Every Member on Mission
Every church needs a mission (the what) and a strategy (the how). The mission of Union View centers on knowing and delighting. Everything we do at Union View is aimed at helping people know and delight in Jesus. There's nothing new here. Every church that organizes itself around the Bible shares the same mission--though we may say it differently. That’s what we are trying to accomplish, but how do we do it? Once people are connected to our church we utilize Sunday worship, Bible classes and disciple groups to help people grow in knowing and delighting in Jesus. Our strategy for helping people know and delight in Jesus who don’t have a connection to our church, or any church, is called Every Member on MissionBefore I explain the strategy I want to ground it in biblical truth. In Acts 17 Paul is sharing the gospel in Athens. He gives a wonderful argument for Jesus, from creation to resurrection. But I want to focus our attention on one part of his argument, found in two verses 26 and 27.
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Acts 17:26-27
This is an incredible passage that works out some of the details of what it means to say that God rules over all things and governs the events in our lives: especially when it comes to people. Paul says 3 things about God: God is in control of who lives, of when & where they live, and and then we’re told the purpose behind all of it. Let’s work through those .God is in control of who lives
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth v. 26a
God is governing the existence of every nation on earth. When you hear the word nation don’t think of boarders on a map, think people groups. The Greek word for nation refers to a group of people united by kinship, culture, and traditions. You can have several people groups inside of one modern Nation, even inside one state. God brought every distinct little people group into existence from Adam.We can make a logical inference from this: God cannot govern the existence of people groups without governing the existence of the the individuals in those group. That’s important to see, because what Paul goes on to say about the nations is true of the individuals who live in them.God also determined when and where we live
having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place v. 26b
The word determined is two words in Greek: determine & command.Paul says this as forcefully as he can to stress that God is actively ruling over our lives. Paul points out 2 things. First, God determines our allotted periods. That means God determined and commanded the time in which you live. Have you ever heard someone say, “I was born in the wrong generation.” That’s impossible! It’s impossible because God is the one overseeing when you live. That you live in this century, in this decade, on this very day is not coincidence, it’s not chance, it’s not random.You live in this moment because God determined and commanded that you should live in this moment.Second, Paul tells us that God determines the boundaries for our dwelling place.You live in your state because God put you here. You live in your city, town, or rural county because God put you there. You live in your house on your street because God put you there!None of that happened outside the sovereign rule of God!The aim of all God’s determining & commanding is that we should seek God, feel our way toward him, and find him
that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. v. 27
How incredible is that. What drives the sovereign and providential rule of God is his desire that we might find him. Just think on that for a moment, and be incredibly thankful that the person with the ultimate power and control in the universe uses it in a loving way! You live when and where you live for two reasons.First, so that you might find God. If you’re a Christian, look back on your life. Think about when and were you lived when you met Jesus. Think about the other people that God had around you: someone there to share the gospel with you, give you a Bible, give you a book, invite you to church. All of that was the work of a loving God.Second, once you've found God, you live when and where you live so that others might find God through you. That’s just the way God works. He uses his children, like lights in the darkness, to point others to the King. I love the imagery Paul uses here. It’s as if people are feeling around in a dark room, looking for something, and the hope is that they would run in to you, and that you would point them to the Jesus.This truth is the foundation of our strategy for helping unbelievers know and delight in Jesus. We trust that God has put us where we are and when we are so that those wandering in the darkness can see the light of Jesus as we share the gospel. Never forget that! Any time you think you are incapable of being a part of God’s mission, any time your heart is full of fear at the though of sharing the gospel, remember the sovereign God of the universe has put you in that position—and he doesn’t make mistakes. Every member of the body of Christ in on mission.6 things to do with and for those around youTo make our strategy as simple as we can, we’re encouraging you to do six things with and for those around you: your neighbors, family, coworkers, etc.
- Meet everyone & learn their names
- Pray for the people you meet
- Share a meal with them
- Find a need, Fill a need
- Enjoy some celebration/fun time
- In all of this seek out Gospel conversations
In the coming weeks we’re going to post articles about each of these six to give you ideas and encouragement. The important thing for every Christian to believe that God has put you where you are, when you are, so that others might come to know and delight in Jesus through you. You’re on mission with God today! Have a heart and mind to be aware of that, and trust the God who has ordered all these things.
The Post-Christmas Letdown
Christmas is over, at least for 2016, and depending on how your weekend went you are either thankful or sad the day has passed. For most of us, no matter our perceptions of this year’s Christmas, there was, and perhaps still is, an excitement and expectation surrounding Christmas. It’s a big day, and we either still have or can remember at least one Christmas where we were excited to see the sunrise. At its best Christmas brings family, food, fun and gifts. There are loads of excitement—then it is all over. You wake up the next morning and all the expectation and excitement you felt is gone, and this week is like every other week.I wonder if Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the prophets, and everyone else in Israel who rejoiced at the birth of Jesus felt the same way. With the exception of Luke’s eleven verses in Luke 2:41-51, the Bible is silent on the life of Jesus for nearly 30 years (Luke 3:18). I imagine there must have been some letdown. Both Mary and Joseph were visited by angels who announced the birth of Jesus. That’s some serious hype. For centuries prophets spoke and longed to see the night in the manger. But what happened the next day? My guess is the same things that happen after the birth of every new family’s first child. Monday there was feeding, diaper changing, and crying. Mary and Joseph were sleep deprived for a while. The shepherds? Back to work, tending sheep. Oh, there was excitement, but not the kind you would want. I mean, who wants to flee your home for another country to save the life of your son (Mat. 2:13-21). Eventually, life settled down in Nazareth.It was some thirty years before people began to see and hear what Jesus was about. For Mary, thirty years of mothering, thirty years of treasuring up everything she experienced in her heart before she saw Jesus’ ministry. And Joseph? He’s not mentioned after the birth narrative, and many scholars believe he likely died before Jesus’ public ministry began. Years of being a father and perhaps Joseph never saw. It was the waiting period, and everyone who has loved God throughout the ages has been through one. Adam and Eve waited for the seed. Abraham waited for a son. The Israelites waited in Egypt, and then for the prophet like Moses to come (Deut. 18:15). If you were alive during the three years of Jesus’ ministry, you waited for him to do something to deliver his people. And if you are a Christian living any time during the last two thousand years you have waited for Christ’s return and consumption of his kingdom. From the beginning of God’s rescue plan, the children of God have been waiting people.It’s easy to feel the letdown today. Jesus has come, and we want everything done right now. I know I do. I want the fight against sin to be over, I want a resurrection body, and most of all I want to be with God on the new earth he will make. But today, we wait. It’s not all bad news. The waiting is not useless, and what we do during our waiting really matters. Do you think the love and care of a mother was wasted as Mary waited thirty years? Of course not. I love that about the story of Jesus. There were thirty years of Mary being a mom, and every day mattered. And the truth is, whatever you do to the glory of God today, another day in a long line of waiting, matters as well. That's a great truth that flows from the reality of serving a sovereign God--the mundane matters. I don't know how, but I know that it does, and I want to spend my waiting day knowing that even the smallest things done out of love for God and people matter.
How to Vote
In a few short days we will have the opportunity to vote for men and women to serve in local, state, and federal government. In this election cycle the presidential race has gotten most of the attention; mainly because the major party candidates running are disliked by a large number of Americans. It's particularly difficult for many who, for the first time in their lives, are working through their vote by asking, "Who will do the least amount of harm," instead of, "Who will do the most good." Whether this is your first or thirtieth time voting for a president, whether you can't wait to vote or can't wait for elections to be over, here are a few things that each of us, particularly Christians, should do on November 7.VoteChristians should be the best citizens they can be no matter what country they live in. Yes, there are times when faith in Scripture will lead is in a different direction than our government. However, Christians should gladly follow when government leads in a direction that accords with Scripture. We do, after all, have a biblical mandate to submit to governing authorities (Romans 13:1). In our country the government invites us to vote. There's nothing unbiblical about voting for government officials, so every Christian should gladly vote this November. If you're struggling with this one remember why Paul tells us to submit to government in Romans 13:1. "For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." So, be a good citizen this November and vote because it makes our Father happy when we listen to and obey him.Be an informed voterI believe God would have us not just vote, but cast an informed vote. I make it a point never to vote for candidates unless I've first had the opportunity to see what they stand for. I do that because that's what good citizens should do, and because there is great wisdom in knowing who you're voting for. Read a few chapters of Proverbs and you'll quickly find that God wants all of our actions to be marked with wisdom. To help you be an informed voter, HERE'S a link where you can find a sample ballot for your county and city. Look up each candidate, do some research, and be a wise voter.Let your beliefs determine your voteIt drives me crazy when people say that religious belief has no place in elections. Nothing could be more foolish. Every person who votes does so according to their beliefs. What you believe about how government should work, how money should be spent or saved, what foreign policy should be, and where you stand on social issues help determine your vote. It's plain stupid to say that anyone should check their beliefs at the door when they vote! That's doubly true for Christians. Your belief in the Bible affects every square inch of your life, including your vote. Don't check your scriptural beliefs at the door this November. Take them with you to the voting booth and let them be a determining factor in your vote.Vote like it matters, worry like it doesn'tYes, voting matters, but not as much as God's sovereign rule. In fact, God is sovereign over every election our country has or will ever have. That's right, even 'bad' presidents were put there by God. Don't believe me? Listen to God:
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.(Romans 13:1 ESV)[God] changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings. (Daniel 2:21 ESV)Jesus answered [Pilate], “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above." (John 19:11 ESV)
Yes, voting matters. It matters because it is a choice and because as good citizens we can glorify God by voting. BUT, an election is nothing to worry about. No matter who wins an election, God is sovreignly and providentailly bring it about. I know that's hard to square with our point of view, particularly when we see leaders doing evil things. But no matter our feelings, the truth is every ruler in the history of the world was set up and taken down by God--on God's time table for God's good purpose. Maybe a good way to sum this point up is by encouraging you not to let worldly fear drive your vote. Most of us encounter another would be prophet predicting the future, a fearful one at that, around nearly every corner. Don't let that fear drive you. Instead, let the fear of God drive you. Vote in a way that you could happily say to God, "I voted this way because you are more important to me that anything else. More important than the opinions of others, more important than my comfort, more important than my personal opinions." Remember, there is a reality far greater than, "who's going to win in November." God has a worldwide rescue mission through Jesus. Everything, even elections, fit into that plan somehow. So vote this November like it matters, fully informed, guided by the truths of Scripture. But don't lose sleep over it! God is doing exactly what he wants, when he wants.
Christians and Politics: that meeting with Trump
Christianity has a unique relationship with politics. It’s a relationship of clearly defined allegiances and responsibilities captured best in Jesus’ own words in Matthew 21:22. “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” As Christians we whole heartedly render to the government and its political process the things they are due, knowing that when done rightly we are ultimately doing them unto to Lord (1 Cor. 10:31). On the other side of the relationship is an unyielding and unashamed belief in the things of God. The truths of Scripture, of Christ’s gospel and what it entails (ethics and all), are non-negotiable. I believe Jesus calls Christians to live this out in a way that is obvious to those around us. We should be good citizens of the country and states in which we live, but it should be painfully obvious that our ultimate allegiance, hope, and future lies elsewhere. An unbelieving world should easily note that Christians are not concerned with the power and prestige of the world because we have been captured by the power and beauty of Christ.My concern is that in our current election this distinction is not as clear as it should be, and nothing captures that better than the meeting last Tuesday between Donald Trump and several hundred evangelical leaders in New York. The meeting was closed to the media, but transcripts have made their way out. I want to be clear from the outset that I’m not condemning the men and women who attended the meeting. It’s a dangerous game to pretend like we know the motives in peoples’ hearts, especially when we do not know them and have never spoken to them. They will stand or fall before their own Master (Romans 14:4). What I do want to clearly point out, however, is how some of what took place at the meeting failed to maintain the sharp line of distinction that Jesus called for in Matthew 21:22.Last week The Atlantic published an article that ended with the following paragraph:
"Donald Trump is no dummy. He knows his audience better than they know themselves. Evangelicals are acutely aware of their waning cultural influence and shrinking share of the population. These religious leaders care about their principles, yes. But they care about something else even more: power. While not every evangelical leader is enthusiastic about Trump, many are starting to express warm feelings toward the candidate. Expect the cascade to continue. Their fawning, fumbling efforts to push Trump into the White House prove that many of them will risk everything to reclaim cultural and political control—even if that means defying their own beliefs."
That’s a sad conclusion for anyone to draw of a group of Christians, especially Christian leaders. Our first question should be whether or not it is justified. And as sad as it is to say, I’m afraid the answer is yes—at least when it comes to the Christian men who introduced Trump: Franklin Graham and Jerry Falwell Jr. I believe both blurred the line Jesus called for, and unfortunately left the world thinking that power was indeed more important than principle. Here’s selections of troubling things each said.
Graham: And as we look at who is to be the next president of the United States, many people are looking at qualities. And I’d like to take just a moment to look at the Bible. Some of the individuals are our patriarchs: Abraham — great man of faith. But he lied. Moses led his people out of bondage, but he disobeyed God. David committed adultery and then he committed murder. The Apostles turned their back on the Lord Jesus Christ in his greatest hour of need, they turned their backs and they ran. Peter denied him three times. All of this to say, there is none of us is perfect. We’re all guilty of sin. Franklin Graham stands here in front of you today as a sinner. But I’ve been forgiven by God’s grace. He forgave me. I invited Christ to come into my heart and my life. He forgave me. There’s no perfect person—there’s only one, and that’s the Lord Jesus Christ. And he’s not running for president of the United States this year.
The middle part is not so bad, but the implication of the whole paragraph is. Without saying it directly, Graham implied that Trump is like Abraham, Moses, David, and Peter. All imperfect sinners, yet all great men used by God. The part missing? That Abraham, Moses, David, and Peter where all broken over their sin, confessed and repented over their sin, and obeyed God. I would be overjoyed if Trump were to follow suit (I want everyone to know and delight in Jesus!). But we can’t minimize the seriousness of sin by pointing to the sins of others—especially when the core of our message is that we are sinners who stand before a holy God, deserving judgment and needing salvation.
Falwell: Donald Trump is the only candidate in this election who has achieved independent financial success. He’s not a puppet on a string like the other candidate, who has wealthy donors — some from countries who oppress women and gays — as her puppet masters. And that’s a key reason why so many voters are attracted to him.
That Trump has achieved independent financial success is a true statement. The issue is that Trump has made much of his money in a manner that historic Christianity would call unethical. Here are two examples. First, gambling. It’s no secret that Trump owns several casinos, some more profitable than others. Yet at Liberty University, of which Falwell is the president, the Student Honor Code lists gambling as a 6 point offense. Then there’s all the money Trump makes off of his own brand, the Trump name which Trump has been building for decades. No doubt some (a lot?) of that name rests on practices that Christians, including Falwell, deem unethical. One easy example of this is a photo op of Trump, Falwell, and Falwell’s wife. A bit embarrassing that over Mrs. Falwell’s left shoulder is a framed Playboy magazine with Trump on the cover (Liberty’s honor code rightly considers Playboy offensive media). That’s just one piece of the Trump name. So it appears that Trump has avoided one evil by indulging in another. Again, the endorsement seems to be at odds with what Falwell and the rest of orthodox Christianity teach.It’s examples like these that can easily lead people to think—whether rightly or wrongly—that Christian leaders, and so all Christians, are more concerned with power than with the truth of the Gospel of Jesus.So what should we do? Walk the line Jesus calls for, very carefully. Personally, I am committed to vote because that’s part of what being a good citizen means. I have never missed voting in an election, and I don’t intend on starting now. But I will honestly say that I cannot enthusiastically vote for any presidential candidate we currently have (and there are more than 2!). We must be engaged with the culture in which we live, and we must render unto Caesar things that are Caesar’s. But as Christians, we must do so in a way that always displays where our ultimate allegiance lies. The witness of the Church is more important than who wins the upcoming election. To sacrifice the former for the sake of the latter would be like giving up running water to save a leaky faucet.
