The journey continues. Spiritual disciplines have a lot more to do with our walk with Jesus than going to church and reading our Bibles. Hold on. I am NOT talking about the ol' Christian check list of stuff you have to do. But what I am referring to is the natural overflow of a person who is actively getting to know God.
Richard Foster is one of those guys that pushes Spiritual Disciplines (if you will remember I talked about Foster in an earlier devotion when I confessed this guy ticked me off until I started getting his point). In his most recent newsletter he speaks of the dangers of institutionalism in the church or the church becoming a consumer driven place. One way to avoid this, Foster shares, is to get a kingdom heart. Here is what he recommends:
Developing a Kingdom Heart ... in bringing spiritual formation into local congregational life is the development of a "kingdom heart." What does a kingdom heart mean?
• It means that we "outdo one another in showing honor" (Romans 12:10 ).
• It means that we "in humility regard others as better than yourselves" ( Philippians 2:3).
• It means that we "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep" ( Romans 12:15).
• It means that we "be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ" ( Ephesians 5:21).
• It means that we "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them" ( Romans 12:14).
Folks, I am desperate for people who have a heart like this. There is no way the traditional church, many who are in the midst of failure, will see lives changes until we, as leaders in the church, truly know what a kingdom heart is.
The church is not an institution to bless the consumer. It is the real-time working organizing of our life changing God. Foster's kingdom hearts makes sense to me. How about you?
Richard Foster is one of those guys that pushes Spiritual Disciplines (if you will remember I talked about Foster in an earlier devotion when I confessed this guy ticked me off until I started getting his point). In his most recent newsletter he speaks of the dangers of institutionalism in the church or the church becoming a consumer driven place. One way to avoid this, Foster shares, is to get a kingdom heart. Here is what he recommends:
Developing a Kingdom Heart ... in bringing spiritual formation into local congregational life is the development of a "kingdom heart." What does a kingdom heart mean?
• It means that we "outdo one another in showing honor" (Romans 12:10 ).
• It means that we "in humility regard others as better than yourselves" ( Philippians 2:3).
• It means that we "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep" ( Romans 12:15).
• It means that we "be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ" ( Ephesians 5:21).
• It means that we "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them" ( Romans 12:14).
Folks, I am desperate for people who have a heart like this. There is no way the traditional church, many who are in the midst of failure, will see lives changes until we, as leaders in the church, truly know what a kingdom heart is.
The church is not an institution to bless the consumer. It is the real-time working organizing of our life changing God. Foster's kingdom hearts makes sense to me. How about you?
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