(002) Reaching In
Reaching In
October 7, 2007
Before I get started, I need to ask – is anyone missing a wooden cross with Christmas lights all over it?
Yesterday morning, as I was walking out my door at 7:00 am, I was greeted by this sight: [Picture of cross]
Sorry it is so blurry, but that is how actually looked at 6:45 pm. Here is what the sign said: [Close up on sign] This has to be one of the more unique ways of welcoming the new pastor.
But it’s way better than the traditional “TP-ing” welcome – unless that comes next week.
Eager hope
There is no way for me to express how excited I am to be here. I am overwhelmed with excitement, eagerness, and gratitude to God. The excitement springs from hope, an anticipation of what God has for us.
In the story of Esther, Esther is presented with a chance to save her people by risking her own life. Her uncle encourages her to do the right thing by saying:
“Perhaps you came into this position for such a time as this.”
Knowing what this church has gone through, but also believing that God has plans for this church to do great things in Skagit Valley, I believe that God has also called all of us here for “such a time as this.”
As I talk to the elders, and to several of you, I know that we believe that together we are at the beginning of something good.
I believe that God allows various churches and denominations to exist because no one group can adequately serve His multi-faceted body. Emmanuel Baptist reaches people His Place cannot, and His Place reaches people that Christ the King cannot.
· And the Gathering reach people that no one else can.
On the wall of my new office is the Gathering’s Mission Statement:
To exist as an authentic Christian community that interprets, engages, and transforms our culture in Skagit Valley through a genuine expression of the gospel of Christ.
· This is a mission statement that I can enthusiastically adopt.
Today, I want to talk about the first part of this mission statement: “To exist as an authentic Christian community,” because I believe that this is one of TG greatest strength and one of my greatest passions – living in community.
So this week and next we are going to talk about living in community. After that, we will start a series on Romans that should take about three years. Actually, it will on Philippians and will be considerably shorter than three years.
BTW: Since these next two message are topical, they will be different from the majority of my sermons as I’ll be skipping around in the Bible a bit, so don’t feel obligated to keep up, as the Scriptures will be on the screen.
Lonely Americans
When I was in college, I read a study that struck pretty hard. It rated all the major nations in the world based on how “individualistic” and self-reliant its citizens were – American was second only to Australia.
That study was from many years ago, but I have no reason to believe it has changed much. In fact, I would guess it has gotten worse. technology has made it easier and easier to interact with people less and less.
Can you even remember life before ATMs, pay at the pump, “U-scan” lines, and online everything?
I have to confess, I love this stuff! I can go to the bank, fill up my car, buy groceries, and order clothes without talking to a single person.
· But I am a people person; what gives!?!
Q: What is that makes me prefer not having to talk to anyone?
A: It takes time and energy to interact with people.
· After working a long day, expending every ounce of energy, the last thing I want is to make small talk with slow cashiers!
As a society, we live our lives maxed out and have nothing left for others. As a result, Americans are increasingly disconnected. As I said, we are one of the world’s most isolated and individualistic societies.
Q: We’ve gained a higher “standard of living”, but at what cost?
isolation is bad for your health
Q: Which of the following is most likely to shorten your life?
A. Eating a poor diet
B. Excessive drinking
C. Using tobacco
D. Being social isolated
A: Being socially isolated.
Research has found isolated people are 3x more likely to die than those with strong relationships. People with bad habits but good friends live significantly longer than friendless health nuts.
· Better to eat Cheese covered french fries with friends than Brussels sprouts alone.
And so what has our busyness cost us? The research shows that isolation cost us our physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing. But thousands of years before any of this research, God said:
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” Genesis 2:18 NIV
This isn’t just talking about marriage. God is discussing our basic design – we need each others. It has been hard wired into us. As a kid a read an excerpt from Admiral Byrd’s book “Alone” demonstrates.
I love the way Christian author John Ortberg put it:
“...God creates inside [of us] a kind of ‘human-shaped void’ that God himself will not fill.”
Just as there is a “God-shaped hole” in us, there is also a “human-shaped hole” in each of us. God cannot meet all of our needs because He has chosen not to.
lone rangers
This is doubly true of our spiritual health. Our walk with God cannot be fully lived out in isolation. My alma mater, before it was a college, had been a “drive-in church.”
I can’t think of anything more antithetical to church – people in cars, individually singing and listening to a sermon. The Greek word for “church” means people gathered together.
Which of course you know, because that is where TG got its name. The point is:
· It is impossible to “do church” by yourself.
God never intended for there to be “Lone Ranger” Christians. For that matter, even the Lone Ranger had Tonto.
· Again, I believe this is one the Gathering’s strengths.
Attraction of crowd or community
A couple of month ago, I had lunch with Dave Browning to hear his thoughts on church. Dave is the founding pastor of Christ the King in Mount Vernon and, literally, around the world.
He gave me a simple paradigm that impacted me greatly and showed me why I was so drawn to the Gathering. Basically, he said that churches can have one of two attractions.
The first is the “Attraction of Crowd.” There is a lot going on; it’s big and there’s a lot of excitement. And there is nothing wrong with that. His Place holds the attraction of crowd and they are able to reach a lot of people that no one else can.
But there is also the “Attraction of Community”: A church that people come to because they want to be part of a community.
That is what this church is, and it is what I want. I believe that people will come to this church because they want more than a sermon and songs – they want to be part of a community.
Keeping a community
But I believe that we are going to grow.
Q: So how do we keep the “attraction of community” as we grow?
We can create a culture of community that transcends size, because community isn’t just about size. A church of 300 hundred can be a family and a church of 50 can be isolated.
There are two sides to keeping a culture of community. The first side has to do with how we reach in, and embrace each other. This will be the focus for the rest of this message.
· The second part is how we reach out, and bring people into the community – that will our focus next week.
There are four aspects of community I want to focus on: Fellowship, support, growth, and accountability.
1. fellowship
Q: Which of the following has the biggest impact on a person’s commitment to their church?
A. The senior pastor
B. The children program
C. The music
D. Friendships
A: Friendships.
Research shows that if you don’t make at least 3 friends within your first 6 months here, chance are very good that you will stop attending. The size of the church doesn’t affect this.
· People come to a church for many different reasons, but stay for one reason: relationships, a community.
Life is dull without others to share it with. Friends are the spice of life. (Thank you Hallmark!) A community is a place where you share life together.
2. Support
If a community is great in the good times, it is irreplaceable in the bad times.
Without a doubt, this is something TG excels at. Through Micah, I have heard many stories of support and care given by this congregation to members in crisis.
Obviously this element of community requires sacrifice, but it is both our duty and privilege as believers. As Paul said:
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 NIV
Of course this sort of support is open to abuse – people who rely on others to do what they can do for themselves. Interestingly, Paul indirectly address this two verses later:
Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load. Galatians 6:4-5 NIV
A burden is that which we can’t carry on own, and believer help each other with burdens. But loads are things that we can do on our own, even though it is tough.
Q: Do you know what we call it when we carry someone’s load?
A: It’s called enabling, or dysfunction.
3. Growth
It’s a lot easier to be holy when you are by yourself and no one is around to frustrate you, but that’s an untested holiness.
· I thought I was a pretty good guy until I got married. Turns out I can be a real jerk sometimes!
It’s easy to fool ourselves into thinking we’re mature if no one challenges us. We have to be in community with irritating, imperfect people (like ourselves!) to love as Christ loved.
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35 NIV
· It doesn’t say “...if you love yourself.”
· This love cannot grow or be demonstrated in isolation.
We’ve each been commanded to grow in love, which means praying for each other, encouraging, serving, accepting, honoring, forgiving, and submitting to each other.
4. ACCOUNTABILITY
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV
Sometime we need encouragement, when things are hard or we’re discouraged. But sometimes we need a swift kick in the pants.
“Mind your own business” is not a Christian phrase. Christianity is the world’s largest “Neighborhood Watch.”
· We look out for each other!
That’s accountability, looking out for one another, making sure the devil doesn’t destroy our brothers and sisters and that we don’t self-destruct either.
Accountability isn’t just about not sinning – it is also about growing. The reason I am so passionate about community is because of all the work God has done in me through community.
My small group is group of 5-6 guys who hang out every other get into each others business.
· We’ve had lots of fun.
· We’ve supported each other through some tough times.
· We’ve helped each other grow as Husbands, fathers, friends and believers.
I would not be the person I am without their help. And I would not be here today without them. I have a low risk-tolerance, I was fine in a comfy position. But they pushed me to follow God’s calling on me.
· Several of them came to visit today.
· I also wouldn’t be here if my wife didn’t support and encourage me every step of the way.
And this is the type of community I want to see continue to growing in this church: Fellowship, support, growth, and encouragement.
Next week we will talk about how to offer this community to those on the outside, on how to reach out. We’ll talk about things like hospitality, warmth, service, but that has to wait.
For now, I simply want to say “continue to excel in these things.”
Prayer:
Father, it is difficult to overstate the importance of having a community around us in our Christian walk. You have designed us to need each other.
· Thank you for the strength of The Gathering as a community.
I simply pray that you show each of us how to increase in these things and prepare us to reach out to Skagit Valley and offer a community to our neighbors.
And we pray that all of this be to your glory, AMEN.
Benediction (Numbers 6:24-26)
May the LORD bless you
And keep you;
May the LORD make His face to shine upon you,
And be gracious unto you.
May the Lord: Build us together as a community!
May the LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.