storiesofvalue

Secondly, churches that respond well to heartache pursue God’s fresh vision for their ministry.  During my Bible college years I preached at a small rural church in Kentucky called the Turkeyfoot Christian Church.  The Turkeyfoot community was named for a nearby creek with a three-pronged fork that resembled a turkey’s foot.  Another church down the road was called Skullbuster because tall men would hit their heads on the low hanging entrance to the sanctuary.  Rural churches tend to have very practical names.

By the time I started preaching at Turkeyfoot, the church was known as a “weekend ministry.”  The families that attended couldn’t afford a full-time preacher anymore, so they hired me to visit people on Saturday and preach twice on Sunday.  I served at Turkeyfoot for almost three years and had a blast!  We had hunting beagles in worship, snakes and mice in the baptistery, and hogs that frequently wandered into the church yard to root up the sod.  One of the shut-ins I visited every Sunday afternoon was a World War I veteran who wiped tobacco juice drool off of his mouth before shaking my hand.  I used to take my future wife Jane to his house and smiled at her when he held out his hand to shake hers.  The church family fed me, invited me to their family gatherings, and gave me pies and cakes to take back to school.  They listened to my mediocre preaching and extended grace when I made mistakes.

Given a choice, I am sure the Turkeyfoot Church would have preferred a full-time minister so they would have someone around to help lead during the week.  Years later the membership grew enough to hire a young preacher on a full-time basis, which was a blessing.  In the time I served I never heard anyone complain about how things used to be, or worry about what might happen in the future.  Instead, the good people of Turkeyfoot believed God was calling them to use their weekend ministry status to love and train young preachers attending Bible college.  I am still eternally grateful for their attitude.

This is how the church recovers from its circumstances and lifts up the name of Christ.  She finds grace to leave the past behind and trusts God with tomorrow.  Like a faithful bride she “leaves and cleaves.”  And though she sometimes bears horrific scars, she glows knowing she has not been, nor will she ever be forsaken.

Radiant Recoveries

In 2011 Lauren Garcia was struck in the back by a bullet during a random shooting spree in Atlanta, Georgia, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down.  Months later her family and friends gathered to celebrate Lauren’s wedding day.  Because of her injuries she had to roll down the aisle in a wheelchair, but her physical reality didn’t diminish her beauty.  She was radiant, and her countenance proved to the world she wasn’t going to be crushed by her circumstances.

The tragedies that assault Christ’s Bride are often unfair, and may leave permanent scars, but by God’s grace she can overcome her trials and even thrive in the face of adversity.  For example, in the first church, Stephen was stoned to death outside of the city of Jerusalem for proclaiming Christ.  His martyrdom ignited a wave of violence against the church as recorded by Luke in the book of Acts: “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1b).  While these conditions were extremely oppressive, as believers scattered they took the gospel with them to unreached people groups.  Therefore, the pain Satan inflicted on the church was used by God to deliver His message of hope to more people than ever.

Radiant recoveries take many forms, and we cannot predict how God might use us.  A church family may grieve over the unexpected death of brothers or sisters in Christ, but the legacy they leave might inspire others to do something extraordinary for the kingdom.  A natural disaster may devastate a community and bring incredible pain into people’s lives.  However, in the midst of such great suffering the Lord can purify His people, strengthen their sense of purpose and work through them to bring mercy to those in need.

Yet, for these things to transpire the church must be capable of two crucial adjustments.  First, she must embrace God’s grace in her loss.  When the worship minister in the congregation I serve passed away suddenly, we grieved deeply.  It was hard to accept the death of someone God had uniquely gifted for our needs, especially after he had poured himself out in an extraordinarily unselfish and humble way.  But through His providential care God sent us another gifted worship minister who is also devoted to worship and willing to give himself completely to our church family.  We will never replace the friend we lost, but neither could we replace the one we now have.  Radiant churches honor their losses, but they aren’t imprisoned by them.  Otherwise, they not only miss what God has in store for the future, but they fail to honor the important role their past has played in bringing them to the present.

The second process of restoration involves the rescue of a believer.  Sanctification is never smooth, and sometimes Satan snares us in sins that are so serious we find ourselves estranged from the Lord and His people.  Paul grieved over Demas who deserted him “because he loved this world” (2 Timothy 4:10).  He also lamented those who “shipwrecked” because they lost a grip on their faith and a good conscience (1 Timothy 1:19).

As discouraging as it might be to watch a brother or sister in Christ turn to sin, the clear message from scripture is one of hope.  In fact, the Bible provides a methodology for restoring believers.  Earlier we referenced Christ’s teaching on conflict management where He asked us to resolve our differences with others personally.  If a personal meeting isn’t successful, we are to return with one or two witnesses, and as a last resort take the matter to others in the church.  While these principles have more to do with restoring relationships, they provide a good framework for confronting sin.  I have been confronted more than once in my walk with the Lord by a caring brother or sister in Christ who feared for my spiritual safety.  And I have performed the same rescue mission for others.  This is what we are supposed to do.  James wrote, “My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20).

Unfortunately, sometimes our confrontations fall on deaf ears and we must make the painful decision to put boundaries between the church family and a brother or sister who is involved in a destructive sinful activity.  But even then, the hope is always for restoration.  Paul demanded swift action by the Corinthian church when a man having an affair with his step-mother was being allowed to sin openly.  Yet, even in this extreme case the goal was restoration.  Paul wrote, “Hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 5:5).

Restoring a brother or sister in Christ is difficult since the human mind is skilled at deflection, rationalization and avoidance.  The defense mechanisms we all use when we struggle make it hard for others to break through.  But when there is restoration, there is great joy.  Who can forget the elation in the voice of the prodigal son’s father who proclaimed, “This brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (Luke 15:32).  Or who cannot understand the passion of David when he wrote, “Weeping may remain for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

People who don’t understand Biblical grace may be confused by this process of restoration.  Either they don’t think loving people should confront one another, or they don’t think believers who hurt others should be given a second chance.  The first argument fails to recognize our responsibility to others who are caught in a sin.  The second denies the power of redemption, which lies at the heart of the gospel.

I have heard our culture is starved for the “authentic” message of Christ.  People don’t care about the bells and whistles we use to grab their attention.  They don’t want to hear a bunch of nice sounding words from a preacher on a stage.  They just want something real.

In my opinion, nothing is as real as a believer who wears grace on his sleeve as Christ remakes him from the inside out.  Nothing is more authentic than a brother or sister who has been snatched from the fire by another believer, and gently restored to faith.  The process isn’t always pretty, but it is radiant.  And which would you rather see: the perfect bride who doesn’t need anyone, or the humble bride whose countenance shines because her future husband, family and friends love her no matter what?  It doesn’t take me long to conclude which image will make Christ’s Bride attractive to the world.

Radiant Restoration

Soon after arriving at my first full-time ministry in a small town in Kentucky, our church received a generous inheritance earmarked for building improvements.  We used the funds to sand blast our stained brick exterior, replace missing mortar, re-shingle and paint.  This was a big deal in a small town, and our congregation was proud of the image upgrade.

I don’t have any depressing stories to tell about the impact this project had on the spiritual character of our members.  We didn’t fight about how the money should be used.  There was no ironic contrast between an attractive exterior and a disgraceful church within.  I can honestly say we felt humbly blessed by God, and the enthusiasm generated by our restoration provided an opportunity to renew our sense of purpose in the community.

Yet, what we knew back then hasn’t changed: spiritual restoration is made possible by Christ, and the beauty of His Bride is not the work of any man.  Please don’t misunderstand.  We should do everything possible to make sure what our community sees on the outside reflects a high level of devotion to our mission.  Just as Paul encouraged slaves to serve their masters as if they were serving the Lord, we must recognize everything we do is a testimony of our faith (Ephesians 6:5-7).  The difference between physical and spiritual restoration, however, is that one is temporary and the other is eternal.  The things we restore fade with time, but God’s spirit renews us daily.

Two important processes of restoration take place in the church.  The first is what we often refer to as “sanctification.” After Jesus washes us clean with His blood we begin a life-long journey that calls us to crucify our old person of sin and adorn ourselves with righteousness.  The apostle Paul challenges us to “put to death” whatever belongs to our earthly nature and “clothe ourselves” with the traits one would expect to find among God’s chosen people (Colossians 3:5-14).  In his letter to the Romans Paul gives us this passionate description of his own inward transformation: “Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23).  This same process is probably what Jesus had in mind when He asked His disciples to take up their cross daily (Luke 9:23).

Sanctification is not dependent on fine physical exteriors or creatively crafted ministry.  In fact, if the growth of the kingdom in places where Christians are persecuted is any indication, hardship and physical limitations produce greater purity and commitment.  Believers who have everything they need, from a worldly perspective, must be intentional in personal sacrifice and purposeful in their stewardship of the blessings God has given them.

Nothing validates God’s grace like a sinner whose life is being renewed as a crowd of witnesses watches on.  Even those who don’t know the love of Christ admire what they see.  Families are restored, relationships are healed, addictions are brought into submission and spiritual gifts are unleashed.  Collectively, the radiant countenance of Christ’s Bride tells the world something otherworldly is going on inside her.  Others may not understand the meaning of “sanctification” or the work of the Holy Spirit, but they know someone is different, and the transformation is stunning.

There is an old gospel song about a little boy who confronted two men he overheard questioning Christ.  He said, “Please don’t tell my daddy Jesus isn’t real. Since he met Jesus, he doesn’t drink, and he doesn’t beat up mommy anymore.”  I’ll admit gospel ballads are difficult to authenticate, but I have seen enough to concur with this little boy, even if he never existed.

Perhaps you have witnessed something called a “cardboard testimony” in a worship gathering.  The congregation I serve has shared in this experience twice, and both times worshippers were moved to tears.  A cardboard testimony involves briefly describing a personal challenge on one side of a large piece of cardboard, then describing how God has claimed victory over the challenge on the flip-side.  For example, a recovering alcoholic might write “addiction” on one side of his cardboard, and “set free by grace” on the other.

I am convinced these testimonies touch people deeply for two reasons.  First, they demonstrate the power of God over our struggles, and secondly, they remind us we are not alone.  This second point is what seems to take many people by surprise.  They are shocked to discover how similar other people’s battles are to their own, and are inspired by the transforming work of Christ as He administers grace through His church.  The living example of a wounded human being who has found healing through community is radiant.

There are many secular organizations and resources available for people who are suffering from addictions, broken relationships and other painful seasons in their lives.  I believe God uses talented people in these places to administer grace in unexpected ways.  However, His Bride is unique since she is cleansed by His blood and supernaturally equipped for ministry.  When Christ’s love works through His church, there isn’t a force on earth that can stand against it (1 John 4:4).

The anatomy of a relationally radiant church is found throughout the pages of the New Testament.  In the writings of Paul it is the result of a mind that is being transformed by God’s “good, pleasing and perfect” will (Romans 12:2).  Peter says the word of God purifies us with truth, and leads us to a sincere love for our brothers  (1 Peter 1:22).  John reminds us Christ’s blood cleanses us and brings us into the light where we have fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7).

During our most recent cardboard testimony a friend of mine became confused on stage.  He forgot where to stand, and when it was time to turn his card over he had trouble figuring out how which way to flip it.  Some other people on stage came to his rescue.  Since you don’t know my friend’s backstory you might perceive me to be uncaring when I tell you I smiled throughout his presentation.  Please know, I had compassion for him, but under the circumstances I couldn’t feel sad.

My friend is a recovering alcoholic who helps lead our congregation’s Celebrate Recovery ministry.  He is suffering from progressive dementia, which doctors believe may have been spurred on by years of drinking.  This part of the story is discouraging and my friend and I have talked about the frustrations he faces every day of his life.  But as he stood on stage that Sunday morning, somewhat disoriented, I looked to his left and his right and recognized two of our church members holding signs of addictions.  Both of them had received healing through Celebrate Recovery.  I saw these two hold their signs boldly in air with joy written all over their faces, and I glanced at my friend whose body was being beaten down by his disease.

I thought, “Take that Satan!  You have spent years trying to destroy my friend and he stands before us now in this community of grace, flanked by two people he has plucked from your devilish arms.”  My friend might have looked broken down to some, but to me he looked radiant.  The whole stage glowed with the brilliance of a Savior who washes us clean and binds up our wounds through His servants.

In the church we “rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15).   We “love one another deeply from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22).  We confess our sins to each other and pray for each other (James 5:16).  Do we always do these things?  No.  Do we sometimes do the opposite?  Yes.  But when the church functions as Christ’s Bride and walks with grace, there is no greater display of God’s love.

Radiant Relationships

My first formal lesson on the church was delivered by Mrs. Maggard, the preschool teacher in my home church.  She taught our class a “finger play” with this simple story line: “Here’s the church (two hands folded with fingers intertwined and pointed inward), here’s the steeple (two forefingers raised and touching at the fingertips to form a steeple), open the doors (separate palms of hands with fingers still intertwined and turn palms upward so fingers are pointed upward), and see all the people (wiggle fingers to represent a church full of people).”

Years later someone corrected my doctrine by pointing out the church is not the place where God’s people gather, but rather the people themselves.  I don’t think Mrs. Maggard was intentionally trying to mislead us.  She simply wanted us to know the church and people go together.

It is possible you have just heard two things for the first time: the term “finger play” and the inherent nature of the church.  You may never use the former, but if you follow Christ, I feel certain you will need the latter.  There is no such thing as a church without people, or more specifically those who have been redeemed by Christ.

Relationships are formative and fundamental to the church.  We use the word “community” to describe the dynamic of believers doing life together.  The process of community building is not an easy one, but once we witness Christians functioning as one, we understand God’s divine genius.

During His earthly ministry Jesus cast the vision for a church that radiates His love to the world as its members love one another.  He said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).  Later Jesus prayed on behalf of His disciples: “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:23).  These words only make sense when we see the church as a single entity made up of many parts, with each part devoted to a single mission.

I have never heard of a church with perfect unity, nor would I expect to find one on earth.  Yet, what makes Christ’s Bride attractive is not perfection, but rather her desire to provide a place where relationships are bound with grace.

A church that knows the source of its radiance not only lives to praise Christ, but also finds peace in His presence.  Several years ago George Strait popularized a song about a man who rejected a woman because he foolishly failed to recognize how his lack of investment in her life had robbed her of her countenance.  She moved on to a new relationship.  One day the man saw her and was overwhelmed by her beauty.  The song, “You Look So Good in Love”, contained these words: “He must have stolen some stars from the sky, and gave them to you to wear in your eyes.”

This is our story.  When Christ found us we were used up and beaten down by the evil one.  But He poured grace out into our lives and restored us.  Now we are a part of the radiance.

I have seen Christ’s love transform a human heart and bring light to a sinner’s face.  I have also seen His church renew its reliance on His love and rekindle its passion for His mission.  Some people believe the church will be better when it learns to love Christ more.  While this is certainly true, I am convinced the most important thing is for the church to learn to experience Christ’s love more.  Loving Christ will make us obedient.  Being loved by Christ will make us radiant.

Let’s see how this love changes His Bride.  It is pure.  It is powerful!

Pure Radiance

Before we proceed, we need to get something straight when it comes to Christ’s Bride.  Much of our focus has been on how the church is perceived by the world.  This is critical to our success in a culture that has grown increasingly hostile to the gospel.  The world in which Christ planted the first church was also hostile, which is why the New Testament encourages us to be sensitive in our conversations, behaviors and relationships with non-believers.

However, did you know Christ didn’t call His Bride so she could impress the world?  I think the Apostle Paul’s wording in his letter to the Ephesians is revealing in this regard.  He says Christ died to make the church holy and “to present her to himself as a radiant church” (Ephesians 5:27).  Did you catch that?  Christ wants His Bride to look good so He can admire Her radiance, which He produced.  Of course, it pleases Him when the world praises the church, but only because it increases her radiance and ultimately brings honor to Himself.

This truth alters how we define the beauty of the church.  No church on earth will ever be perfect.  As we have already seen, she will do a lot of very unattractive things.   But her radiance will be evident to the extent others see Christ in her.  The purity of her radiance will be determined by the single-heartedness of her members as they seek to live for Christ and Him alone.  Nothing shines as brilliantly as the church, washed in Christ’s blood and walking in His grace.

I have witnessed this dynamic in earthly marriages.  I once saw it through the eyes of a husband named Ray whose wife was afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease.  The husband was a retired high-ranking military officer who had worked with a president, a king, a general and a prime minister.  When I met him his responsibility included bathing, feeding and dressing his wife.  When he brought her to worship with our church family her appearance reflected his amazing love and care.

This is what Christ wants the world to see.  He wants sinners to see what other sinners look like when they are covered in grace.  He knows He will never have a perfect Bride on earth, but He wants others to realize they can be made perfect in His Father’s eyes.  He also wants a church that burns with zeal for those who have never heard how much He loves them.

At most wedding receptions, the bride and groom make their way through the room to thank their friends and relatives for coming.  As they move from table to table, people have an opportunity to tell the bride how beautiful she looks.  She hugs them and tells them she loves them.  We wouldn’t expect otherwise.

A few years ago our daughter Laura moved into a renovated mission house in a crime-ridden neighborhood in Cincinnati, Ohio.  She witnessed domestic violence, drug trafficking and murder, but in the midst of social decay she also had an opportunity to share God’s love with people who had nowhere else to turn.

One night some friends hosted a surprise birthday party for our daughter.  In the middle of the party there was a knock at the door and when our daughter answered she was greeted by a prostitute she had befriended.  The prostitute hugged her and wished her a Happy Birthday.  Then she said, “I’ll bet you never got a birthday hug from a prostitute before.”  In was, indeed, a first.

Some people have asked my wife and me if we worry about our daughter when she works in dangerous places.  I tell them I have my moments, but for the most part I am more jealous than worried.  I believe Christ’s Bride is most radiant where the darkness is the greatest.  There is nothing wrong with wanting to be around believers.  It’s just that there is more to life than sitting around with other Christians telling ourselves how great we are.  If we really want to be great, we must be willing to reach out to the least.  We must have the attitude of Christ who, “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).  We need to work our way around the reception hall.

Unfortunately, many people in our culture don’t expect to see Christ’s Bride at their table.  Instead, they imagine her at the head table where she can remain pure while she lists her offenses against them.  They expect rage, not radiance.  And, right or wrong, they perceive the only reason the Bride would invite them to her celebration is because she wants their wedding gifts, and she needs their resources to keep the party going.

Some of the criticisms non-believers hurl at the church are unfounded.  But some aren’t.  We can’t do anything about unfair perceptions, but we can examine our hearts to make sure we haven’t become so obsessed with our place in God’s kingdom we have lost our reason for being.  We are most beautiful when we put ourselves last and become the greatest servants of all.  Any other attitude makes things very complicated, and before we know it our holy calling has become a holy mess.

The good news is, with God’s help, we can nurture a healthy Bride and experience the joy of spiritual radiance.  Now it is time to consider how the church functions when she is at her best, and what happens when she allows the Holy Spirit to bring her into conformity with Christ.

Self-Absorbed Stuff 

Weddings are all about the bride.  Can you imagine what people would say if they attended a wedding and the bride was already at the altar waiting for her groom to enter the room?  What if he walked in to the Rocky theme song, shuffling his feet and jabbing the air? Outside of a few snickers and nervous laughs most people in the room would certainly view the groom as the most arrogant, self-centered human being on earth.

But things are different for the bride.  Her groom and his entourage enter the room to wait for her arrival.  She is preceded by a court of maidens, a maid of honor, a ring bearer and one of two flower girls who adorn her path with petals.  The music pauses, the wedding march begins, people rise and the bride walks in.  No one thinks badly of her for being the center of attention.  It is, after all, her day.

Yet, our willingness to indulge others is limited.  If the preacher made an announcement that the bride had a spa appointment, and was therefore unable to greet her guests, people would be disappointed.  Some would be downright angry.  Why?  Because, even though the bride is honored on her wedding day, it is also hoped she will acknowledge those who have made sacrifices on her behalf.  It is important that she realize her radiance is a reflection of everyone who has invested in her life.

In the same way, when Christ’s Bride believes herself to be above a broken and sinful world, she is ignoring the role of grace as it relates to her very existence.  When Jesus sent the Twelve on an outreach mission He said, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).  When Peter and John met a lame man and the man asked them for money Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you” (Acts 3:6).  The attitude Christ wants His Bride to have toward the world is simple: “the grace we have received we pass on to you.”

There are many ways the church can stand aloof.  She may not even be aware of the vibe she is sending to the non-believing community.  For example, a church can create its own culture where members’ entire lives revolve around church activities.  Few people would criticize someone who wants to spend all of his time with Christians, studying God’s Word, listening to Christian music, attending Christian conferences and playing in church sports leagues.  I have personally promoted these kinds of healthy opportunities where believers can grow in truth and love.  I still encourage them.

But if we spend all of our time around Christians, how are we supposed to pass on what has been given?  If we define ministry as “church sponsored” (in the institutional sense of the word) how will those who don’t know Jesus ever known grace?

My heroes are the believers who administer God’s love to people who don’t have the resources to participate in the stream of church culture.  They visit local jails, volunteer at schools and hospitals, and take underprivileged kids shopping for winter clothes.  They aren’t frightened by poor morals, obscene language and addictions.  Instead, they are drawn to places where they think grace can make a difference.