Death of the Mushy Middle

10 May
2011

Tim Keller – Interview Session #3 from Vintage21 Church on Vimeo.

Share|

Win the Ear by Washing the Feet

12 Apr
2011

“Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of the world to the Father…so began to wash his disciples feet.” Jn 13:5

What would you say if you knew that your time had come? Who would you say it to? Most importantly, how would you ensure that they remembered it?

One of the most gripping scenes in scripture is the evening that Jesus gathered his disciples in the upper room.  This is one of Jesus’ greatest bodies of teachings concluded with a heart filled prayer.  Here, He gave a new command, “just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” Jesus also declared one way to the Father. “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus promised to send the Helper. Jesus gives hope to those who stay connected to the vine. Jesus brought comfort by preparing his followers for the rejection that is imminent. Jesus prayed for himself, his disciples, and everyone who will ever believe in him.

Jesus’ last lengthy dialogue with his disciples was critical for their preparation and his relationship with them. They needed to hear from the heart of their Master. So he preceded his speech with an act of service. Before Jesus uttered a word in the upper room, he washed his disciples feet. They were shocked with his behavior. Some argued with him. Others probably sat dumbfounded. A few may have even cried. Jesus’ act of service as their Teacher and Master most assuredly won him their ear.

Jesus served his disciples before he delivered his speech. He took the basin and towel before he sat them down to speak of the deep truth. He won their attention through his humble action. His last sermon followed a simple act of service. He captured their ear by washing their feet.

The lesson is simple but the implications are broad.   Wisdom, hope, truth, identity, purpose and love are all messages that we desire to deliver. A father speaking to his son or a teacher talking to his students both want their words to be embraced. Jesus modeled for us that this happens when one becomes a servant.

If you are a husband, serve your wife before you share, and she will listen. If you are a mother, play with your children before you discipline, and they will hear. If you are in leadership, humble yourself before your team, so that they will be attentive when you speak. Jesus had powerful final words for his disciples. The first message that he gave was on his knees so that they would hear the truth he spoke while sitting at the table alongside them.

The truth of the gospel is the most transformational message that a person can hear. Whether it penetrates their heart is often determined by the cleanliness of their feet. When we want to ensure that Jesus is heard clearly, we must begin with hands that cast off idleness and embrace humbleness.

Share|

Four essentials for helping the hurting

7 Mar
2011

If you are a small group leader or disciple-maker, you will often be the first person a student (whom you have spent time mentoring or investing in) or a peer (who has noticed your faithfulness) will come to with a significant emotional or spiritual hurt.  These problems can come in a number of shapes and sizes, but they will come nonetheless.

Having a foundational plan for helping or counseling a hurting person is extremely necessary for those in positions of leadership in others’ lives.  Just as Peter was left with the position of interim shepherd of Jesus’ flock here on earth (John 21:17), so are we to be equipped to carry out those duties.  Jesus has hungry, hurting, and wandering sheep in our care, and we must have a plan for how to tend to them.

Here are four essentials of helping in the opinion of Dr. Ryan Rana of The Joshua Center.

  1. Prayer.  When trying to help someone, depend on prayer.  Pray before, during (literally, while you’re listening to them), and after you meet with them.  Pray for them daily.  Pray with them strategically and expectantly, asking God to direct your time together.  In Luke 11, Jesus told His disciples to pray persistently and relentlessly for what they seek.  We should certainly apply this when trying to help others.
  2. Relationship/love.  The more relational equity, trust, and love (with wisdom and carefulness) you can build with the person, the more success you will find in helping.  You have to get to know them beyond the pain they’re trying to show you.  Ask good questions and share from your own personal life.
  3. Their language, worldview, and representational system.  Try to meet the person where they’re at as best you can.  Try to speak their language, using their phrasings when appropriate.  Find the things they’re interested in and try to build meaning using those things as reference points.  We could take a page from Paul’s evangelistic handbook in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, particularly when he said, “I have become all things to all people that by all means I might save some.  I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”
  4. Allow the Lord to develop you. An idea from the counseling discipline is that a helper can only take the person he/she is trying to help as far as he/she has already gone.  It may also be true that stagnancy in your own life produces stagnancy in the person you’re trying to help and, conversely, growth in your own can produce growth in theirs—at least when it comes to helping.  Abide in Christ (John 15).  Pursue Christ through spiritual disciplines such as time in the word, prayer, fasting, memorizing scripture, worship, solitude, etc.  Be available to God and the things He wants to do in your life.  A more faithful and sanctified helper will be a more useful tool in the hands of the Lord.

Anytime you find yourself “stuck” when trying to help someone, always return to these.  At the same time, always remember the scope of your own abilities and experience—never make a risky decision you’re not qualified to make alone, and never be afraid to refer the person you’re helping to a professional or a subject matter expert.  Remember that when helping a hurting person, the point is not to have all the answers to their problems.  It’s to slowly and carefully help them discern what’s going on spiritually.

Share|

Train Couplings in Leadership

22 Feb
2011

I received a text from a Sophomore at the UofA yesterday. Her simple question. “I have a friend who is interested in leading a cell group through FSM. Who do I need to tell him to contact?” With one simple text, a new cell leader is most likely born.

Now, there will be a lot of other steps in the process. Contact. Sharing of stories. Communication of vision. Background checks. Phone calls to students and parents. On and on. But the hardest part has already been taken care of.

Every cell leader was connected from one of three places.
1.) They were a student who got involved during their years in high school.
2.) They were personally recruited through a relationship they had with a staff person.
3.) They were given a vision from someone outside the staff about the impact they could have in the life of a high school student.

So, the question is,
How did you get on the FSM railroad tracks?
How was your life coupled to the FSM train?

Who was the person that is ultimately responsible for you being involved as a FSM cell leader? My hunch is that more people than we realize are cell group leaders because other cell group leaders were involved in the process. The influence that a cell leader has is often greater than the staff.

You are the ones who:

  • give your time outside of your job
  • text, facebook and chat with students because you want
  • faithfully shepherd those 5-45 years younger than you
  • know the impact timely truth can have
  • live with mission in order to see students be conformed into Christ

Your testimony is of great worth when it comes to calling future leaders aboard the FSM train. We ask that you will always pray for other leaders to be sent out in the field to labor for the souls of high school students? (Matt 9:37-38) Will you ask God to show you who would a potential cell leader might be? Please join the staff in praying, recruiting and training future cell leader in our ministry. Who knows the lives that could be changed.

Share|

How to interpret the Bible (part 2 of 2)

16 Feb
2011

We have compiled the following post from Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology podcast (all of which is available for free on iTunes!), a series of lectures he gave to Scottsdale Bible Church teaching through every chapter of his Systematic Theology book.  You may find it helpful in your own Bible study or even as a discipleship tool with students.  This is part 2 of 2.  Click here for part 1.

———–

6 big picture considerations when interpreting the Bible

The Bible is a historical document. To find out the original intent of the authors, remember that the Bible wasn’t written today.  Although it speaks to us today like nothing else, consider the original setting.  Avoid “fanciful allegorization.”  Example: 1 Samuel 17:38-40.  Fanciful allegory turns David’s stones into 5 elements of successful ministry and Saul’s sword into liberal theology.  The plain, true meaning makes David’s stones stones and Saul’s sword a sword.

The original authors wanted the original readers to respond in some way. Ask what response/application/takeaway did the original author want from his reader?  In light of that, how should I respond?

The whole Bible is about God primarily. The Bible is God-centered, not man-centered.  Therefore, we should always ask “What does this text tell us about God?”

The center of the whole Bible is Jesus Christ. The Old Testament points forward to Christ, the New Testament flows from him, his words, and his works.  Therefore, we should always ask, “What does this text tell us about the greatness of Christ?”  Example: Luke 24:27.

Salvation history/history of redemption. All history can be divided into several major sections or epochs.  In order to truly understand a text, you have to understand which section of the salvation history your text falls into.  Ask this helpful question: “How would this topic look different before the fall and in the future eternal state?”

Because the Bible is unified, there are many themes that grow and develop. Identify the themes in the passage.  It’s helpful to ask where this theme starts and where it ends.  Example: Take the Mark 2 wise man story.  We get a deeper appreciation for this story when we pick out some themes and trace them throughout scripture.  Some big themes include: the birth of a special child descended from David, Abraham, and Eve; threats from an evil ruler putting children to death (trying to destroy the promise of God); God establishing his king on the throne; people coming form all over to worship the king; the wealth of the nations being brought to God.

———–

Helpful resources

Wide-margin Bible (with plenty of room for taking notes)

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Volumes)

The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary

Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem

The Big Book of Bible Difficulties by Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe

Share|

How to interpet the Bible (part 1 of 2)

8 Feb
2011

We have compiled the following post from Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology podcast (all of which is available for free on iTunes!), a series of lectures he gave to Scottsdale Bible Church teaching through every chapter of his Systematic Theology book.  You may find it helpful in your own Bible study or even as a discipleship tool with students.  This is part 1 of 2.  Click here for part 2.

———–

General principles for interpreting the Bible

Read it, read it, read it. Read all the way through the Bible regularly to get the full scope.  Also, read any one text many times to gain additional insight.  Only after you have read much and studied much should you consult commentaries.  Read the whole Bible in light of any single text and read any single text in light of the whole Bible.

Remember the Bible was written by ordinary people to ordinary people in the ordinary language of the day. Though it was fully inspired by God, it was written so that ordinary people (like us) could profit from it.

The meaning of a text must be consistent with what the original author intended to communicate to the original hearers. Therefore, it should be able to be demonstrated by appeals to the meanings of words, sentences, and arguments from the context.

To determine the original and true meaning, we have only four sources of information about the text including the words themselves, the immediate context, the context of the whole Bible, and background information.

  1. Words.  The words themselves.  Do word studies to find more clarity on a word.  Use Bible software like Bible Works, Logos, or net.bible.org to see where a given word is used across all of the Bible.  Example: Exodus 20:13.  After doing a word study, it turns out that the word is used about 35 times in the Old Testament and never applies to killing in war.  So this verse can’t be used to support total pacifism.
  2. Context.  The surrounding passage.  Always read and re-read the context for any particular passage.  Example: Psalm 51:5.  Context shows that the passage is dealing with David’s sin, not his mother’s.
  3. Whole Bible.  Psalm 119:160 tells us that the sum of God’s words is truth.  The Bible is consistent and doesn’t contradict itself.  Example: Romans 3:28, Galatians 2:16 vs. James 2:24.  A whole Bible and word study shows that there are two meanings for “justification.”
  4. Background information.  There is a ton of information available from archaeology, literary background, pottery, coins, etc.  But there is so much out there that can be misleading.  The doctrine of the clarity of scripture tells us we can understand the Bible without all of this research.  So this can add some clarity, but it should never be a deterrent to the plain sense interpretation of the text.  Get a good Bible dictionary to help you with background, such as New Unger’s Bible Dictionary or the International Standard Encyclopedia.

There is only one meaning for any given Biblical text, though there can be many applications.  Therefore, if two people disagree on the meaning, they should be able to give reasons.  And, ultimately, if two people disagree on the meaning, one (or both) of them is wrong.  the best way to handle these situations is to demonstrate as much humility and love as you possibly can.  Without this idea, anyone could say anything and you could never know what a text actually means.  Examples: 1 Corinthians 5:9-10, Galatians 3:16, Matthew 5.  Each of these shows a different Biblical author or speaker correcting a false interpretation of the word.

The meaning of a text is the meaning intended by the original author(s) (ex. Paul & God).  The Divine author can intend more than the human author can understand.

You can do a short (minutes, hours) study or a long (years) study on any passage. Do not be discouraged—do what you can with the time you have.

Pray for help from the Holy Spirit when interpreting texts. Always, always, always pray for the Holy Spirit to make the meaning clear.  His guidance is needed 100%.

Share|

Profile of a Leader :: 4 Competencies

4 Feb
2011

continuing our profile of a leader series…

KNOWLEDGE

  • “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” (Prov 18:15)
  • Leadership development makes constant growth in knowledge and wisdom a priority.
  • Cultivating a lifestyle that is always learning and listening equips a leader to be culturally relevant and biblically grounded.
  • A leader who lacks knowledge won’t last. They can’t equip others. They won’t speak truth. They lack preparation.
  • Knowledge is often the easiest category to acquire and therefore usually overvalued in leadership.

CHARACTER

  • “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” (Prov 10:9)
  • The highway of leadership is littered with men & women who’ve been discarded because of their ethical failures.
  • Character is the one ingredient that goes most unnoticed when present but is completely apparent when it is missing.
  • A leaders character gives him the credibility needed and privilege bestowed on those who consistently walk in integrity.
  • It is much easier to mold the character of a young leader than it is to hope they acquire it when they are older.

SKILLS

  • “And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work.” (Ex 36:2)
  • God is the creator and giver of all the giftings that people possess. Gifts come in different forms and quantities.
  • A few things can’t be taught (my dad always refers to speed). Most things can be learned if given enough effort, energy, and practice.
  • A skillful leader must remember that their gifts come from God and any trusting in their abilities is called pride.
  • A seasoned leader will do well to identify and speak into the gifts of a young leader for the future of their development.

PASSION/VISION

  • “So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him. All the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” (Ex 19:7-8)
  • A directionless leader has no where to take their followers. Without way ahead, progress is at a standstill.
  • Passion always produces a response. First in the leader and then those surrounding are generally quick to embrace it as well.
  • “What is the most resilient parasite? … and idea. Resilient, highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it’s almost impossible to eradicate.” Inception
  • Passion should always follow purpose. A seasoned leader must ensure they are helping young leaders to define and understand their purposes, otherwise, a passion can easily hijack God’s explicit commands.
Share|

Greatest Hits :: Profile of a Leader

2 Feb
2011

Over the almost 10 years that I’ve been on staff at Fellowship, I’ve probably heard Robert Cupp dialogue about the “Profile of a Leader” close to 50 times. Its a breakdown of four different categories that are effective in determining a persons leadership capacity and competency. It is a very helpful diagram that can easily be drawn on a napkin to assess leadership potential, provide accountability, and cast vision for leadership growth.

The beauty of this simple picture is that all four competencies must be present for someone to be considered a capable, qualified and effective leader.

  • Remove character and a leader isn’t worth following.
  • Remove knowledge and they lack the wisdom necessary to lead.
  • Without skill a leader can’t navigate the tasks that leadership demands.
  • A leader without passion or vision fails to connect the heart with the forward movement.

There are two different means by which a leader is crafted. Those things that are taught and those that are caught. A seasoned leader who is intentional can develop both the skills and knowledge of a young leader and assist them in their growth. An aspiring leader must spend time with veteran leaders in order to soak in their vision and allow them to speak into their character.

Continue on for the 4 Competencies next…

Share|

Strike the Shepherd & Scatter the Sheep

25 Jan
2011

Mark 14:27

And Jesus said to them
“You will all fall away, for it is  written, “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’”

Jesus saw it coming. His time was nearing its end. In a few short hours, he would be killed and his disciples would be without their Teacher.

He also knew that his disciples were weak minded, unstable, and lacked moxie. The reality of combining his death with the timid temperament of his followers would result in a scatter shot of those whom he’d been training to continue his work.

Jesus called it. Peter would deny him and the rest would run for cover. This is what happens when you strike the Shepherd, the sheep fall away and are lost without their leadership.

As we embark on a new semester of cell groups again in FSM, here are some Sheep / Shepherd realities…

  • The Shepherd. The spiritual influence. You. Parents…the importance is undeniable.
  • The Sheep. Those in need of direction. Students. Teenagers…without leadership where will they find themselves?
  • The Shepherd. Remove the guide and the sheep will disappear. Strike the shepherd and witness the fallout and dispersion.
  • The Sheep. There is a desperate need built in to their design by God. Their very survival hinges on a present Shepherd. Jesus “had compassion, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.”
  • The Shepherd. Must be alert, aware, and guard his own life. The Enemy would love nothing more than to scatter many sheep through the spiritual, emotional, or physical destruction of the Shepherd.
  • The Sheep. Must be within the appropriate proximity to the Shepherd to maintain and ensure their care and survival.
  • The Shepherd. Jesus new that his leaving was inevitable. He must then train, equip, prepare, and speak into the lives of his disciples that they might be ready for the day of scattering.
  • The Sheep. Students will all leave at some point. There will be a scattering of many kinds. Some will leave their faith behind. Others will leave relationships. Most will leave for higher education. All will leave home (eventually!). The key is that they are ready and that they don’t leave prematurely, either because they personally fall away or because they are left without a passionate Shepherd.

Share|

Jesus’ divine claim

16 Dec
2010

File this one under “apologetics.”  Paraphrased from the book Who Made God?, edited by Ravi Zacharias and Norman Geisler.

——-

One of the most common objections to the truth of Christianity from both atheists and believers of other religious systems is one that goes something like this; “Jesus never really claimed he was the Son of God; instead, this belief was superimposed on the Jesus tradition by overzealous followers after his death.”  This is actually an objection that was presented to myself and a couple of FSM students during a trip to Thailand two summers ago.  Here are ten reasons why this is a hollow argument.

  1. Jesus’ use of the phrase “the Son of Man” as his most common way to refer to himself. The scholarly consensus is that this is a references to Daniel 7:13-14, where the Son of Man is ushered into the very presence of the Almighty, has “authority, glory and sovereign power,” receives the worship of “all peoples,” and is someone whose dominion is everlasting.  Since the Son of Man was a divine figure in the book of Daniel, Jesus’ use of this title is a claim to divinity. (Luke 9:22)
  2. Jesus’ application of the “I am” sayings to himself. Jesus alludes to God’s words to Moses out of the burning bush, making a declaration of equality with God. (John 8:58)
  3. Jesus’ forgiving of sin. Jesus forgave the sins of many people during his ministry.  Only God can forgive sin, since sin is a rebellion against God’s laws.  For Jesus to forgive sin, he must be God. (Mark 2)
  4. Jesus’ disciples. Just as God had his twelve tribes of Israel, Jesus selected His twelve disciples.  And Jesus was not just a part of the disciples’ group, He was the selector–just like God in the old testament.
  5. Jesus’s way of teaching. Jesus begain his techings with thre phrase “Amen I say to you,” which is to say, “I swear in advance to the truthfulness of what I’m about to say.”  By doing this, Jesus was claiming to have authority beyond what the Old Testament prophets had, and the direct words of God. (John 3:3)
  6. Jesus’ relationship with the Father. Jesus used the Aramaic term Abba, or “Father dearest,” when relating to God.  This reflects an intimacy with God that was unheard of in ancient Judaism.
  7. Jesus’ accepting of the title “God.” In John chapter 20, Thomas is invited to place his hand in Jesus’ wound.  Thomas’s response, after being convinced of Jesus’ resurrection, is “My Lord and my God!”  Jesus accepted the title and encouraged Thomas in verse 29.  A similar encounter is recorded with Simon Peter in the book of Matthew.  (Matthew 16:15-17)
  8. Jesus’  claim that the eternal destiny of people hinged on whether or not they believed in him. Jesus taught that to be saved, someone must believe that Jesus was who he said he was–the Son of God.  (John 8:24)
  9. Jesus’ claim that He and the Father are one. Jesus made this statement and was quickly met with an angry mob ready to stone him. (John 10:30)
  10. Jesus’ miracles. His miracles were performed with the statement that they were signs of the coming of the kingdom of God. (Luke 11:20)

In short, Jesus clearly believed that he was both the Son of God and one with God.  His entire ministry, death, and resurrection pointed to this very fact.  Only the very Son of God could bear the punishment of the sin of all mankind and exchange it for His perfect righteousness.  How sweet it is to know Him and His endless justice, power, love, and grace!

Share|
Older Entries
top