Category Archives: Discipleship
Being Thankful For Frustrations
“Give thanks in everything…” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (HCSB), may be one of the most challenging verses in the New Testament, because not everything in life is easy to give thanks for. It’s helpful to remember that this was written by a man who had been beaten, stoned, imprisoned, shipwrecked, and more for trying to bring good to people by sharing Christ with them.
How do I give thanks in everything? Someone sent me this helpful exercise a few years ago:
I am thankful…
- For the taxes I pay because it means I am employed.
- For the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have had more than enough to eat.
- For the yard that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home.
- For the parking spot at the far end of the parking lot because it means that I have transportation and that I am able to walk.
- For my huge electric bill because it means that I have been cool.
- For the pile of laundry to fold because it means that I have clothes.
- For exhaustion at the end of the day because it means I have been capable of working hard.
- For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because is means that I am alive.
- For the mess to clean up after Thanksgiving dinner because it means I have been surrounded with friends.
And if there’s nothing else to be thankful for, be thankful for Jesus Christ, and that because of Him, all the frustration WILL one day be out of sight.
Christian, What are You’re Neighbors Saying About You?
“Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time” Colossians 4:5
This morning our church hit chapter 4 in our study of Colossians & reflected on how our CONDUCT relates to God’s mission. Our conduct is simply the way we live and this verse reminds us that the way we live can be a witness to the Gospel. So we must be mindful of others spiritual condition, be mindful of our attitude & behavior, & look for opportunities to serve others. People outside of the faith will be very important to true Christians, because our mission involves spreading the Christ-message to others (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, Colossians 1:28-29).
A few weeks ago Thom Rainer shared some research on common comments non-Christians say about Christians that are instructive when considering our conduct & witness.
- Christians are against more things than they are for. “It just seems to me that Christians are mad at the world and mad at each other. They are so negative that they seem unhappy. I have no desire to be like them and stay upset all the time.”
- I would like to develop a friendship with a Christian. “I’m really interested in what they believe and how they carry out their beliefs. I wish I could find a Christian that would be willing to spend some time with me.”
- I would like to learn about the Bible from a Christian. “The Bible really fascinates me, but I don’t want to go to a stuffy and legalistic church to learn about it. I would be nice if a Christian invited me to study the Bible in his home or at a place like Starbucks.”
- I don’t see much difference in the way Christians live compared to others. “I really can’t tell what a Christian believes because he doesn’t seem much different than other people I know. The only exception would be Mormons. They really seem to take their beliefs seriously.”
- I wish I could learn to be a better husband, wife, dad, mom, etc., from a Christian.“My wife is threatening to divorce me, and I think she means it this time. My neighbor is a Christian, and he seems to have it together. I am swallowing my pride and asking him to help me.”
- Some Christians try to act like they have no problems. “Harriett works in my department. She is one of those Christians who seem to have a mask on. I would respect her more if she didn’t put on such an act. I know better.”
- I wish a Christian would take me to his or her church. “I really would like to visit a church, but I’m not particularly comfortable going by myself. What is weird is that I am 32-years old, and I’ve never had a Christian invite me to church in my entire life.”
Are there people in your community saying this about you? How could you change their perception? How could you engage them? Anything surprising? Are you ready to answer the questions of outsiders? If not, why?
Next time: Why CONDUCT is good, but not a complete witness toward others…
Creating More SENDING Capacity
“The greatness of a church is not in her seating capacity, but in her sending capacity” ~Rick Warren.
I’ve heard this saying over & over again for the past 15 years or so from Pastors and church leaders from all different perspectives of ministry. But I haven’t seen much about how to expand the SENDING capacity of a local church or a real change in strategy to developing SENDING capacity. Both are necessary for a missional movement. How can we understand the difference & add real SENDING capacity to our strategies?
- Seating capacity is about managing the movement of people into relationships. Sending capacity is about managing the movement of people into mission.
- The mission that Jesus gave the church was a SENDING strategy. The Great Commission & the Acts 1:8 Challenge are foundational
- Matthew 28:19 (NLT) – “go and make disciples of all the nations…”
- Acts 1:8 (NLT) – “you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
- Seating capacity is easier. Not cheaper, but easier. It’s easier to draw a big crowd than to send a lot of people into missional roles in the world. It takes longer & requires different things from the leaders.
- Seating capacity is INSIDE. Sending capacity is OUTSIDE. Serving inside the church is great, but if the only mission opportunities we give people are inside, we fall short of a true Acts 1:8 SENDING strategy.
- Being SEATED is much more comfortable than being SENT. Going to church is for the majority of people, very safe, sanitary, & can be enjoyable. Being SENT requires sacrifice, risk, & a sometimes delayed reward for effort.
- I can be SEATED in my own strength. Being SENT requires the power of the Spirit.
- Being SEATED tends to make much of the leaders. Being SENT makes much of the mission. We hear a lot about the churches & leaders with the most SEATING capacity.
- SEATING capacity is easier to track and clean up after. It’s more static. SENDING strategies are hard to control and can get messy.
Do you see any difference between SEATING capacity and SENDING capacity? How does your church include SENDING in its strategies? What resources do you know about to aid SENDING capacity and SEATING capacity?
Next week I’ll share some thoughts about developing SENDING capacity.
Wisdom Applied leads to #FaithinAction
The New Testament book of James teaches us that applying wisdom means:
- That we should live, not just learn the Bible [James 1:22]
- That pure religion cares for the orphan and widow [James 1:27]
- That loving our neighbor is the “royal law” [James 2:8]
- That mercy triumphs over judgement [James 2:13]
- That faith without deeds is worthless [James 2:16, 20]
- That knowledge should result in humble deeds [James 3:13]
- That wisdom from heaven is full of mercy [James 3:15-17]
- That failing to do “good” is sin [James 4:17}]
- That in our neglect we become oppressors [James 5:1-6]
(list found in the Barefoot Church Primer by Brandon Hatmaker)
“It may be simpler to live as if our actions and words function independently of each other, but one thing’s for certain – our observers never separate the two” ~ The Barefoot Church Primer
Protecting Your SPIRITUAL Identity
Identity theft has generated a lot of attention over the last several years. A variety of products are offered everyday to assist you with 
protecting your identity. The constant message is: You must be intentional to keep scammers and criminals out of your personal information. I’ve purchased one of these products myself and at least one red flag has popped up advising me that my identity has been compromised and I’ve taken intentional action to close that risk.
To be a Christian is an IDENTITY as well. It’s who you are, not just what you do. And there are things that put our IN Christ identity at risk:
- False teaching. Anything that adds to or takes away from the person and work of Christ.
- Hypocrisy. Living with a gap between what we know we’re meant to and supposed to be IN Christ and what we really are.
- Sinful habits. What you do everyday is what you’re becoming. Secret identities are always exposed. And the IN Christ identity is all or nothing (Col 3;11).
And just as it may be necessary to protect your physical and digital identities, it is definitely necessary to protect your SPIRITUAL identity. In Colossians 3, Paul gives us some protection tips:
- Know your identity – “if you have been raised with Christ…” Col. 3:1. If you are a Christian, it’s more than just what you do on Sunday. “Christ is all and in all” 3:11. If you’ve identified your life in Christ there is effects that will be coming out everyday. New desires. New identity traits. A new trust outside of self. And a new desire to be identified only in Him in every area of your life. Is that true of you?
- Live with Intentionality – “seek what is above… Set your minds on what is above…” Col 3:2. We don’t just accidentally slip into spiritual maturity. God has given us tools and open doors to dive deeper into our identity. Seeking and setting takes intentionality. And part of the work of his spirit is to give us a passion to be where he is. What are you seeking? What are you setting your mind upon?
- Fight for your Identity – “put to death what belongs to your worldly nature…” Col 3:5. The temptations in this world do not end for us until we leave this world. We need extreme measures to protect our hearts identity in Christ. Putting something to death is violent, extreme, final. Do you have that kind of attitude toward the world and sin? That, “I’ll get rid of anything that threatens my relationships with Christ and my identity in Christ” kind of attitude?
And we are not alone in this fight. Today, for those who are in Christ, we have an Identity protector at work for us in Jesus himself. The Bible says that we can never be taken from His hand and that he is interceding for us and that He never leaves us or forsakes us. Our identity cost Him his life. Your identity was worth a lot to Him. What’s it worth to you?
Gospel Centered Discipleship
Understanding about Discipleship in today’s church ranges from it being optional or more about knowledge of the Bible or 
behavior modification or a linear system of progression to maturity. I loved Jonathan Dodson’s book Gospel Centered Discipleship as it forces us back to discipleship being about Jesus. This will be a good read for anyone strategizing in churches to make disciples. Here’s a few of my favorite quotes that have stuck with me since reading this book this summer:
- Jesus is not merely the start and standard for salvation, but…the beginning, middle, and end of my salvation.
- The gospel is necessary for getting right & doing right w/God, for salvation & sanctification.
- Disciple is an identity; everything else is a role.
- The gospel makes all-encompassing demands, and what the gospel demands, it supplies.
- Jesus, alone, should take the center place in our lives, not our Bible Reading, evangelism, character, or effort to be different or spiritual.
- … the gospel that makes disciples is the very same gospel that matures disciples.
- The gospel frees us from running ragged trying to please God with holiness and social justice, because Jesus has pleased God for us & secured the mission.
- … our approval before God rests, not on our performance but on the performance of Jesus.
- God’s forgiveness frees us from judgement, not from obedience.
- Repentance is not a one time act to get us into heaven, but an entire way of life to maintain Christian joy.
- Jesus didn’t die & rise to rapture individual disciples, but to make a community that reflects his glory through dependence on one another.
- The challenge of loving others as we love ourselves confronts our deep-down idolatries. It exposes our functional worship of individual privacy, convenience, & comfort.
Follow the Gospel Centered Disicpleship blog as well for great thinking on discipleship and life in Christ.
Why Small Groups?
This video takes a look at some common excuses and reasons why Small Groups are an important part of life IN Christ. Christianity is about Relationships: with God and with others, around the open Bible, and around God’s mission. Small Groups are the best place for that to happen. Feel free to use. Jump into a small group ASAP. Email me (lane@bridgenorthshore.com) about some of the groups meeting at Bridge Church.
Have You Been Squeezed Lately?
Each week us church goers, like sponges, sit and soak up great teaching and preaching
from professional and highly trained clergy, high quality Bible Study materials and devotionals, praise and worship music that moves us to experience God, and many, like me, listen to more great teaching and preaching through podcasting and conferences. Here’s the question: What’s next for the SPONGE after it’s has soaked? It SOURS and becomes unusable. Almost nothing is more disgusting than a sour sponge. No one wants to pick it up, it stinks up the entire kitchen, and most of the time at our house we just throw them out.
As a Christian, I’ve had seasons of my life that can be described as SOUR. The sour Christian is sour toward others – nothing meets their standard, no sermon is good enough, they and their class or group or church are the only ones doing it right. No one wants to be around the sour Christian and he/she doesn’t really care to be around them. Being right matters more than being generous and graceful. (For a Biblical illustration of a Sour Christian see the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32 and watch for the older Brother).
What’s the remedy for keeping sponges from getting sour in the sink and in the church? A GOOD SQUEEZE. A good wringing out. With the sponge, by hand. But how is the Christian squeezed? Two ways:
1) Through Suffering. When I’ve lost a loved one, or experienced discouragement, or dealt with sickness, or faced financial struggles, or walked with others who’ve experienced these and worse, I have been squeezed. I have had to put to use all that I know about God and His word. That’s why God’s word tells us that there is great benefit to suffering. See James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5.
2) Through Serving. You don’t have to wait to be squeezed through suffering. Give yourself away and be emptied out through serving others. As we give ourselves away as Christians, we are allowing God to squeeze us and use what He’s placed in us for His good and glory. As we serve others, we experience more of God and the joy of being used by Him and He continually fills us.
What are you doing that squeezes you? Church leader, is your church providing opportunities for people to serve and give themselves away on behalf of others?
This weekend, my faith family will be squeezing ourselves out through Faith in Action Sunday. Every time there’s a 5th Sunday in a month we take that week and serve instead of soak. Check out some of the reasons why & videos from past FIA Sunday’s here. Check out some of our projects for this FIA Weekend here.
Everyone is invited. Come out and get squeezed with us.
Faith or Feelings?
by Martin Luther
Feelings come and feelings go,
And feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the Word of God—
Naught else is worth believing.
Though all my heart should feel condemned
For want of some sweet token,
There is One greater than my heart
Whose word cannot be broken.
I’ll trust in God’s unchanging word
Till soul and body sever,
For, though all things shall pass away,
His word shall stand forever!
Heard this earlier this week & it stuck with me. What’s the basis of your belief & your life? Faith or Feelings?
We are giving in to the dangerous temptation…
to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with. A nice middle-class, American Jesus…who doesn’t mind materialism and who would never call us to give away everything we have…who would not expect us to forsake our closest relationships so that he receives all our affection. A Jesus who is fine with nominal devotion that does not infringe on our comforts, because after all, he loves us just the way we are. A Jesus who wants us to be balanced, who wants us to avoid dangerous extremes, and who, for that matter, wants us to avoid danger altogether. A Jesus who brings us comfort and prosperity as we live out our Christian spin on American dream.
~ David Platt in Radical
Lane Corley 