Our Primary Culture<title> <link rel="STYLESHEET" type="text/css" href="../../sermon.css"> <style fprolloverstyle>A:hover {color: #FF0000} </style> <style type="text/css"> p { font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify; } </style> <link rel="STYLESHEET" type="text/css" href="../2002/sermon.css"> </head> <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" vlink="#0000FF"> <table BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=4 > <tr VALIGN=BASELINE BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF"> <td COLSPAN="2" BGCOLOR="#000080"> <b> <font color="#FFFFFF"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">  Our Primary Culture </span> </font> </b> <font color="#FFFFFF"><br>A Sermon based on </font> <a target="_blank" href="http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&passage=Acts+2:38-47"><font color="#FFFFFF"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Acts 2:38-47</span></font></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td COLSPAN="2" width="640">  <p>This is a Petri dish (holding up a Petri dish). The Petri dish was invented in the 19th century by a German bacteriologist whose last name was, you guessed it, Petri. It might have been known as a Petri cup or saucer except that, I hear tell, Petri's wife was a real dish.</p> <p>Scientists and biologists use Petri dishes to grow cultures. They can take a drop of your blood, put it into a sterile Petri dish and, based on what grows in the dish, determine what ails you within a few hours to a few days. It's really that simple. Nothing comes out of the dish except what the researcher puts into it. If it's alive and the biologist puts it in the dish, it's going to grow what they call a "culture." Whatever the scientist puts into the Petri dish invades its sterility and creates a whole new culture of life on its surface, actually becoming the new, primary culture of the dish because it is now the predominate force of life where there was once no life.</p> <p>It's not possible to say that Jerusalem was a sterile environment. But, it was a needy environment. It was into that environment that the Divine Biologist shed the blood of his son, Jesus. As it fell, it invaded the culture around it and birthed a whole new culture that had never before existed called the church. As more and more people became infected with the gospel of Jesus' blood, the Jesus culture began to grow.</p> <p>Over the centuries it continued to spread until, today, evidence of the culture of the church can be found virtually everywhere on the planet. Though there are differences in certain beliefs and practices among all of these churches around the world, and certainly cultural, social and linguistic differences, by and large, kind of like the sourdough starter your grandmother passed down to you for bread and biscuits, they all contain the essence of the original church's primary culture.</p> <p>When we were in Latvia this summer and attended services at the Jelgava Baptist Church, though we could not understand one word, we witnessed baptisms and knew that we were worshipping the risen Lord. The original church's primary culture is contained in writing in Acts 2. "Those who welcomed (the) message were baptized . . .. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need."</p> <p>That was the original church's primary culture. Baptizing converts, studying God's divinely inspired truth in community with each other and also sharing communion regularly and community prayer and forsaking private ownership for the sake of those who were in need.</p> <p>In short, they were creating an environment in which people could become and grow in the culture of Jesus as his followers. That's a radical culture. It's a cultural revolution in the making.</p> <p>When I was coming of age in the 60's, the church was the primary culture of our little West Texas community. The community set its business and school clocks by the church's calendar. Wednesdays, football coaches had to shorten team practice so that their athletes could be available for Wednesday night prayer services at their church of choice. We had fish every Friday in the lunch room of the publicly-funded school in order to accommodate the large number of Catholics whose faith forbade them to eat any other kind of meat on Friday but fish. There was no such thing as sports teams practicing on Sunday, much less playing a game. It was virtually impossible to do any business on Sunday, except at small convenience stores where you could buy milk, bread and a Sunday paper.</p> <p>Yet, even then, the church's influence on the culture around it was beginning to slip. Now, we have to admit that the church's culture is no longer the predominate influence within this generation's larger culture. But, before we start longing for the "good old days," we would do well to overcome our tendency toward historical amnesia. The good old days aren't all they're cracked up to be.</p> <p>Nancy and I went to Santa Fe the early part of this past week. We had not had a time away just the two of us in two years. We needed it. We were driving and walking in some places we'd been told we'd see wildlife and fall foliage. We saw three trees and one very small caterpillar. One day, we went to Bandelier National Park, the home of some of New Mexico's prehistoric cliff dwellings. As Nancy and I stood there looking at the holes in the wall that once served as people's homes, we reflected that maybe the good old days weren't all they're cracked up to be. If you want to go back to the good old days, how far back do you want to go?</p> <p>Even as the apostles were preaching the new gospel to what would become the first generation church, they warned the people to, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." It wasn't easy being a Christian in those good old days. Perhaps, at least in our nation, it's never been easier to be a Christian. Back then, Christians were fed to the lions for Roman entertainment. Today, at least in America, by and large, no one will bother you if want to be a follower of Jesus, as long as you don't bother them. Which is again part of the evidence that the church is no longer the predominate culture within this generation's larger culture.</p> <p>Assuming that the church is no longer the predominant influence in our secular culture, if it ever really was, the real question, it would seem, is, what is our church's culture within this culture? What is our primary culture? As you examine the culture of the first church, you could sum it up with this descriptive. It was a culture of radical personal spiritual transformation.</p> <p>As Dallas Willard writes in his Divine Conspiracy, that kind of culture of radical transformation happens within a community of faith where followers of Jesus do not "look upon salvation as a moment that began (their) religious life (but) instead (they see their salvation as) the daily life (they) receive from God . . .. To rejoice in our forgiveness, teach right doctrine, and yearn for heaven are wonderful things," he writes. "But, God has much bigger things in mind for us" <cite>(Dallas Willard as quoted in "A Divine Conspirator," Christianity Today, September 1, 2006)</cite>.</p> <p>Just what are the bigger things God supposedly has in mind for us? If the first church is any indication, it must be lives, infected by the Jesus culture, radically transformed as we come together in baptizing-truth-telling-Lord's Supper-taking-sacrificial-giving-to-those in-need community of faith so that our true culture begins radically transforming the culture within which we live.</p> <p>According to Webster's, a culture is a "set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes" an institution. If so, what is our primary church's culture? What is your personal primary culture?</p> <p>Get answers to three questions and you can know a person's primary culture. What are and what is the quality of their primary relationships, how do they spend their time and how do they spend their money? All of those three questions have been answered for us about the early church. They devoted themselves to fellowship with other believers studying divine truth and worshipping in community with each other and also forsook private ownership in order to give sacrificially so that no one would be without life's essentials. What is Cliff Temple's primary culture? How will we choose to operate in a world in which the church is no longer the primary cultural authority?</p> <p>If you would listen to our church's conversation right now, you would hear a lot of things that might give you a clue to understanding our primary culture. There is always conversation around here about the wonderful community ministries we've provided for decades and continue to provide. Even now, some six-hundred children and their families find their way into our facilities every single day! It's a wonderful thing to see. But, honestly, right now, our primary conversation has been about how far short we are in our budget receipts and what a real problem that may become if we don't address it. Please hear me. That is an important question and we are going to have to ask and answer it. But, I'm absolutely certain that it is not the primary question any church should ever ask.</p> <p>The primary question we should ask, as Dallas Willard would phrase it. Are we willing to continually "restructure the church so that people would have a genuine encounter with God that leads to transformation" <cite>(ibid.)</cite>. Is this a community of faith in which lives are being eternally transformed by the power of the gospel? Has what this church preached and practiced transformed how you spend your time, the quality of your primary relationships and how you spend your money? If not, then of what value is this church to you?</p> <p>Before I go any further, with regard to the budget deficit, there are two ways to look at it. One is somewhat frightening. If we don't deal with it, we will be facing some very serious, even painful, challenges in the next 90-120 days. I choose not to respond with fear. When you are driving under the influence of fear, you are the most dangerous driver on life's highway. I want to come at the budget issue differently.</p> <p>First, we do have a budget deficit, of approximately $116,000, which means we have spent that much more than we have received. We have a deficit, not because we have been irresponsible with our spending or because the Finance Committee has not been dutifully shepherding our finances, but quite simply because we have committed ourselves to more than we may be either able or willing to pay for. That is a solvable problem. We can get people to give more or we can radically reduce our commitment to ministry in this community and world.</p> <p>Before we do either, I want to celebrate something significant that represents the culture of this church. I've been here over eight years now and I've seen it over and over again. This church family, per capita, must be one of the most generous churches anywhere to be found. Since January, 2000, and these are rough figures, this church family has given some eight million dollars to fulfill its mission in this place. We have a deficit now, but, it is not due to a lack of generosity on the part of those who are supporting this church with their personal finances. In the last six and one-half years, through your faithful giving, you have given some eight million dollars! That is remarkable! And, I want to tell you a little about what that's accomplished. (At this point, as I called their names, I asked each ministerial staff member or their representative to stand and remain standing until later in the sermon).</p> <p>Bud Lovell is our music minister. You will not find a finer minister of the gospel, who faithfully leads us in worshipful music each week. Judy Lewis is our preschool children's minister. You will not find a better Child Development Center in the city or a safer, more nurturing environment for your preschooler on Sunday mornings. Michelle Collins is our Children's Minister. She is providing us with cutting edge, innovative children's ministries and doing a phenomenal job at it, part-time! Jerry Spivey is our Church Administrator. Among other things, Jerry is more responsible than any other person for our relationships with the Charter Schools. Not only are they providing us with badly-needed income but fully two-thirds of the children now involved in our weekday children's programs come into those programs through our relationships with these Charter Schools.</p> <p>Walter Counts is our Senior Adult minister. There is no more compassionate, dedicated Minister to Senior Adults anywhere to be found! Sandra Martinez and Marsha Mills coordinate our Buckner partnership. Through their leadership, some 3,000 people a month receive essential food and clothing through the Goslin Care Center.</p> <p>Kenny Cheshier is our Youth Minister. There is no finer Youth Minister anywhere. Last Wednesday, Kenny reports some 101 youth in attendance at 24/7, with three of them making professions of faith. For all practical purposes, Kenny has started a new church through 24/7. These kids can't get here on Sunday but they can on Wednesday because they can walk from school and Kenny is their pastor, not me. Our own David Nabors is CFO of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Through the BGCT, we fund the mission work we do outside of this community. Lives are being transformed in this place, in this state and to the far corners of the planet, because you give sacrificially.</p> <p>Just one example. Kenny was having lunch at one of the local high schools recently. This one young lady came up to Kenny and, in front of all the other youth present, said to Kenny, "My life has been changed by what happens at 24/7. I'll never be the same!" That girl may or may not grow up to be President of the U.S., but whatever she grows up to be, the influence of this church's culture of generosity will forever shape who she becomes.</p> <p>All of this to say, your faithful giving has made these ministries possible. Before we start cutting the budget, which, translated, means, cutting our ministry commitment in order to solve a deficit problem, we need to ask which of these ministries we are willing to sacrifice. We've trimmed the program budget to the bone marrow. In some cases, programs dollars budgeted are going unspent.</p> <p>When Mrs. Sadler gave us $1 million last year to build a community center, we gave her a standing ovation, and, we should have. Now, Cliff Temple, in just a moment, I'd ask you to please stand with your staff. I want all of us to give those standing near you a round of applause for the eight million dollars they've given over the past five and one-half years!</p> <p>Before we stand, I would even invite those of you who do not give out of your personal finances to support this church to stand and applaud with us. You especially should stand, to give those near you a round of applause for making all of this possible for you at no personal expense to you. You especially should applaud. Now, let's all stand and give a round of applause for the faithful giving of those around us.</p> <p>As you are seated, there is one more thing. Over 19 months ago, Mrs. Sadler gave Buckner Baptist Benevolences $1 million dollars for Cliff Temple's benefit to build a new community center through our partnership with Buckner. That center will house ministries that will radically transform people's lives in the name of Jesus for generations to come, long after we're all gone. Yet, we have hit a road block with the city. For mysterious reasons we cannot decipher, our city council representative has declined, up until now, to give us a building permit. We should have already broken ground and be well into construction. The finest minds available are working constructively and positively to resolve this problem in a non-adversarial way as quickly as possible. But, if this Community Center is going to be built so that it can become a primary part of this community's culture, God's people are going to have to pray. The money has been put into the dish. The partnership with Buckner has been put into the dish. Now, let's put prayer in it and see what grows.</p> <p>I see both our budget deficit and our Community Center dilemma as opportunities for our personal spiritual transformation. Think of how much we would have missed putting more prayer into our primary culture if God had just handed solutions to us on a silver platter.</p> <p>I want to invite you to pray with me this morning. That is our invitation. If you need to speak with me personally, I'll be available.</p> <p>For now, I'm calling the church to prayer. I'm asking the entire congregation, guests included, to come forward and kneel with me at this altar, around our Lord 's Table, and invoke his blessing as we seek to be faithful to being a culture that radically transforms lives.</p> <p>Will you pray with me?</p> <hr WIDTH="100%"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Glen Schmucker, Pastor </td> <td> <div align=right>  October 1, 2006 </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td COLSPAN=2> Copyright © 2006, Glen Schmucker </td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>