In preparation for tomorrow’s worship service, why not pray this Puritan Prayer from the book Valley of Vision?

Consecration and Worship

My God, I feel it is heaven to please Thee, and to be what Thou wouldst have me be. O that I were holy as Thou art holy, pure as Christ is pure, perfect as Thy Spirit is perfect! These, I feel, are the best commands in Thy Book, and shall I break them? must I break them? am I under such a necessity as long as I live here?

Woe, woe is me that I am a sinner, that I grieve this blessed God, who is infinite in goodness and grace! O if He would punish me for my sins, it would not would my heart so deep to offend Him; But though I sin continually, He continually repeats His kindness to me.

At times I feel I could bear any suffering, but how can I dishonour this glorious God? What shall I do to glorify and worship this best of beings? O that I could consecrate my soul and body to His service, without restraint, for ever! O that I could give myself up to Him, so as never more to attempt to be my own! or have any will or affections that are not perfectly conformed to His will and His love! But, alas, I cannot live and not sin.

O may angels glorify Him incessantly, and, if possible, prostrate themselves lower before the blessed King of heaven! I long to bear a part with them in ceaseless praise; but when I have done all I can to eternity I shall not be able to offer more than a small fraction of the homage that the glorious God deserves. Give me a heart full of divine, heavenly love.

Living in the grace of Christ is easy to say but sometimes very hard to actually do.  How do you live in the grace of Christ when someone around you does or says something that just sets you off?  How does God’s grace work in this specific instance?  I think there are several things that immediately must come to mind:

1.   Remember, they are not the biggest sinner in the situation.  1 Timothy 1:15 reminds us how to look at our own sin.  If Paul could say he (of all people) was the chief of sinners, I think we certainly should entertain similar thoughts. These aren’t just polite words that Paul was saying, but are words coming from a heart that understood the depth of the love of Christ whereby he was loved contrasted to his sin-laden heart.  No ones sin is worse than mine–no one!  That opens wide the door to the next thought.

2.   The love of Christ must constrain us. In 2 Corinthians 5:14 Paul reminds us what should be behind our thoughts and emotions — Christ’s love.  In fact the very next verse is quite clear: “…He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.” We don’t live for ourselves–we live because Christ loved us and died for us! So, that person’s actions cannot have any sway over us. Christ’s love must control even my thoughts.

3.   Think long and hard just how God reacts to me.  How does God always react when I disregard His Word, chose to rebel, and demand from Him? God is long suffering, merciful, gracious, kind, and yet always just.  By just, He cannot over look sin.  This is where the gospel lives and reigns.  In Christ, God’s wrath was appeased. So, God’s justice is always served in Christ–always. This means I don’t have to seek His justice on the person doing wrong. I too can be long suffering, gentle, kind, and forbear even the worse sin. God’s love is patient and kind; it does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude; it does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Frankly, this kind of love is amazing love…how can it be?

4.   Yearn to see God at work!  Take a deep breath and be still!  God is God.  He is always out for His glory–always. Is. 66:18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. His glory will be seen!  It will! Long to see God’s great glory at work in their heart and make sure that you’re angst about what they have done doesn’t get in the way.  God’s Kingdom work is much more important than your angst!

5.   Do not repay evil for evil.  I love what Paul says in Rom. 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If you see Paul’s life (imprisoned, beaten, shipwrecked, left for dead…) you can at least begin to understand why Paul would wrestle with these thoughts.  How often do the first thoughts out of our minds end up being downright ugly, unkind, and vile? God’s love didn’t repay evil for our evil, but produced the biggest gift of grace we could ever have dreamed of.  Once again–amazing.  How sweet this sounds!

6.    Resist the urge to talk to others about it.  Go straight to the person. But…as you go, go seeking to restore, build up, encourage, and ultimately exalt the name of Christ. Sometimes the building up needs to be corrective in nature but it should always be surrounded with care more for the person and the name of Jesus than how hurt you are.

Living in grace is not easy…but yet, it’s easy.  Matt. 11:30 “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  Humanly, its a knock-down-drag-out battle.  With the Spirit of Christ within, His ever-flowing grace makes it easy and light.  Wow–once again, amazing!

John the Baptist knew what he was talking about. He saw Christ for all He was and knew that His job was to prepare the way for Jesus to come. His memorable passion was to decrease so that Christ would increase (John 3:30).

I was listening to someone mention just the other day that they were responding to a situation the way they were because, “That’s just the way I am!” I said to that person, “We aren’t allowed to be who we are! In Christ we are called to decrease for the purpose of us becoming more like Christ!” It was a novel thought to the person.

The work of God in saving us is remarkable, but just as remarkable is the on-going work of His grace that changes us from one glory to the next glory.  John the Baptist got it!  We are a little slow sometimes…Ok, a lot slow (if I can say it that way).

Grace works this way–it always changes us.  To decrease ought to be our prayer, our passion, our goal and yet it shouldn’t stay there, because we should also just as passionately yearn to have Christ’s power and presence in us, through us, and out of us as we live our lives.

May Christ be seen in us.  Nothing novel about it! It’s a glorious purpose to display Him!

I grew up in an environment where many people would today call it “legalistic.” I am sure many of you would perhaps give that same label to your background. What is most often meant by that label is we were instructed to live a certain life style, have our devotions, get our hair cuts (if we were male) or not get our hair cut (if we were female), do not go to movies, do not, do not, do, do, do not…etc. You get the drift.

In all of that doing/not doing there was a sometimes implicit, sometimes explicit teaching that we were then accepted, or we were “good” and well favored. Really very few questions were ever directed to the heart and accountability was most always a surface accountability, meaning, dealing with only what was on the surface of your life. I could go on and on, but that is not my point. God was good to me in my past and I am grateful for where God has brought me and am constantly learning His glory in my weaknesses and the weaknesses of those around me.

There is a lot of talk in just about every “circle” about legalism. I have noticed some things about this chatter. It has been bit by the “pendulum” bug. In other words, in running from legalism there seems to be a jettison of many of the clear commands and disciplines of the Word.

This is really nothing new and shouldn’t surprise us. In his book, “Living the Cross-Centered Life” C.J. Mahanney explains legalism: A legalist is anyone who behaves as if they can earn God’s forgiveness through personal performance. (p. 112) [Legalism is] a danger that we’ll never outgrow in this lifetime. The tendency for legalism exists for each of us each and every day—because of the pride and self-righteousness of our indwelling sin. (p. 114)

But as the pendulum swings on our Grandfather clock in our living room, so do reactions against certain things. Sometimes they swing needlessly too far. Fear usually is what drives this. The fear of being legalistic has swung over to the point that anything that looks like discipline and self-control or pursuing holiness and actually seeking to live out the righteousness of Christ is seen as legalism. This is unfortunate. It is almost like those who live in fear of legalism are legalistic about their not being a legalist.

Paul exhorts his good brother Timothy to be strong in the grace in Christ! He then explains it in 2Timothy 2:1-7 to:

• endure hardness
• don’t entangle yourself with the non-essentials
• strive for masteries lawfully
• labor as a good husbandman

All of this falls directly in line with the grace that Christ provides.  These must be done in the grace, but they must be done and they take careful disciplined work. We cannot automatically assign legalism to following the commands of Scripture.  We do so joyfully not in order to gain forgiveness but because we are forgiven!

Don’t be swinging the pendulum, but be Spirit-filled–and pursue it!

We all love Missions. We love the Great Commission and seek to be churches who work hard at getting missionaries to particular field, keeping them there, and enjoying the eternal fruit of their ministry. For many, however, the process is a bit clunky–often impersonal and even random.
The elders here at CBC have put on paper a process that would help us in discerning just who God would have us partner with. Like everyone, we wish we could help all of those who God puts us in contact with. I get on average 4-5 inquiries from prospective missionaries and the expectations are all there. These good people are wanting an opportunity to share their ministry with us. It’s a tough job to wade through the information and seek God’s direction. So we put it on paper to help guide us. Here is where we are at this moment. We want to continue to review the process and make sure it is doing what we think it will do for. I would love your input. It’s probably not ideal, but it seeks to place out in front of us the priorities that God has given us.

Process for Approving New Missionaries

God has created us relational people and has given us two great commands: Love God and Love People. Getting to effectively know missionaries is vital to a ministry relationship. Our goal at CBC is not merely to give a monthly check to our missionaries but to partner with them in the ministry that God has called them to. This means that the people of CBC, starting with the elders, should have a personal relationship and ministry knowledge of the people with whom they are partnering.

The process of getting to know the missionary in the present state of missions is a difficult task. The deputation mandate that is necessary for a missionary to garner the necessary support makes the relational process even more problematic. However, to work through this, the Elders of CBC seek to place the emphasis on establishing a ministry relationship of transparency and accountability with each missionary we support. In order to make this happen, a process is necessary to help mold our relationships for better partnership in missions.

Step One:  The Introduction

Typically a missionary makes the first contact. This is usually accomplished by written documents, emails, or phone calls. At this point, the missionary is asked to send any written documents that they have concerning who they are, where they are coming from, what they believe, where they are going, who they are going with, and what mission agency they are going out under? While this doesn’t give all the needed information, it is the place to start if there is no previous relationship with them in the past. These documents often give substantial information that is helpful to discern their doctrinal and philosophical values but does not tell you all you need to know.

This process is rarely skipped, but can be if there is an existing relationship with an elder.  However, a file on this missionary family should be started in the office that will have all the necessary information on them and the church secretary should keep this file up to date.

Step Two: The Interview

After the written documents are read, a person-to-person meeting is then set up at a time when the missionary can stop by Columbus.  Usually this will be a lunch, coffee, or just a stop by the office. Elders are invited to come to this part of the process if they are able. Extra eyes and ears are important in this key area of the process. This is not a step that should ordinarily be skipped. The goal of the interview is get to know the missionary in four areas of importance:

1.    The Missionaries Love For God. Stemming from the first of two commands that God gives all believers it is vital to discern the missionaries’ love for God (Mark 12:30). We will ask questions regarding:

a.   His/Her Salvation

b.   His/Her personal walk with the Lord

c.   His/Her relationship with the church

It is an undeniable fact that people who love their God talk often about their God. This certainly ought to be true of a missionary. The conversation should include much about God, the person and work of Jesus, and the work of the Holy Spirit and less talk about their work, their life, or their ministry. God and His Kingdom work should not be merely “understood” or even a buzz-word but should be an intentional part of the conversation.

2.    The Missionaries Love For People. The second commandment is just as important – we are to love our neighbor (Mark 12:37). Love for people shows itself in two areas.

a.   A general love for people – Is there a general passion for people that the missionary shows?  How are their people skills? What is motivating them for ministry? Who are they discipling at this time?

b.   A specific love for people that they are called to – This will show itself in more than just a knowledge of statistics about culture and country but specifically with names and persons of whom they are working with or are praying for and discipling. It ought to be common for the missionary to speak of by name the people they are personally discipling.

3.    The Missionaries Family. It is preferable to have at least the husband and wife there together. If the children can come that is good but often they are with grandparents or friends in the area. How does the husband treat the wife? How does the wife respect her husband. Is the husband more intent on speaking of his ministry or is he taking care of his family?  Is the wife jumping into the conversations and correcting the husband at awkward moments? Are they at ease with each other?  Are the children controlled, obedient, and respectful?

4.    The Missionaries Mission. What is their view of their mission? Is there a plan? Is there a plan in place about deputation? Is there a plan for the first few years of ministry? What are the tools of ministry he/she will need to fulfill the plans? What is the philosophy of ministry that will carry them? This will apply whether or not the missionary is going as a pastor/church planter or he is going in some support capacity.

Step Three: The Visit

If there is good agreement from the elders then a meeting is scheduled for the missionary to attend CBC with the hopes that the missionary will get acquainted with what God is doing in the church and the church as a whole can get acquainted with the missionary.  It is important that solid relationships can be built so ministry can be accomplished with a team effort. Good relationships are forged through a unity of the Spirit in mind and understanding of God’s Word. This is a vital step in the process.  However, this process may be skipped if the elders sense there is already a good relationship being built and there is a good fit for ministry.  The missionary then could go directly to step four.

Step Four: Deputation Meeting

The missionary is asked to set up a meeting when they can come and present their ministry to the church as a whole. This is best done on a Sunday. We would ask they would come and possibly speak to a Sunday School class, attend and enjoy the morning worship service, eat a lunch with several families (if possible), and then take the speaking part of the evening service to speak to CBC.

The missionary will asked to do two specific things:

1. Preach a short challenge. This is to reveal his heart for God and for people. Ideally this is not a time of merely statistics, but more of a God-focused, Christ-centered view of missions and ministry and revealing his passion for what God is passionate about.
2. Show Presentation.  Here is where the missionary speaks to his burden that God has placed on him for the people and land to which he is called. The purpose is to demonstrate a God-focused, Christ centered view of people, their greatest need, and how their ministry will address the need.

A love offering will be taken for the missionary. This is a prime opportunity for the people of God to express their love for the missionary. A healthy church will be a generous church.  However, it is often the case that if the missionary has not been effective, it can show up in the offering as people will react to what they have seen.

Step Five: Elder Recommendation

The elders at some point will meet to make a recommendation regarding the missionary. This will include a review of the steps above, a review of the budget, and a recommendation either for support, postpone support, or no support, or a timed support.

Step Six: Congregation Vote

If there is elder agreement and recommendation it then goes to the congregation for vote. Like everything else that is done through the budget process, there must be sufficient proof that the budget can support the candidate. The congregation then votes on the candidate.  The candidate should receive 75% vote approval.

Step Seven: Mutual Accountability and Ministry

If a recommendation is given the following should be then understood:

1. The missionary and the elders both become accountable to each other for ministry. The missionary should regularly communicate to the elders/church of their work.
2. The elders/church should begin to schedule trips to visit with the missionary with the goal of seeing first hand the growth of the missionary and the growth of the people they are discipling.
3. After a period of time if a missionary is not working sufficiently from his prescribed philosophy then the church reserves the right of altering the financial agreement with the missionary.  This accountability should be looked at by the missionary not as a threat, but as a simple aid to his effectiveness at reaching the people God has given to him.
4. A meeting with the Elders of CBC should be arranged when home on furlough by the missionary and possibly with the church to give a report on what has happened in the ministry.
5. If after several conversations and visits there seems to be an obvious turn from the stated philosophy or if the missionary is no longer effective in his mission, the church elders will make a recommendation to the church for a change in the financial agreement. A simple majority vote will alter this agreement.

It is the goal of CBC to support a team of missionaries who seek to be biblical in every area as well as gifted to do the work God has called them to. CBC realizes other countries and cultures often dictate very different methods and the results will vary.  However, CBC relies heavily upon the Holy Spirit and discernment to make good decisions regarding the stewardship of the finances and ministry God has given to them.