Monthly Archives: May 2011

Believe + {preposition}

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I’ll support them in whatever they are believing for.

Have you heard this kind of talk? It’s what I have heard from some Christian people – almost always charismatic or pentecostal friends – about praying with others in need.

In practice, they might ask, ‘Are you believing for healing? Are you believing for comfort?’ In my words: what outcome do you think God has planned for you?

That’s not the way I speak. I speak of believing in something (usually Jesus). The emphasis is not on the outcome of faith, but on the object of faith. Noting the difference meant it is a good chance to see how the Bible speaks. Perhaps I need to change, or think again.

So I searched the New Testament for the verb ‘believe/trust’ followed by a preposition. I found five different prepositions immediately following the verb ‘believe’, in 62 verses. About four of these were not relevant, when the verb finished one clause and the preposition immediately began the following clause.*

Overwhelmingly the emphasis was trust in Jesus. John 3:16 – so well known –  is typical:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

The rare uses include the following

  • Believing a message. The content could be testimony (1 John 5:10), the prophets (ie., their writings, Luke 24:25), the gospel (Mark 1:15)
  • Belief arising through a message or messenger (eg., John the baptist, John 1:7)
  • The location of belief (believe in your heart, Romans 10:9). I take this to be more metaphoric than anatomical!
  • Belief for an outcome. There were two examples of this. Abraham believed that he would become father of many nations (Romans 4:18). And Romans 10:10 teaches that we believe for justification.

Significantly, the two cases of belief for directly link the belief with God’s spoken truth. Abraham had been told “So shall your offspring be” (Romans 4:18). The belief of Romans 10:9 is that God raised Jesus from the dead. This differs from what I hear from some. Those who state ‘We believe that God will cure your cancer’ have no such promise to point to.

Conclusion

The New Testament’s dominant use of believe is about whom we are to trust: the Lord Jesus Christ.

To believe for is rare. When it does occur, it’s about matters of universal application (Abraham’s family, and personal justification).

In practice, I will still pray for healing, reconciliation, or some other outcome. But I will strive to direct people’s trust toward Jesus. I will ask for an outcome, but I will believe in Christ.

 

* (The four relevant prepositions, followed by the number of verses in which the construction appears: εἰς (39), ἐπὶ (10), ἐν (4), διὰ (5). Of the four not relevant verses, one included a different preposition (κατὰ).)

Preparing for Sunday III

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(Part I. Part II.)

When Christians get together, it’s not always church.

I chatted with some Christians when at the footy last Friday night. It was encouraging. It was not church.

I often have a ride with Christian friends, and it’s a good chance to have deliberate conversations. (‘I’ve been meaning to ask how that thing went …’) But it’s not church.

What makes church church is when Christians draw near to God, whom we meet in his word. To draw near to other Christians is great, and necessary for love and service – but that’s not the definition of church.

Church will see us ‘let the word of Christ dwell among us richly’ (Colossians 3:17). Since ‘the word of God is living and active’ (Hebrews 4:12), we long for it to be effective among us. We know that faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17). For us, the word of the Lord is more precious than any other treasure (Psalm 19).

That’s all too brief, but required to intro the next topic for preparing for Sunday. Here’s the slogan version: prepare for church by preparing for God’s word.

Some ways we can do this:

  • The most simple and obvious (simple and obvious are good!): read and pray through the passage that will be read and taught in the next gathering.
  • Less obvious, but building on the previous: talk about the passage with people. Informally mention what you’ve seen already, what questions you have, what might be a challenge, etc. Include the preacher in this. Personally, it’s immensely encouraging to be asked questions beforehand. I spend time mulling over the passage, and it goes better when I can talk with others. (This can also help preachers remember that preparation is important.)
  • Plan a possible conversation-starter for after church. Nothing complex, but perhaps ‘I think verse 18 is a challenge to put into practice – what do you reckon?’ I say possible becasue maybe the talk will throw up a better option.
  • Plan to listen. Do you do better by taking notes? Then get paper and pencil. Do you nod off during readings and sermon? Then get better sleep, sit in a different part of the building, whatever helps.
  • Do whatever you can to encourage those involved in preparing and proclaiming the word. We’d never be content with unprepared music, but churches frequently have Bible readers turn up without any practice. Although they usually say the right words, I guarantee they usually butcher the reading. We can helpful in turning this around. Eg, get readers to practice together (offer to listen, ask for a listener, get the whole month’s readers together for one night to read all passages, …).

There’s plenty more to be said. Perhaps you have great tips to share with us all. Please do!

Acceptable assumptions

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I’ve been reading about the King James Version of the Bible.

And I am again amazed by the odd and uneven assumptions brought to the Bible.

Try this quotation:

the Pentecostal miracles when the Apostles were said to have been given the gift of many tongues. The English speakers were given the gift of this charismatic, self-contradictory, resonant, historical work.
(p.86)

In two sentences we read self-elevation and assumed suspicion of the biblical accounts.

The story of Pentecost is a said to have been type of event. That is, claimed by some, but 100% suspect.

On the other hand, the reader of the Bible is free to issue a judgement – not even a mere accusation – that the Bible is, of course, contradictory. Not ‘said to be’, nor ‘possibly, accused to be, thought to be’. It’s a simple fact that the modern reader knows. The corresponding fact is that all other readers – who might disagree – are wrong or uneducated or out-of-date.

The acceptable assumptions when approaching the Bible

  • The Bible is fundamentally flawed. Treat with suspicion
  • The modern reader is fundamentally trustworthy. Work on the assumption that what you think is true

I write this simply to identify the situation. I don’t want to ‘defend’ the Bible. I’d rather say, ‘Read it.’ The usefulness of identifying this approach is more for me, and other Christians, to be aware enough not to share the uneven application of doubt.

My ministry aim, PS

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In this post, I put in writing my personal aim in ministry.

It is:

With the help of my wife, to pass on the gospel to my children

This ‘PS’ to the original post is to mention a couple of indirectly-relevant matters. They would have over-lengthened the original piece.

Is this aim too result-driven?

Specifically, does it depend upon each of my children becoming model Christians? I’m sure you’ve met fine Christians whose children have chosen not to trust Christ. Does that mean they failed in ministry? And if a parent has believing children, do we simply say, ‘They must be good at ministry – see their kids’?

I definitely do not want to inflexibly bind children’s response to the parents’ ministry

For a start, my aim is to pass on the message. To pass on a gift is different from receiving the gift. I avoided saying ‘to make my children believe’, for example.

And yet, there is some connection between parent and children. It’s not a 1:1 ratio, it’s not inflexible. Consider Titus 1:5-6

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination

I think that the words in bold would be better translated ‘his children are faithful’. Meaning, ‘faithful to him’ and therefore not rebellious against his right authority. Hence, they’re not to be uncontrolled (debauched) or anti-authority (insubordinate).

In any case, it’s clear that Paul says: when appointing an elder, include a look at his relationship to his kids.

Is this an excuse to neglect other church people?

In other words, can I now use my ministry aim as a crafty excuse not to visit the new-comer, or to prepare well for Bible study?

May it never be!

To truly pass on the gospel of Jesus, I have to show that the kids are not ‘gods’, or idols. I need to show where they are in the world: created, God’s image, amongst many neighbours whom God loves, fallen, urged to repent, called to serve, etc.

Doing this makes it necessary to say, ‘I can’t read that book now, because I need to do regular preparation/respond to this urgent call.’ It makes it necessary to show what it is to be generous and give, to even bear a cost in following Jesus. It means I want to help the whole church grow in Christ, with them blessed by being part of it.

So, no, I don’t believe this ministry aim provides excuses for poor care for the church.

My ministry aim

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It was the usual question from another ’employed ministry’ person. “How is church going?”

I don’t know how many times I have heard the question. I also don’t know how to give an answer that is useful or helpful. It’s not the aim to deceive – merely that I am in the wrong position to give a considered answer. I’m too close to it all.

But I can, at last, say something: my ministry aim.

It’s taken a long time, but I finally can express it. And I think it’s unexpected.

It’s unexpected because my aim is not obviously tied to the employment in ministry. My aim is not to grow Albury Bible Fellowship Church (though I do work to that end). Nor is it to plant more FIEC churches (though, again, I do work for that outcome). It’s not even to have lots of MTS ministry apprentices (though I sure love working with such trainees).

Rather, my Christian ministry aim is: With the help of my wife, to pass on the gospel to my children.

This involves teaching, prayer, discipline, time, comfort, training, … Everything usual in biblical gospel ministry. My desire is that they are better informed about God’s word than I am. That they are more faithful and self-disciplined in living out this word. That they are more amazed at God’s love than I am, and love their neighbour better than I do.

Here’s some of the thinking behind this.

The ministry cliché – which I don’t buy – is ‘family first, then church.’ The reason for this cliché is to avoid the family breakdown caused by minister putting church demands first, so I get it. The problem: it assumes, and therefore perpetuates, the model of inherent conflict between church and family.

Instead, I say to myself that I am to care for God’s church. In other words, church over all. That’s it. Then, under the umbrella of this responsibility, I have levels of contact and care. The highest level is Catherine and the kids. The first aspect of church ministry is spiritual care for my household. So if I have an extra night off, or make the most of my regular day off, it’s not conflict with church. It is church. (The conflicts come when, inevitably, competing responsibilities require a difficult decision.)

Consider also how the Bible insists that appointing leaders requires a look at the family and household. In 1 Timothy 3:1-7, the overseer must:

  • be the husband of one wife
  • be hospitable
  • manage his own household well

Remember also that God is our Father. So if I totally mess up fatherhood, I will be so much less able to teach people about God.

I feel as if I’ve put myself on the line a little bit here. But that’s good! I can already think of the follow-up post I will write. I also know I will prayerfully need to keep thinking through this whole matter all my life. But it’s where I stand, and what I currently think.

What are your thoughts? What suggestions do you have, what problems do you see? I’m interested to know.

Volunteers who bleed

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When the needle was in my vein, I had a question.

It was at the blood bank, so things are healthy (thanks for wondering). It came to me that giving blood is good, but it’s not the centre of life.

So why do people do it? There are many good things, most of which aren’t necessary. How do people get started?

The same question crops up in church, too.

How do people start to get involved? That is, move from passive but content consumers to the ranks of those who give time and effort.

Back to the giving blood, I know my own answer: I copied my dad.

He had his own reasons to start, but I was copying him. I know he hated needles, but his attitude showed he thought this was worthwhile. So, without thinking about it in any way, I ‘caught’ his involvement.

Since then, the reasons have grown and deepened. I know more about blood and the need for donations (the Red Cross is good at educating about this). I can see how donating can fit into my particular working week (I get great reading done each time, so target what I want to take along). When I was at Bible college, I even timed it to get a free breakfast once a fortnight.

Yet the initial reason was mimicry. Copying my dad.

I’d say this is a powerful way to have people volunteer in church, too. If the majority is contentedly passive, no manner of passionate appeal from the front will change much. But if the majority, or a sizeable minority, is gladly involved then friends will copy them.

It’s another reminder that church is about everyone and needs everyone. Approved leaders are part of this, but only a part. It’s as a church, or as a people, that we progress and grow.