Sojournalism

Sacrifice and Success - 1 Samuel 2:18-21

2011-11-02T11:42:00.002-04:00

I noticed a new ad the other day while watching football on the TV. It was a for one of those gigantic hardware stores, and they had adopted a new slogan. "Never stop improving". This sounds nice. I can see why they chose this slogan. I don't want to stop improving. I want to improve. I think most people are that way. As smart as the ad was to pull on our inner desire to be a better people, of course they don't necessarily care about us as people, they were talking about home improvement, and by home improvement, I mean that they were trying to convince you to rip out that old bathtub and put in one with jets that gives you a massage and has a built in cappuccino machine. They weren't encouraging us to become better people, rather they were using our desire to improve to encourage us to upgrade our houses and our appliances, to buy more stuff. I wonder if this twisted view of improvement goes deeper than we think in our personal and cultural psyche?
When we talk about improvement in our society, we also are talking about success. Success seems to be what most of us are seeking in life, and we are trying to improve toward success constantly. But what is success? Is it having more stuff? Is it having nicer stuff? Can we claim success when we are finically stable and seemingly insulated from harm? How do we define success? I know one thing, the two parents we read about in this passage, Hannah and Elkanah, would probably define success much differently than many of us. Their definition of success was directly connected to their voluntary sacrifice.
It is hard for me to imagine only seeing my son a few times a year at most. As I write this, my wife is expecting our third son. My four year old and I sat on the couch this morning and talked, as only a four year old and his father can do, about what life would be like after the baby came. It is going to be different, but wonderful. Now I try to picture myself in Hannah and Elkanah's position. Hannah after suffering with infertility so long, and Elkanah who loved Hannah so, had a son and knew that this was God answering their prayers. So in response they gave what they loved the most back to God. They gave their son to serve, to be raised, and to live in the place of worship. They probably only saw him, a few times a year. Everything they had worked for...they gave it up. They made a sacrifice of immense proportion which for them came from a different understanding of success.
The idea of sacrifice doesn't usually come into our thinking when we define success. We see sacrifice as a necessary evil, a stepping stone on the way to a time in our life when we don't have to sacrifice. We sacrifice for a time so we can come to a time when we don't have to sacrifice any longer. But what if sacrifice is success? What if giving back to God the son that had been giving to them, Hannah and Elkanah actually found what true success is? It is interesting that we see that because of their honoring God with Samuel their son, God gave Hannah and Elkanah five more children. This happened to the woman who had been barren for so long. But she didn't dedicate Samuel to get something from God. She sacrificed because she realized that it was within the sacrifice to God that success was truly found. God responded, but it was because of her heart. She understood what true success was...following God and giving all of one's self, treasures to dreams, for him.
It makes me ask, "what have I been working towards?" and "What is God calling me to give to him".

1 Samuel 2:11-17 - The Oldest Sin in the Book

2011-10-28T09:31:00.000-04:00

The picture is a bit strange. We read stories like this one in 1 Samuel about sacrifices, priests, burnt offerings, and the like and we can easily skip over what the story conveys...and that it even has a meaning for us today. But there it is...the oldest sin in the book. I think the author/editor of 1 Samuel told this story for the purpose of comparing the young Samuel and the sons of the Priest Eli, revealing the struggle that is within all of us. This is the struggle of mankind...has been and always will be.
Samuel, having been dedicated by his mother to God and his service, was living with the priests in the place of worship. The text said that he was "ministering to the Lord". This caught my eye immediately. Often when we think of "ministry" we think of it being done by people to people. This text is specific to tell us that Samuel was ministering to the Lord, not to others. Does this mean that Samuel would not at some point minister to those who came, much like Eli ministered to his mother before? No, of course not. This was not and is not a call to ignore the needs of the people God cares for. Rather, this is a matter of priority.
I wonder if when we forget that our first service, love, and attention are to be given to God, even though we might be giving care to people who need it, we become tempted to look to ourselves for strength and even believe that we are the source of strength. I have seen it play out that way in my life. I work in a vocation of professional ministry. Much of that ministry is to people. In many ways that ministry is exceptionally fulfilling for me. To help someone through a tough time, whether it is a marital problem, overcoming an addiction, spiritual anxiety, or a crisis situation, can be and is rewarding. However, I have noticed times when the priority of the focus of my calling to be a minister has switched from the one who called me to those that are in need. When that happens I begin to self-decieve. I convince myself I am more important than I really am. I convince myself of the need to sacrifice things (ie. quiet prayer time, family time, etc.) for others because I am "caring for them" when really it is much more about me and propping up the lie of my "strength" and "knowledge". I really have convinced myself to rely on "me" rather than God.
I wonder if this is where it started for Eli's sons? The text calls them "scoundrels" but I wonder if they began that way. Maybe they were led to a vocation of ministry through a genuine love for God that over time became tainted because their priorities became less about "ministering to God" and more about their own self importance. Of course we see at this stage in their stories they have given themselves over to corruption and sin, taking for themselves the offerings meant for God, treating them with "contempt". But I wonder how they got to this place. It is easy to see a person, whether it be these men, or others even in our lives, that seem to be immoral or unethical and shake our head as if there were major mistakes made when they were created. Forgetting that this is the result of the oldest sin in the book...the sin of self-reliance and thus, rejection of God.
Each and every one of us have choices each and every day that will lead us more to rely on ourselves or to rely more on God. The sons of Eli like us were human, and as humans we are challenged to rely not on our "own understanding" but to rely on God. The only way to avoid self reliance is to follow in the footsteps of Samuel, and "minister to the Lord" on a daily basis. It is when we do the small things daily to focus on God, we are able to rely on him and not on ourselves.

1 Samuel 2:1-10 - The Essence of Praise.

2011-10-27T10:15:00.000-04:00

I remember sitting in the hospital room with them. Two parents, their first and only child, facing an unthinkable diagnosis. The doctors had done everything they can, said it every different way, to explain that their lives were not going to be anything like what they thought when they had found out she was pregnant. The dreams had been changed by the reality of their son's condition.
There are times in life when you don't know what to say. That was one of those times for me. I felt like I should say something...should say words of comfort. After all, I am their pastor. That is what I am supposed to do. However, I couldn't help but feel that the air had been sucked out of the room and a lack of oxygen left me speechless, unable to think of what words would comfort...or even what comfort felt like. Presence was the only gift I could give.
But it didn't remain silent for long. The new mother had brought her Bible and she began reading Psalms. Not having an idea of where to begin or where to end she flipped open the book with less of a purpose and more of a desperate need. A need to hear something. She began reading with a cracked voice, almost muscling through at first, coming across as more of an exercise than something she wanted to do. But as she read, psalm after psalm, something happened. Reality didn't change. The doctors didn't come in and give different more hopeful news. Not even the tears stopped flowing...but something definitely changed.
It was in reading those passages, those psalms, filled with verses that told of who God was and what he is like, that I realized something. This mom was praising God in the midst of her unbelievable crisis. She wasn't praising God for the almost certain death sentence given for her son by his physicians. She wasn't praising him for the undoubtedly difficult days and nights ahead. She was praising God to remind herself of who He is. I learned something from her that day. The center of praise is to remember who God is.
Hannah knew this. A new mother, having struggled for so long with infertility, only to follow through on her promise to give her first and only son to the service of God, she must have had a mix of thankfulness and grief. Yet we see that after giving Samuel to God, leaving the son she had waited for so long for at the temple, her response to the unimaginable sadness she must have had, she sang a song...a song of praise and a song of remembrance.
Sometimes when we read scripture and the stories of the characters of scripture, we can unduly make them into heroes. Don't get me wrong, there were many heroes in the Bible, and many we can learn from. However, we have to see that they were just humans like us, struggling to get through life with all of its turmoil and pain. When we remind ourselves of this with Hannah, seeing the context of her situation, the song she sings is not one of a super-human saint that can sing praise songs in the midst of turmoil, but a song of necessity. She is singing for her life. She is singing to remind herself, in the midst of heart crushing pain, of a God that she needs to believe is true. A God that is in control of her life, her son's life, and this world. She is singing because if she doesn't she will be overcome with feelings of despair. She is singing to ground herself in the memory of who God is.
Is this not the essence of praise? These two women, the mother in the hospital room, and Hannah remind us of what praise really is. It is reminding ourselves of who God is, no matter the situation.

Remember - Be Thankful - Dedicate (1 Samuel 1:21-28)

2011-09-27T08:29:00.000-04:00

I can remember when it was different. I can remember the feeling of despair, not sure what I can do to make the feeling go away. Endlessly placing my hope for fulfillment into things that consistently let me down. I can remember where I have come from, and that it was not me that brought me as far as I am. I can remember and I am thankful.

But I don't always remember. In fact, even though I can remember, it is a choice to remember. And many times I make the choice to forget. When I choose to forget I begin believing that it is "me" that got me this far...that it is "me" that knows what I need...that it is "me" that I can count on. It isn't long before my face is in the carpet, having tripped again, before I am reminded of how untrustworthy "me" is. Then I have a choice, to remember, or keep purposely forgetting. I have to choose to remember.

Hannah chose to remember. God had answered her prayer, bringing her out of her despair, giving her hope. He had provided a son for her when it looked like it would never happen. He came through big time. Hannah had told God that if he did, she would give the gift of her child back to him. But lets be real, how easy would it have been for Hannah to choose to forget? There would have been a million excuses/reasons to forget. "Life is busy, especially raising a child." "This child needs his mother". "Who else is going to take care of this child?" "It is God who wants me to rethink this whole vow thing". We can justify our forgetfulness without much effort. But not Hannah. Hannah chose to remember.

I think Hannah remembered because she was thankful. Thankfulness seems to help us remember. We can envision that the whole time Hannah is nursing and caring for Samuel she is thanking God for doing a miracle in her life. We can imagine she sang songs to her baby about how faithful God is and how he restores the future of his people. We can picture a thankful mother consistently choosing to thank God for the gift he had given her. That is the thing....thankfulness is a choice as well. Hannah chose to be thankful and when it came time to be obedient to the promise she had made God to give her son back to him, it is out of thankfulness that she obeyed. "I have prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I ask of him. So now I give him to the Lord." Hannah chose to remember and chose to be thankful.

I think I get tripped up in my life when I choose to forget and thus loose my thankfulness. Everything I have has been given to God. Much like Hannah. Yet, when it comes time to give back to God what he has given me, whether it is talents, treasure, or time, I many times choose to forget. When I forget I am unthankful. When I am unthankful I act on my behalf. When I act on my behalf I lose dedication to God. Hannah's story teaches me a better way. Remember - Be Thankful - Dedicate.

1 Samuel 1:1-20 and the vow of Hannah.

2011-09-21T09:57:00.004-04:00

I will admit, this story on its surface is a bit strange. It is strange because so much of the historical context is different from our own world today. A man with multiple wives, jealousy among wives, temples, priests, etc. There is a tendency with OT stories to leave them so far within their context that they almost seem like little more than ancient parables from a time long ago. They can lose their reality, and have no place in our life today.

I don't think this is OK. And the more I read this story, the more I see that it wasn't just a antiquated metaphor...a nice proverbial story...it is a real human story that points to the real human condition. Hannah is just like you and I. Of course our contexts are different, but aren't all of us wanting something, hurting for something...reaching for something? If we don't feel this now, we have and we will. The feeling that we know life is supposed to be more. The recognition of a desire so deep within us that we literally hurt for it to become a reality.

Hannah reached for her desire by coming to God...and coming to him with a vow. For many of us vows are the language of fox holes and cancer beds. "God if you can get me out of this I will never act like that again." We make vows the tools for escaping our situations, quickly forgetting the vow when the waters have calmed. Hannah is not doing this. Hannah's vow is something different, true, and pure. Hannah's vow is one of dedication. "Lord if you will only look on your child's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head".

This vow wasn't grown from the desperation of someone trying to escape the consequences of their own actions. This was the vow of a child reaching toward her father, expressing a desire that had been such a part of her that at times it probably drove all of her thoughts, until now, when she decided to give her desire and its outcome over totally.

This story reminds me of the oft quoted scripture among Christian folk, Psalm 37:4. The problem with the way we have quoted this scripture is that we take a piece of the scripture and forget the surrounding language. "He will give you the desires of your heart" is used to give us confidence that God is waiting to bless any of our ideas for success as if he is a cosmic bell hop, all the while we tend to ignore the surrounding verses. In this Psalm we see surrounding the popular piece, some more unpopular ideas. "Trust in the Lord and do what is good" - "Take delight in the Lord" - "Commit your way to the Lord".

Hannah had come to a place where she was not going to allow her desire for anything, including a son, which was not a wrong desire, to get in the way of her desire for God. She made a vow...that even this thing that I want so much, if you give to me, I will give it right back to you."

Am I ready to do this? Am I ready to pour my heart out to God in a way that says, "God you can have everything, including my deepest desires"? Maybe what is standing if the way of our receiving the things we desire so much is the fact that we desire them more than we desire God. Maybe God is calling us to come to a point of making a "Hannah" type vow. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+1%3A1-20&version=NIV

John Wesley Did Not Hold to Instantaneous Sanctification

2011-06-25T18:36:00.000-04:00

From his letter to the Bishop of London, 1747...
"I am not one jot more concerned in instantaneous justification as your Lordship explains it — namely, ‘A sudden, instantaneous justification, by which the person receives from God a certain seal of His salvation or an absolute assurance of being saved at last’ . ‘Such an instantaneous working of the Holy Spirit as finishes the business of salvation once for all’. I neither teach nor believe it, and am therefore clear of all the consequences that may arise therefrom. I believe ‘a gradual improvement in grace and goodness,’I mean in the knowledge and love of God, is a good ‘testimony of our present sincerity towards God’; although I dare not say it is ‘the only true ground of humble assurance,’ or the only foundation on which a Christian builds his ‘hopes of acceptance and salvation.’ For I think ‘other foundation’ of these ‘can no man lay than that which is laid, even Jesus Christ."

Just Stop

2011-06-23T14:12:00.000-04:00

While cutting the grass the other day, my two sons were attempting to climb a tree in our front yard. My eldest son (6yrs old) had climbed this tree before by himself, but for whatever reason, was having a trouble this time around. He had his hands on a limb and kept trying, feverishly, to use his feet to move up the trunk of the tree. His feet kept slipping, over and over. I could see the frustration that was growing, and that this was going to end badly. He kept moving his feet faster and faster, yet they kept slipping.

What he had failed to see was that where he was placing his feet on the trunk, was smooth and too slick to gain traction. He didn't notice a knot in the tree, just to his right...a place to gain traction and get up the tree. I walked over to help him see what he wasn't seeing, and ease the frustration. As I walked toward him I told him, "Cole, Daddy can help you". He didn't hear me, he kept with his plan even though his anger was growing. "Cole, Daddy can help you get up there." Still there were no signs that he heard me. At this point he had become so frustrated he was beginning to cry, yet still, he kept with the frantic movement of his feet, trying to climb that tree.

"Cole, stop, listen to daddy, I can help you, I know where you need to put your feet." By this time I was standing right next to him as he was throwing a fit, while still trying the same unsuccessful method of climbing. His anger and frustration kept growing, yet he wouldn't stop and listen to what I was telling him. Finally, I reached up and grabbed him around his mid section, holding him firm but gently and pulled him down from the limb he was hanging on, talking to him the whole time. "It is OK, let me help you, let me show how to climb it." Crying, he fought my embrace, trying to continue in what had only frustrated him. All the while I held him in his frustration.

Finally, he calmed down, and looked at me, and I was able to tell him how to climb that tree. After listening to me, he was able to get up the first time.

As frustrating as it was to me to see him struggle when all he had to do was listen to me, I wonder how frustrating it is to our Heavenly Father when He is wanting to guide us in life, but we are too busy following our own plans, even if they only frustrate, to listen. We struggle, cry, and fight, doing the same things over and over again, getting the same unfulfilling results, all while ignoring the truth that there is a Heavenly Father who wants to embrace us, to hold us, and is saying to us, "child stop, and listen".

The Psalmist reminds us of this in Psalm 46, verse 10. "Be still, and know that I am God!" If you are struggling with something, wether it be something new or a habitual problem, hear the God who loves you calling now to be still and listen. By the way, being still should not only happen when we are at our wits end, but should be a part of our everyday. When we practice being still, listening in prayer and with God's Word, and calling out to him on a daily basis, we find peace instead of frustration, no matter what problem we are faced with.

I hear him saying to me "Ben, just stop".....stop moving, stop filling your days with so much busy work, stop relying on your own knowledge, stop believing you can figure things out on your own, stop forgetting that I love you and am right here....just stop your struggling and listen."

What do you hear him saying?

Standing Far Enough Away

2011-06-06T11:07:00.000-04:00

I have been wrestling in my own life, as a pastor, husband, father, and person, with the idea of being a peacemaker. At NPC we have been going through Jesus' sermon in Luke 6, and most recently his words on loving your enemies. We have been wrestling with what this means, to truly love your enemies. One of the truths that have come out of this for me is that it is not enough when it comes to loving my enemies, to stand far enough away so that I can't get hit. I am supposed to be doing active good toward those that are hostile to me. Jesus said, "Do good to those that who hate you." What does it mean to do good?

I of course am not advocating that people stay in situations where they are getting physically, or emotionally abused. However, it is not enough to just remove ourselves from the hostility of the enemy, we are called to "do good". Of course, what "doing good" looks like is going to be specific to every situation. I do, however, believe that it will always involve praying for those that hurt us. Prayer should be the most active and first step taken in enemy love. The call to pray for one's enemies is not as much a call for God to change them, but a call for God to help us see them as he does. We need God to help us see them within the same grace offered to us. This is difficult no doubt.

Where is God leading us to do good toward those that have acted as our enemies?

The difficult peace

2011-06-03T16:33:00.000-04:00

I've been working through Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount, as described by Luke in his Gospel. The last two weeks have been around the idea of loving one's enemies and responding differently to those that stand against you. Jesus' ethical teaching is forming a group of peacemakers; those who set aside violence, self defense, and rights, and trade them for grace, mercy and love.

I have found that reading and studying about loving your enemies is much easier than actually living it out. Being a peacemaker is hard. It is hard to be a peacemaker that lives with this kind of love, because we have a hard time accepting the "other". What I mean by the "other", is those that are different from us. The difference might be in ideas, or practices. The differences might be in worldview or religion. Whatever the differences are, we allow the differences to separate us to the point we see them as "the others', not recognizing common ground.

Of course, when someone is hostile towards us, it is easy to see them as "the other", yet Jesus' call in Luke 6 is to see them as friend or family. We can achieve this radical idea if we allow God to show us what we have in common with the one(s) who have harmed us. We are both in need of grace....we are both imperfect in our actions...we are both children of God. When we focus on what we have in common, and that we are both in need of forgiveness and grace, we can truly see our enemy as someone that can be forgiven and even take the further step of understanding them, and where they come from.

So the most important step in being a peacemaker is not focusing on the one that hurt us, but on God. When we focus on him we see ourselves for who we truly are, people in need of forgiveness and grace, and we see the commonality we share those that stand against us.

Wisdom from L'Abri

2010-12-28T06:37:00.001-05:00

"Our conscious relationship with God is enhanced if we treat all the things he has made in the same way as he treats them." - Francis Schaeffer, founder of L'Abri.

Top 10 Christmas Albums of all Time

2010-12-16T17:21:00.003-05:00

So, in light of a Facebook discussion with some friends, I decided to put together my Top Ten Christmas Albums of all time. I put this together rather quickly, so I could have missed a couple, but, non the less, here it is. Tell me where I am wrong, where I got it right, and what I forgot. Tis the season for Christmas music, so lets spread the news about the best of the Holiday melodies.

10. Josh Groben – Noel (Although I risk some ribbing for this choice, there are few who can honestly say that they think Josh Groben can’t sing. He brings a powerful and dynamic voice to the Christmas genre that few can match, making this Christmas album a holiday favorite.)
9. Sufjan Stevens – Songs for Christmas(Sufjan is not like the rest of this list…literally. He is different but his differences are what making him special. He brings together his wonderful indie style with classic Christmas songs, sprinkling in some originals, to produce what has to be one of the most enjoyable and fun Christmas albums. You probably haven’t heard of him, but trust me, he is worth a listen)
8. Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas (Vince Guaraldi is a jazz piano maestro, and he brings his genius to Christmas music in this album that most of us have heard, but didn’t know it. Part of the beauty of the Charlie Brown Christmas TV special has always been the soundtrack, and that is all Vince. I encourage you to go back and listen to this album and relive your childhood again.)
7. The Carpenters – Christmas Collection (There is something about listening to Karen Carpenter sing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” that puts me in the Christmas spirit. This album is filled with the classic Christmas songs done only how the Carpenters could do them.)
6. Bing Crosby – White Christmas (There might be some of you who would have had this classic album higher on your top ten list, and I could not argue with you. However it is probably universally agreed upon that it can’t be left off. It has been said that “nobody can sing like Bing”, and boy is it true. This album would be on the top ten even if the only song on the album was “White Christmas”, a song that for fifty years has been a staple of any Christmas play list. It never gets old and I don’t believe it ever will.)
5. City on a Hill – It’s Christmas Time (This is a Christmas compilation album that if you have not heard, you must. Putting together bands like Caedman’s Call, Third Day, Sixpence None the Richer, Jars of Clay and more, this album shows off the deep talent of present day Alternative Christian music. A must have for any Christmas collection)
4. Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song(What else can I say about Nat King Cole that hasn’t already been said? He has one of the smoothest voices in the history of singing. As well, his voice translates to Christmas music perfectly. He makes you just want to grab a mug of hot eggnog and a warm blanket and sit by the fire.)
3. Andy Williams – Christmas Album (I know, I know, some of you are yelling at the screen right now….”How can you put Andy Williams ahead of Nat King Cole, or Bing Crosby? Shocking I know, especially since Mr. Williams did not have near the career of those other famous crooners. But some singers were meant to sing Christmas music, and Andy is one of them. It all came together in this album, making it one of the best ever Seasonal albums.
2. Harry Connick Jr. – Harry for the Holidays (It is hard to put Harry second to anyone, for he and this album have broke into the classics with modern movement and a fresh take. The song, “The Christmas Waltz” is still for 5 years running my favorite Christmas diddie. This leaves me wanting more “Harry” for the holidays.
1. Johnny Mathis – Merry Christmas(For me, there is no one singer that says “Christmas is here” better than Johnny Mathis. With his velvety smooth voice, and unmistakable energy, Mathis is always the first on my Christmas playlist each year.)

Addiction to self.

2010-11-10T17:55:00.001-05:00

"I hear addicts talk about the shakes and panic attacks and the highs and lows of resisting their haibit, and to some degree I understand them because I have had habits of my own, but no drug is so powerful as the drug of self. No rut in the mind is so deep as the one that says 'I am the World, the world belongs to me, all people are characters in my play.' There is no addiction so powerful as self-addiction." - Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz

A God Who Suffers

2010-11-08T18:15:00.001-05:00

As ordinary time is coming to an end within the Christian calendar, we begin to prepare for the time of preparation...the season of Advent. Advent is when we celebrate the coming of God in Jesus, the incarnation of God in humanity. It is a beautiful time of celebration for the greatest gift given, the gift of Jesus.

I don't mean to upend the beautiful ceremonies of Christmas and advent, but I wonder if we have a full picture of what Christmas and more particularly, the coming of Jesus is all about. Christmas should not only be the picture of the manger; of the babe laying in straw, surrounded by his parents and covered with the light of the star. If our Christmas paintings of Jesus stay in the stall he was born in they miss greater picture of a God who came to suffer for us.

I know it doesn't sound logical. How can a God who is all powerful actually suffer. However, as inconceivable as this is, it is wrapped into the inconceivable mystery of the incarnation. We as Christians believe as the great theologian Karl Barth who said "the incarnation is inconceivable but it is not absurd." As we have faith in the truth of God become man in Jesus, we must also see that he became man for a purpose, and part of that purpose was to suffer for us.

The apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Phillipi these words of Jesus, which were most likely a hymn they had sung before: "who, being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing being made in the human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human being, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross."

At the center of the incarnation is the center of God's heart...he loved us so much he sacrificed, emptying himself, to become human, for the purpose of suffering for us.

So, if this Jesus we celebrate on Christmas is "image of the invisible God" who suffers for us, and we are live in him, for him, and through him...than this Christmas we might need to ask how we can sacrifice and suffer for someone else. Let's not keep our faith in the manger, but take our journey of following Jesus to the cross.

Chasing Success

2010-10-20T10:55:00.001-04:00

I just realized that I have my 20 year high school reunion coming up. I can't believe it has been 20 years. When thinking of meeting with those who trekked through the confusion that was High School, I admit, I think about what people will think of what I have become. Don't get me wrong, I am very happy with my life. I have a beautiful wife, with wonderful kids, a home, and I am doing what I love to do. Yet, there it is...that feeling that I might not be seen as successful by others. It leads me to the deeper question; what is success?

I live in a society that is driven by the desire for success. As an American, it seems like many times our worth is defined by how successful we are. How well we have done for ourselves in business, education, or personal notoriety. When meeting people for the first time one of the first things asked in conversation is "What do you do for a living?" This might seem normal, as if we just desire to know about the other person, but behind it is the obvious inquiry, "how successful are you?"

Most of the time in this society the success we are taught to seek is defined by possessions, money, or maybe power and prestige. Have we climbed the corporate ladder? Do we live in that respectable house filled with nice things. What car do we drive? Who do we know? Or who knows us? Wether it be our salary, our homes, our positions...the definition of success seems to be all focused around what we have done for ourselves. The problem is, when we gauge our success by what we have accomplished, when are we actually successful? When can we be happy with where we are and who we are?

I think the story Jesus in the New Testament tells us a radically different way of defining success. Success is achieved more from losing than gaining. This seems ridiculous at first when placed next to the idea that the more we do for ourselves the more successful our lives will be. But there it is, a clear message that true life (successful life) is only gained through giving up all that we have. Jesus said with his own words, "whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it." (Luke 9:24)

Real success is not measured by possessions but by a personal relationship with the one who reveals and releases true human living in us and through us. Real success is not in our list of accomplishments, but our lives lived in sacrifice that accomplishes all things good in this world. Real success is not in power and prestige but walking humbly with Jesus, whose ministry was one of serving, even to the cross. Real success is not in the stock pile of money we have accumulating, but in surrendering our lives to be used by God however he sees fit, even if it calls us to give up everything that the world will define our success by.

What definition of success are we living by?

Accepting Brokenness to be Whole

2010-10-12T13:53:00.001-04:00

I am a closed off person. I admit it. My tendencies are to keep the deepest parts of me to myself. It is hard for me to share the dark and the ugly of who I am. I have spent many hours reflecting on why this is. Is it because I am introverted and just don't share well? I don't think so, for I am a person who has no problem talking to others. Is it because I am prideful? This is possible, because I fear what people will think of me if they knew. Yet, although pride is a good starting point for understanding where this tendency comes from, it points to something deeper. It shows a fight that I have to accept that I am a broken person.

Brokenness is not easy to admit. Not many of us like to admit that we are fundamentally flawed. We like to talk ourselves into believing that we can fix ourselves, or that "we aren't that bad". We paint over our problems, struggles, habits, addictions, as if they normative and the way it is supposed to be as humans. In talking to others, when we do exert the courage needed, we many times are confronted with the response, "that is just what it means to be a man/woman/human," as if the broken parts of us are not really broken, but the way we were made.

We know better than this though. Deep down we know this isn't true. Deep down we feel that there should be more than living in our struggles. Our ears perk at the faint whispers of the possibility of victory. However, as paradoxical as it seems, the first step towards that victory is admitting we are utterly broken and need the unbroken one.

A.W. Tozer reminds us that "Deliverance can come to us only by the defeat of our old life. Safety and peace come only after we have been forced to our knees. God rescues us by breaking us, by shattering our strength and wiping out our resistance." We don't usually like our strength shattered. We tend to live lives in ways to protect ourselves from this. Our life actions show that our priorities are to become stronger, more qualified, financially insulated, self sufficient beings that are protected from being "shattered" or "wiped out".

Yet Jesus reminds us that "Blessed are the poor in spirit..", or those that recognize their utter helplessness/brokenness/neediness. Lord help me to be truthful to you and others, that apart from you I am a mess....and let us all see that in our weakness, your strength comes through.

Struggle - A Poem

2010-10-12T13:22:00.001-04:00

Struggle.

Great strength is brought with pain,
From out the strife,
From out the storms that sweep
The human soul^___
Those hidden tempests
Of the inner life^___
Comes forth the lofty calm
Of self-control.

Peace after war. Although
The heart may be trampled
And plowed like a torn battle field,
Rich are the fruits that follow victory,
And the battle grounds
The fullest harvests yield.

Strong grows his arm who breasts
A downward stream,
And stems with steady stroke;
The mighty tide
Of his own passions. Sore
The wrench may seem,
But only he is strong
Whose strength is tried.

To toil is hard, to lay
Aside the oar,
To softly rise and fall
With passion's swell,
Is easier far. But when
The dream is o'er
The bitterness of waking
None can tell.

To float at ease, by sleepy
Zephyrs fanned,
Is but to grow more feeble
Day by day;
While slips life's little hour
Out, sand by sand,
And strength and hope together
Waste away.

He only wins who sets
His thews of steele
With tighter tensions for
The prick of pain;
Who wearies, yet stands fast;
Whose patient zeal
Welcomes the present loss
For future gain.

Toil before ease; the cross,
Before the crown.
Who covets rest, he first
Must earn the boom.
He who at night in peace
Would lay him down,
Must bear his load amid
The heats of noon.

^__Ellen P. Allerton.

Prayer for Social Justice

2010-09-24T09:56:00.001-04:00

For Social Justice

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Civility in Public and Political Dialogue

2010-09-23T16:56:00.001-04:00

I had a conversation with my brother over breakfast this morning about the loss of civility when it comes to political discourse these days. It has saddened me to see that many of us are swayed more the talking heads spouting sound bites for increased television ratings, than by actually sitting across from someone who might think differently than you and with civility, dialoguing. This lack of civility has further entrenched those sitting on either side of this polarized political culture.

Interestingly enough, I came across this interview with Michael Sandel, a professor of Ethics at Harvard. Very interesting and insightful...take a look.

The Temptation of Jesus

2010-09-22T07:44:00.001-04:00

Just read Luke 4:1-13 which is the account of Jesus being tempted by Satan. I don't know why I haven't before, but I just began to compare the temptation of Jesus to the Temptation of Adam and Eve. Although, obviously, Satan tempted Jesus with many more things, mainly because he would not give in, it seems to me that at the heart of each story is the same temptation: the temptation to take control of the situation (be like God) and not trust in God.

It seems to me that the heart of all sin is not trusting in God and trying to control our own lives. Are we going to further Adam's mistake, or follow the example of Jesus?

I Arise Today...

2010-08-12T11:18:00.001-04:00

From the St. Patrick's Breastplate Prayer...

I arise today

Through God's strength to pilot me:

God's might to uphold me,

God's wisdom to guide me,

God's eye to look before me,

God's ear to hear me,

God's word to speak for me,

God's hand to guard me,

God's way to lie before me,

God's shield to protect me,

God's host to save me

From snares of devils,

From temptations of vices,

From everyone who shall wish me ill,

Afar and anear,

Alone and in multitude...

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today

Why I understand yet disagree with Anne Rice's decision.

2010-08-03T14:19:00.002-04:00

Recently I was referred to an article posting on www.npr.org written about popular Christian author, Anne Rice, and her announcement that she is quitting Christianity. Apparently Rice has struggled for a while with many of the actions of the Christian church, or at least conservative parts of it. What pushed her over the edge to quitting Christianity, was reading an article about an ultra-conservative youth organization in Minnesota that has apparently been advocating the execution of homosexuals as being biblical.
Let me say first, I understand Rice's decision. I even agree with some of her motivations for taking the step she has taken. It is difficult for me to stomach some of the many things that have been said and done in the name of Jesus. Through out history we see examples of those claiming to follow Jesus waging wars, killing innocent people, fostering racial hatred, and the list goes on.
I will never forget when I took my first Church History class in seminary. As someone who loved history, I optimistically, and naively, dove in to find out more about the history of our faith. I became very sad very quickly when I began to read stories of people calling themselves "the church of Jesus" doing things that seemed opposite of anything Jesus did or would do. I am even more sad to see that in many ways we have not learned from our mistakes. Today some of the most hate filled acts and messages still resonate from the halls of so called "Christian" churches. It is enough to make some one want to disassociate from the Christian lot all together. I understand.
Yet, even though I understand Rice's decision to quit Christianity, I respectfully disagree. And surprisingly enough, the reason I disagree is based on the same issue that lead Rice to quit the church. Christ-likeness. Rice has decided to follow Jesus while not being a part of the Christian church. Rice seems to distance her self from the Christian church because she sees little "Christ-likeness" within it. I stay dedicated to the church because doing so is Christ-like.
God has never given up on his people, but constantly worked to remind them of their failures, misunderstandings, and out right misrepresentations of him. Jesus is the perfect example of this. Standing outside the city, on his trek to complete what he knew was his divinely given vocation, with a mix of love and disappointment in his eyes, Jesus gazed at the city of Jerusalem, the symbol of those he came to preach to, and feeling many of the same feelings expressed by Rice, stated "Jerusalem, Jerusalem the city that kills the the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" Even while recognizing that those he had come to preach the good news of the kingdom to had rejected him, he continued his journey toward the self-sacrifice of the cross...for them.
The church is not perfect, and it won't be until God's redemption plan is complete. However, I stick with the church, the Body of Christ, because the Head of that Body has stuck with me in my imperfection. I must stop here and say, that I do believe there are those in this world who call themselves followers of Jesus but are not. I am not the judge, but I do believe God gives us the ability and responsibility to speak out against those who are falsely representing the name of Christ, like for example, this youth organization that pushed Rice over the edge.
This is what our call is, not to give up on the church, but to be the church, so that the we are constantly reminding ourselves and each other what it means to be Christ-like in this world. Jesus did not and has not given up on his church. In fact, even in light of all its imperfections, Jesus has chosen to work through the church to reveal and enact his redemption. The Apostle Paul said we are clay, cracked pots, holding within us treasure. The treasure has chosen to be revealed through the cracks of the unworthy vessels. As cracked as the vessel is, I am proud to call myself a part of it.
Miss Rice, we need you too to be a part of the church. I recognize the pain, hurt and truth to your motivations for quitting on Christianity. And here is the thing that you might not realize. In your honest quest to follow Jesus, and not Christianity, it will ultimately lead you back to the church. For you will love what Christ loves, and want to be a part of Christ's actions in this world, and this will make you a part of his church.

2010-08-02T08:42:00.001-04:00

John 1:14-18 "14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' ") 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known."

2010-07-29T15:57:00.001-04:00

"Justice is what love looks like in public" - Dr. Cornell West

The Pilgrims Wisdom

2010-07-08T16:22:00.001-04:00

"Journeys are not hard when they are the fulfillment of hopes" - Egeria the Pilgrim, 400 CE

Word from Romans 8

2010-07-01T09:11:00.001-04:00

Some encouragement from one of my favorite chapters in the Bible:

³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Some words from Justin Martyr (ca. 100-ca. 165)

2010-06-22T13:43:00.001-04:00

"We who formerly...valued above all things the acquisition of wealth and possession, now bring what we have into a common stock, and communicate to everyone in need; we who hated and destroyed one another, and on account of their different manners would not live with men of a different tribe, now, since the coming of Christ, live familiarly with them, and pray for our enemies." Justin Martyr, 1 Apol. 14

"Sunday Morning" Trailer

2010-05-18T08:14:00.001-04:00

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Hilarious, yet a little sad and definitely makes me take a look at what we do. But really funny still, mainly because it is true. Take a look, what do you think?

Morning Prayer

2010-05-18T07:20:00.001-04:00

Venite

Come let us sing to the Lord; *
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *
and the heights of the hills are his also.

The sea is his, for he made it, *
and his hands have molded the dry land.

Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *
Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!

Mountain Lions in Indianahttp://www.in.gov/dnr/images/co-dnr-lion2.jpg

2010-05-17T15:32:00.001-04:00

Check out this picture from an Indiana DNR motion sensitive camera in Greene county. We have Mountain Lions! There have been numbers of reports through out Indiana, but this is the first pictorial proof. Pretty Crazy

How Christian Were the Founding Fathers?

2010-04-28T16:32:00.001-04:00

Saw an interesting article on history education in our country, and specifically how public schools teach about our founding fathers. I know there has been a long standing debate on how "Christian" our founding fathers were. Interesting article. It reminded me of my Political Science professor and Academic Counselor, Dr. Glen Martin, who being a staunch conservative still held the strong belief that most of our Founding Fathers were practicing Deists, not traditional Christians. Interesting. Read the article by clicking here.

A Biblical Theology of Women - Part 1 (Created Purpose)

2010-04-28T13:41:00.000-04:00

(As I am doing research on this subject, it is not feasible for me to post all my findings on this blog. This would be too tedious to read, and too time consuming for me. With that said, I do wish to hit the "mountain peaks" of the conclusions I am coming to so as to encourage dialogue around the subject. )

In sketching out a Biblical theology of women one must start where the story of God and his creation starts, in Genesis. I still remember being a seminary student taking my first course, introduction to the Old Testament, from Dr. Sandra Richter. I will never forget the first time she used in a lecture the phrase, “God’s original intent is his final intent”. That was one of those divine moments in the structuring of personal theology that the story of God began to make clearer sense to me. God had an original intent when he created the world and everything in it. God’s intent has not changed just because we failed to follow his rules. So the question we must ask ourselves when we look at God’s view of gender issues is “what was God’s original intent for the relationship between male and female”?

We see that both man and woman (humankind) was made in the image of God (Gen.1:26-27): This is significant because it was not an accident for the writer of Genesis one (probably Moses) to mention that women were a part of the created humanity and the image of God. This is significant especially due to the fact that the surrounding culture was patriarchal, as was the Hebrew culture.

o In v.26 we see that God decided to make אָדָ֛ם in “our image”. This wordadm is unfortunately translated in the KJV as “man” but is better translated as human kind. This noun is common and can be seen as describing all of human kind, not just a particular sex, whether it be male or female. In understanding this word as “humankind” we see that encompasses both male and female humans, and God created both of them in his image.

o In the ancient world an image was believed to carry the essence of that which it represented. This would not suggest that the image could do what the deity could do, nor that it looked the same as the deity. Rather, the deity’s work was thought to be accomplished through the idol.[1]

o It seems clear that the image of God was to be best displayed in a humanity made up of both male and female. In the words of Aida Besancon Spencer, “At creation, conversely, male and female form a unity. It is that unity that mirrors God’s likeness.”[1] It is communal nature of humanity, both male and female, that best reflects the image of a God that is communal in his nature; Father, Son, Spirit. Humanity, both male and female together are needed to reflect who God is.

So, in conclusion, just in looking at the first couple of verses mentioning humanity, we can see from the beginning, both male and female were created equally by God, together as both essential to represent the image of God. More from Genesis soon.

[1] Bensancon Spencer, Aida. Beyond the Curse: Women Called to Ministry. 1985. (p.22) Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers.

[1] Walton, John H. The IVP Bible Background commentary: Genesis-Deuteronomy. 1997. (p.18) Downer’s Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press.

Test one two three

2010-04-28T13:31:00.001-04:00

test one two three

Henri Nouwen on Writing

2010-04-28T11:24:00.000-04:00

Another Gem from Henri:

Writing, Opening a Deep Well

Writing is not just jotting down ideas. Often we say: "I don't know what to write. I have no thoughts worth writing down." But much good writing emerges from the process of writing itself. As we simply sit down in front of a sheet of paper and start to express in words what is on our minds or in our hearts, new ideas emerge, ideas that can surprise us and lead us to inner places we hardly knew were there.

One of the most satisfying aspects of writing is that it can open in us deep wells of hidden treasures that are beautiful for us as well as for others to see. - Henri Nouwen

Video - "Synthetic Sea"

2010-04-26T23:27:00.002-04:00

After watching the Oscar Winning Movie "The Cove", I did a little research and found this documentary about the effects of petroleum based plastics on our oceons. Very eye opening.

Why the Earth Should Matter to Christians

2010-04-22T11:51:00.001-04:00

To follow up my previous post, "Why the Earth (unfortunately) hasn't mattered to Christians", it is only right on this Earth Day 2010 to lay out for you why I think we as Christians should be leading the way in caring for the Earth. As has already been mentioned, many of us as Christians have not shown the same level of care for the Earth that others in our world have, but we should be caring more deeply than anyone. Caring for the Earth should matter to us. Why?

Because it Matters to God: We have to go back to Genesis 1 to begin to see God's attitude toward his creation and when we do we see that after creating the Earth and everything in it, he looked at it and said it was "good". It can not be over-emphasized that God sees his Creation as good. Yes, I know that the story doesn't end there but the "crown jewel" of his creation (humanity) rebelled against him and brought sin into this world; the sin that has distorted, tainted, and turned upside down his created order, but we are incorrect to think that God stopped caring for his created world at that point or that he was ready to discard it. The opposite is actually true.

Because Saving the Earth is a part of God's Plan: After the fall of man, God did not give up on his Creation, rather, he set in motion a great rescue plan to redeem his Creation (humanity and the created world) from the grips of sin. You see, God's original intent for his Creation is still his final intent. God did not change his mind, or reconsider what he was trying to do when he created the world and man within it. He gave us free will, so that He could have a loving relationship with us, and when we rebelled against him, he lovingly didn't give up on us or his Creation project. Many times in the church we have focused solely on God's desire to save one part of his creation, namely humanity. Human salvation should have the central piece in our understanding of God's salvation/redemption but we should not stop there. God's plan was to, as the Apostle Paul puts it, "reconcile all things in heaven and on Earth under Christ." (Eph. 1:10)

God's plan has never been to discard this world and create another place for him to dwell with his people. God did not desire to save man to live in a "cloud city" in the sky somewhere, but to live with Him in the place he created for them in the beginning. By taking on the sin of the world, Jesus redeemed the world, the whole world, from the eternal affects of sin. In John chapter 20 we read the the Gospel writer's account of the resurrection of Jesus. In this story we see Mary at the tomb distraught over Jesus' body being seemingly stolen. She sees who she thinks is the "gardener" and it turns out to be Jesus. Interestingly enough, Mary wasn't that far off in her identifying Jesus as the gardener, because in a real tangible and cosmic way he was. Through his resurrection, "new creation" or the redemption of God's creation had been accomplished. Some day we will see it completed, which leads us to...

God has saved us to be a part of His "World Saving Plan": So, if God's plan has always been to redeem all of his creation, us included, then the question is, "shouldn't we be about the same business God is?" I hope your answer to this question is "yes". And I hope that our answer does not just consist of getting people to place faith in Jesus. Again, I can not stress strongly enough that leading people to follow Jesus should be the central piece to the message of the church to the world. However, it can not be the only piece, because if it is we are displaying to the world only part of the Gospel of Jesus, that God is only interested in saving humans, not his creation. Jesus said, "as I am to Israel, you are to be to the world", so the question is, what was the message Jesus told the world? When we read the New Testament we see that the key to his message was, "The kingdom of God is present". That is basically saying, God has reclaimed his creation through the life death and resurrection of Jesus, and that is all of his creation. As he was separated from his creation when the first humans rebelled and brought sin into this world, so he has reclaimed his Creation through Jesus. As his people we are to now enact what he has already done. We should be living out the reclaiming of his creation from the effects of sin. We should be reversing the trend of selfishly using the resources of the world without thinking of others or future generations. We should be leading the way in supporting things like clean air/water initiatives, the discover of safe sustainable energy, and the responsible use of natural resources.

So as the people of God, desiring to live out the plan and the heart of God, let us this Earth Day rededicate to having God's heart for his Creation, and be the leaders in restoring his Earth!

Why the Earth (unfortunately) hasn't Mattered to Christians

2010-04-22T10:47:00.002-04:00

Well it is Earth day again. Although, like every other event/day/occasion/holiday on the calendar it seems Earth Day has been hijacked by advertisers and media, it is what I would consider an important day for us Christians to care about. Why? Because we should be leading the efforts in caring for the Earth.

Unfortunately we have seen the opposite from the church and those that call themselves Christians. For years upon years it has seemed as if the church of Jesus Christ has at best been slowly catching up to the rest of the world in doing the Earth friendly things to care for the world, and at worst just ignoring Earth care all together. Why is this? I believe it has come from what can only be called "bad theology" and more specifically "bad eschatology".

Let me explain. First, we all have a theology of some sort, for theology is how we think about God and his actions in this world. All of us, wether we know it or not, have a theology. From that theology grows our praxis or "actions" or how we live in this world. As a part of that theology we also have an "eschatology", which is basically "what we think the culmination of history is going to be". Even if we don't have it figured out, we have some sort of idea of what we think all of history is pointing towards. It has been said that "how we think of the future/end directs how we live in the present."

With all of that said, we need to realize that much of the church has for years had an "eschatology" that goes something like this: in the end all Christians are going to be raptured from this Earth, and after being raptured the Earth is going to go through "hell" and finally be "burned or destroyed". Couple with this the fact that most that believe this also believe that it is going to happen any time now. Now, when this is your idea of how it is all going to go down, what emphasis would you put on taking care of the Earth. If it is all going to burn, why place much emphasis on caring for a doomed garden? Why worry about things like recycling it doesn't really matter how much trash we accumulate, it will all be destroyed. Why worry about Global warming, when the real "global warming" is coming. The desire to care for the Earth seems to go away when you believe the Earth is going to go away.

This eschatology has also led many Christians to the sole emphasis of their actions on helping people escape the burning ship. What I mean is, rather than seeing the role of the church as "announcing the kingdom of God is present" and "all things (including creation) are being reconciled in Christ", we have focused solely on getting people a ticket to escape the devastation we think is coming. If you think it is all going to burn, then your efforts would not be put towards things like clean water or environmental advocacy. No, all of your resources will be used toward getting people their tickets to escape this place.
Don't get me wrong. I think the message of personal salvation is key within the larger message of God's salvation through Jesus, but it is not the only thing God is saving. (I don't want to get too far ahead here because I am going to post another article entitled "Why the Earth Should Matter to Christians" speaking to some of these issues).

We also can not ignore the reality that many of those that hold to this type of end times eschatology, are also closely connected politically to the right wing conservative movement. It is no surprise that those who consider themselves "right wing" on the political spectrum have had suspicion about the validity of the need to care for the Earth at all. They have openly questioned things like Global Warming, pollution affects, and long term environmental dangers, even though these things have been and are almost unanimously accepted within the scientific community. Let me say at this point, without sufficient time or space here to elaborate, that as it is true that our theology should drive our politics, it is the sad case for many Americans that our politics have driven our theologies. (It is also important to note that this happens on both the Left and the Right and we should be careful as Christian to be labeled as either)

So, where do we go from here. Why should Christians care about caring for the Earth? Good question, and I have some answers....coming up next.

More of the Same in Sudan

2010-04-22T08:19:00.000-04:00

Look like it is more of the same in regards to our approach to Sudan/Darfur. This is very disappointing.

Op-Ed Columnist - Obama Backs Down on Sudan - NYTimes.com

Christ Hymn from Colossians

2010-04-21T10:22:00.000-04:00

Colossians 1:15-20

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Clark Pinnock on Creation accounts and Reading Genesis

2010-04-20T16:16:00.000-04:00

Check out this article by Clark Pinnock on reading the origin stories in Genesis. I am interested in any thoughts in response.

NT Wright on Reading Genesis

2010-04-18T20:25:00.002-04:00

Check out this clip of NT Wright talking to us about reading Genesis. I say, "Amen". Click Here to See it

A Biblical View of Women

2010-04-13T10:11:00.001-04:00

Not long ago we had a family visit the church. After the service the father of the family came up to me with the bulletin in his hand, and I could tell something was wrong. "I have a question" he said in a voice that displayed a mix of concern and curiosity. "I noticed that you list your house churches (small groups) in the bulletin and that you listed a woman as one of the House Church Pastors. Is this a mistake?" I immediately knew where this was coming from, and began to try to explain why we at NPC seek equality between men and women in all things including ministry. Referring to the usual verses (1 Tim. 2:11-15, 1 Cor. 14:34-36) used by those that hold to a patriarchal view of the bible, I was again reminded of the disappointing reality that much of the Christian Church in our world lacks what I believe is a Biblical view of women. I am not saying I have it all figured out, but I do feel there are clear misunderstandings when it comes to how we see the roles of men and women. I will be posting a few thoughts on this issue over the next few weeks, and would love for your thoughts, no matter where you land on the issue. Come, let us reason together.

The Authority of Compassion - Henri Nouwen

2010-04-12T10:58:00.000-04:00

Another Gem from Henri Nouwen...a very counter cultural and Christ-like approach to authority.

The Authority of Compassion

Mostly we think of people with great authority as higher up, far away, hard to reach. But spiritual authority comes from compassion and emerges from deep inner solidarity with those who are "subject" to authority. The one who is fully like us, who deeply understands our joys and pains or hopes and desires, and who is willing and able to walk with us, that is the one to whom we gladly give authority and whose "subjects" we are willing to be.

It is the compassionate authority that empowers, encourages, calls forth hidden gifts, and enables great things to happen. True spiritual authorities are located in the point of an upside-down triangle, supporting and holding into the light everyone they offer their leadership to.
- Henri Nouwen

Stopping to Listen

2010-04-12T10:15:00.000-04:00

I don't think I am the only one that needs to listen. We are a people surrounded by sounds. The sounds of hectic schedules, the noise of constant movement, the buzz of endless deadlines, and the hum of the busy life. I can't stop now...too much to do. What will happen if I slow down? Will it keep turning if I am not moving? Yet, when I stop, I can barely hear that small still voice, "slow down, listen to me, spend time with me, it will be worth it."

2010-04-07T20:49:00.001-04:00

Had a good house church meeting! It always feels good to get together with friends. Life is better together!

ABADADOS!

2010-04-07T13:29:00.002-04:00

Found out from my son, who corrected me, that guacamole is made of ABADADOS!

Holy Spirit Hokey Pokey

2010-04-07T12:50:00.002-04:00

I am always hesitant about poking fun at any other church, but this is kind of ridiculous.

God's Continual Forgiveness

2010-04-07T12:38:00.000-04:00

Our imaginations have a hard time grasping the concept of God's continual forgiveness. Yes we have heard it preached, taught and its even been modeled to us by our parents as we grew. Yet, we don't fully understand it. It can't be that we mess up again and again and keep being forgiven. It doesn't seem to jive with the way the world runs. The rules of our universe seem to be "you get what you deserve" and "you reap what you sow". Of course there is truth contained within these sayings, truth that we have all experienced. However, the ultimate truth almost seems to contradict the application of these saying...the truth that God forgives us for what we have done, and even though we deserve to pay the full consequence of our actions, he has taken it for us. We are tempted to think that there is a limit to how many times we can mess up before we lose this gift...and yet there he remains, offering us forgiveness again and again. Maybe we aren't supposed to understand it as much as accept it.

Jesus and New Creation

2010-04-06T14:28:00.000-04:00

How many Easter sermons have you heard that go something like this..."because Jesus rose from the grave, we have hope of eternal life...because Jesus rose from the grave we have the hope of Heaven." Let me say at the outset that I agree with these statements, however, I want to deal with what I feel might be a grave mistake in allowing the story of Jesus' resurrection to be kept at such a limited view.

Let me start by laying my thoughts out in a sentence...the story of Jesus' resurrection is at its heart the story of new creation, or the reclaiming of creation by a God who did not give up on what he created. Yes Heaven is a part of that story of new creation, as it is a promise that we will be with Jesus when we die, however, in the words of N.T. Wright, "heaven is not the end of the world". Jesus rising on that first Easter morn was the beginning (or firstfruits as Paul put it) of what is the new creation that is transforming all things. It is the remedy to the sickness of sin that has distorted the creation of God. In rising from the grave Jesus overcame the ultimate result of sin...death.

Remember back to the book of Genesis when our fore-parents made the decision attempt to be like God. They brought sin into this world and that sin distorted, tainted, and twisted God's good creation, including us. In Gen. 3 there were a number of consequences given to Adam and Eve for their actions, but the ultimate and overarching result of sin was death. Jesus (who is correctly labeled by Paul as the "second Adam") rose from the grave after dying on the cross and in doing so overcame the ultimate result of sin. He is the remedy for the sickness of sin. He is new creation within the old dying creation. He did not come to evacuate his people from a world burning and going to hell, he came as the remedy to cure the sickness that infected humanity and all of creation. He is the New Creation, and now when we place our faith in him, we too are new creation and a part of new creation. This is the story of Easter. Let the story go further than just Heaven, because if it doesn't it is not telling the real "Good News."

Health care and Fire care

2010-03-18T16:57:00.000-04:00

I heard it said recently that healthcare should be provided much like fire care...to everyone. I have been thinking about this. I want approach this idea from the other way by asking the question, "if the ideology that supports the

Support Debt Relief for Poorest Countries

2010-03-11T13:17:00.000-05:00

The concept of "jubilee" is biblical. It is the periodic relief of debt for those whose indebtedness has kept them impoverished. As citizens of the wealthiest country in the world, we must encourage our government to lead the way in forgiving the debts incurred by some of the poorest countries in the world. In doing this we allow for the money that would be paid toward the debts incurred to instead be used for economy structure, agricultural expansion, education, and general good. This is a good thing that we should support. Find out more at www.jubileeusa.org.

Morning Prayer

2010-03-05T09:35:00.000-05:00

As the sun does daily rise,
Brightening all the morning skies,
So to You with one accord
Lift we up our hearts, O God.

Day by day provide us food,
For from You come all things good;
Strength unto our souls afford
From Your living bread, O God.

Be our guard in sin and strife;
Be the leader of our life;
Lest from You we stray abroad,
Stay our wayward feet, O God.

Quickened by the Spirit's grace
All Your holy will to trace
While we daily search Your Word,
Wisdom true impart, O God.

A Beautiful Sound

2010-03-02T14:55:00.000-05:00

There is nothing sweeter than the sound of my five year old reciting the Lord's Prayer. About a month ago I started saying it with him and his brother during our nightly bed time routine, having them repeat after me. Last week he started saying it on his own. Last night he said he wanted to lead us in the Lord's prayer and belted it out as if he had been saying it for years.

I've said it since I was a kid. I have recited it as an adult in worship services, at family gatherings, and in my own personal times of prayer. Yet, I have never heard it sound so sweet as when Cole said it last night. It adds so much more to the meaning of it for me. He also asked me last night about God being our "heavenly Father". Pretty cool.

Lenten Meditation

2010-03-01T16:41:00.000-05:00

Come, thou everlasting Spirit,

Bring to every thankful mind

All the Saviour's dying merit,

All his sufferings for mankind;

True Recorder of his passion,

Now the living faith impart,

Now reveal his great salvation,

Preach his gospel to our heart.

Come, thou Witness of his dying,

Come, Rembrancer Divine,

Let us feel thy power applying,

Christ to every soul and mind;

Let us groan thine inward groaning,

Look on him we pierced and grieve,

All receive the grace atoning,

All the sprinkled blood receive.

2009-11-13T12:18:00.003-05:00

I read this in A.W. Tozer classic, "The Pursuit of God". I think it hits us as a society square in the chest. This is a good word as we are on the cusp of the biggest shopping season of the year.

There is within the human heart a tough fibrous root of fallen life whose nature is to possess, always to possess. It covets “things” with a deep and fierce passion. The pronouns “my” and “mine” look innocent enough in print, but their constant and universal use is significant. They express the real nature of the old Adamic man better than a thousand volumes of theology could do. They are verbal symptoms of our deep disease. The roots of our hearts have grown down into things, and we dare not pull up on rootlet lest we die. Things have become necessary to us, a development never originally intended. God’s gifts now take the place of God, and the whole course of nature is upset by the monstrous substitution. – A.W. Tozer, “The Pursuit of God” page 22

Psalm 27:14 Waiting on the Lord

2009-11-12T08:47:00.004-05:00

Read this passage this morning:

Psalm 27:14

"Wait for the Lord;

be strong, and let your heart take

courage;

wait for the Lord!

Why is it so hard to wait for God? I feel like I have been waiting for some resolution in a few areas in my life. Not that these things are going to kill me, but I feel that God is close to answering, to coming through, and then...he doesn't. At least not in the way I think. Not even in any way. So....my thoughts are that God is having me wait.

The thing about waiting is, it takes faith. Maybe thats why I don't want to wait, because I don't have the faith I should in God. Shouldn't "wait" be a good enough answer for me if I trust God? If I trust God to care for me I would know that when he has me wait it is for a purpose, for my own good, for something better than I have pictured or planned for. Yet, here I sit, waiting and hating it. God increase my faith in you.

Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places

2009-10-13T14:19:00.002-04:00

A poem I came across while reading a Eugene Peterson book on Spirituality. Good stuff.

As Kingfishers Catch Fire

BY GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;

As tumbled over rim in roundy wells

Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's

Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;

Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:

Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;

Selves — goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,

Crying Whát I dó is me: for that I came.

I say móre: the just man justices;

Keeps grace: thát keeps all his goings graces;

Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is —

Chríst — for Christ plays in ten thousand places,

Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his

To the Father through the features of men's faces.

Thankful for the Morning Light

2009-09-23T09:05:00.001-04:00

Thankful for the morning light
shining over earth and sea;
thankful for the sky so bright,
Creator, God, to you.
To you with all our hearts we pray,
now at the dawning of the day;
we know you have us in your care
and you will hear our prayer.

Thankful for each friend so dear,
whether they are proud or meek;
God, we ask that you will hear--
your holy face we seek.
To you our earliest thoughts are giv'n;
like incense may they rise to heav'n;
and from you now a blessing bear
in answer to our prayer.

Precious is the heart of love;
may, at length, such hearts be ours;
God, please send down from above
your love and truth divine.
And may they cleanse our willing souls
of earthly ills and make them whole;
for Christ did come to share our toil
and will not spurn our prayers.

Words: James Reed (adapted)
Music: James Reed
Sequence: Cathouse Pandemonium, Ltd

The Need for the Church to Change

2009-09-22T11:26:00.002-04:00

I saw this interesting article written by a business professor in the Wall Street Journal about the need for churches to change to grow. He delivered this message to the Summit Leadership Group at Willow Creek Church. It is a pretty interesting and eye opening point of view from an outsider looking at the church as an organization. Read the article by clicking Here

More U2 - Crumbs from Your Table

2009-07-30T00:45:00.000-04:00

Here is an unplugged look at U2 performing "Crumbs from your table". Enoy!

More U2 - Beautiful Day

2009-07-13T11:37:00.000-04:00

One their greatest songs ever. I cant listen too much. Take a break enjoy the greatest rock band doing what they do best. Enjoy!

Taming of the Shrew

2009-07-03T18:29:00.002-04:00

Thats right...you can hunt anywhere, even in your office at church. I caught a grey mole in my office while working on a sermon. I thought about keeping him as an office pet, kind of like a hamster, but after a quick google, found out that moles don't make good pets, they eat too much and die of anxiety in captivity. So, I guess I will let him go in the lawn out front. Not sure how he got in...never heard of moles inside. Well...that will do it for another episode of "Wild Office Kingdom"....

More U2 - Discotheque

2009-07-03T11:33:00.000-04:00

Off of what I believe is their most under-appreciated album, Discotheque is a song that makes you want to dance. So, unless your at work, get up and dance. Enjoy!

More U2 - Lemon

2009-06-23T11:28:00.000-04:00

Zooropa was for U2 what Sgt. Pepper was for the Beatles. It changed things from then on. Some people aren't comfortable with change, but I believe the band would not have continued to evolve with out the Zooropa album. Like it or not it is a part of their musical journey. I personally like it. Here is a song from that Album. Enjoy.

More U2 - Until the end of the World

2009-06-14T00:19:00.001-04:00

Judas never knew he would have a great Rock song written about him. Here is a great one from Achtung Baby. Enjoy!

More U2 - I Still Haven't Found what I am looking for

2009-06-10T00:04:00.000-04:00

How about U2 and the Boss, Bruce Springsteen? Here is a gem as they perform one of the greatest hits off of the greatest U2 album. Enjoy!

More U2 - MLK

2009-05-30T00:47:00.000-04:00

One of their great songs, MLK, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Proving again that there has never been a band with the social conscious of this one. Enjoy!

More U2 - New Years Day

2009-05-13T00:40:00.000-04:00

More U2 as I give tribute to the greatest band by walking through their musical history. This installment brings us to New Year's Day. BTW, there is no chronology to these U2 posts, just posting some of my favorite songs from all their albums. Enjoy!

A Japanese Restaraunt

2009-05-08T21:59:00.000-04:00

I have a friend who is a missionary in Japan. She recently posted this on her blog. Apparently they have these restaurants in Japan that have these conveyor belts that bring sushi around and you just grab what you want off the conveyor belt and they charge you for how many plates you have at the end. Well, they decided to put something else on the conveyor belt.

Most Underrated List

2009-05-07T12:07:00.002-04:00

Just few things that I think are Underrated.

Most Underrated...
...TV Show - Arrested Development (unfortunately it is not on anymore)
...Snack Food - Bugles
...Rock Band - Muse or MuteMath
...Author - Henri Nouwen
...hobby - reading
...Movie - Reign Over Me (2007)
...Candy Bar - Milky Way
...Cereal - Fruity Pebbles
...The Spiritual Life - prayer
...Miscellaneous - the simple things in life

Justice

2009-05-06T13:51:00.002-04:00

"Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for dikaios's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" - Matthew 5:6.

I had always read this the way dikaios is usually interpreted, as "righteousness". Interestingly enough, I have found that it can just as easily and correctly be translated as "justice". How does this change its meaning.

"Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for JUSTICE's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God."

Interesting.

Christians and Political Involvement: Part One

2009-05-04T12:51:00.005-04:00

I have decided to do a series of posts weighing in on a subject I have been thinking and studying about for a while. I have to start by explaining that my thoughts and positions on this subject have changed dramatically over the past decade. I also expect they will continue to grow, morph and change as I get older. Part of the reason for this series of posts is to get out what I am thinking. This does not come from a paper or a sermon I have written or preached, it comes from my head as I type. With that in mind, I might jump around a bit, so stick with me. I have to give credit my older brother James, who continues to teach me things, for the seed thought for these posts. We had a conversation a couple weeks ago, and I have been chewing on it since.

I feel that we in the American church are far past the need to have a conversation about what our role is and should be in politics and government. Unfortunately, a healthy conversation has not been possible because we Christians don't allow for others within the family to differ in our opinions and still feel a part of the family. This happens with many subjects, and unfortunately it shuts down any meaningful dialogue that could happen. So, although I will be proposing things I have come to believe, I do it with charity and humility, knowing that I have never been totally right, and someone else totally wrong. Also, to save time I will refer to politics and government as PG. (funny, cause it usually is at least PG13 or even R :) )

In this series of posts I will deal with what I see as the major struggles of Christians in America and their participation in PG (for all my friends that are not American citizens, I am only working this conversation from within my present context, however the subject has applications in any country or nation); an overview of the differing views within the Christian world of how we should participate in PG, including looking at where these ideas came from; what I see as the Biblical understanding of how we should participate in PG and how Jesus himself participated in PG; and lastly an overview of my stance.

I understand that this is only a series of blog posts, and that there have been whole volumes written on the subject. I will not be able to write everything I have thought on the subject, and it might take a question or comment to get further clarification on what I am thinking. Feel free to participate. I know this is a bit of a heavy subject, but it is a needed one. So...lets talk together about how we as Christians are called by God to participate.

More U2 - Sunday, Bloody Sunday

2009-05-03T00:27:00.000-04:00

As I continue to walk through the discography of the greatest band ever, I am reminded of one of the reasons I love this Rock Band, it is because they are not just a rock band, they are humans trying to make a difference, bringing light to the darkness of certain situations. Sounds like Jesus might be influencing them. Here is one example of them using their music to inform others and attempt to change things. Enjoy!

Time Well Spent

2009-05-01T00:16:00.000-04:00

If there is one thing I have struggled keeping consistent in my spiritual walk it is dedicated time of prayer. As Christians our faith is built upon spiritual disciplines; reading the Bible, taking the Lord’s table, spending time in community together with other believers, and spending time in prayer. The hardest of these for me has always been prayer. Life seems to choke it out of my schedule; or correctly said, “I allow it to be choked out of the schedule of my life.”
We live in a busy world. From the time we wake up to the time we lay down at night, it seems as if we are “going, going, going”. We have jobs to do, families to care for, church obligations, and many other miscellaneous activities, all vying for our time. It is no wonder we don’t have time to pray. We don’t have time for much of anything else.
However, I propose that even in this busy world, and in our busy lives, it is not that we can’t afford to spend time to pray, rather, it is that we can’t NOT afford to spend time to pray. I remember reading the story of John Wesley and his commitment to pray. God had told John to pray more, and even though it required a commitment, he did, and when he did, the time he had left in the day seemed to last long enough to get all of the other things done.
God honors those who pray, and if we want to be more productive, and more efficient, as well as filled with inner strength and peace, we must start our days out with a dedicated time of prayer. If we do, God will honor it and help use the time left in a better way. Jesus made it a habit set aside quiet time of connection to the father, and through that connection, the father worked through him. This is the pattern we are to follow as well.
Also, we must remember what the Apostle Paul said, that we can “pray without ceasing.” Mother Teresa said this about prayer,
“There are some people who, in order not to pray, use as an excuse the fact that life is so hectic that it prevents them from praying. This cannot be. Prayer does not demand that we always interrupt our work, but that we continue working as if it were a prayer. It is not necessary to always be meditating, nor to consciously experience the sensation that we are talking to God, no matter how nice this would be. What matters is being with him, living in him, in his will. To love with a pure heart, to love everybody, especially to love the poor, is a twenty four hour prayer.”

More U2 - With a Shout

2009-04-30T10:18:00.000-04:00

Check this old video out. From 1982. Very young but still very talented. Enjoy.

10 Things I wish were different about the church...

2009-04-29T13:10:00.002-04:00

(These are in no particular order, just what comes to my head)

1. How we pass out tracks filled with our theologies and dogmas, more than we pass out bread and clothes.
2. How we are so focused on Eternal life, we have forgotten about abundant life offered now.
3. How we use the Bible as a rule book or a prooftexting resource for our own dogmas and doctrines rather than seeing it as the story of God's redemptive plan.
4. How we tend to get so stuck on forms or rituals when we should be focusing on relationships.
5. How we tend to judge others more than show them the same grace shown to us.
6. How we "go" to church rather than being the church.
7. How we get so involved with using the weapons of this world (i.e. politics, war, money, power) rather than following in the way of Jesus (love, serving, humility, peace).
8. How we seem to be behind the curve when it comes to caring for God's earth...when we should be leading the way.
9. How we tend to hold to our differences (what is unique about every denomination or group) rather than holding to our common faith.
10. How we tend to show the world what we are against more than what we are for.

The Cross of Compassion

2009-04-15T01:42:00.001-04:00

One of the saddest stories in the bible is the story of Peter and his denial of Jesus. If you are not familiar with it read Luke 22:31-65. It is the story of one of Jesus’ closest disciples, a leader among the twelve and one who he had such high hopes for, letting him down in the time of his greatest need.
One of the great portrayals of this biblical scene between Jesus and Peter comes from the recent cinema blockbuster, The Passion. In this scene the actor portraying Peter does a good job of depicting what I could only imagine was going on in Peter’s head. Peter had followed Jesus for years now, devoting his life, his time, his treasure to this man. Yet at the time when Jesus most needed him, the time when he was arrested, going to be tried and punished even though innocent, the disciple that seemed most likely to stand in a crowd and defend his master, slinked away in fear. In the Passion, you see Peter finds Jesus’ eyes after he had denied him and the pain of understanding his betrayal, the betrayal of his lord, was too much for him to handle.
The amazing part of this story is that when Jesus rose from the dead, He looked into those same eyes of his disciple Peter, and with love accepted him, and forgave him. Peter went on to be one of the most influential messengers for Jesus, and he even gave his life for his lord. The coward turned into a courageous soul.
This is not the only betrayal of Jesus told in the gospel stories. There was another disciple whose betrayal is central to the story of Jesus’ Passion. It is the story of Judas Iscariot. Judas, a disciple that had been with Jesus for almost as long as Peter, also betrayed Jesus. Judas misunderstood Jesus’ purpose on earth. He thought that Jesus was an “earthly king” that would raise a military and strike down Israel’s enemies. He didn’t realize that Jesus was much more; he was sent to strike down the consequences of the world’s sin. Judas acted to try to get Jesus to act, selling Jesus out to those who wanted to harm him.
Judas’ story doesn’t end as nicely as Peter’s. Judas, racked with guilt for what he had done to his Lord, killed himself, and died in anguish. It didn’t have to be that way. You see, the same forgiveness that Peter received from Jesus, Judas could have received as well. Yet, Judas did not allow himself to see the compassion of the cross.
This Easter season allow for God to show you the compassion of the cross. Jesus, died for each of us, and to give each of us forgiveness, no matter what we have done in life. We can all say we have in some way let God down, or maybe never paid much attention to him. But he wants us to know that he loves us and his arms are open, and full of compassion. Will your life end like Peter or Judas?

Go Barefoot, April 16th

2009-04-13T20:24:00.002-04:00

In an act of Solidarity with all of those through out the world who dont have enough money for even a pair of shoes, this April 16th is "Go Barefoot Day". Go barefoot all day long and experience for one day what many experience all of their lives. Also, it will give you a chance to talk to more people about the realities that we don't even realize. Go Barefoot!

Shoes shopping for the good

2009-04-13T18:45:00.002-04:00

all of you who love shoes...here is a chance for you to shop for the things you love while making a difference in the world. We have to look for opportunities...small and large...to make a difference.
Go Here to find out more.

More U2 - Wild Horses

2009-04-07T00:04:00.000-04:00

In honor of the new release of the greatest band ever, I continue to travel through their musical library reminding you all of their greatness. Here is Wild Horses. Enjoy!

Some Pics of Arizona

2009-03-30T13:55:00.005-04:00

Nature as a witness

2009-03-29T21:13:00.002-04:00

I have been spending the last view days in Arizona; specifically in the Sedona, Flagstaff, and Grand Canyon areas. As we have traveled through these areas, I wonder again, how can anyone look at these beautiful scenes that we see in nature and not believe there is a creator?

While we were in Sedona we visited the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It is a Roman Catholic Chapel built in the Red Rocks. It is pictured to the right. The chapel overlooks one of the most magnificent views I have ever seen. As a pastor, I jokingly told my wife that If I pastored the Chapel of the Holy Cross I would not need to ever preach, I would just say, "Everyone look outside....Amen!"

Joking aside, nature preaches to the presence of a loving and holy God. I am more and more convinced of this as I travel the scenic routes of Arizona.

The Small Things

2009-03-29T00:23:00.000-04:00

Mother Teresa tells a story in her book The Path of Love, one of which tells of a man she met while working in Australia. He was a poor and destitute man, but he did have a home. This home was small and extremely dirty, and it was easy to tell for her that he had not cleaned in years. She offered to clean his house for him, and he reluctantly let her. As she was cleaning she came across an old lamp covered with dirt and dust. As she cleaned it she found that it was beautiful underneath the grime.
She cleaned the hidden treasure and asked the man, “why don’t you light this lamp?” He replied, “no one ever comes over to see me, there is no need to light the lamp.” Mother Teresa in her compassion asked, “if the sisters come over to see you would you light your lamp?” With joy he replied “yes”. The sister faithfully took hold of this challenge stopping by every night to see the lonely man. A few months later Mother Teresa got a message from one of those nuns, originating from this man. “Tell her thank you and that the light she lit in my life continues to shine today”. Mother Teresa finished her story by saying, “I thought it was a small thing, but we unfortunately neglect the small things in life too often”
I wonder in my own life how many opportunities I had to pay attention to the “small stuff” and instead continued on. Whether it be spending that few minutes to talk with my neighbor rather than hurrying inside so I wouldn’t have to strike up a conversation, or inviting a friend from work over for dinner. When hearing of someone in need, what if I would have taken the time to consider how I could help, and acted on it? Could I have stopped and encouraged a co-worker that is having a bad day?
I am convinced that God gives us opportunities every day to in small ways make a big impact on the lives of other people. These opportunities are not hidden from us, we choose to not see them. We convince ourselves we are too busy, or that it is really not needed. When what we should see is that these opportunities might seem small, but they have a huge influence on the lives of other people.
I am challenging myself this month to allow God to show me the small things within my days that are opportunities to help someone’s “light shine”. Will you take up this challenge?

More U2 - I Will Follow

2009-03-25T10:12:00.000-04:00

From their first album and the song could be released today and be a hit. Their music is timeless, but as you can already tell, I am a fan. Enjoy!

God, the World, and Evil

2009-03-21T00:29:00.000-04:00

I was sitting in a coffee house just a few weeks ago, when a man beside me spoke up and began a conversation. He began talking about the state of affairs within the world, and how dismal it looked. He mentioned natural disasters, deaths, and other things that troubled his heart and he finished his statements by saying, “it is almost as if God is trying to tell us something”.
Immediately I asked myself this question, “Is this the way people see God?” This man seemed to have seen these natural disasters and mass deaths as the work of God, punishing us, hurting us, destroying homes, businesses, and lives. Is this the picture of God that we want the world to hold to? Rather than grace they see vengeance, rather than love they see destruction. After the conversation was over I left with a renewed focus on the importance of the church and its role in showing others the true character of God; His amazing grace, his abundant love, and his patient mercy.
I learned that day that there are many in this world that see God in this manner. Yet I was more shocked when talking to other Christians about this story to find that they agreed with this understanding of God as the source of all of this pain and suffering, as some sort of punishment or lesson. What do you believe?
Come and eaves drop with me on another conversation. One that happened many years ago between God and the people of Israel. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God told the nation of Israel that he had good plans for them, “plans to prosper them and not to harm them…plans to bring them a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) This conversation allows us to peek into God’s nature and his purposes for us. God is not the author of pain and suffering, we are.
God created the human race without pain, suffering, and destruction, yet we brought these things into this world by bringing the curse of sin into the world. In the garden of Eden, with a fatal bite, we told God we didn’t need him, and we got partially what we asked for. We sinned, and were disobedient, and because of that, we have these horrible consequences that we so wrongly try to attribute to God. God did not create this pain, we did. Yes, there are times when he allows for us to sleep in the bed that we made, and if he does act it is to save us from ourselves.
All of us struggle with understanding a good God in this pain filled world, but keep this in mind. God is not the author of pain and suffering, but he does deliver us from it. What picture of God are we showing the world? Are helping feed their misunderstandings of God as a mean, hurtful deity? Or are we helping them see that he is the cure to the disease; the answer to the equation; the shelter in the storm?

Borderline

2009-03-20T08:50:00.003-04:00

I never thought I would like a Madonna song, but when the Counting Crows cover it...it sounds awesome! Take a listen HERE.

More U2 - Running to Stand Still

2009-03-18T00:59:00.000-04:00

My favorit song from my favorite band, it doesnt get any better than this. Enjoy!

More than a Little Thing

2009-03-14T00:28:00.000-04:00

I read of an interesting study done about buildings built within large cities. There was a group interested in the areas of these cities where the building seem to be uncared for. This group tested a theory and found some interesting results. They found that if a building had just one window out of it, it would become rundown much quicker than a building that didn’t. Just one window. Why is that?
The reason is that the one broken window created a sense in the building’s tenants that their landlord didn’t care about his property, so they lost respect for their home. They began leaving trash in the halls, not reporting needed repairs, and even breaking other things within the building. Also, vandals in the neighborhood were more liable to break other windows and paint graffiti because they saw the broken window. A little thing like a broken window turned into a big thing as far as the upkeep of the building.
I believe this applies to our spiritual life as well. If we knowingly allow for one area of our life to be run by what we know is sin, its affects don’t just stay put, but they spread. We trick ourselves into thinking, “well it is just a little thing that I struggle with”, when the little things always lead to something bigger.
If the landlord would have just fixed the one window, the affects would have been so small. If we confess our sins when we commit them, the affects in our life will be small. If you have hurt someone, tell them your sorry. If you have been holding a grudge, apologize to God and to the person. If you have struggled with a secret sin, confess it to God, and to a brother for accountability.
We should not allow for the “window” to stay broken for long, in danger of letting the whole building decay. God is not searching for perfect people, but he does desire for us to admit when we are wrong. Sin that stays unconfessed, affects all of our life. Trust that God will forgive you. Not only that, but He will give you the strength to overcome what seems impossible to overcome.

Breakfast and Eschatology

2009-03-12T23:33:00.001-04:00

When Christ comes and the restoration of all things is complete, I hope we still can eat breakfast...I like breakfast.

Apple Joke

2009-03-10T16:51:00.002-04:00

Have you heard that Microsoft is going to set up a chain of stores across America to rival the Apple stores. A representative of Microsoft said that the stores will be very similar to the Apple Stores besides the fact that when you ask a store worker for help they freeze. :)

To all you none Apple owners.

Some more U2 from Rattle and Hum

2009-03-07T00:54:00.000-05:00

Here is "When Love came to Town" with BB King. Unbelievable, timeless, and just plain great music. Enjoy!

Archbishop Rowan Williams on Prayer in Church

2009-03-06T00:43:00.000-05:00

I saw this article and thought it was interesting. RowanWilliams, the Archbishop of Cantebury, the leader of the Anglican Church (which many of you know that I am an Anglican trapped in a Wesleyan body) called his church to less activities and more prayer and contemplation. Read the article here. The point of the article is that he believes that too many churches are busy with activities and not busy with prayer and connection with God. Ouch. I immediately think of the American church. We are basically Chrisitan Activity organizations. We Christians live through our churches, their schedules, sports, clubs, services, organizations, schools, etc. How many times have we stopped to ask what we are doing to listen to God and his voice? Good word Rowan.

Love of Good Weather

2009-03-05T21:37:00.000-05:00

Well, it feels like Spring today in Indiana. I love when the weather begins to break. It reminds me that there was a reason for Winter. I have a friend that lives in Phoenix and he says they have 2 seasons, Heaven and Hell. Although I envy him through the Winter time, it is the beauty of Spring that I get to throw it back in his face. You see, if you don't go through Winter, you don't appreciate Spring. Spring reminds us that we need Winter.

That is the same in life. We have "wintertimes" where things seem bleek and endless, but it is in those times that we begin to be prepared for the "springtimes". It is because of those times that we are able to really appreciate the "springtimes". If you are walking through winter, don't give up, spring is coming. It is promised.

Classic U2 - Rattle and Hum

2009-03-05T00:47:00.002-05:00

In honor of the greatest band of all time and the release of their new album, I will be posting some memories of U2 past. Here is one of my favorites from Rattle and Hum. Enjoy!

Brian McLaren on Evangelicals, Emergents, and Catholics

2009-03-03T09:36:00.001-05:00

This is a pretty cool interview talking about what seems to be happening to bring the family of God together, regardless of tradition. Pretty Awesome!!!

The Common Thread

2009-03-03T00:58:00.001-05:00

At the beginning of Saint Paul’s letter to his beloved friend and colleague Titus, Paul greets Titus this way, “To Titus, my true son in our common faith.” This reminds me of one of the amazing characteristics of the Church of Jesus Christ; we are so diverse, yet we all have something in common.
As I reflect on the universal church I am lead to visions of Christians of all types of people, cultures, nations, and languages, all unique in their own way, yet all a part of one body that transcends boundaries, oceans, and governments. You see, the church is a beautifully diverse group, reaching from one end of the globe to the next. From Catholics to Pentecostals, from Wesleyans to Baptists, we all have our differences, yet we all have something in common.
Even within each of our local churches there are differences. In fact, outwardly one might wonder what we as a body of people have in common; being made up of so many different people, with different vocations, and different hobbies. Yet there is something in common that draws us together.
Outwardly it would seem that Paul and Titus, two close friends and fellow workers, had little in common. Paul was Jewish, growing up within strict Jewish customs, and a Roman citizen. Although we don’t know too much about Titus, we do know that he was a gentile, and that he was Greek. What would a Jewish Roman Citizen have to do with a gentile Greek? An odd traveling pair, wouldn’t you say. Not if you look at the common thread that held them together. This thread is what Paul mentions in his greeting, Faith. A faith that celebrated their differences while holding them together around what was important, Jesus Christ.
This is our common thread, our faith in Jesus Christ. It is what brings us together to worship; what drives us to care for each other, and what should lead us to care for and share life with those who don’t have this faith yet. In reality, it is the common thread of all humanity, although some have not found it yet, or don’t accept it. It is the common thread of all creation, that “God so loved the world, He sent his son…”.
Because we are people of habit and comfort we sometimes get too caught up in the contrast of styles, personalities, and people, and don’t recognize the common thread that holds us together, and is the very reason we are here.
As we celebrate and sometimes struggle with diversity, never forget that there is one common story to all of history; one common thread, God’s redeeming love, and one common purpose, to spread it to all we know.

The Picture ("needle and thread") was used with permission from the artist, Kathy Keler.

Phyllis Tickle on the Great Emergence

2009-03-02T12:56:00.002-05:00

Click on the title of this post to see an interview with Phyllis Tickle discussing her book "The Great Emergence". Good stuff, I want the book.

Beginning again

2009-02-03T21:30:00.002-05:00

I have been "kind of" blogging for a few years now. I have as of the last year and a half been very unfaithful to my blog and have a small amount of guilt for it. So, lets begin again. This doesn't mean I am getting a different blog, I like what I have. But I guess just like many things in life, even though you don't live up to the standard (what ever that is) you just keep pluggin along.

Let's see if I can make more than 1 post a month. Let's see if anyone is even watching to see if I post anything at all. Lets see.

So, I begin again. I guess that is the beauty of blogging, you can always begin again.

Wisdom from Nouwen...again

2009-01-02T09:46:00.002-05:00

From Saint Henri...

Our Spiritual Parents

Joy and sorrow are never separated. When our hearts rejoice at a spectacular view, we may miss our friends who cannot see it, and when we are overwhelmed with grief, we may discover what true friendship is all about. Joy is hidden in sorrow and sorrow in joy. If we try to avoid sorrow at all costs, we may never taste joy, and if we are suspicious of ecstasy, agony can never reach us either. Joy and sorrow are the parents of our spiritual growth.

Mosaic

2008-11-13T12:31:00.002-05:00

This is going to be a mosaic of thoughts:

I am infatuated with books...I love them...almost too much.

I hate administrative work.

For some reason, I am not as into sports this year as I used to be....I wonder if I am growing up?

My son Will is going through a "daddy phase" where all he wants is me...and I love it.

I have a beautiful wife, and she is much too good to me.

I am not a very good friend, I don't call enough, or email enough or reach out enough.

I have been feeling down in the dumps lately, and I am not sure why.

I am an evangelical Christian and yet I am more excited about the election of Barack Obama than any other election I can remember.

I think I am a pacifist.

I can't seem to bring myself to watch Family Guy, even though my sister thinks it is the best show on TV.

I don't think I rely enough on the Holy Spirit in my life.

I have found that I grow a good beard...despite what April says.

I like to eat.

I don't blog enough.

Anabaptist theology and John Woolman

2008-10-18T08:12:00.000-04:00

I am not sure why, if it is the political season or the evolution of some of my social theories and theology, but I am finding myself more and more attracted to Anabaptist theology. Whether be John Howard Yoder, Menno Simons, or newly discovered for me, John Woolman.

John Woolman was a Quaker whose abolitionist views and practices preceded many of the well known abolitionists in the colonies and in England. As he was just recently introduced to me, I introduce him to you. Check him out here.