Aug 31 2009

Five Days-Five Questions!

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: , , , | Posted in Uncategorized

Jun 16 2009

Young Guns (Part 1)

I’m jacked about this week.  Yesterday, I got to hear Jake (not the worship intern) lead some worship twice!  He’s a young gun.  Today I got to sit with one of my favorite young men in ministry.  He’s a young gun named Reed.  Tomorrow, I get to place a stole on the neck of my younger brother, Stephen. He’s a young gun too.  I’ll also get to hang with Andrew Erwin this week.  Let me tell you about Reed.

When I first arrived in Snellville circa 2002, I quickly learned about this kid named Reed.  To be honest, Reed was a lot like me when I was in high school.  He knew all the right church lingo, but he was so immature in his faith.  Like me, his arrogance kept him from experiencing all that God had for him at that age and stage of life.  That’s why I wanted to disciple and mentor the kid.  I thought I could straighten that joker out in a way that no one attempted to straighten me out.  The only problem is that discipleship requires both a willing rabbi and a willing disciple.  There was one, but not the other. Over the course of time, it became obvious that it wasn’t the right time.

God eventually got a hold of Reed.  At that point there was no looking back.  In fact, on one occasion, I felt as if God gave me a word that Reed would one day be a teaching pastor.  He is, sort of.  He teaches youth and occasionally at the 9:30 a.m. service at SUMC.  He pastors middle schoolers.  I know he’s passionate about those kids that God has entrusted to him, but I also know that God’s has and is going to use him mightily in the lives of adults.  He’s the type of young man that when he’s simply telling a normally mundane story, it fires you up!  When he tells you God stories, it’s like he poured lighter fluid on a flame.

Check-out the story he shared with me today: He recently did a prayer walk in Discover Mills. Before he entered into the mall, God gave him a word of knowledge with four bullet points.
  • Pray against fear and stress 
  • Tight jeans 
  • Purple shirt 
  • Josh 

So, he told that to the folks he was with and began walking the mall.  They came across two guys in the mall.  One of them had tight jeans on and a purple shirt, but he didn’t look like a Josh.  Reed, however, approached him and asked his name.  Guess what?  His name was Josh.  Reluctantly, the guy let Reed pray against fear and stress.  Apparently, this dude went from keeping Reed at arms length to embracing Reed as they finished praying.  It was bulls-eye shot too.  Josh just lost his job, and was stressing over how to pay the rent!

He’s a young gun forcefully advancing the Kingdom of God, and I’m proud to know him.

Tomorrow, I profile Stephen! 

3 comments   |  Tags: , , | Posted in Uncategorized