[real-time connections] chapter 7: serving together

[real-time connections] chapter 7: serving together

This Chapter has relevance in 2 areas of my Life.

1.) My Church is Also a Missional Church, similar to Bob Roberts- Northwood Church, Focused on reaching outside the 4 walls of our Church, to Reaching the world for Christ, locally, and globally = Glocally

My Home church is Lifebridge Church, In Fort Wayne, Indiana.

My Church’s Mission Statement is: Connecting to God, Each other, and the World thru Christ.

I have been a member of this church since the very beginning, but  it  has only been within the last 1 1/2 -2 years that i have begun to realize what our mission statement truly means. More than just connecting to God. More than just connecting to each other (which is not a hard thing for me to do by any means!), but connecting to the community, and the world, to help people find the life in Christ that we have!

When I first Re-dedicated my life to Christ, I  had heard of the Great Commission, but it was a Foreign Concept to me.

Matthew 28:18-19 (NLT)
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,  baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I read that and thought, “how am I supposed to do that??”  But, I now realize that i am not necessarily supposed to do what that literally says, but by meeting others needs by reaching out and showing that you care, with no strings attached, it  allows God to open doors that wouldn’t otherwise be opened. It allows God to transform lives and make disciples because it really isn’t about us at all! It’s about Him and  weather we are going to allow God to use us to bring him glory, and now that I realize that, The Great Commission doesn’t Seem to be as foreign to me as it once did. When I love God and love on people, he takes care of the rest!

Making a Difference in the Local Community

The part of this chapter that resonated with me the most was in this part:

The Author heard a Question and asked it to his Congregation.

“If this Church were absent from our community, would anyone miss it but your members?”

The author said that he wanted his church to be a church That would be missed,  and I think that  any church that wants to focus on being a Missional Community needs it.

I have an AWESOME Pastor named Bill Campbell, who just recently preached a sermon called “Together We Can”

In this Sermon, Which was Quite Similar to this chapter,one of his points was that Our purpose was to function as a “Missional Community” and as a Missional Community we needed to make a difference in the World we live in, and how important that was. He stated why it was important, was because “IT ISN’T ABOUT US! (Recurring theme isn’t it?) Its about Being God’s Hands and Feet!

Matthew 25:34-36 Says this :
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation.

35 And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,

36 I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’

“When we Allow God to use for his Glory, together we can produce lives that are changed so that they can find the Life in Christ that we have” -Pastor Bill Campbell

That’s what its all about! There have been SO many times I have felt God speak to my heart about this topic over and over; I have seen the Mathew 25 Verse pop up over and over. When that happens I know that this is something important that he’s trying to get across to me.

The Second Area that this Chapter that this Spoke to me on was Actually in my Job. I Truly Believe with all my heart that God has me working when I am for a Specific Purpose, and that Purpose I believe is to Learn to Serve Selflessly.

I work as a Team Member at a Chick-Fil-a. I can Honestly say that, this is NOT your Everyday Fast-Food Place!

I thought I knew how  to serve others before I started working there, but boy was I wrong!

At Chick-Fil-A, they serve customers and expect customers to be served on a Whole Different Level!

S Truett  Cathy  The Founder of  Chick-Fil-a,

“Illustrates to readers that significance and success come when one exhibits servant leadership in all areas of life, seizing everyday opportunities to help others” .

Working at Chick-Fil-A is not just a job to me. Its also a Ministry, and I really feel that its preparing me for the ultimate purpose God has for my life, which is  to be used by God to Serve Others.

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[real-time connections] chapter 5: living as a disciple

Recently my wife and I were out to dinner and I was moved to asked her this question, “Are we serving God enough?” Our first response was no, but as we thought more about our lives and our involvement with our children, church, and school, we felt that we were serving our Lord to our satisfaction. 

Shortly after that night I began my preparation for this blog by reading Real-Time Connections: Linking Your Job with God’s Global Work. As I was reading Chapter 5: Living as a Disciple, I was reminded of my favorite quote from my pastor, “My job is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comforted”. Allow me to explain. 

The beginning of the chapter, the author Bob Roberts Jr. describes a model of ministry that his church and others around the globe use. The model consists of 3 integrated components as follows:  

1. “Interactive relationship” with God – This consists of our worship to God and it “enables us to learn to hear God’s voice in a regular daily way”. Some of the best times I have and worshiping God is when my family is asleep and I have the house to myself late at night. Because there is no music, people, or distractions I am free to pray and worship Him intimately which allows me to be more open and receptive to His voice.
2. “Transparent connections” – This consists of small group ministry that leads to accountability and community. The couples’ cell group that my wife and I lead at our church is the most rewarding part of ministry for me. Being able to be transparent and share common marriage situations strengthens our marriage and keeps us connected. Knowing that other couples face the same challenges we do helps us to be able to resolve any differences that we face. 

It was right along here where I was feeling pretty good about myself until I read the 3^rd component to the model and was reminded of my pastors quote. 

3. “Glocal impact” – Where we “use our jobs as the platform from which we serve together in our community and the world.” Honestly, I am lacking in this part of my ministry. My co-workers know I am a Christian and I live by example, but now I want to witness one on one with them. I want to be an ambassador on behalf of Christ. The key to this model is that all three components must work together simultaneously. What I learned from this is to use all three of these components in my life and not just the first two. You see, I go to church regularly and pray daily, lead a small group (components 1 & 2 of the model). But I want to use my job as an Accountant for ministry also. How do I do that? I do that by becoming a “true” disciple.

The last part of the chapter defines 7 characteristics of what a “true” disciple is. 

1. A true disciple is Broken. Being broken brings repentance and gets ourselves out of the way of what God wants to do.
2. A true disciple Obeys. One needs to be willing to take up our cross and follow the Master no matter what.
3. A true disciple is a Learner. Not only should we be in the word of God, but we must also be aware of our surroundings and culture.
4. A true disciple Engages. We should use our teaching to be involved in the lives of those we are serving.
5. A true disciple Discerns. “Biblical discernment is the ability to accurately perceive where people are and where they are headed, and then gracefully show them a different way to move forward.”
6. A true disciple has Faith. Faith is a verb. It’s requires action and not only a belief.
7. A true disciple Loves. Our love for Jesus is seen through the way we serve others.

By rediscovering what a true disciple is, I have learned that I want my job to be a part of my ministry, working together with my personal and church ministry. I want to become a true ambassador for Christ as described by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:18-20. I want my life to truly make a difference for the great commission. 

Maybe there is a component of ministry you are challenged by? Maybe you are opposite of me in that you pour out so much of your ministry in your job, that your personal, family, or group time suffer. My prayer is that we use all three of these components of ministry equally and effectively. I also pray the God will afflict (challenge) us when we are comfortable! Be Blessed!

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[real-time connections] chapter 4: linking to the world

The fourth chapter of Real-Time Connections by Bob Roberts Jr. focuses on “Linking to the World.”

The first several chapters laid out his vision – that we would make disciples not through increased ‘church-based’ activity, but by being obedient in our every day lives.

Robert’s does have a disadvantage in writing about how to get Christians to engage in the world through their daily work. After all, he is a professional pastor paid to minister, so how can he possibly relate? What does he know about my cubicle? What does he know about my workplace struggles? What can he say to me?

That being said, he gets it. He’s not all about building another church-based ministry. He engages in unleashing his church for the kingdom through their daily pursuits. In previous chapters he lit the fire under lay leaders, encouraging them not just to spread the Kingdom through church activity, but through the influence in their individuals vocations.

In “Linking to the World,” Robert’s points out the obvious global shift we have had. All of the information is flattened thanks to television, telephones and international travel. Tribes and cultures are now dispersed across the planet and the enclaves we once thought safe are now in the great big mixing bowl of planet Earth.

He tries to boil down the concept to three poorly named and difficult to understand realities.

• Decentralized connectedness
• Nodal networks
• Post Americanism

However, once you get past the head scratcher titles and unpeel the material, you begin to understand what he’s saying. Mission work is no longer America sending out missionaries. In fact, the world is connected to each other through a thousand different connections and if we are to reach the world, we need to empower those connections. 

The nodal networks are the places where those connections intersect.  The mechanic buys his groceries from the same store as the lawyer. The lawyer hires the roofer who also shops at the same store. Their node is the grocer, who can influence and change lives. “Our lives as individuals exist at a point where multiple lines of relationship and influence intersect, lines that connect with hundreds of other nodes,” he writes.

There is recognition of the breakdown in the traditions, denominations and centralized way of delivering the gospel. “There will always be centralized authorities,” Roberts writes, “but they will not be like the highly structured, and authoratitve organizatons of the past.”

The church unleashed isn’t a new principle, but it is exciting to see a pastor who writes about his church members changing the world without everything rolling through the church structure.

He calls the church a “grass roots” effort.

He writes, “Each one of has the ability to do something truly significant with what God has given us if we will just step out.”

So, how about it? Will you step out?

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[real-time connections] chapter 3: your job is your ministry

Stouffer’s – you know, the frozen meal makers – recently started the Let’s Fix Dinner campaign. The website asks compelling questions (e.g. “Can you give your daughter a better body image by setting the table?”), offers statistic-based answers (“Studies show that teen girls who have family dinners 5 times a week are 33% less likely to develop eating disorders.”) and invites you to take a test to see how well you do as a family regarding eating together.

Stouffer’s motives? As I see them, the Let’s Fix Dinner campaign is aimed 1) to increase profits for the company and 2) to strengthen families.

Sounds pretty good for business goals. I don’t know if spiritual convictions played a role in creating this campaign, or if Christians are behind the effort, but I do see an important connection between occupation and calling, and here’s why:

Stouffer’s makes food. That occupation gives them a distinct entry point (read “opportunity to live out a calling”) for strengthening families.

In Chapter 2 of Real-Time Connections, Bob Roberts Jr. used these terms when he wrote, “God may use an occupation as the vehicle that carries us into our calling” (54). It really isn’t rocket science (nor should it be manipulative, as Stouffer’s could easily use the family thing as a gimmick to make money). But it takes observation and willingness to make the necessary connection.

Observation

Roberts tells an inspiring story about Melinda Needs in Chapter 3. The Needs’ son, Jacob, was born with autism in the 80s when very little information was available about it. Melinda used her speech therapy background and determination to help diagnose and then care for their son. The years were difficult financially and emotionally, as you might imagine, but what may have started as something she simply had to do as a mother eventually became not only a calling to her family but to many others as well.

Reflecting on her service to parents of autistic children in the U.S. and Vietnam, she said, “I have so much to give that I didn’t know I had. I always wanted to help people, but I didn’t know I could make that big a difference” (64).

Melinda made an observation, perhaps (and I’m giving them the benefit of my cynic-tainted doubt) the same kind of observation Stouffer’s made: Your job is your ministry.

Willingness

Seeing is one thing. Doing is quite another. Stouffer’s gathered research and built the interactive website for families. Melinda went to bat for a local single mother in the school district and works with FEAT (Families for Effective Autism Treatment) in Texas. Neither simply made an observation and then sat on it. They responded.

Roberts begins Chapter 3 with the Needs story and then transitions into how to begin turning your occupation into ministry. If you’ve read books like The Call by Os Guinness or Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, you won’t find much new material here, but Roberts steadily advocates turning your occupation into ministry as opposed to leaving your occupation to do ministry.

“One of my biggest jobs,” he writes, “is to keep these people from making this change. I help them to see that they are in the ministry already, and usually they are serving much more effectively then they could as a seminary-educated, church-supported pastor.”

Let’s just say that a Christian inspired Stouffer’s to create their family campaign. How unfortunate would it have been had he or she gotten fed up with “just selling food” and left to start a family ministry at a local church?

I’m with Roberts on this. Stay where you are. Try to make observations that connect occupation and calling. Then be willing to respond in a way that Christ can say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

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