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Posts Tagged ‘Church’

The Father of Men

Posted in Christian Life, God, Mentoring, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 11/07/2023| 1 Comment »

There is a lot of talk about fatherhood and masculinity going around these days. Everyone is trying to define what makes or breaks a man. Sometimes it is unfortunate to see women having to define who a man should be. Not that they don’t have a say, especially in a country where most fathers are absent. But I doubt many men respect that. Other times it is men with very questionable backgrounds that take center stage on the issue. Some come across so strongly but you cannot follow them beyond their words. They hide behind keyboards because if you spent a day in their life you’d not really admire them. Unfortunately, some of the men we respect especially within the church never talk about this issue. Our churches also seem to make services and meetings that appeal more to women than they do men. So how do we talk the Gospel to men? How do we excite them to serve and be involved in kingdom work?

Now, if there’s a language that men understand it is that of respect.

One, I think we need to make a difference between men and women in our approach. We also need to accept that for the most part, our churches seem to appeal to women than they do men. We need to ask why? Now, if there’s a language that men understand it is that of respect. If you gave a man a choice between love and respect I believe many would choose respect. Men will walk together because there is respect among them. Not that men don’t need and appreciate love but love is best expressed in respect. We need to remember that as we reach and influence men for the work of the kingdom. There’s also no denying that our fathers influence us as men for good or worse. But the combination of a present father and one worthy of respect makes all the difference. That’s the kind of father that you want to point men to. He’s the kind of saviour that both those who had good fathers need and one for those who never had a present and respectable father. And you know what, the Bible being so balanced presents a Father that appeals to both men and women. Look at these words from Hebrews 12:

9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. Hebrews 12 NIV.

The language of discipline and respect is very manly. But before you brand it toxic masculinity look at the one who requires it and its ultimate intention. Like a good father, he’s one worthy of respect and the end goal of his discipline is to make us better. The verses before speak of him treating us as his legitimate and beloved children. The image is, therefore, not one of a father beating his children out of rage. Nor is it of the man who makes ridiculous demands from his little son. He’s also not an absent or indifferent father. Instead like a good father he is involved and seeking to make us better so that we may share in his holiness. If you like he wants us to be respectable men like he is. And because he’s worthy of our respect then we can endure his discipline.

If you like he wants us to be respectable men like he is.

This is the kind of father we need as we wrestle with sin. One we want to listen to because he cares about us and one we respect. He is a man we want to be close to and one we don’t want to disrespect with our sins. Being near him challenges us for the better but not in a way that makes us feel we can never please him. He welcomes the man who never had a father with open arms. He is a friend of the man whose father was present but not involved. He is a helpful resource to the man raised by a single mother who wants to be a better father. He also draws the man who grew up with a good father who knows the value of fatherhood. But this kind of father challenges the men around our churches. He tells them to be better men not only for their sake but also for the young boys growing up around them. He calls the older men to walk with younger men and show them the path of true Christian manhood. But he doesn’t neglect the women either.

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Thinking Missions – A Review of Andy Johnson’s Book

Posted in Christian Life, Evangelism, Mission, tagged , , , , on 06/08/2022| Leave a Comment »

First Things First

Andy communicates clearly that Mission belongs to the church. Missionaries are sent out by the church. And at the very least it is expected that missionaries are accountable to the church. There is no mission if there is no Church. Jesus did not send out missionaries but sent out the church to go and reach the ends of the earth with the message of the Gospel. The church, therefore, has a responsibility to help its members pray and support those who are reaching the unreached. We should always remember that the Church is a central player in the work of missions.

Andy further says that we ought not to focus on immediate results but always be reminded that patient endurance is of paramount importance in Missions. We are to leave the results of our work to God and know that both time and results are his. He is in charge of all time, efforts, and results of mission endeavors. Andy powerfully stands firm in saying that we cannot use our numbers as the only measure for mission success.

Short Term Trips

In his observation, small teams have become the ‘new’ practice where members of a church or small group take time off their normal schedules with the backing of their churches to travel long or short distances to go and get an experience of what the field looks like. These are not entirely bad but can have potentially harmful effects on the missionaries on the ground, as well as the people to whom the always available missionaries minister. Short-termers may have great stories, pictures, and even a list of decisions for Christ but the overall effect of their trip falls short of the Gospel expectation on Missions.

He mentions that the said trips can make the participants feel good for what they did and that creates a new problem where the trip is so much not for the Gospel but the experience and a boost on self-esteem. In this case, then it will be difficult to encourage support for a long-term missionary who hardly comes home when we can see the joy radiating from short-termers who went out for a week and had return tickets at their time of departure. I think this is a good argument to help us prepare well for such trips as we aim to make the Gospel central even for such trips. He advises that it would be far better if the missionaries themselves welcome short-termers and determined what they would participate in to help spur the Gospel agenda of missions.

Long Term Commitment

It is with great caution that he also points out the danger of having pastors, elders, and sending agency leaders imposing quick solutions, and making decisions when they visit the field. While it is okay to offer a piece of our mind it doesn’t mean that all we know would have to be applied in a field where we do not work and stay throughout the year. This is a wonderful call for us to take contextualization into perspective and to sensitively engage input from others before we respond to the urge of wanting to be problem solvers.

One area where we in Africa are trying to address is the entry point for small churches when it comes to being involved in global missions. The book has some wonderful insights on how every congregational size can participate. He suggests that research and prayer can be the first steps. Where the church gets information about possible fields and begins to pray for those fields. It will especially remain a great deal if the leaders are fully convinced that missions are important and that will trickle down to the members. An inversion to this flow would make it very hard for a congregation to participate in missions.

The Question of Support

Andy gives helpful parameters to help measure who qualifies for support. In my opinion, the criteria suggested are great but it would also easily lock out many who think or might have a different view or perspective of their calling in missions compared to his church’s view. I was drawn back by learning that a time came and some missionaries had to be informed about a huge change in their lives after a decision came about that their support would be withdrawn. What would happen to such missionaries and their families? Even with a 3-year notice, such a change would have lasting effects on the hearts of the missionaries and the people they were reaching out to.

There’s no cause for alarm there. We know it gets to a point where hard decisions need to be taken and communicated. The case cited is an example of a well-handled situation in my opinion. But it would be important to prepare missionaries on the field for when such a scenario would occur in our varied contexts. It is easy to prepare for the good news we hope to receive from the fields where we send workers, and this is great. However, it is important to marshal up strength if unforeseen changes will need to happen in our areas.

Recommendation

Andy Johnson has worked on a wonderful book addressing this matter of Missions. All the steps in the Missionary lifecycle have been well captured and the manner of writing is fit for any reader who wants or is already playing a part in missions. He has an unrelenting pastoral counsel over malpractices and even cites examples of how some ways of doing things didn’t work in his experience. The book’s content is surely thought-provoking and action stimulating to see that we engage in missions while being true to the scriptures the very words that will bring about salvation for men. I would recommend the book to every person who has come to the saving grace of Christ. These are the very people who have all it takes to participate in missions. I dare say that they are expected to do so!

The article was written by Stanley Wandeto

Director for Missions, iServe Africa.

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Being Available is Better than being Gifted

Posted in Apprenticeship, Christian Life, Discipleship, Mentoring, Ministry, Servant Leadership, tagged , , , , on 05/23/2022| 2 Comments »

Many Christians spend a good part of their early years wrestling with the question of their unique gifting. This is especially the case where the church has overemphasized the place of gifts more than the place of character and service. I remember sharing with a friend that I was thinking about Christian ministry back in college and the first thing they asked was what’s my gifting. According to them, Gospel ministry was for those who knew their specific ministry gifts.

But I think this question isn’t just important to those considering full-time Christian ministry but one that explains service in our local churches. You see if people wait to discover their specific gifts so they can serve then you are going to have a lot of people on the waiting list. Someone will argue I cannot teach so I can’t join children or youth ministry. Another will say I’m not good with people so I can’t do welcoming and hospitality. Or I’m not as good as the song leader so the music team isn’t for me.

This inward-looking question will in the end keep you away from service and you’ll not actually discover what you can do for the body of Christ. But here I want to suggest you avail yourself first and let your specific gift if you only have one be discovered later. Because the gift is from the Spirit and for his church then begin by rolling your sleeves to do anything that your hands find to do for the church family. I’ll give 3 reasons as we reflect on this.

Jesus is calling Disciples not Gifted Professionals
When Jesus called his first disciples he didn’t sit them through an interview process to know how good they would serve him. He called anyone who would come to him. Coming to follow him, being with him, and obeying his calling was more important than what they could do for him later, see Mark 3:14. It wasn’t until later that he would send them out in the great commission yet they did serve him by being there with him. They were with him from the beginning, they walked with him and served alongside him without titles. You can say they were his errand boys but who wouldn’t want to be Christ’s errand boy.

What I’m saying here is that the body of Christ needs people who are willing and ready to roll their sleeves and do the work. It needs those available to serve in any and every way not just those with specific gifting and experience. The church needs people to be available in what is called the ministry of presence and to fill in the gaps as they notice them. And it’s only when you are available and ready to serve that the church can then discover your specific gifts not when you sit and wait.

When I did my first apprenticeship I didn’t know what was my specific gift but that meant I was available for anything. I was given an admin job which I wouldn’t have availed myself for before but it was the best ministry I have ever done. That’s where I actually learned how to write as I prepared weekly briefs. Then I tried youth ministry which was at first scary and then it became something I cherish today. I went on to welcoming which I always thought wasn’t for me only to realize how strategic it is. In the end, I wasn’t concerned about my specific ministry gift but was looking for where there was a need. I realized if you are willing to serve then you can have all the gifts to choose from.

Service is the end of Gifting
We can all agree that if the most gifted pastor doesn’t use their gift to serve the body of Christ then it’s a useless gift. They may talk about how good they are with the microphone but that benefits no one. Jesus didn’t call his disciples to display their abilities but to roll their sleeves and work for his church. It’s not our unique abilities that matter but our preparedness to serve and to do it wholeheartedly. It’s actually as we give ourselves fully to whichever area of ministry that is available that we discover what we can do best for King Jesus.

I find people who label themselves with a particular gift early on close the door for service too early. They are content with being evangelists when they haven’t tried hospitality. They pride themselves on their preaching skills without ever discovering the beauty of children’s ministry. They walk around with empty titles when their local church needs them to be available and do whatever is needed. It’s good to clarify that I’m not against discovering our unique gifts early on but I think service is bigger than us and our specific gifts. Because the gift belongs to the church then our availability to serve God’s people is what matters not what we do specifically. In time we may realize a unique need and our ability and decide to concentrate on one or two areas of service but we should always be ready for whatever the master calls us to do.

The Kingdom is bigger than my Gifting
It’s not a surprise that there are countless ministries built around a specific person and their unique gifting. It’s actually very human to rally people behind what we believe and are good at. And it’s not always wrong or premeditated that it happens like that. But we need to be careful if our churches and ministries draw and produce people who are just like us. We may be the most charismatic preacher or the most organized administrator and the most welcoming guy but we must be ready to have and grow many who are unlike us and yet fit for the kingdom of God. Let them come and discover the endless opportunities there are to serve the Lord.

God’s church needs all kinds of servants for all kinds of ministry for the benefit of the whole body. I think it’s a tragedy if everyone in a team thinks and serves like everyone else. Worse if we only think there are only 5 ways or so one can serve the church family. In time this would bring competition and complacency if there are only a few areas that all can do. But the way God has constituted his church is that we find all kinds of people with all kinds of abilities and opportunities to serve in the kingdom of God. The better way to view the church isn’t checking everyone’s gift in order of priority but seeing everyone as a unique gift to the local church. I think if we all set aside titles and abilities we would realize just how much we are needed in the kingdom. We would see beyond us and the vast harvest all around us. We wouldn’t shy from service on account of specific gifting instead we would discover just how gifted we are as a church.

Conclusion
In this article, I have argued that being available is better than being gifted. Yes, I would rather you try to service and fail if anyone ever can fail at service instead of waiting to be good to serve. More than that I think we need to realize that Christian gifts are not qualifications for a CV but opportunities to serve. They are actually not your gift but they belong to the church. In the end, service is what matters not how well we score in a certain area of ministry.

Many people live and die without knowing their unique gifts yet toil so hard for Jesus. And when we come to him the words welcome good and faithful servants is what will matter, see Matthew 25:23. I believe that in heaven we’ll find people who were totally unknown and unappreciated in their diligent service yet are regarded highly by the one who knew their good works without a title. Friends, it’s better to be an errand boy for King Jesus than wait to be recognized by your gifting here on earth.

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Who would love us more?

Posted in Revival, tagged , , , , , , on 10/31/2016| Leave a Comment »

For this Reformation Day I’ve been enjoying reading through the Belgic Confession – one of the early reformed confessions (1561). I love it for its clarity and straightforwardness but also there is a lovely warmth that comes through. Surely this is what our church needs today – lovely truth, doctrine with devotion, a passionate creed. I think this is my favourite section – on the intercession of Christ:

We believe that we have no access to God except through the one and only Mediator and Intercessor, “Jesus Christ the righteous,” (1 John 2:1).
But this Mediator, whom the Father has appointed between himself and us, ought not terrify us by his greatness, so that we have to look for another one, according to our fancy. For neither in heaven nor among the creatures on earth is there anyone who loves us more than Jesus Christ does.

Although he was “in the form of God,” Christ nevertheless “emptied himself,” taking “human form” and “the form of a slave” for us; (Phil. 2:6-8) and he made himself “like his brothers and sisters in every respect.” (Heb. 2:17).

Suppose we had to find another intercessor. Who would love us more than he who gave his life for us, even though “we were enemies”? (Rom. 5:10)
And suppose we had to find one who has prestige and power. Who has as much of these as he who is seated at the right hand of the Father, (Rom. 8:34) and who has “all authority in heaven and on earth”? (Matt. 28:18).
And who will be heard more readily than God’s own dearly beloved Son?

So, the practice of honoring the saints as intercessors in fact dishonors them because of its misplaced faith. That was something the saints never did nor asked for, but which in keeping with their duty, as appears from their writings, they consistently refused.

We should not plead here that we are unworthy— for it is not a question of offering our prayers on the basis of our own dignity but only on the basis of the excellence and dignity of Jesus Christ, whose righteousness is ours by faith.

Since the apostle for good reason wants us to get rid of this foolish fear—or rather, this unbelief—he says to us that Jesus Christ was made like “his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest” to purify the sins of the people. (Heb. 2:17) For since he suffered, being tempted, he is also able to help those who are tempted. (Heb. 2:18)

And further, to encourage us more to approach him he says, “Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:14-16)

The same apostle says that we “have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus… Let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith….” (Heb. 10:19, 22)

Likewise, Christ “holds his priesthood permanently…. Consequently, he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (Heb. 7:24-25)

What more do we need?
For Christ himself declares: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
Why should we seek another intercessor?

Since it has pleased God to give us the Son as our Intercessor, let us not leave him for another— or rather seek, without ever finding.
For, when giving Christ to us, God knew well that we were sinners.

Therefore, in following the command of Christ we call on the heavenly Father through Christ,our only Mediator, as we are taught by the Lord’s prayer, being assured that we shall obtain all we ask of the Father in his name.

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