rethink (3)

GUEST POST: "Christianity is no longer the norm"

By Curtis W. Freeman

...research professor of theology and director of the Baptist House of Studies at Duke Divinity School. His book Pilgrim Journey: Instruction in the Mystery of the Gospel

was published in September by Fortress Press as a sequel to Pilgrim Letters: Instruction in the Basic Teaching of Christ.

 

This proposal for reordering in discipleship isn’t an attempt to be “seeker-sensitive,” in the worst sense of the phrase, giving nonbelievers less to disbelieve. It’s a realistic response to our society’s profound cultural and political shifts. It’s a recognition that Christianity is no longer the norm and, therefore, does not feel normal to many of our neighbors.

We can no longer assume a basic familiarity with our faith that makes a sense of belonging, at least superficially, relatively easy to achieve. We must start with belonging in the sense of “faith as trust” in God and membership in God’s family, not belief in the sense of “faith as understanding,” because getting to the doctrinal affirmations is a much longer journey than it used to be. In post-Christendom, occasional church attendance is not a sufficient basis for making Christians—if that attendance happens at all.

Moreover, the disciple-making process is not about enculturating people into an affinity group of support and togetherness. It’s about cultivating a community committed to following Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). In a secular society, to believe and behave, we must be able to grasp that we belong not only to that community but to God who created us and demonstrated a profound love for us in Jesus Christ.

Belonging, then, is not simply a matter of church attendance or even membership. It’s a covenant relationship based on trust and commitment. It’s deeper than cultural similarities or consumer attraction to a congregation’s programming. It’s belonging to God and one another in the ties that bind our hearts in Christian love. It’s the fellowship of kindred minds. It’s bearing one another’s burdens and sharing the joy of blessings. It’s a common journey and a common hope.

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GUEST POST ~ Fostering Spiritual Transformation

Are you seeing transformation?

New blog post from Bob Logan

The gospel itself–Jesus’ death and resurrection–is an overwhelmingly powerful story of transformation. When all hope seems lost, we see light. Something difficult becomes something beautiful. The Red Sea rolls back to reveal dry land. The new heavens and the new earth arise from the ashes of the old. That’s the story of the gospel. As a senior pastor, where are you currently seeing that kind of change? Even the kernels of such change can provide much-needed hope for your people. 

If you yourself have been transformed by the grace of God, you can then go on to help others experience that same powerful change. Our God is a God who loves us too much to let us remain as we are. He has so much for us to learn, grow, experience, and do. Senior pastors are uniquely positioned to lead and guide others toward the joy and challenge that is spiritual transformation. 

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Fostering Spiritual Transformation  

For the purpose of the Senior Pastor Profile, Fostering Spiritual Transformation means engaging and equipping others to deepen their walk with Jesus.

Jesus promises significant transformation to those who place their trust in him:  

Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. John 5:24

The very rite of baptism at conversion provides an image of cleansing, renewal, and rebirth, as it symbolizes crossing over from death to life. John the Baptist clarified: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). That is the power source of the change: God himself. If we are in him, we become a new creation. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The Christian faith is a continual retelling of a story of transformation, restoration, and new creation. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

One important element to remember is that we, as mere humans, cannot generate spiritual formation in others. We cannot make it happen. Only God has the power to bring about spiritual transformation. We, however, can engage in behaviors that foster and promote it in others. 

7 Habits that Demonstrate Fostering Spiritual Transformation  

What does it look like for someone to foster spiritual transformation? Although it’s a bit different for everyone, here are some of the features held in common:  

1. Cultivates prayer, worship, and listening to the Holy Spirit

If a senior pastor does not set an example of cultivating prayer and worship and listening to the Holy Spirit, how will the congregation learn? They need to see this example set and modeled and prioritized for all. That is how they will know what the church is called to be and do. 

2. Creates relational environments for life change 

Within every large group, smaller pockets of community need to be available for real-life interpersonal change. People need those close relationships to grow and change, sometimes fail, and then get back on their feet. Without it, each person will be ultimately alone and likely pretending to be somewhere they aren’t. How much better to be in an honest relational environment?   

3. Delivers transformational messages 

Transformation is difficult. That’s why we all need reminding… regular reminding. Preach about the coming Kingdom, the new heaven and the new earth, the small glimpses and tastes of that we experience here and now, and how we can move toward all that God has for us. Without a message of hope for change, the people wander and ultimately perish. 

4. Helps people apply biblical principles in contemporary contexts 

The Bible was written a long time ago, and not everyone has been to seminary and able to interpret all of the context. Yet everyone who believes does have the Holy Spirit within them to help them understand the word of God. As a senior pastor, provide guardrails and guidance for how to apply the Bible and its principles to everyday life. Point them to the essentials and how to live those out. Without that, people tend to become focused on the non-essentials and the divisive. 

5. Shares personal experiences of spiritual growth 

If the senior pastor isn’t growing, others won’t either. And if the senior pastor isn’t sharing about that growth–including the times when he or she doesn’t look perfect–others won’t open up either. If we are to be humans on a journey of growth where the path isn’t always straight, we need to hear the stories of others who have gone before us… and that includes from our senior leaders. 

6. Facilitates growth that includes both inward and outward components

The transformative growth that we model isn’t just words and it isn’t just behaviors–it’s an entire holistic experience of change. Transformation includes emotions, ideas, joy, memories, actions, words, and initiatives that reach out into the world. It starts on the inside, but if it’s real, it works its way outward to ways the whole world can see. 

7. Inspires people to godly action 

We can help people not only learn the scriptures, but live them out in ways that promote godly action and real world impact. Setting the tone for change—and indeed, the expectation of change—is one of the essential elements of a senior pastor’s role. This is a faith based in resurrection, new life, and the world to come… and we all have a part to play in that coming Kingdom.  

How well are you fostering spiritual transformation? 

If you would like to assess yourself in this area, take some time to reflect on the following questions. Write out your answers for more complete processing, or talk them through with someone if you’re more of a verbal processor. 

  • How have you facilitated prayer, worship, and listening to the Holy Spirit in your community?   
  • What relational environments for life change have you created? 
  • To what degree does your preaching result in transformation?  
  • How do you help people apply biblical principles in their contemporary contexts? 
  • When have you shared personal experiences of spiritual growth?   
  • How have you facilitated spiritual growth that includes both inward and outward components?  
  • How have you inspired people to godly action? 

Fostering Spiritual transformation is 1 of 12 qualities that have been proven to be essential to successful and healthy senior church leadership. To learn more, read The BEST qualities in a Senior Pastor. Next week, look out for another crucial quality for senior pastors.  

RESOURCES:

Feeling the weight of fostering transformation on your own? Grab a few good folks and get them on board by walking with them through The Guide for Discipling‘s series on Community Transformation. Outward focus tends to start a softening work in people’s hearts. Once you see that work begin move on to the series on Personal Transformation. Bringing others on the journey will lessen your load and expand your influence. The studies have been adapted for the Vineyard, Lutheran, and Episcopalian denominations. You can find the full set of guides HERE.

Christian Coaching Essentials

Christian Coaching Essentials

Developing people to be all that God created them to be is the heart behind empowering spiritual transformation. Learning simple coaching techniques raising your ability to that exponentially. Christian Coaching Essentials is a brand new book that teaches you all you need to know to implement effective coaching.

 

Experiencing excellent coaching is a catalyst to coaching with excellence. Dr. Bob Logan and Dr. Gary Reinecke are taking a small group of leaders through coach training beginning April 20th, 2023! Get details at Christian Coaching ToolsRegister today and pay in full by April 1, 2023 and get $500 off your Cohort Tuition!

Photo by Cyrus Crossan on Unsplash

The post Are you seeing transformation? appeared first on Logan Leadership.

 

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The #Reimagine Journey is the road less travelled towards God's wisdom
 
Did you know that the path of least resistance is seldom the best path?
 
Glenn Bleakney
That’s why so many believers swallow hook, line and sinker, the so-called wisdom of the world...
Because it is so often the path of least resistance. It's all about cutting corners, short cuts, overnight success without putting in the effort and it seldom delivers true and lasting value.
 
James 3 lets us know that there is wisdom from below (earthly wisdom) and wisdom from above (Godly wisdom) with the latter being the one that is truly POWERFUL!
 
You don’t want man’s wisdom, even though that is what is most commonly offered by men preying on the naïve and/or desperate. What you need in difficult times, indeed at all times, is the wisdom that comes from above. 
 
1 Corinthians 1:30 tells us that “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us WISDOM from God…” Paul goes on to tell us that we have been given the very mind of Christ, (1 Corinthians 2:16) who is the possessor of God’s wisdom, the revealer of secrets and the repository of all knowledge.
 
As Jesus Himself said, “wisdom is justified by her children.” (Matthew 11:19) So while it may look foolish, the proof is in the pudding as they say. When you think about it, wisdom is like money. It accomplishes what money can do, (and more). Solomon said, “Wisdom is a defense as money is a defense." (Ecclesiastes 7:12)
 
Wisdom is not some stored up suite of information. It is inseparable from God’s Word – the Lord Jesus Christ, who became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14) 
 
When you have Jesus living in you, you have at your request all the wisdom you need for any situation. If you seem to lack it, ask God who gives to all men liberally, without shaming you and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)
 
Accessing this kind of wisdom is just one of the secrets of God that will propel you past (or through) any obstacle.
 
 
 
Watch The Kingdom Community Television Network 
Visit our websites to learn more about us. https://AwakeNations.org https://KingdomCommunity.global https://KingdomCommunity.tv

 

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