A Voice In The Wilderness

There is quite a stir happening in the United States right now. We are a very unsettled nation. We are experiencing a moral revolution unlike any other in our nation's history. Whether you like it or not, it is happening. 

Many are cheering the revolution on; others are pumping the brakes, but discovering the brake line got cut somewhere along the way. 

It is possible to both oppose this shift and to see the potential benefits. The Church of Jesus, committed to the authority of Scripture, on a mission to reach people with the gospel, must continue to declare the will of God for all of mankind. We do not bow to public pressure or rejection. We keep proclaiming the truth. We do so with mournful hearts and lamenting over the devastation sin causes in people's lives.

The question the Church is going to have to answer is this: are we willing to stand as a voice of truth in a world that rejects it AND us? 

When John the Baptist stepped onto the scene, he came preaching for people to repent and turn from their sins - which is never a popular message, for those wondering. Many began questioning him, "Who are you?" They kept pressing him for an answer to the question. In frustration, they finally told him they had to give an answer to those who sent them and they demanded for him to say something about himself. John's answer then should be the answer of the Church now. He said, 

"I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'"

John's statement deserves several points of emphasis and highlighting. 

First, he is a voice. John is not going to try and accomplish his mission through his actions alone. His mission involves being a voice. The Church's mission, and the Christian's life, must involve our voice. It is a vocal mission.

Second, he is crying out in the wilderness. He is standing alone. He is swimming against the stream. He is going against the culture. The Church in America today must learn to be a wilderness people. This does not mean we load up on canned goods and ammo and build underground houses in Montana. It does mean we are prepared to stand alone if necessary. 

Third, he is proclaiming a message of Christ's coming. John was preparing the way of Jesus' coming. He was calling people to repent of their sins and prepare for the coming of the Lord. Church, this is still our mission. We are making straight the way of the Lord. We are crying to people: "Jesus is coming, repent of your sins, and put your faith in Christ."

As Christians will soon learn, if you have not already, it is not always fun being on the opposite end of popular opinion. Being a voice in the wilderness and proclaiming God's message eventually cost John the Baptist his life. His head was put on a platter at a party for entertainment. Sometimes that is the cost of being voice in the wilderness in a culture that hates dissenting voices.

May the Church stand boldly in our culture, proclaiming with confidence the truths of God, no matter the cost. May we stand firm as we become the entertainment for the culture's party raging around us, even when it means being the hors d'oeuvres.

Why Not Me?

When it comes to people moving to places to spread the gospel, whether that be a city in America with few churches and professing Christians or whether that is a country where Christians are beheaded by radical Muslims, the question I think worth asking is: why not me?

When I read the New Testament and look at the lives of early believers, I can't help but be deeply moved by their courageous boldness to be on the move for Jesus. I cannot help but notice their willingness to face ridicule, scorn, and even death for Christ. 

Why not me?

Where is my willingness to even lose a Facebook friend or Twitter follower? Am I so worried about being misunderstood or labeled something that I keep my mouth shut about things happening in our society that grieve the heart of God? Would I pick my family up and move to a city where I knew no one, all with the intent of helping more people get introduced to Jesus? 

Why not me?

Is Jesus not worth every bit and more of what I just wrote? Do I believe that to live is Christ and to die really is gain? Are these just words in my Bible that sound great as Twitter posts and t-shirt fodder, but in reality is not how I live?

Why not me?

One life. Just one. Am I wasting it on comfort, popularity, safety, familiarity, and long-life?

It is not the super-Christians (no such person) who do crazy things like this. It should be every Christian willing. If we are unwilling to even ask the question, perhaps we are living in self-deception. 

Why not me? 

Why not you?
 

Why TJC is Partnering with The Haiti Collective

The Journey Church recently finished a six month process of praying and fact gathering to discern where the Lord would have our church invest in global missions. It is our mission as a church to be a gospel-centered church that makes knowledgeable, obedient, and passionate followers of Jesus Christ. We focus our effort to this by 1. celebrating the gospel in WORSHIP each week, 2. applying the gospel in COMMUNITY with each other, and 3. extending the gospel through MISSION both locally and globally. That is our focus as a church. So we have been prayerfully seeking God's direction for how to fulfill the global part of this third component of our mission.

In the beginning we believed we were going to adopt an unreached unengaged people group in Europe. We did a lot of research on this. We made a trip to the International Mission Board's conference for European missions. We made contact with missionaries all over Europe. And we prayed for God's direction. At the end of all our exploration, we did not believe the timing was right for TJC to go to Europe. Our church body was not quite ready financially, or with personnel, to have maximum effectiveness in Europe. We still believe there will be a day when we engage in European missions, we just do not sense it is time. 

Why Haiti?
 
After we looked thoroughly at Europe, we began to set our eyes on a more accessible location for us to invest. We thought about Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti. There were pros and cons to each, but we began to pray about where we could be effective and engage the largest number of people in our congregation in missions. This led us to Haiti, and in particular, The Haiti Collective (hereafter THC).

  (above: the beautiful landscapes of Haiti, below: the stark reality of poverty)

I had been on three previous trips with THC and have seen the amazing work of ministry happening in Haiti. THC focuses on bringing hope to Haiti through the love of Jesus Christ. It is committed to the local church and investing in its leaders and ministries. More specifically, THC seeks partnerships between US churches and Haitian churches. In this partnership, there is pastoral training, orphan care, micro-business, church planting, medical care, adoption, and many other amazing opportunities to serve the Kingdom of God. 

Though this is not global missions to the unreached unengaged, that does not mean this is not a desperately needed and fruitful mission. There are millions of lost people in Haiti and there is a spiritual darkness that exists there because of the presence of Voodoo. In addition to millions of lost people, Haitian churches are filled with believers that do not have the resources afforded to us for discipleship and spiritual growth. The pastors are not theologically educated and can rarely afford the resources to acquire that education. By empowering these local churches and pastors, we are equipping them to reach Haiti with the gospel.

  (above: orphans eating, below: an orphan gets her meal)

Our church has committed to approach local and global missions from a long-term perspective. We do not want to take short-term trips to different places each year. We want to invest in a partnership and relationship that is enduring and lasting. We want to build relationships with those we minister to and with. We want to grow with the leaders and support the orphans. We desire that TJC folks would adopt many of these orphans. THC gives us that opportunity.

Where Are We Investing?

(Port-de-Paix is in northern Haiti)

The Journey Church will be partnering with a church in the city of Port-de-Paix. It has a population of roughly 250,000 people. It is located in the northern part of Haiti on the coast. The church in Port-de-Paix is led by two pastors who work bi-vocationally to lead the church. The church is caring for orphans and providing education, clothing, and food for them. There are so many opportunities for us to partner with this church to extend the gospel.

  (above: clean water filters provided by THC, below: pastor's conference & training)

 

When Are We Going?

We will be taking a team to Port-De-Paix this summer (2014) on August 8th-16th. We will begin promoting this at church soon and enlisting those interested. We are looking to take a team of 4-6 folks. We will be doing theological training with the pastors, evangelistic services, VBS with the orphan children, with the potential of doing some medical missions if we have the right personnel. The cost of the trip will be roughly $2,000 per person. This pays for airfare, ground transportation, food, water, and lodging. Every needed expense on the trip will be covered by this cost. We will look to do some fundraisers to lower this overall cost for those attending.

(above: Haitian children, below: Sunday worship gathering)

Those interested will need to:

1. sign up and indicate your interest level

2. acquire your passport 

3. attend all required meetings about the trip (first mtg April 18th)

4. $100 deposit due before May 8th
 
We will share more details at our first meeting about the trip. If this is something you would like to participate in, mark your calendars now, and begin to make preparations to be a part of this incredible ministry. 

If you cannot go on this first trip in August, we are looking to take another trip in January. We can take multiple trips per year, so be sure to prayerfully seek the Lord about how you may participate in this incredible opportunity to extend the gospel globally through MISSION. 

Every person is responsible for participating in global missions. There are only three possible options: you're a sender, you're a goer, or you're disobedient. Which will you be?

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Yes, Argue. But, Yes, Pray

The more I ponder the plight of our country the more I'm reminded that public square conversations are needed and defense of the Christian worldview from those who want to attack is necessary. There needs to be healthy arguments given in defense of the Christian position. However, I'm also reminded the only thing that will bring real and lasting change to our country is a revival of the gospel. For that we must pray.

In Colossians 1:3-6 Paul writes to the church there:

³ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, ⁵ because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, ⁶ which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,

 A few points of observation for us to consider here:

1 . Paul calls the gospel "the word of truth." The gospel is the truth about God, us, the world, and reality. 

2. Paul states to the Colossian believers that the gospel is bearing fruit and increasing in the whole world. The gospel was going forth and bearing fruit. The influence of the gospel was spreading and growing. 

Friends, the God who brought the growth and increase from gospel seed planting is the same God we serve today. He can revive us again. He is the Sovereign Lord of the universe and of the harvest. We must pray for revival to burst forth on our land. Until then, may we be faithful seed planting and soil watering believers, who live with a fervency of prayer for God to cause the word of truth to increase throughout the world.

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Suffering Shame and Hatred from the World for Christ

Yesterday we taught through Matthew 10:16-25 where Jesus speaks about the persecution that will come to his followers. The premise that we ultimately set forward was this: Followers of Jesus will be persecuted for their allegiance to him; therefore, if you do not experience persecution, you either 1. do not belong to him or 2. are living a sinfully quite life about your faith in Christ. There is really no in between. Jesus promises that suffering will come. 

We need to begin living much louder lives about our faith. The world will grow increasingly intolerant of followers of Jesus, but true believers will endure to the end (Matt. 10:22). Instead of dreading this persecution, why don't we consider it a privilege? It is a great privilege to suffer for the sake of Jesus' name and fame. Let these words from Peter resonate in your mind and heart today and throughout the week:

1 Peter 4:12-14 (ESV) - 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and God rests upon you.

Why do you believe we are so quick to run from persecution when Scripture calls us "blessed?"

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Exciting Days Ahead of Us

Yesterday's message at The Journey Church was an important one. It was a jolting reminder of the necessity of staying focused on the mission of the gospel. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. As we scan our cities and we behold the vast number of lost people who have not made Christ the treasure of their lives, we should be filled with compassion and determination to about our Father's business. We are also called to pray that God, the Lord of this great harvest, would send laborers to reach His people, chosen from the foundations of the earth.

There are exciting days ahead of us as a church. The excitement is centered on envisioning hundreds, if not thousands, of people coming to Christ, being baptized, and joining the mission of reaching the harvest. However, excitement around these things is not enough, we need commitment. We will need sacrifice. In the coming days these commitments and sacrifices will become more defined and more clear, but for now, the challenge is for us to pray and ask God to prepare our church for the task He is calling us to.

Please pray for me church, that I would lead as He has called me to. Pray that I would be submitted fully to Him to say, do, and act upon the things He is revealing to me. Pray for all of our elders (James Ulmer, Tim Davis, Kim Working, Kyle Heckman, Shawn Allen, me) as we huddle to pray, plan, and prepare our church for where God is leading us in the months ahead.

Greater things are yet to come!

The Gospel Still Works

I have been behind on blogging for the last week. I was speaking for Fuge Camps at Belmont and could not find the time needed to do it. This summer I had the opportunity to speak for three weeks at Fuge Camps, two in Missouri and one here in Nashville. I had insecurities going into this experience because I questioned whether the 31 year old pastor, who preaches for almost an hour, would be accepted. I had heard how some camp pastors approached their messages at these camps and I did not feel that is what God was calling me to do. I made the decision to approach camp like I approach preaching at church: being faithful to the Scriptures and preaching Jesus.

To my amazement, though I should not have been amazed - THE GOSPEL STILL WORKS.

The way God moved in the three weeks I had the opportunity to preach at Fuge just grounded me further in the fact that the preaching and teaching of God's Word is the key to seeing lives changed. Humor does not change lives. Sappy emotional stories do not change lives. These things are not bad things, but if they replace the gospel, they are. The good ole' fashion gospel message is still enough to change people; in fact, it is THE THING that changes people.

Instead of feeling like we need to make God more likable or Christianity more palatable, we should lay before people the unadjusted gospel message. We should be quick to communicate the truths of Scripture and call them to believe. I do not know the full impact of the three weeks I preached camp, but I do know that many students came to believe, an adult chaperone became a believer, and many youth pastors and leaders encouraged me that it was such a great week for them.

I praise God that He would use me to be a part of His great redemptive work. I am amazed that He would, but I should not be, because it is the gospel that holds the power, no matter who shares it, or how old they are.

What things do you feel we try to replace the gospel with in order to make God more likable to sinners or Christianity more palatable?

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American Idols

In my reading time this morning I read a passage that I have read many times before, but a particular verse resonated with me and caused me to ask a tough question. The verse is from Acts 17:16 where Paul is in Athens and he is about to give his infamous address to the Areopagus. Scripture says:

"Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols."

When I read this I just paused and thought to myself, "does it bother me the way it bothered Paul that people in my city and culture are immersed in idol worship?" Sure we don't have as many physical idols (images and statues intended to serve as gods), but we have idols everywhere. For some, the big football stadium is an idol. It's where we go worship our heroes. For others, the big house is an idol. Still others are more subtle. There idol is how they look or status at work or a title. An idol is anything that we put before the One true God in our lives.

So back to my original question I asked of myself: does it bother you that idol worship is alive and well around you? My guess is that we have grown so use to it that we don't even recognize it or deem it as a big deal. For Paul, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw the city was full of idols. He understood what they were costing themselves. He understood how desperate they were to worship, but they worshipped things less than God.

Pray today and ask God to open your eyes to the idols around you, maybe even in your life. Pray that God would stir your heart to compassion and mission to those you see entrenched in idol worship. Ask God to reveal Himself and make Himself known to those who are worshipping things less than the Real Thing. Ask Him to break your heart for the same thing that broke Paul's.

Haiti Disaster Relief

In response to the tragic earthquake in Haiti last week, The Journey Church will be working in conjunction with several local churches and organizations to collect the following items to send to the people of Haiti:

1. New or used shoes (adults, kids, babies)

2. New clothes (adults & kids)

3. Cases of bottled water

4. Preferably new tents, blankets, and duffel bags

5. Baby food and formula

6. Diapers (mainly sizes 2 & 3)

7. Baby bottles (with nipples) and sippy cups

8. Flashlights and batteries

Note: we will be collecting these items starting this Sunday 1/24 through Sunday 2/21. You can drop the items off at the Pathways table at the campus you attend each Sunday. If you have any questions, please contact the church office at 615-547-7070 or John Griffin atjohn@thejourneytn.org.

Let's try to step up Journey Church to do our part in being the hands and feet of Christ in the world.