Hospitality

Hospitality

John 6:37

 

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” John 6:37

 

 

My brother Ryan and I have often talked about one of our fondest memories from growing up. It’s this. Often on Saturday mornings, while running his errands, Uncle Frank would stop by, sometimes with donuts or bagels. And it was this great thing for us. I think we liked it in part because my family seemed to enjoy when people would stop by uninvited. I think we liked that we had an “open house” feel to our home. One other thing I would throw in is that it seemed like people and life were less busy then. There seemed to be time enough to stop somewhere while running errands. I miss it.  

 

Things change, don’t they? Time, it seems, has appeared to have pushed hospitality away. On one hand, I would love to say, “Hey everybody, stop by whenever you want – open house!” And likewise, I would love to hear that from all of you. But in reality, the kids, all the stuff we haven’t gotten to yet, the lists, trying to recover from a work week, the list goes on. Who has time to “just stop by?” How many times have we all heard the doorbell or a knock and looked at each other thinking, “Oh no, who is this?”  

 

Are we missing something?

 

Hospitality. Welcoming people into our homes. Welcoming people into our churches. Many churches like to think of themselves as “welcoming.” I would say our church does a pretty good job as far as churches that I have observed.

 

And yet, I learned a whole new definition of hospitality – hospitality in Christ while in Africa. For example, we climbed this pretty tall mountain one day and I had my bag with me. A bag that had some important stuff in it – water, sunscreen (very important for a pale guy like me) and some other stuff. And as we went along I kept putting small rocks in the bag because I like to give them as gifts to people – Psalm 18:2 says, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge…” Anyway, all the way up and all the way down, I didn’t have to carry my bag. This is because Peter was carrying it. Peter lives and serves in the village in the valley and as soon as we started heading toward the mountain, he literally took my bag off my shoulder and kept it even when I protested. I thought, “He shouldn’t have to carry my bag.” But it was his way of showing Christ’s hospitality.

 

Gabriel (the missionary we work with in Nigeria and our host that week) explained to us at one point, “In America, you are about getting things done. In Africa, we are about relationships. You are more productive for sure. But we have these relationships.”

 

Almost everywhere we went, people automatically picked up our bags or luggage. It would have been offensive to them for us to carry our own things or to insist on it. When we see or greet someone, we usually say, “How are you?” or if in New Jersey, “How you doin?” J In Nigeria, their main greeting, and we heard it all week is, “You are welcome, sir.” When I first heard it, I tried to remember if I had said “Thank you.” But I hadn’t. This is how they greet people or at least visitors, “You are welcome, sir.”

 

When we went to two churches on Sunday in Nigeria, we were whisked to the front of the church. I know for some that might be scary – the front row – AHH! But it seemed to me that this was a place of honor.

 

When we would visit people’s homes or villages, it was clear that we were welcome and that anything we needed – was ours. In one village they gave us a whole branch from a banana tree about 50 little bananas on it (probably saved my life coming down the mountain). When we visited schools, the children stood up and greeted us. People made time for us and put meals and snacks together rather joyfully.

 

This is a long way to say, that the definition of Christian hospitality I learned and observed in Africa was this, “Anything I have is for you.” And I think it is the right one.

 

When I think of Jesus’ words, “…and whoever comes to me, I will never drive away (John 6:37).” When I think of Jesus’ life, how he gave it away for you and me, though we didn’t deserve it and how in spite of how we are often inhospitable to Him in our daily lives. I think we might be missing something about reflecting the hospitality of Christ.

 

Can you and I practice, “Anything I have is yours” kind of hospitality with our time, or our homes, or our money, or our faith, or churches? Are you and I up for what “Anything I have is yours” means when it comes to welcoming people into our lives? For example, on Sunday morning, can we go beyond politely greeting visitors to somehow communicating this idea? Saying, “This is my church and I give it you this morning because you have visited.”

 

How can we? It’s “ours” right? If we open up, and share, and pour out what we treasure – is it still ours? If I open my whole life to Jesus and to my family and to my friends, what will happen to the “me” that I know? Can we be like Jesus and never close off or drive away anyone who comes to us in fellowship or need?

 

Uncle Frank lives in Georgia now so he won’t be stopping by this Saturday morning. But in thinking about his visits and my visit to Africa and Jesus’ words, maybe it’s time to rethink how welcoming we are and how much we are investing in relationships – by just stopping by sometimes or welcoming those who just want to get to know us better or connect.

 

Amen.

 

Discussion Questions

1. When was the last time you stopped by just to say “hello”?
2. How is time or your schedule working for or against relationship building?
3. How do you define hospitality? Hospitality in Christ?
4. What do you think of an “Anything I have is yours” approach to living? What might get in the way of this?
5. Have you ever experienced the kind of hospitality I described? Where and what did you observe about it?

Going Forth

Isaiah 55:11

Going Forth

 

“so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” From the RSV

 

“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” From the NLT

 

 

You know, growing up I remember that most of my reading revolved around two resources. I wasn’t a big Dr. Seuss reader or stuff like that – maybe some Richard Scarry J. When I had free reading time, I would randomly pick a volume from our World Book Encyclopedia set and read the articles in them. And, I read the Bible, especially stories of Jesus doing amazing things. I really liked that – Jesus healing, calming the storms and other stuff. I know, sounds kind of nerdy. It is also a bit peculiar given my Catholic background in that, at the time, there didn’t seem to be a lot of emphasis on reading the Bible. But yet, there I was reading a Bible given to me by my third grade CCD teacher, Jim. I can still see his inscription on the page.  

 

What a gift he gave me. He couldn’t have known the impact giving me a Bible would have and the impact it would have many, many people because of my reading it. It is kind of like throwing a stone in a pond, the ripple effect.

 

Here I am, less than a week from my trip to Africa to bring God’s Word to a people who have very little access to the Gospel. Many of whom have never heard it and will never be able to read it because of illiteracy.

 

One of the things we did in Africa was meet with groups of pastors. And many times, when it was my turn to address them I would say, “Brothers, you and I know what it means to know Jesus (through the Word); you and I know that life without Jesus – is no life! So that is why we have come here, to bring the Word of life to people so that they may hear it and have life in Christ.” And I really think and mean that. That is what has been driving me in this project.

 

When we think of me going to Africa, I fully admit that it doesn’t make sense on a lot of levels. And when I first got there, I did experience a time of “What have I done! What am I doing in Africa!” But I also remember something my Dad said to me a few years ago. He said, “CB, you go to places and to people that few or none of us can go or get to.” And he was right, over my life, before ministry and in ministry, God has given me this gift, though uncomfortable and uncertain most of the time, of reaching and connecting with places and people that have never been reached or have been forgotten of left behind.

 

So in that light, the trip to Africa seems not so strange. But a little bit like my book Giving Faith a Second Chance which speaks to those who feel alienated, rejected and distanced from God and church, this trip was part of my life’s purpose – extending a hand of love and compassion to those in need, those in prisons and dark places.

 

And always, my outstretched hand is strengthened, in fact my hand can only reach out because of the power of the Word and Spirit. My love for God’s Word and how it has transformed the way I live, think, and act. Obviously, a long way to go, but still, all those years of reading it has shaped me into this instrument for bringing the Word. I have always loved that my parents gave me the name Christopher, which means Christ-bearer or bringer.

 

So often on the trip to Africa we saw the power of God’s Word at work so visibly. One of the clearest stories was on the first day we were there. We arrived in the evening and our hosts; Gabriel and Geoffrey asked me if I would like to preach the next morning at a church. I had not prepared for that, I was prepared to talk about the Treasure (audio New Testament units that we brought with us), but I said sure. So I prayed and asked God to lead me to a passage that would be a word for this congregation, Geoffery’s church. So we went there the next morning and we were very welcomed. The pastor then starts to explain that the night before he had been working on his message and was having a lot of trouble. He asked God why he was having such a hard time. God’s answer, he said, was “You are not preaching tomorrow; I am sending you someone else to preach the Word.” As you might imagine, the pastor was a little concerned. A pastor without a message on Sunday morning, hoping, trusting that someone else was going to show up? But the pastor trusted. And about two hours later, Geoffery called to say that there was a pastor from the US who was willing to preach the next morning.   

 

But it gets better.

 

After I preached from Acts 2:42-47, the pastor stands up and says, “Church, I am holding back tears, because of how God is speaking to our church. This brother (me) could not have known that we had just studied this passage on Friday and Saturday as part of our leadership retreat about how God is going to lead us in the future. So God has sent him here to encourage us forward in our mission.” With God, everything has purpose – no coincidences!

 

And that was just the first day. Over and over throughout the week, all of us saw the power of God’s Word and Spirit just moving in front of us, opening doors, building bridges, producing miracles, giving life.

 

We talk a lot in our churches of being all about the Word. And I am sure we mean it. But I am more convinced than ever of that and that my official title is Minister of Word and Sacrament. Do I fully understand the depths of this? Not sure I ever could. But certainly when I look at my life and I look at this trip, I came a little closer.

 

I saw this verse fulfilled over and over again – “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it (Isaiah 55:11).” It reminded me that the most powerful force in this world - stronger than military might, stronger than violence and bullies, stronger than love and hate, stronger than lust and greed, stronger disease and poverty, stronger than death and sin, is God’s Word and Spirit – it is the only power that can change this world. Name any situation in life or in the world – and when you bring God’s Word and Spirit to it – it is changed.

 

I went to Africa to bring God’s Word to a people that have never heard it and we have unleashed something so powerful that it could change a nation. I have preached hundreds of sermons and written hundreds of Living Waters to share the Word as I have heard the Lord speak it to me – to draw people closer to Jesus. I have sent Bibles to cousins and childhood friends thinking it was the best gift and best way I could love them. All my life, starting with a gift of a Bible, I have been reading and thinking about Scripture and have been shaped and formed by it. My life in and for the Word has “produced blessed fruit” and “prospered” in my life and everywhere He has sent me to bring it.

 

And as long as He wills it, I will go forth to faithfully bring His Word by the power of His Spirit.

 

Amen.

 

Discussion Questions

1. What is the value or importance of God’s Word in your life?
2. How have you seen it work in your own life or in others?
3. If there is a part of your life that needs change, have you tried applying God’s Word to it? Why not?
4. Think of someone with whom you can sharea a passage or a Bible. How about today? 

Amazing!

First of all thanks to Jenny for posting updates as well. So many stories. Never in my life did I imagine that I would be sitting on a bench in a village in Africa with all the members of a little village, praying for them and telling them that people whom they have never met love and pray for them. Only God can make stuff like that happen. As I sat there and surveyed the faces, I realized that I did love these people very much even though I had only met them a few minutes before that. I am just so thankful to God for the heart He has given to me and continues to shape. It has been a blessed, very fruitful trip. We have seen many signs and wonders. God working clear as day and at times subtly too. I look forward to trying to make sense of it all. I have learned a lot. It has been challenging. But I held on tight to God’s hand, told people what Jesus has meant to my life and to others, preached and prayed with churches, pastors and villages, ached for the nearness of loved ones, grieved for the awful living conditions of many people here, was inspired by the passionate faith in Christ I have seen over and over, rejoiced, laughed, made new friends, saw myself in many different lights and angles, felt uncomfortable, felt at home, and many other things. Thanks be to God, and thanks to everyone. See you soon.

Continued Prayers

The news from Nigeria is very encouraging!  The team has been able to gain access to villages and distribute many, many Treasures (audio Bibles).  To quote Christopher’s most recent E-mail, “Wednesday was even better than Tuesday!  We were in a village and God was so present there in so many ways!”

I personally can’t wait to hear more about it!  But for now, I know that more prayer is needed.  The schedule for the next couple of days appears to be rather flexible, so please pray that God would lead the team to the areas and opportunities where He wants them to serve.  In addition, please pray for endurance at this point in the trip.

Dear Lord, Thank you so much for all that you are doing and the opportunities that you are providing.  I pray that you would continue to encourage Christopher, Don, Ron, and Greg in the work they are doing, and that you would provide clear guidance as to what steps they should take in the next couple of days.  And when they rest, Lord, I pray that you would give them pure, rejuvenating, restorative sleep in preparation for the days ahead.  May you be glorified, Lord!  And if there are any remaining details that need to be tended to, in order to leave the people with the resources they need to continue in their faith, please make that clear as well and lead the team toward any action that is needed.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen!

Thank you for the prayers - live from Yola, Nigeria

Hello: Just a quick note to say we are all safe and doing well. And to say that your prayers and God’s power are really at work here. We have met with bishops, pastors and village chiefs who have said “Yes!” enthusiastically to accepting the audio Gospel called The Treasure. We are in awe of how the Lord is using us. I got to preach at a church in Abuja, Nigeria on Sunday and it was received very, very well. The pastor said afterward that he was holding back tears of thanksgiving and emotion for the message. We have climbed up a mountain for almost two hours to visit a village of people to deliver The Treasure - to which they applauded. Just so many amazing things! I will have many more stories to share. But again keep the prayers going! In Him, Christopher

Pray With Me

We’ve been doing a mini-series at church on fear, and today, Bill preached on 1 Samuel 12:24-13:14.  In the passage, Saul is told explicitly to wait for Samuel’s return before taking action.  But in the rush of his own anxiety, Saul decides to go ahead and press forward without Samuel, offering a “burnt offering” to God in anticipation of battle.

Life is like that a lot, isn’t it?  We don’t do so well with waiting!  And in those moments, we’re prone to anxiety and ideas of our own, which in and of themselves don’t sound so bad.  (What was wrong Saul making an offering before battle?  It might have been exactly the thing to do if he hadn’t been told to wait instead for Samuel’s return.)

And as I sat there listening this morning, verse 24 really stuck out to me.  It says “Only fear the LORD, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.”  I pray this for our team in Africa this week.

I’m sure there will be a lot of waiting.  Waiting on the Lord’s timing, waiting for translators, waiting as trust is built before sharing the Treasures.  Pray with me that Christopher, Ron, Don, and Greg will Only fear the LORD, and serve him faithfully. Pray that their actions will be built upon their own knowledge of how God has led them in the past (”for consider what great things he has done for you.”)

Great Lord, pour out your Spirit on our team this week.  Help them to wait upon you, and listen carefully for your guidance with every step that they take.  We know that your presence is always with us - that’s one of the great blessings we get to enjoy as Believers!  But I pray especially that you would make your presence known to them, that they would feel your leading them every step of this journey.  Shine your love through them and break through language barriers, as only your Spirit can, and help the people to know that they come in peace and in love.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  ~Amen.

Live from Amsterdam

Writing from the “communication centre” in the Amsterdam Airport. Some thoughts. The flight was fine, not a lot of rest. Before God can use us for great things, we usually have to be stripped down. That is how I feel. A lot of uncomfortability - being away from my family, gross airline food, little rest. But I have to see it as part of shaping me for the work ahead. Please pray for strength, patience and resting on Him alone. Think about this, we are going to deliver almost 400 treasures - that will be used by thousands to hear the Gospel and to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. May Jesus Christ be praised! Amen!

They’re Off!

Hi! It’s Jen.  I’ll be writing on the blog while Christopher is in Nigeria.  Here is the schedule for the next few days:

• Tonight they fly to Detroit, and then to Amsterdam.
• They’ll arrive in Amsterdam in the early morning on Saturday (our time).
• Then they’ll fly on to Abuja, which is the capital of Nigeria.  They’ll arrive in Abuja at around 7:30 pm local time, which would be 1:30 pm our time.

For now, please pray that all four guys - Christopher, Don, and Ron from our church, and Greg from World Mission - would be able to sleep well on the flight overnight, and arrive in Nigeria safe and well rested.  Please also pray for opportunities for them to bond together in this early part of the trip.

It’s possible that they will have E-mail access at certain points.  When I hear from them, I’ll relay the message here on the blog and keep you up to date on their progress and prayer needs.  Thanks so much for your prayers!!!!

Lord, Thank you for this awesome opportunity!  Equip Christopher, Don, Ron, and Greg for the work that is ahead.  Prepare their hearts and their minds - as you go before them.  Thank you ahead of time for keeping them safe and blessing them with open hearts and a willingness to serve you in this way.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (From The Message)

“Be strong.  Take courage.  Don’t be intimidated…because God, your God, is striding ahead of you.  He’s right there with you.  He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.”  ~Amen!

The Journey

Isaiah 42:7 - “To open the eyes that are blind, to free the captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.”

Some of the things we will be doing in Nigeria visiting the Fulani people: Deliver the “Treasures” (mp3 players of the Gospel in the Fulani language) to places around Nigeria; visit and pray with church leaders from the region; preach to and encourage new Christians there; visit potential sites for a church to be built; listen and look for God working in ways I have never seen before; be in awe.

Please continue to check back for updates. Thank you for all the prayers. Blessings, Christopher

 

Fearless

Fearless

Romans 8:12-25 (Remix of Sunday’s Sermon –audio available at www.firstgrandville.org; click on Resources then Downloads then Sermons)

 

 

FEAR – False Evidence Appearing Real!

 

We are afraid of the dark, the future, failure and death. Why? These are all things we cannot see very well or at all.

 

And so what happens so often is that in fear, we grasp for things we can see. In this passage, Paul reminds us that “if you live according to the flesh, you will die…” Romans 8:13. We do some crazy stuff when we are afraid; things we might not normally do. Or if we live with fear so long, we incorporate living according to the flesh or satisfying the flesh as a way of coping with the fear. How often do people say, “I need a ______ “ to calm down.

 

And we know that if we let those things go on long enough, we become enslaved. “For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15).” Did you read how fear is not where we are supposed to be – fear is the fallback position? How?

 

“When we cry “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” Romans 8:16-17. How about that? We can’t even begin to imagine the inheritance of glory and blessing being a joint heir with Christ in His Kingdom. But there is God’s Word proclaiming it!

 

The point of this is to say that we often are not living with the power and fearlessness we should be - given what we believe and consequently what that faith creates in us.

 

If we are children and heirs of God, which we are, who or what in this world can threaten us or take anything away? The threats will always be there, some very scary stuff happens in this world and in our lives, but this passage is showing us about how we react to and how we live with the fears and threats.

 

“For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience (Romans 8:25).”

 

Sometimes, many times, we have to wait for God’s promises to be fulfilled. And guess who loves to exploit the waiting? The enemy, Satan. He loves to jump into times of waiting and flood the place fear. This is why we need to rely on hope. Hope is the expectation, the confidence of something good coming while we are waiting. Not easy for sure. But it takes transforming our vision and our outlook from what we see (circumstances) to what is promised and to who God is? I know, I know, largely invisible things; but this is the way to living with confidence, power and fearlessness. No more relying on False Evidence Appearing Real!

 

Are you ready?

 

Leaving fear behind, remembering that we are children of God, joint heirs with Christ, and we have a hope that can’t be shaken by anything in this world because it flows from God…

 

We are not going to be afraid of the dark anymore,

We are not going to be afraid of failing anymore,

We are not going to be afraid of the future,

We are not going to be afraid of death,

We are not going to be afraid of living,

We are not going to be afraid to show others that we love Jesus,

We are not going to be afraid of a diagnosis,

We are not going to be afraid of what “they” think,

We are not going to be afraid of losing a job or relationship,

We are not going to be afraid to put it all on the line,

We are not going to be afraid to show others how much we love them,

We are not going to be afraid of receiving the love and help of others,

We are not going to be afraid of disappointing others,

We are not going to be afraid of anything that will get in the way of doing and being what Jesus has called us and shaped us to be!

 

Amen!

 

Discussion Questions

1. What are your worst fears? What is about them that makes you afraid?
2. How do you usually deal with your fears?
3. How often do you think of yourself as a child of God and joint heir of Christ? Would thinking this more frequently make a difference in how you live? Why or why not?
4. What is one fear you are going to seek to let go of today?