I find myself frequently correcting people when they refer to small groups as "Home Bible Studies". Why? What is the difference?
I also use the term "Spiritual Formation" where many people traditionally refer to "discipleship." I believe "Spiritual Formation" is more attentive of the need to transform the whole person (mind, will, emotion, and behavior) where too many people consider themselves to have been "discipled" and all they mean is "I went through a study book with a person one-on-one."
First, let me say that there IS a place for group study! That is why we hold classes and seminars for Adults that we call CSI:Elkhorn (Character, Skills & Instruction).
The difference between a "class/study" and a "group" is a matter of emphasis. In a "class/Bible Study" the focus is on the CONTENT with a side element of COMMUNITY. In a "group" the focus is on the COMMUNITY with a side element of CONTENT.
My friend TJ does a great job of describing the transformation that happens in true community in this post on his blog.
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Thursday, June 03, 2010
More thoughts on Community
A couple of posts back I wrote about the value of community as an instrument of spiritual formation. Today I just found another post on a blog I follow that goes into a little more detail on the value of reciprocal living.
http://leadingfromthesandbox.blogspot.com/2010/06/powerful-transparency.html
http://leadingfromthesandbox.blogspot.com/2010/06/powerful-transparency.html
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Sincere Appreciation
With today's post I would like to sincerely extend a word of appreciation to those who are making disciples of others.
Human tendency is to hold expectations that are often exceeded or undermined by others. When expectations are met, we usually respond with politeness. When expectations are unmet we tend to react with public or hidden murmuring. When expectations are exceeded we feel the genuine nature of the expression.
Years ago our staff made a conscious decision to downplay the recognition of "Clergy Appreciation Month" in October. For many people it had become obligatory and carried about as much emotion as the 172 people who write "Happy Birthday" on your facebook wall simply because there is a box on the right side of the screen that says "wish....a happy birthday on...." We found that those who truly appreciate their clergy were finding ways throughout the year to say an encouraging word, or send a kind email detailing a specific blessing, or bringing a personal trinket when they saw something that reminded them of one of us. I don't doubt that people were genuine with the words that they said in October. But the unexpected deeds seemed to better communicate the heart of gratitude.
Monday was full of parades and programs with lack-luster attendance designed to express appreciation for American military personnel. My experience has been that a soldier would prefer receive 5 personal handshakes and a thank you given eye to eye, rather than 500 people sitting in a crowd waving an anonymous flag.
My purpose today is to give a personal shout out to each one of you who invests time, energy, emotion and resources in discipling others. I want you to know that you are valued; that what you do makes a difference for eternity; and that I trust God will reward you according to the selfless way you have put others above yourself!
Human tendency is to hold expectations that are often exceeded or undermined by others. When expectations are met, we usually respond with politeness. When expectations are unmet we tend to react with public or hidden murmuring. When expectations are exceeded we feel the genuine nature of the expression.
Years ago our staff made a conscious decision to downplay the recognition of "Clergy Appreciation Month" in October. For many people it had become obligatory and carried about as much emotion as the 172 people who write "Happy Birthday" on your facebook wall simply because there is a box on the right side of the screen that says "wish....a happy birthday on...." We found that those who truly appreciate their clergy were finding ways throughout the year to say an encouraging word, or send a kind email detailing a specific blessing, or bringing a personal trinket when they saw something that reminded them of one of us. I don't doubt that people were genuine with the words that they said in October. But the unexpected deeds seemed to better communicate the heart of gratitude.
Monday was full of parades and programs with lack-luster attendance designed to express appreciation for American military personnel. My experience has been that a soldier would prefer receive 5 personal handshakes and a thank you given eye to eye, rather than 500 people sitting in a crowd waving an anonymous flag.
My purpose today is to give a personal shout out to each one of you who invests time, energy, emotion and resources in discipling others. I want you to know that you are valued; that what you do makes a difference for eternity; and that I trust God will reward you according to the selfless way you have put others above yourself!
Monday, May 24, 2010
From Theory to Experience
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?
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 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?
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