Tommy Mitchell / The Rurban Church Blog

Learning Lab with Christ!

This year I am reading through the four Gospels!  In January I read all four.  This month I am just reading Mark and making some light notes. I will do the same with the remaining three over the next three months - and then start over again reading each book through in a commentary! and so on!

I have been blessed beyond measure already!  Spending a year reading the Gospels is to spend a year studying the life of Christ! It is very worthwhile.  Just a few thoughts thus far:

1. Busy! Jesus had days that at times, just never ended!  Healing, teaching, discussing, defending, and at times - running for his life!

2. Prayerful!  Jesus was never far from prayer!

3. Repetitive!  Jesus taught important principles and realities over and over to His disciples!  Not unlike folks today - the disciples did not always get it!

4. The Disciples did "get it" when they were filled with the Holy Spirit and focusing on Christ!

5.  Parallels!  This is my favorite!  Reading the Gospels helps you see the truthfulness of this verse in
      Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
       Jesus lived a life that in some ways was not so different than ours!  He was challenged for living
      to a higher standard!  He was criticized for "new methods!"  He was run out of town for telling
      the truth!  He was assualted regularly by the devil for being who He was!  He got weary and
      tired!  He expressed feelings of astonishment, amazement, and disappointment - usually in
      response to people and their unbelief or great faith - their dull hearts or receptive ones!

    I could say much more on that one - but studying the life of Christ is a great encouragement because He was the pioneer example of living "Christ" in and to this world!  And He did it without sin - without giving up!

6. There are endless short phrases in the Gospels worthy of great sermons! 

7. Spending a year of your life reading the Bible is never a bad thing! Last year I read the Bible through Chronologically!  I wanted a more narrow focus this year - and I know no better one than
the life of Christ in the Gospels!

So, What's Your Plan?

The world is in a mess! The country is facing serious challenges!  People are hurting for work!  Jobs are not readily available!  What's your plan?  That's right! Your plan?

From what I have seen so far, I would not be too invested in the government doing anything positive about the circumstances we face.  So what is your plan?

We really should have a plan!  It should look remarkably like the Lord's plan!  You know, the one to be SALT and LIGHT out in the world!  The plan to LOVE unconditionally - to FORGIVE fully - to PROCLAIM the most amazing news ever - the news of the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST! 

So - what is your plan? How are you going to engage people - I mean - DELIBERATELY engage people TODAY to make some kind of difference in their lives? 

In October at ABC, we are going to be looking for 5 weeks at  ourMission! Yep, it is spelled right!  ourMission!
It is my prayer that everyone will develop simple, straightforward, measurable plan to engage this world right where it is - and see it transformed before their very eyes!  

So, what's your plan??????

Potential!

This picture is of the massive Saturn V rocket on display at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama!  This rocket is massive. The Saturn V was used for the Apollo missions to the moon.  If this rocket were operational, one would be able to look at it standing and be overwhelmed by the potential within it!  The rocket contained 5.6 million pounds of propellant! Just the first stage of this rocket produced 7.5 million pounds of thrust!  The rocket stands over 36 stories high - higher than the Statue of Liberty.  That is a lot of potential sitting there! 

Kind of like the church!  Everyday I am reminded of the "potential" power awaiting blast off in every church!  We have build pretty efficient and massive organizational structures. We have all the support staff - or ground crew - needed to keep it afloat!  We maintain the church very well!  However, the power that raised Jesus from the dead lives and resides in us! On occasion we allow the Spirit to move and we get a glimpse and feel of the rumbling Spirit of God! 

The Saturn V is not most beautiful on static display in Huntsville! It was most beautiful roaring to orbit with a massive payload on top destined for the moon!  The church has potential - which is the polite way of saying that we also have unfulfilled missions!  The church is not "most beautiful" on the launch pad! She is most beautiful when fulfilling the mission of God - launching to new heights - obedient in faith to the Spirit of God!  

 

A Prayer to Remember

Oz Guiness recounts the following experience in his book The Call.

Arthur F. Burns was at one time the chairman of the United States Federal Reserve.  He was also Jewish.  It was a bit surprising when he began to attend an informal White House group for prayer and fellowship back in the 1970's.  He was always treated with great respect - but the group did not quite know how to involve him since they were all Christians and he was Jewish.  Each week a  different person would end in prayer. Not wanting to make Arthur Burns uncomfortable, he was not called on to pray.

One day, a newcomer who did not know Burns Jewish background led the group. At the end, he called on Burns to pray.  His prayer became well known. It went like this.

"Lord, I pray that you would bring Jews to know Jesus Christ. I pray that you would bring Muslims to know Jesus Christ. Finally Lord, I pray that you would bring Christians to know Jesus Christ. Amen."

It is a prayer worth pondering!

Courageous and Contagious!

Mark Mittelberg says, "We must become courageous Christians if we're to become contagious ones. We must get on board with what Scripture and Spirit are leading us to do."  

He is right! We have to have the courage to take the greatest message ever heard, the Gospel, and share it with a variety of methods that creatively engage the culture.  We can't be fearful! Fear stops everything.  Courage gives rise to action.  Action is almost always contagious!

Are you courageous?  If you are - you will probably also be contagious!!!!

The Main Thing!

The only conclusion I can reach after much reading, praying, prepping, and planning........

We have to love Jesus in order to BE and DO anything in the Kingdom.   We simply cannot motivate people to fulfill a missional role in the world if they, themselves do not love the Lord with "life transforming" love! 

THE relationship is THE key to everything else in the Kingdom!   I know! I knew it - you probably knew it - we probably knew it - but somehow - we still tend to find ourselves looking for the right person, program, or process to make IT happen!  Yet - there is nothing that will move us to be servants of God before we are lovers of God!

Love Him - with a life transforming love!!!!

The Radical Experiment - Blessings!

The Radical Experiment, as a tool, is leading me to blessing upon blessing. 

We have given our first month "Direct TV" bill savings to someone.  Knowing something of how the money helped and the long-term benefits was awesome.  I could not help but think about the fact that if I still had DTV, the money would have kept it on another month - and provided nothing of eternal significance for anyone.  It would not have changed a life - been a blessing - anything!   But the missionary to whom we gave the money will impact numbers of people who may impact still more for generations to come.  Suddenly, "giving up" DTV did not really seem like a bad trade1

In my scripture reading I came across this verse in Job 40:8 “Do you presume to tell me what I’m doing wrong?
Are you calling me a sinner so you can be a saint? This is "The Message" translation, but it captures the meaning.  It reminded me of how many times we "blame" God and act as if we have somehow been wronged in order to excuse our bad behavior.  A message is coming forth from that verse!

In praying through the Operation World book, I have been overwhelmed in my current reading about Africa!  For example, Sudan has been in civil war for 38 of the last 55 years! What a horrible way to live. And it has been very tough for Christians there. Makes the excuses, "oh, it's cloudy, cold, windy, rainy, hot, dry, etc. so I will stay home from church today" seem pretty childish! Sudanese Christians become such with death hanging over there heads!

Africa has 57 countries.  Across the continent, almost 50% of them are Christian.  Yet, extreme poverty pervades across much of the continent.  Africa has gone from being an exporter of food to an importer.  Their crop lands are plentiful - but are terribly managed and are depleted of nutrients.  Their timber, once in abundant supply, has been cut without management and is mostly gone.  There are great hurdles to overcome in Africa.  The Gospel and people to teach vital skills are needed. 

I am looking forward to spending a week on mission with Andrea this summer! We are excited!

It is not too late to join The Radical Experiment!

Spurring!

To be "spurred" with "spurs" would be painful - I'm almost sure!  Without a doubt - being "spurred" with "spurs" would create movement!  But, what if you "spurred" a person with love, joy, comfort, instruction, laughter, tears, and encouragement? 

In the message this morning, one of our verses was Hebrews 10:24  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.    NIV    I am confident that the idea was not to "injure" or to "harm" us on towards love and good deeds.  The idea is to have the result of "spurring," - creating movement and momentum - towards love and good deeds!  

What "spurs" you - really gives you motivation to love and do good deeds?  Well, I have been thinking about what "spurs" me on in this way. 

1. The example of Christ! Though His ministry was only 3 1/2 years on earth, it was 3 1/2 years that has forever changed the conversation on earth.  That "spurs" me on to live for Him. His example motivates me towards love and good deeds.

2. The Word of Christ!  His Word captures my heart - over and over! I am amazed at everything I discover when I read a familiar passage.  God awakens my heart to what I need to be about!

3. The testimony of a growing Christian!  When I hear about what God is doing in someone else, it spurs me on.

4. The needs I observe around me!  It is impossible for the genuine child of God to ignore the needs of people around them.  Those needs motivate me.

What "spurs you on?

 

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Day 1 - The Radical Experiment!

Ok - It is a little after midnight - New Years Day! 2011 is just starting! And so am I on the Radical Experiment! My "Operation World" book and CD came in yesterday.  I have the book on my computer and the book itself. 

My DirectTV is history! Has been for a couple of weeks. Got my last statement from DTV and it was zero. So, I am going to be able to start putting aside money this month for ministry/missions purposes.  In regards to my week of service outside my normal context - I have not nailed that down yet.  I may have an opportunity to teach the book of Acts overseas to pastors wanting some additional training. So, I am waiting to see if that will come through.  Got my Chronological reading guide in place! 

So - I am ready to go!  I am so hopeful that more and more people in the church will join in the Experiment!  I am excited to think of what God will do with His people this year!