Grace Baptist Church

Events vs. Family - Giving Appropriate Emphasis

Tim Chester, author of several books include Total Church, recently wrote a thought-provoking blogpost about performance-based ministry and real-life ministry as it relates to the “store-front” image of the church.  His desire is that people not ask about their meetings (events) but rather ask about how the church lives their lives together with gospel intentionality.

Chester writes:

For many Christians church is an event. It is a meeting you attend or a place you enter. Churches may talk about being a family, but most of their resources go into the Sunday morning event. Acquiring a building. Preparing the sermon. Producing the bulletin. Equipping a venue with sound and light. Planning the show. Practicing the band. That’s were their money and their staff time go. We talk about being family and community, but when you look at how we spend our time and money it becomes clear that in practice we view church as an event.

People often ask me about our meetings. ‘When do you meet? Where? What do you do when you meet together?’ But if you ask those questions then you have completely missed the point! We’re not advocating a new way of doing meetings. Actually our meetings are not good! The music is poor and the teaching is nothing you’d go out of your way to hear. What matters to us is our shared life: sharing our lives, doing ordinary life with gospel intentionality.

The church will never out perform TV shows and music videos. But there is nothing like the community life of the church. There is nowhere else where diverse people come together. There is nowhere else were broken people find a home. There is nowhere else when grace is experienced. There is nowhere else where God is present by his Spirit.

Although our corporate times of gathered worship are very important in the life of our church, relatively speaking if we are a healthy church, we would view church life much more than an “event” but a shared journey where we live life together on mission in our community with a gospel-driven passion.  While the de-churched in our community will perhaps find their way to one of our corporate gatherings, the unchurched and unreached people will not exposed to the glorious realities of the gospel without the community apologetic and everyday witness of kingdom living through word (proclamation) and deed (service).

While we do not want diminish the significance of our times of gathered corporate worship, we ought to raise the significance of everyday life in between these gatherings to authentically and intentionality demonstrate how the gospel continues to transform our lives where the Spirit of God makes ordinary moments extraordinary opportunities for glorying in Jesus Christ!

Labels: Cape Coral, Community, Family Life, Grace Baptist Church, Tim Chester | posted by TimBrister at 8:28 am | Categories: Community, Gospel, Small Groups |

Killer Community Tips

Here’s a light-hearted way of communicating some wrong-headed view of community groups . . .

Labels: Community, Small Groups | posted by TimBrister at 12:42 pm | Categories: Community, Small Groups |

Seven Reasons Why Preaching Is NOT Enough - John Piper

Much like Grace, Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN (where John Piper is lead pastor) has been transitioning in structure for small group ministry.  In his exposition on John 5, Piper explained the importance of small group for healthy body life and why preaching is NOT enough.  From Piper’s manuscript (emphasis mine):

Last Sunday when I met with the small group leaders of the Downtown Campus, I tried to show them how essential their role is at this church by giving them seven reasons my preaching is not enough—seven reasons why perseverance in faith and growth in faith call for Christians to meet regularly in a face-to-face way to “serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10). God intends to do things in you which he will only do through the ministry of other believers.

7 Reasons We Need Small Groups

He has given pastors to the church “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12). I believe in what I do. And I believe that it is not enough. Here are the seven reasons I gave the small group leaders.

1. The impulse [to] avoid painful growth by disappearing safely into the crowd in corporate worship is very strong.
2. The tendency toward passivity in listening to a sermon is part of our human weakness.
3. Listeners in a big group can more easily evade redemptive crises. If tears well up in your eyes in a small group, wise friends will gently find out why. But in a large gathering, you can just walk away from it.
4. Listeners in a large group tend to neglect efforts of personal application. The sermon may touch a nerve of conviction, but without someone to press in, it can easily be avoided.
5. Opportunity for questions leading to growth is missing. Sermons are not dialogue. Nor should they be. But asking questions is a key to understanding and growth. Small groups are great occasions for this.
6. Accountability for follow-through on good resolves is missing. But if someone knows what you intended to do, the resolve is stronger.
7. Prayer support for a specific need or conviction or resolve goes wanting. O how many blessings we do not have because we are not surrounded by a band of friends who pray for us.

So please know that when this small-group ministry of our church is lifted up, I don’t think it’s an optional add-on to basic Christian living. I think it is normal, healthy, needed, New Testament Christianity. I pray that you will be part of one of these small groups or that you will get the training and start one. This is the main strategy through which our pastors and elders shepherd the flock at Bethlehem: Elders > small group leaders > members to one another.

These seven points provided Piper are important to consider, especially because of the fact that we are all members of one another and participants in the change God wants to bring in conforming us more into the image of Christ.

Labels: Bethlehem Baptist Church, Community, Grace Baptist Church, John Piper, Small Groups | posted by TimBrister at 2:01 pm | Categories: Community, Small Groups |

Counsel on Giving and Receiving Correction

In his message on giving and receiving correction, Pastor Tom concluded with the following points of application on how to give and how to receive correction.  Here they are:

On Giving Correction

1. Correct in love
a. Proverbs 3:11, 12 says, “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.”
b. Don’t let your frustration of pain drive your words. Deal with any personal issues in your own heart first before you try to speak correctively.
c. Pray before you speak. Ask the Lord to help you love the one you will address.

2. Correct with a redemptive purpose
a. Christ died to redeem us, to make us holy; you can be a means of your brother’s or sister’s sanctification by offering godly correction.
b. Do not let it be personal—revenge; wanting her to feel as badly as you do; wanting to make yourself look better, etc.
c. Ask yourself what God wants for this person, and see yourself as an instrument in the Lord’s hands to bring it about
d. Matt 18:15-18—remember that the goal is always “to win your brother”
e. Begin with words of affirmation
f. Examine yourself before you offer your appraisal of someone else. Matthew 7:1-6, first get the log out of your own eye before you help your brother get the speck out of his. Speak, as you would like to be spoken to
g. Speak as one who has been rescued and not one who is immune to the problem you are correcting

3. Correct plainly
a. Proverbs 26:28 says “A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.”
b. Don’t beat around the bush or merely imply what should be plainly stated. Nathan did not leave David guessing about his sin but said to him, “You are the man!”

4. Correct privately (usually)

5. Correct with well-chosen words
a. Proverbs 25:11, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver.”
b. Col. 4:6, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt…”

On Receiving Correction

1. Admit that you need correction and always will as long as you are alive
2. Recognize that God uses the critical and corrective words of others to help you overcome the deceitfulness of sin
3. Refuse to respond defensively
4. Refuse to respond despairingly
5. Accept correction and criticism as coming from God
6. Resolve, by God’s grace, to benefit from and grow as a result of criticism
7. Meditate deeply on the cross of Jesus
a. It has criticized you
b. It has justified you

8. Meditate deeply on the resurrection of Jesus
a. His resurrection guarantees yours
b. The power that raised Him from the dead resides in all those who trust Him, giving us the ability to change!

Labels: Change, Christianity, Community, Correction, Criticism | posted by TimBrister at 8:55 am | Categories: Change, Community, Reflection and Review, Words |

Preparing for Grace Gathered: November 1, 2009

Several things are taking place this Sunday that I want to make you aware of (or remind you).  With each coming Sunday, I hope to give you specific ways you can pray and prepare for Grace Gathered.  Coming together on each Lord’s Day can become even more meaningful when we prepare our hearts, minds, and (yes) our bodies as God’s people.

Fall Back and Schedule Change

Please do not forget to change your clocks back one hour this Saturday evening. If not, you will arrive one hour early!  Also, this Sunday is the launch of our second morning service and the schedule change.  Please note the new times of our worship services and Bible Studies:

8:00AM     Early Worship
9:30AM     Sunday School
10:45AM   Late Worship
11:00AM   Spanish Sunday School
12:15PM   Spanish Worship Service

Those of you who are serving on the various ministry teams, please be sure to arrive early.  While we are anticipating a few bumps in the road as we transition, we hope to have everything smoothed out over the next couple of weeks.

Spanish Worship Service

This Sunday, our brother Marcos Perez will be delivering God’s Word in our Spanish worship service, and Pastors Ken and Tim will assist in leading in worship.  I want to encourage many of you who attend our English worship services to join us as we continue in our commitment to share the Gospel and the life-changing power of God’s Word to our Spanish-speaking community!

Bible Study and Message Themes

For our adult Bible Study, we will be picking back up in our Gospel-Centered Life study with week two of addressing “heart idolatry.” Two resources in particular I encourage you to check out are David Powlison’s X-Ray Questions (PDF) and chapter 4 of Paul Tripp’s book Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands (called “The Heart of the Matter”).  We will focus on addressing the root idols that cause us to rely on “functional saviors” rather than Jesus and offer some suggestions to remove, crush, and destroy those idols in our lives.

For our worship gathering, Pastor Tom will be preaching from Acts 2 on the theme of biblical fellowship.  We will be looking at how the early church recently formed after Pentecost.  How is the corporate nature of the church different from the world?  What unifies believers?  What are hindrances to true biblical fellowship?  Are we are in agreement on what fellowship is in the first place?  Why do we need to participate in meaningful fellowship on a regular basis?  These questions and others Pastor Tom hopes to address from God’s Word.

Grace Scattered (Sunday Night)

On Sunday evening, Grace will be scattered throughout SW Florida in through our Grace Community Groups (GCGs) where we hope to share with one another each others’ lives (fellowship) and how the morning’s message is impacting and changing the way we think, feel, and live as Christians.  With every message, there is a call for repentance towards God and faith in Jesus.  Be sure to connect in a GCG this Sunday night to encourage one another through gospel-driven fellowship that reaches out to our unbelieving community.

Labels: Biblical Fellowship, Grace Baptist Church, Grace Gathered | posted by TimBrister at 8:20 am | Categories: Community, Grace Gathered, News and Announcements |

Proverbs 8 Study Guide & Discussion Questions

In our Grace Community Groups (GCGs), we have been seeking to apply God’s Word (text) to our lives (context) as preached from Pastor Tom Ascol and his series through the book of Proverbs.  In our October GCG, we took up chapter eight of Proverbs, focusing on the nature, value, and accessibility of wisdom.  I am making the study guide and discussion questions available online for download to anyone who might find it profitable for their small group or personal devotion.

To download the Proverbs 8 study guide and questions, click here (PDF).

Labels: Community Groups, Grace Baptist Church, Proverbs 8 | posted by TimBrister at 1:39 pm | Categories: Community, GCG Study Guides, Proverbs, Resources, Small Groups |

Stetzer on Missional Small Communities

Ed Stetzer: “We should not be so concerned about the container but the church being contained.”

Missional Small Communities from Ed Stetzer on Vimeo.

Here is the outline for his talk:

1.  Can small communities be missional?
a.  Made up of people living on mission
b.  Most likely place for life transformation
c.  Less to maintain =  more focus on mission
d.  Yo-Yo Illustration: Centrifugal Force (missional) & Centripetal Force (attractional)
e.  Do something for the gospel, not just ourselves

2.  Why small communities?
a.  Accountable relationships
b.  Provoking is possible (specific vs. generic)
c.  Flat structures help people live on mission (vs. hierarchy)
d.  Maximum participation (from rows to circles to the world)

3.  What are some hindrances to missional small communities?
a.  More of a concern for knowledge than life transformation
b.  Leaders love to teach more than to help people learn
c.  Reflections of the past
d.  Segmentation of the mission (”every expression of the church owns all the mission of God”)

4.  What are some key practices of missional small communities?
a.  Mission orientation
b.  Word-driven community
c.  Multiplication mindset
d.  Incarnationally valid
e.  Stranger welcoming
f.  Kingdom focused

5.  Build a strategy that is communicable and understandable for our people
a. Connect
b. Grow
c.  Share
d.  Go

Conclusion: “The most likely place for life transformation and missional engagement is in small communities.”

Labels: Community Groups, Ed Stetzer, Missional Small Communities | posted by TimBrister at 12:46 pm | Categories: Community, Evangelism, Missional, Small Groups |

Community Groups on Mission

Tim Keller, in his influential article “The Missional Church” explains the difference between the practice of church in “Christendom” and the church in an increasingly post-modern, secularized culture.  His argument is that if the church is going to reach the world in which we live today, we cannot accept the traditional mode of existence within Christendom since it no longer exists but instead embrace a missional posture which seeks to engage and influence the non-Christian society in which we live.

At the conclusion of his article, Keller lists six ways a community group can take on the missional posture, and I want to commend them to you as you participate in our Grace Community Groups.

You are a community group on mission if:

1.  Its members love and talk positively about the city/neighborhood
2.  They speak the language that is not filled with pious tribal or technical terms or phrases, nor disdainful and embattled language
3.  In their Bible study they apply the gospel to the core concerns and stories of the people of the culture
4.  They are obviously interested in and engaged with the literature and art and thought of the surrounding culture and can discuss it both appreciatively and critically
5.  They exhibit deep concern for the poor and generosity with their money and purity and respect with regard to opposite sex, and show humility toward people of other races and cultures
6.  They do not bash other Christians and churches

THEN . . . Keller says that

A.  Seekers and non-believing people from the city will be invited in
B.  They will come and will stay as they explore spiritual issues

Labels: Community Groups, Culture, Missional, Tim Keller | posted by TimBrister at 12:21 pm | Categories: Community, Missional, Small Groups |

Ten Great Commission Questions

Thom Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, recently wrote an article personalizing a “Great Commission Resurgence” by asking ten tough questions.  I want to post these questions for our reflection as we seek to be a Great Commission church–one that is a church planting church made up of disciple-making disciples.  Check them out.

1. Do I read and study my Bible daily so I can know what the Word says about a Great Commission lifestyle?
2. Do I pray each day that God will lead me to a Great Commission lifestyle?
3. Do I need to reconcile with someone so that God can truly use me in the fulfillment of the Great Commission?
4. Am I willing to change my lifestyle materially so I might give more and be less dependent on the things of the world?
5. Do I really show concern for the poor and hurting in this world and in my community?
6. Would my family testify honestly that I lead a Great Commission lifestyle with them?
7. Do I have a gentle and loving spirit that reflects the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life?
8. Do I major on minors?
9. Do I see the speck in others’ eyes without seeing the plank in mine?
10. Does my life reflect genuine joy?

I suppose we all could give reasons as to why we are not Great Commission Christians as we should be, but behind all of that is a conviction to take the gospel and mission of our Savior sincerely, seriously, and personally.  I think these questions help us do that.

Labels: Great Commission, Great Commission Resurgence, Thom Rainer | posted by TimBrister at 5:52 am | Categories: Community, Evangelism, Missions |

Why One Group and One Place: Community Group Q&A (PDF)

This evening, I followed up with addressing two questions that have been asked: (1) Is it okay for me to attend various community groups? and (2) Can we have various host homes for the same community group?  Regarding these questions, I sought to address with biblical considerations, current realities, and specific reasons why the pastors and elders recommend Grace Community Groups meet in the same place and members commit to one particular community group.

I have made the PowerPoint presentation available to download as a PDF document.  To download it, click below:

“Why One Group and One Place? Grace Community Groups Q&A“

Labels: Community Groups, Grace Baptist Church, Incarnational Ministry, Theology of Place | posted by TimBrister at 8:00 pm | Categories: Community, Resources, Small Groups |

Why Weekly? Q&A About Grace Community Groups (PDF)

It is our goal to make as much of our materials and resources available to you, and in keeping with that goal, I am providing a downloadable PDF of this evening’s discussion on the question “Why Weekly?: A Q&A Discusion for Grace Community Groups.”  This short presentation simply covers biblical considerations, current realities, and six practical reasons for transitioning to weekly community groups. If the presentation was recorded, I will also link to the MP3 from this evening.

To downlaod the document, click below:

* Why Weekly? - A Q&A Discussion for Grace Community Groups *

Labels: Community, Grace Baptist Church, Small Groups | posted by TimBrister at 8:52 pm | Categories: Church Planting, Community, Evangelism, Resources, Small Groups |

Nuts and Bolts of a Great Commission Vision (PDF)

As promised, I want to share with you the PowerPoint slides in a PDF document for you to download for further review, prayer, and reflection.  The nuts and bolts of this Great Commission vision is a project in the making; nevertheless, this document gives you a pretty good idea of where the pastors and elders of Grace have been thinking and praying for the past 6-8 months to better facilitate the Great Commission with a strategy and structure for our church scattered and sent on mission for the glory of God.

To download the document, simply click here:

“The Nuts and Bolts of a Great Commission Vision of Grace Baptist Church“

Labels: Church Planting, Community Groups, Grace Baptist Church, Great Commission, Leadership Development | posted by TimBrister at 8:38 pm | Categories: Church Planting, Community, Evangelism, Missional, Resources, Small Groups |

The Kingdom, the Community, and You, Part 3

This week, I have been writing about a kingdom hermeneutic–a way to interpret and shape life according to Christ who is our King and the kingdom’s advance in and through our lives. In Part 1, I focused on the preeminence of the King and how His kingdom should prioritize our thinking, inflame passionate affections, and pattern our living.  In Part 2, I turned our attention to how pursuing the kingdom causes us to embrace a kingdom-ethic where we are considering others more highly than ourselves.  Christ-like community takes shape when kingdom-focused disciples are embracing their identity and purpose together to pray and live out, “Your kingdom come.”

In this third and final part, I want to think about us, and in particular some points of application as it pertains to parts 1 and 2.  This is crucial because we can have many “amen” moments in affirming theological principles without ever experiencing any “oh me” moments–times when we are confronted with realities requiring repentance.  We are always susceptible to reverting back to our own little kingdom’s where we are king and the world revolves around us–our wants, our needs, our perspectives, our priorities, etc. When Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” we should not forget that this is a present command; in other words, repentance is required regularly not only for the advance of the kingdom but its presence as well.

There are questions we ought continually to ask ourselves, especially when it comes to the direction of our lives or our church.  Are we thinking of the kingdom of God first or ourselves?  Are we trying to advance our agenda or God’s agenda?  When it comes to others, are we looking to take advantage of what they can do for us or taking the advantage of the opportunity to do much in blessing them?

Kingdom confrontations are going to happen.  In each of us are preferences, traditions, felt needs, and a sense of entitlement, all of which serve as filters to our worldview and influence the decisions we make. They are not all bad, but we must recognize that there will be times when, if we are humbly submitted to the rule and reign of Jesus in our lives, areas will be exposed where we are rivaling or even rebelling inwardly against the very thing we are praying for!

I am convinced that God has great things in store for Grace Baptist Church, but in order for us to fully embrace all of what He will do through His church, we must cultivate a passion for the kingdom, a priority to serve others, and a daily practice of repentance as we together seek to glorify Him through radically-devoted, gospel-saturated, kingdom-advancing lives.  When we have God’s perspective for our church, we think little of ourselves, more of others, and always for the glory of Jesus through the building of His church!

Labels: Community, Kingdom of God, Repentance | posted by TimBrister at 7:51 pm | Categories: Community, Jesus |

The Kingdom, the Community, and You, Part 2

In my last post, I made the case that kingdom of God should have preeminence in our lives and serve as the foundation for all we do in our lives.  We should seek first the kingdom of God, pray for His kingdom come, and not look back when we’ve put our hands to the plow in following Christ.  Because is pleased the Father to give us the kingdom, it should bring us pleasure to give God our hearts and lives in service to the advancement of His kingdom and glory, for to that we are called to live in a worthily manner.

With a kingdom perspective that prioritizes your life according to the things our King values the most, we should realize how good citizens of the kingdom are to relate to one another in community and to the larger community of unbelievers in the world around us.  When Christ is king, we do not consider people for what they can offer us but rather how we can serve them.  We are not looking to take advantage of them but rather take advantage of the opportunity to bless them. This approach to community is only possible as we appropriate the example of Christ by His Spirit who came not to be served but to serve (Matt. 20:28).  At the moment when Jesus knew the Father had given all things into His hands, you would think such knowledge, power, and greatness would be encapsulated in the recognition of this fact by Himself and others in public praise, adulation, and worship.  Yet, such a moment led Jesus to a towel and basin where he performed the most humbling of tasks in washing the feet of disciples (John 13:1-20).

True kingdom community is possible when we have the humble heart of our King who served others by giving His life away in loving sacrifice.  Paul exhorted the Philippian believers this very thing when he wrote,

“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus . . .” (Phil. 2:3-5)

Outside of Christ, no one is more significant than ourselves. Repentance in the heart where the kingdom of Christ is present deals continual blows against pride and self-centeredness in order to liberate our thinking so that we may have the mind of Christ which humbly considers others more significant than ourselves.

The Christian community is heaven on earth where the mind and heart of Jesus is expressed through His body being knit together in love.  The church becomes a more visible sign of the kingdom when those subject to the King are being conformed to His will and pattern their lives according His commands - and do in the context of a broader community outside the kingdom whose attitudes and actions are daily challenged by the reign and rule of Jesus Christ among His people.  This is where the presence of the kingdom spreads a passion for the advance of the kingdom. Only in community can we demonstrate the kind of humility, love, and sacrifice for others where our preeminent interest in the kingdom fuels our personal interest in blessing of others in kingdom word (gospel) and kingdom deed (service).

Labels: Community, Gospel, Humility, Jesus, Kingdom, Service | posted by TimBrister at 7:04 am | Categories: Community, Gospel, Humility, Jesus |

The Kingdom, the Community, and You, Part 1

Over the past several weeks, we have been discussing the future of community groups in the life of Grace Baptist Church. Last Sunday night, I presented the nuts and bolts of a Great Commission vision focusing on the roles that community groups and church planting would play in our future.  The elders and pastors recognize that this is a bold and aggressive vision–one that is exceedingly beyond us.  In a time like this, there are real temptation and challenges we face, including facing our fears, owning up to our comfort zones, challenging our preferences and feelings in light of Scripture, and just simply counting the cost of being a faithful follower of Christ full of faith in His promises and power to perform might things in our midst.

One of the things I encourage you to consider is Christ as King and the advance of His kingdom, specifically as it relates to our lives.  When Christ inaugurated His kingdom, the kingdom of God was tied to repentance.  Radical changes were being made of cosmic proportions.  A quick word-study on “kingdom” in the gospels will show the majority focusing on entrance into the kingdom and what it is like.  When God establishes the kingdom in our hearts, it will come about through the changing of our thinking, our believing, and our living.  It is nothing short of a reversal of the world’s pattern of thinking about life and conforming our lives to the pattern of God’s revealed will in Scripture.  Therefore, when we pray, “Your kingdom come . . .” we are also saying, “Lord, reveal whatever is in my life that needs to change so that you have complete rule and reign in my life.”  To pray for Christ’s kingdom to come without submitting and surrendering to His rights as King over our lives makes the Lord’s Prayer impersonal and our repentance superficial.

Practically speaking, daily repentance in light of God’s kingdom involves a new perspective with new priorities for our lives.  Outside of Christ, we are king.  The world revolves around us–what we need, what we want, who we like to have in our lives, etc.  It’s a life shaped by comfort and ease, seeking a happiness with daily attempts to make the circumstances fair, painless, and pleasant.  We determine our priorities because we are convinced we have the best perspective for our lives.

Until the King and His Kingdom comes.

When that happens, everything changes.  Our world does not revolve around us but around Christ–what He wants for our lives, what He requires of us, and how to please Him.  It’s not a comfortable or easy life; rather, it comes with cost and is illustrated by a disciple taking up his cross daily to follow Jesus.  We don’t seek to make life easy, but do seek to make it glorious.  As we understand His perspective for our lives, we then go about the business of repentance (changing) so that our priorities are His priorities, our passions are His passions, our purpose in life is arrested by his death on the cross.

Principally, what should dominate our lives when Christ is King is the advance of His kingdom.  Jesus told His disciples to “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33).  Nothing should have a higher priority than His rule and reign in and through our lives.  Even the most respectful and legitimate reasons fall short to the preeminence of the kingdom.  At one point in his ministry, Jesus called a would-be disciple to follow him. The man offered what seemed to be a most reasonable excuse–the need to bury His father.  In a moment some might call divine insensitivity, Jesus told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:59-62).  There are some things spiritually alive people can do that spiritually dead people cannot, namely proclaiming the kingdom. Consequently, our entire lives should be invested in the kingdom, knowing that anyone who puts his hands to the plow and looking back is not fit for the kingdom of God.

Followers of Christ know that “it is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).  Because of that reality, our lives should be radically different from the world around us.  Things like selling our possessions, giving to the needy, storing up treasures in heaven rather than places where thieves and moth have access, for example.  When we have discovered that God has given us the treasure of His Son, our affections should follow our chief possession.  When the kingdom’s advance is our leading priority, we will know something of what it means to “walk worth of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thess. 2:12).

In my next post, I will share how the preeminence of the kingdom in our lives leads us to a passionate commitment to community.

Labels: Community, Gospel, Jesus, Kingdom of God | posted by TimBrister at 2:01 pm | Categories: Community, Gospel, Jesus |