Genuine Gospel Transformation: Part 2

Over the past couple of weeks I've been reflecting on what we are really looking to see as evidence of genuine Gospel transformation in people's lives as the “good news” takes root in their hearts. In looking back over my life I realized how much I have been influenced by my own life experience.

From my own church upbringing I sensed a clear expectation of certain levels of behavioral change that would evidence the fact that someone was genuinely born again. This often included unwritten, but very well understood lists of both "dos” and “don'ts". We used to say tongue in cheek, “We don’t drink, dance or chew and we don’t go with girls who do….” The reality was that a vast majority of things on these two lists were "good" and were things that many maturing believers really should evidence. However, the problem was that the focus was on the surface behaviors more than on the genuine change of heart and mind that would naturally lead to acting in such ways.

The lists did include some things that were more cultural than Biblical and unfortunately they really didn't get to the heart of the matter, which is the change of worldview that is essential for genuine transformation to take place. Our desire should be to see people living their lives out of a genuinely Biblical worldview so that the values and virtues of the Kingdom of God are the natural expression of what it means to be a follower of Jesus in everyday life. 

As I look back on with the advantage of over 30 years of full time ministry experience, I am afraid that it often became more about behavior modification than the actual renewing of heart and mind that the Apostle Paul wrote about in Romans 12:1&2. I saw this lead to situations where someone could attend every church service, Bible study and prayer meeting in a given week, yet be a tyrant in the secrecy of his home and a lazy or dishonest employee at work. The “disconnect” in all of this is striking and breaks my heart.  In addition, it misleads both the person claiming to be following Jesus and those around him/her watching how they live toward a false understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

I agree with Dr. Paul Hiebert in his book "Transforming Worldviews: An Anthropological Understanding of How People Change" when he shares the fact that we cannot be content with seeing people simply moving toward right behavior and right beliefs as the essence of determining whether genuine transformation has taken place. We must see a transformation of worldview take place so that the way people look at the world around them and live their lives reflects the heart and character of God along with the virtues and values of His Kingdom that we find in the scriptures.

Why Plant Churches?

By Brent Kompelien

“Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches” (Luke 13:18-19 ESV).

It’s summer time and, if you’re like me, you are enjoying some of the best fruits and vegetables this world has to offer. Farmer’s markets are open for business, fruit stands show off their harvests, and grocery stores stock fresh produce from all over the country. In the midst of all this, I find it fascinating that the Kingdom of God is compared to a plant in a garden. Consider this: what is the best way to see more fruit in a garden? You may say, “Pull out the weeds,” or “Prune the branches,” or maybe “Water the plants.” These tasks are all necessary for the continued health and growth of a plant. But in order to exponentially grow more fruit for the Kingdom of God, I say, “Plant more plants that plant plants!”

I believe that the core mission of the church is to grow more disciples of Jesus Christ through multiplying healthy churches among all people. If disciples of Jesus Christ are the fruit of the Kingdom, then what better way to grow more fruit than to plant more churches? After all, more plants in the garden will eventually produce more fruit for the Kingdom! This principle is rooted in Jesus’ Great Commission.

Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded” (Matthew 28:19-20a). The idea of “going” to make disciples is also captured in the Paul’s letters when he calls himself an “apostle” (Romans 1:1; Galatians 1:1). This is a word that means “to be sent.” Jesus sends us out to the world to make disciples who will be baptized and who will obey.

When we see ourselves as sent ones who are growing disciples, we begin to reproduce fruit for the Kingdom. This is a foundational value that all churches should embody from top to bottom. New Christians should participate in evangelism events, home group leaders should be training new leaders, home groups should be multiplying, Sunday school teachers should have apprentices, worship leaders should be teaching young people how to play music, elders should be training new elders, senior pastors should have interns, and churches should be planting new churches.

It’s pretty simple: a healthy Kingdom of God is one that is reproducing new fruit-bearing plants. This means that we must plant new churches for more disciples to come to Christ. Let’s get to work!

Brent Kompelien is the Church Planting Resident for the Western District of the Evangelical Free Church of America and is training at Solano Community Church.

God is at work in South Sudan!

Check out the following blog from my colleagues Tony and Holly Freitas on some exciting Gospel transformation taking place in South Sudan through Community Health Evangelism.
http://freitasflyer.blogspot.com/2012/07/commun-ity-health-evangelism-at-work.html

Learning to Depend on the Lord

Over the past several days I have taken some time to reflect on what God has been doing in and through the ministry of ReachGlobal in Africa. It has been a humbling journey of looking back to see the amazing things that have taken place.

What has been most significant is to realize how little of what has happened is because of my personal gifts, abilities, and energy. The things that He has chosen to do have been way beyond anything that I could have imagined when I stepped into this role six and a half years ago. It has been encouraging to see how the Lord has given me the privilege to partner with Him and our ReachGlobal staff & partners in so many countries.

This time of reflection has brought me to the essential foundation upon which all life changing ministry is based, which is prayerful dependence on the Lord. I am convinced that it is the 300 people who receive our "PIT Crew Updates" every 7 to 10 days that are the engine driving so much of what the Lord is doing in Africa. These dear friends and supporters have committed to pray for us and the ministry in Africa on a regular and consistent basis.

I know they faithfully do pray as I have witnessed the hand of God moving in response to their prayers over and over again. I have seen that the Lord delights to answer the prayers of His people prayed in faith and in accordance with His will.

I am so thankful for the folks who have committed to be on our prayer intercessor team (PIT Crew) and who regularly hold us up before the Father in prayer asking in faith for Him to do extraordinary things in Africa to His glory.

I believe with all my heart what the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:20-21, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." I'm afraid too often we don't see Him do this because we don't ask in humble dependence on Him to work in powerful and dynamic ways at will bring Him maximum glory.

(If you would like to be a part of our PIT Crew please e-mail me at kevin.kompelien@efca.org and I'd be happy to add you to our team.)

Genuine Gospel Transformation

In many places in Africa the church has existed for decades, but the ultimate impact on culture and society is minimal at best. Under a veneer of the church there is a Christian culture where sin is not only tolerated, but is seen as normal behavior for some of those those claiming to follow Christ.

I heard several stories today where those claiming to be believers and even pastors and those studying to be pastors have demonstrated attitudes and actions that are in alignment with cultural norms, but not the Word of God. The troubling thing was that people didn't seemed troubled by it. Rather they seemed to respond with a "well that is just the way things are here..."

Certainly this problem is not limited to Africa. In over two decades of pastoral ministry in the States I found far too often the things that were talked about and affirmed on Sunday weren't lived out in the marketplace on Monday.

I have spent significant time in the past two months thinking about what genuine Gospel transformation looks like. I have read numerous books on the subject. N.T. Wright in his book "After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters" writes about genuine transformation as a living out of what he calls "the virtues and the values of the Kingdom of God" as a natural part of day to day life. My mind and heart were gripped by this idea, which can only be done through the renewing of our minds by the powerful work of the Word of God and the Spirit of God (Romans 12:1& 2)

I think it is time to begin to measure the effectiveness of the church less by the number of activities and events and people attending and more by people evidencing the values and virtues of the Kingdom of God in their day to day lives at home, at church, and in the marketplace. We are working in our ministries and partnerships to find effective ways to both press for this and to measure whether or not it is happening.

Back Online

It has been two months since I last posted on this blog.  Over that time my life was impacted by several both difficult and joyous times related to my ministry and family.  Our daughter-in-law went through a traumatic and life threatening emergency C-Section delivery of two beautiful twin boys.  My mother took a serious fall that eventually led to the Lord calling her home to Glory following more than five years of dialysis as a result of a serious autoimmune disease.  In the midst of all of this our ReachGlobal Africa Conference took place in Kenya, which was a delightful time together with our missionary staff, African National Partners, and other strategic ministry partners, and our youngest son got married to an wonderful Christian young woman. 

I can say that through all the ups and downs my family and I have seen the fingerprints of God all over everything we have experienced.  His grace, peace, strength, and encouragement were so evident both from the Holy Spirit and from the people of God each step of the way.

Life is now back to a little more sense of normalcy, at least as normal as life can get for someone who travels much of the time.  I’ve been in Germany and DR Congo over the past couple of weeks and have once again seen the Lord at work in His church in dynamic ways.

I plan to again post my thoughts on missions in Africa on this blog every week and welcome your thoughts, comments and insights.