Generation Axis Blog

Whispers, Obedience, Miracles

What comes to mind when you hear the word OBEDIENCE?  For me, it’s pictures of getting in trouble and being disciplined as a child. Or perhaps legal authorities who keep the law. And every once and a while, thoughts of obedience bring about a stirring of joy that comes with responding to God’s whispers.

 

I find it interesting that we call this ‘obedience’ to God, because ignoring those whispers does not, from my understanding, come with a direct punishment. God’s desire is to bring life, and to bring it abundantly. His promise is for life eternal. A life of fulfillment that comes from being ONE with Him.

 

This ONE-ness happens when we walk in the way God designed. Sure, this can be called obedience. But I sense that it’s much more compelling than just adhering to regulations in order to avoid punishment.

 

This morning while reading Acts 4, I freshly discovered the story of Peter and the apostles. They were preaching the resurrection of Christ and multitudes of people were being healed and thousands had come to believe that Jesus was the Messiah. For this, religious officials were jealous and skeptical and put them in jail.

 

While in jail an someone sent from the Lord opened the prison doors, released them and said, “Go to the temple and share the whole message of this life.” Without hesitation, they followed that whisper, or loud voice, or gut feeling…however it came.

 

They were in direct violation of doing exactly what they had been imprisoned for. Yet, when re-captured and taken back to jail with questioning. They responded, “We must obey God rather than men. Jesus has been raised from the dead. He will redeem all men and offers forgiveness of sins. We have witnessed these things, so we HAVE to tell the story! This is the message of life. The Holy Spirit is upon those who follow the way of God.”

 

Because they were willing to step out, take a risk, and follow the incomprehensible guidance of God’s way…they got to experience miracles. Witness multitudes of people coming to believe. And, receive the fullness and freedom of being ONE with God.

 

God’s whispers are all around. His miracles are stirring every day! Will you take notice? Will I listen and respond? If not, what happens? We miss out! Independently walking in our way, we are separated either slightly or significantly from God. For a being created to be one with our creator, this is the greatest punishment imaginable. It hurts.

 

However, walking in ONE-ness with God is the reward. He is the life-source, true fulfillment, and abundant love. Want to see a miracle? Tell the story of what you’ve seen. Tell it with boldness. It is the story of LIFE! Take a risk, respond to that whisper, just for today walk in the Way.

 

*All scriptures paraphrased by author

 

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Devon Noonan is an Oklahoma girl with Colorado blood who loves the outdoors and eating all types of ethnic foods. Spanish Tapas, anyone? :) Devon serves as an Intern with Axis in the area of Leadership Development and support, and absolutely loves what she does! She will graduate with a Masters in Leadership in May and leads a Missional Community Hub in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago.

 

Luke's Final Words

Luke's final Words from Axis on Vimeo.

A beautiful collision

Guys might tell you that foundational moments of manhood come with taking on the responsibilities of fatherhood, acquiring the latest Craftsman belt sander, or discovering the perfect sassy and sweet chili recipe. But what many men won’t tell you is that deep down, they want to ask directions--directions that will equip them to handle the head-on collisions of life.

 As Christ followers, when we collide with the ugliness of life, God gives us the opportunity to be His light in the world. Matthew 5:1–4 says “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” The world we live in is jammed with the constant collision of death and life, health and sickness, heaven and hell, noise and silence, order and chaos, and yes, even sweet and sassy. Most of us would love to see the Kingdom fully realized so we don’t have to endure police sirens, bad news, war, a difficult economy, job loss, illness—all those things that seem to disrupt us at every turn.. But the reality is: this is life until God’s Kingdom comes into its fullness.

 Look at it another way. What if these collisions were good things? When heaven and hell collide, it provides an environment for Christ’s light to shine brighter in our world of darkness. Jesus did not say when we shine His light, the darkness will leave forever, but we can be confident that it will disappear for good when the Author of Light comes back to complete the restoration He began. Until that day, the path of light will continue to intersect with the path of darkness and when this collision occurs, we can take heart. We “walk in the light, as He is in the light” and when that happens, people see God’s truth. What’s more, it’s possible that through us, they get a glimpse of the living God.

 And when that happens, it’s a beautiful collision!

This week, take a few minutes to prayerfully consider where in your life you could crank up the wattage on your light. Perhaps it’s in your family, at your workplace, or in the life of a friend or neighbor. Pray that God will give you wisdom and discernment as you share His light in your world

Jesus Cares More about our Belief than our Safety!

Jesus cares more about our Belief than our Safety! from Axis on Vimeo.

3,000 Miles Across; One Inch Deep

Have you ever been with someone when they crossed the line of faith and accepted Jesus Christ into their life? For Christ followers, few things compare to that thrill and honor. But what happens after that? 

Jesus instructed us to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19a NIV). Is a disciple of Christ someone who has become a believer in Christ, or does it go deeper? A disciple learns how to hear the voice of God, how to commune deeply with the Father, how to engage in Scripture, and then puts all those things into regular practice with the commitment to give those things away to others as they journey with God on his mission to redeem and restore this world. So how are we as the Church doing when it comes to living out this great Commission? 

According to the latest Barna research, the answer is not so good. John Stott, renowned Christian leader and clergyman says, “none of us wants to dispute the extraordinary growth of the church.  But it has been largely numerical and statistical growth. And there has not been sufficient growth in discipleship.”

Chuck Colson, speaker, author, and founder of Prison Fellowship, a ministry for those who are incarcerated, says “the American church is 3,000 miles wide and an inch deep.” Ouch. Naturally, we’re inclined to blame our pastors and church leaders for this statistic, so we don’t have to look at our own responsibility. This is the road Jesus described, not as the traveled one, but the road less traveled—the off ramp most choose to pass right by. 

Discipleship lies at the intersection of intimacy and impact.  It is the center point of the vertical and horizontal beams of the Cross, and it’s where true life transformation takes place. Discipleship doesn’t happen overnight; it not a course you sign up for or something completed by raising your hand.  No discipleship is a life long commitment of following the way of Jesus, a journey of intimacy with the Father and partnering with him to impact the world around us.

             

Spend some time today reflecting on what Jesus said the greatest commandment was and still is; that of loving God and loving people.  What adjustment do you need to make today?  Is it vertical or horizontal?

Consider this quote today by G.K. Chesterton, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”

May we be a Community filled with Disciples and Disciple Makers of Jesus—those choosing the difficult, those living the along the road less traveled.

Have a great week!

-Jon Peacock

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who is your story for?

 

 

    I love a good story.  As a kid I was a voracious reader, devouring books as though they were Hostess Swiss cake rolls (by far my favorite “banned” treat as a child).  My favorite part of meeting new people is getting to know their life story, and then, as I get to know them better, learning how that story has shaped and formed them.  In my younger days I used to wish for a different story, one with more adventure, grit and danger.  I have a pretty picture perfect life story.  I’ve been incredibly blessed with two loving parents, family and friends that make life good, and virtually no major disaster or drama.  I was a goody two shoes who played by the rules, which was easy because I was never really tempted in the first place.  The closest I ever came to drugs was when the smelly kid pulled out a bag of weed on the bus home in 9^th grade.   I immediately joined every possible after school activity to insure I would never have to take the bus again.   Dork. 

    Anyway, the white picket fence suburb I grew up in gave me a story that is tame, and safe and would never inspire a made for t.v. movie.  I always found myself daydreaming big dramatic moments.  Even my conversion to Christ took about three years longer than it needed to because I kept waiting for that “moment.”  Something akin to God speaking to me while being held hostage in a bank robbery.  Telling me that he would spare my life if I promised to finally give it to Him.  A moment that ended with me sharing Christ with the bank robbers who then gave their lives to Him and let all the hostages go.  You know, no big deal….dork.

    I think that’s why I love Paul’s story.  Oh the drama and excitement!  My overactive imagination could not have written it better myself.  You have this hardcore Jesus hater, on his way to relentlessly hunt down the people of “the Way,” struck blind as he hears the voice of Jesus.  By the time God restores his sight he is not the same.  Saul became Paul.  He is now in the temples, preaching that Jesus is the son of God.  He has become like those he once hunted.

    I love in Acts 22 when Paul speaks to the Jews who are trying to arrest him.  He clearly shares his story with them, boldly telling of what Christ did to him, for him and through him.  Paul was the perfect person to share this testimony to this group of people because of who he was before Christ changed his life.  He was once like them.  As Saul, he would have been in that crowd, calling for the death of the one who proclaims Jesus as the Messiah.  If anyone’s story had a hope of softening the hardened hearts of this crowd it was Paul’s.  The scene makes me imagine a modern day picture of Bill Maher attending some atheist convention as a changed man, sharing with the crowd his and God’s story, impacting them as only he could.

    It also makes me wonder whom my story is for.  Tame as it may be, it is the story God and I share and it has potential to impact someone.  Who is your story for?  Does your story contain parts you are ashamed of?  Segments you wish you could edit out?  I’m sure Paul cringed when he thought of the damage he caused while he watched Stephen being stoned to death.  I’m sure he would have liked to gloss over why he was on the road to Damascus in the first place.  But who Paul was is what makes his story so compelling.  What Christ redeemed and saved in you is what will give hope to others.  And if you’re like me, wondering if you would have a greater impact if your story had a bigger rock bottom moment, or some crazy loud message of hope and redemption…well, there are so many people who’s lives haven’t been so rocked to the core that they have no place to turn but God.  Maybe those people need to hear how God works in the mundane moments of life and woos ordinary people in ordinary ways.  Maybe those people need help becoming aware of the voice of God in the tamer moments of life.  You are unique.  God has worked uniquely in your life.  Who can be impacted by your unique story?

 

Written by Colleen Powell who is a former Willow Intern who has a passion for God and his Kingdom. She resides in Oak Park with her husband and serves as a Youth Pastor, Speech Coach, and Mentor. 

 

In But Different

 The word Christian certainly gets thrown around a lot.  We have Christian t-shirts, Christian candy, Christian action figures, Christian cruises, Christian hunting, even Christian Ultimate Fighting teams.  And I find myself wondering, "What makes these things Christian?"

All this was triggered when I went with some Axis Chicago leaders to hear a smart guy named Gabe Lyons speak.  Gabe is the co-author of UnChristian and has done a lot of research regarding perceptions of Christianity.  One of the questions that he asked us is whether we thought America was no longer a Christian nation.

That got me thinking, "What makes a nation Christian?  What makes anything Christian?"  To me a Christian is someone who is committed to getting out of the way and allowing God to change the world through their life.  Someone who recognizes the fact that they are broken, lost, and in need of help from God.  Can a book be that?

As I was thinking about all this I was reminded of the great New Testament author and early church founder Paul.  Paul did not make money from ministry.  He often would not even ask for money as he traveled around the world starting churches.  Paul made his money as a tentmaker.

The question that came to mind is this, were Paul's tents Christian tents?  Did he inscribe the flap with Scripture verses or market them to missionaries on the go?  No!  He just made tents.

In my opinion the American church today is caught in a culture bubble so large that many hardly see the light of day outside of it.  American Christians walk around with Christian books under their arm, Christian t-shirts on their back, Christian music blaring in their iPod.  They play basketball in Christian basketball leagues, go to Christian counsellors, make their friends at Christian small groups, and hope to find their life-partner at a Christians singles event.  Christians have their own concerts, days at amusement parks, schools, favorite politicians, and tv shows.  Literally everything found in the world has been brought inside the Christian sub-culture solely by adding the word Christian before it and I think it is killing the American church and American Christians.

In our effort to not be "of the world" we've left it!  We've become obsessed with finding whatever is cool in culture and re-creating it (often times badly) inside our own culture so we can feel hip, cool, and progressive.  Really we are just letting culture dictate the church instead of truly engaging with culture and finding our own identity in it!

In our effort to become relevant to culture we focused on making poor counterfeits and have now become irrelevant. We need to leave the Christian sub-culture behind and actually engage with people.  We should care more about engaging the person, the individual, through relationship than showing them that their is a "Christian" band that sounds just like their favorite band out in the world.  People don't need their world Christianized, they need to be told that their is a beautiful hope that helps infuse the life, the world, they know with such beauty that it cannot be resisted.

Now I know much of this is not applicable to all of us but what I want us to ask ourselves is this, are we engaging and truly living in the world around us?  Do we value our co-workers as much as our friends from our missional communities?  Do we have any friends that live entirely outside the Christian sub-culture?

The way to change the world is not to become like it but to live in it.  That goes against everything the Christian sub-culture is about.  

So join me.  Let's leave the bubble and live in the world but different from the world.

Income Inequality vs Opportunity Inequality

“ ‘Count off seven sabbath years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbath years amount to a period of forty-nine years. Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land. Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan...“ ‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers.

 Throughout the land that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land. 
 “ ‘If anyone among you becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold If, however, there is no one to redeem it for them but later on they prosper and acquire sufficient means to redeem it themselves they are to determine the value for the years since they sold it and refund the balance to the one to whom they sold it; they can then go back to their own property.

But if they do not acquire the means to repay, what was sold will remain in the possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. It will be returned in the Jubilee, and they can then go back to their property. 
“ ‘Anyone who sells a house in a walled city retains the right of redemption a full year after its sale. During that time the seller may redeem it If it is not redeemed before a full year has passed, the house in the walled city shall belong permanently to the buyer and the buyer’s descendants. It is not to be returned in the Jubilee.

 But houses in villages without walls around them are to be considered as belonging to the open country. They can be redeemed, and they are to be returned in the Jubilee. -Leviticus 25 (Excerpts)

I am sure you are wondering why I am starting off with such a huge passage from the exciting book of Leviticus but it came up in my reading plan today and something in it caught my eye.

Leviticus is a book full of many of the laws that God wanted the Jews to follow and this passage is looking at a thing called Jubilee.  It occurred every 50 years and debts were overlooked and homes were returned to their owners.  At least that was my understanding until I looked a little closer.

It says that if a poor person sells his property and cannot find someone to purchase it back for him it should be returned to him at Jubilee.  The basic idea behind this is that we rent the land from God so no one of us should own it.  And property was really about what the land was used for.  So instead of purchasing the land a person would purchase the right to use the land, live on the land, until the next Jubilee.  Then it was returned to the original family.

EXCEPT, homes that were sold in walled in cities.  These could be redeemed (bought to give back to the original owner) within one year but after that the property was not to be transferred back, not even at Jubilee.

Why this difference?

 I think it has something to do with opportunity and wealth.  See, I don't think God is against wealth, just an uneven distribution of it.  Many people point to Jubilee as an example of how God wanted a very equitable society but I think more than monetary equality what God really wants is opportunity equality.

Homes in walled in cities were just places to live, not opportunities to take care of yourself and family like a plot of land outside of a city.  Outside of cities people still lived on the land and grew crops.  So what I think this passage is really getting at is that God wants everyone to have the opportunity to take care of themselves.  It seems He doesn't really care about the property itself, or He'd want the walled in cities to be included in Jubilee, but the opportunity.

We live in a time of great income inequality.  Take for example The Waltons, the family behind Walmart.  Their net worth is somewhere around $90 billion.  The bottom 40% of Americans, all 120 million of them, have a network around $95 billion.  The top 1% of our country controls roughly 1/3 of the nations wealth, more than the bottom 90% combined.

This income inequality is not the only problem though.  The real problem is that this income inequality has lead to opportunity inequality.

I think we could all agree that a white kid from Lake Forest has very different opportunities than a Latino youth on the West side of Chicago.  Wealth redistribution alone will not solve that problem but I believe that the reason God wanted some redistribution was to provide for opportunity redistribution.

A family who had their property returned to them at Jubilee still needed to work it to gain anything, it wasn't a handout.  We need to help provide opportunities for all people to succeed.  We need to support equal education opportunities, small business loans, and laws that prevent discrimination.

What God intended was not to deplete the wealthy in one big handout to the poor, what He intended was to ensure that everyone had an opportunity to better themselves, provide for their family, and in turn ensure that the poor were taken care of.

The problem of income inequality in this country is great but the greater problem is one of opportunity inequality.

Devon's 1st Video Devotional for 2010

Devon's 1st Video Devotional for 2010 from Axis on Vimeo.

Death comes before Life

Death comes before Life from Axis on Vimeo.

Two Sons & A Father...

Two Sons & A Father from Axis on Vimeo.

Do you know a TREASURE when you see one?

Do you know a TREASURE when you see one? from Axis on Vimeo.

Life's Significant Small Moments

 Do you ever have a moment that is course changing and significant and yet it would appear completely menial to anyone but you?  I had one of those last weeks and because I’m proud of myself I thought I would share it with you in hopes that you would rejoice with me.

To understand the significance of this moment you need to know a few things about me.  First, I’m a very driven person.  It’s one of those qualities that I am most proud of and yet often causes me the most trouble. For me, my internal drive can come from the God oriented place where I just want to partner with my Father and unleash my potential on the world in love.  On other days I feel that my significance and worth come from my accomplishments and that if I don’t follow every opportunity and excel at everything I put my hand to then I am letting down God and the world, my life won’t be fulfilling, and I am worthless.

The second thing you need to know about me is that I hate letting people down.  From the time I was a young child I was taught to follow through on commitments and to never step down after committing to something.  To step down was to be a failure.  This, mixed with my overly excited terrier like zeal for success, can often lead me to over-committing myself.

A few weeks ago I overcommitted to something out of this desire for success.  I felt like to be successful I needed to take up this opportunity.  I began planning for a life that wasn’t even close to happening, not because it was what I wanted but because it was what I felt like I should want, that it would bring me the most success.

I began to feel anxious and stressed but I felt like if I turned down this opportunity I would one, be letting someone down and reneging on a commitment which I had made, and two I would be letting down God and the world because I wasn’t taking this opportunity that could lead to future success.  Something in me told me that if I didn’t follow this path for my life I would be a failure.  Really the lie is that if I didn’t relentlessly pursue success that I would be worthless and unworthy of anyone’s love.

A week ago I decided to not let that lie rule my life.

It didn’t happen in a blinding light, choir filled, Hallmark commercial.  I was just sitting on the brown line heading to my hub’s gathering when I felt God say, “You don’t have to believe that.  I want you to be free to be who I created you to be.  It’s ok to say no to this.”

Now I’m not one of those guys who has spiritually significant moments where I feel completely different one second to the next but this was one of those times.  I literally felt the anxiety in my chest loosen and the burden on my back fade away.  I can honestly say I’m a different person.  Not that I won’t struggle with my drive for success or my identity but I won a battle and to me that’s a big deal. 

I feel like we often move through life so quickly that we miss these small significant moments.  I’m grateful that God helped slow me down and realize the battle I had won.  I hope I won’t forget it because I know before long I’ll be in another situation where I feel my worth hanging on my success and I need to remember that God whispered truth in my ear that night as I sat riding the el.  And when I remember, maybe it will give me enough courage to slay the next lie that comes my way.

Let's Note Hide It & Let's Be Generous as Well...

Let's Not Hide It & Lets Be Generous As well... from Axis on Vimeo.

Home for the Holidays is Not Always a Happy Song

For many within our community I am sure they are excited to head home for the holidays and celebrate with their families over food and wine.  But for others of us the holidays aren’t exactly sources of joy and can even bring deep-seated pain to the surface.  For those of you in this situation, I understand.

There are many in the Axis communities whom if they head home will face brokenness, anger, turmoil, and pain.  Family members caught up in ugly addictions, spouses torn apart by divorce, aunts and uncles that no longer speak with one another because deceit or abandonment from long ago. 

To those of us in that situation I ask, what does it look like to be Christ in our families?  I am genuinely asking this question because I do not know.  My family has been torn apart by divorce.  I barely see my father and hardly know the man that he is, and my mother’s pain is so deep that I do not know how to care for her without being hurt myself.  What would Christ have me do now?  What would it look like for me to incarnate Jesus in my own family and can I even do that?

When I picture Jesus in my family I see someone who is gracious, forgiving, who is so secure in the love of His father that he can scoop up the pain of the world and not be overcome by it.  I do not see any of those qualities in me.  I see Jesus being open and honest, calling my family into account for our actions but in a way that doesn’t cause shame but bathes our darkest secrets in a loving light.  I am unable to accomplish that.

So what does it look like for me to love my family this holiday season?  I’m not really sure but I think it will begin with a prayer.  Cheesy I know but I honestly don’t know where else to turn.

God grant me grace to forgive those things that still bring tears to my eyes and anger to my fists when I think upon them.  Unclench my hands and free me from my own anger.  Help me to trust that you are just and will protect and because of that promise I can engage my family fully and openly.  Grant me the courage to be honest, to share openly and not brush under the rug anything that needs to be seen in the light of day.  Give me hope that tomorrow can be better than today and that healing for all is possible.  But mostly God, be with me.  Be near me and come quickly when I call.  I cannot do this alone.  I cannot do this without You.

What is Your Biggest Heart Need?

What is Your Biggest Heart Need? from Axis on Vimeo.

wait...don't skip this one!!!

wait...don't skip this one!!! from Axis on Vimeo.

Four Sundays that could change your life!

FOUR Sunday Mornings that could change your life! from Axis on Vimeo.

what do you do with your Talent???

what do you do with your Talent??? from Axis on Vimeo.

Faithful Servant vs Evil Servant - Are you Ready..

Faithful Servant vs Evil Servant... from Axis on Vimeo.

Contra and my prayer life

Up-down, up-down, left-right, left-right, b-a........some other actions that I can't recall at the moment and shazaam you have eternal life or at least all you need to eventually beat the game Contra.  I must say that I'm no where near a gamer.  Besides Contra the only other game I ever got into was Duck Hunt.  My Duck Hunt days ended when my older brother threw the gun at me one day...in short season over. 

My day today got off to a rough start.  Ya know those days where you feel immensely discouraged and can't seem to identify why.  You begin to go through you're check list.  Ok is it because the Bears are showing signs of really sucking again....hmmm.  Well that's not it because I'm use to Chicago teams breaking my heart each year.  Is it because I pulled potentially both glute's last night doing P90X, nope Kelly told me that would happen.  Well maybe it's because I just really miss the show Webster.  No thats an impossibility..so what is it?

I did go through a check list this morning, a real one.  And yes the P90X was on my real list.  After going through a list of why I'm feeling so down I came up with zero answers.  So I turned to a place that usually provides me with hope; the Scriptures.

I've been reading through 1 & 2 Corinthians for months now.  Today I found myself in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 that says, "for though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, the have divine power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ."

I ready through this a few times and my warped mind found itself on level two of the video game Contra.  How my mind went there only my therapist could tell you.  

I began to think of as a kid the ultimate was playing that game and acquiring the most powerful weapons. My favorite weapon of the four (machine gun, laser gun, fire gun, and spread gun) was without question the "fire gun".  

I loved this one because the more powerful your weapon was the more life you had and the more life you had well then you could brag about what level you made it to the next day at lunch time while eating your lunchables or hot pockets.

I then began to realize that today I woke up with the most powerful weapon one can imagine, the "divine power" given to me by God through his Holy Spirit.  A weapon that is grossly being un-used.  It's like having the "fire gun" and choosing to use the "rifle"...who would do something like that?

I then thought to myself how will I use this "divine" weapon today?  How will I steward the power of the Resurrection that is within me?

Am I the only one who struggles to remember Truth like this? I'd love to hear your thoughts or ways you find victory... or other favorite Nintendo Video Games but just know that nothing compares with Duck Hunt or Contra.

-Jon Peacock

Rabbi?

First, can I just say that I am so energized by really good conversation? Last night I got so much out of the conversation we’ve been having at The Drive-In (the Crystal Lake East hub J). I love getting to walk through life with these amazing people, debating the mysteries of the universe as we go.

So last night we talked about Jesus, our Rabbi. It was interesting learning some of the Jewish context—learning about yoke and authority from a new angle, but our discussion really took off when we started to look at how the disciples might have felt as they were chosen by Jesus, as they left their lives and followed him. Jesus selected some unlikely candidates, people who had a certain stench. Peter’s was literal, from the fish he worked with daily; Matthew’s was social—his occupation as tax-collector instantly provoked hatred. These were not the promising youth, these were not the religious elite. And as I’m process last night’s conversation about them, here’s what makes my heart glad:

I imagine these men spending their lives trying to compensate, you know? Trying to convince people that they are honorable, maybe even trying to convince themselves. Maybe they don’t think very highly of themselves. Maybe they are just trying to get through life because the greatness ship has already sailed and they are in survival mode now.

Have you ever met someone who has amazing charisma? Wherever they are, people want to be with them? There’s a power in their presence, there’s a strength to them, people feel loved, people feel seen. I know people like this, and to be honest I’m sometimes a little flustered when I meet them, wondering why such a super-cool person is talking to me. (My ability to “make awkward”—to quote my friend Jon C—goes up in direct proportion with how much I want a person to like me, so that’s always fun.)

Anyway, none of the super-keen people I know are the messiah, so I imagine Jesus was like this, only a whole lot more. When he was talking, people just wouldn’t leave. He had to teach from a boat sometimes to create some distance. He had to basically hide to get time alone with God. Children wanted to be near him, and you know how kids can tell who the real good guys are J

And this is the rabbi—I mean, really, The Rabbi--who sees these outcasts and invites them to become like him. They may have given up on themselves, but this does not disqualify them. They were used to people looking down on them, but somehow this doesn’t matter. They must have been stunned.

Because Jesus sees greatness in each of us. In fact, he designed it. 

And that makes me want to follow Him everywhere.

Division = Confusion

There seems to be an intrinsic, built-in desire to see a band of brothers and sisters conquer a task, mission, or goal. In the Seventies, a youth group caught a vision of what life could be like when they were committed to living for Jesus. And they embraced a daring challenge to be an Acts 2 church. Thirty-four years later, God has used their passion to change the world. 

The early church started with a sense of oneness. The Apostle Paul implored Christ followers in the influential city of Philippi to bond to one another in spirit and purpose.

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose…Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:1-4)

Theologian and Pastor Francis Schaeffer said, “Our relationship with each other is the criterion the world uses to judge whether our message is truthful—Christian Community is the final apologetic.” Not only do we crave oneness, but the world uses it as a meter of authenticity. Want to know if people are genuine and authentic? Check their oneness factor.

Spiritual stagnation can chip away at unity until those bonded together by faith in Christ become divisive. And division equals confusion. No wonder.  When the world can’t tell the difference between a follower of Jesus and someone lacking faith, they can’t help but be confused. Division equals confusion.

When the world looks at you, do they see someone who looks pretty much like everyone else, or do they see a reflection of God?  Ask God to show you areas in your life where you might be sewing dis-unity (and confusion)—even if it’s in small ways. This week, commit to placing Christ at the center of your community, your home, and your life.

As we celebrate 34 years together, pray for unity with believers who call Willow Creek home. Willow Creek—one church, multiple locations. 

-Jon Peacock

The Danger of Yeast!!

The Bible uses yeast as a metaphor for an invisible, pervasive influence that can attack our lives and spread faster than the swine flu. How can a tiny speck classified as a eukaryotic microorganism in the fungi kingdom, be so destructive that it can hinder the work of God?

 Following the Exodus, yeast became a common Jewish metaphor for an invisible presence with a pervasive influence on the lives of the Israelites. Every year before Passover, Jews clear their homes of any trace of yeast as though its presence alone could be a barrier to God’s movement in their lives.

 How Quickly We Forget

In Mark 8, Jesus had something to say about yeast. Fresh from a miracle where Jesus fed 4,000 people with a few loaves of bread, the disciples began to argue about the fact they had only one loaf. You can imagine Jesus’ frustration. Had they forgotten so soon what they had just witnessed? He issued this stern warning: “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.”

 Reminding them that when He fed the 5,000 with only five loaves, they picked up 12 baskets of leftovers—three times what they’d started with. And most recently they collected seven loaves of leftovers after He fed 4,000 people with seven loaves. They ended up with as much as they started. Despite these two closely related miracles the disciples had eye witnessed, they had forgotten that one loaf is an impressive surplus in the hands of the Bread of Life.

 Is Seeing Believing?

How often do we believe only as long as we can see?  How frequently do we trust as long as we have plenty? Isn’t this the same issue that the disciples faced in Mark 8?

Of Doubtful Minds

Look at this passage again. Was the argument the disciples had really about bread, or did it go deeper?  The Greek word used to describe the conversation in Mark 8:17 is meteorizomai, meaning to be of doubtful mind. Forgetting about the past, their faith became less apparent with each barbed word, and the more they talked, the more their doubt spread—just like yeast.

It explains why sweeping away the yeast in the home helped prepare for the presence of God.

Sweep It Away

So what cleaning do you need to do in your life today? Yeast can be hard to spot, thus the definition “microorganism,” but we must relentlessly rid our lives of unbelief. Not only does it impact our lives, but it can have a profound effect on the lives of those around us.

Make a note of the steps, choices, and disciplines that have helped you in the past as you choose to believe.

Have a great week!

-Jon Peacock

 

 

 

Why the American Church is Failing!

Have you ever been with someone when they crossed the line of faith and accepted Jesus Christ into their life? For Christ followers, few things compare to that thrill and honor. But what happens after that? 

Jesus instructed us to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19a NIV). Is a disciple of Christ someone who has become a believer in Christ, or does it go deeper? A disciple learns how to hear the voice of God, how to commune deeply with the Father, how to engage in Scripture, and then puts all those things into regular practice with the commitment to give those things away to others as they journey with God on his mission to redeem and restore this world. So how are we as the Church doing when it comes to living out this great Commission? 

According to the latest Barna research, the answer is not so good. John Stott, renowned Christian leader and clergyman says, “none of us wants to dispute the extraordinary growth of the church.  But it has been largely numerical and statistical growth. And there has not been sufficient growth in discipleship.”

Chuck Colson, speaker, author, and founder of Prison Fellowship, a ministry for those who are incarcerated, says “the American church is 3,000 miles wide and an inch deep.” 

Ouch. 

Naturally, we’re inclined to blame our pastors and church leaders for this statistic, so we don’t have to look at our own responsibility. This is the road Jesus described, not as the traveled one, but the road less traveled—the off ramp most choose to pass right by. 

Discipleship lies at the intersection of intimacy and impact.  It is the center point of the vertical and horizontal beams of the Cross, and it’s where true life transformation takes place. Discipleship doesn’t happen overnight; it not a course you sign up for or something completed by raising your hand.  No discipleship is a life long commitment of following the way of Jesus, a journey of intimacy with the Father and partnering with him to impact the world around us.  Spend some time today reflecting on what Jesus said the greatest commandment was and still is; that of loving God and loving people.  What adjustment do you need to make today?  

Is it vertical or horizontal?

Consider this quote today by G.K. Chesterton, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”

May Willow Creek be a church filled with Disciples and Disciple Makers of Jesus—those choosing the difficult, those living the along the road less traveled.

Have a great day!

-Jon Peacock