Redeemed: How I Love to Proclaim It

There is power in stories. There is great power in great stories. The greatest story every told is that of Jesus. It is the redeemption story. It is THE story of all-time. The story of God’s action, interaction, presence and relationship across all of history with people and creation. What is this story exactly? What is redemption and why should I be proclaiming it? Redemption is:

God’s work to set things right again—to reverse the fall and bring all things back into harmony with his will; to defeat sin and Satan and restore us back to full relationship with him.

It is a vast, historic, all-encompassing story spanning millennia involving known and unknown events and people in all corners of the globe. It is also a living story—playing out contemporarily in all manner of ways in all number of lives. At the center of the story is Jesus, of course. Without him there would be no redemption story at all. So—think about—from before creation and throughout all of what we know as the OT, the story of redemption is evident—God working thru people, places, nations to make his presence known, call people to Him, proclaim his desire for relationship, while foreshadowing the crescendo of the story—Jesus. Then comes Christ who personified the story; living out the very meaning of redemption; personally, demonstrating God’s desire for full, restored relationship with us while paying the price for redemption on the cross and empowering us to live it out through the resurrection.

Read Ephesians 1:3-11 for the apostle Paul’s divine summary of this story.

Then that actually happened as Acts and the New Testament epistles chronicle. Exciting! They were singing redemption’s sweet song as they went into all the world and shared the Good News of the redeemer—Jesus Christ. The grand story of redemption being actualized as people from all lands, all ethnicity and all tongues came to Christ and changed the world. This is the power found in redemption—to renew and bring freshness, healing and new life.

And God continues to act to this day–still working out this eternal story to its ultimate completion when Jesus returns and brings complete redemption to all creation. Yes, it is a huge story, but is also not—for it is also a personal story. We are quite familiar with individuals in the story—Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Ruth, Saul, Hannah, David, Solomon, Daniel, Mary, Joseph, Peter and Paul. God called and worked through them and untold others to move the redemption story along. We remain in it—involved in this continual movement. It is critical that we believe and realize this truth. What God started, what Jesus delivered, and what remains yet completed but promised—the story of the redemption of the world; God wants to be our personal story as well just like as with those before us. They are the collection of witnesses surrounding us and urging us to complete our own redemption story—Hebrews 12. Redemption is to be what defines us; what drives us; what determines every aspect of our life. Redemption is to be that transformative. God did not work through history and send his Son to die for IT NOT TO BE. So, as we proclaim redemption throughout this year. Here is what I hope and pray will happen;

*We will more fully realize the depth and width of God’s love for us and we will more greatly appreciate the lengths Gods went to bring redemption about.

*We will become more aware of the ongoing work of God in Christ as the redemption story continues to play out now around us and in creation. It is about more than me.

*We will more clearly and precisely see ourselves in this story and better understand exactly what that means; and then allow that to finally, completely define us—to become fully integrated into God’s redemption. For us to fully own his story. It is not just a history lesson!

*We will then more completely realize that this changes everything—perhaps most importantly that fully embracing the redeemed identity will reframe how we view ourselves, our purpose and mission; understanding we are only resident aliens here, that this world and all it values is not our home.

*We will then be more encouraged and ready go and proclaim it—to actually share God’s story of redemption thru our story—for there is power in this telling: the power to bring blessed redemption to others. And I mean really tell it; to allow the Holy Spirit to empower our witness to those around us.

*We will then be more able to live in a greater sense of anticipation of Christ’s return and the full redemption of all—to the degree that allows us to frame life and all its challenges as just light and momentary bumps in the eternal road knowing we will be redeemed from them all when Jesus returns.

Why is all of this so significant? Well, it is the eternal movement of God in the world and it is still ongoing. Seeing ourselves firmly within this story and understanding this not just to be God’s will, but the most significant way we can live our life is a game changer. And because it is largely missing among us. That is evident with churches dying and shrinking with what is left of us competing for the same crowd. It is realized in that most in the world remain unconvinced that God really matters beyond perhaps helping us get what we want to keep up our lifestyle.  Fewer and fewer seem to know or care that he actually is active among us—the living God continuing to accomplish his will in difference-making ways in the world. We, the church are not acting as if the story of redemption is the single greatest story of all. Therefore, it does seem like a dusty old history lesson, rather than a continual, living, story of life, renewal and power among us. Yes, we may acknowledge that God is still here, still offers personal salvation and stands by on call when we need him, but we like to write our own stories, thank you very much, and quite frankly resist full integration into his story. Andrew Root in his book, Churches and the Crisis of Decline offers his thoughts on this:

We live in a secular age because we can imagine and at times do live, as though there is no transcendent quality to life at all. Most of us in the West can live our lives as though there is no living God who enters into history and speaks to persons. Westerners hold onto the idea of God (most of us “believe” in God, at least in America) but few of us are sure we can encounter this God.

So, how about it church? Who is up for changing that—for singing redemption’s sweet song? Who is ready for some radical renewal? Who is in need of transformative restoration? Who is sick and tired of the same ole, same ole? Who would like to see God break out boldly into the world around us? It is all about redemption! Redemption of hearts and souls; redemption of broken relationships; redemption from sin; addiction; fear; loneliness; anger; lostness. This Is the story; this Is the song.

Give thanks to the Lord, for his is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. (Psalms 107:1-3)

“Why Do We Have All This Stuff?”

In a recent conversation with friend Rob, he told of cleaning out a packed room at his house. In the process he spoke out loud the words of the title—something to which most of us can easily relate.

Several years ago, my family returned from the mission field after a few seasons living in Vilnius, Lithuania. While there we lived in a small, rented, furnished apartment. The little amount of stuff we accumulated was mostly given away before we left. All of our furniture and other belongings had been in storage back in the Mississippi during this time. Once we settled into our new job and location in Florida upon our return, we were reunited with all of that by way of a moving company. Standing overwhelmed among all of the boxes and furniture, my wife and I (no longer accustomed to such) just looked at each other. Neither of us had to say it. We just had that, “Why do we have all this stuff?” expression.

Full transparency here: we have all that stuff and even more now—like most everyone else. We eventually reacclimated to stuff. We just seem to be stuff-oriented. We become proud of stuff. We identify with stuff. Whether it is a costly treasure or an item found in the bargain bin (there is a kind of pride found in both). We are glad to talk about our stuff. We surround ourselves with it. We display it. We value it and value being associated with it. Certain stuff can add status. Others admire it, which we enjoy.

Stuff can be sentimental—nostalgically taking us back to people and places of our past. Perhaps some of our stuff is family heirlooms or a cherished gift given by someone special. Some stuff we declare as priceless and irreplicable, which we would never, ever actually refer to as “stuff.” Our emotional connection to stuff can be strong. Stuff can be comforting like that.

Our economy runs on stuff. Commercials sell it. Amazon delivers it. And we want it. It is a “must-have!” It is “on sale!” It is the “latest style!” It will make us happy! It has more bells and whistles! It saves us money! Our old stuff—even if still usable—fades. So, we buy more stuff.  

And we keep buying it, without actually getting rid of much old stuff. Storage unit rental companies count on that—stuff is their business too (Is this a version of getting bigger barns? See Luke 12:16-21). Then one day, we pause, look around at our clutter and say to ourselves, “Why do we have all of this stuff?”

That is where folks like me come in. My hobby/side hustle is stuff. Once you have reached stuff saturation, I come to your yard sale and buy your old stuff only to re-sell it. It is repackaged as “vintage” and then becomes someone else’s “must have.” Our stuff just keeps recirculating. After all, “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.”  

Doing this hobby has evolved my perspective on stuff. I’ve learned a few things along the way. Tons of stuff has been produced over the decades. Old does not always mean rare and/or valuable. Stuff is a commodity which fluctuates in value according to the marketplace. Tons of stuff has been produced (did I mention that). And we really, really like stuff.

But seriously, here are some lessons learned:

• Stuff is just stuff. Even if it is pricey; rare; investment level commodities; it remains just stuff. As the old cliché goes—none of us can take it with us. Wars have started over stuff. Lawyers get rich arguing about stuff. Families fracture over stuff. Lives are lost over stuff. But in the end, it remains stuff—lifeless objects incapable of returning our love or devotion.
• Stuff is not irreplicable. Sure, there is some unique, one-of-a-kind stuff that once lost cannot be duplicated. Yes, there is rare and extremely valuable stuff, that if lost would create huge financial losses. But even that level of stuff cannot replace relationships, family, contentment, lasting joy, peace, hope and God’s love—all are infinitely more precious and valuable. Stuff should never supersede them. Stuff really is replaceable, they are not.
• Stuff should not define our life. Admittedly, someone much wiser than me, made this point a long time ago. Jesus put it like this: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). This statement looms large over our piles of stuff. It can punch us in the gut. I am not greedy—just a collector, right? Life is simply about more than stuff—the life that Jesus calls us to, anyway. Some amount of stuff is necessary. All of us will own stuff, but does it own us? Maybe that’s the question Jesus wants us to ask.

Stuff can be fun. Some stuff–food, housing, clothing–is essential (all of which God promises to provide—Matthew 6:25-34). But stuff will always be just stuff and therefore perishable. We should never put our trust in it nor should we elevate it over the imperishable. Stuff may capture our heart, but it can never truly satisfy it (which is why we keep going back for more).

Let’s once more consider what Jesus said about stuff:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

So, as we buy stuff, keep stuff, sell stuff or give it away—remember to never treasure it. That has a diminishing return. Instead, let Jesus define our life. Treasure him above all else. Use our stuff to glorify him and further the kingdom. And trust ever in him. His grace, mercy and love, that is what truly is irreplaceable.

“Why do we have all of this stuff?” That IS a good question.

There is No “Formula” for Church Growth

Back in the day I would disagree with myself here. Then, I bought in hard to the church growth movement. I devoured the books. I attended the seminars. I was a true devotee. I went to many a workshop, sat enthralled at stories of how the presenter’s church was bursting at the seams–growing like crazy! Eagerly I went back to my home church impatient to share and implement all I had learned.

Maybe you remember:

• Everyone needs seven friends to stay connected to a church
• A church cannot grow beyond 85% of its physical capacity (auditorium seating; class room space; parking spots, etc.)
• Seminar your church up for “felt-needs”—marriage; parenting; finance; etc.—to attract unchurched folks
• Get the worship “right” (what exactly “right” meant depended upon which expert was suggesting it, but it always included making worship as appealing as possible to attract more guests)
• Small groups are THE essential component
• Establishing a “Discipling” method is an absolute key
• And who can forget the Open Bible Study method; or the Jule Miller films; door knocking; or the bus ministry

Even now, I do not discount the wisdom still found in these ideas, approaches or methods. Folks were (still are) brought to the Lord through them. But honestly, if I now hear a pitch about a “church growth formula” I do the proverbial eye roll. There simply is not one that exists, at least, that can be plugged into just any church and always create growth. That is a myth. It may generate book sales, but often that is about all.

Growing healthy churches is difficult work usually accomplished over time and always, always about relationships. Events can attract. Programs can mobilize. Worship can inspire. Seminars can inform, but no matter the church; regardless of location; whatever the size and resources; it ultimately is about one person sharing their faith with another. It is one person inviting a friend to read Scripture together; to talk about Jesus together; to pray with each other; to go together to worship; to encourage each other in the Lord.

And there is no one specific formula for this; no one size that fits all churches and situations. It comes from within the heart of someone passionate enough about Jesus to introduce him to others around them. If our church is not growing, it could very well be that we are maxed out with no room for anyone else. It could be that our worship is lifeless and unappealing. Or maybe our small groups are not up and functioning properly. But more likely it is not any of that–it is probably that we are simply not sharing Jesus within our circle of influence.

Think about the first church—those tiny house churches in the first century. They existed long before anyone came up with any church growth formula. They likely did not grasp ideas about an attractional model of worship or the need to host cool, culturally-connected events. Yes, they were small groups and maybe they practiced the empty chair, but what they really had was an undeniable, unstoppable, unwavering commitment to sharing the Good News of Christ—even in the face of severe oppression. It was the “word of their testimony” empowered by the “blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11) that enabled them to grow their church. They had no formula but they did have a calling from Christ:

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20).

If we can once again take that calling seriously. If we can ever rediscover our passion for Christ and share that with those who do not know him; If we can reach the point where “we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” concerning Jesus (see Acts 4:19-20); then our churches WILL grow. We will make disciples.

You know the story. The scandalized Samaritan woman. A most unlikely evangelist. She met Jesus. Her life changed. She then told everyone about him. She infected others with Christ. They got excited too and rushed out to meet him. Jesus viewing the masses headed his way. All these millenniums later his words still ring true:

Do you not say, ‘Four months later and then the harvest?’ I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. (John 4:35).

There was no formula that this woman followed. Just her heart overflowing from the blessings of being with Jesus. She could not help herself. She had to tell everyone. Open up our hearts, Lord, to this kind of unrestrained passion. Open up our eyes to see the harvest. Open up our mouths to tell them about Jesus.

Baltic Family Camp 2022

What a joy it was to share a week with brothers, sisters, missionaires and friends from eleven European countries last week at the Baltic Family Camp (BFC) in Lithuania. Ten years ago this camp began with the goal of providing rest and spiritual renewal for missionaries and Christians in Central Europe along with creating a network among the mostly small, distant churches on that continent. Thanks to the blessings of the Father, those goals have been accomplished. Ten years later the BFC brings together family in the Lord!

After a two-year absence due to COVID, we (113 campers) gathered at a wonderful new campground (Camp Bebriukas, which means “Beaver:) near Moletai, Lithuania and focused on our theme of “Nobody But Jesus.” Dr. Daniel Napier (who along with his wife, Karly, serve on the mission field in Greece) was our guest teacher. He offered us fresh insight on the privilege of prayer by unpacking Christ’s prayer in Luke 11. Thanks to other gifted teachers from the states, the children and teens enjoyed interactive classes, crafts and activities. It was a tremendous week of growth, fellowship, worship, and family. One young lady, Victoria, put Christ on in baptism.

We also heard stories from refugess from both Ukraine and Belarus. In spite of the conflict raging near this part of the world, God is at work bringing relief, rescue and hope to those affected. The camp confirmed once more that our connection in Jesus goes beyond any nationality or borders.

The need for the BFC just grows greater. God continues to use it to build up his kingdom.

Confidence to Crisis

Have you ever been at a faith crossroad? At a point in which doubts start to creep in? It could be triggered by any number of events, but it shook your faith foundation, moving you, perhaps, from confidence to crisis. If you have, be assured that you are not alone. It happens to many, if not most. Life just has a way of doing that.

I think about a time in Christ’s life when it seemed those all around him were having a crisis of faith (see Mark 9:14-29). It followed the incredible experience of the transfiguration—which should have definitely been a faith confidence booster. But it was not yet evident in his disciples. As the crowds surged around Jesus (which was the norm during the early part of his public ministry), he took note of his disciples arguing with the “teachers of the law.” From what we know about these teachers, arguing over some matter of the Law was what they did best. Repeatedly they attempted to draw Jesus into the fray, but he never took their bait.  Apparently here, his disciples did—hook, line and sinker—and he was curious to know why. So, he asked. This introduced him to another person—a father of a demon-possessed child—who was having his own confidence to crisis moment.

“I BELIEVE; HELP MY OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF”

It turned out that the argument had to do with the failure of Christ’s disciples to exorcise the demon from the boy. How and why their failure devolved into the heated discussion with these teachers, we are not told, but by reading the text it is evident that everyone is feeling the frustration. The desperate father was in panic mode. Even Christ reacted, exclaiming, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long will I put up with you?” Not a lot of confidence—just crisis. But that was about to change.

The boy is brought to Jesus. The father then appeals for help; for healing. He says to Jesus, “if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “If you can.” Here he stands before the King of Kings; before the Messiah, who has demonstrated again and again his ability to heal, and he all he could muster was, “If you can.” This is what crisis does to us. We doubt. We question. We hesitate. We hurt. We know God is there, but we still wonder why we are suffering; why our prayers are not answered; why things are as they are. And we find ourselves struggling, while expressing the exact same thing as this dad. “I do believe, Lord, but sometimes, when things are really tough, I need some help in dealing with my unbelief.” Thankfully, just as both the father and the son discovered, Jesus can provide us that help.

“EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE FOR ONE WHO BELIEVES”

This is the amazing answer of Jesus into this situation. If it seems too good to be true, well, it isn’t. A little context helps though. Jesus is not speaking about winning the lottery, but about faith in him; about moving back from crisis to confidence; about taking these immature disciples, arguing instead of healing, on a faith journey that ultimately would lead them to grow so confident in their faith that they would change the world; about us believing, like with this demon-possessed boy, that Jesus really is the answer. So, how do we get there? Here are some suggestions when life has moved us from confidence to crisis.

• Take it to God. Just as the father finally did in this story, we do not hesitate to take our doubts, our struggles, our hurts directly to our heavenly Father. We do not try to handle them ourselves alone. They are bigger than us and our ability, regardless of how strong we think we are. We express them to the Father. We confess our struggles. His shoulders are more than adequate to handle them. We have the invitation to do so. “Cast our cares on him, for he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7; see also Hebrews 4:16-18). So why hold back? Job didn’t. He poured out his soul to God. David also. Read some of his Psalms. No matter what the crisis is—a diagnosis; the loss of a job; martial difficulty; mental illness; financial insecurity; death of a loved one—take it, doubts and all, to God.
• Be honest. No reason not to be totally transparent; to express whatever it is we are feeling. Again, he can handle it. We need to be honest with ourselves too. There are some things above our paygrade—that we cannot handle like a demon-possessed son. In these crisis moments, we should not go around pretending that everything is fine, when it isn’t. The New Testament is full of people honestly, desperately seeking out Jesus with that transparency rewarded. If we desire help from God, don’t play games with it; don’t act like doubts don’t exist—own up to them before God and see what he will do with them.
• Wait. Now, here is the hard part. None of us like to wait. When we are in crisis, we want it over—and yesterday! When pain comes, we seek immediate relief. Where is the pill to take, right? Sometimes, thankfully, as in this story, God does respond quickly, but not always. Recall Habakkuk’s honest statement (1:2), “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or I cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ but you do not save?” Wow. Who cannot relate to that? (BTW, I recommend reading both the Old Testament books of Habakkuk and Job when dealing with doubts.) This is us, right? But I also am reminded of what the prophet Isaiah shared (40:31), that they who “wait upon the Lord” will mount up on wings as eagles and will run and not grow weary. Waiting—while not much welcomed—sometimes is the only answer. It gives God the chance to bring about answers and blessings in his time. Isaiah also wrote this: “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore, he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait on him!” (30:18) So, in the midst of doubts, counter them with God’s grace and compassion, which he longs to share and realize there are blessings to be found, even while we wait.
• Challenge our faith. Crises are challenging, which means we have to raise up our faith to meet them. This is exactly what this process is—of returning back to confidence from crisis. We accept them, honestly take them to God and wait on him to deliver. This is how faith grows. This is how his early disciples went from being unable to heal; denying they ever knew Jesus to being able to take the gospel to the world. They did not allow doubts to defeat them nor did they give up when they failed; they just kept on believing and processing their unbelief through Jesus. Remember when Christ compared our faith to a mustard seed that would eventually grow into a large tree (Matthew 17:20)? That does not happen if our faith finds a comfortable spot on the recliner and sits emobilized. It has to have its exercise to be strong enough for the crisis.

Here is what renowned Christian author, Timothy Keller writes in his book, The King’s Cross, about this story:

Jesus could have told the man, “I am the glory of God in human form. Purify your heart, confess all your sins, get rid of all your doubts and your double-mindedness. Once you have surrendered to me totally and can come before me with a pure heart, then you can ask for the healing you need.” But Jesus doesn’t say that—not at all. The boy’s father says, “I am not faithful, I am riddled with doubts, and I cannot muster the strength necessary to meet my moral and spiritual challenges. But help me.” That’s saving faith—faith in Jesus instead of oneself. Perfect righteousness is impossible for us and if you wait for that, you will never come into the presence of God.” (Page 121)

Doubts are not going away. The world is atmospheric with them. As in this biblical story they can seize the moment and hold sway. But they are not faith defeaters. If we transparently turn to God in them, we can actually emerge stronger. Our belief—if processed with Christ—can inform our unbelief and even produce blessings. It did for the father in this story. It did eventually for the disciples and it will for us. Don’t forget prayer in the equation though. Jesus said of the demons terrorizing the young boy, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” Doubts can disappear through prayer too. Lord, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”