Part 2 Supporting Equippers

Here is my 2nd video on supporting the equippers.  Enjoy!

A Response to an Anger Poster

A few days ago I posted my own personal summary of Darin Hufford's book, The Misunderstood God on facebook and ended up stirring up a hornet's nest of rage from some Christians (one in particular).  Here is what I posted:

"Love is not jealous" but religion says that according to scriptures God is jealous. "Love is not proud" but religion says God demands to be worshipped. "Love is not easily angered" but religion says God is full of wrath and angry at humanity. "Love keeps no records of wrongs" but religion says God is keeping track of it all. Hmmmm, does God expect us to have a better personality than He does? Why does the God many Christians cling to actually have the personality of Satan? Either God is actually NOT love, or religion has Him ALL WRONG.

This was followed by one person hurling a slew of Bible verses at me accusing me of basing my theology on how I "feel," trying to be "smarter and more enlightened than the word," "seeking popularity," I'm making accusations "against the Bible its self," that I "do not like the Bible or the entirety of it," having been "taken captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy," "revamping the character and nature of God from what the scriptures declare about Him to what (I) and most Christian philosophers today want Him to be," "twisting the scriptures," "quoting men and their insights without confirming the authority or accuracy," "saturating myself with men's persuasive philosophies about the scriptures," "not quoting enough scriptures" and it was all followed up with "If I didn't love you, I wouldn't bother saying anything at all or provide you with the scriptures listed above."  

Normally I'd just blow this off because it's clear my post struck a nerve so he chose to assert his "spiritual superiority" over me rather than really taking a look at why the clear description of love taken straight from the Bible (1 Corinthians 13) and applied to God contradicts what many teach about Him. The Bible clearly states in 1 John 4:8 ..."God is love."   I wanted to just walk away.  I hate this kind of nonsense.  But this morning it occurred to me, there are others reading my posts who are not the least bit interested in winning arguments but really want to know how I would answer.  So for their sake, I'm writing this. 

It's humorous, in a sad way, that what got me accused of "making accusations against the Bible," "twisting scriptures," and "not quoting enough scripture" was me quoting scripture and holding it to what it CLEARLY teaches about God.  There is a reason why I don't go around throwing out a slew of Bible verses.  The person who responded to my post showed why.  We can make the Bible say what ever we want it to say to back up our personal stance on anything.   I hold to a "Let He who has ears to hear, hear" stance.  If what I say is of God, He will confirm it to the person and they will see how it lines up with scripture.  If it's not of God, then He won't confirm it TO THOSE WHO HAVE EARS TO HEAR. This person believes God is angry and demanding and he threw out a whole bunch of verses to prove it.  I can come right back at him with a slew of verses that say the exact opposite.  That was the tragedy surrounding my post about 1 Corinthians 13.  He was able to use the Bible against the Bible to nullify something it says, while declaring that he is being scripturally "balanced."  This is extremely common in Christianity.

So what do we do?  The answer is simple.  We look at Jesus.  And I don't mean in some  mystical, touchy feely way.  I mean read the gospels.  Read what those around Him who knew Him personally said about Him.  "What about the Old Testament?  Do we just blow that off?"  No!  But if we're going to approach the scriptures correctly we have to start with the Alpha and Omega, the author and finisher of our faith.  All the scriptures point to HIM.  If what you're reading isn't pointing you to Him, but instead is giving you rules and codes of conduct to live by, you aren't reading the scriptures through the correct lens.  This is why Jesus said to the Pharisees in John 5:39 & 40,

You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Some things never change.  This is the exact state that many in Christianity are in.  As President Obama would say, "Let me be clear..." The Pharisees knew the old testament scriptures BETTER than most Christians today (including leaders).  They even had massive chunks memorized.  Yet, right IN FRONT OF THEM stood the Son of God, the One to whom all those scriptures were pointing and they couldn't even recognize Him.  But it's even worse than that.  They went so far as to accuse Him of being of Satan!  Is it any surprise that Bible "experts" today can find themselves in the place of standing in direct opposition to Jesus and what He's doing in this hour?  And you better believe they'll have chapter and verse to back of everything they say. 

Do you know the Bible better than Paul?  I think we can all agree that Paul really knew His scriptures.  He was a Pharisee of Pharisees.  Yet, with all His learning He was more than happy to persecute the church of Jesus Christ.  Brilliant Paul couldn't see a thing until He was knocked off his horse by Jesus and saw HIM!  Once He saw Him, suddenly He saw how all the scriptures pointed to Jesus.  It was only after meeting Jesus (not just a mental agreement with some verses, but truly encountering HIM) that He could understand the scriptures.  He began looking at things through the correct lens...a lens many Christians are not looking through.  And when He saw Jesus He counted all of His learning as rubbish in comparison.

We know nothing at all if we don't know Jesus and then look at the scriptures through Him.  Jesus showed us EXACTLY what God is like.  Every Christian who reads that statement will nod their head in agreement.  But then they proceed to run around the Bible grabbing verses that contradict Jesus and say, "We have to have a complete and balanced view of God."  So, let me say again for those who are hard of hearing, Jesus is the EXACT representation of God.  He's not a little portion of God and then there is this whole other side of God sitting up in heaven that Jesus didn't show us.  Jesus is not "safe God" while "danger God" stayed in heaven (because he doesn't behave well in public).  EVERYTHING we need to know about God, EVERYTHING He is, is seen in Jesus!  Jesus said it Himself to Philip, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9)  Jesus didn't say, "I'm kind of like the Father."  Or "I'm the more loving version of my Father."  He made it plain as day, if we've seen Him, we've seen the Father, period!  The writer of Hebrews states in Hebrews 1:3,

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

There you have it again, Jesus is the EXACT representation of God!  So then we come to that little verse that religionists absolutely abhor (although they'll never admit it...but actions speak louder than words),  ^"Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:8)  Who wrote that verse?  Well, it's obvious, John did.  Was John some Old Testament prophet who never met Jesus?  Was He some philosopher locked away in the halls of higher learning?  No!  John was one of Jesus' BEST FRIENDS!  Arguably,  there is no writer in the Bible who knew Jesus while he walked the Earth better than John.  He was the one who leaned his head on Jesus breast at the last supper, remember?  He lived with him for three years.  So John saw more clearly than any of us what God is like.  Remember, Jesus is the EXACT representation of God.  And John wrote at the beginning of his letter,

 

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—  that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1John 1-3)

John says that he's testifying of that which he HEARD with HIS OWN EARS, SAW with HIS OWN EYES, and TOUCHED with HIS OWN HANDS. Please keep in mind when John says, "concerning the word of life" he's not talking about the Bible.  He's talking about Jesus.  (Remember John 1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."  Jesus is the word, the message of God.  In fact, the Bible is never called "The Word of God" in the scriptures.  Jesus is called that, because the message is a living man, not a book.)  And this writer who intimately knew Jesus, saw God in the flesh, wrote that, "God is love."

Now people turn and say, "Yes, he is love.  But we need to balance that with other scriptures."  Hold on there buckaroo!  Let's use some common sense here.  If you were trying to solve a murder, whose testimony bears the most weight?  Even in the Jewish law it was clearly stated that by the mouth of two or more WITNESSES a thing was to be confirmed.  And here we have John, an eye witness of God in the flesh telling us he is love.  But we want to run off and grab some scripture form an Old Testament prophet and place it above the one who was actual there, heard Him, saw Him, and touched God among us.  (Uh-oh!  Now I've really ticked some people off!)  Yes all scripture is inspired, but you have to look through the correct lens.  Any person with half a brain can tell you that an eye witness has more credibility than any other testimony. 

What we see in the Old Testament is an unfolding revelation of God.  They DID NOT have the complete picture.  Peter, who was also an eye witness of Jesus and close friend, wrote:

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.  It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. (1 Peter 10 - 12)

The Old Testament Prophets and even the angels longed to see what has now been revealed to us through Christ!  If we're going to truly be scripturally balanced then we MUST acknowledge that the people living in the Old Testament had not seen Jesus.  They spoke of what they had not seen with their own eyes or touched with their own hands and longed to understand.  As Peter said, they were serving us. 

People who hold the Old Testament on the same level as Jesus, God revealed, how do you reconcile Jesus speaking to the crowds of people and changing scripture?!  That's exactly what He did?  "You've heard it said 'you shall not murder,' but I say to you..."  "You've heard it said 'you shall not commit adultery,' but I say to you..."  "You've heard it said, 'An eye for an eye,' but I say to you..."  And on and on He goes!  If all scripture is equal, why is the author standing their altering it and/or changing the emphasis?  Hmmmm?  (Especially the scripture about "an eye for an eye."  He completely goes the opposite direction on that one!)

See, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit so desperately wanted us to truly understand what God is like, to truly know who He is.  Though out time they could see we just weren't getting it!  So Jesus came and showed God to us.  This is why He takes priority over anything written before Him.  He is God revealed.  He revealed God's true nature by dying on the cross.  He showed that God's love is so intense that He will hold absolutely NOTHING back from us.  He gives all!  Even His own life for people who hate Him!  His entire motivation in all things, is love!

It's not about one scripture being over another, it's about Jesus being above all!  He is God revealed.  After Paul encountered Jesus He penned His beautiful description of love in 1 Corinthians 13.  He revealed what love looks like and therefore revealed what Jesus (God) is like.  It's interesting that when one doesn't look at scripture through the lens of Jesus, 1 Corinthians 13 as a description of God presents some serious problems.  But when you look at the One who gave up everything, even His own life for us, suddenly it all locks in place.  1 Corinthians 13 doesn't contradict God.  It's a beautiful description of Him!

Now Pharisees, it's time to go crazy!

Loren Rosser
  

 

Study to Show Yourself Approved?

WE'RE BACK!!! The podcast is back after the holiday break. David and Loren respond to a question they received in an email from a listener about 2 Timothy 2:15. In that verse Paul seems to be telling us to study the Bible so that we handle... it correctly and can answer any question and win any argument...OR IS HE??? I think you'll be surprised at what Paul is actually saying to Timothy in that verse. 

This is part 1 in my video series on supporting the equippers in the body of Christ.

Loren

Supporting the Equippers Part 4: Profile of an Equipper

Loren Rosser

A couple of weeks ago my family along with my daughter's boyfriend had a nice lunch with some old and new friends. The folks who joined us were David, a good friend for over eleven years, and Bryon and Misty, new friends we met through David.  We had a fantastic time joking around while gorging ourselves on some amazing barbequed briquette and sharing stories from our journey with Christ.  To the outsider looking in, there was nothing special taking place.  It was just seven regular people eating out together.  But inwardly tons was happening. Just being around these folks made me hunger for more of God. I found a new zeal for God emerging in my heart and a passion to be all that Father created me to be.  But there were no sermons being preached.  Nobody was pointing at me and saying, "Loren, here's what you need to do."  Or "Here's a word from God for you."  This wasn't the "after glow" from a powerful meeting either.  It was just seven friends having lunch.  (Actually it was eight, because wherever two or more are gathered...)  Yet, over the next few days it was apparent I gained something very real during my time with these folks.  

Most looking on (including Christians) also wouldn't have recognized that we were enjoying the company of two apostles and a prophetess.  To the religious minded that last sentence sounds arrogant, pious, and boastful. (And to others it sounds like heresy because they don't believe people function that way anymore - but I'm not going to get into that here.)  The reason it sounds that way to them is because they've been falsely taught by religion what people who function in those ways are like.  See, in their minds apostles and prophets (as well as other equippers) are intangible super stars who build huge ministries and “churches.” One is super fortunate to be around them, let alone have a meal with them.  And lunches like this only occur in their down time, between big events.  “You should see them when they're REALLY in action!”  Allow me just to say, "BARF!"

This is the exact OPPOSITE of what an equipper is like.  Like my friends, equippers are the most down to earth, real, tangible, and approachable people you’ll ever meet.  And as much as it may shock some to hear, it is the times like the lunch we shared together when they are in action.  That's because they actually live the words of Jesus to love one another. Because of this, they live for genuine friendships and real connections with others. I’ve heard one equipper who is a well-known author and speaker say multiple times that his least favorite venues are the ones where he's the public speaker.  He found that the most effective equipping actually occurs when he's one on one with others or in small groups where people can be themselves, ask questions, and share their hearts.  It is in those environments (such as sharing a meal together) he's able to give to the person what that person needs and receive from that person as well. Boy that sounds familiar!  Why does some guy who hung around twelve guys and sat down with a woman at a well come to mind?  Doesn't it only make sense that real equippers function like that guy? 

True equippers make themselves of no reputation.  And I can’t emphasize enough that they do not desire to be over you or to control you.  Like Christ, they desire most to be able to enter into your world.  They gladly will shed any baggage that keeps them from being able to do so.  In fact, one couple who are equippers I spoke with recently shared how a group of believers to whom they had ministered came to them and said, "We want to come under you!"  They responded, "No!  We will walk beside you as friends, but we will not be over you." As Wayne Jacobsen stated in one of the videos I co-produced, “I’ve found that I have greater influence in the lives of people I don’t control than I ever did over those I thought I did.” Do you know the brokenness it takes to be able to refuse such a temptation? Few are able, even among those who mean well.  And it doesn’t help that modern day Christians are constantly looking for human kings to follow.  (Only they give them titles like “Pastor, Apostle, Bishop, and so forth.)

Genuine equippers are ordinary and humble.  And they truly live to serve.  They see themselves as being less than their brothers and sisters in Christ.  Yes, years of lip service has been given to equippers being servants but few actually lived it.  Most were kings and controllers calling themselves servants. But that is simply not the case with the true equippers. They are gifts to the body of Christ.  That’s right!  Ephesians chapter 4 straight out says that the equippers (apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor/teachers) are gifts straight from Jesus to His church to bring His people to maturity. How should we treat the gifts from God’s hand?  Do we cherish them?  Do we make sure they lack for nothing?  Or do we toss them aside and forget about them like a kid with his toys a few weeks after Christmas?

I firmly believe that one of the reasons why we often overlook supporting the equippers is due to the very fact that they are so down to Earth, humble, approachable, authentic, and familiar.  We see them as one of us.  Yet, we also recognize that they continually stir up our hearts for Christ.  But when the thought of supporting them enters our minds we counter it with, “That’s just my friend Joe.”  That’s also the direct result of our institutional religious training.  Many still believe in their hearts that equippers are somewhat distant.  They’re spiritual heavy-weights that are intangible.  This is made evident by the fact they’ll give to some guy they don’t even know who preaches nice messages or writes good books and articles, but completely neglect the person they actually know who is pouring into them, loving them, and looking out for them.  And here’s an odd thing; if believers were asked, “Out of everybody you know, who would you most trust with your money?” I guarantee you, those who know a genuine equipper would mention that person. I know that would be the case with me.  There’s a reason why Paul said, “Know those who labor among you.”  Yet many keep sending their checks to strangers. 

There are some very sound reasons why Jesus set up his church so that equippers are supported by the body.  One is that it keeps them completely dependent on Father.  See, I’m not talking about putting equippers on a monthly salary like institutional churches do with their staff.  That’s not how God set it up.  Where’s the trust in that?  That’s no different than how I receive a check from my job.  Equippers are not hirelings.  We aren’t hiring them to do a job.  Rather, we give directly to the equipper the amount we purpose in our hearts to give for their support.  They are servants.  Actually they are lower than that.  They are slaves.  Slaves live on whatever support their masters determine to give them.  Those they serve can make their lives easy or difficult, based on how much support they choose to give them for their labors.

Let me tell you, that is not an easy way to live!  I do not envy the equippers who Father has living that way. I have it pretty easy.  As a “working Joe,” I know when my pay check will show up, how much it will be, and can pretty much plan out all the trips I’ll be taking a year in advance. These equippers, on the other hand, have no idea how much support they’ll be receiving month to month and have to completely lean on Father to meet their most basic needs (like rent and food).  They have to hear from Him about where they’ll be traveling in the months to come.  Having had seasons like that, I know what a challenge it is to tell somebody you’ll be flying out to minister when your bank account is empty and you’ve got nothing but lint in your pockets.  Folks, they aren’t the old, greedy charlatans of the past.  They’re the real deal, living in complete dependence on Father.

Another reason Jesus has the equippers rely on support from His people is seen in a statement Dr. Stephen Crosby made:           

19th/20th century missions missed a critical element of the gospel. In that era, the empowered and informed went to the unempowered and uninformed: "You don't have what we have, and you need it." Jesus sent His "missionaries", with nothing for their own sustenance. Why? TO FORCE EQUALITY AND MUTUALITY OF NEED, rather than "empire-lite." They were to go in need of the people to whom they were sent. This has been woefully historically absent, and is the source of untold resentment and troubles toward western Christianity. Jesus' way deals with the cycle of pride in the giver and humiliation of the receiver, thereby, making peace. Western values are not Jesus' kingdom.

In the past few centuries religious Christian leaders came to the people from a place of superiority.  But Father desires that His equippers are indeed the least among us and therefore come from a place of complete dependence.  Think about it.  In the business world, which is greater, the one who writes and signs the checks or the one who receives them?  And who is greater, the one who sits at the table or the waiter who serves them?  Through dependence on support from those whom they serve, equippers are kept humble through constant reminder that they are merely waiters bringing food to those seated at the table. 

Will we as the body of Christ make it easier or more difficult for them to serve us?  How much value do we place on their service?  Those questions are answered with our pocket books.

Supporting the Equippers Part 3: Identifying the Real Deal

By Loren Rosser

 

I work with an interesting man named Charlie (not his real name). There was an opossum that was continually coming around Charlie’s house so he began feeding it.  The opossum became a regular visitor so Charlie named him Jasper and built a really cool cage for him.  He’d feed him fruit every day, gave him a play area, and even taught him to use a litter box.  Every so often Charlie would let Jasper go outside to be with his opossum buddies.  Jasper would typically disappear for a day or two and then return.  Well, one day Charlie released Jasper to go on one of his excursions and he was gone longer than usual.  When he finally returned to his cage he wasn’t acting like himself.  He was constantly hissing at Charlie, he was crapping all over the place, and he was shredding everything.  Charlie couldn’t figure out what on Earth was wrong with Jasper.  Two days later the real Jasper showed up on his porch.

I think most the folks who have angst about supporting equippers have been stuck with “the wrong Jasper.”  They’ve encountered the charlatans; the big shot, power hungry, greedy, selfish, know-it-all, wannabes.  Some who have encountered the genuine article didn’t even recognize them as such because all of their religious training had taught them to look for a completely different animal.  Thus the reason the charlatans keep showing up.

So first, let’s look at what an equipper is not.  (Although I’ll be referring to them in the masculine, they can be women as well.) An equipper is not somebody who is going to use you to build his ministry or try to organize you into a “church.”  He is not going to try to get you on board with his vision. He’s not going to be looking to control or manage you.  He’s not going to be attempting to place himself above you nor will he allow you to place him over you.  He’s not going to be after your money, your affirmation, or your recognition.  Basically, an equipper is free from pursuing the three “C’s” that Wayne Jacobsen discussed in his book Finding Church: cash, credit (recognition), and control.

The heart of an equipper is entirely set on seeing Christ formed in you, period.  Want to see what an equipper looks like?  I know of somebody who is a pretty good example.  His name is Jesus.  I’m sure you’re familiar with Him.  How big a congregation did Jesus have?  How much money did he raise to build that dynamic facility?  How much money was He seeking from those around Him? Think about it.  What did Jesus spend His time doing?  He walked around connecting with people and pouring into their lives everywhere He went.  There were those He briefly encountered and greatly impacted and there were those with whom He had close relationships that He spent a great deal of time investing in.  This is the very example the apostles followed, including Paul.  It is we who have attached our institutional religious baggage onto these men and completely missed the simplicity in which they lived.  Paul didn’t run around planting churches.  He lived planting Christ in people’s lives.  Where Christ is, there is the church (His people).  It’s that simple.

But here’s the part many who aspire to be equippers really don’t like to talk about.  One doesn’t get free from the hunger for cash, credit, and control just by waking up one morning and deciding not to pursue those things.  The fact of the matter is we’re freed from those things through suffering.  I remember years ago an older woman telling me “Apostles aren’t born, they’re made.”  I think that goes for prophets, evangelists, and pastor/teachers as well.  One may have the gifts necessary to be an equipper, but that’s not enough.  The problem is many think it is and choose the easy road that requires no death to self.  This is the reason why the church has been so damaged by people claiming to be equippers.  They are full of themselves but know how to talk “Jesus talk.”

There is a mystery that occurs in suffering.  It doesn’t make sense to the natural mind, but somehow we gain Christ.  And I’m not even talking about God throwing you in the fire to teach you a thing or two.  I’m also not talking about suffering that you’re able in any way to maintain any form of polished composure or dismount from with the grace of an Olympic gymnast.  I’m talking about real, raw, brutal, “Where the hell are you God?” suffering that you exit from with all the grace of a fat man landing a belly flop on a hard wood floor.  Those who’ve endured such suffering know exactly what I’m talking about.  They stand up afterwards and say, “What was that all about?”  It was so ugly, so painful, so messy, they couldn’t see what good could possibly come from it.  This is the kind of suffering the true equippers have been through.  Yet, somehow, because of what they gained in Christ while they were flopping around in agony like fish dying on the seashore, they now impart life.  What they didn’t realize was when they were being crucified, so to speak, they died to the selfish desires of the flesh.  They died to the three “C’s.” The Pharisee in them also died while they were meeting themselves in the fire.  And when they emerged from their personal grave Christ was formed in them because it was He who became their resurrection.

This is why when Paul defends his ministry as an apostle he points directly to his suffering.  The path to becoming a genuine equipper is not one for which people are lining up.  There aren’t a whole lot of tickets sold for the bus trip to hell and back.  But this is the required route for preparation. This is how Jesus prepares a people who He knows He can trust with His bride.  Those others are imposters, placing their filthy hands all over her.  These genuine equippers have been broken and He trusts them with what is of greatest value to Him, His bride, because they have His heart and therefore shutter at the very thought of the slightest hint impropriety towards her.

I’ve heard of people making comments like, “Why should I give anything to that equipper just for meeting with us for a few hours?  I didn’t pay sister-so-and so for having lunch with me.”  It obviously doesn’t occur to them that the immense blessing they received in that short time spent with the equipper didn’t just spring forth on the spot.  It came from a well that was painfully dug deep inside the equipper through years of suffering.  They went into the pit to get that message for you.  They paid a high price to help Christ be formed in you.  And we’re squabbling over giving them a few bucks to help them continue doing what they’re doing?

I had an experience at work today that illustrated this quite well.  A guy at work who is an accomplished musician wants to create a video of himself playing his guitar. I’ve seen that this guy has real talent and since I’d love to see his music bless others, I told him I’d create one for him for free.  He immediately saw the value in what I’d be doing for him because I’m not just a chump with a video camera, but have years of professional video experience having even won a few awards for my work.  He began gladly offering to pay me. It’s so sad that in the temporal we can see the value in what somebody is doing for us but when it comes to the eternal we’re either blind to it, selfish, or we just plain don’t view the eternal as being worth more than the temporal.

In Part 4 we’ll further examine the genuine equippers.  I think some will be surprised to discover they look little like what they’ve been taught in the past.