MikeOharaLive the intersection of faith and life

6May/100

Gospel-driven ministry

Some good thoughts on ministry/church practices...

Gospel 101 from Sojourn Community Church on Vimeo.

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5May/100

Know your role

I love John's response to his disciples over their concern that they are "losing" people to Jesus' ministry:  "God in heaven appoints each person's work." (John 3:27)

John had a confidence in and a clear understanding of his God-appointed role in ministry:  To prepare the way for Christ - "that is all." (v.28)  Nothing more, nothing less.

In a highly-pressurized ministry culture that says do more, grow more, multiply more, expand more, etc., can pastors and ministry leaders every say "that is all"? I think one of the keys to ministry is to know your appointed role, find satisfaction in your role, and stop trying to become like someone else or their ministry.

There is a distinction between "that is all" and "it is finished".  To be clear, the work of the Kingdom is never finished until Christ's return.  When John said "that is all" he wasn't declaring mission accomplished; he was simply saying I know my role on the grander stage, and I won't try to overreach and play someone else's role.

In short, know your role.

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3May/100

Center of the Gospel

Re-reading A.W. Tozer's Man: The Dwelling Place of God.  I appreciated his thoughts on how Christ is often presented as a "a cure to ills, a way out of troubles, a quick and easy means to the achievement of personal ends."  The problem with this is selfish gain becomes the center of the gospel.

If Jesus is all about making our lives better, then why just Christianity?  There are lots of other belief systems, faith practices, gurus, and techniques that can improve our lives.

The gospel is not about what we get, it's about what Christ has done.  Jesus is the center of the gospel not us.

All Christ-followers are commanded to share the gospel, but let's be careful that we don't present the gospel as a benefits package, or a new and improved product.  We are not salespeople, we are messengers.

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21Feb/081

8 Laws of Growth

  • Rick Warren described 8 laws that affect spiritual growth.
  1. Spiritual growth is intentional: we grow by making commitments.
  2. Spiritual growth is incremental: we grow through a process; step-by-step.  A mushroom takes 6 hrs. to grow, an oak tree takes 60 yrs...which one do you want to be?
  3. Spiritual growth is personal: we grow according to our shape (how God designed us).
  4. Spiritual growth is habitual: we grow by developing habits.
  5. Spiritual growth is relational: we only grow in community.  One of the hallmarks of spiritual growth is love, and if you're not around people you can't learn to love.  (This one was huge.)
  6. Spiritual growth is mulit-dimensional: we grow through various ways and means.  For Warren, this is through his five purposes (fellowship, discipleship, ministry, evangelism, and worship).
  7. Spiritual growth is seasonal: we grow in spurts.  Fast, or immediate growth isn't true growth; it's swelling.  True, healthy growth takes time.  Roots grow deep in non-growth seasons and not very deep in growth seasons.  Know your season.
  8. Spiritual growth is incarnational:  Becoming like Jesus is not through imitation but through inhabitation.  Jesus comes into our lives and lives through us (incarnate).  Nobody can do a better job of being Jesus than Jesus.
  • Quote of the day: vision without implementation is hallucination.
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