Brilliant Discussion

The following is a brilliant discussion between Francis Chan, Mark Driscoll, and Joshua Harris. I think Mark Driscoll's question regarding Francis Chan's view of sanctification regarding his recent decision to step down from Cornerstone Church is such an important topic facing the church in general. With the recent publication of "Radical" by David Platt, the church is being forced to deal with the balance of wealth and poverty in western culture. The error of the prosperity Gospel also exists in the poverty Gospel. What if God wants to bless you with wealth instead of poverty? God is for our sanctification whether he blesses us with wealth or places us in the middle of poverty. The issue in being blessed with wealth is our generosity with our wealth. Sometimes we fight against the things God might be using for our sanctification. We shouldn't seek poverty for the sake of poverty or wealth for the sake of wealth. We should see how God wants to reveal our need for sanctification in the middle of every circumstance. The problem in the church is our lack of real generosity.

Another brilliant topic of discussion in the video is the idea of discontentment in the church. Should we all just leave the church and start something new if/when we grow discontent? I think too many church plants are being planted by boys who got their feelings hurt and want to go play by themselves. We need church plants, but we need them to be planted by men who are called by God to plant. There is not shame in in being God's man in an existing church. We don't just leave because we think it would be easier to leave and start a new thing. We shouldn't make a move until God does something in our heart.

What's Next for Francis Chan? A Conversation with Mark Driscoll and Joshua Harris from Ben Peays on Vimeo.

Me Monster Minister

One of my favorite comedians has to be Brian Regan. If you've not seen his stuff you should spend a few hours unwinding with him on YouTube.



I was recently reminded of this particular video after a few friends attended a gathering where they encountered what Regan refers to as a "Me Monster." The "Me Monster" is a person who explicitly or implicitly can't help but talk about themselves. Regan's act is based on the explicit type, but I think the implicit type is a growing blind spot so it seems.

It's been a few days, but after watching this video over and over again with a few friends in my office I feel compelled to write a little about how I've seen Regan's "Me Monster" manifest itself in the life of those who serve in the ministry. (Not a particular minister mind you.)

Regan points out how the need for "one-upmanship" seems to be a part of the human condition and the human condition certainly doesn't get cast aside when you serve in vocational ministry. Let me just go ahead and say that I know there have been times when I too have been a "Me Monster." I'm certainly not writing about this issue from the outside.

I've seen the "Me Monster Minister" syndrome manifest itself in the desperate need for validation. We need a Ph.d., we need to be published, we need a jammed speaking schedule, we need commercials and bill boards. The explicit "Me Monster Minister" craves lights camera action so it seems.

I think the formula for "Me Monster Minister" is at least one part self fulfilling narcissism, one part desperately seeking validation to overcome low self-esteem, and at least one part lights camera action for reasons not entirely known to me other than we like to think much of ourselves.

The most subtle form of the "Me Monster" is the implicit kind. We all have the ability to sit down and point out the explicit "Me Monster" but the implicit "Me Monster" is harder to detect. This implicit leek is like a subtle smell that can be hard to pick up on for a while. First it disguises itself in jockeying for position and it's kept implicit when it's accompanied with applause as a result of some level of success or natural ability. It's even drawn out of us when we receive any level of affirmation from those we look up to and admire. The "Me Monster Minister" begins to believe his own press so to speak. Finally, the "Me Monster Minister" syndrome can be so implicit that it doesn't show itself until one "Me Monster" begins to get more press than the other. It takes one to know one...sometimes.

Humility in ministry isn’t so common. The two most humble guys I've served under are Jack Graham and Ronnie Deal. Both of these men have the highest profile in their church as lead pastor and both seem to be so comfortable in their calling they share their pulpit along with other roles and seek to affirm others rather than hold everything to themselves. Nearly everyone of their church members love them and feel empowered by them because they know these guys love the Lord and aren't allowing the "Me Monster" to breath in their lives.

Think about it this way: If we really believe that God is for us - should we spend so much effort trying to be for ourselves? The "Me Monster" says we need too because God isn't working on my time table or at least He's not doing it big enough.

Finally, a call to humility and prayer. "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23-24) “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

Crowd or Community?

How many "friends" do you have on Facebook? More than 200? More than 300? More than 500? Now answer me this. How many of those "friends" would you contact right now if you needed help with battling pornography, an eating disorder, depression, temptation, etc.? How fast does your list of "friends" begin to narrow?

Surely you agree that there is a difference between "friends" on Facebook and genuine community? After all, you wouldn’t send a Facebook message to most of your “friends” to reveal your need for help with a serious issue or struggle.

Have you ever stopped to consider the failure of having genuine community in your life?
One major difference between what I call "generic" community and genuine community is honesty. Just like you wouldn’t share your deepest struggles with all our Facebook "friends" you wouldn’t expect all of them to be completely honest with you either, would you? Anyone can update their status with useless advice but how much would you take to heart from those you are "friends" with on Facebook? Not that they would out right lie to you necessarily, but they might not risk a lot to call you on our junk either, right? Sometimes the dress does make you look a little...you know. Not me of course, because I don't where dresses...I'm a dude. As much as we hate to admit it...we need a community with one part honest Abe and one part mercy. If you're really stubborn you might even need a third part slap on the back of the head once in a while.

We see this failure to be honest in community in a BIG way on TV. Any American Idol fans reading along? My wife and I sometimes watch the first couple of weeks of the show. We like to watch when they’re visiting all the major markets across the country to find out who they’re "sending" to Hollywood. So, we see failure in "generic" community in this way. Surely if some of these contestants had genuine community around them someone would have prevented them from going on national television and making a fool out of themselves, right?

So we recognize that we wouldn't contact just anyone of our "friends" on Facebook in our hour of need and we wouldn't really expect legitimate honesty from those we share "generic" community. The thing we need to do now is talk about the role and importance of genuine community according to the Bible.

I once heard Matt Chandler make the following comment regarding Biblical community, "It was not the plan of God in the Scriptures at any point to create a person or group of people, to save a person. He has created and is saving a people."

Now at the end of Acts 2, verses 42-47 describe Biblical community following Peter's sermon. There are several key things we learn about Biblical community: (1) We rejoice with one another when there are times of rejoicing, (2) We mourn with one another when there are times of mourning, (3) Where anyone is in need, we help meet the need.

So while God is in the business of saving people, community is designed to sustain us...in part. We still can't overlook the most essential element of Biblical community: Gospel-Centrality.

Take a look at Romans 15:1-7.

1. You are your brother’s keeper. (V. 1)
We need a place to fight through immaturity. Surely you can think of some mature believers who have given you room over the years to be immature, right? People have put up with you in the past. We've got to learn that church isn’t a spectator sport. Real community requires personal involvement.

2. You need others to “build you up.” (V. 2-3)
We need others to tell us the truth – not just how pretty we are. The fact is you smell and you just can’t recognize it. Additionally, gospel-centered community isn’t self-serving. You need to be a part of this kind of community for the sake of others. We all play a role in helping one another along.

3. You need a gospel-centered community. (V. 4)
We find our hope in the God of the Scriptures alone! Self-help doesn’t work. The aim of gospel-centered community is magnifying Christ and learning how to apply the Gospel to every area of our lives. You also need a place to confess sin and repent from sin.

4. Your life is messy, complicated, and difficult. (V. 5-7)
It’s God working through us where we find strength/encouragement to serve one another through weakness and immaturity rather than seek to kill one another. God is the one who grants us with what we need to live in harmony with one another while working toward further sanctification.

So...

Starting praying for God to lead you toward Biblical Community and get connected to a church! Don’t spend your life moving from church to church. If you've never found one that was right...maybe the common denominator is YOU. Find a place and get involved. Find and join a small group where you can study the Bible and live life with other believers. I'll go even further and suggest that you form or find a same sex discipleship partnership where you can move through issues that might be more appropriate for same sex accountability.

Jesus said it would be like this

In John 16:33 Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Difficult days will come. When they do we can have peace because Chris alone has overcome the world. The peace of Christ comforts us because He alone is in control. It's the times of trouble that force us to deal with the fact that we are not in control and we need Christ to carry us.

So, when troubles times come take heart and remember…

1. Remember that God is the author of life.

Psalm 139

Where shall I go from your Spirit…even the darkness is not dark to you… you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

2. Remember God’s benefits promised to you.

Psalm 103:2-5

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

3. Remember that God works for your good.

Ecclesiastes 3

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

4. Remember God’s love and provision for you.

John 3:16

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

5. Remember God’s promise for those who are in Christ.

Revelation 21:3-4

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

God fulfills ALL of these promises through Christ.

1 John 3:1, “See how great a love the father has lavished on us that we might be called the children of God.”