Believer or Experiencer?

I suppose it could just as well be said, “Player or spectator?” But the point of asking “Believer or Experiencer” has a lot to do with the way we have become conditioned through our traditional Western “church life” experience. I realize I am generalizing when I say this condition presents itself more through the lives of those who were born and raised in the church rather than those who came to faith more recently or from a less conventional route. And I apologize for the generalization. But there is truth to it. Those who were not raised in the church probably see this more clearly than others.

There is something cultural to both our Christianity and our mainstream “church” experience. I am not saying our experience may be part of some watered down conspiracy. I don’t sense anything malicious or even intentional. But gang, the church has been somewhat benignly asleep at the wheel while the culture has shifted around it. It seems inevitable that we are always a bit slow to respond – but we have to respond. It’s not so much a failure to market the “product” as it is to demonstrate Jesus in a relevant manner to our present day culture. Ours is not the same religiously receptive culture our Momma grew up in. A lot of people just plain don’t like us!

We have become more domesticated than God intended, intimidated by a hostile culture that says to our face, “We aren’t buying what you’re selling, and we’re just not interested.”  Jesus did a lot of teaching. No doubt. (In some of our bibles, He even highlighted what He wrote in red letters.)  We are at a time in history when the average person doesn’t give a flip about our Christian faith or the church. Our culture moves increasingly in that direction. (call this post-modernism if you wish) To many the existence of the church is irrelevant. Our presence as “salt and light” to the world appears to them as more shadow than substance.

Part of the reason for our “non-presence” is that the church continues to be pretty much geared towards more education / indoctrination than learning and practicing appropriate” rules of  engagement” with our culture. Much of the church still views discipleship simplistically as “one more bible study” or discovering biblical minutia than carrying on the hefty part of Jesus’ ministry of communicating the gospel, reaching the lost, healing the hurts, and serving the needs of others in practical ways.

Yes, the gospel is central. Yes, we need to be anchored to truth to capture the fundamentals of the faith. But our balance tilts toward the cerebral and ministry to “self” rather than towards equipping believers in how to personally touch lives with Christ’s love. “One more class” will not achieve what Christ calls His “A team” to accomplish with Him. We have been given the ministry of reconciliation. We are Christ’s ambassadors of hope and good will. We are to teach and reach. Reach and teach. Winning the right to be heard by first listening and helping – and speak when the opportunity presents itself. Let’s get in the game and see what happens.

Mark Carlson

No Plan B

Remember the old posters of Uncle Sam, pointing his finger with the words, “I Want You in the U.S. Army?” Uncle Sam aside, God wants to use  us . . . you and me. We have always been part of His plan. Plan A, that is. And by the way, God has no Plan B. So report for duty, soldier! Sometimes we are tempted to respond like Moses. We think of all sorts of excuses why we can’t do things for God. Moses said, “Who am I to go – I am slow of speech and tongue?” Sound a little like you? God said, “Go, I’ll be with you and help you speak and teach you what to say.”

You see, it’s not as important as to who you and I are in this equation, but who is with us –  - -God! Even when we fear we won’t “get the words right” or “I wish I had said this or that,” God is and will be there to give us appropriate words. Remember, He is the hand, we are the glove! Scripture says in 2 Cor. 3:5, “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” That is just cause for us to relax from our hesitation and fears and act. Go.

What holds you and me back? Fear. Fear of what they’d think of me. Fear of them rejecting me. Fear of them ridiculing me. Fear of me messing up. All of these fears have one thing in common. They’re all about me!  Seldom is our fear that we are neglecting God’s direction or disobeying Him. Are you able to see yourself, with Christ in you, as a “rescuer?” Rescue takes my eyes off myself and focuses on others. After an earthquake or a 911 tragedy, rescuers appear to have greater concerns than the fear of what would happen to them if they search and rescue. It’s what will happen to the dying person if they don’t go in. Courage is not the absence of fear; it’s the disregard of it. Spiritual service and spiritual rescue are completely God things. It’s not about you and me.

Mark Carlson

How’s It Growing?

Do you ever think about it? What’s different now about me in my life as a believer that was not the same months ago? I don’t know where one goes to get a “spiritual” measuring stick or mirror, but it does make sense to do some self evaluation every now and then. Christian growth, sometimes called “maturity,” is pretty much expected of us. David did this and left us Psalm 139:23-24.He said “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting.”

Let me suggest five habits or “disciplines” which are useful to kind of check ourselves out. These are not “practices” God requires in order for Him to stay pleased with us. They are more like exercises we do to keep fit and maintain our spiritual edge. Take some time before the Lord and quietly ask Him to evaluate the following with you in light of where you were some months ago.

Don’t be afraid to give yourself a modest pat on the back where you see encouraging signs. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a nudge where you seem to be stuck or sliding. I put them in alphabetical order because I am not certain if there is a descending order. Here goes: Fellowship (your relationships with other believers); Giving (of your time, talent and treasure); Prayer (talking with God and listening to Him) Serving (within the body and to the world); Study of God’s word (just like it’s the air we breathe, the bread we need). You might ask, what about “worship?” I reply, worship is present within all of these five disciplines, not merely something separate we “do.”

Mark Carlson

I Doubt It

Once in a while I do. Not as much as I did when I was younger in my faith. But there are still things in my journey of faith that cause me to raise questions, even doubts to God. Don’t you?

No disrespect intended to God. Nothing to shake me to the core of my beliefs. But concerns sometimes. Just that. And I’m just naïve enough to think that if I have a particular concern, then God is concerned too.

I believe I am in good company. Even the closest disciples, the twelve, often expressed their doubts. Jesus sometimes rebuked them for their lack of faith. Well, just like them, sometimes I don’t quite “get it.” God can handle my doubts . . . and yours. He does so graciously. Look at His response to Thomas, a real holdout after Jesus’ death and resurrection.

John 20 describes the scene. The disciples (except Thomas) are huddling and shaking behind locked doors, afraid of the Jewish leaders. Jesus appears to them ( no easy trick) and held out His hands for them to see and showed them His side. Thomas gets the word of confirmation from the other guys and eight days later Jesus shows up again, this time with Thomas present. Thomas has already told the boys he wasn’t buying in to belief unless he got his hands on Jesus’ wounds. So Jesus, knowing all this, invites Thomas to begin his personal physical inspection and then get on with believing. Thomas follows though, and proclaims his belief.

Jesus seemed glad that Thomas finally arrived in this faith. He put up with Thomas’s doubt/lack of faith.  He just said, in paraphrase, “Tommy, it’s really kind of “extra” nice when people simply take my word in faith, without requiring the tangibles. But your doubt is ok too, because it led you to an affirming faith.” I believe Jesus loves it when we demonstrate faith in Him and in all that He says. And I believe He is patient towards me and you as we sometimes have to “arrive” at faith after passing through a stretch of doubt. Jesus is secure. He invites us to come to Him with our questions and “still forming” faith.

Mark Carlson

Tiger in the Tank?

Can you imagine a John the Baptist type today? He’d be locked up by society and labeled “certifiable.” The church would call him “radical,” perhaps even worse  He’d probably be an embarrassment to most of us. To others, he’d be a novelty. But to Jesus . . . old Johnny had the zeal of one with an eye on the prize – and only the prize. Jesus must have had fun with this special bug eatin’ cousin.

Could it be possible that God sees each of us as kids with a “tiger in the tank” (substitute Holy Spirit for tiger if you wish) and wonders what it will take beyond that power source and life compass for us to unleash our infinite potential? What absolute delight He must feel when one of us “gets it” and truly breaks free to be blown in the direction and for the purpose His Spirit wills.

Our prayers are often flavored by what we would like to see God do for us. Let’s try this one for a while if we are ready to follow through. “Father, what, by your power in me, would you like for me to do for you today?” As God shows us, let’s do it!

Mark Carlson