ISSUE FIFTEEN // MARCH 2014
FEATURED BOOK
REACHING & TEACHING: THE GREAT OMISSION OF THE GREAT COMMISSION MINISTRY FOCUS
INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH VISION & VALUES
GLOBAL CHRISTIANITY
WHAT’S HAPPENING
TODAY AT REDEEMER WELCOME! We are a church with a mission. Our mission is to proclaim, embody, and enjoy the gospel of Jesus Christ so that unbelievers are convinced of the gospel, believers are built up in the gospel, and culture is transformed by the gospel to the glory of God. Because the gospel is at our heart, we want all that we say and do as a church to honor and reflect Christ. Part of that includes making sure you are able to consistently and clearly know the vision and direction of Redeemer. That’s where Momentum comes in. On the first Sunday of every month, everyone will receive a copy and be able to stay connected to the pulse of Redeemer. Inside each monthly issue, you will find a meditation from Pastor Glenn, an update on the church’s vision goals, and learn more about a different ministry. You’ll also read about where you can help serve and get involved, as well as be updated on things like church finances, new members, and church activities and programs throughout the month. Redeemer is a church on the move, and it’s the gospel that is moving it forward. The gospel is our passion, our motivation, our moving force. It’s our momentum. //RBC
EXPERIENCE THE MOVEMENT OF GOSPEL LIFE IN A WHOLE NEW WAY. Introducing Momentum magazine digital edition. The complete issue is available every month on tablet or mobile. Read more at ISSUU.COM/REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH
BAPTISM SUNDAY // TONIGHT @ 6 PM
VISION VALUES 4
| God calls us all to fulfill the Great Commission but that doesn’t mean we should all be packing our bags.
DISCIPLESHIP 22
| Katie Campbell opens up about her thoughts on life-on-life discipleship and how it has impacted her life.
INTERNATIONAL MERCY MINUTE 16 OUTREACH 6 | Meet International
Outreach Director John Sweet and read more about the vision of this Ministry.
| Consider heartdirected generosity your response to encountering Christ, the gospel and His mercy in your life.
PRAYER FOCUS 18 | Join a new force of
organized, fervent pray-ers, focusing on the RBC vision for our church, our city and our world.
GOSPEL BLOG
GET INVOLVED
FINANCE REPORT
blog posts (and others like them) from our website to find encouragement in your daily walk.
are needed at Redeemer! Prayerfully consider your place in the church body through volunteering for one of these needs.
vision campaign and see how greatly the Lord has blessed our church.
23 | Check out these great
24 | Your gifts and skills
26 | Get an update on our
THE GREAT OMISSION OF THE GREAT COMMISSION CREDITS
Design/Direction: Chuck Forsberg Content Manager: Lorie Schnell Writers/Editors: Brittney Westin, Jan Wyder-Barck
8 | “THE GREAT COMMISSION IS NOT JUST ABOUT WITNESSING OR CHURCH PLANTING.”
VISION & VALUES: FELLOW WORKERS FOR THE TRUTH
GLOBAL CHRISTIANITY BY: JOHN SWEET
Y
ou can picture the scene in your mind. The
6-10 on work). Your vocation may indeed include full-time
eleven remaining disciples on a mountain
ministry as a foreign missionary, but it may not. For most of us,
top in Galilee with their risen Savior. Just
God has called us to glorify him through vocations like being a
days before, they were in utter despair after
computer programmer, a stock broker, an appliance technician,
witnessing their Lord—the one who would
a cop, a college professor, or a mom.
rescue them from the Romans—being savagely beaten,
Does this mean that those with other vocations are of
mocked, and murdered. Now they were in various stages of
secondary importance to God in fulfillment of the Great
joyful disbelief as they began to realize that all Jesus had told
Commission? The apostle John didn’t think so. In his third
them was indeed coming true—just not in the way they had
epistle, John tells his friend Gaius how encouraged he is
expected. His mission accomplished, Jesus was now about to
that Gaius is “walking in the truth.” What lead John to that
be taken back up into heaven, but he had one final command to
conclusion? Gaius’ support of missionaries. John says to Gaius,
give: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
“Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before
Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a
you.” This was The Great Commission.
manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake
The apostles were most certainly obedient to Jesus’
of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore
command. They brought the message of the gospel from
we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow
Jerusalem to the entire known world at the time—east to
workers for the truth.”
Iraq, south to Ethiopia, north to Turkey, west to present-day
God may one day place in my heart a burden to move to
France, and countless points in between—making disciples
another part of the world and share his gospel. But until that
and baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
day, I want to participate in the Great Commission as a “fellow
Christianity spread like wildfire and would continue to grow,
worker in the truth,” partnering with and supporting the
changing the world forever.
Redeemer missionaries already in the field while still working
Just like the apostles in Jerusalem 2000 years ago, the good news of the gospel continues to grip our hearts today, right
at my job. Praise God he allows us to participate in his plan of redemption for the world!
here in the western suburbs. Believers in Jesus Christ have been
Currently, RBC has 6 missionaries in the field all over the
called out of a life of darkness and guilt into a life of hope, joy,
globe—Karise Pagaono (Sicily); the Boehms (Nepal); Sky and
and rest, and we want others around the world to know the
Michelle (China); the Wickers (Africa); Marty Pagano, Jr. (China);
same! As a result, we are motivated to plant churches among
Jai Pandy (India). I urge you to choose a missionary from this
every tribe, nation, kingdom, and language, beginning in the
list and endeavor to support them. In so doing, you become “a
western suburbs and extending outward to all the unreached
fellow worker in the truth” and a key participant in God’s plan
peoples of the earth.
to draw the lost to himself. There are eternal consequences
When we consider the way that the apostles travelled the
at stake! Contact information on our missionaries can be
earth to fulfill the Great Commission, as well as thousands of
obtained through the church office or in the pamphlet entitled
thousands of missionaries throughout the centuries, we might
Our Missionaries at the Welcome Center. Can’t think of how to
ask the question: Does obeying Jesus’ command to fulfill his
go about supporting them? Below is a list entitled 10 Ways To
Great Commission mean that all Christians should plan on
Encourage a Missionary, copied from a Gospel Coalition article
moving to another part of the world? The answer is no.
by the same name.
The same gospel that compels us to plant churches also informs us about God’s view of work. God has called each of
1
frequently.
us to glorify him through a unique vocation (see R.W. Glenn’s teaching series The Gospel Makes You a Revolutionary, parts 4
MOMENTUM // MARCH 2014
Pray for them and let them know that you are doing so
2
Send “real mail.”
Personal Evangelism Concern for Justice Cultural Renewal Cooperative Mindset GLOBAL CHRISTIANITY Spiritual Renewal
3
Pray for the people the missionaries serve and not only for the missionaries and their families.
4
Recruit others to pray for the missionary’s area of service (city, people group, etc.) or for the missionaries themselves.
5
Go visit them with the purpose of serving and encouraging them in their work.
6
Send them updates and pictures of you and your family (by mail or email).
7
Ask questions about their work.
8
Continue to be a Christian friend and continue to minister to them.
9 10
Support them financially. Seek
to
encourage
them when they are on stateside assignment. You will have an opportunity to participate in #10 above by attending a luncheon for Marty Pagano, Jr. (missionary to China) on Sunday, March 16, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall. What a great opportunity to be an encouragement to him and his family and perhaps to find out how we can better support him in the future. Praise God for his plan of redemption which uses all vocations to glorify his name! //RBC
Q & A WITH JOHN SWEET DIRECTOR OF
INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH WHY IS RBC’S MISSIONS MINISTRY NOW CALLED
Lord is so good to us! He accomplishes his purposes through
INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH?
our weakness, not despite it.
The leadership team at Redeemer recently made the decision to change the name of the Missions department to International
WHAT IS THE VISION OF YOUR MINISTRY?
Outreach. There are several reasons for this. In the past few
This is our dream. God is fulfilling His plan to redeem His
centuries, the term “missions” has acquired a level of unwanted
creation from the effects of sin. God’s plan is incredible, global,
baggage which is often associated with real or imagined
and personal, and that’s what drives International Outreach
cultural imperialism “from the West to the rest.” However
at RBC. Incredible - As sinners who have rejected God, we
accurate, we believe that the time is right for a fresh take on
deserve God’s wrath. Yet while we were still sinning against
how we describe the global cause of Christ. God is drawing a
him, God sent his son, Jesus, to be the atoning sacrifice for our
people for himself from every nation. Now more than ever, we
sin (Romans 5:8). That is incredible! Now, as believers in Jesus
are called to support and partner with the indigenous leaders
Christ, we released from our sin, guilt, and fear. We proclaim
that God is raising up to shepherd His church around the world.
Jesus because we want others to know this same relief and joy.
He is deploying His people to minister “from everywhere, to
Global - God created the world and everything in it. He desires
everywhere.”
to save people from every nation, tribe, and tongue (Revelation 7:9-10). Therefore, we are motivated to see the gospel spread
CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW YOU FELT THE LORD CALLING
throughout the entire world—from the western suburbs of
YOU TO SERVE IN THIS MINISTRY?
Minneapolis to the remotest people groups who have never
Growing up, I watched my parents live out their passion for
heard of Jesus Christ. Personal - All believers in Jesus are
international outreach by being instrumental in the sending and
commanded to help fulfill God’s desire to save people from all
supporting of several missionaries—three of which continue
nations (Matthew 28:18-20). Yet his plan to redeem his creation
to be supported by Redeemer today. Three years ago, Pastor
includes infinite means. Some believers at RBC will be called by
Bob asked me to consider leading Redeemer’s International
God to go and share the gospel with unreached people as full-
Outreach Ministry, which was in transition at the time. It was
time missionaries. Others will be called to serve God in their
a new idea for me. But as I thought and prayed about it over
respective vocations and to support International Outreach in a
a couple months, the Lord began to warm my heart for the
manner worth of God (3 John 1:5-8)—through finances, prayer,
world’s lost and give me confidence that His will could be
communication, short-term missions, etc. It is through a body
accomplished through me, even though my actual experience
of believers—everyone playing a different role—that the gospel
was limited.
will be brought to the unreached people of the world (Romans 10:13-15).
HOW HAS THIS SERVICE GROWN YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL? HOW HAS IT STRENGTHENED YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH
HOW DOES THAT VISION FIT INTO THE OVERALL VISION
CHRIST AND/OR THE CHURCH?
OF RBC?
I had almost no experience in international outreach when
The gospel motivates us to plant churches around the world
I started. It certainly was an excellent opportunity to grow
among every tribe, nation, kingdom, and language beginning
in humility and reliance on Jesus. I had no idea what I was
where we are and extending outward to all the unreached
doing! Fortunately for me, we had a very understanding and
peoples of the earth (Matt 28:18-20). Therefore, we aim to be
experienced leadership team already in place. Then the Lord
involved in the planting of churches with the same gospel-
heaped on the blessing by bringing Bill Walsh to Redeemer. As
centered core values into every city and people group within
the director of International Outreach for The Gospel Coalition,
the Twin Cities, the United States, and the world.
Bill was the most experienced missions guy I’d ever met. The
6
MOMENTUM // MARCH 2014
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE, PRACTICALLY SPEAKING? IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT ARE THE PRACTICAL WAYS THAT VISION IS BEING REALIZED AT THE GROUND LEVEL?
WE WANT
Right now, Redeemer has 6 missionaries on the ground in various foreign countries. Over the course of this last year, we have been blessed to have all six actually visit our church as they returned to the U.S. Our primary goal was to simply love them and allow them to relax and enjoy themselves while visiting. In addition, we had dinners and luncheons to introduce them and their particular ministries to as many from the Redeemer congregation as possible. It’s through these lunches that we hope to weave International Outreach into the everyday ethos at RBC. WHAT EFFECTS HAVE YOU SEEN FROM THIS? HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THE LORD WORKING THROUGH YOUR MINISTRY’S VISION TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSES?
YOUR PICS
I believe all of our missionaries were encouraged through their visits to Redeemer. Although we’re just getting started with this ministry, I think I can safely say that more Redeemer members think about, encourage, and pray for our missionaries today than they did one year ago. That’s progress!
#rbcmnlife
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT HAS SURPRISED YOU, EITHER ABOUT YOURSELF OR THIS MINISTRY, SINCE YOU BEGAN SERVING? I’ve learned that roasted guinea pig tastes pretty darn good after a week without meat. HOW CAN SOMEONE GET INVOLVED IN YOUR MINISTRY? We want every RBC member to feel a consistent excitement to be involved in International Outreach in some way. Involvement will be as varied as there are RBC members— from cooking luncheon meals for visiting missionaries (thank you, Schwandts!), to praying for and corresponding with our missionaries, to visiting our missionaries in the field, to actually considering full-time ministry in a foreign land. Because of the joy and peace we have found through our Savior, Jesus, we want others to experience the same. And, “how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?” WHAT ARE YOUR PRAYERS FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS MINISTRY? Pray most of all for our missionaries in the field—Karise Pagano, the Boehms, the Wickers, Jai Pandy, Marty Pagano, Jr., Sky & Michelle—and also for our partner, The Gospel Coalition International Outreach. Pray that all of these servants remain encouraged in the gospel and that their love for Jesus would be the motivation for their work. Pray also for wisdom within our leadership team. People have limited time and there are limited resources. It’s easy to get stretched too thin by getting out ahead of what God ordains. //RBC
GOT PICTURES? We want to share all of the exciting things that are happening at RBC, but we need your help. WE WANT YOUR PICTURES! They don’t need to be fancy or professional, just fun to share. If you have a smart phone and attend any event put on by one of our ministries, please consider contributing your photos to us instantly. You never know when you will see it on RBC’s Facebook or Twitter page. USE THE HASHTAG ABOVE WHEN UPLOADING TO YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA SITE (THIS MAKES IT EASY FOR US TO FIND YOUR PHOTOS). OR SEND YOUR BEST QUALITY PHOTOS TO: Lorie@redeemerbiblechurch.com.
TAKEN FROM REACHING AND TEACHING
TEACHING THEM: THE GREAT OMISSION OF THE GREAT COMMISSION
BY DAVID SILLS
8
MOMENTUM // MARCH 2014
TAKEN FROM REACHING AND TEACHING © 2010 BY DAVID SILLS. USED WITH PERMISSION OF MOODY PUBLISHERS.
E recent
vangelical missionaries and
that every religion has value in and of itself. They hold that
mission agencies are eager
sincere followers of other religions will be saved through their
to finish the task of world
respective religions. Missionaries with this perspective believe
missions. Having recognized
that the essential goal of their ministry is liberation, freedom,
the need to reach all the
and basic morality for their hearers. Adherents of inclusivism
people groups of the world,
teach that since Jesus knew that everyone would not have a
missionary
chance to hear the gospel, He included all religions in His work.
efforts increasingly focused on the goal of
decades
have
found
The goal of missionaries with this perspective is often simply to
completing that task as quickly as possible.
help people find Jesus in their own religious systems. However,
However, in the midst of their focused and
if we adopt pluralism or inclusivism, we cut the root and nerve
fervent efforts, many are now realizing the
of missions.
need to define the task or to reconsider the
Exclusivism teaches that there is no other Savior than Jesus
total task of international missions. Slogans
Christ alone and that you must be born again. Moreover, we
such as “The world in this generation!” rally
believe that, apart from being born again by grace through
the faithful and call out the called, but to do
faith in Christ, people are separated from God and will spend
what? The need for specific task definition
eternity in hell. Missionaries with this perspective seek to
must still be addressed. As missionaries have
proclaim the gospel message and fulfill the Great Commission
joined the race to reach the unreached people
in obedience to Christ, to rescue the perishing, and, above all,
groups of the world as quickly as possible,
to bring glory to God. Sadly, not all Christians in the world are
they have strategized to increase speed. The
convinced of this truth.
need for speed has influenced missionary efforts
so
much
that
many
traditional
THE SCOPE
missions tasks have been jettisoned in order
In medical schools, there are some students preparing to be
to enable it. Indeed, in recent years it seems
research scientists to find a cure for cancer and others who
that increasing the speed has itself become
are planning to be family physicians. If we compare the work
the task. Evangelical missions organizations
of missions to the medical field, we would say that the work
have been busy operating both traditional
of a missionary is more like that of a family physician than
and creative ministries all around the world.
that of a research scientist. The research scientist may find
Yet some missionaries have been looking over
the cure he seeks and declare his work to be done. However,
their shoulders at the wake of their efforts and
a family physician will have many diverse duties, such as
are seeing a church that they barely recognize.
caring for patients during flu season, setting broken arms, and
We received the Great Commission two
experiencing the joy of delivering babies. His work will continue
thousand years ago. How are we doing?
changing to meet pressing needs all of his life. Mission work,
Over one-third of the world—more than two
also, is always ongoing, changing, and developing.
billion people—has never heard the gospel.
In the 1960s, some began to consider the work of the Great
Approximately one-half of the world’s people
Commission to be complete. A brief study of any global missions
groups remain unreached. Among those we
map showed that there was a church in every geo-political
reached in past decades, new generations are
entity called a country—or nation. Since Jesus commissioned
questioning the shallow and often syncretistic
the church to make disciples of all nations, the work must surely
versions of Christianity that their parents
have been completed. Yet in Matthew 28:19, Jesus actually said,
believe. Still, some would say that we have
“Go therefore and make disciples of panta ta ethne,” not every
finished our work among the “reached”
geo-political country. The word ethne means “ethnic group” or
because they have churches. Others would
“people group.” Based on this, Ralph Winter spoke at the 1974
see that much work remains.
Lausanne Conference for World Evangelization and highlighted
It matters what teachers teach and what
the Great Commission challenge of reaching not only the
believers believe. In an age where media and
countries of the world, but more specifically the ethnolinguistic
movies promote pluralism and many churches
groups that populate it.
have embraced inclusivism, most evangelicals
Even though the task of reaching all these groups is not yet
still believe in the exclusivity of the gospel. On
complete, a new challenge is emerging. Today’s challenge is to
the other hand, adherents of pluralism teach
go beyond merely recognizing the legitimacy of people group
thinking to understanding what our task should be among the
preached it to a people as a testimony? Is it
people groups. Even as Dr. Winter clarified a part of the Great
merely pulling into a village, preaching John
Commission so that we would not be merely thinking in terms
3:16 through an interpreter, and driving away?
of geopolitical nations, we would do well to remember what
What if we reach all the people groups that
Jesus sent us to the ethnolinguistic groups to do. Jesus did not
we consider to be unreached and yet He delays
say, “Go therefore and get decisions from people, then gather
His return for fifty years, or five hundred years,
them into groups called churches,” although both of these
or five thousand years? What will happen to
steps are essential parts of the Great Commission. He in fact
all of the people who have heard the gospel,
said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
raised their hand to pray a prayer, and then
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
watched the dust of the missionary’s vehicle as
Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
he sped away to the next people group? Who
you” (Matthew 28:19–20). It is the command to teach that
will teach new believers? Will the churches
I want us to consider as we begin to understand the task of
confused with syncretism, the Mormons, the
international missions.
Jehovah’s Witnesses, or the Muslims be the ones who take them in and teach them?
THE NEED
Students who feel called to an international
As God allows me to travel the world, preaching, teaching,
theological education ministry often express
and leading mission teams, I have seen a common thread.
concern about the few opportunities they find
This thread is the biblical illiteracy of many national brothers
to teach pastors on the mission field. Some
and the de-emphasis of theological education and thorough
agencies have greatly reduced the available
preparation on the part of mission entities. The danger of this
openings for theological education in order
is compounded as it coincides with an alarming new reality in
to invest more human and financial resources
global Christianity.
in reaching unreached people groups. These
In a new emphasis (or de-emphasis), some major agencies
agencies certainly care about those who
have so focused on church planting and evangelism that they
need training, but the push has been to place
have neglected the need for theological education, pastoral
their missionaries among the unreached.
training, and leadership development. Some have reasoned
Subsequently,
that in order to fulfill the Great Commission, we must pour our
are being left in the hands of the nationals
efforts and resources into evangelism and church planting.
regardless of whether they have the biblical
Some even believe that Jesus cannot return until we reach
training to sustain the furtherance of the
every people group—and that He will return immediately after
gospel.
we do.
traditional
mission
fields
One problem with this approach is failure
When Ralph Winter began to point out the long overdue
to fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission instruction,
need for people group orientation, his organization estimated
“teaching them to obey.” Some say that they
the world’s people groups to number 24,000. They have since
will fulfill this by encouraging new believers to
revised that number to 27,000 as some of the unreached
obey all that Jesus commanded. However, they
groups have received more study and are now considered to
will not be staying around to do the teaching.
be two or more distinct groups. Other missiologists consider
They further state that the new believers have
the total number of the world’s people groups to be around
a Bible and the same Holy Spirit we have; He
11,000. Virtually every person or agency calculates the number
will guide them into all truth. Yet syncretism,
of people groups in the world
differently.1
Another point for consideration is what Jesus meant
aberrant doctrine, and blatant heresy remain in many churches around the world.
in Matthew 24:14 about preaching the gospel to all as a testimony. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed
10
THE NEED ILLUSTRATED
throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and
I recently met a number of Nigerian students
then the end will come.” Many missionaries have preached
pleading for help in their seminary. Many of
the gospel through interpreters or without understanding the
them needed classes in order to finish their
cultural adjustments that are necessary to communicate the
preparation, graduate, and serve in churches,
gospel clearly. Additionally, some people hear the gospel for
but there was no one to teach the required
years before they truly hear it! So what does it mean to have
courses. This plea for help is all the more
MOMENTUM // MARCH 2014
concerning because the church in Nigeria is suffering much confusion. There are thousands of churches in Nigeria—Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian,
Pentecostal,
Assemblies
of
God, and AIC churches (African Independent Churches or African Initiated Churches). Many Nigerian churches preach a “name it and claim it,” “power in your mouth,” “health and wealth,” and “seed money miracle” gospel message. Many are so far from the truth that the truth is very hard to find. In a country that is struggling with poverty and crime, many have turned the church into a miracle cult. Since I am Southern Baptist, I painfully noticed many Baptist churches in Nigeria that have adopted this philosophy of ministry. Southern Baptists entered Nigeria in 1851.
The void that I continually see is an indigenously-led discipling process that is reproducing among Africans. I am speaking of the simple but profound process of knowing how to access Scripture and ask the right questions and model the process well enough so others can “catch” it and take it home. Possibly one of the greatest teaching needs is a discipling process that can be given away—one that really fits African lifestyle and learning styles—a process that will allow Africans to excel at making disciples. I am passionately committed to the pursuit of that discovery.
When the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) began in 1845, it formed the Foreign Mission
— STAN WAFLER // Missionary, Northwest Uganda
Board (FMB) and the Domestic Mission Board to engage in missions. The FMB chose China
As they have for decades, many of the students still view Jesus
and Nigeria as two of their earliest mission
primarily as the honored ancestor. The belief in ancestral spirits
fields, and Nigeria is the oldest continuous
is saturated throughout all aspects of their traditional culture.
mission field for Southern Baptists. It was
This “honored ancestor” idea prevents them from seeing Jesus
once regarded as the “White Man’s Grave-
biblically as the reigning, interceding, and soon-coming King.
yard,” and the advance Baptists gained there
Nigerian Baptists have had SBC missionaries among them for
was purchased at great cost. So why, after so
more than 150 years —not counting all the other denominations
many years of work, do many of the Nigerian
and their efforts. Yet they still struggle with these concepts.
churches have such aberrant theology and
Having a Bible and the Holy Spirit is not adequate without
practice? I began to wonder what had gone
someone teaching them. It is obvious that they still need to be
wrong. Is there a lesson to learn in the history
trained to interpret the Word of God accurately.
of the Southern Baptist work in Nigeria?
Additionally, their cultural worldview is that the ancestors
Today there are some 8,500 churches and
hold and have an impact upon time. In the timeline perspective
4,000 pastors in Nigeria.2 Animism still reigns
of this view, people living today stand still, and the only time
in the hearts of most believers. Some churches
with which we interact is the immediate past, the present,
use juju to bring crowds to their meetings. One
and the immediate future. The bubble of time included in the
of the professors from the Nigerian Baptist
immediate past, present, and future is considered “the present.”
Theological Seminary reported that some
The events of our lives flow past us into an ever-increasing past;
large churches sacrifice cows and bury them in
the future is not normally considered. This overemphasis on
juju ceremonies in order to bring forth power
the importance of the past and minimization of the importance
to attract and sway the crowds in their church
of the future greatly complicates a basic understanding of
services. Even many of my seminary students
eschatology and a hope for the world to come.
there were not convinced that juju is demonic.
The Yoruba tribe of West Africa use a well-known curse, “Go
They believed that it could be a neutral,
die in the bush.” This is one of the worst Yoruba curses because
ambivalent force to be manipulated for good
historically they were buried under the floor of their houses.
or ill by the initiated. These were graduate-level
To die away from home was the greatest shame and tragedy.
students of the oldest theological seminary on
According to the Yoruba worldview, people die and are buried,
the African continent, founded in 1898.
but they live on as living dead. Their presence and preferences
are always acknowledged. Although this is certainly not taught
country have received theological education
in Bible classes, this cultural influence over the people has
and pastoral training.
colored their worldview. One pastor said that the people are
I noticed the great need for such training
nominal Christians; they may be in church on Sunday but just
when my family and I served as missionaries
as easily in the witch doctor’s hut on Tuesday. These people live
among
in a land that has historically embraced 401 Yoruba gods and
Ecuadorian Andes. The few indigenous pastors
goddesses. This worldview does not evaporate upon praying a
implored us to not start more churches. I
prayer; deep discipleship and biblical teaching are needed to
wondered why, since there was an obvious
develop a Christian worldview and godly living.
need for more to be planted. They reported
In Listen to the Drums, C. F. Eaglesfield said,
that there were pastors in some areas of
the
Highland
Quichuas
of
the
the country who served eight, ten, or more
The greatest need is that of providing leadership for the churches. . . . The leader in many churches is often the one who can read. His instruction is often questionable.”3 It is indeed questionable . . . to say the least! Imagine if the leaders in our churches were simply the ones who could read. Would that guarantee sound biblical instruction? Nigeria has lost funding and missionary personnel for theological education that the sending churches supplied for years. After all, Nigeria is considered reached. Some mission agencies defend this position, saying that the Nigerians already have many pastors who were trained in Nigeria as well as some who were sent to the USA and the UK to earn advanced degrees. However, these men are full-time or bi-vocational pastors and cannot serve as professors. They live all around the country (with a population of 140 million) and are nowhere near the seminary. Most of these pastors do not feel called to teach in semi- nary. Of course, this challenge is not found in Nigeria alone. Missionaries in Ecuador know that the church there shares many ecclesiastical challenges with Nigeria. Many of the Ecuadorian challenges also arise from syncretism and worldview issues. Baptists have been in Ecuador since 1951. There was once a thriving Ecuadorian Baptist Theological Seminary that was training many men and women to serve the church. It was blessed with personnel, funds, material resources, and a wellappointed facility. However, the need for speed to reach the unreached people groups caused some to prefer abandoning theological education there, noting that Ecuadorian churches had received training for twenty years. They argued that twenty years should be sufficient, and the nationals should be able to train the new generations of pastors, professors, and practitioners. However, this is simply not a fair assessment. As in Nigeria, the nationals who were trained are full-time pastors, are bi-vocational, or live too far away to work at the seminary. Tragically, today over half of the Baptist churches in Ecuador have no trained pastor, and only 17 percent of the pastors in the
12
MOMENTUM // MARCH 2014
churches, and what they really needed was more trained leaders. While conducting field research interviews among these poorest of the poor, my last question was always, “What is the greatest need among your people?” Of all the many possible answers that could have surfaced—church buildings, money, medicine, government representation, literacy, etc. — in every case the answer was pastoral and leadership training. Peru, Ecuador’s southern neighbor, also shares the need for trained pastors and leaders. I often travel to Peru to help train national pastors and church planters. On my first such trip, as I taught on basic doctrines, I reminded them of the need to share this information with others. A younger class member asked how to share these truths with preliterate people who lack the ability to read or write. As I explained basic ideas of teaching primary oral learners, an older lady in the class seemed very concerned. She asked, “What about me? Can I go to heaven when I die, too?” When she realized I was taken back by her question, she explained. “We have always been told that we could not enter into the kingdom of heaven if we could not read.” Although it broke my heart to hear this, in great detail I joyfully explained that the gospel has nothing to do with one’s literacy level. However, another sad reality in this encounter was when I noticed that the pastors in the room were straining to hear the “correct” answer to that question. The lady mentioned above is a sincere believer who opened her humble home for a new house church in her community. She serves and worships the Lord Jesus but lacks anyone to teach her His Word. A pastor from one of the most prolific denominations in Peru
told me that his denomination lacks trained
are genuinely saved and have a Bible, but they see in the
pastors for 90 percent of their churches.
Bible only what they want to see. Many well-meaning but
The other brothers told me that over half of
untaught brothers are wrongly interpreting the Bible and
the evangelical churches in the country lack
leading people astray. All of us appreciate the training that
trained pastors. These are dear brothers and
we have received and realize that we have been taught
sisters who love the Lord and each other, but
truths that we may never have seen for ourselves—or at
they need trained leadership among them.
least not for many years.
Meanwhile, some mission agencies are promoting the idea that pastors do not need theological education. It slows down the work of church planting if you must provide a trained pastor for each church. At first, this sounds logical and seems to make perfect sense. However, many missionaries today are relearning a hard lesson from missions history: When your church growth outstrips your trained leadership, you are in trouble; weak and dysfunctional churches abound. Those who serve in theological education, as well as those who aspire to do so, have heard many reasons why we should reduce training to the nationals. Some have said, “Places like Nigeria, Ecuador, and Peru do not need any help; they have the Bible and the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth. They already have the people that we have trained who ought to do the training for the others in their countries, and besides, they might become dependent upon us if we continue to provide their training. They must learn to do this for themselves.” Consider some responses to this argument, offered by missionaries who have seen the problems that result from neglecting Paul’s instruction in 2 Timothy 2:2, “And what you have heard from me in the presence of
Places like Nigeria, Ecuador, and Peru already have the pastors whom we have trained, and they ought to do the training now for the others in their countries.” The ones who have been trained through the years are those who were called into the ministry. Seminaries did not consciously, intentionally, or proactively train professors; they trained pastors. No one should fault these pastors for remaining true to their calling. It is true that some of them would be glad to help if they could, but they are overwhelmed with their pastorates and family responsibilities— especially those who are serving as bi-vocational pastors, as denominational workers, or in other ministries. Many do not live near their country’s seminary locations and could not logistically manage such a responsibility.
Places like Nigeria, Ecuador, and Peru might become dependent upon us if we continue to provide their training. They must learn to do this for themselves.”
many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
Dependency is a complicated problem that should be avoided with all due diligence. Yet, generally, dependency
Places like Nigeria, Ecuador, and Peru do not need any help; they have the Bible and the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth.”
refers to financial matters. Some have extrapolated this concept to apply to training as well. While we do not want the national church to depend on our training forever, it is never right to stop training without first training the trainers who will replace us. For instance, when an agency decides to no longer direct a bookstore ministry and hands the keys to the nationals with no training to prepare them, missionaries should not be surprised when the bookstore suffers. I have had the
It is neither responsible nor accurate to
uncomfortable experience of translating a collection agency
say that a Bible and the Holy Spirit is all
letter from a United States–based Christian publisher to a
someone needs. Many dogmatic preachers
Christian bookstore in Latin America. The nationals did not
know how to manage the store, buy books, pay bills, or read collection agency letters. They had simply received the keys from well-meaning missionaries who never trained them to do the work. This same approach has been applied to handing off seminaries and Bible colleges. Of course, nationals will be dependent upon those already instructed and trained for their instruction and training. Discipleship and mentoring by very definition depend upon knowledgeable guides who have more wisdom, life experience, and training than those whom they are guiding. The only way to ensure that the national churches are not dependent upon outside missionaries forever is not for them to step out of the picture, but rather to be obedient to 2 Timothy 2:2. We must train trainers, teach teachers, and disciple disciplers. It is clear that national churches should not become dependent upon our money, but Jesus commands us to teach. Yes, we have taught them for years, but before we leave, we must teach others to teach so that
Over the past century . . . the center of gravity has shifted inexorably southward, to Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Already today, the largest Christian communities on the planet are to be found in Africa and Latin America. If we want to visualize a ‘typical’ contemporary Christian, we should think of a woman living in a village in Nigeria or in a Brazilian favela.”4
they can continue the task. Christopher Wright also writes about this The national church must have a seat at the table in
reality in his book The Mission of God, “From
the hermeneutical community. They alone have the emic
a situation at the beginning of the twentieth
perspective that is essential for a proper contextualization
century when approximately 90 percent of
of the gospel. However, until nationals are biblically and
all the world’s Christians lived in the West or
theologically trained, missionaries must provide the proper
North (i.e., predominantly Europe and North
parameters in the grammatico-historical interpretation process
America), the beginning of the twenty-first
as well as critical contextualization. The reality is that many
century finds at least 75 percent of the world’s
mission agencies have left the table.
Christians in the continents of the South and East—Latin America, Africa and parts of Asia
GLOBAL NEEDS
and the Pacific.”5
An alarming reality in global Christianity today coincides
This trend is a new phenomenon because
with the abandonment of thorough theological preparation
for the first time in centuries there are more
of the churches we have reached. Without understanding this
Christians in other parts of the world than
sobering new reality, some may be tempted to simply shake
there are in Europe and North America. The
their heads and feel pity for these benighted brothers teaching
Western church now sits in the shadow of the
heresy in other lands. The reality is that there are now many
Southern Church, the massive younger big
more Christians in what is called the Southern Church than in
brother in global Christianity. Of course, this
the traditional sending countries.
fantastic growth rate is not the alarming reality.
The Southern Church refers to Africa, Asia, and the nations
We give praise for this answer to our prayers
south of the Rio Grande in the Americas. The church is growing
and missionary efforts. The alarming aspect is
exponentially in these countries. They not only outnumber
that there has been a concomitant growth of
those from the United States of America in numbers of
aberrant doctrine and bizarre practice in the
Christians and churches, they send more missionaries than the
Southern Church.
United States and Western Europe combined. Sadly, their lack
In an article in The Economist magazine,
of theological education, pastoral preparation, and leadership
Harvard professor Harvey Cox points out the
training is reflected in the aberrant forms of Christianity found
reasons why syncretistic Pentecostalism has
in their lands.
grown so quickly around the world. He says,
Philip Jenkins has noted this phenomenon of growth in
“One is the fact that it reconnects people
the Southern Church in his book The Next Christendom: The
with primitive religion: it taps into a deep
Coming of Global Christianity. He writes,
substratum of primal spirituality, filling the
‘ecstasy deficit’ left by cooler religions. The
to be that which works; pragmatism rules in the absence of
movement’s emphasis on experience rather
propositional truth. We will have to say in that day that we did
than doctrine gives it a remarkable ability to
not lose our voice; we willingly yielded it. If trends continue,
absorb other faiths, from spirit possession in
we will one day shout truth in order to rebuke, reprove, exhort,
the Caribbean to ancestor worship in Africa,
instruct, and correct, only to be considered irrelevant and not
from folk healing in Brazil to shamanism in
be heard.
Korea. As the Pentecostals say, ‘the man with an experience is never at the mercy of
CONCLUSION
the man with a doctrine.’ The other is that
The Great Commission is not just about witnessing or church
Pentecostalism offers a ‘third way’ between
planting. Jesus said to make disciples of the ethnic groups of
scientific rationalism and traditional religion.”6
the world, and to do so by teaching them to observe all that
Failure to understand existing folk religions
He commanded us. We must not relegate pastoral training,
and the cultural nuances of world religions in
theological education, and biblical teaching to a level of less
their various contexts has resulted in startling
important missions activity when they are a primary and
degrees of syncretism in many
places.7
necessary means for the fulfilling of the Great Commission.
Nature abhors a vacuum, and human beings
Right now, people all over the world are begging for help.
do not like the tension of questions with no
They want teaching, Bible training, theological education, and
answers. When a people embrace Christianity
pastoral preparation in Nigeria, Ecuador, Peru, and, of course,
and begin to explore its implications, they
in many other countries. Right now, we still have a voice. May
must have biblical answers. In the absence
it ring out for the glory of God and the advance of the gospel.
of biblical answers, the answers to questions such as, “Why did my daughter die?” or, “How can I ensure crop success?” will be answered with the former traditional religions. If we are not training national believers to
FOOTNOTES 1. So the question arises, “Is our understanding of a people group even correct, i.e., is it God’s understanding of a people group (ethne)?”
believe biblically sound Christian doctrine and
2. World Council of Churches, “Nigerian Baptist
to interpret the Word of God correctly, the
Convention,” http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-
day will soon come when those who represent
churches/regions/africa/nigeria/nigerian-baptist-
Christ in this world will be preaching a gospel
convention.html.
that Jesus never gave. When people wonder what Christianity is about, they will look to a
3. C. F. Eaglesfield, Listen to the Drums (Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1950), 3.
“typical” Christian. The person they look to
4. Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom: The Coming
will not be a Christian in a Western evangelical
of Global Christianity (Oxford: Oxford University Press,
church preaching a gospel that orthodox,
2002), 2.
biblical Christianity will recognize. Doctrinally
5. Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God:
sound New Testament Christianity is shrinking
Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative (Downers Grove,
in size and influence.
IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 38.
Mission agencies have withheld human and financial resources for theological education
6. Harvey Cox, “Christianity Reborn,” The Economist, December 23, 2006, 49.
in order to speed the work of exponential
7. Paul G. Hiebert has addressed this point repeatedly
church growth among the nationals and to
in his writing through the years, but most specifically
avoid all forms of dependency. Those who
with Shaw and Tiénou in Understanding Folk Religion.
sense the fallacy in such a methodology
(Heibert, Shaw, and Tiénou 1999).
sometimes shrug and turn back to their books while confidently reminding themselves that
Taken from Reaching and Teaching © 2010 by David
at least Western Christians have the truth. The
Sills. Used with permission of Moody Publishers.
day is rapidly approaching when few beyond our theologically sound Western seminaries and churches will care. Global Christianity is growing in such a way that truth is considered
MERCY MINUTE
GENEROSITY IS A MEASURE OF OUR EXPERIENCE OF GOD’S GRACE BY: MARK SUMMERS
E
xperiencing the gospel of grace results in
forgetting or perhaps have never encountered Christ’s mercy
generosity on the part of a believer – the
in my life.
greater our encounter with the grace of Jesus Christ, the more generous we will be.
True generosity is not a response to a command to be generous. Obedience to such a command that is motivated
This experience happens as we worship God
by anything other than our growing knowledge of Christ’s
through scripture reading, prayer and meditation until the
generosity toward us will only lead to eventual resentment of
words actually leave the pages of the Bible and come alive in
others as the result of them either wanting what we have, or
us, taking root in our souls and changing who we are. The more
us wanting what they have. Rather, true generosity can only be
we encounter the God of the universe through true worship,
a response to the generosity we have received in the form of
the more we grow in knowledge of our total sinfulness and
Christ’s grace toward us.
depravity. We see that human righteousness is nothing but
Worship the Lord in such a way that enables you to see
“filthy rags” with no eternal value in God’s economy, because
yourself in the hopeless depths of the teeming poverty of
it originates in humanity, which is born in sin. This results in
righteousness of mankind, and see Christ responding by lifting
a growing sense of our desperate need for the complete and
you out and transporting you to the unmeasurable riches of His
total rescue He offers us in Christ.
kingdom. Your response will be overflowing generosity. //RBC
When we see the infinite generosity of Jesus toward us – having left the perfect love and safety of His Father’s side in the exquisite, infinite beauty of heaven in order to enter a world of vicious, teeth-gnashing hatred toward Him with the full knowledge He would be tortured and killed in the pursuit of a cosmic rescue mission, with us as the objects of that rescue, before which we are screaming “crucify Him!” – when we see Him for who He truly is and ourselves for who we truly are – we are moved to spontaneous generosity in gratitude for what He has done for us. As Tim Keller puts it, “the deeper the experience of the free grace of God, the more generous we must become.”1 Our attitude about and extent of generosity toward the poor speaks volumes about whether and how much we are daily encountering Jesus and experiencing His grace toward us in the gospel. If I resent the poor and their claim on the resources God has given me, I am not understanding my need for and His abundant supply of unconditional mercy toward me in Christ. If I am grudging and ungenerous in my mercy giving, I am either
16
MOMENTUM // MARCH 2014
Footnote: 1 Timothy J. Keller, Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road (Second Edition, 1997), 63
A Life Cycle of Discipleship
NEW MEMBERS
WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!
Women’s Overnight Retreat April 11 & 12 | $ 95.00 (includes meals and a room) Registration is open now through March 24th, sign up here: goo.gl/gNkiqz OR use the QR Code below. Questions, contact Carol Burr at 320-583-0761 or carolburr1081@gmail.com.
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM // LEFT TO RIGHT
HOLLY BORGHEIINCK NATHAN & CRYSTAL KINKEAD LINCOLN BOVEE BRETT SHAROCKMAN NICK LARSON JESSE & SUSIE NELSON OSCAR & CATHI HUERTA
FIVE POINTS OF PRAYER FOR OUR VISION
• Attend a weekly prayer meeting, Wednesday nights in the Fellowship Hall, 7 – 8:30 p.m. for a meaningful time of fellowship, worship and prayer, and ALSO on Sunday mornings in Room 104, 10:30 – 10:50 a.m. for focused prayer for the ministry of the word and worship during our Sunday services.
WEEK 1
• Subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter, “5 Points of Strategic Prayer”, which features prayer focuses for our vision, our city, our leaders, our ministries and our members.
WEEK 2
GET INVOLVED • Check this column for monthly prayer points relating to our vision.
Pray that ALL members (older and newer ones) be engaging in life at Redeemer – in discipling one another, attending community groups, serving wholeheartedly and giving outrageously.
WEEK 3
The Strategic Prayer Team is excited to help bring a fresh focus on corporate, intense, prevailing, kingdom-centered prayer. We are asking for the presence of God among us and for the fulfillment of our vision, “The Fruit of the Gospel for the Good of the World”. We hope you will join with us in committed prayer for a spiritual awakening in our body, our city and beyond.
Pray for wisdom as we consider delaying the launch of our church plant to 2015.
Pray for the Planning Team as they begin strategizing and planning for the 2014 – 2015 ministry year.
WEEK 4
PRAY FOR
Pray for God to raise up more Community Group leaders in our desire to meet our goal of 30 groups by September and 50 groups by January.
WWW.REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH.COM/SUBSCRIBE
STRATEGIC PRAYER FOCUS
I WILL PRAY FOR MY CHURCH LEADERS BY: THOM S. RAINER
I
t’s Thursday morning. Pastor Mike has a clear calendar, an aberration in his busy schedule. Actually, the calendar is not really clear. He has set aside time to finish his sermon for Sunday. His Bible is open. Study aids are nearby. He begins to study. Then the phone rings. His assistant tells him about a car accident involving a family in the church. The ambulances are already on the way to the hospital. Mike leaves all his study material on his desk and jumps into the car. On the way to the hospital, his assistant calls him again. The entire Godsey family of five were in the car. None are seriously hurt except Gary, the father and husband of the family. His condition is grave. Pastor Mike walks into the emergency room. The family has just been told that their husband and father did not make it. They see their pastor and run to him sobbing, in total shock. Mike is there for them. He stays with the entire family for three hours until he is certain enough people are around to care for them. He stops by his home to see his wife and grab a quick sandwich. It is now afternoon. He’s not sure if he can return to his sermon preparation, but he knows he must. He must fight the emotional exhaustion of the morning and finish the message. But as he walks back to the church, his assistant apologetically tells him that two people need to speak with him. They consider it urgent. Mike meets with the two men. One of them is the worship leader of the church. He is struggling with his ministry and is considering giving up. For two hours Mike listens, consoles, and attempts to encourage the staff member. The next visitor then catches Mike off guard. George is one of the key lay leaders in the church. Mike considers him a friend and an incredibly vital person in the overall leadership of the congregation. George struggles to speak: “My wife is having an affair…” There are no more words for five minutes. Just tears and sobs. Mike stays with George for over two hours. They pray together and talk about next steps. It’s nearly five o’clock in the afternoon. Mike is too drained to attempt to get back to his sermon. Instead he begins to look at his crowded e-mail inbox. He cringes when he sees one of the senders of an e-mail. But he cannot stop himself from opening the message. It’s from one of Mike’s most frequent critics in the church. She has two complaints. The first irritation was something he said in last Sunday’s sermon. The second complaint addressed Mike’s failure to visit her sister-in-law
who had minor outpatient surgery yesterday. The woman is not a member of the church. And Mike knew nothing about the surgery. Pastor Mike shuts the laptop cover and moves to his car slowly. He’ll stop by the house to grab a quick bite to eat. Then he needs to check on the Godsey family. He will stay with them for a while, but he must leave prior to 7:30, when he is to give the invocation for a local high school basketball game. Several people corner him at the game, so he doesn’t get home until after nine o’clock. He goes to his small study in his home, shuts the door, and begins to cry. Gary Godsey, the father and husband who was killed in the car accident, was Mike’s best friend. This was the first chance Mike had to grieve. PRAY FOR THE PASTOR AND OTHER CHURCH LEADERS All church leaders need prayer. I will usually say “pastor,” but that can mean minister or elder or director or whatever term you use. It may refer to the senior leader, or it could be about someone else on staff. The point is that we church members must pray for our church leaders. The previous story is true; all I did was change some names. Such is the life of a pastor. His day is filled with mountaintops and valleys. He is adulated by some and castigated by others. He needs our prayers. He certainly needs our prayers for his sermons. We should pray that God would give him the wisdom, insight, and words to preach. It is an incredible task to speak and preach the Word of God every week again and again. There are those who will be listening to the preacher, but they need to hear from God. Pray for his preaching. PRAY FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY One of the most convicting and challenging verse for pastors is I Timothy 3:5: “If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?” I have heard countless pastors worry about and struggle over their families. They worry that they neglect their families because of the demands of the church. They worry about their families living in a glass house. They anguish when critics direct barbs at family members. You get the picture. We are church members. We must be the prayer intercessors for pastors and their families. Few families face the kinds of pressures and expectations as the families of pastors. Pray for the pastor’s family. MARCH 2014 \\ MOMENTUM 19
I NEED PRAYER...BADLY!
BY: R W GLENN
Several years ago I developed a list of prayer requests that I gave to every willing hand. Recently I decided to resurrect them. Why? I need prayer...badly! As leaders in the church we have unique and often more intense temptations (“Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter”). So will you consider praying for your pastor? Here are the requests on my list:
1
That the gospel would be the focal point of my life and identity - not manhood, not being a husband, not being a father, not being a pastor, but who I am in Christ.
2
That I would not fear man by desiring the admiration of people; that the Lord’s “Well done” would be ever before my eyes.
3
That the Lord would not allow me to go long between repentances; that I would keep short accounts with him and be sensitive to and ruthless with my sin.
4
That I would continue to grow in the character qualities of the man of God (1 Tim 3:1-7; 2 Tim 2:22-26; Titus 1:5-9).
5
That I would have a consistent, powerful, diligent life of private prayer; that I would grow in my dependence on the Holy Spirit. That the Lord would give me great diligence in study
6 and sermon preparation, making the most of my time. 7
That my preaching and teaching ministry would be empowered by the Holy Spirit; that the Lord would effect real change in our lives through it; and that by it we would be more endeared to Christ. That I would boldly and faithfully and humbly and
8 joyfully and intentionally share the gospel with the non-Christians in my social orbit. That I would see Jesus as supremely valuable, my
9 greatest treasure, and as my dear friend.
PRAY FOR HIS PROTECTION Read these words from the Bible about the qualifications of the pastor (overseer). These words are not exhaustive. There are other passages regarding his qualifications. From I Timothy 3:2-4: “An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher, not addicted to wine, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy—one who manages his own household competently, having his children under control with all dignity.” Whew. Just to get past “the above reproach” part is an accomplishment! The word reproach means “to find fault.” So to 20 MOMENTUM // MARCH 2014
be “above reproach” means to be above finding fault. While the pastor is certainly not expected to be perfect, he is to have a reputation above most everyone else. When people in the community speak or think about the pastor, the thoughts and words should be positive and encouraging. That’s quite an expectation to hold. On top of that, the pastor must maintain good self-control. He must be sensible, respectable, and hospitable. He must be a good teacher. He must be gentle and not argumentative. He must not be greedy. And, to add just a little more pressure, his family must reflect a healthy, Christian family. Do you see why we church members must pray for the pastor’s protection? In that list of the qualifications of a pastor in I Timothy 3, the seventh verse puts it all into perspective: “Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the devil’s trap.” The “outsiders” in that verse refers to the unbelievers who are not a part of the church. In that context the verse mentions “the devil’s trap.” Let’s not move past those words too quickly. “The devil” is obvious. He is the literal chief among all demons. He is real. He is powerful. But, in a rare use of the word, the verse speaks of the devil’s “trap.” If we understand the full implications of that word, we wouldn’t hesitate to pray for our pastor’s protection. A trap is something that is set intentionally, It means that the devil has devised a plan to bring the pastor down. He has set a trap. It means that the devil sees the pastor as a threat, and one of his highest priorities is to take him down and take him out. And the text is clear. The nature of this trap will be temptation where the pastor’s reputation will be harmed. We should not be surprised, then, when we hear about a pastor’s moral failure. We are grieved and heartbroken, but not surprised. The devil is setting traps for pastors—anything he can do to bring harm to the pastor’s reputation. He will stop at nothing—greed, adultery, anger, addiction—to catch the pastor in his trap. The devil is powerful. But God is so much more powerful. And God, in ways we don’t always understand fully, works through the prayers of believers. We are church members. We will pray for the protection of our pastor and other church leaders. We will do all we can through prayer to keep our pastor out of the devil’s trap. PRAY FOR HIS PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH Serving and leading a church well expends all of a pastor’s energy. He is on call every day and every hour. Because the demands are so great on him, the pastor often neglects his own health and well-being. While no one is invulnerable to sickness and accidents, we can pray for the protection of our pastor’s health. We should also pray for our pastor’s mental health. In this regard I’m not referring to the opposite of mental sickness as I am to wisdom. The pastor has to make dozens of decisions each week that require discernment and wisdom. He needs wisdom to know what to preach and teach and how to present God’s Word. He needs wisdom dealing with us church members each week so he can best discern how to respond to the plethora of demands upon him. We who are church members should pray for the health of our pastor. He will feel stress and pressure every day. We can pray that he will experience the peace that only God can give. Used by permission. Text taken from I Am A Church Member by Thom S. Rainer © 2013 B&H Publishing Group.
KIDS CORNER // JOSHUA 24:15 Instructions: Review some of the “road stops� the Israelites made on their way to the promised land. Locate the Scripture on each flag to answer the questions.
Who heard the cry of the Israelites? ________________
What led the Israelites out of Egypt? ______________ ______________
2OGHU .LGV /HDGHU *XLGH 8QLW 6HVVLRQ &RS\ULJKW
How many years did the Israelites spend in the wilderness? ________________
How long were the Israelites oppressed? ______________
The land was given to whose ospring? ______________
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DOWNLOAD THE GOSPEL PROJECT APP FOR KIDS ON APPLE OR ANDROID. The Gospel Project for Kids Family App enables parents to reinforce each week’s Bible story at home. Each quarter, the app provides a unit introduction and a five-day calendar filled with simple family activities and links to Bible story and discussion starter videos, key passage songs, and fun games. If kids are sick or traveling, parents can use the app at home so their kids won’t miss a thing! DOWNLOAD IN iTUNES OR GOOGLE PLAY STORES.
Joshua
Who wanted to enter the promised land? ______________ ______________
LIFE ON LIFE DISCIPLESHIP
EMBARRASSING? BY: KATIE CAMPBELL
T
his is going to be awkward and maybe embarrassing,” I was thinking as I went into my first discipleship meeting a few years ago. I felt nervous to have someone digging into my life (not to mention that I turn red easily). “What if she is disappointed that I’m not as wise and ‘Christian’ as she thought I was?” But
I wanted to grow in my faith and I felt strongly that in order to do so I needed to be known by others. It’s harder to keep up a facade when others know you, when they are aware of your sin struggles and all the mess you try to keep under wraps. And then, when by God’s grace they love you anyway, you get a teeny picture of the undeserved, unearned love the Father lavishes on you. At the time, I was approaching my fourth c-section and I had immense anxieties. My discipler listened and comforted and then applied the gospel to where I wasn’t believing it. She shared truths about God’s sovereignty over my life and my baby’s life, His perfect love, yes the GOD of the UNIVERSE’S immense love for me and for my baby! The truth is so satisfying, and when we are in relationship with others we have the opportunity to speak that truth into each others’ lives where we need to hear it most.
.//RBC
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE DISCIPLED WOMEN CONTACT TAMMY HOYT // TAMMY@REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH.COM MEN CONTACT MARK SUCHTA // MARKSUCHTA@YAHOO.COM
22
MOMENTUM // MARCH 2014
GOSPEL LIFE BLOG
OTHER GREAT BLOG POSTS FOUND AT: REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH.COM/RESOURCES/BLOG Making Sense of the Chaos // Gayle Glenn
THE ABILITY TO NOT
The Pressure is Off // Gabe Zepeda Silent Demands // Kim Suchta
BY: PASTOR PAUL BURR
I
was born with a severe cleft palate that has resulted in difficulties with speech articulation. My reconstructed mouth does not have a uvula, that little thingy that hangs down in the back of your throat. Without a uvula, I do not have
the ability to prevent airflow through my nose while speaking. This spring I started working with a Prosthodontist to obtain a prosthesis that would inhibit the airflow going through my nose and give me clearer speech. I was thinking about this as a metaphor for how sin works in our lives. Before Jesus saved me and brought me to Himself, I did not have the ability to not sin. I know this sounds like a double negative. Before Christ, I could not help sinning, just like I could not restrict the air going through my nose during speech. I did not have the ability. But now that I am in Christ, I have the ability not to sin. Oh, I still sin because of my fallen nature, but now I have the power in Christ to say no to sin. Now with my prosthesis, I have the ability to restrict the airflow through my nose during speech. But just because I have the ability, doesn’t mean it happens
TO KNOW GOD
BY: PASTOR MARK SUCHTA
automatically. I am undergoing speech therapy to learn how to use this ability more often and to train my mouth to unlearn all my bad habits of speech to which I have adapted over the years. So it goes with sin. I have the ability to not sin, but I need to be diligent to practice holiness. The theological term is sanctification. This is the process by which God is making us holy in Christ. Now that we have the ability not to sin, we have to exercise that muscle so that we do not sin.
I
recently read of a man/scholar who had effectively
forfeited
his
prospects
for
academic advancement by clashing with church dignitaries over the gospel of grace. “It doesn’t matter,” he said at length, “for
I have known God and they haven’t.” After I read that, I put
I am so blessed to have this prosthesis to give me the ability
the book down and started thinking of the profundity of that
to speak clearer. I am even more excited that God has given me
statement. This man was completely ok with losing a future
in Christ the ability to live as Christ and is transforming me daily
career because he had something better. He knew Christ, and
into his image.
because he did, everything else was to be counted as a loss.
//RBC
That is a stunning truth when you think about it and I think we all should. To have something very good taken from us and be able to say with confident, humble joy, “It’s ok, I know God,” is remarkable. “It’s ok that my spouse just let me down. I know God.” “It’s ok that my finances are not doing well. I know God.” “It’s ok that I am in a season of depression and loneliness...I know I have a friend in Jesus. I know God.” Spirit convince us of this truth, that all is well because we know God through the perfect work of Jesus Christ. Let that change the way we view our circumstances in this broken world. //RBC
MARCH 2014 \\ MOMENTUM 23
HERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO
Want to learn more about all our ministry opportunities at RBC?
GET INVOLVED ART DEPARTMENT JOB TITLE
COPY WRITERS & EDITORS* 3 PEOPLE NEEDED DESCRIPTION: Write or edit copy for Redeemer’s website, printed materials, flyers and Momentum. RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Source and write copy for various printed and digital needs. 2. Generate headlines and short paragraphs for flyers. 3. Write or edit blog posts for the church website. HOURS PER WEEK: flexible
BUILDINGS & GROUNDS JOB TITLE
LEADERSHIP TEAM 2-3 PEOPLE DESCRIPTION: These people would hopefully have experience in building, landscaping or property maintenance and/or management. RESPONSIBILITIES: To help contribute ideas to the team and also to take on the responsibility of organizing one event per year. HOURS PER WEEK: Minimal
CHURCH LIFE JOB TITLE
COMMUNION SET-UP 2 PEOPLE NEEDED DESCRIPTION: prepare and fill all communion trays for Sunday morning services and for Communion Service Sunday nights when needed. HOURS PER WEEK: Once every other month
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY JOB TITLE
SUNDAY SCHOOL SHEPHERD DESCRIPTION: Assist lead teacher as needed. RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Be prepared to help lead teacher with lesson material. 2. Assist in class control. 24
MOMENTUM // MARCH 2014
3. Assist with crafts and lead small groups. 4. Pray for the children and their families. 5. Attends relevant trainings 2 or more times per year. HOURS PER WEEK: varies JOB TITLE
SUNDAY SCHOOL CHECK-IN/OUT 3 PEOPLE NEEDED DESCRIPTION: Responsible for checking in children for Sunday School. RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Be prompt to make sure check in sheets and name tags are in place. 2. Cheerfully assist children and parents with check-in process, assuring safety. 3. Receive visitors and direct them to resources and information about the Children’s Ministry. 4. Stay for 15 minutes into service, and 5 minutes before worship ends, assisting shepherds in 4-5’s and 1-3 grade rooms to check children out. HOURS PER WEEK: varies JOB TITLE
NURSERY CHILD CAREGIVER 10 PEOPLE NEEDED DESCRIPTION: Provide loving care and prayer to our children during Worship Services RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Interact with children in a loving manner. 2. Pray for children. 3. Find a replacement if unable to complete scheduled Sunday. HOURS PER WEEK: +/- 2 hours
KITCHEN MINISTRY JOB TITLE
KITCHEN MINISTRY TEAM 7 PEOPLE NEEDED DESCRIPTION: Serve in set-up and clean-up for the Sunday morning donut fellowship time and for the Sunday evening Lord’s Table fellowship dinners/ desserts. RESPONSIBILITIES: Serve two Sunday mornings per month and one Sunday evening, every-other month; possibly serve during RBC special events as well. HOURS PER WEEK: 4 hours per month
CONTACT SARA SEELAND P // 952.935.2425 E // Sara@RedeemerBibleChurch.com
WOMEN’S MINISTRY JOB TITLE
MINISTRY RETREAT VOLUNTEERS 15 PEOPLE NEEDED DESCRIPTION: Volunteers to help coordinate the annual retreat and aid in specific areas as they arise. HOURS PER WEEK: Varies
WORSHIP MINISTRY JOB TITLE
SONG TEAM MEMBERS 3 PEOPLE NEEDED
DESCRIPTION: Musician (electric guitar player, bass player) or vocalist. RESPONSIBILITIES: Lead worship in singing or playing your instrument with the song team at least one Sunday (two services) a month. HOURS PER WEEK: 1 hour Wednesday night rehearsal (8:309:30 p.m.) and 8:00 a.m. Sunday morning run through before playing at the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services, 5 hours/month (plus personal practice time) CONTACT: Emily Boyer at info@redeemerbiblechurch. com or 952-935-2425.
MISC JOB TITLE
SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR 15 PEOPLE NEEDED DESCRIPTION: Assist RBC members with planning of one-time events, such as anniversaries, wedding receptions, graduations, etc. at Redeemer. RESPONSIBILITIES: Do walk through of the facility, answer questions about setup options, help the day of the event, if needed. Work with any other pertinent church departments for event success. HOURS PER WEEK: Varies; several onetime events a year.
(*) = MUST BE A MEMBER TO APPLY.
Christian education that engages your mind, challenges your heart, and transforms the way you live.
RBC Distinctives Class March 17th // Register by March 16th Mon: 7:00 – 10:00 PM RM 102, Ministries Building Local churches in a community are like the individual members of the body of Christ – full of wonderful diversity. This means that each church has its own set of distinctives. This course presents an overview of Redeemer’s vision, values, doctrine, mission, plan, and structure along with help for getting involved in the ministries of RBC.
The Ministry of Mercy Weekend Seminar
April 25th – 26th //
Register by April 23rd
Fri: 7:00 – 9:00 PM Sat: 9:00 AM -12:00 PM Fellowship Hall, Main Building Every individual Christian and every local church is called to be engaged in the ministry of mercy, the essential gospel work of meeting people’s needs through deeds, with special emphasis on the poor, the orphan, the widow and the refugee. This course establishes the principles and practices for a gospel-centered approach to social justice.
Sign up today! Email: lsummers@redeemerbiblechurch.com.
FINANCE REPORT:
WHAT IS THE EXPANDING OUR GOSPEL VISION PROGRAM? BY: PASTOR PAUL BURR
I
JANUARY 2014 - YTD
cannot believe that it has been three years since we first kicked off our Expanding Our Gospel
BY THE NUMBERS
Vision program to raise funds for the new building. The Lord has
been so faithful to provide over 90% of the monies committed to date. The gentleman who consulted
GENERAL GIVING FUND
with us on this program did not think we could get commitments of $2,179,000, but we did. He also quoted statistics that most churches only receive 80 to 90% of funds committed; we have passed the 90% mark.
OPERATING EXPENSES | $ 450,766 GIVING | $ 385,326 FORECAST | $ 437,426
BASE FORECAST
My desire is that we as a church would bring
EXPENSES
in 100% or more of what we committed – that is
GIVING
what I pray for and long for. We certainly have the need since we had some unexpected costs during construction. So as you look around the building today or think about how God has used the facility in the past year, ask God to show you what gospel generosity looks like as we finish our Expanding Our Gospel Vision program this June. And if you are new
EXPANDING OUR GOSPEL VISION
here, in part because of the building, perhaps you can find a way to say thank you to such a loving heavenly Father for what he has given us.
.//RBC
EXTRA COMMITMENTS | $ 41,427 // 1.9 % AWAITING | $ 207,436 // 9.5 % RECEIVED | $ 1,971,564 // 90.5 %
9.5 %
90.5 %
26
MOMENTUM // MARCH 2014
SUN
MARCH 2 GATHERED WORSHIP | 9 & 11 AM REDEMPTION | Youth SS 9 AM NEWCOMERS LUNCH 1:00 - 2:30 PM | Glenn’s Home
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
THE LORD’S TABLE | 6:00 PM
9 GATHERED WORSHIP | 9 & 11 AM REDEMPTION | Youth SS 9 AM
16 GATHERED WORSHIP | 9 & 11 AM (Including the Lord’s Table) REDEMPTION | Youth SS 9 AM
23 GATHERED WORSHIP | 9 & 11 AM REDEMPTION | Youth SS 9 AM
30 GATHERED WORSHIP | 9 & 11 AM REDEMPTION | Youth SS 9 AM
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
11
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
4
19
GATHERED PRAYER & REDEMPTION | 7 PM
12
GATHERED PRAYER & REDEMPTION | 7 PM MUSIC MAKERS | 7 - 8:30 PM
5
WOMEN’S THIRD THURSDAY 7 PM - 8:30 PM
20
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 7 PM - 8:30 PM
13
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 7 PM - 8:30 PM
6
THU
18
GATHERED PRAYER & REDEMPTION | 7 PM MUSIC MAKERS | 7 - 8:30 PM
27
WED
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
26
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 7 PM - 8:30 PM
TUE
25
GATHERED PRAYER & REDEMPTION | 7 PM
3
MON
17
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
2
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 7 PM - 8:30 PM
3
RBC DISTINCTIVES 7 PM - 10 PM
1
GATHERED PRAYER & REDEMPTION | 7 PM
31
10
24
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDY 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
21
14
7
29
22
15
8
SAT
DATES TO REMEMBER
28
5
FRI
4
RBC Distinctives Local churches in a community are like the individual members of the body of Christ – full of wonderful diversity. This means that each church has its own set of distinctives. This course presents an overview of Redeemer’s vision, values, doctrine, mission, plan, and structure along with help for getting involved in the ministries of RBC.
FEATURED EVENTS Wednesday MAR 5TH & 19TH
Monday MARCH 17TH
Tues. & Thurs. MARCH
Sunday APRIL 6TH
KIDS CHOIR
RBC DISTINCTIVES
WOMEN’S BOOK STUDIES
NEWCOMERS LUNCH
4-7 YRS AT 7 -7:45 PM; 8-12
7-10 PM | RM 102, Ministries
Tuesday mornings (9:30-
1 - 2:30 PM |
YRS AT 7:45 - 8:30PM |
Building // Just as a church
11 a.m.) and Thursdays
If you would like to attend
Imagine equipping a young
member is their own
evenings (7-8:30 p.m.) in
the next Newcomer’s Lunch,
generation of Redeemer
individual with a specific
February | Fellowship Hall
please RSVP to Laurie
children to use music for the
personality, quirks, talents
Please join us for our
Summers at lsummers@
glory of God… to pass on
and goals, so does a
weekly women’s book
redeemerbiblechurch.com or
the gospel through music…
church have its own set of
study. Our plan is to work
952.935.2425.
and to creatively instill in
distinctives. Please join us for
through Gospel Identity,
them an appreciation and
a one-session seminar where
a discipleship curriculum,
love for music. In RBC’s kids’
Pastor Bob will present
and break out into the
choir, your children will learn
an up close and personal
same groups each week.
listening and singing skills
overview of Redeemer’s
Contact: Debbie Hansen at
through hymns and spiritual
vision, values, doctrine,
djhansen50@comcast.net.
songs with text that helps
mission, plan, and structure,
them grow spiritually. There
complete with assistance
is no cost and all children
for getting involved at RBC.
are welcome. Please join
Registration is open until
us! Contact Wendy Pace at
March 10. Contact Laurie
Wendypace@gmail.com
Summers at lsummers@
SIGN UP TODAY!
A:: 16205 HIGHWAY 7 | MINNETONKA, MINNESOTA 55345 P:: 952.935.2425 E:: INFO@REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH.COM W:: REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH.COM