The 4th item on my list of Spiritual Formation ingredients that truly lead to transformation is Experience/competence. I believe putting our ideas to practice is essential in becoming like Christ. Just as the act of the Resurrection proved that Christ was who He claimed to be, the acts of obedience prove that our faith is more than fantasies. This is what James communicates with his teaching about faith and works.
One of the earliest heresies that was denounced by the early church was Gnosticism. The Hellenistic culture contributed to a worldview that attempted to separate belief from body or spiritual from physical. The gnostics found it preferable to cultivate ideas and concepts that were totally void of real world experiences. This was exactly opposite to the purpose of the incarnation. Christ pre-existed as spirit, but in order to be a manifestation of God among men He took on flesh. Even after the resurrection Jesus continued to demonstrate the visible expressions of what is real (Luke 24:39).
In Luke 10:27 Jesus is setting up the parable of the Good Samaritan. The expert in the law knew that it could be summarized with loving God completely and loving others. Notice that the love of God included the use of one's body and the love of neighbors was more than a theoretical concept.
In the physical we come to terms with and grasp spiritual realities. Jesus sent the 70 out to do ministry (Luke 10:1-12); Jesus sent the disciples to the other side of the lake in a boat because a real storm would prove their faith (Mt 14:22); Jesus told the disciples to feed the 5000 because their realization that they didn't have enough food would impress upon them His ability to meet their needs (MT 14:16); Lazarus was really dead (Jn 10:38); and Jesus cast the demons into a herd of pigs to show that they were real and not just the figment of somebody's imagination (Mark 5:1-20). These incidents plus all the miracles involving the physical world show that the spiritual is not opposed to the physical.
(Yes, our earthly tent is temporary and fading now (2 Cor 5:1), but it will be transformed and made eternal in the last resurrection (2 Cor 5:2-3).)
With Joseph and Daniel, when dreams were lived out in real life people's faith increased. When the children of Israel acted in obedience they possessed the Promised Land. When the disciples acted upon the teaching of Jesus their faith increased. On the Day of Pentecost the arrival of the Holy Spirit was accompanied by physical manifestations. The Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11 list many whose experiences testified of their faith.
One author whom I met recently promotes that the church where he pastors is build upon a lecture/lab structure. Through preaching and teaching the concepts are delivered in a "lecture" and through the week they are put into practice in the "laboratory" of life. His premise is that that true learning doesn't happen if either the lecture or the lab is ignored. I think he may be on to something.
What about your small group or class? Do you only do lecture within community and expect the lab to be done by individuals or do you intentionally do the labs as a community also?
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Spiritual Formation is more than a fad.
Continuing in our series of posts on Efficacy Matters, this week I would like you to think about the power of the God to change lives. Too many people and organizations have tried to reduce the Christian walk to a formula or a program. I've seen it from the most conservative of Fundamentalist and I observed it in the most liberal of denominations. It has been packaged as "10 easy steps to..." or "The Hidden Key to..." or "The Secret of...." or "If you just ____ then you will ___". I've received advertisements for "50 Days of..." and "40 Day to..." I've been invited to participate in "the only conference that will..." and "the only place you can get..."
Spiritual formation is more than reading a certain book, attendance at a certain workshop; or wearing a particular bracelet, T-shirt or ring; more than a button on your lapel or a sticker on your bumper.
In Acts 8:19 Simon wanted to buy God's power as if it were a commodity. In Matthew 12 the Pharisees tried to identify Jesus by being in a defined group. In Mark 9 the Disciples were dismayed to see Jesus do miracles that they couldn't do even though they were following all the prescribed steps. In Galatians 4:9-10 the Believers are scolded for being lured into set traditions.
In the modern church, it has been said that an entertaining preacher, a contemporary venue, and a gimmicky marketing campaign is all that is necessary to build a megachurch. But getting large numbers of people in the same place at the same time is not the end goal. Too many rely on gimmicks like those reported here and here.
Are people becoming like Christ in their thinking, motives and behavior?
No one will EVER move toward Christlikeness unless God enables him/her to do so. (Jn 6:44; Rom 6:4, 7:24-25, 8:11; Eph 3:20, Phil 2:13; Heb 13:21; James 4:15P
It is not the persuasiveness of men or the clever maginations of our minds that causes people to become like Christ. It is only God's power that makes for lasting change. True transformation ONLY happens in partnership with the living God.
When have you seen God's power at work to do what you could not do in yourself?
Spiritual formation is more than reading a certain book, attendance at a certain workshop; or wearing a particular bracelet, T-shirt or ring; more than a button on your lapel or a sticker on your bumper.
In Acts 8:19 Simon wanted to buy God's power as if it were a commodity. In Matthew 12 the Pharisees tried to identify Jesus by being in a defined group. In Mark 9 the Disciples were dismayed to see Jesus do miracles that they couldn't do even though they were following all the prescribed steps. In Galatians 4:9-10 the Believers are scolded for being lured into set traditions.
In the modern church, it has been said that an entertaining preacher, a contemporary venue, and a gimmicky marketing campaign is all that is necessary to build a megachurch. But getting large numbers of people in the same place at the same time is not the end goal. Too many rely on gimmicks like those reported here and here.
Are people becoming like Christ in their thinking, motives and behavior?
No one will EVER move toward Christlikeness unless God enables him/her to do so. (Jn 6:44; Rom 6:4, 7:24-25, 8:11; Eph 3:20, Phil 2:13; Heb 13:21; James 4:15P
It is not the persuasiveness of men or the clever maginations of our minds that causes people to become like Christ. It is only God's power that makes for lasting change. True transformation ONLY happens in partnership with the living God.
When have you seen God's power at work to do what you could not do in yourself?
Monday, May 10, 2010
Community Matters
The 2nd item on my proposed list of elements that are efficacious in making more and better followers of Chris is COMMUNITY.
Community is more than being in close proximity to others or having a common namebadge. Biblical community is to have a "common unity" with one or more people. This unity is based upon common identity (who we are in Christ) and common purpose (being transformed into the person and purpose of Christ).
I believe Community is effective in making people better Christ followers because it is totally consistent (integral?) with the purposes of God for humanity. I believe this based upon 4 observations:
1. God has placed within each human being a need for others. (Gen 2:18). On each day of creation God created something then said "it is good" but on day 6 He created man then said "it is NOT good...." What was not good about this climax of creation? Man was isolated. Was the triune God fully available to Adam? Yes, but in that state of Adam and God alone it was NOT good. God himself said that man needs a helper. Those who claim today that they can worship God alone better than they can with others are contradicting what God himself said about Adam.
2. Community matters because we ALL have blindspots. Moses's father-in-law had to correct poor leadership practices (Exodus 18); Nathan confronted sin in David's life (2 Sam 12); Saul and Barnabas had conflicting perspectives on John Mark (Acts 15); And Jesus often commented that the disciples just weren't getting it (Mark 8:17).
3. God's design for New Testament believers models partnership. Jesus didn't call one disciple, He called 12 and they traveled and lived as a group. Jesus sent out the 70 by twos. The biblical analogy of a body (1 Cor 12) speaks of needing others. NObody has all the spiritual gifts. When the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost the disciples were gathered. The early church sent missionaries by twos. When Paul gave Timothy instruction to deacons and elders the words are plural.
4. Biblical authors often used a specific word that speak directly of this reality. New Testament Greek has a word that appears 94 times in the New Testament that is translated "one another", "each other" or "mutual." This is in addition to the words that are translated church, fellowhip, and unity. In Latin the phrase is Quid pro quo and in the Social Sciences it is referred to as an ethic of reciprocity. In Physics Newton's third law of motion is that each force has an equal and opposite reaction. The bottom line is that God has not placed you in the center of your own universe! He has placed you as part of the Human Race and intends for you to interact redemptively within that sphere. This is what is meant by 2 Cor 5:18 where we are told God has given us the ministry of reconcilation.
In my last post I mentioned that TRUTH matters because many don't even realize the lies they believe. This week I propose that COMMUNITY matters because it is essential to God's purposes.
Community is more than being in close proximity to others or having a common namebadge. Biblical community is to have a "common unity" with one or more people. This unity is based upon common identity (who we are in Christ) and common purpose (being transformed into the person and purpose of Christ).
I believe Community is effective in making people better Christ followers because it is totally consistent (integral?) with the purposes of God for humanity. I believe this based upon 4 observations:
1. God has placed within each human being a need for others. (Gen 2:18). On each day of creation God created something then said "it is good" but on day 6 He created man then said "it is NOT good...." What was not good about this climax of creation? Man was isolated. Was the triune God fully available to Adam? Yes, but in that state of Adam and God alone it was NOT good. God himself said that man needs a helper. Those who claim today that they can worship God alone better than they can with others are contradicting what God himself said about Adam.
2. Community matters because we ALL have blindspots. Moses's father-in-law had to correct poor leadership practices (Exodus 18); Nathan confronted sin in David's life (2 Sam 12); Saul and Barnabas had conflicting perspectives on John Mark (Acts 15); And Jesus often commented that the disciples just weren't getting it (Mark 8:17).
3. God's design for New Testament believers models partnership. Jesus didn't call one disciple, He called 12 and they traveled and lived as a group. Jesus sent out the 70 by twos. The biblical analogy of a body (1 Cor 12) speaks of needing others. NObody has all the spiritual gifts. When the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost the disciples were gathered. The early church sent missionaries by twos. When Paul gave Timothy instruction to deacons and elders the words are plural.
4. Biblical authors often used a specific word that speak directly of this reality. New Testament Greek has a word that appears 94 times in the New Testament that is translated "one another", "each other" or "mutual." This is in addition to the words that are translated church, fellowhip, and unity. In Latin the phrase is Quid pro quo and in the Social Sciences it is referred to as an ethic of reciprocity. In Physics Newton's third law of motion is that each force has an equal and opposite reaction. The bottom line is that God has not placed you in the center of your own universe! He has placed you as part of the Human Race and intends for you to interact redemptively within that sphere. This is what is meant by 2 Cor 5:18 where we are told God has given us the ministry of reconcilation.
In my last post I mentioned that TRUTH matters because many don't even realize the lies they believe. This week I propose that COMMUNITY matters because it is essential to God's purposes.
Monday, May 03, 2010
Truth Transforms
I was asked to unpack some of my suggestions as to what is efficacious in making disciples of Jesus Christ. My first suggestion is that TRUTH transforms people.
In Jn 8:32 Jesus challenges a group of people by saying "the truth will set you free". In the next verse they respond by saying that they were already free. Jesus then goes on to explain that they didn't even know how bad of a situation they were in.
Too many people today have been deceived and they don't even know it! In 2 Cor 10:5 Paul clearly states that we must demolish the arguments and pretensions that are enemies of God and take every thought captive to obedience of Christ. This is the "renewing of the mind" which Paul also describes in Romans 12:2
Wrong beliefs lead to wrong behaviors lead to wrong feelings. The key to changing one's emotions is to bring the underlying assumption into accord with truth.
Our classes and small groups must be places where we discover God's truth and where we are unafraid and unashamed to speak truth about one one another. If we are not grounded in truth our times together will be no more transformational than a TV talk show.
Truth matters because as Paul wrote to the Ephesians "speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." (Eph 4:15)
In Jn 8:32 Jesus challenges a group of people by saying "the truth will set you free". In the next verse they respond by saying that they were already free. Jesus then goes on to explain that they didn't even know how bad of a situation they were in.
Too many people today have been deceived and they don't even know it! In 2 Cor 10:5 Paul clearly states that we must demolish the arguments and pretensions that are enemies of God and take every thought captive to obedience of Christ. This is the "renewing of the mind" which Paul also describes in Romans 12:2
Wrong beliefs lead to wrong behaviors lead to wrong feelings. The key to changing one's emotions is to bring the underlying assumption into accord with truth.
Our classes and small groups must be places where we discover God's truth and where we are unafraid and unashamed to speak truth about one one another. If we are not grounded in truth our times together will be no more transformational than a TV talk show.
Truth matters because as Paul wrote to the Ephesians "speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." (Eph 4:15)
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