DOING CHRISTIANITY - Part 4

Your Ministry to the CHURCH

I’ve gone through a few areas of doing Christianity in the past few post. First, we are all uniquely created to do Christianity, it is not only a self focused faith and last post, I mentioned that we are called to minister at HOME. (click here for parts 1-3)

Today I want to talk about another calling that we all have as Christ followers. I believe that we must do Christianity at Church. If you are going to church on Sundays and you are only sitting in the pew or chair you really are missing the point. Church wasn’t created just so that you can learn from someone else. Your Church is a place where you can connect in fellowship with other believers, learn from other believers, teach other believers, and serve other believers – give of yourself for to bless others. It is a place where you are supposed to use your unique gifts that God gave you for the betterment of the Church body. What are you good at? How can you use that to build up the church that you attend? We all know churches that have “Sunday Sitters” – People that have a Sunday self-focused faith. (Isn’t that called religion?) More than ever, we need Christ followers making an impact in their Church – serving in the youth group, children’s department, cleaning tables and bathrooms, and for the people who have it, Givers who can drop more cash than the tithe to help fund the ministry. Where do you fit in the ministry of the Church. Why did God bring you to the church that you are sitting in – it’s not just to listen to a speaker and music. You will experience God far more when serving, giving, and ministering with joy at your church.

My Point: God has placed you in your church to serve and minister – how are you using the unique gifts God gave you to bless the church you attend?

I want to give a quick applaud to all those who went to Mexico from Clarksburg Community Church for the Short Term Missions trip. I am sure you received far more than you were able to give – that’s how it usually works. Good job to those of you who planned and prepared it – I’m sure you didn’t make Dennis do all the work.

I would love to hear some personal reports of your trip for those of you who went.

Doing Christianity - Part 3

You're the minister - at HOME

I have been posting a series of thoughts about Doing Christianity. In Part 1, I wrote that if you consider yourself a Christ follower, that we must make an impact on the world around us, not just on ourselves (don’t turn your faith into a self-help Christianity). In Part 2, my point was that we are all uniquely created to be a part of Gods plan to impact the world. I finished the post with the question, “What are you supposed to be doing to fulfill the purpose that God created you for?”

Today, I want to talk about the first place we are called to make an impact. As Christ followers, I believe we are all ministers, starting with our HOME. What if you started looking at your home, family (yes, the in-laws count as family) and neighbors as a ministry field? When I talk about doing Christianity in this realm, I am not saying that you increase the length of your dinner prayers at Christmas, or preaching fire and brimstone over thanksgiving turkey. What I am saying is that I think we should be living your life with a view that HOME is a mission field and the way we handle those relationships will or will not glorify God. God has a serious plan and purpose for us in the realm of Home. Are we fulfilling that purpose?

My Point: God created us specifically to be ministers and impact the world around us. The first place we are ministers is at HOME.

For wiser words from wiser people check out these links:

Irish Calvinist on Husbands

Mark Batterson on Fathers

Doing Christianity- Part 2

Uniquely Created - Part of Gods Plan

I am sharing some thoughts that seem a little basic but I feel I need to share them. Last entry I talked about a self focused faith that seems to be cultivated instead of an outward focus – serving others and impacting the people around us. Come on, am I the only one here that struggles with this? I have to remind myself often – I am here for a reason bigger than my own comfortable “Self Help” Christianity.

The next point I want to make quickly is that once we realize the call that God has put on all out lives, we realize that the mission field is all around us and God created US to impact that mission field. Wow, are you humbled by that? Really, God uses us – we are messed up people, but God uses us. That amazes me. Moving on… Add this to the craziness. God didn’t just choose to use us – despite our messed up state – but before we existed, He created us to be a part of His plan, to be used by us! Keep tracking with me, we realize that God created us uniquely to implement his plan where He places us. What does that mean? God created some people to specifically live in the suburbs and Do Christianity there. God created some others to live in a small town, on a specific street, or working with a specific person, as part of his plan. Still others, he creates to be specifically in ministry. Really, that is an exception to the fact that we are all created as ministers. With that in mind read Psalm 139. Remember that verse from there that says, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made…my frame was not hidden from you…” Read the whole psalm in its context (here) – it rocks.

So, my point: we are all created to be a part of Gods plan to impact the world – to Do Christianity, and we are created uniquely to fulfill that purpose.

What are you supposed to be doing and how where you uniquely created to minister there?

I found a recent post on meremission.org on this topic, check it out.

DOING CHRISTIANITY – Part 1

I want to start a series of posts that will pertain to something I have been thinking about for a while now. Maybe I will jump in with the big dogs and write a book someday – maybe not. For some readers these posts will be something you’ve heard before and honestly don't need to hear it, for others, it will be something that needs to be heard and applied, and for those of you who are just like me, I need to remind myself evey day about it. A lot of these thoughts have been encouraged/inspired by a few books and blogs I have been reading, namely CHAZOWN by Craig Groeschel and Maximum Impact Short Term Mission by Peterson, Aeschliman and Sneed.


I want to start a discussion about “Doing Christianity.” I know a lot of people are, but seriously, I think we get into those forgetfull slumps, at least I do. My frustration is that often we start looking at Christianity similar to a “self-help” book. We try to look for ways to improve ourselves, and ourselves only. Hear me on this, we must keep improving, investing, and growing spiritually but as we mature, (especially so) we must show fruit of our faith in God, by impacting the lives of others. I think often we look at our increased discipline or integrity and say, “here is the fruit of my faith.” Yes, that is fruit, but not the fruit that defines the impact you are making on the world God has placed you in. The fruit I am talking about is that which, because of your increased discipline, people at work ask you why you don’t cut corners like everyone else. Or students in class wonder why you won’t let them look at your answers during a test. This is the kind of fruit where, because of the personal fruitfullness that God has graced you in your life, you allow room for the Holy Spirit to provide avenues for you to share your faith. “Christ following” must impact the world around you. God created us to be a part f His plan to save the world. How do you fitting in that plan? This is a question I have to ask myself over and over, If I don't, I may start falling into the "self help" book christianity.