tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61672509394846474512024-03-18T00:18:46.546-07:00Cole-SlawCole (Cabbage): raw, shredded, mixed-up, and served cold...with a short shelf-life.Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.comBlogger288125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-65185557490552284472017-06-07T14:22:00.001-07:002017-06-07T14:22:22.662-07:00More Than Meets The Eye
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I am blessed to travel the world and meet some of the best
of God’s people in this generation. Everywhere I go I run into fruitful leaders
who have been influenced by a small handful of key influencers, often unknown
by the masses. These are prolific disciple-makers and leaders who are not famous
celebrities––they are too busy and focused to be concerned about such things. While
others receive accolades for lesser accomplishments, these key influencers are
truly changing the world. I have chosen to remain close to these key people, hoping
that their light rubs off on me. One of those outstanding influencers is David
Weston. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vb6QP0h1yCA/WThuAhOAfWI/AAAAAAAAAvA/WqP45nJemfYeg-k7TIBxPdhHq-thsxqowCLcB/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-06-07%2Bat%2B10.56.05%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1280" height="161" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vb6QP0h1yCA/WThuAhOAfWI/AAAAAAAAAvA/WqP45nJemfYeg-k7TIBxPdhHq-thsxqowCLcB/s200/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-06-07%2Bat%2B10.56.05%2BPM.png" width="200" /></a>David is an amazing man, full of joy, sincerity and energy.
I have met high caliber leaders all over the world that call him their mentor.
David is a soldier, both literally and spiritually, and he is unafraid. He
will charge full speed into the most dangerous places, and when he leaves those
places are better for it. He loves people, all kinds of people, without prejudice. Some who had meant the worst kind of harm to others are now bringing the love of God to the world because David first brought God's love to them. I have spent hours on the edge of my seat just
listening to his stories, but only after he has done all he can to solicit mine
first. </div>
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Weston is also privy to some of the most sensitive intelligence,
specifically regarding terrorist activity. In a world where every channel of
information is skewed, biased and obviously presenting only a convenient half of
the truth, I have often gone to David to find out what is truly going on. <br />
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<br /></div>
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Now David is launching a means for us all to glean from his
intelligence. <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/more-than-meets-the-eye/x/14233532#/backers" target="_blank">More Than Meets the Eye</a> is his newest endeavor that plans to shed
light on what is truly going on in our world and how we can best be prepared
for what is coming. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Frankly, I don’t know how long he can do this. Our true spiritual
enemy will likely do all in his power to shut this down. Sign up now. These are
dark days; don’t stay in the dark yourself.</div>
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-68653271351038857862016-04-11T08:25:00.003-07:002016-04-11T08:45:17.821-07:00A Kingdom Outpost: More Than A Meeting<style>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">There have been many “Aha” moments
in my life where a realization hits that changes everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few years ago I had one such epiphany.
Prior to this moment I had given my life to starting churches that multiplied. </span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nDKUWZvom6k/VwvAxQduQCI/AAAAAAAAAs4/uMHjdRDghtsM9SG3EPfx3vCbXJk8wcezg/s1600/IMG_3392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nDKUWZvom6k/VwvAxQduQCI/AAAAAAAAAs4/uMHjdRDghtsM9SG3EPfx3vCbXJk8wcezg/s320/IMG_3392.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">I heard the Lord say to me,
“So if you get hundreds of thousands of people meeting together in homes
all over the world do you think that will be enough to change the world?” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">It wasn’t that
starting churches was a bad idea, I am still investing in that. But there is
more, much more, to be done beyond a meeting. The church is meant to work
together, not just worship together––in fact working together <i>is</i> worshiping
together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Since then I have been a part of
starting more than churches, but missional kingdom outposts. Yes, these are
indeed churches of a sort, but meeting in regularly scheduled bible studies is
not the aim, and often isn’t even what happens. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Is a regularly scheduled meeting a good thing?
Of course it can be. The meeting, however, does not make a church, any more than a regularly
scheduled meeting is what makes your family a family.</span> Can a church exist without a
scheduled meeting? Yes it can. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">There are no sermons, Sunday
schools or “services,” in these kingdom outposts, yet the Scriptures are
the foundation to all they do. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">People live and work in community, not just sing songs and pass the plate. </span>There are no offerings taken, but there is
tremendous generosity. The people of these works share their lives together. They are giving so much more than their time and ten
percent of their treasure to the kingdom work. These people are giving up their whole being––their
sweat, provision, vocation and sense of purpose and identity––all to Jesus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">I would measure the disciples
coming out of these outposts against any coming from traditional church forms. I’m
not being boastful, just honest. I have spent time with some followers of
Christ from this movement and they are not like the typical churchgoer. As my friend and associate Dezi Baker says, "they
are different enough to make a difference." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">I realized a while ago that you
can’t produce a world changing disciple with a one hour service on Sundays and
a midweek hour of bible study. The deluded idea that this is how we do our
spiritual work is both vast and void. Disciples are made in the hard work of
real life––in the marketplace, not a meeting place. Our impact should be felt in
the populace not just in the pews. We should measure our influence out on the
streets not in the seats.</span></div>
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-58492798293426534392016-04-04T23:55:00.001-07:002016-04-04T23:55:32.532-07:00A New Trend in the Kingdom of God
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAV6DrhPshE/VwNgvMWAMfI/AAAAAAAAAsk/0PNJQQ-ydOA_glaQEecPJy8DZVQrBz1PQ/s1600/IMG_3596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAV6DrhPshE/VwNgvMWAMfI/AAAAAAAAAsk/0PNJQQ-ydOA_glaQEecPJy8DZVQrBz1PQ/s200/IMG_3596.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">I have the privilege of traveling
around the world equipping people to release Jesus movements. I see first hand what God is doing globally. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">One trend I am seeing everywhere is
the planting of new works that may be church (in a broader definition) but are
so much more than a local church according to our common understanding. For lack
of a better language I refer to them as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kingdom
outposts</i>. These outposts share a few common characteristics: </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">They create micro businesses that
employ people that are becoming kingdom agents in the world and provide a
needed product for the neighborhood. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">They involve providing a localized
spiritual family in sustainable community (often living in close proximity,
together under a single roof or on a shared property). For these people, church
has become so much more than a once a week event.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">They often practice sustainable
farming (even in urban settings) to provide for the spiritual family and often
the neighborhood as well.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">They often do volunteer work to
clean up neighborhoods and serve the community in tangible and often thankless
ways. Painting buildings, building or fixing homes, planting trees, picking up
trash, feeding the homeless are things that are a part of the regular rhythm in these
outposts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">They often work closely with very
marginalized people in their neighborhood and provide a path toward
self-sufficient living and kingdom fruitfulness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">They are able to change rapidly and
start new things whenever the opportunity presents itself. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">They are beginning to find each
other and network on a global scale...which is exciting. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">There are multiple reasons for
these shifts. Here are a few:</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Reliance on tax-free donations is
tenuous in a future that is rapidly becoming hostile to Christianity and many
well-established ministries will discover this in an abrupt and sobering
moment. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">The artificial separations of
secular and sacred as well as clergy and laity are being dissolved. The result
will be a global impact of God’s people that are no longer segregated from the
world. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Sustainable, local and green
enterprise is not just a fad; this is a strong movement that provides a kingdom
opportunity to serve our world and its inhabitants in a responsible way. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Disciple-making on the job and on
the streets is far more effective than two one hour meetings a week at a church
building. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">Providing jobs, raising
entrepreneurs and equipping people to prosper in this rapidly changing world is
a necessity.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qWlw-jo7BSM/VwNgvHoAi7I/AAAAAAAAAsg/Qvxe66AxJ1wmsJcb12qdqLMl33R_S_ROg/s1600/IMG_3643%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qWlw-jo7BSM/VwNgvHoAi7I/AAAAAAAAAsg/Qvxe66AxJ1wmsJcb12qdqLMl33R_S_ROg/s200/IMG_3643%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">I am actively involved with one
such kingdom outpost in Los Angeles, CA. Here we have launched a few micro
businesses as well as a sober living home and a twelve-step recovery meeting. In
the coming weeks I will post information about some of these incredible works
and tell some of the stories of people who have changed the entire direction of
their lives for Jesus. You will be encouraged and challenged. </span></div>
<br />
<br />
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-26515871016422803552016-03-25T13:54:00.000-07:002016-03-25T13:54:04.329-07:00Finding My Cross With Another Man Upon It: A Fictional Look At History's Greatest Injustice<style>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ug0_pi9Yd_k/VvWk1Lu9SoI/AAAAAAAAAsM/7osiDkiEQ7QdgtzC0CMcpCQ6A6GqxWDKw/s1600/crucifixion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ug0_pi9Yd_k/VvWk1Lu9SoI/AAAAAAAAAsM/7osiDkiEQ7QdgtzC0CMcpCQ6A6GqxWDKw/s320/crucifixion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
always thought of myself as being brave, but when I heard the footsteps of the
guard coming toward my cell, fear gripped me in a way that I never imagined.
Everything inside me froze from the terror. I couldn't move, or speak. My
stomach was in knots, and my breath was gone. I was hoping that my heart would
stop so that I wouldn't have to face the inevitable horror outside.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
had been in that cell for almost a week. The cells on death row are always the
worst but I hardly even noticed. All I could see was the cross. The chafing of
the shackles was a constant reminder of the nails that would soon be pounded
into my flesh. Their unrelenting hold on me never let me escape the permanence
of my sentence.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes there was the
cross. I would pace back and forth in my cell like a caged animal.
"There's got to be a way out of this! This can't be happening! Is this
really the end? Is this all my life is to be?" No matter how fast my mind
raced, no matter how many times I walked around that cell--there was no way
out! There's no Governor to pardon a Jew in this fascist government, especially
one who rubbed out a Roman Centurion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9QRjzSTkOVg/VvWkSMzrZwI/AAAAAAAAAsE/qfsgnxM0kP8FvrAYgTZSDe6xM-yNU7Cow/s1600/philip-gould-painting-of-barabbas-with-the-crowd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9QRjzSTkOVg/VvWkSMzrZwI/AAAAAAAAAsE/qfsgnxM0kP8FvrAYgTZSDe6xM-yNU7Cow/s200/philip-gould-painting-of-barabbas-with-the-crowd.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Before
I was caught, I used to run with a group of revolutionaries. I guess you would
call us terrorists. We prefer the term freedom fighters. We had a cause and
were willing to go to extremes for what we believed. I was a thief and a
murderer. There was always a kind of thrill when we would go out on a spree. As
I watched the man's life flow from his body, I felt a kind of a high--a buzz
that was better than wine. It was a release, as though I had finally gotten rid
of the anger and hurt inside me. The next day my hatred was back, but even
stronger, as though it fed on the violence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
used to think that I was doing the noble and courageous thing. Now I see that I
was just wasting what little and precious life I had. I knew that someday I
would be caught. I knew that someday I would have to pay the ultimate price for
my cause. I accepted that. But I always thought that it would be different from
this. I thought that I would be brave and strong<span id="goog_675681553"></span><span id="goog_675681554"></span>--a hero! I always hoped that
when I checked out people would admire and remember me for my courage. I used
to think that when I would die for my cause I would have the greatest rush of
my life. The truth is, when I heard the keys jingle, the lock turn, and the
door open, I felt only shame for having nothing good or clean to show for my
life--only hatred and violence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"Get
out here Jew," the guard grunted, but I just froze. "Why me
first?" Was the thought that ran through my mind. Then I said to myself,
"No. Lets get this over with. Let's just do it!" I still wouldn't
move. "If You want me outta-here pig you're gonna have to drag me
out!" I had nothing to lose, but nothing to gain either. There was no
thrill in my rebellion now. He grabbed me by my hair and pulled me out of my
cell. I could here my brother in the next cell. He was curled up in the corner,
weeping like a baby. He used to be so callused and hard.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
hall just wasn't long enough. The soldier was walking too fast. The door opened
too easily.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
bright light of the sun was not a welcomed sight to me. I just wanted to hide,
to disappear and never be found. Even before my eyes could adjust, I already
could hear a mob forming. Their voices were like jackals wining before a kill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"Well,
where is it?" I asked myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
guard unlocked my chains, but they were more welcomed to me than the spikes.
"Where is it?" I kept thinking. "Where's the cross?"</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Then
it happened. I still can't believe it! The words are still ringing in my ears.
"Get lost Jew." I just stood there. "Is this some kind of a
twisted joke? I must have heard wrong." Then he said it again, "Get
lost Jew, I don't want to see your ugly face. Go, or I'll make you wish you
were crucified!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">That
was all I needed, I was gone. I don't remember the streets, the plaza or the
gate, I just remember running. I didn't know where I was going, but I was
making record time! I just kept thinking that at any moment they would change
their mind and come after me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
would have kept on going but a distant noise stopped me. The approaching mob
was an announcement of the spectacle that was about to pass by. I remember
telling myself that it was stupid to stick around, but I couldn't move. I had
been rehearsing this sight over and over in my mind, and now I had to watch. I
was drawn to the scene as though it was the culmination of my life. I hid
myself in the crowd.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
first thing I noticed was the angry roar of the audience. Their shouts and
jeers passed right through my body. Their hatred was intense. I felt as though
it was me they were angry with, but no one even noticed that I was there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
mocking and cursing then became muffled in my mind, as if someone pushed the
mute button. I began to pass through the crowd as if I were in a dream. As the
noise of the onlookers became subdued, the grunts and dialogue of the central
cast in this drama were amplified.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">There
was my brother leading the condemned. It was definitely him, but I could hardly
recognize him with the strange look of terror on his face. This was a part of
him I had never met.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">All
our lives we had run together. I had always assumed that we would die together,
but an unexpected twist of fate intervened. I should be with him. My brother
had always followed, and now he is the one to go ahead of me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
both knew that this was a righteous execution. "Why am I not with him?
There is no reason for my pardon!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"Good
bye my companion, perhaps we will be together again...with this pain behind
us."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">A
terrifying shout filled with rage gave me a jolt of adrenaline. My attention
was drawn to the next man in this parade of shame. He was my partner. His wrath
was a familiar expression to me, only now it was magnified by the helplessness
of his lot. He had always been a fighter, and he was still fighting. I used to
envy his strength and intensity, but this time it seemed like a pitiful
display. This was not just a performance for the crowd. It was obvious that his
very soul was turned inside-out for all to see. There was nothing salvageable,
nothing innocent or good, only poison and sin. He should die.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">A
shudder passed through my body as the realization came to me: This was me! As
in a mirror, I saw for the first time the wickedness that was within me. I felt
a terror run through me that made my previous fear seem insignificant. I am my
enemy! I am the reason for my hatred and violence. There is no one else to
blame. I have had no cause but sin. I have not run free as I once thought, but
had always been a slave to my own evil. There was never any justice in my
actions. I had escaped the only justice I ever would have met. I should be
executed! I should be crucified!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"What?!?
A third cross? Who is this? It can't be! The Nazarene!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"Why?
He's done nothing! He is guilty only of unwavering idealism and speaking out
against the party line. Why Him?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">It
suddenly became clear to me. It was all a political ploy! My freedom was only
convenient. Nobody wanted me to live, they only wanted Him to die!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
finally saw it...there was my cross.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">My
shame was mounting with every step of the procession. His agony was for me. He
was not only carrying my cross, He was bearing my guilt. He was being executed
in my place.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
couldn't look any more. I started to turn, but then, a gasp--a tiny
whisper--thundered in my ears.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"Forgive
them?" He said, "Father forgive them!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"Oh,
Lord, where is the justice? Where is the righteousness of this? He shouldn't be
there. It should be me!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Then
He turned and looked at me, or should I say through me. His eyes pierced
through my soul. He knew! He knew that I was to blame! He knew that it was my
cross! He knew that I was the murderer!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">But
His face still had those words on it. Then He said them again, while He was
still reading the headlines of my soul--"Forgive them."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
was wanted! I was loved!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
Jews didn't really want me? They only used me. In those eyes, in those words, I
found the acceptance I had always desired; and from the one place I would least
expect it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
followed the group up the hill. I watched as the crosses were raised. I watched
the men slowly die. I have seen good men die, but this man was different. He
was more than a good man. He was the One, the innocent lamb of God, slaughtered
for our sin.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
died that day. I too was crucified on that afternoon. The Barabbas that was
full of hatred was put to death with the others. I finally found peace. I
finally found justice. I finally found a cause worth living for. I found it
there at the cross...my cross.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ
to die for us while we were still sinners. And since by His blood He did all
this for us sinners, how much more shall He do for us now that He has declared
us not guilty? Now He will save us from all God's wrath to come." -<br />
Romans 5:8-9 (Living Bible)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"I have been crucified with Christ: and I myself no
longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the real life I now have within this
body is a result of my trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
Himself for me." <br />
-Galatians 2:20 (Living Bible)</span></div>
________________________________________________<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
identify more with Barabbas than any other person in the Passion Story. His
story is found in the following passages: Matt. 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; Luke
23:17-25; John 18:39-40.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-51470741400307683962016-03-21T11:29:00.001-07:002016-03-21T13:12:01.549-07:000.01% of the Flesh is Deadly<br />
--><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQpvA-QEbWs/Vu8ubWsgvqI/AAAAAAAAArs/kvvwOnx47aIwqgJhc34hdXEIJqkwVJWpg/s1600/Hand-Sanitizer-for-Air-Travel-Hygiene.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VQpvA-QEbWs/Vu8ubWsgvqI/AAAAAAAAArs/kvvwOnx47aIwqgJhc34hdXEIJqkwVJWpg/s200/Hand-Sanitizer-for-Air-Travel-Hygiene.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;">Whenever I use
some hand sanitizer I notice the label boasts that it kills 99.9 percent of
germs. While the label is meant to be assuring of effectiveness, my thoughts are always drawn to that 0.01 percent germ. That must be a
strong germ, a super bacteria that can outlive a nuclear holocaust of Purell.
If so it would likely be the one to kill me––kill all of us for that matter. It
only takes one apocalyptic germ to destroy us all. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In Philippians
3 Paul identifies the true Christ followers as those who put zero confidence in
the flesh (Phil. 3:3), not even 0.01 percent is allowed. If we put even that
little confidence in the flesh, we are not operating in the Spirit at
all. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We Christians are facing two paths and the destinations of each could not be
farther apart than heaven and hell. One path is the path of doing good (the
flesh). The other is the path of grace (the Spirit).</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Our problem is that we think the way to our desired destination is to
take the opposite path. You can’t. You can't get to Los Angeles by taking the
road to New York. </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately, we are far too easy on ourselves when it comes to the flesh. A do-it-yourself (DIY) spirituality cannot be thought of as neutral or
tolerable. As Paul said, “The flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another”
(Galatians 5:17). So when you are feeding the flesh you are rejecting the
Spirit. Even if what you are doing looks and sounds good in the eyes of
everyone around you, if it is not from the Spirit, it is against the Spirit. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Paul laid out for us a contrast of the deeds of the flesh versus the
fruit of the Spirit. Here we find indicators of authentic or counterfeit
spirituality.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Paul mentioned that the deeds of the flesh (DIY
spirituality) “are evident.” I would add that the evidence is prolific and,
unfortunately, way too acceptable in our spiritual climate today. We have been
deluded to the point that we see these deeds as not only acceptable but
even as good
and godly
endeavors. I believe this is a root cause for our lack of real fruit in this
world and you really can't argue with the analysis. The outcomes are clear. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cjjOyH9KDsY/Vu8sxGsMjGI/AAAAAAAAArg/rA8YLSSQl9AubWV7SMA0yEIi71UTkcNPw/s1600/OneThingCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cjjOyH9KDsY/Vu8sxGsMjGI/AAAAAAAAArg/rA8YLSSQl9AubWV7SMA0yEIi71UTkcNPw/s200/OneThingCover.jpg" width="131" /></a>You cannot get the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) by practicing
the deeds of the flesh (Galatians 5:19–21). The two paths are diametrically
opposed. That is why we cannot be content with good works that are done in the
flesh. Frankly, this is why I wrote my new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Revolution-Change-World/dp/0718032861/ref=zg_bs_12343_38#customerReviews" target="_blank"><i>One Thing: A Revolution to Change the World with Love.</i></a> We have
become too accepting of a counterfeit spirituality that results in pride and
delusional thinking. This must end if we have any hope of truly making a
difference in this world. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some do-it-yourself spirituality mixed with some Jesus-soaked good news
is not okay in any way. We cannot tolerate a false gospel and expect to produce
the fruit of God’s Spirit. As long as we continue to walk down the wrong path,
we are taking ourselves farther away from the true destination, no matter how
right the view looks. Until we stop practicing the false gospel of
do-it-yourself spirituality, we will never be on the right track—only further
invested in the wrong direction. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The flesh is
not to be tolerated, excused, toyed with, allowed, ignored, or overlooked. It
is to be crucified. It is to be seized by force, brought to submission, and
then dragged to a violent and humiliating death—nailed alive to a cross until
it stops breathing. The flesh is hostile to us, not helpful; toxic not healthy. "</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:24 NIV)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As Paul said, “I have been
crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I
now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, NIV) This is the new creation. This is how
faith works through love. This is the true gospel spirituality that bears
fruit. Everything else is a counterfeit. Everything else is poison.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Living by do-it-yourself
spirituality is no better than not doing so no matter how "good" you appear, in fact it is worse. All the effort we put
into externally motivating righteous behavior is wasted and further leads us into the delusion of self-righteousness.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You cannot add healthy, organic, free-range, hormone-free ingredients
to cyanide and expect it to be good for you. Unfortunately that is often our
approach to spirituality when we try to redeem self-righteous, do-it-yourself
spirituality with the gospel and hope it will all work out better because of
the addition. It doesn’t purify the impure; it just taints the good stuff with lies.
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">An artist can use external pressure to carve a human figure from a slab of marble.
While it may look lifelike, it is as dead as a stone. There will be no beating
heart, no circulating blood, or lungs taking in oxygen. It’s just a rock shaped
like a human. A true human body is formed from the inside out with the
multiplication of living cells that contain the necessary DNA to code the
development of life. You cannot create a human being by cutting away excess
stone, and you cannot make a new creation with the old means that never worked
in the first place. If it did work, as Paul said, then Christ died needlessly
(Galatians 2:21). The result of do-it-yourself spirituality is no more true or
life-giving than a marble statue is a human being. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Can
the gospel be enough? I am convinced it is the only thing that is enough. I
will live or die for that belief. If we are not willing to bet our lives on the
true gospel to change people within, and instead we hedge our bets with a
little do-it-yourself spirituality mixed in for the sake of practicality, then
we are selling our whole selves to a false gospel. We must choose between the
whole gospel or no gospel—there is no in-between.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I suggest our real problem is that we have put more faith in the law of
the old covenant to change lives than in the powerful grace of the new covenant. This begs the questions: Why should
anyone want our gospel if we don’t even want it? We have abandoned the true
gospel for another. We are as foolish as the Galatians (Galatians 1:6-7).</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you are a
leader who is using anything other than the gospel to motivate people you
are part of the problem. Guilt, shame, fear, financial security, peer pressure,
the promise of prestige or prosperity, the association with success or the removal from things that
remind us of failures…these are not the means to godliness––ever. We cannot
produce spirituality with means that are less than spiritual. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Only the true
good news of Jesus can produce a new life within. The true gospel will never
tolerate a false one. A false gospel will tolerate everything except the
true gospel.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">____________________________________</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This post is from my book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Revolution-Change-World/dp/0718032861/ref=zg_bs_12343_38#customerReviews" target="_blank"><i>One Thing: A Revolution To Change The World With Love</i></a> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-45535707804884357152016-03-17T12:42:00.002-07:002016-03-17T12:42:57.957-07:00Doing Good Can Be The Enemy Of Being Good
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Is it possible that being moral can be just as bad
as being immoral from a spiritual perspective? Wow, let that question simmer
for a moment. Can it be that the “moral majority” at the tea party on the Right
is no better than the Left who tolerate all forms of immorality . . . except of
course being </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">morally </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">conservative ?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_uejdbNPfHI/VusEnvQmocI/AAAAAAAAArM/jBTr39UMyzMuVMjzsqlWDL_GNH65uIluA/s1600/OneThingCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_uejdbNPfHI/VusEnvQmocI/AAAAAAAAArM/jBTr39UMyzMuVMjzsqlWDL_GNH65uIluA/s200/OneThingCover.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Paul wrote to the Galatians, </span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." (Galatians 5:6) To us that may have less impact because we do not wrestle with the issue of circumcision today. If we were to contextualize it and say, "For neither morality nor immorality means anything but faith working itself out in love," we would better understand what Paul was saying. Doing good is not the same as being good. Listen, circumcision is not a bad thing but a good thing in the Bible. But it is also a meaningless thing in and of itself. Love, and only love is the one thing that fulfills everything.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">In our Christian culture today, sexual sin is at
the top of the list of capital offenses. That, however, is not the way the New
Testament views spirituality. Acting morally superior to those who are sexually
immoral is, in fact, treated more harshly in the New Testament. Why? Here are five reasons: it is deluded, harmful
to many more people, far removed from love, is a counterfeit to the true
gospel, and is difficult to recognize as sin. We need to treat
self-righteousness with more harshness than sexual immorality, if we want to
resemble a New Testament spiritual climate. And self-righteousness abounds in churchianity today, almost as much as our judgmental cruelty against sexual brokeness. </span><span style="font-family: Times;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">I have found that self-righteousness is as
forgivable as any other sin, it just isn’t as recognizable as other sins. To
many it looks “good” and, therefore, is acceptable. </span><span style="font-family: Times;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Doing good can be the enemy of being good. When someone is convinced that they are good because of all the good work they do, then they are deceived into believing that they do not need help. This is why Paul and Jesus address self-righteous leaders so harshly and those broken and entrapped in sexual immorality with such grace. We tend to do the opposite, don't we. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Those who think they are good need a slap in the face to wake them up. A gentle nudge is not enough, so Jesus slapped the Pharisees silly with sarcasm, insults and harsh rebukes. He called them "hypocrites" sixteen times in the Gospels. Why? Because he loved them and wanted them to realize that they also needed grace to find salvation. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Paul wrote nice words to the Corinthians and said nothing at all nice to the Galatians for the same reason. The Corinthians were tolerating immorality of such a kind that even the pagans blushed. They were divided and had celebrity preachers that they followed. They turned the communion into a party and got drunk on the wine. But Paul called them "saints" (holy ones) eleven times. The Galatians were striving to do everything right, by the book without compromise and at great cost. They were moral in every way. Paul had no kind words for them. This is the only letter that he did not use the word "saint" when addressing the church. Instead he called them: "cursed," "bewitched," "foolish," canibalistic and "separated from Christ." He went so far as to say that if they thought cutting off a little foreskin on the tip of the organ made them more spiritual than others, then they should go the extra mile and cut the whole thing off and be <i>really</i> spiritual. Yes, he did say that. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">He was trying to awaken minds that had been deceived. He knew this, because he had been one of those Pharisees that Jesus had to slap around before he would come to the light himself. And that was his love and concern for the Galatians. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Thinking you are good when you are just self-righteous is a delusion that we must wake up from. Paul wrote to the Galatians: "</span><span class="text Gal-6-3" id="en-NIV-29192">If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves." (Galatians 6:3) </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text Gal-6-3" id="en-NIV-29192">Being deceived is a tough problem. If you knew you were deceived then you wouldn't be deceived. the problem is you are unaware of your real problem. If you knew your zipper was open, you would zip it up, but you are unaware of the problem even though everyone else may see it. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">A deluded mind cannot think its way out of the box
it is in. The deluded mind <i>is </i>the problem, so it cannot fix the problem.
The only way to love such a person is to wake them up with a slap in the face. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">________________________________</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">This post is adapted from my book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Revolution-Change-World/dp/0718032861/ref=zg_bs_12343_38" target="_blank"><i>One Thing: A Revolution to Change the World with Love</i></a> </span><span style="font-family: Times;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-17500161840828861792016-03-15T14:11:00.000-07:002016-03-15T14:11:11.701-07:00The Invasion Of Do-It-Yourself Spirituality
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4SCN4xxKiM4/Vuhet0w50VI/AAAAAAAAAq8/yo5aGCWKHIovKesiJsBFVOi7KBClJzvNQ/s1600/OneThingCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4SCN4xxKiM4/Vuhet0w50VI/AAAAAAAAAq8/yo5aGCWKHIovKesiJsBFVOi7KBClJzvNQ/s200/OneThingCover.jpg" width="131" /></a>My home is
being surrounded by large warehouse stores full of do-it-yourself (DIY) tools
and products. Within six miles of my house are seven such stores! In fact, they
all seem to be doing good business even though they are all pretty much the
same. Evidence of DIY stores can be seen in every room of my house as well.
There are not just television shows dedicated to the DIY revolution there are
entire TV channels dedicated to it 24 hours a day. The DYI revolution is not
just happening in our culture, it has even invaded our view of spirituality,
but there are dire consequences of a DIY spirituality. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The way we do
ministry is plagued by human engineering. Programs are intended to make people
more spiritual. We publish curriculum that are designed to make people more
faithful. Models of church are intended to entice attenders. We have systems
upon systems to accomplish what only God can do. In fact, most of what we call
discipleship in our churches is merely an attempt to form people’s knowledge
base and conform their behaviors to align with what we think is spiritual. The final product is really just theological moralists lacking true spiritual power. The
results, beyond church attendance and proud pew sitters, are pitiful, to say
the least. <span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">We put faith in strategies of evangelism that are thought to be more
effective than others. Pragmatism
rather than the power of the gospel drives the evangelistic process in many
churches. If we do the process right, we believe, we will see a higher
rate of conversions per evangelistic event. One evangelistic method does not save more souls than another. In fact, an evangelistic method does not save any soul at all. Only the gospel of Jesus saves souls, not our methods. I can't save myself and I sure as heaven can't save you, no matter what method I employ. All of these types of ministry
exercises reek of human engineering and quickly lose sight of the miracle of
God’s promise and power. We have put more faith in our methods than in Jesus, and that is legalism. That is Galatianism. <span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">We are so
driven by pragmatism— after all, we’re really trying to do good things—that we
are easily seduced toward a false-gospel spirituality. "<span class="text Gal-1-6">I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—</span> <span class="text Gal-1-7" id="en-NIV-29065">which is really no gospel at all." (Gal. 1:6-7)</span><span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Really, the
only thing that is sacrificed by a false gospel is the true gospel. With that
sacrifice, we lose everything that is important and keep a lot of things we
think are important but have no real value. We do not lose our churches, our
leadership, our finances, our buildings, our branding, our statements of faith,
our creeds, our organization, our numerical success; even most of our theology
is kept in tact with this false-gospel spirituality. All we really lose is
everything most important, namely, Jesus (Gal. 5:2–4). Authentic spiritual life
is also lost (Gal. 5:6; 6:15). With that, any real impact on the world is lost
and replaced with organizations doing supposedly good things. What we lose is
what is most important: faith working through love. <span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Using
legalistic methods to modify behavior is a resort to a false spirituality based
on a false gospel and it does not result in true fruit. If the true gospel of
grace is insufficient, then all other efforts will be meaningless in the end.
All that is not done in love is meaningless (1 Cor. 13:1–13). </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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We’ve
become so content with a false gospel that we have no clue what the real thing
is. When we become so accustomed to the type of goodness that is only possible
by humans, we have no imagination for a goodness that is possible only by God.
As a result, we often see those without the Spirit of God actually doing better
and looking more loving than those who supposedly have the Holy Spirit. This
dumbing down of love is evident in our churches to such an extent that none are
attracted to us but are actually repelled by us. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Can the gospel be enough? I am convinced it is the
only thing that is enough. I will live or die on that belief. If we are not
willing to bet the farm on the true gospel to change lives, and instead we
hedge our bets with a little do-it-yourself spirituality mixed in for the sake
of practicality, then we are selling our whole selves to a false gospel. We
must choose between the whole gospel or no gospel—there is no in-between. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">For my part, I
do not want anything to do with a Christianity void of love. But most people in
the world already know the dirty little secret: our churches are not driven by
faith working itself out in love. We can say otherwise, but nobody hears us,
because our lack of love shouts so loudly in our posture, priorities, and
practices. In much of Christendom we have replaced an authentic spirituality
with behavior conformed to a moral standard and accepted that as a Christian
life. <span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The worst
consequence of all when we choose do-it-yourself spirituality is that we get
what we wanted—a Christianity all on our own. <span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Christianity
without Christ is an awful thing. <span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">____________________________________</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">This Post is an excerpt form my book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Revolution-Change-World/dp/0718032861/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank"><i>One Thing: A Revolution To Change The Word With Love </i></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-66451903571695590002016-03-07T08:50:00.000-08:002016-03-07T08:50:02.276-08:00A Very Uncivil War
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KAumEnaDku0/Vt2vnvzrX0I/AAAAAAAAAqk/i6UjB4f73_4/s1600/OneThingCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KAumEnaDku0/Vt2vnvzrX0I/AAAAAAAAAqk/i6UjB4f73_4/s200/OneThingCover.jpg" width="131" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">The Right and the Left are growing farther apart
with each passing week. Liberal politicians and conservatives are in a moral
and political “take no prisoners” civil war. Each is strengthening its stance
and asserting bold and often baseless accusations at the other side. This war
has spilled over into all of life, not just politics, and includes the arts,
education, business, journalism, science, technology, social services, military,
and faith community. </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">The church is posturing itself farther and farther
away from any positive influence in society, because it is deeply rooted in a
moralistic crusade and quite comfortable shouting at the world from a distance.
We should be on a transformative, redemptive mission of peace and love like
Jesus the revolutionary, but instead we take stands, pass laws, protect interests and campaign
against issues. We react
to issues and take defensive postures and look as hateful as any faction in
this growing divide. We are not a movement of love, instead we are a voting block.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">The civil war is hot, and neither side is at all close to
building bridges or bringing peace. We simply must take a different approach if
we want to make a difference in this world—and now is the time! But in order to
make a difference, we must first be different ourselves. </span><span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Today’s emerging generation is fed up with an
unengaged, judgmental Christianity that is afraid to get its hands dirty with
real change but is more than willing to tell everyone else how bad they are. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">We have had unrealistic expectations of imposing
morality without spirituality in a world that desires spirituality without
morality. This is insane. We are surprised that the unredeemed act like they
are unredeemed, but the real shock is how the redeemed act like they are <i>not</i>.
My new book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Revolution-Change-World/dp/0718032861/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1457110795&sr=1-6" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">One Thing: A Revolution toChange the World with Love</i></a> is a call to the church to respond in love
toward the world and not to impose our own values on others but rather live
them out. </span><span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Many Christ followers are tired of being the
laughingstock of late-night television. They are also angered by the poor
results the church is seeing as it seeks to be a transformative presence in
society. This book will appeal to Christians who are tired of being
characterized by the world as angry people known only for what they are
against. It offers an alternative that is biblical, effective, subversive, and
loving, all at the same time. </span><span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">It is time for us to trade in our busy religion
with so many rules and causes we are staunchly against for a “one thing”
spirituality. That one thing is the love that is generated by being with Jesus,
being focused upon Jesus, and letting Jesus leak out in our lives. We need to
wear Jesus in more ways than just a WWJD bracelet. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">_________________________</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">This article is adapted from the introduction to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Revolution-Change-World/dp/0718032861/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1457110795&sr=1-6" target="_blank">One Thing: A Revolution to Change the World with Love </a></span><span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-25316944186962093552016-03-02T10:25:00.002-08:002016-03-02T10:25:45.843-08:00Become Good News People Again
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dS9EqTsH1xo/Vtcuo0wq3rI/AAAAAAAAAqM/yH4rYouzJLY/s1600/love-revolution1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dS9EqTsH1xo/Vtcuo0wq3rI/AAAAAAAAAqM/yH4rYouzJLY/s200/love-revolution1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Today’s world needs a revolution. Not a violent
one; we’ve had plenty of those. We need a revolution that changes hearts
and minds with love. That is what I believe Jesus came for. </span><span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">It is also what I believe he has sent us here for.
And it is also what I believe the world is poised to receive. </span><span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Jesus didn’t come to earth just to change your
Sunday morning routine and voting patterns. He came to change your life every
day and in every way. The power of change is for every one of us, not just
priests, pastors, and preachers. And everyone that is changed becomes a change
agent. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Today the “evangelicals” are quickly being duped to
support a bigoted, bombastic, bully who boasts of sexually conquering other
men’s wives and who profits off of other's gambling addictions and objectifying
young women. This tells us more about the state of evangelicals than the
candidate they support. We are no longer good news to this world.</span><span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">My friend Lance Ford says in his book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Revangelical-Becoming-Good-People-Meant/dp/1414390157/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Revangelical:</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">What evangelical is supposed to mean—bringer of good news— is completely
different from what it has come to mean for many in our society: judgmental,
misogynist, bigoted, homophobic. How did this happen? How did the “good news”
people come to be widely regarded as bad news?</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-text-raise: 4.0pt; position: relative; top: -4.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Evangelical literally means "gospel people" or good
news people. The gospel itself is all about transformation—change. We should be
the ones bringing a revolution of heart to the world. Instead, we spend our
time debating theological stances, moral codes, and political issues. We quickly
shout our offense at the world’s values and behaviors. We are people known for
resisting change. How did we get here? What will it take for us to rise up
again with a real revolution of love that the story of Christ truly merits? </span><span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgC1rvhMaug/VtcuGGU5SAI/AAAAAAAAAqI/-hzpleNfuPg/s1600/OneThingCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgC1rvhMaug/VtcuGGU5SAI/AAAAAAAAAqI/-hzpleNfuPg/s200/OneThingCover.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Let’s face it: more of the same thinking will only
produce more of the same activity. We need a change of mind—yesterday. We need
to think and, consequently, respond differently if we hope to make any change
in this world for the better. And that is what my new book<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Revolution-Change-World/dp/0718032861/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">One Thing: A Revolution to Change the World with Love</a></i> addresses. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">___________________________ </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">This post is from the introduction to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Revolution-Change-World/dp/0718032861/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank"><i>One Thing</i></a>. </span><span style="font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-64032505322459536432016-03-01T12:12:00.001-08:002016-03-01T12:20:54.626-08:00Don't be a Stooge for a Political Cause<style>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YBwX5-19hh0/VtX2kyPT3-I/AAAAAAAAApw/WB5wGt5fMUk/s1600/OneThingCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YBwX5-19hh0/VtX2kyPT3-I/AAAAAAAAApw/WB5wGt5fMUk/s200/OneThingCover.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 15.0pt;">An interesting thing occurred while I was editing my
new book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Revolution-Change-World/dp/0718032861/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1456855467&sr=1-1" target="_blank">One Thing</a></i></span><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 15.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Revolution-Change-World/dp/0718032861/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1456855467&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><i>: A Revolution to Change the World with Love</i></a></span>. Some dear friends read the book for me and offered
feedback. They assumed what my view was on certain issues simply because I was
not espousing their views. I was not at all saying what they thought I was. The
patterns in their brain “filled in” information that I actually never wrote. I
asked myself why this happened. I had one of my friends read a chapter three
times and then went over it with him line by line until he saw what I was
actually saying. We were not so far off in our beliefs after that. One can
argue from this that I am not a good communicator, but I think there is more. </span><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 15.0pt;">I believe we all have been programmed to hear with a
bias that doesn’t always allow us to actually hear what is being said. We have
been force fed by media only two options and challenged to choose a side. We
are so accustomed to the same sound bites on both sides that when we hear
something different from our point of view our brains automatically dump the
voice into the opposite category without really listening. We’re programmed to
defend ourselves and demonize others. We have allowed the propaganda to
infiltrate our minds so much that we cannot grasp any other alternatives than
the two heaped upon us constantly by media. </span><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 15.0pt;">It is entirely possible that readers with left
leaning will think that my book is too conservative. It is also probable that
readers that are conservative will feel I am left-leaning in my thoughts. This
is not bad news to me, but actually a sign of success. Why? Because you cannot put Jesus on a side. He does not fit into your categories or align with any
political agenda. He will not be the Right’s mascot or the Left’s rallying cry.
Jesus challenges all of us, wherever we are, to change. There are two sides:
his or not his (Matt. 12:30). He will not be packaged to fit a typical pundit’s
commentary or coerced to take our side on any issue (Jos. 5:13–15). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 15.0pt;">“It was for freedom that Christ set you free” (Gal.
5:1). Free your mind and free your soul so that you, too, can be different
enough to make a difference. Do not be a mouthpiece for a cause beyond Jesus.
Do not let rich old white men in a room full of cigar smoke and expensive
Scotch determine what you believe. A fraternity of elites in ivory towers with
utopian dreams and zero tolerance of any other point of view should not
determine your choice. You have Jesus as your head. Jesus is not a Republican,
and he is not a Democrat. Jesus is not a capitalist or a communist. He doesn’t
need to vote; in fact, in the end he has the only deciding vote in his kingdom.
He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Follow him and be different so that
you can change this world. </span><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 15.0pt;">The same old thing never changed anything. There is
only one thing that can truly change this world, and his name is Jesus. You
can’t have a one-thing spirituality and other things as well. By its very
definition, a one thing is an “only thing.” Pursue the one thing at the expense
of everything. </span><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 15.0pt;">Welcome to the revolution. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 15.0pt;"> ___________________________________</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 15.0pt;">These are actually the last paragraphs of my newest book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Revolution-Change-World/dp/0718032861/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1456855467&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><i></i></a><i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" target="_blank">One Thing</a>: A Revolution to Change the World with Love</i> available wherever books are sold. </span><span style="font-family: "times"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
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Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-17703118957074676372015-12-15T14:14:00.000-08:002015-12-15T14:14:10.874-08:00What is an Organic Church? Part One: Multiplication Organizing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Flfa5UAHkOc/VnB4ztuPsVI/AAAAAAAAApc/JMmcY0dhZTg/s1600/100M%2Bart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Flfa5UAHkOc/VnB4ztuPsVI/AAAAAAAAApc/JMmcY0dhZTg/s400/100M%2Bart.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I have been a published author and pioneer of organic church movements for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Raising-Leaders-Harvest-Neil-Cole/dp/1889638110/ref=la_B001JSBY7A_1_29_twi_rin_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450214506&sr=1-29&refinements=p_82%3AB001JSBY7A" target="_blank">20 years (yeah, I'm officially old)</a>. The term "organic" has come to mean many things in church world over those years. Often it has been hijacked from my original ideas and mutated to mean something less than healthy. It has become as suspicious as the same label used on food packaging at the grocery store.<br />
<br />
I'm not the first to use organic ideas to describe the church (that would be Jesus and Paul). As the person who published the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Church-Growing-Faith-Happens/dp/078798129X/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Organic Church</a> ten years ago let me set the record straight on what "organic church" means. <br />
<br />
<b>1. Organic Church is not just a house church.</b> Many people assume that is what I mean when I use the word, and I assure you it is not. I'm not against house churches but I'm also not against organized churches. Organic is not a descriptor of one kind of model, it is a description of a necessary quality for all churches. In fact, I often say every church is organic or it is not the church. Organic simply means it is alive and natural. It can also mean being void of artificial ingredients. As such, organic is more a quality of the church rather than the type of church. Some churches can be partly organic and partly inorganic. Our goal should be 100% organic. A house church can be completely inorganic, and a mega church can be very organic. So I would suggest we stop using organic to describe one model of church. That said, you cannot do church organically and skip intimate relationships with one another in a spiritual family. Actually one can argue that you cannot be a follower of Christ and skip that. Just because a church meets in a house doesn't make it organic, but one that never brings life into the home is less than organic.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Organic Church is a way of relating to God, one another, and the world.</b> In our movement the DNA is the key component of organic church. Our life giving code is within each disciple (a result of internalizing and activating/obeying the gospel) and is the most important part of being organic. The DNA is Divine Truth (relating to God––The great commandment), Nurturing Relationships (relating to one another––the second greatest command) and Apostolic Mission (relating to the world––the great commission). Again, these are qualities every church should aspire to have. This DNA should be found healthy and whole within the smallest unit of church life––the disciple in relation to other disciples. Any church void of the whole DNA is unhealthy, and no amount of better musicians, buildings, programs, staff or sermons can make up for it's absence.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Organic Church is about the true life source and the development of that life within a church.</b> Perhaps the most distinguishing mark of what is organic is the source of life and consequently how it grows, develops and reproduces. So much of churchianity is growth being perpetuated from an external source. This is the inorganic approach and is in fact <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Revolution-Change-World/dp/0718032861/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">a counterfeit gospel</a> where we try to make people and churches grow with motivation from the outside. When we use guilt, shame and fear to coerce behavior we are being inorganic. When we try to entice people with glitzy entertainment and "motivational" talks, we are delving into less than organic practices. When dollars are required to bring growth inorganic church is the result.<br />
<br />
As my mentor George Patterson described, such methods are like trying to make a corn stalk grow faster by grabbing it and pulling on it. Foolishness. We all know that the growth comes from within the plant as cells reproduce. Our life must come from Christ within and grow out because of the internalized good news. Anything else is futile. Christ in you is the hope of glory––and nothing else is.<br />
<br />
Combining inorganic practices with organic ones simply nullifies the true with the false. You cannot add just a little poison to a casserole and expect it to be healthy just because all the other ingredients are natural. As I often say, "If the death, resurrection and indwelling of Jesus Christ is not enough to motivate you, a sermon and a song isn't going to be enough."<br />
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It is the life within that causes health, growth and reproduction. Every dollar spent in inorganic practices is an investment in the opposite of life and produces something less than real. Every type of church can release true life rather than suffocate it with inorganic methods. Movements have potential for release when we organize around life instead of thinking that we get life by organizing. It is life that produces healthy organization. Organization never produces life––but it can kill it. <br />
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I am now a part of a team launching new movements from a few established churches. It is called <a href="http://www.willmancini.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/100_Movements_Introduction.pdf" target="_blank">100m (100movements).</a> I am honored to be working alongside a team of exceptionally gifted and godly people, including Alan Hirsch, Will Mancini, Dave Rhodes and Jessie Cruikshank. [If you would like to sign up to find out more about 100m click this <a href="http://www.100movements.com/" target="_blank">link</a>. This is the first in a series of blog posts to shed light on what 100movements is all about.]<br />
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One of the six areas we work to bring health to an existing church is in the area of organic systems, which we call Multiplication Organizing. In order to release movements we must begin to allow the true life of Christ to burn bright within us. Organization must be built around life, and never the other way around. Good organization never produces life, but good life can produce healthy organization. Your own body is full of systems that make it structured and working properly. All those structures began with a single cell containing your DNA...then multiplying. Church can learn much from this form of organizing.<br />
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One symptom of being inorganic is if the organization and programs of the church take precedence over the simple obedience of God's people outside the church. If the life of the disciple is only about promoting the organization of the church everything is backwards. The life in the disciple should be more important than the organization of the church. If everything is about growing an organization than you probably have to pull a few inorganic weeds from your midst. In an organic church, the organization is to help the disciple produce and reproduce the life of the gospel in others. It doesn't really work the other way around.<br />
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I will be posting a series on how these six areas are a part of being organic,
healthy and releasing movements. These six areas are important for all
churches. </div>
<br />Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-69540650246904781092015-03-17T09:24:00.001-07:002015-03-17T09:24:32.880-07:00An Apostolic Example: Patrick<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
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Early in the fifth century, an English teenager named Patrick
was captured by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to the Emerald Isle. There
he was forced to work through snow, frost, and rain as a herdsman. Though he
was not a Christian at the outset, Patrick’s faith in God grew during this
difficult time and he became accustomed to talking with God and hearing the
Shepherd’s voice.</div>
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After six years in captivity, Patrick managed to escape and
make his way almost two hundred miles to a port city, where he was able to get
on board a ship and return to his home in England. Now in his early twenties, he
studied to become a priest like his grandfather.</div>
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One day, he heard a specific call
in a vision to go back to Ireland to save the Irish people from their paganism.
He returned to bring Christ to the very people who had once enslaved him. He
preached the Good News, started churches, and refused to use the church or his
position for personal gain at the expense of the movement. His work, and that
of those who built on his apostolic foundation, is credited with saving Western
civilization from the Dark Ages.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6167250939484647451#_edn1" name="_ednref1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a>
More than fifteen hundred years after his life ended we wear green once every
year commemorating Patrick’s death on March 17.</div>
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In his own writing, Patrick, who is known as the apostle of
Ireland, recounts his calling in a vision that came to him: </div>
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I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was
Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the
heading: “The Voice of the Irish.” As I began the letter, I imagined in that
moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foclut"><span style="color: windowtext;">Foclut</span></a>,
which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: “We
appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6167250939484647451#_edn1" name="_ednref1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a></div>
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<div style="mso-element: endnote-list;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DOqFlk4FN5s/VQhS7J_qeAI/AAAAAAAAAow/FF0AOQIsKlg/s1600/index.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DOqFlk4FN5s/VQhS7J_qeAI/AAAAAAAAAow/FF0AOQIsKlg/s1600/index.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a>This blog post is the start of chapter 9 of my book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Fire-Reigniting-Church-Gifts/dp/1414385501/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Primal Fire </a>about the equipping gifts of Ephesians 4:11. Patrick, whom we honor today was a great example of the apostolic gift.
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6167250939484647451#_ednref1" name="_edn1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a>
Thomas Cahill, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How The Irish Saved
Civilization</i> (New York: Anchor, 1996).</div>
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<div id="edn2" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6167250939484647451#_ednref2" name="_edn2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a>
Liam De Paor, <span class="cs-italic">Saint Patrick's World: The Christian
Culture of Ireland's Apostolic Age</span> (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 1993),
100<span class="citation"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">.</span></span></div>
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Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-28455399701554386952015-03-16T12:52:00.001-07:002015-03-17T08:50:31.269-07:00What is a Church, Part Three<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ilYQ9xf3G7I/VQcz_KQfIRI/AAAAAAAAAoU/02k-VBk95i0/s1600/MVI_5645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ilYQ9xf3G7I/VQcz_KQfIRI/AAAAAAAAAoU/02k-VBk95i0/s1600/MVI_5645.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Francis Chan has used an analogy to
shake up our view of church. He says: “Imagine you were alone on a desert
island and had no experience at all with Christianity, and a bible washed up on
shore so you read it cover to cover. If you then decided you would do church, do
you think you would do church the way we do it?” The obvious answer is of
course not! What this tells us is that much of the way we do church is more
wrapped up in church historical tradition than in what the Bible says. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Greek word translated “church” is
ecclesia, which means “called out ones” and is used to describe a gathering or
assembly. The word morphs into greater significance as the NT progresses, Paul
giving a far more detailed and elevated view of it. In Acts the word is used to
describe an angry, confused and divided mob of pagans declaring allegiance to a
false god (Acts 19:32). I’ve been to that church. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Bible does not define the church. Instead
it is described with helpful pictures: a flock, a field, a family, a body, a
bride, a branch, a building made of living stones. Definitions are helpful, but
descriptions can catch the heart and vision of people and are far more
memorable and spreadable. People don't usually spread definitions around but they do spread simple and visible ideas that capture one's imagination. I firmly believe that the NT intends for the church to be spread like a viral movement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you were to try and describe today's church
as we know it using pictures I believe we would have an entirely different list
of descriptors. In fact, do a Google search of the term church and look at the images that pop up...all buildings. The church we have all experienced looks more like one of
these: a building with an address, a concert with a motivational speaker, A public meeting with religious practices, a
business that provides spiritual goods and services, an organization with
bylaws and business meetings, a school teaching people about the Bible and its
author, or a hospital for the sick and broken. Contrast those two lists. We
have replaced an organic and life producing view with an institutional one that
does not produce life but at best simply tries to preserve and contain
it. </span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hd-fYGm1UQE/VQcyhotLJKI/AAAAAAAAAoI/33u1oK1z4og/s1600/church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hd-fYGm1UQE/VQcyhotLJKI/AAAAAAAAAoI/33u1oK1z4og/s1600/church.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Our common way of seeing the church
today contains, conforms and controls God’s people. The biblical pictures of
the NT are all about releasing and reproducing the life of the church, not
managing and controlling financial interests.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Inorganic things can produce, but not
reproduce. As Christian Schwartz points out so eloquently, “A coffee maker can
make coffee (praise God), but it cannot make more coffee makers.” Jesus intends
for his bride and body to be fertile and for his branches to bear fruit. Jesus
didn’t use images of an institution, nor should we.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">With much study, research, experience
and time spent seeking wisdom from smarter men than us, we have come to
understand church by this simple yet profound description: </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“The
church is the presence of Jesus among His people, called out as a spiritual
family, to pursue His mission on this planet.”</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">While the bible uses a number of
metaphors to describe the nature of the church, these metaphors have one very
striking thing in common. They all imply that the church is a living thing.
What about the building you might ask? Remember, it’s built with living stones
and is a dwelling place for the Living God.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The church is alive, and the indwelling
Spirit of Jesus is her life. What is a body without a Head? A corpse. What is a
bride without a groom? A widow. What is a branch without a vine? Firewood. What
is a building without a foundation? Rubble. What is a flock without a shepherd?
Wolf-chow. Every New Testament picture of the church points to the living
connection with Jesus as the most essential element of its being. As I said before, If you can define church without Jesus than you can do church without Jesus.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">God’s presence is not only a necessary
part of the definition of church; it is the most essential one.<span class="woj"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am convinced that the world would
love to come and experience Jesus. They are not so interested in
experiencing us. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></div>
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-47050191613264148372015-03-11T12:31:00.004-07:002015-03-11T12:31:48.102-07:00What is a Church, Part Two
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aFzn4MLoKcg/VQCTygJvBiI/AAAAAAAAAn0/lOF23o1QZPA/s1600/delapidated%2Bchurch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aFzn4MLoKcg/VQCTygJvBiI/AAAAAAAAAn0/lOF23o1QZPA/s1600/delapidated%2Bchurch.jpg" height="156" width="200" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I distinctly remember standing up in
front of my denomination’s annual gathering giving a report on our church
planting efforts. We didn’t plant a single church that year, so I was already
uncomfortable. What I could positively report is that we, as a volunteer church
planting board, had finally agreed on what a church is. </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The person in charge of starting
churches wasn’t sure until that moment what a church even is. At least it was
honest, so many never really address the issue. Church is one of those
things that most people think they understand from their experience. It turns
out that defining this entity that has had so many forms and expressions over
the centuries is not as easy as it seems. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary
definition will include a type of building where Christians meet above all else.
The New Testament, however, does not understand church this way. So what is a
New Testament understanding of church?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">As I mentioned in my previous
post, typically a list of ingredients from the New
Testament are used to define a church. Here is a typical list:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A group of believers who
gather together regularly to worship.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">…that hear the biblical
preaching of God’s word.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">…that consider themselves a
church.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">…that have qualified
elders.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">…that practice baptism,
communion and (some include) church discipline.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">…that have an agreed upon
doctrinal foundation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">…and have an evangelistic
purpose.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I already demonstrated that many of the
things we put on such a list are not actually as core to a NT understanding of
church as we once thought. In this post I want to look at something even more alarming,
and that is what we failed to put on such a list. Here are three things not
mentioned on the list:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.
The One Anothers.</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> There are close to 60 commands in the
NT for Christ-followers that contain the words “one another.” Not a single</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">
one made the list. Commands such as “love one another,” “give preference to one
another,” “pray for one another,” “confess your sins one to another,” “teach
one another,” and “bear one another’s burdens” are throughout the entirety of
the New Testament, but not in our definition of church. More alarming is that very
few of these important commands can be obeyed at a typical Sunday worship
service, yet we all assume that is what church is. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Why are we so quick to include the
preaching of a sermon in our definition of church and forego all the activities
that we are supposed to do one with another? No wonder the church today appears
more like an audience of consumers rather than agents of change in the world.
So much responsibility is placed on the shoulders of qualified elders and
preachers and so little on the shoulders of God’s people. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">2.
Godly Character Qualities.</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> There
are numerous lists of character qualities that Christians are expected to
follow in the NT such as the beatitudes (Matt 5:1-10), the description of love
(1 Cor. 13:1-13), the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), qualities to dwell on
(Phil 4:8-9), qualities of an elder/deacon (1 Tim 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9), but none
make the list of ingredients necessary to be a church. Wouldn’t church be more
attractive to the world if we did include such lists as a part of what we are
supposed to be when we are together? The only inclination toward these godly
characteristics in the definition of church is the description of “qualified elders,”
which again means the leaders to do all the heavy lifting, even when it
comes to being Christ-like.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">3.
Jesus.</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> By far the most grievous oversight is
that Jesus didn’t make the list! Some have commented that Jesus is assumed,
because wherever believers are gathered there he is in their midst. My follow
up question is, why then do you simply assume Jesus’ presence but you spell out
the need for elders? Which is more important, Jesus or elders?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Is it really important that we include
Jesus in our definition of church? Yes, I believe it should not just be one of
the ingredients, but the most important element. Is that a Biblical
presupposition? Yes, I think so. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In Acts chapter one we find all the
previous ingredients present in the upper room. Church didn’t start, however,
until Acts 2. What was the added ingredient? The indwelling presence of the
Spirit of Christ! Church was born when Christ indwelt us. His presence is the
only thing that makes church any different from another organization in this
world. The ingredients listed above that supposedly make up a NT church can
also be used to describe the Kiwanis Club.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Some would like to distinguish Jesus
from the church, but I’m not sure that is wise or Biblical. You might as well try
and sever your head from your body. Jesus clearly said, “Abide in Me and I in
you…for apart from Me you can do nothing.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Jesus only mentioned church twice in
the gospels. In both cases His presence was the key ingredient. In Matthew 16
it is <a href="http://cole-slaw.blogspot.com/2015/03/jesus-view-of-church.html" target="_blank">Jesus building His church,</a> not us. In Matthew 18, He is present wherever
we gather, even in groups of only two or three. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In Revelation Jesus actually addresses
seven churches some were healthy, some were not. He warns the Ephesian church
that if they do not repent he would remove them from His presence (represented
by removing their lampstand), in essence they would cease to be. It is being in
the presence of Christ that makes us a church and being removed from His presence that determines our demise as a church. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It is His presence that makes us
anything good whatsoever. Why are we so quick to make church about us and not
about him? Is it any wonder why the world is just not interested in church?
Heck, even Christians are not so interested in church these days.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Imagine, for a moment that these three
omissions are actually how we defined church. What if the way we loved one
another and the godliness that comes from the indwelling Spirit of Christ was church.
I think we would see a lot more people wanting to be a part of that! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Now read that list of seven ingredients above that “defines”
church and ask yourself if your neighbors would like to come to that. Imagine
you made a glossy flier with those ingredients featured as the attraction and
went door-to-door inviting people to come. Who do you think that would interest?
Why would anyone who is not a Christian want to go to a place full of
Christians to have someone collect money, hear someone preach at them and then sing a bunch of unfamiliar songs in public? This is our
strategy to reach the world? Seriously? And we have somehow convinced ourselves that
this was God’s plan? Really? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Jesus didn’t say, “By this will all men
know that you are my disciples, by the preaching of sound doctrines by qualified elders in a
weekly worship service followed by eating crackers and a thimble of grape juice.” No. It is by our “love for one another” that we
demonstrate we are His disciples. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If you can define church without Jesus
you can do church without Jesus. Therein is our greatest shame. Church has
become something we do, not what we are because of Christ living within us. I want to be a part of something that only Jesus can do. How about you? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Paul wrote, "Christ in you is the hope of glory." Oh that we would allow that to be our glory rather than all the other stuff we do. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In my next article I will share what my
own understanding of church is.</span></div>
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-4558385267648507862015-03-09T08:45:00.000-07:002015-03-09T08:49:18.144-07:00What is Church? Part One<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TMi9dxhIv4Y/VP29E2FWfaI/AAAAAAAAAnk/9YQdd7K3X9E/s1600/Here-is-the-Church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TMi9dxhIv4Y/VP29E2FWfaI/AAAAAAAAAnk/9YQdd7K3X9E/s1600/Here-is-the-Church.jpg" height="96" width="400" /></a><style>
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</style><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Several years ago I hosted a retreat
for pastors. The retreat was to address a single question: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what is a
church?</i> You would think this to be an easy question for pastors to answer, like
a convention of bakers gathering to define bread</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">. Nevertheless, we all
left the retreat without an adequate answer we could agree on…and that
should make us all a little nervous. </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It turns out that defining church is
not as easy as you would think. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">While in seminary, I was given a list
of ingredients from the New Testament to define a church. Some lists have 5
ingredients, others go as high as “9 marks,” but they are all very similar.
Here is a typical list:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A group of believers who
gather together regularly to worship.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">…that hear the biblical preaching
of God’s word.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">…that consider themselves a
church.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">…that have qualified elders.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">…that practice baptism,
communion and church discipline.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">…that have an agreed upon
doctrinal foundation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">…and have an evangelistic
purpose.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Such a list interests me for two
reasons: 1.) What it chooses to include, and especially, 2.) What it does not
include. Our church traditions have biases that come out in our theological
definitions of church. In many cases, we choose to accept our tradition as
biblical and then go back to the New Testament to prove it, rather than letting
the Bible do the defining. In this post I will address the things mentioned on
this list of ingredients. In the next post I will delve into the things not
mentioned on the list. Finally, in a third post, I will explain my own view of
what church is.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It is all too common for preachers to
include the preaching of a sermon on the list of what makes up a NT church. It
is extremely difficult to find a Biblical justification for this inclusion, but
they find some verses taken out of context to put in parenthesis at the end of
each line, knowing few will ever question it. In fact, the sermon has been made into a sacrament at the core of what church is, and functionally is treated more as a sacrament than baptism or communion. Even in baptistic circles where the elements in communion and baptism are taken to be merely symbolic acts to picture a sacred truth, the sermon alone is considered a means of actually receiving life changing grace of God (which is truly what it means to be sacramental). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The usage of the Greek word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kerygma</i>, translated “to preach” is
overwhelmingly used in regard to sharing the good news with an as-yet-unconvinced
audience, not delivering a sermon to the saved. There are very few examples of
sermons delivered to Christians in the NT. Those we find hardly constitute a
model for weekly sermonizing; and the longest sermon we can find is about 15
minutes in length. There is nothing at all wrong with the practice, I’m in
favor of it in </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">many cases, but to make it a core
ingredient to define church has more basis in church tradition than the New
Testament. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There isn't any biblical support that
believers have to consider themselves a church to be a church. Are we simply
trying to separate parachurch from local church? There isn't any biblical
support for the idea of parachurch either. A reactionary theological
statement that has no grounds in Scripture will come to haunt us later if that
is how we define a church. If you ask me, when Jesus thinks you are in His
church, it really doesn’t matter what others think, including yourself.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are examples of churches without
elders in the NT. On Paul’s first missionary journey he started churches with
Barnabas and then left them without elders. Later, he returned to those churches in order to appoint some
as elders. You
would be very hard pressed to say biblically that they are not churches prior
to the second visit. While these are not a great example of churches
(Galatians), they were churches nonetheless. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why is it that we so often insist that
elders are present in order to be a NT church but so rarely include deacons? The
NT is equally as strong on both roles. I think it is because those determining
such things are elders, and those considered to be deacons are usually not in the
meetings that define theological limits. I'm in favor of having elders and deacons in church, but lets not make their presence or absence the defining ingredient of a church. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While I am a staunch proponent of
baptism and communion and becoming more so with each passing year, I am not
willing to make the statement that those who do not practice them are not a
church. My Quaker brothers and sisters as well as my Salvation Army friends
would take issue. This sort of thinking actually promotes the idea of
parachurch as well. If a group of Christians that fellowship, worship, do
evangelism and discipleship together simply avoid getting wet and eating
crackers and grape juice they avoid being a church and are therefore not a
threat of competition to the local church and can raise their funds. Sorry, but
I don’t buy it.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I believe that it is this incomplete
and inadequate definition of church that has given rise to the idea of
parachurch, or at least has given it a theological justification. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Next post I will look at what failed to
make the list to define a NT church. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-39471121669847483012015-03-03T14:42:00.000-08:002015-03-03T14:42:05.831-08:00Jesus’ View of Church
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">THE BLOGALOGUE SERIES:
"Encountering Jesus: Inside and Outside the Meeting" </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G9ROeYmFv-c/VPY3dNNL8HI/AAAAAAAAAnA/h4Ss_Ht3mBw/s1600/banias-gates_of_hell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G9ROeYmFv-c/VPY3dNNL8HI/AAAAAAAAAnA/h4Ss_Ht3mBw/s1600/banias-gates_of_hell.jpg" height="149" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Jesus only
mentions the word “church” (ecclesia) twice in the Gospels, both in Matthew.
The first time ecclesia is mentioned is in Matthew 16:13-18. He took his
disciples away on a retreat and gave them a surprise test that had two
questions. The first question was easy, it was the warm up question: who do
people say that I am? Everyone had an answer and everyone’s answer was correct.
Sadly, we Christians are better than most at talking about other people’s
mistakes. Everyone likes to get in on that fun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The second
question was the hard one: “Who do you say that I am?” After Jesus asked this it
got quiet. I believe all the eyes dropped to the ground. You see there is no
risk with the first question. After all, it is other people who are wrong. The
second question is the most important question anyone will ever ask you. The
answer, right or wrong, puts you out on a ledge, vulnerable and alone. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Peter, who
dislikes awkward silence, finally says, “You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God.” I imagine all the heads quickly look up and turn to Jesus to see
if Peter got it right. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">After a pause
(for effect), and then a smile,* Jesus replied, “Blessed are you Simon, son of
Jonah, because you cheated on the test.” Okay, he didn’t really say that, but
when I was in school, if you got the answer from someone else they called it
cheating. Peter didn’t figure it out himself, but was given the answer from the
Father. In truth, we all must cheat on this test. We can never figure it out
ourselves…we are too broken in our fallen state to understand God without His miraculous
and loving intervention and revelation. It’s like trying to lift yourself up
out of quicksand by pulling up on your own hair…it doesn’t help. God has to
reach down and lift you out of the muck. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">At this
moment Jesus first mentioned church, but before we look at Jesus’ words about
church I think we should pay close attention to the context of those words. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Any good
discussion of church begins with asking the right questions. The questions most
often asked of churches are: Who is the church trying to reach? What are the
demographics of their community? Who is the pastor? How are his/her sermons? What
kind of music do they play? What sort of governance do they use? How old is the
church? What denomination is the church a part of? How friendly does the church
seem upon a visit? What are the youth and/or children’s ministries like? Do
they serve good coffee? All are good questions and all are the wrong questions
to start with. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Jesus begins
His discussion of church with the only right question to ask: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Who is Jesus to you?</i> The truth is, if
you skip this question “church” will be more about you and less about him. Church
begins and ends with the question: Who is Jesus? It is when we depart from that
question that we get into all kinds of trouble and start making church about
us—what we practice/say/sing/believe and whom we associate with. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I am convinced
that the world is far more interested in Jesus than they are in us. Why don’t
we make our churches about Him instead of about us? The answer, I believe, is because
we ask and answer the wrong questions when it comes to church. We also end up
measuring the wrong milestones to determine a good church from a bad one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It is in this
context that Jesus mentions church. In a single sentence Jesus shares a view of
church that shatters all our stereotypes of what church is. He says, “Upon this
rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”
Notice he did not say, “Upon this rock you will build your church?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">From this we
see a few things:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The church belongs to
Jesus.</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> He calls it
“my church.” His church is not Baptist or Brethren, Pentecostal or
Presbyterian. His church is all the above and so much more. His church is not
just your church, but also the one across the street. He is as interested in
the success of the Lutheran church around the corner as your church. Perhaps
you should be as well for in fact we are all His church. When His church
succeeds, we succeed. And succeed it will. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The church is Jesus’ work,
not ours.</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> He says, “I
will build my church.” So often the church is our project that we do for him,
but actually that is backwards. He is the one that does the building of the
church. Though I am a church planter, I realized long ago that I am not ever
told to plant a church. I am to make disciples; he is the one who builds the
church. I am to plant the gospel, not a church. He builds the church.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The church is a movement pressing
into mission against opposition.</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> He said, “…the gates of hades will not overpower
the church.” There is a war all around us in the spiritual world and we are
unwise to ignore it. There is no power on earth that is capable of stopping the
church from accomplishing the mission given to her by Jesus…except her own lack
of faith. It is not Satan or his minions that threaten our success. It is not
any cult, philosophy or “ism” that is holding us back. No government or
ideology of hate can stop the church. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i>
thing that can hold us back is our misplaced and weak faith. </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y2wJIkgwgwg/VPY3ZYu9L1I/AAAAAAAAAm4/MZjO28creSY/s1600/th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y2wJIkgwgwg/VPY3ZYu9L1I/AAAAAAAAAm4/MZjO28creSY/s1600/th.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Most of us
are familiar with gates and likely have one at home. What are gates good for?
Gates keep dogs in the yard and prowlers out. Gates are not offensive weapons;
they are defensive. Police officers do not carry loaded gates. Terrorists do
not hold hostages at gate-point. Dogs do not wear signs that say “Beware of
gates!” Gates are not a threat. In Jesus understanding, we are the threat, and
the enemy is running scared! Jesus sees the church on offense and Satan back on
his heals on defense with his tail between his legs.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If we
understood church the way Jesus described it, we would not be waiting for the
world to come to us; we would be taking Jesus to the very gates of hell and
setting captives free. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The only
other time Jesus mentions church is a few chapters later in Matthew 18 where he
specifically mentions that He is with us in our midst (v. 20). Most are told
that church is where people need to go to find Jesus. Is Jesus at church? Yes.
But He is not only at church. Wherever His people go, Jesus and His kingdom will
go. Why on earth would we restrict that awesome life changing power to the
space between stained glass windows? </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If we get
back to the original question we will likely find the courage and hope
necessary to be what He expects of us. Who is Jesus to you? If indeed He has
all authority of heaven and earth, why are we not going forward in power? If He
is the one who opens the door and that no one can shut, why are we not going
through those doors? If He is the one who preaches the good news to the
oppressed and heals those who are broken why are we not bringing Him to those
who need Him the most?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Here’s a
closing suggestion: Take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle
creating two columns. On the left write: “Who is Jesus?” and write down all the
things you know about him (descriptions, names, powers). On the right side
write: “Difference this should make in the way we do church.” Write down all
the ways we should be different because of who Jesus is. I seriously doubt you
can leave church the way it is in light of who Jesus truly is. I suspect, you
can’t stay away from a hurting world and remain in the gathering of the
faithful and really know and love Jesus for who He is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">*Yes, this is
my imagination as I read the passage and is not in the text, no need to tell me so. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">** The first picture is actually in the location where Jesus said these words to his disciples. The second is a picture of Auguste Rodin's masterpiece called The Gates of Hell. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">_____________________________________________</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">NOTE: This blog is
part of a Blogalogue Series of posts from Neil Cole, Richard Jacobson, Dan
Herford, Jon Zens and Keith Giles.</span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Topic:
Encountering Jesus: Inside and Outside the Church</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Schedule:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://churchanarchist.com/know-christ-just-know"><span style="color: blue;">Richard Jacobson: Week of Feb. 9</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #272727; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://subversive1.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #962222; font-family: "inherit","serif";">Keith Giles:</span></a> Week of Feb. 16</span></div>
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<span style="color: #272727; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.danherford.com/"><span style="color: #962222; font-family: "inherit","serif";">Dan Herford:</span></a> Week of Feb 23</span></div>
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<span style="color: #272727; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://cole-slaw.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #962222; font-family: "inherit","serif";">Neil Cole:</span></a> Week of March 2</span></div>
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<span style="color: #272727; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.searchingtogether.org/"><span style="color: #962222; font-family: "inherit","serif";">Jon Zens:</span></a> Week of March 9</span></div>
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<span style="color: #272727; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Video Skype Roundtable
discussion: Saturday March 14 or Sunday March 15</span></div>
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Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-33268632479742931132014-12-22T11:22:00.000-08:002014-12-23T12:24:43.067-08:00Trust Jesus To Speak and Lead<style>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S2d_jKshbtg/VJhsAeWZ5_I/AAAAAAAAAmo/eBIshZXW-MM/s1600/dna1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S2d_jKshbtg/VJhsAeWZ5_I/AAAAAAAAAmo/eBIshZXW-MM/s1600/dna1.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a>Last week I was in a room discussing established church
structures and change. The meeting was in another state. These were good discussions
that could result in some very revolutionary influence. I was the “purist”
organic church leader in the meetings; at least that is how others described
me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;">At one point someone was drawing on the white board, designing
a potentially hierarchical structure of leadership. Because I know the man and
the context of our discussions, I was confident it wasn’t actually a hierarchy,
but it was sounding a bit like it. I'm confident that anything that can be construed that way will
be abused that way in a traditional church environment, so I mentioned that
this cannot ever be a command and control structure. The reaction of the others
was to be expected. They saw Neil Cole being the “Organic Purist” and resisting
any semblance to a leadership structure. Who knows, maybe that is exactly what was
happening and I have likely earned that reputation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">As we continued the discussion, they mentioned that some
degree of oversight is necessary and that if we let it all go without any
leadership it will fall apart. That is a common concern and often the reason
(or excuse) people use to enforce some leadership oversight and accountability.
My response is that it will not fall apart if a healthy DNA is intact and Jesus
is indeed the one who is leading. The fear is that people will not be motivated
to continue on without leaders holding them to it. There is also a fear that
they will compromise truth if there is not some degree of leadership looking in
on them to make sure that they don’t.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I said, as I often do, that we can in fact trust Jesus to
lead. If the goal is a movement that spreads beyond driving distance to your
church and beyond your eulogy we must trust that people with Jesus will carry it
forward without us. I asked if it was at all possible for people to carry the
life force of the church forward without someone looking over their shoulder?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Everyone smiled and obliged my rant and we went on. That was
a fairly typical discussion for me. I understand that people are all in a
process and I no longer expect everyone to have the same way of thinking
immediately. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Later
that evening something remarkable occurred. We all went out to dinner and went back to the host’s home for cake,
coffee and conversation. He had two sons in their early twenties who joined us as
well as one of their best friends. All three young men went to different
universities and were part of different church ministries near their schools. Because
of the holidays everyone was back together and enjoying this discussion with
some “famous” Christian authors in comfy sofas around a fireplace. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As we were talking it became clear that all three of the
young men were involved in Life Transformation Groups (LTGs) even though they
were at different churches and universities. The boys had no idea that I had
been the one who innovated the strategy many years ago. When they found out it
was quite a surprise. I love it when that happens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">An LTG is a simple way of being and making disciples that
needs no oversight or tracking. It is two or three people meeting weekly in a
gender specific group. They commit to do three things together: read the same
portion of Scripture repetitively during the week, confess sins to one another
when they meet using some character conversation questions, and pray for the
souls of friends that need to know Jesus. It is simple, non-hierarchical and
establishes a healthy DNA in the smallest unit of life in the church. It is a
group that doesn’t need a leader, because everyone is benefiting from the
group and the accountability is mutual. Each disciple is responsible to hear God’s
voice in the Scripture and to be vulnerable, authentic and transparent in
relationship to one another and to keep the needs of hurting people around them
foremost in their hearts and minds. I’ve been doing this for 20 years and still
value it for my own spiritual life. I don’t do it to just make better disciples
but to be a better disciple. [You can read more about LTGs in my book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cultivating-Life-God-Multiplying-Transformation/dp/0984862188/ref=asap_B001JSBY7A?ie=UTF8" target="_blank"><i>Cultivating a Life for God</i></a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Hero-Becoming-Disciple-Difference/dp/0801072778/ref=pd_sim_b_19?ie=UTF8&refRID=0AP94RGD08ND1M0947GN" target="_blank"><i>Ordinary Hero</i></a>).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">You couldn’t have orchestrated a better way
to demonstrate that we can trust the DNA and let Jesus lead in a movement that
spreads far away from the source and yet maintains a pure DNA. These young men
were far removed from the original source that created the LTG system,
nevertheless it still held together and it still worked. They had no idea where
it came from or who developed the idea, and didn’t need to know. The evening
meeting had something to say to the one earlier in the day. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The very man who sketched the potentially hierarchical diagram was the one who made the observation later that evening about the LTG and its author to the young men. I didn't need to connect the dots because the One who actually leads such meetings had already done so. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Is it feasible that we can trust Jesus to speak to us
directly in his church? Can the Head be the director of the body? I believe it
is not just possible but preferable. I have seen it work spreading many
generations removed. I’ve even had people try to convince me that LTGs are great
and that I should try it, with no clue that I originated the idea. I love
that! It requires that we not get credit or have our own control of everything.
It also requires that we not get rich in the process. But I believe the rewards of
such a movement are far greater than fame or fortune. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I could never have been able to provide leadership and
oversight so far removed, but Jesus is capable, and He has done it. Trust him. In
fact, trust him more than you trust yourself. He will not disappoint you. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Note: This blog post is dedicated to my friend and co-laborer Jim Rutz who recently went to be with our Lord. He was a pioneer in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Open-Church-James-H-Rutz/dp/0940232502/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419283000&sr=1-1&keywords=open+church" target="_blank">Open Church</a> meetings and he will be missed. </span></div>
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</span>Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-60800637196793918612014-12-04T14:09:00.003-08:002014-12-04T14:09:19.034-08:00The Syrian Circle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NFgFbY-_Td0/VIDZ09sPHDI/AAAAAAAAAmY/ppKqCZz-72s/s1600/cf5cfdb9-9940-4578-a144-6add2e3770ba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NFgFbY-_Td0/VIDZ09sPHDI/AAAAAAAAAmY/ppKqCZz-72s/s1600/cf5cfdb9-9940-4578-a144-6add2e3770ba.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>"Prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscle of omnipotence."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">—Martin Tupper</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">My friend and mentor, Carol Davis, has launched a <a href="http://thesyriancircle.com/" target="_blank">new initiative</a> to provide prayer for the crisis in Syria. Half the population has been forced out of their homeland.Her new initiative is called the <a href="http://thesyriancircle.com/" target="_blank">Syrian Circle </a>and is an opportunity to move the hand of God through prayer on behalf of millions of people. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Here are Carol's words about this urgent opportunity...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">I am writing to you because you
and I, together with believers from around the world, have an incredible
opportunity to literally change the physical and spiritual future for millions
this December. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The Syrian Refugee situation is
being called the greatest and most complex humanitarian emergency of our
lifetime. Yet I talk with believers everyday that are unaware of the magnitude
and significance of what is happening, with half of Syria’s population having
fled their homes for safety.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">A sustainable breakthrough for
the Syrian people will not come through bombs or negotiations. It will
only come through a consistent, real, and focused movement of prayer.</span></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">I am reminded that prayer is the
one absolute thing I can do to release the powerful hand of God into this
situation. God has heard the cry of these dads, moms and children for
safety and hope – </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">and in response he is calling us to pray<span style="color: #4d4d4d;">. <u>God is their hope</u>. Our prayers can
shape Syria’s future.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Will you take action with me
today? </span></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">If so, please visit The Syrian
Circle website. Register to receive daily prayer points, beginning
December 1 and be part of an intense, urgent and focused intercession,
encircling the Syrian people in prayer for 31 days in December.</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Why December -- our busiest
month, celebrating our Lord’s birth in our churches and with family? Because
their situation is urgent!</span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">I hope you will choose to join
me. Even though it’s an inconvenient season, sacrifice a few moments each day
to pray the way you would want to be prayed for if you were in a similar
situation and see what God will do. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Start circling with me in prayer
for the Syrian people. Click </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="mailto:info@thesyriancircle.com" target="_blank">here</a> <span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">or visit
www.thesyriancircle.com </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Our prayer is Syria’s HOPE, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Carol Davis</span></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The month is still early. Get on board and be counted as one who made a difference in this urgent opportunity. </span>Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-67735295487128329892014-11-05T06:00:00.000-08:002014-11-05T08:49:18.572-08:00Engineering APEST Gifts Doesn't Usually Work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wRDwNQ_ws_I/VFjzJbHAtvI/AAAAAAAAAmI/tvIP67ER688/s1600/engineering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wRDwNQ_ws_I/VFjzJbHAtvI/AAAAAAAAAmI/tvIP67ER688/s1600/engineering.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
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</style>The CMA APEST team has learned from experience that the APEST gifts are
organically formed, not engineered by mortal humans. We have tried, more than
once, to recruit and slot people into assignments based on their perceived gifts.
This has rarely worked well for us. Occasionally it did, but rarely.<br />
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text">
Simply having strengths that others need does not form a
team. Humility and love toward one another are the glue that binds us together
as we pursue mission together. Gifts do not bind us together. I would rather have
a team that loved each other and was willing to defer and submit to one
another, even if we lacked the right gifts, than to have a team with all the
right gifts but no unity.<br />
<br />
Focusing on your strengths actually divides us because we can easily devalue the strengths of others. We have found that when you focus on your weaknesses you become stronger because you begin to value everyone else's gifts. Let everyone else notice your strength, while you value the strengths of everyone else. </div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qbxgissG_I8/U3UGs_KgjzI/AAAAAAAAAkc/MqSa15HY-PA/s1600/PrimalFireCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qbxgissG_I8/U3UGs_KgjzI/AAAAAAAAAkc/MqSa15HY-PA/s1600/PrimalFireCover.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a>Jesus gives us the gifts; we do not scout for them and
recruit them to our team. We do not scout for and hire the gifts. We do not suggest holding a spot open and searching
for someone with the gift to plug in. Start with <span class="cs-italic">relationships</span>,
not gifts. On our CMA team, we were friends first and discovered our gifts
later. We have found this makes for a far better approach.</div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text">
Rather than looking for people with all the right gifts, we
suggest you look for the qualities of Christ that the gifts represent and allow
them to take root and grow. The difference between this approach and most
spiritual gifts discovery systems is that the focus remains on Christ and what
He brings to the table, rather than on the attributes of individuals. As Christ
works in and through us, we believe the gifts will naturally emerge.<br />
<br />
This series of blog posts are from my latest book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Fire-Reigniting-Church-Gifts/dp/1414385501/ref=la_B001JSBY7A_1_3_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415142378&sr=1-3" target="_blank">Primal Fire</a>. </div>
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-62406438837277656172014-11-01T14:06:00.000-07:002014-11-01T14:06:00.566-07:00How do I Discover my APEST Gift?, Part 3<style>
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<div class="body-text">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HJrSu-FeEMI/VFKimSvL7dI/AAAAAAAAAl4/PaR0AqPl3eg/s1600/th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HJrSu-FeEMI/VFKimSvL7dI/AAAAAAAAAl4/PaR0AqPl3eg/s1600/th.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Most of the methods available for determining spiritual
gifts can easily turn into a self-focused search for personal identity and a
special place in the church. Often they begin with the premise that we can
simply <span class="cs-italic">decide</span> what we want to do and identify
gifts based on our personal preferences. Do you see the contradiction in that?
Determining how we want to <span class="cs-italic">serve</span> based on our own
personal preferences? Do slaves typically choose their areas of service? As
slaves to Christ, why would expect to choose our own gifts? The gifts are given
to each one as the Spirit desires (1 Corinthians 12:11)</div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text">
Approaching the APEST gifts based on our personal preferences
starts us off on the wrong trajectory. And once the rocket has left the launch
pad, it is nearly impossible to adjust our course to reach the right target. We
must start with a right understanding of the gifts if we hope to see them
develop as God intended.</div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text">
The gifts are not determined by surveys or interviews or
personal preferences. They are <span class="cs-italic">discovered</span> through
hard work, failure, practice, and God’s callin<span id="goog_1448529752"></span><span id="goog_1448529753"></span>g and verification through
others. This may not be as simple as taking a test, but in the long run it is
far better because it not only <span class="cs-italic">reveals</span> our
gifting, but <span class="cs-italic">develops</span> our gifting as well, which
is something a test can never do.</div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text">
We believe that if you will simply focus on Jesus, love
other people and serve them, the gifts will naturally come to the surface, and
in time you and others will recognize them. The church is far better off when
we just love Jesus and love one another, rather than worrying about how
specially gifted we each and all might be. If we focus on loving Jesus and one another, the
gifts will manifest themselves. But as the Corinthians learned, if we pursue
the gifts in the absence of love, we leave the most important thing behind. But
if we pursue <span class="cs-italic">love</span>, the gifts will come naturally.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-psvJNHSu3pQ/U3fh3T9knwI/AAAAAAAAAk0/IuL93M4KBPA/s1600/PrimalFireCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-psvJNHSu3pQ/U3fh3T9knwI/AAAAAAAAAk0/IuL93M4KBPA/s1600/PrimalFireCover.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
Of course, we can have <span class="cs-italic">both</span>.<br />
<br />
<br />
_____________<br />
This post is adapted from my book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Fire-Reigniting-Church-Gifts/dp/1414385501/ref=la_B001JSBY7A_1_4_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414701207&sr=1-4" target="_blank">Primal Fire </a></div>
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-65586666745341813382014-10-31T07:35:00.000-07:002014-10-31T19:34:47.736-07:00How Do I discover My APEST Gift?, Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HJrSu-FeEMI/VFKimSvL7dI/AAAAAAAAAl4/PaR0AqPl3eg/s1600/th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HJrSu-FeEMI/VFKimSvL7dI/AAAAAAAAAl4/PaR0AqPl3eg/s1600/th.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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</style>Each of the gifts is motivated by an aspect of Christ’s character.
This “image of Christ” is at the center of what drives the gifted person to do
what he or she does. It is far better to focus on Christ and serving others
than to delve into our own psyche in search of our own unique and special
place.<br />
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text">
The apostolic gift is rooted in the <span class="cs-italic">missio
dei</span>, the mission of God. The prophetic gift is rooted in the will of
God. The evangelistic gift is rooted in the compassion of God. The pastoral
gift is rooted in the oneness of the Triune God. The teaching gift is rooted in
the knowledge of God. All of these aspects of God must be fully present and
functioning for the church to be whole and healthy. The gifts are given so that we can all mature..."<span class="text Eph-4-13" id="en-NASB-29286">to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.</span>" In our experience, it is
far better to focus on the qualities of Christ, rather than on the people and
their gifts—because, ultimately, it is Christ that we want at the center of the
church.</div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text">
So, how do we discover what sort of vessel we are for the
flow of God’s work? One of the struggles we have had over the years of serving
Christ in the church is that the idea of spiritual gifts easily becomes
egocentric. Of course, that is never the intent, but what happens is that we so
easily turn our attention to ourselves. The problem is that the gifts were
never given to us for introspection and a sense of personal importance. In
fact, the gifts aren’t given <span class="cs-italic">to</span> us but <span class="cs-italic">through</span> us!</div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text">
As we have pointed out, every passage in the New Testament
that mentions spiritual gifts either starts or ends with love or puts love
right in the middle of the discussion. This is not an accident. The gifts are
not given to make <span class="cs-italic">us</span> feel more special, but to
make <span class="cs-italic">others</span> more special in our sight. Paul says
that we should not view our gifts as if they are something we deserve (1
Corinthians 4:6-8). He says, “<span class="text1cor-4-7">For who regards you as
superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it,
why do you boast as if you had not received it?” </span>The very fact that we
are given gifts exposes our complete inadequacy. Because we can’t find these
good qualities inherent within us, we need a supernatural infusion of power and
ability just to make us useful at all.</div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text">
Most of the methods available for determining spiritual
gifts can easily turn into a self-focused search for personal identity and a
special place in the church. Often they begin with the premise that we can
simply <span class="cs-italic">decide</span> what we want to do and identify
gifts based on our personal preferences. Do you see the contradiction in that?
Determining how we want to <span class="cs-italic">serve</span> based on our own
personal preferences? Do slaves typically choose their areas of service? As
slaves to Christ, why would expect to choose our own gifts? The gifts are given
to each one as the Spirit desires (1 Corinthians 12:11)</div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text">
Approaching the APEST gifts based on our personal preferences
starts us off on the wrong trajectory. And once the rocket has left the launch
pad, it is nearly impossible to adjust our course to reach the right target. We
must start with a right understanding of the gifts if we hope to see them
develop as God intended.</div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-text">
The gifts are not determined by surveys or interviews or
personal preferences. They are <span class="cs-italic">discovered</span> through
hard work, failure, practice, and God’s calling and verification through
others. This may not be as simple as taking a test, but in the long run it is
far better because it not only <span class="cs-italic">reveals</span> our
gifting, but <span class="cs-italic">develops</span> our gifting as well, which
is something a test can never do.<br />
____________________<br />
This article is adapted form my book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Fire-Reigniting-Church-Gifts/dp/1414385501/ref=la_B001JSBY7A_1_4_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414701207&sr=1-4" target="_blank">Primal Fire </a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-54420456678583469962014-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:002014-10-31T09:18:39.450-07:00How Do I Discover My APEST Gift?, Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</style>Some things in life are discovered more easily in hindsight
than in foresight. That doesn’t mean that foresight is out of the question, or
unhelpful. Nothing, however, is as certain as looking back over much of your
life to see clearly what kind of conduit you are for God’s gift to work
through.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
Paul was able to become a mature
expression of three of the roles of Ephesians 4:11: apostle, evangelist
(herald) and teacher (1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11). Yet even in Paul’s case,
while he functioned as a teacher at times (Acts 13:1) and an evangelist at other
times (Acts 9:19-22, 26-29), as he grew into his destiny it became clear that
he was indeed an apostle above all other roles. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .25in;">
There are many factors that can
confirm a calling associated with a gift in someone, and in Paul’s case we see
five that are helpful: </div>
<br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">His calling was confirmed by God’s voice (Acts 26:12-18).</i>
Sometimes God grants to us a glimpse at our destiny even before we are far
along. This is not universally true, but most people can discover some
hints if they look closely at their life experience. Look for the
fingerprints of God on the way you were formed from the beginning of your
new life and you may find a pattern that speaks to a destiny. For some,
however, God does speak up and reveal a chosen path before it even makes
sense, and such was the case with Paul. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">His call was confirmed by his internal spiritual drive, which he
could not ignore (1 Corinthians 9:16-18; Romans 15:14-29).</i> There are
some things about ourselves that we can deny, but others, which we cannot.
For Paul, his desire to preach the gospel to places where it has not been
heard was a driving passion he could not ignore. He felt like his unique
calling was something that he had to steward. Most spiritual gift tests
rely completely on preferences, and as we see here, that is part of the
puzzle, but only a small part. In Paul’s case, calling it a preference is
not enough; it was an internal compulsion that drove his whole life. In
fact, you could say that he even had to surrender his own preferences to
this stronger internal impulse. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The church’s testimony confirmed his gift (Galatians 2:6-10).</i>
The leadership of the church confirmed publicly that Paul was indeed an
apostle. This is based upon a proven track record that was obvious for all
to witness. There is no substitute for the confirmation of the body that
you should be doing the things that you are doing. Without this
confirmation, you should be plagued with doubts about your calling. Not
that you are driven by the opinions or prejudices of others, but that over
the time you serve Jesus if the body is not better off in obvious ways,
than you likely are not functioning in your sweet spot. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The price that he paid for the sake of the role verifies his gift
(Galatians 6:17; 2 Corinthians 11:1-33)</i>. When pressed to prove he was indeed
an apostle, Paul pointed most to the price that he had paid to live out
his apostolic calling. This is a confirmation that we should look for more
often, because it not only verifies your calling, but the commitment level
you have to that calling. Like many of these confirmations, it takes time
and experience to verify them.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The fruitfulness of his ministry
confirms his gift (1 Corinthians 9:1-3; 2 Corinthians 3:1-3; 12:11-13).</i>
Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits.” There is nothing that substantiates
a gift more completely than pointing out the fruit left behind as a result
of your gifts and calling. If your energy and efforts are not producing
any results then it is likely that you do not have that gift. If you can
demonstrate that lives have been changed and ministries ignited by others
because of your investment of time and abilities, then you likely have a
gift in that area. This is one confirmation that no one can really argue
with, but again, it takes time and experience to verify.</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I would recommend you look for all five of the above to
confirm what sort of conduit for God’s blessing to the body you are meant
to fulfill. If you are younger, however, perhaps 3 out of 5 of the factors can at
least send you in a reasonable direction. To be content with only two of the
above factors may not be enough to claim any of the roles for yourself. The
more confirmations you have the greater confidence you have in your gift and
calling, and the greater confidence others can have as well. </div>
<div class="body-fl" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body-fl" style="text-indent: .25in;">
There is nothing like serving others
in the Body to discover our own unique calling. Even failure is a great
instructor, but it tends to cost a bit more than the typical survey.<br />
_______________________<br />
This is adapted from my book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Fire-Reigniting-Church-Gifts/dp/1414385501/ref=la_B001JSBY7A_1_4_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414701207&sr=1-4" target="_blank">Primal Fire</a>. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-47527804946173779632014-10-30T13:22:00.000-07:002014-10-30T13:22:14.085-07:00The Shortcomings of Spiritual Gift Inventories<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="body-fl">
The discovery of spiritual gifts is a prolific subejct these days. While I believe we should pursue our gifts (and wrote a book about it), I do not believe spiritual gift tests are a good idea. I believe they tend to produce
negative results that outweigh the positive. Here are six reasons why I do not
like using gift inventories:</div>
<div class="numbered-list">
<br /></div>
<div class="numbered-list">
1. They peg people for life. We don’t need the “I don’t
have that gift” excuse anymore.</div>
<div class="numbered-list">
<br /></div>
<div class="numbered-list">
2. They carry undue authority. A survey doesn’t tell us
our gifts. The Holy Spirit working through the body of Christ does. The Spiritual
enablements are given by the Holy Spirit, and the APEST gifts are given by
Jesus, a gift inventory should have no say in the matter whatsoever.</div>
<div class="numbered-list">
<br /></div>
<div class="numbered-list">
3. They have an inherent bias that slants the questions
and produces tainted results. Whoever develops the tests has a bias in some way
and therefore the questions and the results reflect that bias.</div>
<div class="numbered-list">
<br /></div>
<div class="numbered-list">
4. They take the focus away from the collective body of
Christ and place it on the individual. We are already prone to self-absorption;
these tests encourage us to look in on ourselves and make spiritual gift
discovery about fulfilling our own needs . . . the opposite of what the gifts
are about.</div>
<div class="numbered-list">
<br /></div>
<div class="numbered-list">
5. They make gift discovery a matter of personal
preference rather than true effectiveness. Most of these surveys identify what
we prefer, rather than what we actually do. The spiritual life is not driven by
personal preference; in fact it begins with dying to yourself and all your own
preferences (Galatians 2:20).</div>
<div class="numbered-list">
<br /></div>
<div class="numbered-list">
6. They suggest that gift usage is a matter of job placement
rather than Holy Spirit-led effectiveness. Churches that are already organized
along hierarchical lines tend to define roles for the gifts that fit the system
and limit creative expression. The APEST gifts are useful in many more ways
than a typical church allows.<br />
<br />
7. They reduce service to what takes place between the hours of 10 AM and Noon on Sunday mornings, and some gifts should not even be there. <br />
<br />
This post is adapted from <i>Primal Fire.</i> In the next week or so I will be posting some excerpts from my book Primal Fire addressing gift discovery and usage.</div>
Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-88100788499987159002014-05-17T17:02:00.000-07:002014-05-17T17:02:15.225-07:00A Fire That Does Not Consume: From The Introduction to Primal Fire
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I remember the bus ride home from San Pedro High
School to our own Palisades High School in 1978. We had just beaten our cross-town rivals in water polo on our way to another championship for
the third year in a row. We were full of excitement and
ready to celebrate our victory. </span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQNRGQfG4Wc/U3fm00dJx_I/AAAAAAAAAk8/4O3AwK4SaD8/s1600/Mandeville+Fire+1978+-+Palisades+High+School.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQNRGQfG4Wc/U3fm00dJx_I/AAAAAAAAAk8/4O3AwK4SaD8/s1600/Mandeville+Fire+1978+-+Palisades+High+School.jpg" height="153" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo (from year book) by teammate Bob Baker </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">From twenty or so miles away, we saw smoke rising on the
hills in the direction of our hometown, but we didn’t think much of it . . .
until we got closer. Pulling into the school lot we witnessed a long line (ten miles) of fire descending from the ridge above our neighborhood. All
celebration ceased. </span></span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I grew up in the canyons of Southern California, where each
fall the winds shift from the cool, moist Pacific Ocean to blow in from the
hot, scorched deserts to the east. These “Santa Ana winds” come after the warm,
dry summer months have killed all the underbrush in the canyons, leaving plenty
of dead, dry grass. Any fire up in the hills will soon be raging out of
control—and often several fires at once.</span></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What makes these wildfires so challenging is the “perfect
storm” of conditions. The dry chaparral makes excellent kindling, and the steep
hillsides of the many canyons form wind channels that accelerate the already
fierce gusts exploding off the desert. The narrow stretches of the canyons also
bring acres of tinder that much closer to the ravenous reach of the flames that
skip from ridge to ridge as if dancing in the glowing inferno. The fire spreads
rapidly, whipped by the strong winds, with no regard for whatever lies in its
path. The sight is wondrous and devastating at the same time.</span></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It’s strange that we can know <span class="cs-italic">why</span>
these fires happen, where the vulnerabilities lie, and even when they will
start, and yet we’re powerless to stop them. There is a force of nature that
simply laughs at our vain attempts to control its fickle fury.</span></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5yAMYmcw3Qs/U3fm6DdYdBI/AAAAAAAAAlE/mKjXyFkTmz0/s1600/Jeffrey+Stanton+-+Mandeville+Canyon+Fire+1978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5yAMYmcw3Qs/U3fm6DdYdBI/AAAAAAAAAlE/mKjXyFkTmz0/s1600/Jeffrey+Stanton+-+Mandeville+Canyon+Fire+1978.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo of 1978 fire taken from Venice by Jeffery Stanton</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As a young man, my father fought to save his home from the
Malibu fire of 1956. Though Dad was not a small man—standing 6’3” with a trim,
athletic build from years of swimming and surfing—he nevertheless felt small
and weak as the flames roared above his head on their way toward his house. The
intense heat and deafening roar left a scar on his soul he would not soon
forget. It was as if the flames were taunting his seemingly futile efforts to
stop them. During the Mandeville Canyon fire, in 1978, I remember standing side
by side with my dad, hosing down the roof of our house instead of celebrating
my water polo victory. Our home barely escaped the destruction.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After the fire was out, I went for a hike through the hills
above our neighborhood and felt like I was in another world. For miles in every
direction, all I could see was scorched, black earth, with the charcoal
skeletons of dead trees reaching up in petrified agony. Not a single green
leaf, blade of grass, or smallest of insect could be found. And not a solitary
bird ventured over this wasteland. It was like being on the moon.</span></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In 2008, after battling canyon fires for more than fifty
years, my father lost his home, his lifetime of artwork, and most of his pets
in the Sylmar fire. The flames that had taunted him as a young man, and haunted him
throughout his adult life, had returned to claim their final victory. My dad
passed away in 2011 at the age of 81. His drawings and paintings of fire are some of his most memorable work.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="heading-1">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Fire-Reigniting-Church-Gifts/dp/1414385501/ref=la_B001JSBY7A_1_2_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400343050&sr=1-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Primal Fire</span></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="body-fl">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Fire-Reigniting-Church-Gifts/dp/1414385501/ref=la_B001JSBY7A_1_2_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400343050&sr=1-2" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Fire-Reigniting-Church-Gifts/dp/1414385501/ref=la_B001JSBY7A_1_2_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400343050&sr=1-2" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-psvJNHSu3pQ/U3fh3T9knwI/AAAAAAAAAkw/pVvPwUX-z5Q/s1600/PrimalFireCover.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not all fires are destructive, of course. Fire is also a <span class="cs-italic">gift</span> to humanity—for warmth, illumination, nourishment,
energy, purification, and the forging of tools that make human culture
possible. In the Bible, fire often symbolizes the holy presence of God. It is
this latter fire—the primal fire of God—that we will consider throughout this
book.</span></span></div>
<div class="body-fl">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For some, the word <span class="cs-italic">primal</span> may
conjure up images of unshaven men in loincloths gathered around a bonfire,
beating drums. But <span class="cs-italic">primal</span> simply means “original”
or “first in importance.” When applied to the fire of God, it speaks of a fire
older than time itself, yet always fresh; an eternal flame that is both ancient
and immediate. The primal fire of God flares up throughout the Bible, often
bringing with it dramatic, world-altering changes.</span></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The first time God appears to Abraham, it is as a smoking
firepot and a flaming torch. (Genesis 15:17). It is the same fire that
later appears to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2), descends on Mount
Sinai after the Exodus (Exodus 19:18), and settles on the heads of the
believers at Pentecost (Acts 2:3). And on the eventual judgment day, it is the
primal fire that will burn away all the chaff, leaving only what is pure and
valuable enough to be in God’s presence (1 Corinthians 3:13).</span></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Although the Bible describes God as “a consuming fire” in
Exodus, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, and Hebrews, there are several remarkable
occasions when the fire burns but does not destroy what it rests upon. Whether
it is the bush that Moses encountered in the desert; the flames that tested
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Babylonian furnace; the hot coal applied
to the unclean lips of the prophet Isaiah; or the tongues of fire and rushing
wind that descended on the disciples in the upper room at Pentecost, the fire
of God brought healing rather than destruction, freedom instead of bondage, and
illumination, purification, and divine revelation that were desperately needed.
<span> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Of course, if we step outside the will of God, all bets are
off. Let us not forget that the same flames that warmed
the feet of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego consumed the men who had tossed
them into the furnace. The fire that fell from heaven on Mount Carmel destroyed
the prophets of Baal but left Elijah unharmed. And I doubt that anyone wants an
up-close encounter with the flaming sword the angel wields to protect the
Garden of Eden.</span></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, the fire of God is at once terrifying and beautiful;
all-consuming and yet restorative; deserving of our love and our reverent fear.
What seems to make the difference—and this will be important when we get to the
topic of the lost gifts of Jesus—is that we remain <span class="cs-italic">within</span>
God’s purpose as He applies the fire to vessels that are both set apart and
willing to be used.</span></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To be clear, it’s not that the receptacles God chooses must
somehow make themselves <span class="cs-italic">worthy</span>. It wasn’t the bush
that made the Moses encounter so special. When you think about it, any old
shrub would have sufficed. No, it’s always the <span class="cs-italic">fire</span> that is special, and we
must not lose sight of that.</span></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three young Hebrew lads
living in exile. The prophet Isaiah confessed his own unworthiness and was
mortified by his “unclean lips.” The disciples waiting in the upper room were
the same guys who, just weeks before, had been arguing about who among them was
the greatest, then hiding in fear from the authorities. But what these
otherwise flawed and ordinary people all had in common was that they were available
and willing to be used by God.</span></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Such is the kindling that can catch fire if the spark is
ignited. When the wind of the Holy Spirit blows, the flame will spread. But
first we must recognize and acknowledge that the primal fire of God is still
with us today—that the fire that Moses encountered and that came upon the first
disciples is available to us all. The flame that was in the burning bush was
the presence of Christ, just as the flame that fell on the disciples at
Pentecost was the presence of Christ’s Spirit. The same person whom
Nebuchadnezzar saw standing amid the flames with Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego is with us now and wants to energize us with the flames of His primal
fire. Let him cleanse our unclean lips and replace our own words with a holy
message: “Here am I, send me.”</span></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">_____________________________________________________ </span></span></div>
<div class="body-text">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is an excerpt from the Introduction to my book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Fire-Reigniting-Church-Gifts/dp/1414385501/ref=la_B001JSBY7A_1_2_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400343050&sr=1-2" target="_blank">Primal Fire</a>. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span>Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6167250939484647451.post-53787157095124645502014-05-16T09:21:00.000-07:002014-05-16T09:21:56.253-07:00What You Can Expect From A Book By Neil Cole, Part 2: The Positive RemarksI am blogging about the consistent themes and questions that emerge from those who have read my books over the years. I'm not doing this as a defense or to bolster my self-esteem, but simply to let you in on some of the philosophy behind why I do what I do the way I do it.<br />
<br />
In the last post I looked at the negative remarks that typically are raised. They do not bother me. I've been a published author for almost 20 years now, trust me, I can handle criticism...I actually like learning from it and hope I am becoming a better writer as years go by because of it. <br />
<br />
In this post I want to highlight some of the positive observations that consistently emerge. Now, I didn't do the last post so that people feel sorry for me and
stroke my fragile ego, and I am not doing this one to boast. These
articles are strictly to lift up the hood and let you see what is going
on inside my writing process a bit. <br />
<br />
<b>"Cole is not some ivory tower theoretician. He is a practitioner." </b>Strangely enough, the actual words "not an ivory tower theoretician" come up a lot when people remark about my books. Weird huh? I made a commitment a long time ago that I would not publish something that I didn't prove to work out in my own life first. In fact, I go further than that. It needs to have worked in other people's lives for a few generations before we publish it. I distinctly remember reading a specific book about cell-based church model that was drawn from the expertise of leaders in another nation and culture. It was not the experience of the author and was never proven to work in a US context. While the book was enjoyable to read, and sounded great, it was not doable in a Western postmoden world. I decided, then that I would first do the work and then write on it after I had the chance of proving the ideas. I have held that core value ever since.<br />
<br />
This value causes a few things to be evident in my writing:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qbxgissG_I8/U3UGs_KgjzI/AAAAAAAAAkY/yTT9Pk_BEEo/s1600/PrimalFireCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qbxgissG_I8/U3UGs_KgjzI/AAAAAAAAAkY/yTT9Pk_BEEo/s1600/PrimalFireCover.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><i>1. It takes longer to write.</i> I have often had sound ideas and known that I needed to write "that book" but couldn't for many years. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Journeys-Significance-Charting-Leadership-Course/dp/047052944X/ref=la_B001JSBY7A_1_9_title_1_har?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400179805&sr=1-9" target="_blank">Journeys to Significance</a> took 15 years to write so that it had substance behind its theories. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Fire-Reigniting-Church-Gifts/dp/1414385501/ref=la_B001JSBY7A_1_2_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400174884&sr=1-2" target="_blank">Primal Fire</a> was attempted twice with other co-authors before it eventually was published. Frankly it is a better book because of the extra time. Sometimes this means my book is not the first to hit the market on a subject, which is admittedly the downside to this core value. <br />
<br />
<i>2. The content is better.</i> There is no substitute for trial by error. Something that is a good idea on paper may not work in real life, but you can't even know this until you put the ideas to work in real life. Unfortunately many books are built on ideas that have never been proven. Because I only write on things that we have actually done, and proven to work, the content has more depth and a sense of reality to it. There are also examples and stories to make the writing more human.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EuqCYk81bLU/U3UGjIilNYI/AAAAAAAAAkI/699oQvMLBOM/s1600/Church3.0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EuqCYk81bLU/U3UGjIilNYI/AAAAAAAAAkI/699oQvMLBOM/s1600/Church3.0.jpg" height="200" width="136" /></a><br />
The insights that emerge from experience cannot be manufactured in a study or by reading books. For example, many books describe movements from an outside perspective listing characteristics viewed about them. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Church-3-0-Upgrades-Future/dp/0470529458/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_z" target="_blank">Church 3.0</a> however asks questions and puts forward content you can only discover having been in the midst of a real movement. Until you are doing the actual foot to ground work, you don't even know what the right questions are. You learn what is truly important and, perhaps more significantly, what is not, when you actually do the work on the ground with real flawed human beings.<br />
<br />
<i>3. The content is practical and proven, and not bound to only one culture.</i> We actually value seeing our ideas work in more than one context before
we publish, so the books also translate well into other languages and
cultures. Recently a highly respected thought leader, when comparing the
genre of missional church books available, mentioned that mine are more
cross cultural than most of the others. That is high praise indeed, and
not an accident. <br />
<br />
We test ideas in other cultures around the world before we publish them. For us, if what we do works in California, but not in Calcutta than we go back to the drawing board. For every good idea we publish there are ten that didn't work out. We've had a "shelf of shame" that holds the products that we have developed over the years that do not multiply, or work in other cultures and languages. They collect dust and nothing more.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D8EP0ZXdDMo/U3UPRJN0D_I/AAAAAAAAAkg/lhuR6_4BXw4/s1600/51GV4ounafL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D8EP0ZXdDMo/U3UPRJN0D_I/AAAAAAAAAkg/lhuR6_4BXw4/s1600/51GV4ounafL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="200" width="155" /></a>When we have a product that has a restricted cultural application, we will say so in the publication.<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Truth-Quest-Facilitators-Guide-Understanding/dp/0984393056/ref=la_B001JSBY7A_1_15?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400180484&sr=1-15" target="_blank"> TruthQuest,</a> our theological learning system, is like that. It only works in literate cultures with theological textbooks available in that nation, but it works incredibly well in those places. We say upfront that this product has limited usage around the world, but we still produce it because there are enough people groups that can still benefit from it. We also have adaptations to some tools so that they work in oral societies and among people who are unable to read. <br />
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<b>"Where others are philosophical, Cole's work is very biblical." </b>It is true that the word "biblical" gets thrown around too often to verify one's ideas with Scriptural authority. I hope I am not doing that. But honestly, I think the Bible is the only real authority to change lives and so I want it to speak for itself. I also find that most of the real good ideas can be discovered in the Bible if you look at it with eyes to see and ears to hear.<br />
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I once had a rather conservative Bible teacher (who viewed me as "liberal" if you want the right context) say to me privately: "I'll never admit it publicly, and will probably deny it if you ask me later, but I think you are more of a biblicist than I am." This was one of the best complements I have ever received. <br />
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My strange little anabaptist/reformed/dispensational denomination (is it possible to be all of these? Probably not, just look at our denomination...if you can find us) did one thing for me, it planted the love of Scripture in me, and for that I am grateful. I remember when I was heading off to seminary a mentor of mine, Randy Creswell, said, "If you spent the same amount of time that you will give to seminary (class time and homework), in simply reading the bible over and over you will probably learn more and save a lot of money." I didn't listen and spent a lot of money and went to seminary. I do not regret it. After I graduated, however, I realized I spent 5 years studying about the Bible and little of that time actually studying the Bible itself. With my mentors words in mind, I then devoted the rest of my life to just studying the Bible itself. I have made it my habit to read 20 to 30 chapters of Bible reading weekly, reading entire books in context and repetitively and that has set my whole life on a certain trajectory, and I believe it comes out in my writing. <br />
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<b>"Cole's books look at common ideas with fresh eyes and reveal things we have all missed."</b> This is a passion of mine. I was raised by an artist and received my degree in art as well. I still think of myself as an artist. <br />
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For me there is a difference between an artist and a craftsman. A craftsman has a skill to produce or reproduce something. A painter who paints something that looks exactly like a photograph is exhibiting a craftsman's talent. But the photographer who took the picture––who saw the composition, colors and beauty––is the artist. I think imagination and creativity is the difference between a craftsman and an artist (the best artists are both).<br />
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I look at life through the eyes of an artist. I do not just want to reproduce what is obvious, I want to see what is not obvious and then bring that to light. I feel that we have been created to create. God delights in His image within us. So while I respect the intelligence of those who have gone before me, I am not content to simply accept their thinking, I want to look beyond that. I want to view things from a new perspective. In my opinion, if my thoughts are not fresh they are not worth publishing. I have stopped writing a book simply because someone else published a good book on the subject and said what I would have said. Neil Colehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08289317696474966831noreply@blogger.com0