One Word Too Often Ignored

In the Church today there is one word that is often ignored. It’s conveniently brushed over. There are entire ministries built to distract from it. Instead of the accountability and responsibility that this one word demands, we instead make church self focused. How do I feel? How do I find freedom? How do I like the music? How did I connect?  Yet this one word completely changes everything. Often this one word is associated with “works” because that’s easier than actually taking responsibility for our actions. This one word requires us to turn from our own way of thinking, turn from our own desires, turn from inwardly focused thinking, and place our eyes on Jesus instead.  

What’s this one word? REPENT.  In the NKJ version, this word is found 80 times throughout the bible.  Yet it is a word conveniently repackaged in many different ways by the church today.  Oftentimes to camouflage the thought that a part of our conversion may require some personal accountability and dare we say, action on our own part.  The act of biblical repentance requires us to turn our focus from ourselves to a focus on Jesus.  As our eyes are fixated on him, our priorities, our values, our cares, how we spend our time…. These things begin to shift and move into alignment with Christ.  A decision to turn from our old ways and begin a new path is a massive step in the decision to follow Christ.  

Matthew 3:2 - Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! 

Mark 6:12 - So they went out and preached that people should repent.

Luke 3:8 - Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance

Luke 13:3 - I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

Romans 2:4 - Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance.  

2 Timothy 2:25 - in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth

Revelation 3:19 - As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.  Therefore be zealous and repent.  

I haven’t posted in longer than usual lately for a few different reasons.  One is that in my final year of bible college we are expecting another daughter to enter the world soon and what a blessing this is for our family.  Through all the pain and hardship of our losses we have chosen to remain filled with Joy in the Lord and to trust his plan for our lives.  The birth of Oakley was truly a miracle, and we thank God every day for her!  We just celebrated her 2nd birthday a little early yesterday and now to think that God is once again blessing us endlessly, far more than we deserve has been an incredible process.  We are looking forward to welcoming her little sister into the world.  The upcoming birth and the intensity of my final year of bible college have spread my time incredibly thin.  But to put all the blame for my lack of posting on these things alone, would be a farce.  See I have been on a journey the last few months.  I have felt real conviction in the area of Church.  How do we do Church.  What priorities do organizations value when making decisions in regards to Church focus.  What started as a biblical journey into Atractional vs Missional church turned into so much more.  Large church vs. Small church.  The effectiveness and value placed on discipleship in different church atmospheres.  The importance and need for accountability in discipleship hierarchies.  The importance of missions, both local and internationally. This journey ultimately led me to how churches approach conversion which ironically is often molded by many of the aspects I just listed.  And here lies the problem that I have been faced with.  Often the conversion and what follows (i.e. level of discipleship offered to the new believer) is often structured dependent on the church's priorities and level of its own personal accountability in the area of repentance.  

It almost feels like many church leaders are scared of repentance.  If we teach repentance, then we must practice repentance.  If we build a structure to encourage real repentance, then we must implement repentance in our own lives.  If we teach personal accountability for actions, then we must take personal accountability for our own actions.  In my studies I have found that churches often write off the word repentance as “works” or lump them in with the cliche that churches that teach true repentance are “works based churches”.  Often they redefine repentance altogether.  In fact in my own life I have failed in this area multiple times.  At times I feel I have focused on the wrong things in the area of conversion.  I have also fallen victim to the idea that we must simply lead someone to the understanding of their need for Christ and get them to pray a “sinners prayer” and then all is right with the world.  But I have discovered that I feel this requires me to ignore so much of what the Bible has to teach us.

Recently I was listening to an interview between Mark Comer and Tyler Staton.  They were simply discussing a book that Tyler is releasing in a couple of months on the Holy Spirit.  However they quickly got into discussing the bible as it relates to conversion.  I really enjoy listening to discussions between these two pastors, as they have both been completely open with their congregations and the general public as they have grown while growing closer to God.  Both are quick to acknowledge when they feel they have gotten something wrong or when they have discovered new truth through studying the Word.  They are transparent in the process of their learning, and most importantly the evidence of them seeking God relentlessly is abundantly apparent in their discussions.  In this specific interview they were talking about the possibility of conversion not being a one time thing.  It was an ongoing act of leaving everything to pursue Christ.  There were definitely miracles that occurred that changed lives in an instant, but that conversion could possibly be an ongoing endeavor.  A continual act of picking up our cross each day.  

I share all this with you not as a lesson for others, but mainly as a window into the discovery that is occurring in my own life.  This journey isn’t an easy one.  It requires me to begin to take much more accountability in my own walk with God.  I have dropped the ball countless times this year in how I have handled different situations.  Repentance requires me to not only identify those areas where I have failed, but also to fixate my eyes on Him in those areas, and to pick up my cross in each of those situations and, with His help, begin to change those behaviors to become more Christ-like.  Talk about the ultimate gut check.  

To pretend my journey into these subjects is finished would be preposterous, so this is just a look into my mind as I am working through many of these subjects in my own life.  I do want to challenge you though.  What is an area of your life currently where you may not be taking accountability?  Is there an area of your life where you need to be more diligent about picking up your cross and fixating your eyes on Christ?  Is there a behavior in your life that you continually find yourself writing off to grace?  I challenge you to pick one area and truly repent.  Pray over it multiple times a day.  Begin to create habits in your life that help eliminate the particular sin.  Pick up your cross, maybe even multiple times a day in this area.  Re focus your eyes on Christ maybe even minute by minute at times in this area.  When our eyes are fixated on Him, our emotions and feelings quickly fade in importance to what matters most to Him.  Remember our time on this earth is very short, and I for one have spent far too much of it already in my life being inwardly focused.  I have spent too much time considering how I feel in a certain situation instead of fixing my eyes on Jesus, and prioritizing how He may feel in the situation, or what action may benefit the Kingdom most in this situation over what action may make me feel good.  

Now for a quick family update!  Tanja is due the first week of January, however we are scheduled to induce a little early due to prior difficulties.  We ask that you join us in prayer during this time.  Tanja’s third trimester has been much more difficult than it was with Oakley so we selfishly pray for comfort for her during this time, and most importantly for a healthy baby girl.  We also ask that you continue to join us in prayer as doors continue to open professionally for me in ministry after graduation.  We still don’t know exactly what God has planned for us, but we have transitioned into a mindset that we are ready to answer the call, whatever, and wherever it is.  Here in a couple weeks I will be attending the International Conference on Missions in Kentucky to help support Hippo Valley Christian Mission, the Cheredzi Christian Children’s Village, and Central Africa Christian College.  I am really looking forward to this incredible week!  Thank you for all of your continued support for our family as we grow deeper into Unimaginable Faith.

Also, in order to graduate, we have an objective to raise $2,550 for the Charis Missions Fund. We have students heading to Belize, Mexico, and Costa Rica this year. Last year there were 33 teams sent out with over 1,000 Charis students on those trips. They minstered to tens of thousands of people. Over 1600 salvations were documented. If you would like to contribute to my fund raising goal for graduation and be apart of planting seeds in these countries you can do so at this link: https://grouprev.com/charismissiontrip-thomashudson