Westside Elders Blog

"Steve Jobs, Vision and Westside"

Submitted by Dick Papworth, October 5, 2011

The world has lost a creative genius. Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, died today.

He was a rare visionary because he looked into the future and thought of helpful technologies that didn’t even exist – not even in the wildest dreams of less visionary types. The iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad were brand-new ideas that emerged from his big vision.

So what does this have to do with Westside Bible Fellowship?

A lot, actually.

Last Sunday the elders introduced a new vision statement that encapsulates what we want to become as a church. It says that we want every person and every ministry team to focus on:

"Seeking to preach the Gospel and become true worshipers of God in all areas of life."

In a real sense, there’s nothing especially original or visionary about these 16 simple words. They’ve been on God’s heart and explained in the Bible for a long time.

What is visionary is the extent to which the elders want to see these values impact Westside. We want the Lord to do such a deep work in our church that every single believer will personally value the Gospel, preach it to others and passionately love and worship the Lord in all that they do.

“Every” believer includes all – even those who have never given serious thought to experiencing personal revival in these areas of their walk with God. It includes those who are pessimistic about the prospect of seeing such radical changes take place in their lives.

We ask everyone who considers Westside their church home to dream big. Also, pray big. Regularly ask God to do such a deep work in the lives of all that this vision statement will characterize each and every life.

Is that even possible? Of course, it is. God is able to do more than we can imagine in our wildest dreams. Let’s trust Him to do it.

 

"Burning is Not the Way of Jesus"

Submitted by Dick Papworth, April 3, 2011

I was deeply saddened when I heard that Gainesville, Florida minister Terry Jones finally followed through on his threat to burn a copy of the Islamic Koran. As a result, people were killed in Afghanistan.

Terry Jones may have thought he was doing the right thing.  But he only brought shame on the name of Jesus Christ and further obscured the truth of the Gospel in the thinking of Muslims around the world.

This is not the way of Jesus.

I'm reminded of the time when I was listening to a noted Bible teacher give a lecture about current trends in the Muslim World. He loved Christ and had a passion to see Christian believers obey the Bible. He was also something of an expert on the subject of Islam. I was interested in his chosen topic.

But the more I listened, the more uncomfortable I felt. It wasn't that he was giving wrong information. As far as I could tell, everything he said was true. The problem was that his presentation only seemed to point out the evil foundation of the Islamic belief system and the violent bent of Muslims around the world. Period.

As I sat there, I was grieved in my spirit. I was imagining that, as the other people around me were processing this information, they might be coming to the conclusion that they should respond to this Islamic system and the evil of terrorism by further distancing themselves from Muslims.

Or worse, they might be encouraged to vent their hatred toward Muslims, the Koran and the Islamic system.

But this isn't the way of Jesus. True, He spoke out against false religious systems. But He also loved the "sinners" of His day and tried to get close to them and call them to faith in Himself.

I'm convinced that, if Jesus were on this earth today, He would be spending a lot of time with Muslims.  And He would call on Terry Jones and his disciples as well as all of us to love Muslims, pray for them and focus our time and effort on actively and compassionately evangelizing them in His Name.

That's the right way to respond to Muslims. They desperately need to hear about the grace and love of God – just as we do.

 

"What's Wrong with 'Church'?"

Submitted by Dick Papworth, March 12, 2011

This is a question I’ve been pondering today.

Jesus said that He would build His church (Matthew 16:18).  Just what was it that He promised to build?

Many people use the term “church” to refer to the place where Christians gather or the meetings that are held in that place.  We’ve all heard people say things like they’re “going to church” or their “church seats 500 people” or “church was good this morning.”  I certainly understand what they mean.

But, interestingly, the New Testament use of the word “church” has nothing to do with buildings or the meetings that go on in those buildings.  In fact, the earliest church didn’t have any formal buildings.  It was a movement of believers who met in homes or wherever they happened to be in order to celebrate the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

The English word “church” is translated from the Greek “ekklesia” (ek-klay-see'-ah) which is used about 120 times in the New Testament.  It simply means an assembly or gathering.  In other words, church is people – people who gather together to honor Jesus Christ.

We call ourselves Westside Bible Fellowship.  It may come as a surprise to some that it hasn’t always been this way.  When we started in 1980, we were called Westside Bible Chapel.  But in the early 1990s the Elders made the big decision to change our name.  We did this to take the emphasis off the building (“chapel”) and put it on the people who gather (“fellowship”).

So what’s the big deal?  It’s far more than splitting hairs over terminology or semantics.  This plan of Jesus for the church puts the emphasis squarely on what matters most to Him.  Buildings, bright lights and bands aren’t really that important in the grand scheme of things.

What’s important to Him are the worshippers whom He has called to Himself and whose lives He wants to change and use to impact the world.

The bottom line for us?  If the people who make up the assembly of believers called the church are so important to Christ, they must be for us as well.

 

"Being Thankful for Everything"

Submitted by Dick Papworth, November 18, 2010

Thanksgiving is that special time of the year when we remind ourselves of God's blessings and to thank Him for them.

Like many people, I can tend to take my blessings for granted.  Or worse, I even take personal credit for what I have.  Mind you, I don't come right out and say it, but my thanklessness demonstrates that this is the way I think.  I deceive myself into thinking that I have what I have because I've worked hard for it, pulled the right strings or deserve it.

Recently, it's been helpful for me to meditate on David's great prayer of thanksgiving that is recorded in 1 Chronicles 29.  After the people generously gave of their possessions for the construction of the temple, David worshipped and thanked the Lord.

He prayed:  "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand" (v. 14).

David had rightly concluded that the people's act of giving was a simple recognition of what the Lord had generously given them in the first place.

Everything we have has been given to us by our gracious and generous God.  This includes the food and water that we eat and drink, the air that we breath, our time and money, family and other people who love and care for us and even our very life.  And the list goes on and on.

Amazingly, we don't deserve any of it!  As verse 11 affirms, God is great, powerful, glorious, victorious and majestic.  But we're none of these things.  We're small, weak, tarnished by sin, often defeated and lowly.  Everything God is we aren't.  And yet God has chosen to reach out to us and shower us with blessings.

This Thanksgiving let's take time to meditate on the Lord and all that we have because of Him.  Then let's respond by thanking Him for His gracious goodness.

Thanksgiving Day is a good time to thank the Lord.  But the Lord is worthy of thanksgiving every day.  It's significant that David ended his prayer with these words:  "Keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you" (v. 18).  He prayed that the Lord would make the people's spirit of thanksgiving continue on for a long time.

Because the Lord will bless forever, He will be worthy of thanksgiving and praise forever.  And it makes sense to regularly engage in thanking Him now.

 

"To Burn or Not to Burn"

Submitted by Dick Papworth, September 9, 2010

Like many of you, I read about the Gainesville, Florida minister who had planned to publicly burn copies of the Islamic Koran on September 11. Terry Jones finally responded to urging from many people by calling off his plans.

It reminds me of the time when I was listening to a noted Bible teacher give a lecture about current trends in the Muslim World. He loved Christ and had a passion to see Christian believers obey the Bible. He was also something of an expert on the subject of Islam. I was interested in his chosen topic.

But the more I listened, the more uncomfortable I felt. It wasn't that he was giving wrong information. As far as I could tell, everything he said was true. The problem was that his presentation only seemed to point out the evil foundation of the Islamic belief system and the violent bent of Muslims around the world. Period.

As I sat there, I was grieved in my spirit. I was imagining that, as the other people around me were processing this information, they might be coming to the conclusion that they should respond to this Islamic system and the evil of terrorism by further distancing themselves from Muslims.

Or worse, they might be encouraged to vent their hatred toward Muslims, the Koran and the Islamic system.

But this isn't the way of Jesus. True, He spoke out against false religious systems. But He also loved the "sinners" of His day and tried to get close to them and call them to faith in Himself.

I'm convinced that, if Jesus were on this earth today, He would be spending a lot of time with Muslims.  And He would call on Terry Jones and his disciples as well as all of us to love Muslims, pray for them and focus our time and effort on actively and compassionately evangelizing them in His Name.

That's the right way to respond to Muslims. They desperately need to hear about the grace and love of God – just as we do.

 

"They Laid Down Their Lives"

Submitted by Dick Papworth, August 7, 2010

The sad news broke this morning that ten members of a Christian medical team were brutally gunned down in northeast Afghanistan.  They were a a mission of mercy to provide eye and other medical care to villagers in a remote part of the country.

They had driven to the province, left their vehicles and hiked for hours with pack horses over mountainous terrain to reach the villages. They were shot as they were returning to Kabul.  The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killings.

When I heard the news, several thoughts came to my mind.  First, I could rejoice that these believers are with Christ and will receive the martyr's crown because they gave their lives for Christ.  Second, their families and co-workers need our prayer that they will receive comfort, be able to forgive and have courage to continue serving our Savior.

Third, I was reminded of Jesus Christ who willingly laid down his life for me.

"He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth." (Isaiah 53:7)

"While being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." (I Peter 2:23-24)

Before He died Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." (John 10:10-11)

And He said while He was being crucified, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)

Fourth, I was reminded that, more than anything else, Afghans need to hear the Gospel and to experience spiritual life change through Jesus Christ.  And the same thing applies to our country and the whole world for that matter.  People do evil things because their hearts are evil.  Only Jesus Christ can change hearts.  So the world needs to hear of Christ.

I'm encouraged to stay the course and to pray and work hard to the end that the world will hear of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I pray you are as well.

"When I Need Guidance"

Submitted by Dick Papworth, July 25, 2010

I’ve been reading through I Chronicles again in my personal devotional times.  King Saul had everything going for him.  He was popular and handsome and gained a lot of power and influence when he became king of Israel.

But it all came crashing down one day, and he lost everything.  He lost the kingdom, he lost his sons and he lost his own life.  Why did this tragedy happen?  I Chronicles says it happened primarily because he failed to trust the Lord and seek guidance from Him.

“So Saul died for his breach of faith.  He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance.  He did not seek guidance from the Lord.” (I Chronicles 10:13-14)

All leaders need guidance.  Saul was no exception.  Neither am I.  But instead of turning to the Lord which was the right and best thing to do, Saul sought guidance from a woman who was a medium with demonic powers.  What a tragic error of judgment!

After Saul’s death, David became king in his place.  I was struck with the fact that one of the first things David did was to ask God for guidance.  When he was about to be attacked by the Philistines, David asked the Lord what he should do.

“David inquired of God, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines?  Will you give them into my hand?’” (I Chronicles 14:10)

David did this not once, but twice, because he believed God was all-wise, knew the best and was able to guide him.  David experienced much blessing in contrast to Saul who met up with much personal disaster.

This is a strong reminder to me .  First, it underlines the fact that I’m not sufficient in myself, and I greatly lack wisdom.

Second, it encourages me to go to our all-wise God when I need personal guidance – which is often!  Not only is God all-wise but He’s also all-knowing.  He knows everything about everything and knows what is best.

So the only thing that makes sense is to trust God, to ask Him for wisdom and to follow the guidance that He gives.

 

“Pushing the Self-Test Button”

Submitted by Terry Hickman, May 26, 2010

It has been interesting, if not intimidating, over the years to watch technologies develop that were at one time only the futuristic gadgets of sci-fi movies. We would marvel as we watched Dick Tracy shout commands into his wrist radio and Flash Gordon pilot his rocket to distant galaxies.

Fast forward 40 years, and the capabilities of cell phones make Tracy’s radio look like a child’s toy.  The Columbia space shuttle has completed so many voyages into space that she is being retired.

One of the gadgets not anticipated by the sci-fi writers is the GPS (global positioning system). These marvels of technology will not only tell you where you are on a map, but they can give you voice commands to get you anywhere in the world you want to go.

They rely on signals from 3 satellites and by a process called triangulation (which I am sure I don’t understand) can produce extremely accurate fixes on your whereabouts. Like most technology, they rely on receiving good data before they can give good data.

Here’s the catch. When I turn mine on, a prompt comes on the screen. It says “Push button for self test”. By pushing the button, the GPS double checks itself and makes sure it has good signals from each of the satellites. If it does not have strong signals, it will produce erroneous results and indicate you you’re in Auckland instead of Portland for example.

The self test therefore is crucial for reliability.

In the same way, the Lord has been leading me to push my self test button. It is easy for my Christian life to be on cruise control without too much thought as to where I really am, let alone where I’m going. What does this self test look like? Well, first of all we know that we really don’t test ourselves, but it is the Lord who tests our hearts and examines us. When we push the self test button, we are really asking the Lord to show us what we’re really like and how we’re really doing. Just like the GPS, I have to lock on to known references so He can show me where I am.

What are those references? They are the basics of the Christian life. The simple stuff, the vital stuff.

My self test includes questions like: Am I loving God with all my heart and my mind? Or is loving God a part time, part heart, on again-off again experience for me?

Am I loving other people as the routine of my life? Or do I make exceptions to that command for certain people and certain situations?

And how about God’s call to holiness? Is holiness something I take seriously, really seriously? Do my thoughts and actions reflect the character of my God whose passion is for holiness?

And finally, what is it that I’m after first and foremost? He commanded that we should seek His kingdom and righteousness FIRST.  Not alongside our other pursuits, but first. Is my mind occupied first with His kingdom? Is His kingdom the object of my affections and my striving?

Wow, self tests are hard. But they are also necessary.

The test reveals that I am not making a passing grade (perfection) in any of these categories. My love for God and others is inconsistent on my best day and almost absent on my worst. I am easily distracted from following hard after His holiness. And sometimes for me, it seems like I seek His kingdom mostly by trying to figure out how to include His interests as I pursue my own instead of to the exclusion of my own if need be.

When I come to grips with the results of the self test, I know where I am. Measured by my own obedience to His commands, I fall short…. way short. On my own I am lost. But knowing my own lostness causes me to look outside myself and see my Savior who came to seek we who were lost….. and to save us. And I remember how He (in contrast to me), loved God with all His heart and mind. He showed love even to the most unlovely. Perfect holiness characterized His life. And He came to do not His own will but that of His Father. He got it right. He got it all right. But He didn’t live in perfect rightness for His own benefit, but so that He might impart it to me.

By faith, I believe that. And suddenly, even though I failed the self test, I know exactly where I am. I am in Christ. Not, as the apostle Paul says, “having a righteousness of my own derived from keeping God’s laws, but the righteousness which comes through faith in Christ.” I am overjoyed to be in Christ who fulfilled all God’s laws to perfection. His love for me compels me to want to please Him in every way:  By loving Him with all my heart, loving others as myself, living before Him in purity and seeking first His kingdom. Though I fail my self test, Christ scores perfectly on every test. I want to be found in Him.

 

“The Illogic of Resisting Christ”

Submitted by Dick Papworth, May 1, 2010

We’ve all heard about others doing it and have probably been guilty of doing it ourselves.

I’m referring to the senselessness of mistreating someone who has helped us. We call it “biting the hand that feeds you.”

I’ve been meditating on this as I’ve read the penetrating words of Jesus in Luke 13:34:  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!

Jesus was addressing the city of Jerusalem – specifically the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders who had rejected Him even though He had repeatedly shown them His gracious love.  Time after time, Jesus had offered them salvation and blessing by calling them to repentance and faith.  He wanted to gather them to Himself and meet their needs just like a hen gathers her chicks under her protective wings.

But they would have none of it and instead pushed Him away.  Their decision made no sense at all because, as a result, they forfeited the wonderful benefits of His love and care.

Jesus Christ loves us supremely and has planned the highest good for our lives.  For us to try to resist Him results in missing out on so much joy and blessing.  Resisting Him is a completely illogical decision.

But it makes complete sense to allow Christ to draw us to Himself and the protective care of His person and His plan.  Submission to Him is the only right choice.

 

“The Quest for Holiness”

Submitted by Mike Raichart, April 30, 2010

Holiness can be one of those words that bring visions of failure or a connotation of an unreachable state of being. So we need to see how it is used in Scripture and how the root word is translated.

Sanctification is used synonymously with holiness. Both words have the idea of being set apart.

A good example is John 17:19: “For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” Since Jesus is speaking, it is easy to see how the word holy could be used instead of sanctify.

We see a close connection between Christ’s holiness and that of the believer. God is holy, meaning that He is perfect in His character and in every aspect of His state of being.

Humanly speaking, this holiness seems unreachable, but we have two truths in our favor. First, “He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Col.1: 22). Secondly, “It is God's will that you should be sanctified. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” (1Thess. 4:3, 7). We have been declared holy in Christ, and it is God’s will for us to be holy in our daily lives.

How is this possible? Romans 6:11 says it best: “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” “Having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead” (Col. 2:12).

By faith, we do not have to sin and we are able to do right things like loving God and loving others as ourselves. Power for living a holy life is found by living in Christ.

How well do you know God? Hunger for an ever-growing relationship with God, asking Him to produce his fruit in your life!

 

“For Such a Time as This”

Submitted by Dick Papworth, February 25, 2010

A cultural and moral war is raging all around us.  Immorality is rampant.  Divorce is widespread.  Proponents of same-sex "marriage" call it completely normal.  Pre-born and just-born children are murdered.  Pornography is at epidemic levels.  Laws are increasingly disregarded.  Those in positions of authority lack integrity.  Instant gratification is an accepted way of life.

How has our nation ended up in such a moral mess?

Romans 1 clearly outlines the downward spiral of the human race.  It starts when people reject or “suppress” the truth about Creator God.  This leads them to think foolishly and form a warped value system which, in turn, causes them to pursue selfishness and a host of sins.

People in our nation have lost their moral moorings simply because they have ignored God or tried to push Him out of their lives.  Without moral moorings, they drift into an ever-deepening morass of evil.

So what can we do to combat the moral war raging around us?  Let me suggest four responses that are both necessary and personal.

Trust God

Don’t despair.  People will do their own thing.  Administrations come and go.  But God never changes.  He is and will remain faithful.  He causes or allows all things, and His hand is in every event that happens.  His plans are right on track.  He is not wringing His hands wondering what He should do!  He knows what He will do!  So trust Him.

Don’t Retreat

Don’t try to isolate yourself, pull out the prophecy charts and just wait for the sweet by and by.  We certainly do have a wonderful heavenly hope.  But until your work on earth is finished, trust God to use you to make a powerful spiritual impact on people around you.

Pray that People Will Humble Themselves

It could very well be that God is using these hard times to humble people in our nation by allowing them to fail.  For too long, we’ve been comfortable with an affluent life style.  We have depended on the security of our bank accounts and the stock market.  Suddenly it has all become very undependable.  God has issued this wake-up call to prepare hearts for repentance.

Humility must start with us.  But we also need to pray that millions in our nation will break before God.  Even pray that our national, state and local leaders will come to see how weak and inadequate they are without God.  Pray that they will repent and turn to Christ so they will experience spiritual transformation.

Show the Relevance of the Gospel

Do not try to just “Christianize” America.  Yes, we need to support the passage of just legislation.  But it is not enough to only clean the outside of the cup.  The filthy inside must be cleaned by Christ.  People do evil things because their hearts are evil.  They need to change their attitudes toward God, repent of their sin and by faith embrace Jesus Christ as Savior.

This is where we come in as “salt and light.”  Our call as Christian citizens is to witness.  This is what Christ asked us to do.  You will never win a nation to Christ, but God can use you to lead individual people to Christ – one-by-one.  Pray that you will meet people who are prepared and teachable.  Be ready to explain the Gospel and show how relevant it is to life.  Let your life be a living illustration of what Christ can do.

The Gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).  So there is no reason to be ashamed.