Category: Man of Peace


Pearls and Pigs

Filed Under: Apostolic Ministry, Biblical Meditation, Evangelism, Luke 10, Man of Peace, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 3 Comments
March 9, 2011

Some "pigs" are perfectly decent human beings.

Jesus’ statement in Matt 7:6 about pearls and swine is well known by most Christians. In fact, it, like so many of Jesus’ statements, has become famous enough to become part of cultural literacy. His actual statement was this, “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces” (NASB).

What was Jesus really saying? I’ve heard discussion about this passage focus on two themes:

  1. Those who aren’t interested in the gospel are dogs…a bunch of worthless swine.
  2. Be careful with whom you share the gospel.

I’m not sure either of these options quite captures the essence of what Jesus was trying to get across and how he actually lived his life.

When Jesus Calls Names

Jesus wasn’t above calling someone names. He did it to provoke the Syrophoenician woman. But he wasn’t being a racist; he had another purpose in mind. To read more about this see: Collateral Good and Behind the Portcullis. And, Jesus famously called some of the Pharisees a brood of vipers and whitewashed tombs. But, in general, Jesus was gracious to all but the arrogant, hypocritical religious elite. So I don’t think Jesus is trying to teach us that we are supposed to distain people who aren’t like us, or don’t understand what we are talking about. It doesn’t fit his character.

Jesus Didn’t Preach to Everyone

I think the second option is closer to the truth about what Jesus was teaching; but it is still 20 degrees off center. It is going in the right direction; it just doesn’t quite get us where he was trying to take us. I think is misses the wise spiritual discernment process which helps us determine with whom we share the gospel. Let me explain.

Have you ever notice that Jesus didn’t preach to everyone, every time he got a chance. Sometimes he did, for example the Sermon on the Mount. But other times he could completely ignore the crowds and focus on one person; for example the hemorrhaging woman or Zacchaeus. He also would engage people as long as they moved towards God. The woman at the well in is a good example of this. When they showed they weren’t really interested, he just ended the conversation and moved on. A classic example of this, is the man commonly called the Rich Young Ruler.

Why do we feel we need to preach to everyone and convince them our gospel is right? Are we defending the gospel or our own sense of rightness? When Jesus sent out the 72 he told them not to greet anyone on the road and don’t move around from house to house. I suspect this was part of Jesus showing us how to focus in on the people we should actually be sharing the gospel with. He gives us more specific instructions in Lk. 10: 5-6; telling us to look for the house of peace and the man of peace. You can read about my thoughts about this in Finding the Person of Peace.

Casting Pearls in the Mire

So, what then do I think Jesus was teaching in Matt. 7:6? I think he was saying preach the gospel by looking for ways to make him the topic of conversation. If someone responds, continue to engage them. They are probably the person of peace, or as it says in Matthew 10, a worthy man (v.11). On the other hand, if they are not interested, don’t continue the conversation. And don’t feel guilty about ending the conversation. To continue on would be to force your will on someone else. This potentially makes them angry at you, causing them to disparage the gospel and Jesus even more. In other words, they will trample your beautiful pearls in the mire. They may be perfectly fine human beings, in many ways, but they aren’t ready for the gospel at this time. And, they may never be.

We need to understand that pushing the gospel on people who really aren’t interested ends up causing more harm than good. For a good example of this see A Christian Believer Attempts To Convert A Free-Will Thinker. WARNING: this is not written by a Christian. Quite the contrary, it is written by an angry atheist. If reading such a thing will offend your sensibilities, don’t bother clicking this link. My point is to show what happens when we feel it is our duty to force others to try to see Jesus like we do. I don’t think Jesus told us to do this. And by concentrating our efforts on those who are already moving towards Jesus (the person of peace, the worthy man) we don’t see Jesus and our gospel stomped through the mire. We also save ourselves a lot of grief. And, consequently, we don’t needlessly harm others who really aren’t ready to hear the gospel and may never be. That, in my opinion, isn’t an act of love.

  • What do you think our motivation is for trying to force people to listen to the gospel?
  • Do you think force is every an appropriate option for sharing Jesus? If so, when and how?
  • Can you think of any instance when Jesus used force to preach the gospel against someone’s will?
  • If what I’m suggesting is correct, does it make sharing the gospel a little easier?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

Finding the Person of Peace

Filed Under: Apostolic Ministry, Christendom, Church Planting, Luke 10, Man of Peace, Organic Church, Simple Church, The Viral Jesus Book, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 2 Comments
March 1, 2011

Finding the person of peace and the house of peace is key to ministry "Jesus style."

Recently a blog friend, Tim, asked a very practical question. Just out of curiosity, what methods to you employ in your context to search for persons of peace? This statement made me think of you walking down the sidewalk looking for a p.o.p. So, I’m wondering what that type of searching looks like for you. Thanks!

You can see the dialog that this question started in the comment section of Cesar, Man of Peace. However, I’d like to share the core of what we discussed and develop it a bit further.

My Response to Tim’s Question

Hi Tim,

  1. Finding the person of peace is not about technique. Every person of peace story I know and every person of peace I have found has been different. Having said that, there are things we can do to find the person of peace. Here’s what I would say:
  2. When I consistently pray about finding people of peace, I find them. When I don’t focus my prayer on this, I don’t.
    1. Finding people of peace is about listening to the voice of the Master. Therefore, it is a spiritual exercise based on a loving, abiding relationship, not something we can manufacture.
    2. Luke 10:5-6 say: “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.” The house mentioned here is the “oikos.” I don’t think it is particularly focused on the building where people live but the connected people who may just live is a particular building…or not; see An Oikos Isn’t a Building.
  3. This giving of peace, I think, is speaking the gospel of peace, or giving a blessing in the name of the Lord. It is, in essence, making Jesus the potential for conversation. I don’t think it means necessarily giving the whole gospel, just opening the conversation. If the peace rests on them, i.e. they respond and engage, stay there!!! Don’t take off, after having spilled the beans. Focus! On the other hand, if they don’t have interest, don’t cast your pearls before swine. Just move on and look for a real person of peace and a real “oikos” of peace. We focus our attention and energy on people who are moving toward Jesus, not convincing the uninterested that they should be interested.
  4. With this in mind, apostolic ministry (finding men and houses of peace then making disciples) is about finding ways to make Jesus the subject of conversation. How do we do that? Any way He tells us to, as he speaks to our heart and mind. It is not a matter of us coming up with a clever plan. But, if Jesus gives us a clever plan, then do it.

Further Thoughts

  • Jesus is our model for ministry. Yet little of what we do in ministry nowadays looks anything like what Jesus did, or what he taught his disciples to do. Our idea of ministry has been so damaged by institutionalism, and the individualistic Western worldview, that we find it hard to think about doing ministry as Jesus actually taught us.
  • When we start actually doing what Jesus taught his disciples to do, and what he expects us to do, we start bearing fruit. I know this from experience, and it is why I wrote my upcoming book Viral Jesus[1].
  • This kind of actual obedience to Jesus, who speaks to our hearts and minds, should be normative, but is actually very, very rare in the West.
  • We have replaced Jesus inspired ministry with what we think of as following biblical principles. Yet, supposed biblical inspired ministry actually ends up not looking at all like what Jesus did? Isn’t that ironic?
  • I find myself wondering, and praying about, what would happen if say 500 Christians in the Bay Area of California would just do what Jesus actually speaks to their hearts based on an intimate relationship with him. This would end up reflecting Jesus’ and the apostle’s ministry in the New Testament. Yet, I only know about 20 people in the entire Bay Area that are willing to live like this. Does this make you as sad as it does me?
    • I spoke about 500 people in the Bay Area of California actually following Jesus into ministry. What would that look like if all over the world people where doing this?
    • I suspect that what we would discover in the West is what our brothers in China began to discover in 1949 and onward (see The Miracle of China and Thank You Chairman Mao). This would be both exciting and dangerous. Are we really interested in something exciting and dangerous? Do we prefer something we can control, even if it ends up being unfruitful?
    • Do you agree with me that institutionalism and the Western worldview get in the way of the viral ministry I’m talking about? Why or why not?
    • Where do you think the disconnect, between what Jesus did and taught about ministry and what we actually do, comes from? I’ve laid the disconnect at the feet of institutionalism and Western cultural worldview. Do you agree or do you have different ideas?
[1] Projected release date is Feb. 2, 2012 from Strang Publications.

Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

Best 5 Story Posts of 2010

Filed Under: Apostolic Ministry, Church Life, Church Planting, Discipleship, Evangelism, Jesus is Lord, Luke 10, Man of Peace, Organic Church, Simple Church, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 1 Comment
January 3, 2011

Stories have a special way of capturing what people are experiencing

I started this blog on May 26, 2010 as a resource for people who long to experience a simple, living Christianity that spreads easily from person to person, in other words, the Jesus Virus. My first post was An Oikos Isn’t a Building. I’m sure at least five people read that post, maybe six. Since that time, I’ve written 117 posts. And, by the grace of God, I’m now getting regular readers from all over the world: the United States, Finland, Greece, England, The Philippines, Australia, Mexico, India, Argentina, South Africa, New Zealand, some countries I can’t name for security reasons…the list goes on. Most of these readers probably haven’t read some of my earlier posts. But these posts related to the purpose that God put on my heart; to be a resource. So, I’d like to do a series of posts throughout 2011 that highlight older posts from 2010 which, in my opinion, were helpful for that purpose. Here is the first in that series: The Best 5 Story Posts of 2010.

I may be a blogger, but I’m also a simple church planter and practitioner who is attempting to live the life I blog about. One of the things I blog about is the stories that come out of the ministry God is giving me. Stories have a special way of capturing what people are experiencing. They can also help us learn practical lessons. If you read the following stories, in the order they are given, they also weave a bigger story. So, in that spirit, here are what I think are the five best story posts from 2010.

Story 1: Meeting the Person of Peace

Those of us who plant simple/organic churches, among those who don’t yet know Christ, look for the person of peace Jesus taught about in Luke 10:6. Here is an encounter I had with such a person: Cesar, Man of Peace.

Story 2: Following Jesus into the Harvest

Organic ministry isn’t just about leading people to Christ and planting churches (as wonderful and fun as that is). It is about following Jesus and seeing what He is up to. In the process, we end up ministering in people’s lives. That can be anything from giving a child a cup of cold water to…Here’s an example: Francisco- Another Story from the Harvest.

Story 3: Taking Others into the Harvest

When Jesus begins to give us fruit, in the form of people, we need to make disciples; that is, help them become disciples of Jesus. In the process, we should take them into the harvest with us. Here is an example of what that can look like:  Burgers and Jesus.

Story 4: Learning to Follow Jesus, Not a Technique

We can be doctrinaire about how we think ministry “ought to be done.” Or, we can just follow Jesus, even when He doesn’t play by our technique and paradigm rule book. I would like to suggest that following the Lord of the Harvest into the harvest is always wiser. Here is an example: Another Story from the Harvest.

Stories 5 and 6: Gathering Under Jesus’ Lordship

When Jesus gathers us together, we find out that gathering under Jesus’ lordship is both dynamic and seldom what we expect. Here are a couple of brief stories from when my friends and I have gathered under Jesus’ lordship. You will meet some new people (friends I partner in the harvest with) and some people who by now I hope are old friends: Organic Church Gatherings – 2 Stories.

If you find these stories helpful to you in understanding what this organic/simple life, under the lordship of Jesus, is about,  share it on Facebook, Twitter, another social media or email it to your friends. My calling is to share what Jesus is up to. I’m just one of many who are living this exciting and fulfilling life.  And, I hope to encourage you to begin or deepen in this journey which Jesus is calling many of us, around the world, to embrace.

  • Do you have stories like this? If not, do you want to? If so, do you want to share them? Feel free to send me your stories by posting a comment. I may post (with your permission) some of those stories as a resource to others.
  • What one or two lessons did you learn from these stories? Do you want to comment and share your lessons with others?
  • Did you find anything strange or mystifying in these stories? What would that be?
  • What questions do you have about this kind of organic/simple church ministry? If you’re asking that question, probably others are too. Good questions lead to new posts.
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

Apostles and Insiders

Filed Under: Apostolic Ministry, Biblical Meditation, Christendom, Church Planting, Discipleship, Evangelism, Luke 10, Man of Peace, Recommended Books, Supernaturalism, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 1 Comment
December 3, 2010

Click here to buy The Insider: an entire book devoted to how be an insider.

In a viral movement of the Gospel there are two very distinct kinds of people who are used by God to spread his Kingdom. There are those who bring the Gospel to a new place for the first time; they are called apostles. Then there are those who continue the spread of the Gospel generation after generation. Jim Petersen and Mike Shamy, in their book The Insider: Bringing the Kingdom of God into Your Everyday World call these people “insiders.” These two types of Kingdom agents have very different roles and therefore act very differently. Both are important, both are highly strategic, both are essential if the Kingdom is to saturate a people, city or society with the Kingdom of God.

The apostle Paul understood the difference between these two roles and knew exactly who he was and therefore what role he was to play. He also understood and appreciated the role of insiders. He encouraged insiders to act like insiders. Their job was not to imitate his Kingdom activity, it was to follow Jesus into the harvest as they were designed. He alludes to these two distinct roles in Colossians Chapter Four.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone (Col 4:2-6).

Apostles

We know more about the Apostle Paul’s activity, due to Luke’s writing in Acts, than any other 1st Century apostle. He has become the gold standard of apostolic ministry. In this passage we can feel Paul’s heartbeat. Listen to what he says. He longs for an open door for his message. He wants to “proclaim” the mystery of Christ. He is willing to be in chains to do so. He is preoccupied with clarity and he feels that this bold assertion of the Gospel is what he “should” do. This is the no hold barred, bring the Gospel at any cost attitude of a committed apostle. Apostles often attract people to Jesus thorough supernatural demonstrations of power. But does he encourage all the Colossians to act the same way?

Insiders

Paul’s suggestion to the insiders at Colossae is in stark contrast to his own behavior and attitude. He suggests that they be wise toward outsiders. They are to make the most of opportunities. Their conversation is to be gracious, seasoned and considerate, so that they can answer thoughtfully. And, instead of the no holds barred attitude of an apostle, they are to have such deep relationships that people are asking questions about their faith. Insiders attract people to Jesus through living beautiful Jesus colored lives.

Two Different but Crucial Roles

Why is there such stark contrast between these two approaches to Kingdom expansion? In order to understand this, we need to delve a bit deeper into the apostolic role, the insider role and how they work together to saturate a society with the good news about King Jesus.

In my post What Is an Apostle? I refer to apostles as “sodbusters.” Their job, like early pioneers in the American West, is to break the ground in new territory. They do this by following Jesus teaching for apostles in Mt. 10, Mk. 6, Lk 9 and Lk. 10. Through the Spirit’s direction they find the person of peace and the household of peace and plant a church there. Then they help these people become disciples of Jesus, who can further spread the good news of the Kingdom.  Once they have built a foundation (see Building on the Right Foundation), they leave the work to the new disciples, who are insiders in their own society.

To break this new ground, in a place where Jesus is not known or understood, where there is not a hint of what Jesus is all about (or a place where Jesus’ name and reputation has been harmed like here in the West), they must be bold. Their goal is to show that this Jesus they talk about is real and has something to offer. They want to get the first few seeds planted so that those seeds can reproduce thirty, sixty and a hundred fold. They only need to find those special few people called the people of peace to do this. People of peace will introduce them to their oikos, their sphere of influence, where the Kingdom will take root.

Once the person of peace and their sphere of influence become founded in the faith, the apostles job is done…and the insider’s job has come to the fore. Paul, as an apostle moved from place to place. But he encouraged the Colossians to do their insider’s job as they lived their daily lives with the people around them. They were to continue to spread the Gospel by by being Christians, “little Christs,” for people, see Sharing Jesus with Postmodern Friends. They were to allow the delicious aroma of Christ, like fresh baked bread, to attract people, see Disconnected. Insiders are there for the long haul. They take their time and allow their friends, family and associates to see Jesus, smell Jesus, and hear the beautiful music of Jesus in their life. To do this they need to be gracious, seasoned, and answer carefully.

It is important then to know who you are so you can know what role to play. Much damage has been done encouraging insiders to act like bold apostles with friends and family. Those who know insiders need to smell Jesus before they hear about Jesus. But, when that moment comes, insiders are to make the most of every opportunity. Who are you? In the power and direction of the Spirit, do what you were designed to do.

  • How has Jesus wired you, as an apostle or an insider?
  • Another way of asking this is; which role do you feel the impulse of the Spirit to fulfill?
  • Have you, like many insiders, become hesitant to share the gospel because you have been guilt tripped into acting like a bold apostle?
  • If you do have the spiritual impulses of an apostle, do you have the resources and knowledge to know how to play that role in the power and guidance of the Spirit?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

Another Story from the Harvest

Filed Under: Apostolic Ministry, Church Life, Church Planting, Discipleship, Evangelism, Jesus is Lord, Luke 10, Man of Peace, Meeting Together, Our Covenant With God, Simple Church, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 7 Comments
November 10, 2010

I planted a simple church a couple of weeks ago. But it didn’t follow the classic Luke 10 pattern. I’d like to tell you that story and what I’ve learned from it.

Normally when I plant a simple church among those who are coming to Christ, or have not yet come to Christ, I do it by following the pattern Jesus taught to apostolic workers in the harvest in Luke 10. You can see a few of my posts about this: Why Simple Churches Don’t Work, Reason #7, Four Keys to Church Planting and Peace to This House. This church has been a bit different.

This church has grown out of the ministry with Vitorio and Toño that I mentioned in Burgers and Jesus. I had been meeting with those two guys for a few weeks when I asked Toño if he would mind if I invited a few some people from our English as Second Language class and others to the group. He thought that would be a good idea.

When I mentioned our group at the ESL class all the Christians wanted to come. I knew from experience that was not a great idea. But, by God´s grace most of them didn´t get what they were looking for (a nice Evangelical Bible study) so they didn´t stay. However, one guy, German, who was already a Christian did stay. But he was not a typical Evangelical. God was actually leading him through detox (see: Bedbugs in Our Suitcase) and was frustrated with the legalism he was seeing. German has stayed and is excited by what we are doing.

I also, in consultation with Toño, invited two other guys, Cesar and Francisco. You can read their stories in Cesar, Man of Peace, Confronting Legalism-A Story from the Harvest and Francisco- Another Story from the Harvest. These are both men I´ve led to the Lord in the last year. Both have acted as men of peace yet we have not been able to start a stable church in their house. In place of that, I´ve discipled them and they have grown. When Francisco and Cesar finally met they found out that they knew each other casually and both were a bit surprised that the other was a new Christian.

So, last Friday all of us got together except for Toño who couldn´t make it. We had a delicious Hispanic meal (arroz con pollo, tongue tacos and tacos al pastor) and started discussing where we´d like to go in the coming time. One thing I was clear on, I was not going to be their pastor and I was not going to be their priest. I was their older, more experienced brother who could guide them to deeper contact with Jesus. I didn´t want to lead this, I wanted them to learn to follow Jesus’ lead. At one point I suggested that we could all bring food and share it in community. Cesar, in whose house we are meeting, said “I can provide food; you guys just bring people who need Jesus.” This, in turn, launched a lively discussion about evangelism without any of the evangelical jargon. It was very refreshing to hear new Christians encouraging each other to share their faith.

What I’ve learned

I believe with my whole heart that simple church planting should follow Jesus’ pattern in Luke 10. But that is not a technique, it is a pattern which is being controlled by Jesus the Lord of the harvest. And, he, as Lord, can change that any way he wishes. This church is a significant variation on the pattern. Cesar is a man of peace, and we are meeting at his house. But we haven’t planted a church in his oikos (network of relationship) but rather gathered a bunch of guys I’ve led to the Lord. This felt more like addition than multiplication for me. But I also felt it was what Jesus wanted done.

Lesson #1: patterns aren’t recipes. They have infinite variations. It is more like making soup with what you have in the kitchen, rather than trying to imitate Martha Stewart exotic recipe with glistening dollops of foie gras butter floating on islands of bok choy in veal stock. Jesus is the chef, you are the chef’s assistant and you put the ingredients in the soup as he suggests. The soup will be different every time.

Lesson #2: Don’t get doctrinaire about how Jesus ought to do it. This church plant was uncomfortable for me. The idea of gathering a bunch of guys I’ve led to the Lord instead of finding the person of peace and allowing the Kingdom to flow outward from there was uncomfortable. But that is what Jesus wanted. He told me to make disciples (Matt 28:19). That’s my job. He’s the Lord and I’m not. I’ll be content with that.

  • If we treat Jesus’ teaching in Luke 10 as a technique instead of a pattern what problems could arise?
  • Why do you think I was so resistant to having experienced Christians come to the group?
  • Why would grouping a series of people I’ve led to the Lord be addition rather than multiplication?
  • Why do you think I was so insistent about not being a pastor or priest?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

What Is an Apostle?

Filed Under: Apostolic Ministry, Biblical Meditation, Christendom, Church History, Church Planting, Discipleship, Evangelism, Luke 10, Man of Peace, Organic Church, Supernaturalism, The Viral Jesus Book, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 1 Comment
October 27, 2010

What is an Apostle?

The foundational role of an apostle is something that the Church seems to have nearly lost in its long history. This was a direct result of institutionalization and becoming the State Church of Rome rather than the aggressive, Kingdom declaring Church it was designed to be. We’ve lost our understanding of what apostleship is all about. At times it has been replaced by crazy ideas that can do a lot of damage but don’t actually fulfill the biblical role. So, I’d like to dedicate this blog to apostleship, as it was originally designed in the New Testament. Think of it as Apostleship 101. Below there will be links to other posts which will further develop apostleship and share some modern day stories. Apostolic ministry is also developed in my upcoming book The Jesus Virus.

Apostles Expand the Kingdom by Building Foundations

Apostles are sent to expand the Kingdom where there is no Kingdom. They are like sodbusters opening up the frontier. A biblical metaphor for this in Eph. 2:19-20 is that they are foundation builders: Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

Apostles are Sent by Jesus

Jesus is called an apostle in Heb. 3:1. That is because he was sent by the Father to expand His Kingdom. Jesus’ ministry is the model for all other apostolic ministry. What do apostles do? Look at what Jesus did. However, the specific outline of apostolic ministry in found in Jesus teaching, as he sends out his disciples in Matt. 10; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6 and seventy-two others in Luke 10:1-23. Note that in Matt. 10:1 the disciples are renamed apostles when Jesus sends them.

The Signs of an Apostle

The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles—were done among you with great perseverance (2 Cor. 12:12). Everyone was filled with awe, and many (Acts 2:43). Since Apostles are breaking new ground among people who probably have never heard of Christ (or have rejected Christianity because of the excesses of Christendom), they often need to have a supernatural divine stamp of approval on their ministry. This is so that non-Christians can see their message isn’t just their opinion, but they are truly sent from God.

True apostleship replaced by crazy ideas which do a lot of damage

Apostleship is a Gift

Apostleship is a spiritual gift. It is not an intuitional position. It is mentioned in Eph. 4:11-13 with the other foundational gifts: It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Apostles work together with prophets to build the foundation of the Kingdom (see below). The other gifts mentioned here have other tasks to bring the Church to full maturity.

These are all spiritual gifts, not institutional positions. One is not more important than the other. Nor are they more important than any other spiritual gift. They are foundational and may be more “showy,” but they are not more important. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” (I Cor. 12:21). There isn’t any status rank in the Kingdom.

Apostles Work with Prophets

As Eph 2:20 says God’s household, his Kingdom, is built on the foundation of apostles and prophets. Apostles are spiritually designed to boldly take the gospel into new territory. They are gifted to think strategically and often get God’s strategy for a given situation directly from the Holy Spirit. So they are a highly strategic ministry. Good strategy needs good intelligence. That’s where prophets work hand in hand with apostolic ministry. They hear from God and allow the apostle to be more closely attuned to what he wants to do.

There is much more to be said about apostleship. But suffice it to say that apostles are spiritually gifted people, sent on a mission by Jesus, who break new Kingdom territory, working closely with prophets. But they are not positional, titled leaders with a special status.

You can read other posts on apostolic ministry here: Spirituality Isn’t Chemistry, Looking for Trigger Events, Peace to This House, Why Simple Churches Don’t Work, Reason #2,  Why Simple Churches Don’t Work, Reason #3,  Why Simple Churches Don’t Work, Reason #4, Why Simple Churches Don’t Work, Reason #7, Why Simple Churches Don’t Work, Reason #8, Four Keys to Church Planting, An Oikos Isn’t a Building and Building on the Right Foundation. You can read some modern stories of apostolic ministry in: Cesar, Man of Peace, Why Simple Churches Don’t Work, Reason #6, Confronting Legalism-A Story from the Harvest, Francisco- Another Story from the Harvest, and Burgers and Jesus.

  • Does it make sense that apostles and prophets can be foundational without being more important than anyone else?
  • Why would institutionalism and becoming a State Church cause apostleship to be ignored?
  • Some people believe that apostleship ended with the original twelve + Paul? Can you see any scriptural reason to believe this? Why do you think this idea became popular in certain theological circles?
  • Does apostleship automatically mean maturity and/or God’s stamp of approval?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

Biblical Obscurity

Filed Under: Apostolic Ministry, Biblical Meditation, Church Planting, Jesus is Lord, Luke 10, Man of Peace, New Covenant, Our Covenant With God, Spiritual Life, Supernaturalism, Worldview by rossrohde — 2 Comments
October 15, 2010

An Ancient Mirror

Ever wonder why the Bible isn’t written like a text book or a user’s manual? Sure, there are quite a few things in the Scriptures which are crystal clear, but there are just as many or more that are mysterious, incomplete or enigmatic. Even Paul said “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (I Cor. 13:12). If Paul, a lifelong Bible scholar, someone who had a mystical vision of Christ and someone who wrote a major portion of the New Testament, found living the Christian life less than straight forward; how could we possibly have things figured out 2000 years later? I ask again, why isn’t the Bible written more clearly? I think there is a wonderful reason, and that reason is centered in Christ.

As I’ve been writing in a couple of my recent posts Gentlemen This is a Football and Constraints of Supernaturalism everything we understand from Scripture, everything we do in ministry, even everything we think and believe should be put through the dual lenses of the new covenant and the lordship of Jesus Christ. This is another important example.

Spirit Leads to Truth

The Bible itself does not say that the Bible will lead us unto all the truth. The Bible just claims to be truth. We should have even less confidence in our human rational ability.  According to the Bible the role of leading to truth is reserved for the Spirit: But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come (Jn. 16:13). Once we understand how the new covenant and the lordship of Jesus work together, this makes perfect sense. Jesus wants to teach us the truth. He wants to lead us there through his Spirit. This is in keeping with the new covenant truth of the Spirit speaking into our heart and mind. But, he will do so within the parameters of the Scripture. This allows us to have a relationship with Jesus, not just knowledge about him. This allows him to lead us as our Lord in every aspect of life, including ministry. This is in keeping with his statement that apart from him we can do nothing. This is new covenant to the core.

We Don't See as Clearly as We Would Like

Does this negate the value of the Bible? May it never be! The Bible is valuable in every way. Our lives, beliefs and ministry should always reflect the Scriptures, but the details belong to Jesus. The Bible is the outline, the parameters. Jesus, through his Spirit, fills in the particular details. And, the Spirit himself superintended the writing of the Scriptures. He won’t deny himself.

Apostolic Ministry as an Example

Let’s look at Lk. 10:1-23 as an example. The outline of apostolic ministry is laid out in Luke 10. It is reiterated and given further detail in Matthew 10, Mark 6 and Luke 9. Jesus’ ministry in the Gospels and the apostolic ministry in Acts further illustrate the patterns and principles of Luke 10. Yet could any sane person believe that apostolic ministry here or anywhere in the New Testament is presented like a text book, with all of the mystery taken out, with all of the questions answered? Let me ask a few questions: What exactly is a man of peace/worthy man? How exactly does one find the man of peace? How do we distinguish this person from others? What does it mean in Lk 10:6 “when your peace rests on him or returns to you?” What are the exact parameters for shaking off the dust of our feet and cursing? When do we do that and when do we keep staying and ministering?

I need to know the answers to these questions, if I’m going to live the apostolic lifestyle. Who is going to explain this to me? I guarantee the answers are not to be found anywhere in the Bible; I’ve looked long and hard. This is really looking at a poor reflection in a mirror. But am I stuck without answers?

I’m not stuck without answers because I have the Spirit of Jesus living in me. He will use the Christian operating system of the new covenant to lead me to any truth I will need, by the Spirit. And it will be fully biblical when he gives it to me. He never guaranteed to answer my every question, but I can trust him to give me what I need.

My own experience tells me that this kind of lifestyle is learned. It requires going on a lifelong learning journey with Jesus. It requires learning to listen. It requires test, trials, failures, mistakes, victories and lots of incremental lessons. It requires becoming a lifelong student of the Scriptures, reading them under the direction of the Spirit. But this is a journey worth taking, because we are with Jesus and we are seeking his kingdom, learning his righteousness. I don’t know about you but if I had it all laid out like a user’s manual, I’d probably try to do it myself and miss the best part; the journey and relationship with Jesus.

  • Do you find some of the Bible enigmatic?
  • If the Bible were our only guide, without the Spirit, how would we know the details of what needs to be done in particular circumstances?
  • If the details are left up to us, does that negate the Lordship of Jesus? Are we doing things apart from him?
  • Why did Jesus, who knew the Scriptures well, only do what he saw the Father doing? Is what is described above a modern day reflection of how Jesus operated?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

Burgers and Jesus

Filed Under: Apostolic Ministry, Biblical Meditation, Church Life, Church Planting, Discipleship, Evangelism, Jesus is Lord, Luke 10, Man of Peace, Meeting Together, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 3 Comments
October 9, 2010

Vitorio[1] probably came into a relationship with Jesus last night. This happened as my friend Toño and I ate hamburgers with him at the local Burger King. The lesson God is teaching me about this situation is not how Vitorio came to faith but rather the process that was required for his heart to open to the point where Toño and I had earned the right to be heard.

I’ve known Vitorio for about five months. I first met him when he came to our English as a second language class in San Rafael, CA. Vitorio didn’t speak a word of English. That’s not a figure of speech, its literal…he really didn’t speak a word of English. To this day, he gets the numbers one and two mixed up in his head. When Vitorio came to our class, he found a bunch of his fellow countrymen sitting around talking with “gringos” cracking jokes, making lots of mistakes in English and helping one another learn to speak English. All of this was done with a coke and some of Laura’s (my fellow teacher) famous baked goods in their hands.

My friend Ryan and I also met up with Vitorio when we passed out donuts and coffee to the guys waiting for work early Sunday morning. July was particularly cold here in the Bay Area. One morning while we were passing out coffee I notice that Vitorio was shivering. Without really thinking about it, I took off my jacket and told him to get warm. He wanted to be polite but he was so cold that he just smiled, thanked me and huddled into my jacket. About ten minutes later, just as I was getting ready to leave, Vitorio returned my jacket with effusive thanks.

When I got home that morning, Jesus began to speak to me about Vitorio.

Jesus: “Do you think that’s the only time Vitorio is cold?”

Ross: “No, Lord.”

Jesus: “What do you think I would have done? In fact, what did I tell you to do with a jacket if someone asks for it?”

Ross: “You told us to give it to them.”

Jesus: “Figure of speech, hyperbole, or literal?”

Ross: “I think I get your point.”

Jesus: “Not yet; go find him and give him your jacket.”

I spent a frustrating Monday morning looking for Vitorio and not finding him. However, he was at language class on Friday evening. I told him I needed to speak to him privately after class.

Ross: “My friend, I have an apology to make to you.”

Vitorio: “For what.”

Ross: “You were cold and I took my jacket back. Jesus has been talking to me about that. Here’s your jacket. Please forgive me for my insensitivity. Jesus wouldn’t have done that.”

Vitorio has not opened up to me right away. Our original relationship was strictly on a needs basis. Slowly but surely, little by little, I’ve become someone who can be trusted because my love for Vitorio is consistent and real. It is shown not only in my intentional actions and what I say, but in my tone of voice, my gestures, the pats on the back and my willingness to laugh at his jokes. Most of this is tacit on my part, but it has been noticed by Vitorio. With Vitorio, as with most people, I have needed to earn the right to be heard. Eating burgers and sharing Jesus had a long prequel. If Vitorio was telling this story, he probably would bring out all sorts of incidents that haven’t occurred to me.

A Good Place to Share Jesus

Here’s the point; we need to engage people not ambush them. To do that, we need to live life with them, be their friends. Most of us feel much better with an occasional guilt assuaging ambush. We love to minister to the homeless because we are always in a position of power with them. Ever met a homeless person who didn’t know the words of the gospel? I didn’t think so. They’re ambushed on a weekly basis. Building enough trust to eat burgers and share Jesus requires quite a bit of time and investment. We need to be open to those instantaneous, finding the man of peace moments. They happen and we need to be able to respond very quickly. But we also need to be investing in the lives of many people. Some will eventually lead to burgers and Jesus. Others will just be loved but perhaps never enter the Kingdom. Our job is to take them as far as they are willing to go. And, to be listening to the Lord of the harvest who is walking this journey of friendship with us.

  • With whom are we building the right to be heard? 
  • How much of trust building is based on incidents we don’t even remember? How much is tone of voice and pats on the back? Can we fake that?
  • What if they never come to faith? Is Kingdom work still being done if we only feed them and give them our jacket?
  • How long does it take? When do we give up? How can we know?

 

[1] Not his real name.

Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

Still More Pennies from Heaven

Filed Under: Apostolic Ministry, Biblical Meditation, Church Planting, Evangelism, Luke 10, Man of Peace, Spiritual Life, Supernaturalism, Worldview by rossrohde — Leave a comment
October 7, 2010

Well, it has happened once again. I found a penny from heaven as I walked and prayed this morning. You can read my other five pennies from heaven stories in Pennies from Heaven, Pennies from Heaven Continue and More Pennies from Heaven. My wife noted this morning before I went for my walk that she walks the same streets I do, yet she doesn’t find any pennies from heaven. I can only conclude that God wants me to find them. I guess it is his project for me.

The Story

I found the penny fairly early on in my walk in an area where I’ve never found any pennies before. The penny was a 2003 D, shiny but a bit scuffed up. When I found it I immediately began to look for someone to share it with. I had to walk about two blocks before I found anyone. As I walked down Orchard street a woman parked her car, got out and began to walk down the sidewalk about fifteen feet in front of me. She was Hispanic.

“¿Disculpe, habla Ud. Español?” (Excuse me, do you speak Spanish?) I’ll transition to English, although the conversation was in Spanish.

“Yes, I speak Spanish.”

“This penny is yours (I get a shy smile from her.) Let me explain. About two weeks ago I had a dream that I’d find pennies. In the dream God told me that I was to tell the next person I saw that this penny was from him. He wanted them to know that God loves them and he wants a relationship with them.”

“Well, I don’t know (very shyly).” In a Hispanic culture, with this tone of voice, that can mean more like ‘I’m thinking about it, rather than a rejection.

“This God I’m talking about is Jesus Christ. He loves you. You are going to have to decide what you are going to do with that. But he is looking for you (another shy smile). Enjoy your penny.”

My Lessons

As I pondered this experience I began to realize, more than ever, that this was something set up by God. I really don’t have any control over it, other than refuse to participate. Further, there can be all sorts of details, of which I have no control, which might or might not mean something to the person I’m speaking with.

I noted, for example that the woman this morning kept looking at my walking hat (a Stanford Cardinals baseball cap). Does Stanford mean something to her? Cardinals? Baseball? I don’t know. For some reason I kept talking to her with a Castilian accent. Normally, I’ve lost my accent from Spain since I’ve been back in the US. That’s because I’ve been working with Hispanic day workers a number of times a week. This accent is loaded with meaning for Spanish speakers, some of it good, most of it bad. It can carry a tone of distinction, like the Queen’s English. However, to Hispanics, it also can carry the tone of distain and oppression. Why did I keep reverting to an accent I’ve mostly lost? It certainly wasn’t any lack of respect for her. How was she taking that? I don’t know.

After I left this woman, I realized that this conversation (some details of which I’ve left out) was a bit more extensive than most of my other pennies from heaven encounters. I felt I needed to emphasize her need to choose God, that he was pursuing her. What did that mean? Why did I do that other than I felt I needed to say it? I don’t know. Am I willing to leave that a mystery? Well, honestly I don’t have much of a choice other than to force a conversation and beginning to ask a bunch of intrusive questions. I’d do that if I really felt God ask me to do so, but I haven’t felt that nudge yet. So, I’m left, time after time (this is the sixth time so far in two and one half weeks) with mystery and no clear conclusion. I’d love to have this lead to a clear conclusion. I love leading people to the Lord. I love finding people of peace and I love planting churches. But God hasn’t done that with the pennies from heaven yet. In fact, I would love to be a spiritual hero with these stories. At best, right now, I feel more like a semi-faithful plodder.

However, I can pray. So, as I walked my merry way onto San Pablo Av. I prayed for this woman. I Asked God to do anything and everything he could to pursue her. What will he do with that? I don’t know, and I’m OK with that.

  • Do you find the mysterious aspects and situations of our faith frustrating, inviting or a bit of both?
  • If you were in my shoes, what would you want to happen next? I find myself wanting to find a person of peace and plant a church in my neighborhood. What do you think God will do with that desire?
  • I’m no longer surprised when I find coins on my walk, particularly pennies. Is that good or are there potential dangers in becoming too familiar with God’s patterns in our lives?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

Pennies from Heaven Continue

Filed Under: Biblical Meditation, Church Planting, Discipleship, Evangelism, Jesus is Lord, Man of Peace, Our Covenant With God, Simple Church, Supernaturalism by rossrohde — Leave a comment
October 1, 2010

On September 18, 2010 I had a dream that started a series of events where I’ve had God directed encounters to share the love of God with people. God told me that I’d find pennies as I walked. I was to given the penny and share the love of God with the next person I met. You can read about the first two incidents in my post: Pennies from Heaven. Here are two more pennies from Heaven stories.

 

 

 

Safeway Parking Lot (Sept. 24, 2010)

At the end of my Pennies from Heaven post I shared this brief update: Just after posting this blog I went to the store. I found a penny in the parking lot and spoke to a man who thanked me for giving it to him. Let me fill out the details a little bit. When I went to the checkout stand at my local Safeway there was only one man if front of me. He was waiting for a checker to go back to the liquor cabinet where they store expensive liquor under lock and key, to get a bottle for him. We struck up a conversation as we waited for the checker to return. After I got done checking out I walked to my car. Right in the middle of the parking lot was a penny. I picked it up and looked for who I was to talk to. It was the man I’d had the conversation with in the check stand.  I approached him and held out the penny.

“This penny is yours and I’ll tell you why. Last week I had a dream that I’d find pennies while I walked. Then God told me in that I was to give it to the first person I saw and give them this message. God loves you and he wants a relationship with you. This is penny number three.”

The man got a huge smile of his face, took the penny, shook my hand and thanked me for sharing. It isn’t often that we actually have someone thank us for sharing God with them.

Reading Class (Sept. 30, 2010)

Last night I went to teach reading to my friend Francisco. You can read about how I met him in Francisco- Another Story from the Harvest. As I climbed the steps to his apartment, I found a penny on the landing. I’ve been sharing the love of Christ with Francisco. You can read about how he came to faith in the link above. Francisco is growing rapidly in his faith. This is exciting to see, but I wondered what I was to do with this penny. Was I to give it to Francisco? What was I to say? However, when I knocked on the door Gilda, his wife, answered the door. She was talking on her cell phone. As I sat down at the table with Francisco I put the penny on the table and explained what I was going to do when Gilda got off the phone. When Gilda got off the phone I called her to the table where Francisco and I were studying. I explained my story. I told her that this was penny number four and that the penny comes with a message from God. “God loves you and wants a deeper relationship with you” (Gilda knows Jesus). She got a huge smile on her face and told me, “I want that very much.” God actually arranged for me to share with both Francisco and Gilda with one penny.

I don’t know how many pennies I’m going to find. I don’t know when the next will be. I do know that this gives me wonderful opportunities to minister to people and show them not only the love of God but that he has singled them out to hear that. I’ve yet to have someone blow me off.

  • In the two weeks how many pennies have you found? I know that I’ve never found four pennies in any two week stretch in my life.
  • Have you ever responded to a spiritual dream before? Did it lead to Kingdom ministry?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment
Powered by WordPress | Theme: Motion by 85ideas.