LifeLetterCafe.com has graciously invited me to be a guest blogger on their site. You can check out my post today, Freedom: Moving Past Your Past by clicking HERE.
Have a great day!
What Do You Want From God?
Have you every thought about that? What is it that you want from God? What do you want Him to do in you, for you, and through you? Three times in my #LentChallenge reading this week Jesus asked questions that have me thinking and rethinking about what I want from God.
1.What do you want me to do for you?
In Luke 18:38 Jesus encounters a man born blind who calls out to Jesus for mercy.
“Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:38)
Then Jesus asked the man,
What do you want me to do for you? (Luke 18:41)
Wasn’t it obvious? The man was blind. He wanted to see. Why would Jesus have asked him such a ridiculously obvious question?
2.What do you want?
In John 1 some disciples of John the Baptist encounter Jesus, their Messiah. When John saw Jesus passing by he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36)
Notice what happened next,
When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” (John 1:37-38)
3. Do you want to get well?
In John 5 Jesus encounters a man who was an invalid for 38 years. He was hanging out at the Sheep Gate pool. If he could only get into the pool he could be healed. But no one helped him… until he met Jesus.
When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6)
What God wants from us
Why did Jesus ask:
What do you want me to do for you?
What do you want?
Do you want to get well?
Jesus didn’t force His way into their lives. And He won’t force His way into ours. He asked the questions to elicit faith. Jesus wants to SEE faith.
Why pray? Doesn’t God already know what we need before we ask (Matt 6:8)? Yes! In Matt 6 Jesus teaches that we should not babble on and on. The length of prayer is not relevant. It’s the object of our faith in prayer that’s key.
Prayer demonstrates that we believe and trust God. That’s what He wants.
What do you want from God?
Read these verses carefully,
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
The verbs in v. 7 are participles and should be read “keep asking,” “keep seeking,” and “keep knocking.” God wants us to spend time developing these habits.
Are you ASKING?
Are you SEEKING?
Are you KNOCKING?
Jesus wants you to tell Him what you want. Not like a genie in a bottle. Not with selfish motives. But He wants to know what you want Him to do in and through you.
What are you waiting for, go tell Him!
QUESTION: What do you want Jesus to do for you?
God is Your Abba, Not Your Daddy!
Yesterday I posted the first part of this article HERE. This will make more sense if you read that first.
God is often referred to as “Daddy.” This is taken from the Aramaic word Abba, used three times in the New Testament. Is daddy an appropriate way to view God? Here is part two of why I think not.
Use of Abba by commentators
Commentators Bruce,[1] Boice,[2] Harrison,[3] Lane,[4] and Wessel[5] follow and quote Jeremias and the interpretation that abba is some sort of term of endearment, the speech of a young child, such as “daddy.” Unfortunately many preachers and teachers rely on these resources to be their authority on the text of Scripture on a regular basis.
Moo seems to avoid the problem altogether in his expansive commentary on Romans and says very little about the use and background of abba in 8:15. In a footnote he mentions that abba has been found in prayers at Qumran and should not be restricted to the speech of little children to their fathers. He notes Barr’s “Abba Isn’t Daddy,” but also notes the criticism of this by Fee.[6] He appears to avoid a clear position on the matter and instead leave the options open.
Use of Abba in lexicons, dictionaries, and encyclopedias
Several lexicons, dictionaries, and encyclopedias will be evaluated below. As stated above, these are significant because pastors and teachers who desire an accurate understanding of the biblical texts heavily rely them upon.
BDAG
This dictionary says that abba is a “term of endearment.”[7] There is little evidence given for this meaning, which relies heavily upon the work of Jeremias.
NIDTT
Brown begins by saying that abba is originally a word derived from baby-language. After a baby is weaned, he says, “it learns to say abba (daddy).”[8] He goes on to say that this childish meaning receded over time and abba, “acquired the warm, familiar ring which we may feel in such an expression as ‘dear father.’”[9] He also leans heavily on Jeremias, almost directly quoting him.[10] He seems to ignore the use and background of the word in his conclusion.
Eerdman’s Dictionary of the Bible
Mowery points out that both young children and grown children call their fathers “abba.” [11] Therefore, abba does not mean “daddy.” It should be translated “the father,” or “my father.” Mowery is correct in his conclusion, though his article lacks evidence.
TDNT
Kittel says that Jesus used “the speech of the child to its father.”[12] He also says that according to the Syrians Chrysostom, Theodorus, and Theodoretus, it was the term “little children used to call their fathers.”[13] He shows the use of abba, in Judaism and mentions the use in the Targums. He also suggests that it is likely that in all cases where Jesus calls upon God as father, abba was originally used. This is followed by Jeremias, but lacks any textual evidence. Kittel’s conclusion is vague as he does not give a translation of abba. Rather, he says that the term “shows how this Father-child relationship to God far surpasses any possibilities of intimacy assumed in Judaism, introducing indeed something which is wholly new.”[14] The concept of intimacy fits with the interpretation of a term of endearment. Jeremias probably relied upon Kittle’s work and further developed this view.
Conclusion
After evaluating the published literature and analyzing the use of abba in the NT and Hebrew OT, the Aramaic meaning of abba as used in the NT should be “my father.” Unfortunately the influence of Jeremias has been widespread and his teaching of abba as a term of endearment, “daddy,” is well entrenched in many of the hearts and minds of western Christians. Such influence may add to the lack of reverence and honor that exists in the Church. It is not wrong for a person to think of their relationship with God as that between child and father. But this must be balanced with a deep sense of humility, respect, and reverence, so often lost in the consumer age of twenty-first century Christianity.
Jesus’ use of abba, and Paul’s teaching in the context of adoption should give the reader great joy in knowing God as father. Every person who puts their faith in Jesus is adopted into the family of God. Each child then has the privilege of calling upon him as abba. No matter what a person’s biological family background, all who trust in Jesus for eternal life by faith gain adoption into God’s family can call upon him as abba, “my father.”
QUESTION: How does taking abba as MY FATHER vs. “daddy” make a difference to you?
[1] F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Galatians (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982) 199-200.
[2] James Montgomery Boice, “Galatians,” The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (ed. F. Gaebelein; 12 vols.; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984) 10:473-475.
[3] Everett F Harrison, “Romans,” The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (ed. F. Gaebelein; 12 vols.; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984) 10:92-93.
[4] William Lane, The Gospel According to Mark (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974) 517-518.
[5] Walter W. Wessel, “Mark,” The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (ed. F. Gaebelein; 12 vols.; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984) 8:763-764.
[6] Douglas Moo, The Epistle to the Romans (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996) 499-503.
[7] BDAG, 1.
[8] Colin Brown, “Father,” NIDNTT 1:614-615.
[9] Ibid., 614.
[10] See Jeremias, Prayers, 96.
[11] Mowery, “ABBA,” 2-3.
[12] Gerhard Kittel, “abba,” TDNT 1:6.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Kittel, “abba,” 6.
God is Not Your Daddy!
Is it appropriate to address God, the Lord, as “daddy?” Many pastors and scholars say yes. This 2-part post somewhat technical. Regardless, I hope the content is helpful. My desire is for every Christian to address God in the most appropriate way.
Use of Abba in the New Testament
Abba is an Aramaic word used three times in the NT. It was used once by Jesus (Mark 14:36) and twice by the Apostle Paul (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6).
Abba used by Jesus in Mark 14:36
The only use of abba by Jesus occurs in the Garden of Gethsemane during his greatest human turmoil. Jesus told his disciples that his soul was “deeply grieved to the point of death.” As Jesus faced the pain and separation he would experience from his father as he took the sin of the world in his body, he used a term that was not normally used to address God. He began his prayer, “ Abba,!” If abba, is taken as the Aramaic determined form with a first person singular pronominal suffix,[1] then its meaning is, “my father.” Jesus reaffirmed his relationship to his father and reminded those who heard him of the relationship they had.
Abba used by Paul in Rom 8:15 & Gal 4:6
The context of Paul’s use of abba, is very difference from the use by Jesus. His is not one of agony but of adoption into the family of God as sons. As a son, the child of God has every right a paternal child has, including the right to call God abba. The Spirit of God works in believers bringing them to this conclusion and helps them call on God in a personal way as abba. “Daddy,” as many interpret this, gives a different meaning than “my father.” The contexts of Rom 8:15 and Gal 4:6 stress the positional relationship a believer has with the father. In no way does the context of either passage give the idea of a term of endearment. The contexts and use of abba, by Jesus and Paul support taking abba, as “my father.”
God as Father in the Old Testament Hebrew
There is no determined form of the noun in Hebrew, thus abba is not attested in the MT (Masoretic Text = Hebrew). However, understanding the fatherhood of God is important to understanding Jesus’ use of abba in the NT. Thus, a brief overview of the OT concept will be given below.
Yahweh was known as father in the OT in a distinct way from the pagan understanding of “generation of being.”[2] Vangemeren shows this to be the case in fourteen occurrences.[3] He goes on to define the fatherhood of God in these texts by stating:
Yahweh is Father in his acts of electing, providing (Deut 32:6; cf. vv 9-14; Mal 1:6), redeeming (Isa 63:16), compassion (Ps 103:13-14), protecting his people (68:5, where “Father” is synonymous with “Judge”), restoring broken relationships with Israel (Jer 3:4, 19) and special covenantal relationship with David and his descendants (2 Sam 7:14; cf. 1 Chr 17:13; 22:10; 28:6; Ps 2:7; 89:26). Israel confessed that Yahweh is their Father while maintaining the radical contrast between him and the gods of the nations.[4]
Yahweh provided and revealed himself distinctly as a father to his people and they were to know him as such. Jesus does not contribute something new to the concept of father from the OT; rather he “restored the OT teaching of Yahweh’s love, forgiveness, readiness to listen to prayer, and fatherly concern.”[5] Not only did Jesus give this example to his followers, but he also gave his followers access to this restored relationship.
God was not referred to in the OT as father often. However, although not commonly used, God’s people understood him as a father. Jesus understood God as father and was never rebuked for using the terms father or abba, as direct, personal address to God. If the use of abba, as such, were “disrespectful” and “irreverent,” as argued by Jeremias, the gospel writers probably would have recorded such a response.[6] However, neither Jesus’ nor Paul’s use of abba, were questioned or rebuked.
The influence of Joachim Jeremias
Jeremias’ work, The Prayers of Jesus, written in 1967, has been one of most influential books written regarding the use of abba, in the NT. Almost every source referred to here quotes him. He begins his section, “The Address ‘Dear Father’ (abba),” with a brief overview of the history of God being invoked as father. He shows that in the ancient Orient, deity is addressed as father, citing Pritchard on a hymn from Ur to the moon god Sin.[7] Then, turning to the OT he shows that God is only referred to as father fourteen times. His conclusion based on the OT use of this term for God is this; “Can there be any deeper dimension to the term ‘father’ than this compulsive, forgiving mercy which is beyond comprehension?”[8] He uses this to set up his discussion of abba and its use by Jesus. Jeremias believes that abba is the term used by Jesus every time the vocative “O Father” is used in the Gospels. But then he explains how the term abba is never found in the prayer literature of ancient Judaism.[9] He says the church fathers Chrysostom, Theodore of Mopsuestia, and Theodoret of Cyrrhus, who probably spoke Aramaic, “testify unanimously that abba was the address of the small child to his father.”[10] Jeremias seems to lean heavily on this evidence. However, the fact that small children used this term to address their fathers does not prove it to be a childish term. Could the child be using an adult term? It is broadly accepted that abba was not only used by young children but also by adult children.[11]
Jeremias does say that in Jesus’ day abba was no longer restricted to children’s talk but used by grown-up sons and daughters. Even though he makes this admission, his conclusion is that Jesus’ use of the term for his heavenly father in a time when no Jew would have addressed God with such a term showed that Jesus “spoke with God as a child speaks with his father.”[12] The problem with this view is that one could say Jesus spoke with God as an adult child speaks to his father. It is unfortunate that so many have followed Jeremias, as will be seen below. He is one of, if not the major reason, so many take abba as “daddy.” This illustrates the need for a fresh study of the meaning of abba, for understanding its use in the NT.
Part Two tomorrow!
Obviously I’m arguing that Abba should NOT be translated daddy. God should not be addressed as daddy. Tomorrow I will give the use of abba by commentators, in lexicons, dictionaries, and encyclopedias. Then a final conclusion and application given.
QUESTION: Have you heard a pastor/teacher refer to God as daddy? If so, how does referring to God that way make you feel?
[1] As stated in the unpublished grammar of OJA by Douglas M. Gropp, 45.
[2] Willem A. Vangemeren, “Abba in The Old Testament,” JETS 31 (1988) 393.
[3] Deut 32:6; 2 Sam 7:14; I Chr 17:13; 22:10; 28:6; Ps 68:5; 89:26; Isa 63:16; 64:8; Jer 3:4, 19; 31:9; Mal 1:6; 2:10
[4] Vangemeren, Abba, 393-94.
[5] Ibid., 398.
[6] Ibid., 388.
[7] Jeremias, Prayers, 96. ANET gives several other examples on p. 397. In a psalm to Marduk, Anu is proclaimed as “the great father of the gods.” The moon-god Sin is also addressed as “father,” Nanna. His role is that of father-mother as he gives birth to all gods, living beings, and even the earth.
[8] Jeremias, Prayers, 96.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid.
[11] For example: James Barr, “Abba Isn’t ‘Daddy,’” JTS 39 (1988) 35; Robert L. Mowery, “ABBA,” Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000) 2-3; John Ashton, “ABBA,” ABD (1992) 7.
[12] Jeremias, Prayers, 96.
The Circle Maker: Review and Reflections
This is my first blog book review/summary. I read 2-6 books a months. Topics that interest me include leadership, marriage, parenting, theology, biography, ministry, culture, technology, fitness, running, and other misc topics. My reviews will be more summaries and not in-depth or technical. But I hope they are helpful.
*some of the books on my reading list for this year.
I just finished The Circle Maker
The Circle Maker starts with the Legend of Honi…
The majority of reviews on Amazon are high. 601 5-star. 66 3-start or lower. Of the negative reviews most cite the use of the legend of Honi as a concern. They claim Batterson is following the way of The Prayer of Jabez. That he is using non or unbiblical sources and taking scripture out of context.
One 7-page negative review (not on Amazon) started,
I have yet to read the entire text. However, the little I have read and some preliminary research has revealed troubling things about the text and author and certainly raises the question about whether it is appropriate for leaders, and pastors in church to teach from and recommend this text to the church.
Really? A 7-page rant on something you haven’t even read?
HERE is a well written negative review from Tim Challies. He also has a great list of other books on prayer (HERE). Yet I recommend The Circle Maker and have found it helpful for the following reasons.
While the story of Honi is a legend, it is found in credible sources. The Mishnah Taanit, and first century scholar Josephus record Honi’s story. HERE is a short summary from Josephus. Therefore, it’s not made up. Weather or not we should model our prayer based on it is another story.
The main question is whether or not the principles of the book line up with truth and scripture. You can be the judge.
Note these quotes from the introduction:
God is not a genie in a bottle, and your wish is not His command. His command better be your wish. (page 14).
Batterson builds on that foundation throughout the rest of the book on. This book is NOT about how to get what you want. Or how to grow your church or ministry by using a canned prayer. It’s about how to connect your life to what God wants.
Drawing prayer circles starts with discerning what God wants, what God wills. And until His sovereign will becomes your sanctified wish, your prayer life will be unplugged from its power supply. (p. 14)
The book has three major sections, DREAM BIG, PRAY HARD, and THINK LONG.
1. Dream Big
Is the principle DREAM BIG biblical?
The greatest risk is failing to circle the promises of God because we forfeit the miracles God wants to perform. (p. 51)
While taking OT promises out of context is not helpful. It is true that God wants us to pray with bold faith. For example, Jesus says,
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. John 15:16
God wants us to dream big. He wants our lives to bear much fruit. And they will as we seek and commit to His will, as revealed primarily in the Bible. Therefore, DREAM BIG!
2. Pray Hard
Is PRAYING HARD biblical?
Batterson begins the section quoting Luke 18 and the parable of the persistent widow. He builds this entire section on this concept, which I agree with.
Many have quoted the mantra,
Pray like it depends on God, and work like it depends on you.
Batterson adds,
It’s praying until God answers, no matter how long it takes. It’s doing whatever it takes to show God you’re serious. (p. 82)
I agree. And he adds that God either says YES, NO, or NOT NOW. He is careful to note that God is no genie, as noted above.
Batterson is careful to say, “Pray through the Bible.” (p. 94) He adds, “if you pray through it [the Bible], you’ll never run out of things to talk about [in prayer].
Most Christians, myself included, quit praying for things too soon. Therefore this principle is not only biblical, it is highly practical. YES, PRAY HARD!
3. Think Long
Is the principles of THINKING LONG biblical?
The Apostle Paul had a long view of life and prayer.
Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.
Being a soldier, athlete, and farmer all take the long view. Christian disciplines require a long view. They require prayer that is sown now but reaped later.
YES, THINK LONG. Pray for things today, but also for things 10, 20, 50, even generations from now.
BOTTOM LINE: The Circle Maker is FULL of inspired stories and examples. They are not necessarily to be imitated. Rather, let them inspire you to DREAM BIG, PRAY HARD, and THINK LONG. All for the glory of God!
QUESTION: Have you read The Circle Maker? If so, what are 1-2 take aways you had?
4 Things That Happen When You Read the Bible
Every Wednesday through the Lent season I will share a few reflections about the #LentChallenge. THANK YOU Margaret Fienberg for initiating this 40 day bible reading challenge.
I’ve been reading Mark Batterson’s book The Circle Maker
along with the #LentChallenge Bible reading via YouVersion. To say it’s rocked my world would be an understatement. I will share a brief summary in the next day or two. If you don’t have it click on the link above and get started. It WILL change your prayer life, which will change your life!
Batterson’s follow-up book, Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge
What happens when you read the bible…
What happens when you read through the New Testament in 40 days? It’s like going from 100 feet above the woods to 10,000 feet and seeing the entire forest!
Here are 4 things that happen. And a few bonuses.
1. You get the BIG picture of the Bible
We read the whole book of Matthew the first 4 days. I can see Jesus’ mission to call and prepare His disciples for the mission. From walking on water, healing, multiplying bread and fish to preaching. Everything He did was for the benefit of those He was about to hand the whole enchilada to.
Imagine the risk of starting a new belief system that could end your life for believing, training twelve men that weren’t necessarily the sharpest crayons in the pack, and then leaving them to run it! (I know, Jesus had the authority and promised to be with them, but still!)
2. You notice things you didn’t see before
The immediacy of response struck me. In Mark 1:17 Jesus called Simon and Andrew.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
Their response,
At once they left their nets and followed him.
James and John responded the same way,
Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. (v. 20)
Wow, didn’t notice that before. I want to respond to Jesus that way!
3. You get SURPRISED
In Mark 9 a man brought his son who was demon possessed to Jesus. He said,
If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.
Jesus response made me LOL when I read it,
‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Didn’t notice Jesus’ sarcasm before! I bet Jesus and the disciples had a good laugh about it around the fire that night.
4. You hear from God
Probably the most important thing that will happen as you read the bible is you hear God! You hear Jesus. And in Mark 9:7, the Father says, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
As you read the bible, remember it’s the Word of God. And Jesus is that Word. He is speaking through it. Listen. Then respond.
BONUS… what happens when you read the bible with your family?
1. You and your spouse have meaningful things to talk about
2. You and your kids have meaningful things to talk about
3. You and your family hear from God
My wife and 10-year-old son are all doing the #LentChallenge together. My 88-year-old grandmother is even doing it! She is a prolific author and significant spiritual influence in my life. You can read her blog HERE.
It’s been encouraging to share what we’re reading and experiencing around the breakfast or dinner table, or at night before bed. We highly recommend it!
QUESTION: are you doing the #LentChallenge New Testament reading plan? If so, what are you learning so far? If now, would you consider it? It’s not too late.
Should Your Church Be Multiethnic? Consider Demographics and Beauty
There are at least three reasons many churches should be multiethnic. Last week I shared some biblical reasons for multiethnic churches. You can read that HERE. There are at least two more reasons to consider.
The biblical rationale for a multiethnic church is strong. But there are other reasons. Here are two you should consider.
1. Demographics are Shifting SIGNIFICANTLY
There are massive shifts in diversity in America. It is increasingly difficult to say there is little diversity in most places. For example, in November 2005 the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education noted the sweeping changes in the U.S. workforce:
The U.S. workforce (generally ages 25 to 64) is in the midst of a sweeping demographic transformation. From 1980 to 2020, the white working-age population is projected to decline from 82% to 63% (see figure 1). During the same period, the minority portion of the workforce is projected to double (from 18% to 37%), and the Hispanic/Latino portion is projected to almost triple (from 6% to 17%).
While Caucasians are still a large majority, most live in areas where more than 20 percent of the population is non-White. If the church should be a reflection of the community, then most churches should reflect the increasing diversity. When possible, churches should make intentional effort to be multiethnic.
In a November 2013 WSJ article, Conor Dougherty states,
Whites will comprise less than half of the U.S. population by 2042, about eight years earlier than previously thought, according to a report to be released by the Census Bureau.”
In the same article William Frey, senior demographer at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank added,
We are going to become more diverse in more parts of the country and in more of the age structure sooner.
Gerardo Marti, in his case study on Mosaic Church LA A Mosaic of Believers
(Erwin McManus) says,
The United States continues to become more and more diverse in every societal sphere, bringing a new challenge of integration to both civic and religious organizations.
He goes on to cite three major demographers who suggest that by the year 2050, and some say sooner, America will have no single majority group. The changing face of most domains of society is feeling this shift. However, the majority of churches in America do not yet reflect this new reality.
Consider what McIntosh and McMahan say in their book Being the Church in a Multi-Ethnic Community
The new ethnic marketplace is forcing government, businesses, and churches to rethink how to speak the language and adopt the culture of the new multi-ethnic and multicultural reality.
The multicultural and multiethnic reality cannot be ignored.
2. Multiethnic Churches are Beautiful
When people from diverse backgrounds come together it’s beautiful! One of history’s great ethnic divide’s was and is between Jews and Gentiles. However, through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus that “wall of hostility” or separation has been torn down.
In Ephesians 2:14-16 says,
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
Then the Apostle Paul paints a BEAUTIFUL picture of what happens when the two come together,
In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
He goes on to say,
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
There is nothing more beautiful than hostile people coming together in peace and unity. Multiethnic churches have the opportunity to put the gospel of grace and peace on display. Imagine what the watching world will think when it sees diverse people walking, working, and worshiping together in unity!
QUESTION: Does your church reflect the demographics of your community? Why or why not?
LentChallenge Begins Today: Don’t Miss It!
Today we begin the 40 day LentChallenge journey through the New Testament! I’m especially excited that my 10-year-old son (birthday tomorrow March 6) is joining me (pic of him this morning below)!
Let me make something clear about my position on Lent. This is not about penance or trying to earn or merit anything from God. It’s simply a season to seek God. To reflect. To evaluate. To prepare. See my post Three Reasons to Take the Challenge for more.
MANY thanks for Margaret Fienberg for her leadership. She wrote this awesome post and is the one spear heading the LentChallenge.
My practice of Lent this year is not about giving something up or fasting. During the next 40 days my focus is reading and praying through the New Testament. I’m using YouVersion. To get the #LentChallenge reading guide CLICK HERE or follow these instructions.
- Go to YouVersion.com
- Click on Reading Plans
- Search “The 40-Day New Testament Challenge”
- Begin Plan!
You can also download the LentChallenge reading guide HERE.
This morning I used YouVersion to read and listen to today’s reading. As you can see above my son is also listening to the audio. There’s something about hearing God’s Word and reading it at the same time.
USE IT OR LOSE IT
The last part of Matthew 7 struck me this morning. Jesus preached what is likely the greatest sermon ever in chaps 5-7. Know as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus unpacks the source of true righteousness and wisdom. Check out the conclusion of His sermon…
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
For me the 40-Day LentChallenge is all about taking in and applying God’s Word to my life. That seems like the wise thing to do!
QUESTION: WHAT is the Lord speaking to you about through His Word?
Should Your Church Be Multiethnic? 3 Things to Consider
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said…
“It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is eleven o’clock on Sunday morning.”
How does that make you feel? Is there still a problem with churches being “segregated?”
I’ve been pastoring in two immigrant churches for the last 12 years. That experience taught me a lot. It’s also fueled my passion for multiethnic ministry. Not to mention being 1/4 Chinese, 1/4 Czech, having a half African-American sister, and growing up in a diverse community. My life is multiethnic!
NOTE: As long as immigration flows into the US immigrant churches need to serve them. However, the next or second generation usually wants a more diverse experience. Especially when growing up in a diverse community.
What does multiethnic mean? My concise definition* of the term “multiethnic church”:
A multiethnic church is defined simply as having a minimum of 20 percent of its make-up being from one or more ethnicity outside the majority. Thus, a multiethnic church would not have more than 80 percent of any one ethnicity.
*based on the definition used by the authors of United by Faith: The Multiracial Congregation As an Answer to the Problem of Race. This definition is the standard used by the Mosaix Network. They state: “Mosaix promotes the goal of seeing 20% of local churches achieve 20% diversity by 2020.”
McIntosh and McMahan devote an entire chapter in their book Being the Church in a Multi-Ethnic Community
That the study of this topic is still in its infancy is evidenced by the fact that many people use a wide variety of terms to describe roughly the same phenomenon. At least four terms are used to describe churches where the people come from diverse background: multinational, multiracial, multi-ethnic, and multicultural.
Should your church be multiethnic? I don’t know. Here is the first of three things to consider.
1. Biblical Rationale for a Multiethnic Church
- Matthew 22:34-40: Loving God and our neighbors as ourselves is the core of the Christian faith. “Who is my neighbor?” Luke adds in Luke 10:29. Jesus then tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. The mono-cultural Jewish leaders were not the ones justified in Jesus’ eyes. The multiethnic man who in the eyes of the religious leaders was less than a whole person was. Luke seems to make the point that loving one’s neighbor involves crossing boundaries, which often includes ethnicity and culture.
- Matthew 28:18-20: Jesus emphasizes his desire for people from “all nations = ethnicities” to become disciples. While this includes an emphasis on overseas missions. It is a call for those who live in diverse areas to make intentional efforts to reach people from other ethnicities with the gospel.
- John 17:20-23: Jesus prays for a oneness and unity between all Christians. This should be applied in a diverse and multiethnic context.
- Acts 1:8: witnesses “in Jerusalem, to Judea, Samaria, and then around the world with the gospel.” The rest of the book of Acts describes how that was accomplished.
- 1 Corinthians 12:12-27: The Apostle Paul calls the church to humble cross-cultural interdependence.
- Galatians 3:28: The Apostle Paul calls the church to bring Jews and Gentiles together in one body. People from one background have something important to offer people from other backgrounds and vice-versa. Christena Cleveland notes,
“We are called to participate in the reconciling work of the cross, that tore down racial, gender and class divisions.”
- Ephesians 2:14-16: The Apostle Paul describes the “wall of separation” between Jews and Gentiles being torn down in Jesus. In Jesus they are reconciled as one body. The language of this passage argues strongly for a multiethnic church wherever possible. The barriers that existed between Jews and Gentiles before Jesus have been torn down. Therefore, barriers between all ethnicities have been torn down.
Later this week I’ll share the other two things to consider. Demographics and Beauty.
QUESTION: Does your church reflect the diversity of your local community? Why or why not?
Leaders: Have a Problem Identifying and Recruiting Them?
For the last sixteen years I’ve been building teams. Identifying and recruiting leaders has been one of if not my top priority. For the next week or so I’ll be unpacking some of the lessons I’ve learned. My interest is leadership in general but specifically leadership in a multiethnic context.
I asked, “What do senior pastors do to identify and recruit leaders in multiethnic churches?” Derwin Gray, Lead Pastor of Transformation Church answered, “For 93% of them, nothing!” That bothers me, how about you?
Leadership is vital in every organization. As John Maxwell has aptly stated many times, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” The impact of leaders is significant across every domain of culture, whether in business, non-profits, sports, or the church. In his book Cracking Your Church’s Culture Code
Having the right staff members and top volunteers is crucial to fulfill a church’s vision. Eric O. Long, general manager of the Waldorf Astoria in New York, observes that finding, recruiting, selecting, and placing outstanding staff are becoming more difficult in our society, but good selection yields amazing results. In an interview for Leaders magazine, Long observed, “Our organizational-development team recently made a presentation to our executive staff, sharing the results of several well-documented studies. It revealed that one great team member had the impact of multiple [mediocre] team members, and in some cases the ratio was as high as 8:1.”
In Aubrey Malphurs’ book, Leading Leaders
Quality leaders shy away from bad boards, especially those packed with spiritually unqualified good old boys or good old girls. However, quality leaders are attracted to properly functioning boards with carefully thought-through processes led by spiritually mature people who want to have serious, spiritual impact in their ministry communities.
A plethora of literature addresses leadership issues. However, little has been written on the topic of identifying and recruiting leaders. Add to that the dearth of literature written to address leadership in multiethnic churches.
With the massive shifts in diversity in America, it is increasingly difficult to say there is little diversity in most places. For example, in November 2005 the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education noted the sweeping changes in the U.S. workforce:
The U.S. workforce (generally ages 25 to 64) is in the midst of a sweeping demographic transformation. From 1980 to 2020, the white working-age population is projected to decline from 82% to 63% (see figure 1). During the same period, the minority portion of the workforce is projected to double (from 18% to 37%), and the Hispanic/Latino portion is projected to almost triple (from 6% to 17%).
While Caucasians are still a large majority, most live in areas where more than 20 percent of the population is non-White. If the church should be a reflection of the community, then most churches should reflect the increasing diversity.
This series will be an attempt to encourage more dialog & resource leaders to turn the tide. The need for more and better leaders is obvious.
The question is, “What are we doing to address that need?”
I’m especially curious to hear from and engage with those leading, planting, or wanting to be involved in multiethnic churches.
Tomorrow I will write about the rationale for multiethnic churches. Followed by the three essentials for identifying and recruiting leaders to lead them.