Planting Roots Vision Video

by Jed CoppengerBible, Christian living, Church, Ministry, Missions, Practical Ministry, Prayer, Redemption City Church, UncategorizedPosted on No Comments

What is the Planting Roots Initiative? 

Planting Roots is an initiative to raise money, above and beyond normal giving, to build a church building at our 4095 Clovercroft Rd. property–helping us make disciples, train leaders, and feed the hungry more effectively.  

Our goal is to build an 11,800 sq ft facility that will expand our ability to make disciples, train leaders, and feed the hungry. It will include a larger worship space, lobby, kid space, and bathrooms. It will have a few offices, a kitchenette, an equipping room, and, as is the current practice, it will be able to be used for student ministry on Wednesday nights. Also, the building will include the necessary infrastructure (parking, sewer, landscaping, etc.). The building will be built as Phase 1 of a multi-phase building plan, that will allow the church to be positioned to build efficiently in the future, as the Lord continues to grow Redemption City Church. 

Why are we doing it? 

Redemption City Church exists to be a present preview of and pathway to the future Redemption City (Rev. 21-22)–a city where all of life is centered around the Redeemer. That’s why we are on a mission to make disciples, train leaders, and feed the hungry. Planting Roots is an initiative to help Redemption City Church, who has rented facilities over the past 8 years, build a building that will enable us to be a preview of Redemption City in the decades to come on property we own. 

How can you help?

1. Pray – Because we believe and have seen God do more in a moment than we can do in a lifetime, we pray. Join us in asking God to lead us, grow us, and provide financially for us. Pray that God moves in the hearts of people in a way that leads them to live at a level of generosity that can only be explained by God’s gracious work in their lives. 

2. Participate Every Week in the Planting Roots Sermon Series – Every week is an important week at Redemption City, and this is especially true this sermon series. We have been prayerfully planning for this series for quite some time. Prioritize Sunday morning attendance so that we can make the most of this journey together. 

3. Commit to Give a 3 Year, Above-and-Beyond Financial Gift and Give Part of It February 27, 2022 – We want everyone who calls Redemption City Church their home to invest in the vision of planting roots by giving a sacrificial 36 month financial commitment above and beyond their regular tithes and offerings, and to give part of that on Commitment Sunday on February 27, 2022. 

4. Invite Others To Join the Effort – We are praying for God to use people in our spheres of influence to partner with us prayerfully and financially in our Planting Roots Initiative. Would you help us spread the word throughout your relational world online and in person about this kingdom advancing opportunity to help build a building for a church that makes disciples, trains leaders, and feeds the hungry?  

Shane Pruitt’s “4 Generation Fade” Away From God

by Jed CoppengerBible, Christian living, Church, Evangelism, Ministry, Practical MinistryPosted on No Comments

Evangelist, Shane Pruitt, has worked with young people and their families for years. From his experience and research, he came up with what he calls a “4 Generation Fade” that every family should be aware of as they set the priorities for their families. It goes like this.

Generation 1: Parents don’t make church a high priority for their kids.

Generation 2: Those kids grow up and make church less of a priority for their kids.

Generation 3: Those kids grow up and make church no priority for their kids.

Generation 4: Those kids grow up without a biblical knowledge of God.

If generation 1 knew what kind of potential trajectory they were setting the following generations up for, they would have changed their priorities.

While we all know that there are exceptions to the rule, Pruitt’s “4 Generation Fade” is an important paradigm for families to think through as they set their families’ priorities.

Endorsements For “21 Days To Childlike Prayer: Changing Your World One Specific Prayer At A Time”

by Jed CoppengerBible, Christian living, Church, Evangelism, fast, fasting, Ministry, Missions, Paul Miller, Practical Ministry, Prayer, UncategorizedPosted on No Comments

I’m deeply grateful for each of the endorsers and endorsements below for my forthcoming book, 21 Days To Childlike Prayer. Each of these men and women have been used by God in my life in some unique way. My book comes out January 18, 2022. You can pre-order it here (or anywhere you buy your books). I’m praying that the effort these men and women put into reading and endorsing the book would result in more and more people seeing specific answers to prayer in their daily lives.

“With so many books on prayer, a new one needs a fresh perspective on the subject to distinguish itself from others. Jed succeeds by helping us see prayer as a child talking to his or her heavenly Father in simple, childlike ways. And like any good book on prayer, 21 Days to Childlike Prayer makes you want to pray.” 

Donald S. Whitney, author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life and Praying the Bible

“I’m at an advantage as I read 21 Days to Childlike Prayer; I’ve watched the author, year after year, put every word into action. This book is an accessible, simple tool to help transform your prayer life and your heart. You will grow in your prayer life, and you will also grow in your faith, love, and trust of your heavenly Father, who bids you come to Him as His child.”

Trillia Newbell, author of Sacred Endurance, Fear and Faith, and Creative God, Colorful Us

“This is not a book telling you how badly you should feel for how little you pray. It’s also not a book telling you how to become an expert in prayer. To the contrary, Jed shows us practically how we can overcome our hesitancies and approach our Father not as fearful applicants but as beloved children.”

Russell Moore, Christianity Today 

“I rarely see a pastor passionate about prayer. But that’s what you get in Jed. He is on the front lines of life and has learned how to weave prayer into the fabric of his life. What makes this book so helpful is he gives specific and concrete steps for putting into practice the deep structures of a praying life. This book will get you moving closer to your heavenly Father!”

Paul E. Miller, author of A Praying Life

“This book is simple, practical, and most of all, doable! If you want to learn how to pray to a gracious and loving heavenly Father, this can help you get started.”

Daniel L. Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC

“I had the privilege of calling Jed my pastor when we lived in Tennessee. His sermons were special and every Sunday, my husband or I would say, ‘That is a man who prays.’ You could see it in his preaching, in his family, and in the way he lives. 21 Days to Childlike Prayer is excellent—clear, humble, and helpful, from a man who preaches what he practices.”

Scarlet Hiltibidal, AfraidOfAllTheThings.com

“This is a poignant, purposeful, and practical book on approaching prayer with a childlike perspective. Prayer is often the most neglected discipline, and this is a refreshing reminder to embrace God with our B-E-S-T. If you need a boost to your prayer life, this book is a helpful guide that will prompt you to come to our ‘heavenly Dad’ with expectancy and anticipation!”

Matt Carter, lead pastor, Sagemont Church, Houston, TX

“There are books on prayer that teach you to pray, but there are very few that compel you to pray; this work accomplishes both. With relevant illustrations, substantive and practical instruction, and a call to devotion in prayer, one leaves from this book with more than a short stint of 21 days of prayer; they are entered into a lifetime of prayer. It is one of the most encouraging books on prayer that I’ve read.”

Lemanuel R. Williams, deputy director, Peacemakers

“Most of us struggle with prayer. One reason is that we overcomplicate it. In this book, Jed demystifies prayer and gives us a road map to regular, fruitful, childlike, God-glorifying prayer. If you want to grow in your prayer life, buy this book, and for the next 21 days, commit yourself to the daily readings and exercises. Doing this won’t make you perfect in prayer, but it will make prayer more permanent in your life.”

Juan R. Sanchez, senior pastor, High Pointe Baptist Church, Austin, TX

“As a pastor and seminary professor, I’ve had many occasions to lead in prayer, but Jed, my pastor, led me to fresh and stronger application of what I knew. He pressed us to identify, with childlike faith, very particular and improbable items for which we might ask God’s provision. I took up the challenge, and, out of the blue, the Lord said yes through a totally unforeseen opportunity. The timing and specificity showed His hand clearly. God could have said no, and that would have been fine, but at least I would have known it was not for want of asking that the door remained closed.” 

Mark Coppenger, retired professor of Christian philosophy and ethics, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY

“The specific answers to prayers my family prayed when I was a child are now a legacy of God’s faithfulness that I pass on to my own children, yet I sometimes struggle with what Jed calls ‘vague prayer syndrome.’ This book has challenged me to come to my Father with specificity like a child. Both biblically faithful and wonderfully practical, I believe it is perfect for anyone who wants to grow in prayerfulness but doesn’t know how to start.” 

Catherine Parks, author of Empowered: How God Shaped 11 Women’s Lives

What’s the Biblical Basis for Church Membership? 3 Important Passages That Help Attenders Become Members

by Jed CoppengerBible, Christian living, Church, Ministry, Practical Ministry, UncategorizedPosted on No Comments

Why do churches like Redemption City Church have membership? It’s a question I’ve heard a few times over the years. It’s a question I wrestled with at one point in my life too. To me, the idea of church membership, whatever you call it (stakeholders, partners, etc.) sounded weird and a bit scary. And as far as I’m concerned, if I don’t see it in the Bible, I’d just assume do without it. But after studying the Scriptures, I found several reasons why I think the Bible affirms church membership. Membership in a church is a formal recognition from a church that a particular Christian is a believer who will reign eternally with Christ and a formal commitment between Christians to help one another carry out the Great Commission in a particular church. I affirm this understanding of church membership because of the following three passages (taken in the order that they are given in the NT) and my understanding of them.

Matthew 18:15-20

“15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

These words from Jesus seem to support the concept of church membership in a few ways. First, church membership makes the most sense when trying to figure out how to obey Jesus’ command to bring the “sinner” before the church. He says that if someone who is a part or a member of a church is caught in sin, that they should be brought before the church—if the first step doesn’t work. How do you know who to bring him before if there is no designated group of people like church membership? If there’s no membership, then who do you bring him before? Without membership, it seems like it’d be possible to bring him or her before strangers. It seems more likely that some kind of formal commitment between Christians to help each other carry out the Great Commission (i.e. church membership) exists.

Second, church membership makes the best sense of Jesus’ call to treat someone as an unbeliever. Jesus says that if the sinner doesn’t listen to the church and repent, “he should be treated like an unbeliever” (Matt. 18:17). How does a church treat unbeliever? They certainly want them to come to church right? So that’s not it. Perhaps it is removing him from a membership list? I think it makes the most sense that he’s saying unbelievers should be in our worship gatherings but not on our church member lists. So treating them as “unbelievers” means you remove them from your membership, while inviting them back onto it.

Third, church membership makes the best sense of Jesus’ “binding and loosing” language. After Jesus talks about removing a sinner from membership, he says “whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven” (Matt. 18:18). Since the “binding and loosing” corresponds to the removal or keeping of people in the church, it seems that it is pointing to both the reality of church membership and the responsibility of church members to steward this responsibility.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:15-20 indicate the need for something like church membership, whatever it is called (partnership, stakeholders, etc.).

1 Corinthians 5:1-2, 9-13

“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.”

“ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

These passages from the Apostle Paul support the existence and importance of church membership. First, church membership makes the most sense of the Apostle Paul’s words to “remove” someone from among them in verse 2. While there is a lot we don’t know, it seems that someone in the Corinthian church is in the last stage of Jesus’ Matthew 18 process. So Paul tells them to “remove them.” Remove them from what? It seems most likely that Paul is having them removed from some type of membership. If it isn’t membership, what else would it be? Hard to come up with a good alternative. It’s most likely the removal from membership—the church’s public affirmation of their belief that this person is a citizen of Christ’s kingdom.

Second, church membership makes the most sense of the Apostle Paul’s words to “judge” those in the church. While there are a lot of bad connotations that come with “judging,” it seems that there is a type of judging Paul doesn’t want us to do (towards outsiders) and a kind he wants us to do (towards insiders). The first kind only wants to see condemnation. The second kind, which Paul advocates, wants to see restoration. In order to distinguish between the two types of “judging,” it seems like membership needs to exist. Otherwise, how would you know who the “insiders” are? Surely, the church at Corinth doesn’t have to judge every possible Christian. So it seems it is a Christian committed to their church as a member.

While more could be said, it seems that these passages from 1 Corinthians 5 supports church membership.

Hebrews 13:17

“17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

There are two main reasons why Hebrews 13:17 supports church membership. First, his call to “submit to your leaders” indicates the reality of a unique relationship, something like church membership, between a Christian and a specific church leader. How does a Christian know which church leader to submit too? Seems most likely that there is a church leader that a Christian commits to in a unique way—like membership. It would seem a bit odd for a Christian to have to commit to any leader, right?! There seems to be a way to know who “your” leaders are and who they aren’t.

Second, the writer’s emphasis on the account church leaders have to give for their “soul” supports church membership. This is a sobering passage for pastors. It’s overwhelming. If a church leader takes it seriously, how does he know for whom he’ll give an account? Membership is the most likely answer. I praise God I don’t have to give an account for every Christian. Heb 13:17 supports church membership because it assumes church leaders know which souls they will have to give an account for.

Whatever you call it, something like church membership needs to exist to make the most of these passages. We know that we don’t have it all figured out, but we are doing our best to base our church on the Bible. There are other Biblical passages, but these are a few key ones that are hard to make sense of without a concept like church membership. Hopefully, this made sense of where we think church membership comes from primarily in the Scripture.

Answers to Specific Prayers: Prayers for Two Evangelistic Opportunities by the End of the Week

by Jed CoppengerBible, Christian living, Evangelism, Ministry, Practical Ministry, PrayerPosted on No Comments

Chris and I were finishing up a short meeting with a time of prayer. Although we weren’t meeting about evangelistic efforts, my prayers included a prayer that that God would provide each of us an opportunity to share the gospel with someone by the end of the week, that we couldn’t miss. Then I headed off to lunch.

When I got back from lunch, Chris immediately came into my office. He said, “You’ll never believe what happened. While you were at lunch, I heard someone knocking on the doors of the church building. The guy got aggressive and was trying to rip open one of the locked doors.”

Chris continued, “When I opened the door, the guy asked if he could come in and have someone pray with him.” Chris, of course, said that he could. Chris ended up sitting with the guy, listening to his story, and getting to share the gospel with him. Apparently, the man was driving down to a rehab facility and just happened to stop by for prayer! I wish I could say that the man gave his life to the Lord right then, but he didn’t. But certainly heard how to give his life to the Lord and was invited to do so.

That would have been a fun story to tell, even without the specific prayer. But with the specific prayer and God’s almost immediate response, it caused Jesus to be real in our hearts and our day in a way he wouldn’t have without it.

But what about me? Did I ever get an opportunity to share the gospel? Well, two days later, when my family and I were eating breakfast at a hotel before going to a University of Tennessee game, I did. We were watching the reading of the names of the 9/11 victims while we hurriedly ate the free Holiday Inn breakfast. And one of the ladies, an elderly lady, who was informing us that “breakfast is shutting down,” told us that she used to work at the Twin Towers decades ago. That conversation led to her move to L.A. and then the middle of nowhere Tennessee, where she had been living for a while.

As she lingered unusually long at our table, thankfully, God helped me realize what he was doing in that moment and helped me move the conversation to the gospel. She didn’t know the gospel, but she does now. She didn’t give her life to Christ when I invited her to, but I’m praying she has by now.

It’s so easy to try to do all of the things Jesus wants his followers to do, like evangelism, without simply asking him to help us do them. But remember, God can do more in a moment than we can do in a lifetime. He can make things happen so effortlessly and splendidly. I hope this story encourages you to pray specifically to the God who is present, willing, and able to help you today.

Answers to Specific Prayers: God Solves A Difficult Staffing Issue

by Jed CoppengerBible, Christian living, Practical Ministry, Prayer, UncategorizedPosted on No Comments

Specificity leads to visibility. When we get specific with our prayers we give the invisible God an opportunity to become visible to us in a way he wouldn’t without our specific prayers. And when God becomes visible to the eyes of our hearts and minds, hope, peace, and so many other life giving realities increase.

One of the ways God often helps his children pray with greater confidence and specificity is by hearing about how other people prayed specifically and saw God work. To this end, I’d like to tell you about how God answered an employers work, prayer request about 5 or 6 years ago.

The employer found himself in a situation that many employers find themselves, with an employee that wasn’t a good fit. He was wrestling with how best to handle that situation. With the company being a small business, relationships were deeper. Deep relationships brought great joys, but the challenges were great too. He knew, for the sake of the business, he had to remove this person from their role. But how could the employer have this difficult professional conversation without ruining the personal friendship?

While there are certainly different approaches that someone can use in this kind of situation, this particular employer started praying that the employee would find another job on her own that she was excited about, and that it would happen within 30 days. He wrote the prayer down and prayed it daily, during his normal devotion time. About a week and a half later, the employee came to him and told him about a new opportunity that she would be taking!

The employer was so grateful that God answered his specific prayer in a way that helped him both professionally and personally. But even more importantly, when you hear him talk about what happened, you understand that the experience of God’s love and control was even greater than the specific answer. The day that his prayer was answered was a day he sensed the powerful, “I’m-working-at-your-work-too” presence of God. And as he walked in this awareness of God’s presence and power, it ignited more hope in his heart. God’s greatness was more recognized in his heart which caused the size of his other problems to decrease there too. He walked home in hope that day. That hope drove him to ask specifically for God to do more with other problems and plans on his heart.

I know what some of you are thinking. Maybe that employee would have moved on anyways? Perhaps. It’s possible God would have done that without the employer’s specific prayer. But that’s not what happened. The employer prayed specifically. And because he prayed specifically, he, in a very real sense, saw the invisible God at work. Specificity leads to visibility. Of course, God doesn’t always answer our prayers with a “yes,” but he always does what’s best. That’s why we offer our specific requests with childlike trust.

What specific problems and plans are on your heart and mind today that you can turn into specific prayers?

Robert Murray M’Cheyne Describes 4 Practices That Marked His World-Changing Life

by Jed CoppengerBible, Christian living, Evangelism, Ministry, Missions, Practical Ministry, PrayerPosted on No Comments

Robert Murray M’Cheyne lived a short, impactful life. He was 29 when he died in 1843. At the time, he was the pastor of a 1000 person church in Scotland. D.A. Carson says that he is one of the “overlooked shapers of evangelicalism” (2).

I recently read David Beaty’s excellent book about M’Cheyne, called, An All Surpassing Fellowship: Learning from Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s Communion with God. Beaty details M’Cheyne’s life and ministry, and the priorities that drove one of Scotland’s great pastors. M’Cheyne believed that “there was no greater privilege in life than communion with God” (56). That’s why he said, “A calm hour with God is worth a whole lifetime with man” (56). In what follows are a few of the emphases that marked his life, along with his words about them. I’m praying his words inspire you as they have me.

The Importance of Daily Bible Reading – 3 months before M’Cheyne died, he provided his church a daily Bible reading plan. Many still use it today. His hope was that they “all might be feeding in the same portion of the green pasture at the same time” (60). He wrote these words to his church about daily bible reading: “Above all, use the Word as a lamp to your feet and a light to your path–your guide in perplexity, your armor in temptation, your food in times of faintness. Hear the constant cry of the great Intercessor, ‘Sanctify Them through Thy Truth: Thy Word is Truth'” (61). M’Cheyne believe Christians needed to feed their hearts daily with God’s word in order to flourish in this world.

The Importance of Daily Prayer – M’Cheyne said, “I am persuaded that I ought never to do anything without prayer, and, if possible, special, secret prayer” (65). Why did he believe that? Because, he believed, God’s power is unleashed through prayer. Writing to a ministry friend who struggled to learn this lesson, like many of us do, he stated, “Do not overwork yourself. There is much of self in that, I know by experience. A breathing of believing prayer may be worth many hours’ hard labor” (73). In regards to prayers relationship to preaching, he wrote, “We are often for preaching to awaken others; but we should be more concerned with prayer. Prayer is more powerful than preaching. It is prayer that gives preaching all its power… Prayer must be added to preaching, else preaching is in vain” (67). M’Cheyne lived a life that showed the importance of daily prayer.

The Importance of Personal Holiness – M’Cheyne was also known for his pursuit of personal holiness. Why did he make this such a priority? He writes, “I am persuaded that I shall obtain the highest amount of present happiness, I shall do most for God’s glory and the good of man, and I shall have the fullest reward in eternity, by maintaining a conscience always washed in Christ’s blood, by being filled with the Holy Spirit at all times, and by attaining the most entire likeness to Christ in mind, will, and heart, that is possible for a redeemed sinner to attain to in this world” (76). He also wrote, “It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus” (83). Many of his contemporaries commented on how his pursuit of personal holiness was powerful and inspiring.

The Importance of an Eternal Perspective and Evangelism – Powerfully, he wrote, “Live near to God, and so all things will appear to you little in comparison with eternal realities” (86). One of benefits of M’Cheyne’s awareness of God and eternity, was his passion for daily evangelism. Andrew Bonar, a friend of his, wrote of him, “Two things he seems never to have ceased from–the cultivation of personal holiness, and the most anxious effort to save souls” (94). Far from merely a religious duty, evangelism was an overflow of the joy and excitement he had for Christ. He wrote, “If you will come to Jesus and drink, you shall become a fountain” (141). Pleading for unbelievers to come to Christ, he said, “Your years are numbered. To many this is the last year they shall ever see in this world. What would they not give, brethren, for such an opportunity as you have this day” (143)? Pushing back against criticism for talking about hell, he said, “They that have the most love in their hearts speak most of hell. They do not love you that do not warn you . . . . Oh remember that love warns” (144)!

These, of course, aren’t the only emphases that marked M’Cheyne’s life. But these are a few of the ones that challenged and inspired me when I was reading. It’s worth buying Beaty’s book, especially if you are a ministry leader, and learning more from M’Cheyne.

George Floyd, Racism, and 7 Ways Christians Can Work For Racial Justice

by Jed CoppengerBible, Christian living, Church, Diversity, justice, Missions, Practical Ministry, Prayer, UncategorizedPosted on No Comments

When I was younger, I thought the people writing on topics were “experts” who had it all figured out. But after years of working in the publishing industry and getting to know online heroes, I’ve learned I was wrong. It turns out that every blog or book was written by people still trying to figure out their topic — still a work in progress.

That “still trying to figure it out” position is certainly the place from which I write this blog on racial justice. When I was asked to do this a couple of years ago, my first inclination was to run and hide, not write and post. As anyone engaged in the discussion understands, the issues surrounding racial justice are complex, the grace shown to one another is often low, and the progress slow.

Yet here I am writing. I’m writing because Christians are called to speak to issues their God has addressed as well, issues he cares about. And he certainly cares about racial justice. He cares about George Floyd, how he was horribly treated, and the countless issues that are connected to everything that is going on in America right now in 2020. And the church is called to lean into these issues as his ambassadors. Although I write from a “majority culture” perspective, I’d like to share seven ways I’m pursuing racial justice that I’d ask you to consider as you pursue the same.

Pursue racial justice prayerfully. Anyone pursuing racial justice recognizes the issues are challenging and complex. That’s why we ask God for help. That’s why we start with prayer. Prayer starts when we have a high view of God and his abilities, and a low view of ourselves and our abilities. Pride kills prayer, because it doesn’t believe it needs to ask for help. A prayerless pursuit of racial justice is a prideful pursuit, one that ultimately will fail. It says we don’t need God’s help to achieve God’s goals. The pursuit of racial justice is designed to be a prayerful pursuit. He can do more in a moment than we can do in a lifetime.

Pursue racial justice with understanding. One of the most overlooked, yet important, steps to advancing racial justice is accurately understanding the terms of the discussion. People may use the same word in a conversation, but that doesn’t mean they are using it the same way. When some people use the word “justice,” they define it as “equal outcomes,” while others mean “equal opportunities.” You need to understand what “redistributive justice” and “retributive justice” mean. There are different views on “economic justice,” “procedural justice,” and more. These different areas of justice all touch conversations about racial justice. Understanding the terms enables you to see where you agree and disagree, where you need to adjust and where you don’t think you do. Conversations about racial justice move in a constructive direction when the terms being used are understood.

Pursue racial justice by listening humbly, critically, and widely. We don’t know what we don’t know, which is why we need to be a listening people. We listen humbly, because we know there is truth we don’t see, can’t see, and that we need others, even people outside our tribe, to help us see it. We listen critically because we know that while it’s true we can’t see everything, it’s just as true that others can’t either. It’s possible to work against what is just in the name of advancing justice. That’s why we have to listen critically, like the Bereans, so we can figure out what words are in step with God’s Word and what words aren’t (Acts 17:11). And we listen widely because discussions about racial justice have been around for quite some time, and there is a wide range of “authoritative” perspectives on these issues. Listen to people outside your “tribe,” find the main streams of thought on an issue, and step out of your time period for some historical perspective. The pursuit of racial justice is a listening pursuit, so let’s listen humbly, critically, and widely.

Pursue racial justice proportionately. Racial justice issues aren’t all created equal. That is to say, some racial justice issues are clearer than others. Racism is clearly evil. But the right position on issues like minimum wage, particular education policies, what responsibility people have for their ancestors’ sins, and other important issues like these, aren’t as clear. All of these are important issues, but the answers aren’t equally as clear biblically. Because of this, I’ve found the discussions about racial justice move forward more constructively when we pursue it proportionately.

Pursue racial justice relationally. Everybody experiences injustice in some way, but not in the same way. That’s why hanging out with people who aren’t like you is so important. When you hang out with people who aren’t just like you, you learn about injustices that oftentimes aren’t even on your radar. When you love people who are different from you, their problems become your problems. Even if we don’t agree with a particular perspective, we often consider it more carefully when it comes from someone we love. We’re also able to ask questions and have discussions that aren’t possible publicly, especially on our social media platforms. Invest in relationships with people you don’t normally invest in. Pursue racial justice relationally.

Pursue racial justice actively. You can’t do everything, but you can do something. For most people, your best opportunities to pursue racial justice will be local. In my context, I’ve served on a board of a racially diverse Title I school (which means it receives a great deal of funding to help families in need), I’m involved with “affordable housing” discussions, I’m currently part of efforts to help people go through the immigration process, the church I lead is partnering with local ministries that are working specifically on this, our church is growing thousands of pounds of food on our property to make a difference locally, and more. The teams I’m part of are racially diverse, and the people we are trying to help are racially diverse. We don’t always agree, but we are doing our best to make our local context better, more just. While Christians can’t do everything, we can do something. Don’t just talk about racial justice, actively try to bring it about. Get involved. Show up. There are opportunities all around us.

Pursue racial justice restfully. There’s always a tendency for our identities to slide into what we do. The better the cause, the more likely it is to become an identity thief. That’s why I think it’s so important to pursue racial justice restfully—resting in our identity in Christ and who we are as His son or daughter.

How To Join The Monthly Fast – #FastTheFirst

by Jed CoppengerBible, Christian living, Church, fast, fasting, Ministry, Practical Ministry, PrayerPosted on No Comments

I love food as much as the next guy. So why in the world did I invite Redemption City Church to fast with me this Tuesday, January 21, and every 1st of the month this year (Feb. 1, March 1, April 1, etc.)?

Well, when you read the Bible, you see people fasting all over the place. Fasting is simply abstaining from food for a specific purpose. A quick look at the 77 times the Bible talks about fasting shows that Moses fasted, Israel fasted, Daniel fasted, Nehemiah fasted, Jesus fasted, the early church fasted, just to name a few. When you fast, you’re in good company. Fasting was such a normal part of following God that when Jesus taught on it, he didn’t make an argument for it, he simply started by saying, “when you fast…”, not “if…” (Matt. 6:16-18).

The reasons for fasting are many and meaningful. After Moses fasted he received the 10 commandments (Ex. 34:28). God blessed Israel’s fast with a stunning victory over the Edomites (2 Chron. 20:2-3). Daniel received the guidance he needed during his fast (Dan. 9:3). Before Nehemiah built Jerusalem’s broken walls, an achievement that stunned everyone who understood the situation, he fasted (Neh. 1:4). After Jesus’ fast, he overcame the Enemy behind all the enemies of God in the wilderness (Luke 4:2). As the early church was asking for clarity on who to set apart for ministry, they fasted (Acts 13:2-3). The reasons for fasting are as many as the reasons for praying. Yet, fasting seems to be focused on unusually challenging problems where a special “breakthrough” is needed.

When you look at the history of the church, you see that Christians from other time periods read Scripture in a way that led them to fast. Here’s a few examples. The Didache, which is kind of a “how to do church” manual to help Christians understand what the Bible taught, prescribed two “fast days” a week: Wednesday and Friday. The 2nd Council of Orleans called for regular fasting in the 6th century. John Wesley urged Christians to fast on Wednesday and Fridays as well.

Will you join me as I join so many others who have come before us and fast?

If you will, here are a couple of practical suggestions about fasting, most of which I got from Dr. Ronnie Floyd who has written at length on the subject.

Find Your Day – You can fast any day you want. I’m encouraging you to join me this Tuesday, January 20th, on a fast and then the 1st day of each month for the rest of the year. If you need to miss a day, but want to be a part of what we’re doing, aim for a day during the first week of the month. #FastTheFirst

Find Your Level – When the Scripture talks about fasting, it is talking about abstinence from food. On the day you fast, let me encourage you to participate at some level. That might mean that you miss one meal, or two meals, or all the meals. Perhaps you can’t miss any meals? That’s okay, you can abstain from something else, like social media. Whatever it is, find a level that allows you to participate in the fast.

Set Specific Goals – I believe that “specificity leads to visibility” in our prayer lives. When we get specific with our prayers we give the invisible God an opportunity to become visible in our lives in a way he wouldn’t without that specific request. When we start getting specific with our requests, we start seeing him more in our daily lives. The same is true for fasting. Let me encourage you to ask God to answer specific requests in 3 areas: your relationship with him, something in your life, and for your church.

Plan Your Time – During the time when you would normally do the thing that you are abstaining from, like eating, use that time to read Scripture and pray. The examples of fasting in the Bible show us that the people of God “withdrew” in some way from their normal activities to encounter God. Let’s do the same, whether that is 15 minutes or an hour.

What might God have in store for us if we follow his word and make fasting a regular part of our relationship with him? How might our lives be different? What about the lives of those we’d be praying for? Join me on this simple, God-honoring journey. Let’s see God work in fresh ways this year.