Reliable Eyewitnesses

How do we know if an historical document is reliable? Two types of examinations that scripture is subjected to is the Anachronisms – inappropriate use of words that were not the appropriate period and eyewitness accounts.

Anachronisms

Anachronisms abound in art, literature and movies. Sometimes they are intentional -- like the Flintstones using garbage disposals and foot-powered automobiles. Sometimes, they just slip in because the author is not fully informed of the time period. For example, The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci in 1498, depicts oranges. Oranges however were brought to Europe by Portuguese traders from India in the 15th century and were unknown to the Jews at the time of the Last Supper.

One of the supposed anachronisms found in the Bible was in Genesis. In Genesis 40 Joseph interprets the dream of Pharaoh’s butler and grapes are mentioned. For years, historians said the Egyptian's didn't grow grapes and didn't drink wine and therefore questioned the accuracy of the text. However, the painting above discovered on the ancient Egyptian tombs, shows that the Bible was correct and the historians were wrong

What about “eyewitness” accounts?

Many of the New Testament accounts are from eyewitnesses. The Gospel writer John was an Apostle and eyewitness (as likely Matthew was both author and Apostle) and the other gospels contain accounts given by eyewitnesses. A reading of the four gospels presents many accounts and sayings of Jesus that while overall are in agreement, vary slightly from one gospel to another.

The fact that there are minor differences in some of the accounts actually helps establish the reliability of the eyewitness account. In a court of law for example, the judge expects some very minor discrepancies in testimony because eyewitness accounts are the best recollection of different witnesses. If they were too similar, they would be thought to be rehearsed.

In the Bible, we see no significant difference between eyewitnesses. The quotes we have from Jesus and others in the New Testament are obviously not word-for-word transcripts which actually gives them more credibility. These reliable eyewitnesses are just some of the ways that the credibility of the Bible is substantiated.

Why they call it WORK!

You have heard it before, “That’s why they call it work!”

Understanding the value of work, the type of job, the difference between career and job, occupation and calling seems to occupy a lot of our interests and our passions.

The Bible has much to say about work. In the book of beginnings, Genesis, we read that work was part of God's plan for his creation. “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Genesis 2:15 NIV).

Did you catch that? Adam wasn't there on a vacation, here was there to "work it and take care of it."

Because of the fall of man, work has been a toil “Cursed shall be the ground because of you; in sorrow you shall eat of it all the days of your life. And thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the plant of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground; for out of it you have been taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return. (Genesis 3:17-19)

It will not always be that way. In eternity, the curse will be lifted but we will still work. The Bible says that we will serve, some will rule but all will have responsibilities. What responsibilities will be given us in eternity? The Bible says that "His servants shall serve Him" (Rev 22:3) in eternity and that he who has been "faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things" (Matthew 25:23). Whether you are a servant or a rule, you will work.

Today, between the Garden of Eden and eternity, choosing to not work because we can't find the ‘right’ job or because we have government benefits is really not one of our options.

Max Weber, the Prussian sociologist, coined the term, “Protestant Work Ethic” based on a number of observations regarding capitalism and the religious beliefs of the people including Christians who knew the scripture found in 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12:

"If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their own work quietly and to earn their own living."

Today Churches rarely quote this verse if someone that is needy asks for help. Churches help people. However, there is much to say that work helps people.

All work glorifies God. Paul said in Col 3:22-24, “Slaves obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service as people-pleasers but with sincerity of heart fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Slaves had the worst jobs; they were assigned to hard labor, the menial tasks, about as far away from a career that we can think. We are called to work hard at everything because work itself is valuable. It gives us discipline; it keeps us occupied and productive. In all work, we serve the Lord.

Turning the Other Cheek

Our politicians certainly don’t seem to want to ‘turn the other cheek’. I have had to shut off the TV and the Radio lately. Too many negative ads filling the air waves.

Likely their political advisors are correct in assuming that people want leaders to lash back, to fight fire with fire. No one knows who started the verbal volleys but they are likely to continue through this political season.

Actually, few understand this saying of Jesus that we are to ‘turn the other cheek’. Some people like Ghandi and a few very pacifist Christian groups take it to mean complete non-violence. “Lambs to the slaughter”, “non-resistance into the grave”, hardly something that appeals to many. Martin Luther King Jr. knew the truth of the power of non-resistance, not as a religious absolute but as a powerful tool in winning over your enemies.

In Matthew 5:39 Jesus said, “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Personally, I don’t believe that Jesus was talking specifically about non-violence although that is certainly within the context of these verses. One of my theology professors gave ample evidence of a Middle Eastern culture that identified a slap to the face as a disgrace, a blow more to the ego than to the head.

I believe that Jesus was teaching through the Beatitudes and in many of his other lessons that His followers have a great opportunity to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21), to love our enemies and do good to those that hurt us (Luke 6:27).

When we behave like Jesus would behave, we don’t become soft or weak. Instead, we bless and encourage and love others regardless of how they mistreat us or speak evil of us. Unfortunately, our political leaders don’t have lots of good examples to draw upon but there should still be hope coming from our local churches.

Some of these lessons that Jesus taught are hard lessons....but necessary if we are to truly change the world.

What a waste!

I've never liked wasting anything: time, money, gas, food, an education....

While you may think that is an admirable quality, for me it's been something I've had to overcome.

For example, my day-planner filled with to-do's, activities, schedules, business events filled my days and nights with what seemed like profitable things to do.

In the Gospel of John, there is a story about Mary of Bethany. John says that Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead was there at the dinner table. Then "Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment." (John 12:3).

The story goes on that Judas and the other disciples were indignant as the costly perfume could have been sold for 300 denarii and the money given to the poor.

At this time, 300 denarii was about a years wages. The picture at the top left is of a rare parfume called, "Clive Christian's Imperial Majesty." The bottle retails for about $215,000, considerably more than a years wages.

Jesus however doesn't share this criticism that the costly ointment had been wasted. He says that it had been used for the day of his burial. It wasn't wasted, it was appropriate. It wasn't a time to think about the poor that could have been helped but it was a time to focus on Jesus.

Mary had been criticized before for 'wasting' time with Jesus. Her sister Martha wanted Mary to help her with food prep but Mary chose time with Jesus. Jesus shows us that time with Him is not wasted.

Often, we fill our day with many pressing things while the more important things are ignored. What a waste! In 1 Cor. 15:58, the Apostle Paul tells us, "Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, unmovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that the work you do for the Lord isn't wasted.

This theme is consistant in the Bible. Jesus spent the first thirty years of His life in preparation of a three-year ministry with twelve men that would change the world. Moses spent forty years with Pharaoh and then forty years with his father-in-law Jethro before he led the people of Israel out of Egypt and to the promised land. The good samaritan delayed his journey and took the time to clean and anoint the wounds of the man left half-dead and then took him to a place where he could fully recovery.

At the end of our life, may we be able to look back at time spent with the Lord and in work we do for the Lord. If we don't, we may look back at our days and have to admit, "What a waste!"

Customized Discipleship

Over the years, businesses intentionally embraced the masses and got larger and larger. In this pursuit, mass production and mass marketing led to a large and ultimately massive market. Customers that were initially attracted by the lower prices from these mass production techniques eventually lamented the sameness and the lack of uniqueness that was all too apparent in the companies’ products and services.

Henry Ford once said, “A customer can have a car painted any color that he wants as long as it is black”.

Some progressive leaders of these large companies discovered a new concept called “Mass Customization” whereby customers could still take advantage of the availability, low cost and high quality associated with mass production but at the same time could receive a product or service that was customized to the individual and specific needs of the consumer.

Recently, churches have gotten big—really big. Just a few years ago, we used to marvel at megachurches. We now have dozens of gigachurches, churches that serve tens of thousands of people each week.

These churches regardless of their size have one particular thing, one particular offering or service that needs to be very customized. That product or service is discipleship.

Very large churches do a great job in providing spectacular worship; they offer amazing programs and have built remarkable buildings. These are all mass produced offerings. Their worship attracts thousands; many of their programs require hundreds of employees and utilize thousands of volunteers. However, in order for these very large churches to turn out great disciples they also have to learn or acquire the art of Mass Customization of Discipleship.

Embraced small groups

For example, as churches have grown, in order to maintain intimacy and fellowship they have embraced small groups. Small groups are a great way for many people to grow in Christ, discover what it means to become accountable, to understand sacrifice, humility and community. Individuals and couples find their way into a specific small group that fits and meets their particular needs.

Not everyone is ready however for a small group. Many people on the path of becoming disciples need to heal, regroup, recover or possibly relearn some of the basics. Many churches have found opportunities to offer them medium size and larger group gatherings including divorce support groups, alcohol and drug rehabilitation groups.

Sunday school still offered

I’m very happy as well to see that all the success experienced in years past through adult Sunday school programs hasn’t been discarded. Many of our largest churches are offering new Saturday, Sunday and weekday classes. These class offerings range from some basic classes in the faith to more advanced classes in evangelism, stewardship, marriage and child development. All have been customized to meet the particular needs of individuals.

Here in South Florida as well as in many parts of the country, a large percentage of our visitors and new members have a Catholic background. In order for many of these individuals to grow as disciples, they want to understand some of the historical and cultural similarities and differences. Churches that offer these classes have designed a customized approach to a smaller but specific group with distinct and individual needs.

Mass Customization of Discipleship isn’t simply offering more but offering that which specifically meets the need of certain individuals, couples and groups. People are attracted to large churches because of the quality of worship, their excellent programing and ample facilities. As these churches continue to grow they need to find ways to minister and customize growth opportunities for various individuals, couples and groups.

Mass Customization of Discipleship maintains some of the advantages of economies-of-scale while creating opportunities for large churches to provide unique and distinctive ways for people from various backgrounds to grow, to learn and to become exactly who Christ wants them to be.

Reprint from Church Executive December 2011

62.8 Million Can't Be Wrong

If you are leading a volunteer workforce, you are in good company.  The US Department of Labor reported that this past year (ending September 2011) that there were 62.8 million people that were actively volunteering in some organization. These people came from all walks of life, all economic classes, some college, some not, all races, both genders, young and old.

On average they spent about 52 hours in the past year volunteering, about one hour a week.

While you may not remember all these numbers, remember the "one hour a week".

Studies have shown that in about an hour, the average volunteer can be fully trained to perform the job for which they are assigned.  The church jobs that volunteers fill range from some simple jobs like handing out the weekly bulletin or folding chairs to more complex tasks like supervising a nursery or leading worship.

What is unfortunate is that all too often, we don't give these volunteers the one hour of training that they need.  This is unfortunate because the church is one big volunteer-run organization.  Since the day of Pentecost, the vast majority of the leaders in the Church have been volunteers.  Volunteers provide the invitation, the hospitality, the teaching, the training, the development and also the governance of most churches.  

When training is inadequate, volunteers don't get the opportunity to fully understand the importance of their role.  Without proper training they can't lead and without leadership the mission suffers.

Fortunately the best people to do the training is volunteers.  We just need to give them the opportunity and let them know it is a priority; let them find the one-hour to train.  Let them lead.....62.8 million can't be wrong.

Why God?

We all want to ask the question, “Why God?” when we find trials, tribulations and suffering.  The Bible makes it clear however that when (not if) we are in difficult situations we are not to think that God may be unfaithful or uncaring but we are to look to Him for guidance and strength.  Jesus was a man of suffering yet His circumstances never dictated neither His attitude nor His mission. Peter the Apostle, who also knew suffering said we are to follow the example of Jesus:

“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps: He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:21-25)

All too often, our theology is bad. We believe somehow that only good things happen to Godly people and that bad things happen only to the ungodly. Neither experience nor the Bible provides any support for that supposition.  The New Testament records instances where people that were poor or blind or crippled were thought to be cursed by God. Jesus didn’t agree with their theology and brought relief and sight and healing.

Oswald Chambers, the missionary and author of “My Utmost for His Highest” wrote about this.  He said, “Faith by its very nature must be tested and tried. And the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God’s character must be proven as trustworthy in our own minds.

We often hear about the “time in the desert” but none of us like that journey. At the same time, our faith is constantly being worked out and often we will experience times of testing and trial.  Trials often come independent of discipline that the Lord brings.  The Bible tells us that “Lord disciplines those he loves” (Hebrews 12:6) and I love the very next verse where we are told to accept “hardship as discipline.”  

The writer of Hebrews doesn’t say that the hardship we are going through is actually the Lord’s discipline but our response is to be the same.  We run to Jesus, we humble ourselves and submit to His will for our lives.  At the same time we rejoice as the Apostle James said, “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:3-4)

Likely the person most associated with suffering and trials in the Bible was Job.  Job lost everything yet he didn't sin against God.  In Chapter 19:25 Job comments, "I know that my Redeemer  lives and in the end He will stand upon the earth".  

Be Effective; Efficiency is over-rated

Our primary objective should always be to be effective.  Take a look at the dictionary definition of what it means to be effective:  To be adequate to accomplish the purpose; producing the intended and expected result; producing a deep or vivid impression; prepared and available for service.

This definition looks like exactly what we are to be about in ministry.   All too often we strive for efficiency at the expense of being effective.  In ministry, and particularly in our large churches, too much of an emphasis on efficiency can take something that is to be very personal and very hands-on and make it very impersonal and distant.

The church is told to "make disciples".  Jesus demonstrated that one of the ways to be effective in developing disciples was to actually spend three years with just twelve of them.   Jesus and his disciples were together in the desert, on the mountains, in boats during the storm and through some difficult times.

Often there may be short cuts we can embrace but typically while we may be convinced we are being efficient, we aren't necessarily effective.  I lived in Mexico for almost three years and I learned that particularly in Latin America, developing relationships takes time.  It takes time and effective leadership that allows us to transfer skills and a passion for people.  To effectively train and disciple others we need to provide feedback, offer suggestions and demonstrate support.

If our objective in ministry is to train and develop others that are to become effective in ministry then we are following the Biblical mandate.  Christ gave us (who are called to lead in ministry) "to equip His people people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up" (Eph 4:12) 

Now that's being effective!