The Gospel to the Poor, Part 1

by Timothy Keller at The Worldview Church

The original question I was asked to address was “How does our commitment to the primacy of the gospel tie into our obligation to do good to all, especially those of the household of faith, to serve as salt and light in the world, to do good to the city?” I will divide this question into two parts: (1) If we are committed to the primacy of the gospel, does the gospel itself serve as the basis and motivation for ministry to the poor? (2) If so, how then does that ministry relate to the proclamation of the gospel?

Click here to read the whole article.

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Transforming the World: Reclaiming Our Methodist Legacy, Part 3

by Dale Tedder
click here to read Part 1
click here to read Part 2

Story #2

To begin our next story, we need to fast-forward about 1,700 years. John Wesley was born on June 17, 1703, in the small town of Epworth in northeastern England. Here are just a few descriptive phrases about this England into which John Wesley was born.

England had just come out of a bloody civil war. Political tensions were high. There was extreme poverty.

 Regular employment was uncertain. Housing was often inadequate and unaffordable.

 Pure drinking water was scarce. Food was in short supply. Disease was rampant.

 Alcohol, violence, prostitution, and gambling were popular means to escape feelings of desperation and hopelessness.

 Children as young as four or five were employed as chimney sweeps or in mines and factories. Life was insecure. (I got these excerpts from a biography of Wesley’s life by Charles Yrigoyen. Its title is, John Wesley: Holiness of Heart & Life. It’s a great biography and could be used very profitably in a small group.)

 That was the condition of England that still existed as John Wesley began his ministry. It has some pretty remarkable similarities to our own day, doesn’t it?

I wish I could spend a few hours with you telling you all that Wesley preached and did. But here’s the short version of his ministry (and this is key): He preached the whole Gospel for the whole person.

He didn’t preach merely a Gospel message that promised heaven once you died. It, of course, included that… but it was much bigger than that. He preached a Gospel – the biblical Gospel – that changed lives in the here and now.

And as people were won for Christ, Wesley made sure that they were discipled. That means that he encouraged them to get involved in what we would call Bible studies, small groups, accountability groups. It would be in those settings that they would worship God, study his Word, take communion, pray for each other, hold each other accountable for growing in holiness.

As the Apostle Peter would put it, they were seeking to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Wesley gave these early Methodists “General Rules” that served to keep them moving in the right direction. Our church family here at Southside studied a basic summary and explanation of those rules a few years ago when we all read the book, Three Simple Rules, by Rueben Job. I want to share just a few of these rules so that you can get a sense of what was being emphasized…

“It is therefore expected of all who continue therein that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

 First: By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind, especially that which is most generally practiced, such as:

• The taking of the name of God in vain.
• Drunkenness:
• Slaveholding; buying or selling slaves.
• Fighting, quarreling, brawling, brother going to law with brother; returning evil for evil,
• The giving or taking things on usury—i.e., unlawful interest.
• Uncharitable or unprofitable conversation;
• Doing to others as we would not they should do unto us.
• Doing what we know is not for the glory of God, as:

 It is expected of all who continue in these societies that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

 Secondly: By doing good; by being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all men:

• To their bodies, of the ability which God giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that are sick or in prison.
• To their souls, by instructing, reproving, or exhorting all we have any intercourse with;
• By doing good, especially to them that are of the household of faith; helping each other in business,.
• By running with patience the race which is set before them, denying themselves, and taking up their cross daily;

 It is expected of all who desire to continue in these societies that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

 Thirdly: By attending upon all the ordinances of God; such are:

• The public worship of God.
• The ministry of the Word, either read or expounded.
• The Supper of the Lord.
• Family and private prayer.
• Searching the Scriptures.
• Fasting

 Now let me ask you something: What might happen to a city where genuinely Spirit-empowered, Spirit-guided people were faithfully and regularly practicing these things? Well, I’ll tell you what happened in England. It turned England upside down, just like it began to do in Rome 1,700 years earlier.

The Methodist movement, according to secular historians with no special fondness for the church, saved England from the same bloody revolution that happened in France.

But there was a cost. There’s always a cost of discipleship… which is why Jesus wants us to count the cost before we commit our lives to him.

These disciples of Jesus Christ, called Methodists, were insulted, slandered, attacked in newspapers. And just like what happened in Thessalonica 1,700 years before… mobs physically attacks them. They were beaten, their houses were burned down, their property was stolen: Simply because they were Methodists!

And so, what happened? Did they give up and return to their old ways of living? Far from it! Methodists grew in faith and numbers. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was declared in more places with greater impact. Lives were changed. That little corner of the world called England was transformed. What a great witness for Christ!

As I draw to a close, let me leave you with two big ideas.

Scripture says that the early disciples turned their world upside down with the message of the Gospel and that lives were changed by it. History shows us that John Wesley and the early Methodists turned their world upside down with the message of the Gospel and that lives were changed by it.

And so here’s my first big idea: The Gospel of the Kingdom doesn’t actually turn the world upside down. It turns it right-side up!

You see, our fallen, sinful, broken world is already upside down. It’s values, beliefs, attitudes, desires, actions –and all the rest – are contrary to those of God’s Kingdom. Jesus came to set things right – in every sphere of life.

But that far-reaching, socially impacting, worldwide transformation that we all want has to first begin in the hearts of individuals. Each of us must become new creatures in Christ who will faithfully follow him as his disciples. Only then, as we take our new life – our new values, beliefs, attitudes, desires, and actions – with us, wherever we go, can we transform the world… or at least our little corner of it.

It starts with us. It moves to our families. It affects our church, our workplaces, our friendships, our community, our city, our state, our country, and eventually our world. But we have to first start where we are. We have to first be faithful where we are.

That’s my first big idea.

Here’s my second big idea: As followers of Jesus Christ, and spiritual descendents of the Apostle Paul and John Wesley, this is YOUR spiritual legacy as United Methodists. You see, their stories belong to you. In fact, this is YOUR story. You are a part of it.

And so, let me ask you this: What legacy will you leave to those who follow you? How will you keep the story going?

Grace and Truth,
Dale

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Aunt Lucy – Example of Kingdom Discipleship

My Great Aunt Lucy died last week. She was my paternal grandfather’s sister. I didn’t know her very well, but like so many others, knew lots about her. Utterly indefatigable and incredibly focused was she in serving others, especially the least, last, and lost.

After a lifetime of working in various fields of education, and making innumerable contributions to civic life, she responded to God’s call in her life to ministry in the local church. (I believe she was in her 70s when she began Duke Divinity’s course of study.)

Her obituary lists accomplishment after accomplishment. The Florence newspaper even had a tribute on the front page of the morning paper to honor her. My father told me one of the pastors who spoke at her funeral related to the congregation that Aunt Lucy wasn’t concerned about impressing folks but rather, impacting them. She did that and then some.

What a blessing that I’m able to point to my Aunt Lucy as a beautiful example of God pouring out his grace in and through the life of an individual. Much like the woman working the yeast in the dough, she pursued her task until the yeast permeated all of it. This is how the Kingdom of God works in our world. What an incredible illustration Aunt Lucy was of Kingdom Discipleship.

Grace and Truth,
Dale

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Justice and the Gospel, Part 2

I posted the first part of this video back in July when it came out on YouTube. I apparently fell asleep between then and now as I forgot to post the second part when it came out. (and since I was so delinquent with this, I’ve included parts 3 and 4 as well.) But, better late then never… so here it is. Once again, this video features Mark Dever and Jim Wallis being interviewed by Skye Jathani (thanks to Out of Ur for this great interview).

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

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Christ’s Call

Powerful!!! Sobering!!! Convicting!!!

from Gospel for Asia

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Seek Social Justice

I was delighted to learn of this new resource on social justice. Finally, another perspective on this important Christian issue than what is often promoted.

Learn more about the curriculum by clicking here. You should also check out the video below.

Blessings,
Dale

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Kingdom Discipleship: Faith for Every Sphere of Life, Part 3

Jesus develops two metaphors to picture how his disciples must – by their lives – leave their stamp on the world. He calls us salt and light. This is what I call Kingdom Discipleship. But before I explain what that means, let me ask you some more questions.

• What if we, as Christians, lived as faithful followers of Jesus in every sphere of life?
• What if every member of our church family was involved in Bible studies and small groups – eagerly digging into God’s Word each week and building godly relationships with one another during the week?
• What would happen to our church and community, if our husbands at Southside loved their wives as Christ loves the Church?
• What if we lifted our wives up in front of others and encouraged them at home? What if we were completely devoted to them and made serving them one of our greatest callings?
• What might happen in Jacksonville if our church family prayed daily – begging God to fill us with his Spirit?
• What if we pleaded with him to give us a single-minded passion, love, and commitment to Christ and his Kingdom?
• What if all of our parents at Southside took seriously our responsibility to raise our children in the training and instruction of the Lord – daily?
• What if all of the folks in our congregation worked with unmatched integrity in their workplaces? That everything they said, did, and thought at work was done to the glory of God?
• How might our community be transformed if everyone in this room looked for ways to serve their neighbors today – asking for nothing in return?

 

Beloved, I know that we do so much of this already, but can we all agree we have so much farther to go? Jesus has told us plainly that we’re to be salt and light to our world. And we’re going to really take a close look in the next two weeks about what that means.

But today I’m on a recruiting mission. I’m looking for a few good men and women and youth and children – I’m looking for Kingdom Disciples. Now – what’s a Kingdom Disciple? Well, a Kingdom Disciple isn’t simply someone who has a few right beliefs about God, Jesus, salvation, and the Bible. It’s not someone who’s only concerned about his or her personal salvation. It’s not someone who merely attends an occasional worship service or Bible study – Or listens to Christian radio stations or says a blessing before lunch at a restaurant or gives to charities.

Those are all good things to be sure. They’re important things. But if that’s what our view of discipleship is, then we have a truncated understanding of what it means to follow Christ – and we limit our abilities to help transform our culture for Christ.

Chuck Colson writes in his book, How Now Shall We Live? –

“Right after signing the contract for this book, and while still plagued by writer’s remorse (was I really convinced that this book needed to be written?), my wife, Patty, and I visited old friends for a weekend and attended their local evangelical church, which is well known for its biblical preaching. I found the message solidly scriptural and well delivered. That is, until the pastor outlined for the congregation his definition of the church’s mission: to prepare for Jesus’ return through prayer, Bible study, worship, fellowship, and witnessing. In that instant, all lingering doubts about whether I should write this book evaporated.

 

Don’t get me wrong. We need prayer, Bible study, worship, fellowship, and witnessing. But if we focus exclusively on these disciplines – and if in the process we ignore our responsibility to redeem the surrounding culture – our Christianity will remain privatized and marginalized.

 

Turning our backs on the culture is a betrayal of our biblical mandate and our own heritage because it denies God’s sovereignty over all of life.”

 

Beloved, a Kingdom Disciple is a follower of Christ who understands that because Jesus is Lord over every sphere of life, our faith is therefore, a total, balanced, and integrated world and life view – and consequently, he or she lives in faithful response to that truth.

Or to put it another way: A Kingdom Disciple is the person who has discovered that to faithfully follow Jesus Christ, he or she must think Christianly before he or she can live Christianly. And the surest sign that he or she isn’t thinking Christianly – is if he or she isn’t living Christianly. In other words – Christianity – our faith – is for every sphere of life. This is what I mean by Kingdom Discipleship.

And in my opinion, it’s only this kind of radical, biblical discipleship that will transform and redeem our culture for Christ. This is nothing more and nothing less than what Christ has called us to be in our text this morning.

Now, I don’t want us to get overly hung-up on the term, Kingdom Disciple. But the idea I’m trying to communicate is a very big deal. The term may be new to you, but the idea is old – it’s not original by any means. It’s just biblical, historic, and classical Christianity.

You see, our faith is supposed to permeate every aspect of our existence – as individuals, as husbands and wives, as children and students, as co-workers, and church members and neighbors and citizens and so on. The Dutch theologian, pastor and Prime Minister, Abraham Kuyper put it this way. He said:

There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: “Mine!”

 

Beloved, what if we lived our lives as though that were true – as though we really believed it with every fiber of our being? Do you? John Wesley and George Whitefield did. It’s been said by many historians that England was well on its way to its own bloody revolution, like France before it, were it not for these men and the gospel they preached and lived.

They preached a gospel that took in the totality of life. John Wesley screamed from the rooftops that Christianity is a social religion. Yes, it absolutely deals with an individual’s personal relationship with Christ. That’s essential. But that personal relationship must bear fruit corporately – socially. The church is a covenant community – not a village of hermits. “Lone Ranger Christianity” is a contradiction in terms. We must be here for one another, and as we are, we can transform a culture.

The revivals of the early Methodists produced not only spiritual revival, but brought forth political, educational, and economic reform in England. Lives were so completely and radically changed by the gospel of Christ that, as I said, a violent revolution was avoided. Beloved, this is our heritage – not only as Christians but also as Methodists.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 28:18 –

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

 

Paul says in Colossians 1:15-17:

He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [16] For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. [17] He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

 

Can there be any doubt that these texts, and the countless others like them, teach us that Jesus Christ is the Lord over the entire universe. And if he is, what does that mean to us? What will that truth look like in our lives? How can that truth transform, not only individual lives, but families, churches, workplaces, neighborhoods and communities, a culture, a world? We’ll begin taking a look at that next week as we investigate what the salty salt of Kingdom Discipleship looks like.

Blessings,
Dale

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