Is Your Church Inwardly Focused?

Dr. Thom Rainer wrote an excellent book on what it means to be a church member from a biblical perspective. In chapter three Dr. Rainer gives a list of ten dominant behaviors that are consistently seen in churches who are inwardly focused. As I read through this list I was reminded of how easy it is to allow tradition and preferences to keep us from making an impact on the culture in which we live. I would like to share this list and I hope you will prayerfully consider if these attitudes are prevalent in your life.

1. Worship wars. One or more factions in the church want the music just the way they like it. Any deviation is met with anger and demands for change. The order of service must remain constant. Certain instrumentation is required and others are prohibited.
2. Prolonged minutia meetings. The church spends an inordinate amount of time in different meetings. Most of the meetings deal with the most inconsequential items, while the Great Commission and Great Commandment are rarely topics of discussion. 
3. Facility focus. The church facilities develop iconic status. One of the highest priorities in the church is the protection and preservation of rooms, furniture, and other visible parts of the church buildings and grounds.
4. Program driven. Every church has programs even if they don't admit it. When we start to doing a ministry a certain way, it takes on programmatic status, The problem becomes an end instead of a means to greater ministry.
5. Inward focused budget. A disproportionate share of the budget is used to meet the needs and comforts of the members instead of reaching beyond the walls of the church.
6. Inordinate demands for pastoral care. All church members deserve care and concern, especially in times of need and crisis. Problems develop, however, when church members have unreasonable expectations for even minor matters. Some members expect the pastoral staff to visit them regularly because they have membership status.
7. Attitudes of entitlement. This issue could be a catch-all for many of the points named here. The overarching attitude is one of demanding and having a sense of deserving special treatment.
8. Greater concern about change than the gospel. Almost any noticeable changes in the church evoke the ire of many; but those same passions are not evident about participating in the work of the gospel to change lives.
9. Anger and hostility. Members are consistently angry. They regularly express hostility toward the church staff and other members.
10. Evangelistic apathy. Very few members share their faith on a regular basis. More are concerned about their own needs rather than the greatest eternal needs of the world and comment in which they live.

Let us use this checklist to constantly evaluate our motives and actions to make sure that we stay focused on the task on expanding the Kingdom of God.

I am so thankful to Dr. Rainer of Lifeway for writing this simple but powerful book that reminds us of what it really means to be a member of the Lord's church. I also want to thank Micah Fries for his blog post that reminded me of this list.

The Kingdom

The Bible teaches that as followers of Jesus Christ that we live between two realities: God's Kingdom has arrived, but it is not fully completed. So how are we to live as we await our Lord to bring it to completed?

1 Peter 2:9–12 (ESV) -- "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. ¹¹ Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. ¹² Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation."

1. Remember your IDENTITY

If we are going to be active citizens of God's Kingdom and not lose heart, it is vital that we have a clear grass of who we are in Christ. The apostle Peter describes our new nature this way:

• "a chosen race" -- We belong to God, not because we are good, or we deserve it, or because we have earned it, but because God has chosen us.
• "a royal priesthood" -- as our King, God has called us as His priests to offer up spiritual sacrifices in His presence. We are told in Romans 12:1 that we are to "present (our) bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is (our) spiritual worship."
• "a holy nation" -- We have been set apart by God so that we might enjoy His presence and favor forever.
• "a people for his own possession" -- We are no longer our own, we belong to God.

2. Fulfill your CALLING

It is because of the great love that God has for the world that He has delayed the return of His Son. The Bible tells us that God does't want anyone to perish, but He wants everyone to repent (2 Peter 3:9). It is for this reason that God has called us to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8).

Peter tells us in verse 9 that we are to "proclaim the excellencies of" God. To proclaim carries the idea of worship and witness! The word excellencies speaks to the mighty power of God being demonstrated. The point that Peter is making is that the mighty works of God should move us to worship and to witness.

In verses9-10 Peter gives us three reasons that should motivate us to worship and to witness. 

• "Called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" -- We used to walk in the darkness, but now we live in God's marvelous light.
• "Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people" -- There was a time when we were excluded from God's chosen people, but now we are a part of God's family.
• "Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy" -- We once were under the wrath and the judgment of God, but now we have experienced the mercy of God. 

3. Fight your BATTLE

The Bible tells us that we are "sojourners and exiles." The point that Peter is making is that we are residents of earth, but this place is not our home. As we wait for our Lord to return, we are to be busy working to expand His Kingdom on earth. In verses 11-12, the apostle gives us two commands that will help us accomplish our calling of proclaiming God's excellencies. 

• We are to resist and overcome the "passions of the flesh" -- The picture that Peter paints is that this is a war. It's not easy, but with the Holy Spirit dwelling in us we can overcome them. It will require a renewed mind, a disciplined tongue, and a controlled body. The apostle Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians 9:27, "But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."

• We are to "Keep (our) conduct honorable" -- The Christians of the first century were looked upon with suspicion and hostility. Peter's command was not for them to wage a publicity battle or a legal battle against those who opposed them. Instead Peter exhorts them to live godly lives and to seek to do good to their enemies! Jesus put it this way in Matthew 5:16 (ESV), "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

As we wait for the coming of our King, let us take seriously our calling to proclaim the "proclaim the excellencies" of our King and let us love our neighbors as we love ourselves!

For the City

My greatest desire is to pastor a church that wants to impact the city with the gospel of Jesus Christ through our words and through our actions. It is this desire that drives me as I seek to lead Calvary Baptist Church. I am so thankful for the men that God has placed around me to help me in this process of leading Calvary back to a place of health and growth.

As I seek God's direction for His church, I am constantly reminded that it is God's Word that is to direct me in leading His church. In Acts 1:8, we are given clear instruction on how we are to go about fulfilling the Great Commission. The Bible tells us in Acts 1:8 (ESV), “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

1. The Mission: WITNESS unto Jesus
    The command is that we are to be His witnesses! A witness is someone who provides legal testimony, and establish facts to convince an audience of individual's innocence or guilt. As a follower of Christ it is our responsibility to proclaim the truth of who He is and what He has done on our lives. This responsibility doesn't fall to a select well trained group of experts, it is our responsibility.

2. The Power: the HOLY SPIRIT
    This power was given to Jesus' followers on the day of Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit came the believers were empowered and equipped to be Jesus' witnesses and as Peter stood and preached over 3,000 people were added to the Kingdom of God. The promise here in Acts 1:8 that they would "receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon" them is still happening in our day! At the moment of salvation, God's Spirit comes to dwell in us to empower and equip us to fulfill the mission of being Jesus' witnesses!
    It is not by programs or personalities that we are to expand the Kingdom of God, it by submitting ourselves to the lordship of the Holy Spirit that He empowers and equips us!

3. The Strategy: Jerusalem, Judea and SO ON
    The strategy that we will use as a church is based on the strategy that Jesus laid out in Acts 1:8. "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." For us this passage clearly defines the strategy that we will use in making disciples of all nations. We will seek to have a strong presence in our local community, while seeking to take the gospel to America, and the ends of the earth. 
    The apostle Paul took this command seriously. We are told in the last verse of the book of Acts that the apostle Paul was “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:31).

I want to encourage you to pray about a few things:

1. Pray for your friends, family and co-workers who are without Christ in their lives. Pray that God would open their eyes to their real condition. They are dead and need to receive the life that can only come through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
2. Pray that you would be bold and unhindered in sharing your testimony of what Jesus has done in your life.
3. Pray for Calvary Baptist Church that we would be truly committed to fulfilling the mission that Jesus has given us. 

The Family of God! (Part 2)

As I think about the church being the family of God, I wonder how this truth should impact how I relate to my brothers and sisters in Christ? As I pondered this question, I thought of two biblical answers.

1. We are to LOVE and ACCEPT one another

Romans 15:7 (ESV) - "Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." It's a sad commentary on the church today, that to often we look down on those who aren't like us, or who struggle with sin. The command in Romans 15:7 is that we are to accept one another with love and without reservation or judgment. If the perfect, sinless Son of God would accept us into God's family, how much more should we be willing to accept one another.

If Jesus is the standard by which we relate to one another, let us remember that it was Jesus who was criticized for loving and accepting the sinners and tax-collectors. Let us not allow self-righteousness to keep us from loving and caring for those whom Christ died!

2. We are to LOOK OUT for one another

Galatians 6:10 (ESV) -- "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." As brothers and sisters in Christ, when opportunities arise we are to perform acts of kindness to everyone, especially those in the Family. There must be not even a hint of favoritism.

What do this acts of kindness look like? We get a pretty good idea when we examine the one another passages of the New Testament.

We LOOK OUT for one another by:

• LOVING one another

John 13:34-35 -- "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ³⁵ By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Let it be said of us that we love each other in the same way that we have experienced the love of Jesus! Jesus' love is a love that puts the other persons needs above His own.

• SERVING one another

Galatians 5:13 - "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." The word translated "serve" is literally slave. The idea that is expressed here is that we aren't to use our freedom as an excuse to make life about us, but we are to use our freedom in Christ to become a servant to one another. 

• ACCEPTING one another

Romans 14:1 (ESV) - "As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions." In the early church there was a real struggle over how our freedom in Christ impacted what was acceptable to eat and how stringent they were to celebrate the special days and feasts of Judaism. Paul tells us that as followers of Jesus Christ that we are not to allow the petty things to divide us. Instead we are to accept and love one another.
I read a poem recently that I am not sure who wrote it, but it goes like this:

Believe as I believe,

No more, no less;

That I am right,

And no one else, confess;

Feel as I feel,

Think as I think;

Eat what I eat,

And drink what I drink; 

Look as I look,

Do always as I do;

Then, and only then,

Will I fellowship with you.

Let this not be our attitude!

• HONORING one another

Romans 12:10 (ESV) - "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." To honor is to show genuine appreciation and admiration for someone. At Calvary Baptist Church we want to be known as a family that seeks to "outdo one another" in showing appreciation toward one another. 

• ENCOURAGING one another

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV) - "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." We live in world that is constantly seeking to tear people down, but let Calvary be a family where people are encouraged and built up in their walk with Christ.

• INSTRUCTING one another

Romans 15:14 - "I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another." As followers of Jesus Christ we are to come along aside one another to encourage, warn and advise one another in the Christian faith.

• SUBMITTING TO one another 

Ephesians 5:21 (ESV) — "submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." The act of submission is an act of humility that is empowered by the Holy Spirit as we willing give ourselves to one another. Let Calvary Baptist Church be a family that continually seeks to consider the other person of greater importance than they view themselves.

• BEING DEVOTED to one another

Romans 12:10 (ESV) — "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." The word "love" can also be translated to "devoted" and it carries the idea of genuine love. When others look at Calvary Baptist Church may they see a family that is committed to one another with genuine love and acceptance.

• BEARING one another's burdens

Galatians 6:2 (ESV) - "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." When the burdens of life become unbearable, let us come aside one another and help lift the load so that our brother or sister in Christ can stand strong in the faith.

I am so thankful to be a part of a family that is seeking to walk together in Christian love and devotion!

The Family of God

In the Bible there are multiple metaphors that are used to describe the church. The church is seen as the Bride of Christ who awaits her groom to return for the wedding feast. She is also seen as the Body of Christ, equipped and commissioned to carry out the work of the Lord until He returns. And she is seen as a Royal Priesthood who has been set apart for her God to proclaim the greatness of the One who called her of darkness into His marvelous light. But one of my favorites is the picture of the church as a Family of God.
In Ephesians 2:19 (ESV), the Bible tells us, "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God." What an amazing thought! We who were once set apart from God and His kingdom, have now become citizens of His kingdom and we have been adopted into His family.
This same metaphor of a family is used in the Bible to describe how we relates to God, how God relates to us, and how we are to relate to one another.

1. God is our FATHER 
Galatians 4:6 (ESV) - "And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'" At the moment that we choose to follow Christ, God sends His Spirit to dwell in us, giving us the privilege to call God, "Abba! Father!" The word "Abba" is an Aramaic that is similar to our word daddy. It describes the intimacy that we now have with God as our Father!

2. We are God's CHILDREN
2 Corinthians 6:18 (ESV) - "I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty." As God's sons and daughters we have now become heirs to all of the promises of God.

3. We are family -- BROTHERS AND SISTERS in Christ
Galatians 6:1 (ESV) - "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness." The apostle Paul's use of the word "brothers" is a reminder that we are members of the same spiritual family and thus we are obligated to one another! I guess it can be said that we are our brothers keeper!

As we take this in, it becomes quite obvious that Church isn't about a building or even an organization; it's about who we are -- we are family!

Our Guide

As the pastor of Calvary Baptist Church it is my responsibility as the shepherd to make sure that we never veer from the standards of God's Word as the foundation of who we are and what we do as a church. In Psalm 19:7-9, King David tells us why the Bible is so important to us. He says, "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether."

A couple of truths from this passage about the Word of God:

1. God's Word is truth

God's Word is described as . . .

• "The law of the Lord is perfect" -- God's revelation is complete and sufficient in all of its parts.
• "The testimony of the Lord is sure" -- In a world of uncertainty, God's Word is steadfast and faithful.
• "The precepts of the Lord are right" -- God's Word gives us instruction that will always lead us along the right path!
• "The commandment of the Lord is pure" -- The Bible isn't a book of suggestions; it is a book of commands. God's commands are pure, clear and authoritative. 
• "The fear of the Lord is clean" -- God's Word not only teaches us who God is and who we are, but it also teaches us how to express the proper, reverence, respect and worship to the Lord. 
• "The rules of the Lord are true, and righteous" -- God's judgments are always true and right.

2. God's Word is life

Think about the words that David uses to describe the impact that God's Word has upon our lives.

• "Reviving the soul" -- God's Word reveals to us God's holiness and our sin. It drives us to a place of despair and then the good news of the Gospel draws us to God in repentance and faith.
• "Making wise the simple" -- For those who have a teachable spirit, the Word makes them wise unto salvation and to eternal life. 
• "Rejoicing the heart" -- God's Word provides a moral compass that allows us to experience joy! Jesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
• "Enlightening the eyes" -- God's Word opens our eyes so that we can discern truth from falsehood.

The language that David uses to describe the impact of God's Word upon our lives is a perfect picture of discipleship. It is God's Word that revives the soul, makes us wise, brings joy into our lives, and then moves us toward maturity. In Ephesians 4 we are told that the leaders in the church are to equip the saints so that the church may be built up "so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes."

New Beginnings

In 1911, what eventually would become Calvary Baptist Church was birthed out of an old time brush arbor revival. The brush arbor revivals were revivals that often occurred in crude shelters that were built in rural areas of the South in areas where the community leaders believed that there was a need for spiritual enlightenment. Over the next seventy years, Calvary experienced growth in numbers and in impact on the community. But as the community began to change around it, Calvary began to go through a period of steady decline.

Now we find ourselves in 2014, and we believe that God is about to do something new and fresh in the life of this church called Calvary Baptist Church. We will vote Sunday morning, January 12, 2014, on the approval of a new mission statement and the appointment of a Leadership Council that will be given the task of working with the pastors to implement the mission statement and to make sure that we are working toward the fulfillment of the mission that we believe that God has called us to complete.

As we think about this idea of "New Beginnings" we are reminded of the words of the apostle Paul in Philippians 3:13-14. Paul says, "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Paul's goal and motivation in life was that he might persevere in the faith until Jesus returns or until he is called home to heaven. In verses 13-14, we are given two clear principles that we must remember if we are going to persevere at the task until Jesus comes.

1. We must not become distracted

Paul uses the imagery of a runner who is in the lead and as he approaches the finish line he refuses to even glance back for a moment to see where his competitors are, because knows that it would cost him the race. 

In life and in the church it is easy for us to either settle in the comfort zone of past achievements or we become paralyzed by the failures of the past. 

If we are going to be the church that God wants us to be, then we must make sure that we don't live in the distractions of the past.

2. We must stay engaged in the mission

The picture that Paul describes here is the runner refusing to look over his shoulder, instead he is seen "straining forward" to what lies ahead. Peter O'Brien explains the phrase this way, "It is a vivid word that is drawn from the games, and it pictures a runner with his eyes fixed on the goal, his hand stretched out towards it, and his body bent forward as he enters the last and decisive stage of race."

If we are going to be the church that God wants us to be then we must grasp fully the truth that Calvary doesn't exist for us, she belongs to God! And we must continually focus our attention on knowing Christ and working for the Kingdom until our King arrives.