Grit, the missing Element.

I had a breakfast the other day with my friend ‘Pastor Benson’ it was great to catch up with him. He arrived in Kingswood with the instructions from his Church leader to “plant a Church in Bristol”, and that’s how I got to know him and become friends.

He tried planting in the conference room of the Soundwell Swimming Baths, before moving into the city centre into the Holiday Inn as a venue for their Church.

He now has a small fellowship meeting regularly there, interestingly I asked how his Church started and he had on e word “grit”.

Keeping on going.

Each Saturday they went out onto the streets and invited people to come (anyone doing much Street work knows what a hard and thankless task it can be!), each Sunday there were there, set up, with tea and coffee waiting for people, as they prayed, worshipped and sought God. It took 7 or 8 weeks before anyone other than his family to come and join them, yet they kept on going, they didn’t quit, and the Church was born.

He said to me on Saturday “it doesn’t say well done and gifted servant, or well done successful servant, but well done good and faithful servant” we just had to be faithful.

My mind wandered back to my Greek lessons at College (not exactly my finest hour!) and remembered a phrase (actually normally used of being filled with the Holy Spirit) which is “go on be being filled”, but wondered if “go on be being faithful” perhaps might have the same idea, faithfulness isn’t a one off, but something we are called to be in a continuous cycle of repetition, remaining actively faithful.

Yet as I thought about this, it is amazing how quickly Christians scarper from the battle-field, they may all be noisy in the barracks before the battle, and maybe be around for the first charge, but faithfully having the grit and determination to ‘stand firm’ or ‘stand fast’ keeping going with what God has called us to do. Holding the line in obedience not wandering off in distracting vanity projects, not fleeing the battle front-line for a safer-option.

Let’s be people of grit, of determination and perseverance.

Scripture is full of heroes that kept on going, that remained faithful, gritty characters that persevered, Noah building the Ark, Moses leading the people through the desert, Esther in prayer, Ruth in her commitment to her mother-in-law Naomi, Daniel in righteous living, Nehemiah in re-building the wall and Paul in the proclamation of the Gospel.

Yet our greatest example of grit and deterination is Jesus “who for the joy that was before him endured the cross and scorned its shame”. Jesus did quit on his Fathers Mission even when his sweat fell like drops of blood, even when it cost him everything he had including his life. Jesus remained faithful unto death “even death on the cross”.

I believe the “secret” to transformation in mission is not more courses, or new programmes and ideas but rather greater grit, more steadfastness, keeping going and pressing in to see the harvest.

Bill Wilson of metro-ministries the worlds largest Sunday School in New York said “Christians so often quit before the break through”.

So, a challenge for us all is to not just start new things but have the grit and see them through and come to fruit.

Patient endurance is tough, but often the key to fruitfulness.

“There is nothing remotely sissy about the women’s auxiliary balloon corps”.

A quote from Blackadder from Captain Darling, both trying to work out ways of avoiding death in the first world war by trying to escape the trenches, yet neither of the two men wants to admit that actually they are afraid of fighting and dying.

Captain Darling, manages to get a safe job behind a desk, and Blackadder tries (and fails) to be posted elsewhere.

This picture reminds me of uncomfortable (and maybe uncharitable) thoughts and conversations I have had with Christians about mission and evangelism.

The truth seems to be they’d rather be doing something nice and pleasantly Christian rather than the costly and sacrificial following of Jesus.

Interestingly, we were doing an outreach on Easter Saturday, and the Church was full of people doing flowers, but only one person came out onto the streets to do outreach with us.

I remember once we were desperately short of people to help with out teenagers and one person emailed to say she couldn’t do it because she was the only singer who could sing soprano (or something like that) in the choir.

The problem is this is it is majoring on the minor.

Prioritising the trivial over the transformative.

Our will being done, not Christ’s will be done.

Discipleship cannot be conditional discipleship, following Jesus only when we happen to be going in the same direction.

Christianity lite.
Decaf Christianity with extra milk foam.

when I was at college there was a cartoon that said “God I will go anywhere you call me too” and underneath it said “provided it is in Surrey”.

It made me think, is the problem with discipleship in the west that it is discipleship on our terms?

A phrase that often challenges me is “If Christ is not Lord of all, is he Lord at all?”

I think all of us find it easier to serve God when it is fun and rewarding, it is harder when it is seemingly making little progress.

Rather than being a backseat driver I fear when the call looks costly, or it is hard-work and a slog, we wrench the steering wheel out of God’s hand or pull up the handbrake and rush for the nearest cushy and consumerist gathering and end up seeking out roles of maximum kudos for minimum cost, the safest option.

The truth is following Jesus is either about obedience and faithfulness or disobedience and sin, the problem is that too often we try and give sin and disobedience a sugar coating of religiosity and respectability.

Blackadder sought glory but not the danger, wants recognition without risk, medals without cost, honour without achievement, and reward without sacrifice.

Yet Christianity has never been safe.

Jesus talks of picking up our cross and following him.

Following Christ will cost us everything we have, it is an “everything or nothing choice”.

As I thought about this blog, I wondered about getting David Beckham to make the squash at football matches. It is a job he could do, but it is substantially short of what he is capable of, and leaves the wider body deprived and should short.

Too many are full of potential that they leave deliberately untapped, because -as a proverb says- “many opportunities are missed because they come in overalls and look like work”.

Lets not give God the fag butts of our time, energy, gifting and resources rather than our first fruits.

So, let’s not be like Captains Darling and Blackader trying to slope off the battle-field, but instead bravely give all that we have, our best efforts and richest resources in the service of King Jesus.

Making Disciples…

“Go into all the world and make them my disciples, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you, and surely I am with you even to the end of the Age”-

Very famous verses from Matthew 28.

It’s an active word, we are called to “Go”, we are called to “make” disciples, we are called to “Baptise” and we are called to “teach”.

It is a command of Jesus not his final suggestion.

It is a word not just to the disciples standing there but actually a word that echoes through the ages to us.

Earlier  in the Gospel narrative Jesus Jesus says “I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” Slightly paraphrased “My job is to build my Church”… The problem is we often think that this bit, his bit, it our bit.

Our role is “go and make disciples” -yet too often we try and build Church rather than make disciples.

Church actually is all about making disciples.

In fact that is what Church is “The plural of disciple is Church” says Alison Morgan.

Mike Breen reminds “If you make disciples you get Church, but if you aim for Church you might not get disciples!”

So what is a disciple?

Disciple comes from the word Mathetes, one who learns as they follow.

Have we aimed to low?

Have we settled for attenders rather than discipleship?  Had (and still have) an on going battle with my Church about the whole argument about “bums on seats” -we could fill our Church buildings if we offered free beer and lap-dances- the challenge has never been just to get people into the building, but rather to see people come into relationship with Christ!

Maybe we have just settled on producing believers? Shane Claiborne talks a lot about the difference between a believer and a follower, his great quote is “there is more to being a Christian than believing all the right stuff”.

Have we strives to make ‘dutiful church members’ which is different from our call that is to make real life authentic and engaged disciples.

People will live out their discipleship not just within our buildings but rather on their front line where God has called them, whole life discipleship.

We need, and need to be, people who are model the life of Christ…

Discipleship needs to be seen lived out, with flesh on, as St. Paul said: “Imitate me as I imitate Christ”.

“All members of the community have a responsibility for enriching and contributing to the up building of others” Sylvia Wilkey Collinson.

Our Discipleship is something we ourselves need to take responsibility for, our discipleship is not received like spoon feeding consumerism, but is something we all have responsibility for, both a responsibility for our own faith and growth, but also a responsibility to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

“All of this (the Missional life of Jesus and the discipleship) is more like an action movie than an initiation into Philosophy” Roger Wilton.

Too often we  have made discipleship all about our own head knowledge, rather than about our lives as we follow Christ, looking like him, and we will be more like him the more we hang out with him, the more time we spend with him.

Rob Bell talks about being covered in the dust of your rabbi, as you follow them you are close enough to get covered in the dust from the dusty paths they walk on…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk8ERxqCZqQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KIA-DGx_3Y

God bless,

Andy

Francis Chan – How Not To Make Disciples http://www.youtube.com Check out more great resources at http://vergenetwork.org Francis Chan – How Not To Make Disciples

This is Discipleship http://www.youtube.com YOU CAN SHARE THIS VIDEO! I must note that although programs and events are useful they can easily create an inwardly focused atmosphere to where the body is …

I wish I’d looked after my teeth!

I hate going to the Dentist.

I’ll do anything to avoid going… in fact I only go when it reaches crisis point and I’m officially in agony!

The problem this is actually pretty stupid, as if I was good and went to the dentist every six months or so, would probably catch any problems early before they got to crisis point.

More over being an idiot, as the pain in my teeth increased, rather than sorting it out, I popped painkillers hoping it would magically go away.

Yet this ended up with some painful root canal treatment and a £220 bill!

As I was waiting in the waiting room, I began to think this is a lot like life, we only deal with things when they become urgent, often we ignore the signs and nudges to sort out the things than need dealing with before they become urgent.

How sometimes we hide the urgency with ‘pain-killers’ as a form of self-denial, putting it off for another day, until OUGH…

Our we dealing with the symptoms, or do the costly and painful (but beneficial) call and allow God to deal with the root.

Sitting in that dentists’ chair realized that it was a picture both of surrender, I know I have come to the end of my resources to deal (or at least mask) the real issues, I need someone to do what cannot, and I have to trust them.

Would we let God deal with the painful roots?

Do I trust him to deal with the the stuff below the surface?

Do we surrender? Do we trust him?

Am I at the point of surrender? The point when I am desperate?

So, was I thinking what God trying to say to you at the moment?

Are you listening or drowning him out with pain-killers (one guy, a friend of mine, had/has an awesome call on his life) described it as “God wanting to call me, but I left the answerphone on”.

Have you got the answerphone on?

Scripture says “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts”

Are you avoiding dealing with something that you know God is calling you to deal with? Or do something that you’ve out off for another day? A dream that is yet to be seized? A call that’s needs to be responded too?

There is a business theory adapted from Jahari’s Window, which splits every task into 1) Important but not urgent, 2) Urgent but not important, 3) not important or urgent 4) Important and Urgent.

The theory is we waste too much time on what is neither important or urgent, or perhaps on urgent and important, but where the wise time in invested most wisely  is in the important but not urgent, so

when the time is right we are fully prepared for what needs to be done.

Scripture urges us to be wise in how we deal with time, our God given gift.

What are our priorities?

What are his priories for our lives?

Scripture urges us to:^“Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity” (Col.4.4).

Although I am loathed to quote Greek in blogs (as normally it is just pretentious!) its worth noting that there are two words for time (when in English we only have one!) these are “Chronos” (where we get the idea of Chronological, time in sequence) or the other word “Kairos”, talks about God’s time and timing…

How do we use our time?

How do we use his time?

So let’s not neglect walking and listening closely, doing the brave and right thing, letting God lead, direct and deal with that which needs his hand alone? Or do we resist the Kairos time breaking in until everything else has failed?

I’ll close with Pam Ayres poem “I wish I’d looked after my teeth”