Growth in trees or believers

Posted on May 18, 2011 Written by Mark McIntyre 1 Comment

The Observation

I walked through our yard yesterday to check out the 25 Colorado Blue Spruce trees I planted a few weeks ago. They were bare root seedlings similar to what is shown in the picture to the left. I was looking at the trees to see if I could observe any growth.

Bare root trees come with no dirt around the roots and therefore, the root system endures a set back as they are shipped and then planted. The trees must expend a lot of energy into producing a healthy root system after being planted. In the first year or so, most of the growth will be below ground and not visible.

When we look at the Church, we have people in all stages of spiritual growth. Like the trees, it is sometimes difficult to assess how much growth is really taking place because we cannot see below the surface.

The Danger

In both trees and people there is danger in assessing the growth by what can be seen on the surface. Just because none can be seen does not mean that growth is not taking place.

In fact, it is the growth below the surface that is the more important. In trees, a strong, developed root system is necessary to sustain the growth above the surface. The developed root system can allow the tree to survive periods of drought, endure high winds and provide the nutrition that the tree requires.

Similarly, the spiritual development in the believer is crucial as a foundation for living the Christian life. Without this spiritual development, the believer will struggle to withstand periods of doubt and trial and will be acting out of superficial conformity rather than conviction.

True change in a person must happen from the inside out. External motivations tend to produce temporary results. The change brought about by external motivation only continues until a stronger motivation replaces it. Whereas internal conviction can withstand the pressures from the outside.

Understand that while we would like to be able to observe and measure the growth in both Christians and trees, without the invisible, subsurface , foundational growth, the external growth cannot be supported.

The Solution

As I see it the solution is quite simple. The solution is to understand that spiritual growth is all about relationship. It cannot be assessed by do’s and don’ts. It cannot be assessed by lists of “spiritual” disciplines. Spiritual growth can only be assessed by a deepening of the relationship with God.

In John 14:15, Jesus tells us that love for him will result in obedience to his commands. To be in obedience, one has to acknowledge that obedience is the proper response and then work toward understanding the desires of the master to whom obedience is due.

In Romans 15:14-17, Paul talks about the role of preaching / teaching in bringing about faith. So perhaps a good test of spiritual growth is the willingness to hear and interact with Scripture.

The Conclusion

The discipleship process has to be focused on deepening the relationship with God. Any process or program that does not have this focus will engender a false sense of maturity or worse yet, spiritual pride.

In focusing on the relationship with God and not on externals, the mentor must not rely too heavily on apparent external change. The external change will eventually show if there is growth, but there may be some lag. Don’t panic and don’t loose sight of the foundation.

If we keep the focus on Jesus Christ and Scripture, growth will come. Isaiah 55:11 says:

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Weird – Because normal isn’t working – Book Review

Posted on May 16, 2011 Written by Mark McIntyre 2 Comments

A Weird Contest Won

One day I saw a tweet which announced a contest to win a new book called Weird. Since free is my favorite price and the title intrigued me, I decided to check it out. One of the ways to win a copy was to promise to write a review of the book as a blog post.

I promised, I won and now I write.

What Weird is About

In the introduction of this book, in a section called “Weird 101”, Craig gives us an idea of where the book is going when he writes:

After a Tuesday night Bible meeting, I walked alone to an empty softball field. NO matter what it cost me – even being normal – I had decided that I wanted to know Jesus and live for him. I wanted to do life his way and not mine. As I knelt beside the dugout and prayed, I left normal behind and embraced whatever it took – being different to the point of the God kind of weird – to follow Jesus. Something melted within me, and I waled away forever changed, with a sense of God’s grace I can’t describe.

To much of society, an all-or-nothing, totally-in following of Jesus looks weird. This is especially true in 21st Century America where we are taught to look after #1, do things our own way and not take direction from anyone.

Too often the church has worked hard at appearing “normal” to the outside world. We try to do things in the way that corporations, civic groups or social clubs do them. We attempt to rely on programs, marketing and techniques, all the normal stuff.

As Groeshel points out, “normal isn’t working.” The churches and individuals that do things the normal way, do not experience the personal and corporate growth (not measured only in numbers) that God wants to provide.

My Perception of Weird

This book convinced me that I may be weird, but not weird enough.

In the book, Craig discusses the impact that a relationship with Jesus should have on our view of time, money, relationships, sex and values. The discussion has challenged me to reexamine the way I approach these topics.

I appreciated the way Craig issued the challenges, even when my initial gut reaction was that he was going a little overboard. For each topic, Groeschel presented principles that apply and gave some clues as to how this worked out in his own life. Craig does this without giving me the sense that he thinks he has it wired and if we only did it his way, things would be OK. By his writing style and the principles he presented, Craig created an environment conducive to considering new points of view.

This isn’t a how-to book. It does not lay out “x steps to spiritual maturity.” What it does provide is thought provoking analysis of what a follower of Jesus should consider as he responds to the challenges of the surrounding culture. The principles are presented and it is up to the reader to work through the principles to figure out how the principles should be applied in his own situation.

Why You Should Get Weird

Near the end of the book, Groeschel writes:

If you have just enough of Christ to satisfy you but not enough to change you, answer his knock and let him make himself at home with you. You’ve purposefully chosen to leave the broad path. You’re gladly traveling the narrow road. Your journey may seem weird to others, but your destination will be infinitely better than anything a settle-for-normal world can offer.

The number one reason I would recommend this book is that it will challenge you in areas where you unconsciously or unknowingly have imbibed the surrounding culture. These areas need to be exposed to the light of Scripture so that we can be “transformed by the renewing of our minds.” (Romans 12:1-2).

This book would be excellent as a small group study resource. The way the material is presented would be conducive to small group discussion.

In Conclusion

Craig Groeschel is right, normal isn’t working. Much of Christendom is disarray and decline. For change to take place, we have to get over our fear of being weird. Weird (the book) is a good place to start.

Weird is available from Barnes & Noble and Amazon in both paper (DTB, Dead Tree Book) and electronic formats.

6 Questions to Ask Before Presuming on Grace

Posted on April 27, 2011 Written by Mark McIntyre 2 Comments

I have had a few discussions lately with people that have struggled with the tension between law and grace. This is not a new question, and the Bible does have some things to say to us as we work out how to navigate through this tension.

There are many issues on which the Bible is silent or has little to say. It is on these issues that this tension seems to be felt. Questions such as, “can I go to bars as long as I don’t get drunk?”, “is it OK to gamble?”, “what about dancing?”, “can a church group have a poker night?”, come to mind.

In response, I came up with six questions to help determine the right course when thinking about a particular activity.

Does the activity satisfy the Two Great Commands as found in Matthew 22:37-40? Does this activity demonstrate love for God and love for my fellow man? In John 13:3-5, we see Jesus washing the disciples’ feet as an example of how to love and serve others. The converse of this is an activity that is self-focused which ends up being hurtful to others.
Will I avoid being a stumbling block to a believer by engaging in this activity? The Apostle Paul presents this principle in his discussion about meat which was sacrificed to idols in 1 Corinthians 10:23-24, 28. While we are free to do many things, some of those things might be a stumbling block to a weaker brother. We are not to have our freedom cause a weaker brother to stumble and perhaps fall into sin.
Is it wise? We have freedom to do many things that wisdom tells us are not good for us or those around us. Look at 1 Corinthians 10:23 again. Not every activity is profitable. What is your goal and does this activity help you toward that goal?
Is it a good use of my time and resources? This is the principle of stewardship as illustrated in the parable that Jesus tells in John 25:14-30. We will have to give an account to the Master as to how we spent our time on Earth. Would you want Jesus to participate with you in this activity?
Is this activity consistent with who God has created me to be? Does this activity fit in with my calling? In Romans 12:1-8, Paul tells us that to be renewed in our thinking will result in service to the Body of Christ in humility. It is only through this renewal that we can discover what the will of God is for us and begin fulfilling our role in the Body.
Does this activity help me fulfill the command to make disciples as found in Matthew 28:19? Would a non-believer be confused by knowing that I do this thing? This is similar to question #2 above. Our freedom should not be something that gives a non-believer an excuse to reject Christ.

This list is not exhaustive, but I do hope it is helpful. If you can answer “yes” to each of the questions above, then it is safe to say that activity is one to pursue.

Do you have any other principles that should be considered? Please comment below.

Toward an Understanding of Christian Stewardship

Posted on April 19, 2011 Written by Mark McIntyre Leave a Comment

The main word that is translated steward is οἰκονόμος (oikonomos), a compound of the words for house (οἶκος) and law (νόμος). It literally means one who rules over a household. Therefore a steward is one who manages his masters assets for the master’s benefit.

A steward manages the assets of another. Therefore the first question that must be asked about Christian stewardship is, “what assets are to be managed?”

The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 that the believer has been purchased by God through the blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore when coming to faith in Jesus Christ and trusting him for salvation, the believer then acknowledges that he is under the ownership of God. Paul writes in these verses:

¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (ESV)

Later in the same book, in 1 Corinthians 7:23, Paul writes”

²³ You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. (ESV)

The first asset that a Christian steward must manage is himself. He is to be lead and directed by God for God’s purpose. The Christian Steward must be transformed in his thinking (see Romans 12:1-2), and he must surrender himself to be filled by the Holy Spirit as Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:15–21 (emphasis added by this author):

¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ²⁰ giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (ESV)

Our thinking must be transformed because Paul tells us that we are born dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). Believers are being transformed into what God wants us to be, but the process is not instantaneous, it is one that takes time and effort on the part of the believer.

This transformation is the first order of business for the believer. The best news of all is that God is the one who superintends that process and he promises to accomplish it (see Philippians 1:6). The transformation will take place.

The question then arises, for what purpose does God have in allowing the transformation process to happen in this life, on this planet?. The answer to this question is that we have been given a mission. The two clearest statements of this mission are found in Matthew and Acts.

In Matthew 28:18–20 we have recorded the words of Jesus shortly before he was taken up to Heaven:

¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (ESV)

In Acts 1:8 Jesus tells his followers:

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (ESV)

The Christian Steward has the mission of making disciples by being a witness to Jesus Christ (see the words emphasized above).

Therefore, everything that the steward is, owns and does should be focused on accomplishing this mission. We, as believers in Jesus Christ are called to bring others into relationship with Jesus Christ.

Here are some examples of how the words steward and stewardship are used in the New Testament:

Paul and his companions were “stewards of the mysteries of God.” (1 Corinthians 4:1)
“it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.” (1 Corinthians 4:2)
“I am still entrusted with a stewardship.” (1 Corinthians 9:17)
Paul considered himself a steward of God’s grace (Ephesians 3:2)
Paul was given a stewardship to make the word of God fully known (Colossians 1:25)
A teacher in the church has been given a stewardship from God that is by faith (1 Timothy 1:4)
An elder or overseer is God’s steward and must be above reproach (Titus 1:7)
Believers are to serve one another as good stewards of God’s grace (1 Peter 4:10)

Jesus told the story of the servants and the talents in Matthew 25. The servants who used their talents wisely were commended with the statement, “well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21, 23). The servant who did not use his talents wisely was described by the master as a “wicked and slothful servant.” (Matthew 25:26) The lesson is that each servant will have to give an answer as to how he used the resources given to him by the master.

In Ephesians 5:16, which was quoted above, Paul tells us to make the best use of the time we have been given. From the parables on money that Jesus told in the Gospels, we can see that stewardship involves the use of financial resources which we have been given. From the remainder of the verses in Ephesians 5 quoted above, we can see that the steward is answerable to God as to how he conducts himself.

The conclusion is that a Christian steward has been given orders from the master as to what he is to accomplish. The Christian steward has been given resources to use in accomplishing this task. We see also that the steward is answerable to the master as to how well he accomplished the task.

The only question that remains is for each of us to ask ourselves, “how am I doing in my stewardship?” It is better to ask it now while there is time to take corrective action.

What do you think? Please add other aspects of Christian stewardship in the comment section.