A Worshipping People

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a worshipping people

“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! Let everything that breathes sing praise to the Lord!” (Psalm 150)

Genesis 1 can be read as a description of God dedicating all of creation as his temple. Is God trying to tell us that he designed all of creation to bring about his worship? It would appear so. The writers of the Psalms pick this up often. John’s throne room vision in Revelation agrees:

And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever.” (Rev. 5:13)

Humans were created to be worshippers. But we have strayed so far:

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshipping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshipped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.” (Romans 1:20-22)

Do we still have idols? We do! Lots of them! Tim Keller says an idol is a “good thing we turn into an ultimate thing”. In other words, “anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God”. I believe Keller is right. Those idols are everywhere. Sometimes we even acknowledge idol worship like Hozier did in the 2013 Grammy nominated hit, “Take Me To Church” (not a Christian song):

My lover’s got humor, She’s the giggle at a funeral, Knows everybody’s disapproval,

I should’ve worshiped her sooner, If the Heavens ever did speak, She’s the last true mouthpiece
Every Sunday’s getting more bleak, A fresh poison each week, “We were born sick”, you heard them say  My church offers no absolutes, She tells me, “Worship in the bedroom”
The only Heaven I’ll be sent to is when I’m alone with you…
Take me to church, I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I’ll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death, Good God, let me give you my life.

We’ve been talking about the calling of the church this blog season. 1 Peter reminds us that we, the church, are a called-out people who are to display the goodness of God (2:9). Later in his letter, Peter says:

You must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. (1 Peter 3:15-16)

Peter is clearly calling us, the church, to renounce our idols and worship the one true God who brings a hope the idols of the land cannot. Simple, right? Is it though?

I suspect our desires and imaginations have become shrunken and hollow due to our lack of attention, and the appeal of the gods of the land. It takes time to reorient ourselves as worshippers. How can we spur one another on in worship? How can we help each other see God’s truth, goodness, and beauty in stark contrast to the idols? Togetherness is key here. Alone we easily can become inattentive and unaware of God and may replace him with a weak temporary substitute. What if we, with a group of our peers, read one of those big bold revelations of God in Scripture each day? Could that subvert the lure of the idols? Here are a few that always refocus my attention:

  • The last few chapters of Job (38-39) – where God asks all his questions
  • Psalm 8, Psalm 19, Psalm 139
  • Isaiah 6, Isaiah 40
  • Ezekiel 1
  • John 1:1-18
  • 1 Corinthians 15
  • Revelation 1, Revelation 4-5, Revelation 21-22

Let’s help each other see a big, bold, wonderful, True, Good, and Beautiful God together!

“Oh Lord, you’re beautiful, Your face is all I seek! And when your eyes are on this child, Your grace abounds to me.” – Keith Green

Neil Bassingthwaighte
ServeCanada Director & Interim Prayer Catalyst

The Call of the Church Today – “On-site” or “Online”?

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onsite or online

The last three years have seen most churches push into digital and online ministry sooner than they would have expected. As you well know, for a time it was the only option really available to us for some of our ministries. At the time, some suggested that the crisis only hastened the inevitable move from physical to digital ministry. But, I would suggest – and I expect most of you would agree – that a church cannot really fulfill the full calling of God without a physical presence and ministry. Bill talked last week about the community of faith, and I want to push deeper into that by suggesting the need for churches to intentionally create cultures of warm and welcoming presence in our churches as a key part of that community of faith. While there is much that can be done and accomplished digitally, for the vast majority of our communities their fullest expression requires incarnation – a physical presence and experience.

We are now in a time when most churches are evaluating how best to move forward into this new chapter of ministry. Leaders are wrestling with what ministries to re-activate. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have been saying that we need to assess our ministries through the filters of vision and mission. Tradition, historical practises and programs, and especially “loud voices” should not be the sole driving factor in how we do ministry. We are in a new chapter with new opportunities as well as new challenges and limitations – all to be assessed and engaged from a perspective of vision.

In addition to prioritizing ministries that best fit vision, leaders have to steward limited resources (financial, people, facilities, etc), even as they sort out who is actually a part of their church family. Into this discussion we add the question of the place for online ministry with its opportunities, expectations, and limitations.

Let me suggest that church leaders address this last question by first spending time reflecting on the essential role of the personal, physically gathered, ministry of the church. A part of the strength and calling of the church is found in the personal interaction, engagement, and shared experience for the family of God. Additionally, a safe, engaging, personal community is something many people are missing, and looking for. More than ever, the full experience of the Church family has something the world needs.

I am not suggesting that you do not leverage online ministries. Online ministries provide us some great opportunities. While we should use “online” for it does best, we must also embrace “in person activities” for what they do best. Online can deliver information and content really well. It can help people get a picture of your church to inform their decision on whether or not to visit. It can even offer a measure of the relational component of the church – but not all of it.

People are unlikely to feel the warmth of your fellowship online.

So, friends, do not miss the opportunities afforded by online and digital technology. Keep pushing and asking what it can help you with. But be sure to intentionally consider what it does not do as well as “in person” engagement, and give appropriate attention, resources, and priority to those activities – especially the building of community through relationship. Work hard to make your church a warm welcoming environment. Start by modelling that as leaders. It can be hard work; it is easier to just focus on those we are already comfortable with. But our calling is so much bigger than that.

All churches, whether large or small, need to intentionally work hard to make people feel welcome. Most of the churches I talk to are seeing new people come – what a great opportunity that is. Let us not miss the calling to be warm welcoming communities, it is an essential part of our calling. Bill’s word to us is appropriate, and it is up to us to make that community of faith welcoming to all people. We must not miss this unique moment of opportunity. For that, you will need a strong “on-site” culture of warmth and welcome, for which “on-line” is a partner, but never a substitute.

Terry Kaufman
EFCC Leadership Catalyst

To be a Community of Faith

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a community of faith

 

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42)

“All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.” (Acts 4:32-35)

Above are two classic passages that describe the culture of the early church. It is dangerous to assume that this is the model for what the church should look like, in all locations and cultures, and in all times. However, I think it is fair to say that the core values represented in these passages are overwhelmingly reiterated in the rest of the New Testament. So, while the local church may be organized differently over time (and in differing cultures), these core values are key components to the biblical calling of the church.

I would like to argue that the overarching thing the church is called to is to be a community of faith. Neil argued this a few blog posts back. Ike highlighted in the last blog that we are a community on mission. And three blog posts back Terry reminded us that the church is called to feed the sheep – and sheep do not do well wandering around as individuals. They only survive in a flock: a community, cared for by a shepherd. There are numerous New Testament metaphors for this community. We are God’s holy temple (I Corinthians 3), Jesus’ body (I Corinthians 12), a holy nation, royal priesthood (I Peter 2) and so much more. All the metaphors point towards a community of faith. The passages in Acts reflect a generous, loving community of mutual submission – where my “stuff” belongs to God – and His community of faith.

We are called to live out the “one-anothers” in this community. We are not individuals saved for heaven. We are saved for community and a redemptive mission.

The church is not just called to be any type of community. It is Jesus’ community of faith. The early church met for the apostles’ teaching about Jesus the Messiah. They shared meals and their lives with each other. They “gloried”, especially in their (new) equal status as they celebrated the Lord’s Supper as a family meal. They prayed – seeking the Lord to move redemptively among them and those they loved and met. I love that the apostles “testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus!” This is that mission component Ike was talking about. Yes, we are people of the cross – but we are even more, people of the empty tomb. So often I hear us talk about the cross and how Jesus saved me, a sinful individual. And then? Complete silence on the resurrection. This sin management gospel is half right – but fully wrong! It is perfectly fitted for our individualistic, “Jesus and me, and now I have my ticket to heaven” culture. Yet in I Corinthians 15 Paul reminds us that we are people of the cross and the resurrection. Without the resurrection we are still dead in our sins. The resurrection raises us to new life in the here and now. The resurrection places us into the community of faith (by His Holy Spirit)! As His people we have the privilege in joining the apostles in testifying to the reality of the resurrection in word and by living in resurrection community.

May we answer His calling to be His generous, loving, community of faith!

Bill Taylor
EFCC Executive Director

Called to be On Mission with God

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called to be on mission w God

What is the Biblical calling of the Church? Depending on their giftings and agenda, this question has different answers to diverse Christians and leaders. But throughout history, the calling of the Church has been defined and shaped too often by its cultural context.

To answer this question biblically, we need to look at the biblical story. As we examine the Scripture closely, the biblical calling of the Church is to be on mission with God. Being on mission with God is the very essence and identity of the Church as it takes up its role in God’s story in the context of its culture and participates in God’s mission to the world.

In the biblical story, beginning in the Old Testament, there is an expectation that God’s people be involved in His mission to the world. The account begins with Abraham’s call (v. 3 – And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed) in Genesis 12 and continues in Exodus 19:3-6, showing that God calls his people to live in holiness and be a blessing to all nations and creation.

3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” (Exodus 19:3-6)

God also made it clear that the calling of the nation of Israel, God’s people in the Old Testament, is to be a light of the nations. Isaiah 49:6 says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the protected ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

While Israel’s history shows God working in their context to enable them to be on mission with Him, each stage in Israel’s story produced failure. By the time of Jesus, the Jews basically hated the Gentiles, seeking separation from them rather than being a light to them.

In the New Testament, from the Gospel accounts, Jesus’ ministry was a call to Israel to renew its role to bring salvation to the nations. Yet they still failed Him. The death and resurrection of Jesus are the means by which the community of believers, which becomes the Church, is empowered to be on mission with God and live a distinctive life that leads to not just individual salvation but to the creation of transformed communities of disciples in all places.

The Church in Acts is the continuation of the ministry of Jesus through the Holy Spirit as a witness of God’s work in Jesus to the whole world. The calling of the Church to be on mission with God is found in Luke 24, Matthew 28, Acts 1:8 and other “Great Commission” passages. In the Epistles, the writings of the Apostle Paul reflect the missional nature of the calling of God’s people. As the people of God in the New Testament, Paul linked the Church to the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit as God’s way to share the message of salvation through Jesus.

The Church is to live holy lives to attract and be missionary people to carry the message to others.

Peter reiterated the calling of the people of God in 1 Peter 2:9, But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (cf. Exodus 19:5-6)

The biblical calling of the Church is to participate in the mission of God. This is our identity and the very essence of the Church. Let’s reclaim and obey our biblical calling for the glory of God.

Ike Agawin
ServeBeyond Director