Update and new Blog

I will begin preaching my last series for Missio Dei Church, Asheville beginning this Sunday, May 2. We will take 12 weeks and work through Habakkuk: wrestling with faith. I hope that it will be an encouraging series for our community.

This is the final post for this blog. With the transition to plant a new church, I am blogging here.

Sermon from Cancelled Gathering

Because the kids will not have the option of Treehouse and Sprouts and the nature of the sermon, combined with the desire to keep on track with our sermon schedule, I thought it would be helpful to cover the text here.


Below is an abridged version of my sermon notes from Sunday (Dec. 20). I hope that it is readable and helpful.

Intro:
God is going to reveal His rule over all things to the world. He’s going to use us to accomplish that task (all of us) – in particular, He’s revealing this through a “sexually whole us.”

Text: Eph. 5:3-14

What does the text say?
Paul turns from self-sacrifice to self-indulgence
(v. 3) Three main subjects, sexual immorality, impurity, and covetousness (greedy)
o These things are not to be named among the set apart ones
• These should not characterize the life of the believer
o These things are completely alien to a god-honoring lifestyle
o Paul works from the broken outward expression (sexual immorality) to the inner working of the heart (greed)
o It's interesting to note how greediness is ultimately expressed through sexual perversion

(v. 4) No filthiness, foolish talk, or crude joking…instead thanksgiving
o Not only is the expressed act wrong, so are perverted discussions, because this is really about what's going on in the heart.
o These types of speech are “out of place” for a people who have been rescued and given new hearts
o Thanksgiving stands in contrast to sexual innuendo, because it recognizes God’s generosity rather than a selfish attitude
o SEX IS NOT AN AMUSEMENT FOR GREEDY PLEASURE
o Casual, vulgar, discourse about it cheapen it’s beauty, steal it’s pleasure and reveal a darkened heart.
• We don't behave this way toward sexuality because we are ashamed or afraid of it, but because we have a high and holy view toward sexuality.

What does the text mean?
• Participation in sexual immorality, “impurity,” and greediness demonstrate a relationship that is broken from God and each other
• We want joy and God-honoring sexuality – our experience is often perverted because our view of sexuality is too permissive or too restrictive.
• There are both proper and improper ways to express sexuality (in practice and in conversation).

How do we resist?
• We are so exposed to sexuality in promotional and negative forms that we lose the wonder of it.
• Divorce
o The number 1 reason for divorce in the US is infidelity
o 80% of those who are unfaithful are caught (the other 20% either admit or simply walk away from the marriage)
• Only 3% marry the person with whom they committed adultery and 75% of those marriages end in divorce (devastation)
o 78% of marriages that have experienced infidelity yet remain together describe the marriage as unhappy or empty (devastating)

• Our view of sexuality is usually too loose, or too restrictive
• Too loose = Sexuality (in all forms) is good and should be liberally pursued
o Anything and everything goes (“as long as you’re comfortable”)
o We should talk openly and graphically
o Exposure to sexually explicit material has no effect on how we express our own sexuality (lie)

• Too restrictive = Sexuality (in most forms) is bad and should be fervently avoided
o It’s a necessary evil
o We shouldn’t even discuss it
o The church has embraced this view OR has only highlighted what is bad about sex and doesn’t “reconstruct” with a biblical view of sex

• Some of us have had bad experience with sexuality because we’ve sinned or because we’ve been sinned against and so sex is gross for us.
o What we need is to have our minds renewed, so that we can have a fresh perspective on sex.
o When there is betrayal, then we need to go back to the foundation of the marriage, because trust has been devastated and the whole thing has exploded. We need community around us during this time

• Most of us don’t have to look at our lives for too long to realize that we have some unbelievable brokenness sexually
o We’re either trying to recover from devastation, or we’re having problems connecting sexually, or we’re struggling with feelings of guilt and shame…on and on.
• We need something with power to come and rescue us…from ourselves.

Why does this matter?
(v. 5-6) Sexual immoral, impure and covetous (greedy) has no inheritance
o Those who act that way and talk that way are excluded
o Not just in the future, but also in the present “has no inheritance”
o Don’t be deceived…exclusion is certain!
o These things invite the wrath of God
(v. 7) Therefore, don’t participate with those who do such things
o This doesn’t say to stay away from them, but not to participate with them!
• Joy/wonder/intimacy and the picture of God with His people is lost when we treat sexuality lightly

How is Jesus the hero?
• Jesus’ death on the cross breaks the back of Satan’s deception about sexuality
• We can be forgiven for past sexual sins and have the opportunity to have future security, peace, comfort etc. that godly sexuality brings
• Jesus' Kingly rule frees us to use our sexuality as joy-filled acts of worship
(v. 8) You used to do this, but now you are “children of light” so act like it.
o Main motivation is not simply punishment (or withholding of blessing), but a living out of the mighty change that occurs because of Jesus.
• We should set godly examples when participating and talking about sexuality
(v. 9) Your walk should be categorized with what is good, right and true
o SHOW THAT YOU ARE NOT GIVEN OVER TO IMMORALITY, IMPURITY, ETC
o The Bible does not forbid talking about sex or engaging in sexuality, but it does outlay the right picture of it.

What does repentance look like?
(v. 10-14) Strong encouragement to change way of life – no longer be consumed with darkness, but expose the right view of sexuality on your former dark past = Jesus offers wholeness, even among the sexually broken
• Sexuality is not to be God, nor is it to be avoided, but to be sacred, enjoyed and valued in it’s place, for what it is.
• Even the sexually broken can experience wholeness
Sex is a gift – an act of worship within marriage
• Marriage is the context of sexuality – leave mom and dad (grow up), cling to wife (get married), become one (sexuality of persons)
(v. 10) Be discerning = there isn’t an absolute standard here
• NOTE – there is not an outline of how to participate and talk about sexuality – there are prohibitions and freedom
Guidelines for sexuality
• Sexuality should promote “oneness”
o This means it is part of a lifetime commitment to one another (not a one night commitment to yourself
o This means that others are not allowed into your bedroom (Heb. 13:4).
• Lust for anybody besides your spouse is sin (Matt. 5:28)
• Unmarried = fornication
• Married = adultery
• No porn, no fantasy life, don’t encourage your spouse to look like other people. Your spouse is your standard of beauty.
• It should not be accompanied with shame for one of the partners
o We all come into the marriage relationship with some sexual “baggage,” which will relent as the relationship grows.
• One of the ways Missio exposes light on this issue is through our Hope House ministry – a recovery home for teenage girls who have been tricked/forced into prostitution

Questions for Reflection
• What are the top three things that need to change in me?
o The views I have that are greedy or dark
o The practices that do not promote “oneness” with my spouse.
o Confess those to Jesus, to your spouse (if applicable)

New Series - Death to Life: The Letter to the Ephesians

This Sunday we will begin our new series on Epheisans.

Along the way, I will be writing theological articles on topics that come up throughout the book. We will have these available on Sundays and I will publish them here.

Needing Some Feedback

I have two issues that I'm batting around that I'm curious about:

1. Missio Dei on the City
Bryan and I have batted around the idea of setting up a social network for Missio Dei Church, similar to Facebook, but available only for members so that we can engage in frank "family" discussion. The website is called, "The City" and was developed at Mars Hill Church. We utilize this heavily in the Acts 29 Network and find it to be a remarkable tool.

The positives:
This would allow our members a way of continuing spiritual dialog that arises out of sermons, community groups discussions, service projects, etc.
It would offer another connection point to assist in communication.
The dialog can take place in an environment of safety as it will not be open to anyone and everyone.
The site would allow us to keep upcoming events in front of people as we can utilize it to advertise things.
The site would serve as a place to share prayer requests that come up in the middle of the week, so that we can pray as a community.
The site could facilitate planning meetings and provide a place everyone can come and continue a discussion.

The negatives:
It is one more social networking tool that isn't necessarily streamlined to other places you may already be connected (i.e. Myspace, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, blogs).
It is not free.

Would you utilize this if we offered it?

2. Fall Series on Ephesians
As I begin prepping for the fall series, I am curious if it would be helpful to put together a study guide to aid your study of the book as we work through it together. The study guide would include background information that would be helpful, but not timely for a Sunday morning setting (i.e. in depth look at authorship, setting, etc.). Would this be a helpful resource, or would we be picking them up from the floor on a weekly basis?

Feedback highly anticipated.

Ministry Structure at Missio Dei Part 1

Missio Dei Church began with a general dissatisfaction with the many and varied forms by which church was being done. It seemed as though the grand story of God’s Gospel and Kingdom were at best forgotten and at worst, being ignored, minimized or changed.

While it’s very easy to deconstruct church paradigms, it takes heavy reliance on the Spirit through prayer and Scriptural study to “reconstruct” what the church should be. Many are asking good questions, but not digging into the Bible and thus are coming up with creative and new ways of being disobedient to God and the Gospel.

The dream at Missio Dei was that we would not come up with new ways of doing church. Our intention has been to always “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), so that things such as virgin birth of Messiah, inspiration, infallibility, inerrancy, authority of Scripture, necessity of faith in Christ alone, etc. were not up for debate. Missio Dei, to be a faithful, Christ honoring church would have to remain committed to an unchanging Gospel, contextualized to a changing culture. The Gospel would be the foundation of our community.

The Gospel, as presented in Scripture is not simply a way into the Kingdom. It is the way of the Kingdom of God. The Gospel expressed in the Scriptures teaches us that human beings were created to be perfect reflections of God, husbands and wives, parents, developers of culture, etc. (Gen. 1:26-28). In essence, humans were to be a people who rule over creation by living according to God’s truth, in communion with God and one another. Adam, our first father, failed and since the fall of our father Adam, by nature and by choice, we are fallen in our capacities and abilities from being what we were created to be. And because of this, God Himself curses us (Gen. 3:17-19, Rom. 8:19-22). Albert Wolters describes it precisely saying, “Whether we look at societal structures such as the state or family, or cultural pursuits such as art or technology, or bodily functions such as sexuality or eating, or anything within the wide scope of creation, we discover that the good handiwork of God has been drawn into the sphere of human mutiny against God” (Creation Regained, p. 54).

The good news is that there is One who would perfectly rule over creation, live according to God’s truth and commune with God and man. Jesus was the perfect image of God and came to rescue (John 6:38-40). Jesus form of rescue was not simply an example of a better way to live (though it was that), but He was condemned in humanity’s place. Three days after his unjust murder on a Roman cross, He rose from the dead and ascended to the Father (Rom. 5:6-11). The aim of Jesus is to bring new life and vitality to the fallen, broken creation; to restore creation’s original purpose (Col. 1:15-20).

Jesus is working to restore creation through the church, whose call is to promote renewal in every area of creation (John 20:21, II Cor. 5:17-21). This authoritative sending activity of God is not simply propositional (Matt. 28:18-20). The goal of making disciples takes place in the context of relationships. This means that, in everything we do, we are to be engaged in building friendships and showing the beauty of the gospel (the hope of redemption) to the world around us. We attempt, though imperfectly, to spell out personal and corporate (group) beliefs and behavior patterns that show the larger society what the Kingdom of God is all about.

With this Gospel-centered vision for the church community, and a desire to organize in simple and honest ways, I began reflecting on how we would express the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:27)and mobilize the church to effectively go into the city with the Gospel. The convictions that formed our ministry design included the commitment to facilitate environments where the Gospel is preached for clarity, applied to life among fellows on the journey, and shared with our culture through service. These environments lined up neatly with the offices Christ came to fulfill and the areas in which he succeeded where Adam failed.

The offices are Prophet (declaring the truth of God), Priest (communion with God and people), and King (ruling over creation). They shape our environments of gathering for explanation/proclamation of the Gospel, community groups for exploration of the Gospel, and lifestyle service for expression of the Gospel.

In future articles, I’ll unpack how these environments are played out in the context of Asheville, a creative urban hub for the spiritually and morally disenfranchised of the Southeast.

Missio Dei Praxis: Faith Worth Sharing

Our Spring Membership class is underway and next Wednesday, May 6, we'll kick off our practical theology (Praxis) class. Theology that doesn't connect to and challenge the way we do life, so we're going to do our best to connect the mind to the heart to the hands. We hope to inform your thinking, motivate your heart, and process the tools to make sharing the gospel a reality (without being sales pitchy).

Week 1, we'll look at the tension of the absolute control of God in all things and the responsibility of people to respond to God. Week 2, we'll explore the reasons that we're not fully engaged in sharing the Gospel (lack of information, opportunity, trust, concern, relationship, etc.).
Week 3, we'll coach through some ways to develop a lifestyle that communicates trust in the Gospel.

You can sign up by filling out a connect card at Sunday's worship gathering or emailing Pastor Kurt (kurt@LivingUncommon.org).

Holy Week at Missio Dei

This Lenten season, we have participated in ancient fasting in remembrance of the suffering of Jesus before His final and greatest work. Some of our community groups will be partaking of Passover Seders this Thursday evening and our building will be open on Good Friday for guided prayer according to the following schedule:

7am - Meditation: Incarnation of the Christ
10am - Meditation: Trials and conviction of the Christ
12pm - Meditation: Mockery, torture and crucifixion of Christ
3pm - Meditation: The death of the Christ
6pm - Meditation: Burial of the Christ

The schedule roughly follows the timeline of the cruicifixion (not trying to be precise here). Prayer times will last between 15-20 minutes and we'd love to have you participate.

On Sunday, we will consider what Jesus accomplished in death and celebrate the resurrection. Both of our bands will be combined for a fuller sound. I've relented and we are going to sing, (big gulp) "I'll fly away." Looking forward to celebrating with you all.