But wouldn’t the loss of a heavenly vision be more intolerable?  Sadly, it seems the longer we journey in the Christian life, the more we tend to lose our vision.  New Christians have been given sight – and they’re free from the blindness of this world.  But over time that vision gradually fades away, replaced with darkness and despair. 

However, it doesn’t have to be that way.  Even if you’ve been a follower of the Lord for a long time, and especially if you’ve followed Him for a long time, there should be a greater and clearer vision of the kingdom of Christ and His church. 

Proposition Statement:  The vision of a faithful church is given by God so that we may see more clearly His Son Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 29:18 (ESV) tells us that “where there is no prophetic vision, the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.”  Other translations interpret this verse to say that where there is no vision the people perish.  Either way, it seems clear that a Godly vision is required for the church.  Hebrews 12:1-2 has so much to say about this kind of vision. 

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (NKJ)

Consider the following five main points on the importance of a Godly vision:

1.  A Godly vision is able to see the big picture.  (In a word, “Fullness“)  A Godly vision can look beyond our own time and circumstances to see how we fit in the broader scope of God’s kingdom.  We should recognize that, as believers, we’re participants in something far greater than ourselves.  That’s why history is so fascinating – history = His story; but it’s also the story of our beginnings, our journey, our conflicts, and our victories.  It’s the story of God’s plan of redemption that has been offered to us. 

However, we often get myopia (shortsightedness) – we’re only able to see what’s right in front of our own faces.  We’re tempted to think that the only things that matter are the things in our view.  This is classic narcissism!  We become self-serving and self-centered, disconnected from God’s grand scheme for mankind. 

When this happens, we need to re-orient our vision back towards God.  It’s all about Him and His great work, His people, His will, etc.  It’s not easy to do this - to remove those things that are obstructing our glorious view of the Lord in our lives.  But it’s necessary. 

2.  A Godly vision requires the removal of all obstructions. (in a word, “Freedom”)  We need to have God remove any of the distractions that hinder us.  We must allow Him to perform cataract surgery to correct our unhealthy vision, if necessary.  According to Hebrews 12:1, there are two different kinds of hindrances that need to be addressed:

       a. Sinful things that disable us.  (like cysts on the eye that can blind us and cause permanent damage)  These are the sins that corrupt us, like lust or pride or idolatry or hatred.  They often cause snares for us and entangle us in their coils. 

       b. Other things that distract us.  (like appealing things that interfere with our ability to focus)  These are otherwise good things like relationships or careers or hobbies which can become like weights in the world, adding extra burden to our overwhelming lives.  If we give them too much priority, then we become off-balance. 

3.  A Godly vision maintains a long, steady perspective. (in a word, “Faithfulness”)  The Christian life is not a sprint, it’s a marathon!  But most of us are not in good enough shape to go the distance!  We’ve got to be careful about giving too much attention to the passing fads in the church, the trends that boast great results.  But just like any other fads and trends those things are here today and gone tomorrow, replaced by another new method or technique. 

Instead, we ought to be focusing on faithfulness and perseverance – the virtues of a bygone era.  Unfortunately, so much in our world is designed for instant gratification, and it’s no different in the American church.  We want results – and we want them now!  We’re constantly tempted to take the short cut, give in to the quick fix, and look for the easy way out.  But the church can’t take those positions.  The gospel of Jesus Christ isn’t meant to be a “quick fix.”  The church isn’t supposed to run by the fancies of our culture.  We must continue doing what we’ve been called to do, whether or not we see results such as the world expects in their events.  God’s ways are higher than our ways.  We must surrender to His ways of doing things in the church.  We must continue to cast His vision.

4.  A Godly vision looks to the future. (in a word, “Foresight”)  We should be reaching forward to what lies ahead, rather than dwelling in the past.  In other words, our position should be onward, not backward!  In that great hymn Onward Christian Soldiers, which is used many times as the anthem for Vacation Bible School, we find these words: “the world behind me, the cross before me, no turning back, no turning back.” 

For years I’ve enjoyed going to various Christian retreats for leadership training or for other purposes.  I’ve even organized some retreats for youth throughout my years of ministry.  But I heard someone say something recently that changed my perspective on these events.  He challenged the notion for churches to sponsor anything called a “retreat.”  Instead we should see ourselves in the body of Christ as soldiers fighting relentlessly against the enemy.  With Christ fighting for us and with us, why would we ever retreat?  We should be advancing and charging the enemy, not retreating from them. 

However, that’s often what we do when we adopt a “that’s how we’ve always done it” mentality.  When we make our decisions about running the church based on our own personal comfort or convenience, then we’ve already retreated from the battle lines.  Let’s be honest, we don’t want to encounter the attackss of the enemy, so we often retreat to a safer place.  But that safer place is also a place where we have no impact on the outcome of the battle.

It’s more comfortable to dwell in the past.  It’s the easy, sentimental choice and it involves very little risk.  However, a vision for the future always involves some risk.  Now, I don’t believe that the church operates like Christ here – He never takes risks because He is omniscient and sovereign.  But we’re not.  The church must take educated and calculated risks to move forward in our generation.  With big risks, come big rewards!

5.  A Godly vision has its eyes fixed on Jesus Christ. (in a word, “Focus”)  Hebrews 12:2 says, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher (perfector), of our faith…  These words imply a steadfast gaze or fixed concentration on a particular object of our attention.  That object is none other than the resurrected person of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. 

During the ancient Olympic Games, runners didn’t have marked lanes that they ran in.  Instead, they fixed their eyes on something ahead of them – something at the end of the course – their standard that represented their origin or nationality.  The standard was like a symbol or flag that each runner recognized from the place that they represented.  For the church, Jesus is our standard!  Jesus is the foundation of the church, and He’s also the focal point of the church.  It’s all about Jesus! 

Romans 11:36 says, “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things…  This is a great way for us to appreciate our perspective as we run the race of faith in Jesus Christ.  It’s all about Him.  It shouldn’t be about other meaningless activities and experiences.  It shouldn’t be about frivolous stimuli in the church.  Instead of watching and borrowing from our culture and our world, why not focus on Christ’s purposes for the church?  Let that be our vision!

-in the church, form should follow function, rather than function following form.

-the church should be seen as a living organism, rather than a lifeless organization.

-the church should be involved in ministry to people, rather than administrating programs.

-our worship ought to be shaping our culture, rather than our culture shaping worship.

-our theology should equip our therapy, rather than our therapy eclipsing our theology.

-effectiveness should measure our efficiency, not efficiency becoming the measure of effectiveness.

The church should not be about perpetuating a bunch of programs, but instead it should be about fostering a culture of worship, discipleship, spiritual fellowship, faithful leadership, missions, etc.  No program should be sacred!  Anemic programs should be allowed to die.

Proposition Statement:  Although it’s not perfect, the faithful church should function as the house of the living God.

Let’s consider five points that demonstrate the functions of a faithful church according to 1 Timothy 3:14-16.  First, here is the Bible passage in view:

These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conducgt yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:  God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.       – 1 Timothy 3:14-16 (NKJ)

I.  A faithful church begins with the men of God. (Function = Leadership)

If Jesus Christ is the foundation, then the men of God serve as the supporting columns of the church.  Verse 15 explains why Paul wrote 1 Timothy – to provide a key description of the church’s identity and mission.  And remember that the first two sections of this chapter have to do with the qualifications of officers in the church, both elders and deacons.  But Paul seems to emphasize here the importanceof affirming godly men in leadership. (by word order and volume)  In other words, the officers of the church are not elected by the “good ole boy” system.  You don’t want to appoint men to lleadership positions in the church just because they’ve demonstrated success in business or military.  The pillars of the church should not necessarily be the pillars of the community!  Godly, spiritually mature, Biblically faithful men are what the church needs in leadership. 

By the way, the list of qualifications found in 1 Timothy is not only for super-Christians.  These virtues and disciplines should be true of the typical believer in Jesus Christ.  They’re not impossible to master, but cannot be done in the flesh.  They require the work of the Holy Spirit to be evident in a person’s life. 

When Paul wrote this list of qualifications, and emphasized the need for godly leaders in the church, he knew the significance of this for the long-term success of the church.  He recognized that this would be the first and most important part of the church’s development process. (humanly speaking)  We must remember that we can’t just go out and build a church and then look for good leaders.  The leaders need to be developed in the beginning, and continue to be developed throughout its course. 

II.  A faithful church behaves as the house of God. (Function = Stewardship) 

The church is the house of God, as opposed to the house of man!  The difference will be manifest in the way that we conduct ourselves.  For example, whenever we visit someone else’s house, we defer to and abide by the rules of that house.  Therefore, we don’t have the right to choose to do whatever we want to do – we don’t make the rules of that house.  Obviously, the same is true with the house of God.  It’s not man’s house whether or not we built it with our money, labor, and resources.  God set the rules for his house.  He has prescribed in many significant ways how we are to worship Him.  He has given us His revealed source of who He is and how we are to know Him and love Him and serve Him in His Word. 

But we must realize that this is not a matter of contention for us.  We should never follow Him begrudgingly!  His instructions for the church are not oppressive.  Instead, there’s a tremendous blessing in His prescription for the church.  We can greatly benefit from the wisdom and grace in His rules for the church to follow.  We should enthusiastically embrace His teachings with delight as the One who created us for worship giving us the best practices for worship. 

When we seek to worship the Lord we should be pursuing the Lord’s blessing, too.  Unfortunately, the church often has this part upside-down as well.  It usually goes like this – we make plans and set out to achieve them by our strength and then ask the Lord to bless our choices or resources.  However, instead of going about it in the flesh, we should be asking for God to direct us and to lead us in ways that He is working, that we may participate in His work and enjoy His blessing in the church. 

III.  A faithful church belongs in the family of God. (Function = Fellowship)

Because of Paul’s use of the household of God metaphor, there is a familial relationship involved int he church.  As children of God, we have a greater sense of connectedness with one another.  That’s why we’re called “brothers” and “sisters” in the church.  By virtue of His sacrifice on our behalf, and our faith in Him as Savior, Christ is actually our Elder brother.  Therefore, thru Christ, we can rightly call God our heavenly Father, “Abba” Father.  Can we even grasp the implications there?  This is an astonishing realization!  The omnipotent, omniscient, almighty, infinite, everlasting Creator of the universe is immanent enough to be “God with us!”  I suspect that we’ll be enjoying and pondering the impact of what that means for all eternity.

Because the church is a real family, united with one another in Christ, there should be a special kind of kinship in our community of faith.  I use the word “community” intentionally as vital expression of our communion with one another in the body.  There should be a brotherhood, an attachment, an identity with the Lord and with each other that transcends our culture and relationships of this world.  Tere is intimacy in the family of God that gives us a sense of belonging.  This fosters love and peace and untiy and harmony and authenticity.  There is accountability with one another.  There is transparecncy that helps us to be real with one another.  There is grace and mercy and forgiveness. 

As members of the church, we’re part of God’s family.  We are transformed so that we can grow in the grace and knowledge and image of the Lord Jesus Christ.  When believing in Christ, we don’t just ask God to be a part of our family, our culture, and our lifestyle.  We join His family! 

IV.  A faithful church beholds the presence of God. (Function = Worship)

The church is not just called the house of God, or the family of God, but it’s described as the church of the living God.  This description is breathtaking!  The church is portrayed here as the residence or dwelling of Almighty God on earth!  It’s the place of God’s presence in some real sense.  It reminds me of the Latin expression Coram Deo which literally means “before the face of God.”  This wonderrful expression denotes the idea of living one’s life under the authority of God or to the glory of God.  This is worship in its broadest and greatest fulfillment.  In other words, it’s what worship is all about in our everyday lives. 

Imagine buying a house that was haunted by ghosts.  As the new owner, you may have the deed to the house, and you may occupy the house, but there’s another ominous presence that you’ll have to contend with that should dictate your entire perspective about being in the house.  Of course, the church is not haunted by ghosts, (at least I hope it’s not) and I wouldn’t use the word “haunted” when referring to God’s presence, but there should be a sense of His imposing presence that affects what we do in worship.  God’s house is not haunted, but it’s not vacant either!  He’s with us even when we can’t see Him. 

If this is true, then why are there so many seemingly dead churches in the United States?  This is one of the questions that I’ve pondered over the years, and even, at times, with our own church.  Perhaps it’s because we’re operating in our own techniques and agendas that we have subverted the work of the Holy Spirit in our midst.  Perhaps it’s because of unrepentant sin that has corrupted our corporate witness or identity.  Whatever the case, it is in contradiction with God’s perfect design for the church. 

When we behold the presence of God in worship, it’s not because we invite God to join us in our presence.  Instead, we join Him in His presence.  Hebrews 12 provides a glorious description of this reality – that we’re somehow transported into the “city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.”  What an amazing description of the presence of God in worship! 

In ancient times, whenever someone was granted the presence of the King, it was to come before the King’s throne at the King’s palace.  This would compel the fortunate visitor to prepare well before entering into the King’s presence.  He or she would never enter in complacently or with indifference.  There was always an air of majesty and seriousness to what was happening.  So this illustration serves as a terrific picture of how we enter into God’s presence.  Serious but not somber.  Glad but not glib. 

A faithful church belabors for the truth of God. (Function = Discipleship)

There’s another phrase in verse 16 that provides a striking architectural picture of the church’s function.  Paul calls the church, “the pillar and ground of the truth.” (NKJ)  The ESV renders it as “the pillar and buttress of the truth.”  Just as the pillars and buttresses hold up or prop up the structure of a building, so the church also holds up the truth in our culture.  This means that the truth (or gospel message) is being promoted and supported by the faithful church against a world of untruths and half-truths.  The church is therefore to be the venue of God’s gracious message and mighty acts.  Although the parachurch ministry can be wonderfully helpful and supportive of this function, it’s the church itself that God has designed to lead the way to promote truth.  The church is God’s ordained vehicle for the proclamation of the gospel and assimilation of new disciples in Christ. 

We should never expect God to promote or support our own propositions or claims.  Rather, the church would do well to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3)  It’s not our message – it’s God’s message, and we’re just the messengers who have the incredible privilege of delivering it to a lost world that needs to embrace divine truth.

Why do you attend church?  What compelled you to get up this morning and give up a few valuable hours on a good weekend day?  What factors drew you to pick this particular assembly of believers?  I want you to think carefully about these questions because the answers could reveal much about what you believe about the church, and about the Lord Himself.

In Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus tells His parable about two men who built houses on two different foundations.  The first was that of a wise man who built his house on the rock, and when the winds blew and the rains came, his house remained standing because of its solid foundation.  But the other was a foolish man who built his house on the sand, and when the winds blew and the rains came, his house was destroyed.  This parable could also be seen as a tale of two churches.  There’s the faithful church and the worldly church.  the faithful church remembers their foundation, and builds the rest of their structure accordingly.  But the worldly church is built on the values of pragmatism, consumerism, and entertainment.  Which one do you think Jesus would have appreciated?

The question is, what is the church?  In verse 18 of Colossians 1, the Greek word that was translated as church is Ekklesia, which means assembly or gathering, but when used in regard to the body of believers it refers to the “called out ones.” 

Proposition Statement:  Since Jesus Christ is the foundation of the church, it exists to display His glory and fulfill His purposes on earth. 

1.   Christ is the divine image to the church. (v. 15)

Considering that God is invisible, have you ever wondered what He looks like?  The answer:  Jesus Christ!  Jesus is the Imago Dei (image of God), a perfect, unfallen image and exact representation of God for this world.  Hebrews 1:3 says He is ”the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person…”  Jesus Christ lived His life in total righteousness, flawlessly fulfilling the law.  Although He was tempted, He never gave in to sin.  He lived the life that we were meant to live but didn’t, and thereby became qualified as the perfect representative of God to the church.

II.   Christ is the Master Creator of the church. (v. 16)

A.  By virtue of His overall authority in creating all things. (John 1; Heb. 1)

B.  By virtue of His specific authority in ordaining the church. (Matt. 16:18)

Contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t Constantine who established the church in the 4th century A.D.  Jesus established the church by His creative power, as the expression of His character in the world.  Therefore, the church retains His creative energy – creating new life where there once was none.  This is the miracle of genuine conversion, when a sinner comes to faith in Christ.  Today’s church should be characterized by this kind of life, actively creating disciples of Christ.

III.   Christ is the sustaining power for the church. (v. 16-17)

Would you agree that there’s a general lack of power in today’s evangelical church?  It begs the question, what’s missing?  Unfortunately, the church has tried to fill the void with the world’s kind of power.  The result has been an increasing reliance and emphasis on worldly leadership, such as the CEO Pastor or authoritarian Pastor.  This kind of leadership often breeds an ungodly kind of political agenda from the pulpit and every other venue for communication.  But verse 16 of Colossians 1 says that Christ is the Creator of all dominions, principalities, and powers (both natural and supernatural).  And then in verse 17, it says that in Him all things consist which means that He is the strength that holds everythign together.  This would include the church particularly, as he is the foundation of the church.  the church, in other words, is upheld by His power.  Therefore, the church should rely on Christ’s sources of power – His Word, His Spirit, His intercession for us as we intercede for the church in prayer.

IV.   Christ is the preeminent Head of the church.

Acts 4:10-12 identifies Jesus Christ as the foundation from which the church is built.  According to these verses, there is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved.    We know that if the foundation of a building is not right, then the rest of that building has no chance of being right.  The same is true with the church – unless the foundation is right, everythingelse in the church is off kilter.  As the Head of the church, Christ is the control center (mind, heart, and will) that directs everything else.  Just as a snake without a head languishes, so too does the church whenever it doesn’t follow its Head.  Therefore, we preach and teach His Word (and listen to hear His voice)as the servant does to His Master.  And we strive to do all things with unity and in order.  Most of all, we should insist that our programs, activities, and personnel be founded on the authority of Christ.

The sermon was based on the passage from Ephesians 4:11-16, which gives plenty of instruction about the operation of the church.  Although it’s mostly thought of as an exposition about spiritual gifts, it describes some striking features (a picture) about what the church should look and act like. 

Proposition Statement: The church functions best when its people are faithful to follow Biblical precepts for ministry.

The burning question is, what constitutes the church?  Is it about buildings, bylaws, budgets or even programs?  The complex American Evangelical church of the twenty-first century is a far cry from the simple Apostolic church of the first century.  I don’t claim to know all of the right answers, but I want to be asking the right questions!

NOTE:  Though the word “church” isn’t found in this text, the essence of “church” is the body of Christ.  Also, we must be careful about our own presuppositions – our convictions are formed by our experiences!

I.          The church is endowed with gifted leaders (v. 11)

            -some say leaders are born; others say leaders are made; the Bible says leaders are given by God & gifted to lead.  I also believe that God will provide everything we need (personnel, gifts, resources) to lead our church.  That includes the leaders that He will raise up to meet our needs.

II.        The church is equipped for greater ministry (v. 12)

            -some say the church is for believers; some say the church is for the lost; The Bible says the church is for both!  He gave evangelists, as well as pastors and teachers, for equipping the saints (but conversion is first)  I’m not a big fan of the Church Growth Movement – design church for the world (Ex. Willow Creek)

III.       The church is enriched by genuine unity (v. 13)

            -some say it’s all about diversity; some say it’s all about harmony; the Bible says that both accomplish unity!  Unfortunately, though, the church has begun to be plagued by harmful disputes over petty differences.  We tend to like people who are like us – those that look like us, act like us, and think like us.  But the church should not be producing cookie-cutter Christians!  There is room for some differences in the church.  Perhaps not in the areas of basic, bedrock doctrines, but in the finer points of our theology where the Scriptures are not as clear.  On these points, members of the church should be able to agree to disagree and still maintain the essence of Biblical unity.

IV.       The church is engaged in gleaning doctrine (v. 13-14)

            -some say that doctrine divides and love unites; the Bible says that good doctrine taught with love unites! (v. 15).  There’s nothing wrong with being steeped in Biblical doctrine; how absurd to think that it’s harmful!  We should all be more like the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether the things Paul was teaching was Biblical. (Acts 17)  In this sense, the church should be full of Biblical theologians – not that we need seminary degrees but that we have a commitment to understanding and appreciating what the Word teaches, to trump everything that we thought we knew before!  Please don’t ever tell me that you don’t believe something that the Bible teaches! 

For example, some have told me recently that they don’t believe in predestination.  But the Bible teaches predestination, using the very word! (Eph. 1, Rom. 8 – 9)  At this point, I’m not talking about a definition or interpretation of predestination based upon a particular theological position, but I’m just saying that it’s a Biblical doctrine that we either have to accept or reject. 

V.        The church is edified thru growing maturity (v. 13-16)

            -some say that growth is measured by numbers; the Bible says that the best growth is evaluated by maturity!  The problem with using Biblical statistics for church growth is that they’re all about kingdom growth.

There is much more to say about the church, but I’ll be addressing more of these things in coming weeks.

In case you didn’t know, missions is a big deal for us here at Maranatha Fellowship Church.  In fact, as affiliates with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, missions is part of our DNA.  We long to see people from all over the world come to know the Savior that we love so dearly.  Therefore, we give to the Great Commission Fund to help spread God’s message of hope to previously unreached places, and to support the missionary enterprise in areas where the work is ongoing.  But we also want to become more aware of other ways we can help the missions cause, either through prayer or by going ourselves if possible.  That’s why the Missions Conference is so vital for us, because we want our hearts and wills to be surrendered to the Lord so that He might use us in whatever way He chooses. 

The Alliance has begun to emphasize the desire to develop partnerships between domestic churches and international projects that could be equally beneficial.  The international projects could receive the much needed support, through our giving and going, and our churches in the United States could become more aware of needs outside of ourselves that could be life-changing.  It’s truly a win-win scenario!  Ultimately, we want the Lord to be glorified through all that we do or attempt to do for the missionary cause. 

The following is a schedule of our 2012 Missions Conference:

2012 Missions Conference (March 11-18)

Sunday, 10:30 am  - Keith and Krista Ellenberger (C&MA – Mali)

Sunday,   6:00 pm  - Keith and Krista Ellenberger (C&MA – Mali)

Monday,  7:00 pm  - Bill and Marge Veith (CAM - Retired, Guatemala)

Tuesday,  7:00 pm  - Bounoeuy Kes (CAMA – Cambodia)

Wednesday,  7:00 pm  - Susan Dube (CAMA – Southeast Asia)

Sunday, 10:30 am  -  Rev. Barry Peterson – Maranatha Missions Challenge

Sunday,   6:00 pm  -  Rev. Charles Hughes, Jr. - Church Multiplication

There are a lot of things that I’ve learned from God’s Word that I’ve wanted to pass on to the people of our church but have never found the right opportunity to do so until now.  I know that everybody has their own ideas about how the church ought to be run, but it’s more important what God has to say about it!  So, that’s where this series on the faithful church begins and ends.  It is intended to generate a lot of discussion amongst our people, with the hopes that we’ll evaluate our effectiveness in light of the Bible’s teachings, rather than the world’s philosophies. 

I don’t claim to have all the right answers.  But I hope that we’ve begun to ask the right questions!  If so, the answers will come as we remain faithful to God’s will.  Only then can we hope to be the church that He’s called us to be in our community and in this generation. 

I’ll be posting the notes for each of the sermons, one at a time for successive weeks starting this Friday, February 3rd.  For those of you who have never heard these messages, please consider every point in light of the Scriptures offered.  I only hope they will be of service to each of you.  For those of you who have already heard them, I hope they’ll serve as a reminder of the things that we should already be engaging in.  Either way, we should always be willing to revisit the truths about the Lord’s church that are found within.

It’s difficult to define postmodernism because it’s not really an organized system of thought at all!  It has more to do with what its proponents stand against than what they stand for.  You could say that postmodernism is a reaction against, or a drift beyond, modernism.  In other words, the younger generation has become increasingly disenchanted and disenfranchised with the modern way.  They have lost faith in modern formulas and modern convictions about truth, values, and other important elements of what we believe.  

For example, modernism is all about symmetry and balance in art or architecture.  But postmodernism is asymmetrical.  For moderns, all truth is absolute.  But for postmoderns, truth is relative.  Moderns still have firm convictions about life, while postmoderns have lost all conviction.  That’s precisely why it’s so difficult to define.  They’re hard to nail down because there are no convictions or claims with postmodernism.

In seeking to understand their worldview better, I’ve read a lot about postmoderns and postmodernism.  There are many helpful books to guide you through understanding their language and culture.  It’s really eye-opening if you’re able to put yourself in their shoes, to navigate through their complex process of thought and emotions.  The sad truth is that they didn’t get there all by themselves – we helped them by the way we have dashed their hopes and dreams. 

Postmoderns have grown up in a world of dysfunction.  Although we make promises and say that they can count on us, more children than ever are being raised in broken homes.  Therefore, they’ve learned that our promises really don’t mean anything.  Furthermore, there is an epidemic of abuse in our so-called civilization.  A whole generation of children have experienced a far greater level of abuse than any previous generation. 

Postmoderns have grown up in a world of pluralism.  There is no longer one dominant religion or ideology to follow.  There are multiple options.  And the media is using its influence to level the playing field, or even stack the deck toward secular humanism.  Our children have grown up with a confusing array of beliefs and practices to choose from. 

Postmoderns have grown up in a world of illusion.  It’s becoming harder and harder for them to distinguish between that which is real and that which is artificial.  The age of information and technology has completely transformed our culture.  And we have lost something in the process. 

One of the best books I have ever read on the subject of postmodernism is Above All Earthly Pow’rs: Christ in a Postmodern World, written by David F. Wells.  I highly recommend anyone wanting to appreciate the postmodern position to read this book.  Perhaps if the church can learn about what makes them tick, we’ll have better success in reaching them for Christ.

My earliest recollections are of my parents and the happy home environment that they created.  It was a home of love and laughter, of contentment and joy.  We didn’t have much, at least not by other people’s standards.  But as a child, I don’t remember feeling like we were missing anything.  Because we had each other – Dad and Mom and siblings as well.  We had good health and great memories.  What more could we ask for?

I distinctly remember the times that my father led us in family worship.  There was something special about having everyone together reading the Bible, singing songs of praise, and taking time to pray together.  Although my parents never reached the level of full consistency, they sewed the seeds of what would become a concern of mine as a father.  I’ll always be indebted to those values that were instilled in my life.

My father was a truck driver by occupation and he wasn’t always able to be home every evening.  However, he never wasted his time on selfish and trivial pursuits that otherwise took him away from his family.  We always knew that he loved us and worked very hard to provide for our needs.  And we’re grateful that the times away were far less than the times at home. 

As a result, life wasn’t always easy for my mother.  There were times when she would have to deal with four high maintenance children all by herself for days (and sometimes weeks) at a time.  She always bore the bulk of the burden of responsibilities around the home.  And I’ll be forever thankful that she sacrificed opportunities to be a stay-at-home mom while we were growing up, a decision that is not understood by some today. 

When my mother did re-enter the workforce, it was as a teacher for the class of her youngest child. (my brother)  Because each of us children attended the same Christian school that she taught at, she was immediately available for any one of us if necessary.  Mom wanted to make sure that in addition to receiving a good education, we were also receiving a foundation of instruction in the ways of the Lord.

In a very real sense, I can say that if it weren’t for that event 50 years ago, I wouldn’t be here today.  My life was formed out of the union that was created by God on that day.  Each of my family members have been blessed by the legacy of our dad and mom. 

Today there are four children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.  I’m happy that my children have gotten to know their grandparents and have had the privilege of being able to spend considerable time with them through the years.  As I was reviewing pictures lately, I was pleased to see that my parents had been there for all the significant events in our lives.  Thanks, Dad and Mom for making those things a priority!

There’s another blessing that I have to share with Dad and Mom.  They attend the same church that I pastor!  Consequently, my family gets the experience of being able to worship together with them each week.  And my kids get to see the fruit of a Godly heritage being passed down from generation to generation.

I love you Dad and Mom.  I hope you have a wonderful 50th anniversary.  May God’s richest blessings continue to be made manifest in your life.  And may you enjoy many more years of blessing in your marriage.

To the casual observer at the midpoint of the twentieth century, Jim Elliot might have seemed like an ordinary, bright, clean-cut, all-American boy.  He had good looks, knew how to work hard, got good grades…and could easily have achieved “the American dream” of a successful career and family.  But Jim Elliot was anything but ordinary.[i]

In 1945, Jim Elliot left his home in Portland in order to attend Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois.  It was at Wheaton that Jim met and fell in love with Elisabeth Howard, the woman that would one day become his wife.  But Jim wanted to wait to be sure that it was God’s plan for his life, especially in light of his undeniable calling.  Since he had given his life to Christ, he wanted to serve God with his whole heart and life.  Now he was sure, though, that God wanted him to become a foreign missionary.  After he graduated college, he prayed and waited patiently to discern exactly where God was leading him.  Finally, he knew that God wanted him to join a team of missionaries in Ecuador, (in South America) where he would sacrifice his time and talents to help translate the Scriptures for the primitive Quichua people.  Little did he know at the time, though, about the kind of sacrifice that he would ultimately give.  Years earlier, Jim had written these words that would one day come to define him:  “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”[ii]

When the time came for him to set sail for Ecuador in 1952, he remembered the boyhood wish  to one day sail the seas.  He realized that even in this eighteen day journey God was fulfilling one of his grandest wishes.  By the time he arrived at his destination, he felt confident that he was where the Lord had called him to be.  He was eager to settle in and begin his work because he felt that God had special plans for him in Ecuador. 

The next year, Elisabeth joined him and became his wife.  She shared her husband’s passion to live and work among the Quichua people in order to bring the gospel message to those who did not yet know Christ and His redeeming love.  Together, they plunged into their translating and teaching assignments with joy.  They were blessed to be among other young missionary couples, located throughout their region, who had common goals and interests.  God had providentially brought together Pete and Olive Fleming, Ed and Marilou McCulley, Roger and Barbara Youderian, and the Mission Aviation Fellowship pilot Nate Saint with his wife Marjorie to team up with Jim and Elisabeth Elliot for an important mission.  They had no idea then, but their names would soon be forever linked together in the pages of missionary history.

While working among the Quichua people, Jim and some of the other missionaries learned about a savage tribe of stone-age warriors just miles to the East who lived completely unaffected by modern progress.  They were so fierce that they were known by the Ecuadorian people as the “Aucas,” which means “killers” in their language.  Years later, missionaries came to know them as the Waodani tribe.  The Waodanis’ reputation had come from centuries of native accounts from those rare few who had escaped their jungles or who had tried to make contact before.  They were extremely hostile to outside invaders.  However, Jim Elliot and his missionary friends would not let these stories keep them from their secret mission to reach the Waodani people for Jesus Christ.

One day Jim was introduced to a native girl named Dayuma who had escaped from the Waodani tribe just years before.  Before long, Jim was quizzing her regularly for information about her people, along with words that they would use to communicate to one another.  Dayuma was afraid of Jim’s interest in speaking the Waodani language and tried to warn him not to attempt making contact with them.  According to her, they were brutal warriors who would instinctively kill.  But all the missionaries agreed that this was a risk that they were willing to take.  When discussing the imminent danger with his wife, Jim replied, “I’m ready to die for the salvation of the Aucas.”[iii] (as they called them at the time)

“Operation Auca” officially began in October of 1955.  Nate Saint had flown some of the missionaries over the Waodani region several times in his conspicuous yellow plane in order to scout the territory.  Eventually they began to notice some inhabited villages and even made some close encounters with the Waodanis themselves.  They were careful to take things slowly, dropping gifts and pictures of each of the men, in an effort to show goodwill and make a more favorable impression.  Nate had devised a bucket dropping system that would lower items down to the ground on a rope as he circled the plane overhead.  The Waodanis had also sent their own gifts back to them in the bucket, including an Indian headdress and even a live parrot. 

After three months of flights, they found a clearing along the river that they called “Palm Beach.”  The missionaries decided it was time to make their first face-to-face contact.  So they planned everything out and made several trips with supplies to build themselves a small tree fort by the river to shelter them from weather and wild animals.  Then they waited for the Waodanis to come to them.

On January 6, 1956, the missionaries’ hopes were realized.  Three Waodani natives, a young man and two young women, stepped out of the jungle and into the clearing.  During the next several hours, the five missionaries communicated the best they could, trying to arrange a meeting with the village leaders.  They gave their guests insect repellant, treated them to their first ever hamburgers, and even took the young man (who they named “George”) on a ride in the plane. 

At the end of the day, Nate took Pete back to the missionary headquarters to gather up some more necessary supplies.  They shared the wonderful news of their successful contact with the Waodanis and were looking forward to more positive events in the days to come.  When they left the next day, they asked the wives to pray because they hoped that a bigger meeting was soon to happen.  On the day after that, they spotted a delegation of men heading to their camp.  They radioed the wives that this was going to be the big day, and that they would radio them back at 4:30 p.m.

But they were never heard from again.  The next day a search party was sent to the missionaries’ camp at Palm Beach.  There, they discovered the five bodies of the slain missionaries, killed at the hands of the Waodanis.  At that moment, it must have seemed to everyone that Jim Elliot and the other missionaries had failed in their mission.  As the newspapers reported the story around the world, some said it was a waste of lives.  Some might have felt as if God had failed to protect them.  Maybe some would have even questioned whether God always wins.  Perhaps some doubted if He existed at all.  But God was in control, and He used the experience to bring the entire tribe to Christ just a few years later.  This was God’s plan all along.  God always wins, even when it appears he’s losing! 

[ii] Elliot, Elisabeth, Through Gates of Splendor (New York, NY: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1957), p. 172.

[iii] Ibid.

Pastors, Youth Pastors, Theologians, Church Historians, and even youth themselves are interviewed in an attempt to answer the haunting question that plagues us all, “Why are so many young people leaving the church after high school?”  Some statistics reveal that up to 88% of all young people that are raised in the church will walk away by the time they’re adults.  Many people challenge this percentage, saying that the numbers are a little inflated.  But what if the numbers are only 75%, or even as low as 66%?  This trend is staggering by anyone’s best estimates! 

Could it be that because of the practice of dividing the sheep into age-segmented groups, and particularly by giving the teenagers their own special, “hip” kind of church, we’ve unwittingly created a faithless generation?  These are the kinds of questions that this young film-maker is asking.  And all of us who are church leaders need to pay very close attention.  Some of you may not agree with the conclusions, but you have to appreciate the concerns!

The documentary brings out the history of age-segmented practices in the church, citing the Sunday School movement of the late 18th and early 19th century as its beginning.  It also reveals that the church, although critical at first, began to adopt worldly methods of education which has become accepted as the norm today.  As a result, the responsibility of raising the children (and teaching them about the things of God) has been taken out of the hands of the parents and put into the hands of the so-called experts.  And this has happened with the parents blessing! 

Almost everywhere we go and in everything we do we remove children from their parents.  When children are born, we make a show of dedicating them to the Lord but then we give them to child-care facilities to nurture them.  When they become school-age children, we give them over to the state so that they can indoctrinate them into budding secularists.  And even in the church, we would rather put them into a class with someone else who will babysit them for a couple of hours rather than take the responsibility upon ourselves.  By the time they reach adolescence, they don’t feel any connection with the church at all, nor with the parents who have delegated these crucial, formative opportunities to someone else all their lives. 

I feel like I’m becoming a stronger advocate than ever for the importance of families.  This is because I can’t imagine any callling more important in this life than to shepherd my family in the faith.  I think it’s time that we begin to examine some of our age-old practices in the church in light of the testimony of Scripture. 

You can watch this movie online for free for a limited time.  It’s about 55 minutes long and is worth every minute.  If nothing else, you’ll get a glimpse of the church from a young person’s perspective.  You’ll have to ask yourself whether or not the church has lost its relevance for an entire generation.  Here’s the link:  www.dividedthemovie.com