"Yes" in Christ

In an increasingly diverse world, I have diverse friends. I recently went to the wedding of my college roommate who calls herself a “devout atheist” and my childhood friend just declared herself a Buddhist. We all know people who are lapsed Catholics, dabbling New Agers, or generally disinterested in anything “religious.”

I, too, used to have an amalgam of beliefs, taken from this faith and that. But when I became a Christian at age 23, my whole worldview began to change. After months of study and many conversations, I had come to believe that there is one true God and that His Son is Jesus Christ.

At the time, none of this would have been a problem except for the fact that there were a lot of people in my life who didn’t believe in Jesus. As a new Christian living in Japan — a country where less than 1% of the population believes in Christ — I struggled with the fact that none of my students or co-workers had faith in Jesus.

I still struggle. But instead of chronically worrying, I try to cling to Jesus: “As surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not ‘Yes’ and ‘No.’ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you  . . .  was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No,’ but in Him it has always been ‘Yes.’ For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:18-20).

This verse is reassuring for its reminder that it is not about me, but it is about God. It is about His Word and His life on earth. All I can do is believe what has been revealed to me and continue to love others who both do and do not believe in Jesus. What about you? When you think about people of other religions (undoubtedly in your own family and among your friends), do you struggle with your own faith? What do you do to “cling to Christ” in times of questioning or doubt?

Jennifer Johnson serves as Publications Coordinator at CPC and is part of the Table Team

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Bad Breath

Lately, God keeps confronting me with the power of words:

• A conversation with a friend this week included some critical words I later regretted.
• A dinner last night with extended family offered life-giving conversation, punctuated with affirmation and laughter.
• Our study of James at House Groups on Wednesday night focused on the powerful ways our speech can give life or destroy it, draw people towards Jesus or push them away - boasting, praising, cursing, gossip, promises.

In the midst of these experiences, God has reminded me of two things that have been helpful.

This morning I read Proverbs 10:32 “The speech of a good person clears the air; the words of the wicked pollute it.” This verses makes me think of someone who’s eaten garlic or onions and has bad breath. In the same way, what we fill our minds and hearts with can affect the aroma of our speech. Matthew 12:34 says “Out of the heart the mouth speaks.” So I have to ask, what’s my “diet” like?  What am I filling my mind and heart with that impacts my “breath”?

Second, God reminded me of a litmus test for speech I had read years ago. Before you speak, ask yourself:

• Is it true?
• Is it necessary?
• Is it kind?

It was a reminder I needed this week. What about you? How’s your breath?

Laura Crosby serves as the Director of Spiritual Formation at The Table

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Transformation

The other day I took a walk with a close friend. At the end of our time together I confessed something about myself that is really ugly. Like peach pit ugly. It was about an attitude towards someone in my life. My attitude is selfish and unloving and not kingdom bringing. Part of what prompted me to take a risk and admit this to my friend was remembering the admonition to “Confess your sins one to another . . .” in James. But while it was both embarrassing and freeing to share this ugliness, I was aware that part of me was even self-righteous. I realized that what I really wanted was not to obey this command. What I really wanted was for my friend to support me in my sin. To understand and commiserate, and agree with my feelings about this other person.

Later I was reflecting on our conversation and I went back and read the whole verse in James. It finishes “ . . . and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” It’s not just about confessing, and certainly not getting support for my sin. There’s a purpose and the purpose is healing from sin . . .  transformation into Christ-likeness. Now this sounds nice, but I’d much rather just appear holy by confessing (even something ugly), than actually going beyond that to do the hard work of changing. It’s a lot easier to work at image management than undergo true heart surgery. Jesus had strong words for people like me (and you?). In Matthew 23, He says “Woe to you . . . hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside are full of greed and self-indulgence . . . First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”

I started there with the Lord and said, “Help me to even want You to change my heart in this area please." Second, I took a hard look at the inside and acknowledged my own sin that others graciously forgive. Lastly, I feel like I need to ask my friend to pray for me too - that my heart would be changed and made like Jesus in this relationship. 

What about you? Can you relate? Is there sin that it’s hard for you to want to change? A relationship where you know your attitude needs to change, but you resist? Are you, like me, guilty of image management? Is it hard to look inside? What does confession look like in your life?

Laura Crosby serves as the Director of Spiritual Formation at The Table

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Wow or Whisper

This week we start reading Acts and the Holy Spirit shows up with a bang! Violent wind, tongues of fire, supernatural abilities! Can’t imagine how scary and exciting that must have been. But I also wonder what it would have been like to be Elijah who had a different experience with God. In I Kings 19:10-13 there was a great wind, and then an earthquake, and then a fire, but God’s voice came in a “sound of sheer silence.” Sometimes God intervenes in our lives in dramatic ways, but usually it’s a soft nudge to do something or a prompting from Him that we need to be alert to. I love this story that Mark Batterson shares about a Holy Spirit nudge and a woman who works at a ministry called the Dream Center who was paying attention:

“One morning she felt like the Holy Spirit was prompting her to take her woolly socks to work. She thought she was losing her mind. She got to the Dream Center and one of the prostitutes that they minister to literally collapsed inside the door. She held her, fed her, and then asked her: if you could have anything what would it be? She said her feet were freezing and all she wanted was a pair of woolly socks. Not only did she give her the woolly socks. They matched her outfit.”

What experiences have you had with obeying a nudge from the Holy Spirit? Pay attention this week and share your experiences with our online community!

Laura Crosby serves as the Director of Spiritual Formation at The Table

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Jesus Pill or . . . ?

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed these days. I'm privileged to hear so many people's stories and help them try to pay attention to the work of God in their lives. I love it. But sometimes . . .

I wish spiritual formation was neat and tidy.
I wish we just came to church on Sunday and took a "Jesus pill" and that was it for the week.
But it's not and we can't.

Spiritual formation (or how we become more like Jesus) happens:
as we wait in line at the grocery store and pray for patience;
when we choose to say "no" to the third or fourth drink;
when we say "yes" to hard conversations filled with grace and truth.
It happens when we serve and no one notices.
When we hurt someone and ask forgiveness.

And the ways we fill our minds with God's transforming thoughts may happen as we listen to a podcast on the treadmill,
or a book on CD commuting to work,
or at a Bible study over coffee,
or through a daily devotional we get on our iphone.

I've said before that I love John Ortberg's quote: "God isn't a mass-producer He's a handcrafter." So how is God handcrafting you?

I've heard from a lot of you these past few weeks and I thought it might be helpful if I passed on some of the crafting tools God had used In my life this week. I am sharing these not because "I think you need this," but because each of these have been amazing . . . life-giving and motivating for me and maybe they will be for you too.

1. John Ortberg podcast - "The Me I Want to Be" (2/7/10 http://www.northpoint.org/messages)
2. Andy Stanley podcast - " White Flag" (2/28/10 http://www.northpoint.org/messages)
3. Sex God (book, mp3, or CD) by Rob Bell

Maybe download one of these right now at the beginning of your week. And please, let me know what you think!

"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another." - Hebrews 10:24-25

Laura Crosby serves as the Director of Spiritual Formation at The Table

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A Mephibosheth Moment

I was reading about Mephibosheth this morning. Weird name, neat story. Mephibosheth was Saul’s crippled, forgotten son. After David took the throne, he found Mephibosheth and gave him a place at his royal table (2 Samuel 9:8-13 - The Message). Two characters in this story caught my attention – the outcast Mephibosheth and Ziba, the servant middleman who carried out David’s orders. I wonder if Ziba, too, felt overlooked or taken for granted.

I spent some time praying and reflecting on who in my life may feel excluded or overlooked . . . an outsider. I determined to move towards them with a word of encouragement and invitation today. But here’s the crazy thing. The whole time I was doing this there was an old man sitting by himself near me. Clearly lonely, I overheard him say to someone that afternoons were the worst because it was hard to find things to do. Left out. Mephibosheth. Right there at Starbucks.

I was reminded of the words in the song "Change" from a few weeks ago at the Table: “The smallest thing can make a difference. Don’t listen to them when they say you’re just a fool if you think you can change the world.”
Wondering . . . what are the simple things we can do today to make a place for the Mephibosheths or Zibas at The Table? Or at Starbucks?

Laura Crosby serves as the Director of Spiritual Formation at The Table

Starting Point

Happy New Year! With the turn of the calendar, a fresh year full of possibility and opportunity awaits. How we invest our time will impact the world and people around us. It also determines in large part who we will become. 

In our culture, it can be hard to spend time on things that matter the most. I find it is helpful to make dates on my calendar to spend quality time with my family. Time for regular exercise also takes planning. In the same way, I also need to make appointments with God. If I don’t, other things that seem so urgent, but actually are less important, will squeeze God out.

This year, how will you set aside time for the things that matter the most? I encourage you to plan ahead or those golden opportunities to invest in eternity will slip by. Spending time alone creates space for God to enter into our busy lives. I enjoy combining a walk with prayer. As I walk, I allow my head to clear and then bring what is on my heart to God. Sometimes I pray for the people in the houses I pass by or thank God for the beauty of the natural world surrounding me. There are a myriad of ways to connect with God, but creating the space to do so takes some planning.
            
Many opportunities are available at CPC which can encourage you in your relationship with God. If you are unsure of what might be a good next step in your faith journey, I encourage you to contact one of the pastors or a CPC Spiritual Mentor. Many people have found a small group Bible study to be a place of encouragement and community. The most important appointment, however, is your own one-on-one time with God.
           
If you are new to faith, returning to faith, or exploring what you think about Jesus, Starting Point is a safe, no-pressure environment to investigate and discuss issues related to the Bible, Jesus, and Christianity. Small groups investigate the story of God from the beginning till now – and how God’s story can impact your life story. Two groups are forming during the winter, one on Wednesday evenings and one on Sunday mornings. To learn more, visit www.cpconline.org/startingpoint.

Wherever you are on your journey of faith, 2010 holds great promise and opportunity. My prayer is that this will be the year you set aside time for the things that are truly important. Doing so will change your life for all eternity.

Deb Kielsmeier serves as Associate Pastor for Outreach/Membership at CPC

Spiritual Mentorship

In America, we spend billions trying to get physically fit. We hire personal trainers to work with us one on one to educate, encourage, and push us to reach our goals. When you join the gym, they tell you the key to a successful workout program is using one of their personal trainers. Personal trainers are paid to be with us at our worst in hopes that we will change. They see our weakness, but they also see what we might become if we continue to meet with them. We need people like this in our spiritual lives who have this kind of dual-vision, seeing the present and the future at the same time so that we can press on in hope. Having a spiritual mentor is a personal trainer for the spiritual journey.

A mentor can give us perspective in a confusing situation, guide us deeper into Scripture, and answer our theological questions. But even more, it is a personal relationship in an increasingly non-relational world where we are actually cared for, pushed, praised, and kept accountable.

In college, the Director of Campus Ministries took me under his wing and mentored me for several years. Through formal mentoring and just spending time together, he made a tremendous impact on my life and spiritual growth. He taught me that God is gracious, faithful, and desires a personal relationship with me. It wasn’t so much his words that taught me this but how my mentor reflected the character of God in his own dealings with me. While I think it is important for mentors to guide mentees into deeper knowledge of Scripture, the investment a mentor makes in another person reflects the reality that God is also pursuing a deeper relationship with us and is calling each of us to fulfill the purpose He has for us in His Kingdom. Without his investment in my life, I am not sure I would have cleared the hurdles of my own personal doubts that were hindering me to become what God intended.

At CPC, we have trained spiritual mentors waiting to invest in your life. Mentors meet weekly or every other week to talk about your spiritual life, study God’s Word, and pray together. God uses people to shape us and transform us “so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). The truth is that we all need mentors in our life. There isn’t one of us who couldn’t benefit from having someone walk alongside us in this journey.

Are you ready to invest in your spiritual journey? It’s time to get a personal trainer for your soul. For more information about obtaining a spiritual mentor, contact me at 952.920.8515 x308 or jamesm@cpconline.org.

JAMES MADSEN serves as Director of Community Development