Spiritual Mentoring - Part 4

In the last three years, largely due to significant health challenges, I have been unable to keep up any kind of consistent workout schedule. As a result (and with some unfortunate side effects of the medications I am on) I have gained weight and gone flabby. Three years ago I could bench press 250 lbs. and run (OK, jog) 8 to 10 km. at a time (no speed records were broken)! As I'm trying to get back to consistent workouts again, I'm lifting 15, 20 & 25 lbs. dumbbells and walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes, 3 to 4 times a week. How discouraging! But that's the reality I've got to accept and start working with in order to get stronger and healthier again. It does no good to regret what's happened, to "cry over spilt milk" or to blame circumstances beyond my control. Instead I've had to get honest about where I'm at (like getting on the bathroom scales) and commit and submit to a plan for improvement.

It's no different with our spiritual lives. There has been lots of spilt milk and many circumstances beyond our individual control. But if we're going to get growing and truly have an impact on this world, we've got to get honest about where we're at and commit and submit to a plan for change and growth. No plan is perfect, but when we do it for God and his glory, then with consistency over time, God will work in powerful ways in us and through us to bring him glory and to win and save souls through the gospel.

One last, but absolutely vital, idea: being involved in spiritual mentoring is not just about God's glory and having an impact on this world. The bottom line is this: it's about making it to heaven. No one has made it to heaven on their own, without God's help for sure, but also without the help of other godly people in their lives. Don't be fooled by pride - it is a lie straight from the depths of hell - we all absolutely need a "brother's keeper" or two, at least. The heart is indeed deceitful and beyond cure! You and I need the objective, honest, loving eyes, ears and mouths of people who are intimately and consistently involved in our lives. We will falter and stray, so we need, at times, people who will lead us by the hand back on to the "straight and narrow". We will all stumble and fall, so we will need people to lift us up and support us until we're strong enough to walk on our own again.

It is my intention to begin a Spiritual Mentoring Plan in the New Year in the VCOC. I've already invited several men in our congregation to participate in spiritual mentoring. My goal is to have this spread throughout the entire congregation throughout 2010, so that by the end of the year every disciple has at least one or two other disciples in their lives with whom they are meeting consistently for prayer, confession, bible study, evangelism, serving and fellowship. If you are a VCOC member and are interested in learning more about how this plan will work, please do not hesitate to contact me.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Spiritual Mentoring - Part 3

Let's move now to 2009. As a church, we've been through a lot of trials which have brought about multiple changes in our fellowship of churches, many of which have been very positive. However, we are truly in danger now of becoming a dying and declining church! Not one of us wants that to happen and we have the best of intentions to continue to grow personally and to have an impact on each other and the world. But here's the problem: the hurricane of life in the 1990s, for most of us, was a category 1 or 2 storm. Today, for most of us, it is a full blown category 5!

The demands and opportunities of living in our technologically advancing society are simply mind-boggling. Our time, our energy and even our hearts have become divided. Our lives are so filled with things that we've "got to do" and/or "want to do" that we simply have little or no time for what really (and eternally) matters. Our spiritual lives get so little attention because we think we can fly on spiritual autopilot and that one day we'll be able to come in for a safe landing in heaven. Work, family, hobbies and recreational activities (ours and our kids'), have basically taken over many of our lives, so that even meeting with other Christians twice a week has become a challenge. Daily encouragement via contact with other disciples is almost non-existent in most Christians lives, and yet God's word clearly states how desperately we need just that (see Hebrews 3:12-14; 10:24-25). Most Christians are trying to survive on "life support" via tidbits of infrequent spiritual input from brief encounters with God's word and with God's people. Is this not exactly what Jesus warned his disciples about in the parable of the soils when he said, "Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful" (Mark 4:18-19)?

Spiritual growth does not happen "by accident". Spiritual survival is not possible if we live on autopilot. In fact, the only accident that is guaranteed is a spiritual "crash and burn" with no survivors, unless we get back to prioritizing our spiritual lives again, not just with good intentions, but with a practical plan to which we commit and submit. In our past there was a plan in place, and while not perfect, the fact that we are still here shows that it had an overall positive impact on our lives. Do you have a practical plan, to which you've committed and submitted, which truly prioritizes your walk with God, your involvement in the lives of other disciples and your personal outreach to a lost world? I'm convinced we need such a plan right now, not only individually, but collectively.

Spiritual Mentoring - Part 2

What I had seen from a distance, but now came to experience, was the transformational power of spiritual mentoring (i.e., discipling), in the context of true "one another" relationships. Yes, the worship services a the Toronto Church of Christ were more exciting, inspirational and motivating and the weekly Bible Talks were fresh, challenging and effective in reaching others with the gospel. But the main instrument of personal growth in the lives of individual Christians was the weekly one-on-one times with a spiritual mentor (i.e., discipler), and the many points of contact in between (e.g., at worship services, midweek meetings, Bible Talks, evangelistic efforts, counseling appointments, Bible studies and almost daily phone calls).

For the first several years in the I.C.O.C., I was older in age, and in many ways more experienced in life, than were my disciplers. In fact, for one nine month period, both my wife and I were even discipled by two single ministry staff people. Some of my disciplers would later leave the church and go back into the world. Some of them said some false and hurtful things and at times "spoke the truth," but not necessarily "in love". However, I knew I could not control what others said or did, but only what I did with whatever they said and did. The sins and mistakes of my mentors were opportunities for me to grow in faith, forgiveness, patience and persistence. With the Bible as my standard, I was able to grow and change as never before as God worked through the imperfect mentors he had placed in my life.

These mentoring relationships were structured and followed a plan, but that didn't make them artificial and thus devoid of impact. Instead, in the midst of our all too busy lives and the ongoing demands of living in this world, I (and others), needed the expectations of a structured plan in order to have the consistency of interaction that resulted in impact and thus change and growth. Through these structured relationships I was able to experience the power of daily encouragement. Without this structure, the best of intentions would have simply been blown away like dust by the hurricane we call "Life". The demands and expectations of these discipling relationships did not hurt my marriage or my parenting, but rather by helping me to be a stronger, ever-growing Christian, I became a better husband and father, as well as a more confident and competent "minister of the gospel". I certainly would not want to be living my life now (in 2009), had I not experienced the impact that these relationships had on my mind, my heart and my soul! I am eternally grateful for what God has done in my life through discipling!

Spiritual Mentoring - Part 1

As a minister in the "mainline" Church of Christ, there were many reasons why I was intrigued, became a supporter, and ultimately a part, of what was originally known as "the Crossroads Movement." Later it was known as the "Discipling Movement", then the "Boston Movement" and finally the "International Churches of Christ".

Apart from attributing the results to Satan (which some did, and some still do), one could not deny the effectiveness of the movement. Too many people were confessing Jesus as Lord and being baptized into Christ. Too many Christians were growing in their faith, knowledge of God's word, righteousness and boldness in proclaiming the truth. For the first time in a very long time, once dead or dying and declining churches were rising up and growing in spirit and in numbers.

What I saw and experienced on visits to Boston and Toronto was closer to the description of the early apostolic church in Acts (especially 2:42-47) than any I had ever witnessed. The Christians were truly "devoted" to the word of God, to fellowship, prayer and to coming together for worship and encouragement. Although I had some initial hesitations and concerns (mostly the result of my own pride and fear), the overwhelming reality of changed lives through the bold and unapologetic proclamation of, and ongoing obedience to, the gospel simply could not be denied.

So in 1988, five days after having major back surgery, I moved with my wife and our two young sons from Kingston to Toronto to become part of the Toronto Church of Christ. It was a risky move, one that some warned and pleaded with me not to take, but one that we felt confidently was absolutely necessary for our spiritual lives. We left our work with the mainline church; Sara started teaching full time for the Metro Toronto School Board and I continued my studies in nursing at the University of Toronto. We knew our lives would be different, but little did we realize how much our hearts and lives would be challenged and changed by this thing they called "discipling".

Commitment - Part 2

While in Illinois, we attended church services with my wife's family at a small Church of Christ in Barry, Illinois. The worship service started at 9:30, lasted about an hour and was followed by a short break and a 45 minute Bible Class. My father-in-law was there, on time, sitting in his wheel chair at the back of the auditorium. He's there every Sunday, even though he and his wife have to get up earlier than normal, as it takes 2 hours for them to get ready followed by a 30 minute drive.

One of the elders of that small flock told my oldest brother-in-law that "Bob (my father-in-law) is an inspiration to the Barry church!" Over the years, every person there has been aware of his failing health condition. Yet every Sunday morning, there he is. He's had to move a few rows back from his usual seat, now that he's wheel chair bound. When Mark (my brother-in-law) shared that with his dad, he was in tears. He said, "Your life still has value!"

I realize that consistently and persistently attending church services is not all that commitment to Jesus is about, but from my 30 plus years of ministry experience I'll tell you this categorically - it is one of the most accurate indicators of where people are in terms of their commitment to Jesus. Look at the early church! "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers...And every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex and broke bread from house to house" (Acts 2:42, 46). Later on the Hebrew writer would warn those Jewish Christians, "...and not staying away from meetings as some habitually do, but encouraging each other..." (Hebrews 10:25). When other things start becoming more important than meeting with God's people for a time of worship and mutual encouragement, there is something very wrong with a person's commitment to Jesus. That's the fact! Both scripture and experience verify that this connection is true and accurate across the board.

Every week I get to witness the commitment of my brothers and sisters to Jesus in their attitude and actions with respect to meeting with the church. I see those who will let virtually nothing except true illness or being out of town stop them from being at church on time and ready to encourage others. That inspires me. I think of one family in our church who have four young children, yet who arrive almost every Sunday an hour before church so that the husband can set up and run our sound system. Yet, at the same time, I see those (or I don't see them) who will let virtually anything interfere with being at church and/or being on time: minor physical aches and pains, work, their children's sports activities, frequent extended family events, frequent and voluntary out of town trips, sleepiness due to a late night out Saturday, etc., etc. And these same people then often complain that they don't feel connected to the church and are often the first to complain about something we've decided as a church that we are going to do.

I'm not saying there aren't times when we choose to be somewhere else on a Sunday morning for reasons beyond our control, but it is always with the desire to meet with the church if we could. Being late happens to all of us once in a while, but perpetual and consistent lateness is not just a sign of a lack of discipline, but of a faltering commitment. The bottom line is this: no person can say they are committed to Jesus when they don't love what he loves. And Jesus loves his people, the church, those whom he died to save so that they could spend eternity with him. And love for one another is the sign to the world that we are his disciples (John 13:34-35). I've said it for years, and I will say it again, "Don't tell me you love me if you won't spend time with me."

Are you a disciple of Jesus? Are you as committed to following Jesus (i.e., obeying his commands and imitating his example) now as you ever were? Do you truly love the church for which he shed his blood and died (Acts 20:28)? Do you meet with your fellow disciples every week for a time of worshiping God and mutual encouragement? Or has your work, your rest, your kids' sporting activities, your non-Christian families, your vacations and weekends away, etc., become more important that being with God's people? Take a lesson from my father-in-law and be convinced that the only thing that keeps you from meeting consistently with the church is not your circumstances, but your lack of commitment to God. Decide today to repent of your lukewarmness and love the people (the church) that Jesus loves. Come this Sunday (and every Sunday) early and ready to encourage and spur others on toward love and good deeds.

Commitment - Part 1

We just got home from a visit with Sara's family in Illinois. It was a good visit, in that what we went there to do was accomplished. Her dad is elderly (just turned 83), and is in poor health (and has been for several years). He has heart problems and arthritis that is so severe he can barely move and is unable to walk. He transfers himself (with help), from his electric scooter to his easy chair and even that is incredibly painful. It takes him two hours from the time he wakes in the morning to get himself ready for the day, even if the day consists of sitting in his chair watching TV, reading or looking out the window.

This past weekend we had to deliver the news that the State will not renew his driver's license because of his ongoing and deteriorating health conditions. He and his wife live on a farm that is 7 miles (11 km) from the closest town, 50 miles (80 km) from the closest small city (where three of his children and four of his grandchildren live) and 20 miles (32 km) from the church of which he is a member. This was devastating news for him - the loss of independence that can easily lead to isolation and depression. It was not a fun weekend for anyone in Sara's family as she and her six siblings shared that with him and tried to help problem solve.

He has been a member of the traditional Church of Christ since he was converted by his, then, wife to be, almost 60 years ago. She died, when their fourth child was just two years old, of an undiagnosed brain tumor in 1962. A few years later, he remarried and had three more children. Life has not been easy for my father-in-law. Farming a small (300 acre) farm in west-central Illinois has not been financially rewarding and made more challenging by needing to raise seven children. He has been "given" every excuse in the book which, in many people's eyes, would give him justification for giving up on God. But you see, there's one thing that he, and many of his generation understand, but which most of our current generation, and even some of the members of my church, do not grasp: commitment. He knows that when he was baptized some 60 years ago that he made a commitment to God and to his church and no matter what happened (or what happens), as long as he has it within himself to live out that commitment, that's what he has done and it is what he is going to do.

Jesus never promised that life as his disciple in the world would be easy. In fact, he promised exactly the opposite: "You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous!" (John 16:33). Yet, every person who proclaimed, "Jesus is Lord" and was baptized into his death, burial and resurrection, made a commitment to God; a life-long commitment, to "be faithful until death" (Revelation 2:10). How's it going with your commitment? Are you living it out, day-by-day, no matter what "life troubles" you are experiencing, or are you rationalizing and justifying easing up on your commitment to Jesus because your life is so hard right now?

Overcoming the Status Quo in 2009!

START WITH AN HONEST, INTENSIVE, SPIRITUAL SELF-EVALUATION

• This is where many self-improvement plans fail – before they begin
• God, the Bible and spiritually mature disciples who know you will help you get the most honest, intensive and spiritual evaluation you’ve ever had
• You’ve got to start by dealing with who you really are! Who are you? What can you do? What are your strengths, weaknesses, failings and failures?
• Know yourself, get humble and see your need for God. Pride will lead to destruction and to God’s opposition. Humble yourself before God and he will lift you up!

FAITHFULLY EMBRACE GOD’S GOALS, IDEALS, PURPOSE AND MISSION FOR YOUR LIFE

• God created you and then he re-created you in Christ. He knows you better than you know yourself and he has a plan and a purpose and a mission for your life.
• Bible study, prayer and wise counsel are essential to help you determine exactly what you should do and what you should pursue.
• There are certain things God expects from every Christian – these are not optional or up for debate.
• Then there are things that you specifically can do and need to aspire to and strive for. Do you have any idea what those things are?
• There are only three kinds of people in the world: those who make things happen, those who watch what happens and those who wonder what happened!
• “Where will you be when you get where you’re going?” “Begin with the end in mind.” “He who aims at nothing hits it every time.” “If you never fail you will never succeed.” “On the banks of hesitation lay the blackened bones of millions who sat down to rest and resting died.” “You’ll never know your limits unless you try to exceed them.”

FIND SOME HEROES AND LEARN ALL THAT YOU CAN ABOUT EACH ONE

• Are you’re ready to find spiritual heroes that you can learn from and model your life after; people who set out to do kind of things that you now have on your heart to do for God?
• You don’t have to re-invent the wheel. You can learn from others’ successes and failures, from their defeats and victories.
• Find at least one or two Biblical characters who model the kind of person you want to become and study out their lives in the Bible; read books about them; learn from others who’ve studied them.
• Find some others who are living examples of what you want to be do and who are doing what you want to do and get to know them deeply, intensely & personally.
• “To actualize, you must visualize.” You’ve got to have a clear picture in your mind of who you want to be, what you want to do and how you’re going to get there. Role models and living examples present the clearest image.

HUMBLY SEEK AND ACCEPT THE ONGOING HELP OF SPIRITUAL MENTORS IN YOUR LIFE

• Everyone needs the voice of experience, knowledge and objectivity in their lives.
• By ourselves we get so easily discouraged and/or deceived and/or distracted.
• We need human spiritual coaches in our lives; every great man or woman of God had other great men or women of God involved in his/her life unless he/she was one of those few who were personally coached directly by God!
• Open up your life to the input of others, more mature and experienced than you, who can help, direct, advise, guide and, when necessary, correct and rebuke you.
• But you’ve got to want it or you will resent and reject input. Therefore, you’ve got to seek it, invite it and then you will accept it!

SET FAITHFUL GOALS, MAKE PRACTICAL PLANS AND THEN GET BUSY DOING, EVALUATING, ADJUSTING AND ADAPTING

• Rome wasn’t built overnight, but it wasn’t built by people sitting around thinking about it either.
• Your goals and plans need to be reasonable, yet faithful; realistic, yet challenging, calling you out of your comfort zone in an effort to find out what you are really capable of doing.
• You will never know your limits until you strive to exceed them.
• Then you will need to get busy doing, evaluating, adjusting and adapting. Don’t stubbornly or legalistic hang on to goals that are no longer appropriate. With advice, make the necessary adjustments as you go.

NEVER, EVER QUIT!

• You will stumble and have set backs. You will falter and fumble and fall short and even fail. You will be tempted to be discouraged and you will want at times to give up and quit, because it is easier.
• But you must decide right now that you will never, ever quit on God, because he will never, ever quit on you. He’ll be with you through the ups and downs, the successes and failures, the hard times and the easy, through all the tears and the problems and the pain and you will rejoice with him in the victories that you win together!
• “The only loser in life is the person who gives up, gives in and quits.”
• “Be faithful even to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10)