Aaron Reddin onLife, Liberty, and Pursuit of Jesusness

Tonight I got to hang out with the men of our church, The River.   Man I love these dudes.  It’s nice to have a group of men that you can get around and just be you. 

We sat out on the deck of a little hole in the wall pizza place in Little Rock and talked for a few hours.  I haven’t had a single conversation stir this much thought in me for quite some time. 

Shane, our Lead Pastor, took us into the depths of a dissection of discipleship.  Let me go ahead and tell you that I was encouraged, challenged, and motivated at the same time. 

What is discipleship?  What does it take?  How do you do it?  How does it happen?  What’s the best way?  What does it mean to be a disciple?  What’s the difference in being a disciple and a convert?

Whoa…..the funny thing is, all I could come back to in my heart was the same thing that I took away from Dave Ramsey’s Town Hall for Hope.  Two words. 

Personal responsibility.  I know this is a mixed up post, but just keep going with me here. 

I absolutely love to make people think.  I love to make any one’s gears turn. 

My typical approach is to challenge the way that we as leaders, handle our ministries.  Taking on the way we do things, or the motivations behind our methods.  I’m very comfortable giving a direct, and pointed charge.  Believe it or not, it’s as much for me as it is for you.  I have to challenge myself when others aren’t challenging me. 

Today I have a different kind of charge.  I don’t want to charge leaders.  I want to charge those who are following a leader.  So, yes that would be leaders as well.  I know, it’s twisted.  Profound. 

We are all following someone.  No matter what office you hold or what title you have on your card, you have a leader.  Maybe even multiple leaders. 

But let me grab a definition for us here…..

Dictionary.com explains a “leader” as “a guiding or directing head”.

Guiding, or directing. 

To guide someone is to show them a way, not to do things for the follower. 

We have to discipline ourselves to take personal responsibility for ourselves, our needs, and our lives. 

We have to stop expecting others to do for us, what we should be doing for ourselves. 

I’m so guilty of this.  I have a ton of work to do on this in my life.  How can we hold anyone else accountable if we aren’t even accountable to ourselves? 

If we don’t take personal responsibility for our recovery, money, growth, education, relationships, quality of life, spirituality, or anything else for that matter then we have no one to blame but ourselves for the status quo that we live in. 

status quo…….

Also called status in quo.

Origin:
1825–35; < L status quō lit., state in which

Dictionary.com

http://theantidrug.com

It happens almost daily.  There have even been days that it has happened numerous times.  Each time it happens, I’m left in awe. 

The startling thing about it is the source of the skepticism.  People who should know better. 

How on earth are people supposed to find hope, if the very people that preach about God are the same ones that deny his power?  If people understand that their only hope is in God, and then they are made to believe that he can’t really do what he says he can…….

Do you know how many people try to convince me that you can never be completely “cured” of an addiction?  Do you know how many try to sell me the idea of “once an addict, always an addict”? 

I’ll go ahead and let you know.  A lot. 

Funny thing is, I’M NOT BUYING IT!!!!

I’ve had wonderful Christian people argue this to me to the point of their anger.  All the while I just have to send them back to scripture, and the evidence of CHANGED LIVES. 

Jesus didn’t just come to make things a little easier.  He came to rescue us from sin and death. 

How can we dare to tell people there is hope in Christ, if we shut down their hope of ever overcoming their addictions??

Here is what the God of HOPE, and the God of DELIVERANCE has to say about strongholds, addictions, and bondage.  Luke 4:18-21          

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”  He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”

Modern medicine says that addiction is a disease.  That it is even hereditary.  Ok so what if it is!?!?

Who believes addiction is a disease?

Great! 

Psalms 103:2,3    Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.   He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.

Not might heal them.  But HEALS them!!!!

Matthew 8:17  This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.”

Exodus 15:16 I am the Lord, who heals you

Here is a novel idea church……lets show people the REAL God.  The one who loves us where we are, but loves us too much to keep us there. 

Let’s give people the same hope that Jesus came to give.  The hope that says, “YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY ANY LONGER!!!!”  Praise God for hope.  Let’s give it back to those we have stolen it from.

This is a video that THV did with me at Christmas ’08.  They are such an amazing bunch of people!!!  Yeah I know I’m a little behind, since it’s now April! 

There’s no way around it.  You have to love a blog post that begins with these words….did you know…..that Old Faithful isn’t the largest geyser in Yellowstone?  It doesn’t even have the greatest height.  So what’s the big deal with it?  Obviously it got it’s name from somewhere!  That bad boy is right on the money.  You can count on it.  Regular and dependable.  And when it comes through, living up to it’s name, it points straight to the most dependable of all. 

I can’t even tell you how many times I have turned my back to the God who has shown me mercy upon mercy.  I done it knowingly and sometimes unknowingly.  Both situations suck.  There is nothing like “coming to” one day and realizing how far you are from God’s will. 

The great thing about God is that he never turned his back on me.  Even when I would turn and run away from him, or even stomp away like a teenager who just got their keys taken away.

Even today, I’m totally convinced that God is chasing after me vigorously.  Even when I try to turn my back on him.  Even when I’m mad at him.  Yes, that’s right, I get mad at God sometimes.  Guess what, he can handle it.  That’s part of being in a relationship with real living God.  I’m not him, and I can’t always understand him. 

Regardless, God is God.  2 Timothy 2:13 NLT says this, “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who his is.”

Dang!!  Even when I’m not even faithful to the God who I have placed my faith in, he still remains true to me.  He remains a holy and just supreme being. 

I wish I could give back to him the kind of faithfulness that he holds for me.  What a BIG God!!!!

 Before I make my brief point, I have 3 questions I want you to answer to yourself and keep those answers in mind.   Ready?

1.  How many books have you read?

2.  How many books do you own?

3.  How many of those books are “self-help” books?  You know, the ones about how to improve some aspect of your life…..

OK, I know I said 3 questions but I’m throwing another in…..

4.  How many of those books are about how you can help OTHERS?

Yeah, I know, it hurt me too when the question was asked of me. 

You see, there’s one thing that we seem to have mixed up about Jesus.  He wasn’t all that interested in teaching us how to improve our own lives.  He was more concerned with us letting HIM improve our lives, so that we would improve the lives of OTHERS!

Romans 12:13 NLT says it this way, “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them.  Always be eager to practice hospitality.” 

You see, you will hear so many things today that are great but I just wonder sometimes about the priorities of God.  One such thing is that churches will commonly strive to be “relevant” so that people will come to the church; having a “cool” church to that the unchurched will show up.  Those who make this a priority are very dedicated to this cause and hey, that’s great.  I’m not saying that’s an unworthy priority by any means whatsoever.  Please don’t think that. 

What I am getting at, is that the priorities that I know God has ingrained in me are more along the lines of being an Acts 4 church.  A selfless church.  A people who aren’t consumed with what we can do to improve our very own lives, but a people who ARE consumed with the needs of others. 

This is the heart of God.  Others.  I believe that with all that I am.  God exemplified selflessness to the extreme.  He modeled the characteristics that He desired to develop in us, so that we would model them to others. 

When we aren’t working for the needs of others, it stands that we might as well work against them.  This is a very bitter one for me to swallow; I’m guilty. 

I want to be an Acts 4 person.  I want to have an Acts 4 marriage.  I want to be a part of an Acts 4 church.  I want to see an Acts 4 world. 

Acts 4:32-35 NLT, “All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.“

There are probably several who are unaware of what is going on with me in regards to church.  So I thought I would take a moment to clear the air, and let everyone know what’s going on. 

I have been a member and active participant at New Life Church for the last few years.  I began attending NLC at the Conway campus back sometime around the first of 2006.  When I moved from Conway to Little Rock in 2007, it only made sense to go ahead and begin attending what was then the Maumelle campus.  I was able to be a part of this campus through the building of the new Greater Little Rock campus and spent months there as well. 

I could not have asked for a better church home, especially as I was diving head first into the pool of full-time ministry.  Such a wonderful body of believers, who I had so many opportunities to serve God and serve people with. 

I found myself a few months ago hearing from the Lord that it was time to begin detaching.  So difficult to do when that has been home for so long.  So I did as directed and began opening myself up to where my next place of “residence” might possibly be.  There was NOWHERE in central Arkansas that I could have even thought about going besides NLC. 

A couple of 2 months ago or so, I was introduced to some folks who were walking out on the limb of a new church plant.  I was extrememly intruiged as I heard and read more about their efforts.  But how on earth could God be leading me to leave a thriving church with thousands of members, for a new church plant with only a couple dozen??  To leave a church that had been ranked the 6th fastest growing church in the nation! 

I found that The River Church was exactly in-line with the passions and ministry call that God had placed on my life.  Once I had spent 1 single hour with them, I knew this was it.  I knew that this church, who’s big priority was to be a missional church, was the place God had been preparing me for.  It was clear to me that His desire was for me to jump right in, and take off!!

Though this is an extrememly exciting time for me, my walk, and my ministry; it was so very hard to say goodbye to “home”. 

I set a time to meet with Bobby Hamilton, the GLR campus executive pastor.  He is one of the only people in my life who has completely embraced the call and gifts that God has given me, and fully encouraged me to run with them.  I love this man.  He and his wife, Jill, are two of the most incredible people I know.  Bobby will actually be marrying Lane and I.  There was never any doubt as to who I wanted to marry us, regardless of circumstances. 

As Bobby and I met at Starbucks in Maumelle, a familiar place, I began the meeting with that painful little lump in my throat.  I knew this was not going to be easy.  I should have known the response that I would get from Bobby.  “Man that is so awesome for you!”, he said; “That’s so perfect for you!”.  And then he looked at me like “oh crap that means your leaving”.  What a great man, to give me encouragement and tell me that I was doing the right thing.  He never wavered or had one negative thought about what I was doing. 

Most impressing of all, as the conversation began to drift on to other things such as our wedding, he was absolutely thrilled to be able to marry us.  We won’t be regular NLC’ers but this man was still so gracious that it didn’t matter to him one bit.  That’s amazing to me. 

Yesterday I got a message from Pastor Rick Bezet, senior pastor.  He told me that he had been informed of the news and that he would really miss me.  He only had compliments to offer me, as I was moving on and leaving NLC. 

I know a lot of people who have left churches, and were followed by nothing but hard feelings.  It’s so nice to know that there is a church like NLC who wouldn’t dare treat you that way.  I miss those guys already, but I will see them from time to time. 

As of now though, you can find me doin’ whatever it is I do at The River and at barchurch.  My new “home”.

So, there’s the scoop.  That’s the deal!  Love you all.

I have been very blessed lately to see and hear the Good News being discussed in the most Christ-like manner.  If you know much about me, then you know that I am not a big fan of Christianity as it has defined itself over the last decade or two.  That’s most likely why I find myself wanting to be anywhere but church, around anything but Christians.  The problem here is that I AM ONE! 

It’s so exhausting trying to find authentic love and life in most communities of believers today.  I’m NOT saying that this is the case in every body, or even the entire body.  It’s just the case for an overwhelming majority of it.  If you are unwilling to believe that, just do a little research and see for yourself. 

I say all of that to get to this one little point.  The perception of most people who are not serving God, is that we (Christians) are harsh and that we have no patience or tolerance. 

From what I have gathered from the Word, God has but one plan to reach people and bring souls into fellowship with himself.  It’s my understanding, and I’m very confident of this, that His only plan to reach people is THROUGH people. 

I strongly believe that if we aren’t doing our part, the way we are supposed to do it, then there are millions that will never come to know Him. 

Even though at the end of the game the score is all that matters, you still have to play the game properly to be an effective player or team.  Do it the right way if you want the right results, if you will. 

Methods matter. 

2 Timothy 2:25a says clearly, “Gently instruct those who oppose the truth.”

That is a method, and a directive.  It goes on in the rest of that verse to explain what God’s role would be after that. 

Key word: Gently

Why is it so hard for us to remember that:

Good News = GOOD

Bad News = BAD

We were never directed to tell anyone “BAD” news.

2 Timothy 4:5b “…..Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.”

Work at it.  Work at telling GOOD News.  Man do I ever have work to do!!!  I really have work to do on this, since I’m not naturally a real positive person.  But, I definitely want to be doing my part.  I want to be on the team.  I want God to reach people, and if through me and my messed up self is the way he chooses to do it, then so be it!!!

This was done by my dear friend Chris Wilcox, who is also doing our wedding photography.  What a stand up guy.  Thanks Chris!!!

My personal philosophy of ministry is supported and defined in the book of I Corinthians.  There is an abundance of instruction all throughout this book to the people of the church in Corinth.  Paul teaches us about many things, and the acceptable and Christ-like way of handing not only our lives, but many situations.  But more importantly, he tells us how he has approached the Great Commission, and he tells us how we are to go about it as well.  This is our biggest responsibility as Christ followers. 

I Corinthians 9:19-23 NLT which can pretty much sum up my philosophy of ministry says…..

          19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.  20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ.  When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law.  Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law.  21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from the law so that I can bring them to Christ.  But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.

        22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ.  Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.  23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessing.

Paul clearly tells us not to be living our lives the way we want.  Not to be focusing on some super career and finding the “American Dream”.  He tells us that we are to become like those whom God has called us to reach.  This is everyone in and of the Earth.  The Good News that Paul speaks about is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who tells us that we are to be filled with love and compassion for the hurting, suffering, hopeless people of the world.  He tells us that it’s not the well who need a doctor, but the sick.   We are to care for them, and love them.  I Corinthians 13:13 says that three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love.  Jesus is love. 

I could go into I Corinthians chapter 2 and talk about how we are to present the power of God, and not fancy sermons and preaching.  I could go into chapter 1 and talk about how we are to be united, and working together to achieve this most important goal.  But I choose to leave it with chapter 9. 

We must be what the people need, say what they need to hear, and do what they need to see, so that we can reach many for our Lord Jesus.

This is not some idea that just “appeared”.  I’m not the first to write about this topic, nor will I be the last. 

Nevertheless, the thoughts that I’m about to pour out here are exactly where I’m at in my own personal journey.  I’ll even go so far as to say that there are tens of thousands of others who are at about the same mile marker in this race.  And all of these people feel stuck at this very mile marker, at this very moment. 

The problem isn’t that they’ve given up or quit.  The problem is that they aren’t being by their own coaches to run like Jesus ran. 

Let me just clear my chest for a moment.  Sometimes the very last thing I want to do is go to church.  My church, your church, ANY church.  Let me just go ahead and get it all the way out.  I’m sick of “church”. 

I’m sick of hearing so many churches say that relationships will solve all your problems.  I’m sick of churches pushing the idea that if you get involved in a small group, then you will inevitably grow closer to God.  I’m sick of this “sub-culture” that the church as a whole has developed and uses so much of it’s time and energy trying to maintain and uphold.  I’m sick of people having to follow leaders who are more worried about the perception others have of them, or what status they are living up to than they are about actually being Jesus to the world. 

Why do we follow people (leaders), instead of truly going after Jesus.  LEADERS SHOULD GUIDE PEOPLE INTO JESUS’ TEACHINGS!!!! Who cares what church has the nicest building.  Who cares if it has a coffee shop, or a bookstore.  Who cares??? 

I recently read where someone quoted Craig Groeschel as saying “Cut the Cool Crap!!”.  This one tiny sentence hit me right in that area of passion that I’m currently living in.  Can we just cut the cool crap?  Can we just be real?  Why are Christians so affraid to just BE?

Our lives are all too often lived striving for someone else’s standards.  We aren’t called to be “Mr. Johnny Christian” on the spot.  Man, God just wants us to be REAL!!! 

I’m just sick of being around believers who have zero transparency.  Zero authenticity.  Believers who feel they have to keep up the Christian facade. 

The Word speaks clearly to this tendancy to pressure people into their way of doing things.  (“They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to to ease the burden.” matt 23:4)

Whether you want to accept it or deny it, that’s biggest problem of Christianity today.  If we can’t be real as we share Jesus, real people aren’t going to WANT to move into a life that is portrayed as something other than fact. 

Ok, let me go ahead and get to where I’m going.  I know of a couple times that Jesus was actually inside a church building.  I know of MANY times that he was as far away from the church as he could get.  And let me blow your mind here…..are you ready?  HE LOVED IT!!!!  He wanted to be out where the people were that needed him.  He didn’t worry about how cool his church was, or how many cool friends he had.  He didn’t spend all his time and energy trying to uphold some culture he had created.  No, he was just being a Christian.  He was the Christian! He was setting the examples that he wants us to follow. 

Christian, Believer, Christ Follower, Insider……whatever you want to call it, it’s not ALL about being in church.  It’s not all about your attendance.  It’s about doing as he did.   It’s about following the examples and goals that he set out before us.  Ministry isn’t about preaching, it’s about people.

I’m gonna wrap up this long rant with a quote from Philip Yancey’s book What’s So Amazing About Grace?. 

Yancey says “Having spent time around “sinners” and also around purported saints, I have a hunch why Jesus spent so much time with the former group: I think he preferred their company. Because the sinners were honest about themselves and had no pretense, Jesus could deal with them. In contrast, the saints put on airs, judged him, and sought to catch him in a moral trap. In the end it was the saints, not the sinners, who arrested Jesus.”
(–Philip Yancey, What’s So Amazing about Grace” (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997), 249)

Would Jesus really come to your church?  Would he really hang out with your small group, or have coffee with you?  Or was he more interested in raising up dedicated leaders that would go out and do what he did?

Until the body of Christ opens it’s eyes and accepts the reality that most Christians are hiding and covering up the true place they are in, then it will never meet the potential is has to be the real Jesus to a hurting and suffering world. 

I wish I could keep going on this, maybe I will another day. 

I recommend picking up the book “unChristian” by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons.  They break down mass amounts of data to show you just how unChristian the Christian church really is.  The more the church is unChristian, the less people who really want the truth about Jesus will come around. 

Go where Jesus went, and talk to people he would have talked to.  Hang out with “uncool” people and actually befriend them.  Build relationships with people who never go to church.  Oh, but that would mean doing something outside of the 4 church walls!!!  Yep, do it.  That’s what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus. 

Here is a great example for you.  This  group of Christ followers RIGHT HERE are going where “Christians” won’t, to do what Jesus DID!!!

That’s something real. Nothing fake. Taking Jesus where most Christians won’t. And being real, when most Christians won’t.