what does it mean to be 'The Body of Christ'?

I've been a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ in the making, for over twenty years. Over that time, I've met more people than I can count, some who are fellow disciples, as well as many who would never identify themselves with Christianity. A good number have had some interesting things to say about both the Church, and the body of Christ.

Here are some questions to consider:

1) How would you define 'the Church'?

2) Would you use a different definition for 'the Body of Christ'? If so, why?

3) Why do Christians need the Church?

4) Can a person be a Christian, that is, be saved in the name of Jesus Christ, apart from being a part of the Church?

5) Need one regularly attend and participate in the life of a church in order to truly be saved? Why? Why not?

If you have any thoughts or opinions on these matters, please consider taking some time to thoughtfully respond. I have my thoughts, and in time, I'll share what I think the theologically correct answer is. It could be that you will share it before I get the chance. But don't worry, I'll chime in my six cents! All to the glory of the Triune God!!!

My Short-Term Missionary Prayers

The following are prayers are a result of our church's recent short-term mission to North Dakota. I wrote them down as the final part of team's daily morning devotions, as a response to corresponding scriptures for each day, and as a response to what I found in my heart as a result of reading and praying to prepare for each day. They are neither profound nor eloquent, but I felt moved to post them, to share them as a benefit to any who might be moved to pray more, as well as encourage all who were a part of the team or supported its purpose.


July 9, 2005

corresponding scripture: Isaiah 42:1-3

Holy God, Heavenly Father, You know my struggles and fears, and You know my desires and hopes for this mission. Help me to not be fearful. Rather, increase my faith and trust in You. Over the many twenty years I have known You, and the several years You have led me and this team out here, You have shown, You have proven Yourself worthy of faith and trust. Help me this day, by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, to remember who You are, and who I am in You. Give me the courage to do what is before me - give me the strength in Christ to do all things. All this I pray in Jesus' name - Amen.

July 11, 2005

corresponding scripture: Isaiah 55:1-13

Heavenly Father, I would focus on You this day, and not my worries, thoughts, or fears. Forgive me, Father, for allowing them to dominate my heart. Instead, I pray, please fill my heart with Your peace, and help me to look to You for my sufficiency and strength. Let me be filled with Your joy and Your love. I do praise You for this day, and I thank You for another day of life. Be my God; help me to be Your son. In Jesus' name.
Amen.

July 12, 2005

corresponding scripture: Isaiah 60:1-22

Heavenly Father, I give You thanks for the many people who were used by You to draw me into Your kingdom and grow me in faith. I thank you for Patrick Young, Pete and Dorothy Berner, John Gleichman, Lawn Dixon, Al and Barb Condit, Norm and Melissa Jones, Fr. Dan Sullivan, Jim and Dale Cirillo, and Ben and Amy Sheldon. I also thank You for the students I've been able to be light for... students at Good Sam, children on Standing Rock, students from Ascension, and students from Narberth Presby. I also lift up to You [my kids], and pray that You would help me bear Your light to them. Help me to both receive from and give Your light to my dearest Sarah, and I ask You to bless my family this day, as we are apart from one another. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

July 13, 2005

corresponding scripture: Isaiah 61:1-3

Heavenly Father, I thank You for another day of life, and thank You for Your patience with me. Today, I know I struggle with a selfish, self-focused spirit - I want a 'break' from what we're here to do - I want a 'day off.' Forgive me for "needing" to be encouraged, for being less than passionate and excited for this day. Yet, I am hopeful for what today can and will be. I know that what You've called me to do is first anchored in who You've called me to be - that You called me to be Your son. Help me to live out of that place of being, out of that knowledge. Help my confidence to be rooted in You, and the transforming power that is at work in me. It is great joy to see our team work so well this year. It is joy to know that we are seeking to be faithful to You. May our desires and effort bring You glory. I praise You and give You thanks - In Jesus' name. Amen.

July 14, 2005

corresponding scripture: Isaiah 66:1-24

Heavenly Father, Gracious God, You have brought me to this day, and I give You thanks for another day of life. Please help me to be a good, godly, and loving team leader. Please help the team to keep its focus and know who it is in You. Lord God, help us to boldly proclaim Your glory among the nations. Contiue to jazz us up with excitement over who You are. I praise You and give You thanks -In Jesus' name. Amen.

July 15, 2005

corresponding scripture: John 1:1-5 and Matthew 16:13-20

Heavenly Father, I thank You for another day of the journey; another day of experiencing and knowing Your faithfulness. As we come toward the end of this mission, help me to refocus with the rest of my journey in mind. Continue to grow me in love, hope, grace, and trust, that I may be more like You. May Your Holy Spirit grow me, and continue to transform me, even this day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

July 16, 2005

corresponding scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22

Heavenly Father, grant me this day the opportunity to enjoy my time with these students. Help me to find new things to appreciate about them. Help them to know that I love them and like them. May we leave this mission field with our eyes open to the fields before us. Help us to love each other, and be the Church. Grant us an understanding of Your kingdom, that we may be one through Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Last Thoughts About the Mission

This mission to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota does not happen in a vacuum. First, it is predicated on God's call to us to be His people, and to share His message of reconciliation with the world through Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Second, it is predicated on those afore mentioned relationships, as well as relationships between those of us at Narberth Presbyterian, and the many Christians serving Christ on Standing Rock, not the least of whom are the Revs. John and Sloane Floberg. Third, it is predicated on our relationships with one another, whether they be youth ministers, youth, congregation, supporters. Our relationships are somehow mysteriously connected to God through His Holy Spirit.

I know, this is a mouthful, and I'm very verbose. But all of this is to say that this mission trip isn't about "us" going to "them" with all the solutions to "their" woes. It's about relationships (as spelled out above, and then some) that are rooted in the Triune God's love and grace for us, between us, and from us. I'm excited to have been a part of this mission in some form or fashion for over 14 years. Praise God. I hope these prayers are insightful into how God has worked not only in my own life, but in the life of the 2005 Standing Rock mission team. Thanks be to God!!!

North Dakota

I've just realized that it's been a month since my last entry; not good for someone who wants to be a regular contributor to the internet hearths and kitchen table discussions. But all of that aside, it's been a busy time. Last month saw me shifting into high speed preparations for and then leading our church's annual mission trip to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota.

Here it is, almost the end of July, and I'm wondering where the time went. Our church put on it's Vacation Bible Club (VBC) in the last week of June. My family got together with relatives twice during the July 4th holiday weekend. Our mission team celebrated our prep to go with our family and team supper. And then we left, Friday, July 8.

That was almost two weeks ago, and it's hard to believe that this year's mission to North Dakota is finished and in the history books. During our time in ND, our team of nineteen strong, plus four college students who were working for the church out on the reservation, split our team into a VBC team and a youth ministry team - two missions within one - which did their ministry programming simultaneously. Praise God that people responded to our heartfelt requests for many prayers for everything, from the mundane, such as good weather, to the explicit, for the Lord to use our team to either bring kids to Him, or grow them in Him. It was very exciting to watch everyone in our team with something to contribute, and to watch time and time again people stepping up and doing more than was asked of them.

I hope to have a number of posts here, all prayers of mine, from most days of the mission. All in all I can only give thanks to the Lord, who called us to go to Standing Rock for the ninth year in a row, and provided all that we needed to make children and youth to feel welcome and loved by Christ Jesus. Please check back and see what I've posted in prayer!

what's the difference between the church and a para-church?

I'm looking for your input, if you're out there. Here's the question on my mind: 'what's the difference between the church and a para-church?' This is an ongoing question between myself and other fellow youth ministers (in my Philly suburb context), and I'm wondering what you think about it. Before you answer, I want you to think about it. This is not a question to answer off the cuff, from the hip, or from any other part your anatomy until you've prayed about it, and looked over scripture. But I want to know what you think. It is important to think about the answer. Consider the implications. Consider the broader picture of scripture than just one verse (that you're probably proof-texting). Answer it, and then reply to me. I'm interested in what you have to say. The Church is important. It's important that we understand what it is, what it isn't, and why God loves it so. I look forward to your reply.

We Said, 'Hello'. We Said, 'Goodbye'

Okay, strange title. What I'm putting down here reminds me of the mid-80s when Phil Collins started on his solo career, and put out this album (yes, vinyl or cassette - no Cds). The reason it comes to mind is that last night (Sunday, June 5, 2005), the high school Upper Room youth group gathered at my place for the 'Senior Salute'. This is our annual party, as you might imagine, to celebrate our graduating high school seniors. The underclass students contribute to the meal, bringing side dishes, salads, and desserts. Most dressed up for the specialness of the occassion. We ate chips and salsa, dipped into the vege tray, and drank a lot of soda (yes, not pop, soda) - it was so hot! Then we gathered in my backyard, and I introduced the evening's main event, talking about the seniors and giving them something of a care package (a gift bag filled with stuff that might come in handy in college, as well as some fun stuff). What college freshman doesn't like microwave popcorn? After I got my say concerning each freshman, I opened up the proverbial floor to everyone else so they could share their favorite thoughts and memories concerning our graduating seniors.

It was a good night. Good stories. Good laughter. We ended with a circle of prayer, where any who wanted could lift up in prayer each of seniors. Yes, it was good.

But I have to say, for me, it's totally bitter/sweet. I really don't like goodbyes. Hey, they're a reality. But I don't like them. Of the five seniors we celebrated last night, two had been in our youth ministry since they were in 6th grade - for the mathematically challenged, that means they were with me for seven years. One didn't really start participating until she was in high school. Our one guy didn't choose to come out until he was a junior. And our last girl is a German exchange student who showed up with her host 'sister' (herself a sophomore) when we had our Fall Kick-off last September. Their time in our ministry runs the gamut, but for each of them, I feel a sense of 'hello/goodbye'. I feel like each of them just joined us, and now, all of the sudden, they're gone. Our exchange student alluded to the sense that she would never see us again after she graduated, and went back to Germany. However, during our prayer time, one of my youth leaders reminded us all that even if we don't get to see each other in this life, we do have heaven to look forward to.

Morbid? Not at all. It may be 'hello/goodbye' for now, but for us as Christians, we don't ever need to really say 'goodbye' but instead, until we meet again. I will probably get to see most of these graduates again, at least for a couple of years, but as they graduate from college, get jobs (probably away from the Philly area), get married, etc., etc., the opportunity to see them will become less and less frequent. It is the bitter/sweet dynamic of my job, my labor. But it's worth it. My work is helping these students come to, know, and grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ - a relationship that has both personal, and community dynamics. It's exciting. It's worth the 'hello/goodbye'. I will miss these seniors. I love them. And I pray that they will grow in faith and surpass me in a lifetime of service to our Lord Jesus. I can't wait to catch up with them in the future!