I guess I'm an Anabaptist!

Different people have told me to read "The Naked Anabaptist" for quite some time.  I finally did. And I am so glad I did!  Look, I really do not know how to review this book.  It was so profoundly impactful for the theological pilgrimage that I have been on that it would be hard to put it into words for you.  

Let me say this: "The Naked Anabaptist" is a humble, provocative and prophetic book!  The tone is gracioius, the content is stirring and the Anabaptist tradition is laid out in a very honest way. The book basically deals a little with the history of Anabaptism, a little with the weaknesses of it, and alot with the core convictions that set it apart to be a prophetic and powerful voice to a post-christendom society. Here are the seven core convictions that the book works through:

1. Jesus is our example, teacher, friend, redeemer and Lord.
2. Jesus is the focal point of God’s revelation.
3. Western culture is slowly emerging from the Christendom era when church and state jointly presided over a society in which almost all were assumed to be Christian.
4. The frequent association of the church with status, wealth and force is inappropriate for followers of Jesus and damages our witness.
5. Churches are called to be committed communities of discipleship and mission, places of friendship, mutual accountability and multi-voiced worship.
6. Spirituality and economics are inter-connected.
7. Peace is at the heart of the gospel.

 

Now, be careful before you quickly conclude that you agree with these.  We only believe that which we really live. And I would assert that few of us actually live this stuff. 

 

There is lots more I want to say about this book (and I may say some of it in future blogs), but let me end with this for now:

 

After 15 years connected to an Anabaptist (Mennonite) church and network, 7 years leading an Anabaptist congregation, reading many books, studying the scriptures, growing in the Lord, and running with an anabaptist tribe (though embarassed to be at times).....and after reading this book, I am ready and willing to boldly declare that if Anabaptist life and values are really what are shared within the pages of this book, then I guess I'm an Anabaptist! There I said it.  

Becoming Who You Are

I recently read this book-- "Becoming Who You Are" by Dutch Sheets.  Not only did I really, really like it, but it has strongly impacted me.  Weeks later, it's truths are still speaking to me and shaping me.  That's one of the signs of a good book.  So, I wanted to give it a shout out on my blog.

 

Confession: I misjudged Dutch Sheets.  The circles he has run in can make you think that the book will be another charasmatic revivalist book that replaces discipleship with the instantaneoius.  Not so!  In this book, Sheets dsiplays a deep, deep maturity in Jesus and a radical commitment to obedience based discipleship.  Super impressed!

 

The book has 3 parts.  Here is the very basic flow:

 

The Problem: God's spirit is supposed to be controlling our soul (mind, will and emotions) and our soul should be in control of our body.  The problem is that this is not happening. We are getting it twisted. Things are out of order in our lives! We have become soul-controlled instead of spirit-controlled.  This is a profound problem that needs addressed if we are going to live victorious in Jesus. 

 

The Provision: Jesus!  The cross, words, example and life of Jesus...that we are failing to embrace and live into. 

 

The Process (for becoming who you are): Chewing, dwelling, remaining, resting, standing on and with the word of God. Our good ideas will not heal us.  Only God's ideas will.  We must simply start and stay there. (It is way deeper than this, but this is the best I can do to explain it.)

 

Struggling with feeling like you are not making noticeable progress in your faith and identity journey? Read this book!

Rule of 2

This season of my life and ministry has me learning loads about the value, importance and priniciples of discipleship. Here is one that I am dwelling on this week.  This will likely be a value I will carry with me the rest of my life.  

 

Here is the value or prinicple: 

 

Healthy Biblical discipleship should flow two ways...being discipled and discipleshing another. Someone more spiritually mature should be discipling, shaping and pouring into you.  And you need to be discipling, shaping and pouring into someone not yet as far along in the faith as you are. We need both in our lives to bring humilty and fruitfulness. I am experiencing this right now in my life and it is proving to be tranformational. 

 

The Biblical basis is simple. Let's call it the "Rule of 2" = 2-way discipleship as seen in 2 Timothy 2:2 which says:

You have heard me teach things that have been confrimed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 2 Timothy 2:2

 

 

If you are not currently experiencing this type of 2-way discipleship, I encourage you to ask the Lord for it.  Pray and believe that he will set this up in your life.  He may even ask you to help him. 

 

 

7 Disciples, 7 Months

When we had been living in South Africa for 3 months, I posted THIS BLOG expressing my gratitude to the Lord for the 3 guys that I was in a discipling relationship with.  It was a fulfillment of a word the Lord had given to me and an honor to walk with these brothers weekly. 



Today, I am even more excited....4 times more excited, to be exact! Becuause, this week we celebrated 7 months here and I am now in an intentional discipling relationship with 7 young men!



What do I mean by a discipling relationship?  Think Jesus and the disciples....execpt, he was Jesus!!  ;-)  I spend time with these guys one on one or in pairs at least once a week in prayer, discussion, study.  We live life together in relationship and accountablity.  We SMS, we call, we hang together, we worship, I teach them, and I learn from them.



I believe that all of us should have people more spiritually mature than us discipling us, while we are disciping people less spiritually mature than we are.  Being pured into and pouring out...same time. This produces balance in your discleship journey. 



The Lord had specifically placed in my heart a desire and calling to actually disciple people...something I did not do in the Pastorate. And I am finding more joy in it than I would have ever imagined.  My life will never be the same again. And perhaps neither will John's, Shawn's, Ernest's, Quaid's, Siba's, Themba's or Reggie's!?

Repost: Powerful Patience

I blogged THIS in December of 2007.  I am reflecting on it again today as I get excited about the future!  There is power in patience and in waiting on the Lord. 

 

Check it out HERE!

 

Proverbs 16:32

Shawn's Changing Life

There is nothing more beautiful to me than when the Holy Spirit radically changes a life. That is exactly what is happening with Shawn.  4 months ago, a Muslim.  Today, a lover and follower of Jesus Christ.  I blogged about him HERE. He has calling brewing up in him that is as evident as the sun in the sky. He is prophetic before he even knows what the word means!  He thinks and talks in visions and piuctures as he is encounetring God daily in powerful ways. Last week, we showed up for church and he had made a board, covered it in white paper, cut out pictures from an old children's Bible and glued them on the board outlining what he feels Jesus doing in his life.  I asked him if I could video him sharing about his "vision board".  He was glad to do so.  So, check out Shawn...in his own words. 

Shawn's Changing Life from Noah Kaye on Vimeo.

What I Appreciate in a Friend

Over the next few weeks, I plan to look back through some of my older blog posts to review some of the things the I learned over the years.  Sometimes we need to look back as we look ahead to be sure to incorporate lessons learned that we may have forgotten.  In the meantime, I will also find things I wish I would have never written and don't even believe anymore. That's life.  That's growth.  Helps in the humility department. 

 

Here is a repost: Things I appreciate in a friend....CLICK HERE.

United Pursuit in Cape Town

Yesterday, we had the coolest privilege.  We were able to have an initimate worship time in a garage in Masi (proof in the pic) with the increasingly popular worship band, United Pursuit (Will Reagan).  You can google all about them.  HERE is their site. They have some great, raw and anointed worship music. Was honored to meet these folks and get a glimpse of their heart for the Lord. 

 

And tonight, we are going to a more full scale concert of theirs at a large church about a half hour from us.  

 

It has been a neat and unexpected blessing this week!  

 

PS- here is one of my FAVORITE songs by them....CLICK HERE! 

What do ice cream & missions have in common?

Well, I am glad you asked.  

 

First, Trica is a Missionary now and she LOVES ice cream. This is important. 

 

Second, our missionary support team is hosting an ice cream social gathering to highlight our missions work here in South Africa.  

 

So....

 

YOU are invited to join in.

 

What? Ice cream, stories, Q & A, inside sharing about our work here and fun interaction with our Missions Support Team!

When? One week from tonight....Sunday, August 14th at 6pm.

Where? Capital Christian Fellowship in Lanham, MD

Why? Because you love us and the Lord and His heart for the nations!

Who? YOU and our Missionary Support Team and other friends and partners. 

How? Just get in your car and show up next Sunday night. 

 

PS- We heard that it has been hot there this summer!  Great reason to eat some more ice cream, huh?

Abiding...Day by Day

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There are many things that the Lord has revealed to me since moving here in January.  Many of which I can't share....either because I lack permission from the Lord or I lack the proper words and time to adequately do so. Nonetheless, here is one of the major things that the Lord is saying to me these days.  I have been feeling it clearly and this morning, the Lord prohetically conformed it.  And I feel pretty sure I am supposed to share it with you.  So, here it is. I will bullet it in phrases that seem to capture what I am hearing.  I will write as if it from God to me.  Maybe it's for you too.

• You used to be really well planned. Now, I want you to let go of some of that plannning, so I can assume some of it. Just abide in me.
• Your calendar was your focus, before.  I now want you to be less-calendar driven. That way, we can schedule more "divine appointments" than we used to be able to. Just abide in me.
• Noah, there is nothing wrong with planning unless you allow something to go wrong.  And unfortunaetly, you have in the past.  Now, I wish to replace your need for extreme planning with a longing for radical trust. I want you to be resting in my plans, not making yours. Just abide in me.
• My son, I am not dissapointed in you, I am proud of you.  That is why I am rerady to graduate you from a place of needing to control your future, to a place of believing me for it each and every day. Just abide in me.
• By the way, it is ok to live a day at a time.  If you think only in chronos time, you will put pressure on yourself that is not from me.  I am inviting you to live in my time, kairos time. Take "develop a three year vision" off your task list, Noah. I will take of that.  Just abide in me.
• Be present in this season, not moving your mind and emotions into the next.  If you do, everyone loses.  Give Tricia, Davis and everyone in your life a "present Noah"! And abide in me.
• You are in Africa.  It is ok to not have your week all planned out.  It is ok to wake up in the morning and determine what you are doing today. Many of your new friends here have done that all their life. Fit in.  And abide in me.
• Finally, remember that I love to lead you!  I am thrilled when you trust me so much that you really allow me the reigns. I love when you abide in me.

 

So, that is some of what I have been hearing from the Lord.  I am currently trying to discern how to invest myself into All Nations and I am staring to think I just need to take it day by day....one day at a time...while I abide.

 

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. John 15:4