Missional Living
Life can be funny sometimes.
Or maybe I’ve just got a twisted sense of humor.
Over the last couple years I’ve come to believe that many of the things I’ve been taught to avoid and in some cases even demonize, are not in and of themselves evil. Music, alcohol, etc.
A friend of mine explained it to me this way: “America is a nation of gluttons. We do everything to excess.” And he’s right.
Sadly though, people like to pick and choose what they demonize. I know people who are quick to condemn me for having a drink, yet most doctors would consider them to be obese and last time I checked, the Bible is just as harsh towards gluttony as it is drunkenness.
And just for the record, I’ve never been drunk. Never even been buzzed. And I don’t ever plan to be either.
Anyways, ever since moving back to Louisiana, I’ve really begun to ask the question, “What is church?”.
Do I have to go to a building with “church” in the name in order to “go to church”?
Do I have to go to that building at a certain time, on a certain day?
Does there have to be a very specific order that determines what is done in “church”?
Is an online community real community?
I’m still wrestling with these questions daily, so by no means am I saying that I have all the answers. Nor am I against the traditional Protestant concept of church. I believe that church, when done right, is an awesome agent for change, discipleship and spiritual growth.
The big question I’ve been wrestling with is, have we put God into a box by putting His church in a box?
Last time I checked, the Biblical definition of a church is the regular assembly of believers for the purpose of edification and instruction. In other words, to refresh and to teach. If that is church, then I go to church every Sunday night at McAlister’s where there is a Bible study. And if online communities count, I go to LifeChurch.tv every week.
All of that brings me to this: earlier this week a friend told me that they have really begun to “question my lifestyle”, because I don’t go to (their definition of) church, I enjoy the occasional adult beverage and have been known to smoke a cigar every now and then.
Yet the funny part (funny to me) is that twice in the past two months I’ve had very deep, thought-provoking, long conversations with an unchurched friend of mine about Jesus, the Bible, church and sin, and during both conversations we enjoyed a couple cigars and some bourbon.
Thoughts?
I'll bite, I do not believe you have to go to "church" to be saved. Though, the only thing I know is to not forsake the assembling…which you are not with the Sunday night bible studies or any other christian fellowship you do. I do not see why a online church TV would not count as the same thing as sitting in service when you do have regular fellowship amongst christian brothers and sisters. Make sure to send you tithe somewhere though…since you are not under a "spiritual authority" of a pastor I would think you would have free reign as to where you want to designate you money, but that issue in itself is touchy and in some cases controversial. I believe 100% in tithing, on gross, but concern as to where it is going/designated. Am I accountable for how it is used? When compared to NT churches it appears to go to those in need…now I feel like it just pays some bills for the building in which we sit. (I can be wrong BECAUSE I do not know any details of my churches finances…these are just thoughts I have had.)
When it comes to tithing, I've always been hardline. I was raised in the belief that you pay tithe no matter what, even if it means that you can't pay your bills. But when I moved to Acworth one of the big debates among the Four Points launch team was over giving. Brent, like many pastors, did not feel comfortable asking for money from the stage. That prompted some serious study for all of us as to what New Testament tithing and giving is really all about, because the last image we wanted to project was that of greed. So here is what we ended up concluding:
1.) Tithing under in the Old Testament varied; Abraham and Jacob each gave 10% (Genesis 14:18-20 and Genesis 28:22). However, under the Mosaic law, God's people actually gave 23.3% of their income annually (10% annually to the Levites, 10% annually to pay for the feasts and celebrations, and 10% every 3 years to the Levites and the poor; Numbers 18:20-32, Deuteronomy 14:22-29).
2.) We aren't commanded a specific percentage in the New Testament, but we are commanded to give regularly, generously and cheefully (Acts 2:44-47, 4:32-37, 6:1, Philippians 4:10-18, Philemon 1:4-7, Hebrews 10:34, III John 1:5-8).
In his messages and blog posts Brent has recommended 10% because it is a reasonable amount, and he personally recommends the 10/10/80 rule, where you give 10% to God up front, 10% savings and live off the remaining 80%. You can read more of what Brent has to say on giving at his blog post on the matter.
Of course, there are those who quote Matthew 5:17 (in which Jesus said that he did not come to destroy the law) as their defense for 10%. But if you go by that reasoning, then we should be giving 23.3%. The other argument I've heard was from Josh Wilson and that was based on Luke 18:22 where Jesus tells the rich young ruler to sell everything and give the proceeds to the poor.
The conclusion I've come to is that spreading the gospel takes money, and God blesses those who give when they give not out of fear of punishment or in hope of gain, but because they want to further the gospel.
And because I know you'll ask, at Four Points we decided that instead of doing a traditional "pass the plate" offering, we would have a box that people could place offerings in on their way in or out of the auditorium or during times of fellowship. That way no one has to worry about who is watching them as they give and all Brent had to do was say if you wish to support us financially there is a box at the info center where you can place your gifts.
When it comes to tithing, I've always been hardline. I was raised in the belief that you pay tithe no matter what, even if it means that you can't pay your bills. But when I moved to Acworth one of the big debates among the Four Points launch team was over giving. Brent, like many pastors, did not feel comfortable asking for money from the stage. That prompted some serious study for all of us as to what New Testament tithing and giving is really all about, because the last image we wanted to project was that of greed. So here is what we ended up concluding:
1.) Tithing under in the Old Testament varied; Abraham and Jacob each gave 10% (Genesis 14:18-20 and Genesis 28:22). However, under the Mosaic law, God's people actually gave 23.3% of their income annually (10% annually to the Levites, 10% annually to pay for the feasts and celebrations, and 10% every 3 years to the Levites and the poor; Numbers 18:20-32, Deuteronomy 14:22-29).
2.) We aren't commanded a specific percentage in the New Testament, but we are commanded to give regularly, generously and cheefully (Acts 2:44-47, 4:32-37, 6:1, Philippians 4:10-18, Philemon 1:4-7, Hebrews 10:34, III John 1:5-8).
In his messages and blog posts Brent has recommended 10% because it is a reasonable amount, and he personally recommends the 10/10/80 rule, where you give 10% to God up front, 10% savings and live off the remaining 80%. You can read more of what Brent has to say on giving at his blog post on the matter.
Of course, there are those who quote Matthew 5:17 (in which Jesus said that he did not come to destroy the law) as their defense for 10%. But if you go by that reasoning, then we should be giving 23.3%. The other argument I've heard was from Josh Wilson and that was based on Luke 18:22 where Jesus tells the rich young ruler to sell everything and give the proceeds to the poor.
The conclusion I've come to is that spreading the gospel takes money, and God blesses those who give when they give not out of fear of punishment or in hope of gain, but because they want to further the gospel.
And because I know you'll ask, at Four Points we decided that instead of doing a traditional "pass the plate" offering, we would have a box that people could place offerings in on their way in or out of the auditorium or during times of fellowship. That way no one has to worry about who is watching them as they give and all Brent had to do was say if you wish to support us financially there is a box at the info center where you can place your gifts.