I've spent a lot of time lately thinking about the best way to relate to people outside the church. Within the last couple of decades there have been all kinds of different strategies of how to get people into our churches. On the one hand that's a good thing because hopefully they will hear the Gospel, accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, and grow as a Christian. On the other hand I think we have to ask the question, what sacrifices did we make to get people to come into the church?
Recently I heard a pastor remark (unfortunately I can't remember which pastor) that Christians have had no trouble convincing the world that we can live like them. What we struggle with is showing them that we can live differently.
Christian merchandizing has created a Christian knockoff of almost everything secular. One of the things that I have learned over the years in dieting is that when you eat a no-fat, no-calorie candy bar, not only does it not taste very good, it makes you crave a real candy bar. Sometimes it's just better to learn to live without candy bars.
Food for thought... It may be time for the church to start worrying more about how to live like the church than how to live like the world.
- Aaron
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Faith/Life Balance
The last few weeks have pushed my ability to remain balanced. With the planning for the Community Picnic, the actual picnic, the preparations for the church's annual meeting, thesis deadlines approaching, and my strong desire to spend quality time with the family; I have thought a lot about balance.
Most of these things relate more to time management skills with a bit of overcommittment thrown in. There's another kind of balance that I am seeking in my life, the faith/life balance. By 'life' I mean the way that I live my life.
On the one hand I know for certain that God loves me and that because of my faith in Jesus Christ my sins are forgiven (Eph 2:8-9). On the other hand there is this business of how I am supposed to be living my life (Eph 2:10). How do I keep these two in balance?
To do this I think we need to maintain another balance, a proper understanding of the love of God and His righteous judgement. We need to be careful not to compartmentalize God into the loving God who forgives and the angry God who judges. God's judgement is not an emotional response to His anger about the way we live, it is what He must do, because He is holy. He continues to love while He mourns for those who will not love Him back.
I have found that the better I understand God the more I am drawn to love Him. This causes a chain reaction in the way I live my life as well. Instead of trying to live obediently, out of a sense of obligation, I truly want to live differently out of a place of love. When you acheive this kind of faith/life balance I think you'll find clarity in other areas of your life as well.
- Aaron
Most of these things relate more to time management skills with a bit of overcommittment thrown in. There's another kind of balance that I am seeking in my life, the faith/life balance. By 'life' I mean the way that I live my life.
On the one hand I know for certain that God loves me and that because of my faith in Jesus Christ my sins are forgiven (Eph 2:8-9). On the other hand there is this business of how I am supposed to be living my life (Eph 2:10). How do I keep these two in balance?
To do this I think we need to maintain another balance, a proper understanding of the love of God and His righteous judgement. We need to be careful not to compartmentalize God into the loving God who forgives and the angry God who judges. God's judgement is not an emotional response to His anger about the way we live, it is what He must do, because He is holy. He continues to love while He mourns for those who will not love Him back.
I have found that the better I understand God the more I am drawn to love Him. This causes a chain reaction in the way I live my life as well. Instead of trying to live obediently, out of a sense of obligation, I truly want to live differently out of a place of love. When you acheive this kind of faith/life balance I think you'll find clarity in other areas of your life as well.
- Aaron
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
What is Church?
Years ago I would have never even thought to ask this question. Somehow the concept of church just made sense to me. I'm sure that this had a lot to do with growing up in a single church from a very early age. Now that I am a pastor I meet people who have come from a wide variety of different church backgrounds and styles. Sometimes the challege is seperating what is biblical from what is traditional.
Others have already tackled this question from a biblical perspective. I'd certainly recommend reading Clowney's Church or Dever's analysis of a healthy church.
I certainly wish the Bible was more clear on certain aspects of church government and administration, but at the same time I have discovered that the essentials really are clear. The church is made up of the body of all Christians who by virtue of their faith are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the head of the church and we are called to gather regularly with some portion of the overall body.
This afternoon I got one of those annoying chain letters in my inbox (no offense to the wonderful person who sent it to me). I think that the thing which annoyed me the most was that the story was so compelling that I read the whole thing. After the author worked her way through a beautiful illustration of faith in action she said "we're [her and her husband] not really church people". This comment had nothing to do with the story she told. Her subtext was, "to be a faithfilled person you don't really need the church".
What a shame that this family has disconnected itself from the rest of the body. It strikes me that God created community as a blessing for us. From the very beginning God there were relationships. God walked with Adam in the cool of the garden. He created Eve so that Adam would not be alone. The very nature of God Himself, the Trinity, embodies community.
What is the church? It's a God-created, God-intended, and (when done well) a God-blessed community of believers growing together in the image of Jesus Christ.
- Aaron
Others have already tackled this question from a biblical perspective. I'd certainly recommend reading Clowney's Church or Dever's analysis of a healthy church.
I certainly wish the Bible was more clear on certain aspects of church government and administration, but at the same time I have discovered that the essentials really are clear. The church is made up of the body of all Christians who by virtue of their faith are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the head of the church and we are called to gather regularly with some portion of the overall body.
This afternoon I got one of those annoying chain letters in my inbox (no offense to the wonderful person who sent it to me). I think that the thing which annoyed me the most was that the story was so compelling that I read the whole thing. After the author worked her way through a beautiful illustration of faith in action she said "we're [her and her husband] not really church people". This comment had nothing to do with the story she told. Her subtext was, "to be a faithfilled person you don't really need the church".
What a shame that this family has disconnected itself from the rest of the body. It strikes me that God created community as a blessing for us. From the very beginning God there were relationships. God walked with Adam in the cool of the garden. He created Eve so that Adam would not be alone. The very nature of God Himself, the Trinity, embodies community.
What is the church? It's a God-created, God-intended, and (when done well) a God-blessed community of believers growing together in the image of Jesus Christ.
- Aaron
Thursday, September 24, 2009
9 Marks Weekender
It's Thursday and I am finally starting to get to the bottom of the mountain of things that built up last week while I was away at the 9 Marks Weekender. It was worth it though. For those of you who are not familiar, 9Marks (www.9marks.org) is a ministry of Capital Hill Baptist Church in downtown DC. The name refers to 9Marks of a healthy church. It has been pointed out that there could be quite a few more marks added to the list, but these are ones that seem to be absent in many of our churches today.
On the top of their list is expository Bible preaching, biblical theology, and the Gospel. Amen.
On the top of their list is expository Bible preaching, biblical theology, and the Gospel. Amen.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Small Group Formation
Last night we held an informational meeting about the possibility of starting a small group ministry here at Franconia Baptist Church. The meeting was a great success and ended with a strong affirmation that people who really like to have this ministry at our church. We are looking forward to launching a number of these small groups starting in September.
The purpose for putting these small groups together is to provide a place for discipleship and growth within the context of authentic Christian relationships.
If you would like to be a part of one of these new groups, please send Kati an email (kati@franconiabaptist.org).
- Aaron
The purpose for putting these small groups together is to provide a place for discipleship and growth within the context of authentic Christian relationships.
If you would like to be a part of one of these new groups, please send Kati an email (kati@franconiabaptist.org).
- Aaron
Sharing Christ on the 4th of July
Every year for the past 24 years an event called Christ on the Mall has been held on the 4th of July. This year COTM was given two blocks worth of space between the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum and the National Gallery of Art. On that prime realestate we hand out free water, share the Gospel, and play live music for some of the nearly 700,000 people waiting all day for the fireworks.
What an unbelievable opportunity this is. This was the first year that our church participated in the event. We brought 11 people from our church as well as a couple of my friends from Indiana. Some of us even had an opportunity to be there when people accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior.
The real work begins now in following up with all those who made professions of faith. We are working to make sure that they get connected with a quality church where they live. Please pray that all those who heard the Gospel would be called and that those who accepted would begin to grow.
- Aaron
What an unbelievable opportunity this is. This was the first year that our church participated in the event. We brought 11 people from our church as well as a couple of my friends from Indiana. Some of us even had an opportunity to be there when people accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior.
The real work begins now in following up with all those who made professions of faith. We are working to make sure that they get connected with a quality church where they live. Please pray that all those who heard the Gospel would be called and that those who accepted would begin to grow.
- Aaron
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Welcome Kati and Jessica
God continues to bless the ministries at Franconia Baptist. This time he has blessed our church with two new additions to the church staff.
Kati Love has just begun as the church's new administrative assistant. Kati and her husband, Trevor, are recent graduates of Cedarville University. In the short time that Kati has been working in the office it is apparent that her gifts and talents coupled with a passion for ministry are going to greatly bless Franconia Baptist Church.
Jessica Eaglin has joined the team as our new director of the Child Development Center. The CDC is a Christ-centered preschool program that has been serving our community for more than 20 years. Jessica is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and is currently pursuing an MA in Educational Leadership from George Washington University.
I am completely blown away by the talented and passionate people that God continues to bring to our congregation and now our staff. Maybe our church is the place that God wants to use your gifts and talents?
-Aaron
Kati Love has just begun as the church's new administrative assistant. Kati and her husband, Trevor, are recent graduates of Cedarville University. In the short time that Kati has been working in the office it is apparent that her gifts and talents coupled with a passion for ministry are going to greatly bless Franconia Baptist Church.
Jessica Eaglin has joined the team as our new director of the Child Development Center. The CDC is a Christ-centered preschool program that has been serving our community for more than 20 years. Jessica is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and is currently pursuing an MA in Educational Leadership from George Washington University.
I am completely blown away by the talented and passionate people that God continues to bring to our congregation and now our staff. Maybe our church is the place that God wants to use your gifts and talents?
-Aaron
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