A Little Faith in Action This Week
This week we’ll be partnering with Covington’s Boy & Girls Club to paint their new building on Columbia Street in Covington. The
Boys & Girls club has never had it’s own facility in Covington and now they will be taking over the former Habitat Restore. A great location near the West 30’s, but much work is needed. Come by this week if you can give some time to painting and demolition. The Covington Boys & Girls Club provides a vital service to a neighborhood with many latch key and fatherless kids. Opportunities to tutor, mentor, volunteer in other ways abound.
We’ll also be partnering with the new mixed income apartment complex called
The Groves at Mile Branch in the West 30’s for an Outdoor Movie Night. Hoping to provide a fun night for residents to connect and cultivate relationships. And the Groves management hopes to use its state of the art space to help kids in the entire neighborhood.
We’ll also continue our Bus Stop Buffet’s, serving through giving away breakfast bars etc. at several multi-housing communities.
On Fruitful Ministry to the Poor
[New Audio] is up at Northshorebaptists.net from our most recent Compassion Network Meeting. Randy Poole from Mississippi River Ministries explores the subject of poverty and understanding different economic worldview’s in the context of ministry. Get the audio on Itunes or at our website.
Here’s a few big takeaways from part 1:
- Fruitful ministry to the poor happens when we see them as God sees them and understand how they see themselves.
- Every economic worldview has good and destructive things within them.
- The church typically doesn’t reach out to the rich b/c we think we have nothing to offer them. And we don’t reach out to the poor b/c they have nothing to offer us.
- Evangelicalism is a middle-class phenomenon and we’ve made ministry about moving people from poverty to the middle class.
Check out the audio. It will make you think about your churches ministry to people at the different income levels.
The Crux: Christ vs. Human Performance
Defined as the essential point requiring a resolution or resolving an outcome. Crux is latin for Cross. Every time we use or hear hear this phrase we’re referencing the essential point of God’s plan for the world that demands a resolution from each of us.
What do you emphasize as the essential point of your spiritual life? When it comes to spirituality there’s a few things I think I’ve made the CRUX instead of the cross:
Human performance. Believing God’s favor and forgiveness can be earned or is merited by human goodness or completing a list of religious deeds. I go to church, put money in the plate, give intellectual assent to the truths of the Bible, help with VBS, AND I don’t cuss, I buy the pastor a Christmas present, don’t watch “R” raided movies unless they’re about God, participate in canned food drives, help with D-Now weekend, give to the building program, participate in Boycotts of stores that support unbiblical agendas. I’ve had similar lists of things that are not bad, but are equal to the best of human GOODNESS. And the religious Pharisees of the New Testament could point to such list. But to rely on and make your list, your performance THE CRUX is to essentially claim that the death of Jesus on the cross was essentially unnecessary or insufficient. That’s what the Pharisees claimed as well.
Here’s the CRUX: If I could do anything to earn my way to God, then Jesus would have never had to die. He died because of our inability to earn or work or perform our way to heaven. The cross stands as a reminder of our inability and the impossibility of getting to God on our own. It speaks to the limitation of human goodness. It’s righteousness that’s required for a relationship with God. And righteousness is made available as a gift from God, because of Christ’s death on the Cross.
“He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” 2 Corinthians 5:21.
Don’t trust anything but Christ and what he accomplished for you at the cross.
Bridge Church is in the midst of a series of sermons on the Cross called The Crux. Gather with us Sunday’s, 10:30am at the West St. Tammany YMCA.
My Boys
a few fav pics from a weekend getaway…
’cause “the glory of children is their fathers” http://bible.us/prov17.6.esv
Good Intentions
Last month the Archdiocese of New Orleans announced the opening of their first offices on the Northshore. With the announcement came the stat that 91,000 Catholics live in St. Tammany Parish. With the population estimates at 261,000, that’s about 35% of the population. However, almost 50% of the population when polled claim to be Catholic. 22% claim to be Baptist, but actual attendance roles show only 7% of the population actually attending a Baptist Church at least 3 out of 8 weeks (3.3% weekly for Southern Baptist). Dave Olson’s research of actual attendance roles reveals that 24% of St. Tammany residents attend some kind of church at least once per month, but 64% claim to attend church at least once per month in our recent opinion poll.
Researchers call this the Halo Effect. We tend to give ourselves credit for our intentions when asked without knowledge of ability to fact check. Same holds true for voting. If polled 10-25% more people say they voted then actually did each election according to the voting rolls.
Question: What if we actually followed through on our best intentions? What if we actually did what we give ourselves credit for? What if we actually lived what we believe to be right and best for our families? Would the world be different? Would I be different? Would anything change? Is there a gap between your intentions and your actions?
James 4:17 says, “whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”
Jesus can give us the power to close the gaps and live with intentionality, not just good intentions.
How to BLESS someone
Most people want to make a difference in the world. Ability, time, and permission is often in question among us church goers. How can I be a blessing to those around me? Here’s a simple strategy that anybody can implement. I heard this last week during the Verge Conference from Dave Ferguson. BLESS:
B – Begin w/prayer.
Pray for opportunities and open doors. Pray for the heart of God for those around you.
L – Listen.
If we’re willing to listen, people will tell us their needs, hurts, desires, questions.
E – Eat.
Build relationships. Do coffee or lunch. Invite someone over for dinner.
S – Serve.
When we listen and build relationships with people we will know what they need and can serve them.
S – Story.
It’s incomplete without sharing the story of Christ. His is the story promised to bring blessing to every nation.
What if you committed to do at least one of these each day? Just one. If so, you’d find yourself on the way to making a difference from where you are.
On Discipleship #verge2012
Got to catch a couple of sessions of the Verge Conference this week via Simulcast with some of our Northshore Church Multipliers. This conference and network has really stimulated my thinking over the past couple of years. Here’s a few big take away’s from the sessions we caught:
- “If God is a missionary God, we must become a missionary people. If God is an incarnational God, we must become an incarnational people.” ~Alan Hirsch
- The Jesus Mission = Reach, Restore, Reproduce ~Dave Ferguson
- “What if we took the words of Jesus seriously and didn’t water them down?” from the video Sara’s story. Incredible testimony. Watch it here.
- We all must live as missionaries. “A missionary sacrifices everything but the Gospel for the sake of the Gospel.” ~Todd Engstrom
- “Consumerism is a cancer that kills mission.” ~Jen Hatmaker
- “Live it or you have no hope of leading it.” ~Jen Hatmaker
- “If people imitated you, where would the kingdom be in five years?” ~Jen Hatmaker
- Does the church affirm comfort as a Christian virtue when Jesus affirmed death? ~Jeff Vanderstelt
- Most Christians are not willing to die for the one who died for them. ~Jeff Vanderstelt
- The Great Commission is to make disciples, not converts. ~Gilbert from India
- The fruit of the mango is a mango tree. The fruit of discipleship is a disciple maker. ~Gilbert from India
- Discipleship is leading people to an ongoing surrender and dependency to Jesus as Lord. ~Jeff Vanderstelt
- You will make disciples, but what are you making disciples of?
- We all look great from afar off, but are we willing to allow people to get close enough to imitate us? ~Jo Saxton
- You can’t be what you can’t see. From afar we can illustrate and inspire, but imitation can’t happen. ~Jo Saxton
“What if we took the teachings of Jesus seriously and didn’t water them down?” [VIDEO]
Sara’s Story. One of my favorite moments from the Verge Conference.
A few months back our church parked our trailer in a neighborhood under revitalization while we helped with some painting and home repair projects. The next week we got several lectures from Christians about how dangerous it was down there and how we should be careful. Sara’s question gripped me! “Who’s fearing for the safety of these kids?”
What would it look like for you to take the teachings of Jesus seriously and not water them down? Are we too concerned about our safety and comfort to reach out to people who need the Gospel and need real-time help? What if…
Multiplication Needed
We cannot fulfill the Great Commission simply through the expansion of existing churches. Nor can we accomplish our mission merely through the addition of new churches. We must focus on multiplication, planting a variety of dynamic churches that will grow and reproduce.
– Dr. Steve Ogne, via Dave Devries
Agreed. What if you had to fulfill the Great Commission through the people in your church? How would you plan to multiply?
Core Practices of Sent Living
We are saved to be sent into the world (John 17:18; 20:21; Romans 10:14-15). Unlike my email “DRAFT” box which is full of messages that are SAVED BUT NOT SENT, God desires that we live out our faith. How do I live sent? The past two months Bridge Church has studied the Core Practices of Jesus’ life and those closest too him. We’ve asked the question, “What DID Jesus Do?” Here’s the Core Practices of Sent Living and some of the resources we’ve gathered as we’ve journeyed through this series:
1) LISTEN TO GOD. Do I have a regular time I spend with God? Jesus spent much time away from the crowds connecting with the Father. If He prioritized it, how much more should I? Check out the booklet How to Get a Grip on the Bible for tips on starting a daily time with God.
2) BE INTENTIONAL W/PEOPLE. Do you see people as distractions or as people that God loves? Do others know you care about them? Jesus was always close to people who needed him. The Message Paraphrase of John 1:14, says “the Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.” Are you intentional in your service and sharing with those closest to you? Here’s a booklet with over 100 ideas for Incarnational Living.
3) PUT YOUR FAITH IN ACTION. How are you serving others with your life? Can people see God working in and through your life? Jesus responded to the needs of people with compassion & urgency. 40 times in the Gospel of Mark the word “IMMEDIATELY” is related to Jesus’ ministry. What do you do IMMEDIATELY? SHAPEforMinistry on learning your SHAPE for ministry and consider getting involved in a church in a way that God has SHAPEd you.
4) GIVE IT AWAY. Do you live with generosity from your checkbook to your words? Do you live with open hand or closed fist? Jesus held nothing back for the needs of people, even when it meant giving his very life (Philippians 2:5-9).
5) TELL THE STORY. Can you share your testimony? Can you share the Gospel with others? Jesus shared the message simply everywhere he went. Check out http://www.WhatIValueMost.com for a great resource on sharing your testimony with others.
6) GO VIRAL. Do you have a desire to see the message spread and how are you using your relational influence to do that? Jesus started a movement not an institution. How are you extending the SPREAD of the Gospel from where you are? Check out this article on Utilizing Social Networking for Ministry for some tips on using your web influence.
7) LIVE SENT. What is God doing in the world? One answer: SENDING. God saw our deepest needs and SENT Christ (1 John 4:9-10). And today, he sees the needs of your neighborhood, work place, community and He has SENT you. Are you practicing SENT living?
Check out all the messages from this series and their intro vids here.
Lane Corley 