Adventures in Faith

The Body of Christ = Prayer Coverage

Ryan Derfler ·

Got a call last night from a dear brother in Christ, he's a pastor in Connecticut, among other things. Anyway, I listened to his voicemail this morning, it was him praying for me and for my family for three minutes and it changed my whole day, maybe more.

As I listened to it, my spirit leaped--what he was saying was not him just saying stuff, it wasn't a normal prayer, it stirred something inside me deeply, it changed my day.

And this particular brother has a habit of doing this. I literally have received so many calls from him (and humorously 9 out of 10 go to voicemail) that it quickly ate up all my voicemail space. These voicemails are such a treasure that I opened a Dropbox storage account just to save them.

By the way, often his voicemails go beyond the three minute limit per message for 2, 3, even 10 messages in a row. He's someone who is praying in the Holy Spirit, he's sharing real truth, and that's why these gems are so valuable to me that I save them and go back and listen to them.

I have dozens of messages like this, not just from this one brother, but others too. Am I sharing this because I'm special and want to rub it in your face? Not at all.

I'm sharing this because I believe this is supposed to be the common experience for the Christian living in fellowship of the church body. And just going to church doesn't guarantee you this experience. In fact, I'm just coming off a year when Whitney and I were searching for a church where, in some ways, these kinds of calls from brothers was a big part of what church meant to me. 

The reality is that these calls, the timing, the words that are spoken, knowing that God is putting you on the mind of someone else at just the right time, they become deeply touching evidence about how real and good God really is.

So what do you do if this isn't happening for you? Here's what I propose:

1. Hang around other people who want to pray. Maybe the're at your church, a Bible study, it could be anywhere. Listen for clues that they might be praying and offer to join them. You'll find that many churches have prayer as part of their regular routine.

2. Don't be discouraged if/when you don't start getting calls from people praying for you. The sad reality is that most people are overcommitted and don't actually pray for themselves, let alone other people. 

3. Start to pray for other people that are around you. And pray that God would put people in your life to pray for you.

4. Keep your eyes and ears open. Sometimes God sends us people but they don't look like what we'd expect and we miss it. Look for opportunities to connect with people who want to give and receive prayer.

5. Ask for prayer. Humble yourself enough to share details about what's going on in your life, be vulnerable and ask for prayer. 

As you put yourself out there, and forge new and deeper relationships, undoubtedly over time, God is going to start putting people around you that are praying for you, and God is going to use those people to show you how incredible he is, and its going to change your life. 

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
— James 1:6
“Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”
— Ephesians 6:18

Adventures in Faith

The Solution to the Police / Black Lives Issue Is Not Within Us

Ryan Derfler ·

A friend of mine is a police officer, though this is not well-known, even in his family, for their own protection. He wrote an insightful note to me yesterday, i want to share a few highlights:

i just watched your video "The solution to Police..." I typically don't watch social media posts about policing these days because it's just too easy for many to comment without any committment to the subject matter. I do respect your views though so i was curious.

I just want to respectfully share my opinion.

I have been in law enforcement for over 20 years and my view is that police are servants of the community, protectors, who put more on the line for others on a daily basis than any religion, charity, profession, non profit organization, etc. police go to work everyday go to work every day faced with the consequences of failures in society. Criminology identifies many cause / contributing factors in why people commit crime, none of which begin with the justice system. I have had experiences with those who committed crimes who faced alcoholism, drug addiction, child abuse, poverty, lack of or poor parenting, mental disorders, desperation, as well as less severe contributing factors such as a sense of unfairness, inequality, crime of opportunity, and poor judgment. Please Watch this video.

Now imagine if your family was home alone during an armed robbery of your home. Imagine their fear. Imagine receiving the call from a terrified person who cant (physically or out of fear) protect themselves...or their children, and facing with the worst day in their life. How would you respond if a family member called you telling you someone was in your house, had a gun to their head. You race down the street and see someone matching the description a few houses away. Its ironic that the outspoken social media vows to commit violence against a child molester but condemns the actions of a police officer who shoots a suspect that, 10 seconds later, would have killed the officer glorifying the person with a long history of violence in the middle of a violent crime.

Even though police are held to a higher standard in society and, although fallible, they maintain their professionalism, follow strict rules and guidelines, know they will be condemned regardless if their actions are righteous all while in a fight for their life. It is now more than a double standard. It is the onset of a lawless society.

Most have no idea what is involved with policing. I have watched hundreds of hours of HGTV yet every home renovation project i take on involves an injury. Why is it the society can watch a 10 second news clip and have all of the answers for police?

Although i am behind a desk now, there were plenty of times i had to leave my house in the middle of the night, my babies and my wife sleeping, and rush into a situation most people run from, most people consider their worst day, outnumbered, into a high risk, mostly unknown situation.

I've been to more funerals than i can count for peers involved in similar situations. I have had my life and my family's life, threatened several times...once by someone with PTSD from Viet Nam, once by a schizophrenic person who, after i handcuffed him, told me he was 30 minutes away from killing his ex-wife and that had i turned my back on him, would have used the sawed-off shotgun i found under his car seat to blow my head off and leave me dead on the side of the road.

I listened to radio calls of my long time partner being choked by one guy while being kicked by another and attempting to get his gun. I couldn't drive fast enough.

I've listened to radio calls of a co-worker unsuccessfully giving CPR to another co-worker. I have had the long end of shift rides shaking because of how close i was to not making it home.

Please also watch this video. Even though a training scenario in no way provides the full experience of a real scenario, it is enough to completely change the perspective of a very strong willed, anti police person.

I want to close with a couple of comments. As in most social media, the brief glimpse i provided will most likely not provide the entire perspective i have experienced nor make a very strong impact on your views. It is a very difficult task and i didn't expect it to. I do hope that, as in your experience with the police, you can see multiple viewpoints besides the personal impact; the views of the victims, the views of the police. I also want to say that in no way do i want this to come across in an adversarial manner. Since i have a connection with you, i felt safe to engage in a friendly dialogue on a relevant and serious topic. I certainly respect your viewpoint as it provides a different perspective. 

Adventures in Faith

God Spoke to Me Using Soccer Metaphor and It Changed My Life

Ryan Derfler ·

A "Christian brother" and I fasted for one day and agreed to pray for each others "business," and this is what happened.

This impacted me greatly, as I processed what I heard God say to me so clearly. It opened my eyes to the glut of "training resources" and the shortage of Christians stepping onto the field, so to speak.

What I heard made so much sense that I began to share it to anyone who would listen. I realized that the times where God was speaking most clearly to me was when I was living it out on the field, I was doing something about what He was telling me to do.

I saw a way to help guide people into taking action with their faith, in fact, my job at the time for Cityteam was to do just that! I bought a web doman www.handsonchristian.com, set up social media handles, and even started working on a video to capture the message. I wanted it to be perfect so I worked my way into the Major League Soccer (MLS) Earthquakes stadium in San Jose, CA! 

This revelation then led to the creation of a concept to coax people onto the field. Being in Silicon Valley at the time, of course this ended up being conceived as a technology platform with gamification elements to drive outcomes and was communicated in this venture capital (VC) style pitch deck ;)

 

Soon two others were attracted to this vision, it resonated deeply with what God was telling them to do, and the three of us together set to work to build out a minimum viable product (MVP) of this concept over the course of 90 days. It was an impossible task by any measure, even for a 17 year Apply veteran, and skilled community pastor, and I, but we embraced the reality that if it was God's plan, it would work. Ultimately, we couldn't find a way to solve the problem in a way that would generate revenue and we all got job offers that took us away from the project. 

But what I heard from God on that day stays with me, and I continue to examine whether I am just training more, or if I'm actually on the field with regards to my faith. The pull toward the former is so strong.

In fact, the whole purpose of this blog is to encourage others to step out of their own comfort zone to take practical steps in their faith and their attempts to know God and Jesus.

And, I still have it in my sights to build something to this end--something that provides a trigger point to unleash people into the active practical aspects of their faith. My hope and prayer is that in late 2016 / early 2017, this vision might become realized.

To think that this all came from that vision God gave me in prayer during the World Cup in 2014, it's truly amazing how when we seek God in prayer, He can speak to us and inspire us, that in a single moment of quiet time listening, He can direct in such a rich way so as to literally change the way we think and even the trajectory of our life. 

Adventures in Faith

This is How to Confront Evil

Ryan Derfler ·

In Scripture Jesus demonstrates his power over the darkest evils, he confronts the demons! And yet, the modern world, and especially in the USA, we ignore the spiritual realm--this is a HUGE mistake. Scripture is clear: we are not in a battle of flesh and blood but of the principalities of evil! And Scripture provides the toolkit to deal with these things, it's called the full armor of God. While we're arguing over gun and immigration control and more, we're ignoring the flood of evil our country; in our ignorance it has cloaked us. 

 

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)

The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 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 Lord’s people.

Be connected to the vine, know Scripture, fight temptation, be a person of prayer, be baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, walk out GOD'S plan for your life, not what you want but what God wants for you. 

Adventures in Faith

5 Years Later I Met w/ the Pastor Who Wouldn't Baptize Me

Ryan Derfler ·

“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Adventures in Faith

I'm Not A Good Dude, Christian, etc.

Ryan Derfler ·

After coming to a place in my faith where I realize there is "stuff" in my heart that is wicked, that I don't want there, that I can't remove, and which I need to Lord to literally do heart surgery, I feel compelled to share this with you all. 

Also, I reference this Scripture...

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”
— The Apostle Paul Speaking in 1 Timothy 1:15
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”
— Paul in Romans 7:15
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
— 2 Corinthians 12:9

 

And this sermon by Tim Keller, which is seriously too good not to hear.

Here's a post by a brother in Christ I really respect, a real warrior and disciple-maker, David Watson, that touches on the gravity of this issue we have as Christians projecting this image that we have it figured out, that we're not battling demons, that we're not trapped in sin as much as anyone.

Adventures in Faith

Watch This if You're Worried About the USA Right Now

Ryan Derfler ·

UPDATE: A couple hours after recording this, I came upon a brother who was reading his Bible in the hotel. I asked him, "what are you reading?" He says to me Ezra Chapter 1, so I ask him what it's about? He says to me, "its about how the Lord flipped the heart of the King to do His will like a switch." I get a big smile as I think to myself, yes, yes, that's the Lord I serve, who holds the hearts of Kings and Presidents and leaders and anyone in the palm of his hand. He took Cyrus the King and in a moment, with nobody having talked to him, he changed his whole life, his whole way of operating. Just like that. Not to say that will happen now or here, but its just a possibility, its a show of the power and awe of the King of Kings.

1 Now in the [a]first year of [b]Cyrus king of Persia [that is, the first year he ruled Babylon], in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah [the prophet], the Lord stirred up (put in motion) the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:
2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The [c]Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is God who is in Jerusalem. 4 In any place where a survivor (Jewish exile) may live, let the men (Gentiles) of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with freewill offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.’”

In addition, if you want a thoughtful collection of thoughts and Scripture on the issue, read this post by Mike Griego.

Update: Saw this talk by Pastor James McDonald, and thought it was pretty spot on and worth adding.