Dear Joy, Peter, and Kari:

I know we haven’t spent a lot of time in the mountains but I want to tell you about the Aspen trees because they remind me a lot of your Mom.

Aspens have one purpose; they grow just to protect the spruce tree when it’s born. As the spruce tree grows bigger and bigger the aspens gradually grow old and tired and they even die after a while. But the spruce, which has had its tender self protected in its childhood, grows into one of the forest’s most wonderful trees. One of the aspens’ most interesting attributes is the beauty of its leaves which seem to tremble and quiver at the slightest breeze.

Think about Mom as aspen trees standing there quaking in the winds that blow, catching the cold snows of life, bearing the hot rays of the sun, all to protect you from those things until you are strong enough and wise enough to do them yourself. Mom was never quaking from fear, but from the joy of being able to see your lives develop and grow into strong, God-fearing adults.

Just like the spruce, you have reached the point where you don’t need Mom as much as you used to even though you miss her very much. In the months between her diagnosis and death we talked often about how all three of you have developed and matured as followers of Christ. We were (and are) amazed at the privilege of seeing you grow this far and have influenced you all we could in this adventure we call life.

The spruce tree is like that, too. After having grown for years under the protection of the aspens he reaches the point where he’s on his own, but what he grows into after he goes on his own is up to him. Will his branches reach towards God’s sky and protect those weary people who come to rest under him? Will you in your growing become a person the world wants to know because you reflect the love of Christ whom your mother loved and served?

Don’t think of this as the first Mother’s Day without your Mom. It is your first Mother’s Day when God (and your Mom) knew without a doubt that you are prepared to practice the disciplines necessary to fully embrace this life-adventure.

So live in the fullness of God’s purpose being worked out in you. Confidently face each new day, and every circumstance, wholly aware that God will guide and direct as you remain faithful, obedient, and humble before Him.

And remember, I love you!

Dad

The water was at least 18 inches deep – across all four lane of Interstate 24 just south of downtown Nashville, TN. We carefully followed another vehicle through the water (Kids: don’t ever, ever do that!) and then we found ourselves stranded. We inched our way to the closest exit and tried three different directions all blocked by flood waters. Five hours later we learned from a Police Officer that one road going west was open. We would be able to go to Knoxville, TN and take I-75 to Atlanta. This was an adventure marked by delays, detours, and determined dependency.

What was intended to be a 12 hour trip became a 20 hour quest for a clear path. Not unlike life itself and especially similar to the challenges of ministry.

We often approach life in general and ministry in particular with the expectation that all the details should fall into place; all the roadblocks removed. We assume that because God has directed us to travel in a certain direction, the journey should be straightforward, and we don’t expect any delays or detours.

Some of us really believe that Jesus has gone ahead of us and prepared the way (Luke 7:22) but we don’t expect the way to include U-turns, backtracking, or waiting for hours on end (or days) for the path to become clear. We forget that the same God who moves at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second) also moves at the pace of a glacier or snail. He is God. God is more interested in obedience, faithfulness, and humility than speed.

How closely we follow Him is more important than the route He leads us through. Our self-discipline, self-control, and self-sacrifice are more important than how fast a task is completed or how successful a particular program is.

Fully devoted followers of Jesus learn (and are learning) to be determined in their dependency on God. Being patient while waiting for flash-flood waters to recede is an act of the will. Dealing with hotel doors with computerized locks that seize up at the most inopportune time requires a great deal of self-control. Driving hundreds of miles out of the way to reach the intended destination depends on staying alert.

Recognizing God in the delays and detours produces a new level of dependency on Him. (See Psalm 124)

No matter what tough, painful difficulties you face God is with you. Be determined in your dependence on Him.

I just read an article in ALife – one of the magazines I read on a regular basis. It was written anonymously since the author is working in a country which is closed to traditional missionaries. Be encouraged by these words:

“. . . no matter how much I strive to please my Heavenly Father, I don’t always get it right and often blow it. He loves me despite my failures, and has chosen to invite me into what He’s doing – despite my inadequacies. “

“The Father didn’t promise that following Him would be pain free; He simply asked for obedience. The ironic reward in setting aside my culture and language has been finding my place. Contrary to modern messages from my home culture, the journey of finding myself has absolutely nothing to do with looking inward, As I look upward, I realize that my identity has nothing to do with my location, my organization or my work – it has everything to do with my relationship with my Abba. “

How is your relationship with your Heavenly Father?

Romans 5:1-5:  Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

“Is it a promise? Or a threat?”

That was the comment a fellow pastor shared after attending a seminar where Will Willimon asked the question following a reading of the Great Commission.

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)

What exactly does Jesus intend for us to hear when he says, “I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age" (The Message)? When Jesus says he will be with us always, "day after day after day,” is that a promise or a threat?

Is it possible that we’ve mistakenly understood it only as a promise? Is that why materialism, sex, money, promotions, recreation, and personal fulfillment all rank higher in our priorities than disciple making?

Remember, to be a disciple is to be a learner; a life-long learner. The task is never finished in this life; the course cannot be completed; no certificate of achievement is awarded. Obviously, before we can make disciples we must be in the process of becoming disciples ourselves. Attending church doesn’t make a person a disciple any more than standing in a garage turns someone into a Volkswagen.

What does a disciple look like? Disciples are: Learners – both from teachers and from being self-feeders; Participants – fully engaged in the public worship of God; Givers – generously presenting resources to God in recognition that it already all belongs to Him; Outwardly focused – recognizing the people around us and around the world who have great physical and spiritual needs and putting on our boots, rolling up our sleeves and doing something about it.

How would our time and resource allocation change if we understand “lo, I am with you always” (NKJV), as Jesus holding us accountable, minute-by-minute, every hour, to making disciples by teaching them everything He taught?

Undoubtedly we would spend far less time in our efforts to maintain buildings, institutions, or traditions. If we could visualize Jesus demanding a daily account for how the breath he gave us was expended, we would most certainly give ourselves to prayer, studying God’s Word, and sharing the life-changing message with those who are far from God.

Jesus gave us a clear, uncomplicated, unmistakable command: “Go and make disciples.” He concluded the command with a statement, “I am with you always.”

Is that a promise? Or a threat?

The church should stop trying to make converts.

To convert something is to change US dollars to Canadian dollars – but its still money – or take liquid water and freeze it – but its still water. When we attempt to convert someone from Buddhism to Christianity all we’ve done is get them to change religion. 

Our preoccupation with making converts – getting people saved – has grown exponentially to become a serious blind spot. We have allowed the goal of conversion to distract us from real Kingdom work. We’ve become so concerned with getting people saved that we’ve actually forgotten the Great Commission. Jesus did not charge us with converting people; the Holy Spirit is responsible for conviction and regeneration.

Matthew 28:18-20 reads: Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

We’ve been duped. We piously sit in our church buildings waiting for people who are far from God to come to a service to hear a “gospel” sermon complete with 11 verses of “Just as I Am” for an “invitation hymn” and maybe be converted. We think people are being discipled just because they show up on Sunday morning. We conduct 13 week courses on discipleship and give people certificates of completion: You have been discipled. We who have been duped go right on duping others.

Jesus told us to GO.  Maybe we need fewer church services so we can concentrate on spending time building relationships with people who are far from God. They have to know we are real right along with believing that the God who dwells in us is real.

Then, after we witness the miracle of people deciding to follow Jesus, it’s our responsibility to make disciples. Jesus commanded us to teach these disciples everything He has taught and is teaching us! In other words, discipling is a life-long task.

The basic definition of the word “disciple” is learner. It is our responsibility to learn, to be taught, and then, in turn, to teach others. No 13 week course can produce a disciple because a disciple is never done. To be a disciple is to be a life-long learner who is both being discipled and is discipling others.

We need to make sure our attention is focused on making disciples.

Preaching on Sunday morning does not produce disciples. It may be a piece in the process, but it’s just one of many pieces. Small groups by themselves are not enough. Working in the food pantry does not make someone a disciple. We need a holistic approach for disciple-making that embraces listening, teaching, self-feeding, serving, and group interaction. 

And we must not be afraid of measuring results. We have to learn to use surveys, profiles, group inter-action and personal, one-on-one interviews to determine if people really are moving forward and growing as disciples.

It’s a bit of exaggeration, but let’s adjust our focus: No more converts! Make disciples!

Jesus came to show us the heart of His father; our Father. He came to reveal to us “the only true God” so that we might know Him, the Father. (John 17:1-6) He “made himself nothing . . . he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross.” (Phil 2:7-8)

Jesus knew in advance about the torturous whipping and the thorns cruelly wrapped around his head. He understood the path from the whipping post to Golgotha would sap every ounce of human strength and subject him to the vicious jeers of the crowd. Jesus willingly subjected himself to the brutal pain of spikes driven through his hands and feet and the ferocious ripping of muscles and joints when the cross was sadistically dropped into place.

Can we wrap our minds around the reality that Jesus fully comprehended the glory of the empty tomb and the resurrection and selflessly went to the cross first? Even though He could’ve called legions of angels to the rescue, Jesus suffered for you and me so that we, too, could share in the hope, joy and glory of the Resurrection.

In Matthew 16:24 he says to the disciples and to us: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

We exert tremendous energy and time and resources trying to be safe, reduce hardship, escape discipline, reduce the severity of consequences, and avoid pain altogether. But Jesus, who had all the resources of creation at his command, chose to suffer and says, “Pick up your cross and follow.”

· We run from pain – Jesus embraces suffering.

· We claim it’s our “right” to be comfortable – Jesus willingly allowed himself to be whipped.

· We demand respect – Jesus was mocked with a “crown of thorns.”

· We want everyone to like us – Jesus was hated by the masses.

· We want safety and comfort – Jesus endured hours of excruciating pain.

The Jews expected the Messiah to rout the Romans and re-establish the borders of King David’s Israel and rejected Jesus because, in their eyes, he failed to produce the utopia they thought they deserved. Are we much different?

Be honest! How many times are we disappointed in God because we hit that deer, or lost a job, or went upside-down on a mortgage, or a spouse died from cancer? How much is our relationship with God dependent on feeling comfortable, and safe and having a nice, easy life?

Why is it so hard to hear Jesus say, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”

Ministry is difficult for many these days: attendance is down, finances are tight, and the rumor-mill is running at top speed. Personal agendas and private preferences combine with strangulating traditions and produce untold stress and there’s no immediate relief in sight.

Rejoice! Be strong and courageous! The Resurrection is here! Celebrate the Risen Christ!

Jesus knew that the empty tomb was on the other side of the cross and he lived a life of victory and purpose. We, too, understand that a perfect body and perfect life await us in the presence of God where Christ-followers will spend eternity. Let’s live life in such a way that even in the difficulties and challenges, the pain and discouragement, the hope of Resurrection shines through.

Pastor Franklin* was describing a recent and very frustrating conversation. Patty*, whom he and his wife met at the grocery store, was explaining her prolonged absence from church: “I know you think I need to be in church, pastor, but I worship God best when I’m all by myself. Last time I came to church, you told everyone how important it is to have private devotions. You said it pastor, and I’m doing what you said.” (*not their real names)

To another pastor one young man said, “My wife and I cherish our Sunday mornings; breakfast in bed and reading the paper. I think God is pleased that we’re getting some rest and spending time together!”

Individualism. Self-sufficiency. Arrogance. How can one possibly claim that “private time” replaces corporate worship and the fellowship defined as koinonia?

(Some would claim that these “slackers” aren’t really Christians to begin with. But in both cases the pastors shared convincing accounts of conversion experiences and were able to describe many other lifestyle changes as evidence of salvation at work.)

Following Jesus is not a private spiritual journey lived out independent of the fellowship of believers and the needs of others. A clear distinctive of the life of faith is that Jesus calls us into community with God and one another. No one truly comes to Christ only to be left alone.

The continuing work of redemption, sanctification, and reconciliation takes place in community. God’s presence is made real in Koinonia, through the proclamation of the Word; in worship; as we care for each other; and by serving one another in Christ’s name.

We are “members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Eph 2:19-22). Christ followers have a deep-seat longing, a yearning of the soul, to belong to the Household of Faith – what the apostle Paul describes as “the Body.”

Scripture, the writings of great men of Faith, and our own experience confirms a deep conviction that God reveals Himself in and through the “Body” as we gather for worship, encouragement, and serving one another. The early Christians knew that “the Most High does not live in houses made by men” (Acts 7:48).

The language used in the Old and New Testaments to describe the presence of God always underscores the community of God’s people. Practicing the presence of God is never a private, solitary experience. Personal devotion is not in isolation from the biblical community. It is no more possible to follow Christ apart from the church than it is to have a shower without getting wet.

How do we teach our people the priority of corporate worship? What can we do to lead them in an understanding that serving one another is a group activity? How are we modeling vibrant Koinonia – the Christ-led fellowship that goes beyond pot-luck dinners and picnics?

Share your responses and check back to join the dialog.