Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe is on the move!

The Bible college originally began at the castle in Austria which was purchased by Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa more than 25 years ago. As nation after nation began opening up to the gospel with the fall of the Soviet Union, CCBCE then moved to Hungary with a strategic vision to bring the gospel to Eastern Europe. With many of these countries now having national pastors and leaders at the helm of mission-sending churches, the frontier of missions for CCBCE is now moving further East.

Where is CCBCE going?

The country of Georgia is located in the Caucasus mountains—a place where east meets west. Georgia is strategically positioned as a bridge between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Seventy-six percent of Georgia’s population belongs to the Georgian Orthodox Church. Georgia was the second country in the world (after Armenia) to adopt Christianity as the official state religion in 326 AD. Georgia borders Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia. It is in close proximity to Iran, Iraq, and Jordan where visitors from these nations are welcome to travel freely to and from Georgia for leisure, education, and business.

Doors are opening wide.

Georgia is surrounded by nations that have historically been difficult to reach with the gospel. And yet, the doors of many of these places are now shaking. God is doing a work throughout the world and we believe that He is going to continue using CCBCE to train pioneering leaders to venture into these places and beyond with the gospel. Five years ago, Jed Gourley and his family moved to Tbilisi, Georgia to plant a church. Now three and a half years later there is a growing body of believers. CCBCE will work in conjunction with and under the umbrella of Calvary Chapel Tbilisi.

When is CCBCE moving?

Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe will move this summer. Our Fall 2020 semester will begin in Tbilisi, Georgia, in September.

What will it look like?

The first year of classes will be an experience like no other. As foundations are being laid in this new country, opportunities for CCBCE students abound. By living in Georgia, students will interact with, and serve those who have access to places we as foreigners seldom do. Along with new opportunities that will arise being a part of this new church plant, students will be raised up and discipled in the Word of God through the Bible college programs. Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe will continue to welcome students from all over the world.

CCBCE Programs

ASSOCIATE OF BIBLICAL STUDIES: 2-year Calvary Chapel Bible College program with an emphasis on missions

SCHOOL OF MISSION: 1-year program of cross-cultural training and equipping for missions and church planting

A VISION FOR LIFE: 40-day summer youth discipleship program

Students can apply now!

We are now accepting applications for our Fall 2020 semester at ccbce.com

Yes, this is really happening! Beginning this fall, CCBCE is moving to Georgia. As you pray for us, should the Lord put it on your heart to be more involved in this endeavor, please feel free to contact us.

To God be the glory, great things He has done and wondrous things He is about to do!

Apply Now!

We find ourselves living at a time of great fear, sorrow and disappointment. Many of us are faced with dilemmas that we never expected, like layoffs, furloughs or closing down our businesses, i.e. burying a dream that you’ve worked so hard for. Some things that are being missed during this time simply can’t be recovered: a wedding day, a family’s first baby shower, a senior year of high school, a mother’s 60th birthday, the list could go on. For these and a thousand other situations, there isn’t a redo; you can’t get back these moments, and that is something to lament!

But there is more to lament than personal disappointment right now. There is the pain and grief that the world is not right. There are the millions who have been laid off, the thousands that have died, and the many living in fear and total social isolation. Our current situation has created and highlighted these and a thousand other issues. What can one do? Lament.

What do I mean by lament?

Lament is a passionate state or expression of grief or sorrow. Lament follows the theme that, at one time, everything was good, but now all is lost. Lament is an intense, almost violent form of grief-stricken prayer. This concept is something almost entirely absent from the western Church, but was and still is very prominent in Jewish life and Eastern cultures.

I do think we’ve seen a culturally relevant example in recent history in one person in particular – Mr. Rogers. That saintly man carried the grief and pain of others in his soul. He acted as a counselor and friend for the children on his show, the children’s families and production crew members. He made deep, personal investment into the lives of those around him, seeking to know their names, their stories, and following up when he’d see them again. And though his daily process involved speaking into children’s lives, all too often, there were no ultimate answers to the issues they were facing. Both the theatrical biopic film and the recent documentary highlight a frequent occurrence that followed the taping of his shows: when filming finished and the studio was empty, Fred Rogers would often bang on his piano. I think in some way, Mr. Rogers was practicing lament (though without words) when he would pound on the keys. You could hear the anger, the pain and the protest in his playing – that’s lament. Lament is the outcry when there is no answer; it’s the pain of the process. Lament is the expression of the pain of the journey without an end in sight.

In our culture, we are very uncomfortable sitting in grief; we want to move to the good and the hopeful quickly. The idea of lament is not a comforting or comfortable idea to us. If we’re ever brave enough to practice it, we do our best to make it brief.

Maybe that’s because it feels hopeless and dismal to us. Lament doesn’t fit the western ideal of “Happily ever after,” nor does it fit our Systematic theologies of nicely categorizing things. I love what Oswald Bayer has observed: “Systematic theology (in dealing with suffering) in general tends to refer to a happy ending all too hastily and fails to take seriously the fruitless disorientation of the journey in all its uncertainties.” For the follower of Jesus, joy is the final word on the trials and difficulties we experience in life. However, much of that earthly experience will be marked with hardship, suffering, grief and lament.

Doubtless, this is why lament takes up significant space in the Biblical story, recognizing that we are living in a world that was never meant to be – a world filled with dark forces, evil, violence, decay, sickness, disease and death. We live in a world of sin.

Lament bemoans the world that is. But Biblical lament does so because the world is not what it should be (good God, good creation) and not what it shall be (redeeming God, redeemed creation).

“Lament can refer to the mystery of God, ‘his ways are not our ways.’ It can refer to the false absolutism of rationalism, to which postmodernists now react legitimately. It can reflect on distrust of an ordered universe, and on disbelief in the sovereignty of the creator. It can reflect the amount of pain and suffering humans can endure, collapse under, or transcend, resulting in post-traumatic nervous stress or in post-traumatic spiritual growth.” – The Psalms as Christian Lament, Walke, Moore, and Houston.

A basic framework for lament is orientation, disorientation, reorientation. And this can be seen in many Psalms, which can function as a guide for us through lament. The Psalms direct our complaints, our fears, our doubts, our failure, our praise, our needs and our hopes, to God and God alone. Along with this, the Psalms permit us to speak to God in total, raw authenticity and unfiltered honesty. Yet, they never leave us there. The point of scripture is to shape our hearts and minds into the right kind of thoughts and desires, to be and become God’s faithful and righteous people. I desire that by looking together at these very raw and unfiltered Psalms – the Spirit would shape our raw emotions and confessions into the right emotions and confessions.

For our example, let’s look at Psalm 44. In this Psalm, like many others, everything was great. Security, prosperity, victory – Israel was living in covenant faithfulness to Yahweh. Then something went terribly wrong. They lost a great battle, and they’d been bereaved, killed and humiliated. But how can that be? Wasn’t it YHWH, the Most High God, who fought for Israel? Had they lost God? Had God abandoned them? Was God asleep(vs.23)? What was going on? Rather than becoming stoic, nihilist, or cynical, the Psalm will teach us to take our complaint or lament to God, the one who sees, hears and knows (Exodus 3:7).

So let’s break down Psalm 44 into our three-part framework. It might be helpful to grab a notebook and work through this exercise with me so we can apply these principles personally.

1. Orientation.

Verses 1-8 express the idea that “everything was good.” This part of the Psalm helps us identify God’s goodness and faithfulness in times past. That he has been faithful in all seasons and situations. Take a moment to read through this section. Then, write down a brief list of God’s goodness and faithfulness to you in the past.


2. Disorientation.

Verses 9-22 articulate the Psalmist’s observations, a feeling that all was lost and a desire to understand what was happening. This part of the Psalm helps us identify our grief. What is bringing pain, frustration or fear into our lives? Bring these things as complaints to God. Remember, one primary function of the Psalms is to teach us to take our lives – every part of them – to God. Cast your cares upon him. Take a moment and list out (at least) three laments from your current situation.

Now focus on v22, and contrast it with Romans chapter 8:31-39. How does this passage complete the lament of Psalm 44:22?

3. Reorientation.

Psalm 44:23-26 presents the Psalmist’s appeal for redemption. Take this lament and make it your prayer: What is it that you want the Lord to do for you? Be specific, not generic. Be honest. Say what is in you and not what should be in you. Take this prayer with you into your week. Each time you feel those feelings of doubt, fear or abandonment, etc., take it to our Lord who journeys the way with us. Lament can lead us into a fruitful time, leading to a deepening of our love and trust in God.

Ultimately, lament can express a more profound trust in God, or it can wholly reject God. Lament can become either the spiritual experience of trustful humility or the defiance of God in pride.


Biblically, lament is a transitional state like the Exodus: a tempted environment of murmurings and distrust, or joyful anticipation of the promised land.

So Church, as we are traveling through this wilderness season, a long journey of unknowns, of scarcity, of fear on the right and the left; the temptation for us will be like that of the children of Israel – to question God’s goodness, love, faithfulness and promises. The temptation will be to doubt Him. And this is where the Psalms, and especially the Psalms of Lament, can teach us. The Psalms direct our complaints, our fears, our doubts, our failure, and our praise, our needs and our hopes to God and God alone.

Martin Luther, commenting on the richness of the Psalms, said:

“Where do you find deeper, more sorrowful, or pitiful words of sadness than in the Psalms of lamentation? There again, you look into the hearts of the Saints, as into death, yes, as into hell itself… When they speak of fear and hope, they use such words that no painter could so depict for your fear or hope, and no Cicero or other orator has so portrayed them. And that they speak these words to God and with God, this I repeat, is the best thing of all. This gives the words double earnestness and life.” – Martin Luther, Word and Sacrament

My prayer is that, in this strange season, we would engage this ancient practice of bringing our cares, our grief and our anger to God. I pray that the Psalms of Lamentation will teach us how to lament properly, how to bring our laments to God and how to fellowship in the sufferings of Jesus, and through it be more conformed to His image.


One last thought on Lament.

There is one massive difference between the Old Testament context of lament and the Christian’s New Testament context. The Jews of the Old Testament could protest their perceived unjust suffering (though there aren’t many characters who didn’t suffer greatly)because much of the Mosaic Law promised monetary blessing, health and happiness in response to faithfulness to the covenant. But for Christians who are under the New Covenant, inaugurated by Jesus, we cannot protest suffering. Christians are followers of Jesus, and He makes it clear that suffering is a part of the program for the Christian journey. As He suffered innocently, so must His followers, for they are not greater than their master (John 5:1-5; 8:34-39). Consequently, a voiced protest is not heard in Christ or the apostles’ teaching.

As C.S Lewis reminds us, “We were promised sufferings. They were part of the program. We were even told, ‘Blessed are they that mourn,’ and I accept it. I’ve got nothing that I hadn’t bargained for. Of course, it is different when the thing happens to oneself, not to others, and in reality, not imagination.” – C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

Christians can lament, but they cannot protest to the one who, with cracked lips, lacerated back, pierced hands and feet, with labored breaths and beard torn from His face, suffered the death of the cross for our sake.

English Poet George Herbert wrote an incredible poem called The Sacrifice. Stanza after stanza (62 in total), He chronicles the various sufferings and afflictions of the life of Jesus – each one with the refrain “Was ever grief like mine?”

Truly, Jesus, the son of God, was a man of sorrow and one who could say – “darkness is a close friend of mine” (Psalm 88:18).

God has suffered; He knows the difficulty of the journey, for He Himself has traveled it before, and He is journeying with us even now. As Psalm 62 says, “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”

Soren Kierkegaard, who reflected much on the life of Job, left his mark in the corner of Copenhagen’s Cathedral. It reads: “We believe that God is great enough to harbor our little lives with all their grievances and that he can lead us from darkness through to the other side.” Amen, and Amen

My start in ministry was unexpected. I’m the son of a church-planting pastor. My childhood memories consist of awkward church people, financial struggles and a fatigued father who was trying his best.

Many memories stand out, but here is one: One winter rain hit our community particularly hard. The church office, rented from another local congregation, was the only permanent space our church occupied. Being in the basement, the offices were situated below street level and would flood when heavy rains came.

On that Saturday afternoon, rains pouring, office entryway in the midst of flooding, my dad tried in vain and alone to fix the pump designed to divert the water back to the street. The offices flooded. He was drenched and tired. I remember thinking, “Isn’t anyone going to help him?”

Memories like these made me sure I wanted nothing to do with church work. And, throughout my teenage years, I lived as if I wanted nothing to do with the church’s Savior either. But the Spirit of God pursued me, and the grace of God moved me; and one night just after my high school graduation, alone and amid rebellion, the Lord captured my heart.

Still, I was uninterested in ministry life. What I did want, however, was a better understanding of God’s Word. So, in a matter of a few weeks, my college plans changed, and I enrolled in Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murrieta, CA. There, the Living Word began shaping my mind and heart. Surrounded by great pastors, teachers and students, I began wanting God to use my life, just not in vocational ministry! So, I prayed, and God answered, but not in the way I expected.

Before any opportunities were opened to me, or any ministry desires or gifts grew in me, God began growing love for His people in my heart. I now know it was the embryonic stages of a Shepherd-Teacher calling, but back then, it felt so strange. After years of selfishness, my newfound care for others was a shock to my system.

It started when, as college students are prone to do, groups of friends and acquaintances would gather. As we laughed and talked and roamed, I found myself consistently locking onto one or two hurting or discouraged people. Even after the group dispersed, I often found myself engaged for an additional hour or so, encouraging and exhorting someone. I’m sure my counsel wasn’t all that good, but by God’s grace and the power of His Spirit, the Good Shepherd seemed to use it to help His hurting sheep. This continued in various groups and settings.

It wasn’t until one afternoon when I plopped down next to our director at the time, a man more than twice my age, and found my encouragements to him filling his eyes with tears that I realized God had done something to me. A tiny sliver of His love had invaded my heart. I now loved His people.

And it wasn’t until later that a desire to share His Word with His people also began to consume me. For me, the order of calling was all-important. Looking back, I can see how I needed to begin with love so that my desire to share God’s Word would always carry that motivation.

I love His Word, but I also love His people, and I believe the combination greatly aids the delivery of the Word to His people.

Which brings me to my text. The Corinthian church, it seems, was highly gifted. Paul said they were “not lacking in any gift” (1 Corinthians 1:7).

My point is not to detail their giftedness or talk about spiritual gifts in general. Instead, I want to point out that the Corinthians were powerful and dynamic but lacking in love. This is why, after giving them some guardrails and directions for their giftedness, Paul said,”…And I will show you a still more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31).

And the “still more excellent way” Paul would show them is found here, in 1 Corinthians 13. You know this chapter isn’t primarily about married, parental or friendship love. Instead, it is first about love in the church; I’ll call it “ministry love,” and because of this, it serves as a powerful prescription for the modern servant of Christ.

Like a lighthouse exposing a jagged coastline, 1 Corinthians 13 exposes the dangers of a loveless ministry before showing us the attributes and benefits of love-fueled ministry life.

Certainly, Jesus approves of such a message. He said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

Let’s enter the text to discover what Christ has for us.

Ministry Without Love (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

Paul’s Hypothetical Ministry

Paul is incredibly gracious here. Instead of saying, over and over again, “if you,” he says, “if I.” He was a great preacher and a true servant, so he didn’t feel he needed to excoriate his audience! He’d already rebuked the Corinthians for many of their actual sins, so he felt no need to rebuke them for their hypothetical ones.

And I think Paul was able to do this because the gospel had convinced him he was the “foremost of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). Humbly, he said, “if I.”

And Paul’s hypothetical ministry is an astounding one. First, he describes outstanding oratory power and ability. He said, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels…” (1). In the context of 1 Corinthians, he’d just written to them about word-based spiritual giftedness. So, this first example imagines a man at the height of communicative ability, whether in known or unknown languages.

Second, he describes extraordinary intellectual power. He said, “If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge…” (2). This second example is of someone who possesses keen insights into the “mysteries” of Scripture. Their “knowledge” exudes from them, and they can declare it to others, which is why they have “prophetic powers.”

Third, he describes a person of incredible courage and boldness for God. He said, “If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains…” (2). Jesus spoke of this type of faith: “For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20). This third example is of a person with an amazing and admirable faith in God.

Fourth, he describes a person of deep, personal sacrifice. He said, “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned…” (3). This describes someone who first sells it all to give away, or simply gives it all away, to go preach in places they know they’ll be persecuted. We might sing about it, but they had truly surrendered all.

Before moving on, we must pause to reflect on such a life. None of these attributes are seen as negatives. Paul knows this brand of life is valuable, to be desired by servants of Christ. In each example, there is spiritual power and ability.

Imagine a person like this! When it comes to their relationship with others, they are an effective spokesperson for God. When it comes to their relationship with Scripture, they have great understanding. When it comes to their relationship with God, they act out on deep trust in Him. And when it comes to their relationship with self, they are highly sacrificial.

I Help/Am/Gain Nothing

Three times, though, Paul says, “But have not love” (1-3). In his hypothetical ministry, though there was power and seeming effectiveness, there was no “love.”

It’s hard to say what the motivations for such a ministry would have been, but one can imagine. Perhaps ego or a sense of purpose or an inquisitive nature or a strain of legalism infected the minister. On they went, fueled by something other than love.

And notice what Paul said would result:

. I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal (13:1).

. I am nothing (13:2).

. I gain nothing (13:3).

Now, these statements have often bothered me. I don’t know the heart of every servant of Christ and do not have the responsibility to judge them. But when I look out at Christianity throughout the world, it seems obvious many are in it for the wrong motivations. I don’t think I’m making much of a leap there.

These are people who say nothing, are nothing and benefit nothing, but who are simultaneously received by the masses. They seem loveless in their ministries, yet they are loved. Their followers might object to the idea their ministry is fruitless.

Nonetheless, this is what Paul taught. And it must ring true from two vantage points.

. First, to God, a loveless ministry is pointless and empty. Even if what man sees is largesse and power and influence, God sees nothingness.

. Second, the long run of such a ministry is also pointless and empty. A loveless service of Christ is an abomination to God and will prove ineffective over time. Even if the immediate recipients swear by it, the impact of a loveless ministry will not endure.

Our Resolve

Let it not be so with us. Let us have love-fueled ministries. Let’s divest ourselves of any motivation for service to Christ void of love. Instead, let’s allow the flames of our love for Christ to burn, responding to His great love for us. Then, let’s love His people as a way to love Him.

To strengthen this resolve, though, we ought to take a few moments to look at Paul’s definition of love. And as we do, remember the context, because Paul was thinking of the ministry life when writing this robust definition. He’d already likened the church to a human body. He compared each member of the church as part of the body. Each part was to serve the whole in the way in which it was designed. Here, Paul tells us each part is meant to serve the whole body in love.

In principle, we agree with the psalmist when he writes, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the ungodly.” But we also know the power of sin in our lives. We do those things we do not want to do. We do not do the things we want to do. We know futility and wretchedness by experience. How do we quit the way of sin when it seems impossible?

The answer is Psalm 1:2, to delight in the law of the Lord, and to meditate in it day and night. Meditation in the law of God brings delight and prepares a person to do the law of God, which results in blessing now and eternally.

“Delight” parallels “meditate.”

Hebrew poetry deals, not with the sounds of words, but with the rhyming or contrast of ideas. A line will state an idea, and the next line can repeat the same idea in different words, or it can contrast ideas. This approach is called parallelism.

These two lines are saying the same thing with different words. Notice in the passage that “delight” is paralleling “meditate.” They are the two verbs being used in dealing with the law of the Lord.

Here are two things you can and should do with the law of the Lord: delight in it and meditate in it.

Meditating is preparation for doing.

Meditating is for the mind what digestion is for the body: It is the way to inwardly receive what one needs to live.

When you eat, you chew your food and enjoy the flavour. Then you swallow it. Your stomach adds enzymes and acids to further break down the food into its constituent elements: amino acids, fats, glucose (simplest sugar), minerals, vitamins. Then in the intestines, these elements are absorbed into the body and utilized as needed. In particular, the glucose is circulated through the body via the blood system and is absorbed into the cells. Finally, the body secretes a hormone, a chemical message that tells the cells in the body to open up and take in the glucose.

There is a disorder in which the body loses the cells that secrete the hormone. When that happens, the cells do not take in the glucose. Instead, the blood sugar rises to a level that endangers the system. Thus the system reacts by flushing out the unused blood sugar through the kidneys and urinating it out of the body. A person with this condition eats and digests adequately, but because the cells never properly receive the needed glucose, the person eventually starves to death. It is as though he has not eaten at all. This disorder is called type-1 diabetes.

Similarly, you can read scripture and study it, but still not receive any benefit, because the last step of inwardly receiving the scripture doesn’t happen. It is as though you have not read at all. When you meditate on the scriptures, you are internally receiving those words into the deepest part of your heart. Just as your food becomes part of you, that Word becomes part of your heart. The will of God is no longer coming from outside but lives in you. You do the will of God from the heart.

Meditation is preparation for doing. We see this in Joshua 1:6-8:

“Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

Notice first what God told Joshua to do: Joshua was to bring the people of Israel into the Promised Land to possess it. It was a formidable and intimidating assignment. Not even Moses, with his glowing face, accomplished that.

Next, God told Joshua how to do what was commanded: Obey the law of Moses without fail.

And then God told Joshua how to obey the law of Moses: He was not to allow that book to depart from his mouth but to meditate on it day and night. He was to receive God’s law continually, inwardly. God confirmed that if he did this, He would make Joshua’s way prosperous, and he would succeed in doing the will of God.

The law of the Lord is delightful?

Somebody might say: “I thought the law was all a bunch of dos and don’ts. Where’s the delight there?” That would echo the counsel of the ungodly: How could obeying God’s law possibly be fun?

But we are talking about something beyond mere fun or entertainment. We are talking about blessing, which leads to eternal life. Anything less than eternal life is a stay of execution.

The psalmist spoke about the delights of the law of the Lord in Psalm 119:97-104:

“O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, because I have observed Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, for You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! From Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.”

Never Gets Old

Notice how the psalmist can meditate on the law of the Lord all day long and not get tired of it. You can get tired of music, movies, games, books. But here is something that delights all day long. That’s because the word of God is eternal. When you meditate, you are putting something eternal into your innermost being.

You Become More

In the next three verses, the psalmist says he is more than his enemies, his teachers and even the aged with all their experience. The law of the Lord gives us the wisdom, insight and understanding of God Himself, who is above and beyond any human or angel. The psalmist had enemies who were more powerful and more numerous, who wanted to kill him, yet the law of the Lord enabled him to have insight that nullified all their superiority. You are not supposed to be greater than your teachers, yet the law of the Lord surpasses human knowledge. And the aged may have the experience, but experience alone is not superior. That experience can be a mistake after mistake. You don’t have to learn in the school of hard knocks. The law of the Lord enables a person to avoid bad decisions and experience the goodness of God.

Security

Verses 101-102 show how meditating on the law of the Lord enables a person to avoid deception and sin. Through meditation, God Himself teaches a person to continue in doing what is right. You will not fall away. That results in security now and forever.

Sweetness and satisfaction

The word of God is sweet like honey, says the psalmist, and we think: “How could that be?” Because these two commandments express the entirety of God’s law: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself. A life lived in the love of God is sweet and satisfying. Nobody was ever satisfied with a life of sin and rebellion against God. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. It is truth woven into the fabric of the universe: If you genuinely want to be blessed, then give to someone. Make someone else’s life better. Live in love.

The only catch is that you have to be connected to a source of love that doesn’t run dry. Otherwise, you will run dry, and that’s no fun. The good thing is that when you meditate, you are connected. There’s more about that in this psalm that we will look at next time.

If you don’t meditate, you won’t “do.”

The biblical order of obedience is: Meditate on the word of God, receive it inwardly, then you will do it from the heart. If you are not doing the will of God, don’t beat yourself up. You’re likely behind on your think time. Check to see if you are consistently meditating on that will of God that you are failing to do. Meditating prepares your heart for doing. You do what you meditate on.

This principle also works the other way. That’s why there are books, music, videos and movies that all present rebellious, sinful ideas. Murder, adultery, jealousy, revenge, hatred, self-centeredness, lust, it’s all present in our entertainment. “Entertain,” by the way, means to maintain, keep, hold in the mind. The devil wants to actively keep sinful ideas in your mind so that you will eventually do them. If you meditate on sinful things, don’t be surprised if you do those sinful things.

But you can decide what you think about. You are not a victim; you are a volunteer. What are you volunteering for? What do you set your mind on?

“For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things” (Philippians 3:18-19).

Can you imagine believers in Jesus who are actually working against their own salvation? People who are not going to make it to heaven? Paul knew them personally. It was a grief to him that they were unreasonable, stubborn, refusing to consider their ways and change what they thought about.

Challenge yourself

Here’s a challenge. If you believe in Jesus, and you want to experience His goodness, then delight in His word for the next 30 days.

While you do this, it might be a good time for a media blackout. The reason is to get your taste buds for the word of God recalibrated.

When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they complained about the manna God gave them to eat (Numbers 11:4-9). Manna tasted like wafers made with oil. It had a good taste, but evidently, it didn’t register on Israel’s taste buds. They were used to more zip, bang, pow in their food, with garlic, leeks and fish. The effect might be similar to always having your food with Sriracha and Tabasco sauce. Israel was discontent because they couldn’t taste God’s bread from heaven.

Is the Bible tasteless to you? That might be because you have been conditioned to want zip, bang and pow in your media. Advertisers, writers, marketers and video producers are all aiming to stimulate your body’s dopamine production. They want to make you addicted to a media-saturated lifestyle.

In a world filled with things that scream for your attention, the Bible is not one of them. God will not lunge at you and compete with marketers for your attention. Did you notice that when He spoke to Elijah (1 Kings 19:11), He wasn’t in the raging wind, nor the earthquake, nor the blazing fire? He speaks in a still, small voice. To some people who are accustomed to incessant media exposure, it is silent and tasteless.

I often suggest to people wanting to hear from God to get desperate. Do the media fast for 30 days. Cut out all the stuff that you allow into your life that you know has nothing to do with Jesus. These blogs, news sources, chat groups, forums, magazines, music, videos or whatever, may not be harmful in themselves, but what do they have in common with Jesus? For this particular time of seeking the Lord, I would even suggest cutting out Christian media. The good can be the enemy of the best. The best is you receiving from God Himself. Nothing else compares when God is speaking.

For the sake of the challenge, be brutal. Make it just you and the Bible.

Read several chapters every day. Find out what is a good, daily amount for you. Pick out pertinent verses in those chapters and think about them deeply. Write down your thoughts in a notebook: your observations, your questions, other verses as they occur to you. Pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to get insight. Pray about those things that you learn.

You will probably experience some unpleasant cold-turkey withdrawal from the media you cut out. You don’t have to feel bad about it. After all, we are still physical, “carnal” beings. At the same time, you will also find yourself increasingly satisfied by God. You will want more of God speaking to your heart. You will find yourself delighting in the law of the Lord.

Do you think it will take 30 days for God to start speaking to you? I sincerely doubt it. I think it will be a fabulous time of communion with God.

And then what?

What you do after the fast is over is totally up to you. But consider the long run. What do you think would happen if your top priority was to meditate in the Bible for the rest of your life?

The answer is some seriously transcendent, wonderful, glorious things. We will discuss them in my next article.

We would like to formally invite you to attend the Calvary Chapel Worship Leaders Conference, November 11-14, 2019, held at the beautiful Murrieta Hot Springs Conference Center.

Come and be refreshed and encouraged in your ministry and calling as we draw near to the Lord with great Bible teaching, intimate worship, and great fellowship with other worship leaders and team members.

In addition, there will be practical workshops to help equip you in your ministry, along with the encouraging fellowship of other worship leaders who serve in the same capacity.

It is our prayer and desire to maintain the simplicity and Spirit-led ministry that has distinctly marked the way that God moves in and through Calvary Chapel. Our heart is to provide sound teaching from the Word of God and effectively bring the idea of worship back to its basic principles, which will readily apply to small and large churches.

– CCWLC Staff (Calvary Creative)

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Calvary Chapel Worship Leaders Conference | Multiply

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” (Matthew 28:19a).

The call for us to make disciples (ie… students, learners, followers) of all nations “as we are going” or “along the way,” is familiar to most of us who know the Bible and have been walking with the Lord for some years. You have probably heard countless sermons and discussions on the topic as I have. However, I have come to see a few things about discipleship with more clarity in recent years.

The Essential Call of Ministry

At some point in your ministry, you will realize that the most long-term and fruitful investment of your time and energy will come from pouring yourself into others in order that they might grow in their faith and in the giftings God has entrusted to them. However, you might also realize it is one of the harder things we are invited to participate in as followers of Jesus because of the sacrifice involved.

Ministry has always been and always will be about loving, serving, and caring for people. God loves people, of all kinds and all sorts, and He wants us to have the same heart that He has for them. In fact, this was one of the ways I initially discerned God was calling me to more of a full-time, vocational ministry. As I began to see how merciful God had been to me, I wanted others to know the same mercy and experience the same grace.

You might be able to relate. Maybe this is where it all began for you. Maybe that desire is the thing that you center yourself on in both your family and public ministry. Yet it’s easy to lose sight of that.

After some 24 years of vocational ministry, I have definitely found myself in seasons where I have become distracted from that commission. At times, I have become more focused on the craft of ministry (which happens to be music ministry for me) than the people themselves around me daily. Learning and introducing the right songs for our church, growing in my musical skills, getting the right gear, making sure that things sound good as a team, focusing on getting the right mix in our gatherings, planning and scheduling, and aiming for excellence in everything we do can often consume my mind, motivations, and actions. Yet the call of a worship leader is just as much about the ministry we do in leading people to Jesus off the platform as it is about how we lead them to Him on the platform.

To be clear, I do think there is a place for that kind of excellence in ministry, and I have a deeply-held conviction that we should always be growing in our gifts and sharpening our skills—remaining teachable in order that we might always be made more effective in our calling. Being good at what we do gives us a platform to connect with others, and, in turn, to disciple them. Yet the danger is when we spend the majority of our time “being good at what we do” and neglect ministering to people on a personal level.

Over the years, I have heard some use their natural personality or introvert-tendencies as an excuse to focus more on the craft of ministry rather than the people. Yet I don’t think personality differences can excuse us from the commission that Jesus gave to every believer. Ministry is about loving and serving people, and He constantly reminds us of that simple truth through both His words and example. That is our call.

Spiritual Fathers and Mothers

In 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8; 11-12, Paul writes

“But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives because you had become dear to us… as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”

He would also say in another letter to the Corinthian believers…

For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel (1 Corinthians 4:15).

Paul was seeking to make disciples, and he saw himself, ultimately, as a spiritual parent. When you read these verses, you can feel the sacrifice and investment he made in these communities (and many others). He was a spiritual father to many, and there was lasting fruit that came from that investment. If you are a parent, I am sure you can relate to that kind of sacrifice.

In this generation, there is a great need for godly “spiritual fathers and mothers” unlike we have ever seen before. So many people come from broken homes and families, and the need for that kind of spiritual care and investment in their lives is massive. To be clear, you do not need to be older or carry the title of pastor, worship leader, or overseer in order to be a spiritual influence in the lives of others. You simply need to have God’s heart for the people around you and a little faith to believe that God will make you fruitful as you invest in them.

Disciples Making Disciples

If you are a follower of Jesus, then you are His disciple and, thus, qualify to be a disciple-maker! Remember what Jesus told His disciples early on:

“Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).

We get to partner with each other in the work of discipleship as we watch God change people’s lives. As Paul says,

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

I thank the Lord for my parents and many others over the years who have invested in my life, believing that God had a purpose for my existence and encouraging me to use my gifts for God’s glory. But not all have had that experience. My prayer is that, by the grace of God, we can be the instruments God uses to convey His heart and carry encouragement and hope directly to others who need it. What a privilege, blessing, and opportunity we have right in front of us every day to invest in others and see them grow into the men and women God has ordained them to be!

It has been my experience that the most fruitful aspects of ministry over the years have come from loving, praying for, and doing life with people. I don’t want to miss those opportunities right in front of me to invest in others and make disciples because I am too consumed with the nuts and bolts of ministry or life. And I don’t think you do either. We want to experience the joy of seeing lasting fruit from our investment as we grow older in the Lord. Let’s keep that commission to make disciples “as we are going” at the forefront of our hearts, minds, and prayer lives. In the end, it’s not so much about the songs we sing or the ministries we lead, but, rather, the people we get to know and invest in.

^{Scott Cunningham will be speaking at the Calvary Chapel Worship Leaders Conference on November 11-14, 2019.}

This week we at Calvary Creative have been focusing discussion on the theme, “Why We Worship.” We were able to ask a few worship leaders, from different parts of the world, what their thoughts on worship were in their cultural settings:

Calvary Creative:

How is the role of corporate worship/praise valued in your church?

Pankaj Sarkar (Calvary Chapel Kathmandu, Nepal):
I believe since we are created to worship Him only, It is important as the body of Christ that we all take part in cooperate worship. It is important to come and acknowledge His grace, mercy and all that He has done for us.

DK Kim (Mariners Church):
The role of corporate worship is a very high value for Mariners Church. Our Senior Pastor models this by engaging in expressive worship from the front row for every one of our services. There is an expectation and culture that invites everyone into an experience and encounter with God’s presence, and any worship leader up front will lead our church through some expression of courageous response to each service. Worship is also valued in how we are resourced. Besides myself, we have three other full-time worship staff as well as a budget that enables us to incorporate contracted, professional musicians who support the weekend experience.

Tony Monto (Calvary Chapel Las Vegas):
Corporate Worship and praise is a core value at Calvary Chapel Las Vegas. Recently within the last five years, we changed our vision statement to start with worship as a core value of ours (Worship our God, Equip our Church, Reach Las Vegas, and Impact the World). All of the material we use to communicate to our church conveys this message. Our prayer for the last 10 years has been that God would begin to stir the hearts of our church for passionate worship, and He has done exceedingly and abundantly beyond what we could ever ask or think.

Kenneth Nek (Calvary Chapel Kampala, Uganda):
Corporate worship is one of the key considerations in our church such that we are very intentional in choosing songs for worship that will not leave them out but will allow them to connect with God. We are sensitive about the keys of the songs(not too high), the simplicity of the songs without being too complex and the straightforwardness to avoid ambiguity so that we can all worship with one voice and in one spirit.

Zach Hodges (Reliance Church):
We place a pretty high value on it. Six songs in our weekend services and most major events also include worship. It’s not just warm up for the message.

Jimmy Robeson (Maranatha Chapel):

There is a high value of worship at our church:

. The amount of time spent in our services is about 50% for corporate worship
. Each service from kids church, student services and even home fellowships start with times of worship
. We are writing our own songs and encouraged by the pastors to teach these songs during our gatherings.
. Four people on staff dedicated to worship ministry
. Worship events and other special events that focus on worship

Calvary Creative:

Do you have a vision statement or mission that defines how worship is expressed at your church?

Pankaj Sarkar (Calvary Chapel Kathmandu, Nepal):
We don’t currently have one. But I believed worship should be directed only toward God and make sure all glory goes to Him. We need to try to create an environment which helps focus all congregation to God.

DK Kim (Mariners Church):
Yes, we hope “to become a family of worshipers (musicians/singers) who steward and amplify the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in people, songs and environments”

Tony Monto (Calvary Chapel Las Vegas):
Worship is a core value at our church communicated through our Vision Statement. We believe that God has created the church for the primary purpose of worshiping Him. Worshiping God means affirming His worth, expressing our adoration, surrendering our lives to His will, studying His Word, giving generously and serving Him with all our hearts. This is the first and most important purpose for God’s people.

As a Worship Ministry, our vision statement is: Our desire is to create a musical environment conducive to genuine worship in the life of His church. This can only happen as we are submitted to His will and empowered by His Holy Spirit. We believe that praise and worship is the act of celebration and displaying our reverence to God. With this in mind, the focus of our worship ministry is to bring the body of Christ into the presence of the Lord, displaying our joy, love and devotion to Him.

Kenneth Nek (Calvary Chapel Kampala, Uganda):
The vision or mission statement at our church is to love and disciple. We cannot love others until we understand and embrace the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ at the cross. We are very sensitive about constantly expressing His love, for us, through the songs we sing each Sunday so that we will not forget to love others. We are intentional about including a couple of songs about His love on the cross regardless of the theme for that Sunday.

Calvary Creative:

How does discipleship (ie… making disciples) look practically in your worship ministry?

Pankaj Sarkar (Calvary Chapel Kathmandu, Nepal):
Every week we meet and talk about how we are doing. And every week not forgetting to spend time in the Word and Bible study. It is mandatory for the worship team to seat in this fellowship if anyone wants to serve.

DK Kim (Mariners Church):
Discipleship happens through our church-wide discipleship journey called Rooted (for 10 weeks) which eventually launches into Life Groups. Living life in community is one of our highest values as a church. In addition to that, discipleship at varying levels happens through our monthly choir rehearsals as well as quarterly worship team training events.

Tony Monto (Calvary Chapel Las Vegas):
Whether it be in local church ministry, church planting or in missions, we are actively pursuing people in our ministry to equip them to lead worship in whatever context God is calling them to. Whether that is through internships, one-on-one discipleship, songwriting, discipleship through our on-campus high school (Calvary Chapel Christian School), our heart is to help raise up the next generation of worship leaders.

In addition to that, we desire to serve those who are currently active in the worship ministry. We are always looking for ways to offer growth and development in character, leadership and craft, and to build community in our worship ministry.

Kenneth Nek (Calvary Chapel Kampala, Uganda):
Discipleship is one of the key areas in our worship ministry. Every Friday two people from the team will lead in fellowship. One to choose songs and lead the worship and another to teach and lead us through a discussion based on a biblical text, inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is the responsibility of the people leading that week to choose the next leaders for the next week. We have seen tremendous growth in confidence and biblical understanding among our team members, and also the desire and hunger to study and to grow in His word.

Zach Hodges (Reliance Church):
We’ve got dedicated overseers for children’s, jr. high and high school worship. As young people show interest or potential, we try to bring them along into the larger group, often pairing them with more experienced people. Establishing this culture is something I’ve worked on since it does come at a cost to the “quality” at times. But everyone agrees it’s important, and it’s definitely starting to show some fruit after a few years of work.

Jimmy Robeson (Maranatha Chapel):
A big part of the discipleship process with me is one-on-one time with those interested in serving with us. Many people aren’t quite ready to join the team, but I spend time with them, helping them develop their skills and a heart for worship. We have a worship internship that includes a small group of young people with a heart for worship. Our weekly writing sessions are discipleship groups that focus on digging into the word of God and writing songs for our church to sing.

Calvary Creative:

How do you choose your worship teams and schedules?

Pankaj Sarkar (Calvary Chapel Kathmandu, Nepal):
We do schedule them since we have so many players. We have schedules for three months ahead. We rotate the team members, but we observe them if they are new on the team. We want to make sure that person really understands that we are here to serve not to be served.

DK Kim (Mariners Church):
We choose our worship teams and schedules by dividing the musicians from our vocalists. Our music director will book all musicians, and for the most part, keeps the core band consistent (drums, keys, electric, percussion) and places complementary pieces around that core band. Our worship director schedules all vocalists. We tend to do vocal teams that are around three to five singers deep, in addition to the worship leaders. Worship leaders are scheduled by the worship pastor (me) and tend to be a rotation of twice a month for each worship leader. There is also a high value for co-leading the services so there will almost always be two worship leaders that lead the weekend together.

Tony Monto (Calvary Chapel Las Vegas):
We have a high standard for excellence in our worship ministry to skillfully lead worship for the local church. Auditions are always open to join the worship team. We have a two-part auditioning process which includes:

First Audition: Hearing them at their best (favorite song to play or sing), and at their worst (giving them a song to play or sing on the spot)

Second Audition: Hearing them with practice (giving them songs to rehearse for a week)

We are honest with each person through this process. If they are not ready to be in the worship ministry, we help provide or direct them to resources that will grow them in their craft.

We utilize Planning Center for our worship ministry, which has been a huge resource for the multiple services we are scheduling for. We prayerfully consider each month as far as scheduling our worship teams. As we schedule each month, we consider a few things such as a different direction of the Holy Spirit in regards to our own liturgy, special dates coming up in our services, choir Sundays, specific requests from our pastor, volunteer availability, etc.

Kenneth Nek (Calvary Chapel Kampala, Uganda):
On a regular basis, young people will come to me expressing their desire to be a part of the team. I will make an appointment with them on the Saturday before practice. I normally start by asking them why they want to join so as to hopefully know their motives. Then check their voices or instrumentation skills to see their level and know what to do next. If they pass, I then go ahead to inform them of the waiting period of three months, if they are new to the church. I also inform them of the requirements for their Saturdays to be free, at least three out four Saturdays, for practice.

We have three teams, one for our first service in Luganda, a local language between 8:15 am to 9:45 am, another for two English services, 10:15 am and 12:15 pm for two hours each and the third one for our francophone brethren from 3 pm to 5 pm. I have two assistants who I rotate with on a regular basis.

Zach Hodges (Reliance Church):
We hold auditions for worship team membership, and there’s an application process. We have a team for Saturday service and a team for Sunday, each built around a different leader. (No paid worship staff, a church of over 1,000, so we have to be careful not to burn out!) We deliberately don’t have consistent teams or bands. The leaders get together every other month to make the schedule together because it’s mega hard and complicated. We combine people’s availability, how often they serve, their skill level, the experience level of the leader, stylistic pairings, development pairings, etc. to create teams for each week.

Jimmy Robeson (Maranatha Chapel):
On Wednesday nights, I lead our team (Maranatha Worship). The singers, keyboard players and string players, who are all volunteers, let us know their availability. That usually means about two times per month for each of them. We hire our drummer and bass player.

On weekends, we are split between John Wickham, Kayla Wickham, Daniel Bentley and me. We each lead a weekend and support the others on the other weekends by playing acoustic, piano keys, vocals etc. John Wickham’s band are all volunteers from the church. When Kayla, Daniel or I lead on a weekend, its similar to the Wednesday night setup.

Calvary Creative:

What role does your senior pastor have in planning and defining worship? What does that relationship look like for you?

Pankaj Sarkar (Calvary Chapel Kathmandu, Nepal):
I think it is important, as a senior pastor, we need to explain what we want or how we want our worship team to take part in cooperate worship. For me, as a senior pastor and worship leader, I make it clear that this is what I want. I think that helps. I really enjoy hanging out and sharing my experience with them.

DK Kim (Mariners Church):
The senior pastor is our lead worshiper and models this at every service as mentioned earlier. He gives our team a tremendous amount of trust and freedom to lead each experience and simply cares that people meet with Jesus in our times of worship. Every once in a while, the pastor will have a song “request” to follow his message, especially if there is a specific response he wants to lead our people toward. Another way that our pastor is involved is in how he includes our weekend team in all of the series planning meetings so that we can all get on the same page and lock into what is ahead. It also helps that the senior pastor and worship pastor are friends.

Tony Monto (Calvary Chapel Las Vegas):
Our senior pastor plays a significant role in defining what our worship ministry looks like. We believe that the worship leader and senior pastor’s relationship is vitally important, especially for the value of worship in a church. We have weekly meetings with our senior pastor, and he has always opened his door for any questions or input we are considering. Our heart is to involve him as much as possible in worship because we desire for the teaching and the worship to be knit together by the Holy Spirit. We don’t specifically pick songs based on the topic of teaching or areas of teaching, but our prayer is that the Holy Spirit would lead us and knit the two together.

We have a great relationship with our pastor. If he asks us to do a song, no matter what song it is, we do it, because we trust in the leading of the Holy Spirit through our pastor. But he loves our input as well, and there’s a special trust that he has in us to lead the congregation in worship. The trust goes both ways. Our pastor is passionate about worship, so even in the songwriting process, he is involved. I think one of the most important relationships for healthy worship in the body of Christ is the relationship between the pastor and the worship leader. Without unity, worship will fail.

Kenneth Nek (Calvary Chapel Kampala, Uganda):
I normally report back to our senior pastor about what is happening in the worship ministry, their spiritual and technical growth and their personal lives when necessary. He also gives me feedback from his observations. He is very supportive of my ideas and initiatives for the ministry. He also gives me free reign to determine what’s best for the ministry.

Zach Hodges (Reliance Church):
He’s fairly hands-off, mostly trusting me as the leader to make things run well. For the big services, we collaborate more, and I try to have fairly regular check-ins about how things are going. (It’s an unusual situation because he’s also my father-in-law)

Jimmy Robeson (Maranatha Chapel):
Ray and Shawn don’t specifically pick songs or approve songs. They trust us to pick appropriate songs. They do recommend songs that they are loving and sometimes ask for specific ones they know might fit their message. Shawn and I meet every week to talk through the Wednesday night message, and I tend to try to pick songs that fit from that conversation.

We would like to thank all the worship leaders who took time to share their thoughts on these questions!

I was recently blessed to be part of a pertinent discussion with a group of loving, caring, well-educated young pastors. We talked about some of the difficult issues facing the church today. Our culture is increasingly complicated, squeezing out God for the sake of other agendas. As I listened to these men share their concerns and their hearts, the reality of this burden weighed on me like a ton of bricks.

The problems we face today certainly aren’t new.

Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones wrote:

“As life in general becomes more and more complex, so religion tends to be affected in the same way. It seems to be assumed that if the affairs of men are difficult and complicated, the affairs of God should be still more complicated, because they are still greater. Hence there comes a tendency to increase ceremony and ritual, and to multiply organizations and activities. The argument is that it is ridiculous to assert that the vast problems of life today can be solved in an apparently simple manner suggested by those who preach the gospel in the old evangelical manner. The fact is, that as we get further away from God, life becomes more complicated and involved. We see this not only in the Bible, but also in subsequent history. The Protestant Reformation simplified not only religion, but the whole of life and living in general. The truly religious life is always the simple life.”

As followers of Christ, we must learn how to keep it simple.

I’ve had the pleasure of teaching 1 and 2 Corinthians at the Calvary Chapel Bible College this semester and have felt an urgency to prepare the young men and women in my class on how to deal with the current complexities that exist in the church. Paul must have felt the same urgency when He wrote this in 2 Corinthians 11:2-3: “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. For I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

There are two points from Paul’s words that will help us be effective Christians in a culture similar to the one in Corinth.

First, we should have a godly jealousy for others. We are not to have a human jealousy, selfish and destructive, but a godly jealousy, selfless and constructive. Godly jealousy does not consider itself but comes from a deep love and care for others. I love how Paul compared godly jealousy to a father betrothing his daughter to her future husband. The greatest privilege the father of a bride had in Paul’s day was getting to present his daughter as a pure virgin to her husband. Paul’s greatest desire was that the Corinthians would be purified and prepared for Christ’s return.

Secondly, Christ should be central in everything. The Corinthians made church more about the scene than about the King. Like so many churches today, they increased the ceremonies and rituals in their services and multiplied their organizations and activities, but neglected to keep Christ the central focus.

Christians today have more knowledge about Jesus than in any other time in history. If there is something we don’t know, all we have to do is Google it and be flooded with instant information. But all the information in the world about Jesus cannot guarantee a transformed life. Consider what happened with Adam and Eve in the garden. In Genesis 2:17, God warned them that “of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 3:1-5 says, “Satan came to Eve in the garden saying, ‘Has God indeed said, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”’…Then he said, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’”

Did you notice what happened? God made it simple for Adam and Eve, but Satan came along and complicated everything. Adding complexity to God’s simple commands is one of Satan’s main tactics. He knows complexity leads to distraction, and distraction leads to separation from God, Satan’s ultimate goal for us.

When Adam and Eve kept it simple by obeying God, they had perfect fellowship with Him. As soon as they became distracted by Satan’s temptation and ate the fruit, they experienced separation from God for the first time.

The tactics Satan used in the garden are the same tactics he uses today.

Why? Because they work. How do we as Christians overcome the complexities in our culture? There is one simple way: desiring to be in fellowship with Christ. This is our main calling as Christians. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God is faithful who has called us into the fellowship of His Son Christ our Lord.”

God’s desire from the beginning of time is that we would have fellowship with Him. He created us in His likeness and in His image for this very purpose. Why does He so greatly desire to have fellowship with us? Because He loves us.

Karl Barth was regarded as one of the greatest Protestant theologians of the 20th century. He had a greater knowledge of God than most. His influence expanded well beyond the academic realm into mainstream culture, leading him to be featured on the cover of Time Magazine. Someone once asked him, “What is the greatest theological thought that has ever crossed your mind?” He answered, “Jesus loves me; this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Keep it simple, saint!

I decided to run for a seat on the Oxnard City Council in the recent midterm elections, after it became clear that was what God’s Spirit was telling me to do. I have to admit, it’s not what I wanted, and it took a while to comply. The nudge to run began a couple of years ago with a mild awareness it was something I needed to pray about. I didn’t. And I didn’t because I was concerned God would tell me to run. The subject kept coming up at various times in diverse conversations. I waved them off.

After a while, what made them difficult to wave off was the recurring delays our church experienced in the city’s issuing us permits to build out our new facility. Our church has outgrown its current facility and purchased the building next door as a new sanctuary and offices. A process that ought to have taken no more than four months took six times that long: two full years! These delays were due to a Byzantine permit process that discourages business. Without a healthy business environment, a community cannot prosper.

Then, at a pastors conference, one speaker after another made remarks that were hard not to interpret as confirmations I was to run. A chance encounter with a close friend and his wife saw words spoken that were clear and certain confirmation. I realized and repented of the error of resisting God and “gave in.” I thought it best to wait till 2020 to run. When I learned the new district structure in Oxnard meant the district where I live would not come up again until 2022, I decided now was the time and filed papers.

The Campaign

Having never run for office, I had a steep learning curve. Knowledgeable friends both old and new came to my aid and quickly brought me up to speed. I never did appoint a campaign manager because all the assistance I had made it unnecessary. Though I did not win, we ran a good campaign. We knocked a lot of doors, made a lot of calls, took out adds, used a heavy dose of social media and attended events to get the message out. Despite this, we lost by a handy margin.

The winner was the well-respected incumbent who carries significant name-recognition and is her party’s scion in a community where that party holds a 21% lead. That party’s candidates won all the seats.

What I Learned

God made it clear to me, despite my attempts to ignore it, that I was to run, not necessarily to win. I never sensed a win was certain, only possible. And of course, I ran to win. It would have been disingenuous to conduct the campaign any other way. I discreetly shared this with a few during the lead up to the election. I did so because, by that time, I realized I’d already gained three specific benefits the outcome of the election, whatever it was, couldn’t take away. Those three benefits are:

. Those I Met .

I met people in the course of the campaign I would never have otherwise. I got a chance to meet with city leaders in various departments and civic works and realized our community has amazing potential. I got to meet residents who have no official title but are concerned about Oxnard and committed to its wellbeing. And I learned this: People we disagree with on civic issues think their views are best for the community. Contrary to the echo chamber most people live in where their views are endlessly reinforced, and they never engage a living person with a different view; the fact is, we ALL want what’s best for our city. We just disagree on the best way to what’s best.

Politics is the art and science of compromise. Those who refuse to compromise aren’t politicians; they’re tyrants. People in politics must be willing to give a little to meet others in a middle that sheds the incidentals to embrace the necessities. Give a little to get more. All that begins with healthy relationships.

During the campaign, I learned while it’s easy for demagogues to sit on the sidelines and snipe, those tasked with governing come into a room that has 27 poles on top of which spin 27 plates. They have to run around but not into each other to keep those plates spinning. Without agreement and negotiation, it’s all going to come crashing down.

Though I wasn’t elected, I’ll be following up on the contacts I made, aiming to deepen the relationships and influence the decision makers. Just because I wasn’t elected doesn’t change my call to be a blessing to my city.

. What I Learned about City Matters .

I came into the campaign knowing little about the specific needs of my city. I had what might be called the “fly-over” view. The campaign immersed me to my neck in it. The result is that I now know my community and its needs much better. That’s important in my role as a pastor. Whether on the council or as a resident, my concern and call to serve remains the same because it’s based in my calling before God.

Knowing Oxnard’s specific needs fuels my prayers with greater precision. It also sharpens my focus as I seek to influence decision makers because I know what I’m talking about and what they are dealing with.

Regardless of the outcome of my campaign, a secondary intention in running was to encourage other Christians to enter the civic arena, especially pastors. Here are people accustomed to public speaking, called by God to be a blessing to their community. The very salt and light of God’s Kingdom – let loose in a dark and needy world. Next to leading a church, what better way to bless their community than to run for office and bring the influence of God’s Grace and Truth to the public square?

Knowing my city better can’t help but make me a better pastor because this is the time and place God’s called me to lead His flock.

. What I Learned About Me .

Last is what the campaign taught me about myself. The revelation was simple but embarrassing to share. I was lazy. Maybe that’s not the best word. Productive is better. I wasn’t productive. The form my laziness took is that I avoided the productive work I ought to have been doing with easy work that accomplished little.

As a full-time pastor, I was busy. I had a full calendar and kept a steady pace. Anyone who knew me knew I was busy. How many times a week did I hear, “I know you’re busy, but …”? And to all appearances, I was. People asked me at the outset of the campaign where I was going to find the time. I didn’t know and fretted about it. But guess what, I found the time. No, better—I made the time. I arranged my schedule more efficiently and for two months was both a full-time pastor and ran a campaign for city council. None of my responsibilities were left undone. No one complained that the quality of the pulpit at CCO diminished. On the contrary, several remarked it seemed even more effective.

Only a month into the campaign, I realized how much I was getting done without feeling overworked. I’d mismanaged my time before, filling it up with busy but unproductive work. I came to realize busy and faithful aren’t the same thing. Good stewardship isn’t marked by what you’re doing so much as what you’re producing. I didn’t have a lot to show for all the time I spent. It turned out to be time wasted, not invested. I was busy, but lazy because I occupied myself with easy work that distracted me from harder but more productive work.

I won’t be returning to the old way of busy but unproductive work. Though I didn’t get a seat on the city council, as a pastor, I’m still called to serve my city.

Recently, I was asked to be one of the speakers at a retreat for millennials where the theme was “Legacy.” The definition of legacy that was put forth was: something transmitted by or received from a predecessor or from the past. In my experience, legacies are born out of relationships and moments that leave a mark and make an impact. As I prepared for my message, it caused me to think back on two men who shared moments with me and gave me opportunities that have left a legacy upon my own life and ministry to others.

A LIFE-CHANGING CONVERSATION

Richard Cimino was my high school pastor during my senior year when I attended Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. It was a conversation with Richard over lunch one day that changed the whole trajectory and focus of my life. Richard lovingly said to me, “Rob, do you know what your problem is?” I was taken off guard but curious as to what he was about to say, so I responded, “No. What?” Richard proceeded to tell me that my problem was that Jesus was only a part of my life and not the center of my life.

Those words cut me to the core. I knew he was right. I definitely was a Christian and loved Jesus, but my life and priorities were divided like slices of a pie between school, friends, family, playing baseball (which was a major passion), my job and Jesus. Sometimes Jesus was a big slice, but at other times He was a small slice. The Lord showed me that He wanted to be in the center of my life and that all those other things needed to revolve around my relationship with Him. It was that conversation with Richard that would be the catalyst for what would happen a year later when I was in college on a baseball scholarship, and the Lord called me to quit playing baseball and pursue full-time ministry.

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE

Richard gave me my first opportunity to serve in ministry, as a leader in the high school youth group at CCCM. At first my role was just to help out in practical ways and to try to spend time encouraging kids the way that Richard encouraged me. Eventually it led to teaching Bible studies, leading home groups and co-leading the Sunday night youth gathering at the church.

However, it was Brian Brodersen who gave me my first opportunity to teach a Bible study. Shortly after the Lord called me to quit playing baseball in college and to focus on serving Him, Brian asked me if I wanted to take over teaching a lunchtime Bible study that he had been doing at University High School in Irvine, California. I told Brian that I didn’t know how to teach a Bible study. He told me that God would show me and to take a step of faith. So I did.

After my morning classes at college, I cruised out to the high school and basically shared with the students what God had been showing me in my morning devotions. Surprisingly, the students liked it and asked me to come back! I taught that Bible study every week for the rest of the semester. The students at University told some of their friends at Woodbridge High School about the study, and they invited me to come and teach a Bible study at their school as well. So all of a sudden, I was ministering to a group of students at both of those schools, even though I really didn’t know what I was doing, and God was blessing it. At the end of the school year, both groups wanted to keep meeting and suggested that they combine over the summer at a house on Thursday nights. So now I was driving to Irvine on Thursday nights to meet with over 60 high school students in a house. I still didn’t know what I was doing, and looking back on it now, I am sure that I taught some things that were heretical! But God was moving and working in spite of me, and through me, all because I was available and Brian gave me an opportunity.

A TRIP TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD

Another way that Brian left a lasting mark on my life was when he took me on my very first missions trip overseas. We went to Eastern Europe in 1989, right after the fall of communism. It was an incredible experience. One afternoon during the trip, I was able to lead a group of about six young men to Christ and then throughout the following week, a friend and I met with this group twice a day to disciple them. We met in the morning before school and then we met up in the afternoon, when they got out of school. By the end of the week, that group of six guys had grown to 30 teenagers who were hungry to know Jesus. It was a church in the making! When it was time leave the kids and head back to the United States, I told them that we would bring someone back who would continue to teach them about Jesus and help them grow in their relationship with Him.

Two weeks later I was on a plane with a young man named Mike Harris, who I knew from Richard’s high school ministry. Mike was a surfer kid that loved Jesus and had a gift in music and evangelism. By the end of a week back with the kids, things exploded, as over 100 young people were gathering every day to come and hear Mike preach the word and play music. That gathering would turn into what became Calvary Chapel Suboticia Yugoslavia.

Personally, that experience led me to never look at a city the same again. Now, when I go to any city in the world, my first reaction is always to have eyes to see what the Lord is doing and to ask Him what He wants to do in that city and if He wants me to somehow be a part of it. That shift in my heart and mind toward missions took place because someone gave me an opportunity to do something that I had never done before and to be used by God in a way that I didn’t think was even possible.

You see, the impact that Brian and Richard had on my life has inspired me to give young men and women, whom I have encountered over the years, an opportunity to be used by God. I have had the privilege of seeing many of them go on to do great things that have far surpassed anything that I have ever done. That, to me, is a tremendous joy! Sometimes I think we can overcomplicate serving God. I was taught that God is not looking for ability but availability.

I believe that we who are leaders in this season need to look for those in the generation behind us who love Jesus, who are available and who desire to serve Him, and give them opportunities that will allow God to blow their minds. It might look messy, and they may not get it right all the time; but we can inspire them to go for it and rejoice with them as God blesses. In doing so, we will leave a lasting legacy!

According to Acts 1:3, from resurrection Sunday until He ascended to heaven, Jesus spent a total of 40 days with the apostles and disciples. Although He probably discussed a myriad of subjects with them during that time, the written record of His post-resurrection conversations in the Gospels and the first few verses of the book of Acts are minimal yet powerfully focused.

That focus was God’s love for all people and the role His followers were to have in expressing it.

As Luke 24:44-49 reveals, Jesus knew that for His disciples to receive, comprehend and obey the command He was about to give them, they needed to view and understand God’s written word in a way they never had before. That even though they had been born and raised under the influence of His written word and had just spent three years interacting with Jesus, their minds needed to be opened so they could truly comprehend the Scriptures.

After giving them this fresh perspective on God’s word, Jesus showed them that because His recent suffering, death and resurrection had already been written about, those events had to be fulfilled—which is what they had just witnessed themselves.

But He didn’t stop there.

He went on to say that in the same way the things written about Him MUST take place, so also, the need for repentance and forgiveness of sins MUST be proclaimed to all of the ethnic groups that God Himself created, starting with their fellow Jews there in Jerusalem.

Although Luke didn’t record the Old Testament scriptures Jesus used, (the New Testament hadn’t yet been written), or how they were the basis of the command He gave to His followers to go and preach the Gospel and make disciples among every ethnic group, I believe these are a few of the things He may have pointed out to them:

1. Their God is the creator of all languages and ethnic diversity and will receive worship from people within each of those distinct groups (Psalm 86:9).

2. Thus He is also the creator of their specific ethnic group, and He had made clear to the three main patriarchs that the unique relationship they had with Him was not just for their own good, but for the ultimate good of all ethnic groups (Genesis 12:1-3; 26:4; 28:14).

3. That His glory must be declared to all ethnic groups, so that His name and fame will be spread to all people regardless of where they live on the planet (Psalm 96:3; 1 Kings 8:41-43).

4. That He is the suffering servant referred to in Isaiah, and that the sacrifice He made wasn’t just to provide light for Israel alone but for all ethnic groups throughout the whole earth (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6).

Whether He used those Scriptures or others, what’s clear is that He showed them God’s love for all people using only the Old Testament, and then commanded them to take the message of that Good News to every ethnic group regardless of where they live and to make disciples from among them.

Today, we have the privilege of coupling the biblical basis He gave them from the Old Testament with truths like these from the New Testament:

1. The global scope of His purpose for coming (Luke 2:10,14; John 1:29).

2. His declaration of God’s love for Gentiles during Old Testament times—and the response of His own people to Him pointing this out (Luke 4:23-30).

3. His commendation of the faith of Gentiles (Matthew 15:22-28), and that some of them will dine at His table too; (Matthew 7:10-13) and that He doesn’t just have sheep from the fold of Israel but from other folds (ethnic groups) too (John 10:14-16).

4. A written record in the book of Acts of His people’s obedience to the command from the day He ascended till approximately 40 years later.

5. A reinforcement of the truth that He created all ethnic groups from one original couple, along with the fact that He predetermines when those groups would come in to existence and where they will call home (Acts 17:26).

6. Details about the future that includes a description of Him receiving worship from people representing every people, tribe, tongue and nation (Revelation 5:9; 7:9), and that the unique glory and honor He has bestowed upon each ethnic group will be offered to Him as worship in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24-26).

Clearly, Jesus has given us a command to participate in bringing about an outcome that is guaranteed to take place. This means that it’s possible to create metrics that can help us measure the level of our obedience to the command up to this moment in time.

In my next two posts, I’ll explore some of those metrics, paint as clear a picture as possible of how far our level of obedience has moved things toward that guaranteed outcome and then try to nudge all of us to fresh obedience through a Mordecai moment and message.

Hosts Riley Taylor and Jarryd Bryant interview Pastor Tony Clark of Calvary Chapel Newport News on questions about discipleship, how Christians should handle racism in our country and more!

You can also stay up to date and enjoy all Church Van episodes!

In a movement that is about 50 years old like ours, it’s one of the pressing issues of our day:

How do we keep the younger generation in our churches?

I recently watched a controversial video of a couple pastors interviewing a few women who grow a strain of medical marijuana that does not induce a high. In the video there was a shocking statement: “Our traditional religions are losing our young people. They are not making commitments to religion like we did 30 or 40 years ago. So I feel like it’s on us to develop new religions that will attract the young people.”
Now before you start pulling your hair out and start scouring the Internet for the link, I think this outrageous statement points out something very interesting. It seems that there are some people who are more interested in introducing youth to a reinvented religion than the resurrected Christ, as long as they can keep them around.
Now, my guess is if you’re reading this article, you are probably not growing marijuana, thinking of a giant water slide baptism or asking Coldplay to do a concert in place of your Sunday morning gathering. More likely you are thinking in terms of brewing better coffee in-between services, changing your outdated lighting system, redoing your website, and/or trying to figure out how to use social media for ministry. All of these things are well and good, and for some of us, necessary (especially better coffee). But what if there are other internal and more vital changes we can focus on in order to put Jesus and His majesty at the center of our corporate worship and community with young people?
Here’s one thing that sticks out to me that requires no expense out of the church budget except time:

OLDER MEN and WOMEN, take time to personally invest in the lives of young people.

Four years ago, I remember telling a man I highly respect in our church that I was looking for some deeper discipleship and asked if we could get breakfast. He’s in his 50’s, and I was about half that age. I remember him looking me in the eye and telling me, “Alan, I’ll be honest. I don’t think I have much to teach you.” That statement caught me off guard. I assured him that a man who has been married a couple of decades has plenty of things he can teach a younger man like me. Still, he found it hard to believe.
It’s been said that every Paul needs a Timothy, and every Timothy needs a Paul. In the age of the Internet, where people can access all kinds of good and bad information at their fingertips, millennials desperately need an older godly generation to guide them. The problem is that many older people don’t feel “cool” enough to speak into the lives of younger people.

As a youth pastor, I love having parents involved as youth leaders.

Sadly, what often holds them back is their fear that teenagers will not want to talk to them due to their age. They don’t wear clothes from H&M or Urban Outfitters. They don’t know what a hashtag is or what “lit” means. They feel alienated and unrelatable, outdated and uninspiring. However, what I’d like to point out is that we don’t need parents to be cool or relatable per se. We just need them to be parents.

In 2013 it was reported that one out of every three children in America live without their biological fathers, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Since I am only about 10-15 years older than our teenagers, I won’t ever be a father figure to them. I can be an older brother, but we need godly men and women to be examples to many hurting youth. Twenty-somethings who are struggling with their identity and calling need mentors to give godly insight. Young people who are in the infatuation stage of an unhealthy relationship need biblical counsel from those who have seen many walk down the wrong road. Teens who suffer the loss of a loved one need the sensitivity of a seasoned saint to mourn with those who mourn.

Many of us are familiar with the story of King Rehoboam, who: “…Rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him (1 Kings 12:8). In my opinion, we could use a lot more mentors and a lot less church growth experts.

So, maybe you’re reading this article as a pastor who has been planning with your team on how to reach the next generation.

Perhaps something to pray over is how to plan an event or organize groups that will foster these kinds of discipleship opportunities. Maybe you’re a young person and have been desperately longing for a mentor. I pray you consider asking a well-respected member of your church to grab a burger with you. Maybe you’re an older man or woman and have a burden to see young adults come alive in Christ. Pray about joining the youth ministry or even just asking a twenty-something across the church pew if you can pray for them.

As my pastor Lloyd Pulley said this past weekend regarding exterior improvements that we are looking to make, “It’s not about the coffee, it’s about the connection!” Stylistic improvements and advancements can be well and good, but they should only serve as an excuse for us to gather together, so we go deeper in our relationships, and ultimately, in our walk with Christ.