Confession

Book Reflection: The Gopsel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield

Rosaria Butterfield nailed it! “The Gospel Comes with a House Key!”  Post-college (circa 2002-2005) I had at least 9 sets of house keys: The Cortez’, Santiago's, Mama/Papa's, Mom/Dad's, Brother's, Ventenilla’s, Tita Neta’s, Danny’s, and the Moller's.  I was a church intern, making $250/mo, living out of a garage, and working as a Starbucks Barista to pay for seminary. Many took me in during a difficult breakup and I was showered with hospitality.

The house in Yorba Linda, CA included a motley crew of men some of which had been brought out of halfway houses. The home owners, the Moller family, owned a plumbing business, which was, now that I think of it, just a venue for redemption, recovery in addition to plumbing service for profit. Our community included recovered addicts of all sorts. And there was me, the broken hearted insomniatic theologaholic seminary student. We were all united in our value as image bearers because that is exactly how Dan and Tammy Moller treated us. We had “Bible study” on monday nights and family style meals throughout the week. Large meals were incorporated into the budget. Four of us were former wrestlers free of weight cutting. There was also a 9-year old girl the Mollers adopted long before we got there.

All of us were recipients of what Rosaria calls, “radical ordinary hospitality:” ...using your Christian home in a daily way that seeks to make strangers neighbors, and neighbors family of God (p. 31). It is part of our spiritual armor allowing us access to people's broken hearts.  She breaks it down further: Radical means ‘change from the root’ and ...Ordinary means “everyday,” “commonplace,” “predictable,” “reliable,” and “regular” (p. 36). Practicing radically ordinary hospitality is your street credibility with your post-Christian neighbors. It allows you to listen, to keep secrets, to be a safe friend, and to speak a word of grace into the dark places. In post-Christian communities, your words can be only as strong as your relationships. Your best weapon is an open door, a set table, a fresh pot of coffee, and a box of Kleenex for the tears that spill (p. 40).

I have noticed a recent increase in prophetic hospitality moments in my life.  In September I flew to California and during that trip I had meaningful conversation with people I used to judge.  Gay people, straight people, big, small, tall, you name it. I went to my brother’s wedding in which I had one goal in mind; to be a living display of the love of God so that others would see that love and praise the Father in heaven. That weekend, I was using “the best offensive spiritual weapons” including sweeping a floor to sharing a bench at LAX with a man that nobody else wanted to join.  Radical. Ordinary. Hospitality.

Radically ordinary hospitality is exactly the model I would like to see flourish in every community group in our current local church.  The old school 90’s bible study model is no longer conducive for a life group. We are moving in the direction of missional communities unafraid to radically spread Aloha. God is revealing to me more and more that everything is His. “My house” is just a venue for God to meet people wherever they are and without judgment or awkwardness...just like the Yorba Linda house. The anatomy of trust is inextricably linked to radical ordinary hospitality. Hospitality is the ABCs of the christian faith.

Admittedly, my current struggle is not in being hospitable, per se, but rather in looking down on others who are not. This mindset is evil and offensive in God's sight, it erodes trust and I choose to keep that part of my thinking exposed and laid bare before others. I confess my pride. I’m grateful to God for his forgiveness and patience with me. I thank God for enabling me to keep this sun of pride in its proper place. I ask from this moment on that God continue to extend hospitality toward others through me.

Golden Nuggets

“Make no mistake. It is a million times safer to include unbelieving neighbors or people who have not claimed the blood of Christ or the citizenship of the church than to let potential Judas run loose in the Church. Atheist do far less harm than hypocrites."

Sin cannot harm Jesus; not even the sin of crucifixion.

Radically ordinary hospitality is part of our spiritual armor allowing us access to people's broken hearts...

The bible calls spiritual preparation warfare. Radically ordinary hospitality is indeed warfare.

When we die to ourselves, we find the liberty to obey.

Section 1  Mi casa es Dios casa

Section 3  Thursday = Neighbor night!

Section 3  Definition of Spiritual Warfare

Section 3  Having strong words and a weak relationship with your neighbor is violent.

Section 3 / 00:48:46 The secret to contagious grace is what Mary said in John 2; namely, "do whatever he says." Section 3 / 00:49:26 When we die to ourselves, we find the liberty to obey.

Section 3 / 01:00:30 daily hospitality - gathering church and neighbors, is a daily grace.

Section 3 Christians are not lone rangers

Section 3 / 01:02:05 Monthly grocery bill centers around radical ordinary hospitality.

Section 3 Too many of us are sidelined by fears...

Section 3 / 01:04:53 The bible calls spiritual preparation warfare. Radically ordinary hospitality is indeed warfare.

Section 3 / 01:14:03 radically ordinary hospitality is part of our spiritual armor allowing us access to people's broken hearts…

Section 3 / 01:14:08 radically ordinary hospitality is part of our spiritual armor allowing us access to people's broken hearts. Allowing the spirit of God to work through us despite our limitations.

Section 3 / 01:19:40 The home is not a castle. Tear down the walls

Section 3 / 01:22:08 God calls us to make sacrifices that hurt so that others can be served...

Section 3 / 01:22:15 We are called to die. Nothing less.

Section 3 / 01:22:33 Don't blink before power and don’t seek to intimidate it either.

Section 3 / 01:26:48 Thursday = neighbor night

Section 4 / 02:14:26 Practicing daily ordinary hospitality doubles our grocery budget; sometimes triples it.

Section 5  Sin cannot harm Jesus; not even the sin of crucifixion.

Section 5  Ontologically speaking, she was an image bearer.

Section 5  Jesus knew prostitution was not her ontology. It was HOW she was, but it wasn't WHO she was.

Section 5 / 02:53:58 God never gets the address wrong

Section 10  How NOT to treat Sailors who have been busted - treating them as SUBHUMAN.

Section 12  People who have too much, often take themselves too seriously to actually give themselves to others in the way that God's hospitality commands...Section 4 / 02:07:16 His bloody love empowers us to defeat sin patterns!

FABCast #499 - Alex Early and "The Reckless Love of God"

Today my special guest is Alex Early, author of, "The Reckless Love of God."

Book review: The startling truth about the love of God has lost its potency. It is not a passionless, theological idea. It is a real love that feels and even suffers. Whether you grew up in a Christian home and have forgotten this essential truth, or you never knew it in the first place, we all need to be reminded--and assured--that God's love is real and personal.
The Reckless Love of God is about pulling readers in close and asking if they have really considered what it means to say, "Jesus loves you." Nothing changes lives and grows the church faster, more effectively, and more thoroughly than being captivated by this reality. But the love of Jesus is not just a means to another end. Receiving the love of Jesus is the end itself.
Includes end-of-chapter questions for individual or group use.
About Alex Early (Amazon.com)
Alex Early is the author of The Reckless Love of God (2015) and The New Believer's Guide to the Christian Life (2016). He serves Redemption Church in Seattle, Washington and is a passionate preacher of the gospel and also excels in teaching theology. He is a sought-after speaker and a creative missionary. Alex has completed two master's degrees (MDiv, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and MA in Aspects of Biblical Interpretation, London School of Theology) as well as his Doctor of Intercultural Studies. Alex has served as a church planter and theology professor. Additionally, he has been heavily involved in training church leaders both in the U.S. and abroad. He is a sought-after speaker and lives with his wife, Jana, and their two children in the city of Seattle. He spends his downtime cooking for family and friends and laughing around the table. Find out more at: http://www.paearly.com

(Fully) "Known" by Tauren Wells #freedomjams

The first time I heard this concept of being fully known was from pastor Matt Chandler in a 12-part sermon series called "Recovering Redemption.” My plumber friend had introduced me to the concept a few years prior. But, it wasn't until after hearing the sermon series that the concept started to haunt me. That is, until I gave into the prompting of the Holy Spirit, trusted that Jesus was truly my deliverer and “came clean.” After I had shared everything that came to mind (because I only wanted to cry once), my wife chose to do the same.

From then on, confession and remaining “fully known” became a lifestyle. People in our community group noticed the changes in us and “joined the club.” It was as if everyone was experiencing the joy of Romans 8:1, there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I used to wish that being fully known was a one time deal. Confess it all and be done with it. Then I realized that having a secret could happen the moment I chose to do something that resulted in guilt and shame. Now I don't dread crossing over into fully known because in it God is glorified. In fact, the ongoing cycle of sin, guilt, shame, fear, confession, repentance, and reconciliation is a way to keep displaying godliness here on earth as it is in heaven. Tim Keller writes about being fully known in his book, The Meaning of Marriage

To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything.”  

When it comes to being fully known, we need not fear for Lord has not given his children a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. Another person's reaction should never be a factor in choosing to be free. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Book Reflection: The Present Future by Reggie McNeal

I read Present Future, listened to numerous leadership podcasts involving Reggie McNeal, and watched various seminars from Leadership Network in which McNeal pleaded with church leaders concerning the necessary comeback of missional church and the kingdom culture.  I conclude that Reggie’s passion for the kingdom culture comes in part from many decades of overemphasis on church culture.  For him, the realization that the local church is primarily a means to a kingdom end has caused the pendulum to swing hard.  So hard in fact that some may misread his tone as something other than speaking truth in love.  There is sarcasm in his book, but perhaps is a righteous sarcasm? [1]

McNeal is a man on the Missio Dei (Mission of God) and does not mince words or hold back his frustrations with over-exaltation of the Church by the Church.  He speaks prophetically to a world that has elevated church culture over kingdom culture. 

About the Author

Although McNeal only refers to “my denomination” in his book, I found a podcast episode in which he calls himself a Baptist. [2]  His opening remarks are not only hilarious, but they reveal his posture and attitude toward kingdom collaboration.  He said, “It’s absolutely terrifying and intimidating for a Baptist to be in a room full of Pentecostals [laughter].  We’ve learned how to operate our Churches without the Spirit…”[3]  

He has extensive formal training and experience but admits that most of that was spent with the wrong focus.  “Ministry and the church have been my world. But it is a world that I increasingly find difficult to feel at home in because it lacks spiritual purpose and missional vitality.”[4]  He has since joined with several others in the past two decades of advancing the kingdom culture narrative.

Summary

The Present Future is broken down into six “New Realities” that all reiterate the fact that “the present makes clearest sense in light of the future.” [5]  The past 500 years have predominantly perpetuated the idea that we are headed toward the future when the reality is the future is headed toward us (the Church).  

On repeat, the book alludes to the fact that the Church is primarily a means to an end; that is a kingdom end.  In Genesis, there was no Church and when the New Heaven and New Earth are ushered in, the Church does not exist.  McNeal appropriately concludes that it must be a means to a kingdom-end.  Thus, the kingdom culture is preeminent to the Church.

The books strategic objective serves as a “polemical volume,” which galvanizes church leaders “to action before it’s too late.”[6]  McNeal is clear in stating a tactical objective as well: “My goal is to provoke and to frame conversations that lead to action, to risk, to rediscovery of mission.”[7]  “Provoke” and “galvanize” are great descriptions of what McNeal does.  He gives his readers an “out” at the outset of the book: “me do not read this book if you are looking to bolster your opinion that the way to the future is charted through the past… if you fit any (or all) of these categories, take my advice and don't read this book.  It will just agitate you.”[8]  

The major themes throughout this book are the overemphasis of Church culture and the comeback of kingdom focus.  The first Reformation focused on setting the Church free from (corrupt) people whereas this New Reformation is focused on setting the people free from (what has become) the Church/institution.  Basically, out with the old and in with the new.  We’ve been building up the Church for 500 years now let’s get with Jesus plan of preaching the good news of the Kingdom!

The gospel of the kingdom is about proclaiming the prison doors have been unlocked.  A kingdom culture prevents the church from being competitors with one another.  With a kingdom mindset, we become “one team one fight.”  

Recommendations

I recommend that the subtitle, “Six tough questions for the Church” be renamed, “The Six New Realities in light of the death of Christian America” to set the stage for books like Gabe Lyon’s Next Christians: The Good News About the Death of Christian America.  Although McNeal is clearly on mission to push the missional movement, I believe the “missional moment” (versus attractional) or as some critics call it, “The New Apostolic Reformation” is gaining momentum as it has since The Present Future was originally published in 2003.  

Other proponents at the forefront of the missional movement are Alan Hirsch and Michael frost who wrote The Shaping of Things to Come (2003).  The theme of this book reiterates (or leads the way?) of McNeal's The Present Future; namely, the rejection of the attractional church paradigm for the missional outward paradigm which leverages the five-fold ministry model found in Ephesians 4:11-12.

Perhaps McNeal's tone need not be so critical and sarcastic.  Or maybe not?  For this I am sure: People (the Church in particular) are fed up with the setup.  Deep down they want more.  The attraction model/the “come-to-my-church” mindset and the “do you know for certain that if you died today you would go to heaven” sales pitch lead to frustration and resentment - because those ideas are not only non-biblical, but they fail to cultivate the kingdom culture. 

Application

McNeal states, “This is not a how-to book”[9], but I think it is.  It is a how-to-not book.  Let’s be clear; the Church does not have a mission, per se, but rather the mission has a Church and we are currently in a time where we cannot overemphasize this.  In 2017, we are seeing the death of Western Christendom, the “attractional”/“come-to-our-church” model, and the “join-our-club” approach to ministry just to name a few.  Scores of books across various denominations are shifting to transformational, missional, team-driven with kingdom focus model.

My older Brother, who lives in Orange County, CA sends me sermons, podcasts, and updates every week about “movements” that are taking place in his area.  He’ll often send me a soundbite or YouTube clip that reiterates something I had shared in my own personal conviction, which also happened to be mentioned in the book I was reading that week.  My conclusion is that the Holy Spirit it working (as he always has) in teaching people from various “churches” simple gospel truth.  It is a message about freedom and identity in Christ.  It is about living for the kingdom.  It is about being fully loved by being fully known. It is about the reality that “lone rangers are dead rangers” and none of us (who are created in the Imago Dei) were created to be isolated.  We are created for Community.  And we look forward to community here on earth as it is in heaven and as we see in the community of the triune God of the universe.  

Never in my life have I listened to so many pastors from various denominations and have realized that they are all sharing the same Gospel.  And much to my surprise, denominational distinctions, divisions, and dogmatic or systematic theological positions are no longer hills to die on.  Hallelujah!  We are acting like the body that Christ called us to be.  We are promoting the freedom that Christ has created for us to walk in.  No Longer Slaves, 

In my PodcastAddict playlist is: Matt Chandler, Tim Keller, Passion Podcast, Dan Mohler, Francis Chan, Judah Smith, Carl Lentz, Brant Hansen, John Eldgrege, Tom Rainer, The Art of Manliness, and the RobCast.  I’m reading books by Roman Catholic Priests that hit a home run on the Gospel and communal/missional/transformational living (Brennan Manning's Ragamuffin Gospel and various books by Henri Nouwen).  On my wish list is Richard Rohr’s Breathing Under Water.  Nevermind that these people belong to Bapitst, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Charismatic, and various other denominations.  They come together preaching the gospel of the kingdom as is evident in community living, transformational preaching/teaching and promoting a life of transparency and vulnerability.

Innovation

Isn’t it interesting that the Church is not even in charge of the Kingdom - the King is in charge and he does not need the Church’s help in building it.  The kingdom life is about freedom and living abundantly.  The children of Israel were promised the “land flowing with milk and honey.”  My mom calls this the LOMAH.  My brother’s lowrider license plate is LOMAH65.  I’d love to write a book one day called LOMAH, which would be about the abundant life that Jesus has been promising all along.  The life of freedom that he has created us to walk in every moment of every day here on earth as it is in heaven until heaven comes back to earth - or as McNeal puts it, the present future.

McNeal notes that “…deliverance is not just from something but to something.” [10]   He is referring to the LOMAH!  The Hebrew slaves were completely “free” the moment the left Egypt, but they had a journey to take to enjoy the abundant life of the LOMAH.  If two million Hebrews left Egypt and only two made it in (Joshua and Caleb), then the statistic is 1 in a million.  I wonder if that is analogous to the Church today.  I wonder if 1 in a million is experiencing the abundant life or the Land Flowing with Milk and Honey.  

Creation and Restoration are the bookends of God’s story of human history.  Redemption and restoration are the means by which God brings us back to reflect his image until the day we live with him in the new heaven and earth.  Until the future fully merges with the present, I choose to be an advocate of kingdom culture.  The Church is a means to an end. The Bible is a means to an end.  Everything here and now is a means to a kingdom end and I choose to no longer elevate church culture over kingdom culture.

I choose to preach the gospel of the kingdom.  This is a kingdom of deep relationships; where people are “naked and unashamed,” fully loved and fully known.  Confessing sins, giving thanks to God, and “doing life” together here on earth as it is in heaven.

The present makes clear sense in light of the future.

—————————

[1] Reggie McNeal, The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church (San Fransisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2003), 98.

[2] Reggie McNeal, Advancing the Kingdom on the Elim Podcast, April 28th, 2016.

[3] Ibid., :55.

[4] McNeal, The Present Future, XV.

[5] Ibid., XIII.

[6] Ibid., XVII-XVIII.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid., XVI-XVII.

[9] Ibid., XIX.

[10] Ibid., 13.

Tweetable Quotes

“As he hung on the cross Jesus probably never thought the impact of this sacrifice would be reduced two an invitation for people to join and support an institution.” @ReggieMcNeal #ThePresentFuture Page 1.

“The Church needs a mission fix.” @ReggieMcNeal #ThePresentFuture Page 10.

“…deliverance is not just from something but to something.” @ReggieMcNeal #ThePresentFuture Page 13.

“Street Church where people are already hanging out.  We need a church in every mall, every Walmart SuperCenter, every Barnes& Noble.” @ReggieMcNeal #ThePresentFuture Page 35.

"The power of the gospel lost on church members who can sign off on doctoral positions but have no story of personal transformation” @ReggieMcNeal #ThePresentFuture Page 36.

“The first Reformation was about freeing Church. The new reformation is about creating gods people from the church (the institution).” @ReggieMcNeal #ThePresentFuture Page 43.

“The test for orthodoxy typically focuses on doctrinal stances, not character in spiritual connectedness to God and others.” @ReggieMcNeal #ThePresentFuture Page 55.

“To live abundantly is To borrow the future into the present.” @ReggieMcNeal #ThePresentFuture Page 73.

Book Review: The Relational Way by M. Scott Boren

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Introduction
The best part of Scott Boren’s book, The Relational Way, is on the back cover, which says, “Scott Boren is married to Shawna and the father of three incredible children.  His family participates in the Relational Way with three other families in a small group.”  That immediately drew me into the book.  And then the forward (by Alan Roxburgh) explicitly advises, “This is an important book.  Read it slowly, prepared to have your view of small groups in the church reoriented.” [1]  So that is what I did!  All my books have tons of markings, but this one has more.  It is chock full of nuggets and gospel-centered/missionally-oriented truths mean to transform lives and small groups.

Boren is clear from the get-go: “This book aims to steer your imagination rather than provide answers.” [2]  The way in which Boren approaches the relational way is not merely theological per se but based on an attempt to “…move back into the rhythm of listening to the spirit first.” [3].  In keeping with this low-guidance posture, he offers the following suggestion to his readers,"If you are practically minded by nature, feel free to start with a practical half and then work back through the theological foundation. However, my hope is that you will work through each chapter from the beginning and allow the broad guidelines to stimulate your imagination” [4].

About the Author

Besides practicing what he preaches, Boren was a student of his “beloved seminary professor” Howard Hendricks.  He quotes prof Hendricks, “…pastor should not focus their ministry and teaching people how to do church but on how to do life.” [5]  If prof was on earth today he would be proud.  The reference to Lynn Anderson's they smell like sheep is an indication of his leadership style; namely, he likes to be with his people. [6]  

He directed Research & Development with TOUCH Outreach in Houston, TX and now serves as Community Pastor at Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, MN.  His writing style is profound and palatable, easy to read, and scripture-based from beginning to end, literally.  Every chapter begins with a “Relational Truth” to replace a “Structural Myth.”

Summary

This book is appropriately titled, The Relational Way and the subtitle is from small group structures to holistic life connections.  Nevertheless, Boren shockingly states,"Small groups were never the focus of the New Testament church!”[7] (emphasis mine)  He explains that the early church met in homes but small groups were never the strategy to grow the church or reach the lost. The early Church did not have official buildings or even societal clout. Homes were simply a target of opportunity.  There is, however, a heavy emphasis on the structure of those House church meetings. Instead of it extensive instruction on how to do “small groups” or “community groups” the New Testament writers’ push was always relationship. "The relational way of the people in the group is what provides the base of life from which ministry occurs. Groups are only a means to the end of a relational life.”[8]

“Missional” is a key word in the Relational Way.  “Missional” is often thought of as reaching those on the outside, but Boren is clear that Missional has a direct correlation to the Missio Dei (the mission of God).  God is on mission and he has a Church to carry out that mission of redeeming and restoring mankind to His image. God is a perfect community and the “small group”/community is a way in which the Relational Way end is achieved.  

Again, God is relational and his kingdom is relational.  The equipping within the community “…impacts more than the scheduled activities of the church by invading the everyday lives of the people of God.”[9]  I heard Pastor Matt Chandler once say, “Life change occurs from life-on-life not sermon on ears!” (paraphrase mine).  What Chandler is suggesting is the deeper life of a “community group,” which is so much more than “attending a service” or “going to church” but rather living life with other people in the community.  Boren sums up God’s relational kingdom succinctly,

It is about doing life together in authentic biblical community and undermining the assumptions of this world that create the anti-relational kingdom. Such small groups don't accommodate the anti-relational kingdom. They confronted, challenges, and offer a different way of living.[10]

In “creating contagious relationships,” he beautifully explains “inward movements” within the small group as,

… the call to love others in the group, to create an atmosphere of true love, acceptance, and forgiveness, to sacrifice for one another, to risk telling the truth to one another, to embrace one another in weakness, and receive the gifts others have to offer. The Inward movement is often called building community.[11]

In sum, the ten chapters in this book are all explicit actions that the group must take in cultivating the Relational Way. 

ApplicationThis is a practical book for congregations of any size.  Here are some questions that I would like to propose for my small group leader to present on our Tuesday night community group of 12-15 people (not including children).

“How do we become the people that live in community that stands in contrast to the social structures of this world? What are the practices of people on the way with God? What ways of living would manifest in being a church on mission with God?”[12] The Relational Way is the way of the Gospel.  And the Gospel is and has always been relevant in America because, as Dallas Willard writes, is “dominated by the essentially enlightenment values that will American culture: pursuit of happiness, unrestricted freedom of choice, disdain for authority.”[13]  

The individualism and isolationism of Americans in the church will always be a potential prophetic moment for the missional-incarnational small group. I think many small groups often struggle with which group they can reach for the sake of the gospel. But, we don't have to go far because individualism and emotional isolationism are so prevalent. Our approach maybe as simple as a gracious reminder that we were never created for individualism and life apart from relationships or emotional isolationism which rejects the notion of life together in community.

InnovationThe dysfunctional lifestyle that Randy Frazee calls “crowded loneliness”[14] is also a target opportunity for if prophetic voice from within the church. We have all been to local church gatherings where somebody feels rejected or isolated for a plethora of reasons. This is not to say at the feelings our reality, but that the environment may act as a catalyst for unresolved conflict in the soul of the individual that feels rejected. I think the antidote too crowded loneliness is perhaps found in intentional/incarnational/missional relational living. It means that I show up on Sunday morning not to be served or noticed, but to serve and notice the marginalized or people who might not fit in with the general population. All this is to say that the opportunity for ministry and the building up, and equipping, and basic encouragement of the Saints is abundant. Once again, we don't have to go far or pray for opportunities for impact when they show up every Sunday morning!

Every local church my family and I have had the privilege to join (which is every two or three years) has had the “mover and shaker” (paid staff member) that carries the bulk of the ministerial responsibilities. Similar to the parable of “Bob” in chapter 3, I've seen so many people who are so busy with ministry and church activities relationships.[15]  I often jokingly ask the “(fill in the blank) director”," where do you go to church?”  And they often laugh (in agreement).

In 2015, we were involved in one the fastest growing church in Rhode Island (OceanPointeri.com) and witnessed first hand how a relational church fought against absentmindedness in ministerial busyness.  Every Sunday morning, 15 minutes prior to the beginning of a service, Pastor Jeff would gather the staff and volunteers and graciously remind them that, "from here on out it's all about people. No tuning instruments. No fixing electronics. Engage people. And find the ones that you do not know.” (Paraphrase mine).  The huddle would break just like a football team!  Everybody had their “game face” on at that point.  For the team at OP, it was all about relationships.  And that is the essence of the Relational Way.

—————————[1] M. Scott Boren, The Relational Way: from small group structures to holistic life connections (Houston, TX: TOUCH Publications, 2007), 9.[2] Ibid., 20.[3] Ibid.[4] Ibid.[5] Ibid., 80.[6] Ibid., 35.[7] Ibid., 24.[8] Ibid., 25.[9] Ibid., 81.[10] Ibid., 79.[11] Ibid., 120.[12] Ibid., 19.[13] Ibid., 75.[14] Ibid., 74.[15] Ibid., 74, 83.

Favorite Quotes

“The fast food way of life also ask as a kind of parable for modern spirituality. It paints a picture for how many people approach God and the church.” 13.

The effects of the Constantinian empire...

“The Church as we know it was built upon the idea of attracting people to attend spiritual events and services.  In other words, people "go to church" and church leaders spend their efforts on developing way to get people to "come to church."  Church is a spiritual service that occurs at a specific spiritual time, at a specific spiritual place, led by spiritual people, for people with spiritual interests.” 15.

“The center of the church has become the Sunday morning event with the goal of making that event attractive enough draw in observers from the culture.” 15.

“Gods sending nature is the model of God that we see in Jesus. God is he sending God.” 19.

“If the church today is to participate in the life of the Trinity, the people of God must learn to shift from a quote come and observe" approach to a"Go and demonstrate" approach.” 19.

“To participate in the mission is to participate in the movement of God's love toward people, since God is the fountain of sending love.” 19

“Today is a day that God is reforming the church. He is calling the church from one place to another, much like he called the Israelite slaves out of Egypt to the promised land.” 20.

“… I cannot be satisfied with a nice small group program in a growing church. He has implanted a call for a vision that will require a lifelong battle." 21.

"Jesus was not trying to impress the crowd, but to usher in  a kingdom.” -Robert Coleman. 41.

“Jesus spent about 50% of this time with the 12 key leaders during his three years of ministry. He spent 35% with the core group/the seventy, and he spent 15% with the crowd.” 42.

"If we don't practice relational community and our leadership, then we should not expect community to results within our groups." 44.

“He is at the center, the spirit of God is released to accomplish the mission of God in this world.” 65.“people grow in their relationship with God when they have the opportunity to process what they are learning with other people." 69.

“the kingdom comes first in order of God, not the church or small groups.” 70.

"it is about doing life together in authentic biblical community and undermining the assumptions of this world that create the anti-relational kingdom. Such small groups don't accommodate the anti-relational kingdom. They confronted, challenges, and offer a different way of living." 79.

Book Review - "Community" by Brad House

Introduction 

Community is a manual for developing small groups.  It is based on the fact that the church embodies the Imago Dei (i.e. the image of God).  But this poses a question; namely, why are so many community groups or life groups so lifeless?  Brad House lays scriptural foundations underneath community, cites popular models and historical trends throughout Christendom, and concludes his the book with immediate practical application.

Author Information

Brad House pastored at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA under Mark Driscoll from 2005 to 2012 and currently serves as executive pastor of ministry at Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, KY.  According to his LinkedIn profile, House developed the vision, structure, strategy, and oversight of 14 Mars Hill churches.  The groups grew from approximately 35 to over 600 groups and 70% participation.  All that to say, he has some clout in regards to community groups in the local church.  I also point out his background not only to reiterative that Community is Biblically based/Gospel-centered/transformational/missional-incarnational/etc, but that it really “works.”  Sometimes the proof is in the pudding.  

Overview of Content 

Community challenges the ecclesiological status quo.  Lifeless communities are the byproduct of groups simply not knowing why they exist.  And the days of equating community group to “bible study” are, in my assessment, over - at least they should be.  Community should be life transforming and gospel centric.  The goal this book is to, “…reestablish the basis for community and why it is, and always has been essential to the Christian life” (p. 31).  

Bascially, sin broke community and broke up the community of the Trinity (i.e. when the Father forsook/abandoned the Son), but the cross restored (and continues to restore) the community of God.  “We are saved to be a community, not a church of individuals” (p. 33).  To put it succinctly, “the purpose of such community is to display the love of God for the world!” (p. 34, exclamation mine).  I love it whenever someone says, “it’s not about me!”  I am in full agreement that “Community groups are a living illustration of the gospel and its power to save” (ibid.).  

The book is broken down into three parts with an appendix loaded with practical application.  Part one is labeled The Foundation: Building Blocks For Life.  Part two is the Health Plan: Redefining Community Groups.  Part three is Treatment: Effecting Change in Your Groups.  I will highlight the foundational aspects of the book since I believe the practical application will flow out of the freedom that comes from a refreshed/fresh perspective on community.

Scriptural Foundation for Community

House cites Ephesians 2:15b-22 to point out the intentionality behind the cross in building (or rebuilding) the community of God (see p. 33).  Colossians 3:12-17 paints  “… a picture of a community reflecting the attributes of God because of what Jesus has done” (p. 36).  It is the community that allows the believers to reflect the relational nature of God, which is marked by grace and mercy.  Last, but certainly not least, 1 Peter 2:9-12 is one of Brad’s “favorite pictures of who we are to be as a community” (pg. 39).  This passage describes a community of people transformed by the gospel.  

And with these foundational scriptures in mind, “Our primary purpose in community is not that our needs are being met, but that Jesus would be lifted up…we experience our greatest joy hone Jesus is most glorified” (p. 41).  And the best part about the neighbors witnessing a gospel-centered community is that they see good works and praise their Father in heaven!

Missional-Incarnational Focused Community

Two prominent missiologists that House references are Ed Stetzer and Alan Hirsch, both of which have conveyed that the church does NOT have a mission, but rather the mission has a church.  I want to emphasize this part of the book because I believe the mission and the missional church answers the “why” that keeps the “lifeless communities” lifeless.  At the risk of sounding simplistic, the mission to which the church is called is to display the love of God for the world (cf. p. 34).

I think it is also important to stress the missional aspect of community because it frees up the community to be on mission with God and not the other way around.  It sets the group free from thinking that the gathering is about focusing on people, but rather focusing on the gospel and the implications that flesh out in community groups.

With that in mind, House defines missional as, “…[participation] in the mission of God as a response to the gospel through proclamation and practice” (p. 67).  Since creation and restoration are the bookends in God’s story of redemption of fallen creation, community participation in the mission of God has everything to do with participating in God’s restoration of people in group settings.  

House quotes Hirsch’s observation that “every revival in history has been a recovery of the ‘people of God being the people of God’” (p. 81).  This just means that a bunch of people realized the truth of their identity in Christ and went nuts with it!  And why wouldn’t they!?  It is an amazing day when one realizes his or her identity is not just strong, but Jesus-strong!

After the portion on mission, House moves into part II and III, which deals with historical/currents and application.  For that reason, I’ll shift to my critique of the book.

Critique

The section on identity (chapter 4) is too short.  I can’t get enough of hearing who I am in Christ.  Identity is the foundation for everything we do.  We are not our own. We have been crucified with Christ and no longer consider our ways/rights/attitudes something to highlight, but rather who Christ is in me.  Far too often believers identify what they do/have done rather than who Christ is in them.  

I said something bold last week to a few pastors: “I died to myself and therefore I don’t get a vote anymore.  Christ is my new life and the old me has died.”  One pastor replied, “yeah but you still get to be human.”  What does that mean?  I have no idea because I was crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  Last time I checked, dead people don’t get a say in anything.  How many rights does a slave have?  Not many.  We are slaves of Christ and bound to righteousness.  I would like to heart this language in more books like Community.

I think the community group would do well to think in terms of literal community.  If sin is to be put to death, let’s do it as a community.  A manual on the community should include the children in the rhythms of the community.  Let the little children draw near.  Let the children see just how much mommy and daddy and uncle and aunty need the Savior.  And when they see just how much we are a community in need of a Savior, we let them know the gospel; that is, WE DON’T NEED JESUS, WE HAVE JESUS.   I know this sounds different, but let’s change the way we talk.

As straightforward as the book is, the church/community groups could use more encouragement in reiterating the freedom of no condemnation in Christ.  If that is true, we need to hear more and more about confession and renouncing the language of “be careful,” “be cautious” and be bold and courageous.  God has not given us a spirit of “be-careful-what-you-share-in-community-group-because-people-might-take-it-the-wrong-way.”  It’s time to let God be our fortress and defense and reject any temptation to be our own defense.

Conclusion

I love this book.  It offers a robust look at the biblical/gospel-centered community.  It offers a balanced and straightforward assessment of small groups.  It should convict small groups who only swim in the deep and it should encourage others to move from the kiddie pool to deeper parts of the pool.  All in all, I think this book encourages people to dive into community.  There is much to do and none of us have any time to waste.

Favorite Quotes

• “…community is not about us; it is about God” (p. 19).
• “Community is an instrument of worship, a weapon against sin, and a tool for evangelism - all for the exaltation of Jesus” (p. 19).
• “Jesus gives us the ability to experience life as God intended, in real community with him and another” (p. 33).
• “Community is for us a declaration of the overwhelming love of God, the tangible proclamation of the reconciling work of the cross” (p. 34).
• “Because Jesus has redeemed us, we can reset our identity to reside in the place God intended” (p. 35).
• “Our primary purpose in community is not that our needs are being met, but that Jesus would be lifted up. It is not that we aren't blessed by the love we share for one another, but that we experience our greatest joy when Jesus is most glorified” (p. 41).
• “… what is the ultimate goal of our neighbors seeing how we live? It is so they will worship God!” (p. 41).
• “Isolation is a response to sin. Community is a response to reconciliation” (p. 42).
• “Our communities should be the most powerful expression of the gospel within the church” (p. 45).
• “There is no biblical support for personal, autonomous Christianity” (p. 47).
• “Don’t just tell your church what to do; her Mind them of who they are and what Christ has done” (p. 72).
• “Ownership looks like people participating in the messiness of community and being inconvenienced for the sake of another's sanctification” (p. 73).
• “Because Jesus has redeemed us and reconciled us to the Father, we get to live in such a way that shows his great mercy and grace” (p. 75).
• “Man has always had a bent toward worshiping created things rather than the creator. This is the definition of idolatry” (p. 90).

Dying Together to Live Together

It’s Monday, which means I met my accountability partner/brother at the golf course at 0630.  Another amazing time of reflecting on gospel truths and unflinching sharing of current battles.  I’m convinced that I do not have any more blind spots.  I can see all of my sin every day.  So I meet that with constant exposure and full disclosure of sin choices.  Once that is exposed to my brother(s) that God has put in my life, they are then equipped to know how to pray for me and what questions to ask at any time.

One of my first greetings of the day was, “What’s up Ryan?!  How was your easter weekend…”  All three of these exchanges sounded the same.  Except for one man who decided to be vulnerable.  He said, “I feel bad.  My family and I…well, we’re ‘those’ 2x a year people…”  I immediately responded with, “that’s okay!  I’m totally okay with that!  You know why.  At least you’re there.  I’d rather have someone who comes twice a year than for someone to come out 50x a year but never show up in their hearts.  Fake….”  I don’t think that man was expecting that response.  I always love dropping grace in places where it is not expected.  It throws people off!

I’ve been enjoying reading in quiet places at work.  Like a quick cross-fit workout, I’ll squeeze in 30min of reading during the workday.  Today I sat in the locker room/bathroom and read Chapter ten in Larry Crabb’s book, Connecting.  The subtitle was, “Dying Together to Live Together.”  I know it sounds cliche, but it rocked my understanding of community.  I had never thought about dying to self and putting to death the flesh in the context of community.  I have been preaching and teaching that community must practice confession, repentance, and life together in the context of community, but I had never thought of killing the flesh as a communal practice.  It makes sense and I am killing the flesh as a community.  

Crabb put it another way,

The center of the Christian life, we should remind ourselves, is not about killing anything.  The route to life is death, but the center of life, the point of Christianity, is living together in the enjoyment of God.  We die in order to live.1

He goes on to unpack the role of the body in this collaborative dying,

Christianity is about the life of the Trinity released in human community.  But the doorway into that life is death, and death is always painful.  When Jesus died, he died alone.  There is no greater pain.  When we die to ourselves, we’re to do it together, with our community.  There is no stronger bonding.2

And how apropos is it that on the day after Resurrection Sunday I would read that, “The cornerstone of the gospel is Christ’s death on the basis of our life.”3  Last year, during a Church baptism at the Beach, I saw a man named Kevin who was wearing a shirt that said, “I died in this shirt.”  It was the shirt that was given to him when he was baptized at his former Church!  YES!!  I want to wear that shirt every day and celebrate my funeral and the freedom that comes as a result of my old self-dying and being replaced with Christ in me.  Christ so desperately wants to continue living through me today.  The conditions are all set to make that happen daily, hourly and moment by moment!

When I have presented this concept of communal dying and modification of the flesh to others in the Church I have received either joyful acceptance or reluctance.  One on hand, either the individual will, in my opinion, overthink it and start to come up with scenarios of why it shouldn’t be (i.e. not everybody wants to share their stuff and quite frankly not everybody wants to hear it either).  But that is to suggest that we have a vote in how Christ wants the body to live.  Freedom is the only option, for that is precisely why Christ has set us free; that we might walk in it.  On the other hand, there is joyful acceptance.  Sort of that, “thank God because I’ve been waiting to do that” type mentality.  Very few are in between.  It has everything to do with fear vs. faith.  Freedom vs. bondage.  Focus on man vs. God.  Pleasing self/others vs. pleasing the Father.  

The result of maintaining the status quo of a comfortable community group, or, if you want to go old school, “Bible study” is maintaining the disconnect in the body.  And then people turn to therapists or their “shrink” instead of bringing their struggles to the (coffee) table at community group.  After all, if we are all priests (and we are!), indwell by the same Holy Spirit that indwelt and raised Christ from the grave, then we are FULLY equipped for every issue that may come up as we mortify the flesh in the community group that meets during the week for “fellowship.”  

It’s time we take the power back!  Let’s get our people out of the counselor's office and into the community.  We are equipped to handle every situation because we have access tot the most powerful being in the universe.  Let us avoid contracting out our issues and begin to pray for each other.  Let’s foster a community of transparency that seeks to put to death the deeds of the flesh in the context of community.  

God will give us the wisdom and discernment so that we don’t make confessing something that is should not be (i.e. “I must confess that I think you’re an idiot” or “I have to confess I’ve had sinful thoughts about three people in our group”).  That is simply unwise and perhaps the byproduct of lack of doing life together with others.  

Jesus brother said, 

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working (James 5:16).

Crabb adds, 

The journey toward Christ is intended to be a group expedition where we walk together as honest strugglers who believe the end point is worth any hardship.  We share the life of Christ together and are called to nourish that life in one another…

I have been dying with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ for years now and there is no greater joy than to glorify God by being satisfied in Him alone and shedding off all of what I thought was bringing me joy.  It is liberating to reverse the exchange of the truth of God for a lie.  

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1. Larry Crabb, Connecting:  Healing for Ourselves and Our Relationships, W Publishing Group: Nashville, TN. 1997. p. 95.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid., pp. 99-100.