Acts 16:16 and following

Paul was set apart and called to be an apostle. In this story, neither the slave girl nor her owners showed any interest in the gospel. They did not end up believing in Christ. Paul did not seem to be particularly led to cast the demon out of the girl. It seemed more likely that he decided early on to try to ignore the demon possessed girl - he let her go on and on for "many days."
Eventually, Paul became greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out of her at once. (Acts 16:18)
The passage does not say that finally, the Lord led Paul to cast the demon out. Rather, Paul cast the demon out when he became fed up, "greatly annoyed." Does God use even our annoyance to get us across borders we with good reason tend to avoid.

Paul had three opportunities to escape all or some of consequences he suffered.
1. He could have refrained from casting the demon out of the slave girl.
2. He and Silas could have told the authorities that they were Roman citizens and they probably wouldn't have been severely beaten.
3. He and Silas could have run away when the earthquake caused the chains to come loose.

When we cross cultural borders, there will be consequences if we "meddle" in the affairs of the people in a foreign land. This is especially true if our meddling results in adverse social/political, religious and/or economic consequences to people in the foreign land. In this case, the consequences of casting out the demon were economic, but in seeking revenge, the slave girl's owners claimed there were adverse social/political consequences as well (v. 20) In Ephesus, the consequences of Paul's ministry ("He says that man-made gods are no gods at all" Acts 19:26) were social ("led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia" Acts 19:26) economic ("our trade will lose its good name" Acts 19:27, religious ("the temple of the great goddess Artemus will be discredited..." Acts 19:27) and political ("As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today's events." Acts 19:40) Actually, if there are not religious and social and political and economic consequences to spreading the Gospel then we have probably failed to spread the Gospel.

Crossing borders with the Gospel is about more than just conversing with people who are different from us. Crossing borders and sharing the Gospel can often lead to persecution. How built up and prepared are we for such a "blessing"? (See Matt. 5:11)

Reimagining The Church as Missional Church

Reimagining The Church as Missional Church


What does it mean to be a missional church? "Missional" means being agents of God's mission to the world; "missional" means being passionately faithful followers of Jesus Christ and therefore incarnate models of God's message of love and redemption to the world.

I believe that God is calling us to:
Surrender all that we are and all that we have to God. Build working communities of missionary-followers who are passionately faithful to Jesus Christ and each other. Go into the world as messengers and messages of God's love and redemption. Turn unbelievers into missionary-followers according to the Holy Spirit's power and according to the Holy Spirit's revelation of God's Word.

Here are some specific posts on Alan Hirsch's blog that I found particularly helpful:

Surrender all that we are and all that we have to God:
"Yahweh’s claim is absolute—it claims all. “When God invades man’s consciousness, man’s reliance on ‘peace and security’ vanishes from every nook of his existence. His life as a single whole becomes vulnerable. Broken down are the bulkheads between the chambers which confine explosions to one compartment. When God chooses man, He invests him with full responsibility for total obedience to an absolute demand.” Yahweh’s lordship is at once complete and graceful salvation, as well as total unqualified demand. In Biblical faith; salvation and lordship are inextricably linked."
http://www.theforgottenways.org/blog/index.php/2007/06/20/christocentric-monotheism-part-two-ohh/#more-212

Build working communities of missionary-followers who are passionately faithful to Jesus Christ and each other:
"So a working definition of missional church is that it is a community of God’s people that defines itself, and organizes its life around, its real purpose of being an agent of God’s mission to the world. In other words, the Church’s true and authentic organizing principle is mission. When the church is in mission, it is the true Church. The Church itself is not only a product of that mission, but is obligated and destined to extend it by whatever means possible. The mission of God flows directly through every believer and every community of faith that adheres to Jesus. To obstruct this is to block God’s purposes in and through his people."
http://www.theforgottenways.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/11/a-working-definition-of-missional-church/

"Communitas not Community: The most vigorous forms of community are those that come together in the context of a shared ordeal or, communities who define themselves as a group with a mission that lies beyond themselves—thus initiating a risky journey. Over-concern with safety and security, combined with comfort and convenience, have lulled us out of our true calling and purpose. Everyone loves an adventure. Or do we? The chapter on communitas aims at putting the adventure back into the venture."
http://www.theforgottenways.org/blog/index.php/2006/12/10/the-six-elements-of-apostlic-genius/

“The spontaneous expansion of the Church reduced to its element is a very simple thing. It asks for no elaborate organization, no large finances, no great numbers of paid missionaries. In its beginning it may be the work of one man and that of a man neither learned in the things of this world, nor rich in the wealth of this world. What is necessary is faith. What is needed is the kind of faith which uniting a man to Christ, sets him on fire” – Rolland Allen The Compulsion of the Spirit, 47-48.
http://www.theforgottenways.org/blog/index.php/2007/06/02/just-to-make-a-point/#more-213

"As soon as I act in reliance on a value, I discover that there are two possibilities. Either I have to make and keep this value valid by my own act of confidence, or this value is there as the sustaining foundation of my trust and exists entirely independent of my inventing or sustaining it by my devotion to it. In other words, according to Luther, that in which I trust is either a self-chosen object of faith to which I adhere, or I have found the ground which will hold my anchor forever, independent of my choice and action. Luther is clear on this, all objects of reliance apart from what we receive by the self-revelation of God are “our own fictitious thoughts and dreams” made into a god, and in the end have no foundation outside of themselves. The bible calls idols ‘vain’; in the end, they are ‘nothings’. Pretty black and white eh?"
http://www.theforgottenways.org/blog/index.php/2007/03/19/missional-thinking-truth-or-idol/

Go into the world as messengers and messages of God's love and redemption. Turn unbelievers into missionary-followers according to the Holy Spirit's power and according to the Holy Spirit's revelation of God's Word:
"The power of Christianity lay not in its promise of otherworldly compensations for suffering in this life, as has so often been proposed. No, the crucial change that took place in the third century was the rapidly spreading awareness of a faith that delivered potent antidotes to life’s miseries here and now! The truly revolutionary aspect of Christianity lay in moral imperatives such as "Love one’s neighbor as oneself," "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," "It is more blessed to give than to receive," and "When you did it to the least of my brethren, you did it unto me." These were not just slogans. Members did nurse the sick, even during epidemics; they did support orphans, widows, the elderly, and the poor; they did concern themselves with the lot of slaves. In short, Christians created "a miniature welfare state in an empire which for the most part lacked social services." It was these responses to the long-standing misery of life in antiquity, not the onset of worse conditions, that were the '‘material' changes that inspired Christian growth." (From "The Real Story of How Christianity Became an Urban Movement and Conquered Rome," by Rodney Stark)
http://www.theforgottenways.org/blog/index.php/2006/11/22/69/

"We can only live changes: we cannot think our way to humanity. Every one of us, every group, must become the model of that which we desire to create." -- Leo Tolstoy
"The greatest proof of Christianity for others is not how far a man can logically analyze his reasons for believing, but how far in practice he will stake his life on his belief." -- T. S. Eliot
"There can be no way around the fact that our actions, as manifestations of our total being, do actually speak much louder than our words. There is a clear non-verbal message being emitted by our lives all the time. We are faced with the sobering fact that we actually are our messages.
Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher, called this “existence-communication” and by that term he meant that our lives—our very existence—is our communication. Our existence as an authentic human being communicates more than what we say or even what we think."
http://www.theforgottenways.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/16/existence-communication/

"Passion requires participation, involvement, faith. Soren Kierkegaard can say, “…if passion is eliminated, faith no longer exists”. The truth of God can be found only by such a passionate search and by applying one’s whole personality existentially. The criterion of the genuine search for truth is what Kierkegaard called “inwardness” which requires an intense personal concern with it to be able to understand and assimilate it. Perhaps more widely known for this kind of approach was the American revivalist preacher, Jonathan Edwards, made popular by his spiritual classic, The Religious Affections. Edwards maintained that if the heart was left unmoved by the God, no abiding action could, or would, take place. Spirituality, what he called true religion, must include at core, redeem and direct, our spiritual passion. It must involve the heart. And then he goes on to affirm that all great actions spring from the heart."
http://www.theforgottenways.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/22/staying-close-to-jesus/#more-249

“Surely there is no missionary who goes forth to preach the Gospel to others who does not know that it is only by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit that his words can accomplish anything. And surely there is no pastor who does not acknowledge that it is only by the work of the Holy Spirit in his congregation that holy lives can be produced. It may seem that in stressing the role of the Holy Spirit in the mission of the Church I am simply repeating what everyone knows. And yet I have become convinced that, even when this belief is present and vivid, there are factors in the structures and traditions of our work which can prevent the belief from becoming effective.” — Lesslie Newbigin, The Mission Of The Triune God, 29.
http://www.theforgottenways.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/14/mission-and-the-triune-god/#more-240

In closing, here is a simple way to think of the difference between the traditional/institutional church and the missional church. The traditional/institutional church is primarily programmed for and organized around attracting a crowd from the world and ministering to them on campus. The missional church is primarily passionate for and organized around sending out a crowd and doing life with unbelievers in the world. Rather than offering particular ministry programs, the ministries of the missional church will be varied according to those things that characterize particular unbelievers as well as those things which characterize the missionary-followers sharing life with them. Rather than the individuals in the crowd being ministered to, the emphasis is on the individuals in the crowd doing life with and for the sake of unbelievers.

Sarcasm and Christian Leaders

Sarcasm can be a problem for Christian leaders. Rather than sarcastic wounders, God wants Christian leaders to be gentle encouragers. Lord, help me to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ. Help me to persevere -- in listening to what's on their hearts; in hoping and praying for their true (Christ-centered) hearts’ desires; in working with them in ministry. Rather than grieving you with my sarcasm, help me to "encourage" you, Jesus. Help me to persevere -- in listening to what's on your heart; in hoping and praying for your heart's desires; in working with you in ministry.

Sarcasm is a cutting, often ironic remark intended to wound. (American Heritage Dictionary)

• "Let your gentleness be evident to all..." (Phillipians 4:5)

Sarcasm is sneering, jesting, or mocking a person, situation or thing …(Wikipedia)

• "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers." (Psalm 1:1)
  
• "The proud and arrogant man - 'Mocker' is his name; he behaves with overweening pride." (Proverbs 21:24)
  

Use of sarcasm is sometimes viewed as an expression of concealed anger or annoyance. (Wikipedia)

• "Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city." (Proverbs 16:32)
  
• "A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult." (Proverbs 12:16)
  

I would also say that sarcasm is witty language that dishonors and tears others down.

• "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." (Romans 12:10)
  
• "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Some questions to ask about sarcasm:

When am I sarcastic? With whom? What do I get out of it? (If I didn't get something out of it, I probably wouldn't do it) What is it like to give sarcasm? What does it feel like? (eg. am I hurting; do I feel bitter and cynical; do I feel vindicated; do I feel stimulated?) What does it look like? What does it sound like? Do I remind myself of someone I know or have known?

Some possible causes of sarcasm:

• Concealed anger or annoyance.
  
• Peer pressure. Sarcasm is part of the culture of guys - especially in comedies and among athletes.
  
• Status, pride. A great sarcastic remark is often rewarded by positive reinforcement by others - Man, that was a good one! Sarcasm can also be a way to get in the last word. Having the last word is a way to feed or at least try to salvage the ego.
  
• Retaliation, response in kind.
  
• Past hurts. Wounded people wound people.
  
• Smoke screen, a diversionary tactic. Sarcasm can be a way to force an end to an interchange that is not going the way I want it to.
  
• ADD. People with ADD need stimulation (Ritalin is a stimulant). In a way, those of us with ADD sometimes "self-medicate" by provoking others in order to stir things up and stimulate ourselves when we are bored or tired.

Rather than witty wounders, God calls us to build others up by encouraging them. "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." (1 Thes. 5:11) Barnabas is a great example of encouragement. When Paul first attempted to join the disciples, he was accepted because Barnabas interceded for him. Barnabas was also the one willing to give a second chance to a real loser by partnering with him in ministry. Undoubtedly, Barnabas mentored and built up John Mark as he ministered with him.

• "When he [Paul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him , and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus." (Acts 9:26-27)
  
• "Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement)," Acts (4:36)
  
• "Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord." (Acts 15:36-40)

Liminal Space for the Christian

"Psychologists call 'liminal space,' a place where boundaries dissolve a little and we stand there, on the threshold, getting ourselves ready to move across the limits of what we were into what we are to be…Victor Turner introduced the concept of 'liminal space': a space of transformation between phases of separation and reincorporation. It represents a period of ambiguity, of marginal and transitional state." (From "Liminal Space – Definition" at http://parole.aporee.org/work/index.php3?char=l)


I know of no thinning of the boundary between life in the flesh (what we were) and life in Christ (what we are to be). There is no getting ready that will enable us to move across this boundary on our own. There is only Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Perhaps liminal space for the Christian is any situation that allows us to encounter Jesus and be moved by him from life in the flesh to life in him. In this sense, all space is liminal space. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)


We get another sense of liminal space if we focus on the idea of readiness. "And he said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" (Matthew 18:3-4) I believe that readiness for the kingdom of God consists in humbling ourselves before God and man. It is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that makes us truly ready for our encounter with Jesus. Our part in readying ourselves is only to humbly acknowledge and accept Jesus' death and resurrection for us, and his lordship over us.There is also a sense of liminal space characterized by a childlike love and trust whereby the follower abandons himself into the arms of Jesus. It is the self-abandoned follower whom Jesus catches to himself and moves from life in the flesh to life in himself. "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" (Luke 9:23)


Finally, within the liminal space of self-abandonment, there is a sense of liminal space that is created by waiting and listening for the Good who is outside of us. “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…” (Psalm 37:7) “Be still, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10)


With respect to external matters, all space is liminal space for us. This means that we can encounter Jesus and be moved by him from life in the flesh to life in him at any time, in any place - no matter how badly we have failed him and others in the past, no matter how badly we are set to deal with the future. With respect to internal matters, liminal space consists in self-abandonment – a humbling of ourselves; one could even say a humiliation of ourselves (giving up on finding any bit of good in our fleshly selves, we die to our fleshly selves). We abandon ourselves to the power and goodness of Jesus Christ. Finally, there is the liminal space of stillness before God. This is a stillness of trust with an expectation of goodness. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” (John 14:1) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)


One more thought. Perhaps liminal space is the Christian believer himself or herself. The Christian believer’s heart is the dwelling place of Christ. Within our hearts, the boundary between acting in the old self and acting in the new self is very “thin.” It is a choice which is enabled by Jesus Christ. By his presence, Jesus creates this “liminal space” in our hearts, and invites us to abandon ourselves, trust him, and choose as he directs us to choose – life in and through him…again and again and again.


In any case, "a period of ambiguity, of marginal and transitional state" (marriage, a new job, loss of a job, loss of a loved one, loss of health), constitutes a kind of liminal space in that during such times we are more likely to turn to Jesus than during ordinary times.

To Ponder 1 - Comparing People Leads to Favoritism

Judging, evaluating, and comparing people invariably lead us to show favoritism. Judging, evaluating, and comparing people contribute to our pride, envy, lust, and selfish ambition.

Eventually I would like to write up a more extended post on this topic. This statement is true for me. In addition to being interesting and helpful in their own right, any comments you care to make would help me write up something people might find more useful than if I just write it up on my own.

Some relevant Bible verses:

"My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism." James 2:1

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1-2

"I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. " 1Corinthians 4:3-4

"Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load." Galatians 6:4-5

Beyond Obedience, Why Serve?

Beyond obedience to Christ, I serve in order to secure a reward, live well, and have fullness in Christ. I serve so that others might secure a reward, live well, and have fullness in Christ. I also serve for the sake of my friendship with Jesus Christ.

How do I secure a reward and live well? "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasures for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they might take hold of the life that is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:18-19 (emphasis mine). God knows that I am not motivated by the ideal - that altruistic behavior is good for society. He knows that I am glad to do work that leads to fullness of life and a sure and substantial reward.

To have fullness in Christ is to be mature, complete, and able to do whatever Jesus calls me to do. It is the job of leaders in the church “To prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 6:12-13 It is by serving that I help draw non-believers to Jesus Christ. It is by serving and being served in the body of Christ that I build up others and I am built up myself. It is only by serving in unity with other believers that I can begin to have fullness in Christ. I believe that an individual’s fullness in Christ cannot be achieved independently. I believe that fullness in Christ cannot even exist apart from communion with Christ and communion with other believers.

I also serve for the sake of friendship. I know that Jesus loves me regardless of what I do or don’t do. However, friendship with Jesus requires me to act. So I serve in order to foster my friendship with Jesus. “You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:4. I believe that this statement actually gets at the basis of any real friendship. Friendship is more than having a good time with each other. Unless we make requests of each other and serve each another, we are not truly friends. In addition to demanding obedience, even Jesus says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7

I find it difficult to serve people whose attitudes and actions hurt themselves and/or others. One thing that helps me is to first pray that God will bless them. If I can sincerely and earnestly pray that God will bless them (and I think this is a biblical thing to do – see Romans 12:14, Matthew 6:44-45, 48) then I can continue to be a blessing to them by serving them as God leads me to do.

Abba's Little Children

In stillness,
A little child knows Abba; Abba knows the little child...
me.
A little child experiences Abba; Abba experiences the little child...
all of me.

In activity,
Little children act in faith, hope and love…
Little children experience Abba
Little children experience one another
Unbelievers experience Abba.

Activity grows into stillness; stillness grows into activity.
More little children become
more like their Abba.

Simply Still

Wait, wait... in stillness I puff down.
Wait, wait... in stillness I believe
God exists and he is good.
I open a little door for God...
and wait.

Being Available

No matter how I try to get around it, I cannot be fully available to someone else without doing at least two things. I need to overcome my fear. I need to sacrifice myself.

I like talking with people, but I find it hard to be fully available even in conversation.To be fully available in conversation, I need to overcome my fear. I need to overcome my fear of inadequacy - of revealing my inadequacy through my stories; of being unable to respond adequately to something the other person reveals. I need to overcome my fear of drawing closer to others - will they think I am coming on too strong, will this lead to a relationship that sucks up more time and energy than I want to give, where I have to give a whole lot more than I get. I need to overcome my fear of losing my freedom. Will being fully available now lead to a situation that limits my options to relate to other people, do other things?

To be fully available in conversation, I need to sacrifice my desire to serve myself. I generally serve myself in two ways. First, I allow myself to be distracted. I am distracted by other people - people having conversations around me; people I want to talk to later, who might leave any second. I am distracted by the time. When the conversation goes beyond the time I am comfortable spending, I lose my focus. I am distracted by the person in front of me - unusual features or habits; feminine attributes (I am a guy who is embarrassingly easily distracted this way). Second, I manipulate the conversation to create opportunities make my story significant in the eyes of the other person rather than allow the other person's story to be significant to me.

The more I think about it, being available requires an all-out effort on my part. Yes, being available means being handy, accessible; being fully present and ready to serve. But being accessible is only the first step. Being available also implies being willing and able to serve. To be truly available to another person, it must be my heart's desire to serve, to do good for the sake of that person. Furthermore, out of my desire to serve, I need to take steps beforehand to build myself up and and be built up by others for works of service (see Ephesians 6:12-13). By being built up, I will be better suited for someone to avail themselves of any good works I am willing to do on their behalf.