I was pondering about how Christian pastors in third world countries or communist countries have little or no access to commentaries or biblical study tools, but only have the scriptures, and sometimes not even that. Concerning a believer’s work with God, Paul says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth (1 Cor. 3: 6-7).
The one thing that believers do have in these countries where they do not have access to other teaching or to commentaries, is that they have God’s word and God’s Spirit, and they are often much more reliant on prayer. “It is God who gives the growth.” When we, with our fancy commentaries and laptops that have Bible programs with maps, illustrations, devotions and so on, tend to rely more on our skill and message layout. But God even tells us in chapter 1 of 1 Corinthians, “God has chosen the world’s weak things to shame the strong. God has chosen the world’s insignificant and despised things – the things viewed as nothing – so He might bring to nothing the things that are viewed as something” (1:27b,28) When we truly seek the LORD in prayer, He is the one who gives the growth to our ministries. Oswald Chambers said something to the effect that “Prayer is not preceding the work of God, Prayer IS the work.”
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Mission in Baltimore
This past week at Baltimore was both frustrating and good. It was frustrating dealing with the spiritual opposition and resistance in the lives of our young people. But overall, it turned out good for the youth (and leaders) who went. They are now excited and understand the need for church planting and are ready to get involved in serving the community. I’m really excited, and excited for them!
I had a revelation this past week being involved in the community service projects. I have often spken and taught on how love is action. I also taught on how Christ instructs is to live a life of love, and how he said, “obedience to God is to walk in love.” “He has shown you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).” “We are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. We were created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God predestined before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 2:8-10).
That passage right there says it all. God wants us to live lives of service, both to the believing and unbelieving world. But of the unbelievers, Paul says, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the time” Col 4:5 (HCSB). So with the unbelieving communities in which we inhabit, we must live lives of service, opening them to the gospel and engaging them in love.
With the LORD's SOON return, we've all got to be busy engaging and serving our communities. I think that's where many of us as churches have dropped the ball. We focus on doing programs and courses and looking inward at the church and the health of the body, while losing focus on the community right around us. Being part of this church plant for the Gallery church in Baltimore (www.gallerychurchbaltimore.com) was refreshing and opened my eyes to this.
Another thing that was really cool, and that the youth thought was really cool, was that we got interviewed and had an article wrote up about us in yesterday's Baltimore Sun paper. If you'd like to check it out, see http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.ci.youth04jul04,0,5831783.story. They even quoted moua!
I had a revelation this past week being involved in the community service projects. I have often spken and taught on how love is action. I also taught on how Christ instructs is to live a life of love, and how he said, “obedience to God is to walk in love.” “He has shown you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).” “We are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. We were created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God predestined before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 2:8-10).
That passage right there says it all. God wants us to live lives of service, both to the believing and unbelieving world. But of the unbelievers, Paul says, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the time” Col 4:5 (HCSB). So with the unbelieving communities in which we inhabit, we must live lives of service, opening them to the gospel and engaging them in love.
With the LORD's SOON return, we've all got to be busy engaging and serving our communities. I think that's where many of us as churches have dropped the ball. We focus on doing programs and courses and looking inward at the church and the health of the body, while losing focus on the community right around us. Being part of this church plant for the Gallery church in Baltimore (www.gallerychurchbaltimore.com) was refreshing and opened my eyes to this.
Another thing that was really cool, and that the youth thought was really cool, was that we got interviewed and had an article wrote up about us in yesterday's Baltimore Sun paper. If you'd like to check it out, see http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.ci.youth04jul04,0,5831783.story. They even quoted moua!
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