OK – back in the saddle again…

But first, one more vacation blog. My dive master’s name was a Hebrew name. On one of the last dives I asked him if he knew the story behind his name.  He knew the Bible story.  I reminded him of the high calling on the life of the man he was named after. He confided in me that he went to church as a youth but had too many questions.

Then he said it was funny I had asked, as his mom had been asking him to go to church with her. Well, we know I was just probably being an answer to prayers his mother was praying. I reminded him that the 5th command promises a long life to those that honor their parents, so he should go to honor her.  He added, “And get some of those questions answered.”  I agreed.

Then he told me he had found peace in diving and seeing God’s creation underwater. I told him about Romans 1:20. Of course the Bible is a much clearer revelation and something we are less likely to misinterpret.  So say a prayer for this young man, that he follows through and does get those answers. I want to be more aware of those divine appointments and have my ear open to the Lord to know just what He would say to them at that point in their journey.

Tomorrow we’ll be back into the daily blog routine and have the answers to the questions on the last 6 commands.

I’ll try to include some dive pictures when my daughter gets some time to send them to me. Diving is a peaceful experience for me too. Watching the world underwater around a reef is so fascinating. The variety of shapes and colors is incredible. It’s like a bunch of worlds all thrown together. Why does the balloon fish hide in front of a giant moray eel? Why don’t those little nurseries of baby fish get gobbled up? How does that reef shark breathe while laying so still for so long? How does the octopus change color? How do dolphins sleep? It’s all so amazing. I’m looking forward to watching that Disney movie on the Oceans.

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Just read an interesting article by the pastor of one of the largest churches in America, Pastor Tom Mercer. He pastors High Desert Church. Though I definitely have my own conviction from Scripture about how the local church should operate, he has focused on a phenomenon that most pastors know to be true, oikos. That is the immediate 8 to 15 people that are a regular part of your world. Those are the folks that most of us have the opportunity to really share how Christ has changed our life. They see the change in us, and we have the opportunity to talk with them.

HDC sees that extended group of 139,000 (oikos) as a part of the church that their 11,000 members have yet to bring into the church family.  Everything they do is focused on equipping and encouraging the members to reach them. They are very intentional about that focus.

In addition, they focus on the key doctrines that are clearly in Scripture and let you come to your own conclusion (based on Scripture) about the peripheral issues. I just had a conversation about a local pastor who would not pray with the other pastors because they are not all Calvinists. How sad. We are missing his encouragement, and he is missing ours, when we probably agree even on many of the Calvinists 5 points.  The focus of HDC is Jesus and how to share what he has done for us to others. HDC allows for diversity and agrees to disagree on issues as long as the core is Jesus. They keep the bar for new believers low so as not try to do the work of the Holy Spirit in cleaning them up, but let them in to find the love of the body of Christ so that the Holy Spirit can change them.

Ahhh! I can just hear the screams. “But what about Doctrine! Doctrine is essential!” Yes, but let’s be honest and admit that many of our peripheral doctrines can be argued either way with Scripture.  Examine doctrine and know what you believe, but give others the liberty to do the same.

I’m not one that is aiming to build a mega-church. I couldn’t have a church that size if every single person in the city came. The focus of our church is the Word and its application toward sanctification. But I do believe Pastor Mercer has touched on a few essentials. Don’t isolate new believers from their oikos. That is the time they are most likely to reach them. Encourage and equip them to reach out and share their new found faith before they have made a new circle of friends who are all believers.

I might also add, maybe those of us who are totally enveloped in the church world should intentionally befriend a non-believer or two so that we can have the opportunity to reach out and share Christ’s love.  Who is in your oikos? Who could you befriend who is a non-believer? Will you take the time to include them in your life to show them the love of Christ?

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Potter’s Hand (pottershandproductions.com) began its three days of performing the Pilgrimage to Bethlehem at Wayside Chapel in Sedona. KGCB was there to interview the characters. Everyone does such a great job.

What was interesting to me as Simeon the Prophet, was the clear difference between believer and unbeliever. (See previous blog) I guess since it was on my mind I tended to notice it more. When I would accost people with the prophecies and try to engage them about the truth of what was happening that night in Bethlehem, some politely tolerated me, some just walked on, and others keenly listened and some even brought a friend over to hear.

It makes me wonder what happened in their life to harden or soften them toward the Gospel. The cosmic war had taken a toll on some and encouraged others. May God help us have ears to hear what the Spirit would say to each individual with which we have the privilege to speak.

John 12:49 (NIV)
⁴⁹ For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.

Romans with Herod

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