The Talk of Faith
Should it be weird to talk about God?
Confession and Culture
Let me begin by confessing something to you. I was voted most religious in high school. Not most likely to become president or discover a new species… most religious.
I have always loved talking about God. It’s unashamedly my favorite topic to discuss. I have so many memories of being in a random cadre of guys, small group, or one-on-one coffee shop debating, discussing, wrestling with God. One of the greatest gifts I have been given from God, apart from my salvation, is a godly wife who loves to talk theology. I’d go nuts without her, or people would stop returning my calls because they couldn’t take anymore! Tell Rachel thank you sometime for sparing you that.
This is, I understand, not everyone’s experience. And, it’s certainly not the culture we live in and sometimes even within the church. It’s much easier to make small talk about sports, news, oil prices, or work than it is about God. Some might even vote you “Most Religious” because you want to talk to fellow brothers and sisters about God and His marvelous works. But, should that be?
Recapture Conferencing
“6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
“13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
Hebrews 3:13
In the excellent book on spiritual formation (biblical not new age or gnostic) A Heart Aflame for God by Bingham, Bingham quotes John Downame, a Puritan pastor, when he describes Christians as kindling set aflame. When they are scattered they can hardly keep light or heat. However, when they are brought together they create a brilliant heat and light, something like a city on a hill perhaps. But this isn’t just as a witness, it’s for our formation. For our affections and disciplines to be shaped towards God. Consider Baxter when he said, “and as the pair regularly walked, prayed, and read good Christian books together,” Baxter recounts that his friend, “would be always stirring me up to zeal and diligence.” They called this intentional spiritual conversation ‘conferencing”. It was talking about the things of God together.
We are called to speak of God and stir one another up daily.
My family and I got back from the coast with some dear friends. On that trip we didn’t get a great deal of time to visit unfortunately. But, what we did was invigorating because it was about the matters of God and His church. Last night I got a message from my brother in Christ on long-term mission in Asia with his family. It was invigorating because it was about God and what He was doing in both our circumstances. Over the last few weeks I’ve been exchanging voice memos with a brother across the states. it has been invigorating because it has been about God and how we faithfully preach and shepherd His flock.
Yesterday after church, and much chasing kids around and visiting, I left our church building only to be stopped by what can only rightly be called a gaggle of people. My heart swelled. I quickly moved in to join the chatter and told a sister, “This is what it looks like when a church is healthy.” The people will scatter, they must. But, they were not quick to leave the company of brothers and sisters in Christ who will stir them up to good works before they left to do them. Do you run off to lunch after the final prayer? Do you hide away in a corner during the meet and greet time on a Sunday morning? My dear friend, please for your sake and God’s, stop. Bear one another’s burdens. Stir one another up. Pray for and with one another. The world, sin, and the devil have too much planned for your week to do it alone. God has given you the means to overcome the world: Christ, the Holy Spirit, Holy Scriptures, and the church.
We need to regain conferencing, spiritual conversations, fellowship. We need to make talking about God normal again.
Church Plant
On Friday we gathered as we usually do to work through Duties of Christian Fellowship by Owen and the 1689 LBCF. Russell joined us, his wife was unfortunately still out of commission. Our time together was, I think, mutually encouraging and we left expecting God to make it clear to him and his wife whether God was moving them to join us in our endeavor. Please pray for them and for the planting team that God would make it clear. Additionally, please pray for any who are considering joining this work that God would also make it clear to them and that we can begin conversations.
Prayer Requests
Continue praying for Russell’s wife Rachel as she’s still suffering with an affliction and waiting for medication to do it’s thing.
Pray for Wendy, she has been moved to Junction City. This was sudden and has hampered her ability to get to church. She desperately wants to be with her church on Sundays and we are trying to figure anything out we can to get her here.
