In the first month we recognized the need for a fit church body, and month two we discussed gathering motivation. Step three was rest, and four was the actual beginning of the workout: getting on our knees and letting God’s strength and power replace our weaknesses and powerlessness. With step five, our goal is to see that one beneficial task put into a routine.
A person doesn’t get fit because of one workout, just as a church can’t get fit with one great service or one moment of sincere communal prayer. In Acts 2: 42-46, the author recounts: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul . . . all who believed were together . . . and day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God . . . and the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Notice, they devoted themselves to learning, eating, coming together, and praying - day by day. It’s noted in psychology that 40% of our mental activity, which carries over into physical activity, is subconscious habit. Some of those habits are good, and some of them we wish we could break and keep asking forgiveness for. To break those habits, to turn the subconscious problems into conscious solutions, Scripture points to the same two things psychology does: bad habits must be replaced by good ones, and it’s a whole lot easier if you’re in it with others. Your spiritual fitness is not for yourself, the church body not only desires it, but needs to work out with you for the good of all. Let us not just pray to God to work with our conscious mind and body, but also the 40% of us that is subconscious and habitual. You may think, just like many people trying to get physically fit, “I just don’t have time.” Is it that you don’t have time or that it’s just not in the habit of your daily life? We find time for what is important, and sometimes it’s not important until we’ve spent a few weeks in it and start seeing results. Sometimes, motivation comes after the reward, not before - after you’ve started working out with us, not before. And what does this passage in Acts say are the results of our habitual workouts? Awe. Gladness. Generosity. Praise. Growth. God wants these things for you. God wants these things for our church body. So what do you say? Will you accept the challenge in step five to make not just church a habit, but also prayer, eating with others, daily devotionals, leading or participating in a Sunday morning or Wednesday evening class, and being intentional about replacing your unproductive habits with ones of fellowship and praise? You’ll lose no time, and have so much to gain - and not just for you but for His glory. See you at the water fountain!
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Pray. In the first month we recognized the need for a fit church body, and month two we discussed gathering motivation. Step three was rest, and from that rest we begin our workout.
Ready to pump the iron? Move the mountains? Build a kingdom? You’ve heard the cautionary advice: lift with the knees not with the back. But think of it a little different in terms of working out the CHURCH body. That’s exactly how we’re going to face the weight room. We’re going to bend our knees, keep bending them, and keep bending them until they’re on the ground. In an actual weight room, OUR muscles do the lifting by OUR own willpower and OUR own strength. In God’s body, HIS muscles do the lifting by HIS own willpower and HIS own strength. Let me explain. What are the weights that the church has to lift? Making the community a better place? Wanting our neighbors and loved ones to find God? Resolving conflict within and outside the church? Making decisions for the everyday and future expression of the church? Helping someone go through a hard time? None of these things we can fix single handed. Our best ideas, approaches, and efforts make little real or lasting impact. We can’t, but when our knees are on the ground instead of our feet trying to run everywhere and do everything - when our hands are clasped together instead of trying to juggle and fix everything - when our words are asking for God’s strength and guidance instead of babbling - HIS feet are allowed to move, HIS hands are allowed to work, and HIS Word is allowed to speak truth into all situations. It’s what God was talking about as Paul was on his knees: “My power works best in your weakness.” - 2 Corinthians 12: 9. Now, I’m not saying be a passive person - rather, be active in your FAITH that God is the source of strength, ability, and wisdom in all things. On your knees, you’ll be instructed what to do from there, what to say from there, and where to go from there - and if you’re carrying Him with you, His strength will suffice, His words will suffice, and you’ll end up where you need to be. I hope He guides you to your seat among us. As we continue our year of getting fit, take this month to pray with us. I am excited to see where Jesus guides you individually and us as a body! See you at the watering hole. Rest. In the first month we recognized the need for a fit church body, and month 2 we discussed gathering motivation. Now I’m telling you step three is rest! But we haven’t even done anything! Aren’t we supposed to rest AFTER we work out?! Well, yes, then, too.
See, we live in a go-go-go culture, and even in our down time we don’t rest and rejuvenate (we watch TV and scroll our screens - which does not rest us!). Jesus said in Matthew 11: 28-29, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me . . . and you will find rest for your souls.” How many of you personally recognized the need to get physically fit, got motivated, and fit it in your busy schedule like another thing you need to do? It probably burned you out. The same thing can happen in a church body. We recognize the need to learn about each other, spend time and experiences together, and love each other. We are motivated to. But in the long run it’s not going to be how quick we get a bunch of programs started. It’s going to be how well we implemented rest into the pattern of our community pulse. To do this, as a church, we must come to Jesus and TAKE his yoke - that means we can only go where HE goes and do what HE does, and the restful idea is that HE is the strong one and has offered to bear the burden. As we are weak and in our rest, we LEARN from him what to do, when to do it, how to do it, and why! From our rest we are strengthened, and instead of being sore all the time and tuckered from church workout, we come strong and energetic. So with Jesus we find rest as we link up with him, and that’s when the slow workout training begins. It’s beautiful. Being involved in church does involve work, but imagine His strategy: instead of working TO rest, we are working FROM rest. No burnout, no cramps. What a great instructor! As we continue our year of getting fit, take this month to seek rest with us. I am excited to see where Jesus guides you from it! See you at the watering hole. Last month’s newsletter article announced that this year we’d be working out a goal of our little church having a “fit body.” If THE Church is the body of Christ (all the churches in the world), and Christ is the head, it would be quite monstrous to imagine the perfect head atop a partially obese - partially starving, partially healthy - partially cancerous, partially strong - partially weak, partially stagnant - partially growing body. Perhaps that’s what it looks like to some.
But we aren’t helping when we merely point it out because WE are a part of the body. If THE Church is the body of Christ, OUR church (First Christian Cisco) is an organ. A body is made up of organs, and organs are made up of cells. YOU are the cells. An organ is as healthy as the makeup of its cells. That means WE have a vested interest in YOUR health and YOU have a vested interest in OUR health! Step one in our 12 months to a fit church body is this: define your motivation. No athlete goes through the discipline, routines, repetitions, sweat and tears just for the fun of it. They want something. What do you want for the church? What do you want from the church? What is your role in our health? So look in the mirror. Are you as healthy a cell in the body of Christ as you would like to be? Do you need some motivation? Paul says “Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.” - 1 Cor. 9: 24-27 Or are you already motivated and want to help coach others? That’s what Jesus instructs us to do, what the disciples did, and is what Paul was talking about at the end of his life when he shared with Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” -2 Tim 4: 7 Or does the very word motivation makes you aware of how worn out you already are? This month we will be reflecting on that very topic, as Jesus stated, “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest.” -Matthew 11:28 God is the god of life. Our life is a gift. Let us not take it for granted, spend it on meaningless things, or live it on autopilot. Let us be motivated to live the way He made us: together. See you at the water fountain. Happy New Year to all! What an opportunity we have right after the birth of Christ in our lives to reflect on our lives, set new goals, and allow the Spirit to work in new ways. Many of you may be starting new diets or routines including exercise. That’s always a good goal. We encourage you on to a healthier life so you can live long and we can love each other longer.
Perhaps it’s organization, time management, personal devotion, or reading the Bible through the year. More power to you there as well! We’ve got this one chance at life, and I’d love to join you in your efficiency in daily life so you can reach upward and onward! Here at the church, we are starting January with an intentional reflection and plan of action I’m calling “12 Months to a Fit (Church) Body.” It’s not a group diet or physical fitness course per se, but rather a year of focus on the health, tone, and definition of the church body. The first thing that happens when someone wants to improve is to recognize that there is room for improvement, as there is always room for improvement. Now, I’m not going to turn into a religious Cross Fit instructor, and I’m not responsible for telling you you need to improve something. That’s between you and God. Our goal for the year and the church is 1.) to make sure that we are being a body of Christ presentable to the Lord, and 2.) to prepare the tradition of serving God and each other in such a manner that it can be passed to future generations. On a philosophical level, the goal is to be a body of believers where the weak and new can be strengthened, encouraged, and feel like they are welcome and belong; where the life-long Christians can still be challenged and renewed; where the ones with energy and inspiration can be plugged in and their talents be utilized; where the tired can rest; where those hungry for knowledge and thirsty for truth can find satisfaction; where we can all grow old together, raising up the next generation to continue the claiming of God’s kingdom on this earth. On a physical level, the goal is to finish fixing everything on the church grounds that needs fixing or updating so our future budget can be more intentionally focused on service, camps, education, missions, and more broad relational and community improvements. On the organizational level, we will be more clearly defining how our church has come to express itself in regards to leadership, membership, roles and tasks. What does it mean to be a member? How do you even become a member? How do we train a leadership team that can guide the tasks of the church in a transparent and blameless manner? How can we “grease the wheels” without turning into a machine? What tasks are currently needed for smooth operation, who does them, and how can we minimize the risk of burnout? And most importantly, amid the organizing and tasks, how can we make sure we do not become a task oriented body rather than one that overflows our energy from abundant grace and steadfast faith? This year, we won’t be preaching “Churchianity” from the pulpit - we still focus on Christ, who is our head. I pray that wherever you are in your walk, wherever you are in this community, that you are stirred toward the involvement in one way or another in the goal of becoming a fit body for Christ. Let us know how we can help. After a wonderful and meaningful Thanksgiving, I just want to say that I am thankful for you. Whether you are someone I am dearly close to and our lives overlap daily or weekly, whether you are one who we both feel the connections could be or should be stronger, whether you are someone who pops in just when you’re in town or just because, whether you are just someone who has visited a couple of times and ended up on our mailing list, or whether you are someone we were once close with but time and life has found us at a distance: I am thankful for you.
I am thankful for you because our connectedness comes from God. He put us in each others’ lives and He can work for His kingdom through our relationships no matter how strong or small - so long as at least just ONE of us is plugged into Him. Imagine if ALL of us are feeding from the well of life! What light would shine! What harmony would resound! What strength we would have to fight our battles, and what confidence we’d have to stand for all that is right and true! But I can’t do it for you. And you can’t do it for me. All we can do is focus intently and intensely on our own relationship with our maker. But we CAN do that together. This Christmas season, please make every effort to come worship together as we pray, sing, take communion, and reflect on Scripture. This December, I will be reflecting on some of the powerful symbols of the season and focusing on the pregnant moment in this pregnant community in this pregnant time. New life will come like a newborn. And it’s up to us whether it’s the screaming neediness of our own best efforts or whether it’s the wide eyed holiness that we will adore as it learns to walk amongst us. Love is directly related to shared experiences. The more time
you spend with someone, the stronger your bond is. It’s true across the board. Feeling distant from your friends? Spend time with them. Feeling like you’re growing apart from your other half? Spend time with them. Feeling a chasm between you and your kids or parents? Spend time with them. Feeling like you aren’t really connecting with anyone church? Spend time with us. Sunday worship it’s tough to really interact. Try Sunday school, stay after for our weekly lunch, come to Wednesday classes, or even start a group of your own! It doesn’t even have to be IN the church because WE ARE the church. Find excuses to have brief interactions, and you’ll be astounded at the difference it makes. Or do you feel far from God? The same applies. Spend time with Him, He’s already in your house, at your work, and by your side. Paul says in `1 Thes. 5: 17, “Pray without ceasing,” the Scripture is alive with His Spirit and is waiting to be sought for comforting, guiding, and instructing, and He is trying to speak to you through songs, sights, and interactions with others who are equally open to the greatness of God. In fact, if you felt any of the apartness from others as first mentioned, you may start with God first. It’s no coincidence Jesus put it in the order he did when he said, “Love God, love others as yourself.” Let us resist the temptation to always want to be filled by others, but instead be inspired to overflow into all around us. God has a purpose for you right now, and I guarantee it has something to do with your relationship with Him as well as others. God gave us love, time, and a whole bunch of each others. Let’s put them together and see what it makes. There is an old story of a kid growing into a young adult, looking
around at the broken world and unreliable people. Crime, confusion, lies. Disasters, hunger, homelessness. Broken families, addiction, cruelty. Coming out of the childhood innocence and seeing the world how it really is, the youth cries out to God, “God, look at this world! Why haven’t you sent someone to help?” After a long silence and listening, God replied, “I did, I sent you.” As a late teenager, I had this story written on my bedroom door, so I had to pass it every day as I entered the world. And, as a late teenager, I often overestimated my own expectations of that calling. You see, I assumed I was the only one calling out to God in such a way. I spent a great deal of that chaotic young energy trying to fix the world, which, you can guess it, resulted in a lot of frustration and feeling defeated. In the time that has passed, I have learned a few things (most likely from you) in regards to this story. 1. I was not the only one recognizing the brokenness of the world. A multitude of us see it and experience it. 2. I was not the only one God sent (sheesh, talk about a Jesus complex!). Yes, God sent Jesus, and Jesus beckoned the call to ALL of us. Whosoever can state the pain of the world and the faults of people ought also to step outside and listen carefully to the voice answering over every house, “I sent you. I sent you. I sent you. . . I sent you. I sent YOU.” 3. We cannot fix the world like we fix a running commode or piece together a puzzle. We fix it by not being a part of the problem, not trying to do it on our own, but actually submitting to the voice that called us, “I sent you.” HE has the plans, and we have to blindly trust and follow. That’s what faith is. Hebrews 11:1 says “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is the solution in the midst of the problem, the wholeness in the presence of pain, the goodness that will overtake evil. So,let whoever sees a problem in the world, a person, or even our humble church acknowledge they are invited to participate in God’s perfect solution, and recognize that it is not by our own best ideas and intentions that such a change will take place. God has it all worked out. Let us not be passive complainers or pot stirrers. Let us not be overzealous “fixers,” but let us all answer the call to submit to His plans for healing His creation. See you at the watering hole. Someone must really not like me. A few months ago, someone put out a
puzzle in the church, spread out all the pieces, and let it sit there to torture me. And it’s a hard one, a city street scene with lots of grays, a few flags, some horses and buggies. I am one of those people that sees a puzzle and has a near uncontrollable need to work on it. A few months have passed, and I’ve got all the tree pieces put together. But the time sorting and fitting has got me thinking of all the metaphors associated with the fascinating phenomenon of puzzles. First we get the border done while we are flipping all the pieces over so we can see what we’re working with. Then we separate based on color or theme. From there, we try the pieces over and over based on the lines, colors, and shapes of the cut. A good puzzle has lots of variation, and takes a bit of time to complete. Then, finally, as we put the last piece in, we stand back and look at the completion of the image that looks just like the one on the box. Jesus is like the picture on the box, and our church and community is made up of people shaped pieces. Individually, we look nothing like the whole holiness of God’s kingdom, even if we become as perfect as we can be in being the color and shape that we are. God has a picture worked out, and there is only one way we fit. We may try to force ourselves to fit with people we don’t fit with, and we may want to be a different part of the picture that is easier to put together or gets more glory. We may try to avoid being linked with certain other people. Paul may not have done puzzles, but perhaps they have become such a popular past time because of how closely the process resembles the deeper truths of life. In Romans 8: 28-29, Paul says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” It’s not that God didn’t give us free choice. He did. He also made us to fit into a larger picture, that, when we choose to submit to his image, becomes a clear picture that God is not only real, but is good, perfect, and beautiful. So my challenge to you is this. How are you fitting in your family? How are you fitting in your church? How are you fitting in this community? Or are you trying to be a puzzle unto yourself? You are beautifully and wonderfully made, but you were also made with specific purpose, specific calling, and toward a picture much larger than yourself. See you at the watering hole. SG In the past year for my family and I, a lot of things have fallen
apart. The washer, drier, air conditioner, roof, the car, the truck, espresso machine, the building flooded, and even my bones. There was even one Sunday before church I asked God, “What else can break?” As I was tying my shoes, my shoelace broke. I couldn’t help but laugh. The hardest things that fell apart have been some close relationships, which have taken serious devotion to prayer, forgiveness, and letting go. See, these things falling apart have not been a curse, but rather a blessing. About a year ago, Kasity and I said a prayer, asking of God, “If it is not real, if it is not important, let it fall apart. Let us see the world as you see it.” And so it began. Ultimately, the washer and dryer don’t matter. The building doesn’t matter, nor do the car or truck. My back will heal. Even the lost relationships will find God continuing to work in all lives involved toward the furthering of His kingdom, even if we aren’t participating side by side. See, we Christians are called to simplicity, yet live in a complicated web of demands, bills, things that break, and things we want or feel we can’t live without. We are called to deny our body and feed our Spirit, but our body has its way of demanding constant attention, especially when it is uncomfortable. We are called to relationships, even though some present a problem of sacrificing righteousness for peace. While on vacation in Massachusetts, we happened upon Walden Pond, where Henry David Thoreau spent two years, two months, and two days living in relative solitude. A plaque near where his small cabin was quotes his explanation of the retreat, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” We have no plans to retreat from the woods, but are trying to retreat from the things that do not matter and sort out what, in serving God with our lives, does matter. As a paraphrase of Thoreau’s purpose in solitude, let me state for our Christian life: I prayed for God to crumble all that does not matter because I wish to live in such a way that does, to hold fast only to what is true, to front only the essential reality of faith, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach and not, when I came to die, discover that I had only partially lived out my faith. It is not that we are to sell our washers and driers, cars and computers, but to see them for what they are, things that break, things that don’t bring life. It is that we are to seek and find what really DOES matter in living with the belief in a good god who is constantly prodding us to deep life, which does require a grand abandonment for great faith. This is what Jesus was talking about when he said “I have not come to abolish (Greek for decay) . . . but to fulfill (to bring life).” -Matthew 5:17 Let us see the world as it is, see what falls apart as what falls apart, and hold fast to – and participate in what brings life. The world should be allowed to crumble, and in those times we should also allow God to (at the same time) give us life. It’s not the matter of his giving, it’s a matter of our seeing and receiving. See you at the watering hole. |
AuthorSean King is the Pastor for First Christian Church of Cisco. Archives
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