Be Careful of Your Steps

Be Careful of your Steps!

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16). 

The word “circumspectly” is an interesting word. Some translations render it “look carefully”. 

According to Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, the original Greek word is akribos. It is used 13 times in the New Testament. It is variously translated in those other New Testament places as “accurately”, “carefully”, “diligently”, and “circumspectly”. 

Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words states that the word “expresses the 'accuracy' which is the outcome of carefulness.”

That one word tells us a lot about our Christian walk. We see that we are to be accurate, careful in how we live. 

While on the hills at the camp I attend each summer, I have learned a little more what this word means. Through certain circumstances I found myself outside my cabin, walking barefoot on a steep part of a hill that is covered in rocks of all sizes. Those of us “tenderfoots” know what that is like. I thought I could just start walking, but my soft feet and my extra weight helped me decide quickly that I had to be very careful where I placed my feet! I can say with all certainty that I learned what it meant to walk carefully and accurately in a physical sense!

We need to learn to walk in such a way spiritually. We must be careful where we place our feet— careful that we stay on the path, careful of any obstacles in our way and of dangers that can come upon us. What we are discussing is not just common sense things but those things the Bible teaches us.

Some people seem to care very little about doctrines of the Bible. God clearly is concerned about what we believe. Beliefs have consequences—even those beliefs we think are harmless. They may lead to great problems. They might lead others to difficulties. We must be careful about what we believe and what we follow.

Paul said that failing to walk carefully/diligently/accurately/circumspectly is foolish and a waste of our time. We should use our time wisely by learning and following the Bible. The days are evil. Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Let us be wise and follow the will of the Lord in all things! Allow the Word of God to permeate and rule in your life. 

Here are some simple, common-sense ways to help you watch your steps:

Study the Bible.

Daily reading and serching the Scriptures is the best way for you to grow.

Meditate on the Bible.

Find ways to creatively apply what you learn. Without application, the Bible will not make much of a difference in your life. Without thought, it will be very difficult to find applications that are helpful. (Thoughtful meditation also helps prevent you from "finding" things you already wanted to see there.)

Pray about decisions you make.

Prayer helps you align your motives and priorities. God is there and He does care. He is willing to aid those who come to Him.

Listen to the advice of wiser men and women.

Sometimes we don't want to hear it, but others do have perspectives that we might not have. They have knowledge and wisdom that we might not have attained at this point. Being open to the advice of other wise individuals is a great way to grow! And if you find a wise person who is willing to take the time (and risk) to share wisdom with you, you are indeed blessed!

Make decisions based on priorities and principles established by the Bible, not feelings and whims.

It is easy to go by our gut reaction. We tend to think that we have some power within us that allows us to automatically make the right decisions in life simply by instinct. Your instinct might do well for saving you from physical or emotional harm, but it is usually a poor guide for growth. It is usually good for defense, not offense. This is one of the reasons Jeremiah said, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9).

Choose between good, better, and best.

Consider this article on an event involving Mary and Martha. Sometimes making good choices has nothing to do with good and evil. Sometimes it is all about deciding between what is good, better, and best.

What do you think? Tell us some things you do so that you step carefully.

A Disciple of Jesus

“You can put a shoe into an oven, but that doesn’t make it a biscuit.” 

A shoe in an oven is not a biscuit.
Are you a disciple?

Below you'll find four characteristics of a disciple.

The Great Commission states that we must go and make disciples of all the nations. I’ve said many times that we must seek to make disciples. It is not enough to baptize people if we do not teach them to follow Jesus. Many people do a disservice to others because they are too quick to immerse them without helping them build a relationship first. This leads to many problems after their conversion. It also leads to people leaving the faith. They would have been better off if we just left them alone rather than avoid teaching them to be disciples! (See 2 Peter 2:20.) Of course, it is best to take the time to help people become a disciple. Too many avoid this. 

That brings me to a question to consider: Are you a disciple of Christ? If you are a Christian reading this, you are one because someone took the time to follow that commission. If most people do not do well making disciples, doesn't it stand to reason that you might not have been taught to be a disciple? When you were converted, did people take the time to help you learn how to be a disciple? Did they guide you in the process of thought required to be a disciple of Jesus? Does it even matter how you answer? Yes. It does matter. 

You can attend class without being a student. 

You can follow Jesus without being His disciple. 

Consider 2 Timothy 3:5. Do you have a “form of godliness”? In other words, have you been taught to present yourself as righteous on the outside without concern over the matters on the inside? Sometimes people will become Christians to escape their pasts without concern for following Him in the future. 

Think about these 4 characteristics of a disciple and weigh yourself fairly: 

1. A disciple lives close to Jesus. His thoughts and heart are never far from God.

2. A disciple earnestly seeks the teachings of Jesus. 

3. A disciple willingly and readily suffers for Jesus. 

That does not apply to the “big stuff” only. It applies to the emotional cost of denying a friend or denying self in favor of our Lord’s wishes. 

4. A disciple seeks to reflect the attitudes and love of Jesus to others. 

No one is the best disciple he can be, but you need to look closely at yourself and answer the question: Are you a disciple?

Benefits of Boredom

There is great value in time spent alone.

As a boy just about to enter the turbulent teen years, we lived on a small section of wooded land in Northeast Texas. Our 3.5 acres abutted land that stretched uninterrupted for several miles. In my innocence I would wander those woods for what seemed like miles (but was probably more like 300 yards of a spiraled course). It was a time of fascination with the wonders of God's creation.

I treasure those days. They were the days of innocence and discovery. I spent time learning, thinking, playing, and all the while developing. Sometimes it included my two brothers. But it was always time to myself, to do what I wanted, and to enjoy my childhood.

Do you have memories that you treasure like this?

If you have children, are you allowing them to have similar experiences?

Today's world is busy and demanding. Children get caught up in activities and responsibilities in school, sports, and even electronic media like Facebook and blogs. They are so busy working on so many things! This work is important. They need to learn how to play with others. They need to learn the value of teams, hard work, and sacrifice. But they also need something more.

They need to be alone.

You might think your child spends too much time alone already. Maybe he is always playing video games or she is always texting. They seem like they are alone, but even playing computer games is not the alone time I am talking about. Those games set the agenda. They have goals to accomplish, tasks to perform. Their minds are led by the people who manufactured the games. No, that is not alone time.

Alone time is time to yourself with no distractions. Your boy or girl might have toys, but during this time children should have nothing that leads their minds. This alone time forces them to think. It forces them to find something to fill the time. It forces their personalities to develop and grow. It shows them what they like and dislike. It helps them make decisions about priorities. And it gives them that very important time to daydream.

Even little children need this time. One of the best things you can do is to enforce a "quiet time" in your home. Sometime during each day require your children to unplug from the Internet and TV, go to a place where they are alone, and grow. Set a regular time and stick to it.

Boredom is not a villain. If you provide opportunity in a safe environment, boredom can be a fantastic motivator and teacher.

Regularly allow your child to be bored in a safe and structured environment. And let them figure out how to pass the time. When they are old and reflect on life, they will be happy for those wonderful times of innocence and discovery.

Bringing Life To The Living

Jesus came to a planet of living beings and brought life.

Since His coming, we have seen attacks against Christianity and the Bible. These will continue because people in darkness hate the light. But the light is life. Jesus shows us what life is about. He shows us how to live!

It should be obvious that the Bible does not reveal the complete knowledge of God within its pages. How could any book contain such knowledge? However, He has expressed to us what we need to know.

In 1 Corinthians 2:7-16, Paul wrote about the role of the Holy Spirit in giving us the Word of God. The Spirit revealed the wisdom of God that had previously been hidden. This was the plan of God for the abundant life Jesus promised in John 10:10.

The Bible reveals what was once hidden. God is able to communicate so that we can understand Him. With effort, we can understand the Bible. It was written for us to understand life and to access the promises and the power of God for our salvation.

Of course, there are misinterpretations and alleged contradictions, but these are unnecessary. Thorough learning and continued study can reveal truth. And as for contradictions, they have never been successfully proven. Since the words were first recorded people have attempted to set them aside by various means. There have been hundreds of accusations made against the Bible. All of them have been overturned by study and analysis of the Bible.

Second Timothy 3:16-17 teaches us that all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God. The word "inspiration" literally means "God-breathed [out]". It is the expression of God Himself. Thus it is profitable for "doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness."

For us, the above means that the Bible is complete. Second Peter 1:3 tells us that we have been given "all things that pertain to life and godliness" through the knowledge Jesus has. This knowledge was passed to us through the Holy Spirit to the Apostles (1 Corinthians 2). We have no need to look anywhere else to find how to live a life pleasing to and blessed by God.

The Bible is the means to our salvation. Jude 3 teaches us the importance of the faith--that it is worth fighting for (figuratively). Paul wrote in Romans 10:17 that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. So what the Bible provides is not just "good advice" to consider. It provides the very information we need to be saved from destruction and punishment from God. It tells us how to find the blessings of God's promises.

There is no replacement for the Bible. It is the expression of God. It is authoritative, complete, and unblemished.

With our noses in the book, our feet on the path, and our eyes watching carefully for dangers, we will be granted the promise of Jesus: "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

Jesus came to a planet of living people and brought life.

Churches Grow From The Foyer!

The foyer in your church building may be the most abundant and fruitful source of contacts available today. It makes a powerful impression on a potential new Christian. I deem it so ripe for harvest that I refuse to attend meetings (with rare exception) in those times before and after worship when the foyer is full of people. Sure it may be more convenient to have a “quick meeting” to discuss very important things. But when people are in the foyer, that time is “Go time” for this preacher. Every member who wants the church to grow should spend their time in the foyer before and after worship services or Bible classes. Churches grow from the foyer! 

One of the reasons churches grow from the foyer is because it is the place hospitality can be practiced most effectively. Hospitality is the broth in which the stew cooks. It’s like the pleasant aroma of a Thanksgiving meal before the family sits at the table to eat. It is what convinces people that they want to become a part of a church. It convinces people even before they hear the Word preached to them. People judge churches based on many things, but hospitality can overcome many obstacles and pave the way to open hearts. Those open hearts find God’s word growing within as they listen to the message preached.

Hospitality is the key to success in the foyer. It begins as an attitude and creates an incredible atmosphere of love, acceptance, and joy. It is irresistible to those looking for God’s love, acceptance, and joy. Naturally, if that is what they find in the foyer, they will attribute it to its true source: godliness. I have baptized numerous people because what they found in the foyer led them to accept what they heard in the pulpit.

Hospitality does not come naturally, but it can be taught. What does it take to create an atmosphere of hospitality in the foyer that will result in the growth of the church?

In his book, The 10-Minute Marketer’s Secret Formula, Tom Feltenstein listed what he called “12 Steps to Hospitality”. I took these and modified them with church growth in mind. These ideas are very important for creating the right environment to attract visitors and help ensure their return. (These are written as if stated by a member of the church.)

1. I know what is expected of me in my work for the church.
2. I understand the purpose and mission of the church and that makes me feel my work is important.
3. When asked to help the church, I always have the opportunity to do what I do best
4. The church leaders seem to care about me as a person
5. In the last month I have received recognition or praise for doing my work well
6. Someone in the church encourages my development.
7. My opinions seem to count
8. I have everything I need in order to do what I do best
9. Everyone around me seems to be committed to a high quality of work
10. I have good friends in the church
11. In the last six months someone has talked to me about my progress in the faith in order to help me set goals and move forward as a Christian.
12. This last year I have had the opportunity to learn and grow through specialized training in areas I need help with or am interested in learning.

After carefully considering these, most leaders will realize the tremendous amount of service that is required to be a leader in the Lord’s church. These twelve things may not seem to relate to hospitality, but think about them as you look at the workers that are the most active and productive in the church. These twelve things imply godly encouragement and leadership from the front lines instead of back rooms.

In future posts we will consider each one of these and see how they relate specifically to leadership, church growth, and the development of hospitality.

Ways You Can Help The Church Grow

Growth is an important topic today. Many congregations are looking for ways to grow and some are spending money on every gimmick they find in order to find the "right" one. They want to motivate the congregation and spur them to growth. It is easy to sympathize with these people. Their zeal is commendable even if their methods are suspect. The answer does not lie in the program but in the people. Almost any program will "work" if your goals are biblical.

On the other hand we have the congregations that seem to think growth is impossible. They say things like, "We are not growing numerically, but we are growing spiritually." That is a possibility (at least for a little while) but too often we use that as an excuse not to reach out and try to grow numerically. It's almost as if people convince themselves that we must choose one or the other.

A congregation can grow numerically AND spiritually simultaneously. It must be the goal! Numeric growth without spiritual growth leads to apostasy. Spiritual growth without numeric growth leads to apathy and other ailments. But when you have both happening at the same time, the church is full of zeal and love grows brighter! It is exciting to be part of a congregation that is vibrant and healthy! It helps cure problems with attendance and motivates people to be lights in the community!

Let's think about practical ways you can help the church grow.

We need to stop thinking that the only way to help the church grow is to set up and conduct Bible studies! Not all of us are capable of setting up and conducting these studies. Some people need training. Some people are just not able to do it for various reasons. In an ideal world every single member might do that, but when did this world become the ideal world? Instead of berating each other about it, we ought to use wisdom and encourage them to do some things to help. So here are just a few ideas of things that you can do to help the church grow.

1. Invite people to worship with you.
2. Invite people to events sponsored by the church.
3. When you see a visitor in the assembly, make a point to greet him and invite him back again after services are over.
4. Invite people to sit with you. There is a myth that people who visit a church do not want to be bothered. We can over-do the friendliness, but most people WANT to have a small fuss made over them. They want to feel like they can fit in with the people without tremendous effort.
5. SMILE at people! 
6. Make it a point to stay on your feet before services begin. While you are up, talk to people, especially visitors.
7. Ask people to tell you about themselves. 
8. Don't be afraid to tell people that you hope they will come back. 
9. Call visitors later in the week and let them know you enjoyed meeting them. Then invite them back again.
10. Introduce visitors. When you meet someone for the first time and the conversation starts to get a little awkward, turn to someone near you and say, "Have you met _____? He is visiting with us today!" Make it a goal to introduce visitors to at least two people before they leave.
11. After services ask them what they thought of the experience. Listen to their answer. Don't argue with anything they said. You are asking for their opinion. Whether you agree with that opinion is not relevant. If their opinion is wrong, they are more likely to see the truth if they return!
12. Take visitors by the arm (if there is time) and show them around the building. Show them where bathrooms are. Show them where their classroom is. Even if they are not there for class, assume that they will return and show them the classroom they will be in when they do. Show them where the church offices are located. Show them where you normally sit and invite them to sit with you.
13. Invite friends to your home and then encourage them to come to worship.
14. More important than any of the ideas above: LIVE a Christian life so that when you invite them to worship, or if they happen to visit your congregation for worship, they will not be surprised that you attend services some place!

We all play important parts in the growth of the church. These are things that almost anyone can do to help. If you practice these things you will help the church grow!  

Have some more ideas? Please list them in the comment section below!