The Challenge of "Church as Usual"

I love church!  Church is in our family DNA. I remember the rhythms of church–Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night.  No questions asked. Church formed me in specific ways through Bible classes, fellowship, preaching and a host of church activities.  Of course, whatever number came on Sunday morning there was 1/2 or less back for Sunday night. And on Wednesday night, it was about 1/2 of the Sunday night crowd that returned. This took place in two Oklahoma towns: one town of about 10,000 people and another of 2,000.  I have some good memories regarding those rhythms of church. I don’t recall that the pace of life was all that fast and church was, may I say it, “a social event” and even somewhat a cultural norm.

Those days are gone. Recent research indicates that only 16% of Americans are in some kind of church service or involved in some form of religious participation on a weekend. Ouch!  I am not one for ramping up the entertainment factor to “draw” people. And I am certainly not advocating simply a “feel good” message with no demands of following Jesus.

What I am saying is that the church is not at the center of the culture anymore. We are on the margins. This is exactly where first century believers were in their culture. What we have to realize is that our everyday conversations, hospitality, prayers and life IS what it means to be Christian and church.  In essence, we must think and act like missionaries.

Being on the margins of our culture calls us to re-think what it means to be church. For too long we have depended on the culture to prop up the church. No more.  For too long, we have relied on sitting in the right place and by osmosis we would grow spiritually.

It is time to consider specific, concrete, intentional habits associated with living the Jesus way individually and as a church. It is possible to hold on to “church” as usual and retreat into a holy huddle wishing things were better.  Here are a few questions to consider.

1. What habits outside of sitting in a pew do you have for growing spiritually?
2. What conversations are you having with pre-Christian people in your life?
3. Who are you praying for to know Christ and the opportunity to share with?

You are a missionary!  Here and now!

P.S.  The New Testament was written to believers on the margins of their culture.  Try 1 Peter on for size.

Grady King

Mansfield, Texas

And Be Thankful

I Thank Thee

O Thou whose bounty fills my cup,
With every blessing meet!
I give Thee thanks for every drop—
The bitter and the sweet.

I praise Thee for the desert road,
And for the riverside;
For all Thy goodness hath bestowed,
And all Thy grace denied.

I thank Thee for both smile and frown,
And for the gain and loss;
I praise Thee for the future crown
And for the present cross.

I thank Thee for both wings of love
Which stirred my worldly nest;
And for the stormy clouds which drove
Me, trembling, to Thy breast.

I bless Thee for the glad increase,
And for the waning joy;
And for this strange, this settled peace
Which nothing can destroy.

--Jane Crewdson (1860)

God’s desire for a thankful people.

Scripture describes the verbal thankfulness of Jesus, and His recognition of gratitude in others.

A few examples of Jesus’ thankfulness:

before feeding the multitude,

before breaking bread and sharing the cup.

He gave thanks to God for hearing Him, just before bringing Lazarus from the tomb.

Scripture reveals thankful attitude in people.

One of ten healed lepers returned to thank Jesus, a Samaritan.  Jesus acknowledged the grateful heart of a foreigner.  Where was the thankful spirit of the other nine?

Peter’s mother-in-law began to wait on guests and family, when she rose healed at Jesus’ touch.

Daniel knelt in thanksgiving, even when the law of the land forbade it.

Scripture instructs that all we do be done in His name, with thanksgiving to God the Father.  Col. 3:17

God’s will for us to give thanks in all circumstances 1 Thess. 5:18

We should be grateful for everything in the name of Jesus.  Eph. 5:20

Our prayers and petitions are to be wrapped in thanksgiving to God.Phil 4:6

Generosity He prompts within each of us will result in thanksgiving to Him. 1 Cor. 9:11

When gratitude fills our hearts and flows from our lips, will there be room left for obscenity, foolish talk or course joking?  Eph. 5:4

God instructed His people, Israel, to set up stone pillars, to share stories of His faithfulness with following generations, to observe feasts and festivals.  Today, we celebrate a holy feast, remembering what Jesus endured for our sins, looking to the day of His return.

He knew them well, He knows us well.  Lest we forget the One to Whom we owe eternal gratitude for all blessings.  He is the Giver of life, physical and spiritual.  May our eyes look to Him, our hearts trust His love and our lips sing His praise as a thankful people, not just in November, but each hour of every day. May we remember and celebrate the grace and goodness of our God, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!  2 Corinthians 9:15

How will you and I demonstrate gratitude to our LORD, today?

Holy God and Merciful Father.  Thank You for the many examples of gratitude given throughout Your Word.  Thank You, for the forgiveness You grant, when we fail to thank You.

Thank You, Beautiful Creator, of all we see and enjoy, for life and breath and hope.  Call us closer to Your heart that we may grow in thankfulness for all You have done and promise to do.  In the holy name of Jesus.

Mischelle Oliver, 
Stephenville, Texas

Newness

One of the great treats of my life as a young boy was the privilege of selecting a comic book when my parents made the weekly trip to the Piggly Wiggly grocery store.  As a child, I was fascinated by the ‘Charles Atlas’ advertisements on the inside of back page of my comic books.  A ninety-seven pound weakling and his girlfriend were at the beach, enjoying their day together.  A big bully interrupts them by kicking sand on the couple.  Since the weakling is unable to defend himself, the bully takes away his girlfriend.  The ninety-seven pound weakling enrolls in the ‘Charles Atlas’ body building course.  Some time later, he returns to the beach where he challenges the bully who is there spending the day with his old girlfriend.  He reclaims his girlfriend because he is a new man.

The Greek word for ‘new’ is kainos.  Kainos means a new kind or quality of thing; unique.  Ephesians 2 describes the Gentiles as a people who were hopeless, Godless, separated and alienated from God.  They were strangers to God.  (They were ninety-seven pound weaklings spiritually.)  In addition to their non-relationship with God, they were enemies of the Jewish people and lived in hostility to them.  Ephesians 2:14-22 describes how Jesus changes the Gentiles into spiritual body-builders.  How does he do this?  He makes both Jews and Gentiles into a new (kainos) kind of person.  Rather than focusing on their Jewishness or their Gentileness, they are new.  They are Christians.  Jesus brings ‘peace’ to Jews and Gentiles in their relationships to one another and in their relationships to God.

Responding to the gospel of Christ is like taking the ‘Charles Atlas’ body building course from a spiritual standpoint.  From a ninety-pound spiritual weakling, we are transformed into a new creation.  “Members of the household of God and citizens of the kingdom of God.”  REJOICE TODAY AND DURING THIS THANKSGIVING WEEK THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED NEWNESS OF LIFE.  

Prayer:  Father, thank you for making newness of life possible through your Son Jesus.  Help us to live daily with the awareness that we have been made new.

Terry Brown

Abilene, Texas

Mary, Come and Sit for a Minute

Prince of Peace, You spoke her name twice, (gently I believe), calming her anxious and annoyed heart. What blurred her vision of Your love and peace and goodness? She opened her home to You and Your crew. She labored to make everything just right. Not wrong in her service, although her heart focus needed redirection from work back to You. She needed Your presence and Your words to quiet and nourish her soul, as do we. You lifted her up from the quagmire of anxiety and lovingly invited her to higher ground-Holy ground at Your feet.

How many times do we lose sight of You while setting out to serve in Your name? The stormy atmosphere of our heart exposed through unkind words. Thank You, for the same loving invitation to higher ground; when our vision of You is blurred and rash words are spoken.
“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The LORD is near.” Philippians 4:5

Too frequently, my family endures my “anxiety” moments. If I listen with my heart, I can hear You speaking my name, Your amazing love, gently, calming my anxious heart, Your words refocus my mind. Help me to be like Mary and have ears that hear Your voice and a heart that pants to be in Your presence. Jesus, You make me nervous because You call me to have a Mary heart, when I think with a Martha mind. Please continue to reshape my mind, my heart and my words with Your precious peace.

Our lips should express adoration and praise and thanksgiving to You. Help us, LORD, to cease our grumbling and complaining. LORD, help us stop comparing and competing with others. Let us encourage one another and serve with love and grace.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether word or deed, do it all in the name of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Col. 3:15-17

Through the Scriptures, You instruct us about Your peace-how to have it, how to dwell in it. Desperately, we seek You, to cast off the anxieties of daily life.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
“I have told you these things, so that you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
“Those who love Thy law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.” Psalm 119:165

You encouraged those You healed and forgave to “Go in peace.” Thank You, Jesus, for these nuggets of truth to calm our hearts amidst the concerns of life. May we linger in Your presence, and allow all else to fall in place under Your control and not our own. Teach us to reject the thoughts and words that zap the energy and peace You plant deep in our hearts.

Your prayerful example as You walked among men, speaks to us eloquently. Publicly and privately, You sought Your Father’s will. You had much to do in a short time. Yet, You retreated to be alone with Your Father. Thank You, for modeling to us, a heart of prayer.

Time with You, pouring out our heart, absorbing Your Word for our counsel, revives and calms us. Replace the anxiety that overwhelms with Your perfect peace. Let the peace that transcends all understanding be a canopy over the hearts of Your children-that we may serve You joyfully.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Holy Father-God of peace, We exalt You. Your love and patience are beyond measure. Increase our faith. Teach us to pray unceasingly. Fashion us to be thankful and humble. Your faithful promises are the peace that revives our hearts. Thank You, Father, for the “Marys” in our lives. May they continue to mentor us on this journey home as we travel guided by Your Spirit. Thank You, for Jesus and His example in life, in death, in resurrection.
In His Precious Name, Amen

Mischelle Oliver
Stephenville, Texas

More Than Simple Stories

Two of my favorite Bible stories are found in the gospels--the story of the man with the demon, called Legion, and the story of the woman who suffered from bleeding. I like the way that Luke tells these stories.

Jesus heads out to the Gerasenes via boat. As soon as he hits shore, a demon-possessed man who lives in the tombs gives him a warm welcome. “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, You Son of the Most High God?” Jesus commands the unclean spirit out of him and right into a herd of pigs, who flee off a cliff and into the lake. The cleansed man begs Jesus to go with him, but Jesus commands him to go into the town and proclaim all that God has done for him.

Jumping forward in chapter eight, Jesus is on his way to help someone else, in the midst of an oppressive crowd. As he moves, he feels power leave him because someone who so desperately believes he can heal her has touched his robes. The disciples doubt him when he says this is so, but the truth comes out when the woman who has suffered from bleeding for twelve years comes forward.

My affection for these stories is not solely motivated by the stories themselves; I like where and how they are positioned in the gospel story. Luke includes the testimony of the prophetess, Anna, in chapter two. He tells of the cleansing of a leper, the healing of a crippled man, the calling of a tax collector, and Jesus dining with sinners in chapter five. In chapter six, he blesses the poor, hungry, and those who weep, then calls down woes on the self-satisfied--a little different from Matthew’s beatitudes. Chapter seven includes the story of a widow’s son who is raised to life, praise of John the Baptist, then moves into chapter eight with stories of women who do Christ’s work. Chapter eight ends with the story of thousands of demons driven out of a lunatic and the healing of an unclean woman.

More than anything else, this gospel emphasizes the fact that Jesus is very intentional with the marginalized. In a culture where women could not do much, Jesus invites them to serve Him and do His work. In a culture where tax collectors are looked down upon as cheating scum, Jesus invites them not only dine with him, but to be his disciples. He heals those who are banished from the city--a leper and a crazed, demon-possessed man. Pharisees and teachers of the law look at John the Baptist and deem him crazy, but not Jesus. Jesus praises John, despite his lack of luxurious clothes and living conditions. “But the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28).

There are many “leasts of these” who we encounter daily. If I bumped into a demon-possessed man or a woman who was unclean going on thirteen years, I would probably head for the hills. The succession of stories in Luke--with the story of these two standing out most vividly for me--commands us repeatedly to hang tight when we bump into these people. Jesus cares about them.

When he is on his way to heal Jairus’s daughter he stops to heal a woman who people had probably been overlooking for years. Jairus is a leader of the synagogue. Jesus should take care of him first, right? Wrong. Jesus constantly goes out of His way to heal, spend time with, teach, and love those who the rest of society shoves to the margins.


These words ring out in my mind: “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, You Son of the Most High God?” I think the man associates Jesus with the town leaders, teachers of the law, and “clean” people who are above his affliction. Jesus is the “Son of the Most High God.” Too good for a demon-possessed man. Well, we all have our own metaphorical “demons.” And just because some of us can hide them better with expensive clothes, shiny accomplishments, or “holy” works, it doesn’t mean that Jesus will show us more favor or that God’s people should show care to us first and in a more intentional way.

Right after Luke tells these stories, he records Jesus’ commission of the twelve: “He gave them power and authority over all the demons, and power to heal diseases. Then He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Luke 9:1-2). That’s very specific, and this is what I read in between those lines: “Go out and find the people who are shoved to the margins. Write compassion, tenderness, and grace all over their hearts in My name.” I see modern versions of that demon-possessed man and woman with the hemorrhage everyday. It makes me want to pick up my pen and venture out into the margins.

God of the afflicted,
I praise You for the way that You show care to all people. Thank you for Jesus and the life that He lived--a life in which He was constantly seeking out those whom the world rejected. Help us to remember that we should love the way that He loved and expect nothing in return, because that is what You have called us to. We praise You for teaching us through the life of Your Son.
In His name, Amen.

Erin Daugherty
Abilene Christian University

A Joyful Heart

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

If I didn’t already know King Solomon was a wise man, I would devise it from the Proverbs he wrote. God blessed Solomon with wisdom to share with those who take all opportunities to read the Bible.  I have observed joyful people and others who seem to have crushed spirits.  Joyful people are not necessarily those who are rich and powerful in worldly terms.  Often the joyful have been dealt hardship or illness, but their hearts are buoyed by joy, the natural medicine of God.  Our bodies are marvelously designed to respond well to joy.  

A positive attitude increases the probability of full recovery from most illnesses and many diseases. Conversely, a crushed spirit, hopelessness and melancholy contribute to prolonged illness. When the heart is sorrowful with burdens of fear, worry, guilt and depression, these contribute to chronic “sickliness” in the body, and exhaustion. When the body is exhausted, melancholy can lead to temptations that waste, or “dry up”, the body’s resources.

Galatians 5:22-23 says:  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Someone shared a video from www.youtube.com today. It made me smile, and added a bit more joy to my day.  I hope you will take a moment to watch and smile.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiblYasnzWE

Dear God,   I am thankful for your masterful design that invites joy into our daily lives. Help me to delve into the wisdom described in the Bible by Solomon, Paul, and many others. I want to share it at every opportunity.

Sherilyn Svien

Stephenville, TX