Are you a hoarding church or a healthy church?

I was privileged to grow up in a small church.  There was no music group, no rapid growth, some teens but not a huge peer group.  But what there was in the church was a gospel generosity that was healthy and outward looking and consistently gave away people to mission and ministry elsewhere.  As I look back on that church, not perfect by a large stretch of the imagination, that healthy generosity is what really stands out for me.  It is no surprise that for a small church it has produced a disproportionate number of pastors who lead churches elsewhere across the country.

It is only as we planted a small church and as we labour in it where the growth is slow that I now realise how amazing that gospel generosity really was.  The temptation as a church and as a church leader is to hoard people, especially good people, especially if you are situated in an area without a regular influx of newcomers.  It is immensely costly to give away your people to other ministries and other churches.  It feels painful and costly and can make something that is already fragile feel even more so.

In the books they tell you that such generosity provides an opportunity for someone else to step up, and yes it does, but let's be honest, off the page, that doesn't always (often) happen.  But I am convinced that gospel generosity is right.  As I read Acts I'm struck again by the generosity of the church in Antioch in who they send out on mission, it's not the developing leaders, it's not the people with potential, it is key leaders.  The challenge as I read that is to have that same gospel generosity in the way I think about church and those God has given us to disciple.

The temptation is to hoard.  To focus on our needs.  But we are called to a bigger focus, a kingdom focus.  It is costly to train people up and send them out.  It is costly for the pastor and for the church.  It is particularly so for a small church but if we get the big vision of need and kingdom and see ourselves as stewards how can we not.  It's a good question to ask ourselves as churches and as leaders - are we a hoarder or are we healthy?

Haggai 1 - God's call to get Building

Here are the notes from LightHouse last night on Haggai 1.

 

Israel and Judah have been taken into exile in Babylon, Jerusalem and the temple have been destroyed. They have been allowed to return, just as God said, by Cyrus and began to rebuild both the city and the temple. But it hasn’t been without difficulty, there’s been opposition and hardship and the people are disheartened and discouraged and have stopped building the temple.

Now it is 520BC and Darius is king and in his second year Haggai brings God’s message to God’s people.

Prioritise God

One of our problems with Haggai is his focus on the temple. We don’t have a temple, the church building isn’t the equivalent, in fact Jesus challenges the role of the temple in his ministry, and in Acts worship moves away from the temple.

But in the Old Testament the temple was hugely significant to the people of God. Turn to 1 Kings 8, here we see Solomon praying as he dedicates the temple, he acknowledges that (27-30)the temple cannot contain God but is a place where God chooses to dwell with his people. It’s a significant sign to God’s people that God hears their prayers(31-32), brings justice(33-36), and forgives sin. The temple was even a place where foreigners could call on God(41f). It was the centre of social, religious and political life for the people of God, and when it was destroyed they were devastated. We don’t have an equivalent, but the closest would be if in one terrorist attack Buckingham Palace, Canterbury Cathedral/St Pauls, and the Houses of Parliament were all destroyed at the same time.

God’s presence was what set Israel apart from the nations around them, what made them distinctive and the temple was the visible reminder and evidence of that. No temple, no sacrifice, no atonement, no identity as the people of God.

Do you see why this was such a devastating blow to the people of God? The issue isn’t about a building. The modern application of this book in its call to rebuild the temple is not to build a church building, or to refurbish it or put a new roof on it. That is trivialise and externalise God’s message and his concern. This book is not about buildings but about the place God occupies in our lives. For us there is no temple to build, no sacred building because in Christ we are filled with the Spirit and become the temple as we meet together as living stones.

But the problem in Haggai’s day is that people have given up building(2-4). God doesn’t just know that they have stopped building but he has heard their excuses for doing so. “The time has not yet come.” We would build the temple but the time isn’t right, we need to wait a bit longer. Maybe they were waiting for opposition to totally stop then they could rebuild safely without any threat to worry about. Or perhaps they were waiting until they were less busy working on their own homes and security, then they’d have time to dedicate to God. Maybe they were waiting to be wealthier, or have more skilled builders so they could do a better job of rebuilding. Or they maybe they were waiting for a sign that now was God’s time for them to continue building the temple.

Whatever the reasons (3-4)God knows that they were just excuses “Is it time for you to be living in your panelled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” You see the contrast God is making you have time to build your own elegant, opulent homes, wealth enough to invest in panelling, time enough to give to that, but not to rebuilding the temple.

You see what God is saying don’t you? Time isn’t the problem priority is. They are concerned about the wrong house. They’ve become consumed with their own comfort and prosperity and concern for God has been pushed to the margins. And God highlights his glory and majesty in how he reveals himself to them, he is Yahweh – the I am, the eternal one, the creator and sustainer. But he also reveals himself here as Lord Almighty – that is the God of heavens armies – the one who is glorious. And yet you won’t rebuild my house. You are not concerned to make the most of my promises, my presence, you are unmoved by the chance to return to what you were.

It brings to mind Matthew 7 “seek first the kingdom of God.” We’re prone to the same problem, the problem of distraction. To get taken up with, or find our time and energy consumed by things other than the glory of God. We struggle with exactly what they did, in terms of building our homes rather than God’s kingdom either through preoccupation with work and earning more, or by a focus on our nuclear family, or in a hundred other ways.

And we are just as good at making excuses as they were. The time hasn’t yet come because... the children are too young, I just need to do this first, work is really busy, I need my time off to rest and so on...

In the same way God cuts through their excuses and calls them to think about their hearts and the place they’ve give him he calls us to think us tonight. Whose kingdom am I seeking? Not mentally but when I examine my direct debits and my diary?

Trusting God to secure our Future

We live in a consumer society where we satisfaction is only a purchase away, where there is always something more to get, to attain, to experience, to have. There is always a better way to be satisfied to be fulfilled, and the warning is don’t stop or you’ll fall behind. Security is having the next best thing, be it investments, gadgets, fashion, whatever.

There is nothing new under the sun because that’s exactly where Israel find themselves(6-9). But God has a shock in store for them, they can’t find fulfilment because he isn’t letting them, they can’t find security in having enough because he’s teaching them to find their security in him, to trust him to secure their future.

(5-6)Whatever they do they don’t have enough, life is like a purse with holes in it – isn’t that a great picture – doesn’t life sometimes seem like that?

And the surprise here is (9-11)God says that’s his doing, not because he doesn’t love them but because he does. Barrenness is not because God has left them, it’s because through it God is lovingly disciplining them. He wants their life to be better than they could possibly make it even if their effort succeeded, because true security will only ever be found in him.

In fact God’s discipline has been just as he promised it would be if his people forgot about him in Deuteronomy 28, drought, a lack of harvest and so on. God loves them and wants to bless them but won’t allow them to be satisfied without him – because that wouldn’t be real satisfaction.

Let me just pause there to address the issue of blessing. Sometimes I think we’re a bit squeamish about the idea of blessing as a reaction against the prosperity gospel, but there is a danger in that which leaves us thankless for what we have. Does God want to bless us? Yes God does, and some of those blessings are material. If you have a home, a car, an education above primary level, a job, an income you are blessed. Family and children are blessings from God, leisure time is a blessing from God, your church family is a blessing from God. I could go on. Recognising God blesses us isn’t saying that God wants us to have a Mercedes, a mansion, model wife or husband and a million. What I’m saying is that God’s blessing is in his supplying our needs. Think back to Matt 7 “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Jesus promises that god will provide and as a result of his loving Fatherly nature. Unless we get that God blesses us in our everyday provision we won’t be thankful.

But what God is teaching here is that he won’t allow his people to be satisfied by things that only satisfy temporarily. God delights in a people who seek him, who live trusting him. The key to security isn’t found in work, in our bank balance, in stuff, it’s in knowing God who provides.

That is so counter cultural. Our society seeks security in working harder, longer, smarter, better. But God says re-orientate your living. We will only put God first if we trust that he will provide everything else we need, that he will provide security.

What will this look like?

It isn’t an excuse for laziness, notice (8)God calls them to work. But it is a call to trust God. It might look like turning down a promotion or overtime so that you can go to gospel group, or serve in church. It might mean not taking a job elsewhere in the country because you’re committed to God’s kingdom in this location. It might mean not working Sunday’s on study, or encouraging our children not to do school work on Sundays. It will mean ensuring we encourage our children to read and understand the Bible and serve in the church as much as we teach them phonics times tables or push them at school. Because we know what will bring security is seeking God’s kingdom not trying to secure life ourselves.

What will secure our future and our children’s? Seeking God’s kingdom, knowing that he lovingly will provide.

Putting God firstHere’s my confession, I find it hard as a preacher not to be envious of Haggai. Haggai gets to see in a short time span what pastors and preachers long to see when they share God’s word with people. (12-15)The leaders respond and lead the people to repent, a repentance seen in their recognition that the charge God makes is just and the rebuilding restarting. And notice God encourages their response. It’s as if God is longing for them to respond so much that he is just waiting for them to start and then he stirs them up even more.

God comforts them with his presence with them, as they seek him he will be found by them and be with them. God is like the Father running out to welcome his run away son home again. God works to discipline, call his people and stir up his people and willingly waits to bless, comfort and empower his people. And as they build they find they have everything they need, there was no need to wait.

As we examine our hearts, as we consider we have that same promise but magnified. We aren’t called to build a physical temple but to be living stones being built up into God’s temple where his Spirit dwells as we meet together. This isn’t just a call to individuals to put God first but to commit to a community where we put God first in terms of our commitment to one another and to ensuring one another goes on and grows(1 Peter 2:5).

Putting God first is a call we need to hear. ‘Consider your ways’, look at your heart, look at your actions, commitments, your anxieties, your security. Am I trusting God? Am I putting him first?

Do I need to repent? Do I need to realign my priorities with his? Seeking first God’s kingdom is not an individual task, it’s a communal commitment. We seek God as we hear his word and put it into action in our lives, living equipped with our eyes fixed on Jesus. As we love others by giving generously to meet needs be it of our wealth or time because we love and trust God who promises to provide.

Here are the discussion questions we discussed afterwards:

1. What stops us putting God first? 

2. Do you think of yourself as blessed, why or why not? How can we be more thankful? 

3. What does it look like to seek God’s kingdom?

The complete good news

Luke 4 and 5 are proving to be very challenging chapters as we see Jesus set out on his mission to make the good news of the kingdom of God known. That good news begin that he has come to bring freedom and the year of the Lord's favour.

We live in a world where we create a false dichotomy between words and actions, even within the church there is that debate when it comes to evangelism. With Jesus you see that there is no debate he simply engages in mission. A mission in which he speaks the words that bring freedom and that show his authority but which is also people centred and demonstrates to them what it is like to be in the kingdom.

He then goes on to call his disciples to come be fishers of men. To engage with his mission of proclamation but also of action. The call for us is to engage with those around us showing them the difference the kingdom, which we are in because of the gospel, makes. Just as Israel was God's light to the nations as they lived out their calling as a royal priesthood so it is with us. We must preach the gospel while modelling its effectiveness.

The battle with the pragmatist within

Its one of the first questions people ask about anything isn't it; does it work? We are always looking for the quick fix, or if not the quick fix for something that definitely yields results and behind the question is the unspoken mantra that if it works it must be right.

But how do we take apply that to the church? Is it fair to ask if it works? And if it does, is it fair to then assume that if it works it is right?

I think it is always worth asking if it works. In fact I think its a necessary of church ministry. When the Apostles can't heal the boy in Matt 17, they want to know why. When in Acts 6 the churches ministry is off balance they ask whether it works and take the step of appointing the 7 to ensure that it does what it should do and they can do what they should be doing - praying and being witnesses. So asking if something works, evaluating it is always worth doing.

But we also need to always evaluate on the basis of what the Bible says. Are our evangelistic events being attended by peoples friends and family? What changes can we make, well we can change venue, we can change activity, we can adjust our overall strategy and look to build bridges and show the relevance of the gospel. But what we cannot do is change the gospel!!! And it can seem subtly attractive to do so, to leave out judgement, to soft soap sin, to talk of forgiveness and love, not why you need forgiveness and the danger of opposing God.

When we evaluate what we do we must not given in to the inner pragmatist who wants numbers at any cost. And its not just in evangelism. What about what we teach about divorce or any other moral issue, the Bibles teaching is not populist. Evaluation is good, in fact it is right but only as we sit under the authority of God's word as it evaluates us and our actions.

Do I trust the promises of God?

How can I be sure that God will do what he promises? When Luke 12 tells me not to worry about food, clothes, what to wear, opposition, and even death, how can I not worry? Well the chapter exhorts us not to worry because of the character of the God we serve.

Because the disciple lives in relationship with the God who always keeps his promises, his or her Father is a faithful God. Just think for a minute about all the promises God makes in the Bible. If God was going to break one of them I think the one to break would be Genesis 2:17; as God puts Adam and Eve in the Garden he warns them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle and promises “for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

Have you ever thought about the cost to God of keeping that promise? The keeping of that promise sees the ruin the perfect creation; it brings death into the world, not just physical death but spiritual death as a result of their rejection of God’s rule. Yet when Adam and Eve eat the fruit God keeps his promise and keeps on keeping his promise. He keeps his promise at such cost to himself that it sees his son take flesh, it sees Jesus pray in garden “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me…” and yet willingly go to the cross where he takes on himself the curse of corruption and death promised in Genesis 2.

So can I trust God to keep his promises to me? The living God does not lie and so God the Son gave himself at the cross, what more proof do I need that I can trust God? If God keeps that promise at that cost to himself then when God says he knows what I need, that he will give us what we need, he will do so.

The disciple’s decision is to live in the light of the God they have been brought to know in Jesus. It is a decision not to worry but to seek God’s kingdom. I need reminding of that as we plant a new church and face the unknowns. I am, we as a church are to seek a kingdom with different values and priorities; not to consumed with possession or worries about wealth or anything else but to be concerned with delighting God. To be in the kingdom is to be under the rule and reign of God, to seek the kingdom is to look to put that rule and reign into action.

Change

How are you with change? Do you look forward to it? Do you dread it? Or do you take the ostrich approach and bury your head in the sand until the change has happened. This next couple of weeks is a time of lasts. Yesterday was my last morning preach at BEC before we start South Doncaster Community Church. This Tuesday is the last home group before we relaunch as an SDCC home group on a different night with some different people. Then next Sunday is our last Sunday at BEC.

It is exciting to be involved in starting a new church as well as scary, talk about taking risks is fine when everything is a long way away but now we are well into the reality. Leaving a church of 180-200 to go with about 30 adults to start a new church, leaving youth work our youngsters all love for something new, which I'm sure will be good, leaving friends and family you see every Sunday, leaving the comfort and support network that has built up over 4 and a bit years.

But God is good and the uncertainty is to drive us to pray, not Father God make it a success, though that would be nice, but Father may we bring you glory and make the good news about Jesus known. There are loads of encouragements and things to praise God for and well as people we have met and come to know better.

The last passage I am preaching on at BEC next Sunday evening is all about seeking God's kingdom first above comfort, security, and wealth. God is good even in the terms of preparation he knows what we need to be thinking about and putting into practice.