Boise Idaho
Acronyms
How funny is it that many of us are returning back to Acronyms. I grew up in a Acronym society, Acronyms in sunday school, Acronyms in elementary school and Acronyms on the football field. I got so sick of the reduction of everything done to Acronyms that I stopped using them or talking about them. Then I meet Tracy... the queen of Acronyms. "WT", "MIC", "PC"...I realized that we still use them and in many ways we are moving even more to a simplistic culture as we learn to take ideas and events and "Acronym" them or turn them into "tweets".
I find myself in a current mind shift and it is more than just Tracy bringing Acronyms back. It is a mind shift back into simplistic Christianity. Now I know that the dangers are many and I never want to reduce Following Jesus down to a Acronym. However, discipleship is transferable and at times we make it the opposite. In fact many of you are about to stop reading this blog already because it is too long. Does that communicate my point? So I am going to start thinking more like a disciple and think in transferable language and in a more "Acronymic" way.
I feel like I need to try and lead in different ways and part of that means more blogging and communicating more small bits of of what I am learning and where God is leading.
Luke often ask the question, "what does it look like to be all in ?" This morning as we met I struggled with this question again but also tried to give a Acronym that would get the ball rolling. So I wanted to also share it with you. We need to be FAT.
In 2 Tim 2, Paul explains to Timothy basic discipleship and stresses a few basic points. Paul tells him to "Be strong in the Grace of Jesus"- this is the foundation of equipping believers to be and make disciples. Out of our identity in Jesus and out of response to HIs grace we can endure strongly. The word here "to be strong" has the idea of a strength that leads to endurance, a strength that grows in hard times. Then Paul says, "that which you have heard from me"- Paul is talking about the Gospel of Jesus and is inviting Timothy to labor with him in the work of the Gospel. So Paul tells him to take this Gospel and intrust it into Faithful men, who are Available and Teachable. As you read 2 Tim you will see the Acronym unfold and although I know that Paul did not use this Acronym, I don't feel that we are doing anything wrong by using the Acronym of "FAT" to remind us of this truth.
So the question to you and me is this... are we Faithful to the Gospel Truth, Are we Available to be used, and are we Teachable in humility? Being Faithful to the truth is more than just knowing the right stuff. It holds in it the idea that we are constantly coming back to truth and adjusting our lives to it as it springs forth from with in us. To be Available is more than just showing up on Sunday, it's the idea of taking all our time, all our resources, all our money and using it in a way that propels the Gospel in the little and big things of life. Being Teachable goes way beyond listening to a sermon but holds in it the idea of walking with each other on this journey of faith and trusting that God is using each other and the word to make us more like Jesus. A true humility that does not claim to know it all but seeks truth even to the point of personal transformation.
So I ask, are we FAT? I am convicted of my pride in thinking that life is about me and I long to be a follower of Jesus that gives my life to be Faithful to the call, Available in all parts of my life and teachable by the Spirit working in the Word of God and each other.
If you are still reading this blog at least you are willing to embrace an Acronym in the hopes of being more like Jesus. It's not about the fancy words or the cute Acronyms... It's about you and I being more like Jesus so that the people of Boise and the world may know Jesus through our words and actions.
Just for fun, check out this website if you want
http://www.acronymfinder.com
I find myself in a current mind shift and it is more than just Tracy bringing Acronyms back. It is a mind shift back into simplistic Christianity. Now I know that the dangers are many and I never want to reduce Following Jesus down to a Acronym. However, discipleship is transferable and at times we make it the opposite. In fact many of you are about to stop reading this blog already because it is too long. Does that communicate my point? So I am going to start thinking more like a disciple and think in transferable language and in a more "Acronymic" way.
I feel like I need to try and lead in different ways and part of that means more blogging and communicating more small bits of of what I am learning and where God is leading.
Luke often ask the question, "what does it look like to be all in ?" This morning as we met I struggled with this question again but also tried to give a Acronym that would get the ball rolling. So I wanted to also share it with you. We need to be FAT.
In 2 Tim 2, Paul explains to Timothy basic discipleship and stresses a few basic points. Paul tells him to "Be strong in the Grace of Jesus"- this is the foundation of equipping believers to be and make disciples. Out of our identity in Jesus and out of response to HIs grace we can endure strongly. The word here "to be strong" has the idea of a strength that leads to endurance, a strength that grows in hard times. Then Paul says, "that which you have heard from me"- Paul is talking about the Gospel of Jesus and is inviting Timothy to labor with him in the work of the Gospel. So Paul tells him to take this Gospel and intrust it into Faithful men, who are Available and Teachable. As you read 2 Tim you will see the Acronym unfold and although I know that Paul did not use this Acronym, I don't feel that we are doing anything wrong by using the Acronym of "FAT" to remind us of this truth.
So the question to you and me is this... are we Faithful to the Gospel Truth, Are we Available to be used, and are we Teachable in humility? Being Faithful to the truth is more than just knowing the right stuff. It holds in it the idea that we are constantly coming back to truth and adjusting our lives to it as it springs forth from with in us. To be Available is more than just showing up on Sunday, it's the idea of taking all our time, all our resources, all our money and using it in a way that propels the Gospel in the little and big things of life. Being Teachable goes way beyond listening to a sermon but holds in it the idea of walking with each other on this journey of faith and trusting that God is using each other and the word to make us more like Jesus. A true humility that does not claim to know it all but seeks truth even to the point of personal transformation.
So I ask, are we FAT? I am convicted of my pride in thinking that life is about me and I long to be a follower of Jesus that gives my life to be Faithful to the call, Available in all parts of my life and teachable by the Spirit working in the Word of God and each other.
If you are still reading this blog at least you are willing to embrace an Acronym in the hopes of being more like Jesus. It's not about the fancy words or the cute Acronyms... It's about you and I being more like Jesus so that the people of Boise and the world may know Jesus through our words and actions.
Just for fun, check out this website if you want
http://www.acronymfinder.com
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