Blueberries

“If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, ⁴ then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit."  Leviticus 26: 3-4

Ah, the luscious blueberry!  It has always been one of my favorite fruits.  I started liking blueberries when I was a kid after I learned that the blueberry is the only natural "blue" food in all of creation.  Quite an interesting fact no?  Especially when you look at the rest of God's creative color palette - there is blue everywhere from the sky to the lake, but only one thing fit for eating.

As a matter of fact, I had some blueberries on my cereal this morning, as I am apt to do throughout the year.  And they were especially delicious because they are now "in season" in parts of the US.  During the winter season, my blueberries are shipped here from remote locales such as Chile, and the extra travel days just do not do the flavor any favors.  My blueberries this morning were firm, and tartly sweet, while my winter ones are often soft and bland. 

Try as they might on the Grand Haven blueberry farms, they just cannot grow their berries out of season.  There is a time and a season for the blueberry to grow and ripen.

I think that the fruit of Christian discipleship is also seasonal - though not nearly as predictable as the blueberry.

I mean, have you ever had a time in your Christian walk, when you feel as if you are somewhat going through the motions of faith?  You're doing the right things to grow - reading your Bible, praying, worshipping with other believers, spending time with other believers in fellowship - yet, at the end of the day...you don't feel too much closer to Christ than you did 4 months ago.  In fact, there may not even be a lot of excitement to your obedience.  While at other times in your life, say after a mission trip, or a retreat, or a series of relevant sermons, or a great Bible study series - you just have this overwhelming sense of growth and God's nearness, and the love of Jesus.

I think we have these highs and lows in the Christian faith because discipleship fruit bearing is seasonal, and it happens according to the Lord's timing and not our own.  He says to us very simply in the above passage from Leviticus - simply continue to obey and follow Me, and then I will send the rain which will lead to the bearing of your fruit.

Our part is to do the work of obedience and following Christ in mission - God, through His Holy Spirit blesses us with growth exactly when we need it.  Discipleship growth is seasonal growth.

This is not always welcome news from stubborn, independent thinking, "I want it my way, right away" people.  We want to see the results of our obedience NOW!  Discipleship however, is not an instant gratification process.  The process of seed planting, cultivating and tending a plant to maturity is long enough, but then to wait season to season for the harvest of fruit after all of that as well...growing fruit is not an instant gratification process either.

I think the important thing to remember about this seasonal aspect of discipleship is that no matter the season (whether fruit bearing or dormant), we should never give up the discipline of obedience and following Christ.  It is slow at times, and ultimately out of our hands - but the fruit that He produces in us is oh so sweet.


Be God's, Pastor Scott

(bloggers note - this will be my last blog entry for the time being.  I hope it has been useful to my new Church family, not only in understanding my passion for discipleship, but also in priming the pump for wonderful years of fruitful ministry together.  I look forward to serving and living amongst you in community!)

Pruning

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."  John 15: 1-2

At our old home in Drayton Ontario, we had a beautiful Macintosh Apple Tree in the center of our back yard.  It was especially beautiful in the spring when it exploded with splendid pink blossoms.  What wasn't so splendid about our tree though, was the fruit.  Now don't get me wrong, it certainly produced fruit - lots of fruit.  Problem was, that it produced an abundance of small, diseased apples that pretty much ended up rotting on our lawn and providing all of the local wasps and hornets with a bountiful smorgasbord.  There were really only a couple of apples worth eating, and they were at the top of the tree and extremely difficult to get to.

It was towards the end of our time there, that a friend from the fruit belt region of Ontario (after listening to me complain about my tree) schooled me on the process of pruning.  Pruning, he said (without getting too technical) is the cutting off of branches that are not producing fruit or dead, and even cutting off excess branches.  This not only allows the tree to focus it's growth on less branches - and produce more quality fruit, but it also gives more fruit exposure to the growth giving sun.  

The theory behind pruning is that less branches will actually produce more and higher quality fruit.

Isn't it interesting that Jesus describes our heavenly Father as a gardener, and us as a fruit bearing branches inter-connected with Jesus.  As mentioned in a previous post - bearing fruit as a disciple of Christ is a non-negotiable (it's what's expected of us).  Jesus ominously states that those who do not bear the fruit of Christ-like growth in love are cut off.  Perhaps more interesting to me today, is the line from Jesus that our Father will spiritually prune us as we are bearing fruit so that we will be even more fruitful for His sake.

What does this mean for our journey of discipleship?  Sounds painful doesn't it?

I think spiritual pruning is somewhat painful.  Because in spiritual pruning, God removes those sinful things from our lives that are preventing us from fully obeying Him in love.  Many times these sins have been ongoing in our lives for years and years - we have grown accustomed to them and they become a part of who we are.  The removal of these sins is often akin to the feeling Linus must have had when finally forced to part ways with his security blanket.  Sometimes we don't realize just how attached we are to our sinful ways until they are forcefully removed by our Father.  Sins are like dead branches that compete with our fruit bearing branches for our time and energy.  They strangle and choke out our spiritual growth.  Sure we will still produce fruit (because we are connected to the Vine), but it will be a weak batch and not nearly what we could produce sans sins.

But God, through the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins, forgives us of our sins, and gives us the spiritual strength to repent from our sins.

It really is amazing grace that God would chose to prune us rather than just letting our sins overtake and consume us - He truly wants us to bear fruit!  And while He does the work, we can certainly aid Him in this discipleship process by actively confessing and repenting of those sins that are preventing us from the growth that God so wants us to experience.

Whenever I see a fruit tree, I am reminded about this important discipleship principle - real, fruitful growth cannot occur so long as unrepentant sin remains tangled up in my life.

May God the Gardener continue to be graceful and faithful with us, even as we seek to have sin removed from our lives.



Be God's, Pastor Scott 

Spiritual Fruitopia

"And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.” Ezekiel 47:12

Do any of you remember Fruitopia?  It was a popular fruit drink back in the 90's introduced by the Coca-Cola company to in order to compete with Snapple.  The drinks featured psychedelic logos and colors, along with fun catchy flavor names like Strawberry Passion Awareness, The Grape Beyond, Peaceable Peach, and Lemonade Love and Hope.  Fruitopia is gone now - I'm not sure when it went away, but it serves as a nice introduction to the next discipleship "tree" theme that I'd like to wax eloquent on - and that is fruitfulness.

All trees produce some type of fruit - and by fruit, I do not necessarily mean fruit that we might find in the fruit section at Family Fare or Meijer (see, I'm hip to the West MI grocery stores ;)  Fruit is what a healthy tree produces as a way of spreading seeds in order to reproduce.  A pine tree produces pine cones, a maple tree produces maple keys, an oak tree produces acorns, a plum tree produces plums - you get the idea.  God has blessed each tree with an amazing capacity to create and distribute seeds so that there will always be more trees.  There is a God-designed usefulness to fruitfulness.

Of course, a tree's fruit is more than just the spreading of seeds - a tree's fruit is also useful for providing much of creation (including you and I) with food.  "And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food."  Genesis 2:9  We can feast on all kinds of fruitful goodies like pecans, bananas, pears, and walnuts that will in turn help us grow.  There is this real cool sense of equilibrium and symbiosis that God has designed in His creation.

The prophet Ezekiel looked forward to a time of fruitfulness when the people of God would be rooted and growing from the living water of Jesus.  He paints a beautiful picture of what fruitful discipleship looks like: consistent fruit production without fail, and fruit that is useful for nourishment and healing. 

When we are deeply rooted in Christ's love, plugged into the Church's fellowship, and feasting on His Word we will consistently produce spiritual fruit - the evidence of a growing disciple.  Paul describes the fruit of the christian disciple like this; "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."  Galatians 5:22-23  A good question that I ask myself whenever I take the time to consider whether or not I am growing as a disciple of Christ is this:  Am I growing in kindness?  Am I growing in joy?  Am I growing in self-control?  You get the idea...

And like the fruit of Ezekiel's trees, our spiritual fruit is useful for nourishment and healing within the body of Christ, and dare I say, in our communities as well.  For certainly the unleashing of people who are consistently producing spiritual fruit in increasing measure like love, peace, and goodness is going to positively feed and build the rest of the body of Christ.  How much more healthy and vibrant is the church body that is filled with love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness etc.  Sign me up for that congregation, because that is a congregation in which I will be able to flourish in the way that God always intended me to flourish.  But more than that, spiritual fruitfulness will also induce those outside of the body of Christ inward to sample a little of whatever we're having.  I'm convinced that people are starving for these fruits of the Spirit...they are just not sure where to find it.

So as you endeavor to grow as a fruitful disciple of Christ, I would encourage you to become Spiritual Fruitopia to all you come into contact with:  Maybe "Grape, Grape Joy" or "Gentle Peach" or "Kiwi Kindness" or "Just Plum Patient."  (I'll stop now)

Know this and be encouraged by it - God wants you to grow and bear fruit.  And He wants to use you to help others to grow in their discipleship!  How awesome is that!



Be God's, Pastor Scott

Creed

Well, Tan and I are actually in MI today and tomorrow doing a little house shopping. What that means for this little blog is that I don't have the time and space for a good chunky post. We do relish your prayers as we seek the home, neighbors, and school from which God would have us live out our lives as missionaries for His sake.

  I would however like to leave you with video to watch by my all time favorite, the late great Rich Mullins.

His song "Creed" has a lot to say about discipleship. Pay special attention to the oft repeated refrain - "I believe what I believe, it's what makes me what I  am, I did not make it, no it is making me. It is the very truth of God not the invention of any man."

 

You see, what we believe - the very truth of God in faith, is making us into the person that God created us to become. The knowledge of the truth of God - knowing what we believe is foundational to our growth in Christ. May we all grow in the substance and knowledge of our faith, and enjoy watching what God makes of us.

Be God's, Pastor Scott

The Science of Discipleship

"The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon." Psalm 92:12

It's been a long time since I was sitting behind a desk in a High School biology classroom.  I don't remember a lot of what good old Mr. Rand taught me about science - those amazing and intricate processes established by God upholding, under girding and propagating the delicate balance in His creation - but I do distinctly remember something...photosynthesis.

It could be that I remember the process of photosynthesis (at least in its most basic form) because it was the first real big and fancy word I ever learned as a kid.  So when Mr. Rand dropped this plant growing knowledge on me, I was all ears.

Basically, photosynthesis (for those of you who did not pay attention in biology class) is a process by which a plant grows at the cellular level.  The plant cells take in carbon dioxide and water and then use the energy given off by the sun to produce a chemical reaction whereby the cells divide and multiply while producing glucose and oxygen.  To put it in real basic terms - a plant will not grow unless it takes in carbon dioxide and water, and unless it receives the power to do so from the sun.  In addition, as the plant grows, it automatically produces glucose and oxygen - two important things that help other creations of God (um, people for instance) grow.  So, if a plant receives water but no sun it will not grow.  If a plant receives carbon dioxide and sun but no water, it will not grow.  All 3 things are necessary for plant growth.

So, if we are called to follow the example of the tree, and grow in discipleship while following Jesus - I suppose that means we ought to know the science of Christian growth.  Our process for growth is really quite similar to the process of photosynthesis - only the theologians call it sanctification (which is really just a fancy word that means growth in righteousness).  The Psalm above points out, flourishing growth will come to the righteous disciple.  As a tree needs carbon dioxide and water to grow, there are two things that the Christian needs as well to grow in righteousness, and those two things are the Word of God, and godly relationships.

The Word of God read, studied, learned, internalized, proclaimed, sung, and discussed to the point of being lived out in obedience, is one of the things that is necessary for growth as a disciple.  As Paul so eloquently instructed Timothy "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."  2 Tim. 3:16-17

Godly relationships are also necessary for growth as a disciple of Christ.  Paul and Jesus both helped their disciples to grow by spending relational time with them.  This element for growth is based on the fact that God created us to be in relationship with Him and with other people in community.  Amazing growth happens in the lives of believers when they are invested in intimate, trusting and intentional relationships with other believers.

These two elements of godly relationships and the Word of God when combined together will provide the believer with all they need to ingest for this process of righteous growth to occur.  We can see evidences of these growth opportunities everywhere in the church: Bible studies, corporate times of worship, Mission trips, youth group, choir, mentoring relationships, etc.

Now here is the most important part of our discipleship growth process (sanctification) - just as the plant needs an outside energy source (the sun) for photosynthetic growth to take place, we too need an outside energy source for true spiritual growth to take place.

It is the Holy Spirit, God Himself, who empowers our ingestion of the Word of God, and godly relationships, to cause real growth in the life of the disciple.  Reading the Bible without the Holy Spirit's power will help you to perform super well in the Jeopardy Bible categories...but you will not grow.  Entering into relationships with other Christians without the Holy Spirit's power will make your calendar busier...but you will not grow.  Tapping into the Holy Spirit's power in discipleship means both invitation and intentionality - giving Him entrance into your Scripture intake and your relationships with the intention of expecting Him to cause you to grow.

The Word of God, and godly relationships empowered by the Holy Spirit produces righteous followers of Jesus...this is the science of discipleship.

I wonder how we might be able to grow and flourish together for the Glory of God!


Be God's, Pastor Scott

Make Like A Tree...

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; ² but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. ³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers."  Psalm 1: 1-3

In Back To The Future II, local bully Biff, was so annoyed with Marty McFly, that he sneered through his teeth at him "why don't you make like a tree...and get out of here."  Bully Biff, not the most clever of bullies, got his metaphor mixed up.  If he really wanted McFly out of his sight he should have said, "why don't you make like a tree...and leave."

At the risk of sending each and every reader of this blog away immediately in an offended huff, I would like to ask you to - Make Like A Tree.

If you're still reading, please know that these are not really my words of request, but the Bible's.  In the beautiful and familiar words of Psalm 1, the Psalmist sings that the way to be blessed (or to enjoy God's special favor and grace) is to make "like a tree."  If you choose to live your life like that of a healthy, fruitful tree, you will prosper in all that you do.

For me, this image of the healthy and fruitful tree is an apt one for the life of Christian discipleship - something which is really not as complicated as people often make it out to be.  Discipleship, like the life of a tree is really quite simple.  God created trees to grow and reproduce - that is all they do.  All of the energy of this living creation goes solely to the God given mandate to grow, and in so doing, to make other trees (that will also grow).  For a tree then, to grow and reproduce, is a non-negotiable.  They have no say in the matter.  A tree that is not growing and reproducing, is dying.

Jesus, in the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 18-20), gives all Christians the express mandate to "make disciples."  What this mandate really is, is a mandate to grow, and in so doing, make other disciples (that will also grow).  To follow Jesus in faith...to identify oneself as a Christian...to live ones life as one who is glorifying God is to not only grow as a disciple, but also to produce other growing disciples.  Do you see what this means?  Like the tree then, spiritual growth and fruitful spiritual reproduction are non-negotiables for the follower of Christ.  Every single believer needs to be actively involved not only growing in their faith walk, but also working towards being a maker of disciples.

The big difference between the tree and the disciple in this non-negotiable mandate, is that while the tree has no say in the matter, we certainly do.  In fact, do we not often use our gift of free will to choose not to grow?  Do we not often choose to use our energies and talents on things that will actually stunt our growth and hurt us?  Do we ever choose to invest time in other people with the aim of helping them grow in their faith?  Unlike the tree, we must make the choice to engage in this process that we were hard wired and redeemed to do.

We need to make the choice to make like a tree.



Be God's, Pastor Scott

In my next few blog posts, I would like to take a closer look at what it means to "make like a tree."  Hope to see you back for more!

Hit The Ground Running

Greetings Friends!

The phrase "hit the ground running" has come to mean getting off to a brisk and successful start. I am not sure what the origins of this idiom are, but I am quite sure that I understand the physics behind it - at least with regards to "hitting the ground."

For those of you who have ever worked out on one of those ghastly creations known as the treadmill, you too understand. The treadmill is essentially moving ground. If your feet were to hit that device and not be in motion, you would either fall flat on your face, or be sent hurtling through the back wall. In order to not experience epic treadmill failure, your running pace must match the pace of the treadmill as soon as your feet make contact. In other words, you must "hit the ground running," or hit the back wall crashing.

I hope to get off to a brisk and successful start in my ministry at Corinth as the Pastor of Discipleship. In order to do that, not only do I need to get prayed up, but I also need to prepare myself to match the pace of ministry that is already spinning at Corinth. God is richly blessing the ministry of Corinth with much fruit. Many positive things are happening as the Spirit is being poured out amongst you. To continue on with the metaphor - God is spinning the treadmill at Corinth at a quick pace, and if I want to get off to a brisk and successful start, I would like to do all I can to match the pace that God has already established.

Until I can come and live amongst you in personal community, I would like to prepare myself to "hit the ground running" with the creation of this little weekly blog space. Not only should it provide opportunity for you to get to know my ministry passions, motivations and heart a little bit, but it should also provide you with a little insight into who I am and how God is shaping me. I am also prayerfully hopeful that through it, God will give my some insight and direction for myself as I seek to come alongside your Ministry team and contribute to what God is doing and wants to do.

This will be a blog about Discipleship - about what that is, about what it looks like, about how and why as a follower of Christ you need to be engaged in it. I will endeavour to contribute a post once weekly. Please do feel free to join in on the conversation and reply to any of the posts. Perhaps we can build some relationships this way.

Until next week then, keep up that exercise regimen :)


Be God's, Pastor Scott Nyp

PS - please do check out my lovely wife Tanya's new blog that she has created as well specifically to give you some insight into our family and what we are all about.  http://tanyanyp.blogspot.com/