September 21, 2008

Five Practices: Intentional Faith Development

Learning to Soar

Acts 2:42-47

Opening Words: East Ohio Resident Bishop John Hopkins has asked each congregation within the Annual Conference to look at Robert Schnase’s book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. Schnase is the Bishop of the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church. He says these five practices are critical to the success of any congregation. Their presence demonstrates congregational health, vitality and fruitfulness. These five practices are radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service and extravagant generosity. In the past two weeks we have looked at radical hospitality and passionate worship. Today we look at intentional faith development.

We find ourselves today in the second chapter of Acts. I hope you appreciate these words. As a matter of fact as a church growth and congregational development person, I must admit no words have influenced my ministry more than these words. I find them to be sacred. This is the scene. The church was new and disorganized. Everyone was filled with questions and dreams. However, in other ways these early days became the golden age of the church. Every church reformer has tried to get back to what these believers had. Let us here these words together from Acts 2:42-47. Let me call this message Learning to Soar.

Acts 2:42-47 ⁴²They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. ⁴⁴All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. ⁴⁶Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Are you making any progress in the Christian faith? That question has haunted me from the first time I read that sermon illustration. Former pastor of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City, Tom Tewell was first asked that question during his ordination interview. As he tells the story he was quizzed by an interview team for several hours on the finer details of Christian theology. He felt comfortable with his responses but then the final question came. It was asked by a retired pastor on the team. He hadn’t asked a single question in the past but he asked the most difficult question of the day, “Are you making any progress in the Christian faith?” Tewell said he didn’t know how to answer the question. When I first heard the question I didn’t know how to answer. How do you answer the question, “Are you making any progress in the Christian faith?” The answer that Tewell gave is the answer I would have given. He answered the question by simply saying, “I hope.”

Do you believe America is making any progress in the Christian faith? There are many people who have their doubts. Many believe America hasn’t made any real progress in the Christian faith for years. I have said it a million times. Our national theology seems to be built not on Biblical truth but personal opinions. Civil religion is the rage. Civil religion is when you wrap the American flag around the cross of Jesus. It says God loves Americans more than any other people. It says God has a special mission just for us. It sounds very patriotic but the theology is very poor. Many believe the spiritual state of America is poor.

Leroy Eims spirituality is much like the trip he made from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa, Florida. As far as the eye could see, orange trees were loaded with fruit. When they stopped for breakfast, he ordered an orange juice with fried eggs. "I'm sorry," the waitress said. "I can't bring you orange juice. Our machine is broken." At first he was dumbfounded. They were surrounded by millions of oranges. They were surrounded by thousands of gallons of orange juice. However, there was not one ounce of orange juice that was being consumed. Could that be the story of America today?

We live in America, home of freedom of speech, press and religion. Because of these freedoms we are surrounded by spiritual food daily. Just think about it. No one has to smuggle you a Bible. If you want a Bible, just buy one. We have Bibles in a wide variety of translations and languages. I have never read a bad Bible. We have Christian radio. The air waves are constantly filled with all kinds of Christian music. It doesn’t matter if you like traditional hymns or contemporary songs. At this moment both Amazing Grace and Shine Jesus Shine are on the air. There are sermons on the air from some outstanding preachers around the world. All you have to do in tune in. There are Christian bookstores filled with all kinds of Christian publications. Their goal is to help you grow in the Christian faith. There seems to be a church on every corner, each one is faithful to the Gospel. There are Christian websites that offer all kinds of information and resources. We should be making progress in the faith but I am not sure if we are making any progress in the Christian faith. Our country is filled with orange trees but we are suffering from spiritual malnutrition. Maybe that sounds harsh but it is true. I believe it is even true in church.

That was not always the case. Look at the text with me for the morning. The second chapter of Acts is a wonderful chapter. It describes how the church began. The chapter begins with Luke describing the coming of the Holy Spirit as a great wind. It must have been quite a storm. It didn’t just knock out power or damage trees. Those winds changed lives. Those Pentecostal winds altered the hearts of many believers. The wind blew and the first sermon was delivered. The wind blew and the church was formed. The text does not mention any property being purchased or by-laws being written. However, the text does mention lives that were changed. Countless lives suddenly had a new priority and a real purpose for living. The only thing that really mattered to those people was Jesus! Verse 42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

In certain ways, the church has gone backwards. The early church was preoccupied with Bible, communion, fellowship and prayer. We are preoccupied buildings, budgets, meetings and membership roles. They were preoccupied with Jesus. We are preoccupied with the organizational or institutional church. That is why we are not making progress in the Christian faith. If we want to make progress in the faith, then we must make these things a priority to us. Today I want to look at each one. So if you are ready to make some progress in the Christian faith say, “Amen!”

Scripture

The early church was preoccupied with scripture. They actually had the apostles there in person, the best we have is the Bible. In other words, they were preoccupied with scripture. Verse 42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostle’s teachings.” Timothy Dwight said, “The Bible is a window in this prison-world, through which we may look into eternity. “

Albert Einstein was one of the greatest minds in history. It was the basic things in life that troubled him. One evening as Einstein sat deep in thought aboard the train that brought him home each night, the porter approached to collect his ticket. Einstein rummaged around in his coat, through his pockets, in his shirt, and everywhere else he could think of, growing alarmed at his inability to find the ticket. "That's okay, Dr. Einstein," said the porter. "I know you ride this train every day. I can collect tomorrow." "That's fine for you, young man," Einstein replied, "but how am I supposed to get off the train without my ticket?" He did not know where he was going! Without the Bible we don’t know where we are going. Without the Bible you are lost.

The early church was devoted to the apostle’s teachings. We should be devoted to the Bible. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Communion

The early church was preoccupied with communion. Verse 42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostle’s teachings, the breaking of bread.” That phrase does not mean they were preoccupied with lunch or dinner. That line means they were preoccupied with communion. Why? In communion we find a direct connection back to Jesus. It all begins and ends with Jesus. He is why the church exists.

Gregory of Nazianzus wrote in the year 381 these words. They are still true.

He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life.
Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water.
Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest. Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King.
Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons.
Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears.
Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world.
Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd.
Jesus died, yet by His death He destroyed the power of death.

The early church was devoted to Jesus. We should be devoted to Jesus. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Fellowship

The early church was preoccupied with the fellowship. Verse 42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostle’s teachings, the breaking of bread, to the fellowship.” Christian fellowship is not just making friends in the life of the church. It is not just supporting someone during good times and bad. Christian fellowship means you are accountable to one another spiritually. John Wesley said, “I want the whole Christ for my Savior, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship, and the whole world for my mission field.”

Mamie made frequent trips to the branch post office. One day she confronted a long line of people who were waiting for service from the postal clerks. Mamie only needed stamps, so a helpful observer asked, “Why don’t you use the stamp machine? You can get all the stamps you need and you won’t have to stand in line.” Mamie said, “I know, but the machine can’t ask me about my arthritis.” The only place you can go and be asked about the condition of your soul is the church.

The early church was devoted to the fellowship. We should be devoted to the fellowship. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Prayer

The early church was preoccupied with prayer. Verse 42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostle’s teachings, the breaking of bread, to the fellowship and to prayer.” We understand prayer to simply be communicating with God.

In Ivan endures all the horrors of a Soviet prison camp. One day he is praying with his eyes closed when a fellow prisoner notices him and says with ridicule, "Prayers won't help you get out of here any faster." Opening his eyes, Ivan answers, "I do not pray to get out of prison but to do the will of God." Are you praying for your dreams and desires or are you praying to do God’s will?

The early church was devoted to prayer. We need to devote ourselves to prayer. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Are you making any progress in the Christian faith? What is faith? Simple knowledge is not faith. You can learn everything about the Bible and still not believe. You can learn that Psalm 118:8 is the very middle of the Bible. You can learn that Erza 7:21 contains every letter in the Bible but the letter “J.” You can learn that Esther 8:9 is the longest verse in the Bible. You can learn those random facts about the Bible and not be an inch closer to heaven. Faith is not simply knowledge. Faith is not simply belief. Faith isn’t a flag that you raise in the crowd to rally the meeting to your side of the debate. Have you ever noticed that people who have no faith vote against you? I have discovered that faith is an adventure. For it is in faith that we begin to soar and discover what God wants us to do with our lives. It is only when we discover what God wants us to do with our lives that our lives take on meaning and purpose. You will never discover what God wants you to do with your life as long as you are preoccupied with buildings, budgets and membership roles. If you want to discover what God wants you to do with your life then become a person of faith. My prayer for you is that you become preoccupied with the scripture, communion, fellowship and to prayer. Without them, we will never reach our full potential as a church and you will never become the person God intended from the very beginning. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!” Let me end with these words.

In The Last Days Newsletter, Leonard Ravenhill tells about a group of tourists visiting a picturesque village who walked by an old man sitting beside a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one tourist asked, "Were any great men born in this village?" The old man replied, "Nope, only babies." A frothy question brought a profound answer. There are no instant heroes--whether in this world or in the kingdom of God. Growth takes time. Are you making any progress in the Christian faith?