the drum|rob fairbanks

Wrestling with God

By Corey

As of late, my favorite story from Scripture is found in Genesis 32. Jacob is beginning to make his way back to Esau to ask for forgiveness. The story continues on when Jacob is left alone at night and “a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day” (Genesis 32:24 ESV). As morning arrives the man tells Jacob to stop wrestling but Jacob holds on and will not let go of the man. And as we know, Jacob is blessed, his name is changed to Israel and his life delivered.

            I love this passage because it demonstrates two aspects of faith. First, it shows that it is okay to wrestle with God. I think this is a crucial part of faith, which is often avoided as often as possible. However, I know from my own experience that I grow the most when I am struggling or confused with what God is doing in my life. I further see this in our class, Missional Church. Take for instance the four pastors that came in and talked with us. One of the things that I saw in common between the four was that they all got to where they are through trials and times of questioning. Colby had been stopped from going to China two times and the other three all had really discouraging experiences with the Church. Through these struggles, it became clear that each one was grateful for what they had gone through because it brought them closer to Jesus. 

            The second idea that is demonstrated in this passage is that in order to wrestle with certain ideas one needs to be determined to stay faithful and find the answer. For me, this idea resonates more firmly because anyone can struggle or doubt, but it takes faith and determination to work through that struggle. I am most amazed at how Jacob held onto the man fighting him and demand that he blessed. This is what I want to do; I want to hold on to God so that I can bless others through God’s blessing on me.

Enough Sitting Around, Do It

By Nathan

I have been listening my entire life. In classes, to other people, in Sunday school and church, I have always been a listener. I have received numerous blessings from this skill and have learned many things. Without listening I wouldn't be who I am today, but for really the first time in my life, I want to do more than listen.

 Listening to the speakers that have come into our class, all of them are making changes in their communities and slowly changing the way church has been practiced for decades, for the better. I see these people that are filled with the Holy Spirit both listening to the Lord and living out the way God intended us to. These pastors are living their faith and have shown the way of Jesus through their words AND their actions.

I have been thinking and praying about what God wants me to do vocationally with my life to honor him. One would think that I already have this planned out since I am going to college and getting my degree, and at one point I thought I knew what to do, but either I didn’t think I was listening to what God had in store for me to do or I wasn’t ready to do what he wanted me to do.

In class we got the opportunity to hear from Bryan Dormaier, a church planter in Portland. During the conversation we talked about the struggles of situations in which we communicate our faith and someone mentioned that they have grown the most in their faith through putting themselves in uncomfortable situations, such as talking with people that you might never talk with - something I would never do. That’s something I aim to change by LISTENING to God and ACTING on it.

You're Killing My Sheep

By Kirsten

I don’t really have a whole lot to say. This verse came to me as I was trying to think of something to post a blog about. It may seem lazy, but the Word of God speaks for itself. As this Missional Church class has been going on, a deep set conviction has been bothering me, namely, I have been called as a shepherd to God’s flock, yet what have I done to take care of the flock? This may be a passage we can all muse on a little while.

Ezekiel 34:1-10: “The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them. Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.”

 

To Hell and Back

By Jeff

It struck me recently that our generation may be devaluing a crucial leadership pre-req, we do not demand leaders who bear the scars of Hell.

It seems that our comfortable Christianity that nurtures itself is too afraid of failure. We do not seem to live radically driven lives full of the Holy Spirit. That is not to say that there are not leaders out there who are full of the Holy Spirit, but they seem to be far and few between! I don’t know about you, but I I want a leader who has experienced failure and pain and quite frankly HELL. I do not want to be led by anyone who has not walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

When did we as a culture forget that Christ did exactly this for us? And, that we are called to take up our cross and follow him! I doubt that means that we are called to be leaders who are so wrapped up in our achievement based culture that we are not willing to bet it all on Christ because let’s face it, that RISK may not promise us fulfillment if we view our lives through the lens of a culture enthralled with achievements. Since when have achievements become a part of our identity? Isn’t sharing in God’s restoration of the Earth enough for us? That should be mind-blowingly exciting, motivating and inspiring! So how have we ended up being leaders who are passive and content with the state of this world? 

If we as leaders do not fail to the point of understanding a new depth of humility at some point, I would challenge that we are not leading in a Kingdom manner. If we as leaders have not entirely laid out ourselves for others, I am not sure that we are worth being followed by those seeking to bring about the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit will guide and protect! My self-imposed stability does not guide and protect me.     

    

As leaders, we should walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death to bring God’s Kingdom or die trying.

 

The Mission of Righteousness

By Kirsten

This Missional Church class is probably the most convicting “sermon” series I have heard in years. If I am to be completely honest, my walk with Christ has been marked by several lapses into outright sinful living. Like many Christians, and if I am to guess correctly, mostly Christians in the West, I struggle to maintain a life of purity in the midst of a culture and church that doesn’t really value righteous living.

There has been a disconnect in my mind between Jesus’ words “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48) and the reality of Paul’s words “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15). I used to believe that once people became Christians, perfection followed. Righteousness has always been to me some kind of trophy to be won and put on a shelf which I would dust off once a year, which is a mindset that has often left me frustrated.

 

It wasn’t until today that something clicked. In class, I found out that righteousness can also be translated as justice. The reason why this is so profound is because justice goes beyond what Jesus can do only for me, but what His Spirit seeks to work out for all people. I have struggled for years to understand how to focus my attention outside of myself in order to love God and people better. What has been severely lacking is a deeper understanding of the gospel message, and of righteousness. Jesus’ gives a call to his disciples in Matthew 28: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” This message to serve all people, so they too can enjoy in the riches of God’s mercy and righteousness, is humbling and beautiful. It is far more exciting to know that God is working for more than just me.

A Good Friday Special - Johnny Cash

A great one by Johnny Cash.  Bono on Johnny Cash: "Locusts and honey ... not since John The Baptist has there been a voice like that crying in the wilderness. ... Every man knows he is a sissy compared to Johnny Cash."

Sing it Johnny...

 

 

The Mystery of Good Friday - HT MH

After attending the services at our church last night, I am still speechless. Good Friday commemorates perhaps the greatest mystery in the history of the world. How is it that God Himself—the Creator of the Universe—can suffer death at the hands of His creatures?

via michaelhyatt.com

I have been following Michael Hyatt for some time (please check out his site for a wealth of good stuff) now and really appreciate his thoughts and writing.  He normally writes into issues of leadership and productivity, but found this a good re-blog for today – Good Friday.

Peace to you all!

Rob