Archive for September, 2009
On Being Called Isaiah 42.
Posted by wall2build in English, Uncategorized on September 27, 2009
I remember being called by God since I was little. Epiphanies were common in my household and in those of my neighbors. That reality did not prevent me from becoming atheist; however, my rebellion against God did not prevent him from getting through to me. So finally, at the age of 17 I committed my life to the Lord in baptism.
I was however, not taken by the hand to the heart of Christ and to the understanding of his mission and the proper way to carry it out. My soul was deviated instead to the issues dear to that particular congregation: role of women in church, the organization of the New Testament church, baptism, the proper way to baptize people, the offering, and similar issues.
Soon after I got baptized and with very little preparation, I was installed as a preacher of that congregation. I found myself trapped in the motions and issues of that particular place. I still had the sense of call but I was not clear about the mission of God or the part I ought to play in carrying out that mission. Several years later, while in seminary, especially at Dr. Gresham’s Old Testament class that sense of call was reawaken more poignantly. It took however several years later, great mentors, and not few trials in ministry until I became acquainted with the mission of God and began to question my call in relationship with the carrying out of that mission.
As I read my Bible I see that the people of Israel went through the same process. They were called by God in Abraham when they were not yet a nation, to be a blessing to all the nations (Gen 12:1-3). Later when they were formed as a nation they were rescued from Egypt and called to be priests to all nations (Exodus 19:6) Years later, in times of the prophet Isaiah the call is confirmed (Isaiah 42:6) “I the Lord have called you and given you power to see that justice is done on earth. Through you I will make a covenant with all peoples; through you I will bring light to all nations.”
In Isaiah 42:1-13 the Lord is affirming the call as He wants to see that the nations become just and righteous, to rescue the prisoners, and to get out the ones sitting down on the dungeons of darkness. Israel is to be an example of holy living and is to teach the nations how to live by the light of the Lord. God is empowering his people; he is sending and going with his people, God is showing them where he is investing. Israel’s greatest assets are: the spirit of the Lord that he put on them and the fact that he is carrying them by the hand as they go along.
In Isaiah 42 we see not only affirmation of call. Here, the Lord is also visiting his people and assessing their understanding of Him and the part they are playing in the call. Isaiah 42:14-25 show us that the Lord knows well that his people are blind and deaf. They are blind leading the blind. They are not up to the task; he has to send them to captivity in order to purify them.
It is the same today with us, His church. But He is still calling us; God calls us, not because we are the best for the task, the more qualified, the strongest, or the more obedient. He calls us because he loves and wants us to have part in his work.
From my own experience I can tell you that the process of understanding God’s mission, his call and the part we play in carrying out that mission is long and arduous. Before we can see with clarity the part we play in God’s mission we have to be clean of idols. It was the same for Israel; they had to spend 40 years in the desert for God to get the idols of the Egyptians out of his people. Then they had to spend 70 years in Babylon in order for God to get the idols of the nations out of his people. So what about you? What is your story?
Posted by wall2build in English on September 27, 2009
On being call Jeremiah 1:4-19
Being call is not something we determine, it is something we discover. On being call it is as important to discover the purposes of God as it is to discover the involvement to which he is calling us. The attitude we have as we carry out the call is also important. In Jeremiah’s case, he carries out the call being passionate to the word and compassionate for people.
Obeying the call is not always pleasant but we are commanded to take the challenge and do it: “get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them” (v.17). The Lord is commanding Jeremiah to not be afraid because he had to speak to power, both political and religious. To speak to power is difficult in a culture which has the habit of mistreating people bringing bad news but it is equally difficult in a culture which is very patriotic and scorn what perceives as negative messages.
Jeremiah is called to tear down what existed which is very difficult to do for compassionate people like him. Being called to tear down present structures of injustice is part of the call and it is very difficult due to the fact that those who are called are normally compassionate people; however, they can be sustained during this process by having a compelling view of the future change that God is calling them to make.
The Lord does not guaranty that the task will be easy or that we won’t encounter hardship and discouragement, but the Lord does guaranty that his presence will be with those he calls. God will not send people being called by him to a place he is not going. In time of crisis one of the things that sustains us and gives us energy for the journey is the discovery that we have been called by God.
This word was delivered last week by Dr. Sam Vassel to a group of pastors at Crossroads Tabernacle in the Bronx. I took notes and put them together then asked Dr. Vassel for permission to publish them here. Dr. Vassel graciously accepted.
Body Language
Leaders often seek ways to empower others for a task but then find themselves frustrated when their followers appear to lack zeal for the cause. I can relate. I can’t recall how many times I’ve felt this same frustration, so I started reflecting on the disconnect experienced by so many leaders, teams, and organizations.
As leaders and facilitators of teams, we need to learn to stir the passions of those in our teams and communities. Too
often we plug someone into a program, but it doesn’t match the passions and zeal of the person that we put into that position. Ever committed this crime? I certainly have, but not on purpose. We think we know how someone fits and we plug them in. However, what if we instead attempt to identify what generates excitement among the people with whom we’re working and attempt to discover how their passions can compliment the overall vision?
Lately, I’ve been realizing that this can actually be a very simple process. In a phrase… body language. What makes them sit up in their seat? We can save a lot of guess work when we learn to read body language. When I’m talking with someone, I may be listening to someone in a relaxed posture or with a professional presentation, but when the conversation turns to something that really stirs my excitment, I sit up, learn forward, speak faster, lock eyes. After paying careful attention to others’ body language in team meetings, I picked up on the same pattern.
Next time you’re attempting to discover what motivates others, pay attention to body language. When you’re a team meeting, ask yourself: What makes them sit up in their seat? What gets their attention or generates excitement? As leaders, that’s where our overall vision and their greatest productivity meet. That intersection is where sparks fly and synergy becomes possible.
-Jared Looney (347-678-2977)
Mision de Dios Colosenses 1:28-29
Posted by wall2build in Español on September 21, 2009
Que tipo de conversion tuviste? esta es una pregunta que un veterano misionero hace a los nuevos convertidos con los que se encuentra. Esa pregunta es importante pues la conversion que tuvo al comienzo indica el tipo de ADN que tendra ese creyente por algunos anos y lo que habra que cambiar de ese creyente. Por ejemplo, la persona que comienza en una iglesia fundamentalista donde solo se predica sobre lo que las damas pueden y no pueden vestir produce creyentes y atrae personas que les gusta controlar la vida de otros y piensan que esa es la mision de Dios. Cambiar ese ADN sera muy dificil. Hay otros parecidos, no menos dificiles de cambiar.
Sin embargo Pablo en Colosenses 1:28-29 dice que el ocupa su tiempo y sus esfuerzos en “presentar a todo hombre perfecto en Cristo”. Pablo sabia que la mision de Dios nunca esta relacionada con nada impersonal: por ejemplo la doctrina, la iglesia (entendida en sentido impersonal, como organizacion religiosa), los mandamientos, sacramentos, el culto o el dogma. Pablo sabia que la mision de Dios siempre ha tenido que ver con facilitar la transformacion del corazon humano, su libertad, su dignidad, su sanidad integral, su bienestar, pero sobre todo el desarrollo de su caracter. En el sufrimiento de Cristo, no solo nos damos cuenta de lo mucho que Dios nos ama, sino que nos damos decuenta del llamado que Dios nos hace como iglesia. Este es un llamado a sufrir por otros a fin de completar en nosotros los sufrimientos de Cristo. Pablo quiere que la Iglesia de Cristo sea un Cristo sufriente, que ama en verdad, que acepta a toda persona y le imparte el amor de Diosy le facilita el desarrollo su decaracter y la participacion en la mision de Dios. Toda vez quenos comprometemos con lo que tiene que vercon la salvacion del ser humano, ahi tenemos el poder de Dios obrando en nosotros pues ahi Dios invierte. Toda vez que nos preocupamos por asuntos impersonales tales como aumentar la membresia de una iglesia, o tener el mayor numero deiglesias, o algo parecido, ahi nos podemos quemar en el intento pues Dios no esta en el negocio de la religion organizada.
Unrestrained Ministry
A few years ago I attended a one day workshop in Brooklyn for urban youth workers. I attended seminars on various topics addressing the challenges facing young adults in cities like New York. As the speakers told their stories, I felt a connection. Some of our experiences were similar, and we shared the same desire to see help for the poor, justice for the oppressed, and salvation for the broken. I loved their heart! I thought to myself, These are kindred spirits. They are motivated to see lives transformed and to make a difference in their city or neighborhood.
However, despite our shared affinity, I sensed a gap remained. The more I reflected on the experience, the more I began to feel a bit of disconnect. The speakers in these classes reflected on minimizing their involvement in church so that they could serve the poor or invest in urban youth. One man left full-time ministry in the church in order to do ministry. He turned in his clergy credentials in order to serve those most in need. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It didn’t add up.
Wanting to make a difference, they took ministry outside of the walls of the church. They turned to agencies that empowered them to serve. Finally, I realized that that was the fundamental difference between these kindred spirits and myself. In order to make an impact on the world around them, they began taking ministry outside of the walls of the church. And I realized that one of my fundamental concerns is to take the church outside of the walls of the church — so that ministry can occur the way we read about when we open up the book of Acts.
Since then, I’ve continued to reflect on the potential impact of the Body of Christ unrestrained. What if every neighborhood was a mission field, not because the community is outlined on a map in a mission agency strategy room, but because followers of Jesus live in that neighborhood? What if the church began gaining a self understanding as the priesthood of all believers in every aspect of our society? What if religion, arts, business, education, media, medicine, and various other fields were each and everyone understood to be in the domain of God’s Kingdom? In each of these areas ministers are doing their work as they seek the peace of the city. What if?
I’m sure that nothing would ever be the same again.
-Jared Looney (mobile: 347-678-2977)
On spending your energy Colossians 1:28-29
Posted by wall2build in English on September 19, 2009
Where are you spending your energy? How is it working for you? I remember i wasted 10 precious years of my life and ministry debating useless isues that were dear to my church. Then i satarted seminary. I spend all my time there trying to learn the language and studying for my class asigments. Then at college and grad school i spend my time mostly writting papers. Right after i graduated it was mostly preparing sermons. I still like to do some of the above (all habits die hard!) but i can live without doing any of it. I have a passion to see people developed, healed, whole, exited, moving foward, but above all people loving Christ and being shaped by His love.
What about you? You might be spending yourself and your preciuos time and resources in important causes but not in what is truly essential. Paul put it this way in Colossians 1:28-29 “Him we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ. For this i toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me.” Paul, as a good disciple of Christ knew that he was in the business of developing people. He was eager to suffer, go hungry, be persecuted, and even to die if it was necesary as long as people move on in the assemble line of Christlikeness. Paul knew something else; that not matter how hard he work at it he will have the energy necessary to continue in that work because the Lord himself invest in that very cause. If you are feeling tired, on the verge of burnout, tempting to call it quits, it maybe that the Lord is not investing in the cause you are fighting for.
Ephesians 5:1-2 an old new challenge
Posted by wall2build in English on September 17, 2009
In the last 6 months i have been visiting several churches in the New York area.
As i see it, most of this churches are concerned with self preservation. They seem to asume: we are in the business of keeping the doors open. I also see that the values of some of the members do not align with the values of the leadership in charge. Members vote against the leaders by abandoning the church or by giving their money to other organizations. To turn around these churches, the leadership has to change roles. From making decisions to listening to God’s voice and helping the congregation hear God’s voice.
In this economic climate it is good to remember the words of Paul in Ephesians 5:1-2 “therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk inlove, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God”. God is in the business of loving people to the point of sacrifice for them. He is not in the business of preserving buildings, traditions, or assests of any kind. The only way that the church can gain credibility again is if she takes the challenge to be an imitator of God very serious. If she assumes God’s character and start caring as He cares for us. To be an imitator of God the church has to abandon the rules of the marketplace where in times of crisis ”cash is king” and let herself experience that her King is alive and well.
On unity John 17:21-23
Posted by wall2build in English on September 15, 2009
Christ prayed for unity. He knew that for the world to believe his children had to become perfectly one. T
he unity that the Lord was praying for is a byproduct of God’s love. It is based on who God is, on his love for us, on his sacrifice. This unity is theologically based. It depends on God, his power, his character, and his invitation to be part of his household of faith.
The unity which some churches try to produce is based on anthropology: they try to unite based on the traditions of the church, its doctrines, the way they worship or their particular idiosyncrasies; it is based on epistemological commitments or organizational commitments.
The unity that the Lord is praying for is based on commitment to people. It is based on Christ sacrifice to show how much he loves us. If we understand that our primary responsibility as Christians is that of love, that we need to show God’s love to people; then we can tolerate their ideas, cultures, church preferences, class, or gender. We would first tolerate and then learn to love one another. Love one another is the fertile ground that produces disciples. Church programs and all sort of tactics to win people only produces members at best but never disciples of Christ. Love produces disciples who in turn are willing to sacrifice for the well being of other disciples and for the glory of He who sacrifed for us all.
think VISION : see CLEARLY webinar
UNLEASHED Webinar Event: October 8, 2009 | 8:30 PM ET
Sometimes, your greatest limitations are your own assumptions. John Crosby, facilitator of a peer coaching network of business leaders, will share how courageous questions can unlock stuck leaders, overturn the status quo, and refresh vision and direction. By fearlessly digging up and confronting underlying assumptions, leaders can respond to changing realities and forge new routes towards effectiveness.
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