Daniel Kruis
I am a former CRC pastor-doing economic development projects in Ethiopia and New Mexico.
I am working on two concepts: "Charitable Investing" --Business Development is the answer to poverty. Relief aid is important to meet immediate needs. Development aid that assists the poor in creating a better quality of life is good stuff. But neither of these are economically transformational. Christians should be encourage to invest 1/2 of their tithe, or 10% of their portfolio in effective business partnerships or impact investment funds that work in emerging economies.
"Transformational Economics". Which identifies the economic factors that prevent the development of prosperity, and then moves to create businesses/industries that have the potential to radically transform that economy.
I also work bi-vocationally to establish city or region reaching strategies, and I continue to train church leaders in many denominations (which is why I am considered "out of bounds" a PCA term for pastors who are not serving a congregation)
. I have 7 children, and 10 grandchildren, all living in Michigan.
Posted in: We Can Answer Jesus' Prayer — and Article 3 of the Belhar
Thank you for your response Bev. Makes me want to take a SELAH (pause and wonder)
"unless to agree how can they walk together" "unless we pray together how can we agree".
Posted in: We Can Answer Jesus' Prayer — and Article 3 of the Belhar
I still think that we have a significant role to play in answering the prayer of Jesus in John 17.
First regarding prayer: one form of prayer is placing our request before a person--most often God, but when ever we make requests of humans we are essentially doing the same thing we do when we pray. Jesus is praying to the Father in John 17, but he is doing so delibertely for us to hear or read his prayer. When he does so, he is stating the desire of his heart. Since this particular request focuses on us and our activity, if we fulfill that desire by responding to his request we essentially participate in brining the answer to his requestt into reality. When we simply ingnore Jesus' sincere desire and pretend that a pursuit of such unity is not important to us, then his request will not be answered at least by those who ignore it. This is why Paul encourages us to "make every effort to pursue the unity of the spirit for there is only one faith, one Lord, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all".
Secondly, I am not suggesting that seeking to fulfill Jesus' desire requires us to do away with denominations. But the norm among denominations is a pursuit of our denomination's agenda and kingdom. When a paricular denomination is strong in a city or region they usually act as if they do not need the rest of the church to fulfill the missionary task that Jesus gave us. Instead of "contending as one man for the sake of the gospel" we establish an attitude of competion that hinders the gospel and causes people in the community to reject Jesus and his kingdom.
Third, when churches from various denominations begin to work together. When they pray and worship together, even equip leaders together the world sits up and takes notice and the tide of Chrisitianity rises in that region. I have seen this happen among the churches in Anchorage Alaska to wonderful affect. The Ethiopian evangelical church was almost forced into this kind of unity by the communist government with the result of millions of believers coming to Christ.
Finally, let me say that our Reformed Theology--concerning the soveriengty of God over redemptive history--should cause us to lead the way in city reaching efforts that unite the churches of a region. God has revealed his plan and purpose to us (the 4th spiritual blessing of Ephesians 1) that is "to bring all things together under one head even Jesus Christ". What would happen if all of the pastors of the CRC began to take the 3rd article of the Belhar seriously, and developed a sustained effort to bring the churches of their city into fellowship and functional unity?
Even if it is true that we cannot answer Jesus' prayer as you suggest, we could certainly make every effort to fulfill the desires of his heart---and he says that the result will be a world that knows him. I suggest that we make his agenda our's.
Posted in: Developing Christian Leaders - Necessity or Afterthought?
First, let me say that I agree whole heartedly with Jack DeVries about role of disciple-making in the creation of leaders. As Paul said to Timothy, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and the things you have seen in me teach to realiable men, so that they may teach others. Every pastor should be living this teaching. From the beginning of pastoral ministry I set out to disciple various individuals--always trying to have a personal, face-to-face regular impact on 12 individuals. There is nothing in my ministry that has had a greater impact than this commitment to always be discipling a handful of men and women on a regular basis.
I once noted a CRC pastor who requested prayer for his spiritual great grandchildren. As I began to pastor, I asked God to give me spiritual great-grandchildren. He has given them to me in bunches. Many of the people I have discipled have become pastors, and pastors of pastors multiplied several fold. God is indeed good.
On the missing qualities in your list for leadership I would add. 1) An ability to listen to God and follow his lead, 2) An ability to listen to the hearts and desires of those who are following, 3) An understanding of authority and an ability to live under authority.
The strategy that will always grow the church is disciple-making and leadership development. In the CRC we generally ignore seriouus lay leadership development. Our CRC paradigm of an educated, seminary trained clergy-- restricts us, so we don't grow.
We ignore the teaching of Paul in Ephesians 4:11-16 as if it meant nothing. Paul said that Jesus gave leadership gifts to men--to the church. Some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers." Jesus gave these leadership gifts to every Christian community. We pretend that he gave only the office of pastor (and evangelist--a non-seminary trained pastor). If we as a church really tried to understand these gifted roles and at the local level tried to discover who these gifted people are and bring them to full exxpression in the church's life---the passage says the result will be growth. Let's receive all the gifts that Jesus gave to the chuch.
Finally, In Reformed churches we acknowledge, and equip elders and deacons, but we fill the slots to meet the needs of our council or consistory chairs and stop. The NT idea of leadership development was always expansive. Keep training all the potential elders, and disciple them one-on-one and then the church will grow. We could use 20 shepherding elders in every church not just six.
Posted in: Developing Christian Leaders - Necessity or Afterthought?
Below is a suggested path to TRAINING LEADERS using Ephesians 4:11-16 :
1) Pastor of the congregation take a Sunday morning off and have someone else preach.
2) Sit near the back of the church and note the names of the 12-15-25 people to invite to a special training for leaders.
3) Jot next to each name whether you think their gift is prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher. All believers have within them a portion of the 4 giftings, as the H.S. has approtioned. These areas of giftedness can be nurtured and grown.
4) Invite everyone via the bulletin. But Invite personally, each individual on your list.
5) At the first meeting do a teaching on Ephesians 1:11 and explain the use of each area of giftedness. Include overview of the elder and deacon leaders, and acknowledge the role of program and ministry leaders—intend to spend time training them as well.
6) Here is a brief suggestion of the essential nature of each of these gifted leadership types.
a. Apostle: Is a person who has a broader ministry than just a local congregation. A person to whom God has given cities and regions to encourage the church. We have them by other names Superintendent, District supervisors, Bishop-- the different names often cause us confusion to the real task of an apostle--to pastor and encourage other pastors and ministry leaders.
b. Prophet: Is a person who spends time in prayer—listening to God. Their intercession for specific people of leads them to speak words of “strengthening, encouragement, and comfort—(I Cor 14:3). Prophetic insight may be spoken more broadly at times to the whole congregation.
c. Evangelist- A person who has a passion for lost people, and invites them to hear the voice of Jesus and follow him.” Billy Graham was an evangelist, but most people with this gift carry out their calling in a one-on-one relationship that leads to disciple-making (but we don’t often equip or train these lower key evangelists).
d. Pastor, A shepherd of a flock of believers, one who knows and cares for the sheep in the body—small group leaders, pastoral elders fulfill this function. To really fulfill this call one must learn how to personal disciple/mentor other leaders and believers, and understand the stages of disciple ship found in I Thes. 2:7-13
e. Teacher: A person who helps other people understand and apply God’s word to their lives. We do not open up enough opportunities for this role to function. A body of 200 believers will easily have 30-40 people strong with this gift. Teaching points should be created to expand the use of this gift.
7) As leaders determine their area of giftedness from the 4 leader ship types, a short series of 3 sessions should be taught on each gift. As a person defines their specific gifting, help them develop it so that it flows into ministry. Each participant should be set up with a mentor.
8) The art of disciple making should be integrated into the training for each gifting. Discipling like Paul (see I Thes 2:7-13), or Jesus has the greatest long term potential for bringing light to a lost world (see II Tim 2:1-2).
Posted in: Discipler? What Do You Really Do?
Michael, I have been a "disciple-making pastor" for 25 years. It has been the most explosive part of my ministry. Over 10,000 people have been directly, and indirectly affected by this "organic" multiplying ministry. Pastors and "apostolic leaders have been raised up." Disciplemaking is often engaged as an effort to make better disciples, more committed, intense, dedicated followers---Far less often has it been taught about Disciple-making--as a method of growing through teaching, My materical focuses on the Apostlic methods of Paul, John and Peter. IThes 2:7-13; II Tim 2:1-2; I Jn 2:7-10; and II Peter 1:3-8; The apostles knew about stages of a disciples growth toward maturity----baby, child, brother, parent, elder, pastor, apostle.
Just wondering if your material focuses on this reproductive aspect of disciplemaking?