@ the crossroads

I heard a statistic this week that resonated with my personal experience of trying to remain focused while reading, writing, or praying.  Here is the fact revealed: it takes the average person 24 minutes to get back to a concentrated level of thinking when interrupted from that deep level of thinking by checking an email alert or text message.  In other words, when a person is in the deep thinking zone, even the slightest, seemingly harmless alert can be very intellectually costly. 

 

As technology continues to advance, it appears that the human attention span is on the free-fall; people have an increasingly difficult time not only sitting still, but also training the brain to relax and to stop bouncing from one frantic thought to another like a super ball.  I have learned that I have a difficult time preparing sermons on my computer because there is always an email floating into the inbox that may need my urgent attention, thus causing my brain to wander and decreasing my level of concentration for the project at hand.  Now, more often than not, I spend as much teaching preparation time away from the computer as possible in order to allow more time for deep processing and prayer.

 

One reason the 24 minute statistic struck me this week is that it relates to our spiritual growth.  If deep life transformation requires extended time with God in devotion and prayer, how are Christ-followers going to really experience grace-based transformation without finding a quiet place away from constant distractions? 

 

St. Francis de Sales said, “We seldom do well what we only do seldom.”  If going away to a quiet place to pray and study is seldom done, then developing into spiritually mature Christians will simply not happen either because growth is partially dependant upon “getting away.” 

 

Jesus modeled intensive care of the soul through retreating during his earthly ministry:

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.  (Mark 1:35)

One of the misconceptions that is often held, either consciously or subconsciously in the minds of many people, is that the actual living out of the Christian life is something of lesser importance than adhering to proper beliefs regarding the Christian faith.  In other words, it is often very easy to say we are Christians, and to know the orthodox answers to weighty theological matters, but our actions all too often seem to lag behind the words, thus rendering an ineffective witness to the world.  In reality, our beliefs about Christ and the church are to be held, spoken and lived–all in the context of Christian community–the body of Christ, and the world.  When a church is composed of believers who truly understand the importance of living the beliefs, there is hope for tremendous cultural impact.

 

Titus, a first-century church leader on the island of Crete, received an important pastoral letter from the Apostle Paul.  In this correspondence Titus was urged to impress upon various groups within the church the importance of connecting healthy doctrine with healthy, God-honoring actions.  A division between the two was not an option; Paul understood the necessity of displaying a unified, cohesive presentation of the gospel in a dark culture.  Pagans would only understand the truth of the gospel as they witnessed this truth being embodied in daily life by their Christian neighbors.  Here are some of Paul’s words to Titus:

 

You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.  Teach the older men to be temperate…teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live..then they can train the younger women…similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled… 

 

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.  (Titus 2)  

 

One of the greatest challenges before Crossroads as we look toward 2010 is to continue to live the good news in the midst of a culture that needs to not only hear about hope, but also see this hope in action.  To simply mentally subscribe to a list of core beliefs is not enough to make an eternal impact in our communities.  The church is to be the living, breathing example of grace-based transformation.  

 

This Sunday I will be sharing some things that the Lord has been impressing upon my heart lately in regard to the vision and mission of Crossroads for 2010.  These are exciting days to be a Christ-follower and a member of Crossroads Community Church, and I know that the coming months hold many opportunities for us to spread the gospel, both locally and globally.  Don’t miss the worship service this Sunday as I will be discussing some of these 2010 mission plans and goals in further detail. 

 

Thank you for your partnership in the gospel!

 

Thank you for being committed to live your beliefs!   

As the NFL season closes in on the midway point, there are many disappointed Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans.  The 0-7 start has left many people feeling even more than disappointed; there is a level of shame that is evident in the quivering voices of the perennial die-hards.  Soon there will probably be paper bags over the heads of reluctant attendees who venture into the confines of Raymond James to witness another debacle.  If I’m beginning to sound like a frustrated sports writer, let me switch gears and make some theological connections….

 

Just as the most faithful of football fans have given in to the temptation to become ashamed of a team, followers of Jesus Christ have time and time again placed paper bags over their heads and refused to make a public profession of faith in Christ.  All too often Christians are ashamed of Jesus.

 

Paul’s second letter to Timothy carries this important message: Don’t Be Ashamed!  Specifically, Paul calls Timothy to resist being ashamed of Jesus in three distinct areas:

 

1) Don’t be ashamed of your spiritual gifts.

 

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”  (2 Tim. 1:6-7) 

 

When we are ashamed of Christ and the gifts he has given us, we are communicating that God has somehow been deficient in his creation.  The truth is that Christ is the perfect Creator and he has uniquely gifted each person to reflect the glory of God in the world through service to others.  Perhaps you have gifts that have been sitting on the shelf, unused, and growing cold.  In the words of Paul, “fan into flame the gift of God,” take some faith-stretching risks in serving others, and watch your love for God grow deeper. 

 

2) Don’t be ashamed to suffer for the gospel.

 

“So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner.  But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.”  (2 Tim. 1:8-9) 

 

Paul experienced close friends who walked away from fellowship because times became difficult.  The paper bags were donned out of shame; surely, Paul was hurt by the severing of these once-fruitful relationships.

 

Do you stand up for the church?  Are you deeply committed to your brothers and sisters in Christ?  Or do you seek to live in some kind of “no man’s land” between the church and the world in an impossible attempt to effectively function in two realms at once–light and darkness?

 

Let’s live unashamedly in the light of Christ and put away the paper bags so the world has the opportunity to see the greatness of our God!