The books have been read.  The time set aside for rest and reflection has been well-spent.  And our family is so looking forward to returning to Renton Bible tomorrow morning to join our church family in worship.  This, then, is my final sabbatical blog. 

      I have reflected on a handful of the 26 books I have read over the course of these eight blogs.  I thought it appropriate, however, to consider John Piper's Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ in this final blog, not only because many at Renton Bible were reading this book with me, but because this book's focus was at the heart of my sabbatical.       

      In the first chapter, entitled, "Seeing and Savoring the Glory of God:  The Ultimate Aim of Jesus Christ," Piper powerfully asserts that Christ's ultimate aim revolves around enabling us to embrace the reality of the glory of God.  He supports this thought with a quote from Christ's beautiful prayer on our behalf, "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world" John 17:24.  Piper asserts that at the heart of Christ's incarnation is His desire for you and me to embrace the glory of God as our life purpose.  Which leads me to the following great passage found in the first chapter:

The point is this:  We were made to know and treasure the glory of God above all things; and when we trade that treasure for images, everything is disordered.  The Sun of God's glory was made to shine at the center of the solar system of our soul.  And when it does, all the planets of our life are held in their proper orbit.  But when the sun is displaced, everything flies apart.  The healing of the soul begins by restoring the glory of God to its flaming, all-attracting place at the center.

Though I did not understand it at the beginning of this sabbatical, it is now plain to me that at the heart of God's purpose in this time of rest and reflection was that I might re-center "the glory of God to its flaming, all attracting place" in my life. 

      The truth is that so much of our world militates against keeping God's glory in the center.  We are so easily distracted by the busyness of this world.  However, in response to our need, the world tells us to go deeper inside of ourselves.  But as Piper goes on to say, the notion that the answers will be found "in self" is ludicrous:

We are all starved for the glory of God, not self.  No one goes to the Grand Canyon to increase self-esteem.  Why do we go?  Because there is greater healing for the soul in beholding splendor than there is in beholding self.  Indeed, what could be more ludicrous in a vast and glorious universe like this than a human being, on the speck called earth, standing in front of a mirror trying to find significance in his own self-image?  It is a great sadness that this is the gospel of the modern world.

For my sabbatical, it was not the Grand Canyon, but Yosemite Valley.  Nonetheless, the point is still the same.  Beholding the splendor of God's creation moves me not to contemplate self, but to embrace the greatness of the glory of the Creator.  And what people need today is not a greater focus on self, but a greater embrace of the glory of our God.  And, beyond the shadow of a doubt, it is this "greater embrace" which is one of the most powerful outcomes of this sabbatical.  I look forward to picking up this very theme as I return to the pulpit on Sunday, August 22^nd. 

      At the conclusion of this sabbatical I feel compelled to say thank you to Renton Bible Church for allowing me the privilege of this time for sabbath rest.  And I give thanks, most of all, to our God for leading me to this sabbatical and for using it for my renewal both as a disciple of Jesus Christ and as a minister of His Gospel. 

Gratefully, Pastor Dan

      Life is strange.

      Tonight I was perusing a photo album Debbie has created which includes a few pictures and captions from all of the camping trips our family has made dating back to the beginning of our time here in the state of Washington (2003).  As a father, seeing the faces of my children who are now twice the size they were when the book began evokes within me an overwhelming sentimentality.  It is amazing just how much seven years can change our children.  And it is equally amazing to think just how much change seven more years will bring.  Life is strange.

      I must confess, this sabbatical has produced a number of "life is strange" moments for me.  Just a few weeks ago I was worshipping in the church I grew up in-Canby Christian Church.  And just a few days ago, we took our kids and our nephew, Dawson, to a swimming hole in Canby, Oregon I used to enjoy as a kid.  Except for the nicely graveled parking lot that has replaced the makeshift parking on the side of the road, it is just about the same as when I was young.  But it is strange to think how much my life has changed since those summer days so long ago.

      Other "life is strange" moments which hit me on this trip include driving past the same spot just north of Roseburg, Oregon where my sister, my brother, and I survived an accident in which the car we were in rolled countless times.  Talk about divine protection.  Then there was driving through the little city of Cambria, California where Debb and I honeymooned almost 18 years ago.  One look at the wedding photo in my office reveals just how much I have changed.

      All of these "life is strange" moments have had an effect on me.  And the timing of these moments, during my sabbatical following more than seven years of ministry at Renton Bible Church, only serves to heighten the significance of these little moments.  Debb mentioned that, as of a few weeks ago, we have now lived in Renton longer than we have lived in any other place as a married couple. 

      Of course, the strangeness of life is not only a reality to be seen from our individual lives.  It is also a powerful reality when one looks at how different life has been over the course of history.  The most recent book I have been reading is entitled The History of Christian Thought.  It traces Christian history from one of the first disciples following the apostolic era, Justin Martyr, to today.  Talk about "life is strange."  How odd it is to imagine some of the different eras Christ's followers have been through-from persecution in early Rome, to the schism between Rome and Constantinople in the middle ages, to the powerful re-awakening of a Gospel-centered faith during the reformation. 

      However, no matter how different life may seem, whether looking over the centuries of world history, or simply looking over the years of my life, some things remain the same.  And one significant thing which remains unchanged is what life is all about:  loving and serving God, loving and serving those who are made in His image, and living a life that brings glory to His name and makes an eternal impact for His kingdom.  Though my sabbatical has meant many things to me, one of the most significant results has been a refocused sense of why I am here, personally, and why I am called to pastoral ministry.  This was made even more clear this past week as Debb and I were given time to contemplate such truths at Shepherd's Rest, a pastoral retreat home in Battle Ground, Washington.  What a gift this time was.  As I shared with the other pastoral couples, my prayer is now for God's leading in the conclusion of this sabbatical that I may know how best to share these life lessons with our body.  I look forward to seeing how God will lead in the conclusion of this sabbatical and as I begin to re-engage in ministry in just one week.  

In Him, Pastor Dan

      It is hard for me to believe that only two weeks remain in my sabbatical.  In some ways, it feels like forever since we have joined the body at Renton Bible Church in worship.  And our whole family is so excited to re-engage in the life of our church.  In other ways, however, it feels as though this time has flown by. 

      Regardless, even with one quarter of our sabbatical still to go, I can already say that God has used this time in my life in ways I could not have even imagined.  I really didn't comprehend how much and in what ways I needed this sabbatical.  Certainly, I felt it was a good thing, an important thing, in my life, for my family, and for our church.  But I really didn't see just how significant it would be.

      Below is my prayer journal entry from a few nights ago.  I share this entry with you, my personal prayer to God, so that you might catch a glimpse of just how much God has used this time of sabbatical in my life...

7-26-10

Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

1 Timothy 4:7b-8

Dear God,

      How I need this teaching in my life.  How I need to be reminded time and again.  How I need your help to become the man you have called me to be.

      God, help me to train myself to be godly.  Help me to do my part in this.  I know that you are faithful to do your part.  I know that when I turn to you, you strengthen, lead, bless, work.  I know your Holy Spirit dwells within me.  "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Philippians 2:13).  O God, work in me.

      There is no doubt in my mind, O Lord, that this time of sabbatical has been of you.  You, O Lord, prepared this time for me.  And as unlikely as it may have been that a small church would be able to support such a time as this-you brought it about.  And as unlikely as it may have been that we would have an intern who could do a great job of filling in-you brought it about.  But, Father, you knew what I needed.  And you knew what my wife needed.  And you knew what my family needed.  And you are faithful.

      As I face just a few more weeks of sabbath rest and renewal, I pray that you will continue to work.  I pray that you will continue to work in me, in my family, in our church.  Amen.

After 5 weeks and 4500 miles, can I just say, in the words of John Denver, "Hey, it's good to be back home again"!!!

Of course, my sabbatical does not wind up until August 15^th, which is a good thing, because I have a number of books yet to read.  And I will enjoy the opportunity, in the coming weeks, to worship in some of our neighboring churches with fellow followers of Christ.  But I can wholeheartedly say that I am so excited to return to the fellowship of Renton Bible Church.  And I cannot wait to share with you, from the pulpit, some of the many fruits I have already enjoyed from this time of Sabbath.

However, I am thankful for this blog which provides me with the opportunity to share some of the fruit as I am enjoying it.  In these last three days, I have read a book a day.  But one of the books, in particular, I felt would be especially beneficial to share with all of you is Mark Dever's, What is a Healthy Church?

This book is a relatively small and simple one, however, the question it asks is significant for us as followers of Jesus Christ.  When we receive the gift of the forgiveness of our sins we not only enter into a relationship with our God, we also enter into a relationship with His family-the church.  And Jesus clearly revealed that it was through us, as His church, that His message of life and hope would continue to go out into "Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).  (I cannot wait to jump into a new sermon series on the book of Acts this fall!)

Because the job Jesus has given is so important, to become and make more fully devoted disciples of Jesus Christ (Matt 28:18-20), it is equally important that we continually consider our health as a church.  But, the truth is, there are many different ideas out there as to what it means for a church to be healthy.  Some would define health in terms of whether or not a church is meeting my personal needs.  Some might look at the financial bottom line.  Certainly, attendance is an often considered factor in measuring the health of a church.  Along with these you could add worship style, activities, and the list goes on.

However, though each of the above areas are important, Dever's answer to this question turns more specifically to God's Word for what it means to be a healthy church.  From Dever's perspective, the health of a church is most significantly measured by the Bible.  And it is a focus on God's Word that we find in his nine marks of a healthy church: 

1.  Expositional Preaching;

2.  Biblical Theology;

3.  A Biblical Understanding of the Good News;

4.  A Biblical Understanding of Conversion;

5.  A Biblical Understanding of Evangelism;

6.  A Biblical Understanding of Membership;

7.  Biblical Church Discipline;

8.  Biblical Discipleship and Growth and

9.  Biblical Church Leadership. 

As I read Dever's discussion on each of these topics, I was so encouraged by what God has done at Renton Bible Church.  I am thankful for the level of health in our body.

And yet, I was also challenged for our need to continue to strive to be the church God has called us to be.  As Dever states, "Friend, the church finds its life as it listens to the Word of God.  It finds its purpose as it lives out and displays the Word of God....  That's it.  The primary challenge churches face today is not figuring out how to be 'relevant' or 'strategic' or 'sensitive' or even 'deliberate.'  It's figuring out how to be faithful-how to listen, how to trust and obey.'"  Of course, we will continue to work on being relevant, sensitive, etc., but my greatest prayer is that we will continue to grow in living out the Word of God in our community and in our world. 

      It is Friday evening and I am sitting on the back patio at my in-laws home surveying an endless array of rocky hills and mountains listening to the sound of countless frogs and spying a bird in flight.  And from the towering palm trees to the sunset-painted, billowy clouds, I am yet again in awe at the creative genius of our God.  And even more moving is the knowledge that the God who cares for this wonderful world and the cosmos in its vast array, also cares for you and for me (1 Peter 5:7).

      And it was the contemplation of God's care for us that moved me to conclude my evening devotional time by praying for our church.  In particular, my prayer was for Joshua, and for our elders, that God would grant them wisdom and strength in the task of shepherding His people.  My prayer was also for Josh and Sarah, and the rest of our worship team, that God would bless them as they lead our body before the throne each week.  And finally, I prayed for God's strengthening of the body of Christ at Renton Bible Church in unity, in spiritual maturity and in zeal for His kingdom work. 

      In reality, prayer for the church is one of the most basic responsibilities of the elders / shepherds / overseers of the church.  However, as is true for believers in general, church leaders often find themselves more consumed with "busy-work" than with the ministry of the Word and prayer.  Even the twelve disciples struggled with this issue in relation to making sure food was distributed to those in need in the early church.  As we read in Acts 6:2-4, "So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.  Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.  We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.'"  Church leaders are faced with the temptation, just as much today, to allow the ministry of the Word and prayer to be marginalized because of the never ending list of things that need to be done.

      Even tonight I was thanking God for this time of sabbatical in which I have been freed from busy-work so that I can give greater time to meditating on His Word and to prayer.  And, in fact, one of the lessons God has been impressing upon me during this sabbatical has been the importance of me prioritizing time, in the reality of day to day ministry, to be seeking His power and His provision in all I am doing.  Just yesterday I was reading the story of Daniel (yes, fellow members of my guys discipleship group, I am keeping up with our inductive study of Daniel!) when King Nebuchednezzar decided to kill him, along with all of the other wise-men in Babylon, because his astrologers could not tell him his dream.  (For the rest of the story, read Daniel 2.)  However, instead of going into hysterics or a deep depression, and instead of scheming a way to get out of this dilemma, Daniel turned to his three fellow servants of Yahweh God, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah and "urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven" (Daniel 2:17-18).  Not too surprisingly, God revealed to Daniel what Daniel needed to save the lives of the wise men.  And Daniel responded with a psalm of praise, saying, "I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers:  You have given me wisdom and power" (Daniel 2:23).  Daniel knew where wisdom and power were to be found - in God. 

      There is nothing new under the sun.  God's people at Renton Bible are as much in need of God's power and wisdom as were God's people in the time of Daniel.  The mission God has given us as a body at Renton Bible is an important one.  God has sustained this church for 80 years because He is using us for His kingdom purposes.  But to continue to be used by God, we must consistently, faithfully seek His wisdom and power in all that we do.  Every ministry, from special events like Vacation Bible School to weekly ministries like serving as greeters, needs to be bathed in prayer.  And if it is our desire to grow as a church and to be used more powerfully by God in our community and world, this too must be submitted to God in prayer.  As a pastor, I have been convicted, during this sabbatical, to be more diligent in seeking the Lord, just like Daniel did.  I pray that you will join me in an ever-increasing commitment to seek the Lord for His work in and through our body.

"The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception."  Proverbs 14:8

      I am a firm believer that life's busyness actively militates against anyone giving thought to their ways.  From demanding jobs to demanding recreation, it is hard to find time to think.  And when there is time, the ceaseless noise of television, cell phones and the internet make it hard to hear yourself think.  With what result?  Instead of reaping the benefits of giving thought to our ways, we more often reap the folly of "the unexamined life."  But as followers of Christ, time to give thought to our ways is something we neglect to our peril. 

      To a significant extent, it was the reality of this truth that helped Debbie and I see our need for a sabbatical.  However, I do not think we understood just how great this need was until the third week of my sabbatical.  For it was in this third week that we began our time at Genesee Home. 

      Genesee Home is named for the Genesee Valley in Northern California in which it is located.  It is a beautiful Victorian home on a sprawling ranch surrounded by rocky mountains, subdivided by beautiful streams and teeming with wildlife.  However, what makes this place truly unique is that every aspect of this five night retreat is geared toward enabling us, as a ministry couple, to give thought to our ways.  There is no cell service, no television, no web access and no clocks, which helped us to hear ourselves think. 

      Instead of busy activities, we found ourselves in a place with no clocks, but with hours and hours every day for spiritual reading, prayer and contemplation.  We drew great encouragement, as well, from meal time Bible teaching and meaningful fellowship with other ministry couples which culminated in a rich, spontaneous time of Pentecostal, Baptist, Foursquare, Evangelical Free, Reformed and non-denominational Bible Church worship.  This is not to mention the time we had for marital enrichment including talks, walks, biking, and even a harrowing canoe trip.  And all of this was planned out with great purpose by our gracious hosts, Charley and Bev, to provide us with a unique opportunity to give thought to our ways.

      Honestly, when I scheduled this time at Genesee Home, I had no idea just how meaningful it would be.  And I gave little thought to it's placement toward the beginning of my sabbatical.  But God knew.  God knew not only that I needed to be taught about what sabbath rest really is, but that I needed this early on to guide the rest of my sabbatical time. 

      On this, the last night at Genesee home, I cannot help but feel that I leave this place with such a different perspective on life.  I sense that the importance of sabbath has gotten into my blood.  And I have to believe that sabbath will become a more significant part of my daily experience even after I return to life and ministry. 

      What does that mean?  In part, being more diligent to set apart time each and every day to "rest" in God's presence.  As is true of all of us who seek to follow Christ, so is true of me as a pastor--it is so easy to allow that set-apart time with God each day to be squeezed by life's busyness.  However, in addition to safeguarding that time, I also recognize the need to make sure my mindset is in the right place when I spend time alone in His presence.  More than just getting through my personal devotions and Bible study time, I need to do a better job of examining my life in light of His Word--to give greater thought to my ways. 

      This new perspective on sabbath has also impacted my understanding of the weekly gathering of God's people for worship.  I have felt challenged to be more thoughtful about the way I spend Sunday morning, especially in terms of seeing this time not as a series of tasks to be accomplished, but as an opportunity to be refreshed in Christ together with His people. 

      I am grateful to God not only for His working through the body at Renton Bible to provide this time of sabbatical, but for His providential leading to make this such a profitable time in our lives.  Thanks be to God for this indescribable gift!

      On Sunday, our family worshiped at a little chapel built in the late 1800's in the middle of Yosemite Valley.  In spite of the thousands of people visiting the park on Sunday, there was only a handful of us in attendance at this Father's Day service.  It made me think of my last sermon's consideration of how tempting it is, while we are on vacation, to let Sunday worship slide.  But given the incomparable beauty of this place, the thought of missing out on the opportunity to join with God's people in singing praise to Him was inconceivable.  However, in spite of the richness of this time of worship, I can wholeheartedly say that we were missing, and praying for, our body at Renton Bible Church.

      Incomparable beauty goes a long way in describing Yosemite's towering waterfalls, massive granite walls and abundant wildlife (including a 5-point buck we were close enough to pet).  I could not help but think of that great old chorus by Jack Hayford, "Majesty".  For the majestic beauty of this slice of God's creation could not help but point me to the Majesty in heaven (Hebrews 1:1-3). 

      It was also appropriate that, while in Yosemite, I completed the fourth book of my sabbatical, Knowing God, by J.I. Packer.  Few books do as powerful a job of depicting the majesty of our Creator.  However, it is quite evident that the message of God's majesty is just as needful today as it was when this theological masterpiece was written almost 40 years ago.  Consider some of what Packer has to say:

Today, vast stress is laid on the thought that God is personal, but this truth is so stated as to leave the impression that God is a person of the same sort as we are - weak, inadequate, ineffective, a little pathetic.  But this is not the God of the Bible!  Our personal life is a finite thing: it is limited in every direction, in space, in time, in knowledge, in power.  But God is not so limited.  He is eternal, infinite, and almighty.  He has us in His hands; but we never have Him in ours.  Like us, He is personal; but unlike us, He is great.  In all its constant stress on the reality of God's personal concern for His people, and on the gentleness, tenderness, sympathy, patience, and yearning compassion that He shows towards them, the Bible never lets us lose sight of His majesty, and His unlimited dominion over all His creatures.

I am thankful that the God of the Bible, our God, is a personal God.  However, as Packer warns, we must never let this fact detract from an equally important truth-our God is an awesome God.  What other conclusion can we make when confronted with the towering granite wall that is El Capitan or the rushing, thundering waterfall that is Yosemite Falls?  Our God is an awesome God. 

      And yet, even more awe-inspiring than all of the wonders of Yosemite put together is this simple truth:  the one who created all of these things and so much more is the same God who purchased our redemption through His crucifixion on a tree.  And it is this thought that has captured my heart on this, the second week of my sabbatical.  "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!  (1 John 3:1, NKJV)

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.  Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.  Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. _{Psalm 34:11-14}

You may recognize this Scripture from the third sermon I preached on the fear of the LORD, May 30th.  And you may wonder why we are revisiting verses we only recently considered.  In a nutshell, you could call it "the rest of the story."  Or you could simply attribute it to the preacher's tendency to feel as though he didn't say all that should have been said.  Whatever the justification, the life-impacting message of these verses compels us to dig deeper. 

And what is the life-impacting message of these verses?  The importance of putting the fear of the LORD into practice.  We can talk all day long about what it means to be a Christian, about the religious activities we are involved in, about the latest theological debates-but if we don't practice the fear of the LORD in our lives, we will miss out on God's blessings.

David refers to these blessings as "seeing good days."  But his point is quite clear-there is a powerful connection between genuinely living out the fear of the LORD and experiencing blessings. 

Now, as I took pains to clarify in my sermon, David is in no way insinuating that if you are good enough or have enough faith you won't ever see trials.  For more on that topic, I refer you to the third sermon in this series (visit our website, select resources, then sermon downloads).

Nonetheless, there is a real connection between embracing the fear of the LORD and experiencing a blessed life.  David lists three different areas in which we should put our fear of the LORD into practice:  Speech, actions, and peace. 

Regarding speech, David tells us, "keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies."  In other words, we should not use our words to cut others down, put people in their place, or for coarse joking.  All of these things are condemned in Scripture and are great examples of the evil we are to keep our tongues from.  Added to this is truthfulness.  Honesty, for the follower of Christ, is a given. 

Regarding actions, David specifically tells us to "turn from evil and do good."  Seems pretty basic, doesn't it?  In a nutshell, David is telling us that we should live in accordance with biblical teaching.  Obey God's Word!  Although I put this in the category of actions, David is really challenging us to turn away (or repent) from evil whether in thoughts or in deeds.  Certainly, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount teaching covers a number of the very evils we are to avoid, as well as the good things we are to do (Matthew 5:17-6:34).  Ultimately, David is culling us to obedience to all of God's Word.

Finally, David calls us to put the fear of the LORD into practice by pursuing peace.  Of course, this could come under the previous two categories of speech and actions.  However, David intentionally sets peace apart.  The word "peace" here is the well-known Hebrew word "shalom."  What is indicated is more than just the lack of conflict.  "The general meaning behind the root š-l-m is of completion and fulfillment-of entering into a state of wholeness and unity, a restored relationship" (Harris, R. L, Theological Wordbook of the OT, Moody Press).  Our God is all about restored relationships between people and between man and God.  It makes sense that those who fear the LORD would also be about this work.  And this work of peace-restored relationships-must begin in our homes and in our churches. 

      For some, Christianity is something you do Sunday morning, on special holidays and at specific junctures of life (weddings, funerals, tragedies, etc.).  In this way, many interpret the fear of the LORD to apply only to the "religious" spheres of life.  In other words, in the "work-a-day" world, our Christian faith has little practical outworking. 

      David, however, expresses a very different point of view.  From David's standpoint, all of life is tied to an authentic fear of the LORD revealing itself in what we say, how we act and what we live for.  The fear of the LORD is not merely a religious expression or state, it is the reality that it is to dominate all that we are each and every day. 

      So, how about you?  Do you love life?  Do you want to see many good days?  The key to "the good life" will not be found in money, success at work, accumulating more things or having more fun.  The good life is found in daily living out the fear of the LORD by honoring God in all we do, say and think.  To God alone be the glory. 

      In Christ, Pastor Dan

Day one of my sabbatical is completed and book one of my sabbatical, Jerry Bridges' The Fruitful Life, is completed.  At least as of day one I had not yet fallen behind in my reading!!!

I say this somewhat tongue-in-cheek, for I must remind myself that this time is not about crossing book titles off my reading list.  The fact that I have a list of books and a certain amount of pages I need to read each day could easily cause me to slip into 'git'r done" mode.  Being task oriented can be a blessing at times, but it can also be a curse.  But my desire, in this sabbatical, is to experience a more fruitful life.  I don't want to allow lesser motives, like getting a certain number of pages read, to drive this time.  As Bridges points out, "Unfortunately, too often our motives are self-centered rather than God-centered.  We want to maintain our reputation before others or we want to feel good about ourselves." 

But the right motivation for a more fruitful life, according to Bridges, is devotion to God.  And at the beginning of my sabbatical, I need to be reminded that this is what it is about.  It is my love for God that moves me to seek a more fruitful life. 

Another great reminder Bridges presents in the pursuit of the fruitful life is that it is not ultimately dependent upon my abilities, but upon God's working.  At the heart of this book is Bridges' chapter by chapter consideration of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (NIV).  Talk about a daunting list!  Left to myself, I could never hope to make any significant headway on becoming more fruitful.  Bridges could not agree more, saying, "That is indeed true, if we were left to our own devices.  But these traits are the fruit of the Spirit, the result of His work within us.  This means not that we bear no responsibility for the development of Christian character but rather that we fulfill our responsibility under His direction and by His enablement." 

In this sabbatical, I need to remember that what I am engaged in is a spiritual pursuit.  Ultimately, the books, retreats, and times for reflection are only tools.  Great tools, but tools nonetheless.  The one who truly transforms is God.  And so, I must keep my focus on walking humbly with Him so that He will do His work of transformation in my life. 

But maybe the most significant result of my reading The Fruitful Life is that this book moved me, time and again, to reflect upon personal specific areas in which I need to grow.  I don't know if it is a testament to Bridges' skillfulness as a writer, or to my spiritual need, but after reading chapters on each of these fruits, I found myself "convicted" of my need to grow in each of these fruits.  Had Bridges' elected to keep the conversation more general, discoursing on these fruits as great theological ideas to be merely pondered, I could have gotten through each chapter unscathed.  But, alas, it is God's will to shape me more into the image of His Son and this book provided the perfect entrée into this important task. 

So, I begin my sabbatical with an increased sense of my need for personal spiritual growth.  And in view of my need, I am thankful that God has provided this opportunity for set apart time where God's Word and God's people can speak into my life. 

      What do you think of when you see the word hospitality?  Maybe an article out of Better Homes and Gardens?  Or maybe a picture of an apron-clad mother on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post?  Whatever you think of, I am guessing you do not automatically associate hospitality with spirituality. 

      However, author Alexander Strauch gets it right when he says, "I don't think most Christians today understand how essential hospitality is to fanning the flames of love and strengthening the Christian family....  Brotherly love entails intimate relationship, care for one another, knowledge of one another, belonging together, and sharing life together.  We cannot know or grow close to our brothers and sisters by meeting for an hour and fifteen minutes a week with a large group in a church sanctuary.  The home is the ideal place in which to build relationships and closeness." 

      Certainly, what we do on Sunday morning is a cornerstone of Christian growth.  However, Strauch's assertion of the importance of fellowship beyond that which takes place Sunday morning is well-grounded in God's Word (see Romans 12:13; 1 Peter 4:9; 3 John 8).  And, to be sure, there are many ways that such fellowship takes place including small groups, men's breakfasts, ladies teas, game night, Silver Eagles, etc.  But Strauch makes an excellent point that one of the most basic ways of expressing Christian fellowship is sorely lacking in Christianity today:  hospitality. 

      Really, what could be simpler than inviting someone else into your home for Christian fellowship?  And yet, though simple, hospitality is sometimes difficult to put into practice.  When it comes down to it, we are just plain busy!  And such busyness makes getting a date on the calendar a difficult task.  Strauch indicates that a big part of the problem boils down to selfishness.  He says, "Selfishness is the single greatest enemy of hospitality.  We do not want to be inconvenienced.  We do not want to share our privacy or time with others.  We are consumed with our personal comforts.  We want to be free to go about our business without interference or concern for other people's needs."  Ouch!  I don't know about you, but for me, I find these thoughts painfully true. 

      And yet, when we do practice hospitality, it is most often a very rewarding exercise.  The truth is, I believe Renton Bible to be a very hospitable church.  But I do believe that each of us could probably use a challenge and encouragement when it comes to being more diligent to practice hospitality in our homes.  And it doesn't have to be complex, either.  It can be as simple as throwing a few dogs on the barbie and inviting someone over. 

      Who to invite?  Maybe a newer family in the church.   Maybe an older family in the church.  Maybe a single person (of any age).  Maybe a few!  Maybe a neighbor or co-worker with whom you would like to cultivate a relationship.  This last Friday we had some youth over to our place for pizza and a movie.  Nothing complicated-just an opportunity for Christian fellowship.  Sadly, we were unable to accept a recent, spur of the moment invitation for a BBQ with someone in our body.  But how great that they made the invitation!

      The truth is, hospitality, done to honor God, can serve many purposes including encouragement, relationship-building, showing care, deepening spiritual fellowship, and just good old fashioned fun.  On Saturday, we had some friends over for burgers and followed up our time with a game of Balderdash.  It can be so good just to have fun together. 

      And it is also important to note that we needn't have a "Better Homes and Garden" home to show hospitality.  Our dinner on Saturday was at a dining table sitting on ply-wood (thanks to my lack of speed when it comes to finishing home projects).  But the ply-wood floor didn't matter.  What mattered is that we were together, experiencing fellowship.

      So, as the school year comes to a close and summer begins, may each of us seek opportunities to show hospitality.  Whether it is a full-on meal, or dessert and games, may we intentionally set apart time to show Christ's love through hospitality.  And may God bless it and use it for the strengthening of His church.

      In Christ, Pastor Dan

¹¹ It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹² to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ....¹⁵Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.   Ephesians 4:11-13,15,16

What an amazing, powerful picture is painted of Christ's church.  The church is not about entertainment, petty attitudes, religious ritual, power-mongering, socializing or charity.  It is the body of Christ.  And Jesus is the head.  And every member plays an important part, even as every ligament plays an important part for the support and strengthening of the human body. 

It is amazing, to me, the design of the human body.  God has created us in such intricate detail that if even one of the smallest ligaments does not fulfill its role, the entire body is dysfunctional.  Some of you may remember my little bicycle accident in our cul de sac.  (I wish I could say I got my injury from a motor bike after I had just sailed over a gnarly jump that landed me in a tree.  But, alas, no, it was only me, a youth bicycle and a curb.)  Regardless, the result was a ligament that tore off in my thumb, taking a chip of bone with it. 

When the hand specialist told me I would need surgery, I asked him if I could just "let it be."  He assured me that this was not possible.  And, frankly, I found it easy to agree with him.  For even as I tried to button my clothes and grasp everyday objects, it became evident to me just how important that one little ligament was.  Paul's message to the church is that, just as every little ligament in the body has an important part to play, each member of Christ's church has an important part to play.  If we do not fulfill our roles, the body, in some measure, becomes dysfunctional.  But as we do fulfill our roles, then the body is built up.

Ultimately, the goal of "going to" church is not to experience an inner sense of personal fulfillment, though this is a tremendous by-product.  Instead, biblically speaking, we are part of the church so that we might be better prepared to serve and, together with other believers, build up the body of Christ.  Not members, not crowds, not even organizational success are the primary goals.  It is unity, growing, becoming mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

I pray that we, the elders of Renton Bible, along with our intern Joshua Williamson, will be the sort of pastors and teachers who are effectively preparing God's people for works of service.  I pray that we will do our part in the building up of the body of Christ, to be growing toward maturity and helping others do the same.

And I pray that all those who count themselves "God's people" at Renton Bible will be responsive to this instruction and will, in turn, do the work of ministry!  Given my upcoming sabbatical, it will be especially important that everyone is doing their part so that Renton Bible can not merely survive this summer, but thrive this summer.  As one of the elders mentioned, this sabbatical is a great opportunity for our body to express the fact that ministry is not dependent upon a single individual, but upon the whole body functioning together.

Borrowing from a well-known speech, "Ask not what Christ's church can do for you, ask what you can do for Christ's church?"  Together, may we build each other up in love, for the strengthening of Christ's body and the advancement of Christ's kingdom.

      Your Fellow Minister, Pastor Dan