Plantation Agenda for 2/20/08

 

Worship & Prayer

–        Prayers for people, workers interspersed with the psalm

–        Holden Evening Prayer – Psalm 141 “let my prayer rise up” only

–        Theme: Paul’s persecution: should Christ-followers expect persecution?

Texts:  2 Corinthians 11:21b-29; Acts 21:27-36

–        Hymn – O Sacred Head vss 1-3

Prayer focusing on the opposition Jesus faced; “grant us courage”

–        Hymn – Lift High the Cross vss 3-5

–         

Share peace, sit with small groups and triplets afterwards.

 

Progress report on prayer partners – add any new ones.  My experience this last week surprised me – people were thrilled to be asked.  (Read list of other pastors & former members of COH)

 

Teaching/application

 

  1. Video: An inconvenient Jesus (from www.sermonspice.com)

 

  1. Lenten series theme:  Paul’s persecution: should Christ-followers expect persecution?

·         Where did most of Paul’s opposition come from?  The Jews.  Why? among other reasons, because they had compartmentalized their expectations of a messiah, and Jesus didn’t fit.

·         Should we expect opposition?  If we look like Christ, yes.  Story of English class as freshman in high school: the teacher was known to be atheist.  Conversation started about how people would react to someone who was perfect.  How would people react to a perfect person?  The answer came loudly from one student, who I don’t think was thinking of Jesus at all, until after the comment was made: “They’d crucify him.”  The silence was deafening.

·         Light makes the darkness flee.  Jesus’ love and perfection make a claim on people, which they either embrace or resist.

·         Just make sure that the opposition is coming from looking like Christ, not from looking unlike him.   People might resist us because we’re acting like jerks or hypocrites! 

·         The same compartmentalization that was illustrated in the video, that made it impossible for the Jews to accept Jesus – that same compartmentalization is what will damage our witness, and/or prevent us from witnessing at all.

 

  1. Prayer, prayer partners, prayer triplets:

·         Maybe half of the entire church plant concept God has called COH to boils down to the prayer triplet exercise.  If it doesn’t happen there, it won’t happen anywhere. We have to get to the point where each of us think like missionaries all day, every day.

·         What are we actually praying when we pray for the ~5 people on each of our threesome’s lists?  For God to act?  For a person to be open?  Think through the theology of that.  Does God want to see all people saved?  Does He need our encouragement in that desire?  Do people have free will?  Is God apt to overrule someone’s free will?  So, what are we really praying?

·         When in the Bible can you find an example of someone praying for someone else (or a group of people) to be saved?  The longer I pondered that question a few days ago, the more blanks I drew.  What has seemed so natural, so right, so evangelical, so godly – to pray passionately for the lost to be saved – is almost entirely unbiblical.

·         I became so intrigued with the question that I asked a group of about 75 pastors and leaders.  Thus far, I’ve come up with exactly one instance of some praying for a person or people who were not in relationship with God through Jesus to come to such a relationship – Romans 10:1 “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” 

·         The norm is to pray for more workers (Matthew 9:38), for more success (2 Thessalonians 3:1), and for more boldness and courage (Acts 4:29-30).

·         We need to be careful that we don’t take the Great Commission and mark it “return to sender” – turning it into a prayer from us to God instead of a command from God to us.

·         Obvious balance needed – only God can change a heart.  Praying helps us move in His strength and direction, not ours.  Yet the clear intent and direction of Scripture is that He wants to strengthen us with His strength and turn us into ambassadors armed and equipped with His good news.

  1. Open discussion on prayer triplet conversations so far.

·         Who’s on your list?  What’s your relationship to that person?  (Focus on people who are local)

·         Have the prayers focused so far on what you’d like to see God do, or on what you think God might like to see you do?

·         Critical mass necessary in order for COH’s climate and culture to change – who can you encourage to come, or to find a way to get actively involved, at least in a prayer triplet?

 

  1. Review:

·         Think/pray quietly about these two questions:

o        What do you know most about?  What are your personal passions?

o        How does that intersect with those who aren’t already “saturated”?

 

  1. Prayer triplets (notecards from last time)

o                    Review: Record others’ info, pray for them, and next time together, share any progress

o                    Share your intended pattern

o                    Pray for upcoming opportunities in the next week

o                    Pray according to the biblical norm – for workers, for success, for courage