A Biblical Model for Ministry Today

Church of Our Savior, like our diocese, the Diocese of Central Florida are committed to the Faith revealed in the Scriptures, proclaimed by the Apostles, and affirmed by the Church Historic. As you read through our website, visit us on Sunday, or join in our ministries, you will find a dynamic, Biblical and generous faith. It is important to me to see our vision and commitments shaped by the Word of God--and that includes the key question of our relationship with the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church is in a national crisis, with the majority of the leadership articulating a change in the Church's ministry and teaching. Some individuals, parishes, and even dioceses have felt it necessary to re-align with other parts of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Our Diocese has chosen to affirm the historic Faith revealed in the Scriptures and to seek to deepen our relationships with the Anglican Communion.

Is there a Biblical model for staying? Currently, I am drawing wisdom from David before the death of King Saul. God had raised up Saul to be king, had judged Saul for his disobedience, and had anointed David to be king in the future. David remained faithful to the Lord even at the risk of his own life. He was forced into exile. Yet when he had the opportunity to kill Saul, he refused to do so. Saul was God's king and David would wait upon the Lord to determine the day when the crown would pass from Saul to David. Meanwhile, David raised up his army, his council of advisers, and his community. He trusted God for the future and committed himself to obedience and faith in the present day.

I do not know what God's plans are for the future of TEC. It may be pruned off of the Anglican Tree and replaced with the new Anglican Church of North America (ACNA), or it may repent and return to faithfulness, or something far more complicated. God will however judge and rebuke the heresy and foolishness that is tolerated within the Church. There is no question or doubt about that. God will be faithful.

The question is will we be faithful and obedient to Him? Will we follow the example of David? Will we confess our sins (mine are many) and receive His grace and forgiveness? Will we surrender our lives and ministries to Him, and trust Him for today?

At Church of Our Savior, our intention is to do just that--to call upon Jesus as our Savior, the only name given by God for salvation (Acts 4:12). At Church of Our Savior, we will have confidence that the Lord will lead us by His Word--we can trust that what He says in the Scriptures is valid and full of life. Even in the midst of these profound questions about the life of the Church, we believe that God will show us how to proceed right there in His Word.

Hebrews 11 highlights a list of heroes of the faith and then concludes, "And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

This is our call--to press ahead, to follow the example of our heroes, and to look to Jesus to complete that which He has promised!

"Who Is Jesus, Anyway?" starts Wednesday

I am really excited about our revised Who Is Jesus, Anyway? a course for the curious. There are a number of popular courses already available: Alpha, Christianity Explored, Cursillo, to name just a few. They are good, but I'd like to press a few questions not raised in those courses and/or to model a way of exploration that one can use throughout their Christian life and walk. I did my studies as an electrical engineer, and that is evident in the way that I approach basic questions of faith. In the first version of Who Is Jesus, Anyway?, I began with worldview questions presented by the Biblical account of creation, moved through Israel's history, encountered the living (human) Jesus, confronted his claims to be God, and then listened to Jesus invitation to follow Him. The strength of that approach was that it opened the door to people with any worldview: I did not assume that the curious have a biblical worldview. In fact fewer and few Americans live out their lives from a such a biblical worldview. So the door was wide open for any person to begin the course and be able to engage the conversation.

After six times through, I have decided to change the order of the material, bringing the living Jesus to the first session and then to wrestle with the conundrums that Jesus presents. Namely, as a Jewish man, he proclaimed that there was and is but one and only one God, and then, claims that he is that God. I approach that conundrum, can he really be who he claims to be, like a good mystery. A mystery can only be solved by a curious investigator. By re-arranging the material, the new revised course puts the conundrum or mystery right up front and center. Thus, since we have called the course, Who Is Jesus, Anyway?, we will keep that question and the person of Jesus central to our conversations.

I have enjoyed every single course that we have offered: there is something fun and satisfying about helping people ask their own questions about Jesus and in turn, discover more about Him than they knew before. Wednesday evening we start the next course: and it promises to be the most fun yet! Who Is Jesus, Anyway? can be followed up by Where 2 Now? and SHAPEd to Serve. I am working on the material for SHAPEd right now. You can find a schedule here for these courses and others.