How Great We Art?

What is the subject of God’s word - the Bible?

It may seem like a simple question, but is it? The Bible is about God, sure, but is it the story of God trying to save people, people trying to find God and get saved, God revealing something about Himself and saving people in the process or something else altogether?  It is common for people, especially when it comes to evangelism, to tell of God’s great love for mankind and define the story/purpose of the Bible accordingly – God’s wonderful plan to redeem sinners through Jesus, because of His love for them. This “God’s love for man” description of the Bible’s story is certainly found in the Bible and extremely important, but is it the main story in scripture or is it a part of some greater/more important purpose?

Already you may be asking what could be more important than God’s love for people as expressed in Jesus? An easy answer would be - anything God says is more important! If we were one part of a greater God centered purpose of the Bible how would that affect how we understand scripture?  

                The simple question becomes is the Bible about man or God, man focused or God focused? Here are two possible summary statements of the Bible depending on its purpose:

The Bible tells the story of God redeeming sinners through the work of Jesus Christ on account of His great love for mankind.

The Bible tells the story of God redeeming sinners (Who He loves) through the work of Jesus Christ for the purpose of glorifying Himself.

You don’t need to know a lot of the Bible to get the overall message if it is simply the story of God’s love for mankind as demonstrated by Jesus. If you understand how much Jesus loves you (as Jesus showed on the cross) then you pretty much get the whole story of the Bible. Modern evangelism and church teaching certainly reflects this kind of an understanding of scripture as the message is often reduced simply to “God loves you”. If you don’t believe He loves you a little more of the story can be told until you get it. However, if the Bible is about God glorifying Himself, then all the details become very important as each is a potential source of His glory. The Old Testament may seem almost counter productive to telling people of God’s love for man if that is the main story/purpose of the Bible, but it may be infinitely valuable in revealing other things about God for His glory. Love, grace, mercy, justice, holiness and even wrath are just some of the many attributes of God found in the scriptures which can bring Him glory. If it is all about us, our redemption for our sake, then many things simply become unnecessary details or means to the end of saving us.  

Some examples of seeing scripture through two different understandings of its story/purpose:

David fights Goliath - (1 Sam. 17)

Man centered: An insignificant shepherd boy (who God loves) shows great courage and sets an example for all of us to follow as he slays Goliath with his great slinging skills!

God centered: When God’s chosen (loved) people and their tall/impressive king (Saul) are terrified and on the verge of defeat by the God’s people mocking Philistines/Goliath, God used the least of the least (David) to defeat them that all glory would be His!

David and Bathsheba - (2 Sam. 11-12)

Man centered: David (who God loves), has a weak moment that leads to his adultery with Bathsheba, the killing of her husband, and widespread bloodshed among David’s children, teaching us how important it is to not give ourselves opportunity for sin.

God centered: God shows that He is able to fulfill His covenant with Abraham/descendants (who He loves), particularly through the line of David and that it will surely be by God’s grace and power for God’s glory alone, since David (like all people) is guilty of very heinous sins!

 Doesn’t God love David and want us to learn from David’s successes and failures? Surely, but who is the subject or hero of both stories – David or God? Are we to walk away talking about David’s strength, courage and failures or God’s glory and power in accomplishing His plans through His chosen, yet weak and undeserving people!

The Bible certainly tells of God’s love for His people – Rom. 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NKJV)

But is this demonstration of His love ultimately about us or Him and His glory?

Luke 24:25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (NKJV) Jesus claimed that even the Old Testament was about Him and His glory!

The Psalmist/David understood the God centeredness (“His name’s sake”) of redemption individually and for the nation –

Psalm 25:11 For Your name’s sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. (NKJV)

 Psalm 106:7 Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders;
         They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies,
         But rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea.
         8 Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake,
         That He might make His mighty power known. (NKJV)

Salvation for what purpose -

Eph. 1:11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. (NKJV) Our redemption is clearly something He purposed, even before creating this world, for His glory!

Col. 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (NKJV) In absolutely everything relating to creation Jesus will have preeminence - glory!

John 17:1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. (NKJV) The Father had infinite glory already, but there is some glory related purpose in the work Jesus did for the Father on earth in redeeming all who He was given! Jesus is not shy in discussing the glory He and the Father deserve/have!

The God/Jesus glorifying purpose is the thing on display at the culmination/renewal of creation.

Rev. 21:22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. (NKJV)

The redemption of God’s people through the work Jesus did on the cross is clearly part of God’s greater plan/purpose to glorify Himself in all things. God obviously had all His attributes including grace, mercy, justice, holiness, wrath, etc. before this world existed, but He purposed to display these attributes in creation as recorded in the Bible for the purpose of glorifying Himself.  

Does God love His people and express that love in the work of Jesus Christ – YES. We are blessed beyond belief as His chosen/loved people to be able to experience firsthand the glory of God. However, the main story of the Bible is God glorifying Himself in all things and His love for His people as shown in our redemption in Jesus Christ is a beautiful, blessed, wonderful means to that most worthy and glorious end!  

How Great Thou Art!

“We should sure be thankful for how well we have it here”

Ever said this or heard it said after seeing pictures of, reading about, or returning from a mission trip? Thankfulness is good, but at what point are we neglecting the needs of people? Does the Bible call for us to be thankful for how much better we have it or to actually help if we can? Consider James’ admonition:

James 2: 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (NKJV)

It is clear we are to respond to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ (and others) with real tangible help when possible. I spent several years working at a homeless shelter where we provided food, shelter, clothing, Biblical counsel and educational opportunities for homeless men, women and children. It was right to provide opportunities for people to get off the street and tell them about the hope available in Christ. Many people had legitimate needs, but the reality is, based on my experience, that anyone who truly wanted help had multiple options available. There are exceptions of course as some avenues of help became less available to people if they showed little motivation to change.  There also seems to be some people who are too unstable to function in the group settings of the shelters and may go from the streets to mental facilities or to jails on a regular rotation. The bottom line is it would not be too hard to excuse helping homeless folks here, because there are almost always resources available to help.

Isn’t it nice to know that the richest Christians in the world don’t have to worry about giving to help the naked, destitute and hungry! We could thank our increasingly socialistic society for relieving us of this job (if we actually think it is a good thing) or we could look a little further. Now that we have almost instant information on suffering people worldwide (Christians included) and many of them are truly destitute, we can’t take a pass on sharing our “blessings”.

Scripture is full of warnings that connect our willingness to help those in need with the validity of our faith. Jesus uses it as evidence of saving faith in the judgment described in Matt. 25:31-46. In Luke 18:18-23, a rich young ruler walks away without eternal life because he would not give away his wealth to the poor and follow Jesus. In 2 Cor. 8, Paul spends the entire chapter describing examples of and principles for giving including:

Cor. 8:13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”  (NKJV)

Salvation is forever and always by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, but faith in Jesus changes things. All our excuses not to give when there is a real need and we really can help are eliminated by the reality that He saved us, owns everything and wants us to do these very kinds of things to His glory. God can always send us more stuff if we need it. He might even send it through the hand of an obedient follower who was given many resources not just to be thankful for them, but to bless others with them. If this is valid, we need to seriously consider how we can be used for the glory of Christ in a world which is now visible to us and full of real needs!

A More Biblical Church Model?

I have been blessed over the past couple years to spend much time in the scriptures exploring the call/purpose of the church. This quest has been fueled by my responsibilities in the church I pastor and the desire to help ensure what I and the Elders who lead with me do is biblically sound. The thing I will consider here is how a church’s structure in terms of facilities, programs, teaching and plans for growth impacts the church’s fulfilling of its call/purpose. Many good things can happen in churches with different models and strategies for carrying out the work God calls us to. However, it is surely wise to evaluate different models of church by scripture to see if there is a better or best way to do church. For the sake of comparison I am going to present two different models for doing church which I believe would to some degree represent most of churches in modern evangelicalism. I realize no church may fit perfectly into either model and may be blends of both or have very unique church models I have not considered. I have labeled the first church model: Reach, Plug in and Grow and the other model: Reach, Equip and Send Out. I will assume that either model has the goal of impacting the world for Christ and have simply chosen different means for accomplishing that goal.

Model one – Reach, Plug In and Grow.

The goal of this model is to reach folks through programs, events and personal evangelism and then plug them into service in the church as soon as possible. Some keys to doing this model might include the following.

1.       Make sure you have plenty of programs suited to people’s felt needs to attract people who otherwise would not come to church. These activities also provide an alternative “safe” place so the world’s influence on church families is reduced.

2.       Have plenty of service opportunities in the church so everyone has a place to “plug in” and use their gifts (also feel a part of the church).

3.       Provide non-threatening grow at your own pace atmosphere.

4.       Provide age-divided classes so children, youth and various age adults can learn alongside others similar to themselves.

5.       Provide mission opportunities for those who feel called to missions and so others can know “how blessed we are here”. Provide a percentage of the budget for mission work around the world.

6.       Make sure the church has property for future growth as more people come and programs are increased.

7.       Set aside money to fund future building projects as the church requires more space.

8.       Increase staff to manage larger needs for ministry and administration as church size increases.

Model two – Reach, Equip and Send Out.

The goal of this model is to reach people through personal ministry and then equip them for personal ministry in their homes, schools, jobs, neighborhoods and for planting churches locally and globally. Some keys to doing this model might include the following.

1.       Current members actively seek to evangelize in their areas of influence through relational ministry and inviting those they reach to church.

2.       New members/families are discipled personally by members/families with more maturity.

3.       Teaching is aimed at equipping every member of the church for ministry in their homes and elsewhere outside the walls of the church. Age mixing is desired for adults so they can learn alongside those who are different from them. Age segregated classes for young children and youth are careful not to replace, but complement parent’s roles in ministering to them.

4.       Elders focus on teaching and equipping the congregation - especially future leaders.

5.       Service opportunities within the church are kept minimal so they don’t distract from the call to go.

6.       The size of church facilities is intentionally limited so that the planting of new churches and equipping of future leaders has urgency.

7.       Avoid unneeded luxuries in the church so money can be sent to help churches in poor nations and model biblical stewardship.

8.       Save money to help fund future churches which the home church trained leaders and portions of the congregation will leave to plant.

Evaluating these two models – If you were to ask, “Which church would most people choose?”, I think the answer is obvious. People naturally want to be in their comfort zones, would rather safely serve within the church building, would rather allow the professional to most of the ministry, would rather be able to see their church grow big, would rather see their families insulated from the world, would rather see their money go to things they can physically enjoy and assume only some Christians are called to ministry and missions. 

What does God call us to do?

Matt. 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. (NKJV)

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (NKJV)

2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (NKJV)

These previous verses support our common call as Christians to “Go”! All are to be witnesses for Christ and be involved in making disciples wherever He has us. Going = our personal, God assigned, ministry and mission.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (NKJV)

Phil. 2:14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. (NKJV)

1 Pet. 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; (NKJV)

Matt. 10: 32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. (NKJV) In context - This is not confessing Him to other believers in the safety of the church, but to unbelievers who may be very hostile!

These verses further support the need for us to go and have exposure in the world so they can see Christ through our actions and words. God wants us to glorify Him as we tell others who He is and what He has done. It is particularly striking that our fear or failure to confess Him in certain circumstances might have serious consequences (Matt. 10:32-33)

God did not call the world to “go therefore into all the churches, become disciples and settle in”, He told us to go to them! The way we do church will either make “going” (personal ministry and mission) the normal expected thing and equipping will be desired or it will make “going” one choice among many and  most will settle into church service and there will be little need or motivation to be equipped.