This post is a product of my morning musings. It seems like I often wake up with a thought and then can't escape it for the day! The thought? How far we (the church - collectively) have moved away from the anticipation and expectation of Gods Voice in our collective (and individual) lives.
For 1500-1700 years we have been lulled into a Christian existence of rote, rituals, and programs. We have convinced ourselves that God doesn't speak and frankly we don't need Him to. We, supposedly, have it all figured out anyway......
Well, excuse me, but I want to break from the pack. I NEED His Voice. I am simple. I am just created matter. He made me and I need His instruction. Without Him I am nothing. Don't be mistaken, I value & appreciate scripture. BUT I need to know specific things. Should I take this job or that one? Should I buy a home or rent? Should I carry health insurance or not? Should I have conversation with someone or avoid it?
Scripture indicates that all through history mankind has heard His Voice. I have heard His Voice (though not as often & clearly as I wish), therefore anyone who says He doesn't speak is ignorantly misinformed. I am convinced we live in a time much like Eli & Samuel - the Word of the Lord was rare in those days... I am equally convinced the problem is not in His speaking but in our hearing. We have excluded Him from our spiritual diet. My heart aches for a return to an atmosphere of His vocal influence in our (my) lives. maranatha
Monday, February 25, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Knowing Him
www.networkvine.org
We live in the information age. Our brains are on the border of exploding with all of the data we attempt to process daily. We seem to believe we can have better lives if we just know more. Yet the more we know the more complex life seems to be. Our knowing often has unforeseen consequences. Technology has created machines that do our work for us, entertain us, and often think for us. The unforeseen result is a overweight, under exercised, physically unhealthy couch potato culture. We know how to obtain information but seem to lack the wisdom (or disciplines) to use knowledge effectively. I believe that is solely due to the disconnect with the one who is Wisdom.
The church continues to plow down the road of knowledge. More classes, more sermons, more Sunday school lessons. If we can just know more about God our lives will be balanced and secure. The sad reality is the great void in our church culture between knowing about God and actually knowing God.
I am a student (disciple). I love to learn. This I have learned. Knowledge can never be a substitute for a intimate relationship with our Creator. The quest must be to KNOW HIM first. Then information. I believe God has assigned me the task of teaching yet I am acutely aware some things can not be humanly taught. The writer of Hebrews quotes Jeremiah:
They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." Jeremiah 31:34
No one can teach you to "know the Lord" anymore than they can teach you to know Billy Graham. If you want to know Billy Graham it will require spending time with him, having conversations, listening to his heart, etc. I sincerely wish I could teach someone to know God, but I can't. It is a exercise in futility. I can only inform them that He is accessible.
Those that know God can quickly connect to others who also know Him. They seem to never lack for conversation. The exchange of stories of Gods goodness (and activity) in their lives can go on for hours. Conversely, the frustration in interacting with those who only know "about" Him is quickly evident as well. This is not a criticism, but a sorrowful, heart rending desire for something different in their lives. Unfortunately, many of our "gatherings" (whether simple church or institutional) are made up of a mix of these realities. It doesn't show itself as clearly in the IC since most attendees are observers and there is limited interaction. In simple church, however, the problem is quite evident. Those that know God long to connect at a heart/spirit level while those that only know about Him are forced to remain at the "mind" level. Many gatherings tend to come "down" to the lowest common denominator so all can be involved. The more "nominal" the attendees are, the less likely the gathering will be able to be Spirit directed. These gatherings falter and will often retreat back to what they know. I have observed gatherings made up of believers who know Him. Those participants tend to be on "cloud nine". They enjoy and are strengthened by their time together. The presence of God is likely to be apparent in their gatherings. They tend to be servants to their communities. Individually, these believers discover personal giftings and exercise them under the mysterious leading of the Voice of God. They tend to be "self feeders". They have no desire to go "back". They know they are exactly where God has placed them and are excited (and content) to be there.
My prediction (and you are welcome to stone me if I miss it) is that nominal Christians will not survive simple church. This organic movement will ultimately be made up of those who truly know God (or will come to know Him) and are passionate for Him. Barna refers to them as the "Revolutionaries". The others will return to a safe place where anonymity is the rule. (and I in NO WAY want to minimize those Godly men & women who obediently remain in the IC's). Groups that struggle now will find themselves being "filtered" (over time) until those that remain can truly be Spiritual family. Then, hopefully, the family will grow with a God breathed DNA of Life.
Mickey
We live in the information age. Our brains are on the border of exploding with all of the data we attempt to process daily. We seem to believe we can have better lives if we just know more. Yet the more we know the more complex life seems to be. Our knowing often has unforeseen consequences. Technology has created machines that do our work for us, entertain us, and often think for us. The unforeseen result is a overweight, under exercised, physically unhealthy couch potato culture. We know how to obtain information but seem to lack the wisdom (or disciplines) to use knowledge effectively. I believe that is solely due to the disconnect with the one who is Wisdom.
The church continues to plow down the road of knowledge. More classes, more sermons, more Sunday school lessons. If we can just know more about God our lives will be balanced and secure. The sad reality is the great void in our church culture between knowing about God and actually knowing God.
I am a student (disciple). I love to learn. This I have learned. Knowledge can never be a substitute for a intimate relationship with our Creator. The quest must be to KNOW HIM first. Then information. I believe God has assigned me the task of teaching yet I am acutely aware some things can not be humanly taught. The writer of Hebrews quotes Jeremiah:
They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." Jeremiah 31:34
No one can teach you to "know the Lord" anymore than they can teach you to know Billy Graham. If you want to know Billy Graham it will require spending time with him, having conversations, listening to his heart, etc. I sincerely wish I could teach someone to know God, but I can't. It is a exercise in futility. I can only inform them that He is accessible.
Those that know God can quickly connect to others who also know Him. They seem to never lack for conversation. The exchange of stories of Gods goodness (and activity) in their lives can go on for hours. Conversely, the frustration in interacting with those who only know "about" Him is quickly evident as well. This is not a criticism, but a sorrowful, heart rending desire for something different in their lives. Unfortunately, many of our "gatherings" (whether simple church or institutional) are made up of a mix of these realities. It doesn't show itself as clearly in the IC since most attendees are observers and there is limited interaction. In simple church, however, the problem is quite evident. Those that know God long to connect at a heart/spirit level while those that only know about Him are forced to remain at the "mind" level. Many gatherings tend to come "down" to the lowest common denominator so all can be involved. The more "nominal" the attendees are, the less likely the gathering will be able to be Spirit directed. These gatherings falter and will often retreat back to what they know. I have observed gatherings made up of believers who know Him. Those participants tend to be on "cloud nine". They enjoy and are strengthened by their time together. The presence of God is likely to be apparent in their gatherings. They tend to be servants to their communities. Individually, these believers discover personal giftings and exercise them under the mysterious leading of the Voice of God. They tend to be "self feeders". They have no desire to go "back". They know they are exactly where God has placed them and are excited (and content) to be there.
My prediction (and you are welcome to stone me if I miss it) is that nominal Christians will not survive simple church. This organic movement will ultimately be made up of those who truly know God (or will come to know Him) and are passionate for Him. Barna refers to them as the "Revolutionaries". The others will return to a safe place where anonymity is the rule. (and I in NO WAY want to minimize those Godly men & women who obediently remain in the IC's). Groups that struggle now will find themselves being "filtered" (over time) until those that remain can truly be Spiritual family. Then, hopefully, the family will grow with a God breathed DNA of Life.
Mickey
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Networking
One objection to simple church that occasionally surfaces is the loss of ability to accomplish certain tasks because of smallness. I was recently greatly encouraged by observing functional networking in the simple church community. John White sent out a email concerning recent developments in Kenya. We have mutual friends that had traveled to Kenya and helped train indiginous leaders in the simple church concept (Luke 10). Many churches were planted and have continued to stay in contact. Kenyas recent cival wars and violence has produced great distress for the churches there. Johns' letter highlighted some of the realities on the ground and requested that groups ask God about what they should do to help bring relief.
This letter quickly circulated from network to network, house church to house church, leader to leader, and believer to believer. I personally received it several times. This tells me that a communication link exists that is based on relationships (not institutions) that has great potential. It remains to be seen what the result of the Kenya outcry will have within these networks. If no response comes it would indicate to me that we are still trapped in the mindset of our hearing being disconnected from our doing. Still, the consolation remains that Jesus is building His church. The puzzle continues to be put together in ways many of us could not have predicted a few years ago.
Mickey
This letter quickly circulated from network to network, house church to house church, leader to leader, and believer to believer. I personally received it several times. This tells me that a communication link exists that is based on relationships (not institutions) that has great potential. It remains to be seen what the result of the Kenya outcry will have within these networks. If no response comes it would indicate to me that we are still trapped in the mindset of our hearing being disconnected from our doing. Still, the consolation remains that Jesus is building His church. The puzzle continues to be put together in ways many of us could not have predicted a few years ago.
Mickey
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