Four Significant Costs of Following Jesus

As we look around at various things in our lives, we can easily be reminded of the old saying, “Nothing in this life is free.” We look around and begin to realize that just about everything has a cost. With inflation at times, we see those costs go up more than we would like.

Many have talked about the gracious gift of salvation the Lord offers to all who come to Him by faith as being free, but I’m not sure that is entirely true. While we can never do enough or earn that gift, the gift of salvation cost Jesus greatly — He left heaven to come and dwell among us; He was mocked and ridiculed by many while on earth; He paid for our forgiveness not with money but with His own life.

Some have also said that following Jesus doesn’t cost anything. While it is true that there are no monetary fees to becoming a follower of Jesus Christ, there are still some costs. Some would say that we shouldn’t say things like that because it would cause some to not want to follow Jesus. My thoughts on this topic are: Why don’t we just see what Jesus Himself had to say about it?

In Luke 14, Jesus explains plainly that in order to be a follower of His, there are four significant costs that need to be considered. Let’s look at those at this time.

‌The Cost of Priority

²⁵ Now great crowds were traveling with him. So he turned and said to them, ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.

​Luke 14:25–26 CSB

Luke records that “great crowds” were following Jesus as He would go from place to place. These were people who had seen Jesus do miracles or heard Him teach the truths of God’s Word. They were interested in what was going on, but not all of them were true followers at this time. There is a difference between being “in the crowd” and being part of what is going on.

Jesus takes this moment to explain the difference between a fan and a follower. A fan is one who will hop on the bandwagon and enjoy the ride while things are good. A true follower is one who receives what is being shared and allows it to direct them. Jack Nicholson could be called a follower of the Los Angeles Lakers. He has had court-side season tickets to all their home games since 1970.

Jesus didn’t mind the crowds of people containing those who were at different commitment levels, but He knew that if they did not fully receive and follow Him, they would miss out on what He wanted to give them.

Jesus shares with the crowd the cost of priority with His words in verse 26. This statement has caused some to get a little squeamish because it just doesn’t quite sound right. Are we really supposed to “hate” someone? This is an example of how we may come across something in the Bible that seems to contradict itself. If we look at the whole teaching of the Bible, we realize that those who are followers of Jesus are not called to hate in the sense that many of us think about hate.

The term Jesus uses here is a term of comparison. It is metaphorical in nature and relates to our priorities. Jesus is not saying that we should hate our families or even ourselves; He is saying that when a person compares our love for Jesus to anything else, it would seem like hatred.

Jesus says that in order to be a follower of His, a person must make Him their first priority. Jesus is not one to be put on the shelf of our hearts alongside others. He will not share His throne with anyone or anything. When we do give Jesus first place over everything and everyone else in our lives, we come to find out that He enables us to love them as we could not without Him having priority in our lives.

³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

​Matthew 6:33 CSB

As we look at our lives, would others realize that we love Jesus above everything else?

‌The Cost of Suffering

²⁷ Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

​Luke 14:27 CSB

While the cross is a cherished symbol today by many, it was anything but cherished during the time Jesus spoke these words. Remember, when Jesus said this, He had not yet gone to the cross. Still, the people who heard Jesus say this knew exactly what He meant. The cross was used as an extremely brutal form of execution. The Romans would use crucifixion like billboards are used today. They would execute criminals against the Roman Empire along roads to show all travelers that you don’t mess with Rome.‌

When Jesus said that anyone who wanted to be His follower would have to “bear his own cross,” it was a sobering statement. To bear one’s cross would be burdensome and disgraceful at times. You would not be getting popularity points by bearing a cross. At times, it would be extremely painful. It would drain your strength from you.

Alongside that, it would be shameful. Many times, the Romans would make those sentenced to crucifixion carry their cross through town to the place where they would be executed. We see Jesus going through this in John 19.

Not every follower of Jesus will have to carry a literal cross, but there will be some type of cross they will have to carry. It will not be easy. It will be painful at times. It will cause others to look at you with disgust at times because they don’t understand.

Jesus didn’t want anyone to be taken by surprise here. He wanted them to know about this cost.

‌The Cost of Consideration

²⁸ “For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? ²⁹ Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ ³¹ “Or what king, going to war against another king, will not first sit down and decide if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³² If not, while the other is still far off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.

​Luke 14:28–32 CSB

Jesus uses two examples to share this cost of consideration. First, He shares about a person building a tower but not taking the time to make sure they had what was needed to finish it. A tower was a tool of defense. It would be built high up along a border to see trouble coming and act. Towers are good things, but a tower that is half-built is no good to anyone.

The second example Jesus shares is about a king going to war making sure the troops he has is sufficient. Think about what would happen if you showed up in battle only to be outnumbered 3-to-1. The morale of your troops would plummet. You would probably end up losing many people if not your own life. All of it could be avoided if you simply took the time to consider what you were doing.

Jesus calls each person who desires to be His follower to consider the cost. He doesn’t want there to be any fine print where things are often hidden and then brought up against you later. He lays the entire deal on the table for full consideration. The Lord created each of us with a brain and desires us to use it. When people do not understand that following Jesus will not be popular at times, they tend to stray away when those times come. Jesus encourages everyone to take the time to consider what following Him really means.

‌The Cost of Ownership

³³ In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.

​Luke 14:33 CSB

When Jesus says that His followers must renounce their possessions, He is not talking about giving away everything. Yes, Jesus will tell the rich young ruler that he needed to in Luke 18, but that young man’s possessions were his god that was keeping his heart from the Lord. What Jesus talks about here in Luke 14 is yielding ownership of every aspect of one’s life to Jesus. There is a recognition that everything we have comes from His hand and ultimately belongs to Him. We no longer see our possessions as “our property” to do whatever we wish. They are things and people the Lord has entrusted to us to handle as He desires. Do we hold on to these things as if we own them, or do we recognize they have been entrusted to us by the Lord?

‌Conclusion

For a person to follow Jesus, it is much more than saying a prayer one time. It may start with a prayer, but it also calls for us to do what Jesus said in Luke 9:23.

²³ Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.

​Luke 9:23 CSB

While there is no way to earn or pay for a relationship with the Lord, there is a cost. This is no different from any other relationship in our lives. When a husband or wife commits to their spouse, the cost is forsaking all others to commit to their spouse. When parents are blessed with a child, the cost will be some free time and only looking out for your own interests.

While the cost to follow Jesus deals with priorities, suffering, consideration, and ownership, we come to realize that Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30 are true.

²⁸ “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

​Matthew 11:28–30 CSB

I would encourage you to listen to the words of Jesus today. Take time to count the cost of following Him. As you do, you will quickly realize the cost of following Jesus is minute compared to what He does for us.

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A Great Teaching Tool

In the work of gospel ministry, churches and pastors use many teaching tools to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel to those they reach. It is so encouraging to see all of the tools that have been given to us to proclaim the Gospel to people from literally every walk of life. Yesterday, I was reminded of one of these great tools that has been given to the local church for the proclamation of the Gospel: baptism.

Baptism takes many forms within churches today. I recognize there is even disagreement as to the role that baptism plays in the life of a person.^[1] Understanding Four Views on Baptism is a good resource I’ve found to share the prominent views of baptism. I hold to the view of baptism commonly known as “Believer’s Baptism” by immersion. This view sees baptism as an external symbol that points to an inward decision that has been made by a person.^[2] Acts 8:35-38; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 16:29-33

For the time I’ve been in ministry, I have viewed the act of baptism as a time of celebration (and it is!). Over the years, I’ve come to see that baptism is a great teaching tool to be used by the local church about some of our core beliefs as Christians.

Baptism teaches what we believe about Jesus

The act of baptism shows that a person has put their faith in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This picture is painted beautifully as the candidate comes into the water, is placed under the water, and is brought up out of the water. This is a great teaching point to show those gathered to witness that this person has placed their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Baptism teaches about what has happened within the person

The act of baptism also shows those witnessing the work the Holy Spirit has done within the person’s heart. As the person is placed under the water, they are acknowledging they were dead in their sins.^[3]Ephesians 2:1 As the person is brought forth from the water, they are showing they have been raised to walk a new life by faith in Jesus Christ.^[4]Romans 6:4

Baptism teaches about discipleship

The act of baptism also teaches about discipleship. This is the newest aspect of baptism that I’m seeing more clearly. Jesus commands His Church to go and make disciples.^[5]Matthew 28:18-20 This means that, as we introduce someone to faith in Christ, we also come alongside them and share with them what He has shown us. Making disciples is about helping others grow in their faith in Jesus Christ.

Our church had a great privilege this past Sunday to use baptism as a teaching tool about discipleship. I got to baptize a father in his 40s. After I baptized him, his two sons were baptized – by their father. To my knowledge, this had not been done before in our church. I took a quick moment to share that a part of baptism is the one doing the baptizing commits to the one being baptized to come alongside them and help them grow in their faith. I shared about how parents are the primary disciple-makers of their children. Because of this truth, we had the father do the baptizing of his children with me standing beside them to show that together, we will work to disciple these young men.

References[+]

References

↑1	Understanding Four Views on Baptism is a good resource I’ve found to share the prominent views of baptism.
↑2	Acts 8:35-38; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 16:29-33
↑3	Ephesians 2:1
↑4	Romans 6:4
↑5	Matthew 28:18-20

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Book Review: “Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home Through Time, Moments, and Milestones

Book Title: Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home Through Time, Moments, and Milestones

Author’s: Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin

Publisher: Crossway Publishers

There are few things that are as valuable and important as family. This precious gift that God has given to us is something that comes with a lot of work attached to it. A healthy, God-fearing family is not something that just happens. It takes work… a lot of work.

If there is one thing that has caused me to scratch my head and return to the drawing board more than once, it is how to lead my family in the way that the LORD would have me to do. I don’t know many who want to argue that discipleship is not an important part of the Christian faith (there is that Great Commission thing in Matthew 28). Family discipleship is also important.

The biggest problem that I find with family discipleship is that there is not a set method and practice for it. Just like any other form of discipleship, there is not one particular manner that it has to be done in. It can take different forms at different times and come to the same conclusion. Because there is not a particular way to do family discipleship, I believe that many families fall short in the practice of it. I know that I never saw family discipleship carried out in the home that I was raised in — at least not on a continual basis.

When Naomi and I began our family, we wanted to do it right. We recognized that this family that we had was given to us by the LORD, and He knew best how it should function. When it came to family discipleship though, there were many head-scratching sessions. Neither of us was sure what it was exactly supposed to look like.

I am grateful for tools like Family Discipleship from Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin. This book has put together a compact and good tool to help families that want to see discipleship carried out in their families. I really enjoy that this book is not just the thoughts of one person. In Family Discipleship, you have two pastors who are in different stages of the family life sharing the truths of God’s word and instances from their own families and practices.

The whole book surrounds the three areas that the authors break family discipleship into — time, moments, and milestones. There is a chapter devoted to each of these segments that goes into detail explaining what they are and how they function to the greater purpose of discipleship in the family. It is really nice how they give examples and “worksheets” at the end of these sections with practical ways to help the reader put what he or she has read into practice.

Recommendation

When it comes to Family Discipleship, I would encourage every couple to take the time to read this resource. I believe that it is a good tool to help in t his journey. I’m not sure that what is shared is totally new and not shared by others, but the way it is put together is very practical and helpful.

***I received a copy of Family Discipleship from Crossway Publishers in exchange for an honest review of the material.

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How Growing Shows Honor

Every time I hear or see the word honor, my mind goes back to Exodus 20:12 which says, “Honor your father and mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” Honor is a special thing. It is a type of respect that cannot be faked but must flow from the depths of one’s own heart. Every time, my mind first goes to the command to honor our parents.

Our parents are not the only ones who deserve honor though. The Bible goes on to share about how there are others who deserve honor (Romans 13:7; 1 Timothy 5:17; 1 Peter 3:7; 1 Timothy 5:3). We should be faithful in showing honor to those who are deserving.

During my devotion time this morning, something about honoring stood out in a way that I don’t know it has before. I was reading 3 John, and I came to verse 4.

I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in truth.

3 JOHN 1:4 CSB

John seems to be writing to a Gaius about some things that are going on. He takes a moment to express his joy at the hearing that those who had poured into at one time were still moving forward in the faith.

As a parent myself, I can somewhat relate to what is being said here. When a child of mine “gets it” and takes steps towards maturity on their own, it is exciting. It helps me to know that my time in training hasn’t been wasted.

What I began to think about this morning was what takes place in the discipleship relationship that Jesus calls His followers to carry out. Jesus has called every one of His followers to learn from Him, reach out to others and share what you have learned so that they may learn it also. That might be a simple definition of discipleship, but it is what I’m going to work with here.

In the discipleship relationship, a “more mature” Christian takes another Christian under his/her wings to show them what this new life in Christ looks like. There is a period of time where there is a great deal of teaching and even “spoon-feeding” that the more mature Christian does. That phase should shift to one where the one being discipled begins doing some things on his/her own.

John expressed great joy in hearing that those he had poured in to for a time were still going forward in the faith. It wasn’t seen as a waste of time. It didn’t seem as though the investment he had made in them fell on hard and resistant soil. They were continuing to grow in their faith, and this made John overjoyed.

One of the greatest ways that we can show honor to those who are investing in us through discipleship is to “keep on.” There are times when one wants to throw in the towel. It is nice to have someone just spoon-feed us the things that we need, but there comes a time when that is more harmful than helpful.

What would you think of a 30-year-old who still wants his mom or dad to put him in a high chair, place a bib around his neck, and spoon the food into his mouth for him? No doubt, this sounds like a ridiculous scene, but it happens far too often within the church.

We can truly honor those who have worked to disciple us in our walk with Jesus by growing in our faith and even getting to the point where we can do some of the tasks for ourselves. It is not that we do not need them anymore at all. It is that we are maturing and what they have been doing is working. This shows great honor and brings great joy to those who are discipling us.

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Book Review: “Leading Small Groups”

Discipleship is a hot topic in the evangelical church world today. I must admit that I am excited to see this topic getting so much attention. Maybe it is because making disciples was the last thing Jesus told the church to do before leaving earth (Matthew 28:18-20).

One of the key tools that can help a church in their effort to make disciples is small groups. It is by no means the only way to do it, but small groups definitely help in creating a place where a person can truly wrestle with his or her faith and find a place to really connect with others in a local church.

Trying to get small groups going within a church can be a big task. There have been a number of works done that try to help make the process of starting and growing small groups easier. One of the better ones that I have read was a book that I came across recently. It is Leading Small Groups: How to Gather, Launch, Lead, and Multiply Your Small Group by Chris Surratt.

Chris Surratt is a ministry consultant and coach with more than twenty years of experience serving in the local church. He has authored multiple books on the area of small group ministry within the local church.

What I really like about Leading Small Groups is the fact that this book is not an attempt to answer in full every question that comes up about small group ministry. Don’t get me wrong, Surratt covers a multitude of questions about the topic, but it is not intended to be the last resource that a leader would need.

Surratt has broken the topics up into four sections where he shares some great information. I really like the “My Experience” points at the end of each chapter. It helps to see that this is not just some information from a book, but rather, it has been tried in real-life situations. I also liked the questions at the end of each chapter that helps the reader work through what they have just read and jot down notes.

My Recommendation

I would highly recommend that any person or church that is looking to do start a small group ministry to check out this book. It will be a good tool to help someone get small groups kicked off in a good way. It will definitely get a local church started in the right direction with a very important task that we have.

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One Great Day

As a parent, there are some days that you look forward to with great expectation. There is the seeing the child for the first time. There is hearing them say your name for the first time. As they take those first steps, you are there with the camera (or smartphone) going.

As a parent who is a Christian, there are a whole other set of things that we look forward to seeing in our children. At the top of the list has to be when your child places their faith into Jesus for themselves. This is a point that you pray for from their first day.

This past week was a great week for our family. Our oldest son, Drew, came to us and said that he was ready to trust Jesus. He had been asking questions for a while. This past week, he nailed that decision down. Yesterday, he shared with our church family the great news.

I took a couple of things away from this experience:

1. Be praying for your children. This may seem like one of those "needless to say" statements, but the truth is that the best thing that we can do for our children and grandchildren is to pray for them. Pray for their salvation. Pray for their future spouse. Pray for them to be used for God's glory.

2. Remember that salvation is a personal decision. One of the hardest things with my oldest son was allowing him the room, freedom, and time to make the ultimate decision to follow Jesus. I wanted so bad to see him saved from the moment he was born. I realized quickly that it wasn't my decision. Give your children that room to make a decision on their own.

3. Rejoice when one is saved. It doesn't have to be a family member coming to Christ for us to get all excited. We should rejoice anytime that one comes to Christ. If it is our children, celebrate all the more. Watching my son accept Christ reminded me just how amazing that moment is in a person's life.

Are you awaiting the day when your child or loved one comes to Christ? Keep praying for them. Keep an open door to them for questions. Let Jesus show them the difference He can make in their life.

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Thoughts About A Generation Leaving the Church

Over the past couple of days, a topic of conversation has kept coming up.  Being a pastor in a local church, this topic is one that I am passionate about.  The topic circled around the idea that the church is losing young people at an alarming rate as they graduate high school.

If you're reading this post, then I'm sure you have heard the conversation in some form or fashion, too.  There are statistics galore out there to show that there is some truth to the statement that young folks are leaving the local church.  David Kinnaman wrote a book, You Lost Me, that discussed some of the statistics that the Barna Group had discovered on this topic.

I believe that there is enough fact to these statistics that it should cause the local church to ask some serious questions.  I have a theory that I believe might take the conversation in another direction.  I served the Lord through student ministry in some fashion from 1997-2011.  It was in 2011 that I felt the Lord moving me from just student ministry to the pastorate.  During my 14 years of student ministry service, I saw something played out time and time again.

I would watch as a church told its children's ministry and student ministry things like:

• "Be creative"


• "Meet them where they are."


• "Show how the Bible is applicable to their lives today."

I saw nothing wrong with any of those things.  In fact, I thought that these churches were spot on with these pushes.  The trouble came when a child/student would graduate and enter the "adult ministry."  It was here in many of these churches that I saw the disconnect begin.  I would hear things like:

• "That is okay for there (children/student ministry), but not here."


• "It's time to put childish things away."

It baffled me that a church would allow a training/discipling technique to be used for a person for a potential period of 18 years, but then they would have to switch because it wasn't good enough now.  With this thought in play, what would the church expect?

I think while there are many people who are walking away from the local church altogether, all the stats of young people might not necessarily be leaving the church totally.  They might be leaving the church they grew up in.  They go through these children and student ministries that teach them about the faith in a manner that meets them where they are and takes them to where they should be.  Then, when they are told that "way" is childish (insufficient, wrong), then they begin to question the faith altogether or find a place that is similar to what they've grown up with.

I do not think this is about the "worship wars" (traditional vs contemporary).  Both avenues are desperately needed in our world today.  I think that it is more a question of what is our discipleship plan?  If it is good enough for children/youth, why wouldn't it be good enough for adults?

I personally think that it would serve a local church better to develop a discipleship plan that works across the board (children - senior adults) in similar fashion rather than having different styles and plans scattered throughout the generations.  I just have to believe that if this was done more effectively, then this "exodus" that we are seeing currently might be able to be reversed.

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I Am A Church Member Giveaway

Last week, I picked up a copy of I Am A Church Member by Thom Rainer at Lifeway bookstore. I really enjoyed reading this book. I posted a blog about it here. You can check out what I thought about it.

I was contacted by the publicist for this book and was given a copy to give away. So here's the details...

Winner will receive a free copy of I Am A Church Member by Thom Rainer.

To be entered in the giveaway, leave a comment in the comment section of this blog telling what is your dream vacation location by Sunday 11:59pm CST.

Winner will be selected at random and contacted via email.

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An Amazing Teacher

I have to take a moment and brag. Some think that bragging should not be done by Christians, but I have a different opinion on that. Of course, bragging can go too far and become dangerous ground. If it is kept in check, it can be a very good thing. Paul said that we should dwell on things that are true, noble, and pure (Philippians 4:8).

I would like to brag on my amazing wife, Naomi. I've known for some time now that she was great. I knew when I asked her to marry me that she would be an awesome mother for my children. Today, I saw how true that is.

As I was taking our oldest son to preschool, here's a little of the conversation that took place...

Drew: "Dad, I thought we were going to my school?"
Me: "We are."
Drew: "But Dad, WE HAVEN'T PRAYED YET!!!!
Me: (as I turned the radio off) Well, let's do that now.

I realized that Naomi and Drew pray every morning on the way to school. This has become a MUST for our son. After dropping Drew off at school, I had to take a moment and thank God for the amazing teacher He has provided our children through Naomi.

Parents, it is our responsibility to lead and teach our children spiritually (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 20-25). It is not the "job" of pastors at the local church. Make sure that you are taking the time to pour into your greatest ministry: your family.

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No Plan B

A group of students and adults at our fellowship is going through the "Radical" bible study that was created to go along with the book by the same title by David Platt.  This book has been a great encouragement and conviction to me.  I would highly encourage anyone in the United States of America to read this great book, as it will definitely make you think and evaluate some things.

This week's lesson is about disciple-making and uses "the Great Commission" found in Matthew 28:16-20.  One of the key elements of this "Great Commission" that Jesus gives to His followers is that we are all to go and make disciples.  That's right... all of us.  Not just the professionals (pastors, youth pastors, evangelists, vocational missionaries).  As many have probably heard in sermons, the word translated "go" could better be translated "as you go".  The thought was that there was no "if you go" or "when I get the chance or opportunity to go", but "when you go".

Another thing that stood out to me was that there is no plan B that God has in mind to take the Gospel to the nations.  He set a plan in motion (every follower of Christ taking the Gospel to everyone they encounter) and did not make a back-up plan.  The question becomes then, if we as followers of Christ are not making disciples of those we encounter, how will the Gospel get to all the nations?  If the Gospel doesn't get to the nations, people will not be saved and be eternally under the wrath of God.  Also, when we choose to not fulfill the command that God has given us as His followers/children, we are robbing Him of the glory due Him when people come to experience His grace.  Are we really looking forward to the day that we stand before Jesus and have to say, "Sorry, Jesus for robbing You of the glory due You... but I just didn't see the importance of making disciples... it was too hard... it cramped my style..."

May that day not have to be in our future, but rather the day that we look at Jesus eye to eye and hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

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Weekend Update

This weekend marked the start of a new format for our student ministry.  We have moved our student worship service from Wednesdays to Sundays.  I really think that this format is going to open some doors.  We actually had more students there tonight than we have had on the past few Wednesday nights.  There seems to be a bit of "hop" in the step of the student ministry right now.

Message: Week 4 in series "What on Earth Am I Here For?".  We talked about how we have been created to be like Christ.   The focus of this message was discipleship and growing in our faith.

Music: "All Because of Jesus" - Fee; "Filled With Your Glory" - Starfield; and "The Stand" - Hillsong.

Game: "Alien Nation" - a PowerPoint game that came with the series.

Good Points: it was good to see the excitement of the students about the new format.  Many had said that this new time was going to be good and help them to be able to attend.

Weak Points: I didn't get to work on the slides like I should have.  I also had forgotten until about 10 minutes before start time to load up the PowerPoint game.

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A New Day Dawning

It's a great thing when you have a good team behind you with the same mind.  Today, I had a meeting with a group of parents in our church who help me plan some stuff for the student ministry.  In the baptist church, they are called the "youth ministry committee."  I call them a great group of parents.  In our meeting, I discussed some major changes that would be happening in the student ministry starting this fall.  If you have never tried to totally change something in a baptist church, I encourage all you thrill-seekers to try it sometime.

Here's the model of meeting times that we had:

• Sunday morning: Sunday School small groups and morning worship with adults.


• Sunday evening: worship with the adults


• Wednesday evening: youth worship

This is a very common model that is found in Southern Baptist churches (sadly).  As I met with the team, I asked them where was the time of discipleship and ministry?  We couldn't find either.  So we are looking at shaking things up a little so that we can do more effective student ministry.

• Sunday morning: Sunday School small groups & family worship


• Sunday evening: youth worship and outreach


• Wednesday evening: discipleship classes

I am very excited (as was the youth ministry team) with this new model.  I wonder if there are any youth pastors out there who have made this change and have any good tips to help with transition?

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Christianese Part 2

A few days ago, I wrote about how some terms are used within the church and few actually know what they mean.  Those within the church long for outsiders to come in and experience the joy of Christ (or at least I would hope so), but what if they come in only to struggle with interpreting the language.  One reason I don't jump on every opportunity to visit Japan is that I don't have the slightest clue with their language.  Many non-churchgoers are the same way with the church.  This isn't just something that outsiders struggle with.  Many people within the church are going along "smiling and nodding."

Here's a couple of terms that I've thought about over the past couple of days:

• Believe.  Now this may come across as a shock but many are confused on the meaning of this term.  To the average person, to believe means to acknowledge that it exists.  What the church usually means by believe is to place one's trust in to the point that it determines the direction of your life.


• Repent (also repentance). This is a word that many long to hear in the sermons at their church, but few actually get the meaning.  The real meaning is to have a change of mind that causes a change in behavior.  As the old illustration goes, you're going in one direction, you stop and immediately go in the opposite direction, never to turn back again.


• Amen.  This word has baffled me for years.  We all say it at the end of our prayers.  Some are even bold enough to say it during the pastor's sermon.  What is the meaning of this word though?  It literally means "so be it" or "let it be so."  This can be a very dangerous word.    When you say this word, you are literally joining yourself together with what is being said.  Maybe we should be more careful with this one.  Maybe we should be using it more?


• Flesh.  This term can easily confuse many.  Outside of church, it refers to the muscle, tendons, and other make-up of a person's body.  The church's use of this is something completely different.  The church uses this term as the nature of humanity.  When a pastor tells the congregation that we should crucify the flesh and live for the spirit, for someone who is thinking about having to get some nails and perform the crucifixion again, this can be very disturbing.


• Fellowship.  As I think about this term, I laugh to myself.  I am a part of a Southern Baptist church and have been most of my life.  This term brings to mind one thing: food.  I don't know where in the world the church got off track with this, but it's not about food.  Don't get me wrong, I love food... food can be a part of fellowship, but eating together is not fellowship.  Fellowship according to the New Testament is about living life together.  You can read about how the believers spent all kinds of time together in Acts.  This was fellowship.


• Discipleship.  This term I have struggled with for about three years now.  I think that a lot of people have an okay idea about it in our churches, but I think that many miss the boat completely in executing it.  This is the process of taking a person to the next step in their walk with Christ.  Discipleship begins at the point where a person follows Jesus Christ and doesn't end until they enter heaven.  Discipleship is hindered when we try to put people who are at different levels in their spiritual walk together into one group and make a leader "disciple" them all for an hour one day a week.  This is an area of the church that needs to be carefully done.  It is essential to the health of the Body of Christ (the church).

I will stop there for now.  I have many more that I could share.  What about you?  What are some terms that you hear frequently at church but aren't sure what they mean?

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