Our World Team Ministry Framework outlines six (6) guiding principles which define how we go about our work; what is it that motivates us to multiply disciples and communities of believers. The six (6) guiding principles are: the Gospel, prayer, facilitation, teams, holistic and incarnational.
Often I find myself thinking about and speaking of these guiding principles as if they are all of equal value. In one sense, they need to be as they tell us what drives us in the work God has called us to do. However, as I continue to daily reflect on the Gospel, I become more convinced that there is one guiding principle from which all the others flow out or are subsets of the one guiding principle. I am more and more persuaded that there is one guiding principle to rule them all.
All of who we are and what we do arises from one central truth: we are accepted in Christ. We are not our own, we belong to Him, and find ourselves now cherished members of His family.
This one guiding principle stands apart from all the others. It is the foundation to which we hold and to which we must return each and every day.
Richard Lovelace put it best when he wrote: “Few know enough to start each day with a thoroughgoing stand upon Luther’s platform: you are accepted, looking outward in faith and claiming the wholly alien righteousness of Christ as the only ground for acceptance, relaxing in the quality of trust which will produce increasing sanctification as faith is active in love and gratitude. In order for a pure and lasting work of spiritual renewal to take place with the church, multitudes within it must be led to build their lives on this foundation.”
In order to give ourselves to prayer, facilitation, working in teams, serving in holistic ways and living incarnationally, we must soak our hearts in the words of the Gospel: “this is my beloved child, in whom I am well pleased.”
I know that the analogy with the Lord of the Rings does not work well (the final ring of Mordor needing to be cast into the river of fire of Mordor), but Jesus Christ experienced the wrath and judgment of God in our place, so that we might be able to cry out: Abba Father; so that we might be able live and serve as an expression of our gratitude and thankfulness for His grace-full gift.
A question for each of us to consider: what aspect of the Gospel are you most needing to hear today, and that would strengthen your heart to live for Jesus?
Filed under: Gospel, Guiding Principles |
Thoughts Along The Journey 
“Our sinfulness runs so deep that a tepid measure of gentleness from Jesus would not be enough; but as deep our sinfulness runs, ever deeper runs his gentleness” p. 56 from Ortlunds GENTLE AND LOWLY (rephrasing an Owens statement)
Another writer, Thomas Goodwin, wrote: “Men and women are apt to have contrary conceits of Christ, but he tells them his disposition there, by preventing such hard thoughts of him, to allure them unto him the more. We are apt to think that he, being so holy, is therefore of a severe and sour disposition against sinners, and not able to bear them. “No,” says he; “I am meek; gentleness is my nature and temper.””
The Gospel I need to apply today is that “it is no longer I but Christ who lives in me.” The arrogant spirit of pride that Satan introduced in the Garden of Eden tells me that I can be “god”—I am capable and if necessary I can use God as my helper. Evidence of my arrogance is when I start and live my day with God at the margins instead of at the center.
When I am cleansed and reoriented by the Gospel, prayer, facilitation, teams, holistic and incarnational ministry become powerful expressions of God at work in and through me.
Paul put it another way in Philemon when he asked to be ‘refreshed’ in the Gospel. Kind of puts another outlook on how grace works in our hearts to renew, forgive, refresh and re-launch out into His work.