Weekly Encouragement

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As I reflect on our simple way of being church, I'm reminded how "simply" God came to earth.

Sure, the angels announced his birth, and "wise man came from afar," and even the prophets predicted his coming. But when he came, it wasn't with a great display of power amplified by pomp and circumstance. It was in a "display" of weakness, the simplicity of a baby who came into the world, no doubt, crying with his first human breath.

He could have come already grown, even as a theophany as he did in the Old Testament. But instead he came in actual human form, to live all the way from birth to death. God became a simple human baby to live our full human condition, and yet, he was fully without sin. He did this to redeem us as one of us.

Our God became a baby for us. That decision makes it easy to overlook, easy to have reasonable doubt. But when we fall to our knees to worship him, we see him for who he is. And there we fulfill our searching. There we find reason to hope.

Years ago I wrote a song about that, and for this week's teaching I decided to bring it in song. I trust it finds you well. 

​Merry Christmas,

This Week's Teaching | Prayers | Christmas Meetup

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When I have a hard message to bring, I try to go slow and make sure that it's not just a personal pet peeve or nitpicky criticism. Likewise, when I feel the urge to soften a hard message, I want to make sure it's to help it be heard, and not just to be more likable. It's easy to err in either direction.

Not only does that concern apply to my process in the above teaching, it also applies to its message: Our tendency to form golden calves out of the things we value, and then worship them as representative of God, is more prevalent than we like to admit. And unfortunately, there's no shortage of preachers and teachers who will custom form those golden calves for us, just like Aaron did for the people of Israel when they asked him to.

In this teaching we look at Exodus 24 and 32 to see the story of Aaron's sin. And then we relate it to Paul's warning in 2 Timothy 3 and 4 about picking teachers who form their messages around what we want to hear. My goal isn't to cast aspersion on preachers, but to encourage you to know the scriptures, and to "learn not to go beyond what is written." (If you missed the first two teachings on this topic, catch up here and here.)

Our X242 way of studying the scriptures conversationally has been so wonderful. It's in such conversations that we "test the prophecies" and make sure our own convictions aren't just personal opinions. And it's where we learn to stop fighting about doctrines that go beyond what is written. It's where we devote ourselves to the apostles' teaching.

Our goal is to know what the scriptures say, not just what preachers and teachers say they say! And that includes anything I say. I'm honored to open the word to you. But I'm even more honored to open it with you.

If you know of anyone who would like help learning how to do this, please help us connect. No matter where they live.

Prayers for each of you as you devote yourself to the apostles' teaching, getting rid of any "golden calves" you've accepted. That will make more sense as you listen above.

Peace and grace,

• Pray for the X242 Network. Keep praying for our microchurch hosts and leaders, and for new church plants, that our ministry would be an encouragement to all who need it.
• ​Pray for the disconnected believers in your life — those who are not in regular, intentional, spiritual fellowship with other believers. Pray that God would put it in their heart to reconnect in those ways, and that we would be able to help them.
• Pray for the unbelievers in your life — those who either have never believed or stopped believing. Pray that God would stir up faith, hope, and conviction in them. Pray that you'd have the opportunity to give a reason for the hope you have.
• Pray for those who are sick and in need. May it be said of us that "there were no needy persons among them.​

This Week's Teaching | Prayers | Christmas Meetup

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Whenever you catch yourself quoting a preacher (or pastor or podcaster or meme), ask yourself whether you can say the same thing by just quoting scripture. 

If you can't, that doesn't mean the preacher is wrong. It probably just means that it's a constructed opinion, synthesized from a variety of sources. If those sources are all scripture, it's probably a strong opinion. But if those sources are other people's constructed opinions about scripture, it is a weaker opinion. It's farther from the true source. And if those other people's constructed opinions are synthesized from unbiblical sources, it is a dangerous opinion.

I believe the church's pulpits and podcasts are filled with weak and dangerous opinions.

That's why I believe it's so important that we learn to go back to the scriptures, to read them personally and in small conversational gatherings like we're doing with X242 (and like I taught last week). This devotion keeps us from being led astray by fancy thinkers and eloquent speakers. And it helps us to say Amen with a reasoned conviction when we come across fancy thinkers and eloquent speakers who speak a biblical truth!

In fact, I want to be sure to say this clearly: This isn't to cast aspersions on preachers. Not at all. Preachers are called by God to preach the gospel. Jesus was a preacher. The apostles were preachers. And I personally feel the weight of what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:16, "Woe to me if I don't preach the gospel."

But the church has become too fascinated with, and dependent upon, preachers as their primary source of God's word. And from that fascination, it seems we've lost discernment. We've become tolerant of three sins:

1. The sin of Diotrephes
2. The sin of Peter
3. The sin of Aaron

I explain the first two in this week's teaching, and plan to explain the third next week. So, open your bible to the following scriptures and read along as you watch/listen above:

• 1 Corinthians 4:6
• 3 John 1:5-11
• Galatians 2:5-12

With conviction and hope.

• Pray for the disconnected believers in your life — those who are not in regular, intentional, spiritual fellowship with other believers. Even if they're good people, sincere in their faith, doing their devotions regularly, and listening to preachers and worship music and podcasts, etc., pray that they would recognize their need for being in spiritual conversation with other believers. Pray that the Holy Spirit would stir up in them this desire. And pray that you would have opportunity to recommend what we are doing in X242.
• Pray for the unbelievers in your life — those who either have never believed or have stopped believing. Pray that God would stir up faith in them. And hope. And conviction. And pray that you would have opportunity to be the voice of faith and hope and love to them.
• Pray for those who are sick and in need. May it be said of us that "there were no needy persons among them."
• ​Pray for the X242 Network. Keep praying for our microchurch hosts and leaders, and for new church plants.

This Week's Teaching | Prayers | Christmas Meetup

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Many Christians have a habit of reading devotionals to help them feel close to God or grow in their faith. What others have written can be helpful. Absolutely. Just like listening to preachers and teachers can be helpful.

But if you only read devotionals or listen to preachers and teachers, you're missing out on something better.

Hands down, the best "devotional" is probably something you already have: Your Bible. And the best thing you can do to have a good relationship with God is to spend time in scripture and prayer. I know that's intimidating to a lot of people, but just think of it as a conversation. Get to know him through private conversations where it's just you and God, listening and talking.

But still, just doing our private devotions isn't enough. We need to know God in conversation with others, studying the scriptures and praying together. This is the beauty of what we're doing in X242! When we have that conversation with others, it expands our perspective and we learn new things!

I say more in the teaching above. And I use an illustration of something I experienced last week in two different microchurches. I wonder if you've had similar experiences.

Open your Bible to the following scriptures as you watch/listen above:

• Acts 9
• Galatians 1
• 1 Corinthians 6

Prayers for you as you apply yourself to these things!

• Pray for the disconnected believers in your life — those who are not in regular, intentional, spiritual fellowship with other believers. Even if they're good people, sincere in their faith, doing their devotions regularly, and listening to preachers and worship music and podcasts, etc., pray that they would recognize their need for being in spiritual conversation with other believers. Pray that the Holy Spirit would stir up in them this desire. And pray that you would have opportunity to recommend what we are doing in X242.
• Pray for the unbelievers in your life — those who either have never believed or have stopped believing. Pray that God would stir up faith in them. And hope. And conviction. And pray that you would have opportunity to be the voice of faith and hope and love to them.
• X242 Network. Keep praying for our microchurch hosts and leaders, and for new church plants. 
• Health & Provision. May it be said of us that "there were no needy persons among them."