If you haven’t seen it yet, and probably many of you have, please check out this sarcastic post called “Rant About Worship Songs.” Make sure that you check out the links for each “rant.” And, remember, it’s sarcasm…

I love sarcasm… and I know that some people hate sarcasm. So, you’ve been warned. If you don’t like sarcasm, then don’t click the link above.

Unless, of course, you like to complain about “crappy worship songs”… then you should definitely click the link above anyway. You might learn something interesting in the midst of all the sarcasm.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,  To Timothy, my true child in the faith, and the first pastor/bishop of the church in Ephesus: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. (1 Timothy 1:1-2 re-mix)

(<a href=”http://www.alanknox.net/2008/05/scripture-as-we-live-it-1/” target=”_self”>Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.</a>)

Mark (from “Called Out in Kansas“) recently attended a 2-day conference about worship. After returning, he wrote a few posts, including one called “After the Worship Conference.” He this post Mark also comments on my post “The Purpose of Participation” as well as Dan’s post “Stirring Up.”

In this last paragraph, especially, Mark adds alot of thought and insight to this discussion:

So, here’s the situation. I’ve been a vocal proponent of participatory style meetings, and very critical of traditional church models. I still believe that the New Testament model is participatory, and that a single pastorate system is unbiblical, and harmful to the maturity of the body. But, as pointed out by Alan and Dan in the above posts, just attending participatory meetings doesn’t guarantee that the end result will be any different than in the system we just left. My concern for this movement, if you want to call it that, is that we will recreate a system, and never achieve the maturity of the body described in Ephesians 4. Like Alan said, the goal is to become like Christ, or to literally become His body and bride, fully matured. Will meeting in a circle instead of in rows with a pulpit bring that about? Unfortunately, in and of itself, no. The question I now pose, after reading these posts, is what do we do IN these meetings that brings maturity? Certainly Hebrews 10:24-25 gives some insight, stating that we are to consider one another to stir up love and good works, which I interpret to mean we are to esteem others higher than ourselves, and care more for their needs than for our own. But I am not sure that this even gives the whole picture.

So, is it important to understand why we meet together? Why or why not? (I hope so… that’s what my PhD research and dissertation is all about.)

A woman is giving food to a homeless family.

A young girl is sharing her toys with a neighbor.

A boy is working on his homework.

Someone is reading the Bible.

Another person is sitting quietly and meditating.

Someone else is teaching or preaching.

Finally, an employee is at work.

Which one is worshiping?

Of course, it’s a trick question. It could be none of them, or all of them, or some of them.

Scripture tells us that God will give us the strength and ability to serve other people, and that he will be glorified when we serve other people.

God never asks us to start a Ministry; he asks us to start ministering to (serving) others.

(By the way, I’m not in the picture attached to this post. This is a picture of some of my friends following God’s call to serve other by helping put siding on someone’s house. They did not start a construction ministry. They served a family by doing what was needed.)

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Defining the Church 4

So far (Defining the Church part 1, part 2, part 3), we have examined the gospels (Matt 16:15-99, 18:15-20; John 15-17) in order to define the church (εκκλησία = “assembly, community”). The main points are that the church belongs to Jesus and is created by Jesus. He builds the church of those who believe and follow Him, and He promises that death will not defeat the church. Finally, Jesus gathers the church together in order for the church to obey Him, to represent Him, and to demonstrate His character.

In Acts 2:42-47, Luke presents a beautiful image of the church. Many look to this picture to define the church; however, it seems that Luke was showing what happened as a result of believers being the church. In other words, since believers were gathered as the church, they “continued steadfastly in (“were faithful to”, “were devoted to”, “persevered in”) the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Continuing in the Apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers did not MAKE them the church, nor do these activities define the church. Instead, the church, when built and gathered by Christ, will demonstrate these activities, among many others. As an analogy, rain is not defined by the ground being wet; however, when it rains, the ground usually becomes wet.

So, what can we learn from the first two chapters of Acts that will help us define the church? As I read the first two chapters of Acts, there is a theme that may aid us in our study of the church. Notice the passages of Scripture below (emphasis added):

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen… (Acts 1:1-2)

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5)

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy…’ ” (Acts 2:14-18)

(Peter still speaking) This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. (Acts 2:32-33)

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. (Acts 2:37-39)

In summary, Jesus commands the believers to wait in Jerusalem until He sends the Spirit (the Promise from the Father). When Jesus sends the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Peter reminds the crowd that the Spirit was promised by the prophet Joel, and that the Spirit was sent by Jesus. Peter extended Jesus’ promise – which is the Promise of the Father, which is the Holy Spirit – to all who believe, to as many as the Lord our God will call. It is only at this point – after the coming of the Spirit – that Luke describes the result: the church. All believers – the original 120 as well as the 3000 added by God – are now bound together by the same Spirit into the one church of Jesus Christ. Jesus continues to build His church – through His Spirit. Jesus continues to communicate to His church – through His Spirit. Jesus continues to abide with His church – through His Spirit.

Or, as Irenaeus said many years ago: “Where the Church is, there is the Spirit of God; and where the Spirit of God is, there is the Church.”

As Jesus (through His Spirit) gathers together those who believe and follow Him (through His Spirit), those believers will reveal His character, live according to His commands, and represent Him in the world (all through His Spirit).

(The featured slider is the top part of my homepage that shows the large image, post title, and post excerpt, and automatically rotates from post to post.)

So, whaddaya think?

In this post, Dan is asking about the purpose of gathering together. Is our purpose just to get together? Or is there something more. He writes:

So more importantly than the question of whether we gather or not we need to ask “are we considering one another, stirring up love and good works?” So, are we? Am I? That should be the question we ask ourselves. That should be our goal in gathering together. We can’t do this without gathering, but gathering doesn’t mean that this is happening either. maybe we should think about this when we go to church on Sunday, and assess our activities during that time through the lens of Scripture.

Hmmm… are we? Am I? Good questions.

(By the way, “stirring” can also be translated “provoking”… but not toward bad things, but toward love and good works, of course.)

Here’s just one passage to consider:

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13:7 ESV)

As I think back about the time I spent in Ethiopia, I’m continually reminded about the way of life of the two men that I traveled with.

For example, although Danny was concerned about his lack of experience, he taught strangers (who turned into friends) in a prison. I saw Dave Black live with and work with others in spite of the terrible experience that he and his wife (BeckyLynn) went through just days earlier.

Now, the question that I must ask myself is this: Am I learning from their example?

And, the question that I ask other leaders: Are you teaching with your lives as much as with your words?

And, the question that I ask others: Are you learning from those who are following Christ and demonstrating that by the way they live their lives?

In this final installment in my series on “internet ministry,” I would like to continue discussing the importance of “face-to-face contact and example” by talking about using online interaction to further facility discipleship.

When I use the term “interaction,” I’m talking about communication that takes place in both directions. Now, certainly, it is possible to help someone without this kind of two-way communication. For example, someone could post a teaching based on a particular passage of Scripture, and someone else reading that teaching could benefit, without further interaction.

In reality, this is similar to the teaching/preaching found in many churches today. A person hears a teaching/sermon, but has no further interaction and no deeper relationship with the teacher/preacher. The person hearing can be helped with this type of teaching/preaching, but the amount and type of help is limited.

The way the Jesus and others in Scripture practiced and taught it, discipleship was interactive, in the midst of sharing life together, with questions and answers and follow-up and discussion and argument and another example, etc. It is possible to include this type of interaction using online resources.

The problem is that many who post material on the internet consider the “posted material” to be the most important part of their work. In fact, that posted material is simply the beginning. Whether through comments or emails or phone calls or whatever, the further interaction with other people is often much more important than the posted material that began the further interaction.

Again, do not misunderstand me. Still, personal, face-to-face interaction with both important and necessary. But, using various means, internet ministry can be more interactive and, therefore, more effective at helping people mature in Christ and walk in a manner worthy of the gospel.

Of course, this also means that the way that we interact with people is as important (if not more important) than what we say (or write) in our posted material. If we react with hostility to someone who disagrees with us, it will completely nullify our post about the love of Christ. If we reject someone else, it hinders our message about the grace we have through Christ.

Finally, through interaction, we can demonstrate that we are also teachable – that we also need to be discipled – that we do not have all the answers – that God can and does speak to us and changes us through other people.

So, as we use online tools and resources to disciple others – that is, to help others grow in maturity in Christ – we should seek as much interaction as possible, always attempting to demonstrate the love of Christ in that interaction. In humility, we should admit that we do not have all the answers, that we are sometimes wrong, and that our relationships with others is more important than proving ourselves to be right.