If you had only one opportunity to say something to someone you loved or if you had only one last chance to ask a friend a question, what would it be?
Let’s hear it! Time to quit being a “blurker” (blog lurker) and actually make yourself known. It doesn’t have to be long or even explained. Just give it to us.
→ 1 CommentCategories: Dinner Discussions
Kristen and I had a “discussion” last night about a really serious subject. I just finished reading a book called “T.U.L.I.P.” on the five theological foundations decided on at the Synod of Dort, 1618. The book was great! So I made Kristen start reading it. I know, I’m a theology nerd and it’s torture being married to me.
So she reads the first chapter on Total Depravity. The doctrine says that sin has infected and affected all parts of our lives- heart, emotions, will, mind, body, and the world at large. Everything is tainted by sin. We are not as sinful as we could be, but we are completely affected by sin from conception.
Total Depravity is seen across scripture: A sinful heart produces sinful action (Mark 7:21-23). We are sin-sick beyond our own cure (Jer. 17:9). People are slaves of sin (Rom. 6:20). Sin is a universal condition (Rom 3:23). We do not seek God first (Rom. 3:10-12). People cannot understand spiritual things on our own (1 Cor. 2:14). We are at enmity with God (Eph. 2:15) and by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3).
So Kristen and I “discussed” whether loving our children was totally depraved and sinful. We agreed that it wasn’t. I had to add a caveat that it was tainted by sin and not perfect as God’s love is perfect, therefore depraved and needing grace. I told you the “discussion” was deadly serious, but funny that this is pillow talk for us. I also told you I’m a geek!
Total Depravity doesn’t say that everything you are and do is 100%, totally, completely, wholly sinful. It says that every area of our lives and world are affected and touched by sin to one degree or another. What that means is that everyone and everything is in need of healing. But the broken can’t fix itself like a child can’t birth itself. We need grace. To not believe in total depravity is to say there are areas of life that don’t need God’s grace and that in that area Jesus’ life, death and resurrection were pointless, useless, ineffectual, and irrelevant.
What do you think of Total Depravity? How have you seen it on a global, local, family, or personal scale? Does it make you lose faith or grateful for grace?
→ Leave a CommentCategories: Bible · Theology
So KD and the kids headed to the mountains for a few days of vacation. Can you believe the gall of them leaving me behind to go to one of my most favorite places on earth. I mean, the mountains of NC are like a little slice of heaven just up I-95. And in case ou’re wondering, I didn’t do anything wrong (that I know of) to warrant being left behind. We just couldn’t make the timing work for all of us to go.
But have no fear! I have had a few days with a completely empty house all to myself. I’ve been to the beach, surfing, fishing, eating wings (insert shameless plug for Dick’s Wings at Jax Beach). I had this whole plan that I could just let whole house go, do no dishes, make no beds, mow no lawn. You get the point.
But I couldn’t do it. It sounded fun at first. And I’m not the super clean, organized one in our duo of a marriage. I thought it would be natural and easy. I thought it would be great sport to tell KD all about it when she got back. But it really wasn’t all that fun or enjoyable.
Something has changed in the last decade of loving and living with this awesome person. My old ways, desires, plans, and schemes have changed. I don’t like those old things any more. I’d rather have my family and cleaned up way of life. It’s just better that way. I tried to like it the other way, but it wasn’t the same. My desires have changed because of a relationship.
I’m reminded that by grace through faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit takes our old desires and sanctifies us, giving us new, regenerated desires. Sure we may want to go back from time to time to see if those old ways are still fun, but we quickly learn that God has changed us and our desires. We don’t have a taste for those old things. They have passed away. We have new desires and new tastes and new ways because of a new relationship. It’s not us being perfect, but Jesus transforming us and giving us new life by his grace.
I wonder when KD and the kids will be home. I miss them
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It’s just been one of those weeks… you know what I’m talking about… I’m not complaining… I’m just saying… Let’s be honest because it happens to us all… the week starts out expected to go one direction and then, wham!, it takes a turn…
… in a totally awesome, unbelievable, stunning, I-don’t-want-it-end, how did I get picked for this, God is so cool kind of way!!!!!
How about you? Good? Bad?
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It’s a little hard to review The Bible. Come on, it’s the Bible after all. Thomas Nelson Publishing is kind enough to send me all kinds of books in return for writing my thoughts (they even ask me to be honest!). So here are my thoughts…
This book is a children’s Bible for girls. The translation is the International Children’s Bible. This particular Bible made some great choices in story selection. Accompanying each story is a song, a short play to act out, or fun “beauty secrets”. Each story and the related pages are color-coded which makes it really easy to find the beginning of the story.
Our three year old daughter loves it. She carries the Bible around with her all the time because she likes the cover art and the pictures on the pages. The stories are edited to a great length for her short attention span. The book itself is pretty sturdy having held up to a little girl’s “love”.
Our daughter asks to read this particular bible over others we have. It holds her attention. The activities that go with each story do an above average job of engaging our daughter and bringing the story to life. I love that it helps us as parents interact with her about the text.
On a more theological note, most children’s translations, this one included, are lacking in striking that great balance between content, accuracy, and being understandable.
One area of this book that falls way short is the songs. The songs are old, stuffy, churchy, and not fitting to the aim of the book. They should have included more modern songs.
All in all, it is good Bible for a little girl. You can find it for purchase on Amazon and other sites for about $9-15.00.
→ 1 CommentCategories: Bible · Books
The Singles Labor Day Retreat is an amazing way for singles to have a blast at the beach in beautiful Destin, Florida, while connecting with each other and being challenged spiritually. It’s a weekend of amazing friendships, awesome worship, inspiring teaching, and thought-provoking discussions. It’s attended each year by more than 1,000 singles from the southeast.
This year’s retreat is September 4–7 and will focus on the topic of “dateability.” There are few things in our lives more exciting, more confusing, and more complex than dating. We often have more questions about dating than we have answers. Questions like:
* Does God care about who you date? What about how you date?
* How does your past affect your present realities and future dreams?
* What about sex?
* Will I always be single?
* How do I know if they are right for me?
* How do I know if I’m right for someone else?
There will be multiple communicators from the North Point staff to help navigate this topic. Worship throughout the weekend will be led by The North Point Band.
Whether you prefer to connect during one of the late-night environments, during a sports tournament, or while hanging out on the beach, there are plenty of opportunities to connect throughout the weekend.
And, at only $300, there’s not a better way to spend your Labor Day weekend!
What to do now?
1. Sign up for more info by sending an email to ldr@acesschurch.org.
2. Attend a short information meeting July 19 right after our 10:30am service.
3. Learn more about costs and register online over here.
4. Stop by the Info Table in the lobby on Sunday morning and ask questions.
→ Leave a CommentCategories: Church · Fun
Here is Brian Reese, Student Ministries pastor-extraordinaire at Access Church, talking at our Leadership Dinner last Tuesday about what Student Impact is and why it is a central component of our Student Ministry. There’s also a little bonus fun from the dinner…
done→ 3 CommentsCategories: Leadership · students
About a month ago we put out a call for those who call Access their church to get involved as a leader if they weren’t already. The team worked really hard to identify potential leaders, crafting a Sunday and message, and then following up to place, celebrate, and now equip those new and existing leaders. By God’s grace, it has been a huge success. With almost 75% of those attending Access finding some place to get involved to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Unbelievable!
Last night we had an incredible time with a ton of those new Access Church leaders to thank them for stepping up and answering that call to get involved. We had some time to mingle and get to meet each other. Them we had an amazing dinner and dessert together. Brian led a hilarious game called “Who’s got that funk?”. The meat came as each of the staff spoke about a critical aspect or tool for ministry at Access, giving the teams that sat together time to discuss each one. The topics we talked about together were:
1. Darin talked about why we believe that excellence matters.
2. I talked about being a leader, not just a volunteer, especially in the area of replacing yourself and intentional apprenticing.
3. Brian did an awesome job unveiling Student Impact as a center piece of our ministry with middle and high school students.
4. Kevin schooled us all in how to use Planing Center Online to help scheduling among the teams.
5. Rich wrapped the evening up by giving a little history to the church and casting vision for our mission and strategy.
This week I’m going to be posting some highlight videos from the evening as well a little more detail from each of our talks. Check back to get the scoop.
ps- my game, that labored over for hours and hours, got cut on the fly due to time. I think I’m going to make my family play the game. Or maybe we should play it in worship one Sunday soon????
→ Leave a CommentCategories: Church · Leadership
You can catch up on the series by scrolling through the last week’s worth of posts. In the introductory post, I wrote about a view of church where “the nursery is where children are kept alive, and hopefully unharmed, for an hour. The children’s ministry is where parents drop their children off to get their fill of the Biblically justified moral instruction.” No one would publish that as their mission as a ministry or an individual leader, but I’ve seem it played out more often than I would like in churches.
In a missional church, however, the children’s ministry isn’t just child care and returning the kids alive. Don’t get me wrong, I want the kids to go home alive. But as that as a given, there is a greater agenda: Jesus. Our primary purpose is to introduce the children to Jesus- who made them, loves them, and wants to be their friend forever. Unless the foundation of a real relationship with Jesus is laid, a church can end up having a bunch of moralistic, hard-hearted, Pharisaical kids acting right, but not in a right relationship with God.
In a missional church, right living is taught as discipleship to children. But it is taught as an overflow of gratitude for and love from Jesus. It’s nurtured as a natural expression of the relationship. Children are discipled that their right living doesn’t save them or make them special. It is a way of saying thank you to God for Jesus.
Discipleship of children is also placed in the context that how they live their lives speaks volumes to their friends, neighbors, and classmates about the reality of Jesus, grace, and new life in him. Discipleship of children always encourages them to a live a missional lifestyle- part of who they are and not jsut an program, project, or trip.
Just like missional discipleship of adults happens best in the context of relationships because the gospel is relational, Jesus is relational, salvation is relational, faith is lived out among people we have relationships with, and ultimately because heaven is relational, so discipleship of children is relational.
I have this dream that children will grow up not knowing anything other than faith is nurtured in community. That is why Access uses the language of small groups, not Sunday school, and group leaders, not teachers. That’s why we push so hard for leaders to move from age to age with the same group of kids. I want them to own long term relationships and not a class room. I have a vision that kids will grow up with the same group of peers and leaders thinking relational faith is normal.
Finally missional churches partner with parents. Missional churches are not the place for kids to be dropped off to get their fix of religion. Missional churches realize the power and potency of partnering with parents. That partnership is biblical. That partnership grows the parents’ faith. That partnership increases involvement and interaction. There really is no such thing as a “children’s ministry,” but only a “family ministry.” You can go here to watch a message I preached on this idea. This is the idea behind “Orange Familes” and the orange philosophy of ministry that we adhere to as a church.
→ 1 CommentCategories: Children · Church · Missiology · Orangology
I wrote in the opening post of this series that there is a skewed view of discipleship that looks like this: “Christian eduction tends to be about the consumption of facts of information.”
About eleven years ago, I had a friend open my eyes to an amazing way of viewing the Bible. He said, “Each book of the Bible is basically a missionary training manual for the community to which it was written.” Scripture does all sorts of things- comforts, convicts, challenges, educates, evokes emotion, inspires, expresses joy and pain, corrects, and more. But it does these, not primarily for my benefit, but for the formation of the community of faith and me for sake of the gospel and witness to Jesus. Jesus himself said that we are wrong to believe that scripture holds life for us. He reminded those around him that he in fact held life for them. So scripture must play a different role than savior. What is that role?
In everything that scripture teaches and tells, there is a common missional thread woven in. Matthew writes the truth about Jesus so that a distinctly jewish community will know how to attest to him. Paul writes 1 & 2 Corinthians to a church that needs to live faithfully for the gospel in very morally compromising times. The letters to Timothy instruct a young leader how to faithfully witness to Jesus. Genesis 12:2, God tells Abraham that he will be come a nation that will be “blessed to be a blessing.” Scripture- and therefore Christian education- instructs us in faith and life, not just for our benefit, but for the benefit of the mission of God.
If I were to eat and eat and eat, consuming calories, even if they came from great food, but never put those calories to work, what would happen to me? I’d get fat, maybe get diabetes, perhaps heart disease. “Calories in” > “calories out”= an unhealthy body. If all I do is consume knowledge, facts, sermons, books, principles, ideas, or concepts and don’t put them into practice, then I will become spiritually unhealthy. I’ve seen people abused by others with lots of knowledge. James says that “faith without works is dead.” The best way to grow spiritually strong is to take in a healthy diet of discipleship and then put it into practice for the good of the gospel in the world. Discipleship is incomplete until it encompasses missional living and lifestyle.
Because the gospel and Jesus are relational, discipleship must be relational. There is no discipleship without relationship. You must have a personal relationship with Jesus to have any discipleship. Anything not rooted in a personal relationship with Jesus, is false religion. It sickeningly become trite behavior modification. Because discipleship is based on a relationship, it must also occur within the context of relationships. Its the way Jesus conducted the formation of his disciples. Relationships allow for trust, authenticity, accountability, and more. Discipleship within community is a witness and missional in and of itself. Jesus said that people will experience the gospel when we love one another.
Discipleship is based on scripture, centered on Jesus, functioning in the context of relationships as a response and witness to the grace of God in Christ.
→ Leave a CommentCategories: Bible · Missiology
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