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Category: Discipleship

The Ministry Of Bearing

Published by Jeff Kennon on October 21, 2014

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What does it mean to serve one another? This is the question that I have been thinking through as I have been highlighting a portion of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book Life Together (chapter 4). Bonhoeffer writes of four acts of service in which he believes the Christian community owes each other. So far, I have posted about the ministry of listening and the ministry of helpfulness. Today, we discuss the third act of service, the ministry of bearing.

The Ministry of Bearing

Paul wrote that we should bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2). “Thus,” writes Bonhoeffer, “the law of Christ is a law of bearing. Bearing means forbearing and sustaining. The brother is a burden to the Christian, precisely because he is a Christian. For the pagan the other person never becomes a burden at all. He simply sidesteps every burden that others may impose upon him.”

For Bonhoeffer, “the Christian must bear the burden of a brother” for “it is only when he is a burden that another person is really a brother and not merely an object to be manipulated.” It is our duty as believers to bear with one another and therefore show to the world that we are Christ’s disciples. Jesus said: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34-35). Is not love exhibited as we bear with one another?

What Does It Mean To Bear With One Another?

Bonhoeffers lists two things that we bear for one another. The first is freedom. We do not “play God” in the brother’s life and seek to control or manipulate, but we let “God create His image in him” instead of us “stamping our image upon him.”

“The freedom of the other person,” writes Bonhoeffer, “includes all that we mean by a person’s nature, individuality, endowment. It also includes his weaknesses and oddities, which are such a trial to our patience, everything that produces frictions, conflicts, and collisions among us.” But we bear with them. We are not quick to judge or coerce but instead, walk with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love (Eph. 4:2).

The second thing we bear is sin. Sin is much harder to bear than freedom for “here the Christian suffers the rupture of his fellowship with the other person that had its basis in Jesus Christ.” However, “it is only in bearing with him that the great grace of God becomes wholly plain.” Did not Christ welcome and receive us in the midst of our sin? Did he not bear our sin and forgive? How much more should we forgive one another?

It is the bearing of sins that should lead one to self-examination instead of judgment. Bonhoeffer writes that “when does sin ever occur in the community that he must not examine and blame himself for his own unfaithfulness in prayer and intercession, his lack of brotherly service, of fraternal reproof and encouragement, indeed for his own personal sin and spiritual laxity, by which he has done inure to himself, the fellowship, and the brethren?”

The Strength To Bear With One Another

The power to bear with one another is to know that “he who is bearing others knows that he himself is being borne, and only in this strength can he go on bearing.” It’s humbling to realize that someone is “bearing our burdens” and that we stand in continual need of forgiveness for our offenses.

The Christian community forgives, however, and accepts us in all our quirkiness trusting that God is transforming us. So when we are quick to judge and wish to push off bearing with our Christian brother or sister, may we remember that first, Christ has borne our sins, and second, so have many in our Christian community.

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The Ministry of Helpfulness

Published by Jeff Kennon on October 15, 2014

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As I continue to expand upon Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s 4 services/ministries in which the Christian community owes to each other (found in his book Life Together), I am continually made aware of the life-giving nature of each. And I’m also amazed at the simplicity of them. Each service can be and should be performed by each member of the body of Christ.

The First Service

The first service that Bonhoeffer mentions and in which I expounded upon earlier was the ministry of listening. When we listen, we “listen with the ears of God,” writes Bonhoeffer. And with the fast-paced, information saturated, social media-driven world in which we live, listening has become lost. But if we will decide to perform the ministry of listening, as has been given to us by God, it will be much like giving water to a parched man or woman.

The Second Service

The service that is being highlighted in this post is the second of the four. It is the ministry of helpfulness. Bonhoeffer writes that helpfulness is “simple assistance in trifling external matters.” It’s important to notice that Bonhoeffer sees that the helpfulness we give to others is in the ordinary day to day needs that come about. It’s not that we don’t help one another during crisis times. Those are quite apparent. What might not be readily recognizable are the “trifling” matters.

Just as was true for the ministry of listening, our tendency towards busyness, as well as our bent towards making everything about ourselves, can make it hard for us to sometimes see and help with the needs of those around us. However, Bonhoeffer writes that “we must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God as He will be constantly crossing our paths and canceling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions.”

To have our day or plans interrupted does not always bring a joyful response from us. And such negative attitudes reveals our heart of selfishness. This is why Bonhoeffer says that we need humility. “It is the part of the discipline of humility,” he writes, “that we must not spare our hand where it can perform a service and that we do not assume that our schedule is our own to manage, but allow it to be arranged by God.”

Though Bonhoeffer writes of the ministry of helpfulness as that which we owe each other as a Christian community, helping those around us who are outside the church is also needed. So we must look around us to see the needs. And once again, these are not necessarily the huge crisis moments. It could be that someone just needs help carrying his/her paperwork to the office.

Bonhoeffer wants us to remember that helpfulness, most importantly, opens the door for God’s Word to be shared. He writes: “Only where hands are not too good for deeds of love and mercy in everyday helpfulness can the mouth joyfully and convincingly proclaim the message of God’s love and mercy.” Many of us have heard the saying that “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Bonhoeffer would agree.

So let’s do life today with open eyes, hearts, and hands that are willing to be interrupted!

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The Ministry Of Listening

Published by Jeff Kennon on October 14, 2014

images If there has been one book that has been helpful to me in understanding service and ministry in the church community, it has been Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book Life Together. Though the entire book is worth the read, I have found that his chapter on ministry (chapter 4) to be one that I continue to reread from time to time. It is in this chapter that Bonhoeffer highlights four acts of service that believers owe to each other and to which I would like to expand on for the next few posts.

A Quick Look At Bonhoeffer

Before we look at Bonhoeffer’s list of services we owe each other, it’s important to know a bit about Bonhoeffer himself. He was born in Berlin in 1906 and was a theologian, a churchman, and led an underground seminary during the Nazi regime. Most importantly, Bonhoeffer took up the pen of which his work, The Cost of Discipleship, has been widely read. Bonhoeffer was hanged in 1945 by the Gestapo on charges of conspiracy to kill Hitler.

A key to understanding Bonhoeffer is his Christology. For Bonhoeffer, Christ and the cross were central in his thought and dictated his understanding of the church and its ministry to others. Therefore, Life Together is Bonhoeffer’s understanding of Christian community in which Christ is at the center.

For more biographical information on Bonhoeffer I suggest Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas. For a good  understanding of his theology and thought, Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life by Stephen J. Nichols is valuable.

The Ministries We Owe Each Other

As Bonhoeffer begins to write of the ministries we are to perform for each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, he is aware that there is no greater service than to proclaim God’s word to one another. However, he writes that “a Christian community does not consist solely of preachers of the Word.” Other ministry must not be overlooked for if they are, “we can go monstrously wrong.”

The services that Bonhoeffer writes that we owe each other, and of which we will examine a bit more closely, are: the ministry of listening, the ministry of helpfulness, the ministry of bearing, and the ministry of proclaiming.

The First Service

The first service that Bonhoeffer writes of is the ministry of listening. He writes that “just as love to God begins with listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them.” We are often quick to want to contribute a word (especially preacher-types), but we must not “forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking.”

We must realize that there are many people who are in need of a listening ear. This is especially true in the busy and hurried culture in which we live. But because we also are caught up in living such fast-paced lives, we don’t have time to listen to those in need. But Bonhoeffer writes that “anyone who thinks that his time is too valuable to spend keeping quiet [listening to others] will eventually have no time for God and his brother, but only for himself and for his own follies.”

I feel that listening however, is not just a ministry to our Christian community. It is something that we as Christ-followers should give to the world around us. Consider sharing the gospel with others. Is not listening a vital ingredient?  Jonathan Dodson writes:

The work or calling of an evangelist isn’t to drop names, recite presentations, or campaign politics. Rather, the work of the evangelist is to listen patiently for minutes, hours, days, weeks, and years in order to wisely show others how the gospel is actually worth believing.

Let us remember the need to listen. “Christians have forgotten,” writes Bonhoeffer, “that the ministry of listening has been committed to them by Him who is Himself the great listener and whose work they should share.” We must therefore, practice the ministry of listening for as we do, we “listen with the ears of God in order that we may speak the Word of God.”

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To Be The Means Of Saving A Soul!

Published by Jeff Kennon on October 8, 2014

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Charles Spurgeon wrote:

I would rather be the means of saving a soul from death than be the greatest orator on earth. I would rather bring the poorest woman in the world to the feet of Jesus than I would be made Archbishop of Canterbury. I would sooner pluck one single brand from the burning than explain all mysteries. To win a soul from going down into the pit, is a more glorious achievement than to be crowned in the arena of theological controversy…to have faithfully unveiled the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ will be, in the final judgment, accounted worthier service than to have solved the problems of the religious Sphinx, or to have cut the Gordian knot of Apocalyptic difficulty.

One of my happiest thoughts is that, when I die, it shall be my privilege to enter into rest in the bosom of Christ, and I know that I shall not enjoy my Heaven alone. Thousands have already entered there, who have been drawn to Christ under my ministry. Oh! what bliss it will be to fly to Heaven, and to have a multitude of converts before and behind.

(The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon by Steven J. Lawson)

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Beating The Gospel Into Our Heads

Published by Jeff Kennon on October 7, 2014

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“Most necessary it is,” wrote Martin Luther, “that we should know this article [the gospel] well, teach it to others, and beat it into their heads continually.”

Why would Luther say such a thing? Are we that hardened and forgetful? Milton Vincent, in his book A Gospel Primer, lists 31 reasons why we need to “preach the Gospel” to ourselves daily. For reason number 2, “My Daily Battle,” he writes:

The gospel is so foolish (according to my natural wisdom), so scandalous (according to my conscience), and so incredible (according to my timid heart), that it is a daily battle to believe the full scope of it as I should. There is simply no other way to compete with the forebodings of my conscience, the condemnings of my heart, and the lies of the world and the Devil than to overwhelm such things with daily rehearsings of the gospel.

So why do we need to continually hear the gospel and have it “beat into our brains?” Because of the daily spiritual battle in which we are engaged. The soft whisperings of the enemy, the world, and at times our own conscience, speak loudly to our souls that we are just not good enough nor obedient enough to warrant God’s favor. As a result, we begin to waver and doubt.

Therefore, we need to fight back. The apostle Paul wrote for us to take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication (Ephesians 6:13-18).

As you read Paul’s words, I’m sure you noticed the bolded words “truth”, “righteousness,” “gospel,” “faith,” “salvation,” and “word of God” These words are basically synonyms for the gospel. So what Paul wants for his readers is for them to arm themselves with the gospel message. It is the good news of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection that protects, guards, and allows us to stand firm.

According to Scripture, those who are “in Christ” are “delivered from the domain of darkness and [are] transferred to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13). There is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” for we have “been set free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:1-2).

Because of the wonderful truths of the gospel, may we pick up and read, meditate, and memorize God’s word today and discipline ourselves to do so daily. I like what Jimmy Davis writes in regards to the spiritual disciplines (Bible reading, prayer, etc….): I don’t read my Bible to get the Father to love me. I read it to hear him say he loves me in the gospel of his Son, Jesus Christ. 

Let’s beat the gospel into our heads!

 

 

 

 

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Reading The Bible For Transformation

Published by Jeff Kennon on October 1, 2014

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“The purpose of knowing Scripture is not to help us get a 100 score on the heavenly entrance exam,” writes John Ortberg in his helpful book The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People. “It is,” he suggests, “to help us become equipped for good works.”

Bottom line: We should not just read the Bible for information (though this is obviously necessary), but transformation. And according  to Ortberg, a great way to do this is by reading Scripture meditatively.

Ortberg suggests 5 ways by which to read the Bible in meditation that helps lead to transformation. I find these quite helpful.

1. Ask God to Meet You in Scripture

Before you begin reading, take a moment to ask God to speak to you. Then as you read, anticipate that he will do so.

2. Read the Bible in a Repentant Spirit

Read the Bible with a readiness to surrender everything. Read it with a vulnerable heart. Read it wisely, but understand that reading for transformation is different from reading to find information or to prove a point. Resolve that you will be obedient to the Scriptures.

3. Meditate on a Fairly Brief Passage or Narrative

It is important to be familiar with all of the Bible. In times of study we will need to read broadly and cover a great deal of material. But in reading for transformation we have to go slowly.

Some churches give people the idea that the only way to transformation is knowledge. There is an assumption that as people’s knowledge of the Bible rises, their level of maturity rises with it.

The goal is not to get through the Scriptures. The goal is to get the Scriptures through us.

4. Take One Thought or Verse with You Through the Day

Mediation is as slow as the process by which the roots draw moisture from the flowing river to bring nurture and fruitfulness. Find time therefore, throughout the day to think on a specific verse. This can be while waiting at a stoplight, eating lunch, sitting in a waiting room, etc….

5. Allow This Though to Become Part of Your Memory

Memorizing Scripture is one of the most powerful means of transforming our minds. What matters however, is not how many words we memorize, but what happens to our minds as we immerse them in Scripture.

(I encourage you to purchase and read all of John Ortberg’s book The Life You’ve Always Wanted as I have found it very helpful.)

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What Is True Spirituality?

Published by Jeff Kennon on September 30, 2014

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What is true spirituality? Is it some other-worldy type living that is disconnected from real life? In other words, does being spiritual result in us becoming more angelic? Or is true spirituality merely learning what it means to be truly human?

Consider the following words from Rodney Clapp and Richard Lovelace…

Christian spirituality is for people, not angels. Christian spirituality is the whole person’s participation and formation in the church–Christ’s body, the Spirit’s public–which exists to entice and call the world back to its Creator, its true purpose, and its only real hope.

Christian spirituality is for people: bodily, social, embedded in time.

-Rodney Clapp in Tortured Wonders

True spirituality is not superhuman religiosity; it is simply true humanity released from bondage to sin and renewed by the Holy Spirit. This is given to us as we grasp by faith the full content of Christ’s redemptive work: freedom from the guilt and power of sin, and newness of life through the indwelling and outpouring of his Spirit

-Richard Lovelace in Dynamics of Spiritual Life

According to Clapp and Lovelace, spirituality is not becoming so heavenly minded that you become no earthly good. Nor is it becoming so attuned to the world we live in that we forget we are citizens of another kingdom (see Phil. 3:20).

True spirituality is learning to be truly human. It is about being redeemed by God to once again, depend upon Him for life, goodness and happiness. And it is doing so in the midst of a world that is broken needing to hear and see what it really means to be human.

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Another Consequence of Self-Righteousness

Published by Jeff Kennon on September 24, 2014

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What’s another consequence of self-righteousness? We become judgmental. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book Life Together, writes: “Self-justification and judging others go together, as justification by grace and serving others go together.” In other words, when we become self-righteous, that is, trust in our own goodness, we wonder why those who are not as good as us act the way they do.

Self-righteousness produces an attitude of pride instead of humility. It results in a life of condemning others as those who are self-righteous are quick to look at the sin of others before their own. The self-righteous tend to look down on others who have not attained their level of spiritual maturity.

Self-righteousness results in what Tim Keller calls “elder-son syndrome.” In the story of the lost sons in Luke 15, the older son’s heart towards his younger brother is hardened. And when his father forgives his younger brother for leaving home and wasting his portion of the family money, this older son becomes even more angry.

Why such anger? Because his self-righteousness has clouded his vision. His self-righteousness led him to feeling superior to his younger brother, and when one feels superior, it’s hard to forgive.

Do you see the dangers of self-righteousness?  Thinking that we are ok, we become blind to our need for God’s grace and thus, we become ungrateful to God and judgmental towards others. Jesus’ commands to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and to love your neighbor as yourself (Mt. 22:37-38) are broken. And what’s even more detrimental, the self-righteous who break such commands are not even aware of their disobedience.

So what is to be done? Is there a cure for self-righteousness? Of course there is. The writer of Hebrews writes that the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12). God’s word convicts and kills in order to bring healing and life. It exposes self-righteousness in order to give true righteousness from God (2 Cor. 5:21).

But we must be careful, however, not to become self-righteous against self-righteousness. Tim Keller profoundly writes:

It’s simple: we can become self-righteous against those who are self-righteous. Many younger evangelicals today are reacting to their parents’ conservative, buttoned-down, rule-keeping flavor of “older brother religion” with a type of liberal, untucked, rule-breaking flavor of “younger brother irreligion” which screams, ”That’s right, I know I don’t have it all together and you think you do; I know I’m not good and you think you are good. That makes me better than you.” See the irony? In other words, they’re proud that they’re not self-righteous!

As I think about self-righteousness and how none of us are exempt from it, I am reminded of Paul’s struggle with sin as he writes,  For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. This led Paul to see himself as “wretched” and to ask, Who will deliver me from this body of death?  His answer? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:15, 24-25).

Oh how we need saving from self-righteousness! And praise God that we have one!

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