tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1156740165927426222024-02-20T19:58:41.574-08:00ShermanSeriesPastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-69426090442698991752015-01-11T10:24:00.001-08:002015-01-11T10:24:36.244-08:00Staying connected verses staying onlineI love the fact we can stay with the latest activities going on in the lives of the people we love. <div><br></div><div>I do, however, wonder how much connection there is when most of that info is gathered from social media. </div><div><br></div><div>So here I am on social media updating my activites. :-}</div><div><br></div><div>I am inbetween Global Gathering and Home - I am enjoying the down time and the connections with the great staff of Amor though. I always am blessed by thier desire to do God's work anywhere they happen to be and at the same time be such good friends with each other. I am going to join them as we watch some playoff games.</div><div><br></div><div>This reminds me the church is much more than the local body and much less without a local body. I can feel at home with other believers but I feel really disconnected when I am not with my local body.</div><div><br></div><div>I am praying for LHCC today as they worship, learn and touch each other. I will join you soon.</div>Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-46705751560265869092015-01-09T19:49:00.001-08:002015-01-09T19:49:23.868-08:00The houses are finishedThe last couple days have been pretty hectic.<div>Scott Congdon and his son Jordon (who will be the Amor presence in Cancun) had to return to San Diego as Scott's Dad was in intensive care due to complications from pneumonia and he was not expected to make it. So far he is hanging on though he is on a ventilator right now and has had a transfusion due to loss of blood internally. Prayers continue for him and the family.</div><div>Gayla and April (Jordon's wife) are holding down the fort with the rest of the Amor staff. </div><div>As some of you know we have been talking to Jose' the contractor who poured the foundations for the five houses. He is an associate of Gilberto who has been praying for him to receive Jesus for over 8 years. Durring the month before we arrived Jose was also in constant contact with Jordon who developed a fondness for. After the second day of the work this week he announced he wanted to be baptized. Well last night I sat down with him and asked him why he was making this decision.</div><div>With tears in his eyes and in the presence of his daughter, Gilgerto, and Victor (who had been talking and working with Jose' the last three days) he responded that he had seen the light shining out of Jordan's heart and light in joy and compassion in Jon Wilson's eyes and the openness of Victor to everyone around and he wanted that light and joy and openness for himself. </div><div>Talk about a lump in your throat moment.</div><div>We left the dinner table in the restaurant and went to our room to change cloths while John Fudge, a speaker from Urban Saints with us from England, rounded up anyone who wanted to share in this new birth at the pool, to change. While in the room we prayed and talked then in a rather cool wind (well cool for Cancun) Jose's and I went into the pool while the body of believers sang Amazing Grace and there I was privilieged to baptism him. </div><div>Amor calls its workers to not just build houses but to build Hope. One more person has hope in Jesus today because of a friends prayers, a ministers open compassion, and a volunteer's willingness to include and engage another as a child of God and not just a contractor.</div><div>Yes we finished all five houses today - but more than that - we watched God work beyond what we could ask or imagine.</div>Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-55529811954184036362015-01-07T20:01:00.001-08:002015-01-07T20:01:40.496-08:00The Roofs are onAll five houses have roofs - that is a big deal for two reasons. <div>It means we can start stuccoing tomorrow and that means we will likely be done for the key ceremony on Friday.</div><div>The other reason is that it rained tonight and with the rain came a strong wind. The structures are now sound and ready to sustain this weather.</div><div>A local contractor has been used to pour the foundations for the houses to expedite the construction but also because two of the five homes need extra care in the construction of the foundations. That contractor is a business associate of Gilberto Figeuroa who works closely with Amor and has donated property for the Cienega project. Today the contractor whose first name is Jose' announced he wanted to be baptized tomorrow.</div><div>We don't know the reason for this choice at this time. Certainly his relationship with Gilberto and his work with a couple key people on our team have contributed to this decision. It takes many touches for someone far from the Lord to make the decision to draw near. All the people who touched Jose' were unaware of where in the line of contacts they were - they just knew God was working through them. Today their witness was rewarded and another person was brought to the throne of grace.</div><div>Never give up - if the person you are praying for still has not answered God's call - the next prayer - the next encouraging word - the next act of kindness could make all the difference in eternity.</div>Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-64654284060423428842015-01-06T16:50:00.001-08:002015-01-06T16:50:43.732-08:00Cake is good but water is betterSome of the worksites have their walls together because their slab was already in place. However, the site Victor was asked to assist with not only did not have a slab they did not have a foundation and not only that but the foundation walls were three and a half feet deep. That meant there needed to be a ton + of fill to get the foundation poured without draining the bank with cement cost. Today they formed a bucket line filling each bucket with rocks and passing them along a line of 7 or 8 people. The work was hot, heavy and draining (the person filling the buckets was relieved every 15 minutes) but by the end of the day it was done and the foundation was being poured. See the LHCC Facebook for pics from Victor.<div>This morning Matt Somerfield reminded us that God's love is more like a river than a cake. If more than one person receives a cake they have to divide it up with each receiving a piece. But with a river no matter how many people dip their buckets into the river it's flow replenishes and there is a full bucket for everyone.</div>Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-59988151735301023722015-01-05T21:11:00.001-08:002015-01-05T21:11:48.673-08:00Being before doingGetting back past curfew - yes we have a curfew. Since we are working and/or studying from 6:00-9:30 we have to be lights out @ 10:30. Don't tell. BTW Vic is the 'good son' tucked in on time. <div>So here is the thought gleaned from a day of building houses, relationships and awareness of God's presence in the world courtesy of one of our speakers, Mark Yaconelli;</div><div><div>Be still for a time so you can</div><div>Behold what God is doing all around you in order to</div><div>Behave as God needs to accomplish his righteousness and justice in the world. </div></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-29370711229853635692015-01-04T20:09:00.001-08:002015-01-04T20:09:25.763-08:00Drinking water from a fire hoseVictor and I got started with a Leader Huddle at 7:15 today - I think I mentioned he is on the caretaker team - they make sure everyone is in the right place, are not doing anything that might be out of line with our purpose, and stand around telling war stories between sessions. Since the battle cry during worship is "Welcome to the Jungle" they refer to themselves as the Zoo Keepers. <div>I catch glimpses of Remy as she moves from session to small group to team meeting to session - I am so proud to have her represent La Habra Christian Church. </div><div>We had five sessions today along with small group meetings. The sessions were interesting as in Campolo's remind that we are winners because we started out as one sperm of 5 million and we won the race. We beat the 5 million to one odds. Our communion service focused on the trafficing of humans - a third for the sex trade and the rest for indentured/slave labor. We were reminded that Jesus came to set the captives free and as we turn a blind eye to industries that use indentured servants (kept in a labor because they cannot repay the person who hired them), exploited as with the people of Bengaladesh who rely on clothing and shoe manufacturerers who will only hire them for two months at a time paying pennies a day for sewing buttons and dying cloth, sold for sex. The issue is overwhelming and we were left feeling quite hopeless until other speakers gave us ideas for where the church has been successful and where we can begin to make a difference.</div><div>I led a session for the small groups to learn how they can overcome the differences in values and communication styles - had some fun with them. We had one group of non English speakers so Victor translated for me as I led that group - he led the discussion - they seemed to really have a good time with him.</div><div>We closed the night with Christmas Carols - a manger with the baby on stage - quite dramatic to think that God came to us as one who relied on us to keep him alive and nuture him to maturity. Kind of how it is today. He relies on us to keep him alive for this world and present him completely so they see the whole Jesus for thier lives.</div><div>Building starts tomorrow - 6 AM meeting - but they have coffee!!!</div>Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-64858140882225516862015-01-03T21:09:00.001-08:002015-01-03T21:09:04.327-08:00Justice is love in a social contextDr. Tony Campolo spoke to us in the opening Keynote address. He is a professor of sociology at the Eastern University and a Baptist Pastor. He is best known for his work to serve the lost and the lonely in this world. At the age of 80 he has not lost any of his passion for seeing the church bring God's Kingdom to this world.<div>As we went through the process of getting to know each other (I counted 7 countries including the Maldives) represented and broke up into our work groups (we are building 5 homes) and then into small groups within each worksite group (we are about 170 strong) I was reminded how large and powerful the Church of Jesus Christ is when we bring a focus to our purpose to bring reconciliation of Christ to the lost and the lonely.</div><div>Campolo reminded us that in every Gospel Jesus introduced his purpose for coming to us which was and is "to bring the Kingdom of God." I recommend you read Isaiah 65 where God through the prophet describes what the Kingdom will be like when it comes. That chapter becomes a blueprint for all local congregations joined together as God's church universal to join in introducing God's Kingdom to our world in our time and with our generation.</div><div>Tomorow we begin training to build for the rest of the week.</div><div>Blessings</div>Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-87296919055708569962015-01-02T12:03:00.001-08:002015-01-02T12:06:54.845-08:00Registration BeginsThe 50+ Volunteers are arriving today and I am allowed to assit with registration. They are from the United Kingdom & USA with one lone Aussie who is speaking. It is interesting meeting them - most have worked with Amor at one point or another and all are committed to the purpose of creating an environment for families to enjoy the life God has for them.<div>Thought I should share this pic taken at the lagoon near the children's play ground this morning. No unsuperfised children allowed!!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bE7rtJ4jCB8Fq5tbrZXCcm54g13Zio_Q-OxhmttCtkJ-lq7qZN53FhMuMZkvLWY2t-Z4hlJELEgrKYDViTCaiKRWeRsDy6bCNlmgV4Nytb-vahcv29HD2uLWd3MpEolPMUyPnXDaTMNJ/s640/blogger-image-801279801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bE7rtJ4jCB8Fq5tbrZXCcm54g13Zio_Q-OxhmttCtkJ-lq7qZN53FhMuMZkvLWY2t-Z4hlJELEgrKYDViTCaiKRWeRsDy6bCNlmgV4Nytb-vahcv29HD2uLWd3MpEolPMUyPnXDaTMNJ/s640/blogger-image-801279801.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>First meeting of the volunteers tonight to hear from Tony Campolo. Looking forward to getting this thing started.</div>Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-17230323391977597622015-01-01T05:59:00.001-08:002015-01-01T05:59:03.940-08:00The TransitionThere is a process for transition in life and in Anthropology we call "right of passage." While this phrase is usually reserved for such things as young boys going through a process - a hazing if you will - at the end of which they move from the Mother's residence to the Father's - I have found it applies to almost every transition. Even one so short as traveling from one contry to another.<div>In this process you start as a person from the States, for instance, with all that you are as a person there, to an in-between that is sort of a 'nothing.' You are one of many 'travelers' who are not permanent to life but an in-between. During that brief time, if you allow it to form in your mind, you have the chance to transition to who you will become when you land. I find this process useful.</div><div>I have time to consider what I have left behind and why I am making this trip. I am free from the responsibilities behind and am called to focus on the responsibilities to come.</div><div>Soon I will be an 'expert' in culture and leadership - even though in my past life neither are as important as my responsibilities as husband and father - Pastor and mentor. Leaving those last behind will help me best direct those I will be asked to assist at the Global Gathering. </div><div>That we - as humans created by God - can be so flexible is a mystery to me. I tend to be rather intense in my roles and the creativity God provides all of us is focused on the time and place in which I am. So for now that intensity will find a new focus - though for a short time - and may God continue to grant clarity in this alternate life as I become Sherman instead of Pastor Sherman.</div>Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-16447726578643155202014-12-30T11:15:00.002-08:002014-12-30T11:15:42.977-08:00The fun begins:<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The more things change the more they stay the same.<br />
Got a call from Frontier Airlines yesterday to say my flight from LAX to Denver was canceled due to "routine maintenance" (I booked this flight in June - you would think they had figured out the routine part quicker than three days before departure). I will now have to lay over in Denver New Year's Eve.<br />
Not satisfied to change that aspect they also changed the return flight leaving me with another night expense in Cancun but also another lay over in Denver with accompanying cost of yet another hotel room.<br />
Frontier is now on my naughty list.<br />
<br />
On the other hand I have great expectations for this trip and the time spent with these young people.<br />
<br />
Looking for the bottle of Off I had left over from the last trip - economy size.<br />
<br />
Everything is laid out on the bed and I am about ready to go.</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-45071242650541034232014-12-29T13:55:00.001-08:002014-12-29T13:55:56.906-08:00Two Days to Take Off for Global Gathering<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The new year is taking off at the same time as I am.<br />
By Jan 1 I will be in Cancun preparing for the many volunteers coming to help with the 200+ young people who will join us Jan 3.<br />
We have a great team being led by Scott & Gayla Congdon and all the Amor Staff along with the onsite couple Jordan & April Congdon.<br />
I am looking forward to connecting with Gilberto Figuroa who has been so generous with his resources in making the dream of Cienega possible.<br />
You can learn more about this dream at http://www.amor.org/Cienega.</div>
Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-80410419477547913372014-02-05T13:18:00.001-08:002014-02-05T13:18:45.636-08:00Capturing Culture for Christ<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Valentine's Day is one more holiday that exists because the early church approved the underlying meaning of local festivals but disapproved the way they were lived out. Christmas & Halloween are the most commonly referred to by critics of the church, but, Valentine's Day runs a close third.</div>
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While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial--which probably occurred around A.D. 270--others claim that the Christian church may have decided to place St. Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to "Christianize" the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Celebrated at the ides of February, or <a href="">February 15</a>, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.</div>
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Since the celebration was so much a part of the local culture the church chose to capture it for Christ. Whether the stories of a priest who was prepared to die for love (there are at least three) or not is irrelevant to the underlying truth that God created us for families. This need to be in a family extends in adulthood to a need to create a family and in that way we raise people who know and love the God who gave them this sacred institution for their nurture and encouragement. </div>
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That we, as fallen humans, have tarnished that institution does not negate its importance to society as a whole. As a missionary I often helped local populations see the underlying truth from God attached to their celebrations or rites. It gave me a window into their lives through which they could see the God of creation. </div>
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This Valentine's Day may we take the time to look for the underlying truth that God is a God of community who gave us the closest of all relationships in the love shared by a man and a woman in marriage.</div>
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Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-8836685232745430852014-01-29T09:14:00.000-08:002014-01-29T09:14:06.936-08:00God wants us tick free<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Author Timothy Keller in his book, “Walking with God through
Suffering” wrote about the British shepherds dipping of their sheep. It
reminded me of the first time I saw the Shona in Zimbabwe dipping their cattle – a monthly
ritual. </div>
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The cattle were herded into a pen which was closed at one
end but on the far end was a ramp that led to a 40 foot long, six feet deep,
four foot wide pit filled with dip. The herds men would then force the mooing
mass toward the narrow opening with each beast entering one at a time due to
the narrowness of the opening. When the first cow got to the drop off into the
dip it would stop and try to look back only to be pushed by the one behind into
the foul smelling mixture. Cows don’t like to swim but they can so it would
begin to make its way to the other side. That is when one of the herdsmen would
take a long forked pole and force the cows head under. Now the cow was
frightened – though in rare cases furious – and it would cry out and
frantically try to leap out. At the time I thought that it was cruel, however,
I learned that without the dip the cattle would be subject to ticks and many
diseases. </div>
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<br /></div>
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As Keller writes, “As I watched the struggling sheep I
thought, ‘If only there were some way to explain! But such knowledge is too
wonderful for them—it is high, they cannot attain unto it’ (Ps 139:6). We too
have a Good Shepherd who is committed to his sheep, though he often does things
to us that frighten us and that we cannot, at the moment, understand.” </div>
</div>
Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-51087247507317844472013-12-11T14:21:00.003-08:002013-12-11T14:21:36.824-08:003 keys to leadership<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There is a lot that can be
said about the appearance of Jesus to Peter on the sea shore after his
resurrection. As leaders I believe we can take three key thoughts for helping
the people in our groups draw closer to Jesus and each other. You remember
Jesus asking Peter if he loved Him and you remember Peter saying yes three
times, the third with vehemence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Jesus was calling Peter to
love him and the people he was going to be leading. As leaders we have to be
drinking from the well spring of Jesus love on a daily basis. Just as Peter
repeatedly affirmed his love for Jesus so must we each day. We cannot be like
the man who responded to his wife's request that he tell her he loved her,
"I told you 30 years ago on our wedding day. If anything changes I'll let
you know." Love to be lived must be expressed. What is true of our
relationship with Christ is also true of our relationship with our group
members. It is imperative they know we are leading them because we love them
not because we hold a leadership position.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">True we are leaders and
leaders - well - lead. Because we are living everyday loving Jesus we have a
direction for our group. We want them to love Jesus as much as we. Our example
speaks volumes. They cannot know how much we love Jesus until they see how much
we love them. As the young boy told his Mom when she reminded him he was not
alone because Jesus was always with him, "I know, but, I want somebody
with skin on." We are the love of Jesus to our group members.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Jesus makes it clear to Peter
that he is in charge of the follower’s nutrition. As we select our series and
as we prepare our lessons we must not forget that the follower of Jesus feeds
on the Word of God. There are a lot of great lessons to be learned that do not
come from studying the Word - and they have benefit for your group. However,
non is better for them in the long term than the scriptures. As milk is one of
natures total nutrition foods for the Word is "God-breathed and is useful
for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2
Timothy 3:16).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Love them</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Lead them</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Feed them</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">(I am grateful to Pastor
Clinton Browning for the core concept in this Lifter)</span></div>
</div>
Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-52809405128159542182013-12-03T13:22:00.002-08:002013-12-03T13:22:17.942-08:00Be Brave in the face of Power<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Ron Walters is the Senior Vice
President of Ministry Relations for KKLA had a great article this month and I
have included it below. He hits the nail right on the head.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In the years following the
Reformation, new controversies raged within the Church that Luther had left
behind. The most heated was, Where had God placed the earth in His cosmos? The
defining questions in this debate were, Are you geocentric? i.e., clinging to
the notion that earth was the orbital center of all God's creation. Or Are you
heliocentric? i.e., believing that the earth was just another planet taking its
daily spin around the sun. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">To side with the geocentric
crowd was the safer choice; it was, after all, endorsed by the Church. Tradition
has always been a powerful force. What was good for Grandpa is good enough for
me! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">On the flip side, those who
tossed their cap into the heliocentric camp did so at their own peril. The
Church of the 1500s did not encourage independent thinking. In fact,
cutting-edge thinking tended to have guillotine conclusions. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">However, during that time,
one man had the correct answer to the geo/helio debate: Nicolaus Copernicus—but
he wasn't talking. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Although Copernicus was the
foremost astronomer of his day, he was also a cleric, a highly decorated member
of the Church--the same church that fumed over Luther's earlier rebellion. And
though his mathematical model of a heliocentric system was spot on, Copernicus
just couldn't bring himself to expose the errors of the past and tell the world
what he had discovered. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Copernicus worried. How can I
tell people that Plato and Aristotle were nuts? How can I explain that Ptolemy
didn't know what he was talking about? How do I say you're wrong to
conventional thinking?" </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For a thousand years the
theories of these oft-quoted philosophers held the world's thinking in a
stranglehold. Theirs was a science based purely upon observation. What they saw
was what we got. The sun rose in the east and set in the west; therefore, they
concluded, the sun revolves around the earth. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">To compound their flawed
thinking, the Church leadership liked the sound of those theories. They liked
the idea that God staged His prized creation in the center of everything, not
on some isolated, nondescript, obscure planet. Being the center of the universe
appealed to the Church. That doctrine would preach! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The geocentric thinkers
backed their claims with absurdity upon absurdity: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Every dropped object always
falls to the earth. That is proof that the earth is the center of everything.
If the earth was not the universal core, every dropped object would fall toward
another true focal point. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Wind is a natural result of
movement. Therefore, if the earth is in motion circling the sun, there would be
an extraordinary display of wind. Where is that wind? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Who could argue with logic
like that? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Certainly not Copernicus. For
thirty years he kept the truth to himself. Not until his deathbed did he allow
his work to be published and the truth to be known. What a waste! He chose to
conceal the light from those who lived in the darkness. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">On the flip side, many
students of truth could not hold in what they knew. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The prophets. Even when the
tide of public opinion turned against them, they wouldn't forsake their message—or
the God who sent them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The apostles. Their message
was vigorously attacked by well-educated, well-funded and well-dressed
opponents. Yet each proclaimer was willing to die for the truth. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The magi. Tradition says they
had fame, fortune, and position. But what they wanted most were directions.
"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in
the east, and have come to worship Him." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The gospel has always been
good news, too good in fact to hide. There's a world of people in search of
that truth. And, no doubt, they'll be dropping by during Christmas to hear it
again. </span></div>
</div>
Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-19001566050214697822013-11-26T16:03:00.001-08:002013-11-26T16:03:37.592-08:00Time to pray<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Time is a non-replenishing
resource. We get the same amount everyday, but, we don't get to "roll
over" minutes to the next day. Making the most of each day is a constant
effort. We are going to have the same amount of time this week, but, the
holiday gives us less for the "everyday" stuff. I believe this gives us
an opportunity to reflect on the time we give to prayer. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">You may be thinking,
"Just what I need another thing to add to my already overloaded
day."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus addressed our
overloaded day in Matthew 11:28-30:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am
gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my
yoke is easy and my burden is light.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">To understand the power of
this promise a little background is needed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Following the delivery of the
Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) Jesus went on a whirlwind tour healing,
challenging and teaching (Matthew 8-9) which left him exhausted and pleading
with his followers to pray for more workers in the harvest field. Right after
this in chapter ten he sent out the twelve two by two to do what he had been
doing, "declaring the coming of the kingdom." So we get to chapter 11
and we find him addressing key issues (is he really the messiah and how was his
people to be led by such men as the pharisees). That led him to our text above.
So, here is my take on what he was trying to say. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">After the prayer for workers
he sent the apostles out to be workers. On their return they had a much better
idea of the everyday, one on one ministry needed to do the work of evangels so
when he then addressed the bigger issues of messiahship and leadership change
needed for the success of the evangels they must have paused and thought,
"What a minute, this is much bigger than I originally thought." This
wasn't about being the faithful followers of a Rabbi but being the hands and
feet of the Rabbi. This was not about knowledge but about action. They must
have been tired - maybe as tired as Jesus when he sent them out and so Jesus
meets them where they are. "Learn of me." He did not say learn of my
ministry but learn of me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Today the path to learning of
Jesus is found in our Bible reading and prayer life. The Sunday experience and
the Growth Groups embed it - but if we are not constantly in prayer and
meditation then the work of evangelism seems to add just one more item to our
already filled to-do list. But when we spend time with God he makes is possible
for us to do what we have to do so we will have the time and energy to do what
we must do. Tell others about Jesus. We really don't have enough time not to
pray.</span></div>
</div>
Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-31828951050445234712013-11-19T11:58:00.001-08:002013-11-19T11:58:49.126-08:00Two Songs - One Message<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
About three weeks ago Gene Mallett, who succumbed to a two year fight with multiple myeloma last week, asked me to sit and talk
with him about his memorial service. When I asked him what songs he wanted at
the service he immediately said, "God Tell it on the Mountain
and...well...Go Tell it on the Mountain." A couple weeks later while talking
with Sheila I learned he had requested a second song as well, "We Shall
Overcome." Sounds like a great sermon to me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus began his Apostles ministry in his second year by
sending them out two by two. "Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you
go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the
sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely
you have received; freely give" (Matthew 10:6-8). Luke records this in
Chapter Nine and then follows that with another sending, "After this the
Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to
every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, 'The harvest is
plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to
send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs
among wolves'" (Luke 10:1-3).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many scholars believe the seventy were the disciples of the
apostles who were getting their first taste of "going." Even before
Jesus was lifted up on the cross he wanted his followers to know the importance
of always proclaiming the kingdom
of God. That command he
obeyed each day he was on earth and he drummed it into his followers. Before he
left he gave the final commission to go and make more disciples who will go and
make more disciples. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If the apostles thought the task of discipling the world was
too big they never said so. Like the words of the second song they believed
Jesus and his church would snatch the lost from the grasp of this fallen world.
As Peter proclaimed, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some
understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to
perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Paul underlined the promise of that second song by quoting
from Isaiah 45:23,
"‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’ So then, each of us will give an account of
ourselves to God" (Romans 14:11-12)"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For Gene the waiting is over but he knew too many of his
friends and family needed to here the call of God from the mountain so they too
could finally overcome the chains of this fallen world.</div>
</div>
Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-42897980879808834292013-11-14T15:19:00.004-08:002013-11-14T15:19:44.786-08:00We be the church attractional & missional<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">I
am grateful to Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson (Comeback Churches) for their great
look at churches wanting to turnaround so they are not stagnant or dying. They
are true “churchmen” because they believe the mission of God is to be carried
out by the church
of God. Here are just a
few reasons why the church matters.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
church is the only institution God built and promised to bless, “And I tell you
that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of
Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18). It is so precious Christ died for
it as we just heard last Sunday, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ
loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). I know it is
popular to talk about Jesus dying for each of us individually, but, scripture
is clear that His death for our sins would be palliative without a communion of
believers ready to continue His work of grace.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
church is the proclaimer and protector of divine truth. Paul reminds Timothy to
take care of the church even if Paul is not around to help him, “…if I am
delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s
household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of
the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). We are to act like the church because the church
is where people learn to act like God followers. Paul tells us that Christ
instituted the various gifts of the Spirit so the Body of Christ could work
like a well oiled machine keeping itself always ready to point people to God
because, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every
respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the
whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and
builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:15-16). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
order of action was Christ – Mission
– Apostles/Church. The order today is Church – Gifts – Mission. We exist and our gifts are given so
people can have the opportunity to hang out and be encouraged to draw closer to
God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">That
is why it is so important for us, La Habra Christian Church, to focus outward. Titus
wrote, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people (Titus
2:11).” Our reason for existence at 1400 Bella Vista is so we can become the
church attracting as well as the church missional. We draw close to each other
so we can go and tell our friends, family, co-workers, and fellow students
about this gospel message given to all once and for all.</span></div>
</div>
Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-42699771125539028082013-10-29T15:10:00.001-07:002013-10-29T15:10:27.058-07:00Stick to what you are gluing <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I decided to glue something yesterday. I know, I am not that guy. You know, the one with "fixing" skills. But, it was just one metal piece to another and the glue tube said it could be done in three easy steps. I cleaned the surfaces, applied the glue (more or less sparingly) and then held the pieces together; with my fingers. </span><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
The good news is the items stuck to each other. The bad news is the items stuck to me as well. I guess there is one other piece of news - I wont be passing any finger print scans for awhile. </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
It made me wonder about how we try to get people to "stick" to church. We have special meals with invitation cards. We put together "attraction" sermon series with invitation cards and even newspaper articles. We greet first time guests and tell them how glad we are to see them. We make sure the worship time has plenty of explanations for what is happening. </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
With all of that we are still only keeping 15% of our first time guests and we are only seeing 2 to 3 first time guests each Sunday. Maybe we need to be unafraid to let those guest stick to us.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
So we loose a little personal time. Maybe we end up taking phone calls and texts at odd hours from those guests. We could even find ourselves having to answer questions like, "Do you welcome gay couples here?" </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
When we try to glue our guests to our body we are probably not doing a very good job if some of ourselves don't get stuck to them. </div>
</div>
</div>
Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-46283055054224945422013-10-22T12:02:00.002-07:002013-10-22T12:02:54.343-07:00Traits needed for good parenting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">Most
Americans believe good mothers and fathers must be loving, supportive and
protecting, but fewer see the necessity of parents having a commitment to
Christianity or religion, according to a LifeWay Research survey released May
7. The survey, conducted in March, gauged opinions of the expected roles of
parents at a time when Americans typically begin giving thought to Mother's Day
and Father's Day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">According
to the survey, "Loving" is the No. 1 characteristic deemed mandatory
for both mothers and fathers (80+ percent) with "supporting,"
"protecting," "encouraging" and "involved"
sharing the number two slot. Interestingly the characteristic most depicted in
movies and on TV, "fun," garnered only 50% of the vote. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">What
the researchers found concerning was that Americans don't necessarily see as
mandatory traits of good mothers and fathers are religious convictions,
including being a committed Christian which showed at 35%. But that is not so
surprising when we realize the "religious" and even
"Christian" are concepts most Americans equate with legalistic and
intolerant. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">I
am more inclined to see the results as Americans accepting the traits that best
typify a follower of Jesus as being the important traits for a parent. It is
difficult to be consistently loving, supportive, protecting, encouraging, and
involved unless you are living your life to a higher standard than the natural
requirements in the world. These qualities are not natural. They are normal to
God's followers who set aside the natural for His normal.</span></div>
</div>
Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-11253711964994519242013-10-15T17:44:00.004-07:002013-10-15T17:44:39.189-07:00A sending God<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">UK</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;"> blogger Andrew Jones
explains: "Missio Dei [the mission of God] stems from the Triune God: the
Father sends the Son, the Father and the Son send the Spirit, the Father and
Son and the Spirit send the church into the world." So a missional church
is about doing God's work in the world today.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nice,
succinct and to the point - as long as I believe the underlying truth,
"There is not relationship with God without Christ" which is the
first stage of Jones litany. To agree to this truth is to agree to a darker truth,
"without Jesus one's eternal future is in hell." Does that make God
intolerant? Yes, intolerant of sin. Without Christ there is no hope for you and
I or our well meaning friend who has not accepted Jesus. This truth has kept me
up more nights than I can count. Here is what Paul said about "his
people."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">"I
speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy
Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish
that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people,
those of my own race, the people of Israel (Rom. 9:1–4).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">Brian
Jones in Non-Religious Devotional Thoughts 10/14/2013 asks us this series of
questions, "How about you? Do you feel great sorrow and unceasing anguish
for that non-Christian friend you work with? That Jewish neighbor? That Hindu
person who works at the restaurant you frequent? If not, why not? To me there
are only two answers to that question: You either don’t believe in hell, or you
don’t care that your friends will go there when they die. There’s no middle
ground here. Most Christians I meet either don’t believe that their
non-Christian friends are going to hell, or worse, don’t care. Are you one of
them?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">We
may wish they would come to the church but, the commission says "go
make" not "come become." The church needs to be attractive -
that is part of doing Jesus in the community. The problem arises from making
beauty of church more important than making the church mobile. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">Mike
Breen, pastor at Community Church of Joy near Phoenix, Arizona,
says. "The missional church is rooted in not just the New Testament church of Acts, but in the mission of Jesus
himself. A missional church lives out the church's three-dimensional calling:
to be upwardly focused on God in worship that is passionate; to be inwardly
focused on community among believers that is demonstrated in relationships of
love and compassion; and to be outwardly focused on a world that does not yet
know God."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">To
do this means an attitude shift described by Pastor Janetta Cravens, of First
Christian Church in Macon, Georgia, "We are moving from seeing ourselves
as a church who needs members from the community to seeing ourselves as being
in a community whose members need the church. We've realized we're here to
serve the community in unique ways."</span></div>
</div>
Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-53154835667084217852013-10-01T12:41:00.003-07:002013-10-01T12:41:39.496-07:00We are free to disciple<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">"Everything
is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is
permissible"--but not everything is constructive"1 Corinthians 10:23.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">When
I first read this in my pre-teens I rejoiced. Clearly God had set me free from
my parent's crushing hand of tyranny. I could hear the Apostle Paul telling me
to engage in any and all pursuits that caught my interest. I had missed the
qualifying "beneficial" aspect of the "everything" statement
which my Dad corrected for me the first time I came into the house with a
cigarette in my mouth claiming God over rode parents. My lesson, though hard
come by - Dad was a "rod straightens out the child" kind of person -
has been an ongoing tutorial.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">Like
most people who come to the faith I was very interested in the freedoms of that
faith. I mistakenly assumed that as long as I practiced my faith in a way that
did not harm God, myself, or my church I was free to live out my relationship
with God and others as I pleased. I believe the main reason we, the members of
His body the church, do not bring others to church is because we truly believe
we are free to not bring them. After all, "everything
is permissible." As long as we do not sin we are comfortable, even
validated, in our personal relationship with God through Christ. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing
could be further from the truth.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">Verse
24 following the text reads, "Nobody should seek his own good, but the
good of others." That is the definition of "beneficial." How we
choose to live out our relationship with God is open to enjoying His bountiful
creation "as long as" what we do points others back to Him. God feels
so strongly about this He gave as His final command, "Go." While it
is true Matthew 28:19's
opening phrase is better translated, "As you are going make
disciples..." it's meaning in the original language carries the force of
command to make disciples. We are not asked to go as we please. We are
commanded to make disciples wherever we please to go. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">Just
as accepting Jesus as our lord and savior is non negotiable for acceptance by
Him so making disciples is non negotiable to living with Him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13.5pt;">Disciplining is not an elective and it begins with a simple invitation to our acquaintances
to come and see Jesus through His church. If you are uncertain how to disciple
someone else I recommend <a href="http://www.multiplymovement.com/">http://www.multiplymovement.com</a> as
a great place to start.</span></div>
</div>
Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-84346226791240686732013-09-17T14:19:00.002-07:002013-09-17T14:19:59.631-07:00September 17, 2013 - The church is God's missional & missionsal tool for evangelism<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"I don't have the spiritual gift of evangelism" is
a sentence I am used to hearing. I have heard it since I was 9 years old and
our family were traveling from church to church attempting to raise full-time
support to be missionaries in Africa. Usually
that sentence is made in the context of us (our family) being special chosen
ones to take the Good News to the "lost" while the speaker stayed
home and attended church supporting the special ones, which usually included
the local Pastor.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have always assumed that rational came from the American
penchant for "specializing" all jobs. Doctors have a specialty as do
lawyers, plumbers, and chefs. It makes sense to us to think of the work of the
church requiring specialists for evangelism as we do for preaching. Makes sense,
but, it is wrong.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From its inception the church, the collected body of
believers, was gifted so that the church could finish the mission Jesus gave us.
That commission is the presentation of the Good News to people in such a way
that they can understand its impact for their lives and make an informed
decision to accept or reject it. That is why all churches are missional - they
want their body to be active in presenting the Good News in their daily lives.
The fruit of that is the increase in baptisms and usually numbers of members as
well as attendees. When evangelism is set in the context of our family and
neighbors it requires that we be missional in our everyday lives.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When evangelism is set in the context of people whose
cultures differ radically or whose homes are geographically removed it requires
us to support missions to those people and areas. The collected body of Jesus,
the church, is God's tool for effective evangelism mission-ally and
missions-ally. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I remember my Dad's response to one person who asked about
becoming a "missionary." Dad asked who that young man was discipling (being
missional to) to become a follower of Jesus. "No one, I don't have the
gift of evangelism, yet," he replied. My Dad's answer was a conversation
stopper, "If you aren't evangelizing among the people you know you are not
going to do any better among the people you don't know."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus' recorded words in Acts
1:8 apply to every church (the collected body of
believers) both missionally and missionsally, "But you [all] will receive
power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you [all] will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How is La Habra Christian Church (you all the collected body
of believers) doing in these two areas?</div>
</div>
Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-63342334250531504432013-09-04T13:43:00.002-07:002013-09-04T13:43:40.531-07:00Did Y'all Get That?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
English is wonderful language. We are able to clearly and
concisely express our ideas. When used properly English leaves little room for
misunderstanding what is being said or written. Certainly there are contextual
and emotional parameters that cloud meaning, but, as to the specific words used
the meaning is, for the most part, clear. It is the "for the most
part" that trips us up. Take the pronoun "you" for example.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One word used to refer to the second person singular (you
the reader) and to the second person plural (you the readers), depending on the
context. When used by Westerners it most commonly is used in the second person
singular. That is unless you come from the South where we speak clearly to
"you" or to "y'all" depending on the context. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, in communal cultures, such as the culture during
the time of Jesus, it most commonly refers to second person plural unless
clearly otherwise in the context. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"So what" you ask? Good question. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Throughout the New Testament instructions and commands are
often given to "you" which you and I read as to one person (Sherman
in my case) when the hearers of that day would have heard as y'all. I believe
this misunderstanding has led us to put more emphasis on the individual which
has created a false assumption about our responsibilities as followers of
Jesus. We assume that we as individuals are responsible to Jesus' Mission, or, the Pastor,
as an individual, is responsible for the Church. We dilute the effort of the
Church and minimize the contribution of the individual when we attempt to place
specific responsibilities on a person rather than the people of the Church. Two
passages from the Acts of the Apostles will illustrate.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Acts 1:7-10
records the ascension of Jesus. Just before He is lifted away He has one final
instruction to reiterate. That He chose this one over so many others shows its
ultimate importance. He could have reminded us of the love we are to have for
each other, or, the need to live holy lives, but, he chose to say;</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It is not for you [all] to know the times or dates the Father
has set by his own authority. But you [all] will receive power when the Holy
Spirit comes on you [all]; and you [all] will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Got it? The Great Commission was not given to individuals
but to the gathered who were about to become the Church. Luke got it. Following
Peter's message Luke records these words:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">They</b>
devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking
of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and
signs performed by the apostles. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">All</b>
the believers were together and had everything in common. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">They</b> sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Every day <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">they</b> continued to meet
together in the temple courts. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">They</b>
broke bread in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">their</b> homes and ate
together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of
all the people. And <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the Lord added</b>
to their number daily those who were being saved" Acts 2:42-47.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To make a long lecture a little less long I will summarize:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Y'all be witnesses together, Y'all decide how to do that
best in your cultural setting, Y'all do it to direct people to Jesus, and Jesus
will do the saving. The Church, not the individual, is God's tool for directing
people to Himself through Jesus. </div>
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We can hang out together or we can get hung up separately -
the former is God's "normal" and the latter is our "natural."</div>
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Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115674016592742622.post-81905669393390641982013-08-27T12:03:00.003-07:002013-08-27T12:03:36.640-07:00You are really lucky - you get to go to boarding school.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I was ten when my Mom and Dad decided the best course of action for my education was to place me in boarding school. Our family had been in Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia) for six months starting a new mission work in the south eastern part of the country while living some 200 miles from that site with New Zealand missionaries. I had been able to attend school with their children locally but now we were moving. I don't remember being concerned that I was not included in the discussion. I assumed my parents had my best interest at heart and went along with all the change entailed. Until:</span><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
I remember the day and half trip from Mashoko Mission to Bulawayo interrupted by a shopping spree for my uniform which included a blazer and tie I was expected to wear every day. On the day my Dad took me to Hillside Boarding School I remember being nervous and it must have shown. As we pulled up to the school Dad looked at me and said, "You are really lucky - you get to go to boarding school. Do you know how many of your friends would have liked to be away from their parents as well?" Then we laughed and I my nervousness changed to eagerness. </div>
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Those are still three of the best years of my life. I reveled in the sense of adventure that came almost everyday. How different it would have been had Dad not properly prepared me. How different it would have been if I had not daily felt the love of my parents to that point. How different it would have been had he said, "Thanks for sacrificing yourself for the good of the work."</div>
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When Paul writes in Romans 5:3-5, "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." we can say, "I am really lucky - I get to sacrifice for Jesus."</div>
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Pastor Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02509784576393834317noreply@blogger.com0