Pillar 3 Posts (below)

Pillar 3 --- Koinonia/Community/Relationship, Spiritual DNA

(Most recent posts at bottom - control/end)

How to Know a Person: the Art of Seeing Others Deeply…

June 18, 2025

David Brooks

Here is another key element to church renewal that flies under the radar for most. David Brooks writes on a subject that he believes is at the core of human longing, saying, “There is one skill that lies at the heart of any healthy person, family, school, community organization, or society: the ability to see someone else deeply and make them feel seen —to accurately know another person, to let them feel valued, heard, and understood.”

Though Brooks writes as a journalist and sounds like a sociologist or a psychologist, this truth he projects makes me think it could easily be the greatest character quality of that man named Jesus. Think about it, seeing, understanding, and knowing someone deeply and compassionately. For this reason I include the work of Brooks as another resource to assist the church toward the grand renewal I am positive God intends. (p. 11)

Brooks reminds us that “Human beings need recognition as much as they need food and water.” He says, “In this age of creeping dehumanization, I’ve become obsessed with social skills: how to get better at treating people with consideration; how to get better at understanding the people right around us. I’ve come to believe that the quality of our lives and the health of our society depends, to a large degree, on how well we treat each other in the minute interactions of daily life.” (p. 11-12)

From the perspective of a sociologist Brooks is describing the calling of the Body of Christ as I see it. “In the age of creeping dehumanization” our call is to love others. Our call is to emulate this quality of knowing that Jesus portrayed so keenly. Our call is a relational call to walk beside people as God draws them to Christ’s love and care that we share. Our call is to serve others touching the deep-felt needs in their lives, again like Jesus. Our call is to invite people into the family of God in a real and practical sense of connecting lives and hearts together, where no one is left alone. Perhaps Brooks, in his secular approach, is naming a core and critical quality that the church of Jesus ought to radiate, even better than others could ever hope.

Brooks continues to mull over this theme. “Some days it seems like we have intentionally built a society that gives people little guidance on how to perform the most important activities of life. As a result, a lot of us are lonely and lack deep friendships. It’s not because we don’t want these things. Above almost any other need, human beings long to have another person look into their face with loving respect and acceptance.” (p. 11)

The church may not realize the power of this quality of Christ. Brooks describes it further. “There are few things as fulfilling as that sense of being seen and understood. I often ask people to tell me about times they’ve felt seen, and with glowing eyes they tell me stories about pivotal moments in their life. They talk about a time when someone perceived some talent in them that they themselves weren’t even able to see. They talk about a time when somebody understood exactly what they needed at some exhausted moment—and stepped in, in just the right way, to lighten the load. (p. 12)

Listen as Brooks bends to the spiritual. “I wanted to learn this skill for what I think of as spiritual reasons. Seeing someone well is a powerfully creative act. No one can fully appreciate their own beauty and strengths unless those things are mirrored back to them in the mind of another. There is something in being seen that brings forth growth. If you beam the light of your attention on me, I blossom. If you see great potential in me, I will probably come to see great potential in myself. If you can understand my frailties and sympathize with me when life treats me harshly, then I am more likely to have the strength to weather the storms of life. “The roots of resilience,” the psychologist Diana Fosha writes, “are to be found in the sense of being understood by and existing in the mind and heart of a loving, attuned, and self-possessed other.” In how you see me, I will learn to see myself.” (p. 13)

Seeing these inspirations, it is clear Brooks can help us as we walk toward paths of renewal for the church.

August 2, 2025

Relationship, our Spiritual DNA, Koinonia/Community --- Pillar 3

Essential Relational Mode

“Christianity is a social religion and to turn it into a solitary one is to destroy it.” John Wesley

There is no doubt in my mind that this pillar, ‘the essential relational mode,’ is the least known and least understood of the Four Pillars. Nearly everyone would agree that Jesus is our model in Christianity, that Love is the core of our faith, and that we are all called to the Mission of Christ. But there is nothing close to majority approval or critical mass among Christians or even Christian leaders about ‘the essential relational mode’ of Christianity.

Consider these ideas supporting Pillar 3:

If love is the center of all Christian faith and life, if loving others is an essential way followers of Christ express their love to the Father, if Jesus is the pattern for humanity and particularly restored Christian life, if his self-sacrificing love is the model for his followers to serve others, and if the manifesto of Jesus (Luke 4) is the clarion call for all those that will join his Kingdom effort; then Christianity must be all about relationship. In short everything about following Jesus is relational.

We walk in relationship with him. He brings us into renewed relationship with Father God. The Spirit ushers us into our new family, our forever family, the family of God. We are nurtured, developed, and given purpose as we grow and serve with these followers, the Body of Christ. We identify in greater and greater measure with the cause of Christ, “For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10 NRSV) And so we grow intentionally to love and serve others with the self-sacrificial mind set ever seen in Jesus. We embrace everyone with the invitation to enter the agape and koinonia of God’s kingdom family. In every aspect of following Christ we are walking toward relationships.

As we have with each of the Pillars, we are going to take several posts to talk about this critical pillar, the relational DNA of Christianity. As we look at many of the great renewal movements in Christian history one can see that the intensity of ‘koinonia’ multiplies radically. We will use illustrations from the early church and the Wesleyan movement to demonstrate this powerfully. Though the Trinity is not mentioned often as the basis for this spiritual pillar, it is in fact the fundamental foundation. The very nature of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the pinnacle demonstration of harmonious relations in love, unity, mission, and every category of divine life, the source of our own life. We hope to demonstrate in the posts to come just how significant, even critical, this pillar will be to Christian renewal.

Actually the simple Wikipedia definition of the biblical word for this pillar is quite helpful:

“Koinonía is a Greek word that means fellowship, communion, or sharing in common. It refers to the bond uniting Christians with each other and with Jesus Christ, emphasizing active participation and mutual contribution among believers. The term appears 20 times in the Bible, with its first occurrence in Acts 2:42, highlighting the importance of community and shared life in the Christian faith.”

Harvey Cox, former Harvard Professor of Sociology, wrote the book, “Fire From Heaven,” describing the global impact of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement. He was so bold as to claim that this movement was the most socially impacting movement of the 20th century. His global study talked about the shift in society from agrarian culture to industrialization which brought the rise of huge cities around the world.

He showed how young people by the millions left the fields to enter these cities to find work and build their futures. Many were taken advantage of, used, and abused by the huge industrial forces and many felt lost and powerless. Cox describes how small store front ‘missions’ in these cities attracted these refugees, offering them care, acceptance, friendship, family-like connections, security, and help. Cox says in these small communities around the world these millions found their footing, found their voice, found their purpose, and found their lives. Cox shares this global Gospel story although he wrote as a sociologist studying a global phenomenon.

Jump to our blog page for a contemporary illustration.

www.anakainosisforthechurch.com/today-s-post/

Here is a contemporary illustration:

I was recently speaking to a couple that were trying to settle into a church. This was a couple of professionals in the community, well known in their fields, upper middle class. They would seem to be the type of family that any church would be pleased to attract to their ministry. Their experience however, was that it was difficult to enter relationships with people of the church. They were greeted to this ‘mega church’ by friendly faced greeters and pointed to the right places to be. The atmosphere was pleasant and well organized. The services were excellent with high quality music, graphics, media, sermon, and setting. The church seemed to be effectively functioning in many phases of ministry. This family could have possibly attended anonymously almost indefinitely, but they were hoping to find relationships with others on their Christian journey.

This church could generally be representative of the desired ‘model’ for church in our day. So how could the critical component of relations be overlooked or missing so evidently? Most have heard of the many ‘one another’ phrases in the New Testament that help describe how a koinonia/community of Christ followers will relate with each other. The terms, Body of Christ, Family of God, Community of Faith, and Fellowship of Believers are all well known and each point to how Christians will relate in close ties of unity of purpose, even covenant, calling, and commitment. In another recent conversation with a pastor of more than thirty years, I was describing the main ideas of returning to love as the highest priority, loving others, and loving one another. He immediately grimaced and spoke from his decades as a shepherd of believers, “Love others, my people don’t even love one another.”

Perhaps the time is now to discuss how these essential elements can be restored, if indeed we have drifted from the true course of love as the ‘prime directive’ for every Christ follower and every church. It is possible through the centuries of Christian history the faith has been drawn to be more religious and less relational at times.

Wesley Quote above --- Kenneth J. Collins, John Wesley: A Theological Journey, p 83.

August 5, 2025

Koinonia/Community Pillar 3 Discussion

“Me and Jesus got our own thing going.”

Tom T. Hall wrote these lyrics to his country music hit in 1972. Most likely he did not know that he had nailed the individualistic bent of culture and translated it into Christian faith for the next generation. Naturally he could not know this ideal and cultural trend would undercut this third pillar of Christian life, ‘Koinonia’ Relational DNA of Faith.

Listen to John Wesley;

For Wesley, developing to be like Christ “could not ignore, or become insensitive to, or withdraw from one’s fellows. Here again the nature of love as the meaning of holiness (Christian life and growth) prevailed over any ascetic or less worthy concept. The evidence for holiness, to Wesley, was the recognizable social fruits of love. Wesley knew no holiness but a social holiness… Solitary religion is not to be found there. ‘Holy Solitaries’ is a phrase no more consistent with the Gospel than holy adulterers. (Mildred Bangs Wynkoop, A Theology of Love, p. 64)

Although Wesley spoke in 18th century English his point is well made that following Jesus has everything to do with relating with others in love. ‘Holy Solitary’ makes no sense in the life of Christ followers. Consider the example of the early church.

Listen to Sociologist Rodney Stark:

". . . Christianity served as a revitalization movement that arose in response to the misery, chaos, fear, and brutality of life in the urban Greco-Roman world… Christianity revitalized life in Greco-Roman cities by providing new norms and new kinds of social relationships able to cope with many urgent problems. To cities filled with the homeless and impoverished, Christianity offered charity as well as hope. To cities filled with newcomers and strangers, Christianity offered an immediate basis for attachment. To cities filled with orphans and widows, Christianity provided a new and expanded sense of family. To cities torn by violent ethnic strife, Christianity offered a new basis for social solidarity. And to cities faced with epidemics, fire, and earthquakes, Christianity offered effective nursing services… What they brought was not simply an urban movement, but a new culture capable of making life in Greco-Roman cities more tolerable."

(Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity, p. 161)

One point that Stark captures is that the impact of this vibrant early Christian movement was much more than institutional, organizational, or programmatic. It was personal in the full sense of the love of Christ. Stark uses the words relationships, attachment, expanded family, social solidarity, and a new culture to describe what biblical Christianity would often call the Family of God, the Body of Christ, the Community of Faith, or the Fellowship of Believers. He hints at the heart and the core of Christianity as delivered by Jesus and carried along by the fledgling church for the first three centuries. They called one another brother and sister as they really felt they were all related in Christ. They ate together and acted out the reality of family joined by Christ. They had all been born anew through the love, grace, and mercy of Christ and so they were united as one body. The relational and organic chemistry comes through powerfully as one reads about this movement in history.

In application to this biblical precept the relational aspect cannot be overlooked. The mission of Christ goes further than to simply help hurting people, or even to bring them to a decision, or prayer, or even a faith.

Go to our blog page to see how important the family love and unity of the early church is just as critical today.

www.anakainosisforthechurch.com/today-s-post/

The vision involves adopting people into a family where they are loved, healed, restored, given hope, identity, and a future. In all the efforts to help lost people, hurting people, and desperate people, the church can offer more than any secular social entity might attempt. The church offers entrance into a family, a new identity to go along with a new way of life and a new purpose for living.

To engage the world at this level the church must be ready to serve, but also to offer themselves in friendship that will become brotherhood, fatherhood and motherhood to desperate people in dire need. Following the steps of Christ will lead to attachments that go far beyond praying a prayer, making a decision, or weekly attendance.

Could the inspired imagination envision a church that says, “We want to help you with your immediate need, but we also want to become your friend and walk with you on into your future?” Could the vision of ministry aim for not only a moment where decisions are made, but life connections where the new friend is invited into the family with all the loving and caring resources of the Body becoming the means of restoration and transformation? Those are questions that deserve more meditation and Spirit infused reflection as churches anticipate walking in the steps of Christ to love our world for Christ.

This understanding holds the conviction that the gospel offers a relationship not only with Christ, but also with the family of God, creating a place for nurture, for development, for stepping into caring service life, and far more. This relational nature of the gospel may be a blind spot for the church to rectify.

August 11, 2025

The Power of ‘Koinonia’ Community --- Pillar 3

Koinonia is defined ‘in my mind’ as the chemistry in a community that loves God completely, loves one another passionately, and loves lost people all around them purposefully. History gives us the early church as the stellar demonstration of a ‘Koinonia’ Community.

The early church demonstrates the power of loving relationships that motivate self-sacrificial service. With this model in the DNA of the church it seems we should be the best of any group anywhere at developing nurturing and caring relationships with a hurting world. The culture of our age is not that different from the Greco-Roman world of the early church. Listen to secular journalist Aaron Riggins and see how this might apply to the church.

Our social skills are currently inadequate for the pluralistic societies we are living in. In my job as a journalist, I often find myself interviewing people who tell me they feel invisible and disrespected: black people feeling that the systemic inequities that afflict their daily experience are not understood by whites, rural people feeling they are not seen by coastal elites, people across political divides staring at each other with angry incomprehension, depressed young people feeling misunderstood by their parents and everyone else, privileged people blithely unaware of all the people around them cleaning their houses and serving their needs, husbands and wives in broken marriages who realize that the person that should know them best actually has no clue. Many of our big national problems arise from the fraying of our social fabric. If we want to begin repairing the big national ruptures, we have to learn to do the small things well. (Aaron Riggins as quoted in David Brooks, How To Know A Person, p.11.)

Riggins is talking about the power of relating with a person in deep and caring ways. Again, who but the ‘koinonia’ graced church is equipped to do this best? We have been given the unconditional love of the Father. We are empowered by grace to give this love away following the footsteps of Christ. We have the greatest message of hope, acceptance, purpose, and life. “Mary Pipher, therapist and author, said, “To be able to understand people and to be present for them in their experience—that’s the most important thing in the world.” The church has been especially called and equipped for this very goal. Jesus is our example. (Mary Pipher as quoted in David Brooks, How To Know A Person, p.15.)

It is my contention that the stage is set for the church to rise up and emulate her Master in loving compassion, see every human in the image of God, mobilize every follower of Christ to self-sacrificial service, make the Great Commandment and the Royal Law the ‘prime directive,’ and restore love as the corner stone of all things Christian. Not only is the church called to the task, but society desperately needs this more today than in previous decades. In his work David Brooks uses the term ‘creeping dehumanization.’

“Why over the past two decades, have we seen this epidemic of loneliness and meanness, this breakdown in the social fabric?

Jump to our blog page to find more data from sociologist Brooks as well as applications for serious followers of Jesus.

www.anakainosisforthechurch.com/today-s-post/

We can all point to some contributing factors: social media, widening inequality, declining participation in community life, declining church attendance, rising populism and bigotry, vicious demagoguery from our media and political elites.” Brooks says, “Our problem, I believe, is fundamentally moral. As a society, we have failed to teach the skills and cultivate the inclination to treat each other with kindness, generosity, and respect.” (David Brooks, How To Know A Person, pp.88-89.)

As a secular writer Brooks describes a solution for culture. “People need social skills. We talk about the importance of relationships, community, friendship, social connections, but these words are too abstract. The real act of, say, building a friendship or creating a community involves performing a series of small, concrete social actions well…” “These [social skills] are some of the most important skills a human being can possess, and yet we don’t teach them in school…” “As a result, a lot of us are lonely and lack deep friendships. It’s not because we don’t want these things. Almost above any other need, human beings long to have another person look into their face with loving respect and acceptance.” (David Brooks, How To Know A Person, pp. 7-8.)

Brooks is writing from a secular perspective but I cannot help but reflect on the fact that God has made all humanity as creatures who long for relations, community, yes especially loving attention. He understands that humanity is broken, filled with dysfunction caused by the Fall, and often hostile to the healing solace of community relations. So, Christ has sent his church to walk in the foot steps of Jesus, bringing loving care, sacrificial service, and the possibility of community belonging and nurture.

August 15, 2025

“What the World Needs Now is…”

(‘Koinonia’ Community --- Pillar 3)

I can remember a Coca-Cola commercial in the 1970’s that flowed from the heart of the flower power movement. The song they used was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and said, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love, it’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.”

I am positively drawn to the term Brooks uses when he claims ‘affectionate attention’ is desperately needed in culture today. He says, “We live in an environment in which political animosities, technological dehumanization, and social breakdown undermine connection, strain friendships, erase intimacy, and foster distrust. We are living in the middle of some sort of vast emotional, relational, and spiritual crisis. It is as if people across society have lost the ability to see and understand one another, thus producing a culture that can be brutalizing and isolating.” (David Brooks, How To Know A Person, p. 83.)

Can anyone agree with Brooks here? YES!!!

Brooks mentions some supporting data:

Depression rates are surging.

From 1999-2019 suicide increased 33%.

From 2009-2019 teens reporting persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness was up 26% to 37%.

From 1990-2020 those surveyed with no close friends quadrupled.

54% said no one knows them well.

36% of Americans felt lonely frequently or almost all the time, 61% of young adults.

From 1990-2018 Americans that placed themselves in the lowest happiness category was 50% (David Brooks, How To Know A Person, pp. 83-84.)

It is my contention that the stage is set for the church to rise up and emulate her Master in loving compassion, see every human in the image of God, mobilize every follower of Christ to self-sacrificial service, make the Great Commandment and the Royal Law the ‘prime directive,’ and restore love as the corner stone of all things Christian. The church is the divine institution called out by God and empowered by His Holy Spirit to love all God’s created humankind. Let the family of God return to extending ‘family’ to this disjointed world. Let the Body of Christ return to inviting isolated, hurting, and lonely people into her organic, healing, restoring unity. I believe God is saying to His Bride, “Arise My Love!”

Look to our blog page for further discussion, including thoughts from Wesley and scripture calling for ‘Koinonia’ Community.

www.anakainosisforthechurch.com/today-s-post/

Once more let’s consider the ministry philosophy of John Wesley. He spoke of a ‘social faith’ to demonstrate his deep conviction about this relational key to faith. (‘Koinonia’ Community as I like to call it.) “Christianity is a social religion and to turn it into a solitary one is to destroy it.” (Kenneth J. Collins, John Wesley: A Theological Journey, p 83.) That is pretty strong. And listen to his words of warning later in life. “Without this religious connection and intercourse, the most ardent attempts, by mere preaching, have proved no lasting use.” (Steve Harper, The Way To Heaven, p. 136.) In Wesley’s sermon, “The Work of God in North America,” he spoke about converts that had no such relational connections. “They were formed into no societies. They had no Christian connection with each other, nor were ever taught to watch over each other’s souls. So if they fell into lukewarmness, or even into sin, they had none to lift him up.” (Harper, p. 134.) Clearly for Wesley the community connection, interaction, and formation was more than critical.

Consider scripture, Ephesians 4:16 (KJV with notations):

From whom (Christ) the whole body (not simply individuals) fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies (requires connecting/sharing/relating), according to the effectual working ( energia is only used in the NT for super human [divine] power) in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body (growth spiritually and growth numerically) unto the edifying of itself (caring for and building up one another) in love.

Notice the word ‘energia.’ Paul understood that the super natural power of God was released from Christ when the components of this seemingly complicated scripture come together. (Almost sounds like ‘Koinonia.’) When the parts are “fitly joined together.” This cannot happen without intentional connecting, functioning, and contributing. When the parts are compacted by the supply every part contributes, sharing of many kinds among all the members activate this. All these body members build one another up and release divine power as this inter-relating takes place.

Naturally this causes great spiritual growth, which will often bring some level of numerical growth, as a natural bi-product. Wesley saw this connecting/relating as the critical element that could not be ignored in the development of each new believer. He shows this strong commitment when he said, “I determine, by the grace of God, not to strike one stroke in any place where I cannot follow the blow.” And, “Christianity is a social religion and to turn it into a solitary one is to destroy it.” (Kenneth Collins, John Wesley, p 328 and p. 83.)

August 19, 2025

Sam Joins the Family

‘Koinonia’ Community Pillar 3

Basically Lena and I brought Sam into our family. I met him at the Charitable Organization I served. Sam was homeless living in his truck. He was a big man in his mid forties, about 6’4” and easily 300 lbs. His background was blue collar work and he had certifications in big machinery, welding, driving large trucks, and more. Sam was not an addict. He was consumed with anger, he had diabetes with gangrene in his toe, and a serious heart issue. Of course he loved to dip snuff, drink his beer, cuss, and talk about his life as a rowdy man with hot cars.

Sam was the kind of ‘red neck’ (I say this with an endearing sense) that did not want charity. It took him two weeks after I prayed with him and gave him my number that he actually called. His truck was out of gas and he had no money. He could hardly walk but in the two years we knew him he worked all kind of jobs like a trooper. Early on I talked Sam into showering in my house and though he tried to clean it up there was blood all over the floor from his toe.

I talk about Sam as an illustration of Pillar 3 ‘Koinonia’ Community because he became like a brother to Lena and I. We checked on him often and felt the Lord had brought him to us for loving care and help. We gave him family when he had none to speak of. We also enlarged the ‘koinonia’ community. We would gather several of our friends we were serving together at our house for meals and fun. Betty, the single parent alcoholic, Ellis, our homeless friend, Chris, a lonely friend trying to find his way, with Linda, our wonderful friend and serving partner.

When we would come together as friends this was possibly the only time these special people had been included in a friends circle for years. We all encouraged each other and tried to help and serve each other. We laughed together, took boat rides, relaxed together and enjoyed the feeling of being connected to friends that intended our good. This is such a basic human and spiritual need but most people in poverty lack this sense of belonging and being accepted in friendship, or even love. Together we experienced a kind of ‘koinonia’ community. Though it was not always spoken each one knew Jesus was the reason for our uniting.

Sam thrived on this, relaxing from his anger to soak in the reality he was a part of the circle, a friend, and he belonged. I believe this helped form the trust Sam developed in us all. He attended church with us often. He gave his heart to the Lord in one service. He hugged us and called us his family and friends. He grew in trusting God. There is no time here to tell about a miracle or two God did for him. But when he died rather suddenly, we all felt assured he was ready to step into the arms of Jesus.

No doubt more stories will be shared in this blog about Sam, Ellis, and others. In some way with each our goal is to offer relationship, loving care, friendship, even family, as we walk with each moving toward greater grace as we go. This is part of the gospel offer of ‘koinonia’ that we have as we share with others.

See our blog page for all the blogs posted to date on the concept of the FOUR Pillars.

Emulate Jesus, Love God and Others, Koinonia Community, Mission.

Sneeze the Gospel, or

Party with Matthew, or

Eat Your Way into the Kingdom of God!

October 13, 2025

The Gospel always travels along and through the relational fabric of a community. (Hirsch and Ford, Right Here, Right Now, p.52)

Jesus gives instructions to his 70 disciples about how to evangelize in the area (Luke 10). It might surprise us to see how relational they are. Stay in a welcoming home, eat and drink with them, and meet their needs (heal). Many may dismiss the instructions of Jesus as being solely for that culture. Yet we see this relational emphasis in the party Matthew the tax collector threw inviting all his friends to meet Jesus. (Mat.9) With Zacchaeus we see something similar as Jesus announces that “today salvation has come to this house.” (Luke 19:9) When Paul and Silas were rescued in jail the Bible says, “He (the jailer) and his household were baptized.” (Acts 16:33)

Hirsch and Ford use a unique phrase as they talk about ‘sneezing the Gospel.” (p.52) In social media it is said a post “went viral.” As China experienced possibly the greatest spread of the Gospel in Christian history it was said the Gospel was like a rumor that everyone wanted know about. “In other words, we ‘sneeze’ the Gospel into various social settings and this irresistible offer travels along relational lines.” (p.52)

To experience this phenomenon we need rich relationships to be influencers in people’s lives. (p.52) This recipe requires cultural savvy, organic friendships, and hospitality. Alan and Debra Hirsch say, “We suggest that if every Christian family in the world simply offered good conversational hospitality around a table once a week to neighbors, we would ‘EAT OUR WAY INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD!’” (p.51) We may chuckle about this but we do not need to forget how significant the ‘meal’ was to the early church. Remember Mother Teresa said, ““Kindness has converted more people than zeal, science, or eloquence.” (The Blessings of Love, p.69)

Christ Followers must adopt the attitude “to be inclusive and invitational in posture. And while the missional posture requires a go-to approach, it will also be an invitation to relationship.” We must find ways to invite people into our lives. (p.50) I like to use the phrase ‘walk with people.’ To become missional we will need to renew the biblical idea of the church as ‘FAMILY.’ We welcome people to join us in this family fellowship. We are not individual solo Christians. We are best together and our mission field is often hungry to connect and belong.

The Great Commission is not simply sharing the Good News with people through abstract concepts about Jesus and asking for a response. This is at best only part of the deal. Friendships should be a big part of the equation. In the commission we are actually asked to go and MAKE DISCIPLES (not just decisions). This means we are committed to a long term relationship with those coming to Christ, and that must surely include meaningful friendships, genuine involvement, and compassionate concern. From this point of view the Great Commission is our call to personal relationships with people as they come to Christ. Christians should know how to be the best friends a person can have, because friendship (in the truest sense of discipleship) lies at the heart of the biblical commission, and at the heart of Jesus. (p.50)

Let us pray the Christian church today will come to see that bringing a person to a decision for Christ is only the small beginning step. The life long journey MUST include vibrant participation in the Body of Christ. (This does not mean only sitting through church services.) Remember John Wesley saying, “Christianity is a social religion and to turn it into a solitary one is to destroy it.” His friend, George Whitfield, compared the ministries of the two giants of faith and said, "The souls awakened under Wesley's ministry, he joined in class meetings, and preserved the fruits of his labor. This I neglected, and my people are a rope of sand." (Kenneth J. Collins, John Wesley: A Theological Journey (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003), p 123.)

We must recover the third pillar of Koinonia/community relationship as the spiritual DNA of the church Jesus launched. For centuries the Christian church has called people to believe, to pray, to join, to a decision, to sign a card, or to shake a hand. At that moment many in the church have believed the job was done. In the 1980’s I travelled over the nation for three years teaching the most popular brand of personal evangelism. The goal was to visit a home and in less than 30 minutes bring a person to a decision for Christ and a prayer. When this happened we rejoiced and most felt the job was done.

One More Wesley Illustration

Equal to preaching was the ministry of small groups in the Methodist structure. They demonstrate the philosophy that Christianity is more caught that taught. The claim is valid for Methodists that evangelism took place as much in the intimacy of the small group as in the major preaching events. Wesley said, “I was more convinced than ever that preaching like an apostle, without joining together those that are awaken and training them up in the ways of God, is only begetting children for the murder room.” The definitive organism of early Methodist ministry was the small group meeting. Dedicated people learned to grow in Christ, and learned the depths of God's love for them, and learned the witness of loving service to one another and to others that defined Methodist evangelism.

(Paul Wesley Chilcote, Recapturing the Wesleys’ Vision, p 100.)

It is quite likely that the third pillar of Koinonia Relationship is the least understood and lowest in priority for Christianity today. John Wesley would argue otherwise as his ministry helped transform England in the 1700’s and evangelize America in the 1800’s.

Hospitality: A Ministry of Presence and Welcome

By Elisha Davis

October 16, 2025

The Issue:

In many churches now, hospitality has been reduced to coffee stations, greeters, and good website/social media. It’s all fairly friendly, but leaves me feeling shallow, or transactional.

Christian hospitality is about welcoming Christ Himself through the stranger, the wounded, and the weary. In a culture that is increasingly skeptical of religious performance, the Church must reclaim hospitality as a spiritual discipline of presence.

Biblical Foundation:

Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” A great example is Jesus in Matthew 25:35-40: “I was a stranger and you invited me in.” Hospitality is a scared act of recognition. It invites us to see the divine image in those who come hungry, tired, ashamed, or unknown.

Biblically, hospitality is disarming love. It sets a table for those who’ve been turned away, ignored, or misjudged.

Cultural Insight:

In the book The Great Dechurching by Davis and Graham, many Americans are leaving church not out of rebellion but out of disillusionment. They are not necessarily looking for new doctrines.2 They are looking for honesty, humanity, and safety. Dr. Thomas J. Doolittle, in his article “Intergenerational Missional Ministry,” calls for a recovery of shared meals, multigenerational connection, and relational presence as a way to reintroduce Christ into cultural and family life.3

Alan Hirsch, in The Forgotten Ways, identifies incarnational ministry (living among people, not above them) as a core part of missional DNA. Hospitality naturally flows from this incarnational impulse, requiring humility, mutuality, and the suspension of judgment.4 Hospitality flows directly from the missional-incarnational impulse that defines apostolic movement.

Romans 12:13 says for believers to “practice hospitality,” and Hebrews 13:2 says that in welcoming others, we may be welcoming angels. Hospitality is not simply kindness, it is a theological act (Imago Dei). When we welcome others, we honor their dignity as image-bearers of God. In leadership, hospitality becomes a form of servant leadership, where the leader creates space for others to be seen, heard, and empowered.

Christ modeled this when He knelt to wash the feet of His disciples (John 13:14-15), and the early church embodied it by breaking bread in their homes, and holding all things in common (Acts 2:42-47). When leadership fails to practice hospitality, it risks cutting off the movement of the Spirit through the body. A hospitable church is open, mutual, and Spirit-led.

Ministry Practice:

In my work caring for other people, I’ve witnessed how a simple gesture like sitting with someone in silence, offering them water, or remembering their name and offering a friendly face can become sacramental. These moments don’t require a church building, only a willing heart. Ray Anderson says in The Shape of Practical Theology, theology must be lived “from below,” beginning with the pain and stories of real people.6

Klaus Issler writes something similar, that Christ-like hospitality flows from an apprenticeship with Jesus. Like Jesus in his apprenticeship as a carpenter, we enter into this same relationship to be shaped and offer what Christ Himself offered by simply being with others, and allowing the expression of God’s love.7

Personal Reflection: (Becoming a Guest in Someone’s Pain/Hospitality)

For me, hospitality is about learning how to show up for others and meet them where they’re at. Whether that’s a hospital room, a trailer, or a funeral home, my presence, as a part of the body of Christ must say: You are not alone. You are worth sitting with. God sees you here.

This kind of hospitality is costly. It invites us to release control, shed the superiority our egos rest in, and sacrifice our comfort. But, it also becomes a doorway to healing. Our own healing, and healing for others that share my own journey. As someone who has felt like both the host, and the outsider, I’ve come to believe that hospitality is a kingdom posture.

Footnotes:

Hebrews 13:2, Matthew 25:35-40 (Biblical foundation)

Alan Hirsch, The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2006), Pg. 126.

Jim Davis and Michael Graham, The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2023), Pg. 11.

Thomas J. Doolittle, “Intergenerational Missional Ministry,” lecture article, Lee University, 2025.

Hirsch, The Forgotten Ways, Pg.128-133.

Ray S. Anderson, The Shape of Practical Theology: Empowering Ministry with Theological Praxis (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), Pg. 164.

Klaus Issler, Living into the Life of Jesus: The Formation of Christian Character (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012), Pg.190.

Hospitality Stories: A Ministry of Presence and Welcome

October 20, 2025

I sat in the driveway of my home with Ellis, my homeless friend of five years.

(See Ellis post in Pillar 2 archive, July 2025)

He was telling me how his last few days had been tough and he found himself sitting near the tracks talking to an imaginary man. He told how he was literally having a conversation with this man out loud, speaking both for the man and himself. Ellis then explained that homeless people can often be seen talking with no one around. It is true and I have seen this myself. Ellis says there is no one to hold a decent and normal conversation with and so the temptation rises to talk with no one literally.

It was then Ellis shared how our conversation in the driveway just then was so enriching to him, talking about normal things with a normal person with no angst, aggravation, or fear. He mentioned that this is a part of homelessness that is often overlooked or unknown by observers. This sense of disconnect from friendship and relating in human interest, dignity, and care was real for Ellis and he appreciated the times we could sit and talk over lunch or in a driveway. Elisha Davis in the last post called this ‘A Ministry of Presence and Welcome.’

As I shared this with Lena, my wife, she told me about joining a few faculty at Lee University to open a soup kitchen for homeless people on campus. They recruited students to help work the kitchen and gave them guidance to join the homeless friends as they sat to eat, visiting with them. As Lena sat with one man he shared, “This soup is delicious, but what is even better is sitting here talking with someone and being heard.”

I know it may sound scary to a normal Christian sitting on the pew at church to be told that you are an ‘Agent of the Kingdom of God.’ Oh Yes, we know that is true in the Bible and in Christian theory, but such has not actually been seen in practice by a majority of Christians in our lifetime. The unknown is scary. Some may have cold sweats thinking about sharing the Four Spiritual Laws, or the Romans Road, or (heaven forbid) the extensive training of Evangelism Explosion. The now generation can breath a sigh of relief that none of these are currently promoted.

But what about Davis’ thought last post --- Hospitality: A Ministry of Presence and Welcome? Could it be as simple as sitting with someone and hearing their story, offering friendship to one in trauma, letting a person know they are not alone? Or what about inviting one neighbor a week to come eat with us, visit, talk about life, understand their challenges, build a relationship, or as the Hirschs say (tongue in cheek) Eating Our Way into the Kingdom of God? These things sound less scary for sure.

Let me put this Hospitality idea in Four Pillar language. Could we Emulate Jesus (Pillar 1) and offer dignity to one unseen, or hope to one hopeless, or our presence to one alone? Could we Love Someone (Pillar 2) as they sit overwhelmed by their troubles? Could we invite someone into Community/Koinonia relating (Pillar 3) that seems disconnected? Could we look through Missional eyes (Pillar 4) for people such as these to touch like Jesus? I believe we all realize the world is full of such folks.

Many psychologists conclude that the majority of emotional and spiritual disorders are not the result of damaged psyches, but of disconnected people. The premise is that when two people connect on a significant level, something is poured out of one into the other that has the power to heal the soul of its deepest wounds and create restoration. We are wired by God to both need and be needed by others. And some of the most joyful people have been the most selfless, although their own circumstances were hard or less than ideal. (Hirsch and Ford, Right Here, Right Now, p. 71)

Betty's Story

October 23, 2025

I have known Betty possibly six years now and her journey is a work of grace from start to finish.

I received a call from an old friend that said he knew a young lady that had been involved in the life of drugs and alcohol, but she wanted to return home to my town and get custody of her eleven year old son. Back in Betty’s home town her divorced husband had custody of the son C.J. and he was a working alcoholic and drug addict, as well as a woman chaser most of the time. It is a mystery how he kept the jobs he held, but he always seemed to be able to find a job.

I have often said that C.J. is the real goal of this recovery story. For most of his life he has lived in a house where his father is mainly absent or inattentive. If he is at home many times he is drinking or even doing drugs. As C.J. moves through the pre-teen years the real work of grace will be to see his heart, mind, and spirit healed from all that he has endured in his short life. At times his father has been verbally abusive while at other times he has used his means to buy C.J.’s affection or cooperation. So life has been complicated for C.J.as Betty enters the scene after so many years away.

When Betty returned to Cleveland she was homeless and jobless. She had a fluctuating relationship with her family as anyone could imagine for a woman that has been addicted and a prodigal, far away from the home and family relations. No doubt there have been relational conflicts like any addict might walk through as they lie about their habit, their life, and their prodigal relations. So Betty started from scratch as she took on the challenge to return, restore a home for her son, restore relations with family, and restore her purpose in life and faith. Even from the earliest conversations with her she felt she wanted to serve in a recovery ministry.

I felt the fact that Betty had no place to stay was an indication that she had burned too many bridges in her family relations through the years. At any rate for the first year and a half or so she was constantly looking for some place to lay her head. I remember moving her numerous times. One memorable stop was at an aunt’s house. It was a slum situation, the aunt was aged and could hardly take care of herself. Like so many slum situations a son was living with her with his girl friend and a younger uncle (her brother). I got a few pieces of furniture together and moved her into a small side room barely private.

Again like so many other slum scenarios the son and uncle were doing drugs and possibly selling some at times. So they were not thrilled that a distant cousin had moved in with them. There was already tension between those two, partially about who had authority over the premises with the aunt aging. It is not hard to get the picture that this house is not a place for peace and rest as Betty searched for jobs. Within a few weeks I drove my truck back over to load Betty up and move again. Her mattress was out in the yard and the men were non-communicative. I sprayed the furniture with bug spray as I placed it back in my garage.

Della was a large black woman that had her own household in a slum rental home right in what has been known for years as ‘sixth ward.’ Betty had known Della years before and asked her if she could come and stay on Della’s couch for a while. Della said yes and Betty was into one more couch to couch homeless place. This slum house had two small bedrooms, a small living room, small kitchen, and a bath. Della’s ex-husband was living there as well as Della’s son (about 18), Della’s daughter, and her infant child. So into this small home we add Betty to be the 6th person living in a very small and worn down house.

From that time on I called Della an angel of mercy. A year or more later Betty and I invited Della to dinner so we could thank her one more time and tell her how much her hospitality and care had meant to Betty. She dressed up looking lovely for a 300 pound woman and we ate reminisced. In another year or so I would be asked by the son and daughter to speak at Della’s memorial service. I went on for about 20 minutes talking about Della being an agent of heaven and an angel to Betty.

Even after Betty moved from Della’s house she would go back and babysit for the child or even clean house in the apartment Della moved to with her daughter. They maintained that friendship as really the closest non-family relationship Betty had. It was touching.

For the first three years Betty seemed to need almost everything. She got signed up for food stamps but she always needed help with food. Transportation was always an issue. Before moving out of state Betty had been convicted of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and had spent time in jail, especially for the last one where she had an accident. Betty was known personally by her county’s authorities and I drove her to numerous court appearances as she ironed out her legal issues.

One service I provided to Betty was loaning her my truck to drive. I realize that many would not agree with loaning a car to a person with two DUI’s and with a five year suspension on her license. But from my point of view she needed the transportation, she was so cautious with all of these legalities hanging over her, and I had an old Tahoe that was on its last legs. Ha! Betty was really taking all the risk, so I loaned her my truck.

She would drive to Denton to stay with C.J. She drove for many other needs, groceries, doctors, child services, job applications and more. One day Betty had my truck and she drove over the railroad tracks a bit too fast. My back window did not latch and so it flopped open and then banged closed hard. The glass was shattered. Again, most Christians will expect that everything will go perfectly as you try to help a person in need. Or they will put so many qualifiers on the situation that it is rigid. Or in reality most Christians will just say no. But the Gospels paint the picture of a Jesus that is willing to sacrifice for others, even to the point of losing status and finally losing his life. Ouch! I figure, what is a back window or a $500 deductible if what we do for others we are actually doing for Christ. I believe that fact is lost on this age of Christianity. Oh well.

Yes, transportation was a way of serving Betty as she struggled to find traction to leave addiction, restore her home, and move into purposeful life. I remember taking Betty to a job at 6am and her father would pick her up at 2 or 3pm. I would stumble into the car half asleep and go. We would say a prayer at the drop off each day. Then back home I would go right back on schedule. Ha! It was on that job that Betty was surrounded by druggies and hard cases. Several episodes happened there that could make you angry. Here was a struggling mother trying to get a grip on life and she is fighting for her survival in situations we cannot imagine. These years have taught me that life on the level of poverty can be hard and cruel.

We will tell the rest of Betty’s story in the next post. But for now we will share Betty has just recently arrived at stability and peace. She loves Jesus and is guiding C.J. to love Him too. Catch the next post to hear more on this.

Today our prayer is that contemporary Christianity will become stirred by the Spirit to open their eyes to see the people all around them that need the presence of a caring, helping, encouraging, praying, and giving friend. Let’s be the Body of Christ for others starting now.

Betty's Story (Part two)

October 25, 2025

I have known Betty possibly six years now and her journey is a work of grace from start to finish.

Alert!! Potentially Sensitive Material

October 30, 2025

Check out this interesting quote from Alan Hirsch and Lance Ford.

If relationship is the key medium in the transfer of the gospel, then this simply means we are going to have to have meaningful connections with the people in our circle. Our very lives are our messages, and we cannot take ourselves out of the equation of mission. One of the profound implications of our being ambassadors of Jesus is that people get the idea that Jesus actually likes to hang out with them precisely because we do as his representatives. Through our friendship and attentiveness, they really do get a message that God loves them. (Hirsch/Ford, Right Here, Right Now, p.83)

These words from Alan Hirsch and Lance Ford are full of important ideas for the church today. Let’s unpack some of them here.

Do you think relationship is the key medium in the transfer of the Gospel?

I would have to say that in my lifetime that has not been the case. Let me talk about two examples from my life experiences. Perhaps you will be able to identify. Most of my life I have seen churches of all varieties ‘win the lost’ in a similar manner to a Billy Graham crusade. A church service is held. The Word of God is preached. A call is given for people to receive Christ. And some people respond, accepting Christ. We would need to dig deeper into the details of each conversion, but from my observation most of these conversions would not include relationship as the key medium.

Later I travelled around the nation for three years teaching churches how to do personal evangelism (sounds more relational). The majority of these scenarios would not include relationship as the key medium.

Now, jump back to the first 300 years of the church, the early church. Historians like Rodney Stark paint a picture of a nearly secret movement of people that influenced millions of others in the Roman Empire through their lives of high integrity, love for others, sacrificial service to people in need, and a powerful unity among themselves. From individual lives the Gospel was demonstrated first before it was described. And this movement grew to impact the entire Empire. Yes, relationship was the key medium in the transfer of the Gospel.

Perhaps the contemporary church should consider how to restore this idea today.

Next, do you agree that our very lives are the message?

Again, I think about my life experiences here. If someone were to ask me how the Gospel message is commonly delivered I would consider several modes. First in frequency would be the sermon. It has been a general understanding that sermons convey the Gospel best. Beyond the church service we package the Gospel sermon in TV programs and radio programs for many more to hear, as well as video and audio recordings and now web streaming. Also as I mentioned above in my life there was a surge of carrying the Gospel to people through personal evangelism. Still, none of these strategies were built on the premise that one’s life was the message.

Once more going back to the example of the early church, history seems clear that the individual lives of those believers carried the message of Jesus more than any other means. Their passionate love, care, and service powerfully carried the core concepts of the Gospel into the pagan culture.

Alan Hirsch is fond of saying the Gospel is like a virus, it needs a host, a carrier to get spread around. The power of the Gospel is activated when we add our flesh and blood to it as Jesus did. Too often we quarantine the Gospel in our systems. Compartmentalizing Christian life into church services and church activities is an incapacitating straight jacket that pervades Christianity. (p.108) I will add this, the data in recent years repeatedly shows that there is little difference in the lives of Christians and non-Christians. (p.114) Where is the life message of the Gospel there?

Perhaps the contemporary church should evaluate how we make disciples today.

Next, let me ask two questions from the quote above.

Do you think Jesus liked to hang out with people that were outside the religious circles?

If we are disciples following the steps of Jesus what people outside the religious circles do you hang out with?

Wow! It is possible these questions may stir up some sensitivities. I mean no harm. I just want us to think about how the church could renew itself to be more like Jesus. So let’s talk about it.

The data shows that in 3-5 years a new convert will have no friends outside church culture. In effect something about our approach to Christian life breaks the natural organic connections that they have with their host community. We are extracting them. (p.251) Enough said.

One final time I go back to the model of the early church. Their drive to emulate Jesus ‘drove’ them out among the people of the pagan culture. Even though culture was antagonistic to them they resisted the temptation to seal up in their Christian cocoons and isolate from the world. Paul used a phrase that is powerful to consider, “The love of Christ constrains us.” 2 Cor. 5:14 KJV The Message says, “Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything.”

Paul’s vision of Christian living was that his love for Christ and the love of Jesus for him compelled him, drove him, or moved him, to emulate Jesus in extravagant service and sacrifice for the lost pagan Romans.

Today we looked at three probing questions. Think about them some more and chat with a few Christian friends about them.

Do you think relationship is the key medium in the transfer of the Gospel?

Do you agree that our very lives are the message?

Do you think Jesus liked to hang out with people that were outside the religious circles?

People Not Programs

December 1, 2025

People, Not Programs or Projects

Over the centuries, the Christian church has slipped into the pattern of sponsoring efforts to reach out to people living without Christ. Often these programs and projects begin with great compassion for people in desperate need. But as the ministry continues, there is a drift from passion for people to the drive for certain results. Consider a few historic examples.

Mass evangelism is an easy target for this challenge. The goal of reaching lost people needing salvation subtly shifted to counting decisions and converts with less attention to ongoing lives, needs, and development. This writer was intensely involved in personal evangelism decades ago and must confess the same was true. The goal to celebrate too quickly became how many people heard the witness and prayed with us to received Christ.

Think about revival days of the past century, and we soon recognize the same result. Numbers were reported and celebrated when many of the people receiving ministry may have drifted away unnoticed. Even church attendance so easily became the goal superseding continued ministry to people, addressing their needs, and providing nurture through loving relationships.

Let’s go back to Jesus one more time. Some might say, didn’t Jesus speak to multitudes quite often? That is certainly true and easily verified in the Gospels. The interesting thing seems to be that hindsight helps us to interpret those mass ministries more like seed sowing activities than actual mission or evangelistic thrusts. Later, thousands would respond to the message of the small new church, and no doubt many of those had been at one of those mass meetings with Jesus.

In the ministry Jesus was building, He did not count masses as his followers, his disciples. No, Jesus fully gave himself to the twelve for his time in ministry. He also gave himself to the 70 that he taught and sent out to minister. Clearly, the 120 in the upper room felt they were under personal orders from Jesus to wait before they launched this kingdom building endeavor. Jesus also seemed to have a relational bond with the 500 that witnessed his ascension. These numbers are far short of the 5000, 3000, or multitudes described at times in the Gospels.

One application we should carry away from this brief Gospel review is that Jesus gave himself in a relational connection to all those that he would count as his own. In other words, Jesus personally loved and poured into all of those he would call his church by the time of his ascension. If we will follow the footsteps of Jesus, we must never allow mission activity of any kind to become less relational than Jesus did. Yes, there is space for seed sowing events, but Jesus was not about programs, people were his heart.

Still, at the most fundamental level, mission is about carrying the love of God through the love of Christ by the love-spreading work of the Holy Spirit to each man, woman, boy, or girl on earth. Each new follower of Christ deserves loving saints to join them on the journey of new life they have entered. Each deserves to be ushered into the loving koinonia nurture of the Family of God. If we would imitate Jesus, then no one responding to the gospel should feel abandoned to find his or her way alone.

The highest motivation for participating in the ‘missio dei’ is NOT because this is God’s mission to reach fallen humanity. This motivation has often been used to mobilize mission effort and it will usually start strong with noble intentions, before degenerating to mere participation in a good cause, at best, or slip to obeying a commandment at worst.

Add to this, the highest motivation for mission is NOT the desire to emulate Christ and walk in his steps. This desire is pure and worthy of commendation. To walk in sync with the vision of our Master is marvelous and helps move the efforts toward the relational, walking with Jesus and walking with the hurting. This is at the heart of who Jesus is and who he calls us to be.

In my view the highest motivation for participating in the mission of God is LOVE. Jesus reported, “God so loved the world…” As love drives mission Christ followers are uniting with Father God’s passion. The love motivation easily soaks through and permeates all the other good and noble motives for mission. Love is the winning motivation. Love persists beyond every other lofty motive. Paul writes under divine inspiration, “Love never fails.” (1 Cor. 13)

Many times in my journey I realize I was participating in a program for the mission. Now I see that Jesus is calling us to people, not programs that so easily become distracted. Remember John Wesley’s motto? “Love God, Love People.”

Casey's Story

December 3, 2025

Casey’s Story and Four Pillar Living

Lena and I had the privilege to meet Casey who was a single parent mom at the time. As we took her to lunch she described her despair in life. She felt hopeless and futile as if life could only get worse. Unlike many of the friends God has sent our way Casey was not addicted to drugs or alcohol, she owned her own home, had a responsible job, and was fully stable financially. She was so downcast mainly because of her family around her. Her son Zane, 26, was addicted to drugs, had lost his marriage, his job, and custody of his young children. Her daughter Sharlene, 24, lived on the edge of the drug culture where her friends influenced her. She had health problems that contributed to her jobless situation, therefore she had nowhere to live, was often depressed with no income and no transportation. Sharlene added to Casey’s despair as she moved into her home causing disruptions enough to be sent out several cycles. Casey’s sister was also a drug addict, slightly unstable mentally, and homeless. Casey tried several times to give her housing but she was a disruptive influence and added to Casey’s struggles. She ultimately had to ban her sister from the home.

That day at lunch Lena and I felt like Jesus was giving us the opportunity to befriend Casey and walk with her in her chaos. The first natural step for Casey was to encourage her to come to church, sit with us, join us for lunches, and feel the strength of an encouraging network around her. Casey welcomed this and also the prayers we prayed over her almost every service. She would cry and ‘cast her cares on the Lord.’ So her first solace was a growing faith that God was for her and was going to help her. We could see her despair lighten although nothing had changed with her family.

Lena and I have walked with Casey for over two years now and she has completely risen from her depression, she has received hope for her life and her children. In addition to meeting at church often we take Casey to dinner regularly and have taken her and her grandchildren out on our boat. Casey has become an extended part of our family. We believe this is what it means to invite others into the Family of God.

A few months after connecting with Casey her son Zane nearly overdosed on fentanyl. The very next Sunday Casey, Zane and all of her family were with us at church where Zane prayed the sinner’s prayer in tears. Death is a scary reality. Soon after Zane was arrested for selling drugs and is serving a five year sentence in prison. I visited him weekly while he was in our county jail and I write him regularly now that he has moved up to prison. We want to encourage him that he is not forgotten and a life is waiting for him beyond jail.

Sharlene has struggled during the time we have known her. Her health, lack of transportation, and lack of a phone to communicate has hindered her ability to hold a steady job and make a life for herself on her own. More recently Sharlene has been coming to church with Casey and we have been more involved trying to help her over the hump and forward to independence. We have taken her to work at times, helped her purchase a phone, and paid for incidentals to help her on a job. This is a work in progress and we join Casey’s prayers for Sharlene daily.

After walking with Casey about a year we believe God brought Don into her life. Lena helped with wedding preparations and they were married. Don loves Jesus and has been delivered from drugs through jail and rehab ministry. He testifies about one man specifically that visited him frequently in jail and has been a huge influence in Don living for Jesus. Now together Casey and Don are trying to build a life and help Casey’s family come out of their challenges and into faith and peace.

As Lena and I look back over these two years we thank God for the opportunity to love this family and for the wonderful changes that have been seen to date. We believe with Casey and Don that Jesus is going to bring Zane and Sharlene through to the life God has for them by his grace. We have been enriched walking with these friends and feel blessed that we could play a small part.

We also believe that getting involved in the lives of people in despair is the call for any who will follow Jesus, the call to Four Pillar living. (Emulate Jesus, Love God by Loving Others, Walk Inviting Others into Community/Relations/Family, Live On Mission)

Relations, Family, Koinonia

December 15, 2025

Relations, Family, Koinonia

The relational bond in Christian faith and living is the theme of our third pillar and this post. Please read the following dense paragraph by Terry Johns and reflect/compare the relational aspect of contemporary Christianity.

Christianity as a social/relational faith is supported by the biblical description of the church, as well as the very nature of the Holy Trinity. Scripture reveals God as self-communicating love. It is love that is the ultimate expression of God, the social Trinity. Self communication is the very nature of God and therefore this social relating is an essential characteristic of the church. “Spirituality as restoration of Imago Dei implies a life that reflects or mirrors in social relationships the actual relational life of God in Trinity.” The church is identified in the New Testament as the Body of Christ. Therefore, like Christ in the Trinity, the members are to be intricately connected with functions intertwined and purposes all complementing the over arching Body life, synergistically contributing together as one, yet diverse. (Terry Johns, “The Practice of Holiness: Implications for a Pentecostal Moral Theology,” edited by Lee Roy Martin in A Future For Holiness: Pentecostal Explorations (Cleveland, TN: CPT Press, 2013), p 109.)

There is so much that could be drawn from this one dense paragraph. Perhaps the ultimate is understanding that the church is called to pattern herself in the likeness of the Trinity that is relating continually and fully, connected, communicating, and caring. That alone seems beyond belief. Then we consider calling love the core of this connectedness, “the ultimate expression of God!” The challenge heightens. Mix in Johns’ definition of spirituality as the restoration of the Imago Dei, ie., the oneness of the Trinity. Then his last sentence is a clencher. Meditating on these thoughts leaves me with the question, “How can this beautiful and nurturing social/relational pillar of Christianity be restored to the church today when faith has been so individualized, personalized, and anonymous?”

Getting Practical

Let us pray the Christian church today will come to see that bringing a person to a decision for Christ is only a small beginning step. The life long journey MUST include vibrant participation in the Body of Christ. (This does not mean only sitting through church services.) Remember John Wesley saying, “Christianity is a social religion and to turn it into a solitary one is to destroy it.” His friend, George Whitfield, compared the ministries of the two giants of faith and said, "The souls awakened under Wesley's ministry, he joined in class meetings, and preserved the fruits of his labor. This I neglected, and my people are a rope of sand." (Kenneth J. Collins, John Wesley: A Theological Journey (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003), p 123.)

Back to Wesley

The Methodist ‘class meeting’ (and bands) seemed to be the heart of the nurture Methodism is so well known for. The classes were smaller in size and would most often meet in homes. It was through the class structure that pastoral care was given, including more personal aid in spiritual development. The class meetings were required of everyone that wanted to join a society (local church level) and classes typically included prayer, Bible study, mutual confession, personal support, as well as charitable serving. In these meetings it has been said many disenfranchised people of England “found their voice.”

They learned that God was listening to them and so they learned to pray, even extemporaneous prayers from the heart, beyond the Anglican prayer book. They learned God was speaking to them, even in their lowly state of life, and so they learned to read and study the Bible. They learned that their brothers and sisters in Christ loved them and so they shared their successes and struggles with a new found family. Obviously powerful social forces were at play as these new converts from the lowest depths of society ‘found their voice’ as well as their footing, and began to climb out of poverty’s oppression lifted by this marvelous grace, supporting community, and new identity. (Theodore Runyon, The New Creation: John Wesley’s Theology Today, pp 119-121.)

The design of these ministry meetings reflected Wesley’s ministry philosophy that the offer of Christ in salvation and membership in his Kingdom was far more than personal and individual. It also reflected that the Body of Christ was intended to bring diverse people into a network where their individual contributions would blend into a larger unity of purpose that could not be duplicated by mere numbers of believers moving in isolation, or sitting passively.

Relationship, and unity of purpose, all motivated by love for God and love for others, created a powerful mix (koinonia) that contributed greatly to the evangelization of both England and the new world in America. Wesley, by the design and structure of his groups; the society, class groups, and band groups, achieved a level of relational connectivity so that nurture and Christian development took place as a normal product. This was the catalyst for nation changing evangelization and significant society changing service. As we pray for church renewal the picture painted in this post is the vision we seek. Please join us.

Acts of Mercy

December 11, 2025

Question: Has anyone ever heard of the ‘Acts of Mercy’?

I would assume that this phrase has never been heard by a majority of Christians. That is fine. Obviously the world is still standing. Nevertheless I do believe that a blog on church renewal and discipleship would be the right place to introduce this concept to believers today.

John Wesley used this phrase in his ministry so let me describe that background. Wesley believed and taught his people that there were activities which followers of Jesus could participate in that would infuse grace into their lives. He generally called these activities the ‘Means of Grace.’ He taught that believers needed to access grace through these to grow and develop in their spiritual life.

Within the ‘Means of Grace’ there were two distinct areas: Acts of Piety and Acts of Mercy. The Acts of Piety were similar to what we call ‘spiritual disciplines’ today. They were directed more vertically toward God, such as prayer, fasting, reading and meditation on scripture, solitude, and more. The Acts of Mercy were directed more toward others with actions to serve and help people in their needs. Wesley saw these two as expressions of the two sides of the Great Commandment, loving God and loving others. He believed that both of these activities would infuse grace into the lives of disciples walking to follow Jesus.

In my generation any discussion of discipleship would quickly move toward the spiritual disciplines, or ‘acts of piety’ as Wesley taught. But until I began to study Wesley’s ministry I had never heard of a connection between ‘acts of mercy’, or serving others in Christian love and care, with growing spiritually or discipleship. After some years now, in my personal experience, I can testify there is a flow of grace that comes with compassionate acts to love and serve others.

Saint Anthony gives us this quote from antiquity: “the person who does good to the neighbor, does good to the self.” (Roberta Bondi, To Love As God Loves, p.28) Somewhere through the years this idea of serving the disadvantaged as a means of one’s own spiritual development has been lost. This discipleship concept from Wesley would encourage us to reconnect ‘acts of mercy’ to each person’s spiritual quest toward the image of Christ.

If that is the case then this would also encourage churches to return to the field of serving the needy in force, since it is an avenue of discipleship and growth, as well as an act of mission. We know that mission and discipleship have been the two central mandates of the church for centuries. Now Wesley helps show us that they are both accomplished in great part through mobilizing ministry to the hurting and needy.

We have seen how impacting the Methodist ministry was in both England and America. Wesley required every Methodist to participate in a small group called a band. Each band aimed to encourage personal spiritual development. One way this was done was for each band to take up donations for the poor and for the members of the band to go into the slums to serve hurting families. This was a powerful ministry for the hurting, as well as for the band members, and for society as thousands received significant help. Naturally many of the poor were attracted to join with the band that had touched them, finding grace and life transforming power. (William Greathouse, Love Made Perfec, p 123.)

Back to my own journey, I clearly remember dedicating time to the spiritual disciplines through decades. An example would be my resolve to read the Bible through numerous times, or feeling called to memorize thousands of scriptures again through decades. I can attest that those activities brought grace into my life and helped form my walk with Jesus all through the years.

It has only been later in life that I have more personally experienced the grace influx found in serving people in need. I have come to feel that Wesley was right, grace for moving your life on toward the image of Christ flows abundantly through both ‘Means of Grace,’ --- Acts of Piety and Acts of Mercy. Ask the Father about adding to your grace inflow by regularly seeking people to serve in love. It will be even more rewarding outside the house of God.

(This blog has not taken the time to support the concept of ‘Acts of Mercy’ with scripture, but it is easily done.)

How Did Jesus View Sin?

December 30, 2025

The philosopher and novelist Iris Murdoch says: “Morality is mostly about how you pay attention to others… The essential immoral act is the inability to see others correctly. Because we don’t see people accurately, we treat them wrongly. Evil happens when people are unseeing, when they don’t recognize the personhood in other human beings.”

(David Brooks, How To Know A Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply And Being Deeply Seen, p.32.)

If I understand Murdoch correctly, she is basing sin relationally, how we see others and how we treat others. This foundation seems attractive or at least interesting to me because I believe the foundation of Christian faith life is love, which is relational. The Great Commandment is the center of Christianity, Love God and Love Others (Mat. 22:35-40), making the bedrock of Christianity relational. Therefore, the common denominator of evaluating sin should rightly be a marred relationship with God or others.

More traditionally Christianity has seen and described sin as a violation of prescribed laws, or rules, or behaviors. That approach may not lead to a wrong designation of sin, but it fails to anchor the evaluation in the relational base of Christianity as affirmed by Jesus in the Great Commandment. Historically it is easy to verify how law and rule based perspectives on sin have been open to legalism and behavioral applications while relational aspects and heart issues were overlooked.

If we use Murdoch’s words to talk about the more historical approach to sin it might read like this: “The essential immoral act is the violation of the law.” It is obvious here that any reference to the love base of Christianity in the Great Commandment is missing even though Jesus himself said, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Mat. 22:40) Also inherently connected with this Love base is the relational foundation of Christian faith life. We are relationally bonded to Jesus in this life of faith and sin ought to have everything to do with marring that relationship. In the same way we are relationally bonded to both the Body of Christ AND humanity made in God’s image therefore sin ought to have everything to do with marring those relations. Christianity is relational, not religious; it is relational and not legalistic; it is love bound, not law bound.

Let’s take another step. If Christianity evaluated sin as relationally based and love anchored how would our priority list of sins change? Has anyone wondered why Jesus blatantly gave religious pride and hypocrisy his most agitated and condemning reactions? In my life Christianity has placed sins such as murder, sexual sin, and criminal activity high on the list of disdain. If I dare ask where many relational sins fall on the traditional Christian priority list we might find pride, bitterness, unforgiveness, gossip, evil speaking, judging and anger near the bottom, almost off the radar. Perhaps some would even say these are not so much sins as simply ‘faults’, though the Bible does differ. Reflecting on sermons in my life experiences where sin was itemized, I find a real omission of relational sins such as those above or in Ephesians 4:31 (with the exception of bitterness). In my memory behavioral sins denounced have far outweighed relational ones. But it seems interesting the opposite was the case for Jesus in the Gospels.

Some may feel that a conversation like this is an invitation to ‘go easy on sin.’ Emphasizing love makes some worry that the church will just allow anything in the name of love. No doubt Pharisees in Jesus’ day felt he was too soft on sinners. Today we understand he was establishing a new system based on the heart not on the law. Clearly his Sermon on the Mount pointed beyond what the law said and raised the standard to the intentions of the heart. That was different of course, shifting from a system they had evaluating by externals and moving to the leaning of the heart. Still, we see how often Christianity through the centuries has slipped and shifted back to systems that can observe, measure, and judge from external behaviors. The hidden things of the heart have not been easy for religion to embrace, and yes Jesus came offering relationship, not religion. In addition, it has been difficult for religion to really believe that love wins.

As culture calls Christianity harsh and judgmental how does this conversation inform us?

Considering the Four Pillars concept, this post supports Love Pillar 2, Relations Pillar 3, and Emulating Jesus Pillar 1.

My Friend Nick

January 5, 2026

Nick, My Friend From School

I met Nick one day at the Charity where I worked. He came through regularly and my first memory was talking with him about his truck. He was proud of the old model pickup that had been spiced up a bit and looked pretty good. As we talked each time he came through we discovered that he and I had been in the same school class in elementary school right here in town. Nick was at Bachman Home for Children and those kids came to my elementary school. So we had something in common and that encouraged our friendship further.

One day Nick came through the charity and he was not driving his truck. I asked him about it and he shared that something had gone wrong in it and he did not have the money to fix it, so he had to let the truck go back due to failed payments. That was difficult for Nick because he had been homeless in his truck but now he was homeless without it. That is by far a worse situation, especially for a person the age of Nick, my age. Ugh!

As we related Nick shared with me pieces of his story. His father had been an alcoholic and when he got drunk he would beat up Nick’s mother. Nick was small, possibly 6 or so, but he realized that the drink was hurting his mother. So one day he poured out all of his father’s liquor. When he was caught his father took his hand and smashed it with a hammer. Nick showed me a couple of deformed fingers from that.

Nick ran away from home as soon as he could and was swept into the life of the street, drinking, drugs, violence, and stealing. It wasn’t long before he wound up in the orphanage here in town. Nick said the boys worked full time on the farm and he got beat there for discipline as well. So again, he ran away and ultimately spent time in prison here in Tennessee. He had a little ‘street cred’ with his prison background and stories about it.

I continued to stay in touch with Nick and it wasn’t too long till he was accepted into a low income apartment if he could just take care of a few things. These apartments were the old hotel in downtown Cleveland. It had been turned into a low income housing building and it was pitiful, but better than living on the streets. Nick shared with me that one barrier he needed to clear away was his former debt to the Cleveland Housing Authority. I talked to my Church and they made a contribution to relieve that debt.

It was a joy to help Nick move into the old hotel, even though it was a disaster. But the really good news was that the city was replacing the Summit and the new building for those apartments were ready. Nick actually only lived in the old hotel a week or less, then he moved into the brand new apartments called the Cleveland Court. We got some furniture at the Habitat Restore and Nick was secured in a home for the long haul.

Through the months Nick and I would go to lunch together and other activities. By the end of the year I was planning to use my annual pass at Dollywood to go and see the Christmas shows there. My problem was that none of my friends could go. As I was talking to one friend, they recommended that I just take Nick. At first I did not think that was a great idea. But with no other idea I came around and Nick and I went to Dollywood.

As we drove there I learned Nick had never been to Knoxville (80 mi.) or to Atlanta (120 mi.). The only reason he had been to Nashville (150 mi.) was because he had been to the reform school there. I also found Nick did not know what an amusement park was or how it functioned. That day I got to see Dollywood through the eyes of a first time attender who had never really seen anything like this. It was sweet! We stopped at a Waffle House on the way home and I could see Dollywood had been a big adventure for Nick.

Jim, a friend at the charity began to invite Nick to his church not far away. It was a good place for Nick to be introduced to church. He went quite often. They had a meal on the mid week and Jim would pick him up to bring him many times. I was thrilled that Nick had begun to settle into a church where he could grow into a church family. As you can see much of my relating with Nick was about friendship. It is overlooked so often that homeless people and even people in poverty do not have networks of friends. When this deep human need is addressed it opens the doors for much more influence in their lives. It was a privilege of mine to walk with Nick as he made his transition from homelessness to more stability and even spiritual life.

Reaching out to love and serve a friend in need is a core value of Four Pillar living.

Emulate Jesus, Love God and Others, Live in Relationship, Live On Mission

Bus Bench Story

February 3, 2026

Four Pillar Living at a Bus Bench Srtory

"My name’s Walker. I’m 78. My wife left me for a cruise ship singer back in ’92. No kids. Just me, my tiny apartment above the laundromat (not in it, above it, big difference!), and these shaky hands from 40 years under car hoods. Retired mechanic. Used to fix things that clanked. Now? I mostly fix my own coffee.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, I sit on the hard plastic bench at the Peterson Street bus stop. Not because I need the bus much anymore. My doctor says I shouldn’t drive at night. But the bench... it’s quiet. Good spot to watch the world go by. See the real stuff. The hard stuff.

One cold Tuesday last January, a girl sat down. Maybe 15. Hood pulled way low, eyes red. Not crying now, just..... empty. Like a battery ran out. She sat so still, even the steam from her breath looked tired. I didn’t say anything. Just sat. Sipped my thermos tea. Same as always.

She came back the next week. Same time. Same hollow look. I offered her tea. She shook her head, mumbled, "I’m not homeless, old man." Her voice was rough, like gravel. "Didn't say you were," I said. "Tea’s just tea. Good on cold days." She didn’t take it. But she didn’t leave right away either.

Week after week, I’d see her. Sometimes alone. Sometimes with a little boy, maybe 7, clinging to her coat. Her brother, I guessed. He looked scared of his own shadow. One day, the little boy dropped his toy truck, cheap plastic, wheel already loose. He started to cry, quiet sobs. The girl just stood there, staring at the broken thing like it was the last straw.

My hands shook bad, but I knelt slow. Pulled a bent paperclip from my pocket (mechanic’s habit, always got one). Took the truck. Fixed the wheel with the clip. Took two minutes. "There," I said, voice raspy. "Custom job. Holds better now." The little boy stopped crying. Looked at the truck. Then at me. Smiled a tiny bit. His sister just stared. Didn’t say thanks. But she came back the next week.

Slowly, things changed. Not big things. Small ones. She’d nod when she saw me. Sometimes take the tea. Her name was Melanie. The little boy was Leo. She started talking. Not much. Just..... "School sucks." Or "Landlord’s yelling again." I didn’t give advice. Never did that well with engines, let alone people. I just listened. Nodded. Said, "Yeah. That sounds tough." Sometimes, "You getting enough to eat?" If she said no, I’d slip her a $5 bill I kept folded in my thermos lid. "For Leo’s milk," I’d say. Never "charity." Just... milk.

People saw us. The grumpy shop owner across the street stopped yelling at Melanie when he saw her sitting with me. The bus driver started letting Leo ride free sometimes. Other kids from the neighborhood began hanging around the bench after school. Not troublemakers. Just.... kids who looked tired. Like they carried too much. I’d share my thermos. Fix a broken headphone wire with a paperclip. Tell a dumb joke about carburetors. Made them laugh.

Then.... my memory got foggy. Bad days. Forgot Melanie’s name once. She didn’t get mad. Just said, "It’s Melanie, Mr. Walker. And Leo’s here." She brought Leo. He showed me how to fix his bike chain properly, kid knew things. Felt good. Real good.

Last month, I had a bad fall. Woke up in the hospital. Nurses said, "Who takes care of you, Walker?" I mumbled about Melanie. Next day, the doctor looked surprised. "That young woman? She’s been here every hour they’d let her. Paid your co-pay. Said you ‘fixed her when nobody else saw her broken’."

I got home yesterday. Weak. Shaky. Went to my bench. It was..... different. Cleaned up. Fresh paint. A little metal box screwed to the side. Inside? Pencils. Paper. A stack of bus tickets. A thermos just like mine, full of tea. And a note in messy writing "For anyone who needs to sit. Or talk. Or just be seen. -Melanie & Leo (and the bench crew)"

People stop now. Teens. Moms with strollers. An old man like me, just watching. They sit. They talk. Or they just sit quietly, sipping tea. Nobody’s "homeless" here. Just people who needed a safe spot to breathe. Melanie visits me upstairs sometimes. Brings Leo. He’s fixing my toaster now. Says he wants to be a mechanic.

I didn’t build a fridge. Didn’t hang coats. Didn’t fix broken toasters for a town. I just.... sat. On a bus bench. With tea. And saw a girl who was breaking. Didn’t try to fix her. Just showed up. Every Tuesday. Every Thursday.

Turns out, that’s enough. Maybe the most important thing anyone can do. Just show up. See the person. Don’t look away. It costs nothing. But it can change everything.

From: Astonishing

By Mary Nelson

The Critical Key of Relationship

February 19, 2026

The church of Jesus Christ, through His followers, aims to create webs of living relationships through which the gospel can travel.

--- Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch

Regrettably this is an important declaration about Christ’s Church that I personally have only recently learned after fifty years of ministry. In this blog Frost and Hirsch will explain this concept further from their book, The Shaping of Things to Come. (pp.64-65)

The missional incarnational church adopts a stance totally different from the attractional church. If the attractional mode sees the world as divided into two zones, the “in” and the “out”, the incarnational model sees the world more as a web, a series of intersecting lines symbolizing the networks of relationships, friendships, acquaintances, of which church members are also a part.

When Jesus told his disciples, “follow me and I will make you fishers of men,” he was referring to the common fishing mode of the day, using a net. We propose that the web of relationships that Christians normally have make up the net into which not-yet-Christian’s will swim. We believe the missional incarnational church will spend more time helping members to build friendships with not-yet-Christians than it will on developing religious programs.

In the ministry of Jesus, there was a rich intersection of relationships with some nearer the center (Jesus), and others further away, but all were invited to join in the kingdom building enterprise. If the modern church followed this biblical model, the church would be more concerned with relationships than with numbers.

In application for today, we might see a group of very committed Christian people befriending not-yet-Christians in a variety of settings. Some of these not-yet-Christians will be close to identifying themselves as Christians, and others will not want to at all. But it’s in the commitment to developing and strengthening these bonds that the missional incarnational mode functions best. We will say once more, the church, through the followers of Christ, aims to create webs of living relationships through which the gospel can travel.

The missional incarnational church will be living, eating, and working closely with people of its surrounding community, developing strong links between Christians and not-yet-Christians. It would be best to do this in the homes of not yet Christians and in their preferred public spaces, but also in the homes of Christians. By creating a net of deep, loving friendships, more and more people will be swept into contact with the qualities of Christ through these followers of Christ living and walking with them.

While these relationships are being built, Christian believers should be demonstrating a Jesus lifestyle through acts of generosity and kindness, through loving service, by a preference for the poor and suffering, and by a love for the scorned. If the church is living an intriguing new life that is so marked with goodness that it makes the gospel attractive, then to truly be effective this lifestyle must be lived in close proximity to not-yet-Christians. As these complex, even messy, relationships are being sustained, the incarnated Christian community must be in constant prayer, believing for the salvation of these friends.

Again, Four Pillar living supports this missional incarnational mode of church expression where relationship is the catalyst for gospel spread.

(See Pillar 3: Relation/Koinonia/Community in the archives of our blog web page.)

Anakainosisforthechurch.com

So we ask the question, “How will this look in real life?”

Let’s consider one possibility.

Initially every follower of Jesus is challenged to engage in the Four Pillars of Christian living. This will naturally lead them to people they find in their lives that they may serve, or become friends with, or walk beside through life struggles. Over the months (even years) as these activities continue, relationships are being forged and fortified. In the close proximity of these relationships (presence) the not-yet-Christian is being exposed to the qualities of Jesus that radiate from his follower. This exposure happens under the influence of the Holy Spirit, the active grace of God, and by the prayers of this Jesus friend.

The follower of Jesus is a part of a small cell, a community of Jesus followers all working to serve, love, and build relationships with not-yet-Christians. As these relationships develop the not-yet-Christians will meet other members of the cell in natural gathering spaces. Now more friendship relating is available soaked in love, the Spirit, grace, and prayer. This natural expanding of connections for the not-yet-Christians further enhances the gospel influence. With patient caring the not-yet-Christians are drawn closer and closer, until their faith in Jesus is birthed.

This relational based, incarnational, small missional cell process of evangelism can be observed in the first 300 years of the early church, as well as in the Wesleyan movement in England (1700’s), as well as in the China revival (late 20th century). With almost no famous gospel speakers, no large buildings and congregations, and no social marketing this mode of outreach changed the nations where it flourished.

The Centered Church:

Wells not Fences

Belonging before Believing

February 23, 2026

In July 2025 this blog posted about a church being like a well or like a fence. It used these words from the methods of tending cattle in America or in Australia. In the Australian Outback it is so arid and vast that ranchers don’t need fences. They know cattle will not stray far from the life giving waters of the well. Of course my ranch family in America has fences. Like the well philosophy some churches build on the confidence they have in the living waters of the well to nurture, maintain, and build their flocks.

Churches with this centered philosophy recognize that the gospel is so precious and so refreshing that, like a well in the Australian outback, lovers of Christ will not stray too far from His waters. Rather than seeing people as Christian or non-Christian, as “in or out”, they see people by their degree of distance from the center, Christ, and by their direction toward him or away. They see people as Christian and not-yet-Christian (people God is drawing). The faith community of Jesus was clearly like this, with him at the center. There’s evidence that some disciples drew closer to the center than others, and that at least one disciple drew away from the center. Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch write about this in their book, The Shaping of Things to Come. (pp. 69-70)

This kind of centered church is not concerned with artificial boundaries that have been added to religion through the centuries. All sorts of criteria are often used for the acceptance or rejection of prospective members (the list can be long and varies widely from church to church). A centered church believes that the closer one gets to the center. (Christ), the more Christlike one’s behavior should become. Therefore, core members of the church will exhibit the features of Jesus’ radical lifestyle (love, generosity, healing, hospitality, forgiveness, mercy, peace, and more). A centered church also understands those who have just begun the journey toward Christ, their lives may not exhibit such traits. It is their conviction that grace will bring them along and they are still seen as belonging.

Using this ‘well in the center’ philosophy these churches believe no one is considered unworthy of belonging and they hold strong faith in grace at work to continue to bring them closer to the center, to Christ and His life. Actually, these are confident that walking with the community of faith will multiply the influence of grace, love, and the gospel. For these reasons belonging is extended even before believing is fully experienced. A not-yet-Christian is welcomed to belong and walk with all the Jesus followers in spite of behaviors that most traditional churches would disdain. Everyone is moving toward the ‘center well waters’ (Jesus) together regardless of each one’s distance, near or far.

Belonging is a key value. Growth toward the center is the same as the process of discipleship. Let’s face it, there are many paid up members of respectable churches who might not live in sin, but whose lives are marked by greed or gluttony or such. The centered church will accept all people, but will make Christ likeness a key community goal. Becoming more like Christ is more likely to happen in community than in isolation. As our relationships with not yet Christians strengthen, and they meet others in our community, they soon discover our values. They may not embrace our calling to Christ likeness, but they will see it as central. Will the missional Church at times have members whose lives don’t reflect the lifestyle of Jesus? Of course. So does the traditional church. In the missional church, where relationship is the conduit for Mission, we believe discipleship could well be more rigorous, because transparency and proximity are key values.

Currently in most churches in western culture it is not common to have unchurched people in attendance. Churches say they are wanted and welcome but it could be our fences are an obstacle. We might also ask “How is the living water flowing from our well?” What would it mean to offer ‘belonging’ before ‘believing’ to people regardless of behaviors they may have? What attitudes would need to change inside a church to become a centered well type church? I recently heard of a church that allowed a couple that were living together to attend their marriage retreat. How would you feel about that? How do you think Jesus would feel about that

Attraction the Jesus Way

February 26, 2026

Attraction the Jesus Way

Jesus said, let your life so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father, which is in heaven. (mat 5:16)

Built into the very fabric of New Testament teaching on the extension of the kingdom is the assumption that when the Christian community embraces a godly, holy lifestyle, it will so tantalize the wider community that they will seek after God.

What a wonderful announcement when Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another.” He had just said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another, as I have loved you; that you also love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Of course love is the heart and soul of holy living.

Listen as Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch talk about this from their book, The Shaping of Things to Come. (pp. 75-76)

Yet so much of what typified the so-called holiness movement in the fundamentalist evangelical churches has had the opposite effect, repel not attract. (Or how could the church today be called critical and hostile when she is called to emulate Jesus?) When the wonders of life in Christ are boiled down to teetotaling, it is hardly likely to arouse great interest in the community about us. If by holiness, we simply mean no drinking, no smoking, and no dancing, we have a very limited view of the concept. After Paul spends nine verses writing Titus, teaching about Christian lifestyle he concludes by saying, “so that in every way, they will make the teaching about God, our savior attractive. (Titus 2:10)

The missional incarnational church will make Christian teaching attractive by living this life under the very noses of those who have not yet embraced it. What impact can a church that has withdrawn from society have on the society? The traditional attractional church often quotes, “Come out and be separate”, a reversal of Jesus’ command to be salt and light in the world. Rather, our lives, which must be marked by commitments to acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8), must be lived in close proximity to those we are seeking to reach.

It might be all very good to choose to abstain from the consumption of alcohol as an act of devotion to God, but if our lives are marked by greed, self-centeredness, arrogance, and fear, in what way is our light shining forth? To impact a post Christendom culture, the church must be extravagantly generous with it’s wealth, side with the poor, speak up for the wrong, and live as a kind, loving community. Jurgan Moltmann calls this “a new kind of living together” that affirms:

That no one is alone with his or her problems

That no one has to conceal his or her disabilities

There are not some who have something to say and others who have nothing to say

That neither the old nor the little ones are isolated

That one bears the other, even when it is unpleasant and there is no agreement

That the one can also at times leave the other in peace when the other needs it.

(Moltmann, The Open Church, p. 33.)

Now that just sounds like Jesus and a Jesus church! How attractive!

A Story of Love, Grace, and the Gospel

March 1, 2026

A Story of Love, Grace, and the Gospel

Enjoy this short story of relating and influence in Four Pillar living.

Our Friends, Barry and Sherrie

This couple came to our charitable organization regularly (let’s call it the CP) and I got to know them. They would come early as many did to get served early when we opened. Since they were there on the porch waiting Sherrie began to come to devotions although Barry never was interested. Sherrie seemed to have a hunger for faith and our early devotions helped her touch that desire.

One day before devotions I was on the porch with Barry and Sherrie. They were sitting by another woman visiting and I joined them to chat. Later in the lobby they sat together as they waited. When the lady was called it was mentioned that she was homeless. Barry and Sherrie had not discovered that in their conversation that morning on the porch. They put their heads together in discussion and they came to the conclusion that they had a spare bedroom and they wanted this woman to come live with them until she could get her feet on the ground. We were all in awe of their willingness to help this lady when they were also here to receive help themselves. It was beautiful and so touching. The lady stayed with them three months or so before she was able to get her own apartment and move out. Barry and Sherrie’s sacrificial care was such a sweet illustration of grace at work even among those in poverty. We were all touched.

As Barry and Sherrie continued to come through the CP, Sherrie continued to attend devotions. The sweet thing was that Barry started coming in for devotions too. That might have been helped by the fact that Sherrie found out she had cancer. We walked with them when they came in and loved them and prayed for them. I guess the entire ordeal was about 8 months. Sherrie declined and declined while she was trying to believe and we were covering her with prayers at the devotions. One time she came in and she could hardly stand or walk with the walker she was now using. She requested adult diapers which was was a sign of her struggle. I felt like she did not have long.

But amazingly God pulled Sherrie through. The tide turned and she began to get stronger and in time she was moving about close to normal. Hallelujah! Barry and Sherrie decided they wanted to begin attending church at a nearby church where one of our volunteers was an associate minister. They were actually baptized there. Their story is so touching. It was a privilege to walk with them for a season.

There are people all around us that need loving, caring attention. As they warm to this friendship and genuine concern they will begin to sense our motivation to touch them like Jesus might. At the CP I began to relate with Autumn and Willy like this. Several times Autumn had caused disturbances with other clients and it was obvious she was an angry person. I began to spend time with them conversing on the porch before we opened, offering casual friendly interaction. Over the months Autumn warmed to me and her anger calmed. We became friends and I believe the Holy Spirit was nurturing those seeds of care. In a year Autumn caught covid and passed away. I still see Willie around town and we exchange friendly memories of Autumn.

I encourage all who would follow Jesus to consider the Four Pillar life of influence: Emulate Jesus’ Care, Love God by Loving Others, Offer Friendship and Community, Live On-Mission.

Releasing the Glory of God

March 12, 2026

One of the most wonderful metaphors in Jewish Mystic tradition is the rabbinical teaching on the Shekinah (“God‘s glory”).

(Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch, The Shaping of Things to Come. (p. 160)

The metaphor describes that God and his glory have been tragically separated through the fall. The separation is one of a cosmic crash in which God’s glory was scattered into myriad sparks and caught up in all created matter. The holy sparks are now imprisoned in all things. Even the lowest of created things have the holy sparks in them.

The remarkable aspect of this Jewish teaching is that it is our holy actions – that is, actions filled with holy intent and directed toward God – that actually free the holy sparks ensnared in all things, and allows the exiled Shekinah to return back to God. God and his glory are joined together again when people act with holy intent.

Martin Buber explains, the Shekinah is banished into concealment; it lies captive at the bottom of everything. Yet it is redeemed and revealed in everything by man, who, by his own vision or deed, liberates the Shekinah sparks.

Isaac Bashevis Singer, the Nobel laureate who wrote marvelous novels exploring aspects of Jewish mysticism, said that “when man chooses virtue, he strengthens all the dimensions of life. Angels look forward to a man doing a good deed, since this brings joy and strength to the entire world.”

This metaphor of Jewish mystic tradition has painted a picture for me, a picture of how man’s everyday common life of love, care, integrity, and hope glorifies God and advances God’s Kingdom in the world. A person does not need to be a figure of world renown such as Mother Teresa or Martin Luther. Each person acting out of holy intent to honor God by loving others and walking in life abundant is glorifying God and joining Him to change the world! This is exactly what this blog intends as we talk about Four Pillar Living.

I realize this is simply a metaphor from Jewish mystic tradition, but it reminds me of John Wesley’s teaching to his Methodist movement about the ‘Means of Grace: Acts of Piety and Acts of Mercy.” (For a complete description see our blog on December 11, 2025, Acts of Mercy, in the Relational Pillar 3 archive.) He taught Acts of Mercy infuses our lives with grace that moves us toward being like Christ. Loving others and caring for their needs, even self sacrificial service activates grace in us.

I see this connecting directly with this Jewish metaphor. Our intentional Acts of Mercy honor God, release his glory, and advance his Kingdom on earth, while they continue to form us in the image of Jesus. Let’s live on mission knowing our choices every day have these significant reverberations on earth, in eternity, and in our own lives. Wow!

One Another scriptures below ------

Being There For One Another Scriptures --- 'Koinonia' Community Actions

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1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV /

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Philippians 2:1-7 ESV /

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ...

1 Corinthians 12:26 ESV /

If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Romans 12:15 ESV /

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

Hebrews 10:24 ESV /

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

Matthew 18:20 ESV /

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Galatians 6:2 ESV /

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV /

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Hebrews 3:13 ESV /

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

John 16:33 ESV /

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Ephesians 4:32 ESV /

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Romans 12:10 ESV /

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Ephesians 5:11 ESV /

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

1 Peter 3:8 ESV /

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

1 Peter 4:8 ESV /

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Colossians 3:9-10 ESV /

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

John 15:12 ESV /

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

John 13:34 ESV /

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

Colossians 3:16 ESV /

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

James 5:16 ESV /

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Romans 12:16 ESV /

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

John 3:16 ESV /

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

James 4:8-10 ESV /

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

1 Peter 4:9 ESV /

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Ephesians 4:12 ESV /

To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Romans 15:7 ESV /

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

John 15:17 ESV /

These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

James 4:11 ESV /

Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.

Ephesians 4:29 ESV /

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Romans 13:8 ESV /

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Matthew 5:2-12 ESV /

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. ...

1 John 3:11 ESV /

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

1 John 1:7 ESV /

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Ephesians 5:21 ESV /

Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Ephesians 4:2 ESV /

With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

Galatians 5:26 ESV /

Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

John 15:13 ESV /

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Matthew 5:16 ESV /

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

1 John 4:11 ESV /

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

John 13:35 ESV /

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Colossians 3:13 ESV /

Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Philippians 2:4 ESV /

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Philippians 2:3 ESV /

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

1 Peter 4:10 ESV /

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:

Hebrews 10:25 ESV /

Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 ESV /

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,

Colossians 3:9 ESV /

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices

Ephesians 5:19 ESV /

Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,

Romans 14:13 ESV /

Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.

John 13:14 ESV /

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

1 Peter 5:5 ESV /

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Philippians 2:1-30 ESV /

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