Ridgell's Originals

 Most of us grew up when church was popular.  At least on the surface.  Almost everyone would say you should go to church.  Church was recongnized as an absolutly positive influence in our culture.  Ministers were respected and admired.  

Because it was our normal, we never really processed the problems with this.  After all, for almost all the history of the church, we have been at odds with culture.  That is when we grew.  It cost something to become a Christian.  It almost ensured that you would not be popular and/or respected by culture. 

but being popular came with a cost.  One of the those was that we missed the reality.  Most people didn't really like church.  Certainly did not buy in.  They may have said the right things, but they didn't mean them.  It became easy to have church membership just like it was a civic club.  Or a place to enhance your business opportunities.  Even our elders were usually sucessful men by community standards.  Did not automatically mean they could not be good elders, but we did not even see the difference between social leaders and spiritual leaders.

We lost the drive to convert people.  Because we assumed everyone liked church/Jesus, then the question became which church was right.  What you had to do to become a Christian became a matter of great debate.  How to worship.  Or church structure (very cultural concept, not so much a Biblical concept).  So we assumed people believed in Jesus and wanted to be in church, it was just a matter of the details.  

We were wrong.  Bred a lot of church loyalty instead of Jesus followers.

And we got sloppy with our standards.  Got so cozy with culture that we really forgot how to study to see how God expected us to live.  So when culture/community standards changed, we had no idea what to do. Some got so confused, they started spended a lot of time and energy on trying to change culture so we would all be in harmony.  Some found new ways to interpret Scripture so we stayed in cultural harmony.

And because it fit culture, we spent a lot of money on buildings, budgets, and professional staff.  

I would like to think we Christians are so numerous and so persuasive that we influence culture.  But that never did seem to be what Jesus expected.  Or what Jesus did.  

Maybe we should be teaching how to live counter-culturally.

Because this world is not our home.  And our Kingdom is not of this world. 

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 2 comments

 I have a lot of discussions with church leaders about growing.  It is usually not phrased that way tho.  Usually, the discussion is more around how to keep from dying.  Churches all over are dying.  There are even lots of people making a living designing programs for dying churches.  Get a better preacher.  Change your worship style.  Join an on-line megachurch.  Get a magic youth ministry program.  

But I have a heart for the churches that want to grow the Kingdom.  Not just keep their kids.  Not attract all the Christians that move into their communities.  Not be the "hot" church that connect with the Christians unhappy with their church.  You know -- swell not grow.

And I better be clear.  I am no expert.  I don't have any can't miss programs.  But I have been in and around churches all over the world for a long time.  So here are three things I think are the key to a growing church.  

Be clear about the mission.  The mission is to seek and save the lost.  Their are a lot of things we do because Jesus did them.  Take care of the sick.  Feed the hungry.  Help the poor.  But that is not the mission of the church.  Lots of other organizations can do those things.  The church is in the business of reconciling people to God in partnership with Jesus.  Mission creep will  kill your church.  Sell all out for the mission.  Share Jesus with a lost world.

Stand on truth.  Be a church that teaches the Bible.  Expect your people to read and study the word of God.  Be clear about what you believe and why.  Have standards that members are expected to follow.  But be sure those standards come right from the text.  The world may despise you.  Your church may not be popular.  You may even encounter persecution.  Certainly there will be hard things said about you.  But I also think there are people in the world that knew there is some truth somewhere that is certain.  Not a truth that changes depending on the current culture.  Truth that endures.  That truth is found in the word of God.  So be clear where it is clear.  Stop spending time trying to make God say what is not there.  And stop trying to explain away what is there.  Be a people of the book.  The Bible is not God.  But it is His word.  The Bible is not Jesus.  But it is where you learn how to follow him.  The Bible is not the Holy Spirit.  But it was written by men guided by the Holy Spirit.  

Call your people to radically follow Jesus.  Listen to the Casting Crowns song "Crazy People".  We need more of those in our churches.  That won't be popular.  You may even lose a lot of people who don't really want to be part of a group that is crazy sold-out on following Jesus.  But when you start expecting that of your people, it changes everything.  That is when marriages start healing.  When addictions start being defeated.  When real community happens.  When lives really change.  

And when you grow.  Really grow.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 There are two more fundamental topics that we have to teach on in order for Christians to be able to discuss abortion and any number of other cultural issues.

We have to teach what the Bible says about sexual ethics.  Not just the do's and don'ts, but the why.  I get learning the do's and don'ts.  That is church teaching I grew up with.  But we must teach the basic Biblical truths that underlay the do's and don'ts.

We have to teach that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and how that f0rms our sexual behavior.  We need to teach what the says about lust.  And what the Bible teaches about sex in marriage. The Bible does teach about adultery and homosexual activity.  

It is hard to live in a hyper-sexual culture and be faithful.  It is harder if we do not equip our people with Biblical truth.  

Because the debate about abortion actually starts with sex.  And this teaching speaks to pornography, adultery, homosexuality, gender issues, and so much more.  

And we have to teach about forgiveness.  Because even with well thought out teaching from the Bible on the basic principles of Christian life, there are going to be times when we believers do not choose the Jesus way.  

Forgiveness is real.  For the non-Christian trying to change their whole life patterns.  And for the Christian who makes the wrong decision.

There are lots of Christian women who struggle with the guilt of abortion.  We must teach truth about forgiveness.  

So as we Christians live in a culture that insists sin is normal, right, and has to be protectected -- we must teach some foundational truths from Scripture so we do not buy in to the lies of the devil.

Love God.  Love your neighbor.  Life.  Family.  How to live in the Spirit.  Forgiveness.  

It does matter.   

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 So there are two more things I think the church needs to be teaching that help form our conviction about abortion.  

We need to teach what the Bible says about life.  And death.  What does God say about life, birth, and death.  Not teaching just to make a point about abortion, but because this teaching impacts so many issues Christians have to deal with in our culture.  

Euthanasia.  Murder.  Mercy killings.  Suicide.  The death penalty.  Abortion.  War.  Self defense.  I do not see all of these the same way, but I do think Biblical teaching will help us.

Lay the foundation from Scripture.  Teach what the Bible says about the underlying principles.  It will be easier to then talk about the current issues.

How does creation fit in your theology of life.  Or the resurrection?  The Bible talks about babies as answers to prayers, and as gifts from God.  Death is talked about as an enemy of God.

These things matter.

We need to teach about family.  What responsibility do Christian parents have in Scripture?  What about fathers?  The Bible talks about spiritual families, brothers and sisters.  What does that imply about helping single Moms and Dads?  Orphans?  Are we actually to be family to each other?  

That has implications for the abortion debate.

Love God.

Love your neighbor.

God is the author of life and death is the weapon of the devil.

We are family.  The church/family matters.

And these teachings speak to the issue of abortion.

We have to do a better job of teaching these now.  Or the next debate dividing the church will not be abortion but euthanasia.  Or all the other issues above.

We must equip ourselves better.     

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 We have another birthday coming up in our family.  Avery Grace Gilbreth turns 15 next week so here are a few of the reasons I love her and am proud of her.

She is tough.  She had a pretty devestating knee injury last year in gymnastics.  Came back just in time for the State meet and qualified for Regionals on her last vault.  She is tough on the inside too.  She has had to see things and experience things that are hard.  That were wrong and damaging.  And she is overcoming them.  

She is kind.  Avery is a nice person.  That is an underrated character trait that is becoming increasingly rare in our society.  She is nice to everyone from the old people to little kids. 

She has the gift.  People just like Avery.  They want to be her friend.  They want to hang out with her.  

Loves animals.  I think you can tell a lot about someone based on how they love animals.  Ave loves them all.  Takes care of them.  Pets them.

She loves the outdoors.  Will work at the Ranch.  Loves to fish.

And I am proud to watch her figure out her own faith.  Transitioning from her Mom, Mimi, and Pops' faith to her own.  Making decisions.  Deciding how to love God and her neighbor.

She loves Mimi and Pops.  Still willing to hang out with us.  Puts up with my questions and my jokes.  

So God thanks for the Ave.  You made a special girl when you gave her to this family.  Watch over her, protect her from evil, and guide her as she learns to make her family faith her own. 

# posted by Steve @ 5:56 AM 0 comments

 I value life because God does.  So I am glad that abortion is no longer legal.  I long for the day when it will not be supported and encouraged by those leading this country.  But I would remind Christians that there is still so much work yet to be done.  Our enemy is the devil.  It is not unwed mothers or babies.  Or any pregnant woman or the man who got her prenant.  People get caught up in rebellion against God.  Even Christians.  There may be a new political reality but people still need Jesus.  Christians still need ot wrestle with what it means to follow Jesus.  And there is much debate among Christians about abortion. 

Because the church has failed to teach.

Even when we talked about abortion, we were missing the point.  Abortion views are formed on the basis of a number of principles taught in Scripture.  When we jump straight to the issue without teaching the basic truths then it becomes a debate with political overtones.

I grew up in a fellowship that put high value on baptism.  So high that our mission often seemed to be winning the arguements about baptism.  You know, convince people to be baptized and assume they know Jesus.  It should always have been teach Jesus and assume they will be baptized.

So along the same lines, here are things I think we better be sure we are teaching before we try to make decisions about abortion.

We need to teach the Great Commandments.  And in the proper order.

We love God above all else.  Above ourselves.  Above our neighbors.  Above culture.  Above the church.  Love God.  We have got to talk about the greatest commandment way more than we do.  

Then love your neighbor as yourself.  God first.  Neighbors second.  By the way, these two do not contradict each other.  Never will loving God conflict with loving your neighbor.  As if God would set up commands that could not always be obeyed.  

So that will help Christians frame the abortion decisions.  Does abortion fit with loving God.  In abortion discussions, who is my neighbor and what does loving them look like.  The pregnant woman, the man involved, the baby carried.  Other siblings.  The people that disagree with you.

I will share some other things I think we need to teach in later posts.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 I have to forgive.  No option if I want to be forgiven.  And I do.  God has forgiven me for so much.

But sometimes it is hard.  Here are some of my thoughts on hard forgiveness.

I have to really work at forgiving someone who does not repent.  Sometimes hard if they do, but when they do not even care what they have done...

I struggle with people that do not even acknowledge their sin, much less repent.

I even have a hard time with churches that do not deal with unrepented of sin.

There is a fine line between forgiveness and enabling someone.  Jesus said 7 times 70,  Wow.  

I know they are not getting away with anything.  If I forgive them but they continue in their sin, God will handle it.  If I don't forgive them, it really doesn't matter to them.

I have to be careful I do not confuse forgiveness, punishment, and consequences.  God can sort it all out.

But...

Truth be told, there are things I have done that are hard to forgive.  And some things I didn't do. 

But God forgave me thru Jesus.

He commands me to forgive.  Refusing to do that is another sin I have to be forgiven for, except, my forgiveness is dependant on my forgiveing others.

When I don't forgive, I can elevate myself above God.  deciding something is "unforgivable."  

And I actually may be spending eternity with a bunch of sinners.  You know, like me. And you.

Forgiveness is not the same as forgetting.  And there are consequences to sin that are not the same as forgiveness.  

Maybe forgiveness is about the choices I make when I do remember.  The choice to forgive.

We live in community in this world and will live together forever in the world to come.

Because of forgiveness.

So I will do the hard work to live out my forgiveness.

And I will do the hard work to forgive.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 1 comments

 We have to forgive people who sin against us.  It is not even optional.  It is required.

Jesus taught us how to pray and part of the instruction is to ask forgiveness as we forgive those who sin against us.  

Jesus even explains this.  If we do not forgive, we will not be forgiven.

My forgiveness has nothing to do with the other sinner's salvation.

It may have everything to do with my salvation.  

God is the only one who can forgive the sins against Him.

But I can forgive the sins against me.  So my forgiveness does not have anything to do with their salvation. 

I do have a soft spot for the faith fighters.  Those who really have to battle their sin.  But they are sorry, they vow to do different, and they fight to do better.

I appreciate the people that confess their sin against me, but they do not have to do that for me to forgive them. 

Sometimes I can even see the repentance in their life going forward.

And the Lord knows how much He has had to forgive me.  

There are people that have forgiven me for much.

So I will work at forgiving all those who have sinned against me.

I will try not to remember it.  I will not dwell on the past.  I will focus on the future. 

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments