Author: Mike Myers

Why We Give

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For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. – 2 Corinthians 8:9

The gospel of Jesus Christ fundamentally changes the way we view our lives and relate to the resources entrusted to us – our time, money, possessions, and energy. Jesus came that we might have life to the full (John 10:10). By his poverty, we become rich (2 Cor. 8:9). By his work, we are brought from a place of vulnerability, scarcity, and fear into a kingdom of abundance, grace, and generosity.

In light of the riches we’ve received in Christ, we are free – compelled even – to use the resources we steward for the sake of his Kingdom, reflecting his generosity in our love.

Giving Is an Act of Worship

When we give in this way, in response to what He has done, we are giving in worship. We are worshipping. “In view of God’s mercy, offer yourself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1). The only viable response to God’s extravagant mercy revealed in Christ Jesus is complete surrender. We offer all that we are and all that we have to him as living sacrifices in worship.

Our offerings given in worship are holy and pleasing to God. By giving back of that which He has entrusted to us, we are acknowledging him as provider and relying on him for our “daily bread.”

Giving Facilitates the Worship of the People

From the early days, when God made a people for himself, He instructed them to tithe. Ten percent of all production was given to facilitate the corporate worship of God’s people. The tithed funds and resources provided a livelihood for the priests and Levites (Numbers 18:21–24) as well as furnishings and accoutrements for the Temple. In the New Testament, believers were instructed to give as they were able and even beyond their ability to support the work, worship, and growth of the Church (2 Cor. 8:3). Giving to support church leaders and elders was also encouraged (1 Cor. 9:14, Gal. 6:6).

For the people of God, worship is an essential and formational corporate endeavor. We all share in the responsibility of making worship a reality for the sake of our community.

Giving Empowers Ministry

The early Christian Church was distinguished by its radical generosity. “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:44-45, 47). The Roman emperor Julian wrote, “[The Christians’] success lies in their charity to strangers…the impious Galileans [Christians] support both their own poor and ours as well!” Our giving provides the pool of resources from which we care for one another and demonstrate the love of Christ in tangible ways to our hurting neighbors. In other words, the mission of the Church is funded by the Spirit-led generosity of individual believers. “Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).

We give in honor and worship to the One who has given us everything, and He multiplies what we offer to build His Kingdom. It is our privilege and joy to trust Him in surrender.

Inadequate Comforts: A reflection on Psalm 91 in preparation for Lent

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He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

Psalm 91:1-2

Scripture testifies to the faithfulness of God. People are fickle and rebellious, yet the Lord is faithful and trustworthy. He is our refuge and fortress, faithful to deliver us. Still, we turn to inadequate comforts.

I see it in myself. When there is pain or fear or anxiety, my impulse is to seek quick relief. Maybe I will escape into a movie or football game. Or I may create an well-designed action plan to feel like I have control over the situation. Sometimes I eat an indulgent, feel-good meal. Probably Mexican food. Probably with queso. These things are not inherently bad – there are far more sinister and destructive means of escape – but all our comforts are woefully insufficient.

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

And from the deadly pestilence.

Psalm 91:3

The Lord alone is Deliverer. In Lent we come to terms with the brokenness of the world, and we face into our own sin. We see our need for a deliverer, intentionally denying ourselves the inadequate comforts and means of escape with typically depend upon, so that we ultimately come to depend on the All-Sufficient Savior. Lent fasting prepares us for Easter feasting. When we acknowledge the magnitude of our sin and rebellion, we more fully appreciate the majesty of our deliverance.

In the first chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul describes the despair the apostles felt as they faced persecution in Asia. “Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.”

This is the posture of Lent. He has delivered us from the deadly peril of sin and death. And he will deliver us. He is Lord of all, and He is faithful. Therefore, let us hold fast in love to Our Deliverer (v. 14).

For an in-depth explanation and guide to Lent, read this post.

The Heart of Advent

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Sunday, November 28, marks the beginning of Advent, the first season of the Christian year, which lasts four weeks leading up to Christmas. The season often ends up being a frantic time of busyness, shopping, and general running around, but it is meant to be something quite different. Christians have engaged this season as a time of preparation, fasting, and anticipation dating back to the 5th century. During these weeks, the Church corporately anticipates the celebration of Christ’s first coming and prepares for His coming again. While Advent is often treated like a countdown to Christmas, it is actually much more than that. 

We all unavoidably feel the weight of the world, the brokenness and groaning under the burden of sin. We long for resolution, justice, and peace. We mourn friends and family members who pass away. The daily news is full of the tragedies of the world. But that is not the whole story. Justice is coming. Peace is coming. Redemption is coming. Jesus is coming. For those who are in Christ, this is our unshakable hope. It is not an empty hope. In Advent we look both backwards and forwards. Back at Christ coming as testimony to the Lord’s faithfulness. Can you believe it? The Son of God took on flesh to come to us, to rescue us. And forward to Christ’s promised return. The One who came to us is faithful. He will come again!

This is the heart of Advent. It gives us hope and demands that we prepare. Since the Ascension, the Church has lived with the question, “Could this be the day?” We don’t know the day or the hour, so we’re forced to prepare each day. If today is the day, am I ready for His return? For those who are ready, Jesus’ return will be cause for joy and celebration. For all others, it will be fearful and distressing. 

So in this season, let us fast, pray, and examine our hearts that we would be filled with hope as we look to the Lord’s return. When He came into the world the first time, He gave us life, and He is coming again to restore all things. Let us look to Him. He is our hope!

Click here for suggestions from Anglican Compass on how to engage during Advent.

Hear Their Hurt

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My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

James 1:19-20

If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.

Proverbs 18:13

It happened often early in our marriage. My wife would share with me how she was feeling about a certain situation, but as she shared her feelings, I only heard my failures. She said, “I’m feel…” I heard, “You don’t do…” And in response some switch in me flipped. My heart rate spiked. Blood rushed to my head. The anger built. We were going to war.

No one ever won those battles. My defensiveness erupted as anger, and I could no longer hear anything. I just wanted to be right. My anger triggered her anger. Then neither of us could admit we were wrong. We could only walk away in a huff. I said things that were hurtful, things I didn’t even mean, and spent the next few days trying to get out from under my words. She felt betrayed and didn’t know if she could trust me with her feelings. It was painful and exhausting.

Then, in a group with men who have been married longer than me, who are wiser and more experienced, I learned a phrase that changed our marriage: “Shut up. Listen. Do not defend. Hear her hurt.” I eventually learned to recognize when I felt “accused” of something to just be quiet or to simply say, “I’m feeling defensive, but I want to hear what you’re saying.” And when I was quiet enough to listen, to hear what she was truly feeling, to hear her hurt, my defensiveness and anger quickly dissolved into empathy and compassion. I could suddenly see the ways I had hurt her and own my part in her hurt without feeling threatened. She felt heard and loved. I felt empowered. Unity, grace, forgiveness, and peace came in abundance.

Unfortunately, it feels like our society is stuck in a mode of anger, defensiveness, and self-righteousness. Pain is often expressed in accusation. We cannot hear one another’s pain because we are operating out of defensiveness to real or perceived, just or unjust accusation. We want to justify ourselves more than we care to hear another person’s suffering. And painfully, this seems to be equally true of those representing Christ. But as James says, “human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

Throughout his life, Jesus stood before many accusers, but he was never defensive. Rather than defending his life, he laid it down of his own accord (John 10:18). He lived for and received the Father’s approval. He epitomized humility. He came to serve. He saw the hurt of the people before him. He responded with compassion. His life was never in the hands of those who sought to kill him. Neither was it in the hands of those who sought to make him king. His life was lived unto the Father. He did not need to defend himself before men, because the one who willingly laid down his life also had the authority to take it up again. He knew he had the Father’s love, so he did not need the approval of men.

When we know that we truly have been justified by faith and truly have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1-5), we are free to listen. We no longer need to be defensive, because we are those who know that the shed blood of Jesus was necessary for us. Because of our sin. We begin in faith by readily acknowledging our wrongdoing. We don’t now need to act as if we are incapable of wrong. And we don’t need the approval of people, because through Christ we have the Father’s approval. And we don’t need to minimize our sin because grace has already been given in abundance. In Christ there is no reason to be defensive. So, we can be those who listen and hear the pain of others even when the expression of that pain feels like accusation. Let us walk in the footsteps of Jesus, setting aside our defensiveness to hear one another’s hurt.

Pray With Your Hands

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I’ve tried to make a habit of walking and praying for our “parish,” the neighborhoods around the church. Our parish is pretty unique. My walk takes me through Wofford College, government subsidized housing, abandoned properties occupied by the homeless, VCOM med school, the county courthouse and offices, newly renovated and rehabilitated homes, and several ministries and churches serving the needs of the community. On one of my walks I stopped to pray with folks at a ministry that provides fresh produce at reduced costs to people with limited access to grocery stores. I thought I would stop, spend a few minutes in prayer, and head on my way. But when I walked in the door, there were about ten people packing boxes of food. When I announced that I was there to pray, my friend Rabbi Andy from the Messianic Jewish Synagogue, handed me a produce bag and said, “Here. Pray with your hands.”

That phrase has stuck with me. I confess that I often opt to pray from a distance rather than taking the time to engage with the people for whom I’m praying. But as John says, “let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). It’s how Jesus loves us, not just with words but all the way to the cross. Love enters in. Word made flesh. And so for us to be the body of Christ as his Church, we must love as he has loved. We must pray with our hands.

I took the bag from Rabbi Andy, and we spent the next hour packing six apples to a bag while praying for the people who would receive them. It felt inconvenient at first, but there was a joy and sense of community among the people serving together. I was privileged to share that time praying and laboring with them.

I feel the Lord’s invitation to us as a church to pray with our hands. It means that we have to let go of our agendas at times in order to be present. Sometimes we do the behind the scenes, unappreciated work. Sometimes we may go places where we’re uncomfortable. But it is our privilege to be the hands and feet of Jesus. It’s our privilege to pray with our hands.

Real Power

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God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
-2 Timothy 1:7

It’s a crazy notion. The One who has all authority and power has given us His power through the Spirit in us. Not a theoretical distant power, but a real, living, authoritative power. Crazy, but true. But we too quickly forget. We find ourselves flooded with fear and anxiety or held captive by the lies of the Enemy or trapped in persistent habits. We feeldefeated. Meanwhile, the power of the Almighty God is in us.

The reality of the Spirit in us means we do not have to be held captive. We don’t need to fear. The Spirit leads us to come to the Father, to trust Him, to invite Him to accomplish in us and through us what we cannot manage alone. It does not feel easy at times because it is an act of surrender on our parts. We have to let go of the allusion of our own power. We have to die that Christ may live in us. And the Spirit who raised Christ from the dead will give us life! (Romans 8:11). That is real power at work in us. The church of Christ, His Body, is marked by the power of the Spirit.

This is the Spirit we have seen at work. This is the Spirit that made the way for our friends to move here from Tennessee when it seemed like an impossibility 6 months ago. It is the Spirit who is bonding together communities that have beenhistorically divided in Spartanburg. It is the Spirit who encourages us through the Word and the words of other believers when we need it most. It is the real power of the Spirit that has brought greater depth, joy, and unity to our marriage than we could have ever hoped for or imagined. We see the Spirit of God at work building the Church here in Spartanburg. We are blessed to be witnesses to what He is doing. And we know He will do far more.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21

Running On Empty

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As a college student I would often push the limits to see how far my car could go after the gaslight came on. On a few occasions I remember coasting into a gas station only to realize I didn’t have any cash. This was before I’d been suckered into carrying a credit card and debit cards were just coming on the scene. So being a resourceful college student, I dug around under the car seats and scrounged up some change to put half of a gallon in my car. Back in the day, that cost about 56 cents. It was a great relief if I cranked the car and the gas light actually went off, even though it usually came back on a couple of miles later. I lived in a cycle like that, constantly scrounging to get enough gas to keep going.

As I look around and as I reflect on my own life, I realize many of us are living that way, on the edge of empty, scrounging just to keep moving. We’re all tired, anxious, and stressed. Our internal “gas light” is saying, “You’re on empty! Time to stop!” But we don’t. At least not for long. Then, if we stop, it’s only for the few minutes we can scrounge. And if we stop, we don’t seem to know why we’re empty or how to be filled.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are wearied and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). We make a mistake if we think of this call as a one-time only call to repentance, Jesus beckoning to the prodigal. Certainly, it is that. He frees us from the guilt and burden of sin when we come to him in faith and repentance. But it is more than that. The word translated come here is the same word Jesus used when he called the disciples to follow him. The disciples woke up every day and followed him. Coming to him is not a one-time deal. It is something we do and must continue to do.

Jesus knew the weight of the world. He knows the broken, sin-filled, painful world in which we live. He experienced it, and he retreated to be with the Father. We are designed for intimacy with the Father. Jesus gives us that intimacy through the cross. So as the world wears us down, we must come to Jesus and connect with the Father. Not just regularly, but constantly. We weren’t designed to run on empty. Jesus came that we might have life to the full. But if we don’t come to him by spending time in prayer, in His Word, and in worship, we will continue to feel wearied and burdened.

We don’t need to feel guilty about feeling weary and worn down. That’s what the world does to us. Our weariness is an invitation to come to Jesus, to let him give us life. Nothing else will fill us. We need him and always will. Therefore, there is nothing better we could do with our time than be with him. The world is full of weary people. If we come to Jesus in our weariness, we will be people who point to him as we live in the rest he gives. It is a beautiful invitation before us.

Come, Lord Jesus, and give your rest!

Gather, Pray, Trust

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For a season it seemed like we would never make it to this point. But here we are. In Spartanburg. God is faithful and His timing is good. Looking back it’s easy to see how He gave us what we needed when we needed it, even though in the midst of it all we really had no idea what we needed. He shatters our plans and gives us something far better…Himself. He asks us to trust Him even when it doesn’t make sense, and it rarely makes sense. As we trust Him we find a life far better and deeper than we could have imagined.

So I should have known. Surrounded by boxes, after months of waiting and planning, I had a huge to-do list. Unpack, connect with people, make repairs, schedule meetings, and on and on. A few days in and I was already feeling frantic. How is all of this going to get done? How are we going to make this happen? Where are the people? Let’s make a home. Let’s start a church. Let’s do this!

When I slowed down enough to listen, I felt the Lord pulling back my anxiety to remind me that this is not my work. It’s His. My role is to pray and trust. Our role as His Church is to gather, pray, and trust Him to do His work through us. We need Him. And He is faithful and good. We need the Holy Spirit to empower us. And He will because this is His work, not ours.

So we will gather, pray, and trust Him. Not just to give us what we think we want, but to give us what He knows we need. To give us life to the full in Him.

Come, Lord Jesus. Fill us, lead us, empower us to be your witnesses.

A Quick Update

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Since this is intended to be a place for folks to find updates on the progress of Gathering Spartanburg, I thought it might be helpful to actually provide an update. I’ve gotten caught up in the opportunity to process what we see God doing and have neglected to give the details of what’s going on. So here goes:

  • I (Mike) began working full-time on the church plant in August. Since we haven’t sold our house yet, we are traveling back and forth to Spartanburg frequently.
  • We felt like the Lord was leading us to go ahead and make this transition as a step of faith even though our house hasn’t sold. We’ve been greatly encouraged as we’ve seen His faithfulness as we’ve moved forward.
  • We’ve experienced His faithfulness and received tremendous encouragement from other churches. There really is a sense of unity in the Spirit among God’s People. We have a group of about six churches that we anticipate partnering with in this journey, sharing the stories of God’s faithfulness with one another as we seek to do His Kingdom work.
  • We are inviting old and new friends to pray about joining us in God’s work in Spartanburg. There is a small but growing group of people committed to the church. We excited to get to know the people God continues to bring.
  • There are a lot of essential nuts and bolts that I’m working on. While the work isn’t especially energizing, it is exciting to see the infrastructure of the church taking shape.

That’s a quick snapshot of what we’re up to. We’re so grateful for your thoughts and prayers. Please contact us if you have any questions or if there are ways we can be praying for you.

Blessings!

Unity – Proclaiming the Gospel

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There is a clear, consistent, but often overlooked message for the Church in the Epistles. When the Spirit was poured out at Pentecost and the first church was established, there was a deep sense of unity and community around the power and truth of the gospel (Acts 2 and 4). As these first Christians sought to share the Good News and make disciples of Jesus Christ, their work – or rather the work of the Holy Spirit through them – was under constant attack, the defeated Enemy desperately trying to slow the tide of the coming Kingdom. Where did he turn? How did he attack? He sought to undermine the very things the Spirit had established: truth and unity.

We know from the very beginning of the Enemy’s intent to twist the Truth. “Did God really say…?” Before the Almighty, deceit was his only shot. The only way to keep people from a good, loving, and all-powerful God was to undermine His character and/or His existence. To get people to believe they were better off doing things their own way. On the other side of Pentecost, Satan employs the same technique. He undermines and twists the teachings of Jesus. He stirs up controversies among God’s people. Disunity stems from confusion, sinful pride and self-centeredness. The power of the gospel through the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of people creates unity and assurance in the Truth. Unity points to the power and veracity of the gospel. Because we know extravagant love and grace, we can show extravagant love and grace. The way believers relate to one another is one of our primary means of proclaiming the gospel.

So the apostles insist that the first Christians live in unity with one another. Consider a few examples:

Colossians 3

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 

Ephesians 4

1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Romans 12

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.[h] Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

1 Peter 3:8 – Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

The list could be much longer. So much of the New Testament is concerned with how we relate to one another. Scripture challenges us, “Do our relationships reflect the power of the gospel?” Are we willing to do the work, the really hard work, of forgiveness and reconciliation?

If I’m honest, there are many times when I’m not. I would prefer to avoid or deny conflict or tension. I’m better at not holding grudges than I am at forgiving, but they are vastly different. Not holding a grudge is passive, like avoiding the stinky, dirty room in your house so you don’t have to clean it. But forgiveness, unity, and real peace require great love, intentionality, vulnerability and sacrifice. Forgiveness requires an acknowledgement of hurt and disappointment. Forgiveness is unpacking the stink and filth of our heart and allowing the love of Christ to clean and heal us. It requires humility. It requires the work of the Spirit in us. That’s what makes the church unique: the power of the Spirit. Unity belongs to the Spirit. We have to allow the Spirit to work in us to heal us.

Spiritual work is actually really hard work. We have to “crucify our flesh,” to put our desires and passions to death (Gal. 5:24). It is often painful and forces us to go where we don’t want to, but it is glorious because it is work that only He can do. And so, as we open ourselves to Him, He heals, reconciles, and unites us to one another. It is work that God alone can do.

May the unity we, His Church, share proclaim a gospel of power, peace, and reconciliation to a world longing for real peace.

 

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