Explaining the Incredible, and Getting Wet

By Steve Dennie
Acts 2:29-47

Peter is giving his impromptu sermon on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit had descended, people were speaking in languages they didn't know, and people were understanding languages they had never understood before. Some kind of explanation was required, don't ya think? So Peter got up and launched into an impromptu and, apparently, very lengthy sermon, trying to help people understand.

The thing is, Peter had never seen anything like this happen before, either. Nobody had. This dumb fisherman was probably as blown away as everyone else. Who was he to explain it? On a clueless scale of 1-10, with everyone else being a 10, Peter was probably at least a 7. So when he started talking, it was probably a case of, "I'm going to talk until I figure out what I want to say."

That's where the Holy Spirit comes in, and divine inspiration. The Holy Spirit gave Peter the right words. And Peter's thinking, "How do I know this stuff?"

As he told about the resurrection of Christ, the people asked in verse 37, "Okay, so what do we do now?" A valid question. They'd heard this amazing stuff about the Son of God who was crucified and came back to life. So now what? What does it MEAN?

And Peter spewed out the perfect, theologically sound answer. Before the Holy Spirit, Peter's answer would have been, "Duh, beat's me." But with the Holy Spirit, Peter says, "Repent and be baptized…and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

You could ask lots of people born and raised in the church today, and they couldn't give you that answer. But Peter KNEW. And he was probably as amazed by his words as anyone.

"Repent and be baptized...." Step 1, and Step 2.

At Anchor, we practice "believer's baptism," which means the person getting baptized has already made the decision to follow Christ. As opposed to an infant who gets sprinkled. If these two things go together--repent, get baptized--then to me, it points very strongly to a choice you make when you're old enough to make it. Since the first part is to repent, you have to ask, "How does a baby repent?" Well, a baby can't. A baby can barf and poop and cry, but not repent. This whole issue is a whole lot more theologically complicated than that, but I'm a simple person, so I'll view my simple logic as bulletproof, and defer all questions to Pastor Tim.

For me, baptism occurred at age 10, when my pastor dunked me in a swimming pool on an extremely hot day in Chambersburg, Pa. I swallowed some water and came up coughing, and kept coughing long after I'd climbed out of the pool. But baptism was my choice, and it came after, the summer before, I went to an altar and gave my life to Jesus.

This Sunday at Anchor, a dozen people much older than 10 will be baptized. It's their choice. And I'm jazzed about it.

Acts says about 3000 people were baptized that day in Jerusalem. Where'd they do that? Was there a nearby river? Did they use a pond? Whatever the case, it must have been a really big deal in Jerusalem, something lots of people came to gawk at. And I'm sure the Jerusalem Post reporters got it all wrong. They had no clue that what was happening there that day, with all these Jesus freak fanatics, would change the world forever.

Are You Shaken?

How often have you shared your faith only to be ridiculed or laughed at? How many times have you been in a situation and have hesitated to share that you are a Christian because of the reaction you might recieve?

How did you respond? What did you end up doing?

In Acts 2, once the disciples recieved the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages - languages that they hadn't know until that point - and they begain sharing the gospel to people in all different tongues, some were receptive. Some were not.

Haven't you been in that position with your faith?

I know that, as a child raised in a church with my mom being the Sunday School teacher and the youth group leader and doing VBS and Christmas pageants, I knew my faith. I knew what I believed in. I went to a conservative Christian college. I knew what I believe in.

So why is it that in certain situations, when I'm approached and have the opportunity to share the gospel, I hesitate? I worry about what people will say about me and my faith.

Everyone ends up in situations as a believer, where their faith is questioned and ridiculed. It's tough. There are all types of names for Christians that the secular world uses:
"Bible Thumper."
"Bigot."
"Hypocrite."
"Holy Roller."

A study by the Barna Group that I found on the internet said that only 16% of non-Christians in their late teens and early 20's have a positive view of Christians. That is less than one in five.

So, how do you respond?

I know that when I used to be teased or called names or looked down on because of my faith, I did not know how to stand up for it. I didn't know what to do. And generally, I clammed up, looked down, and tried to leave the situation as quickly as possible to avoid the discomfort.

In Acts 2: 17-21, Peter stood up when the people accused the Disciples of being drunk with wine, and quoted scripture. In verse 22, he explains further, and quotes scripture again. Ultimately, he defended Christianity and their faith in it.

Now, I share my faith a lot more than I used to. I do not consider myself to be a hardcore, preachy, "Bible thumping" Christian, but I try to live like Christ and love like Christ, and, when appropriate, share that good news that I am saved.

We, as believers, should represent our faith, not by telling people where they fall short in the eyes of God or judging them by their actions or lecturing them on their failures, but we should praise their good works and love them despite their wrong doings and help them grow to become better. If every Christian reacted to the world in love, instead of judgement, maybe we could erase some of those negative views of our religion.

Acts 2:25-28 - "David said about him: 'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.' "

May I Have Your Attention, Please?

About ten years ago shortly after Stephen and I were married, I agreed to tutor his seven year old nephew, Dakota. Dakota was a bright kid who just had a little trouble reading and keeping up in school. After only one tutoring session I realized why he often fell behind; he had never gotten a good grasp of the alphabet or that each letter, or group of letters, corresponded to a particular sound. It soon became apparent that we would have to start from the very beginning, with letter recognition, before we could make any real progress toward grade-level reading.

Now, I knew if I just told Dakota that he would have to learn the alphabet from the beginning he would’ve shut down and refused to work with me. He would assume that I didn’t know what I was doing or that I was trying to baby him and he’d lose respect for me almost immediately. I realized I had to get his attention . . . in a big way. I had to make the tutoring sessions so unlike any class he had ever been to or any other lesson he had ever learned that he would have no excuse not to participate. So . . . I resorted to bribery.

As newlyweds Stephen and I always kept a large jar on our kitchen counter for spare change just in case our checking account ever ran low, which it often did. Every day when Stephen got home from work, he would drop his spare change in the jar and by the time I started tutoring Dakota, it was nearly half full.

One day when Dakota came over for his tutoring session, I asked him if he wanted to earn a little money. His dark brown eyes-- root beer eyes, I always called them because they reminded me of root beer barrel candies--grew into saucers and sparkled like diamonds. Of course he wanted to earn some money! He had toys to buy and video game machines to feed. I brought out the big jar and his eyes danced as a big smile curled his lips.

I promised Dakota that for every letter he could recognize, I would give him a coin from the jar. Sometimes I would give him a quarter and sometimes I would just give him a penny or two, but each time he recognized a letter, I would give him something. Before long it became such a game to him, he could spout off letters, giggling all the while, before I could get my hand out of the jar.

I had gotten his attention by speaking to him in a language he could understand. If I would have just said, “Dakota, I’m your aunt and you’re going to learn your alphabet,” I would have lost him. I had to get his attention in a big way and I only had one opportunity to do it.

I thought of Dakota as I read Acts 2:1-13. The Holy Spirit was making His debut and He was doing it in a big way. “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the mighty rushing wind and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. They were amazed and astonished . . .” Acts 2:2-7 (ESV)

I didn’t understand the significance of each audience member understanding, in his own language, what was said until I did a little research. Unsurprisingly, languages of the world in that time were as complex then as they are today. It would have taken even the most intelligent men and women years to master a particular language. Because all twelve apostles were from Galilee, they didn’t have access to distant languages. It wasn’t as simple as dropping by Barnes & Noble for a quick study guide or enrolling in a summer foreign language class at the nearby community college that would provide them with enough of an understanding to “wing it”.

Then I began to think of why God must have felt it was important for this to be the Holy Spirit’s first miracle. It wasn’t to take the complexities out of communication--it was to convince them that He was among them. He got their attention and He did it by speaking to them in languages they could understand. He got his point across and did it in such a profound way they wouldn’t likely forget the experience or the incredible feelings that accompanied it.

With Dakota I had to speak to him in his own language to get him to listen to me. I had to find a way to get through to him even if I had to resort to unconventional methods. Isn’t it interesting how God will often deal with us in the same manner? He gets down on our level and speaks to us in ways we can understand Him. He may not speak to me in the same manner He speaks to others because He, in His infinite wisdom, knows that I’m stubborn and am unlikely to respond to convention. Just like a mother or father knows what methods of love and discipline work for their children, our Heavenly Father knows what methods work for us. He doesn’t expect us to conform to another’s way of thinking, instead, He acknowledges that we’re all different, just as He intended.

We serve a mighty God--a God who is not too out-of-reach to love us, comfort us, or communicate with us. And He’s still communicating today just as He was back then. The key to hearing Him is to accept that He’s willing to come down to our level to reach us. I find it incredible that the God who created every particle of existence, the God who hung the stars in the sky and breathed breath into all living things finds me significant enough with which to communicate and He’s willing to do it wherever I am, whenever I want and in ways that I can understand and relate. How humbling is that?

Filling Time Between Jesus and the Holy Spirit

By Steve Dennie

Acts 1:15-26 occurs during an in-between time: Jesus had just ascended, but the Holy Spirit hadn't come yet (that would happen soon on Pentecost). I imagine Peter and Friends were pretty stumped about what they were supposed to do. Jesus was gone, so…what next? The Holy Spirit hadn't come yet to give them direction.

I imagine God did that very intentionally. The coming of the Holy Spirit would be a Really Big Deal. But first, God wanted them to know what it was like to NOT have the Holy Spirit, nor Jesus. To be alone. He let them, for a short time, flounder.

All they could think of to do was to "play church." They got together, probably had a potluck, they prayed, and they held a business meeting. Kind of what churches do today when they lack the Holy Spirit's presence.

Acts says there were 120 people. That's pretty much the size of Anchor's congregation on a typical Sunday. So when you imagine Peter standing up front and speaking, think of Pastor Tim at the front of Anchor. Did those 120 include kids? Or were there 120 adults, PLUS kids? Don't know.

Jesus had chosen 12 disciples. Now they were down to 11. Was it important to fill the vacancy? They thought so. Peter pulled out an obscure reference from the Psalms that said, "May another take his place of leadership." It had nothing to do with Judas, and it was not a piece of prophecy, but everyone apparently considered it a compelling argument. Peter made a motion to replace Judas, and Andrew seconded it. Or something like that.

Hey, they didn't have anything else to do.

They also settled on some qualifications. They decided the New Guy had to be someone who had been with Jesus from Day One (Christ's baptism) until the ascension. You can just imagine them sitting around, arguing about qualifications. Maybe John suggested they get some newer blood, someone who hadn't been following Jesus for more than six months or so. But the Old Guard won out. It would be a long-timer.

They didn't, it seems, draw up a job description beyond "apostolic ministry." I suspect there were already 11 guys who didn't understand their job or what they would do the next day. But they felt they needed one more clueless person to make an even dozen.

Somehow--I'd love to know their process--they settled on two names, Barsabbas and Matthias. Were they the only two qualified persons? We don't know. Maybe several other persons were nominated, but they said, "No thank you. I'd rather not get crucified or sawn in half."

Barsabbas, or Matthias--which should it be? In America, of course, we would vote, because we're all about democracy and we're sure that is God's preferred method. But those First Century Christians did the Jewish time-honored practice of casting lots, the same practice that got Jonah thrown into a whale. What does it mean to "cast" lots? I'm not sure. But it was similar to drawing straws, which is more familiar to us. Matthias "won."

My Bible notes that this is the last time the Bible mentions casting lots to make a decision. A few verses later, the Holy Spirit arrives, and maybe this "inner voice" replaced lots. Or maybe Peter and Paul, who predominate in the rest of the New Testament with their strong personalities, just made executive decisions. Whatever the case, I don't see that the practice was made obsolete.

In these verses, this in-between time, we see fairly ordinary people. But then the Holy Spirit comes, transforming these men into spiritual commandos. In the rest of Acts, there is no more "playing church."

God's Perfect Timing

I have spent the past two days reading and re-reading the passage that I was asked to blog on. Waiting on some understanding, for something to click and "just make sense." I read the passage in the New International Version, The Message version, the New Living translation, the English Standard version. Just waiting for the message that I needed to pop off the page and grab my attention.

This last time, while reading The Message version, I re-read the previous passage and there it was.

The beginning of Acts 1:9 reads, "These were his last words." So often, emphasis is put on last words. A prisoner being put to death gets to state his last words. Wise rulers manytimes has infamous last words. Numerous quotes talk about last words. We always try to get the last word in an arguement. There is significance in last words.

So, I looked at the previous verses to see what Jesus' last words were before the ascention. They were, "You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world."

I know that Jesus is speaking of his return to earth, the time when everything will end, but to me, it rang true for everything in life.

So often, we try to make things happen at certain points in our life. Teenagers try to find their spouse, couples try to have children, adults try to live in financial stability, the unemployed try to find jobs...in all circumstances, so often, we try to control when things happen. We also try to control when things don't happen. We do everything possible to "proof" our lives, to protect them from things that we do not want. We create savings accounts in case of emergency, we try to ensure our jobs, we attempt to protect our marriages, be healthy, but things happen no matter how hard we work to stop them. Lay offs happen. Affairs happen. Fires and natural disasters happen. Cancer and disease happens.

When you step back from the emotionality of your life and your situation, you are better able to see God's perfect timing in it all. From the thousand dollar check that comes as your cupboards become bare, to the life altering reality that leads you to a new relationship with Christ, God is the one controlling it all. And we must allow and open our hearts to the Holy Spirit in order to use our lives to grow and understand and be able to witness to others. We must pray for understanding and when He knows the timing is right, he will use you in the lives of others in ways that you could never have imagined. His timing truely is perfect, but of course, it is God we are talking about. It would never be anything less.

Saying Good Bye

Isn’t it interesting that it’s often easier to be the one leaving rather than be the one left behind? There’s just something about that bitter, oft times, all-consuming feeling of loneliness that occurs in the wake of another person’s absence that’s enough to soften the shell of even the most rugged exterior. Few experiences can carry the same flood of raw emotion as that of missing someone; to have a desire to be with another, to see his or her face, to touch his or her hand, yet not have the ability--whether separated by physical distance or physical death.

As I read through Acts 1:1-9, I asked God to help me read between the lines and see something in the text that I had never considered in the past. I didn’t want to feel the way I would “expect” to feel; joy at the ascension of Jesus to the right hand of God, or excitement for the Holy Spirit; I wanted to experience the emotions I would feel if I were standing there on the mountain watching my Savior leave me behind.

I began to think about the people most prevalent in the last sixty or so days of Jesus during His time on earth. They spent precious moments with this incredible Man; the Son of Almighty God, the Great Healer, the Alpha and Omega. They sought His counsel and watched Him perform miracle after miracle for those society had deemed unworthy. They stood in the presence of His greatness and power and in helplessness as they watched Him suffer and die on a cross for them. They mourned His death and grieved for His absence. And they were, no doubt. astounded by His resurrection.

For forty days following His resurrection, they knew He would leave them again and during these forty days, He revealed to them the tools they would need after His ascension. He would leave them with everything they needed to carry on His Great Commission without His physical presence; though He promised there would be One to take His place--the Holy Spirit. But I can’t help but wonder about what these people really felt. These men and women had touched the face of God, they had taken their meals with Him, walked with Him, and experienced time with Him in physical form that no living man or woman has experienced since then. And yet He would soon leave them behind.

I wonder how they felt as they stood in those last few moments on the mountain with Him. Did they feel as we feel when we’re about to lose someone so dear to us that we can’t imagine an existence without him or her? Did they try to memorize the lines of His face, the exact color of His eyes, the way He stood, His mannerisms? Did they hang on His words to play back his voice in their minds? Were they tempted by their imperfect human emotions to beg Him to remain just a moment longer so that they may drink in His fragrance? Did they want to cast aside their selflessness for a moment to just lean on Him one more time?

And after His ascension, were they left with the bitter emptiness of having lost a loved one? I would imagine that without ever having experienced the Holy Spirit one would be rather unbelieving of the comfort His presence can afford. Did they doubt that this intangible Spirit, this invisible Being could offer them the same comfort and help as the Living God in the flesh? Were they as inconsolable as I would have been if faced with the sadness of watching my Savior physically leave me behind?

As I can’t imagine a day without the Holy Spirit’s presence in my life and without the ability to call out to God, speaking with Him and seeking His help, I can’t imagine what it would have been like to give Him up in His physical form and cling to something intangible, something that I could only see through the eyes of faith. I wonder if over time they didn’t feel as I feel now; I wouldn’t trade that “something” for anything in this world, not even a moment with Him in person, and I’m thankful that I never have to.

Anchor & the Acts

Where did the Church come from? More importantly, what is the Church supposed to be all about?

With all the bad experiences so many people have had with church, it's easy to understand why many Christians quit going to church, and why most Americans don't attend church on a regular basis. If churches were going to make some big changes, what should they do different? I suggest for Anchor that we look long and hard at where we came from. I mean that we ought to look back, past 1998, all the way to AD28.

The Bible includes a book called The Acts of the Apostles. It's a collection of events and stories pieced together to convey how Peter and Paul extended the teachings and commands of Jesus. The church was born out of Jesus-followers who met together to live out His teachings in their world. But not only that, to announce to their family and friends the good news about Jesus, what he has accomplished, and what he intends to do in the coming days and decades and centuries.

If we want to know what churches ought to be remembered for, we ought to look back to what the first churches were famous for. Two thousand years is a big time gap, and yet people are still pretty much the same, the sins are still similar, the need for a savior is still evident, and the capacity for good is still remarkable! In becoming more familiar with the Acts of the Apostles, we'll become more clear on what ought to define our churches these days.

Join the readings - one chapter out of Acts a week. We'll also tie in to that chapter Scripture from the Gospel of Luke, other New Testament letters, as well as material from the Old Testament. It all links together to tell a powerful and engaging story. By doing these readings, you'll become more informed on what story God is telling, and more inspired to join Him in his ongoing work. Our knowing and understanding is crucial to our being sent to serve.

Some friends and I will be posting on this blog each week, sharing insights from the chapters, as well as background information to the story. Check in several times a week, feel free to post your comments or questions. Don't agree with something? Let us know! Have your doubts, share them. Have some ideas to share, then post them!

Day Forty: Living with Purpose

What was helpful to you in the reading today?

It's taken more than forty days to work through this book! But the forty days I have spent reading through these chapters have been encouraging and convicting for me. How about for you?

This last chapter hits on some core issues that are very important to me:

Most people struggle with three basic issues in life. The first is identity: "Who am I?" The second is importance: "Do I matter?" The third is impact: "What is my place in life?"

These are questions I cycle through on a frequent basis. It's one of those insecurity things I need to solve. In the weeks I have spent working through this book, I have made progress in answering those three questions. I've been learning to accept myself, I've been seeing more clearly my value to others, and I've become more energized by the difference I have already made, and will continue to make in the world.

A common theme for me lately is "focus". I have to move beyond curiosity and good intention, I have to focus on what is central and vital and not get distracted by lesser opportunities. In gaining clarity about myself and God's purposes, I must do it.

"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." Once you know what God wants you to do, the blessing comes in actually doing it. As we come to the end of our forty-day journey together, now that you know God's purposes for your life, you will be blessed if you do them! 

This probably means you will have to stop doing some other things. There are many "good" things you can do with your life, but God's purposes are the five essentials you must do. Unfortunately, it's easy to get distracted and forget what is most important. To prevent this, you should develop a purpose statement for your life and then review it regularly. 

Here are some ideas on what is a "Life Purpose Statement", why you should develop one, and how it would help you stay on course:

It's a statement that summarizes God's purposes for your life.

It's a statement that points the direction of your life.

It's a statement that defines "success" for you.

It's a statement that clarifies your roles.

It's a statement that expresses your shape.

I really, really, really liked these questions - very helpful to me "catching" what the five purposes are all about and how they play out in my life:

What will be the center of my life?
This is the question of worship. When you committed your life to Christ, he moved into the center, but you must keep him there through worship. How do you know when God's at the center of your life? When God's at the center of your worship. When he's not, you worry. Worry is the warning light that God has been shoved to the sideline.


What will be the character of my life? 
This is the question of discipleship. What kind of person will you be? God is far more interested in what you are than what you do. Make a list of the character qualities (like the Fruit of the Spirit) you want to work on and develop in your life.


What will be the contribution of my life? 
This is the question of service. What will be your ministry in the Body of Christ? Knowing your combination of spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences, what would be your best role in the family of God? How can you make a difference?


What will be the communication of my life?
This is the question of your mission to unbelievers. Your mission statement... should include your commitment to share your testimony and the Good News with others. You should also list the life lessons and godly passions you feel God has given you to share with the world. As you grow in Christ, God may give you a special target of people to focus on reaching.

If you are a parent, part of your mission is to raise your children to know Christ, to help them understand his purposes for their lives, and to send them out on their mission in the world. Of course, our lives must support and validate the message we communicate.


What will be the community of my life?
This is the question of fellowship. How will you demonstrate your commitment to other believers and connection to the family of God? To which church family will you be joined as a functioning member? The more you mature, the more you will love the Body of Christ and want to sacrifice for it.

There are few books that I can recommend that are better than this one in providing a gracious, focused, well-thought-out, helpful outline of how to grow as a vibrant, God-centered, neighbor-loving Christian. I've read through this book several times since my Dad gave it to me a few days after the 2004 New Year's Day. I know that I will work through it again and again in the decades to come. And I will continue to highly recommend it.

Live on Purpose. Live for God. Live out Love. Everyday.

Day Thirty Nine: Balancing Your Life

What was helpful to you in the reading today?

This was a good summary of the book, of how the five purposes are action plans of the Great Commandment and Great Commission of Jesus:

1. "Love God with all your heart": You were planned for God's pleasure, so your purpose is to love God through worship.

2. "Love your neighbor as yourself": You were shaped for serving, so your purpose is to show love for others through ministry.

3. "Go and make disciples": You were made for a mission, so your purpose is to share God's message through evangelism.

4. "baptize them into...": You were formed for God's family, so your purpose is to identify with the church through fellowship.

5. "teach them to do all things...": You were created to become like Christ, so your purpose is to grow to maturity through discipleship.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will make you a great Christian. Keeping these five purposes in balance is not easy. We all tend to overemphasize the purposes we feel most passionate about and neglect the others. Churches do the same thing.

The point of this chapter was to help the readers make an action-plan for putting these purposes into practice on a daily basis. There are four suggestions: join a small group for accountability, regularly evaluate your spiritual health, record your progress in a personal journal, pass on what you learn from others.

We learn best in community. Our minds are sharpened and our convictions are deepened through conversation. A small reading group provides many benefits that a book by itself cannot. You can give and receive feedback about what you're learning. You can discuss real-life examples. You can pray for, encourage, and support each other as you begin to live out these purposes. Remember, we are meant to grow together, not separately.

God places a high value on the habit of self-evaluation. For your spiritual health you need to regularly check the five vital signs of worship, fellowship, growth in character, ministry, and mission.

Writing helps clarify what God is doing in your life. "Thoughts disentangle themselves when they pass through your fingertips." Don't write down just the pleasant things. As David did, record your doubts, fears, and struggles with God. Our greatest lessons come out of pain, and the Bible says God keeps a record of our tears.

Whenever problems occur, remember that God uses them to fulfill all five purposes in your life: Problems force us to focus on God, draw you closer to others in fellowship, build Christlike character, provide you with a ministry, and give you a testimony. You owe it to future generations to preserve the testimony of how God helped you fulfill his purposes on earth.

If you want to keep growing, the best way to learn more is to pass on what you have already learned. Those who pass along insights get more from God. God is calling you to be his messenger. The more you know, the more God expects you to use that knowledge to help others. Knowledge increases responsibility.

The reason we pass on what we learn is for the glory of God and the growth of his kingdom. God wants us to introduce people to Christ, bring them into his fellowship, help them grow to maturity and discover their place of service, and then send them out to reach others, too.

It takes hard work, perseverance, focus, and delight in the rewards to make and sustain change. And it doesn't have to be all guesswork. Our five purposes dovetail with one another, giving helpful guidelines for the direction God wants us to take, the goals he wants us to accomplish with him.

As you pursue these purposes in your home, at work, at school, at church, you will initiate a good change within yourself and those around you. The same trust and obedience you had in God to start the change is the same trust and obedience that will sustain the change. The Spirit that prompts you will not mislead you. Go with confidence. Go in humility. Go in love.

Day Thirty Eight: Becoming a World-Class Christian

What was interesting or thought-provoking to you from the reading today?

Some estimate that there are over 2 billion Christians in the world today! It's the fastest growing religion in some parts of South America, Africa, and Asia. As the world's largest religion in a world of over 6 billion people, Christians can have enormous influence for good.

Even with so many people adhering to the Christian faith, there are still more than 4 billion people that haven't made a decision for Christ or haven't heard the Good News (or heard a version that made sense, delivered with authenticity, perceived with credibility...).

This is where you come in: we always want to think local when we think of mission, of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. When we serve and care for others in our community, we are living out the Great Commission. But we also want to always think global in our evangelism as well.

We ought to be considering where in the world we can serve and be Good News to communities with none or small Christian communities. When we show up somewhere in the world with Good News and supplies for a fresh-water well, mosquito nets, farming equipment, or medicine, we earn the opportunity to share about Jesus.

Have you ever been on a short-term or long-term mission trip? If so, how did it go? What was it like? Why did you go? What was the outcomes of it? If you have not gone yet, why not? When will you go? What is stopping you? What excites you about going?

It's been too long since Anchor has sponsored some short-term mission trips. It's time we started planning some to happen soon.


Here are some thoughts from the reading today that I though were helpful:

The Great Commission is your commission.
"Jesus said to his followers, 'Go everywhere in the world, and tell the Good News to everyone." Mark 16:15 (NCV)

Worldly Christians look to God primarily for personal fulfillment. They are saved, but self-centered. Their prayers focus on their own needs, blessings, and happiness. It's a "me-first" faith: How can God make my life more comfortable? They want to use God for their purposes instead of being sued for his purposes.

In contrast, world-class Christians know they were saved to serve and made for a mission. They are eager to receive a personal assignment and excited about the privilege of being used by God. World-class Christians are the only fully alive people on the planet. Their joy, confidence, and enthusiasm are contagious because they know they're making a difference. They wake up each morning expecting God to work through them in fresh ways.

It has never been easier in history to fulfill your commission to go to the whole world. The great barriers are not longer distance, cost, or transportation. The only barrier is the way we think. To be a world-class Christian you must make some mental shifts. Your perspective and attitudes must change.

Shift from self-centered thinking to other-centered thinking.
The Bible says, "My friends, stop thinking like children. Think like mature people." Of course this is a difficult mental shift because we're naturally self-absorbed and almost all advertising encourages us to think of ourselves. The only way we can make this switch is by a moment-by-moment dependence on God.

Fortunately he doesn't leave us to struggle on our own. "God has given us his Spirit. That's why we don't think the same way that the people of this world think." Begin asking the Holy Spirit to help you to think of the spiritual need of unbelievers whenever you talk to them.  Your goal is to figure out where others are in their spiritual journey and then do whatever will bring the a step closer to knowing Christ.

Shift from local thinking to global thinking.
God is a global God. He has always cared about the entire world. "God so loved the world...".  Much of the world already thinks globally. We are more connected than we realize. Prayer is the most important tool for your mission in the world. People may refuse our love or reject our message, but they are defenseless against our prayers. Prayer makes you a partner with others around the world.

Another way to develop global thinking is to read and watch the news with "Great Commission eyes." Wherever there is change or conflict, you can be sure that God will use it to bring people to him. People are most receptive to God when they are under tension or in transition. Because the rate of change is increasing in our world, more people are open to hearing the Good News now than ever before.

The best way to switch to global thinking is to just get up and go on a short-term mission project to another country!

Shift from "here and now" thinking to eternal thinking.
To make the most of your time on earth, you must maintain an eternal perspective. This will keep you from majoring on the minor issues and help you distinguish between what's urgent and what's ultimate. Paul said, "We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." What are you allowing to stand in the way of your mission? What's keeping you from being a world-class Christian?

Shift from thinking of excuses to thinking of creative ways to fulfill your commission.
If you are willing, there is always a way to do it, and there are agencies that will help you. Many Christians have missed God's plan for their lives because they have never even asked God if he wanted them to serve as a missionary somewhere. If you are tempted to say no, you ought to check out all the different ways and possibilities that are now available (this will surprise), and you ought to seriously pray and ask God what he wants from you in the years ahead.

If you want to be like Jesus, you must have a heart for the whole world. The Great Commission is your commission, and doing your part is the secret to living a life of significance.