TENT CITY MIRACLES

Last Sunday something amazing happened.

Our house church family, and a few of our friends, drove over to a local homeless encampment that has been building up along the Santa Ana riverbed, in the shadow of the Los Angeles Angels baseball stadium, which is a few blocks from my house.

Our plan was simple: We had purchased a few hundred dollar’s worth of batteries [AA and AAA size], and several packages of socks [both black and white], and a handful of umbrellas [because it had started to rain], to pass out to those who lived in what we had come to refer to as “Tent City”.

There were 12 of us, so we split up into three teams of four. One group went south while the other two went north, moving in a leapfrog pattern. As we came up to a tent we called out, “Free batteries, socks and umbrellas” and those who were interested, or at home, would come out and eagerly receive our gifts.

After we introduced ourselves to them and shook their hands, we asked them if they needed prayer or anything. About half of them said “yes”, like Thomas and Diane who asked for help with education [since Thomas was going back to school] and for health [which is what Diane asked for]. So we held hands, lifted them up in prayer, and then moved on to the next tent as the rain started to increase in intensity.

We met a Christian brother among the homeless community there, J.R., who took our hands and prayed for us, and then we returned the favor.

Eventually we were all out of batteries and socks and umbrellas so we turned around to head home. Our work complete.

Or so we thought.

Our team was being filmed as we moved along from tent to tent that afternoon. A friend was shooting a documentary and wanted to feature our little house church community in action. So, we had allowed them to tag along with a few caveats about not filming people who didn’t want to be filmed and respecting everyone’s privacy. It had all worked out much better than I had hoped, until we turned around to head home.

My friend who was filming the documentary asked me to say a few last words into the camera about what we had experienced that day. The rain was really coming down pretty hard at this point. Just before we started to film the sound guy announced that the battery was nearly dead on the audio recorder. So, we decided to see how much we could get before everything died.

I started to summarize our day, the rain kept pouring down, I wrapped up my sentence and at just that moment the battery died. The sound guy and my friend with the camera both erupted into shouts of joy and disbelief. For them it was the perfect capstone to our amazing morning and afternoon together. But that wasn’t the end of it.

After a few high-fives between us, we started to hear someone faintly yelling at us. We turned around to see a woman in a black and white jacket, with black hair and black jeans walking towards us, waving both hands in the air over her head. My first thought was that maybe we had missed her in our battery and sock rotation and she was complaining about not getting her share.

As she got closer I started to hear what she was saying, and it wasn’t good. Every other word was an F-bomb, and it was aimed squarely at me, and my friends with the camera equipment. “What do you think you’re doing? You can’t come out here and take pictures of yourselves like that! I’m out here trying to find my father who’s living out here and you guys are taking pictures like this is some kind of a game!”

This is exactly the sort of thing I was afraid might happen, and now it was exploding in our faces.

“I’m sorry,” I told her. “We were out here passing out batteries and socks to people and praying for them. We didn’t film anyone who didn’t want to be filmed.”

She continued waving her arms over her head and shouting at us, dropping more F-bombs every other word. “My grandmother is in the truck over there,” she pointed behind her, “and she’s got Alzheimer’s and my Dad is living out here in these tents and he’s an addict but she doesn’t care. She just wants her son to come home. I don’t want to be out here but she won’t let me go home until I find him and bring him home.”

“Do you want us to help you find your Dad?” I asked.

“I know where he is, but he won’t come home with me. I know he won’t. He just wants to stay out here.” And then the floodgates burst open. She started to sob uncontrollably.

She buried her face in her hands and wept loudly. “I was an addict too,” she said.

I put my arm around her and told her we would go with her to find her Dad. My friend, Vincent started to pray over her as she continued to cry.

We stood there, in the pouring rain, the three of us holding on to one another as she cried. Vincent prayed, and I hugged her shoulders and prayed silently.

Eventually she looked up and said, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok,” I said. “We’ll go with you to talk to your Dad.”

As we walked together, she started to tell us more about her situation with her Dad. She told us about how she had been taking care of her Grandmother –her Dad’s mom – as she struggled with dementia. She told us about her Grandmother’s twin sister who was also in their home and needed help. She told us about her own son who she was also looking after. Then she mentioned her Dad being a diabetic and needing to take his medications.

Her emotions were still pretty raw. I was concerned that her Father wouldn’t respond very well if she were to confront him with all of this emotion that had been building up in her for who knows how long.

“When we get there, do you want me to go and talk to your Dad alone? Maybe he’ll listen to me,” I said.

“No, he won’t,” she said. “He won’t listen to anyone.”

“Ok,” I said. “But while you’re talking, we will all be standing right next to you and praying for you,” I said.

That seemed to calm her down a little.

Eventually we got to her Dad’s tent which was directly underneath the bridge at Chapman. One of our other teams was already standing around his tent talking with some of the residents. As our new friend walked up to her Dad’s tent and called out his name, I stepped over to our team and caught them up on the situation, asking them to pray.

After a few moments, her Father came out of his tent. A few of our church family were standing behind her in a show of quiet solidarity as she waited for him to come over.

I walked next to her father as he approached the group. He wasn’t much older than me.

Eventually we got close enough for her to talk to him. She was standing defiant, arms crossed, chin out, ready for a fight.

“You need to come home!” she said to him, the tears streaming down her face.

“Why?” he asked.

“Your Mom wants you to come home. She said she doesn’t care if you’re using or not. She just wants her son to come home, Dad. She just wants you to come home.”

I watched her Father’s face as she talked. He didn’t show any emotion, unlike his daughter, but he kept his eyes on her the whole time.

“Ok, I’ll come home,” he said.

Just like that. No argument. No excuses. No fight.

“Let me get my stuff,” he said and then he turned around to walk back to his tent. She fell to the ground in a heap, sobbing uncontrollably. We all sat down on the ground next to her and put our hands on her shoulders.

We told her it was going to be ok. We reminded her that she was brave, and strong.

“You’ve been carrying a lot of this weight all by yourself,” I said to her. “You can let go of that now.”

Vincent knelt down next to her. “I want you to know something,” he told her. “A few minutes ago, before you came up to us, I prayed for your Dad. I didn’t know what the situation was, but when I asked him if he wanted prayer, he did not refuse it. Most people are too proud to ask for prayer, but your Dad didn’t. He allowed us to pray for him, and when I prayed for him the Lord gave me a word to speak over him. I felt the Lord wanted me to say, “This is a faithful man” and as I prayed that over him he received it.”

“I’m so sorry for those things I said to you,” she said. “I thought you were just out here playing around, but you weren’t. You were really out here to help people.”

“It’s ok,” we said. “God had something bigger planned for all of us today.”

We stood there with here while her father broke down his tent. We helped him carry his load up the hill and around the corner to the trail leading back up to the street above.

As I walked next to her dad he said, over his shoulder, "Goodbye Home!" which really disturbed me. Even though he was leaving with his daughter, he still felt an emotional attachment to that space among the addicts and homeless under that bridge. [Please pray for him and his daughter to fully reconcile their issues and to lean on God for wisdom].

Once we got up top, we waited in the rain for his daughter to pull her truck around, and we helped them load everything up. 

It was an amazing day, even more great things happened than this, but I can't write it all in one post or this will become a small book.

We look forward to returning next month and we pray in the meantime that the Lord would bless those people who live in Tent City.

Please pray with us.

-kg

IS JESUS KING OF ANYTHING? REALLY?

The Gospel was once considered a threat to those who held political power.

When Paul and the other apostles started preaching about Jesus there were often riots because they were “….all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” [Acts 17:7]

There was no doubt about it. This Gospel was dangerous. 

Jesus was a serious threat to status quo.

City officials and the crowds were thrown into turmoil over this subversive man. [See Acts. 17:8]

Those who accepted his message were arrested and tortured because of it.

Many went to their death because they refused to hail Caesar as Lord. They were burned alive shouting, “We have no King but Jesus!”

The line between following Christ and following the political systems of this world used to be unmistakable.

But not anymore.

Today, those who claim to follow Jesus may loudly proclaim that “Jesus Is Lord!” but they don’t mean that Jesus stands opposed to political powers.

They may have a “King Jesus” bumper sticker on their Lexus, but they don’t act as if Jesus is their choice for ruling their world.

A Christian in the first century knew vividly that their loyalty to Caesar was forfeited now that they had surrendered everything to their new King, Jesus.

Early Christian teachers spoke often about this shift in loyalty. 

As Tertullian wrote to the Romans around the year 195:

“In us, all zeal in the pursuit of glory and honor is dead. So we have no pressing inducement to take part in your public meetings, nor is there anything more entirely foreign to us than the affairs of State.”

Origen also wrote to Celsus in an attempt to explain the peculiar Christian practice of noninvolvement with Roman politics, saying:

"It is not for the purpose of escaping public duties that Christians decline public offices, but that they may reserve themselves for a diviner and more necessary service in the Church of God – for the salvation of men. And this service is at once necessary and right."

He also explains to Celsus that those who follow Christ recognize another, higher authority than the State and that because of this they urge their brightest and best to apply their wisdom and talents and qualities of leadership to further the more urgent and necessary work of the Kingdom of God:

"We recognize in each state the existence of another national organization [the Church], founded by the Word of God, and we exhort those who are mighty in word and of blameless life to rule over Churches. Those who are ambitious of ruling we reject; but we constrain those who, through excess of modesty, are not easily induced to take a public charge in the Church of God. And those who rule over us well are under the constraining influence of the great King, whom we believe to be the Son of God, God the Word. And if those who govern in the Church, and are called rulers of the divine nation -- that is, the Church -- rule well, they rule in accordance with the divine commands, and never suffer themselves to be led astray by worldly policy."

To Origen, and Tertullian, and every other Christian in those first 300 years of the Untangled Church, the issue was clear and the differences were distinct: Those who were citizens of the Kingdom of God were uninterested in the politics of men.

Why? Because they already had a King. His name was Jesus. They had already pledged their loyalty to another nation. It was called the Kingdom of God.

Try to imagine if Jesus were the King of your life in the same way that He was King over the lives of those early Christians who defied Caesar to the point of death and who pledged allegiance to "another King, one called Jesus."

What would that look like? How would it change the way you live today?

I wonder, if those early Christians could see the Church in America today, what would they conclude?

Would they assume that, to us, Jesus is really only "King" in a metaphorical sense? 

Or would they see a Church that was under the absolute authority of Christ? 

Would they see Christians who loved their enemies, welcomed the stranger, cared for the hungry, showed compassion to the prisoner, and forgave those who spoke against them?

Or is Jesus only King in a metaphorical sense?

If Jesus is your King, are you putting His words into practice?

Or are you still searching for another political ruler who can provide security, and comfort, and prosperity?

Jesus was pretty clear about the fact that we cannot serve two masters.

Cast your ballot.

-kg

**

NOTE: My new book, "Jesus Untangled: Crucifying Our Politics To Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb" is coming soon. Stay tuned for more info.

READ MORE:
*A BETTER WAY TO END ABORTION IN AMERICA

*NEVER TRUMP. NOT HER. WHO THEN?

*SOMEONE TO RULE OVER US

*HOW TO SAVE AMERICA

*THE JESUS UNTANGLED BLOG SERIES

A BETTER WAY TO END ABORTION IN AMERICA

Christians in America are stuck on a problem they can’t seem to solve.

It’s a problem that unites nearly all of us together. In fact, other than Jesus himself, no other topic or issue so completely unites Christians than this. I’m talking about abortion, of course.

But we’ve been stuck on how to solve this problem since 1973.

1973. Seriously.

Has anyone ever told you the definition of insanity? It’s doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result.

For over 40 years now Christians in America have been trying to stop abortions in this country doing the same thing, over and over again, and expecting a different result.

That’s insane.

My wife teaches 7^th grade Math. Whenever a student gets stuck on a problem, they usually raise their hand and ask for help.

I think we need to do that now.

Why? Because after two terms of Reagan, two terms of George W.Bush, and a Republican-majority congress at various times over the last 40 years, virtually zero progress has been made.

The evidence is clear: A political solution to abortion isn’t working.

But most Christians are totally unaware that there was already a Pro-Life Movement that actually DID significantly reduce the abortion rate in America, and they did it without politics.

Back in the 1800’s abortion was so rampant that ads ran in the newspapers for them. The abortion rate, adjusted per capita for increased population, was higher than what we experienced after the Roe vs Wade decision.

In the book, "Abortion in America" this time between 1840 and 1880 is referred to as “The Great Upsurge of Abortion,” and estimates are that at least 20 percent of pregnancies were ending in induced abortion during that time in history.

Another book, "The Great Crime of the Nineteenth Century," by Edmund Hale, claimed two-thirds of pregnancies during the mid-to-late 1800's ended in induced abortions.

It was a dark time.

As you might expect, the Christian church of the day was determined to end abortion, or at least to slow it down.

By 1910 they successfully cut the national abortion rate in half.

How did they do it?

Simply put, Christians created a movement where pregnant women were provided with positive alternatives to abortion.

They focused on helping young women in poor communities, including prostitutes, who found themselves in trouble.

They came alongside these women and encouraged them to carry their children full-term. Then they helped them to find adoptive parents for their unborn child.

Or, they simply stood by these women and committed themselves to providing childcare to help them finish school, or find work so they could keep their child.

By putting the Gospel into practice, these followers of Jesus transformed their society from within – one person at a time.

It was led by Christians. It was accomplished by loving our neighbor as Jesus commanded. It did not rely on the passage of laws or elected officials.

If our passion is to end abortion in our nation, the best way to do this is to circumvent political processes which, to date, have proven ineffective, and devote ourselves to loving our neighbor as Jesus commanded.

As long as we continue to put our hope in politicians we will never end abortion in this nation. To continue to seek out a political solution is the very definition of insanity.

But, If we commit ourselves to sharing the love of Christ with those around us, we might just discover that Jesus was right all along about how to change our world for the better.

-kg

PS: Believe it or not, the abortion rates in the United States are steadily declining according to a number of sources.

And, Roe vs Wade will probably never be overturned by the Supreme Court due to a long list of Constitutional and Common Law grounds. But if we are successful in transforming the hearts of people around us, it won't matter what laws are on the books.

NOTE: My new book, "Jesus Untangled: Crucifying Our Politics To Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb" is coming soon. Stay tuned for more info.

READ MORE:

*NEVER TRUMP. NOT HER. WHO THEN?

*SOMEONE TO RULE OVER US

*HOW TO SAVE AMERICA

*THE JESUS UNTANGLED BLOG SERIES

HOW TO SAVE AMERICA

In this insane election cycle, which seems as if it will never end, claims on both sides of the political divide are made about the need to "save America" or "restore our nation".

Many Christians are concerned that a vote for the wrong candidate might destroy us all, or even worse that God might be angry at them if they fail to cast a ballot for the right candidate.

It doesn't help when Christian pastors and televangelists on television, radio and the internet declare that "God told them" who His choice is, or that certain candidates might actually be demons in disguise, or in league with Satan himself.

What can we do? How can we save America from certain doom?

Let me assure you of a few things:

*Christians have more than enough power to save America

*We can do MUCH more to transform our nation than cast a vote once every four years

*American Presidents have less power than the average Christian when it comes to transformation

Take that in for a moment.

Christians already have all the power they need to transform this nation and save America.

We are not lacking anything in that department whatsoever.

The Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus announced over 2,000 years ago is still the most powerful weapon against evil, corruption, violence, hate and every other sin known to mankind.

Do you believe that? I mean, really believe it? 

If so, please don't buy in to the fear-based nonsense that so many Christian celebrities are spouting at you right now.

Put your trust in your King. Jesus is still on the throne. We have nothing to fear. Our victory is already assured.

Start sharing the Good News of the Kingdom. Let everyone know that Jesus is the best leader anyone could ever have. Make sure you remind them that He loves them and that He would rather die than live without them. Give them an opportunity to become an ambassador like yourself. Teach them to follow Jesus daily and show them how to put His words into practice.

Very soon you'll begin to notice that your community, and America itself, is becoming more Christ-like, as the influence of Jesus continues to expand and spread across the fruited plain.

This is how we make America great. 

This is how we save this nation. Not by casting a vote for a politician that is corrupt, selfish, dishonest and absolutely incapable of bringing any positive change to anyone, anywhere, at any time. 

Let's face it. The two major party candidates for President have never been as odious or pathetic as these two are. 

Voting for one or the other is like being told you can choose between a poop sandwich or a vomit smoothie. Yes, you get to choose, but like it or not you will be expected to ingest one of them.

But there IS a third option. His name is Jesus. He has actual power to change humanity from the inside out. 

If He is your Lord, cast your vote for Him and begin campaigning for His election.

[My name is Keith Giles and I approve this message]

-kg

**

NOTE: My new book, "Jesus Untangled: Crucifying Our Politics To Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb" is NOW AVAILABLE on AMAZON.

ORDER NOW

SOMEONE TO RULE OVER US

It’s one of the saddest statements in the entire Bible. When God tells the prophet that His people are rejecting Him as their King, you can almost hear God’s heart break.

God’s original design was for us to be His people and for God to be our King. That’s the way it was from the time God called His people out of Egypt and led them through the wilderness and into the Promised Land that He had prepared for them.

But eventually they rejected Him as their King, saying “We want a King like all the other nations of the earth have.”

At first, God’s prophet felt rejected because he was the main voice of God to the people, but when he reported this news to God [as if He didn’t already know the hearts of His own people], God’s response was clear: “They are not rejecting you. They are rejecting me.”

And God’s heart broke.

But He also promised to establish a New Covenant with His people; one where that original design was re-established. As God put it:

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.

"It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” [Jeremiah 31:31-33]


In other words, God was promising to bring everything back into the shape it was always meant to be in.

He would be our God, our King, and we would be His people.

No longer would we seek to place another human being over us. Never again would God’s people seek out a surrogate for Him.

We would have direct access to the King, with an open invitation to boldly approach His throne of Grace at any time.

God would invite us to call Him “Abba” or “Daddy”.

He would call us friends, not servants.

Our allegiance and loyalty would be to God, and to Him alone. He would be our King.

Our hearts would not desire “a King like all the other nations have” because our King would be God Himself.

This is the very same covenant that Jesus confirmed with His disciples before His arrest and crucifixion. It’s the same new covenant that we celebrate every time we eat the bread and drink the cup together.

It’s a covenant with God where His rule and reign over us is re-established and confirmed.

Under the New Covenant, God is once again our King. Jesus is proclaimed as our “Lord” which means He is our ruler.

Yet some today are returning again to that same practice of shrugging off the rule and reign of God as their King.

They DO want a new king. In fact, they’re crying out for a human leader “like all the other nations have” who can give them what they want: power, safety, security, prosperity, and respect.

Just listen to what the pastor of the oldest megachurch in America just said about the kind of leader he wants to rule over him:

"When I'm looking for a leader who's going to fight ISIS and keep this nation secure, I don't want some meek and mild leader or somebody who's going to turn the other cheek. I've said I want the meanest, toughest SOB I can find to protect this nation.”

He’s not alone.

Many more Christians in this nation want a leader to rule over them who is just as tough, and as violent, as possible. They don’t want someone like Jesus as their King. They want a leader, “like all the other nations of the earth”.

And whether they know it or not, they have rejected God – even His son, Jesus – as their King.

The earliest Christians understood this. They knew that Jesus stood as a rival to Caesar. They went to their deaths because they refused to say "Caesar Is Lord!" and instead cried out defiantly: "We have no King but Jesus!"

Once Constantine corrupted the faith by wedding the Church to the State, that all changed. Suddenly Caesar appeared to be on our side. Being a Christian didn't necessarily mean that Christ alone was King. 

Almost overnight, the people of God said once again, "We don't want God to rule over us anymore. We want a King like all the other nations have."

Why? Because now Caesar was promising to protect them, to give them power, to offer them prestige, and comfort, and security.

Sound familiar?

Maybe it’s time to remember what the New Covenant was really all about? Maybe we need to remember that Jesus came as a King, to establish an eternal Kingdom where His people would submit to His rule and reign in their actual lives?

Maybe we need to say, along with those early Christians “We have no King but Jesus!” and “We have no Caesar but Christ!”

Maybe…

-kg

Read my new book "Jesus Untangled: Crucifying Our Politics To Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb" available now on Amazon.

PAPERBACK

KINDLE

NEVER TRUMP. NOT HER. WHO THEN?

Many Christians today are confused, heartbroken, polarized, angry and conflicted over the current election cycle.

Who should we vote for? Which candidate is "God's Candidate"? If I vote for this one will God be angry? If I vote for the other one will God allow our nation to collapse in moral decay?

Who will rule over us? Who should we pledge allegiance to?

Here's a thought: If we have pledged allegiance to Jesus as our King and now serve as ambassadors to His Kingdom, how can we participate in the political processes of another kingdom?

Didn't Jesus say that we can't serve two masters? [See Matt. 6:24]

Didn't Paul warn us not to become entangled with the affairs of this world? [See 2 Tim. 2:4]

What qualifies as an affair of this world more than politics? [Other than war?]

For many Christians in America, their identity is found primarily as being citizens of the United States of America.

But for many others, they have discovered a new identity as members of a new community which is composed of those who have renounced everything for Christ. They "look for another country that is from above, whose architect and builder is God." [See Hebrews 11:10]

These Christians have a new loyalty to a new "Lord" [Leader, King, President, Ruler, etc.] who has His own Kingdom and His own way.

Our King does indeed have an agenda, a campaign platform if you will, for spreading His Kingdom and transforming the culture. 

He told us that this plan was for us, His followers, to put His words into practice and to teach others to do the same. [See Matt. 28:19-20]

Our leader was offered the opportunity to change the world through politics and He refused, twice: Once when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness, and again when the people wanted to "make him King by force" [See John 6:15]

Yet, sadly, many Christians today are still seeking for a ruler like all the other nations of the earth have. They, like the Israelites before them, have rejected God’s rule and reign in favor of a political ideology that is not of Christ, nor is it seeking to advance His Kingdom or to promote His Gospel.

 Nor should it. Living out the Gospel of Jesus is the job of those who have been transformed into the image of Christ, not those who claim to be Christians in order to sway a voting block and yet live far outside the rule and reign of Jesus in their daily lives.

Many Christians in America refuse to fellowship with other believers if they happen to disagree on political issues, or candidates. Even though Paul would not allow the Christians in Corinth to divide over differences in opinion over other Apostles! Why, then, do we think it's ok to divide with one another over political candidates?

Answer: It’s not.

For those who follow Jesus, we know we are not of this world, even as He is not of this world. [John 17:16]

Jesus had nothing to do with politics. He called us to follow Him and His example. [Matt. 4:19]

We are citizens of another nation. Our King is alive today. He has a Kingdom. He has established His throne over the earth. He has published his campaign platform. Now, He is looking for those who are willing to align themselves with His agenda.

Have you pledged your allegiance to Him, and to Him alone?

Remember, we cannot serve two masters. Your birth nation does not deserve your allegiance.

Here’s what your Bible says about the nations of the earth:

“All nations before Him are as nothing; and they are counted to Him less than nothing, and vanity.” [Isaiah 40:17]

This means that God does not count any nation as being greater than another. To God, all of them are “less than nothing” and are full of pride.

“The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” [Rev. 11:15]

This means that the Kingdom of God is on a collision course with the nations of this world. One by one, they will all collapse. Every one of them will soon become swallowed up by the Kingdom of God. How? By the relentless advance of the Gospel of Christ! Not by political means which cannot ever change the hearts or the minds of anyone.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” [2 Chronicles 7:14]

This means that God looks to His people to change the culture, not to the King, or the Government, or the Laws of the Land. None of those things matter. None of those things can hold back the Kingdom of God.

Our calling as citizens of the Kingdom of God is simple: To live under the authority of Christ right now and to proclaim His Kingdom as ambassadors who have a new identity, and a new home.

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.28 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.” [Gal. 3:27-28]

We are not Americans any longer. We are not identified any longer by our nationality, or by our race, or by our gender, or anything else.

I challenge you to crucify your politics, put to death your nationalism and patriotic pride.

Pledge total and complete allegiance to Jesus your King, and to His Kingdom, alone.

Jesus is the only hope for America, or for any other nation.

Only Jesus.

-kg

**
My new book, "Jesus Untangled: Crucifying Our Politics To Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb" will explore many more ideas like this. I can't wait to share it with you!

Stay tuned for details about where, when and how you can grab your copy.

INVITATION: Jesus At The Center Conference - Nov. 12 and 13, 2016

Are you curious about house church? Or are you interested in learning more about how to realize Jesus as the actual, functional head of your church gatherings?

This is conference is for you!

Join us in the Bay Area of California for two evening sessions where we will answer questions, provide practical examples and explore what it means to allow Jesus - not a pastor or a teacher - to actually lead the Church on a regular basis.

DETAILS
Session 1: Saturday, Nov. 12 at 6pm
Session 2: Sunday, Nov. 13 at 6pm
Location: In the Bay Area of California (Oakland, San Jose, San Francisco, etc.)
Note: Actual address to be announced soon.
Hosts: Herb Montgomery, Keith Giles and Ross Rohde [tentative].

Cost: FREE!

RSVP at our Facebook Event page HERE>

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Universalist Views of Hell [Part 5]

Why do some Christians believe that God will eventually save everyone? Where does this idea come from? Is there any Biblical support for this view?

And why did the Christian Church believe and teach this as the majority view for the first few hundred years?

Take 5 minutes [or so] and listen as Keith explains the Universalist view of Hell.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Hell? [Part 4]

Which of the 3 views of Hell is the right one? 

Take 5 minutes and listen as Keith reveals his own personal views of this doctrine.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Is Hell Essential For Evangelism? [Part 3]

Why do some Christians argue so passionately for an eternal suffering view? Is fear of Hell really the best motivator for evangelism?

Take 5 minutes and listen as Keith explores these questions and more.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Part 2 - Eternal Suffering?

Is Eternal Suffering in Hell really what the New Testament teaches? Why is it so popular today? What evidence is there for eternal suffering, and what about the verses that contradict that view?

Take 5 minutes and listen as Keith shines a little light on this view, and compares it to other views in our second video on the topic.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: What About Hell? [Part 1]

What does the New Testament actually teach about Hell? You might be surprised to find out that the view that most Christians hold today [eternal suffering] wasn't always the majority view in the early church.

Take 5 minutes and listen as Keith talks about what those 3 different views were and which view was the one most Christians in the first few hundreds years of the faith actually held.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: How To Build A Better House Church

What if you could learn how to experience Jesus in a brand new way? What if your house church could learn how to gather around Him as your actual leader? What if you could all learn how to eliminate all the other junk that seems to get in the way of seeing, knowing, and experiencing Him more?

Let's take 5 minute and talk about it.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: How To Love Your Enemy

Jesus raised the bar pretty high on love, even going so far as to say that we should love our enemy. But how do we do that? Is it really even possible?

Take about 5 minutes and listen as Keith provides practical examples of how to love your enemy as Jesus commanded.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Is Jesus The Only Way To Heaven?

What did Jesus mean when he said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by me"?

Does that mean Jesus is the only way to Heaven? What if that's not what Jesus is talking about at all?

A better question might be: "Is the Gospel that Jesus preached all about saying a prayer so you can go to Heaven when you die?"

Take 5 minutes and listen as Keith explains why Jesus's statement: "no one comes to the Father except by me" isn't about going to Heaven when you die, but something totally more amazing than that.

What does it mean to "come to the Father"?

In what way is Jesus "The Way, the Truth and the Life"?

What is the overall context of Jesus' conversation in the 14th chapter of the Gospel of John?

What is the Gospel really all about, anyway?

You'll know the answers to these questions in about 5 minutes.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Part 5 - Women In Church? [5 Fold Women]

Many hold up the 5 Fold Ministry as the pillar of strength that is essential for the growth and health of the Church.

But are these 5 gifts - Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers - exclusively for men? Or is there any evidence in the New Testament that women can also hold these positions in the Body of Christ?

Take 5 minutes and hold on to your hats as Keith looks at New Testament evidence for female Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Pastors and Evangelists.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Part 4 - Women In Church? [1 Cor. 14]

Take 5 minutes [or more] and listen as Keith explains what's going on in 1 Cor. 14: 34-36.

Why does Paul say that women should remain silent in the assembly? Why does he appeal to the Law? Why does he say that "it is shameful [disgraceful] for a woman to speak in the church"?

And what is the missing word in most English Bibles that might provide a huge clue to what's really happening in this passage?

You'll know these answers and more in about 5 minutes.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Part 3 - Women In Church? [Wrapping up 1 Tim 2]

Wrapping up 1 Timothy 2 before we move on to other difficult passages about women in the Church.

Be sure to subscribe and follow this channel, and leave questions or comments below.

More to come!

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Part 2 - Women In Church? [1 Tim. 2:11-15]

Take 5 minutes and listen as Keith explains what Paul is talking about in 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and why we can't just take this difficult passage at face value without first considering the cultural context of the place and time - as revealed by looking at Paul's previous experiences in Ephesus [where Timothy was when Paul wrote him this letter], and as Paul explains his purpose for writing the letter in the first place right at the beginning.

This and more are in today's video post.

We hope you're enjoying this series! Please subscribe, leave a comment and ask any questions you might still have after watching the clip.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Women In Church? Part 1

What should the role of women be in the New Testament Church? Are many so-called "Organic" Churches still held in check by Institutional ways of thinking? Is there still a hierarchy of Male/Female? 

Sadly, for many, the answer is "Yes", but that's not what Jesus intended.

Take 5 minutes and listen to part 1 of an ongoing conversation about the role of women in the Body of Christ.

A STRANGE DREAM

Over the weekend I had a strange dream.

I was in a small group of people and we were walking up a flight of stairs which opened up into a room at the corner of a wooden building.

The only thing in the room was a set of rectangular tables set into a square. Each of us sat down at the outer edge of those tables facing the center, and a row of windows which ran along the left side of the room and along the opposite wall. I caught sight of a street down below which ran along the left side of the building. [This will be significant later].

From where I was sitting there were people on my left and on my right. The instructor was sitting directly across from me in the center of this open square.

As we sat down our instructor began to ask us to introduce ourselves one at a time. Each person was remarkably gifted and “special”. I began to realize that we were at a University and that this was a very unique program that was being funded through the Art Department, but we weren’t necessarily all artists. It felt more like a team of chosen and gifted individuals who each had a very special set of skills. Almost savant-level.

The person on my right was a visual prodigy. She had created these beautiful ceramic tiles that were cut into small tablets that were magnetized and displayed on a metal square. She communicated her thoughts and feelings by rearranging the tiles on the board, creating a beautiful work of art that transcended language.

The person on my left was wearing an elaborate musical device that was electronic and I knew he had created it himself. He also communicated and even related to others using music which he composed and performed at will.

There were other people in the room who were similarly gifted and unique. It felt almost like a secret team of super heroes who were assembled for a very specialized mission.

As the musical prodigy was talking, he handed me a device. It was like nothing I had ever seen before but I knew it was technologically advanced. That’s when I realized that I was in the future, and I had no way of replaying the message that was embedded on this device.

The instructor interrupted the young man and handed me another of these same devices. He told me it was very important for me to listen to it. I looked at a label along the side and it had the name “Geoffrey Chaucer” written across it.

Suddenly, I looked outside the window and I saw on the street below that a little black girl, maybe around 4 years old, was playing in the street. She was standing in the crosswalk but cars were speeding by her anyway and narrowly missing her.

Without even a thought I was through the window and down on the street next to her. I took her hand and waved off the oncoming traffic as I walked her to the sidewalk. Then two other children stepped into the crosswalk with pillows which they put down on the street and then curled up and laid down. I quickly picked them up and got them out of the street and back on the sidewalk.

An older woman walked by and asked if I knew where to find her son. He was one of the savants in our program so I escorted her back to the building and up a set of stairs to the room again.

When I got there the young man was still trying to explain who he was and what his gifting was. I sat down again at my seat.

Overall, the feeling of being in that room was very exciting. I honestly did not want to leave. It felt so good to be among these incredible people who were all so talented and gifted and interesting.

After I woke up and started trying to piece everything back together in my mind, I started to ask myself something that never occurred to me in the dream itself: Why was I in that room?

These were all gifted and talented people with amazing abilities, and then there was me. What was I there for?

One thought that came to me as I contemplated this question was this: My gifting was to see those children outside the building. They were in trouble. They needed someone to leave that beautiful meeting and rescue them from the dangers surrounding them.

I shared this dream with our house church family and a few of them thought that the meeting of special people stood for the Church. Some thought the group signified the Institutional Church which was too focused on itself to notice the people outside who were in need of their help. Others thought that the group was the Church in general which is highly specialized and called and gifted, but some gifts are for inside the Church, while others are needed outside.

As I shared the dream with our church family I started to notice the significance of the term “cross walk” which is where the children were playing and laying down. Were they protected by the “Cross Walk”? Was that a symbol of their protection? Or was it a symbol of their faith in something that couldn’t actually protect them – the way an actual crosswalk really is nothing more than a series of painted lines and can’t really stop a moving car.

I’m still not sure about that part.

If the “Arts” metaphor of the people in the room applies, then my “art” should have been writing, but at no time did I have a pen or a pencil or any paper in my hand. Nor did I have a computer to write with. In fact, I’m not sure I was there for any other reason than to observe this group as a guest.

I honestly have no idea about the futuristic device or why “Geoffery Chaucer” should have come up. [I hate Chaucer, for the record. Not sure if that’s significant].

So, any thoughts? Does this make any sense to anyone at all?

I know a few of you have spiritual gifts to interpret dreams, so, if that’s you I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks!

5 MINUTE VIDEO: State of the Church Report [Barna] Part 2

Part 2 of our 5 Minute Video reaction to the new Barna "State of the Church 2016" Report.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: State of the Church 2016 [Barna Report] Part 1

The Barna Research Group released a report of the Church in America today [9/20/16].

Take 5 minutes and listen as Keith gives you a quick overview of that report with a few reactions and insights.

IS IT A SIN TO LOVE YOUR COUNTRY?

Is it a sin to love your country?

Maybe that's the wrong question to ask. Jesus never said the exact words, "Thou shall not love thy country", but He did say things like:

"If anyone loves mother or father, or son or daughter more than me, he is not worthy of me." - Matt. 10:37-39

So, is it a sin to love your parents? Or your children?

No, but if you love your parents - or anything else - more than you love Jesus, then you might have your priorities out of line and just perhaps, you might not actually be following the words of Jesus.

The New Testament does have a lot to say about our relationship with our country, however. More so than most Christians believe.

For example, Jesus tells us clearly to "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and give to God what is God's." Most Christians are aware of that one.

But Jesus also tells us that we cannot serve two masters, which in context was about trusting in money more than we trust in God, but the principle remains. We really cannot serve two masters.

We're also told that Jesus is our King. That means that our primary allegiance is to Him, and not to our President, or our National authority.

Yes, we're commanded to pray for our leaders [something most Christians only do if the leader happens to be representing their own political party], and we are told to submit to every authority over us, and to pay our taxes and to live quiet lives among the people. But we should keep in mind that those things were written during a time in history when the authority over them was Nero, one of the most cruel, vicious and evil men who ever lived.

If Jesus is our King, and if we are citizens of His Holy Nation [see 1 Peter 2], then our allegiance is to Christ and His Kingdom, not to the nation we were born into.

The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are Ambassadors of Christ. Peter reminds us that we are strangers and aliens in this land. The author of Hebrews reminds us that we are looking for a better country that is from above. John reminds us that the enemies of Jesus are the Kings of the Earth and the Nations of men - not just the "evil" ones, all of them - that all stand opposed to Christ's Kingdom.

So, where do we stand? Are we truly strangers and aliens? Are we actually living as Ambassadors of Christ's Kingdom? Are we looking for a better country that is from above? Are we standing with Jesus, or are we standing with the Kings and Nations of the Earth which oppose Christ's rule and reign?

Is it a sin to love your country? Maybe.

If I were you, I wouldn't take the chance.

One of the repeated warnings given to the early church was about something called "entanglement".

"No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer." - 2 Tim. 2:4

What are "civilian affairs" in this analogy? Anything that isn't pleasing to our commanding officer. How much of what takes place in the political arena would you honestly say is "pleasing" to Jesus: Slandering? Lying? Corruption? Pandering to special interest groups and lobbyists?

There's not much in the world of politics that anyone could say is "pleasing" to Jesus. In fact, I would go as far as to say that none of it is pleasing to Him. Why? Because no one in politics is seeking to please Jesus. Do any of them even give lip service to Christ? Is Jesus ever mentioned? Are they working to promote the values that He spoke of in the Sermon on the Mount?

No, they are not. And why would they? Christ's Kingdom only works when Jesus is the King. As long as men and women are attempting to rule and wield power over others, Jesus is not Lord.

The Apostle Peter also speaks about entanglement:

"If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning." - 2 Peter 2:20

If we have been set free from the "corruption of the world", then we are warned not to return again to that entanglement but to keep our hearts set on Jesus and maintain our allegiance to His Kingdom.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us," - Hebrews 12:1

Entanglement with the world is something we should be very careful to avoid. It's not only politics that we should be wary of, but politics and nationalism certainly qualify as examples of how the world works and we would be wise to avoid them as citizens of Christ's Kingdom.

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them." - 1 John 2:15

Is it a sin to love your country?

Maybe.

Especially if your love for your country leads you to believe that your nation is more special, more loved by God than other countries.

Remember, God is no respecter of persons. He so loved the world that He gave His only Son. No nation is favored over another.

In the Body of Christ, we are reminded that there is no longer any recognition of nationality, or race, or age, or sex. We are all one in Christ, Jesus, our Lord. [See Gal. 3:28]

He makes us one. He unites us. National pride divides people. Patriotism distorts our oneness.

We would do well to abandon those things and to embrace our identity as the children of God who have been called out of every nation to be formed into a new, Holy Nation, where our King stands with arms open wide to welcome people of all tribes, and tongues, and nationalities.

Is it a sin to love your country?

What do you think?

-kg

BOOK REVIEW: The Church As Movement [Ecclesial Architecture]

This review is part of a series of chapter reviews being conducted by several different bloggers over a period of weeks. My assignment was to review chapter 6 of this new book by R. Woodward and Dan White, Jr. entitled: "The Church As A Movement".

The sixth chapter covers "Ecclesial Architecture" and is primarily about community.

"The church is not a building, a weekly gathering or a program, but a people that God has called out of the world and sent back into the world to redeem and renew the world."

That's a great place to start from, isn't it?

Honestly, as I was reading over the book it kept reminding of another book called "Natural Church Development"by Christian Schwarz from way back in 1996. At the time, that book was the go-to book with stats and charts and research-based insights about how people learn, and how community is formed, and what makes a healthy church tick.

To me, this book is it's spiritual successor, and in that sense it is a vast improvement.

In many ways, the chapter I read on community was a breath of fresh air. It focused on the 3 C's - Communion, Community and Co-Mission without resorting too much to rigid programming.

I especially appreciated this:

"It is nearly impossible to decide on our mission from a sterile classroom. In order to generate momentum, we need to learn the neighborhood or network we are sent to and experiment in co-mission activities regularly. Inviting people to hang out at social events is fine. However, we should also hold events that engage in social justice through serving in a tangible way. Or we could bring art and beauty to those we are sent to."

The appeal to practical orthopraxy rather than theoretical orthodoxy was, for me, a welcome shift from the usual "Church Growth Movement" fare.

Most of what I read in this chapter I agree with, in theory. I didn't run across very much to disagree with, but if I'm honest this isn't the sort of book I would see myself using. Maybe because I'm already 10 years into my own church experience, and maybe because I'm not someone who typically refers to a textbook for step-by-step instructions, no matter how solid those instructions might be.

However, just because I wouldn't use the book, that doesn't mean that someone who is looking for good advice about how to facilitate and nurture a new church venture shouldn't give it a look.

There is a lot to like here.

If there's a problem it's probably coming more from me than from anything else. I'm wired differently than most. I tend to shy away from "How To" books by trained experts who have a proven methodology, especially if it's about the church.

Here's why: To me, the growth of the church isn't really our job. My perspective is that Jesus is the Head of the Church. He puts the members of the Body together just as He wants them to be [see 1 Cor. 12] and He has already said that He would build His church [see Matt. 16:18].

So, anytime I read a book that attempts to teach leaders and pastors how to step in and drive that process, it makes something inside me bristle.

Now, I do agree that it's a good idea for people to be aware of what's necessary for a church to thrive and what forces and practices tend to stagnate the life of the Body and the health of the community. But beyond awareness and advice and guidelines, I'm typically uncomfortable with strategies and programs that place the responsibility on leaders who are expected to manage these processes.

To me, these are organic and natural developments that we can provide the right conditions for, like a farmer who plows the hard ground, drops seed into the furrows and adds water and nutrients, but the growth itself - the actual movement towards life and health and eventual fruit-bearing - is totally outside our control.

As I read this book I kept picturing a young church-planter scribbling notes, drawing charts, creating job descriptions and writing out strategies to align with these ideas, and if that's the intended result, I'm not on board. 

To me, the process is much simpler - much less complicated and intensive - than this book might suggest.

To be fair, one might ask me how large my church family has grown over the last ten years, and how many other churches we've planted, and how many disciples we've made, and how many new converts we've baptized. Those numbers would probably not impress the kind of person who would find this book most useful, and so I do take that into account.

Our approach has been to simply focus on Jesus and to be disciples who disciple one-another and learn how to love God and be loved by Him - and how to love one another and to receive love from one another.

Over the years, we have certainly seen other churches form, and we have seen people come to know Christ, and we have baptized a few, and we have served and ministered to many others. But the stats and the numbers probably wouldn't make the evening news. Again, that's not what we're shooting for, either.

But if you're a new church-planter, and if you're looking for a well-researched book with great advice and helpful insights that could help you along the path, this is worth a look.

-kg

VIDEO CLIP:

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Crucify Your Tribalism

I overheard a conversation on the train the other day. One guy was from ST. Louis. The other guy from California started going on about how great it was that the Rams were back in LA. The St. Louis guy shared how he now hates the team but used to love them. The LA guy hated them for leaving but now can't buy enough jerseys and hats for his entire family.

This sort of arbitrary tribalism is so stupid and petty. We "love" a team because now they are "Our Team", even though a year from now they could become another team somewhere else.

What is it about "our team" we love? The coach? The players? The logo? The mascot?

What we love is simply this: We find part of our identity in that brand and we attach emotionally and we defend the "honor" of that brand even though it has nothing to do with "us" in reality.

People do it with sports teams...[that's partially where we learn this behavior at an early age, in school for example]....and they do it with their State, and their Nation, and yes, even their faith.

But Jesus proclaimed that "God so loved the World"...not just the Jews. Peter had to learn that God wanted to embrace the Gentiles, and that was a huge paradigm shift for him, and for other Jewish Christians.

Paul had to remind the Christians in Galatia that "we are all one in Christ Jesus" and that in the Body of Christ we no longer recognize class [rich/poor], sexism [male/female], nationalism [jew/gentile], or any of those other man-made divisions.

The Gospel is for everyone. God loves everyone.

Tribalism is childish, foolish, divisive and anti-Christ.

Jesus does not command you to love your nation. He commands you to love your neighbor, the poor, the outcast, and yes, even your enemy.

Do that and forget about your nationalism.

-kg

5 MINUTE VIDEO: What About The Kids?

The number one question everyone asks about Organic Church is simply this: "What do we do with the kids?"

Take 5 minutes and listen as Keith responds to this question and offers a few ideas from his experience over the last 10 years.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Practical "How To" Tips For Organic Church

What is the format for an organic church? How do you start? What do you do next? Are there any "How To" steps to follow?

Take 5 minutes and listen as Keith Giles provides a very simple, practical description of what happens when his house church family comes together.

He also shares some ideas that your house church group, or small group, can try together if you're interested in experiencing more of Jesus in your gatherings.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: "When You Come Together" - Organic Church Practices

So, what happens when the ekklesia comes together to realize Jesus as the Head of the Body? 

How do you do it? What does it look like? 

Take 5 minutes and listen as Keith Giles explains practically what organic church gatherings look like when they work together to see and hear Jesus. 

BACK TO CENTER

Ten years ago my family and I made a conscious decision to step away from the traditional church model in favor of a more organic form of church.

Instead of pastor-centric gatherings, we wanted everyone in the Body of Christ to use their spiritual gifts to build up one another.

Instead of a programmatic order of service, we wanted to embrace the freedom we all have in Christ to be led by the Holy Spirit.

Maybe you've been there?

Here's what I've noticed: Some groups tend to swing too far in one direction and miss the point entirely.

For example: You say your group doesn't want to be pastor-led, but does that mean you should have total chaos instead? Is that really what we see in the New Testament ekklesia?

Hardly.

In fact, Paul even makes a point to say "For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace", and he does so in the very same chapter that many organic churches look to find their model. [See 1 Cor. 14:33]

Here's the real problem: The ekklesia isn't about liturgy or a lack of liturgy. It isn't about structures we choose or the celebration of our freedom in the gathering.

The ekklesia is about Jesus.

If you miss that, you've missed the entire point.

So, let me ask you: How does your gathering place Jesus at the center?

Better yet: Imagine what would happen if Jesus physically appeared to everyone in your church gathering. How different would that gathering be compared to the way your meetings currently look?

Now, let me remind you of something: Jesus IS in your midst every single time you gather together in His name.

If you could see Jesus with your eyes and hear Him with your ears, your meeting would probably look different, I'm guessing.

But since you know, by faith, that Jesus IS in your meeting, what can you do to see Him and hear Him better?

The answer to that question is exactly what your organic church should be working on together - every time you meet.

Here are some ideas to get you started:
*Sit silently together with your heads bowed and your eyes closed
*Wait on Jesus to reveal Himself to you
*Only speak to Jesus, not to one another
*Sing spontaneous songs of worship to Him
*Thank Him for His goodness
*Praise Him for His majesty
*Read specific scriptures out loud that speak of His wonder, and power and love [See Col. 1:15-22; Romans 8:31-39; Rev. 5; Heb. 1:1-13; Eph.3:14-21, etc.]
*Continually work together to keep Jesus the center of your attention for as long as you can

More and more, your organic church can begin to experience the presence of Jesus in your meetings if you will collaborate together in this way to realize His authority over each of you, and to submit completely to His leadership.

If you try this, please share your experiences in the comments below or send me an email to let me know how it goes!

I can't wait to hear how the Lord Jesus reveals Himself to your church family.

Peace,
Keith

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Organic Church 101

Take 5 minutes to listen as Keith Giles describes what the ideal Organic Church meeting should be like, and why it often fails.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Discipleship [Part 5] "Spiritual Gifts & Love"

Got 5 minutes? Listen as Keith explains why Paul always pairs love with spiritual gifts and why so many organic churches struggle to realize the presence of Jesus when they come together.

5 MINUTE VIDEO: Discipleship [Part 4] "Spiritual Gifts"

Continuing our 5 Minute Video series discussion about Discipleship, we now move on to how spiritual gifts help to facilitate the process of mutual discipleship in the Body of Christ. 

Take 5 minutes and listen as Keith explains the importance of knowing your spiritual gift and how it impacts the rest of the Church.