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Biblical Church

Lonely Weed

My back wall is lined with six Bougainvillea plants. I think the previous owners planted them for privacy. The plants grow fast and shed their red petals…regular cleanup and maintenance is a must.

Once venturing out to do some trimming, I saw a weed had popped up. Single skinny stalk about three feet high with the most beautiful flowers. Instinctively I pulled it out but immediately regretted uprooting it. Why did I just kill something so beautiful?

The Lantana Camara is officially considered a weed. A weed is defined as a wild plant growing where it is not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants. It was different, it didn’t fit and it had to go, no matter how special or beautiful it was.

How does our religious mindset define what is beautiful and what is not? In what context do we define ideas of church, pastors and prophets? What do we do with people who may be beautiful but don’t fit in? Have you ever felt that you didn’t fit in organized church? Unfortunately, like the Lantera Camara, if you don’t conform in a corporate church there is little chance of thriving.

I think of the Old Testament prophets, John the Baptist and Jesus. Organized religion didn’t recognize their beauty and so they did as I did, plucked them out.

As a house church facilitator, I am amazed at how unique, wonderful, beautiful and yes wild people can be. Most Christ followers have never been given a chance to express themselves in a spiritual setting. We rely on pastors, teachers and small group leaders to feed us, which then sets a pattern of how things are done and defines what is normal.

You can now purchase Lantana Camara, plant them and admire your ‘weed’ garden. My prayer is for more weed gardens to pop up and thrive, creating a new definition of what is a Biblical Church. Don’t give up if you have been hurt by religion…you just need to find a place where you can thrive.

Categories
Biblical Church

Stones and Bricks

So a fork lift drops a skid of bricks in front of you and then a skid of natural stones.  You’re asked to build a wall.  Which would you pick? 

Hmmm, well I guess if you were considering how long it would take or how easy it would be, you would pick the bricks.  You would start with the first row, add the mortar, stagger them and add another row and another and in no time you would have a wall.  Natural stones are in all shapes and sizes.  You would most likely lay them all out on the ground, consider each one and then come up with a plan.  Maybe the larger more uniform stones would be placed at the base and then the others would have to be fitted, determined by your hand and skill.  This would take much longer and would be much more of a challenge.

We find bricks in the Bible at the story of the Tower of Babel. 

They settled there and said to each other, ‘Let’s form bricks and bake them.  Let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky.  Let’s make a name for ourselves, for otherwise we’ll be scattered across the face of the earth.

Genesis 11:2-4

Bricks are also a key element with the children of Israel in Egypt.  Both seem associated with the key phrase in Genesis 11 – Let’s make a name for ourselves, let’s build something that will be a monument to our greatness. Bricks are also associated with slavery.

God seems to love stones, natural and beautiful.  In fact if you read in Exodus 20:25 or Deuteronomy 27:4-6 when God says “build me an altar” He not only wants natural stones, He gives instructions not to hew them or use iron tools on them.  They are perfect the way they are! Maybe you’re perfect the way you are?

If you’re like me, you’ve found yourself in many brick and mortar churches throughout your lifetime.  The leadership wants to build high and fast. It seems no matter how much the Pastor and the leadership try to hew you and cut you up, you just can’t fit into their wall. It becomes painful to become a brick in a wall that is elevating one person.  After a while you get frustrated, maybe leave church all together, thinking there is something wrong with you.  If you’ve ever struggled with this, let me assure you, you’re a stone.  Each of us is created differently, we’re all different sizes and shapes, different colors and textures.  It’s God’s plan to take each of us and examine us and fit us into his Holy Temple based on the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ. 

It’s so freeing to be part of a group of believers that is not determined to build something that is a monument to someone’s greatness.  We are aware that each one is beautiful and different and we are allowing Christ to gently fit us together. 

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Categories
Biblical Church

Walking in Circles

My wife and I are taking a little vacation in a couple of weeks. Our ideas of vacation are very different. She will plan out our itinerary every day, making sure we have a fun-packed time. She is awesome and I do end up enjoying myself. However if it was up to me I would just hang out and rest, sit by the beach, wander through the mountains, take lots of naps. I like resting.

The word rest is in the Bible over 500 times but I can’t remember hearing one sermon on this topic…hmm.   I  finished reading Hebrews 3 and 4 which talks about rest and verse 4:9 says, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.”  However this promise is conditional and in earlier verses it says that not everyone will enter.  The illustration is given of the Hebrews walking in circles for 40 years before entering the Promised Land.  We all know that even God rested on the 7th day; so maybe it is something we need to understand and appreciate.

There is something wrong with the current, familiar church structure. Take a look at some of these statistics I found on soulshepherding.org. A quick web search will give you even more grim statistics concerning Pastors.

75% of pastors report being “extremely stressed” or “highly stressed”
90% work between 55 to 75 hours per week
70% of pastors say they have a lower self-esteem now than when they entered ministry
70% constantly fight depression
50% feel so discouraged that they would leave their ministry if they could, but can’t find another job
80% believe their pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families and 33% said it was an outright hazard 
80% of ministry spouses feel left out and unappreciated in their church
77% feel they do not have a good marriage
41% display anger problems in marriage (reported by the spouse)
38% are divorced or divorcing
50% admit to using pornography and 37% report inappropriate sexual behavior with someone in the church
65% feel their family is living in a glass house

It is no wonder we don’t hear sermons on rest…the system is designed to overwork and burn out pastors.

As a facilitator of a house church the biggest struggle is to get people to participate. The conventional church conditions people to rely on the pastor for everything. Just come to church and get fed. I refuse to fall into that trap.

I found that over time people do understand and begin to participate, and when they do, it is such a joy to witness. When everyone shares we begin to see God from different perspectives and we understand Him in different ways. We all have valuable input even children and youth. It’s a shame that in a conventional setting youth and children are sent away.

There is wisdom in how God instructed us to gather and participate revealed in the Book of Acts. It really works and it is worth the effort to get there.

Categories
Thoughts from Others

The Beauty of the Bummer Lamb

I am very fond of sheep. I grew up on the west coast of Scotland with sheep all around me, field after field of white wool and incessant crying when things seemed a little off. They stick together like girls out on a bachelorette party. They are quite shy.

I spent the first ten years of my life trying to get close enough to hug one but they’re not big on hugging. Even if I crept up quietly behind one it was as if they had a sixth sense and saw me coming. I now know that sheep have a field of vision of around 300 degrees, so they had a built-in heads up on annoying Scottish children.

Interestingly enough they have poor depth perception. For this reason, sheep will avoid shadows or harsh contrasts between light and dark. They will move towards the light.

They head into the wind and towards the light. What a beautiful lesson for those of us who follow The Shepherd!

I try to remember that most days.

Of all the lessons I have learned from these defenseless, gentle animals, the most profound is the most painful. Every now and then, a ewe will give birth to a lamb and immediately reject it. Sometimes the lamb is rejected because they are one of twins and the mother doesn’t have enough milk or she is old and frankly quite tired of the whole business. They call those lambs, bummer lambs.

Unless the shepherd intervenes, that lamb will die. So the shepherd will take that little lost one into his home and hand feed it from a bottle and keep it warm by the fire. He will wrap it up warm and hold it close enough to hear a heartbeat. When the lamb is strong the shepherd will place it back in the field with the rest of the flock.

“Off you go now, you can do this, I’m right here.”

The most beautiful sight to see is when the shepherd approaches his flock in the morning and calls them out, “Sheep, sheep, sheep!”

The first to run to him are the bummer lambs because they know his voice. It’s not that they are more loved — it’s just that they believe it.

I am so grateful that Christ calls himself the Good Shepherd.

“He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.” (John 10:3-4 NLT)

In the most painful place in my life, hospitalized with severe clinical depression, I too learned the most profound lesson: we are loved because we are His, not because we can do tricks like seeing people approaching from behind!

Until the day I see Jesus face to face I will be a bummer lamb. It’s no longer the bad news. It’s the best news in the world because it’s not that Jesus loves his bummer lambs more — it’s just that they actually dare to believe it.

Author: Sheila Walsh

Categories
Perspective

The Other Son

I remember the Jesus Movement in the 70’s. My older brother and some of his friends became really passionate about following Christ and expressing their faith to everyone they came in contact with. My brother, a high school senior, would grab some friends and some hot chocolate from Forest Dairy on Ridge Road and hang out in front of the store talking to people about how their lives had been impacted by Jesus. People responded and eventually they rented out the Upper Room, a fellowship hall in a Presbyterian church, to meet, pray and fellowship. It was a reawakening of the Book of Acts. Watching and later participating with my brother and his friends left a lasting impact on my life.

The Jesus Movement eventually waned but I still longed for a vibrant spiritual connection. I began attending churches and getting involved in ministries but it always fell short of what I experienced during the Jesus Movement. I began to help build other minister’s “kingdoms” and found myself measuring my spiritual worth by how much I accomplished in the building process.


We all know the story of the Prodigal son. God’s love for his returning son is a topic of many sermons. I’m not sure if I’ve heard anyone talk about the older brother, but I do relate more to him than the younger one. The older son drifted so far from his dad, not really understanding the nature of their relationship. He was out in the field working with the servants…why? He was the eldest son not a hired servant. Maybe he thought his Dad would love him more if he was working all the time? In one version of the Bible, the son says, “I was slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders”. Sounds like he never had any fun, never partied with his friends. Bitter and resentful, when his brother came home he was filled with anger. He wouldn’t even go into the house to celebrate…Dad had to come out and beg him to come in.

The Bible never says if the older brother came in and reconciled with his brother or if he really finally began to understand the depth of his Dad’s love. I hope he did. Jesus was telling this story to the Pharisees who also grew so angry at Jesus they decided to plot his death. They never understood Him either. That’s the blinding power of religion. I also wonder about the relationship between the brothers. Perhaps the younger brother looked up to his older brother and saw how his older brother slaved away in the field, complaining about all the hard work, becoming bitter, resentful and hateful over time. Maybe the younger brother didn’t want that kind of life, and maybe he thought the only way out was to take the cash, have some fun and start a new life.

I wonder how many people see our works-based religion and want no part of Christianity. We need to build the Kingdom of Christ, not man’s kingdom. I know, I fell into that trap. What a beautiful statement from our Dad, “My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.”

Author: Jonathan Rovetto

Categories
Perspective

Waterfalls

It is estimated that 30 million people visit Niagra Falls each year. There is something so captivating about watching and listening to the strength and beauty of water flowing over rock. The majority of us will stay on the safe side at the bottom looking up…never venturing to experience the falls from the top. However some are brave and willing to try.

Yes, some brave people do kayak over the edge of waterfalls!

The perspective from the top is completely different than what we are used to seeing. I imagine the river narrowing and the water gaining in strength and speed. Perhaps there are more rocks to avoid as you venture toward the edge, with the roar increasing in volume along with the spray of mist rising from the falls. And then of course is the uncertainty of surviving. I think for most people this would be truly terrifying.

I remember one night we were praying for a woman who was going through a lot of turmoil in her life. As we were praying, I saw two different perspectives of a waterfall: one the terrifying view from the top and then the beautiful view from the bottom. I shared this with the group and asked her to put her hope and faith in the hands of the Lord and allow Him to help navigate her life ‘over the edge’. I told her that there will be a time when she would look back and see the awesome saving power of God. It’s been a few years now and yes, she is in a much better place…she survived.

I can only hope that this perspective would bring peace to those traveling down the river of life. Perhaps you’re feeling the water speeding up and hearing the roar of what’s ahead, knowing you can’t get out of the boat. Jesus will help you navigate…put your trust and faith in Him. When you get to the bottom make sure you thank Him, enjoy the view and share your experience with others.

Author: Jonathan Rovetto

Categories
Biblical Church

Mama’s Meatballs

Mama always knew that when I went back home for a visit I would want her to cook me my favorite.  That was, of course, her meatballs…famous in the Tri-State area. 

I found out later that she had a secret ingredient: stale Italian bread.  I always wondered why there was a loaf of stale Italian bread in the bread cupboard.  She would soak the Italian bread and then use it to make her famous meatballs.  She would make enough to eat and then freeze the rest so I could take some back home.  My father made an outrageous tomato salad that I would also request…yummy!  When we would have family gatherings people would always bring their specialties, often requested by other family members.  I’m sure we can all relate.

Meatballs, tomato salad, whatever food we prepare will cost us time, money, and labor. There is no comparison when we try to duplicate the experience at a restaurant.  Nobody can make meatballs like my mama! 

Spiritually it’s the same way.  It’s interesting to compare the corporate church model to the house church model, which I believe is more Biblically based.  Think of your restaurant experience…you decide to go to a restaurant with a famous chef, get dressed up, you drive up, if it’s a fancy place you can get valet parking, you enter and get seated, you check out the menu, get served, eat the food, pay and leave a tip, then you leave.  If you don’t like the food or experience, next time you can go to another restaurant, maybe one not so big and fancy. Eventually you’ll find a place that fits your style and taste.

Compare that to a family gathering or a picnic.  You have to give some thought to the event, decide what to bring, go out and prepare your meal, make enough for all to enjoy, share your gift with others and hopefully take home some leftovers that others lovingly prepared.  When we meet together we are expected to bring something. Participating is good for us and good for the church.

I Corinthians 14:26 What then is the right course, believers? When you meet together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation (disclosure of special knowledge), a tongue, or an interpretation. Let everything be constructive and edifying and done for the good of all the church.

The challenge in today’s Christian experience is that we are accustomed to pay for services rendered. We expect an experienced cook and staff will do all the work. We just show up, enjoy and pay for it.  If we don’t enjoy the experience we feel free to go to another church.  As stated in scripture, a proper house church needs everyone to participate and bring something.  In my experience this is the hardest hurdle to overcome.  It’s so hard to break the mindset of coming to a meeting expecting to get and not give.  Yes it takes work, time to interact with God and courage to share something personal but over time each of us will develop a special dish (gifting).  We will eventually find joy in the preparation and joy as others consume.  Also, don’t forget to make enough so others can take some home.

Author: Jonathan Rovetto