This is the first of a 4 part series on the Holy Spirit as our “Helper”.  Ken begins with the broadest role of the Spirit; to reveal to our world what is right and wrong and the consequences of each (John 16:2-11) .  Before the law, people “did what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 17:6).  As a result, God brought the law so that they would know what was right and wrong.  Jesus declared to His disciples that it was to their advantage that He would depart, for in His stead He would send a Helper, that would reveal to them what is right and wrong.  He would be, in a sense, the global conscience.

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February 7 – For Us – Life Teacher

This second message in the Helper series addressed the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers.  Jesus speaks of “another” Helper (John 14:16), the Spirit of truth, that will teach us all things pertaining to our Christian life.  In the same way that Jesus came to “help” us out of our former life by means of salvation, the Holy Spirit gives us a new life (born again of the Spirit) and then helps us life that life successfully.

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February 21 – For Others – Ministry

Third in a four-part series on the Holy Spirit as our Helper, this message considers how the Spirit helps us to minister to others.  Utilizing Acts 1:8 as the basis for the message, Ken weaves in the subjective (you shall receive power) benefit and objective (and be my witnesses) responsibility of the baptism of the Holy Spirit for believers.  Ken presents three things that those who met in the upper room may have done as they await the arrival of the Spirit:  wrestle through “be my witnesses (embracing the cost); redefine community (the Holy Spirit would change everything) and finally, pray for the promise (ask and ask and pray and ask for the Holy Spirit to come).

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AHCC, like most churches, is a church in transition.  We are still discovering who we are as the church.  In a way, discovering this is like discovering who we are as individuals.  How we view ourselves can either keep us from achieving our potential or launch us toward it.  I have known too many people who could not fully see how God made them and subsequently they allowed themselves be less.  So it can be with churches. 

Jesus did not hesitate telling us what He thought about the church and He employed multiple metaphors to illuminate His view.   The Flock, the Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ is but a sampling.  When considered together, Jesus clearly had a grand perspective of His church.  He expected it to reflect the divine DNA from which it came into being.  Like Him, He anticipated the church would be world and history changing. ..I’m not sure that is what we are seeing today….at least in America.

I suppose we could get into a really heated discussion as to what is wrong with the American church.  But I would rather focus on its potential greatness.   Just a cursory reading of the Book of Acts, reveals not just a dynamic ecclesial leadership, but a powerful ministering church.  As such, the world of the early church was not so much changed by its leaders as it was by the community of Christ followers.  These believers rocked the Roman world.  They lived lives that Christ modeled before them and they continued the ministry to others He started.   In a sense, looking at Christ ought to give us a glimpse of who we are.  In the word of the ancient Antioch church we are “Christians”, “Christ-like”. 

I guess I am freshly challenged to consider who I am in the light of Jesus.  I am too quick to define myself “by” myself.  But that should not be the case.  I am in fact “in Christ” (Ephesians 1) and now He is, in great part, what defines me.  This of course is even more applicable to His church. If we want a clear view of who we are, we need only look once more to our Lord.  This perspective can launch us to our potential as the church, the Flock, the Body and Bride of Christ.    

What do you think?

AHCC, like most churches, is a church in transition.  We are still discovering who we are as the church.  In a way, discovering this is like discovering who we are as individuals.  How we view ourselves can either keep us from achieving our potential or launch us toward it.  I have known too many people who could not fully see how God made them and subsequently they allowed themselves be less.  So it can be with churches. 

Jesus did not hesitate telling us what He thought about the church and He employed multiple metaphors to illuminate His view.   The Flock, the Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ is but a sampling.  When considered together, Jesus clearly had a grand perspective of His church.  He expected it to reflect the divine DNA from which it came into being.  Like Him, He anticipated the church would be world and history changing. ..I’m not sure that is what we are seeing today….at least in America.

I suppose we could get into a really heated discussion as to what is wrong with the American church.  But I would rather focus on its potential greatness.   Just a cursory reading of the Book of Acts, reveals not just a dynamic ecclesial leadership, but a powerful ministering church.  As such, the world of the early church was not so much changed by its leaders as it was by the community of Christ followers.  These believers rocked the Roman world.  They lived lives that Christ modeled before them and they continued the ministry to others He started.   In a sense, looking at Christ ought to give us a glimpse of who we are.  In the word of the ancient Antioch church we are “Christians”, “Christ-like”. 

I guess I am freshly challenged to consider who I am in the light of Jesus.  I am too quick to define myself “by” myself.  But that should not be the case.  I am in fact “in Christ” (Ephesians 1) and now He is, in great part, what defines me.  This of course is even more applicable to His church. If we want a clear view of who we are, we need only look once more to our Lord.  This perspective can launch us to our potential as the church, the Flock, the Body and Bride of Christ.    

What do you think?

I write my second blog with an apology for not keeping to my original commitment to post once a week.  Actually, I’m bit surprised for apologizing for this, as I thought my first apology would be for theological or philosophical reasons rather than tardiness.  To my defense, the “Comment” option was somehow disabled and it took a bit of time to get it enabled again (theologian not technician).  I did not want to post, without giving you the opportunity to comment.  But it is up and running again and so here I am. Now that it is, I think it is time to talk “church”.  

AHCC, like most churches, is a church in transition.  We are still discovering who we are as the church.  In a way, discovering this is like discovering who we are as individuals.  How we view ourselves can either keep us from achieving our potential or launch us toward it.  I have known too many people who could not fully see how God made them and subsequently they allowed themselves be less.  So it can be with churches.  

Jesus did not hesitate telling us what He thought about the church and He employed multiple metaphors to illuminate His view.   The Flock, the Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ is but a sampling.  When considered together, Jesus clearly had a grand perspective of His church.  He expected it to reflect the divine DNA from which it came into being.  Like Him, He anticipated the church would be world and history changing. ..I’m not sure that is what we are seeing today….at least in America. 

I suppose we could get into a really heated discussion as to what is wrong with the American church.  But I would rather focus on its potential greatness.   Just a cursory reading of the Book of Acts, reveals not just a dynamic ecclesial leadership, but a powerful ministering church.  As such, the world of the early church was not so much changed by its leaders as it was by the community of Christ followers.  These believers rocked the Roman world.  They lived lives that Christ modeled before them and they continued the ministry to others He started.   In a sense, looking at Christ ought to give us a glimpse of who we are.  In the word of the ancient Antioch church we are “Christians”, “Christ-like”.  

I guess I am freshly challenged to consider who I am in the light of Jesus.  I am too quick to define myself “by” myself.  But that should not be the case.  I am in fact “in Christ” (Ephesians 1) and now He is, in great part, what defines me.  This of course is even more applicable to His church. If we want a clear view of who we are, we need only look once more to our Lord.  This perspective can launch us to our potential as the church, the Flock, the Body and Bride of Christ.     

What do you think?

This is my first blog.  What I mean to say is this is the first time I have ever blogged.  Oh, I have read some, and quite frankly wanted to add my comment a time or two, but until now, I have resisted.  Actually, I have wanted to do this sort of thing for quite some time.  Before I became the pastor of Arbor Heights Community Church, I attended a mega church.   One of my frustrations was not having a venue to ask questions or give my opinion or for that matter challenge the conventional wisdom.  It’s not that I wanted to cause trouble, but what I did want, was to have a conversation.  I wanted a place for my voice.  The pastor had a platform from which his voice could resonate, but I had nothing.  There was no place where I could contribute, challenge or share my musings regarding the church and my journey with Christ.

Therein is the ultimate purpose of this blog.  In that context I said to myself, if I ever have the opportunity to be a senior pastor again, I will create a place where other believers can have their voice heard.  It will be a place where a conversation can take place between fellow believers; a place where their thoughts, ideas, or frustrations can be shared and a place where “we” can wrestle through together the amazing journey of a life with Christ and His church.

As with all blogs, you have the opportunity to keep your identity anonymous.   This will allow you to speak freely and I encourage you to so.  However, I also encourage you to be constructive. I have never been impressed by someone’s ability to see the “wrong” in something.  Most folk can do that.  What impresses me, are those that can see not only the wrong, but the way to “right” that “wrong”.   What impresses me even more is the one that can see the “wrong”, discover the resolution and implement it without grandstanding about the “wrong”.  So, though we must consider the “wrong”, it is the “right” that brings resolution that is the primal goal of this blog.  I do have final approval as to what comments are posted.  Given this is a church blog; I will use discretion in posting comments that keep this a constructive experience.

My personal goal is to post once a week.  I will make every attempt to keep to that commitment.  My posts will reflect my thoughts on my journey with Christ and His church and of course reflections on any of your thoughts and comments.  I invite you to start a conversation on another topic.  My hope is that every conversation will benefit our own life with Christ and the life we share with each other in Christ.

Ken

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January 10 – WORKS
This message is the second in a 3 part series on the intentions of God.  In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus revealed to His disciples His intent to have His light and life shine through them to accomplish a divine work in the lives of others.  Employing “light” and “lamp” as metaphors, Jesus speaks of placing the “church” in strategic places so as to maximize the effectiveness of that light to a dark world.   As such, His second intention for the church is to infuse it with His life and place it in a dark place so that the light of God will bring life to others.

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January 17 – UNITY
The third and final message from the intentions of God series touches upon unity.  In this message, Ken presents a New Testament church paradigm that understands the church in the context of the larger community.  He considers Paul’s view which saw the church in Corinth, Thessalonica, etc.  as one church in that city, even though it was made up of possibly hundreds of house churches.  In Ephesians 4:1-3 the Apostle Paul calls for unity among the churches of Ephesus.  From this foundation, Ken presents a fresh understanding of what it means to be the church in West Seattle.

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