November 12, 2008 at 11:25 am · Filed under Scripture Reflection
I would like to recommend the article “Missional Shift or Drift” from a recent Leadership Magazine. There is a great deal of discernment needed in reading an article like this. A concern that I have in the midst of the excitement that I see about taking discipleship seriously is a loss of a sense of a clear doctrine of the church. Anytime we are discussing “change” in the church we should be shrewd as snakes.
Regarding the proclamation vs. demonstration struggle I kept thinking of Jesus’ statement at the beginning of His ministry in Mark.
“Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out. And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. (Mark 1:38-39)
It seems that this statement continued to define His ministry as well as the ministry in which He was training His disciples (and by extension us).
His mission was proclamation, not demonstration. His mission was to preach the good news (see also: Mark 1:14-15 “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’”). And as he went about His mission of proclamation He demonstrated the power of the good news of the kingdom by casting out demons and other acts of power. The point is not the demonstration(the miracles), and in itself the demonstration is nothing. The demonstration simply points to the power of that which is proclaimed.
Therefore, we preach (share the good news even and especially in personal relationships) the good news of eternal life (and life abundantly) in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus our Lord. As we go about this daily proclamation we also demonstrate the power that this proclamation has had in our own life by demonstrating kindness to others (especially including our love of the body of believers). We also show the power of that which we proclaim to effect a community via food pantries, divorce ministries, prayer for healing, tutoring, crisis pregnancy love and care and so many more opportunities. As we do this we proclaim, “This is the power of the gospel that we proclaim! God has changed our hearts, paid for the debt of our sin, and is destroying our pride so that we therefore demonstrate this love as we endeavor to change the lives of our community in this life and for life eternal.”
Demonstration serves proclamation.
Proclamation serves the kingdom.
The kingdom is eternal life (even life abundantly) in Christ Jesus our Lord.
July 8, 2008 at 4:31 pm · Filed under Personal Reflection
I’ve been asked the question, “What is it that a pastor does all day?” enough times that it has led me to ask myself what exactly I am doing.
Well, I read a lot. And it seems that most of my reading just leads to more questions and thus more books. But is reading the end of what a pastor does? Ok, I write sermons and practice preaching them. But are sermons the end of what a pastor does? I visit people in their homes and in the hospital and in funeral visitation lines. Maybe I’m just a professional “kind person” and listening ear who reads a lot and talks about what he has learned.
And then there is the Great Commission to “make disciples”. Ok, maybe I’m a disciple maker. But have you ever really tried that? The problem with having your product be disciples is that disciples are persons. It is really hard, dare I say impossible, to make people do much of anything.
I can tell you a few other things that I do: I lead Bible studies, I pray with people, I meet a lot of people for breakfast or lunch, I have people over to my home, I meet with a lot of people in my office … Really, it seems that most of what I do is either with people or in preparation for being with people.
But again, people can’t possibly be my product because I just don’t have that kind of control over the shape and decisions of people. It sure would be nice sometimes if I could say that I’m in the book business … I make books. Or, I’m in the carpentry business … I make houses. But I can’t say I’m in the people business because I can’t make people do or become much of anything.
And then it hit me. While it may seem like I’m in the people business I really am simply in the obedience business. I’m in the business of obeying God by creating opportunity. The Bible and Christian tradition calls this proclamation. Proclamation is my product. I study the truth so that I can present the truth to people, thus creating opportunity for the person to respond.
Let me explain what I mean by proclaiming, as you might have the image of my suddenly jumping up on a chair and starting to shout the Romans Road.
I can’t make any person do anything. But I can understand the purpose for which each person is made; that is, to glorify their God by reflecting back to Him the beauty of His own image in increasing holiness. My final product isn’t a Holy Image Reflector or even a disciple. The pastor’s final product is simply an opportunity. I open up doors of invitation. I speak the truth in love and wait knowing that I’ve done my job. I am completely ignorant of what the Holy Spirit is doing in this sacred moment in the heart of a friend, or a congregant, or a stranger after he has heard the gospel, but I know when the opportunity is well-received because it is met with repentance and belief. I can’t see the inner workings of the Holy Spirit in sanctification, but I know when my efforts at providing opportunity for discipleship are met with the Holy Spirit’s work when the believer begins to bear the fruit of holy living.
Again, I don’t make repentance. Repentance is not my product. I don’t create belief. And I don’t grow believers even when they show their first signs of new life. I simply study the truth, speak the truth, and hold before persons and myself the call of holiness.
“So, pastor, what do you do all day? Are you in the people business?”
No, not really. I’m more in the business of obedience. I obey God by studying His truth, knowing His truth, practicing His truth, and holding up His truth. What people do with my business isn’t my business (though I admit that it is my great concern). It’s their business to be taken up between the Holy Spirit and their eternal soul.