Touching Base! Part 79

Crazy Love!
(This article can also we found on our website at
http://www.bethelkingston.com under the tab called “Blog”)

This Touching Base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God’s Word needs to be discussed in community.

(Note: The reflection done by Meredith on Sunday is found at the end of this TB)

One of the reasons why Christianity spread so rapidly in the early centuries was not because their programs were the slickest or because of eloquent speakers. It was love, the radical love of the Christians that revolutionized their world. As we approach Easter, we are once again reminded of the amazing love of Christ that empowered and propelled those early Christ followers to love their world.

This past Sunday we looked at Luke 6:27-36 in our series, Who Is This, Anyway? Jesus says some things about loving our world that might be perceived as crazy, in comparison to how we might normally think. Before jumping into the text, think of your own world and identify who is hard to love. Who is it that makes you want to run, dodge, hide, do anything but engage and demonstrate the love of Christ? When you think of that person or persons, what are the emotions connected with that face?

Now take some time to read through the text and note all the statements that seem radical or counter culture to our world or your world. What statements do you find most challenging? What statements seem most illogical? What statement describes the exact opposite of what you would naturally do?

This past Sunday, I made three points about “crazy love”:

Crazy love does not love people because they are loveable or deserve it. (v.27-31)
Discuss what it is about these folks in this text that makes them hard to love. How does the Golden Rule (v.31) change our perspective on loving people? What is the question that the Golden Rule implies we ask when attempting to love a difficult person? How would living by this rule change a relationship you are currently in? How would living by this rule change a lost, broken relationship you have experienced?

Crazy love challenges us to take the higher road. (v.27-34)
Identify the “high road and “low road” actions and attitudes of this section (for example the high road of love versus the low road of being an enemy). Notice how opposite the high road is versus the low road. This is where the tension is.

On Sunday we talked about how Jesus wasn’t talking about judicial law but personal relationships. Jesus understands - and the rest of Scripture illustrates - the need for good, just government. In this text Jesus is specifically talking about personal relationships amongst non believers (note that this kind of love needs to be practiced amongst Christians as well.) We also noted in this text that Jesus is using a teaching method called hyperbole in some of these statements.

Hyperbole: A rhetorical exaggeration, a figure of speech often used by Jewish wisdom teachers to underline their point. The point of Jesus’ hyperbolic illustrations is generally to grab the hearer’s attention and force that hearer to take his point seriously.

With this in mind, will there be times we need to do literally what Jesus is saying in v.29,30? What are some modern-day examples of v.29, 20? Read through 1 Peter 3:9-12. Also read Phil 1:9-11 and discuss “discerning what is best” in light of Jesus’ words.

I think in all of this there is a danger to avoid. The danger is to miss out on how radically Jesus is asking us to love.
Bob Deffinbaugh says, “I think that we can quickly see that one must interpret and apply our Lord’s words in the light of other biblical principles. But while there may be exceptions, our Lord’s intent is to deeply imbed the principle in our minds.”

Crazy love does not expect anything back and does expect something back- this statement sounds crazy. (v.35,36)
What does this text say about not expecting anything back?
What is the danger in loving with the condition of expecting something back?
What do you do if this is someone’s reality (getting nothing back) in a marriage or as a parent?

Notice where the text says there is reward. What do we learn about reward here? What might we expect from God?

Notice how Jesus words bring the listener to the point of realizing that God demonstrated this kind of love and as we look back with hindsight, we realize Jesus will demonstrate this kind of love on the cross.

Take some time to pray for empowerment to love in this “crazy” way. Also take some time as we approach Easter to reflect and thank God for modelling this kind of love to us.

Mark

Reflection - by Meredith MacKenzie

This passage in Luke talks about a radical love, there is nothing normal or boring about this type of love...it is absolutely transforming.

What if worldwide, Christians practiced this radical love?

What if Canadian Christians loved like Luke chapter 6? What would our politics look like? What would foreign and local policies look like?

What if you practiced radical love? What would your world look like? What would your church look like? What would your workplace look like? What would your relationships look like? What would your family look like?

What if that radical love in Luke Chapter 6 motivated us to:

• speak for those without a voice (Prov. 31:8-9),
• defend the rights of the poor and needy (Jer. 22:15-16),
• proclaim freedom for the captives (Luke 4:18),
• love our Lord with all our heart and soul and our neighbour as ourselves,
• practice justice, mercy and faithfulness (Zech 7:8-10),
• bring justice to the nations (Is 42:1),
• stop the trampling on the heads of the poor and maintain their rights (Ps 82:3),
• act justly, love mercy and walk humbly (Micah 6:8)?

“What if you got involved?” This is the question Martin Luther King Jr. asked in the speech he gave the night before he was assassinated. He was talking about the reaction of the priest and the Levite compared to the Good Samaritan on the road to Jericho.

So I ask you this morning “What if you got involved?” What if you loved like Christ tells us to in Luke chapter 6? Could anything in our lives or in this world really be the same if we loved like this?

Meredith

Touching Base! Part 78

Observations
(This article can also we found on our website at
http://www.bethelkingston.com under the tab called “Blog”)

This touching base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God’s Word needs to be discussed in community.

This past week, the staff took a good hour to talk about what we are learning about our personal leadership, ministries, the work of God in our hearts, and the well-being of our souls by examining our surroundings. Some of the issues we reflected on, and questions we answered, were:

• Think of your ministry context, and even the broader context of Bethel, and list 3-5 things you are learning.
• What do these insights tell me about myself, my needed action steps, and the people I am leading?
• In light of my ministry context what are some needed initiatives, ministry priorities?
• What does it look like God is doing?
• What area needs more of my attention?

We all have context that we lead, follow and serve in. We all have a world that surrounds us, spaces and places that we spend vast amounts of our time. Much can be learned about ourselves, God’s work, and the world as we take note, reflect, observe and think.

Why not (as a small group or alone) take some time to reflect on the above statements. Contextualise them for your world. If you are in a group, and as others share, ask clarifying questions, questions that will help all of you see deeper into issues. At the end of your time, pray for one another. Here were some of my personal observations.

Observation #1
One of my jobs as a leader is to help people see the problem. Oftentimes in church ministry, “success” is defined by “bucks, bodies and buildings”. These days, Bethel has all three. We have been blessed with generous people that help fund the work of the Church. We have seen many new people get on board and start taking part in our ministries. We have a very strategically-located building. So some can come to Bethel, look around and think we are successful. In many ways we are experiencing God’s blessing.

However, to use a sports analogy, the majority of people are still in the stands, far from God in the Kingston community, while the minority are on the field following Christ. How can we be content or seek to maintain the status quo when there is so much of a world yet to minister to? “NASA… we have a problem!” Leadership is partly about helping people see the problem and then engaging in a process of casting a vision that will address the problem.

Observation #2
I need to be careful that when something new goes on my plate that something else goes off the plate. Have you ever noticed that it is easy to keep adding to your to-do list without doing the hard work of elimination? The longer I stay at Bethel, the greater the temptation to start up something new, take on a new initiative, launch out on a new project… but never engage in the thoughtful process of elimination, either by delegating better or by just stopping doing something altogether. There are very few people who will ask you if your plate is too full. Most people have no problem adding one more item to the pile on your plate. I must guard this for myself. How about you?

Observation #3
My sensitivity to criticism escalates when that which is being criticised has become an idol in my life. Let’s face it, I am not a perfect leader, preacher, pastor, shepherd, friend, husband, father etc. etc. etc. As sure as the sun rises and sets, criticism will come one’s way, my way! I find that I do not process criticism well if I have made that thing- my preaching, leading etc an idol. If I am attempting to establish my significance in an unhealthy way through what I do, then I set myself up to be defensive when someone criticises my efforts. There is tremendous liberty in being able to listen and learn from those who have hard things to say. While Bethel has been a very encouraging place to serve, I know I must guard becoming an idolater.

Observation #4
We are all trying to figure out how to reach a world that has no time for God. In some ways I feel like the spiritual appetite among many people is greater than it has ever been. But the other side of that thought is that it also seems like increasing numbers of people have no time for God, the Church and His Word. We live in the best of times and what seems the worst of times, spiritually-speaking. I often walk the streets of Kingston praying and asking God how He wants to shape Bethel so that we will engage, challenge and change the culture in which we live. I feel like I am fumbling around and seeking His direction on how to do that personally in my neighbourhood and as a leader as I provide team leadership for Bethel. Any Church that is alive and attempting to keep in step with the Spirit is wrestling with this issue these days.

Observation#5
Depth of thinking, learning and faith comes from pondering the given, the obvious, the routine. One lesson I am learning over and over again is to be a better student of the obvious. Life is like Scripture, the more you study it the more you see. I think the temptation with our surroundings is to take them for granted when what we should be doing is poking questions at the obvious. This week, I was reading a brief article by one of my favourite authors, Gordon MacDonald. I was amazed at how many insights he gained by just sitting in a restaurant and observing people. He made a kaleidoscope of observations and insights, lost to most who live with an unobservant eye.

One of my challenges in leadership at Bethel is to make sure that the speed at which I live does not prevent me from seeing my world as God wants me to see it. To understand what I am talking about, next time you are driving through town look around and really see what you have driven by for perhaps years. Then walk that same route and note how much more you see. Speed makes all the difference in our ability to really see the world. What are you seeing these days?

Mark

Touching Base! Part 77

What Are The Staff Reading?
By Carmen Gauvin-O’Donnell
(This article can also we found on our website at
http://www.bethelkingston.com under the tab called “Blog”)

This Touching Base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God’s Word needs to be discussed in community.

This TB topic was actually suggested to me on the squash court by Julie Wight. She has just finished reading Yann Martel’s book, What is Stephen Harper Reading? and told me that she’d love to know what the Bethel staff have been reading lately. Well, Julie, your dream has come true: not only do you get to play squash with me every week, but I even do everything you tell me! :)

Firstly, I can say that since his arrival, Mark has repeated (many many times! :)) in our hearing that “Leaders are Readers.” I wholeheartedly concur and would even take it further: learners are readers, and learning is a life-long process. Is there nothing on earth more difficult than carrying on a conversation with someone who is stagnant… hasn’t cracked a book/newspaper/magazine in years… has no idea what’s going on in the world… and has no interest in changing that fact? It’s painful, believe me.

So Mark encourages us all to read… and not just Christian theology either… we need to get out there and read all sorts of stuff, even stuff we might disagree with (if we’re comfortable with the idea). In Oliver Wendell Holmes’ words, “Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.”

So here’s to stretching the brain! And at some point, we’ll have another posting about what the staff are studying in God’s Word.

Now YOU let US know what you’ve been reading! Feel free to use the “comment” box on the blog site online.

Carmen

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CARMEN:

The Brotherhood of War, W.E.B. Griffin. I usually re-read this 10-volume military series every few years. In it, the author focuses on and fictionalizes some lesser-known American military engagements: the conflict against the communists in Greece, the Congo and the Bay of Pigs, among others, by following the careers of some core characters who simply grow on you!

The Pocket Guide to Amish Life, Mindy Starns Clark. This excellent short little book covers everything you wanted to know about the Amish, and even provides the pros and cons of each belief/tradition.

The Reason for Sports, Ted Kluck. Many believers seem to think that we Christians should be ‘above’ sports somehow. That stuff is all so … secular. But surely, one can love God and still watch/play sports?! As a lot of you know, I love sports, and that’s why I read this book.

PASTOR MARK:

Church Unique, Will Mancini. This tool is helping the Bethel leadership develop God’s vision for Bethel.

Knowing God, J.I. Packer. This classic work aims to redirect our attention to the simple, deep truth that to know God is to love His Word, and covers topics such as the trinity, election, God's wrath, and His sovereignty.

The Celtic Way of Evangelism, George Hunter. Celtic Christianity was one of the most successfully evangelistic branches of the church in history. The Celtic church converted Ireland from paganism to Christianity in a remarkably short period, and then proceeded to send missionaries throughout Europe. The North American environment today is really no different than the pagan Ireland of the Middle Ages, hence the usefulness of the Celtic method.

In the President’s Secret Service, Ronald Kessler. A behind-the-scenes look at the Secret Service, which safeguards both the American President and other VIPs, and the nation’s financial infrastructure.

JOANNA:

The Jesus I Never Knew, Philip Yancey. This book helped me to see Jesus in a new light, and fall head-over-heels for Him again! It really challenges our assumptions, and the things about Jesus and the Kingdom that we take for granted.

Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers, Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. I've just started this one, but I think it's going to be amazing. It's talking about how prayer and action must go hand in hand, "Otherwise we have little more than a bunch of inactive believers or worn-out activists, and neither do much good for the world."

Anne's House of Dreams, L.M. Montgomery. Carmen said they don't all have to be theological - so I'll tell you honestly that I just finished reading this one... again (about the 5th time)... and I've cried every time.

MARK ADAMS:

...has been taking a Small Engine repair course in his spare time, so all his reading has been in small engine repair manuals… but he’s not finished yet so NO, you cannot call him to ask if he can look at your lawnmower! :)

FRED:

Crazy Love, Francis Chang. A must-read for everyone! Chan writes with infectious exuberance, challenging Christians to take the Bible seriously. He describes at length the sorry state of lukewarm Christians who strive for a life characterized by control, safety and an absence of suffering.

Student Ministry and the Supremacy of Christ, Richard Ross. Ross introduces a new student ministry paradigm our churches desperately need.

Don't Waste your Life, John Piper. A must-read for college/university students, warning people away from a life that counts for nothing-and into a life that means everything.

When I don't Desire God; How to Fight for Joy, John Piper. The title speaks for itself.


JAMIE:

The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible, Scott McKnight. McKnight uses an odd encounter with an out of place bird (without spoiling the story) to illustrate the way many people approach reading the Bible.

Forgotten God, Francis Chan. The author pleads passionately for the church to live by the power of the forgotten God: the Holy Spirit.

Primal, Mark Batterson. This book is an invitation to become part of a reformation movement. It is an invitation to rediscover the compassion, wonder, curiosity, and energy that turned the world upside down two thousand years ago. It is an invitation to be astonished again.

TARA:

The Reason for God, Timothy Keller. Keller mines material from literary classics, philosophy, anthropology and a multitude of other disciplines to make an intellectually compelling case for God.

Shake Hands with the Devil, Roméo Dallaire. For those who would understand the inexorable but entirely preventable unfolding of the Rwandan holocaust, this account, told from the eye of the storm, is indispensable.

Chrétien v. Canada (Commission of Inquiry into the Sponsorship Program and Advertising Activities, Gomery Commission), for my Administrative Law class. What a woman has to do to graduate around here…!

Touching Base! Part 76

Spiritual Olympians
(This article can also we found on our website at
http://www.bethelkingston.com under the tab called “Blog”)

This touching base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God’s Word needs to be discussed in community.

With the Olympics everywhere we look, we certainly have been reminded of the cost athletes pay to become world-class athletes. Stories of sacrifice, discipline, cost and energy abound, but there still remains oh-so-little room at the top. Gold, silver and bronze - only three spots, but dozens competing in each sport. Talk to some and they would say if you don’t win gold you don’t win anything.

What has been a project, goal or dream that you have or are working towards? What has it or is it costing you? How do you know when the price has exceeded the value of what you are shooting for?

On Sunday we read Heb 12:1, 2, Galatians 5:7 and 1 Cor 9:24-27. How is following Christ like being an athlete? How is this analogy helpful? Where does this analogy possibly break down?

In Luke 5:1-11, our text from last Sunday we saw the trainer (Christ) calling one of His key trainees (Peter) to follow Him. As we looked at the text we talked about two key essentials in becoming a spiritual Olympian. A spiritual Olympian is a Christ-follower who is reaching, striving, and running. Not attempting to earn God’s love, but living the adventure of passionately loving God because He first loved us.

In this story Peter encounters to aspects of Christ’s character that will be essential for him for the long haul. Without these two key essentials, following Christ becomes impossible.

Recognition of Christ’s Authority (v1-7)

Re-read this section and discuss the possible tension of a Rabbi telling a fisherman how to fish.
What is the key line that illustrates Peters surrender?

Take this statement “Because you say so!” and attempt to put it in your own words, i.e. “my fishing manual says the opposite, my experience tells me there are no fish out there BUT let’s do it your way.”
The text does not tell us too much about James or John. How do you think they are responding?

Peter is on the thin edge of the wedge when it comes to learning about who Christ is, His authority and power. Jesus’ authority determines when Peter fishes in this story, but Christ’s authority will ultimately determine how Peter lives, who he becomes, how he invests his life and how he dies. Verse 11 is a great picture of responding to Christ’s authority.

Here are some questions for you to consider about Jesus authority.

• Does His authority influence how you fish?
• What is the context (for Peter, Sea of Galilee) where you are dealing with His authority?
• Are you wrestling with His authority? If so what is the issue?
• Are you surrendering to His authority? What does that look like?
• What is it about our culture that undermines the authority of Christ?

Acceptance of His Grace (v8-11)
Read this section and ask these questions.
Who is harder on Peter? Is Peter harder on Peter than Jesus? Or is Jesus harder on Peter than Peter? Who is pushing who away? Who is inviting and engaging, who has disqualified themselves? Who is seen as the pursuer in this whole story?

I wonder as I read this text and see how Peter responds in v.8b if Peter had a tendency to get down on himself and beat himself up. One author has described Peter as a “man of contrasts”: not always stable and reliable. When you read deeper into Luke you discover that Peter will deny Jesus three times, probably driven by fear as in this text and it will be Jesus who will pursue Him again. Read Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5. Why did Peter get special mention? Was it because he was one of the lead apostles or was it Jesus’ way of inviting Peter back after such a devastating failure? Did Peter need a little grace talk?

There will be points along our journey in becoming all God wants us to become that we may be harder on ourselves than Christ is. Our darkest valleys can come about because of what we say to ourselves and how we beat ourselves up.

Know anyone that tends to do this to themselves? Know anyone that needs the grace talk?

The following are statements you may wish to discuss and add to.

• When failure shapes us negatively we give that issue greater authority in our lives than Christ. When grace shapes us we learn, and live at a deeper level of trust and authenticity.
• When failure shapes us negatively, we believe lies. Lies that put us down and keep us down. When grace shapes us we embrace the truth that Jesus speaks to us, truth that enables us to grow stronger.
• When failure shapes us we may become more judgmental and critical of others. When grace shapes us we find the tenderness within to extend grace to others because our hearts are healthy.
• When failure shapes us we tend to live with a lot of secrets. We rarely share about our journey. When grace shapes us we tend to allow our weaknesses to enable us to help others. We speak wisely out of our scars.
• When failure shapes us we find relational intimacy difficult. When grace shapes us we are more willing to allow people to see us for who we really are - a sinner saved by grace.

As you close, talk about which aspect of Christ character you have the hardest time with - His authority or His grace?

How about authority?

Some people may have a really hard time with authority because of a particular issue they are wrestling with right now. Some people may have a hard time with authority because it is part of their temperament to buck authority.
Some may be wrestling with the authority issue because of the world they live in that questions every authority. Throw it off and live!

How about grace?

If we grew up in a home where we had to earn love then God’s grace might be something we have a hard time receiving. Repeated failure might be why someone has a hard time receiving grace.

Spiritual Olympians surrender to His authority and respond to His grace.

Mark

Touching Base! Part 75

Two Side Of A Coin
(This article can also we found on our website at
http://www.bethelkingston.com under the tab called “Blog”)

This touching base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God’s Word needs to be discussed in community.

All of us have experiences in life where we can remember exactly where we were when we heard the news of a particular event. Think of some major events and share with the group where you were (if you were born at the time).

Where were you when...
… JFK was assassinated?
… Elvis died?
… the Challenger exploded?
… Princess Diana died?
… 9/11?

Make it a little more personal. Where were you when you heard the news of a close family member dying?

On Sunday we looked at Jesus’ very memorable words in the synagogue, in the town He grew up in (Luke 4:14-21). This was an event such that people would definitely remember where they were when it occurred. Jesus was declaring Himself to be the Messiah, the one they had been waiting for. Synagogues were scattered across the Galilean countryside, and were a means of keeping hope alive that the Messiah would come.

As Theophilus (the recipient of this letter - Luke 1:1-4) read v. 18-19 in the context of the entire letter, he would note that there were two sides of a coin.

Poverty - while being physical and visible, this also referred to a poverty of righteousness seen in the many scenes of Luke. Note what John said to the tax collectors and soldiers (3:12, 14); note what he says to Herod (3:19,20); Note what Luke points out about the religious leaders and the crowds – Luke 6:11, Luke 6:24-26,
Luke 22:1-6

Prisoners - Every Jew knew what prison felt like. From heavy taxation to a Roman population of 1.2 million where 50% were slaves, they lived it every day. Yet Theophilus would discover two sides of a coin. Luke 24:45-47, Romans 6:22, 23, Gal. 3:22 - What do these verses reveal about the other side of the coin?

Blind - While there were many physically blind people, the other side of the coin demonstrated a more severe kind of blindness. Acts 26:15-18, 2 Cor. 4:4

Oppressed - This is a word that refers to those that are bruised, like broken pottery that is shattered and scattered. Again Theophilus would see Jesus ministering in the context of broken pottery. However, the other side of the coin showed that Christ Himself was bruised and beaten (See Luke’s reference to crucifixion). But the difference between our suffering and His was that His made forgiveness, healing, hope, and rescue possible and dealt with the root cause of so much pain and suffering - sin. Luke 24:45-47.


Talk about this image below and how it illustrates the four highlighted words above.


To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour - This is where Jesus stops in quoting Isaiah 61. Read the article below that helps us understand why Jesus stopped where he did:

“And a day of vengeance of our God” (Isa. 61:2b). Jesus had not come to condemn, but to save. Our Lord understood that His role as Messiah was to come twice, the first time to reveal God to men, and to provide a way of salvation. The second coming was to bring God’s judgment to the earth and to destroy His enemies. Our Lord’s use of this text in Isaiah reflects this distinction between His first coming as Messiah, and His second.”

In quoting Isaiah 61, Jesus clearly demonstrated that his agenda (and consequently the Church’s agenda) is to deal with both sides of the coin. We must engage with the physical realities that demonstrate the brokenness of our world, but we must also aim higher in dealing with the spiritual side - the good news of Christ’s redeeming work on the cross.

Talk about what happens when we ignore one side of the coin as a church or as individual believers. What are the consequences of an unbalanced message? Note the positive contributions of Christianity to alleviate human suffering and inequality throughout the centuries. What might you add?

• Hospitals, which essentially began during the Middle Ages
• Universities, which also began during the Middle Ages. In addition, most of the world’s greatest universities were started by Christians for Christian purposes
• Literacy and education for the masses
• Representative government
• Civil liberties
• The abolition of slavery, both in antiquity and in more modern times
• Modern science
• The elevation of women
• Benevolence of charity; the “good Samaritan” ethic
• Higher standard of justice
• High regard for human life
• The codifying and setting to writing of many of the world’s languages
• Greater development of art and music. The inspiration for the greatest works of art.

(Resource: What If Jesus Had Never Been Born, D. James Kennedy, pp. 15,16)

Discuss the following statements

“Efforts at social improvement that neglect this great goal will be looked back on by poor people in hell as a horrible form of ecclesiastical malpractice.” John Piper

“Yet without a social conscience and attention given by the Church to the physical needs that surround us, our audience may never be willing to listen to the other side of the coin.” Yours Truly.

Prayer

Pray for each other that as you move through your world that you would know what side of the coin to emphasize. Pray that Bethel would boldly live out both sides.

“This was the work of Jesus himself: to heal the sick, feed the hungry, give sight to the blind, care for the poor; give righteousness to the scandalous and scandalize the self-righteous; give hope to the hopeless and love to the loveless. And he's not done yet.” John Ortberg

Mark

Touching Base! Part 74

“Odds and Ends”
(This article can also we found on our website at
http://www.bethelkingston.com under the tab called “Blog”)

When I think of “odds and ends” I think of my tool kit that has an odd assortment of stuff in it as well as some tools. I think of my mom’s sewing room in the house in which I grew up. You could be guaranteed that there were odds and ends of fabric lying around that were the cast-offs of the latest sewing project. I think of that famous drawer in most homes that when you open it up you have difficulty shutting it again... clutter, clutter clutter. It is where you place stuff that doesn’t have a zip code but is valuable, at least to you! Every house has such a drawer or room.

Well this Touching Base is about Odds and Ends. No real order or theme but just stuff that is important and good for you to know.

• We had a great elders retreat last weekend (Feb 6th). This was our second half-day retreat in the last 5 weeks. We are working hard on identifying what our vision is as a church, and we are now in a position to take this dialogue to the church. We want everyone who desires it, to be in on the conversation. All are valuable contributors. We are prayerfully anticipating having a clear sense of vision by June. The following are some ways we define vision.

1. What is our greatest opportunity to have an impact on the kingdom?
2. It is our organizational sweet spot.
3. It is our picture of a preferred future.
4. Our purpose (Loving God passionately and Serving Others Significantly) is what we do, vision is where we are going.

• Next Sunday afternoon, following the second service, many of us are driving to IAWAH for an afternoon of food, fellowship and winter fun. Carmen tells me there is still room for about 25-30 people so see her between the services on the 14th and sign up!

• We are going to have a combined Newcomers and Membership potluck luncheon on March 7th after the second service. We have a lot of new people in the church and we find that eating together is a great way to help people connect. People who are interested in checking out membership are also invited to this luncheon. We will have a special focus for them as well seeing that their questions are sometimes different.

• We had a lot of positive feedback on our Congregational Meeting (Celebration of Ministry) in January. We ate together then spent the remaining time praying for the ministries of Bethel and the city. Many of our elders helped lead in this focused time of prayer.

• God has blessed Bethel in many ways: we have much unity, we are growing, financially we ended 2009 on a strong note, we have great teams ministering, people are seeking to make an impact in the city etc. BUT, we are not seeing the numbers we desire in the area of people coming to faith in Christ. This is an area of prayer and concern.

• Our Youth Ministry and Family Ministries are strong and increasingly thinking strategically. The youth just had a great retreat at IAWAH called “Toque” and our Family Ministry is testing the waters to see if doing a March break camp for kids is viable.

• We continue to value our partnership with IAWAH. We believe that this camping ministry is key in helping make disciples. Fred, our Youth Director works for IAWAH about 10 weeks per year. I have recently joined the board.

• We are currently beginning our search for Bethel’s new secretary. Tara (Queen’s student) has been filling the position for the last 2 years. She is graduating and moving this summer so if being Bethel’s secretary is something that would interest you, please watch upcoming bulletins for details on how to apply.

• We continue to see people entering into deeper community by joining small groups at Bethel. We now have 12 small groups running with plans of starting others in the near future. We are delighted to be in partnership with Queen’s, and Cafe church in running Alpha.

• We are talking about doing a third service. We are toying with the idea of experimenting with a ”videocast” into the new gym this fall. What this means is that at our 9 am service we would provide a live feed into the new gym for people to participate in the service as they watch it on the big screen. This would give us 200 more seats. On most Sundays we are at least 80% full in both services. To any newcomer to Bethel, the sight of the sanctuary being that full can translate as “There is no room here for me.” This is an opportunity we need to address.

• Our intern Joanna Moon has done a terrific job this year. We are currently looking for another intern for this Fall.

• We continue to develop the idea of “team teaching”. While I speak the majority of the time, Bethel is blessed to hear from different voices. I would get sick of me if it was me all the time! In the month of January during our Hot Topics we heard from Scott Forbes with International Justice Mission, Warren Reeve regarding depression and my wife taught with me as we addressed forgiveness. This March 7th former interim pastor Lew Worrad will be speaking. Some renamed the Old Testament the “Lew Testament” in his honour.

• In the last few weeks, we have resurrected the need to P.I.E. a face every Sunday. Pursue, Include, Engage. We are all responsible to make Bethel a place where people can connect. If we are a cold and unfriendly church, it’s because not enough of us are realizing it takes all of us, not just some of us, to help get the job done. We need everyone to help raise the relational temperature at Bethel.

• One of our values at Bethel is that the leadership is open to your suggestions, directions and reflections. Please engage the leadership with your questions and input. I have learned a lot and continue to learn a lot from the many of you who share what is on your heart. It is hard for leadership to see every issue.

• Our Adopt-a-Student ministry continues to run and we are hearing many good reports. It has been a concern that not all the families that have been hooked up with a student have connected. Fred who leads this ministry is working on those glitches.

Mark

Touching Base! Part 73

The Spoons
(This article can also we found on our website at
http://www.bethelkingston.com under the tab called “Blog”)

This touching base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God’s Word needs to be discussed in community.

This morning we are starting a teaching series in the book of Luke. Specifically, we are going to be looking at Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, which takes place from chapter 4 through chapter 9. Some might ask: why Luke and why now? One answer is that Luke does a thorough job in detailing many of the events of Jesus’ life, and he primarily has Gentiles (you and me) in mind. This is timely because one of the greatest gifts we can give people is a clear portrait of who Jesus Christ is. We want people to encounter Christ and to reflect back to the world His image and character as they are empowered by the Holy Spirit. As Christ followers, we need a clear picture of the One we follow.

On Sunday the big idea was- Jesus Christ is an outside/inside Saviour. He takes those who are on the outside and brings them inside. Luke demonstrates this clearly throughout the book. Much of this book has the outsider in view as the person to whom Jesus reached out.

• Luke wrote from a Gentile/outsider standpoint in the best Greek for the broad Greek-speaking world.
• Luke explained Jewish commonplaces to his Gentile/outsider readers, e.g., that Nazareth was in Galilee (1:26) and that the feast of Unleavened Bread was called the Passover (22:1).
• Luke shows how the genealogy of Jesus goes back to Adam (3:38). He is not just King of the Jews (Matt 2:2).
• Luke says that the good tidings are for all people (2:10), even outsiders.
• Luke shows how prophecies are emphasized that include all flesh (3:5, 6) and illustrations are given of God’s ancient concern for Gentiles (4:25-30). Throughout the gospel, the Gentiles are part of God’s plan of redemption and one of Jesus’ concerns.
• Luke’s Gospel has been called “the Gospel of the outcast, of the Samaritan, the publican, the harlot, and the prodigal” and “the Gospel of tolerance.”
• “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost/outsiders” (19:10).
• He presents Jesus Christ as the compassionate Son of man, who came to live among sinners, to love them, help them, and die for them.
  

The text we looked at was Luke 1:1-4. Luke was an outsider (Gentile) writing to an outsider (Theophilus). No doubt both men knew what it was like to be on the outside looking in. They knew what it was like to be on the receiving end of racial discrimination. Many Jews had a hard time (to say the least) with the idea that the Messiah would come and extend His ministry to Gentiles. Many Jews were hostile to the idea of Paul going to the Gentiles (Acts 22:21, 22).

Take some time to talk about circumstances in your life when you felt like an outsider, times where you felt like you didn’t fit in or didn’t belong. Note: There are times when we should not feel like we belong nor should we want to belong.

What (wrong) things do we Christ followers sometimes do and say and even impose on people that make them feel like they don’t fit in? For a biblical example read Acts 15 and discuss what unrealistic expectations the Jews were making of the Gentile Christians.

In terms of one’s relationship to God, is there ever a time when feeling like an outsider is healthy and productive?

Look at the text we discussed on Sunday (Luke 1:1-4)

Who may have been some of the eyewitnesses Luke interviewed? What would have been some of the more interesting interviews?

What do we know about Luke? (From the immediate text, and from Colossians 4:10-14?)

One thing I appreciate about Luke is that he took the time to investigate things “from the beginning” because outsiders mattered to God. He not only had Theophilus in mind but all those who would struggle with being accepted and loved by God.

Each and every day we are surrounded by people who struggle with feeling like outsiders for a number of reasons. Think of the following scenarios and discuss how you can help people overcome being an outsider.
Scenario #1 - For some, the “Church gathered” on Sunday morning can be a time where people don’t feel like they fit in. Bethel can be very intimidating to some. Big crowd, awkward traffic flow, and diversity. How can your words and actions extend grace and help build a bridge? What can you specifically do?

Scenario #2 - Our homes - some of us have children that really struggle with feelings of being an outsider. They don’t fit in, measure up or keep pace with the crowd. As a parent or spiritual aunt or uncle what truth about God can help them overcome? What action on your part would extend grace? What Luke did was write a letter, a very long letter.

Scenario #3 - Some of us may be building a relationship with someone far from God. They may feel like the Gentiles felt in the first century around some Christian Jews. What issues in their own lives might they feel disqualify them from God’s love? How can your words and actions (like Luke) bring truth and healing into that situation?

Scenario #4 - Got another one?

As a group, think of the imagery used on Sunday (see below) to communicate the feelings associated with being an outsider. Take some time to pray for those outsiders. This may be in relationship to their current status with Christ, or have to do with other areas of their lives such as various social settings.




Mark