Category Archives: Discipleship
What if Jesus Were Normal?
Yesterday, I took a look at a few halmarks of “NORMAL CHRISTIANITY” or what normal has become for many of us western Christians. Some 
questions I’m asking of my faith journey is would a first century believer that moved to my neighborhood from Ephesus or Antioch or Jerusalem recognize anything of the way (Acts 9:2) in my normal Christianity? and…
What if Jesus were our standard for Normal? What might Christianity look like? A few thoughts:
- Taking Risk for the Good of Others. Philippians 2:3-8, outlines how Christ’s death was a series of sacrifices for the good of others. From coming to this world in the form of man to dying on a cross, he put others ahead of himself. And we are commanded to do the same, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had…” Philippians 2:5 NLT. Following Christ means putting others first even at great risk to yourself.
- I adjust my life to WHATEVER God says. Prior to being crucified for a non-crime, Jesus ask the Father if there was any other way, but qualified his prayer with “Not my will but thine be done.” Normal Christianity seems to believe the chief qualifier is our happiness and pleasure, not God’s will and the good of others. What’s the qualifier for your obedience? Your desire or His?
- Responsiveness to the Needs of Others. One of the key words in the book of Mark is IMMEDIATELY. It’s used many times to describe how Jesus responded to the needs of others. Matthew 9:35, says that he saw the crowds and felt compassion, then responded by sending out disciples to meet their needs. What happens in your heart when you see the needs of others? or hear about a need?
- Upside Down Relationships. You want your faith to stand out? Try following Jesus’ instructions on relationships. Love your enemies. Don’t Judge. When you lend, don’t expect it returned. If someone has something against you, take the initiative to get it right. If someone ask you for a favor, do it times two. I’m convinced that if Christians would make Christ’s relational principles the norm, the world would be shaken.
- Going / Sending. Two of my favorite words in the story of Jesus are “Jesus went.” Speaks of his responsiveness and his desire to take the good news. I’ve said, I’d love for that to be on my grave stone, should I have one. “He went.” Along with those two words we see “Jesus sent.” He didn’t hold on to his followers and see the reasons they weren’t ready. He sent them out, allowing them the opportunity to experience the power of God and be used to expand the kingdom. Am I going? and as a leader, am I releasing and sending? The popular statement among leaders, “the church shouldn’t be known for its seating capacity, but its sending capacity” fits the Christ life and should be the norm. See my post on Creating Sending Capacity.
What else would you add to a list of Jesus norms?
Normal Christianity is Weird
If you talk to new comers to Christianity, you have to admit with them that Christians do some weird things. Jon Acuff has made us all laugh as he has chronicled these with his Stuff Christians Like blog and book. But it seems that normal and weird change over time and what is normal to us would probably look weird to a New Testament Christian church.
Thinking of conversations I’ve had with “normal” Christians over the last ten years along with assessing my own views, here’s what it appears NORMAL has come to look like for Christianity in America:
- It’s about me and my comfort. How can we read the New Testament and come away with statements like, “My Church doesn’t meet my needs” or “I’m just not getting fed.” The New Testament compels us to a faith filled with personal sacrifice, going deep with God, and others centered living (Philippians 2:3-4, Colossians 3:1-2). Jesus said what comes out of our mouth is in our hearts. Are your words saying, “It’s all about me” in relation to your Christian faith?
- Jesus informs my decisions. The bumper sticker is true for Western Christians, “Jesus is my Co-Pilot.” And we’ll refer to him if needed, but otherwise, I’ve got it under control for now. Instead of knowing Jesus as Lord, who directs and guides, commands and leads, we know him as one option on our reference shelf for life’s directions.
- Intention = Actions. Intentions matter a lot to us. And the right intentions are important, but intentions deceive us into thinking we’re something we’re not. The New Testament test of faith is action (Matthew 12:15, Ephesians 2:10, James 2:14-17). Not in order to get God’s favor, but that shows we have God’s favor. What’s inside will come out if it’s real. Just like the plants in my garden. They will tell me the label on the pack of seeds was correct when they bear their fruit.
- Karma – I must be ok with God if everything is going so well. I’ve got a nice job with a raise coming this year, great house, my kids are doing well in sports, so God must be pleased with me. This is believing that we’re saved by the American dream instead of by Christ. And the god of nice job, nice house, upwardly mobile kids will eventually betray us. Our need for God is not based upon how well things are going, it’s based upon the universal need for an answer to our sin problem. This attitude is essentially animism. In the jungles of south Mexico when things go wrong, they make sacrifices to appease the gods. In America, when things go wrong, we get the family to church for a few weeks in a row.
- Fellowship = friendship with people like me. As a church planter I know the reality of the leadership law, “You attract who you are, not who you want.” But I also know the great need for us to take the gospel to people, cultures, parts of town, not like us. One of the miracles of early Christianity that we miss in our homogeneous culture is that racial, social, economic, cultural, religious boundaries were destroyed by the power of the Gospel. Even among Jesus’ disciples was a tax collector who was seen as an enemy of Israel and a Jewish zealot who would have been committed to oppose him with terrorist like tactics. Roman soldiers and Jewish rabbis would have been together around the communion table. The gospel leads us into a dismissal of us vs. them. We see that in Christ, it’s just us.
- You can change. Jesus might can help with that. Pop psychology says, “You can change, let’s talk tactics and possible options.” Unfortunately, sounds like some sermons I’ve preached and heard. The power of the gospel for salvation (Romans 1:16-17) has become one of many tactics or plans to get to the good life as the American dream defines it.
- I’m ok if I keep most of the rules. “I’m a good person” or “My plus column is higher than my minus column” or “I go to church as often as I can.” Many are just grinning and bearing it as they check off a list of religious deeds on our way to a good time. Problem is, rules don’t have power to give life and rules don’t have power to give eternal life. Only a relationship with Christ does that. Jesus gave us a new rule: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The rule is now, connect in relationship to Christ. And let Christ define normal for you.
What would you add to my list?
Tomorrow we’ll explore what NORMAL should look like, if we follow Christ.
Mind the Gaps
Living the Christian life everyday means LISTENING TO GOD and DOING WHAT HE SAYS. God speaks to us through His word, prayer, circumstances, other people, the church. How do you respond?
I know what God says, BUT…
- “my situation is different.”
- “that will never happen to me.”
- “everyone else does it.”
- “that was a long time ago.”
- “they deserve it.”
- “god understands my needs.”
- “who really does that anyway?”
- “that’s just not possible for me.”
- “I’ll get around to that one day.”
When you disobey God it means there is a gap between where you are and where you know God wants you to be. “I know what God says, BUT…” or “I know what I should be doing, BUT…” reveals that gap for all that it is. When you excuse your disobedience, you are saying more about what you believe about God than anything else. What you should just go ahead and say is, “I know what God says, BUT…”
- “He really doesn’t matter that much to me.”
- “I know better than He does about this issue/situation. I’m so much wiser about these kind of things.”
- “God has changed since the Bible was written and all that stuff doesn’t really matter anymore.”
- “I’d rather do what my friends say than God. They are so much smarter than him.”
- “I don’t really think He can provide for this need. I’ll just do it myself.”
- “I don’t really believe in God at all. Since he’s not real, I can do whatever I want.”
If you can easily excuse a pattern of disobedience, blowing off the word and will of God, the book of 1 John says you are a liar, deceived, and in darkness.
The true Christian responds to God’s word with obedience. He’s revealed Himself in Christ who is willing to transform our lives. The transformed one responds to God with obedience. You can mind the gaps by repenting and being obedient to what God is calling you to do.
What gaps can you close right now?
Loving People to the Very End #HolyWeek
“Mom, I love you Four hundred-million-thousand!” My oldest son did this numbers game when he was younger. He tried to come up with the largest numbers his brain could imagine to describe the height, depth, breadth of his love for mom. (When asked about love for Dad, it was usually just a plain 100 or so. But I’m not bitter). Finally, one day he gave up trying to come up with larger and larger numbers and just proclaimed, “Mom, I love you to the very end!”
That reminded me of the Holy Week story in John 13. The Bible says about Jesus, “He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end” John 13:1 NLT. So what did He do? He “wrapped a towel around his waste, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet…” John 13:4-5 NLT.
This was just the beginning of a 24-36 hour period of loving them to the end that culminated with his brutal bloody death on the cross. How did Jesus demonstrate how to love to the end? Deep humility and serving others with no boundaries. Jesus’ love said, “I’ll do whatever it takes, without limitation or hesitation, because of my love for you.”
“Yea, that’s Jesus. He’s awesome!” Yes He is, but Jesus called us to this same kind of life. What!
John 13:14-15,
“since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”
Philippians 2:5-8 ups the stakes even more:
“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
God desires for us to live with an attitude of “I’ll do whatever it takes” in our relationships with Him and others. Letting go of perks, privileges, social norms, entitlements, and appearances. The opposite is to draw the line. “I’ll not go that far.” Jesus erased his line for us, and calls us to do the same.
Some questions I’m reflecting on:
- Where do I draw the line when it comes to humility, transparency, and serving others? Why?
- Do I allow real or imagined perks, privileges, social norms get in the way of loving people?
- Can I say my attitude toward others is Christ-like with this standard?
- Does my love for God and others have limitations? or is it to the very end?
Small Groups on Mission Together
Love what one Northshore church is doing to get their small groups On Mission For Others. FBC Mandeville is having each of their Life Groups choose a “NEAR Mission Project” to engage in together. They’ve started a blog to communicate local opportunities for mission. Check it out: http://fbcmandeville.blogspot.com/.
New Testament Discipleship included Relationships built around the Word of God AND the Mission of God (See my related post on Relationships + Mission and the New Old Way of Movement Making).
Imagine the possibilities for your Small Groups or Sunday School classes…
Morning Prayers
Starting the day with surrender… 
- Lord, I exalt You as Lord and Master and King of my life.
- Lord, I place my life at your complete 100% disposal, today and forever.
- Lord, I humble myself under Your might hand (1 Peter 5:7).
- Lord, empty me of myself and fill me with Your Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
- Lord Jesus, I desire to come after you today, denying myself, taking up my cross and following You (Luke 9:23).
- Lord, I crucify my flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).
- Lord, I reckon myself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11).
- Lord, I present my body as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) and as an instrument of Your righteousness (Romans 6:13).
- Create in me a pure heart, O God (Psalm 51:10), that I may see You (Matthew 5:8).
- In repentance, I ask for You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
- I cry out for Your wisdom, knowing that my own is insufficient for this day (Proverbs 3:5-7).
- Lord, have your way with me.
- Lord, open my eyes to see where you’re working.
- Lord, give me the courage today & forever to walk through the doors you open.
- Lord, help me see as you see, hear as you hear, and speak as you speak today & forever.
- Lord, rule and reign in and through my life today, as you rule and reign over all creation.
- Lord, take this life for Your good and glory today and forever.
- Lord, I can do nothing apart from you (John 15:5).
- Lord, teach me, use me, change me today and forever.
- Lord, I am Your willing bond-slave (Luke 1:37).
- Lord, give me thick skin and a tender heart.
- Holy Spirit, be my teacher and guide today and forever.
Compelled by Generosity
“see that you also excel in this grace of giving” 2 Corinthians 8:7
I’m sold on generosity as a way of life. Few things have opened my eyes and heart to God’s work like giving and seeing others give generously. This statement is so true: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” I wish I could compel you to generosity as well. OK, I guess I’ll ty:
Giving and Generosity. Why?
1. Because God says to. “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse…” Malachi 3:10. Proverbs 3:9-10, 1 Corinthians 15:2, 2 Corinthians 9:7. Basic Christianity = Listen to God + Do what He says.
2. Because it opens doors for others. “into the storehouse” Malachi 3:10. The Old Testament storehouse had three functions: to take care of the temple and it’s servants, to take care of the poor and needy, and to spread the glory of God to the unbelieving gentile world. Generosity then and now served to open doors for others to be cared for and experience God’s goodness.
3. Because it opens “windows” for us. “…see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need” Malachi 3:10. God gives TO us, so that he can give THROUGH us. And He promises to respond when we participate with Him in His mission to the world.
4. Because it produces glory for God. “your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God” 2 Corinthians 9:11. The chief end of man is to glorify God. If that’s your motive then giving will be a way of life. Recently, someone our church helped penned this in a note: “God promised to take care of us, and thank God He always keeps His promises!” Through our generosity, not our hesitation and excuses, another person is giving glory to God. That should be a continuous cycle among His generous people.
5. Because it’s a statement of faith in God to provide. “test me in this” Malachi 3:8. God is able to provide for His peeps. Many times we play it safe in the area of giving, because we believe not in God’s ability, but in our limited capacity to provide for ourselves. So, we and others never get to experience God’s ability.
6. Because God’s a giver and I want to be just like Him. “For God so loved the world that He GAVE…” John 3:16. And as we become more like Him, we will want to give that His glory will be known on the earth.
How can I be obedient to God, open doors of blessing to others, guarantee heaven’s blessings on my household, produce more praise and glory for God in the world, show God and others that I’m a believer, and become more like Christ?
It’s simple: began giving regularly, consistently (2 Corinthians 16:1-2), sacrificially (2 Corinthians 8:9), and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7) toward God’s mission. For my family, that comes in the form of giving monthly to my church (the modern day storehouse), monthly support of missionaries serving in unreached areas of the world, monthly support of orphan causes, and budgeted amounts for spontaneous generosity when God speaks. It’s not always been easy, but I’ve never regretted following God’s path of generosity.
How do I start?
- Pick a % of your income that you can give regular/consistently, that’s sacrificial (for some 10% is not sacrificial), and begin giving it cheerfully to your church.
- Ask God to open your eyes to needs around you and listen. When God shows you a need don’t just hope SOMEBODY ELSE will help. Respond with generosity and watch God work in and through you.
- Become a better manager in every area of your finances. Generosity takes intentionality. What are you spending money on that can be considered waste? Ask God to show you how you can be a better manager of His provision.
Do You Believe God’s Promise to Provide?
The world has been in crisis since the Fall of Creation (Genesis 3). Impending doom, economic uncertainties, and causes for handwringing have been the norm for residents of planet earth for most of our history. But another common occurrence, has been that men and women, boys and girls have been able to cry out to God in the midst of uncertainty and hardship and find help. God HEARS, God SPEAKS, and God PROVIDES for people who will humble themselves and trust Him.
Our church has been studying God’s Promises to Hear, Speak, Provide this month in a series of sermons called In His Hands. This week we talked about God’spromise to provide. Here’s a few verses we looked at, along with a checklist that can be used to check how you do in the area of believing this promise.
Psalm 37:25 – “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.”
Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you…”
Philippians 4:19 – “my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:32 – “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
Hebrews 13:5 – “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.'”
DO I BELIEVE GOD’S PROMISE?
1. Prayer & Praise vs. Worry – Is it instinctive for you to pray and praise when difficult times come or worry and wring your hands? Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 6:25-32. I contend that worry is essentially the opposite of prayer. Give the burden to God instead of keeping it in your heart and mind. The result will be God’s glory and less heartburn.
2. Christ First vs. Me First – Do you live with a God’s will and Jesus as Lord, or with the goal of meeting all your earthly desires? Matthew 6:33 says seeking God’s kingdom first opens the door for God’s provision. We live with much common grace, like rain which falls on the righteous and unrighteous. But God promises to provide supernaturally for those who seek Him first.
3. God provides vs. My Hard Work – Complete this sentence: “What I have comes from…” Two ways to answer: “…my hard work.” or “…from the hand of God.” If you believe God’s promises, you will believe James 1:17, which says “Every good and perfect gift is from above…”
4. Generosity vs. Safety – God gives TO us because He desires to give THROUGH us. Generosity is a product of believing God and wanting to see Him glorified. And generosity is a result of believing God is and will provide. God even tells us to test him in this in Malachi 3:8-10, where he says that generosity will open the “windows of heaven” upon our lives.
5. Horizontal Living vs. Vertical Living – Believing God’s promise means we believe that when we give, work, fellowship, etc., we do it toward God, not just man. When I put money in the offering basket at church, I’m not just giving it to pay my church’s bills. I’m giving vertically, so that God will be glorified and His kingdom will grow. When I give my best at work, I’m working to glorify God, not just make my employer happy. Believing God’s promise means we see all of our lives in relation to God providing and God receiving honor and glory.
We are Wired for Worship, but…
our worship terminates on the shallow and vacuous.
We have a war going on, and a good portion of the world is in an unbelievable mess of poverty, famine, civic unrest, and violence. And yet if you turn on the new in the United States you will be far more likely to hear about the daily activities of pop stars and actors or how much money an athlete is making and who he’s dating than anything meaningful. Surely anyone can see that our worship switch is always set to On, and we’re tuned to some ridiculously finite broadcasts. Grown men paint their bodies and surf an incalculable number of websites to follow a sports team – significant emotional energy poured into the physical abilities of children in a game. Go to any concert and you’ll see people lift their hands spontaneously and clap and close their eyes and be spiritually moved by music. People fish or hike to be in tune with nature. We put posters on our walls, stickers on our cars, ink under our skin, and drugs into our system. We do all of these things and others like them, pouring ourselves automatically and quite naturally into what is decaying. We want to worship something. Worship is an innate response. We are wired for it by God himself.
But something has gone wrong with the wiring.
Matt Chandler , in The Explicit Gospel
What is your worship directed at today?
Are You Producing Thanksgiving?
Generosity and on mission living comes with a promise: It will “produce thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11 ESV). Or as another translation says, “Then many people will thank God…” (2 Corinthians 9:11 CEV), as a response to the generous, on mission Christian. So, who is giving thanks today, because of you and your investment in God’s kingdom that has impacted them? Has your life of obedience to God produced thanksgiving in others? Is the community giving thanks for your church because of the on mission members scattering for their good?
A goal for next Thanksgiving: Produce Thanksgiving to God in others by following Jesus into an ON Mission life lived FOR Others.
Lane Corley 