Will You Pray These 7 Things For Us?

This past Sunday we had on our annual Partners' Meeting. Our partners' (members) meeting isn't discussions over the budget or arguments about the color of the carpet; we spend the majority of our time pleading with God in prayer to move mightily in and through us. You would serve us well if you would join us in praying for these things God has laid on our hearts:1. Increase Our Depth As You Increase Our Width

And he gave...the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:11-16)

We’ve said it before: Its easy to grow a big church in the South; its much more difficult to be a movement of God’s people who are passionate for His fame and renown. Our prayer must be that - as Jesus builds His church - the Spirit of God would deepen our affections for Christ, our knowledge of Him, our maturity in Him, and our godliness like Him.Christianity is not cool. We should be known for our love and holiness and not that we aren’t legalistic, don’t wear suits/dresses to church, or have drums in worship. What’s attractive to the unbeliever is our adornment of the grace and mercy of Jesus as a Gospel-formed people; everything else stinks of either religious piety or surface-level “relevance” that’s not relevant at all to people who need grace, not cool.2. Increase Our Unity As We Grow

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one...so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. (John 17:20-23)

The bigger an organization gets the easier it becomes to be divided. Jesus prayed for our unity so that our witness to the Gospel would bear fruit that many would know Him. We could easily grow embittered to one another or to our leaders, we could put our comforts and desires ahead of others, but the Gospel calls us to unity – “there is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Eph 4:4-6). So let us be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4:3).3. Increase Our Racial, Social, & Cultural Diversity As We Grow

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10)

It would be easy to continue to look the same as we grow. If we only hang out with, befriend, love, and serve people of the same color, from the same background, making the same money, liking the same things, doing church the same way as us – then we will. But then we would be boring, I don’t want to be boring.I want The Paradox Church to look like what heaven will look like. We need black folk, white folk, and everyone in between; we need tattoos, piercings, punk rockers, hipsters, preps, sweater vests, and parted hair; we need rich and poor; blue collar and white collar; smokers and non-smokers; grew up in church, didn’t grow up in church; single moms, saints, strippers, suits, and people with same-sex attraction – all becoming sheep under the Good Shepherd.4. Children & Families

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14)

We are growing from both new birth (salvations) and natural birth. Many of us are learning how to be parents for the first time. As well, statistics (and the bible) are very clear that children’s and youth ministries can not be the primary place for children to hear about the Gospel – it must be at home. So we need to learn how to shepherd our children’s heart to the Lord.Healthy families make for a healthy church. Let our folks without children, our Kids City leaders and teachers, and our parents work together to love and serve and teach each other well.We must also be advocates for adoption. There are over 6000 orphans in Texas. There are husbands and wives who would love to adopt but can’t afford it. Through The Paradox Church Adoption Fund let us give generously and pray that God would call some of us to adoption as we have been adopted in Christ (Gal 4:4-7).5. Increase Our Age, Our Wisdom, & Our Leadership

Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. (Titus 2:2-5)

Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life. (Proverbs 16:31)

And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2)

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)

We are a young church; that is not a bad thing, it is a great thing. Youth brings passion, spiritedness, vibrancy, and vision. We need leaders to be called and trained to lead and teach our people. We need our Partners to be disciple-makers – your youth (in age or the Gospel) is not an excuse to not make disciples.As well, we desire older, seasoned saints to help us. Our community (City Groups) must continue to grow more and more integrated with every life stage represented so that we learn and grow from each other.6. Shine Our Light Bright In Fort Worth & To The Nations

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

Do you believe that Paradoxians? That Jesus has made us a light for the city? We are a city within the city. May our ways and our words shine bright into the darkness. We bear the image, and carry a message, of great glory and grace; and we are sent to a city in desperate need of both glory and grace, and there are cultures and people-groups who have never heard of the grace of Jesus.We are not, merely, a social gathering on a Sunday morning or weeknight; we are the City of God. This starts on our street, in our neighborhood, at our school, at our workplace. Together - a united, diverse, deep, healthy, passionate, Gospel-formed church family - lighting the city; one home, one street, one neighborhood, one school, one workplace at a time.7. Awe Us By Your Powerful Saving, Transforming, & Redeeming Grace

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

“Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you... for I have many in this city who are my people.” (Acts 18:9-10)

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" (Romans 10:13-15)

We must have, as our highest aim and loftiest goal, a passion for the Gospel of Jesus to save, transform, and redeem many for His glory. I want to see Him flex even stronger in 2013. I want to see more marriages reconciled; more lives set free from sin and suffering; more converts in the baptismal waters; more voices singing; more people changed; more family members saved; more friends meeting Jesus; more neighbors now justified before God - all that I might see more of Him.Let us be in awe of the grace and goodness of God.