Church

Obedient Disobedience, Part 3: Injustice by Statute and the Proclamation of the Gospel

Obedient Disobedience, Part 3: Injustice by Statute and the Proclamation of the Gospel

I write this, because we have an obedience problem in Evangelical Christianity. Scores of “pastors” wrongly applied Romans 13 in order to obey unlawful virus mandates in defiance of God’s plain command that we not forsake the assembly (Hebrews 10:23-25). These same “pastors” scrambled to to take Payment Protection loans in order to preserve their own salaries. In doing so, they rendered to Caesar that which is God’s. They will answer to Him for having abandoned their post, forsaking the church which He bought with His blood (Acts 20:28).

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Scythes, Harvest, and the Bare Arms of Laborers

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Scythes, Harvest, and the Bare Arms of Laborers

Let me tell you what a tragedy is.  Every day, millions of Christians spend all of their waking ours giving no thought to spiritual death their neighbors live.  Every week, those same Christians show up to a building where they have an experience and do nothing of significance to advance the Kingdom.  Every year, millions of dollars are spent on making that experience as comfortable and as entertaining as possible for those very same Christians who are doing nothing to fulfill the Great Commission.

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Foolish But Effective

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Foolish But Effective

There are days when I think about how foolish this must seem to mega-church pastors.  We don't have much money (We remain about two low giving months away from not being able to pay me).  We don't have many people (35 on a good Sunday).  Our organization structures are lacking in the absence of multiple staff (Volunteers are stepping up, though!).  We have no building to mark our presence (And no payment!).  

However, if we are comparing stats:

  • 3,000 people spend 3 million dollars to make 15 disciples in a year in a large church context. That is 1 disciple for every 200 people (0.5% disciple-making rate) and $200,000 per new disciple.  
  • 8 people (plus a whole lot of other people praying, giving, encouraging, and supporting) spend about $40k to make 9 disciples in a year in a house church context.   That is 1.125 disciples for every 1 person (112.5% disciple-making rate) and $4,444 per new disciple.  

Avoid Controversy

Avoid Controversy

Transcending Camps of Opinion

There are some issues that I seldom discuss, especially in the context of social media.  I find our current culture at large intolerant of nuanced opinions.  Anything less than unilateral agreement is labeled rather than understood.  Forgive my disgruntled comments.  I've grown weary of watching fruitless battles result in deeper encampments.  

I love truth, and I love people.  Understanding is a bridge between the two, and I can't build that bridge with labels.  Perhaps most disheartening is the knowledge that the greatest offenders in these wars of controversy are the least aware and most prideful.  

It is a frustrating thing to have an opinion that exists neither within nor between prominent camps. This is the lesser of two reasons why I haven't posted anything about recent SCOTUS rulings or battle colors associated with confederate states (save for comedic statements meant to lighten the mood at a very serious time).  I've avoided commenting, because there is no room anyone that doesn't fit in a "camp." And, Jesus doesn't fit into a camp, because He is King.  

Decentralized Gospel Multiplication

Decentralized Gospel Multiplication

I am weary of hearing about the Church losing ground in the West while simultaneously hearing about churches focus on everything but the gospel.  In China and Vietnam, the church is booming.  They have very little money and very little safety, but the good news spreads like wildfire.  

Even in Syria an Saudi Arabia where you can be martyred for loving Jesus, the gospel spreads.  Trained pastors are few and far between.  Yet, the Jesus is made known.  I want to be like them.  

Here are a few principles to draw from them:

  • Decentralized.  Thery don't bring people to church; they take the church to people.  In Vietnam, they meet in houses and small buildings (I know of a chain of small, one room churches along the Ho Chi Minh trail).  When someone from another town Trusts Jesus, the church plants a house church there.  They don't ask them to travel long distances to get to church.  They establish gospel outposts wherever they can.  
  • Gospel.  They don't waste time debating the nuances of nonessential theology.  They don't have programs for every age group or affinity.  They make disciples.  They tell people of the saving work of Jesus, and invite people to follow Him.  Disciples make disciples.  
  • Multiplication.  The goal isn't bigger churches; the goal is to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).  As Peyton Jones says, the Church isn't supposed to grow big; it's supposed to grow out.  It isn't about a big pastor that everyone comes to hear; it's about multiple disciple-makers making more disciples.  The roles of teacher, shepherd, prophet, evangelist, missionary/apostle pop up in house churches everywhere.  

Restoration Church is about to take our next steps in becoming more like the Vietnamese church.