Not Giving Up Meeting Together

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Making our way through 16 Essential Doctrines of the Christian Faith, this Sunday at The River, we'll talk about number 11, "The Church". Here's what the actual Nazarene Article of Faith says:

We believe in the Church, the community that confesses Jesus Christ as Lord, the covenant people of God made new in Christ, the Body of Christ called together by the Holy Spirit through the Word.

God calls the Church to express its life in the unity and fellowship of the Spirit; in worship through the preaching of the Word, observance of the sacraments, and ministry in His name; by obedience to Christ, holy living, and mutual accountability.

The mission of the Church in the world is to share in the redemptive of Christ in the power of the Spirit. The Church fulfills its mission by making disciples through evangelism, education, showing compassion, working for justice, and bearing witness to the kingdom of God. 
 
The Church is a historical reality, which organizes itself in culturally conditioned forms; exists both as local congregations and as a universal body; sets apart persons called of God for specific ministries. God calls the Church to live under His rule in anticipation of the consummation at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 So here's my question: Do you buy all that? Really?


In years past, Christians went to church... all the time. That's just what God's people did on Sundays, right? But today, it's not an automatic that Christians go to church... and, if they do, it's certainly not all the time, right? I know it's a wide swath I'm cutting, but I mean it in general terms, not specific. Obviously there are still many people who are extremely dedicated (and heavily involved) in their church body. But I wonder... what has happened since the "good old days" when church attendance was as part of the weekly schedule as "The Wonderful World of Disney", or "The Red Skelton Show", or (homemade) Sunday dinners with Grandma? Life has gotten a bit more complicated, huh? Or maybe I just lived in a sheltered world as a kid?


Anyway... all that said... is "church" still necessary in this day and age? Or is it a purely optional activity?  If I had a dollar for every time I've heard the phrase, "I believe in Jesus, but I'm not into 'organized religion'"... I'm pretty sure I'd be retired by now. It seems as though lots of people believe in Jesus (just in case?)... but relatively few of us believe in participating (and serving) in His ordained community of faith.


So I ask you... really - Is church attendance an old-fashioned idea? Is it really necessary to gather together weekly to:
1.  Confess Jesus Christ as Lord?
2.  Be the covenant people of God made new in Christ?
3.  Assemble as the Body of Christ, called together by the Holy Spirit through the Word?
4.   Express our lives in the unity and fellowship of the Spirit?
5.   Worship through the preaching of the Word?
6.   Observe the sacraments?
7.   Minister in His name?
8.   Show obedience to Christ?
9.   Live in holiness?
10. Maintain mutual accountability?
11. Share in the redemptive of Christ in the power of the Spirit?
12. Fulfill our mission by making disciples through evangelism, education, showing compassion, working for justice, and bearing witness to the kingdom of God?

13. Organize ourselves in culturally conditioned forms, existing both as local congregations and as a universal body?
14. Set apart persons called of God for specific ministries?
15. Live under His rule in anticipation of the consummation at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Geez... that's a lot of responsibility. I hope people are willing to give up their lives to participate in God's redemptive work through His church! I hope God's people are willing to exercise their gift as God does His work of salvation through the Body of Christ!

That... or maybe we should modify the 11th Article of Faith to match our updated value system in relation to the Body of Christ?? 

Hmmmm... just wondering!

Forgiven, Re-made, and Thoroughly Embraced

Spiritual DNA: 16 Essential Doctrines of the Christian Faith

This Sunday at The River, we'll be talking about the Church of the Nazarene's Article of Faith #9, "Justification, Regeneration, and Adoption". Wow, sounds exciting, huh? :-)  Actually, it is exciting. In fact, it's pretty darned...

A-W-E-S-O-M-E-!

Here's the texts we'll focus on:Galatians 2:16-21, John 3:1-8, and Galatians 4:4-7 (THE MESSAGE).

So I ask you... how can three multi-syllabic, rather academic sounding words possibly be exciting? Well, 'cause they represent the most awesome... most divine act of grace imaginable in the midst of a dying and broken world. If and when we humans accept the hard, painful truth... and finally admit that we are utterly and completely screwed up, without any resources to fix our screwed-upness (not a biblical word, but I like it nonetheless!)... AND when we cry out to God in our desperate state seeking the help that only the Author of Life could (and does) provide to everyone who comes to Him (and believes in His extraordinary power and love demonstrated in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ)... then in one broad, miraculous, and simultaneous sweep... God forgives our sins, restores our humanity to it's original (Garden-like) state, and breathes this awesome, eternal truth into our hearts: We are His (and His alone). We are not our own any longer... nor are we in Satan's grip... we are no longer lost... no longer wanderers in the darkness. 

Nope... when this awesome salvific, beautiful and eternal transaction occurs in the human heart... all hell breaks loose (well, to be more specific, all HEAVEN breaks loose!), and the Lord ordains that we are fully, completely, and holistically adopted into the family of God. Yahweh becomes Abba... the Lord becomes our Daddy, and calls us His own.

God knows (and so do we) that we don't deserve it... we far too often abuse it... we have such a difficult time believing it (and walking it)... and so many of us utterly deny it's power... but nevertheless: when we simply come to the end of ourselves and genuinely cry out to God for help... by sheer grace he forgives us, re-makes us, and thoroughly embraces us. Man, if that ain't good news, then I don't know what is!!! 

Ya, I know we are extremely complicated beings... and life on this rock hands us humans such an array of options and ideas and opinions and agendas and religions... but still, I gotta wonder... Why on earth would anyone want to reject the kind of offer described above? I dunno... perhaps (at least some of the time) it's because His children wrap the priceless gift in butt-ugly coverings of religiousity and (human) judgment, laziness and arrogance, rather than in the divine love of Christ so eloquently revealed to us in Scripture? Hmmm... just wonderin...

Article 4: The Holy Scriptures

Text relating to the sermon/discussion at The River this Sunday: 1 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

Okay... I must warn you, the following words are from a pastor first and a theologian second. Yes, I have been to school and trained to think theologically... but frankly, the topic of the inspiration of Scripture is a HIGHLY and HOTLY debated issue that goes far beyond my pea-brain. I readily admit my limitations in the marketplace of theological debate and struggle. Nevertheless, it is an important doctrine for all Christians to consider... and when it comes down to it, it's more than an intellectual pursuit, right? So as a pastor, my concern lies more in practical application for the common disciple of Jesus than philosophical superiority (i.e., bragging rights) within the halls of academia. Anyway, please read the following musings with generosity and a dash of grace... realizing they are borne out of a life of deep intellectual inquiry in the midst of an even deeper pool of ignorance... all of it leading to an ever-deepening faith in, and love for (1) Abba Father, (2) Jesus the Christ, and (3) the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.  :-)

First of all, I realize that a person's understanding of the Bible is deeply rooted in their understanding of God's nature. Therefore, some people believe that because God is all-powerful and all-knowing - and because humans are utterly and completely depraved (due to the curse of sin) - God's holy words of life, as presented to us in the Bible absolutely MUST be free of all error and defect. There is no other option. The Bible is Absolute Truth... it is perfect, just as our Father in heaven is perfect. Any reduction of that high view of God - and therefore - Scripture, is a lie from straight out of hell, pure and simple.

Hmmmmm... call me a heretic if you must, but my understanding of both God and His Word differ from the above description in subtle yet significant ways. The God I read about and encounter in the whole context of the Bible is a remarkably relational Being, defined much more by holy love (which, in my view is wondrously and beautifully messy)  than legal justice (which tends toward rationalism and rigidity). Both are true of God's nature, of course... but the question is which side of God do we "see" (or most clearly identify with) in our interpretive process? I for one believe God is love, and love requires justice... rather than vice-versa. So what does that mean in terms of the Holy Scriptures? Well...

Is God all-powerful and all-knowing? Absolutely! Could He give us a holy document that is technically perfect in every way if He chose to do it? Sure! Does He have a code of justice that will ultimately be upheld at the end of time? Yes! Will He strongly yet fairly deal with those bent on destruction at the Judgment of mankind? For certain! Did he choose to reveal Himself, His ways, His character and His will to humanity through the Bible? Amen... yes and yes!

But how did He decide to go about the process of communicating with His creation? Through an absolutely perfect instrument of Truth that transcends humanity? Or through a mysterious, often troubling collection of stories and proposals infused with (and permeated by) the weakness of humanity? Is the Bible technically perfect, and therefore God-breathed and holy...? Or could the God of the universe somehow reveal Truth by inspiring people who loved and obeyed Him to write down their Spirit-led experiences and revelations... then lovingly breathing the breath of Life into it, mysteriously forming it into a unique and utterly holy instrument of His grace for all future generations?

Let's face it... even though He didn't have to... even though we are a stubborn and rebellious creature... even though He owes us humans absolutely nothing... God made a beautiful and grace-filled way of revealing Himself to humanity that has the power and motivation to (when we embrace the Truth of His promises) lead us to salvation and entire sanctification. And for several thousand years now - in spite of our efforts to the contrary - this remarkable, troubling, sometimes-confusing, occasionally-offensive, incredibly-beautiful, utterly-powerful, and fully-inspired instrument of God we know as the Bible has been relentlessly shaping human beings into the image of Jesus Christ... and leading those who will listen out of the dark and ugly wilderness of sin.

God is love. Anyone and everyone who cares to stop and consider that Absolute Truth... anyone who cares to peruse the pages of Scripture and listen to what God's Word has to say about their own life, their own heart, their own story... will soon learn that He can't be controlled or contained. However, God can be trusted... and followed. All it takes is a measure of willingness on our part... responding to the resurrected life He calls us to live by His Holy Spirit!

In the words of Jesus in John 14, "I have much more to say to you..." But alas, I'll save some of my thoughts for Sunday's sermon.  :-)   

Hope to see some of you there!  God's shalom.

The Not-So-Simple Spirit

Text for this week's sermon/discussion at The River:  John 16:5-15 (NLT)

But now I am going away to the One who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

...When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.

Wow, this week has been tough in so many ways. Not the least of which, I looked at the Church of the Nazarene's third Article of Faith - the Holy Spirit - and wondered how in the world I'm going to tackle this hugely difficult subject in a single sermon. I feel a bit like a snake trying to swallow a rabbit... only in this case, it's more like a garter snake trying to swallow a buffalo!

Hmmmmm... what can I say about the Holy Spirit??? Certainly not enough to do it justice... but hey, I'll try to at least bring up a few important points in this post.

First of all, I think it's imperative that we realize that the Spirit of God is a Who, not a what. That may be kind of a duh thing for a pastor to say, but I've come to believe that most Christians don't really worship a trinitarian Godhead (Father, Son and Spirit)... but rather, more often-than-not a binitarian one (Father and Son). In that line if thinking, the Spirit isn't really a divine Person that dynamically and graciously moves, thinks, breathes, reveals, and convicts so much as "it" is the "good stuff" or "essense" of God the Father... something like how a pleasant-smelling perfume emanates from an attractive woman. 

Frankly, I can see how people come to that conclusion... at least in one sense. After all, the Bible doesn't exactly make it crystal clear that the Holy Spirit is very Who-like, right? (Note: I mean that as in a personal being... not the Dr. Seuss variety!) For goodness sake, it took the Church 400 years to even come to the conclusion that the Spirit of God is God! Nevertheless, conclude it they did... and for many, many centuries now, Christians have been confessing that the Holy Spirit is (a) real, (b) alive, and (c) worthy of our adoration and worship. But how do we recognize and give praise to the invisible (and seemingly very shy) member of the Trinity? How do we deal with the One who is described to us throughout Scripture in unusual ways such as a dove, wind, breath, and fire?

Simple... by humbling ourselves (which is in itself a gift of the Spirit)... allowing Him to guide us into all truth. That is, by turning away from ourselves, and turning our heart to God (i.e., repenting)... we thus allow the Spirit of Revelation to give us the heavenly ability to confess that the Father is Abba, and the Son is Kurios (Lord). When this divine-human transaction takes place, we suddenly realize that this One True (community of) God is completely worthy of our praise. Honestly, that's all there is to it. :-)

The pervasive curse of sin makes us want to believe that I am (we are) the most important entity in the universe... therefore godlike. However, when we finally (if ever) become tired of and/or broken by that lie... then the ever-beckoning Spirit is there to convict us of sin, and guide us into all truth - that is, the Truth of God's redeeming love. In other words, when we stop running around in circles looking for love in all the wrong places, He is there to breathe eternal life into our formerly dead hearts. At that point of spiritual rebirth, we can then "see" that the Father is in the Son... the Son is in the Father... and (mysteriously) the fullness of their love is graciously imparted to us by... (you guessed it)... His Spirit.

Ya... simple!  :-)

Terms of Peace

Text related to this week's sermon/discussion at The River: Luke 14:25-35 (NLT)

³¹ “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? ³² And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. ³³So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

Leading up to this point in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus had been doing pretty much what he always did during his earthly ministry... teaching and preaching about the kingdom of God... and healing people from their infirmities. As a bonus to the common people, Jesus was also taking on the time-honored, yet misguided (i.e., misinterpreted) teachings of the Pharisees in regard to what it means to worship God the Father. Just a few paragraphs before the above text, Jesus healed a man with swelling in his legs. OMG... Jesus "worked" on the Sabbath... what a heretic!


Well, anyway... let's get back to his rather cryptic teaching about negotiating the terms of surrender to a more powerful king. Here's a question: What the heck is Jesus talking about in this passage? I tell you... this guy makes no sense sometimes. He gets a crowd of people following him around the countryside, hanging on his every word... then he goes and starts talking about the need to carry a cross if they want to be a disciple of this particular rabbi. Carry a cross? Really? That would be something like me standing in the pulpit at The River and telling people that if they want to be members of this church, they'll have to carry around a 12-foot length of rope with a noose wherever they go. That ought to bring people in to our church by the busload, huh?


But Jesus isn't in the church marketing business. He constantly warns us of what it means to follow Him. Count the cost. Following the Lord may lead to your death. You may be persecuted. You may be mocked. You may be teased and laughed at. You may be left out of social circles. You may be criticized, or shouted down, or be made the brunt of cruel jokes... or... or... or...


And that's just what the world will hand you. You'll also find the same kinds of enemies of the cross in your own family... and even in the church body. No matter who they are... the people who hate Jesus will hate you if you take up your cross and follow Him, pure and simple. You will be the stench of death to them. On the other hand, the people who are drawn to Jesus will be drawn to you if you take up your cross and follow Him. Your life and witness will be the beautiful aroma of abundant life to them.


But once again... I digress. The king with a small army. The king with a large army. The terms of surrender. The negotiation. The peace treaty. What's Jesus getting at... and how in the world does it relate to discipleship?


Are you a king? Do you reign over your own life? Are you the ultimate power in your existence on earth? Are you a nation of one? If so, are you powerful and effective? Is your kingdom a safe place? Are you at peace? Here's a deeper question: Deep down, are you satisfied with the way your life is going? Are you happy? Does your life mean anything, o king?


Here's the good news or bad news... depending on your heart's response. There's another king in a nearby land. He's a powerful king. He has a vast army of powerful warriors that dwarf yours. He is good, but nevertheless, he is dangerous and somewhat unpredictable. To this point, he has made himself known to you, but pretty much left you alone. He could at any time utterly and completely destroy you without warning. But he's a patient king... and frankly, he would prefer that you came to him to discuss a peaceful resolution, rather than engaging you in warfare. He doesn't take pleasure in lopsided victories. But please, o king... do not for a moment take his patience and mercy as some form of weakness. If you desire peace, he will grant it - on his terms, and his terms only. You will need to become completely subjected to him... and he will demand that give you allegiance to his kingdom, and his alone. If you negotiate peace with him, he will eventually put you in his army and put you to work for his cause. Life won't be easy if you join him... but nevertheless, it will be great.


On the other hand, o king, if you choose to go up against him and try to defeat him... you will be destroyed. Oh, You might win a skirmish or two... but trust me, he'll only be playing with you. He's far and away more powerful and more strategic than you could ever hope to be. He's in no hurry to overtake you... but once he does decide to move in to your territory, he will overwhelm you and make you forever regret your decision to fight him.


So do yourself a favor, o king. Surrender to him. He's too powerful, too brilliant, too much for you. Don't wait for him to come to you with violent abandon... instead, assess your situation... weigh the odds... negotiate a treaty of peace with him, and allow him to be your king while there is still time. Stop fighting to maintain your own kingdom... it's barren and dry... and whether you know it or not, you're bankrupt. What kind of kingdom is that? He's so much better at it than you are.


What are you waiting for? Death?

Shawshanked!

Joseph was Rachel's oldest son, and the favorite of Jacob's 13 kids. By all accounts, he was a good kid. Hard working, honest, and dedicated. But he didn't seem to understand that his older brothers were jealous that he was the favorite. And he also didn't seem to understand that announcing his dreams (whereas everyone in the family bowed down to him) wasn't exactly tactful. And boy, did he ever pay a steep price for infuriating his brothers! You'll have to check out the latter part of Genesis to get the whole story, but here's the summary: One day, Jacob sent his son Joseph out to check on his other sons shepherding sheep at Shechem, some 50 miles from home. As I said, they didn't like him much, and they hated how their father spoiled him... and (apparently) how Jacob sent Joseph to spy on them. So they did what any gang of jealous older brothers would do in that situation: they shawshanked him. In other words, they sold him to Ishmaelite traders, who in turn sold him as a slave in Egypt. Hmmm, No sibling rivalry in that household!


Anyway, God was with Joseph, even as he underwent an incredible amount of suffering the next several years. Joseph never seemed to lose his faith in God. First he was sold as a slave to Potiphar, captain of the palace guard of Pharaoh. Even though Joseph worked hard, was extremely gifted by God, and completely loyal to his Potiphar... his boss's wife liked the looks of her new slave boy, and wanted him to uh... sleep with her. But he never gave in to her lustful attempts, and always found a way to avoid her advances. But eventually, she decided to get even - she wrongly accused (shawshanked) him... and he went to prison for a crime he didn't commit. In prison, Joseph was put in charge of the jailer's household affairs... and there must have been times when he asked himself, "am I ever going to be a free man?" Wow, that poor guy couldn't catch a break!


The details of their stories may differ, but in the movie "The Shawshank Redemption", Andy Dufresne had a similar kind of fate, in that he was wrongly accused of murdering his wife, and sent to Shawshank Prison in 1947. Like Joseph, Andy was extremely gifted. Like Joseph, Andy's gifts were fully utilized by his captor. And like Joseph, I'm sure Andy must've wondered to himself, "am I ever going to be a free man?"


But Joseph patiently endured his captivity, and trusted that God would deliver him someday. Andy Defresne had a different plan of getting free - one that didn't have anything to do with God.


Both stories are pretty remarkable... Joseph eventually became the second in command in all of Egypt, and Andy escaped an "escape proof" prison, and moved to a Mexican village on the Pacific ocean. Joseph waited, and worked, and prayed that God would deliver him from his captivity, while Andy plotted and schemed (and dug) his way out of prison all on his own.


Joseph was released and (because of his gifts) put in charge of all the administration of food in the whole land of Egypt... and Andy escaped (and because of his gifts) got the guards arrested for their crimes against the prisoners... and tricked the warden so badly that he decided to commit suicide rather than facing prison time. The best part is that he got to reunite with his friend, Red at the end of the movie.


Both stories are awesome... but I love how Joseph's story is more than about merely escaping oppression... it's a story of redemption brought about by faith (in God) and forgiveness (of his brothers). Listen to what Joseph says to his brothers when they are afraid he'll kill them at the end of Genesis (50:19-21):

¹⁹ But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. ²¹ No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.

Man that guy has faith, huh? Faith to believe in his dreams, even in the face of ridicule and jealousy. Faith to stay pure, even in the face of seduction. Faith to trust God, even in an Egyptian prison. Faith to interpret other people's dreams, even when they don't end well for the dreamer (ch. 40). And faith to forgive his own brothers who betrayed him... not just forgiving, but caring for them completely - and seeing their violent actions against him as good, in that it "saved the lives of many people." All this when he was in a position to kill them or enslave them forever if he wanted to get revenge. But nope, not Joseph. Wow... I want to live with that kind of grace and peace (and forgiveness in my heart). Don't you?

The Body of Christ

Text related to this week's sermon/discussion at The River: 1 Corinthians 12:4-27

For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 

So... if you've ever read Paul's epistles (letters to the churches) in the New Testament, it soon becomes apparent that he really believes that everyone in the body of Christ has a role in serving God's kingdom. No one is a spectator in church... if they have been baptized into the family, then God pours out His Spirit to empower them for service. And it's not an option to hesitate or contemplate... all believers are expected to participate in building up the church.


After 17+ years as a Christian, and a decade in pastoral ministry, I can say without hesitation that it simply don't work that way in good ole' America. We are the land of the free and the home of the brave... and quite frankly, the place of arm-folding unwillingness to get involved or become overextended. I don't think Paul would be able to relate to our time-honored rule of 80/20... do you?


Anyway, I don't know how many churches existed in the city of Corinth when Paul wrote this letter - probably just the one - but in our world churches are pretty numerous to say the least. With so many choices I suppose, combined with a society that is radically-individualistic and consumeristic... churches don't really tend toward diversity in our country. Oh sure, there is some level of diversity in church congregations... but for the most part, we've kind of divided ourselves into various groups of people with shared interests, beliefs, and socioeconomic lifestyles. Me, in all my idealistic beliefs... hmmm,  I just think that's a sad commentary on God's people. I think Paul might agree.


In a somewhat related manner... I guess because of the more-or-less market driven economics of churches today, many if not most people do quite a lot of "shopping around" (in a Goldilocks kind of way) for the church that seems "just right". And, when they find that perfect church that doesn't seem to small, or too big, or too political, or too liberal, or too charismatic, or too doctrinal, or too whatever... they also tend to dip their toes in the water for a very, very long time before they decide to dive in to the community - and therefore find a place to serve God within His body. Unfortunately though, some folks never really come to that place of trust (and obedience)... so instead of getting involved and finding a place to serve... in all practical terms they function as nothing more than permanent visitors over the weeks, months, and years. I don't think they intend to come across with a "serve me" attitude, but that's exactly what they convey when they habitually come late, listen, nod (or shake their head), enjoy a bit of fellowship, throw a few bucks into the offering... and then leave as soon as the service is over... without another thought about church (or kingdom work) until the following Sunday.


That's not participation - especially over time - it's mere observation.... and it's not what Christ wants for His children. Everywhere you go in the New Testament, you hear the same message over and over: When you give your heart to God through Jesus Christ, He transforms your mind and - if you're willing to receive it - gives you an unyielding passion for participation in His glorious kingdom. In fact... in order to demonstrate that He sets our soul on fire and equips us to jump in to this awesome (if not wholly dangerous) new adventure, God generously pours out His Spirit on us and gives us a whole new meaning and purpose - one freed from this world and made fit for His kingdom. And He does not just do this for the beautiful people either... or the rich people... or the popular people... or the brilliant people. Nope, God freely gives His Spirit to anyone and everyone who cries out to Jesus and proclaims Him to be Lord and Savior... to anyone and everyone who has the faith of even a mustard seed!


So imagine how God feels when He gives this precious, heavenly gift to His new creation... only to see them waste it by never even attempting to unwrap it. Instead, it just gets placed in a religious closet and never taken seriously.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Hmmmm... so here are my questions, Christian believer: What gift has God given you? What is your role in building up the body of Christ? Are you using it for His glory?