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Biblical Community

Means of our Christian Growth

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Monday, 15 March 2010 08:59

I believe that with every pastor there is a desire to know Christ and to make Christ known to all.  The greatest struggle is success demands that our society make on us.  What is the balance of contextualization vs. conceptualization?  In the last year I have struggled with what John Piper advocates concept-creation as the balance to over-contextualization that is seen in many ministries of our day. He states:
...we must also labor to bring about, in the minds of our listeners, conceptual categories that may be missing from their mental framework. If we only use the thought structures they already have, some crucial biblical truths will remain unintelligible, no matter how much contextualizing we do. This work of concept creation is harder than contextualization, but just as important. (http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2008/2717_Preaching_As_Concept_Creation_Not_Just_Contextualization/)
I read today and article by Ligon Duncan on "The Ordinary Means of Growth." I appreciated his exhortation about the importance of ordinary means of Christian growth.  He compares this Biblical paradigm with others in stating:
In sum, there are basically three views of Gospel ministry. There are those who think that effective cultural engagement requires an updating of the message. There are those who think that effective ministry requires an updating of our methods. And there are those who think that effective ministry begins with a pre-commitment to God’s message and methods, set forth in His Word.... Ordinary means of grace-based ministry is ministry that focuses on doing the things God, in the Bible, says are central to the spiritual health and growth of His people, and which aims to see the qualities and priorities of the church reflect biblical norms. Ordinary means ministry is thus radically committed to biblical direction of the priorities of ministry.
The fundamental assumption underlying these new approaches is that “everything has changed,” and so our methods must change. I would want to dispute both parts of that equation. Whatever the entailments of our present cultural moment, constituent human nature has not changed...
While I certainly believe that contextualization is valid, much of what goes on a contextualization is over-contextualization in my opinion.  This article is an excellent explanation and encouragement to pastors who want to keep from getting caught up in Christian ministry fads and pursue God's plan of building his kingdom.

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Introducing Adult Bible Fellowships

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Saturday, 14 July 2007 18:01

 Introducing
Adult Bible Fellowships

The ABF philosophy of ministry believes "midsize" Adult Bible Fellowships (ABFs) or communities are the foundational ministry to adults in a church setting.  Although there are several other influential ministries to adults such as Men's and Women's Ministries, Small groups, etc., this philosophy believes it is essential to encourage as many adults as possible who attend a church to identify with and become a part of an ABF/community.  They are "mini-communities" or "mini-congregations" within a congregation.  Each ABF is a mix of ages, but normally organized by peer group or similar "life" situations.  Others are multi-generational or have some other special interest that draws them together in community.  In the context of these communities "body life" takes place.  (John 17:20-23 ; Acts 2:42-47 ; the "one another" passages of the NT; Eph. 4:12-16 ; Heb. 10:24-25 )

Most of the ministry to adults flows thru these ABFs/Communities

ABFs are the main vehicle in which most of the ministry to adults flows including: fellowship, socials/activities, small groups, care opportunities, outreach, serving/ministry, assimilation of newcomers, etc.  As a result, instead of having separate ministries for small groups, newcomer follow-up, care and fellowship that experience very little communication and/or networking, the church can do a better Job of caring for its flock and assimilating new people into the church because "the right hand knows what the left had is doing."  This synergy multiplies the effectiveness of all the ministries.

Leadership Teams within ABFs are essential to build and
care for the group

Each ABF has a class/community leader.  It is this leader's responsibility to organize, lead, and meet regularly with a leadership team that builds "community life."  The team consists of the teacher(s) and those who lead the social and ministry events, caring opportunities, welcome/assimilation, outreach, newsletter, etc.  Each ABF/community is "self-governed" so the people within the group decide who will be asked to serve on the leadership team, how many team members there will be, and how long they will serve.  The leadership team meets on a regular basis to plan, evaluate, and hold each other accountable for their responsibilities.

The Curriculum for the ABFs is the Bible

It is the supernatural Word of God that changes lives!  That is why the curriculum is centered around God's Word and Its principles that guide the believer in Christ.  Churches Use a variety of curriculum structures in the teaching ministry.

Small Groups are made of people in the same ABF

As mentioned earlier, small groups (usually in homes) are strategically organized with people from the same ABF.  Having people from the same ABF experiencing ongoing sharing, praying, and inter-active Bible study together in these small groups will build the over all depth of community within an individual ABF.

The 6 Objectives of ABFs

  1. To develop ABFs that are functioning as "communities" not just classes
  2. To teach the Word of God for life application and transformation
  3. To nurture an outreach mindset for assimilation and evangelism
  4. To develop a healthy balance between group life (organism) and building an infrastructure (organization)
  5. To see ABFs reach their growth potential
  6. To help build the church by beginning new ABFs

Goals: To Make Mature Disciples and To Multiply ABFs

There are two crucial goals of ABFs: One is to assist in the process of making nature disciples of Jesus Christ in the context of biblical community.  Another goal is to continually "birth" and develop new ABFs to reach more people for Christ and to help them find a place to belong within the big church.

"ABFs are essentially congregations within a congregation" - Knute Larson.

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Memorizing (Part 1)

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Wednesday, 30 May 2007 08:20

There is nothing that compares with the excitement of memorizing Scripture. Charles Swindoll summed it up nicely when he wrote:

I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture. That's right. No other single discipline is more useful and rewarding than this. No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your Witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified. (Charles R. Swindoll, Seasons of Life, (Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1983), 53)

Despite these marvelous benefits, far too few Christians have made Scripture memorization a lifestyle. For the most part, it is not because they don't want to, but because they have never been taught how to. While they may think they have bad memories, the reality is that they simply have untrained memories. I am convinced that anyone, regardless of age or acumen, can memorize Scripture. God has called us to write His Word on the tablet of our hearts (Proverbs 7:1-3 ; Deuteronomy 6:6 ), and with the call He has also provided the ability to do so. Your mind is like a muscle. If you exercise it, you will increase its capacity to remember and recall information. If you don't, like a muscle, it will atrophy.

In memorizing anything it important to memorize in context. So many times we know or memorize Bible verses, sayings, or a person name because it (or they) interest us. We remember things we already think are true and forget things that may bother us. We will memorize and remember things that are true and important to us. Basically the things we love the most we hide in our heart.

Do we really love and fear God if we do not hide His Word in our hearts? How can we meditate on God's Word if we don't hide His Word in our hearts? Where do we look for truth in our lives? - in our experiences, feelings, circumstances, others opinions, books, or in God and His Word. Each of these sources is limited except for God and His Word. We can learn from others opinions, books , experiences, etc; but they are not infallible and inerrant sources. In fact the Bible claims to be the sole source for truth. So we need to be discerning. And as far as our relationship to God and how we should live; the Bible says:

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3 .

And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture cane about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke for God as they were carries along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:19-21 .

For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thought's of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgments: For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:11-16

All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16

We need to develop a view of God's Word that is far above any philosophies of men that we may come across or experience that we may have.. Then and only then will we begin to memorize and meditate on God's Word. and realize that it is completely true and sufficient to that which it speaks. Our Cry should be "Sola Scripturia," which means "only the Scriptures" are sufficient to discern the truth and the lies about how we should live and change.

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