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In the book Back To Jerusalem three Chinese church leaders tell about their vision that God is going to use the Chinese church to finish the Great Commission. They note that in general, the church started in Jerusalem and moved Westward into Northern Africa and Europe. While there, it experienced several cycles of awakening and decline for about 1500 years.

Then it jumped the Atlantic and for about 500 years, the church has experienced several cycles of awakening and decline in North and South America. During the time, the church in North Africa and Europe has been in steady and steep decline.

In the last few decades, we have seen the decline of the church in North and South America while the westward moving “church wave” seemed to move into Asia. These Chinese leaders have recognized this, and are making plans to send out thousands upon thousands of missionaries into the Middle East to “finish circling the globe” and so get back to Jerusalem.

I believe these Chinese are exactly right and have seen what God is doing. I have also read that the Chinese Christians are not only sending missionaries to the Middle East, but also to Africa, Europe, Australia, and North and South America.

I am not sure if there is more to their vision than just getting back to Jerusalem, but it seems to me as I watch and learn and pray about what is happening worldwide, I am beginning to see signs of renewal and reawakening in all the places that the church has been previously. I am seeing exciting things happen in Europe, Australia, North and South America.

I believe that at about the same time the church “gets back to Jerusalem” there will simultaneously be a worldwide reawakening of the church. The world will explode one last time with the message of Jesus. And then, the end will come (Matt 24:14). The return of the church to the place it started will spark a worldwide renewal of the church.

What can we do to prepare for this? Live as missionaries right now, wherever we are, and whatever we are doing. More on that tomorrow.

The Future of the Church (Part 1 of 3)

By Jeremy Myers

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Thanks to a comment by Brad on yesterday’s post, I found the Missional Church Network blog. (See? Posting comments on someone else’s blog does work! If you make comments on the blogs of others, it helps people find your blog.)

I love everything written by Alan Hirsch, and so when I saw a post containing a YouTube Video by Alan from the Exponential Conference, I had to watch it. I have embedded it below, but here is what Brad wrote about the video:

When asked about church planting in America as compared to planting efforts in the UK or his own Australian context he states that church planting in the United States is ”too bonded to the church growth movement.” He goes on to say that the church in the West has not yet adequately considered the missionary nature of the church.

In other words we in the West are too centered on how to get our individual churches to grow, primarily through attractional means, rather than seriously considering how to think as a cross-cultural missionary focused on reaching those who have no interest in attending our church functions.

I can’t agree more. As we embrace a more missional stance to our culture, we will start to see some staggering results (more on that tomorrow). Thanks Brad (and Alan)! Here is the video:

Tomorrow I will share a vision of where I think the North American church (and the worldwide church) is going, and how you can play a part.

Mission Shift

By Jeremy Myers

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Over the past several years, I have experienced a huge paradigm shift in my thinking about life and ministry. As a result, I have watched with interest how this shift has affected my theology and my ministry practice.

Below is a brief explanation of the shift that has occurred, and a few of the resultant ramifications.

The Shift

I no longer view myself as pastor, or church planter, but as a missionary…and not just any missionary, but a missionary to a cross-cultural, unreached people group. In plain English, I view myself as a person who wants to introduce Jesus to a group of people who don’t know much (if anything) about Him, and as far as they are concerned, don’t really care to know Him.

The Ramifications:

There are many changes I’ve gone through, but here are four examples:

1. A Shift in “ministry” time.

While a pastor primarily does ministry among the people of his church, a missionary focuses on the people who are not yet part of a church. He immerses himself among them and learns their culture, their language, their issues, their needs, and their concerns. He lives life with them and among them.

Practically, while in the past, I have spent most of my pastoral time in the church office and with church people, in the future, I want to spend most of my time out of the church office, and with the people of the community.

2. A Shift in Vocation.

A pastor wants to get paid by the people of the church so he can free himself up to do “ministry.” This is not bad, but a missionary will often get a job in the community so he or she can live and work among the people, and be seen as one of them.

I don’t yet know what I’m going to do, and maybe some of my income will come from the “church budget” but ideally, I want to be living and working among the community. This also has the added benefit of freeing up as much money as possible to actually serve the community.

Many churches are handcuffed by pastoral salaries and building mortgages. Imagine what the church could do in the community and around the world if it didn’t have to pay for pastors or buildings!

3. A Shift in Bible translation. (This one I can hardly believe.)

As a pastor who focused primarily on preaching and teaching believers, I wanted a Bible-translation that was as close to the Greek and Hebrew as possible. Now, I want to use a Bible that is as close as possible to the language of the people I am working among.

When Wycliffe goes into a community to translate the Bible, they don’t try to make a translation that is hard to read but instead, while trying to maintain accuracy, try to get a translation that is as close as possible to the vernacular. So, while I used the NASB and the NKJV, I now think I’m going to switch to the NLT.

4. A Shift in how Truth meets life.

I used to be a professional theologian-pastor. All I did was read, write, think, talk, and teach about the Bible and theology.

I now believe that while doing so is valuable and important, if it does not result in loving and serving others (especially those who are not followers of Jesus), then I don’t really know the truth I talk so much about. While some pastors can afford to live and work in an ivory tower, missionaries must get down and dirty. Theology must come to grips with life.

I have discovered that as I try to live with and love other people (especially those who are not like me and don’t believe the way I do), a lot of what I thought and taught becomes much less important. Knowing the various views of the rapture are not that important when you are talking to a drug addict who is facing divorce.

Truth, I believe, is both tested and forged on the anvil of relationships.

If you are undergoing similar shifts, please let me know in the comments below. Maybe I will add more as I think of them.

The Tangible Kingdom

By Jeremy Myers

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I was able to get my hands on a free copy of The Tangible Kingdom last week, which thrilled me because I was going to buy it anyway. It’s the newest book from The Leadership Network, and so far, I haven’t read a book from them that I don’t like. The Tangible Kingdom was no exception, and it is going on my “Missional Must-Read” Book list.

This book really hit me hard, partly because the story of Hugh Halter (one of the authors) mirrors so closely my own story. He was well situated in the established church, but didn’t feel quite at peace with himself, or with God, in such a position. So he left it all behind to see if he could find (or create) something that was still true to Scripture, but was also more effective in engaging and redeeming our culture. Doing so created lots of tension. Here is what he wrote, which is exactly what I am feeling:

You can’t go back, but forward doesn’t feel much better, because forward may not pay the bills or make it any easier to live the Christian life you’ve always wanted to live (p. 18).

He made it through this time of uncertainty (so there’s hope for me!) and ended up in Denver planting a community of faith called Adullam with some friends. As people wanted to learn more about what they were doing and why, they also developed a Web-based practicum for pastors and church planters to help them innovate new ways of effectively being the church.

What I found most refreshing about the book is that the authors are not trying to criticize, judge, or condemn the way the typical church functions today. Instead, they just explained what they are doing and why, and how it is effectively bringing people into the Kingdom of God. His bottom line premise is that the church is supposed to be living out the Kingdom of God in our communities and with our friends. As we do this, the aroma of the Gospel simply attracts people to us. They put it this way:

Church should be what ends up happening as a natural response to people wanting to follow us, be with us, and be like us as we are following the way of Christ (p. 30).

Do you find that other people are strangely attracted to you, your life, your family, and the way you “do church”? If not, it may help to read this The Tangible Kingdom.

What is the Gospel?

By Jeremy Myers

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What is the gospel? The gospel is good news.

Do you want to know what good news is? Well here’s some:

I just got word five hours ago that I passed my Thesis! (I got a B).

Which means…I passed all my classes!

In othe words, I just finished 20th grade! (Slow at math? 6 for grade school + 2 for Jr.High + 4 for high school + 4 for Bachelors + 4 for Masters = 20 years of school; i.e., 20th grade. … 21 if you count Kindergarten … 22 if you count pre-K. Yikes. No wonder I’m not up for a Doctorate.)

Anyway, the point is…I’m DONE!!!!!!

I’m so done, I won’t even be walking in the graduation ceremony on May 10. Instead, I’m going to spend that day with my family (they’ve barely seen me for three years!) at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival eating food, laughing, watching Dr. Kaboom, and talking more with Lance.

P.S. I’ll have more to say about my seminary experience after I officially graduate. Stay tuned.

How to Write Theology Like C. S. Lewis

By Jeremy Myers

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I recently watched “Prince Caspian“, and (as with all things by C. S. Lewis), it caused me to reflect on the writings and theology of C. S. Lewis.

Have you ever wondered why he wrote The Chronicles of Narnia? I am convinced it is partly because he knew that stories often teach theology better than simply teaching theology.

Look at these quotes from Lewis:

You must translate every bit of your Theology into the vernacular. This is very troublesome and it means you can say very little in half an hour, but it is essential. It is also the greatest service to your own thought. I have come to the conviction that if you cannot translate your thoughts into uneducated language, then your thoughts were confused. Power to translate is the test of having really understood one’s own meaning. A passage from some theological work for translation into the vernacular ought to be a compulsory paper in every Ordination examination.” (God in the Dock, 98).

I have found that nothing is more dangerous to one’s own faith than the work of an apologist. No doctrine of that Faith seems to me so spectral, so unreal as one that I have just successfully defended in a public debate.” (God in the Dock, 103).

He is not necessarily talking in these quotes about teaching theology through story, but by looking at his practice, I think that he would argue that the most basic “vernacular” of any culture is story. I would love to see some creative, theologically-minded storyteller write a multi-volume novel which teaches basic theology.

Maybe The Chronicles of Narnia are exactly that…

Bite me

By Jeremy Myers

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I have found that when I criticize others, it always comes back to bite me, generally with me doing the same thing I criticized others about. I guess this is just one way God keeps us humble, and teaches us not to judge a fellow servant. After all, to our own master we stand or fall (Rom 14:4).

I have so many examples of my criticism coming back to bite me, but let me just share one. Last year at this time, I remember talking with a fellow student at Dallas Theological Seminary who was graduating. He was two weeks away from graduation, and when I asked him what he would be doing after graduation, he said he didn’t know.

I remember thinking, “How could you not know? You’ve known graduation was coming! Why weren’t you looking for a job!? How can you allow your wife and kids to live with such uncertainty? Why didn’t you try harder to make simple life decision about a career?” I remember going home and telling my wife about this silly seminary student who was two weeks away from graduation and had no clue what he would be doing afterwards.

Well….now I am in the same boat. I’ve been frantically looking, applying, and praying for a job for well over a year (I started looking even before I had talked with that student). I can’t count the number of applications I have filled out and the number of places I have sent my resume in to. And so far…nothing. I am ten days away from graduation, and have no idea what I will be doing afterwards. My current job (which follows the school year) ends on May 9. I graduate on May 10. I will preach on Sunday, May 11. I have no job as of May 12. I remember that when I came to seminary, I thought it would open a lot more doors for me. Well it has, but so far, all of them have also slammed shut in my face.

I’m sure I could get a job “flipping burgers” but those sorts of jobs won’t provide enough to even pay off my school loan.

It’s a scary place to be, but also a great place, because I am learning to not depend on my degree or my education, but solely on God. He is growing my faith. If/when I get a job, He’ll get all the glory.

I’ll keep you informed!

Rural Rant

By Jeremy Myers

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Ok, I need to rant, but I’ll try to do so in love…

I listened to a message a while back by a famous pastor in Seattle who gave a message called “Building a City Within the City” in which he basically argued that God’s heart was for the city, because that is where culture and education and art and music all happen. Rural people, he implied, are trying to escape culture and remove themselves from what God is doing in the world. I remember getting quite upset at hearing this since some of the most godly people I know and have ministered with live in rural settings.

I thought about blogging about this, but then decided to let it go. I hate to be critical.

Then yesterday, I read at Chris Elrod’s blog that someone at Exponential stated that “Urban church planters care way more than rural church planters about cultural relevance…probably because they need to.” I love Chris and his blog, and he is only reporting what was said, but now I’m all fired up again! I get upset at the same sort of thinking that comes from urbanized politicians who view rural people as backward, Bible-thumping hicks. Some of the smartest, hardworking people I’ve ever met live out in the boondocks.

I pastored for five years in a rural setting and now three years in an urban setting. I can say with complete confidence that while the two cultures are very different, effective rural pastors care just as much about the culture as do effective urban pastors. And in fact, to be effective, I could argue that a rural pastor must care about the culture more than an urban pastor. Here’s why:

In a city, there are so many varieties of people, that any type of church culture will find connections with someone. In a city, even the most culturally ignorant pastor can still gather some people who like whatever “culture” is in that church.

In a rural setting however, the people are more culturally homogeneous, which means that the pastor must understand the culture to gather anybody. If a successful urban pastor tried to set up an urban-culture church in a rural setting, they would fail miserably. At the same time, if a pastor came from a rural church into the city, and brought the rural values with him, he will probably still be able to gather some people.

The bottom line is that to effectively pastor anywhere, whether in the city or in the country, the pastor must be a student of that particular culture. Just because urban culture is more diverse (even that point could be debated!), this does not mean that urban pastors care more about cultural relevance than do rural pastors. And it definitely doesn’t mean that urban pastors care more about God’s mission and the kingdom of God than do rural pastors.

I can feel myself getting more worked up…I better quit here.

When I Became a Christian – by Adrian Plass

By Jeremy Myers

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I was just listening to a message given by Michael Frost, and in it he read the following poem by Adrian Plass.

This poem is exactly what I am thinking and feeling. For me, following Jesus has become a life full of deep faith and great fear. The poem portrays both wonderfully.

When I Became a Christian

By Adrian Plass

When I became a Christian I said, Lord, now fill me in,
Tell me what I’ll suffer in this world of shame and sin.
He said, Your body may be killed, and left to rot and stink,
Do you still want to follow me? I said Amen – I think.
I think Amen, Amen I think, I think I say Amen,
I’m not completely sure, can you just run through that again?
You say my body may be killed and left to rot and stink,
Well, yes, that sounds terrific, Lord, I say Amen – I think.

But, Lord, there must be other ways to follow you, I said,
I really would prefer to end up dying in my bed.
Well, yes, he said, you could put up with the sneers and scorn and spit,
Do you still want to follow me? I said Amen – a bit.
A bit Amen, Amen a bit, a bit I say Amen,
I’m not entirely sure, can we just run through that again?
You say I could put up with sneers and also scorn and spit,
Well, yes, I’ve made my mind up, and I say, Amen – a bit.

Well I sat back and thought a while, then tried a different ploy,
Now, Lord, I said, the Good book says that Christians live in joy.
That’s true he said, you need the joy to bear the pain and sorrow,
So do you want to follow me, I said, Amen – tomorrow.
Tomorrow, Lord, I’ll say it then, that’s when I’ll say Amen,
I need to get it clear, can I just run through that again?
You say that I will need the joy, to bear the pain and sorrow,
Well, yes, I think I’ve got it straight, I’ll say Amen – tomorrow.

He said, Look, I’m not asking you to spend an hour with me
A quick salvation sandwich and a cup of sanctity,
The cost is you, not half of you, but every single bit,
Now tell me, will you follow me? I said Amen – I quit.
I’m very sorry Lord I said, I’d like to follow you,
But I don’t think religion is a manly thing to do.
He said forget religion then, and think about my Son,
And tell me if you’re man enough to do what he has done.

Are you man enough to see the need, and man enough to go,
Man enough to care for those whom no one wants to know,
Man enough to say the thing that people hate to hear,
To battle through Gethsemane in loneliness and fear.
And listen! Are you man enough to stand it at the end,
The moment of betrayal by the kisses of a friend,
Are you man enough to hold your tongue, and man enough to cry?
When nails break your body-are you man enough to die?
Man enough to take the pain, and wear it like a crown,
Man enough to love the world and turn it upside down,
Are you man enough to follow me, I ask you once again?
I said, Oh Lord, I’m frightened, but I also said Amen.
Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen; Amen, Amen, Amen,
I said, Oh Lord, I’m frightened, but I also said, Amen.

Does this express your feelings in following Jesus?

Exposed!

By Jeremy Myers

The Future of the Church (Part 2 of 3)

The Future of the Church (Part 1 of 3)

Mission Shift

The Shift

The Ramifications:

The Tangible Kingdom

What is the Gospel?

How to Write Theology Like C. S. Lewis

Bite me

Rural Rant

When I Became a Christian – by Adrian Plass

When I Became a Christian

Exposed!

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