Category: Ministry

The Wall

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

         (Without a doubt, this is the longest article I’ve ever posted on NLI. I do apologize, but I felt I needed to get it out in one sitting. I’m praying that the Holy Spirit will help those who need to read it to do so.)

   “Then he said to me, ‘Son of man, dig in the wall.’ So I dug in the wall…”

              In December of 2012 I arrived at “The Wall.” I had never been to this wall before, and really didn’t know what it was when I first encountered it. All I knew was that it scared me and shook me to the very core of my being. It only got worse as I learned that I had to dig in, and go through the wall. Honestly, there have been times I wondered if I would make it. What am I talking about you ask? Well, I guess the best place to start is at the beginning.

            In May of 2007, God moved dramatically in my life, and from that point until November of 20012, my life was a beautiful whirlwind. The Lord led me to a wonderful church where I would end up serving over five years as Worship Pastor. The Spirit of God moved among us in ways I had never experienced. I went back to school and would finally (after almost a 30 year gap) earn my Bachelors Degree in Biblical Studies. Besides serving as Worship Pastor at my church, there were worship conferences, preaching engagements, and the birth of NLI. People were coming to Jesus, and I was personally experiencing an intimacy with the Lord I had only dreamed of. I was hearing things like, “Brother, you are so anointed.” and “When are you gonna release a CD, and write a book?” I was both humbled and blown away by all that God was doing. I had no idea that I was about to slam face first into “The Wall.”

            Things went down at the church where I was serving that hurt me deeply. I experienced feelings of betrayal and rejection, the likes of which I had never known. I left in a daze not knowing what I would do. An opportunity soon presented itself at another church, so, I became their Worship Pastor. The people were awesome! They accepted me and treated me with nothing but love. But something just wasn’t right- with me. Looking back, I now know that I should’ve never taken the position. They were looking for a Worship Pastor, and wound up getting a man who was living in the shadow of “The Wall.” So, nine months later I resigned. And it was time to start digging.

            Here’s where I tell you exactly what wall I’m talking about. I began to reach out to people I respected and trusted, sharing with them what I was experiencing, and one day a dear brother (Thank you Jeff!) sent me an article by Richard J. Vincent. The part that hit me was the following:

            “Stage 4 is “the journey inward” – “a deep and very personal inward journey” that “almost always comes as an unsettling experience yet results in healing for those who continue through it.” In this stage, our former views of God are radically challenged. The disruption can be so great that we feel like we are losing our faith or betraying loyalties.

At this stage, we face an abrupt change (at least many do) to almost the opposite mode. It’s a mode of questioning, exploring, falling apart, doubting, dancing around the real issues, sinking in uncertainty, and indulging in self-centeredness. We often look hopeless to those around us.

This newfound (and often surprising) uncertainty is usually precipitated by a crisis. “The move from stage 3 to 4 is more likely precipitated by a crisis in our life or our faith. That crisis makes many of the former truths and answers inadequate or inappropriate for the next phase in the journey.” The crisis “shakes our strongly held beliefs or assumptions and we feel adrift on a restless sea, fending for ourselves. Our sense of God is shaken and we can find no new direction, only more questions.”

The crisis shocks our system. We lose comfort and question our convictions as our previous faith-supports crumble before our very eyes.

For the first time, our faith does not seem to work. We feel remote, immobilized, unsuccessful, hurt, ashamed, or reprehensible. Neither our faith nor God provides what we need to sooth us, heal us, answer our prayers, fulfill our wishes, change our circumstances, or solve our problems. Our formula of faith, whatever that may have been, does not work any more, or so it appears.

Why does advancing to this stage usually demand a crisis? The reason is simple: No one would choose this kind of experience on their own!

Most of us are so comfortable and self-sufficient at the previous stage (called the productive or fruitful life) that we have no natural tendency to move at all. In fact, stage 4 does not even look like part of the journey for those of us at home in stage 3. It does not appear to be an extension of our faith and growth. Consequently, we are not drawn in this direction.

Our aversion to stage 4 is increased because of the very real dangers that accompany this stage. “Sometimes people drop off the journey totally at this point. Overwhelmed by pain or crises in our lives, we absolutely cut ourselves off from God.”.

The end of stage 4 involves an experience of “the Wall” – “a face-to-face experience with God and with our own will.” It is impossible to go over, around, or under the Wall. One can only go through it. “The Wall experience is the place where… psychology and spirituality converge. Up to this point, one can be religious, spiritual, or fruitful and not be healed psychologically, or vice versa.”

At the Wall, we become “aware of all the lies we have accepted about ourselves.” We are forced to “face the truth” in order to move forward. “The Wall invites us to integrate our spiritual selves with the rest of us. And that involves facing our own and others’ demons. We must face that which we fear the most, and that is why it is so unsavory, and why so many people only enter the Wall under duress.”

Only through self-acceptance and surrender to God’s will can one go “through” the Wall to deeper levels of spiritual growth. “The power behind the transformation at the Wall is this: learn to embrace your whole story with loving, forgiving detachment.” We must accept ourselves with all our wounds and imperfections. We must experience God’s love and acceptance of us as we are in all our weakness and humanness. And then we must fully and completely surrender to God’s will, even though we remain in the dark.

            (To read the entire piece, go to http://www.theocentric.com/spirituality/christian_living/stages_of_faith_a_map_for_the.html)

            Now I’m not one for static paradigms or manuals on “Five Levels of This” or “Seven Easy Ways to That,” but when I read this article by Richard J. Vincent, I completely identified with “stage 4” and “The Wall.” Moving on…

            In the passage I quoted at the beginning this article, God had told Ezekiel to dig through the wall and he would see the sins and abominations of Israel. But digging in my own wall would reveal some unsettling things about me.

             I no longer felt God’s presence. My prayer life and time in the Word was almost nonexistent. I felt like I was literally falling apart, and I began to self-medicate. Old patterns of behavior were beginning to resurface and I was afraid! I began to isolate, and of course I lied (except to a few, and at times, even to them) when anyone would ask how I was doing. I could tell my family was worried and afraid for me. “Dear God! I’m supposed to be a minister of the gospel and I’m beginning to wonder if I’m even saved.” There was deep darkness and an impending sense of doom.

As I continued to dig, here are some things I began to see:

1) I was hurt by what went down at my former church. The hurt was legitimate. But much of the hurt was my own doing. Didn’t they see that I was right? Had they forgotten how anointed I am? How could they treat me this way after all I had done for them? I was forced to ask myself how much of my ministry has been truly motivated by love.

2) At times, I have cared more about receiving recognition than people. For example: I was talking to a brother on the phone, and he was telling me of his struggles, and I was offering what I prayed was good advice. The next day he called back explaining how the Lord had ministered to him, revealing some things to him that helped him see a little more clearly. Honestly, instead of being grateful that God had helped him, I was more upset by the fact that he didn’t mention that it was I who had told him the very same thing the night before. Or, what about the times I have led worship and the presence of God really “showed up,” and I felt like somebody should’ve recognized me as “the vessel.” How twisted is that?

3) My theological studies have caused me to be arrogant and pharisaical at times. I have often debated with others to prove myself right rather than help them see what I believe is the truth.

4) How many times have I watched videos of myself leading worship or preaching not so that I might improve, but because I just wanted to see how I looked?

5) More times than not, my, “It aint all about me.” was ALL ABOUT ME!

6) There have been times when I have posted on NLI not out of a sincere desire to minister, but rather for the traffic.

7) How many times have I “performed” instead of ministering?

            I could probably go on, but I’m sure you’ll agree that that this article has gone on long enough. Honestly, I don’t really know if writing this was more for me or you. If you’ve arrived at “The Wall” I just pray you are encouraged by it.  No one can go with you through the wall except for Jesus, and you’ll probably think he’s deserted you. There will be others who pray and lift you up, but you won’t realize nor appreciate it at first. As for me, I don’t think I’m through digging yet, but I do believe I’m starting to see a little light. Hallelujah! God is faithful and he really does love us!

Preaching to Martians

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

          In Acts 17, we find what is commonly referred to as Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill. The more I read it, the more I am convinced that there is much we stand to learn about engaging our culture in these verses. (On a side note, my daughter recently told me that my posts tend to be rather lengthy, so, I’ll try to keep my observations short and sweet, and present my thoughts on this subject in a series of shorter articles.)

            Unfortunately, many Christians today take the Bible’s teaching of separating themselves from the world as an admonition to have nothing to do with those around them who are not followers of Jesus. We hide in our churches, put our kids in “Christian” schools, take our cars to “Christian” mechanics, use only “Christian” plumbers, and try desperately to patronize only Christian businesses. The surrounding culture to us is made up primarily of “Martians” we don’t understand and refuse to relate to. I think we’ve missed the mark here.

            In Acts 17, as Paul waited in Athens for the arrival for Silas and Timothy, we find him out and about amongst the “Martians.” Here was a man whose life was had been “separated” for Jesus and the preaching of the gospel, but he wasn’t hiding out. No, Paul interacted with the people, in the synagogues, and in the market place. He looked around, and the Bible tells us that as he saw the utter idolatry of the surrounding culture, he was provoked in his spirit. But this agitation of heart did not cause him to run and hide. He didn’t make banners that read, “God hates all Athenians.” He didn’t call for massive protests against the idolatry of the culture. No, being moved in spirit, he was moved to engage. The Bible tells us he “reasoned everyday with those who happened to be there.”

            We’ll look further into these verses, but for now, I just want to encourage you to make yourselves available to those around you. Remember my fellow aliens, while we may no longer be what we consider to be “Martians,” we are called to preach on Mars!

Look Out Man

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel…”

More often than not, when you listen to so-called prophets today, their message is one of blessing, victory, the thrill of being God’s anointed, and instructions as to how you too can receive the awesome mantle that God wants to give you. One thing you don’t hear too much about is sharing in the “suffering of God,” and the suffering of others.

It is truly amazing when you look at the life and ministry of the prophet Ezekiel. Here is a man that did not escape the difficulties resulting from  the judgment of God upon his rebellious people. Ezekiel endured exile and ministered to his people as a fellow captive. This was not a man who sat in his house receiving lofty messages from God, and then pontificating the word of the Lord to his audience by some ostentatious means. No, this was a man who lived among his people as one of the people. His prophetic calling did not afford him the reputation of being some super-spiritual mega saint, no; God required him to offer his very life as an example of what was about to befall the nation. Read the first four chapters of Ezekiel, and you’ll see just how God demanded of his messenger wild and even humiliating behavior. Are we willing to allow God to use our lives in what ever way he sees fit in order to reach those around us?

God shared with Ezekiel the brokenness that he (God) experienced over the people’s “whoring heart that has departed from me and over their eyes that go whoring after their idols.” (Ezek. 6:9)  How many of us today move close enough to the heart of God that we weep and mourn over the condition of his people? We desire God’s blessing and anointing, but reject the fellowship of his sufferings. Today, we are more concerned with our rights, how things are affecting our lives, but spend little time at Jesus’ feet so that we might see and share in God’s heart. We put more effort into making sure we can keep our guns and have a right to privacy, than we do in endeavoring to “understand” how God’s Spirit is being grieved. Let us repent of our preoccupation with ourselves, and turn our hearts towards God that we might become preoccupied with him and his desires.

True servants of God rarely resemble the flamboyant superstars prevalent in our churches today, but like Ezekiel, are those who share in the suffering of the people, being burdened by that which touches the heart of God, and offer their very lives as a living gospel.

The Bridge: An Introduction

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

“Excuse me
Oh will you excuse me
I’m just trying to find the bridge… Has anybody seen the bridge?
(Have you seen the bridge?)
I ain’t seen the bridge!
(Where’s that confounded bridge?)”

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine (one who is about 13 years younger than me) about how “church” is done here in America. We talked about many things, but mainly about what I hear so many ministers  ask: “How do we effectively reach the Gen Xers and Millennials?” Today I received a letter from this individual, and wanted to share it with you.

To my fathers and mothers- shepherds,

I heard that you were looking for me.

And while I have looked forward to this introduction for a long time now, I must admit that the idea of coming out of the corners and shadows of American Christendom really doesn’t sound like something that I am looking forward to.  Now I know that there is a lot to say.  There are words I have reserved for this very moment and I know them all too well.  Those sharp and jagged words have played and replayed in my thoughts time and time again, dripping from my dreams to my soul and back again, in a rhythmic flow of anger, joy, hurt, and peace.  But in my maturity I have realized that those are words that are not ready to be shared, at least not yet.  We have a lot more introducing to do and we have a lot more trust to establish before we are ready to deal with the consequences of those words. 

 Getting back to the point,

 I must admit I am curious about a couple of things.  Why are you looking for me?  It is odd you see, that you would be looking for me now.  It’s odd that after all this time you have found it important to come looking for me at this moment and at this time.  Please forgive me, but I am curious about your motives and your intent.

But let me back up a moment, perhaps I should introduce myself a bit.You see while you may believe you know me, I think that you may have to rethink things a bit.   Perhaps, just perhaps, if you would be willing to pause a moment you may realize a few things.So if you are willing to hear what I have to say…..

 You may believe that you could pick me out in a crowd, like a dislocated tourist clothed in full rain gear in the center of Times Square during a sunny-sky heat-wave, but shepherd you may want to think again.  I am not sure if you have considered it, but could it be that a reason you have been unsuccessful in finding me is that you don’t actually know what I look like or who I even am?  Could it be that when we have wondered into your places of worship your lack of knowledge of me, my life, my dreams, or worldview have left me shaking my head disappointed with your ignorance?  And instead of pursuing your company we simply walked out of your carefully manicured institution crying with tears of sadness and loneliness. 

 Could it be that we have been in your presence for a long time now, many since birth and yet you have walked right past as if I possessed the attributes of the Invisible Man?  Could it be that you now seek something that God deposited into your life years ago, and yet you have neglected, rejected, and overlooked?

Could it be shepherd? Now I know there are many things to be said at this point, and there are a great many things that we will have to work out.  There is much forgiveness to be sought, much forgiveness to be granted, and plenty of repentance for us both to entertain.  But we aren’t there yet shepherd, not even close. 

 You see man and woman of God, before we can even speak we have a language to bridge.  You see this isn’t an issue of marketing slogans, Christian survey strategies, hipster haircuts, or intense worship experiences.  This is not an issue of supporting the most relevant social justice projects, building the newest beautiful building, or voting Jesus into office. 

 You see my friend it’s not an issue of dialect, no not even close.While you may believe the response you seek will occur if you can find the magic generational hip-spoken relevant message coming from a David Crowder masked sermon.  Shepherd this issue goes way deeper than that, and I have to tell you something that may just break your heart and disappoint your religious authorities- It won’t work….

 There is a fundamental error in your perception of me shepherd.  For a long time now I have heard voices emanating from somewhere behind your pulpit proclaim with Ecclesiastics 1:9 flair that I am just as all others that have come before, that I am just as my fathers and my father’s fathers and my father’s- father’s- fathers.  But your hermeneutical error shepherd is where you have missed the hello of our conversation.  Despite the great Evangelical desire to lift the reality of yesterday onto today, the effort has failed. 

 So shepherd could it be that perhaps the answer you seek and the hearts you desire have evaded you not due to failed strategy or poorly executed seeker sensitive programming, but because you have no idea who I am?Could it be, that there are consequences to cultural decisions and those consequences have unraveled to produce a schism in the reality you believe you understand shepherd? So let me explain a bit:

 We are the generation of latch key kids, abandoned at birth, flavored by microwave dinners.  We are the resulting generation of fallout from the sexual revolution, HIV, deregulation, and the fall of communism.  We are the generation that found itself standing face to face with a little man proclaiming his wisdom and authority from behind a rotten wizard’s curtain.  We are the generation who realized that the Santa Clause of the American Dream was an imaginary sugary placebo pill as intangible as the “truth” we learned of from the worn sweat stained floors of our local church.  We are the rejected generation of single-mother families who clung to televisions like daytime-night-lights dreaming of a day when we would feel whole for the first time in our lives.   We are the generation of technological social media prosthesis.  We are the generation that will, for the first time in American history do worse financially then our parents.  We are the generation that not only lost our childhood innocence but our ignorance of the world and its monsters way too soon.  We are a generation without heroes, for our heroes exist in death, Celebrity Rehab, or prison cells.  We are a generation of ADD, ADHD, Ritalin infused lifestyles, and anxiety flavored depression.  We are the generation of immediate gratification, lopsided debt to credit ratios, and Science.  We are the generation of designer babies, cloning, abortive mass genocide, and chaotic financial instability.  We are the generation that watched screeching planes destroy our buildings, Columbine mass murder, Al Jazeera, worldwide political protest, celebrity confessions of homosexuality, and Congressional investigations play out live in real-time from the un-comfort of our Best-Buy television showroom floors.  We are a generation who does not trust the politician, the doctor, the teacher, the parent, the neighbor, the employer, or the pastor to not rape, molest, lie, manipulate, and steal our dreams and heart.

 And yet shepherd

 I am a generation that despite myself, my experience, and my cynical reservations desires to believe. I want to believe in you shepherd. But shepherd you will not win my trust in the ways you have been trying.  You will not find my heart or my body anywhere near the places you have been looking to find me.  It is a wasted attempt and it will not work.

 So here we are shepherd.  Perhaps you have been lost in my introduction.  Perhaps you don’t understand what I have tried to explain.  But that’s okay shepherd.  Even if you don’t know where to find me, even if you have no idea who I am or what it is I live for, it’s okay.God has moved me beyond the hurt, the rejection, the neglect, and the pain.Where in times past I wanted nothing less to strike a match and watch your man made traditions burn, I am coming back to start a new conversation, to start the restoration.  But understand shepherd I am not looking to be involved in the restoration of your religion, your institution, or your previously designed programs intended to manipulate our hearts into a tradition that can not contain the dream of Jesus Christ for our lives.  I am seeking the restoration of a relationship of our hearts.So let’s start with an introduction.  I would love to get to know you.

 Your brothers and sisters in Christ,

The Nameless Faceless Generation

 

Looking, Loving and Speaking

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

“And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him…” (Mark 10:21)

How often do we really look at people? In our “I have 5,450 friends on Face Book” culture, it is so easy to not look at each other. Oh, we’re quick (especially us preachers) to tell people how they should live, what they should and should not do, where they should and should not go, etc…; but do we take the time to truly look at the folks we’re talking to? In reading Mark 10, I was struck by the way Mark described Jesus’ reaction to the “rich young ruler.

The young man had come to Jesus, curious as to how one goes about gaining eternal life. The conversation was not too intense at first. Jesus tells him, “You know the commandments.” The young man replies, “I’ve kept those all of my life.” And then, instead of immediately launching into “You need to do this” or “You need to do that,” Mark tells us that Jesus looked at him. So often, we spout off spiritual prescriptions to people without taking the time to ask God to help us see them as He does. We have become a society of people who prefer surface level relationships, and very rarely take the time to go deeper. We spend hours looking into the computer screen, but have a hard time looking into each other’s eyes. Check out the progression in the verse above: Jesus looked, and then he loved.

How can we love people we don’t look at? I believe if we would slow down, pray for wisdom and discernment, and ask God to help us see people by his Spirit; we would be able to truly love them. Jesus looked at the young man in our verse, and he loved him! True spiritual insight will move us to respond from a heart of genuine love and concern, instead of a desire to hear the sound of our own voices. Like Jesus, if we would but look, and let God fill our hearts with love for those to whom we would minister, we would then be ready to meet the real need in their lives. Only those who look and love can discern what it is that a person needs to hear. Remember, Jesus looked, loved, and then spoke.

Sadly, I must confess that there have been times when I loved the sound of my own voice more than the person to whom I was speaking. I just couldn’t wait to offer my “two cents worth,” and probably what I said did more harm than good. Jesus, motivated by love for the young man in our verse, clearly saw the area of need in his life, and addressed it with laser precision. People don’t need flippant, trite, prepackaged responses; they need our attention and love. Jesus was able to be brutally honest with our young man because he loved him. He saw the man’s heart, which revealed the man’s need, and then, with love and clarity, provided the answer to his initial question.

If we really want to connect with people and truly minister to them, I think perhaps we should remember: look, love, and then speak.

Acoustics

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

Test. Test one, two. Test, test one. Test, one, two. Can you hear me? How ‘bout now?  How’s your hearing, your spiritual hearing that is? It’s not just a matter of if you can hear or not, but it’s how you hear as well. Check this out:  “And he said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’” (Mark 4:24, 25 ESV)  So often when we hear Mark 4 preached or taught, it centers on the four types of soil and the preacher asks, “Now what kind of soil are you?” I do believe that’s a valid teaching, but I think there’s a little more to it than that. I think part of what Jesus is saying to his disciples is an exhortation to effective hearing. How’s this for a cool catch phrase? Jesus is teaching us to: “Develop Kingdom Ears.”

If you read Mark 4 in its entirety, you find that Jesus refers to his disciples as “insiders” who have been given the mystery of the kingdom of God. Jesus had just spent the day teaching the crowd with parables, but now, alone with his followers; he is speaking plainly. Because of our proximity to Jesus, we are able to hear him speak regularly. By his Word, by the Spirit, through our brothers and sisters, we are hearing God (or should be) speak to us. But the question is how we are hearing. What “measure” are we using? The context of Mark 4 gives us a couple of indicators we can use to help figure out if our hearing is okay.

First, someone that’s hearing properly will be a light to those around him. “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light.” (Mark 4:21, 22 ESV) A person with Kingdom Ears (I kind of like that) isn’t just sitting at home thinking deep spiritual thoughts, but is regularly sharing with others what he has heard from the Lord. You are the light of the world, and if you are really hearing from God, you will be shining, bringing revelation into those around you.

Second, the effective listener lives the lifestyle of a “seed planter.” It just comes natural. “And he said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.’”(Mark 4:26-29 ESV) Like Jesus who sat in a boat that day and threw “seed” out on all kind of soil, the disciple with Kingdom Ears will be one who, as a natural way of life, scatters seed all over the place, leaving the outcome to God.

Jesus promises that if we will pay close attention to what we hear, if we will shine and scatter seed as a way of life, we will receive more. More understanding, closer intimacy, more seed, and more light! However, if we are only casually listening, we may actually not be hearing at all, and are at risk of losing what we thought we had to begin with. In light of what we’ve talked about today, I’ll ask you again, “How’s your hearing?”

Kingdom Gifts (By Dr. Ray Ashmore)

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

(Dr. Ashmore is a dear friend and former professor of mine. He is the author of several books: Thy Kingdom Come: Just Don’t Bother Us With It, Thy Will Be Done: Recognizing Temptation and Remaining Faithful, All Things To All Men: Developing an Incarnational Ministry, Let Your Light Shine: Recovering The Biblically Prophetic Church, and On Earth As In Heaven: The Christian Family In God’s Image.)

God has given spiritual gifts to the Church in order to develop spiritual gifts in the Church. “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: ‘When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.’ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:7,11-13 NIV)

Please consider this: how well does the institutional pattern of “Pastor and congregation” develop the people of God for works of service? Most Christians (around 80%) just sit, soak, and sour rather than becoming functional parts of Christ’s body. I know, I know. The other gifts ceased at the close of the Canon. Really, now. Then why didn’t the pastoral gift cease as well? After all, why do we need pastors when we have the Bible? Isn’t the Bible enough? “Well,” you say, “somebody has to be in charge and lead.” Hmm. You mean Christ isn’t enough of a leader to shepherd His own people? Reminds me of the old days; that is to say, the Old Testament days, when the people of God demanded a king to rule over them, rejecting the spiritual rule of God.

So, what happened to the other leadership ministries created by Christ to develop the children of the Most High? Did they disappear? Or we’re they simply neglected, redefined, or cast off? Sam Pascoe in Jacksonville, Florida made this world famous observation: “When Christianity was in Palestine it was a fellowship. When it located to Greece it became a philosophy. When it moved to Rome it became an institution. When it spread through Europe it became a culture. And when it came to America Christianity became an enterprise.” And we know that enterprises must have CEOs, or pastors as the case may be.

As for the Reformation, the doctrines of grace were recovered, but nary a hint about a recovery of the organic Church. The reformers simply adopted the Roman Catholic pattern of “institution,” minus the bells and whistles, icons, banners, incense, etc. From Priest/Congregant to Pastor/Congregation it was the same old stuff, just dressed down. And how is this pattern justified? By developing a false doctrine that denies the continuing existence of the five-fold team ministries.

The fact is, the five-fold ministries still exist. And in fact, they are being revived (spiritual CPR) in these final days in order to recover the Church from religious institutionalism and into the Kingdom body of Christ, fulfilling Christ’s prayer in John 17. Oh, and by the way, these ministries are not “titles,” created by the pompous to exalt themselves in the eyes of men. They are ministries of Christ in the truest and most biblical sense. After all, Jesus loves us, this we know. He won’t leave us in the clutches of hirelings, but deliver us into the care of those who are truly called to represent Him in His redemptive work.

“Don’t Give Me No Lines and Keep Your Hands to Yourself”

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

Back in ancient Palestine, gathering around the well had been a place where it was not unusual for a future wife to be found. It was not lost upon the Jew of the day that it was at a well where Isaac’s wife –to-be (Rebekah) had been approached. So, while any self-respecting Jew of Jesus’ day normally wouldn’t publicly fraternize with a member of the opposite sex, he would have definitely avoided the “water-hole scene,” and he absolutely would not have been caught with a Samaritan woman at the popular “pick up spot.” So, it is not beyond the realm of speculation to imagine that the Samaritan woman who met a frazzled, worn out Jewish man on a hot afternoon beside  Jacob’s Well may have been thinking, “Don’t hand me no lines, and keep your hands to yourself.”

The day Jesus met the Samaritan woman, he was risking a lot. He risked being seen as unclean, flirtatious, unorthodox, and frankly, as a low life. But to our Lord, how he was perceived was not the concern. He was about the Father’s business, and doing God’s will sometimes puts you at odds with the status quo. In the Samaritan woman, Jesus met someone who believed in the scriptures (at least the first five books of the OT), expected Messiah, and had at least some knowledge of worship, yet was broken and misled. She had been drinking from a well which could never quench her thirst and needed the living water that only he could provide. And for her to get it, he had to put himself out there. She didn’t know what she thought she knew, and the only way for her to be made whole was to meet the Lord. Sound familiar?

All around us are people who need to meet Jesus, and that will only happen if we take Him to them. Too often, we are afraid of “getting dirty,” being misunderstood or loosing or reputation in the church if we are seen out amongst the “riff raff” of the world. We go to church and go through the motions all the while remaining motionless. The Bible says that Jesus had to go through Samaria. Well (no pun intended), he could have taken a much longer alternative route that would have steered him clear of those dirty Samaritans, but he had to go because that was why he had come. He came to reveal God to the world and reconcile fallen man with the Father. And Paul tells us that we have been given this same ministry of reconciliation.

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So gowe are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”(II Corinthians 5:18-20)

Okay, now for a big DUH question. How can we reconcile people we won’t go to? Listen, if we are not moved to reach out to the world with the gospel, all of our religious experiences must be called into question. Jesus said that we would receive power TO BE HIS WITNESSES when the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our lives, and sometimes; being a witness leads you to people and places you would not normally frequent. A true witness has to tell the truth about what he has seen no matter the cost.

You don’t have to hand people a bunch of lines, you’re not selling them a used car. You don’t have to be manipulative; just tell them what you have seen and heard regarding Jesus. And for goodness sake, don’t keep your hands to yourself. We are His hands and feet. Go, be intentional, reach out and touch those around you with the love of God.

“Divine Therapy”

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

“As God prepares remedies for the body from therapeutic herbs wisely mixed together, so he also prepared for the soul medicines with the words he infused, scattering them in the divine Scriptures…. God gave yet another medical aid of which the Lord is the Archetype who says of himself:  ‘It is not the healthy who have need of a physician but the sick‘. He is the excellent physician able to heal every weakness, and illness.’” (Origen, Homilies on the Psalms.)

 The holidays are that time of year that affords many the opportunity to interact with family members and friends they don’t often get to see the rest of the year. And with that opportunity comes the realization that, “Man, I think Uncle _ needs some therapy!” Chances are that it’s not just Uncle _ who needs some help, but we ourselves could use a little “couch time” as well. Praise God, Jesus offers complete, holistic salvation. Take it from a guy that use to be Uncle _ (and still is at times), God is able to go deep inside of you and minister to those broken places that hurt you so.

Our lives are made up of things we have done to ourselves as well as things others have done to us. I think back to being sexually abused by my grandfather (and others), memories of things I saw and heard as a child, sexual issues, drug addiction, the way I hurt and used others, and the overall brokenness that sin brought into my life, and now; it causes me to fall on my knees and worship the One who saved and healed me. Because of my “Divine Therapist,” I am no longer held captive by shame and guilt. Because of the grace, mercy, and forgiveness Jesus extends to me; I can now be used as an instrument of reconciliation in the lives of others. But it was not always like this.

There was a time when I found it hard to talk about the past, about the sin, and addiction I had endured. I felt dirty and ashamed. I remember even feeling that somehow, my grandfather’s abuse was my fault. I was defensive and disingenuous. But where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more. Looking back, I can see how that all of my life, God was there, wooing, healing, and drawing me to himself. Then, that night came when I was truly born again by his Spirit! Now, because of his love, salvation has come. And as a result of the deliverance he gave (and continues to give) to me, I can be open and honest with others, letting them “in” so they can see the salvation of the Lord. There are people that need to hear about how Jesus has saved and healed you. They feel like they are all alone, different, and that no one understands. But if you will come to Jesus for the “divine therapy” that only he can give, and allow him to save and heal you; you will experience the freedom that allows you to open your mouth and tell them of the beauty of the Lord.

So this year, as you gather with your family for the holidays, and good ole crazy Uncle _ is in rare form; why not share with him some of what you have learned from your “Divine Therapist.” Let the healing Jesus has given you be that which affords you the freedom to extend His love to your family and friends.