Over the last two years, The Journey has made the transition to a simple church network. As I think about using the terms "simple church," it means one thing to me but to others, it may be a whole different concept. Share your thoughts on what it means for you to be a simple church. Let's start with some basic understanding as we begin this conversation thread. First, the word "church" refers to those who gather together in the Name of Jesus (not services or buildings). Second, let this be constructive and not destructive if making comparisons to the established, institutional understanding of the term church.
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| Posted by Greg Zander at | | | |
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This book written by Frank Viola and George Barna has been stirring up some controversy since its release with Tyndale Publishing. It is challenging our views of the "church" as the majority see it today. For those who are reading it or have read it (reading just excerpts from it won't give you the full context), let this be a place for discussion for the sake of growing in our understanding of what God desires His church to be.
Post your overall reaction to the book, the ideas that really challenged your thinking, the things you don't agree with, and the things that just hit the mark.
As we strive to live as God intended us to live in Christ, let us encourage one another to that end.
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| Posted by Greg Zander at | | | |
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Sometimes when I read a Scripture, I try to turn off the reflex of seeing what I've been taught for years—and try to see what is THERE instead of what I've been taught is THERE.
Here was the passage for today:
Luke 10:1-3
"After
this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in
pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said
to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few;
therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his
harvest."
I've often had this Scripture presented to me as a proof text for the notion that we need workers for the harvest. Duh. And that said workers are to "bring Jesus to the people" or some similarly worded concept.
But one phrase, quietly, almost shyly snuggled with the end of a prepositional phrase, where it mayn't be noticed (since the next few words introduce a quote from Jesus Himself), is "intended to go."
Jesus wasn't asking the workers to Bring Him To The People. The workers were to PREPARE the people. Serve the people. Testify about Jesus. Show the people what life in the Kingdom was like, so the people would be ready to receive Him when "He Himself" arrived.
It's a different way of looking at it than the traditional (at least in my particular spiritual culture) methods of evangelism...which sometimes (albeit unintentionally) gives off an odor of "salesmanship."
So it's not OUR duty to make the people Christian. That's the Holy Spirit's doing. It's our duty to prepare people for when Christ shows Himself in their lives.
I don't really have a good closing thought to cap this post off. Anybody got anthing to add/dispute?
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| Posted by Kathryn Thomas at | | | |
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In the midst of a discussion the other day, my mind has been thinking about what it means to be a follower of Jesus. We read the words written by Paul that we need to "be imitators of God," "do conform to the pattern of this world," and "our citizenship is in heaven," and then we read Peter's words referring to us "as foreigners and exiles," how is that we have failed to become different from those around us in the world?
This thought has been stirring in me: What if we stopped and looked at the world around us and take note of how people live their lives without a relationship with God through Jesus. Then take what we have noticed and do our best to live the opposite. Would that not make us stand out? As a follower of Jesus, we are called to be different from the world around us. We are to be holy, which in essence means to be called out of the world, to be unlike the world.
What would change in your life if you were to live like this?
Once we know what we need to change in our lives, we must gather around us like-minded people who will help us to live out this changed life. The temptation to be just those around us will come back at us. There is strength in numbers if we would just become an united front to be more like Jesus than the world.
These were some of the thoughts that I have been thinking about over the last couple of days. Let me know what you think.
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| Posted by Greg Zander at | | | |
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Continuing the thought at the end of chapter 19, Jesus begins with a parable to help us understand the meaning of the first shall be last and the last shall be first.
- What is the main point of this parable?
- What should we learn from this parable?
- Why does Jesus continue to tell the 12 that He is going to Jerusalem to die?
- What do you think of the request made to Jesus concerning the sons of Zebedee?
- Why is rank so important?
- How does Jesus describe rank in the Kingdom?
- How do we promote an upside down form of the Kingdom?
- Why do the crowds tell the blind to be quiet?
- Why does Jesus ignore the crowds and heal the men?
- What motivates Jesus?
- Do you have the same motivation as Jesus?
- What other questions do you have as you read this chapter?
- What applications can we make from this chapter in our daily lives?
- Other comments?
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| Posted by Greg Zander at | | | |
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This chapter begins with questions directed to Jesus about certain issues. So let the questions begin.
- Why do you think that Jesus was questioned about divorce?
- How do two people become one in marriage?
- Are there other legitamate reasons for divorce other than immorality? If so, what would be?
- Some people are gifted to be single. Why do people assume something must be wrong with someone if they never marry?
- Children came to be around Jesus and the disciples tried to stop them. Why?
- How does our culture view children? How does that view line up with Jesus's view of children?
- To obtain eternal life, is it something that we must do?
- What was the rich young ruler truly missing to obtain eternal life?
- What is or has been the hardest thing for you to give up to have eternal life?
- What is the reward for giving up everything for Kingdom?
- What questions do you have concerning eternal life?
- Any other thoughts or questions from this chapter?
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| Posted by Greg Zander at | | | |
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This chapter speaks of what God desires from us in our attitudes and actions.
- Why are we so obsessed with position and rank?
- Who is considered the greatest in the Kingdom of God? Why?
- How serious should we take our relationship with God? Why?
- What was the reason Jesus came?
- Does your passion in life reflect that of Jesus's passion?
- When a problem arises between people within the body of Christ, what are the steps we are to take to resolve those problems?
- What are the results or the goal of taking such action?
- Why is forgiveness so hard?
- If Jesus says that we should forgive an offense (singular) seventy times seven, what does that say about His understanding of our difficulty of forgiving someone?
- What has God forgiven you of?
- What questions does this chapter bring to your mind?
- What is the biggest challenge presented to you in this chapter?
- Any other thoughts?
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| Posted by Greg Zander at | | | |
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This chapter begins with the core three disciples experiencing more than the other disciples.
- Why do you think that Jesus chose just these three men to go up the mountain with Him?
- What is significant about those who appear with the transfigured Jesus?
- What was the purpose of this trip up the mountain?
- What do we learn about demon possession from this recorded account?
- What does Jesus mean that we only need faith the size of a mustard seed?
- How much faith do you have?
- When Jesus and the disciples were questioned about the tax, what do we learn about our responsibility to those we are under in this world?
- Describe a time when God provided for you in an unusual way.
- What other questions do you have from this chapter? Thoughts?
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| Posted by Greg Zander at | | | |
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Again, Matthew's writing is dealing with the Pharisees.
- Why are the Pharisees constantly trying to trap or test Jesus?
- What role did the Pharisees play in this culture?
- Speculation: If there have been many men claiming to be the Messiah over the years, what affect would that have on the Pharisees outlook toward Jesus?
- Why does Jesus warn His disciples about the teachings of the Pharisees?
- Jesus then asks the disciples about who people are saying He is. What are the responses?
- Do you truly believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, God's Son?
- Why is understanding this truth considered to be the foundation, "the rock," upon which Jesus will build His church?
- After talking about who He is, why would Jesus tell His disciples to not tell anyone?
- Jesus then tells His disciples about the coming trip to Jerusalem. Why does Peter stand up and "rebuke" Jesus?
- Many people claim that following after Jesus is free, a gift of grace. When you read the words of Jesus in verses 24ff, what is the cost of following Jesus?
- What makes it worth the cost to follow Him?
- Have you given your life to Jesus?
- What questions does this chapter prompt in you?
- What thoughts do you have?
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| Posted by Greg Zander at | | | |
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This chapter begins with some serious issues that we all need to examine in our own lives.
- What do the Pharisees accuse Jesus and His disciples of breaking?
- At what point do traditions become a hinderance?
- What is the real issue that Jesus has to deal with here?
- How do we put things into our hearts?
- If someone were to hang out with you for several days, what would they see coming out of your mouth (heart)?
- Why did Jesus choose to heal the woman who was not a part of Israel?
- Once again we see a miracle of food multiplicaton. What do we learn about Jesus from this miracle?
- What other questions do you have from this chapter?
- What thoughts do you want to share from reading this chapter?
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| Posted by Greg Zander at | | | |
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