talents

Jun

2023

Thoughts for Trinity Sunday

“Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5, World English Bible).

We trust in a God who goes beyond understanding

by David Sellnow

There is an ancient Christian creed that says, “We worship one God in three persons, and three persons in one God,” that “the Father is eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal. Yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal Lord God” (The Athanasian Creed). Can you explain that? That makes no sense humanly speaking, mathematically or logically. Yet we declare it to be true.

The conundrum of the Trinity is just one of the many secrets of God. Consider Jesus Christ himself. Jesus is Son of God and Son of Man. In Christ all the fullness of God is present in a human body, the Bible says (cf. Colossians, 2:9). Can you explain how that is possible, that God became human and lived among us? Incredible, isn’t it? Yet it is also true.

Consider the wonders God has done. Out of nothing, God made everything. He called the universe into being. Can you scientifically account for the intricacies of the created order? The most brilliant scientific minds continue to search and study such questions. God’s word asserts that his divine hand is behind it all. To quote a psalmist: “Heaven is declaring God’s glory; the sky is proclaiming his handiwork. … His lightning lights up the world … and all nations have seen his glory” (Psalm 19:1; Psalm 97:4,6, Common English Bible).

God tells us that he will one day resurrect our bodies from the grave. Dead tissue will come back to life. Scattered ashes and decomposed bones will rise up again as the same people who once lived in these bodies. Is that something you can devise and do at home? If we understood how resurrection could happen, surely somebody would be building a life-reviving business right now. But we don’t rationally comprehend such things. The miracles and mysteries of God are beyond what we can humanly conceive or do. It’s like Elihu told Job in days of old: “Surely, God is great. … My heart trembles and leaps out of its place” (Job 36:26, 37:1).

We believe in a God who goes beyond understanding. That is good–because where our understanding is limited, God is unlimited. His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9). Even the revered King Solomon, who was renowned throughout the world for his wisdom, readily admitted his inadequacy before God. It is Solomon who tells us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight” (Proverbs 3:5). Solomon’s own life story exemplified how following his own instincts became a meaningless “chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 2:11). He learned that apart from God, no one could enjoy life or have what they need (Ecclesiastes 2:25).

When we ponder God’s triune nature, we may offer analogies like water, ice, and steam (the same substance in three different forms). However, none of our illustrations do justice to the greatness of God’s being. I once tried my own illustration for a children’s sermon. I asked three of the youngsters in church to come forward, and I said I was going to combine them into one person. Then I put my arms around all three of them in a bear hug and squeezed and squeezed. They laughed, but of course, they could not all be one in essence together. Yet God tells us that he is Father, Son, and Spirit, each distinct, and yet all three unified as one together in the divine Being.

If we try to put God into a framework that fits our way of thinking, then as the author J.B. Phillips said, we’ve made God too small. As Phillips wrote, the immensely broad sweep of the Creator’s activity, the astonishing complexity of his mind’s processes (which science labors to uncover), the vast sea of what we see as God’s handiwork–all this is only a small portion of who God is. We have only a glimpse of his awesomeness in the small corner of the universe in which we human beings live and move and have our being.

We accept the greatness of God and all his miraculous doings on faith. Faith confesses that we live and move and have our being in God (Acts 17:28), though we can’t see him. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). We have not seen God, nor can we comprehend everything about him, yet we believe and trust in him with all our hearts.

And God is worthy of being trusted. He is the LORD, Yahweh or Jehovah, whose name means “He is.” He just is, always the same, always existing, always the Lord. From everlasting to everlasting, he is God (Psalm 90:2). The number of his years is past finding out (Job 36:26). He fills heaven and earth (Jeremiah 23:24). He rides on the wings of the wind (Psalm 104:2,3). He is beyond our reach and exalted in power (Job 37:23). He does great things beyond our grasp (Job 37:5). His greatness no one can fathom (Psalm 145:3).

I could go on and on with more quotes from Scripture. The Lord is amazing in every way. An English translation of the ancient creed I mentioned before said it with style: “The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible; and yet not three incomprehensibles, but one incomprehensible.” God is incomprehensible–infinite, uncreated, eternal, almighty. He is the Lord. Therefore, we trust in him–and our trust is not misplaced.

Solomon’s proverb pictures the contrast between trusting in God vs. relying on one’s own brainpower with an intriguing choice of Hebrew words. In English, we read, “Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5 WEB). The idea in the Hebrew word “SHa’aN,” (שָׁעַן) means to lean on something like you’d lean on a cane or walking stick. It holds you up, but barely. It’s a crutch that lets you limp along. On the other hand, for the Hebrew expression describing “trust in” the Lord, Solomon used another word: BaTaKH ( בְּטַ֣ח). It means to feel safe and fully confident, to have an unshakeable sense of security. To picture this, think of a young child finding security in her father’s or mother’s arms. Envision a sick or injured toddler, who is unable to understand the hurt. Still, she feels safe in her parent’s embrace. She will fall asleep there, calm and reassured. That’s what trusting God is like. And God is our Father. He is in control and can cure all ills. He is a very real help and refuge to us at all times, able to remove our fears (cf. Psalm 46). What a blessing to be held up and carried in his everlasting arms (cf. Deuteronomy 33:27)! We need not wobble along with only our own intelligence or ability to prop us up.

We recognize that God “dwells in unapproachable light” and “no one has ever seen or can see” him (1 Timothy 6:16). Yet while God is unapproachable, unimaginable, in so many ways, he does not wish to remain unknown to us or unseen by us. He wants us to be able to stand before his throne and see his face (Revelation 22:4), to know fully and see face-to-face the glory that is his (1 Corinthians 13:12). To that end, he provided a way for us to know him and come to him. While “no one has ever seen God, It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known” (John 1:18). That, ultimately, is the basis for our trust in the Lord. We trust in God not because it makes such good sense or we understand every detail about eternity. We trust in him because he’s shown us such great love and safeguards our souls.

Faith consists not in trying to hold ourselves up with the crutch of our own understanding, but relying fully on the strong rock who is God, trusting in the Savior God provided (Jesus), believing because the Spirit has convinced us all this is true. That’s all we really need to understand. We know Jesus, and Jesus is sufficient to meet all our needs (Hebrews 7:26). Jesus bridges the gap between us and God. The peace which God gives us goes beyond all understanding, and keeps our hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). We rest assured when we are resting in God and his promises.

Let me add just one more thing as we conclude this meditation. Confessing that God goes beyond our understanding doesn’t mean we stop using our understanding—our minds and all the other good gifts with which God has blessed us. Trusting in the Lord doesn’t mean we go through life saying, “God knows what’s best for me, so I’ll wait for a sign from heaven”–about what job or career path to pursue, or what decisions to make. We use our minds and the skills God has given us. We take stock of ourselves, assess the gifts and abilities God has given us and the opportunities set before us, and we make decisions. Trusting in the Lord and not leaning on human understanding doesn’t mean that when we get sick, we’ll decline seeing a doctor and just say, “I’ll pray about this, because I know God can heal me.” We will pray, but most certainly also will make use of help and resources available to us in God’s created world. All the while, we know that even if modern medicine cannot cure us, not even death can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord (cf. Romans 8:38,39).

Photo by Jessica Lewis Creative: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-mug-with-religious-text-from-holy-bible-4200823/

Our God has created us with much ability, much understanding, many resources and tools. We will use all those things to navigate our lives as best we can. But as people of faith, we also have this underlying confidence: A loving God who is far greater than us is always with us. When life hits us with challenges bigger than we can handle, when we can’t answer all the questions and dilemmas of our world, when death is on our doorstep or takes loved ones from us, when we are at our wit’s end … we still have our God, our heavenly Father, holding out his arms to fold us into his embrace. We still have our Brother, our Savior, Jesus, who gave his life for us and gives us life eternally with him. We still have our encourager, our Advocate (John 14:26), the Holy Spirit, who fills up our hearts and enables us to live with hope. Dear friends, fellow believers, we have peace of mind and peace of heart in knowing God. And the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit will be with you, always (cf. 2 Corinthians 13:7).

Scripture quotations, except where otherwise indicated, are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Mar

2023

A creed for personal confidence

For those who may struggle with low self-worth and pressure themselves into perfectionism

This past week’s podcast episode of Cafeteria Christian was entitled, “Giving Up Perfectionism for Lent.” The thoughts shared there reminded me of many ministry students I worked with over the years. This was something I wrote for them.

– David Sellnow

Confidence anchored in Christ

I am a child of God. I have a Father who has lavished me with his love and calls me his very own. I need not worry about what anyone in the world thinks of me, because I am already and always a child of God. And what I will become in my future with Christ is even greater than I can imagine. (1 John 3:1-2)

I am a worthwhile person. I have talents and abilities that are uniquely my own. I don’t need to try to be as this as someone else or as that as someone else. Each person has their own gifts to use, their own role to play. I simply will accept who I am and the character and gifts God has given to me. I won’t worry about what I’m not or what I haven’t yet become. I will walk in the Lord and with the Lord, and he will lead me to surmount whatever challenges I face. (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12)

Image credit: Ridwan Jaafar on Flickr

I am a human being. I know that I fall short of glory in so many ways, but that hasn’t stopped God from loving me or redeeming me. I do not have to achieve perfection as a person. Indeed, I need to admit that I can’t achieve perfection, even in small things. I will stop trying to chase perfection in one thing after another, because such a pursuit only wears me out in body and soul. Instead, casting all my anxieties on the Lord, bringing him all my weariness and burdens, I know he will care for me. I will find rest for my soul. (Romans 3:23-24, 1 Peter 5:7, Matthew 11:28)

I can conquer all things through Christ, who loves me. I can do all things through him who gives me strength. I may be weak and frail in myself, but Christ’s grace is sufficient for me. His power is made perfect in my weakness. The only perfection I need is his. No task, no challenge, no hardship, no criticism, no pain or pressure of any kind will ever be able to separate me from the love that God has for me or the love that my friends in God have for me. So I can love myself. I will love myself. In Jesus I am loved and lovable. In Jesus I am strong and capable. In Jesus I am alive and life is livable. (Romans 8:37-39, Philippians 4:13, 2 Corinthians 12:9)

I am human. I am imperfect. That will always be the case, as long as I walk on this earth. But I will walk tall and grow strong, because my Lord and his love go with me. No one—not even I myself by my own insecurities—will be able to stand in my way, because my God will never leave me nor forsake me. (Joshua 1:5-9)

I am loved. I am a child of God. I need not be discouraged or afraid.

A version of this article was published in 2014 in Forward in Christ magazine.

Sep

2022

Humility = Service (part 2)

For Labor Day, 2022

Be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

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This post is a follow-up to last week’s post on Humility = Service. The thoughts stemmed from readings for Pentecost 12: Proverbs 25:6-7, Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16, and Luke 14:1, 7-14.

Acknowledging our ability to be of service to others

As we consider, humility and service, a second point needs to be made. If you read the previous post, maybe my descriptions missed some of you. Quite likely, a number of you are not pushy or bossy or intrusive or insistent. You let others go ahead of you. You’re patient while waiting your turn. You are completely content to be the quiet person in the back of the room. You aren’t looking to be on center stage. That may be just fine … but it also may be unhelpful. Let’s consider what can happen when you are too humble, too self-effacing, too willing to keep quiet on the sidelines.

I’ve seen humility go too far and impede godly service to one another. Too often, people who have gifts to serve and gifts to lead are asked to use those gifts, and they say, “Oh, no, not me. I can’t do that.” They sound like Moses when he hesitated, saying, “O my Lord, please send someone else” (Exodus 4:13).

I remember a meeting of a board of elders at a congregation. It was suggested that the elders do more than have meetings. The proposal was that every other month–instead of just meeting around the table at the church–they would start with a prayer, then go out to scheduled appointments to visit with church members. The elders around the table turned pale as ghosts when the suggestion was made. Doing the actual work of ministering to others frightened them.

Or there was a woman in a congregation, someone others looked up to. Others would approach her for advice. She was spiritually well-grounded, and others could see that. When her pastor asked her to take on a more formal role, as a deaconess in the congregation, she professed all sorts of humility and said she wasn’t worthy of such a role. Maybe that was okay. Maybe she didn’t need any official title. If she continued doing the mentoring she was doing when others approached her, that would still be good. But she needn’t have shied away from stepping up to higher responsibilities, when asked to do so for the good of others.

When someone calls upon you to “come on up” to a higher position of responsibility, or to a task of leadership to which you are particularly suited, are you ready to answer that call? Or will you let an excess of humility get in your way?

If you are called to come up to a higher place and serve others around you in your life, don’t wave a white flag of humility and say you’re not worthy. It’s quite true that none of us are worthy by our own virtue to serve as ambassadors for Christ. But Christ, in his mercy, has given each of us gifts and calls each of us into unique roles of service. “If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly” (Romans 12:8 NLT).

This principle applies not just in your church life, such as the church examples I gave. Being ready to step up and serve applies daily in your personal life. Each of you has connections, situations, opportunities that arise day by day. When an occasion arises which calls you into action, that’s not a time for you to hide in humility and say, “Oh, it’s none of my business,” or, “Someone with more knowledge or skill should be the one to help.” The situation is in front of you now. The friend or neighbor or family member is needing you now. Don’t pull back, afraid. Be open to others’ needs. Be ready to help as best you can. Most of all, just be. Be present. Be there for people when they need you. When someone is calling out with a need, recognize that God may be calling you to step into action. Often those calls are not verbally expressed, but you know the need is there. Without being a busybody, you can offer yourself as a friend, as an ally in Christ. You can offer resources and referrals to other sources of help too. Look for those real-life opportunities to be Christ to your neighbor. “Who knows? Perhaps you have come to [the position you are in] for just such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).

Acting on behalf of others is a way of exercising proper humility. You don’t use humility as an excuse in such situations, backing away and ducking out. You exercise humility by putting others’ needs ahead of your own, others’ comfort and care ahead of your own potential discomfort and fears. You use your time and your talents in the interests of others. Having humility and compassion means you’re not just looking out for yourselves. Through your love and labor, you become humble and devoted servants to one another (cf. Galatians 5:13).

In your lives, what opportunities are presenting themselves where someone is saying, “Friend, come on up” to a higher place, to an added responsibility, to a role of helping or leading others? Keep your eyes and ears open for those opportunities. Keep your spiritual senses tuned in. Recognize that God is calling you to use your gifts in humble service to your neighbor. When you see someone hungry, you’ll be ready to give them food. When you see someone thirsty, you’ll give them something to drink. As Scripture urges (Hebrews 13:1-3), you will “let mutual love continue.” You will “show hospitality to strangers.” You will “remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them.” You will do whatever you can to assist those who are feeling tortured (experiencing pain or suffering in their lives), ”as though you yourselves were being tortured” along with them. You will “continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God” by doing good for others and by sharing yourself and what you have with others, “for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Hebrews 13:15-16). You will welcome into your life “the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind”–those who cannot repay you–knowing “you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 7:13,14). In doing even just the little things for those who seem the least significant or least influential in this world, you offer service to Christ, who says to you, “‘Truly I tell you, just as you” do these things for “the least of these who are members of my family,” you do it for me (cf. Matthew 25:35-40). Amen.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Aug

2020

Healthy self-assessment

For the sake of our service in Christ

by David Sellnow

The Epistle appointed for this Sunday got me thinking. Of course, all of Scripture is inspired and prompts our pondering on many levels (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17). But a particular line in today’s pericope sparked the thoughts I’ll share here today.

Here’s the verse from Paul’s letter to the Romans: “For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned” (Romans 12:3).

Thinking of ourselves with sober judgment is difficult. We tend to go overboard in one direction or the other. Some church members may hold their own opinions and desires paramount over others and will try to control a congregation’s agenda to suit themselves. At the same time, other church members can be overly humble and self-effacing. Yes, we are called upon to live in humility (Ephesians 4:2). But that doesn’t mean adopting so low a view of ourselves that we hold back from serving others. Church leaders often struggle to find persons for needed ministry roles when members shrink away from teaching or witnessing or leadership, thinking themselves not up to the task.

Trust me, I’m not lecturing anyone with this bit of blogging, as if I’ve attained the ability to do appropriate self-assessment. I’ve erred on both ends of the spectrum. At times in my life, I’ve been way too full of myself, thinking I was somebody important. At other times, I’ve been overly hard on myself, thinking I had no value to anyone and nothing to offer. Perhaps your own self-image has followed a similar pattern, sometimes puffed up, other times entirely deflated.

We’re not alone in this dilemma. Even Moses had to learn about estimating his abilities humbly and honestly. Having grown up in a position of privilege in the royal palace, he envisioned himself as hero to intervene on behalf of his people, the enslaved Israelites. “One day, he went out to where his own people were. He watched them while they were hard at work. He saw an Egyptian hitting a Hebrew man. The man was one of Moses’ own people. Moses looked around and didn’t see anyone. So he killed the Egyptian. Then he hid his body in the sand” (Exodus 2:11-12). Moses had thought too highly of himself, presumed too much authority too soon, and ended up fleeing for his life. He spent decades as a shepherd in a foreign land and started a family there. After many years, God decided it was time for Moses to take on the mantle of leadership. But when the Lord then came to call Moses be his prophet, Moses balked. “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:11)? He objected, “Suppose they do not believe me or listen to me” (Exodus 4:1)? Even after the Lord demonstrated miracles that would validate Moses’ divine calling, Moses still offered an excuse: “O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue” (Exodus 4:10). And when the Lord kept pressing, saying, “I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak,” Moses pleaded, “O my Lord, please send someone else” (Exodus 4:12,13).

God considered Moses the right man for the job, but Moses had stopped seeing himself as someone who could do anything of significance. Of course, we know whose view of the situation was accurate and whose wasn’t. With God’s strength supporting him, Moses became the leader God intended him to be. After his death it was written, “Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt … and in the sight of all Israel” (Deuteronomy 34:10-12).

When it comes to our own service in Christ’s kingdom, may God preserve us from presumption and arrogance as well as from minimizing or degrading ourselves. May we not think of ourselves more highly than we ought … but also not more lowly than we ought. Rather, may we consider our abilities as God’s servants “with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned” (Romans 12:3). We want to see ourselves through a lens of humility, but not a warped lens that fails to see ways we can bring benefit to others in our world. As the apostle Paul urged elsewhere, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3-4). A key part of looking to the interests of others involves healthy self-assessment of gifts and talents and skills we possess, which we can use in caring for others. Rather than saying, “O my Lord, please send someone else” (Exodus 4:13), when we have the abilities and opportunities, God help us to say, “Here I am; send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).

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Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Dec

2019

Building others up

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on November 19, 2017.

Building Others Up … Not Tearing Them Down

by Morgan Shevey

If your family is anything like mine, the time when everyone comes home from school can be a tense situation as everyone gets used to living with one another again. The long vacations are often not harmonious as we all, myself included, criticize every little thing that does not happen to our liking. We send disgusted looks when someone wears a rather original outfit or sneak in a scathing comment when another family member does not sweep the floor well enough. Every single thing is seen as being wrong and is immediately subjected to judgment.

The same issues often arise in the church, as we come into contact with individuals of different backgrounds and gifts. Again, we find ourselves judging others who do not dress up enough for services or have taken a completely different approach at conducting worship. What makes it worse is that most of this criticism takes place behind our fellow believers’ backs. Tearing down our brothers and sisters in Christ becomes our focus, rather than praising God. Our mission of spreading the gospel to all people cannot be accomplished if we are too busy nitpicking the actions of fellow members of our congregation. Instead, we are called to build each other up with encouragement, which will bring us much closer to a unified goal.

Negative criticism does not benefit anyone

Judgmental criticism can easily become a sinful habit. Many people criticize and judge others because they think it will make them feel better about themselves. In reality, they remain just as empty inside. Being judgmental toward others cannot fill whatever void is inside them. A critical individual is only doing more and more damage every time they openly judge a fellow believer. People will be pushed away if we continually tear apart their opinions or ideas. We are told “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29). We can reach more of our fellow believers by encouraging them in their work for Christ. They will be more responsive to our opinions and our teaching of the Word if we speak words of encouragement.

We do not know what others are going through in their lives

We want to be careful about criticizing others, because we do not know what is happening in their private lives. Every Christian struggles with something. Even if they do not show it, it does not mean that there is not more going on in the background. Criticism can bring down their spirits and make it more difficult for them to trust the promises that God has given. Our judgment can block them from reaching out for help when they need it. “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbor for his goo to build him up” (Romans 15:1-2). Our role as Christians is not to elevate ourselves by tearing others down, but humbling ourselves to be servants to those who need it. Encouraging words show our love for others as well as our willingness to help them in every situation.

Everyone has gifts and talents that are worthy of praise

The God-pleasing lives that we do see deserve our honor and respect. God has bestowed the blessing of numerous talents and abilities on his people. These gifts exist to serve the church is a variety of ways and each person has a place in the mission of spreading the gospel. Instead of discouraging others from using their gifts because it’s “not the way we do things,” we seek to praise others for their humble service to the church. “Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church” (1 Corinthians 14:12). Recognizing the amazing talents of others compels us to use our own gifts to the best of our ability. By encouraging everyone to use their abilities to the fullest, we, in turn, are encouraged to do the same.

We are only perfect through Christ

While we strive to live according to God’s commands, we are unable to constantly resist temptation. No one is perfect, we all know this full well. Every single individual born into this world has inherited sin and is unable to keep from sinning on a daily basis. Our criticism of others is a perfect example of this. But why tear down others when we fall under the same temptations that they do and will be subjected to the same judgment by God on the Last Day? Only through faith in Christ can we be perfect in God’s eyes. Therefore, criticizing the actions of others is hypocritical, since our sins are just as numerous as those of any other Christian. Instead, we are invited to “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13). Until the day that Christ takes take us home to heaven, we want to take every opportunity to build up our fellow Christians.

Every day we are presented with opportunities to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ. By working together and building one another up, the mission of the church can be carried out to all parts of the world. When we are tempted to criticize or judge others, we remember that Christ never judged us, but loved us enough to sacrifice himself for the sake of our sins. Our eternal judgment has been taken away forever because of our Lord. Through his gracious love, we have become his children, forever free from judgment. In his name, we seek to build one another up always, that we may continue to live in blessing under God’s almighty hand.

Dec

2019

Working together to further the church’s mission

by Dillon Solomon

Originally published on the Electric Gospel on March 24, 2017, this letter to a congregation addresses issues that can be seen in many Christian churches.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ’s church,

I hope this letter finds each and every one of you well! I thank God that we have the opportunity to be counted among the Lord’s believers and for all the blessings he has given us as a congregation.

Through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus, we have been made alive. Through that very same life, death, and resurrection we have been welcomed into the family of God and have been made part of the body of Christ himself. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Jesus Christ … Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household” (Ephesians 2:13,19). With this divine citizenship comes a holy unity, a bond that pleases God. In fact, he urges through the apostle Paul, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit– just as you were called to one hope when you were called” (Ephesians 4:2-4). We are called by the same gospel message to faith in the one true God.

Along with this spiritual unity, God desires unity within our physical church. We can take these same passages and apply them to our work as a congregation. We strive to be patient with one another in dissenting opinions and bear with each other in love when we face difficult decisions. Keeping this fact in mind will go a long way towards unity: each and every member of the congregation looking out for the best interests of the congregation and God’s universal church as whole. Every single member is integral to the success of the congregation, as every single member is a part of the body of Christ.

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully” (Romans 12:4-8).

Only through unity can we accomplish—to the best of our abilities—the mission God has placed before us. We acknowledge that there will never be a truly perfect unity on this side of heaven. In spite of that, it is good to discuss things with one another, and even argue a little bit, regarding the best interests of the church, so that you can grow as a congregation. So I encourage you to keep working together towards a strong fellowship in Christ—a fellowship that allows for divergent opinions to converge into one mind, within the one body of Christ, as you work towards furthering Christ’s church.

Finally, brothers and sisters in Christ, I urge you not to become apathetic. We have a tremendous blessing from God by having easy access to his word. It can be easy to sit back and go through the motions of being a Christian or even to worry about our own internal struggles as a congregation. However, God speaks to us through the apostle James, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:26). Our works as are the beating pulse of our faith; they are the indication of living faith. It’s hard for us to put a sign of invitation out in front of our church if no one can feel the pulse of our evangelism. Jesus himself told us, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). But our reason for doing this shouldn’t be simply, “God commands it.” Instead, take a moment to think about what Jesus has done for you, all of the sins he has taken away, and how, now, you have a place reserved for you in the eternal bliss of heaven. Is that not an incredible feeling? How can we not want to share that feeling with others? And so I urge you, as redeemed children of God, take this feeling of joy and use it. Use it to embolden our evangelism efforts. Use it to tell that friend or coworker the simple, yet powerful, message of the gospel. Because sometimes that’s all it takes: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all!

Dec

2019

Developing talent in the church

Originally published on The Electric Gospel on September 26, 2014

I had written the following article with with a church focus … and also wrote a non-religious, soccer-oriented version of the article that was published in the September 2012 Minnesota Soccer Times. Church-oriented readers might appreciate the spiritually-focused version of the article.

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Player Development on God’s Team

by David Sellnow

“Everyone is important on this team,” the soccer coach said at the 13-and-under squad’s preseason meeting. He sounded like he meant it … but as the summer wore on, Mindy wondered. She and three other girls spent most moments of most games on the sidelines. For five minutes of each 35-minute half, they’d give the starting midfielders a breather—time enough for those players to come off the field and get water. Then the starters resumed their roles, and the subs became spectators once again. Mindy’s interest in soccer waned. She lost hope in her own potential as an athlete. A year later, when the high school held tryouts for the JV team, Mindy didn’t participate.

According to Fred Engh, founder of the National Alliance for Youth Sports and author of Why Johnny Hates Sports, this sort of scenario plays out far too often in children’s sport programs. Rather than encouraging confidence, strengthening skills, and building game readiness in all players on their teams, too many coaches are content to let weaker players be little more than benchwarmers so that the “better” kids can notch more victories.

I’ve been wondering—do we do something similar sometimes in our churches? Every individual in the church is an equally valuable member of God’s “team,” so to speak. We know that there is no favoritism with God (Ephesians 6:9), and that the healthy involvement of every person in the church is God’s desire (1 Corinthians 12). So we’ll want to engage in “player development” that not only helps each member of God’s team grow stronger in faith and faithfulness, but looks to get every teammate “into the game,” that is, actively serving in the mission of the church.

Sometimes we do that; sometimes we don’t. A couple examples from actual congregations, in which “player development” was not pursued …

An accomplished violinist offered to play for church. The pastor of her large congregation (not a fan of the violin) felt that pipe organ was the most effective instrument for corporate worship, and declined her offer.
At a tiny church, two members had some skill for keyboard playing—one quite more skilled than the other. The less accomplished pianist was asked to discontinue playing for services, because the other volunteer was a stronger musician.

Now a couple instances of positive “player development” …

A small church didn’t have enough voices for a full choir, nor anyone with the qualifications to serve as choir director. Undaunted, a small group of singers got together and practiced anthems they could sing in unison (sometimes accompanied by a member who played bluegrass guitar). They also rehearsed new hymns so they could lead the congregation in learning them.
Before a church school’s Christmas services, students in the school’s band take turns playing solo, duet or quartet pieces as pre-service music while worshipers gather.

These few examples focus on involvement in church music—which is only one aspect of the church’s life. Innumerable ways exist for involving God’s people in godly service, if we are willing to work with each person’s God-given gifts and acquired capacities. For example, a college student didn’t think she could do evangelism, but her pastor asked her to come along. Her bilingual fluency enabled her to serve as his translator when visiting nearby Hispanic neighborhoods. (In the process, she became quite capable as an evangelist too.) In the church that asked one of its two musicians to step down because her talents for playing and time for practicing were limited, could not a plan have been created to keep her involved—perhaps once a month, with simpler song selections and liturgy assigned for her days to play?

If our efforts to involve members consist of bulletin announcements saying, “Volunteers needed for this or that,” likely we’ll find the same group of “starters” stepping up to play all those roles. If our concepts of Christian service tend to remain fixed, in the form of standing committees or particular duties that habitually have been in place, quite possibly we are overlooking unique aptitudes and varied talents that some of our members on the sidelines possess.

Just as every player on a sports team desires—and needs—to take part in each game the team plays, each member of “God’s team” needs nurturing and encouraging to use skills that God has given him, to employ abilities God has bestowed on her, to get into in the “game” which is far more vital than all mere earthly pursuits—the mission of Christ’s people to sing his praises and to “declare his marvelous deeds among all peoples” (Psalm 96:3).

Rafe Esquith, an award-winning teacher in a central Los Angeles elementary school, laments how many kids’ sports programs just “keep feeding the ball to their best players.” (The chapter, “Put Me In, Coach,” in his book, Teach Like YourHair’s On Fire, would make profitable reading for every physical education teacher and youth sports coach. The whole book is worth reading by anybody involved in teaching, at any age level.) Esquith consistently labors in his PE classes to teach all the kids an understanding of the games they play and patiently instructs them in the fundamentals of each sport. Every child is seen as a player in progress, as someone with potential to be shaped and developed.

A similar attitude will be beneficial in our spiritual pursuits as “teams,” that is, congregations. The tasks and undertakings of different individuals will be different, but all can become part of the teamwork of church work. God calls on every Christian to pursue life as a “living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. … In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully” (Romans 12:1,5-8).

If we consider the measure of faith and personal giftedness that God has granted to each individual in his church, how many other areas of service might we identify?

If a man has athleticism and the gift to teach patiently, let him coach at the church’s combination sports camp / vacation Bible school.
If a woman’s gift is a capacity for careful listening and godly advising, let her serve as a mentor for young mothers in the church.
If an older child’s gift is brotherliness—a kindness and gentleness in dealing with younger children—let him be a helper in the Sunday School preschoolers’ class.
If a teenager is gifted with artistic flair and a knack for expressing the gospel’s beauty in visual forms, let her create artwork for banners or for backgrounds on the church’s projection screen.

What opportunities for “player development” can you discover for the talented people God has put together as your “team”?

We trust in a God who goes beyond understanding

For those who may struggle with low self-worth and pressure themselves into perfectionism

Confidence anchored in Christ

Acknowledging our ability to be of service to others

For the sake of our service in Christ

Building Others Up … Not Tearing Them Down

Player Development on God’s Team

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