Everybody Eventually Dies | The SOAP Sessions

Rhythms are the grooves in the record that allow the music of our lives to find expression. The record begins to skip when the rhythm is disrupted, but we can find ways to fix the vinyl. We are in a season where society as a collective has found their well-worn grooves skipping. Sometimes the disruption is a good thing; it creates space for us to make grooves and to rediscover old ones. One of the rhythms that we have at FōS is SOAP, a daily plan for reading the Bible and journaling our reflections. SOAP is an acronym that stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. If you want to join us in our rhythm of SOAP, you can find more information here (fos.church/soapdaily-readings). Our series over the next few weeks is called "The SOAP Sessions," and will consist of messages pulled from our daily reflections. 

This week Glenn leads us through a conversation about finding new meaning in the Scriptures as we explore 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.

Scripture:

For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received—that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures...51 Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed...54 ...then the saying that is written will happen, "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 

1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 51, & 54

Observation:

The author of First Corinthians, Paul, spends a few chapters discussing the tensions present within the community. He lists the obstacles they must overcome as they learn to become a new community reduced to love. Paul reminds them why we entered into the struggle in the first place. “According to scripture” is repeated in chapter 15 to call the people back to their shared story, Jesus. The story of Jesus is the catalyst that changes everything and restores the broken systems that threaten to disrupt the unity of those gathered around the table of Christ. The followers of Jesus anticipate this transformation by gathering around the Eucharist (ch 11), becoming love (ch 13), and learning to hear the new ending of the story that was written: “according to scripture.”

Application:

The Jesus story is constantly causing us to have to reimagine our faith as we try to find a way forward, and as we take up the work of restoration with Christ. FōS Church as a community seeks to engage the story of Jesus in such a way that everyone is able to find hope, beauty, and purpose within it.

Prayer:

Lord, help us create space for people at your table. Help us to imagine our faith in ways that cultivates hope for others. In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen …

Formational Learning:

(Head)

• How do we find new meaning in the Bible in a way that is life-giving and healthy? 

(Heart)

• As we reimagine our faith together, what changes do you see coming that cause you to be hopeful for our future?

(Hands)

• What practice could we try this week to help us learn to lean into a responsive reading of the Bible? 

Reduced to Love | The SOAP Sessions

Rhythms are the grooves in the record that allow the music of our lives to find expression. The record begins to skip when the rhythm is disrupted, but we can find ways to fix the vinyl. We are in a season where society as a collective has found their well-worn grooves skipping. Sometimes the disruption is a good thing; it creates space for us to make grooves and to rediscover old ones. One of the rhythms that we have at FōS is SOAP, a daily plan for reading the Bible and journaling our reflections. SOAP is an acronym that stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. If you want to join us in our rhythm of SOAP, you can find more information here (fos.church/soapdaily-readings). Our series over the next few weeks is called "The SOAP Sessions," and will consist of messages pulled from our daily reflections. 

This week we will be exploring FōS' vision to be a community that is reduced to love.

Scripture:

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

—1 Corinthians 13:13(NIV)

Observation:

Paul, the author of 1 Corinthians, says, only three things will remain. The greatest of these three things is love. As a community, we want FōS Church to be reduced to love. As we explore 1 Corinthians 13 as a whole, Paul gives us some clues as to how this could look. 

Application:

Is it possible to be reduced to love? Can we follow the writers of the New Testaments' exhortations to love God, neighbor, each other, and even our enemies? These are the kinds of questions that we must grapple with if we want to find ourselves evermore reduced to love. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank you for being love. Thank you for being reduced to love in front of us, allowing us to follow you and become reduced to love ourselves. In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen …

Formational Learning:

(Head)

• What changes when love is something we do or become instead of something we think or feel?

(Heart)

• To utilize Paul's analogy of a noisy gong, When has how you expressed your faith become more annoying than loving? Or what are somethings in your life that are hindering you from being love now?

(Hands)

• What are somethings that we can actively do now to be reduced to love, individually and as a community?

Courage and Community Formation in a Time of Fear | The SOAP Sessions

Rhythms are the grooves in the record that allow the music of our lives to find expression. The record begins to skip when the rhythm is disrupted, but we can find ways to fix the vinyl. We are in a season where society as a collective has found their well worn grooves skipping. Sometimes the disruption is a good thing, it creates space for us to make grooves and to rediscover old ones. One of the rhythms that we have at FōS is SOAP, a daily plan for reading the Bible and journaling our reflections. SOAP is an acronym that stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. If you want to join us in our rhythm of SOAP, you can find more information here (fos.church/soapdaily-readings). Our series over the next few weeks is called “The SOAP Sessions,” and will consist of messages pulled from our daily reflections. 

This week we will be exploring the idea of courage and community formation in a time of fear. 

Scripture:

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

—Joshua 1:7-9(NIV)

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

—Matthew 28:18-20(NIV)

Observation:

Many stories in the Bible find echoes of each other. The two narratives connected to these verses are examples of this. First, you have the account of Joshua leading the people of Israel into a new future. Second, you have Jesus commissioning his disciples to invite people into the kingdom of God. 

Application:

When we are on the precipice of a new reality, it can be daunting and overwhelming. The good news is that God is calling us and promises to be with us as we go. 

Prayer: 

Lord, lead us and give us courage as we form community in these uncertain times. In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen …

Formational Learning:

(Head)

• As we move from the notion of fear to courage, what does courageous vulnerability look like when the community needs us to not rush into danger, and instead needs us to restrain ourselves? What does courageous vulnerability look like for us as a community moving forward?

(Heart)

• How does COVID-19 affect the way you understand your faith as we try to honor the need for self-isolating and social-distancing?

• What is your biggest fear amid the COVID-19 situation?

(Hands)

• What is a practical way that we can courageously create community in this time of fear and isolation?

APEST—Teachers

Apostle. Prophet. Evangelist. Shepherd. And Teacher. God has given these amazing gifts to the Church (Ephesians 4:1-13). Far too often we try to sum up leadership in the Church under the catchall title “pastor”, but what if God has a bigger picture for the equipping of the Church? What could local expressions of the Body of Christ look like organized around the gifts God has given us?

This week we are focusing in on Teachers.

Teachers are the light givers of the community. The expositors of wisdom. The ones that interpret and inform as they help give shape to reality.

Teachers: Interpret and Inform. Teachers are good at interpreting the text and informing others. They are great at gathering knowledge and passing on wisdom. We could call teachers “light givers” because they shed light on Scripture and help people understand it in a life-giving way. They help us inhabit the sacred text, immerse people in God’s story and teach people how to dwell faithfully in God’s story. Teachers cultivate learning environments so that the whole body is growing in knowledge, wisdom and maturity. So which do you most identify with? Which do you identify with second-most? If you want to live out God’s mission in the world, it is important to grasp and practice your vocational intelligence. In addition, as you grow in understanding the fivefold typology, you can help others live into their calling. 

Immaturity for the Teacher: 

Teachers at early stages of development can be so exacting and obsessed with accuracy that they project right and wrong so forcefully, it gives no space for others to journey and discover. With the ability to collect vast amounts of information and systematize it, they can be dogmatic in areas with little practical experience, thus knowledge can be valued over wisdom. The teacher can value their relationship with information over their relationship with people, and lack emotional maturity. They tend to become internally arrogant because of what they think they know stunts their ability to listen and learn from others’ experiences. They may have a hard time with friendships with people that don’t see things the way they see them. Teachers connect with information and books and then tend to believe right thinking fixes people, rather than being present with people in their mess. They are often intellectuals and place disproportionate emphasis on preaching, believing people are transformed by hearing good doctrine. Teachers may have a hard time simplifying content for ordinary people to comprehend because they live in their own head. They may unintentionally forget to model grounded practices because they put so much energy into preparing and delivery information. 

Formational Learning:

(Head)

• What benefits and drawbacks could come from activating Teachers within FōS?

(Heart)

• Do you see yourself in the gift of the Teacher? If yes in what ways and what about the gift resonated with you? If no do you know someone who fits the description either mature or immature?

(Hands)

• What practices could allow us to equip, empower, and facilitate Teachers in our community?

APEST—Shepherd

Apostle. Prophet. Evangelist. Shepherd. And Teacher. God has given these amazing gifts to the Church (Ephesians 4:1-13). Far too often we try to sum up leadership in the Church under the catchall title “pastor”, but what if God has a bigger picture for the equipping of the Church? What could local expressions of the Body of Christ look like organized around the gifts God has given us?

This week we are focusing in on Shepherds.

Shepherds are the soul healers of the community. The midwives of restoration. The ones that guard and guide creating spaces of healing and safety along the journey.

Shepherds/Pastors: Guard and Guide.Pastors guard the community from the wolves and guide them toward still waters. They are nurturers and protectors. We might call them “soul healers” because they cultivate a healing environment and help us work through our past hurts and move toward a sense of wholeness in the context of community. They have a deep sense of the brokenness within us and help us to cultivate a life-giving spirituality and embody reconciliation. Soul healers create a sense of family within the group, seeking to protect people and create environments where people can feel safe to be vulnerable. 

Immaturity for the Shepherd/Pastor: 

Immature Pastors can be so sensitive to the feelings of people that they can be driven by fear, panicked at offending anyone and unable to live with disappointing others. With a desire to build a sense of family, they can create a false dichotomy between community and mission, instead of building a community for mission. They often overextend themselves because they don’t know how to set up appropriate boundaries with people. They can be easily fooled by other’s character when someone expresses acceptance for them. They are slow to act because they get anxiety about all the possible negative outcomes. Pastors are so attuned to pain that they can be overwhelmed by their own pain and problems. Pastors often want people to experience belonging and safety so desperately that they find multiple excuses not to stretch people into uncomfortable risk-taking mission. 

Formational Learning:

(Head)

• What benefits and drawbacks could come from activating Shepherds within FōS?

(Heart)

• Do you see yourself in the gift of the Shepherd? If yes in what ways and what about the gift resonated with you? If no do you know someone who fits the description either mature or immature?

(Hands)

• What practices could allow us to equip, empower, and facilitate Shepherds in our community?

APEST—Evangelists

Apostle. Prophet. Evangelist. Shepherd. And Teacher. God has given these amazing gifts to the Church (Ephesians 4:1-13). Far too often we try to sum up leadership in the Church under the catchall title “pastor”, but what if God has a bigger picture for the equipping of the Church? What could local expressions of the Body of Christ look like organized around the gifts God has given us?

This week we are focusing in on Evangelists.

Evangelists are the story tellers of the community. The bearers of good news. The ones that invite and excite us as we live out the story of Jesus together.

Evangelists: Invite and Excite.Evangelists have a knack when it comes to inviting people to live in the kingdom of God, and they are able to excite the people of God to be witnesses. We could call evangelists “storytellers” because they share God’s story in such a way that everybody realizes they are a part of it, either as villains or heroes. They help people want to be heroes and heroines. Evangelists help the church to proclaim the good news by being witnesses and redemptive agents. They cultivate a welcoming environment, helping the community to practice hospitality as a way of life. 

Immaturity for the Evangelist: Evangelists in their early stages of development can be so enthusiastic that they are unwise, unstable and consciously or unconsciously manipulative, sometimes seeking to capitalize on emotions. They have tendencies to exaggerate and engage in selective hearing and selective sharing. With a passion to get the good news out, evangelists tend to justify the meansto reach a particular ends, not understanding that the means leads to particular ends. They can to be poor listeners because they are consumed with what they are passionate about. Because they are verbal and outgoing they can sometimes be irresponsible with words, over­sharing information about other people. Evangelist often avoid conflict because they want people to like them. They can be easily discouraged when things are difficult and no longer exciting. If they are undisciplined, they can steal the attention away from others to steer it towards themselves. 

Formational Learning:

(Head)

• What benefits and drawbacks could come from activating Evangelists within FōS?

(Heart)

• Do you see yourself in the gift of the Evangelist? If yes in what ways and what about the gift resonated with you? If no do you know someone who fits the description either mature or immature?

(Hands)

• What practices could allow us to equip, empower, and facilitate Evangelists in our community?

APEST—Prophets

Apostle. Prophet. Evangelist. Shepherd. And Teacher. God has given these amazing gifts to the Church (Ephesians 4:1-13). Far too often we try to sum up leadership in the Church under the catchall title “pastor”, but what if God has a bigger picture for the equipping of the Church? What could local expressions of the Body of Christ look like organized around the gifts God has given us?

This week our conversation focused in on Prophets.

Prophets are the heart revealers of the community. The truth tellers. The ones that expose and call us towards our true humanity as image bearers of God.

Prophets: Expose and Embody. Prophets expose false claims to authority and power, demonstrating how they are not able to keep their promises and uncovering the direction their claims will take us if there is no repentance. They also embody a counterculture community, calling people to live under God’s reign. They have a passion for social justice and seek to cultivate a liberating environment, liberating people from personal sins, speaking truth to power and social sins. We might call them “heart revealers” because they reveal the heart of God and the heart of the people. Prophets call the church to God’s new social order and help the congregation to stand with the poor and oppressed. 

Immaturity for the Prophet: Prophets in the adolescence stage, tend to be cynical, angry, judgmental, pretentious, self-righteous and arrogant. Have you ever encounter a prophet at this stage? Prophets in early developmental stages are great at deconstructing– everything. And because they see so clearly what “could be” and how “current realities” fall drastically short, living in this tension squeezes anger out of them. They can often be stubborn and argumentative in the face of unfamiliar information. A Prophet can be judgmental in sizing others up. Holds grudges against others. They often ta lk about their perspective as though it was simply “the truth” and feel they have to point out every inconsistency they see. It is likely that they have a hard time extending grace to people that irritate them or live in a way that offends them. They can attach to idealistic expectations about how things “should be” and get bitter when they don’t pan out. Prophets tend to isolate themselves when things are difficult. 

Formational Learning:

(Head)

• What benefits and drawbacks could come from activating Prophets within FōS?

(Heart)

• Do you see yourself in the gift of the Prophet? If yes in what ways and what about the gift resonated with you? If no do you know someone who fits the description either mature or immature?

(Hands)

• What practices could allow us to equip, empower, and facilitate Prophets in our community?

APEST—Apostles

Apostle. Prophet. Evangelist. Shepherd. And Teacher. God has given these amazing gifts to the Church (Ephesians 4:1-13). Far too often we try to sum up leadership in the Church under the catchall title “pastor”, but what if God has a bigger picture for the equipping of the Church? What could local expressions of the Body of Christ look like organized around the gifts God has given us?

This week the conversation focused in on Apostles.

Apostles are the dream-awakeners of the community. The catalytic-too-much-energy-to-not-start-now leaders, and they live for the potential of what could be. The Apostle isn’t satisfied with a finished project because they always see the needs within a community or system that can be broken apart to build more room. Their focus is the next stage of the community’s development.

Apostles: Catalyze and Co-mission. Apostles are catalysts who start new works, and they co-mission others to join God in the renewal of all things. They are pioneers, always moving into new territory. Apostle literally means, “sent one.” They help to cultivate a thriving environment in the congregation and love crossing boundaries. We might call them “dream awakeners” because they help people discover and live out their calling. They help cultivate a discipleship ethos in order to see the multiplication of disciples, ministries, churches and movements. Apostles help people and communities live out the answer to Jesus’ prayer, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10).

Immaturity for the Apostle: An immature apostle tends to be so goal oriented they run over people, or run people ragged. Too often as apostles, in our immaturity finds their value in achievement, often at the expense of people. I know this from experience and I have to repent repeatedly. Adolescent apostles can lack gentleness and patience, and tend to be insensitive, because too often mission comes before people, instead of mission being for people. They can lack tolerance when people don’t understand them. They often can’t “turn it off” (i.e., take a day off). They sometimes have trouble being part of a group they’re not leading. They can be insensitive to how change and risk feels for others. They may in speech, but not in action trust that God is working, when they’re not. When they experience resistance from others they tend to push harder rather than stepping back and evaluating. They have a hard time staying faithful to an idea; they get itchy and want to move onto the next exciting idea.

Formational Learning:

(Head)

• What benefits and drawbacks could come from activating Apostles within FōS?

(Heart)

• Do you see yourself in the gift of the Apostle? If yes in what ways and what about the gift resonated with you? If no do you know someone who fits the description either mature or immature?

(Hands)

• What practices could allow us to equip, empower, and facilitate Apostles in our community?

APEST & Polycentric Leadership

Apostle. Prophet. Evangelist. Shepherd. And Teacher. God has given these amazing gifts to the Church (Ephesians 4:1-13). Far too often we try to sum up leadership in the Church under the catchall title “pastor”, but what if God has a bigger picture for the equipping of the Church? What could local expressions of the Body of Christ look like organized around the gifts God has given us?

Luke 9:55-56 marks the last of three leadership lessons given while the disciples continue fighting over hierarchy. The fight began over who was the highest-ranked within their closed group of disciples; Jesus said, “no.” Their focus moved out towards other people, trying to draw a firm boundary between us and “those people;” Jesus said, “no.” Finally, a whole village said they wouldn’t extend hospitality to Jesus and his group. James and John, part of Jesus’ discipleship core, miss these lessons and react abruptly to defend Jesus’ honor by offering to call down fire from heaven to consume the village. Jesus expands their concept of leadership, “You do not know what manner of spirit you belong to….(I) do not come to destroy people, but to rescue them.” The disciples thought being leaders meant coercive power to control those under you, while Jesus pointed to a larger reality where leaders facilitated space for more people to join.

Poly-centric leadership is an attempt to embody this teaching. Rather than having a strict hierarchy, it moves from multiple (poly) centers of authority to ensure multiple voices guide the community’s growth. Following Paul in Ephesians, the different voices are understood as Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepard, and Teacher, or the fivefold leadership model.