open and affirming musings

At a recent Kent Ministerial Association meeting at the Kent Senior Center, several pastors represented their churches as "open and affirming faith communities." They were speaking about how their churches might be accurately represented on a church-related community website and welcoming those who practice alternative, yes, homosexual lifestyles.

Immediately, I began thinking about the inmates I visit at the regional Justice Center and other facilities who want to participate, enjoy fellowship, and grow in our solid churches. My Prisoners for Christ ministry has taught me without Christ's saving work and ongoing transformation through the Holy Spirit,  I am a really bad sinner, right next to the lowest of the low, or the hardened man.

Without God's saving work, I just might be in a worse place than any inmate I've been around.

I am changed every single day because of the Holy Spirit's progressive and sanctifying work. The churches I have attended are not "open and affirming," for a very different reason.

Some don't want those "bad sinners" around us, as if their sin would rub off on our families.  Our sins are not bad like those other people. I wonder how that attitude rubs off on them?

Here's a note from Charles Spurgeon:

"Now, when the sinner is brought to the bar, Jesus appears there Himself. He stands to answer the accusation. He points to His side, His hands, His feet, and challenges Justice to bring anything against the sinners whom He represents; He pleads His blood, and pleads so triumphantly, being numbered with them and having a part with them, that the Judge proclaims, "Let them go their way; deliver them from going down into the pit, for He has found a ransom." 

Some are afraid to have those bad people in church, as if they are worse than some already in the church. Ugh!  I am not a gracious follower /servant of Jesus Christ if I somehow communicate bad sinners are unwelcome in my church.

Yes, some affirming churches welcome some to come and stay like they are.  Some churches welcome them to take leadership and pastoral roles. I am not seeking to address that, here.

What about me?  How is the Lord Jesus speaking to you and me through His Spirit?

In Romans 2, Paul carefully cautioned us against judging others without prayerful  self-examination.

" 1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed." (Romans 2:1-5 ESV)

The judgment of God falls on those who "practice such things," or who pass judgment on others without a full parcel of genuine humility-focused self-examination through the Holy Spirit.  The consistent message of the Bible is that none of us should ever "stay the same," as we are being transformed, or changed daily, through the renewing of our minds.  Romans 12:1-2

I want to be open and affirming in this way:  To every person, whatever their lifestyle, inmate, really bad sinner, starting with me, what would Jesus Himself say?

 I want  to say, "Come and join in with us.  We welcome you openly.  We are all repenting of our sins and seeking to follow Jesus.  As you are growing in life-changing transformation, I openly welcome and invite you to come and walk with us.  Come with us and we can follow Jesus, together!"

I am very certain this blog post will draw some comments and reactions.  How is the Lord speaking to you about really bad people?

Obsessed with following Jesus

My home church, Faith Baptist on the east hill of Kent is studying Francis Chan's "Crazy Love." He wrote in the 8th chapter that followers of Jesus who obsessed with Him:

RJC in Kent

... give freely and openly, without censure. 

...love those who hate them and who can never love them back” (p. 132).

...aren’t consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else.  

...care more about God’s kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress” (p. 133).

...live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another.  

...believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to Him” (p. 135).

...more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo.  

 

...will do things that don’t always make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth” (p. 136-137).

...the sin of pride is always a battle.  

...can never be ‘humble enough,’ and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known” (p. 138).

...do not consider service a burden. 

...take joy in loving God by loving His people” (p. 139).

...are known as givers, not takers.  Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they do, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world” (p. 140-141).

...thinks about heaven frequently.  

...orient their lives around eternity; they are not fixed only on what is here in front of them” (p. 142).

...is characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being” (p. 143).

...are raw with God; they do not attempt to mask the ugliness of their sins or their failures.  Obsessed people don’t put it on for God; He is their safe place, where they can be at peace” (p. 144).

...have an intimate relationship with Him.  They are nourished by God’s Word throughout the day because they know that forty minutes on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week, especially when they will encounter so many distractions and alternative missions” (p. 145).

...is more concerned with his or her character than comfort.  

...true joy doesn’t depend on circumstances of environment; it is a gift that must be chosen and cultivated, a gift that ultimately comes from God” (p. 146).

...the best thing he can do is be faithful to his Savior in every aspect of his life, continually saying, ‘Thank You!’ to God.  

...there can never be intimacy if he is always tyring to pay God back or work hard enough to be worthy.  He revels in his role as child and friend of God” (p. 147-148).

From a crossword puzzle to stand before the Cross

Last week, Josh asked me if we could send him a crossword puzzle.  I told him to send a request and then asked if he would like to sit down a talk some with me.  He agreed as he was open.

Regional Justice Center

Josh, 21, said he was a heavy drug user, believed in a higher power, and is a Christian.

I asked him to share with me what he thought being a Christian means, as I often do when guys tell me that.  Some do know the Scriptures and their answers are right-on.  Josh said he keeps the 10 commandments and tries to live a good life toward other people...and treats others like he wants to be treated.  Hmmmm

But, you are in jail, Josh...I said.  What is going on?  I asked again if that is what he thinks being a Christian is and if I could share some verses with him.  He agreed.

He went out and got a New International Version Bible and he came right back. We went through the 10 Commandments, one by one, through Exodus 20. We agreed neither he nor I are able on our own to keep them.  He does honor his parents so I asked if he respected his parents relating to his drug use.  No.  So, 0 for 10.

I walked with him through the Romans Road that I use--1:16, 3:10-12, 3: 21-24, 4:4-5, 6:23, 5:6-8, 10:11-13, and 1 John 5:11-12.


His eyes got bigger and he was crying in the middle.  He said, "I don't know any of this. This is just amazing."

 I went on into John, the disciple Jesus loved--John 3:16, and he had never heard that;  4:13-15, about living water and asking for it, and 5:24, passing out of death into life; Luke 24:46-48, Acts 2:37-38 and 26:20, about repentance; and Revelation 22:17, the Spirit and the bride (that's me) invite him to COME.

Can all this be for me, he asked.  Yes, it can be, and I believe it is, right now, Josh!

I shared with him how to seek God, to call upon Jesus for salvation.  We take the power of God for salvation, we rest on His righteousness for all and on all--Josh--to believe for eternal life.  He started praying with me as I shared a simple model.  I didn't ask him.  He started doing it. He was in tears.

The next day I brought Ray Pritchard's great little book, "An anchor for tje soul."  I'll follow-up, this week.

Inviting men to Standing Stones

Dave and Gail Garton relaxing on te SSM grounds

I enjoy sharing with men about the Standing Stones Ministry of PFC which is in Wapato, Washington especially after spending several days there with the program participants and Dave Garton, the program manager and his wife Gail, last year.  

Just today, during a one-to-one sharing time in one of the units at the RJC, I learned Alex is very interested and praying about Standing Stones. Alex is 26 and sent in an initial letter with information required for consideration.


He received a response from the Standing Stones team and is awaiting the next step while he is in process with the courts at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.

Greg Von Tobel and Bob Jordan at SSM

The Standing Stones Ministry (SSM) provides a healthy environment for individuals struggling with drug and alcohol dependencies to deal with issues that have drastically attempted to knock the slats from right underneath them.  This is a regeneration ministry focused on:

• Bible-based teaching
• classroom instruction
• job work ethics programming
• family reconciliation

 For information about applying directly to the program, individuals may contact:

SSM, P.O. Box 1530, Woodinville, WA  98072

Standing Stones Ministry is located in Wapato

SSM is located in Wapato, in the foothills of the Cascade mountains of eastern Washington on a 40-acre fruit orchard ranch site. 

Program participants in the drug and alcohol component stay for ten months for successful graduation. 

The participant may then be invited to complete a Phase II, a six month leadership training school. 

There is a Phase III 12-month staff training or missionary training school, also by invitation.

While candidates do not need to be Christians to enter SSM, it will be understood the Bible is the sole source for instruction and practical daily application. 

The financial obligation for the Phase I  drug and alcohol ten month program is $4,000. Further details about raising this amount and for indigent candidates could worked out with SSM staff.

Those eligible for the program are men who are 25 years-old or older suffering with life-threatening drug and alcohol addictive lifestyles.  Individuals with sex-related crimes and mental health issues will not be approved.