Discovering identity

Wherein lies our identity? To grasp the teaching of 1 Corinthians 12 – 13 we need to recognise:

We are not first and foremost individuals. Nothing in this passage validates the narcissistic quest of ‘discovering our personal gifts’. Truth is, we are often blinded by the powers and principalities that rip our families and communities apart. Even as Christians, we make the mistake of lauding people who gain profile and notoriety. But God sees our significance collectively. Individually, we are grains of salt. We are defined by being part of the bigger unit. Relationships of love, forgiveness, humbling ourselves and service are what are to define us as people who are part of something bigger than ourselves.

To grasp this as Biblical truth is immensely difficult and a huge challenge for people who belong to a western culture and context. It involves deep repentance. A turning out from introspection. And it has implications:

* Faith is not an end in itself. It is a means to an end. What matters is that we are transformed more into the image of the God who is Love. Faith challenges and changes us, as we look with hope to what we are becoming on this transformational journey.

* Christian faith is not belief about Jesus Christ. Christian faith is positive participation in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. It is journey we enter into, through the portal of the Cross. A transformational journey that will continue throughout our life here on earth.

* Faith is an expression of desire that brings us to the place where we begin to open to the Spirit of God and find Him at work within our lives, releasing us into the ministry of the Jesus Christ whom we now find identify in. This is true identity discovered.

Resident Aliens

• The Bible is an exciting book – because, for us in our culture, it continues to present people with an alien culture. But this is a good thing. Because it challenges us to work out how the story of our lives can find a reference to the Jesus Christ that the Bible speaks about. I am tremendously excited about the way things are, here in Bristo, at present. I can see we are in a season of exciting transition. Why?
  
  Key is the way that we are seeking to do Christlike mission, rather than ‘gimmicky’ proselytisation. Real witness will make, longterm, real disciples. Our focus on disciple-shaping cell groups. The involvement in Bethany shelter and care-van. And for after Christmas –
  
  Our planning of a healing – counselling facility.
  The intiative with ALPHA and also developing a new concept-course, designed for people with serious questions: ‘TRY FAITH’.
  And not least, the ongoing and developing of strategy for the redevelopment or relocation of our facilities so that we make disciples on the basis of ‘doing mission’ rather than ‘seeking to attract’ people. May the invitation to purposeful participation in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ be attraction enough.

Discontent

We can only grow in Christ if we become discontent with who we are. Most times, this is not how it is. Many are fearful in ceasing to be who they are. And deafen the call.

To be of use to God we have to grow profoundly discontent. We have to yearn for deep change within. To really want to become more like Jesus.

Some imagine that Christian faith begins with believing about Jesus. But there is something even more basic. We have to become discontent with who, what and how we are. We have to begin a journey that does not simply recognise the Cross but that carries us into the Cross as the portal into resurrection life and witness. Pointing to the life that God is bringing us into.

Shining like stars

So, it's good to be back here, engaged in ministry with God's people. And we look forward to our new intern, Tanya, arriving from Voronezh as a sister in Christ, ready to share with us. We have been called by God to be distinctive. As I was reminded by her father (pictured with his daughter), from Daniel 12.3:

Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

Let's focus on this, entering deeper into the light of Christ and not fearing the darkness that flees from His presence.

Impressions

Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time (Daniel 11.35)

I have been so blessed in this journey into Russia. The students in the seminary were gracious and friendly people, open to God. As one friend has put it, the Russian culture is inherently spiritual, rather than sensual. This means that, in the churches, there is a depth among the people. A quiet reserve with a genuine and generous heart beneath. This is what I have experienced in this country among lovely people.

It has been a joy and a delight to visit with the pastor and his family in Voronezh. To hear the story and see the evidence of lives formed in the midst of persecution – the pastor was born in a village in Kazakhstan, while his father was in prison for his faith. Again, so humbling to hear of how, when his father was again taken off to prison for 5 years in 1962 for being a Christian and therefore an enemy of the State, how he and his mother prayed until his father was released after 3 years. To sense the excitement when the first Russian Bibles for the church arrived from American Baptists in 1982. And the singing and harmonies, in home and in church, so beautiful.

Impressions are strange things. The nicest of elderly ladies, two in succession, just asked me for directions in Russian as I sat in the airport at this cafe. So polite. And many people here are so nice! Impressions are strange things. I also just bought the most expensive mineral water I’ve ever had: Moscow is a pricey place. But this is also the nicest and most modern airport I’ve ever been in. The security and passport controls so friendly and helpful. And Moscow is the nicest big city I’ve known. I found the environment safe and comfortable. And that has been true of all my time in Russia.

Dangerous things, impressions. The devil finds opportunities through false impressions. Misrepresentations, fear and hate bred and festered in an atmosphere of deceit. Far better to get first hand experience, and find out how things really are.

This is why one reason why the Word became flesh. He came to show people what God is REALLY like. And this is our job too. Why need to enter into holiness. To live our lives out of union with Jesus Christ, enabled by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Then people will start to see something of God as He really is. Start to understand something of the Kingdom of God and the Gospel as it really is.

Forged by fire

Wisdom proclaimed. And Roses of Rememberance on a winter's day. Pathos shared.

It is always interesting to me to see how God speaks to me, in a fresh way, when I travel into Eastern Europe in ministry. The visit to Voronezh has proven no exception. Indeed, it has brought special blessing. Not only in meeting the families of former Bristo interns, Tima and Yulia, and the parents and siblings of our new intern Tania, who comes to Bristo in January. I so enjoyed the dignity and depth of the services, and found favour and enabling from God for preaching in both on the Sunday morning and evening, and in conversation with people. People appeared very receptive and engaged. Perhaps it is to do with the deep, latent spirituality of the Russian people, which a few decades of virulent demonic attack under communism could not wipe out; perhaps it was something special formed in the heart of this church, strengthened by God during persecution. Forgd by fire; and so committed to spiritual holiness and mission. Whatever the reason, God blessed the visit and spoke to me deeply on important matters.

Stoicho and I deeply appreciated conversation with the godly pastor of the church, Tanya’s father, Aleag Alexeev. He helped me gain insight into the style of Russian Baptist services, which last at least 2 hours, and where there are three of four sermons as well as times for open prayer, choral work and spiritual poetry.

The role of the first preacher is to present the Cross and the grace of God, drawing us into Jesus. This gives the people a reason for thanksgiving and a joy in coming to worship the living God. The role of the second preacher is to present teaching from the Bible, bringing us to focus on the Word of God. The role of the third preacher is to bring application of what has been preached into the lives of the people. And then there may be a 4th sermon, where one of the 3 who have preached is invited by the presiding elder to preach again, on the strength of wisdom expressed in their first sermon.

There is something to be learnt here, for the way we continually seek to develop a relevant and Christ centred ministry at Bristo. And I have no doubt that this is also but the beginning of a developing relationship with Baptists in this part of Russia’s heartland.

from Russia with love

Greetings from Moscow! Stoicho and I arrived here this afternoon, and are settling into the seminary. Tomorrow morning we are off to a church in the north of this great city of 20 - 25 million, to a church where the choir from Voronezh are singing together with others.

The first thing that strikes me about Moscow is how prosperous this city is! Yes, there may be poverty; but I haven't seen it yet. Far more western than Sofia! Strange, so similar and so familiar. This should be an interesting time.
Our hosts are lovely people. Here is Stoicho with me, outside the seminary.

Two sides of a coin

I've just been out for a wee walk before the sun goes down. I've been preparing materials for lectures in Moscow, next week. I'm teaching on 'The understanding of salvation'. Thinking about it.

For some people, it's so simple. They see the one side of a coin. The glorious truth of Father's love and mercy, and the full and effective atoning death of Jesus Christ, in bringing us back to God.

And for others, a quite different message. The other side of the coin. The call to turn back to a life worth living and a path worth pursuing. To invest our feeble lives in something worth expending ourselves for.

Blessed is the person who can see that every coin has two sides.