XXX. What do you want?

Here are the results of the latest poll; What would you like to learn more about from your studies?

• (61%) More about the deep stuff no one ever teaches about. People want more. There is so much more to the Christian life that we do not know. There is so much more that God wants us to know that we do not explore. There is so much in the Bible that we do not comprehend. There is so much more that we can learn that we do teach. Why are we not there? It could be the culture we are in. We are bombarded with anti-Christian issues and ideas that turn people off. We are lazy. We are selfish. And there are a slew of other reasons. But the main reason here is church leadership. Too many places have leaders that don't teach. Their focus is more on getting programs going that will bring people into the church. There is a problem with that. See Thought XXVIII for that explanation. The people who said this answer are the core of the church. They are done with the milk. They want substance but the church leaders aren't giving it to them. And when asked why they aren't getting it, the answer from the leaders is usually along the lines of "well, you should be teaching others yourself". That is true but then there is no growth for them.
• (55%) More about why we believe what we believe. This goes to show that no one knows what their faith is all about. They believe things about the Bible and church and all of the things that go with being a Christian. But, they have no idea how they got there. Why do they actually believe in something? They were either raised that way or had a mentor that didn't explain everything to them. The person who answered this is probably someone ready to become part of the core of the church but feels inadequate in their beliefs to become it. Another failure of leadership. Equip the new Christian with some background. Let them know how to defend their faith. Scripture tells us we need to be ready in and out of season.
• (44%) More about Christ and his relationship with us. This should have been higher. This is the backbone of your faith. This is the treasure that we seek, or should seek. Maybe those who didn't answered this are satisfied with their faith. Never become complacent with your faith. Always grow. Or maybe those who did answer this are the new Christians who want to know more. But then that means 56% need to step up and teach. Either way this number does not show a positive side except that there are some who want to know Christ deeper.
• (33%) More about the history and books of the Bible. This is probably the more mature Christian. They want to know the background of what they are studying to try and put things into a different perspective.
• (22%) More about getting through life's trials. Although we need to know these things it doesn't look like many want to keep talking about this subject. Then why do we keep having sermons and Bible studies in our small group settings based on this?
• (11%) More about Church related issues. This is probably answered by someone who has an issue with the way things are ran at their church. They want to see if things are Biblically sound in their actions.
• (5%) More about the end times. Maybe this issue has been beaten to death and people are tired of it so no one wants to discuss this anymore. And then again it could be a plot of satan to get the Church unprepared for what's coming. You be the judge.
• (5%) Something else. Let us know what that something else is. Maybe this number will raise. You answered it now respond to it.
• (0%) More about the beginning of time. Is it that unimportant? Is Genesis not important?

Now you see the results. It's time for you to comment. Are these correct assumptions and observations?

XXIX. Simple Complexity #2

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

The Complexity:

Did you know?

• The term Gospel means "good news". The good news is about how God came down from His throne to live among us to show us the right path to salvation.
• There are many "gospels" that were written but there are only 4 credited accounts of the life of Christ. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The gospels of Thomas and Judas ARE NOT credible, no matter what Dan Brown says.
• The earliest one written was about 20 years after the resurrection of Christ; Mark.
• There were numerous miracles in the Bible however the first miracle of Christ is recorded in only one of them; John.
• There are 238 separate accounts of the life of Christ in the Gospels.
• There are no written records of Christ's life from his ages 13-29.

But did you also know?

• Out of the 238 accounts only 19 are found in all four books. And most of these are about Christ's last week on earth.
• Every prophecy written in the OT about Christ can be found in the four books.
• Only one book talks about Christ as an infant; Luke.
• These words were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Since man can see things in the wrong way the Spirit inspired these men to write down the story of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 2:13
• There are four books written to show you four different viewpoints; one is for the Jew who can not believe in the Messiah (Matthew), one is for those living in the Roman Empire who need to know Rome was not the only authority (Mark), one is for the Gentile leaning towards earthly ways (Luke), and the other is to show the personal relationship with Christ for all (John).

The Simple:

Did you know?

• There is one theme in all four: Repent and believe. Matthew 28 16-20, Mark 1:15, Luke 19:10, John 3:16

XXVIII. What's a good size for a church?

What is the perfect size for a church? Keep in mind this is not referring to the Spiritual temple, which is you! It is referring to a physical building of worship.

Here are the results of the latest poll conducted from February 28 to April 10 which asked, "What is the perfect size for a church?".

• 48% said 100-500 people
• 36% said it doesn't matter
• 8% said 0-100 people
• 8% said 1000 or more people
• 0% said 500-1000 people

Assumptions and observations:

1. Those who picked 0-100 are the traditionalist Christian. Someone who likes small groups in order to get to know all the people. They are afraid of growth because it disrupts the flow of familiarity. It could also be because these people are control freaks who like to maintain control over situations. If the church congregation gets too big they lose control over certain issues. And that really frightens them. The pros for a small church: some have already been mentioned. There is the familiarity and closeness of people. Everybody knows everybody else. There is a sense of comfort. Nothing really changes so you know what to expect. You can see when things start to get out of hand. The pastor of the church can deal with everyone. This is his flock and he can take care of 100 people or less. The cons of this size are: No growth. people become complacent with what they have become. There is no movement in the community. They tend to stay in their own doors. The leaders become almost dictatorial. Too many of them are related which can cause bickering. Sometimes the church from the outside looks unfriendly. Those who attend have been there forever with very few new Christians.
2. Those who picked 100-500 are your suburban mainstream congregations with city influence. They are more open to change. They are a little more laid back than the traditionalist. They see the necessities of what has always been done but they are willing to incorporate new ideas to keep it growing. Pros: It's still small enough for a comfort zone. You can get into small groups yet still feel like you are part of the church as a whole. If there are any changes you feel a part of it. People need you to do your part. It is still small enough to where elders can function and help the pastor without stepping into his visionary gift. Cons: changes mean people changes as well. It becomes a revolving door for Christians. They like it at first but can't grasp on to the changes as they happen so many tend to leave and come back only to leave again. Only the core will stay with some new Christians in attendance. But that means you have a mature congregation.
3. Those who would have picked 500-1000 are your suburban non mainstream congregation. This church is all about change. Pros: They are on the verge of doing something drastic. They are well respected and have made a name for themselves. People hear about the great things that are happening at the place. Small groups take and form their own ministries because there are enough people of similar interests to make an impact. Cons: There is nothing really stable about this church. The constant change forces people to make a decision, either stay and wait it out or leave. Most who stay are either in leadership or they are new Christians who like the fast pace environment. But this leaves an immature congregation. You tend to lose your identity in the church. Yes you are apart of a small group but you seem less valuable as a whole. And many types of people start to feel segregated against. This is probably why no one picked this size.
4. Those who picked 1000 + are those who apparently are leaders of their congregation. They want to see numbers. Not so they can get a reputation but so they feel they are doing what they are called to do. They feel more like an evangelist instead of a pastor. They want to feed a community not just a flock. Pros: You have mass tons of people who can work. The money that comes in to these places can change the world. They have programs for everybody. Cons: The megachurch mentality. A feeling of superiority, like everything they do must be right since they are so large. The leadership gets lost into the crowd. No one knows who is making the decisions about the church. All identity is lost.
5. Those who picked it doesn't matter are probably those who aren't leadership per se but are still close to where all the action is. They are the ones who do the ministries or are really involved with them. They get angry or at least depressed when people don't follow their ideas. They don't understand why people argue about issues. They just want to see action and be a part of it.

Keep in mind, the size of the church probably doesn't really matter. What matters is, are you impacting your community? Maybe a church of 100 is a good thing because the community is only 1000 people in size anyway. But then again maybe a large church is good because it's a place where anyone can go and get some kind of program for them. Then again maybe 100-500 is best because you have the best of both worlds. If you grow too fast then start more sister churches in other communities. If you don't grow so fast then stay around and learn.

XXVII. Simple Complexity #1

You.

The Complexity:

Did you know?

• There are 206 bones in the human body. Each bones has its own shape. Each bone has its purpose.
• In one day, your blood travels nearly 12,000 miles. Your heart beats around 35 million times per year. Your heart pumps a million barrels of blood during the average lifetime -- enough to fill three supertankers.
• Your fingerprints are like no one else on this earth...ever!
• You have anywhere between 50,000,000,000 to 100,000,000,000 cells in your body, all functioning by themselves yet working together to create different parts of your body. Some form bone. Some form skin. Some form organs. And some form blood.
• Your body has a temperature ranging 97 degrees to 99 degrees. Too cold and you get hypothermia. Too hot and you have a fever.
• Your brain can remember every second of your life and still have room for more memories for the future. (Now accessing it takes time :) )
• You are the most complex yet most efficient "machine" on this earth. You run for 70 or 80 years with more parts to keep working on than any other machine that could ever be created.
• And that is to just name a few.

But did you also know?

• You are made up of a trichotomy. You are not only a body, i.e., you can interact physically with your surroundings. You are also soul, i.e., you can comprehend and reason around the physical objects and have feelings about things. But you are also spirit, i.e., you have something special from God that separates us from the rest of creation. You are made in His image. You were created to be with Him. Hebrews 4
• You are the only creature in all of creation to have a relationship with Him. There are no other alien being in all the universe. There is nothing else created like you. You are created in the image of God. You bear His likeness. Genesis 1
• Your home is not here on the earth. Even though we have the physical on the outside, we are spiritual beings. John 14

The Simple:

Did you know?

• You are valuable to God. Romans 5

XXVI. Christianity: A Simple Complexity

Hebrews 5:12-13

• 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.
• 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.

Why do we make something out of nothing at times and leave out something to make nothing at other times? Christianity is simple, but it is also full complexities. The term here is not referring to being complexed, rather it is referring to being full of vastness. We live a simple life but there is so much of it we can learn from it. Simple, yet complexed.

Here are some simple things:

1. Without Christ, there is no hope. We think we can do things on our own. We can succeed in this life with our own physical strength, intelligence, or even luck. But in the end what does it get us? The same as everyone else. He who dies with the most amount of toys...still dies. Without Christ, there is no hope.
2. No one is perfect. We are made of flesh with desires. Desires uncontrolled cause sin. We all do it. No one is perfect.
3. We all need forgiveness. Since we are not perfect, we need something to transform us into perfectness. God's forgiveness is what transforms us.
4. We all need a relationship with God (the Trinity); as a father/child, as a brother/savior, and as a guide/counselor.

But, with these four simple ideas comes a world of abundances that few ever try and achieve. Many go through life using ignorance as blissfulness when we are not supposed to be that way. Have you ever thought about why the Bible was written the way it was? Or why the men who wrote it were picked to write it? Have you ever thought about why there are so many stories about man's character and flaws? Have you ever wondered why we need to go to church, pray, worship and read our Bible? Has it ever occurred to you that we are more than physical beings and was meant to search for your spiritual nature? Those four simple ideas of who we are as stated above can open up a whole new world to you.

Milk is good. It does a body good. But with the milk, we need a little substance. Let's go get some substance. Stay tuned for more.

XXV. The Christian Politician

Can you mix religion and politics?  Yes.  Should a Christian really worry about the political world if they have the promise of being taken care of by the Father?  Yes.  God does not want apathic workers.  Here are some clarifications of Christians and politics:

1. Politics, although nowhere near the top priority of a Christian, should still not be neglected.
2. Although God is not a democrat or republican there is still a better choice when it comes to upholding Christian values.
   a. Voting for a candidate that stands for non-Christian values is not proper for a Christian
   b. There is no valid rationalization behind the thinking process of voting for a person standing for non-Christian values. It is still improper. Voting for Obama was wrong. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090123/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_abortion_ban
   c. Not voting is inaction and we are always called to action and thereby not the proper thing to do.
   d. The economy does not match morals. Voting due to the economy is okay when all things are constant, but not okay when values such as homosexuality, abortion and civil rights are on the list.
3. Setting high moral standards is a duty of Christians and politics can be used in that manner.
   a. "Forcing" people into our values is better than having them force theirs upon us!
   b. Yes, although moral standards have to be changed at the source before anything really happens, but having laws helping with that tasks is better.
4. High-moral leaders have always set the standard for countries, very biblical.
5. No matter who the leaders is, hopefully everyone prays that they make wise and moral decisions.
6. The US may not be God's gift to the world but it is by far the closest than any other in history.
7. The founding fathers may not have had complete Christian values set for this country but they by far closer than what we have today.

This should help all to understand and no one should put politics above faith.

XXIV. The Literal Bible

The Bible should be taken as literal, but not always literally taken. Everything in the Bible is truth. Nothing is false, contradictory, or fabricated. It is infallible. But not everything in the Bible could be verbatim to our lives. Yet everything is vital to our lives.

Some scripture is story telling. Y'shua (Jesus) used stories to tell his followers so we can relate and learn what He meant. The meaning behind the scripture in this case is accurate. The history behind the event is true. But the imagery is used for the weak human mind.

Some scripture is history telling. Mattiyahu (Matthew), Luke, Moshe (Moses), and others outline events that really happened. They are witnesses. They tell accurate events of history as told to them or as witnessed by themselves.

Some scripture is poetic. Shlomo (Solomon) and David write songs and their feelings down on parchment. These words help describe their feelings. Sometimes feelings use words we normally do not use in everyday life. However, what they write about is real. Their feelings are real. Their God is real. The event they describe is real.

Some scripture is futuristic. Yochanan (John), Dani'el, and others write what they saw in visions. Some visions were not of this world. They could not be described in their own words. But the visions are real. The prophecy is real. The event they speak about is real.

Some scripture is personal accounts for others to understand how to live. All of the books by Paul have a little bit of everything. The events of life are real. The imagery is meant for teaching. The point blank in your face accusations and encouragements are for us to be taken whole-hearted.

Scoffers do not understand this. They take one verse and misconstrue it to try and prove that the Bible is invalid. They try to lump all the imagery together and say that none of the Bible can be taken literally. They take the literal parts and twist them into words of hatred. They do not read the whole text. They do not know the story behind the story. They are the ones who spread falsehoods, make contradictions and fabricate what the Bible says. This is what children of the Adversary do. Don't believe? Read the Bible yourself.

XXIII. Why Church Anyway?

This is the result of last month's poll.

• 100% Church is for worship
• 100% Church is for learning
• 66% Church is a place to get re-energized spiritually
• 25% Church is a place to get saved
• 25% Church has some other reason as well
• 8% Church is a place to get financial help

It was good to see that not many said the Church was a place to get financial help. This idea has beaten the Church to a pulp. Need a place to stay? Go to the Church. Need food on your table? Go to the Church. Need bills to be paid? Go to the Church. Need morals to go out into the world? Nah...keep them in the Church. To say that the Church is a financial institution like a bank is to abuse what the Church is. Now that is not to say that the Church is not to go out and help financially. Because the Church is called to do that and it should help financially whenever they can. But the Church should not be a place where people should take advantage of others which is what happens in today's world. The Church should be out in the world helping others anyway before they have to come to the Church for help.

What is the 25% that said it is for other uses? What are those uses? Help if any has an answer.

It is a place to get spiritually energized. This should have been 100%, not just 66%. No one goes to church to get depressed. People go to get uplifted. People go to help others, which can energize you. People go because they are hurting and need someone to help them. Sometimes worship is not on the mind of some when they walk into the doors. Hopefully by the time they leave it will be because they have been re-energized. Worship teams...remember that! You have been given a huge load of burden.

Two things are for sure. Church is a place of worship and learning. The building, although not the Temple itself, is a place where people can come together and worship Christ. It is also a place to learn about Christ and His life, His love and mercy, His desires for us and His commands. It's not the only place but it is one of them. Why was the original "temple" built? It was so man, who although should be a spiritual being, could worship in a physical capacity. It was a place where man could meet with God. God did not need the building, man did. A true church will have so much geared towards these two things that people will be begging for more because it will light the Spirit's fire within them.

Notice the last piece here. Only 25% said it was a place to get saved. Here's a hint: IT'S NOT! The Church was built for believers. The church building was built for believers as well, as a place to go to again to meet WITH God, not to MEET God. Can it happen there? Yes. Sure. Was it made for that reason? No. Sidebar: This is one reason why scripture says that speaking in tongues when done around non-believers should not really be done. They will not understand it. It will be out of their element. It edifies the believer as a believer. Edify means to instruct.

Too many times churches become "seeker" churches. They focus on the non-believer during the service and only them. The church is not for the non-believer. It is no THEE place to get saved. The real saving comes when the Church goes out its doors and spreads the Word. This is not to say that some programs or sermons or lessons or anything of the sort can not be geared towards those of little or no faith, but there definitely needs to be something for those who are there for pure worship and learning deeper stuff.

XXII. Communion

What are your thoughts about communion? Why do you take it? What is the true significance behind it? Do we have to take it? How often should you take it? Sounds like a poll question for the future.

Communion: Take it apart... Common union. It is something that all people who believe in Jesus Christ can share together. It is something that binds us in common action. And whether we believe in a physical blood and body or a symbolic blood and body we still take the action as one of the most serious things we do in our lifetime. And we should.

Check out 1 Corinthians 11:24-30

• 23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread
• 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.”
• 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.”
• 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.
• 27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
• 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.
• 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.
• 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.

Communion is a vital part of the Christian walk

1. It is commanded to do
2. It is a symbol of what Christ did for us
3. It is a time for examination
4. It is a time of proclammation

This is still not done so keep coming back.

XXI. Eleven O'Clock and all is...

Results of December's poll:

16% think that the end of the world is within ten years. Hmmm...a president's term is 8 years. Oh, well. Is the world that bad that God will say He has had enough of what we are doing to His creation? Is it 11:00 PM? Thank God we're not on daylight savings time yet. There may be still time for some redemption and repentance.

66% think we're not going down that path yet but we're getting closer. Is this the last generation? Maybe we're not dead yet but have we shot ourselves in the foot.

16% think we're still quite a way's off. The next 200 years will be the tell tale.

0% think though we have more than 200 years. Any atheists here?

Could it be that we have ran ourselves out of existence? Are we the next major species that will become extinct due to our lifestyles? Time is ticking.