Blessed to be a Blessing

I recently accepted a part-time position at my church.  I am in charge of our Sunday morning gathering.  This isn't our church service.  Our "church" meets in different homes, several different homes, several different nights.  Our Sunday morning gathering is a "tool" that our Church is providing to our members to help them in their ministry of evangelism and discipleship.  The idea is if we as a community put on this event that is aimed at "the missing" (non-Christians) we will be much or likely to actually pursue loving relationships with the people in our world. 

I was born and raised as a Christian in Young Life.  I have  been a Young Life leader for 20 years.  As I look at my life I am overwhelmed by the number of young people that God has given me to love, many of them have become disciples - many more have not.  But the number of adults in that same time frame that I have "loved" that same way is shamefully low.  Why?  Well, I'm a disobedient clod is the first and only answer - no excuses.  But I do have an explanation.  For the last 20 years I have belonged to a community on a mission to love teens, that has provided a special time and place for them and because of that I have actually seen teenagers differently than adults.  I see every teenager as a potential disciple.  I almost never look at adults that way.  Why?  I don't have a "place" to bring them to, a people for them to belong to, in short I feel no sense of mission to them.  For teens I have a sense of the Great Commission, for adults it is the Great Commotion.

Our new church was started by a community of people determined to invite "disconnected" adults to consider Jesus...to help all believers see everyone, no matter their age as the beloved of God.

So, this last Sunday, I spoke on Gen. 12 - "Blessed to be a blessing" - and threw out the idea to an auditorium filled with mostly believers, but a good smattering of invited "disconnecteds" (to whom the message was "aimed"), that the happiness we seek in life will continually elude us if we believe we can experience it by getting, having or taking it.  Happiness can only be "found" here by allowing God to be our god (being Blessed) and then inviting others into that blessing (being a blessing).  This is the promised land!  There is not enough milk and honey in any land to make us happy.  What made ancient Israel so great was not that it "had" milk and honey, but that it was "flowing" with milk and honey - my translation:  it was an ancient crossroads that the ancient civilizations of the world (in Europe, Africa and Asia) had to go through to get anywhere...what made it the promised land wasn't "what" it had, but "where" it was...it was right in the middle of the world, a world spinning endlessly for a happiness that the Chosen people knew and received by faith.  The blessing God gives us is a) Himself as our God and b) a mission to bless other people by inviting them to consider God as their god.  Only when we are living "there" will we be, or can we be "happy."

We are blessed to be a blessing.  Apart from allowing God to be our god and then actively, assertively, creatively, and communally attempting to bless those flowing into and through our lives - we live without the hope of "happiness."  Disciples make disciples.  This is not an option or just for the Super Christians.  Far too often I want to be blessed without being a blessing...it just doesn't work that way.

Didymus

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Comments

[Albertus Magnus]

Didy,
Would you tell us what it is that you (i.e., y'all) do on Sunday morning? How does what you do then function as a tool for the members, to help them in their ministry of evengelism and discipleship? Also, what is it that happens in the various home meetings that constitute the core of your church? Is it essentially the same in each of them?

Albertus

[Timothy]

Didymus,

First, what a fantastic name for a church (to use an Albertus term, it seems very Fullerian in connotation). It piqued my curiosity from the start and I was hooked when I read the blurb on the homepage of the site.

I wish to echo some of Albertus's questions because I have been particularly interested as of late in the cell-group church model. How did the idea of the cell-structure even come about in your group? Was there a need that wasn't being met by the "traditional church"? Is your church actually accomplishing what it has set out to do via the home churches? Is the cell structure set up for growing the church ala the Carl George model? Are your "disconnecteds" seeming to respond well to the cell structure?

Forgive the random nature of the questions. Perhaps my thought pattern is a bit disconnected.

Timothy

[Didymus]

Albertus and Timothy,
Thank you for the interest. I wrote this expecting feedback (if any) to be about the content. But your questions are welcomed and deserve more time than I can give now. Check back some time next week for my response in full.

We are VERY excited about what God is doing in and through Storyline. Thanks again for the interst.

Be His,
Didymus

[Timothy]

Didymus,

Thank you for the response and I wait expectantly for your future comments on the church. Your post actually struck me at many levels so this gives me the impetus to comment on the content. While I never came into contact with Young Life in its operation, I did spend several years serving in youth ministry. I, too, felt many of your same sentiments regarding youth/adults, but for much less noble reasons. I believe I felt youth ministry to be a safe place. As a young adult leader (under 25) my reputation was never in jeporday as the youth always looked up to me. Anything that I had to offer in the way of experience, insight, discipleship, or encouragement (though all severely limited) was eagerly soaked up. In no way was my ego ever prepared to carry this ministry out to adults. I have always been terribly gun shy in this regard. Why?

Well, the only logical explaination is one of value. I obviously never felt that what I had to offer people was worth risking my aforementioned reputation. I had yet (and am only now beginging to) understand the blessings that you mentioned. I obviously always felt that the view of the "good news" that others took reflected back on me. The usefullness of God in all of His goodness working for me never entered my mind. I had never properly ascribed value to what is truly valuable and it has shown, miserably, in my dealings with others. I now see the error of my ways.

I was recently speaking to Albertus about this very subject and he has greatly aided in my understanding of some very fundamental truths. I now see that only in my experience of God's miraculous benevolence and provision can I have joy. Furthermore, it is only as I share that experience with others and invite them to also share in His benevolence that I can have the fullness of that joy. If only I could get over myself long enough to allow Him to use me to make some impact in His kingdom, be it small or large. Thanks be to God for not giving up on me yet.

The biggest clod of them all,

Timothy

[Didymus]

Timothy,
Let begin by saying the closer you stay to Albertus the better off you'll be. God has shown me much favor, Albertus in many ways is the poster child for God in my life declaring "how much I love you Didymus."

I'm reading the authorized biography of Mother Teresa right now. Wow. I'm struck by how little she thinks of herself. Not how lowly but how infrequently. When we really love people - one of my definitions: giving others permission to break our heart - our capacity to think about ourselves somehow shrinks. It is a beautiful thing and I think THE key to the abundant life. Sometimes for people like me (over-thinkers) it is helpful to take off my thinking cap and pick-up a hammer...get to it. I reminded of the Demoniac (Mk. 5:18-20)...what did he "know?" Not much. Only what God had done for him. That was enough to "amaze" people.

Timothy, clearly you know God and what he does for you. Sometimes, like the Demoniac we want to "go with" Jesus and he says, "no, go and tell..." I don't think this command and our best interest are two different things. Your notion into what has stopped you in the past, your ego, is quite insightful. My question for you now is: What is stopping you now? What more do you need to know or understand to assertively and creatively bless those around you? (I don't mean to imply you aren't a blessing already. I'm sure you are).

At nearly 40 and just over 20 years of trying to follow Jesus, more and more I'm finding the growing happens in the doing. Thinking, reading, reasoning are important and certainly God has wired some of us to like and need and do it more than others...but this way of Jesus is one of the feet, and often I have learned by doing. Be the blessing - today.

Thank you for your comment. God has encouraged me this morning through you.

Be His,
Didymus

[Didymus]

Al and Tim,
What do our Sunday mornings look like/do?
Great question and I appreciate the interest. More, I would hope for some feedback, practical/theological/philosophical as we try to work this out.

The basic idea is ripped off whole cloth from Young Life "Club." Young Life clubs seek to be a safe place where kids can "belong before they believe" - is how I explain it. The goal, is to help them believe that they belong - to God and His people. The idea is that if the core of what God is trying to communicate with the world is that He wants a loving relationship with us then the best way to communicate that truth is through loving relationships...again, my language is, "the method (loving relationships) is the message (God wants a loving relationship with you)." And I often add, "...and the message is the messenger." In other words we are the invitation. Our lives and our willingness to lay them down for the people we do and don't know say, show and teach more about God than anything we could ever teach or explain.

So Young Life club then, is an environment where adults can bring their high school friends, in the natural course of their relationship, to a shared experience where some aspect of the gospel is "explained/proclaimed." But we try hard not to make it a nice, neat little package. The idea isn't to get our disconnected friends to this environment where the secret of life is revealed...the idea is stories of faith and doubt that are real to the speaker, using language the audience uses (think Jesus on the hillside not in the Synagogue). We are trying to "set up" the Christian do go deeper in their relationship with their friend. These talks do teach, but they are meant to be discussion starters, not case-closers.

Now, we are struggling with what the environment "looks like" for adults...but last Sunday it looked like this:
The theme was our pursuit of happiness. My goal was to bring gospel/Jesus to bear on this universal concern/frustration. Here is how the gathering went...
1. Song- Can't Get No Satisfaction by the Stones
2. The Middle by Jimmy Eats World
3. Quick welcome
4. If It Makes You Happy by Sheryl Crow
5. Film clip from "Lost" the TV show that depicted someone losing something and the "guru" on the island suggesting that sometimes the best way to find something you really want is to stop looking for it.
6. My Talk: Gen. 12. Blessed to be a blessing - point - looking for your own private happiness by having things, experience, people is never going to satisfy us. I suggested that God's plan is for us to be blessed (happy) to be a blessing (to make others happy) and that this was never meant to be material...I used the promise land - the land "flowing" w/ milk and honey and wondered if that meant that what made the promised land "blessed" was not what it had but where is was - right in "the middle" of the world...milk and honey flowed through Israel (via trade between ancient civs)and the "Blessed" were perfectly positioned to bless others by living there. The "blessing" is not a possession but a mission - is what I suggested...further if you are trying to make yourself happy without being the blessing you'll never get "satisfaction" there isn't enough milk and honey in the world to make us happy...our only hope is...
7. Song - Only Hope by Mandy Moore (beautiful song that clearly says Jesus is our Only Hope.)
8. Finish talk with a story about a buddy of mine who did everything right, made the basket at the buzzer but we lost bc he shot the ball in the wrong hoop. Point: we can do everything right, have all the best things and right friends, but if we are only looking out for our own happiness, we are shooting at the wrong goal, we are going to lose. Closed w/ the story of Jesus healing a blind man by spitting in his face, suggested that getting "better" is sometimes difficult, confusing, messy and seems like a step backwards, but if you want to be blessed you better begin by being the blessing.
8. Song - Amazing Grace. I admitted I wasn't sure how being the blessing brought me to being blessed...echoed the answer of the man who didn't know how he was healed just that, "All I know is I once was blind but now I see." So we ended with Amazing Grace.

A "win" for Storyline is when the environment "works" to fertilize/spiritualize the ongoing relationships believers have with disconnecteds...if I hear a story where a disconnected asks their Storyline friend over lunch on Tuesday, "hey, something Didymus said on Sunday really struck me/confused me/pissed me off..." WIN!

That's it.

What do you think?
Didymus

[nicodemus]

Dear Didymus, Can you take the line of reasoning you've shown, quite interestingly, one more step? That is, if one realizes the potency of establishing relationships with young adults, and then one later realizes the need to do the same with adults, the sequence then seems to lead to older adults (and then back to children). All this is to say, what thoughts have you on the role of *family* (little, young, grown, and old) as a unit of the church or a focus for outreach? I'd be interested in your thinking on an integrated vision for missions. -Nicodemus

[The Rabbit]

Didymus,

Sounds like the 20 years of Young Life not only served the teens but, the formation of your thoughts for adult ministry. It is interesting how God uses a large part of our lives to prepare us for something we could never imagine. I bet Moses never imagined leading a group of Hebrews through an Eyptian desert. It happened and he spent the better part of his life in preparation. We can only dream of what will happen in the next 20 years as we trust Him for our happiness. God willing I will have a front row seat. - The Rabbit

[Didymus]

Rabbit,
Amen to that! Your life is a great testimony to this.
Didymus

[Didymus]

Nicodemus,
Great question. Actually the first thing we started and the best thing we do at Storyine is K2 (Kid Konnection - using the Old English spelling there, but you knew that). Kids arrive with parents (or as often with friends bc their parents aren't "church going") approx. 1/2 hour before K2 "starts." This time is dedicated to building relationships between the leaders and the kids...games, sports, crafts - age/gender appealing "stuff" designed to give the leaders and kids shared experiences. To call it Sunday School then, is not accurate though there is a curriculum for K2 that is similar in its objectives to a "typical" Sunday School...but again, it is highly relational and incarnational and we believe that makes a tremendous difference (refer to the original post - the medium being the message and the message being the messenger).
I fully expect K2 to be significantly more effective in "connecting" adults than our Sunday morning gathering as parents see/experience the change in their children and are drawn into the life of our community. In fact we have already seen this happen.
I hope that answers your question. Another very big piece of our community is service and we are seeing really inspiring things happen when we work side be side building habitat houses with random individuals and groups.
Thanks again for the question Nic.
Didymus

[Timothy]

Didymus,

First, accept my apologies for a delayed response. As to your first question that you posed to me, I have nothing but excuses for what is stopping me from stepping out and sharing the gospel. I have been greatly challenged and at the same time encouraged by your words that the learning is in the doing. Confidence is granted by God and then confidence is boosted by experience. I fear that I have spent my life clinging to the notion of "going with Jesus" rather than "going and telling". All that to say, thanks.

As to a response to your church service, I have a few comments and questions. I thought I attended a progressive/culturally relevant church until I read your band's set list. Excellent choice of music and you did a terrific job of pulling it all together with your message. I think your Sunday gathering meets needs, offers a fresh look at God that people may not have gotten otherwise, and certainly provokes thought.

I also agree with your idea that your the win comes from a discussion sparked by something striking felt by a "disconnected". It sounds like you encourage your regular attenders to be actively involved with the relationships forged with these disconnecteds. One thing I would encourage, which it sounds like you are already doing, is to continually encourage your regulars to take part in the evangelization process. I was speaking to Albertus about this and I feel that this is an area that our church has fallen short. It seems as though we teach that the primary involvement that we, as regulars, have in the evangelization process is simply inviting people to church. From there we leave it to the pastor to present the gospel while we sit back. As we have mentioned earlier, this limits the "double joy" that we receive form sharing the gospel and gives it all to the one who stands at the pulpit. My encouragement is to equip and allow your regulars to be active participants.

Now I have questions about your cell groups. You mentioned in your original post that the actual church exists in the cells and not in the Sunday gathering. What are you doing in the cells? Is the primary goal pastoral care, evangelism instruction, theological education, or something else? How are you getting the disconnecteds involved with the cells and what is their general response? Is it actually meeting needs in a big way and providing growth or is it too early to tell?

I know of this church model in theory only and I would love to know what it looks like in practice. Incidentally, I think I would love to attend your church. I hope the Lord grows His kingdom in mind-blowing ways through what you guys are doing.

Timothy

[Didymus]

Timothy,

Thank you again for the interest. Exchanging on this is helping me a great deal...in fact I have linked some others who are asking me similar questions to our discussion.

Again, I would agree with Albertus on evangelism. Though we think of it as disciple-making bc, to be frank, I fear that evangelism for many of us is just blurting out, "Jesus loves you" or some such other religious quip and moving on. "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you, not only the Gospel of God, but our lives as well." 1 Th. 2:8. That is the theme verse. We are not loving people to get them to go to Sunday morning...we are sharing out lives with people and Sunday mornings are the gift we give each other to spur one another on to love and good deeds (making disciples). It is a place to bring people to belong before they believe so they can begin to believe they belong.

As far as the cell groups go...right now we are very much in the learn each other's story phase. I was just thinking last night about Wayne Grumdem's Systematic theology or Dan Fuller's Unity of the Bible as a possible framework to build our group around...but up 'til now it has been share and reflect on the message from Sunday and go deeper with each other and who we are and who we are pretending to be and who we want to be. It is VERY different for most adult believers. In fact is is the former Young Life kids, now in college who were "born and raised" in this kind of spirituality of openness and gruelinlg honesty that are really "leading" by example with their vulnerability and transparency. Frankly I'm not sure how disconnecteds will respond to this and I really don't care. This is what the Church does and we need to do it. Sundays and personal relationships are all about custom fitting gospel to individuals - or better individuals to the gospel. Home Groups/Faith Groups/Church, whatever you want to call it must get certain things done or participate in certain activities and those things very well may be stumbling blocks to disconnecteds. This is why in the end it is personal relationships that save everything...and I would argue everyone.

Keep the comments/suggestions and questions coming Timothy. You are blessing.

Be His,
Didymus

[Timothy]

Didymus,

I am very excited about the impact that your church is bound to have on your community. It sounds like you guys are setting up a place where people get to share life and build relationships which is what the church is all about. It will definitely create a buzz in the community where people recognize it as a place of joy where people go to witness God effect life-change and meet needs in real and tangible ways.

I agree with your sentiments about the current way most churches teach evangelism. I grew up in a church that gave me trite church language to answer all of life's issues which in fact only left me with more questions. I'm through with being content with not knowing why this Jesus business actually makes sense and not seeing it actually, not conceptually, make a difference in how I live. It has been going through the Unity of the Bible and being a part of my small group that theories are beginning to become reality.

In terms of your framework, I couldn't be more supportive of the Fuller material, however Unity in its entirety may be a tad daunting and may not be for everyone. In the hopes that it may spark thought as to one way this material is working, I will tell you about how we are using it.

What we are doing in our group, with some success, is focusing on unbelief a la Hebrews 3:12-13. We are helping each other fight the fight of faith by having people share problems and issues that they are experiencing, helping identify potential states of unbelief, and then offering biblical wisdom in the forms of God's promises and threats. We seek then to give Godly advice that spurs prudent action while waiting for God to act supernaturally in our situations. We want stories of God's power from our own lives, not just hear about them from other people. In this way, as the theological issues arise, we incorporate many Fullerian ideas in small doses that are not as overwhelming while keeping a focus on life-change and faith-building. As a result, we are sharing life together and building strong relationships.

Hopefully, beneficial food for thought as but one example of how this stuff is working for us.

Enjoying the discussion immensely,

Timothy

[Didymus]

Thanks Timothy. Very helpful and encouraging.
Didymus

[Thomas More]

If "Unity of the Bible" is too daunting, you might also offer "Future Grace" by John Piper to people. Piper was a Fuller student and the concepts are very similar. The book is set up to focus on 10 primary areas of struggle, and broken into 3 chapter per issue. Thus, like Lewis's "Screwtape Letters" there is a chapter for each day of the month.

Piper's book, however, only deals with one aspect of Fuller's book; namely, the personal/group struggles. It does not go into the unity issues from Genesis to Revelations that Fuller does.

TM

[Didymus]

Thanks TM...I think I've heard of that book ;)
Didy
ps - did you see the cover of Christianity Today this month??? You may want to check it out - there is some hope after all!