It's All Connected
As a pastor, there are many options for the ways I choose to invest my time and how I lead our church to embody the purposes for which she was created. While the options are myriad, the Scriptures define that my central role is to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry.”
This job description helps to give shape and clarity to the systems that we put in place around Renewal. Simply put, if the central goal is to glorify God by equipping the saints for living out the mission of God, then it is essential that I prayerfully develop a plan that will facilitate this actually happening.
As a 17-month old church, we are attempting to do just that. This year, the elders of Renewal have chosen to adopt a year theme of “Gospel Saturated Relationships” in which we will seek to equip our people to live out the implications of the gospel in the context of all of their relationships. Some of the means we plan to use to push us towards this goal are the following:
Six Sunday teaching series between now and August 2012 dealing with the concepts related to our year theme. During this time we will study the books of 1 John, the final third of Leviticus, Jonah, and Proverbs as well as do three thematic series on Marriage and Family and Killing Sin.
6-8 additional small groups of gospel communities in various geographies throughout the city (including the college campuses) for the living out of the life of the Body and the engagement of mission in our city. Prayerfully, we will launch many others after the first of the year.
The first phases of the developmental plan of Renewal’s Family Ministry model, led by Toby Dix, which will serve to multiply disciples of grade-schoolers and teenagers, as well as serve parents as they attempt to lead well in their homes.
Renewal’s membership class, Connections, every Sunday during the month of October designed to integrate attendees into meaningful membership in the life of the Body.
Multiplying Disciples Summit, a mini-weekend conference, with the intent of equipping the church at Renewal on how to multiply disciples in their relational contexts.
The launch of Study/Serve, a pre-gathering, theological instruction time for adults seeking to mature in their walks with the Lord. Beginning this Sunday, our body will begin studying the concept of “Missions and the Glory of God”.
As you can see the process of equipping is multifaceted and requires the intentional and passionate engagement of the body. Far from simple addition of programs, Renewal is seeking to be an equipping and sending station and the elders believe that these are tools to that end.
Are You Connected?
Often spiritual growth and development is thought of in terms of an event: something I attend or sign up for. The thought is that if I attend one more conference, hear another sermon, or have another mystical moment then magically I will be transported to a desired height of spiritual attainment and I will coast there until I die.
While intriguing in theory, this is simply not the way it works in practice or the Scriptures. Practically we know that spiritual formation takes time, is often complicated, and is much less programmatic than we would like to think. Scripturally, we see that while the giants of the faith may have had moments of bliss, their faith journeys were marked by sporadic, often frustrating, steps forwards and backwards. Many times it seems that they would simply never get it.
That journey is far from an anomaly… It is the norm.
In a similar fashion, let’s say I had a desire to bench press 350 pounds. While you may think that would be mere child’s play for someone with my athletic prowess and physical stature, the reality is that it would crush me. No amount of trying hard would work. I simply could not lift it. The only way to get to that goal would be to enlist in a training program whereby I would systematically take micro-level steps towards my stated goal. It would not happen overnight. It would be hard. I would want to tap out. But it would be the only way.
In a similar fashion, spiritual growth is much less an event than it is a process. It is a lifelong process of coming under the rule and reign of Jesus Christ as you increasingly submit to His Spirit and to His Word in the context of a local church. However, few enlist for that type of program. There are a host of reasons most people shortcut the process and thereby remain stuck in their spiritual growth and maturation.
Some lack consistency. Due to church hopping, trivial pursuits, or lack of submission they fail to come under the authority and influence of a local church and choose to go at it alone (these are the folks that change gyms each month).
Some lack discipline. While they may be motivated to pursue sanctification for a short seasons or after hearing a particularly gripping message, they lack the rigid focus required for the long haul (these are the folks that recommit to the gym each January).
Some lack humility. Submitting under the leadership of a local church and allowing them to provide guidance and direction is in direct opposition to the pride that wars in our souls (these are the folks that rebel from their trainer).
Some lack the gospel. Instead of being adopted as sons and sealed with the Spirit, some have bought into a moralistic understanding of the gospel that betrays them in the moment of greatest need and undercuts the dependency prompted by the gospel (these are the folks that stare at the mirror but don’t get under the bar).
What about you?
Simply stated, spiritual growth is a process. The question is whether or not you are in.