Why The SBC

Living in the Northern Mid-West, there isn't a large number of Southern Baptists, which is a shame if you ask me. Part of the issue is the reputation that often the SBC carries. It is often viewed as a group that is crazy or hateful or extreme, or if nothing else, a southern ministries that doesn't belong here in Iowa.

I have also found that even Southern Baptists in Iowa are ashamed of being Southern Baptist. There is often a sense of apology for who we are. It's time to begin to change that perception. We as Southern Baptists should be sharing who we are, how we love and the ministry we do. After all, the cooperative program, Disaster Relief and a commitment to Biblical truth, these things should be used to set people free. We should be committed to Jesus Christ, focused on the gospel and the ministry of reconciliation. In doing so, we should never be ashamed that we do these things as Southern Baptists.

Looking for a job

I never really thought I would be in this situation, but alas here I am.  It was my plan to stay at last job indefinably, but God had other plans it seems.  Now I am currently not in paid vocational ministry.  I had always looked at the stats about all the guys who don't make it in Ministry, and figured I would never be that guy.  Today, I am looking for work not in vocational ministry.  It is a disheartening thing in many ways, but I know that my ministry career is not over forever.

I know that God will have me plant a house church network or something like it in the days ahead.  I have felt that conviction for some time.  I know my non-profit ministry has an opportunity to touch people and change lives.  I hope to one day get my PhD and teach at a college level in a Christian environment.  In the mean time, I have to find a job outside of the field that I always assumed I would be in.  Time are lean, ministry jobs are scarce and I am not good with the idea of packing everyone up and moving around again.  I can't do that to my family, and I don't want to be one of those guys in ministry that moves every 3 to 6 years.

Pray for us, for me.  This is not a place I ever planned to be, and I don't have a lot of skills outside the church walls, but I'm trying.  I am hoping I can get something that will pay us enough to give.  It's been a challenge, it's been hard but I know that God will take care of us.  I just pray He provides a job soon.

The Dangers of Community (and blogging)

Years ago I proposed a theory about community in the house church model.  At that time, I had a good friend who was working as a Church Plant Movement Missionary, his job was to start a home church movement, not a small task.  One of the things that we realized is how hard it is to get people to come to a strangers house for Bible Study.

It's a really straight forward concept, the willingness of an individual to be open to a group is dependent upon that individuals desire to belong to that group.  If I want to be part of a group, I am more willing to be open and at risk in that group.  I will share about myself, I will risk involvement and I will open my self up to possible hurt.  One of the things we have discovered in the house church moment is it's difficult to get people who are not at some level in relationship with the hosts.  People don't seem to want to attend a house church if they are unchurched.  The unchurched don't have a strong desire to attend a church, otherwise they would.  We, unlike China, have ample opportunities for people to attend a church, and those who want to go to church, they do.

All community carries this risk.  When you open yourself up to belong to a community, you put yourself at risk, are the individuals in that community going to support you, or are they going to reject or even attack you.  For example, I shared some information on a blog and instead of the ensuing conversation being about the topic, I was attacked for the information I shared.  I have not been inclined to go back and write anything for that blog since that experience.  People have the same things happen at church, clubs, social events, even in groups of peers.  When we become open and our desire to belong increases yet we experience negative feedback, our desire to belong decreases.  When it does, our willingness to be open decreases and we pull away from that group.

I believe that is the trend we have seen with many of our Christian organizations, and with church.  When we as individuals are open in a Christian context about struggles, hurts or failures, often we are attacked, hurts and abused by those we attempted to connect with.  This causes a huge decrease in our desire to be part of that group, and therefore our willingness to be open.  In the church today, we see people who marginally want to be part of the church, they attend, but they are not open, they do not fellowship or connect.  These people are not inclined to join a small group, Sunday School and wouldn't attend a house church.

To make things harder, we often attempt to reach those who have had a negative church experience with a house church model.  We have not done real well at doing this, because those individuals have no desire to belong to a church.  There is hope however, and there are several house and cell churches who have discovered the secret.

In order to increase an individual's desire to be open, and therefore attend a small gathering, we must find to increase their desire to belong.  We have to be the kind of people that others want to spend time with.  We need to be friendly, loving and compassionate.  The small group that meets in my home is composed of people who I have a great relationship with.  I am not meeting with people who I barely know, and the people who don't care for me, they don't attend my small group.

In many ways, we have driven people away from the living water, because they don't want to have to stand next to us.  We have to get rid of the model of standing around in our group and waiting for people to show up.  We can't expect people to come because we are having church.  If they wanted to come to church, they would have shown up by now.  We have to go out and build relationships and share and be open with people.  When they see they can trust us, they will be more open and have a desire to belong.  That gives us the opportunity to share, to care and to disciple.

Atheist Farmer - an oxymoron

Have you ever met an atheist farmer? Thinking back to all the farmers I have met, many of them were not real religious, most prayed (especially when they were in need of rain). I have never met a farmer who didn't believe in God. As I was driving in rural Nebraska, looking at the corn and soybeans which were an unnerving shade of brown, I thought about the farmers.

I don't know of any profession that will get you nearer the heart of God than the farmer. The farmer works the land, plants the seeds, treats for weeds and fungus and bugs, and depends on God. Only God can make the crops grow. We have irrigation, but only God can make it rain. Only God brings the sunshine. The farmer has the responsibility to do his part, but the results are up to God.

What a beautiful picture of God's power and man's responsibility coming together. We do our part to share the gospel. We share the truth, answer questions, silence skeptics but only God brings someone to Salvation.

I have had many titles in my life. Teacher, leader,manager, pastor, director, but the title I would love to have is farmer. Tilling soil, planting and watering and praising God for the increase.

transitions

Life is certainly changing. I have resigned my position as Associate Pastor, but not my call to ministry. God has always put me in front line ministries, and that is what I am going back too. Student ministry, house church ministry, coaching,consulting and training. I am going to focus on where I am called and gifted.

Some have wondered if I got fired. No, I wasn't fired. I didn't just leave either, it was a decision that I made with the guidance of others. Parting was hard, but a friendly, loving seperation. I willn still maintain and build relationahip with that body of believers as I do the other things God has called me too.

You can be a part, by praying for us. Lots of changes and uncertainty. We are looking for a place to live and a job for me. Pray God opens the right doors. Thank you allnso much, the journey is just beginning.

A Statement of Woven Theology

We affirm that God's sovereign plan exists outside out time and in the realm of eternity. God's plan is set out, preordained and can never be thwarted or undone.

Romans 8:29, Ephesians 1:5, 11, Acts 4:28, Isaiah 46:9-11, Psalms 102:27

We believe that God's eternal nature is higher than man's ability to comprehend and to fathom. We only relate to this nature and aspect of God in prayer and worship. God's eternal nature does not change, and His plan and will does not change.

Numbers 23:19, Malachi 3:6, Isaiah 55:9

We affirm that the concepts of predestination, election, prophecy and the end times are based upon this aspect of God's nature and character. All good things, all gifts and all holiness come from God and He receives all the glory, honor and praise.

James 1:17, Romans 8:29, Psalms 99:5, Hebrews 12:28, 13:15, I Thessalonians 1:4

We believe that God interacts with us in a relational and temporal nature in which we interact with in a very personal way. We see this all through scripture where God's nature and attributes connect with His creation in a very relational way.

I John 4:10,19, Jeremiah 31:3, James 2:23, Isaiah 41:8

We affirm that God related to Moses, Abraham, David and others in a relational way, working in time and with them in relationship. God connects with His creation in a way to build and grow relationship and understanding.

Exodus 3:12, Exodus 18:19, Genesis 18:17, James 2:23, I Samuel 18:14

We believe that Jesus Christ came to the earth and existed temporally and connected with the creation is a temporal, relational way. In this nature, we see that Jesus interacted with people in a relational way.

John 15:9, John 14:10, 11, I Timothy 1:15, Matthew 9:13, 36, Luke 7:13

We affirm that human kind exist with a sinful nature, tainted with the consequence of the original sin, understanding right and wrong and choosing wrong and sin and rebelling from God at our first recognition of evil.

Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Psalms 14:3, Psalms 51:5, Romans 7:8-11

We believe that we are responsible for our sin, and it's our sin and our choice that condemn us to hell. We have made a choice to rebel against God, our sin nature that is ingrained in all mankind draws us into rebellion against God, and we believe that ever person has sinned and in in rebellion against God left to their own. They are incapable of being free from sin, from seeking God and from any works that will save themselves.

Romans 3:12, Romans 6:17, Romans 7:7-11, Genesis 3:6, Hosea 6:7

We affirm that man does not work for, earn or merit salvation. Salvation is a work of God and comes only when the Holy Spirit convicts of sin and calls. In God's eternal plan, those individuals who are saved have been seen and predestined from God's eternal nature outside of time and before the foundation of time. Salvation is a gift of God, and God receives all the glory and honor for salvation.

Ephesians 2:8-9, John 15:16 Romans 9:22-24, Ephesians 1:4, Romans 8:28-30, Acts 13:48

We believe that man has a responsibility to trust Christ and put our faith in Christ. We have the responsibility to allow the Holy Spirit to work in our heart, not to reject His call through blasphemy. We are responsible for our actions and reactions in the context of salvation, our openness of ears, eyes and heart.

Romans 10:9, 13, Acts 16:31, Hebrews 4:11, Acts 2:37-39, Acts 7:51

We affirm that the process of salvation in an intersection of God in His sovereignty, power and foreknowledge and man's responsibility and response. It seems there is contradictions in this nature, but we see that God's eternal attributes in Salvation and not comprehensible, yet God's temporal nature interacts with us making salvation a relational experience. They intersect in a way that fit together in God's eternal plan and our relationship and responsibility.

John 14:15-29, John 17:6-12, II Corinthians 5:11-20

We believe that salvation always occurs from conviction of sin. Without the Holy Spirit bringing conviction of sin and enlightening the sinner to their true nature, the sinner will not repent. Without repentance, true salvation will not occur.

Luke 13:3, Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19, Acts 8:22

We affirm that when a sinner takes the responsibility for sin and places their faith in Jesus Christ, then The Holy Spirit will regenerate their spirit, and once they Holy Spirit indwells the believer, they are secure in that Salvation for eternity. They no longer are their own, they are now a child of God, and in God's sovereignty that child will never be lost.

Romans 11:29, John 10:28 - 29, Jude 1:24, Romans 8:38-39

We believe that once the Holy Spirit indwells a believer, God's relational nature works in that individual in the process of sanctification through learning, faith, the church and through good works. Good words come through salvation and sanctification for the purpose of the believer experiencing God in a real way and touching the lives of other.

John 21:15-17, John 15:26, I Corinthians 12:3, Acts 10:47, Hebrews 2:4

We affirm that God uses His people to reach out and share faith. God's nature is relational and He chooses to use us to build relational unity in His Church. Salvation is a connect and intersection of God's plan and our responsibility and evangelism is God working through us and in us.

Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, Romans 10:14-15, Luke 24:47

In summary, we believe that man's responsibility and choices are woven together with God's eternal attributes, sovereign plan and predestination. This interaction brings God's plan and will to pass in a way that builds relationship and connects His people in His Church for His purpose and glory.

If you would affirm this theology, please sign your name, your city and how you serve God in your local context.

Free Download Not Equipped for Failure

I want to offer a free copy of my book Not Equipped for Failure.  It's a guide for being strategically Evangelistic.  If you would please let me know your thoughts.

If you would like a copy, please email a request to jdanbarnes@yahoo.com.  Thanks.