Christmas Eve SERVICE, no really!
The #1 definition of the word service according to Miriam Webster’s Dictionary is “the occupation or function of serving or meeting the need of another.” In church circles we’ve turned to the #3 Webster’s definition of “a form followed in worship or in ceremony.” Both are necessary part of practicing faith, but FORM (the attractional, low participatory worship service) is definitely what we tend to be thinking of when we use the words service and church together today. The FUNCTION (being occupied with doing something to meet the need of another) is relegated to us professionals or those who are spiritually mature. This is another topic for another day, but tomorrow Bridge Church will hold a literal Christmas Eve SERVICE. We’ll be serving others at two or more locations. I can’t think of a better way to worship the Savior who “made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” Philippians 2:7. Links I Liked and Learned from This Week
- Pastoral Do’s and Dont’s on Twitter & Facebook
- A call to Edit – “When you communicate, pretend you’re playing golf (lowest score wins) instead of basketball (highest score wins). Fewer words, fewer frames, fewer slides, clearer meaning.”
- The Glorious Paradoxes of God Incarnate
- 200 Countries in 200 Years – Amazing Video & Technology!
- Mapping America Block by Block – Incredible tool for demographic hunting.
My Vote for the Worst Christmas Gift
When you open the fridge it says, “You again?!?! I’m going to have to get a lock for that door!” Uggh. I didn’t know I had enemies, but whoever bought us this must really not like me… Can’t wait for a White Elephant opportunity.
Kingdom Minded?
Christian leaders use this language often. What does it actually mean? Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson have a great discussion about the Kingdom in their book Externally Focused Quest. Here’s some highlights that may challenge your thinking:
How important is the kingdom? The word kingdom is mentioned 152 times in the New Testament and 116 times in the Gospels. By contrast, the word church is mentioned just three times in the Gospels – all in the book of Matthew. The first public words of John the Baptist and Jesus were to announce the kingdom (Matthew 3:2, 4:17). The first prayer request that Jesus taught his disciples was “Thy Kingdom come…” (Matthew 6:10). The first priority for the believer was to seek God’s kingdom (Matthew 6:33).
What is the kingdom? The kingdom of God is any place over which God has operative dominion. The kingdom is where the King is reigning. So if Jesus is reigning as king in your own life, “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21).
From Howard Snyder’s book Liberating the Church: “Kingdom people seek first the Kingdom of God and its justice; church people often put church work above concerns of justice, mercy, and truth. Church people think about how to get people into church; kingdom people think about how to get the church into the world. Church people worry that the world might change the church; kingdom people work to see the church change the world”
The church does not exist for itself. The church exists to proclaim and demonstrate that the kingdom is near.
What’s the difference between church thinking and kingdom thinking?
- CHURCH: local, internal, evangelism the goal, programmed, gospel explained, Sunday, growing MY church.
- KINGDOM: global, external, evangelism the starting point, organic, gospel lived out, Every day, growing THE church.
God’s kingdom work is accomplished by believers and unbelievers. See the stories of Artaxerxes, Cyrus, & Nebuchadnezzar (Isaiah 10:12-19, 45:1-6). However, kingdom work does not in any way merit our entrance into God’s kingdom (Matthew 7:21-23).
Thoughts? Check out the books Externally Focused Church and Externally Focused Quest: Becoming the Best Church For the Community.
Links I Liked and Learned from this week
- 10 Reasons Churches are Broke
- 31 Days to Become a Better Leader
- How to Grow A Church to 800,000 in Two Years – The Holy Spirit, Prayer, Personal Evangelism, Simple & reproducible structures, Miracles – signs wonders healings, Simple discipleship that makes every disciple a church planter
- No need to Freak Out about substituting X for Christ in Christmas – “There’s a long and sacred history of the use of X to symbolize the name of Christ, and from its origin, it has meant no disrespect.”
- Top Iphone and Ipad Apps for 2010
He Loves Us Anyway
We basically have two choices to make in dealing with the mysteries of God. We can wrestle with Him or we can rest in Him. We can continue searching the unsearchable or relax in the reality. What exists at the end of all our searching will be a God who knows absolutely everything … and chooses to love us anyway.
Calvin Miller in The Christ of Christmas
Sergio and Beth Matassa – Chiapas, Mexico
I’ve been blessed to know Sergio & Beth Matassa for about 10 years now. We worked together as Apartment Church Planters at
Oak View Baptist Church in Irving, TX, where Sergio later became the Minister of Missions. From that post Sergio developed a heart for the indigenous peoples of Chiapas, Mexico, where today, he and Beth serve. Their work consists of raising up and training indigenous leaders to plant churches in the thousands of unreached, remote villages throughout Chiapas. Along with bringing the Gospel their organization G.L.E.D, Global Leadership and Economic Development, provides life-saving water filtration systems and takes on other empowerment projects for the villages. If you’re looking for a missions partnership opportunity, Chiapas is a great place to invest people and other resources. Sergio will be in Southeast Louisiana this week and he’ll be available to meet with anyone interested in partnering with him or hearing more about missions possibilities in Mexico’s interior. Three specific opportunities:
- Wednesday, Dec 8, Sergio will be speaking at Bedico Baptist Church, 6pm.
- Thursday, from 2-4pm, we will be at PJ’s in Madisonville for a meet and greet with Sergio & Beth. Come by for coffee and conversation.
- Sunday AM, 10:30, Sergio will be our Prayer Focus at Bridge Church and will share about opportunities in Chiapas.
- Bridge Church will return to Chiapas May 28-June 5, 2011 for a Medical & Evangelism trip. Jump on board!!!
Let None Despair
If you will select me the grossest specimen of humanity, if he be but born of woman, I will have hope of him yet, because Jesus Christ is come to seek and to save sinners. Electing love has selected some of the worst to be made the best. Pebbles of the brook grace turns into jewels for the crown-royal. Worthless dross he transforms into pure gold. Redeeming love has set apart many of the worst of mankind to be the reward of the Saviour’s passion. Effectual grace calls forth many of the vilest of the vile to sit at the table of mercy, and therefore let none despair.
… by that love looking out of Jesus’ tearful eyes, by that love streaming from those bleeding wounds, by that faithful love, that strong love, that pure, disinterested, and abiding love; by the heart and by the bowels of the Saviour’s compassion, we conjure you turn not away as though it were nothing to you
– C.H. Spurgeon
Links I Liked and Learned from this Week
- Trends in Church Planting by Ed Stetzer. “when churches plant churches, they model the principle of sowing and reaping and display a desire that God’s name and fame would be more widely known”
- Incredible pictures from Afghanistan!!! Wow!
- 31 Ways to Pray for Your Children
- Why I’m Deleting My Facebook – this one’s got me thinking. “I want to deepen in real friendship and community not chase dopamine bursts of false significance.”
- One Year To Live – A couple risk it all to revitalize a church in steep decline.
- Quest to be a Big Deal – “If you’re driven to become a ‘big dea’l missional pastor or if you’re driven to be a part of a church because it’s seen as a big deal chances are you have an idolatry problem.”
Lane Corley 