What Do We Believe?

Ever have one of those days where you struggle to put into words what you are actually thinking? I'm having one of those days. I have so many thoughts running through my mind, so many topics that I would love to discuss (not write), and so many things I would love to tackle. However, that doesn't make for good blogging. So I will just go with this...

This question is not meant to set forth a line by line format of proper theology. I simply put it out there to stir your thinking. I'm finding more & more people who are more interested in what they believe rather than in WHOM they believe. Is it any wonder why there are so many Christian denominations (a nice way to say sects)? I honestly believe that if we would learn how to gather around "WHO" we believe in, then the "WHAT" we believe in will take care of itself.

When I read the book of Acts, I discover a group of people who have a confession. They know WHO they believe in. They have trusted in the Gospel message. They believe that Jesus Christ is exactly who the Apostles said He was/is. And this confession was enough for them to begin to live in community with one another. How times have changed!!!

In today's world, the community of the saints are gathered around a core set of beliefs and/or practices. It's these beliefs that actually create the community. To be sure, most of these groups do require a confession of Jesus as Lord, but there seems to be such an emphasis on everything else that He gets lost in the mix. Go look at the "What We Believe" section of most church websites & you will discover what is meant to set them apart from other churches. What most people don't consider is that many of the sections are generalities. It's not until you get into those churches that you begin to discover some of the specifics. But that is not the point of my blog today.

The point of my blog (today) is to ask the question: "What Do We Believe?"

Have we become so consumed with the specifics of our faith that we have failed to recognize the greatness of WHO we believe in? Have we become so bogged down in our theology & doctrines that we have missed out on the simplicity of Christ? He we become so preoccupied with crossing our "t's" & dotting our "i's" that we have lost the childlike faith that ushered us into this relationship in the first place?

I'm simply longing for a return to simplicity. A simplicity of faith that says "Jesus is ENOUGH." A simplicity of relationship that allows God to be a part of everything. A simplicity that recognizes that God doesn't need religion so that He can be a part of my life. A simplicity that recognizes Jesus' death, burial, resurrection, & ascension as a means of God restoring His fallen creation. A simplicity that rejoices in the finished work of Christ & realizes that I cannot add to or take away from it.

With all that being said, I'll tell you what I believe. I believe we have been playing a religious game rather than realizing that faith was meant to be a NORMAL part of life. So normal that I am awakened each morning with the understanding that God has given me breath in my lungs, a family to enjoy, & a life to live. So normal that I don't go through any part of my day without the realization that He is with me & for me. So normal that every person I encounter has the potential to experience the love of the Father in that moment & time. So normal that prayer isn't just a time of petitioning but a dialogue between my & my Father. So normal that the movement of the Holy Spirit in my life is not some whipped up emotional experience but like a continual wave of motion pulling me in the direction of the Father's heart. So normal that to live any other way would be abnormal.

So the question remains: What Do We Believe?
Do we believe in our beliefs or do we believe in Jesus?
Do we believe that someone's confession of Jesus as Lord is enough or do they need to jump through a few more hoops?
Can we return to an unbridled confidence in the finished work of Christ for all of mankind?
Can we trust the Holy Spirit to awaken people to this reality?
Can we love people in the process?
Do we believe that is enough?

Maybe I didn't answer the question. Maybe you are still wondering where I was going with all of this. Or...maybe you have felt the same tugging in your spirit. If so, then welcome to my world. Enjoy the journey!!!

They Will Know Us By Our...

You may grow a little tired of hearing this, but it cannot be said enough. Of all of the things we consider important, the greatest litmus test of our faith is wrapped up in a four letter word: L-O-V-E. Of all of the things that Jesus told His followers they should do, LOVE was not only the greatest of them but the root of them.

Jesus said the world would know that we are His disciples by our love for one another.
Period.
Not by our demonstrations, our t-shirts, the size of our church buildings, or our fish symbols on the backs of our cars. It might be time for us to pay attention to how the world perceives us.

I came across a graphic this morning that got my attention. This led me to run a test of my own. Many of you know that when you type in on a Google search that they often try to finish your statement (or question) based upon popular searches. In other words, what the majority of people type in comes up as an option. These are the searches that I came across:
Why are Muslims so...angry
Why are Christians so...mean
Why are Jews so...smart
Why are Buddhists so...happy
I would simply type in the beginning phrase & Google would offer the most popular word for that search. While it may not be a research poll that can offer some hard data, these questions should cause us to ask a few of our own.

If LOVE is to be the basis for all that we do, and the proof of what we believe, then why doesn't the Googler search for "Why are Christians so loving?" What are they experiencing that is so different from the life of our Savior? While we often tout our separation from the world as a credit to our abiding faith, the reality is that the world ran to Jesus when He was here. They sat at His feet. They hiked to the top of a mountain to hear Him. They crowded into homes, climbed up trees, and crossed over to the other side of lakes. They longed to be in His presence. While I don't expect everyone in the world to love us, I do believe that we should be getting their attention in a good way.

Please note that this post has nothing to do with your standards. I want you to live by your convictions.
This has nothing to do with affirming or rejecting certain types of lifestyles. We are in the world - not of it.
All I am trying to convey is the fact that while we talk a lot about loving one another, our neighbor, & our enemy; our lives (as a collective whole) are not indicative of the love that changed the world. How the world perceives us is only as important as our ability to reach out to them. And I have been to places where people were shocked at the love we showed to them. Our actions left them amazed. Our willingness to put ourselves out there made a huge difference. They didn't expect the love & support of the Christian community. You want to talk about doors being opened to share the love of God? When they experienced His love through us, it made all the difference.

I realize that we often get thrown into the "bad lot" of people's perceptions. I'm from Southwest VA. With that being said, I'm not a racist, I have all of my teeth, and I live in a pretty technologically advanced area. You would be amazed at how many people are shocked by this. Why? It's all about their perception. The same could be said of any of those groups listed above. Not all Muslims are angry. Not all Christians are mean. And the list goes on. However, the perception must be dealt with.

While I cannot offer solutions to every group, I can offer some advice to my Brothers & Sisters in Christ.
#1 - Let's stop with the hateful rhetoric
There is a way to preach truth IN love.
#2 - Let's rid ourselves of our own disunity
This is a call to action for all the schisms within the Body of Christ. I don't care if we have denominations as long as we can honestly share common ground...i.e. Jesus.
#3 - Love has to come to the forefront of our thinking
Love should be the root of all that we do. All of our ministries, mission projects, service programs, etc. should be propelled by this one thought: How can we demonstrate love to these people.
#4 - Immerse yourself in the love of God for you
This is bigger than you might think. As long as you struggle to accept the unconditional love of God for your own life, the harder it will be to demonstrate the unconditional love of God for others.
#5 - Love starts at home
I think we are missing it here more than we want to believe. I should be able to teach, preach, and minister to people in a way that doesn't cause my wife & kids to flinch. In other words, they should be experiencing love through me on a daily basis. Too many pastors are saving the world while losing their kids. This has to stop. Today.

Sure...there's a lot more we could say about this topic. But maybe if we could work on these things, the rest would work itself out as well. I'm a firm believer that the most loving places in the world should be our homes & our churches. Period. There's absolutely no reason why people should feel the need to run elsewhere to experience love. Love is a part of our original design. It's in our DNA. Maybe we should stop trying to love like Christ & start loving AS Christ. Hmmm...now there's a thought.

Don't underestimate who you are.
Don't underestimate the difference you can make.

How Will You Spend Your Life?

We've all seen the billboards & church marquees: "How will you spend eternity?" Many of them will even give you a choice, Heaven or Hell? Some try to be cute in their presentation, Smoking or Non-Smoking? While I understand the desire of people to ensure that your soul is secure in salvation, I believe our focus on the hearafter has kept so many from embracing the herenow.

When you look into the Gospels and Apostolic writings, you discover that their presentation of the Good News was/is quite different from what we hear in Western Christianity. Much of what we have preached & taught has focused on eternity. Even our discussions on how we live right now is consumed with the idea that we don't want to mess up that destination. What has been lost in all of this is how faith in Christ affects our lives this very moment. Our relationship with Christ should affect every relationship. Our time spent with Him should affect our time spent everywhere else. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have LIFE, and that LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY." It's time to get busy living.

I saw a post this morning that stirred my thinking in this direction so you will just have to bear with me. The constant focus on Heaven & Hell within much of Christendom has hindered us from embracing life. Always looking for the "sweet by and by" causes us to miss out on the glorious here and now. Don't you find it interesting that we spend so much time talking about leaving Earth & going to Heaven while Jesus prayed that Heaven would come to Earth? We are telling people how to avoid Hell in eternity but not teaching them how to avoid Hell now. The questions that we have to answer revolve around what Jesus taught. Was He simply trying to affect eternity or was He trying to affect the present? To be sure, the "afterlife" would be affected but the "nowlife" matters much more than we realize.

There are certain passages of Scripture that have been twisted in this current train of thought. When Paul talks about "keeping your mind on things above", I don't believe he is trying to get you to focus on the reward of Heaven. I believe he wants your thought life to be consumed with the atmosphere & environment of Heaven. It's the understanding that there is a pattern of life set forth in Heaven that should be emulated in the Earth. It's the recognition of the Kingdom of God in all of its purity, all of its light, & all of its glory that needs to be manifested here & now. Many Christians are content to leave the world in an hellish state rather than see it transformed through the life that is in us. AND...this is the reason why I'm going after this type of thinking. Our desire to escape, our thinking that it's only going to get worse, & our belief that this is necessary/proper keeps us from engaging the culture.

Think about it this way:
"If you were to live 100 more years, would your life be Heaven or Hell?"

Jesus spoke to people where they were & in what they were experiencing.
"If anyone thirsts..."
"Come to me all of you who are weary & heavy laden..."
"I am the Bread of Life..."
These are all statements & declarations that were meant to alter their current experience of God & life. The affect of Western Christianity upon our thinking has kept us from seeing the "NOW" aspects of what Jesus is saying. His desire was to affect life which would ultimately affect eternity. He had seen what Adam's Fall had done to His creation. He saw the current Hell they were living in. He had witnessed firsthand what Death was doing to their lives. He chose to defeat it all so that we would no longer have to live in fear. We would no longer have to be bound by shame. We would no longer have to bear the yoke of the Law that continually condemned.

My dear friends, I'm not saying that there isn't an eternal aspect to the Gospel. I'm not saying that there isn't a reward for believing nor consequences for rejection. I'm simply saying that Jesus wants to affect your current state of life. Why else would Jesus spend so much time teaching on how we treat one another, how to respond to our enemies, or how to handle trials & tribulation? If God's ultimate goal was to get us to Heaven then He could transport us at the moment of our conversion. Yet here we are, here and now. How are we going to spend our lives?

You may not think this is a big issue, but I want you to consider that this is exactly how so many people are introduced to the Christian faith. One of the most popular evangelistic tools of our day opens with these two questions:
"Have you come to the place in your spiritual life where you can say you know for certain that if you were to die today you would go to heaven?"
"Suppose that you were to die today and stand before God and He were to say to you, 'Why should I let you into my heaven?' what would you say?"
Has anyone ever heard Jesus proclaim the Good News in this way? What about any of the Apostles? Jesus would say things like "This is why I have come", and the Apostles would simply tell the narrative. Why? Because His coming was meant to affect their current experience of God & their current experience of life. Most of us don't even realize that Jewish thought on life was that our current experience would carry over. "From Judaism’s perspective, our eternal soul is as real as our thumb. This is the world of doing, and the 'world to come' is where we experience the eternal reality of whatever we've become." In other words, the now would affect the later so focus upon the now. There is very little teaching about eternity. At least much less than what we have in our statements of faith. Why is this important? We have visited this question before. It's important because the Bible you read was influenced by Jewish culture. The cultural relevance of the Gospel must be carried over into our understanding or we miss out on the experience.

In closing, I want you to imagine a Christianity that focused upon us living in our identity in Christ. A Christianity that recognized that we are continually being conformed into the image of the Son. A faith that drew upon that experience to affect the lives around us. A Christianity that recognizes that the Kingdom of God is within us & needs to be let out. A faith where we lived in the moment & affected the culture around us. This is why you are here. How will your spend your life?

My Greatest Investment

The last couple of days have allowed me to do a lot of reflection. Anniversaries & Birthdays can do that. As I continue to be amazed at the wonder that is my life, I'm reminded that this is my greatest investment.

It's one thing to get married & quite another thing to create a marriage.
It's one thing to have kids & quite another thing to create a family.
It's what we do in these relationships that make the difference. While each of these carry their own struggles, marriage & family carry a joy that is all their own. How we invest ourselves matters.

Let me be the first to say that I have not been the perfect husband or the perfect father. I have learned a lot of hard lessons along the way. One of the greatest lessons: there is more to learn.

That may sound too simplistic for many of you. However, it was this lesson that reminded me that there is more to that family thing than I understood. There is not one person alive today that has gotten it all right in marriage and/or parenting. Of course there are many books on these subjects. There are a ton of workshops. What each family has to discover for themselves is what works in their home. While there may be some foundational principles we can all live by, the differences each spouse & child possess require that we adapt.

Thankfully, I have learned how to call out the best of my children & my wife before it was too late. I also learned how to be "all in" in our relationship. I stopped thinking that there were others things I could invest my time, life, & resources into that would be better. I discovered that my marriage & my kids were the greatest investment. They will be the legacy that I leave in the Earth. The love, honor, & care I give to them is my greatest currency. And today I am a proud man because of what I see in their lives.

I remember learning that marriage was a continual pursuit. That is what it means to "cleave" unto your wife. In the Hebrew we discover that this word can be defined as "pursue to overtake." The "one flesh" notion of a man & a woman does not happen by accident. I have learned how to pursue my wife. I have invested in our relationship. She knows her place in me.

This same lesson has been applied to my children. I have discovered what communicates love to them. I have learned how to discipline through honor. I have chosen to be the greatest encouragement in their lives. When they want to be built up, they know they can come to their Dad. I continually call out who they are in life. I see their strengths. I pray for their weaknesses. They know they are loved.

In the end, I believe the last statement is the most important. My wife & my kids know they are loved. It's not just a word in our home. I embrace them. I pray for them. I speak to them affectionately. I prophecy into their lives. My love for them is never in question. While we may have our disagreements and conflicts, they know that I will humble myself and apologize when needed. We forgive. We laugh. We share life together.

This is the investment of ourselves.
Our spouses & kids are not more secure when we can give them the best of things. They are more secure when they receive the best of us.
It requires being intentional. There is no room for laziness in these relationships, but in our families we can uncover one of our greatest rewards. May the love of God permeate our hearts for our families. May our homes be a place for the discovery of His goodness.

The Light Has Dawned

Isaiah 9:2, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone."

The Light has come.
Scripture has been very clear about this.
Church history declares it.
What we experience in our day & time is when the light comes on in us.
And that is what I want to talk to you about.

I had an incredible experience with my son this past Sunday. One I will never forget.
We had just finished up our service. People were beginning to walk out of the sanctuary. You have to understand that it is not unusual for my 14 year old to hug me. He does it all the time. However, on this particular day, he walked up to me and fell into my chest. All he could say is "Thank You!" Then the tears began to flow (from both of us I might add). I didn't realize all that had taken place in that moment, I simply embrace it. I realized that the Lord had done something significant.

Later on, I was able to talk to him. I found out that "Thank You" was meant to be followed by "for teaching me about God's goodness." This wasn't a new conversation for us. Hayden has had multiple conversations with me about this very thing. He has heard some of the things his friend's believe about the nature of God that is so contrary to what I have taught him. But what happened on this particular morning is that my son experienced it firsthand. He went on to describe what happened in his heart, what he heard, and how he felt. In essence, the light came on & he will never be the same.

Today's blog will be short. I want to ask you a question. Do you know of a time when the light has come on in your own life?

Each of us have been designed to hear the voice of our Heavenly Father. It's when we respond to His voice that makes all the difference. What my son experienced this Sunday was not some charged up emotionalism. We weren't going through some sort of religious exercise. He sat, he listened, and he experienced the Lord all by himself. And it is an experience that no one will be able to take from him.

The Light has dawned.
He has shown Himself in our hearts.
May we be swept away in His goodness.

Why We Go Deeper

"...I pray that the Koinonia of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ."
[Philemon 1:6]

All of this reflection upon koinonia reminded me of the Casting Crowns song from a few years ago. "Stained Glass Masquerade" was so effective in pointing out the need to go deeper with one another. The need to stop playing the game. The need for authenticity. The need for the walls to come down.

"Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade"

Paul's prayer for the koinonia (the sharing, the joint participation, & the communion) of our faith is such a revelation. It's within the koinonia that every good thing that is in us is allowed to manifest. There is nothing missing. There is nothing hidden. The greater our koinonia, the greater the manifestation.

As this week draws to a close, which means you are getting closer & closer to sharing in the fellowship of the church, I want to encourage you to show up. Refuse to play the religion game. Refuse to shrink back. Refuse to go through the motions. Be seen. There is so much in you because of Christ & it needs to come out. This is the point of our fellowship in the faith. We were meant to draw out of one another the nature of Christ within.

I realize that this type of vulnerability may be new for you. I know the struggle of putting yourself out there. However, I also recognize the beauty of hearts that are truly open to one another. I've seen the manifestation of Christ through my brothers & sisters. Could it be that the reason why much of the world has rejected the notion of church is because they have failed to see this in us?

This is why we go deeper. It's for ourselves & for others. It's about seeing Christ in one another. It's about embracing the brokenness & allowing others to fill the gaps. It's the Body of Christ, fully functioning, fully present with each member, and revealing the glory of God. You are a part of this manifestation. Not as a bystander. But as an integral part of the equation. This is part of your becoming. And we are simply joining others on the journey. We are "closing the curtain on our stained glass masquerade."

I join the Apostle Paul in praying that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

Naked & Not Ashamed

Genesis 2:25 provides a glimpse into a reality that I believe every person want to experience. Contained within this verse are three words that compel us to go deeper, to see people in a different light, and champion the purpose of honor among one another. Speaking of Adam & Eve, the Bible says "And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed."

I'm a bit of a thinker. It is something that I can get lost in quite easily. I think about Bible verses, life, relationships, the news, etc. I search for meaning & understanding. As I have taken the last two blog posts to talk about koinonia & relationships, my minds has been consumed. These things have me thinking. What is it that we are really looking for in life? Even more specific, what are we looking for in our relationships? I believe that we are all attempting to get back to this place of original design. This place where we can be naked before one another and without shame.

Of course, I'm not talking about everyone having to physically undress. However, I am talking about relationships where we are truly exposed to one another. Relationships where we do not need walls. Relationships where we do not need to shrink back. A community that allows us to stand up, fall, & pick ourselves back up. A type of koinonia where I can be me & you can be you. I believe there are a couple of reasons Adam & Eve could stand in that place & feel what they feel. This is the journey I want us to take this morning.

#1 - I believe that Adam & Eve could be naked & without shame because they saw each other for who they really were.
They saw each other in image & likeness. There was nothing distorted. Adam knew that He came from the Father & that Eve came from him. They were a part of one another. There was no distance...no separation. They both had been beautifully designed by their Creator. They were His substance in the Earth. Fashioned from the very nature of God.

#2 - Adam & Eve could stand there without shame because they had not received the knowledge of good & evil.
Immediately, the Bible says, when they ate of that tree, their eyes were opened & they hid themselves. Whatever happened in that moment changed their ability to see one another in light of who they truly were. Rather than having their eyes opened, I believe they began to see through the lens of the lie. They saw one another as lacking. They saw themselves as sinful. Once sin entered the world, shame came upon both of them. The ran. They hid. They tried to cover themselves up. And they set in motion a race that would continually struggle to see themselves through image & likeness.

Now I realize that the Fall goes much deeper than this. However, I want you to notice the immediate effect it had upon them. Not only have they hidden themselves from one another, but they try to hide from the Father. In this existence, they foolishly believe that God cannot handle them in their current state. When asked why they were hiding, Adam says "I was naked." The Father's response? "Who told you?" Then begins the process of the cover-up: Blame, Shame, & Projection. What else can you do when you don't feel secure? How else will we live when we can't be true to ourselves? Most of us know the rest of the story. We know how this played out in human history. What most of us don't know is that Jesus came back to redeem the original design. He came to remove the sin & the shame. He came to restore humanity back to the dream of the Father's heart.

What if you knew there was a community where you didn't need to wear a mask?
What if you knew that there was a place where you could tear down all the walls & allow others in?
What if you could experience a fellowship where people were real?
You see, this is what people are looking for. It's exhausting trying to put on a show. I mean how many people look for opportunities to let their hair down? How many folks are longing for a place to be themselves? Unfortunately, the search often leads people down paths they wish they did not take. Often the definition for just trying to be myself has nothing to do with original design. It tends to have much more to do with a poor understanding of who we really are.

Living with shame leads to defining ourselves out of that shame. We see ourselves for less than we truly are. Gone is the idea of image & likeness. Buried under a lifetime of seeing ourselves through failure, hearing over & over again how sinful we are, and hidden behind the walls of our own design. Paul's statement to the church of Rome was not meant to create a definition of who we are but to demonstrate that we have all been down the same path. "All have sinned & fallen short of the glory of God..." was meant to move us toward compassion, not to create a judgement upon the human race. And, in particular, not to bring judgement on certain aspects of our population. Lost is the context from which these words were written. Ingrained within our minds is the idea that God cannot handle us at our worst. Believed is the idea that He can only handle us in Christ. In other words, He only loves us when we have truly trusted.

Scripture declares, "For God so LOVED the world that He gave..." We also read that it was while we were sinners that Christ died for us. This was the demonstration of the love of God for humanity. Then you go over to Ephesians & you discover that this was God's plan from before the foundation of the world. Once we make this discovery, we can begin to see one another in a different light. Once we understand the heart of the Father for His creation, we can stop viewing ourselves through the lens of the Fall. It was God who came after His image & likeness in us. He had determined to find us in the darkness. He came to seek & save that which was lost. Why is this important? It's important because you discover that He is for you, not against you. There is no reason to hide anymore.

This understanding of the Gospel should lay the framework for our fellowship with one another. It should provide a basis for how we see one another. Worthy of Love. Worthy of Honor. Worthy of Dignity. Redemptive love should create an environment where we no longer feel the need to hide from one another. If Jesus could take on our flesh & dwell among us, then surely we could learn how to live life together. If Jesus could extend mercy, provide grace, and minister to people without condemnation, THEN WHAT IS KEEPING US FROM DOING THE SAME THING?

Naked & Not Ashamed.
Do those words scare you, or do they stir something deep within you that you want to experience?
Your answer will determine who you surround yourself with. You will either choose to fellowship with people who play the game as well as you do, or you will join yourself to a community of people who have discovered the beauty of being real. You will either choose to join those who easily judge those who are "worse than they are", or you will join those who give mercy just as they were given mercy. You will either find a church that operates on the basis of rules, or you will find a church that sees relationships as a reason to gather together. The difference between these two choices is our view of God & one another.

God is love & perfect love casts out fear. When our fellowships are centered around this revelation of God, the greater our opportunity to tear down walls & to live in true koinonia. Are you ready? Can you take off the religious wardrobe & be authentic you? Or maybe a better question would be: Do you want to?

Intentional Relational Living

For the longest time I believed that if I learned enough, studied more, and could articulate what I believed, then I would be able to walk these things out. I took Paul's admonishment to Timothy about studying to show himself approved strictly to an intellectual level. It never occurred to me that where I was trying to go could only be accomplished through relationship.

Like so many other things in the Kingdom, there is so much of this life that is caught rather than taught. While I am all for digging into our Bibles and rehearsing what we believe, I have discovered that the best way to grow is in relationship. If there are areas of my life where I want to advance, I need to surround myself with people who live intentionally in those things.

Discipleship has often been handled as an educational thing. This is the premise behind Sunday School, Discipleship groups, and almost all of the ways to "learn & grow" that our churches put before you. These things are all meant to educate you. And while there is value in being educated, the greatest teacher in our lives is experience. Accumulating knowledge doesn't necessarily mean that we will walk out the things that we say we believe. Discipleship, in the Bible, is always relational because it's in relationship where we get to learn, ask questions, and are allowed to employ the knowledge we have gained. Not only that, it is in relationship where we see someone model things for us.

I'm a firm believer, now, that if I want to grow in grace, love, humility, etc., then I need to find someone who carries these things well. I need to learn from them. I need to see them in action. This is the format for growth in my own life that I have followed over the last few years. The Lord would stir my heart in a particular area and then He would allow me to walk in relationship with someone who has already been down that path. In relationship I have learned how to live life in the Spirit, how to appropriate the grace of God for me, and how to walk in redemptive love. These were not lessons learned in a classroom. These were not things I received by placing myself in isolation. They all came through relationship with my brothers/sisters in Christ.

I have a friend that I used to get around simply because he provoked me to jealousy. That may sound odd but it wasn't a bad kind of jealousy. I would hear his stories, watch him in action, and talk to him about the deep things of God. I never walked away from him feeling bad about myself but encouraged to go deeper in my own walk with the Lord. I paid careful attention to the things he said, I trusted his heart, and I found myself being able to walk in these same areas.

Another friend of mine carries redemptive love so well. I made a point to be in his presence as much as possible. I watched him care for the people he led. I heard him speak into their lives. I witnessed firsthand what redemptive love looked like and sounded like. I was then able to employ these same approaches with people in my own life. Life became the classroom & the Holy Spirit became the guide.

This is the same approach I have used when it comes to spiritual gifts. I have people in my life who function in several areas & I wanted to learn. It's one thing to read a book or Scripture on the subject, it's quite another thing to sit across from someone who can impart their wisdom & help you learn, grow, and practice. The depths you are able to go into while walking in relationship are so much greater than what you can do alone.

We learn best through living, breathing, examples. We must surround ourselves with those who walk in redemptive love, empowering grace, and life in the Spirit. This culture, this Kingdom Culture, is where the cultivation of these things take place. I have watched far too many people try to grow in particular areas that went against the current culture they lived in. While they were able to take a few steps in the right direction, it was only when they partnered with someone - lived in relationship with them - that they could flourish. This is what our churches desperately need.

Allow me to encourage you. I don't know what areas of life where you feel the need to grow, so my encouragement is to find someone who is strong in those areas. Walk with them. Talk with them. Pray with them. Be challenged by them. Don't allow another day to go by before you act. There is a good chance that the Holy Spirit is pointing these things out in your life and wants to take you on a journey. He wants to lead you in an experience. Trust me when I say that it's much easier together than it is alone. Growth is much more exponential in relationship. Become INTENTIONAL. Great things are ahead.

The Koinonia Experience

Koinonia (pronounced koi·no·ni·a) is a transliterated form of the Greek word, κοινωνία, which means communion, joint participation; the share which one has in anything, participation, a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, etc. It's a word that we have translated in the English through the simple word "fellowship." I can tell you from experience that koinonia is much deeper.

The first time we find this word is in the book of Acts. Acts 2:42, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." It's here where we discover the lifeblood of the Church.

Koinonia, like many things in our Western culture, has been reduced to a cliché. Men have formed ministries & churches have formed groups centered around the word, but rarely does koinonia find its true expression. Just a couple of days ago I returned from a conference (for lack of a better word) where koinonia was more than a word. I saw it. I felt it. I witnessed its effects on the people around me. I was in awe of its beauty. I am determined to dwell in its grace.

The Greek word translated as Church is "Ecclesia." It's a word that is used to give expression to those who have been called out & gathered together. It points us to the structure. I have been in ministry for over 20 years and can say that this is what I was trained in. I was taught how to build the ecclesia. How to gather it together. How to keep it together. The structure. What I have discovered is that without koinonia the Church is nothing but a shell. The ecclesia, as a result, has become a place to hide. A place to gather for a religious experience. A place to practice my individual spirituality. While I may gather a few friends along the way, there is no real sense of community. No sense of otherness. And this is what needs to change.

Words like communion, joint participation, and shared life have to move to the forefront of our thinking. I can no longer abide in the safety of my own spiritual experience. It's within the depths of true fellowship (Koinonia) where I discover all that is within me. The Church cannot be allowed to be a place where we hide, but a community from where we emerge. It's within koinonia where we live in honor, where love is our foundation for life, and where we live out the one anothers that have found themselves among the pages of Scripture. Koinonia is not a ministry. It's not a word to describe life groups. It's not a catchy phrase that can be attached to any type of fellowship. Koinonia is the thread that weaves in & out of our lives. It's what binds us together. It empowers us, calls forth our identity, and creates an environment for sons/daughters to arise.

In koinonia, everyone matters. No one can be left behind. It's a place where when one member suffers, every member suffers. And it's also the place where one member rejoices, and everyone joins the celebration. It's no longer about the anointed individual - the grand leader. While leadership has it's place, the ecclesia is not bound to heights unto which one can take it. It relies upon every individual member taking their place within the Body. All of us working together. All of us advancing the Kingdom. All of us sharing in the corporate life.

I ask you, does this sound like church to you? Most people are scared to step out of their individualistic spirituality. Most have not found the safe place of expression & intimacy with others. They have become content to keep everything on the surface. They have not been challenged to dig deeper into themselves or one another. Koinonia refuses that type of lifestyle. It embraces people where they are but will not allow them to shrink back. It continually calls out to the expression of Christ within one another. It sees each of us for who we really are in Him. Why? Because koinonia is devoted to one another in brotherly love & is clothed with honor & humility.

This is the culture I long to see within the ecclesia. True Spiritual Family. A place of belonging, of beholding, & becoming. This is our life together. This is our community. May we never be satisfied with anything less.