Lessons from Wawa

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Refuel 2011 Impressions

Over the last two days God did an amazing work through the speakers of Refuel 2011 at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg VA. The Image Church team that went left encouraged, energized, motivated, and certainly refueled.

Below is 11 things that hit me hard, and I will look to implement in my own life/ministry. As TRBC Associate Pastor Matt Wilmington said on Twitter: “Now we must figure out how to come off the conference high, and LIVE what we have just LEARNED”

Lord help me to apply what God’s called men shared below.

1. What can I do to add value to  people? We are either taking away or adding to people daily. Jesus valued all those he touched, reached out to him, and those he reached out to. (John Maxwell)
2. Manage the decisions I make. This comes after decision is made. Don’t let your decision falter because you do not have a plan to manage long-term. (John Maxwell)
3. Other people’s idols are easier to spot than your own. Analyze your own idol factory in your heart, repent, and do something about it. (Ed Stetzer)
4. Am I willing to lose my own reputation in order to advance the kingdom or is my reputation an idol? (Ed Stetzer)
5. Like Jairus in Mark 5 Jesus wants us to simply BELIEVE, and not try to figure out what He is doing. Genuine faith brings God glory. (Steven Furtick)
6. Eph. 2:10 tells us that we are EXACTLY what God wanted us to be. Take comfort in that, and find the mission He has UNIQUELY made for you. (Jonathon Falwell)
7. Be careful trying to estimate what God is doing in your life/ministry. We can never know all the ways God is going to use our work to advance His kingdom. We are called to FAN THE FLAME of others. Not light fire. Only God can do that. (Johnny Hunt)
8. Everyone needs someone to love, pray, believe, and encourage them. As Paul did this for Timothy (2 Timothy 2) we should as well for others. (Johnny Hunt)
9. People DIE the way they LIVE. At your funeral what will people say about you? Create those values, and start living them NOW. (Johnny Hunt)
10. God loves broken people. Reach out to the broken, and you will always have an audience. Find the broken in your community, and SERVE them as Jesus did. (Judd Wilhite)
11. For the first time in american history teens are more influenced outside the home than in it. Stats show the two biggest influences on kids are their parents, and an actively engaged church.  Parents teach your kids, and church leaders do all that you can to reach your youth. (Ron Luce)

Heart Issues

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Mission Impressions

Sometimes you experience things in life that changes what/who you are from that point forward. Things like marriage, child-birth, salvation, death, etc. These are moments in time where part of you is  chipped away to further reveal who God wants you to be.  God sovereignly orchestrates our lives, using our free will, to mold us into something usable for His glory. This process can be rewarding, joyful, frustrating, and thrilling all at the same time. God never said it would be easy!!

The same goes for the life of a church.  The bible teaches that Christ is the head of the church and we are the body. As the body we are always changing as we grow, and mature. Like in our personal lives God will shape His body with circumstances that alters the future for His purposes.

I just got back from a 8 day missions trip to China with Image Lead Pastor Chris Rhodenhizer, and my life as well as the missions future for Image Church will never be the  same. I wrote about our Mission Trip intentions here http://imagechurch.wordpress.com/2010/12/05/gospel-in-a-foreign-land/

While there we visited 3 cities on the Northeast Coast.

- City 1 -  There is a missionary providing rice, medicine, and school supplies via funds from Image Church and Manna Worldwide. This is a part of the country that is a very harsh climate, and the needs are great. Not many people would ever want to go there, but this missionary family has been there for 4 years loving on the local school children. They cannot openly proclaim the gospel b/c of the communist gov’t, but they can reflect Christ’s character. They abide by the Federal Gov’t rules, and taking the hard, long road to winning souls.  That’s what makes their work all the more amazing. They are MISSIONARIES, but yet they cannot openly talk about Jesus. Everyone there knows they are Christian missionaries, but they allow them access b/c they have a local business that helps the economy (gov’t dictates that all foreigners have a business to maintain a VISA), and they take care of the kids. The funds used from the company go right back into medicine, and food for these kids. Before their arrival 4 years ago kids would skip lunch at school (b/c there was no food) and they would become extremely ill from basic sickness b/c of no medicine. Now these kids are eating, and getting basic medical care you and I take for granted. ALL THAT so these missionaries can simply REFLECT Christ since they can’t openly talk about Him. In my earlier blog I talked about planting seeds you will never harvest, and this is not even that. This type of missions work is like pulling rocks out of the garden so someone else can lay the seed. This is non-glorious, hard, trailblazing, dangerous work that someone needs to do to warm hearts to Jesus. This couple raised all their kids on the mission field, and rarely see their kids or grandkids in the states now. I was touched by their sacrificial hearts so they can simply “pull rocks out of the garden”.

- City 2 – Here we met with a teacher and principal at a Korean-Chinese school where outcast kids attend. Manna also sends funds here to help with basic school needs for the kids. The kids that come here are “half breeds” and not given the type of education, nutrition, and medical care that “pure bred” kids are. This school is not supported by the Gov’t and looks for funding from outside. While here we had lunch with the principal and English teacher, and God used that meal to break down some barriers. The teachers did not profess to be Christians, and we were instructed to not even talk about religion. However the topic came up naturally, and prompted the principal to say the following” The communist regime here dictates that all teachers/school administrators NOT believe in God (as to not influence the students) however we can believe in our hearts”. WOW. It was a big step for them to trust us enough to even say that in public. We went on to talk about that a little more before quickly moving on. Afterwards the missionary from Manna we were with said that was a game-changing moment for him, and could open future doors for the gospel. Amazing.

- City 3 – We met another missionary couple that dedicated their lives to the mission field, and raised three kids on it. In their late forties now they have started an English school, and lead a number of house churches.  Like the couple in City 1 they have to get creative in order to present the gospel, and they sacrifice to do it.

In all three locations the sacrificial heart of the missionaries in addition to the desperation of the kids in need combined to change me in a way I was not prepared for. To see people working so hard in a foreign  land, and so immersed in a foreign culture all so they MIGHT could share Jesus one day was mind-blowing. Imagine doing a bunch of pre-work for YEARS just so you MIGHT be able to do your primary job someday full well knowing that someone else will most likely reap the fruits for your labor. That would be tough, but that’s what all these guys are doing. Christ sacrificed it all for us, and these guys are reflecting that in a humbling way that brings Him much glory.

The future of Image Church will be forever changed. We now have a missions plan with full clarity that involves three cities, with three unique missions, and three sets of people. We are going to focus hard on this little corner of the world, and put together a plan for future trips as a church as well as a way to funnel people into each ministry to help out. It will be a great avenue to get Image Church into the mission field.

I am excited, and my head is spinning at all the possibilities. Be sure and be at Image Church this Sunday to hear about our trip, see pictures, and listen as we cast vision for our missions future.

Thoughts from the book of Daniel

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Ethos Post

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New Post @ Ethos – Image Church Elders blog

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Much does not matter if you do not know what it means (Part 2)

A few weeks ago I posted a blog about the Puritans, and their freakish (freakish is a GOOD thing ) desire to understand, and follow scripture.  You can check that out here : http://tobyward.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/much-does-not-matter-if-you-do-not-know-what-it-means-part-1/

They were so thorough their pastors would often create entire sermons around one verse. You see the Puritans were more concerned about truly understanding scripture than just memorizing it. I guess this probably came on the heels of what they were escaping in their original churches in England. Nonetheless it was a GREAT way to understand scripture, and would certainly stretch a pastor when preparing a sermon.

Recently I came across Romans 6:22 (Romans 6:22 – But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life)  in my devotions, and this verse got me thinking about the Puritans as God spoke to me through His word. He showed me INSTANTLY five truths in this one verse that carry enormous weight. I knew instantly this was the power of the Holy Spirit because quite frankly I’m just not smart enough to have figured that out myself. Isn’t it awesome when God speaks to you through His Word? Lets see if we can get all Puritanical on this one verse.

Truth One – We are no longer slaves to sin - Romans 6:22 – But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

The resounding theme throughout Romans 6 is that we have been set free from the bondage of sin. More importantly we see that when Christ died He gave us a way to break free from the burden of sin through His blood. To often in life we try to get over our daily struggles through our own means. However when we become new creatures IN CHRIST our old life has DIED WITH HIM!!! His blood has covered it all, and not only provides us eternal life, but also gives us the ability to overcome sin through the blood. Galatians 5:24 nails this point.

Galatians 5:24

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Folks our flesh, our sin, our passion for sin has been CRUCIFIED with Christ!! He has already done all the work for us to break free from the burden of sin. We just have to lean and trust on Him. Why the heck would we want to do this ourselves? The blood has covered it all!!!

Truth Two – We were bought with a price – Romans 6:22 –  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

I believe it was the great hair metal front man Jon Bon Jovi that once sang: “Its my life, its now or never”. Thats a popular sentiment in today’s culture. Take control of YOUR life, get what YOU deserve, make YOURSELF feel good. You, you, you. Trying to make YOURSELF feel better yourself will drive you nuts. It will actually only drive you deeper into sin. Since we are sinful depraved humans at our core we will always strive to please ourselves sinfully outside of a life filled with Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:20 and 7:23 says we were “bought with a price”. Fundamentally speaking if we are “bought” then we belong to someone. The price paid was Christ’s blood, and we belong to Him. All of us in Christ do not own our very own lives, but rather we belong to Him to be used for His glory. Thus we become slaves to Him because He shed His blood on Calvary for you and me!! Call me crazy, but that makes me WANT to be a slave to Him. The cross was excruciating, and humiliating and He did that for me!! WOW. Why would He do such a thing? Thats the last three truths

Truth Three - A Spirit filled life will produce Christ-like qualities in us - Romans 6:22 –  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Who doesn’t love fruit? Its sweet, decadent, good for you, and when dipped in chocolate becomes irresistible. Our character is the first thing Christ changes when He enters our life. Out with the old, and in with the new. The entire new testament refers to spiritual fruits that will be evident in our lives once the Holy Spirit enters our hearts. Galatians 5:22-23 defines these as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. These are the fruits Romans 6:22 is refering to.  The first one mentioned is love, and the original text used the greek word “agape”.  Agape love is a divine love, and can only be given to us as a gift from God. This is how we learn to love others, and see humanity through the eyes of Christ. Its also a pre-requisite to the rest of the fruits. Without agape love you cannot display the other fruits. Living a life that reflects the image of Christ should be the goal for all Christians. Is your fruit on display? 

 Truth Four - We will become new creatures when Christ returns - Romans 6:22 –  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Sanctification simply means to be set apart from sin. Striving to be righteous.  Only one man on  this earth has ever been truly sanctified.  Jesus lived a perfect life on this earth, and gave that life as a propitiation for our sins. He made a way for us through Him to be sanctified. On earth we should always be striving to live a sanctified life, but ultimately we know that is impossible. We are sinful depraved humans, but that is where the power of the cross comes in. Again it all goes back to the cross!! We will never be truly sanctified until the Lord comes back to take His Kingdom, and the dead in Christ shall rise to meet Him in the air, and then WE WILL TRULY BE SANCTIFIED IN HEAVEN!!!!!!!!! Which leads to the last and most EXCITING truth in Romans 6:22.

Truth Five - Heaven is our reward - Romans 6:22 –  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

If Christ has entered your life, and you are a new creature in Him you will get to spend all eternity with Him in Heaven!!  ALL OF FREAKIN ETERNITY!!!!!!!!!!!! If that does not get you excited then check your pulse!!! As Christians we have something to look forward to, strive for, and long for the day that our sanctified bodies will be in Heaven. Thats going to be a joyous time, and we can place our hope in it.

All of these truths SHOUT one thing, and they SHOUT it LOUD: God’s glory was manifested on the cross, and that day we were all given a way to break free from sin, shout His glory through our fruits, and spend a life endentured to Him awaiting our rewards in Heaven. I can’t think of a better way to spend life.

I hope this breakdown of Romans 6:22 was as encouraging for you as it was me. Gods word is powerful, and if we will just take the time to read it, and pray the Holy Spirit open our minds to it, I GUARANTEE you it will change your life.

Gift of Giving

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Much does not matter if you do not know what it means (Part 1)

 During the 15 and 1600′s a group of Christians known as “Puritans” began migrating across the Atlantic from England to America. They mostly set up shop in the Northeast part of the country, and pre-dominantly New England. They were a group of people who truly desired to live out the Image of Christ, and were escaping the tyranny, and political climate of English churches. At their core they desired to start a nation founded on God, and living out biblical principles as Christ intended. In short they used the early churches of the new testament as their model, and they were wildly successful here in this new land. The foundations they laid led to a Christian American nation, and ultimately led to God being a part of all original American documents in the 18th century.

They were a remarkable group of people who desired to live in community, and see God glorified above all else. Now they had their faults. In their attempt to be “not of this world” they formed colonies, and took themselves out of the world. Ultimately outcasting the “sick” Jesus said he came to save in the Gospels. Additionally certain sects of Puritans  took their desires, and wants a bit far at times as their treatment of women in the church, and the witchcraft trials can attest to. This is what they are ultimately remembered for in society, and I guess it does have its place. However to overlook their view of  Christianity, and especially the bible would be tragic.

As Christians today we can learn a lot from these 500-year-old Puritans. Especially the way they studied the bible. They LOVED the Word, and desired for all their people to TRULY understand it, and live it out. As a result they had an ENORMOUS impact on America, and it all started with the Word!!

Today we love, especially in our church kids programs, to push scripture memorization to the point of absurdity. We give trinkets at church to the kid that can memorize the most verses. However how many of those verses do our kids TRULY understand? How much of that scripture had an impact on their life, and how much of it are they living out? Scripture is God’s word given to us to help us bring Him glory while in our temporal home on earth. The only way thats going to happen is to UNDERSTAND God’s word because you WANT to!! Not because you are rewarded with trinkets. I am not against this or saying its wrong. I’m just saying we have to be careful in what we teach our kids about scripture.

Now I understand there are some key advantages to teaching children to memorize scripture. The bible tells us to “hide the word in our heart”. Teaching kids at an early age to read the bible is always good, and can instill good habits later. Please understand I am not saying that teaching kids or anyone else to memorize scripture is wrong. To the contrary. What I am saying is MEMORIZATION in and of itself is NOT going to help you. We might know the most verses, but if we do not understand what they mean then what good is it? We need to get back to MEMORIZE AND UNDERSTAND!! Understanding scripture can live apart from memorization, but memorization cannot live apart from understanding. They go hand in hand with understanding being the most crucial. Ultimately memorization is the act of the individual, and understanding is the act of the Holy Spirit. We should be teaching our kids to submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit,  and to pray for an undertanding of what they are memorizing. Imagine what THAT could do to them when they are adults!!!

THIS is where the Puritans had it right!! They placed an emphasis on understanding scripture, and not just memorizing for recitation and pandering as was common in the English church. Puritan pastors would often take just ONE verse for their sermons, and preach on it. ONE VERSE!!!!! I have had the great opportunity, by the grace of God, to preach a few times, and I need all the scripture I can reference to fill 30 minutes. Puritan pastors had such a thorough understanding of the Word they could preach for HOURS sometimes on ONE VERSE!!!  That is unbelievable, but goes to show their desire to UNDERSTAND scripture and not just MEMORIZE it.

The Word can change lives if we strive to understand it, and live it out. So the next time you read your bible pray that the Holy Spirit guide you to understand what it is you are reading. Then go out and live what you’ve just learned!!!