Viral Faith

Over the past several weeks, I have been drawn towards a detailed study and reflection regarding women in ministry.  So many of the self-identified evangelical churches and denominations have been staunchly against women having significant leadership and teaching roles of the church.  Evangelical churches by definition look to Christian scriptures as the standard for polity and practice.  I am proposing that we take a few blogs and look at the scriptures that are often used to support the prevention of women in leadership. Up front, I want to tell you that what I am going to share my disturb some of the readers who have not critically examined the scriptures.  The goal is not tear down faith, but to reveal truth so that we can experience the freedom that truth brings. Before I get to a specific text, I want to give you a few parameters that are essential to understand in regard to any issues that is studied within the Word of God. 1. The entirety of script...

Jesus led a movement in which described as the "Kingdom of God".  A movement is characterized by a sense of an injustice that must be righted.   A movement is not limited by buildings and programs, but is fueled by a deep sense that something must change.   An institution, on the other hand, is a set structure characterized by programming, place, or participation.  The church (little "c") is an institution, while the Church is to be a movement. Institutions in themselves are not bad, evil, or even remotely negative.  Institutions are necessary particularly to stabilize a process.  The institution of government is necessary to promote a civil society.  Educational institutions need standardized approaches to education to maintain excellence and preparation.  However, the Church was never meant to be an institution. The drawback of an institution is that its focus is on viability and sustainability.  The focus becomes inward....

The Mystery of the Mat This week, I have been praying about the need for those who profess to follow Jesus Christ, to gather together for mutual encouragement. The writer to Hebrews asks us to "Encourage one another daily, as long as its called today, that none will have our hearts hardened by sin's deceitfulness." (Heb 3:13). It is clear that one of the defining attributes of the early church was their sense of community and cohesiveness. In our era, where width is preferred over depth, community is not recognized as one of the core disciplines of our faith. Authentic community is the place where people can be extend grace (come as you are), be vulnerable (share who you are), experience love (accepted for who you are), and challenge one another. Historically, it has been the discipline that promotes real and sustained life transformation. Today, God reminded me of a story in the life of Jesus that helped me understand the necessity of community as the practi...

A Step of Faith New Hope, the church I have the privilege of leading, is facing a huge decision. We have the opportunity to move from our current location to a larger building and collaborate with a parachurch organization that is reaching hundreds of people per week. As many know, a church community is not monolithic, but made up different people with different gifts and different capacities for change. In looking at such a huge move, I think there are many different things to analyze. Interestingly, different people ask different questions and different things are more important to some than others. This process occurs in churches around the world as they try and discern what God's will is for them. I shared the following scripture with our leadership last month and I hope that helps you if you are trying to make a large decision. Here's the context: The people of Israel are near the promised land of Canaan. This land was promised to them by God. God has already told t...

Divine Identity Theft Identity theft is occurring in nearly epidemic proportions according to security officials in the U.S. However, I believe that the most important Identity theft has been towards the most famous individual who ever lived: Jesus Christ of Nazareth. In common identity theft (when someone uses your personal identification to leverage goods, equity, or even relationships), it is most often perpetrated by people that you know. Its typically a relative or a co-worker who manages to get access to your driver's license, SSN, or the like. Unfortunately, in divine identity theft, it is often perpetrated by those who should know him best: The church. I am not suggesting that people in church are going around saying that they are Jesus. However, I am suggesting that much of the misunderstandings regarding the nature of Jesus is promoted through churches. This is important because it is the person of Jesus that determines the course of the church. Our understanding of...

Redeeming Halloween "It seems like Halloween is a bigger holiday than Easter in this country", is a quote from my prayer partner who grew up in eastern Europe. Its always interesting when someone can see something with fresh eyes that are not conditioned by the repetitiveness of our yearly experiences. The Christian community has been divided in regards to Halloween. Many see it as clearly demonic, with its fascination with death, the occult, and darkness. A second opinon within Christian circles is to treat it as a cultural celebration and just go with the flow. Further still, other Christians see it as an opportunity to demonstrate the love of God, and embrace it. These opinions represent a continuim beginning with avoidance/denouncing to embracing/celebrating. While people along the continuium have valid arugements and sound conclusions, I think we are missing the point of discussion. Take a step back for a moment and consider my prayer partner's initial statemen...

Volunteer Opportunities as Mission USA Today had an entire section devoted to volunteerism. They report that millions of people, particularly those under the age of 40, are looking for opportunities to serve their communities. I think that this is why Jesus often asked people to help him as a means to share the good news of the Kingdom. Jesus, in John 4, asks the Samaritan woman to give him water. Jesus, in Luke 5, asks Peter to steer his boat. Throughout the ages, countless Christians invited their secular neighbors to assist and join them in their efforts to bless the world. There is a growing sense of restlessness in America. The shallowness of possession based identity and the consuming pain of greed have taken their toll. Americans are increasingly looking to be part of something that "matters". Something that gives their lives purpose and gives them legacy. While this is still miles away from the "other" centered love that Jesus modeled, it invites peop...