by Jason Joyner | Jul 8, 2013 | All In, Blog, Lifehouse, Mission Monday, missional, Outreach Saga
When people ask me where I go to church now, I tell them about our Outreach Saga. Meeting in the park. Trying to do a community of Jesus in the midst of a group of people on their turf instead of in a specific building.
Sometimes people respond, “So you don’t go to church anywhere else?”
Well, no.
What we’re doing is church.
We don’t go to a building in the morning and then do outreach after that. We’ve said that sink or swim, stand or fall, what we’re doing with people in the park is what we’re doing. It keeps us more engaged I think. There’s no lifeline. There’s no safe place to retreat to if the going gets rough.
Since we can’t go back (well, we could, but not immediately), we have to press in. We have to love people as they are. Working through the ups and downs of life. Pointing to Jesus when it gets rough or when it is going well. It keeps us engaged with the Lord, because without Him it all falls apart. I wish I could say I did this perfectly. I don’t.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that with this church in the park deal, we’re all in. No chips held back. They’ve been pushed to the middle of the table and we’re playing this hand.
It’s exciting. It’s frightening. It requires a lot of faith, and the Spirit encourages us an awful lot when we have those human moments of doubt.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Not sure if this song fully fits, but here’s Lifehouse with All In.
by Jason Joyner | Jun 17, 2013 | Blog, Mission Monday, missional, organic church, Outreach Saga
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| Did you see the angel behind the tree? đŸ˜‰ |
Ugh. I don’t even want to look at when the last time I posted. It’s been one of those months.
But in better news, the Outreach Saga is back in the park.
This was our Sunday for church:
We had beautiful singing with a battery powered keyboard.
The worship leader gave an anointed word at the end.
Our main speaker had to wait until the dogs checked each other out to continue.
We talked about Jesus as our redeemer. As we talked about how we can’t earn any more unconditional love than what God already gives us, one new gal spoke up. “We can’t do sh*t by ourselves. It’s Him.”
At one point I had to duck a lit cigarette as the gal next to me excitedly waved her arms talking about Jesus.
Yep, we’re back in the park. All of us beautiful messes, learning to walk with the Lord in His love and truth. Out in the fresh air. Mixed up with real life, which isn’t always pretty or “religious.”
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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by Jason Joyner | Apr 8, 2013 | Blog, Christianity, fruit of the Spirit, Holy Spirit, Mission Monday, zombies
The Walking Dead just ended.
I actually can’t watch horror shows with things like zombies. My imagination is too active and too sticky – I will retain what I see and it will keep coming back to me. Don’t like it, so I don’t watch them.
But in honor of the cultural zeitgeist that is The Walking Dead, let me share some thoughts on zombies. And yes, this is for Mission Mondays!
Zombies are such a big deal in pop culture right now. I did try to watch Zombieland in the past to be up on things. In the movie the main guy, Columbus, has an attractive neighbor in apartment 406, whom he silently crushes on her. As things start going crazy in the world, he finds her banging on on his door, asking to stay with him. She barely escaped an encounter with the undead, and wanted some company after her trauma.
They dozed on the couch, but Columbus woke up just in time. Miss 406 apparently had a closer call than she let on, because her eyes were sunken, her skin was pale, and she hungered for more than his company.
He jumped away just before he got more than a playful nibble on his ear. I suppose he got away as it was too early in the movie for the hero to die, but I couldn’t deal with the suspense and violence of her chasing him around.
This is something I can control – whether to subject myself to something like that movie.
Still, the zombie theme makes me think of the struggles we have in the Christian life.
See, she didn’t come in to his apartment intending to munch on him. She was infected by a virus (as most zombies are) and she was driven to fulfill her flesh. Desire for flesh. Whatever.
Have you ever felt like this – not able to control what you want to do? At least we’re not alone. We have good company in Paul.
Romans 7:14-24
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?
The sin nature in us is powerful. Paul is talking to Christians in this passage. These aren’t people who need Jesus – but people who have already found Him. In Romans 1-8 Paul talks about the three stages of Christian life – the full process of salvation.
- Justification – The initial entrance into the Kingdom (what most people think of as salvation, when our debt is paid).
- Sanctification – Discipleship; growing in Christ.
- Glorification – Eternal life in heaven.
So how do we get out of walking in the sin nature?
Galatians 5:22-25 tells us about the fruit of the Spirit. Beautiful attributes are listed: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. However, as my pastor has said recently, we are not responsible, nor are we able, to live the Christian life.
We can’t manufacture the fruit. I have an apple tree. I can talk nice to it. I can encourage it, exhort it, but I can’t get a nice red apple unless – there is death.
I’m amazed at my compost pile each spring. The dead leaves and grass make rich soil, helping life come to my garden and fruit trees. So it is in the Christian life. We live by dying.
Francis Shaeffer says in his book The Finished Work of Christ says, “Jesus didn’t die on the cross just to die on the cross. Jesus died on the cross in order that we might be redeemed. Likewise, we are not called upon to die daily just in order to be dead;, we are called upon to die daily in order that we might experience the reality of being alive with Christ” (p155).
We will see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives by dying to ourselves.
Romans 8:10-13 says:
But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
I’ve heard this termed the “resurrection life.” If we can submit to the Holy Spirit day by day, we can walk in the life intended for us – not the life we struggle through.
Schaeffer says, “It means that, through faith, I am to die to all things both good and bad, but then to take my resurrected body, as though I had already been raised physically from the dead, and step back into this present world, to serve in the power of the indwelling Spirit” (p188).
We won’t be these physical bodies that are shuffling around waiting for the grave. Salvation is not waiting to get into heaven. Like I said, that is the third aspect of salvation. As Schaeffer said, we can live as if we’re already in that state. It becomes a battle to submit or yield everyday.
Romans 6:12-14
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
“You and I have the possibility every moment of our lives to hand ourselves to the Lord, to be that out of which He will bring forth all that is wonderful. ‘Yield yourselves’ (the phrase from Romans 6:13 in the King James for ‘offer’) is an ‘active passivity.’ People are naturally afraid of that which is only passive, but we should be afraid of that which is only active as well. Our calling is to active passivity. God will bring about our sanctification, but we are called to be active partners in the process as we yield ourselves to Him” (Schaeffer, p172).
This is a major challenge to us as modern Americans. We like our individuality and our own initiative to carry us. I wake up most every morning with an agenda, whether it is to work hard, play hard, or even veg. If we can learn to submit day by day to the Spirit’s leading, we won’t be mindlessly shuffling along in our lives, but we can truly walk in the glorious adventure God has for us. Even if we have to do something – work, care for family, etc. – if we give it up each day. He can make something new with it.
Our fruit will grow as we let the Spirit lead. The fruit will come in season, and provide what we need at that time. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25)
I didn’t intend to follow a zombie metaphor through my whole sermon. I was going for a hook, but it certainly is one that can be used to speak Kingdom truth. Not that I’d recommend any zombie movies as spiritual guidance.
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by Jason Joyner | Apr 3, 2013 | Blog, Free Saeed, Islam, Mission Monday, missions, prayer, switch-up week
It’s Switch-up week here, with Mission Monday coming on a Wednesday. You can thank April Fool’s Day for that.
But today is serious. There is an American pastor from Boise, Idaho, who is unjustly imprisoned in Iran. His name is Saeed Abidini. He was in Iran helping to establish orphanages when he was arrested and charged with trying to convert Muslims. Saeed was once a Muslim, and the case was charged because of this. He escaped the death penalty, but he has a long sentence in one of Iran’s most notorious prisons.
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| Saeed with his children |
Many people have rallied to his cause. There is a website called Save Saeed that is the focal point. He has been featured on the national radio network Air1. The ACLJ is fighting for him, and you can sign a petition on his behalf here. Secretary of State John Kerry has made personal appeals for his release. It is heartening to see the response on behalf of our brother.
My friend Brian Harrison, a pastor in Boise, wrote a letter this week to friends and supporters about Saeed’s case. Brian writes about a prayer service he participated in on behalf of Saeed:
As we prayed that day I felt like the Lord showed me that there was a tremendous opportunity to begin to pray for Iran and indeed for all Muslims of the world. The reason was that Saeed has written to his family that he forgives his captors. This means that he is blessing those who curse him and in so doing I felt that the Lord showed me that a door of opportunity was being opened through Saeed’s suffering and prayers of forgiveness. If God’s people would concentrate prayer on Iran, I believe that we would see a great move of God in that country and a shift in the political climate. I strongly believe that God intends to move powerfully among the Muslims of the world and prayer is the first step in partnering with God in this endeavor.
To this end, Brian and his wife Suzanne have committed to praying for Saeed, Iran, and the Muslim world for 50 days starting on April 1st, until the day of Pentecost. I’ve participated in the 30 Days Of Prayer for the Muslim world before that coincides with Ramadan, and it is always a powerful time of intercession. I wanted to get the word out about this vision Brian has and encourage people to join in prayer in this strategic time.
Saeed has a wife and young kids waiting for him in Boise, and we want to see him released, for justice to be done, and for him to be restored to his family. Can we join in prayer and believe for even greater things? To see spiritual freedom come to millions in the Muslim world?
Join me as I join with Brian and Suzanne in this prayer burden for the next 48 days. We can add our prayers with people around the world for all of those in bondage, whether physical or spiritual. Let’s do this saints!
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by Jason Joyner | Mar 11, 2013 | absolutes, Biblical worldview, Blog, farkles, Mission Monday, The Island
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| Obi-wan and Black Widow on the run |
Yesterday my twelve year old and I were having an in-depth conversation. I had been watching The Island during my workouts, and he slipped in and watched with me.
If you haven’t seen it, The Island is an underrated film dealing with a lot of ethical issues. The definition of life, the value of life, and the potential future medical dilemmas make for interesting mental fodder. (There are plenty of explosions and helicopter chases Mark, so it’s up your alley as well :D).
My son and I discussed some of the implications of the movie. He made the comment, “Boy, if I could talk to everyone about their worldview, I could agree with all of them.”
This statement surprised me.
We’ve taken care to teach our kids about worldview and what it means to have a Biblical worldview. We use the book Who Is God? (And Can I Really Know Him?) to teach them about God and His character and ways. I thought we’d done a lot to inform them about this kind of thing.
I talked to him about worldviews and how everyone has one, but if anyone can make their own standards, how can we know what is true. Is there an objective standard?
I grabbed a ruler and measured my water jug. It was 8 inches high. I then told him about a guy who didn’t like inches, so he made up a new measurement: farkles. According to these measurements, the jug was 15 farkles high.
Which one is right? How do we know what farkles are?
My analogy has some holes. Inches are arbitrary as well. Still, I showed him how we can be confused if we all appeal to a different standard. If the Bible is truly what it says it is, the revealed Word of God, then we have a standard from the One who made everything and is worthy to establish an objective measurement.
Hopefully my message got through. It made me realize that we have to be diligent in always training our kids up in truth and pointing them to Jesus. I ended with saying that I believe the Bible to be our standard and living for Jesus to be our ideal-but that I couldn’t make my son believe the same things. He would need an encounter with God on his own, that he was responsible for his own walk with God. I can lead them to water, but I can’t make them drink, as the old saying goes.
Anyway, I’ll keep training them as best I can, and pray that they will be able to grab hold of Jesus and all He has for them in their lives. That’s the frustrating thing about being a parent. No matter how much you value something, you can’t force things on your kids. They need to come to their own understanding of it. I believe it will happen for my children.
I just wish it would hurry up. đŸ˜‰
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by Jason Joyner | Feb 18, 2013 | Blog, Christian life, ministry, Mission Monday, missional, Outreach Saga
I was talking to a friend this weekend who passed on an observation from someone else.
“Church can be like football or like soccer.”
This piqued my curiosity. I am a sports fan after all. I love to watch American football, but I enjoy playing soccer more.
A football game is equipment and support heavy. All the helmets and pads. Several referees. A special kind of field with marks every ten yards. To do it right, it takes a lot of effort and resources.
Soccer can be the essence of simplicity. You need a ball and two spots for goals. That’s it.
The laws of soccer are actually very few, compared with the myriad of penalties and rules for what is acceptable in football. Try explaining to a football novice the difference between running into a kicker vs. roughing the kicker, or pass interference, or illegal formation. The wide receiver covered the tight end? What is that?
Of course kids can play a simple game of football in a park, and soccer can be done with huge stadiums and use a lot more resources. Still, the analogy holds: football is generally a lot of work to actually get to the game, while soccer can be done with a minimal of requirements.
When it comes to church, doing our Outreach Saga has convinced me that doing things simply like the soccer match is a valid way of meeting together as the body of Christ. I recognize that the big football game of Sunday morning church has its place and can do things we can’t do in our small group. However, I think both can be used to meet the needs of people around us.
Are we willing to do something small and simple to reach people, instead of always going for bigger and showier?
For now, God’s given me a soccer ball. I’m willing to play the game He’s put in front of me.
What do you think of the analogy? Does it ring true, or do you have a concern about it? Let’s talk about it in the comments below.
