Monday, September 19, 2011
Playing to your strengths?
My friend and I were talking about how to serve our church and community. There are so many things we could do! Perhaps it's enough to work out the gifts and talents that God has given us and concentrate on using these for the common good (1 Cor 12:7). But what about needs and opportunities that don't play to our strengths? What about esteeming weakness, so that God's strength might be revealed?
When Paul rejoices in his weakness, it is because in weakness, God's power becomes sufficient, even perfect (2 Cor 12:7-10). In the midst of his weakness, God's power rests on Paul and so he revels in God's strength. So too, our gifts are given to us in our weakness - "What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" (1 Cor 4:7). These strengths not of our own making are God's power resting on us.
We are to use our gifts to serve wholeheartedly. And we are to remember that we are part of a body, with all the parts arranged just as God wanted them to be (1 Cor 12:18). So if a need or an opportunity comes along that we would do a poor job of, it might very well be that another part of the body can step in and step up. But we are not to be dogmatic about it; we are to imitate our Lord's spirit of generosity and sacrifice. We must trust that, as he daily gives us the familiar power of our gifts, he will also give us unusual power to do this fearsome thing.
H/T Shiloh
When Paul rejoices in his weakness, it is because in weakness, God's power becomes sufficient, even perfect (2 Cor 12:7-10). In the midst of his weakness, God's power rests on Paul and so he revels in God's strength. So too, our gifts are given to us in our weakness - "What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" (1 Cor 4:7). These strengths not of our own making are God's power resting on us.
We are to use our gifts to serve wholeheartedly. And we are to remember that we are part of a body, with all the parts arranged just as God wanted them to be (1 Cor 12:18). So if a need or an opportunity comes along that we would do a poor job of, it might very well be that another part of the body can step in and step up. But we are not to be dogmatic about it; we are to imitate our Lord's spirit of generosity and sacrifice. We must trust that, as he daily gives us the familiar power of our gifts, he will also give us unusual power to do this fearsome thing.
H/T Shiloh
What's should women's ministry look like?
You can't decide in abstract what workers a church must have -
you have to begin by looking at the needs of the actual group of people and potential leaders that God has given you.
Any church leader's role (male or female) is to help the pastor lift up the whole congregation, to prepare the people for acts of service. This is generally done by calling on people's shared humanity. There is no longer male or female for we are all one in Jesus, and we are to use our freedom to serve one another in love. I think that this is the best way of affirming any one category of people within the church, whether women, singles, internationals, or the elderly. It's something I love about my church - we know that we should each do our bit, as we are able, so we pitch in and help each other.
As part of lifting up the whole church, a particular leader can be given responsibility for a specific group - say the women (as in Titus 2). In this situation, the leader is not the "older woman" of Titus 2, but a pastor. Their goal is to see the older women of the church training the younger. The pastor may explicitly disciple and ready the older women for their role, or they may simply model the teaching of younger women. (There may also be times when they forget all this and just get on and do the work, because it needs doing.)
The person taking on this 'women's pastor' role can be a man or a woman. It may be better for a woman to do it because of her unique insight/experience, or because people aren't ready for a man to take on the role. Again, I like it how at Crossroads we uphold women - and expect men to be competent at traditional women's roles. So we have one man heading up our children's ministry and another managing our weekly mums' Bible study. It wasn't planned this way: they were just the best people for the jobs at the time.
H/T Dan
Any church leader's role (male or female) is to help the pastor lift up the whole congregation, to prepare the people for acts of service. This is generally done by calling on people's shared humanity. There is no longer male or female for we are all one in Jesus, and we are to use our freedom to serve one another in love. I think that this is the best way of affirming any one category of people within the church, whether women, singles, internationals, or the elderly. It's something I love about my church - we know that we should each do our bit, as we are able, so we pitch in and help each other.
As part of lifting up the whole church, a particular leader can be given responsibility for a specific group - say the women (as in Titus 2). In this situation, the leader is not the "older woman" of Titus 2, but a pastor. Their goal is to see the older women of the church training the younger. The pastor may explicitly disciple and ready the older women for their role, or they may simply model the teaching of younger women. (There may also be times when they forget all this and just get on and do the work, because it needs doing.)
The person taking on this 'women's pastor' role can be a man or a woman. It may be better for a woman to do it because of her unique insight/experience, or because people aren't ready for a man to take on the role. Again, I like it how at Crossroads we uphold women - and expect men to be competent at traditional women's roles. So we have one man heading up our children's ministry and another managing our weekly mums' Bible study. It wasn't planned this way: they were just the best people for the jobs at the time.
H/T Dan
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Support
Dear reader, if you would like to support me financially in my
missionary work, then I would be very glad of that, especially as this
is just what I'm waiting on before I can head off. Write to
fiona.lockett@sim.org or facebook message me and I can send you out a
snazzy brochure.
If you would prefer to join in my work through prayer then get in touch with me and I'll put you on the email list for my (monthly, brief) news & prayer letter. Or you can just pray about stuff you read here and on my other blog.
And if you'd like to write and encourage me, then please leave comments on my blogs or write to the email address above.
Big thanks for your big heart, and to God for his.
If you would prefer to join in my work through prayer then get in touch with me and I'll put you on the email list for my (monthly, brief) news & prayer letter. Or you can just pray about stuff you read here and on my other blog.
And if you'd like to write and encourage me, then please leave comments on my blogs or write to the email address above.
Big thanks for your big heart, and to God for his.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Fiona the Life Coach
I've interviewed people at the MTS Challenge conference before and felt out of my depth, like I didn't have anything much useful to say. I must've learned a thing or two since then, cos I had no trouble reeling off advice to younger women trying to work out their life's direction. Either that or I've just become more opinionated.
If you're really pumped for your current study/job, then devote yourself to that. Work out how to be a Christian accountant or security guard and do it wholeheartedly. Don't do an MTS apprenticeship - it's not designed to be experience for its own sake, but for a particular end (to work out if you're cut out for fulltime paid ministry and to prepare you for it). The only reason you'd do an apprenticeship is if you're considering doing part-time paid ministry and part-time 'secular' work. Then perhaps you should give a part-time apprenticeship a burl - keeping in mind that it's tough to do both well.
If you can't knock a particular sin on the head, think if you've understood God's freely-given grace. If it's still a mystery, then pray hard about it and concentrate on getting your head around it and your heart in love with it. Keep battling with your sin, but cut yourself a bit of slack and don't expect too much until you have better understood his grace.
If you struggle with some church teaching, work out why it bothers you. It could be a wrong cultural or upbringing thing, in which case you can't make it go away but you can stop it from affecting your actions and decisions. It could be an understanding the Bible thing, in which case you should weigh up the very best arguments on both sides. You don't have to do this stuff alone either - you can recruit your pastor or a friend.
If you really believe your non-Christian friends are heading to hell, then you will want to obey God's command to make the most of every opportunity to evangelise them. But don't lose the rest of the Bible's teachings in the process, or your God-given humanity. The God of urgency also commands us to speak with gentleness and respect. And if your friends reject your message, then you are to love them still and keep on enjoying life with them.
Consider holding off on getting married until you've hurt each other bad and had to work through that, and until your relationship has lost its thrill and become 'normal'. It's a massive decision, so take people's advice on board, but also know that there are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to romance. It's a mysterious thing and the most healthy marriages can have had the most messy starts. In the end it comes down to whether you are happy to commit to this person for life.
If you're flat out doing Christian activities, stop and think about where your primary responsibilities lie. First up should be your church, your immediate family (of birth or marriage), (your boyfriend/girlfriend), and your studies/job. Then comes your parents and siblings if you're married, your friends, and any other Christian ministries you're involved in. Think if you're doing a good job of your primary responsibilities. If you're not, you may need to cut back on something from the secondary rung. Remember that the world won't fall apart if you do - God will sort things out.
Don't think that being a Christian physiotherapist or teacher is the same as being a pastor or youth worker. Peppering your working days with conversations about Jesus doesn't always play out - often the reality is that you're simply too busy doing your job to talk about anything meaningful. Probably the most luck you'll have is with your workmates, and even then lunchroom chatter can be pretty bitchy or bland. It's still a profoundly valuable ministry to plug away at being a productive and reliable employee and to go out of your way to show care and concern for your colleagues. You may be the only Christian that people know and that is a precious thing. But it could be that you would be more effective if you worked fulltime for the church.
If you already do a bit at church, you enjoy what you do and think you might be okay at it, then you should begin to consider fulltime paid ministry. The best way to do this is to ask people who know you what they think your gifts are and what they think of the idea, and to keep on having a go at things. Push yourself; try things outside your comfort zone - you'll get a better idea of what you're capable of and you might just enjoy it. If you have a passion for something or someplace - maybe you love teaching teenagers or you are fascinated by Chile - then take that seriously. Our God is the sort of God who would (generally speaking) have us love what it is we do.
If you're considering fulltime paid ministry, then do an MTS apprenticeship. The whole point of it is to give people a try - so there's nothing to lose. If it ends up not being for you, then you've gained some valuable experience and skills and you'll be an excellent support to your pastor. But only do it if you can find someone who would do a great job of supervising you. Just because they're a great pastor doesn't mean they'll be a great trainer. The apprenticeship stands or falls on how good your trainer is.
Don't think that you have to finish your uni degree. You probably should: it's good practice to finish what you start and it could be helpful later on. But you don't have to if there's good reason not to.
If you have hesitations or concerns about going into ministry, take them seriously. You don't have to go into ministry - you must be willing and eager. It can be a tough gig and it's unlike other jobs. You do have to have a certain amount of toughness or resilience, especially if you're a woman. Even if your concerns are sinful, they are still there and need to be dealt with.
If you're thinking of being a missionary, the first step is to have a look at your church involvement here. It's pretty unlikely that you'll be able to contribute in another culture if you're not doing so in your own. Work out if you're a leader or not. You can still go if you're not, but it will affect the sort of roles you should consider - you'll need to go to help out with something specific or to do your regular job and live as a mature Christian in a place where they may be few and far between.
If you're really pumped for your current study/job, then devote yourself to that. Work out how to be a Christian accountant or security guard and do it wholeheartedly. Don't do an MTS apprenticeship - it's not designed to be experience for its own sake, but for a particular end (to work out if you're cut out for fulltime paid ministry and to prepare you for it). The only reason you'd do an apprenticeship is if you're considering doing part-time paid ministry and part-time 'secular' work. Then perhaps you should give a part-time apprenticeship a burl - keeping in mind that it's tough to do both well.
If you can't knock a particular sin on the head, think if you've understood God's freely-given grace. If it's still a mystery, then pray hard about it and concentrate on getting your head around it and your heart in love with it. Keep battling with your sin, but cut yourself a bit of slack and don't expect too much until you have better understood his grace.
If you struggle with some church teaching, work out why it bothers you. It could be a wrong cultural or upbringing thing, in which case you can't make it go away but you can stop it from affecting your actions and decisions. It could be an understanding the Bible thing, in which case you should weigh up the very best arguments on both sides. You don't have to do this stuff alone either - you can recruit your pastor or a friend.
If you really believe your non-Christian friends are heading to hell, then you will want to obey God's command to make the most of every opportunity to evangelise them. But don't lose the rest of the Bible's teachings in the process, or your God-given humanity. The God of urgency also commands us to speak with gentleness and respect. And if your friends reject your message, then you are to love them still and keep on enjoying life with them.
Consider holding off on getting married until you've hurt each other bad and had to work through that, and until your relationship has lost its thrill and become 'normal'. It's a massive decision, so take people's advice on board, but also know that there are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to romance. It's a mysterious thing and the most healthy marriages can have had the most messy starts. In the end it comes down to whether you are happy to commit to this person for life.
If you're flat out doing Christian activities, stop and think about where your primary responsibilities lie. First up should be your church, your immediate family (of birth or marriage), (your boyfriend/girlfriend), and your studies/job. Then comes your parents and siblings if you're married, your friends, and any other Christian ministries you're involved in. Think if you're doing a good job of your primary responsibilities. If you're not, you may need to cut back on something from the secondary rung. Remember that the world won't fall apart if you do - God will sort things out.
Don't think that being a Christian physiotherapist or teacher is the same as being a pastor or youth worker. Peppering your working days with conversations about Jesus doesn't always play out - often the reality is that you're simply too busy doing your job to talk about anything meaningful. Probably the most luck you'll have is with your workmates, and even then lunchroom chatter can be pretty bitchy or bland. It's still a profoundly valuable ministry to plug away at being a productive and reliable employee and to go out of your way to show care and concern for your colleagues. You may be the only Christian that people know and that is a precious thing. But it could be that you would be more effective if you worked fulltime for the church.
If you already do a bit at church, you enjoy what you do and think you might be okay at it, then you should begin to consider fulltime paid ministry. The best way to do this is to ask people who know you what they think your gifts are and what they think of the idea, and to keep on having a go at things. Push yourself; try things outside your comfort zone - you'll get a better idea of what you're capable of and you might just enjoy it. If you have a passion for something or someplace - maybe you love teaching teenagers or you are fascinated by Chile - then take that seriously. Our God is the sort of God who would (generally speaking) have us love what it is we do.
If you're considering fulltime paid ministry, then do an MTS apprenticeship. The whole point of it is to give people a try - so there's nothing to lose. If it ends up not being for you, then you've gained some valuable experience and skills and you'll be an excellent support to your pastor. But only do it if you can find someone who would do a great job of supervising you. Just because they're a great pastor doesn't mean they'll be a great trainer. The apprenticeship stands or falls on how good your trainer is.
Don't think that you have to finish your uni degree. You probably should: it's good practice to finish what you start and it could be helpful later on. But you don't have to if there's good reason not to.
If you have hesitations or concerns about going into ministry, take them seriously. You don't have to go into ministry - you must be willing and eager. It can be a tough gig and it's unlike other jobs. You do have to have a certain amount of toughness or resilience, especially if you're a woman. Even if your concerns are sinful, they are still there and need to be dealt with.
If you're thinking of being a missionary, the first step is to have a look at your church involvement here. It's pretty unlikely that you'll be able to contribute in another culture if you're not doing so in your own. Work out if you're a leader or not. You can still go if you're not, but it will affect the sort of roles you should consider - you'll need to go to help out with something specific or to do your regular job and live as a mature Christian in a place where they may be few and far between.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Two people
We are clearly two people. We are who we are and who we want to be
- The Gruen Transfer (31/8/11)
The quote goes on to say: "and in advertising we tend to focus on the second one, and we want to be healthy eaters, we want to be a Supermum, we want to be great parents, and we feel guilty that we're not actually achieving these things".
Perhaps this is as close as our culture gets to talking about sin and human limitation. It's a place worth starting.
Tassie Christians
At the recent and throughly awesome MTS Challenge conference, Andrew Cameron made a passing comment about the unique perspective of Tasmanian Bible college students. He spoke a little hesitantly, perhaps afraid that we might feel patronised, but he needn't have - we love hearing serious talk about our uniqueness. (We are - that is, I am - not so keen on jokes about the same.) He said he couldn't put his finger on just what it was, so I've had a go.
I think that Tassie Christians bring three things to the Sydney scene. For starters, there's not many of us down here: in most circumstances you'd have to work pretty hard to live your life in a Christian bubble. We all go to school and uni with non-Christians and have plenty of workmates and friends who don't share our beliefs. We know what it is to stand up for what we believe and to make ethical choices; we know how people around us tick, almost without thinking; and we don't get our knickers in knots over peripheral issues.
We're also creative people. Not only creative, but eccentric. Or if we're neither, we're probably comfortable with both. The eccentricity comes of living on an island - it does something unusual to people, or perhaps it just attracts certain types. This gives permission for normal people to express their eccentric side. The creativity just comes from this place. I'm not sure why, but at least some of it has to do with the gorgeous beauty of this island. Anyway, these things enable us to come up with fresh ideas and approaches or fresh packaging of old ideas. And because we're familiar with oddities and grey areas, we're slow to jump to conclusions, to interfere or judge others, because, rather than doing something wrong, they might just be doing something wierd. So we give people space to be or to develop and change.
What do you say?
I think that Tassie Christians bring three things to the Sydney scene. For starters, there's not many of us down here: in most circumstances you'd have to work pretty hard to live your life in a Christian bubble. We all go to school and uni with non-Christians and have plenty of workmates and friends who don't share our beliefs. We know what it is to stand up for what we believe and to make ethical choices; we know how people around us tick, almost without thinking; and we don't get our knickers in knots over peripheral issues.
We're also creative people. Not only creative, but eccentric. Or if we're neither, we're probably comfortable with both. The eccentricity comes of living on an island - it does something unusual to people, or perhaps it just attracts certain types. This gives permission for normal people to express their eccentric side. The creativity just comes from this place. I'm not sure why, but at least some of it has to do with the gorgeous beauty of this island. Anyway, these things enable us to come up with fresh ideas and approaches or fresh packaging of old ideas. And because we're familiar with oddities and grey areas, we're slow to jump to conclusions, to interfere or judge others, because, rather than doing something wrong, they might just be doing something wierd. So we give people space to be or to develop and change.
What do you say?
Yoof
Faithful readers of this blog (note the emotional manipulation) will know that I have 'a thing' about how we treat teenagers. I'm all for treating them as adults before their time (well, adults with assistance). I know it's nowhere near that simple in gritty practice.
I've come across a couple things lately that sit nicely with my idealism. In one Hobart church, young teenagers are given sermon outlines (much like churches might do for international students), and sat off to one side of the room with their 'youth leaders' while the sermon is preached. This way they can quietly talk through any points of confusion.
A northern Tasmanian church holds 'youth group' straight after the Sunday service, so everyone can eat together and talk through what they learned.
No games here folks: I'm the Fun Police.
H/T Elbie and Simon
I've come across a couple things lately that sit nicely with my idealism. In one Hobart church, young teenagers are given sermon outlines (much like churches might do for international students), and sat off to one side of the room with their 'youth leaders' while the sermon is preached. This way they can quietly talk through any points of confusion.
A northern Tasmanian church holds 'youth group' straight after the Sunday service, so everyone can eat together and talk through what they learned.
No games here folks: I'm the Fun Police.
H/T Elbie and Simon
Like a stranger in a foreign country
Though I'm a Christian, I feel as Australian as I ever did. Yet there are some things about me that are un-Australian. I don't feel a pull to buy Australian-made (because I worry about people overseas as well). I don't bitch about our politicians. I'm not looking to buy a home. I don't think that hanging with family and friends on the weekend is what life's all about. I don't always feel 100% at home here, and I even sometimes feel closer to foreigners who are Christian than to my fellow Australians. So perhaps I actually am a little less Australian than before. But I don't feel like I've been denied - being part of God's beautifully diverse people is better by far.
So much for my cultural identity, but what of others? I never want to be the sort of missionary who forces/entices people into giving up what is precious and good in their own culture. I certainly don't want to create a mini-Australia in Chile. But I do want the people there to give up the things in their culture that are bad or that come from an feeble vision of what life can be. I want them to join me in looking for a better country and for the heavenly city prepared by their unashamed God.
So much for my cultural identity, but what of others? I never want to be the sort of missionary who forces/entices people into giving up what is precious and good in their own culture. I certainly don't want to create a mini-Australia in Chile. But I do want the people there to give up the things in their culture that are bad or that come from an feeble vision of what life can be. I want them to join me in looking for a better country and for the heavenly city prepared by their unashamed God.
At the market
Church communities always want to be a meaningful part of the wider community. We already are, of course. We each go to the shops, to our jobs, see our relatives, have a sign out the front of the church... But how can people really get to know us, and not just individually, but as the messed-up, diverse, connected group that we are?
One way is to get involved in the community. Host a soup give-away, draw up a roster for visiting folk in an Old People's Home, or field an indoor soccer team. But maybe then we'll never quite get around to talking about church or about what it is that joins us Christians together.
What one church up the north of Tassie does is to have a stall at the local market. I don't know what they have on the stall - I imagine Christian books and pamphlets and maybe some homemade jams to give away or sell for cheap. You could put a heap of effort into this sort of thing and be massively generous and welcoming... and informative. That's the good thing about stalls - they have an identity - it's not just a group of people, but this group of people. You'd soon get known as 'the church stall' (or something ruder), and if the people manning the stall were friendly types, they'd soon get to be known as friendly types. And maybe someone might come along who would like to learn something about what joins us Christians together.
H/T Peter
One way is to get involved in the community. Host a soup give-away, draw up a roster for visiting folk in an Old People's Home, or field an indoor soccer team. But maybe then we'll never quite get around to talking about church or about what it is that joins us Christians together.
What one church up the north of Tassie does is to have a stall at the local market. I don't know what they have on the stall - I imagine Christian books and pamphlets and maybe some homemade jams to give away or sell for cheap. You could put a heap of effort into this sort of thing and be massively generous and welcoming... and informative. That's the good thing about stalls - they have an identity - it's not just a group of people, but this group of people. You'd soon get known as 'the church stall' (or something ruder), and if the people manning the stall were friendly types, they'd soon get to be known as friendly types. And maybe someone might come along who would like to learn something about what joins us Christians together.
H/T Peter
Posts
