Consistency Produces Confidence

Recently I was visiting a small group Bible study that was beginning a study of the book of Romans. The seemed to settle in on Romans 1:16-17. As they considered v. 16 that says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel..." the discussion of "boldness" came up. I began to think this says, "not ashamed" and not boldness; there is a difference.

It seems that modern Christianity, especially in the United States, has mistaken or exchanged Paul's call to be "not ashamed" with this idea of boldness. What this boldness becomes in many cases is simply obnoxiousness. The message of Christ carries a firm and definitive message that should not be mistaken as tolerance for the beliefs of everyone. No, Jesus says that there is one way to God the Father and that is through Him. If the world has a problem with the, don't blame me...see the Author.

What we have done is mistaken this being not ashamed, with a sales approach to our witness in the world. Our marketing approach has taken "1 million served" and made it "1 million saved." That is fine for hamburgers, but it stinks for people who God loves as individuals. In many cases, people have been reduced to projects to get saved.

Look at what Paul was saying-"I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...." (Romans 1:16, ESV) What made Paul able to say that he was not ashamed? There are 3 things I think affect his profession:

1. Paul was absolutely convinced to the truth of the gospel. He had gone from one who hunted, persecuted and killed followers of Jesus, to one himself. Not only was he a follower of Jesus, but was one of the most well known proclaimers of the gospel. This rabbi/pharisee was willing to suffer the loss of all things; his comfort, his resources, his family and indeed his life for the truth of the gospel.
2. In his conversion to a follower of Jesus on the Damascus Road, Paul became aware and committed to the call on his life to proclaim this gospel "first to the Jew and then to the Greek." He became known as the Apostle to the Gentiles. This message was the the entire world and Paul knew the His Call was to go.
3. In my thinking, this may be the most important reason for his confession...Paul could say he was not ashamed as a result of his confidence in his faith, that was developed in and produced by his consistency in walking in his faith. There is no magic formula here, it takes time and it takes effort, but it is the key to the statement, "I am not ashamed of the gospel."

The daily consistent walk with Christ produces a confidence that allow the follower of Jesus to live a life that is not ashamed. It is a life that applies the gospel to every area of life and in every situation in life. It is the essence of discipleship, Luke 9:23, "Jesus said to them all, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (my italics)

Consistency is a result of living out the classical disciplines of the Christian life. It is in the effort to grow in intimacy with God through these disciplines that we become consistent in our faith. These disciplines do not earn us grace, it is not working toward salvation. Out salvation is a gift from God, it can not be earned (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).

It is in the disciplines of Faith that we "workout our salvation with fear and trembling(Philippians 2:12). There are several excellent books on Spiritual Disciplines, these do a much better job in making these clear than I could in these few lines. I would recommend, A Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster, Renovation of the Heart, by Dallas Willard, and to put the whole idea of transformation, consistency, and growth into perspective with the disciplines, The Great Omission by Dallas Willard.

This confidence produces a result of consistency is what makes the follower of Jesus unashamed. It is not based in how much one knows, but in the depth of relationship. It is often time knowledge that puffs up and makes those who would follow proud (been there done that, got the t-shirt), it is in the intimacy of knowing Christ that we can live unashamed in a world that wants us to apologize for our faith.

We live in a world looking for answers, not gimmicks, not programs but something that works in real life. The confidence that comes with consistency allows us, as followers of Jesus, to live real in the world. It allows you and I to live our individual call and to live it as disciples of Jesus. We live unashamed in the context of our call in life.

Paul was called to openly and often time radically proclaim the message of salvation and followship. Most of us are not called that ministry...most of us are called to live unashamed in the daily course of life. To expect everyone to be an Apostle Paul is a distortion of the gospel message, a distortion of God's Word,

As our lives are lived with this consistency, as the confidence in our faith grows, the gospel is lived out and both "Jew and Greek" hear the message and respond to the reality they see revealed in our lives. It is the Christ life lived in good times and bad, ti is the confidence seen in the midst of life's triumphs and tragedies that will reveal that we, as followers of Jesus, are unashamed and that faith in Jesus is real and is the answer.

I wish I could say that I have this all together, but it a struggle, it is a journey. I say with Paul, "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Jesus Christ has made me His own" (Ephesians 3:12). Join me in the journey to walk with Christ consistently so that we might live confidently..."not ashamed" of the gospel.

Keith

The Disillusioned Disciple

Making Dad Proud

Making Dad Proud
Mark 15:8-11
I always knew that my Dad loved me and was proud of me…no matter what “stupid” teenage thing I did, I knew he loved me and was proud of me; not that there were not times where I’m sure he could have rung my neck…but he would have done it in love. (After raising two teenage sons myself, I understand this feeling now!) He used to introduce me to people, “This is my boy, Keith.” That used to make me so mad…it was like Andy introducing Opie…and it did not help that my nick name in Jr. High school was Opie!
Then in December 1979 I was promoted to Sergeant in the Army. A couple of months later I was home on leave for the first time since my promotion and we were out eating; Dad went to introduce me to someone that he worked with that I had not met. “This is my son, Keith…he is a Sergeant in the Army.” I stood sort of dumbfounded. I knew Dad was proud of me, but at that moment I realized how proud. It was from that day till the day he went to be with the LORD, that he no longer called me “buddy”, “pumpkin” or “hey, you”…it was always “Sarge”.
This has made me think…what are the things that I do that make my Heavenly Father proud of me? What pleases The Father and demonstrates my love for Him? There is a passage in John that has stood out to me, check it out:
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
John 15:8-11 (ESV)
It seems to me that this passage points out how we glorify God, and demonstrate our love for Him. Follow me as we look at these four verses as learn to be apprentices of Jesus.
1) (v. 8) The Father is glorified by: (Not the stuff we might think…like religion and rituals.)
a) The Father is glorified by Bearing Much Fruit. Fruit is what happens when a healthy tree does what it is supposed to do. Consider Psalm 1:2-3: “but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.” (ESV) (italics added) I am not a botanist but it seems that there are four things that a healthy tree is supposed to do.
i) Feed others. A healthy tree produces fruit that feeds others. It produces fruit that others partake of to grow. On a recent trip to Alaska to visit our son, my wife and I went to a downtown market and fair in Anchorage. There they had vegetables that had been grown in the Mat-Su Valley of Alaska…they were huge! These vegetables, the fruit of the land, had grown to feed people, they were big and beautiful, but their reason for being was to feed people.
That was the reason they existed, that is the reason that we, as followers of Jesus exist, to feed people. Our lives are to be lived in such a way as to provide spiritual food to a world that is starving. My entire life, every area, is to be producing fruit that is evident to everyone. This comes naturally, flowing out of my minute-by-minute walk with Jesus. I can’t separate this from any other part of my life…all I exist to do is to produce fruit, and this fruit is to feed the world around me.
ii) Trees Reproduce. The fruit produced by a tree is also how the free reproduces. As followers of Jesus, our fruit is to feed people…but it is also to be reproducing other followers of Jesus. Dawson Trotman, the founder of the Navigator’s, used to say that disciples of Jesus were “born to reproduce.” Nothing could be truer…but the key question is, “what are we reproducing?”
Our call is not to reproduce church members, members of a ministry group, a denomination, organization, a theological persuasion or “fellowship” but to reproduce disciples of Jesus! The fruit that followers of Jesus produce is so that other followers of Jesus can be brought forth. Those who are reproduced are to look like Jesus…because I am supposed to look like Jesus. No, don’t be silly, not literally look like Jesus, but lives lived out in obedience to Jesus’ commands, and following in His footsteps.
iii) Size and amount of fruit shows health and maturity. First, the bigger the institution does not mean healthier and more mature. This is personal…this is about you and me and our individual walk with God. The way we grow healthy fruit is to practice the spiritual disciplines that lead us to grow in grace. It is not earning salvation, but living in such a way that our salvation is seen as real by the world, by how our lives are lived out…in obedience to Jesus. In the book, The Great Omission, Dallas Willard says that grace is not opposed to effort, but to earning. Grace compels us to live in such a way that is bearing witness to what Jesus has done in our lives.
The problem is that most of our Christian “trees” are not bearing the right fruit…and if they are it is weak and small. The concern is more about the institutions that we belong to, than the real discipleship…followship of Jesus. The great commission compels us as we go into the world…to make disciples. The gathering of believers, the church, is to facilitate the making of disciples. The church has become the end to itself…the Christian life has become institutionalized, where more is done to expand the institution than make disciples and expand God’s Kingdom.
Healthy fruit is fruit that is reproducing disciples…those who openly identify with Jesus and are involved in being productive in the Kingdom. Healthy fruit is transforming life from the inside out and being attractive to others…which leads to the fourth thing a healthy tree does….
iv) Fruit decorates the tree and makes it beautiful. When a life is lived in a way that bears God pleasing fruit, people notice. They see something that speaks to the very heart of human existence and the very real emptiness in the human heart. All humans are incomplete without God…fruitful living brings meaning and fullness to life!
This brings glory to God. The fruit being born by followers of Jesus does not point to the follower, but points to what Jesus has done in their life. A truly fruitful life is a beautiful thing to see.
b) The Father is glorified when, bearing fruit, our lives prove that we are followers of Jesus…Jesus’ disciples.
i) Fruit is always consistent with the tree. Apples trees, they produce apples. Orange trees, they produce oranges. The fruit of the follower of Jesus will produce things consistent with what Jesus taught and did. The end does not justify the means in being a fruitful follower of Jesus; you can’t do things that are inconsistent with Jesus, and say that it was so the church could grow. Recent history is littered with institutions and so-called ministries that compromised so they could grow. Even today, things are done in many churches that are inconsistent with God’s Word, because it is good for the “ministry”. Real fruit is always…always consistent with Jesus.
Everything done by a follower of Jesus represents Jesus. It is vital that all that is done is consistent with Jesus. That means that time must be spent with Jesus, with His words, His teaching, His life and ministry. This must be wrestled with and every area of life brought under the Lordship of Christ…becoming consistent with Jesus. That is what it means to be a disciple.
ii) The fruit of a disciple always glorifies God. I glorify God when my fruit represents the nutrients and soil in which I am planted…the soil and nutrients of my Father’s garden. Consider the parable of the soils…the good soil produces 40, 60, 100 fold. Some of the other soils had plants that “sprung up” but were either choked out by the world or had no root so they could not produce fruit.
Those who would be disciples must plant themselves deeply into the good soil of scripture and the disciplines of the Spirit that nurture a relationship with Jesus. It is in this good soil that roots go down deep and draw nourishment from the Father. The fruit that grows from this life/soil, point to the Son…and brings glory to God. Real fruitfulness is not borne out by emotional and hasty decisions; it is only shown to be genuine by long-term fruitfulness. This is about the long haul, not quick results.
2) What is the first step in bearing fruit? Verse 9 says it is by abiding in the love of the Father and of the Son.
a) To abide means to act or live in accordance with something. If a believer wants to bear fruit, it starts with living every area of life in accordance with God’s love. This love is an act of my will, it is not emotional, and although it may cause emotions…it is a daily decision.
b) This love controls how every daily decision is made and guides me in bearing fruit. How? Because every decision that is made, every act during the day is measured against abiding in God’s love. Fruit is a result of manifesting God’s love through both big and small decisions…and even those things in which no thought is given. This happens as a result of…
c) The abiding love of God transforming life and transforming the follower of Jesus into His image. Romans 12:2 says that disciples are to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Abiding in God’s love renews the mind and transforms the life into one that is capable of bearing fruit, fruit that will glorify God and prove to be truly disciples of Jesus.
No matter what is being done, where a person lives, or what the circumstances in life are…abiding in Jesus’ love will focus life on living and following him in obedience. The disciple will know that they are abiding in God’s love, not by some “mystical experience”, but by obedience. John 14:21 says, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (ESV)
3) It is in verse 10 that it says that abiding in God’s love is not the “warm fuzzies” or “a quiver in my liver”, but is keeping His commandments. In John 14:21, keeping the commandments of the Father and the Son are how love for them is shown.
a) The example for this is Jesus; He abided in His Father’s love by keeping the Father’s commandments. We don’t have to wonder about what to do, it is concrete…obey, do what God has told us to do.
b) If, those who profess Jesus as Lord and Savior are going to be true followers of Jesus, His followers, His apprentices…they are going to learn from Him by doing the things that He did. Jesus abided in His Father’s love by obeying His commandments; the disciple of Jesus will abide in Jesus’ love by following His commandments.
4) The joy of fruitful discipleship is found in obedience. (v. 11) It is not a result of situation or circumstance; it is found in uplifting experience of being in right relationship with God, and walking by an act of the will daily in His love and care. Being an apprentice of Jesus is not be burdensome, but to bring a life full of joy and love. Matthew 11:28-30 tells the follower of Jesus what it will be like to be obedient, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (ESV) It is not a burden to be “yoked” to Jesus; it is a place of rest from the burden of religion.
The Christian pastor, teacher and philosopher, Francis Schaefer wrote a book and produced a film series in the ‘70’s called, How Then Shall We Live. In this work he took a long look at modern society, and made note of why it was (and is) failing. After a careful, thoughtful examination at the state of affairs, he laid out the only alternative to the inevitable collapse of modern society…to fully grasp and live by teachings of Jesus, to accept Him as the one and only Son of God and total affirmation of the truth of the Bible.
That seems to be the question that his passage of scripture challenges us with… “How then shall we live?” Will we live in open disobedience to the truths revealed in scripture, or maybe just in half-hearted commitment that has no real power, joy…or fruit. The only option is to accept what Jesus says here and live in joy, love and fulfillment of what Jesus promises. To live as a disciple is to follow Jesus, to abide in His love is to obey His commandments…the question to answer is “How then shall I live?” The way to change to world is not to change an institution or organization, but to change individually…it begins with me…will it begin with you?

The Reflections of a Disillusioned Disciple

A Disillusioned Disciple

This is the age of disillusionment. So many institutions and organizations once held up to respect are now looked upon with cynicism and often-outright skepticism. Government, educational, civic, social and even religious organizations are not held in high esteem that they once were. The erosion of respect and trust has come about by these groups consistently failing to live out their core values; that is, the values and core principles that are the purpose from their existence were forsaken for the sake of their continued existence.

Many of these institutions have forgotten their reason for their existencing. Over and over again the national and local media (who also fall into the boundaries of this discussion) have reported on once stalwart, respected institutions that have fallen due to moral and/or ethical failures. In order to be totally fair, some of these failures are the result of leadership, management or employee/volunteers who acted in either a criminal or an ethically bankrupt manner to cause this loss of respect. The sad part is that often, the leadership of these organizations seeks to cover up these acts, which only complicates and deepens the depth and seriousness of the problem. At the heart of the matter is the loss of integrity caused by the forsaking of the core reasons these institutions exists.

It is for this reason that I find myself a disillusioned disciple. First, let me be specific; I am not disillusioned with God the Father, Jesus the Son or the Holy Spirit! It is out of my deep respect, fear, admiration and love for God that I have become disillusioned! What am I disillusioned with? The state of today’s church as a living organism whose core value is to reproduce disciples of Jesus Christ? Me, we, the church, are not doing this.

I do not put all of the blame just on the Church. No, my disillusionment ultimately rests with me. It is my fault for giving in to the myriad of voices and purposes that have been given for the existence of the church. The church growth movement that says “bigger is better”, therefore, bigger is more spiritual and the only measure of success for a church. Yes, for a long time I bought into that. Yet always in the back of my mind…deep within my heart was the gnawing feeling that there was something missing. I was simply creating church members, making members of an institution, but disciples were not being produced.

The disillusionment begins with me. I gave in. I forgot what I had been taught as a new believer in Jesus. I compromised, made excuses and rationalized away what I know was true. The practices and disciplines that had nurtured me to grow in Christ and bring me to a place of full-time Christian service were given up for curriculum, devotional books and church growth plans. I had become willing to simply read the Bible study of someone else, and not discover what God was saying to me. I focused on new member classes and starting new units and not reproducing disciples. At times I used these disciplines to build the program of the various churches that I served, but making disciples was never the focus of what was being done. Other times I would attempt to begin disciple making ministries, but they never lasted because of the lack of interest by church leadership, both staff and lay leadership.

There lays the problem, making New Testament disciples are not a priority of the church today. Increasing attendance, constructing new buildings, and offerings are all priorities (to the glory of God of course) or as Dallas Willard has said “the ABC’s of the modern church…Attendance, Buildings, Cash! The concept of Christian Education has been reduced to marketing church to the so-called unchurched or the dissatisfied from other churches

It seems the church has redefined the word “disciple” to fit into its marketing plan. The word is now applied to those who have finished a course of study. In my own denomination, a new evangelism program is marketed as a course in church discipleship. If you complete the class work, make the requisite visits and are able to share the outline, getting someone to say the prayer and fill out the card after the outline…then you are a disciple. The goal still being numbers, how many, how much.

The focus on discipleship should not be about how many, but on how deep! Church today is 1000 miles wide and ¼ inch deep…and it continues to “grow” wider and wider without adding any depth so that it continues to get more and more shallow. Most teaching is not about enabling believers to “rightly divide the word of truth,” but to accept teaching from local pastors/bishops without seeing what the Word says to them. Acts 17:11 believers are not wanted, but that mindset is essential for anyone who wants to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

The reflections of mine are not just rants from someone who is unhappy with the church or his place in life. In fact I have a strange sense of peace even thought I am not serving a church in a paying position at this time, nor am I employed outside of substitute teaching. What I do have is a sick feeling that I, and along with me the church, are ignoring a scriptural call for the Body of Christ to be about reproducing disciples. To the extent we need to put everything else in right perspective to this task, has the potential for changing the world…one person at a time.

The reflections and writings that follow are mine as I draw from my own study, what I have observed about the church and readings from people who would agree and disagree with me. This is hard for me to write, because I don’t feel that I have the “credentials” (whatever those really are) to comment on the church. Yet, why not me! I have served churches in various states; both north and south, completed a theological seminary degree and have experienced both the good and the bad in the church. Deep down I feel that something is wrong…and I believe there are others who feel the same way. Those who look at the church today and think, “There is something missing. I can’t put my finger on it, but something is not what it ought to be.” It is my goal in these writing to start to put a finger on it.

The focus must be upon reproduction…reproducing disciples, and reproducing those who can reproduce. The church can no longer afford, financially or spiritually, to invest time and resources on large facilities and multiple programs, but must focus on making “the main thing, the main thing.” The main thing is making disciple…plain and simple. Everything else that we do as the church…worship, education, youth, children, adults, music, administration…all of this must reflect the main thing.

This really began as I was meditating on Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” What is the call for the church, what are Jesus’ words to the church before He ascends to the Father? Grow the institutional church, create religious media personalities, start seminaries, write hymns and songs and start programs? No, He said, “make disciples”! This involves more than saying a prayer, filling out a card or joining an institution. It is about a transformed life that counts for something (Romans 12:1-2).