The Crossings

BUY IT!

Gospel

Chase The Goose! (Pt. 2)

Responsible irresponsibility seems like a paradoxical statement at first glance. However, after you begin working your way through Wild Goose Chase you begin seeing that there is a sweet spot in the paradox. Don't our responsibilities often become excuses? In my suburban context the "responsibility" of keeping up with the cultural economic pressures undoubtedly becomes a road block to people being able to fully embrace a life of following Jesus.

"We turn our responsibilities into excuses. And that is when our responsibilities actually become a form of irresponsibility. Our responsibilities become the cage that keeps us from chasing the Wild Goose. And the only way out is responsible irresponsibility."

Faith demands some level of irresponsibility. I know this to be true... I never have felt properly equipped to plant and lead a church. Therefore, on many levels it was irresponsible for me to engage in this pursuit. I could have found myself caged by my responsibility. Mark is also right in saying that we also become caged by our crutch of prayer.

Before you start throwing judgments my way, give me just a second. What is the response of every Christian who is asked to step out into some leadership role? Answer: Let me pray about it. Prayer is definitely necessary but it can also be paralyzing. Nehemiah prayed and prayed but when the moment came to put his life on the line for the vision he had been given, he jumped to action. Sometimes God wants us to see what he is doing and be willing to jump right in and join him.

How are you being caged by your responsibility? How can you find that paradoxical sweet spot within responsible irresponsibility?

church, Finding Purpose, Gospel, leadership

Discussion

Here are a few questions from our discussion in Ephesians 2:11-22.

1. Have you ever been in a circumstance where you were the minority? Can you describe any of the emotions?
2. Do you feel like you naturally gravitate to those most like yourself or those who are very different than yourself? Would you answer in the same manner if I asked you how you respond to change - accepting or resistant?
3. In Ephesians 2:11-22 we see that a significant application of the cross is reconciliation and peace. How would you evaluate the Church (not any individual church but the American/Western Church) has stewarded this aspect of the cross?
4. How might the church be an ambassador of peace as seen in the example given in 2:14,15, 17?
5. How might you be an agent of reconciliation among the cultures who were made one in Christ?

There are many different issues worth discussion under this topic. Any one of those issues will have application to the way we live our everyday life as stewards of peace and reconciliation.

Ephesians, ethnicity, Gospel, race, The Crossings

Social Issues & The Church

The Emergent Church is a huge topic of conversation among those in the ministry world. For those of you who have never heard of this term you might be able to google it but you will find VERY different descriptions. This link is the best home on the web for the Emergent Church. I do have a reason for bringing up this topic. I find that there are generally two different kinds of responses to ideological differences. Some people dismiss and criticize without fail in order to strengthen the position in which they adhere. The other response is someone who has the ability to hold their convictions while at the same time asking questions about competing ideas and then learning from those competing ideas.

I have very strong issues with so many aspects of the Emergent Church movement. Most of those stem from foundational theological issues. However, I am learning so much from this movement. I have very good friends who proudly wave their emergent banner. Amidst the complete deconstruction of the church there is a phenomenal movement to social engagement and relational discipleship.

As I am studying Ephesians 2:11-22 for this Sunday I am reminded that there is an inextricable social element to the cross. The design of the cross was reconciliation. We should repent of our ego in non-emergent circles and realize that some of what the Emergent Church is doing is an attempt to correct significant mistakes made by the modern-traditional church.

The Bible, apart from any church organization's belief, is a book that demands racial reconciliation, social engagement, and relational discipleship. We become just as guilty as anyone else when we completely deconstruct a movement without being willing to learn from it.

(I realize this post may mean absolutely nothing to some of you but getting it typed helps me construct my thoughts - thanks for humoring me!)

Culture, Gospel, race

Discussion

Here are a few discussion questions from our time in Ephesians 2:1-10.

1. How would you describe your life after marriage? Were there things in your life that changed dramatically?
2. How would you describe your life after Christ?
3. How do you feel when you read texts such as Romans 7:14-20? Do you know yourself as well as Paul seems to know himself? Have you ever felt the frustration that Paul is feeling?
4. As in Ephesians 2:4, we have talked about the love of God a couple of times in this series (ex. 1:4). How can we truly know this love that brought us from death to life?
5. There is a joy and excitement about getting a new chance at life... second chances are a blessing. God made us alive - do you feel the happiness that should accompany this reality? Why?
6. Why is it that there are so many things that seem to bring us more joy than the reality of being made "alive together with Christ" (Ephesians 2:4)?

Paul is beginning this letter to his friends in Ephesus with some central truths regarding who God is and what He has done for His children. Paul begins there because these truths lay the foundation from which all of the other issues in the letter will be built. Therefore, these ideas must always be central to our way of life as Christ followers.

Finding Purpose, Gospel, Katy, Repentance, salvation, The Crossings

Finding Community in Suburbia

This has been one of the biggest struggles in pastoring a biblical church. There is this incredible phenomena here in suburbia... people love to live in nice neighborhoods with nice neighbors and a fun cull-de-sac for block parties, but in reality they have no idea who their neighbors are outside of a wave on trash day. Contrary to what many may think, suburbia is one of the most individualistic cultures in America. The garage door goes up for exactly enough time for the car to squeeze through and then it is clipping the bumper on the way down. Then, we move without a break to a child's sporting event or some church program. We rush to eat dinner with moments to spare before we must get the children to bed so that they can wake up the next morning rested for school.

We have created a lifestyle that fosters individuality instead of community. However, there is something inside of every suburbanite that longs for real relationships - the sort of relationships where the usual suburban facade is not necessary. There is a desire to find relationships that can serve as co-strugglers in this sport of parenting, marriage building, and professionalism. This seems to be the elephant in the room sometimes. The desire for community and the pressure to keep up with the suburban culture are waging a gruesome battle and the propagation of the suburban facade is devastating the opposition. The true life changing gospel of Jesus Christ found in the scriptures must be injected into the war.

Family, Finding Purpose, Gospel, Katy, The Crossings

A Prayer...

I love this prayer and I prayed it this morning as I continue preparing for what God wants to do this Sunday.

I am desired to preach today,
but go weak and needy to my task;
Yet I long that people might be edified with divine truth,
that an honest testimony might be borne for thee;

Give me assistance in preaching and prayer,
with heart uplifted for grace and unction.
Present to my view things pertinent to my subject,
with fullness of matter and clarity of thought,
proper expressions, fluency, fervency,
a feeling sense of the things I preach,
and grace to apply them to men's consciences.

Keep me conscious all the while of my defects,
and let me not gloat in pride over my performance.

Help me to offer a testimony for thyself,
and to leave sinners inexcusable in neglecting thy mercy.

Give me freedom to open the sorrows of thy people,
and to set before them comforting considerations.
Attend with power the truth preached,
and awaken the attention of my slothful audience.
May thy people be refreshed, melted, convicted, comforted,
and help me to use the strongest arguments
drawn from Christ's incarnation and sufferings,
that men might be made holy.

I myself need thy support, comfort, strength, holiness,
that I might be a pure channel of thy grace,
and be able to do something for thee;
Give me then refreshment among thy people,
and help me not the treat excellent matter in a defective way,
or a broken testimony to so worthy a Redeemer,
or be harsh in treating of Christ's death, its design and end,
from lack of warmth and fervency.

And keep me in tune with thee as I do this work.

Gospel, Katy, Repentance, salvation, Sin, The Crossings

Salvation & Our Children (Part 2)

I posted the first part of this topic here. And, yes I do have a head cold.

Family, Gospel, Katy

Gospel Growth???

I love what God is doing at The Crossings. We are seeing growth and transformation take place. We are seeing lives changed and this is an incredible encouragement. However, my heart continues to yearn for those who do not have a relationships with Jesus.

Doing ministry here in Katy is difficult because most people have church experience. Don't get me wrong, there are many who don't understand what it means to experience a relationship with Jesus Christ. However, most people living in this southern suburban sprawl have some type of experience with church and they are not likely to just show up one Sunday morning - unless they are coming from another church. Ed Stetzer has done some incredible writing and research and I though this was worth reading and thinking through. Here are some quotes from his latest research -

Unchurched adults interested in finding a congregation aren’t nearly as likely to visit one in person as a church member who is shopping for a new congregation. That means effective evangelism must begin outside the sanctuary in relationships between Christians and unbelievers, according to research from several recent studies from LifeWay Research...

"So, if you build your outreach on recruiting and reaching church visitors you will often build a church on church switchers," he said.

"This will compel us to embrace a go and tell – or incarnational – approach," he said. "Should we invite our friends to church? Sure. But should we be, do, and tell the Gospel to people in culture? You bet. It is not only biblical, but it is even more essential today as our culture grows increasingly resistant to the church."

"Too often the way our churches measure success revolves around what happens at church when we ought to be focusing on what happens in building intentional relationships with those far from Christ,"

"Believers must resolve to step into their world to share the Good News with them," Stetzer explained. "If we are waiting for them to someday walk into our churches, that someday may never come.

church, Culture, Gospel, Katy

Discussion

Here are few questions for discussion based on our time in Ephesians this week.

1. What is the oldest purchase that you have tried to return in hopes of getting your money back? What is a guarantee that you had to take advantage of? 90 days money back? Satisfaction guaranteed?
2. How would you describe our culture's definition of being a "Christian"?
3. Are there some specific things that you remember being "saved" from when you began your relationship with Jesus? Or maybe something that you didn't know then that you have realized recently?
4. Are there certain circumstances in life where you are more likely to question your salvation?
5. What is the primary thing that comes to mind for you regarding what you have been "saved" into?
6. What are some things that a person who knew you 10 years ago would say are different about you today (besides your hair)?
7. What are some major transformation areas in your life?

There are many conversations to be had here within these ideas... rest on the conversation/topic that seems most relevant to those with whom you are discussing.

Ephesians, Finding Purpose, Gospel, Katy, salvation, The Crossings