitement as to what’s going on in the game. Furthermore, even though there is corporate celebration going on, there are a few people who stand-out.
I’ve got one of those friends. His name is Heath. Heath and I went to middle school together. He was (and possibly is) a great ball player. Apparently, his passion for basketball extended beyond his on-the-court contributions to the Atlanta Hawks. BTW, my passion for the Hawks left the moment they traded Dominique. I think I actually cried. Heath, however, never lost passion for the Atlanta Hawks. Even in the horrible years, Heath was faithful. Not only was he faithful, he was fanatical. He was so fanatical, that they picked him from the thousands (well, hundreds) of fans to become the “fan of the day.” This apparently was the outfit he was wearing when selected.
When they showed him on the jumbo-tron, he did the truffle-shuffle. That’s validation of someone that’s passionate about something.
I want to be the Fan of The Game. I want the people of The Vine to be the Fans of The Game. I’m not talking about wearing a Jesus wig or two tunics! I’m talking about wearing Christ so well and loving people so radically that there’s no mistaking who the most sold-out person is and why that person is sold-out. I want to be the person who stands-out to God during worship not b/c of my performance, but b/c of my heart. I want to people of The Vine to stand-out to God not b/c of outward expression, but inner attitude. I want God to announce, Sunday after Sunday and Moment after Moment, “The Fan of the Game is The Vine.” I don’t want this so we’ll get shown on some jumbo-tron, but so that God would know we were absolutely fanatical about Him. Who’s in?
Need to Confess?
5 comments | Tags: church, Hawks, Passion, uga, worship | Posted in Uncategorized
