Remedies for What Ails the Church: Christ’s Proactive Love (Part Three)

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Mick Turner

(continued from Part Two)

I find it fascinating that the churches that seem to be most negligent in educating congregants in the realities of what it means to be “in Christ” are those at opposite ends of the theological spectrum. Our liberal churches often ignore the phrase altogether or describe it as a quasi-mystical state resulting from long-term arduous spiritual training. It is described more often as a state of consciousness rather than a gift of grace through the Holy Spirit’s empowerment. At the other end of the stick, many of our fundamentalist brothers and sisters are so absolutely obsessed with sin and the “blood of the Lamb” that they never get beyond the theme of atonement and justification. Themes like empowerment and sanctification rarely cross their lips.

Once we come to an understanding of who and what we are “in Christ,” we need to have a thorough education in God’s great mission of restoration, renewal, and the primacy of the Kingdom agenda. We need to know what God is up to and discover how we fit into that agenda both as a church and as individuals. This entails education regarding the kingdom, God’s “Great Story” of restoration, and our equipping in terms of spiritual gifts. Understanding the “kingdom” purpose is especially important as this was the central focus of Christ’s teaching.

Underlying all of our efforts as the Body of Christ is the notion of working along with God to establish the “Kingdom.” I can’t stress this notion of Kingdom enough and, if you take a close look at the gospels, neither could Christ. His first public statement was “Repent for the Kingdomof Heavenis at hand.” After beginning this way, Christ repeatedly stressed that his mission was to inaugurate the Kingdom. As ongoing agents of incarnation, it is now our mission to pick up where Christ left off. This is the foundational mission of the church. Even the great commission is aimed at this and this only: Bringing God’s Kingdom to Earth.

The coming of the Kingdom is really the heart of the gospel. The forgiveness of sins and the work on the cross, although of central significance, is not the heart of the gospel. It is not that which brings life to the body. No, it is the coming of the Kingdom that constitutes the life of the gospel. Unfortunately, the church, especially since the reformation in general and Calvinist theology in particular, has primarily defined the gospel in terms of the remission of sins by the work of Christ. Again, I am not downplaying the importance of this. All I am saying is that it is not the core of the gospel. Jesus repeatedly stressed the coming of the Kingdom.  The remission of sins is part of this, but it is far from the whole enchilada.

Dr. Myles Munroe, author of several books dealing with God’s kingdom, echoes the centrality of the kingdom agenda for today’s Church:

“How important to the Body of Christ is the message of the Kingdom of God? Frankly, we have nothing else to teach. The message of the Kingdom is good news, and the Church exists to proclaim it. If we are doing our job, everything we are about will be Kingdom focused: every sermon we preach, every Bible study we teach, every ministry we perform, every activity we accomplish, and every worship service we celebrate…The Kingdom of God must be our highest priority; Jesus gave us no other commission.”

As individual members of the Body of Christ, it is our duty to share the kingdom message at every opportunity. In doing so, however, we must take care to present Jesus’ kingdom manifesto is ways that are relative to today’s world. Howard Snyder also points out the contrast between kingdom people and non-kingdom people. His words paint a clear portrait of why the church must educate its members in depth regarding Jesus’ concept of “Kingdom”:

The church gets in trouble whenever it thinks it is in the church business rather than the kingdom business. In the church business, people are concerned with church activities, religious behavior and spiritual things. In the Kingdom business, people are concerned with Kingdom activities, all human behavior and everything God has made, visible and invisible. Kingdom people see human affairs as saturated with spiritual meaning and Kingdom significance. Kingdom people seek first the Kingdom of God and its justice; church people often put church work above the concerns of justice, mercy and truth. Church people think about how to get people into the church; kingdom people think about how to get the church into the world. Church people worry that the world might change the church; Kingdom people work to see the church change the world…If the church has one great need, it is this: to be set free for the Kingdom of God, to be liberated from itself as it has become in order to be itself as God intends. The church must be freed to participate fully in the economy of God.

 I find the Church’s lack of focus on establishing the kingdom even more remarkable when considering other popular pulpit themes. A few years back I was conducting research on the growth of several denominations in the county where I live. This research necessitated my visiting eight different congregations over an extended period of time and provided an opportunity to hear firsthand the kind of topics preachers from a variety of denominations were expounding upon. Frankly, I was amazed. I heard at least four sermons on prosperity, four more on the reality of sin, three on the importance of speaking in tongues, two on how speaking in tongues was the work of Satan, at least two sermons detailing the importance of voting Republican in the upcoming 2008 election, and one meandering, 40-minute bombast without a discernable core.

In short, the church is supposed to be in the business of turning out “kingdom people” rather than church people. So, along with the other themes discussed in this article, I feel it is imperative that the church also include as a part of its educational agenda information on just what the kingdom is all about.

I should say at this point that I rocked along as a Christian for many years before, by the grace of God and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, I began to at last encounter Christ in a more profound way. In spite of my personal beliefs and biases, misinformation gleaned from myriad sources, including the church, and perhaps most subtle of all, my own intellectual arrogance and theological snobbery, a sliver of divine light managed to break through. Augmented by much prayer and meditation, this thin beam of illumination expanded into an unexpected eruption of insight and wonder. It was as if some sort of spiritual dawn had exploded across the horizon and standing at the center of this sublime awakening was Jesus Christ – Jesus as I had never seen him before; Jesus as I had never understood him before; Jesus, as he had never impacted me before.

My reaction to this encounter was one of reverence, awe, and wonder. I think the phrase coined by Hebrew writer and scholar Abraham Heschel sums up my feelings quite accurately. When the dust settled and I began to embody the new revelation of who and what Christ was and is, I was literally overwhelmed with a sense of radical amazement.

This sense of wonder, awe, and amazement created in me a desire to obey Christ in things both great and small. I was (and I remain) far from perfect in terms of my obedience, but with divine assistance each day I get a little bit better it seems. More significantly, this revelation of Christ’s nature, his accomplishments, and his ongoing mission created in me a desire to create and maintain a level of excellence in my life that greatly exceeded the  level at which I had been operating. Cutting straight to the chase, my personal mission statement became:

To become the optimal version of myself for the glory of God and the benefit of others.

The way I saw it, and still see it, is anything less than my best shortchanges Christ. I am not talking about perfection, nor am I employing any sort of legalistic program of puritanical holiness. Those flavors of teaching prove time and time again to create more problems than they solve. What I am driving at here is the importance and the necessity of making a consecrated commitment to excellence.

I am convinced that the vast majority of us are living far beneath the level we are capable of, whether in terms of our personal relationships, our professions, our level of knowledge and wisdom, and our moral values. All I am saying here is that in light of the great gift Christ has given us, we can and should do better than half-measures.

Christ gave us his best and our response should be nothing less than our best.

Think about it.

© L.D. Turner 2011/All Rights Reserved

Related articles

• Remedies for What Ails the Church: Christ’s Proactive Love (Part Two) (lifebrook.wordpress.com)
• Remedies for What Ails the Church: Christ’s Proactive Love (Part One) (lifebrook.wordpress.com)
• Proactive Compassion and Christ’s Kingdom (Part One) (lifebrook.wordpress.com)
• Proactive Compassion and Christ’s Kingdom (Part Two) (lifebrook.wordpress.com)

Discovering Watchman Nee: God’s Mysterious Ways

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Mick Turner

A worn out, trite, and, at least in some circles, humorous phrase is as follows:

“God works in mysterious ways.”

This old saying outlived its usefulness several centuries ago, but it doesn’t stop Christians from pulling it out of the dust bin and springing it on unsuspecting listeners, especially when confronted with some event that can’t be explained seems at odds with the faith.

I mention all this at the beginning of this article because it bears at least a marginal relation to the topic at hand. Perhaps I best explain myself.

Since my elementary school days, I have been a voracious reader. As an adult, I have spent a small fortune on books over the years and, as anyone who has purchased books in recent years, the prices keep rising at a rate almost equal to the cost of healthcare. I am far from a wealthy man, so the money I have spent on books over the years might seem even more staggering. Most of the books I buy are new and of course that makes them even more expensive.

I tell you about this because there is a certain irony in my relationship with my books in general and my books on spirituality in particular. I find it most fascinating that in spite of the mother lode I have spent on books over the years, one of the most impactful books I ever purchased I bought some twenty years ago at a garage sale in South Miami, Florida for the outrageous sum of seven cents. The lady wanted a dime but I talked her down three cents, just on principle.

I can say without reservation that this little ragged paperback was not on my high priority reading list and I am not sure why I was moved to buy it in the first place. On the way home from the garage sale I stopped to get a coffee and, while drinking it, I chanced to pick up the book and read a few pages.

I couldn’t put it down. I ended up reading the entire book that very afternoon and evening. This little tome spoke to me in a way few books ever had. I can say that it was, in a number of significant ways, life-changing. Why I even picked that book up and bought it I’ll never know. All I can say is:

God works in mysterious ways.

The name of the book was The Normal Christian Life by Chinese author Watchman Nee. I have since learned that this book has been impactful on many Christian lives over the years and was highly popular with the old Jesus People movement, of which I had some contact in the late 60s.

With that little story out of the way, I want to share just a few things Nee talks about in the book and hopefully, if you haven’t read it, you will find yourself a copy and do so at your earliest opportunity.

In terms of the completeness of the gospel, the following lengthy passage from The Normal Christian Life spells out with clarity the scope of Christ’s accomplishments in regards to the forgiveness of sin and the empowerment for living. Specifically, Nee describes what the New Testament refers to as “the last Adam” and “the second man. Nee relates:

In 1 Corinthians 15:45-47, two remarkable names or titles are used of the Lord Jesus. He is spoken of there as “the last Adam” and he is spoken of too as “the second man.” Scripture does not refer to him as the second Adam, but as the “last Adam”; nor does it refer to him as the last Man, but as “the second man.” The distinction is to be noted, for it enshrines a truth of great value.

As the last Adam, Christ is the sum total of humanity; as the second Man, he is the Head of a new race. So we have here two unions, the one relating to his death and the other to his resurrection. In the first place his union with the race as “the last Adam” began historically at Bethlehem and ended at the cross and the tomb. In it he gathered up into himself all that was in Adam and took it to judgment and death. In the second place our union with him as “the second man” began in resurrection and ends in eternity – which is to say, it never ends – for, having in his death done away with the first man in whom God’s purpose was frustrated, he rose again as Head of a new race of men, in whom that purpose shall be fully realized.

When therefore the Lord Jesus was crucified on the cross, he was crucified as the last Adam. All that was in the first Adam was gathered up and done away in him. We were included there. As the last Adam he wiped out the old race; as the second Man he brings in the new race. It is in his resurrection that he stands forth as the second Man, and there too we are included. “For if we have become united with him by the likeness of his death, we shall be also by the likeness of his resurrection.” (Romans 6:5). We died in him as the last Adam; we live in him as the second Man. The cross is thus the mighty act of God which translates us from Adam to Christ.

I have long been convinced that a principle reason for the church’s seeming impotence flows out of the fact that far too much attention has been given to the last Adam, and far too little to the second Man.

Christ clearly told us that his kingdom was not of this world. And in uttering those words, the Master touched on a reality that his disciples, both then and now, must come to understand. God originally intended for this world to be his world, but Satan managed to sabotage his efforts. As a result, Satan eventually became “the prince  of this world. “

Nee explains:

Thus, in Satan’s hand, the first creation has become the old creation, and God’s primary concern is now no longer with that, but with a second and new creation. He is bringing in a new creation, a new kingdom and a new world, and nothing of the old creation, the old kingdom or the old world can be transferred to the new. It is a question now of these two rival realms, and of which realm we belong.

Nee then goes on to describe what he calls “The Divide of the Cross.”

The Cross was the means God used to bring to an end “the old things” by setting aside altogether our “old man,” and the resurrection was the means he employed to impart to us all that was necessary for our life in that new world.

We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4).

The greatest negative in the universe is the Cross, for with it God wiped out everything that was not of himself: the greatest positive in the universe is the resurrection, for through it God brought into being all the he will have in the new sphere. So the resurrection stands at the threshold of the new creation. It is a blessed thing to see that the Cross ends all that belongs to the first regime, and that the resurrection introduces all the pertains to the second.

In essence, Nee is saying that the resurrection is significant not only in the sense that Christ defeated death, which was a result of humanity’s disobedience and Satan’s manipulations in the Garden. He rightly sees that with the resurrection God is instituting a brand new creation. In a sense, it is both symbolic and ironic that we restarted the calendar “after the Lord (A.D.).” It was in every sense, a new beginning. I have long believed that Easter is perhaps far more important on the Church Calendar than Christmas and this is but one of the reasons why. Returning to Nee’s discussion of these themes, he states:

We have two worlds before us, the old and the new. In the old, Satan has absolute dominion. You may be a good man in the old creation, but as long as you belong to the old, you are under sentence of death, because nothing of the old can be carried over into the new.

In light of the perspective being described by Nee, I am reminded of the passages of scripture where Paul talks about Christ as the “last Adam” and the “second man.” All that went before, our old nature, our “pre-in-Christ” status, must necessarily be crucified with Christ. It cannot be carried forward into the new life of the kingdom. Nee continues:

The cross is God’s declaration that all that is off the old creation must die. Nothing of the first Adam can pass beyond the Cross; it all ends there. The sooner we see that, the better, for it is by the Cross that God has made a way of escape for us from that old creation.

This theme of old and new, juxtaposed at the Cross, forms the foundation of Nee’s perspective of the unfolding of God’s great story. I can also say that I am in agreement with much of what Nee says regarding these matters. His perspective is cogent and reasonable and, when viewed in its totality, is transformational. In fact, for those who have really studied it in depth, The Normal Christian Life, has been one of the most life-changing books of the 20^th Century.

Indeed, one can safely say that God does work in mysterious ways. After spending a king’s ransom on my spiritual library, a seven cent, dog-eared paperback brought me insights I would have never imagined. I have long since purchased a nice hardback copy of the book, but I still have that old paperback, which I have taped together on several occasions. I have also read Nee’s Spiritual Man, which is much longer and a bit more tedious. Still, I garnered much from that book as well.

© L.D. Turner 2011/All Rights Reserved

Wise Words for Today

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My giving myself to the Lord must be an initial fundamental act. Then day by day I must go on giving to him, not finding fault with his use of me, but accepting with praise even what the flesh finds hard. . . . . I am the Lord’s now and no longer reckon myself to be my own, but acknowledge in everything his ownership and authority. That is the attitude God delights in, and to maintain it is true consecration. I do not consecrate myself to be a missionary or a preacher; I consecrate myself to God to do his will where I am, be it in school, office, or kitchen, wherever he may, in his wisdom, send me. Whatever he ordains for me is sure to be the very best, for nothing but good can come to those who are wholly his. . . .

Watchman Nee

(from The Normal Christian Life)

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Wise Words for Today

Prayer is a real, living power. It is not a vague ideal, a bartering system, or a quick fix to material gain or an easy life. It is the song that enables our souls to blossom and release their magic, an alchemical force by which we can transmute our basic selves into the old of our higher natures. Prayer, said with a pure heart and motive, is that “energy” called love in its higher octaves. Within us is limitless potential, which most of us only glimpse. Prayer is one of the most powerful keys to unlock this radiant inner power and strength, this Divine Spark within and throughout all life…..Through prayer, we can consciously use the universal life forces that flow freely through the univers to bring miracles into our lives and to the world around us.

Chrissie and Gary Blaze

(from Power Prayer)

A Few Thoughts on This Present Age

Mick Turner

There can be little doubt that we are living in a very important era in the long panorama of earth’s history. Change is taking place at a pace never before imagined, must less witnessed. I firmly believe these changes are a part of God’s plan for the world and, although I don’t know all the ins and outs of that plan, I do know several things:

• Change is real and happening rapidly.

 

• Part of God’s plan for this age has to do with deepening our understanding and application of spiritual laws and principles, especially as related to mental laws.

 

• Unity within the Body of Christ is essential if the next phase of Kingdom Manifestation is to occur. We can only see through a glass darkly, but we can, on faith, understand that God’s establishment of the kingdom is progressive. It is a dynamic process. I have the strong sense, perhaps a revelation if you will, that this issue of unity is key at this time.

 

• Unity is critical because Satan’s primary weapon has been division within the Body of Christ. “Divide and conquer” has been his strategy and, to a large extent, it has worked and continues to work. Satan uses the saints to “accuse” one another and by doing so, weakens our ability to not only withstand his intrigue, but also, to further advance the kingdom.

 

• Another aspect of this age will be the erosion of the forms of “church” as we know it and in its place, the establishment of new and more effective structures of faith. This will require much openness and flexibility from within the Church universal, and do not be surprised when you see that the majority of the resistance will come from within the Body.

 

• The Church is exploding in Asia and Africa. There are many examples of miracles, works, and powers happening in these places and they are genuine. They are not happening so much here because of our rigidity and lack of unity. The West will no longer be the center of the Christian faith and we need to get our minds around that.

 

• I firmly believe in the old axiom which states “the brighter the light the deeper the shadows,” and as the Master bombards our world with an ever-increasing amount of light, the enemy will be busier than ever. He cannot defeat us, and he cannot even overpower us except by the use of the primary weapon left at his disposal – deception. This age we live in will be witness to an increasing amount of spiritual darkness and demonic activity. This does not mean that more people will be possessed and have heads that twirl around like on a swivel – but more than likely, it will be manifested as an increased amount of demonic oppression resulting in all sorts of negativity. (See section below on Witchcraft and Demonic Oppression).

 

• Related to the increase in spiritual darkness is the fact that the “power of God” will be increasingly demonstrated through what has traditionally been called “signs and wonders.” This has little to do with charismatic foolishness such as holy drooling and barking like dogs. Instead, it will be akin to what is already being seen in the churches in Asia, Central and South America, and Africa. The miraculous is becoming commonplace in these areas as the church is growing at a rapid pace. God’s supernatural power is being demonstrated and those Christian that cannot acknowledge the supernatural and apply it in their lives will be left behind. This may seem harsh, but it is simply in recognition of what God is doing and how he is currently moving in the world. Just as Paul described to the Corinthian church during his time, God is speaking us today so that we can see that his ways and wisdom are far different from ours.

 And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. (I Cor. 2:4-5)

 As these changes take place we will begin to see some areas where God will be moving rapidly and, in these cases, there will inevitably be some stragglers who get left behind. In other areas, God will move more slowly and with great deliberation. In either case, the important thing to grasp is that God is moving and he is doing a new thing. Our task is to develop our sensitivity to what he is doing, pray for wisdom as to what our role and calling might be in his work, and then get busy doing it.

 It is becoming increasingly apparent that the supernatural realm is where the real action is in these days. As a race, especially those of us in the West, we have become so sophisticated that we discount the supernatural without adequate investigation and, by doing so, fall into the enemy’s trap. We must pay closer attention to the supernatural realm because we are involved in a supernatural battle, whether we understand it or accept it.

 It is interesting to note that the fastest growing churches in the world are those of the charismatic/Pentecostal traditions. This is especially true in Asia and Africa, but really, it is a phenomenon that can be seen all over the world. By the same token, it is those denominations that adhere most closely with the use of reason, logic, science, and the legacy of the Enlightenment that are withering on the vine. This is not how I would have predicted things to have worked out and it surely is not how I would have wished it would have worked out. Quite frankly, some of the craziness and downright foolishness seen in the Charismatic and Pentecostal churches is an abomination in my sight. And I suspect that much of the really fringe elements of these movements will disappear as time progresses.

 However, I think the core elements of Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movement will continue to prosper because God says he must be worshiped in spirit and in truth. And certainly, now more than ever, the supernatural side of things must be taken into account. I am uncertain as to exactly how this will manifest itself here in the West, however. One thing is certain, the church in the West will need more manifestations of God’s power in these rapidly changing times. Yet this revealing of God’s strength must be presented in a manner that is less chaotic and “sensational” than in the past. The days of flopping about, running around the sanctuary, and drooling have passed. It is a time for the world to see God’s power and presence in all its glory, not in  patently bizarre human translations of it that greatly miss the mark.

 As the future unfolds, one of the most needed of the spiritual gifts will be that of discernment. Pastors, teachers, elders, and others in positions of spiritual authority will need to be deeply educated in the criteria of discernment, or at least in recognizing those who have this gift, even in its embryonic forms. Anytime there is a period of increased Holy Spirit activity, and this is without a doubt one of those times, the potential for the Great Deceiver to lead many astray is great. We live in an age that is ripe for deception. Trained, gifted discerners are in critical need. James Goll speaks directly to this issue:

 Lack of discernment and an unscriptural emphasis on experience beyond the confines of Scripture are major stumbling blocks for the majority of Charismatic and Pentecostal Christians who are open to the supernatural and revelatory realms of God…..When it comes to gifts of miraculous powers and prophecy, we need mature elders in every church who are equipped with the gift of discernment to watch over the flock. We also need apostolic voices who will release guidelines for discernment in the years to come, as the sense of God’s Presence and power increases throughout the world – growing alongside the “tares” of this world, evidenced in soulishly and demonically induced counterfeit expressions of power. Right now, we are sadly equipped with too few apostolic leaders who are respected enough to speak the truth in love about these issues of discernment and correction. And we have too few humble church leaders who are open to correction from apostolic leaders, regardless of their denominational preferences, networks, or alliances.

 Many within the Mainline denominations and Evangelical churches have such a historically “negative charge” with the Charismatic movement that they suspect anything of Spirit-filled nature as being either doctrinally lacking or worse, a product of Satan. This mind-set is not entirely their fault as there has been such excess and, yes, plain wanton foolishness in more than a few Charismatic and Pentecostal circles. Yet at the same time, it is not wise to completely slam the door shut.

 At one end of the spectrum you have those sincere followers of the Master who are so turned off by what they see as bizarre extremism that they slam the door shut of Charismatic experience. In a sense, these folks use too much discernment in the sense that anything even remotely resembling “Spirit-filled” experience is discounted out of hand. At the other end of the spectrum you have the fringe elements of Pentecostalism and Charismatic Christianity that fall into all sorts of error, both doctrinal and experiential, and wind up engaging in practices that seem too strange to be true. At this extreme, too little discernment is practiced and, in some cases, none at all.

 Obviously, what is needed is a more balanced approach, grounded in Scripture but, at the same time, not so tightly bound as to quench the Spirit. The real challenge for the church at this point is the development of this much-needed criteria and, after that, widespread training in its fundamental applications.

 Although this particular age is filled with challenges to the Body of Christ, it is at the same time an era of golden opportunity. Despite the negative blathering of naysayers and the sometimes harsh judgments launched by critics of the church, the fact is, these can be times of positive transformation in the Body of Christ. What is needed is consecrated, committed Christians who are creative in approach, flexible in attitude, and open-minded enough to realize that the status quo in a rut we can no longer afford to wallow in. As someone much wiser than me once said:

 A rut is nothing more than a grave with the ends kicked out.

 Think about it.

  © L.D. Turner 2010/All Rights Reserved

A Prayer Request: Children of Chinese Christians

As many of you know, we at LifeBrook have a special place in our heart and ministry for the Chinese people in general and the Chinese Church in particular. From a personal standpoint, I have always felt a strong calling on my life to serve the Master through being of assistance to the brothers and sisters in China in whatever way I can. It was this calling that led me to enter the mission field in Mainland China and, although I planned to stay for one year, ended up staying there for over five years.

 As I have stated on numerous times and through many venues, these were by far the most spiritually and professionally rewarding years of my life. At LifeBrook we are continuing our work in China through our writing, training, and publishing programs, but we are also active in another way – a way in which everyone with a heart for the Chinese Church can help.

 And it won’t cost you a cent.

 We maintain active prayers for China and we encourage you to remember the Chinese Church in your prayers. The church in China is the fastest growing segment of the Body of Christ in the world and, as this new century unfolds, it will become an increasingly vital member of the worldwide Christian community.

 However, the Chinese Church continues to suffer uneven religious freedoms and, although conditions are improved somewhat over past years, pockets and incidents of persecution still exist. Please pray for those who endure this persecution and especially pray for their families.

 The Holy Spirit has put it in my heart to ask for your prayers not only for those who are currently incarcerated in China for their beliefs, but especially for their children. These kids are living in homes without one or both of their parents and they, too, are suffering greatly for the cause of the gospel. These children need physical and financial support and there are organizations like Voice of the Martyrs and others who are doing all they can to provide much-needed support. Here at LifeBrook, our calling is to seek prayer support for these kids and it is in service to that calling that I ask you to pray for the children of incarcerated Christians in China. Yes, pray for those who are in prisons, jails, detention centers, and re-education camps. They need your prayers mightily. But remember to pray for the families, and especially for the children.

 In His Light,

 L.D. “Mick” Turner

Prodigals, Wastels, and Rogues

Mick Turner

Scripture is filled with great teaching stories. Both the Old and New Testaments contain golden nuggets of wisdom, often hidden in the form of parables and dramatic tales of one kind or another. The problem is we often gloss over these stories because we have read or heard them many times. This sense of familiarity is unfortunate and leads us to either ignore or entirely miss vital truths which, if applied to our daily living, could make us much better people.

 Consider the familiar story of the Prodigal Son as told by Christ in the fifteenth chapter of Luke. We are so familiar with this tale of a wasted life saved through love and redemption than we often loose the impact that it should have on our lives. Especially if we are wastrels and rogues like the wandering Prodigal. I had the good fortune to have this timeless story brought to new life for me when I was serving as an English teacher in China.

 I often taught English writing classes to university students, mostly students majoring in English Language. I sometimes began the semester by handing out a paraphrase of the Prodigal’s story because it was easy to read and contained three central characters. The students were asked to write several paragraphs expressing their thoughts on the younger son, the elder brother, and the father.

 The results were often startling. Sometimes students criticized the younger son for his irresponsibility and lack of filial piety, certainly a strong value in a culture so influenced by Confucianism. Others admired him and extolled his adventurous spirit and independence. These were usually students who were strongly impacted by the New China and its market economy and increasing focus on material acquisition. Opinions also varied on the elder son, ranging from a “loyal and faithful son” to a “stick in the mud traditionalist”. But it was the father who tended to mystify them most. How could a father be so tolerant? So forgiving? So loving and compassionate?

 At times students were able to ascertain that this was a story about something other than a human father, although I never discussed this in class in a formal way. To do so would be in violation of my contract and Chinese laws regarding foreigners and religious activities. But the student responses helped me as a Christian. They helped me view this story with “fresh eyes” or as Chinese Christians would say, ” Xin qi de mu guang”. The student writings pushed me to see things from different perspectives, different angles. They helped me to see more clearly.

 What I saw more clearly was the outstanding, awesome, and all-encompassing love of the Christian God. Of course I had often heard this concept expressed in numerous sermons and read of it in countless books. But while in China, where I was more dependent upon the Spirit for my spiritual food, this reality of God’s loving grace bored into my heart more and more deeply. I came to understand at a deeper level that I was in fact accepted. Accepted in my weakness because this is where the strength of Christ is seen. Accepted in my brokenness because this is where the healing of Christ is seen. Accepted in my faithlessness because this is where the fidelity of Christ is seen. Accepted in my wandering in the wilderness because this is where Christ’s true and stable mansions are eventually discovered.

 Remarkable isn’t it – God accepts our response to his offer in spite of our conflicted hearts and spirits. In fact, if one is to believe what Christ teaches in the parable of the Prodigal, then he in accepts our desperation just as much as he accepts our repentance. Again, this points to the awesome nature of God’s love.

 The following passage is a directly quoted from one my student’s compositions, in this case from a young woman of twenty-one who had remarkable insight into the character of the prodigal son’s father:

 What impressed me most was the father in the story. I was most amazed at his love for his two sons, especially the younger one. You see, when the boy asked for his share of the family fortune, the father gave it to him willingly. But it was not just money that he gave him. If you think about it, the father gave the wayward son a part of himself. The money was just the outer trappings. The father had worked hard for many years and put himself into earning this money. So when he gave the money to the young boy, he gave him his life as well. But the young man was foolish and immature. He wasted his father’s money and became bankrupt. But even more, he wasted his father’s most precious gift, that gift of himself. No wonder he ended up starving and despondent. If I were in that situation I, too, would have a deep longing to return home to the embrace of my loving father. And what is most wonderful in this story is that the father accepted him and loved him, no questions asked. I would give the world to know a father like that.

 Many people would like to believe, truly believe, in the overwhelming love offered by God in the Christian gospel. Yet many refuse to accept God’s gracious offer because they feel they are too unworthy, too blemished, too tarnished, too tainted. Many feel they are not good enough to share in this amazing grace that the Bible talks so openly about. Well, the fact is these people are right. They are unworthy, blemished, tarnished, tainted. All of us are. That’s the whole point of the gospel in a nutshell. We cannot go to God because of who we are. But God can come to us. And he did. Christ came into the world for the sick, the fractured, the less than whole. Our unworthiness is our greatest claim to the good news of the gospel.

 Because we are broken, we are blessed.

 © L.D. Turner 2009/ All Rights Reserved

The Sublime Calling

I know without a doubt in my own life the voice of God, sometimes loudly but most often quiet and sublimely subtle, has called to me. More often than not, it has called to me through serendipitous events that suggests (it always suggests, never demands) that I return to the path He has laid out for me. It calls me to cease my endless wanderings which, if I am honest with myself, lead me not to the Light, but instead, carry me through deserts without vegetation and eventually, leave my spirit bellowing, not unlike a thirsty elephant around a dried out water hole.

 This still, inner voice can take many forms. Erwin Raphael McManus speaks to the reality of the inner voice:

 Ever heard that voice? It calls you like a temptress to abandon the monotony of life and to begin an adventure. It threatens to leave you in the mundane if you refuse to risk all you have for all that could be. If ignored, the voice dims to silence. Yet every now and again, like a siren, she sings and begins to woo you back. She awakens within you dreams and longings you put to bed long ago. It is rarely a conscious action to choose to exist rather than to live. For most of us we are simply lulled to sleep. But there is no rest in this condition. To sleep through your dreams is to choose a life of restless nights and unfulfilled days. To avoid the pain of fear, doubt, and disappointment we have numbed ourselves from the exhilaration of a life fully lived.

 My nagging problem is that I don’t always listen to the Spirit’s voice when He calls. Instead, I turn away in resistance to what that sublime voice might be calling me to. More than once the voice has beckoned me to go in directions I had rather avoid. When this happens, I at least have a biblical role model to follow.

 God directly called Jonah to go and preach to the people of Nineveh. Jonah, however, wasn’t especially amenable to God’s job assignment. Rather than heading east, Jonah hopped the first freighter leaving the port and that’s where his adventure really gets moving. As you know, God whips up a squall, the sailors get scared out of their wits and, after a fairly reasonable discussion considering the circumstances, toss Jonah overboard. He ends up in the belly of a whale, gets barfed up on the beach and finally, still muttering to himself, heads off to Nineveh. Jonah ends up preaching to the lowlifes, derelicts, and assorted ne’er-do-wells that live there and they repent. Still, Jonah sits under a bush and complains. You know the story.

I relate to Jonah all too well. God has on occasion made it clear to me that I am called to immerse myself in a certain ministry to a population I had rather not deal with. Like Jonah, I get busy with my own plans and bad things start to happen. Believe me my friends, whale bellies can take many forms. My point in sharing all this is to say that God does in fact call us to specific tasks in this day and age and further, it behooves us to listen and respond.

 I say this because there seems to be quite a bit of confusion in the contemporary church regarding how God might communicate with us or whether or not he still does. Much of this confusion stems from believers taking extreme theological views about things and then attempting to foist those views on everyone else.

 Some Christian writers will tell you that God communicates with them on a regular basis and that he will do the same with you. These folks, most of them well-meaning, often say things like, “God told me to…..” or “The Lord laid a clear word on my heart.” Where this sort of thing gets dangerous is when they say things like, “God wants me to tell you that you need to…..”

 Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that God doesn’t communicate with us, for I strongly feel that he does. I just don’t really think that he talks with us like these folks often claim. I know I have never heard the Lord speak in this manner. The results can be devastating. I know a solid Christian man here in our community often has a “word” from God. A couple of years back he claimed God clearly told him he needed to quit his job working as a defense contractor and open a small restaurant selling Chicago style hot dogs.

 Not one to ignore a “word” from the Lord, this man, after seeking the council of several elders in his church, resigned from his $160,000 per year position and opened his hot dog emporium. Within two years he went bankrupt, lost his investment, his car, and almost lost his house as well. When questioned about all this, this fellow chalked all this up to “the work of Satan.” The leaders at his church told him that whenever we get a message from the Lord and we are faithful to follow it, the enemy will surely try to destroy whatever we build.

 Now I am not saying that all this couldn’t be true. All I am implying is that these sorts of things are often not what they seem. The result is that there is more confusion about how God might communicate with us.

 At the other extreme, there are many other Christians who espouse the very liberal view that God is not personal, but instead, is an abstract principle that we cannot fully fathom. Others of a similar ilk emphasize the belief that God is a sublime force of energy that empowers us but never really talks with us. The result here is the same in that it creates even more confusion among people trying to discern the voice of God.

 My take on all of this is that God does indeed communicate with us and does so in a variety of ways. I suspect that the methods God uses are individualized and designed to be clearly heard by the intended recipient. In my own case, for example, God will often speak to me through serendipitous events, those things that happen by “coincidence” that are too profound to be coincidence. At other times he clearly speaks to me through Bible reading. Verses that I have read hundreds of times suddenly take on new meaning and often that meaning is directly connected to the issue I am seeking guidance about.

 I am not about to tell you how God will communicate with you. I really have no clue. But I do think, with practice and sensitivity, you can become more attuned to his methods of speaking. What I do know is that we have to place ourselves in a position of receiving. We have to dedicate time to our relationship with God. This means, more than anything else, that it is essential to set aside time for regular periods of silence and meditation. Basically, we have to quiet down enough to hear God when he chooses to speak, whatever the method.

Once God has spoken, and we have heard, we then enter the realm of obedience. Like Jonah, we have to make a choice. We can either go with God or we can flee. Among the many gifts God has given us is our will, which is free. Yes, God has indeed given us many gifts and blessings….including whales.

 © L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved

Continue to Pray for Your Brothers and Sisters in China

Mick Turner

The incredible growth of the Chinese Church continues and I wanted to once again mount my soap box and ask that all readers of this site remember to pray for your brothers and sisters in China. In spite of formidable odds, restrictive laws, and consistent persecution, Chinese Christians continue to spread the gospel throughout their homeland and the results are staggering. Although the church, particularly the underground house church movement, is still expanding at a mind-boggling pace, these brave, committed Christ-followers need ongoing prayer and support.

 

If you are a regular reader of this site, you probably know that I lived and worked in China for five-plus years, serving as a tent-maker missionary. As I have stated many times, these years were the most rewarding years of my life personally, professionally, and especially, spiritually. The commitment, vitality, and courage of the Chinese Church is truly inspirational. As my wife, who is Chinese, and I often share in our talks about the Chinese Church, God is doing a very special work in the Middle Kingdom.

 

It has often been said that the Chinese House Churches bear a striking similarity to the First Century Church and there is much truth to this statement. Most times, however, those who make these comparisons have focused primarily on the similarities between the early Church and the house churches in the context of location and structure. Like the early Christians, the Chinese house churches meet in peoples homes and have a similar structure to their First Century counterparts. Another striking similarity of course is that both groups faced persecution. The Chinese Church, as previously stated, still is quite unpopular with the government and, to some extent, the secular culture as well.

 

It is important to consider these similarities to be sure, but there are other ways the Chinese Church bears close resemblance to the early Christian church in the First Century. Let’s take a look at a description of the early church by Don Basham, given in his book A Handbook on Holy Spirit Baptism:

 

What grips the imagination is not the lack of prestige but the demonstration of power. In that day, God moved in response to prayer. Miracles attended the saving power of Jesus Christ. Within the spreading fires of that church’s influence, not only were the lost redeemed, but the lame walked, the blind received their sight and the oppressed were delivered from demonic powers. It was a fellowship of believers admittedly imperfect but vibrantly and dynamically alive. It may have been despised by the society around it, but no one ever accused it of being dull and boring…..Those early Christians were more interested in manifesting the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives than in maintaining orderly worship services. They were more concerned with Christian love than correct liturgy, more concerned with being found faithful than found popular.

 

When I first read these words I immediately thought of my many Christian friends in China, both in house churches and in the sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement. Many of these Christians are on fire for the Master, seeking to serve him wherever they are planted and doing so in often difficult circumstances.

 

Also, just as in the early church, there is a great deal of emphasis on the Holy Spirit. This is truer of the house churches than the Three-Self bodies, where more charismatic displays are discouraged. In the underground church there are frequent, well-documented cases of signs, wonders, and the miraculous. As in other areas of the world, the explosion of church growth in China has been primarily a Pentecostal/Charismatic phenomenon and, whether more sedate and staid members of the Body of Christ in the West understand it or not, this reality has resulted in a vital, energetic, and courageous church that flourishes in spite of governmental, social, and economic impediments. From my first-hand observations of the Christian faith in China, this is without a doubt a work of God.

 

It is for these and many others reasons that I ask you to continue to pray for the Chinese Church as it finds its way in the ever-changing landscape that is contemporary China. God is indeed doing a great work among these wonderful people and we can all be a part of it through prayer and encouragement.

In addition, please remember that there are still many of our brothers and sisters in China who are suffering mightily due to the devastating earthquake that struck Sichuan Province late last spring. Months later, many remain homeless and without many of the basic items we often take for granted.

 

© L.D. Turner 2009/ All Rights Reserved

Back To Jerusalem: A Mission of Passion and Purpose

Chinese Christians having worship service in Nanking with Rev. John Maggee, American pastor, after peace has been restored to the city. All the photos were taken to report about Nanking after the Japanese occupation in 1937 and placed in the Japanese newspaper article entitled “Nanking Smiles”. The article wrote, “Hearing their hymns, we have noticed, ‘Oh, today’s Sunday.'” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

*** A significant number of readers have asked that we again publish this article on the Back To Jerusalem movement, a missionary effort of the Chinese Church. We are more than happy to do so as we at LifeBrook both support and engage in continuing prayer for the safety and success of those involved.

Mick Turner

The news of late has carried a number of stories about the Olympic Torch and its precarious journey around the world. Protesters in many countries have gathered to make their voice heard about the atrocities committed by the Chinese government in its suppression of Tibet and its support for the bloodshed in Darfur.

 

Perhaps lost in this vocal and even violent protest over the plight of the Tibetans is the difficulties often encountered by Christians in China.  Although the Communist Party has gradually taken a more tolerant position toward the Chinese Church, there are still incidents of persecution, imprisonment, torture, rape, and even murder. These atrocities are often aimed at members of China’s illegal underground church and, while many make it in to the western press, many others go unnoticed.

 

This article, however, is not so much about the persecution of Christians in China as it is about the heroic efforts of Chinese Christians to spread the gospel beyond the borders of the Middle Kingdom. The fact that these brothers and sisters in Christ plan and execute these missionary efforts is especially remarkable, considering the political environment in which they have to operate.

 

I lived and worked in China for over five years, serving as a “tent-maker” missionary. During this time, I became acquainted with many Chinese Christians, both members of underground house churches and the official Three Self Patriotic Movement, the government sanctioned church in China. It was through my friendships with these remarkable Christians that I first learned of the “Back to Jerusalem” project. Since returning to the States I have learned that very few western Christians are aware of Back to Jerusalem, so I want to share a bit of information about the movement in hopes that these brief words might motivate readers to pray for these courageous missionaries who, quite often, place themselves in the mouth of the lion.

 

Briefly stated, the goal of the Back to Jerusalem project is for Chinese Christians to evangelize all the nations between China and Jerusalem. The proponents of the movement understand that Christianity spread westward from Jerusalem and eventually to Britain and America. The faith then traveled from these two countries to China. The Chinese Church now feels it has both a call and a mandate from God to take the gospel message all the way back to its origin. In a geographical sense, the good news will have spread around the world.

 

The vision for Back to Jerusalem actually was birthed back in the 1920’s, but due to the ever-shifting nature of Chinese politics during the first half of the 20^th Century, the movement fell off the radar for a number of years, only to resurface with great passion as the century drew to a close. Often hamstrung by a lack of funds, the proponents of the project never gave up. Against all odds, the initial missionary team was formed and trained.

 

In March, 2000, a team of 36 Chinese missionaries left the country for the mission field. A number of them never returned, but the project continued to move forward. Relatively unknown in the West, the Back to Jerusalem movement continued to arouse passion in the Chinese Church. Many of the initial missionaries had been subject to torture, deprivation, and ill-treatment in their home country, so they were well-prepared for what they might face in other lands that were hostile to Christianity, especially Muslim nations.

 

The Islamic countries are a high priority for the Back to Jerusalem missionaries. As I talked to people involved in the project and reflected on what I learned, I arrived at one salient awareness: Perhaps the Chinese are much better equipped to evangelize Muslim nations than we westerners, particularly Americans, are. The fact is, Americans have a bad reputation in the Islamic World. Whether this image is justified or not is not the issue here. The reality is, a Muslim is more likely to listen to a Chinese Christian than an American one.

 

Space does not permit a detailed analysis of the movement here. I would like, however, to encourage Christians here in the States to pray for these missionaries, their families, and for the success of Back to Jerusalem. Believe me, these folks need all the help they can get, spiritual and material. If you would like more information on the Back to Jerusalem project, visit the website:

 

http://asiaharvest.org/back-to-jerusalem/

 

Also, Paul Hattaway, along with three prominent house church pastors, has written a book entitled, Back To Jerusalem, which contains useful information.

 

In closing, I find it ironic that, with all the protest about the Olympic Flame and whether or not it will complete its journey around the world, the Chinese are carrying another flame, this one of the spirit, which is also attempting to complete a circumnavigation of the globe.

 

May God be with these courageous people.

 

© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved