The Sent Out One

Evangelism: slow cooked meal style

2011-11-09T15:08:00.000-05:00

I have been making my way through The Road to Missional by Michael Frost. It is a fantastic read and something that all Christian leaders should engage with as part of their contemplations regarding how to reach our neighbors in our Western culture context. One such gem within the book is where Frost highlights the problem of how to "do" evangelism. Some say verbally others say it's all about your actions (social justice and hospitality). Frost begs us to consider that the truly missional congregation will see both as inseparable actions within our "sentness" as the Church.The quote that I am chewing on and am really enjoying is the following:If evangelism is like a meal, think of it as being prepared in a slow cooker and served over a long night around a large table. It can't be microwaved. It can't be takeout.I love this image. Maybe it is due to my affinity for slowing things down, especially a meal full of conversation. It also could be that I long for such a thing based on the fact that having four children under the age of 7 meals are rarely slow and full of conversation (it is something we are working on). So the image that is painted here is appealing, but it also speaks to how I am inclined to operate myself. Too often, just as Frost points out, we evangelicals get this notion that we must tell everyone that we meet how to get to heaven and if we don't then they are doomed and it is on us. So we walk onto planes, commuter trains, sit in coffee shops wondering if we are about to be tested to see if we are up on our faith. "Hi! That looks like a tasty burger. Would you like to know how to get to heaven?"There is something seriously wrong with our understanding of God if we honestly believe that it is all on us in those few seconds to share the message of eternal life or that person will never experience the beauty of the resurrection of Jesus. I do know that we are moved by the Holy Spirit to speak to "strangers" and share about our faith. However, I believe that it is about sharing our story and not about specific high points you must reach by the time you land. Maybe, it is the start of conversation that will last another 4 months over e-mail. Maybe, that is all you will ever get with that person. If so, trust that God has them firmly in the love palm of God's hand just as God has you. The interactions that we should be paying closer attention to are the ones that we have more frequently with family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers/classmates. Slow cooked meal style.

No need to reinvent the wheel

2011-11-02T20:08:00.000-04:00

One hope that I have with the emergence of our post-denominational missional context is that it will help congregations overcome our desire to do a “mission project” with our name and ideas attached. For example, I recently spoke with a representative from http://www.churchworldservice.org and one of the challenges that they have faced is that congregations would rather start a project themselves than contribute to an organization that has already cleared the mounds of red tape that exist when doing international assistance to those in need. Why?! So we can be assured that our money is well spent through personally going to these places and getting a stamp on our passport?A true missional congregation will ask what is a need that they want to impact, pray, and then look around at all the organizations that exist that may already be addressing the problem. Christians need to view humanitarian efforts with the same perspective as they do their own spheres of influence. They are both mission fields. We are called to witness to our families, co-workers, neighbors, etc. If we want to address a need that we see in the world like hunger, why does it have to be a “Christian” organization. What better way to be the Church then to partner with self professed humanist relief organization. When asked why, you can say, “because the Son of God has come into the world to set the poor and oppressed free, give sight to the blind, and make the lame walk.”

These walls can't hold us in

2011-11-02T09:40:00.002-04:00

Too often the Church has relinquished its true identity for the confines of a building. We are so proud of our accomplishments and the structures we build, but should we use them (buildings and programs) to identify who we are as followers of Jesus? Well, we shouldn't, but sadly we do. How many times have you heard something like the following; "I know that I need to get back to Church, my life has been so busy." Apart from the fact that this should serve as a warning sign that the individual speaking does not own their schedule and therefore their life, it shows a common misunderstanding that people have about of what or more appropriately who makes up the Church.
Church is not something that we go to, because we are the Church. It exists wherever we are located. I am not saying there is zero value in gathering together to lift the name of God on high. That should happen, but what I am saying is that we need to stop identifying the Church as a physical structure or programs that we do and get back to what scripture calls it; "you are the light of the world." If people began to understand themselves as not merely representing a brand of Christianity (I belong to this little church or I am a part of this hipster church movement at the strip mall) and instead embodied who they really are (new creations to the glory of God) then this world would see the Light that is driving out the darkness that seeks to destroy us all.

Oh me of little faith

2011-10-25T09:30:00.000-04:00

It is one of those haunting things to encounter a story involving Jesus teaching his disciples and watch how the end result of their interaction with them is "You of little faith!" I recently thought that this is best interpreted as Jesus saying to his disciples "C'Mon man!" In my youth I could not understand how the disciples could be, at times, so daft. Here they are walking around with the Son of God and they just don't get it. Years passed by, life has provided me with a number of occasions to sit be the bed of those who are dying, diagnosed with cancer, and who are disabled. There in those moments I find myself never wanting to offer "false hope" or lead them to believe that it is their lack of faith as to why they are not getting better. So I pray, for God's holy presence, God's love and compassion,, God's peace. These things that I pray are honest, from the gut, kind of things that I believe in heart and mind.

That was all thrown out the window one day when I was doing my rounds in a hospital in Jersey and I walked into a room of a Egyptian Coptic Christian woman. I do not recall what she was being treated for, but I recall that the situation looked dire. I walked in thinking that I would offer comfort and prayers of peace. Instead I was met by eyes of fait and deep conviction.She explained to me the story of their faith and that they firmly believe that even today if you pray with faith mountains can be moved. She paused, looked me right in the eyes and said, "I want you to pray that I will walk out of here and I want you to believe the words when you pray them."I can not tell you to this day what I prayed, but I remember what my internal dialogue was as I prayed. "Lord, heal this woman on account of HER faith, and take the little faith that I have and show me you still work in miraculous ways." The result was she was granted healing to walk out of the hospital by her own power.This happened in 2004 and has not been the norm in my walk with Christ, but I will never doubt that God can and still does work in ways that blow our minds, that are not easily explained, I thank God for it!

The peace of the city

2011-10-13T11:05:00.002-04:00

It may seem strange to say that there is quiet and peace to be found in a city. Most of the time when we think of cities we are filled with images of clubs that stay open late, cabs and other cars honking, delivery trucks arriving at all hours, but in the midst of all this I have found that there is calm to be found. In fact I believe that on can find peace that is on par with being in the midst of nature. The primary reason is that there is just as much beauty to beholdwhen we are surrounded by humanity as there is when you stand on top of a mountainor open field by a stream. The best time to experience this peace in the city, as I have found, is by foot in the early hours of the day, or when the rain is coming down. For many rain is a deterrent, but given that I am originally from Seattle I stand with all my NW folks that call rain liquid sunshine. Let's face it, if people in Seattle waited for the sun to come out and the rain to stop falling then nothing would ever get done. OK, I am getting off topic. The point is that there is a rich experience awaiting anyone who is willing to step out into the streets, slow down, look, listen and be still amidst those who race around to the next task. When we do this we begin to see just how crazy small our worlds have become if we let our e-mails, text messages, and calendars run our life. We all have to earn money so we have to do some of that, but we would feel more balanced if we took more time to allow for perspective to unsettle our routines. When we start to do this we become available to see and hear things that we were once too easy to miss. Oh, one last recommendation on this one. If you walk, leave the ipod or smartphone off. Happy Trails!

The Church has no right to say.......

2011-10-11T22:13:00.000-04:00

The Barna group has released a new book that covers their 5 year study of youth who have left the Church. When asked for their reason the youth cited intolerance of sexual practices that the greater culture claims as normative. There is also the cry of disbelief that the Church in their eyes is still anti-science. These were the two that stood out the most to me, but certainly you could throw in the old standard "it's boring" and "it's full of hypocrites." The last two are true cop-outs, because they betray the person who uses them by revealing that these young people have not examined either their faith or their own shortcomings enough.The former two critiques of the Church are problematic in that they are classic complaints against the Christian faith done with a modern remix flare. The anti-science complaint often times stems from those who have ingested just enough Dawkins, Harris, or Hitchens to decide that all religion is anti-science. These few loud voices in the complex fields of science have claimed to hold the truth after thorough testing and examination that they hold there is enough to persuade everyone with their rally cry "leave religion in the past, progress is to had through our research." When we stop and step back for a moment at these claims for what they are we begin to see that these voices of intellectual progress without religion are just as extreme as any militant fundamentalist religious group. Are they not saying of themselves; follow me and MY findings for my ways are error free compared to that of religion. In truth science is just as dependent upon cross-examination and reform as religion. So to claim that one holds the key to progress for a better society based one's own intellectual capabilities alone is just as arrogant and dangerous as the religious cult leader who commands his followers to drink the poisoned Kool-aid. Notice also, that there are a multitude of faithful Christians, as well as other religious persons, who are some of the best and brightest in the multitude of scientific fields today.

The complaint that the Church is "anti-science" is true for those who have pulpits that rail against it, but many pastors support the pursuit of science. I think that some of the confusion may lay in the errant belief that pastors have no right to offer caution or critique when it comes to the ethics of some of the current research practices in genetics. It is essential that Christians, especially pastors, offer their caution to the scientific community to consider the larger picture of what they are pursuing. Just because technology has enabled us to do something does it mean that we must press on to see if it works? It is that kind of thinking that produces something that is later used as the most destructive device know to humankind. There is also caution about whether it is permissible to "test" on humanity. Too often, for the sake of progress, science has used the poor and those who are thought to be under the radar as test subjects. Speaking up as the Church against such practices does not qualify us as being "anti-science," but as ones who seek to see discovery take place in an ethical and humane fashion.

The last one is sexuality. It appears to be the case that people of all ages in our culture have relented that we are all sexually driven beings and that if someone or some group promotes self-control then they are out of touch with what is classified as "healthy" behavior. It is really naive and arrogant of this generation to think that we are the first to engage in a debate on this subject. In fact when you search the pastoral letters in the New Testament (often influenced by the Hebrew Bible) we see words of caution and chastisement of the people who are trying to figure out what it means to be a follower of Jesus and exist in their culture. There are a number of occasions where the apostle Paul says (and I am paraphrasing here) "Yeah I know you used to get it on every weekend with someone you met the other night, but I am telling you that your body is now a place of worship where Jesus resides and you are defiling your body which is a place of worship when you do. Show some self control! You are so much more than a walking flesh bag of hormones!"I know that this does not resolve that matter. However, if you are reading this and you are considering leaving the Church behind I urge you to reconsider. Before you leave pray, then ask yourself "Have I talked with anyone from the Church about my feelings on these issues?" Lastly, I urge you to consider whether it is truly wise to step out on your spiritual journey on your own? We were never meant to be creatures that walk alone, we are wired to be in community. Let the community wrestle with your questions.

Be Bold. Walk Humbly.

2011-10-03T14:43:00.001-04:00

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Romans 12:1-2 The Message//RemixWe have become so accustomed to placing our God stuff in portions of our lives rather than allowing our lives, every square inch of it, to be in God's hands and command.Too often we delay over how this is to be done and give up on it too easily. The time for excuses has ended. We know how we are to pray. So let us pray.We know about Jesus' Way. So let us walk.We know about God's love. So let us forgive.Hold nothing back. Be bold in your faith in Jesus. Walk humbly before God.

To whom or what do you turn?

2011-09-28T14:29:00.000-04:00

Whenever people face hardships or obstacles in their lives they turn to whatever is in their hearts to lift them up. If you have placed your hope and energy in sports then you will look to that to provide relief. However, no sporting or race team is guaranteed victory every Sunday. Some may choose to lose themselves in 30 minute comedies or spend time immersed in the world of romance through book, television, and film. However, all these come to an end and the high of laughter and love is just as fleeting as the flick of the remote to the next channel.We are not hard wired to put our hope these things, but the average person devotes countless hours to these and other entertainments to help us find balance in our lives. Yet, just like the effects of a phenomenal meal serve on to satiate our appetites temporarily. After even the greatest feast a new hunger will rise from within each of us.That hunger is not one that is birthed in a need for nutrients attained by further consumption. It is the ever present empty that persists and can only be partially reduced by such entertainments. There is a way to not only to quiet, but satisfy the craving that lurks within...it is through Jesus Christ. For some this may seem like a cop out. Let me ask you to consider what allows us to respond with such negativity to Jesus being the answer? Too simple? In truth to really submit one's being to Jesus as an answer is extremely complicated. Much more so than arriving at the conclusion that we are all here on this planet by chance. If you adopt that all is merely accident or chance in life then not much is expected of you. It is quite the opposite when you say Jesus is the solution. Then our entire ethic is challenged. Our sense of self importance is taken apart. Our ability to pursue success at any cost is taken away.The greatest mystery of all time is who Jesus is, yet the answer has been revealed. The challenge is will we respond or continue to pretend that there is a better way.

As darkness covers there will always be Light

2011-09-20T09:11:00.002-04:00

I have spoken to a number of people who have expressed their concern that we are in the "last days" and that is the reason for all the natural disasters. "I guess God is upset that we have not been listening," one person shared with me. Although it is true that God could and has been described as one who sends/allows such judgement upon the land. It is equally true that every generation from the time that Jesus was active in ministry on earth to today has felt and wondered whether their generation was the last one.

It is understandable to feel this way when we look around and hear reports that abuse in the home is sky rocketing during this global recession. Daily we walk with a sense of uncertainty over whether we will see or experience another terrorist attack. There is a lot of darkness that is attempting to cover the lands and our hearts.

However, all darkness can do is try to overcome us, but it will never succeed. I have seen a group of people sit in a room and decide that it is better to risk to help a family in need with financial support than to sit by and wish them the best of luck. I have received reports about how neighbors are taking the time to invest in the people they live next to, by offering them a meal, running to the store for them when a new baby arrives in the home, and inviting them to join them at their church.

Darkness can never over take the kindness and light that is in this world. there is a resistance to the darkness that brings hope to many. Some call this strength and hope the power of the human spirit. This is only partly true for it is spirit that stirs our hearts to act, but it is not our own. The spirit at work within each of us is that of Jesus of Nazareth, the resurrected Lord of all. It was his promise to the disciples that He (Jesus) would always be with us until the end of the age. I would say that Jesus will always be with us up to and through the very end of the age.

Nothing and no one can extinguish that holy Light that is burning within us. Therefore, let your light shine in the darkness for all the world to see.

Is today going to be full of surprises?!

2011-09-03T09:35:00.003-04:00

My eldest daughter, turning 7 today, asked me whether this day would be full of surprises and if so what kinds. I love her excitement and I hope not to disappoint, but something about her question sparked a thought about how we approach God. How many times do we approach the Lord of all creation in prayer, centering ourselves for the day by saying "Lord have your way" and then internally feel, but if you could tell me in advance what I am supposed to do and what I will encounter this day it will be greatly appreciated."

Maybe, this is not you at all. However, I would hope that I am not alone in feeling that I could serve the Lord better each day if I was briefed each morning with the days tasks and objectives in specific form. When I go back and read God's word I note that what we have been given is both very clear instruction, but it remains vague at the same time. The instructions are "Love the Lord your God with your entire being. Love your neighbor as you love yourself."

How you live that out in a given day is as diverse as our specific context. One day it may be blessing our neighbor by helping them clean up after a storm. The next day it may forgiving someone who was rude to us (particularly while travelling by plane, when many people are not at their best).

I would love to hear from our Lord, here are the ways I want you to participate in my work in this world, but I also see that in the parables of Jesus the people involved in the stories are often given a situation and their response is what we learn from; like in the tale of the Good Samaritan. All the people in that story had no idea that they were examples they were merely going about their day and saw someone in need. The choice was theirs to love God and neighbor or continue on their path towards their objective.

To wrap it up,I would encourage us all to look for the surprise in our day and treat them as opportunities to love rather than obstacles to our plans. May the Lord bless you and keep you!

David Crowder Band reaches its end

2011-06-15T10:34:00.002-04:00

As I read the news of the band deciding to officially end their musical journey together there was a little sadness, but that's it. Maybe, this is due in large part to having to go through this once before when my favorite alt band from Seattle "Poor Old Lu" called it quites. I thought then that music would never be the same and there would be a void that could never be filled and........Yes I realize that sounds a bit melodramatic, but it is what I felt.

As time passed other groups came along who are creative, passionate, gifted musicians. There was also an important lesson for me in it, which is why I am writing about this topic. My passion for the style of music, the way the music made me feel or connect with God, became my god without me realizing it.

It's funny how quickly something that we enjoy, or have a great experience at (like camp, a conference,....) can become our association with the exact qualities of God and the result is that we are worshipping the gift rather than the giver of the gift, our Lord God.

Sad news about DC*B, but may the Lord bless them as they continue to seek God's face and may the Lord bless you as well.

Choose and Walk Humbly before God

2011-06-08T15:20:00.004-04:00

Somewhere along the way Christians began to believe that God is so bi-polar that we are one bad decision away from losing God's love, favor, or message for our lives.

I wish to be clear, there are those who live in such a way that they have successfully quited the voice of God that offers them a fresh start in Jesus. It is important to note that we can never make Jesus go away completely, rather we can ignore it enough to deceive our hearts and minds into believing that God has left the building or that God does not exist.

Instead the people that I am talking about are the Christians who walk constantly in fear when presented with a choice. They are paralysed with the opportunities in front of them, because they don't want to "fall from grace."

Let's say for example, you are a recent graduate looking for a way to serve God as you begin your career. You may be married, probably don't have a kid, basically there are few limitations on where you can serve. During your search you come across two opportunities to live out your calling. One is closer to home and the other is a little bit further away, but apart from that both seem good. Will God scorn you, because you chose to remain closer to or go further away from your family? No.

When faced with a decision, especially a couple that are positive; pray, seek counsel from your closest friends and family, pray, and choose. Then live into that choice with your heart humbly grounded in placing God first in that job. God is honored when we walk humbly before him and conduct ourselves in a manor that reflects that love of Jesus in our lives.

I thought I had all that I wanted......

2011-06-01T11:43:00.003-04:00

To find fulfillment of all our heart's desires and still feel incomplete is the disturbing reality of our broken nature as humankind.

We think that if we strive hard enough, log in enough hours, extend our line of credit, and find a great deal, then we will finely have it. The only problem is "it" is no where to be found once we attain all the things we desire.

I want a perfect body, I want a bigger home, I want a better car, I want a better spouse/partner, I want my kids to behave, I want.......

It never ends, because we are chasing something that we think is attainable through fixing someone else or getting more and newer things. Truth is we don't really know what it is we are really chasing. Some would say it is happiness, but happiness like all emotions are fleeting. Happiness, love, hate, sadness, all emotional responses stick with us for a time, but are never lasting.

So what is it? What could we possibly hope for that would make us feel, well, good?

As simplistic as it sounds to the modern mind the thing that we are genetically designed to pursue is God. We can try to convince ourselves that this is not the case, but even the strongest intellectual case against the divine falls flat during the darkest night of our souls. We yearn for something or someone who seems to be so distant, yet so real, and fully present at the same time.

That is the one ture God and we begin to unravel the mystery of our true desires when we begin to do some serious investigation into who is this God is and our relationship with this God.

Leadership for the Church:Why I oppose the change to the constitution of the PCUSA.

2011-05-25T19:53:00.003-04:00

3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:3-11 NIV translation

When asked to summarize God’s law for the people Jesus responded wisely that we are to first love God with our entire existence (heart, soul, mind) and secondly that we must love our neighbors as we love ourselves. This is widely accepted as the best synopsis of God’s redemptive law for creation, but it leaves us with some work to do, mainly how do we do that then and now? All pastors and students of God’s word lean on certain passages from scripture that help them understand the how. For me, one such passage is from John about the woman caught in adultery. This passage from John is missing from the debate about who should be ordained and even more so what does it mean to receive divine forgiveness from the Father through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

What this passage in John says is exactly what the Church in every age should practice; everyone is invited to come to the Lord through the gift of mercy we receive at the expense of Jesus. An open invitation to all is only the beginning, but there are those who would like the Church to stop there and expect nothing else of humankind. Their argument is that God’s forgiveness is a gift that we cannot earn through our own labor (I agree, read Ephesians 2:8), but then they fix their attention on this one phrase from Paul claiming that this is all that is necessary to be a Christian. From there they claim that since we are all forgiven, just as we are, we can all serve, just as we are sighting a teaching of Augstine of Hippo who wrestled with whether the sins of the priests and bishops negated the sacraments conducted under their service. Augustine’s final ruling was no, because the Spirit of God is greater than our human errors. I agree that the Holy Spirit is the only reason for the effectiveness of a sacrament officiated by a minister, but I disagree that Augustine meant that we are to use this as justification for the leadership of the Church to willfully live outside of God’s created good. In Peter’s first epistle it is written “As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil.” Also I would encourage you to look up Paul’s concern about people misinterpreting his message of God’s freeing grace through Jesus in his letter to the Romans chapter 6. Being forgiven is not something received so that we can feel safe about our eternal destination; rather it is a calling to follow God’s perfect will as it leads us towards God’s holiness.

Today the challenge is great for followers of Christ to adhere to such a teaching, because our faith has been influenced by a culture in ways that distort our calling to live into God’s holiness. Our culture is one that is quick to make excuses, very few things are ever our fault and to put not too fine a point on it we simply have stopped believing that we have sinned. We mess up, but we don’t sin. We get into rough situations at home, school and work, but it is never our fault. We have come to believe that the most important thing in faith and life is whether we feel happy. If we feel good, then we haven’t done anything wrong and we certainly haven’t sinned. Since we don’t sin then why do we need church? This line of thinking is why we have seen a rapid decline in congregations across the nation. The general population is willing to believe that there is a divine something or someone out in the cosmos that is the source of love and goodness. Unfortunately the problem is people view grace and forgiveness as something we offer to one another at most and not something that we need from this divine being. In order to have a real understanding of divine forgiveness one needs to admit that they have violated the creative order of God’s holiness, more commonly referred to as God’s law. This has been our battleground for a very long time, our existence as stiff necked people has produced a low view of God as loving and holy that hates the sin that we do and a high view of a god who is more like us, willing to ignore it and just say the words, “It’s okay, I love you.” People have lost their reverent respect (scripture calls it holy fear) of God and the mercy that they have received through Jesus is trashed by the way they live in opposition to God’s creative best. However, the people are not completely to blame for this, for it is the leadership in the Church who has failed. There have been too many generations of pastors who have climbed into the pulpit to deliver messages of a God who only offers a love that expects nothing from you except that you find happiness making God more like Prince Charming and the key to our happily ever after. This is not Holy love for it puts all the emphasis on humanities’ happiness and ignores the glory that is due our heavenly Father. Such teaching is directly against the very words of Jesus our Lord. Look up the passages where Jesus redirects the focus of those listening to the glory of the Father (Matthew 5:16, 5:48; John 15:8). We were never meant to be the center of the love, only recipients, and it is done all to the glory of our Father in heaven.

We in the Presbyterian Church have debated for over 30 years whether or not God’s Spirit is calling us to ordain homosexual persons who are sexually active to the offices of deacon, elder, and minister of word and sacrament. As a denomination we have never been against ordaining homosexuals who are celibate to be officers of the Church only those who are in active sexual relationships. Each time that there has been a call for a vote on this matter the majority of presbyteries have said no to all amendments to our constitution. Now a majority of presbyteries have said yes to an amendment that allows governing bodies (sessions, presbyteries, and General Assembly) to open the path for all sexually active homosexuals to pursue ordination to the offices of the Church. This amendment is not a mandate for equality like the one we have in place for women and all ethnicities. Therefore there is still freedom within our newly amended constitution to oppose ordaining homosexual persons to be officers of the Church.

At the same time there is an equal amount of freedom for those who have already and want to continue to ordain openly gay officers of the Church who are in relationships. Locally we are not all in full agreement about what is the path that God is calling us to uphold and when you look at the middle and large governing bodies you see a greater desire to see a new openness for ordination be the accepted practice. At our presbytery meeting last October we voted down the amendment to change our constitution, because the result of the written ballot was a tie vote. Whenever a tie vote occurs we are instructed by Robert’s Rules of Order to count the vote as being against the motion or amendment. In other words we were one vote away from approving the amendment in our presbytery. At the General Assembly there are consistently more delegates who are either in favor to changing our constitution to open the doors of ordination to include Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, and Transgendered persons. The justification for voting in favor has often been made through citing personal examples pleading with the gathered to display “Jesus’ love”, but is really blind acceptance that ignores the charge of Christ to “go and sin no more.” That is why the passage in John and others like it need to be brought to everyone’s attention.

There are two pieces to the redemptive call of Christ. First there is forgiveness for the woman caught in adultery and then there is his command that she “go and sin no more.” I cannot stress enough that God calls us all just as we are, but that calling includes a beautiful promise to make us into new creations. The real challenge for us today is that we have been told that sexuality expressed outside of marriage is healthy and normal removing it from the language of sin. If we do not think that any intimate relations outside of marriage is a breaking of God’s creative order, God’s law, than why wouldn’t we be more open with our ordination to the leadership of the Church. Even though our culture tells us that there is nothing wrong with this, scripture, our history as the Church, and the witness of the faithful outside Western culture all say no. When we look at scripture and the historic interpretations of those texts we have two options: accept it as God’s instructions for creating divine order in our lives or ignore the parts that disturb our modern sensibilities by claiming that such standards are from an archaic time that simply didn’t know better. God established families as part of that order and made it both as a source of pleasure and reproduction. To step outside of that with our actions in adultery or homosexuality is to reject the creative order of God. It is a sin. These words are not hateful, but I offer them in compassion to persons who truly wrestle with their sexuality.

When I look at scripture I see a gospel that offers us something more than feelings and happiness. It offers us more than the pursuit of pleasure. Scripture calls us all to repent and step into the grace filled life given to us through Christ. That life sets us free from who we have been and allows us to become who he called us to be: co-heirs with Christ. When we participate in that process we will find a hope that cannot be crushed and light that will never dim and a love that is greater than our understanding. I cannot support the ordination of homosexuals who are in active relationships for I believe that leadership in the Church is called to set the example for the gathered with their lives. This cannot be done by persons who live in violation of God’s creative order.

Like a child

2011-04-06T11:23:00.002-04:00

Having faith like a child is something that we in the Church talk about often, but unless you take the time to talk to a young child about Jesus, his life, death, and resurrection, then I don't think you really understand this teaching of our Lord.

Every month I have the honor of teaching 3 and 4 year old children about God during their chapel time at their preschool. I have been challenged to consider how I will share about our faith, rich and deep as it is, with children who developmentally have the attention span of a couple of minutes and are in the early stages of expanding their comprehension levels. Sometimes I know they get it, other times I wonder, but every time is deeply rewarding.

Today, the lesson was on the final week of Jesus ministry leading into his death and resurrection. I began telling the story and instantly realized that I could not tell the story without saying that Jesus died. My initial inclination was to soften it, not say the word "dead" or "died" in order to protect them. "They are too young!" I thought, "What are you doing?! Let them live in a land of magic, bunnies, and candy a little longer." Thankfully,I pressed on and told the basic story as clearly as possible without editing.

Brothers and Sisters, even now, over an hour later I am amazed at how they hung on every word and they asked questions that put pastors and scholars to shame. These children wanted to know more, they knew that telling lies when Jesus was on trial was wrong. That betraying your friend was bad. Yet the best comment came at the end from one of the children that rarely listens; "Pastor Shawn? Jesus is really special."

Yes, Jesus is special and if we in the Church, especially the officers of the Church, were required to tell the basic story of Jesus to least of these then I know the Spirit will transform us from creating faith communities that serve us into congregations that serve God!

Purposefully Multi-cultural

2011-02-23T11:33:00.003-05:00

If you are familiar with the PCUSA you will know that they are desperately seeking an increase to membership and their brain storm resulted in a nationwide challenge to all it's congregations to become "multi-culture". I believe this is doomed from the get go, because we as a denomination don't understand how to overcome our generational divide let alone entirely different cultures.

We have been told that to be truly "missional" we must allow for each group to adapt the Gospel of Jesus to their particular culture. The result will be that that no two congregations look alike, and quite possibly profess very different "truths" when it comes to understanding and teaching about who is Jesus.

This is wrong. We must push beyond cultural, gender, and age divide to empower and restrict ourselves at the same time. The result is a congregation that is then no longer Jew nor Greek, slave nor free.....you get the picture. We are not called to keep our cultures to boast how great we are individually. We are only to boast, if we must, of God's love for us through the life, death, resurrection of Jesus the Christ.

Who is to blame?

2011-02-16T11:03:00.002-05:00

I am intrigued by the latest media blitz over who is to blame for the current "reality" of unmotivated teenagers. Some blame the students themselves, others the parents, and then of course the schools (especially teachers).

Who is to blame? That is the common question whenever something that is broken finally oozes to the surface of our collective conscious and we apparently are too shocked to let it go. We light up the telephone lines, blog (yes I see the irony), FB, Tweet, you name it, all in an attempt to be heard and put in our two cents on the matter. Sadly, I predict that this shock and concern will die down rather quickly and efforts to invest in our youth will disappear.

Who is to blame? We all are for starters. Many of us are simply overwhelmed with the lives we lead and one of the survival tactics that we have adopted is to expend most of our energy focusing on today (reaction is best). This is why we can never seem to resolve the difficult situations in our relationships and elsewhere. We chose to react rather than explore solutions that take time and will resolve the matter down the road. (much of these thoughts are heavily influenced by Dr's. Cloud and Townsend's work on "boundaries")

As for the youth...stop labeling them as the problem. A student is not a "tiny" adult, they are still developing and becoming an adult. Also, many of the students that I have met and worked with over the years are amazing, inspiring dreamers wanting to make a difference in the world. They just need someone to listen and give them an opportunity to succeed.

Our Identity in Christ

2010-12-14T13:38:00.003-05:00

Recently I picked up a copy of The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and it has given me plenty to think about as well as pray over. For starters his insight into this thing called Christianity, in my opinion, is so important at this time in history. Although he is writing about his immediate context (the rise of socialism and the Hitler movement) his critique is an amazing reminder of who it is that we submit to in our discipleship and what that should look like in our lives.

I am not making any kind of commentary on politics, rather I am focusing my attention on our identity as disciples of Jesus. (Someday I would like to use Paul's warning against saying this food is bad and this is good in Romans as the preferred way people should approach their opinions on politics, but that is for another time). Bonheoffer’s interpretation of the "Call of Christ" is simply profound and scripturally bound. When Christ calls us to follow there is no room for negotiating, bargaining, or haggling. Christ is calling us to follow him as the Messiah. Liberal and Conservative, Native or Alien, religious or not, simply begin by following him as the Messiah. In order to do that we have to leave the past behind and this comes at a tremendous cost to us. In short, we must leave what we have come to understand as our "identity" and "purpose in life" to embrace the uncertainty of what God has for us. To do so, fully and completely, is the only evidence that one is a disciple of Christ. If one does not then they are merely religious or spiritual, but not a part of the kingdom of God.

To leave the past behind, our current understanding of who we are is why the gospel of Christ is liberating to those imprisoned by their stories. The stories that come burdened with stigma and stereotypes that daily undermine their ability to live as others live. Whether they are the poor and oppressed physically or emotionally or spiritually a new tomorrow that has nothing to do with one's past is a breath of fresh air to them.

However, for those who are comfortable with how things are going, maybe not satisfied, but comfortable, the call to leave all that is familiar behind is unnerving at the very least. If the latter story is something that we can identify with then we can also empathize with anyone who wants to negotiate the calling of Christ. "Can't we at least leave this part of my life alone?" Bonheoffer’s believes that Jesus call is straight forward "Follow or don't, but there is no negotiating."

As I said this is something that I continue to process and wrestle with myself, but I do so with excitement about how God is using this word to push me deeper into my commitment to Christ. I encourage you to pick up a copy of this classic work for yourself.

2010-10-22T08:45:00.002-04:00

Whenever the pressure from life builds it is difficult at times to rise above it. Sometimes we can other times we are not so successful. Yesterday was another one of those challenging days, but at the very end of the day there was something so beautiful, so peaceful that it brought about a new perspective to this morning. It was a sense of calm and that the future was blessed by God.

I know that sounds vague at best and I am sorry I don't have anything else to offer on the matter. The only thing that I can say by way of describing is to say that I looked up at the brilliant night sky and new that all was in God's hands and that was a wonderful thing. Humbling really. I suppose that is why I prayed asking to be forgiven. It was not out of a deep seeded feeling of guilt, but a sense of being in the presence of something good and holy. I guess I would call it a joyful repentance.

So that was my night that has drifted into my day and I pray you have a great day today!

Prayer

2010-07-21T10:55:00.002-04:00

This morning when I woke up with the stress of many things coursing through my body making it difficult to get out of bed. The illusion that I bought into at first was this should not happen to someone "doing God's work".

When I read of those who have gone before us I discover that there are many of the big time theologians and champions of the Church that had what could be described as on off day. In fact one of them, John Calvin, suffered continually from a variety of physically ailments.

So I had a rough start, but what that showed me was that something in me was out of balance. I drank water. I ate a smaller breakfast. I went to the gym. I calmed my thoughts. I thought of my family. All were good, but did not supply relief. As I was driving home a question, an unshakable thought, did you pray?

Simple. Easily taught, but practicing it...well I am sad to say that it took this long to come to the point of prayer.

So I offer to you who are weary, who are angry, who are full of fear, did you pray?

Father,
who art in heaven
hallowed be thy name
thy kingdom come
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven
give us this day our daily bread
forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil
for thine is the kingdom
and the power
and the glory
forever
Amen

A Time of Devotion

2010-05-12T09:34:00.003-04:00

I have often heard pastors or Christian conference speakers challenging people to create space in one's daily life for prayer and scripture reading. This is something that I strive to do myself, and find it is regularly interrupted and put off, because something else is demanding my attention. I always figured that I was not showing enough self discipline in the matter and should be more protective of that time. That is until I read a devotional entry by Oswald Chambers in his classic work My Utmost for His Highest.

Chambers encourages the follower of Jesus to adopt habits that help them mature in their faith. However, he quickly follows that encouragement with a warning against zealously protecting such habit as our only means of drawing closer to God.

Your god may be your little Christian habit - the habit of prayer or Bible reading at certain times of your day. Watch how your Father will upset your schedule if you begin to worship your habit instead of what the habit symbolizes. We say, "I can't do that right now; this is my time alone with God." No, this is your time alone with your habit. There is a quality that is still lacking in you.

He goes on to say that our relationship with God was established through God's gift of Love and that all habits, though good, must be master to the relationship and not the other way around. Putting it another way; if you love someone would you create and protect a set time each day to share with them your thoughts and feelings to the extent that if they wanted to talk at a different time in the day or wanted to do something else with you you would reject their request on the grounds that this is the time for talking and only this time? No. If you love someone you will be flexible and soak up any moment of the day to chat or do something with them. Such should be our relationship with God through our habits, like prayer.

Remember how the Apostle Paul urged the faithful to pray without ceasing throughout the day. Paul is not saying run your mouth constantly or take a vow of silence. What he is saying is "Since our God is Holy, and we enter into a relationship with our God that is grounded in Love, be available at all times of the day to speak and listen to God."

Friends, I would encourage us all to pray and establish regular times in the day for prayer, but do so with an attitude of love for the Father and not out of fear. When we allow fear to motivate us we think that God will give up on us, or worse punish us if we do not make an appointment and keep it. Immerse yourself into a Love relationship with God and be free!

A Lasting Impression

2010-03-23T09:53:00.002-04:00

Not everything that we do today will live forever. In fact most of what we think is of greatest importance is really, in the big picture, of little to no value. How do we constantly end up fooling ourselves into believing such lies? I don't know, but it could have to do with perceived versus reality. According to our perception that which we can show to someone else a plant, a completed project, a book is more tangible and therefore more "real" compared to something that is difficult to explain let alone understand completely, like eternity and God. With this in mind it becomes easier to justify applying oneself to things that are temporary, because at least we see there is a beginning and an end.

Not so with matters of eternity. Certainly there are small moments of "achievement" (not that we accomplish anything by our own doing, but that we are given a gift of spiritual maturation or a feeling of "closeness" to God), but over all these do not last long. Of course how could these moments last as we are currently in a world that is redeemed, but is still in need of the total renewal of all creation.

This leaves us with the question; "Is it better to seek the moments of uninhibited communion with the divine or apply our souls to the ‘here and now’ alone?"

I believe that one cannot follow the way of Jesus and chose one above the other. If we devote ourselves to experiencing God through radically adjusting our lives to the point that our neighbors can no longer relate to us we have failed in our calling to be witnesses to the Gospel. However, if we completely immerse ourselves in the work of the here and now alone we reject the first part of the greatest commandment which in summary is to love the Lord our God with all our being.

The times that we feel restless, or out of sorts, most likely can be diagnosed as spiritual fatigue or burnout. It may seem odd to say that our spiritual balance is dependent on our flesh, but it is. We are both flesh and soul. Both of these are intimately connected like a man and woman are in marriage. I am not condoning fleshly living like acts of disobedience on the grounds that "we are only human", but I am saying that we can not remove ourselves from society in the hopes that God will honor a self induced isolation. (I do want to take into account that there are occasions to remove, but even then it is temporary).

Balance is crucial in all areas of life, including our spiritual lives. Unfortunately, it is one of the most difficult things to achieve and maintain. If we seek to balance between spiritual and flesh we will experience the lasting impression our souls crave as well as make an impression on the “here and now”.

Christ within Me

2010-02-08T11:00:00.003-05:00

Lord, be the center of my life.

This was the opening prayer this morning on pray-as-you-go podcast. Though this may seem like a relatively tame and obvious prayer the discerning heart will understand that it is a complete revolution when it is applied to one's life.

Lord, be the center of my life.

It is one thing to say this as a pledge or a commitment to be a better person, a better human being, a friend to humanity and creation. However, being a better me is not God's calling to God's people, nor is it the crux of the Gospel.

Lord, be the center of my life.

This prayer is a request to God to take up residence within the center of our being. It is the emptying of ourselves to make room for the holiness that is our God. No more will our best ideas, well laid plans, or overwhelming desires direct our path in this world.

Lord, be the center of my life.

My best is not enough. I can not heal this world. I can't fix myself. I refuse to give up. I know you, God, are faithful to fulfill your promises. Your word says that your kingdom has come and is coming with renewal for the soul, creation and the end of tears. Therefore, I pray from the very center of being:

Lord, be the center of my life.

Relationships in America: Land of false expectations

2010-02-03T10:47:00.004-05:00

As we zoom towards Valentine's Day I get this feeling that it will come and go leaving a trail of unmet expectations. Don't get me wrong there will be several couples out there that will thrive, survive, and flourish. This is in large part to the fact that they do not wait until a designated day of the year to express their love for one another. Unfortunately, there are a lot of other people looking for a type of fulfillment that no earthly person can match and will be disappointed. Why do we do this to ourselves? Why do we allow commercials, movies, soaps, and romance novels to distort our expectations?

The week that includes February 7th and continues through Valentine's day is being billed by some relationship counselors and marriage conference organizers as National Marriage Week in the United States. I appreciate that groups and counselors are trying something as we are seeing a real crisis (my interpretation) in marriages. Now more than ever we are seeing an increase in divorce amongst "Christian" couples. It has now gotten to the point that there is little to no difference between a "Christian" or "non-Christian" couple when you compare the rate of divorce.

I believe that this increase in divorces is in large part due to a false assumption (lie) that people have fooled themselves into believing. I have heard too many times that people are looking to get married in a sanctuary, because they want to "do it right" and have the blessing of "the big guy up stairs". Please! Stop thinking that God is going to do everything for you and cover-up your laziness or be honored by your half-hearted attempt.

God does deserve the honor for drawing people together, and does bless marriages, but God is not a some kind of genie that responds to our traditions or rituals. When we say yes to someone else it means that before God, those gathered, and everyone else we meet that this person that we are entering into covenant with is it, period. It means that we pledge to work our tails off when it comes to our relationship. We don't ever say "Well, it just didn't work out" when times get rough. Every time I have met with a couple in pre-marital counseling I tell them that they will go through hard times and if they haven't been through a big time fight they will they look at me with eyes of disbelief. "But, we love each other so much" they say. I don't doubt that, but we are broken people who are works in progress and we don't stay the same, therefore conflict will happen and THAT IS NORMAL. If we really want to honor God we ride out the storm together asking God to give us the strength to persevere. We learn from our conflicts and continue to listen to what the other person is saying rather than dismissing it.

Friend, marriages do work. It is not some kind of archaic institution that isn't worth the hassle. In the coming weeks I will be posting more on this topic. Until then may God's peace cover our homes and may the love of Jesus be our guide.

New Wineskins

2010-01-18T09:56:00.002-05:00

Today during my devotional time I looked at the passage where Jesus was teaching those gathered about the reason why his disciples do not fast as the disciples of the pharisees and John the baptizer. His response is curious, because he begins with a familiar metaphor of being the bridegroom and that there will be time for mourning later. A wedding celebration followed by mourning, is strange enough and easily misunderstood both then and today. What I found to be equally confusing is that Jesus switches the image lesson to be that of a new patch of clothe on an old cloak and new wine into old wine skins. Both result in the making the situation worse off than before ending in loss.

Is Jesus challenging us to be new wine skins and cloaks or is it something else? Remember he began his teaching by pointing to himself as the focus, the bridegroom, the reason why his disciples are not fasting. I believe that Jesus is modeling for us that we must strive to be flexible like a young wineskin and fresh cloak. I know that many others have said this before, but what strikes me is that we have a difficult time applying this to ourselves.

As a new leader of the Church it is easy for me to assume that, due to my "youth" that I less in danger of being an old wineskin. How foolish and wrong! It is the younger generation who is probably more at risk of becoming old inflexible wine skins than others. Why? We are tempted to believe (almost to a fault) that we are bringing the progressive, "new" word, open-minded model of ministry that previous generations are incapable of embodying. If we allow ourselves to go done this path we will burst when the wine is added for we have concluded that our way can not be critiqued, because it is new.

So today, new or veteran leader of the Church, I invite you to pray with me:

Holy Father,
Lover of creation,
You mercy is a beautiful gift that is the source of our hope.
Grant today that I may head the words of Jesus;
that I will remain flexible in ministry so that the fresh wine
of the Holy Spirit will fill me up instead of causing me to burst.
I offer this through the blessed Son's name Jesus who has been lifted high for all.
Amen.

A Way Forward

2009-12-09T10:24:00.002-05:00

Lately, I have been doing a lot of praying and reading about the painful divide we face in our culture and the way that shapes the hearts of those in the pews. We have convinced ourselves that the side that we oppose is so stupid and evil that they are incapable of hearing God's corrective voice and it is better to cut ties with them, blaming them for this break, and press on without them. The lie that both sides are buying is that one has the keys to the kingdom and the other has keys to hell (progressives would not call it hell, something else like Bigotryville or Injusticeland).

So here we are again. Dividing like we have done so many times before and for what? So we can know who is on our side? We already know that everytime we discuss the "issues". Meanwhile, the world looks at the Church and says "Whatever, I can meet my needs and that of the world without you. God obviously died a long time ago, if god every existed. If you need me I will be over here doing something to help the world and quite content with myself."

Here is what I see. We were never called to offer our neighbor total acceptance without a change. We were never called to offer our neighbor the moral life that will free them from damnation. We were called to walk with our neighbor, stoop down with them when they stumble, climb to the heights with them when they succeed. Only Jesus can judge, redeem, and save. Not us. If Jesus condemns it is Jesus condemning; we have no right to say otherwise. If Jesus says change; we have no right to tell someone stay as you this moment leading them away from total surrender to God. If Jesus says woe to the religious zealot; those of us who have been faithful need to do a gut check and see if we have been trying to replace the true savior of the world.

If you want to dig more into this kind of thinking pick up a copy of Timothy Kellers book "The Prodigal God".

Hey McFly, where is my hoverboard?

2009-12-02T14:47:00.006-05:00

Can you believe that 2010 is just around the corner? I can't. It causes me to pause and wonder where are the flying cars powered by bio-degradable waste? Where is the settlement on Mars. Most importantly where is my hoverboard that Marty McFly rode in Back to the Future II. There are rumors that the self locking shoes he wore will be sold next year ( www.sneakerhunt.com/nike-air-mcfly-to-be-released )but where is that hoverboard? An April 2007 article in Popular Mechanics showed us that all the advances that were getting close, but the science to do an exact replica is not around yet ( http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/technology_news/4215680.html).So the dream lives on, but is not here yet.

Every time Christmas rolls around we sing carols and a variety of songs about "peace on earth" and "good will toward" humankind. Now matter how hard we work at diplomacy and eradicating weapons there continues to be wars, rumors of wars, and in general people destroying people. So what is it going to take to have the words that we sing match our every day life experience? How are we going to bring about peace?

We can start with ourselves, we can give to organizations that provide relief and job training for impoverished areas of the world, we volunteer to do work for those beaten down by their current situation, we can march for the rights of those who do not have, but in the end will it be enough?

Peace on Earth. A time without pain. All that I have left to offer is all that this world has ever had to lean on and it is crying out to God. Now, please understand that I strongly advocate action on behalf of others, but we can not do so in a way that dismisses or rejects the importance of crying out to God who is ultimately the final say and only one who can truly bring about global peace.

This is the hope of Christmas. God breaking through darkness to offer all the world freedom from religion with the birth of God's Son. "Here is my Son. Listen, I love you, I set you free from the weight around your neck, He is here for you." This is something we do not have to wait for, because it has already arrived.

Fighting the Beast

2009-11-10T11:58:00.002-05:00

"Fighting the Beast can become a path to self-esteem rather than a means of testifying to Christ."

Dr. Ellen T. Charry from her paper "A Sharp Two-edged Sword: Pastoral Implications of Apocalyptic" pub. Interpretation Apr 1999

Even though this paper was written for the Church as it was wrestling with the end of a Century and the irrational fears that so many permitted their souls to entertain about the end of everything I find it very applicable to our current time. It has been 10 years since the '99 to '00 transition and we appear to have not learned from those who assisted us as we faced our fears about the future.

Now instead of all computer systems failing there are some who are saying that the Mayan prophecy will be fulfilled and all of human society will come to an end. There are those in the Christian biblical realm who have high jacked this prophecy and are saying that we need to get ready the end as is recorded in scripture.

How do they encourage us to prepare? Save yourself, and if you can your family, then if you got time your friends, extended family, and neighbors. How are we supposed to "save" ourselves? Get right with God by being the best me possible; an honest woman or man. This will ensure our safe passage to the other side of chaos without a scratch.

What does scripture say? The Church will suffer for the sake of the gospel. Check the promises of Jesus to his disciples about what was to come in Matthew 13. Notice first off that Jesus tells them that they will be arrested, beaten, flogged and placed on trial. Also, he tell them that when they stand before the authorities of this world to give an account for what they believe Jesus says not to worry about what to say "for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit." There is not a promise of wealth, power, or popularity. There is only a charge that they are to be witnesses to the enemies of the Gospel.

Dr. Charry reminds the Church that if this is the end of civilization our response should not be fear or self protection rather we should submit to being used by God, no matter what our personal outcome, as witnesses to Christ.

Sponge Faith

2009-09-30T15:02:00.002-04:00

Last night I took my wife to the U2 360 tour and the show was great! There was plenty of side show stuff going on around that I found annoying, humorous, and at times grieved my heart. As with any rock show there was rampant binge drinking, which I knew would be present. What I had not anticipated was the wide range in ages of those in attendance. One image sticks out to me more than any other. A husband and wife standing together with their two young children to have their picture taken. The kids looked to be no more than 5 and 7 years of age. It is one thing for a teen or adult to be surrounded by drunken fools, but what did these children take away from the show? What message did they learn?

Now for some this scene is no big thing for others it may be the most appalling thing ever. Young children at a rock show!?! There are so many things that we could say about this, but for a moment I would like to take this family and place them in your congregation. "Well, that is a safe place. What is so wrong with them being at church." Nothing, in fact we pray that all families would make the effort to investigate church.

I want us to imagine what it would be like to be an outsider/first timer to your congregation. What would they learn? Would they see a community who is learning to love as Christ loves the world? Would they see finger pointing at those who don't believe? Will they hear of a God that saves and witness the real difference it has made in the lives in your community of believers?

Those who are seeking, who are at the beginning, or starting over on their faith journey are sponges like young children. They will copy those who have matured in the faith. What kind of faith are we passing on?

Good v. God's Good

2009-09-16T15:13:00.002-04:00

Can we summon up the courage/strength to be "good enough" in this life for it to make an impact eternally?

This is not as abstract or deep as many have made it out to be in the philosophical/theological realm. It is grounded in the practical. The interaction of our understanding of what is really going on around us and the plans we implement.

When we read the Christian Bible we see that people can be good, but ultimately we will fall short.....every last one of us. We can apply ourselves to perfecting our minds, emotions, bodies, and world as much as humanely possible, but in the end it will not be enough.

Go ahead. Say it. "That's not fair!"

As evidence against us lets look at history. Every generation that has applied themselves towards building a utopia resulted in a society that only a glimpses what could be while being plagued by strong elements of distopia. No matter how hard humanity tries to make things "equal", someone is left out or worse oppressed.

"You cynic! What do you suggest we do, give up?"

Please don't! We must press on in our efforts to bring peace, justice, and love. At the same time we must temper ourselves with an understanding that we are participating in a larger work that can only be completed by something/one greater than ourselves. Spending all our energy "doing good" will leave us wanting, just like the pursuit of possessing all we desire.

That is if we separate our efforts from the work of God. God's good for this world, a work of divine and eternal reconciliation is far superior to the plans and works of the human mind.

Many of us want to create a better place for future generations, but we are in danger of slipping into an eternal failure if we step out on our own.

Total Submission

2009-09-09T10:56:00.005-04:00

This morning I read a devotional entry from Oswald Chambers' "My Upmost For His Highest". It was a challenge to me and the way that I make plans to do things in, for, and on behalf of the Church. Rather than looking for problems, creating a plan, and then implementing it he suggests asking God what God has in mind. His foundation for this thought is a portion of 2 Corinthians 10:5 "...bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ..." He says that a lot of work that is done in the name of Christ is simply that done in the name, but not disciplined to obey Christ.

Wow! Simple, yet something that cuts anyone working in the Church to the core. We want so desperately to effectively reach the people and spread the gospel of Christ, but have we wrestled each project into submission to Christ. It is one thing to do it internally with all our baggage, but how many of us have stopped to think about the work that we do, work done in the "name of Jesus".

Lord, by your holy grace transform all of me to be a witness to your truth. Not just the places that I feel need healing, but every area. So that all work that is done is in perfect submission to your holy will. Amen

Individual Reason

2009-09-02T14:45:00.005-04:00

"I don't have any reason to believe apart from what I am able to come to terms with after a complete investigation and by complete I mean that I am satisfied".

I suppose there is no use in asking how did we get to this point. An age where "reason" or identifying that which is true/right has become an individuals prerogative, rather than a universally accepted norm. Not that it isn't a worth while investigation. It just seems to me that blogging is not the right venue. Plus I am beginning to believe that we could sit down and point to an endless number of variables without ever really identifying the root.

Confusion. A spirit of intellectual/philosophical anarchy that attempts to exercise absolute authority over the minds of this age. In fact this spirit has invaded society outside with it's subtle mantra "who's to say". I honestly believe we are being inundated by daily sermons from every corner of the globe proclaiming that no one is 100% correct. This leaves us with very few options for establishing a societal standard, one of the goals of confusion, and moves us from community towards self absorbed isolationists afraid to love, trust, and live.

The good news is that confusion and any other spirit of chaos is bound to submit to the authority of divine love. Though things may seem hopeless at times there is no reason for us to fear or despise tomorrow. That would be like forfeiting the game when you are up 777 points on your opponent. All is not lost, because God still chooses to intervene and shatter the illusions of false speak, lies, and wrong teachings.

What then is our response? "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb. 10:25). Open the Word of God together inviting God's Holy Spirit to defeat the spirit of confusion.

Where did all this stuff come from?

2009-08-03T11:51:00.002-04:00

Having recently packed and moved down the road I marvel at all our stuff. There is no better way to describe it then a collection of things that I am grateful for, but to be honest I sometimes forget I have. Such a realization stirs up a sense of guilt, be it a small one, for having without using. Once I begin that kind of thinking I am lead to wonder why we in this culture consume so much.

I wonder what is it that we hope to achieve through ownership of things. Is it something that can be traced back to that childish desire to say "That's mine!" or is it driven by our efforts to escape the stresses of life (consider the amount of money we drop on entertainment, even "Christian" forms).

Instead of attempting to find the answer inside myself, I was drawn to seek the Lord's understanding of these matters through prayer. What was brought to my attention was not what I expected. It became clear to me that although God is not all that thrilled about over consumption and waste there was something deeper still that troubled God's Holy Spirit.

The problem is that we, God's creation, Christ's body, have been given an endless number of gifts to be used for God's glory, but our response has been "We didn't know we had that inside us". Jesus was not crucified, buried, and raised from the grave just so that we could sit back and say that we don't have to worry about damnation any longer. God's gift through Jesus is a freedom, our holy permission, our commissioning to be agents of the kingdom by bearing fruit of patience, renewal, and hope for tomorrow. Yet, when you interact with folks from church what do you hear? Is it any of these things?

This is my prayer and I invite you to join me in lifting it up to our Lord:

Father, forgive our forgetfulness about the way in which you set us free to live in the hope that you have provided. Stir up in us an awareness of the powerful gifts that you have lavished upon your the Church, the body of your Son, to carry out your message of renewal for this world. Seal this by the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Finding Rest

2009-07-16T10:54:00.003-04:00

Jesus explained, "Come to me, all you who are weary,
and I will give you rest".

In all of the posts that I have written about making space within our schedule for holy rest I find a tension between rituals and Jesus. One of the criticisms that Jesus had of the religious leadership at his time was that they placed a heavy burden upon the people with legalistic rituals, thus making it nearly impossible to walk in the holy way defined by the law unless it was your profession. The average Joe and Jane could not live up to the standards set before them and a weariness fell upon their hearts. the result was that, for some, the covenant with God became a discouraging religion of do's and do not's.

In an effort to walk within Jesus criticism I feel the need to highlight that ultimately the Sabbath is about God. It is not about the day, or how many hours you log in in your favorite pew (or chair for our non-denom brothers and sisters) it is about taking time to be in community with Jesus and his body. Jesus is the one who grants our weary souls rest. Jesus is the one who can strengthen us for the journey ahead. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

Now, that being said.....we do have need to proceed with caution. It is too simplistic of us, and ultimately misguided, if we conclude that we have just been granted a "get out of snorefest 2009, i.e. Sunday morning worship" card. I know there are many out there who say that they encounter God more when they are in the woods, on the lake, at sea, on their bike, and so on. All that is true in that whatever is good, pleasing, and life affirming it is a gift from God. However............

The environments that Jesus engaged with people were varied, everything from dinners in homes to houses of worship . One thing that I have noticed is that Jesus made the Word of God the central focus at each event. Scripture is the bridge between our requirement to gather on the Lord's day and freedom found in Jesus. Where ever we go, where ever we gather, scripture is to be our focus. Why? It is Scripture that, by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, reveals to us who our God is and how we relate to this God and creation.

So gather this weekend with others, open the Word of God, and expect to find rest through Jesus our Lord!

O God, where art thou?

2009-06-25T14:01:00.003-04:00

Recently I spoke with a friend of mine who is a minister and he lamented that people in this nation today do not “admire” or respect the voice of the church as they did decades ago. Personally, I have no frame of reference for how people treated the church during any decade prior to the 80’s other than the stories I hear and the statistics that are recorded by PCUSA. I would agree that, on the whole, the Church is being or has been increasingly ignored in recent years. I have heard some of the faithful wonder if the Church is being pushed aside. This begs the question, why is the voice of Church disappearing in our culture? One of the justifications for ignoring the Church is one that I have heard on several occasions. “I just got tired of the hypocrites in that place, both the leadership and the pew sitters.”

It is absolutely true that we, the leadership, in the Church have failed in multiple ways. Unfortunately, some have failed in such catastrophic ways that they became the top story in the news media. Also, those who are not pastors can not pretend that any of us have been able to daily live up to the call to be perfect in Christ. We all fall short, which is what is so amazing about our God of second and one hundredth chances. There is one thing that I would like those who use hypocrisy as their basis for giving up on church to consider. Is there any forum in this life where humanity is involved that does not struggle with hypocrisy? Politics, civil services, our work places, the arts, even the sciences all struggle with this. We would not withdraw from any or all of these forums due to an individual’s inability to be forthright with us about themselves. So why are we so quick to abandon the Church? I will grant that humanity has higher expectations for the Church than any other forum, especially since we deal in matters of the divine and eternity. Yet, the reality is even the Church is full of human beings that are broken and the only hope that any of us has is grounded solely in the redemptive act of Jesus which reconciled us with God.

When I am out running errands on the weekends I notice that those who have not made the effort to go to church are not all that upset about it. In fact at a quick glance they look as happy and well adjusted as anyone else. So what do we have to offer that is so different that would cause people to change their weekend routine? I suppose that is a trick question, because scripture tells us that we offer nothing and it is God who offers everything. Every day God is calling us to remember the new covenant sealed in Jesus blood, shed for the forgiveness of sins. It is my belief that the calling is not only for us, but for all those who have yet to receive and have their eyes opened. Has the Church become irrelevant in our country? I suppose the only way to answer that is with a different question. Will the people reject the call of God to gather so that all may taste and see that the Lord is good?

Human life is like smoke

2009-06-17T12:50:00.002-04:00

That human life is like smoke [cf. Ps. 102:3] or shadow [cf. Ps. 102:11] is not only obvious to the learned, but even ordinary folk have no proverb more commonplace than this. And since they counted this something very profitable to know, they have couched it in many striking sayings. But there is almost nothing that we regard more negligently or remember less. For we understand all things as if we were establishing immortality for ourselves on earth.
John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion
Book 3 Chapter 9 Section 2

As I read this today I was struck by the intimate link between this and our study of the Sabbath. Calvin is assert that we all acknowledge that life is short, particularly when we face death, but for some reason we frequently forget this reality. In our particular context in the West we rarely acknowledge our limitations, let alone how fleeting this life is until personal or massive national tragedies occur.

In the average days or moments of our lives we too lose sight of the short time we have in this life. I love the way Calvin poetically defines the brevity of life; "In the end, like applause in the theater for some pleasing spectacle, it evaporates." How do we counteract this part of ourselves? How do we overcome our forgetfulness?

SABBATH. Making time, or consecrating time as Abraham J. Heschel suggests, is the only way to counteract this part of our fallen being. If you are trying desperately to create safety and a kingdom for yourself in the here and now then by all means slave away. For those who see this kind of pursuit as the furthest thing from living then I invite you to make time for Sabbath. As you make time you will be given time. Your life will no longer be yours to build, but God will raise you up through this experience. Ultimately the choice is ours to make. Is this our realm or are we a passing shadow?

You will Change!

2009-06-03T11:26:00.005-04:00

Warning: Contents are extremely hot, handle with care.

Something like this is printed on the side a coffee to go cup at any average java dispensing location. For those of us who acknowledge the warning we carefully take that first sip with excitement and respect. Here is a substance that we coffee drinkers enjoy/need all the while understanding that we can really wreck our mouths if we do not proceed with caution. The more I reflect on our summer topic of Sabbath, I wonder if we should attach a warning or disclaimer.

Warning: The Sabbath life generates a revolutionary hope for the coming age. Proceed only if you desire a new life!

Why should we be cautious?

If we approach the Sabbath life without a properly examined heart we could end up burdened rather than liberated. Through out scripture we are warned of the pitfalls of legalism and hypocrisy. Legalism in our denomination and local culture is present, but not as much as it used to be. Of course it is always present and sometimes legalism travels under a different name, tradition(I must offer that not all tradition is legalistic, but there are somethings that are done because they have always been done). As we explored a little in the last post, legalism says "Get your butt in church, otherwise your damned". All of this began with good intentions, like the passing on of the story to the new generations that do not want to go to church. Unfortunately, the challenge to others distorted our own view of why we come together for a worship service.

Hypocrisy is very different. Too often I hear people say that they don't go to church, because there are a bunch of hypocrites there. In order to counter that accusation, we as the church, need to take a moment to pause and reflect on our heart condition, spiritually speaking of course. Unfortunately, this I fear is becoming a dying art in an age of "I am defined by my actions, which are never wrong if they do no immediate harm to myself". Reason and thought have left the building. Actions grounded in whatever feels good have taken center stage. Justification of ones actions comes secondary and only if one is "caught".

We have to be able to bow our egos, our human nature, and submit ourselves to the glory of God. When we do this, we are ready to walk into Sabbath. If we are entering Sabbath with a "what's in it for me" heart the entire event will be meaningless and a waste of time (for both us and God). However, if we approach the Sabbath with a humble heart and a spirit that seeks to offer praises to God and place God front and center that day I believe that God will bless us and change our lives.

The question is......do we want to change?

New Life

2009-05-20T16:56:00.003-04:00

Recently I picked up a copy of Abraham Joshua Heschel's book The Sabbath. If you have not read it I highly recommend you get yourself a copy. His critique of our enslavement to our work, play, and consumption of goods is masterfully written as well as poetic. I am really enjoying his use of language.

Though he is writing from a Hasidic Jewish background, there is so much that we as followers of Jesus should pay attention to as we are equally called to take Sabbath. One of the arguments that Heschel makes is that we must labor six days, but on the seventh day we have to rest. When we don't rest our labor becomes toil.

How many times have we caught ourselves saying "I wish I didn't have to go to this meeting?" or "AWWWWWWW its Monday! Where did my weekend go!?!?" This is, I believe Heschel and Scripture back me on this, in large part due to our inability to create sacred space in our lives. We as a people have lost track of what is truly important.......God, and the enjoyment of the rest which only God can provide.

We have all heard pastors say "Run the race well brothers and sisters for you will receive your crown at the end of days!" Certainly, we are to live each day as individuals who are being sanctified by the Spirit (Paul's actually intent), but we have confused this with our attempts to sanctify ourselves through labor and activity.

God wants us first and our labor second. God wants to enjoy us and for us to enjoy one another. God wants us to seek God together as a collective body united in Christ so that we may find the rest our souls crave. How can we do that if we are all over the place never taking the time to be still?

Over the next couple of months we will be exploring this topic. I invite you to join me in praying, Lord, creator of life, you established the seventh day as holy and rested. help us to see how you are calling us to this rest in the modern age. Through your blessed Son and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Psalm 139

2009-05-06T14:54:00.002-04:00

There are some tremendous images to meditate upon in this psalm. At the core the song is the acknowledgment by David that we are fully known by God. As much as our ability to perceive his presence in our lives can and sometimes is clouded God remains permanent fixture in all our lives.

If I should falter in my life or attempt to withdraw from God's view the psalmist warns that there is nothing and nowhere that can separate us from God's sight. When we were only a cluster of cells in our mother's womb we were known completely.

There are those who have always and will continue to the end of days that seek to destroy the name of God through spreading lies, misuse God's name, and attempt to obscure his truth (an impossible task since divine reality can never be completely hidden).

At the close of the song comes some of the most powerful, raw and honest words. Here we read a prayer that brings judgement, renewal, and release. As you read it I would invite you to say it out loud as your prayer today.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way of everlasting.

Love in the midst of Fear

2009-04-29T10:52:00.002-04:00

Love. How do we define it? There are so many interpretations available and the English language uses the same word to define our devotion to food, sports, and our soul mate. I see Love as a means to eliminating fear and I lean on the definition given by John in his first letter.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. 1 John 4:10, 18

This is the kind of divine Love that moves us beyond a superstitious view of church and God. Attending worship is not an obligatory act that helps us to be in good standing with "the big guy upstairs". Such thinking is fear driven and no longer has any place in us who live in a post resurrection world. Instead we are drawn to worship our God together, because our hearts have been opened to the reality that God loves us.

When facing difficult times as we see around us now it can cause us to allow fear to take up residency in our hearts. However, that same Love that drove out our superstitious fear of God can and will conquer everything that we face. Remember Jesus said
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. John 10:28
Nothing can over take us nor can it rip us out of God's guiding hand. We are God's children and just like a loving parent who gives good gifts and leads their children in the way to live we can trust that our God has this kind of love for us.

For some the analogy of a loving parent is too foreign to really help them embrace this truth. For those who suffer this terrible weight my heart grieves, but I also want to offer this.....our God is the one who can, will, and has redeemed life. This includes all situations where someone failed us. I pray that God will begin to reveal to those who walk with this kind of pain how much they are valued and loved. That the image of father and mother are made perfect in the Love that God has for all of us. I also pray that we will all turn faces to the Lord and know that we have already overcome this world in God's perfect love that has driven out all our fear through Jesus.

Luke 24:36b-48

2009-04-22T13:24:00.002-04:00

I have heard people talk about the bible my whole life and sometimes I forget how shocking it is and difficult for some to believe.

Jesus was very much dead, buried, then three days later he was no longer in the tomb. The time that follows his execution and burial is what is so controversial. We (followers of Jesus) believe that Jesus was raised back to life in the flesh. This testimony in Luke's gospel drives home the point that he appeared to the disciples in his crucified body. When Jesus asks for food and has those present look at his feet and hands (the place where the nails were driven)he is giving them physical evidence of his resurrection.

Many have heard this account and concluded that it was a fabrication of the disciples (or those after them), but many more have received this knowledge and believed. Why? What is the difference between the two groups. Almost all the people that I have met who reject the resurrection of Jesus are amazing, caring people. Therefore, it is beyond me when "Christians" go around calling such people all sorts of names and characterizing them as malicious fiends. I don't know why some chose not to believe. Maybe you are still wrestling with it or maybe the church has offended you in some way in the past making it difficult for you to "go there".

If it is offense, then I offer my apology. If it is something else, let me offer this.........what if it is all true. What if Jesus really did rise from the tomb and appear to his disciples? That would make him the only verifiable historical figure that has accomplished this and what does this do for the rest of his Way that he sought to teach us. If you already believe, are you willing to walk alongside the doubters, the skeptics, and listen to them as they walk the journey you have already travelled or will you chastise them for their unbelief?

God gave it all.

2009-04-08T16:24:00.002-04:00

All that I offer this week is everything. Jesus. The one who we ignore, mock, criticize, wonder about, marvel at, and the list is endless. No matter how you feel about Jesus, know this.......He is waiting for you. All that Jesus wants is everything. All that we are, all that we will be, and all that we can not even imagine.

Ecclsiastes 6:12

2009-04-02T11:02:00.003-04:00

"For who knows what is good for a man in life, during the few and meaningless days he passes through like a shadow? Who can tell him what will happen under the sun after he is gone?"

What are any of us guaranteed in this life? Breathe, labor, struggle? Yes, but what about satisfaction? What about finding the ability to be content? Is life a temporary journey filled with disappointment? Could there be something more than this flesh and bone? Is there something that we crave that is both obvious and hidden at the same time?

Some people ask why I believe in life after death and a God who is what our souls crave. For me, the alternative is much less satisfying. If this flesh and bones is all their is, as some insist, then existence is absurd. Without an eternal plan or hope, this life is nothing more than vain attempts to satisfy our cravings. If we remove our spiritual search for something more to this life than what we can test with our understanding then our search concludes with the same thinking that the Teacher is sharing in these passages.

If you find yourself lost in your journey, wondering if the existence of pain in this would is evidence that there is no such thing as God pause before you make that your final answer. Instead of fervently trying to prove that there is no God grant yourself permission to entertain the possibility that there is a God. Then continue to observe the world around with that possibility in your mind and wait for a response. If you give God an opportunity to share with you i believe God will take it.

Ecclesiastes 5: 1-7

2009-03-25T10:45:00.004-04:00

These short seven verses are some of the best words written about what it means to have a holy fear of God. During our journey through this text we have witnessed a number of things that the Teacher calls us to question as to their worth from an eternal perspective. After these verses he once again reminds us of the emptiness of riches when compared to eternity.

Only our God is awesome and beyond the judgment of time. Unfortunately, being a someone from the 80's the word "awesome" was over used and in a lot of ways corrupted. Merriam-Webster online (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/awesome) has the definition, but that just does not translate as well today. Maybe, it is due to a general decrease in our ability to be awe inspired by anything. It appears that a growing number of people are suffering from desensitization and there isn't much that impresses them any more. We have lived through decades of bigger, better, faster and found it ultimately to be lacking. I do believe that there is a connection between this general state of numbness and our inability to connect with the awesome power of God. We, like Pink Floyd song, have become "comfortably numb".

I want to stress at this point that this is something that I see in general and as an increasing population in the world, but not the perspective of everyone. There are still many faithful who are stunned, moved, disturbed by the incomparable power of our God. For those of us who have been blessed with a fraction of insight to God's greatness we exist in part to challenge the modern misconception that our personal glory is our greatest goal. However, it is important for us to once again heed the words of the Teacher;

Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.
As a dream comes when there are many cares,
so the speech of a fool when there are many words.

Ecclesiastes 4

2009-03-18T14:47:00.003-04:00

Toil, Friendless, and Achievement

The Teacher believes that despite the "meaningless" result of our labor we must still try. Indeed he goes so far as to call those who do not apply themselves to labor fools who supply their own ruin. Few of us willingly seek our own ruin. Therefor, we apply ourselves towards labor and toil, but his warning is worthy of hearing and application.

"Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind."

Balance.

Toil, labor, for that is the task that we must endure in life, but it is NOT life. If we have immersed ourselves fully in our work in order to "live" we have ceased living. As much as were never meant to be on a permanent vacation, we equally were never intended to slave away at our work.

Turn off the Blackberry, power down your computer, leave the financial reports and step outside. Live, breath, time will not wait.

If this is something that we are not hearing from others in our lives, then we should ask whether we have shut out our friends. For without the people who know us and stand by us this journey that we take is very difficult to travel alone. In fact in can crush us much easier when we travel alone. Do not listen to that haunting voice that suggests that true strength is seen in the lone wolf that roams the land as a free spirit tied to nothing and no one.

Remember,

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 3

2009-03-11T14:43:00.002-04:00

Time. Seasons of life. I recently heard someone say in an interview that we are not much different than animals, which is interesting considering that that is exactly the same observation that the Teacher makes about humankind in this chapter. We breathe, have a limited number of days, and then it is over. The appears to be a rhythm to life that occurs in nature that is similar to what humankind endures on a different scale.

What I appreciate about the Teacher's perspective is that he allows for the possibility of an afterlife as the major difference between humanity and the animals. Instead of out right dismissing an afterlife, as some are prone to do, the Teacher displays a humble spirit about things that are not observed. As far as we can see this life is all that we have, but there is no evidence that this is all there is. I love the verse that speaks about God's role in this matter; "He (God) has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end".

Through observation of life the Teacher admits that we can gain a tremendous amount of knowledge, but that ultimately we will end up in the dark about all things eternal. These matters we can get close to, but never fully grasp for they rest with God alone.

I find this to be encouraging, because it suggests that rather than giving up on testing and exploration we can press forward. At the same time I see a qualification and that is to realize that we will always remain limited in our understanding.

Instead of this being a distraction or frustration we are challenged to let go (to some extant) of our seemingly insatiable curiosities about life and the universe and trust that the God who is order and justice will remain in control.

Ecclesiastes 2

2009-03-04T14:35:00.003-05:00

When reading through the long list of all that is "meaningless" it is difficult not to get worn out by the author's pessimistic view of life. One of the more interesting things that I found was looking at what was not present. No where in the second chapter do we see him making an effort to bless another human being. Everything that is observed or investigated by the Teacher is centered on the modern "What's in it for me" question. Look at it again. I did this or that for me and found it to be empty. Another element that is absent through most of the chapter. God. God does not enter the picture until the very end. The Teacher is saying that all things that provide satisfaction in this life are from God. Some, like the Reformed Tradition, view this as a positive, but it is unclear at best how the Teacher interprets it.

Does the Teacher mean that the task God gives the sinner is "a chasing after the wind" or does he include the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, and happiness for the man that pleases God?

How do you see this chapter? Does it offer you hope? Does it offer solace? Does it discourage you?

For me, this offers me another look into the mind of someone who considers themselves wise and yet they struggle with trying to find meaning in consumerism and the pleasures of this earth. There is a yearning, that I believe we all possess for something of greater meaning than what we can see in the daily junk. Has there been a time in your life when you asked, "Why am I chasing this dream? What is the point of this job? What is the end goal?" In some ways this text comforts 1) those of us who wonder if we are alone in thinking this way and 2)it shows us that it is okay to express these things to God.

After reading this I encourage you to spend some time in prayer. Talk to God about how this made you feel. Ask God how this affects the Church today? What is your role in His story of redemption?

Ash Wednesday

2009-02-25T16:04:00.002-05:00

Tonight we will be gathering to reflect on our limitations, God's mercy, and our response. I will be sharing my thoughts about what the Prophet Joel says in the second chapter beginning with the first two verses and then continuing with verses 12 through 17.

If you are not able to attend I encourage you to take some time to explore the 13 minute audio reflection offered by the Jesuits in Britian. Simply click on the Pray-as-you-go link on this page. Once there you can click on today's date and download the form of audio file that works for you.

Blessings of peace and strength from our God through Jesus our Lord.

Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

2009-02-18T13:28:00.003-05:00

Spirit of the living God shape our minds, open our hearts, and strengthen our souls through the examination of the words of Teacher. Amen.

It is a terrible thing to look at scripture and think "Wow, this guy is having a bad day, month or something, because this is depressing!" So I stopped, prayed, and read it again.

This time there was something else present within the text, but was difficult to see. It was as if there is something within these words, but they are easily overshadowed by the harsh words of "meaningless".

What I saw was that with all human effort to grow, improve, develop and mature as cultures, societies, and human beings there is a limit set in place. If what the "Teacher" observed is true then all human efforts to create perfection in ourselves and society will fall short of the goal and never fully be achieved.

Before we slip into an attitude of "why should we try?", the teacher quickly adds that he applied himself to madness and folly as well and found that to be pointless as well.

So we can not perfect ourselves or society, nor will we find anything of value in giving up and accepting an attitude of defeat drenched with excess.

Can we accept this as truth? Are we limited? If so, why do we keep trying?

Preparing for Lent

2009-02-11T14:18:00.002-05:00

Over the next couple of weeks we will ask the Spirit of God to teach us through the writings of "the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem". Ecclesiastes can be a challenge to go through, and at times we may ask "why bother?", but I believe that as we spend the season of Lent contemplating our mortality and God's mercy the words in Ecclesiastes will strengthen us and our walk with the Lord.

Take a moment and open your Bible to Ecclesiastes (right after Proverbs and before Song of Songs). In a brief prayer ask God to guide your reading of His word. Read the first 11 verses.

What is your initial reaction?

Notice how everything is about what we can see. There is not a single mention of the unseen.

If we were to stop reading this book right now how would we feel?

Do you agree with his observation that there truly is nothing "new" that can be seen with our eyes or accomplished by humanity?

Do space walks, human genome projects, and deep sea research contradict his assessment of all things that we can observe?

Even if we do observe something for the first time, does that make it "new"? The Earth was round before we were able to conclude it was round. Even scientist have created theorems and formulas to measure and prove what exists does not mean that it was not there before. Everything has always been in the observable physical realm, but we have not always known it to be there.

Ephesians 5:22-6:9

2009-02-04T19:15:00.003-05:00

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it just as Christ does the church- for we are members of his body. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'. This is a profound mystery- but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother' -which is the first commandment with a promise- 'that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth'.
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Okay. Before we dismiss this passage as archaic sexist propaganda that is all Paul and not from God, let's take a deep breath, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us through this portion of the letter.

Francis W. Beare shares some wonderful insights to this letter in The Interpreters Bible commentary. According to Beare, Paul was following a common pattern used in Hellenistic philosophy of discussing a man's duties to his gods, country, and home. Therefore, Beare argues, that Paul is teaching his audience in a style that they were accustomed to as far as talking about conduct in the home (which includes spouse, children, and slave/servant).

At this point some of you may be thinking, okay, but what does this mean for us today. Notice the verse right before the one we started with, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ". This sentence is the conclusion of this past Sunday's passage and the set up for everything for tonight. Equally submit to one another out of reverence for Christ! There is not a qualification of "Okay this one is just for the ladies". NO! It is "Hey ALL submit to one another".

This is to everyone; male and female, young and old, slave and free (sound familiar? check out Galatians 3:28). Also, it is difficult at times to decipher whether Paul is really talking about the husband and wife relationship or our relationship to Christ as head of the Church. It is so fluid that at times the husband/wife image disappears completely. This might lead us to suspect that this husband/wife image is merely a gateway or metaphor to open the audiences minds to consider what Paul really has in mind for us, which is our submission to Christ. That we and Christ are now one flesh, washed clean, made holy.....which could be why there is the curious statement "this is a profound mystery". Unfortunately, our modern sensibilities tend to shut out Paul's words, because of the numerous ways that this and passages like this have been used by the church to oppress women, children, and those in slavery.

Similarly, I believe you can apply this kind of interpretive move to the portion of Paul's proposed slave/master ethics. We are the slave and Christ is our master. Again the word slave is tainted, and when understood within Paul's context it does not have the same horrific baggage that we have in our country.

So what can we gain from this if we look at these as metaphors for our relationship to God? How does this affect our daily living as witnesses to our communities? What would the church look like, or our communities, our homes if we submitted ourselves to each other out of reverence for Christ?

Ephesians 4:17-32

2009-01-28T13:21:00.002-05:00

So, I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 'In your anger do not sin'. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Now that Paul has informed his reader that hope and salvation are in Jesus Christ, who brought them into the covenant, he goes on to explain what this means in life now. Paul understands that it is one thing to focus on the foundations of our faith (peace, truth, and love), but when doing so the reader is left with questions like, "What does that look like in my life today?"

In our section of Paul's letter today Paul is beginning to lay out some practical actions that are no longer permissible to those who are maturing into the fullness of Christ. Paul is not saying that this world is easy, or that mistakes do not happen. Rather, what I believe Paul to be saying is now that you understand that you have been forgiven from your past set yourself on the path to live in that freedom instead of returning to that which left you empty.

Paul is speaking here to some very real sins that the "called out" people in Ephesus are struggling with in their daily lives. There is a problem with anger, brawling, lying, stealing, sloth(or laziness), and they have allowed their physical desires to dictate what is appropriate.

Part of being an agent of God's reforming presence in society is to live counter culturally. Just, because society says "Well, I suppose that is okay, provided you don't do me any harm", does not mean the Body of Christ should or can act similarly. Let's focus on stealing for a moment. Paul does not say, "Hey guys, I know that life is hard right now, so try not to steal so much." No, he says stop stealing, and start working on being part of the answer.

Paul is saying that in Jesus we have been forgiven and that we are free now. That this freedom is good now, today and not when we die. This is important, because what he is telling us is that our lives are now different. We are no longer to function the way we once did, but that we are growing into the fullness of Christ, the One who is perfect in peace, love, and truth.

Is this a hard sell for today with all the "gray issues" that challenge us?

How do we view what God did for us through Jesus? Similar to what Paul suggests or something else?

For your own private reflection what is God asking you to put away as you "put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness"? Once you identify it, name it (to your self) and in prayer to God release it asking for strength to live this new life.(Please do not post a comment on this last one, because it's intent is for your own private devotion, not global confession.)

Ephesians 3:14-21

2009-01-21T13:48:00.004-05:00

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

The gospel message of an open covenant for all people compels Paul to bow before God, the Father, asking for the gift of Christ to dwell in our hearts through the power of God's Spirit. Not so that we can be "saved", but rather that we may grasp the enormity of Christ's love for us and be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Given what we have discussed thus far what might this fullness of God look like in our lives? How would it shape the way we view and treat one another during disputes? How does this challenge the way we treat those in our lives who are strangers? How might this affect the way we think about people around the world that we will probably never interact with on a one-on-one level? Since this is a week that many are praying that the Christian church will one day very soon unite, how does this shape or challenge the way you think of other's who profess Jesus as the risen Lord of all?

Ephesians 2:11-22 NIV

2009-01-14T13:13:00.003-05:00

"Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called 'uncircumcised' by those who call themselves 'the circumcision' (that done in the body by the hands of men)- remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."

How often have you looked at Reuters, BBC, or any news media outlet and felt your soul wanting to cry out? If it is not war, it is oppression, and if not that then it is something else inhuman that one group inflicts upon another. PEACE! PEACE! Who will bring us lasting peace? Who will slience the burning tongues of discord and violence? Who will still the deviant minds that chase after power, land and control? PEACE! PEACE! Who will bring us lasting peace?

When Paul wrote this letter things were no different. There appears to be a real divide between two kinds of people, and a need for a message that addresses reconcilation. On the one side the "uncircumcised" and on the other "the circumcision". Paul doesn't hold back with labeling his audience as people who by birth are without God's covenant, and he even goes so far to say that they are without God. That is, prior to Jesus.

Now that Jesus has come, suffered, died, and was raised from the dead he (Jesus) "destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility." Notice Paul is not, nor am I suggesting, that Jesus destroyed the covenant. What Paul is saying is that you who used to be restricted from hope in God's blessing are now free to come join with those who have had access.

I love the imagery Paul uses of building a holy temple in Christ. It is not one of physical man made walls, there are no pews, there is no ethnic background check at the door. Paul says peace has come by drawing the two sides together with the prophets and apostles as the foundation and Christ Jesus as "the chief cornerstone". With, in, through, and because of Jesus the promises and teachings of God peace are now real. Remember, Paul said, the barriers have been destroyed so peace has already come. The problem that we face and have been facing since the time Jesus walked the Earth is that we are living in disobedience of the established reign of God's peace, because we can silence, ignore, reject the voice of the Spirit. At least we are permitted to for now.

The last sentece of this part of the letter is another wonderful layer and transition back into his teaching on living a life of righteousness. You, the reader who is a follower of Jesus, are now a part of this non-geographical temple as well as you are being made into the dwelling place of God who resides in you by God's Spirit.

Peace through Jesus, under Jesus, in Jesus, because of Jesus.

Ephesians 1:15-23

2009-01-07T10:13:00.003-05:00

"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. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."

Imagine opening your e-mail and seeing in the inbox a brief note from Rev. Earl Palmer letting you know that he is personally excited about your faith journey and that he is praying that God will bless you with a spirit of wisdom to better understand God. What an encouragement that would be to us that someone with his credentials and experience would know of us and be praying for us. That is the sense of awe that I think the people in Ephesus may have had when they read this portion of Paul's letter.

However, that is only the beginning....because Paul's prayer is not only for a fuller understanding of God's nature, but a holy revelation of God's power. The same power that raised Jesus from death and placed him at the right hand of God the Father in the heavenly realms, the highest place of authority and rule. We recite creeds in service all the time that refer to this place of honor for Jesus, but how often do we stop to reflect on this word. For Paul, it seems, there is no separation between what he placed his hope in and the power of of God. One of the reasons for this is that it all centers in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul closes this brief selection of the letter by talking about the church, which is Jesus body (one of Paul's frequently used analogies for helping us understand to whom we ultimately owe our allegiance and service as adopted members of the holy family Father, Jesus our brother......all of which he fleshes out more in the rest of this letter).

One thing that stands out to me today is that Paul seems to be suggesting that the church is part of the "fullness" of God. What does that mean? How does that challenge/change our understanding of God and our role in this world? If we are part of the "fullness" of God how does this affect the way interact with others and how we act when no one else is around?

New Year, New Series

2009-01-03T13:50:00.003-05:00

Starting this Wednesday and each consecutive Wednesday I will be writing brief reflections on the portion of the letter to the Ephesians that we did not cover on Sunday morning. Why Wednesday? Middle of the week and something we can do together to recharge for the rest of our week. Why this forum? Without knowing what will happen to gas prices in the New Year and wanting to give people a chance to engage the text in another way we are trying a sort of midweek on-line bible study.

Why Ephesians? Renewal, to put it simply. Renewal of our lives in God and God in us. Looking around at what is happening in our world and feeling that God is calling us now more than ever to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God who is revealed to us in Jesus through the Holy Spirit. So please join me every Wednesday for a time of reflection as we ask God to speak to us in this New Year!

All that I Do?

2008-12-16T14:04:00.003-05:00

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17 NIV

What a challenging word from Paul to the Church. No matter what we do, whom ever we are with, and no matter how crazy our lives are, Paul wants us to remain grounded in our eternal hope. How much would our lives change if before we did something we said to ourselves, "I do this in the name of our Lord Jesus". Not to mention taking a moment to think whether we have given thanks to our Father in heaven recently. "Dear God send me ______", could become "Thank you Father for _______, through Jesus our Lord". How would this approach transform your life, your family, and the way you engage the people you come into contact with daily?

Dig into God's Word and let the Word get into you.

Bring hope with you.

2008-12-08T14:49:00.004-05:00

Of course not the final post ever, just for this year. I have been looking at the year ahead and listening to others and I think that despite the voices of doubt and dispair that constantly plague our media outlets things are going to get better. My hope is that this season of economic turmoil will be something that we can learn from and become stronger.

The road will not be short or easy and there are a lot of us who are clinging to our jobs in hopes that we will not see a pink slip. All the more reason to take the time to exit our suburban fortress that we like to hide in and engage in the lives of our neighbors. Wouldn't it be great if we, as followers of Jesus, took to heart the message to care for our neighbor?

If you don't know your neighbors, Christmas is the perfect season to do something to let them know that you acknowledge that they exist and you want to wish them well.

May God's peace invade your life!

Words from Paul to Timothy.....

2008-11-05T10:29:00.002-05:00

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and humankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men - the testimony given in its proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6

Something to consider on this election day........

2008-11-04T09:25:00.002-05:00

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God
something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death-
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2: 5-11

2008-10-21T21:50:00.001-04:00

JESUS

Kingdom of Heaven

2008-10-02T13:24:00.003-04:00

What is the kingdom of heaven? Do we live in a way that shows we believe what Jesus said in Luke 17:20-21;"the kingdom of God is (amongst or) within you". If you are like me you have heard a number of people questioning the existence of a loving active God. Put aside for a moment the things that they may have done in their lives to hide the truth from themselves and ask have we been ambassadors for the kingdom of God.

If Jesus is saying that the Kingdom of God is here as well as still to come then why are we not acting like that is the case? How can those who have lost their way be at fault when we have ignored God's calling for us to be actively representing the kingdom.

Missional Theologian Michael Frost put it best when describing those outside the "church". All of us, church goers or not, have the imago dei, the image of God on our souls. It is the follower of Jesus responsibility to help others draw it out so that they may profess Jesus as Lord of heaven and earth. As Lord of the Kingdom of Heaven that is here, now, amongst us.

Salt and Light

2008-09-16T12:28:00.002-04:00

This past Sunday we looked at Paul's encouragement to "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Most every time salt is mentioned in the Old Testament it is part of a sacrifice or offering. When we are "salt", or allow "salt" to be in our conversation, it is the same thing as treating each of our conversations as an offering to God.

Salt is used to draw out rich flavors in food and when we take this analogy in somewhat of a literal sense we can have or be salt in our conversation by assisting others to bring out the beauty or richness that is trapped inside them. Who defines beauty, since it is such a vague and over used word in our language and culture? Should we consider beauty to be the individuals unique qualities or traits? Is it merely a call for us to help others feel valued and self assured or is there something else?

I believe that the true beauty that is hidden within each of us is the acknowledgment of a God that is greater than all other gods. That beauty sings loudly of the goodness of a God who was, is, and evermore shall be as well as our relationship to this God through Jesus. It is a beauty with divine insight that says "yes you are the God of all to whom all praise and honor is due" is something that can not be come to light by handing someone a tract, or reciting a script, or entering a debate on the "issues". The beauty of divine insight is brought out of it's hiding place by the Holy Spirit.

Our role (and by this I mean those who profess Jesus as Lord of all) is to be a fellow traveller who's only hope is to honor God with assisting the Holy Spirit. So rise up followers of Christ and get to know your neighbor, listen to their story, and then listen some more. After you have listened invite the Holy Spirit to speak. Do not approach this with anxiety or fear, but rejoice with the knowledge that you are participating in God's call to the Church to be witnesses for God in our relationships.

Remembering and Living

2008-09-11T10:51:00.003-04:00

When I got up this morning I was thinking about all the things that I needed to accomplish today. I skimmed through the paper, had my coffee, and got my kids some breakfast. It wasn't until the regularly scheduled programming was interrupted on TV that I realised something horrible. I forgot.

A wave of guilt rushed over me as I thought about all those families whose lives were forever changed on that day and the many who gave everything in service to their country. I have not forgotten their sacrifice, but I did lose sight of what day it is on the calendar.

As I wrestled with all kinds of emotions this morning, one question dominated my mind. How have I seen God at work since that day? I have heard of and witnessed God transform lives. Now, more than anytime before, there is a growing reality of the Church becoming a united global body. When people in Haiti suffer, we in the U.S. suffer. When people in China rejoice in the name of the Lord, we join with them with exaltations.

One God. One Body. One Hope.

I remember the sacrifices of those on United 93, New York's finest and the victims of that day. At the same time I pray that our lives will honor them by striving to join God's work to reconcile us to Him and to one another.

Bitterness can kill

2008-08-19T15:16:00.002-04:00

Bitterness alone can not actually kill you physically. However, if we harbor feelings of bitterness for a prolonged amount of time then we run the risk of damaging our emotional and spiritual well being. Eventually, if we allow that feeling to feed off us for years I believe that it will damage us physicallly.

(I am not a doctor, but I have seen people suffer from years of being unable to forgive or release their feelings of bitterness).

Today, I pray that if you have feelings of bitterness towards your friend, neighbor, co-worker, family member, loved one that you will be given the strength to release it. I want to go a step deeper in this prayer for you. If you are harboring bitterness towards God I pray that you will release that into God...... all of it in the name of Jesus.

Blessings of peace to you.

One God

2008-06-30T14:20:00.004-04:00

Is there any point to all this talk of all paths lead to one source? How can this be seen as dialogue? Is it not more accurate to say that it is refusing to acknowledge the clear differences and choosing something that is neither one or the other? It seems to me that when the body of Christ is more concerned about being in good with all religions or spiritual expressions then it rejects its calling to be salt and light in this world. We have a responsibility to share the story of our faith. Throwing our hands in the air saying "well, it will all work itself out in the end" is not an option.

Did Jesus die on the cross just so we could look back over 2000 years later and say that wasn't really necessary? Absolutely not! Salvation, a gift of mercy from God comes to humanity through the blessed sacrifice of Jesus. God chose to empty himself on the cross so that we may be free from our sin. Rejoice. We are free. Free to tell the story of our God who has given us new life!

Satisfaction: Myth or Divine Reality?

2008-06-18T12:21:00.004-04:00

“I can’t get no, sa-tis-fac-tion.” Whether it is the catchy beat or clever lyrics about a young man unlucky in love I really enjoy this song by Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones. It is a simple tune, but at the core of this popular song is an interesting question; “Are we satisfied?” As I look around at our culture, listening to those who are sharing there is a strong underlying current of dissatisfaction with the way things are in this country. Is our distaste for how things are rooted in something other than what we hear and see in the news? What if this feeling is seated in the core of our being?

In the years following the Second World War C.S. Lewis delivered a series of lectures about faith in a post war environment. Those lectures were consolidated and released in 1949 in the book The Weight of Glory. In Lewis’ first lecture, The Weight of Glory, he sights an old writer who said “he who has God and everything else has no more than he who has God only.” What a fascinating observation! If you are working two or three jobs to make ends meet and “have God” you are an equal to the individual who lives off of a large inheritance and also has God in their lives. Another way of saying it is that in God’s eyes it doesn’t matter how much or little you have in this life we are all equals in God’s economy.

Yet the knowledge that we are all seen as equals by God is only the beginning, for in all honesty the knowledge of this concept can either be frigthening if God is evil or awe inspiring if God is good. Fortunately, the message does not stop here. Lewis says that within each of us is a deep sense of longing. "The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some chasm that yawns between us and reality, is part of our inconsolable secret". He goes on to say that he believes, just the New Testament writers suggest, the only one who can fill such a void is the God revealed to humanity through the Abraham, Israel, and their Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth. In that God can one find belonging, real home for our weary souls, and something deeper than what the heart and mind can conceive. That reality is a divine love, untouched by our inability to remain consistently faithful to anyone or anything.

As I stated before there is a general feeling of dissatisfaction by all classes of persons socially and economically. For those who struggle or find it impossible to gain satisfaction, what are we looking at to satisfy our soul’s appetite? Do we look to the things that we can experience with our senses and emotions? Are we looking only at that which is tangible and what the world tells us is real? Or are we looking beyond this physical world, for something greater? If the later is true I want to encourage you to keep seeking, for in God we will find a lasting satisfaction revealed to us by the Holy Spirit and embodied in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. Instead of looking around at what we see every day to find satisfaction let’s take another look at the One that gave his very life so that we would know just how much we matter to God, the beginning and end! God loves you, are you still not satisfied?

Lewis, C.S. The Weight of Glory. HarperCollins Publisher. San Francisco. 2001. p 34.

In everything give thanks....

2008-05-07T15:04:00.002-04:00

This is not something that we do all that well, at least it is not something that I do all that well. There are too many things that happen in this life that give us opportunity to complain and we seize them with all our might. Most of the time we complain about something that we have no control over like the temperature outside, the price of milk, or that slow driver in the far left lane that refuses to budge. These can all be frustrating and some times the best way to express ourselves is to complain. However, in light of real hardships these things seem like a waste of our time and breath.

Whenever we lose someone we love or lose the ability to so something we enjoyed doing we are faced with a challenge. Will I spend the rest of my days complaining or will I continue to make an attempt to move in a forward motion? No one will fault you for taking time to grieve the loss of someone or something you hold dear. In truth, no one should ever say the words "buck up and move on". Unfortunately, there are times when that sentiment can be felt without it ever being said.

The Apostle Paul wrote letters to the churches in Philippi and Ephesus and in them are a number of reminders to the faithful about how much of our lives the Lord wants. Everything. Our God wants the good and the bad times. God wants us during every celebration and hardship that we face to be mindful of God and God's real presence.

I confess, it is not easy, especially if you are in a season of pain. To be honest God can be the last one you want to pray to or think about, because it makes you so angry. Yet, God won't leave you alone. You can try to shove everyone else away, but God won't leave. You can yell, spit, use the ugliest expression you can think of but God won't leave.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
John 3:16,17 NIV

1 Peter 5: 6-11

2008-05-05T14:14:00.002-04:00

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers [and sisters] throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen."

How does a follower of Jesus engage life?

2008-04-15T12:28:00.002-04:00

Due to some recent developments in my life as well as reading John Piper's book Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God in Missions I am wrestling with the idea of what it means to face adversity as a follower of Jesus. It is well documented that those who share the gospel, the message that God came into this world as Jesus of Nazareth, will face persecution. It may be verbal or physical. It may derail or destroy our professional career. It may bring conflict into our home amidst family and friends. "Then you will be handed over to persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me" (Matthew 24:9).

These realities of persecution and suffering are not a surprise. Rather it is the response in Christ that the earlier church fathers had and I do not see oft repeated in my daily life that is so surprising. The Apostle Paul considered his sufferings for the sake of the gospel a heavenly joy, because he interpreted that to mean that he was worthy in the eyes of God to suffer as his Lord suffered. For those of us in places that celebrate religious freedom, and have never suffered in the same way as countless others through out history (not to mention my brothers and sisters who this moment suffer affliction for our Lord in other places around the world), this word of joy in suffering is difficult to stomach.

I am not seeking persecution or desire it and I know that there are plenty of writings, particularly early church writings, that caution young men against throwing their lives away out of martyr lust. However, I do wonder at times whether my lack of suffering has made it easier for me to adopt an attitude of complaining about trivial things. I can not change the weather, so why do I complain about it? Which brings me to the core issue that I am wrestling with, mainly, an attitude that complains about secondary matters rather than allowing God's heart to direct my mind towards primary matters. If you are like me, I invite you to join me in praying that God's heart would direct our thoughts towards the primary things of life.

Anonymous and Vicious

2008-03-12T14:29:00.003-04:00

I can not get over the verbal brutality that takes place in chat rooms. I was just on the local chat room for the topic religion. As I skimmed through the different entries I arrived at the conclusion that it would not do any good to enter any of the discussions. I feel that the people who are posting are not really having a discussion at all. It may be due to the fact that there is no moderator or maybe its due to the fact that most of the statements are absolutes with a high number of them written as insults that challenge the person's level of intelligence.

Some would say, "Well, what did you expect? Religion should be private matter for this very reason. Emotions and Religious/Anti-Religious beliefs go hand and hand." Others will point out that this ugliness would not occur in public since everyone who writes in chat rooms does so anonymously. With anonymity comes lowered verbal inhibitions due to the fact that no will know it was you who said such horrendous things.

I used to agree with both of these things, but lately I have found that religion and verbal assaults to be common place in public. The first of these two has become a common discussion topic, due to the hard push by both religious and non religious persons. In fact I feel that one reason that we are experiencing such a strong push by so many that are self professed atheist and agnostics can be attributed to a cultural backlash to how Christianity (the religion, not the Way of Jesus) has directed and interacted our country.

The later is brought up every so often when a elder member of society critiques the way things are saying that people today are more rude and do not have any manners. This is true in a lot of ways. Yet I wonder if we are really honest about the days gone by were they full of peace and saints or did people just kept their rude comments to themselves and say them in private to someone they trusted. Today, in our "stripped down" culture everything is out there for all to see and hear. Believe me there are times that I wish people today would try to use more control when it comes to their mouth and the garbage that comes out.

In an effort to draw this post to a close I suppose that my point is this:

I have yet to find a chat room dialogue that doesn't spin out of control into name calling in an effort to assert oneself as the most intelligent on-line.

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather, serve on another in love."
Paul's letter to Church in Galatia 5:13

Crisis in the Land of the Free

2008-03-04T09:56:00.002-05:00

What I would like to focus on is a trend that is taking place amongst the younger generations. This is not a finger pointing at them to say it is all their fault for their current state, because in all honesty the adults in this country have done the youth no favors at all. We are the ones who have not provided proper examples of what it means to be a follower of Christ.

Some may be wondering where is this coming from? Fair question. I have been talking to some of the local high school students and one of the challenges that they face today is that if they are going to share that they have faith in God they encounter a significant back lash from their peers.

Not in the way that it was 20 years ago, when it centered on Jesus and the church don't want people to have fun. Instead, it is "you are so naive to put your faith in something that can not be scientifically proven. Why do you swallow the lies of an institution that simply wants to control you and take your money?"

Of course you can point at all sorts of things to blame for this if you want. Some will blame the public schools, others Dan Brown, Bertrand Russell, Richard Dawkins, and Philip Pullman. I would say, we as the church have not done our part at relating to younger generations that the Gospel of Christ is more than suburbia, personal gain, and safety.

The Gospel is a revolution. It shakes your life down and reshapes it into something completely other. That other is life that is visibly different, because it is based in love. A love defined in the sacrifice of one for all. It is not only about helping your global neighbor. It is not just about trying to live a life steeped in joy. At its core it is a life that is love that adore God above all things material, physical, which in turn empowers us to love others in a way that is rarely seen.

It causes a white male from small town U.S.A. to say to a Kenyan native male. "Brother, it good to see you and I will pray that some day soon we will have the opportunity to see one another again."

Until this is believed, applied, seen by others, it is no wonder that our young will look and say "I don't see the point."

Lent and the question of suffering

2008-02-26T13:49:00.002-05:00

Recently Bart D. Ehrman’s wrote a new book called "God’s Problem: How the Bible fails to answer our most important question – Why we Suffer." Mr. Ehrman is a distinguished professor of religion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who did his doctoral work at Princeton Theological Seminary. I learned about him and the book while listening to a recent episode of NPR’s Fresh Air (2-19-08). As the title suggests he has given up on organized religion and according to the interview with Terry Gross he realized that he no longer had “faith” while reciting the Apostles creed during an Episcopalian worship service. Ehrman said that as he was saying the words of the creed when it suddenly hit him that the only portion that he believed to be true was that Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, did die and was buried. He feels that the words prior to those as well as those that followed are not true. Therefore, as he puts it, in an act of respect for the worshipping community he decided to leave the church never to return.

Mr. Ehrman’s journey into agnosticism began with the question of human suffering. Why is there suffering in this world? During the interview he continually highlighted the problem of death by starvation, malaria, and tsunami. He claims that all these things were not malicious acts done by one human against another therefore one can not always point to “free-will” as the cause of all suffering. Tsunamis being an exception, I would argue that death by starvation and malaria are evil acts carried out by humanity against humanity. At least I would make the case that they aided by the corruption of human kind. Whether it is a government that refuses to let it’s people eat the foreign aid so they can make an international statement, or a pharmaceutical company more concerned with their fiscal health than the health of those in need, or an apathetic nation with the financial means to intervene that refuses to help, the key issue in all of these is that one group is causing another group to suffer.

That being said the question still remains, why worship God in light of the suffering that we see every day? Let’s think about what the Spirit has been teaching us through the word of God over the past couple of weeks during our worship services. Time and again Jesus appears to be challenging people that he interacts with by pushing them to rethink their question. Nicodemus, the question is not how does an old man re-enter the womb, rather are you willing to begin again in your training of true wisdom. Samaritan woman, the question is not where one should worship, rather it is more a matter of the how and whom one worships.

Following this kind of approach we should ask whether the existence of suffering in the world is the foundational question. There is no doubt that it is an important question. I only wonder if the question of suffering is the core question to hinge one’s belief in the existence of God as depicted in scripture. I would like us to meditate upon the dying words of Jesus on the cross. When Jesus says “My God, my God, Why have you forsaken me” he is directly quoting the 22nd Psalm, which was written by King David. In the Psalm and in the situation where Jesus is saying his final words there appears to be a true absence of God. In these words, “Why have you forsaken me,” I believe we see that within this life there can and will be times when we feel that God is completely absent.

Where does this leave us then as we continue in this season of reflection on our brokenness and a need for a savior? If you are having serious questions about faith, particularly the goodness of God, do not leave the church. We were never intended to walk through this faith journey alone. It is always better to ask the difficult questions, then to assume that we are being a burden to the congregation with our doubts. As I say that I feel that scripture has warned us that when we bring our questions to God and God’s people we should be willing to have our questions turned around at us. Could it be that we are avoiding the core question with our current question. Only God can help us with this lesson and God chooses to use the Church as a means of communicating to us. God is well pleased with those who seek God’s face, regardless of our current level of belief. Therefore in this season I encourage all of us to seek first the kingdom of God with our questions, but let us do it in humility so that we may be taught a new question to ask. If we can do this then our questions will become an enhancment to our lives of worship.

The difficultly of stillness

2008-02-18T10:07:00.003-05:00

Now and again I find that there is a need to pause and tell my mind to slow down. If you are like me, then you are constantly processing things and wondering what the best approach is to the two or three things that are to come in life. I don't want to give the impression that I am never present in the here and now. Rather I am talking about those "silent" moments when I am alone. Those are the times that are perfect for allowing my mind to rest, or spend it in prayer.

Instead, I find that I am caught in the temtation to use that time to "brain storm" about the large number of events that is yet to come in the days ahead. I suppose that is why I, like so many others, find it so relaxing to turn on music or watch tv because then the noise of planning gets chut out by the noise of another kind.

Many people around the world are taking these weeks leading up to Easter as a time to reflect and mediatate on their brokenness and ultimately their need for a Savior. I am taking this time to make more time for silence. If you struggle to turn the noise off (external and internal) I invite you to join me in creating space to be still.

The following prayer may help:

Father,

I can't be still for very long and my mind is always racing to the next thing. Give me your peace to strengthen my ability to enjoy the silence. Help me to hear you in the tranquility and calm.
Amen.

Christ be at the core of my being

2008-01-29T10:19:00.000-05:00

It seems that no matter how many years one goes to church there remains a constant battle within each of us between our emotions and intellect. Too much of one or the other can potentially damage our souls and the way that we come across to family, friends, and neighbor. I have never found it easy to be in one extreme or the other.

To be purely intellectual is something that I fear. When I am deep within a season of only mentally agreeing with the word of God I begin to scratch my head in wonder finding it difficult to relate to passages that speak of loving God with great passion. For example: instead of looking at King David's naked dance parade before the ark of the covenant as someone who understands their place in life and before God ("naked I came into this world and naked shall I leave":Job) I begin to see it as a story of an unbalanced individual that had a break down due to stress.

If I were to swing to the side of complete passion.........well to be honest I have never done that and I suppose that this is in some way due to my fear of losing control. There is much that is not known when it comes to submitting your entire being (particularly emotions) to the will of God. I wonder; How will this effect me and my daily life? How will others view me? Will I become some kind of religious freak? Those are my fears, and I know that scripture tells us that God's perfect love drive out all fear. So it comes down to me asking myself do I believe that God's will for my life is better than anything that I can control? Do I see God's interaction with me as something that is only for me, possibly my family, or is it for everyone that I interact with on a daily basis. Is my relationship with God real so that you may be blessed? I pray that this later point is true.

In the end I have decided that I do want to explore my passion for God. I want to say "I love you God" and not only with my mind, but with my emotions. I still desire to maintain my intellect and rational, but I want more than only that in my life. It seems that peace, and the blessing of holy joy are the natural outcome of seeking the Lord this way. That is why today my prayer is:
Christ be at the core of my being.

Peace is the Goal.

2008-01-21T11:04:00.000-05:00

How can we learn to come together in peace, real peace that lasts longer than the empty treaties of politicians?

I am not entirely sure. When it comes to building a global family that is united in purpose it appears that there are too many road blocks to overcome. The largest obstacle I see is the individual. Some may say, isn't that where it all begins, the education and action of individuals who chose to unite. Yes and no.

Individuals are the tool or vehicle for change, but the foundation should be something else. Is it a message? I believe a message is the only possible answer. A message that will unite all people sounds really good, but does it exist?

Yes, but unfortunately this message is one that will not be accepted by all. I pray, I hope, that all will know this message, but history has shown that many will see, hear, and hate the message.

The message is God in flesh as the redeemer of creation which was revealed to all as Jesus of Nazareth.

Many will scoff and reject this notion, saying that religion has been the catalyst for so much of the suffering humankind has endured. Of course I can not deny that religion played its part in many despicable acts, but it was the corruption of the message that allowed this to take place.

That is why I do not subscribe to the Christian religion that I see in the west that is so intimately connected to politics and special interest groups. Rather I look to the message and the ones who walked with him and then passed on the stories to us. I look to others throughout the world who are trying to understand what does it mean to be a follower of Christ in their context.

I believe in the message as my Lord and it is through him I see a kind of peace that can not be achieved by the hands of humanity.

I am life

2008-01-16T11:20:00.000-05:00

Have you ever felt like nothing made sense or that you were not being noticed by anyone? You need to know that someone is there with you. It may sound too simple or even like some kind of mythical tale, but the truth is that God is sitting with you now.

As I sat reflecting on the call of Samuel in the Old Testament I was really taken by what Eli said to Samuel. (The following is my loose paraphrase of 1 Samuel 3:9) "Next time you hear your name being called say 'Speak Lord, your servant is listening'."

I don't know if you have ever wondered if God is real or felt that God is some kind of idea cooked up by religious people to make you conform to a certain way of living. Whatever your story I invite you to take a moment, let's say 1 minute, and meditate on the phrase; "speak Lord, I am listening". Then wait for a response.

When I did this I was given these two phrases. "I love you." "I am life."

What did you hear?

Christmas Wish

2007-12-18T11:59:00.000-05:00

Blessings to you this Christmas. It is not always easy to face this holiday season. For some it can be down right painful. For those of you who have found this page and are suffering I want to offer this simple world of hope.

God loves you.

Whether you believe this or not doesn't matter, because it will remain true for all eternity. God has always known about you. God knows every ounce of pain and joy that you have expereinced this year and in this life.

You can never do or go through too much to be outside of the love of God. You can never be good enough to earn it. It was given to you the moment you were brought into this world.

This very moment God is asking you to take your first breath in this life knowing that God loves you.

May the unshakable everlasting peace of Jesus the Christ fall upon your soul.

A Season of Waiting

2007-11-27T14:09:00.000-05:00

Life rarely gives us the opportunity to get everything that we want right at the moment we want it. In fact many of us rarely get exactly what we want in all our relationships, friendships, employment opportunities, and material desires. I can't think of anyone who can say that they get their way everytime and all their desires are fulfilled every moment in this life. Sooner or later we all have to wait for something.

So what is the point? Why bother talking about waiting if it is inevitable? I think it would do us some good to wait more often. Even practice some self inflected waiting. What would it be like if we took some time to just not do what we normally do? Don't reach for the i-whatever, don't pick up the pda, or remote, or another processed microwave something.

Make a dinner that has multiple steps, ingredients, and people involved. Stop txt communicating 4 one wk and have conversations face to face. Leave the darkened rooms of entertainment and do something outside. Pray without asking for something, instead read a passage from Scripture and listen silently to what it says to your soul. There is a strong possibility that life will begin to taste a little different.

Our Identity in the Sent One

2007-10-30T10:39:00.000-04:00

We are the Church.

Not an institution. Not a religion. Not a building.

A movement that is both seen and unseen. A living organism that breathes, moves, and speaks. A collection of people called, set apart, designated to share the message of God.

That message is Love. One that embodies a hope for every age, every land, and every person. One that is inseparable from the peace that consumes our body and can not be understood or defined. One that infuses our hearts with a joy that is strength in our darkest hour and our deepest moment of need. One that is tangible, experienced, and never tame.

We are a revolution that is not defined by culture, but challenges the culturally accepted norms that do harm to the way of life. We are the white, blue, and no collar worker. We are the overworked and the ones dying for a job. We are the ones born into the message and those who never heard it growing up. We are the ones who have fallen from grace and have committed the darkest evils the human mind can imagine. We are the ones who look like we have it all together on the outside, but struggle to keep going on the inside. We are all broken and in need of renewal. We are ethnically diverse and spiritually united.

Our call is to share the message of a new tomorrow. Our call is to do justice for those who can not defend themselves. Our call is to seek the face of God in humility.

An eternal message. A global revolution. An inescapable truth.

We are Jesus.

Story of a Journey

2007-09-18T11:32:00.000-04:00

Grasping at anything to fill the void I found relief through escape and artificially induced feelings of euphoria. "How can I make this last" I wondered one day. "There has to be something greater than this life. Anything that I can look to other than this waste. I have tried all that I can afford and feel hollow or dead when the silence catches me off guard. I have tried to apply myself to all that science, philosophy, and psychology has to offer. Still I can't escape this feeling in my stomach that they are only pieces to something else. It's like I am looking at something that is either not there or my sight is too narrow to really capture what is present. Intellectually I can't agree that there is some big thing "out there" sounds too religious or sci-fi. Emotionally, which I don't trust, that is the very idea that I can not shake. I can't believe that I am saying this, but if you are there, god or whatever your name is clarity would help.

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Luke 11:10

Standard for Living

2007-09-13T09:21:00.000-04:00

We live in an age that is increasingly individualistic that claims to be open minded. Unfortunately, we are seeing that the two can not truly co-exist as originally hoped. If we are individualistic in our thinking then we stand as the ultimate "judge" as to that which is true. If we are truly "open minded" then there is no wrong teaching.

Some have tried to bridge the gap by claiming that they have drawn their own conclusions for themselves through "free thinking" and that their personal dogma or creed is for them alone and does not apply to the rest of humanity. Such people encourage others to follow their example to discover what holds to be most true for them and to never impose that conclusion on anyone else (which of course is the one universal standard that is required when following this "ethical/religious" exploration).

The most unfortunate part of this kind of living is that it can only work in a cyber-world where our interactions are limited to put downs on the web and to never interact with one another face to face. Once we stop interacting with one another physically within the same space in time we will have a more difficult time understanding emotion and struggle to see people as feeling creatures like us. Take for example the recent rant on youtube by "Chris Crocker" about Britney Spears' performance at MTV's VMAs. Is it real or an act? "Chris" claims it is real and if so fine, but I am still left wondering without interacting with Chris face to face (mostly due to the fact that the rest of the entries by this person are so extreme it is hard to determine what is real).

Sooner or later when you hold to this kind of thinking about "religious/ethical" standards for life you will encounter someone who has drawn a conclusion that is so dramatically opposed to yours that anger, frustration, and judgement will pour out of your being against that individual.

Wouldn't it prove better for society, families, and life if we allowed space for a universal "truth" or "way" to exist and teach us so that we can be on the same page? Wouldn't it be great to have something outside of ourselves to act as final judge of what is or is not acceptable in this world? In other words wouldn't it be great to have a divine authority to take the load off of us trying to be judges of humanity and the acts that breath life or death into us?

I know this is risky and some would say that it is close to "extremist," but I wonder how long it will take us to be honest with ourselves about our efforts to control all standards and ethics for living.

life is my jail cell

2007-08-18T08:43:00.000-04:00

How many times have you sat alone wondering if you could break free from the mundane? Are there times when you day dream about the last great vacation you took over five years ago? Has routine become your warden and life your jail cell?

There is a way of breaking out that does not result in regret the next morning. So often we decide to take the path that provides immediate relief, but unfortunately it is nothing more than an escape. When we take this route we either have to live in a state of blissful denial or eventually face the harsh realities of our situation.

Why not take a chance on something that will revolutionize the way see things and crush our past while providing an inconceivable future? The way that I speak of is submitting oneself to the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Some may read this and say they have tried this and found it to be an empty pursuit full of intolerant people and burdened hearts. That is because we, as the church, have done a horrible job of sharing the joy, risk, and love that is a life in Christ. If the church has burned you in the past I am very sorry. If you asked God for something and came up lacking answers, please do not give up trying.

God is currently scanning the globe for people to respond to the message. It is the same message that existed since time began. "I AM. I love you. Come unto me and find peace!"

Can anybody see me?

2007-07-25T12:11:00.000-04:00

I have gone back and forth on whether or not to join in on the discussion about our young female celebrities. At this point it is difficult for me to justify typing their names, because they already get so much attention for their antics. I don't know what makes someone do the things that they do, but maybe they feel trapped and do not know how to break the vicious cycle they are in currently.

I don't know what I find more disturbing, the fact that the same people seem to be getting in trouble time and again without major consequences or that we discuss the matter like it involved us.

Have we forgotten so quickly the charge that the early church leaders gave us;

"whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." Philippians 4:8-9 NIV

It would serve us well to take a break from gawking at the tragic errors of those who are lost and commit to pray that the Lord would make himself known to them. Through Christ they may finally break free.

hope

2007-07-18T15:02:00.000-04:00

There once was an oracle who was asked by a passing stranger if the world was spinning faster or slower. The oracle replied, "why would it matter? things begin and end. how they get there does not seem to be of any real significance."

The stranger, paused for a moment to process the response, asked, "Would you say that things in this world are better or worse?" The oracle replied, "Define which is better or worse. To have nothing and be fully aware or to believe you have everything when you have nothing?"

The stranger, slightly annoyed, asked "Is hope real or merely an illusion for the weak?" The oracle paused for sometime, so long in fact the stranger was thinking of rephrasing the question when these words escaped from somewhere deep within the heart of the oracle; "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."

2007-07-10T13:42:00.000-04:00

If given the chance, will we take a stand to share the love of God? That is the question that haunts me. I would like to say yes, that I would take advantage of every opportunity, but there is always a lingering sense of doubt. It is not that I question the Lord's ability to use me, instead it is my feeling that I am to wrapped up in my own stuff at the time to be a good witness. I am not perfect, in fact I have bad days like everyone else and it is usually after the fact when I stop to reflect that I worry how my words or actions were not a true representation of the gospel message of a God that loves us and wants to be in relationship with us.

That is why I took a deep sigh of relief when I read a devotional this morning that reminded me that all we can ever hope to be is an instrument of the Lord. The reason that this is freeing, is because it essentially is saying that there is only one savior of the world and the most that I can do is be the imperfect instrument of communication that the Lord uses to express his love. I am not called on to save the world. I am called to point to the one who already has accomplished this task.

If you struggle with the fact that you are not as good of a Christian as you think you should be, know that God is using you regardless and will continue to draw you closer to himself. Take a deep breathe and know that the Lord walks with you today.

Freedom........

2007-07-05T10:33:00.000-04:00

What is freedom?

Some would suggest that freedom is actualized when one feels empowered to express their true self in public. The guideline for discovery is one's exploration of one's desires and emotional history. That is a kind of freedom, but is not freeing. It is totally dependent on the self. All of us suffer from a corrupted self, because of sin and we will never be able to attain a clear picture of our real identity if we only rely on ourselves.

That is why we must look outside ourselves to discover what lies within and for myself and many others the one that we look to is Jesus Christ. It is through Christ that we are given the example of what is real and what is false. Through Christ we can discover a freedom that will cause change within us that we never dreamed possible. Jesus life, death, and resurrection gives us the chance to come to God without any barriers so that the Lord God can show us who He made us to be in this world. Only then can we express our true selves before all people.

a warm cup of reality

2007-06-18T12:05:00.000-04:00

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority." Colossians 2:8-10

We are constantly looking for truth in this life, because it feels like no one is completely honest. There is need in our hearts that is not being met by the institutions of this world. Maybe that is where we went wrong. Maybe, our problems began when we put our faith in the human agencies above the One who established all that is observable and that which can not be measured. I don't know how it happened, but it sure seems to be the case that we lean on what we can define more so than the One we struggle to hear in this age.

The problem with this thinking is that God is not an entity that anyone can prove and that is a road block for a lot of people. Science in itself is not the best tool for us to discover God. It is a good tool, but not the best one. When we observe nature or try to follow different theorems to their completion we are never given a complete answer only more questions. We are left wondering who or what set all of this in motion. I believe that God was the one who lit the fuse, who created the great story, who got the ball rolling. Can I prove this to you? No. Will I be able to convince you with words? No. All I can do is point to Christ, which is where "the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form" and ask God to make you see God's reality.

So long Sopranos.....thanks for nothing!

2007-06-12T14:26:00.000-04:00

So many people are upset at how the long running mafia series on HBO ended. The biggest complaint time and again is that it all just ended. No answers, no blood, no get-away, nothing but black screen. I don't know if the writers chickened out or they are appealing to our imaginations to write our own ending. If we actually saw Tony Soprano get whacked or get away how many people out there would have said "how trite, been there seen that." One thing is certain the cut to black ending has generated a ton of talk (although, mostly negative) about a show that many people do not watch every week.

No matter how spontaneous or creative we think we are all of us want closure. We want answers and nothing is more infuriating than getting the run around or nothing at all. Maybe that's why so many people have given up on God. I am not suggesting that God has failed in any way or misleads people. The problem with God occurs when we are mislead by the people of God into thinking that God acts or is a certain way that is completely false.

God never promised to make every one wealthy in this life. God did not promise that bad things will never happen to us. God never promised security.

God says: "I love you. I hurt when you are in pain. I am with you in every dark moment of your life. When I was beaten, tortured, and crucified I experienced every ounce of the emptiness that is devouring your soul. Let me bring peace into your life."

Hope in the valley of overcommitment

2007-05-30T11:49:00.000-04:00

There is no good way to say it other than many of us in the West have our priorities out of order. This is especially true when it come to how we relate to God. I can only critique the sections of the Christian Church that I have personally lived with, Protestant and non - denominational. I have heard time and again the rally cry to renew our land by reinstituting moral values at a national legislative level. Although I am not opposed to some of the societal changes being recommended I do think that step is too large to take at this time.

My primary concern is with the "Christians" inability to clear consistant space in thier life for worship, fellowship, and scriptural learning with other believers. Generally speaking, we in the Protestant and non - denominational circles have tried almost everything to accomadate the hectic lives of the average church goer. There has been endless speculation about which new and exciting program to implement or which social cause to join that would bring the largest number of people through the doors. Congregations and their leaders have pushed hard to make sure that no service extends beyond the holy space of 1 hour.

I began to wonder if we needed to trim worship down to 45 minutes so that people could still get everything done that they had hoped to accomplish at the start of the day. Then it hit me, why not knock the time down to 30 mins or 15 mins. In fact why stop there when we could stop meeting all together and just exchange ideas over the internet when we felt like it.

That is when I am reminded of Hebrews 10:25, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching"(NIV).

Life is hard and there are too many things to be done. This is all the more reason why we should gather together in person consistently and help one another. How can we really know how to pray for one another if we don't know or see one another. Certainly, some one could post a prayer request, and that would be prayed for and welcomed, but our prayers can only be enriched by spending time with one another in the same place with our focus on lifting our praises and petitions to God.

When we make time to do this hope returns to our life. We are reminded that there is a God who is present and loves us. As we take time to worship together we create space to block distractions and open our ears to the voice of God.

This is not to say that we can ever completely block God out of our lives. If God wants our attention I believe that He will get it. Wouldn't it be so much better if we took the intiative, humbled ourselves and made space to be at worship, instead of constantly attending to the never shrinking list of things that demand our attention. I am not suggesting that you must attend worship on a certain day, but we can experience a new freedom if we spent some time every week in worship with other believers. If you have a church that you attend see how you can adjust your schedule to consistently attend a service. If you currently are to busy too worship on Sunday morning, find somewhere that offers Sunday night, or Saturday night, or midweek. Coming together with others to worship God can only strengthen your life!

Why do we believe?

2007-05-21T15:04:00.000-04:00

There appears to be a growing number of people in the West that are discovering that they are Atheist or at least Agnostic. I remember reading one of C.S. Lewis' works and his sympathy for the Atheist, because he had travelled that road once in his life. Loosely paraphrasing what he had said, an Atheist displays a greater amount of "faith" compared to a follower of any religion. Another way that I would word it is that it takes a lot of guts to believe in nothing. When you look at this life, the body, our ecological environments and boldly say that nothing made this occur or designed it that person must have a lot of personal strength.

My only question is, what happens when personal strength fades or disappears? Who or what do you turn to when you fail yourself. Some, like Friedrich Nietzsche, have said that religion is for the weak. My response to this claim is that one must either be in denial of ones limitations or one is not from this world. Everyone is weak and in need of assistance from someone outside of themselves to face challenges of this life.

God is calling to us in our darkest moments asking us to remember the life, death, and resurrection of his Son Jesus. God longs for us to open our hearts and minds to reality. There is so much more to this world then our egos and narcissistic exercises. A Holy and Righteous God is calling for us to repent of our self-centered ways and allow him to open the secrets of the mysteries that we have been yearning to resolve.

Where grey fades to black and white

2007-05-17T11:32:00.000-04:00

Living in an age of relativism creates an interesting dilemma for those who hold to any faith system. Can one faith claim to hold the one and only message for the salvation of creation, labelling all other claims as a lesser truth or a completely false message? There is a growing amount of pressure in the West to hold tolerance high as the ultimate guide for what is acceptable. Tolerance is not evil, but there is confusion over how one should define it.

In the past it was understood as respecting all people no matter what their ethnicity. Another way of stating it would be to that everyone should be treated equally.

Currently, tolerance is being defined as accepting and promoting all ideologies/theologies as valid, and ignoring where they conflict and contradict one another. It's the "I have my way, you have yours and we are both right".

I, like most people, yearn for an age of peace where all persons can be treated with the dignity that they deserve. However, I question our willingness to plunge into a false peace that fails to hold anything as "true" for all of creation.

The followers of Christ have struggled with this since the birth of the Church. The apostles knew that they had a radically different message than what was practiced by their neighbors in the surrounding area and to the ends of the earth. It is not that people were unaware of God or some force that was stronger than all other forces keeping the world in order and harmony. Instead it was that the apostles had encountered God in flesh and his name was Jesus of Nazareth.

They walked with God and the message that they received is that God was calling people, regardless of ethnic/religious upbringing to God self, through the life, death, resurrection of Jesus the Christ. The Apostles and those of us who followed their lead carry a message of the God above all gods that reaches out to creation begging it to return him.

Joining In

2007-05-16T13:23:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the global movement known as the mission of God.

This is a site devoted to the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. As you enter feel free to leave your mark, but I request that all comments remain respectful of ideas expressed. Any post that is deemed profane or hateful will be removed.

That being said I invite you to enter this site with an open mind.