Growing Disciples

First of all let me start by saying I am in no way a great gardener. I remember working in our family garden when I was a little kid. I've had a garden the last couple of Summers with varied success at growing different things. We've had our garden as a part of the farmer's field at the house we were renting. It was great ground. We never had to till anything. Last Summer we moved into our own home. So this year I'm trying something different. I'll be building some raised beds for my garden. I'm also trying some different things.

So what's this all about and why I am writing blogs about it? My hope this Summer is to learn more about gardening, but in the process learn more about God. Gardening seems like one of the most natural ways to learn about the Kingdom. After all, it begins with a Garden, Jesus talks about the kingdom being like a seed, harvesting and all kinds of agricultural examples of the Kingdom and faith. This is an exercise in faith hopefully as much as it is an education in gardening.

From my garden I'm hoping to provide my family with good, nutritional food and lower my grocery bill. Hopefully my trash can potatoes will turn out ok. I'd be delighted if I manage to get a few peanuts. And I'm looking forward to making my own salsa from my tomatoes, onions and Jalapeno peppers.

I'm also hoping that my garden can help teach me about patience, cultivating faith, how the Kingdom spreads and more. Over the Summer I'm hoping to post progress on my garden with pictures and some insights and Scripture that I'm coming across that pertain to the garden.

I would encourage your comments and insights along the way.

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream

Back in the Fall I decided I should start attending the Men's Bible Study at Mechanic Grove.  The catch was that it meets at 7:00 Saturday morning, and I struggle to operate that early on Saturday morning.  But it turned out to be an incredible blessing as I began to meet and have conversations with men of different ages.

Our focus has been guided by "Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream" by David Platt.  The book focuses on how we were created to proclaim the glory of God.  Platt discusses how our pursuit of the American Dream and materialism has taken us away from our goal of proclaiming God to the nations.  Platt advocates for a reduction in our pursuit of material wealth and radical devotion to God.  He shares many stories of people in his faith community who have sacrificed their own pursuit of the American Dream in order to allow themselves to better proclaim God's glory to the nations.

One story he shares that hit me was about a business man who wrestled with what Platt was saying about giving up our stuff.  The man came to the conclusion that he couldn't see God telling him when he got to heaven, "I wish you would have spent more time building wealth for yourself" (my paraphrase).

Platt discusses how millions of people are dying every day of starvation, poor water and preventable disease.  Billions more are doing so without a knowledge of Christ.  He also bears witness to millions in the underground church who have a fire for God not found in comfortable "Christian" America.

The book has some very provocative ideas.  The discussion within the Bible study has been incredible and convicting.  It has been interesting for me to read this book.  The theology used to build his case is somewhat Reformed which is very different for an Ana-baptist audience.  But the living out is very similar.  I think the discussion of how materialism is taking over in the American church is one that needs to take place and Platt's book helps to advance that conversation.

One of the men in the Bible study is fond of reminding us, "It's just like the title says.  It's radical."  But maybe that's the way a disciple is supposed to be.

Youth Rally - "Fan Into Flame"

May 15-16

Midway Church of the Brethren

Youth Rally

Saturday Night

2 Timothy 1:3-7

Whether we grew up in the church or are new to the church we have been influenced by someone else’s faith. Their lives and the way they lived out their faith somehow made a difference in our lives. (2 Tim. 1) We have to take the faith and make it our own. In other words it’s not enough for us to rely on someone else’s relationship with Jesus; we need to have our own relationship with Jesus. Too often we rely on someone else doing all of the thinking, praying, worshipping, and serving.

In John 4 there’s a story about a Samaritan woman who meets Jesus at a well in the middle of the day. She’s been raised on a Samaritan upbringing and way of believing. When she meets Jesus some of the ways of believing change (where and when and how to worship). But this faith becomes a part of who she is and she can’t help but go and share it with those around her.

Perhaps you have been baptized or accepted Jesus as Savior, but this is not the end of a faith journey. It’s only the beginning. Growing in faith takes a lifetime. Paul even wrote that he had not taken hold of the final product of faith yet. He said he was always striving to grow and learn what it means to follow Christ.

Who is someone in your life who has been an example of living out faith?

What about their faith has been attractive to you?

How have you made that a part of your own life?

Come and See

I've been thinking a lot about the woman at the well recently. You can read the story in John 4. But what has stuck with me recently is when the woman goes and shares with the others from the village. She goes and tells them what has just happened. When they aren't sure if she's telling the truth, the woman responds, "Come and see." In the evangelical community we often stress sharing our faith with others. Unfortunately this has too often turned into a debate about faith, or judgmental condemnation. The woman doesn't provide an elaborate proof of the faith. She doesn't beat up those in the community with condemnation for their skepticism. Instead she invites them to come and see for themselves who Jesus is.

I think we need to be more inviting. There's a time and a place for rationally defending the faith. There's a time for calling brothers and sisters to accountability. But if we want the world to see what following Christ looks like we need to invite them to come and see what he's doing in the world and show the world how it makes a difference in our own lives.