The Messy Beauty of Gospel Community

Blog Admin April 6, 2022

The Messy Beauty of Gospel Community

Over the past decade, the term “gospel community” has grown popular. But what does “gospel community” actually mean? It’s become one of those phrases that we may hear a lot or even say a lot, but do we know what it means? As we live life alongside one another in the local church, we need to grasp what the Bible tells us about how we live well with one another.

Gospel Community Defined

First, when we talk about being a gospel community, we mean that we are a community that is formed and sustained by the gospel. In Titus 2, Paul writes that Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14 ESV). The Apostle Paul points to the gospel—the good news that Jesus gave himself to redeem and purify a people for himself. Those who respond in faith to that good news are made part of God’s people. We are literally brought into the family of Jesus Christ.

By “gospel community,” we also mean that we are a community that is centered on the gospel. The good news of Jesus Christ is our focus. We look to Christ, follow Christ, and are excited about Christ. Everything we do comes back to Jesus and points to his life-changing message.

"The good news of Jesus Christ is our focus. We look to Christ, follow Christ, and are excited about Christ. Everything we do comes back to Jesus and points to his life-changing message."

Why Gospel Community Matters

Once we understand what it is, we can understand why it matters. Why does it matter that God has brought you, Christian, into his people? Why is the church so important?

We see the answer clearly in 1 Timothy 3.

“…if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:15)

Paul describes the church as the “pillar and foundation of the truth.” God uses his church to uphold and proclaim the gospel to the world. He sets them on a mission in the world. The manifold wisdom of God is made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. God’s people declare to the world the glory of the Lord Jesus. Through this gospel community, God’s love is made manifest, God’s mission is accomplished, and God’s people are transformed more and more into the likeness of Jesus.

"God’s people declare to the world the glory of the Lord Jesus. Through this gospel community, God’s love is made manifest, God’s mission is accomplished, and God’s people are transformed more and more into the likeness of Jesus."

So it matters that we are saved into this thing we call “gospel community”—the church of God—because God reveals his glory to his people and through his people.

How We Live as Gospel Community

How does God reveal his glory in and through his people? Through the ways we live with and relate to one another in this community of faith.

Perhaps one of the best pictures of this is the early church found in Acts 2.

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-27)

This devotion to one another is counter-cultural. It’s a devotion to one another fueled by the gospel and a love for Jesus. Therefore, the first way we should live as a gospel community with one another is to cultivate our own love for God. Adoration leads to transformation; the way we live with one another is transformed by growing awe for the Lord.

The second way we should live as a gospel community is to love one another in both word and deed. We should actively live out the “one another’s” of Scripture. The New Testament contains around 60 “one another” commands given to Christians. For example:

In John 13, Jesus tells his disciples to love one another, explaining that their love will testify to the world that they are his disciples.
Romans 12:10 urges us to be devoted to one another in love.
In Galatians 5:13, Paul instructs the Galatians to serve one another in love.
1 Thessalonians 4:18 and 5:11 repeatedly call us to encourage or build up one another.

These “one another” commands are more than just nice ways to relate to each other. Going back to Jesus’ words in John 13, these “one another’s” are about neighbor love. They are about displaying a Kingdom ethic to one another and the world. As Christians, we have a different way of life and a different way of relating to one another in how we unite around the gospel. When we forgive one another, it points us to God’s ultimate forgiveness through Christ. When we serve one another, we are reminded of Christ who came to serve.

The “one another’s” are also a means of neighbor-love to those who are not followers of Jesus. In John 13, Jesus explains that the way we love one another is a testimony to the world about our Savior and Lord. It is a radically different love displayed through radically ordinary means. This love on display invites the watching world to come inside, follow Jesus, and become part of his family.

For an extended list of the “one another” passages, see this page.

The Glory of Gospel Community

This is why gospel community matters. God has saved us into a family, so let us be family. May we seek to be “one another Christians” who display the love of Christ in the way that we love and serve one another as a gospel community. Not every family is perfect, and the church on this side of eternity is no different. But we have a perfect Savior who is actively working in us to transform us—together—from one degree of glory to another.

Trevor is originally from Oklahoma and serves on staff at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Mid-America Christian University as well as a master’s degree and a doctorate from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a fan of good coffee, bookstores, and superheroes. Trevor and his wife, Ashley, raise their daughters in Wake Forest.

Lifestyle, Community, Blog

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Working for the Weekend?

Blog Admin March 23, 2022

Working for the Weekend? How to Find Purpose in Your Work

Raise your hand if you like your job. Raise your hand if you like your boss. Raise your hand if you like your salary. Chances are, you didn’t raise your hand three times. Work isn’t always what we want it to be. We see in Genesis 3 that one of the effects of the Fall is that work is hard. Whether we are talking about our vocation or the other daily tasks that demand our time and effort, frustrations and difficulties are likely the norm and not the exception. Sometimes we want to complain. Sometimes we want to check out. Sometimes we want to give up.

In Colossians 3:22-24, Paul lays out some important principles to influence and guide the way we work. As you read, consider whether your pattern and approach to work mirror what we see in the Scriptures.

Principle #1- Fear the Lord

“Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.”

Paul warns us against a dangerous way to approach our work: Caring more about the opinion of man than God. While the context of our work isn’t the same as the context Paul is writing in, we also experience the temptation for our work to be “eye-service.” You know what this looks like. If your boss isn’t around, you don’t work as hard as you would if he or she were sitting right next to you. When they come near, you kick your efforts into high gear. Only working hard when someone is watching you isn’t really hard work. It’s eye-service. Your greatest concern is the opinion of your boss. In that moment, you are operating as a people-pleaser instead of a God-pleaser. Paul says that we should work with a heart that is motivated by a fear of the Lord. If you only work hard when the eyes of your boss are upon you, your heart (effort) will lack the appropriate fear of the Lord that should be evident for those in Christ.

Principle #2- Believe the Lord

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.”

For servants or slaves, you can understand where the temptation to work in a way that pleases people comes from . What benefit would they have for working hard all the time? They weren’t getting paid. They didn’t have the same freedoms that our jobs afford. No 401-k on the line. No promotion or salary bump to motivate them. So why bother? Paul tells them: your reward is in heaven. There is a better reward than simply making it through the end of the day with some fuel left in your tank. Work with all your heart, not for men, but for God. This is how all of life is meant to be lived–unto the Lord. Jesus told us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all of our heart and with all of our soul and with all of our mind and with all of our strength (Mark 12:30). Surely work is not an exception. Notice that our circumstances don’t negate this command. We don’t love God with all that we have and work for him with all our heart as long as we like what we are doing, or as long as our boss is nice, or as long as the parameters of our job are fair. No, we love God with all that we have and work with all of our heart because of Him! God is worthy of our love. God is worthy of our work. Additionally, God holds out a greater reward than pleasing a master or boss. “You will receive the inheritance as your reward.” God’s job is to make promises and deliver on them. Your job is to believe and obey. If you experience a lack of motivation or desire to work hard, consider your level of belief in God’s promises.

"God is worthy of our love. God is worthy of our work. Additionally, God holds out a greater reward than pleasing a master or boss."

Principle #3- Serve the Lord

“You are serving the Lord Christ.”

This is a good reminder. One of the most practical things the gospel does for us is reorients our way of thinking away from ourselves and toward God. We have a tendency in our sinfulness to make everything about us. But the gospel reminds us that nothing is about us. Your job isn’t about you. Paul reminds us that we are serving the Lord Christ. Earlier in this chapter, we see that everything we do is meant to be done in the name of Jesus (vs 17). In his name means for his name. Who receives glory and honor and praise for the things you say and do? Does the manner in which you work aim for the glorification of self or the glorification of Christ? Do you seek to promote your name and your fame in how you do your job or do you seek to promote the name and fame of the Lord Jesus Christ? Whether we like our job or not, we should remember we are working to serve Jesus. Whether we have a fair and just boss or not, we should remember that we are working to serve Jesus. Whether we make the amount of money we want to or not, we should remember that we are working to serve Jesus.

As you think about the work you will do today (vocational or otherwise), my hope is that you will seek to be a God-pleaser and not a people-pleaser. Remember that you are serving Jesus. Remember that your reward is in heaven.

Kent is a native of southern Illinois and a graduate of the University of Illinois. He holds an MA in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He met his wife Hope at a Christian sports camp in Pennsylvania in 2007. They got married in 2010 and have three kids: Silas, Anna, and Grace. He is an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and loves talking about the intricacies of the golf swing. As a pastor, he loves having a front-row seat to watch how Jesus transforms people’s lives.

Work, Community, Blog

An Unhurried Life

Blog Admin March 9, 2022

AN UNHURRIED LIFE

By Denise O’Donoghue

Jesus’ life was characterized by an unhurried style of living. Yet he accomplished much. In fact, he accomplished every task he was given by the Father, but he didn’t rush to get it all done. He lived a simple, purposeful, unhurried life. Does that describe your life or my life?

Do any of these words describe your day-to-day life: Busy. . . Over-committed. . . Fast-paced. . . Stressful

Sound familiar? And doesn’t all this perpetuate a life of worry and anxiety?

THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS

Let’s just take one quick look at a day in the life of Jesus. Matthew 9 tells the story of an important man, Jairus, asking Jesus to come to his house because his daughter was dying. As Jesus was heading to Jairus’ home, a woman from the crowd who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years touched his robe. Jesus, without rushing, immediately stops to engage the woman and heal her. “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well” (Matt. 9:22). Only then does he continue on to Jairus’ home where we learn his daughter has now died. “Don’t worry,” Jesus tells them, “She is not dead, only sleeping.” Then Jesus takes her hand and tells her to arise.

How would you have responded to Jairus? “Sure, Jairus, I’ll go with you because I don’t have anything else to do.” How would you have responded to the woman? She was clearly another interruption. And even if I handled the situation well, I would be consumed with worry over what I should be doing (you know, my to-do list). I know my answer, and it’s not something to brag about.

What was Jesus’ secret? How did he live an unhurried life that seemed to welcome interruption (a stark contrast for most of us)?

The simple and powerful secret to Jesus’ unhurried life was his closeness to our heavenly Father.

A VIBRANT RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR FATHER IS KEY

As with any relationship, there are some key ingredients that go into making it a valuable one. You must spend one-on-one time with the person in order to know them, and there must be mutual love between you and them. It was because of Jesus’ love for his Father and vice versa that he was able to accept the Father’s will for his life as his own will. Surrendered completely!

If you’ve ever doubted God’s love for you, let the truth of God’s Word speak to your heart: “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” 1 John 4:10. And John 3:16 reiterates this.

So how do we fall deeply in love with God? We do this by spending one-on-one time with him just like in any relationship.

In reading his Word, we come to learn not only who God is, but his character and his will for our lives. His Word is where he reveals himself to us. But we must be willing to invest in the relationship. How much time do you spend each day getting to know the Father and his will for your life?

Jesus clearly knew the Father. In fact, Jesus tells us he came from the Father (John 8:42). Jesus’ knowledge of the Father didn’t keep him from continuing to spend intentional time with him. We consistently see Jesus prayerfully seeking the Father. From Matthew we see some key times when Jesus drew away to be alone in secret with the Father:

In grief, after the death of his cousin, John the Baptist (14:13)
In exhaustion, after a full day of ministry (14:23)
In anguish, when he cried out in to the Father in prayer before his pending arrest, death (26:39, 42, 44)

We know that Jesus prayed and we see in Matthew 6 that he gives instructions for where and how we are to pray—in secret (6:6) and according to the model prayer he gives in 6:9–13.

The secret to an unhurried (unworried) life, therefore, is a relationship with the One who has given us life, loved us unconditionally, and promises to never let us go. I certainly don’t do this perfectly, but I can tell you that my best days are the days that start with one-on-one time with my Father in my secret place.

"The secret to an unhurried (unworried) life, therefore, is a relationship with the One who has given us life, loved us unconditionally, and promises to never let us go."

OUR CHALLENGE

I want to challenge us to examine our lives. Where can we grow our relationship with the Father? Will you identify one change that you are going to make and then ask him to help you? He is faithful and will do this because he desires to spend time in secret with his beloved.

Denise has served as the Director of Women’s Life and Assistant Professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where she taught graduate courses in ministry to women. Prior to serving at Southeastern, Denise was a student there and earned both her MA in Biblical Counseling and Doctor of Education. Currently, she serves as Director of Counseling Development. Denise and her husband Rod have been married 46 years and have two married daughters and six grandchildren.

Lifestyle, Discipleship, Blog

Striving Together

Blog Admin February 23, 2022

Striving Together- An IDC Blog

By Kent Bass

Welcome brothers and sisters of Imago Dei Church! I’m happy you’re reading this. I know many things vie for your attention. Work, school, spouse, kids, social media, and household chores are probably a small sample of all of the planets orbiting in your universe. While none of those things are inherently bad, any one of them can pull our attention and focus off of thinking deeply about Jesus. Ultimately, your pursuit of loving Christ is why we have started this blog. We know following Jesus is hard. Loving your spouse and children is hard. Loving your neighbor as yourself is hard. Making disciples is hard. Practicing hospitality is hard. Serving needy people is hard. Bearing the burdens of others is hard. However, one of the many great things about the gospel is that we don’t have to do any of these hard things alone. God has given us his word, his Spirit, and his people to equip us for a life of faithfulness.

We want this blog to serve as a regular reminder that you are not following Jesus alone. The gospel creates community. In fact, our “togetherness” is essential for a life worthy of the gospel. Here is what Paul says to the church at Philippi:

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have” (Phil. 1:27-30).

According to Paul, one of the marks of a life worthy of the gospel is togetherness. “Standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for faith in the gospel.” When you read this blog, we want you to remember that your brothers and sisters are striving together with you. Striving with you in your sins and failures. Striving with you in grief. Striving with you in despair and depression. Striving with you in fear and anxiety. Striving with you in broken relationships. Striving with you in chronic pain. Striving with you in evangelism. Striving with you in parenting. Striving with you in spiritual warfare.

Maybe you are reading this and thinking, “I’m not really striving with anyone.” Maybe you are reading this and thinking, “It doesn’t really feel like anyone is striving with me.” If either one of those realities are true, then let me encourage you to press in. Engage the members of your growth group or a pastor. Don’t sit back and wait for someone to figure out that you aren’t ok. Striving requires intentionality, so be intentional.

As you are seeking to strive with others for a life that is worthy of the gospel, let me offer three encouragements.

Encouragement #1- You Can Do This!

Brothers and sisters, God has not called you to a life that you are unable to live. He has graciously given you “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). You have his living and active word (Hebrews 4:12). This word is profitable for you; it makes you complete and equips you for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). You have his Spirit, whom God has given to you as a guarantee of your salvation in Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Spirit empowers you to understand the very mind and will of God (1 Corinthians 2:10-16)! Additionally, you have God’s people, a family of brothers and sisters given to you to encourage you as you faithfully follow Christ. This leads to the second encouragement…

Encouragement #2- We Can Do This!

Isn’t it amazing that we get to follow Jesus together? What a gift! So, let’s live this life of faith together. Let’s grow together (Ephesians 4:1-16). Let’s hurt together (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). Let’s rejoice together (Romans 12:15). Let’s love God together (Colossians 3:12-17). Let’s strive for faith together (Philippians 1:27). You are not supposed to do this alone. The God who lives in perfect heavenly community (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) has called us into community with others. One of the ways we live out the imago dei is through relational engagement with other believers. I know our community isn’t perfect. Imago Dei isn’t a perfect church. I’m not a perfect pastor. But don’t let your differences or the sins of your brothers and sisters push you away. Let’s strive together. Let’s be eager to maintain unity and peace (Ephesians 4:1-3). We need help to do this, and that leads me to my third encouragement…

"You are not supposed to do this alone. The God who lives in perfect heavenly community (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) has called us into community with others. One of the ways we live out the imago dei is through relational engagement with other believers."

Encouragement #3- God Will Do This!

We don’t serve a god of fragile hopes. We serve the Lord God, who reigns supreme. We serve the God who is doing all the things he has promised us he will do. “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Paul continues this line of thinking in chapter two of Philippians, encouraging the believers to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. Why? Because “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

Brothers and sisters, God will do this. In light of what God is doing in our midst, let’s strive together for faith. As you read these blogs, we hope you will be encouraged to follow Jesus with your family of faith here at IDC. Let’s be worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ together. Let’s grow up into Christ together. He who calls us is faithful; he will surely do it.

Kent is a native of southern Illinois and a graduate of the University of Illinois. He holds an MA in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He met his wife Hope at a Christian sports camp in Pennsylvania in 2007. They got married in 2010 and have three kids: Silas, Anna, and Grace. He is an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and loves talking about the intricacies of the golf swing. As a pastor, he loves having a front-row seat to watch how Jesus transforms people’s lives.

Community, Discipleship, Blog