Discovering One Another

24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:24-25

Consider (2657): "to perceive, remark, observe, understand; to consider attentively, fix one’s eyes or mind upon. 'discover' or 'understand completely' one another (a concern with response)." I was struck by these verses last week. What's amazing is that Jesus has opened a new and living way for us to enter boldly into the holiest of holy places. It's because Jesus has made our hearts pure with the blood of His death, and he has totally cleaned us of our guilt. I capture a sense of what the God of the Most Holy Place desires to talk to me about when I'm with Him. His children. It's why He desires so deeply that his children consider one another, and discover how to provoke another to love. So, see if our Father tells you any differently!

Like a Child

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is God's child, and whoever loves the Father also loves the Father's children.2 This is how we know we love God's children: when we love God and obey his commands.3 Loving God means obeying his commands. And God's commands are not too hard for us,4 because everyone who is a child of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world—our faith.

1 John 5:1-4

A much respected elder and friend posed the question, "If the heart of christianity is relationship with our Father and with the family members of the household of God, is bigger and more complex really the goal?" As I thought through the implications, I realized that I keep missing the heart of my faith. I keep failing. I keep forgetting. I keep grasping after so much trying to fulfill my role and function. I keep trying to create something better than those who came before me. And I realize how much more complex the system becomes. Do I refuse to believe that Christianity is simple and satisfying? How do I miss the heart of my faith, the relationship I have with my Abba Father, and his other children? And then it hit me. In my efforts to satisfy the cravings of a black hole within me, I have made the profound mistake common to none other than a little child--a child who forgets who he really is. It is these little boys whom the Father seeks with His grace and love. The truth is, I am nonetheless a precious child of my heavenly, Abba, Father, who loves me with an undeniable, unending, deeply-satisfying love. I am a member of His beloved Family. I have brothers and sisters who easily run astray, just like me. We need our Father, and we need each other. So pray for me, that I might understand these truths and live as a child for the sake of my other brothers and sisters in the midst of a dark and oppressive battle.

Today's Cost for a Biblical Education

College tuition. Necessary evil, right? It's the standard, and there's no point questioning it. It causes nasty debt problems, though surprisingly some can look through it. That is, the risk can return much higher dividends. (See instruction manual to The Game of LIFE) I understand the concept, hate the reality. And that's fair.

But then there's Bible College. Bible Colleges train students for ministry in the church of Jesus Christ via a Biblical education. In its essence, these schools train students to be leaders in the Church among the followers of Jesus Christ. However, Bible Colleges vary little, if any, in terms of tuition costs. Plus, a Bible college student can forget picking a yellow, green, or red colored salary card. (For more information, play: The Game of Life) Meaning--the salary to follow in no way provides a compensation for the debt incurred while being trained for ministry leadership.

So here's the growing problem. It seems that only the wealthy (or wealthy churches) can afford to sends their students to Bible college. I have a friend who is sitting out of college because she cannot afford Bible college right now. I have several friends who dropped out of Bible college for the same reasons. And recently, my sister found out why she cannot receive her Bachelor's degree at a Bible college--and believe me, she wants to learn the Bible.

Here's the details. Put down $60,240 if you want to be equipped for full-time Christian service via classes alone. Put another $22,400 down if you want the full experience. (That's R423,396.12 [4yr tuition]; R157,438.40 [4yr dorm living] for my South African friends) With that said, the reason for my tears is the growing awareness that maybe it's not supposed to be this way. And by "it," I mean the training of servants in the Church.

And that's why I'm writing this now. Why do we rely on "schools" to do the equipping and training of people for church ministry? When did we depart from leaders being grown, prepared, equipped, and employed in the Church, from the Church, by the Church, and for the Church? Why does it cost so much money in America for students to receive a quality Biblical Education?

When will we be open to a shift in leadership training? My 23 year experience in the middle of all this has taught me one important truth. Ministry Leadership is all about Christ-like battle-forged, suffering-empowered, and age-rewarding character. The leadership skills required are to be passed down and entrusted--not payed for (2tim 2:2). For those of who are able to be in Bible College, my hope is that you would think these things through and waste no time learning all that you are can while you can. Maybe we need to talk about these things before the game is over. :)

Great Harvest

36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
-Matthew 9:36-38

There was a disturbance in the force as I read these words. Sheep without a shepherd. Compassion. Harassed and helpless. He saw the crowds. And then He said to his followers, "The harvest is plentiful...Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field." I found notes from a message by Jamie Miller some four years ago. In his message he asked, "Are you willing to pray this prayer today? And more importantly, are you willing to be the answer to your prayer?" (Thanks, Jamie)

But here's the thing: Is the harvest truly plentiful? It was in Jesus' day, no doubt, but today? Probably not, if it's just a harvest field. But it's the Lord's harvest field. He said it's huge. And he wants workers to go out into it. If there's something that we ought to be praying, we must pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers into his harvest field. There are thousands of young adults around me. Pray that I would see people like Jesus does. The Harvest is more plentiful now than ever before.