Christianity's Exclusive Message

There is an exclusivity to Christianity that many do not like. We can trace it back to the original people who decided to follow Jesus. Many heard his teachings that were certainly powerful and life changing. But, a few actually applied them to their reality and that's when life became risky. The Christmas and Easter stories commonly make up what many believe about Jesus today. So, you might be wondering, how could the 'good news' about the baby born in Bethlehem or the even better news of Easter be risky? Like the Oreo cookie, the good stuff is found inbetween.

 

Jesus promised that someone greater would come after him. He said his followers would do greater things because he would return to the Father. The Holy Spirit would bring power. The Spirit would reveal God's truth about Jesus. This power threatened every alternative for understanding God. Jesus' exclusive claim to be God's son would set many on edge and eventually redirect the entire world. But, not toward peace as many would have it. Jesus redirected his followers into a battle. He encouraged them to cross every socially accepted line into a life that challenged the status quo of religious mediocrity.

 

Religiousity was not the answer Jesus left with his followers. Religion focused on what people did for God and not what God did for people. Religion tamed people like perfomers in the proverbial circus tent with trained wild animals performing very believable acts. Christianity would be very different. The lifestyle of a follower would reveal powerful evidence of a life that fully embraced the mission and purpose of Jesus. It would challenge every facet of religion, society, government and eventually the world stage. The hallmark of the Christ follower's life would be death. The Apostle Paul wrote that death would be a daily activity. I die every day! That is as certain, brothers and sisters, as my boasting of you—a boast that I make in Christ Jesus our Lord.I Corinthians 15:31 NIV.

 

It was a Sabbatical year in the Galilee. 5,000 men listened to the remarkable words of Jesus and 4,000 men gathered on the other side of the lake to receive his vision. Religious leaders anxiously watched and interpreted that an army was being assembled. The evidence of public miracles, exorcisms, and raising men from the dead ingited a holy conspiracy within the religious elite to rid the world of this powerful young leader. The exclusivity of Christianity had little to do with a world of peace. The exclusivity of Jesus would be confirmed by the Spirit of Truth. God's mission and vision would be realized in the lives of those who would follow Jesus Christ. Personal transformation is only one level of change. The risk is revealed when Christ followers apply the teachings to reality and change the world. I can't think of anything more exhilerating or risky. Can you? 

 

Jesus said, 'You are the salt of the earth. But, if salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.' Matthew5:13 NIV

-- 
Tyler R. Hughes

My Prejudice

The Pharisees.

The word set me on edge from the time I was in junior high. I was taught to hate Pharisees from the early stages of my Christian walk. I was taught Pharisees were the enemy of Jesus, hated Christians and killed Stephen - the first Christian martyr. I hated Pharisees. My hatred of Pharisees intensified over the years as the same interpretation was reinforced by pastors, teachers and professors. I was convinced the Pharisees were part of the Jews who accused, arrested, tried and killed Jesus! I was taught by people I respected with Biblical authority. I was taught....so I thought....right?

 

On one of my trips to Israel, a rabbi challenged me to learn about the Pharisees before I made any judgment about them. How could I make such a blanket statement of an entire group of people? What did it say about me of I only allowed one opinion into my heart? The rabbi challenged me to go deeper and find out if my judgment was truthful.

 

The truth was I knew nothing about first century Judaism. I was never taught about rabbinical schools. I didn't know names like Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Hillel, or Rabbi Shammai. I didn't understand the power a first century rabbi had as he selected students (talmidim) to follow him. I didn't know the theological arguments of the day or how each school interpreted scripture. I knew nothing of the great teacher's legacies or their powerful teaching. Their influence remains to this day as the main streets in Jerusalem are named Akiba, Hillel, Shammai. A whole new world opened for me. If you want to know more, please begin your exploration here to find out more about these great men. http://www.fishingtheabyss.com/archives/203

 

The truth is sometimes like a water droplet into a pond. One droplet of it can expand our mind and heart. It's purity has a power that defies logic. Scripture makes a case for truth as the power to set us free. The wise rabbi knew what he was doing with this talmidim and I love him all the more for it. As I learned to put aside my prejudice, I recognized another rabbi standing on the beaches of the Sea of Galilee. His words dropped into my heart and changed it forever. All he had to say was 'follow me.'

The Truth About Worship

Worship is a big deal to God. He knew it would be a big deal for us.

 

Worship is about what's going on in our heart, soul and mind. We tend to forget there's a war going on for our eternal soul. We are easily distracted. Once we're distracted, we believe worship is more about us than it is about God. We follow rabbit trails down deep holes into the darkness. Rabbit trails about style, content and environment lead us into further confusion and doubt. And that's exactly what our enemy wants us to do-get lost in the darkness!

 

But God shines a light into our darkness to help us find our way to Him. The true light that gives light to every one has come into our dark world. His name is Jesus. 

 

He doesn't need our worship but we need to worship Him. Jesus set us free from the truth that nothing we do could make us right before a holy God. Jesus did that for us. He makes us right and that's why we worship him. Our worship of him can be one of the most holy experiences on earth. Where two or more are gathered in his name, he is there with them. Corporate worship is a beautiful thing. Only God could invent it. Who would ever cast a vision of billions of people gathered together in one place forever in worship? It is only God's presence that makes this vision possible.

 

Worship is a big deal for us at Wheatland Salem Church. Jesus Christ made us right and secured our place with God for eternity. We worship Jesus for what he has done for us now and look forward to when our worship of him will last forever.

 

"All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being  in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." John 1:3-5 NRSV

The Hardcore Leadership Junkie's Dream: The Global Leadership Summit

The Willowcreek Global Leadership Summit is this week. I've been attending this event since 1997. It's the only event of this caliper and scope. No one does leadership like Willow. No one.

Amazing things happen when leaders take responsibility for their own development. A 'smash & grab' leader realizes her style creates more problems because she's deemed as untrustworthy and arrogant. A timid leader develops courage to have tough conversations and gains confidence in his decision making. A seasoned leader mentors others and finds an authentic way to share his leadership lessons on pain, grief and suffering.

I hope all leaders want to get better at leading, but that's not always the case. Unfortunately, leaders are some of the hardest people to convince they need to develop their skill set. Leaders are notorious for being trapped in the tower of their own making. Hard lessons are often taught as towers fall and leaders stand in the rubble wondering what went wrong.

The GLS has changed and developed over the years much like many of us who are hard core leadership junkies. What the changes reveal to me is exactly why I continue to attend each and every year. GLS leadership practices the humility they intentionally teach. They listen to feedback, discern the truth communicated and apply great ideas to innovate. They take participants seriously and honor who we are as leaders.

The GLS leadership serves leaders by providing a platform of world-renowned speakers who have expertise in areas from organizational health to eradicating global poverty. I've never left a Summit disappointed. I am always challenged as a leader when I leave. I go home with way too much to try and sift out. It takes days, weeks and years to apply what I learn. I am a better leader because of this event.

The Wheatland Salem staff will attend the GLS at a satellite facility in Naperville. My husband, Bill and I, will attend at 'ground zero' in Barrington. All year, I long for the experience to be in the room when the leaders take the stage and present their leadership wisdom. My hope and prayer is that God will ignite a passion in our leadership team to develop personal habits of becoming better leaders and allow God to reveal his will for us at WSC.