The Foundation

No ministry objective, plan or strategy should be implemented before the vision (as a seed) is planted in a strong Christ centered foundation (the soil). To comprehend the critical nature of first setting a solid ministry foundation, one must visualize monuments being built upon a foundation that is not Christ. Regardless of how high, strong, fantastic, productive and alluring the monuments are, if the foundation is not solid and firm, the monuments WILL crumble and fall when shaken. “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.” Luke 6:46-49  

Many times, even with Godly intentions, when our ministry monuments rise higher and higher, we seek to look up as we rise with our structures. In the process of looking up, we lose sight of the foundation (who is Christ) in whom all things hold together. In essence, our ministry monuments become our idols as we rely on the effectiveness and efficiency of Man rather than the desperate reliance on God who is the source and power of the growth. Even with the knowledge of the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our spiritual walk and ministry objectives, we must face the detrimental reality that although the foundation that we stand on is often Christ inspired, but not Christ built. Christ is our foundation. We have placed “other” foundations over the foundation of Christ. 

Christ as the foundation:
1. Personal walk
2. In a ministry

“According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 

Paul was an architect of our faith. We must also be architects building on top of this foundation which is Christ. This foundation is more than just merely ethics, codes and culture. Rather, through a process of Christification, we “absorb” Jesus and not merely agree with doctrine. 

If Jesus is the foundation, what does that mean for our lives and for our ministry objectives? –IT ALL COMES BACK TO THE “IDENTITY” OF CHRIST. WHO IS HE? “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” Colossians 1:15-20

The entire Christian walk serves to answer, WHO IS HE? I do not merely mean Lord, redeemer, savior, messiah and the other adjectives that proclaim Him, but rather, this question is one that digs so deep into His power that consumes and fuels our Christian walk. We will not grasp the incomprehensibility of who He is in His everlasting glory until we each stand before Him. 

In laying the foundation, what would happen if we cultivate a fascination with Jesus that precedes ethics or dogma? Colossians 1:24-2:5 – What is Paul doing here?

• Lays the foundation of understanding of discipleship 
• Establishing “identity” in Christ
• “Apostolic” ministry

The most important ministry objective question is: Ask, DO WE PROCLAIM HIM?

Unimaginable Love Behind the Incomprehensible Grace

Love. Grace. Two concepts that serve as the foundation of our faith. Grace extends from deep love. The understanding of grace can not be comprehended without the knowledge of love. And that was my spiritual epiphany moment! It may sound logical, but a deeper examination and how it relates to freeing Muslim's to Christ, reveals a profound understanding of the barriers to the Muslim heart.

Until recently, I approached grace as the biggest obstacle for a Muslim person to accept Christ as Savior. Grace is an incomprehensible notion for a Muslim, but why? I looked at ever angle, but failed to see the most obvious reason that truly encompasses why God saved us back to Him from the pangs and death of sin - Love. God is love. 

For the longest time, I was fixated on the issue of rejection. I walked with the understanding that grace was incomprehensible for a Muslim heart because of a deep rooted rejection they carry which is passed down through generations within religion, culture, identity and worldview. The rejection of Ishmael over Isaac. The rejection of Mohammad from Medina. And even today by the modern rejection of a post September 11th society that points its fingers at Muslims as our enemies. 

I failed to see the deeper, more powerful, and ultimately, the more heartbreaking reason: The Unimaginable Love. A love from an Almighty God that passionately loves His creation enough to sacrifice His own son so that none shall perish, but have eternal life. This is a love unimaginable. I now understand that when God unites me with my future husband, I will know, feel and act upon a love that comes from my love for the Lord. His love spills over as an outpouring into my union with a man. How does this relate to Muslims coming to know Christ? It is not merely because of rejection that a Muslim person can not spiritually grasp grace, but because of their inability to comprehend true Godly love. Worldly love, especially within the union of a man and women lacks the nourishment provided by living in the center of God's love.

I have seen love in the Muslim context. I can say this because I lived it and felt it. I witnessed it within the dynamics of my Muslim family and home. It truly is a love that I sometimes do not even see within Christian families and communities that I have engaged in. Really. However, this type of love is one that is in the confines of the flesh and human understanding. You see, the abounding love that Christians are given a glimpse of is a reflection of an extraordinary bigger, unimaginable, unsearchable and immeasurable love that shines down from the creator of the universe. If the love that brings me down to my knees in tears and submission is merely a ray of light that shines down on me, then I can not fathom the entirety of that love in its fullness. Maybe that is why we must die in our fleshly states before we can come fully face to face with the glory of this love in the Kingdom of God. This is the unimaginable love that I am talking about. This is the unimaginable love that we are lavished with as children of God when we give our lives to Jesus. This is the unimaginable love being held captive from the Muslim heart, therefore, making it incomprehensible to spiritually grasp grace.

A Muslim person will not truly grasp grace when they are first saved. Grace is revealed through the process of transformation. They will understand sin and separation from God. They will understand salvation and the need to reconcile with God. However, it will only be through the process of transformation with the power of the Holy Spirit and the experience of a Godly love through a personal relationship with Jesus and through the fellowship of the Body of Christ and community, that a new Muslim believer will finally be given a spiritual revelation and comprehension of grace. I truly grasped grace only a few months ago. 

It is not only about understanding grace, but growing into the knowledge of the VALUE of grace - What that grace COST. I have to be honest, most Christians today want and accept the grace of God without a true conviction of the value of grace. We live in a society where we know the price or cost of everything, but the value of nothing.  If we truly understood the value of grace given freely through the ultimate sacrifice, Christians would be responding to this spectacular grace through the act of obedience to our Christian obligations. Truly understanding the value of grace brings forth a natural spiritual outpouring of listening and doing. 

Here is another thought. It blows my mind that although Muslims can not grasp with their hearts the true understanding of Grace because of their inability to embrace an intimate Godly love through a personal relationship with God, how is it that many Muslims are able to "act out" this love more than Christians.....?? Let me explain. In America, our idea of love thy neighbour or reflecting God's love by helping someone in need is usually equated to the notion of "giving" and not "doing." We love to "give" people things they lack or need, but how often do we in Christian communities actually go into the homes to spend time and reflect the love of Christ through the intentionality of spending relational time with those who need us? We are willing to give our money and things, but not our time.

Jesus spent time with people. Jesus walked, ate and spent time with His disciples. We have weakened relationships and time out of discipleship and made it into a program. 

How is it that Muslims who are separated by the love of the Almighty loving God act more appropriately on this love? Muslims understand the value and power of spending time together in relationships. It is central to their faith, culture, communities and families... and even survival. This is another example that proves my belief that when a Muslim person comes to know the Lord, they become a passionate and powerful embodiment of a true follower of Christ. Hospitality, loyalty, brotherhood, family, community, service etc are already natural attributes of their identity and who they are, an outpouring from the inside out. Whereas, for many Western believers, they are not natural attributes, but rather expected attachments to their faith. 

Things to ponder.......