You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13
“If your Christianity consists of slavery to religion in order to make yourself right before God, then it’s just as if you’re giving yourself to the pagan religions of the world. But Christianity is radically different from those worldly religions. Rather than slaves of religion, we are [children] in relationship with God…We can either make Christianity just like every other world religion and check off our boxes every week and go through the routine and the ritual, or we can step into the intimate presence of God.
We ought not to be a people who prayed a prayer a while ago and are now just trying to do our best to get things right with our lives on a week-in and week-out basis. We ought to serve God wholeheartedly, not because we’re trying to make ourselves right, but because we’ve been made right by God’s grace. We walk with him as [children] who know Him and love Him and enjoy Him and glorify Him, no matter what it costs…And Paul reminds us that because we are are free, we are not living for earthly pleasure…we [neither] live like everybody else, nor do we live for what everybody else lives for…and this changes everything about our lives in this world.”
David Platt and Tony Merida in Exalting Jesus in Galatians (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary; Nashville: B & H Publishing, 2014) 89-90.
Today I lead a workshop with EFCA pastors to help them grasp their role in raising up a congregation of ministers who integrate their faith and work. My aim is to equip them mobilize those they serve to live differently from everyone else (as Platt and Merida would say) seven days a week!
With these pastors, I will present 30 practical ideas in four areas: (1) liturgy (activities in congregational gatherings), (2) pastoral care (rhythms for vocational pastors and marketplace leaders), (3) discipleship & spiritual formation (practices to mobilize a congregation of ministers), and (4) mission & outreach (steps that position the church to shape the community).
Please pray for fruitful time with them. Reply to this email if you want my a PDF version of my handout.