Fellowship

Friends and followers are terms that have taken on new meaning with the proliferation of Facebook and Twitter. In a way, the terms have been cheapened a bit since social networking sets the bar so low to qualify as a friend or follower. Masses of people who have little in common, except being formerly acquainted or loosely related to people you actually know, can now call themselves your “friend” or, “follower.” Many, you wouldn’t walk across the street to greet. And having lots of them tends to give some a false sense of importance, no matter how remotely connected they may be to those on their particular lists.

I read an article about a guy who quickly gained 700 friends on Facebook. He decided to invite them all to join him at a local bar for a drink. 60 said they might be there. Sadly, just one—who actually turned out to be a friend of a “friend”—showed up. She soon left and he ended his article with this forlorn conclusion: “700 friends, and I was drinking alone.”

So, what was missing? My guess it that there is a lack of true fellowship in these cyber-communities. Simply having certain things in common with other humans does not produce fellowship. True fellowship stems from things like common commitments; common goals; a common mission; a common vision.  

Those are the same things that make a church a fellowship; those things that serve as unique burdens on the hearts of church members. What is it that we believe God has affirmed in us concerning that which sets us apart from other churches? Why become a part of this body of believers rather than the one around the corner or down the street? Is it something more than the preaching preferences, the musical style and the general feeling that this is home? I think that people choose to be a part of a particular church because they are on the same page concerning things that go beyond those first-impression-type issues. I believe it has to do with fellowship.

One kind of fellowship of believers transcends and crosses over lines between individual churches. Simply being a Christian makes one a part of that fellowship. But, within each church, a special kind of fellowship is built around a common mission and vision to which that local church has committed. How would you describe ours?

This Sunday, I want to talk about fellowship; the fellowship we share as believers in Christ and the fellowship we uniquely share as part of the church we call Living Oaks. As we launch our new series called Light for the Darkest Darkness (a study of 1 John) and as we embark upon a New Year, what better time to peer into the future and catch a glimpse of the direction we believe God is affirming for Living Oaks. What better time to confirm those things that make us a fellowship?

(Also, this Sunday, you’ll be treated to a virtual tour of our new Youth and Children’s Center and our Expanded Celebration Center!)

Oh, and HAPPY 2010!

“That which we have seen and heard we
declare to you, that you also may have fellowship
with us; and truly our fellowship is
with the Father and with His Son Jesus
Christ.”    1 JOHN 1:3 NKJV

Rubbing the Christmas Lamp…


Black Friday. It’s an ominous name given to the day that retailers hope will turn things around for the better; the day holiday shoppers are supposed to rescue stores from the sea of red ink into which they’ve been sinking for the last year. If you asked a retailer for his Christmas wish, it would no doubt be “record-breaking sales!” We all want a hearty bottom line for our economy this Christmas season, but aside from the hope for an economic comeback, what wishes do you have?

Ask people on the street what they would wish for if offered three wishes and I assure you that ranking high among them would be peace and prosperity. Things like happiness, good health and success get high marks in the wish category too, but peace and prosperity summarize the majority of the wishers wishes.

The irony reflected in those being in the top three wishes is that few really know what they’re asking for. They sound good, but what are people expecting when they wish for them? Afterall, if you asked ten people what it meant to be prosperous, you might get ten different answers. And peace? What’s that? The mere absence of conflict?

Here in the U.S. and around the world, the masses tend to treat their governments like a colossal genie; the only one truly capable of granting their wishes. If they just rub the lamp in the right way—install the right candidates; pass the right laws; push the right bills, then they have hope of their wishes becoming reality. But, most learn that government lacks the magic they need.
2,000 years ago, in the Roman Empire, the Jews had all-but given up on wishing for peace and prosperity. It became painfully obvious that their government certainly wasn’t going to provide those things for them. There was a form of peace, the Pax Romana or Roman Peace, stricktly—and sometimes brutally—enforced by the Emperor’s military machine.

Financial prosperity was mostly an illusive concept for a Jew who refused to play by the Roman rules, including hailing Ceasar as a god. Only the corrupt; those willing to sell out, were able to line their pockets with filthy lucre. As most could see, their government was not going to provide the peace or prosperity for which they wished.

So, the natural thing to do is to add to the first two wishes, a third wish. Peace and prosperity would not be possible without this third addition to the wishlist. They believed they needed a savior. They wished for a messiah.

Although wishing for such a liberator would be the natural thing to do under their circumstances, what they really needed was anything but natural. Only a supernatural Messiah would actually have the power to grant the peace and prosperity they truly need. A natural rescuer would serve no better purpose than the holiday shoppers who temporarily rescue the sinking merchant.
In the same way, people are looking for natural messiahs today. They have unfulfilled wishes and believe that the human mind; a human relationship; a human politician; a man-made solution of some kind is going to prove to be their redeemer. Wishful thinking.

What kind of peace do we receive from the supernatural Messiah? What does it mean to prosper in God’s economy? We’ll explore these questions and more through God’s Word in our 2009 Christmas sermon series: Three Christmas Wishes, beginning December 13 and concluding on Christmas Eve.

The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming…”
Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” —JOHN 4:25

Yes God Can!

In a recent national political race, one candidate used Yes We Can as a campaign slogan and battle cry for his myriads of adoring supporters. Those three words were no doubt meant to engender a sense of power to accomplish the seemingly impossible. The objective in their case was winning an election; a noble cause, but a human-sized task. As we have passed milestones and accomplished God-sized tasks here at Living Oaks Community Church, we are reminded—Yes GOD can! And only God can. Let’s never forget that.

If you have been a recent addition to the Living Oaks family, it might be hard for you to imagine that we are just five-years-old as a church. It could be easy to assume we’ve been established for quite some time and now we’ve attained a level of completion; comfortable with where we are; content to cruise along with the current ministries, staff and facilities. You may (mistakenly) believe that we are only focused only on the day-to-day/week-to-week needs of the flock, like so many other churches. If that’s what you think, you would be incorrect.

We don’t believe our church was established in order to stagnate. There is really no such thing as staying in one place as a church. You are either moving ahead or sliding back. We either gain ground or lose ground. We cannot simply hold our ground. Our church must constantly be ministering with an eye toward the future and plans to do greater things; to reach more people, meet more needs, spread more hope.

The evidence of what happens when churches stagnate is all around. Many of the beautiful cathedrals in Europe have been virtually empty on Sundays, for decades. Several have been converted into museums; places where people literally do nothing but come and look, often at things that have nothing to do with the intent of the original structure. That didn’t happen over night. Long ago, people with a vision put their blood, sweat, tears and dreams into establishing a house of God that would carry out effective ministry with a passion. But the vision died, faith waned, people stopped investing and the work ceased.

At some point along the way, people forgot what God had done in the past. Their faith in the power to create greater days evaporated and they saw obstacles as insurmountable; challenges as reasons to quit. God had not changed, but their faith had. They saw today’s trials as unique and failed to tap into the knowledge of what God had done in days gone by. They lacked crucial reminders.

Through our study in Esther, we have seen how people who commit and take risks are literally able to alter history. God does astounding things through those who hear God say “Jump!” and respond, “How high?!” Those astounding things must not be forgotten. But, alas, we do forget. So, we need reminders. God knows that.
The Bible itself is full of reminders of what God has done. Through His Word we are provided with the knowledge that fuels success in sticking with a vision and accomplishing more. He’s done it before so we should be convinced, He can do it again.

We need reminders today. Living Oaks is a monument to the faithfulness of God and the commitment of people willing to risk for our vision. But if we forget how we got here, we will shrink at the new tests of faith that will inevitably come. Without fueling our faith with memories of God’s faithfulness, we’ll soon be running on empty and sputter to a stop.

As we conclude Esther this Sunday, we’ll see that they intentionally put reminders in place, so they wouldn’t forget what God had done. This not only gave them strength but an attitude of gratitude.

Be reminded of what God has done for His people. Be empowered for the next victory. And be thankful. This Sunday we’ll do some remembering and some thanking.
Happy Thanksgiving!

“Remember His marvelous works which He has done…” PSALM 105:5 NKJV

A Call to Commitment

When we planted this church we call Living Oaks five years ago, we adopted as our purpose statement the 4 “Cs” that had formed the purpose for our mother church, Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, since the mid-1970s: Celebrate (worship), Cultivate (discipleship), Care (fellowship) and Communicate (evangelism). Most churches include those elements in their purpose, although they may use different words. However, we added a “C”—Commit (stewardship).

Our leadership agreed that along with the initial 4 “Cs” we were called to commit everything with which we have been entrusted to accomplish His work. We are called to be good stewards of our time, talent and treasure; which means that we invest those things in carrying out God’s plan on earth through the church. And, as we have seen in our study of the book of Esther, there are risks and rewards associated with commitment.

These are challenging times for just about every ministry I know of out there. Large churches, small churches, radio and television ministries and para-church organizations are all feeling the crunch of the economic downturn. During lean times people either can’t, or are reluctant to give. Our church is no exception. But, thankfully, so far, we have been far less affected than many churches and Christian ministries. For that, I thank God and those of you who have given; some very generously and sacrificially.

So, what about our vision for ministry? What about our plans, including expansion of our facilities? Well, let me share something with you that I wrote during a recent trip to Hume Lake Christian Camp, unable to sleep, praying for our church, at 3:30 a.m.:

God has been known to speak on the mountain top. At least His voice seems to stand out. From Moses to the countless decisions made for Christ at Christian Camps, often the voice of God is heard more clearly when we get away to a serene place in nature, above the din and the pressures of everyday life.

I awoke early this morning, unable to sleep-in on my first day of vacation at Hume Lake. I tossed and turned, thinking about Living Oaks Community Church. We are at a crossroads. We are on the brink of taking on challenging financial commitments at a time when giving is down and the general economy is bad. Added facilities and staff are presenting costs that exceed our current patterns of income by considerable amounts. We simply can’t afford to do what we have planned unless something changes and soon.

I’m convinced that God desires that we expand our facility and ability to meet the needs of the adults and children of our church, including those God will add to our number. I believe our plan for this phase of growth is sound and necessary. I believe that we have a healthy number of staff for our current size and enough to care for people as our numbers begin to grow again. I don’t believe we should change our plans or reduce our staff for financial reasons.

What needs to change? With a united voice and passion, we must call our people to a higher level of commitment. I feel strongly that this is the reason God directed me to teach Esther: “The Risks and Rewards of Commitment” this fall. We must embrace and communicate a specific theme in the coming days, weeks and months: A Call to Commit. God is calling each and every one of us to move to the next level of commitment.

There is no reason that we cannot claim the vision God has given us; there is no deficit in His account. God is allowing us to face a challenge. Will we take the risk or back down and settle for what is comfortable, safe and devoid of reward?

Living Oaks is in a unique and exciting place right now—a place unlike ever before. But God’s miracu lous power—the power that built our church—is still in full force. Pray we don’t let it pass us by.

“‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.”—Zechariah 4:6 NKJV

Would You Recognize Him?

The headline of the supermarket checkout stand rag might read: “Jesus Returns; Spotted at Gas Station!” Similar headlines have graced their front pages. However, when Jesus returns, there will be no mistaking that it’s Him. He won’t be the focus of fuzzy photos on tabloid covers taken during pur ported convenience store sightings, like Elvis. An Elvis sighting might be possible. But, such a Jesus sighting is not.

Simply happening upon Christ after He comes back is not an option. The Bible says that His appearance will be nothing subtle. The Apostle John writes, “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him” (Rev. 1:7). But, what if He did sneak in and mingle among us for a while? Would you recognize Him?

In the gospel of Luke, we see such a post-resurrection appearance of Jesus; rather subtle and practically incognito. Two men, on the road to a village called Emmaus, don’t immediately recognize that it is the Lord who has joined them on their jaunt. It got me to think—if Jesus did appear in a non-spectacular way, based upon those who claim to represent Him today, would anyone recognize Him? I have a feeling it would be tough.

The only image of Christ many people have is that which they see in you and me. The chances of their opening the Scriptures are slim. Bible knowledge is on the decline (if one can decline from abysmal). So, excluding His Second Coming, the options for someone to see Jesus become either theophany (a supernatural appearance of God to man) or those of us who claim to be “little Christs” (Christians). Unfortunately, they might see a political Jesus, or a legalistic Jesus, or a hypocritical Jesus, or an uncaring Jesus, or a preoccupied-with-more-important-things Jesus, or a religious Jesus, or a condemning Jesus, etc.

On an episode of The O’Reilly Factor, Bill Maher—the comedian-turned-atheistic, self-styled social commentator and former host of “Politically Incorrect”—had a rare moment of astuteness. Even though he deplores religion and the very idea of faith in God (e.g., he called religion “a mass psychosis”), he claimed that he respected Jesus as a philosopher. He pointed out that the problem with Christians is that they don’t act like Christ. He suggested that we should consider calling ourselves “Christ-like-ians” as a reminder that we should act more like Him. Despite his vitriol toward people of faith, he had a point; an astute point.

Bill Maher’s idea of acting like Christ may differ from yours, mine and the Bible’s version of Christ-likeness, but he’s right about the fact that many Christians have strayed from the true expectations of Jesus. Some of us have come to despise the very people whom God has called us to help. Others hide Jesus behind the American flag and equate their patriotism with godliness. Still others practice such extreme weirdness in the name of Christ that their warped theology should exclude them from being designated as “Christian.”

The goal should be to help people view Jesus in such a way that when they do see Him, they not only recognize Him, but celebrate Him. If we do that, the tabloids just might have a legitimate sighting of Jesus, in you and me.

“We know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:2

Halloween Perspective
Guest eSermonator:
Executive Pastor, Dan Miller

Even though my kids are grown and gone now, I have found myself in several conversations lately, with people about Halloween, and their plans for observing—or not observing—the holiday. So here are some thoughts of my own on the subject. They may not align with prevailing thought (which means my email inbox will be full of responses from many of you in the coming few days), but I will throw them out there for your consideration nonetheless.

When I was a kid growing up in a small town in Western New York, Halloween was the most unique of days. Besides being able to hang out way past dark with our friends, we were afforded the challenge of canvassing for as much behavior altering sugar as our little bodies could carry. Gathering in packs of 6 or 8, we’d start early, fill up a pillowcase, take it home and dump it out on our bed, and head out for more. The air was cool and crisp, and we’d shuffle through the fallen leaves up one block and down another. Always finishing our scavenging at “old-lady Wilson’s house” because she would invite us in and serve us all the apple cider and homemade doughnuts we could eat and drink.

Now I’m not so naïve to suggest that such a benign Norman Rockwell-like scenario still exists. In spite of the fact that we live in one of America’s safest cities, we know that times have changed. But Halloween can still be a fun night of make believe for our kids, and a marvelous time to connect and build bridges to your neighbors and community around you.

Many Christians in our community will choose to have no part in the traditional activities of Halloween. I certainly understand and respect those choices. And I am not trying to diminish the very real nature of spiritual warfare. But let me suggest to you that if Satan is busy on October 31st, he doesn’t take a vacation on the other 364 days of the year. The spiritual battle on the last day of October is no greater than it is any other day on the calendar. And yes, I realize that Halloween has its roots in pagan holidays. For that matter, so do Christmas and Easter.

What I am suggesting is that this is the one day of the year, when the community comes knocking on my door. Can we not find a better way to take advantage of that phenomenon than to turn off the lights and leave a dark empty house while we’re off at our “alternative” party? Is this what we want to be known for in our neighborhoods—a dark house on the one night that you can be guaranteed the neighbors will visit? Are we not called to be salt and light to the culture around us? What better place to start than on our own block? I fear that Satan stands to gain more from the dark, unwelcoming homes of believers, than from the dress up silliness of the day, however macabre it sometimes gets.

Paul wrote to his protégé Timothy: “God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love…” (2 Tim 1:7). So on Friday night, I for one, will be home with the lights on warmly welcoming the trick-or-treaters to my door with the hope that if there is going to be darkness on Halloween night, at least I can be sure that it won’t be found on my block, at my house.

“I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake”
—1 Corinthians 9:22, 23 NKJV

Preserving Knowledge

A gentleman in our church invited Wendi and me to join him and a couple from Germany for lunch this week. The German couple has served in the church (Lutheran, of course) for 30+ years; the husband, Barnhart, is a pastor from a long line of pastors. He said they have basically two kinds of people there, Lutherans and atheists.

I was intrigued with the description of his ministry—part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany and quite literally evangelical; bringing people to Christ. He sees his work as that of a missionary there. The camps he oversees are bringing kids to Christ. The newer of the two church buildings with which they’re affiliated dates back to 1847—relatively new by German church standards.

They grew up behind the “Iron Curtain.” I asked what that was like for someone of faith. Barnhart struggled with his self-taught English to describe to us some of the discrimination against his family as pastors during the communist rule. Religious leaders were often rounded up and sent off to special camps. Though the Lord spared them that experience, he later learned that his family made the list of those targeted to go.

Coincidence? It is an amazing thought to consider how God protects His people and furthers His plan in the world, despite man’s inhumanity to man and full-on assault against Him. I remember growing up with the Iron Curtain as a normative element of the world’s situation. East and West Germany were part and parcel of the geography of Europe. It seemed a permanent symbol of the battle between freedom and religious/governmental oppression. Yet, there we sat with a pastor and his wife, talking to us about an opportunity to partner in a camping ministry in eastern Germany, bringing young people into relationship with Christ, in the once-behind the Iron Curtain.

There are situations that seem hopeless in today’s world. Some have existed much longer than the 28 years of the Berlin Wall. They constitute walls of resistance to the propagation of the gospel. I’m not talking about Islamic nations or communist China.

The walls most resistant to the penetration of the good news of Jesus Christ aren’t made of cement, spikes and barbed wire. They are ideological; philosophical; moral and theological. In short, the most effective walls are not physical; they are constructed from knowledge, or the lack thereof.

The physical walls did not block the beliefs of Christians like Barnhart and his wife while languishing under communist rule. It may have limited the exercise of those beliefs but, once set free, lives are being changed for Christ as they never could have been before the wall came down. This can be attributed to the fact that the necessary knowledge did not die.

But, as our featured speaker Wednesday night, Dallas Willard, noted—essential (moral) knowledge can disappear within the span of a generation. The strategy of tyrants seeking to snuff out belief in God is to wait long enough for their godless policies to obliterate belief. So far, it hasn’t worked.

A better strategy seems to have been to consign faith to its own category, separate from knowledge. Science becomes the bastion of truth and faith is relegated to the realm of disproven superstition.

But, try as the might, faith is alive and truth is passed on from generation to generation. Coincidence? No, just as God preserved Christianity behind the Iron Curtain, He keeps faith alive in seemingly hopeless circumstances.

This Sunday, you’ll see how God turned the tables on a shameful attempt to obliterate God’s people. It seemed hopeless, but God was at work, preserving His people and the knowledge essential to the passing on of faith from generation to generation. He’s still at work.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” Hosea 4:6 nkjv