Radical Discipleship – Shane Claiborne
There are many voices out there calling the church into a new direction. Here is a message from Shane Claiborne talking about really being Jesus in the world.
What is God calling you to do as a follower of Jesus Christ? How does it look? How does it feel? Exciting? Terrifying? It should…
Followers of The Way: Stephen
“Followers of The Way: Stephen”
Acts 6:1-15
For the next few weeks we’re going to spend some time looking at the first followers of the Way. That is, the people who started the church by living out the commands of Jesus Christ shortly after the Holy Spirit was unleashed upon the apostles.
Last week we looked at someone we know fairly well, Peter; the first disciple; the first to speak when the apostles emerged from their home to share the Good News on the streets. We listened to his passion as he spoke over and over again about Jesus Christ and the work God was doing through him, even in the face of great danger.
Today we look at a lesser known hero. A man who only shows up in the Bible in Acts 6 and 7, and is buried in chapter 8 and is considered the first Christian martyr.
We know very little about this man. What we know of his history, where he came from, it’s all in what we read from Acts 6 this morning.
The 12 Apostles were busy men. They spent their time spreading news of Jesus Christ to the people in the various communities they found their way into. As they brought more people in, the church grew, and grew, and grew. We learned in Acts 2 we learned people were selling everything they had to join the church. All that was brought in was shared among the people, so no one would ever be in need.
It seems as though there was a point where the distribution became uneven. It was brought to the attention of the Apostles that there were women, widows in particular, were being neglected in the distribution of food, and they were expected to do something about it. read more…
It’s Time to Re-Imagine
It’s no question to many, many people that the way the church functions today as an institution needs to change. I hear it from the people who sit in the pews, I hear it from clergy, I even hear it from people on the street. Of course this doesn’t apply to just the United Church of Canada, but many other denominations as well.
It’s not hard to find someone who will say, “I wish someone would come in and just tell us what to do!” And in some ways I agree, but there must be a willingness within the local community to be part of and take ownership of the change.
Last week the following motion hit the floor of our annual Presbytery meeting:
“… that Sydney Presbytery inform its pastoral charges that the number pastoral charges in the presbytery will be reduced from the current number of 20 to 5 by January 1, 2014 through cooperative action of the pastoral charges and congregations by Jan 1, 2013 or unilateral action of Sydney Presbytery after July 1, 2013 with the general description of the pastoral charges as follows:” (brief description of the proposed PC’s consisting of the existing PC’s grouped by local areas).
I’m pleased.
The motion was tabled in order for our local congregations to hear about it and discuss it before bringing it back to our next monthly meeting.
I have no illusions that there will not be a lot of opposition to this motion. I’m fairly sure it will be amended in some way. I’m sure people, and churches, are going to stand up and scream in defiance of this idea that they might have to share, or not have a minister in the building 24×7, or that their building might need to close. These will be said because in their hearts these are going to be options in a time when we need to put it all on the table.
But it’s time.
It’s time for the church to think differently about itself. We must put it all on the table and see what we can do with it all, because the alternative is start the palliative care and begin planning for the day when none of us will be here.
We need to be real about ourselves. The way we run our churches, even our denomination, cannot continue as it is. We’re just burying ourselves alive.
This is a wake up call. This is the time when we need to get back to our roots… our root… in Christ Jesus who built this church, the one who calls to our hearts to serve, love, praise, preach, and share. We need to embrace our Saviour and make him the head of the church once again.
It’s our time.
It’s His time.
Isn’t it?
The Same Love – Paul Baloche
Need a mid-week pick up? Check out this new song from Paul Baloche.
Followers of The Way: Peter
“Followers of The Way: Peter”
Acts 4:1-21
This morning we’re continuing the story of Easter by looking at what the first leaders of “the Way” were up to. These will be the names of those who are working at spreading the message of Jesus Christ, alive and risen to the world following shortly after Pentecost, that is when the Spirit of God came upon the disciples and making them apostles. Turning them from students into leaders.
The first apostle we’ll look at is Peter. We’ve known Peter for a while. He was of the first called to be a disciple, leaving behind his life as a fisherman he answered Jesus’ call to follow. He was the most vocal of Jesus’ disciples, the one who was routinely by his side, even invited into special events with Jesus himself, like the transfiguration when Jesus met with Moses and Elijah on the mountaintop while his clothes turned a dazzling white. Peter also walked on water with Jesus, showing great faith in who he believed Jesus to be.
Peter saw and learned much while walking in the footsteps of Jesus, this was clear when Jesus turned to him not long before his death, and said, “I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18-19)
Peter was definitely a faithful follower of Jesus, but even when it seemed Jesus needed his friends most, even Peter denied knowing him as Jesus predicted he would. Peter denied knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crowed on the morning of the day we know as Good Friday. read more…