In the Wake of a Godly Family
I recently became the owner of a small boat that will primarily be enjoyed on a river with many very large boats. So, I’ve had to learn how to maneuver the wakes of these vessels. The smoothest ride is provided when you can be behind a large vessel so that you can be IN their wake. Outside that wake will be a rough ride. There’s a parallel here to life and family. We’re all experiencing the wakes of the people that have gone before us. The Bible says that we can make it easier for those coming behind us, by the way we live our lives.
“the offspring of the righteous will be delivered” Proverbs 11:21
“in the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge” Proverbs 14:26
“The righteous who walks in his integrity – blessed are his children after him” Proverbs 20:7
Last week was the funeral for one of my mother’s older brothers. Marty was 73, and he was the first of Joe & Jack Francis’ eleven children to pass away. This gave me an opportunity to thank God for the grace of being a part of a Godly family and the wake that I now follow in. Joe and Jack, my Grandparents, were married over 50 years. They built a successful business which they were able to pass on to their sons. They served God faithfully as deacon in several local churches. They were known for their radical generosity. They set a compelling example and prayed for their family. Now, eleven children who have been self-sufficient and are living well. Thirty grandchildren and forty-five plus (I’ve lost count) great-grandchildren are thriving. And the great-great grandkids are the pride of the bunch. It’s not perfect, but to be a part of this family is to know that you’re a part of something special.
Joe & Jack Francis
Often times, when things go well for me, often in spite of me, I believe that its because God is keeping His promises to and answering the prayers of Joe and Jack Francis, and to those before and around them who devoted themselves to His purposes and to passing on a godly legacy to their future generations. I’m grateful for the kind wake that they have left for me and my children behind me. Praying that I can keep sailing smooth for my future generations.
Consider what kind of wake are you leaving for those who will follow you. God can redeem any story. If your fore-bearers were negligent, let it START with you.
Francis siblings. Last pic with Marty.
Francis Family reunion a few years ago.
The Gravitational Pull of Any Church #quotes #booksworthreading
The gravitational pull of any church is toward insiders, not outsiders. Left unattended, your church will become a place where preference
s of the members trump passion for the mission. There are two primary ways to address this drift:
- In every decision, focus on what you want to reach, not on who you want to keep.
- Commit to losing yourself for the sake of finding others.
people automatically respond with “What about me and my needs?
… People who focus on helping others and honoring Christ soon discover that their needs are met far more deeply than they ever experienced otherwise.
Carey Nieuwhof in his incredible new book Lasting Impact: 7 Powerful Conversations That Will Help Your Church Grow.
Things Spiritual Infants Say #discipleship #spiritualmaturity
How can I know where I am or where those I’m trying to disciple and lead are spiritually? Try listening. My last post was about Things Spiritual Giants Say. A few years ago, I posted about Jim Putman’s great book Real-Life Discipleship: Equipping Disciples Who Make Disciples. In the book, he breaks down five stages of spiritual maturity by what will be common phrases for a person at each stage. Jesus said, “The mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart” (Matthew 12:34 HCSB), so our words reveal our spiritual condition.
Spiritual Infant
- “I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.”
- “I pray and read my Bible. That’s good enough for me.”
- “I didn’t know the Bible said that.”
- “Jesus helps me be a good person. I don’t need church.”
- Characterized by ignorance, confusion, dependence, worldly perspective.
- Needs personal attention of a spiritual parent, teaching and modeling the Christian faith, accountability to develop new habits.
Spiritual Child
- “My church isn’t taking care of my needs.”
- “I didn’t like the music today. If only they did it like…”
- “I love my small group; don’t add more people to it.”
- “I’m not being fed at my church, so I’m going to a church that can meet my needs better.”
- Characterized by self-centeredness, pride, idealism, spiritual highs and lows.
- Needs relational connections to a church family, help to start feeding themselves, teaching about identity in Christ.
Spiritual Young Adult
- “I love my small group, but there are others who need a group like this.”
- “Randy and Rachel missed church today. Their kids have the flu, maybe our group could make meals for them. I’ll start.”
- “I have some friends I’ve been witnessing to. I think I could lead a Bible Study for them with a little help.”
- “In my devotions, I came across something I have a question about.”
- Characterized by action, zeal, God-centered, others-centered, independent, desire to serve others.
- Needs opportunities to serve, ongoing relationships that offer encouragement, accountability and skills training.
Spiritual Parent
- “This guy at work asked me to explain the Bible to him. Pray for me.”
- “Our small group is going on a mission trip, and I have given each person a different responsibility.”
- “We get to baptize someone from my small group today. I want them to get plugged into a ministry right away.”
- Characterized by intentionality, reproduction mindset, dependability, desire to see others mature.
- Needs ongoing relationships with other disciple makers, a team approach, accountability and encouragement.
So where are you? If you’re moving toward spiritual maturity you may want to get this book or the training manual to learn more about how to be a spiritual parent and make disciples who make disciples. Here’s a few other great quotes from the manual:
- Every Christian is commanded to participate in the mission to make disciples.
- Your work is complete when the person you are discipling can make a disciple.
- The church was not designed to be a group of spectators who attend weekly lectures; it was designed to be a trained army with a powerful message.
- We cannot change the definition of discipleship to sit and listen and then expect to make disciples as Jesus did.
- Don’t mistake Bible Knowledge, years of church attendance, physical age, education, and so forth for spiritual maturity.
- A church is successful when everyone is in the game, maturing into disciples who can reproduce disciples.
- Relationships create the environment where discipleship happens best.
- Serving produces players, not spectators. Service helps a disciple develop and mature.
Things Spiritual Giants Say
I’ve known what I’d consider a few spiritual giants in my life. These are spiritually mature people who I’ve looked to for encouragement & as an example of faith and discipline and spiritual growth. In thinking about what leads to spiritual growth, I got to thinking about their stories and their paths and what I’ve heard these people say about their own growth. What were the catalyst for them? Here’s a few that I remember:
“I surrendered my life to Christ when I was __ years old.”
Spiritually mature people can point to a time when they began their journey with God and they see that event as a catalyst for almost everything in their lives.
“I was reading the Bible the other day and…” or “It’s like the Bible says…”
Spiritually mature people have devotional habits like Bible reading that give them a foundation for decision making and life.
“I met ____ and they helped me understand God’s will more clearly.”
Spiritually mature people often point to catalytic relationships that spurred them on in their spiritual growth & pursuit of Christ. A pastor, a small group leader, a godly friend or family member.
“I was on a mission trip in ____ and…” or “I got involved in the ____ ministry of my church and…”
Spiritually mature people are always on mission. You’ll find them on mission trips, leading ministries, opening their homes, cooking, serving, sharing, giving.
“Life took a turn for the worse, but God & my church family gave me strength.”
Spiritually mature people often experienced hardships and tragedy, but they can point to the good and to God’s providential hand at work in the situation. And they can often testify that the hardship was a catalyst for growth and for deeper dependence upon God and others.
“Can I help you with anything?” or “Can I pray for you about anything?” or “How are you doing?”
Spiritually mature people are focused on others. Visit with them and you’ll leave with more than you came with – spiritually and maybe physically. Always giving, always pointing to others.
So, are you and I on the path to spiritual maturity?
- Can you point to a time when you began a relationship with God?
- Do you practice daily devotional habits that shape the way you live?
- Do you have catalytic relationships that challenge you? Or are you in the right place for these to happen?
- Are you on mission? Are you serving others through your church or some other way?
- Have you allowed the circumstances and hardships of your life to aid your dependence on God and spiritual growth?
- Are focused on others or yourself?
Like a Blur… A Church Planter’s Sunday
His office is his dining room table. His pulpit is a music stand. His breakfast on Sunday is adrenaline & coffee (& maybe Red Bull). On Sunday, he’s often a Pastor / Worship Leader / Sound Guy / Church Secretary / Church Administrator / Children’s Minister / Janitor. He can type the bulletin, enter the power point presentation, run the sound board, make copies, make coffee, change diapers, repair sound equipment, setup the chairs, preach the sermon. He uploads the sermon to iTunes & then to Facebook WHILE greeting every guest, thanking every volunteer, cleaning up a few spills, downing another Red Bull. First one there, last one to leave. Grateful for my church planting brothers this morning.
(adapted from personal experience & from the experiences of those I know on the front lines of planting new churches in North America).
The Bane of Thankfulness #devo #wesley
You have abundant reason to praise God, both for spiritual and temporal blessings. Beware of indulging gloomy thoughts: they are the bane of thankfulness. You are encompassed with ten thousand mercies, let these sink you into humble thankfulness.
John Wesley, in a letter published in the Works of John Wesley
The Dragon Slayer vs. The Fly Swatter
The older I get, the more clearly I can see the big things – DRAGONS TO SLAY – that the little distractions – FLIES TO SWAT – keep me from working on. There are a lot of little flies out there that can keep us distracted from giving our lives to a mission bigger than ourselves & that will outlast this world. I want to live out my life Slaying Dragons & not just Swatting Flies. Here’s a few on my list:
DRAGONS TO SLAY:
- A majority of the world & my community are facing eternity without Christ.
- Discipling & capturing the heart of my kids.
- Loving my wife as I love myself.
- Overcoming my own selfishness & sin so that I can experience personal spiritual growth for myself & others.
- Financial discipline & good stewardship.
- Encouraging those who are losing hope.
- Leading a church that makes disciples & glorifies God.
- Living healthy so that I can be my best for God & my family for the longest possible time.
- Fatherless kids without mentorship.
FLIES TO SWAT:
- What other people think about me, my work, & my tribe.
- The latest gadgets & gizmos.
- “Must see TV.”
- The Facebook Newsfeed. (A swarm of flies of Biblical proportions on there!)
- Taking refuge (beyond just general enjoyment) in the things of this world – food, entertainment, etc.
- Being satisfied with the way things are.
- What people are NOT doing.
- Relying on my own strength instead of God’s power.
- Petty issues that bring divisions between God’s people.
Are you swatting flies or slaying dragons?
What Should I Wear? #devo
This is a key question to ask for those who want to be an effective witness for Christ. Are you serious? The clothes I wear impacts my impact on others? Well, maybe, but I’m talking about what ATTITUDE & DISPOSITION you wear everyday. In today’s world, your disposition & attitude are a tremendous opportunity for evangelism. People are so beat down & discouraged & negative. If they see the joy of the Lord in you, they’ll want to know what the heck happened to you. People of salvation should be the most joyful people around. We have ETERNAL LIFE! Direct access to the God of the universe! The promise that Jesus is living in us & is with us ALWAYS! & so much more. I’ve met a few people that have said to me “I’m a Christian” & I thought about responding to them with, “Well, you better tell your face about it.”
Colossians 3:12-13 says, “as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, PUT ON a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”
If you WEAR compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, forgiveness, you WILL stand out wherever you are today AND overtime someone will want to know how & why you’re different. (Check out THIS GREAT LIST of other things that the Bible says we should PUT OFF & PUT ON).
Even Christians who are experiencing less than joyful circumstances often will be recognized by the inner joy they carry. Joy is in believers, not because of what’s on the outside, but because of what’s on the inside. Like a bird that sings during a hurricane. His song reflects what’s inside, not what’s on the outside.
So, what are you wearing today? Put on Christ-like character & the joy of the Lord & get ready to make a difference!
This is a summary from part of Sunday’s message at Bridge Church. Get the audio here.
Am I Neighboring Well? Diagnostic Quesitons
Just finished Alan Briggs’ book Staying is the New Going. Challenging book & easy to read. Briggs is a church planter in Colorado who challenges readers to stay well in their community through being a good neighbor, loving your city, embracing tension, drop wanderlust, etc. This book really makes you think & examine yourself by asking great questions. I found myself going back to these questions, during & now after reading, so I thought I’d share. I’m calling these Diagnostic Questions for Neighboring Well:
- Would anyone care if you put a for sale sign in your yard?
- Are you a character in the story of your neighborhood? Would others truly consider you a character in the story of your place?
- Is your home a fortress from life or a hub for life? A hub for ministry or a refuge from ministry?
- How many people enter your house in the course of a month? How many of those people don’t know Jesus?
- lingering is a sign others are comfortable enough to stay when everyone else has gone. How many people have lingered in your home this month?
- You know people are getting comfortable with you when they start to inconvenience you. How many last-minute favors have friends and neighbors asked of you this month?
- How many meals have you shared with people far from the church this month?
- How many unexpected opportunities have you seized for the sake of embodying and proclaiming the gospel?
- How many invitations have you had to serve on a community board or leadership team?
-
Would the businesses, residents, and organization around your church building care if your church relocated?
A few other quotes from the book that have stuck with me:
- Our mission trip began the day we were born; it ends when God calls us home.
- Christ followers should be a gift to their neighborhood, and a church should be a gift to its city.
- It’s always easier to lust after other places than to face the hard realities of our own place.
- How sad would it be if our neighbors only know us as the ones who drive to church on weekends, but never bring the gospel home with us.
Well worth reading! Look forward to taking up the challenge to stay well.
A Church Planter’s Sunday
He’s up early, pulling a trailer, setting up the chairs, making the coffee, motivating the team, shaking every hand, saying thank you 100’s of times. Welcomes the guest, preaches the message(s), extends the invitation, stacks the chairs, loads the trailer, cleans up the messes. Misses kickoff but doesn’t care. Grateful for all my church planter & portable church brothers this morning.
Lane Corley 