Green Theology: A Mandate to Care for Creation

Many Christians today believe that there is no need to care for the earth. This conclusion is based on the idea that God is going to destroy and rebuild a new one. Although it is partly true it is misinterpreted and incorrectly applied.

The truth is that in very beginning of Bible in Genesis chapter 1 there is a mandate to care for creation by ruling over it. This is a command to preserve, protect not to dominant or destroy earth’s resources. With the understanding that we are to care for our creation yet not to worship it, we would do well to have a more eco-friendly worldview.

Dominant Western world-view
Dominance over Nature
Nature is simply a resource
Belief in unlimited resources
High technological progress
Consumerism

Eco friendly world view
Harmony with Nature
Nature has intrinsic value
Earth’s resources limited
Appropriate technology
Reduce consumption

The scriptures reveal that God uses the laws and nature of this physical universe to create or influence events to display God's existence, power, order, rightness, wisdom, knowledge, greatness, supremacy and goodness. Romans 1:20, Psalms 19:1-6, and Matthew 5:45. A correct theology should demonstrate a care for the God’s creation and responsible action to care for it. In short, our theology should be much greener than the church has historically held to. So I say, let Earth Day not be the one day you do something good for the earth but consider what you can do everyday to make your community and city and better place to live in for you and your neighbor.

Tips on Going Green from the White House

The Power of the Gospel: Hatred to Humilty

Not too long ago I was invited to preach at a church. My sermon talked about sin, and salvation. I spoke passionately about the need for repentance. I knew the message would be offensive, but I didn’t expect people to tell pastor they hated my message! Later that week I called the pastor to ask if there had been any visible sign or anyone that might have come forward to talk.

He mentioned that shortly after the Sunday service one person came forward and gripped and complained about how offensive the message was. The person had evidently told the pastor that they hated my message. The funny thing is, a few days later this angry person came back to the pastor to share how they had been convicted and found themselves confessing their sins, prayed for repentance and prayed to receive Christ. This person moved from a heart of hatred to a heart of complete humility!

I am amazed by the power of the gospel. Truth continues to set people free. There is no substitute for preaching the gospel. Preach the word my brothers, call sin, sin share with them the hope of salvation in Jesus alone. Oh what a powerful reality, Let all who are weary find rest and peace with God.

The Gospels: "This &%$# is Rocking my World."

Over the course of 4 years I have been prayerfully engaging in a conversation with my friend John (fictitious name) about Jesus. John is in his late 40’s and has spent most of his life out of the church. John embraced a theology that included all people into salvation as long as they were good loving people. Buddhist, Hindu’s, Mormons, New Agers and Christians all the like could find salvation. Jesus was NOT the only way. John believed like many, that all paths lead to salvation.

I listened to John’s compassion for people. He argued that the Bible actually supported his views and complained about Christians being hypocrites, lacking love and compassion for the needy.

I found common ground with John by agreeing that many of his heroes such as Gandhi and Buddha were men who did good things. After building a safe ground for honesty and openness about different religions and our disappointment with the church and the different leaders, we agreed to get back to the basics and read the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) about Jesus.

I challenged him to study the Life of Christ. Thankfully, he is a veracious reader. He read day and night about the words and works of Jesus, by studying a Harmony of the Gospels. I will never forget the night he called me. “Man this shit is rocking my world, Jesus is a bad ass dude! I never knew this stuff existed!” I didn’t shake my finger and say, “I told you so.” I kept supplying resources, time and encouragement for self-guided discovery while God began cultivate His heart by His grace.

Today John is a different man, He has yielded his life to power of the gospel and it’s message. He is sinner saved by grace (Eph 2:8-9). He’s pursuing truth and recognizes that there is only one road to salvation (John 14:6). He talks about the peace he has in knowing Jesus He acts as if he was lost and know found. He isn’t in the church yet, but he loves Jesus and knows his word better than many of my Christian friends.

The gospel is an un-reckonable force that knows no bounds. Young and old, the gospel is the power of Salvation for those who believe. The truth of God’s word sets people free. Jesus is alive.

Easter Journal Reflection

Today is Good Friday. The day we remember Christ’s death on a cross. This morning as I was reflecting upon Christ work, I find it amazing that his death was prophesized nearly 750 years before Jesus was ever born! The 8th century Prophet Isaiah predicted exactly what would happen. The Christ would be crucified in 33 AD.

From the Prophet Isaiah chapter 53 verses 3-5, 11

3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

They say that he was unrecognizable after the Romans finished scourging him, beating him with a club, and nailing him to a cross.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities (sins)
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

Jesus took up our sins so that we might be made right with God, and yet his relationship with God the father was strained due to the sin of the world he took upon himself.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

Jesus died so that we may be free from our sins. He was our substitute, he paid our debt, the penalty of sin in our place, he made a way for us to have free from sin and death.


11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

The joy of Easter is in his resurrection! Jesus is not dead rather he is alive! Not only does he live but he invites us to live as well. To join him in bringing life to all those we meet, life to all that we touch and do. He is asking us to join him in renewing, restoring and together redeeming all that is broken. One day he is coming back to make right, all that is wrong, listen to what is written of His return when he comes back again to create a new heaven and new earth: Rev 21:4-7

From The Apostle John in the book of Revelation chapter 21 verses 4-7

4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Notice, his position and power, despite the rejection and ridicule he faced here on earth.

5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

The one that was crucified is king. The beginning and end, the one who holds all things together.

6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.
7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

My prayer is today that many would trust in Christ for salvation. There is no other. There is none like him; he is unparalleled in his deity, and unstained in his humanity. He offers life and purpose to join his redemptive plan for all creation, restoring and renewing all that is broken in our world today. What hope, freedom and peace there is in fellowship with the father of creation. - Amen

Who We Are. The Lead Pastor and Family

Ryan and Leslie Rice will serve as the founding church family to plant Imago Dei Community Church in Phoenix, Arizona beginning in May of 2010. Ryan will serve as the Lead Pastor/Elder of the church.

Ryan has worked in youth ministry for over 10 years serving on staff at churches such as Fellowship Bible Church, Lake Pointe Baptist Church and Resurrection Anglican Church. In addition, he has a long background in outdoor ministry working as a guide at Noah’s Ark Adventure Co. His interdenominational experience will help add to his ability to adapt to the new church partners and church planting networks.

Ryan and Leslie have been married for 7 years and have five-year-old twins, a boy, Sam and a girl, Riley. They recently moved to Little Rock from Dallas, after Ryan graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary. While studying various church plants of Ryan’s home church, (Fellowship Bible Church) he discovered the need for international missions/church planting and pursued planting in Madrid, Spain. For nearly two years he took courses/independent studies to educate himself about the mission field and even spent a summer with his family exploring this potential call. Later, through a series of events and circumstances the Rice’s sensed God’s clear call within the counsel of many to remain in the United States and plant a sending church that would equip others to plant churches in major cities of the world.

Ryan  attended Fellowship Associates Leadership Residency for church planters. Fellowship has been equipping and empowering church planters for the last 10 years and has more then a 95% success rate in planting churches. The Rice’s will graduate from the leadership residency in May of 2010 and move to Phoenix Arizona to plant Imago Dei Community Church.

With more then 10 years of ministry experience in the church and fresh passion for international ministry Ryan and Leslie chose the name Imago Dei Community Church to share with the people of Phoenix a greater story about God’s love for all people. “Imago Dei” is Latin for “In the Image of God” this message is the heartbeat of the church- a love for Jesus and all people.

Our Missional Approach

Side Door Assimilation
If we as a church will own our vision statement: Love One. Love All. We won’t try to open the door of the church wider; rather we will open more doors in various communities around the city.

reaching a diverse people of various culture and various needs. This approach fosters flexibility, creativity and contextualization of the gospel, making the message more relevant within each cultural community. This idea is not new rather it is ancient. It is a basic missionary principle that our church holds to at the core of its philosophy. We believe that more and more people today want to experience or witness Christian community without having to join the public worship celebration first.

In light of our cultural experience, and a biblical mandate to make disciples, we as a people of God see value in extending the gospel in multiple avenues, empowering Christians to extend gospel within both small and medium sized communities throughout our city. We recognize that the traditional worship celebration may as well be the first step for the unchurched; therefore we will in time establish a weekly worship service on Sunday mornings for the purpose of Exaltation of Christ, through the preaching of his word, communion for believers, worship and baptism.

This organic approach allows our church body to engage their neighbors, at multiple levels. This model pushes our church leadership to focus on Leadership Development, Equipping Christians to Establish Communities.

This model is a missional model for churches. It’s not the model but a model. There are many other forms but we are choosing this way to keep or structures a little more decentralized than your typical church and more flexible to increase our member participation and upping the Ante on how to do church. We are empowering ordinary people to be pastors to their neighborhoods and spheres of influence. We are talking the church to our culture.

The advantages are many. To name one, this model increases access and opportunity for un-churched/un-believers to see and experience the gospel in the context of community. The un-churched are able to more quickly and organically assimilate into a community of believers, which in reality increases their likelihood of sticking around and growing in their faith.

Called by God? Part 2: Service

Just last week I gathered with several other young families and singles to further explore the potential of moving across the country to help start a new church in the Phoenix Valley. As a Pastor, I felt compelled to share with them what my mission Professor once shared with me when I was at a crossroads, of decision trying to determine my calling. He said, “Calling is more about a process then it is an event.”
So often we look for the magical and mystical experiential event to confirm our calling! Most are shocked to learn that the Bible doesn't emphasize this special, mystical calling to "The Ministry" or particular job or person.

Scripture References: Called to a Service:
•The word “Call” appears 296 times in scripture, twice it refers to missions/ministry
•Paul & Barnabas are set apart for ministry, made known by the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:2).
•Paul, Timothy and Luke receive a call to go to Macedonia (Acts 16:10).

The kind of "call"that is more often found in the Bible is more so an opportunity. In my study through scripture, I see people taking opportunities given to them, or responding to an invitation to help, or advance the Kingdom of God. Take for example, Jesus’ disciples. They were invited into something, by someone to serve. Or consider Nehemiah who received word about Jerusalem’s walls being broken down. He saw opportunity to serve and he took it! Or David who stepped up to slay a giant, when no one else would! Or what about Esther found her calling by seeing a need and decided to be brave and use her influence to save her people.

God’s call should often includes 5 things:
1.Community- a community can confirm ones gifts & new potential for a new ministry
2.Commission- Awareness- an understanding of the Great Commission Mt 28:19, Acts 1:8
3.Concern- concern for a city, people, or service should be in place
4.Conviction- in time ones concern should grow into a deeper conviction.