Lord If I Know

Wrapped in Love -- Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T07:48:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite places to visit in a store during this time of year is the free gift warping area. You know the place I am talking about. It is the place where someone will take the $9.99 gift you bought and make it look like a $29.99 gift. There is something about taking some shiny paper, ribbon and the ability to make a bow, that makes the ordinary and average look extraordinary. Over the past couple of years in our family there has been less and less extravagant wrapping of presents. We went from actual wrapping paper to, the funnies from the newspaper, which moved quickly to just newspaper. From there we made the move to Duct Tape. Note of caution when wrapping things with Duct Tape you want to be careful as it does not remove as cleanly as you would think, just saying. Now for the adults in the family when it is time to exchange gifts for some reason we simply leave it in the store bag and wrap the tails of the bag as tight as possible. It’s kind of funny, no matter what you put inside that store given plastic bag it looks like a cheap gift.

I have noticed it is not just our gifts we give a wrapping. There is the very literal concept of wrapping our bodies in clothing. It is easy to see there are some people who place a high value on the wrapping and others who do not. My idea of an expensive shirt is anything over 12 bucks. While others pay more for their undergarments. In our culture there is an odd value assigned to the wrappings we put on our body.

We could also look at the lifestyle we wrap ourselves with. Perhaps you are a person who on the outside looks like you are living the filet minion life, when in actuality you have a Raman Pride life. You choose to wrap your life in something different than reality. Maybe you are the person who lives right on the edge of keeping it all together but you present yourself as someone who has it all together and under control. I wonder if the wrapping we are seeing right now reflects who we really are?

That brings me to this Jesus baby. Now if we believe the scriptures and prophecies about the Messiah, and we believe this to be Jesus found in the New Testament, what does the wrapping tell us? Look at the passage in Isaiah and the titles given to the Messiah, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. These are some pretty impressive titles that should come with some pretty impressive wrapping. If we take a look at all the expectations there were for the Messiah, He was going to set the people free from the Romans. The Messiah was going to establish Israel as the most important nation once again. This one person, the Messiah, would make everything just as it is supposed to be. With those expectations you would expect some pretty amazing wrapping.

But what do we find, and ordinary baby, in a less than ordinary nursery being wrapped in scrapes of cloth. This is the anti-wrapping station move. The most precious gift or greatest value is given a wrapping that appears to make the gift look like less than it is. At the same time we take the $9.99 gift to get a wrapping to look like a $29.99 item. However there is another wrapping around Jesus that is not as easily seen as the clothes. Perhaps Jesus is more like the gift wrapped in the Wal-Mart bag. Contained in that bag may be something plain and ordinary, just another item off the shelves. More than the object though is the heart and intention behind the gift. My office is littered with gifts that do not look very impressive until you know the intent. Those tatted gifts are handmade, one-of-a-kind masterpieces made especially for me by my children. This changes everything. Those pictures, rocks and other trinkets are wrapped with so much more than paint and paper, they are wrapped with the love of my children.

That baby in a cave, because there was no room in the Inn, was in many ways a normal baby, treated as most babies in that day would have been treated. To look at the baby Jesus you might think he was the equivalent of a Wal-Mart shelf item. Sure we think about the star in the sky and all the pictures which have a halo around Jesus. The star was there, but the baby was still a baby, remember Jesus was fully human and fully God. This means the experience of baby Jesus was similar to other baby experiences. The difference was not the baby but what the baby was wrapped in. Jesus Christ was a gift from God given to you and I, along with all creation and he was wrapped in love. Not just any love, the love the creator has for that which was created. Love that is pure, true and not matched by anyone or anything on this earth or anywhere else.

Christmas might be your favorite time of year and you wish it would come more than once a year. You might be a person who cannot stand Christmas and you wish it would never come. This time of year might be festive and joy-filled for you, or it might be a time of great pain, regret and struggle. Perhaps you are like me and you get almost physically ill to see the god of consumerism on full display. Whether you are Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit or Tiny Tim there is one truth of Christmas which remains. God, the Creator of all things, the great parent to all, gave us the gift of stepping out of eternity and into this world. This gift was wrapped in frail humanity that we might experience wholeness. Jesus was wrapped in the ordinary of life that we might experience the extraordinary of life. The Messiah was wrapped in love in order to make a way for all of us to know the peace, hope, joy and love of our God. What is more, this wrapping is shared with us. Through Jesus Christ we are wrapped in God’s love. My Christmas prayer and hope is that you will feel the love of God wrapped around you.

Life Beyond Maintenance

2011-12-05T14:23:00.003-05:00

Chances are you are familiar with the following cycle. You have a moment in your journey when you learn a lesson. It might some great spiritual insight, or a simple principle that helps with daily living. Over time this new insight grows cold and once again something seems broken. In an effort to repair what is broken, you seek after wholeness again. As you seek you remember the insight from before and feel whole again. You repeat this cycle endlessly. This is a cycle describing many peoples interaction with church. On the weekend there is a great insight that makes life seem livable, so you follow it. By the next week the struggle is back on. In this mode attending a church gathering becomes a form of maintenance in our lives. With startling regularity we find ourselves struggling with that same old issue once again, even though we preform our regular maintenance.

It could be that all you need is regular maintenance. Like an oil change in a car, there simply needs to be attention paid to keeping things running at their peak. However, there are times when the recurring problem requires more than maintenance, it requires an overhaul. This moves beyond a simple insight to apply to our lives. An overhaul is when we dismantle something and replace it with something more suiting to the result we are looking for. An example might be helpful. So many people tell me they want to experience a closeness with God like they have not experienced, and they are hoping that regular attendance of services will accomplish this end. Over time there is perfect attendance, however there is not greater intimacy with God. It is not because the services are failing to be effective, it is we need an overhaul. There is a need to change some of the fundamental actions and thoughts of our daily lives. Maintenance gives us the ability to manage the struggles without ever really addressing the issue behind the struggle. An overhaul goes deeper, to the root of the struggle.

I have a feeling that most of us go through life managing the challenges we face without ever really dealing with them. We find ways to function daily and keep our challenges in check, yet there are times when the in place maintenance plan no longer works. Rather than do an overhaul, we simply change maintenance plans. We are called by the God of love to do more than live a life on a maintenance plan, we are called to experience a life of fullness.

So how do we make this happen in our lives. First, is be willing to go beneath the surface. When we want to make changes to the way we experience life, we have to be willing to make more than maintenance changes. Feeling overwhelmed by a schedule will require more than a simple correction to the scheduling of my time. After I make changes in my scheduling patters, over time I will return the former place. The challenge is to dig into the question of why I over schedule my life, what are my motives? Or to put it another way, what need within me is being fulfilled by over scheduling.

If more of us began to ask the deeper questions and make the deeper changes in our lives, then more people would experience life beyond maintenance. Fair warning, this is not as easy as maintenance. Moving beyond maintenance will require digging into sections of our lives we may have ignored for a while. It will require us to re-pattern our lives. Old wounds left to fester will have to be reopened for full healing. So many people choose maintenance rather than overhaul because maintenance is safe and relatively harmless. An overhaul will mean great challenge. On the other side of things however, maintenance will keep you locked in the same place. The overhaul will open the doors of transformation.

So I invite you to a life beyond maintenance. Know that the journey will be difficult. Know also you will not journey alone. We have a God who is there with us. This is the truest understanding of Christmas. We have a God who made a dwelling place among us. This is the person of Jesus Christ who promises to never leave or forsake us. No matter what challenge you are facing, or how long you have faced it, you can move beyond maintenance. There is hope in the struggle.

Lessons From Elijah

2011-11-29T14:56:00.002-05:00

In this past Sunday's message I talked about Elijah listening for God in the midst of the noise surrounding him. This is a time of year when the noise of life can get extremely loud and we can miss the very voice we are seeking to hear. There are five key lessons to learn from Elijah in 1 Kings 19.

1. Positioned Correctly It seems Elijah knew he needed to hear from God, and needed help from God. Rather than simply keep going in the situation he found himself, he took time to get himself positioned to be able to hear God. I am not saying we need to go off to a cave and listen for God, although that might be it. In the midst of all the noise of life we need to find a place, time and way to connect with the God who loves and calls us.

2.Seeking to Hear Elijah not only gets in the right position to hear God, Elijah seeks God. Once positioned well Elijah could hear God ask why are you here? God knew Elijah was looking for God and for peace. Sure we look for it, but where and from whom are we seeking it? Elijah did not complain to someone else, did not give up of God. In the midst of the noise and chaos, Elijah sought after God.

3. Being Real With God There was no sense of Elijah trying to fool God. There was no pretense of being religious and having it all together. Nowhere to be found was a proper address to God. Elijah simply told God where he was at. The best summary I can offer is Elijah told God, life just sucks right now.

4. Knew What He Was Listening For When the wind blew, the earth shook and the fire raged, Elijah knew those were not the voice of God. Interestingly there are other times in scripture when they were the voice or God, or the voice of God was heard in them. Yet it was the whisper after that contained the voice of God. Only by knowing the voice he was listening for was Elijah able to find what he was looking for.

5. Peace Does Not Mean Easy God tells Elijah to go back the way you came, he came from the people trying to kill him. Elijah seeks God for peace and in the imparting of peace God tells him to go back to the most dangerous place on earth for him. Further, God gives him a task which not exactly the easiest, anoint new kings in places that already have them, and anoint your successor. God says I have got this all covered and you are worried about things which you cannot possibly control. Simply follow what I ask you to do and peace will be your companion.

If you would like to hear the entire message go to: Noise: Hearing Peace

The question is not whether God is still speaking to us, the question is can we hear the voice of God in the midst of the noise. The offer of peace is there, along with the offer of hope, joy and love. I pray we will all have ears to hear what the Lord has to say.

Crisis Of Leadership

2011-11-10T10:51:00.002-05:00

It is no small secret the mainline, denominational church in America is in serious decline. Most of the major denominations are now wrestling with the how to remain in existence, not just for the long term, but in the next five years. Consultants have been hired and paid, studies and reports have been released, and all the cash and effort have produced the results that many have known by painful experience, the cause of the decline is found in the area of leadership. Much ink has been and will be continued to be consumed talking about issues like discipleship and evangelism. Books have been written and are being written about how to bolster a children's ministry or how to engage this population or that population. Some have turned to the Emerging Church, or the Missional Church models to find a way out. These are all good things that have been happening and are happening, yet the statistics still point in the same direction. The issue is leadership.

John Maxwell is often quoted as saying, "Everything rises and falls on leadership," the church is no exception to this. When the local congregation I serve is struggling it is more often than not due to a leadership issue with me. During this time of crisis in the church there is a need for strong leadership to come forward and lead, the problem is we have a crisis in leadership. Sure we have all the people in leadership positions, and for the most part they are wonderful people, they just are not very good leaders. They might even be fantastic managers, but they are not good leaders. Talk is on the rise about developing leaders but at least in my tribe, the UMC, talk is all we are experiencing. There are small pockets working to develop leaders but overall there is little progress being made.

Over the past few months I have wondered why something so important get so little attention. When I have asked those in position of leadership I am assured that leadership development is a top priority and things are in the works to address it, however there are many struggles facing the church. Many of you reading this have traveled life longer than I, however, it is clear to be that if something is called a top priority, yet there is no effort in that area it is not a priority. All the other things which are allowed to pull attention away from leadership will continue to get in the way if effective leadership is not applied. That which we spend out time, energy and other resources on is what will grow. When we focus on the fires they will grow. When we focus on the financial woes, they will grow. When we focus on the lose of what was, the lose will grow. If we were to focus on leadership, then it would grow. If we were to focus on mission, it would grow. But it all takes leadership to create a clear focus.

So what are we to do? Edgar Shine would remind us that once a culture is in place, the culture determines who leads. In the mainline church the culture is well in place and the choice for leaders are not leading. Actually, they are managing very well to maintain the status quo. More than just a present day buzz word the status quo is a powerful force which is never neutral. Only courageous leadership will break the cycle.

As for the rest of us who do not lead denominations, or judicatories, what can we do? If you are a leader, then lead. Work at becoming a better leader, develop the leaders around you, and lead the people God has given you care over. A symptom of poor leadership is waiting for someone else to provide leadership. If those who hold a position of leadership will not lead, waiting for them to provide leadership will being about a certain death.

So, search the Scriptures, find the examples of leaders in the Bible who did just that, lead. Allow your life and character to be shaped by the compelling love of Christ. Lead, seeking the justice of God, offering the hope of Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. A crisis as severe as we are experiencing will not be solved by distracted management, it will be solved by leaders who take action. So lead in your life, family, your workplace and your church. Do not wait for someone else to lead.

Let us set our hearts of Christ and follow the path of life that leads to the Kingdom of God being experienced by all the people of creation.

Falling Back

2011-11-08T07:26:00.002-05:00

Wow, it has been a long time since I posted something, I needed a few tries to remember the password. Anyway, life has a way of going through seasons and for the last little season my writings been done in other forums. More to come at a later date. Today I have been thinking about the practice of Daylight Savings.

Last week as we were leading into the change of clocks for most of the United States, I heard several people complain about the fact that they lose an hour of sun once we turn the clocks back. Every science teacher should grown at that kind of statement. It is not that we lose any amount of the sunlight, it only get rearranged. Sure for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere the sun is around less during the winter but that has nothing to do with the clocks on the wall it is the little thing called creation.

No matter if we see it as losing an hour of daylight, or we remember our basic science lessons, I am struck by something even deeper about the issue. We are the one of a handful of countries that continue to have the audacity to manipulate this thing called time for our own benefit. Interestingly of the countries who continue to observe the crazy practice, there is a high frequency of countries in the privileged world, meaning North America and Europe with a few other highly developed countries. For most of the world the thought of manipulating the cycle of creation was given up, while others still never bothered. There are many reasons stated for the practice, and the proponents will be loud about how important it is to our economic system and other very treasured things. I say, it is pure audacity and self-interest.

There are many places where we can clearly see the shifting times from the Modern era, the Enlightenment, to the Postmodern era. In world that is increasingly postmodern holding onto this tradition of time change has a strong grasp in the Modern era. During the Modern era it has been common for humanity to rearrange the world and the way it functions for their personal benefit. This is the birthplace of the idea that we gain or lose and hour of sunlight because we change the clocks. Quite simply we could manipulate the clock all we want to and it will have no impact on the amount of sunlight one area gets. Further the claimed benefits of the time change are all steeped in consumerism. We want to maximize the amount of time we can make money, and we do not want to be inconvenienced by this pesky thing called darkness.

If you are still reading this, you probably have that look on your face accompanied by the thought of, okay I think Aaron is loosening his grip on reality and what is most important. You might be right. This is not the most pressing issue we face. The change of the clocks on the grand scheme of things really does not matter, unless you pay attention to the related health issues due to the change. The issue for me is that we as humanity repeatedly manipulate creation for our benefit and pleasure. True we were given stewardship over creation, and we are to enjoy meeting God in creation. However, we are not suppose to change it for our benefit.

In the end, I am sure we will continue to have Daylight Savings because we have always done it that way. I simply wonder if we stop and think about the foolishness of manipulating creation for our benefit, I am sure that doesn't happen any other place of situation, wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Video From Haiti Trip October 2010

2011-06-22T13:12:00.002-04:00

This last October I traveled with a crew to Haiti for 10 days, here is a video to catch part of the experience.

Untitled from Aaron Bouwens on Vimeo.

The Pastor As Shepherd

2011-06-21T09:43:00.002-04:00

There are many responsibilities of a pastor. Some are chosen by the individual, while others are placed upon. There is yet another category of responsibilities which is often over looked by pastor types and non-pastor types, the Scriptures. As I have been mining the scriptures lately I have been look at what it means to be a pastor in Christ's church. One of the things I keep coming back to is the idea of the pastor as shepherd. For those who know me and have been inflicted with my ministry as a pastor, know this is an image or role of the pastor that I am very uncomfortable with. Wanting to become the best pastor I can for Christ, and his church, I have determined to take a good look at the pastor as shepherd. So far two conclusions have emerged, first, I will need to allow God to transform somethings in me which I have held dear over the course of my ministry. Second, the way we think of the shepherd is often not consistent with the teachings of Scripture.

Upon further reflection I have learned me resistance to embrace the role of pastor as shepherd comes from my own misunderstanding of the role of a shepherd. What I have carried with me from experience is when a shepherd is talked about what is meant is a person who will be a passive person who merely responds to all the felt needs of the sheep. In my little mind this reduced the shepherd to the role of caretaker. While care taking is very important, I have always felt called to a different style in ministry. Whenever I have entertained the idea of becoming the pastor as shepherd a voice from with in would quickly sound a warning that I was designed and gifted to be more than a caretaker of a church. As I have poured through the scriptures on this issue I have found a very different view of the pastor as shepherd.

As my investigation continued I found that many in the church wanted the pastor as shepherd to be the person who was in fact a caretaker of the people. Based on the listening I have done the common description of pastor as shepherd is as follows. The pastor will always know what is happening in my life and respond appropriately, which is determined by the person in need not the pastor. The pastor as shepherd will keep conflict to a minimum, and solve conflict by finding the path which keeps everyone happy. When it comes to the preaching and teaching of the pastor as shepherd, quality communication is desired but no challenging of the status quo in the church or individual lives please.

So, what have I found as through exploring the pastor as shepherd through the scriptures, tradition, experience and reason? That I am in fact to be a shepherd to the people God gives me charge with, however, I need to be transformed in my person and understanding. This leads to the question, what then is the pastor as shepherd?

Comforter and Confronter. The pastor as shepherd fulfills the role of offering comfort to those who are in need. This includes those who are in need physically, emotionally and spiritually. Further the shepherd also confronts those who are too comfortable. John Wesley is often quoted as saying we are to "Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." The shepherds crook is not for beating the sheep, it is to provide guidance and comfort.
Guide. The shepherd was not necessarily a day-to-day part of the sheep's life. The flock was left to roam the open pasture, grazing and investigating the days away. When trouble was around the shepherd would collect in the flock and bring them into the fold until the danger had passed, then returned the flock to the pasture. It is the shepherd who keeps the sheep moving in the directions they need to go.
Resource for the journey. Funny thing about sheep is they sometimes forget how to be sheep. The same thing happens to followers of Jesus, we forget what we are about and the shepherd provides resources for the journey so we can remember what it is we are about as followers.
Vulnerable Heart. To be a good shepherd, our hearts must be available for and to the flock. In John 10, Jesus explains his willingness to sacrifice and lay down his life for the flock. This requires a vulnerable heart. More than offering technical service, a book list or a few websites, the shepherd offers a congregation their heart. There is great risk in this, yet the True Shepherd Jesus, offered his heart and life.

As I have written these words conviction has been strong, I have so much growth and transformation to go through. The greatest challenge is found in having a vulnerable heart. I can give a list of "reasons" why this would not be a good idea, in the end they are all excuses. Being the pastor as shepherd is not easy work, especially for those of us who have been pastor as technician, yet it is the call. This is not a call to be a preserver of the status quo and never challenge the flock. This is not a call to simply watch the days go by. The call to be a pastor as shepherd is the call to make our hearts available to the flock knowing some will treat it like common fodder and trample it. While others will join their hearts with yours as together we all follow the Great Shepherd who is leading us to the heart of the God, for the full, abundant and complete life which the shepherd has offered.

Dark Day For A Bright Future

2011-04-22T09:47:00.002-04:00

The second most pivotal day in history, Good Friday. There is no small irony this Good Friday coincides with Earth Day. While many will be rightfully remembering the creation on this day, I wonder if they will remember the one who redeems all creation? When Jesus went to the cross on our behalf, it was not only humanity that was being brought back into relationship with God, all of creation was. The process God used to bring back the Eden-like relationship was one that was dark and painful. The journey from the table of the Last Supper to the reality of the cross was filled with betrayal, injustice, beating, mocking, and nailing.

History, not just Scriptural history, records the day when the sky turned dark in the middle of the day. When Jesus was doing battle with sin, all that would keep us from our created relationship with God, the whole earth was involved and the light turned dark. The theological world will talk about theories of atonement, and the various ideas of how Jesus death brings about our redemption. All those theories and discussion have their place, this is not it. What I have experienced is this, I was trapped in sin and death until I realized the grace offered to me through Christ. I do not need to explain all the pieces and parts to know the act of Jesus on the cross changed everything for me and for all of creation. This does not mean we are free from brokenness, or that all the world is perfect. What the work of Jesus means is that on the dark day all that would prevent the pursuit of the fullness was defeated. The victory was won when Christ felt forsaken. As Jesus breathed his last, the curtain was torn and all were invited into the Holy of Holies.

The cross is not the end of the story. In fact if it is the end of the story we are all still headed for a death separate from God. If the cross ends the story then Jesus was another moral teacher who had a very traumatic death but that was it. On the cross Jesus steps in and declares whatever is needed to repair the brokenness is being accomplished. Sin is canceled, injustice is addressed, and hope springs. Not until the tomb is found without Jesus do we know that new life is possible. Jesus told that he was only going to be in the tomb for three days, the proof was in the pudding, with no Jesus in the tomb the move from great moral teacher to Messiah was reinforced. The darkness of the cross is turned into a bright future for all who would follow after the One who made it possible.

The Day To Remember

2011-04-21T10:00:00.002-04:00

Maundy Thursday. What the heck does that mean? It is the day Jesus commanded his followers to practice Holy Communion as an act of remembrance and connection with him. The primary setting of memory is the Upper Room and the Last Supper, however there is much more at the table than simply one night and one religious celebration.

The journey to Maundy Thursday began in the ancient times, a couple thousand years before Christ. The people of Israel were enslaved by the Egyptians for over 400 years. God had commanded Moses to lead the people to the promiseland. From captivity to freedom. The night before the journey is the Passover night, when God passed over the homes of the Israelites and struck the firstborn son of all the Egyptians. Once free from Egypt God commanded the people of Israel to have a Passover meal each year to remember the work of God in freeing them from slavery.

It was that very meal Jesus was sharing with the disciples in the Upper Room. The story would have been told of the journey from captivity. All the foods would have been shared along with the singing of all the songs. Yet Jesus, like with many things, put a twist to the long standing religious ritual. This was the night before he journeyed through death then back to life. Within Hours of this meal, Jesus would be going to the cross, so we could journey from captivity to freedom. The meal was a remembrance of years before, and a command for the years to come.

Today many people will let this day come and go with the thought that soon they will have a few days off from work, and we will dig into those little chocolate bunnies, or my favorite stale peeps. Even in the church we rush to the Cross of Good Friday, yet we do not spend time remembering. The ancient story and Jesus Story continue in us today. The gruesome reality of the cross is important only if we remember what the cross is about. We remember today the Body of Christ broken, and his blood shed so that we may move from captivity to sin and freedom in Christ.

Perhaps you will journey to a local church to remember with others at a service (Cortland UMC at 7pm), or maybe you will take time at the dinner table tonight with family. Possibly get together with a few others for dinner to remember and tell the stories of how God has moved you from captivity to freedom. Before we go to the cross we must remember the journey which has brought us to the cross.

The Tyranny of Someday

2011-04-12T08:31:00.002-04:00

I am sure like me you have a list of somedays. You know the list I am talking about, those things that you will do someday. When all the factors come into place, and the time is right, then we will start the new venture, or make today that someday. The problem is that day never seems to come, there is always a reason that today cannot possibly be someday. Left to its own process, the someday hanging over our heads begins to invade every aspect of our lives. Before we know it we become trapped to someday thinking, and never move into a new reality.

Why do we do this? I am not sure why you do it, but I know my reason is security. I have a great place of ministry which provides enjoyment and financial security. The support of my family is a role which I take very serious and the somedays in my head would call into question my ability to provide that support. Now I know the religious answer is to simply trust God and step out. The validity of this response has not been able to overcome my fear. I, like you perhaps, have yielded to the tyranny of someday.

So what are we to do? Quite simply we must fight the fear and begin making today, someday. I cannot imagine the Peter and Andrew saying to Jesus, someday I will follow. Or Paul saying someday I will get these scales removed from my eyes. We do find people in the Gospels who give Jesus a someday answer when he calls. They have a valid list of things to do before they follow the call of Jesus, yet Jesus calls them to make today, someday. Starting today, those somedays will become todays. I believe there is something to which God is calling us, and we have been holding off. That is the key, we must be following God, not ourselves. The someday has to be rooted in the work of God in our lives, not our own hopes and dreams. The only true reason to hesitate is to make sure it is the call of God, not human will. Once we know what God wants or today to look like, we are to pursue it with reckless abandon.

I want to be clear, this is not safe. People will not understand. A change in lifestyle will be required. Personal luxury may have to be abandoned. Yet we will be the most free we have ever been. The tyranny of someday enslaves us more than we realize. In the process we become enslaved to the things which keep us from stepping into someday. Break the chains and step out. One of the many things causing the church in America to struggle is the drive to live safe and neat lives where everything works and everything is logical. The grace of God is not logical. The call of Christ is often not logical, when using the standards of the world. Still we are called to step out in illogical, and crazy ways. Let's make today, someday.

Beautiful Awakening

2011-03-16T15:41:00.002-04:00

Last week I was talking with a used car salesman, not about cars rather about the state of this thing called the church in our world. Part of or conversation took us to talking about the passages in the Bible which all the people of God to wake up. Isaiah 50 to 52, Romans, Ephesians and Revelation 3. We then thought about the different ways of waking up. There is the harsh sound of the alarm clock. Not to be outdone by the wonderful screaming of a parent up the stairs or down the hall. Also included are the demanding tones of an angry parent waking their teen child. As the two of us thought about all the various ways we had been awakened none were as wonderfully remembered as the beautiful awakenings. The sweet voice calling to us, coupled with the gentle touch, or even a kiss. Being awakened in that fashion has greater appeal in my life.

Classically when I have read the Scriptures calling the people of God to wake up I have heard them as an angry demanding God. What if that is not at all the emotion of God? What if God is whispering in our ear with a sweet voice? What if God is taking our hand and gently enticing us to see what the morning is bringing? Make no mistake it is time for the church of God to wake up from its slumber and greet the day the Lord has given them. The questions remains if it will be a harsh and jarring awakening, or if it will be a beautiful awakening?

What would the beautiful awakening look like? Would it resemble the street corner preacher yelling at everyone to repent or go to hell, or would it be the work of the faithful as they provide food and clothing to those who are hungry and naked? Would it be the pastor showing the vengeful God, or offering the God of hope who longs to see us embrace all of creation? The beautiful awakening does not require a media campaign. No billboard space is needed. Leave the tracts in the box. There is not even a need for a building for the church. Simply put, the beautiful awakening is a group of anybodies who decide to follow God more than anything else.

When we know the day ahead holds promise and excitement, no alarm clock is needed. We simply rise and greet the day with great anticipation of what is coming. Often we live lives in a consistent defeat. The wages of the world weigh us down and we do not expect God to show up in the day ahead, only more of what we experienced the day before. Day after day we diminish our expectation of what God can do with us in that day. The beautiful awakening stirs our souls about the possibility of what God is going to do with that day. The beautiful awakening draws us from our slumber hearing the sweet voice of God telling us about all the amazing things the day will hold.

A beautiful awakening can quickly be sidetracked by focusing on the obstacles. Isaiah 51 reminds the people of God to focus not on the power of humanity, rather focus on the God who is about the possible. We must work to preserve our beautiful awakening or risk having the beauty and joy of this day taken from us.

The call of God to awaken could be a demand to get our butts out of bed and get about the work which is set aside for us. It could also be the sweet voice of God calling to us to arise and see the possibility of what God is going to do with the day. The time of slumber is over, the church must awaken, may it be a beautiful awakening.

Lowest Common Denominator

2011-02-22T16:03:00.002-05:00

Nothing says fun like math. Think back for a moment to the fun world of fractions. I still try my best to avoid fractions to this day. But, when it comes to adding or subtracting fractions I remember that you had to first find the lowest common denominator before you could complete the process. This often meant reducing one or more numbers, so that everything could look the same, and be measured the same.

It seems this has become the practice in our world and not just with fractions. Everywhere I look I find standards are lowered so more people can clear the bar. In fact the standards are often lowered to the point that anyone can clear the bar. It appears as the education system is in this mode, along with sports. I have seen where they have stopped giving out trophies to the winning teams because they did not want the losing team to feel bad. While all of this is tragic, the real tragedy is when this happens in our relationship to God. It was not all that long ago listed among the essentials of the Church was the exclusivity of Christ. The essentials of the church are those things which are recognized no matter what theological cloth you happen to be cut from. The exclusivity of Christ is the understanding that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. It seems as the time has come when we no longer can have this in the area of consensus in the church. I realize this has always been in the air for some, however we have reached the point when we are engaged in the lowest common denominator practice with Jesus.

Let me be perfectly clear, this is not a mandate to disrespect other faith traditions, or the people who adhere to them. It is not a reason to go our and tell people they are destine for hell if they do not believe in Jesus. Further, I am not offering an excuse to act in hate and ignorance toward people who are different than ourselves. What I am saying is I have a deep concern that we have lowered the standard of Christ to the point where it seems anything goes as long as a person is spiritual. The greatest evidence of this, is the fact that the idea of all religions leading to the same God has found significant support in the church.

So you might ask, if a Hindu does not believe in Jesus, are they destine for hell? The simple answer, I have no idea. It is not my job to determine who gets in and who does not. I am not even sure that is the real question. What I am sure of is this. Whether, Hindu or Muslim, Buddhist or Shinto, Christian or Pagan, there will come a day when we will have to deal with Jesus. I think about Matthew 7 when Jesus talks about those coming to him claiming Lord, Lord, and Jesus says I never knew you. Religious people of all fabrics will come before God, and may recognize Jesus but having no relationship will find themselves missing the fullness of God. Outside of Jesus there is no salvation. Not simply a knowledge of who Jesus is, but a relationship with Jesus.

An important note. While there is no salvation outside of Jesus, we must remember the reach of Jesus to be beyond our comprehension and knowledge. That is to say, we are not in charge of anything in the kingdom, we are not in management. The role of a follower of Christ is obedience, faithfully following the lead of our Christ. Christ is the only way to God, yet we are not the only way to Christ, our understanding is not the only way to Christ.

We must stop lowering the bar. When we read the Gospels we find Jesus setting the standards pretty high. In fact so high I am unbelievably grateful for grace and mercy. When the rest of the religious world was lowering the standards, Jesus raised them. It seems once again we need to return to the high standard of Christ, not as a goal, rather as a way of living. It has become increasing politically incorrect to be exclusive with Jesus. Yet, Jesus has often been politically incorrect. There is much more room in the Kingdom of God than I often realize, and I am sure when the great reunion of Revelation 21 and 22 happens, I will be surprised to see some of the folks there, just as they will be surprised to see me. I do not make the determination of who reaches God, yet I know the one who does, he is the gate by which we enter, Jesus.

Valentines Love

2011-02-14T10:12:00.002-05:00

We have come to that day when we talk about the one we love. Let's keep in mind this is an extremely painful day for some who have loved and lost, or who have not know love at all. This is the day when I take time to celebrate the love of my earthly life, Sarah who has put up with me for nearly 12 years of marriage. Without her the ministry God has given me would suffer, and without the support, I would have long given up. This is the day when we love the lovelies in our lives, break out the flowers, chocolates, and other tokens of affection.

I wonder today about how this Valentines love translates into our relationship with Christ? More specifically how we show love for those who God loves. On the list of greatest loves of my life, behind, God, Sarah and family is this thing called the church. For nearly 11 years I have had the opportunity to experience the love of church. There has been opportunity to laugh together, cry together, even have some debates and arguments along the way. Whether it has been in Farmington, NY, Wolcott, NY or in Cortland NY, I have loved being a leader in God's church. I wonder is those in the world around us get to experience that same love? Sure anyone can make the choice to join in the life of a church. Yet often when people think about the church, they do not think love. In fact increasingly when people think about love, the church is not even part of the thought process. Could it be that the church, the people, have lost their love for the people of God who are not yet a part of the church?

Sometimes they are called the unchurched. I have heard the term unconvinced. In some circles the words used are pagans, ungodly or lost. All poor ways to describe those who have not yet become part of the community of God known as the church. No matter how these individuals are described there is a simple truth related to them which the church must pay attention to; our passion for seeing new people engage the community of God is severely lacking. While there are some, not many people feel like they do not want any more people to attend their church. Even fewer people do not want to see more people come to have a deepening relationship with Jesus Christ. Yet in the group designed by God to accomplish this purpose we often have no passion, or willingness to live in such a way that we connect and invite others to experience the community of God.

I could list a whole bunch of excuses I and many others have used as to why this is the case. They are simply that excuses. What is comes down to is love. We love those who love us. More often we love those who do something for us. This is a common understanding, yet not a biblical one. With his lifestyle Jesus challenges us to love everyone. Those who love us, those who are not sure about us, those who we consider unlovely. On this Valentine's Day think about the people in your life, by acquaintance or notice that you deem unlovely. Show them love. This Valentine's I think it is time for a heart transplant for the church. We must get rid of our heart of exclusion, and replace it with a heart which shows love and beats for those who are not a part of the community of God. This is not about building the church, it is about helping others to experience Jesus Christ through the power of community which is centered on him. May we look back at this Valentine's Day as the day when it all changed. When hearts were turned to show the love of God to all those in the world. When the church of Jesus Christ became impassioned once again for those who are not yet a part of the community of God in its fullness.

Ctrl+Alt+Delete

2011-01-19T11:22:00.002-05:00

We have all had that dreaded experience, much less if you are a Mac user. All the functions of our computers come to a grinding halt. Nothing is working and we are left to restart. Once we restart, things start working like they were intended. Not all of life is a computer, at least not yet, but it remains true there comes time when we need to restart so things start working in their intended way. The church of Jesus Christ is no different. Throughout the journey of the the people called Israel, the people of God, there have come times when pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete have been necessary. Destruction of towers, great floods, and exile were all part of the attempt to return the people of God to their created function. The earthly pilgrimage of Jesus was in a effect a restart of the relationship of God and the people of God. People such as Phylis Tickle suggest since Christ about every 500 years the church goes through a restart process. I am suggesting we are at that point now.

In many ways the church is no longer functioning like it has been created to. In fact looking at the world of the church reveals more proximity with the Pharisees and other religious leaders of the Jesus day, than with Jesus. By and large the culture has stopped turning to the church for direction and started turning to anywhere else. Why? When the church is turned to the return is a religious system which short circuits a missional, relational and incarnational interaction with the Creator. In his book So Beautiful, and others, Leonard Sweet talks about the MRI church, Missional, Relational and Incarnational. In order to become such a place the church will need to restart. This does not mean what has always been is bad and of no value. Restarting does not mean everything is going to be scraped for the latest and greatest. Restarting means a return to the designed intention.

Restarting the church would return the church to understanding the creation of the church was not for organization, it was for being the mission of God. Being the mission of God requires organization but the organization supports the mission of God, not the mission of God supporting the organization. Pressing the restart buttons would return the church to a mindset of relationship with God through Jesus, and relationship of a community. This means more than simply knowing who God is, it is entering into community with others as we seek after a God who is seeking us. Finally restarting would move Jesus off the pictures on the wall into our day-to-day lives. I find myself treating Jesus as a memorial figure. Someone who once lived, was great, changed the course of the world but is dead. Jesus is alive, resurrection, not only alive, Jesus is with us this very moment. An incarnational Jesus is one who is amongst the people, real and tangible with and through the community called the church.

Unlike restarting a computer restarting the church is a much more involved process. There is also more at stake in restarting the church than a computer. Let me be clear, if we do not act the work of God will not be derailed. Simply we will not experience life as we are created to experience it. Still there is great struggle ahead in restarting the church. There is not reason to think we will have it any easier than Jesus himself did in addressing an organization that has lost its essence of existence. Just like Jesus it starts small and builds momentum. It starts when individuals decide there is more to life than they are experiencing. It grows when those individuals form a community that is missional, relational and incarnational.

The restarting of the church is underway. There are people and communities who have decided to return to life as offered at creation. Likewise there are people and communities committed to keeping things as they have been for the past 5 centuries. For the rest of us, we must do some serious seeking to see where it is that God is at work.

Culture Is Never Neutral

2011-01-06T08:58:00.003-05:00

We all live multicultural lives. They may not be culturally diverse, including other races, religions and ways of life, still there are multiple cultures we all live in. There might be the work culture, the home culture, the family culture, the culture of your church, the American culture and on it goes. None of the cultures we exist in are neutral. Meaning all of these cultures have been formed in one way or another. Some cultures form more organically. Patterns develop and before long there is a sense of simply being. Once the culture comes into existence those who are a part of that culture work to preserve the culture, even if there is no knowledge of where it came from. Other cultures we exist in are intentionally created. The values and ways of functioning are chosen and not left to happenstance. Like the more organic culture, once the intentional culture is established effort is made to maintain that culture. No matter what, culture is developed, and there are always players looking to have the culture function in certain ways. This leaves us with a choice, we can simply react to the culture around us, or we can participate in shaping it.

Everyone can be intentional about the formation of the cultures in which they exist. There are cultures which are more challenging to shape, like the American culture. Still we have some level of control over the cultures we exist in. There is always the choice to simply let it happen around us, to take on the attitude of whatever will be, will be. The appeal to this kind of culture formation is often appealing as it requires very little from the participants of the culture. On the flip side there is a great challenge in this style of culture development. Culture in never neutral, there will be ab underlying mindset that will influence the culture. Overtime the culture developed my by extremely dysfunctional and trapped by the influential people who have much to gain from the culture as created.

Intentional culture runs the same risk as being held hostage, however when the formation of the culture is done intentionally good questions are asked and engaged. As the culture is formed questions come to the surface about the values and functions of the culture. There is then conversation about the shape of the culture. A simple example is looking at home life. Many people are frustrated with their home life. Often not termed as such but it is a culture problem. People are not unhappy with those in their home, they are unhappy with the culture of their home. Chances are the culture was allowed to develop organically. The good news is the culture can be changed. It will take hard work and dedication because culture is never neutral. Patterns of functioning will have to change and who holds authority, and how they hold it may have to change. The culture of a home can be intentionally set, and they worked to preserve. If there is not a willingness to be intentional about the culture being developed, we must simply figure out how to endure the culture which emerges.

So what am I really saying? Culture does not simply exist, or is not something which just is. Culture has emerged from a chosen passivity, or has been shaped intentionally. When a culture is first emerging it is easiest to be intentional. Once established, it is very difficult to change the culture because of the desire of stakeholders to remain stakeholders, or the desire of the passive to remain passive. You can engage a culture and be a shaper of the that culture. This is true whether it is your home, your work, church, country or any other culture. Just know there will be other people and situations working to influence the culture as well. Their work may be to preserve the culture already in place.

In the next entry I will explore the role and importance of leadership in culture setting.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-24T08:49:00.002-05:00

Once again we are at the time when people stress about the presents, the stockings, and travel plans. And once again I wonder if people are spending as much time stressing about the presence which is the forefront of this thing called Christmas. As I celebrate the inbreaking of our Savior, it is also the time of year when I begin my annual reflection. What are the highlights and not so highlights of my journey this year. The overall summation is that it has been a difficult and wonderful year all at the same time. God is revealing the fruit of ministry here in Cortland, however it comes with a sacrifice. Even with struggles there is much to celebrate this year.

The year started out with walking with my mom as she beat cancer. That's right I said beat. The power of Christ, and the body of Christ in prayer coupled with surgery and follow up treatments, were no match. My mom proved to be a valiant fighter the whole way. A byproduct of the time with mom was also some extended time with my brother, including the three of us going to take in a game at Fenway. Quickly it was the celebration of Easter, and the refreshing of the summer. There was a great, but quick, family trip to Cleveland. Time with my girls at the zoo and science center were great. Once the calendar turned to September plans were in full swing for the trip to Haiti. October brought the trip to Haiti, as nine others joined in in watching God at work through the amazing people there. All along watching God develop the Cortland UMC into more and more of what He desires.

All the events and actions of ministry were and are wonderful and a blessing. However the relationships of my life continue to be the most rewarding. To the guys, Bill Mudge, BJ Norrix, and Alan Howe, I am not sure why you put up with me but glad you do. I know I would have given up many times without your support and care. To my extended family, thanks for your understanding and grace as my schedule messes up your chances to see Sarah and the girls. To my baby girls, Rachel, Leah and Hannah, I am so blessed to be called your dad. You make the effort worth it, Love you. To my wonderful bride. I am not sure most people know how much you sacrifice for the sake of the ministry. Sarah, I could not do this without you and I don't even want to try. I know the sign does not say it, and that the Methodist Church does not recognize it, you truly are the co-pastor of Cortland UMC. I still remember your sister singing Grow Old With Me at our wedding, that was the plan then and it is the plan now. Your stuck with me. Finally my God. You have continued to mess with my life and heart this year. Growing me into places and situation I either did not want to be in, or had no experience of. Thank you. I have so much to learn about you and about who you are shaping me to be. If all of it was taken away, I would cling to you no matter what.

As I close this most likely last entry of the year I have some questions for you the readers. First, should I continue to blog? This year I did not write as much, not for lack of things to say simple time choices. Second, what topics, issues or ideas would you like to read about? Please take a few moments to comment back. My human weakness seeks to know if what I am doing is being engaged, or is just more noise in the cluttered inbox of our worlds.

May you know the grace and peace of God in deeper and deeper ways. May you experience the inbreaking of God this Christmas. May you realize the gift is not Jesus, but you are the gift to him. May you know how blessed you are.

Grace and Peace

Aaron

Obedience and Blessing

2010-11-22T11:45:00.002-05:00

Wow it has been a long time since I posted anything here. I could give a long list of reasons/excuses but I won't. The lack of posts does not correspond to a lack of content, more of time and motivation. This morning the Lord really impressed on me to write today, so here goes.

I think most any of us would like to see God bless us. In fact there are times when we feel like we are experiencing just the opposite of blessing rather we face challenge after challenge. Before going too far we must realize there are times when challenge is brought into our lives to help develop us into the person we have been created to be. Struggle and challenge in our lives is not directly connected with sin, or lack of faith. Sometimes we just go through tough times. There are other times when our actions of lack their of do bring consequences we see as a struggle or challenge.

You do not have to look very hard of far to find a preacher on the TV or the Internet who offers the promise if we simply give our lives to Christ everything will be okay. That might not be the exact quote, however it is pretty close to the idea presented. Perhaps all of you are better followers of Jesus than I am, yet this is not the journey I have found with Christ. Following Jesus is hard to do. After all it would appear if we are to follow Jesus we must be transformed from who we have always been. No longer do we get to decide what is best and right, we are given the call of Christ to follow him. The result of this challenge in my life is often disobedience. What an old fashion word, obedience. God calls to us and gives us direction and hope, and the call looks difficult and filled with situations we do not want any part of. So we decide to modify the call a little to fit our view of the world. We expect the blessing of God to be exactly the same even if we have tweaked the plan a little. We expect even if we are disobedient, God will shower us with blessing just the same.

Another way of looking it this is to say we want all the reward without the effort. I love watching college football, and we are coming to the time of year when the national champion will be rising to the top. In early January one team will be crowned the champion, and a player on the team will more than likely be deemed the hero of the game and season. This person will be hoisted up on shoulders and be on the cover of magazines. That shoulder top ride did not come without a price. There was a consistent obedience over a long period of time which resulted in the great blessing. On our journey with Christ we often want the shoulder top ride without the effort it takes to get there. We want the blessing without obedience. Simply we expect God to bless us even if we follow our own understanding and desires more than the understanding and desires of God.

I am not saying if you are facing struggle right now it is the result of disobedience. What I am saying is you have an opportunity to work toward the blessing by how you respond to the struggle you are in. I have spent a large amount of time lately thinking about what it would look like if a group of people called the church began to live in radical obedience to God. What would happen if the people of God began to consistently be obedient to the call of God? Would there still be hunger? Would there still be poverty? The sick? The imprisoned? Children killed? Disease? Injustice? The blessing we receive from obedience is not always a personal blessing, it is a blessing to the people that we are a part of. What's in it for me is not the question of a follower of Christ. What must I do to follow God is the question.

We all seek the blessing of God. For some the vision of blessing is a little different than others. Still most of the time we want the maximum blessing with minimal effort. In reality it is not about amount of effort it is about obedience. We cannot and will not experience the blessing of God if we refuse to be obedient.

Where To Set Up Camp?

2010-09-09T10:24:00.002-04:00

Here in these United States we are people of place. Contained in our lives is a strong desire to find place, physical or otherwise to set up camp and reside. Not always a physical address but a state of existence. We like to reside in the same thought patterns, behaviors and activities. Even when these situations do not produce what we think they should, or what they once produced we do not like to find a new place to set up camp. This is the struggle of our life with God, not simply day to day living in America.

As I though about this the last couple of days I was able to verbalize it like this, we cannot live or camp in the past because it is gone. We cannot live or camp in the future because it is not yet here. However, we cannot live or camp where we are at because this passing moment becomes the past as quickly as it was the future. So, where do we set up camp? In this question we find the tragedy of the Old Testament Temple. Long before there was a temple, before Israel had a king, before the promise was ceased, the people of God followed encamping as they went. Where God lead them they followed for the most part. Along the way there was grumbling and rebellion which resulted in correction and teaching. The people knew they could remember what was, but could not live there, and they had not yet taken a hold of the promise of the future. Further they knew the place they were at was only temporary even if they liked the place.

The day comes when the people begin to settle in the promise land. Settle they did and from there the struggle of following God intensified. Many had gotten to the place they had wanted to be and wanted to stay there until they died. This went way beyond geography. Once in the promise land the relationship between God and the people of God was characterized by a growing staleness. This caused the people to look around to other nations and people for guidance than to God. Soon the cry for an earthly king went before God. Even with God warning them of the consequences they moved in that direction. From there David, the earthly king, wanted to build a residence of God on earth. At the outset God seems to be against the idea, and likes the idea of being a transient God who is free to move and invite the people to move. Yet the human drive kicks in and the Temple is build. All along the way people begin to move from camp to permanent structure in dwelling and thought.

What if we are intended to be people who live from encampment to encampment? What if the love of God is so great that we are constantly understanding God in different and news ways? Not that God is changing, rather that we are changing. Where we camped yesterday is part of our history and therefore it matters, yet we cannot camp there again. Tomorrow holds the promise of heaven, and therefore it matters, yet we are not there yet. Today is the gift of God, and therefore it matters, yet today will soon become yesterday. So where do we camp? The simple answer is where God is. Realizing this is harder to accomplish in reality it is still the truth. We must live in such a way that we are camped where God is at this moment and when God says its time to move, we break camp and follow.

It Begins With Me

2010-08-03T09:45:00.003-04:00

There are pages filled with quotes about change and where the starting point of change rests. One of my favorite change quotes is attributed to Gandhi, "Be the change you want to see." It is not very often that I spend a large amount of time talking about individuals. As human beings we are designed to be communal beings, therefore our lives are not measured by ourselves rather by our context of community. To change all that up today I would like to address the "Me" in all of us. It is no secret community is hard, and dysfunction is not hard to find in community. Anyone who has ventured into community has been hurt at some point by that community, or more specifically by an individual from that community. It is a reality of community which may be impossible to avoid because communities are made up of a bunch of individuals, and individuals have issues which get played out in community.

All that might or might not be understood. What is understood is the number of people who feel disconnected from life, God, others and themselves. As the disconnection grows the attempts to connect become greater and greater. We begin to seek community after community hoping this will be the one where things fell right. Only to find this community has the similar problems of the community before. Perhaps the problem is not them, its you and I. Despite the face many put forward, I find a large number of people who do not like the life they have and do not like the situations they find themselves in. The end result is people who really struggle to like themselves.

If we are going to fell like the pieces which make up our live are coming together, we will need to first come to terms with ourselves. I will be the first to share I am not always thrilled about the way God has designed my body, and I am not always thrilled with the places God has lead me. However, if I do not find peace about my life and situation, I will not find peace in the places and people around me. Connecting with God, and finding community begins with me. Sure I can blame my unhappiness with my life on all kinds of things. I can give a list of rationalizations about why my life is the way it is. Another option is to do the really hard work and look at myself. I can already hear some of you, well I cannot be myself because of so and so or this situation or that situation, that is just crap. We will never be satisfied with the things around us until we come to terms with ourselves. It is impossible to change anything but ourselves. Our circumstances in life may not change, the way we deal with them can. The people in our lives may not change, the way we deal with them can.

We have become a people who move from place to place, church to church, relationship to relationship looking for something which cannot be found externally. All of us must come to terms with the life we have. If there are things in our life that need to change, and we can change them, make that change. Often I find myself not living the life I know Christ sacrificed to give me. Just as often I begin to give rationalizations as to why and who is to blame. Reality, I need to get my stuff together. Then I will begin to find connection with God, family, communities and creation. Then I will begin to experience a wholeness I may have never known. It all begins with me.

Genuine Church

2010-07-22T09:09:00.002-04:00

"Genuine church life is born when groups of people are intoxicated with a glorious unveiling of their Lord. Jesus Christ is the only foundation upon which an authentic church can be built" -- Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola, Jesus Manifesto page 143.

I have just finished reading Jesus Manifesto and many times I nearly signed in and offered some thoughts along the way. I waited to complete the reading to gain a full understanding of the perspective the authors offer to us. The above quote is one of two which have captured my heart and mind. The other I will write on later.

I have spend years studying, going to seminars and conferences, picking the brains of those around me, and any other way to gain information about this thing called the church. Over the years I have come across some really great programs, and have used many of them. I have a long list of things which "successful" churches must do if they are going to be great churches. I have to confess there was even a time when I did the whole Rick Warren Hawaiian shirt thing. With all this information out there, and with a number of churches who seem to be successful at drawing numbers of people it seems the whole church thing should be simple.

One problem, anyone who has ever worked to see the church become all that it can be knows this is not easy work. Often the programs come up short and the church no matter the size seems to fall short of being the embodiment of Christ. Perhaps the goal is too lofty. Maybe it just is not possible to experience the genuine church as described by none other than Jesus himself. What if the problem is not the possibility, rather the problem is us. A quick study of the New Testament would reveal there was not a set of programs, or even conferences to attend. I am not sure there were even Hawaiian shirts in those days. Yet the church of Jesus Christ exploded onto the scene. What was it that caused the church to be the church in such a way? The people of the church had an all out intoxication with Jesus Christ. Jesus was the center of peoples every moment. There was no division of life, church and Jesus. I guess today we might say they were an organic whole.

Not a program. Not a technique. Simply Jesus. In the Western world we have become so intoxicated with all kinds of things. Unfortunately Jesus is often left off the list of intoxicants. We will never experience the fullness of Jesus, the genuine church, unless the people who would be identified by Jesus Christ return Jesus to the intoxicating center of their being.

"When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

There might be a temptation to sent this along to someone in a church. Perhaps you might send it along to your pastor. Before you send it to anyone do your work first. Wrestle with the place Jesus has in your life. Are you intoxicated with Jesus?

The Voice of God

2010-06-08T09:07:00.002-04:00

I guess I have always thought of the voice of God to sound a lot like James Earl Jones, or after Bruce Almighty, I gave allowance for Morgan Freeman. All throughout the scriptures we hear see people saying the Lord spoke to them, and even in our day we have people using similar language. All along the way failing to describe what it is that God sounds like. How do we know the voice of God versus all the other voices which are swimming around in our lives? In our current age they tend to reserve special rooms for people who insist they hear voices. Is the voice of God like the movie Field of Dreams, or is it more subtle than that? Just how is it that we can know when God is speaking to us?

First we must recognize an audible voice is only one way in which God speaks to us. God speaks to us through other people, the the Scriptures, through our thought lives. We can have times when we keep seeing the same message showing up in various places and ways. God communicated with us through dreams and visions, as well as through movies and books other than Scripture. We must not limit the ways God can speak to us. Still we are left to ponder how do I know what is God communicating and what is something else.

Our great challenge is we might not ever know 100%. However, there are some activities we can employ to test what we think God is telling us. The most effective way to test is through the regular practice of spending time with God. Romans 12 instructs us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, and then we will be able to test and approve God's leading. The transformation requires an investment of time and effort, training ourselves to be in conversation with God.

When there is a specific leading we want to test form our ongoing conversation with God, the first stop is the Scriptures. God will not call us in a direction that is contrary to what has been offered to us in the Scriptures. If we are feeling lead in a direction, yet it does not line up with the Scriptures, we can know this is not a leading of God, but from some other place or person. After the Scripture alignment test, we move to the test of community. While each of us must decide personally what we are going to do with Jesus, there is nothing private about our journey. Following God through Jesus Christ is always to be done in the context of community. When feeling a leading from God we are to test the leading with a community of believers whom we trust to speak truth and offer good counsel. This must be a group of people whom you trust and have an ongoing relationship with. If these folks reach consensus about the leading of God, this is another positive.

The next step requires the most risk, go. Once you have tested the leading or communication from God with the Scriptures, and have trusted your community, step in faith. At this point there is still no guarantee you have heard God or not. However, you have employed some steps which help increase the probability greatly. Once you take the step of faith it is imperative to remain in conversation and connection with God and your community. This will allow for mid-course correction or a complete all stop in the event it becomes evident our understanding of God's leading has missed the mark somewhere.

Many people get paralyzed waiting to be sure what they feel, think, hope and dream are from God. They will spend their entire live wanting to make sure they have it right before they take action. This is a great tragedy, and what is killing the witness of Jesus Christ in many places. We are going to get it wrong from time to time, possibly more often than that, yet it is easier for God to use us if we are in motion already. Take a step of faith, if it doesn't work, seek forgiveness where it is needed, repent when needed, keep seeking God, and keep seeking out. The more we engage the process, the more we have conversation with God, the more clear the voice of God becomes. The more clear the leading of God becomes.

What Are You Expecting?

2010-06-02T10:12:00.002-04:00

There is a simple yet profound question which lies beneath most of American culture, "What's in it for me?" When we get a new work assignment we wonder what we will gain. If someone asks for our help somewhere in our minds comes the thought of what we might gain. Whether in direct and grand ways or in small subtle ways this has crept into most of our lives. Unfortunately this has happened with our journey with God. As we consider walking with God, and ways in which God calls us to follow we can often slip into a mindset which asks, "What is in it for me?"

This question first shows our very need for God, and we enter in to relationships thinking about what we can gain. It also highlights the fact the we are so prone to missing the point. There are amazing benefits to following God through Jesus Christ. The benefits are more numerous than I can list on this page, yet is that why we follow? It seems as though if we follow God for what we get in return we are simply in another consumer transaction. Our struggle is made deeper when God does not deliver like we thing God should. We feel like we have done our part and God seems to fall short on His part. Somehow we feel like we have been short changed by God.

This all comes back to one issue, the Lordship of God in our lives. On the day when God gave up his only son that we might have life it was not lets make a deal day. God did not say if I sacrifice my only son will you follow me? If you follow me, I will make your life all that you want it to be. it may seem absurd to even think about that, yet that is often how we live. We expect God to function the way we want God to function because we think we are in charge. Very easily we slip into the thinking that I have paid my dues to God now it is time for God to deliver the goods and services on my terms. Problem, we are not in charge. God is King, Jesus is Lord, that means God is in charge not us. If we are following God expecting certain returns we often will find ourselves disappointed. The only expectation we can have in following God is relationship. Because of Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection, we can have relationship with God. Not simply relationship but a relationship where nothing stands between us and God. We are not in charge of how that relationship works as we are the created and we respond to the creator.

What are you expecting from God? Are you following God expecting to get something in return? Are you obedient to the call of God expecting God to function in specific way that is to your liking and pleasure? Perhaps it is time for all of us to offer our lives broken and incomplete to God with our any expectations of what is in it for me.

Discernment

2010-06-01T11:20:00.002-04:00

Wow it has been a while since I have posted here. After an extended break I am back, so the rants, questions, challenges and theological banter will now continue.

This Sunday at Cortland UMC we kicked off a year long discernment process. We are seeking God to find what the next faithful step is for our community at this time. Often in the church when we speak about discernment, it is not discernment we are actually seeking. A normal pattern is to have the senior leader, of a small group of leaders have a mountain top adventure to hear from God what the vision is. Upon receiving the vision the individual, or small group return to the community and begin the process of selling the vision. This is not discernment, this is sales and marketing. Discernment is a much more difficult process to start and engage, however there is no sales pitch needed.

Discernment is, according to Webster's, the process of grasping and understanding that which is obscure. The end is not known at the beginning, rather there is a journey, or a process, to discover what God is reveling. All to often whether as a church community, or as individuals we get the end picture in mind and seek after God to make it happen the way we see it. The journey of discernment is one by which we engage a process of events and activities to hear better what God is speaking. The starting point is the Scriptures. From there we add prayer, and community interaction. Before discernment has run it's course there needs to be a testing of everything. This process will take much time.

Time is why I think most people and churches do not engage true discernment. The other significant reason is because of fear. We become afraid of what God might lead us to next. Once we know what that is we then must choose God's way or our own, to whom will we be obedient?

I am excited about what God is doing. I long to see what God will show our community as we seek together. Additionally, I long to see the ways in which God is going to mess with my life as I engage the process.

The Rest of The Story

2010-04-05T09:16:00.002-04:00

Monday morning after Easter. Many will look back at yesterday and celebrate a wonderful time at church coupled with quality time spent with chocolate bunnies and other confections of the season. There may have been some who had a profound spiritual experience yesterday which took Easter well beyond that nasty plastic grass, and a dinner fit to feed a neighborhood. In my time I have had opportunity to celebrate Easter 34 times, and over the last few years I have begun to wonder more about the Monday after.

Celebrations of resurrection are wonderful, and often is the church at its best. Many people come out to church, possibly the only time all year, to do what a good citizen would do. Even the hardiest church attender who has not missed a day of church since the Nixon administration attends and comments how lovely the church was and how nice it was to see the church so full of people. To the pastor who could mistakenly think all the people are there to see them. All the people gathered run the risk of missing the point. So you might ask what is the point?

The point of the whole thing is not Easter Sunday. The real point is found in the Monday after. Resurrection is not true only on this one day of the year. Further we are called by Christ to live as resurrection people everyday of our lives. Yet all too often we have a wonderful day celebrating Easter but when Monday morning comes around the option is there to return to a pre-resurrection life, or even worse life as usual. The resurrection of Jesus was offered by God to all humanity to so that everything would be changed.

So the real question is not how was your Easter. The real question is how is the rest of the story going to be written. I am not suggesting that we all know how the rest of our lives are going to be played out. I am suggesting we can know because of the story God has written through Jesus Christ, our story will be forever different. Will the story after resurrection Sunday look the same as before? I hope and pray that it will not. May God mess with our lives. May we be people of live and hope rather than gloom and death. May resurrection be the core of our beings not just once a year, but every moment of every day.

Holy Week, The Death of Church

2010-03-30T09:11:00.002-04:00

The single most important week of the year is upon us. This week we track Jesus as he moves from the upper room, to the cross, to the grave, and finally to resurrection. Without these events which we celebrate this week, the Church would be pointless. This is also the week where many people who have filled in the box Christian on the questionnaire remember there is the place called the church where the Christians gather. The rest of the year with the exception of Christmas unless it doesn't fit the schedule, many live lives disconnected from Christ and the church which he founded. Then Holy Week comes and there seems to be a remembrance of being Christian.

It might seem that my tone in the above paragraph is sarcastic or condescending. This may be, however it is not my intent. There is no redemption is being condescending toward the way people have chosen to carve out their lives. Rather I want to offer another option for how we interact with Christ through the church. It begins with a confession. I am going to be so bold as to offer a confession and apology on behalf of the church. For far too long the church has not looked like its creator intended it to. There has been more concern over human developed rules and regulations than following the works and teachings of God through Jesus Christ. It seems as though more attention is paid to who is wearing what clothes, or if the people are behaving as is considered to be appropriate. Basically, the church has become stuffy, judgmental and missing the point. I for one say I am sorry to all the people who are turned off by the church.

It is a tragedy that we in the church have not been able to keep the life of Christ so visible in our community that we actually turn people off to God. It is not the fault of those who attend church once or twice a year that their memory of being a Christian is so short-lived. It is the church which has faltered. In many cases we have taken the most exciting invitation of hope, and made it mundane, boring, or even irrelevant to most people's lives. No wonder people have trouble remembering they are a Christian until the egg laying bunny shows up. Christmas and Easter Christians is the lingo used in church circles to describe the folks who only show up twice a year. I was taught all through seminary and my early years as a pastor to have a mild if not full out disdain for folks in that category. I am deeply regretful to say that for years I was sucked into such reasoning. Now, I see things a little differently.

I am sorry the church has so lost is way that it has become boring, and just another thing on an overloaded to do list. It grieves me to think the church has become a place where we talk about Jesus but never live like Jesus. People hold the church to be a optional part of their life because the church has allowed itself to become trivial to the day-to-day life of those who would follow Christ. Perhaps it is not the individuals who need to remember they are Christian. Perhaps it is the church which needs to remember what it is about.

I wonder what would happen if in the next few days churches all around the world used the events of Holy Week to truly follow Jesus. That on Thursday night, we would dine with Jesus at the table celebrating the God who brings people from captivity to freedom. Then of Friday as we reconnect with the death of Christ, we would nail ourselves and the church to the cross and let it die. What if we crucified the church and buried it Friday night? Then on Sunday morning allow God to bring forth new life. I wonder what would happen if churches didn't just talk about the resurrection this Sunday, not just experience it like a TV show. What if the church of Jesus Christ embraced new life and vitality.

May we the church die this week, so that we might experience resurrection. May we no longer serve the forces of injustice, and may we no longer trivialize the most important message for all of humanity. The life and work of Jesus Christ is too important to reduce it to human derived rules and regulations. It is time for the church to be free. A place where Christ is not simple talked about, or simply celebrated, rather a place where Christ is embodied. May the Spirit of God sweep through our churches, revive us, make us whole again.

Health Care and The Church

2010-03-24T08:46:00.003-04:00

So I wonder if there is anything else happening in the world other than the United States health care bill, Tiger Woods return to golf, or NCAA basketball? These three things seem to fill the news airwaves no matter where I turn. Tiger and basketball will pass within a month, the health care bill, that will take longer to work with. Many people have many opinions about the health care bill, and there is no shortage of people who are willing to share the opinion with great energy and certainty. Being the pastor of a church many have asked me what I think about the health care reform bill, and have left unsatisfied with my answer. My intention in writing today is not to offer my opinion on the bill, if you think you have figured out my stance could you email me and let me know what my stance is cause I am still sorting that out and could use some help.

Much in terms of resources and energy has been spend and will continue to be spent of the issue of health care reform in the United States. Left in its wake are the real issues of health care in our world such as eliminating preventable diseases in the developing world, or getting the care to people in areas of the world experiencing disaster. It is amazing to me how self-centered and Amerocentric, not sure that is even a word, the whole debate is. Whether we have private or state-run health care the fact remains we have a health care system. There is actually access to care and preventable diseases are not running out of control. The over whelming majority of people do not have their very life threatened daily by a mosquito. Once again our American arrogance is showing a little more than I am comfortable with.

What does this have to do with the church anyway? The title if the entry is Health care and The Church, when do we get to that? Right now. No matter what particular version of the church you are engaged in there are people who hold opinion as to the greatness of the health care reform situation. At the core of the divide is a common thread, the role of the government in the day to day life of an individual. There are certain ways people feel the government should function but at the core all sides of the issue are creating the same challenge. They expect the government to be the ultimate source of security, direction and function. Biblically there is a word for this, idolatry. The church of Jesus Christ in America is relinquishing to the government the role and responsibility that the church has been given since the beginning.

Governments will do what governments do. No matter what decision is made there will be people who agree and others who do not. A policy enacted today can be changes the next, or when those on the other side of an issue gain "power". The reality is the government cannot save us, nor can it destroy us. Through the centuries governments have come and gone, and the styles of government have come and gone, and come around again. In it all there still remains the church of Jesus Christ. Pilate couldn't stop it, nor could any of the early Roman leaders. Stalin, Hitler, or any other world leader has been able to stop it. Sure there have been times when it has been more difficult to be a follower of Christ, and yes there have been countless numbers of people who have been put to death for their faith. None of this has stopped the church of Jesus Christ. Through it all God has remained God, and the call of the people of God has not changed.

What is the call of the people of God? Love God above all things, with everything within and outside of you. To share the story of God and humanity with all people everywhere. To bring good news to the poor, naked and blind. And to not stop until as many people as possible experience the Kingdom of God in their midst. No matter what our national health care plan is, the calling of the people of God does not change. I wonder what would happen in people in the church of Jesus Christ spent less time debating a government policy or plan, and invested their resources, time, talent and treasure, into being good news to the poor, working to eliminate preventable diseases all around the globe? Is health care like we have in the United States a divine right? Do we have to carry a little card proving our health care coverage to be fully embraced by the Kingdom of God?

When it comes to health care and the church, what a government does or does not do should not change what we do. Let us stop worrying about a Republican or Democrat plan. Let us stop worrying about who has coverage or not. May we, the church of Jesus Christ, work to see all of God's children have the opportunity to have live. Whether in the United States or any place in the world, let us not rest until preventable diseases stop killing people.

Why Either/Or?

2010-03-17T09:55:00.003-04:00

It has been over a month since I have offered my thoughts in this way. This morning my heart is stirred by many avenues. I could take time to enter into the Glen Beck statements about social justice, already have given too many words to that. I could take about the luck of the Irish, and most seem to think that luck is simply found by getting drunk, again already spent too many words on that. Instead what about the guy behind all this green, shamrocks and poor Irish brogue attempts. St. Patrick is often lost in the midst of the day which carries his name. It is interesting that when so much discussion about social justice, and/or the Gospel are in the mainstream, we would come across St. Patrick. Before getting any further I want to recommend a book about Celtic Spirituality, " The Celtic Way of Evangelism" by George Hunter III. This book opens a window into the life and work of St. Patrick all should see and hear.

I am not sure there was much of a debate for Patrick when it came to the Gospel or Social Justice. The two seemed to be deeply connected by the way he lived his live and encouraged others to live. In fact there is much of St. Patrick's life which we find a sense of both/and living rather than forcing a choice which is a limiting choice. That is what happens when we force people or ourselves to choose between things like Social Justice and the Gospel. It can and has been argued by myself and others far smarter than I, that you cannot have a Gospel without Social Justice, and you cannot have Social Justice without the Gospel. To force a choice is to limit both.

Why is it that we as humanity, especially we in the church, like to force people into an either/or corner? Often doctrinal, or scriptural purity is lifted high as the battle cry. Problem, whose doctrine or purity of Scripture shall we use? There is so much more to God, and the Scriptures given to us by God than we as humans can fully comprehend. No, my impression is the enforcement of the either/or is truly designed to great exclusivity. If we can force someone to choose one way or another, we can know whether they are with us or not. Better said, we can determine if they are truly a follower of Christ or not.

The reality the One we follow was the master of the both/and. Jesus did not simply say commit verbally to following me, and hold pure doctrine. Likewise, Jesus did not say just go around doing good deeds and working for justice. No! Both things were deeply connected to the Kingdom of God, which by its very nature is a both/and kind of place. It is both present and future. It is both fulfilled and yet to be fulfilled. It is at hand, and yet to be embraced. I wonder what would happen if people who claimed to follow Christ began to see how broad, and deep God is. Life is not as easy as forcing a choice. Many messes are created by allowing room for both. Yet who ever said Kingdom living would be easy, and neat?

Looking Ahead

2010-02-02T08:23:00.002-05:00

Today we begin with the Francis Chan quote, "People who are obsessed think about heaven frequently. Obsessed people orient their lives around eternity; they are not fixed only on what is here in front of them."

This quote presents to me one of the classic battles of our journey. As we are told in scripture we are not citizens of this world, rather we are citizens of heaven. However, as it has also been said we can be so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. For example, right now we could look at Haiti and ignore it by saying well, in the end it will all work out for those folks down there. We know those who had made their commitment to Christ will join us in heaven. This could be the action, and might be the action some people are taking. While the premise is true, there is a significant flaw.

Our focus tends to be too limited. Now I know that is the whole point of a focus, to limit what we are looking at, nonetheless ours gets too limited. The problem is not found in our actions now directly, it is found in the way we view this thing or place called heaven. Often heaven is thought of as another place and another time. Somehow we disconnect our current reality from what is to come in the fullness of time. People who are obsessed with Jesus Christ understand we are practicing now for what it will be like when that time comes. The call is now to be a people who seek and work toward justice, people who bring comfort to the hurting, and are expressing the Kingdom of God in tangible ways. This gets much easier when we realize what we are experiencing now is not all there is.

When we are following after Christ with all we have it is easier to understand there is more to life than we can see right now. Because we can focus on the glory of Christ we can see how our actions today fit in with eternity. Our present struggle will pass, and the glory of God will enter in. Our actions are no longer limited to solving the crisis at hand, rather we focus on working toward the ultimate goal of the time when God sets everything right. We would now look ahead to what God is already putting into place. Obsessed people are not paralyzed by the moment, rather they are energized by what is to come.

The World of Give and Take

2010-01-19T08:53:00.002-05:00

Francis Chan offers the following "People who are obsessed with God are known as givers, not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they do, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world."

Right now it seems as though everyone is ready to give a little, or a lot, in the wake of the Haitian earthquake. I applaud the efforts people are undertaking. In moments of great tragedy, I find there is still hope for our world. Nations and people alike are finding resources in the midst of tough economic times to help out the people of Haiti. I wonder what the fervor will be like in a year? Well what was it like a year ago?

Tragedy highlights the needs of the poor, and Haiti is the poorest country in the hemisphere. While hope is highlighted as well another side of humanity is drawn into the light. In moments of crises we care, but in the day to day we tend to have a disregard for those who are poor. Sure we might see them, but we do not see them. We know they are there, but we do not know them. The average person only sees the need to be in ministry with the poor during times such as these. Our challenge as Christ followers is found in that we are not called to be average. We are called to be obsessed. Jesus went out of his way to be with the poor. Please note that is not to minister to the poor, rather to be with them. It would only make sense the followers of Jesus would do the same.

As we gear up and meet the demands of this tragedy, I hope and pray we will be the followers in full force. That there would be ab outpouring of financial resource and material resource. My hope is there will be a great number of people ready to be in ministry with the people of Haiti, both poor and not as poor. More than that, I hope we will become obsessed with ministry with the poor. Let us not wait for the crisis of our world, rather may we look daily upon those who need obsessed people to come along side for the journey. Anything less and I wonder if we are not fulfilling our calling to be obsessed followers of Jesus Christ.

Service To Others

2010-01-07T09:42:00.002-05:00

After a New Years break we are now back at it. Today's guiding thought from Francis Chan's book, Crazy Love is, "People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people."

I have to confess this one hurt this morning. I was hoping for a quote that would allow me to convict others more than myself. Yesterday was one of those ministry days that started way too early and ended way to late. As the day wore on I was was wearing down. Once the mid-afternoon blood sugar low set in, I was ready to retreat to my office to preview a DVD for consideration of a future class. As I settled in they started coming. Our food pantry has hours on Wednesdays and the person who was working it was running late. Before I knew it there was a small crowd waiting to receive food.

I convinced myself they can wait, I have some really important things to do. I tried to focus on the project in front of me but I kept looking at the clock and seeing people patiently waiting for their opportunity to eat that night. Finally I pushed away the video and went out to serve the folks in need. My confession, I did it with an absence of joy. Here I had an opportunity to show love to people who God has sent my way, and all I could think about was not wanting to be doing it. This morning as I reflected on the words of Francis Chan, the cut was deep and true. I have so far to go before I can enter the ranks of the obsessed.

I find comfort and fear in the thought that I am not alone. I am sure there are many who are striving to live the obsessed life, but just cannot seem to get there. Along the way there are gains and there are setbacks, and the gains feel great while the setbacks hurt. Nonetheless the joy is not in the completion, it is found in the journey. Yes it is tragic I struggle so with being obsessed with the giver of life and being. More tragic is the number of people who identify themselves with God, yet are not even on the journey of obsession.

Whether it is professional ministry, or more importantly, the work of every baptized Christian, we all struggle in service. In moments which show our connection with God, we long to serve and be used by God. Other moments are perhaps neutral, and even more are an act of the will. We force ourselves to do what we know is the call of God to creation. The key is moving from and act of the will, to an act of joy based in our obsession of the One who calls us.

I wonder how many people, and churches do things out of perceived obligation? We must provide food for the hungry, clothes for the naked. We must do this or that or God will be angry with us and zap us. While we might not use these words, that is the sentiment I find in myself from time to time. What might happen if we, the followers of Christ, became obsessed? If we did things not do delay God's wrath, or because we should, rather because we live for it.

Serving others is not always easy. Whenever people are involved there will be struggle and conflict. Sacrifice will be required and, people will not always be happy, much less appreciate, the effort. We will grow tired and weary. The desire to give up will be more than we can bear from time to time. That is where the joy of obsession comes in. We can choose to persevere with joy. Service to others is the greatest form of showing the love of God.

May we, the church, become an obsessed people. May we serve people not out of obligation or fear. May we serve people because of the love God has infused our life with. May we be obsessed.

The Battle of Pride

2009-12-15T08:27:00.003-05:00

I was out of commission for a few days with illness, but now we return to the topic of Obsession. We are reminded by Francis Chan, "A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the sin of pride is always a battle. Obsessed people know that you can never be "humble enough" and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known.". Wow this one is hard. In my lifetime I have grown up in a society which rewarded those who make themselves known. Humanity has always fallen prey to the allure of the superstar, and the church has tragically not been an exception to that.

There is a need to elevate people in the church to a superstar status. Billy Graham, Bill Hybels, Rick Warren, just to name a few. In each of the church circles on travels there will be the "superstar' of those circles. In fact by using the quotes of Francis Chan I run the risk of elevating him to a place reserved only for Christ. I have not had opportunity to talk one-on-one with any of these men I have listed, in fact I am not sure I have ever spoken one-on-one with any of those that would be considered church world superstars. Yet, I have a hunch they walk the tightrope. Having read and heard Billy Graham, I know he recognizes the places God has taken him, yet he knows it is not about him, rather the God whom he serves. I would wager a guess that most of these superstars would say the same thing. However, I am also hoping the battle wages.

The reason I hope the battle wages for them is selfish in and of itself. I know the battle wages with in me. I dream of being a pastor God could use on a national scale to aid in the transformation of the church. In my good moments my ambition is for the kingdom of God. In the moments when I struggle and begin to lose the battle, my ambition is for my own greatness. The reality is, anything targeted at my own greatness has one name, pride. I believe it was Paul who said it is not longer I that live, rather it is Christ who lives in me. This means our lives are not our own. Any opportunity we have is given by God. The fact that those ready these words are stationed all around the globe, is nothing that I can accomplish.

Another stark reality is in earthly terms, I am an overweight, average pastor, in a small obscure community in Central New York. Like many I struggle to get by and make the proverbial ends meet. My faith journey is a constant battle of faithfulness and struggle, often more on the struggle side. Again in terms of earthly clout, not even really a blip on the radar screen. Now before anyone sends me a message about my self esteem, realize that I know that I have value, and matchless value at that, it is just not measured in earthly terms. I get the awesome privilege to impact eternity on a weekly basis, possibly more often than that. God gives me opportunity to speak, teach, and live in community with others. None of that is about me, it is about the God who beacons me, and leads me. When I lose sight of that, enter pride.

Those who are obsessed with Jesus know that life is not about them. Our primary identifier is not our status, or our prestige. We are identified as followers of Christ. This means all things go back to Christ. While the battle is constant, victory can be won, but only through losing. We must lose ourselves. Not diminishing what God is doing with and through our lives, just not elevating ourselves. Not deceiving ourselves into thinking it is us who is at work. I will close with the words of Howard Hendricks, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less." May we all radically pursue humility.

2009-12-02T09:09:00.002-05:00

Doing the right thing is always advised. We teach children to do the right thing and hope they will do it. Most of us want to do the right thing, just sometimes we get confused about what that is. Today's obsession starting point brings this into focus. Francis Chan offers "Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. A person who is obsessed with Jesus will do things that don't always make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth. As Martin Luther put it, There are two days on my calendar: this day and that day""

The drive to do what is right is often laden with self interest, either yours or someone who is advising you. A friend of mine once said the status quo is never neutral, it is always carefully crafted and protected by people's self interest. Persons who are obsessed with Jesus decide what is the right thing to do with a much different filter. Expectation and status quo while a force to be reckoned with, are not what determine their course of action. The very voice and call of God is what determines what is right.

Here is where the fun begins. The suicide bomber sincerely believes they have heard from God to go about their business. The Christians of the Crusades felt they were doing what the voice of God was calling. So how do we go about determining the voice of God. Well lets agree there is not the space or time here to even begin to develop that. The very abbreviated version is found The Sermon on The Mount, the section we have codified as the Lord's Prayer. Repeatedly we ask God to help us to yield to what God would want on earth, more than what we want. "Thy will be done, thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven."

There are those moments when we clearly know God is calling us. If we are wondering whether to help the person we walk by who needs help, we do not need a long discernment process, simply help. It is more complicated when decades if not centuries have gone into carefully crafting a current status quo reality. We may hear the voice of God calling us to be the agent of change, but this is one we need to be sure of. Why? Because the cost is great both to the organization and to the individuals involved. People obsessed with Jesus Christ count the cost, seek after God for confirmation, not once but repeatedly. Then they act. There is the difference of the obsessed and the not, action. Obsessed people do not allow expectations and status quo keep them from pursuing God.

In the world of the church when we allow expectation and status quo to eat us up the results are tragic. In the end we end up with a nice church that does some good things, but is nothing more than a social club with crosses. Over time the status quo becomes entrenched, and any attempt to break from it it treated as not only an all out rebellion of the church, but against the very work of God. The end game here is death. Not of the body of Christ, not even the gated of Hades will prevail there, but local and institutionally the church will die. The organization which was initiated to represent the heights of freedom in Christ, will die imprisoned to the status quo of what has always been.

The way we avoid this fate is for there to be a rise of people obsessed with Jesus. Great moves of God begin when people decide to completely, and totally sell out to God through Jesus Christ. I wonder what would happen if today was the day that marked the gathering of the obsessed? What if today was the day we looked back upon and said that was the day everything changed? that was the day people obsessed with Jesus Christ began to walk in that way? I wonder?

Ministry With The Poor

2009-11-30T10:43:00.003-05:00

Today I continue the Obsessed series of entries. Once again we are working from the chapter titled "Profile of the Obsessed" in the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Today's profile maker is, "People who are obsessed with Jesus Christ live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another. Obsessed people believe Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to him."

Being a United Methodist pastor I do my best to keep us with the global initiatives of the church. In the recent years the General Church put forth the four focus points for the coming years. Among the four points is ministry with the poor. I was thankful for the wording of with the poor and not for the poor, and I continue to be thankful the church is putting its attention on an issue which was so close to the heart of Jesus. I am regretful that it required an international initiative to get the church to pay attention.

Theoretically the church should have a disproportionate number of people in it who are obsessed with Jesus Christ. This would mean that the people of the church would not only see the need for ministry with the poor, but would be leading the way across the world. I cannot help wonder about the state of our General Church, and our local churches is this had gotten out of focus. I know in my own life when I have wandered away from being obsessed with Jesus, my compassion and connection with the poor has suffered greatly. Could it be that our churches are filled with a disproportionate number of people who are not obsessed with Jesus Christ?

Before you enter that comment calling me all kinds of names, let me further complicate the issue. I have no right to judge the station of another persons heart. I do not sit in the judgment seat, and do not know the hearts and minds of humanity. I do however, have the ability to look at the fruit of my own life, and the life of this thing called the church. If the tree comes up empty there are some conclusions I can draw. For the General Church to make a global initiative of ministry with the poor, the conclusion is we have not been bearing fruit in this area. I understand the countless number of servants who willingly and sacrificially give of themselves to this end. Blanket statements are always dangerous. Still the evidence remains that those of us in the United Methodist Church, and other churches, have not been keeping consistent with the Biblical mandate when it comes to the poor.

Great energy is spent on church and conference budgets, when people right outside our doors are going without food. Millions of dollars are spent training people about the global crisis of poverty, instead of investing the money on ministry which would work at come alongside the poor. I think we are obsessed, I am just not convinced it is always with Jesus Christ. Ministry initiatives look nice in print materials, and they can help people feel good about their church, but will they change anything? Only if it begins with finding ways for the people of the church to become obsessed with Jesus Christ. Otherwise it is a social service project which will die once it runs its course. When we connect with the poor as an extension of being obsessed with Jesus, we develop a lifestyle, more than a program.

Should we be in ministry with the poor, absolutely. However, it should not be because it is an initiative of the church. Our desire and work with the poor should stem from being obsessed with Jesus Christ, and believing to the point of living it, that issues of economics and the poor really are important to Jesus.

Comfort or Obsession

2009-11-24T08:57:00.002-05:00

Today's jumping off point from Crazy Love is, "People who are obsessed with Jesus aren't consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God's Kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress."

I want to be real clear, I do not like this statement. Not because there is anything about it which is wrong, I simply do not like the implications for my life. My preference would be to have everything work to be nice and safe. That life would not have pain, suffering and struggle as a part of it. The problem is, life does not work that way. Still many of us are on a quest to make life as comfortable and pain free as possible. More than once I have declined a situation because I knew it would cause me discomfort or even pain. I am not proud of that, but the truth must be told.

From an early age we are encouraged by well meaning people to be safe in what we do. Now I am not recommending that we stop wearing seatbelts and that we drive recklessly. I am not suggesting that we jump from airplanes without a parachute. There are some areas where safety is recommended. The trouble is we begin to sacrifice the call of God for the sake of safety. There are situations and places God is calling you and to right now, but we would rather play it safe. I cannot go to Africa, I might be in danger. I cannot go here or there, trouble might result. Whenever we find ourselves in these conversations, we are choosing to trust our own understanding more than God's. We are saying that God does not know how to take care of me.

One of the craziest statements going is, "The safest place to be is in the center of God's will.". For a moment lets look at some of the people in Scripture who were in the center of God's will. Esther, standing up to the king who could have her killed, and had a track record with that. The Apostle Paul, beaten, left for dead more times than I breath in a day. Jesus, crucified after receiving the worst beating in history. Does that sound safe? They were all in the center of God's will, but they were not safe. They were at peace, and they were cared for by God, but they were not safe.

The person who is obsessed with Jesus realizes this life is not about them. God calls people into dangerous situations. The church in America is at in interesting crossroads. It has been sitting at this crossroads for nearly 50 years. The comfort once experienced is starting to fade. People are not just magically coming to churches like they once did. The church is now called to go out into places and situations which are not safe for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Still, many in the church remain paralyzed by comfort and their desire to be safe. Obsessed people are willing to sacrifice everything, comfort, safety, and life for the kingdom. Until individuals and churches begin being obsessed with Jesus and not their own comfort and safety, we will sit at the crossroads, idling until we run out of gas and the car dies.

What's In It For Me?

2009-11-18T07:54:00.002-05:00

Today we continue the series on being obsessed taken from the work of Francis Chan in Crazy Love. Our jumping off point is this quote, "People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and openly without censure. Obsesses people love those who hate them and who can never love them back."pg 132.

We have all heard by now that it is better to give than receive. For the most part that has become a cliche that people really do not believe to be true. Increasingly people are willing to give as long as they get something in return. We will give to charities so we can receive the write off to our taxes. We will take someone out for lunch this time and next time they will buy. When an opportunity to give arises we can easily get into a cost benefit analysis. The root question in that moment is, what is in it for me? This is the driving question of capitalism, and the consumer driven world.

When was the last time you gave with no chance of getting anything in return? Isn't that the truest definition of sacrifice, giving without return. The person who is obsesses with Jesus models Jesus in giving to those who hated him, and to those who could not pay him back. Think about it, the religious leaders of his day, hated him. Through the centuries there have been people who very openly and publicly have expressed their hatred and denial of Jesus. He died them. How about you and I? Can we ever repay Jesus for his sacrifice on the cross? I think not. He still did it knowing there was no way possible that we could repay him.

In the world of the church it is easy to thing about serving those who can benefit the church. If many pastors are honest that is why they engage in congregational care, because they do not want the people to get made and not contribute to the church. Many people give to the church financially and otherwise and expect in return the church will take care of them. We are back to the what's in it for me question again.

I wonder what would happen if people became obsessed? If people began to serve others, no strings attached, and the only hope is that they would themselves become obsessed? I wonder what would happen if people began to give freely and openly of their time, talents and treasures to the people they hate, or those that cannot pay them back? Is it possible to do away with the what's in it for me question all together? Yes, but it will mean being obsessed with Jesus more than ourselves. I believe this is not only possible, I believe this is already in the works. As more and more people repel the consumeristic faith of the past century, and begin to recapture the ways of Jesus this is happening.

May we all become obsessed with Jesus, give freely and openly. May we be so obsessed that we follow the lead of Jesus and give to those who hate us, and to those who cannot repay us.

Obsession

2009-11-17T07:20:00.002-05:00

Welcome back, oh wait I guess that would be for me. It has been nearly two months since I have written here. I could come up with many excuses, but won't, just plain haven't been writing.

Over the last few days I have read the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. This is a good book and worth the time to read it. In chapter 8 Chan outlines a profile of a person who is obsessed with God. This has had a significant impact on me so I thought I would share it with all who are willing to read. Here comes the first disclaimer, I write not as someone who has figured out how to be obsessed with God. I write as a person engaged in the struggle to be obsessed. Perhaps you are in the struggle too, and perhaps we can struggle together.

If we are going to look at what in means to be obsessed with God we had better create a baseline for the word obsessed. The American Heritage Dictionary offers, To have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic, as a working definition. This definition challenges, haunts, and makes me want to give up at the start. We live in a culture that tells us we do not need to be excessively preoccupied with anything. In fact it is probably not healthy to be that way with anything. Yet we are challenged to be obsessed with God.

To be obsessed with God has many implications for our lives. Most of these implications will require us to re-order our lives. The things which have classically been held as most important, might have to come down on the priority list. To be obsessed with God means a total devotion to the ways and being of God. Over the next few weeks I will be using the markers laid out by Francis Chan to explore what it might look like to be obsessed with God. Please feel free to join in the dialogue as I am hoping to discover something along the way.

A Flying Leap

2009-09-29T12:42:00.002-04:00

As a participant of the Institutional church the meeting inevitable goes like this. A new idea is presented. Said idea is then run through the wringer, and out comes a little dryer version, with a little less risk, a little more stability and predictability, but still riskier than usual. From there the discussion will turn to it being a good idea, yet being impossible to do. We have not do it before, how are we going to pay for it, what if it doesn't work, all code words for I do not want to risk trusting God. Some might say that is too harsh, yet the reality remains, we shrink back from the possible for the sake of safe and known.

For centuries the church has been locked in the safe and comfortable place of Christendom. Especially in the Western world, Christianity has been at the center of the society and culture. The result is a church which has become impotent. Funny how our struggle to maintain power and control has resulted in losing both. This Christendom setting has fostered safe and measured communities, and when someone steps out of the mold the price is usually pretty high. How do we break away from the pattern? Many have chosen to leave the Institutional church behind for something else, often not having anything to do with the church, or even a journey with Christ. Is the another option?

In the Christendom era the church is trapped in, the change will not be a top down, or reformation from the top, process. It must be something from within. I resist using the term grassroots as Christendom has co-opted the term and rendered it nearly useless. Rather it will come from people who respectfully as possible push past the stagnation. People who are willing to take a flying leap. To risk big. As more people begin to risk stepping outside the normal, the always has been, something profound happens. Like it or not institutions are forced to deal with the decision to change, or die.

Now it would be easy to write this missive and remain stagnant. This would be exactly how Christendom would like me, and us to respond. Through prayer, discernment, in the midst of fear and hesitation, the time has come to jump. Actually we are well past the time to jump, but I think it is time to actually clear the edge. I am not sure what that means, and I am not sure where it will take me, but I cannot allow myself to remain captive. I must move forward.

I would invite any and all who are reading this to offer their thoughts, ideas and response the the above. Additionally, I wonder if I am the only one who is ready. Please share the stories of how God is pushing you to the edge.

What God is Doing

2009-09-28T10:34:00.003-04:00

I am amazed at how we are people who live in the past. The events, circumstances and what was tend to hold us captive. In the life of the church we do this with a depth of connection to the past that is staggering. When we get confused, stressed or just are not sure what to do, we look at what God has done in the past. Then we go on to recreate or reconstruct the situation and circumstances based on how God has acted in the past. Most of life as a pastor has wrestled with this longing of people to go back to what was. This week as I was reading an insightful book by Tim Keel titled Intuitive Leadership, and the light went on.

I celebrate and am thankful for the ways in which God has been at work in the past. I would not be a follower of Christ today if it were not for the work of God in ages past. Now that we have reached a time and place when our world, more specifically the United States, is at a confusion point, people are out of sorts. The culture in which the church exists is very different than it has been in the past. The most common way through this is to look at what God has been doing. As Keel suggests with great mastery through the account of 1 Samuel 4, it is time to start seeking what God is doing right now.

Our God is a God of creativity, remember that is how we first encounter this God in scripture as creator. In the midst of the chaos and uncertainty of the present age, we should look for what God might be doing new in our midst. Going back to recreate what was does not mean that it was wrong, or bad, yet it might not be what God is doing this time. In fact on the extreme side of it going back can create idols without even realizing it. The activities, artifacts and actions of our past are not in and of themselves the point, it is the God who we meet in the midst. The God of creation, who continues to create and develop to this day.

The actions and practices which brought us this far hold great significance, still they cannot move us to the next place. I wonder what would happen if we the people of God began to ask what God is doing and listen for an answer, rather than telling God to act like the last time. What is God doing in our midst?

The Center

2009-09-14T09:03:00.002-04:00

Yesterday at church I asked an important question, what is the center of your universe? What is it that all other things revolve around? The answers varied from God, to family, to food, to money and other things. The answer I would like to give every time is to say that Jesus is the center of my universe, the reality is this is not always true. I have found when I take Jesus out of the center, my life begins to fall apart. Jesus is still there, loving me, forgiving me, and wanting to guide me. but I have pushed him to the side.

This is a Lordship problem. I like to thing about Jesus as my Savior. The one who forgives my sins, who paid the price for me. Discomfort comes into play when I think about Jesus as Lord. If Jesus is Lord, the center of my life, I will do what Jesus wants. If Jesus is Lord in my life, it means what I want does not really matter. One thing I have learned is I am a control freak, I like my life to play out as I planned it. When Jesus is Lord, control freaks have a problem, because he is in control, not us.

While it is difficult to do, all are called to have Jesus not just as Savior, but as Lord. Moment by moment we must submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Constantly we must be making sure that it is Jesus who our universe revolves around. There can only be one center to our lives. Jesus will step aside when we put something else in there. Still the point will come when we must once again decide to put Jesus in the center. The reality is, when Jesus is not the center of our lives, we are not followers of Jesus. we are chosen to be followers.

Modern Day Idols

2009-09-02T08:33:00.002-04:00

Look around at churches today. Many that are not on the newer side, even some that are, are filled with all kinds of stuff. There are the multi-thousand dollar stained glass windows. The precious altars, pulpits and other worship furniture. Going room by room there are sacred cows which hold a mystical power over people. Items which hold more value than they should. Often as pastors we joke about the challenges of replacing the carpets in a church because of the fight over what color and style etc... because the carpet that is there seems to carry a significance beyond carpet. We joke because if we do not we will cry. The stuff in our buildings is simply that stuff, yet we tend to elevate its standing to become god.

As I spend more time in this thing called the church, I find more and more people whos god is the stuff in the church, and they miss a connection with the true God. Throughout the journey of humanity this has happened. Some would argue it started with the Golden Calf in Exodus. Throughout time people have made objects and stuff their god. Whenever stuff replaces God it is called idolatry. Idolatry is one of the big 10 we are to stay away from. Yet it seems the faith of many has deteriorated, or possibly never grown beyond that point.

Everyday I become more convinced one of the worst things for the church is stuff. Property drains resources for mission, things create traps for idolatry. More church arguments and conflicts arise over the stuff of the church. Wouldn't it be great is our disagreements were over things that really mattered. I hear people cry for revival, I too long for a renewing of the Spirit in the world today. Before this can happen it we as people will need to destroy our modern day idols, and return to the source. The time has come for us to once again fall in love with the true God, not stuff.

Rest

2009-08-31T08:12:00.003-04:00

For those who are regular readers of this blog, you have noticed a long silence through the month of August. It is not because I am done writing, or that God is done working with me, rather it is because I took and extended time away. I took a long overdue rest. During the time away, God showed and spoke many things to me. One of the loudest voices was in the area of rest.

Those who share a passion and zeal for God share in a common problem, we have a hard time stopping. Our whole lives become wrapped up in the ministry God has put before us. This is not a bad thing, in fact I think that is what God desires from all of us. The problem comes in with our in ability to seek and practice rest. To take time apart one for physical rest, two for a mental, emotional and spiritual rest. This does not mean we take a vacation from God, in fact it means more intensely connecting with God. Rest means taking a break from all the other pieces of ministry and mission, to focus more completely on God and the priorities of God.

If you are leading a ministry or mission and you are convinced you cannot step away, it is time to take your pride to the altar. If you cannot stop, and your whole life is defined by going on to the next place people need you, again it is time to go to the altar with that pride. it doesn't mean we step away from God, and it doesn't mean we stop working for the Kingdom. It means we catch our breath.

It is possible to become too obsessed with the rest or time away. Many gifted and talented persons forfeit great works of God because of an unwillingness to press through. Still there are times when God offers us the opportunity to rest, do we take it? For those who pastor, the church will be fine. For those who support a pastor, encourage the pastor, and lead in covering the gaps. As I come back from a month of rest, I am feeling foolish for not doing this before. My passion has returned, my anxiety is low, and focus is sharp. By taking time away, I will be more effective in the mission of God than if I would have simply pushed through.

May we all have a pattern of rest.

Discerning Prayer

2009-08-05T09:45:00.002-04:00

Prayer is one of the most acclaimed of the spiritual disciplines, and rightfully so as it is the primary conversation tool between humanity and God. Still this is one the disciplines I and many others have struggled with through the years. More than simply sharing with God what is on our hearts, and really hard, listening for what is on God's heart, there is the times of discernment. Prayers of discernment can be some of the most difficult to work through. Why because it has to do with a choice and a future. When a choice and a future are a part of the equation, there is a lot of room for human desire to slip in.

Right now the church I serve is in the midst of discerning some next steps. The join is I have wonderful leaders with a passion and heart for God. The challenge is we are all very driven people with our own ideas of what the church should be about. The work of discernment will involve sifting through our own stuff, so we can see clearly what God is calling the church to next. More than that, we will have to sift through all the good ideas, along with the great ideas to get to the one which God is calling us toward.

Discerning prayer is not a simply one day or one month activity. No, discerning prayer is a long haul discipline where we allow God to speak to us, and allow God's desire become our desire. This means a process of hearing and checking. Hearing what God has called, and checking over time and place to see if we have heard accurately. What might seem like God speaking this morning, might look differently two mornings from now.

A second component to discerning prayer is the need to be done in community. When discerning the next place God is calling, we must trust God to speak to all those discerning not just me. There must be a group of people who are engaged in the same process. The ideas that rise up, if the calling of God, will all come together without sales pitches or argument. Simply God will call and we will discern.

As one might guess this is not an easy or short process, yet it is the kind of work which moves the Body of Christ to the next places. This is the kind of work churches must be willing to do if the mission is going to be accomplished. In case you were wondering, the mission is to go make disciples of Jesus Christ. May we all be willing to do the work of discernment.

The Perfect Church

2009-07-29T12:15:00.002-04:00

As a pastor I get to meet many people who are looking for a church. From time to time I find people who are forthright enough to tell me they are shopping for a church. This concept use to drive me absolutely crazy. In many ways it does because it is very consumer based in its language even if not in practice. I also get to interact with people who have spent their whole life in the church and have some specific understandings of what the church should be. The conclusion I have come to is people are in search of the perfect church.

For a long time now I have said the perfect church is the one you attend only once. As is often found out the more we learn about the church the more we become aware of the challenges. I have taken time to ask people what their perfect church looks like, and how it would function. The answers are far and wide, inward and outward. What is the perfect church and how do I find it? Well the perfect church does not exist this side of the return of Christ.

All churches, no matter what our impression, or how much we think they are doing it right, have a common denominator which keeps them from perfection, humanity. Yes the church is God given, and established by Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, however it has been entrusted to the minds, hearts, souls and beings of humanity. At the risk of being too much like Calvin, humanity is lost, his words totally depraved. The reality is, we are fallen and imperfect. Still the God has entrusted to humanity this thing called the church, and with stunning regularity we mess it up.

So, what are we to do in the in between? Follow God with all you have. Churches will come and go, some will fit our fancy and some will not. There is not a church out there that will meet all our criteria all the time. What matters is are we following what God has called us to? Pastors are not the only ones who are called to come and go from churches, I think we are all called to radically follow the wind of the Spirit and go where we are called. This will mean the death of the 50 year member of churches. Great fear comes from that thought for many. for some, like myself, there is something exciting about watching the Spirit of God move. We must remember it is not about our little local church, it is about the Body of Christ, the real church, the Bride that will be claimed at the return. Then and only then will experience perfection in the church.

Mission and Values

2009-07-21T21:14:00.002-04:00

Every church has a mission which is guiding it. This might not be a stated or even known mission, nonetheless it is a mission. A mission is most simply defined as what a church does. Along with the mission are values which a church holds. Once again these are both spoken and unspoken. Thrown in with the mission and values is the vision, what is the next step for the church in accomplishing the mission. These three work together, but they do not ensure movement to the mission.

For example, a church could be following all the values with great excellence, and still not accomplishing the mission. Without noticing a church can elevate the values ahead of the mission. When there is a diffusion of the mission focus, there needs to be a focus, that is usually on the values. Now not all people hold the same level of importance on all the same values. The tendency is to hypefocus on one value and hold it up as the key to the church. This will cause the church to decline and die.

The mission is the foundation of what drives the church, over the long haul. The values and the vision work to support the vision, but they are not more important than the vision. The role of the leader is to help the church remain focused on the mission to which God is calling them. This will require attention to the values and the sharing of a vision. Still the mission must be the thing which all other aspects comeback to. The mission is what the church is all about and the values and the vision are how the mission will be recognized. What is your focus?

Mecentric Faith

2009-07-14T11:35:00.002-04:00

The great cry of the evangelical church has been the need for individuals to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. While I think every single person must decide what they are going to do with and about Jesus, no where do I find the concept of a personal relationship with Jesus in the scriptures. When someone comes into a relationship with Jesus, it is done in the context of community. In fact more often than not when someone has a life changing encounter with Jesus, they are restored to a community from which they had been estranged. Still there is a focus on the individual relationship.

The results of this individual focus has reached tragic proportions. The life of the church has been greatly impacted by the individual focus. More and more people are only concerned with what they experience and what they get from their interaction with church. Lost are the days of being concerned for others and how they might find their way into community with God and other followers of Christ. The media all around us does not help in this struggle. Marketers, and scriptwriters help to focus each person on themselves. At an alarming rate there are people who live life like it really is all about them, and only them.

Even more dangerous than what happens in the church is what happens with our relationship with God. When we are 'me' focused we start to think life is about me, and should happen on the terms I set forth. This line of thinking is completely and totally out of line with the teachings of Scripture. In Mark's Gospel we find Jesus declaring, "If anyone would come after me, they must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Mark 8:34). The times when we fail to do this we make ourselves to be god. When we make ourselves god, we often end up growing apart from the true God.

No where in all of Scriptures do I find evidence that our relationship with God is only about us. Our faith and journey are always to go beyond the "me" zone. Denying ourselves goes against all that is within us and around us, yet that is what it takes to encounter Jesus in the deepest levels. This will mean putting aside my own hopes, dreams and desires, exchanging them for the call of God for the community of God.

Ridiculous Pace

2009-07-13T13:13:00.002-04:00

I have been taking more time lately to return to one of my long time favorite activities. I like to find a comfortable place to sit, a good cup of coffee and a view of people. When I was a senior in high school we had to complete a form of an ethnography. Essentially we would sit in the same place at various times of day and watch what people did. A log of all the activity was created. After several days of watching and recording observations, we were to make some conclusions about the setting we have studied. Recently I have been doing some studying and observing, and now have conclusions.

The most outstanding feature I have found is the pace at which people exist. From the way people walk down the street, to the way in which they eat their lunch. It can be seen in the conversations people have and their willingness, or lack there of, to stand in line. It seems life is continuing to speed up and we as humans in North America, are stuck in a life of ridiculous pace. I understand not every person and people group suffers from this, still by and large I am finding an increasing number of people who are.

As I watch the pace of life we are living I cannot help wonder what the impact is on our relationship with God. There are times when God moves us at a high rate of speed, by in large however, we run faster than God. People suffer disjointed and disconnected lives and the common solutions is to do more at a higher rate of speed. From where I sit I cannot see that as a solutions that is working. At the end of the hectic week we find ourselves exhausted, frustrated and distant from God, only to find the week ahead is more of the same.

This ridiculous pace gets lived as a search for importance, meaning and significance. In the end we are just lost. I know in my life and in the lives of those around me, it is time to slow down rather than speed up. The time has come to eliminate from my life the things which are not what God would have me do. This will mean saying good bye to good things, godly things, in order to focus all of my energy and effort on what God is calling me to. Perhaps it is time for you to do the same.

A Designer God

2009-07-08T09:14:00.002-04:00

There is not much debate about the teachings of Scripture that we, humanity, are created in God's image. In this we get clearly God is creator and we are created. Still there is an interesting, some would say alarming, trend taking place among humanity, we are creating God in the image we want to see. Not only have the roles of creator and created been reversed, but the buffet has been opened and each person may pick and choose what God will look like and be to them. In this process humanity has created not one God, rather several designer versions.

Now there is a great struggle here because God is bigger than any one understanding, and God connects with people where they are at. This allows for each person to have a unique experience of God. At the same time, God is not limited by one person's experience, and one person's experience does not show the totality of God. In the midst of this tension we end up with a God that has become a designer God. A God where we manipulate the image of God to meet our lives.

The time has come to remember who the creator is and who the created are. When we find our lives, feelings, and desires do not match with our understanding of God, it is not God who needs an image makeover. Yes God is bigger than we can imagine, at the same time not every image and understanding of God is accurate. How are we to know then if we are inbounds or out? Seek God with all we have and all we are.

How I understand God today is very different than how I understood God ten years ago. It is not God who has changed, it is my understanding. Rather than create a designer God, who looks like I want, I am working on becoming a designer person, who looks like the creator wants. This means putting into practice the words, "Thy will be done". Over the years this has meant change in my life, thinking and practice. This has meant I do not always know what is best for me. This has meant some of the things I really want to do and think I should do, I have had to deny myself. Fore it is not unto us that God lives, it is unto God that we live.

God Exists For Us

2009-07-06T09:35:00.003-04:00

From time to time those who follow Christ develop a distorted view of God. This distortion can have tragic consequences is left uncorrected. The way we view God matters, in fact folks like A.W. Tozer remind us the way we view God is the most important thing in our lives. Our individual lives suffer when we have a distorted view of God, more significant, the church of Jesus Christ suffers when the people of God have a distorted view.

The way this distortion shows up is in the way we see who was created for who. Was God created for us, or were we created for God? When the visual distortion continues the people of the church begin to think it is God who exists for them. That it is God's job to serve us, meet our needs and do what we tell God to do. We are real good at putting this in religious terms, and sounding holy and righteous. Still in the end it is the same, we are trying to tell God what to do.

The reality which clears up our vision problem is that we are created by God and we exist for God. The follower of Christ, and the church of Jesus Christ exist for one reason and one reason alone, to serve God and God alone. The question of what's in it for me, is not to be a part of the vocabulary. Church members do have rights and privileges, actually they have one right and one privilege, to serve God with all that we are and all we have.

Those of us in the church have lost sight of who the church exits for. It does not exist for humanity. The church exists for God, and is build with humanity to embody the kingdom of God here on earth. It is not about our personal desires and the way we think things should happen, it is about the call of God. The church of Jesus Christ exists to serve God period. No more, no less.

Revolution or Evolution

2009-07-01T11:34:00.002-04:00

I have just started reading the book, "Take The Next Step" by Lovett H. Weems Jr.. In the introduction Weems contrasts change via revolution and change via evolution. While not mutually exclusive the two are set up in tension. This got me thinking, there have been times of development in the natural world as well as the developed world that revolution has been the necessary evolution. Small incremental change is still change, yet there are times when the system needs the great shock of revolution.

Now the stated concern about change via revolution is the break in continuity with the past and the people of the past. My challenge to that concern is there are times when a radical break from what has gotten us to this point is exactly what is needed. The evolution of change, remembering not all change is beneficial or leading to health, can bring us to the point where it is the very past and continuity which is causing the problem.

Do I think that is where we are at in the church? Yes and no. Do I feel like there needs to be a revolution yes. Do I feel like we need to throw everything out, no. There are structures, mindsets and practices of the church which no matter what their historical continuity need to be abandoned. This will be a difficult and pain filled process. Still if this does not happen the witness of God through the church will be greatly diminished. At the same time we must remember the roots of who we, the called and sent people of God, are. Jesus Christ remains the center and head of the church. God remains to be the ultimate direction of all activity of the church, and the Holy Spirit continues to be our guide, counselor and empowerer.

The evolution of the church has brought us to the point where half measures will result in just that, half measures. The time has come for the next step to be a radical change in the church. This may not be popular by all, change rarely is. To accomplish this change will require leaders willing to step out, and lead the church into the next steps. This will require leaders who will build collaboration and community in ways that the kingdom of God will be not only talked about but experienced by a broken and hurting world.

Half Empty or Half Full?

2009-06-29T10:11:00.002-04:00

It has been said there are two kinds of people in the world, those who see the glass half empty and those who see the glass as half full. Also known as those who are optimists and those who are pessimists. As I go about this journey called life, I find there are people who would be doing well to see the glass as half empty, I have come across people who are not sure there is anything in the glass all together.

The issues is not whether the glass is half empty or full, or what level the contents of the glass are all together. The issue is why in the world are we looking at the glass, when there is a fountain available? Church people tend to be the most pessimistic people I know, how tragic is this. It would be easy to say that those who follow Jesus Christ should be glass half full people. I say forget the glass all together and drink from the fountain. The fountain of living water which flows from the grace of Jesus Christ.

Glasses and cups are so limiting, and the grace of God cannot be contained in such vessels. I wonder what would happen in the people of Christ stopped worrying about the level of the contents, and started drinking deep from the fountain? Would it me a renewed sense of hope? Would it mean a re-shaped sense of calling? Would people, not just those in the church, find streams of living water once again?

I say put down the glass. Check that, shatter the glass so we won't go back to it. Drink deep from the fountain of God. Fall in love with God once again. Follow God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. For those who are in Christ the future holds only hope and promise. Hard times will come, and hard times will go, but God will remain. When we drink from the fountain, we are filled with hope, grace and love. No glass on the planet can contain what the fountain offers.

Leadership Commitment

2009-06-23T11:03:00.002-04:00

Many have said it and John Maxwell is often given credit for saying the local church is the hope of the world and it rises and falls on leadership. Plain and simple leadership is where progress is found and driven. Yet there are many who shy away, or outright shirk, this responsibility. The reality is, of leaders do not step to the plate and lead the mission of God through the church suffers greatly.

It must be said however, leadership requires commitment. Leaders must have a vision, and be committed to seeing that vision into reality. Along the way there will be great testing and tribulation. Not everyone will think the vision is a good idea. Not everyone will be willing to sacrifice for the vision to come into being. More than likely at some point the leader will be criticized and possibly threatened. A leader must stay the course, they must have a commitment to a new reality.

How is this possible? First stay deeply connected with God. The single most important thing a leader does in their day is to engage in practices which foster connection of their heart with the heart of God. Second, Allow God to shape you, the vision and the possibilities. Third, secure support from a small group of people who will support, encourage and pray with you. Finally, commit your life and breath to the vision God has put in front of you.

In writing this I have run the classic risk. Some will read this and think right on. Others will see the missing pieces and focus there. No matter what, agree or disagree, there will be no difference if there is not a commitment to leadership. I wonder if there are people who are willing to commit all their being, and God-given life, to the pursuit of leading the people of God, all people, into being the present, anticipating Kingdom of God?

Court of Public Opinion

2009-06-18T13:02:00.002-04:00

One of the greatest things about people is they all have and opinion. One of the most challenging thing about people is they all have an opinion. Over the past few months I have listened to the talk show people complain about our President, it seems like only a year ago they were complaining about the President, only it is a different President. The realization I have come to is the President of the United States needs to make the decisions they think best for the country. Obviously not everyone is going to like the decisions. There are polls which measure the response to decisions, but the president does not ask public opinion before making the decision.

In the world of the church decisions need to be made all the time. The frequency might be on par with the frequency of decisions the President makes. Whereas the weight of the decisions is very different. Still there are decisions to be made. Some people will like the course of action and others will not. Most of the time we do not need to take a poll of church people to find the people who do not like the decisions. Since conflict makes most in the church uneasy at best, many have endeavored to short circuit the process by doing an opinion poll ahead of time.

I took some time over the past few days to look at the models used in scripture when making decisions among the followers. Only once does Jesus take a public opinion poll, even then he asks the 12, "Who do the people say I am?". The early church elders, Peter, James etc... when deciding the matter of circumcision did not ask the people what they thought would be best. Rather they went to prayer, discussion and debate among the elders. Once the course was decided it was handed down, enacted and people could choose how they felt about it. If fact I struggled to find any place in the New Testament church where followers of Christ used the court of public opinion to determine what happens next. Now the religious leaders used public opinion often, including when they crucified Jesus.

So what are we to do in the church. People matter, not from the standpoint of being consumers in our religious goods and services business. They matter because of being a creation of God. Yet we as humanity do not always know what is in our own best interest. This is where church leadership comes in. Not through a single autocrat, but through a team of people, the vision and direction of the church forms. Decisions are made through prayer, conversation and debate among the leadership, and then enacted with the congregation. The court of public opinion will more often than not result in a stuck church, which does not follow the spirit of God, rather follows the desires of humanity.

Do You Believe?

2009-06-16T09:06:00.002-04:00

The last few days I have been reading The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner. One of the points they make about leading an organization is the need of the leader to believe. The leader must believe the vision is a possibility. Any of you who are regular readers know I spend a lot of time writing and speaking about the need to reform the church again. In every fiber of my being I feel the church needs to function differently than it currently is. This last weekend I had to wrestle with the question, "Do I believe this can happen?". Do I really believe the church can be reformed, can the church transform itself in order to transform the world for the sake of Jesus Christ?

This is what I call a first order question. My whole life, mission and ministry has been centered around being a prophetic voice in the church. If I do not believe it to be possible, my life and effort have been in vain. Additionally, if I do not believe it to be possible, it is time to do something else in life. If transformation is going to come it is going to take leaders who really believe it is possible for the church to be different. Right now the United Methodist Denomination is inviting people to ReThink church. This will only matter if two conditions are true; one, if people see the need to rethink, two, if there are leaders who believe it matters to rethink the church.

Saying we believe is not enough, we must embody this belief. From every square inch of our lives we must exude believe in the vision of a transformed church. This cannot be false or pretend, we must have this belief become the very fabric of our life.

So the question remains, do I believe? Answer, yes. Not only do I believe, I am confident the Lord is using this generation of people to bring about a new reformation. To this I commit my life, mission and ministry.

Afraid of Excellence

2009-06-13T08:07:00.002-04:00

Lately I have been reading books on Leadership based completely in the business world. I am often told I should only be reading books from the church world, but if you are going to read about leadership the pool in the Christian world can be rather shallow. That is for another day. What I have noticed is the striving for excellence. In no uncertain terms, excellence matters, and it begins with the work of leadership. Yet in the church we sacrifice excellence at the altar of mediocrity.

There are some clear indicators of when excellence is being sacrificed. If a idea is met with a phrase that begins with, well.... you know excellence is going to lose. Phrases such as the way we have always, or we have never, these all subordinate excellence. Whenever the conversation turns to finances, excellence is going to lose.

On the other hand there are some indicators of excellence having a place at the table. When words like opportunity, creative or possibility are a part of the conversation, excellence has a chance. If there is not such thing as a problem only an opportunity to see God work, excellence has a chance. When business as usual is challenged and possibly disregarded, excellence is given root.

For the church of Jesus Christ to be what it is called to be, the living, breathing, present anticipation of the kingdom of God, excellence must be a part of the dialogue. Good enough is not good enough, we should be bringing our very best. The only thing God has held back form us is the punishment we deserve for the ways we treat each other and God. Other than that God has held nothing back from humanity. Yet we hold back from God all the time. It is easy to put forth enough effort to get God off our back, but that is not what God is looking for. All the gifts, talents and abilities we have, are gifts from God. They were given to us to do something great. To live with excellence. Why do we settle for less?

I hear many people looking for more out of their relationship with God. I have now begun to ask not only what are you putting into the relationship, but what is the quality of what you are putting into it. Are we giving God the very best we have? Excellence is not an objective term, I realize. The baseline however, is offering the very best we have to offer. In human terms this may leave us short yet, ah but with God, the rest is the work of the divine.

Its An Epidemic

2009-06-08T08:35:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago every news outlet was filled with information about the Swine Flu, or H1N1 virus. Interestingly over the past few weeks we have shuffled that to the background as old news. The virus is still infecting people, in fact the numbers are growing, only now it is old news. There is another epidemic lose in our world that receives the same treatment. It is not something doctor's diagnose. It is not something which requires quarantine. It is not a new epidemic. I call it meitis(me-itis). This is a condition where it becomes virtually impossible for a person to take their eyes off themselves.

While a good portion of the world suffers from meitis, the most pervasive outbreak seems to be in the church in America. We have become so accustom to life being tailored to our standards, desires, hopes and dreams that we have lost sight of anything outside ourselves. Oh, in the church we have learned to put the right words to it so it sounds like concern for others, yet it really is about me. I am often overwhelmed by the number of people who share with me the ways the life of the church is not fitting what they want, or how the church should be specializing to them. The people refereed to are not new followers, the claim to people who are mature in their journey. Yet they are looking for the church and I suspect God, to be personally tailored to them.

Problem, that is not how Jesus ever portrayed live to be. Over and over Jesus showed how his followers were people who looked to God first, and themselves last. Meitis would not have been tolerated, just ask the rich young ruler, ask James and John who wanted seats of honor. Meitis causes us to think we should have a designer faith, like there is a religious buffet spread before us and we can pick an choose based on our likes and dislikes. Not once considering there might be more to life than me.

If the epidemic is not addressed the church of Jesus Christ will become a lifeless place of competing personal agendas. Everyone will want it their way, and to have everything meet their approval. Mark 8 reminds us we must deny ourselves and pick up our cross, this is where we begin to find the cure. But the medicine is not real fun because we might have to change and not be the person of primary importance in our lives.

The Price of Change

2009-06-04T08:00:00.004-04:00

As I read through the Scriptures I continue to be impacted by the way change agents are treated. It started with the prophets, continued to Jesus, and lived on through out the remainder of the New Testament. When we extend beyond the Biblical era, we find history shows the cruel to of humanity to humanity when change is the agenda. Whenever someone has challenged the status quo of the world there have been some who have been encouraged by the challenge and others who have been threatened.

It is easy to not like those who have been threatened, those who would persecute change agents. Before we run down that road too far it is important to understand why people feel threatened by change. I am learning that most people do not like the uncertainty of the unknown. Often people want to know if everything is going to work out if we try this new thing. Another option is the challenge of comfort. Change causes people to intentionally move out of their area of comfort and into a new reality. This is not an easy task. Others are threatened because they just plain do not like what is happening. Still others are threatened because they feel they have something to lose, power, control, influence etc....

As a change agent when we encounter the resistance there is a choice to be made. Do we stop and allow things to go on as is, or do we push ahead knowing conflict and struggle lie ahead. Change always comes at a price. The change agent will expend many resources to help usher change. In a church setting, change will often result in people leaving. People saying some harsh words. Lose of revenue, and more. The will be a cost, and we should understand that at the outset. Still it should not keep us from forging ahead.

The reality is, even if there is not change, the cost will be the same. The only difference is the end result will be death. A slow agonizing death. Change comes with a price, yet it brings life. Especially in the church. Throughout the Biblical record and into the rest of history, those who have counted the cost and were willing to incur the cost, brought new life. It is time for change agents, modern day prophets, to step to the plate.

Redefining Pastor

2009-06-02T08:37:00.002-04:00

These days I am thinking a lot about what the role and job description of a pastor is. As many people as you ask, different answers will be found. The greatest factor I have found in how people understand the pastor is age. Understand this is not an exclusive or exhaustive study, only what I have experienced in my corner of the world and life.

For those who have mainline church connection from before 1960, the view of the pastor is very different than those from 1960 to 1990. Likewise when we move from the 90's to present there is yet another understanding. Before taking a brief look at each area I need to communicate this is not about right or wrong, rather it is about the changing era, and the reconnection of what it means to be a servant leader to the people of God.

For those connected to the church pre-1960 the pastor is viewed in some specific roles. In this grouping the pastor is seen as a care giver. Pastoral care is often seen as the most important role of the pastor. Being nice is a premium, it is acceptable to sacrifice missional development for the sake of keeping people happy. With this era of understanding the pastor functions more as a chaplain, than a leader. The image of the shepherd and the flock is key among this group. The primary role of the pastor is to care for those who are members of the church, and the church was focused around the pastor.

The next 30 years, 1960-1990, the pastor was the purveyor of spiritual goods and services. Consumerism exploded in the church and the pastor was there to provide for the programs, classes and worship services people were looking for. Pastors became more entertainer than care-giver. The seeker driven model was established and focus was placed outside the membership of the church. Congregations were pushed to care for each other, and invite others to meet Jesus. The primary role of the pastor was to equip the members seek the lost, and the church was still focused around the personality of the pastor.

Once we hit the 1990's the baby boomer bubble was beginning to burst. New generations of people emerged looking for more than goods and services, and looking for more than a nice pastor who would be their chaplain. The understanding of the pastor pushed for the recapturing of the pastoral office. Highly relational, there was not a need for someone to care for them, they had that covered. No longer would programs and rote responses work. Members, used loosely, wanted someone who could guide them in the process. A leader who would lead, who would answer questions and wrestle with life's tough questions. Thinker and scholar were reclaimed, not as a giver of knowledge, rather as a coach pointing to sources of knowledge. The primary role of the pastor is to challenge and guide people on the journey, and the church focused around knowledge and debate.

It is time once again to redefine the pastor. The pastor as chaplain model resulted in an ingrown church with very little witness to Jesus Christ. The Boomer church was high on witness to Jesus Christ, but shallow in depth. The post-boomer church focused on relationship, but lost sight of the Jesus behind it all. The church of today and tomorrow needs leaders who will recapture the essence of church. Pastor as leader, as teacher, as guide into mission. The most important thing a pastor can do today is live a live deeply rooted in Jesus Christ, and lead others to do the same. This will mean those locked in a different era will become discontent with pastors who lead for a new reality. Pastors must break out of outdated molds. It will do not good to rethink church, if we do not redefine pastor.

Are You Transformed?

2009-06-01T12:18:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was big fun in our congregation. We celebrated, some were seen dancing, clapping and generally connecting with God in deep ways. As we moved to the teaching time of our gathering, I found myself ready to issue a challenge. What difference has Jesus and the Holy Spirit made in your life.

It seems week in and week out people all over the world attend services. They sing, pray, hear a sermon etc. then go home to continue their daily business. It is almost as if we lose sight of what is really happening. Engagement with a church community on Sunday morning becomes an empty ritual that is more of a to do on the list, than a opportunity to meet God and continue the transformation. The most common error for many is to see church as mere information. I can give the congregation books if it is about information. The times when we gather as the community of God, should move us to further transformation. We should live differently because we have spent time with God and each other.

There is a two pronged responsibility to the continued work of transformation. First, the leadership of a church needs to be able to create an environment for transformation. Second, each person must be willing to engage the journey of transformation. Only when these two things are present and functioning can the church be a place of transformation.

This is not about style, music or any of that trivial stuff. It is about people yielding their lives to the work and mission of God. Allowing ourselves to be transformed by an encounter with God. If you are feeling un-effected by the gatherings at your church, perhaps it is time to look at which one of the prongs is out of step. However, recognition is only part of it. There must be a willingness to change.

Filled For What

2009-05-31T07:20:00.003-04:00

Today is the day on the Christian calendar when we celebrate Pentecost. It is the celebration of when the promised Holy Spirit was imparted upon the believers. Another time and place we can discuss the fact the day of Pentecost was around before Acts 2, not today. This is the day we celebrate the Holy Spirit coming for more than a passing visit, like the Old Testament, rather the Spirit was sent to dwell in and amongst us. Out of this giving of the Spirit many wonderful gifts have been poured out. Some of those gifts are celebrated, some are feared and some are plain misunderstood. More than giver of gifts the Holy Spirit is our counselor, guide and accountability partner on this journey.

Through out the New Testament we find accounts of people being filled with the Holy Spirit. Even now you can go to the book store and buy a Spirit-Filled Bible. I have people ask me all the time about being Spirit filled. I want to know for what reason we are so concerned with being Spirit filled. Understand, I believe and live that we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and our lives are continually shaped and formed through the work of the Holy Spirit. But for what are we filled for?

Is it so we can speak in tongues, is it so we can show how "spiritual" we are? Often when I hear someone talk about being Spirit filled it is contrasted with those who are not, and the contrast is in a elitist form. Do we want the Spirit so we can be better than another person? For what is it do we crave the presence of the Holy Spirit?

As I read the New Testament I find the filling of the Holy Spirit moves people to mission. Peter and the gang in Acts 2, proclaim the Good News. Peter and John in Acts 3 heal. Paul has the scales removed from his eyes, is filled with the Holy Spirit and then launches on the greatest church planting tour known to history. We are filled with the Holy Spirit for the sake of God's mission. Not so we can do ecclesial parlor tricks. The power of the Spirit and the gifts are wonderful, and feel blessed to participate in them. These gifts and special abilities are not the end they are the means to the end. So what is the end? To see the people of God live as the already, not yet kingdom of God.

We are filled so we can go and be about the mission God has called each one of us. May the Spirit invade your life today and everyday as we work in the Kingdom which will never pass away.

Are We Yet Alive?

2009-05-29T20:41:00.002-04:00

As I am on the eve of the close of yet another Annual Conference gathering the reflection has begun. A few times we sung together the classic hymn, "And Are We Yet Alive?". Historically this was the hymn the Wesley's shared with their clergy each time they gathered. It functioned to remind the clergy where life was found. This year as we sang the song it caused to wonder if our being alive was exactly the problem.

The church in America is alive. The problem is the church thinks its vitality is found in the human spirit. Based upon what we as humanity can do. Not always directly stated, yet often lived, we are asking God to help us as we run the church. Wrong, we are helping God as God runs the church. Today one of our speakers uttered the phrase, "We know what the church needs, bless us as we build our church again." There is too much humanity.

The power, direction and vision of the church is not founded in human hands, hearts or minds. It the church is founded in only one place, Jesus Christ. God is in charge and Jesus is the Head of the church. No longer should we ask God to bless us, rather we should do what God is blessing. The key to the church is not the life of humanity, it is found in humanity's willingness to die to ourselves.

For the church to come alive again, humanity must recapture the ability to die to ourselves and live in Christ. The only way the answer to the title of the previously mentioned hymn can be yes, is in Jesus Christ. It is not about what I want to see in the church, it is not about what you want to see in the church. God has made it plain in the Scriptures what it required of the church, the people of God, we do not need to figure out what God would have us do. We must live, not what we want, rather as God has already shown us.

And Their Off

2009-05-28T07:35:00.002-04:00

Once again I find myself in the midst of the Annual Conference gathering of the United Methodist Church in North Central New York. I have been engaged in the gatherings and activities for two days now, and have been observing some really interesting things.

This year we have a new leader, Bishop Marcus Matthews. With new leadership it have been fascinating to watch people jockey for position. The political machine is in full swing as people try to impress the new Bishop and show him that they are important. It is with a no small amount of pleasure I watch this happen. At the same time I am deeply disturbed.

I wonder what would happen for the Kingdom of God if the same amount of energy was spend on embodying the mission of God. So much of what happens is not a part of living into the Kingdom of God. My greatest hope is there would be an inbreaking of the Holy Spirit. That God would begin the work of transformation right here in this place.

It is time to repent of the past, celebrate God's grace through Jesus Christ, and live the mission to which we are called. No longer can we jockey for position, rather we need to run the race not against each other. No we should run the race for the glory of God, not me.

Time Once Again

2009-05-23T08:05:00.002-04:00

I am amazed how we as human beings tend to settle into patterns. No matter what the process of living is, we settle into a predictable pattern of existence. This creates challenges when it happens in our lives, it is downright tragic when it happens in the church. Even if the nature of the local body is to change and adapt, a complacent pattern can set in. It is almost like there is a grand metronome which pulls everything into a rhythmic pattern. As I read about Jesus and develop my relationship with Jesus, I see our lives as a life lived in what might seem like disjointed movements.

Right now in life and in the mission of the church, I feel like we have settled into one of the predictable patterns. The ebb and flow of the week has come to the point where one could set their watch by it. The predictability of church life is bordering on sickening. It is time once again for a great shake up. The time has come to get the sledgehammer out and smash the metronome. To be honest I am not sure what this is going to look like, but the time has come.

I have read much and written a little about being a different kind of church. In some ways here at Cortland UMC we are different than some, but the work is not done. The time has come to heighten the risk and push further. I fear the church of Jesus Christ is becoming complacent. I fear that I as a leader in the church am becoming complacent. It is time once again to shake everything.

Prayer Time

2009-05-20T09:26:00.002-04:00

This past Monday began a 40 day prayer experience put together by the UMC young clergy. Through the lead of Ben Simpson, 40 of us young clergy shared a prayer for one of the days. These prays have been published and are available through several outlets. One is through www.umcyoungclergy.com , you can also connect through these options,

We have the RSS feed: http://umcyoungclergy.com/prayer/rss

Twitter updates: www.twitter.com/umcyoungclergy

Invite friends to the Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=173414735012

You can also purchase a copy of the book at the following: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/40-days-of-prayer-for-the-united-methodist-church/7158447
all proceeds will go to nothing but nets.

I am honored to be part of this project, and would be even more honored if you would join me.

Spending Time

2009-05-14T12:58:00.002-04:00

I have only been pastoring churches for a few years now and there are those out there with much more experience than I have. When I look at the time I have spent and listen to those who have gone before me, I realize many pastors spend almost all their time tending to the needs of their congregations. More specifically the needs of individuals in the congregation. The result is a prevailing thought that the pastor exists to serve the life of the church. I am coming to believe this is a large contributor to the decline in the North American church.

When the focus shifts to personal needs, the church is reduced to a consumer based industry. The struggle is there is always someone else with a bigger budget and more resources out there that can seem to offer what is needed. The leaders of the church begin to spend their time figuring out how to keep the members happy. This increasingly leads to less time engaging the world in the mission of God. There is not time, the needs of the congregation must be met. This is also why most churches never grow past the size of 50-60 people. Much more than that and personal needs cannot be met anymore by one person.

So how should pastors and leaders spend time? The first priority is to be engaging the journey for themselves. This means building into our lives the practices which are consistent with a follower of Jesus Christ. Second priority is to offer engagement points for others to engage the journey. Third priority is to shape a church culture in a way that allows for the transformation of people, communities and a world to reflect to present, coming kingdom of God. That's it. Note there is no concern about meeting the personal needs of a congregation. It is about moving a community of people closer to the realization of the kingdom of God.

So why do so many church leaders spend so much time doing what is killing the church? I believe there is a new generation here that will put an end to the insanity. A new generation who engage the journey while engaging others to journey with them.

Times of Refreshing

2009-05-11T10:04:00.002-04:00

Last week my blogging was pretty quiet. I did not post here, or on the Cortland UMC Scripture Journey very much. This is not because I had writers block or was not interested. I was away on retreat. Each year my covenant group goes away for a few days to pray, play, talk and offer support for each other.

All of us realized there were many things pulling at us to not have this time apart. Each of us at different times was distracted by things left undone, or that we felt the need to be at. The question kept coming to me was if not now, then when. If I would not take time now to slow down and refresh, then when would I do it? The answer, there is never a good time.

About halfway through the first day I realized I was in rough shape and did not even know it. I had some issues I was wrestling with, and I had no clue how deeply they were effecting all aspects of my life. I had slowed down enough to look in places I did not want to look. I am not saying that I have those things all figured out. I will never have it all figured out. I was however able to release those things, so I could once again experience freedom.

When we get stuck in the trap of doing, we lose sight of being. I had been so busy with good things I had lost sight of what it meant to be the person God made me to be. Every effort on my part was to prove my worth by doing. This will only leave me tired, worn out and empty. The time of refreshing helped me to be.

The Church in Captivity

2009-05-04T08:26:00.002-04:00

The more I journey in the great mystery called the church the more I realize how significantly we are in captivity. A few months ago I read a book by Rob Bell and Dan Golden which highlighted the church in America today as a church in exile. I am coming to believe it is much worse than exile, that we are in captivity to ourselves. We are trapped in patterns which keep us from experiencing God, and we like it that way.

This has nothing to do with style of worship. This has nothing to do with be modern or postmodern, this is not about emerging church or missional church. This is about the people of God living in such a way that creates greater distance between humanity and God. No matter what the style or label which can be applied to the particular church you are a part of the danger of captivity lurks. We as humanity become captive to the ways we prefer things to be done. We become captive to the ways we have always done it. We become captive to the human agenda.

This is not how we are called to live as Christ followers. We have been liberated from captivity to human agenda. We have been set free to experience a close relationship with God as God hopes for us. The single greatest call of the church is to be the working community of people who are living the Kingdom of God. This means we are not ruled by human thoughts we are ruled by the thoughts, live and example of Jesus.

Alas we remain captive. The Good News is we do not have to remain captive. It won't be easy. The Israelite Exodus was not easy. Still there is a way out of captivity and it happens only when we trust and follow God more that ourselves. When we allow God to be the ruler of the Kingdom, not humanity. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, stand firm and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery."(Galatians 5:1).

I cannot help wonder what would happen if the church began to be a community of freedom in Christ rather than in captivity to itself?

Who Is It For

2009-04-30T09:14:00.002-04:00

This morning I am struggling with the question of who the church is for. I guess for me it is not a real struggle. Where I find the struggle is helping the church to understand for whom it exists. First let me give a definition of the church. The church is the community of people living, celebrating and witnessing to the Kingdom of God. Now that is out there I offer the church is intended for those who are not yet a part of it.

In our modern day the church can mistakenly think it exists for itself. For the care and pleasure of its "members". As long as I have been a pastor I have heard the cries of church members wanted the church to serve them. Flat out this is not the intention of the church. The church does not exist to be a care station for its own, now there needs to be healthy and supportive relationships in the church, but the primary reason for existence is not the care of its members. That would be a country club or some other organization, but not the church. The church is not to be about the care of itself, or the assurance of its existence. We have already been promised existence through Jesus Christ.

So what does the church exist for? To build relationship with those who are not yet a part of the community. To say it more simply, to give themselves away. Jesus said it is not the healthy who need a doctor, it is the sick (Luke 5). The context of this teaching is the religious people complaining about who Jesus hung out with, and contrasting who he was suppose to be with if he were really godly. Jesus shows us he made the earthly pilgrimage so that humanity could experience the Kingdom of God, not for themselves. Not to develop an alternative religion. The church was never intended to be a religion, or overly organized for that matter. The church is a movement, an organic movement, witnessing to the kingdom of God, giving itself away, and following its leader Jesus Christ.

If you are a part of a church, great, it is not for you. If you are not a part of a church, I pray we can be a witness to you of the kingdom of God.

Freedom

2009-04-27T15:46:00.002-04:00

We are promised in the scriptures "Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom!". I wonder how many people truly live a life of freedom? There are so many things which enslave and trap us. There are things outside of our control, abuse and harm done to us. There are things which we control but cannot seem to step out of, greed and consumerism etc.

There is an intense drive in our culture to get ahead, and differentiate yourself from the crowd. Our American culture has become a celebration of the individual, and the celebration of diversity. These two celebrations have lead to a culture which has lost its sense of community. Sure we like to talk about community, but it is not possible because we must defend our right to be an individual, our right to be a part of the diversity. In our pursuit to maintain these things we have become enslaved to values which hold us down. We must defend territory, stake our claim in the world. Politics and power plays have become the rules of engagement. In the end we are trapped in a life style that is stealing life rather than giving life.

Have we not noticed the reported cases of depression have skyrocketed. There are more people on medication than an other time in history. People uses all kinds of escape tools; drugs, alcohol, television, pornography and the list could go on, to try and fix what seems empty in their lives. That emptiness is the pain of imprisonment to ourselves. What we need is freedom. Not freedom promised by the American way. Not freedom to be individuals. Not freedom to be who ever I want to be. We need freedom that comes from the Spirit of God.

The freedom of the Lord is not so we can create a new system of imprisonment. Rather we are free to be a full member of God's missional community. We have been set free from whatever our past holds. We have been set free from the endless striving. We have been set free from power struggles and politics. We are free indeed to live as a full participant of God's community through the grace offered to all through Jesus Christ.

Let's be people of freedom!

Hungry Men

2009-04-21T08:54:00.002-04:00

I just spend a weekend with a great group of men on retreat. I was asked to be their teacher for the weekend, and I sure did enjoy myself. Along the way men were set free from some major burdens, and new ground was established in the lives of these men. The journey of transformation was continued and bolstered by what God did.

As I was driving home I began to reflect on the weekend. I could not get away from the fact that these men were so hungry. Not for physical food, they were craving more our of life. They wanted to be godly fathers and husbands. They wanted to me men who were transforming in their lives so other men might be drawn to the journey transformation. The men on that weekend are not alone. There are men inside our churches and most of them outside our churches who are looking for more in life. They turn to all kinds of things to find it, alcohol, drugs, pornography and the list can go on and on. Not all the ways we try to find significance seem as destructive, some it is work, or children's sports, or fraternal organizations. There is a hunger.

In the life of the church all to often this hunger is ignored, and men are taught to be just like women and find fulfillment just like women. This is a major problem because if you have not noticed men and women are very different, and it has nothing to do with physical bodies. The result of the effort of the church is most men have given up on the church and on God to provide that fulfillment. It is not than men do not want God in their lives, it is they have been sold a false bill of God about what it means to be a man of God.

So it is time to create space for men to be men. It is time for the church of Jesus Christ to help these hungry men find fulfillment. Coming soon there will be a time apart for men to be men. A time for being rugged, a space for warriors to be warriors, a space for men to be dangerous. I am working with another colleague and we are designing a men's experience for feeding that hunger deep inside all men. Be watching for more information.

TIme Away

2009-04-15T06:39:00.002-04:00

Later this morning I will be leaving for some time away. For as long as I have worked, I have struggled with taking time away. When I became a pastor it only got worse. I have now learned the benefit for mission, ministry and family when I take time away.

Restoration of the soul is important to the long haul of the journey. We all must find a time and place to withdraw from the race of the world to reconnect with the ones we love and with the core of why we exist.

So for the next few days I will be out of commission. It will probably be Monday before I post again. I pray all of you have a blessed weekend as I get to spend time away. Part of my time away is celebrating 10 years of being married to the most amazing woman. For ten years Sarah has stood by me and made room for my crazy exploits. Everyday is a reminder of who much God loves me because of the woman God set aside for me.

A Glorious Monday

2009-04-13T10:58:00.003-04:00

I start off this week with a confession. The way I experience the Sunday services at church directly affects the way I face Monday. I am not sure if this is right or wrong, I am not sure if it matters. What I do know is I should not make decisions about the church on Mondays because they can be very inaccurate.

Having said that, yesterday, Resurrection Celebration, was amazing. God is so God. I wanted the day to feel like a party, a celebration of new life because the grace could not hold him. I think most people left the building yesterday dancing and excited about the work of God. The music was awesome, people were engaged and interactive, the whole thing was a great blessing.

Now comes the challenge, living everyday with that attitude of celebration. Joy should be the calling card of Christ Followers. This does not always mean we are sickening sweet, it means we have an underlying attitude of contentment, and assurance. And why not, Jesus is alive, the grave could not hold him. This should be our blessed assurance.

Another area of life this joy cannot overshadow is the call to do justice and be the mission of God. There is some just horrible stuff, theological term, happening in our world. Joy is not simply dismissing it and ignoring it. Joy is addressing it with the contentment and assurance of Christ. Knowing that because we have new life in Christ, all people can have new life in Christ. We are a new creation, so we can be Christ's ambassadors to the world. What a joy-filled job.

The Best Day

2009-04-12T05:39:00.003-04:00

It is early, a little colder than I would like, and I am exhausted from the events of this week. It is all worth it when I consider the greatness of this day. I realize that every day is a resurrection day. The fact of new life is not reserved for one day a year. Still there is something about Easter morning, especially after walking through Holy Week. We begin with the grand entrance to the city, then to the last supper. Next is the glorious tragedy of the cross, followed by the hope, anticipation and struggle of Saturday. Then it comes the celebration that the tomb could not hold him.

It is for this day we were created, it is for this day he was sent. Jesus is Messiah, and that means we can once again have relationship with our God. I am not sure I always understand the gravity of that. Today we celebrate the doors of heaven flinging wide open. We see the annunciation that it was all true, the Kingdom of God is at hand. We also have a renewed hope that Jesus will return and the Kingdom of God will be fully realized here on earth.

Today is the day it all becomes worth it. Today is the day for which the Lord was sent. We should do more than rejoice. We should party, we should dance and sing, we should live as a new creation.

I hope you have the best, best day of the year.

Holy Thursday

2009-04-09T08:53:00.003-04:00

Today begins the journey to new life. Holy Thursday is the day we tell and live out the story of Exodus. The movement from captivity to freedom. In the past for me this has tended to be a somber day. This year not so much. This is a day of celebration. There will be time enough to be somber and focused tomorrow, but today we party.

When Jesus gathered with the 12 in the upper room, he knew exactly what lay ahead in the coming hours. Still it was passover, a time to celebrate being set free by God. I am sure there was laughter around the table, there was probably spontaneous singing. It was a party atmosphere as they ate together. It was only Jesus, and now us, the disciples didn't know, who know that it was the Last Supper. Jesus didn't say go prepare our last meal, no he told them to prepare the passover. It is not until the meal is over that Jesus shares this will be the final meal until glory.

So I say, celebrate, party. This is the day when we connect with being released from captivity. This is the day we celebrate God continuing to make a way for captives to be set free. If you are gathering today and it is somber, God bless you, I invite you consider having some fun.

Anticipation of Holy Week

2009-04-07T08:54:00.002-04:00

If you are a regular reader of this blog you have been able to clearly see I am not exactly a mainstream, traditional church kind of guy. Still this season of life in the church is my favorite. I cannot tell you when Christ the King Sunday is, or when Epiphany is going to be, heck I am doing well if I remember Christmas Eve when it comes around. Aye, but Easter, the Holy week, to me the rest of the journey does not really matter if we short circuit Holy Week.

I am not referring to the pageantry, I am not referring to the the cycle of worship gatherings. I am talking about what stands behind all these events. Maundy or Holy Thursday, the Last earthly meal of Jesus. The inauguration of Holy Communion as a time of presence and remembrance of Jesus Christ. Good Friday, good for us not so good for Jesus. The day when the perfect sacrifice is made once and for all. The culmination of the earthly ministry of Jesus, but not the end of the story. Then Holy Saturday, the day of emptiness. The day when Jesus is dead, and in the tomb. The day when the disciples are lost and afraid. Giving way to Resurrection morning. The day Jesus was proved to be who he said he was. The tomb could not hold him, the grave was flung wide open. In that moment not only did Jesus receive new life, we too were given new life.

As we move toward this Holy time, I invite you to move beyond religious observances. I invite you all to take time and really seek after what God was doing through Jesus. Seek after what God is doing right now.

Never Promised To Be Easy

2009-04-06T13:10:00.002-04:00

Monday's are always difficult days for me. Sunday is usually such a celebration and ministry seems so real and effortless. The next morning we come back to reality where there is work to be done. I find myself uttering the words, "I thought this was suppose to be easier." In my mind I have it all built up that this being a Christ Follower thing is suppose to be easy. I am not suppose to encounter struggle or hard times. Monday morning usually brings the thought, maybe I should just do something else with my life. This is too hard.

Once I pull myself to my knees and reconnect with God, I start to remember some important things. First, I remember that I was never given t he promise of it being easy. Second, I can have easy if I am willing to settle for less than everything God has to offer. I have had opportunity to read through the Bible several times. I do not have it all memorized and I leave room to not have it all together, yet I have yet to find the place where we are promised it would be easy. Ever since people have been trying to follow God, they have had to struggle. The struggle has been with ourselves, with the society around us, with other followers. It seems as though it has always been a struggle, yet it also seems that we can grow through the struggle.

As far as making it easier. This whole pursuit could be made easier if I would simply identify a list of things that I can and should do, coupled with a list of things I cannot and should not do. If there I were to generate a prescriptive formula on how to follow Christ, I could simply do the right things, and not do the wrong things. No longer would I have to wrestle and struggle, I could simply compare to the list. While this would reduce the struggle and increase the guilt, it would not result in the life God has called us to in Christ.

Never were we promised following Christ would be easy. In fact often Christ was clear of the struggle it would be. The measure is not how easy it is to follow, rather how we engage the journey. If you are looking for easy, you might miss God and find religion. If you are looking for God, prepare for the journey.

Religion and Justice

2009-03-30T08:27:00.002-04:00

Yesterday in church we looked at the passage in 2 Samuel when Nathan confronts David on his antics with Bathsheba. In the midst of this story we get caught up in the soap opera events it is easy to miss what is at the heart of the account. Nathan is speaking to injustice. It was not bad enough David took Bathsheba to be his wife, and had Uriah killed, it was that he exploited and dehumanized people in the process. If we take a good look at the parable Nathan tells it is not about adultery, it is about injustice.

There is a funny, not ha ha, connection between justice an religion. Not always but often religion is engage in furthering injustice. Most of the time this is not a willing choice, nonetheless it is there. Throughout history people who have been connected with religion have used religious language to justify the exploitation of people. Dare I mention the Crusades, slavery, racism, the list goes on. It has not always been in justifying that religion has contributed, it has also been found with inaction. Religion is very good at drawing lines between the society at large and the world of religion.

Religion is a system of conducting an organization for the propagation of that organization. When a relationship with Jesus Christ becomes a religion is when there is a movement from relationship to rules. Religion places a high value on maintaining order, tradition, while protecting the institution. Often to do this those who would challenge religion and possible threaten its security, are marginalized. Enter the justice issue.

Religion can further injustice, yet Jesus was working to bring justice. It seems religion, specifically the religion of Christianity, can work against its very foundation. The church should be a prophetic voice, instead it is often found to be a contributor. Until the church begins to reclaim its prophetic voice, it will continue to be empty religion.

New Project, Need Your Help

2009-03-23T09:53:00.002-04:00

I am embarking on a new writing project and to get started I am asking for help form as many people as possible. Most of my life I have functioned in one way or another insider the walls of religious institution. I was at an event last night and listened to people mouthing the words of the Great Thanksgiving, an order of worship for celebration of communion in the church. I wondered how many people were really paying attention to what they were saying and doing, or if it was a religious activity? Over the past few years I have become increasingly less comfortable with religion, and the ways it has invaded the church. Some of you may have even heard me say religion is killing the church. Well the time has come for me to do some more study and writing on the topic. I am beginning to write with the working title of Religion Must Die. How can you help? Let me know your thoughts.

What would you say is the difference between religion and the church?

How have you been hurt, offended, or just plain turned off by religion?

Why might religion be important?

Anything you would like to share regarding the topic?

Please take a few moments, or longer if you like, to share your thoughts. You can post them as a comment here, or you can e-mail me at revabouwens@verizon.net.

The Comfort of Religion

2009-03-22T06:56:00.002-04:00

As a part of our life together many of us at Cortland UMC have been reading through the New Testament together. The more I read the more I have a dilemma to wrestle with. Jesus was constantly and consistently challenging the religious establishments of the day. Now some two thousand years later and the same is happening. The dilemma is now I am tied to the religious establishment. This is not a happy dilemma for me, because I realize religion is killing the church, and mission of God. Why?

I can only speak from my own experience. One word and one word alone keeps us in the confines of religion, comfort. Found in religion is a comfort the we cannot always explain. Religion often tells us how to think and act. We do not have to seek, or strive to hear from God, we simply do what we did last week, which is what we have been doing for weeks, years decade and centuries. There is not need in religion to seek understanding and challenge our thoughts, because religion will tell you have to think and understand. There simply is not a lot of guess work of effort required for religion to thrive. All of this allows for comfort.

I wonder if it was comfortable to be a disciple of Jesus as he overturned the tables in the Temple? I wonder if it was comfortable to be a disciple of Jesus as he challenged the religious teachers of the day? Was it comfortable as mobs ran Jesus out of town? Was it comfortable when Martin Luther nailed the 95 Thesis to the door at Wittenburg? Was it comfortable for Mother Theresa to be in the slums of Calcutta?

I guess that is the point this morning. Following Jesus has never been about comfort. It have never really been about what we have always done. Never has it really been about human preference and desire. Following Jesus has always been about doing the work of God above all else. Our present day comfort however, has caused the church in the to found as impotent. Why? Because the church would rather exist in comfort rather than move out of the Lazy Boy of faith in do the work of God. We would rather have the answers given to us, and walk away unaffected by the whole thing.

As long as there is comfort in religion, the church will fail to reach the potential God has set it aside for. Until religion dies, comfort will reign and the church will continue to die. Fear not, the work of God will not die, that will continue with or without us. Humanity has not the capacity to stop the work of God. Yet how many of us will miss out on the fullness God longs for all of us to experience?

The Paradox

2009-03-19T08:09:00.002-04:00

We as humanity seems to be so bent of creating a God we can get our minds and hearts around. On a daily basis, recognized or not, we are striving to create a definition, of image of God based on our experience. Often this leads to the creation of a God which has glimpses of reality, portions of a dream, and hopes for our desires. Not all of this is bad, yet there is one major problem, God is not ours to define.

I am coming to believe that God is so far beyond my human ability to define. Sure I can offer some understandings, and hope to reason some good arguments for who I see God to be. However, they all fall short, and are limited by my understanding. Enter the paradox. My vocation, and life design is that of a pastor. Compliments to the institutional church and all, but this call and vocation is so much more than a denomination or structure. Yet not matter what the context of living out this vocation, I am left with a challenge. Generating an image or definition of God is a fairly challenging endeavor, and often leads to a corruption of understanding. Yet, I am called to help others understand who God is and what to make of God in their lives.

My understanding of God is so limited, yet I find myself, say on a blog, explaining how I understand God. This by default creates a definition. Confused yet, I know I am. That is how paradox works. So I am called by God to point people to God, and equip them for their journey. In the process of doing this I am generating some parameters of who God is. Yet, God is not created in our image.

So what are we to do? How about we all engage the journey laid before us. So often we accept the story being given to us by the church, and by the religious institution. Let's all agree to engage our brains, hearts, souls and strength to strive after the God who created us. May we stop creating a God in our image, and discover the God who created the great mystery which is humanity. May we learn to embrace the paradox.

Lost His Way?

2009-03-18T08:31:00.002-04:00

I am finding great trouble with labels lately. Perhaps it is due to the fact that I do not fit into a nice neat category anymore. At one point in my journey, I not only fit labels, I felt those labels were rather important. The need to know who was conservative, or who was liberal was of extreme importance to me. Terms like evangelical and progressive carried much wait in my life. Now, not so much.

What has been amazing in this transition and transformation is how others have reacted. Some have been shocked and engaged in conversation. Others have been shocked and figured I had lost my way. Still others are working to try and fit me into a new box, so a new label can be applied. The problem is, labels do not apply, and they are a great waste of time, energy, effort and resource. What matters most is not our political, religious or social affiliation, what matters most is the transformation of the world for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Many of the thought patterns and conclusions I am coming to have been hard for me to journey with. Often I am compelled to rework not just one component of my journey, but every aspect is impacted. Life was easier when I could use clear and detailed labels for myself and others. When I could simply use the "company" lines for theology and life, life was greatly simplified. However, I was missing out on the richness that is a transforming relationship with God. Before, I thought it possible to define God with great certainty. Now, I realize how great my inability to define God is.

Yes, to some I have seen the light, to others I have lost my way. I say they are both right. I have begun to see things on this journey differently, and thank God I have lost my way. Now I can start working on living Jesus' way and not Aaron's.

A Hot Topic

2009-03-17T08:41:00.003-04:00

A few days ago a young lady working on her senior seminar sent me a list of questions about a controversial issue in the church. Upon reflecting on them, I decided to publish my responses here. There are a few things I ask of those who choose to read. First, put aside all your predetermined notions about the topic, and about how you think I might respond. Second, read the whole thing. If you read only part, you might be tempted to misrepresent what I have written, and I would not want that. Third, engage in dialogue, either through this blog, of with other persons. It is through conversation we establish relationship, and though relationship we find a deeper understanding of God. So here goes, by the way the topic, homosexuality.

Have you had any involvement with the issue of homosexuality on the Conference level? (conferences, discussions, etc.) Please explain:

Most of my interaction with the issues of homosexuality have been through informal settings. Often this has come with gathers of young people. Yet, nothing in a formal, or “official” setting.

Do you view homosexuality as a sin? Please give any biblical or theological basis you may have.

I believe it is impossible to answer this question with integrity. Not because I do not have an opinion, which I will give later, rather because I think it is impossible for me to know with certainty. God and God alone is the one who will make such determinations, not humanity. It is not the business of people to make those distinctions as certain proclamations. God is concerned about us, and that includes or sexuality. The intention is that our whole life would be a life of Holiness. We as humanity do not get full rights as what that looks like. As for my personal understanding, based on my study, prayer and reflection, homosexuality is part of the area our scriptures refer to as sexual immorality. This does not cause a person to have less value than anyone else, nor does is grant permission to disqualify someone else from full humanity.

What do you believe to be the origin of homosexuality, are homosexuals created that way? Please give any biblical or theological basis you may have.

The only real answer I can give here is, I don’t know. It is apparent homosexuality has been part of humanity for centuries, as we have the writings of the Torah addressing what would today be called homosexual intercourse. At the same time, to say with certainty the origin of homosexuality is quite arrogant. This arrogance is shown by many different contributions to the debate. The reality is, no human being knows the origins of homosexuality, or many other aspects of humanity.

From your perspective, what do you currently see the United Methodist Church doing in order to address the topic of homosexuality?

Unfortunately the church seems to be focused on legislation at General Conference. Really it is not surprising, as that is how institutions work. Currently, the leadership is by their fear of persons across the spectrum of understanding, unwilling to foster healthy interaction and relationships among people from various perspectives. Thus highlighting the divide, which need not be a divide in the life of the church.

In your opinion, what should the United Methodist Church be doing in order to address the topic of homosexuality?

First, I think they need to encourage the leaders of the denomination to end the useless and hurtful squabbling around the issue. That is not to say this is not an important issue, as it is. Rather I would find greater investment in helping to focus on the commonality of humanity rather than the division. So much of our time and energy gets devoted to something none of us can fully reconcile. Why not let God sort out those kinds of things while we, humanity, get about the business of living the lives we are called by God to live. Lives where hungry are feed, naked are clothed, the widow and the orphanage are cared for. I cannot help but wonder if all the energy around this issue was channeled into the mission of God in the world what might be accomplished for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Where do you foresee the church going (if anywhere) with the topic of homosexuality, given their current state?

I see us continuing to pour all kinds of money and resources into the distraction of this issue. Unfortunately, institutions are slow to change, if they change at all. My hunch is there will be no official change out of fear that many will leave the denomination and therefore putting the institution at risk. I can imagine more and more people working this issue out in their corner of creation. My hope is that all people will be able to embrace the call of God in their lives, and allow God to transform us into the people we have been called to be. I am not sure the United Methodist Church as an institution is ready to do that.

Is there any else you would like to comment on regarding the topic of homosexuality in the church, specifically the United Methodist Church?

I have spent considerable time with this issue in my own journey. I was at one time on what might be called a very conservative, possibly fundamental stance around this issue. I am now at a place where honestly I have no idea. My heart often tells me homosexuality is sinful, and my heart rises to challenge my head. I am greatly grieved by the hurt and destruction this issue has caused in the Body of Christ. Further I am grieved at how my actions may have extended that pain. I wish the United Methodist Church would stop trying to play God, and let God do that part. No human being really has the right to determine who is “qualified” to be considered godly or not. If that were the case, we would all be in trouble.

The Shack

2009-03-10T09:13:00.002-04:00

Some may have noticed I am not writing as much this as last. I am only not always on this blog. Check out my other blog, www.corltandumcsj.blogspot.com as well. There I am writing almost daily based on reading the New Testament in a year.

After much encouragement and questioning I decided to lemming my way to the book The Shack by Wm. Paul Young. There has been much said about the book. Many absolutely love the book, some are lukewarm, and others feel it to be a tragedy for people to read. As I have worked my way through the first couple of chapters I find the reading is not hard, and the writer is a good storyteller. Deeply woven into the book is work of theology and the stories of redemption.

At first glance the theology seems to be shallow, and not breaking too deep. When one takes the effort to look deeper a rich theology is found. However, it is not a traditional theology, or theological dialogue. My best take on the story to this point, not quite halfway through, is Young works from a mystical framework. The mystics have been around since the first century, and have been misunderstood since then. Mysticism paints theology with a broader brush than some are comfortable with, using images and thought patters which challenge commonly held understandings. This book is right up that alley.

So far as a reader I have been challenged by the attributes of God I hold on to. At the same time I have found myself in the place of the characters in the book. The questions and emotions shown toward God are all ones that I have and continue to have. Like the journey I have experienced to this point, it is less about the answers to questions or the rationalization of feelings. The point is found in understanding.

I am intrigued to see where the story will go, and how the journey will unfold for me and for the characters in the book. The challenge is to put my classically trained and steeped theological mind in the holster, and allow the mystic in my to have some air time. More to come as I journey.

The Game

2009-03-03T07:15:00.002-05:00

The longer I pastor the church the more frustrated I get with the game. The game you see has multiple fronts. This last weekend our church hosted a gathering where there were a large number of clergy there. Game on. I cannot tell you the number of times I was asked what do we worship. I wanted to answer, God, but I knew what the people meant. They wanted to know how many people we had in worship each week. The other side of the game comes from people attending the church with their agenda before their heart of worship. With the rise of the consumer driven church came the rise of the church shopper. The person who is looking for certain things to be done and not done in the life of a church. Usually this person has a history of moving from church to church about every 18 to 36 months. If this person does not move from church to church they shop within the church.

This form of the game would push the church to do only the things people are comfortable with, or that fit their particular understanding of the the church. This is not about numbers but about everything else. The discussion ranges from music style, to display of a charismatic faith, to the way we pray, the elements of worship. There are people worried about being too Catholic, or too protestant, or too this and not enough that. I believe it was Paul who asked, is the Body of Christ divided? The game must stop.

At the risk of being too blunt or bold, this game, either one, is killing the church. The focus is on our personal preferences instead of on God. Yes I look at the numbers every week, and like most I would always welcome more in worship. Yes I am concerned with orthodoxy in our life together as a church. However, I recognize there is so much more than numbers and personal preference. God is so much bigger than our little churchy hang ups. To the church shopper I say, get your eyes off yourself and start looking to God.

The Church And Mission

2009-02-26T08:52:00.002-05:00

If I had a way of doing so I would ask all those who are a part of a church to raise your hands if you have a missions committee or department. Many churches do. This is the group of people who dedicate themselves, at least in title, to presenting the church with mission opportunities, or at least chances to give money toward missions that someone else will do. A good many churches rest easy at night thinking missions are cared for because we have a committee doing this work.

Problem, mission is not a program or committee of the church. The church is mission. The whole reason the church exists is to be the mission of God in this creation. Mission should not simply be a department of the church, it is the reason behind everything. If this is true, why do we have mission committees? Answer, it is easier to delegate others than to get involved. Let's face it churches today have become very in turned. We hear things like, what about the members, we need to take care of ourselves before we take care of others etc...

I am not a fan of that line of thinking. For the most part that line of thinking is avoidance. That line of thinking has made it so the mission field that is expanding at the quickest rate is the Western church. In particular the church in America. I am not talking about the American society, while there is concern there, the church in America is full of people who do not even realize they are at best asleep, at worst dead. The time has come for the church to wake up, and recapture the work placed before them.

We are called to be the mission of God, not the collection point of people, information and stuff. It is not tradition, history and past which we must persist in. We must be people of hope and life, we must be people who carry out the mission of God above all else. I wonder what would happen if churches started to be the mission of God, before an organization or institution?

A Fear Metality

2009-02-22T07:48:00.002-05:00

As I have opportunity to work with people in several different churches and interact with people from all around the country, I find most people in the church operate on a fear mentality. Constantly I find people who are afraid of what others will do or say if change is initiated in the church. Repeatedly I come across people who live in fear that this whole thing called the church is going to come crashing down. Now, during these economic hard times, many are concerned for the continued financial viability of the church. The most tragic product of this fear mentality is people who sit around longing for something more, something greater, yet are paralyzed by fear.

The only thing we are to fear is the Lord. This is not intended to be fear as in be afraid of God. Rather we are to fear the fact that God is all powerful, and that God is God and we are not. To me the fear of the Lord is remembering the relationship we have to God appropriately. Paul reminds young Timothy we are not given a spirit of fear and timidity, rather a spirit of power, love and self-discipline. Still we languish in fear.

What would have happened in the heros of our faith would have stopped because of fear. Abram, never left for the land God would show him. David passed on confronting Goliath. The prophets chose to be silent. Jesus gave in to the temptations of Satan. Would our journey be different? You bet. We would then have a legacy of people who thought about doing something, but didn't. Sounds like the church. There is great discussion about doing something for the sake of Christ, yet often fear steals the ambition. Friends, this should not be.

Be bold, be confrontational, be loving, be self-disciplined, be compassionate, but for the sake of Christ stop being fearful. So what if people do not like what you do or say, the majority went against Jesus. So what if you are pushed to the edges, Jesus showed preferential treatment for those on the margins. The last thing this world needs in more fear. What the world so desperately needs is men and women, old and young, to step to the plate and lead in spite of fear. To say what must be said, and lead where we must be lead. Anything less and we are falling short of who God created us to be.

ReThink Clergy

2009-02-19T09:10:00.003-05:00

Recently I was in Jacksonville Florida for a conference put on by the UMC. One of the groups there was putting forth a campaign calling people to ReThink church. I love this idea, as I have working on ReThinking and ReVisioning church for most of my adult life. As I have reflected on the concept, I have found one major stumbling block. Lay persons are often more than ready to rethink church, it is my colleagues and myself who can hold up the progress.

If we are going to ReThink church for our time and place the starting point is to ReThink clergy. It is time for us clergy people to stop holding the church captive and release them. I know I am not alone in this thought and this process. Over the last week I have begun interacting more with the under 40 clergy of the soon to be Upper New York Annual Conference. What excites me most is not that we are all theologically homogeneous, we are not, not that we are all socially engaged the same way, we are not. What excites me is the fact we all realize it is time to ReThink church and what it means to pastor a church.

By comparison the group is small. The percentage of total clergy is much larger than our group. Isn't that how it works with reformation. Rarely, if ever, can the majority lead the reformation. In fact it seems by definition reformation is a minority report that will not go away. Often those of us in this under the hill grouping of clergy are seen as loud, pretentious, bold, and that we just don't get it. I have no argument to any of that. Some have voiced how when we have more experience in life we will shift the way we think and function. This response shows me just how desperately it is time to ReThink clergy. What is happening is not merely a shift in paradigm, it is not merely youthful inexperience and enthusiasm. At the core what is happening is a new breed and understanding of clergy is emerging.

The body of Christ is too important to not be vital and fresh, addressing the issues of this day, through the wisdom of centuries before us. This is too important to simply maintain business as usual. The time has come for a new understanding, which is not necessarily new. The time has come to recapture the lost ways of the ancients. It is time to ReThink everything.

A People In Exile

2009-02-12T13:16:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Rob Bell and Don Golden I have been thinking a lot about exile this week. Monday morning I pickup the book Jesus Wants To Save Christians: A Manifesto For The Church In Exile As is normal for Rob Bell projects there is a great deal of knowledge displayed regarding the ancient ways of the People of God. In a very compelling argument, Bell and Golden show how God uses exile to enter into a new creation, to once again have the people of God connect with the purposes of God. Though I have not finished the book yet, it seems as though the conclusion is we in America are that people of God in exile. We have forgotten our story, failed to continue the blessing and seem to be strangers to the purpose of God. This is not good news.

So what do we do? The easiest option at the outset is to simply abandon the whole thing. Many have taken this route by working to keep connected with Jesus, yet leaving the church behind. This does not really solve the problem as much as it avoids it. Not to mention we are called to be the body of Christ, living in community as God is in perfect community, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. Therefore while there is an attempt to stay connected to Jesus, the connection will fall short outside of the community we are called to be a part of.

Another option has been to simply go with the flow. I have heard it said, "Well we are not exactly what God intended with the church, but it seems to have worked this far." This frightens me. There is an acknowledgment we are off course, but because the doors are still open, for now, it must be okay.

For as many people who wrestle with this issue of a church in exile there will be that number of solutions. In reality there is no one solution. I do know it will not be easy. It will not simply be found in exchanging the organ for a band, and hymnbooks for projection. At the core it will involve individuals and communities to allow Jesus to make them a new creation. We must recapture the intend being the people of God. It is not for our sake, rather it is for the sake of those who have not yet realized the work of God in their lives. People are found to be in exile when they begin to think the blessing is meant for them, when they begin to think Jesus is only a personal issue. We are to live a live which we connect with God so that others may see the connection God has in their life.

It is time to come back from exile. It is time to allow Jesus to re-create us.

The Work of Change

2009-02-08T07:04:00.002-05:00

It has been a few weeks since I have posted here. A lot of my post time has been spent on the other blog I write, Cortland Scripture Journey but I thought I would offer some thoughts here this morning. I returned last night from an overnight retreat where I was leading a group of men through a discussion about change. As the time went along I had an extreme amount of fun and learned something which I think is profound.

What I learned is most people are not afraid of change. It is only a small percentage of people who are afraid of change and who do not want to see change take place in their lives or their churches. So why is it that change is so difficult? Most people are not sure what it looks like to change, or what it takes to change. Second, most people are willing to settle for change rather than engage in transformation. The difference? Change will have to be done again. We change the tires our our cars, we change the clothes we wear, and that will have to be done again and again. Transformation is becoming something different than before. Transformation does not require repeating the same transition over and over again. That is not to say there won't be more transformation but there is not a need to transform the same thing twice if it is truly transformed. A butterfly will never again be a caterpillar.

Once people are opened up to the possibility of transformation and change most will continue on that path. There needs to be some nurture from those around and from a leader, nonetheless change can be accomplished.

Moreover, change and transformation must take place in the church today. What has happened in the church to this point is not all bad, simple it will not reach the world today we are called by God to be about the work of transformation. The way we conduct our business as the people of God must be done differently than it has in the past 100 years. I believe God is looking for men and women, clergy and lay, who are willing to allow themselves to be transformed for the transformation of the church. Once the church becomes a transforming place, God will use it to transform the world.

They Don't Know Yet

2009-01-29T16:05:00.001-05:00

This morning I pushed through the ice and snow of Cortland to make my way to Syracuse. Once there I boarded a plane headed for Atlanta Georgia. As we taxied to the runway I began to pray for the trip, and then for the people in Syracuse I knew. This broke into prayers for the people on the plane with me, and for all those represented by the buildings out my window. This however is not about the prayer time I had this morning, it is about what God revealed to me.

Before the flight was even 15 minutes old we were breaking through the clouds and the promise of sunrise colored the eastern sky. As we flew the clouds below began to break up and I could see towns, cities and places where people were calling home. In one glance I could see the homes with lights all aglow, and the impending in breaking of the sun. Then it happened. It hit me, the people in those places below didn't know what was happening above. While those on the ground waited for the dawn, it had already broke, they just didn't know it.

I wonder how often the dawn had broken in people's lives and they do not even know it. I wonder how many times it has been my job to tell them, and I have allowed them to live in silent anticipation of what has already happened. For those who follow Christ, the greatest thing we can do is tell people waiting for dawn that is is here.

Its Just Not That Complicated

2009-01-28T10:52:00.002-05:00

Last night I had the joy of teaching our prayer 101 class at church. There is a possibility I might be posting the audio of text of the class in the coming months. I love teaching the basics classes in churches, for me that means two introductory Bible classed and two introductory prayer classes. In all of these classes and others for that matter, people come with a lot of anxiety about the topic. They are not sure they are qualified to engage in such activities.

For centuries the church has excelled at helping to reinforce people's insecurities. In the enlightenment age of specialization the church and the Christian tradition was not able to be the exception. It seems as though there are to be experts in certain areas, or disciplines of the church, and the rest of us are to just let them do what they do. While this may be true in an area such as counseling, when it comes to prayer this is just not true. Yet, many feel they are not good enough, or do not know enough, or will not do it right, so they leave prayer to the trained specialists.

It is not that complicated. Talking with God does not require anything more than a willingness. It could be seen as simple as having a conversation with a friend. The words, form and physical posture really do not matter. The only thing that matters is us taking time to yield our lives and hearts to God.

If there were one thing I wish I could help more people understand is walking with God is not that complicated. The church and other followers have done their best to make things complicated, but God has made it quite simple. It is not always easy, and it requires commitment, but it is not complicated.

One last note. I think we like to chalk it up as complicated because it leaves us an out. We can simply state we tried it didn't work because these things are complicated. No, it is quite simple, we are often not willing to put in the effort.

Reflections of a Nation

2009-01-22T08:14:00.002-05:00

This is one of those entries where some of you might question my patriotism. Some might read this and think I am out right anti American. Please understand I am eternally grateful for the country God has planted me in. I have an amazingly deep respect and appreciation of the men and women all around the world who have, will and are sacrificing, even with their lives, for my freedom and right to spout off.

This has been a historic week in the life of this great nation. Something many never thought possible has happened, the Oval office has welcomed the first African-American, ironically still housed in the White House. Whether one thought George Bush was good as president or not, the truth which raises to the top is, it was time for change. The time for change is in more than just our political system. It is time for a fundamental shift in how we function as Americans.

While on Wednesday morning we greeted the new day with diversity in leadership, our country really has the same challenges. Having an African-American president does not mean all of a sudden we are done with racism in America. Having a new president of any ethnic or racial background does not automatically set right that which infects our country. Greed and arrogance rule the day. Some might say just by my writing of this proves arrogance is still alive and well. Understand my writing comes from concern not pride or arrogance. It could be easy for us to enter into a time of great delusionment, where we think things have changed.

The words of Gandhi hold true, we must be the change we want to see. To truly change the course of this nation will mean each individual will have to choose to live differently. Consume less, conserve more. Horde less, give a way more. All around the world there are people who hate this country of ours, and I do mean hate. I have heard it said they are just jealous of our country. I have heard it said they are just too lazy to create a country as great as ours. Others have informed me of the great benevolence of America to the world. From where I sit, the people who hate America do not do so out of wanting what we have, they are far from lazy, and there is not an experience of a benevolent America. From where I sit, granted it is a limited view, I can see how America would come off as arrogant, the international bully. There are all kinds of statistics which prove our track record with benevolence is not what we think it is.

It is in fact time to celebrate the fact that America is the greatest nation going. Not with military might, and not with political maneuvering, but with how each of us as individuals live our daily lives. I wonder what would happen if we as a nation moved from %.2 of our Gross Domestic product given to benevolence around the world, to a tithe. Not for gain, simply for showing the graciousness we have been shown over the years. What would happen if we the people consumed less. What would happen if we the people began to put the interests of others ahead of our own. What would happen if we the people fundamentally changed how we live our lives. By the way, that is the true call of Christ.

Change in leadership has come to our country. Now it is time for us the citizens to begin our work and responsibility to change.

Seeing Gray

2009-01-19T10:50:00.003-05:00

I have just finished ready Seeing Gray by Adam Hamilton. The main premise of the book is a question, is there territory for a Christian between Jerry Falwell and John Shelby Spong? For those who might not be up on your religious polar extremes in the USA, Falwell is a former voice of the Religious Right, and often a source of embarrassment for all those who would call themselves Christian. John Shelby Spong has often been called the voice of the radical left in the church world. Calling people to abandon all understandings of Scripture and disregarding centuries of Christianity for the sake of the moment. Understand those are both gross simplifications, but this is not about them, but about a place to claim.

Hamilton proposes there is a middle ground to be found, but it is not the land of moderates, it is called the radical center. I like that. The radical center is the place where the classic foundations of the church are honored and celebrated. Scripture is still the anchor to our faith, and the patriarchy has not gotten it all wrong. At the same time, there is an acknowledgement that the church has wandered far from the social issues of our world. I guess it would be best echoed by the words of Wesley, possibly the earliest radical center dweller, stay in love with God, do good and do no harm. Or as James put it in Scripture, faith without works is dead.

The church has been a place of either, or, a place of division and conflict for far too long. I confess for many years I participated in the battle which divides the church. I am not sure if there is a need to point fingers of write and wrong. I know there is time for repentance form all. I know it is time to reclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and put to rest the gospel of human initiative. Time has come for the people of God to reflect the will and work of God.

The Quadrilateral -- Experience

2009-01-14T09:16:00.002-05:00

The final area of the Quad is the area of experience. In our day and age experience has an exulted role in our lives. We base things on how we feel about doing them. We determine our course of action by the previous outcomes and challenges of similar activities. Essentially we live in an time of if it feels good do it, and if it doesn't feel good, don't do it. This is the lenses through which we view experience.

Through reading the works of Wesley and other writers on the area of experience I find this is a place where the people called Methodist are a little pentecostal. This may or may not involve some of the classic actions of what many think of as pentecostal. It is my understanding that all followers of Jesus are pentecostal, some are simply more expressive than others. This is of course when we look at pentecostal less a label and more as a people who have the Holy Spirit imparted to their lives. Experience is in fact the place where emotions come into play, and the work of the Holy Spirit is what guides us in our actions.

Experience is not simply how we encounter the world, rather it is how the Holy Spirit works in our lives as we encounter the world. Not raw interaction, emotion and response, no, interaction, emotion and response based on the the movement of the Spirit. This would be the area Wesley referred to as sanctifying grace. They way in which we live out our relationship with God, as an extension of the grace shown to us through Jesus Christ, and fully developed in us through the work and being of the Holy Spirit.

It is important to note we are called beyond our own experience by the grace of God on a regular, if not daily basis. The use of experience to filter whether we should or should not do something is an exercise in following the Holy Spirit, not the human spirit.

The Quadrilateral -- Reason

2009-01-08T10:00:00.002-05:00

For the last 300 years the western world has been ruled by thought and reason. To the point that when we are asked if we want to do something we say we are going to think about it. We might not realize the impact reason has had on our lives. On the other hand there are areas where reason is looked down upon or as non-spiritual. Often what would be called the pentecostal movement is cautious of reason and thinking. So how are we to navigate the waters of reason?

Wesley and many before as well as after him knew we needed to keep our brains in gear as followers of Christ. This however goes far beyond logic and linear thinking. The modern evolution of the thought of Wesley and others is to say the things God calls us to must be logical and make sense. If this is followed through the end point is that God never calls or leads us to do something which we cannot make sense of. From my own life I know this to be a problematic conclusion.

It is not that our callings need to make sense, it means that we are to engage the fullness of our intellect around issues and decisions. What is meant by the fullness of our intellect means we are to be students and not just accept the company line. We should be people who study, by video, by book, by teaching, by art by whatever means we best gain information. However, we should not be people who simply study one angle of the issue. In my own effort to be a student I have begun reading more books written by authors that I do not always agree with, or for that matter like. I read magazines and journals were the primary thoughts and leanings are very different than mine. This is what is meant by reason.

Another way of thinking about reason is to live and examined life.For years and centuries people have journeyed in faith, and never examining their faith. An unexamined faith is a thin or shallow faith which is easily rocked by the waves of this world. the examined faith is one where the person knows what they believe, why they believe it, and they have tested that belief against others. An examined faith is one that asks questions about what God is doing, and a faith that reads the scriptures and allows us to question what we are reading.

Jesus told us to have faith like that of a child. Classically this has been interpreted to mean acceptance of faith without question or concern. Obviously the people who put forward this interpretation did not spend time around children. Children are full of questions and concerns. They want to know why and how, they want to be involved on every level, not just accept the pat answers. Children do this, while not questioning if they are loved, accepted and a part of the family. Interestingly children who do not ask a lot of questions, often do wonder if they are loved. Questioning is evidence there is an atmosphere of love and safety.

May we all live a faith that is examined and well reasoned.

The Quadrilateral -- Tradition

2009-01-06T10:24:00.002-05:00

Tradition plays a huge role in our lives. There are activities we all participate in for the simple reason of tradition, what we have always done. This holds true in our faith journey as well. There are activities we do repeatedly, simply because we always have. There are places we visit repeatedly just because we always have. There are words we utter repeatedly just because we always have. We call this tradition. As we engage in our theological and ethical reflection, along with discernment for our actions we must take tradition into account. We must also be mindful of what we are calling tradition.

For most people tradition is tied to experiences they have known personally. Like going to grandma's for Christmas dinner. This tradition is known because we have experienced the annual trek to Grandma's. In most contexts, tradition is used as a code word for the things which are familiar or that I am accustom to. For many these traditions are tied to one possibly two generations of life cycles. This is too short sighted for using tradition in the way Wesley intended.

For Wesley, and I think for us today, tradition is not merely what we can remember of faith and church, rather it is a much more long term look. It is looking at the way things worked in the 40's and 50's, not just he 1940's and 50's but all the 40's and 50's found in time. We are not the first people to wrestle with a relationship with God. Since time has been recorded, possibly longer only we have no record, people have been working out their relationship with God. This view through the centuries is what tradition really is.

When applying it to the Quad. tradition is the second most important part. Scripture is first, tradition is second, but not the tradition of our life, or even one or two generations before us. No we must examine and learn from the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us(thanks Hebrews). So when we are wrestling with a decision or discussion we are to ask what have the generations through the centuries done, not just what did my parents and grandparents do.

The Quadrilateral-- Scripture

2009-01-05T09:42:00.003-05:00

The starting point for the revisiting of the Quad. is Scripture. This is much more challenging than it was in Wesley's day due to the fact the varying understandings of Scripture have become more vocal. I think there have always been more and less orthodox understandings of Scripture, just now there is a greater platform and acceptance of divergent ideas. In the current climate there is question as to the historical accuracy of Scripture, questions of its validity, questions to whether God was involved in the writing at all. Much ink and many trees have given their lives to the working out of this concept of Scriptures. It is not my intent to resolve that issue here. My intent is to look at how Scripture informs the life and function of the people called Methodist.

To enter into this discussion, I need to place my understanding and bias regarding the scriptures on the table. The way I understand the Scriptures are this. They are God inspired, and contain the teachings from God about the ways in which we as the created are to live in relationship to the creator. Yes they are written by humans, but I feel God is bigger than our attempts to rewrite the story. It is not important to me if all the details line up, and I am no longer in favor of a literal reading. The Scriptures contain the Truth, and point us to the only one who can with any certainty declare truth, God.

For those who are still reading, I now turn my attention to how we apply scripture in our lives. This first portion of what is know as the Quad. is by far the most important and significant. In fact all the other portions conform to this one. So, what does that mean? It means when faced with a decision, or call to action the Scriptures are the first place we turn, and are the primary resource informing our actions. If our tradition, experience and reason are not in alignment with Scriptures, we must reconsider them in light of the Scripture. Not that we should disregard the other three legs, but they are to always be subject to the Scripture.

This is a great challenge to the church today. Often the church functions from their understanding of tradition, and what they have experienced. Reason, for many, has replaced the Scriptures at the top of the puzzle. In many cases, the other three have realigned the ways in which we understand the Scriptures. This is workable as long as we are changing our understandings of Scripture, not trying to change the scripture all together. I would guess, that there are a great number of churches who are doing things which are not necessarily consistent with the Scriptures, but they have always been done that way, I think this is a problem.

If I had to put it the simplest way possible, it would be this. If your tradition, experience, and reason do not square with the Scriptures, it is not the Scriptures which must be re-evaluated. The people called Methodist, in fact the people called Followers of Christ are to be people of one Book, and if a person only reads one book their whole life it should be the Scriptures. Fore that is the starting point of the story God is writing with our lives through Jesus Christ.

The Wesleyan Quadrilateral

2009-01-02T08:30:00.002-05:00

For those of you who are up on your studies of John Wesley, you might be familiar with what is commonly called the Wesley Quadrilateral. For those who are not, play along and I think this will be fun. I am going to take the next few entries to revisit the four points of the quadrilateral Scripture, Tradition, Reason and Experience.

Wesley himself did not refer to a quadrilateral, that took the modern world and thinkers, in this case it was Albert Outler. Quite simply the Quad. as I will call it is a set of filters by which our actions and thoughts are to be guided. When making a decision about what to do, individuals and churches are encouraged to use the Quad. template to journey through their decisions. While it might seem out dated and that there has to be a more current way of thinking, I am not convinced there are any better ways to walk through life and decisions than the Quad.

First off to call the equation a Quad. is not as helpful as once appeared. Most of the time when put into a drawing the four points are given equal weight, and therefore the shape is a rectangle, or square. However, if we were to look closely at what Wesley taught throughout his earthly journey we would find that one point far out weighed the others, Scripture. I would propose more of a stretched diamond or a tetrahedron than a Quadrilateral. That is a lot of math terms.

There is much more to the background and working of the Quad. but I will not bore us with them. I will however, invite you all on a journey to revision, or possibly recapture the Wesleyan Quadrilateral for today. Next we will look at what it means to use the Scriptures as our filter for living and decision making.

A Brand New Day

2009-01-01T15:20:00.002-05:00

The New Year is here and so are new ventures. I have just finished the first entry on the Cortland UMC Scripture Journey Blog. I hope you all will stop by and enjoy.

As I greet the new year, I am feeling an even stronger call and demand from God on my life to lead a church in non-conventional ways. There is significant need to push the limits as far as possible, and call people, myself included, to radical discipleship in Jesus Christ. This will mean some very difficult things in the coming year. I know there will be some very difficult days, and there will be resistance from people who want to leave the church are it has always been. Additionally I know there could be ramifications from the higher ups of the UMC, but I am prepared for that as well.

So what will this look like? To be honest, I am not real sure. I do know this. I will need to draw closer to God than I have ever been. I know that it will mean challenging peoples comfort like never before. I know it will involve conflict like never before. However, I do not think I can do anything less. Why do all of this? For one reason and one reason alone, to see the reality of a missional church right here in Cortland that will change the city, state, country and world.

Stay tuned for what this will look like, and if so inclined, I invite you to pray with and for me as the year ramps up.

The Dawn of A New Year

2008-12-31T20:24:00.003-05:00

Tonight I take a break from the usual to say thank you to all who have taken the time to read the blog. I hope and pray you all have both enjoyed and been challenged by the content. I am looking forward to all that lies ahead for 2009. I plan to continue this blog as well as a new blog in association with the Cortland UMC. We are journeying through the New Testament together and each day I will be offering my commentary on the chapter of the day at www.cortlandumcsj.blogspot.com. I hope you all will join in the journey of both blogs.

Thanks again for you participation, may the Lord bless and keep you as we welcome the dawn of the new year.

Keep The Questions Coming

2008-12-30T08:48:00.002-05:00

I have been asked recently why I ask so many questions. My response is, I have to keep asking questions until the answers satisfy the longing in my soul. Yesterday I watched the movie/documentary Expelled by Ben Stine where he takes on the conflict between evolution and Intelligent Design. First and foremost, Ben Stine is a brilliant man. The movie exposes a deeper truth which is more than just evolution and Intelligent design.

That deeper truth is how philosophy and questions of God are at the heart of everything. We as humanity push against anything which causes us to confront false beliefs, or long held certainties. I have seen and experienced this as I have asked questions about the life of the church. More specifically as I have challenged the structure and drive of the church. Most of my questions have been poised within the United Methodist Church, but I think they are universal questions.

When I ask questions about our purpose for existence and such there are several responses. First, dismissed as a young person without a developed understanding of life. Second, dismissed as a person who is anti-UMC, or at least working for its division. Third, flat out told I am wrong and should just go along with the established pattern. Challenging the established thoughts and patterns is never easy but it must be done.

How is it that the establishment is challenged? Protest? Not really? Boycott? Not really. Asking questions. If more people keep asking important questions, at some point new answers have to be entertained. Once we open our minds to the possibilities of the world, there is not telling what God can do with us as a people. We must keep asking questions.