One of the things that gets talked about the least when it comes to discipleship is the importance of service.
It's surely a very important thing to begin your walk with Christ by reading the Bible and spending time in prayer and devotion with God, etc. Yet, sometimes putting your faith into action becomes an enormous catalyst for spiritual growth.
I once heard someone say, "I'm so tired of coming to church and having responsibilities...I just want to go back to when I could show up, sit, get fed, and leave." I've been there too. But honestly? Would that not be a step backward? Sure, there are times when God may be calling us to rest and retreat from the work (Jesus went to the mountainside alone to pray with good regularity throughout his ministry). But God also demands that we not simply acquire knowledge about Him and never put it into practice. What God reveals to you He intends for you to share with others.
I've been around a lot of Christian academic types. I love them. I resonate with them. But it broke my heart that time and again the seminary students who knew the most were quite often the students who served the least. (Many of them wouldn't even attend church!) God didn't mean for you to soak up truths like a sponge. Once you start growing, you had better start serving. And for some people, they would say that they really didn't start growing until they started serving.
Get your hands dirty doing work for God. Feed the hungry. Donate your time and energy. Set up some chairs or tables at church. Visit a shut-in. Offer to fold or stuff some newsletters. Scrub a toilet for Jesus. Coach an Upward team. Teach 3 year olds in the nursery. The next time a minister asks you to help with something, do something crazy and just say yes. Better yet, go ask your church leaders where you can help and maybe even use your spiritual gifts. American churches are generally plagued by a lack of volunteers. Why? It's because everyone wants to receive from church, but nobody wants to give. Our consumer-driven culture has caused our churches to be full of consumer-minded Christians. Don't be part of the problem. Be a part of the solution. Get in the game...for God's sake!
-RCW
Many people will go to a doctor and pay lots of money for the doctor to cure them. This merely cures the body. And yet, many people refuse to admit an ailment of the soul, would never pay money for a cure, and remain spiritually sick.
Jesus = THE Ultimate Soul Physician.
Pastors & Ministers & Churches = Physician's Assistants.
(Hint: How do you measure how good they are? By how well they connect you to the doctor Himself...There are plenty of them who should be sued for malpractice too.)
As a minister myself, part of my job is helping people shed spiritual ailments. I am not the doctor, but I know Him. Have you been to the office lately to get a soul checkup?
Perhaps you are in the office all the time, but you've yet to take your prescriptions and yet to ever really meet the Doctor. Sitting in a church doesn't heal you spiritually any more than entering a doctor's office and sitting in the waiting room makes you physically well...in fact, you might just get sicker in the waiting room! Make sure that you are connecting with Jesus personally and reading His words, taking His prescriptions, obeying His counsel...in church and outside of it. It is nearly impossible to meet the Doctor truly and remain the same when you leave.
"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell." - Jesus (Mt. 10:28)
"Jesus said to them, 'It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but the sin-sick.'" - Jesus (Mk. 2:17)
-RCW
Jesus = THE Ultimate Soul Physician.
Pastors & Ministers & Churches = Physician's Assistants.
(Hint: How do you measure how good they are? By how well they connect you to the doctor Himself...There are plenty of them who should be sued for malpractice too.)
As a minister myself, part of my job is helping people shed spiritual ailments. I am not the doctor, but I know Him. Have you been to the office lately to get a soul checkup?
Perhaps you are in the office all the time, but you've yet to take your prescriptions and yet to ever really meet the Doctor. Sitting in a church doesn't heal you spiritually any more than entering a doctor's office and sitting in the waiting room makes you physically well...in fact, you might just get sicker in the waiting room! Make sure that you are connecting with Jesus personally and reading His words, taking His prescriptions, obeying His counsel...in church and outside of it. It is nearly impossible to meet the Doctor truly and remain the same when you leave.
"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell." - Jesus (Mt. 10:28)
"Jesus said to them, 'It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but the sin-sick.'" - Jesus (Mk. 2:17)
-RCW
Alright, so if I haven't thrown enough resources at people at my workplace and through this blog, I must beg your forgiveness and continue the trend.
At the church I work for, I have recently recruited a professor from a nearby university to come teach a class for our lay equipping ministry. The class is essentially about what it means to take seriously the command we've been given in Scripture to love the Lord our God with all our mind.
At the church I work for, I have recently recruited a professor from a nearby university to come teach a class for our lay equipping ministry. The class is essentially about what it means to take seriously the command we've been given in Scripture to love the Lord our God with all our mind.
Recently I was checking out some different websites of people who are in my same profession...people who are responsible for trying to help Christians (particularly Christian adults) grow in their faith in order that they might mature as believers in Jesus Christ and follow after Christ with all that they are.
To be certain, if you know me, you'd know that this is by no means meant to be a "plug" or endorsement of any church or ministry.* However, a great SIMPLE idea is this 10 for 10 challenge:
http://10for10challenge.org (Just click on the video in the center that reads "What is 10 for 10?)
If you can't watch the video, don't fret. The 5 ideas in the video are listed below:
So, what do you think? Could you manage to do one or all of these 5 spiritual disciplines in a year's time? To some people, it might seem elementary, but for others, it is just the small starting point that they need to begin practicing and doing God's word.
-RCW
P.S. *This could never be an endorsement because I, like the rest of my generation, am so anti-establishment, anti-propaganda, cynical, anti-schmooze, anti-infomercial, anti-artificial, anti-inauthentic. (Although incidentally the church that this came from is a good church - my wife and I even did some of our premarital counseling there).
To be certain, if you know me, you'd know that this is by no means meant to be a "plug" or endorsement of any church or ministry.* However, a great SIMPLE idea is this 10 for 10 challenge:
http://10for10challenge.org (Just click on the video in the center that reads "What is 10 for 10?)
If you can't watch the video, don't fret. The 5 ideas in the video are listed below:
- Memorize 10 scriptures this year
- Serve as a volunteer in 10 ministry projects
- Give 10 percent of your income to your local church
- Spend 10 minutes a day with God via Bible Study and prayer
- Share Christ with 10 people
So, what do you think? Could you manage to do one or all of these 5 spiritual disciplines in a year's time? To some people, it might seem elementary, but for others, it is just the small starting point that they need to begin practicing and doing God's word.
"But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." ~ James 1:22-25 NLT ~
-RCW
P.S. *This could never be an endorsement because I, like the rest of my generation, am so anti-establishment, anti-propaganda, cynical, anti-schmooze, anti-infomercial, anti-artificial, anti-inauthentic. (Although incidentally the church that this came from is a good church - my wife and I even did some of our premarital counseling there).
What's with the title, huh?
I guess I have never quite explained how I selected the title for this blog exactly, have I? The concept of being "rooted" or "planted" or "having roots" are all pretty common in Biblical imagery. Certain passages should hopefully leap to your mind.
Psalm 1 may very well be my own personal favorite. Below is Psalm 1:1-4 :
Another example that will probably come to mind comes from Paul's prayer for the Ephesian believers in Ephesians 3:14-19
Another passage from Paul that comes to mind is Colossians 2:5-7, where Paul urges the Colossians:
Finally, there is the parable from Jesus about the sower and the soils in Matthew 13. Jesus explains the parable of the sower for his disciples in Mt. 13:19-23:
So how about it? Are you rooted in Christ? Are you un-budged by the sways of this world? Are your feet planted in the good soil? Are you anchored to the word of God? Are you hearing the word AND doing it? If not, it's time to get YOUR faith firmly rooted.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I pray that you would ground me even now in your word. I repent for times I have strayed from obeying you and seeking you. I pray that there would be no room for wavering or falling away from what you have taught me. May you keep my feet planted and my faith on solid ground. Help me remain in you, Jesus. Amen.
-RCW
I guess I have never quite explained how I selected the title for this blog exactly, have I? The concept of being "rooted" or "planted" or "having roots" are all pretty common in Biblical imagery. Certain passages should hopefully leap to your mind.
Psalm 1 may very well be my own personal favorite. Below is Psalm 1:1-4 :
- How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
Another example that will probably come to mind comes from Paul's prayer for the Ephesian believers in Ephesians 3:14-19
- For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Another passage from Paul that comes to mind is Colossians 2:5-7, where Paul urges the Colossians:
- For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
Finally, there is the parable from Jesus about the sower and the soils in Matthew 13. Jesus explains the parable of the sower for his disciples in Mt. 13:19-23:
- When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom the seed was sown beside the road.
The one on whom the seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.....
And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.
So how about it? Are you rooted in Christ? Are you un-budged by the sways of this world? Are your feet planted in the good soil? Are you anchored to the word of God? Are you hearing the word AND doing it? If not, it's time to get YOUR faith firmly rooted.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I pray that you would ground me even now in your word. I repent for times I have strayed from obeying you and seeking you. I pray that there would be no room for wavering or falling away from what you have taught me. May you keep my feet planted and my faith on solid ground. Help me remain in you, Jesus. Amen.
-RCW
Hey there, everyone. I know I haven't written in a while but let me remind you that it is because I value your time...for it is one of the most simple truths of life: There are those who want to say something and then there are those who have something to say. It is my own efforts to be the latter and not the former that have kept me from writing.
So, have you ever read The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer? It is an immensely powerful book to read...it may even be a book that you should save until your heart is ready to be greatly moved. My entry comes from reminiscing about its more potent passages. Bonhoeffer goes through the Gospel of Matthew for most of the book and points out that the disciples were placed in much the same position as Abraham. There are times when we have the time to contemplate and think out the rational reasons for taking steps of faith. The disciples didn't necessarily have such a privilege. Instead, Christ simply came by the shore and said, "Follow me." There was no time to draw up pros and cons, no time to weigh the options...Follow or don't.
Likewise, Abraham was told to leave his father and mother, go to the land that God would show him. Obedience preceded the need to understand. Obedience may have even preceded trust!
Have you ever found yourself in such a situation? We don't need all the information to decide whether to follow where God leads. When Christ summons you to follow, which path will you take? Will you respond in obedience? You might not ever have the same chance again! Walk where He leads and never look back.
-RCW
So, have you ever read The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer? It is an immensely powerful book to read...it may even be a book that you should save until your heart is ready to be greatly moved. My entry comes from reminiscing about its more potent passages. Bonhoeffer goes through the Gospel of Matthew for most of the book and points out that the disciples were placed in much the same position as Abraham. There are times when we have the time to contemplate and think out the rational reasons for taking steps of faith. The disciples didn't necessarily have such a privilege. Instead, Christ simply came by the shore and said, "Follow me." There was no time to draw up pros and cons, no time to weigh the options...Follow or don't.
Likewise, Abraham was told to leave his father and mother, go to the land that God would show him. Obedience preceded the need to understand. Obedience may have even preceded trust!
Have you ever found yourself in such a situation? We don't need all the information to decide whether to follow where God leads. When Christ summons you to follow, which path will you take? Will you respond in obedience? You might not ever have the same chance again! Walk where He leads and never look back.
-RCW
Back in November, I wrote a few blogs about Discipleship (They were titled: Discipleship and Learning; Discipleship and Feelings; Relational Discipleship; and Discipleship and Actions).
I spoke of the inter-relatedness of three mind, heart, and will of a disciple of Jesus Christ (and of humans in general). It just dawned on me that I had another little tidbit sitting in my blog compositions ready to be published. This was a 2nd part to the Discipleship and Actions post.
Part of the reason that the "actions" aspect of discipleship becomes so important is because of the unique inter-relationship our actions share with the previous two aspects (the mind and heart). Our deeds, behavior or actions are unique because they are linked DIRECTLY with the first two - our head and our heart. There is a dependency upon our head and our heart that will most often determine our actions. In other words, we all tend to act BASED UPON how we think or how we feel. Hence, this "action" component is frequently the first to be forgotten when many people think of discipleship. As a result comes one of the most wonderful (if we are following Christ) and yet most scary things (if we are not following Him) is that our actions are so inextricably linked to our mind and heart that it is nearly impossible to allow the two to be in opposition for very long. For instance, if my belief in Christ suddenly changes (for better or worse), soon my desire or effectiveness to DO THINGS for Christ or in a Christ-like manner will change as well (for better or worse CORRESPONDING to the belief and emotions). Many would even say that the feelings are dependent on our thinking (thereby placing the mind into the foremost place of importance. Likewise, if our behavior changes for the better or the worse, soon our thinking and our emotions are changing along with it. In short, God designed our entire self to be one whole complete indivisible person...mind, body, will, emotions, soul, spirit. If one part of our self changes (for better or for worse), then we can rightly expect the other parts of our self to follow suit with time.
Prayer: Oh, God, help me to be someone that honors you with my whole being. Let me worship you with my entire self...my mind, intellect, thinking, heart, emotions, loving, will, actions, relationships, soul, spirit, personality, expressions, language, eyes, ears, hands, and feet. May I be wholly yours.
-RCW
For extra credit, listen to David Crowder's song entitled "Wholly Yours."
I spoke of the inter-relatedness of three mind, heart, and will of a disciple of Jesus Christ (and of humans in general). It just dawned on me that I had another little tidbit sitting in my blog compositions ready to be published. This was a 2nd part to the Discipleship and Actions post.
Part of the reason that the "actions" aspect of discipleship becomes so important is because of the unique inter-relationship our actions share with the previous two aspects (the mind and heart). Our deeds, behavior or actions are unique because they are linked DIRECTLY with the first two - our head and our heart. There is a dependency upon our head and our heart that will most often determine our actions. In other words, we all tend to act BASED UPON how we think or how we feel. Hence, this "action" component is frequently the first to be forgotten when many people think of discipleship. As a result comes one of the most wonderful (if we are following Christ) and yet most scary things (if we are not following Him) is that our actions are so inextricably linked to our mind and heart that it is nearly impossible to allow the two to be in opposition for very long. For instance, if my belief in Christ suddenly changes (for better or worse), soon my desire or effectiveness to DO THINGS for Christ or in a Christ-like manner will change as well (for better or worse CORRESPONDING to the belief and emotions). Many would even say that the feelings are dependent on our thinking (thereby placing the mind into the foremost place of importance. Likewise, if our behavior changes for the better or the worse, soon our thinking and our emotions are changing along with it. In short, God designed our entire self to be one whole complete indivisible person...mind, body, will, emotions, soul, spirit. If one part of our self changes (for better or for worse), then we can rightly expect the other parts of our self to follow suit with time.
Prayer: Oh, God, help me to be someone that honors you with my whole being. Let me worship you with my entire self...my mind, intellect, thinking, heart, emotions, loving, will, actions, relationships, soul, spirit, personality, expressions, language, eyes, ears, hands, and feet. May I be wholly yours.
-RCW
For extra credit, listen to David Crowder's song entitled "Wholly Yours."
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