A World without Christianity

 

As Christians, we're called to change the world! Believers have been changing the world for 2,000 years and will continue to do so.”

Have you ever put this together? Why is it that refugees usually flee to “Christian” countries? They flee to nations with a Christian heritage, nations whose government and worldview still have some foundation of a Christian worldview that greatly influences them.

  Frequently, Christianity is denounced as being violent, hateful, and hostile to human flourishing. Christ-followers are accused of being part of the religion of the oppressor class. We are told to shut up and “check our privilege” and “do the work” to repudiate Christianity’s toxic legacy. Yet, what would our world be like without Christianity?

  Our world would be crueler. Prior to Christianity care and compassion to the needy was regarded as foolish. At a time when many in the Greco-Roman world suffered misery and brutality, early Christians and churches offered care. Orphans were given refuge and education. Widows found aid. The destitute were given food. By the 4^th century, after Constantine became emperor, the church became the first organized institution of public welfare. The Council of Nicaea (325 AD) ordered that a hospital should be built in every town where there was a Christian cathedral. Christians pioneered the establishment of hospitals, orphanages, leprosariums, and hospices for the dying.
  Christ-followers were responsible for a wide range of social advances, including prison reform, care of the mentally ill, factory reform, rescuing women and children from sexual abuse.
  The missionary movement of the 19^th century affected healthcare and philanthropy globally. Missionaries opened the first hospitals, clinics and pioneered medical education in primitive cultures. Those endeavors resulted in longer life expectancies and lower infant mortality rates. In the poorest areas of the world where help is most desperately needed, today you’ll find missionary doctors and church-sponsored volunteers. Many of those missionaries will stay for life.
  If there is a huge famine, natural disaster or reports of genocide, most people in other cultures are unconcerned. As a Chinese proverb says, “the tears of strangers are only water.” Countries with a Christian foundation rush in to help. They do this because of the influence of Christianity.
  Injustice would be even more prevalent. The Bible teaches that God places a conscience in the heart of every human being and His moral law applies to both governors and the governed. These biblical truths have been the foundation for the “rule of law” and the regard for human dignity and freedom. They’ve inspired resistance to tyranny. They’re a defense against the excessive totalitarian claims of an all-powerful state. Throughout history you’ll find that it was Christians who were willing to challenge abuse and do the hard work for reform. Individual freedom and rights are most prevalent where Christianity has had the greatest impact.
  The world would be less free. Those of us in the West often take freedom for granted. The idea that every human is of equal dignity and should be afforded liberty isn’t part of most cultures.
  Greco-Roman society had no concept that every human life has intrinsic value and dignity. The Roman Empire was made up of around seventy million people—ten million of whom were slaves. Most societies through history have been built on slavery. Christianity is the only major religion to mount a comprehensive attack on the institution of slavery.
  The conviction that every human is made in God’s image stood in stark contradiction to the culture of the ancient world. The Bible’s teaching that “in Christ we are all one, whether slave or free” (Galatians 3:28) was revolutionary. For free people and slaves to share the Lord’s Supper as fellow church members was scandalous.
  Chrysostom (c. 347–407), who served as a pastor in Constantinople told the wealthy to buy slaves, teach them a trade, and set them free, telling them that when Christ came, He annulled slavery. Gregory of Nyssa (335–395) wrote the first comprehensive critique of slavery, attacking it for its violation of the free nature of those made in God’s image. The conviction that every human is Imago Dei was antithetical in the ancient world. By the 11^th century slavery in Christendom had, effectively, ended.
  But because of greed the transatlantic slave trade brought back the horror of slavery on a more terrible scale. It was Bible-believing Christians like William Wilberforce and so many others who worked tirelessly for its abolition. Britain abolished the slave trade in 1807 and slavery in 1833.
  Yet as the world loses more and more Christian influence, there are more slaves in the world than ever before. An estimated 27.6 million are victims of sex trafficking and forced labor. Yet, again, it is Christians who lead the way in opposing slavery and human trafficking internationally. The areas of the world where slavery is still condoned by the state also are areas opposed to Christianity. It still exists in some Islamic countries. Nearly two million Uighurs are incarcerated by the Chinese Communist party and subject to slave labor. Ongoing abuses associated with the caste system in India are one of the greatest human rights violations in history.
  Our world would be less educated. From the beginning of Christianity, education has been a priority. Christ-followers believe all human beings should learn of God’s works and ways. That means that they must be literate and should be able to read the Bible in their own languages.
  The earliest colleges and universities were founded by Christians. Harvard, Princeton and Yale all owe their origins to the gospel. It was Christians who pioneered female education in many nations. When you look at the scars of female oppression—whether child-marriage, prostitution, sex trafficking, domestic violence, genital cutting, or so-called honor killing—all are more likely when girls are denied education. Living standards are raised when people are given an education. Across the centuries and across the world, Christ-followers have devoted themselves to their neighbors’ good.
  Christianity’s various endeavors—in healthcare, philanthropy, education, and everyday work—have been driven by the biblical conviction that humans, created in God’s image, should all have opportunity to flourish.
  Does the world really want the vacating of Christianity? The outcome may be a monster that can’t be put back in the box.

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Changing Your Recently Played Playlist

 

“Your life today is a result of your thinking yesterday. 
Your life tomorrow will be determined by what you think today.” John Maxwell 

Do you remember listening to the radio? I hardly listen to the radio anymore but before Spotify and podcasts, I was an avid listener. I’d start my day getting ready, listening to news radio. Then, I had a couple of favorites I’d listen to on the way to the office or running errands. Usually, I had three or four I’d bounce between to avoid commercials or announcers chatting about what they had for dinner. I’m one of those, “just give me the music” types, though today I listen to a lot of podcasts.
  I’d fall between two extremes while listening to the radio. There would always be a song or two that when it came on, I’d stick to that station to listen to it. There would be a tinge of regret if I’d missed most of it. Then, other songs came on and I couldn’t change stations fast enough. The song had become so popular stations were overplaying it. For example, most of us loved Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On, even if we hadn’t seen Titanic, but it soon was overplayed and nearly annoying.
  Spotify has an option “recently played” I rarely use. If I’ve listened to a song recently, I don’t want to hear it again. Yet Spotify thought it would be a great idea (without being asked,) to develop playlists of artists or genre I tend to listen to. I don’t use it because unless a song really touches my heart, I don’t want to hear it again in a short amount of time with a few exceptions. CeCe Winan's, Believe For It, was my encouragement song during Covid. Hillsong’s Another in the Fire comforted me during a dark valley a few years ago. Other than that, I tend to be “one and done.”
  While that’s true with my listening habits, I have to work for it to be true with my thought life. I struggle with a “recently played” mental list that’s not healthy. While I love 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” Or Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” It does though take mental work to do this. As Kent Hughes says, I must sweat some “holy sweat.” Too easily anxious or negative thoughts play again on my mental playlist. It’s by God’s grace and the empowerment of His Spirit that I’m able to change the channel.
  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to wake up in the middle of the night thinking about how the Lord has blessed you and then have difficultly going back to sleep because you’re so overwhelmed by God’s goodness? Unfortunately, that’s not the playlist that I usually wake up in the middle of the night with.
  My problem is that I let my sin contaminated mind choose my playlist. If I want a healthy mental playlist, I must choose it. As Byron Katie writes, “It’s not our thoughts but the attachment to our thoughts that causes suffering.” The attachment to our thoughts is our Recently Played playlist.
  Most of us have negative rat mazes we repeatedly return to. A Christian therapist once told me that most of us have about eight that we cycle in and out of. As Rick Warren says, “God is far more interested in changing your mind than changing your circumstances.” Thinking produces behavior.
  Philippians 4:8 has a healthy Top Eight playlist to replace what Zig Ziglar dubbed “stinkin’ thinkin’.” “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
  Mentally play what’s true. The “true” is that which corresponds to reality. God and His Word are the final test for truth. But we’re prone to Satan’s lies. The only way we can think on the truth is to steep ourselves in God’s Word. Truth is the first test. We’re not to ponder that which is dishonest, untrue or unreliable. For example, we can tend to be anxious about the future, but the future isn’t “true.” We’re not to focus on the “what ifs.”
  Mentally play what’s honorable. The word means “that which inspires reverence or awe; dignified, worthy of respect.” Christ-followers are to take life seriously. We’re to live in light of eternity. This doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate clean humor. Yet too many ponder the trivial and even fight about it because we focus on it. For example, someone gave us a one finger wave and we’re mad about it for hours.
  Mentally play what’s just. Only God is completely just. “Justice” means “in conformity to God’s standards.” Not, “Is it right in my eyes?” or “in the eyes of others?” but “Is it right in God’s eyes?” The media and social media are filled with tales of injustice. If I dwell on it, it will anger or discourage me. Instead, I must focus on God’s work and justice.
  Mentally play what’s pure. The word means “undefiled, chaste, holy.” It touches the whole area of moral purity. Is your thought-life clean? It fits with “get your mind out of the gutter.” If your mind is in the gutter, it ends up covered with slime. I need to think on what’s morally right, pure thoughts, words, and deeds. This is particularly vital because a thought life produces behavior. To live a pure life, you must think about pure things.
  Mentally play what’s lovely. This is what’s pleasing, agreeable, and attractive. Jesus Christ is inherently attractive, so we should think often on our Savior. And what a lovely world He has given us from the blooming of flowers to the purity of fresh fallen snow. The innocence of a child or someone’s kindness fits “lovely.” Here’s an easy guideline: If it’s lovely, it helps make you lovely so it should be on your playlist?  
  Mentally play what’s commendable. It refers to something that “deservedly enjoys a good reputation.” It’s tempting to dwell on the mental trash of bad news. We need to open our eyes to see the positive, constructive, and what builds up. If you learn to tune in to that which is admirable and good, you’ll find it. Learn to think about those things.
  Mentally play what’s excellent. Excellent refers to virtue and praiseworthy, “those things that God would approve of.” Excellent for me is someone who has character, who is kind or works hard. It’s watching an older couple who are still sweethearts or a parent taking time with their child. It can be a worker diligent and caring about his or her work. Those things are excellent, and I must think about them more.
  Mentally play what’s worthy of praise. Every attribute and deed of God is praiseworthy. It’s why we should continually think about how great God is and on the marvelous works He has done, both in creation and in history. With those around us we must focus on their strong points. It helps us think about this more when we’re appreciative and affirming.
  Do you know why so many are negative and complainers? They have the wrong mental playlist. It all begins in the way that you think.
  The Bible commands us to fill our minds with godly, positive thoughts. Thoughts become actions, actions become behaviors, and our behaviors become our lives. A key question to ask yourself periodically is: “What’s on my Recently Played playlist?”

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Incite or Persuade

 

“Persuasion is often more effectual than force.”  Aesop

 
In one of Aesop’s Fables, the North Wind and the Sun had a quarrel about which of them was stronger. While they were disputing with a lot of heat and bluster, a traveler passed along the road wrapped in a cloak. "Let us agree," said the Sun, "that he is the stronger who can strip that traveler of his cloak." "Very well," growled the North Wind, and at once he sent a cold, howling blast against the traveler. With the first gust of wind the ends of the cloak whipped about the man’s body, and he immediately wrapped his cloak tighter. The harder the Wind blew, the tighter he held it. The North Wind tore angrily at the cloak, but all his efforts were in vain.
  But then the Sun began to shine. At first his beams were gentle. In the pleasant warmth after the bitter cold of the North Wind, the traveler unfastened his cloak and let it hang loosely from his shoulders. The Sun's rays grew warmer and warmer. The man took off his hat and mopped his brow. At last, he became so warm that he took off his cloak and to escape the blazing sunshine, sat down in the shade of a tree by the roadside.
  In our uncivil world too many, even too many Christians, are like the North Wind. Instead of seeking to persuade someone who disagrees with us to consider our viewpoint and change their mind, in our social media posts or verbal discussions, we only seeking to incite and further rile up those who already agree with us. That’s both foolish and unbiblical.
  It’s important as Christ-followers that we learn to interact and dialogue with those who disagree with us in a way that shows respect, yet also remain faithful to biblical truth. Ours is a society where others have deep and irreconcilable differences over the things that deeply matter. Some of these differences have always existed; others have materialized or become more apparent in recent decades.
  Pluralism is a descriptive reality, not a moral, of whether these differences are good or bad. Some differences, like your favorite ice cream flavor, are good and make life more interesting. Other differences highlight mutually exclusive truth claims. They’re often emotional yet need engagement, even with those who disagree with us.
  How are we to engage those who disagree with us and seek to persuade them of God’s truth?
 We live like Jesus. Embodying humility, patience, and tolerance are essential to our gospel witness. They’re some of the ways that we live out the Christian virtues of faith, hope, and love. Our confident faith in God lets us live with humility. We acknowledge that we walk by faith and not by sight. We can acknowledge the limits of human reasoning in that we can’t always prove why we’re right and others are wrong.
  Living like Jesus means to be patient. As Christians, our hope lies in Christ and His coming kingdom, not in our immediate political moment. It’s why we can graciously listen to friends or neighbors, sympathetically looking for common ground. We’re not threatened by our differences.
  Add to that, we can tolerate each other. That simply means enduring the beliefs and practices we don’t share because of our gospel love. It doesn’t mean we accept beliefs or practices that we don’t share. Tolerance means distinguishing people from their ideas, and graciously seeking relationships with all because they’re made Imago Dei, in God’s image. Our love of God overflows into love of neighbor. It calls us to graciousness and tolerance.
  We look for common ground even when we disagree on the common good. Common ground includes the beliefs and experiences that unite us even in the midst of core disagreements. Finding patches of common ground can be difficult and uncomfortable, but it’s so worthwhile for the sake of our gospel calling to live with patience and love.
  The common good represents what’s best for a given society—its people, its laws, and its communities. It depends on ends or purposes that can be specifically named. Christians can and should name the common good for this world under the reign of Jesus. Scripture tells us the purpose of creation, but naming the common good politically is much harder. The fact of pluralism makes it unlikely that we can specify an outcome on which all members of society agree we should be directed. Yet, even when our beliefs are polar opposites on what is the common good, we must always live and speak graciously.
  A wonderful example of that is how Jesus interacted with an immoral Samaritan woman in John 4. The word “Christian” means “little Christ.” Even those who diametrically disagree with us on the common good must continually see Jesus Christ in us.
  Frequent references to conflict in the Bible lead us to conclude that God understands conflict is part of the human condition. Conflict is also a pathway to loving each other more fully. As Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). That means being a Christ-follower is recognizing that we’ll disagree, and that our work is to overcome that disagreement graciously as much as possible without sacrificing God’s truth.
  Anyone reading the Gospels sees that during His life, Jesus spoke kindly with others regardless of physical ailment, ethnicity, sex, or socio-economic status. There are no examples of Jesus being condescending or just trying to win an argument. He sat alongside people, even when He shared very difficult truths with them. Jesus—God in human flesh—told stories and asked questions. Like Him, we’re to engage those who disagree with us with kindness and respect. Jesus frequently asked questions rather than pontificating with answers. We must do the same.
  The bottom line is that we’re to love each other even when others may be disagreeable and unlovable. The Bible doesn’t describe love as an emotion. It describes it as a verb. We aren’t given the luxury of loving only the agreeable, lovable, or our “team” or “political group.” Instead, we’re told to love each other…no matter what…as we’re loved by Christ.
  Being loving isn’t “agreeing to disagree.” None of us have had spiritual experiences where God agrees to disagree with us. Loving is also not having an intense argument and giving up. To be loving is a long-term exercise in patience, listening, suggesting, questioning, looking for opportunities to uplift and affirm, guiding when it’s appropriate, meeting needs, and showing up for the other person, even those we disagree with.
  Our mission is not to win the applause of those who agree with us and it’s wrong to seek to incite anger of “our team.” Instead, we must live for an “audience of One.” We must be loving like Jesus and seek to win by love.

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Are you a good neighbor?

“I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. 
Do you know your next door neighbor?”  Mother Teresa

State Farm coined the phrase in their commercials: “Like a Good Neighbor State Farm Is There.” It’s a great philosophy to have, but it didn’t originate with them. The concept of being a good neighbor is original with God and the Bible. When the Lord Jesus was asked to sum up all of God’s commands into one command, He said that we are to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). The genius of the Great Commandment is that it’s so simple yet so powerful. Unfortunately, most of us have generalized “neighbor” yet then fail to do anything specifically to love our neighbors. We’ve turned it into a nice saying with no action.

  Think about how wonderful it would be if we took the Great Commandment literally…if we started with loving our neighbors in our very own neighborhoods, where we live? When we build relationships in our neighborhoods and communities, not only are the lives and the families around us affected, but those relationships also begin to connect to God’s story of salvation. It transforms us into having more of the heart of God.

  This year we’re focusing on growing in our neighbor relationships. We want everyone in our church family to participate, even if it’s a small step. It’s simple: build relationships with those right outside your front door.

  America has a new epidemic. It can’t be treated with traditional therapies even though it has debilitating and deadly consequences. The problem seeping in at the corners of our neighborhoods is loneliness. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, hoping to generate awareness of the cost of loneliness in one media interview said: “Most of us probably think of loneliness as just a bad feeling. It turns out that loneliness has far greater implications for our health when we struggle with a sense of social disconnection, being lonely or isolated.” Loneliness is detrimental to mental and physical health and can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, dementia, or stroke. According to Dr. Jeremy Nobel, founder of The Foundation for Art and Healing: “Loneliness won’t just make you miserable, but loneliness will kill you.”

  In every worship service at Grace, we have a short time to greet each other. It’s not only because the New Testament commands believers to greet each other, it’s a small step to combat loneliness and begin to build fellowship. The DNA of Christianity is relationships. It begins with a relationship with Jesus. Once we’ve committed our life to Him and are a Christ-follower, we have a new family of brothers and sisters. In the church greeting each other serves as more than just a way to say hello, it symbolizes unity, forgiveness, and hope. It helps bring individuals and groups together. Being committed to breaking out of your personal comfort zone is crucial for believers who want to grow, honor God and demonstrate His love to others.

  We also want to connect with others who may be attending and don’t yet know our Savior. Friendliness and relationships open the door for us to share the one essential relationship. As strangers see that we care, it’s easier for them to believe that God cares about…because He does.

  It’s why for the last few weeks we’ve been encouraging you to make a special treat for your neighbors (we’re even supplying the mixes). It’s been fulfilling to receive some of the feedback of those who have done this. Yet, as your pastor it’s been discouraging how few who are part of the Grace Family have committed to partnering on this. It’s something like 10% of our church. We can do better than this. We must care about our neighbors. It’s not optional if you’re a Christ-follower. It’s a command. So, please join us and let us know the response that you receive. I know that it stretches some of us. By nature, I’m an introvert. What motivates me must motivate all of us – we care because Jesus cares. And it could be the beginning of God working in their lives. It starts by knowing our neighbors.

  So, do you know the names of your neighbors, even the ones two or three doors down or across the street? Do you know the names of their children? 

  Ron Clements said, “You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.” You may remember the story of then Green Bay Packers running back, Aaron Jones in May of 2018. It was all over the news. Aaron Jones was a Good Samaritan. He came off a plane and noticed an elderly woman standing there with no one to help her and without any way to transport herself to her destination, so he jumped in. He found a wheelchair and took her to her destination. Someone caught it on camera, uploaded it online and it went viral. When the media picked up on the story, they called Jones a “Good Samaritan.”
  Are you a “Good Samaritan?” God has called us to reach our community and neighborhoods. Here are some questions that I believe you’ll find helpful to you as you partner with God on His mission.

  How am I loving others? That seems like a simple question. However, if we define love as putting others before ourselves and sacrificing our own resources for the sake of others, it’s worth asking. This helps us live a life that is not primarily about our own advantage, progress, and self-preservation or even our own family. Have I given recently to meet the needs of others even though it costs me money or time?

  How am I paying attention to “the least of these”? It’s easy to love those who are like us but harder to even notice or love those different than us. If we’re blessed with a life that reflects the results of a solid education, good health, strong relationships, comfortable shelter, and sufficient income, then how can we show hospitality to the least of these? Those words are found in Matthew 25, where they refer to the hungry, strangers, prisoners, or the sick. How am I paying attention to the weaker members in my neighborhood? Want a great place to start? Stop and listen. You’ll be amazed at how many long to share their story if we take the time to listen.

  Who am I eating with? Sharing food around a table, even if it’s dessert or soup helps us prioritize others in our community. If we’re always eating with those similar to us, it’s time to invite outside of our comfortable circle to our table so that relational growth can take place and respect for each other’s differences can grow. If you have underage children, work to make your home the safe, enjoyable place other kids want to come to.

  Am I inviting people to join me? As we work as a church family to grow, are we reaching out to others? When we embody this picture of God’s grace, peace, and reconciliation, we’ll have opportunities with others to share the gospel, the only hope for this world. God has called each Christ-follower to be a good neighbor. Are you obeying? If the Lord were handing out grades on this, what grade would you get?

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

MISSIONS: GO...TELL...GIVE...PRAY

“The mission of the church is missions.”

Oswald J. Smith

 
This past May, Davy and Natalie Lloyd, a young married missionary couple from the U.S., alone with Jude Montis, the local director of Missions in Haiti Inc were all fatally shot by gangs in northern Port-au-Prince after leaving a youth group activity at church. Davy and Natalie joined Missions in Haiti, as missionaries after they were married in 2022. They loved Haiti and its people and ultimately gave everything for them. They reached countless lives and were selfless and full of love and devotion to the people of Haiti.
  It’s estimated that there are 100,000 Christians martyred every year. The history of the Church from the days of the Apostles is one overflowing with blood and sacrifice as men and women have left the safety of their homes and native lands to share the gospel on the fields of the world and paid the ultimate price to advance Christ’s Kingdom.
  Though Jesus commanded Christ-followers to go to the far ends of the world with the gospel, for the most part that’s neglected in the contemporary church. For example, the northern part of Yemen has 8 million people. That’s twice the population of the entire state of Kentucky.   Do you know how many believers there are out of those 8 million people? 20 or 30. There are more believers in a small group of most churches than in all of northern Yemen.
  Over 2 billion people in the world today are classified as unreached, which means more than “unsaved” but that the gospel is simply not accessible to them. Over 6,000 people groups with over 2 billion people in them are not yet reached with the gospel. 
  What is the right perspective to have in supporting missions? The Bibles teaches that every Christ-follower is called to be a missionary whether we serve in missions at home or abroad. We all are called to go throughout the world and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). Yet, most believers don’t even pray for missionaries or lost people groups. For example, we are rightly angered at the evil some Muslims do, yet rarely pray for the coming to Christ of some 1.7 billion Muslims in the world.
  Then, we must remember that God has chosen to do the work of missions through the financial support of faithful saints. When God sent His Son to do the work of missions on the earth, He chose to provide for Him through the faithful financial support of others. Luke 8:3 says: “Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.”
  The Lord Jesus was provided for through the faithful support of others and specifically through women, who had a low standing in that society. When God sent Elijah to Sidon, he commanded a widow to provide for him there (1 Kings 17:9). When God called for Nehemiah to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem, God gave him favor with the Persian king to pay for it (Nehemiah 2). The Apostle Paul was supported by the Philippians who were extremely poor as seen in 2 Corinthians 8:1-2: “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” Yet today it can sometimes take years for a missionary to raise the support needed to go to a foreign field. As Chuck Colson wrote, “When the church fails to break the [cultural] barrier, both sides lose. Those who need the gospel message of hope and the reality of love, don’t get it, and the isolated church keeps evangelizing the same people over and over until its only mission finally is to entertain itself.”
  Too often we can be so focused on the American Church, that we forget that the mission is the fields of the world. It’s astounding what God can do with just one Christ-follower committed to serving Him. For example, Peter Cameron Scott founded what is now known as the Africa Inland Mission near the end of the 19^th century. Few organizations have done more to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ on the African continent in the last century than AIM. A Washington Post article from 2015 says, “Over the past 100 years, Christians grew from less than 10% of Africa’s population to its nearly 500 million today. One out of four Christians in the world presently is in Africa, and the Pew Research Center estimates that will grow to 40 percent by 2030.” This incredible transformation on the African continent can be traced in a large part to Peter Cameron Scott and the Africa Inland Mission.
  But Peter Cameron Scott almost completely gave up his mission to spread the gospel across Africa before it even got going. He first went as a missionary to Africa as a young man but got Malaria and had to return to Britain to recover. In his second attempt, he brought his brother John with him to Africa. But John quickly became ill and died. Peter Cameron Scott buried his brother all alone in Africa and renewed his commitment to preach the gospel in Africa. Unfortunately, he became ill again and left Africa again. It seemed his dream was as good as dead. He might never return to Africa.
  However, when Peter Cameron Scott was recovering in London, he visited Westminster Abbey and visited the final resting place of David Livingstone, a pioneer missionary to Africa. And on Livingstone’s grave was written one verse…only one verse. When Peter Cameron Scott read that verse, the Lord gave him the courage, confidence, and resolve that he needed to return to Africa, preach the gospel there until his death, and found the Africa Inland Mission. “And I have other sheep who are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So, there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16). This verse had the power to fuel Peter Cameron Scott for a lifetime of frontier mission and it has the power to fuel us for a lifetime of global impact for the sake of the gospel.
  The idea of this verse is: Jesus’ worldwide mission, and your part in it, will succeed. That’s why Peter Cameron Scott went to Africa a third time and stayed until his death. That’s why we give our money, our prayers, our time, and our lives to Jesus’ worldwide saving purpose. Because Jesus’ worldwide mission, and your part in it, will succeed. And wouldn’t it be exciting if the Lord called someone from our church family to serve Him on the fields of the world?

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

 

Why Children's Ministry is Vital

 

“Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.”

                                                                 Henry Ward Beecher

 
This past week we had a fantastic time at our Kid’s Cooking Camp! We’re thankful to the many of you who invested your time, loaned appliances, or generously gave so we can invest in children’s ministries. We’re blessed to have a church family that’s committed to investing in the next generation!
  Our children/teen ministry is not just another program. Though it has sociological dimensions, our priority is on the spiritual and eternal. There are programs like Scouts, FFA, youth sports, dance teams, etc., that will help a young person develop character, but they won’t help a young person know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. We are committed to our programs being gospel driven. Our prayer and commitment are that the young people who attend our programs will have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, live more heavenly now and spend eternity in heaven.
  We’re continually looking for ways to increase our effectiveness with the next generation. We want to be a community of believers who serve today and plan for tomorrow. If today’s young people are to be the Christ-followers, church members and leaders in 2050, how do we help them get there? How should we change our thinking?
  The primary seasons of faith formation are during childhood and the teen years. Church researcher, George Barna’s studies concluded that spiritual beliefs are largely set by the time a person reaches thirteen. Research has found that among adults ages 18-29, the church dropout rate is 64%. If consistent church attendance has never been part of a child’s life during their formative years, it’s improbable it will be in adulthood. We want children to be prepared for this brief life and eternal life. To accomplish that, it’s vital that we spiritually develop the youth in our church family.
  We have a biblical mandate. We’re commanded to do this. The last words Jesus said before He ascended into heaven was that the business of the church is to make disciples. That means as parents, the young people that are given to us must be disciples. Parents are to share the gospel with their children so that they become Christ-followers and train them to be servants and leaders in the church. For the rest of us in the church family, some who’ve been walking with Christ for years, we have a responsibility to disciple younger folk. It’s a church family effort. That means serving the Lord in the nursery, Grace Kids, Amped and Grace Student Ministries.
  A critical factor of whether young people raised in the church stay in the church after they graduate in those post-high school years is that they had at least one friendship with an adult outside of their parents in the church. Relationships take time with each other to develop. We have a biblical mandate to befriend and invest our lives in young people for the Lord.  
  Our future depends on it. The hard facts are that if we don’t invest in young people today, our church won’t be here tomorrow. If we don’t raise up a younger generation of committed Christ-followers, who will worship the Lord, reach this community, lead and take the baton to keep running the Christian race in the future.
  A high percentage of churches in America are greying out. It’s a massive crisis. From a practical level, we must invest in the next generation. We must disciple younger leaders because they’re the ones who will make sure that Christ’s mission continues and is carried forward into the future.
  We need their energy. The message never changes yet the methods continually adapt. Young people bring freshness, excitement and energy to a church. The older generation needs that. They need our maturity. We need their energy. We need each other. We’re a family. A healthy family has grandparents, parents, and children, a church family models that.  
  Yet, to have that it takes older believers willing to take great risks and do the things that can be difficult like going to hard places and even enduring persecution. We need the passion of the younger generation, so it’s vital that we develop young believers and leaders in our church.
  Children model for us what it means to be a Christ-follower. They model for us what we often forget as “sophisticated” adults. Let me suggest four aspects of this.
  They remind us that to be a Christ-follower you must have absolute trust. Children trust others for everything—their food, their lodging, the arms of others who carry them. Regarding trust in God, the child’s ability to believe hasn’t been wounded by cruel deception or a cynical world. Those who receive the kingdom like a little child have the saving element of faith. They have belief plus trust. They believe in Jesus, but it’s more than a mind-belief—they trust Jesus for everything to do with salvation and life.
  They remind us that to be a Christ-follower you must have pure humility. Children don’t engage in the various forms of pride of adulthood. They’re not proud of their morality or virtues. A child doesn’t battle self-righteousness to come to Christ. A small child is free from the pride of knowledge. He has no education or degrees to pile up before the cross. Children are teachable. They receive the gospel without attempting to complicate or add to it. Because children have not developed the pride of adulthood, they readily repent. Little ones quickly cry over a wrong done. Their unseared consciences still have their powerful moral instruments intact. They’re miserable over their sins. Uncontaminated humility leaves a young soul open to receiving the greatest of gifts, the gift of salvation.
  They remind us that to be a Christ-follower you must have complete receptiveness. Children know how to receive a gift—they just take it. On their first birthday, they’re not sure what a gift is. As two-year-olds, if they have siblings, they understand well enough. By the time they’re three, they’re really into receptivity! The wrapping paper flies! As David Goodling explains: “A little child takes its food, its parents’ love and protection, because they are given, without beginning to think of whether it deserves them or whether it is important enough to merit such attention. So must we all receive God’s kingdom and enter into it.”
  They remind us that to be a Christ-follower you must have sincere love. Children easily return love for gifts. Enthusiastic hugs and kisses and multiple “Thanks” are showered on the giver. Spiritually, “we love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Total love is the province of those who receive the kingdom as little children.
  We’re privileged to share God’s truth with the next generation. We can each leave a heavenly legacy. Together let’s commit to raise the next generation of Christ-followers, servants and leaders for our future church. Christ-followers steadfast in their faith and passionate about spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth! That work needs to begin today.

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Dad, should your children follow you?

 

“Every father should remember one day his son will follow his example, not his advice.”   Charles Kettering

 
Henry Bosch shares this story: As a schoolboy, I worked with my father during the summer months. Each morning we stopped to pick up the early edition of the newspaper at a small grocery store. One morning when we got to work, my father found that by mistake he had taken two newspapers instead of one. He first thought of paying the man the extra price the next morning, but then after a moment’s consideration he said, “I had better go back with this paper. I don’t want the man at the store to think I’m dishonest.” He got in his car, drove back to the store, and returned the paper. About a week later, someone stole money from the grocery store. When police pinpointed the time it occurred, the grocer remembered only two people being in the store at the time—and one was my father. The grocer immediately dismissed my father as a suspect, saying, ‘That man is really honest. He came all the way back here just to return a newspaper he took by mistake.’ The police then focused their investigation on the other man, who soon made a full confession. My father’s honesty made a big impression on that non-Christian storeowner, and on me.” Henry Bosch’s father lived out what it means to be a Christ-follower.
  Dads, what’s important to you? According to one recent Pew Research Survey, Dads place a high priority on their children becoming honest, ethical and hardworking adults. The majority of dads say it’s extremely or very important to them that their children be honest and ethical (93%), hardworking (87%) and ambitious (64%) as adults.
  What do you believe are the priorities to teach your children? Being honest and ethical is important and over the years I’ve had fathers tell me many different things. Most want their children to know how to work hard and to be good providers for their families. Some want their children to know how to play sports and be winners. Others want their children to get good grades, go to college, and have a good career.
  All of those are good things, yet in nearly forty years of ministry, I can’t remember a father ever sharing with me: “I want my children to know Jesus as their Savior and go to heaven.” I’m sure some believed it, yet I can’t remember a single Dad expressing that to me. Interestingly, though I’ve had mothers express that and even fret that they’re child had not yet committed his/her life to Christ.
  It’s tempting to put behavior before belief. One though can be very moral and not know Jesus. The Savior echoed that powerful sentiment with “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:36). If we focus on the wrong thing, even good things, we can raise our children to be successful failures.
  So, how do we teach our children what should be the top priority in life? Where do we start? We need to personally know what it means to be a believer. If heaven and God’s forgiveness is a “hope so,” we and our children are in real trouble. Would you want directions to some destination if the person sharing them said, “I think this is how you get there…”? No, we want someone who knows the way.
  Even better when you’re unsure of how to get somewhere is to have someone say to you, “I’m going there. Follow me.” Dad, do you know based on God’s Word that you’ve been forgiven and that you’re going to heaven when you die? If you don’t know how to go to heaven, you won’t be able to teach your children and that would be a tragic loss.
  Yet, heaven is so much more than having your ticket punched for eternal life. Our children will value what we value whether it’s caught or taught. My Dad was in retail for years and later invested in and sold commercial real estate. He also invested in the stock market. It’s not a surprise that one of my brothers became a stockbroker and the other began in retail and later ended up as an executive in the fashion industry.
  Hollywood dynasties, business dynasties and political dynasties are common. Children often follow in a father’s footsteps. They will have the same interests and values, spend their leisure time the way they saw modeled and even will have the same type of friends that their parents had. 
  Dad, what do you truly value? What do you love? What’s your focus? Where do you spend your time? If your children follow in your steps, what will their life be like? What will they teach your grandchildren to value?
  American educator, A.E. Winship, decided to trace the descendants of Jonathan Edwards almost 150 years after his death. His findings are remarkable, especially when compared to another man from the same time period known as Max Jukes.
  Jonathan Edwards’ legacy includes: 1 U.S. Vice-President, 1 Dean of a law school, 1 dean of a medical school, 3 U.S. Senators, 3 governors, 3 mayors, 13 college presidents, 30 judges, 60 doctors, 65 professors, 75 Military officers, 80 public office holders, 100 lawyers, 100 clergymen, and 285 college graduates. How is this explained? Jonathan Edwards was a Christ-follower who loved the Lord. As a result, he was also hard working, moral and ethical.
  Max Jukes’ legacy came to people’s attention when the family trees of 42 different men in the New York prison system were traced back to him. He lived in New York at about the same period as Edwards. The Jukes family originally was studied by sociologist Richard L. Dugdale in 1877. Jukes’ descendants included: 7 murderers, 60 thieves, 190 prostitutes, 150 other convicts, 310 paupers, and 440 who were physically wrecked by addiction to alcohol. Of the 1,200 descendants that were studied, 300 died prematurely.
  These two legacies provide an example of what’s called the five-generation rule. “How a parent raises their child — the love they give, the values they teach, the emotional environment they offer, the education they provide — influences not only their children but the four generations to follow, either for good or evil.” What a challenging thought!
  Dad, if someone studied your descendants four generations later, what would you want them to discover? Do you want an Edwards’ legacy or a Jukes’ one? Being a Christ-follower can determine where your children and grandchildren will spend eternity. The life you live today influences the legacy you leave tomorrow! So, where are you going and what are you leaving behind?

Can we help you spiritually? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.