by Caleb Moore | Oct 30, 2018
Recently, I met with a new believer whom I was beginning to disciple. He was new to church life and to the idea of what it really meant to be a Christian.
His testimony was simple but powerful. He began to believe that there was a God and that this God could help him. He was invited to church by a friend and reluctantly decided to give it a try. In a matter of months, Jesus moved in his heart in a mighty way, and he confessed that Jesus was Lord.
As we sat down to talk I realized just how little he knew about Jesus. He told me, “All I know is that Jesus was in a basket in some river as a baby.” Some of you might giggle at such an idea. We know that the person he is describing is Moses.
However, he is an intelligent person who simply had heard so little about Jesus. He assumed the baby in a basket story was about Jesus. He also asked me how long did it take for Jesus to write the Bible. I love these types of questions because it’s amazing to see people discover Jesus for the first time.
There are still people really close to you who don’t know Jesus. I don’t mean that in the salvation sense. I mean it in the most basic way possible. They simply do no know who Jesus is, what He taught or why this matters.
Many of us have been in the church or around Christians for so long we assume everyone has the basics of our beliefs stored somewhere in their minds. This assumption has impacted our evangelism in a negative way. We use Christian words and tell stories as though people are familiar with the names and settings.
When I preach, I do my best to make sure everyone knows where the book of the Bible we are studying is located. I pause for a long time and wait until everyone has found it. Some get to the book and chapter in a matter of seconds, but for others it can take a minute or more.
I suggest we always, always wait for those who are not familiar with the Bible to find it, so they can read along with the rest of us. Far too often, we move quickly, and in doing so, we leave behind those who need to be taught the most.
Being around people who have little or no understanding of our faith is the only way to be made aware of how much we miscommunicate to the lost people around us. Asking someone if they have been washed by the blood of the Lamb is only helpful if they know lots of Biblical teachings. Can you imagine asking that of someone who has no idea what you are talking about? They might think you are a voodoo doctor.
One of the reasons for this gap in communication is because so few Christians engage in conversations with those who are not like them. We have created our own cultural safe space with its own language, music and stores. As we sit comfortably in our pews, there is a world outside that is oblivious to the truth of the Gospel.
The fix is easy though. Talk to people about Jesus. Talk to the person at the gas station, the restaurant and your work. The more you talk about Jesus the more opportunities you have to answer questions about what a Christian actually is.
by Ryan Smith | Oct 25, 2018
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1-2).
I have been thinking about plants. I don’t know much about plants other than you put them in soil, add sunlight and high-quality H2O, and voila – a plant. It seems like a simple, almost transactional process.
However, any kind of growth is not that simple. There are no vending machines for maturity. In John 15, Jesus says He is the vine, we are the branches, and we must abide in Him. Again, this seems like a simple, almost transactional process. But as any true disciple will tell you, following Jesus is anything but simple.
We know many of the essential ingredients and processes – prayer, Bible reading, the church – but John 15 gives us another key and vital process necessary for growing and bearing fruit: pruning.
Interestingly, Jesus doesn’t identify the Father here as the Plant Waterer. He doesn’t even call Him the Planter or Gardener. While these descriptors may be accurate of God the Father, in this reference, Jesus calls the Father the vinedresser. Why? He prunes His branches.
As I understand it, the process of pruning takes away smaller or less healthy stems from a branch so that fewer but more robust stems may have increased nutrients and there more growth. Pruning also removes parts of the plant that don’t cause it to grow.
Later in John 15, Jesus says the nutrients that flow from Him, the true vine, come through His Words and commandments. In other words, by abiding in God’s Word, we abide with Christ – connected to the source of life.
If I am one of God’s branches attached to the vine of Christ, I wonder what it is that God the Father needs to prune so that the parts of me drawing life and spiritual nutrients from the Word can grow and flourish. What diverts my time away from the Bible?
We often assume God will only take away bad things in our lives to make us grow. As a vinedresser, we assume He is looking for the dead stems to tear away that we may be vibrant and aesthetically pleasing.
While right pruning does take away the dead or dangerous weight, it also takes away parts that provide some fruit so that more and greater fruit may grow. There is a parallel here with the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. In this parable, Jesus portrays a servant who has one amount of his master’s money but produces no more with it. The master’s response? Take it away and give it to the one who has 10 talents worth. In other words, he gets pruned.
In the Christian life, it is easy to give our time and attention to many good pursuits. As long as they are not bad things, we believe, they can stay in our lives, and we can flourish. God the vinedresser, however, may have a different view.
What are the things that draw time, energy and effort away from learning, trusting and applying God’s Word? If some things were cut out of your life – even good things – would you be more fruitful for Christ? What produces some Gospel fruit in your life but could provide more fruit if it were removed?
There are times as Christians we need not only examine our lives for bad things, but also for underperforming good things or activities that draw nutrients of time, energy and attention away from God’s Word and our obedience to it. A busy Christian is not necessarily a thriving Christian.
May we ask God the Spirit to examine our lives and show us where God the Father may need to prune our lives that we may most glorify God the Son.
“And I pray this; that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God” (Phil. 1:9-11).
by Caleb Moore | Oct 18, 2018
I am the son of a magician. Not just any magician, he was once the Great Waldini, but that was a long time ago. Now he is just Walker Moore (who is still great in my opinion).
Before I was born, my dad used magic as a way to entertain, but he also used it as an evangelistic tool. I used to read through his collection of old magic magazines and dream of being the next Houdini.
I’m currently going through a stage where I have fallen back in love with magic. I’ve been practicing old tricks and learning some new ones. My two young boys are a fantastic audience, even if they can’t remember the card they picked by the time the trick is over.
The reason people love a good magic show is because we are shocked when something is presented to us that we can’t explain. I think this says something about all of us. We assume that we know and understand so much of the world that something truly marvelous has to happen to wake us up and remind us that there is still some mystery in the world.
There is still so much to life that is a mystery. We should be surprised when we actually understand something, not the other way around. This is why young children have a constant sense of awe about them – the world is one great big mystery.
I think we lose that awe, not because we suddenly have all the answers, but because we just stop looking for the answers. As Christians, we don’t believe in magic in the traditional sense, but we do believe in the supernatural.
We can often be afraid of talking about supernatural things; some aspects of the supernatural have been shoplifted from sound biblical theology and turned into a spectacle. But that does not mean that supernatural things don’t exist.
As Christians we shouldn’t have to wait for a magic trick to awaken our sense of wonder. We are called to have childlike faith, one that expects wondrous things to happen.
Far too often, when a problem arises, my first instinct is to think about how I can fix it. I look first to the natural world, and usually that is enough. If your bank account is low, we know we just have to work harder. If there is conflict, we know we just have to talk it out; we go to the natural first because it often works.
But Christians are called to take everything to God in prayer first. God wants to work in our lives. He wants to surprise us and show us that life can still be full of wonder.
Some people call it a miracle; some people call it magic, but it is really just God doing what He said He would do. He listens to prayers and answers some of them.
The best stories I have are the ones where I didn’t have a natural way to fix the situation, and I looked to God. When He shows up, it’s better than any magic trick, because it’s real.
Don’t get so used to the routine of your life that you forget to live in awe of the wonder and “magic” of a loving God.
by Ryan Smith | Oct 16, 2018
Whenever church folk hear that I lead worship at a church, their subsequent two questions have become numbingly predictable.
First: “How big is your church?” This is relatively easy, even though I’m not a big fan of the question itself.
Second: “Do you sing hymns?” I always pause before I answer this question.
I know what they are asking. I cut my teeth on the great “hymns of the faith.” I was fed Isaac, Fanny and the Wesleys from the bottle. In essence, they are asking if we sing familiar songs written pre-Jesus People Movement (late 1960s-1970s) that have recognizable stanzas, parts, high-language and don’t require drums.
Usually, my response is something about how we have a vast well of music to draw from in the church, and we drink deeply of all songs that are biblically rich, theologically accurate and Christ-centered regardless of what era they are from.
They often politely look at my spiky hair and skinny jeans (technically a slim-straight cut) and smile as they nod and walk away.
I care deeply about the songs of the church – not just because I like music but because the command to “Sing!” is the most often repeated commandment in the Scriptures. We have been wired to respond to rhythm and prose in a way that not only makes lyrics memorable and digestible but makes songs didactic, emotive and gives great color and dimension to the timeless truth of the Gospel. We are created to respond uniquely to music.
There are indeed different songs available to the church, but I don’t believe their designation should be made by date, tempo or arrangement. The Scripture instructs us to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:16). We are to address one another in the church with songs and raise our melody together to the Lord (Eph. 5:19).
Before we ask if we sing hymns or not, I want us to consider three questions: What does the Bible mean by “hymns;” what are the church’s hymns intended to do; and do we sing hymns (even modern and new) in the church today?
What does the Bible mean by ‘hymns’?
The Greek word hymnos (as seen in Col. 3:16 and Eph. 5:19 above) basically means a song of praise, an ode to a hero or a sacred song. The way the Bible uses the term is to speak of songs sung by believers in honor and praise of God.
What are the church’s hymns meant to do?
Given the context of the verses above, it is clear the Bible intends for its songs (including hymns) to do several things. They are to carry the Word. They are to teach. They are to admonish the gathered church with wisdom. They are to contain a corporate element of speaking to one another as we address God. They are to praise God.
In essence, the Bible’s definition of a hymn is a song sung by, to and with the church that uses the Word of God to teach and admonish the church, as the church’s words and hearts are directed together toward the praise of God.
Can modern songs by hymns?
By this definition, it is easy to see the capacity is alive and well for biblical hymns to be written and incorporated into every style of worship. A hymn written by a 16th century Puritan can be placed next to a song written and released last week on iTunes from a millennial’s MacBook in a church’s order of worship, and that church can proudly declare, “We sing hymns!”
Interestingly enough, a great resurgence of hymn writers is currently releasing beautiful new hymns for the church. Matt Boswell, Keith and Kristyn Getty, Sovereign Grace Music and many others are producing biblical, profound, rich, Gospel-centered truths as played and sung with modern instrumentation and melody.
The distinction of “hymn” is not about style, but content. Sadly, many songs written today focus on the self and are not suitable for corporate worship. They contain little-to-no biblical or doctrinal content. By the same token, many songs that have been mainstays for centuries in our hymnals also suffer from the same deficiency.
Indeed the church does have a deep well to draw from for its music, and hymns from today stand alongside 2,000 years of hymns declaring the glory of Jesus Christ and the richness of God’s Word. May we select and judge our songs not based on rhythm or arrangement but on doctrinal clarity, biblical fidelity and proper exaltation of Christ.
Though modern or traditional in style, may all our churches be dedicated to the great hymns of the faith – old and new.
“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!
Serve the LORD with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the LORD, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
And his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the LORD is good;
His steadfast love endures forever,
And his faithfulness to all generations.”
(Psalm 100)
by Angela Sanders | Oct 3, 2018
“The squeaky wheel gets the oil,” they say, and they’re right. Even in the Church.
But why?
Why do we work so hard to impress and win those who withhold praise and encouragement?
Why do we take the best care of people who complain?
Why do we spoil the selfish, hurry for the impatient, and work around the inflexible?
Why do we suffer the cynic, muse with the mocker, and cater to the critic?
Why do we follow those who consistently choose to frown?
It just doesn’t make sense.
Are we that fearful? Blind? Insecure? Maybe. Or maybe we’re miserable, too, and want company.
Or maybe we’re generous.
Deep down, we know such behavior is unacceptable, especially from someone who holds a position of spiritual authority or influence. Rather than believe the worst about them, that they are more worried about preserving self and projecting personality than representing the Savior well, we assume they must have a really good reason for behaving as they do.
For instance, maybe they’ve just experienced more heartache than some. Maybe they’ve seen more ugliness than others. Maybe they know just a little bit more…
So what? The rules don’t apply? That’s not the way it works!
Those of us who put our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation from the consequences of sin have the power of God inside us in the form of the Holy Spirit. He comforts. He guides. He empowers. And as we cooperate, He transforms us into the image of Jesus Christ for God’s glory, so the world will know Who He is, acknowledge what He’s done, and praise Him for it.
Through God, we have victory over sin and death and our nasty human habits, but we have to choose it through submission and obedience to God. Every moment of every day. Jesus did, and He endured more than anyone else ever has or ever will.
Listen, we all have bad days, but those who continually fail to reflect the power of the Holy Spirit to transform sinners into saints in their response to circumstances and/or interaction with others either don’t really belong to God or are consciously choosing disobedience. Either way, they’re treading thin ice and aren’t the ones we should follow!
Want to see real change in the Church?
I believe it will come when we stop oiling the squeaky wheels and turn our attention instead to our brothers and sisters who don’t demand it—forgiving, praying for, and being patient with those who aren’t yet living in victory, of course, but only allowing ourselves to be led by those who have seen ugliness and experienced heartache, but still choose to respond in love because they know the Father intimately and care more about glorifying Him than anything else.
Don’t be fooled, family! Grumpy does not equal wise. There’s strength behind a smile.
by Ryan Smith | Sep 27, 2018
(Jesus said), “’And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.’
Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’” (John 14:3-5).
I am old enough to remember family road trips before GPS.
For months in advance, our family would talk about where we were going for that year’s Smith Family Vacation. We would learn about the destination, local attractions and if there were any family members to visit in the area.
While I remember much about various amusement parks, beaches, mountains and other destinations, there is something that always equally fascinated me: my dad knew the way.
While we were packing sunscreen and sunglasses, my dad was tracing lines on a map. He was measuring distances and analyzing routes. When we took wrong turns, I remember my dad getting the map back out, retracing the route, seeking to get us back on the way.
Our focus was the destination. My dad’s focus was the way.
When Jesus told His disciples He would be crucified, resurrected and returning to the Father, Jesus carefully phrased an awkward statement:
I am going, he said.
I will come again and take you, he promised.
And you know the way.
Not you know the place. You know the way.
Thomas’s question in response is more than valid. If the disciples don’t know where Jesus is going, how can they possibly know the way? If one doesn’t have a destination, how can one use a map?
Jesus’s response? “I am the Way…”
Much of my Christian walk is spent concerned about destinations. I grapple with doctrinal underpinnings of time, place and means. My daily prayers and concerns are often destination-oriented regarding my wife, my kids, my work and the future I trust in the Lord’s hands, but of which I also desire a more detailed GPS.
What Jesus reminds Thomas is that it’s not just about the destination for the disciple; it’s about the Way. Jesus is enough.
I know I am to abide in Jesus. I know I am to pray continually and immerse myself in the Scripture. I know the basic disciplines of following Jesus, but I often deprioritize those disciplines in an effort to get to my desired (even godly) destination more quickly.
I want a shortcut to the destinations God has for my life. But Jesus doesn’t just provide a destination; He provides the Way.
When I am tempted to be more concerned with where Jesus is headed than where He is by the presence of His Holy Spirit, I find myself asking the question of Thomas.
Jesus, I don’t know where you are going so how can I follow the path?
I also find myself needing to remember Jesus’s words. Jesus said, “I am the Way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Discipleship is a path, not a place. When Jesus called His disciples, He said, “Follow me,” not, “Meet me over there.”
To know Jesus is to follow Jesus and to follow Jesus is to know Him. The path is the destination. The destination is the path.
For those like me who are often anxious about what’s next, may we remember Thomas’s question and Jesus’s reply. It’s not about what’s next; it’s about what’s now. And what’s now is the opportunity to follow Jesus in present disciplines of discipleship.
“…you know the way to where I am going.’…I am the Way” (John 14:4,6).