I want to spend some time reflecting on the idea of church, recognizing and celebrating the Lord’s good plan for the church.
Jesus was not anti-church, He used the word twice to describe the community He would build [Matthew 16:18], and the community that would support His followers in their kingdom witness and work [Matthew 18:17].
The church is the community of Jesus-followers, wherever two or more gather together for mutual support, encouragement, witness, work, praise, prayer, fellowship, growth, etc.
These kinds of gatherings occur wherever people can meet; it is not restricted to one location known as “the church”.
Whenever two or more people gather in Jesus’ Name (for His honour, for His purpose), this is church!
If a group of Jesus-followers choose to gather in a local pub, in Jesus’ Name (for His honour, for His purpose), you have church. Continue reading ‘what is the church?’ »

Please note, I am wrestling with the idea of ‘church’, and some of my reflections may seem overly negative and critical. I include myself in the indictment, I am as much a part of the ‘church’ problem. My intent is not just to bash church, but to rediscover Jesus’ priorities (He only mentioned ‘church’ twice, spoke about the kingdom ALL the time; we rarely speak about the kingdom, but speak about ‘church’ all the time). I do not think that Church as it was meant to be is contrary to what Jesus taught about the kingdom, but I do believe that ‘church’ as it has come to be IS contrary to what Jesus taught about the kingdom. I am coming to think that you can’t find (or build) church by looking or working for it; I am starting to think that church is the result of looking and working for the kingdom of God. The Acts 2 church was not the result of a commitment to building the church, but a commitment to the King and to living and sharing His kingdom life.

God has used the flawed church through the ages to bless people; I myself have experienced God through the flawed church. And we will never discover a model for the perfect church! But this is not an excuse to entrench the flawed model, we must constantly test everything and (only) hold on to the good [1 Thessalonians 5:21]. I think this is what the Reformation slogan “always reforming” was meant to say. And I think Jesus’ emphasis on the kingdom is the key to this reformation!

Anyway, just thought I would prepare you for what I am working through…

Not sure if you know who Michael Moore is, or if you have seen any of his movies/documentaries.
We just watched “Bowling For Columbine” this weekend, which challenges the American love affair with guns and violence.
Other movies include “Fahrenheit 9/11” (critical view of George Bush and the War on Terror) and “Sicko” (critical view of American health care system).
Whether you know (or like) him or not, he is provocative, and forces us to face tough questions.
Like this email I received indirectly from him this morning.
Read it, and let me know what you think…

For Those of You on Your Way to Church This Morning …a note from Michael Moore
Sunday, October 4th, 2009

Friends,
I’d like to have a word with those of you who call yourselves Christians (Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Bill Maherists, etc. Can read along, too, as much of what I have to say, I’m sure, can be applied to your own spiritual/ethical values).

In my new film I speak for the first time in one of my movies about my own spiritual beliefs. I have always believed that one’s religious leanings are deeply personal and should be kept private. After all, we’ve heard enough yammerin’ in the past three decades about how one should “behave,” and I have to say I’m pretty burned out on pieties and platitudes considering we are a violent nation who invades other countries and punishes our own for having the audacity to fall on hard times. Continue reading ‘a letter from Michael Moore’ »

Someone sent this to me, does it sound correct? does it sound right?

If you compare the world with a village of 100 inhabitants, including all the nations of the world, there would be:

• 57 persons from Asia
• 21 persons from Europe
• 14 persons from the Americas
• 8 persons from Africa

52 would be women and 48 men; 70 would be non-white and 30 persons would have white skin. There would be 70 non Christians and 30 Christians.

Out of these 100 persons, 6 would have 59% of all the world’s riches; 6 persons would be US citizens, 80 would be homeless and 70 illiterate; 50 would be dependent on someone else. One person would have a PC and one would have a certificate or degree.

If you have food in the fridge, have a bed to sleep in and a roof over your head, you are richer than 75% of the total world population.

If you have a bank account or some money in your wallet or even some change somewhere in your home, you belong to the 8% of the richest people on earth.

If you are able to go to church without feeling threatened, getting arrested or put to death, you are more fortunate (blessed) than 3 billion people in this world.

Having grown up in a tradition that talks a lot about comfort (afterall, ‘what is my only comfort in life and in death’), I wonder whether we’ve become too comfortable?

Have you ever read Psalm 151?
Probably not, since it hasn’t been written… yet!
Psalm 151 is my psalm, your psalm, anyone’s psalm. Its our own personal response to God’s presence, power or purpose in our life. Just as David wrote psalms to express his own faith and struggle, we can also do the same.
It can be long or short, fancy or plain, poetic or pathetic, profound or simplistic, whatever, so long as it is real, from the heart.
Your psalm, my psalm, anyone’s psalm.
I’ve asked the Crossroads community to write their own psalms, and I am getting some responses. Here is a good place to post your psalm, if you wish.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. [Psalm 37:7]
Sometimes the world can be so discouraging. If I allow my mind to dwell on how much suffering is going on all over the world – some of it beyond our control (like tsunamis, earthquakes, tropical storms, severe flooding) but much of it because of our control (like pollution, war, abuse, poverty, injustice, cruelty, etc.) -it can really get me down.
At those times it makes me think, ‘what difference can I make, can we make?’
In Psalm 37 David is reminding himself that no matter how bad things may get, no matter how successful sin and evil may be, God is STILL in control.
Don’t panic, don’t react out of fear, “be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him”.
In His time, in His wisdom, He knows what He is doing, and it will come out right in the end.
We are caught up in the immediate, in the chaos of the moment where nothing seems to make sense. But He is positioned above it all, and He sees the end of all things, He knows where it is all going and why the immediate is necessary to accomplish the ultimate. Continue reading ‘hope… that makes a difference’ »

For with you is the fountain of life… [Psalm 36:9]
‘Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. [John 7:38-39]

This verse from Psalm 36 (and the words of Jesus) inspire and challenge me.
The suggestion is that when we are in fellowship with the Lord, He causes LIFE to bubble up in us and through us.
Would I say that I have LIFE bubbling in me, the dynamic flow of the Spirit of God in me.
This LIFE is not a gushy, emotional energy, but as Paul describes, an overflow of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control [Galatians 5:22-23].
These are not qualities that we possess perfectly, but that we grow in, in increasing measure.
As Peter says, because of our participation in the divine nature (i.e. the Spirit), we possess these qualities in increasing measure, showing that we know Him [2 Peter 1:1-11].
The only way I can bubble with this kind of life is by striving each day to walk in close fellowship with the Lord, seeking is spiritual strength and guidance.
I need to be filled with the Spirit [Ephesians 5:18].
This is the only way I can bring life to others, if His life overflows through me.

I am thinking about ‘worship’ a lot lately.
Can’t get over the feeling that something is missing, something is wrong.
I’m talking about in the church in general, at least as I have experienced it.
I remember hearing the story behind the song “The Heart of Worship”, and as I reviewed this video, I can relate to what Mike and Matt are saying here… can you?