Do These People HAVE a Bible?

You can tell a lot from a church’s ‘Mission Statement’ – the bit where they set out out their beliefs and priorities.

Sometimes they are so at odds with Scripture, it’s almost funny. Hillsong’s “The Church That I See” always makes me chuckle. And then weep. You can even buy a glossy book – but don’t. Brian Houston’s wealthy enough already!

Anyway, I’ve just read a church mission statement which lists as its number one goal:

To create an environment where, first and foremost, the Holy Spirit knows He is welcome and able to manifest the glory of God.

“First and foremost”?
Of all the instructions given to believers, this one isn’t actually in the Bible, yet alone a command given by Christ (after whom we Christians are named). Instead here are some instructions that WERE given by Christ:

• Be a servant – Matthew 20:26-28
• Care for the poor – Luke 14:12-14
• Watch and pray – Matthew 28:19

Even after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2), the early church didn’t make their number one priority to “create an environment” of any kind. They had more important things to do.

Maybe Acts 2:42-47 could suggest some higher priorities -

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Now then, does this sound like any church you know?

Maybe with the global credit crisis, food shortages, rising oil prices and frightening levels of personal debt we’ll finally see an end to the ‘Bless me now, Lord’ culture and instead see Christians REALLY living as our New Testament brothers and sisters. Yes, blessed, anointed and empowered by the Holy Spirit, but using that power to actually DO something that makes a difference.

What is Heaven Like?

Here goes for my shortest. Blog. Post. Ever.

I reckon this sums up why our attempts at imagining heaven will always fall way short of the mark. Until we get there.

Heaven is … Incomprehensible. Like a three-dimensional world for a stick-figure drawing.

Do We Want To See Jesus Lifted High

I haven’t picked up a guitar for quite a while, so when my youngest daughter and I went up into the loft to look for some CDs she was a bit surprised to see me pick up a guitar and start playing. Badly. Another reminder that it’s been a long time since I last led worship.

As I played, some of the worship songs came flooding back.

We want to see Jesus lifted high, A banner that flies across the land,
That all men might see the truth and know, He is the way to heaven.

We want to see, we want to see, we want to see Jesus lifted high.
We want to see, we want to see, we want to see Jesus lifted high.

Step by step we’re moving forward, Little by little taking ground,
Every prayer is a powerful weapon, Strongholds all come tumbling down
And down and down and down

This was one of my favourites. A good foot-stomping song. Then it hit me.

I’m currently reading Michael Card’s excellent book of reflections on John’s gospel, “The Parable of Joy”. In the chapter on John 12:27-36 Michael writes:

“If I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself,” He [Jesus] says, making crystal clear that a cross is waiting for Him. “Lifted up” is the phrase consistently used by John to describe crucifixion. It does not mean praise. Jesus never implied that praising Him would draw all men, but rather that we would be drawn to Him by His sacrifice, wherein the need we all share for forgiveness would be satisfied.

And of course, he’s right. A simple re-reading of Scripture shows this to be true.

So not only have I found another worship song I can’t sing, but a whole chunk of modern worship comes crumbling down. You know, the bit that says, ‘if we do really good/loud/lavish worship, people will be so impressed they’re bound to join us’.

When in truth, the Gospel is the Cross. Plain, simple and not quite so catchy.

Spirit Substitution

Browsing my local council’s website this morning, I spotted what’s looks like a valuable new service…

On further reading, it was something to do with alcohol. For a moment I thought I’d found a good reason for paying my Council Tax.

“The act of spirit substitution is a criminal offence through a number of consumer protection Acts of Parliament, namely …  the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, and the Trade Marks Act 1994. For further information on spirit substitution visit www.ifsp.co.uk

Made me chuckle, anyway. Must be the hot weather.

Startin’ Somethin’

I’ve studied it (a bit), quoted from it (a bit) and I own numerous versions of it, but I have never read the whole book. Yup. It’s the Bible.

I did a quick Google search for a juicy statistic about how many Christians have or have not read the whole Bible but those stats don’t seem to be easily obtainable. Maybe it’s one of the great un-asked questions of the Christian faith. I’m certainly glad no-one’s ever asked me with the intention of publishing the answer.

But this time I’m ‘fessing up’. I have never read the whole Bible. Daft when you think about it. I believe it is the inspired word of God. I believe it is a light to my path. I believe it is infallible. But parts of it are unknown to me.

So. Starting now (well a couple of days ago to be truthful), I’m having a go at reading the Bible from cover to cover. You can follow my progress, or use my ‘reading plan’ by clicking on the BIBLE:365 link at the top of this page.

And it shouldn’t take a huge amount of time. Certainly less time than I used to spend in church meetings

I’m praying that God reveals some fresh stuff, sustains me through the ‘difficult’ sections and that I’ll find a lot to think about.

Now all I have to do is read.

No Publicity

After the two days he left for Galilee. (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honour in his own country.) When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there.

Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.

“Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”

The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

Jesus replied, “You may go. Your son will live.”

The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.”

Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and all his household believed.

This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee.

John 4:43-54 [NIV]

How much more low-key could Jesus have been? No hands in the air. No shouting. In fact, for the witnesses to this miracle there was literally ‘nothing to see’. Jesus simply says, “Go home. Your son will live”. Meanwhile, at that same moment, for no apparent reason, a mother sees a child instantly recover from a life-threatening illness.

Only after the event, and away from Jesus, when two and two are put together, does the whole household realise what has happened.

“Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”

Spoken to unbelievers at a time before Jesus’ death and resurrection, this is an understandable statement.
Spoken to today’s believers (as indicated elsewhere in Scripture) this is a damning rebuke.

And yet, some Christians still chase the signs and wonders. Now.

Meanwhile, the Christ whose name they claim still heals with a quiet word and in ways that may only become apparent long afterwards.

We need to take Jesus at His Word.