Ministry is Service

The word "ministry" in our modern vocabulary has taken on a great deal of religious cultural baggage. Being "in the Ministry" today can mean that you're a member of a recognized clergy group. It can also mean that you work for a religious non-profit organization such as a homeless mission or soup kitchen. It can even mean that you collect millions of dollars, in the name of Jesus, in order to finance your lavish lifestyle. These are the ways that ministry is defined today but if we are going to be biblical about this word ministry, then it has one simple definition...service.

The Object of Our Service

Ultimately no matter who or how we serve, our service is directed toward the Lord. Through the grace of Christ, God has allowed us the privilege of serving him. Not that God needs our service. He is the only truly self sufficient being in existence. Since all things came from him, he is in need of nothing. The privilege of serving God is extended to us for our good. We are most fulfilled as human beings when we are engaged in serving. It's the way were made by our creator.

God, Servant to Creation.

One of the great mysteries of God is that at his heart, God is a servant. When God became a man, he took the form of a servant. This is the form that God choose for his Son in order to reveal the himself to us. It's humbling to consider that the All Mighty God lowered himself to serve us. If Jesus, who had the glory of the Father, lowered himself to the level of a servant, then how can we do any less?

Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.
Phil 2:5-8 (WEB)

The Gospels as Liturature - Adult Ed.

Bill and I are presenting a three week course at Lewiston Adult Eduction on the Four Gospels as Literature. This is an exiting opportunity to introduce people in the public space to the beauty, form and message of gospel text.  If you are in the Lewiston Auburn area you may want to check this out: Class Link.

Coffee, Conversation and Mission

For the past nearly two years, I've been getting together for coffee and fellowship with another brother. In that time we have shared our frustrations and hopes for the local church. After much prayer and discussion we've formed a ministry partnership and are currently preparing for our first endeavor (more about that in another post). It's amazing what can happen just by sharing some time over coffee. Nothing complicated, just friends and open hearts to what the Spirit is saying to his people. 

Was Jesus a Zombie?

Those who follow Jesus claim that he died and came back to life. Based on this, some people might assume that Jesus was a zombie.

So.... does the evidence we have show that Jesus was a zombie?

Those in the zombie-Jesus camp and those who follow Jesus would agree on one point, that Jesus did return from the dead.

The most reliable historical document we have that tells of this event is the Bible. We will use this document to examine the behavior of Jesus after his return from the grave.

For information on zombies we will have to loosely base our rules on the “Romero Zombie.” George Romero is the “Godfather of all Zombies”. Though he never wrote a zombie rule book, he is known for the zombie classic "Night of the Living Dead". We'll use his understanding as our standard on what a zombie looks like.

 Based on the “Romero Zombie” and the biblical Jesus, let's compare zombies to Jesus.

Zombies vs Jesus

Zombies are human bodies that died and have come back to life.

Jesus died and came back to life.

Zombies only possess basic motor skills.

Jesus built a fire and cooked fish for Peter and a few of his other followers. – John 21

Zombies cannot talk, at best they can communicate through moans and groans.

Jesus spoke to several people after rising from the dead. – John 21 (for one example)

Zombies have one intention: to eat the living.

Jesus seemed to have no intention of eating people, we have no record of him eating any humans after rising from the dead.

Zombies are dangerous.

Jesus did not seem dangerous at all. On the contrary, people were happy to be around him. He traveled with two of his followers (without them even knowing it was him) and they asked him to stay with them when he was getting ready to part from them. If he were dangerous it would not make sense to ask him to stay. – Luke 24:29

Zombies are physical, they have no supernatural abilities.

Jesus was able to walk through walls and disappear. These seem like some kind of supernatural function which zombies are incapable of. – Luke 24:31, John 20:19

Zombies' bodies are decaying and rotting.

Jesus' body did still have the holes from the spear and nails, but surprisingly Thomas, one of his followers, was not afraid to stick his finger in those holes. If Jesus were a rotting corpse it seems unlikely that people would be so willing to eat the food he prepared or stick their hands in his side. John 20: 27, Luke 24:42-43, John 21

Zombies are not capable of complex actions.

Jesus could prepare meals, explain complicated doctrines, ask tough questions, perform supernatural acts, and did several other things that demonstrated problem solving and complex thought processes. His actions and words demonstrated something beyond human, not subhuman such as the living dead.

ZOMBIE OR SOMETHING MORE?

So.... whether you believe in Jesus or not, it is clear from Scripture that the risen Jesus it describes is certainly not a zombie.

We can disbelieve the Bible and write off the resurrection all together, or embrace the Bible's story and realize that the risen Jesus was someone who was raised in glory, not decay.

Whichever you choose, a zombie Jesus is clearly not an option.

Big Question

Is it possible that a man came back from the dead? Do we have any evidence that this event actually could have taken place? You could take my word for it or you could read it for yourself. Check out the book of John, it's in the bible. You know that book those nice people leave in hotel rooms. You may be surprised at what you find.

About this post

This post is based on an article written by Dan Allen and is published with his permission (thanks Dan!). I thought this would make a great discussion starter to get people talking about Jesus so I rewrote the article to use as a handout. You can check out the original: Was Jesus a Zombie? 

Thanks to "K" for the great Zombie artwork. 

I also created a pdf version suitable for printing. If you would like me to send you a copy of the pdf just leave a comment.

Why are we here?

For Christ sent me, not to give baptism, but to be a preacher of the good news: not with wise words, for fear that the cross of Christ might be made of no value. 1Cor. 1:17

Paul certainly had focus. He had a laser sharp focus. We believers get so obsessed about baptism, communion and the right way to do church that we lose of our central mission. We are here to announce the good news to the poor, to bring healing to the broken and recovery of sight to the blind.
Now that Easter is past are you getting ready for Pentecost? Let's ask the Jesus to refresh us with His Holy Spirit and set us ablaze with a passion to bring the great news to the world.
Don't worry if you don't have a lot of fancy words, the cross speaks for itself.

Simony

I have always believed the Gospel is to be offered freely without charge. It bugs me when I see so-called ministries charging for their services. Up until now I did not have a word for this activity but the other day I came across the term Simony. It's an old word, but I think it's time to revive it in Christian circles. Can you imagine Jesus offering his "Sermon on the Mount" audio series for a one time gift of a hundred dollars? How about Peter charging fees to provide coaching to church planters? It would have been ridiculous then and it's ridiculous now.

Come Lord Jesus and separate the sheep from the goats.
Like wolves they feast themselves on your people and satisfy themselves with your lambs.
They speak from their own minds with boasting words and for a fee prophesy lies.
But you Lord, offered yourself freely for the sake of love.
You poured yourself out and gave all for your bride.
May we follow your example and give our all to you and you alone.

Isaiah 55:1

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."

Jeremiah 23:1

“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD.

Outlive Your Life

Outlive Your Life, by Max Lucado
When I first saw this book I was a bit wary of the title. I was wondering if it was going
to be another one of those positive self-help books promising happiness and roses if we
follow the authors ten step plan. I was surprised to find a book that actually challenged
my thinking about living out my faith. The real life stories of every day people
doing awesome things was encouraging and scary at the same time. Encouraging
because these every day Joes or as Max called them Mr. Pot Roast, were just like me
and scary for the same reason. I was inspired by the interspersion of prayer at the conclusion of each chapter. If your a couch potato with no interest in helping others then this book
is not for you, but if you have any inclination to live beyond yourself this is
a good place to start. You can make a difference just by buying the book. The profits
from the book are going to be donated to World Vision, so go ahead, Outlive Your Life.
I was provided a copy of this book for review from Thomas Nelson. If you have a blog and
like to read/review books check out their program at http://booksneeze.com.

What a Real Prophet Might Look Like

I'm not sure I have ever met a real prophet, I may have and not known it. I do have some thoughts on what a real prophet would look like.

• A real prophet would speak by the Spirit and have no need of human dramatics.
  
• A real prophet would point people to Jesus and make Christ the center of attention.
• A real prophet would speak about real things, not just empty wish fulfillment.
• A real prophet would be hated by the world, because the world hates the one he speaks for.
• A real prophet would not be quick to speak in Jesus name, knowing he will have to give account for every word.
• A real prophet would not need to advertise, his reputation would precede him.
• A real prophet would not appeal for money, he knows who meets his needs.
• A real prophet would not manipulate or control people, we are all brothers and sisters in the Lord.
• A real prophet would accept feedback graciously, because the church has the right to judge prophecy.
• A real prophet would make mistakes, he is just a brother after all.
• A real prophet would admit he made mistakes, he knows there is only one perfect with all knowledge.

May the Lord give us prophets who speak the truth in love by the Spirit.

Storm Warning By Billy Graham

Billy Grahams update of his 1992 apocalyptic commentary, conveys a message of hope and warning. Using the metaphor of gathering storms, he presents a way out and a place of safety for those willing to embrace the truth. Billy artfully draws comparisons between the four horseman of John's revelation and current events. Generously sprinkled with insightful anecdotes from his many years in ministry, I found this book to be an overall compelling read. Billy Graham does one thing and he does it well; he relates the gospel to the times he is in. He pulls no punches when it comes to addressing the needs of the human heart.
I'm not usually a fan of doomsday books, but when I saw that this one was written by an elder statesman of the faith, I thought it would be worth a look. I would say that this was not really a commentary on the book of Revelation as much as a backdrop for the Gospel message that Billy has preached for so many years. A message I am convinced the world needs, more today than at any other time. I was touched and inspired by his stories, drawn from a life lived to the full.
The book did suffer from thematic inconsistency at times. I found the switching of metaphor's to be a bit tedious. It seemed to vacillate between a bible commentary and an evangelistic sermon, but I guess that's what Billy does best; preaching the gospel. I would recommend this book to anyone who is just starting to ask questions about the gospel.
I was provided a copy of this book for review from Thomas Nelson. If you have a blog and like to read/review books check out their program at http://booksneeze.com.

We gather as the church to follow the leading of the Spirit.

If Christ is the head of the church then should he not be present at each meeting? In many churches the service is more like a funeral memorial than a visit with Christ. Many believers today have an image of Jesus as being somehow disconnected from His church, as though he was too far away to meet with us. Did not Jesus say that where two or three are gathered in his name he would be there? I hear that verse quoted a lot but I wonder how many take it to heart. By the working of the Spirit we have the real presence of Jesus with us.
Oh Lord, that we may follow as sheep, the great shepherd of our souls.

About Gatherings

We gather as the church as often as we feel the need. This may seem a bit presumptuous to some but consider what the Master said in regard to keeping the Sabbath day, "The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath." This must have blown the religious people of his day away! It would seem that Jesus wanted his people to not become subservient to a day. If the Jewish people under the law were not servants to the Sabbath, then why should we, children of grace, be servant to a standing meeting?

Planting churches or making disciples?

An interesting article on the concept of discipleship. I found it to be challenging. I'm still looking for the verse that tells us to plant churches.

Discipling Viral Disciplers

Home Church Help

Added a new link.
Home Church Help / New Testament Church Life
I really liked the bullet points on the front page. It sums up my own experience quite nicely.

1. Home church is Biblical.

2. The essence of Christianity is easily accomplished in simple and uncomplicated settings.

3. Group participation with all people functioning should be the primary dynamic of any church meeting (1 Cor. Chapter 14), This is the backbone of the home church setting.

4. Connecting with others and developing meaningful relationships is easily accomplished in a home church atmosphere.

5. "Being the church" and sharing life together in community with others, instead of just attending a meeting, is the desire and purpose of most people who home church.

Missionary Night

Last Sunday night we had a visit from a brother seeking to leave his employment as a Software architect to become a missionary. He won't be in a grass hut in some distant land, but right here in the USA. He will be supporting bible translators in the field with his IT skills. We didn't get a slide show but we did get to watch a video from Youtube. I would like ask anyone reading this to pause right now and pray for Steve, Glenda, Stephan and Evan, that God would grant them grace and guidance in their endeavor to publish the word of God. You can check out his blog at http://www.moitozo.com /wycliffe/home.

This opened up a whole discussion around the concept of mission; as in what is my mission and how do I carry it out? The conversation only got started before we ran out of night. To be continued....

Foundations

1 Corinthians 3:1-15

Brothers, I couldn't speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with meat; for you weren’t yet ready. Indeed, not even now are you ready,for you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren’t you fleshly, and don’t you walk in the ways of men? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you fleshly?


Carnality will keep us from understanding spiritual things. As long as we live in division from each other, we will not be able to handle anything of spiritual substance. We will be perpetual babies in need of having the truths of God feed to us second hand. Never coming to know the reality of the Kingdom but only the shadow. What shame is brought to the body of Christ by those who are actually proud of the fact that they are followers of men. One says "I'm a Calvinist another says "I'm of Wesley", aren't we fleshly?


Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed; and each as the Lord gave to him? I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it.


Paul, unlike today's preachers, refuses to take the center stage in the lives of believers. This was Paul's chance to seize power. All he had to do was tell those carnal Corinthians that he, Paul, was the one who first brought them the Gospel and they should therefore be loyal to him. Instead he blows his chance and tells them that he is only one of many workers. He recognizes his role as a "wise master builder" was to lay the foundation while another will build on it. Rather than living off of the church he laid the foundation for, he moved on to make room for others to build on it. He was only one part of an ongoing process.


But let each man be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble; each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is. If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.

There is only one foundation for the church and that foundation in Jesus Christ. We are only building on a foundation that others have laid. Many have built on the foundation, but they have used inferior materials. They build with memberships, programs and money. These are temporal things that will only be burned up in Judgement. The precious materials are harder to come by. They involve faith, hope and love. Things that last forever.

Advice for Wannabee Missionaries.

Here are some very good points regarding missions. I found this while surfing. Check out the link to see a full series of articles based on each point.

1. Skip Bible school; instead learn how to plant churches in real-life.
2. Engage with the culture, but dare to be authentically foreign; don't imitate the locals.
3. Count the cost and learn the language.
4. Get a job that helps you meet lots of people, and join a club.
5. Forget about targets and 5-year plans; get a (family) life.
6. Resist the temptation of forming a holy bubble with other missionaries.
7. Beware of support with strings attached; stay financially free to be able to move with God.
8. When you plant a church, don't stay on as a pastor; your best gift to the church is to move on.

http://www.simplice.net/en/artigo.php?cat=&id=595