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The church is a group of transformed follower of Jesus, who perceive themselves to be the Body of Christ in their local community and to the nations, and live as such.

This is a definition of church.  Help me interact with it and let me know what you think about this.

I really like hanging around people like Allan Karr, Alan Hirsch, Sean Benesh, Michael Frost and such.  But at the same time I really hate it because they JACK UP my way of thinking.  I am an out of the box thinker but they system I am in is so IN the BOX.  So, just when I get comfortable in my box I rub shoulders with these men and they make me ask the question, “Am what I am doing and how I am doing it the most biblical and most effective way of doing it?”

I am in San Francisco for a few days taking a seminary class.  The class is called Intro to Church Planting.  Really it should be titled something like, How to Be a Missionary in Your Culture.  This isn’t a class about best practices but rather a class on theology of church and how we fit into it.  This first day we have heard from the professor and from a guest speaker who just came back from an amazing experience in Thailand and Burma.

The Western church is not getting it done here in the west and if you think you can argue this point… you cant.  I mean if we take Hirsch’s example in his book “The Forgotten Ways” we seem to do church for only 12% of the population in the US.  And even if we do church the way we know it REALLY WELL we will still only do it for 12% of the population.  So, here we are planting more church for 12% of the population.

My question is what does a church look like for the other 82% of the population.  Or for even another 12% of the population and do I have what it takes to reach them?  How can I be a part of seeing Jesus become the savior to the people I love so much, the people of Tucson Arizona?

I have been doing a ton of research for tomorrow’s sermon.  In all honesty I was looking forward to Epic Church’s Porn Sunday.  I was thinking it would be fun to talk about something so taboo.  But in all reality porn and lust are destroying, yes DESTROYING, the life Jesus has created for us.  We think we know best.  We think we can “handle” our sin.  You know what - we don’t handle sin, sin handles us.  It is only by the power of Jesus that we are able to flee from sin.  Not because we remove it from our lives but because Jesus takes it away.

Isn’t that the Gospel message?  Not that we did anything, but that because of a deep unfathomable love Jesus has taken all of the crap of our lives and lives everywhere upon himself so that we may experience freedom.

Enough is Enough.  Lust and Porn are so entrenched in our culture.  I can’t even begin to think how or where to start to reverse the tide, but I tell you this - my life will be focused on Jesus and I will fight to the death for my purity.  Purity with Jesus.  Purity in my marriage.  Purity in my relationships.  I must allow Jesus to work within me and though me.

What are you going to do?

The next three posts will focus on what Epic Church, and our lives for that matter, must focus.

Focus 1 - Our Focus Must Be On Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 12)

Epic Church must focus on Jesus Christ.  As I prepare my sermons to the church I love so much I always ask myself this question, “How will this sermon glorify Jesus and allow Him to be the focus of our time together?”  (John 17) This too is the focus of all decisions regarding all things Epic Church and all things Team Rasmussen.  To be honest, sometimes I feel like I fail, just being honest.  Without a doubt, if Jesus is not the focus of our lives and church, we will fail.  And fail BIG TIME.

It sounds kind of silly to write a post or even say out loud that Jesus must be the focus of our church.  I mean it should go without saying.  Right?  Well, one would think so.  It would be like a baseball game without a hot dog, or a church planter without a Mac, chili without beans.  You get the point, just sounds totally ridiculous.

I see all sorts of churches put their focus on something other than Jesus.  At times in my life have been focused on other things rather than Jesus.  Some churches put their focus on doing good things, giving a lot of money, building the best worship service, having the coolest artwork, having the best music and the list can go on and on.  But, we must - let me say it another way; WE MUST have Jesus as our central focus in all we do.  (Matthew 6:33)

This does not negate the need for other things to compliment our focus but they must not be the driving force behind what we do.  It must be Jesus.

The message of the Gospel and person of Jesus will permeate all we do as Epic Church.  Jesus lived a perfect life, died a gruesome death, fulfilled scripture, has given us hope, a future, a purpose, a heaven, and the list could go on and on.  (1Cor 15)  Because of Jesus we have Epic Church.  Because of Jesus we have a story.

What does it look like for a church to be focused on Jesus?  (Acts)
I have been asking this question for months.  What does Epic Church look like when it is focused entirely on Jesus Christ?

For Epic Church when we focus on Jesus we will see radical life-change and authentic community.  (Acts)

Look out for number two tomorrow.

OU, Cavs, Obama, Prop8, and other random thoughts.

Video Blog - May 27th 2009

Sitting in the Starbucks tonight studying for class and working on my sermon for Epic Church two weeks from now, titled: Growing a Movement.  This picture came to mind as I see the people coming and going.

The church used to be the focal point of any community, the tallest building and the soul of the city.  Only 50 years ago, it was the place where neighbors and near neighbors came together at least once a week.  Today churches can be difficult to find in the city where the skyline is dominated by banks and business buildings.  Still, the search for purpose goes on and the hunger for spiritual wellbeing is as great as ever.  As it says in Jeremiah 29:7 - “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”

It begs me wonder, what am I doing to on Jesus’ behalf for the welfare of the city?  And what I am doing, is it enough?  Maybe it is enough but could I be doing it better?  And who could be doing it with me?  Our communities have real problems, real hurts, real needs and as cliche as it sounds, Jesus is the answer.  The question is though, how am I being Jesus to my community?

How are you being Jesus to your community?

I received a book a couple of days ago from Amazon and I can’t seem to put it down. Today I came across a quote that made me go, “hummmm”

The set up…

At times communicators try so hard to keep everything right in their head and desire so badly to deliver the product with perfection. A master communicator and pastor Andy Stanley had this to say to a fellow communicator right before he was to walk on to the platform to give his message he was working so hard to keep straight.

“How would you communicate the message if your eighteen-year-old son had made up his mind to walk away from everything you have taught him, morally, ethically, and theologically, unless he had a compelling reason not to?  What wold you say this morning if you knew that was at stake?  Because for somebody’s son out there this may be his last chance.  Now quit worrying about your outline.  Go out there and plead your case like your owns son’s future was at stake.”

This has captivated my thoughts since these words passed though my eyes and came to rest on my brain.

I have been stuck in the Atlanta airport today since early this morning.  I have been reading a bunch and working on the iLife series which starts this weekend at Epic Church.  But, I came across this thought provoking equation.  Read it.  Think about it.  Wrestle with it. Pray about it. Talk about it with others. Then share your thoughts.

Building + Clergy + Program = Church.

Body + Mission + Kingdom = Church.

*from http://threadsmedia.com/index.php?/store/detail/sent-leader-kit/

It seems to me the first is a very common way of “doing” church and even starting churches here in North America, in Tucson to be specific.  We find a location to meet, we raise some money to hire staff, we structure the best program we can think of for: children, youth, adults, bible study, and so on.  Then, we feel we have a church!  And the things I hear and even at times, I confess… think, if we just get a better place, get more staff, and have better things to do then we have a more successful church.

The later has a focus on relationships.  The relationship with Jesus as its foundation.  With the “body” being those who have accepted the forgiveness from Jesus Christ and have made a decision to journey with Jesus though life.  That journey is made with others toward the common focus which we hear over and over though the pages of the New Testament which is about brining the Kingdom of Heaven to earth.  Which leads the final addition to the equation; a Kingdom focus.  Not a “my church”, “my denomination”, “my city” focus but a Kingdom focus.  One that says, “I don’t care if my name ever become great, or if my church ever becomes great.  I desire for the name of Jesus to become great and that the Kingdom of God/Heaven is multiplied here on earth.”  When those things happen we have a church being born.  A place where you can be you.  Where you can journey with others toward a common goal, and serving our cities, friends, nation, globe, family… in the name of Jesus Christ.

I have more thoughts about this but thought I would share what I have thus far with you.