Growing Through Titus

The effectiveness of Lake Christian Church isn't measured by what goes on at the worship service on Sunday morning, but by what goes on in the lives of the members throughout the week. Our faith is meant to impact every area of life! As it says in Titus 2:10, we "must show ourselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way."

In the book God's Message for a Growing Church, the author challenges the complacent Christian by pointing out the fact that we live in a culture that expects the church of Christ to keep quiet about matters of faith. People in the world don't care if we get together on Sunday and talk about Jesus Christ. But they don't want our faith to permeate other areas of society:

• In the schoolhouse, educators say, "Morals are meant to be taught at home. Spiritual values can be taught in the church. But in the schools, we demand value-free instruction."
• In the White House, politicians say, "I'm personally against abortion, but I refuse to impose my personal values on my constituents. After all, people should be able to choose what they want."
• In the trading house, brokers say, "Don't try to mix business and ethics."
• In the courthouse, lawyers say, "It's legal to celebrate Christmas in the home, but a creche on public property violates the principle of the separation of church and state."

Even some Christians prefer it that way. Show up on Sunday for a sip of juice and a sermon--then do what you want the rest of the week. But is that all there is to being a believer?

We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.--Titus 2:12

You're expected to devoted to Jesus Christ and make him the Lord of everything! Your faith is a new way of living! No area of your life should be untouched by Jesus Christ. The unbelievers of the world may not like it, but that's the truth.

Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted.--Titus 1:15

Growing Through 2 Timothy

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that every man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.--2 Timothy 3:16-17

What exactly does "inspired" mean? The Bible claims something very specific when it says it is inspired. When you pick up a Bible, you hold the actual words of God in your hands.

The Bible's Source Is God

This is the only instance in the entire Bible where the word translated "inspired" ever shows up. It means "God-breathed"--as if each and every word came directly from the mouth of God. Inspiration means the Bible--all of it--is God's word speaking to us.

The Bible Is Given Through Men

Even though the inspired word is really God's word, God used people to compose the Bible. Each writer used his own point of view to communicate God's word. The Lord used different people with their unique personalities, life experiences, and vocabularies to write the different books of the Bible.

The Bible Is True

One person asked, "Since people wrote the Bible and people can be wrong, does this mean parts of the Bible might be wrong?" In a word, no. Since the ultimate source of Scripture is God, then the Bible cannot be wrong.

The Bible, then, is all of what God wanted to reveal to us. It should teach us, guide us, correct our errors, and train us up to become men and women pleasing to God.

Growing Through 1 Timothy

Here's an old joke for you:

• Do you know why ministers' children misbehave?
• Because they spend most of their time with the children of elders and deacons.

Over the last two months, I've talked to some elders representing three different churches. Each conversation had one thing in common: They were frustrated with one or more ministers on the paid staff of their respective congregations.

Most church of Christ elders long for their minister/paid staff to be like Timothy:

Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you.--1 Timothy 4:14

We all want the church's minister to live up to his or her potential! But let me get straight to the point. If leaders want their ministers to be like Timothy, then those same leaders should try to be like Paul. At Lake Christian Church, our elders and deacons sign a letter of intent that simply states that they are committed to a Pauline pattern of leadership:

• Model to the People
• They intend to lead by example just as Paul modeled the kind of ministry he desired in others--2 Timothy 3:10
• Mainstay to the Paid Staff
• They intend to establish a partnership with their ministers, looking out for their interests as well as providing tangible guidelines--1 Timothy 1:2
• Mentor to Potential Leaders
• They intend to be connected to other men in the church in order to influence and inspire them--2 Timothy 2:2

In Eugene Peterson's Message, he offered this insight from 2 Chronicles 10:7--

If you will be a servant to this people, be considerate of their needs and respond with compassion, work things out with them, they'll end up doing anything for you.

Would you like to serve with a minister who would "do anything for you"? Then be considerate of his or her needs. Consistently make positive assumptions about them so you'll respond with compassion. Remember, Jesus worked things out with Peter. Barnabas worked things out with Paul. And Paul worked things out with Timothy.

So, who's your Timothy?

Growing Through Colossians

Editor's note: We'd like to apologize for the inconsistency in publishing new posts. But, our chief blogger has experienced an inordinate number of personal setbacks this year! So, now that he's back on his feet, we'll continue our journey through the Bible as we grow through Colossians:

Extreme self-denial, worship of angels, seeking spiritual visions, and the punctilious observation of religious festivals characterize the Christians in the Colossian church. To counteract the false teachings circulating through the Christian community, the apostle Paul pens a letter, challenging them to renew their commitment to Jesus Christ:

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.--Colossians 3:1-2

Paul was battling the erroneous teachings of Gnosticism (the belief that salvation is found through hidden knowledge and that matter is evil). Today, we face a form of Gnosticism known as the New Age Movement (NAM). Adherents to NAM generally believe that knowledge is subjectively constructed  and socially determined. New Agers insist that truth isn't universal to all human beings but, instead, varies according to what "works." Subsequently, moral values become individualized.

The ideas of NAM are widely disseminated through television (Oprah Winfrey Network) and movies (Avatar). The NAM influence has even infiltrated today's church as evidenced in the writings of Rob Bell (Love Wins)--pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan--and Elaine Pagels (The Gnostic Gospels)--professor of religion at Princeton University.

So, to the 1st-century Christian in Colosse being misled by Gnosticism and to the 21st-century Christian in Fluvanna being unduly influenced by the New Age Movement, Paul's message is clear:

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--if you continue in your faith...--Colossians 1:21-23

Please join us this Sunday as Lake Christian Church's discipleship minister, Chris Long, unpacks the teachings of Paul's letter to the Colossians in his sermon:

God's 4G Network

Growing Through Acts (2)

"The whole congregation of believers was united as one--one heart, one mind! They didn't even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, "That's mine; you can't have it." They shared everything. The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Master Jesus, and grace was on all of them. And so it turned out that not a person among them was needy. Those who owned fields or houses sold them and brought the price of the sale to the apostles and made an offering of it. The apostles then distributed it according to each person's need."--Acts 4:32-35 (MSG)

One heart plus one mind equals more generosity!
The early church shared everything. Do we live up to that standard? A few years ago the Fluvanna Review published the story of a local girl's unique birthday party. She asked her guests to bring a gift, but not for her. She asked them to bring a gift for the Fluvanna County Animal Shelter! Her generosity made a difference for homeless animals. Now that's sharing.

"They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing..."--2 Corinthians 8:4

One heart plus one mind equals more love!
Christians are called to a life of sincere love. Show someone that you really love them. Send them a card. Invite them over for pizza and a movie. Go the extra mile for them!

"Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them..."--Romans 12:9

One heart plus one mind equals more service!
Lake Christian Church regularly conducts the PLACE Ministry workshop to help believers find a place of service. Not just any place, but a specific place of service that connects one's passion to ministry. Remember, when you're faithful in your service, you are doing it for Jesus (Colossians 3:23).

"God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another."--1 Peter 4:10

One heart plus one mind equals more growth!

Unity in the church fosters spiritual growth for the individual and numerical growth for the congregation. In the beginning of Acts 4, we're told "the number of believers now totaled about 5,000 men, not counting women and children" (v. 4). The church's significant numerical growth was a direct result of unified commitment to Jesus Christ. Then, at the end of Acts 4, we learn that Barnabas "sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles" (v. 37). His cheerful giving is evidence of his spiritual growth.

"As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ."--2 Corinthians 9:13