Authenticity in the Church

Pretty interesting conversation this morning about authenticity.  With all the churches out there using this as a catch phrase it begs the question:  Is authenticity a good thing in the church?  Hear me out.  True;  authenticity in your relationship with God is no doubt desirable and should be the goal.  However,  when it comes to the authenticity of a gathering that is made up of self serving consumers….  Is an environment that’s “authentic” for us, actually a healthy environment?   The point is; our authenticity is a very ugly thing.

Which proves our need for Christ right?!  Yes,  but you can’t argue that our search for authenticity hasn’t become self serving.  thoughts?

Luke’s Gospel

Pretty cool

Vacation & Visiting Churches

Getting settled back in after the trip to the beach.  Had a great time, got refreshed and ready to role.  Just a little update on the recovery.  I’m still unable to eat anything I want,  only soft foods. I go back to the dr on Thursday, and hopefully he’ll clear me for a little more at that time.  My lower lip and most of my chin are still numb.  I am starting to get some tingling here and there in my chin I think that’s a good sign.

The church visiting process has become really interesting to me lately.  I’ve started thinking about how long it’s been since I’ve been an “outsider”.  It’s funny that I’ve caught myself talking about different churches and my preferences with other people a lot.  I realized how easy it must be for a person to use their objections with each church to never go at all.   I’ve felt convicted about the fact that I’ve spent so much time and energy trying to make someone feel comfortable to come to church.  Don’t get me wrong,  I think that can be a good thing;  but in reality there’s always going to be something a person doesn’t like or at least is not “how they would do it”.  Maybe only former church staff people think like that, I’m not sure.   The point is ,  it seems like we should be saying something that cuts through our “preferences” and speaks to the fact that we should just plug in.  In the end,  will it matter where? What is it that could cut through all that noise and communicate something clearly that says “it’s not about you”.  Looks like we’re back to the Gospel.

This and That

I haven’t been posting much lately. Had a lot of stuff going on.  The jaw surgery has been a long recovery and honestly I haven’t felt like writing much. The recovery has also conincided with the closing of Skyline.   At this point, I can only share just a few thoughts. I know I ‘ll have much more to say as time passes.  I think I’m going to do a series of post on the experience in the coming weeks or months.  Working in ministry for 6yrs prior,  now pales in comparison to the experience of helping plant a church, work there for 4 yrs, and then see it’s time come to a close.  At this point I’m so grateful for the journey God has allowed me to go on and the invaluable things I’ve learned through being able to view things from different perspectives.  There are 5 or 6 others that could write books along with me I know.   I just don’t have the words right now; More on those people later…

For Every Man

You might get your feelings hurt. I did;  and I’m eternally greatful

A Herald

Herald- noun :  A person that proclaims or announces;  an official messenger;  A person that precedes or comes before;  A forerunner

We’re all heralds of something or someone.  What is it that we are using the one life we’ve been given to make known- to herald.  What person place or thing is it?  Some type of business,  a type of music (our favorite band), a piece of technology,  a football team, our church, worst of all ourselves.   What a waste of a life.   Don’t waste your life;  Make him known,  it’s why you exist.

Question… Some would say:  What if I make him known through  my business, my music,  technology, sports, my church? How is that not the same?

Answer… It is the same, if your truely making him known.  More times than not it becomes about – my business, my music, my technology, my team, my church.  So we’re back to the same question.   If someone views your life objectly – What or Who do you herald?

De-churched

Thoughts?

The Bible is about Christ

Go figure.

Do you think our teaching methods in ministry “teach”  people that the Bible is about them?  Big question I know.  I was listening to a sermon from Tim Keller the other day and he talked about how we should try to view text through the “window” of Christ.  He gave this list of illustrations as to how we can draw Christ from every bit of scripture.  It should be easy considering it is about him.  Here’s the list:

 

Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.

 

Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for acquittal.

 

Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void not knowing wither he went to create a new people of God.

 

Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his father on the mount but was truly sacrificed for us. And when God said to Abraham, “Now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love from me,” now we can look at God taking his son up the mountain and sacrificing him and say, “Now we know that you love us because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love from us.”

 

Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.

 

Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them.

 

Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.

 

Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert.

 

Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends.

 

Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes his people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.

 

Jesus is the true and better Esther who didn’t just risk leaving an earthly palace but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn’t just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.

 

Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.

 

Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us. He’s the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread.

 

The Bible’s really not about you – it’s about him.

Inoculated with Jesus