Rich Kao

We live in a generation in which relationship, authenticity, community, intimacy reign supreme.  However in our zeal to be re-rooted in these values, we mustn't just be "relational" all the time, we must also be pillars of truth (1 Tim 3:5). 

When Paul wrote to Timothy, he was writing to his young & beloved disciple on how to be a great pastor, how to care for people, how to love them and serve them, i.e. how to be great relationally.  But in the midst of his encouragements, he also charged Timothy to be a man of truth, to be doctrinally sound, and to exhort & preach with all confidence (2 Tim 4:1-3).

Why this charge?  Because relationship without truth is not love (Eph. 4:15).

2 Kings 4:38-41 gives us a powerful picture of what this generation is like...hungry for reality ("there was a famine in the land").  But when we we are living out of a famished state, our discernment is gone and we'll eat anything  ("wild vines, wild gourds").  We think happiness will be found in money, career, relationships, hobbies, nature, addictions; we're aching to fill the hunger, and as a result we eat things with "death in the pot."

What did Elisha do to remove the "death?"  He threw meal" (NIV: flour) into the stew, and "then there was no harm in the pot."

That's our call...to throw "meal" into the pot, i.e. to throw truth into those things that people are eating and feeding on, and is making them sick. 

There is a prophetic call (ala Elisha) on us to take the truth of the gospel and throw it into the "pots" of our generation so the "death" in it can be removed.

Let's be pillars of truth.  Fearless and bold in the name of love.  We'll save a lot of people from "death."

Love this write-up from St. Mary's-Bryanstone Square, a hopping church in London, and related birth home of the famed Alpha Course.

Church belongs to God
We believe that God must be allowed to do with his church what he wills. God caused our church to come into being through unusual circumstances, he’s protected us and he has caused us to grow. We seek to follow God’s direction as he works through us.

Church belongs to the people of God
Obviously people are very different and this always poses a challenge for anyone wanting to bring them together for a common purpose. We aim to establish a community life that diverse people can own and where everyone can play.

We have come to believe that some people are motivated above all else by such values as risk-taking, impact-making and stimulation – we call them ‘adventurers’. Others are more motivated by relationship, friendship and acceptance – we call them ‘carers’. There are also those who value integrity, honesty and authenticity – we refer to them as ‘truth-tellers’. We believe that people reflect these important drives or motivations in different balances and although we are all meant to grow up into mature expressions of all three, we tend to identify more readily with two out of the three sets of values. We believe these drives reflect real differences of temperament and that it is important to understand what motivates you because it is indicative of the kinds of gifts you have, the aspects of spirituality you will find easier and the kinds of people you will find more difficult!

Generally, churches don’t reflect all of these drives properly and tend to turn their distinctive visions into the drives the leader is most comfortable with! Hence some churches are evangelistic and some are more pastoral etc.

In our view church is church
This means that we must give full expression to adventuring gifts (apostolic and evangelistic), caring gifts (pastoral) and truth-telling gifts (teaching and prophecy). None are optional. The absence of the right functioning of any one causes the church to remain immature.

We are an immature church but we are trying to grow up.

Ten times Paul uses this phrase in the book of Romans (Rom 3:4, 3:6, 3:31, 6:2, 6:15, 7:7, 7:13, 9:14, 11:1, and 11:11).  In fact it's a great way to understand the book of Romans, because in each case, Paul is posing a very important question and answers it with this phrase.  It's like Paul's mini-catechism.  (Definition:  catechism means to learn by question and answer).   Some of the great doctrines of Romans (and the NT) are covered in these ten questions.

Other tidbits:   

- Sound thinking is not to think too highly or too lowly of yourself, but commensurate to your measure of faith (Rom. 12:3).

- For those in prophetic ministry, there are different levels of gracing, depending on setting, how you minister, depth of general revelation; etc.  Know your limitations, but exercise your gift (Rom. 12:6).

- Abhor.  Yes, bring this word back into your vocabulary (Rom. 12:9).

- "Contribute to the needs of the saints."  Part of church is not just outreach but "patient care."  We also need to take care of our own (Rom. 12:13, 10).

- Not only rid yourself of prideful behavior, but hidden prideful thoughts (Rom. 12:16).

- God does judge injustice.  He does take action against wrong, but give Him space to do it (Rom. 12:19).

Great article from Harvard Business publishing on sleep.  In particular the little tips on getting more from your sleep are helpful, and yes power naps do work!  Click here for article.

When Paul says we are "more than conquerers" in Rom. 8:37, he's referring to the highest kind of strength: inner strength.  That's where real toughness lies.  Not in external muscle, but in an inner capacity to overcome all obstacles.  And where does that fuel come for inner power?  In the knowledge that we are loved by God unconditionally as demonstrated by God sending Jesus to justify and pay for our sins and sinfulness by dying on the cross, which was part of the grand plan to redeem us and glorify us (Rom. 8:31-35).  Whenever we are going though trials, we can draw on this knowledge for strength, encouragement and comfort.  God is always with us and working things out for good (Rom. 8:28,38-39). As a result of this knowledge, we can not only weather all manner of trials in this life, but we can do it with honor and grace.  The pain of trials is no less, but the capacity to go through it is infinitely better.  Dissipation is about going around pain.  Grace is about going through it.  And that's what makes us more than conquerers.  We own it, it doesn't own us.  Access the knowledge and you will be more than a conquerer.