This is a long post. I recommend downloading the PDF of this post, reading it, then coming back to leave your comments. Introduction: Nutrition and Exercise for Body and Soul Every spring, after the long Michigan winter, I begin a walking program. I walk up Ridgeway Road until it dead ends, then come back to a cross-street, where I turn left and walk through the subdivision until it comes back out onto Ridgeway Road. Then I return home. It's about a two-mile walk, which I try to complete at least four times a week. I walk this route through spring, during summer, and into the fall, stopping it only when the temperatures fall to uncomfortable levels. But that hits the point--when late fall or early winter hits, I quit the discipline. And I don't restart until spring. You can imagine the rest. In Michigan, we get colder temps beginning in November. Which means I typically go through the gigantic meals of Thanksgiving and Christmas and a long winter where I eat all the candy well-meaning people gave me for Christmas without exercising. Which means, I pretty much undo the good I did by walking for three seasons. Which means, starting a walking program in the spring is easier said than done! I can't be the only one this happens to. If you've ever begun an exercise program, or a nutrition program, or a self-improvement program, you've probably experienced the initial rush of excitement as you began the program and experienced positive results. But unless you've been extremely committed to this program, you've also probably experienced the dullness of it around the two- or three-week mark. You may also have quit the program, giving up on the positive results you achieved. How to Be Immature We can see this process as a metaphor for our spiritual growth as well. We often begin well in our spiritual lives, but if we don't pay attention, we may find ourselves quitting the program we began. There are too many times I began a new year with the intention to read through the bible only to fizzle out mid-January when the reading called for me to slog through Leviticus and Numbers! But just like a good exercise or nutrition program will help us maintain optimal health, so a good spiritual nutrition plan will help us keep our attention on God and his mission for us in Jesus. This is what Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 when he tells the Christians in Corinth, "I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it" (3:1-2, TNIV). He's referring to their early lives as Christians--they were not yet experienced in faith and had a lot to learn. That is why he gave them milk. They weren't ready for solid food. They were like infants. Paul means this statement non-critically. This is the way it was; it's the same way with us. When we were first baptized, none of us had the depth of faith or spiritual maturity that we have now. At least, hopefully not. Therein lies the problem. Paul continues, "You are still worldly" (1 Cor. 3:3, TNIV). They haven't grown, they haven't advanced in faith, and they haven't matured. They are still acting like infants. They haven't engaged in spiritual growth. Why? Because they are too busy fighting and arguing among themselves. They are too busy manufacturing divisions among them. Paul says as much when he states, "For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly?" (3:3, TNIV). [Paul also points out several other reasons throughout 1 Corinthians why they are immature--they are putting up with worldly behavior in the congregation (ch. 5); they are suing each other (ch. 6); some of them are engaging in gross sexual immorality (ch. 6); some are using their freedom in Christ to lead others down a slippery slope (chs. 8-10); they are arguing about worship (chs. 11-14); and they are unclear about the resurrection of Jesus (ch. 15).] A similar problem exists in Hebrews 5:11-14. Throughout this letter, Christians are reminded that it is relatively easy to walk away from your Christian faith if you do not remain anchored to that faith (see 2:1). The writer thus warns Christians to be careful not to wander away (6:4-6). But in 5:11-14 the writer makes clear that if people are not serious about their own faith they will likely fall short. In fact, he rebukes them on this point! "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make clear to you because you no longer try to understand" (5:11, TNIV). He rebukes them for being too immature. He states that they should be teachers but can't, because they still need to be taught themselves (5:12)! They live on milk and are not mature (5:13-14). How to Begin a Spiritual Nutrition Program How do we avoid this fate? How do we become mature instead of wallowing in immaturity? We need to put ourselves on a spiritual nutrition program. We need to put away the milk and begin eating meat. The meat of spiritual growth is prayer and the word of God. Just like we need to eat good food in a physical nutrition program and exercise daily, so in our spiritual nutrition program we need a daily workout and regiment of prayer and the word of God. Jesus declared as much in response to a temptation when he said, "People do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4, TNIV). Jesus knew that without the word of God, and without prayer, we wouldn't be able to sustain our spiritual growth. The word of God and prayer are the meat of maturity. We process the word best through meditation. The psalms attest to this over and over. In meditation, we digest the word of God and seek application, rather than simply accumulate knowledge about God.
But a nutrition program also requires action. It's not enough just to eat right. We also need to exercise. In our spiritual nutrition program, we also need action. We need strength training. We do this through serving others. Going back to 1 Corinthians, Paul reminds them that, instead of fighting among themselves, they should learn from his example and be a servant (3:5). Later, he teaches about love and instructs them to love each other--which means not fighting and actively seeking the good of others. In Hebrews, serving takes on more of an encouraging aspect. The writer teaches Christians to be together, to encourage each other, to not avoid others. In this way their faith would be strengthened and they would grow together (10:25). Begin Your Spiritual Nutrition Program A spiritual nutrition program combines food with action. Our food is prayer and the word of God. Our strength-training is serving and encouraging others. It's important to include all these aspects. If we eat right, we're only going partway. We're missing out on the fullness of what we can do as God fuels us. If we only serve and encourage others, we're missing the deep intimacy that comes from time with God. We build our spiritual nutrition program through discipline. We start day-by-day, bit-by-bit, adding to it and refining it until we get where we need to be (and as God leads us). For some, this will require daily bible reading. Others may find more nourishment in praying the daily office. Some may read a big chunk of the bible once a week. However we receive the word, let us focus on the action that comes from it. This action is our strength training exercises. We build our strength through serving and encouraging others. Today: Begin your spiritual nutrition program. As I've been studying biblical church leadership over the past year, I keep coming back to the New Testament books of 1 Timothy and Titus and these passages: 1 Corinthians 12-14; Romans 12:3-8; and Ephesians 4:7-16. It's rare for a book on church leadership to give proper attention to these passages, so I find myself reading and thinking about these texts (and commentaries on them). Recently, I found a book called The Equipping Ministry of the Pastor (EMP), by Jerry File. EMP is a short book, only 93 pages long. But it's well-written, and it covers the pastor's work by specific study of the problems in the Corinthian church (mainly due to the arguments over spiritual gifts in chapters 12-14), the work of the pastor detailed by Paul in 1 Timothy, and the five-fold ministry of leadership presented in Ephesians 4. Dr. File states that the goal of church leadership, and the ultimate purpose of the pastor (referred throughout as the teaching-shepherd, via Ephesians 4:12), is to equip the saints for perfection. The pastor does this mainly through teaching the word to the congregation. (It's the congregation's responsibility to learn and to allow the pastor time for study and teaching.) Teaching the congregation is done both corporately and privately, either in small groups or in individual meetings. File also places emphasis on the role of the evangelist. He points out that, biblically, evangelists would proclaim the gospel, call the converted together to form a church, and appoint elders before moving on to a different area. These appointed elders could become the teaching-shepherds of the congregation, or the congregation could employ a teaching-shepherd from outside the congregation. As File is presumably Baptist, based on the seminaries he attended, it's no surprise that he does not cover the role of the apostle and prophet in the contemporary church. In fact, he states that these roles were foundational (Eph. 2:20) and have since passed away since the foundation has been laid. He locates this foundation in the completion and formation of the New Testament. While I see this logic, I also have some reservations about it and see no problem acknowledging that God may gift, through his Spirit, different individuals to function apostolically or prophetically. The difference for me is that these are not given titles of "apostle" or "prophet." Instead, they function this way because of their gifts. Much attention is paid to the equipping of the church. The pastor is to teach the word because it's through the word that the church becomes equipped for ministry, and it's through equipping that the church is perfected. This incorporates insights from 1 Corinthians 12-14, as File points out that the church is not to expect the pastor to do all the ministry. In fact, the church, through their various gifts, is expected to minister to each other. They learn about this, and become equipped for it, through the teaching ministry of the teaching-shepherd/pastor. This book is a little light in places and I would have liked more depth. Overall, it presents a nice study, almost in outline form, of the work of the pastor and the expectations of the church. For me, the attention paid to biblical texts lets me offer a strong recommendation for this book. If you are looking for a book that details biblical leadership, you will be happy with this one. We Are One Body in Christ 01/19/2010
This is a follow-up to Sunday's sermon, explaining how Paul extends his teaching about how we need to contribute to and cooperate for the common good. In 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Paul teaches that we, though diverse, are unified as one body in Christ. Because of that, we are obligated to live a certain way, which includes performing our individual duties so that the whole body functions properly. We Are One Body In Christ View more presentations from Jeremy Hoover. Competition with other Christians is dangerous and does not achieve anything useful. The Spirit gives us gifts so we can cooperate in ministry and achieve the common good. How are you contributing? Watch the sermon slidecast below, or download or stream the audio only at the link below the slidecast. Please leave some comments. The Common Good View more presentations from Jeremy Hoover. Gifts Can Create Competition Have you ever been part of a church or Christian group that always seemed to be fighting? Where disagreements were at the center of many gatherings? Where disagreements weren't over doctrinal points but over who did what, who wanted to do what, and which areas of service were "better" or "more important"? If so, you're not alone--the early church struggled with this same problem of valuing each person and each way of service as unique and valuable for its own sake. Many churches (and Christians) overvalue the gifts of those who serve in public worship, especially those who serve in teaching or leading worship. This is understandable, due to the attention and focus we place on our public worship. I've been told before by well-meaning believers that they wished they could teach or preach and really add value to our common worship. I've also seen different men push to lead worship or teach because of the perceived importance they received when seen using these gifts. Both these perspectives are wrong. The first attitude overvalues one way of serving and undervalues that person's own unique way of serving that God has given to them. The second is attitude is wrong because it focuses on pride and overvalues some gifts at the expense of others. It's the kind of thing the Corinthian Christians were arguing over that caused Paul to correct them in his first letter to them. They competed with each other to see who could acquire the better, more spiritual gifts of speaking in tongues and prophecy (as they perceived them). Their competition was wrong, and made the church look bad in front of unbelievers. Gifts are Ways of Serving and Working In 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, which is the beginning of a long section of teaching running through the end of chapter 14, Paul begins his teaching about spiritual gifts, their purpose, and how they should be used. Spiritual gifts are given by God for the common good (12:7). Spiritual gifts ensure that the community is taken care of (1 Cor. 12:11-12) and God is worshiped in order and peaceably (1 Cor. 14:33). The guiding gift is love, and love for others should be our main aim in serving with our gift. Spiritual gifts aren't just about "abilities" or "talents," either. In fact, the word "gift" doesn't appear in Greek until 12:4, even though many translations put in 12:1--"Now about the gifts of the Spirit..." (TNIV). In fact, "gifts" might better be understood as modes of working or serving instead of "abilities" or "talents." Gifts are Manifestations of the Spirit Paul offers a breakdown along these lines in 12:4-6, where he mentions different kinds of gifts, service, and working. He probably doesn't intend for these to be identified as three different things, because he links each one with a member of the Godhead: the same Spirit, the same Lord, and the same God are behind all three. They are simply three ways of communicating the same thing--God is active in his church, gracing people with the resources they need to build up the church and function as one body--the body of Christ (which also happens to be the point of his teaching in 12:12-31). A better way to understand what Paul means by this terminology is to look at how Paul communicates this in 12:7--he calls these things "manifestations of the Spirit." And they're given for the common good. He summarizes his teaching in 12:11 this way: "All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines." So these manifestations are given, not by our ability to learn and grow and acquire, but by the Spirit, as he decides. He does this for the common good. Gifts are for the Common Good Isn't that interesting? Your ability to serve in an area, or your interest in a particular work, is given to you by the Spirit so you can contribute to the common good. The different kinds of manifestations are not as important as the manifester and his purpose. It's this lesson--not a lesson about what type of gifts we have or which gifts even exist--that the Corinthian Christians and contemporary Christians need to learn. The Corinthians were competing with each other. They thought that competition for the "more spiritual" gifts, and the pride that resulted from such competition, was a good thing. This is why Paul interrupts his teaching to discuss love (see 13:1; 14:12). Without love, the practice of spiritual manifestations is empty and does no good. We are not supposed to compete for the common good, but to cooperate together as one body for Christ's benefit, and to contribute to the common good by serving or working in whatever place the Spirit has placed us. The Spirit gives us ways of serving and working and we simply need to be obedient. This is how we work for the common good, and the result is that everyone is served, the church is built up, and Christ is honored and glorified. How do we know whether we're cooperating for or contributing to the common good, rather than competing for it? By our ability to look within ourselves and assure others that we are honoring Jesus. This is what Paul means when he says, "No one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, 'Jesus be cursed,' and no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit" (12:3). If your work or service is causing division and competition and is tearing people apart, you are not operating under the Lordship of Jesus. Video Summary: Giving 11/30/2009
In this video summary of our bible study from Sunday, November 29, 2009, I discuss our budget, how the numbers work, and what the bible says about giving, primarily from 1 and 2 Corinthians. This ended up being a "Part 1" because I ran out of time (big surprise!), so "Part 2" will be next week. |
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