The Kingdom Perspective

Transcript:

Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective.

What do you do when you walk into a dark room? Do you stumble around complaining about the lack of light? No. You walk into the room and turn on the light. And if the light’s not working you grab a flashlight. The only way to deal with darkness is light.

The same is true spiritually. It’s often tempting for Christians to sit back and complain about the “darkness of the big bad world”. It is likewise tempting for Christians to avoid engaging in society when we feel that the spiritual or moral darkness is too grim.

However, Jesus told us that we, His people, are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16). When we find darkness, we are not to complain or avoid it. Rather, we are to move into it with the light of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes, this involves exposing the darkness. Paul tells the church in Ephesus: “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Ephesians 5:11)

At other times, it involves our good works and gracious attitude. We are not to hide our light but rather let it “light shine before others, so that they may see [our] good works and give glory to [our] Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

But being the light never means sitting back and complaining about how dark it is. Rather, as Paul reminds the Philippian church, we are to: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that [we] may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom [we] shine as lights in the world….” (Philippians 2:14-15 ESV).

Don’t grumble; shine! Light is always more glorious in the dark. And the darker the darkness, the brighter the light.

Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.”

~ Philippians 2:12-18 (ESV)

Transcript:

Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective.

Arguably the most basic thing to a church culture is the shared mindset or attitude of its members. It is not so much the stated mission or strategy of a church that matters as much as the vibe its members give off, especially as they gather. This vibe flows from the shared mindset—the deep often subtle beliefs and feelings that each person has toward themselves, others, and ultimately God.

Now, the gospel calls us to have a peculiar mindset. Paul exhorts the believers in Philippi saying “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:5). And what is that mindset? To do “nothing out of selfish ambition (politicking for status) or vain conceit (self-glory). Rather, in humility value others above yourselves….” (Philippians 2:3 NIV). We are to understand and value the perspectives and preferences of others above our own.

Now, this is deeply counterintuitive and fraught with the challenge of self-justification. We tend to flatter ourselves we are doing the “others-centeredness thing” better than our neighbor—that our self-sacrifice in loving others is greater than their self-sacrifice in having to love us. But, of course, this is the very opposite of the gospel mindset.

This is why our minds must be saturated and shaped by Jesus’s shocking sacrificial love for us. We need to be daily struck in the gut by this truth (gut could be another possible translation for “mindset”). If Jesus, who is in very nature God, did not think highly of Himself, how in the world can I?

And that’s something to think about, daily, from The Kingdom Perspective.

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.”

~Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV)

Transcript:

Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to the Kingdom Perspective.

How should we respond to the cultural chaos we see all around?

We should learn from earlier Christians, such as St. Patrick, and the churches that originated from him.

When European civilization was overwhelmed by barbarian hordes, the recently converted Celtic tribes preserved, and then eventually reestablished, Christianity throughout the continent. In the words of Thomas Cahill, “the Irish…saved civilization” (see How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill).

Most basically, they did this by starting and nurturing churches—essentially monastic-type communities that cared for every aspect of life. Jesus’s Lordship redeems all of life, and they put this truth into practice.

These Irish monasteries were different from the Roman ones. As one writer put it: “The…monasteries [in Roman Christianity] were organized to protest against and escape from the materialism of the Roman world and the corruption of the church; the Celtic monasteries organized to penetrate the pagan world and extend the church.” (see The Celtic Way of Evangelism by George Hunter). These Celtic Christian communities were not an escape from the “public square”, but a mission to it. Often these monasteries were set up at the gates of ancient cities, in order to minister the gospel to these cities. They were, in effect, a “new city” shining as a light within an existing city.

For us, this means the redemptive community of the church must become all the more essential. How can we live together as a distinctively new society amid our existing society that is so full of fear and division? How can we love and care for one another, practically, in such a way that the watching world sees the truth of the gospel through our shared life in the church? All of these are very good question, and indeed…

…something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”

~ 1 Peter 2:9-12 (ESV)

Transcript:

Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective.

We were made by God and for God. Therefore, our souls are slaves if we live for anything other than Him. The degree to which our souls are centered around and driven by anything other than our Maker is the degree to which we are imprisoned—barred from fulfilling our destiny and delight.

And this is exactly what’s wrong with us. The Bible says that our souls have been sold into bondage to sin (Romans 7). Because of the universal power of sin, our desires are out of order. You could say this is the very definition of sin. Our hearts are driven by anything other than God. Thus, our desires have become tyrannical prison guards confining our souls deep in the dungeon of “self”, far from the sunshine of God’s goodness and beauty. And so, our souls become prison cells of misery and ultimate loneliness.

John Milton in his famous “Paradise Lost” put it this way:
“thou art become, O worst imprisonment, the dungeon of thyself.”

This raises the question, who can possibly set us free from a dungeon of our own making? Who could ever set us free from our own self-obsession? Who could possibly deliver us from the twin tyrannical prison guards of self-love and self-loathing? The Bible gives us but one answer: God’s great love toward us in Christ! Only the love of God can break our love of sin, and this is exactly what God has done for us in the person of Jesus Christ. He loved us even while we were sinners.

Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”
~ Romans 7:18-25 (ESV)

Transcript:

Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective.

Someone has well said: “Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch”.

By culture we mean those shared values, truths, and ways of operating that define a group of people. Culture is something “organic”, not merely organizational. Like the “culture” in a petri dish, it has a life of its own. It’s alive! It is not only a matter of structures, strategies, etc.—as important as those are—but the “feel” or “vibe” that exudes from it.

CRC is a culture. We belong to Christ and are nourished by His life dwelling in us and flowing through us.

But cultures are made up of individual members—giving and taking in this shared life. We are not only influenced by the culture of the church, but also contributing to it. Every thought, word, and deed that is done—or left undone—matters! In a culture, how every individual member operates plays a part in making the whole. This forces the question: If everyone in the church thought, felt, spoke, and operated the way you do (or don’t do), what would the resulting culture be?

1 Corinthians 12 uses the metaphor of the human body, with of each individual member playing its peculiar part. But each member is not operating for itself, but for the “common good” of the body (1 Corinthians 12:7).

How are you operating?

Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

~1 Corinthians 12:4-27 (ESV)

Transcript:

Hello, this is Pastor Don Willeman of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective.

The church is an adaptable institution because the gospel can work its redemptive magic in any and every situation. It’s a culture not merely a strategy. By culture we mean a shared way of thinking, feeling, and living that is driven by the very life of Jesus. At the heart of the church is a culture, shaped by the model, mandate, and magnetism of the Jesus Christ. Through our union with Him, we share in His Spirit—the Holy Spirit, which is the very love of God dwelling eternally in the unity of the Trinity. It’s supernatural! It’s not something we create, but something that creates us. It is an organism and not merely an organization.

From its inception, Christ Redeemer Church and its culture has been driven by three governing and interconnected principles that flow from this supernatural reality: 1) Gospel-centeredness—the Gospel of God’s sovereign grace 2) Gospel Relationships & Community, and 3) Gospel Mission/Vision/Vocation. There is a flow to these principles: 1) the Gospel-centeredness nourishes 2) Gospel Community, which in turn sends us out on 3) Gospel Mission. In everything we do, we seek to embody and be driven by these three cultural values.

CRC is most basically not a strategy or structure (methodology) but a culture—a way/mindset of being and doing (deep meaning). And our culture as a church is thick, deep, and adaptable—it can flourish in whatever circumstance.

Culture eats strategy lunch.

And that’s something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“(In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

~Ephesians 4:9-16 (ESV)

Transcript:

Hello! This is Pastor Don of the Christ Redeemer Church of Hanover, NH. Welcome to a special edition of The Kingdom Perspective.

I want to invite you to join us in a very strategic missions’ opportunity that’s happening right here in the heart of the Upper Valley through the ministry of Christ Redeemer.

From the beginning, Christ Redeemer has sought to be a church for others. We want everyone, all our friends and neighbors and people from every nation, to experience the grace and glory of Christ! God has blessed this pursuit, not only growing a church of nearly 400-persons in Hanover but also sending out over 1,000 people touched by the gospel to every corner of the globe.

Likewise, Christ Redeemer has sought to be a church for other churches. In our 25-year history we have trained and sent over 40 ministry interns and dozens of preachers. We’ve planted two churches, even helping other churches purchase their own buildings! Also, we’ve resourced multiple other churches, helping several stay alive during the pandemic with coaching and pulpit supply. And we’ve done all this without a building of our own! Doing church out of box for over 1,200 Sundays! We’ve wandered from place to place, meeting both indoors and outdoors. 

But now, Christ Redeemer has a strategic opportunity. After a long hard legal struggle, we are now the first new church approved for a building in this Ivy League town in over 60 years!

Would you help us make this dream a reality? Would you help us establish a “permanent presence” that will not only strengthening our roots, but also extend the reach of the gospel? We need partners like you to give and spread the news of this opportunity far and wide.

Please visit christredeemerchurch.org/flourish or go to our website. Thanks! And God bless!

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’”

~Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV)

“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

~Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV)

“So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’”

~Acts 1:6-8 (ESV)

Transcript:

Hello! This is Pastor Don of the Christ Redeemer Church of Hanover, NH. Welcome to a special edition of The Kingdom Perspective.

Christ Redeemer has a strategic opportunity before us. We are now the first new church approved for a building in this Ivy League town in over 60 years! This has not come without challenge and difficulty.

For over 20 years we sifted through dozens of properties trying to find something suitable for our growing congregation. Every time, we were constrained by something, legal or otherwise. Then God surprised us by giving us a spacious 9-acre parcel of land, strategically located right between the Ivy League institutions of Dartmouth College and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. Sadly though, our attempt for zoning approval on this property led us into a seven-year legal struggle, but this culminated in a landmark victory at the New Hampshire Supreme Court. The court unanimously affirmed our right to build, giving us the green light to establish a permanent presence for Christ!

Now, our pressing need is for construction funds. The seven-year legal delay was, not only expensive, but also burdened us with increased building costs. Therefore, we are seeking partners to help us actualize this dream. Would you join us by supporting this effort and spreading the word about his historic opportunity?

Our story is one of God’s faithfulness and perseverance, and our future holds untold potential for global influence.

Please visit christredeemerchurch.org/flourish. Thanks! And God bless!

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 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.”

~Matthew 5:9-16 (ESV)

Transcript:

Hello! This is Pastor Don of the Christ Redeemer Church of Hanover, NH. Welcome to a special edition of The Kingdom Perspective.

May I invite you to participate in one of the most strategic mission opportunities I know of? That opportunity is happening right here in Hanover. When my wife and I moved here 25 years ago we came here for two reasons. The first was the greatness of the need. New England was one of the most unchurched parts of the country, with less than 2% having any substantive connection to a gospel preaching church. Hanover was surely even lower than that. Missiologists classify such a place as an “unreached people group”. Second, we came here because we knew the strategic nature of this Ivy League community. People come here from all over the world to study and work, and then they go back to all over the world!

So, we came here out of the love for the people of this place, as well as confidence that the gospel of Jesus Christ had the power to transform lives, not only in the Upper Valley but even to the ends of the earth.

And that’s exactly what God has done. In the past 25 years, God has not only grown a church of nearly 400 people, but he has also sent out over a 1,000 that have been touched by that gospel to every corner of the globe.

Christ Redeemer Church now has an historic opportunity to establish a permanent presence for the gospel in this strategic place. After a long and difficult legal struggle, we are now the first new church approved by Hanover for a building in over 60 years! We are looking for partners to join in this effort. Would you please consider networking with us to get the word out, and would you consider a gift to make this dream a reality?

Please visit our website at christredeemerchurch.org/flourish. Thanks! And God bless!

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’ Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.”

~Matthew 16:13-20 (ESV)

Transcript:

Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective.

When we think of the idea of “hospitality”, we usually think of wining and dining. Images of nice houses, fine meals, and throwing parties that impress our friends and neighbors comes to mind. A whole segment of our economy has developed around what we call the “hospitality industry”, which makes a business out of increasingly impressive hotels, restaurants, and venues.

Now, I have nothing against nice hotels and restaurants—and certainly nothing against nice homes and good meals! However, the biblical idea of hospitality is much different than all this. The New Testament word translated hospitality is made of the Greek words for “lover” and “stranger”. Someone who practices biblical hospitality is a “lover of strangers”. In other words, they are doing the hard work of making outsiders feel welcomed.

Thus, hospitality is not merely for those with means, but those with very little means. It is for all people. It doesn’t matter how much you have; what matters is how much of that you give. It’s not about impressing others with how valuable you are; it’s about impressing others with how valuable they are.

It's not surprising then that hospitality is a character requirement of church leaders (1 Timothy 3:2), and of Christians in general (Romans 12:13). If God loved us when were strangers, wandering from Him, then how can we not do the same for others.

Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

~Romans 12:9-21 (ESV)