A New Vision for First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook, NJ

Dear Brothers and Sisters: I invite you to join in celebrating with me, the new vision for First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook – 

 

“For my house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples (Isaiah 56:7).” Our vision: To become a place of powerful prayer for our congregation and  community – through which we can build relationships and minister with even more impact for Christ. The central message of this vision is “How Can We Pray For

 You?” 

 

As we go forward, it will engage congregation members of all ages to be involved in loving our neighbors; and we will be utilizing multiple channels to project our message of “How Can We Pray For You?” to people in need – personal outreach, web sites, social media as well as prayer services. And, we will look forward in faith to the fruit that God will bring from all the prayers and praying. 

 

For me, I am so thankful to God. I have served at three churches and in each case He has been faithful to grant powerful and unique visions that have helped shape congregations and individual believers. Vision animates, vision unites, vision lends purpose, vision points us to possibility. Vision is a picture of what God most desires in a given context. A long time ago, when I was on a 9th grade trip to Washington D.C, wandering through the Capitol Building, I found a plaque above a door that read, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…(Proverbs 29:11).” That left such an impression on me. And beginning in college, I have sought to bring this to every endeavor of my life – personal, professional and ministry. Asking what God desires for lives, a congregation, people, and community; and passionately seeking with the Holy Spirit’s help to actualize it. Discerning and casting vision takes hard work – constant prayer, understanding the present in truth, knowing the Word, effective communication, knowing the collective gifts of the given congregation, patience and endurance, understanding God’s mission for the church, and being aware of the needs of people in the community. It is truly a gift from God in so many ways.  

 

Thank you for your support and prayers!

 

In Christ, 

 

Christopher

 

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@gmail.com

http://www.christopherbwolf.com

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Beyond Imagination

Also, please visit this website to see pictures from my trip to Africa, http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=510771&id=543293163&l=85ec1

1 Corinthians 2:9-10

Beyond Imagination (Classic)

 

 “But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him” – these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

 

Too often we want to take the mystery out of faith. Mystery can be uncomfortable. For example, what if you came into church and there was no bulletin (don’t worry, not this Sunday)? We like to have things about faith, church, and life to be predictable.

 

And then we remember this verse, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him… (9)” Scholars say that it appears that Paul is paraphrasing Isaiah 64:4, which reads, “From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.”

 

It reminds us that God is beyond our senses and imaginations. There are beautiful things to see, wonderful words and music to hear and dreams and prayers from our hearts to feel that are all waiting for us.

 

And what does that do for our daily walk with Christ if we know these amazing things are waiting for us? Because scholars point out that verse 9 is not limited to the idea of heaven, one can interpret this verse, and I would agree, that these amazing things are being prepared for us while here on earth as well. And isn’t it true? I know we often dwell on the negative, but how many other things would qualify as things we have seen and heard and dreamed that have been realized? Seeing things like rainbows, breathtaking views of mountains and lakes. Hearing tender words of love and encouragement that you never expected or thought possible. Hearing the voices of children as they are praying. And dreams that we couldn’t have even conceived of, happening in front of us. All of us have these and many more coming. So again, doesn’t it change our living and walk with Christ if we come to expect them without being able to fully perceive them?!?! What can it do for our attitudes when facing trials and difficult circumstances when we face them?

 

It also tells us about God’s character. It says that this is a God who is always at work preparing amazing things for His children. He’s the father who bursts through the door with unbelievable surprises for his kids.

 

As much as we can try to imagine these things God is preparing, as wonderful as we can picture things, they are still all beyond our imagination…

 

Amen.

 

Discussion Questions

1. How does it feel to think of God’s love being present in our lives but also being beyond comprehension?
2. What is one way our walk with Christ can change when we expect the unimaginable blessings God has prepared for us?
3. How does affect your perception of who God is and what he is doing in your life?
4. Are you up for a little more mystery after reading this? Why or why not?

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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?

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What it means to be a pastor

By Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” says the LORD in Isaiah 43:18-19.

Though these words were written thousands of years ago, they speak anew for being a pastor today.

What does it mean to be a minister today? There are five cornerstones:

Leading with Vision

Spiritual leadership requires the ability to listen, to respond to, and to effectively communicate God’s desire and will for a congregation – His vision for His people at a given time. At the same time, spiritual leaders must also be able to perceive and name the very real challenges that the community faces. It would be easier to look away or focus on “other things” or leave in place the illusion of “everything is great.” But spiritual leadership calls for something much more daring – to speak the truth of the Gospel to the truth of life today. All over the nation, families are struggling economically, young people are falling into self-destructive behaviors like drugs and inhalants; and there is also the problem of violence and abuse in homes and relationships; and there seems to be a collective turning away from God. Therefore, leading with vision is acknowledging, and yet seeing through, the sin, chaos, and confusion, in order to steadfastly communicate what God’s wants to accomplish.     

Preaching with Urgency

The humorous image of the congregation falling asleep during a sermon is on one hand all too often true, but is also the very opposite its purpose. Given the power of the Gospel, and given the terrifying prospect of so many aspects of life today, each Sunday, each sermon, should be a rallying wake-up call for congregations, not a time to hit the snooze button. The Bible addresses the issues that young people face, choices that parents and older adults have to make, as well as all other life situations. It is up to preachers today through the power of the Holy Spirit, to show how the Word of God speaks boldly to this very moment. The radical love of Christ, the clear calls to sacrifice and prioritizing, as well as concern for neighbors, are all articulated in the Scriptures and must be communicated above and through the noise and confusion of life today.

Caring for Congregation Members

The vocation of ministry carries such responsibility and demands great compassion – which cannot be manufactured. There is no other job or position in which people allow you into living rooms, hospital rooms and often the darkest places of their lives. And frankly, there are very few jobs that require the amount of love and compassion it takes to truly and effectively care for God’s people. Consequently, to be a pastor today requires the constant remembrance of this awesome privilege and the trust that is granted.

Caring for Self and Family

As complex and rewarding as ministry has become, there have also been destructive results. Minister burnout appears to be up in all faith traditions in addition to fewer people joining the ministry. It is crucial for pastors to care for themselves and their families as they care for the congregation. This also means that a minister has to let the congregation care for him or her. It is often hard for those who enter into caregiver professions like ministry to let others care for them. But I think of it this way: If I am not at my best, my service and care for the congregation suffers. So caring for myself is part of ministry.

Empowering Church Members to Meet Community Needs

Many pastors and churches have neglected their role as voices and agents for faith and values within their communities. Isn’t it clear now that the “decline” of our society, as far as values and morals, corresponds with the dissipating voices and influence of churches and other faith communities? Therefore, it is time for pastors and churches to regain and restore their prophetic voices when speaking to power and when speaking to society. To be a minister is to educate, energize and lead congregations to greater involvement in their communities. The head of the church, Jesus Christ, fully engaged His context. Likewise, the body of Christ – the church – must also.

And that is why wherever there is pain, wherever there is oppression, wherever there is suffering, injustice, loneliness and hopelessness – that is where I must go and lead others to bring the loving, hopeful, liberating, saving words and presence of Christ. In sanctuaries, living rooms, neighborhoods, hospital rooms, streets, classrooms, workplaces, courtrooms, and legislative chambers – this is where I must go.

And I must – despite all the rage, destruction, and desolation of this world – have the faith to believe that God is doing new things in our communities and in our lives and to perceive them springing forth.

Amen.

Discussion Questions

1. What shapes your view of pastors today? How does that image compare with these above cornerstones?
2. What do you think being a pastor means today?
3. What role does the congregation play in the success or failure of a pastor?
4. Are the above realistic expectations or are they too much? Can anyone realistically fulfill these? Why or why not?
5. How would you prioritize the above five cornerstones? Please explain why.

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Something New

Isaiah 43:18-21

Something New 

“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert…to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.” Isaiah 43:18-21  

Sometimes we get stuck in the past. We dwell on things from years ago. We do this in relationships when we keep bringing up stuff from a long time ago. We do this in our minds – we keep going over how we might have done things differently or keep going over regrets as if they happened yesterday. We do this in our families and our churches too. “Nothing changes…people always do what they do,” we say with resignation.  

We see in this passage how the Lord understands this. Speaking to His people through the prophet Isaiah, He wanted to offer comfort and preparation. Comfort in the sense of with God, the past is the past. Further, this passage reminds us that newness is part of God’s character. In many other parts of the Bible, God reminds people that He is always doing something new. And that is the preparation part. In saying to His people, “Do not remember the former things…I am about to do a new thing,” it shows that this is a God who prepares us for the new things He is doing. 

What happens though is we often don’t see it. Because we are stuck on the past, we don’t even see the new things God is doing. We label as the same old bad luck or pattern we have always seen. I think this is why the verse, “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” is in there. God is going to do His new thing whether or not we see it. I think He certainly hopes that we do. 

But what if we lived as this verse suggests? What if every morning we woke up looking for the new things that God is doing – expecting to see them? What if we trusted and believed that God was doing a new thing (which He is) and prayed for and received the vision to see it? It is a totally different way of living for most of us.  

It would also help us to put the past where it belongs. If we are focused on the new God is doing, the past is behind. Sometimes, these new things will take time, not always overnight, but we know from this passage that they are happening. That way, the damage and wreckage of the past passes by us like clouds – they just keep moving away.  

Living like this would mean that all the losses and all the things that we have classified as “the end” or destruction could actually be seen as God doing something new. Imagine this?!! Lose a job…God doing something new. A loved one dies…God is doing something new. Malignant diagnosis…God is doing something new. Marriage broken or ending…God is doing something new. Do something that seems unforgivable…God is still doing something new. Anything or anyone that looks like they are failing or dying or struggling…God is doing something new. This is does not take away from the reality of grief and loss. God understands that as well and walks with us through it. But waiting on the other side of grief, perhaps even through grief and loss at times is God doing something new. It may not be what we want to be new or restored…but it is God doing what He knows to be best through the new. 

Because as this passage says, “to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.” Through Jesus Christ today, we are the people, each one of us, formed for God’s pleasure so that we might, in sunny times and cloudy days, declare that He is God and that despite what things look like, He is making all things new (Revelation 21:6). 

Amen! 

Discussion Questions

1. Are there things from your past that you would love to let go of? Is it time to do that today based on this passage?
2. What is keeping you from believing that God is doing something new and it is a matter of us seeing and believing? What can we do about it?
3. Name something that you consider a loss and think about how something new came from it – greater awareness or thanksgiving or a change.
4. Think of a time when God made “a way in the wilderness” for you. A situation that seemed impossible but somehow something amazing happened – could be reconciliation or forgiveness.
5. Right now, God is doing something new! I pray that you see it. Think of different parts of your life and try to see it. I know it may involve letting go of something of the past or something treasured – but He is still doing something new and it is for our good (Romans 8:28).  

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