Outsourced Christianity – James 1:27

James :27 (HCSB)
Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

In the business world, outsourcing is common feature of corporate life. You take something that is not your businesses core competency, or maybe you can’t do as efficiently or as cost effectively, and send it to someone else for a fee.

In the corporate world, that is fine. But what happens when this mindset starts to infiltrate our churches and personal lives?

What I have been thinking about recently is how involved, really, am I in the commission of Jesus and the commandments of God? The answer, unfortunately in some areas, is that I have outsourced my responsibility. As a whole, I think our churches (not all, but many) unwittingly encourage divorcing ourselves from much of the commission of God, by setting up programs that will ‘manage our involvement’ for us. Sure, many of these things can be more efficient, more professional, or more committed, that instead of having 500 people commit an hour, they take 10 people and give them full time jobs. But then the 490 other people are maybe just ‘throwing money’ at something, rather than being involved.

Timeout. I am NOT saying that giving to any organization, that does good in the world, is a bad thing. Don’t call up and cancel your giving right now, but instead, evaluate what you are doing and take action. Many of these organizations ARE doing good work, and that should continue.

So where am I going with this?

We need to be more personally involved in the mission of God. We need to be more personally involved in our giving, where it is going, who it is supporting, how much of it is reaching those in need and how much is being ‘eaten’ by overhead.

Let me give you a concrete example. In a previous church I was a member of, we had a ‘missions fund’ that some of the churches giving went to. So, be default, by giving to the church, I was also giving to global missions, reaching out to the poor, and preaching the Gospel to all people. Great in concept, except there is no way I could tell you who any of the missionaries or organizations were this went to, where they were, or what they did. I had happily outsourced my responsibility but retained my spiritual pride in giving.

Recently my wife and I have become much more involved in our giving. Instead of the above, whilst we still give money to the church to support the ministries there, we also look out for other ministries and opportunities to be involved personally in. Maybe we still only send a donation there, but now we know where that went, and what it went for. More than that we are able to develop a relationship with those people. We are able to pray with those people. And we are able to see that the money goes directly to those in need. Rather than ‘random money in a bucket’, with giving we are much more involved with others in the body of Christ who are doing what God has called them to.

And really, money and giving  is just one step.

This can also apply to so many other areas. Instead of just arriving at church and sitting in a pew\chair\bench (and outsourcing your worship to the band and your brain to the preacher) you could be involved, be part of God’s ministry. Instead of just ‘throwing some money’ at a ministry, pray for them. Call them. Ask them if there is anything more you can do to support them.

Maybe, just maybe, it will mean rather than being inactive in the Kingdom, keeping a pew warm, you start to look at going out to the mission field yourself…

So I encourage you. Don’t outsource your Christianity, but be involved. That is the essence of  the ‘church’ – the community of believers who are doing God’s will on this earth.

In the Deep End

1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV)
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Have you ever heard the phrase ‘to throw someone in the deep end‘? Or that someone is ‘out of their depth’? It means simply, that the person in question is doing something they don’t have the strength, skill, knowledge or experience for. Maybe just one of those things, maybe all 4!

When we first become Christians, we learn to take these things to God. When life gets too tough, when situations get out of hand, when we are faced with the humanly insurmountable, we run to God with a plaintive ‘help!’, and learn that He does in fact respond to our calls.

But that is not only what God has called us to. If we continue only in this way, we become guilty of using our Christianity as a ‘crutch’, to only prop up those areas where we feel we alone cannot survive without God, but never wholly submitting our lives to Him.

One of the things that is hardest for me to give up is my competence. I’m not the most awesome person on the earth in any field, but God certainly has given me certain gifts to use in my life, and I use many of them daily. In some of these things, certainly by the world’s standards, I am ‘competent’.

When I am out of my depth, I rely on God’s strength and guidance, I am continually going to Him in prayer, petitioning, praising, reading His Word, because I know I need these things. I recently had this experience with a short stay in hospital for some surgery. After that surgery I had to rely on God for the most basic things – going to the bathroom was hard work, providing I could even walk that far (about 10 feet) without falling over or being unwell. I had to desperately cling to God for the smallest (and most routine) of things.

But when I am in my area of ‘competence’, I am tempted not to rely on God as much. I know I can do what I am trying to do, so I just get on with it. What is the risk here since God has given me these talents? That I will not go where He wants, but I will use my gifts to ‘go my own way’. In effect, I call out to God ‘Don’t worry, God, I’ve got this one‘.

1 Corinthians 1:25 (ESV)
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

 Going back to the verses above in 1 Peter – even in the areas where God has gifted us, we need to be ‘as one who serves by the strength that God supplies’. We need to not live in our own competence, believing we know our limits and our abilities and so call out ‘thanks anyway God, I can cope with this one‘.

We need to live daily like we are out of our depth. Especially in the areas where we have been gifted by God, we need to bring those things back to Him so they can be used properly and fully in His service, rather than ours. It is only when we fully submit those gifts and talents that we have been given back to God, that He will fully use them for His kingdom and glory!

Lord God, thank you for the gifts you have given me. Thank you that you have provided a way for me to serve You in some way. Help me not to hold onto these gifts, to hold onto the illusion of personal competence, but submit even these things back to You that my whole life will be submitted to Yours, not just the bits I think that are out of my control. Use me for your glory, rather than allowing me to wander in search of my own. In Jesus Name, Amen,

Thoughts on Calling – Galatians 1:1

Galatians 1:1 (HCSB)
Paul, an apostle-not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead

Reading through Galatians the other night, I came across a couple of verses that really stood out to me in regards to your calling. What is your purpose in life? What are you here for? Why were you born?

Paul – the apostle Paul – who was responsible for much of the early spread of the Gospel throughout the Roman world and for a large portion of our New Testament, had this to say. He did not choose his calling – God did. He was not an apostle because he chose to be (in fact, when he was making his choices he was persecuting the church) – he was an apostle because God had called him to be one.

And so it is the same for you and I. No we are not apostles, but we are who we are because God has a purpose for us, God has a calling for us.

What a great comfort! Because if God has made me who I am today, despite the effects of sin in my life and this world, then God will continue to use me how He wants to, because I am surrendered to Him.

Galatians 2:19-20 (HCSB)
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

It is no longer my life that I am living – but the life which God has set out for me, that I may serve him completely.

And furthermore, now that I live this life and calling, who am I seeking to impress?

Galatians 1:10 (HCSB)
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Now that I am called by God, to His purposes, I no longer need to seek the approval of man (not that I ever did need to – but it sure felt like it!). Instead, I am to seek only the approval of Him who has called me through Jesus Christ to be forgiven, and taken into His service.

Where does all this leave me? Above all, it leaves me comforted. I can be safe and sure in the knowledge that no matter what anyone else thinks (including myself sometimes!), I am called by God. And if I am called by God, I will also be strengthened by Him, and whatever His purpose is will be compelted in me. Finally, it is only to Him that I need to seek approval!

So take comfort. No matter what God has called you to, the key is He called you, and He has the power to ensure that whatever He has set before you can be completed – all you need to do is submit to Him.

Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him

Exodus 40:16 (HCSB)
Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him.

Moses wasn’t perfect. During his life he had his growing pains – his early life decisions that we know of leave some room for improvement…

But as Moses grew into the man God had called him to be, and whilst he still made some mistakes, he grew closer and closer to God. So close in fact, that he often wore a veil – as his face shone from being in God’s presence and the people couldn’t bear to look at him!

What was one of Moses’ Keys to success?

Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him.

He didn’t question, he didn’t complain, he didn’t decide that his way was a better way. In the next few paragraphs, we read 7 times Moses did just as the Lord commanded him.

Not once did he deviate from the plan. Not once did he decide to disobey, even in the smallest detail – but did everything just as the Lord had commanded him!

No, Moses wasn’t perfect, but he certainly did his best before God to do as he was called.

What about you?

Are you in position?

Many of us have our sports we follow, and most of us know the rules to at least one team sport!

To play, you have to be in position.

If you are not in the right position to play, you either can’t play – maybe you will be called offside – or you will be utterly innefective. What use is the catcher if he isn’t behind the plate? What use is a pitcher hanging at third base?

Not much use at all. Maybe, in some sports, they can still play – they might see the ball, kick the ball, throw the ball. But that is not what they are there to do, and in reality they are letting their whole team down, because what they are assigned to do is not being done!

Ephesians 2:10
For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.

Just yesterday I was walking back from the shops to the car (a profound position I know), and I had this thought – am I in the right place for God to use me?

That is a pretty deep thought for shopping, indeed for life! Now I don’t mean physically where I am – God will use me wherever I am. But mentally and spiritually – am I in a place where God can use me?

What does that mean?

Really, am I focussed on God? Is my heart open to Him? Am I communicating with Him regularly enough that He could actually direct me (ie, reading my Bible and Praying)? Really, is my life in the right place before Him?

It gave me opportunity to reflect on my relationship with God – because that is what it really, is, a relationship.

1 Corinthians 12:12-14
For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body-so also is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. So the body is not one part but many.  

As part of that relationship, I have been given things to do. I am part of the Body of Christ. If you like, I am part of a team. And if I am not doing what I am called to do, the whole team is let down. If I have decided I am going to be the pitcher, but really I am the catcher, what use am I?

I encourage you, take a little time today (and maybe not just today, but every day), and reflect on your heart position before God. Reflect on what you are open to, and what you are not! Take some time to ask the hard questions – is there anything in my life that is blocking my relationship? Is there anything in my life that is stopping me serving and being effective in my calling? For this you don’t need to know what your calling is, you don’t need to know what God’s will is, you just need to prepare yourself to be ready. Just like the solider before battle – he may not know what will happen that day, he may not even know what direction he will be travelling, or what part he will be playing – he just gets ready to do as he is commanded.

Lord God, help us to be right before You. Help us to see those things in our lives, daily, that affect our relationship with You, and give us the strength to face those things and deal with them. Guide us in Your way, that we will be ready and able to serve when You need us. In Jesus name. Amen.