Auditing Church

Right now at Trinity, our Pastor is in the midst of a series called, "The High Maintenance Bride." It's all about a biblical view of the Church. So when I came across this blog tonight, it immediately caught my attention. It seems to me that God is shaking up some of the me-centered ideas associated with being the Church and replacing them with His mind as revealed in the Bible. This is a good word for us to consider as we surrender to God's agenda during our day. ~Jon

Is Watching A Very Good Sermon on TV or Online the Same as 'Doing Church'?

Subtitle:

Star Article

Author:

David Livingston

Date Given:

March 23, 2010

pdf icon">

Is Watching a Sermon the Same As Church.pdf

When you read that question, your reaction may well be, “Are you kidding? What a ridiculous thought!” Perhaps the earliest (even before the days of personal computers) and most caustic response I recall hearing about people who rationalize doing “TV church” was an in-your-face, “See if your TV gives you a hug when you’re sick, lonely, or need advice.”

More recently, Johnathon Bowers, our South Site Coordinator, commented on this topic at a staff meeting, remarking about an article’s description of the age we live in.

For the first time in church history, our generation is able to watch and hear quality Christian preaching and music seven days a week, morning, noon, and night. And indulging in this wealth breeds in some a “consumer mentality,” such that they can simply change channels or turn off completely whatever they don’t like. In this, many people fall into a similar pattern with their actual church participation, i.e., to routinely “surf the Web of congregations” instead of hanging in there with all the other imperfect people in their church.

They, therefore, ignore the plain biblical instruction for their good—that God ordains struggles, conflicts, and outright orneriness within a church body so that he will get the glory of saved sinners like them growing in their faith, practicing his “one another” commands, and showing a clueless, alienating world his alternative community of reconciliation and grace.

That said, let’s go back to the original question and more particularly to what it means to “do church.” For starters, let’s acknowledge what the majority of us actually do every weekend at Bethlehem in our multi-site services. On a rotating basis, a different fraction of us will get live preaching, but most of the time far more of us sit and “watch a very, very good sermon” on a big video screen. So, what am I doing here, throwing stones at my own glass house? Maybe.

No doubt there are more than just a few folks who have surfed their way into our services from elsewhere to hear the very good sermons and will stay only as long as the sermons remain very, very good. That’s what “doing church” is for them ... they are “auditing” church.

And that’s not all bad ... in fact, it’s way better than staying away. By all means, come and audit! For that matter, staying home to watch a good sermon on TV is also way better than watching virtually everything else on TV. Long ago, the Apostle Paul wrote that he rejoiced at any kind of gospel preaching so long as Christ was proclaimed (Philippians 1:15–18), and so should we.

The rub comes in letting ourselves settle into minimalism. In other words, it’s very sad to reduce “doing church” to listening to a sermon whether it’s at home in front of a screen or in a building with others in front of a screen. “Doing church” is far more and far better than that ... both on Sunday mornings and all through the week. Why? Because church isn’t a building to go to or programs and classes to attend; it’s a living fellowship of people who have a saving relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ ... and a saving relationship with one another as members of the family of God (consider Hebrews 3:12–13).

So, “doing church” is our identity first and foremost. It is who we are as Christ’s disciples, as our Father’s family, as the fellowship of God’s Holy Spirit. “Doing church” is therefore living in face-to-face (sometimes in-your-face) community with others who, like ourselves, are the “called-out ones” (that’s what the New Testament word for church means), called individually out of death and darkness into the communal life and light of the triune (communal) God and his communing people.

Be glad for good sermons (especially the very, very good ones we are used to) and for the means of sending them far and wide on TV and the Internet. May they be used for creating worshipful, missional, mutually-loving, accountable life together—which is what “doing church” really does!

On the way with you toward being such a “doing church,”

David Livingston, South Campus Pastor

Please indulge some grateful personal nostalgia: As I sit writing this Star article, I remember it was one year ago that Karin and I boarded a plane for Cape Town, South Africa, and began our adventurous four-month sabbatical. Our arrival there coincided almost to the day—170 years later—with that of a far more famous Doctor Livingston(e) about whom many others have since “presumed.”

Africa, England, and America all lay in the offing before us then … 110 days to enjoy God’s pre-arranged cavalcade of the places and people he would show us one by one. We can never sufficiently thank him (or you) for that gracious investment in our renewing time away ... but a very fast one year later we aim to always keep trying. Thanks again!

http://www.hopeingod.org/document/watching-very-very-good-sermon-tv-or-online-same-doing-church

Finally, Brethren, Pray For Us

Tonight was fun.

God is bringing lots of new folks to be a part of Trinity Worship & Music and there is, what some would call "momentum" building. I must confess, it makes leading rehearsal very enjoyable.


It might seem weird to you, but I find myself kind of hesitant to enjoy it sometimes. I guess it's because I have, at times, been involved in ministries where there was a negative "momentum" and I fear going back there. I admitted that to Suzanne when we were getting ready for bed tonight and as we talked about it, I was reminded that God's got it either way. I am not the one in charge of either type of momentum. Jesus promised that He would build His church. It's not my job. It's His!

I have publicly said many times that I would rather have 20 folks involved as lead worshipers who are there by the call of God than 200 who are just there to put on a good show...and I still believe that.

As Suz drifted off to sleep, I picked up a book I keep by our bed called Taste And See and read the chapter below. As I read it, I knew I needed to write this post and enlist you to pray for the pastors at Trinity Baptist Church that we would stay in line with God's agenda for ourselves, our families, and the local assembly of believers known as Trinity.

~Jon


http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/1999/1123_Brothers_Pray_for_Us/

Authority in the Word

This morning, I read a story about Jesus that left me amazed, as it did those who lived it. I read two different accounts of it found in Mark 1:21-28 and Luke 4:31-37. Jesus went into Capernaum in the region of Galilee and was teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath. It is my assumption that they must have been somewhat comfortable with Jesus' handling of the Jewish scriptures (our Old Testament) to allow Him the opportunity to teach on the Sabbath, but on this day, they recognized something different about Jesus.

"And He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority." (Luke 4:31-32 ESV)

They were astonished at His teaching for His word possessed authority. Wow! What a statement. A living example was then paraded in front of the crowd as Jesus proceeded to command a demon to give up control of a man that "happened" to be in attendance that day. (We should be as aware as Jesus that we also worship alongside those who are bound by the enemy of our souls, and through this same authoritative Word, God can set them free.) Look at the response of those who witness this freedom granting God at work in their midst.

"And they were all amazed and said to one another, 'What is this word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!'" (Luke 4:36 ESV)

"And at once His fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee." (Mark 1:28 ESV)

Eugene Petterson paraphrases this last verse in the Message by saying, "Jesus was the talk of the town." It is "this Word" that defined Jesus, and it should define us as followers of Him, too. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God is the tool He gives us to bring about change in ourselves and in this world.

Lord, let us feast continually on "this Word" that carries Your authority and sets captives free.

~Jon

Ministry Idolatry

I just listened to this message from Mark Driscoll on idolatry. My mind is swimming with the thoughts that the enemy of our LORD would be so crafty as to lure us to worship even good things in order to keep us from worshiping the Only One Worthy Of Worship. Mark repeats this phrase throughout the message..."When a good thing becomes a god thing, it is a bad thing." There are many penetrating words here that make this well worth getting a cup of coffee, your journal, and your Bible, and settling in to hear what God might want to say to you through this message. ~Jon

The Result Of Revival

This past weekend we (at Trinity BC) hosted David Miller in a "2-day revival." I put that in lowercase because only God brings Revival, with a capital letter. It is a sovereign move of God that rearranges priorities, sets affections aflame for God's glory in Christ, and returns God's people to His agenda. Although I did not witness a dramatic and outwardly visible Revival of this type, God used Brother David to remind us of God's goodness and sovereignty and to point us to God-focused repentance. As our pastor has said more than once, this repentance is not an event, but a lifestyle. It is exciting to sense God stirring us and wooing us into this lifestyle.

"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;" - Acts 3:19(NASB)

This repentance, if we embrace it, can be the beginning of Revival. I pray that it will be. I came across an amazing quote today called The Result Of Revival. It made my heart soar and I respond to it with a hearty "amen!"

"What happens in a Christian church when a fresh and vital working of the Spirit of God brings revival?

In my study and observations, a revival generally results in a sudden bestowment of a spirit of worship. This is not the result of engineering or of manipulation. It is something God bestows on people hungering and thirsting for Him. With spiritual renewing will come a blessed spirit of loving worship.

These believers worship gladly because they have a high view of God. In some circles, God has been abridged, reduced, modified, edited, changed and amended until He is no longer the God whom Isaiah saw, high and lifted up. Because He has been reduced in the minds of so many people, we no longer have that boundless confidence in His character that we used to have." (A.W. Tozer, Whatever Happened To Worship, 86)

God, help us to see You as You really are and worship You as You desire to be worshiped. By Your kindness, lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4) and revive Your Bride and make her beautiful with Your glory!

~Jon

Matthew 5:42

This is one of those posts that I kind of wish I hadn't run across...but, I guess that shows my selfish tendencies. Suzanne and I have, even within the last few weeks talked about this passage and the difficulty of obeying it in the real world. I think Jon Bloom from Desiring God extracts the heart of Jesus' words and puts it right in my face. Jesus, help us obey You even when Your radical commands are completely contrary to our thinking. ~Jon


I Have Not Always Obeyed This Command
September 28, 2009 By: Jon Bloom Category: Commentary

"Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you" (Matthew 5:42).

I confess, I have not always obeyed this command.


I'm a veteran urban-dweller. Having lived in an inner city neighborhood for 18 years, I've encountered many beggars and borrowers. Some I discerned as cons I have called out or waved off. Some I have hired to do work. Others I've given to because I felt the conviction of this text.

I've thought a lot about this command of Jesus over the years. I've discussed it with many. I think I know all the major reasons why not to give when someone asks. You don't want to encourage deception. You don't want to feed a chemical addiction. You don't want to contribute to someone's cycle of poverty. And there are many others.


But still this text unnerves and convicts me.

The reason is that Jesus doesn't give this command in the context of addressing how I can best facilitate transformation in someone else. He is telling me how I should respond to those who are making demands on me, either from explicitly evil motives or just plain out of their difficult situation. He is telling me how I ought to respond even when being taken advantage of.


Do not resist the evil person, he says. Let him slap you twice. (v. 39)
Give him more than he is suing you for. (v. 40)
Do more than he is forcing you to do. (v. 41)
Give to those who ask. (v. 42)
Love your enemy. (v. 44)

Jesus is telling me to actively show kindness and radical generosity toward those who hate me or who are seeking to take advantage of me.


Really, Jesus? Isn't that rewarding sinful, or at least unhealthy, behavior?

Of course, I can think of Biblical examples that illustrate when it seems right to resist or flee an evil person in situations of theft, deception, abuse, persecution, war, etc. So when the Word speaks, I must listen carefully, and I must weigh all of his words.


But from the words Jesus speaks here, I think it applies more often and more broadly than I want it to. He does not let me off the hook easily. He tests my heart with such radical love. And in my heart I see my selfish, unloving impulses that do not want to part with my money, possessions, time, or convenience for needy or evil people. And I have a ready arsenal of noble-sounding rationales that conceal my sin, almost from myself.

What Jesus is calling me to is gospel love. It's the love that drove him to die for me with when I was still a weak, ungodly, sinful enemy of his (Romans 5:6-10). There is something about such over-the-top, radically generous love that is so different from the way the world loves that it reflects the Father's love for sinners. It's why Jesus calls us also to costly love. It is both an expression and picture of the gospel.


Pray for me. I have an opportunity in my life right now to obey this command, which is why I'm wrestling with this text again. Pray that I will love the way I have been loved.

The Legacy of Asaph - Learning to Sing in the Same Room

This is another great article from Bob Kauflin. His insights into unity of worship are spot on.

Lord, help us maintain Your unity among Your people (Ephesians 4:1-6). Focus us on You, not what we prefer. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Learning,
~Jon


The Legacy of Asaph - Learning to Sing in the Same Room