“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24?-?25)

I have heard this verse used to encourage people to go to church. And to challenge those who have given up going to church. But what if this verse is NOT describing what we do when we go to church? Do our church gatherings actually accomplish what this verse suggests?

“How we may spur one another… encouraging one another!” As far as I know, there is very little “us” involved in spurring and encouraging. I know from personal experience that the large majority of spurring and encouraging is not “one another” but “one to the others”, namely me. I am the motivational speaker, everyone else listens, hopefully. A few others help, the worship leaders, an elder and a deacon (sometimes reluctantly). But for the most part, we come to be fed, to be encouraged, to be moved, to be challenged. We come to be passive, to be inactive, to be spoon fed. And then we evaluate and/or criticize the meal. Or leave to find a church with a better chef. Continue reading ‘Time to reconsider how we do church?’ »

“In many ways, the shift from the inherited Christendom mode to a predominantly missional mode of church is the biggest challenge facing the church since the Reformation. We are, whether we like it or not, living in what is rightly called a post-Christendom, post-Christian, postmodern world. We cannot assume that the ideas formulated in completely different historical contexts and conditions are equal to the complexities of the increasingly unstable, globally embraced world in which we must render our particular witness to Jesus. We must simply accept that what got us here is not going to get us there.”

From: “The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating Apostolic Movements” by Alan Hirsch.

If you want to build a ship, don’t summon people to buy wood, prepare tools, distribute jobs, and organize the work, rather teach people the yearning for the wide, boundless ocean. —Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

“I believe that the great tragedy of the church in our time has been its failure to recognize the importance of the spiritual gift of leadership.  It appears to me that only a fraction of pastors worldwide are exercising the spiritual gift of leadership, organizing the church around it, and deploying church members through it.  The results, in terms of church growth and worldwide spiritual impact, are staggering.

We must understand what it means to the kingdom when leadership gifts are not exercised. Hebrews 13:17 reminds church leaders that we “must give an account” for what we do with our leadership gifts.  Obviously there are negative consequences when any spiritual gift is neglected.  Why, then, were those with the leadership gift singled out in this passage?  I believe it’s because the consequences of neglecting the leadership gift are so far-reaching.  When those of us with leadership gifts fail to lead effectively, the entire local church is affected, not to mention the unchurched people in our communities.

The church must come to grips with the fact that the gift of leadership is the catalytic gift that energizes, directs, and empowers all the other gifts.  People with the spiritual gift of leadership are called to nurture an environment where teachers can teach and shepherds can shepherd and administrators can administer.  Without it, the other gifts languish, the church becomes inwardly focused and impotent, and unbelievers end up with a one-way, nonstop ticket to the abyss.  That’s why I underscore again what Paul so passionately said to leaders, “If you have the leadership gift. . . LEAD!”

– Bill Hybels, Courageous Leadership

“In the larger rhythm of turning from and turning to, repentance is the turning away from. Repentance turns us from sin, selfishness, darkness, idols, habits, bondages, and demons, both private and public. We turn from all that binds and oppresses us and others, from all the violence and evil in which we are so complicit, from all the false worship that has controlled and corrupted us. Ultimately, repentance is turning from the powers of death. These ominous forces no longer hold us in their grip; they no longer have the last word.”

Faith is turning to belief, hope, and trust. As repentance dealt with our past, faith opens up our future. Faith opens us to the future by restoring our sight, softening our hearts, bringing light into our darkness. We are converted to compassion, justice, and peace as we take our stand as citizens of Christ’s new order. We see, hear, and feel now as never before. We enter the process of being made sensitive to the values of the new age, the kingdom of God. The victory of Jesus Christ over the powers of death has now been appropriated to our own lives; we are enabled to live free of their bondage. Christ has vanquished the powers that once held us captive and fearful; we now stand in the radical freedom he bought for us with his own blood.

Excerpt From: “The Call to Conversion: Why Faith Is Always Personal but Never Private” by Jim Wallis. Scribd.

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers.
He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)