The Importance of Creeds

The Apostles' and Nicene Creeds are incredibly important to the Christian Faith. They say in a very direct way what we believe and help non-Christians to understand the core of our faith. In this blog I’ll be sharing a little about the history of the Creeds, when they were created and the differences between the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds.

The Nicene Creed actually came first of the two. It was written at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. Constantine, who had recently come to power in the Roman Empire, wanted to unite the church under one idea and make sure everyone knew what they believed. Thus, the Nicene Creed was born. The Apostles' Creed was obviously inspired by the Nicene Creed but has a few changes. We do not know exactly who wrote it or when it was written but since it was mentioned in writings from the Council of Milan in 390 A.D. we can speculate it was written sometime before that. The Apostles' Creed is a much more concise version of the Nicene Creed but both express the Story of Christ and the essential beliefs of the Christian faith. Both reflect core Christian beliefs but their use in worship depends on your denominational background and preferences.

So why is it important for us to know these Creeds and say them together? They were originally created because Theological attacks were being made against the deity of Christ and so the church leaders wanted to protect the church against heresy. The Creeds not only answered the questions of early Christians but united them under one banner. When we say the Creeds as a congregation several things happen. One, we are letting those around us, Christian and non-Christian, know who we are and what we stand for. Not just that, but we show a united front against opposing beliefs. Two, we become joined with the Ancient church in affirming the beliefs held by all Christians since the earliest days of the church. So not only are we a community of believers in the here and now but we are part of a larger community through the ages. This is what Ancient-Future worship is all about. Lastly, it is a reminder to ourselves that God’s Story did not just take place hundreds of years ago, it is still happening now and we are part of it. This is incredibly important for us to remember. Take time this to look at the Creeds and remind yourself of your core beliefs. Here’s the article I got some of this information from if you want a closer look: http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/articles/churchhomeleadership/nicene-apostles-creeds.html

Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen

The Body of Christ: Part 2

Since writing about what it means to be part of the Body of Christ last week, I have had some more thoughts on the subject. Mainly, being a part of the Body is not a passive experience. It's not “you’re saved, now sit back and enjoy the ride. No, we are called to do a job and that job is to both foster relationships within the church and spread God’s message outside of the church Two songs come to mind when I think about this subject. One is by the band Casting Crowns called “If We Are the Body” and the other is by the band Petra called “Rose Colored Stained Glass Windows.” Some of you might not know you Petra is, but they are amazing. They are 80’s and rock and wonderful. There are links to both of these songs below, so give them a listen before you continue reading.

• If We Are the Body: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAWeHo8E70E 

• Rose Colored Stained Glass Windows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahcvBSbdces 

Both of these songs touch on an important subject: We cannot ignore what is going on in the world outside of our church walls. There are people out there hurting and in need of Christ and we might be their only avenue to finding Him. We cannot allow ourselves to get so wrapped up in our own groups and social circles that we “never allow the world to come in” as Petra says. God put us here to be “ the light of the world,” to be “disciples to every nation.”

So, should we be focused on becoming a close and unified community of believers? Absolutely! But we cannot forget that, being the Body, we have two goals: Inside and Outside the church. How can you focus on your work outside the Body this week?

The Body of Christ: Part 1

Worship was designed by God to take place in a community of believers. God knew the humans he created. He knew that humans long for companionship and interaction with other human beings. Knowing this, he made it very clear through his word that we should be worshipping together.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” We are not meant to face this world alone. God encourages community throughout the Bible because he knows that a person has a better chance of staying on the straight and narrow if he has others to help him than if he goes it alone. That is why the Ecclesiastes verse goes on to say in verse 12 “a cord of three strands is not easily broken.”

Are you trying to live your life outside of community? Do you come to church, interact as little as possible with those around you, and then after the benediction head straight for the door? I encourage you to take the time to form bonds with the people of the congregation. I am an introvert so this is not an easy thing for me to do but once I have broken the ice and gotten to know someone, I am usually blessed and encouraged by that relationship. Even just asking someone to pray for you or taking time to pray for someone else can lift weight from your shoulders. God wants us to be in community with one another and for us to grow spiritually through our connections. Let’s take time this week to consider our community in Christ and how we can grow closer and also expand it for His kingdom.

The Eucharist

Since we are approaching October and will be partaking in the Eucharist (otherwise known as
communion or the Lord’s Supper) on Sunday, I thought it would be fitting to discuss the Eucharist and
what it means for our lives. Why do we celebrate it? Where did it come from and how has it changed
throughout history?

Growing up in the church, all I knew was that the first Sunday of every month we
would take communion, which meant eating those gross wafers. If I had to take it more than once a
month I would often get annoyed because that meant the service was going to be long. Since I have
started my studies at IWS I have found a renewed interest in the Eucharist. It has become more personal
and has a deeper meaning than simply eating bread and drinking juice. Let’s talk a little about the
history of the Eucharist.

We all know about the Last Supper. It happened on the night before Jesus was going to be
crucified. Jesus took the bread and broke it, and the cup and drank it. The language used by the pastors
during the Eucharist comes directly from this scripture. That is they say things like “On the night Jesus
was to be betrayed, Jesus took the bread and broke it and said ‘This is my body which is broken for you,
do this in remembrance of me’” and so on with the cup.

Throughout history, the way the Eucharist was celebrated has changed. Jews and Gentiles
continued the celebration after Jesus ascended to Heaven and, in 1 Corinthians 10, Paul mentions the
bread and the cup which is actually the first time the Eucharist is referred to apart from the gospel accounts. These suppers used to be giant meals where large groups of people would come and eat
together. In the 6th- 8th century the Lord’s Supper became removed from the people. The Monks were
performing it but were not educating about what it meant and so the people were watching with no
knowledge of what was happening. At one point in history, the Eucharist was only being taken once a
year because people were afraid they were hurting Jesus by literally eating his body and drinking His
blood. Today in our tradition we usually celebrate the Eucharist once a month and everyone partakes
together.

So now that we have a little background, let’s talk about what the Eucharist should mean for us
today. Is it just another thing we have to do at church or does it have personal meaning for our lives? The
word Eucharist actually means Thanksgiving. When we partake in the Eucharist we are literally thanking
God for his sacrifice and remembering that sacrifice through the taking of the elements (the bread and
cup). Therefore as we prepare our hearts for the celebration we should thank God for his sacrifice and
all he has done for us. This point alludes back to last my last blog about Christ Centered worship. The
Eucharist and all language surrounding it should be fully centered on honoring God. We do it so that we
can be connected with Christians throughout the ages and around the world who are honoring God but
also to simply magnify the name of the Lord.

Lastly, through the Eucharist God works to make us holy and bring us closer to Himself. But what if on
Communion Sunday you don’t feel like you should partake because of a sin you committed during the
week? God asks us to come as we are. If you had to be sinless to take communion, no one would be able
to. However, that time of confession is there for a reason. Before we take communion we should make
our confessions to God and get as much off our shoulders as possible beforehand. Not because God will
not accept us if we don’t, but because it will help us to engage more deeply with Christ. A phrase I heard
during my studies that has stayed with me is “You cannot be holy enough for the Eucharist, the
Eucharist makes you holy.”

Eating the bread and drinking the cup is a sacred ritual that should not be  taken lightly. We are coming before the Almighty God and communicating with Him through the taking of the elements. This week, in preparation for Communion, take time to center your thoughts on God, confess anything you need to Him, and enter into a mindset of thanksgiving. The Lord deserves reverence when we come to Him. Let’s prepare ourselves to receive Him and worship Him this Sunday.

- Kendra Mikols

Christ Centered Worship

Who is worship for? Is it for us or is it for God?



This question is a tricky one. We were made to worship God but we as worshippers do get

something out of the process. When I attend a worship festival, I spend hours singing songs about God

and when I leave I feel upbeat and refreshed. But was I actually worshipping? Our purpose on this earth

is to worship the Lord and bring glory to his name. All that happens is designed to bring glory to God.

Just ask the Psalmist and you’ll see how important worshipping the Lord is.



The problem we often run into, and that has become more apparent in the advent of

Contemporary Christian Music, is where our center of focus is when worshipping. Worship has also

become more and more about what I am “feeling.” I’m having a bad day today so I’m going to listen to

this worship song to make myself “feel” better. I went to this worship conference and we sang some

awesome songs and now I “feel” so much better! This puts the focus on us and not on God.



I have recently been challenged to take a closer look at the Christian music I sing in regards to

worship. I was surprised to find that many songs I considered “worship” songs are actually not about

God at all, they are about me. The lyrics describe a bad situation and how “I” cried out to God or “I”

decided to trust God. I find this quite often in Contemporary Christian music. I will use one song in

particular as an example. I saw this used at a church once during the worship service (not Valley Chapel),

and I did think it helped focus the congregation on God. The song is “Hello, My Name Is” by Matthew

West. The song’s chorus goes like this:



Hello, my name is child of the one true King

I’ve been saved, I’ve been changed, I have been set free

"Amazing Grace" is the song I sing

Hello, my name is child of the one true King



Now, at first it seems like a Christ Centered song but look more closely at the lyrics. “I” is used in some

form 6 times in just the chorus. The focus of the song is not on God but on me and what is happening to

me. Yes, God was involved but ultimately I’m singing about myself.



Now, am I saying this is a bad song? Absolutely not! There is definitely truth in it! We are

children of God and He has saved us. Am I saying that all Contemporary Christian music is bad? Nope.

There are songs that I believe God has used to minister to me in rough times. Should we never sing

songs that use the word “I?” Definitely not. We are in relationship with God and so when we sing about

Him we are probably going to allude to ourselves. I am simply trying to draw our attention to where the

focus is. When we worship, our focus needs to be 100% on the Lord. When we are worshipping we will

absolutely get something out of it. We will become closer to Him and have joy from the experience, but

these should be secondary to the real goal of giving glory to God.



In his book Ancient-Future Time, Robert Webber says: “We are the disciples whom Christ has

called in the twenty-first century. . . . We are called to turn away from self-love and self-service, to

abandon a life lived for self-gratification or self-glory, and to serve God as an epiphany of the self-giving

service of Jesus. True spirituality longs for, seeks for, and wills this abandonment of self so that Christ

may become present through our work, our lives, and our relationships, manifesting his power.”

Where is our focus when we worship? On God? Or on ourselves? Take this week to pray and ask

God to reveal to you what areas of your worship (and life) you need to re-focus on Him so that you can

be drawn deeper into a relationship with the Almighty.

A Call to Worship

What do you think of when we think of Worship? Probably singing. Maybe lifting hands or closing our eyes? Perhaps you think of extended times of prayer with folded hands and bowed heads. All of these can be part of the act of worship, but it is sometimes difficult to figure out if we are actually worshipping. If I don’t lift my hands am I not worshipping? There are several Biblical essentials that should be included in our worship in order that have a full worship experience. In this post, we are going to look into the concept of Active Participation in Worship.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. You come to church and socialize before the service beings, you sing along to the all too familiar songs without really thinking about the words, you try to focus during the pastoral prayer but find yourself thinking about the work you have to do when you get home, and the sermon is about “How to be a Godly Parent”, but you have no children so you write it off as not applicable to your life. When you finally get to the car, you feel like you’ve been to church, but you haven’t experienced God. You haven’t worshipped.

What is missing is Active Participation. You can actually come to church and “participate” without actively participating. The difference is how involved you are in the service. This is a very difficult concept to master and is something I struggle with every week. In today’s culture, we are used to viewing everything as a performance. All information and entertainment comes to us. The only effort really required from us is a touch of our finger to the screen. Church requires the opposite of this. God does not ask for partial attention, he asked for everything. Isaiah 29:13 says The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” We do not get “religious points” for merely showing up to church, we actually have to mean what we are doing.

So, how can we actively worship? There are several things we can do to actively worship during the service. First of all, when we are singing, we need to contemplate the words we are singing. This is particularly difficult when we have sung a particular song 100 times. But, we can still worship even with these songs. When singing “Mighty to Save” for instance, concentrate on the power of God mentioned in the song. He can “move the mountains”, he “takes us as he finds us”. It is all about using your focus instead of going into “auto pilot.”

Another thing we can do is pray our own prayer during the pastoral prayer. This is a part of the service where I find my attention slipping, not because I don’t believe in what is being prayed, but because I am just sitting and listening. So next time the pastoral prayer happens, actively pray in your head for what the pastor is praying for or for your own prayers. Prayer is so powerful and when an entire congregation is praying, not just listening, great things can happen.

What areas of the service are you struggling to participate in? Are you leaving the service knowing you have not worshipped? Take this week to pray and ask God to show you how you can go deeper into worship on Sunday Morning and even during the week. God demands our everything. Let’s challenge ourselves as a congregation to draw closer to God and leave everything on the altar of worship.

Facing Tough Issues with Honesty and Love

At a recent conference I attended at Northeastern Seminary, keynote speaker, Dr. Fred Antonelli commented, “There are four issues the church does not like to talk about: addictions, sexuality, 
sincere doubts, and mental health. We think about them, but we don’t talk about them.” Christians are not immune from these issues. We struggle with these concerns in very real, but often isolated and personal ways, that are made more heart wrenching because we don’t openly discuss them in the context of the loving community of faith of which we are a part. It’s like the 800 pound gorilla in the room that everyone knows is there but nobody wants to admit it.

I give permission for us to admit it, and talk about these things. One of the biggest issues facing the church is homosexuality. Culture and society have moved in the direction of openness, accepting homosexuality and same sex marriage as a normal and celebrated reality. Homosexuality has become the new “civil rights” issue of our country. Those who hold a more traditional view of marriage and sexuality often find themselves in conflict with these trends. The question the church must ask is, “How are we to respond?” 

I cannot resolve the tension created by this discussion in a short blog. However, I hope to nudge us in a positive direction of engagement about the issue. Because the topic is sensitive, it would be easy to have a knee-jerk reaction that causes more harm than good. The subject “touches a nerve” so to speak, depending on your perspective. Just like when the doctor tests your reflexes by tapping your knee, our tendency could be to “kick out” at whatever, or unfortunately, whoever, is in front of us, damaging relationships and limiting the possibility of future honest, compassionate, and open dialogue that is non-combative.

As a basis for dialogue and positive engagement with the gay community, a book published in 2009 makes a lot of biblical sense. Andrew Marin wrote, “Love is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community.” The premise of the book is that rather than isolating or stereotyping gay people, Christians and the church in general, should be seeking to befriend the gay community in ways that enable us to show the love of Christ. Our job is not to attempt to “fix” people, or even make them Christian. The biblical mandate is to love all people, and to let God work in their hearts and lives. Unfortunately, all too often, the world’s perception of the church is that it is judgmental, hypocritical, harsh, and even cruel, especially when it comes to the issue of homosexuality. 

One of the accusations leveled against Jesus was that he was a “friend of sinners.” He spent time with those the society, particularly the religious elite, looked down upon, ignored, or flat-out despised. Adulterers, tax collectors, demon-possessed, lepers. I wonder who he would be spending time with today. Our responsibility is to figure that out and to spend time with them, for we are his body, literally the hands, feet, voice, and presence of Jesus in this world, with all its hurts, heartaches, and brokenness. Perhaps we need to take a harder and longer look at ourselves in the mirror before we judge others. Remember that Christ’s grace has been given to us, and he calls us to be channels of his grace to others, even if, or especially when, that is difficult. Thank God Jesus is a friend of sinners. If not, I would never have been able to call him 
Savior. I invite you to join me in the journey of learning to love others as Christ has loved us.