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Dangerous Calling Email – Guarantee

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Here’s the email I wrote to the Elders and Deacons of Crestview on 8/27/13:

There’s a great quote in the notes from Sessions 7 & 8 of Paul Tripp’s Dangerous Calling DVD Study Guide.  It comes from p.126 of the book: “If you and I have been guaranteed a place in eternity with our Savior, then we also have been guaranteed all the grace we need along the way.”  My response written on the page when I read this was, “Yes!”  I tend, so very often, to forget that the grace that justifies is the same grace that sanctifies and will eventually glorify me eternally.  The grace that leads us safe thus far will, indeed, safely lead us home.  And, this is good news for each of us. 

You see, our success in ministry is not entirely wrapped up in who we are.  It’s wrapped up more specifically in God and who He’s made us to be.  Jesus said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.”  We do a lot in ministry without Him.  But the most effective ministry moments are those that find us in weakness admitting to Him our need and relying on Him to accomplish what He intends.  Today, remember that God is the source of our work.  Rest in Him.  And, as we do, we’ll be the effective leaders God’s called us to be. 

DC Email – Self Glory and Our Kingdoms

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Here’s an email I sent out to Elders and Deacons at Crestview based on a DVD series we’re watching entitled Dangerous Calling with Paul Tripp:

We’re coming off the heels of our meeting on August 13 (reminder, if you missed the meeting, the videos and handouts are available from Bob G).  These 2 sessions really got after how much we live for ourselves and fail to be the ambassadors which we’ve been called to be.  There were lots of areas of application and Tripp put his finger on that one of personal worship before God. 
Here’s some key points from Session 7:
·         Through ministry we can build God’s glorious Kingdom or we can attempt to build our own glorious kingdom.
·         The DNA of sin is selfishness.
·         Your actual position in ministry is God’s ambassador; as such, we are called to incarnate the King.
And some points from Session 8:
·         We must continually be reconciled to God.

·         Ministry is only made effective, safe and attractive when it is fueled by our own devotional life.

Dangerous Calling Email – Arrival Danger

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Here’s the email I wrote our elders and deacons today, 7/31/13:

In chapter 11 of Dangerous Calling, “Between the Already and the Not Yet,” Paul Tripp wrestles with the concept of arrival.  Specifically, as we saw last time, he warns of the carnival mirrors of ministry that can distort the true reality of our souls.  Related to that, Tripp gives some clear Results of Thinking You’ve Arrived:
1) You will think that you don’t need what you preach (or teach or study).
2) You will not be open to the ministry of the body of Christ.
3) You will expect of others the perfection that you think you’ve achieved.
4) You will feel qualified to have more control than you have.
5) You won’t feel the need for daily meditative communion with Christ.
6) You will take credit for successes that only grace can produce.
7) You will feel entitled to what you could never earn or achieve.
8) You will be less than watchful and protective when it comes to temptation and sin.
9) You will load more on your ministry than you can responsibly handle.
Again, all of this flows from distortion.  As Tripp closes, he reminds us “that you and I are still a bit of a mess.  Yes, by grace we often get it right, but we also often get it completely wrong.  There are times when we are the exuberant celebrants of the Lord, and there are other times when we are just full of ourselves.  There are times when we are deeply grateful, but there are other times when we feel entitled and demanding…  All of this is to say that the great spiritual war doesn’t rage only outside of us; there is ample evidence every day that it still rages inside of us.” 
What’s the remedy?  “Gospel-driven, Christ-centered ministry, one that gives grace to those who hear, doesn’t start with theological knowledge; no, it starts with a humble heart.  It starts with the recognition of your own need and the acknowledgement that you and I are more like than unlike the people to whom God has called us to minister.”

With you in this dangerous calling…

Dangerous Calling Email – Carnival Mirrors

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Here’s the post I wrote for leaders at Crestview on 7/23/13:

In Chapter 11 of Dangerous Calling, Paul Tripp urges us to be aware of the danger of arrival and, at one point, uses carnival mirrors to illustrate:  
“Rather than humbly standing before the honest assessment of the mirror of the Bible to see myself as I really was, I looked into carnival mirrors. Now, the problem with the carnival mirror is that it really does show you you, but with distortion. You don’t actually have a 20-inch-highneck and a 6-inch torso; yes, it’s you in that concave mirror, but it’s not showing you the way you actually look. The danger of assessments of arrival greets everyone in ministry. The danger that you would quit thinking of yourself as weak and needy is always near. The danger that you would see yourself as being in a different category from those to whom you minister is right around the corner. This danger greets you every day because there are carnival mirrors all around that have the power to give you a distorted view of you. And when you think you’ve arrived, when you quit being convicted of and broken by your own weakness, failures, and sins, you will begin to make bad personal and ministry choices. The reality and confession of personal spiritual weakness is not a grave danger to your ministry. God has chosen to build his church through the instrumentality of bent and broken tools. It is your delusions of strength that will get you in trouble and cause you to form a ministry that is less than Christ-centered and gospel-driven.”  (p.152)

I’m wondering if we view ourselves as weak and needy?  Do you view yourself as different than those to whom you minister?  Have you begun to think that you’ve “arrived”?  Or do you find that you’re convicted of and broken by your own weakness, failures and sins?  Today, remember God specializes in using the broken and bent for His purposes, so rest in the Gospel that accepts you and, with the light of the Gospel pervading your life, LIVE!

Dangerous Calling Email – The Evidence Is In

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Here’s my email to Elders and Deacons at Crestview for 7/2/13:

We continue to work through by weekly email the book Dangerous Calling. I hope, on one level, you are at least considering what I write each week.  I think it was McCheyne who said that the greatest need of our people is our personal holiness.  In other words, our pursuit of being a godly leader will have residual effects in the life of our church.  Today, Tripp points out, in chapter 6 on p.85, what for many of us is the obvious: “you know that every day you give personal empirical evidence that you have not yet arrived.  Every day you think, desire, say and do things that point to the existence of remaining sin within your heart.  Since this is true of us, is it not also true that we need to live in a willingly submissive commitment to God’s normal means of protecting and growing his still-being-sanctified children?”  Yes, Yes, Yes.  We need this. 

Consider your life and walk at Crestview.  Do you give the appearance you’ve arrived?  Or would others be aware that you are a sinner growing in holiness like them?  Let’s avail ourselves to the ministry of the body of Christ and watch God use this for His glory and the good of our people.

Dangerous Calling Email – Simple Question

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My 6/25/13 email based on Paul Tripp’s Dangerous Calling book to elders and deacons of Crestview Bible Church:

We continue to work through Dangerous Calling thoughts this year.  Specifically, we’re following up on chapters that were recommended to read following up on Sessions 5-6 of the DVD.  Chapters 5, 6, and 11 are encouraged to be some follow up on these sessions. 
There’s a profound question at the beginning of chapter 5 that I would encourage you to consider: “Who am I and what do I spiritually need?”  When was the last time you considered this?  Why not today?  I’d like you take some time and spend 5 minutes honestly considering this question.  Journal some thoughts or write a reflection and then act accordingly.  Maybe there’s a cry out for help you need to make.  Maybe there’s some sort of follow up you need to pursue.  Whatever God stirs in you, consider this question, then avail yourself to the body of Christ. 

With you in this journey…

Dangerous Calling Email – Chapter 5

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For today’s email to Crestview’s leadership on Paul Tripp’s Dangerous Calling book, I had one of our deacons, Benjamin Oard, write some reflections on chapter 5.  Here’s what he writes:

The most interesting part of each chapter for me have been personal stories and experiences Paul Tripp shares. I've been able to identify with each of those stories on some level. The story in Chapter 5 of Joe and his life being totally consumed by the stress of circumstance, ministry, and family. This stress transformed his daily mindset into a "survival" mode. I remember reading that particular story and immediately identifying with Joe. More importantly, I remember reading the terrifying response of Joe's wife..."I can't stand what it has done to Joe and our family, I just can't do it anymore." 

Survival is the mindset I easily drift towards. My energy is exhausted by the stress at work, craziness with three small children at home, and helping lead ministry. I've use the "can do" attitude in the past, and believe me that isn't enough. Going through the motions and putting on a good face will not get it done. Personal devotions and reading books won't revitalize me towards the father, husband, and employee I'm called to be. 

Paul Tripp gives us eight essential means of grace that can help minister to each of us. I'm just going to highlight two that I've benefited from:
1) Seek out a spiritually mature person to mentor you at all times. Bob Guthrie and I have met for a few years now. He never tells me what I want to hear (makes you wonder why I keep going back?) The Spirit works through others to minister to each of us. I get great encouragement sharing and asking for wisdom in the seemingly overwhelming circumstances I face. The question is, "Will we take advantage of that means of grace?"

2) Make there is someone regularly mentoring your wife . This is just as important. Jandee did this without me encouraging her to do so. This is such a great tool for young mothers. I'm not sure there is a more draining job than a stay at home mom.  She needs community and takes advantage of this much better than I do.

I hope your encouraged by chapter 5 and were able to benefit from the material Paul Tripp illustrated so well.

Dangerous Calling – Isolation Review

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Our church leadership is meeting regularly to work through Paul Tripp’s book Dangerous Calling.  Each week, I send an email reminding them of things we’re learning.  Here’s this week’s installment:

Gents,
Want to keep building on the momentum from our May 21st meeting.  In that meeting (have you gotten together with Bob Guthrie yet if you missed it?), we watched sessions 5 and 6.  I’m going to summarize session 6 in this email and press for some application. 
The high points:
·         When you begin to believe that you have arrived, you will be unprepared for the violence of grace.  God will bring the grace of refinement and rescue to reclaim your heart.
·         God wants you.
·         Ministry can lead to the temptation of isolation.
·         Sin blinds, and therefore, we will have an inaccurate view of ourselves and will not be able to repent of sins.
We were encouraged to pursue these applications:
·         Have you isolated yourself from or above the body of Christ?
·         Have you been using your position as a leader to justify not revealing your struggles and temptations to others?
·         Do you tell yourself that, as a leader, you must set a good example and, therefore, not confess sin?
·         Have you told yourself that you must not show weaknesses in order to be an effective leader?
·         Have you improperly judged others in ministry or placed unreachable expectations upon them?  If so, perhaps you need to confess this to them.
·         Are you prepared to show compassion, mercy and grace to others in ministry?  Have you made yourself approachable should anyone want to share or confess their struggles to you?
·         Are you prepared to speak the truth in love to those in the body who need to hear difficult truths spoken in love?

I hope some of these resonate with you and result in lots of ministry application out of our lives.  Have a great week.

Dangerous Calling Email – Danger of Arrival Review

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Here’s the email I wrote to the elders and deacons of Crestview today, following up on a meeting we had going over Tripp’s Dangerous Calling DVDs.

I’m going to summarize session 5 in this email and press for some application. 
Some of the high points were:
– The Bible is shockingly honest about the brokenness of this world but is, also, gloriously hopeful.
– Since the Bible is honest and hopeful, we should be the most open and honest community.
– There is a danger of identifying or defining ourselves and each other by positions of ministry.
– Effective ministry requires an intentionally intrusive, Christ-centered, grace-driven, redemptive community based on humble approachability and loving honesty.
– We are all tempted to live according to the lie of autonomy and the lie of self-sufficiency.
– The greatest problems and temptations of life lie inside of me and not outside which means I need the grace of God in me much more than I need changes in situations.
Here’s the applications, we were encouraged to pursue:
Is there someone in your life whom you have made yourself approachable to and will allow them to intrude into your life?  If not, why not?  Who could such a person be in your life?
Are you still a person who hungers and thirsts for God’s grace?
How can our church help develop and support the spiritual growth of each other in leadership?
Pray for and with your church leaders (reminder, we meet each Sunday at 8:30 in the bookstore).

Hope you have a great week.  

Dangerous Calling Email – Mediocrity

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Here’s the email I wrote to elders and deacons at Crestview today:

Today, the final chapter of Dangerous Calling that was recommended for us to study after our last video session was chapter 10 entitled Mediocrity.  I resonate with much in this chapter on mediocrity because I knew what was required of me when I worked in the secular world.  I worked for a fast food restaurant that was awarded #1 in the nation for customer service in 1991 (and we received a $50,000 bonus as a store).  I worked for Sam’s Club during seminary and found their standards for serving the customer were very high.  Even when I did marketing work for IBM, I achieved awards for my work not by slacking, but by being efficient and excellent in all that I tried to do.  So, in the church, serving the King of kings and Lord of lords, how does my service line up.
Here’s Tripp’s way of exposing the issue: “Mediocrity is not a time, personnel, resource, or location problem. Mediocrity is a heart problem. We have lost our commitment to the highest levels of excellence because we have lost our awe. Awe amnesia is the open door that admits mediocrity. Awe of God is fear-producing, inspiring, motivating, convicting, and commitment producing. There is no replacement for this in the leadership of the church of Jesus Christ.” 
Today, then, maybe you’ve watched yourself grow slack in service.  The remedy for this heart issue is to return to your awe of the Savior.  Specifically, think about the picture we saw Sunday in Revelation 4-5 of the One seated on the Throne.  Awe Him.  And, let that translate to your service with the highest levels of excellence.