#5 Service

It seems every few years the church looks for ways to reinvent itself. Personally I think its necessary and will be something we need to do more often as culture continues to shift and change at an increasingly rapid pace. 

At the same time we often shift away from things that we should always be doing and then God reminds us, often through the cry of the culture, that we need to return to a biblical mindset on the mandate of the church. Once upon a time the church was the main vehicle for addressing issues of social justice, poverty and brokenness. The evangelical church especially has abdicated it's role in showing the mercy of Christ to the world through community service and tangible love. 

People are becoming more and more aware of the problems around them and they're wondering... is the church going to rise to the challenge of addressing these issues? Are these people who say they follow Christ going to get serious about this part of the gospel. A friend of mine who teaches sociology of religion at the university level thinks this is the primary way in which the church can and should grow in the immediate future.

God has really gripped my heart in the past couple of years for addressing the needs of the marginalized and broken. It's sad that it has taken me 2 years to really take action but by God's grace I want 2009 to be the year of change in my own life, that more of my time would be spent serving those people who need it most whether through partnerships with groups like YFC (tonight is my first night working on the bus) or through short term missions I want to be addressing the needs and encouraging others to do all they can (ALL they can) to do the same. 

What do you think of my friend's opinion? How vital is it for the church to address these issues? Do you think it will really lead to a greater ability for us to share the gospel and get in on the work God is doing in our friend's lives? 

Also, I'd love to know what any of you are doing to serve the poor these days? I know many WLA small groups do service projects on occasion... is anyone doing things up and beyond those opportunities?

read this

and tell me what you think. It was written by Mark Batterson of National Community Church fame on his blog evotional.com:

I think the modern church has fixated on sins of commission. Don't do this and don't do that and you're alright. But that's not alright. Why? Because goodness is not the absence of badness. You can do nothing wrong and still do nothing right. That is why we're more known for what we're against than what we're for. Christianity was never intended to be a noun. It was meant to be a verb. It is sins of omission, those things we could have, would have, or should have done for the cause of Christ, that grieve our Heavenly Father. We've got to quit playing defense and start playing offense. We need to quit fighting amongst ourselves and start loving our enemies. We need to quit pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Discipleship is so much more than the accumulation of rote knowledge. It's a sanctified imagination that dreams God-sized dreams. It is a heart that breaks for the things that break the heart of God. It's not enough to create our own sub-culture. We desperately need to raise up a generation that feels called to culture-shaping professions as God-ordained vocations. We cannot reduce the gospel to the forgiveness of sins. It's about glorifying God by maximizing our God-given potential and serving our God-ordained purpose. It can't just be about creeds. It's got to be about deeds. It can't just be about us. It's got to be about others. We need the courage to stand up for what's right in a culture where nothing is wrong. But we need to do it in a spirit of humility. We need the courage to incarnate the gospel in creative ways. But we need to do it in a spirit of authenticity. And we need the courage to preach the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. But we need to do it in a spirit of grace.

This pretty much sums up where I am these days.

Personal Evangelism pt.2

I wanted to add to this post 2 ways this is working out in my life.

1. Back in November I decided to act on inspiration from Pastor Mike and start running with lost people. He stole the idea from Bill Hybels so I think it's ok that I copied him. I started running on Saturday mornings and have recently (like this week) decided to make it Wed and Sat runs that I'll do with them. I hope in doing so I'll earn the right to tell them about Jesus.

2. Melissa, Layla, and I are going to be serving with the YFC Streetlight ministry on Tuesday evenings. The critical part of this for me was that we had to choose not to take part 2 of the most helpful parenting class ever, with 2 families we've come to love, in order to get started in this ministry. We decided that the content is accessible at home and the fellowship could be had at some other time. This specific time of the week we want to set aside to serve the poor and speak about Jesus to others.

Maybe those ideas inspire you. Maybe not. I'd encourage you though, come up with your own ways of spending time with the lost. One thought I've been pondering lately, inspired by Francis Chan, is this: maybe we should take literally the call to "love you neighbor as yourself". Maybe that doesn't sound like it fits so let me explain my thought here. See, I am a member of the body of Christ. I'm supposed to be of one mind and spirit with those who are members of my church. In many ways loving them is like loving myself... or should be... or is when everyone is working from a biblical mindset ;) So if loving the church is mostly like loving myself then loving my neighbor becomes much more about loving those outside the church. What if I took that literally? Spend as much time loving the lost as you doing loving those in the church? What would that look like? Could I do it? It seems to me worth trying, even if I don't split things 50/50 I bet by trying I'd be closer to God's design than I am now...

#4 Personal Evangelism

Here's the deal. I firmly believe that all Christians should be actively engaged in personal evangelism. Spending time with people who don't acknowledge Jesus as Lord with the intention of sharing the Good News with them and helping them come to faith. It should be as essential as reading the Word. You can not convince me that evangelism is the responsibility of the few. It is the responsibility of the many.

Here's the problem: me. I believe it in my heart and then choose not to act. How many of us are in that boat when it comes to engaging in the mission of Jesus? we believe it with our minds and live "the faith" without acting "in faith"?

Here's the solution: me... and you! In 2009 I pledge to significantly reprioritize my free time to spend with those who are far from God. I am going to seek opportunities to be with people who don't know the joy, hope and love of Jesus and ask God boldly to work on my behalf while I'm in their midst. I am going to seek to be a man after God's heart, willing to share his story with people and serve those who must be served by the members of the Church. I know this will mean some tough choices... choosing to spend time with people I barely know before those I know and love deeply. I hope they will understand. By the grace and power of God I hope to deepen my impact for the expansion of his Kingdom AND the deepening of the fellowship of His saints.

#3 Investment

It's late but I wanted to write this today. I've become convinced that the greatest thing I can do with my life is to make sure other people are successful and reach their potential. In 2009, I want to spend the majority of my time investing in other people, helping them to reach their God -given potential. I've come to understand the doctrine of Imago Dei differently and my role as a leader completely differently. I won't go into a long discourse right now as I plan on talking about this at a meeting on January 31st and so don't want to steal my own thunder but suffice to say God has placed on my heart this passion and I want to take it as serious as anything in my life.

#2 Intentionality

"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." James 4:13-14

I am a futurist. That is to say I'm always thinking about what is coming down the pipe. I embrace this part of who I am and believe it's a gift God has given me that I need to use. It also can get me into trouble. Sometimes by looking into the future I miss the magic of the moment I'm living. This happens to me when I forget to be intentional about every moment of life and not just the ones that look into the future.

James tells us that our life is a mist. Not exactly an inspiring thought in some respects is it? I know it's meant for the increase of our humility and I want to embrace that and yet it also puts into me a sense of urgency. Every moment counts. If life is a mist then moments are the particles of moisture that make up that mist. The sun is rising and the moisture is constantly being burned away. Soon the mist will be gone.

I think each particle of moisture can be used to water something - to give life to someone or something. The moisture is given to us to use before it burns away. It's entrusted to us. My fear is that my moisture is being burned up before I get to use it for growth.

If I'm intentional - if I look for the divine opportunity in every moment and see God's given opportunity to invest my moisture in something every moment of every day then I believe my life will count. The vapor created as my life burns away will be more akin to a fragrant offering unto God then steam rising from a kettle that no one is watching boil.

I want every moment of 2009 to be used intentionally. Every action. Every ministry focus. Every time I spend resting or playing with my daughter or loving my wife. My prayer for 2009 is that it is a year characterized by intentionality.

#1 Generosity

So begins my week of posts on my goals for 2009:

Let's be clear about something: Heerebout is a dutch name. If there is one thing the dutch are famous for it is how cheap we are. In fact last night I was at a certain watering hole with my friend Andrew VanderPloeg, who is also dutch, in fact Big Dutch is the nickname I gave him, and while reaching for something in my pocket a penny dropped onto the floor. I was inclined to let the penny go whilst appearing not to care by my comment "it's only a penny" but Andrew, truer to his heritage than I, felt a sense of loss as he watched the penny role away and in his own defense said "yeah, but I'm dutch". Every penny counts.

Added to my personal pedigree is a good dose of Scottish blood from my mother's side. The Scots aren't exactly known for burning money either.

All of this adds up to a man who has a tight string on his coin purse.

Then there is Jesus and his teachings. I know in my heart that God desires his followers to be the most generous people on the planet. He is honored when we give deeply and with Joy.

I have two heroes when it comes to giving. My wife and my mother-in-law. They give without hesitation and love to do so. It's their language of love to others. They challenge my dutchness constantly. I see the values of Jesus embodied in their gifts and sacrifices. It was Mel's idea for us to leave a huge amount of things in Cuba as a gift to our housekeeper. It was Karen (MIL) who gave us money to buy things for the kids we'd encounter in Cuba. Leaving our clothes and shoes in our room in a neat pile with a thank-you note and giving that duffle bag of toys to a house church who could get them out to needy kids are likely the two memories that will stick with me longest from our trip. The joy of the Lord was felt in my heart as we gave.

So my first goal for 2009 is to become more generous. Not so I can keep up with my wife or so I look like a good person but so that I am not one of the rich men who can't fit through to eye of a needle. So that God is honored as I seek to give more things away. So that I can experience the full joy God means for my life to have.

To get set up for next week...

If you happen to read the blog recently I'd encourage you... listen to the song "The Way I was Made" by Chris Tomlin. It kind of hit me how much like my New Year's goals the lyrics are. I'm going to share with you my 5 goals for 2009 next week.

So I lied...

Actually I simply did not know the truth. Upon arriving at our hotel I discovered that they did not have wireless internet access... just by the hour internet at the low low price of 10 pesos (roughly 12 CND) per hour! So I resorted to checking email quickly and tweeting. In any case we had a great week. I'll be sure to get back and blog some of my thoughts as time permits. Cuba is a very interesting country, what with a communist government and their history with the former Soviet Union. I got the chance to spend time in Havana on Sunday with some "workers" who I know there and we visited 2 house churches as well as got a guided tour of the city. As is always the case there are great needs. More to come.

Viva la Vacation!

Well we're just about packed and ready to head to Cuba for vacation. I'm looking forward to a week of time with my girls and time to dream and plan for this coming year. I hope everyone has a great time. I'm planning on blogging, Tweeting, and Facebooking regularly although it will be musch more frivolous content than usual. Just to give you a perspective, here is a shot of our hotel pool...

A stream of thought to begin the year...

God, in your image we've been created
Men, Women, all of us
IN YOUR IMAGE

I pray that your children
Will see
See ALL of your children

See potential and beauty
Love the seemingly unlovely
There is something of you in everyone

Every person can become amazing
Our worth is found in you
Children are a product of their parents

You are our Father
You've shown us your desires
Your young children learn from your oldest Son

Will we obey
Follow
Abandon
Innovate
Create
Become
merciful
sacrificial
LOVE