Three of my books are now available as eBooks via WORD bookstore here in Australia: Transforming Your Church (Revised Edition), Prison Break and Pass the Baton (2nd Edition). Click here for details and ordering information. Oh, the wonders of modern technology.
GROW – Understanding Stages of Faith
This year as a church community we have sensed a need to go deeper and to focus more on our relationship with Jesus and our life as disciples. Our FOCUS for 2011 has been simply: Following Jesus. So far, we have looked at four aspects of following Jesus: SURRENDER, GO, LOVE and DISCOVER. This weekend we began our final teaching series and it is entitled GROW.
Kingdom Growth. God’s kingdom is often described in an organic way and is seen as growing larger and stronger (Mark 4:26-29. Lk.13:18-19). The church is also seen as growing and maturing (Eph.4:15-16). Individual followers of Christ are also called to grow in their relationship to God (Col.1:9-10; 2:6-7). Personal and spiritual growth occurs over a period of time and always involves a process that is very much like a journey. Many people find it helpful to have a roadmap or at least a loose guide for their journey of faith. In their insightful book, The Critical Journey, authors Robert Guelich and Janet Hagberg, propose the following six stages:
Stages in the Life of Faith
1. Recognition of God. This is where we all begin our journey of faith. The experience of faith at this stage is the discovery and recognition of God. It is accepting the fact of the reality of God in our lives. Someone bigger than us really exists and He truly loves us. This may occur in childhood or later in life as adults. For some people this is a very identifiable experience, like a moment in time where everything changes. For others, there is a gradual realisation, with no certainty as to just where or when the experience began. Either way, we simply ‘know’ that God is there. Factors contributing to this experience can be either a sense of awe or a sense of need in our lives.
2. Life of Discipleship. This stage is about learning and belonging. We begin to learn, explore, absorb and put into place our set of beliefs or faith principles. In this stage we learn the most about God by association with others we respect and trust. We are apprentices. We need others because we are relatively unsure and insecure at first in our growth and what we believe. The group also provides a sense of belonging, which helps to alleviate some of our feelings of fear and even inadequacy that accompany the excitement of new learning. The group begins to give us a sense of identity and security. We start to feel at home, with family. We are loved and accepted, despite our struggles. It’s not always easy but we are with our kind of people. We have a sense of security and comfort in our faith.
3. The Productive Life. This stage is best described as the ‘doing’ stage as it is the period of time where we find ourselves most consciously working in service for God. It’s now time to give in return for all we have received. This is usually a very active stage of our journey. It is positive and dynamic, centred on being productive in the area of our faith. This stage nourishes us because it is so personally rewarding. It operates on goals and achievement, building and creating, which can be exciting, fulfilling, inspiring and fruitful. We start to feel unique within our community. We are taking on extra responsibility. We feel a degree of confidence because of our experience. Leadership may be part of this stage.
4. The Journey Inward. This stage is a deep and very personal inward journey. It almost always comes as an unsettling experience yet results in healing for those who continue through it. Until now, our journey has had a very external dimension to it – the community of faith, serving with our gifts, leading others, and productivity. Upon entering this stage, many people experience a period of questioning, exploring, doubting, and even uncertainty. This can be caused by a life or faith crisis. For the first time our faith does not seem to work the same as it has before and our answers seem inadequate, leaving us feeling quite vulnerable. Some people refuse to engage fully with this stage. Therefore they become inadequate guides for others who enter this stage.
The Wall. Somewhere near the end of Stage 4, we experience the Wall – a face to face experience with God and with our own will. This is a critical experience. It represents another layer of transformation and a potentially renewed layer of faith – for those who have the courage to move into it. We decide anew whether we are willing to surrender and let God direct our lives. This is a time of mystery and not something we can do through our own strength or wisdom. This is a pivotal moment. We are afraid, yet drawn to surrender, knowing it will not be easy, but that it will be worthwhile. We are dying to self and letting God be God. [Click here for some thoughts on "Growing in the Dark"]
5. The Journey Outward. This is the next step after rediscovering God and accepting his love. We surrender afresh to God’s will to fully direct our lives. This outward journey may seem similar to earlier stages, but our focus is different. We have changed. We endure suffering gracefully, because of our confidence in God. Our primary motivation in life becomes the desire to love honestly and live according to God’s purposes. There is a fresh sense of calling, vocation or ministry. We start to focus more on other people’s best interests. We start to experience a deep calm and stillness. We allow for a new certainty in God while being comfortable with ambiguity.
6. The Life of Love. At this stage we reflect God to others in the world more clearly and consistently than we ever thought possible. We let our light shine in such a way that God is given the credit and the thanks. We have lost ourselves yet truly found ourselves. We are selfless. We are at peace with ourselves, fully conscious of being the person God created us to be. Obedience comes naturally. We give our all without feeling that it means surrender or sacrifice. We are at one with the Spirit of God. God becomes everything to us.
There is a mystery to our journey of faith. Everyone is unique and will experience variations in their individual journey but we are all headed in the same direction – closer to God. It is helpful to view this journey as a circle rather than as a linear progression. God is at the centre. He is at work in each stage and our goal is not to try to control our growth experience but to draw closer to Him in each season. There are no set formulas for spiritual growth nor can we always know exactly where we are in our spiritual journey. Stages may overlap and we may re-visit stages at times.
Reflection Questions
- Where do you think you are now in your own journey of faith and why?
- Where have you been in the past? What stages do you recognise or identify with?
- Select two Bible characters and see if you can see this pattern in their faith journey.
- What are some insights for relating well to others who may be at a different stage than you?
- What sort of activities or experiences might be most helpful at each stage – and especially the stage you are at right now?
- Click here for a list of additional reflection questions for each stage of faith.
The Starfish Story – Making a Difference
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"
The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."
"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."
This story has appeared all over the web in various forms, usually with no credit given to Mr. Eiseley. Loren Eiseley was an anthropologist who wrote extensively. He was the 'wise man' in the story, and he was walking along a beach after a storm and encountered the fellow throwing the starfish back. Sometimes it is a little girl throwing the starfish into the ocean, sometimes a young man, once even an elder.
Justice Trumps Spices (Pt.3)
Practicing Justice
Let's take this first important matter that Jesus mentions: justice. How can we move from believing in justice to actually living it out in practice? It requires as to ACT and that involves three things:
Awareness - Ignorance is not bliss. Sticking our head in the sand until the storm blows over is bot meant to be an option for us as Christ followers. Jesus has called us to be ‘salt’ and ‘light’ (Matt.5:12-13) which both involve a proactive positive influence on our world. We now live in a global village and we need to have our eyes andears open to the needs and the cries of those who are hurting (see Prov.31:8-9). Abraham Heschel once said, "The opposite of good is not evil, it is indifference. Indeed, our very humanity depends upon our compassion."
We can do this though simply watching the news, listening to people’s stories, and become involved with ministries that advance the cause of justice such as World Vision, Compassion and our own Everyday Justice ministry. Churches commemorating Abolitionist Sunday is an example of creating awareness.
Jesus saw the multitudes as sheep who were lost and harassed because they had no shepherd … and he then acted, calling his disciples to prayer and sending them out to be the answer to their own prayer. Open your eyes and see the needs in our world. Hear the cries of the poor and oppressed. Feel what God feels.
Justice Trumps Spices (Pt.2)
Weightier Matters
In the Pentateuch, there was as many as 613 different laws or commandments that God’s people were meant to keep – 248 affirmative commands and 365 negative commands. Debates and discussions often occurred as to which were the more important ones. One teacher of the law even asked Jesus this question: “What is the most important commandment?” Jesus selected two: “Love the Lord your God …” and “love your neighbour as yourself.” While not neglecting the others, Jesus made it clear that these are the two most important commands and that if a person does these two things, they essentially encapsulate the rest of God’s requirements for his people.
Unfortunately, the Pharisees had focused on the minute details of tithing but had neglected other commands that were more important in the eyes of God. Jesus mentions three specific priorities: justice, mercy and faithfulness.
In some ways, Jesus was novel in his teaching, bringing new revelation about God and his kingdom. In other ways, Jesus continued in the tradition of the prophets of old. In this teaching, he is simply reinforcing the message that the prophets has preached time and again to God’s people. Here is one example from the prophet Micah … “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah.6:8).”
Justice Trumps Spices (Pt.1)
In Matthew 23, we have a record of Jesus’ strong condemnation of the religious leaders of his day, who had not led the people faithfully and who had become hypocritical and legalistic. Here is one of the seven “woe’s” he gave them: “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law — justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things (NLT).”
To Tithe or Not to Tithe
The entire Israelite nation ran on a system of tithing, or of giving 10% of one’s income for the support of the Levites who worked at the temple and the needs of the poor (Deut.14:22. Lev.27:30). Being primarily an agrarian society, this mainly included the giving of produce from the farms. Mint, dill and cumin were herbs (spices) from the kitchen garden and they were only grown in very small quantities and to tithe them would be such a small amount that most people would not have even worried about it. But the Pharisees were pedantic tithers!
Jesus actually commends them for their attention to such detail. Giving is important and we should honour God with our resources.
There has been a lot of debate about tithing over the years …
Some churches and preachers believe that all of the Old Testament laws of tithing still apply to Christians today. They believe that if Christians don’t tithe they are under a curse and will not receive the blessing of God in their lives (see Mal.3:8-12). I have even heard of one preacher who apparently said that there were people who were sick in his church – because they hadn’t been tithing faithfully! Other churches and preachers believe that the teaching about tithing is no longer relevant for Christians today and that we are no longer under these laws. There are plenty of books and articles out there against tithing.
So what is the best approach to the matter of tithing? Under the New Covenant, everything (100%!) that we have is to be seen as belonging to God and available for his use at any time. The teaching in the New Testament about giving focuses on “generosity.” No specific percentage is mandated. Zaccheus gave half (50%) of his goods to the poor upon his conversion and Barnabas gave all (100%) of the proceeds of a block of land he sold for the work of the church in Jerusalem. Under grace, we give, not because we have to (out of a sense of duty) OR because we are afraid of being judged if we don’t, but because we want to – voluntarily, willingly, generously and joyfully (see Paul’s teaching in 2 Cor.8-9).
In our church community, we teach that giving 10% of our income to God’s work in the world, is an excellent principle (not a law). It is a regular reminder that all we have comes from God. It teaches us to live by faith, as we have to trust our 90% to go further with God's help than we could make our 100% go without God's assistance. It also helps us keep control of our finances. One of the major causes of financial difficulties today is people spending more then they are earning (whatever level of income they have). Regular giving and saving help to curb the spirit of greed in our culture, because they require us to live within our means, which is the key to financial freedom. Finally, it helps to resource the work of the local church. We are very thankful to our church members who commit to support the work of God through the church by giving 10% of their income. Without them, we could not be able to engage in the level of ministry we are involved in today, both locally and around the world. So for us, tithing is a practice that we as leaders model and one which we encourage all followers of Christ to adopt as part of their financial stewardship before God.
Notice that Jesus commends the Pharisees for handling their giving well. They went the extra mile when it came to their tithing and Jesus affirmed them for this (one of the few times he ever does so). However, there are other more important things …
Click here for part 2.
Recycling Hotel Soap to Save Lives
Derreck Kayongo, from Uganda, is one of this year's Top 10 CNN Heroes nominees. Click here to read his amazing story. Through simple presence of mind, Derreck had an idea to collect used hotel soap, that usually ends up as landfill, and recycle it for use in impoverished nations such as Haiti, Uganda, Kenya and Swaziland.
Each year, more than 2 million children die from diarrhea. According to the World Health Organization, these deaths occur almost exclusively among toddlers living in low-income countries. The issue is not the availability of soap. The issue is cost. If you are living on $2 a day, paying 25 cents for soap is probably out of the question when there is food and medicine to buy.
So far 300 hotels in the USA have joined in with the program generating 100 of tonnes of soap. Volunteers collect the soap and ship them to the Global Soap Project warehouse in Atlanta. Over 100,000 bars of soap have been distributed free to communities in nine countries.
Last summer, Derreck personally delivered 5,000 bars of soap to Kenya Relief's Brittney's Home of Grace orphanage. "When we were distributing the soap, I could sense that there was a lot of excitement, joy, a lot of happiness," said Kayongo, whose work was recently recognized by the Atlanta City Council, which declared May 15 as Global Soap Project Day in Atlanta. "It's a reminder again of that sense of decency. They have (someone) who knows about their situation, and is willing to come and visit them … to come and say, 'We are sorry … We're here to help.' "
May we live with open ears, open eyes and open hearts today. Who knows who God may touch through you … or what idea he may give you to make our world a better place. That's good news!
Abolitionist Sunday
The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery will be recognised by many churches around the country by holding an Abolitionist Sunday on November 20th this year. Although the fight to end slavery is a year round activity, Abolitionist Sunday provides an annual focus for churches to unite in action against this injustice.
Tim Costello from World Vision says, "Whilst legal slavery has been abolished, tragically there are far more slaves in the world today than when William Wilberforce was campaigning for the abolition of slavery in the first part of the 19th century. Today churches are challenged to work for the abolition of this modern evil."
At CityLife, we will be hosting the Melbourne Gospel Choir who have recently released a new album called Freedom. We will also be taking time before each weekend church meeting to pray for this issue. Of course, there is much more we can do than just pray, as powerful as that is. Click here to visit the World Vision Don't Trade Lives web site and find out more about some practical ways you can help. CityLife's Everyday Justice, Everyday Choices ministry will be hosting a Don't Trade Lives workshop on Tuesday evening, November 22nd. Click here for details. Everyone is welcome.
For a very moving video clip, "Beautiful Slave," by the music artist Take No Glory click here.
Thank you for your passion and support in taking action on this important issue. Together, let's continue to fight to end global injustice.
Tom Wright for Everyone
Tom Wright (also known as N.T. Wright) has achieved global recognition as a biblical theologian through his academic and popular publications. He is a leading New testament scholar and former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England. His most academic work is his Christian Origins and the Questions of God series, of which three editions have been released so far. These include The New Testament and the People of God, Jesus and the Victory of God and The Resurrection and the Son of God. Tom also has also written a commentary series on the entire New Testament called For Everyone, as well as a contemporary translation. His more popular books include Simply Christian (likened to C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity), Evil and The Justice of God and Surprised by Hope.
Because of the number and size of Tom's books, few people have engaged fully with his thought and grappled with the implications. Stephen Kuhrt has done us all a favor through the release of his new book Tom Wright for Everyone. He provides and excellent summary and overview of Wright's theology in a broad range of areas, then describes in detail the way in which he has sought to put this theology into practice through the ministry and mission of his own local church, Christ Church in New Malden, England. This is a terrific book, well worth reading.
On a personal note, while on holidays in the UK recently, I was priviledged to have a coffee with Tom at St. Andrew University in Scotland, where he now resides (see pic). I found him warm, friendly, insightful and a joy to converse with.
P.S. Visit the unofficial N.T. Wright page here, where there is a wealth of articles, lectures and links.
You Lost Me – Latest Church Research from Barna Group
People are calling it "The Great Departure" – Christian young people leaving the church. Close to 60 percent of young people who went to church as teens drop out after high school. Now the bestselling author of unChristian trains his researcher's eye on these young believers. Where David Kinnaman's first book unChristian showed the world what outsiders aged 16-29 think of Christianity, You Lost Me shows why younger Christians aged 16-29 are leaving the church and rethinking their faith.
Based on new research, You Lost Me shows pastors, church leaders, and parents how we have failed to equip young people to live "in but not of" the world and how this has serious long-term consequences. More importantly, Kinnaman offers ideas on how to help young people develop and maintain a vibrant faith that they embrace over a lifetime.
Kinneman identifies three types of young people who have left church:
1. Nomads – they walk away from church engagement but still consider themselves Christians.
2. Prodigals – they lose their faith, describing themselves as "no longer Christian."
3. Exiles – they are still invested in their Christian faith but feel stuck (or lost) between culture and the church.
Kinnaman goes on to offer "six reasons" why the next generation is disengaging from church:
Continue reading “You Lost Me – Latest Church Research from Barna Group”
Evaluating Vitamins and Supplements
Ok, so how many vitamins and/or supplements do you take each day? Personally, I take a few tablets with my breakfast each morning – fish oil, vitamin D, and a men's multi-vitamin. The fish oil (Omega 3) helps to keep my cholesterol down a bit and the Vitamin D gives me a little extra energy, especially since I work mainly indoors and don't get a lot of sunshine. A few years back I took some supplements but found them so expensive to buy and I didn't really notice that much difference in my energy levels.
So do they make a difference? Are they worth the cost?
An interesting article recently appeared in the October 10th edition of TIME magazine, telling the story of John Cloud who took 3,000 supplements over five months (22 pills a day), then took a battery of tests to see what really happened. A total of 31 measurements were taken – before and after. Remarkably, only two of the values on his blood report had changed significantly. There was a 75% vitamin D increase (due to a vitamin D3 supplement he had been taking) and an increase in the level of his good cholestoral – HDL (due to the 2,000 mg fish oil concentrate tablet he had taken). Absolutely, nothing else had changed!
Amazingly, John felt different – healthier and more robust. But his blood hadn't changed, meaning that a strong placebo response had occurred. This resulted in a licensing effect (which nutritionists call 'compensation') which caused him to change his routine. Because he was feeling a little better and woke up with more energy, his eating habits took a bit of a dive, as did his exercise routine.
The conclusion of the study was that a normal diet with adequate exercise is all that the average person needs to be healthy. Good health is not a series of tablets to take but rather is a series of responsibilities to meet – water instead of soda, a piece of fruit instead of chips, and real fish instead of a giant fish-oil capsule.You can take vitamins on the faith that they will make you better – and if you have a real vitamin deficiency, they will. But there's more science behind another way of getting your vitamins – eating right.
Some interesting facts:
- It is estimated that Americans spent $28 billion on dietary supplements last year. The figure was only $11 billion in 1995.
- No government agency catalogs (let alone tests) dietary supplements. Since 1994, the FDA has not approved the safety or efficacy of even ONE supplement.
- Safety isn't the real problem with nutraceuticals, most of which are harmless. Instead, effectiveness is the issue: many supplements may not do enough to be worth the money.
- The nutraceutical market is growing fast amongst aging boomers. Usana made $565 million in revenue last year, GNC made $1.93 billion and Pfizer earns $68 billion annually.
- In the 1940s, Dr. Ernst Boas, a famous Columbian University cardiologist, called the vitamin business, "the damnest racket every perpetuated upon the public."
- Whether nutraceuticals improve health – and how – is a matter of enormous scientific enquiry. Click here to read one a recent article on this hot topic.
Ready for Adventure? An Invitation from Earnest Shackleton
Apparently explorer Earnest Shackleton placed the following notice in a newspaper while preparing for an expedition to Antarctica:
"Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success."
Supposedly there were 5,000 men and 3 women who responded!
Have we become too comfortable today?
P.S. The search for a copy of the advert still continues today. Click here to read more.
Unlikely Friends
Christopher Hitchens is one of the most outspoken atheists today and author of the best-selling book God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. Francis Collins is a world re-known scientist with a strong Christian faith, noted for his leadership of the Human Genome Project and his best-selling book The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Faith.
The Telegraph, a newspaper based in Great Britain, reported on an unlikely bond of friendship and trust between these two very different people. Even so, a March 2011 newspaper headline announced, "Atheist Christopher Hitchens could be 'saved' by evangelical Christian." The article went on to report, "The two had often met in the past as adversaries in the debate about whether God exists. Against the odds they [have] become friends." This improbable friendship started because Hitchens, a cancer patient, became part of an experimental treatment program that involves genome sequencing. Doctors plan to map Hitchens' genetic makeup so they can target and treat his damaged DNA. It just so happens that this experimental treatment is being pioneered by Dr. Francis Collins.
Hitchens has spent years blasting religious faith and religious believers. In his book There Is No God, he argues that "Organized religion is violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism, tribalism, and bigotry …." But when asked about his friendship with Dr. Collins, Hitchens spoke with only respect and admiration. "It's a rather wonderful relationship," he said, "I won't say he doesn't pray for me, because I think he probably does; but he doesn't discuss it with me."
What an interesting story … God does work in mysterious ways.
Sources: Matt Woodley, managing editor, PreachingToday.com and Richard Alleyne, "Atheist Christopher Hitchens could be 'saved' by evangelical Christian," The Telegraph (3-26-11).