What Would Unbridled Love Look Like?

I have a passion for evangelism - making new disciples for Jesus the Christ.  For years I've pondered why the Jesus following movement flourishes and ignites in economically and politically marginal areas in Africa, Latin America, and Asia, while North America is the second lowest per capita active-Christian continent on the face of the globe.  (We're beaten only by Europe!). Also I've questioned why signs, wonders, and miracles are so much more evident elsewhere.  I used to think it was because our narrow Western rationalism worldview simply prevented us from seeing the miraculous.  Now I think there's more to it.

I'm captivated by the work of filmographer Darren Wilson.  In his films, "Furious Love,"  "Father of Lights" and "Finger of God" he simply travels the world with a film crew documenting where amazing life transformation is happening because of Jesus.  In some cases the impact happens in church buildings in North America.  Largely, though, Wilson follows the movement of the Holy Spirit outside the walls of churches, in so-called "third world" settings, with people on the margins.  He concludes that the common denominator in these conversions, healings, deliverances, and miracles is not certain practices, particular theologies, any denomination, or any formula.  The catalyst he sees (and the films prove) is love.  Just the pure unbridled, unhindered love of Jesus.  That's all.  Humble followers of Jesus just joyously wade into street people, hostile pagans, the homeless poor, cast-aside waste children, Islamic folks, Hindus, witches and warlocks, gang-bangers, hookers, pimps, witch doctors, warlords, gays, straights, and we're-not-sure-what-they-ares, and they just love them...they listen to them, learn them, pray with them, tell of God's love for them, invite them to Jesus and love them.  And signs and wonders happen, and the movement spreads like wildfire.  (One exuberant dread-locked Jesus follower in Jerusalem prayed for healing in a man's leg.  After doing so he asked the man, "Are you Muslim?"  "Yes," the man said.  "I'm Christian.  I love you!"  the follower replied.  How often does THAT happen in Islam-phobic western Christendom?)

Maybe in North American churches, even with our best efforts, we send signals that the Christ-love we offer is hindered and conditioned.  You get Jesus' love if you come to this building, if you join this church, if you dress up, if you dress down, if you sing from a hymnal, if you belt out words on a screen, if you are "reverent", if you put your hands in the air and shout, "praise The Lord!, if you act like this, if you talk like that, if you...whatever.  None of us intend this, but I wonder if we're hindering the unleashing of a real power among us and, more important, through us to the mission fields to which we are called.

What would the unbridled, unhindered love of Jesus look like here?   Our church has had a kind of slogan bubble up in our midst - "Grace comes first."   We're trying to (and the conservative evangelical in me just gags when I use this phrase) live into that.  I hope we have the faith, courage, and resolve to become it more and more.

What would that look like?  I'll see you around the next bend in the river.

What Is A "Worship Win"?

For followers of Jesus, what does a "win" in worship look like?   How do you know when a "win" has happened?   Depending on the individual involved, the definition of a worship win can vary.  For the person preaching or teaching, a win can be the one person who says, "I really got a lot out of that message!"  For the choir director a win can be all voices coming in on the anthem at the right time.  For the band leader a win might be getting the congregation to sing along.  For the child care attendant, a win could be the service ending on time so parents can pick up kids before the planned kid activity for the day runs out.  You get the idea.  The definitions of a worship win can be all over the map.

Lack of central clarity about what a worship win looks like can lead to confusion and tension.  For an evangelism team leader a place of worship nearly full of people might be a win.  For a person in the same church who has worshipped each week sitting in the same place this might not be a win, because some stranger is sitting in my place (!).

North Point Church based in Alpharetta, Georgia has a simple, clear definition of what a worship win looks like.  A win is, "...when a regular attendee brings an unchurched friend who enjoys the service so much that he or she returns the following week."  (From Deep and Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend  by Andy Stanley.  Page 196.). That's simple, clear, and measurable.  It supercedes any and all individual definitions of a worship win.  And, evidently, it has contributed to Kingdom success in and through North Point.

So what's your church's definition of a worship win?   Fight the temptation to be vague and general:  "We win in worship if everyone has a good experience of God's love."  That's fine, but that's like the St. Louis Cardinals saying,  "We win if everyone has a good time at Busch Stadium."  The Cardinals win if, by count, they score more runs than the other team.  North Point Church and other mission-minded churches have said, "We win in worship if the worship experience draws unchurched people who come back and bring other unchurched people with them."  You can measure that.

Again, each of us need to ask, "What's my church's definition of a win in worship?  And, are we winning?"  I'll see you around the next bend in the river.

A Tandem Bike of Faith

Knowing Jesus or seeking Jesus does not make a person immune to the crippling circumstances that can slam into us.  I sought and received permission to share the following.  I offer it for every discouraged, frightened, defeated, angered, depleted, isolated or overwhelmed child of God.

I refuse to believe that the God I love and who loves me as his child would have set me on the path I have walked for the last year(s) without intentionally leading me (while fighting all the way) in a new, unexplored direction.

I keep trying to ride and repair the same bike along the same path, at the same speed, fighting and struggling the whole way.  I kind of see Jesus leaned back on a two-seater, pointing and making suggestions, while I fight a downhill path.  He points - "Try this way!"   My voice bumps as I pick up speed,  "But that way is scary!  I've always gone this way before...(pause)...Jesus..."

"How's that workin' out for ya?"...A smirk and a wink from the Word made flesh as I start to look around for a path I haven't seen or felt brave enough to venture down before.  I have bumped all the way downhill and the bottom just fell out of "the bottom."  There is no to go but up from here.

Thank you, Jesus, for guiding me through the last two days, two weeks.  I have tried this without you, without fully trusting; letting go and giving control to you.  Help me, please.  I am a bit of a control freak, but I am not the Great I Am!

(Ellen Moore - 05.03.13)