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Why I Like the Book of Mark

June 16, 2011 in Bible Study, Resources, The Everyday with 0 Comments

The Gospel of John gets a lot of well deserved accolades. You can often go into a Christian book store and buy it alone, separate from the rest of the Bible. I know of a few churches which give out copies of the Gospel of John when doing evangelism. Ask most fundamentalists where you should start reading in the Bible, I bet most will tell you the book of John.

I think Luke comes in second place. After all, Luke has a splendid account of Jesus’ birth and gives us, in my opinion, one of the most well-rounded looks at the life of Christ. Luke has a nice flow into Acts making it a great place to start reading for one who is studying Christ and his affect on the early Church.

Matthew is popular and well spoken of as well. The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5 and 6) and many of Jesus’ teachings are well transcribed in Matthew. Many believe Matthew may have been the first of the Gospel’s written which gives it a special status among scholars and Bible geeks.

But, what about Mark? To me, at least, it seems Marks does not get enough credit. To be completely honest, it might be because we do not really know who Mark’s author is. Some think it is Peter, others think it is John Mark, to be honest, no one except God knows.

Mark is like me. It is not really eloquent and sometimes seems to have ADD. Mark tends to start sections with words like; “next, Jesus went here…” or “The following day, Jesus was walking through…” It is a quick and action filled book of the Bible. It seems intent on showing us a lot of what Jesus was doing. Most of Jesus’ sermons are captured in a couple of quick sentences as opposed to the lengthy paragraphs of the other Gospels. Mark 4 acts as more of a summation of Jesus’ teachings than it does a transcription. You could call it the “matter of fact Gospel.” It sticks to “just the facts” and not much else.

I often wonder why we do not suggest it as a good starting point for Christians. In today’s culture, we already have shorter attention spans which crave more action. To be honest, the first Gospel I read was Mark. The flow of it was quick and I enjoyed reading about the works of Jesus. Knowing what He did made it easier for me to understand what He said. I studied Mark in depth, and it actually helped me understand the philosophical beginning to the book of John (“In the beginning was the Word…).

So, here it is, my public pitch for the book of Mark. May it get more of the respect it deserves!

-Don-

Your Ministry Skill Set

June 1, 2011 in The Everyday with 3 Comments

welding

The following is a list of things I can do to the glory of God which allows me to minister to others:

  • Change oil in cars and lawnmowers
  • Change brake pads
  • Replace alternators (most cars)
  • Paint
  • Spackle
  • Hang TV’s, shelves, pictures, and bulletin boards
  • Set up and calibrate home theater equipment
  • Hang out with sinners and heathens
  • Play poker (and lose…a lot)
  • Play darts
  • Pretend I can play pool
  • Fix computers
  • Set up servers
  • Set up / Configure back ups and home NAS’
  • Set up / Configure  WiFi networks
  • Build websites (as long as they are WordPress)
  • Mow lawns / Do yard work
  • Fix minor plumbing (install faucets, garbage disposals, stems, p-traps, etc)
  • Minor electrician work
  • Wash cars
  • Change locks and deadbolts
  • Cook (my wife says my eggs are the best!)
  • Drink beer
  • Eat
  • Play competitive sports
  • Landscape
  • Hang ceiling fans (my newest and most awesome skill to date)
  • Use a chainsaw and ax to cut down trees, chop firewood, etc.
  • Put up a chain link fence (with help. lots of help)

I am sure there are many more things if I put my mind to this list. In reality, the list has grown a lot in the last couple of years thanks to being a home owner. Well, I have always been bad at pool.

Something that has irked me over the last few years has been how many excuses I have heard when it comes to sharing their faith with others. Before I get too “in your face” please know, I have used many of these excuses myself. Many of them in the last week or two. We often think we have to be well trained in theology and hold a Masters of Divinity in order to have any effect on the rest of the world. So many of us are waiting for that book, or that preacher, or that conference to help us motivate us to take the next, big, Gospel step.

We are failing to see the Gospel can be spread in our everyday lives. There are many things on my list (see above) which can be used to meet my neighbors (and their needs) and become friends with them. These activities can be used intentionally to serve our neighbors and to start intentional conversations with them. We do not have to be preachers or theologians in order to spread the Gospel.

Maybe it’s time to stop making excuses. Every one of us is gifted to do something. That something should be done to make God look really, really good while serving others for the sake of spreading the Gospel.

What is your list? What can you do? How are you using it?

-Don-

REVIVAL! It Might Look Different than You Think

April 12, 2011 in The Everyday with 4 Comments

tent

A young lady starts a Young Life club for teenage mothers.

A group of guys give a clinic on how to do basic car repairs.

A church partners with others to clean up local parks.

A group of guys get together to teach others how to brew beer, making connections with others in order to spread the Gospel.

Does this look like a revival?

Growing up, I heard of The Great Awakening (and the sequels). They were large “revivals” that birthed denominations (and some cults, unfortunately). I have driven past churches with large tents outside with “revivals” scheduled on their signs (I didn’t know you could schedule such a thing…). I have been among charismatic and Pentecostals who have had “prophetic” visions of revivals happening all over the world.

Nobody seems to notice the revival in the mundane.

There seems to be very few who look out in their neighborhoods and their cities in order to see the ways God is moving. Many times we (myself included) sit back and wait for something earth-shattering to happen in order to do even the tiniest thing to spread the Gospel.

Our pastor preached last Sunday on the trial of Jesus before his crucifixion. One of the points was the fact God has all the power in the world and we can tap into it for His purposes. Not in a crazy charismatic way, but in a loving and compassionate way. A way which makes people notice the power of Christ. A way which garners true enthusiasm for Jesus and uses it to transform a city.

The city I live in (Middletown, Ohio) is ripe for a mundane revival. Not a flashy or charismatic one, but a natural one. One where people get involved in what is going on in their community. One where people get to know their neighbors and have compassion on them. One where we care for the “least of these.” Where we preach the Gospel to those near us. Where what we call “Gospel Transformation” happens because we are obedient in our everyday lives.

I believe our city is a blank slate. I am excited to see it takes only a little effort and enthusiasm, to live missional lives. In my list above, most of these things were started by one or two people who just took their (God-given) ideas and ran with them. They chose to tap into the power of God instead of waiting for life to happen to them. It didn’t take a dramatic event or catastrophe for these people to act. It took the love they had for others and an obedience to the calling God has for them to move.

It is my prayer you and I would do the same. I pray we would use our gifts and talents to transform our cities by the power of Christ; through His love and compassion. I pray we stop waiting for the perfect time, and see it is already here.

-Don-