Fanatical Focus on the Future through FAITH

What is the cost of discipleship?
time, money, power, attention..

Where is our/your focus? future or past

What is the church's(HRBC) mission?
Our mission at HRBC is to glorify God by being a loving, Christian community that reaches out to all people through worship, spiritual growth, proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ, and ministry to needs in our world. (Acts 1:8)


Where do our resources come from?
God, experience, skills, gifts...

Facilitator Thoughts to interject if/when appropriate.

• The illusion of support is a foundation for failure on a gigantic scale.  If the foundation is false, the "building" will crumble.
  
• We must maintain a fanatical focus on the opportunities available to us in the future.
• We must remember that we are beloved of God and that he will provide for our needs. 
• We cannot OUTSOURCE our ministry obligation via the church, the cooperative programs, the staff, or children.
• The church is a tool to educate, empower, support and embolden individual. It is not the goal in itself.
• Maintaining what we have in the present is an anchor which can distract us. 
• Our past is indeed a base of security and comfort, but it is also a burden and an excuse for inaction. 
• We must remain vigilant as it is the small distractions which are easiest to miss and that have the most impact over the long term. 
  
• A fanatical focus on hope for the future, presents opportunities in every day, minute, meal, conversation, performance...  We begin to see messages and levers for change in everything from movies, to our workplace, to our familes, and yes in our GIVING.  
• time & money matter... resources are required for support and change.
• Stewardship is an important focus for all of us.. A Steward has an obligation to "care for the passengers" on their journey. The job is by its very nature, temporary and is a means to an end.. Remember the end,  and do NOT focus so much on the means.
  

What is our mission?  now THAT is the question we each have to ask... and are we stewards, or do we maintain an illusion of control in place of a stewardship of others awaiting the "return of the king.


REFERENCE RESOURCES:
Luke 9:57-62 (MESSAGE)

  ⁵⁷On the road someone asked if he could go along. "I'll go with you, wherever," he said.
   ⁵⁸Jesus was curt: "Are you ready to rough it? We're not staying in the best inns, you know."
   Jesus said to another, "Follow me."
   ⁵⁹He said, "Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father's funeral."
   ⁶⁰Jesus refused. "First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God's kingdom!"
   ⁶¹Then another said, "I'm ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home."
   ⁶²Jesus said, "No procrastination. No backward looks. You can't put God's kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day." 

Luke 9:23-27 (MESSAGE)
 ^{23 -27}Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat—I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I'm leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels. This isn't, you realize, pie in the sky by and by. Some who have taken their stand right here are going to see it happen, see with their own eyes the kingdom of God."

Luke 14:25-27 (MESSAGE)

  ^{25 -27}One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one's own self!—can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple.


Movie reference: Return of the King  ...Tolkien

• The steward was to secure and "keep" the city for the king. He was NOT the king.
• In the face of the real battle, each member had to hold the line and do their part. All were needed.
• Stewardship does not equal control but without the stewards, the city could not have survived.

Fanatic:
a person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, esp. for an extreme religious or political cause. ---- informal a person with an obsessive interest in and enthusiasm for something, esp. an activity

STEWARD:
1 a person who looks after the passengers on a ship, aircraft, or train and brings them meals.--a person responsible for supplies of food to a college, club, or other institution.
2 an official appointed to supervise arrangements or keep order at a large public event, for example a sporting event.--short for shop steward .
3 a person employed to manage another's property, esp. a large house or estate--a person whose responsibility it is to take care of something : farmers pride themselves on being stewards of the countryside.

Baptist nation?, Christian nation?: Religious Freedom

• We are a nation of Christians, not a Christian nation. yes, there is a BIG difference.
• Two major forms of Idolatry to look out for:  Nationalism/Patriotism,  SELF 
• We are here for the sole purpose of loving one another and letting God's light shine through us. We are called to demonstrate God's love to the world in accordance with the great commission.
• Jefferson was most proud of 3 things:  UVA, Declaration of Independence and the VA Statute of Religious Liberty.
• It is amazing that the founders ratified the first amendment of the constitution.
• Freedom is messy, but it is ordained. Free will, freedom to choose God or not..
• We must maintain a perspective which balances history, present issues and a reasonable/diverse view of the future implications for our decisions/actions.
• We are NOT in control. GOD is.
• Government and all authority exists from GOD. 

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

--- Marianne Williamson.
VA Statute of Religious Liberty Reference:  http://www.vahistorical.org/sva2003/vsrf.htm

Jefferson on Politics & Government:  http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff1650.htm

Constitution 1st Amendment:  Freedom of Religion and Press:   http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1

Roman 8 (Message)--   http://www.Biblica.com/bible/verse/?q=Romans8&msg=yes
v28  ...we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

Jeremiah 29:5-14 (Message)-- http://www.Biblica.com/bible/verse/?q=Jeremiah29&msg=yes
⁵"Build houses and make yourselves at home. "Put in gardens and eat what grows in that country. ⁶"Marry and have children. Encourage your children to marry and have children so that you'll thrive in that country and not waste away. ⁷"Make yourselves at home there and work for the country's welfare. "Pray for Babylon's well-being. If things go well for Babylon, things will go well for you." ^{8 -9}Yes. Believe it or not, this is the Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel's God: "Don't let all those so-called preachers and know-it-alls who are all over the place there take you in with their lies. Don't pay any attention to the fantasies they keep coming up with to please you. They're a bunch of liars preaching lies—and claiming I sent them! I never sent them, believe me." God's Decree! ^{10 -11}This is God's Word on the subject: "As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. ¹²"When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. ^{13 -14}"When you come looking for me, you'll find me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." God's Decree. "I'll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you"—God's Decree—"bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.

Romans 13:1-10 (Message)-- http://www.Biblica.com/bible/verse/?q=Romans13&msg=yes
^{1 -3}Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it's God's order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you're irresponsible to the state, then you're irresponsible with God, and God will hold you responsible. Duly constituted authorities are only a threat if you're trying to get by with something. Decent citizens should have nothing to fear.
 ^{3 -5}Do you want to be on good terms with the government? Be a responsible citizen and you'll get on just fine, the government working to your advantage. But if you're breaking the rules right and left, watch out. The police aren't there just to be admired in their uniforms. God also has an interest in keeping order, and he uses them to do it. That's why you must live responsibly—not just to avoid punishment but also because it's the right way to live.  ^{6 -7}That's also why you pay taxes—so that an orderly way of life can be maintained. Fulfill your obligations as a citizen. Pay your taxes, pay your bills, respect your leaders.  ^{8 -10}Don't run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don't sleep with another person's spouse, don't take someone's life, don't take what isn't yours, don't always be wanting what you don't have, and any other "don't" you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can't go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love

Freedom: Gathering at HRBC through the Open Door

Today's lesson was challenging today, as you all know of my general disregard for the "institutional realities" of our modern church.  As I explored the ideas of church freedom I struggled to understand and ground my own freedom and responsibility to participate in the larger congregational polity of HRBC.  This was quite a stretch for me, as I tend much more towards individualized ministry goals. Below are the themes and ideas that I presented as we discussed. (for those of you who made it through the open door)

Church models:(membership)

• Parish model: geographically aligned, baptism upon birth, closely linked to local gov't historically
  
• Gathered church: choose to join, free will tradition

Church models:(governance)

• Episcopal: leadership drawn from apostolic tradition, bishop, clergy
• Presbyterian: leadership decision by council of elders, representatives, session
• Congregational: leadership by democratic process, consensus, each member is unique and voice is critical to the "body"

THEMES: 

• Church is constructed and organized around a shared purpose, mission, vision. 
• I believe that our purpose is to love and to model God's love for our community outside the church while embracing and inclusive approach to the world's diversity and the church's conflicts and messiness. 
  
• That purpose must be active and outward facing, and cannot become consumed by self sustaining objectives. 
• Church exists to support the congregation members as they perform ministry in community and in their communities.
• Mission should arise from/out of the congregation, not be dictated to the congregation.
• In dealing with conflict/dissent, polity and actions must NEVER cross the line to control, manipulation, or violence. individually, or collectively.
• Respect for the priesthood of the believer must remain paramount. 
• God empowers the called, he doesn't just call the empowered. 
  
• Casual engagement, lack of passion and fear of dissent are the enemy of a polity built on the supremacy of the individual's worth.
  

Interesting to review the sequencing instructional parallels between 1 Cor and Romans in these passages:

• 1 Corinthians moves from Gifts/Diversity to Love(Ch13), to Prayer/Orderly worship(Ch14) to Belief & Resurrection(Ch15)
• Romans moves from Gifts/Diversity/Entreaty to Submission to authority(Ch13), to Relationships(Ch14), to Imperative to help others(Ch15).
  

Scripture references:
Romans 12
1 Corinthians 12
Acts 5:38-39  Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

We need a faith community to sustain us and support us through the storms, and ambiguity of our daily lives.
We are needed within a faith community to ensure diversity of ideas, gifts, and blessings. A diverse community is capable of withstanding the onslaught.

The church must lead by example both inside and to a thirsty world.  Showing the Love of God in our actions. not just our words. as individuals and as a group... LOVE tells the success, not size of buildings, number of members, nor the depth of our financial reserves, nor the amount of giving.

Bible Freedom

What does freedom mean?  

• What is required to maintain it?
• Is it the easy path?
• What role does personal responsibility, accountability play in securing and maintaining freedom?
• How are individuals responsible and accountable for those same ideas when they are part of a group. How is freedom for the individual secured by the control, governance of a larger assembly/body?
  

What are the foundations of our "lens" for freely viewing the Bible.  (People, Time, Culture...)

• Others Views: history, scholars, commentaries, preachers, teachers...
• My View: Personal study, life experience, meditation, cross referencing with other sources
• Jesus Christ, our personal relationship
  
• Holy Spirit, working within us, individually and collectively.
  

What do we do with the Bible after we interpret it "freely". Can/Should our interpretations change over time?

• We control, and we choose to be prescriptive of actions or descriptive of actions. 
• Control is applied individually or collectively how?
  
• Do we use it to coerce others, under the guise of influence, manipulation, politics, leadership, and management? (Creeds)
  
• Do we use it to build self confidence, self control, self governing actions which then showcase the righteous paths for others through results and actions. (Confessions, Statements of Faith)
  

How is it different when the bible is interpreted and applied to or for a group rather than an individual?

The reference scriptures are:

 Hebrews 1:1-2,
 Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature. He holds everything together by what he says—powerful words!
Hebrews 4:12-13 
God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what.

I vouch for...

Today's lesson was from 1 Kings 1.. We reviewed themes of power, influence, advocacy, and even what some might consider manipulative, political posturing.  The theme which stood out to me was that Nathan and Bathsheba were simply standing up for what was true and right.  Solomon was Jedidiah, he was chosen.  God selected the next King just as he had David and Saul before him.  When David made his proclamation, he was simply vouching for Solomon with the people. 

I posed a lot of questions today. Among them were:
What is Power?  Affluence and Money, Influence, Ability, Confidence, Action, Production, Knowledge, Strength?
What ideals will you vouch for and why?
Who will you stand up for and why?

You don't have to agree with everything that someone else believes to advocate for them. Love them, serve them and go forth into your world with humility.

Just think what a difference you can make if you stand up for your friends, neighbors, and fellow Christians in their action and yes, even in their failures.  David was NOT perfect, but he was King.  Jesus is perfect and is King.  We choose how and who we follow.

Do you know who you are?
Do you remember whose you are? 

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.   I can vouch for Jesus.(not that he needs it)

Window open or are curtains closed?

Great class this morning as we studied 2 Samuel 12. The profiles of David and Bathsheba give us a window into their lives.

God's interactions with them should also provide us a window into our own lives.

• We aren't perfect and our actions have consequences, but those consequences don't change the fact that we are "beloved of God"
• It is okay to be a non-conformist. David was, Jesus was...
  
• The entrenched ideology of our culture is interesting, but it is not a replacement for our own personal relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
• Think of this image. God is outside the window looking in, you are inside looking out. The Bible is the window. In this role, Scripture provides a window into the nature of God and his love for us.
  
• He is always out there just waiting for us to open the shades, lift the sash and "live" with him.
  
• We need to open it wide open and live in full ecclesia/community with God.
  
• We tend to close the window, put on a reflective coating, draw the shades, and even install curtains. God is still there.
  
• We choose the blocking, not him.

Open Door... At a glance...

With the Fall 09 "activity" season upon us, HRBC will host its annual back to church night on Sunday evening Sept 13... all around the church. come on over to the courtyard for food, friends, and fellowship. Come on over and if you see a big man, sitting in a "big boy" chair, come say HI!

If you are visiting HRBC on a Sunday AM here is an "at a glance" view of the Life Community which calls itself Open Door.
Disclaimer:Admittedly, this is Jeff's view of the class, but I figure as the teacher I am best positioned to prime the pump with ideas and lay it out there. If you all have other ideas, comments welcome.

Requirements to visit/join:

• Not really much, as we talk about the Bible and the implications of scripture in our daily lives, in plain english, no nonsense kind of approach.
• Can't say that I regularly even take roll. We are there for one another, whoever is there, each week.
  
• Bible knowledge not really required, this is an OTJ training environment.

Fun Facts:

• We are interested in "churches without walls" but that isn't practical, so we always leave the door open. seriously...We talk a lot about going to people instead of asking them to come to us...still trying to solve this one.
  
• We are the "coolest" class in the church. (especially in the Winter)
• We actually talk about things that many people in churches just think about.
• We have a lot of fun outside of church, from Pool parties, to Meat Night, to Ladies Nights Out, to our annual "men provide/cook gourmet dinner and serve it to the ladies"

Who we are:

• We are mostly married 30 somethings, 40 somethings, and 50 somethings. We tend to have children of differing ages in elementary school, but not necessarily.
• We enjoy thinking about current issues, and talking about how to actively use the gospel in our every day lives/applications.
• We aren't afraid to discuss and even question entrenched ideology and theology in a safe, inclusive, environment of friends.
• We care about one another and we act accordingly, going beyond the "traditional" expectations. We strive to sacrifice for one another, to make a difference.
• We ALL want to learn more about loving one another through regular study of the Bible, and further through regular fellowship and study. (in ecclesia)

Whose we are: GOD's period.
We are believers and searchers. A few of the favorite saying of Jeff are

• "I don't know the answer, but I still believe"
• "Every day is an opportunity"