A Blog by Jason Salamun

It’s often said that the family is the basic unit of society.

Did you know it’s also the basic unit of the church?

It’s true.

Every family is a congregation and parents are the pastors.

In fact, to lead a church, one must be able lead their family well.

I don’t know about you, but as a parent, that’s quite the responsibility.

The question is, how well are we shepherding (pastoring) our family?

We parents have the tremendous opportunity to shape our families.

We can be an internally-focused family that seeks the well-being of us…

Or we can be an externally-focused family that seeks the well-being of others.

Which best describes your family?

If we’re honest, most of us tend to be the first.

Every family has issues from time to time.

Okay, some more than others.

But if you want to improve the story of your family, consider improving the stories of others…together.

You’ll be amazed at what it does for your family.

Your problems won’t disappear, but your family will grow.

According to the United Way, families who serve together experience the following benefits:

• Awareness of social issues and a new perspective on the world
• A way to pass on family values to the children
• Discovery and development of knowledge, skills, and talents
• Quality time for the family to spend together
• Increase in interpersonal communication and the problem-solving abilities of family members
• A habit of service that will be passed on to the next generation

Communities are best formed around a common cause.

So are missional families.

Missional families are also driven by the gospel.

When the gospel has so entrenched the heart of your family, you can’t help but be good news to this world.

For my family, our mission was to begin a church who joined God in his mission in the world.

But we won’t be a missional church unless the the families are missional families made up of missional people.

Likewise, the church known as your family won’t be missional unless you are.

You, the parent, need to lead the way.

Show your family a better story.

Invite your family into a better story.

As a whole, this generation of children care more about social injustices than any other in recent history.

What a prime opportunity!

Discover where their passions are and roll with it.

Do something.

Why?

Because God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…

If God loved the world that much, so should we.

All while loving one another.

All because of Jesus.

Imagine if this was what your family was like.

Hugh Halter, author of The Tangible Kingdom (along with Matt Smay) posted this video for their upcoming book, AND: The Gathered and Scattered Church.

If it’s anything like The Tangible Kingdom, it’s a must read. Check out this clip.

At Project Church, we hold a monthly event called Beer & Bible.  In short, it’s a casual conversation where folks inside and outside our church can connect and discuss current hot topics and theology around a frosty beverage.

I’ve received a number of emails from people wanting to do something similar where they live and I’m often asked what this time looks like.

Here is a simple guide to help those wanting to start a Beer & Bible in their cities.

Know
Know where you (and your church) stand as it relates to alcohol.  If you want to learn more about what the scriptures teach on alcohol, I recommend three books: God Gave Wine (Gentry), Drinking with Calvin and Luther! (West), and The Radical Reformission (Driscoll).

Here’s a brief blog post on where I stand in terms of Christians drinking alcohol.

Plan
Choose a regularly time and location.  Visit pubs and bars and see which is in the best location and is best suited for discussion.  If possible, get tables near the entrance so people can find you.

Invite
Invite your friends and encourage them to invite their friends. Social networking works great to get the word out.

Guidelines
We have just a few groundrules to guide our time.
1)  Keep it real (Honesty reigns)
2)  Keep it cordial (Respect one another’s opinions / Don’t be a jerk)
3)  Control your drinking  (Don’t get hammered)

Format
Here’s what our typical time looks like:

1. Open in prayer
2. Have one big question to explore related to culture, theology, whatever.
3. Allow anyone and everyone to give their take on that topic. This might go on for a bit.
4. After everyone’s given their thoughts on the topic, we have one passage of scripture that relates to the topic at hand.
5. Someone reads it outloud.
6. Then we ask this question: In light of what this passage says, how would you answer the one big question?
7. Allow time for robust dialogue and questions.
8. Let the conversation flow and people to have natural conversations as you end your time.

If the group gets too big, just split them up.  We tend to keep it to 6-12 people per discussion group.

Why Do This?
The idea is to allow people to think through life, culture, theology, etc. through a biblical lens. Sometimes people will answer the one big question with opinions. Then, as we look at the scriptures, we sometimes see that the Bible contradicts us (that’s a good thing), and we learn to live in light of what the scriptures say.

Also, understand that people are coming from different places. Some don’t believe. Some are exploring. Some are trying to live out what they believe.  Let this be a safe zone to doubt and ask questions.

Resources
To help you out, here is a graphic I created for Beer & Bible in png format. Below is an example of how we use it.

Download: Beer & Bible graphic (png)

(Note: It’s a take it or leave it sort of thing. Due to time constraints, I’m unable to provide other sizes, formats, etc. Thanks for understanding.)

In closing, remember 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

Enjoy!

Really cool music video for the song “This Too Shall Pass” by OK GO.  We played it prior to the message I shared this week at Project Church as an illustration of what a chain reaction looks like.

Give it looksy.

Here’s a simplified overview of the biblical model of church leadership as best as I can see it.

Jesus is the Head of the Church. The Senior Pastor so to speak. (Ephesians 5:23)

The scriptures are the ultimate authority because Jesus is the ultimate authority. (2 Timothy 3: 16-17)

His agenda trumps the church’s…always. (Colossians 1:18)

In scripture, the church is not a business or even a non-profit organization.

The church is a family of believers who love God and people. (Acts 2:41-47; 1 Timothy 3:15)

The church is the very embodiment of Christ. (1 Corinthians 6:15)

The entire church are priests. (1 Peter 2:9)

Ministers of the gospel. (Ephesians 4:12)

Storytellers of the gospel. (1 Peter 4:10-11)

With their words and lives. (Matthew 5:16)

From the church body, a team of leaders are called to lead. (1 Thessalonians 5:12)

Key word: called. (Hebrews 13:17)

They are the elders/overseers/leaders of the church. (1 Peter 5:1-2)

They are all equal. (Acts 14:23)

But there is a leader of leaders. (Acts 15:22)

A first among equals.

Often their primary role is teaching and preaching. (1 Timothy 5:17)

Not just anyone can or should be an elder.

There are biblical qualifications. (1 Timothy 3:1-7)

And biblical responsibilities. (Titus 1:9; 1 Peter 5:1-4)

In short, elders lead the church by following Jesus. (1 Peter 5:3-4)

And equip God’s people for works of service. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Taking on various forms and functions. (Ephesians 4:11)

There are other leaders called deacons. (Philippians 1:1)

Their role is serving by leading ministries. (1 Timothy 3:13)

They have biblical qualifications and responsibilities too. (1 Timothy 3:8-12)

The structure of a biblical church is marked by humility, service, cooperation, accountability, prayer, love, and gospel community. (Romans 8:9-18)

Followers of Jesus are to be in community and have a role in it. (Romans 12:4-8)

We usually call them members, owners, or partners. (Ephesians 2:19)

They aren’t to be spectators.

Here’s the deal:

They don’t just have a part, they are a part. (Ephesians 5:30)

If a healthy church is following Jesus they are joining him in the renewal of all things. (Revelation 21:5)

Together. (Acts 2:42-46)

Momentum grows. (Acts 2:47)

So do the people. (Acts 4:33)

And Jesus is made much of along the way. (John 12:32)

May your church (and mine) be a biblical, healthy, loving church.

Centered on the gospel; expressed in community; on a mission from God. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:8)

A shining city on a hill. (Matthew 5:14)

An unstoppable force. (Matthew 16:18)

Remembering Jesus is the hero and under him we are all equal. (Hebrews 12:2; Romans 3:23; James 2:1)

To the glory of God and for the good of our cities. (1 Corinthians 10:31; Jeremiah 29:7)

Blogger Dave Ingland asked me and others to answer three questions on the church for an upcoming blog series.

Here are his three questions and my replies.

What do you think? How would you answer?

1) How would you define the (local) church?

In a nutshell, the local church is a community of sinners saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ who join God in his mission in the world.

Symbolically of course, the Church is referred to as the Body of Christ, Bride of Christ,and Family of God. Scripture gives us purposes, distinctions, and directions on how we are to function and organize but to answer your question, I’ll stick with my simple answer.

2) Is the church relevant? Why?

Five to ten years ago I would have said, “no.” The music is outdated, the dress code is too stuffy, the church buildings are on the cutting edge of 1890, etc. I’d refer to myself as a “Christ Follower” instead of a “Christian” because I didn’t want to be connected to THOSE people.

I was immature.

Many of us were.

Many of us still are.

A church is relevant because the gospel is (I’m assuming a genuine church is a gospel-centered church). The message is unchanging and relevant but communicating the message will depend on your culture. Speak the language but don’t change the message.

I’m all for contextualizing the gospel to our culture but it’s so much more than cool lights, killer environments, and pop worship. Frankly, a traditional church service full of liturgy can be just as (or more) “relevant” as a rock show worship experience. As I look out at the church planting landscape, I’m seeing a bunch of cookie-cutter “relevant” churches who somehow believe their graphic t-shirts and a coffee bars are the good news.  Sad. So sad.

Throwing a pair of hipster jeans on the gospel doesn’t make it relevant.

The gospel is about a King and a Kingdom.

Every community is different but I do know this: love is relevant in any language. Jesus doesn’t need make-up to be attractive to our culture, he is to be lifted up and he said he would draw people to himself (John 12:32).

I’m not against creating environments, talking plainly, having modern music etc., (our church does that), but I think “relevance” as we know it is superficial at best. It’s so much more than style and preferences. I think our generation needs to understand the gospel better and learn how to diagnose idolatry in their culture and people’s hearts and treat it with the gospel. Show people how they fit into God’s epic story. That’s relevant to any people in any time, and any place.

P.S. Nothing is sadder than a middle-aged pastor wearing his college kids clothes and trying to talk Snoop in a sermon. That’s not relevant, that’s goofy.

3) Do you see the church looking different in the future? Please explain.

I believe in the church because I believe in Jesus.

This defeatist attitude we have about the church in the west is pathetic. We already know how this will all end! We are the Body of Christ! He said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The question is, do we believe it?

In the future, just as in the past, churches will gather in various expressions and models and forms, but we all have the same mission: Make disciples who love God and people. From house churches to mega-churches, from traditional churches to contemporary churches and everything in between, we need them all. The point isn’t to build the Church, the Lord will do that. The point is to point people to him.

I don’t know about tomorrow but I know about today. The future is a product of the present. We were born for such a time as this and the need for the gospel has never been greater. The time is now!

Imagine if churches followed Jesus and lived out passages like Luke 4:18-19,

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

That’s a future I want to help create!

Why is it important for a Christian to attend church?

Think about it.

A little more.

Have an answer?

Got a verse?

Getting a twitch from memories of the fundamentalist church you once attended?

Are you going back to reread the question?

Is there anything wrong with the wording of the question?

How you reply to the question of why you attend says a lot about your view of the church.

You see, people who attend a church gathering do so for different reasons.

Some attend out of religious duty.

Some attend to get their spiritual fix.

Some attend because they were drug there by another.

Some attend to see a good show.

All are the wrong reasons.

Why?

Because they reduce the church into something she’s not.

The church is so much more.

I’m a pastor, but I’m not a a fuddy duddy.

I know there are times when it’s not possible to be present.

But I do believe we should make an effort.

Why?

Because the church is not a show, place, ritual, or fix.

We are a family.

When your family gathers, you go.

Why?

Because you love them.

They’re your family.

It doesn’t matter if you meet in a house or in a cathedral.

The church is a place where strangers become friends and friends become family.

Because of Jesus.

We are a family of the forgiven.

When we gather, it’s not the same without all your family.

It’s like an empty seat at the dinner table.

You are missed.

You see, it’s not so much what you get from them, but what you can give to them.

What can you give?

Yourself.

No one is like you.

Your smile. Your words. Your presence. Your gifting.

What makes a church gathering compelling is not just music, lights, and shiny things.

It’s the people who are a part of it…

Not just attending it.

We need one another.

That includes you.

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25

I was standing before my church community, teaching on the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount, and came upon the phrase, “He saw the crowds.”

This small phrase is significant to understanding the Beatitudes and is repeated later in Matthew 9:36, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Jesus didn’t just talk to a crowd.

He saw them, stepped into their story, and spoke directly to them.

Then it hit me!

My eyes were opened.

And I finally saw the crowd.

Suddenly, the mass of humanity became a sea of faces.

Faces I knew the stories of.

Faces I really care about.

Some are exploring Jesus for the first time.

Some are prodigals.

Some have suffered great heartache and pain due to broken relationships.

Some are giving love another shot.

Some have no clue as to how they’re going to pay their bills.

Some will blow their excess on a shopping spree on things they don’t need.

Some are drowning in confusion about their future.

Some know full-well what they’re to do but lack to courage to go for it.

Some have been neglected by those they love.

Some are neglecting those they love.

Some are oblivious to their self-righteousness.

Some can only see their depravity.

Some are theological snobs who think they know it all.

Some have never studied the scriptures at all.

Some are recovering from their addictions.

Some are denying they have one.

Some feel overwhelmed by life.

Some feel their life is empty.

Some desperately need the gospel.

Some desperately need to remember it.

In a moment, God took me from talking to a crowd to seeing them.

From speaking to a general audience to preaching to a particular people.

My heart melted.

My mind understood.

My soul awakened.

To preach like Jesus is to see the crowds.

And my preaching will never be the same.

Chewing on this quote from Eugene Peterson found in the introduction to his book, Working the Angles.

“The pastors of America have metamorphosed into a company of shopkeepers, and the shops they keep are churches. They are preoccupied with shopkeeper’s concerns–how to keep the customers happy, how to lure customers away from competitors down the street, how to package the goods so that the customers will lay out more money.

Some of them are very good shopkeepers. They attract a lot of customers, pull in great sums of money, develop splendid reputations. Yet it is still shopkeeping; religious shopkeeping, to be sure, but shopkeeping all the same. The marketing strategies of the fast-food franchise occupy the waking minds of these entrepreneurs; while asleep they dream of the kind of success that will get the attention of journalists.

The biblical fact is that there are no successful churches. There are, instead, communities of sinners, gathered before God week after week in towns and villages all over the world. The Holy Spirit gathers them and does his work in them. In these communities of sinners, one of the sinners is called pastor and given a designated responsibility in the community. The pastor’s responsibility is to keep the community attentive to God. It is this responsibility that is being abandoned in spades.”

This Sunday, October 18 at 10am, Project Church is moving to our new home at the Elks Theatre in downtown Rapid City and we want you to join us.

This move signifies a new chapter in the story of Project Church. One year ago we began gathering at Alternative Fuel Coffee House in hopes of creating a community where people who are exploring the Christian faith can belong before they believe and where believers can grow in their relationship with God and be in community with one another.

Having our services at a vintage movie theater like The Elks provides us with a blank canvas in which to bring love and hope to our community. It’s a cultural landmark in the Black Hills, has the largest movie screen in South Dakota, seats over 600 people, and is conveniently located in the heart of Rapid City.

The service lasts about an hour and features down-to-earth teaching, live music, and a time to connect with others. The dress is casual, the coffee will be brewing, and there’s a clean, safe nursery for the little ones.

Remember, you matter to God and you matter to us.

Hope to see you there!
Grace,

Jason Salamun
pastor | Project Church