Let’s continue thinking about racial unrest.

I wrote similar notes to two friends, both African-American, both in Christian ministry. I asked how they were, lamented the tough times we’re in, and observed that things don’t seem to be getting better. 

One friend speaks at marriage retreats all over the country and also works with companies on racial reconciliation issues. This is his medium-depressing response:

Thanks so much for reaching out to us. These aren’t tough times in America. This is everyday life for black men in America. This is not new, videos now make it possible for whites to see what blacks have been and will continue to face since slavery. No things aren’t getting any better.

What to do? The problem seems enormous, which is precisely what Seth Godin (I don’t know if he’s a believer or not) shared this morning:

When a problem appears too large, too intractable and too unspeakable to deal with, it’s easy to give up. There never seems to be enough time, enough resources or enough money to make the big problems go away. Perhaps we can start with a very small part of it. One person, one opportunity, one connection. Drip by drip, with commitment. Those are the two hard parts. The insight to do it drip by drip and the persistence to commit to it. –Seth Godin, June 3, 2020

Drip by drip with commitment. That’s precisely what my other friend said. He and I go back a long way. He and his wife, with June and me, drove through downtown Atlanta back in the late 1960s. We got some stares. In some ways things don’t seem to have changed. He lives in Atlanta now, and this was his response:

It’s a very very tough journey and we need as many people  as possible talking about Depth in Christ and living out the gospel every single day with everyone we meet. 

I alluded to this idea briefly on Monday: racial reconciliation is a God-sized task, but here’s the solution: a deep relationship with Jesus and living out the gospel every single day with everyone we meet.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22.36 – 39, NIV)

Continuing yesterday’s conclusion that solving racial injustice issues is a God-sized task, my son David, living in the Atlanta area, wrote this poignant essay. It’s long but worth the read:

Oh, how I wish we had a leader like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. today.  Someone that can bring people together. Someone that can articulate what needs to be done and how it has to be done.  When he (and many others) carried the heavy burden of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 60s in this nation, they understood they would have an uphill battle.  They understood that based on the disgusting, deplorable, wicked ideas of segregation and racism, they would have a hard hill to climb. In that era, if people of color were to return the hatred, violence, abuse, and discrimination they received with the same, they would be squashed and imprisoned and marginalized even worse.  Dr. King knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that a movement based on peace, non-violence, and uncompromised Christian values would be the only way, the absolute only way, they would see any success.  Some today might say, “Well, they were still imprisoned and marginalized and beaten and abused…” and you would be right.  But Dr. King and the people under his leadership persisted.  They refused to engage in violence and more crime.  They refused to compromise their approach and their values.  They did this for years…. And what happened?  Change happened. But now we need more change…. 

Now, that fight continues.  Racial division and hatred and malice and anger are still winning in many hearts.  Now people of all colors, of all races, of all ethnicities, of all religious (or non-religious) backgrounds must come together.  We must not allow anger and hatred and malice and violence to win the day.  We have an opportunity to carry the torch that leaders like Dr. King passed to us.  I am no civic leader.  I don’t hold any political office.  I don’t have a big important position of any kind, and other than being a dedicated member at my local church, I’m not a part of any community or civic organization.  But I must not be silent.  I must pray for wisdom.  Yes, I pray, and that is a weapon.  I must also speak out, speak up, and ask, “What is my responsibility?” If enough of us ask that question, we might have hope.  I will also pray for leaders.  We need them, too.

I love “grassroots” movements.  But I also believe we will need more.  We need leaders that speak love, grace, unity, and peace.  Leaders that don’t seek to create more division, hatred, and animosity.  Where are the Dr. Kings today?  We need you, we implore you, please rise.  I pray we will listen.  I pray we will hear and act.  I pray we will respond.  And above all, I pray our response will be one of love, grace, healing, unity, and understanding.  The more we return violence for violence, hate for hate, and anger for anger, the longer and deeper and wider the divide will become.  Are you asking the question? Are you going to be silent?  Will you pray that God will show you the way? -David Ewell, Cumming, Georgia, June 1, 2020

The mayor of Atlanta, an African-American woman, has taken a run at being the right kind of leader. If you missed her speech, you can hear it here: https://www.fox5atlanta.com/video/689455. “I saw the murder of George Floyd…These aren’t protests; this is chaos…This is not in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”

But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (Amos 5.24, NIV)

Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. (Exodus 23.2, NIV)

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 3.8, 9, NIV (1984))

In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide race riots, there was a bit of good news over the weekend.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that I’m a big fan of space flight, having used radar to track satellites way back in 1970, teaching orbital mechanics at an Air Force school 1971 – 1974, and finally helping oversee the development of Undergraduate Space Training in 1986. I’m also reading a biography of Elon Musk, builder of Tesla cars and founder of SpaceX. Saturday, SpaceX made history by becoming the first commercial company to launch astronauts into space, the first launch of American astronauts from US soil in over 9 years.

June and I watched it live, on pins and needles, because rocket launches are still a harrowing experience. It’s an explosion in every sense of the word.

Every aspect of the flight was smooth, and 19 hours later, they docked with the International Space Station, 260 miles above the earth. It may have looked like the capsule was inching along toward its destination, but in reality, both spacecraft were traveling at speeds in excess of 17,000 miles per hour.

It shows what can be done with cooperation, persistence, and courage. I pray we can muster the same creative energy to defeat both the virus and the racial tensions. The latter, especially, will require a change in human hearts–a God-sized task! Heather Holleman wrote eloquently about this on Pentecost Sunday (yesterday!).

We need new thinking and new living in our nation. I think about two incredible moments in scripture that show us a picture of Jesus fighting racism: when He engages with the Samaritan woman and when the Holy Spirit tells Peter to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. Both groups were excluded and even hated. -Heather Holleman, May 31, 2020

Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked. They couldn’t believe he was talking with that kind of a woman… (John 4.27, MSG)

The news [of Peter’s visit to the Roman Centurion Cornelius] traveled fast and in no time the leaders and friends back in Jerusalem heard about it—heard that the non-Jewish “outsiders” were now “in.” When Peter got back to Jerusalem, some of his old associates called him on the carpet: “What do you think you’re doing rubbing shoulders with that crowd, eating what is prohibited and ruining our good name?” (Acts 11.1 – 3 MSG)

And he [Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. (Ephesians 2.17 – 19, ESV)

The past few days we have focused on implementing 2 Timothy 2.2:

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2.2, NIV)

Encouraged by pastor and author Dr. Greg Ogden we have looked at:

• The mission: laser-focused on making reproducing disciples
• The method: micro-groups, the Holy Spirit’s hot house for transformation
• The materials: biblically-based curriculum as an empowerment tool for discipling others

What’s missing? it has to start with “m”: the men and women to do the disciple-making! Methods and materials don’t make disciples; people do! Jesus did not declare a shortage of anything except people.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9.37, 38, NIV)

Come on in, the water’s fine! If you don’t feel ready, you’re in good company: the disciples weren’t ready either when Jesus sent them out in Matthew 10. And we serve in the power of the Holy Spirit:

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20.21 – 22, NIV)

I’ve been writing about Dr. Greg Ogden’s approach to making reproducing disciples beginning with his laser focus and his belief in transformational micro-groups. Today I’ll close with his argument for biblically-based curriculum, not just for bible knowledge but…

A curriculum that covers the foundation for a life in Christ and is the empowerment tool used to disciple others.

He argues that without a curriculum you have…

• No plan
• No intentionality
• No transferrable tool
• No sense of progress
• No structure

Naturally, he likes his book, Discipleship Essentials. I’m partial to discipleship tools developed by The Navigators including:

• The Navigators’ 2:7 Series (3-book series)
• Every Man a Warrior (3-book series)
• High Quest, Men on a Mission (3-track series, several books/track)
• Women of Distinction (3-track series, several books/track)
• Women’s Journey of Discipleship (3-book series)

These tools incorporate spiritual disciplines, encourage personal application, and require accountability. Leadership training and reproducibility are built in.

One of the first steps I wrote about on May 7 was finding someone to invest in. When we do, these are the kind of tools – curriculum – we will want to use. This is good news! The tools have been built. All we need to do is use them! I’ll talk more about that tomorrow.

I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. (Acts 20.27, ESV)

Repeat these basic essentials over and over to God’s people. Warn them before God against pious nitpicking, which chips away at the faith. It just wears everyone out. Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won’t be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple. (2 Timothy 2.14, 15, MSG)

I wrote yesterday about Greg Ogden, a pastor, encouraging pastors and churches to “keep laser-focused on making reproducing disciples.” It turns out the process isn’t all that hard, and it’s actually widely known. I wrote 8 months ago what my mentor the late Dick Miller said about small groups:

We believe in small groups in which people can grow into Christ-likeness and spiritual maturity through time and exposure to the Word of God and the people of God in a grace-filled environment of accountability, transparency, and vulnerability. – Dick Miller, Navigator (passed away in 2011)

Greg Ogden talks about the “hot house” where plants can grow much faster. Here’s how his “micro-groups” of 3-4 people work. He writes:

When we…

• open our hearts in transparent trust with one another
• around the truth of God’s word
• in the spirit of mutual accountability
• engaged in our God-given mission

…we are in the Holy Spirit’s hot house of transformation.

Other advantages of the micro-group are that leaders are developed in the context of the group. They need no more additional training. Groups of 3-4 don’t even have the “group dynamics” issues of larger groups of, say, 8 – 12, where one person might dominate while another is quiet. Handling such a group requires extra training.

However, micro-groups aren’t automatic. To achieve optimal results, we need the right curriculum. I’ll write more about that tomorrow.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10.24, 25, ESV. Bob’s note: these verses are often used to encourage attendance at Sunday morning services, but more “one anothering” goes on in a micro-group than in a large group.)

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18.20, ESV)

Yesterday I wrote that I believe in 2 Timothy 2.2:

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2.2, NIV)

Sometimes, in the church world, I think I’m the only one who does. Of course that’s not true, I quoted Jim Singleton, pastor and now seminary professor, just a few weeks ago. A few days ago I was excited to hear (via computer) Dr. Greg Ogden teach a seminar at the European Leadership Forum: Turning Your Church into a Disciple-Making Mission. Here’s a key point he made early on:

Keep laser-focused on making reproducing disciples.

He went on to quote C.S. Lewis:

The church exists for no other purpose but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other purpose. -C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity, pages 163, 169, 170.

And Greg is clear that he hasn’t made a disciple until that disciple is making disciples. He likes to have a baton-passing ceremony for the people who have completed his 25-session Discipleship Essentials course.

And here’s the point: the men are not just receiving the baton. They have been trained to pass it on. More about that tomorrow.

Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office. (Hebrews 7.23, NIV) [Bob’s note: best we train folks to replace us: none of us is going to be here indefinitely!]

[Jesus] appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach… (Mark 3.14, NIV)

What might it mean to “trust the gospels” as I wrote yesterday? “Oh yes, I believe the gospels are inspired, and I’m sure they are telling the story of Jesus accurately.” Will that do? Consider this verse:

Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. (Psalm 119.66, ESV, emphasis mine)

What does it mean to “believe in” God’s commandments?

Last year, those of us in Colorado all knew the Denver Broncos existed, but most did not “believe in the Broncos.” We didn’t think the Broncos were winners or even had a chance at the playoffs. Some teams, especially surprise contenders often have an “I believe” slogan as the season approaches its ending climax. People who believe in their team pay more attention to it. They’re more vested in daily outcomes.

Here’s another example: COVID-19. Some people aren’t believers. They’re not changing their behavior. (Just as my daughter Melody believed in the existence of terrorists when she was in Israel. She stayed alert in airports while most Americans in airports ignored their surroundings.) Climate change is another. Some believe in it and are working to counteract it. Others don’t and aren’t. 

So do I believe in God’s commands? How does that belief drive my behavior? I believe in 2 Timothy 2.2. I still think it’s the best strategy for making and equipping disciples.

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2.2, NIV)

Everyone who knows 2 Timothy has 4 chapters knows there is a 2 Timothy 2.2 in the Bible, but they don’t believe in 2 Timothy 2.2. They haven’t committed their lives to it as a strategy.

This would be true of all principles and commands in the Bible, would it not? Do I believe in them enough to act on them?  

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1.22, NIV)

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1.12, NIV)

Through the miracle of technology, I just sat in on the seminar “Can We Trust the Gospels?” by Dr. Peter Williams, Principal and CEO of Tyndale House, Cambridge (not to be confused with Tyndale House publishers in Chicago). Peter was speaking at the European Leadership Forum 2020 virtual gathering.

Tyndale House is a Cambridge-based research institute housing one of the world’s most advanced libraries for biblical scholarship. Through our in-house academic programmes we research the history, language and context of the Bible…We are located five minutes’ walk from Cambridge University Divinity Faculty and eight minutes’ walk from Cambridge University Library. – from the Tyndale House, Cambridge web site

I met Peter a few years ago when he paid a visit to Navigator Headquarters in Colorado Springs. I was particularly interested in this seminar since I just read A Life of Jesus by Endo. There were many interesting insights in the book by this well-known Japanese author, but I was a bit confused and/or put off by his frequent commentary about what was or was not true in the gospels. As in, “We know this was added in later.” In fact, we know nothing of the kind! That was the point of the seminar.

I can’t give you all the details, but suffice it to say that I came away encouraged. We can trust the gospels! From a lifetime of experience in conversations with all kinds of people, I can say there’s very little fruit from questioning the truth of scripture. We do best when we submit to it rather than critique it.

If you’re interested in tapping into Peter’s expertise, his book Can We Trust the Gospels? is available on Amazon. I’ve just downloaded it, and it’s not very long. For the rest, here are a few of my takeaways from the seminar:

• The gospels don’t come with numbers (i.e., dates), just names. Don’t listen to anyone who tries to date the gospels absolutely or with respect to Paul’s letters or the destruction of Jerusalem. We simply don’t know when they were written except within the lifetimes of Matthew and John, who walked with Jesus, Mark, who learned from Peter, and Luke, who learned from Paul and did his own investigation.
• Jesus did and said things more than once: for example, cleansing the temple, teachings. 
• The “Sermon on the Mount” should be called the “Lesson on the Mount” and may have been interactive. “Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom. Now say that back to me.”
• Jesus spoke Greek just as the gospels were written in Greek. It’s not like we’re losing in translation from the Aramaic. Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic were spoken during that time. Jesus would have been able to speak Greek. 
• There is no reason to put Mark’s gospel as a source for Matthew and Luke. (Endo did that a lot)
• Were there two angels or one at the tomb? Angels move!

The gospels: read them, trust them, get to know Jesus!

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. (Luke 1.1 – 4, NIV)

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. (1 John 1.1 – 3, NIV)

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15.13, ESV)

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5.8, ESV)