Personal Growth is a Group Activity

The beautiful weather that we enjoy in Fall is a irresistible invitation to be out in our Lord’s glorious creation.  One of my favorite cool-weather activities is biking.  The colorful trees, the dashing squirrels, the crisp air, and the crunch of leaves under my tires all make the experience exhilarating.  That said, biking does require effort on my part, and I admit that I often pedal harder than necessary at times so that I can “coast” a bit later. 

If the truth be known, I would like to coast in my spiritual life as well.  But try as I might, I cannot find any Biblical justification for it.  On the contrary, Scripture continually reminds me that the spiritual life is not one of sitting still.  The author of Hebrews spends a significant portion of his epistle exhorting his readers to grow, to “press on to maturity.”  My observations lead me to believe, though, that we don’t really know how to do that well.  Yes, we enjoy worship and listen attentively to sermons.  We can read our Bible regularly and keep a commitment to daily prayer.  All of these activities are good and necessary, but I believe that Scripture teaches that they are not sufficient.

Please consider Ephesians Chapter Four.  The Apostle Paul is imploring his readers to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which they have been called.  He becomes more specific in his exhortation, and it becomes very clear that pursuing personal holiness is a corporate activity.  Stretching toward spiritual maturity is an exercise of the body, each using his/her God-given gifts to build one another up so that no one will be swayed by false teaching.

Paul’s message to the Ephesians—and to us—can be rather disconcerting.  Our American culture prides itself on rugged individualism.  We have inherited from Eve the desire to “do it ourselves.”  Pursuing spiritual growth in the context of the body can be pretty threatening.  After all, we may make mistakes.  Worse, our sin and selfishness may leak out.  I am afraid that this is at the heart of Paul’s point.  It is only as we get close to one another that our more subtle sins will be exposed.  Only then will we be brought to the point of confession and repentance.  Only then will we have the opportunity to experience the incredible power of forgiveness and of being known and loved.  And only then will we be able to demonstrate the love that our neighbors in the world are longing to find.

Perisseia, the Women's Growth Group at Windsor Chapel

"To be or not to be: that is the question."  In the famous opening line of Hamlet’s soliloquy, Hamlet ponders his future in light of shattered relationships.  Here and now, in the world of real relationship, I would like to pose a similar question: Will we be who God has created us to be, or will we not?  Will we accept and rejoice in our identity in Christ, or will we persist in determining our own identity?

All women are invited to participate in Perisseia, Windsor Chapel's women’s growth group, as we look at relationship from the perspective of our own identity.  The concept of relationship usually brings to mind the importance of putting the interests of others first, and we women are usually pretty good at that.  However, we often overlook the fact that it is impossible to deeply love others and truly give of ourselves if we are not continually finding our identity, value, and security in Christ.  Please join us as we discover, celebrate, and practice who we are in and before our Lord.

This nine-week series will begin Thursday, September 15^th.  Meetings will be held 7:00-8:30 in the Chapel House.  No preparation or commitment is required.  Come when you can and as you are able.  For more information, please contact Cindy Bills (clbills@verizon.net; 609-799-2559).

Freedom in Relationship

         It seems to me that Christians often labor under the belief that they should be “nice” and “happy,” or at the very least behave nicely and appear happy.  In this way, we will be good witnesses to non-believers and an encouragement to believers as we faithfully project the good news of the Gospel.

            I would respectfully ask that we take a more critical look at this popular point of view.  Speaking for myself, I do desire to be a strong witness to unbelievers and an encouragement to my brothers and sisters in Christ.  However, I also want to feel good about myself, and I want others to think well of me.  It is this “me” part of the equation that leads me into the temptation of creating a “nice and happy” facade even when I am neither.  It provides the motivation to use the witness and encouragement excuse to justify an outward “nice and happy” mask, to settle for safety and the pretense of joy rather than the real thing.

            While “nice and happy” can be a pleasant and comfortable routine, it falls sadly short of the authentic and passionate life to which Scripture calls us.  Jeremiah, chosen by God to be His prophet, complained bitterly to God of his lot in life. Before he became King of Israel, David’s psalms record his despair and impatience for God to act on his behalf.  Jesus has warned us that we will face tribulation, and the Apostle Paul did not hide or minimize his suffering for the cause of Christ.  John has identified anyone who denies his sin as a liar, and none of the “heroes” of the Bible is without significant personal struggles.  The glory of the Christian life is not that we have an excuse to play the nice and happy game, but rather that we are loved in spite of (and in the midst of) our sins and struggles.  Indeed, broken and weak as we are, the Lord of the universe invites us to partake in His nature and participate in His purposes.

            I would very much like to see those of us who call Jesus Christ Lord to consider relinquishing the security blanket of  pretending to be “nice and happy” and experience the freedom of being genuine with one another.  Without doubt, this mode of operation carries with it risk.  But as we expose ourselves and offer ourselves to others, we will be driven to find our identity, value, and security in Christ, and we will be able to love one another with the love that can reveal Him to our neighbors.  And as a bonus, we will no longer be bound by the “nice and happy” model of Christian living.

Religion Versus Faith

"Most Christians have enough religion to feel guilty about their sins, but not enough to enjoy life in the Spirit."

                                                                                                  Martin Luther

God's Point of View

"Beautiful, the mess we are,

The honest cries of breaking hearts,

Are better than a 'hallelujah.'"

                              Amy Grant

The Power of Compassion

Compassion is that facet of love that allows us to touch someone without knowing him, but it then can then provide the way for a deeper knowing and loving.

The Expectations of Love

"Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get; only with what you are expecting to give."

                                                                                            Katherine Hepburn