The Top 10 Posts of 2016
Today is the end of the year and tomorrow is the beginning of the next. And it’s this time of the year that many of us take time and look back at the year. Today, I thought I’d post a quick list of the top 10 posts on Pursuing Glory. We’ve gained some new readers and I pray some of these posts will be helpful to you.
Personally I also wanted to take a minute and say “Thank You.” If you would have asked me at the beginning of the year my hopes for this blog, I would have never imagined daily publishing with a growing audience that shares the work that gets posted here. Your encouragement, support, comments, and sharing have truly shaped this list. Hopefully what we’ve seen in 2016 is just the beginning.
So, with no further ado, the top 10 posts written in 2016, in order from most viewed to least:
How To Protect Yourself (and Your Church) From Heresy
I think we all have a measure of fear about falling into heresy and the fact that this post drew so much response confirms that. I think there are truly simple ways we can keep ourselves free from heresy, but few take these simple steps. Be prepared to be surprised, though, they aren’t what you think.
Why I Want Christians to Move to the Inner City
This post struck a chord and was shared and re-shared. It was based on a conversation I had with my wife about how ministry is in our inner-city context is so natural and how easy it would be for more believers to live in the inner city and have a tremendous impact there.
How Hospitality Leads to the Spread of the Gospel
Hospitality is so incredibly key to the spread of the Gospel that Paul told Timothy not to appoint elders unless they evidenced hospitality in our lives. Yet, many Christians have odd ideas about not using their homes (and their everyday lives) as a means of outreach. This post looks at how hospitality can lead to evangelism and discipleship and how that has worked in our lives.
Frequently when I begin to meet with folks looking to start house churches, the conversation focuses on how the church meets together. But that’s starting in the wrong place! This post tries to shift our focus away from how we meet to how we live together as the people of God. If we can live together well, the meetings will take care of themselves.
A Story Jesus Told (With a Twist)
There is a lot of judgmental attitudes in the house church movement. To say otherwise would be a lie. This is a story based on a parable Jesus told that I hoped would help expose some of the deception to those of us who meet in organic churches.
Len Sweet’s book “So Beautiful” made my Top 10 Books of 2016 list. So it’s not surprising to me that this quote about the dangerous heart of God that I posted from “So Beautiful” made it onto this list. Even re-reading it this morning stunned my heart again. It’s worth your time.
Wow! I just posted this blog three days ago! My hopes had been to encourage people going to the Onething Conference to make the most of their time there and believe what God was saying and doing in their lives. Apparently a well placed referral by my 19 year old helped get some eyeballs on it. If you’re still at Onething today there’s still some time to make use of it.
A Church That is Easily Planted
This is possibly one of my favorite posts of the year since it reflects what I’m trying to press into in my own life. Can the church be so simple that unbelievers can be brought to the Lord, discipled, and formed into a church in the matter of a few days? I think so. If we want to see the harvest we’ve been hoping for, we need to pursue church planting in a way that allows this. This post looks at doing just that.
Reason #1 We Started A House Church
There are a million reasons we started a house church. This was my first post in a irregular series of posts about why we do house church. I hope we have three or four more of these in the next year. This particular reason is focused on a story about a friend we met at McDonald’s and how we were able to mobilize to meet his need without ever having to worry about a budget.
The Gospel and Multi-Level Marketing
For whatever reason multi-level marketing has a unique foothold in the Western church. This post looks at the danger that it poses through the lens of a story I heard on NPR’s the Moth. But the bigger point (and maybe the point I didn’t make clearly enough) is that the church cannot be built on selling Jesus like a product. Whether we are in multt-level marketing or not, selling Jesus and pyramid leadership in the church are hurting the body. My prayer is more start to see this, whether they sell other products or not.
Sing
A year ago someone came up to me and shared with me that they felt the Lord loved it when I sing to Him.
This wasn’t terribly surprising because one of the ways I consistently have met the Lord in my past is through song. I’m not a terribly good singer. I can’t plan an instrument. I just meet the Lord when I sing from my heart.
So as this year came to a close, it was with a little bit of regret that I realized I hadn’t done more singing to Jesus in my time alone with Him. I even started joking with the kids about how I was going to pick up playing a ukulele. Did I mention I didn’t own a ukulele?
So it was funny to me at Christmas that my wife “just so happened” to get me a ukulele for Christmas. Maybe it’s time I start singing again.
I think one of the things if we move out of showy Christianity into any of the more missional and house church elements of our faith is a temptation to believe that our songs are a show meant to draw others to a meeting. Really our songs are meant to draw us to God.
Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
-Ephesians 5:18-19
There is a place where we are so filled with the Spirit that we overcome our inhibitions about how we look and what people think of us and we sing. It is to the Lord (not to men) and it happens in the arena of our hearts.
This next year, I want to find that place again. I hope you’ll join me.
Related:
Photo Credit: Sing for Hope by Caterina Guidoni
Dear Onething Attenders
Dear Onething Attenders
I love you. No, really. I really love you. I was there last year with my 18-year-old, my nine-year-old, and my seven-year-old. This year my 19-year-old is with you by herself, spreading her wings a little bit. So to say that I love you is not a stretch at all.
In fact, I was you. Believer it or not, this old looking guy was at the very first Onething conference in 2001 as a 20-year-old and I was part of every one since until 2006 when my wife and I were having our first baby. I remember the days of traveling to Kansas City, the close relationships that would forge over hours in the car together, the anticipation of what God would do, the early mornings trying to get good seats and the long days meeting God during worship and preaching. I remember all of it.
Several years into going to Onething, I made the transition of moving to KC and joining what is now called IHOPU. I transitioned from going to the conference to living the lifestyle. I loved it. I remember when the realization hit me during my second or third year there that the Onething gathering is probably the closest thing to an apostolic gathering that I had ever been part of. And even though I’m not in KC anymore, it’s kept me coming back. Truth be told, if circumstances allowed, I’d be there again this year.
So with that said, as an old guy to some young folks, let me tell you some things I’ve learned over the years that will help this short window be as meaningful as possible.
Be There
I mean this in the best way possible. Be all in. Be there for what this conference is. Nothing ever made me sadder during my times there when I would see other young people my age hanging out, goofing off, flirting, and just trying to have a good time outside of the conference. You came because something in your heart stirred when you heard about people living radically for God. Don’t miss a minute of your short chance to see that played out.
Believe It
So you’re there in the midst of this huge conference and you’re hearing about a God who loves you more than you ever thought, you’re hearing about what God wants to do in the Earth, and I’m sure you’ve heard how God wants to use you to impact your world. But you know you’re going to have to go back home and live a normal life. Will any of this still be real when you get back? Can I just say that the most important fight you will have over the next week is to embrace everything God has for you and believe that it will still be true? It will still be true when the bands have moved from the stage to the prayer room and you are on your way home. Believe that the things you hear this week are true that they will still be true a month from now when Mike Bickle isn’t declaring them over thousands of people. Build your life around these things. It’s important for the future.
Find Some Old Guys (or Ladies) and Ask How They Did It
You’ll hear this over and over again at this conference. Being radical is not showing up for these three days and worshiping really, really loudly. Being radical is taking the things that you learn here and living them out for the next 30 and 40 years, should the Lord tarry. If that’s true, you’re going to need to find some people who have been doing that longer than you have. Hopefully some of the people who brought you are in that category. But if not, determine not just to buy a t-shirt or a teaching series, but to find someone who has done this and ask them how they did it.
Also, make sure you pay attention when Mike Bickle and Allen Hood are speaking. There will probably be younger people that you can relate to better that will speak at this conference. You could be tempted to think they have nothing to teach you. I’ve seen Mike preach controversial messages and have hundreds of young adults walk out of the room But I’ve watched these guys continue to live the same lifestyle, day in and day out for years. They are steady and fiery. That makes them worth paying extra close attention to. Don’t miss their sessions if you can possibly help it.
Make Time for Jesus
I’m sure at this point you’re thinking, “Seriously? Doesn’t he realize I’m at Onething?” But the fact of the matter is you can get so caught up being in conference mode that you don’t pray or seek the Lord. If the Lord isn’t prompting you to be at a workshop, head to the prayer room. Pray about the things God is speaking to you. Talk to Him. He wants to speak to You. Some of my most powerful times last year were during the times I snuck away to be with Jesus. You won’t regret it.
Okay. I know you’re busy. I’ll leave it at that. I might write again next week to encourage you in what to do after you’re back home. But for now, enjoy what God is doing with you. Keep saying “yes” every time He asks. You will not regret it.
Sincerely
Travis Kolder
Onething Class of ’01
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