Life2gether

(HT: Z)

Timmy Brister says a grace saturated community will …

* have a warm disposition to the very worst of sinners (while moral community often be cold and careful to avoid people with big “messes”)

* show no pressure to perform or pretend; you are set free from lying about yourself (while moral community often centers on religious performance and convincing one another we are better than we really are)

* be comprised of needy people equipped to meet needy people by both word and deed, sharing the gospel as personal witness and showing the implications of the gospel in compassionate service (while moral community seldom acknowledges needs and is uncomfortable with talking publicly about areas of brokenness, failure, struggle, or loss)

* never be intimidated or turned off by the messiness of sinners, neither discouraged or deterred from meaningful engagement in the lives of people not like us (while moral community often consists of people like us, or people who present themselves in moral refinement and religious accomplishment)

* center the conversations Christ and making much of His life, death, and resurrection and how our identity is firmly and fully secured in Him (while moral community will make conversations much about oneself and how their identity is wrapped up in what they do, who they are not, and why others ought to esteem them)

* demonstrate selfless love toward others, not because they are lovely but rather because we cannot get over the fact that we have been loved by God (while moral community loves others by what they can offer us and whether they qualify as recipients or objects of our love based on our standards)

* seek the welfare and interests of others as more important than own, because Jesus taught us it is better to give than to receive (while moral community gives for recognition and receives for recompense, turning the interests of others, whether in giving or receiving, as means of self-promotion)

* carry a disposition of being sober in our judgment regarding ourselves and generous in our mercy toward others (while moral community is generous in judgment of others and undiscerning in mercy towards oneself)

* anticipate opportunities to sincerely express acceptance and forgiveness for times when they will be wronged by others (while moral communities fail to adequately address the issues for fear of conflict and what others might think of them)

* create a culture where repentance is celebrated and faith is nurtured in everyday conversations (while moral community will nurture faith in one’s good works and celebrate self-help as moral accomplishment)

One of my greatest passions is to see the church become a place of gospel-centered grace where we can be honest with each other and point each other to the Savior. A couple years ago I came across a book called TrueFaced by Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, and John Lynch. It’s a helpful book on living by grace and trusting God and others with who you really are. This summer I picked up a novel written by the same authors entitled, Bo’s Cafe. I confess.  I don’t read very much fiction, but I couldn’t put this book down.

The story of Bo’s Cafe invites us to a safe place filled with people who know the worst about us and yet love us and give us room to honestly explore the deep sin issues we try to cover up through performance and self-protection. It’s a story that helps us to lay our defenses down and take off our masks to embrace the grace of God as real people in real community. The only disclaimer is that the gospel is not as explicit as it could be. Nevertheless, I think you’ll be encouraged by this novel as you see yourself in the story and pursue the freedom God offers you in Christ.

Tony Kummer, from ministry-to-children.com, recently asked me to respond to the problem of over-churched kids. By over-churched kids, he means kids with too much religion and not enough actual interaction with Jesus. This is a relevant issue for pastors’ kids. My short answer is that we must model the gospel to our kids and get them on mission early as a church family.

• Check out a few other video responses to the question here
• Read Tony’s 9 Strategies for Reaching Over-Churched Kids

Michael Wallenmeyer challenges us to ask these questions as we seek to engage our neighborhoods:

1. Without asking someone else, can I provide the first and last names of the people who live beside (or above and below) me?
2. What can I describe about their lives that can be known only by someone who has been inside their home?
3. What are some of the God-shaped longings and/or questions that currently shape their lives?

And I’m especially challenged by this last question:

How cool would it be if when people asked us what God was up to in our church, instead of heading to our buildings, we took them for a extended tour through our neighborhood to show them?

Read the whole thing.

Chad Nuss has a good take on the new movie, X-Men: First Class and our struggle with identity and need for community. Christianity Today reviewed the movie here.

Here’s an old video from a couple years ago! The challenge is still relevant so I’m reposting it. Let’s get off the couch and get into the lives of others this summer!  You can also check out my post on Gospel-Driven Garage Sale.

If this is the culture we live in, what are the implications for how we make disciples?

(HT: Brent Thomas)

As people enter our doors this Easter Sunday, will they see us as real people worshiping a real Savior? Will they enter a community of grace? Tim Chester, in his excellent book, You Can Change, lists some great questions to discern if your church is a community of grace, and thus attractive to broken, needy sinners.

• Are people open about their sin or is there a culture of pretending?
• Is community life messy or sanitized?
• Are broken people attracted to your community?
• Is conflict out in the open or is it suppressed?
• Are forgiveness and reconciliation actively pursued?
• Do you constantly return to the cross in your conversation, prayers and praise?

This is such a good, challenging word. “Move in, make a home, and love your neighbors …”

(HT: Michael Wallenmeyer)