I’m excited to be partnering with the NCBSC in developing training materials for churches that are considering, or already making, the move to the small group model for discipleship of their people. In my study and development time, I have tried to isolate the most common objections pastors and leaders of a local church have to making the jump to groups (in that vein, I’d greatly appreciate your feedback on objections you have yourself, or have heard frequently regarding launching small groups in a church.)

Maybe the most common one I encounter is that small groups, because they are discussion oriented, lose the element of biblical teaching which is of course a core part of growing as a disciple. One version of this said to me was “All it is is people sharing opinions and whoever shares their opinion most confidently is the one who speaks truth. Its a dangerous and unhealthy setting for discipleship.”

At the root of this objection is an assumption that teaching = monologue from teacher to student. Since small group gatherings do not include this lecture / sermon type element, the objection goes that there is no teaching in small groups. Now, I do need to talk about how discipleship is a two-way street but let me start by directly handling the objection. The reality is teaching, as it relates to making disciples, is FAR MORE than this! (so hear me now. I am affirming speaking truth into someone’s life. I just think speaking is but one slice of the teaching pie)

How did Jesus make disciples? Did he JUST gather them in a room once a week for an hour? Of course not. He shared life with them. he “taught” them by explaining the deep mysteries of God, by miraculous signs, by demonstrating what would later come to be the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22), and ultimately by sacrificing himself for them.

So do we teach in small groups? OF COURSE! Sometimes that is by explaining a theological truth. Sometimes, no…always it is by putting on display a gospel-centered life among those who have never witnessed such a life before. This example has helped me: how do you teach your children? By 30 minute weekly dialogue? Or by living out how they should live, and then seizing 30 second windows we call teachable moments?

So to my friends who are hesitant to jump into small group life, i want to encourage you that it is a model where teaching can happen. And humbly I want to ask you how much true teaching is happening in the model you are in right now. If you feel like well-rounded teaching is taking place in the model you are operating under, keep it up! Remember, models/methods are simply tools to help us get where we want to go. They aren’t the end in themselves.

This weekend, I’m teaching a breakout session at Summit’s Nexus Project for students.  (Side note… I’m always surprised how much God teaches me through the preparation process.  In fact, my prayers for the students have been that they would learn at least as much about our Lord as I have in the past week of preparation.)

In the breakout session, we’ll investigate what it means to abide in Christ.  Consider Jesus’ words in John 15:4-5…

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus’ sobering message frightens me, but I desperately need this wake up call.  For many of us as Christians, it can be tempting to rely on our own talents and abilities.  We might even convince ourselves that God needs us to do His work. We can spend so much time working on the latest ministry techniques, reading the right books, or perpetually participating in activities or events.  But in reality, as John 15 reminds us, we can do nothing apart from Christ.

Nothing.

In other words, anything done apart from Christ is worthless, empty, meaningless… nothing.  Just like a branch dies when it is detached from the vine, we cannot live apart from our precious Jesus.

So, if we’re interpreting John 15 appropriately, abiding in Christ is most significant thing we’ll do all day!  What does it mean to abide?  As a starting point, abiding in Christ means to remain vitally connected to Christ.  Dwell in Him.  Live in Him.  There’s even an emphasis here on continuing and persisting… never leaving.  Do these words describe your daily relationship with Jesus?

Honestly, I think we’ll continue to learn about this concept until the day we see our Jesus face to face.  But, as you reflect on John 15 today, meditate on how vital it is for us to continually experience the presence of God.  After all, we have no other source of life!

Paul Tripp, who will be speaking at the Summit’s upcoming Marriage Conference, has published a new book which should be hitting stores around the first of May called What Did You Expect? Redeeming the Realities of Marriage. If you are in the Triangle area and have March 12-13 open, you should figure out a way to get over to the Summit and learn from this guy.

Paul Tripp from Crossway on Vimeo.

We live in a culture that demands personalization and autonomy.  Think about it.  We can customize almost anything.  You can craft your own playlist, establish your own web identity, and even customize your car or home.  Burger King’s slogan is still “Have it your way”…

After relishing in the autonomy of Western culture, have you ever noticed how easy it is to put God in a personalized little box?  If you’re like me, you’ve probably overhead (or—gasp!—even thought) statements like…

I just wasn’t getting fed at that church.
I can’t focus on God unless I have silence.
I can’t concentrate long enough to pray.
I’m not much of a reader, so daily devotions just aren’t realistic for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m guilty of thoughts like this… But, such statements focus on our abilities and preferences instead of the providence of God.  Customization is another form of idol worship, whether we acknowledge it or not.  In The Sinfulness of Sin, Puritan Ralph Venning explains “Sin has made men worship either (1) a false god, which is idolatry; or (2) God falsely, which is superstition.”

Superstition.  That’s not a word that we drop in everyday conversation.  Idolatry seems to be a hot topic for Christians right now (and rightly so), but I think some of us need a wake-up call about the prevalence of superstition in our lives.  We acknowledge with our lips that we’re Christians serving the living God, but God calls us to come to Him on His term… not our own.  After all, who are we to dictate our relationship with the God of the universe?

Genesis shows us that God takes initiative with His creation.  God makes everything out of nothing and provides the proper parameters for His relationship with humankind (Gen. 1-2).  Customization was the issue in Genesis 3—Adam and Eve elevated their own desires above God’s.  Or, look at the Saul’s disobedience in 1 Samuel 15.  Samuel reminds Saul with the proper perspective in verse 22: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.”

Take some time today to reflect.  Maybe you are worshipping the true God right now, but make sure you avoid the subtle snares of superstition… and worship God on His terms.

One of the biggest sins that I struggle with is the idolatry of materialism. I draw a great deal of comfort and contentment from the clothes that I wear and the way that I look. I often seek satisfaction in these things instead of finding it in God, and I’ve known this about myself for years.

Does that mean I have changed my ways, or at least resolved to do better in the future? Heck no! I like my cute shoes and I love going to Target like nothing else in this world, so even though the Bible seems to frown upon such a mindset, I’ve figured out a way to make it work. I can have my cake and eat it too.

You see the way I figure, the joy I derive from shopping isn’t really all that bad. Nevermind that it prevents me from tithing as generously as I might otherwise be able to, or giving as much to those in need. It’s not like I pay exorbitant amounts of money on designer clothes. I mostly shop at low-end stores and I buy things on sale, so I’m actually getting a great deal. Some might even say I’m being a good steward of my money. In fact, it’s not even really a sin, is it? I just like to look cute, that’s all.

That is my thought process. Pretty godly, huh? But this is what has to happen whenever your lifestyle runs up against the grain of Scripture–one of the two has to move. Something has to change, and it will either be our behavior, or it will be our beliefs. More often that not, my beliefs are forced to adapt to my behavior.

And while I wish that I could say materialism is the only area in which I struggle, my compromising plays out in a variety of ways. Greed, pride, jealousy, gossip, hate–all of these sins are very much alive in my life, but I have excused them for “good reasons.” I will appeal to my freedom in Christ, or default to the reality of the world we live (ie. some of the Bible’s teachings just aren’t realistic in certain circumstances), rather than give up those vices.

The truth is that we want to live the way we want to live, and far be it from God to interfere. Many Christians live lavishly while others are homeless and needy, reconciling their lifestyle with the logic that it’s permissible as long as they don’t “love their wealth.” Husbands leave their wives for another woman, all because “God just wants us to be happy.” And countless Christian couples engage in inappropriate intimacy before marriage, comforting themselves with the knowledge that they’re obeying Christ as long as they’re not having sex.

The list goes on and on, but this is what happens when we allow certain sins to take a foothold in our lives. Our theology suffers, launching us into a spiritual downward spiral. Theology, the truth of God, is the levy that withstands the floods of worldly influence. It protects us from being overcome by the lies and temptations of the world.  If we compromise that theology so that we are no longer convicted by our sins, then we make ourselves vulnerable to destructive influence. We have robbed ourselves of the resources to resist it. All because we allowed our lifestyle to shape our beliefs, rather than the other way around.

How you respond to your sin says a lot about how you view God and the authority of Scripture. That’s why sin is such a big deal to God. It’s also why theology should be a big deal to us. When we talk about theology we’re not just talking abstractions. Whether you’re aware of it or not, theology plays a critical role in the life of every believer.

In an effort to impact the huge need for foster care of children in RDU, the Summit is partnering with KidsPeace Foster Care.  Ashley Tyndall is a member at the Summit who serves in the KidsPeace Durham office.  We have asked her to share what makes KidsPeace special and how you can be involved. - Curt Alan, Community Pastor

Seth has seen more than most of us would even imagine. This small child was a victim of regular physical and emotional abuse, and he witnessed his sisters being sexually abused. Seth often went without meals, and he describes a week that went by with only a jar of peanut butter to share with all of his brothers and sisters. By age eight, Seth and his siblings had been entered Child Protective Services Custody and were placed in separate foster homes.

Understandably, Seth had some behavioral and emotional difficulties that many people just couldn’t understand. He needed a committed family to provide a higher level of support than traditional foster care. Seth was referred to KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs of NC, which provides Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC). TFC agencies like KidsPeace serve children that have a mental health diagnosis. Many of the children who are referred to us have been abused or neglected in the past, and some have never had an adult who could stick with them.

KidsPeace believes that these children can be best served in their own communities and within a family structure. TFC parents don’t need to be experts in child psychology, but they do need a genuine desire to help children in crisis. KidsPeace offers a high level of ongoing training and 24/7 support, as well as a stipend to cover the financial expenses of having a child in your home. We focus on fostering resiliency and increasing the protective factors that help kids succeed. We also take extra time to match children’s specific needs with the strengths and preferences of our foster families in order to ensure the best possible match.

At first, Seth couldn’t see why he should trust his therapeutic foster parents any more than the biological parents that had allowed such horrible things to happen to him. But his foster parents refused to give up on him. Gradually, he began having fewer nightmares, his negative behaviors decreased, and he even made honor roll at school for the first time. Seth is currently eleven years old and is midway through the process of being legally adopted by his KidsPeace foster parents. He still has a long way to go, but he recently told his social worker, “I’m pretty sure KidsPeace saved my life.”

If you are interested in learning more about being a KidsPeace therapeutic foster family, or finding other ways to serve children in need, please attend our upcoming orientation session.  The session will be at 7pm on Wednesday February 24th in the SummitKids area across from the Elementary Worship room.  Please RSVP to me at Ashley.tyndall@kidspeace.org You can also check out KidsPeace National Centers online at www.kidspeace.org or our YouTube channel for videos.

We interviewed Cynthia Mann, the Summit’s Counseling Director, for insight on how the Summit addresses sexual addiction and how any local church can tackle this issue.

If you’ve been around the church world long, you know there is a tendency for most churches to avoid messy topics. Not many pastors enjoy standing in front of a crowd to speak about pornography, chronic masturbation, marital infidelity, homosexuality, etc. Most pastors avoid these issues like the plague, as if they speak about these things, there entire congregation will turn into a bad episode of The Simpsons, The Hills, or Desperate Housewives. Unfortunately, many people in our church have messy lives, and if we choose to ignore the mess, we’re doing a disservice to our people and the power of the gospel. The gospel has a lot to say about every area of our lives, even the messy parts. Here’s how the church can serve those who struggle with sexual addiction.

What things can a church do to create a safe environment to talk about sexual struggles and sexual addiction?

1. First of all, the church can faithfully preach Scripture…Scripture abounds with passages that address sex.  Sex is a part of life, we see it celebrated (Song of Solomon), we see warnings against sexual sin (think the book of Proverbs and parts of the Epistles), but most importantly, we see real biblical characters often falling into sexual sin (one of the most powerful and hope-giving of which is David).  The story is not just about their sin, but about their restoration and redemption before a just, loving Father.
2. Secondly, the church needs to be a place where it is safe to be a sinner.  In other words, not a place where a mask of perfection is required.  One of the ministries of our church, Recovery Ministry, often uses the phrase, “We’re all one of those people.”  In other words, one of those imperfect, struggling sinners in need of redemption.  Once we become comfortable with the fact that we are sinners, we are able to address specific sins such as sexual sin.
3. Finally, the church needs to create specific and personal opportunities for a discussion of sexual sin.  Small groups are an ideal setting for this.  This is certainly easier in gender specific groups, but can be done in coed groups.  It is sometimes best and more appropriate to split up into men and women so that each group can be comfortably frank in their conversation and confession, but there are times when couples can be of great ministry to other couples by sharing their story in a mixed group.

What needs to be in place in a church to help someone struggling with sexual sin?

1. Church discipline-by this I don’t mean the shunning and judgmental spirit so many people think of when they hear this phrase, but rather the heartfelt desire and determination to see a brother or sister in Christ restored to a loving relationship with their Savior.  Although it is not without accountability, true church discipline is an act of love born out of the knowledge that turning a blind eye, or excusing sexual sin, is like encouraging destruction in men and women’s lives.  When sexual sin is not lovingly confronted, we are tacitly participating in spiritual darkness, broken marriages, and fractured souls. Proverbs 7:27 speaks of sexual sin as a woman whose “house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.” We need to fight for life, light, and truth in the lives of our brothers and sisters.
2. Other men and women in the congregation who are ready to step up and walk in encouragement and accountability with an individual or couple who is struggling with sexual sin. This process may start with pastors or elders, but can never end there since there are more sexual sinners in the congregation than there are pastors and elders to walk with them.  There must be lay wisdom-givers who are ready to walk faithfully with the repentant sinner.
3. If possible, a recovery ministry which provides a specific process which sexual sinners can achieve spiritual, emotional, and relational health.  At The Summit Church, we have a Recovery Ministry with a 12-step Christ and cross-centered recovery program.  I know for a fact that there are a group of guys that come together there to address and deal with their sexual sin.  God put us in a community for a reason. While sin thrives in isolation and darkness, recovery and healing take place within God’s grace and within his community.

What’s the wrong thing for churches to do?

1. Church discipline…the wrong way.  Shunning those or seeking only “punishment” when someone confesses to sexual sin.  This is the best way to guarantee that men and women will never be honest about their sin, including sexual sin.
2. Tolerance. The attitude that boys will be boys, or that it is a normal, healthy part of young men’s lives.  As mentioned above, this is like encouraging self-destruction.
3. Fear in the face of sin.  Let’s face it, sex is an uncomfortable topic to be honest about in many churches.  This is a culturally acquired discomfort, not a biblical attitude.  God is actually pretty comfortable talking about sex and sin.  When we seek comfort over speaking the truth in love, we are not only acting against our brother, but dishonoring God’s Word.

If you are dealing with sexual addiction or know someone who is, please seek help. You can begin by contacting Cynthia by email or by phone at 919.383.7100.

I’ve read Ephesians 2:1-11 many times, but I was challenged with a fresh perspective this weekend.  Commenting on Ephesians 2:3, Pastor JD explained that we know God is always watching… but the thought of what He thinks about our sin is not enough to make us turn away from sin.  We’ve “minimized God to the point that the thought of His presence doesn’t make you hesitate anymore about sin.”  For some of us, even our mothers have more influence over our behavior!  Ephesians 2 overwhelms us with the greatness of God’s grace and love, but many of us still struggle with habitual sin.  How can we read a passage of Scripture like this and not surrender our lives to Him completely?

I believe our primary issue is that our hearts are often disconnected from our minds.  Simply put: we might demonstrate an intellectual assent of the gospel, but we never allow the living and active Word of God to bring organic change to our hearts.

The prophet Jonah seemed to struggle with accepting the gospel at a heart level.  (Tim Keller’s Counterfeit Gods provides a fresh perspective on Jonah’s struggle with idolatry.)  Jonah obviously has some idols in his life, as evidenced by his rebellion to God’s call in 1:1-3.  Jonah quickly hits what should’ve have been rock bottom.  He acknowledges his sinful disobedience, and the sailors throw him overboard in the middle of a raging storm.  Expecting death, he finds himself in the bowels of a great fish, crying out to God with a heartfelt, gospel-centered prayer.  If Jonah can realize that God is the only hope of unconditional love and grace (2:8) and God alone holds salvation (2:9), why does he become embittered and angry at God when Assyria repents in chapter 3?  Jonah shows us that an intellectual understanding of the gospel (and even a verbal confession!) is not enough.  We desperately need to let the gravity of the gospel seep into our hearts, stirring our affections for Jesus and transforming our worship.

Dr. Mark Liederbach, an ethics professor at SEBTS, describes this process as:

Stated Belief + Actual Practice = Actual Belief

I find this model to be exceptionally helpful, because it highlights the difference between our words and our actions.  Think back to Jonah’s example.  Even though his words conveyed an understanding of the gospel, he expresses disappointment and bitterness that are uncharacteristic of a heart truly changed by the gospel.

If you’ve been challenged by this concept, take some time today to commune with God.  Cast yourself on the mercy and grace of God at a heart level.  Meditate on it.  The intellectual facets of the gospel might be clear for you, but let the truth of Ephesians 2:1-11 soak in to your heart.  We were dead in sin.  God gave us life.  We didn’t earn any of this, but we receive it because of God’s abundant grace and love.  Has that truth traveled from your head to your heart?  Has the wondrous truth of the gospel become more than just a cognitive understanding?  Has it transformed your worship?

We asked Summit Student Ministry Pastor Jason Gaston to tell us about the biggest event the Summit has planned for middle and high school students in 2010.

Nexus:: A Group of individuals collaborating together towards a common set of goals.

Our People:: Students. Our Goal:: The glory and fame of Christ Jesus.

On March 5-6 2010, The Summit Church and Crossroads Worldwide bring you the 3rd Annual Nexus Project. This conference is packed with great teaching from guys like Clayton King, Matt Orth, J.D. Greear, Alvin Reid, Spence Shelton, and worship with Carl Cartee.

One of the things we are most excited about this year is our commitment to investing in and training young men and women who have surrendered to God’s call on their life to serve in full-time ministry.  That’s why we’ve added the Nexus Ministry Summit track to our conference. Our goal is simple: EQUIP your student with some practical teaching that will help them in their pursuit of God’s call on their life. Our teaching time with these students will cover the following topics

• What Does it mean to be “Called?”
• Never Getting Over the Gospel
• What the bible says about Leadership
• Common Temptations for those called to Ministry
• Developing and Protecting your Spiritual Transformation

We would love to serve you in any capacity that we can. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us (susan@summitRDU.com)

Nexus, it’s more than just a shampoo, it’s a conference. (Man, that was DEEP!)

Last month I had the privilege of spending a week in Dubai with some of our church planters in Central Asia. They live in a part of the world that is extremely hostile to Christianity, and it has shaped their perspective on missions in some really fascinating ways.

In particular, they shared something with me that I was surprised to hear: From their perspective, some of the least equipped individuals serving overseas are those coming straight out of seminary. Why? Because many of them have little to no experience holding down an actual job.

In countries where Christianity is oppressed, missionaries need a platform for their presence.  They need a job that permits them to live and work in country since they cannot openly serve as church planters. For someone who’s never functioned in the working world, this can be a problem. A seminary student may know how to teach the Bible, but they don’t always have the skills or job training to become influential in another country.

This perspective on missions leads to one rather obvious conclusion: What we really need on the mission field is people with work experience. We need doctors and nurses, we need contractors and businessmen. We need entrepreneurs and electricians. We need people with marketable skills who can go overseas and use those gifts to gain influence.

I love this perspective because it flies in the face of the traditional Christian hierarchy, which tends to look something like this:

Missionary (ie. Super Christian)

Minister

Regular Christian

As a result of this thinking, we assume that the crème de la crème ministers will graduate into missionary status. Unfortunately, that level of Christian supremacy is completely disconnected from the average Joe Christian.

This alternative perspective turns that paradigm on its head. Many of the most unreached mission fields need trained craftsmen and businessmen, not seminarians. It’s not that God can’t use ministers, but the Muslim culture isn’t hurting for a lack of ordained clergy. It’s hurting for a lack of Christians ANYWHERE. The culture needs to be infiltrated. And while they may not listen to a preacher, they might listen to their employer or co-worker.

So if you consider yourself an average Joe Christian, this call goes out to you. While we can certainly use more trained ministers overseas, what the field really needs is people like you. It’s very likely that there’s a job a lot like yours overseas that is waiting to be filled by a believer. Your position as a mechanic or a banker could also serve as a light post in a very dark world.

Think about it.

Find out more information on how you can get involved in God’s mission overseas by contacting the Summit’s church planting team at info@sendrdu.com.