Put Your Faith in Action. Why?
Every fifth Sunday Bridge Church, scatters instead of gathers, for what we call Faith in Action Sunday. This Sunday, Jan 30th will be our first FIA for 2011. Looking forward to worshipping through serving senior adults, elderly widows, single mothers, inmate families, families in ICU, public servants, multi-housing residents, families at local parks, and more this Sunday AM. When telling people in todays generation about our Faith In Action Sunday’s, one question we seldom get is “WHY?” It just makes sense to most people that the church ought to be out serving. But just for fun, here’s a few reasons:
- Because following Jesus includes putting our faith in action (Luke 6:46-49)
- Because Christianity is about more than just attending worship services
- Because Jesus said “Go…” (Matthew 28:19-20)
- Because if we love God, we will love people “in actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18, 4:7-8)
- Because if we love God, we do what He says. (John 14:21, 23; 1 John 2:3-6)
- Because success is community transformation, not just a big organization.
- Because proclaiming and demonstrating God’s love go hand-in-hand. (Luke 9:2)
- Because there are needs in our community that are going unmet.
- Because God cares for the whole person. (James 2:15-18)
- Because God desires individuals to live in healthy communities and just societies. (Jeremiah 29:7)
- Because everyone can serve.
- Because people follow examples better than they follow instructions.
- Because God has a special heart for those who are poor and vulnerable. (Jeremiah 22:16)
- Because God’s people are to be an instrument of blessing to the world. (Genesis 12:2)
- Because disciples are shaped through serving, not just sitting.
- Because the church’s ministry should be incarnational. (John 1:14; 20:21)
- Because God empowers us to participate in ministry. (Ephesians 2:10)
- Because God created us for good works. (Ephesians 2:10)
- Because it’s joining God in what He’s doing in the world.
- Because it’s fun.
While even a Faith In Action Sunday can become a meaningless ritual or a isolated event, our desire is that giving away will become a part of the flow of peoples lives as it’s part of the flow of Bridge Church.
“I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else, to do what God has called me to do myself”
Love Josh Wilson’s new song I Refuse. Can’t get it out of my head as my church preps for a Faith In Action Weekend this weekend. Check out the lyrics below. Follow Josh Wilson on his Blog, Facebook, Twitter. Original Video of the song here.
I Refuse
Sometimes I, I just want to close my eyes
And act like everyone’s alright
When I know they’re not
This world needs God, but it’s easier to stand and watch
I could pray a prayer and just move on
Like nothing’s wrong
But I Refuse
I don’t want to live like I don’t care
I don’t want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
I could choose not to move
But I refuse
I can hear the least of these, crying out so desperately
And I know we are the hands and feet of You, oh God
So if You say move, it’s time for me to follow through
And do what I was made to do
And show them who You are
I don’t want to live like I don’t care
I don’t want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
I could choose not to move
But I refuse
I refuse to stand and watch the weary and lost cry out for help
I refuse to turn my back and try and act like all is well
I refuse to stay unchanged, to wait another day to die to myself
I refuse to make one more excuse
I don’t want to live like I don’t care
I don’t want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
I could choose not to move
But I refuse
The Christian Sponge
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 nothings 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 Elder 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 – Don’t 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.
In an effort to be intentional about the necessity of Christians to be serving, our church has made a part of our flow an opportunity for everyone to serve. Every time there is a fifth Sunday in a month we have Faith In Action Sunday. Instead of having church, we scatter throughout our community to BE the church in some of our communities neediest areas. This Sunday, January 30th, will be our first Faith In Action Sunday of 2011. Contact me if you’d like more info or need an avenue for God to squeeze you through giving yourself away.
My Favorite Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes
From a recorded conversation with friend and colleague Andrew Young:
“I think the Good Samaritan is a great individual. I of course, like and respect the Good Samaritan….but I don’t want to be a Good Samaritan…you see, I am tired of picking up people along the Jericho Road. I am tired of seeing people battered and bruised and bloody, injured and jumped on, along the Jericho Roads of life. This road is dangerous. I don’t want to pick up anyone else, along this Jericho Road; I want to fix… the Jericho Road. I want to pave the Jericho Road, add street lights to the Jericho Road; make the Jericho Road safe (for passage) by everybody….”
I think of this analogy quite often. I love thinking past helping people, which can become a selfish thing, to transforming scenarios.
And from his famed last speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” –
the first question that the priest asked — the first question that the Levite asked was, “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?” But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”
That’s the question before you tonight. Not, “If I stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to my job. Not, “If I stop to help the sanitation workers what will happen to all of the hours that I usually spend in my office every day and every week as a pastor?” The question is not, “If I stop to help this man in need, what will happen to me?” The question is, “If I do not stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them?” That’s the question.
Worth Reading: A few Links
- Crabby Joe’s Mission Statement – “What’s with the mission statements? I cook the food – you eat the food – you pay for the food and then you go home. And you don’t make a mess!”
- How to Take Criticism Graciously – “Anybody can accept a reward graciously, and many people can even take their punishment patiently when they have done something wrong. But how many people are equipped to handle mistreatment after they’ve done right? Only Christians are equipped to do that.”
- What is a Missional Community? Loving these posts about Missional Communities.
- What Not to Do When You’re the New Pastor
- 44 Actions to Boost Your Energy
- Ten Most Significant Cultural Trends of the Last Decade
10 Biblical and Practical Ways to Get Involved in Church Planting
There’s no right or wrong way to support church planting in North American and beyond. I like this list. Don’t let failure of imagination or the excuse, “I don’t know how”, keep you and your church from engaging the lost through church planting and multiplication.
- Engage in strategic intercessory prayer – Proverbs 16:3.
- Adopt a church planter and his family – Philippians 4:14-15.
- Contribute to the financial needs of a church plant – Acts 11:29.
- Provide materials and equipment for a new church – Acts 11:30.
- Share your campus facilities with a new church – Acts 3:6.
- Serve on a church planting mission trip – Acts 12:25.
- Discover unreached or under-reached people in your community – Matthew 28:19.
- Start an outreach Bible study that could become a new church – Acts 16:32.
- Send people and families to help a church get off the ground – Acts 13:2-3.
- Mentor Church Planting leaders – Philippians 2:22.
“I was in prison and you came to me” Matt 25:36
Chaplain Michael Oats at the St. Tammany Parish Jail is in need of volunteers for the new Program wing at the
jail. This includes a Faith-Based Dorm, a GED Dorm, A Literacy Dorm, and a Life Skills/Pre-Release Dorm. Volunteers are needed to teach Bible Studies, Celebrate Recovery, tutor for GED and literacy training, and teach money management, marriage/parenting, job interview skills, etc. If you or your church would like to help let me know at lanecorley@gmail.com, or contact Chaplain Oats @ 985.276.1040. There will be a Volunteer Orientation meeting this Thursday, January 6th, 6pm @ the St. Tammany Parish Jail, 1200 Champagne St., Covington, LA 70433.
Most of the inmates at our local jail will be neighbors again soon and many of them have families on the outside who are at risk. It’s easy to criticize the Sheriff and talk bad about the criminal. How about being part of the solution for our justice system and for an individual whom God loves that happens to be in jail? Join me Thursday at the jail and be part of the solution.
Q’s for Getting In Rhythm in 2011
Connecting to Life IN Christ, ON Mission, FOR Others is our mission statement and desired life rhythm at Bridge Church. In today’s message we talked about how to live it out. Here are a few application questions:
My life IN CHRIST, Receiving Grace- Ephesians 2:8-9
- Have I Received God’s Grace? John 1:12
- Am I Growing in Grace? 2 Peter 3:18
My life ON MISSION, Giving Grace – Ephesians 2:10
- What are the needs around me?
- What are the resources God has given me?
- What are the opportunities w/my faith family?
- Who are the people that need me?
- What doors are open to me at work, at home, with friends?
My life FOR OTHERS, Living Gracefully – Philippians 2:3-4
- How can I put others ahead of myself?
- Who around me needs the grace of my encouragement, time, money, labor, prayer, __________?
- What is keeping me from living gracefully for others? An attitude? A way of life?
In Christ, On Mission, For Others. Receiving Grace, Giving Grace, Living Gracefully.
Lord, let it be so in my life this year.
Hear the entire Sermon here. Or find us on Itunes.
Bible Reading Plans for 2011
“Any Christian worth his salt ought to read the Bible from cover-to-cover every year” J.I. Packer
Here are few great links to Bible Reading Plans that you can start tomorrow.
YouVersion.com – This is one of my favorite sites for daily Bible Reading and study. Dozens of plans to choose from with options of having the daily reading sent to your mobile phone, email, or RSS feed. Also, the easiest place to share scripture across all social media sites.
ESV Bible Reading Plans – I’ve been reading the ESV for four years now. I like the translation and the accessibility. They’ve got 10 plans available here with options to read online, get it in your mail box, RSS feed, mobile phone, print the plan, or for us Mac users download it directly into ICal. I’ll be using the Everyday in the Word plan this year.
Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plans – They have three time tested plans available here that can be downloaded and printed. You can also purchase hard copies here to give away to others. I love the DJ Plan, b/c it’s a five day plan, giving you two days to catch up when life happens. While you’re close by, check out the Navigators great illustration How to Get a Grip on the Bible.
If you want to go to another level and add scripture memory to your goals for 2010, check out these two great tools:
- Topical Memory System App
- Verse Card Maker – You type in the references and this site makes the flash cards for you.
My Top Post of 2010
- Her Children Rise Up and Call Her Blessed – Tribute to my Grandmother who passed away this year.
- Should We Live Together? part 1 – Actually wrote this in 2007, but it continues to get traffic, I think b/c of the many people seeking for guidance on this “way that seems right to man,” but doesn’t feel right.
- Warning! Do not let this person join your church!
- 10 Reasons Small Churches tend to Stay Small – from Joe McKeever, who says, “God must love small churches, b/c He made so many of them.”
- “Too many hypocrites at the Ball Park…” – Exposing the hypocrisy of the hypocrite.
- Utilizing Social Networking in Ministry
- Best Word Combo in the English Bible
- Our 8 Year Old Takes on the Big Bang Theory – He continues to devour science and ask hard questions. Love it!
- Matthew 25, even closer to home – From Richard Stearns. Also, see my recommend for the book The Hole in Our Gospel.
- Bridge Church’s First Building
Lane Corley 