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Gripped by the Greatness of God (A New Season)

August 5, 2010 in Faith, Ministry with 1 Comment

I’m writing this in my new office, in a new city, with a new position (Groups Pastor), in a new church (Beulah Alliance Church). In short, my family and I moved to Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) 2 weeks ago to start this new chapter in our lives.

It’s amazing how God’s grace is so real and just how his timing is absolutely perfect. After leaving Korea, we had no idea where we were going or what we were going to do. That, in and of itself, was stressful enough, but on top of that, we had only a limited amount of money left in our savings. Thank God that we were able to stay with my parents and Christina’s parents in the meantime.

Upon leaving Korea, I was hoping that I would find a position right away and start our new life immediately, but God had different plans for us. It was really a whole bunch of silence for the next couple of months, and that time proved so valuable and crucial for God to do the work he needed to do in our lives. Plus, our daughter had the opportunity to spend months with her grandparents – something that she wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise.

All that to say, I am absolutely loving Edmonton, Beulah, my new position, and this whole new chapter in our lives.

Now that the introduction is done, let me get to the meat of what I wanted to share with you. Right now, our church is going through a series entitled – “Griped by the Greatness of God.” As I was spending time reading the Bible this morning, I just wanted to share the passage that popped out to me.

He (Jesus) was supreme in the beginning and – leading the resurrection parade – he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe – people and things, animals and atoms – get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross. (Colossians 1:18-20 The Message Translation)

Why don’t you read that passage again and realize just how great our God is?

What are the two biggest struggles facing the churches in your context?

July 6, 2010 in Culture, Faith, Ministry with 2 Comments

Here’s my answer, what’s yours?

Rather than being a powerful force of Kingdom counter-culture, the churches in my context have assimilated into this consumeristic North American culture. In an attempt to reach more people with the gospel, churches have lowered the bar of commitment and incorrectly redefined what it means to be a Christian. Sure, maybe lowering the bar of commitment brings more people into the church, but as a backlash, this has created a culture of consumerism within the church. That is why churches are constantly facing a shortage of volunteers, a resistance to involvement in community, and a lack of giving. This consumeristic tendency is producing Christians who just want to receive, receive, and receive, instead of balancing the rhythms of receiving and giving. This is fundamentally wrong in so many ways; after all, did not Jesus come to the earth to serve, instead of be served (Matt 20:28)? And after being saved by grace, aren’t Christians called to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for them to do (Eph 2:8-10)?

In addition to consumerism, I believe that the second biggest struggle that churches in my context are facing is individualism. Rather than viewing loving others as a natural outflow of loving God (Matt 22:37-40), many Christians are choosing to compartmentalize their faith from their everyday life. The result of this is the astounding possibility that one’s neighbors or coworkers could be Christian, but one may never even know it. Now I am not suggesting that Christians go and preach the gospel to all their neighbors and coworkers just to make a statement about their faith, but I am suggesting that a true follower of Jesus should be living a life that is so integrated and whole, that others are able to notice something different about them. For a Christian, faith and life go hand in hand – loving God and loving others are one in the same thing.

Books That I am Currently Reading

May 28, 2010 in Books, Concepts, Faith, Leadership, Ministry with 3 Comments

I thought I would share with you the list of books that I am currently reading and the reason why I am reading them.

1. Organic Leadership: Leading Naturally Right Where You Are

This is Neil Cole’s follow up book to his previous one, Organic Church, where he introduces the New Testament idea of church – one that is organic. In Organic Leadership, he provides more of the “how-to” aspect of leading an organic church or leading organically.

2. The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative

This book helps one understand that God is on mission and that he has been on a special mission ever since the creation of the world. He invites his people to join him on this mission, and this book helps us to see this. The Mission of God presents us with a new lens of viewing scripture in the way that God intended us to see it.

3. The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community

I finished this book months ago, but am still ruminating on the concepts and ideas that were presented. The Tangible Kingdom is an amazing eye opener into how we can live like Jesus did. It’s a candid presentation of the experiences and insights that Halter and Smay have had in their journey of living incarnationally in their community. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

3. A Theology of the New Testament

A systematic and orderly method to examine a general theology of the new testament. It’s a great intro book if you’ve never read a book on theology.

4. Jesus Manifesto: Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ

I just started reading the book and can’t wait to see what these seasoned thinkers and authors have to say about Jesus and the way that our culture views him in comparison to the way that the Bible presents him.

5. Before you Move: A Guide to Making Transitions in Ministry

I read this book a while back, but since I am currently in a period of transition, I have been referring to it as I discern what is next for us. This book is an absolutely amazing book to help one objectively discern whether a transition is needed, how to transition, and how to decide where to transition to in ministry.

6. The Broken Wall: A Study of the Epistle to the Ephesians

I have been using this book as a part of my devotional time to be able to grow deeper in my knowledge of scripture. It’s a fantastic book that helps us biblically understand the concepts that I wrote about in my previous post, “No Such Thing as a ‘Lay’ Christian.”

7. She Calls Me Daddy: Seven Things Every Man Needs to Know ABout Building a Complete Daughter

Since I am the father of my beautiful 7 month old daughter, I thought I would begin preparing and growing in my daddy skills by reading this book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

No such thing as a "Lay" Christian

May 26, 2010 in Concepts, Faith with 1 Comment

So often, Christians create faux-categories to justify and rationalize their laziness and desire to compartmentalize their faith. We think that there are certain Christians who are “called” to be pastors, and others who are “called” to be missionaries, but what about everyone else? Well, if you’re not “called” to be a pastor or a missionary, then I guess you just fall into a third category called – “lay” Christian…where you just go to church on Sunday, sing some songs, listen to someone preach, and then go home.

When you search the New Testament, there is no such thing as a “lay” Christian. Sure, different people have different roles, but there is no such thing as a “lay” Christian as we know it today. It’s a false category! Continue Reading…

David Isn’t a Role Model

May 7, 2010 in Concepts, Faith with 1 Comment

Click the picture to buy the t-shirt

Not everyone in the Bible is a role model. For example, who looks at Goliath and says, “I sure want to be like him when I grow up!”

However, how many times do we look up to David and try to emulate our lives after his? After all, he was the King of Israel, the greatest poet of all time, and the author of the psalms…including the famous Psalm 23 – “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…”

Now there are many honourable things in David’s life and many things that we can learn from him, but unfortunately, he doesn’t teach us morality. He’s the one who committed adultery, killed a man to cover up his tracks, lied to get his way, etc.

The fact is, David doesn’t teach us morality, he teaches us how to be human. He teaches us how to be real, and he teaches us how to have a close, intimate, and living relationship with our Lord God.

The Role of Faith in Natural Disasters

February 3, 2010 in Faith with 0 Comments

A few weeks ago I posted on what recently happened in Haiti, but since then, the news has gone on and is now covering other stories. “Female Suicide Bomber Kills 54 in Iraq,” “China Warns US Against Dalai Lama Meeting,” “Trial Opens in Concorde Disaster,” etc.

While the world slowly forgets the disaster in Haiti, just like the world, in a few weeks forgot what happened after the Tsunami or Hurricane Katrina, people are still suffering and picking up the pieces of their lives in Haiti. Now I am glad fundraisers are still taking place and aide is still going to help relieve the disaster in Haiti, but what are we to make of all of these natural disasters? Continue Reading…

Haiti and God

January 17, 2010 in Culture, Faith with 8 Comments

By now, most of you know what happened in Haiti this past week – a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake just west of the capital, Port au Prince. The International Red Cross estimates about 3 million people have been affected by the earthquake, while approximately 200,000 people might have died as a result of the event.

After this happened, the infamous televangelist Pat Robertson said straight out that this earthquake happened because of the pact that the Haitians made with the Devil:

“Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it. [The Haitians were originally] under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon the third, or whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, we will serve you if you will get us free from the French. True story. And so, the devil said, okay it’s a deal. Ever since they have been cursed by one thing after the other.”

Now those are some powerful words for someone who isn’t God. Continue Reading…

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