Is Your Church 'Charismatic?'

Many of you may not be aware that we have an FAQ section on our website (Click Here) that answers a lot of questions that folks may have concerning The Bridge. Since we are studying the Holy Spirit, I thought I might point out this one.
One of those questions states, "Is The Bridge a “Charismatic” church?

The answer is ‘yes and no.’ Yes, if you mean do we believe that all of the spiritual gifts of the Bible still exist today. No, if you mean that we place a major emphasis on the gifts of tongues, healing, and miracles in our celebration services.

The reason for taking that stance is, as always, one of Bible. The Bible says that the public display of these gifts will ALWAYS, and I emphasize always, be orderly and edify the entire body (1 Corinthians 12 & 14). God uses these particular gifts in the Bible to bring an EXTRAORDINARY, NOT COMMONPLACE, NOT EVERY DAY, NOT EVERY SUNDAY, message that the existing language just cannot communicate strongly enough. Our church is made up of probably 45% folks who grew up Baptist, 30% mainline (Methodist, Lutheran, etc), 15% Catholic, and 5% Pentecostal and 5% completely unchurched. How would a prophetic public message in tongues EDIFY, OR BLESS, that entire body? It would not; it would throw us into mass confusion. God ordinarily does things that make sense. I might add that if we don't believe that the Holy Spirit stills gifts the world with miracles and healing, once again, we should close the doors.

However, our current status is that God has not blessed one board member, pastor, staff member,or elder with these gifts; and He has not introduced these gifts into any of at least 1000 different spirit-filled events that we have hosted at The Bridge in almost 4 years. The Bible is clear that not everyone gets the same gifts. Now, I believe we have about 5-10 (maybe more) members of our 135 who have been given these gifts by God, and they all agree that prophecy presented at The Bridge in English is most beneficial and quite sufficient -- this language does just fine to edify this body. Quite honestly, people are capable of ignoring God in any language. And so these beautiful people keep the gifts private and edifying for smaller gatherings. I want you to understand that I believe I have heard legitimate tongues and the following interpretation in my life, and I believe that they were real. I want you to know that God heals people physically, sometimes miraculously, but much of what we see of that publicly is put on by charlatans and is false. So to answer the question, this church is charismatic; it has the Spirit -- just not in the sense that some people are seeking and that is fine. I believe that the Holy Spirit reigns and rules this place -- and if I did not, I would quit and go do something else with my life quickly. God may find a reason to publicly display tongues and interpretation of tongues in a this place sometime, but that will probably only happen if my English version of prophecy is so bad that HE has to make a big deal out of correcting it.

One more note of interest. When God plants churches of significance, He does so because there is a niche in the Body of Christ that needs fulfilled. In my very unofficial and incomplete research, I believe that there are total of three independent churches (not affiliated directly with a denomination) between St. Louis and Arkansas and none in St. Francois County that are not 'charismatic' as being defined as the presentation of these supernatural gifts in public worship gatherings. There are literally hundreds of independent churches (dozens in SFC) already filling the niche of being 'charismatic' in that sense. I believe that called us to fill a niche that he has called many other powerful churches to around the world -- an independent church that He has not chosen to present those gifts in that way. We pray that Christ be glorified in the churches that have been called to focus their ministries in that way, but that is not what He has called us to do.

Even Worship is Missional

Preparing to worship on Sunday morning is a big deal to me. I try and stay in a spirit of prayer and communion with God each moment of the day, but I anticipate corporate worship with you and begin to prepare for that about Friday of each week. I begin to plan rest and spiritual preparation because I love the fact that God is honored, glorified, enthroned (Psalm 22) on the corporate praises of His people. I make sure that I know the songs; I learn the ones that I may not even like very well. I can't sing, but I practice. It is important to me. I wake up early on Sunday and spend serious time in prayer that God enjoy the singing of His praises, the prayers of His people, the teaching of His Word. It is like the old days of basketball pre-game. I prepare. Did you know that the unbeliever who shows up to church is watching the authenticity of our worship? They are watching to see if we are involved, if we are joyful, if we are engaged with a God they don't even know. We should not fake worship, but we should prepare to engage our Savior, our Lord, with enthusiasm and joy. The doubters are watching. Check out this blog on the subject.

Worship & the Visitor
By Gerrit Gustafson

I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples. Psalm 108:3

An American church planting pastor in Japan told me this story. Two Japanese, who had never had any previous contact with Christianity, came into a tiny Christian gathering. The worship that day, he said, was especially good. After the meeting, the two visitors eagerly approached the pastor with this question: "When you were singing those songs, we felt something. Was that God?" The pastor was able to explain how God dwells in the praises of His people and how they could know Him personally.

The Universal Itch
People are looking for spiritual reality. In previous decades, a secular rationalism created antagonism toward spiritual expression. Currently however there is a broad reaction to that worldview and an unabashed hunger for spiritual experience. For the most part, however, the Church is surprisingly uncomfortable with its transcendent nature.

In his book entitled The Contemporary Christian, John Stott makes this observation:

This quest for transcendence is a challenge to the quality of the church's public worship. Does it offer what people are craving — the element of mystery... in biblical language 'the fear of God'... in modern language 'transcendence'? My answer to my own question is 'Not often'. The church is not always conspicuous for the profound reality of its worship... No wonder those seeking Reality often pass us by!

We shouldn't assume that the visitor is incapable of apprehending spiritual phenomenon. After all, each one is made in the image of God, and, as Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, He has "set eternity in the hearts of men." The worship experience corresponds to that universal "itch." That explains the finding of the largest study of American congregational life ever undertaken — the FACT report conducted by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research: "vibrant worship is at the heart of church growth."

Let's look at two principles of how genuine, hearty worship can help our fellowships and congregations communicate the Christian life to visitors.

Principle #1 - Worship gives a picture of kingdom life
A man I met at a conference told me this story. At a time in his life when he was far from God, he was hurrying through a hotel lobby when he happened to catch, in the corner of his eye, a television broadcast of a large gathering of people worshiping. Less than a minute later, he stopped in his tracks, went back to the TV and watched intently through his tears, knowing that God was drawing him back. God apprehended this man through a picture of worship.

Jesus said in Mark 12 that loving God totally and wholeheartedly is the greatest commandment. Christian worship should be living pictures of the society of those who have exchanged self-centered living for God-centered living. The act of corporate worship beautifully demonstrates this new life style where God is the center. The visitor needs such pictures.

Principle #2 - The visitor is not just listening to your words
The biggest hindrance to visitors is not that they encounter something they don't immediately understand; it's encountering something that is not genuine. Mahatma Gandhi, after several years of studying in London, said he would have become a Christian if he had ever met one. Whatever version of Christianity he saw, he apparently didn't see the real thing.

One study concluded that 55% of all communication is nonverbal. The visitor is not just listening to what you say. He is intuitively observing how connected you and your group really are with what you espouse. He's looking for emotional and intellectual honesty, depth of conviction, and heartfelt compassion. How we worship reflects these things — or their absence — more than we know.

The discipline for worship teams to learn is to mean what we sing and sing what we mean. This will affect not only what we sing, but how we sing it. Worship leaders, choose songs that are appropriate to your group's experience — there's no place for meaningless expression. And learn the songs so well that they are literally part of you.
Encourage and train the worshipers you lead to be sure to connect the outer acts of worship with the inner realities of the heart. Anything less is unfair to the visitor.

Do unto others...
Why is it so important to me that we not try to hide our worship from the visitor? It's because I was once the visitor, as you probably were too. I can still remember that meeting in Tallahassee, Florida when I, for the first time, saw people abandoned to God in worship. It awakened in me a deep sense of hope and destiny. Like the Queen of Sheba in II Chronicles 9, when she was the visitor observing Israel's worship, I was "breathless." I'll really never be the same.

Don't you think that those who visit us should be given the same privilege?

Advent Conspiracy 2009

Americans spent $450 billion on Christmas last year.
The average family in St. Francois County spent over $1,000 on Christmas with over half of that going onto credit cards that still have not been paid off here in November.

If you have been a part of The Bridge community, you know that every year we attempt to put the focus of the Christmas season squarely back on the Gospel, the great story of redemption that comes through Jesus Christ. Advent Conspiracy has taught us to worship fully, spend less, give more, and love all. In 2007, we sent $12,990 to Chacocente, Nicaragua to help them pay off their water source. In 2008 you gave $14,756! We sent 1/2 to Chacocente and set 1/2 aside for another international outreach that has been delayed. This year we are going to do it AGAIN!
-- We are going to worship Jesus with more fervor than ever before during the Advent season. -- Also, we are going to encourage you to spend less on culturally material gifts and offer more gifts of time and effort to the ones we love.
Pay close attention, this is something new -- if you do choose to spend money on a gift, the Advent Conspiracy folks are trying to encourage people to buy their gifts in ways that help to bring people out of abject poverty with the Trade as One or Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee ministries. This seems like such a beautiful win/win situation. We purchase some gifts to give away for Christmas (there are some people that we must buy for) while supporting a business in an area of horrendous poverty instead of just sending money.
-- As usual, we are going to have a special offering on December 20 to give more to the Kingdom and whatever is given that day will go to Gideon 300. Your gifts to Gideon 300 will enable us to focus on Kingdom mission here at home where we fight against a poverty of a different kind -- that of the soul. Or, you can give more by going online and supporting Advent Conspiracy's Living Water International, or the other two ministries directly (see below).
-- And, we are going to love all by partnering with these ministries that make a difference in lives, both in St. Francois County and all over the world during the Advent season.

You can check out more about worship more, spend less, give more, love, and Living Water International at Advent Conspiracy's website at http://www.adventconspiracy.org/.
You can help with world poverty by doing your Christmas shopping at https://tradeasone.com/.
Another suggestion to help with an Advent Conspiracy on an international level is to by some bulk bags of coffee from Thousand Hills Coffee and give it as a gift or donate it back to the church. You can check this one out at http://www.landof1000hills.com/.

Watch the video on the Trade as One website. I think this can be our greatest Advent Conspiracy ever. We can support some folks battling world poverty AND set a goal to wipe out about 15 units (clay pots) in Gideon 300 here at home. This would be over and above our regular giving and Gideon commitments. Ask God's Spirit to MOVE your family in this season. Rely on Him to the point that you and others are STUNNED by what He does to make this happen for His glory during season that should be simply about His GLORY!

Starting Point for Gospel Centered and Missional

A Gospel-Centered Missional church doesn’t first ask the question, “What works best?” Instead, it asks, “How do we fulfill the mission of Jesus to make disciples who believe and live out the Gospel by displaying and declaring who God is and what He has done in and through Jesus Christ, teaching and training others to do so as well?” (JV-SOMA)

Gospel Centered and Missional

A Gospel-Centered church is defined by what God has done and is doing, not by the activities of people.
The Church is God’s People (who we are) saved by God’s Power (what He has done and is doing) for God’s Purposes (the good works he created us in Jesus Christ to do)-- (JV-SOMA).

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first
and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous
shall live by faith." Romans 1:16-17

We center all of our activities around the workings of Christ and the Gospel to provide God glory. That is why we were created. Our goal is never to convert people to The Bridge. Our goal is see people converted and discipled by the Gospel and play a role in them living out God's purposes on mission. They can, then, BE THE CHURCH on mission with the Gospel in every aspect of their lives.

Are you at war with sin?

Obviously, there is nothing we can DO to earn salvation. It has been DONE for us by Christ's substitutionary atonement on the cross and is a gift of grace. But, once regeneration and conversion have taken place by repenting and believing the Gospel, we have a huge role in the "what now" part of our life -- our being made holy in sanctification. Christ defeated sin at the cross, but we still have to fight our sin nature until glorification. The Bible essentially asks us to 'go to war' with that sin nature. Martin Luther said that repentance from sin was a daily fight. I thought I might give you an idea of what that might look like after the challenges of the 'games that we play' over the past two weeks. If God is pressing us on a sin area (the barn in the next county), what do we do? Do we play a game or do we go to war with sin. True REPENTANCE!

You know that you are at war with sin if you are willing to do whatever it takes to get it out of your life. Sanctification and spiritual maturity come from being submitted to an intimate relationship with Christ and at war with sin. We are to allow God to go deep in our being and reveal everything that is in opposition to His will. He does all of the heavy lifting and transforming, but we have a huge roll to play in this war. There are too many 'to do' verbs in the New Testament to ignore. Watch, test, flee, submit, obey, offer, 'do not conform, hate what it evil!' Summary: Submit to God's authority -- Put sin to death! Go to war!

Remember the Summer on the Mount, so says Jesus:
"If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."

How about Paul (which he repeats about 5 times in other Epistles)?
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. Romans 6:11-14

Christ has freed us from sin and death. We are forgiven yesterday, today, and tomorrow, but for us to be used powerfully in the Kingdom, on the most exciting MISSION ever given, and full of deep inner satisfaction and joy, sin must go. Go to war with it. Invite God to reveal it and then with His power and might, put it to death. No game playing.

Are They Already Gone???

Most of us who have been hanging around church very long are very aware of the incredible statistics of kids who have grown up in the church (very involved in children's ministries and youth groups) and upon graduation from high school never darken the door of a church again. They have answered altar calls and gone through confirmation classes and been baptized and, then, for a significant period of time or maybe forever, they live as pagans. I was one of them.

We have always kind of thought that the problem was that the lure of the culture when they go to college or out into the world of work was too strong and they basically abandoned their faith for culture. I agree with a book that I am reading right now called Already Gone that proposes that the kids have actually basically shut the idea of the Gospel and the church down often by the 5th, 6th, 7th grade, or high school and not when they leave home. They are 'already gone.' The church has taught kids some basic lingo about 'Jesus living in our hearts' and taught them some moralism -- that they live out their faith by not drinking, smoking weed, or having illicit sex. So, we have teenagers walking around with a complete misunderstanding of what a life 'in Christ' really means. I understand this is a huge generalization as we see young people who also have truly been regenerated by God and have repented and believed the Gospel at many ages; however, for the most part these college age kids are not abandoning a true faith, they actually gave up the charade of a false conversion a long time before we thought.

What is going on? The American church has, for the most part, not taught parents or the children Biblical Christianity. We have not preached and taught the Gospel and/or repentance from sin. The reason I mention the parents is that it is a Biblical mandate for them to be the primary teachers and models of a Gospel-centered life. The church has not done its part in producing quality adult disciples who then pass that life of Jesus being the center of every area of their existence to their children. I think we have a defeatist attitude that says that 18-19 year olds are going to party and have sex outside marriage, so we quit trying -- we quit believing the power of the Gospel and the power of the transformation of the Holy Spirit. And I think we underestimate what 8-14 year olds can understand about the Bible.

I love what our Bridge Kids and Youth are doing for the young people of our church, but this topic is bothering me. I am driven to challenge our ministries to fight this trend with every fiber in our beings.
Two initial things must happen to get a start in the fight:
1. We must preach and teach the inerrant, authoritative Bible to parents and kids alike. The source is Jesus Christ; we must do our part to develop Gospel-centered lives.
2. We must continue to emphasize that the children's understanding of a Gospel-centered life is the primary Biblical responsibility of parents - not the church.
The life must be taught and modeled. This is no game. Parents #1 responsibility on this planet is to develop the Lord Jesus Christ in their children. Sports are neat -- I played them, coached them, still love them, but if they take priority over the Gospel, we have sinned. Music and dance are great, same deal. Even academic achievement can be set above Godliness. To sum this up, the world has taught us that our kids should be molded by 50 different things and we run them ragged to cover them all. We prioritize lots of things ahead of the Gospel; then, we are shocked when our kids are 'already gone' in middle school or high school, and completely gone from the faith and from church in their 20's, many never to return.