- In the context of Matthew’s Gospel, the range of places mentioned is significant. Do we have here glimmers of the broken down wall of Ephesians 2?
- What does teaching look like if teachers maintain Jesus’ trajectory?
- Teaching, proclaiming, and healing all sorts
- All sortsfor healing
- Therefore, Jesus sat down to teach.
I serve a God who teaches, proclaims the kingdom to, and heals all sorts. Then he sits down to teach all who come.
This passage seems to cry out for immoderate, outward traveling teaching, proclamation, and healing. I wonder what this looks like, for I do not think any church I have been part of truly practices such immoderate outreach. So, here’s a small what if:
- What if TFB practiced active, immoderate outreach ministries that taught truth, proclaimed God’s rule, and healed bodies and souls?
- What if TFB intentionally focused on-campus programs on teaching whoever came to learn—by whatever means most effective?
- In other words, what if outreach was truly OUT?
- What if we equipped our people with the skills of whole life, Spirit-filled, Jesus-following 24-7 ministry?
- What if we stopped relying on professionals and started relying on God?
- What if…?
Tag(s): lectio
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“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/
That's the direction of my heart too. Hurts doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteThe challenge is to teach believers this model. We are so used to having some platform ministry and being pressured into dragging people along to such meetings, that anything different we suggest evokes two responses: (1) I can't do that and (2) oh no, I'm expected to do that! i.e. legalism, pressure, fear.
I'm kinda chewing this one through right now, but thoughts so far include:
1. Teaching must be far more than instructing, or even discussing. It must include DOING IT TOGETHER. Being a community is so important.
2. Teaching must include imparting FAITH, not merely instruction in principles or moral standards (sigh), or even disseminating knowledge. We MUST keep magnifying the GLORY of God in our teaching, rather than instructing how we should "live right" (that's not the gospel of grace - and grace really is POWERful!) When God is glorified then we live right from the inside-out (internal overflow) and we are empowered. Conversely, some teaching methods try to transform us from the outside-in (external pressure) and hence inhibit the Spirit :-(
3. Every believer can have a prophetic, i.e. intimate and hearing, relationship with God. That can come out of (1) and (2) but it cannot come out of the converse. Only then will we also do what we see our Father doing, with the compassionate companionship of Jesus, and the powerful anointing of Holy Spirit.
Just thoughts, open-handed as always :-)
Have I said something dodgy? ;-)
ReplyDeleteSorry for the lack of response. I'm deep in the midst of the semester writing project (Emerging Church Ecclesiology, sitting at 60 pages and needs to be trimmed to about 30).
ReplyDeleteShort version: AGREED!
Long version: to be posted when I can eek my nostrils above the waves ;-)
No probs. I just like conversation ;-)
ReplyDeleteBe blessed with the paper.