What kind of Christian are you?

Frank

One of my buds approached me at church last week and greeted me by saying, ” ‘sup ninja?” And my wheels started turning. I don’t think he meant anything by it, but that’s a pretty good description- I’m ruthless, deadly, skilled in the Art of War. Or then again, maybe I’m not. But I think that’s a pretty good description of me as a Christian. So what kind of Christian are you?

  • Ninja: You work best behind the scenes. Effective and efficient. May never get credit and is seldom seen, but we know after you’ve been there, that the job got done.

  • Pirate: You’re always seeking the next adventure. Your focus is on the treasure stored for you… somewhere marked with an ‘x’. And you smell.

  • Rambo: Strong and independent. Out of place in the world because you were bred for battle. Better not get in your way.

  • Homer Simpson: You’re clumsy and not very bright. But somehow, some way, everything seems to work out for you.

  • Ned Flanders: To quote a comedian I once heard, “you have every book of the Bible memorized, but you can’t remember to turn off your turn signal.” Your religiosity turns people off, but you’re genuine and sincere.

  • Jack Bauer: Need something done? We turn to you. You’ll do whatever it takes, though your morality can best be described as “grey”.

  • Lost: No, not with respect to salvation, but referencing the TV show. You have a constant tension between faith and reason, science and the supernatural. Everyone is trying to figure out what makes you tick.

  • Superman: Seemingly invincible, nothing seems to shake your faith. But there’s one thing that’s your kryptonite, and it can kill you.

  • Spider Man: You keep your sense of humor in every trying circumstance. Your faith is stronger that it looks. But you don’t choose the best of friends.

  • Simon Cowell: You always have an opinion. But you speak the truth in love (ok, I’m reaching here).

  • Meredeth Grey: You narrate your life as there always seems to be drama around you. You are a faithful friend, if indecisive.

  • Rocky: You can take a punch. You’re an underdog. No matter how many times you get knocked down, you always get back up.

  • Jesus: ‘nuff said.

So, what kind of Christian are you?

If none of the above, make up your own!

What kind of Christian are you?

Frank

One of my buds approached me at church last week and greeted me by saying, ” ‘sup ninja?” And my wheels started turning. I don’t think he meant anything by it, but that’s a pretty good description- I’m ruthless, deadly, skilled in the Art of War. Or then again, maybe I’m not. But I think that’s a pretty good description of me as a Christian. So what kind of Christian are you?

  • Ninja: You work best behind the scenes. Effective and efficient. May never get credit and is seldom seen, but we know after you’ve been there, that the job got done.

  • Pirate: You’re always seeking the next adventure. Your focus is on the treasure stored for you… somewhere marked with an ‘x’. And you smell.

  • Rambo: Strong and independent. Out of place in the world because you were bred for battle. Better not get in your way.

  • Homer Simpson: You’re clumsy and not very bright. But somehow, some way, everything seems to work out for you.

  • Ned Flanders: To quote a comedian I once heard, “you have every book of the Bible memorized, but you can’t remember to turn off your turn signal.” Your religiosity turns people off, but you’re genuine and sincere.

  • Jack Bauer: Need something done? We turn to you. You’ll do whatever it takes, though your morality can best be described as “grey”.

  • Lost: No, not with respect to salvation, but referencing the TV show. You have a constant tension between faith and reason, science and the supernatural. Everyone is trying to figure out what makes you tick.

  • Superman: Seemingly invincible, nothing seems to shake your faith. But there’s one thing that’s your kryptonite, and it can kill you.

  • Spider Man: You keep your sense of humor in every trying circumstance. Your faith is stronger that it looks. But you don’t choose the best of friends.

  • Simon Cowell: You always have an opinion. But you speak the truth in love (ok, I’m reaching here).

  • Meredeth Grey: You narrate your life as there always seems to be drama around you. You are a faithful friend, if indecisive.

  • Rocky: You can take a punch. You’re an underdog. No matter how many times you get knocked down, you always get back up.

  • Jesus: ‘nuff said.

So, what kind of Christian are you?

If none of the above, make up your own!

R12: Hindsight

Frank

So after (what felt like) sprinting through the Living on the Edge book, I wanted to look back at what worked and what didn’t. My motivation for structuring this “virtual small group” the way I did was twofold: one, I believe in the message and I wanted to get it out; and two, I wanted to see if this was an effective medium for delivering this message. In other words, I cared about this and I wanted to know if anyone else did either.

Bad news first. What didn’t work:

  • Length: It wasn’t my intention to rewrite the book, which I effectively did with each post. But I wanted to get more in-depth than just a review. Honestly, I would read a chapter, sit down at the keyboard, and whatever came out was what you saw. There was some early criticism of the length, but I wanted to be thourough enough that someone could participate without having the book and those who were compelled to pick it up, would have an additional perspective to deepen their convictions.
  • Pace: This goes with length. Posting daily thoughts on each chapter might have been more palatible if each post were shorter. I kept the pace I did because each chapter was short, and if I followed the standard one-chapter-a-week pace, it would’ve taken half a year to complete. Both length and pace were a drain on me and I’m sure they were on the reader as well.
  • The R12 videos: My original plan was to link the videos on Facebook and use that as a springboard for discussion there. Instead, I couldn’t embed those videos and Facebook was defaulted as another link to this blog.
  • The LOTE Facebook page: After an initial positive response to the idea, I posted (mostly) regular discussion points on Living On the Edge’s Facebook page. I didn’t get a single reply once I got started, though I did gain a couple of followers that way.
  • Facebook and Twitter: My experience was that I only got a few “hits” from these social media sites. So I can’t say either increased my traffic (which wasn’t necessarily my goal, but was a metric of how interested others were in this topic).
  • MOTIVE ME: These were pulled straight from the book and I was hoping they would initiate discussion. They didn’t and I am guilty myself of not following through on some of the actions that should have followed each chapter to deepen convictions. In other words, I wrote about it a lot, but I failed to put my own words into practice.

What worked:

  • Facebook and Twitter: While they didn’t increase traffic, I had some good discussions on Facebook and I gained several followers on Twitter. What is encouraging was that many of my new followers on Twitter are involved in some form of addiction ministries, which tells me I hit a nerve there.
  • Su.pr: I used su.pr to link my posts up on Twitter which would then update my Facebook page. I used Network Blogs to also update my Facebook status so FB got hit twice. But while I didn’t get many hits via Twitter or Facebook, I got a lot of traffic from StumbledUpon. I gained over 30 new followers and averaged over 40 hits (which is huge for me) on each post just from StumbledUpon.
  • Most commented: On Facebook, ironically a post that I failed to copy a link to this blog, I asked “Do you blame others for who you are? Do you blame God?” That struck a nerve with a few friends and there was a (by my standards) lengthy debate that followed on nature versus nurture.
  • Most retweeted: From Twitter, What does a Surrendered Life Look Like? And from StumbledUpon, both Are you Ready to See God Do the Impossible? and Will You Let Christ Heal You? (via the clever tweet: cursing the bird does not clean the windshield)
  • Most clicked: Are you Ready to See God Do the Impossible?

So, what’s next? I need to back off the daily grind of posting, though I didn’t intend to fall completely off the net last week. Expect to see 3-4 posts a week returning to my roots of posting commentary on current events mixed with some “deep thoughts” I gain along the way. I also attended a writer’s conference a couple of weeks ago, and I need to take that side of my writing more seriously. Hopefully I’ll have good news to share in the future with this venture. I’m also going to take this blog to the next level (step two in my three-year plan) so look for updates hopefully soon.

I’m likely not going to do a chapter-by-chapter study of another book. But I do plan on using books to spring off studies. While I need to catch up on other reading, I also have a backlog of books that I wouldn’t have if not for this blog. I owe a review of John and Staci Eldredge’s Love and War, thanks to Kevin Martineau I have the book Transforming Church in Rural America by Shannon O’Dell, and thanks to Peter Pollock (a long time ago) I have If God were Real by John Avant. The latter two scratch an itch that will turn into a study series down the road.

Thanks for participating in my study. Hope you stick around. Finally, for you, the reader, what worked for you and what didn’t? Please give feedback so our next study will be even better!

R12: Hindsight

Frank

So after (what felt like) sprinting through the Living on the Edge book, I wanted to look back at what worked and what didn’t. My motivation for structuring this “virtual small group” the way I did was twofold: one, I believe in the message and I wanted to get it out; and two, I wanted to see if this was an effective medium for delivering this message. In other words, I cared about this and I wanted to know if anyone else did either.

Bad news first. What didn’t work:

  • Length: It wasn’t my intention to rewrite the book, which I effectively did with each post. But I wanted to get more in-depth than just a review. Honestly, I would read a chapter, sit down at the keyboard, and whatever came out was what you saw. There was some early criticism of the length, but I wanted to be thourough enough that someone could participate without having the book and those who were compelled to pick it up, would have an additional perspective to deepen their convictions.
  • Pace: This goes with length. Posting daily thoughts on each chapter might have been more palatible if each post were shorter. I kept the pace I did because each chapter was short, and if I followed the standard one-chapter-a-week pace, it would’ve taken half a year to complete. Both length and pace were a drain on me and I’m sure they were on the reader as well.
  • The R12 videos: My original plan was to link the videos on Facebook and use that as a springboard for discussion there. Instead, I couldn’t embed those videos and Facebook was defaulted as another link to this blog.
  • The LOTE Facebook page: After an initial positive response to the idea, I posted (mostly) regular discussion points on Living On the Edge’s Facebook page. I didn’t get a single reply once I got started, though I did gain a couple of followers that way.
  • Facebook and Twitter: My experience was that I only got a few “hits” from these social media sites. So I can’t say either increased my traffic (which wasn’t necessarily my goal, but was a metric of how interested others were in this topic).
  • MOTIVE ME: These were pulled straight from the book and I was hoping they would initiate discussion. They didn’t and I am guilty myself of not following through on some of the actions that should have followed each chapter to deepen convictions. In other words, I wrote about it a lot, but I failed to put my own words into practice.

What worked:

  • Facebook and Twitter: While they didn’t increase traffic, I had some good discussions on Facebook and I gained several followers on Twitter. What is encouraging was that many of my new followers on Twitter are involved in some form of addiction ministries, which tells me I hit a nerve there.
  • Su.pr: I used su.pr to link my posts up on Twitter which would then update my Facebook page. I used Network Blogs to also update my Facebook status so FB got hit twice. But while I didn’t get many hits via Twitter or Facebook, I got a lot of traffic from StumbledUpon. I gained over 30 new followers and averaged over 40 hits (which is huge for me) on each post just from StumbledUpon.
  • Most commented: On Facebook, ironically a post that I failed to copy a link to this blog, I asked “Do you blame others for who you are? Do you blame God?” That struck a nerve with a few friends and there was a (by my standards) lengthy debate that followed on nature versus nurture.
  • Most retweeted: From Twitter, What does a Surrendered Life Look Like? And from StumbledUpon, both Are you Ready to See God Do the Impossible? and Will You Let Christ Heal You? (via the clever tweet: cursing the bird does not clean the windshield)
  • Most clicked: Are you Ready to See God Do the Impossible?

So, what’s next? I need to back off the daily grind of posting, though I didn’t intend to fall completely off the net last week. Expect to see 3-4 posts a week returning to my roots of posting commentary on current events mixed with some “deep thoughts” I gain along the way. I also attended a writer’s conference a couple of weeks ago, and I need to take that side of my writing more seriously. Hopefully I’ll have good news to share in the future with this venture. I’m also going to take this blog to the next level (step two in my three-year plan) so look for updates hopefully soon.

I’m likely not going to do a chapter-by-chapter study of another book. But I do plan on using books to spring off studies. While I need to catch up on other reading, I also have a backlog of books that I wouldn’t have if not for this blog. I owe a review of John and Staci Eldredge’s Love and War, thanks to Kevin Martineau I have the book Transforming Church in Rural America by Shannon O’Dell, and thanks to Peter Pollock (a long time ago) I have If God were Real by John Avant. The latter two scratch an itch that will turn into a study series down the road.

Thanks for participating in my study. Hope you stick around. Finally, for you, the reader, what worked for you and what didn’t? Please give feedback so our next study will be even better!

Baseball and Buffalo Wings

Frank

You know the feeling. You’re restless and anxious. You may be fidgety, uncomfortable in your own skin. Maybe you blame it on cabin fever, “I just need to get out.” Or maybe you blame it on the stress of your job, your family, your bills. Either way, you need to do something.

It’s at this point we face a critical decision. Do we turn to God as our strength? Or do we turn to something else to fill this hole?

You see it in other people too. The overbearing Little League parent. The workaholic. The person that always seems to be on edge. The addict.

What we all have in common is the need to be filled. We think pleasure will fill us, but that never seems to satisfy. We think companionship will fill us, but people will always let us down. We think accomplishments will fill us, but those never last.

For me lately, I turn to my comfort food and an opportunity to check-out. Give me a dozen wings and a big screen and don’t bother me for a couple of hours. I’ll fill my stomach and I’ll fill my mind, but that hole still remains.

That’s because this hole isn’t in my mind or my body, but is in my soul. This “God-shaped hole” can only be filled with a deep, meaningful, purposeful relationship with our Creator. Prayer, studying the Word, seeking out His will by serving others, doing what is right. These are the things that fill this hole. But we use that up. Like a gas tank on a long journey, we need to keep stopping to fill ourselves up.

It’s a long journey, this life. Don’t try to travel on an empty tank.

(This post is part of Bridget Chumbley’s Blog Carnival. This week’s topic is emptiness.)

Baseball and Buffalo Wings

Frank

You know the feeling. You’re restless and anxious. You may be fidgety, uncomfortable in your own skin. Maybe you blame it on cabin fever, “I just need to get out.” Or maybe you blame it on the stress of your job, your family, your bills. Either way, you need to do something.

It’s at this point we face a critical decision. Do we turn to God as our strength? Or do we turn to something else to fill this hole?

You see it in other people too. The overbearing Little League parent. The workaholic. The person that always seems to be on edge. The addict.

What we all have in common is the need to be filled. We think pleasure will fill us, but that never seems to satisfy. We think companionship will fill us, but people will always let us down. We think accomplishments will fill us, but those never last.

For me lately, I turn to my comfort food and an opportunity to check-out. Give me a dozen wings and a big screen and don’t bother me for a couple of hours. I’ll fill my stomach and I’ll fill my mind, but that hole still remains.

That’s because this hole isn’t in my mind or my body, but is in my soul. This “God-shaped hole” can only be filled with a deep, meaningful, purposeful relationship with our Creator. Prayer, studying the Word, seeking out His will by serving others, doing what is right. These are the things that fill this hole. But we use that up. Like a gas tank on a long journey, we need to keep stopping to fill ourselves up.

It’s a long journey, this life. Don’t try to travel on an empty tank.

(This post is part of Bridget Chumbley’s Blog Carnival. This week’s topic is emptiness.)

Memorial

Frank

(Thanks to Fred for the inspiration!)

We are a species created to remember. Nearly every country on Earth has memorials erected to honor fallen soldiers, past leaders/heroes and historical events. I love to visit Washington, DC- I city built of memorials. Perhaps the most moving is the Vietnam Memorial, where the name of every fallen soldier is listed. I haven’t yet seen the WWII Memorial, which saw so many soldiers lost that it would be near-impossible to list every name. Instead are stars, representing 100 fallen soldiers. There are 4048 such stars.

Today you are likely to enjoy a barbecue, take in a movie, or maybe visit the beach or a baseball game. There might be parades or memorial events at the local cemetery. But the real celebration of Memorial Day is enjoying the freedoms earned and protected by our fallen soldiers and those presently in the fight. In such a way, we are living memorials as our lives honor those who fought and fight for all that we have.

The Bible is likewise filled with memorials. Stones erected, places renamed, and altars built to remember what God had done for His Chosen People. Just a quick sampling: the naming of Bethel, where Jacob dreamt of the Stairway to Heaven; The twelve stones marking where the Nation of Israel crossed the Jordan; the place of Ebenezer, where the Israelites saw victory over the Philistines. After Christ, we have the memorial of the bread and wine, but with the curtain of the Temple torn in two and the tomb found vacant, there was not a physical memorial erected to memorialize what Jesus had done.

But there doesn’t need to be. We are that memorial. Paul writes, “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3, emphasis added)

Just as we celebrate Memorial Day today by enjoying the freedoms won for us, we celebrate the memorial of Jesus Christ every day by allowing our lives to be a testimony of the sacrifice offered on our behalf. Is you life a memorial to the sacrifice of Jesus?

Memorial

Frank

(Thanks to Fred for the inspiration!)

We are a species created to remember. Nearly every country on Earth has memorials erected to honor fallen soldiers, past leaders/heroes and historical events. I love to visit Washington, DC- I city built of memorials. Perhaps the most moving is the Vietnam Memorial, where the name of every fallen soldier is listed. I haven’t yet seen the WWII Memorial, which saw so many soldiers lost that it would be near-impossible to list every name. Instead are stars, representing 100 fallen soldiers. There are 4048 such stars.

Today you are likely to enjoy a barbecue, take in a movie, or maybe visit the beach or a baseball game. There might be parades or memorial events at the local cemetery. But the real celebration of Memorial Day is enjoying the freedoms earned and protected by our fallen soldiers and those presently in the fight. In such a way, we are living memorials as our lives honor those who fought and fight for all that we have.

The Bible is likewise filled with memorials. Stones erected, places renamed, and altars built to remember what God had done for His Chosen People. Just a quick sampling: the naming of Bethel, where Jacob dreamt of the Stairway to Heaven; The twelve stones marking where the Nation of Israel crossed the Jordan; the place of Ebenezer, where the Israelites saw victory over the Philistines. After Christ, we have the memorial of the bread and wine, but with the curtain of the Temple torn in two and the tomb found vacant, there was not a physical memorial erected to memorialize what Jesus had done.

But there doesn’t need to be. We are that memorial. Paul writes, “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3, emphasis added)

Just as we celebrate Memorial Day today by enjoying the freedoms won for us, we celebrate the memorial of Jesus Christ every day by allowing our lives to be a testimony of the sacrifice offered on our behalf. Is you life a memorial to the sacrifice of Jesus?

R12: Are you ready to see God do the impossible?

Frank

The bottom line, to supernaturally respond to evil with good is found in the concluding lines of Romans 12, “Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” Does this work? Absolutely! Though it does not prevent evil, remember we live in a fallen world, it does ensure that we are qualified to be Christ’s ambassadors to this world. The goal is not to rid the world of evil, but change our hearts and minds such that goodness permeates through every facet of our life such that the label ‘Christian’ or ‘little Christ’ truly applies.

Just as goodness should reign in every facet of our lives, in our thoughts and attitudes, it should also be apparent in our relationships as well. Recall that in this book, Romans 12 was divided into the following relationships: God (v 1), the world (v 2), ourselves (v 3-8), the Church (v 9-13), and our enemies (v 14-21). Overcoming evil with good can and should be applied to each of these.

To close out this final relationship, I want to call to mind the following scriptures to remind us and encourage us that we have someone fighting on our side that cannot be defeated. The battle is already won and Christ is the victor!

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Think: What does it mean to be an r12 Christian?
Reflect: How has this r12 journey impacted your life?
Understand: Of the five relationships we have studied together, in which of these have you seen the greatest spiritual growth? In which area do you need the most help in becoming more like Christ?
Surrender: Surrender is a point in time and also a life-long journey. How would you describe your present relationship with God?

  • I’m all in!
  • I’m holding back just a little.
  • I need help, I’m stuck with…

Take Action: This book is just the beginning of becoming an r12 Christian.
Motivation: If you commit to becoming an r12 disciple maker, go to r12 online and explore our free resources to help you disciple others. [follow the r12 button on the right and explore from there]
Encourage Someone: Encourage someone you know in another city who wants to grow. Send them a copy of this book and coach them or do the study with them.

Today concludes our “virtual small group” covering the book Living On The Edge. For how this group is going to work, read this entry. For an introduction with disclaimers, click here. For some numbers from Barna to motivate you to continue reading, go here. For the R12 videos, click the R12 button on the sidebar to the right. Finally, as we move forward through the book you can always catch up by clicking the R12 label at the end of each post.

R12: Are you ready to see God do the impossible?

Frank

The bottom line, to supernaturally respond to evil with good is found in the concluding lines of Romans 12, “Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” Does this work? Absolutely! Though it does not prevent evil, remember we live in a fallen world, it does ensure that we are qualified to be Christ’s ambassadors to this world. The goal is not to rid the world of evil, but change our hearts and minds such that goodness permeates through every facet of our life such that the label ‘Christian’ or ‘little Christ’ truly applies.

Just as goodness should reign in every facet of our lives, in our thoughts and attitudes, it should also be apparent in our relationships as well. Recall that in this book, Romans 12 was divided into the following relationships: God (v 1), the world (v 2), ourselves (v 3-8), the Church (v 9-13), and our enemies (v 14-21). Overcoming evil with good can and should be applied to each of these.

To close out this final relationship, I want to call to mind the following scriptures to remind us and encourage us that we have someone fighting on our side that cannot be defeated. The battle is already won and Christ is the victor!

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Think: What does it mean to be an r12 Christian?
Reflect: How has this r12 journey impacted your life?
Understand: Of the five relationships we have studied together, in which of these have you seen the greatest spiritual growth? In which area do you need the most help in becoming more like Christ?
Surrender: Surrender is a point in time and also a life-long journey. How would you describe your present relationship with God?

  • I’m all in!
  • I’m holding back just a little.
  • I need help, I’m stuck with…

Take Action: This book is just the beginning of becoming an r12 Christian.
Motivation: If you commit to becoming an r12 disciple maker, go to r12 online and explore our free resources to help you disciple others. [follow the r12 button on the right and explore from there]
Encourage Someone: Encourage someone you know in another city who wants to grow. Send them a copy of this book and coach them or do the study with them.

Today concludes our “virtual small group” covering the book Living On The Edge. For how this group is going to work, read this entry. For an introduction with disclaimers, click here. For some numbers from Barna to motivate you to continue reading, go here. For the R12 videos, click the R12 button on the sidebar to the right. Finally, as we move forward through the book you can always catch up by clicking the R12 label at the end of each post.