When I was a kid, I had a spiffy little 20-inch Schwinn bike—the Hollywood model—in bright royal blue. It was a sweet little ride. As I grew, my Dad would adjust the handlebars and the seat so I could steer and peddle more easily. One fateful day, however, Dad forgot to fully tighten the bolts when he moved my handlebars. As I tore off down the driveway, pulling upward on the handlebars while I pumped furiously, suddenly, I completely spun out of control. My last pull upward on the handlebars had freed them completely from the bike. I was soon the proud owner of implanted pieces of gravel all over my knees and my elbows. I still have the scars today to prove it. (Poor Dad. It was just an oversight. But as a mechanical engineer and a loving Dad—he sure felt badly about it!).
Handlebars on a bike are designed to be inherently stable. Firmly fixed. Steadfast. Unmovable. Like the well-tightened handlebars on a bicycle, the Apostle Paul calls us in Colossians 1:24 to “continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven…”
Continue in the faith.
Stable and steadfast.
Not shifting from the hope of the gospel.
These are not only words to the church in Colossae, in ancient times. They are timely words to us today. What are the aspects of the Christian faith that can break loose if we don’t fasten them firmly?
Photo credit: Andre Amaral Xavier on Unsplash.com.
We can break loose from the object of our faith. Our faith isn’t even, actually, our faith. Faith is a gift of God. And it is focused on the One who gives it. Christ is the object of our faith. We don’t have faith in faith. We don’t have faith in “the universe.” We don’t have faith in others. We have faith in Christ—and his finished work on Calvary to redeem his people and ultimately bring restoration to all things through his saving power. In disability ministry, we need to keep our eyes focused on Christ as the object of our faith—and the One to whom we point others in every situation.
We can break loose from our commitment to the authority of Scripture. In the face of rapidly changing cultural dynamics around us, it is very tempting to “loosen the bolts” of Scripture in our lives. There are many things that Scripture teaches that run very counter to the spirit of the age in which we live. That doesn’t make them untrue. That doesn’t make them uninspired. It just makes them unpopular. Scripture is what grounds us in truth. In disability ministry, we need to remember that Scripture sets the parameters for ministry and for life. Scripture frames the agenda for ministry, not the demands of the culture-at-large.
We can break loose from the necessary tension of the gospel in word and deed. In the book of James, the author (believed to be Jesus’ brother) talks about the interplay between faith and works. In James 2:18b he says, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” When the gospel brings transformational change in the life of a person, there is an interdependence between both the gospel in word and the gospel in deed. The gospel in word is received and believed. The gospel in deed is expressed in action. They operate inseparably in tension and in tandem. We become unstable when we uncouple these. We can err on focusing exclusively on belief without action. We can err on focusing exclusively on actions disconnected from genuine, saving faith. In disability ministry, which naturally highlights practical and material needs, it is easy to emphasize “deed” ministry to the exclusion of the ministry of the Word. We need to proactively hold them in tension as we jointly minister the truth of the gospel message and the practical expression of it in deeds of mercy, justice and faithfulness.
We can break loose from the hope of the gospel. This is closely related to the previous point. My friend Joan Borton once said, of disability ministry, “The commodity we operate in is hope.”
Not hope that there will be more services available (although I hope there will be!)
Not hope that there will be better programs available (although that would be great!)
Not hope that there will be more funding available (although that would be so helpful!).
Our eternal hope is fixed on Christ, and the ultimate hope of his kingdom coming to full fruition. His kingdom is here in part, and what we taste now is what Amy Sherman calls “the pink taste test spoons” of the kingdom of God. Just a foretaste of what is to come. As the author of Hebrews says in Hebrews 12:1b-2, “…let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking unto Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated on the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus taught us how to run with race with certain hope. What we need to offer people in disability ministry, centrally and ultimately, is the hope of the gospel.
So friends, “tighten the bolts on your handlebars.” And stay the course.
Continue in the faith.
Stable and steadfast.
Not shifting from the hope of the gospel.
Steph Hubach is the author of Same Lake, Different Boat: Coming Alongside People Touched by Disability—First Edition (2006), Updated and Revised Version (2020) and Parenting & Disabilities (2021). In collaboration with Lancaster Bible College, Steph produced a Christian Education DVD series based on Same Lake, Different Boat, which is available on YouTube. She has served as a contributing author for the Ministry Essentials Bible, The Dignity and Sanctity of Every Human Life, and Amazing Gifts: Stories of Faith Disability and Inclusion. Steph’s writing has appeared in publications such as ByFaith magazine, Focus on the Family magazine, Covenant magazine, Breakpoint online magazine, and the enCourage blog. Steph currently serves as a Research Fellow in Disability Ministries and as a Visiting Instructor in Educational Ministries with Covenant Theological Seminary.
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