Jesus sends his disciples ahead of him

Jesus is comfortable leading passively from a distance at times, and lets his disciples go out before him on their own. We don't have a clear description of what they are doing when they go out before him, but you can infer that they are living the life that Jesus is teaching them about outside of the structure of Jesus physically being present with them.

When they are on the boat after the miraculous feast of 5,000, they were most certainly processing what just occurred. Jesus wasn't there to tell them explicitly, but he gave them a framework to understand the sovereignty of the Father over something as simple as the conservation of mass—yeah there were two pounds of bread, but God can make it into two tons and feed an army.

We can see Jesus' intentionality in giving his disciples time to synthesize what they are learning. The lessons are becoming more than head knowledge, and becoming part of who they are.

Jesus prays for his disciples

Jesus cares deeply about his disciples. He speaks of them as his sheep and of himself as the shepherd who will gladly die for their safety, cries when his friend dies, and spends his last minutes praying for them in his high priestly prayer.

Jesus doesn't just trust that they will be okay, but pleads with the Father that he would continue the work that has begun.

This is a series of reflections on how Jesus made disciples, based on the book of John.

Advance 09 Media

Video, audio, and images from the Advance 09 conference in Raleigh-Durham, NC, June 2009. Find out more.

Click through to the Resurgence if you can’t see the video.

Missional cultural engagement is a challenge. How far does one go to engage culture? According to missiologist Ed Stetzer, that is the nature of contextualization. In his recent post Ancestor Worship and Taiwanese Christians, Stetzer gives some helpful guidelines on contextualization as well as this short video of a Taiwanese believer explaining the difficulty of contextualization in his culture of ancestor worship.

Rain City Hymnal

The first offering from Re:Sound is the Rain City Hymnal. Listen online and get the record from the Re:Sound website. Find out more.



Not to be dramatic, but a little dramatic. This is the overwhelming feeling I have when I’ve been working all day, had a few hours to connect with my family in the evening, and am now sitting at my desk reading a 480-page pdf document (book) on the church, or slugging away at a 25-page paper till the wee hours. Amazing stuff, but the feeling is a bit overwhelming as the proverbial Re:Train is barreling down the tracks, and I’m stuck in the middle, staring at the oncoming lights and deafened by the blaring horn. How do I escape the wrath?



Re:Train has been a significant investment of time and energy, but it’s an investment that has been extremely beneficial and filled with the grace of God. This weekend was another testament to that as Dr. Gregg Allison lectured and answered questions for two days regarding ecclesiology and the missional church.  

An ecclesiological man among boys

His wisdom, humility and love for the church was inspiring. He is a seasoned pastor, well-studied theologian, faithful husband, father and grandfather, elder in an Acts 29 church, and his daughter and son-in-law attend Mars Hill Bellevue. After a few moments with the Allisons, my wife said, “Wow, that’s the type of couple everyone wants in their church. Godly, stable, wise, humble, and encouraging.” As Pastor Tim Smith put it on Twitter, “Gregg Allision is an ecclesiological man among boys.”  Here are a few takeaways that have left me pondering further.



These are a few reflections from Re:Train with Dr. Allison. The full impact of his teaching and friendship will have a long and sustained impact on the church planting taking place through Mars Hill and Acts 29.


1. Ask good questions before you leave your church.


Dr. Allison loves the local church, and he did a good job of distinguishing between true and false churches as well as less pure and more pure churches among those that are true. He had some good words and questions to ask yourself before moving from one true church to another:

1. Have I expended all of my opportunities to effect change in this church?
2. Will continued participation in this church exert a negative impact on my relationship with and worship of God, my ministry for Jesus Christ, the use of my spiritual gifts, etc.?
3. Do I have to compromise too much—essential doctrines and practices, a lifestyle in accordance with biblical values and principles—in order to remain in this church?
4. Do I have a legitimate reason for leaving?  In a culture where church-hopping and shopping is the norm, I felt these were timely words for Christians to ask themselves before leaving their church so that we don’t flippantly move on from a place God may want us to persevere in.

2. Have something in your life you can finish.


Pastors and those in ministry need to have some outlet in their life that allows them to finish something.  Ministry is never finished, and the pile of work continually grows. Paul told Titus to “put what remained into order” (Titus 1:5).  Based on my experience, I don’t think Titus ever finished getting everything in order.  As he appointed elders, it meant more training and leadership; as new people met Jesus, it meant more teaching and discipleship; as the church grew, it meant new systems and structures.  The church is alive and therefore never finished.

This is why Dr. Allison recommended having something you can finish.  It might be writing a book, refinishing your basement, or some other outlet for bringing something to full completion so that you can enjoy the work and rest upon its completion.  He wasn’t legalistic about it, and didn’t attempt to prooftext any verses to support this position--it was just a piece of pastoral advice from a seasoned pastor.


3. Fight for unity.


The church begins at a place of unity.  In Ephesians 4:3, Paul says, “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  Wow, the church is unified because of the Spirit’s work, yet our sins of pride, envy, gossip, jealousy, dissention, and the like are actively working to destroy the unity of the Church.

Dr. Allison pointed out from Ephesians 4:2 that unity is maintained and achieved through the attitudes of gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love.  He challenged all of us to dig deep into the places where we and our churches are not unified and accurately diagnose the root issue, which is nearly always sin of some sort.  One of his closing lines on this topic was profound: “The will to maintain unity can overcome significant differences.”



For more from Dr. Allison, read his posts on Missional Ecclesiology on the Resurgence.



You can follow Pastor Jamie on Twitter at twitter.com/jamiemunson.

Total Church

Tim Chester and Steve Timmis present a vision for churches centered on gospel community. Find out more.

Jesus tested his disciples

It's simply amazing to see the wisdom that Jesus uses when talking to Philip before he multiplies the fish and loaves. Jesus and Philip know that they don't have enough money to buy food for the ocean of people sitting before them, so Jesus puts the ball in Philip's court and asks him what they should do. Philip says "We could give each person a crumb."

Philip's worldview says, "We can buy this much bread and divide it by the number of people, and the quotient will be a crumb for each person." His math is poor in God's arithmetic--Jesus is infinite in his power, and infinity divided by any number is still infinity. Jesus can provide enough bread for everyone, and still have enough left over for lunch the next day. He tested the disciples, and they learned through their failure to believe.

This is a series of reflections on how Jesus made disciples, based on the book of John.

Porn Again Christian

Pastor Mark Driscoll's frank discussion on pornography and masturbation is now available from Amazon. Find out more.

Check out this video clip in which Pastor Mark explains "the movement"— the huge things God is doing in his church and where we’re headed, by God’s grace.

Click through to the Resurgence if you can’t see the embedded video above.

To watch the full sermon from which this clip was taken, go here:

• Trial: Temptation from Worldliness.

Recommended Books

A collection of fantastic reading material on various important topics, used and shared by Pastor Mark Driscoll. Find out more.

Dr. Bruce Ware is teaching a course on Missional Christology at the Resurgence Training Center this fall. Find out more at ReTrain.org.

"Missional Christology" focuses on aspects of the Person and Work of Jesus Christ which are central to the mission he fulfilled, by the ordination of the Father, in the power of the Spirit. Christology is relevant to the mission of the church because we are called to express and extend the mission of Christ. His mission is now ours.

The Father's Plan

Understanding the Person and Work of Christ as missional is crucial and central to understanding Jesus and his work correctly. The mission of the Son began long before his going to the cross, or his baptism, or even his incarnation. The mission of the Son began in eternity past when the Father devised his plan by which the Son would be preeminent over the created world the Father designed, planned, and willed to create.

As the Father chose the Son to be his Agent by which creation would come into being, so the Father chose the Son to be his Agent by which re-creation also would come to pass. The Son's mission, then, was from eternity past the mission of one thing—he sought in all that he thought and felt and said and did to do the will of his Father.

Divine Empowerment

But to accomplish this mission, the Son had to take on human nature and live as one of us. While he was fully God, he also was fully man. And as man, he needed divine empowerment to obey the Father, resist temptation, and fulfill the mission the Father sent him to carry out. The Spirit's indwelling presence and power on the Son was necessary for the Son to accomplish what he did. Only as the Spirit-anointed Messiah could this Christ be our Savior.

To see the mission of the Son correctly requires that we see him in Trinitarian context. Both the Person and the Work of the Son are fully inexplicable apart from seeing the Son's relation to the Father and the Spirit. Getting the Trinity right is crucial to getting the mission of the Son right.

Christ's Mission

So, the Son was sent by the Father and empowered by the Spirit—but to do what? Here we realize that the Son's mission was about regaining the lost creation through the salvation of the elect and his victory over the powers of darkness. At the core of the Son's accomplishment are the dual biblical themes of penal substitution and Christus Victor. His payment for sin and victory over sin constitute the basis for the fulfillment of all that the Father sent the Son to do.

Spirit-Empowered Disciples

Amazingly, the mission of the Son does not end, though, with his efficacious death for sin or his victorious resurrection from the dead. Rather, this is where the mission of the Son moves more clearly from "singular" to "plural." His singular sinless life and singular substitutionary death now give way to plural ministry as he now completes his mission with, and only with, the joint-work of his followers. Jesus' last words to his disciples instruct them to wait in Jerusalem for what the Father has promised. They will be granted the very same Holy Spirit invading their lives as had been indwelling and empowering Christ throughout his life and ministry. They will proclaim his message, display his character, perform his deeds, and further his mission only as they are Spirit-empowered followers of the Son.

The Great Drama

In the end, he will return to complete his mission of remaking everything such that it becomes more glorious and magnificent than it was originally. Just as the second Adam surpasses the first, the new Eden surpasses the original. Christ will take his rightful place as Supreme Victor over all, and we, his saved followers and friends, will reign with him forever and ever.

What a story this "missional Christology" is! What drama. What majesty. What glory. To see the mission of the Son as his-mission-become-ours should result in stirring within us the longing to do as Christ did. As his mission was the mission of one thing—to do the will of his Father in the power of the Spirit—so ours likewise should be the mission of one thing—to follow our Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit, doing all we do in obedience to him, to the praise and glory of the Father.

Check out some of Dr. Ware's books:

• Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
• Their God Is Too Small
• Big Truths for Young Hearts
• God's Lesser Glory
• God's Greater Glory

Rain City Hymnal

The first offering from Re:Sound is the Rain City Hymnal. Listen online and get the record from the Re:Sound website. Find out more.

Gospel Incarnation Series [Part 3 of 3]: Click | View Series

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and full of truth.
– John 1:14

I have drawn out Terra Nova’s system of living out the gospel from John 1:14. If the body of Christ is to live out the mission of Christ, it must be the things that John represents—present, full of truth, and full of grace. We have created three zones out of which that happens: Justice, Culture, and Mercy.

Mercy

Everyone needs help at some time, whether from self-inflicted wounds, societal ills, or family sins. To be present to give that aid is to administer mercy and grace. In this way, we try to reflect Jesus’ presence, being full of grace, and we try to reflect what the prophets commanded, that we are to do justice and to love mercy.

Be Particular

Again, we believe that being narrow and deep is important. In a world where, as Bob Dylan said, “There’s so much oppression can’t keep track of it no more,” we must choose something and commit time and resources to being Christ in its midst. People will undoubtedly try to suck you into their “cause du jour,” but being pulled in many directions will only leave you ineffective and frustrated. Being particular allows for laser-like focus on one or two issues, bringing intensity and depth that lead to real change.

Living Out Mercy

We chose homelessness as our focus for living out mercy. That has meant a holistic approach beginning with the issue of street homelessness. Working with other churches, we are developing an in-from-the-cold program utilizing inner city churches equipped with cots to house the homeless in the wintertime. We also work with the only shelter in our county, a non-Christian agency called Joseph’s House ministering consistently to the people who come through their doors. Here we can make a difference, demonstrating the love of Christ through providing food and companionship. But this is an itinerant community. Perhaps more importantly, we have developed deep relationships with the staff at Joseph’s House, revealing life in Christ to those with whom we can have an ongoing dialogue.

Joseph’s House partners with The Lansing, a sort of halfway house for some folks who are ready to move out of Joseph’s House. It differs from transitional housing in that some of its residents will always be in an assisted living situation due to mental illness or other issues. Terra Nova provides volunteer staff at the Lansing, individuals who have the gift of loving people society has thrown away, and treating them with the dignity and respect they deserve as those created in the image of God.

Lastly, Terra Nova partners with Habitat for Humanity, providing homes for those who need an extra hand extended to them. From immediate homelessness, to crisis shelter, to continuing shelter, assessment and care, to ultimately home ownership, we believe we are addressing the issue of homelessness in a deep and effective way, thereby living out the mercy of Christ.

Narrow and Deep

We as a church are trying to live out an imitation of Christ in being present, full of truth, and full of grace. I strongly encourage planters to pick issues that make sense to their congregational identity, their cultural DNA, their geographical footprint. I further encourage them to take the time to choose what they do and invest in it narrowly and deeply.

We are happy to share anything we have learned regarding city life, homelessness and human trafficking with any church pastors and planters who wish to dialogue more.

Note: For more info go to terranovachurch.org.

Pastor Dad

Every dad is a pastor. The important thing is that he cares for his flock well. Pastor Mark Driscoll's new eBook offers spiritual insights on fatherhood. Get it here.

In Light of the Ages Series: Click | View Series

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." –John 1:14

Incarnation and Constancy in the Information Age

This new era can be unnerving, especially if you are a creature of habit. The constant stepping into a new palette, the continual discovery of fresh ground, the never-ending job of being a pioneer can take its toll on some. But there is something common to even the world moving at our speed today. It is a thing that anchors and gives basis and meaning in this fast-paced flow. It is the person and presence of God.

The Scriptures say before the mountains were made, God was, and that he is God from generation to generation. And that one generation comes and another goes, but God remains the same.

The formula of incarnation is not just being present. John 1:14 makes it clear that Jesus was present with a fullness of Truth and Grace. Those are unchanging attributes of God. They existed before the incarnation. It was God being present in human form that amazed the Galilean fishermen.

Temptations of the Ages

Presence alone leaves us imbalanced and with only the empty draw of the age. The Industrial Age could tempt people into pragmatism, to think that simply by creating an acceptable system, they could make something work without the presence of the Holy Spirit.

This world without artifacts—the world of constant change—can mesmerize many with dizzying daily revelation of the new. In the Information Age, the nightmare is that people, especially church leaders, could become so enamored with the novel that they could forget the Eternal and the Permanent. They could leave Christ out as they incarnate. They could move into time without Truth, excitedly entering an age without God, and bringing to flesh—incarnation—only themselves.

Sociology to Missiology

Without understanding our cultural environment, we could become self-marginalizing people, holding the truth in an odd isolated bunker, sadly outside of the cultural norm. And yet, if we become people who are obsessed with culture without the love of Christ—hip without being grounded in the Eternal, trendy without Truth—ironically we are made irrelevant by our idolatry of relevancy.

Sociology is only valuable to the church when it connects to eternal truth and becomes missiology.

To be continued.

Rain City Hymnal

The first offering from Re:Sound is the Rain City Hymnal. Listen online and get the record from the Re:Sound website. Find out more.

In Light of the Ages Series: Click | View Series

"The illiterate of the future will not be the person who cannot read. It will be the person who does not know how to learn."–Alvin Toffler

A Contrast of Two Times

History has had a few moments where one concept or process would change the direction and practice of a society. At one point words were enough. Then some ambitious person assigned letters or characters to represent words, immediately changing the world forever. When that print was mass-produced, ideas were more easily preserved and distributed. The printing press and pamphleteering (the 18th-century equivalent of blogging) are attributed as key factors in such revolutionary movements as the Reformation and the American colonial uprising against Great Britain.

In the earlier part of this series, the Industrial Revolution, which produced and moved goods with new speed and standardization, was presented as a powerful force for changing the world. It was responsible for the shape of schools, suburbs, and churches as we would eventually know them.

The Dawning of a New Era

Then came the new era, the Information Age. Man was no longer to merge with and mimic a machine; he was buzzing electrically like a central nervous system. The world was immediate, relentless, and perpetually in flux. In many ways, the Information Age is characterized by concepts that are precisely the opposite of the previous era.

Industrial Revolution vs. Information Age

Key Contrary Concepts of the Ages:

• Standardized vs. Customized
• Localized vs. Borderless
• Control vs. Influence
• Hard Product vs. Evolving Versions

In the second part of this series, I will be discussing changes that are necessary and part of the learning curve for those who wish to pastor in this new world. These will include:

• How to lead in a flatter structure and restore a biblical body theology
• Discipleship as a fluid journey versus solid circuitry
• Being part of a network, moving from the record store to a peer-to-peer community
• Being present everywhere: multi-sites and hotspots
• The tension of living in the culture of constant change and being counter to it

To be continued.

Advance 09 Media

Video, audio, and images from the Advance 09 conference in Raleigh-Durham, NC, June 2009. Find out more.

Missional Christianity Series: Click | View Series

Being a missional Christian is simply following the way of Jesus, who was the greatest missionary. The Bible tells us that he came from heaven to earth to die for a lost and dying world. The following scriptures reveal how the mission of God was fulfilled through Jesus Christ and how we are called to continue and complete the Missio Dei in our culture:

• Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work." (John 4:34)
• "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me." (John 5:30)
• "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me." (John 6:38)
• "I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me." (John 7:29)
• "And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him." (John 8:29)
• "We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work." (John 9:4)
• And Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me." (John 12:44-45)
• "For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak." (John 12:49)
• "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." (John 13:20)
• "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (John 17:3)
• "For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me." (John 17:8)
• "As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world." (John 17:18)
• Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." (John 20:21)

To be continued.

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