A Church Planter's Journal

Day 142 of The Gallery

Scripture:

¹Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ, who is your^[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Col. 3.1-4

Thoughts:

I had my first meeting with a guy named John Ackerman. He is a retired pastor, writer, teacher. He's my spiritual director. His role is to help me listen to God. Wonderful meeting overlooking Lake Calhoun. The first line of the above verses make me recall something he asked me. He asked me how I listen to God. My reply was really born out of God's story. The Bible's narrative molds and shapes my thinking. It helps me keep my mind on "things above." The Bible gives us the fundamentals of God's values. If my story is bound up in God's story, then His values must be mine. And I've found these values dig their roots deeper into my life as I age and know more of the story.

These things above are laid in contrast with "earthly things." As a church planter is the contrast of the two that molds and shapes my strategy, the values of The Gallery, etc. It is my deep, deep desire for people who encounter The Gallery to encounter God. For this to happen, our community must be a community living on "earth as it is in heaven." Fair enough. Every Christian agrees with this theologically, but practically we still are looking for earthly things in our churches. We come to church looking for "heavenly things but if there aren't enough "earthly things" to keep our attention, we go shopping elsewhere.

As we seek to grow The Gallery it is hard for us not to measure The Gallery against earthly things rather than heavenly things. I had a leader tell me the other day he is almost sleepless because he is afraid we will only have 90 people (our average lately) in 5 months. My concern with such a worry in leadership is the root of the concern. Is the root concern tied to a earthly value or a heavenly value. Granted God wants to see people coming into His kingdom, but if we are 150 in 5 months and all of that growth is transfer growth, are we really successful? I know people will pat me on the back if we see that type of growth, but is it really worthy of heaven's praise to shuffle the saints?

In addition, what if lose 20 people from our core because they don't like the drive anymore or because they don't like the work of church plant, but let's say we gain 10 unchurched people. Our total numbers then go down, but we are also reaching 10 people we weren't reaching before. So, in heaven's values, what's the win? I say it's the latter scenario.

The other thing that plagues me is the shortsighted nature of our growth desires. I have served in two church revitalization efforts where each church had survived for 14-15 years right around 90 people. Now one of those churches is 1800 and the other is 450. Might I be the pastor who plants the foundation of 90 people for the next 14 years? If so, am I comfortable with that? I have to be.

My call now is to be faithful to God's call. I can't make a church grow. I can only be faithful.

PRAYER:

Abba, free from the desire to please. Help me simply follow you faithfully knowing your opinion matters more than all others. Give me and The Gallery listening ears and deep, deep faith. That's all we need.

I pray You will give me eyes to see where You are moving today. I pray You will inspire the creative efforts of our team for our second preview service this week. I pray You will give us all we need to give You the glory You deserve. I pray Your Spirit would manifest itself in us, so those who attend would taste of Your living water.

I pray for oneness. Give us the strength of mission. I pray for provision. I pray You would inspire through the power of Your Spirit more faithful giving in those who are barely giving.

I pray for healing for Andrew Prater and His gall bladder surgery. I pray for healing for Emma. I pray You would give Lisa and me endurance as we seek to help Sam in school.

I pray for Quest, Nelson, Dale. Bring them to The Gallery. We could really use them. I pray You will inspire all of our people to invite their friends. And inspire us to share our stories with the ways You have saved and healed us.

I also pray for cooks for the intl students.

All i can think of for now. Lord, I know everything is Yours. I see Your handiwork. It is beautiful. Amen.

Day 140 of The Gallery

This is my first installment of this devotional blog as a journal. Previous to this my posts were meant to be a simple example of my devotional life so The Gallery would have a template of sorts from which to work in their own devotional life. The online/public nature of the devotional blog made it hard to go as deep as I would have liked. So I have made this devotional/blog/journal private for the next year so I can go as deep as I like and also have something to look back upon to see how God has answered our prayers. I also hope my journey will prove useful to other church planters as they go on the journey I am on.

Enough said. 

Each entry will start with my Bible reading for the day.

SCRIPTURE:

⁹For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. ¹¹In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature,^[a] not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, ¹²having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. Colossians 2

I have read this passage plenty and always rest on the "fullness of the Deity" in "bodily form" part. But today I notice Paul telling me I have been given "fullness in Christ." Hmmm...what the heck does that mean? I have been "circumcised" by Christ, buried with him, and raised with him. Hmmm...I am guessing this is the "already but not yet" nature of my position in Christ eternally. Through Jesus' ushering in the kingdom, I now live in the reality of the kingdom reality "at hand." It is like yeast in dough, affecting every part of my being as God kneads the yeast into my life. Still, the idea of the fullness of God alive in me through Christ makes me shake my head and say, "Really?" Yet, it also gives me joy to hear God tell me there is far more happening in me through Christ than I realize.

I see that as a church planter. God is taking me on a journey I cannot see. His word is a light to my path, but it's a flashlight on this path. I can't see much ahead. And I have come to believe this is the way God wants it. I wake up every day looking at The Gallery's tasks ahead thinking, "I cannot do this." This then leads me to remind myself: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I believe this is exactly where God wants me. 

A year ago in my former position, I never woke up thinking I couldn't do my job. I had the resources of a great church, a support staff ready to take care of all my administrative needs, a great office, coffee just down the hall...but my faith was getting soft. I was living on my own power. I had the fullness of Christ within me, but I was not living on that power. 

Planting The Gallery has forced me to rest on God's power. And right now, I need that power because it's Sunday and I still haven't finished my message for tonight!!! I hate being this behind.

Abba, thank You for Your word that speaks truth to me I cannot yet fully understand. That power that raised You from the dead. I need that. The Gallery needs that. What's the point if we don't live off that power. But how, Lord? This is the part so hard for us to comprehend. I sense Your Spirit reminding me to be still...stop striving...listen. I'll shut up now. Come, Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Ephesians 2.4-7

Hi, just a heads up. This will be the last public post of my devotional for the next year. The reason being I have found a public devotional can only go so deep, and I need to take my journal writing deeper. Planting a church forces one to dig deeper spiritually and I would like that digging to be reflected in my journal. That said, I am going to continue writing in this blog format and in a year will make the entire journal public again. My reasons are as follows:

• I believe my journal of the first year of church planting will be of benefit to other new church planters.
• I believe looking back a year will give The Gallery a chance to celebrate all God has done. 
• The distance time gives will make the more personal writings easier to digest with some distance.

Hope that all makes sense.

Brad

SCRIPTURE:

⁶And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 

OBSERVATION:

The Apostle Paul seems to have an understanding of time which is hard for me to grasp. In the present tense, we are seated "in the heavenly realms with Christ." So that in the future God can show the "riches of his grace" and his "kindness to us in Christ Jesus." I am guessing there is a Jewish understanding of time here that I am missing. What I love about these verses is the present and future sense of them. We are secure in our position in Christ now, but there will come a time when a greater revelation of God's grace and kindness will be seen by all. This, of course, plays itself out as we read the prophetic/apocalyptic literature of other parts of the Bible. 

I also simply love reading about God's "kindness to us in Christ Jesus." God's kindness is another color in many colors used to describe God in the scriptures. God is holy, loving, righteous, just, grace-filled, and also kind. We worship a kind God. The book of Romans speaks of God's kindness leading us to repentance. 

APPLICATION:

This, of course, forces me to ask myself if I worship a kind God. A kind God would be an approachable God. This is the Father in the Prodigal Son parable. Imagine the scriptures without this parable! God's grace receives us prodigals back from our selfish wanderings and not only receives us kindly but seats us with His Son in the place of honor. God's kindness not only welcomes us home, but elevates our status. In our selfish wanderings we are slaves to the systems and powers of the world. But in the kingdom of God we are sons and daughters of the King. I know I'm mixing multiple metaphors here, but I think they work consistently. 

To live in God's kindness as a son or daughter is to live in freedom and joy. I need not worry about my place in the family of God. I need not live in fear like a slave. I can move through this life knowing my Abba loves me and is kind to me. I live in this kindness now and will do so for eternity. 

PRAYER:

Abba, what amazing joy there is in life in You. Nothing can harm me. I have all I need in You. No one can snatch me from Your grace-filled hand. Now, help me share this beautiful good news with the world. And help me live this kindness out as I relate to those around me. 

I pray for this kindness to flow out of The Gallery as we minister to each other and to St. Paul. To do so, Lord, we need our minds re-wired. So many lies have tangled up our thoughts into not trusting your grace and kindness. Untangle these lies for us. Give The Gallery a thirst for Your word of truth. 

Lord, I pray we would be good listeners of You. If You are kind, we need not fear hearing You. Hmmmm...Amen.

Romans 8.9-11

SCRIPTURE:

⁹You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. ¹⁰But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. ¹¹And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

OBSERVATION:

Themes of death and life here. The Spirit brings life. The sinful nature brings death. The Spirit raised Jesus from the dead and it will "give life" to our mortal bodies. Those who do not belong to Christ do not have this life-giving Spirit. Therefore, they will not be given "life" to their mortal bodies. 

If we again go back to Genesis we see the Spirit breathed life into the Adam. John's words to Nicodemus, it is the Spirit who gives new life, born again life. No Spirit--no life. Theologians talk of the Spirit being the love personal life of love between the Father and Son. The Father, Son, and Spirit invite us into eternal communion through the Son by the Spirit. This eternal life cannot happen without the Spirit. 

APPLICATION:

People don't like the exclusivity of Christianity. They want something besides the Spirit to give life to our mortal bodies. But if life is only in the Spirit made possible by the Son, then this is like wanting helium to be sufficient for human breathing rather than oxygen. It just doesn't work. It's not an issue of God's grace. God has been gracious enough to give us the Spirit so our mortal bodies might be given resurrection. Our request for some other way is like asking 2+2 not to equal 4. 

A couple things compel me to action here. 

1) This is again good news for those in Christ, but it is bad news for those outside Christ. Those without the Spirit will not be given the life the Spirit can give. So we are compelled as an act of love to share the good news of Christ with those without the Spirit. 

2) In addition, I simply find it interesting to see the clear teaching here that life is given to our "mortal bodies." Too often we Christians make our after-life spiritual rather than physical. This is not what the Bible teaches. So as a teacher I am compelled to clarify this error. I would venture to say most of our Gallery community probably envisions an eternal life in some sort of ghost-like existence among the clouds. The physical nature of our eternity is good news too! 

PRAYER: 

Abba, Son, and Spirit, I praise You for the love that gives life. And I praise You for the hope in Your good news. I praise You for the freedom too that comes in this life where i need not worry or strive to be in Your love. I am at home in You. 

I pray, Lord, Your life would flow through me so more would receive the life You alone provide. I pray Your love would flow through The Gallery too. I pray Your love would flow through my words as I prepare them for Sunday. I pray Your love would inhabit our praises on Sunday. I pray Your love would move The Gallery in its love for each other and this world. And I pray this love would move us toward sharing of Your good news through word and deed. 

May Your love flow through Jordan and Kristen's wedding today. Speak through Ryan as he shares good news. I pray Your love would flow through my family so Your life in us would bring new life to others. 

I pray You would root out anything in our community that gets in the way of Your love. Help us give each other and those near us what they need, not what they deserve.

Amen.

Romans 8.1-2

SCRIPTURE:

 ¹Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ²because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

OBSERVATION:

Those in Christ are not condemned because of Jesus. Clear enough. This is orthodox Christian doctrine. Why, though? Because of Jesus the Spirit's law, a law of life, sets us free from the "law of sin and death." 

Hmmm...the Spirit that breathed life into Adam, the Spirit that gives us the "born again" life from John 3, the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is the Spirit that sets me free. My new life in Christ is not just a life reserved for eternal glory with the Father. It is a Spirit of life right now to the extent that I stand justified before the throne of God without condemnation. Satan, the accuser, has nothing on me because of what Christ has done, confirmed by the Spirit. Who can explain this? Jesus says no one can understand how the Spirit gives new life. It just does. 

APPLICATION:

Because of my position in Christ, no longer condemned, I cannot condemn. Why? I have been justified through no action on my part, but through what Jesus has accomplished for me. In addition, though, I am being sanctified by the Spirit of life (meaning I am being consecrated, set apart, dedicated) for a life in the Spirit that is a life of...life. It is because God is love and life that eternal life exists! The Spirit of life dwells in me, thus making me an instrument of life. This is one of the many reasons I am a proponent of Christian non-violence. The Spirit has taken up residence in me such that my relationship with the Spirit is "on earth as it is in heaven." Therefore, my relationships with others must be "on earth as it is in heaven."

PRAYER: 

Abba, what joy and freedom to live free from condemnation. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom!" I am slowly beginning to understand that verse more deeply. I am free today to live. I am sustained by the life You have planted in me. I am in right-relationship with You and moving toward right-relationship with others. May Your love and life be seen in me this day. Guide me toward life-giving actions and words in all I do today.

I pray Your Spirit of life would immerse The Gallery in You. We need nothing else. Everything flows from You.

I pray also Your Spirit of life would immerse my family in You. Give the Kindalls the knowledge of freedom and love and life that comes only from Your Spirit. We need nothing else. 

Rain down this life on Your creation, Abba! Amen.