Intentional Missional Discipleship

Some just call it discipleship, some Missional Discipleship, some intentional or purposeful discipleship. Here’s the point in all of those – Jesus commanded his followers to make disciples. The missional part of that is that we make disciples of others through evangelism, teaching and training. The intentional part is that we have to be purposeful or intentional about the process and plan of discipleship or the stuff of life will surely crowd in and discipleship will be crowded out.

Discipleship includes making disciples of our selves. We must be certain and take responsibility to see that we are becoming more and more like Christ.  We are called to be maturing Christians rather than remain as spiritual babies who live on milk instead of steak. Just as life begins with birth and usually includes giving birth to others, even so discipleship begins with evangelism/spiritual birth and includes the act of evangelism and giving spiritual birth to others. Then missional discipleship must also include intentionally discipling others along the way of life.

In GCC we are in the midst of a series from Luke on Discipleship According to Jesus.  Along the way we will discover that missional discipleship is

·        Christ centered,

·        Gospel driven,

·        Outward facing,

·        Spirit fueled,

·        Scripture based,

·        Intentional,

·        Life-long and

·        Anchored in the Church.

I encourage you to make it a point to be there on Sunday mornings as we discover God’s plan for growing his people into mature followers of Jesus Christ.

Anchored in Christ,

Harrison 

Let Them Come Home

Let Them Come Home (John and Abraham Piper)

from First Boyton Church and @pastorkeith73

In a recent Christianity Today interview, John Piper recounts the painful events surrounding the excommunication of his 19 year old son, Abraham.

The night after that excommunication, I called him at 10:00 and said, “Abraham, you knew what was coming.” He said, “That’s what I expected you to do. That has integrity. I respect you for doing it.” From then on, for the next four years, he was walking away from the Lord, trying to make a name for himself in disco bars as a guitarist and singer, and just doing anything but destroying himself. We were praying like crazy that he wouldn’t get somebody pregnant, or marry the wrong person, or whatever. He came back to the Lord four years later and the church had a beautiful, beautiful restoration service. He wept his eyes out in front of the church and was restored. This is church discipline at its best.

The following is Abraham’s account written for Decision Magazine.
     When I was 19, I decided I’d be honest and stop pretending I was a christian.  At first I pretended that my reasoning was high-minded and philosophical. But really I just wanted to drink gallons of cheap sangria and sleep around. Four years of this and I was strung out, stupefied and generally pretty low. Especially when I was sober or alone.
      My parents, (John and Noel Piper) who are strong believers and who raised their kids as well as any parents I’ve ever seen, were brokenhearted and baffled. (See sidebar story below.) I’m sure they were wondering why the child they tried to raise right was such a ridiculous screw-up now. But God was in control.
     One Tuesday morning, before 8 o’clock, I went to the library to check my e-mail. I had a message from a girl I’d met a few weeks before, and her e-mail mentioned a verse in Romans. I went down to the Circle K and bought a 40-ounce can of Miller High Life for $1.29. Then I went back to where I was staying, rolled a few cigarettes, cracked open my drink, and started reading Romans. I wanted to read the verse from the e-mail, but I couldn’t remember what it was, so I started at the beginning of the book. By the time I got to chapter 10, the beer was gone, the ashtray needed emptying and I was a Christian.
      The best way I know to describe what happened to me that morning is that God made it possible for me to love Jesus. When He makes this possible and at the same time gives you a glimpse of the true wonder of Jesus, it is impossible to resist His call.

The day the braces come off

The braces came off this morning. The orthodontist wanted them on a bit longer. My son wanted them gone some time ago. No matter what anyone really wanted, the braces are off, my son is smiling big and off to finish the last few months of his senior year. The reality is that the braces are gone.

I so completely understand the orthodontist. I look at my son and have this strong desire in my soul that wants to stop time. I want to keep him around for a few more years. He’s not only my son, he’s a good friend. I’m not ready for another child to graduate high school and head out the door to college. I hate the sight of taillights leaving the driveway and driving down the road. My excuse is that he isn't ready. But he is ready or at least he will be the time that dreaded day arrives. The reality is that I’m not ready. And the reality is that no matter who is ready, that day is coming – and soon.

So what do we do? We try to give him Jesus as much as possible – not religion, but Jesus. We try to love him well, give him what he needs for life. We pray – a lot! And as the day approaches, we will try to celebrate. And then we’ll shed some tears and pray some more!

Anchored in grace,

I am Jon's dad

Of Cats and Killers

I’ve never been a huge fan of cats. Cats tear things up. Cats don’t come when they are called. Cats sit on the book you are trying to read. They jump on your keyboard just before you save the document. Cats dive out from under the bed and tear your ankles to bloody shreds. They look at you like you are the pet. And cats are killers. Actually that last part I kind of like. We had a great outdoor cat once named Boots. He was a tough old tomcat that kept the mice away.

On a sunny afternoon I looked out the window and saw time stand still. Boots the cat was snoozing in the sun close to the front door. Creeping slowly towards the killer cat was the cutest, and stupidest, chipmunk. This rodent’s days were seriously coming to a close. Every step brought it closer to death. Did it think the cat was perhaps dead? Was it on some kind of chipmunk dare from the other little chippers? One of those “I dare you to creep close and pull the killer lion’s whiskers!”

What should I do? If I bang on the window the cat will awaken and the chipper is a sure goner.  If I do nothing the chipper might see the foolishness of his actions and dive into a hole somewhere. I didn’t bang on the window but the silly rodent didn’t turn away either. Chipper came within a few inches before the killer awoke. Death was quick and not very pretty.

While I couldn’t help the chipmunk, I can help people. And so can you. Evil prowls around the world devouring the least of these, orphans, girls, women… Human trafficking is a wicked roaring lion. What happened to a chipmunk isn't far off of what happens in human trafficking.  I Peter 5:8-9 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 

According to TrafficJam.org, over thirty million people are enslaved today. That's more than during all four centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. More than any point in history, in fact. Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry and is predicted to soon overtake drug trafficking. Over fifteen million children are enslaved today. Childhoods are stolen as kids are forced to be prostitutes, sex slaves, child soldiers and laborers, among many other degradations and exploitations.

We need to open our eyes, pray, have compassion, take action.

Anchored in Grace,

Harrison

Two resources I am familiar with:

http://www.trafficjam.org/ 

http://compassiontoact.org/ 

Thankful for FREE COFFEE!

“The coffee is on us this morning!”  Those were pleasant words to start the day. I was still half asleep and stepping into an early morning bible study with a group of good friends when the man behind the counter gave me that blessing. Free coffee is always good but to a man that loves, I mean loves, good strong hot coffee on a cold morning, those words were music! And I was thankful. Now the coffee isn’t something I need (sometimes J ) but it is something I really like. I was so thankful not just for the coffee but that this man behind the counter thought enough of me to give it to me freeee!

Another friend recently gave Sandy and me a delicious meal at a great Mexican restaurant. Just gave it to us. Free. I am thankful for the meal but very thankful for their friendship. Another friend recently gave me a copy of the new Gospel Transformation Bible. I had wanted one but it was out of reach for us at that time. And this friend just gave it me. Free. I am thankful for the new Bible but very thankful for the friend that thought enough to just give it to me.  What a huge blessing friends are! And what a huge blessing it is when such kindness abounds!

This week enters us into thanksgiving here in the United States. It’s a time set side to remember and cherish those blessings and friends. The greatest by far is the blessing given by Jesus Christ. He came that I might have life and have it the fullest (JN 10:10).  He came that I might be reconciled to God the Father (2 CO 5:18-19). He came to proclaim good news to the poor, liberty to the captives, restore sight to the blind and set at liberty those who are oppressed (Luke 4:16-21). Jesus came to show his love and kindness to those he called his own.

And it’s all free. At least free to me. I couldn’t have bought what Jesus has given freely. But like the coffee and meal and bible, someone paid for what they gave freely to me. In this case, all the blessings I have from Jesus were bought by him, paid for with his life, that I would have life… freely. I am so thankful for those immeasurable blessings from Jesus but far more thankful for Jesus himself. Amen.

Anchored in Jesus,
Harrison

Fixed on Jesus

He almost got caught!  The 10-year old boy was playing flag football for a local recreation league. He had the ball with nothing but the end zone in front of him! The problem was that he wasn’t looking at the end zone! This young man had his eyes fixed, I mean really fixed, on the one single opponent still in pursuit. There was nothing but fear in the player’s eyes as he stared over his right shoulder for forty yards. He ran like that all the way down the field. Although he scored, it was much closer than it should have been. The young player almost got caught by the very thing he feared and he came just inches from running out of bounds. Because his eyes were fixed on his fear instead of the prize, he almost lost it all.

What a picture of the way we often run the race of Christianity. There are so many things people fear. We fear sin, failure, death and being alone. We fear conflict, pain, poverty, success, speaking in front of crowds and little bugs. It’s very easy for us to fix our eyes on those fears.

When we fix our eyes on our fears, we are taking our eyes off of Jesus. That’s when we get caught. We get caught by our own fears, sometimes even paralyzed by the “what if’s” of the fear. And sometimes, just like that young football player, those fears run us out right of bounds. We think we are running a race with Jesus but since our attention is held captive by our fear, we aren’t running in the way or even in the direction Jesus has called us to run.

My friend, take your eyes off of your fears and fix them on Jesus Christ!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrew 12:1-3, NIV)

Anchored in grace,

Harrison

Little things still leave a shadow

Little things still leave a shadow. 

As I was sitting in the sun recently, the smallest of Ladybugs circled around and landed on my knee. Now I really like ladybugs. Their design is beautiful and persistent. They have unique way of getting inside the house even when it is locked up, closed up, tight! But what I loved about this particular ladybug is that, as small as it was, it still threw a shadow.  It wasn’t a humongous shadow by the standards of an elephant or a giraffe but in the world of Ladybugs, this shadow was awesome! And what made it so awesome wasn’t that it was large or long but that this shadow was HER shadow. It was the one God had designed for this particular Ladybug.

I wonder if Ladybugs ever get “shadow envy”. I know people do. We become envious over the shadow or impact of others, frustrated and discouraged that our shadow and impact isn’t as grand or large as someone else’s. But here’s the thing – when you are walking with God, your shadow and impact is just as big as He has designed it. Hebrews 12 encourages you to run the race God has marked out for YOU. God has designed each person differently, each life differently and each race differently. Every shadow is different, unique, impressive... even a shadow the size of a Ladybug. Run your race. Throw your shadow. Enjoy the day!

Anchored in grace,
Harrison