Action Verbs
From the Series—Chapter Two
June 6, 2007I usually preach on verses of the Bible. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever preached on the title of a book of the Bible. So this may be the shortest Scripture reading ever. Right at the top, right above Acts 1:1, you’ll see our Scripture reading. Are you ready?
Acts.
The title says it all doesn’t it? Acts. This is so simple it’s almost embarrassing, but Acts isn’t titled Ideas or Theories or Reflections. It’s titled Acts.
If you go to Blockbuster, there are different sections based on movie genres. You’ve got your comedies and dramas. You’ve got romance and animation. And, of course, you’ve got one of my favorites: action and adventure.
In the same sense, the Bible has different genres. You’ve got your history and poetry. You’ve got some comedy and tragedy. And you’ve got Action and Adventure.
Acts is Action and Adventure.
Action Verbs
Here’s the big idea: Christianity is not a noun. Christianity is a verb. More specifically, it is an action verb!
I’m no English teacher. I didn’t really like grammar that much. But an action verb is a verb that shows action. And here is what is interesting to me. An action verb is always found in the predicate of the sentence! I think our actions are predicates. We want God to move without having to take any action, but it doesn’t work that way! If you don’t act nothing is going to happen!
I’m not sure how to say this. But all of us are called to be actors. Not the Hollywood version. The Acts version.
A few weeks ago I was in Atlanta, Georgia for the Q Conference. And it was one of the most inspiring conferences I’ve been to. Each presenter was an actor that is making a difference.
I think of Jon Passavant. Jon is actually a PK. I spoke at his dad’s church in Pittsburg a few months ago. Most of you don’t know Jon, but you’ve probably seen his face on the cover of a magazine. Jon is a model. More importantly, he is an actor. A year ago, Jon took a group of models down to New Orleans to be part of The Model Home Project. They built a home with Habitat for Humanity.
I think of Blake Mycoskie who started Toms Shoes. I actually own a pair of his shoes. And the cool thing is that for every pair of shoes they sell they give a pair to a child without shoes. They’ve given away more than 10,000 shoes to Argentinean children. Blake is an actor.
And I think of a church in the Bahamas that is “tending the garden” by taking care of the beaches in the Bahamas. They are preserving and protecting part of God’s creation. I want to go on a mission trip to help them take care of those beaches!
All of them are actors! They are doing something to make a difference!
Here’s what I’m trying to say: I think all of us could use a little less conversation and a little more action. You know what I’m saying? Elvis said it better than I can say it. But we need a little more bite and a little less bark; a little less fight and a little more spark; close your mouth and open up your heart and satisfy me. I think some of us want to hear God say, “Well said, good and faithful servant.” Or we want to hear Him say, “Well thought, good and faithful servant.” But He’s not going to say either of those things. He’s going to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Our words and thoughts must be translated to action. Faith without works is dead.
A Kick in the Butt
I just don’t think we need more education. We’re educated beyond our level of obedience. I don’t think we need more resources. I don’t think we need more time. I don’t think we need more plans. What we really need is more action!
Heb 10:24 says,
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
I’ve studied the Greek here and I think the best translation of “spur one another on” is actually: kick each other in the butt.
Not really. But you’ll remember that better!
I just want to shoot straight. I don’t need more ideas. I don’t need more money. I don’t need more theories. I don’t need more statistics. I don’t need more reasons. I just need someone to kick me on the back of my lap! And I need someone to spur me on.
I got an email from an NCCer last week that spurred me on. Let me share part of her story. It’s worth the read.
Growing up in small town in Florida, with two wealthy and healthy parents, I never faced any real challenges. Sure there were occasional roadblocks to my contented life, like the time I wasn’t elected as President to the National Honor Society, or when I was wait-listed at Harvard. But, as my friend told me, these were "problems of the rich." In college, I decided to study abroad in Russia and this is where my faith was truly awakened. When I got to Russia I started volunteering at an orphanage and after school facility. I then worked at a drop-in-center for street children, where most of the kids were addicted to drugs and alcohol, had unsafe and/or forced sex, and many had STDs (including HIV). I remember clearly one afternoon when one of the girls came in and began having a seizure. As I held her shaking body, I noticed that the other kids weren’t scared or confused. Recounting this story to my parents, who are both physicians, they begged me not to return, afraid that I was in danger of contracting some disease. Later, I went to India to work with women and children who were trafficked into sex slavery. Most of these women were Nepalese and ended up "working" as forced prostitutes in India’s infamous red light districts. Their children were literally born into brothels, and knew nothing of life except violence, rape, and hunger. Although I wasn’t able to rescue the women from their situation, I was able to offer hope and empowerment for the survivors and children. I led dance therapy sessions, helping to reconnect the survivors to their bodies and allowing them to see themselves as beautiful creations of God.
The area we were working in was devastatingly poor, malaria-infested, and as an anti-trafficking activist I was in danger from the traffickers and brothel owners. So again, my parents pleaded with me to leave. But I couldn’t stay away.
I could see God in each of their bloodshot, traumatized, beautiful eyes, begging me to touch, to comfort, to hug, and ultimately to love them. If Christians believe that God is in every person, why don’t we act like that? Why do we turn our eyes from the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the prostitutes? Although prayer is necessary and helps bring comfort, it’s not enough to truly alleviate suffering. God didn’t send His Son to pray for us, but rather to act for us. Jesus transformed God’s message into action, and as Christians it should be our mission to devote our lives to similar action.
The only thing that upsets me more than downright evil acts are people who allow injustice to happen with their inaction. Apathy is frustrating, but action is inspiring. And contagious. A person once asked if seeing the horrible suffering of people around the world makes me doubt my faith in God. For a second it does, but then I see humility and kindness in the acts of others. We pray that God is in all our thoughts, words and acts, but I always stress the last one.
And I love how she signed off:
Have an act-full day!
What an actor! That’s an action verb!
We’ve got some amazing action verbs at NCC. In fact, we have twenty-two verbs in Kenya right now on a mission trip. You can track all the action and adventure on their blog—theaterchurch.com/missions/Kenya. As I read their blog entries it felt like I was reading out of the book of Acts! And in a sense, we are called to write Acts 29!
Here is the Acts dream: imagine a church where everyone is an action verb. Imagine the kind of impact we could have. We could turn our city upside-down for Christ.
Church Museums
A few weeks ago, Lora and I were in Rome celebrating our fifteenth anniversary. And one of the highlights was going to see Saint Peter’s Basilica. It is the largest church in the world—it covers 5.7 acres! And part of what makes it so amazing is that it was built in the 16<sup>th</sup> century. It took 120 years to build. It has to be the most impressive and most beautiful church I’ve ever seen. The frescoes and sculptures and stained glass and dome are awe-inspiring. But I have to be honest. I didn’t really feel anything spiritual when I was there. Honestly, it felt more like a museum than a church. I don’t want to be judgmental, but it is so easy for something to become institutionalized. Without the Spirit of God, we’re all form and no function.
Listen, we need a sense of history. Winston Churchill said, “The farther backward you look the further forward you are likely to see.” That is what this series is about. We’re looking back all the way back to Acts 2.
But I never want NCC to become a museum to what God has done in the past. One of the things I love about being a multi-site church is that we’re always looking for the next opportunity. And we’ve got one right around the corner. In September, we’ll launch our fourth location. We’re looking at a couple movie theaters and a night club. And we’re not 100% sure where we’ll end up. But the adrenaline is pumping.
In a few weeks we’ll give every NCCer an opportunity to become part of the launch team. We’ll ask every NCCer to pray about where God wants them. And we want you to commit to the launch or redouble your commitment to whatever location you attend.
One Day’s Pay
I love the way Chapter Two ends.
They sold their possessions and share the proceeds with those in need.
Maybe that is the true test of revival? Generosity!
A few years ago we did an Acts Experiment where we challenged people to sell something and give the money to missions. It was one of the most memorable gifts Lora and I have ever given.
We want to do another Acts Experiment this week.
We want to challenge every NCCer to give One Day’s Pay toward the launch of our next location. It’s pretty simple. Sit down with a calculator and do some math. Take your yearly salary and divide it by 261—that is 365 days minus the weekends. If you make $30,000, one day’s pay is $114.94.
Do the math. Then write a check designated for the launch. And I want to challenge you not to think about it, but rather to act on it.
And don’t underestimate the power of one check!
I’ll never forget a check we received in November of 2001.
We had just signed a contract on 201 F Street, NE. And we needed to come up with 10% for the down payment. We needed a $32,500 deposit or the contract would be null and void. We scraped together as much as we could and it totaled $25,000. We had a lot less people and a lot less money back then. And we had no idea how we could come up with the remaining $7500. So we prayed. And the day before the deposit was due, we got two random checks in the mail. We weren’t expecting them and the people who sent them had no idea we needed them. The checks totaled exactly $7500.
I honestly don’t think that the people who wrote those checks know what a difference they made. But if it weren’t for those checks, our dream of building a coffeehouse on Capitol Hill may have died.
You never know what a difference a check can make. I think of every launch as an IPO—an initial public offering. And we want every NCCer to be a shareholder in the vision. So here’s the challenge: give one day’s pay!