Every Member - A Missionary

(This is a redo of the post I made last Sunday night that got deleted. Long story - don't ask. Just read, if you didn't see the first one.)

Last Sunday I began a series of messages called: Every Member – A Missionary. Everyone is born with the desire to live a life of significance and meaning. As Christians we believe that we can find this significance and meaning only in and through God. This restless pursuit for worth and value is filled when we find true rest in God and our reason for being through Him. Many, no doubt, have found it and Acts 13:36 names one of them, “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep;”

So what is God’s purpose for us? Let’s find out what He is up to and join with Him in His work. A careful reading of Scripture reveals that God was and is on a mission of reconciliation and redemption. Some of the key scriptures are: Genesis 12:2-3; Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 43:10; 2 Corinthians 5:20; Galatians 3:6-9; and 1 Peter 2:9.

Once we have received this message of reconciliation ourselves, then our purpose (which will give us significance and worth) is to be messengers (missionaries) of reconciliation to the rest of the world. What does it mean to become a missionary?

Becoming a missionary is something I am more than something I do. But because of who I am, there are certain things I will or will not do.

Becoming a missionary gives me the opportunity to partner with God in His mission of bringing salvation to all mankind and restoring His kingdom on earth.

Becoming a missionary means that I am learning how to transform my daily interactions with others into opportunities to plant gospel seeds into their lives.

Becoming a missionary is a way of life. It can’t be reduced to special events organized by the church or overseas “missions” work.

Last Sunday I challenged the congregation to take the first step to becoming a missionary: submit to be a servant of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

In taking this first step they were asked to commit to:

1) Pray that God will gives you eyes to see others as He sees them by going to a mall, fast food restaurant, or park and pray, “Lord, help me to see what you see.” Then listen for the voice of God.

2) Begin to work at creating opportunities to engage others in spiritual conversations by asking them if you may pray for them and for specific ways to pray for them.

Are you ready to make this first step toward missionary service?

Ten or More Commandments for Drivers

Not sure if this is a part of the official cannon or not, but in 2007, the Vatican recently released an official ten commandments for drivers. Here they are, as they were relayed to me ...

1. Thou shall not kill

2. The road shall be a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm

3. Courtesy, uprightness, and prudence will help you deal with unforeseeable events

4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents

5. Cars shall not be an expression of power and domination, or an occasion of sin...

6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so

7. Support the families of accident victims

8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness

9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party

10. Feel responsible toward others

Here are a some that I would like to add:

11. Take note of the speed limit and maintain it if at all possible.

12. When the traffic light turns green proceed to move, it will not get any greener if you wait.

13. Don't talk on a cell phone while driving if you can't do two things well at once.

14. If you’re going slower than me on the interstate, please move to the right as quickly as possible.

Do you have any driving commandments you’d like to add to the list?

An Inconvenient Truth

Three years ago, Al Gore’s documentary on global warming was given the title of “An Inconvenient Truth”. Long before Al Gore decided that global warming was an inconvenient truth the Apostle Paul declared the cross to be not just an inconvenient truth but the inconvenient truth.

1 Cor. 1:18 > For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Phil. 3:18-19 > Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame.

Accepting or rejecting global warming as an inconvenient truth will not impact your eternal destiny. But what you and I decide to do with the cross will determine where we spend eternity. The cross is the inconvenient truth that must be dealt with. The cross is inconvenient because there is nothing convenient about embracing the cross. When we embrace the cross everything else must adjust to the centrality of the cross in our lives. Behaviors must change, relationships are impacted, and daily decisions will be altered.

Sunday morning I will ask the folks at NGWC what I now ask you: Where have you put the cross? If you are in the Asheboro area I invite you to worship with us @ 10 am this Sunday. We will receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper as we literally gather around the Lord’s Table. We are placing the communion table (with a cross sitting on it) in the center aisle of the church. The cross and communion will be in the center of the church. The same place that it needs to be in each of our lives.

IIM Mission Focus - Congregational Survey

The NGWC Transition Team has prepared and is distributing surveys to get congregational input as we seek to determine what our specific vision and ministry focus should be within the larger mission of the universal church. This survey and a congregational event called "Mission Possible" Pizza Party scheduled for May 3rd are the primary tools that our Transition Team are using for the Mission focus of our Intentional Interim work.

Here is a sample survey:
Neighbors Grove is known as the church that ...

What church ministries, activities or programs bring you the greatest sense of joy and fulfillment?

What needs do you have that are not being met?

What needs do you see in the community that are not being met?

What are the church's distinctives/strengths which should draw others to this congregation?

What are the limitations that we will need to overcome to accomplish our church mission?

What are the current activities, programs and ministries that should continue, regardless of who the next pastor is?

What activities, programs or ministries would you like to see our church start that will be beneficial to future generations?


Two other special surveys have been distributed as well.
1) A 3 question survey that was given to the daycare and academy families.
2) A 8 question survey that was given to individuals who have attended NGWC for five years or less.

The Transition Team will develop an assessment based on the information obtained from these surveys and the small group discussions during the May 3rd "Mission Possible" Pizza Party.

In the interim I am continuing to direction my sermon development toward the challenge of being a more missional congregation. I think that more and more of the proverbial "light bulbs" are coming on and people are "getting it". Time will tell - if NGWC becomes more incarnational in its ministry outlook.

The Church Should Breathe the Breath of God

Yesterday I preached a message that challenged NGWC once again to be a missional church. Here are my sermon notes:

Let’s do an exercise – breathe in and hold it. You can’t hold it in but so long before you have to exhale.

This illustrates the life and flow of the church (both in and out). We bring ourselves to church on Sunday and we bring the church to others every day. We come to church asking God to bless and help us; then we leave asking God to bless others and to make us a blessing.

Scripture: John 20:21-23

Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

Before we can be sent out we must breathe in the breath of God (H.S.) Before we can go out into the world we need to come near to God and each other to form a community of faith. But if all we ever do is come in then we will just inflate ourselves until we explode.

The church has done a pretty good job of gathering; so good that we have become very inwardly focused in everything we do. Our Lord said that we should pray for laborers to go out into the harvest field yet most of our labor is expended on ourselves.

Dare I say that we have become more interested in the barn than in the harvest? Have we become consumed with the operation of the machinery around the barn to the neglect of going out into the harvest?

This dominant inward focus can be seen in our church scorecards (attendance, offerings, membership, value of our buildings). When will we develop a scorecard that measures our impact on the community around us?

An outwardly focused church still comes in and meets together. But their reasons are different from those of an inwardly focused church. Ask yourself: Why did I come to church today?

Reasons for The Church To Come In While We Also Go Out:

Rejoice – Psalm 68:26 > Praise God in the great congregation; praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel.

Repent – James 5:16 > Confess your sins to each other.

Request – Matthew 21:13 > My house will be called a house of prayer.

Recharge – Ephesians 4:11-12 > It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service.

Once we have done these things together each of us goes out to serve on mission with God in the same way that Jesus was sent by God from heaven to this earth.

“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

John 3:17 > For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

The Mission of Jesus is the Mission of His Followers:

1) To serve and sacrifice

Mark 10:45 > The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

2) To seek and save

Luke 19:10 > For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

The Message of Jesus is the Message of His Followers:

Luke 4:18-19 > He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

It does not matter the style of worship, theological doctrines, size of the building, or denominational labels all followers of Jesus are called to go on mission in the power of the Holy Spirit with His message.

The Church Should Be Like the Month of March

The old saying about March is that it comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. If we drop the lion and the lamb parts it seems to me that the church should be like the month of March. We are to both come in (for worship) and go out (for witness). Missional churches understand this concept.

The first word of what we call the Great Commission is “go”. Some commentators state that if we were to literally translate what Jesus said it would be expressed “as you are going”. Yesterday my sermon focus was divine appointments. As the people of God are going about their daily lives and understand themselves to be on mission for God they will frequently have meetings or events that have been arranged and orchestrated by God.

My basic premise is that God works through ordinary people, empowered by the Holy Spirit, in the ordinary moments of life. The story of the healing of the crippled man beside the temple gate called Beautiful is a classic example.

My sermon points on how to keep divine appointments are:

1) Do the things you are suppose to do.

Peter and John were just doing what good Jewish men did any day at 3 pm. They could just as easily been going to the grocery store. Are we doing the things we are supposed to be doing?

2) Pay attention to those around you.

Peter and John had probably passed by this man on other days (he had been there), but today they noticed him. He caught their attention on this day. Do we pay attention to the people around us?

3) Be ready for interruptions.

Peter and John had a schedule to keep but it was not as important as a need to meet. Like Jesus they were not so busy that they couldn’t be interrupted. What do you do when you are interrupted?

4) Be willing to share what you have.

Peter and John didn’t have any money but they had a miracle to share. You can’t give away what you don’t have. But you can’t keep what you have unless you give it away. Are you a river or a reservoir?

5) Risk involvement in the lives of others.

Peter and John didn’t just tell about Jesus, they helped a man to Jesus. Peter risked making himself “unclean” by touching this crippled man. Are we willing to get “dirty” in order to help people to Jesus?

6) Seize the moments of opportunity to talk about Jesus.

Once Peter and John had the attention of the people they turned the spotlight on Jesus. We must make sure people know who the One is that gets the glory and honor by turning conversations toward spiritual things. How often do we work Jesus into our conversations?

Prayer for the Week: Lord, help me to keep my divine appointments this week and be your instrument of peace.

Will you join me in praying this prayer?