Category: Evangelism


Characteristics of a Jesus Movement

Filed Under: Church History, Evangelism, Meeting Together, Spiritual Life, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 3 Comments
April 11, 2012

Jesus movements don't just happen.

I’m not particularly fond of the word revival. Partly it is because it means different things to different people. To those of evangelical persuasion it is a reference to a rapid ingathering of souls. For others it speaks of a renewal of holiness and commitment to God among His people. And to many of Charismatic and Pentecostal backgrounds the emphasis is on supernatural manifestations of the Spirit. So which is it? My answer is yes. A real outpouring of God’s Spirit among His people normally has all three of these aspects; it renews and deepens the relationship between God and his people which leads to holy living. It is accompanied by supernatural manifestations; manifestations which can take those who are not accustomed to them by surprise, perhaps even offending them. And, it results in a great harvest of souls. But because the word revival is so abused, I’m going to talk about Jesus movements.

Picking and Choosing

So, is an apple the peal, the fruit or the seeds? The answer is yes. Our problem with Jesus movements is we only want the part that appeals to us and leave out the rest. This dividing the various aspects of Jesus movements, so we can focus on the parts we like, is destructive. That is to say it kills the Jesus movement, or it impedes it in the first place. Is it any wonder that Jesus movements are rare? I want to make a point here. Jesus movements aren’t about us. They involve us. They enrich us. They renew us. But God wants to redeem His world and involve us in the process.

A true Jesus movement has all three of the aspects I’ve mentioned above; God’s people are renewed, God draws people to himself through His people and there are powerful manifestations of spiritual power. These three are deeply interrelated. God can’t bring people to himself if his bride isn’t beautiful. That’s where renewal comes in. Further, like it or not, it is those strange and unusual manifestations of supernatural power that is part of the attraction. Go back and read Acts 2 again. Then read my last post about the 2nd Great Awakening. Yes, the weirdness turns some off (as it did in Act 2), but it attracts others, and it demonstrates God’s power. Frankly, some people come for the show and leave with the King. But true Jesus movements start out attractional and very quickly become missional. If they don’t, they die, which I’ll speak about in the next post.

Sparking a Jesus Movement

But how do Jesus movements start in the first place? They start when God’s people desperately and consistently ask for them. They ask for three things: 1.) to be revived within, 2.) to have an outpouring of the Spirit (which results in supernatural manifestations), and 3.) for an ingathering of souls. Does this sound familiar? As an example think about Acts 2 and its aftermath.

In my last post The 2nd Great Awakening I quoted part of a covenant that James McGready and his friends made with God thorough prayer. I’ll quote the whole thing here and note these three aspects working together.

When we consider the word and promises of a compassionate God to the poor lost family of Adam, we find the strongest encouragement for Christians to pray in faith–to ask in the name of Jesus for the conversion of their fellow-men (3). None ever went to Christ when on earth, with the case of their friends, that were denied, and, although the days of his humiliation are ended, yet, for the encouragement of his people, he has left it on record, that where two or three agree upon earth to ask in prayer, believing, it shall be done. Again, whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. With these promises before us, we feel encouraged to unite our supplications to a prayer-hearing God for the outpouring of his Spirit (2), that his people may be quickened and comforted (1), and that our children, and sinners generally, may be converted (3). Therefore, we bind ourselves to observe the third Saturday of each month, for one year, as a day of fasting and prayer for the conversion of sinners in Logan county, and throughout the world. We also engage to spend one half hour every Saturday evening, beginning at the setting of the sun, and one half hour every Sabbath morning, from the rising of the sun, pleading with God to revive his work (1).

Jesus movements happen when God’s people fervently and consistently pray together for renewal, the salvation of their fellow men and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. When God answers their prayer, what once was difficult becomes easy. And, God’s purposes for us and through us are fulfilled. I want that. Do you? If we really want it, we need to gather like minded people and begin to pray.

  • Many Christians long for revival. Many even pray for them. If you have, did you ask for all of the aspects of revival? Were you persistent?
  • Which of these three aspects, renewal of God’s people, an outpouring of God’s Spirit and a harvest of souls for God do you think is superfluous?
  • One person asking for revival doesn’t seem to bring a Jesus movement; it takes a gathering of his people; why do you think that is so?
  • Christianity was designed to be in constant revival mode. That’s what we are seeing in China and India today. Why do you think it is so easy to become contented with the status quo?
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Is This God or the Devil?

Filed Under: Biblical Meditation, Church History, Evangelism, Supernaturalism, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 4 Comments
April 9, 2012

Viral Jesus movments are where the battle is the most intense.

This post is the third in a series which seeks to ask the question, what kind of spirituality do we need if we are going to see a viral Jesus movement in organic churches in the West? In the first blog Running on One Leg I described three different forms of spirituality we see in those seeking to see a viral Jesus movement. In the second The Second Great Awakening  I show what one of many viral Jesus movements looked like. I also note that these movements are often accompanied by strange manifestations. In this post I want to outline how we can determine if what is happening is coming from God or from his enemy.

Viral Jesus movements are attacked by the devil. This happens in two ways. First, the devil, who knows what manifestations of a Jesus Movement look like, can counterfeit them. After all, he does like to present himself as an angel of light. It should come as no surprise then that non-Christian religions like Mormonism, Buddhism and Islam sometimes manifest similar manifestations to those that accompany viral Jesus movements. But, keep in mind the devil isn’t going to counterfeit something that is already false or evil, there is no point from his perspective. He is only going to counterfeit what is wholesome and true.

However, what is even more confusing, the devil likes to lurk around the edges of viral Jesus movements then join in so he can discredit what Jesus is doing. The devil lurking around the edges usually expresses itself when he tempts spiritually weak or gullible people to fall into serious sin while participating in a movement of the Spirit. This give him a chance to have others say, “See, this is sinful, it is obviously from the devil.” It should come as no great surprise that at Cane Ridge, the powerful revival meeting that was a key flash point for The Second Great Awakening, people were getting drunk and committing adultery and fornication in the woods nearby. That’s the devil lurking around the edges and joining in to discredit.

The Test

Jesus told us:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matt. 7:15-20).

What can be said about testing false prophets can also be said for testing movements of the Spirit from the devil’s behavior. The test is do they produce good fruit or bad. The 2nd Great Awakening saw millions come to Christ, it changed the society from violent and dangerous to peaceful and holy. It also sparked such important social reforms as abolition, women’s rights, education reform, penal reform and temperance. That’s good fruit. Would the devil do that? The mini Pentecost experienced by the Moravians on August 13, 1727 sparked a missions movement (good fruit). The Azuza Street revivals sparked the Pentecostal movement which has seen hundreds of millions come to Christ and has sparked a missions movement which has covered the globe (good fruit). When a movement sparks such good fruit it is clearly from God, even when seems to us to have strange manifestations that we may find uncomfortable.

Three Mistakes

It is easy to throw the baby out with the bathwater. This can express itself in at least three ways. The first is to see what we consider to be strange and distasteful manifestations and proclaim them works of the devil. Before we do so, check the fruit. The second is to point out that the same or similar behavior is being manifest in ungodly movements. This is guilt by association. The test is the same, check the fruit. The fruit of Mormonism or Islam is not the same fruit as a viral Jesus movement, but it can look similar. Finally, even in a viral Jesus movement the devil can enter in along the edges to discredit. Just because there are inappropriate things happening to a few who are participating doesn’t mean the whole thing is of the devil. It means that some people have been duped by the devil. For example, some overzealous people in the Pentecostal movement split churches and wounded people in their zeal. However, the answer is not to be duped as well, it is to check the fruit. Let me ask you, despite some bad things that have happened in the Pentecostal movement, do you think the devil was behind hundreds of millions coming to Christ and a worldwide missions movement? We need to check the fruit of the whole movement as well as check the fruit of individual behavior, and discern the difference between the two. The movement may be of God, while individual acts may be a satanic distraction.

In the next post I’m going to talk about common characteristics of revival. Finally, in the last post in the series I’m going to talk about how to kill a viral Jesus movement; it’s easier than you may think.

  • Why do you think so many Christians are quick to dismiss movements of the Spirit?
  • Is weird or unexpected behavior an automatic sign that something is from the devil?
  • Does ungodly things happening among an otherwise healthy movement a sign that the whole thing is rotten fruit? Does everyone in your church or denomination act appropriately?
  • Can you think of another way to test if something is of the Spirit of God or from the devil?
  • Why do you think some Christians are willing to attribute supernatural power to the devil but not to God?
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The 2nd Great Awakening

Filed Under: Christendom, Church History, Evangelism, Recommended Books, Spiritual Life, Supernaturalism, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 5 Comments
April 6, 2012

A Small Part of the Meeting at Cane Ridge

In my last post Running on One Leg  I described the spirituality required for a viral Jesus Movement. In this post I’m going to describe what just one of these movements looked like; although there have been many in Christian history. In my book Viral Jesus I devote four chapters to this issue: The Early Church: The First Viral Jesus Movement, The Crumbling of a Viral Jesus Movement, The History of Partial Viral Jesus Movements, and China: A Current Viral Jesus Movement.

It started with a covenant with God

In the wilds of Kentucky in 1799 the members of three churches in Muddy River, Red River and Gaspar River signed a covenant with their circuit riding Presbyterian preacher named James McGready. They promised to pray every Saturday evening, Sunday morning and fast the second Saturday of every month. The covenant read in part:

When we consider the Word and promises of a compassionate God, to the poor lost family of Adam, we find the strongest encouragement for Christians to pray in faith—to ask in the name of Jesus for the conversion of their fellow men…With these promises before us, we feel encouraged to unite our supplications to a prayer-hearing God, for the outpouring of His Spirit, that His people may be quickened and comforted, and that our children, and sinners generally, may be converted.

The Movement Spread from Red River

In June of 1800 while McGready’s Methodist friend John McGee preached passionately at a communion service at Red River the Spirit came in power. Here’s a portion of McGee own account of what happened as he preached:

Several spoke to me: “You know these people. Presbyterians are much for order, they will not bear this confusion, go back and be quiet.” I turned to go back—and was near falling, the power of God was strong upon me. I turned again and losing sight of fear of man, I went through the house exhorting with all possible ecstasy and energy.”[1]

Here’s how Peter Marshall and David Manuel in their book From Sea to Shining Sea described what happened next.

With that, the dam broke, and the floods of salvation swept through the assembly. In a moment, the floor was “covered with the slain: their screams for mercy pierced the heavens,” and according to McGready, one could see “profane swearers and Sabbath-breakers pricked to the heart and crying out “What shall we do to be saved?”[2]

This powerful revival swept through the other congregations in the area to the point that in 1801  McGready, McGee and their other Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist preacher friends decided to make a clearing in the deep woods at Cane Ridge to hold a large revival meeting. The preachers were stunned when twenty-five thousand people showed up in the middle of the wilderness. This was about one eighth of the entire state’s population.

Demonstrations of the Power of God

Powerful but strange manifestations of a Viral Movement

Here’s the weird thing. This revival in the middle of the woods was accompanied by some very bizarre manifestations of the Spirit. Here’s how James B. Finley, who came to observe as a skeptic, described just one of those strange manifestations, people all shouting at once.

The noise was like the roar of Niagara. The vast sea of human beings seemed to be agitated as if by a storm. I counted seven ministers, all preaching at one time, some on stumps, others in wagons…. Some of the people were singing, others praying, some crying for mercy in the most piteous accents, while others were shouting most vociferously. While witnessing these scenes, a peculiarly-strange sensation, such as I had never felt before, came over me. My heart beat tumultuously, my knees trembled, my lips quivered, and I felt as though I must fall to the ground. A strange supernatural power seemed to pervade the entire mass of mind there collected…. Soon after, I left and went into the woods, and there I strove to rally and man up my courage.

After some time, I returned to the scene of the excitement, the waves of which, if possible, had risen still higher. The same awfulness of feeling came over me… I saw at least five hundred swept down in a moment, as if a battery of a thousand guns had been opened upon them, and then immediately followed shrieks and shouts that rent the very heavens. My hair rose up on my head…. I fled into the woods a second time, and wished I had stayed at home.[3]

What Finley, who became a frontier preacher himself, describes is actually quite mild compared to some of the other powerful manifestations that happened at Cane Ridge. But what was the result? Did this really result in the Kingdom moving forward? Let’s hear from a contemporary skeptic.

Personal holiness was not the only result from the 2nd Great Awakening

How this affected society

Dr. George Baxter, a minister was sent to Kentucky by Presbyterian officials in Princeton to put an end to such shameful nonsense. Keep in mind that Kentucky before the revival was an evil place, nicknamed Rogue’s Harbor for all the outlaws that congregated there to avoid more organized society (i.e. the law). Here’s part of Baxter’s report to his superiors.

The power with which this revival has spread, and its influence in moralizing the people are difficult for you to conceive, and more so for me to describe…. I found Kentucky, to appearance, the most moral place I had ever seen. A profane expression was hardly ever heard. A religious awe seemed to pervade the country…. Never in my life have I seen more genuine marks of that humility which…looks to the Lord Jesus Christ as the only way of acceptance with God. I was indeed highly pleased to find that Christ was all and in all in their religion…and it was truly affecting to hear with what agonizing anxiety awakened sinners inquired for Christ, as the only physician who could give them any help.

Those who call these things “enthusiasm,” ought to tell us what they understand by the Spirit of Christianity…. Upon the whole, sir, I think the revival in Kentucky among the most extraordinary that have ever visited the Church of Christ, and all things considered, peculiarly adapted to the circumstances of that country…. Something of an extraordinary nature seemed necessary to arrest the attention of a giddy people, who were ready to conclude that Christianity was a fable, and futurity a dream. This revival has done it; it has confounded infidelity, awed vice to silence, and brought numbers beyond calculation under serious impressions.[4]

In the next three posts I’m going to ask the question, how can we determine if strange behavior is from God or the devil? In the subsequent post I’m going to talk about common characteristics of viral Jesus movements. Finally, in the last post in the series I’m going to talk about how to kill a viral Jesus movement.

  • Have you ever been a part of a viral Jesus movement like this?
  • Would you want to be a part of this or is it just too weird?
  • Do you think this kind of thing can be counterfeited by the devil? If so, how do we distinguish what comes from the devil and what comes from God?
  • What do you think the common characteristics of a viral Jesus movement are? How do these things get started?
  • Why isn’t Christianity like this all the time? How does this get suppressed?

[1] Charles A. Johnson, The Frontier Camp Meeting (Dallas: Southern Methodist University Press, 1955), 35.

[2] Peter Marshall, Manuel, David, From Sea to Shining Sea (Old Tappan, New Jersey, Fleming H. Revell Company, 1986), 62.

[3] Marshall and Manuel, p. 68 quoting Johnson p. 64-65.

[4] Ibid., 69.

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Running on One Leg

Filed Under: Christendom, Evangelism, Spiritual Life, Supernaturalism, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — Leave a comment
April 4, 2012

It's hard to move forward.

I recently spoke at the Momentum West Coast 2012: Organic Church Conference. The title for my talk was “Practical Spirituality.” I wanted to answer the question, what kind of spirituality do we need if we are going to see a viral Jesus movement in organic churches in the West? I think that’s a pretty good question. Have you ever asked yourself that? Here’s what I said.

Hopping

Many of us have been trying to do organic ministry as if we were trying to run on one leg, and it’s our weak leg at that. Imagine standing on only your left leg and then trying to run. It’s clumsy isn’t it? Our left leg represents the human side of ministry: models, methods, techniques, paradigms, objectives…you get the picture. These aren’t bad things. After all God will need to give us some sort of model, technique, method, etc. if we are to accomplish ministry. However, focusing only on these things leaves us hopping when we need to be sprinting.

Limping

At least we are going someplace.

Ever notice that Jesus never said, “If you get the best techniques down just right you will bear much fruit?” What did he say? “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Techniques and the rest, in and of themselves, are totally worthless. They are worthless because real fruit comes from Jesus, not us. He bears fruit through us; we don’t bear fruit for Him. That’s exactly what He means when He said, “apart from Me you can do nothing.” Now we have put the other leg, the leg of abiding spirituality on the ground. This is our strong leg. Now we can move forward, better said; now we can limp. Limp? Yes limp. Individuals working alone in an abiding relationship with God can move forward but it is not with the power that accompanies viral Jesus movements. It is good, but it is not all that God has for us. Don’t get mad yet, hear me out.

Now we are doing what God designed us for.

Running

Viral Jesus movements  look different than merely godly people ministering in the Spirit. There is much more power. And I think God wants us to work in that power. After His resurrection Jesus spent forty days with his disciples then he ascended. But, before He left He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:7-8). In response to this 120 of his disciples went to an upper room and prayed for ten days…then all heaven broke loose. I don’t need to tell you the rest of the story, you already know it.

What you may not know is that throughout Christian history there have been a number of mini Pentecosts. When they happen, there is tons of power, rather strange manifestations, and the Gospel moves out quickly and in tremendous power. The same people who before preached the Gospel with meager results now preach the gospel with incredible results.

In my next post I’m going to give just one example of what this looks like, the Second Great Awakening. I’m going to quote original sources and give a glimpse of what God’s power looks like, and the results that it gives. Then in the following three posts I’m going to ask the question, how can we determine if strange behavior is from God or the devil? In the subsequent post I’m going to talk about common characteristics of revival. Finally, in the last post in the series I’m going to talk about how to kill a viral Jesus movement.

  • Do you think we can move the Kingdom forward just focusing on techniques, methods, and the rest?
  • Have you found yourself thinking, if I can just learn how to “do it right” everything will begin to work?
  • Why do you think Jesus offers fruit, more fruit, much fruit and fruit that remains (Jn. 15:1-17) only to those who abide in Him?
  • Do you think I have it wrong, that we can actually develop powerful ministry just by studying and implementing the best techniques?
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The Gospel and the Old Testament

Filed Under: Biblical Meditation, Evangelism, Jesus is Lord, New Covenant, Our Covenant With God, Recommended Books, The Viral Jesus Book by rossrohde — 3 Comments
March 5, 2012

Is this really the only way to preach the Gospel?

The following is an abbreviated version of a blog interaction I had concerning the role the Old Testament takes in the Christian Gospel. You can see the entire exchange in the comments of Scot McKnight Interview: “The King Jesus Gospel” & McKnight Responds to Critics .

Hey, Ross

I wanted you to know that I’ve been enjoying your book greatly. Also, some of the things you’ve said there have encouraged me to go back and actually begin reading McKnight’s “King Jesus Gospel.” (One of McKnight’s theses is that one can’t truly understand the Gospel without understanding its roots in the Old Testament.)

I’ve been pondering for a long time now just what the gospel IS, and not knowing exactly what I’d say if I were called on to actually give a sermon on it. I mean, we’re promised that we’ll be given the things to say, but all the same it might be good to have SOME idea what’s going to come out of our mouths. I gave up the Four Spiritual Laws gospel long ago as woefully inadequate. While I do know the OT, I can hardly share the whole thing with an interested friend in one go.

I think part of this is to get the knowledge internalized via the Spirit to the point where it is no longer necessary to intellectually construct an argument or thesis; it just grows out of you as a flower does out of a plant. That’s my goal, anyway. But I did want you to know that thus far, I love your book.

Blessings, Cindy

Hi Cindy,

As you read Viral Jesus you will note that I place a high value on two issues, the lordship of Jesus (which needs to be played out in all that we “do” not just “say,” and the new covenant. This new covenant is a living contract/arrangement/lifestyle that we enter into with Jesus. At that point he becomes our God and we become his people.

When I preach the gospel I find that I often (not always) mention the new covenant because at least one way to understand the gospel is that they are entering into this agreement/contract. That brings in the Old Testament. Israel also had a covenant with God call the law or old covenant. At least one thing McKnight is saying is that we can’t understand the new covenant unless we understand the old one.

How are the Gospel's roots sunk deep into the Old Testament?

Now here’s a mind blowing thought. The words for “testament” as in Old Testament and New Testament can be equally or even better be translated “covenant.” The Old Testament revolves around the old covenant, before Israel had it, what it was, and what happened when they obeyed and when they did not. The New Testament is exactly the same thing for the new covenant. Remember Jesus said “In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Lk 22:20). Semitic/Hebrew covenants were sealed with blood. That’s what the animal sacrifice was about in the OT. Jesus sealed his part of the covenant with his own blood. He became the “lamb of God” the sacrificial lamb of the new covenant just like the lambs and goats were of the old covenant. Our sealing of the covenant comes with baptism which symbolizes death, burial and resurrection (i.e. we are sealing the covenant just like Jesus did); he did it literally, we do it symbolically. Now does the OT part of salvation make more sense?

Finally, the Holy Spirit really does give us words at the right time. Part of our new covenant agreement is that He will put the law in our hearts and minds (Jer. 31:31 and Heb. 8:10.) That means he can speak to our hearts and minds, it’s part of our covenant arrangement. And, because of this arrangement the Holy Spirit can put words in our heart and mind and just the right time. We have to be attuned to Him and listening but I’ve learned that when I am in a witnessing situation and paying attention just the right analogy or way of being comes up. I’ll mention this more than once in Viral Jesus. Note for example how my friend Vincent listened to Jesus in the Introduction. Note how Jesus told me to work with Amado later in the book.

Cindy, you are person with a sensitive spirit. That’s a huge advantage. It means that your heart is an excellent receptor to the voice of God. Trust it, or better said, trust Him. The only homework you really need is to learn to discern His voice from others. For the basics on that I’d like to point you to the post Four Voices.

Your Friend,

Ross

  • Do you think we need to understand the Gospel’s Old Testament roots to truly understand it?
  • Do you believe that there are many ways to preach the Gospel?
  • When we reduce the Gospel to a few propositional facts (such as the Bridge Illustration or the Four Spiritual Laws can it have a negative effect? What would that be?
  • Is it possible that every way of preaching the Gospel has its drawbacks? If so, how do we decide how to preach the Gospel in any given situation?
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Scot McKnight Interview: “The King Jesus Gospel” & McKnight Responds to Critics

Filed Under: Discipleship, Evangelism, Jesus is Lord, Our Covenant With God, Recommended Books, Spiritual Life, The Viral Jesus Book, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 6 Comments
February 29, 2012

Following is a link for a full interview between Frank Viola and Scot McKnight as they discuss McKnight’s Book The King Jesus Gospel. This interview was originally on Frank Viola’s Blog Beyond Evangelical. Click this link to read the unedited interview: http://frankviola.org/2012/02/08/scotmcknight.

I highly recommend reading this interview as McKnight is touching on some of the same issues I discuss in Viral Jesus about the lordship of Jesus Christ.

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Prayer Walking

Filed Under: Evangelism, Recommended Books, Spiritual Life, The Viral Jesus Book, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 2 Comments
February 21, 2012

Thank you for all the interaction about listening to God. Now I have a new challenge. Please send me your stories for meeting God through the practice commonly called prayer walking. If you don’t know what prayer walking is, here is a good primer.

So, to encourage people to experiment with prayer walking, or continue prayer walking, I’d like to offer to send a copy of my book Viral Jesus to those who send me a good story of an encounter with God while prayer walking. As always, I get to be the final arbiter of which stories get posted and to whom I send books, but I’m pretty generous, so feel free to send me your stories.

Joel Zehring sent me this story about both listening and prayer walking. I believe in prayer walking. I find that God speaks to me best when I prayer walk and I know many people who have the same experience.

Joel’s Story

Here’s a story I posted on my blog a couple years ago:

I’ve been taking my son on prayer walks around our neighborhood for a few months, and a funny thing has happened. To my eyes, the neighborhood hasn’t changed much, but my prayer walking is changing.

On our most recent walk, I passed a guy working on his lawn. I said hello, threw out a quip about being productive, and kept on walking. As soon as he was out of my periphery, I got the idea that I should ask him if I could pray for him.

“Next person,” I told myself as I continued on, speaking out loud my prayers as I pushed Nathan in the stroller.

A few streets later, Nathan pointed to a little girl standing in her driveway. Her mother was taking out the trash.

“That’s a little girl, huh?” I commented, followed by a friendly “hello” to the mother. We were past the house before I remembered that I was going to ask if I could pray for her. I wondered if I was being forgetful or willfully negligent in passing up these opportunities.

Heading up our street to go back home, we saw one more person, a woman raking weeds in her front yard. I said hello and commented on her yard and her diligence. Before the conversation ended, I crossed to her side of the street and mentioned our mission for this walk.

“Our neighborhood needs it,” she said.

Then I made my pitch: “I don’t mean to push anything on you, but is there anything we could pray about for you?”

Without hesitation, our neighbor explained what was happening lately in her life, and how we might pray for her. We learned that she follows Jesus and she shared a good deal about her family. Before walking on, I prayed a quick prayer aloud for her requests, then wished her a good day.

Over all these months of praying over our streets, it’s never once struck me to stop and pray with our neighbors. I’ve prayed for husbands, wives, parents, children, and I’ve prayed that God would reveal himself to our neighbors. I just didn’t think that he wanted to reveal himself right there on the street during our prayer walk. I’ll be walking a lot more carefully on our next walk.

  • Is prayer walking a new idea to you?
  • Where is your best place or way to encounter Jesus and communicate with Him?
  • What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of prayer walking?
  • Have you ever prayer walked a place with a group of people? How was that experience?
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Letters to the House Church Movement

Filed Under: Apostolic Ministry, Church Life, Church Planting, Discipleship, Evangelism, House Church, Meeting Together, Organic Church, Recommended Books, Simple Church, Spiritual Life by rossrohde — 2 Comments
February 7, 2012

Click here to order Letters to the House Church Movement.

Some books are practical, some are theoretical; both have their place. Rad Zdero’s book Letters to the House Church Movement is strongly practical; while reflecting a deep understanding of the paradigms under which house churches and house church networks really work (theoretical).

Rad is a house church planter and network organizer in Canada; what we in the house church movement would call an apostle. He is also an astute theologian, though he might not call himself that. As such, he has had plenty of correspondence over the years, which touches on the real nuts and bolts issues that house churches face. By sharing his real letters with us he doesn’t paint house churches in some romantic glow. This is a warts and all look at what house church practice is really like.

Here is a sampling of the kinds of issues and questions Rad deals with.

  • What are actual house church meetings really like?
  • How do house churches deal practically with problem people?
  • How do you deal with the house church radicals who have a chip on their shoulder about traditional churches?
  • How do house churches multiply and how do they deal with missions?
  • What are the real problems (not the imagined problems of those who have never experienced house church) that house churches face? How should they be dealt with?
  • What does leadership look like in house churches? What is the role of elders and apostles? What does that word “apostle” actually mean in a house church setting?
  • What is the role of women in house church?
  • How do house churches answer the common criticisms that they face? What is their biblical backing for these answers?
  • How do house churches group themselves into networks and how does that all work?
  • What is their relationship with more traditional churches?
  • What is house church spirituality like?

I could go on because Rad covers a lot of important ground just by answering real letters and emails he has received over the years. He does this graciously, openly, humbly, yet with a frankness and clarity I find refreshing. He doesn’t beat around the bush, but he is kind. I like that.

Who would profit from a book like this? First of all, any house church practitioner. Because Rad has long experience and the churches and networks he is dealing with are well organized and mature (or maturing), he has lots to say to us. Reading this book might show us some things we are missing.

However, I think this book would be good for people who are curious about house churches but have never experienced them or haven’t experienced them broadly enough to really know how they work. I would also include those who are critics of house church. My own experience with critics is that they are usually unaware of the reality and are often responding to their own imagined fears or some bad experience with an unhealthy house church practitioner (see bullet point three). It’s OK to criticize but that should come from an extensive enough knowledge that the critic isn’t just setting up a straw man and knocking it down. Rad gives the answers to the key criticisms that an experienced house church apostle of a large network would give. It’s best to get these answers from someone who actually knows what they are talking about from real experience.

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely, in fact I’m going to recommend it to one of the house churches I’m involved with. I think reading this book will give the Holy Spirit a chance to speak to us about what He wants us to do next.

  • Have you even experienced house church? What was that like, good or bad?
  • What questions do you have about how house churches work?
  • If you are a house church practitioner, what problems do you fact? Where do you need to grow? I’d suspect this book would be a good resource for you.
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Early Christian Behavior

Filed Under: Christendom, Church History, Evangelism, Recommended Books, Spiritual Life, The Viral Jesus Book by rossrohde — 7 Comments
November 17, 2011

Fresco from 2 centuries after Mathetes.

How did the early Christians interact with the world around them? We have the book of Acts, which gives us a brief history from Luke’s perspective but beyond that do we have any record of how they viewed their world and how they interacted with it? Actually we do. There is a brief letter called The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus which many scholars believe was written about 130 AD.[1] This is actually a rather brief letter, the entirety of which you can read here. In it a Christian named Mathetes tries to describe who Christians are and how they live to a non-Christian friend named Diognetus. Of particular interest to me is a sentence in Chapter V which I believe shows the Early Churches aversion to Greek philosophy.

The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. I’d like to make a number of observations about this quote which I believe can help us understand how our early brothers thought and how therefore they can be of service to us to get us back on track to what the Church was originally designed to be.

Observation 1: Mathetes is focused on conduct, not speculative thinking. To the early Christians how we lived was much more important that doctrinal speculation. How we lived showed who we were. This was not done by merely reciting doctrinal statements.

Observation 2: Mathetes is responding to the Greek world around him and contrasting Christianity from it. The Greek world around him, at that time, was fascinated with philosophical speculation. Of particular interest was Platonic thought which placed much emphasis on concepts and ideas (called ideals) and placed little or no importance on how we live.

Observation 3: Mathetes is concerned more specifically with following “speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men” and “mere human doctrines.” He is taking a swipe at the humanism of the day, the idea that men can figure things out and determine what truth is. Mathetes’ world was humanistic and so is ours. In fact, the humanism of our day is based philosophically on the humanistic philosophy of Mathetes’ day.

In Diognetus’ world people were obsessed with their own ideas and interpretations. They lived in a world of ideas and doctrine, not the world of life defined by concrete action. Christians of Mathetes’ world were different. They, in essence, said, look at how we live then you will know who we are.

Modern day Christianity has more in common with Diognetus’ world than it does with Mathetes’ world. We argue about doctrine, which, let’s face it, is the speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men.” Many have become “advocates” of “merely human doctrines.” Some are followers of Luther, others are followers of John Calvin, some are Pentecostals while others hold to the doctrine of cessationism. Some hold firmly to Postmillenialism while others are willing to stake their lives on a pre-tribulation rapture. We are behaving exactly like the realities that the early Christians such as Mathetes spoke against. I discuss these issues more in my book Viral Jesus: Recovering the Contagious Power of the Gospel.

Am I against doctrine? No. Am I against getting wrapped up in arguments about doctrinal ideas rather than living a Spirit controlled life? Absolutely. Our faith should be most easily be defined not by details of our doctrine but by the unique beauty of our lives…which will show what we believe, which, if necessary, could be written down as doctrines. There is a significant difference between those two views; one is deep experiential spirituality, the other is mere Christian humanism. Many people nowadays long for deep experiential spirituality. Almost nobody is searching for Christian humanism. Mathetes understood this, so he chose the first option in Chapter V of his letter, which he called displaying a “wonderful and confessedly striking method of life.” You can read Chapter V, which is just a couple of paragraphs, then think through the following questions.

  • Do you think the average Christian today lives a wonderful and confessedly striking method of life? Why or why not?
  • Is Christian behavior today so markedly different that it shows up statistically such as in divorce rates?
  • In some ways Mathetes said the Christians were just like those around them, in other ways they were markedly different. How would you characterize the ways they were the same and the ways they were different (see below)?
  • How do Christians today try to distinguish themselves from non-Christians?

 

[1] This is probably an accurate dating. Another theory is that it was written in the early 3rd century. But that seems to be based on evidence from the last two chapters who most believe was a later addition from Hippolytus of Rome.

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Fixing vs. Loving

Filed Under: Biblical Meditation, Church History, Evangelism, Spiritual Life, Worldview by rossrohde — 10 Comments
November 2, 2011

Fixing isn't as helpful as loving.

In my last post, Deep Presence, I talked about an experience our simple church had with God in a café patio. What I didn’t mention was that at the same time there was a gay and lesbian group meeting on the patio. In essence they were having the functional equivalent of simple church but focused on gay/lesbian issues. I’m not saying they were looking for God; I have no idea one way or the other. I mean they were meeting together in community to have a meeting that was more than the sum total of its parts.

My friend Lyle (a member of our simple church) and I have discussed on and off what it would look like if our group became more proactive in ministry. What would it look like for our particular group to follow God into ministering to the community around us? In reflecting on this question, I came back to the gay and lesbian group. Here are some observations I’d like to note. It looked like this was a regularly scheduled group. Further, it seems like we took ‘their spot.’ They didn’t say anything, nor did they get huffy, it was just noticeable by some glances. Instead, they very graciously just sat in another location and had a happy, animated conversation. Our group was very ‘evangelical.’ Like it or not, I’m sure they could ‘smell’ our evangelicalism a mile away.

Now, what would it take to minister to that group? Stop for a minute and really think about that question. I asked you to stop because I’m sure most of our first reactions would have created serious problems but done little good toward moving the members of that group toward Jesus. Think about this passage:

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

I didn’t bring up that passage to note that homosexuals were wicked and won’t inherit the kingdom of God (as it is commonly used in evangelicalism). Nor to note that homosexuality is no less wicked than greed, which homosexuals often bring up with Christians. I brought it up for these two sentences: And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

The early Church was filled with ex-homosexuals (and ex-greedy people). The Greek world of that time had a much greater population of homosexuals than does our culture. Yet somehow the Christians found a way to minister Jesus to them to the point that they were washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Further, they felt loved and welcomed among the Christians. Do you think those of us who are current Western evangelicals could pull that off? Did you ever wonder why for the Early Church this was normative and for our expression of Christianity it is as rare as hen’s teeth?

Let’s go back to our church meeting on a café patio next to a gay/lesbian group. What would we have needed to do to minister to them? Let me posit this. Our whole ‘way of being’ would have to focus on loving them and not fixing them. Do you like it when people you don’t know or trust try to fix you? Do you like it when people you do know and trust try to fix you? I’ll bet your answer is no to both questions. Here’s another question. Do you think Jesus’ golden rule applies? You know, the one where he says “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

So how could we have loved them (or love them the next time)? We could have noticed that this was their spot and graciously relinquished it to them. We could have made kind eye contact with them. We could have smiled. We could have asked them if we could get anything for them as we were going to get a refill on our coffee. We could have just focused on looking out for their good…loving them. No fixing. No agenda other than love.

What would God have done, or could God do, with that? I don’t know. But I do know that it is Christian; truly, deeply Christian. It is based on Jesus’ value system of loving others and considering them as more important than ourselves. It is based on inclusive love, not based on merit but grace. It is based on not judging others. And it is based on humility knowing that I’m not really any better than anyone…anyone, else. But I’m in the process of being washed, sanctified and justified. That’s not my doing, its God’s. I’d like to share that with others, but only from a platform of love; not with a wrench in my pocket.

  • Have you ever had someone try to ‘fix’ you? How did you like that? Did it feel more like love or judgment?
  • Are there other types of people, besides gays and lesbians, our Christendom has separated us from?
  • Have you ever approached others with a wrench in your pocket? How’d that go?
  • How did we get to the point where the name “Christian” is more likely to illicit fear of being judged than a strong reputation for loving others?
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