Tag: Apostles

Changing the Mindset of our Churches

Changing the Mindset of our Churches

By Fr Abraham Fam

Originally seen at goCoptic blog (October 30, 2019)

Have you ever heard that change is good? Change is not something we should shrink away from. Change is progress. 

It is important to note that we are not changing the Faith, but progressing towards Mission as a way of life. We would actually change back to the original mindset. The Mind of Christ. The Mind of the Early Church was Mission and Evangelism. It is the Orthodox Way.

The goal is to have the Mind of Christ and the Mind of the Early Apostolic Church so the Mind of Evangelism can flourish in our Churches today.

We are not used to it because our mindset over the years, due to persecution, was more preserving the Faith. Or trying to adjust to immigration in a new county.

We are in a different stage now and it is time to go back to our original mindset. It will take great patience and humility for the Church to get back again.

Below are points on how we can reach the original mindset again:

  1. We need the Mind of Christ.

Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus 

Philippians 2:2-5

It is our aim and goal to have the Mind of Christ. The way He thought and the way He served and moved. This is the way we should go towards. 

The Mind of Christ is not merely having programs but loving others better than myself. Loving the unlovable, unbeliever and the lost sheep.

Sometimes in this movement towards Bold Evangelism and Preserving Faith and Adapting to Culture, we have a stubborn mind that is not Christ’s mind. 

We need to be students again of the Mind of Christ and the way He wants it. 

What are some of the characteristics of the Mind of Christ so that we can attain it?

Spiritually Minded

I must care about spiritually minded things and not have a carnal mind. (Romans 8:5-6). A carnal or earthly mind filled with selfish desires is death to evangelism and reaching out to all people. The spiritual mind cares about the salvation of others.

The problem is not having evangelism programs in my Church but not having a spiritual mind.

Humble Mind not Double Mind

Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

Romans 12:16

Today we hear a lot of opinions and we are set in our own ways. Are we open to listen and discuss? There are so many visions and opinions and not much humility.

Early on in my priesthood, I was very stubborn and shut down other ideas. I have since learned a valuable lesson in humility.

Like-minded

There are many verses in the Bible and the Early Apostolic Church that shows a focus for being like-minded and one minded (Romans 15:5, 1 Corinthians 1:10, 2 Corinthians 3:11, Philippians 1:27).

Like-minded means that there are no divisions among us. Yes, we will have disagreements and we will be different than each other but we have to work towards being one in our Churches. 

It is ok to meet and pray and discuss ideas of how to make the Church grow and for the church to have the Mindset of Christ and Mindset for Evangelism.

We can’t look down at someone who didn’t experience what I experienced. For example, I have been in Africa for over 12 years and have some mission and evangelism experiences. I can’t come back to the States and judge everyone for not having the same focus.

No matter where we are in the Church and what we believe, never lose the unity and being of ONE mind. It is a process and we will get there as a Church. Let’s be patient during the process but let’s move one step.

Pray to Renew your Mind

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:2

This should be our prayer to get to the Mind of Christ. God renew my mind. Let Your will be done in my life and in our Church.

Don’t let us be like the world and conform to it, but help be part of saving it. 

Before you are set in stone with something, let’s pray for God to renew our mind and soften it.

2. Mind of the Early Church continued to have the Mind of Christ

If you read the Book of Acts, you will see the great love and unity the Early Church had for each other. Because of that, many were being saved daily (Acts 2:42-47).

The Faith was not just statement in the Creed that was recited. It was the way they lived because of what they believed. 

I think that is the biggest change we need to ask God to renew in our mind and our heart.

May we have the Mind of the First Church. We need to return to it.

3. Mind of Evangelism Today

Here is the hard part that I have seen in the Church today. We all have so many different ideas, cultures, beliefs, personalities, and baggage. All of it comes together at once and we become hard-headed on what we think should be done.

It is hard to find 7 people to agree together on any given topic. If we can’t be like-minded and have one mind, how are we going to reach out to even more different ideas, cultures, beliefs, races, personalities, and baggage? 

We have to prepare ourselves and our churches for what God is getting ready to do. The harvest is ready (John 4:35) so GO!

As Orthodox Christians, however, many of us fall into a stubborn way of protecting the faith. Some would say that you should be like St. Athanasius and St. Basil so the faith doesn’t get watered down.

But don’t stop having the Mind of Christ while you do that. Let us be firm to protect our faith in a godly, humble way.

Let us listen and discuss and keep the forum open so we can grow our Churches in the mission area God has given us. 

Main goal of this talk is to have the Mindset of Evangelism we will need for all to reach towards the Mind of Christ and the Apostles. 

Let us work together without bullying each other or judging each other or hurting each other.

Imagine what the Church would look like in 5o years in North America and the rest of the world if we have the Mind of Christ, Mind of Apostles, and the Mind of Evangelism. 

Will our children and their children still be in the Church?

We need to pray to change the mindset. 

We are on the same team. Let us work together in to reach out. Let us look back to go forward. 

See more at the BOLD Evangelism Conference

Fr Abraham and Dalia Fam (2019). goCoptic. Changing the Mindset of our Churches by Fr Abraham Fam. Original post- https://gocoptic.org/changing-the-mindset-of-our-churches/

Celebration of Service

Celebration of Service

Adapted from a sermon by Michael Iskander

Nowadays, we put so much effort into our jobs, our social life, our hobbies, our everyday mundane tasks. These may provide us with some sort of fulfilment or joy temporarily, however, once we have achieved that goal, that friendship, received that new promotion, we are constantly faced with the same question.

What next?

What do we do now, what is there to do, what else can give me a sense of fulfilment. This too can be said when it comes to death. We may grow old and pass away, but then what next? What happens afterwards?

The feast of the apostles has just passed, a day full of celebration and joy. But what exactly is being celebrated? This is the day we commemorate the martyrdom of St. Peter and St. Paul. Yet within the Church we sing joyful praises, there is a lively and jubilant aroma that fills the Church. Usually we associate death with mourning and despair. However, as Christians, we should in fact join the Church in these celebrations, since we know that due to Christ’s blood, we have so much more once we pass away.

We also celebrate this day as the apostles are the spreaders of the Gospel. They have seen Christ’s teachings and continued to preach them to both Jews and Gentiles to allow for our Church to still be standing today, and hence we celebrate them. Similarly, we also bear the same responsibility as them to ensure that we keep true to the doctrine of the Church to ensure Her longevity till His Second Coming.

Therefore, since we celebrate the apostles, we must also aim to serve they did to others. We are not only called to serve Christ, but to serve others also. We read in Matthew 25 that,

“Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Matthew 25:40

Thus, in order to truly serve Christ, we must first serve those of the world, just as the apostles whom we celebrate, spreading the good news that is Christ. If we truly desire genuine fulfilment in our everyday lives, service is the only answer.

The Gift of Service

The Gift of Service

Adapted from a sermon by Fr David Shehata

Passage: Luke 10:1-20

On the day of the Apostles Feast, we commemorate the martyrdom of St Peter and St Paul. When we commemorate the death of any of the seventy apostles, we read the passage in the gospel of Luke that recounts Christ sending out the Apostles to preach.

This is a good reminder of Christ’s expectations when we come to serve Him. There are several different things He went through that give us a glimpse into the mind of Christ.

  1. [He] sent them two by two before His face into every city…. Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals (Luke 10:2).

The first thing He did was sending them two by two. You would think a new movement that you would want to bring a lot of attention to and if you had seventy people, it would be most profitable to send the seventy out to seventy different places. Economically, it makes more sense than sending them two by two and only reaching thirty-five places. Our Lord’s mindset differs from our own in this sense.

Can you imagine a new business starting and your boss tells you not to take anything with you, no resources, no money, no sense of stability? You would be left feeling that you have nowhere to start and nothing to do. Logically, this is an inefficient business model, but this is what our Lord insists on. On their return, the Lord asks His disciples if they missed anything. Were you short of anything; did you lack anything? So we see that there is power in sending out two. Having another person with them eliminated the need for resources.

When you serve two by two, you are forced to rely on someone else. Christ gave them the ability to heal, to cast out demons, all in His Name. If they could do all these alone, they would feel self-sufficient and could easily fall into pride. By making them go out in twos, He allowed them to experience humility. When you have another person with you, you can depend on your brother or sister in the service. If I want to know if my service is pleasing to God and is for the sake of God, I cannot be serving alone. If I am stopping people from being involved in my service, then this is not for the sake of Christ, but is becoming for my own vain glory.

Serving in twos allows us to experience humility. When they went out in twos and a person was healed, each would presume it was through the holiness of his brother, and not his own. This humility is key in service. When I serve God in any capacity, I must be humble. This is key to the heart of God and the key to the success of service. In any relationship or marriage, the key is in humility. One person cannot impose their thoughts and beliefs upon their spouse, but in humility, they look to the desires of their spouse over their own. The Lord blesses us a relationship that has foundations of humility and servitude.

  • But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’

Before service, tell the people that the peace of the Lord is with them before all else. In the service, Christ is looking for peacemakers. A good point of self-reflection – Is my service producing peace? If my objective is to serve someone, I need to be a peacemaker. By God’s criteria, service must involve peace and unity. The Holy Spirit cannot work in a divided environment, but thrives on unity and love.

  • greet no one along the road (Luke 10:4)

The concept behind this instruction is to always remain focused and steadfast on the task at hand. In the Old Testament, Elisha sent his disciple with the power of raising the dead, but he also says, “Get yourself ready, and take my staff in your hand, and be on your way. If you meet anyone, do not greet him; and if anyone greets you, do not answer him; but lay my staff on the face of the child” (2 Kings 4:29).

Am I focused on my service, or is it an afterthought in my mind? Do I actively pursue service or do I serve only when I have time? Where does my service sit on my list of priorities? The truth is in the result. By worldly standards, the apostles appeared hindered in the service. They had no resources with them, they were limited in their reach because they were sent in twos. Despite this, “the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name”” (Luke 10:17). They did miracles and the miracles that the Lord allowed them to perform were greater than even He performed while on earth. We don’t hear of the shadow of the Lord healing the sick, yet this is attributed to St Peter.

Imagine the feeling of St Peter as he walked past someone and his shadow healed the sick. It would be impossible for him to think he was responsible for this. It was clear that the power of God was bestowed upon him. It would be difficult not to be joyful when seeing the hand of God working within us. And so comes the warning of the Lord;

  • “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:19-20).

The reason for our joy and servitude is because our names are written in heaven. We partake of the Body and Blood of Christ, we find our joy in that, and not in the works that Christ stirs within us. Christ constantly shifts our focus from the earthly to the eternal. Even to the paralytic man, Christ says, “your sins are forgiven you” before He says, “rise take up your bed and go to your house” (Matthew 9:1-6). This is for us to keep things into perspective, to value the forgiveness of sins over the healing of bodily disease.

Who did I serve? The people in front of me that I can see, or the Lord in heaven that I can’t see? This then influences on where I seek my rewards. Do I know that my name is written in the book of eternity, or do I despair because I am not thanked by the people I served? The Lord tells His disciples, and us, that yes, we will be successful in our service, but we rejoice in eternity and not success on earth.

The Greek Orthodox church celebrates the feast date of St Euphemia yesterday (the day before the feast of the Apostles). St Euphemia was a third century saint that endured much persecution. St Paisos was a modern day saint that once called upon St Euphemia and asked her about her persecution. She responded, “Father, if I knew back then what eternity looked like and heavenly beauty that the souls that are close to Christ enjoy, I would have requested that it lasted forever. Nothing in this world, no eye has seen, how amazing the gifts of God’s grace is.”

 When we reflect upon service, do I wait to be asked, or do I actively seek out service? From the moment we are baptised, we are called to service. We are called to jump every hurdle and obstacle that gets in the way of my service to the Lord. Service is to my benefit, when we are with the Lord, His grace is bestowed upon us.

He is Useful to Me for Ministry

He is Useful to Me for Ministry

by Fr Anthony St Shenouda

When we speak of the apostles we generally speak of their achievements and successes. This is often not the full story. St Mark, who was a young man, had his fair share of failures at the beginning of his ministry. In the gospel of Mark he tells us how he escaped the scene of Jesus’ crucifixion naked (Mark 14:50-52). As well as this, in the book of Acts we are told that Mark refused to go with the apostles because he seemed to have been homesick and preferred to return to his mum in Jerusalem. We know that this angered St Paul and made him refuse to take Mark with him to serve, in turn affecting St Mark’s reputation.

The incidences at the beginning of St Mark’s ministry affected his reputation within the church. St Paul had to send special instructions for the church to receive St Mark, recommending Mark for the service. St Paul stated “Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions – if he comes to you, receive him” (Col. 4:10) saving St Mark’s reputation in the church from going down the drain.

A lot of us may fall into this sort of situation at some point in our lives. A situation where we have made mistakes in the past and gotten a reputation for being lousy servants. This is a hurtful situation to be in, gaining a bad reputation from a single past experience. Despite the hurt, St Mark didn’t let this affect him. He became motivated to serve and his motivation never died out notwithstanding his personal weaknesses and external pressures. St Mark got back into service through a mentor, his cousin, Barnabas. He was a mentor who believed in him and his motivation for service, a mentor who saw past all his weaknesses and the opinions of men and brought him back into the service.

A few years later, after overcoming his weakness, we hear of St Mark’s  many amazing achievements! He preached the gospel to Alexandria, Egypt and his account of the life of Jesus became the venerated second gospel. Above all this, the greatest achievement of all was that he was finally martyred in the name of Christ.

So if you may have stopped serving for any reason, or if something has happened in the past or something is still happening, like a clash with a well-respected servant like St Paul and St Mark, know that it is not the end of your story. There are many different areas in service where you can thrive and one day this well respected servant will say (about you) “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).