LifeShapes – HeartQuest 101

LifeShape 8 the Octagon

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Scott Chafee

This information is not original with me, but from a fascinating book I found entitled, “The Passionate Church: The Art of Life-Changing Discipleship.” Since I am a visual learner, I have included my personally designed diagrams along with my own notes to help in my disciple-making and teaching efforts.

Contrary to the popularity of UFC, the octagon has an evangelistic meaning: evangelism will take on a new perspective as you learn to discover the Person of Peace and how the process works from God’s perspective.

The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road. “Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. –Luke 10:1-6

The destiny of the church is directly tied to how passionate she remains to her mission. We are to participate in Jesus’ command to go into all the world and make disciples according to the model Jesus has given. In the gospels we see Christ evangelizing, but He did not look like most people do it today.

As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” –Mark 10:17-25

In the story of the rich young ruler, Mark tells us that Jesus genuinely loved him, but He also let him walk away. Michael Simpson in Permission Evangelism has an interesting point… Why did He not try harder to win this man that at first seemed so eager? Jesus could have discussed with him the area of riches that kept him from Jesus. Jesus did not run after him because He already knew the man’s heart. Jesus knew and let him walk. Jesus never ran after anyone, but made Himself available to those who were willing to seek the way to God, the truth about God, and the life found in God.

In John 4:35, Jesus tells His disciples to look up for the harvest is plentiful. Disciples through the ages have made the mistake of thinking that if they just work harder that harvest will come sooner. Look back at the circle and find a kairos moment, then go through the steps of observation, reflection and discussion to find out where the harvest is. Find that place where the greatest level of receptivity is present and spend your time there. Sounds a lot like Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God, to find out where God is working and join Him there.

Person of Peace – Finding the Open Person, or the Gatekeeper:

As the disciple enters a house, the person of peace is the one who is prepared to hear the message of the kingdom and the King. Our prayer needs to be that God would bring across our path the person of peace. No amount of coercion on our part can make someone a person of peace. This is the job of the Holy Spirit; He alone prepares the heart for the message of Christ.

Paul found the person of peace in Acts 16. Unable to go to Asia or Bithynia, they heard the Macedonian call toward Philippi. While there he found Lydia, the dealer in purple cloth, who turned out to be a gatekeeper to many others in the area. While in the Philippian jail, the jailer became a person of peace. This is someone whom God has prepared for that specific time. We can’t force the door open, but we must not be distracted so that we miss the doors that are open.

These are things to keep in mind as you look for the person of peace:

Time – There are specific times and places where the harvest is ripe. Not all people of the culture are ready, keep looking. Ask God to help show us when and where the people are ready. Become involved in sowing and reaping. We are to discern the condition of each person’s soul.

Team – Our inward relationships lead to our outward ministry. We are not called to go it alone. The mission-minded church will develop a team strategy for evangelism. Paul had Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Luke and Titus.

Target – Jesus was strategic in His outreach. He not His disciples could be in al places at once, so they focused on the lost sheep of Israel. Concentrate on receptive peoples and not force ourselves on those not willing nor ready.

Task – How do we accomplish the task of finding the person of peace? The person of peace will 1) welcome you (if not you are to shake the dust off your feet), 2) listen to you (those listening to you are listening to Jesus), 3) serve or support you (we must allow this person of peace to do this). Start within your existing circle of influence and relationships.

Trouble – If the teacher is not welcomed, don’t expect that the students will be welcomed either. Expect trouble in our lives. It is not “if” but “when” trouble comes. Our mission into the world has not changed.

As you continue toward the mission to which God has called you, keep in mind these issues:

Presence: Jesus is Where You Are – we are to act as Jesus would act and speak as Jesus would speak. At work, perhaps the person of peace is speaking in a positive way while others are complaining.

Passing Relationships: The Sprint – these relationships are those we meet in passing, only once or twice; the gas station mechanic, the store clerk, the stranger in line at the bank. We must realize that not all relationships lead people to profess Christ as their savior. Allow some to plant, others to water, and others to reap the harvest.

Permanent Relationships: The Marathon – these are family members and close friends with whom we may spend extended periods of time. It is still important not to force the gospel on this group, but we all too often leave this group out of our intentional witness.

Proclamation as Identification: Many pastors have the opportunity to present the gospel at events like weddings and funerals; there are often non-believers present. This is fine as long as we understand that it will not convince anyone that is not ready to receive the message. Proclamation works to help identify the person of peace, then enter into relationship with them.

Preparation: Moving People Along the Scale – this is like cultivating soil and planting seeds in advance of the harvest. Our words may help turn someone else’s soil, then someone else will come to water or harvest. We must learn to identify the role of pre-evangelism, the events that help move someone toward a decision to follow Christ.

Perception: Feeling the Temperature – we must be spiritually sensitive to situations and circumstances. After relational encounters, ask the temperature of the people in this setting. What may be the signs that someone is interested in learning something about the spiritual realm or about eternity?

LifeShape 7 the Heptagon

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Scott Chafee

God’s people are a living organism subject to the same principles of growth that apply to all living things. MRS GREN can help you grow a healthy church; practicing the principles of a vital life.

You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. — 1 Peter 2:4-5

Church health and growth is all about life, the body being an organism rather than an organization. Many churches put the cart before the horse by building facilities and programs before they have adequately taken care of the needs of the people. The cart will not get things moving, the horse will. We need to feed and care for the horse, but instead much of our energy goes into the cart (and the horse ends up too weak to pull the cart). The cart is easier to take care of; we can paint it, decorate it, show it off. Horses tend wander off or perhaps don’t respond the way we want. Ask yourself, “How good is a cart when the horse is dead?”

We deceive ourselves with the attitude, “If you build it they will come.” Every church is one generation away from extinction, and today’s generation wants to see living stones.

Meet MRS GREN:

Biology has taught us there are seven characteristics that identify all living organisms. Let’s look at each one and discover spiritual truth about growth.

Movement: show you are not dead – Movement is a response to stimuli, we see it in the animal world all the time. If out in the open, an animal will move to safety when a predator is discovered. Animals move when stimulated by an outer (danger) or inner (hunger) force. The Old Testament is full of patriarch, prophets and people on the move. At the Red Sea the people stopped moving. How easy is it to stand still in what we know, regardless of how unfulfilling, than to move into the great unknown. Moses tells them to stand firm while God tells them to move on. God uses many ways to stimulate His people; His Word, His Spirit, persecution.

Respiration: breathing God’s breath – Breathing is not necessarily respiration. The process is dependent upon oxygen being released into the body so it can function properly. The process is natural for most organisms, but not all. Some have bad breathing due to illness, lack of exercise, pollution, a tantrum of holding your breath. God’s breathing releases His power in our lives. Inhale His Spirit and exhale His will.

Sensitivity: the pentagon at work – The body is a unit working together. Sensitivity plays a vital role in our receptiveness to stimuli. The church needs people who are sensitive to the pains of others (pastor); sensitive to sight, foresight given by God (prophets); sensitive to the needs and hurts of others in hearing, listening, instructing (teachers); sensitive to speech, sharing the good news (evangelists); sensitive to sniffing out staleness and knowing when to move out into new areas (apostles).

Growth: the result of a healthy life – Growth is an expression of life; all living things grow. If the church stops growing it will die. No growth is a sign of decay and death. the lesson of the semi-circle is to prune branches, to cause more growth.

Reproduction: creating the future – This is different from growth in that it is a multiplication of an organism. In our spiritual life God takes our words (the gospel) and fuses them with one who has a heart open to this good news to make a new spirit. Reproduction; one Christian became two. These will gather together in small groupings called a church. Reproduction is a sign of life. Unhealthy specimens generally don’t multiply, it is the healthy ones that carry on the species. In Europe children, teens and young adults no longer attend church because Christians in Europe have forsaken the reproduction of themselves into the next generation.

Excretion: a cleansed life – Every heart builds up a collection of junk that needs to be emptied through the process of repentance and discipline. If we don’t, it is the same as a body not ridding itself of waste it has accumulated; it will bring discomfort, disease and eventually death. The toxins are called the root of bitterness, according to the writer of Hebrews. Sometimes the church must expel an unrepentant brother; giving the opportunity to come back into the faith and the fellowship. We must not embrace wickedness but excrete it to remain healthy.

Nutrition: the obedience diet – Living things must take in nutrients or they will die. Jesus is the bread of life, so to live we must dine on His words. Jesus said that His food was to do the will of the Father (John 4).

The Growth Cycle of Church Groups:

God designed for us to be social creatures, living in community. Moses and Jethro had a conversation about the management of people and leadership. Once discovered what Moses was doing, Jethro replied:

“This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives. But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.” –Exodus 18:17-23

Today we feel like we are leading a consumer-driven, program-driven, staff-driven church organization; which is a prescription for burnout. Diversify the leadership over one thousand, one hundred, fifties and tens and equip them to lead and do the work of ministry.

Jesus had a similar pattern: sending out the disciples in twos, He called a team of 12 out of the 72, there were 120 gathered at Pentecost in the midst of 3000 being saved that day. There were seven men of good reputation appointed to serve the widows overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

Our churches must focus on the development of clusters, the extended family sized between 20-70. We must raise up people who carry this vision and capable of overseeing these groups and the long-range task of rebuilding communities and culture.

LifeShape 6 the Hexagon

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Scott Chafee

Learning to pray according to the model Jesus gave us in the Lord’s Prayer will renew your church’s prayer life.

Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: “Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, 4 and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.” — Luke 11:1-4

The disciples were full-time students, learning practical faith by watching Jesus in action. We are not told to pray for everything we need for the rest of our lives, but only for today. Using the Model Prayer of Jesus found in the Sermon on the Mount, let us learn to pray as Jesus did.

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. — Matthew 6:9-13

The Hexagon in the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father in Heaven – Here is an important relational concept: Father. Jesus used the Aramaic word Abba, meaning Daddy. This implies the intimacy we have with God. Jesus is teaching us to have this right relationship that He enjoys with the Father, which transcends physical presence. (This is eternal life, that they know You, the one true God – John 17:3)

May Your Name Be Kept Holy – God is very close yet different. We offer reverence and respect to our God who is holy. We acknowledge that He is what we desire to be; we long for Christ-likeness.

May Your Kingdom Come Soon. May Your Will Be Done on Earth As it is in Heaven – Our Father is not just a King, He is the King. We want His kingdom to advance in this world. We desire what You desire. (Glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began – John 17:5).

Give Us Today the Food We Need – Human beings are needy things, and we admit it; food, water, shelter, health, emotional and spiritual needs. Whatever the hunger, He provides. (Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You – John 17:7).

Forgive Us Our Sins As We Have Forgiven Those Whose Sin is Against Us – God has given us some territory that is ours, and we often stray from the territory on to land that belongs to someone else and we incur a debt we cannot pay. When we transgress against another we are saying, “God, what You have given to me is not enough” and we must seek forgiveness. Lord, keep us from being indebted to You in withholding forgiveness from others. (I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do – John 17:4).

Don’t Let Us Yield to Temptation – now the prayer is dealing with our relationship with the Father, and then those around us. Here it changes to where we go out into the world with God’s message. Take us into the world to do Your work, but give us the strength to be in the world but not of the world. (Sanctify them by the truth, Your word is truth – John 17:17).

Rescue Us From the Evil One – There is an enemy of our soul, who desires that we participate in what is evil. If we are led astray, we will actually end up in the hands of the evil one. The thief comes to kill and destroy, but Jesus came that we might have life. (My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one – John 17:15).

LifeShape 5 the Pentagon

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Scott Chafee

The pentagon is a tool for enabling every believer to recognize his or her worth and how to contribute to the building up of the body of Christ.

However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ… Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. –Ephesians 4:7, 11-13

We must change our thinking as to who the church really belongs to. Church leadership based on high control is not attractive to this emerging generation. Their journey of faith in community is not about doing church but about being the church. God does not expect you to be who you are not, but He does want you to be all that He made you to be. Remember that we have nothing to offer except what God Himself gives us.

A Spiritual Gift is Not Your Ministry:

We ought not interpret all of the “gift” passages on the same level. Take a look at the three main “gift” passages in this way:

Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. –Romans 12:3-8

Motivational Gifts – Think of these seven gifts as your motivation in life. What are the things that bring you the most joy, things that you seem to do with a certain ease and effectiveness (while other things you may do are just the opposite). The bottom line is, “What motivates you to do the things you do in the kingdom?” The seven listed here are prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership and mercy. These are foundational. These are our motivational gifts which will be exercised through a ministry.

However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ… Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. –Ephesians 4:7, 11-13

Ministry Gifts – Each believer is given a gift, just just those with a special calling to vocational ministry. We are to take our passion, or motivation, and exercise that gift in a ministry of service. The five ministries are briefly explained in the picture above. So, we take our motivational gift and exercise it through a certain ministry. What about those controversial gifts found elsewhere in the Bible?

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. –1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Manifestation Gifts – These gifts are manifestations of the Holy Spirit, and not evidence of the Holy Spirit inside of the believer. No one walks around always speaking in tongues or always healing people as they walk down the street. These are not permanent roles, they are given at a special time for a special purpose. As I follow God’s leadership in my life, I will take my motivational gift (the way I am wired) and exercise it through a ministry. If God should find it necessary for me to need a special manifestation of His Spirit, he will grant me a manifestation gift to carry out my ministry.

The Fivefold Foundation for Ministry:

Here are the five ministry gifts found in Ephesians 4.

Apostle – This is from the Greek word apostolos, meaning “one who is sent out.” Apostles are visionary and pioneering, pushing into new territory, establishing new ministries, being innovative in kingdom work.

Prophet – This describes people who hear and listen to God and the prophet foretells and forth-tells the message of God. They can step back and get a clear picture of what is happening and discover creative solutions to help develop a vision. They understand the time and what people need to do.

Evangelist – This one brings the good news and share the message readily. They love spending time with non-Christians. They may not be Billy Grahams, but they are able to gather people and make the gospel relevant to lost people.

Pastor – These are the shepherds of God’s people, one who cares with a tender heart. They see needs and offer comfort. They spend a lot of time with Christians, building them up for their effective service.

Teacher – This is the guardian of the Word, looking for ways to explain, enlighten and apply spiritual truth.

How to Find Your Base:

The authors challenge us to take an honest look at ourselves. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? These have little to do with being the life of the party or not, but rather with how one functions and processes information. Extroverts enjoy taking things through with others as they make decisions; they can easily ad-lib. It appears that most apostles, prophets and evangelists are more extroverted. Introverts process things internally. They are refreshed and recharged by spending time alone. These are your writers, painters and composers. This is not a clear-cut way to determine one’s ministry because most of us fall somewhere in between these two extremes.

Finding Your Phase: Pioneers and Settlers:

Pioneers enjoy the stress of doing something new, reaching beyond themselves to discover new frontiers and challenges, looking for the next opportunity to explore. Settlers are committed to continuity, stability and conversation. They prefer to grow and develop plans rather than scrap what they have started and begin again. They like to see things through until the end, knowing what to expect, and are comfortable when things move along according to plans.

Both pioneers and settlers are vital; to the American west and to the church as well. Pioneers are looking beyond what they have accomplished to see what lies ahead. Without settlers, we would never keep the land that the pioneers have started. Pioneers move on to new territory; settlers occupy and build with deliberate efforts

LifeShape 4 the Square

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Scott Chafee

The square lays out the stages every disciple experiences and gives you the corresponding style of leadership.

You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant. –Mark 10:42-43

The leadership of Jesus provides us with powerful tools for leading the church through the challenges of cultural change. Leadership style is not about position, but about how we relate to one another.

We are in a management-oriented society that is in need of leaders. We can manage growth, productivity and human resources, but in times of crises people do not look to managers, but to leaders.

A true leader looks like a sheep from the front and a shepherd from behind.

“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men. —Mark 1:15-20

Stage one: (Jesus does not really choose these guys based on their resumes or spiritual gift inventories, but they join up ready to take on the world). When we start out on a new trail, we need a strong confident leader to show us the way.

Disciple Style D1 = Confident / Incompetent	Leadership Style L1 = Directive / Set Example
High enthusiasm High confidence Low experience Low competence	High direction High example Low consensus Low explanation

“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. —Luke 12:32-34

Stage Two: (Reality sets in when they discover they have no idea what they are doing, and they hit rock bottom. They are not having fun anymore). When a person is in a time of discouragement and despair, vision is critical.

Disciple Style D2 = Unenthusiastic / Incompetent	Leadership Style L2 = Visionary / Coach
Low enthusiasm Low confidence Low experience Low competence	High direction High discussion High example High accessibility

This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other. —John 15:12-17

Stage Three: (Jesus turns away from the crowds to spend more time with His disciples, to boost confidence based on experience). Friends have common objectives and share their lives together.

Disciple Style D3 = Growing Confidence	Leadership Style L3 = Pastoral / Consensus
Increasing enthusiasm Growing experience Intermittent confidence Growing competence	Lower direction Higher consensus High discussion High accessibility

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” —Matthew 28:18-20

Stage Four: (Jesus is taken away and He has prepared them to carry on the ministry without Him, confident in partnership with them in reaching the world). Good leaders always get people to the stage where they are ready to accept delegated responsibility.

Disciple Style D4 = The end is in sight	Leadership Style L4 = Delegation / Partnership
High enthusiasm High confidence High experience High competence	Low direction High consensus Low example High explanation

Summary of the Four Stages:

I do, you watch
I do, you help
You do, I help
You do, I watch

LifeShape 3 the Triangle

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Scott Chafee

The three dimensions found in the triangle are necessary for us to live a balanced life.

He has shown you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you. To act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. –Micah 6:8

To receive balance in our lives, we must experience fruitfulness in our ministry, relationship and spiritual walk. These are the three dimensions in the lifestyle of Jesus (Luke 6:12-19).

Jesus got up – He went out to pray, nurturing the up relationship with his Father. Every time you pray, you are simply responding to God’s call to your heart.
Jesus invited others in – He came back to call together his disciples. They were to be with Him, before He would send them out to preach (Mark 3:14). Life should come with a warning label: Do not Attempt This By Yourself.
Jesus reached out – He never lost sight of the Father’s mission and vision, to reach out to a lost and dying world.

Two-Dimensional Churches:

Up and Inners – lots of praise and worship, study of the Bible, and do a good job of building community; but people can come and go anonymously, and in the larger crowd people can attend without making commitments.
Up and Outers – committed to the Upward and high regard for the Bible and prayer, also concerned with reaching outside of the walls of the church, lots of outreach, strong support of missions; but the Inward is lacking, small group ministry is more duty than desire, “we” is not as important as “they.”
In and Outers – perhaps in older mainline denominations stressing incarnational ministry, with a heart for the cities, caring for the hurting and lost; prayer is more by rote rather than due to passion or personal petition, Scripture reading is part of the service format but not expounded.

Balancing our Relationships:

A culture of disconnection – fractured families, disenfranchised friends, independent individuals, reality TV that allows people to experience living together by proxy.

Jesus was not worried about being fair – many pastors keep their distance from their people so as to not play favorites. Jesus had three very close friends, the inner circle. What did the other nine think of this? Apparently Jesus did not care what they thought! What did the 72 think about the 12? He did not try to be fair.

Balancing outreach – we must get out of our comfort zones and find that uncomfortable balance.

We are to live out of purpose – how can we find our personal mission in life? The authors tell of a story about a man who put an ad in the paper that said, “Join me, send on passport-sized photo.” They eventually needed a reason for the movement, and the man came up with doing random acts of kindness every Friday.

Practice will get you into this rhythm of walking, and walking with God is the definition of a disciple.

LifeShape 2 the Semi-Circle

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Scott Chafee

We can rediscover the rhythm of life the Creator God intended for us in the principles of the semi-circle.

I am the vine and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prune it, that it may bear more fruit. –John 15:1-2

God designed us to be productive, but we have become human “doings” rather than human “beings.”

As we read Genesis, we tend to learn that mankind is working for six days, then we rest from our work on the seventh day. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy made the top ten list. The truth from the semi-circle teaches that we must live in this rhythm of life in order to be productive.

We must start from a place of resting, resting and abiding in God. All living things grow, so in order to be productive we must live in the rhythm of the semi-circle. So, rather than resting from our work, we must learn to work from our rest! Abide in God, produce fruit, grow, then prune (in order to grow more fruit).

Work is not a part of the curse, Adam was to work in the garden even before the fall. We are designed for intentional activity. The authors make an interesting point:

Unemployment causes our lives to fall below what is standard. One has thus fallen from the God-given call to lead a productive life. The focus on productivity and usefulness are lost, as though they are no longer being fully human.
There is no such thing as retirement. If you leave your job is voluntary, it will not be long before you feel the onset of depression. No amount of golf or fishing can take the place of being fruitful.
There must be work in heaven, not just an endless worship service. Before the fall there was work, so there must be work after the redemption. This is a foreshadow of the life to come. Work is a strategic part of the human experience.

Growing grapes in the first century allowed the vines to be unproductive for the first three years. If fruit tried to grow it was cut off, because the vines were not yet strong enough to support the load of the fruit. We must learn about God and ourselves during this pruning time.

Called to Rest

We are to work from our rest, not rest from our work.
Rest is not optional if we are to walk in the lifestyle of a disciple.
We cannot bear fruit is we do not spend time abiding.
Aren’t we supposed to be pressing forth with all our energy to do the work of the kingdom? In a word, no.
We find grace in being who God made us to be.

How Jesus Rested in this Rhythm of Life

Resting through extended times of retreat (Mark 1:12-13)
Regular daily times of quiet resting with the Lord (Mark 1:35-39)
Teaching the disciples to rest (Mark 6:30-32)

Other examples…

Jesus alone at the lake before teaching – Mark 2:13
Jesus withdraws with his disciples – Mark 3:7
Jesus goes to the mountainside and calls his disciples – Mark 3:13
Jesus leaves the crowds and gets into the boat – Mark 4:35
Jesus at the lake/hillside – Mark 5:1
Jesus crosses the lake to the other side – Mark 5:21
Jesus sends the disciples ahead, dismisses the crowd and goes to the mountain to pray – Mark 6:45-46

The Shape of Discipleship

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Scott Chafee

LifeShapes Discipleship Strategy:

LifeShapes is a discipline—a way to understand ourselves, one another, and our relationships to Christ.

It is a way to focus on multiplication through the process of disciple-making. This was the way Jesus said to win the lost, by calling people to follow Him and become His disciples. These disciples were given the Great Commission, and this strategy helps disciples to become disciple-makers.

LifeShapes equips the believer for Kingdom life by connecting the discipleship principles of Jesus to memorable images—eight shapes. It involves a new vocabulary that expresses the theology and daily life of a disciple of Jesus, painting a clear picture through which individuals can gain a greater understanding of what God intends to do in their personal lives, in the church, and in the world.

In Jesus’ day, teaching was based on the oral tradition. People learned through storytelling and verbal teaching rather than reading texts. Today’s generation is visually oriented. Trying to convey aspects of discipleship through lists, principles and phrases does not work in our time. But LifeShapes provides a simple but powerful way to help people learn and to remember the principles of the Jesus-driven life.

Eight key concepts will make each disciple a life-long learner of the faith. Disciples get a strong framework for truth, enabling them to build biblical principles into every aspect of their lives and to grow together in authentic community.