Life: The American Idol

I have been thinking recently about life. It always seems to happen this time of year. The preservation of our life is something that we value more that anything. We will go to great lengths to make sure that we are safe and secure. We will go to the same lengths for the ones we love as well. I am not saying that there is anything inherently wrong with this. However if we are not careful we take the creation (life) and put it in the place of the creator (God). Anytime we do this we create an idol.

Paul said in Philippians 1:21 that for him "to live is Christ and to die is gain". We were created to live for God and to make much of the name of Jesus. By valuing safety and security over God we have replaced our God with an idol. For Paul life meant fruitful labor for Christ, and dying is viewed as a good thing because it means seeing Jesus. Instead of this view many of us think that we exist for OUR good, and to preserve OUR life is gain. This view forgets that our life is nor our own. We were bought at a high price, and we now belong to the King.

Hosea 1:2-3

“When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, ‘Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.’ So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.” Hosea 1:2-3

The theme of Hosea is laid out for us in these two verses, “Take to yourself a wife of whoredom… For the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” Here we will look at the two types of whoredom in two parts. First in the post we’ll look at the believer’s whoredom. In the next post we’ll look at the unbeliever’s whoredom. Let’s begin with the believer.

As believers in the Gospel, this is our condition. We are Gomer. We are the whores. The ones pledging our affection solely to Christ, then turning to love anything else. To describe this better I default to Henry Scougal’s small yet powerful book (originally a letter) “The Life of God in the Soul of Man”. Within which he writes we must,

“…Wean our affections from created things, and all the delights and entertainments of the lower life, which sink and depress the souls of men, and retard their motions toward God and heaven; and this we must do by possessing our minds with a deep persuasion of the vanity and emptiness of worldly enjoyments.”

“This is an ordinary theme, and everybody can make declamations upon it; but alas! How few understand and believe what they say? These notions float in our brains, and come sliding off our tongues, but we have no deep impression of them on our spirits; we feel not the truth which we pretend to believe. We can tell that all the glory and splendor, all the pleasures and enjoyments of the world are vanity and nothing; and yet these nothings take up all our thoughts, and engross all our affections, they stifle the better inclinations of our soul, and inveigle us into many a sin.”

We say we love Christ Jesus more than life, and love, and freedom, and family, and friends and money, yet we spend more time worrying about, thinking upon and hoping for these things than we ever have Christ. We, the believers in the Gospel, are the whores, placing our affections anywhere but on Jesus.

Thus the necessity of the Gospel, we knew not how we ought to love, therefore Christ came; we knew not how we ought to live, therefore Christ came; we knew not what it meant to be alive, therefore Christ came. Paying our debt by dying in our place and propitiating the punishment we so justly deserved. So that, positionally speaking, we now stand before God perfect, by Christ work only. Though we are shot through with our sin, and in dire need of progressive sanctification.

Fight the good fight of faith,

Sam

Romans 7:24-25

For the guys!

Men take five minutes and watch this video...

Jesus is all satisfying, embrace Him.

Chad

DCF

It has been my very great pleasure to get to lead DCF these last couple of months, and I know that God has blessed me with the opportunity to get to know many of you. As most of you know and the rest will soon find out, DCF will be ending at the end of December and we are inviting you to join what God is doing with Journey the Way. God is in the process of starting a church in downtown Wichita KS and this could be your opportunity to be a part of this work. Many of those involved with DCF are also involved with Journey the Way. I would ask you to consider plugging into this work of God. Below is our Core Team Covenant for you to look over and consider.

Journey the Way

Core Team Covenant

c Are you confident that God has called you to Journey the Way.

c Are you willing to be held accountable in the following areas:

o Love God: It is vital for disciples to have regular encounters with God in which they worship Him, hear from Him, and respond to Him in obedience. Bible reading, prayer, private and corporate worship, and journaling are all part of what it means to Love God.

o Love People: As we interact with God, it is vital that we not approach glorifying God on our own, but that we intentionally interact with others who Love God. These “connections” will bring about transformation in us as we authentically encourage, instruct and support one another. Jesus’ love of people was radical and unconditional and so we need to Love People with no strings attached.

o Turn the World Up-side Down: True Disciples will use their gifts, talents, vocations, and time not only to touch our church, but also to touch the communities they live in, and the world. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life. When we live as Jesus lived we will be a movement of servants that have the potential to turn the world upside-down.

c Are you willing to fully pull away from your current church and embrace Journey the Way as your local church?

c Are you willing to generously give of your creativity, time, spiritual gifts and income in order to fulfill the vision of Journey the Way?

c Are you willing to wholeheartedly serve and support the mission of Journey the Way, even in the messiness, ambiguity, and adventure of the early stages?

In awareness of and submission to these expectations, I commit myself to the Journey the Way Core Team.

Chad Pearce

Hosea

Before I begin, by the grace of God and if He wills it, I will be writing an ongoing series of blog posts on the book of Hosea.

“Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; 
 his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, 
 as the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6:1-3

“For he has torn us.” More often than not when we feel torn down rather than looking to God as the one who has ripped us (directly or indirectly), we either, consciously or subconsciously, think that somehow God lost control. I do this often. Seeing circumstances that I want to go a certain way, but knowing it could very well go the opposite way, and worrying about it. This is unbelief and disobedience (sin). Unbelief that God is sovereign and disobedience to have faith in what He will do. Unbelief that what He will do will be the best for me (even though my past speaks clearly to God being in control and good coming from pain) and disobedience to act in accordance with His sovereignty. I can’t help but think of Hebrews 3:19, “So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.” ‘They’ are the Israelites who were freed from Egypt. Their unbelief led to their disobedience, and because of their unbelief and disobedience they could not enter God’s rest. The same is true for us.

“That he may heal us.” Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Let’s be honest: we’re jacked up and need healing. We, apart from God, don’t know up from down; we are blind; we are deaf; we are dead. For proof look at the Word Romans 3:10-20,23. And if that’s not enough (which it ought to be, God said it) then look at the world. Man’s (yours and mine) proclivity to do disastrous things/acts. Murder, rape, pedophilia and racial hatred to name a few; these things comprise the world that surrounds us, yet they do not shock us… We either need help and healing or to get our butts kicked for being so downright bad. So how can God heal us from our desperate state? Or better, why should He heal us?

Let’s answer the second question first. Why should God heal us? In an effort to be brief we’ll stay within these verses. “That we may live before the Lord. Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord.” So, why should God heal us? So that we can live before the Lord, and press on to know Him. Does this mean that God is lonely and needs us to keep him company so he saved us? No! If we, as believers, are pressing on to know him, praise will happen. Our natural response to awe-inspiring things is to praise them. But here praise is different because this praise is holy (set apart), all other praise is praise to things, creation (idolatry), but praise that is given to God is right praise, it is God-glorifying. So the fundamental answers to why should God heals us, is not because of our value to him, but because His praise and glory are at stake.

Back to the first question; how can God heal us from our desperate state? “On the third day He will raise us up.” Ephesians 4:8-11, “ Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high He led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that He had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)” Since we’re on the honest bend, I’ll be frank. Jesus is how God heals us. We’re screwed, and getting exactly what we deserve unless we have Jesus. No ifs, ands, or buts; no Jesus, no healing. So how do we get Jesus to heal us??? Answer: Belief. Plain and simple. Belief in the Gospel, that Jesus became a man, lived a perfect life (the life you and I can never live), died the death we ought to be eternally dying, and then rose from the dead defeating sin (our biggest problem), death and Satan. Leading us, the captives from our former slavery.

-Fight the good fight of faith,

Sam Morris (Romans 7:24-25)

`Sa

Two things to remember when discussing the Church

I believe it is important to remember two things when discussing the Church.

First, that the Church is a whore, a bunch of saved sinners, like Hosea's wife, and she will always be a whore until Christ comes, yet Christ loves the Church to the point of death on a cross. Therefore as a believer I must love her, though I am the worst whore of them all.

Second, we must remember the Gospel. The good news of Jesus becoming a man, living, dying brutally (murdered) on a cross for our sins, raising to life, and now making intercession for believers in heaven.

Though it does piss me off to see churches destroy those people trapped in sin, rather than loving them, and walking alongside them, and getting to know them, and becoming their friend so that at some point to teach truth lovingly to them. We ought to build relational bridges that are strong enough to bear the weight of truth. For God uses sinners, to teach the Gospel.
So, yes, the Church is a jack-up whore; and, yes, she does an awful job at loving; but Christ loves her, therefore so must I.

~Sam

Romans 7:24-25

New Contributors

With all that is going on with Journey The Way you may have noticed that I haven't been able to post as much as I would like. It isn't that I don't have anything to say, but that I have been busy with receiving the blessings of God. So it is my pleassure to introduce you to some new contributors to the Journey the Way Blog. Sam Morris, Anthony Fiorillo, and David Campbell will be contributing on occasion to this blog. I (Chad) will still act as editor and contributor, but you will now benefit from these guys as well. Our format will be to sign off on each post. That will show you who wrote what.

Please continue to pray for us as we move forward with the Church Plant. Pray for Tuesday nights as Journey the Way now leads a worship service in downtown Wichita at Mead's corner. Pray that God continues to move and that we follow His leading.

For the praise of His glory,

Chad Pearce

Community Groups

We are starting community groups next week (week of November First). These groups will be used for discussing the talk from Tuesday's DCF.

Here they are with their leader and day/date starting:

#1

When: Sunday, November 8th

Time: 6pm

Leader: Chad Pearce

#2

When: Wednesday, November 4^th

Time: 7pm

Leader: David Campbell

#3

When: Thursday, November 5^th

Time: 6:30pm

Leader: Sam Morris

#4

When Thursday, November 5^th

Time: 8pm

Leader: Anthony Fiorillo

What I have a blog?!

Let me start off by apologizing for not blogging in over a month. You have to understand the reason for not blogging isn't for lack of stuff to say, but rather because God is doing so much that there hasn't been time to record it all. A lot of what has been going on centers on a bible study called DCF (Downtown Christian Fellowship). This study started out as a ministry of Metro East Baptist Church in Wichita KS, and was led by a good friend of mine Matt Redmond. Matt and his wife are moving from Wichita to Birmingham to plant a church. You can see why Matt and I are good friends.

For some time now Shaina and I have been a part of this group and enjoyed the teaching and the fellowship. I was even privileged enough to get to teach a few times over the summer. With Matt preparing to move the church voted to give this ministry to Journey the Way. They are even graciously paying the rental fee on the location through the end of the year. We started leading this group last Tuesday and I couldn't be more excited.

So what does all this mean? Great question, but all I can tell you for now is that you need to stay posted. Details will be divulged as they develop. I can tell you that God is so good and His grace is amazing. He promised to build His church and that means in His timing and in His way.

In other news my life has been really busy lately with the church, Re:train, and moving into a new house. Not to mention trying to be a good husband and father. I thought I knew what it meant to be busy, but I was wrong. Pray for me that I would have the energy and the wisdom to do the things that God deems most important and that I would delegate the rest. Also please continue to pray for our core team, that they would be mature and complete not lacking in anything, and that God would continue to give us a Spirit of unity. Pray for us as we begin 4 community groups this next week. God is moving!

Chad

Update on Planting

I know I have been neglectful of the blog world. So here is an update to share with you some of the things God is doing. We have had four core team meetings to date and have had around 20 people consistently. God is doing some really cool stuff through these people. I have heard stories of gospel conversations and of people building relationships with sojourners. The feel of the group has been great. Each week when we gather together there is plenty of conversation and much of it centers on Christ.

We hope to start another group sometime in october and we need help spreading the word. If you know of someone who may be interested in joining a community group, please get them in touch with me ASAP.

Chad

1st Meeting!!

Well what can I say, God is amazing. You know how you have something all built up in your head? You have this picture of what things will be like, and then God totally blows your idea up. For the back story, Shaina and I have been praying for a long time that God would build this church and that He would do it for His glory. Specifically we have prayed that God would raise up a core team and that He would lay the idea of a new church on people's hearts. That is exactly what He has been doing and we got to see first hand evidence of this fact tonight.

We had 21 people at our house tonight sharing and praying together. I had the privilege of sharing vision for Journey the Way. We dismissed at around 9:00 and most people stayed for another hour talking and getting to know one another. At one point in the night we broke up into groups and got to know each other a little better and to pray for each other. It was cool to hear stories of how God had brought each one to this meeting at this time in this place, with a desire to see this church planted.

I want to thank each and every one of you who prayed for us tonight, and ask that you continue to pray for us on Thursday nights. I know that this is a big commitment, and I know that this is how some of you will be a huge part of what God is doing here in Wichita.

For the Praise of His glory,

Chad

Core Team Meetings

Well it is finally here. Thursday at 6:30 we (Journey The Way) will have our first core team meeting. I am totally stoked and a little nervous. I think we will have at least 15 there and could have as many as 25, only God knows for sure. I am writing this post to ask for prayer for this night. I am looking for at least 10 people to commit to pray for our meeting on thursday.

Pray that God will:

1. Lead us where He wants us to go.

2. Be the focus of all we do.

3. Spur hearts to fall more in love with Him.

4. Speak through me and also keep me from saying anything stupid.

5. Continue to bring more team members.

6. Clearly identify some leaders.

If you are willing to pray for us while we meet please either email me or post a reply.

For the praise of His glory,

Chad

Update on Planting

God is amazing! I could stop there and let that sum up my thoughts on the update, but I will go into more detail. We have been praying for three major things since we started, people, resources, and Wichita. I want to give you an update on all fronts.

People: God has been bringing several people to join our core team. We will officially start meeting on the 27th of this month. Pray for God to bring who He wants to this meeting. We could have anywhere from 12-35 people at that meeting.

Resources: God has been faithful in our fundraising efforts. We have had two new churches who have come on board to partner with. We are in talks with another church here in Wichita and our hope is that they will partner with us. This would be a good fit. Please pray that this partnership happens.

Wichita: God is in the process of doing a lot in this city. It is clear that there is an entire generation that is longing for a Gospel expression in their language. There are all kinds of College students who have no church to call their own. There are real problems in this city, but God is clearly at work. The more people we talk to the more we learn about how God is preparing to use Journey the Way. Pray that God continues to teach us about this city, and that He teaches us how to contextualize the Gospel for this city.

Chad

Turn The World Up Side Down

I wanted to take a post to share the notes from a talk I did last week at DCF. DCF is a bible study that meets at Mead's Corner in Wichita KS, every tuesday night at 8:00pm. I need to do a real post soon. I will be in Seattle all this next week. Anyways here are the notes:

Turn the World Up Side Down

Text: Matthew 28:16-20 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Our Motivation: The Glory of God

- Illustration:

- Text: V. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.

- Translation: We must first and foremost notice what the disciples did when they gathered to receive their final command. The worship Jesus the risen savior.

- We can’t overlook this, because it is the basis or the motivation for the disciples going forward.

- Often times our motivation for making disciples or sharing our faith is in order to earn favor from God.

- Or we share b/c people are perishing, and while that is a great motivation it isn’t the greatest motivation.

- Our foundational motivation for making disciples needs to be for the Glory of God. SO that Christ is exalted.

- Application: Our motivation for making disciples must be the Glory of God.

- If we are motivated by anything else we miss the point.

Our Warrant: All Authority

- Illustration: I love Law and Order…they are always trying to get a search warrant…We have our warrant…

- Text: V. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

- Translation: Because Jesus is risen, He has ALL AUTHORITY. God has given Jesus all the authority.

- This means that there is nowhere we tread that is not His.

- Application: This is in essence our warrant, which enables us to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

- For us this means that though our message may seem offensive to some, and people label us intolerant we have been given the authority.

- Now this isn’t a license to be belligerent or unloving.

Our Mission: Make Disciples Everywhere

- Illustration:

- Text: V. 19-20a Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

- Translation: Our mission is literally to as we go make disciples everywhere.

- Two aspect to this call:

o 1. We do this as we go: the implication here is that we are all on mission, and that our field is wherever we are going. Discipleship is a lifestyle more than a class.

o 2. We are to make disciples: this means that we share the gospel and teach people to live like Jesus. Making Disciples is more like an apprenticeship than a degree.

- Application: Who are the people you come into contact with as you go in life? How can you diciple them?

- Do you view discipleship more as class? How can you use the relationships and the time you have to help people journey toward God?

Our Partner: God The Holy Spirit

- Illustration: Have someone attempt to jump over a dollar while holding onto their toes…Part of the problem with making disciples is that we see it as an a task we can handle…we reason that we will simply share the things that we “do” in order to walk with God…As if we had anything to do with it…Or we see it as an impossible task…Either way we need a partner.

- Text: V. 20b And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

- Translation: We don’t go alone. Jesus is with us in the form of His Holy Spirit.

- Notice too that He is with us always, which means forever and at all times.

- This mission is ours but not ours alone.

- We represent Him and He goes with us.

- He is with us to the end of the age and then we get to go be with Him.

- Application: We need not fear for He is with us, and we must remember that He is the one with ALL Authority, and that He is with us!

- We shouldn’t fear messing up, or saying the wrong things.

- The Disciples were fear filled men, and as soon as the received the Spirit Peter, who was once fearful, boldly proclaimed the Gospel. This is made possible b/c He is with us.

Chad

Core Team Meetings

To all of you who follow the blog and live in the Wichita area I want to invite you to be a part of our core team. We will officially begin meeting on Thursday night Aug. 27th at 6:30. We will have a meal then spend some time in the word, while getting to know each other. I would love to know if you plan to attend, so please find a way to let me know if you are coming. We will meet at our house in Andover, for now that is.

Chad

Notes from DCF Talk: Love God, Love People

I just wanted to post my notes from last nights talk. FYI my notes are just that, notes. I don't manuscript my sermons so I apologize in advance for my Random thought process.

Chad

Love God, Love People

Text: Matthew 22:34-40 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."

Love God

- Illustration: Who or What is it in your life that you would default to…What is the one topic that you could always talk with passion about…What or who do you think most about…

- Text: V. 37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

- Translation: Jesus is referencing Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

o With all your heart: Passion and desires

§ This means that we point our passions at God, or that we relinquish our passions to Him. We desire what He desires and are burdened by what burdens Him. Ultimately he becomes our passion and the desire of our Heart.

o With all your soul: Very essence of who you are

§ We acknowledge that everything we have and everything we are is from Him and we give our all to Him, not to pay Him back, but because he loved us first. We long for our essence to line up with Him, so that we are defined not by who we were, but by who He is.

o With all your mind: Thoughts and wisdom

§ We think long and deep about our God and we pursue Him with our intellect. We read and meditate and ask questions, and seek the mind of God until we think about people like He thinks about them and we think about our sin the way He thinks about our sin.

- Application: The point here is that we are to love God in such a way as to leave no room in us for anything else. We are to Love Him with everything that we are.

Loving God is Paramount

- Illustration: I need to like the parents if I am ever going to like the kids in a family…If I don’t like the parents there is no way to like the kids…How can we love anything in creation without loving the Creator?

- Text: V. 38 This is the great and first commandment.

- Translation: Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was and He ups the bet by calling this the first as well.

- In other words Loving God is foundational. If we don’t start with loving God we have no basis for loving others, b/c God is Love (1 John 4:7-8)

- Application: We know Love b/c of God and therefore knowing and loving God is foundational.

Love People

- Text: V. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

- Translation: Jesus continues to up the bet by continuing His answer.

- The second is like it, so loving people is like loving God.

- It is like the first in that both take the proverbial hoe to the root of sin, namely “pride” in order for us to accomplish them.

- Supporting Text: Matthew 7:12 "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

- Translation: When we love others we are fleshing out the law and the prophets.

- Supporting Text: Romans 13: 8-10 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

- Translation: We fulfill the law when we love others.

- Application: How we love others is the visible expression of how we love God.

- It is literally the fleshing out of the Law.

- Supporting Text: Romans 8:3-4 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

- Illustration: My truck broke down…God is teaching me to view others as more important than myself…

- We must remember that this is only possible with the help of the Spirit. Jesus already fulfilled the law to perfection.

Everything depends on these

- Illustration: High pressure situation…1 second on the clock down by 1 you have two free throws, you need them both to win…if you miss all the other shoots in the game were made in vain…

- Text: V. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."

- Translation: Everything hangs on these two commandments.

- Everything written in the entire Old Testament hangs on these two chains. Without these everything else falls apart.

- Is it possible to be religious without loving God and People? Yes, we see it all the time, religious people who love the law and pridefully think they uphold it. They neither love God nor people.

Vision & Values

Journey The Way

Vision:

Love God . Love People . Turn the World Up-side Down

Love God (Matthew 22:35-40)
It is vital for disciples to have regular encounters with God in which they worship Him, hear from Him, and respond to Him in obedience. Bible reading, prayer, private and corporate worship, baptism and communion are all part of what it means to Love God.

Love People (Matthew 22:35-40)
As we interact with God, it is vital that we not approach glorifying God on our own, but that we intentionally interact with others who Love God. These “connections” will bring about transformation in us as we authentically encourage, instruct and support one another. Jesus’ love of people was radical and unconditional and so we need to Love People with no strings attached.

Turn the World upside-down (Matthew 28:18-20)
True Disciples will use their gifts, talents, vocations, and time not only to touch our church, but also to touch the communities they live in, and the world. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life. When we live as Jesus lived we will be a movement of servants that have the potential to turn the world upside-down, by bring the Gospel in word and deed as we go.

Core Values: To be leaders of a movement through which God can produce changed lives, we must embrace and live out these values:


Truth We live by truth, Jesus is truth


Humility We live life without taking ourselves too seriously


Community We live our lives with/for others who know the real us


Worship We live a lifestyle of worship to our God


Missional We live our life as we go, intentionally on mission


Image-bearers We live as those who resemble Jesus

Update on Planting

Friends, I wanted to take a moment and share an update on the progress of Journey the Way. God's timing is always better than ours and it has been really cool to see God open up opportunities, and create traction. We have a couple of churches that have jumped on to partner with us financially, there are at least two other churches praying about this possibility as well. We have four "official" core team members so far and about 15 people praying about the idea of coming on our core team. It seems like I meet people everyday who are interested in the church, it is almost as if God is bringing them our way (please note the sarcasm, b/c of course that is exactly what is happening).

We had a group of people over to our house on Monday and had a sweet time of prayer and continued to answer questions and clarify what we are all about. It looks like we will begin to officially meet as a core team starting the end of August. I would like to see us reach 20 core team members by that time so please pray to that end. Please also pray for discernment, and wisdom. We can't do any of this without God, pray that we would model dependence on Him.

Chad

What is the Church to DO!

A lot of people are asking a very good question these days, they are asking "what is the church" or "what makes a church a church". To me a lot of the confusion over what a church is centers on another question. In order to know what a church is we need to know our task, or our mission. There are all kinds of things that pass as "church" today, but most fall short of actually being what Jesus intended when he said, "I will build my church". The church that Jesus built and is still building today is a group of people united around a mission, God's mission. I know that is a little simplistic, but understand my goal in writing this post isn't to define what constitutes a biblical church, but to instead make sure we have answered what I think is an important first question. What is the Church to DO?

I believe that the Church exists to Love God, Love People and Turn the World Up-side Down. I get this from two primary places. The first two parts come from the great commandment found in Matthew 22:34-40, and the last part we get from the great commission, found in Matthew 28:18-20. In both of these places Jesus is condensing what the Church is suppose to do down to their simplest form. For me if you miss any one of these parts as a church you miss the whole thing and cease to be what Jesus intended.

To break it down a little some of us are great at loving God, we enjoy gathering for worship, we enjoy reading the Bible, and praying, but we don't like people very much. We don't like to love our neighbor, and we don't think about our mission other than to occasionally invite someone to come to "church" with us, so that we can preach to them

Some of us love people, and we go out of our way to engage with our neighbor or to have a conversation with a friend or stranger for that matter, but we don't love God very much, because we don't worship Him, or listen to His Word, and we don't engage in conversation with God, through prayer. We think our mission is to engage the world in a conversation instead of preaching the truth of the Gospel.

The sweet spot is to have all three, and really the only way we get our mission right. We need to Love both God and People, and we need to both engage and preach in order to Turn the World Up-side Down. It isn't an either or, it is a both and. You Can't claim to love God and neglect to engage the world that He loves. You can't claim to love the world without sharing the truth of the Gospel, that Jesus God's son came and died on a cross so that we could be forgiven and live our life to the fullest both here and for eternity in heaven.

Chad

Your Word is Truth Part 2

When we live the word we live truth. See previous post here. Jesus prays that we will be sanctified by the truth, so that we can be sent into the world. Your sanctification isn't exclusively for you. You are sanctified for a purpose.

John 17:14-18

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

As Christians were should look different from the world b/c we are like Jesus, but we must engage the world and live in the world. We are sanctified for this purpose. Jesus was sent into the world and now he sends us. How can we engage the world? Do you feel like you have been sent into the world, or do you feel like you have retreated from the world? Or maybe you feel like there is no distinction between you and the world. Does the world hate you? They should and when they do we better make sure we don't retreat into our Christian bubble. Can you imagine if Jesus had retreated? The call to follow Christ is a call to die to self.

Chad

Our Hearts our Idol Factories...

I was recently at Advance 09' and was privileged to hear some amazing preaching.  One of the most impact-full was a message from Mark Driscoll on Ministry Idolatry.  I would recommend to everyone of you to download this message and then pray that God will speak to your heart.  Next I would suggest buckling up for a beat-down from the Holy Spirit.  Leave some comments on what God is saying to you through this.  

Chad

Missional Community

Missional Community is fast becoming a buzz word among Churches.  Most churches aim at community and miss both community and mission.  But what if we aim at mission?  Will we hit mission and community.  I say yes and so do some others.  Below is a short video from Matt Carter, Pastor of Austin Stone Community Church in Austin TX.  Take a look and share your thoughts with me.

THE SHOW - for May 19, 2009 - Guest Matt Carter from Todd Rhoades on Vimeo.

For the Praise of His Glory,

Chad

Your Word is Truth Part 1

In John 17 we read Jesus' High Priestly prayer.  In the prayer Jesus prays for several things: He prays that he will glorify the Father, He prays that we would know that He (Jesus Christ) is the only true God sent from the father, He prays that he would finish his work on earth and return to the glory he had before creation.  Jesus then goes into a section where he talks about Christians and how we are saved by His name (Jesus) and how he and the Father are one, and how the Father sent Jesus.  Jesus makes a statement that He isn't praying for the entire world, but only those who are believers.  Near the end of this prayer Jesus talks in more detail about how we are to live in this world.  

John 17:14-18 

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.  ¹⁶They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

Jesus prays here that we would live by the "word" which he gave us.  He tells us that when we receive the "word" the world will hate us, b/c we aren't of this world.  A lot of Christians stop there and conclude that since we aren't of this world then we should separate ourselves from the world.  But Jesus doesn't stop there.  In verse 15 He continues by saying that he isn't praying that God the Father would take them out of the world, only that He (the Father) would keep them (us as Christians) away from the evil one (Satan).  Then Jesus prays these words: Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.  Focus here on two words, the word THE and the word IS.  Jesus says that there is one truth, and that the "word" is truth.  Jesus isn't saying that the "word" (The Bible)  holds exclusive truth, but that the "word" is truth.  Let me say it another way, Truth will not contradict the Bible, because there is one truth and, the Bible is truth.  Truth can be found in other places, but for it to actually be truth it won't contradict other truth, namely the "word" (Bible).  

So we are to live by the Truth, and we are sanctified or made more like Jesus by the Truth.  The reason we live by the Truth is so that we can live sent lives...more on that later.

It's not about you...

It's not about you...  This was the quote that my wife will probably be most remembered for at our church in Iowa.  This last Saturday night our church family honored us with a party.  It was a blessing to hear how God had worked in people's lives while we were in proximity.  As good as it was to hear people praise what God had done through me it was even better to hear what one lady had to say about my wife.  I have always said that my wife is amazing, it is just cool to hear other people agree.  

Her quote is one that proves to me that God has laid this vision for Journey the Way on both of us, because I see and hear in her the values that I want to live out.  Of all of the core values that I hope we live out, humility is by far the hardest one for me to flesh out.  Most of us I think struggle with this one because so much of our time and energy is spent on us.  We think about us, and even when we think of someone else, we usually think of them in terms of how we are affected by them.  The beauty of humility is that to achieve it all we have to do is stop thinking of ourselves.  Because after all IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!  It's about HIM!

Chad

Humility, is it in you?

Humility is one of those elusive characteristics.  If you focus too hard on being humble you are in danger of being proud about your humility.  My good friend and former student Jamie wrote an excellent piece on Humility and the Church you can read it here.  

The Apostle Paul said in the book of Philippians 2:3-8 that Humility isn't about us at all.  

Philippians 2:3-8 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,even death on a cross.

Paul challenges us to look out for the interests of others.  This was exemplified to me this week by some amazing friends of mine who dropped what they were doing to help me out.  I had three friends drop what they were doing to help me paint my garage so that we can hopefully close on our house at the end of this week.  I don't think they realized it but when they did that they were reflecting the image of Christ.  You see when we stop thinking of ourselves and start thinking of others we have the mind of Christ and model Humility.  True humility helps point people to the cross.  

Chad

Church, Re-thought...

It seems that in today’s fast paced hectic lifestyle there is tremendous opportunity for people’s faith to move from a compartment in their life to a Way of life.  This Way of life is more than just a system of beliefs that we ascribe knowledge to, but rather it is a new Way to live.  When we look at the life of Jesus we see that following Him will change everything.  Living the Way of Jesus means that our faith in Him affects every other facet of our lives.  If it doesn’t, do we really know what it means to follow Jesus?

 

I don’t know about you but that doesn’t feel like the church I see today.  It seems like Church adds more stuff to our schedule and demands that we attend this event or that conference and if we don’t then somehow we are less spiritual.  Jesus said that He came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.  Doesn’t that mean that if we are imitating Him then we will serve and give our lives for others?  Jesus also said that it isn’t the healthy who need a doctor but the sick; I have come to seek and to save the lost.  So clearly Jesus was here on earth to seek out and serve the lost and He gave His life to see that happen.  So wouldn’t a movement based on His life do the same thing?  When did the church become all about us and meeting our needs and making sure we are comfortable?  It seems to me that a Jesus movement is a movement of servants who sacrifice their comfort so that others may come to know the Love of Christ that compels us.  

 

Our hope is to start a movement of people who are on a journey together, striving to live the Way of Jesus.  Historically we call this a church, and for all practical purposes that is what this is, but hopefully a church re-thought, re-focused, and re-commissioned.  Our hope is that the structures we put in place will compliment people’s lifestyles leaving them the opportunity to live every part of their lives on mission.  The plan is that there will be large worship gatherings with teaching, and small group gatherings where true community can take place, communities that live to serve others.  There is much room for diversity within these small groups, but all groups run at core values together.  

Leaving all to follow...

So I was reading in Matthew this morning and came across a very familiar passage that hit me in a fresh way this morning.  Matthew 4:18-22 is the story of Jesus calling his first Disciples.  

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." ²⁰Immediately they left their nets and followed him. ²¹And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. ²²Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

There is something to be said about the commitment of those men who left everything to follow a man they knew little about.  I think the appeal for adventure and something new drew them in.  Plus the fact that this was no ordinary man who was asking them to follow.  I wonder sometimes if they had any idea what they were getting themselves into.  These were ordinary men who God would use to start an extraordinary movement that continues to this day.  

It is my belief that God is calling some of you to join us in this adventure to Journey The Way of Christ, and to see lives forever changed by the power of the gospel.  I don't know what you will have to leave behind, but I do know that the ride will be wild.  1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Chad

For the Ladies...

I had a request for the ladies sermon as well.  So here is the prequel to the Men and Marriage sermon.  

Chad

Attention all men...

I frequently listen to Mars Hill Church (Mark Driscoll) sermons.  Shaina and I listened to one the other night and it was impact-full.  I think that all men should watch this sermon.  If you are a guy, then please watch.  If you know a guy that should watch, send him the link.  

Chad

The move...

It has been awhile since my last post, and a lot has happened since I last posted.  We will close on our house in IA on the 20th of this month, and move right after that.  We have been pursuing funding from a variety of sources.  We spent a short couple of days in Wichita last week and made some great contacts with churches from others states looking to partner with new works in Wichita.  Please be in prayer for those contacts to develop into partnerships.  We have a place to land when we move.  We have a church that we are loosely connected with that owns a parsonage and they are willing to let us live there in exchange for 5 hours a week of youth work.  This is a big answer to prayer.  Look for more posts to come, I know this one is more on the personal side, but know that we appreciate your prayers.  

Chad

Which Line have you crossed?

I was listening to Craig Groeschel of Life Church, and he really impressed me with his passion for the kingdom over and above his church.  There were several things that he said that made me think but one in particular was near the end of his message, where he talked about Christians crossing one of three lines.  He said that all Christians cross at least one of these lines, and that as Pastors we need to call people to cross all three.  Take a moment and examine yourself to see which line(s) you have crossed.

Line 1: I believe in the gospel enough to benefit from it

This is the first line people cross.  Essentially they believe the gospel enough to escape hell, have a better marriage, get control of their finances, attend church, like the music...

Line 2: I believe in the gospel enough to contribute comfortably

Cross this line and people believe enough to volunteer in church, open their home for a group, sing on the worship team, hold babies, serve on a committee...

Line 3: I believe in the gospel enough to die to self 

Cross this line and you must die...This is a call to selfless love and devotion to God's mission.

Which line have you crossed?

Chad

Love People

So I was people watching all day yesterday since I flew from Wichita through Atlanta to Orlando.  My prayer all day was that I would see people like Jesus sees people.  Be careful when you pray that.  There are a lot of hurting people in our world.  God gave me a window into fractured marriages hurting students, confused and bitter people.  I did get to see some joy and some laughter.  One thing that struck me was just how isolated we in America have become.  Most people sit in an airport surrounded by life, and do everything they can to disconnect from it.  They listen to the ipod or read a book or check the email.  I saw very few conversations.  So then I was convicted, b/c I am the same way.  Even though I didn't have my book out or ear buds in, I was still just observing people, instead of engaging them.  I must admit loving people is hard work.  Lets face it loving us is hard work.  I want to issue a challenge, a challenge to engage the world around you.  I not saying start going door to door or anything like that, but at least have some conversation with those God has placed around you.  

I will leave you with this story.  So after feeling convicted while sitting in the airport, I did what I rarely do, and I immediately obeyed, and did what I thought God wanted me to do.  I began to engage with the people around me.  Some blew me off but others were willing to talk.  I got to talk with a lady who was trying hard to disconnect and when she finally started talking I could tell that she really wanted to connect.  Turns out it was the lady's head basketball coach for the University of Central Florida.  Joy is her name and she has a tough job, with lots of people to impress, and I could tell she works hard at it.  Our conversation wasn't deep or very long but after just a few moments of talking I knew how I could pray for her.  God wants us to be His representatives in this world and to do that we have to engage people.  

Who Wants to be Great?

Who wants to be great?

Who among us doesn’t want to be great, or do something worthwhile, or at least be a part of something amazing?  It seems like we live in a culture fascinated with celebrity.  We see this with the success of shows like TMZ and the myriad of ET like shows.  It has even shown up with the plethora of shows where the average Joe can reach celebrity status almost overnight.  A great example of this would be Melissa Rycroft who became famous enough to be on dancing with the “stars” after one season on the Bachelor.  But we all know that being famous doesn’t make someone great, don’t we?  What happens when this desire to reach celebrity like status reaches the church?  People seem to get their priorities all out of wack, they see the stage as the pinnacle of Spirituality, and that after having reached that pinnacle they should remain there as though they were royalty. 

 

The reality is that those who lead and those who teach bear a greater judgment.  It isn’t just people in our day who have this issue.  Even Jesus’ disciples struggled with the idea of being great, and knowing what it takes to get there.  Look at how Jesus handles this: 

 

Matthew 20:20-28 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." 22Jesus answered,  "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." 23He said to them,  "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." 24And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25But Jesus called them to him and said,  "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

 

Jesus sets the perfect example of what it truly means to be great.  He came to serve and to ultimately give His life for us.  So if we as Christians are suppose to be like Him then doesn’t that mean that we need to be a group of servants?  We want Journey the Way to be a movement of servants, not a gathering of consumers or celebrity seekers.  Would you consider joining the movement?

 

Chad Pearce