@ the crossroads

There is a high level of excitement around Crossroads these days because we are witnessing the Spirit of God sending people out into the world to share the gospel. 

I was recently reflecting on all the different places around the globe where Crossroads is making a difference for Christ and I was overwhelmed.  Crossroads may not be a mega-church in seating capacity, but I believe we are making a mega-kingdom impact in the following places:

Polk County: This is our local mission field.  We continue to support Anchor House, The Outreach Center, and other organizations committed to leading people to Christ.  This Sunday, we all have the opportunity to be missionaries by bringing children to VBS.  Starting time is 6:30 p.m.

Mexico: Faith Rakowski continues her ministry with International Family Ministries.  She is shining the light of Christ in a country that is feeling the weight and oppression of mass violence.  Hap & Sharon Foster are also currently representing Christ in the city of Juarez as they finalize the adoption of their new daughter, Sandra. 

South Korea: Jon English continues his teaching ministry and is making an eternal difference in the lives of children.

Africa: Bryan Donahue and the Walker family are working hard to help people receive job training and Christian discipleship in the country of Zambia.  April Hershberger is leaving this Saturday to teach in the country of Kenya for 2 months this summer.  Jeremy and Mindie Tice are on their way back to Guinea to lead more Yalunka people to Christ.  Please pray for their safe travel.

Australia: Tori Ford is leaving this weekend for Australia where she will be involved in various outreach projects.

Cuba: I have the opportunity to preach in a Cuban church in Naples this Saturday night.  Currently, there are about 100 churches in Cuba that are considering joining the Missionary Church.  One of the goals of my trip is to see how our district (mcflorida.org) can potentially adopt those churches and pastors and work together for greater kingdom impact.

Thank you for supporting the mission of Crossroads.  Our kingdom impact is definitely global in nature!

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Acts 1:8

In a global economy that is enamored with the newest, high-tech devices, there is often the tendency to dismiss the value of anything that on the surface appears outdated.  This morning I selected an old book from my library to peruse because I have found the best way for me to avoid the pitfalls of “faddish” church trends is to be constantly drawn back to the basic truths of the Christian faith that have been faithfully embodied by committed Christ followers across the centuries.

My morning bookshelf selection was Richard Baxter’s The Reformed Pastor, originally published in 1656, well before Facebook, Twitter, or Palm’s new Pre.  Here are the opening sentences of the book:

Let us consider, what it is to take heed to ourselves.

See that the work of saving grace be thoroughly wrought in your own souls.  Take heed to yourselves, lest you be void of that saving grace of God which you offer to others, and be strangers to the effectual working of that gospel which you preach; and lest, while you proclaim to the world the necessity of a Saviour, your own hearts should neglect him, and you should miss of an interest in him and his saving benefits.

Here are a few of my reflections on Baxter’s admonition to take heed to ourselves:

*We must take daily responsibility through the practice of the spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible study, silence, service, etc.) for our ongoing Christian growth and development.  Ultimately, we cannot outsource our growth to another individual or to the church.  If people aren’t growing, they are not taking heed to themselves.  If I stagnate in my spiritual growth as a pastor, the blame starts and ends with me.  Small groups, youth ministry programs, and mission projects are all wonderful ways to connect with others in community, which is also a vital component in the discipleship process, but they cannot replace the time spent alone ”in secret” with the Father (see Matthew 6:6).

*Our taking heed to ourselves is a way of communicating humble dependence upon God’s grace for spiritual growth.  I like the way Baxter connects human action with God’s graceful initiative; growth in Christ involves a combination of the two.  Just as a person would never think about walking into a chemistry final exam without proper preparation, the follower of Jesus Christ would never consider entering the life of Christian mision and service without putting on the full armor of God (see Ephesians 6).

*Taking heed to oneself is the process whereby we seek God for an accurate view of who we are.  In essence, humility is maintaining an accurate, honest self-assessment.  Many of the ongoing sinful stumblings in our lives that originate in pride could potentially be avoided if we carved out the time for taking heed and asking the following questions:

–Who has God created me to be?

–What are my unique gifts and how am I to use them to serve others in the church and in the world?

–What are the weak areas of my life and what are the common ongoing struggles with sin that seem to manifest themselves in my life most often?  What safeguards need to be established in my life so I can resist temptation in these areas?

–Who are the people with whom I can share my struggles and receive healing prayer?

*We have nothing of eternal value to offer others if we fail to take heed to ourselves.  We love and serve others in the name of Christ out of the overflow of God’s inworking grace within our hearts.  Withdrawals cannot be made from bankrupt accounts.  If you want to be an impact player in God’s kingdom and plant gospel seeds for the long haul, take heed to yourself and pursue personal soul care. 

May we all be encouraged to begin looking back on some powerful wisdom written down by a Puritan thinker in the 1600’s so we may be equipped to live faithfully for Christ in 2009.  Don’t neglect the oldies & don’t overlook the need to take heed to yourself. 

One of the most basic needs of human beings is the need for security and safety.  We crave a bedrock sense of well-being and, as can be witnessed from the big businesses of bike helmets, car seats, knee pads, and worker safety programs, we are always looking for new potential threats and ways to combat them. 

Ever since God created humankind he has been concerned for the safety and security of his people.  In the Old Testament, there is a phrase that the Jews used to describe total security and it involved the imagery of a shepherd-leader guiding people out, and then bringing them back safely from the pasture and into the communal fold.  This phrase is lead them out and bring them in. 

This concept is first introduced when Moses is seeking a successor to lead the people of Israel:

Moses said to the Lord, “May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” (Numbers 27:15-17)

Then, in Ezekiel 34, the prophet speaks forth God’s word against the false shepherd leaders and casts the vision for the true Shepherd, the One who would come in gentle power and strong tenderness to lead the people with righteousness:

This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock.  I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves.  I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.  For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them…I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land.  (Ezekiel 34:10-13)

In the midst of leaders bent toward corruption and the ongoing oppression of the people, God rises up as the compassionate Shepherd of the people; He alone can heal the injured sheep, save the lost, strengthen the weak, and pursue the strays.

God as Shepherd is fully revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).  In the ancient Near East, a shepherd would often lie down at the entrance to the sheep fold and his body would serve as a protective human gate.  Interestingly, Jesus says, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.  He will come in and go out, and find pasture” (John 10:9).

The good shepherd, Jesus Christ, faithfully leads his people in and out; only through him is there true safety, security, and salvation.  Christ is the fulfillment of all the longing for loving, compassionate, truthful, rulership. 

In a time of economic recession when we feel the pinch of dwindling dollars, it is comforting to know that ultimate security cannot be found in a paycheck or pension plan.  Christ the Shepherd is our sole sufficiency and he will faithfully lead us out and bring us in as we listen to his gentle, loving voice calling us to follow him.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to officiate a wedding ceremony in the Florida panhandle on a beautiful fruit farm that functions as a non-profit organization to help people with various disabilities (you can check out the farm by perusing this website).  While visiting the farm, my family and I received a tour led by Chris Hutzel, the farm owner and overseer of all the fruit trees.  As I listened to Chris I was amazed at the intensive work that goes into growing productive trees.  Soil conditions, weather patterns, pruning processes, and the sheer passage of time all converge to enable the growth process.  Good fruit doesn’t come easy.

Jesus often used illustrations from the realm of agriculture to communicate powerful truth about the Kingdom of God.  For example, in John 15, Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing…This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

According to Jesus, fruit production is the litmus test for true discipleship, and developing fruit is contingent upon maintaining connectedness to Christ.  The word that Jesus uses for remain in John 15 connotes persistence and unwavering commitment.  In other words, as we hold fast to Jesus, even in the storms and droughts of life, he will ensure the development of fruit (see Galatians 5:22-23 for a list of these fruits).

The ongoing challenge for each one of us is to remain in Christ as we face daily temptations to allow dizzying distractions to pull us away from our primary love.  Some of these distractions are:

*Jobs that require more time than we seem to be able to find

*Bills that pile up faster than income checks arrive

*Children that constantly push the limits

*Job searches that never seem to yield fruit

*Health problems that never seem to go away

 If you feel like “letting go” today, let the words of Jesus draw you back to a commitment to remain in the vine (Jesus Christ). 

The fruit farm in the Florida panhandle contained many branches that were loaded with ripening fruit–a truly beautiful picture of what the power of Christ can do in our lives as well.  Be encouraged today to remain–no matter what the weather conditions of your life are like at the moment.