Frontline Roundtable

Left Overs

2010-02-03T14:29:00.002-05:00

By Dave Young, Frontline Prince William; Outreach and Men's Small Groups

Even though it sounds clichéd, I can honestly point back to a single moment which completely changed the course of my spiritual life. It came at a time (about 6 months after I believed in Jesus and got saved) when I didn’t feel spiritually “whole”; I didn’t feel like my spiritual life was thriving; I wasn’t hearing God’s voice… simply put, my relationship with God was beginning to wither. Everyone would tell me how vital it was for me to “get in His word”; how getting in the word is what deepened their relationships with Him and transformed their spiritual lives. But that frustrated me a bit, because when I got in His word, I didn’t hear anything, I didn’t learn anything and if I was supposed to be feeling something, that wasn’t happening either.

Unsuccessfully, I would try and read my Bible from time to time; when one day I heard a sermon discussing the book of Malachi (Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament). The Israelites were giving animal sacrifices to God, which seemed like it would be so pleasing to Him. But at a closer look, they were sacrificing their animals which were blind and cripple and had little value, meaning they were giving God their leftovers- the things that had little value. Here is what God said to them “When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong… I am not pleased with you and I will accept no offering from your hands.” Though God doesn’t ask us to sacrifice animals anymore, the principle still applies to us - give God our best, not our leftovers.

I was struck with two questions; what are the “left overs” in my life that I’ve been giving to God? And more importantly what is “my best” (my “first fruits”) that I need to start giving to God? I was giving most of my best time (my weekends) to snowboarding and socializing and I was giving my leftover time (when there wasn’t much going on) to God and getting in His word.

I committed to give the entire next Saturday to God. So Saturday rolls around, I told my friends to go on without me, and we spent the whole day together with God in His word. I simply don’t have the words to articulate what happened that day, but I’ll say this, I spent all of Saturday and then all of Sunday as well with Him in His word and parts of it made a lot of sense… and about a week later, I begged my way into Seminary. Seven years later, I still lose track of time when I’m studying His word.

Funny, I really don’t get to the beach or the mountains much anymore; don’t have many hobbies or past times either. Not because there’s anything inherently wrong with those things, it’s just I’ve found something much better. Remember when Todd (our teaching pastor) read Psalm 119 “Oh how I love your law, I meditate on it all day long… How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:97,103). I’m here to say you-CAN-feel-this-way. I know you don’t think you can, but you can. In fact, it’s a normal reaction to Him and His word once we really experience it. Once we “taste and see that He is good”. And you can feel like the psalmist who writes “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Psalm 42:1-2).

Read on in Malachi, and you’ll see an astonishing promise to anyone who gives their best to God; “…Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it” (Mal 3:10). That’s a lot of blessing. When I gave leftovers to God, I was in a “dry dessert” (spiritually speaking). When I give my best, I’m in “the land of milk and honey”. Don’t think of this as- not being able to do the things you enjoy (although if may begin that way), think of it as- discovering someone new who you’ll enjoy even more. My question to all of us is; when we give to God- whether it’s giving financially, or leading a small group, or praying, or loving our neighbor, or getting in the word… are we giving Him our best or our leftovers?

A Journey of Bible Study: From Information to Sustaining Power

2010-02-02T12:01:00.000-05:00

By Colleen O'Rourke, Associate Director of Women's Small Groups at Frontline Tysons.

I grew up thinking that the Bible was really for priests and super holy people. I literally thought it was something I shouldn’t even touch. When I got saved in the middle of college I knew everything had changed. I heard that Jesus was alive and wanted a personal relationship with me. I was so exhilarated to have this new life, but I was clueless as to what it should look like. I didn’t even know what I signed up for, but I found myself in this room with about 20 other believers with a printed packet of papers they kept calling “Mark” and I remember thinking, ‘Who is Mark? Shouldn’t we be reading the Bible?’ We did something called a “manuscript study,” which was the perfect remedy to my fear that I couldn’t touch the Bible. We were writing in margins, highlighting, underlining and making symbols all over the place as we observed the text. I wasn’t intimidated because now I realized that it was accessible. I loved the academic experience and I felt successful.

The next major step for me was being in a Bible study where I was able to ask questions and continue this journey with others weekly. It was the highlight of my week! It felt like a refuge from the constant tension I lived in with this new life and my old world. As I met with these women I learned that we were not just meeting with one another but we came for communion with the Lord through His Word. Verse by verse we observed, interpreted, and applied Scripture. Our lives and His Word were intersecting and week after week I could see more and more of who God was and what this new life meant. It moved from an academic experience to a time of engaging with the Lord that resulted in transformation.

My time in the Word has become life sustaining. As I’ve experienced trials and disappointments, suffering and searing loss it is my strength and direction. Recently I went through a challenge in my health. In a season of great pain and limited mobility a verse came alive to me and then was life to me and continues to bear fruit in me.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Phil 3:10)

I cannot describe the fullness of living in that verse. To be nourished by its truth. To sing of the hope inside it. To experience true joy in a season that from the outside seemed to have no business producing joy. This is the power of God’s Word in my life

Ingredients of Effective Bible Study

2010-02-01T10:50:00.002-05:00

By Mike Kelsey, Frontline Silver Spring Campus Pastor

As I've studied the Bible over the years, I've noticed what i call "the three secret ingredients of effective Bible study". Obviously, there’s more to it (and they aren’t really a secret) but these are a few key elements I’ve noticed that really make a huge difference.

1- Lots of questions - Challenge the text. Don't leave any stone unturned. "Why did he use this word instead of that?" "Why is 'the month of nisan' important to the context of this passage?" “Who is writing this and to whom?” the more questions you ask, the more opportunity you have for understanding. I typically make a Word document with a passage of Scripture and then under each verse I just start ‘attacking’ with questions. Every possible question I can think of. and then when I’m done, I go back and try to answer those questions using the surrounding verses, the chapter, the book, other places in Scripture and then extra biblical resources (commentaries, etc.).

2 - Lots of prayer – Sometimes we get so absorbed in the study of the text that we forget to engage the Spirit who inspired the text. Our studying must be soaked in praying. That's what makes a passage take life. That’s what prepares our hearts to receive what the Holy Spirit wants to show us. That’s what opens our minds to understand the text. Pray for understanding (see Psalm 119:18). Pray for a desire to apply what you learn (see Psalm 119:36).

3 - Time to let it marinate - There is a depth of insight and precision of application that rarely comes immediately. when we sit with a text, then leave it, and let it turn over and over in our minds, it has a way of working its way down into our hearts, and the Spirit brings it back up with a refined, spiritual quality to it that can only happen with time. Let it simmer a bit.

That's what I'm learning. Take a passage of scripture, throw in lots of questions, add lots of prayer, then give it time to marinate and...now you're cookin! (yep, couldn't resist it. It was just too perfect.)

Do you REALLY believe God sends people to Hell for eternity?

2010-01-27T10:55:00.001-05:00

By Nate Keeler, Frontline Prince William Campus Pastor

If I’m honest, I must say that this is a question I’ve wrestled with throughout my life. I have cycled through all the negative reactions to this issue over the past 15 years- doubt, fear, uncertainty, avoidance, rationalization, frustration, anger, unbelief... After all, really believing that a loving God would send people to Hell for eternity goes against every natural emotion and thought I have.

For me, the struggle has little to do with Bible knowledge. When we look in Scripture it’s quite clear. Douglas Groothuis writes, “Jesus asked what a person’s life would be worth if he or she were to gain the whole world but forfeit his or her very soul (Matt. 16:26). Hell is the loss of the soul, a reality so terrible that Scripture uses a variety of ways to describe it. The graphic reports of hell in Scripture — such as the abyss (Rev. 9:1-11), the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14), the blackest darkness (Jude 13), the weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 25:30) —disclose the stark reality of eternal separation from God.” Luke 16:19-31 clearly presents the truths that Hell is real, terrible and eternal.

I know what Scripture teaches, so do most of you. To be blunt, I just don’t WANT to believe it or think about it too much. Many of you probably feel the same way.

As I’ve grown in my walk with God over the years, I’ve come to a place with this issue and others that are challenging in the Bible- acceptance and humility. I tell God that I acknowledge the truth of Scripture and that although I don’t necessarily like the truth, that He is God and I am not. His ways are beyond mine and His thoughts are above mine. Nowhere in the Bible does God say that we must always understand everything He does but He is very clear that we must obey everything He teaches.

What I’ve experienced is that when I submit to the truth of God and meditate on it, I can’t help but be moved to action. If I REALLY believe people that don’t accept the Gospel are going to Hell for eternity then I MUST act. I must get uncomfortable with the notion of bridging the gap from telling people I go to Frontline to actually telling them the Gospel. I must deny my instincts to not cause people any negative feelings when I share the reality of sin, its penalty, and the grace of God through Jesus Christ. I must become “great commission-al” as a way of life.

Over the past couple of years God has been revealing my stubbornness and lack of compassion in this area of my life. It’s not pretty. But what is encouraging is the fruit of the Spirit that has developed as a result of beginning to share the Gospel as a way of life. I have a long way to go in this area, but I’m on the right track.

I’d encourage you to resolve this tension within yourself if you have doubts about the reality of Hell. Discuss it with your small group, pray about your reaction with God, be honest with yourself. If you have lacked zeal, compassion or have just not been sharing your faith, it may be because of this. We should challenge people to investigate intently the claims of Christianity, considering all there is to gain and all there is to lose.

As The Church Scatters

2010-01-25T10:01:00.002-05:00

By Mike Kelsey, Frontline Silver Spring Campus Pastor

“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” Acts 8:4

Wow, Todd’s sermon last night was such an incredible reminder of our mission as a church to “impact our generation in secular Washington with the message of Jesus Christ.” But, my heart races at the thought of us personally OWNING that mission. Acts 8 is an amazing example of the church owning the mission of spreading the message of the Gospel.

Persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem (vs.1) and forced the church to leave town. Notice though, in verse 1, that everyone left town “except the apostles.” So, the group of people referenced in verse 4 are average lay Christians. It says that as they left Jerusalem and went from town to town they were spreading the Gospel, “preaching the word,” everywhere.

That’s how the Gospel spreads. It’s not simply broadcasted from church leaders. It’s not only spread in a church worship service. It’s spread through the daily interactions of believers who take seriously the call and privilege to share the grace of God displayed in the Gospel. Acts 8:4 is YOU! Acts 8:4 is ME!

Where will you be “scattering” to this week? Your job? The gym? Your office happy hour? Maybe God has opportunities lined up for you to plant or water seeds of the Gospel.

Be prayerful. Be intentional. Be bold.

Intentional Intimacy

2010-01-22T10:37:00.001-05:00

By Mike Kelsey, Frontline Silver Spring Campus Pastor

I think many of you have or will have a similar fasting experience as I had when I was a younger believer. I remember specifically fasting from food. It was tough when the hunger pangs kicked and, inevitably, the one time I decide to fast is the one time everyone decides to go out to eat! At the end of the fasting time, I was proud that I’d held my ground but over time, I realized that not much changed in my daily routine other than not eating. I didn’t necessarily feel any closer to God. I didn’t necessarily have any more clarity than I did when I started the fast. I was just hungry and cranky.

Through that experience and many others, I’ve learned an extremely important principle to really maximize times of fasting: INTENTIONAL INTIMACY. The goal of fasting isn’t hunger, it’s intimacy. So, if you’re planning to fast with us this weekend, here are two specific ways to be intentional:

Choose specific passages of Scripture to meditate on and specific times to spend in prayer.
Plan out how you’ll spend time with the Lord. Maybe you’ll want to schedule prayer times with a friend or just your own times to stop what you’re doing and pray/read Scripture. Whatever you decide, schedule it!

Whenever you feel a desire for whatever you’re fasting from, use that as a reminder to stop and spontaneously pray.
Pray for strength. Pray for Frontline. Pray for the specific things Todd mentioned in Sunday’s sermon.

Don’t waste the time. Be intentional!

Why and When to Consider a Community Fast

2010-01-20T11:49:00.001-05:00

By Nate Keeler, Frontline Prince William Campus Pastor

One of my favorite stories in Scripture is found in Esther 3-7. Hollywood really needs to read the Bible more because this story has all the makings of a great, spell-binding, thriller. Suspense, danger, irony, some violence and a miraculous twist at the end that has the bad guy brought to justice and hanged in the very gallows which he built to hang the good guy (seriously, you can’t make this stuff up)! The pivotal scene in the story is when Esther must make a decision whether to risk her royalty and relationship with the King in order to save Mordecai or keep silent and hope for the best. Lets pick it up in Esther 4:15-16 “Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, ‘Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish’”.

I believe the primary observation in this passage is that the fast was done during a crisis in the community. Notice how Esther made sure that everyone was assembled together to fast corporately. While God definitely works through the individual, we often see God’s power on display through a community united in a holy, God-honoring purpose. To be clear, we can’t expect that it’s always God’s will to rescue us in a bind but I do know that God desires for us to be arm-in-arm with our brothers and sisters in Christ as we petition God during times of crisis or challenge. Why? Because God loves unity among His children. Also because God loves when we humble ourselves together and acknowledge our dependence on Him alone. This example is clearly seen in Ezra 8:21, “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions.” Also see Acts 13:2-3. This is very timely considering the crisis in Haiti and it’s encouraging to hear stories about so many believers fasting and praying around the world as we speak.

While Esther’s passage is descriptive NOT prescriptive, I believe the application to our lives is that we might consider a fast in community for the purpose of petitioning God during trials or coming challenges. I’d encourage consideration of a fast and prayer with your small group if a member is waiting to hear back about a diagnosis from the doctor. Or with your GI team before you go on a mission trip, or when your pastor asks you to fast for 24hrs before his vision message at Frontline?. I am looking forward to fasting together with you this weekend!

Pray for the Suffering

2010-01-14T11:54:00.002-05:00

By Edward Hunt, Frontline Arlington Campus Pastor

As we take this week and focus on developing a dynamic prayer life I thought I would take this opportunity to remind you to pray for the persecuted church. Often times we don’t pray for them, not because we don’t want to, but because we are unaware of the horrible things that are happening to believers around the world.

God is doing exactly what He said He would do when he said, “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades (Hell) will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18) However, this does not mean that Satan will go down without a fight. That is why we must have a sense of urgency as we engage in intercessory prayer for our brothers and our sisters who are being persecuted for being a part of God’s plan of building His church. “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26) Please make it a point to pray weekly for them!

“Suffering saints are the living seed.” (Charles Spurgeon) Let us be a part of watering the “living seeds” with our prayers.

Here is a link to a website that can send you a weekly update on how you can be praying: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/content/view/5/14/ . Please take a moment to sign up.

Prayer Together

2010-01-13T15:44:00.002-05:00

By Mike Kelsey, Frontline Silver Spring Campus Pastor

Stephen Winward wrote, “There is a deep joy in praying together, an added vitality, a plus difficult to define. It is rather like the difference between eating your meal alone and sharing in a party feast. Eating together is not the same as eating in solitude; the something more is the company, the fellowship. So it is with prayer.”

Prayer together is so important if our church is to experience deep community and spiritual vitality. One of the best ways to engage in praying with other believers is through your small group. Typically, groups meet and have a great study and prayer is tacked on at the end as “the closer”, when everyone is already (mentally) sliding out of the door to prepare for the next day. On top of that, group prayer time can feel mechanical and downright frustrating at times.

Well, here’s a few things I’ve started to implement to that seem to help that time run more smoothly:

Choose someone to open and/or close the prayer time.
This helps to get the prayer time going and bring it to a close. If time is limited, be sure to communicate a specific time to stop.

Pray one topic at a time (conversational style).
Choose a specific prayer topic/need (e.g. thanking God, praying for each other’s needs, church leaders, etc.) and have everyone focus their prayers on that, then move to the next one. That allows for a cumulative effect in prayer, where all the prayers build on each other and the Lord can give wisdom even in the process of praying.

Let people know they can pray more than once.
There’s some unspoken rule that each person is only allowed to pray once. If God puts something else on your heart to pray for after you’ve already “had your turn,” it’s ok to jump back in and pray again.

Remind people to be conscious of how long they pray.
There’s limited time for a prayer gathering, so no one person should monopolize that time by praying for too long.

Let people know that it’s ok to “break the connection.”
When prayer starts we tend to feel like there’s this formal connection to God that shouldn’t be broken until the prayer time is over. Sometimes, you’ll forget a name or want more information about what you’re praying for. Don’t hesitate “pause” and ask for clarification before you continue in prayer. God isn’t offended!

Encourage group members to use Scripture.
As verses come to mind in your corporate prayer times, either read them aloud or simply use them to guide what you pray for. God has obligated Himself to respond to His Word and when we pray his Word, He uses it to shape our desires, build our faith and give us wisdom for how to pray according to His will. If you are planning a prayer time, one suggestion is to print copies of a list of verses that apply to your prayer topics so that people can reference them as they pray.

What are some things you’ve seen that contribute to great group prayer time?

Are there different types of prayers I should be praying?

2010-01-12T19:55:00.003-05:00

By Nate Keeler, Frontline Prince William Campus Pastor

The answer? Absolutely! In fact we are commanded in Scripture to pray many types of prayers for different occasions in Ephesians 6:18. Here are the most common types of prayer found in Scripture.

1. Prayer of Praise and Adoration: This is prayer centered wholly upon God and His eternal characteristics–His majesty, glory, and power; His beauty and love; His mercy and grace, etc. I would encourage you to start every personal devotional time with this praise and adoration. King David's prayer, quoted in 1st Chronicles 29:10-13, is one of many scriptural examples of a prayer of praise and adoration to God.

2. Prayer of Confession and Repentance: Even though we have been eternally forgiven of our past, present and future sins by grace through faith in Jesus, confession and repentance are critical to developing intimacy with God. Psalm 51 is a great example of this in the Bible, which many of us know as David’s prayer of repentance after his sin with Bathsheba.

3. Prayer of Petition: Petition means to ask for something. Because we are wholly dependent upon God for life He loves to have us ask for things. Although God cares about anything that concerns us and He wants us to ask Him for what we need, it pleases Him most when we ask for the characteristics of Jesus and for things that will bring the Father the most glory. Things such as spiritual integrity, overcoming temptation, help with our attitude, desire for humility, wisdom, strength, etc. We see Esther, Elisha, Elijah, David, Nehemiah, Daniel, Moses, Paul and many others pray prayers of petition in Scripture. We find a great example of this in David’s prayer in Psalm 70.

4. Prayer of Thanksgiving: This is a prayer of appreciation for the blessings God has given the body of Christ (see Ephesians 1). Paul in Thessalonians 1:14-16 says, “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” We can thank God for the blessings of what He’s doing in other people’s lives like Paul and we can thank Him for our individual blessings. I try to start every morning with gratitude to God for my family, health, faith, ministry, friends, needs being met and other small enjoyments that He provides.

5. Prayer of Intercession: When we come alongside of others through prayer we are near to God's heart. Jesus is our High Priest and His ministry is to intercede with the Father on behalf of the saints. As the household of God we should constantly be lifting the needs and concerns of our brothers and sisters in Christ up to God. Paul commanded the church in Ephesus to make this a spiritual discipline. Ephesians 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” I find that this is the most neglected type of prayer in the local church but is so important to our unity and responsibility we have for one another. I’m grateful to be part of a church that puts a high priority on interceding on behalf of the saints through small groups, prayer encouragers and praying for the staff.

Are there some types of prayers that you have overlooked? Consider developing this spiritual discipline by having a more comprehensive approach in your prayer life.

A Prayer Answering God

2010-01-12T13:23:00.004-05:00

By Edward Hunt, Frontline Arlington Campus Pastor

As we heard this week prayer is critical to living a life that glorifies God. Prayer is something we all talk about but so often we miss how truly central it should be in our lives. I think one of the reasons we don’t pray with greater passion and frequency is because we doubt know how truly effective it is. So I encourage you this week to go through the Bible and look at the different prayers that are prayed and pay close attention to how they are answered. I think you will be amazed how God answers prayer. You must always remember that we worship a prayer hearing, prayer answering God, a wonder-working God!

Here are some examples to get you started: Read 1 Kings 17:17-24, 2 Kings 6:8-20, Acts 12:1-19.

If God answered their prayers what would lead you to believe He doesn’t want to answer your prayers? God may not always answer the way you would prefer but He answers in a way that is for your greatest good and for the good of the kingdom.

Don’t just take my word for it....

“If you are a stranger to prayer you are a stranger to the greatest source of power known to human beings.” Billy Sunday

"There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God." Brother Lawrence

"Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees." Corrie ten Boom

"The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see mighty wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God's standing challenge, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not!'" J. Hudson Taylor

So I beg you to not delay and begin NOW a life of prayer!!

Why Should We Pray (To An All-Knowing God)?

2010-01-11T15:14:00.003-05:00

Let’s address a very popular question:
WHY SHOULD WE PRAY (TO AN ALL-KNOWING GOD)?

First, prayer furthers our relationship with God! This is the ultimate “why” for prayer. It’s all about relationship. God desires that we have an ongoing, deep, meaningful, dialogue with Him through prayer. In other words, prayer is about developing intimacy with God so that…we will have intimacy with God! Prayer is the most immediate and most intimate point of relational contact with God. Prayer is also the ongoing catalyst for finding and furthering that intimacy.

Second, Prayer is where God aligns our hearts with His heart. We pray not to align God’s heart with ours but to align our heart and will to God’s. Prayer is where God molds us a shapes us to pursue His passions rather than our own. Paul explains, “…we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory.” (2 Corinthians 3:18) God pursues this transformation in our lives in large part through our time in prayer with Him.

Lastly, prayer lines us up with God’s game plan. God not only wants us to know His heart but he wants us to understand how we are to accomplish His will for the world. God wants us in on His game plan. Just like football players all go to the huddle to receive their specific assignments for the coming play, we are each to huddle with God, getting clarity for the overall game plan, understanding the part we play in the game, and getting our assignment for the next play in God’s grand plan!

Are you constantly coming back to the huddle with God to hear His commands for the day? Are you in touch with God continually so that you have an intimate understanding of both the heart of God and you part in His plan? If prayer has been challenging for you simply pray now that God would instill in you the desire and ability to meet with him several times each day throughout the coming week. Make plans to meet with him morning, noon, and night. No agenda. No expectations. Just time with Him.

If you feel that you have a healthy, daily, deep prayer life with God, ask Him to reveal to your heart what He desires from His time together with you in prayer this year. Seek to receive from our Father an ever-increasing sense of intimacy and purpose form your time with Him.

Look for blogs in the coming days from myself and the rest of the teaching team on the topic of prayer. May this week of refection on and time in prayer be a catalyst for newfound passion and increasing joy in your spiritual journey.

Your servant for His sake,
Todd Phillips

(Click Here to listen to "Divine Dialogue - Part 1")

Frontline Fall Retreat Audio Available

2009-09-29T11:05:00.005-04:00

Good news! If you missed the Fall Retreat (or just wanted to hear the sessions again) the audio is now posted at Frontlinedc.com in the Sermon Archives.

John McGowan, the Director of The Gathering and Frontline Creative Arts spoke in the four main sessions on Loving God.

If you'd like to subscribe to our podcast in iTunes, simply click here to visit our iTunes page and click "Subscribe".

Walking Away [Katy Kirk]

2009-08-28T09:42:00.002-04:00

Katy Kirk is the Associate Director of Frontline and MBC Women's Small Groups.

By about the age of 3, we are already choosing to go our own way, refusing to follow the rules, or give up anything that might require sacrifice on our part. Don’t you remember from a very early age inherently wanting your way and when things were asked of you that required any sort of sacrifice- you were out the door, right? I know I was and am still that way today…unfortunately!

Last weekend I went to see my parents in my hometown Kerrville, Texas. We went to the church I grew up in, Trinity Baptist, which is your typical small town Texas Baptist church. My pastor, John Petty, gave a message that was one of those that impacted me in a life-altering way. He was using the passage in the book of John (John 6:56-67) where Jesus is teaching the disciples that He is the “Bread of Life” in the synagogue at Capernaum. Jesus, is for the first time, giving the “hard to swallow and comprehend” truth about Him being the only way to the Father. They didn’t understand His metaphor about being the genuine, life-giving “Bread of Life” nor did they want to accept it. Very quickly the popular, miracle-performing, healing man of Jesus was not so popular. Jesus’ followers and much of the crowd began getting up and walking away. Can you imagine people just two by two getting up in the middle of Frontline and walking out? This is what was happening in this scene.

These people had had enough. They didn’t want to hear it. The disciples said to Jesus in verse 60, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” It was just too difficult to hear or accept for them. Have you ever asked this question? What about in your heart or mind when reading Scripture? What about when you know God has asked something of you that just seems way too hard or difficult? Sometimes it just seems a little too much to ask, doesn’t it?

Jesus then goes on to admonish them with the truth of Himself once again- that He is the only way to eternal life. As many of his followers (disciples) grumbled and walked off…Jesus then turned to His twelve disciples and asked them, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Can you imagine Jesus Christ asking you this question? It pierces my heart and brings tears to my eyes to think of this image…to think that my Lord would have to ask me that. Although, I know that I have left Him many a time…choosing my own futile will over His. I can think of so many things in my life that God has asked me to do for Him that required sacrifice on my part- yet I said to Him, “Now that’s asking just a little too much, don’t you think? I don’t think so…” Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to die for my sins so that I can live eternally with Him is the ultimate sacrifice. Anything I “sacrifice” for Him on this earth shouldn’t even be considered a sacrifice after what He has done for me. He wants us to follow Him- that is it. We have a choice in every single thing we do- to follow Jesus or not. It is really that simple.

Is there anything that Jesus could say to you that would cause you to walk away?

After Party Q&A #4: Should We Try to Contact the Dead?

2009-08-27T09:12:00.001-04:00

As I said in the forth message of our recent series, “The After Party,” The short and simple answer to this question is “NO!” God makes it plain that we should not try to contact the dead by any means. Any effort to do so is sin and very dangerous.

The following passages (and others) speak to the issue:

Deuteronomy 18:10-12
There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or bone who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD.

Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

We are to avoid any form of sorcery, divination, fortune telling, seeking mediums to contact the dead. Modern forms of these things such as Ouija Boards, Tarot Cards, Seances, Palm reading should also be avoided. God has given us the Bible as our most specific assurance for us to understand the afterlife. There is a separation between us and the deceased that should not be crossed and according to the clear commands of Scripture, any attempts at circumnavigating this gulf in order to contact the dead (or “spirits” or “ghosts”) is sinful.

Carpe Deum! (Seize God!),
Todd Phillips

Frontline Worship Band Auditions

2009-08-26T20:46:00.003-04:00

Hello! My name is Tony Alany. I have had the privilege of being a part of Frontline Creative Arts for some time now. Most recently as the Worship Leader and Creative Arts Director for Frontline Arlington. On behalf of the Frontline Creative Arts team, we are incredibly excited about the things God is doing in Frontline, and we need your help to reach the goals that we believe God has impressed upon us! How can you help? Well, if you play drums, bass, or guitar, we want to know about it! Please click HERE to tell us more about yourself and what you do! Also, please feel free to pass this along to anyone you think may be a fit. We look forward to partnering with you to do God’s work of reaching secular Washington for Christ!

-Tony

After Party Q&A #3: Will We Remember Our Lives When We’re in Heaven?

2009-08-26T09:06:00.001-04:00

As we continue our Q&A session the next question is, “Will we remember our lives when we’re in heaven?” I want to address this question from the perspective of what we will ultimately remember in eternity. By this I’m referring to what we’ll remember after we face judgment before Christ as believers and receive our heavenly rewards.

In the “After Party” series we reflected on the passages in the Bible that speak of all believers standing before Jesus and receiving rewards in Heaven based on our action in life. Paul speaks to this issue in his second letter to Corinth, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10) Again, we don’t stand before Jesus to be judged as to our entrance into Heaven. This judgment speaks to rewards that we receive from Christ. However, we will reflect at this time on the totality of our lives and therefore will remember everything about our lives during this judgment.

After we stand before Christ at this judgment the question of our memories then becomes an interesting theological discussion. Those who claim that we will, from that point on, forget the sins of the past, refer to the passage in Revelation that states, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4) Therefore, the argument goes, we cannot possibly remember sin and tragedy if we will live a life without tears or sadness. After all, how could we remember the tragedies of life and not experience sadness?

Paul helps us here a great deal. Paul commend s believers to forget the past when he write to Philippi, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) Yet, he tells the Ephesian church to remember their former lives: “Remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh...were at that time separated from Christ.” (Ephesians 2:11-12) Even though Paul is speaking here about our earthly lives while we’re still on the earth, we can draw form this some application to eternity.

Paul seems to condone the forgetting or remembering of life’s circumstances based not on the condition of “bad” or “good,” or even the remembrance of “righteous” acts and forgetting “sin.” Instead, he implores us to remember the moments in our lives that remind us of God’s love and leads us to worship him. So, if the memory of a tragedy leads us to worship God, then we’ll remember it. If the event does nothing to increase our appreciation or worship of God then we may forget.

I say “may” because it is not clear exactly how our memories will work and yet it seems clear that we will remember at least most of our lives. In other words, the memory of our earthly lives will continue, but it will be altered in light of being in a resurrected state free from sin and death and being in perfect fellowship in the presence of Jesus.

Carpe Deum! (Seize God!),
Todd Phillips

After Party Q&A #2: Can People in Heaven See What We’re Doing on Earth?

2009-08-25T09:02:00.003-04:00

In my last blog, we tackled the question, “Do babies and special needs people go to Heaven since some can’t understand or respond to the Gospel?” Please make sure to read my last post on the subject. Another popular question was, “Can people in Heaven see what we do on earth?”

Usually I start with Scripture that either speaks directly to the issue at hand or I’ll cite passages that give us some theological insight on the subject. Unfortunately, there aren’t any passages that speak this question directly. So, in short there are no biblical texts to support the idea that people in Heaven can see what we do on earth. In fact, the two passages that are often cited in reference to this question suggest that those in Heaven cannot see what we are doing here on earth.

The first passage that is often referenced is the Luke 16 story of the Rich Man and Lazarus:

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31)

There is no indication that the Rich man in Hell, Abraham, or Lazarus can see what is happening, for example, to the Rich Man’s five brothers. We simply don’t have an indication here of the potential for them to see the living.

The other passage comes from Hebrews 12. After writing of the many faithful men and women of God form the Bible – what many call the members of the “faith Hall of Fame” from Hebrews 11 - Paul says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1) When Paul speaks of these people, now in Heaven, as the “great cloud of witnesses” this does not mean they are currently spectators of what is happening on the earth. Instead it speaks to the fact that they witness to us by their lives of faithfulness and endurance and set a lofty standard by which we should model our lives.

The only passage that hints to the potential of people in Heaven being able to see what we do on the earth is from Luke 15, “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7). However, we cannot from this passage conclude that the joy experienced here is by the children of God currently in Heaven witnessing the salvation of an individual on earth. The passage could speak to God and the Heavenly Host rejoicing or it could include our loved ones who have heard of our salvation, but again, does not speak to the ability of believers in Heaven directly witnessing our activities.

So, is it possible that people in Heaven can see what we do on earth? Possible? Yes. Likely? No.

More answers to come!

Carpe Deum! (Seize God!),
Todd Phillips

Locker Room Moments [Mike Kelsey]

2009-08-24T13:16:00.002-04:00

Typically, before every event, there's that "locker room" moment where you gather all your volunteers to give last-minute instructions, pray, etc. Here's some steps I go through (in addition to prayer) to prepare for those times. I also included some examples from a locker room moment i had today:

1. Think through what your team might face.
How might they feel throughout the event (tired, discouraged, etc.)? What situations might they have to deal with? Who will they interact with? For example, earlier today we had teams of people going to do work at public schools in Washington, DC. I knew they would definitely be talking to and working with unbelievers.

2. Think about how God would want them to respond.
If you know they'll face frustration at some point, what would God want them to do or not do with that frustration? If they'll experience a lot of crowds, how did Jesus handle crowds? Knowing that our folks would be with unbelievers today, I wanted them to be sensitive to opportunities to share the Gospel.

3. Find a passage that clearly articulates that response.
Here, you're looking for a biblical idea to brand into people's minds that will hopefully inspire them to see a situation the way God would want them to see it and respond the way God would want them to respond. For our event today, Colossians 2:5-6 fit the scenario perfectly.

4. Summarize it into a concise, memorable phrase.
Hopefully that phrase will come to their minds throughout the day. It doesn't have to rhyme or work its way into a melody; it's just something to emphasize a driving "God idea." Today, mine was "Make the most of every opportunity." I repeated that over and over again and then had them repeat it to each other. I was hoping, for example, that they would be talking to an unbeliever, quietly hear "Make the most of every opportunity" (in a scary whisper voice) and then hopefully that would encourage them in that moment to share Christ.

Locker Room moments have so much potential. Be prepared!

After Party Q&A #1: Do babies go to heaven?

2009-08-19T12:59:00.002-04:00

The series we just completed, “The After-Party” has been a tremendously exciting series to put together over the past several months. The series has led to a lot of emails asking specific questions about Heaven, Hell, and death in general which is why I decided to end the series with a Q&A session. I originally planned to speed through 10 to 15 questions during the message but there was just too much to address in each question so I only answered the five most popular questions in the service.

I’ll spend the next several weeks then answering many of the questions I was unable to address from the stage via our Frontline blog. Depending on the day, I’ll have one or several questions answered each day.

Here we go…

What happens to babies/special needs people who cannot understand the Gospel?

This was the sixth most popular question until this week. It’s now become one of the top three questions in light of emails I’ve received in the past few days. This is one of those very important questions that I wish God would have dealt with directly. However, God chose in His infinite wisdom to leave the answer to this question somewhat ambiguous from a strictly scriptural perspective.

There is some biblical evidence that those who cannot make a decision for Christ are covered by Christ’s atoning work on the cross. When King David speaks of his dead son, he claims, “But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” We see here David understanding that he will go to be with his departed son when David dies. David knew that his right standing before God came by faith and we see him included in what some call the “faith Hall of Fame” in Hebrews 11. We can then surmise that, based in the inspired Word we read here, that David would indeed see his son again in Heaven when David dies as one who is saved by faith.

Secondly, there is no question that Christ’s death on the cross is sufficient payment for the entirety of mankind’s sin. We find this in 1 John 2:2: “the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” This does not in any way negate the need for every human being to come before God in repentance and accept Jesus as their Lord. However, it opens the possibility of God applying Christ’s atoning work to those who are incapable of understanding and therefore responding to the Gospel. This would include babies and some children as well as special needs persons.

I believe that this view is completely consistent with God’s character. This idea – some call it the age of accountability – puts forth this assertion, that Christ’s death on the cross covers those who die before reaching the maturity to understand their sinfulness and their need for Christ. We cannot though be dogmatic in our assertion of this view. We can though lean on the fact that our God is always holy, just, merciful, loving, and gracious. Whatever He does is always right and good.

Frontline Baptisms

2009-08-17T11:15:00.002-04:00

If you missed the baptism service from last week, we've posted it here and also uploaded the video to YouTube. It's definitely worth checking out!

I Hate Corporate Prayer! [Mike Kelsey]

2009-08-01T18:52:00.002-04:00

If we’re all honest about it, praying with a group of people can people very weird. Someone always prays the thing you were waiting to pray for. There’s always those unbearable moments of awkward silence when noone knows what’s next. Inevitably two people will start praying at the same time and then they’ll both spend the next 5minutes saying “no, you go….no, you go.” It’s just weird.

So here are a few tips I’ve learned through my experiences to help make that time more effective (and bearable):

(1) Choose someone to open and close the prayer time.

This is so huge. It gets the time going without the dreadful moment where noone has enough courage to pray first. And it alleviates the pressure of not knowing how and when the praying is supposed to stop. Everyone knows to keep praying until “Jack” closes it out.

(2) Pray one topic at a time (conversational style).

How would this conversation sound? “Hey, did you see the basketball game last night?” “I bought some amazing furniture this weekend.” “My back hurts.” That’s soooo random and the conversation would never deepen and progress because it’s bouncing from topic to topic. That’s how most corporate prayer times are. No focus, just random things blurted out. Instead, choose a specific prayer topic/need and have everyone focus their prayers on that, then move to the next one. That allows for a cumulative effect in prayer, where all the prayers build on each other and the Lord can give wisdom even in the process of praying.

(3) Don’t be afraid to pray again!

There’s some unspoken rule that each person is only allowed to pray once. You might pray and then a few minutes later God may put something else on your heart to pray for, but you’ve already “had your turn” so you stay quiet. WHY?! Pray again! Yes, sometimes it’s rude to go back for seconds, but not in prayer!

(4) Avoid praying for too long.

There’s limited time for a prayer gathering, so don’t monopolize that time by praying for too long. We’ve all been there. Someone up front says “I’ll give you a few minutes to pray together and then I’ll end the time by closing it out.” Five minutes later, the first person is STILL praying and as soon as you finally get to chime in, the prayer time is over (and you’re left trying to figure out “Should I still finish my prayer or just stop?”)

[Note: This is in reference to INDIVIDUALS being insensitive to the fact that others also want to participate in prayer. This is not to say that corporate prayer times should be short.]

(5) Don’t be afraid to break the connection.

When prayer starts we feel like there’s this formal connection to God that shouldn’t be broken until the prayer time is over. So, for example, you’re supposed to be praying for Joe but as soon as you start praying for him you realize you don’t remember his name!!! Ahh you’ve been there. So you just start praying in very vague terms: “Lord, thank you for my brother.” Break the connection!!! Just stop and ask him what his name is and then keep praying. That’s MUCH better than not being able to pray wholeheartedly and specifically because you’re trying to figure out how to keep it general!

(6) Let Scripture inform your praying.

As verses come to mind in your corporate prayer times, either read them aloud or simply use them to guide what you pray for. God has obligated Himself to respond to His Word and when we pray his Word, He uses it to shape our desires and give us wisdom for how to pray according to His will.

Those are just a few things I’ve learned that make praying with others less dreadful and more effective.

After Party Blog Response, Part 1 [Todd Phillips]

2009-07-27T09:08:00.004-04:00

Last night at Frontline we started a series called The After Party, covering subjects like “What Happens the Moment We Die?” and “Is there a literal place called Hell?” and "What will Heaven be like?” Last night we covered a great deal of information and one of the areas I didn’t have the time to explore was the rewards that we may qualify for in heaven. Several Frontliners emailed me last night asking for more detail so here it is!

There are five crowns (rewards) shown in Bible – but there could be more:

1. The Incorruptible Crown – 1 Corinthians 9:25 – This reward is given to those seeking maturity in Christ with every fiber of their being. They read God’s Word and meditate on it daily, pray without ceasing for themselves and others, fast. They pursue solitude, submission to God’s Word, and simplicity in life. This crown is for those who press ceaselessly to know Jesus more intimately with each breath.
2. Crown of Righteousness – 2 Timothy 4:8 – This crown is for those who know that this world is not your own; joy is not found in the things of this world. These followers of Christ hold loosely to the things this world offers and hold tightly to the things of God. They long for the return of Christ and the redemption that comes with Him.
3. Crown of Rejoicing (or the “soul-winner’s crown”) Philippians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:19 – This crown is reserved for those who care for others who don’t yet know Christ. These followers of Christ dive into the lives of non-believers looking moment by moment for opportunities to show the love of Christ in acts of kindness and share the Gospel through these relationships.
4. Crown of Glory – 1 Peter 5:4 – Those who care for others – believers and non-believers. This is also called “The Shepherd’s Crown.” Small group leaders, ministry activists, pastors – these are the types of followers who receive this reward.
5. Crown of Life - James 1:12; Revelation 2:10; 3:11 – This reward comes to those who endure trials and unspeakable hardships and hang tightly to Jesus through it all. Martyrs for the faith in history and those who will die for Christ before this day is done will receive this crown.

Have you lived lives worthy of the rewards of God?
Some of us have, some have not done these things.

Remember 1 Corinthians 3:13-15:
13 (a person’s) work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.
14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.
15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

Some believers will be rewarded so handsomely by Christ that it will take ten million years in eternity to even begin to wrap their minds around what they’ve received. Others, who have received God’s gift of salvation but have done little with the gift they have received will “be saved, but only as one escaping from the flames.”

Believer, would God say “well done my good and faithful servant” for the life you’ve lived in the past seven days? Or, have you accepted His love and forgiveness and done little with the gift you’ve received?

Be sure to attend one of our campuses (Tysons, Silver Spring, Arlington and Internet) in the coming weeks as we tackle the tough topics of Heaven and Hell straight from the pages of the Bible. See you there and be sure to invite your friends!

Carpe Deum! (Seize God!),
Todd Phillips
Frontline Pastor

Internet Blitz Tonight!

2009-07-21T10:19:00.002-04:00

Join us at 7:30 PM ET tonight on the Internet Campus for our After Party Internet Blitz!

This is the Internet Campus's version of a metro blitz. It will be an interactive time of coming together virtually to spread the word about Frontline's upcoming series, After Party.

If you've never been on the Internet Campus, this will also be a great time to check it out!

To participate, just go to www.frontlineic.com tonight at 7:30 PM ET.

See you online!

Pretty And Polished: Liberia

2009-07-13T08:59:00.002-04:00

Pretty & Polished founder Christina Holder has been serving in wartorn Liberia, West Africa over the last year. There she has been working as a freelance journalist, covering the post-war development of this nation traumatized by 14 years of civil war, and volunteering as a counselor to war-affected people. She shares how the Pretty & Polished concept has made the transition from elderly women in the United States to vulnerable, forgotten women in Liberia.

Here at Frontline, Pretty & Polished is a volunteer group that visits nursing homes in the D.C.-area and gives residents simple manicures. Painting nails speaks powerfully to women who no longer feel beautiful but still long for beauty. Pretty & Polished volunteers remind these women that they are, indeed, beautiful and are Jesus' treasure.

It's a burning day on the outskirts of wartorn Liberia's capital city of Monrovia, and Haja is working under the shade of a rainbow patio umbrella pitched along a dirty street.

Every day she is here on this street in my neighborhood selling sundry items each for several pennies — bread, roasted peanuts, butter in thumb-sized plastic bags. She makes small money to feed her family and somehow makes it through another day in her war-ravaged homeland.

In Liberia, a 14-year civil war that ended only about five years ago has left this nation with historic ties to the United States mostly without electricity, running water and critical infrastructure like navigable roads outside of the capital. Most Liberians live in the ruins of buildings that were burned and looted by rebel factions. They are desperate to make money in a country with an estimated 80 percent unemployment rate. Their daily struggle is to live among the poverty and disease and trash that has infiltrated their communities.

I met Haja last year on the eve of the U.S. presidential election. She was pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy. She named him Obama, after our President. Almost every day I am in Monrovia, I pass by her rainbow umbrella to see her.

“Haja, how the day?” I say in the informal Liberian English used on the streets.

“I alright-o,” she responds.

“How the business?”

“Alright.”

“How Obama?”

“He fine.”

All our conversations start like this. But everything isn't always fine. The life of a woman in wartorn Liberia is difficult and very painful at times — and it's unlikely she will tell you that her life is, in fact, not “alright-o.”

In the process of building relationships with Liberian women, I've seen that it takes time for them to tell you the deep hurts of their lives — husbands that leave to spend the night with girlfriends, the memories of being raped during the war, how they blame themselves when they have family problems.

While so many women are hurting on the inside, they appear tough and resilient on the outside. Maybe it's the war that made their gazes so fierce. Maybe they are just trying to survive.

Most women here spend all day working in the hot sun. They farm or tend to gardens they've planted on the roadside. They spend hours washing clothes with washboards and buckets of cool, soapy water because they don't have washing machines.

They can spend half a day cooking. A Liberian woman goes to the market every day to buy a few cups of rice and ingredients to make different toppings, generally called “soup.” Often, a day's meal is all she can afford.

Most Liberians don't have refrigerators to keep leftovers, and even if they did, they would need extra money to power the refrigerator with a generator. Today, the lights are coming back on in Liberia after the country's power grid was destroyed during the war, but only for the people who can buy expensive generators and the fuel to run them. The typical Liberian woman works from sunup to sundown, always with the hope that she can sell enough to feed her family.

Her plight is similar to that of many women in Africa. She feels vulnerable, marginalized, forgotten.

And with all the dirt under her nails, the dust on her feet, the sweat on her brow — she hardly feels beautiful.

She sits like Haja under her rainbow umbrella ... trying to escape the sun ... trying to make the best of her circumstances ... trying to believe that one day she will see a restored Liberia.

I know Haja doesn't think she is beautiful.

Or special.

Or wanted.

And that's why I sit down with her under the rainbow umbrella.

I take the lid off a jumbo Blue Plate mayonnaise jar filled with hot water I boiled in my apartment and pour it into a large plastic bowl. I foam the water with some olive soap. Haja plunks her feet into the warm water. Some children in the yard occupy Obama's attention. Passersby look at us with curious stares and smiles.

I focus on Haja's hands. First, a hand massage with cocoa butter creme, a favorite of Liberian women. (“It fine-o!,” Haja says.) Then I wrap her hands in a warm towel. Next, I free the dirt from under her nails with a bobby pin I pull out of my hair. (Next time, I'll remember to bring orange sticks from the States). Finally, the polish. Cherry, magenta or a glittery gold. She chooses magenta for her fingers and cherry for her toes.

“Haja,” I say, trying out my Liberian English again, “How the day? You feeling fine?”

“Yeah-o. I fine.”

“How the business?”

“Fine.”

“How Obama?”

“He alright.”

I continue to paint. Later, I scrub her feet in the warm, soapy water and massage the cocoa butter into her rough heels. We talk about where she was born in northern Liberia, about her family, about her boyfriend, Shariff, who has just pulled up on a motorcycle.

“Haja,” I say, “Tell me about Shariff. Tell me how you met.”

She smiles. Surely, Shariff can't hear us talking.

“I will tell you next time,” she insists.

“OK,” I say. “You promise? I want to know!”

Soon the simple manicure and pedicure is finished. The sun has baked the pink polish on her nails and the red on her toes. She is ready to get back to work.

“Haja,” I said. “You like it? You looking fine! You look fine-o!”

“It fine,” she said. “Thank you.”

She is happy. I can see it in her smile. I can see it in her eyes. I can see it as she wraps her shiny pink fingers around Obama and pulls him close to her heart.

She feels beautiful.

“Haja, I want you to know why I doing this,” I try to explain. “You know, I believe that no matter what you go through, that even though life can be hard and even though you may not feel beautiful ... that God thinks you are beautiful, Haja. He looks at you, and He says you are beautiful. He sees you as His treasure. I want you to know that.”

“Thank you,” she says.

And the sun still burns down on the rainbow umbrella. And there still is so much work to be done. The selling. The washing. The cooking.

The surviving.

But my prayer is that there also is hope that comes with the knowledge of how God really feels about His daughters. I hope that Haja comes to believe more and more that she is beautiful because she is a child of God. I hope that she will trust that He can restore all of the years of war and pain and suffering that she has endured. I hope that she will be prompted to seek out Jesus every time she looks at her shiny fingernails and toes.

And I hope that as I continue to find her along the dirty street and duck under her rainbow umbrella, that we will get into the “not-alright-conversations.” I hope that I will be able to encourage her and to pray with her and to remind her of her true worth.

But until that time, it's enough that her nails are polished.

And it's enough that she feels beautiful today.