Realigning Christianity

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ who has declared His Lordship over your life, accepted His Word as the source of truth, and received His Spirit as your guide, then this post is for you...and me!

We are "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that we should show forth the praises of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9).  We have been "saved and called to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace" (2 Timothy 1:9).  We have been commissioned "to go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20).

Therefore, as God's chosen, called and commissioned people we are urged to "offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God" and are warned to "not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:1-2).  As such, our lives become His and His ways become ours.  Our hearts beat after His and His mind is in us.  Our desires are submitted to Him and His will becomes ours.  

As fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, we are to "have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather he made himself nothing by taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:5-8)

However, against this biblical framework of Christian faith...

There is an emerging form of Christianity where words like sacrifice, submission and service are being exchanged for a self-centred humanistic theology that seems more strongly influenced by popular opinion than being inspired by divine revelation!

• Some Christians pursue their HAPPINESS instead of God's HOLINESS
• Some Christians defend their RIGHTS ahead of God's RIGHTEOUSNESS
• Some Christians place their PREFERENCES over God's PATTERN
• Some Christians value their OPINIONS more than God's TRUTH
• Some Christians consider EQUALITY with the world greater than SUBMISSION to God's kingdom order
• Some Christians seek TOLERANCE of all views at the expense of OBEDIENCE to God's commands

This emerging form of Christianity unwittingly or maybe willingly flirts dangerously close to Paul's warning to Timothy:  "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear" (2 Timothy 4:3).

This emerging form of Christianity is out of alignment with the relationship Jesus demonstrated with His Father and the life He modelled to His followers.  It has created a false dichotomy between God's love and justice, compromising truth for tolerance.  Jesus, on the other hand, "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14), reframed God's law and love in such a way that His justice and mercy hold together in perfect harmony.  Jesus, "full of grace and truth", redefined religion as a relationship that fully reflects God's character.  Jesus, "full of grace and truth", restored God's image in broken humanity by setting us "free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2).  Jesus, "full of grace and truth", "condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:3-4).

Grace without truth is licence to do what is right in your own eyes.  Truth without grace is legalism to enforce your version of truth.  However, to be truly Christlike, grace and truth are the incarnational posture for humility and holiness that brings Christians into full submission to the One whose name we bear.  This is the only posture where the Spirit of Christ dwells and His transforming power prevails.  Anything less makes us a "slave to the law of sin", not the law of God (Romans 7:25).

At this time, when there is so much confusion and compromise in the church, our opinions and desires as Christ followers must be fully submitted to Jesus Christ if we are ever to regain our voice as effective witnesses in the world and be the generation to fulfill the Great Commission!

National Day of Prayer & Fasting

Today I joined a gathering of Christians at Parliament House in Canberra for the National Day of Prayer & Fasting.  Together, with two other Salvation Army Officers from Melbourne, we assembled in the Great Hall for six hours of powerful worship of our Lord and passionate prayers for our nation with people from diverse church and cultural backgrounds.  Yet amidst the diversity of this crowd was a shared unity of spirit through a common union with Jesus Christ.  From beginning to end we had an acute awareness that we were a part of something of kingdom significance and had a strong anticipation that God would use this event to reshape the spiritual climate of Australia.

Throughout the day we were guided through a variety of worship and prayer experiences that focused on Adoration, Worship & Thanksgiving - Repentance & Revival - Australia's Christian History & Heritage - Praying for Leaders - National Repentance Service - Delight & Destiny.  

Two significant highlights for me were the bilingual prayer and worship service led by the Rhema Chinese Church and the National Repentance Service for the abuse and hurt caused by the church led by Commissioner James Condon.  

The Chinese leaders uttered passionate and prophetic prayers that spoke of renewal and revival in our nation.  They demonstrated an unbridled faith that dared to believe that Australia really could be won for Jesus...and that the Australian Chinese church would lead the way!  From what I saw today, I have no doubt!!  Engaging in a bilingual service reminds you that we worship the God of all nations and really allows you to connect with the heart of God through the heart language of His people.

The Commissioner's prayer of repentance was powerfully illustrated through an act of humility by him washing the feet of a survivor of abuse by the church while in the care of The Salvation Army as a child.  We were deeply moved by the survivor's story of restoration and healing and the Commissioner, together with other church leaders, demonstration of repentance and humility.  Through the regrets of the past came a resolute commitment to righteousness in the future.

Jesus was truly glorified today!  Holy Spirit was present!  God's heart was revealed!  The Church was united!  The gates of Hell were shaken!  The National Day of Prayer & Fasting was a catalyst for revival in our nation!

Let every Church leader, Christ follower and Christian politician put Sunday, 7th February 2016 on their calendar and plan to make the pilgrimage to Canberra next year to participate in the National Day of Prayer & Fasting.  Visit www.nationaldayofprayer.com.au to register or for more details.

United With Christ, United In Community

"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind." 

Philippians 2:1-2 (New International Version)

"Now if your experience of Christ’s encouragement and love means anything to you, if you have known something of the fellowship of his Spirit, and all that it means in kindness and deep sympathy, do make my best hope for you come true! Live together in harmony, live together in love, as though you had only one mind and one spirit between you."

Philippians 2:1-2 (J.B. Phillips)

Being united with Christ should naturally result in unity among Christ followers, right?  If only that was so!  

Paul appeals to the disunity in the church in Philippi, calling the Philippian Christians to demonstrate what they have experienced in Christ to bring unity among themselves.  He fleshes out their experience of Christ to describe what this unity should look like in the community of Christ followers.

"being united with Christ"  =  "being like-minded"

"any comfort from his love...tenderness and compassion"  =  "having the same love"

"common sharing in the Spirit"  =  "being one in spirit and of one mind"

For this kind of unity to manifest itself in a community of Christ followers we need to set aside selfish ambition and consider the interests of the community before our own interests (Philippians 2:3-4).

A common experience of Jesus Christ should produce a common expression of Jesus Christ among a community of followers of Jesus Christ when "[our] attitude [is] the same as that of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 2:5).  Read the rest of this passage - Philippians 2:6-11 - to discover Paul's description of the attitude of Jesus Christ that ought to be the same for every person who calls themselves Christian and are a part of Christ's community called the church...

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of as servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - 
even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

I want to be this kind of Christ follower and the leader of this kind of church that possesses and demonstrates an attitude that reflects the character of Jesus Christ!

Keep In Step With The Spirit

  

"If you place 32 metronomes on a static object and set them rocking out of phase with one another, they will remain that way indefinitely. Place them on a moveable surface, however, and something very interesting (and very mesmerizing) happens."

A friend of mine posted this amazing link on Facebook and I couldn't help seeing beyond the physics of this demonstration and connecting it to a spiritual principle that is at work in the church.

When Christians who are living out of step with the Spirit gather together, they resemble the metronomes on a static object, in that there is discord and disunity amongst believers who live according to their own desires.  In this static, immoveable environment where the status quo is unchallenged and there is nothing to facilitate a change of momentum, there will never be unity in the church. 

In direct contrast, when Christians who are living in step with the Spirit gather together in a dynamic environment where the movement of the Spirit brings the heart and minds of believers into alignment, the church moves in unison with each other.  Like the metronomes moving in perfect harmony, a church moving with the Spirit generates a spiritual momentum and power that transfers to anyone sharing the same space.

I strangely found watching the metronomes coming into alignment an exciting representation of the potential energy and power of a church that moves in step with the Spirit!  The Apostle Paul understood this when he wrote to the churches, urging the believers to keep in step with the Spirit:

"Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." (Romans 8:5)

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:3-6) 

"So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want...Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:16-26)

Just as the "energy from the motion of one ticking metronome can affect the motion of every metronome around it," the motion of Holy Spirit in the life of one believer can effect the motion of every other believer in proximity.  Imagine the impact of the collective motion of an entire church that is keeping in step with the Spirit can have on other churches...the whole community...a nation...or even the world!!

Jesus Is Enough

Among the many seekers at the Body, Mind & Spirit Festival in Melbourne this weekend were Christians; people who have committed their lives to Christ, but were curious about what they might find at this festival. While I understand the attraction of the festival to people who are on a spiritual quest and are yet to encounter the saving grace of Jesus Christ, it was those who had experienced God's grace but were looking for more that concerned me the most.

Through a number of conversations with these Christians, it was interesting to observe the discomfort, almost embarrassment, in their demeanor as they tried to justify their attendance at the festival to another Christ follower.  It was as though they intuitively knew they were somewhere they shouldn't be and were trying to convince themselves as much as us that it was okay.  Far from wanting to cast judgement about the curiosity of another Christian, nor wanting to act as the spiritual conscience for another, it does raise a number of faith questions worth considering.

What is your real motive for attending the festival?

"Acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought." (2 Chronicles 28:9)

What is missing in your faith experience?

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." (2 Peter 1:3)

What dangers are you exposing yourself to?

"Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God." (Leviticus 19:31)

What is the impact to the credibility of your testimony?

"Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling-block to the weak." (1Corinthians 8:9)

There is so much more I could say about the above verses that are but a representation of the entire counsel of God's Word on this matter, but it is not my intention to preach or to condemn but to guide towards the source of truth.  The Apostle Paul urges Christ followers to "continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

Jesus IS "the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6) and His Spirit "will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13).  Jesus warns us that "the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy" and reminds us that He has "come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10).  Jesus is more than enough!

Living In Agreement With The Saving Activity Of God

"Because the human life and work of Jesus was in entire agreement with the life and work of the Father, the human activity of Jesus exhibited a perfect parallelism to the saving activity of God himself, but more than that, his activity on earth was itself the saving activity of God at work among men and women."  (Thomas F. Torrance)

In other words, because Jesus lived His life in alignment with the will of His Father, He manifested the saving activity of God through His life and work.  There is something incredibly powerful about a life that is lived in alignment with its purpose!

I can't help to wonder what the impact would be on our world if those who bear the name of Christ, that is Christians, were to live their lives "in entire agreement with the life and work of the Father." Imagine if Christ followers were to "[exhibit] a perfect parallelism to the saving activity of God."  What would the Church look like if its "activity on earth was itself the saving activity of God at work among men and women?"

Maybe we would see the same power and presence of the Holy Spirit seen in the Acts 2 church in the 21st century Church as "the Lord [adds] to [our] number daily those who [are] being saved." (Acts 2:47)

Interfaith Symposium

What does a Buddhist, Baha'i, Muslim, Sikh, Jew and Christian have in common?

No, this is not the opening line of a bad joke!  

Today, I took the opportunity to attend the 3rd Annual Interfaith Symposium conducted by the Multifaith Association of South Australia.  This was my first time attending such an event and it left me with a lot to think about the way Christians interact with people of other faith traditions.

As a full-time Christian minister for 16 years, I have belonged to three different Minister Fellowships/Fraternals and I am currently a member of the South Australian Council of Churches Local Ecumenism Sub-Committee.  During this time I have seen first hand the struggle many Churches and Christians have interacting with each other over denominational and theological differences within the same faith, so the interfaith dialogue presents a whole new level of challenge for the evangelical church.

Interfaith dialogue confronts us with the tension between the universality of the Spirit and the particularity of Jesus.  While we believe Holy Spirit goes before preparing the hearts and minds of ALL people for Salvation, we also believe that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to Salvation.

At this Interfaith Symposium I shared in fellowship with various faith traditions who have a mutual desire to understand and experience "God."  I heard a Catholic Sister talk about God being bigger than any one belief system, a Baha'i representative describe "manifestations of God" having the sole purpose of revealing God for the progress of humankind, a Buddhist discuss meditation as being a means to lead people towards love and compassion, and a Sikh explain how a Guru shows the pathway towards enlightenment.  In this dialogue I was exposed to very real and very different faith journeys, yet the same innate desire to know God.

There is much I've still to learn about interfaith dialogue, but these things I do know!  The same Spirit who breathed life into my spirit, breathed life into the Muslim, Sikh and Jew (Acts 2:17) and the same God desires all people to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4). 

I am becoming more convinced that the various faith traditions I engaged with today are man's attempt to make sense of the partial revelation they have of God (Romans 1:20) and that our role as Christians is to find a point of connection with the revelation they already have.  By joining in on the conversation that has begun with the Spirit we open the conversation to a fuller revelation of God through Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:9-10).  For me, this changes the traditional evangelical approach that rejects other religions as a threat to Christianity and sees them as an opportunity to advance the journey of faith.

To explore the universality of the Spirit further read my paper on Spirit in Other Religions?

What Are You Reflecting?

"In our community it is so easy to focus on the tragedies.  God wants us to be a mirror of Christ to the world so that when they look at the Church they see Jesus.  When they look at the Church they see the solution not the problem."  (Dr. Robi Sonderegger)

Everytime we turn on the TV, open a newspaper or surf the internet we are confronted with a perpetual reminder of the brokeness of this world.  With such a saturation of bad news it is easy to be overwhelmed by the tragedies of the world and to allow all that is wrong in the world to dominate our thinking.  Clinical pyschologist Robi Sonderegger asserts that "whatever you focus your attention on you get more of," which supports the Apostle Paul's call to the Roman Christians to "be transformed by the renewing of the mind" (Rom 12:2) and to the Philippian church to change the focus of their thinking to all that which is good (Phil 4:8).  

Far from being a denial of reality or a new form of 'positive thinking' theology, it is a recognition of the truth that to a large extent we are what we think!  

As a redeemed people of God we possess the knowledge of the good news of Jesus Christ which has the power to transform our lives. If this life changing knowledge of God dominated our thinking instead of the evil of this world, then maybe our view of ourselves and the world would shift from brokenness to wholeness.  Maybe we would project an image of hope rather than perpetuate an image of despair.  Alter the image and the reflection will change.

Imagine if the Church turned its eyes upon Jesus and reflected His character to the world, so that when the world looked at the Church they really would "see the solution not the problem!" 

Cultural Revelation

Today, I had a cultural encounter at the office that has deeply touched me.  An Indian woman and her father arrived with a food donation for our Community Support Services.  When I enquired if the donation was personal or from another organisation, she explained that it was a family fulfilment of a Hindu custom when a close relative dies.  Her father-in-law died in January and every month on the anniversary date of his death for a year, they donate food to assist the poor in honour of their loved one.  She has lived in Australia for 30 years, and has found a way to honour her Hindu culture in the context of Australian culture.

It is hard for me to articulate why this has impacted me so much, except I was the recipient of an act of grace that transcended religious barriers and expressed the very heart of humanity.  The words of an old Salvation Army song took on flesh today: 

Except I am moved with compassion,
How dwelleth thy Spirit in me?
In word and in deed
Burning love is my need;
I know I can find this in thee.

Too often when we engage with other cultures or religions our focus tends to be on what divides us rather than what unites us.  As human beings we share a common humanity that is a reflection of our Creator.  While the brokenness of creation has distorted this reflection, the same Spirit who breathed life into us is drawing ALL people to a restored relationship with their Creator God, through the person of Jesus Christ.  The way in which Christians engage with other cultures will determine what reflection of God we project and whether or not that image reveals Christ who is "the way, the truth and the life" or a Church that is a road block to a revelation of Christ.

Global Vision

I pray that these words, "All the families of the earth," may be written on our hearts. It is this expression more than any other which reveals the living God of the Bible to be a missionary God. It is this expression too which condemns all our petty parochialism and narrow nationalism, our racial pride (whether white or black), our condescending paternalism, and arrogant imperialism. How dare we adopt a hostile or scornful or even indifferent attitude to any person of another colour or culture if our God is the God of "all the families of the earth?" We need to become global Christians with a global vision, for we have a global God. (John Stott)

John Stott presents a passionate prayer for a global vision of the Church that captures the missionary heart of God for "all the families of the earth."  His uncompromising criticism of cultural division and indifference is a timely prophetic call to Christ followers to bridge the cultural divide with the all-inclusive love of God.

God promised to bless "all the nations of the earth", the prophets prophesied that God would "pour out his Spirit on all people", Jesus commanded the disciples to "go into all the world", and the Spirit descended upon the disciples in the presence of "every nation under heaven."  

How will the Church respond to this global vision of our global God in this generation?