Just because everyone used to think that the earth was flat doesn’t mean that it was true.
How would you have convinced them otherwise?
You would have to go on a long walk with them.
Modern day flat world thinking.
Is it possible to wipe out hunger in our world in 14 days?
Yes, if 4 people convinced 4 people each to give $100 and they in turn convinced 4 people each the following day and so on. If this happened 14 days in a row, how much money would be raised to combat poverty?
4
16
64
256
1,024
4,096
16,384
65,536
262144
1,048,576
4,194,304
16,777,216
67,108,864
268,435,456
With just the population of North America over $33 billion would have been raised.
Will this happen? Not as long as we continue to believe the lie that the need is too big or that $100 is too small.
Maybe it's because people think $100 is too much to give away.
On average, Christians give about $100 a month to church salaries and buildings.
Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto him."
Modern day application for North American Christians, "Let the little children suffer as we listen to sermons and sing praises to Jesus."
Monday, September 29, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Malachi 3: Tithing for the Poor?
On many church offering envelopes you will see this verse, Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that here may be food in My house, test Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until there is no more need. Malachi 3:10
To be fair, most pastors never intended to abuse this passage, they are just doing what they have been taught. Sadly, I was one of the them.
Here is an excerpt, from “The Children are Free”, by Roger Sapp.
The Second Tithe is for the Poor
The second biblical tithe was in support of the poor, the widow, the orphan and the foreigner and the Levite again. It was collected every three years. This amounted to two years out of seven years because one year out of seven the land was commanded to be at rest and unproductive. This food tithe was stored locally to support those in need. The LAW says:
At the end of every third year you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year, and shall deposit it in your town. And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the alien, the orphan and the widow who are in your town, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
Deuteronomy 14:28-29 and see Deut. 16:22
This second food tithe was stored locally and those who were in need could partake of it. The poor did not tithe at all. They had no harvest to tithe from. They could obtain help from the local storehouse or they could glean the corners of the fields of others. Needy widows, orphans, foreigners and needy Levites could partake of this local storehouse of food. Since there was an ongoing failure to pay the first food tithe, the Levites were often in need.
Those that teach tithing fail to notice that the poor did not pay a food tithe. Tithing money today is incredibly hard on the poor and easy on the rich. If a person, who needs every cent of their income to pay for food and shelter, is obligated to pay ten-percent of their income to the church, it becomes an incredible burden. However, if a person is rich and is only living on a small fraction of their income, then paying a tithe of their income is no burden at all. Teaching the poor to tithe their income places upon them a heavy burden that Christ never intended them to carry.
The church seems to ignore the second food tithe for the poor in its teaching of tithing money. In fact, many leaders confuse this tithe with the first tithe in support of the Levites. The poor tithe is mentioned in Malachi, Chapter 3. This is a very popular text used in the church to teach the tithing of money. This passage is often wrongly taught as pertaining to the Levites and Priests and spiritualized to apply to the ministry of the church. The food tithe for the Levites was brought to Jerusalem and paid during the festivals. It was not stored locally in the storehouse. This tithe in Malachi 3 was the poor tithe and was brought to the storehouse in their localities. Malachi also says that this is a food tithe of produce rather than money.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that here may be food in My house, test Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until there is no more need.
Malachi 3:10
The church has often sincerely but ignorantly misused this passage by spiritualizing it. The storehouse in the passage by interpretation becomes the local church rather than the literal Jewish town’s storehouse for the poor. The literal food in the passage by interpretation becomes money. The blessing by interpretation becomes more money rather than God opening the windows of heaven and pouring out rain that produces more food.
Beyond this, the money collected by misusing this passage is not generally used to support the poor either. It is used to support the ministry of the church. This is a general spiritualization of this passage that improperly takes the passage out of its context and reapplies it to Christians without biblical license. This spiritualized teaching makes believers feel that they are under some sort of New Testament law of giving with a curse attached. This is poor teaching at best. This teaching puts forgiven believers back under the Law of Moses and its curse.
Here is the spiritualized version of these verses taught by some in the church:
Bring (as an act of worship) the full amount of your tithe (ten percent of your ongoing income) in the storehouse (the local church), that there may be food (spiritual food) in My house (the local church), and prove Me now (presently) by it, (put me to the test, give Me an opportunity to prove Myself) and you will see that I will open the windows of heaven to you—and pour out on you so much (financial, material) blessing that you will not have room enough to contain it. Then I will rebuke (protect your income from) the devourer (the devil) for you – I will stop the thief (the devil) from destroying the fruit (money, material goods) of your labors.
Spiritualized version of Malachi 3:10-11
Last Thoughts From Me
How did we ever get to the place that 90-100% of all giving at a local church goes to brick and mortar, salaries (mostly domestic and a bit for missionaries) and programs?
Why have we so neglected the poor in the process without any pang of guilt?
Ask your pastor.
Now that this deception has been exposed will he and you continue to serve the lie or listen to a prophet like Ezekiel?
The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
Ezekiel 34: 1-3
Wow, a prophet not out for profit.
To be fair, most pastors never intended to abuse this passage, they are just doing what they have been taught. Sadly, I was one of the them.
Here is an excerpt, from “The Children are Free”, by Roger Sapp.
The Second Tithe is for the Poor
The second biblical tithe was in support of the poor, the widow, the orphan and the foreigner and the Levite again. It was collected every three years. This amounted to two years out of seven years because one year out of seven the land was commanded to be at rest and unproductive. This food tithe was stored locally to support those in need. The LAW says:
At the end of every third year you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year, and shall deposit it in your town. And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the alien, the orphan and the widow who are in your town, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
Deuteronomy 14:28-29 and see Deut. 16:22
This second food tithe was stored locally and those who were in need could partake of it. The poor did not tithe at all. They had no harvest to tithe from. They could obtain help from the local storehouse or they could glean the corners of the fields of others. Needy widows, orphans, foreigners and needy Levites could partake of this local storehouse of food. Since there was an ongoing failure to pay the first food tithe, the Levites were often in need.
Those that teach tithing fail to notice that the poor did not pay a food tithe. Tithing money today is incredibly hard on the poor and easy on the rich. If a person, who needs every cent of their income to pay for food and shelter, is obligated to pay ten-percent of their income to the church, it becomes an incredible burden. However, if a person is rich and is only living on a small fraction of their income, then paying a tithe of their income is no burden at all. Teaching the poor to tithe their income places upon them a heavy burden that Christ never intended them to carry.
The church seems to ignore the second food tithe for the poor in its teaching of tithing money. In fact, many leaders confuse this tithe with the first tithe in support of the Levites. The poor tithe is mentioned in Malachi, Chapter 3. This is a very popular text used in the church to teach the tithing of money. This passage is often wrongly taught as pertaining to the Levites and Priests and spiritualized to apply to the ministry of the church. The food tithe for the Levites was brought to Jerusalem and paid during the festivals. It was not stored locally in the storehouse. This tithe in Malachi 3 was the poor tithe and was brought to the storehouse in their localities. Malachi also says that this is a food tithe of produce rather than money.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that here may be food in My house, test Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until there is no more need.
Malachi 3:10
The church has often sincerely but ignorantly misused this passage by spiritualizing it. The storehouse in the passage by interpretation becomes the local church rather than the literal Jewish town’s storehouse for the poor. The literal food in the passage by interpretation becomes money. The blessing by interpretation becomes more money rather than God opening the windows of heaven and pouring out rain that produces more food.
Beyond this, the money collected by misusing this passage is not generally used to support the poor either. It is used to support the ministry of the church. This is a general spiritualization of this passage that improperly takes the passage out of its context and reapplies it to Christians without biblical license. This spiritualized teaching makes believers feel that they are under some sort of New Testament law of giving with a curse attached. This is poor teaching at best. This teaching puts forgiven believers back under the Law of Moses and its curse.
Here is the spiritualized version of these verses taught by some in the church:
Bring (as an act of worship) the full amount of your tithe (ten percent of your ongoing income) in the storehouse (the local church), that there may be food (spiritual food) in My house (the local church), and prove Me now (presently) by it, (put me to the test, give Me an opportunity to prove Myself) and you will see that I will open the windows of heaven to you—and pour out on you so much (financial, material) blessing that you will not have room enough to contain it. Then I will rebuke (protect your income from) the devourer (the devil) for you – I will stop the thief (the devil) from destroying the fruit (money, material goods) of your labors.
Spiritualized version of Malachi 3:10-11
Last Thoughts From Me
How did we ever get to the place that 90-100% of all giving at a local church goes to brick and mortar, salaries (mostly domestic and a bit for missionaries) and programs?
Why have we so neglected the poor in the process without any pang of guilt?
Ask your pastor.
Now that this deception has been exposed will he and you continue to serve the lie or listen to a prophet like Ezekiel?
The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
Ezekiel 34: 1-3
Wow, a prophet not out for profit.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Is Christ Divided?
This is an edited repost of a blog I wrote a year ago. The inspiration came from someone asking me once again, "What church are you going to?" When I said, "How do I go to what we are?", there was a judgemental silence indicating his disfavor. Incredibly if I had said, "Oh, I go to the church of gobbledy gook over on Main Street", he would have said, "That's wonderful, isn't Jesus good all the time."
When I look over the vastness of the body of Christ within the world, my heart weeps over systems that demand adherents to hold onto a broken shard, thinking it is THEE church. Billions of dollars have been spent to build pedestals where these fragments can be codified and idolized. I understand that this is the normal way of doing business and I have repented for being part of this mass distortion. (Apologies of course to the ones who really are perfect.)
A friend that passed away last spring really set me on a journey to look beyond what the godless emperor Constantine established as the norm for church practices for the last 1700 years. (Constantine established the first church buildings which necessitated a paid clergy to support them.) My friend asked me two simple questions:
Most churches have never asked these questions. However they have asked, where and when should we build a building and what should we name ourselves? Unfathomable amounts of time, energy and resources have gone into these questions which were never asked nor answered by any New Testament writer.
When I look over the vastness of the body of Christ within the world, my heart weeps over systems that demand adherents to hold onto a broken shard, thinking it is THEE church. Billions of dollars have been spent to build pedestals where these fragments can be codified and idolized. I understand that this is the normal way of doing business and I have repented for being part of this mass distortion. (Apologies of course to the ones who really are perfect.)
A friend that passed away last spring really set me on a journey to look beyond what the godless emperor Constantine established as the norm for church practices for the last 1700 years. (Constantine established the first church buildings which necessitated a paid clergy to support them.) My friend asked me two simple questions:
Why do we need a name?
Why do we need a building?
Why do we need a building?
Most churches have never asked these questions. However they have asked, where and when should we build a building and what should we name ourselves? Unfathomable amounts of time, energy and resources have gone into these questions which were never asked nor answered by any New Testament writer.
When I thought about it I realized that the New Testament only refers to Christians by geography and attaching themselves to a particular name was unheard of. (Not quite true. Paul scolded the church in Corinth for aligning themselves with personalities.) Therefore, what is considered normal and necessary today can only be considered extra-biblical at best and scripturally unnecessary.
My friend's two questions are actually rooted in scripture and carry with them the inference that they are signs of rebellion and lack trust towards God. These questions began early on with the building of the tower of Babel (they feared being scattered), to the Jewish people's demand for a king (clearly not God's will), to Paul saying,
"What I mean is this:
One of you says, "I follow Paul";
another, "I follow Apollos";
another, "I follow Cephas";
still another, "I follow Christ."
Is Christ divided?
Was Paul crucified for you?
Were you baptized into the name of Paul?"
One of you says, "I follow Paul";
another, "I follow Apollos";
another, "I follow Cephas";
still another, "I follow Christ."
Is Christ divided?
Was Paul crucified for you?
Were you baptized into the name of Paul?"
1Cor 1:12,13 (NIV)
It's incredible that men have managed to preach these very words of Paul to the same people for extended periods of time, (in some cases 30+ years), without ever considering that their longevity makes them guilty of the very thing Paul warned everyone about. People's fear of being scattered hasn't lessened since the tower of Babel.
I teach English as a Second Language. What kind of a teacher would I be if my students kept failing but I was clever enough to keep them happy in my beginners class for 30 years?
The longest Paul stayed in any one place was 3 years in the city of Ephesus. He seemed to think he could get the job done in 3 years or less. Or maybe he didn't have as much to give as modern day pastors do.
It's incredible that men have managed to preach these very words of Paul to the same people for extended periods of time, (in some cases 30+ years), without ever considering that their longevity makes them guilty of the very thing Paul warned everyone about. People's fear of being scattered hasn't lessened since the tower of Babel.
I teach English as a Second Language. What kind of a teacher would I be if my students kept failing but I was clever enough to keep them happy in my beginners class for 30 years?
The longest Paul stayed in any one place was 3 years in the city of Ephesus. He seemed to think he could get the job done in 3 years or less. Or maybe he didn't have as much to give as modern day pastors do.
One of the greatest indictments against Christianity has been the sectarian and elitist separation that is the most easily recognized attribute for those who seriously look at the whole of Christianity. It seems that every local church creates its own subculture to define itself. For the seeker or new Christian the message is clearly that they should learn to conform to one of the models that is presented. At one group, subjective prophetic language must be accepted in order to fill fully accepted. At another group one must fully reject that approach in order to belong. Another group demands the acceptance and submission to hierarchal leadership. The list of 30,000+ denominations would be too burdensome to go on with.
Pastors and people give the impression that one must belong to one of these diverse groups, never realizing that they are forcing people to make choices that are sometimes polar opposites. Naturally, the group you choose will tell you that you have made the correct choice.
Thankfully a new Christian is mature enough to fully understand the limits of any one group and is able to make the correct choice of such diverse thought processes.
Why are we so smugly content that Christ has been divided up this way? (Some aren't. Their thinking is, "If only everyone else would realize that we are right, what a great witness that would be to the world.")
I know some pastors who are working very hard to bring unity within diverse church settings. I think they are unaware that it's their very own religious formula that is a contributor to the disunity. Why don't Christians realize that they are Christ's and Christ's alone?
Each system demands that the leadership protect it and cause people to conform to its image. The words, in Jesus name are used as a by line in every church group, making it appear that Jesus is quite schizophrenic. Within any particular group what they consider normal and vital is really just some guy’s interpretation that he has managed to enforce or convince a group to adhere to. This enforcement is said to be for the protection of the people but it is really for the protection of the system.
I used to work in a church that had a policy manual as thick as a Bible. It could be conveniently ignored or rigidly enforced in order to support whatever mood we leaders were in that day. Sometimes we mock the Pharisees of Jesus' day for their rigid enforcement of their policy manual, the Talmud. Are we any different?
When people begin to explore outside of their group’s boundaries (speaking in tongues, remarriage, women in leadership, prophetic leadings, raising of hands, styles of worship, doctrine, tithing, cultural dress, missions, care for the poor…) the only thing they can do with integrity is leave quietly. Way to often, friendships cannot survive even a quiet leaving. The travesty is that when Paul asks the question, “Is Christ divided?”, the answer is a resounding YES.
The best of those in leadership end up subjugating themselves to the system to which they are a part of and sometimes have created. I’m not saying this support is done grudgingly; in fact it is often done with naïve, idealistic passion. Nevertheless, their mission, backed by significant resources, is to support their flawed system. Eventually and inevitably idolatry is the result because no system is the whole of Christ. I don’t know any leader that thinks that what he is doing is a form of idolatry and yet if they look at other systems they can see the idols (hindrances and limits), quite easily.
With the free flow of information that we now have access to, these systems can be easily observed, but not so easily dismantled. Religion is incredibly resilient against real change. The common theme through these systems is for the seeker or new believer to change to be like them. For the religious elite of Jesus' day, the cross was the only answer for someone who did not conform.
Many leaders still tend to think in terms of how to build a better mouse trap (there is no end to conferences and books about closing the backdoor) in order to gather people around themselves. (They would say it's not about them, it's about Jesus. Let's give Jesus a clap offering. Ugh!) But the shackles are beginning to loosen. Thankfully, keeping people ignorant and isolated is no longer an easy weapon to wield.
Pastors can still build their fortresses but some people are realizing that their might be more to Christ beyond the walls and the moat. It is no longer necessary or beneficial to build beautiful sanctuaries for one man to stand on his pedestal dispensing his particular brand of Christianity to the adoring throng. The greatest lie is the one that never admits but seductively implies, "We have searched and uncovered the vastness of Christ and have everything you need." Even so, human nature being what it is will allow this to continue. “Give us a king”, is still a common cry.
When I was doing my toolmaker apprenticeship I wondered why the term journeyman was used to refer to the skilled trades. In an earlier time when a man finished his apprenticeship he was immediately fired from the company. He had to journey to find another job within his field in order to gain more experience. The point being that no singular place could ever give someone the full expression and experience that the specific trade demanded. The only way to do this in church systems is to break, vilify, cast out, leave quietly or dethrone in order for people to mature into the full expression of the body of Christ.
The one who leaves is seen as either rebellious, backslidden or deceived and the group condescendingly mouths the words, we'll pray for you. That's not really true: usually in an ironic twist, no one even notices when someone leaves. If you show up a year later they will tell you much they have missed you. How arrogant that people can talk of an infinite God that can be so easily packaged within the limits of a finite group?
The great commission is a command to GO, not stay and smugly or passively conform.
Leaders don’t tend to lead for a time and then get out of the way. But the model is there in scripture for those who care to look. The gilded cage of a paycheck makes it difficult for pastors to actually apply this principle.
John the Baptist said,
"He must increase, but I [must] decrease. John 3:30 (NKJV)
Jesus said,
"But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away." John 16:7a (NIV)
Jesus did not say He would build a system and call it church. He did say, He (not a pastor) would build His church. Peter defines what Jesus meant by this, (notice we are the many stones but there is only one house)
1Pet 2:4 (NIV) As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-- 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
What am I trying to say? Pause for a while to learn from others but don’t become rooted in the limits of finite people. It really is OK to be a journeyman, learning from various and diverse members of the body of Christ, about the one pearl of great price. Jesus did promise a comforter (not a group) that will guide you into all truth.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The Problem with Money: Fear, Greed, Passiveness
“The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. That’s the way it’s always been.”
Sadly, many Christians think this is true.
For many, talking about money is in bad taste. If you talk about it you must be greedy.
Discipling young Christians in how God sees money is unheard of except of course to teach them to pay their teacher.
Consequently many people (including Christians) are trapped in a never-ending cycle of fear and greed when it comes to money. Others have taken the “supposedly” high road and say they are indifferent to it. That's just another form of fearfulness that you will see in a moment from Jesus' teaching.
The true purpose of money is to surprise our neighbors and help the poor. (That's called ministry.)
Getting our hearts in line with kingdom thinking is not some passive, wish it were so, pseudo-Christian way of thinking. In fact, passiveness has no value in advancing the kingdom of God.
“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.” Matthew 11:12
Jesus talked a lot about money. Perhaps more than any other single subject. Here is one example of some of the astonishing things He had to say about money. The topic is investments for kingdom purposes.
This is an excerpt from “Radical Trust in God for Finances”, by Roger Sapp. This portion is about the Parable of the Ten Minas. Luke 19:11-27
"The Nobleman’s Judgment of the Third Slave
There are interesting elements in the reaction of the nobleman to this particular slave. The nobleman says to the third slave,
“He said to him, “By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow? Then why did you not put the money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?”
Luke 19:22-23
The slave got just what he was expecting. He expected a harsh reaction and received one. He was judged by his own words. The third slave was rebuked for not even entrusting the banker with the money so that he could have drawn interest. This is an extremely interesting comment by Christ in this parable. Christ sees drawing interest on money as kind of a minimum thing that someone that is fearful should do. It is not really what he expects for His faithful and believing servants. He expects them to invest and do business with what he gives and come back with a multiplication of the principle not just interest. This also speaks to initiative. Financial passivity will not produce what Christ wishes. It is a reflection of fearfulness not faith. Christ expects us to actively invest and have a multiplication of the resources that He gives us.
Christ, through the words of the nobleman, describes the third slave as worthless in this verse. This is the Greek word poneros. It is often translated wicked. Why was the man wicked? He had a wrong view of the nobleman that made him fearful and produced disobedience to his commands and that made him unproductive. Many people today have a wrong view of God that makes them fearful and disobedient. They do not come to Christ as Savior because they do not see God properly. They are full of accusations against God and think of Him being harsh. They also unfortunately may be judged by their own words and attitudes toward God rather than experiencing the mercy and grace of God in Jesus Christ."
A Final Thought by Me
Have you ever been surprised by someone's financial generosity towards you? I'm not talking about picking up the cheque at a restaurant. If that happens and you don't reciprocate you're just a lazy ingrate. I'm talking about extravagant giving like a car, a house, paying off school loans, a future... Not many have and that is why most Christians do not walk in Jesus' teachings about money. It is hard to do what no one has done for you.
You can wait for someone to get this truth and pass it on to you. Or you can believe Jesus and be like the slave that took 1 mina and multiplied it tenfold. In doing this multiplication, he wasn't hoarding his nickels but extravagantly helping others as well. Is this possible? Jesus thought it was the first step in living a faith filled life.
And Jesus said,
"I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?" Luke 16:9-11
When you get doing this you'll find it to be extremely fun and frustrating. People will think you're nuts. Even the ones you try to help will resist and question your motives. Go with what Jesus thinks, the crowd will always get it wrong.
Sadly, many Christians think this is true.
For many, talking about money is in bad taste. If you talk about it you must be greedy.
Discipling young Christians in how God sees money is unheard of except of course to teach them to pay their teacher.
Consequently many people (including Christians) are trapped in a never-ending cycle of fear and greed when it comes to money. Others have taken the “supposedly” high road and say they are indifferent to it. That's just another form of fearfulness that you will see in a moment from Jesus' teaching.
The true purpose of money is to surprise our neighbors and help the poor. (That's called ministry.)
Getting our hearts in line with kingdom thinking is not some passive, wish it were so, pseudo-Christian way of thinking. In fact, passiveness has no value in advancing the kingdom of God.
“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.” Matthew 11:12
Jesus talked a lot about money. Perhaps more than any other single subject. Here is one example of some of the astonishing things He had to say about money. The topic is investments for kingdom purposes.
This is an excerpt from “Radical Trust in God for Finances”, by Roger Sapp. This portion is about the Parable of the Ten Minas. Luke 19:11-27
"The Nobleman’s Judgment of the Third Slave
There are interesting elements in the reaction of the nobleman to this particular slave. The nobleman says to the third slave,
“He said to him, “By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow? Then why did you not put the money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?”
Luke 19:22-23
The slave got just what he was expecting. He expected a harsh reaction and received one. He was judged by his own words. The third slave was rebuked for not even entrusting the banker with the money so that he could have drawn interest. This is an extremely interesting comment by Christ in this parable. Christ sees drawing interest on money as kind of a minimum thing that someone that is fearful should do. It is not really what he expects for His faithful and believing servants. He expects them to invest and do business with what he gives and come back with a multiplication of the principle not just interest. This also speaks to initiative. Financial passivity will not produce what Christ wishes. It is a reflection of fearfulness not faith. Christ expects us to actively invest and have a multiplication of the resources that He gives us.
Christ, through the words of the nobleman, describes the third slave as worthless in this verse. This is the Greek word poneros. It is often translated wicked. Why was the man wicked? He had a wrong view of the nobleman that made him fearful and produced disobedience to his commands and that made him unproductive. Many people today have a wrong view of God that makes them fearful and disobedient. They do not come to Christ as Savior because they do not see God properly. They are full of accusations against God and think of Him being harsh. They also unfortunately may be judged by their own words and attitudes toward God rather than experiencing the mercy and grace of God in Jesus Christ."
A Final Thought by Me
Have you ever been surprised by someone's financial generosity towards you? I'm not talking about picking up the cheque at a restaurant. If that happens and you don't reciprocate you're just a lazy ingrate. I'm talking about extravagant giving like a car, a house, paying off school loans, a future... Not many have and that is why most Christians do not walk in Jesus' teachings about money. It is hard to do what no one has done for you.
You can wait for someone to get this truth and pass it on to you. Or you can believe Jesus and be like the slave that took 1 mina and multiplied it tenfold. In doing this multiplication, he wasn't hoarding his nickels but extravagantly helping others as well. Is this possible? Jesus thought it was the first step in living a faith filled life.
And Jesus said,
"I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?" Luke 16:9-11
When you get doing this you'll find it to be extremely fun and frustrating. People will think you're nuts. Even the ones you try to help will resist and question your motives. Go with what Jesus thinks, the crowd will always get it wrong.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
The Trap of Knowledge
One of the great quests in life is seeking after truth and then applying it. The danger is assuming that knowledge equals truth and wisdom.
Being satisfied with knowledge can condemn us to eating yesterday’s left overs. I have experienced this more times than I can count.
My pride would trap me into thinking I had fully learned something and therefore did not continue to seek greater understanding on the subject.
Not only did it trap me into not seeking a deeper understanding, when someone else spoke from a different perspective, I couldn’t hear what they had to say. I hate to think about the number of opportunities I have missed to grow and develop due to pride trapping me in yesterday.
This was so true for me during the many years that I practiced and taught tithing. I could do this faithfully and assume somehow that the poor were being cared for. My thinking was, “If they practiced tithing faithfully they wouldn’t be poor.” YUCK
There is a real danger of pride when you have taught something passionately and sincerely for any length of time. Can we admit to being wrong? What will others think of this about face? Will I allow others who have taught me to change their mind as well?
No doubt we need to listen to the prophet Micah,
Being satisfied with knowledge can condemn us to eating yesterday’s left overs. I have experienced this more times than I can count.
My pride would trap me into thinking I had fully learned something and therefore did not continue to seek greater understanding on the subject.
Not only did it trap me into not seeking a deeper understanding, when someone else spoke from a different perspective, I couldn’t hear what they had to say. I hate to think about the number of opportunities I have missed to grow and develop due to pride trapping me in yesterday.
This was so true for me during the many years that I practiced and taught tithing. I could do this faithfully and assume somehow that the poor were being cared for. My thinking was, “If they practiced tithing faithfully they wouldn’t be poor.” YUCK
There is a real danger of pride when you have taught something passionately and sincerely for any length of time. Can we admit to being wrong? What will others think of this about face? Will I allow others who have taught me to change their mind as well?
No doubt we need to listen to the prophet Micah,
He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Who is Dresden James?
I love these quotes. But who is Dresden James?
"A truth’s initial commotion is directly proportional to how deeply the lie was believed. It wasn’t the world being round that agitated people, but that the world wasn’t flat. When a well-packaged web of lies has been sold gradually to the masses over generations, the truth will seem utterly preposterous and its speaker a raving lunatic."
"The ideal tyranny is that which is ignorantly self-administered by its victims. The most perfect slaves are, therefore, those which blissfully and unawaredly enslave themselves."
Dresden James
"A truth’s initial commotion is directly proportional to how deeply the lie was believed. It wasn’t the world being round that agitated people, but that the world wasn’t flat. When a well-packaged web of lies has been sold gradually to the masses over generations, the truth will seem utterly preposterous and its speaker a raving lunatic."
"The ideal tyranny is that which is ignorantly self-administered by its victims. The most perfect slaves are, therefore, those which blissfully and unawaredly enslave themselves."
Dresden James
The Word of God
Which is more valuable: the written word of God or the spoken word of God?
Obviously, the spoken word of God, in the form of Sunday sermons, is more valuable.
You simply have to follow the money and the time.
Christians spend billions of dollars every year to hear the Word.
A Bible is often a one time expenditure.
Many spend more time listening to sermons than reading the Bible for themselves.
Some try to read the Bible through in a year, but most never make it.
It takes about 10 minutes a day to do this. About an hour per week. Whereas, going to church can take 2-3 hours, including prep and travel time.
I guess Jesus was such a poor communicator that the words He spoke can only be understood through an interpreter.
Is it really so difficult to read the Bible for yourself and apply it to your life?
Obviously, the spoken word of God, in the form of Sunday sermons, is more valuable.
You simply have to follow the money and the time.
Christians spend billions of dollars every year to hear the Word.
A Bible is often a one time expenditure.
Many spend more time listening to sermons than reading the Bible for themselves.
Some try to read the Bible through in a year, but most never make it.
It takes about 10 minutes a day to do this. About an hour per week. Whereas, going to church can take 2-3 hours, including prep and travel time.
I guess Jesus was such a poor communicator that the words He spoke can only be understood through an interpreter.
Is it really so difficult to read the Bible for yourself and apply it to your life?
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Lessons from the Life of Joseph
Joseph, the son of Jacob, is often spoken of as a shining example of one who stood up to adversity, grew in wisdom, did not become bitter and saved a nation by doing what was right.
He knew how to use his natural gifts and with a small revelation from God, was able to administrate a true deliverance for an entire nation. This was a testimony, not just of Joseph but of God himself.
Interestingly Joseph used a very sound business plan which not only saved countless lives but ensured Egypt’s prominence and wealth for centuries to come.
Not bad considering:
his brothers wanted to kill him but sold him into slavery instead,
when he had shown his value as a great administrator he was falsely accused of rape and thrown into prison,
when he correctly interpreted dreams with God’s help, he was still left in prison,
when he saw his brothers who had so cruelly treated him, he had nothing but love, mercy and compassion for them.
Lots of people want a word from the Lord without any hassles.
Where did Joseph get his tenacious spirit and unswerving faith in God? The only words he had from God would have been stories told and dreams that he received.
There was no Bible to study or groups to belong to.
Why do we think the answer to the riddles of life are found in a Bible study or a sermon? How can we admire Joseph and not get the fact that he lived an incredible life of integrity, compassion and wisdom without those structures that we deem so vital?
The Bible doesn’t necessarily teach truth as much as it reveals truth for us to apply.
Joseph is one of the greatest testimonies of a man who chose to be faithful to God and use his natural talents to bring God glory.
All that without ever going to church. Hmmmm.
He knew how to use his natural gifts and with a small revelation from God, was able to administrate a true deliverance for an entire nation. This was a testimony, not just of Joseph but of God himself.
Interestingly Joseph used a very sound business plan which not only saved countless lives but ensured Egypt’s prominence and wealth for centuries to come.
Not bad considering:
his brothers wanted to kill him but sold him into slavery instead,
when he had shown his value as a great administrator he was falsely accused of rape and thrown into prison,
when he correctly interpreted dreams with God’s help, he was still left in prison,
when he saw his brothers who had so cruelly treated him, he had nothing but love, mercy and compassion for them.
Lots of people want a word from the Lord without any hassles.
Where did Joseph get his tenacious spirit and unswerving faith in God? The only words he had from God would have been stories told and dreams that he received.
There was no Bible to study or groups to belong to.
Why do we think the answer to the riddles of life are found in a Bible study or a sermon? How can we admire Joseph and not get the fact that he lived an incredible life of integrity, compassion and wisdom without those structures that we deem so vital?
The Bible doesn’t necessarily teach truth as much as it reveals truth for us to apply.
Joseph is one of the greatest testimonies of a man who chose to be faithful to God and use his natural talents to bring God glory.
All that without ever going to church. Hmmmm.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Primitive Simplicity
How would you feel if you got a letter from a dear friend that you knew you would never see again? You can feel their joy and see the twinkle in their eyes, just as if they were sitting right there in your living room.
When you realize that this letter was written not just to you but to a number of your friends, wouldn’t you want to invite them over to hear your friend’s passion and wisdom?
Would you take that letter and tell everyone that gathers with you, that you will now read just part of the letter and then interpret it for everyone present? How would the group react to such a course of action? I'm sure they would have quickly laughed at the sudden swelling of your head.
When Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, there would not have been an appointed interpreter; everyone had an equal share in hearing and responding to what he said. No one would have had the idea that they were reading a holy book. Nevertheless, they would have greatly valued the fact that their friend had taken the time to write to them.
Since the letter wasn’t written to any one person, no one was in charge, and yet everyone would have felt free to add his or her own unique perspective about what had been shared. They would have thought it preposterous to chop it up into chapters and verses. It would have been read as letters are intended to be, all at one time. The thought would not have occurred to them to have a Bible study.
The focus of the gathering would not have been the letter itself, but each other and their ever deepening love for Jesus.
There would have been no recriminations like: did you read the Word today? And yet, many would likely memorize the letter in the same way that a distant soldier might rehearse over and over a letter from his true love.
They might not even know that there were other letters, written to other people. No one would have thought to make a comparative study to show how the word LOGOS was used by different writers of the day.
The letter would not have been the sustaining centre of why they enjoyed being together. They had already learned how to love one another without it.
An expression used for this time period of Christianity is called the primitive church. Oh, how I long for the simplicity of that time.
When you realize that this letter was written not just to you but to a number of your friends, wouldn’t you want to invite them over to hear your friend’s passion and wisdom?
Would you take that letter and tell everyone that gathers with you, that you will now read just part of the letter and then interpret it for everyone present? How would the group react to such a course of action? I'm sure they would have quickly laughed at the sudden swelling of your head.
When Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, there would not have been an appointed interpreter; everyone had an equal share in hearing and responding to what he said. No one would have had the idea that they were reading a holy book. Nevertheless, they would have greatly valued the fact that their friend had taken the time to write to them.
Since the letter wasn’t written to any one person, no one was in charge, and yet everyone would have felt free to add his or her own unique perspective about what had been shared. They would have thought it preposterous to chop it up into chapters and verses. It would have been read as letters are intended to be, all at one time. The thought would not have occurred to them to have a Bible study.
The focus of the gathering would not have been the letter itself, but each other and their ever deepening love for Jesus.
There would have been no recriminations like: did you read the Word today? And yet, many would likely memorize the letter in the same way that a distant soldier might rehearse over and over a letter from his true love.
They might not even know that there were other letters, written to other people. No one would have thought to make a comparative study to show how the word LOGOS was used by different writers of the day.
The letter would not have been the sustaining centre of why they enjoyed being together. They had already learned how to love one another without it.
An expression used for this time period of Christianity is called the primitive church. Oh, how I long for the simplicity of that time.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Why do taxpayers fund churches?
It is a common practice for churches that are registered charities to give tax receipts to those who give to them.
What does this look like in a typical church of 100 people? They will often have a building and pay a minister to look after the affairs of the church and preside over some form of religious service. They may provide care for the poor but not necessarily.
Much of what happens at the church is for the primary benefit of those who are members. The members are essentially giving to themselves. This is not so much charitable giving as it is paying for services rendered.
These members will get a tax receipt, which can save them as much as 43% of what they gave to the church.
If the church’s budget was $100,000, it is possible that taxpayers would pay $43,000 towards that budget through the benefits that members received as tax deductions.
There is nothing wrong with people forming groups and paying someone to look after the group.
I simply don’t know why taxpayers should pay for this.
What does this look like in a typical church of 100 people? They will often have a building and pay a minister to look after the affairs of the church and preside over some form of religious service. They may provide care for the poor but not necessarily.
Much of what happens at the church is for the primary benefit of those who are members. The members are essentially giving to themselves. This is not so much charitable giving as it is paying for services rendered.
These members will get a tax receipt, which can save them as much as 43% of what they gave to the church.
If the church’s budget was $100,000, it is possible that taxpayers would pay $43,000 towards that budget through the benefits that members received as tax deductions.
There is nothing wrong with people forming groups and paying someone to look after the group.
I simply don’t know why taxpayers should pay for this.
Monday, September 1, 2008
The Tyranny of Evangelism
Sounds like a strange title when one considers how precious sharing our faith in Jesus Christ should be.
So let’s crunch some numbers to see how the church has historically done evangelistically. Alan Hirsch, “The Forgotten Ways”, says that at the end of the 1st century there were about 25,000 Christians in the world. By the end of the 3rd century there were about 20 million. These numbers literally turned the world upside down and made the Roman government of the day shake in their togas.
At around 40 A.D. there were at least 5,000 Christians in Jerusalem. So let’s see if each one, won two, how many times would this need to be repeated to get to 25,000.
40 A.D. 5,000
70 A.D. 10,000
100 A.D. 20,000
20,000 new converts + half of the 10,000 from 70 A.D. = 25,000
Every 30 years the church doubled. Meaning each person would have to win 2 people to the Lord every 30 years.
Let’s keep going for another 2 centuries. The rate of growth actually increased during this period of time.
122 A.D. 50,000
144 A.D. 100,000
166 A.D. 200,000
188 A.D. 400,000
210 A.D. 800,000
232 A,D. 1,600,000
254 A.D. 3,200,000
276 A.D. 6,400,000
298 A.D. 12,800,000
The church was now doubling, approximately every 22 years. Keep in mind they were doing this without any buildings and few, if any, paid clergy. In other words, the basic core identifiers of the Christian church today, which some would say are necessary for growth and discipleship, did not develop until after 325 A.D., under the reign of Constantine.
The world population is estimated to be between 200-300 million during that time. It's growth was relatively modest until 1600 A.D., when it reached 580 million.
If the growth of Christianity had remained consistent beyond 325 A.D., the entire population of the world would have been Christian within less than 100 years.
The genius of Constantine to curtail the impact of Christianity on his empire was to legalize it, pen it up in buildings, and create a paid clergy. Paid clergy ensured that men would fight for power, position and wealth. It was around 380 A.D. that the church began to persecute itself.
So how have we been doing this past century?
I’m using David Barrett numbers from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.
560 million confessing Christians in 1900. Today there are 2.2 billion.
If the church had doubled every 30 years, the whole world would now be Christian. Doubling simply means one person, reaching two people, within 30 years.
1900 A.D. 560,000,000
1930 A.D. 1,120,000,000
1960 A.D. 2,240,000,000
1990 A.D. 4,480,000,000
What does this mean?
Billions and billions have been spent. Lots of guilt has been heaped on people and yet… the dynamic growth of the early church is missing. The rate of 1 person reaching 2 people has slowed down to every 50 years.
Some would say, "See, that's why we need professionals to get the job done." The average Christian doesn't care enough about others to even win one person to Christ, never mind the astronomical number of 2.
But here's another way to understand these numbers. The vast majority of Christians have never been released in such a way that they will reach even one person for Christ.
The early church grew at a much faster rate without the aid of mass communication techniques, professionals and beautiful buildings.
Billions of dollars have been spent and any dissenting voice to the cost is smothered up because we need to reach the lost. At last count, it cost $330,000 to reach one person for Christ. (see the David Barrett numbers as noted earlier)
It would seem that the idea of every Christian being equipped to be able to reach and disciple two others for Christ in their lifetime, has been abandoned in favor of modern day evangelistic preaching.
Since the early church only grew at the rate of doubling every 22 years, why are Christians often hammered at or made to feel guilty from pulpits about the need to "reach the lost."
The truth may be more surprising about how we are to live our lives. Instead of focusing on evangelism, maybe we should make it much simpler.
Stop holing up in divisive groups giving lip service to the need to reach our world.
(The catch phrase for let's build something big to bring glory to ourselves.)
Take the money we spend on pastors and buildings and share generously with our neighbors and the poor.
Stop terrorizing Christians with the need to "reach the lost" today. Performance and/or guilt, (mechanisms of control) is the only outcome when weekly or monthly evangelism is emphasized. Speed and numbers is only important to the person trying to make a name for themselves or to justify a pay cheque. Sadly, this technique seems to work for a short period of time. But when the personality driving this technique leaves, people are left with lots of guilt and little love for each other.
Let's not forget that Jesus didn't do much till he was thirty.
The performance preaching that tries to "guilt"everyone into evangelizing would have labeled Jesus as a slug because he was not using his giftings to their maximum.
Stop trying to evangelize people into a particular sect of Christianity. That smacks of cult like practices.
Maybe, we could even help the poor without the heavy administrative price tags that are generally associated with this kind of care. 95% for administration is not unusual for organized groups.
Who knows: we might even surprise our neighbors with Christ's love that is in our hearts.
NB
Many people have outright rejected organized church and in so doing, have mistakenly associated Jesus with some of its shenanigans. The message of Jesus was love him and love others. His message was never join some organized, religious group. Sadly many people who are "doing evangelism" don't realize this and continue to alienate people from Jesus by trying to get them into their fold.
So let’s crunch some numbers to see how the church has historically done evangelistically. Alan Hirsch, “The Forgotten Ways”, says that at the end of the 1st century there were about 25,000 Christians in the world. By the end of the 3rd century there were about 20 million. These numbers literally turned the world upside down and made the Roman government of the day shake in their togas.
At around 40 A.D. there were at least 5,000 Christians in Jerusalem. So let’s see if each one, won two, how many times would this need to be repeated to get to 25,000.
40 A.D. 5,000
70 A.D. 10,000
100 A.D. 20,000
20,000 new converts + half of the 10,000 from 70 A.D. = 25,000
Every 30 years the church doubled. Meaning each person would have to win 2 people to the Lord every 30 years.
Let’s keep going for another 2 centuries. The rate of growth actually increased during this period of time.
122 A.D. 50,000
144 A.D. 100,000
166 A.D. 200,000
188 A.D. 400,000
210 A.D. 800,000
232 A,D. 1,600,000
254 A.D. 3,200,000
276 A.D. 6,400,000
298 A.D. 12,800,000
The church was now doubling, approximately every 22 years. Keep in mind they were doing this without any buildings and few, if any, paid clergy. In other words, the basic core identifiers of the Christian church today, which some would say are necessary for growth and discipleship, did not develop until after 325 A.D., under the reign of Constantine.
The world population is estimated to be between 200-300 million during that time. It's growth was relatively modest until 1600 A.D., when it reached 580 million.
If the growth of Christianity had remained consistent beyond 325 A.D., the entire population of the world would have been Christian within less than 100 years.
The genius of Constantine to curtail the impact of Christianity on his empire was to legalize it, pen it up in buildings, and create a paid clergy. Paid clergy ensured that men would fight for power, position and wealth. It was around 380 A.D. that the church began to persecute itself.
So how have we been doing this past century?
I’m using David Barrett numbers from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.
560 million confessing Christians in 1900. Today there are 2.2 billion.
If the church had doubled every 30 years, the whole world would now be Christian. Doubling simply means one person, reaching two people, within 30 years.
1900 A.D. 560,000,000
1930 A.D. 1,120,000,000
1960 A.D. 2,240,000,000
1990 A.D. 4,480,000,000
What does this mean?
Billions and billions have been spent. Lots of guilt has been heaped on people and yet… the dynamic growth of the early church is missing. The rate of 1 person reaching 2 people has slowed down to every 50 years.
Some would say, "See, that's why we need professionals to get the job done." The average Christian doesn't care enough about others to even win one person to Christ, never mind the astronomical number of 2.
But here's another way to understand these numbers. The vast majority of Christians have never been released in such a way that they will reach even one person for Christ.
The early church grew at a much faster rate without the aid of mass communication techniques, professionals and beautiful buildings.
Billions of dollars have been spent and any dissenting voice to the cost is smothered up because we need to reach the lost. At last count, it cost $330,000 to reach one person for Christ. (see the David Barrett numbers as noted earlier)
It would seem that the idea of every Christian being equipped to be able to reach and disciple two others for Christ in their lifetime, has been abandoned in favor of modern day evangelistic preaching.
Since the early church only grew at the rate of doubling every 22 years, why are Christians often hammered at or made to feel guilty from pulpits about the need to "reach the lost."
The truth may be more surprising about how we are to live our lives. Instead of focusing on evangelism, maybe we should make it much simpler.
Stop holing up in divisive groups giving lip service to the need to reach our world.
(The catch phrase for let's build something big to bring glory to ourselves.)
Take the money we spend on pastors and buildings and share generously with our neighbors and the poor.
Stop terrorizing Christians with the need to "reach the lost" today. Performance and/or guilt, (mechanisms of control) is the only outcome when weekly or monthly evangelism is emphasized. Speed and numbers is only important to the person trying to make a name for themselves or to justify a pay cheque. Sadly, this technique seems to work for a short period of time. But when the personality driving this technique leaves, people are left with lots of guilt and little love for each other.
Let's not forget that Jesus didn't do much till he was thirty.
The performance preaching that tries to "guilt"everyone into evangelizing would have labeled Jesus as a slug because he was not using his giftings to their maximum.
Stop trying to evangelize people into a particular sect of Christianity. That smacks of cult like practices.
Maybe, we could even help the poor without the heavy administrative price tags that are generally associated with this kind of care. 95% for administration is not unusual for organized groups.
Who knows: we might even surprise our neighbors with Christ's love that is in our hearts.
NB
Many people have outright rejected organized church and in so doing, have mistakenly associated Jesus with some of its shenanigans. The message of Jesus was love him and love others. His message was never join some organized, religious group. Sadly many people who are "doing evangelism" don't realize this and continue to alienate people from Jesus by trying to get them into their fold.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
