New Year's Eve is almost upon us.
It's 2009! An opportunity for new resolutions, a chance to start over, an occasion to set our sights on the future. Right?
Bullshit.
As it currently exists, New Year's Eve is a commercialized, pagan spectacle that affords a rationalization for indulging in base passions like drunkenness and self-indulgent partying. Watch "Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year" (or whatever it's called) and tell me if it is anything more than an expensive, glamorized frat party in Times Square.
Do I sound judgmental? I'm not intending to be.
In fact, I'm trying to interpret this merry-making in some kind of redemptive way. There is obviously some deep need in the human psyche that people are trying to fill with all of this hedonism that exists, not just on New Years' Eve, but all the time in our culture. Are people merely trying to escape the harsh reality of life? Or are they seeking some legitimate pleasure, only through the wrong means?
Once again, I turn to my master C. S. Lewis, and I find this in his "golden sermon," The Weight of Glory:
Nature is mortal; we shall outlive her...We are summoned to pass in through Nature, beyond her, into that splendour which she fitfully reflects. And in there, beyond Nature, we shall eat of the tree of life. At present, if we are reborn in Christ, the spirit in us lives directly on God; but the mind and, still more, the body receives the life from Him at a thousand removes. The faint, far-off results of those energies which God's creative rapture implanted in matter when He made the worlds are now what we call "physical pleasures;" and even thus filtered, they are too much for our present management. What would it be to taste at the fountainhead that stream of which even these lower reaches prove so intoxicating? Yet that, I believe, is what lies before us. The whole man is to drink joy from the fountain of joy. As St. Augustine said, the rapture of the saved soul will "flow over" into the glorified body.
If Lewis is right, and I believe he is, then every physical pleasure in which we now indulge ourselves, even the basest of them, is in some sense a shadow of what we are to experience in Heaven. The medieval saints were wrong in supposing that Heaven is nothing more than a "beatific vision": a detatched, objective gaze at God's essence for all eternity. For Lewis tells us that in Heaven, we will consume God, and be consumed by Him (though without losing our own identities), in the same way (though a million times greater) that people consume and are consumed by the hedonistic pleasures of this life. The merriment of alcohol, the physical joy of dancing and singing, the passionate glory of the sexual act...all of these, in some odd way, point beyond themselves when they are understood and enjoyed correctly. They are hints of a rapturous ecstasy that, God willing, we will one day experience for all eternity.
Our culture sends way too many messages of the pleasures of alcohol, partying, and sex. When people get "taken in" by those messages and indulge those pleasures, we often accuse them of having desires that are too strong. But we are wrong. Their desires are not too strong...they are too weak. They are desiring the shadows, the idols, rather than the Reality...much like a child who would rather remain playing in his sandbox than enjoy a vacation at the beach.
If "Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year" (or whatever it's called) is merely a shadow of the joy and ecstasy that Heaven affords, then I hope and pray that I will live life knowing that even "our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18).
May we all "imbibe God" through Word, Sacrament, and Obedience in this life, knowing that He is the Consuming Fire who will intoxicate us for all eternity.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Purpose-Driven Idiots
Because of the flood of annual responsibilities that beset me this December, I haven't been keeping up with the national news as I should. After all, Christmas is the season of "Joy to the World"... Why should I watch the news and become even more depressed than King Herod upon the arrival of the Wise Men?
Anyway, this morning my dad informed me about the latest of several controversies that have surrounded Barack Obama before he has even taken the Oath of Office: Is it his selection of another "moderate" for a cabinet position? Is it his relationship with the corrupt governor and political machine in Chicago? No, nothing so mundane...
Apparently Obama has committed the unpardonable sin by requesting an invocation from Pastor Rick Warren on inauguration day. Gays and lesbians are offended that someone committed to a biblical view of marriage, and who supported the controversial California Proposition 8 restricting legal marriage to heterosexuals only, would be invited to Obama's inauguration...especially when Obama "promised them so much." Some evangelical conservatives are upset that Warren is even associated with Obama. I think all these people need to chill out and listen to a good story:
During my sophomore year in college, my grandfather passed away right before finals. It was a traumatic moment in my life. After I found out, I told a couple of the guys in my dorm. One was a friend who happened to be Jewish. Later that evening, he came to my dorm room, expressed his genuine sympathy, and offered to pray with me.
Now get this: As a Jew, he rejects my fundamental belief that Jesus Christ really was the Son of God and the Savior of all humanity. But I was not about to indulge in self-righteousness or narcissism by pushing aside his prayer. He was a friend. He genuinely cared. And like any person of goodwill, he felt compelled to reach out to me. I don't need to agree with his theology, or anything else for that matter, to appreciate the genuine intent of his heart.
Fast-forward to today: I like Barack Obama immensely for his optimism, I think he is a good husband and father, and I am impressed with his ability to reach out to former rivals like Hillary and McCain for the sake of the country. But I disagree with him on many issues, and I fear that his economic plans will do more long-term harm than good. I think especially that his position on abortion is atrocious. In spite of this, I wish him goodwill and intend on praying for him daily. To those "conservatives" who decry Rick Warren for his association with Obama, I say this: Even if you regard Obama as your enemy, you are under orders from Jesus Christ Himself to pray for him.
As for the gay and lesbian community: We are a nation at war in the Middle East, and the financial situation in this country is worsening. Very few Americans can comprehend the weight that will fall on Obama's shoulders in one short month. The fact that gays and lesbians are complaining about such a petty issue (Rick Warren doing the invocation) at this time shows that they are not motivated by goodwill, but by their own anger and intolerance for anyone who would dare to disagree with them. That makes them just as bad as some of the "evangelicals" that they decry.
Anyway, this morning my dad informed me about the latest of several controversies that have surrounded Barack Obama before he has even taken the Oath of Office: Is it his selection of another "moderate" for a cabinet position? Is it his relationship with the corrupt governor and political machine in Chicago? No, nothing so mundane...
Apparently Obama has committed the unpardonable sin by requesting an invocation from Pastor Rick Warren on inauguration day. Gays and lesbians are offended that someone committed to a biblical view of marriage, and who supported the controversial California Proposition 8 restricting legal marriage to heterosexuals only, would be invited to Obama's inauguration...especially when Obama "promised them so much." Some evangelical conservatives are upset that Warren is even associated with Obama. I think all these people need to chill out and listen to a good story:
During my sophomore year in college, my grandfather passed away right before finals. It was a traumatic moment in my life. After I found out, I told a couple of the guys in my dorm. One was a friend who happened to be Jewish. Later that evening, he came to my dorm room, expressed his genuine sympathy, and offered to pray with me.
Now get this: As a Jew, he rejects my fundamental belief that Jesus Christ really was the Son of God and the Savior of all humanity. But I was not about to indulge in self-righteousness or narcissism by pushing aside his prayer. He was a friend. He genuinely cared. And like any person of goodwill, he felt compelled to reach out to me. I don't need to agree with his theology, or anything else for that matter, to appreciate the genuine intent of his heart.
Fast-forward to today: I like Barack Obama immensely for his optimism, I think he is a good husband and father, and I am impressed with his ability to reach out to former rivals like Hillary and McCain for the sake of the country. But I disagree with him on many issues, and I fear that his economic plans will do more long-term harm than good. I think especially that his position on abortion is atrocious. In spite of this, I wish him goodwill and intend on praying for him daily. To those "conservatives" who decry Rick Warren for his association with Obama, I say this: Even if you regard Obama as your enemy, you are under orders from Jesus Christ Himself to pray for him.
As for the gay and lesbian community: We are a nation at war in the Middle East, and the financial situation in this country is worsening. Very few Americans can comprehend the weight that will fall on Obama's shoulders in one short month. The fact that gays and lesbians are complaining about such a petty issue (Rick Warren doing the invocation) at this time shows that they are not motivated by goodwill, but by their own anger and intolerance for anyone who would dare to disagree with them. That makes them just as bad as some of the "evangelicals" that they decry.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Hail Mary!
As Christmas approaches, I engage in my yearly tradition of meditating on the Nativity narratives found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. For me, the compelling figure of Mary always jumps out of the text.
I was raised a Roman Catholic, a Christian tradition that uplifts the role of Mary to the point of idolatry. Some faithful Catholics argue that Mary is the "co-redemptrix." Utilizing what they call the Eve-Mary parallel, they argue that Mary's role in redemption is just as definitive as Eve's role in damnation. They draw the conclusion that Jesus and Mary participate together in effecting our salvation, that without Mary's crucial yes to God's will, we would have no Jesus and therefore no hope of salvation. With the help of allegorical exegesis, they also argue that Mary is now crowned Queen of Heaven, that she is worshipped along with the Trinity, and that sincere devotion to her is required of any faithful Catholic.
In my move towards Protestantism I shunned much of this dogma, but as I mature in my faith, I have come to realize that Protestants have an equally flawed view of Mary. If Catholics make too much of her, Protestants make far too little of her. They often see her as nothing more than a "vessel" through whom God worked, and they fail to uplift her as one of the greatest models of faith to emanate from the pages of Scripture.
I recently read an article by Scot McKnight, religion prof at North Park University. He examines Mary's wonderful prophetic hymn "The Magnificat" in Luke 1:46-55, and he asks the question: What kind of a woman would speak the words of The Magnificat when Herod the Great was on the throne?
It's an interesting observation: What kind of a woman would say that God will cast down corrupt, demonic rulers from their thrones like King Herod, and exalt a lowly peasant woman like herself? When the Roman empire oppressed the poor anawim (the lost and forgotten common people) with high taxes and struck fear into their hearts through terror, Mary had the boldness to assert that these proud rulers will be scattered by the strength of the almighty. When rich, pagan Greeks took control of their land and squandered the food and other resources, Mary knows that God will send them away empty while giving good things to those who are hungry. And while she is nothing but a teenaged girl, she has the chutzpah to believe that "all generations" will call her blessed.
Certainly Mary was not perfect and sinless, as some Catholics assert. She herself needed a Savior (see Lk 1:47). But Mary was a woman who understood that to be a follower of the one true God is to envision a radically different world, where service and humility are the marks of greatness rather than power and domination. She understood that God's will is not just that we accept His grace in our hearts and then wait patiently for the "sweet by and by," but that our calling is to activity in the world on behalf of the poor, oppressed, and marginalized people like Mary herself.
Even when told that she would be the mother of the Messiah, Mary did not merely sit back and contemplate her own blessing, but she immediately went out to be a blessing to someone else: her relative Elizabeth who was also pregnant. She understood that her calling was to live a life of radical discipleship, regardless of the cost to herself.
And in an age when many church leaders think that we must sell out to the culture in order to be "cool" and "popular," Mary understood that to be associated with Jesus is to endure shame and suffering (see, for example, Matthew 13:53-58), and to accept them as a part of one's earthly discipleship. Indeed, what shame and suffering must she she have endured to stand beneath the cross, witnessing her battered Son draw His final breaths, not for His own sins, but for ours! Much more shame and suffering than most of us would be willing to endure!
If you look at the whole span of Jesus' life, you see Mary at the beginning and at the end, and in both places she is faithful, courageous, and humble. If God truly rewards faithfulness and exalts those of low degree (Lk 1:52), then certainly Mary is exalted in Heaven, and we should exalt her on earth...not as a Savior, but as a model of everything that we should be in following her Son, Jesus Christ.
I was raised a Roman Catholic, a Christian tradition that uplifts the role of Mary to the point of idolatry. Some faithful Catholics argue that Mary is the "co-redemptrix." Utilizing what they call the Eve-Mary parallel, they argue that Mary's role in redemption is just as definitive as Eve's role in damnation. They draw the conclusion that Jesus and Mary participate together in effecting our salvation, that without Mary's crucial yes to God's will, we would have no Jesus and therefore no hope of salvation. With the help of allegorical exegesis, they also argue that Mary is now crowned Queen of Heaven, that she is worshipped along with the Trinity, and that sincere devotion to her is required of any faithful Catholic.
In my move towards Protestantism I shunned much of this dogma, but as I mature in my faith, I have come to realize that Protestants have an equally flawed view of Mary. If Catholics make too much of her, Protestants make far too little of her. They often see her as nothing more than a "vessel" through whom God worked, and they fail to uplift her as one of the greatest models of faith to emanate from the pages of Scripture.
I recently read an article by Scot McKnight, religion prof at North Park University. He examines Mary's wonderful prophetic hymn "The Magnificat" in Luke 1:46-55, and he asks the question: What kind of a woman would speak the words of The Magnificat when Herod the Great was on the throne?
It's an interesting observation: What kind of a woman would say that God will cast down corrupt, demonic rulers from their thrones like King Herod, and exalt a lowly peasant woman like herself? When the Roman empire oppressed the poor anawim (the lost and forgotten common people) with high taxes and struck fear into their hearts through terror, Mary had the boldness to assert that these proud rulers will be scattered by the strength of the almighty. When rich, pagan Greeks took control of their land and squandered the food and other resources, Mary knows that God will send them away empty while giving good things to those who are hungry. And while she is nothing but a teenaged girl, she has the chutzpah to believe that "all generations" will call her blessed.
Certainly Mary was not perfect and sinless, as some Catholics assert. She herself needed a Savior (see Lk 1:47). But Mary was a woman who understood that to be a follower of the one true God is to envision a radically different world, where service and humility are the marks of greatness rather than power and domination. She understood that God's will is not just that we accept His grace in our hearts and then wait patiently for the "sweet by and by," but that our calling is to activity in the world on behalf of the poor, oppressed, and marginalized people like Mary herself.
Even when told that she would be the mother of the Messiah, Mary did not merely sit back and contemplate her own blessing, but she immediately went out to be a blessing to someone else: her relative Elizabeth who was also pregnant. She understood that her calling was to live a life of radical discipleship, regardless of the cost to herself.
And in an age when many church leaders think that we must sell out to the culture in order to be "cool" and "popular," Mary understood that to be associated with Jesus is to endure shame and suffering (see, for example, Matthew 13:53-58), and to accept them as a part of one's earthly discipleship. Indeed, what shame and suffering must she she have endured to stand beneath the cross, witnessing her battered Son draw His final breaths, not for His own sins, but for ours! Much more shame and suffering than most of us would be willing to endure!
If you look at the whole span of Jesus' life, you see Mary at the beginning and at the end, and in both places she is faithful, courageous, and humble. If God truly rewards faithfulness and exalts those of low degree (Lk 1:52), then certainly Mary is exalted in Heaven, and we should exalt her on earth...not as a Savior, but as a model of everything that we should be in following her Son, Jesus Christ.
Friday, December 12, 2008
One Symphonic Voice
So I'm sitting in my office this morning, and the sound of one of my favorite orchestral compositions is emanating from my speakers: Symphony No. 3 by Aaron Copland (arguably the greatest American composer). What makes this piece so compelling for me is that Copland took a very simple musical theme--introduced right at the beginning--and then he weaved that theme intricately through four movements of a diverse cacophony of sounds. The symphony takes you through every expression of human emotion, with the voice of every instrument in the orchestra carrying the lead at different parts. There are moments of irritating dissonance, rhythmic complexity, and triumphant tonality. Yet the discerning listener will not fail to perceive the one voice that speaks through all this diversity. And that--I would argue--is the beauty of the best classical music.
I see the same compelling artistry in that wonderful book we call The Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, there is one redemptive theme clearly intended by the Author...one Voice that speaks. But from its pages leap a rich diversity of narrative, poetry, wisdom teaching, ethics, and doctrinal statements. Its Hero is presented in four distinct portraits (movements?), each with its own particular nuances, but all of which focus on the Cross and Resurrection as the central theme of His life.
Swiss Theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar once wrote that Truth is symphonic. I'm not quite sure how to interpret that statement. I mean...I'm not a relativist. I don't believe that there are multiple ways to Heaven, and I think a huge part of our calling as ministers of the Gospel is to draw a sharp distinction between truth and error.
At the same time, I can't help but think that part of what has made the Bible such a compelling book is that it is shaped with all the complexity of a great symphony...its Author is more like a storyteller, artist, or musician than a philosopher or a dogmatist. Is it possible that, out of the diversity of voices currently present in the Church, God may just be able to craft a beautiful work of art? Is it possible that when we all focus on Jesus Christ and His Cross, which is the theme of Scripture, then we will play in harmony? That even the dissonance that sometimes exists within the Church may be a part of the Composer's greater plan?
May we all play our parts in the Symphony of Triumph, trusting in the Composer's wisdom to make His One Voice heard through us.
I see the same compelling artistry in that wonderful book we call The Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, there is one redemptive theme clearly intended by the Author...one Voice that speaks. But from its pages leap a rich diversity of narrative, poetry, wisdom teaching, ethics, and doctrinal statements. Its Hero is presented in four distinct portraits (movements?), each with its own particular nuances, but all of which focus on the Cross and Resurrection as the central theme of His life.
Swiss Theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar once wrote that Truth is symphonic. I'm not quite sure how to interpret that statement. I mean...I'm not a relativist. I don't believe that there are multiple ways to Heaven, and I think a huge part of our calling as ministers of the Gospel is to draw a sharp distinction between truth and error.
At the same time, I can't help but think that part of what has made the Bible such a compelling book is that it is shaped with all the complexity of a great symphony...its Author is more like a storyteller, artist, or musician than a philosopher or a dogmatist. Is it possible that, out of the diversity of voices currently present in the Church, God may just be able to craft a beautiful work of art? Is it possible that when we all focus on Jesus Christ and His Cross, which is the theme of Scripture, then we will play in harmony? That even the dissonance that sometimes exists within the Church may be a part of the Composer's greater plan?
May we all play our parts in the Symphony of Triumph, trusting in the Composer's wisdom to make His One Voice heard through us.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Let's Talk About Sex, Baby...
Below is another answer that I submitted in my ordination paper, regarding the church's position on human sexuality.
If you want to hear an incredible talk on the Christian teaching of sexuality, go to the following link-- http://www.peterkreeft.com/audio/24_sex-in-heaven.htm -- and listen to the thoughts of masterful Christian apologist Peter Kreeft. It's worth the time!
Anyway, here's my own writing on the subject:
Articulate the Evangelical Covenant Church’s position on human sexuality. How does this inform your theology and practice of ministry?
In its stand on human sexuality, the ECC avoids two notions. The first is that the Bible calls for repression of the human sexual drive, that sex is (at worst) the product and proof of original sin or (at best) a necessary evil that is to be indulged only for reproductive purposes. The second notion posits no standards or limits on human sexuality, asserting that individuals alone must decide how to indulge their sexual appetites and that any Biblical injunctions on the subject are archaic, irrelevant, and inconsistent with human freedom.
In contrast to these false visions of sex, the ECC upholds the Biblical teaching that human sexuality is good—in fact, that sexuality is intimately tied to our identities as embodied persons—but that God has ordained a specific covenantal relationship to express human sexuality in a way that reflects His nature as an intimately loving, self-giving Being. That covenantal relationship exists when a specific man and specific woman come together as complementary partners and are united as “one flesh” under God. In this context alone, sex may be expressed in a godly fashion. Outside of that context, an individual must be willing to live a chaste life. Corrupted forms of sexuality are characterized either by the desire to dominate another (rape, molestation, pedophilia) or by a confused understanding of one’s own identity as a person (homosexuality, bestiality, adultery, incest). These perversions do not reflect God’s standards as laid out in both the Old and New Testaments.
Our culture’s current obsession with sex is, in my opinion, a cry of bitter and lonely people longing for intimacy. The way teens (and even adults) dress and treat their own bodies reveals their inability to respect themselves as individuals created in God’s Image. The church must expose these deeper issues and allow struggling individuals to express them in non-sexual ways, such as intimate worship experiences, healing prayer, spiritual direction, and even just authentic friendship. Spiritually mature individuals must model masculinity and femininity in a godly way for others. All Christian leaders must hold fast to God’s standards for sex, both in their teaching and in their personal lives, in order to maintain the integrity of the Church’s witness in the face of our culture’s rebellion and confusion.
If you want to hear an incredible talk on the Christian teaching of sexuality, go to the following link-- http://www.peterkreeft.com/audio/24_sex-in-heaven.htm -- and listen to the thoughts of masterful Christian apologist Peter Kreeft. It's worth the time!
Anyway, here's my own writing on the subject:
Articulate the Evangelical Covenant Church’s position on human sexuality. How does this inform your theology and practice of ministry?
In its stand on human sexuality, the ECC avoids two notions. The first is that the Bible calls for repression of the human sexual drive, that sex is (at worst) the product and proof of original sin or (at best) a necessary evil that is to be indulged only for reproductive purposes. The second notion posits no standards or limits on human sexuality, asserting that individuals alone must decide how to indulge their sexual appetites and that any Biblical injunctions on the subject are archaic, irrelevant, and inconsistent with human freedom.
In contrast to these false visions of sex, the ECC upholds the Biblical teaching that human sexuality is good—in fact, that sexuality is intimately tied to our identities as embodied persons—but that God has ordained a specific covenantal relationship to express human sexuality in a way that reflects His nature as an intimately loving, self-giving Being. That covenantal relationship exists when a specific man and specific woman come together as complementary partners and are united as “one flesh” under God. In this context alone, sex may be expressed in a godly fashion. Outside of that context, an individual must be willing to live a chaste life. Corrupted forms of sexuality are characterized either by the desire to dominate another (rape, molestation, pedophilia) or by a confused understanding of one’s own identity as a person (homosexuality, bestiality, adultery, incest). These perversions do not reflect God’s standards as laid out in both the Old and New Testaments.
Our culture’s current obsession with sex is, in my opinion, a cry of bitter and lonely people longing for intimacy. The way teens (and even adults) dress and treat their own bodies reveals their inability to respect themselves as individuals created in God’s Image. The church must expose these deeper issues and allow struggling individuals to express them in non-sexual ways, such as intimate worship experiences, healing prayer, spiritual direction, and even just authentic friendship. Spiritually mature individuals must model masculinity and femininity in a godly way for others. All Christian leaders must hold fast to God’s standards for sex, both in their teaching and in their personal lives, in order to maintain the integrity of the Church’s witness in the face of our culture’s rebellion and confusion.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Can't We All Just Get Along? (Yes, I really mean that!)
I have become increasingly frustrated with the polarizing "blame game" that is taking place in America. Our political leadership, which is supposed to represent civil and honest discourse, is among the most guilty. I am sick of hearing everyone blaming George W. Bush for the problems of this country...or blaming the Democratic Congress...or blaming the "rich"...or the media...etc...
I think the American people are sick of it too.
I'm very disappointed with President Bush, but I don't think any intelligent American can honestly believe that he alone is responsible for America's economic crisis...just as I do not believe that Barack Obama is an unpatriotic Muslim who has been too influenced by people like Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers.
But there is a meanness about today's political discourse that has left me bitter.
I am not necessarily sold out on Rick Warren and his style of ministry, but I thought the one bright spot in this political campaign was the debate held at Saddleback Church, when both candidates confined themselves to issues and spoke intelligently, passionately, and admirably. They did not take cheap shots at their opponents, nor did they spend an inordinate amount of time blaming anyone else for America's problems. They focused on solutions, and they spoke and acted like gentlemen.
But aside from that, there has been a meanness and a childishness about this election season that is very unsettling.
Yesterday, I read some words by political pundit Mitch Alborn, and they really articulated what I have been thinking and feeling for a while. I hope you'll take the time to read them and ponder how we might communicate it to our congregations. Here's the link:
http://jewishworldreview.com/1008/albom101308.php3
God bless America!
I think the American people are sick of it too.
I'm very disappointed with President Bush, but I don't think any intelligent American can honestly believe that he alone is responsible for America's economic crisis...just as I do not believe that Barack Obama is an unpatriotic Muslim who has been too influenced by people like Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers.
But there is a meanness about today's political discourse that has left me bitter.
I am not necessarily sold out on Rick Warren and his style of ministry, but I thought the one bright spot in this political campaign was the debate held at Saddleback Church, when both candidates confined themselves to issues and spoke intelligently, passionately, and admirably. They did not take cheap shots at their opponents, nor did they spend an inordinate amount of time blaming anyone else for America's problems. They focused on solutions, and they spoke and acted like gentlemen.
But aside from that, there has been a meanness and a childishness about this election season that is very unsettling.
Yesterday, I read some words by political pundit Mitch Alborn, and they really articulated what I have been thinking and feeling for a while. I hope you'll take the time to read them and ponder how we might communicate it to our congregations. Here's the link:
http://jewishworldreview.com/1008/albom101308.php3
God bless America!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
"The Dundees" - ("The Office" as Ecclesiastical Allegory, take two)
Introductory note:
In my previous post, I attempted to take a humorous jab at the "corporate" situation of the Church by comparing it to the screwball antics of Steve Carell and his cohorts on The Office. Certainly recognizing that there is much good in the institutional church, my intent was to illustrate that all too often, "institution" (the lifeless corporation) becomes prioritized instead of "church" (the living, dynamic, relational, Spirit-led Body of believers).
The Church needs some level of institutional framework in which to function effectively. I acknowledge this. But here's my problem. The institutional framework should be flexible and secondary, and its purpose should be to serve the living, dynamic mission of the Gospel which is primary. (This is the reality that is illustrated in the New Testament, especially in Acts). In the current situation of many denominations we see exactly the opposite happening: The institutional framework is rigid and primary, and the living, dynamic mission of the Gospel is now seen as flexible and made subservient to the ends of the institution. This is not merely bad ecclesiology...it is contrary to God's will for His people and, therefore, sinful.
-------
Now, back to The Office: In one of Michael Scott's (Steve Carell's) many attempts to revitalize the spirit of his underlings, he hosts a yearly award party called "The Dundees." These are awards given to various office staff in dubious categories such as "the longest engagement," "the hottest guy in the office," etc... Here are some "Dundees" that I would give out to people in the Church:
The "Dwight K. Schrutte Award" - Also known as The Assistant (to the) Regional Manager Award - This award goes out to those folks in our congregations who are nice to the Senior Pastor only because of the power they think will come along with the relationship. I'm sure we all have a few people like this who try to snicker up to us, who are undyingly loyal to us and constant "yes-men" (or "yes-women"), but only for the purpose of having a sense of their own power in the church. They are the Jameses and the Johns, who want to sit at Jesus' right and left in committee meetings so they can be seen with the pastor, but who have no desire to truly serve others and meet others' needs in a meaningful way. Plus, they're annoying as hell.
The "Pam Beasley Award" - Pam, the self-effacing secretary at Dunder-Mifflin, who constantly puts on the back-burner her true desire to go into graphic design and art. She's a gem of a person whose artistic talent could probably help Dunder-Mifflin's advertising department immensely, but who is never encouraged to pursue those gifts. This award goes to all those like her in the church who have oodles of modesty, whose "insignificant" work probably goes unnoticed 99% of the time, but who have gifts and talents that are totally underutilized. Perhaps those gifts were never encouraged, because we pastors are too focused on having our own gifts affirmed and we don't stop to look deeper at the hidden gifts of others. So this award goes to all those folks in the congregation who would probably bring new life, creativity, and vitality to our churches, if only we would recognize them and give them a chance.
The "Angela Award" - The anal, judgmental, hypocritical accountant at Dunder-Mifflin. This award goes to all those "church people" whose sole aspiration in life is to feel absolutely morally superior to everyone else, to hide their own faults with ruthless intensity, and to constantly find something wrong with everyone and everything. I know every church has them. I praise God for them. I also think he needs to miraculously remove the sticks from their rear-ends.
The "Jim Halpert Award" - Of all the characters in The Office, I identify with Jim the most: he's sardonic, cynical, and he sees with crystal clarity the failings of Dunder-Mifflin, but he sticks with it because he sees something beautiful there (Pam) that he just can't let go of. Perhaps I'm being a bit prideful in assuming that I'm like Jim. Perhaps I'm more like Angela, Dwight, or even (God forbdid) Michael Scott. That's for God and other people to judge, not for me. I just identify with Jim. I'm sardonic, cynical, and I see with crystal clarity the many inconsistencies and failings of the Church (including my own inconsistencies and failings). But in that Church I see something beautiful that I just can't let go of. I see my wife who reminds me daily of God's unconditional love. I see people like the Inklings, whose Christ-formed minds have made me ever passionate for truth and dialogue. I see saints who have mentored me and guided me through many of my struggles and who were faithful even when I was not. I see the story of Scripture which resonates in my mind and heart with deep truth and wisdom. And more clearly than any of these, I see Jesus Christ, Whose nail-pierced hands beckon me to come and pick up my cross and follow Him.
I pray that you all will stick with this frail corporation we call "The Church," and that you will cling to one promise: that we who have faith in Christ will do even greater things than He did. That's what He said....
In my previous post, I attempted to take a humorous jab at the "corporate" situation of the Church by comparing it to the screwball antics of Steve Carell and his cohorts on The Office. Certainly recognizing that there is much good in the institutional church, my intent was to illustrate that all too often, "institution" (the lifeless corporation) becomes prioritized instead of "church" (the living, dynamic, relational, Spirit-led Body of believers).
The Church needs some level of institutional framework in which to function effectively. I acknowledge this. But here's my problem. The institutional framework should be flexible and secondary, and its purpose should be to serve the living, dynamic mission of the Gospel which is primary. (This is the reality that is illustrated in the New Testament, especially in Acts). In the current situation of many denominations we see exactly the opposite happening: The institutional framework is rigid and primary, and the living, dynamic mission of the Gospel is now seen as flexible and made subservient to the ends of the institution. This is not merely bad ecclesiology...it is contrary to God's will for His people and, therefore, sinful.
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Now, back to The Office: In one of Michael Scott's (Steve Carell's) many attempts to revitalize the spirit of his underlings, he hosts a yearly award party called "The Dundees." These are awards given to various office staff in dubious categories such as "the longest engagement," "the hottest guy in the office," etc... Here are some "Dundees" that I would give out to people in the Church:
The "Dwight K. Schrutte Award" - Also known as The Assistant (to the) Regional Manager Award - This award goes out to those folks in our congregations who are nice to the Senior Pastor only because of the power they think will come along with the relationship. I'm sure we all have a few people like this who try to snicker up to us, who are undyingly loyal to us and constant "yes-men" (or "yes-women"), but only for the purpose of having a sense of their own power in the church. They are the Jameses and the Johns, who want to sit at Jesus' right and left in committee meetings so they can be seen with the pastor, but who have no desire to truly serve others and meet others' needs in a meaningful way. Plus, they're annoying as hell.
The "Pam Beasley Award" - Pam, the self-effacing secretary at Dunder-Mifflin, who constantly puts on the back-burner her true desire to go into graphic design and art. She's a gem of a person whose artistic talent could probably help Dunder-Mifflin's advertising department immensely, but who is never encouraged to pursue those gifts. This award goes to all those like her in the church who have oodles of modesty, whose "insignificant" work probably goes unnoticed 99% of the time, but who have gifts and talents that are totally underutilized. Perhaps those gifts were never encouraged, because we pastors are too focused on having our own gifts affirmed and we don't stop to look deeper at the hidden gifts of others. So this award goes to all those folks in the congregation who would probably bring new life, creativity, and vitality to our churches, if only we would recognize them and give them a chance.
The "Angela Award" - The anal, judgmental, hypocritical accountant at Dunder-Mifflin. This award goes to all those "church people" whose sole aspiration in life is to feel absolutely morally superior to everyone else, to hide their own faults with ruthless intensity, and to constantly find something wrong with everyone and everything. I know every church has them. I praise God for them. I also think he needs to miraculously remove the sticks from their rear-ends.
The "Jim Halpert Award" - Of all the characters in The Office, I identify with Jim the most: he's sardonic, cynical, and he sees with crystal clarity the failings of Dunder-Mifflin, but he sticks with it because he sees something beautiful there (Pam) that he just can't let go of. Perhaps I'm being a bit prideful in assuming that I'm like Jim. Perhaps I'm more like Angela, Dwight, or even (God forbdid) Michael Scott. That's for God and other people to judge, not for me. I just identify with Jim. I'm sardonic, cynical, and I see with crystal clarity the many inconsistencies and failings of the Church (including my own inconsistencies and failings). But in that Church I see something beautiful that I just can't let go of. I see my wife who reminds me daily of God's unconditional love. I see people like the Inklings, whose Christ-formed minds have made me ever passionate for truth and dialogue. I see saints who have mentored me and guided me through many of my struggles and who were faithful even when I was not. I see the story of Scripture which resonates in my mind and heart with deep truth and wisdom. And more clearly than any of these, I see Jesus Christ, Whose nail-pierced hands beckon me to come and pick up my cross and follow Him.
I pray that you all will stick with this frail corporation we call "The Church," and that you will cling to one promise: that we who have faith in Christ will do even greater things than He did. That's what He said....
Sunday, September 28, 2008
"The Office" as an Ecclesiastical Allegory
My wife and I have become addicted to the NBC hit show The Office. I admit, it took both of us a little while to figure out what everyone found so funny, but once we did we couldn't get enough of it. The new season just kicked off this past Thursday, and we can't wait to see the antics that unfold.
Like many in the Christian fold, I diligently try to be an able exegete of the cultural realities around us (although, I must admit humbly that I fall short when compared with Eric Park. http://www.chcumc.com/weblog/eric/ Read his post on Prince, especially the last hilarious paragraph. But I digress...)
Anyway, lately I've been noticing some pretty interesting parallels between the situation in The Office and the situation in much of the Christian Church today. I'm sure that some of what I write will come off as offensive, but I ask you to take my comments, not as an attempt to degrade the Church and those who work in it (since I'm one of them), but as a voice of deep love for it and a concern for its future. Here are some allegorized interpretations of some aspects of The Office:
DUNDER-MIFFLIN: A New York-based paper company whose best days are in the past. It has branch offices in Scranton and elsewhere, and does try diligently to add personal service in providing individuals and businesses with its product. However, it is dealing two new realities: First, most people are buying paper at mega-marts like Staples and OfficeMax because it is cheaper and because Staples and OfficeMax offer a smorgasbord of alternatives; second, paper is less in demand than it was in the past, because computers and other technology have rendered paper usage largely obsolete in areas where it was once a necessary commodity.
Does this sound a little bit like the American Church? Are we dealing with the reality that many people no longer want our product (our Message)? Or how about the reality that "successful" churches are those "mega-Churches" which are able to offer the Message at a "cheaper price" (i.e. less is demanded in terms of real discipleship)?
"CORPORATE": On the TV series, we rarely see the true executives of Dunder-Mifflin (known as "Corporate" by the characters), and their positions seem to have little effect on the day-to-day business of the Scranton branch. Their current vision for the company seems to be one of "status-quo maintenance" - keep marketing our product the way we always have, downsize and make cuts wherever we can, be the authority figures that we are. But nowhere do we see them attempting to think creatively about adapting to the new reality described above, no vision for new marketing strategies or even changing their product to meet new needs. Just holding onto the status quo and maintain the corporation...even as sales go down and less money comes in, even if we are no longer providing a meaningful service to the public.
How about many churches today? Do we see executive leadership engaged in a "maintenance mentality" when they should be challenging pastors and lay ministers to engage creatively in new types of ministry and in presenting the Gospel in different ways? Has the "corporation" of church become the highest value, even when declining numbers is evidence that its current structure may not be the most effective way to provide meaningful service to the world? When the Church in other parts of the world is growing, evangelizing, Spirit-driven and Christ-centered, has the American Church become so infected with a "corporate" mentality that it has little power to think outside the box and engage the new culture in a meaningful way?
"MICHAEL SCOTT" - The regional manager for the Scranton branch of Dunder-Mifflin (flawlessly portrayed by Steve Carrell). As a salesman, Michael was one of Dunder-Mifflin's best; he was truly gifted to connect with people and successfully market the product. But for reasons unknown, Corporate promoted him to his current administrative position for which he has no skills or passion. As an administrator he does not hold the employees accountable to high standards of productivity and performance; instead he throws parties to boost their spirits and create and atmosphere of "camaraderie" (which fail miserably most of the time). He hates making unpopular decisions or taking a stand on anything which might offend someone. In his administrative incompetence and failed attempts to be "popular" with his staff, however, he is unwittingly even more offensive.
When we're really honest, I think we can admit that at both the local and denominational levels, there are many people in administrative positions who should not be there. These men and women are surely gifted in many ways, as all believers are, but as individuals called upon to provide visionary leadership for the Body they are failing. They seem more interested in keeping everyone happy and creating an atmosphere of "camaraderie," when what might be called for is real prophetic provocation which (while offensive) might be just the thing to stir the ashes and create a fresh blaze. This is especially necessary in theological areas, where so many Church administrators are failing to take a stand on basic biblical issues for fear that they may offend someone. But it is also necessary in the area of church commitment and discipleship, in which we allow people to get away with the "bare mininum" in terms of their active participation, rather than making it clear that Christianity is not, so to speak, a "spectator sport."
Let me just reiterate what I wrote above: I make these observations not with the purpose of being offensive, but with a deep love and concern for where the Church of Jesus Christ is and where it is headed. When I look at this "ecclesiastical allegory" of The Office, it is a mirror in which I see myself as much as anyone else.
I think I will put the rest of my observations in a sequel post, because for right now, this thing has gotten long enough. (Don't say it, Michael...)
Monday, September 22, 2008
Signs of Hope are Everywhere!
Here are some grim facts about reality today:
Gas prices are way too high... The economy is in serious trouble (especially here in Michigan)... The political dialogue in this country has declined to a level that would make our Founding Fathers ashamed to be called Americans... America is engaged in a war that, in my opinion, is no longer justified if it ever was... Too many teenagers are graduating from high school without adequate knowledge, direction, and confidence to make their way in the world... Divorces, teen pregnancies, abortions, and sexual depravity continues to pollute our moral landscape... And there is devastation, poverty, and injustice on every continent of the globe.
Our world is clearly flawed on some fundamental level. A person...even a Christian...could easily be tempted to throw up his or her hands and choose cynicism, despair, or indifference. God knows that I am often tempted to lean in that direction.
But then I return again and again to the writings of the Inklings and I find that, in spite of all temptations, I must choose a different attitude.
In his classic Orthodoxy, G. K. Chesterton distinguishes between three ways of looking at this world. The first is pessimism, (pretty much described above) in which one sees the evil, injustice, and inhumanity in the world and immediately concludes that the world is unredeemable. This pessimism, Chesterton writes, is not an option for any true Christian.
Secondly, one may choose what Chesterton calls "rational optimism," in which a person looks at the world around him or her through rose-colored classes, simply avoiding any engagement with the evils and injustices of the world, and merely settling for the way things are. While I'm sure we have all run into Christians like this, Chesterton would argue that this is also not an option.
The third option is what Chesterton labels "irrational optimism," and this is the true attitude to be espoused by the disciple of Christ. Irrational optimism is when the person sees what the world has become, acknowledges its fallenness, but still wills to see a deeper hope. The Christian believes that in spite of the wickedness and inhumanity all around us, the world is literally saturated with God's grace, beauty, and goodness. If we look hard enough, even when we are enmeshed in the worst that life can throw at us, we can find signs of hope, signs that God is still acting redemptively to fulfill His purposes in the world.
In Tolkien's The Return of the King, there is an incredible line that I think of often. It involves one of my favorite characters, Sam Gamgee, when he is in the devastated land of Mordor, exhausted from a long journey, with evil all around him. Here are Tolkien's poignant words:
"There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."
May God give us the wisdom to know that evil and injustice, in spite of their imposing presence in our lives, are nothing more than superficial Shadows that have been defeated forever in the Cross of Jesus Christ. And when confronted with evil and injustice, may God give us the "irrational optimism" to look deeper and to see His glory and grace...and then to go forth boldly with the spiritual armor to resist the Shadow and to do our part in restoring God's masterpiece of Creation.
Gas prices are way too high... The economy is in serious trouble (especially here in Michigan)... The political dialogue in this country has declined to a level that would make our Founding Fathers ashamed to be called Americans... America is engaged in a war that, in my opinion, is no longer justified if it ever was... Too many teenagers are graduating from high school without adequate knowledge, direction, and confidence to make their way in the world... Divorces, teen pregnancies, abortions, and sexual depravity continues to pollute our moral landscape... And there is devastation, poverty, and injustice on every continent of the globe.
Our world is clearly flawed on some fundamental level. A person...even a Christian...could easily be tempted to throw up his or her hands and choose cynicism, despair, or indifference. God knows that I am often tempted to lean in that direction.
But then I return again and again to the writings of the Inklings and I find that, in spite of all temptations, I must choose a different attitude.
In his classic Orthodoxy, G. K. Chesterton distinguishes between three ways of looking at this world. The first is pessimism, (pretty much described above) in which one sees the evil, injustice, and inhumanity in the world and immediately concludes that the world is unredeemable. This pessimism, Chesterton writes, is not an option for any true Christian.
Secondly, one may choose what Chesterton calls "rational optimism," in which a person looks at the world around him or her through rose-colored classes, simply avoiding any engagement with the evils and injustices of the world, and merely settling for the way things are. While I'm sure we have all run into Christians like this, Chesterton would argue that this is also not an option.
The third option is what Chesterton labels "irrational optimism," and this is the true attitude to be espoused by the disciple of Christ. Irrational optimism is when the person sees what the world has become, acknowledges its fallenness, but still wills to see a deeper hope. The Christian believes that in spite of the wickedness and inhumanity all around us, the world is literally saturated with God's grace, beauty, and goodness. If we look hard enough, even when we are enmeshed in the worst that life can throw at us, we can find signs of hope, signs that God is still acting redemptively to fulfill His purposes in the world.
In Tolkien's The Return of the King, there is an incredible line that I think of often. It involves one of my favorite characters, Sam Gamgee, when he is in the devastated land of Mordor, exhausted from a long journey, with evil all around him. Here are Tolkien's poignant words:
"There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."
May God give us the wisdom to know that evil and injustice, in spite of their imposing presence in our lives, are nothing more than superficial Shadows that have been defeated forever in the Cross of Jesus Christ. And when confronted with evil and injustice, may God give us the "irrational optimism" to look deeper and to see His glory and grace...and then to go forth boldly with the spiritual armor to resist the Shadow and to do our part in restoring God's masterpiece of Creation.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Let Freedom Ring! (Another Ordination Question)
One of the distinctives of the Evangelical Covenant Church is our commitment to "Freedom in Christ." What is your understanding of that freedom? What are its limits and responsibilities?
First and foremost, a Christian is free from the power of sin and death, by which the Devil holds this world in bondage. This freedom allows the believer to say "yes" to the power of obedience and life in Christ, which requires that the believer not hold up any of the world's values as his or her ultimate goal. Any worldly pursuit, however good or noble it may be in and of itself, must be submitted to the lordship of Jesus Christ.
The Christian is also free to acknowledge sin for what it is, in his or her own life and in the world. Because Christ has canceled the power of sin, His followers no longer need to ignore evil or cover it up with "fig leaves;" rather, we must expose it honestly in the hope that God might redeem it and ultimately use it for good.
Within the fellowship of the Church, Christ through His sacrifice gives us freedom from all the burdens of religious ritual and obligation. Instead of being held in bondage to any such institutional sacrifices, we are free to offer relational sacrifices: to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). In other words, we are no longer in bondage to a self-serving religiosity, and we are free to serve God and others selflessly.
Finally, with receiving the gift of freedom comes the responsibility to extend freedom to others. This means that we must give individuals outside the Church the absolute freedom to disagree with us and to hold their own convictions, that we must never attempt to force our doctrines or moral precepts on unbelievers, even though we may respectfully disagree with them and challenge them in fair and open dialogue. Within the Fellowship of Believers, this means that in matters of secondary importance, we must humbly give others the right to disagree without breaking fellowship or causing unnecessary turmoil in the Body. We must follow St. Augustine's famous dictum: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."
First and foremost, a Christian is free from the power of sin and death, by which the Devil holds this world in bondage. This freedom allows the believer to say "yes" to the power of obedience and life in Christ, which requires that the believer not hold up any of the world's values as his or her ultimate goal. Any worldly pursuit, however good or noble it may be in and of itself, must be submitted to the lordship of Jesus Christ.
The Christian is also free to acknowledge sin for what it is, in his or her own life and in the world. Because Christ has canceled the power of sin, His followers no longer need to ignore evil or cover it up with "fig leaves;" rather, we must expose it honestly in the hope that God might redeem it and ultimately use it for good.
Within the fellowship of the Church, Christ through His sacrifice gives us freedom from all the burdens of religious ritual and obligation. Instead of being held in bondage to any such institutional sacrifices, we are free to offer relational sacrifices: to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). In other words, we are no longer in bondage to a self-serving religiosity, and we are free to serve God and others selflessly.
Finally, with receiving the gift of freedom comes the responsibility to extend freedom to others. This means that we must give individuals outside the Church the absolute freedom to disagree with us and to hold their own convictions, that we must never attempt to force our doctrines or moral precepts on unbelievers, even though we may respectfully disagree with them and challenge them in fair and open dialogue. Within the Fellowship of Believers, this means that in matters of secondary importance, we must humbly give others the right to disagree without breaking fellowship or causing unnecessary turmoil in the Body. We must follow St. Augustine's famous dictum: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
CREDO - "I Believe"
Okay, so I'm finally back to blogging. I'll make no excuses for my lack of posts in the past month and a half. But I'm back.
As a part of my orientation to the Evangelical Covenant Church, I had to do an extensive "Statement of Faith" paper, responding to questions on issues of theology and practice of ministry. The questions are very direct and probing, and I only get a half-page (typed, single-spaced) in which to answer. Apparently they're looking to see if I can articulate my faith candidly and succinctly. I'll share a couple of my answers over the next few weeks. Here's one for you to chew on now:
While the Evangelical Covenant Church is "non-creedal," we have historically cherished the Apostle's and Nicene Creeds as worthy summaries of Christian faith. Using these as a guideline, articulate your personal theology for life and ministry.
I believe that God is the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of the entire universe, and that He has eternally existed as Three Persons in intimate communion - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The purpose of all creation in general, and of humanity in particular, is to reflect the glory and goodness of God and ultimately to participate in intimate communion with Him. Throughout history, God's chosen people have anticipated and lived out this ultimate purpose through their worship, witness, sacraments, and stewardship.
I believe that in the Person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God came amongst His people, born of the Virgin Mary. His ministry on earth is a model for His followers, a ministry characterized by a bold and relevant communication of God's Word, empowered teamwork, a compassionate and holistic concern for persons of all walks of life, and a prophetic provocation against the status quo of institutional religion. His death on the cross reconciles a sinful humanity to God, and His bodily resurrection from the dead frees us from bondage to the evil powers of this world. His followers live in the reality of that reconciliation and freedom, witness to that reality for the benefit of others, and wait in joyful expectation for the day when He returns bringing God's justice.
I believe that the Holy Spirit continues God's presence throughout creation and that He is the prompter of every genuine desire for newness and hope. He is especially at work in the Church which is one yet diverse, holy yet imperfect, and universal yet present wherever saving faith in Jesus Christ is confessed. The Church is a place of intimate communion for all believers, where the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed and practiced. Although all people face the reality of death, the Church lives in the hope of life beyond the grave, and therefore it is eternal life and not death that ought to inform our values, choices, and attitudes in this life.
As a part of my orientation to the Evangelical Covenant Church, I had to do an extensive "Statement of Faith" paper, responding to questions on issues of theology and practice of ministry. The questions are very direct and probing, and I only get a half-page (typed, single-spaced) in which to answer. Apparently they're looking to see if I can articulate my faith candidly and succinctly. I'll share a couple of my answers over the next few weeks. Here's one for you to chew on now:
While the Evangelical Covenant Church is "non-creedal," we have historically cherished the Apostle's and Nicene Creeds as worthy summaries of Christian faith. Using these as a guideline, articulate your personal theology for life and ministry.
I believe that God is the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of the entire universe, and that He has eternally existed as Three Persons in intimate communion - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The purpose of all creation in general, and of humanity in particular, is to reflect the glory and goodness of God and ultimately to participate in intimate communion with Him. Throughout history, God's chosen people have anticipated and lived out this ultimate purpose through their worship, witness, sacraments, and stewardship.
I believe that in the Person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God came amongst His people, born of the Virgin Mary. His ministry on earth is a model for His followers, a ministry characterized by a bold and relevant communication of God's Word, empowered teamwork, a compassionate and holistic concern for persons of all walks of life, and a prophetic provocation against the status quo of institutional religion. His death on the cross reconciles a sinful humanity to God, and His bodily resurrection from the dead frees us from bondage to the evil powers of this world. His followers live in the reality of that reconciliation and freedom, witness to that reality for the benefit of others, and wait in joyful expectation for the day when He returns bringing God's justice.
I believe that the Holy Spirit continues God's presence throughout creation and that He is the prompter of every genuine desire for newness and hope. He is especially at work in the Church which is one yet diverse, holy yet imperfect, and universal yet present wherever saving faith in Jesus Christ is confessed. The Church is a place of intimate communion for all believers, where the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed and practiced. Although all people face the reality of death, the Church lives in the hope of life beyond the grave, and therefore it is eternal life and not death that ought to inform our values, choices, and attitudes in this life.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Still Here...
Just wanted to let all my loyal readers (all three of you!) know that I haven't forgotten about the wonderful world of blogland. This last month has been a whirlwind as I spent my last week of ministry in Bakerstown co-deaning the Work Mission Camp up at Wesley Woods, then immediately left to come out here, and started work bright and early Monday morning. I must give kudos to my lovely wife Cherith for taking care of a great deal of the logistics so that I could spend my last week of ministry with my youth, serving Christ at a wonderful Christian camp.
Now I am slowly getting settled into my new position of Pastor of Worship and Family Ministries. I hope to write a more substantial post next time, but for right now, this is just to let you know that I did make it out to Michigan alive!
Peace!
Now I am slowly getting settled into my new position of Pastor of Worship and Family Ministries. I hope to write a more substantial post next time, but for right now, this is just to let you know that I did make it out to Michigan alive!
Peace!
Friday, June 6, 2008
In Memory of "Jaja"
Today, June 6, is the birthday of my grandfather, Leonard Juniak.
Growing up in a Polish family, my siblings and I always called him "Jaja" which is the Polish word for grandpa.
Jaja passed away several years ago, but I still like to pause and think about him on this day because he was one of the greatest influences on my life.
He grew up during the Great Depression, he served as a navigator's yeoman in the Navy during World War II, and worked a mill job at PPG in Creighton for 38 years to provide for his wife and daughter (my mom). After my grandma passed away and he retired, he moved in with our family and became a second dad to me.
Jaja inspired my love of history by telling be stories about his life during the Depression and about some of his antics with other sailors during WWII. He also gave me my love of politics by trying to convince me that Harry Truman was the greatest president in history, while Richard Nixon is rightly referred to as a crook. He encouraged my piano playing by taking me to lessons every week, and he never missed a swim meet, band concert, or piano recital during my high school years.
He was one of that "Greatest Generation" of Americans who put family first, took pride in his work, was stubbornly devoted to his convictions, and was always willing to lend a hand to a friend or neighbor in need.
In the last chapter of Romans, St. Paul gives an impressive list of people who had influenced him and supported him in his life. Were I to write that kind of list, Jaja would appear right below my mom and dad, and to paraphrase St. Paul, "I thank my God at every remembrance of him."
Who are some of the human role models who have inspired you and helped to develop your character?
Growing up in a Polish family, my siblings and I always called him "Jaja" which is the Polish word for grandpa.
Jaja passed away several years ago, but I still like to pause and think about him on this day because he was one of the greatest influences on my life.
He grew up during the Great Depression, he served as a navigator's yeoman in the Navy during World War II, and worked a mill job at PPG in Creighton for 38 years to provide for his wife and daughter (my mom). After my grandma passed away and he retired, he moved in with our family and became a second dad to me.
Jaja inspired my love of history by telling be stories about his life during the Depression and about some of his antics with other sailors during WWII. He also gave me my love of politics by trying to convince me that Harry Truman was the greatest president in history, while Richard Nixon is rightly referred to as a crook. He encouraged my piano playing by taking me to lessons every week, and he never missed a swim meet, band concert, or piano recital during my high school years.
He was one of that "Greatest Generation" of Americans who put family first, took pride in his work, was stubbornly devoted to his convictions, and was always willing to lend a hand to a friend or neighbor in need.
In the last chapter of Romans, St. Paul gives an impressive list of people who had influenced him and supported him in his life. Were I to write that kind of list, Jaja would appear right below my mom and dad, and to paraphrase St. Paul, "I thank my God at every remembrance of him."
Who are some of the human role models who have inspired you and helped to develop your character?
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Movin' On Up to the East Side...
...of Grand Rapids, Michigan, that is.
That's right, folks. After over 8 years of wonderful ministry here in Western Pennsylvania (5 in New Castle, 3 in Gibsonia), I regret to report that my wife Cherith and I are "pressing onward" in our ministry and will be moving to Michigan. We have prayed, sought the advice of trusted mentors, and believe that God has called us to serve in a new capacity. At the end of June, I will be leaving my position as Director of Youth and Outreach Ministries at Bakerstown United Methodist Church, to answer a new call as Pastor of Worship and Family Ministries at Saranac Community Church.
I can't say enough about my time at Bakerstown UMC. I have grown in my faith and in my professional abilities, and have had the opportunity to work with some incredible Christians. In particular, I need to give kudos to Rev. Mark Stewart for allowing me to partner with him in leadership. He is a gifted administrator, a gracious pastor, and certainly a valuable asset to the Western PA Conference (as I'm sure many of you know).
Unfortunately, my new position is not with the United Methodist Church. I do not in any way believe that God has called me away from Methodism. Rather, I see this new open door as an invitation from God to broaden my outlook of Kingdom ministry, and as a chance to utilize my major gifts of teaching, spiritual formation, and music for His glory.
I hope you all will continue to stop by this blog from time to time. I have loved being included in this conversation about our common goal of following Christ and providing leadership for His people, and I have been challenged by many of you. For that, I say a huge thanks!
That's right, folks. After over 8 years of wonderful ministry here in Western Pennsylvania (5 in New Castle, 3 in Gibsonia), I regret to report that my wife Cherith and I are "pressing onward" in our ministry and will be moving to Michigan. We have prayed, sought the advice of trusted mentors, and believe that God has called us to serve in a new capacity. At the end of June, I will be leaving my position as Director of Youth and Outreach Ministries at Bakerstown United Methodist Church, to answer a new call as Pastor of Worship and Family Ministries at Saranac Community Church.
I can't say enough about my time at Bakerstown UMC. I have grown in my faith and in my professional abilities, and have had the opportunity to work with some incredible Christians. In particular, I need to give kudos to Rev. Mark Stewart for allowing me to partner with him in leadership. He is a gifted administrator, a gracious pastor, and certainly a valuable asset to the Western PA Conference (as I'm sure many of you know).
Unfortunately, my new position is not with the United Methodist Church. I do not in any way believe that God has called me away from Methodism. Rather, I see this new open door as an invitation from God to broaden my outlook of Kingdom ministry, and as a chance to utilize my major gifts of teaching, spiritual formation, and music for His glory.
I hope you all will continue to stop by this blog from time to time. I have loved being included in this conversation about our common goal of following Christ and providing leadership for His people, and I have been challenged by many of you. For that, I say a huge thanks!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
There Is A Hope
I just learned of a relatively new praise hymn written by the great Stuart Townend, the British musician who wrote my favorite praise chorus: In Christ Alone. This new praise hymn is entitled There Is A Hope. I viewed a video this morning on the Worship Together website. The music includes accoustical piano and a Celtic flute. That alone transported me to another dimension...maybe to a green pasture in Ireland, maybe to Middle Earth. Not sure where, but it was awesome!
The lyrics are rich, both spiritually and theologically. Here they are:
THERE IS A HOPE
by Stuart Townend and Mark Edwards
Copyright (c) 2007 Thankyou Music.
There is a hope that burns within my heart,
That gives me strength for ev'ry passing day;
a glimpse of glory now revealed in meager part,
Yet drives all doubt away:
I stand in Christ, with sins forgiv'n;
and Christ in me, the hope of heav'n!
My highest calling and my deepest joy,
to make His will my home.
There is a hope that lifts my weary head,
A consolation strong against despair,
That when the world has plunged me in its deepest pit,
I find the Savior there!
Through present sufferings, future's fear,
He whispers, "Courage!" in my ear.
For I am safe in everlasting arms,
And they will lead me home.
There is a hope that stands the test of time,
That lifts my eyes beyond the beckoning grave,
To see the matchless beauty of a day divine
When I behold His face!
When sufferings cease and sorrows die,
and every longing satisfied,
then joy unspeakable will flood my soul,
For I am truly home.
Lord Jesus, May I heed these words this day and every day. May my life be defined by a hope rooted in the truth of Your glorious resurrection. May my dissatisfaction with "life as it is" remind me that I am called by You to embody a vision of life as You would have it. And may I always look forward, knowing that by Your grace, You will indeed lead me home. Amen.
The lyrics are rich, both spiritually and theologically. Here they are:
THERE IS A HOPE
by Stuart Townend and Mark Edwards
Copyright (c) 2007 Thankyou Music.
There is a hope that burns within my heart,
That gives me strength for ev'ry passing day;
a glimpse of glory now revealed in meager part,
Yet drives all doubt away:
I stand in Christ, with sins forgiv'n;
and Christ in me, the hope of heav'n!
My highest calling and my deepest joy,
to make His will my home.
There is a hope that lifts my weary head,
A consolation strong against despair,
That when the world has plunged me in its deepest pit,
I find the Savior there!
Through present sufferings, future's fear,
He whispers, "Courage!" in my ear.
For I am safe in everlasting arms,
And they will lead me home.
There is a hope that stands the test of time,
That lifts my eyes beyond the beckoning grave,
To see the matchless beauty of a day divine
When I behold His face!
When sufferings cease and sorrows die,
and every longing satisfied,
then joy unspeakable will flood my soul,
For I am truly home.
Lord Jesus, May I heed these words this day and every day. May my life be defined by a hope rooted in the truth of Your glorious resurrection. May my dissatisfaction with "life as it is" remind me that I am called by You to embody a vision of life as You would have it. And may I always look forward, knowing that by Your grace, You will indeed lead me home. Amen.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
What Are You Reading?
I don't know about you, but I find that my brain starts to resemble a pile of mush when I go any length of time without delving into a good book. I find I function best when I am absorbing the creative thoughts of other people, or just enjoying a good story. I think I already quoted this on a prior post, but a professor of mine used to say, "Leaders are Learners."Here's a list of recent books I've enjoyed:
THEOLOGICALLY DEEP:
Hugo A. Meynell, Postmodernism and the New Enlightenment. A Catholic philosopher, Meynell argues that "postmoderns" are correct in their critique of many negative aspects of modernity (for example, their scientism, their utilitarianism that results in consumerism, their naive attitude towards the darker human passions, and their uncritical contempt for traditional ways of thinking). However, he maintains that the alternative offered by postmoderns (especially Derrida, Foucault, Rorty, and Lyotard) is actually worse than the modern. He proposes a third alternative, a "new enlightenment," which strives to rise above the modern-postmodern debate by emphasizing the need for attentiveness, intelligence, rationality, and responsibility in all areas of thought. Definitely not an easy read, but one which greatly helped me to understand the core issues in the current cultural transition.
Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes. Having spent a great deal of his life among traditional Middle Eastern cultural realities, Bailey offers a fresh perspective on Jesus and the four gospels for those of us who have been trained to see them only through a modern Western perspective. This is definitely the magnum opus of a first-rate biblical scholar!
John R. Schneider, The Good of Affluence: Seeking God in a Culture of Wealth. A religion professor at Calvin College, Schneider re-examines and critiques much of the contemporary Protestant understandings of wealth, poverty, and market-driven economics. He challenges the anti-capitalist exegesis propounded by Marxist and Liberation theologies, but he also takes issue with the "simplistic" views of capitalism that are presented by people like Hauerwas, Sider, and Blomberg. No matter what your political and economic views, I'm sure this book will challenge your assumptions about the Bible's teachings on economics!
PRACTICAL MINISTRY:
Mark Dever, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism. Senior pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., Dever presents a model of evangelism that is grounded in the proclaimed Word of God, but which also includes the necessity of authentic relationships. Perhaps the most illuminating chapter in the book is entitled "What Isn't Evangelism," which argues that much of what the church passes off as "outreach" is actually not central to the ultimate thrust of the Gospel message. A short and easy read, but definitely worth it!
Alvin L. Reid, Raising the Bar: Ministry to Youth in the New Millennium. In many ways, this book echoes the concerns of several of the excellent texts on youth ministry to be published in recent years. It too advocates a total transformation of how we do youth ministry. I recommend it simply because it focuses on three very basic factors: Pray Hard, Teach Scripture Well, and Live Authentically among the youth. These three factors are central. The other stuff, whether in its modern or postmodern package, is just icing on the cake.
Terry Wardle, Healing Care, Healing Prayer. Wardle is a professor at Ashland Theological Seminary (I have to give a plug for my alma mater!!!). I recommend this book because it skillfully combines biblical spirituality with informed counseling techniques. It is practical and has helpful resource lists for further reading. In having some deep conversations with my youth over the past few months, I have found myself drawing on its concepts and helpful illustrations. It also emphasizes the central role of the Holy Spirit in all healing that is truly Christian.
JUST FOR FUN:
C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian. In preparation for the movie's release this weekend!
Elizabeth Kostova, The Historian. It was the title that drew my attention (you know, me being a history buff and all). As for the plot, all I'll say it: Dracula a la The DaVinci Code. Check it out!
So....What's on your reading list?!?!?
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
"What I've Done" - Sin and Responsibility
Recently, the youth praise band here at BUMC introduced me to a song by Linkin Park entitled What I've Done. It's a single from their latest studio album, Minutes to Midnight, which was released exactly one year ago. That I am just now introduced to it reveals the sad truth that I am at least one year "behind the times" when it comes to much of popular culture. On the other hand, considering that I'm a child of the '80's, I guess I'm doing pretty well.
The music itself is an interesting mix of a hauntingly repetitive piano motif, juxtaposed with very raw-sounding electric guitars and percussion. But what caught me was the lyrics:
The music itself is an interesting mix of a hauntingly repetitive piano motif, juxtaposed with very raw-sounding electric guitars and percussion. But what caught me was the lyrics:
In this farewell
There’s no blood
There’s no alibi
‘Cause I’ve drawn regret
From the truth
Of a thousand lies
So let mercy come
And wash away
What I’ve done
I'll face myself
To cross out what I’ve become
Erase myself
And let go of what I’ve done
Put to rest
What you thought of me
While I clean this slate
With the hands of uncertainty
So let mercy come
And wash away
What I’ve done
I'll face myself
To cross out what I’ve become
Erase myself
And let go of what I’ve done
For what I’ve done
I start again
And whatever pain may come
Today this ends
I’m forgiving what I’ve done!!!
What I’ve done
Forgiving what I’ve done
If you preview the video on YouTube, you'll see that these words and music are intermingled with incredible visual images revealing the reality of sin in our world: drug abuse, war, terrorism, racism, pollution and environmental destruction, materialism, evil dictatorships, and nuclear destruction. Clearly, all of these images point to the consequences of our fallen human nature and our rebellion against the sovereign Lord of the Universe.
The typically modern view of sin (if sin is acknowledged at all) is that it is something out there, in the world, in society. We humans are essentially good, modernity taught us, and that the evil in the world is all of these external evils such as war, poverty, ignorance, etc... Sin can be overcome merely be combating these external evils and removing them from the earth, so that we humans can thrive with our natural goodness. In general, modernity tended to shy away from the "dark side" of human nature, believing that we are all in a natural process towards progress. Human reason and motivation are infallible and good, and they alone can save us.
This is certainly not the vision of What I've Done.
While the video depicts all of the external evils rightly abhored by modernity, the lyrics go to the heart of the issue by focusing on what I've done. The lyricist/singer has no illusions about his own essential goodness, or the purity of his motives. He takes full responsibility by acknowledging his own sinful actions, and he hints that mercy must come to him from somewhere outside himself in order that those sinful actions can be fully washed away. While he does declare presumptuously that he will forgive himself, he acknowledges that starting again and forgiving himself must come at the cost of great pain.
Authors such as Hugo A. Meynell and Robert Webber aver that modernity's naivete towards human evil has gone out of fashion among the postmodern generations. Contemporary people, especially the young, are not only more willing to talk about the evils inherent in life, but they are also willing to deal honestly with evil's manifestations in their own minds, hearts, and actions. "The power of positive thinking" and the "cult of self-esteem" has given way to a more realistic assessment of the individual person who, while having clear aspirations to the true and good, acknowledges the limits (even the corruption) of his own reason and volition.
The song What I've Done illustrates a significant scriptural truth, that the individual must fully deal with the log in his or her own eye, in order to see clearly and then deal with the speck that is in our neighbor's eye. It also suggests that our culture today is much more open to hearing a biblical view of individual sin and responsibility - a view which much of the church has failed to proclaim in our world.
Too few Christians are hearing from the pulpits a Word-informed anthropology which stresses the full weight of what we've done as individuals. We are rebels against a holy and righteous God, and we constantly set up false idols to fill the absence of His presence. Certainly, the world beyond the church is not hearing this truth. As it is, we are not giving people a true reason for being Christians in the first place: to receive God's incredible forgiveness and justification in Jesus Christ, to have our sins washed away in sanctification, and to live in the reality of His grace and mercy.
Clearly, Linkin Park (and obviously much of their fans) understand the need to face themselves honestly, to have mercy come to them, to have their sins washed away and the slate wiped clean, and to feel the joy of forgiveness. It's about time that we proclaim the whole Gospel without fear of offending others, so that those inside and outside the Church can be convicted of their sin and thereby return to the One who bore the pain of our forgiveness and Who accepts all of us in spite of what we've done.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Eucatastrophe in Action
Here are some photos of the BUMC Youth Band Eucatastrophe at the recent Battle of the Bands. A great evening of worship!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Anamchara - The Soul Friend
"When I came to Troas to proclaim the good news of Christ, a door was opened for me in the Lord; but my mind could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said farewell to them and went on to Macedonia." - St. Paul, II Corinthians 2:12-13, NRSV.
For years I made the mistake of viewing Paul as a sort of Lone Ranger Evangelist who would go forth on his own, boldly and unapologetically proclaiming the Gospel to anyone he met, maintaining his own self-sufficiency even in prison, and simply breaking fellowship with anyone who had the guts to disagree with him (i.e. Peter, Barnabas). I hereby repent of this biblical error.
One need only to look at Romans 16 to see the incredible list of individuals on whom Paul relied for support, encouragement, and assistance in his ministry. Following Jesus' example of sending his disciples out "two by two," Paul always had a traveling companion during his missionary journeys, such as Barnabas, Silas, Titus, or Luke. Certainly the passion of his life was the proclamation of the Gospel, and he was very "task-oriented" in that; yet one cannot deny that for Paul, nurturing meaningful and proactive relationships with others, especially at a deep spiritual level, was a necessary component of his gospel ministry.
Just look at the above quote from II Corinthians: Paul had a Divine opportunity to preach the gospel in one of the biggest ports in the Roman Empire, where there were tradesmen and sailors from all over the known world. Yet in spite of this great opportunity to evangelize, Paul left them and went on, because somehow he got separated from his buddy Titus and had no peace of mind. Paul was close with Titus - he defended Titus against the circumcision party, he clearly trusted Titus enough to send him as a reconciler in the Corinthian debacle, and he traveled with Titus as well. Paul's friendship with Titus was close enough that, when separated from him, Paul did not have peace of mind about preaching the gospel.
In an age where "global communications" has made it possible to connect with anyone, anytime, anywhere, we are witnessing simultaneously the breakdown of meaningful relationships fueled by the narcissistic individualism which is the logical result of modernity. Many adults find it simply impractical or unnecessary to maintain deep, lasting friendships that can empower us on our journey through life. Friendships that do exist are often very superficial, not concerned with anything beneath the surface issues of life, certainly avoiding the deep emotional and spiritual struggles which all humans experience.
The Celtic Christians had a word for the type of friendship that Paul experienced and that we moderns avoid: Anamchara. It comes from two Gaelic words that mean "soul friend." Interestingly, this was not just a social convention; it was a religious practice. The Celtic saints believed that because we are sinners who can often deceive ourselves, true holiness can only be pursued in the context of a relationship with a trusted friend who is willing to hold us accountable in the deepest levels of our spiritual journey. I believe this is a profoundly necessary practice, especially when we realize that God is as concerned with our internal motivations, emotions, and thoughts as He is with our external behaviors.
I'm sure that all of us can recall times in our spiritual journey when we lacked the kind of loving accountability from a friend with whom we are totally authentic, and who is willing not only to affirm but also to challenge and confront us. When that kind of friendship was absent, I'll bet that we've all tended to fall into rationalizations, attitudes and behaviors that were not consistent with the high call of Christian discipleship.
I have been blessed in my journey to have such friendships: my college roommate Chad Geaslen, my seminary roommate Jeff "The Punk" Vanderhoff, friends and mentors Bob Morris and Ray and Gail Keffer. All of these individuals contributed to my spiritual growth and development by mutual sharing of heart and mind, so that I could be drawn out of myself and into the world of God and others. I thank God for all of them.
My prayer is that as ministers of the Gospel we are able to repent of the "Lone Ranger" mentality that so often plagues the professional clergy, in order that we can show real solidarity and support of each other as we shepherd God's people. It may not seem like the most "practical" thing to do. But then again, in a culture that places such a high value on superficiality, perhaps living the Anamchara is just the sort of counter-cultural act in which we Christians should be engaging.
For years I made the mistake of viewing Paul as a sort of Lone Ranger Evangelist who would go forth on his own, boldly and unapologetically proclaiming the Gospel to anyone he met, maintaining his own self-sufficiency even in prison, and simply breaking fellowship with anyone who had the guts to disagree with him (i.e. Peter, Barnabas). I hereby repent of this biblical error.
One need only to look at Romans 16 to see the incredible list of individuals on whom Paul relied for support, encouragement, and assistance in his ministry. Following Jesus' example of sending his disciples out "two by two," Paul always had a traveling companion during his missionary journeys, such as Barnabas, Silas, Titus, or Luke. Certainly the passion of his life was the proclamation of the Gospel, and he was very "task-oriented" in that; yet one cannot deny that for Paul, nurturing meaningful and proactive relationships with others, especially at a deep spiritual level, was a necessary component of his gospel ministry.
Just look at the above quote from II Corinthians: Paul had a Divine opportunity to preach the gospel in one of the biggest ports in the Roman Empire, where there were tradesmen and sailors from all over the known world. Yet in spite of this great opportunity to evangelize, Paul left them and went on, because somehow he got separated from his buddy Titus and had no peace of mind. Paul was close with Titus - he defended Titus against the circumcision party, he clearly trusted Titus enough to send him as a reconciler in the Corinthian debacle, and he traveled with Titus as well. Paul's friendship with Titus was close enough that, when separated from him, Paul did not have peace of mind about preaching the gospel.
In an age where "global communications" has made it possible to connect with anyone, anytime, anywhere, we are witnessing simultaneously the breakdown of meaningful relationships fueled by the narcissistic individualism which is the logical result of modernity. Many adults find it simply impractical or unnecessary to maintain deep, lasting friendships that can empower us on our journey through life. Friendships that do exist are often very superficial, not concerned with anything beneath the surface issues of life, certainly avoiding the deep emotional and spiritual struggles which all humans experience.
The Celtic Christians had a word for the type of friendship that Paul experienced and that we moderns avoid: Anamchara. It comes from two Gaelic words that mean "soul friend." Interestingly, this was not just a social convention; it was a religious practice. The Celtic saints believed that because we are sinners who can often deceive ourselves, true holiness can only be pursued in the context of a relationship with a trusted friend who is willing to hold us accountable in the deepest levels of our spiritual journey. I believe this is a profoundly necessary practice, especially when we realize that God is as concerned with our internal motivations, emotions, and thoughts as He is with our external behaviors.
I'm sure that all of us can recall times in our spiritual journey when we lacked the kind of loving accountability from a friend with whom we are totally authentic, and who is willing not only to affirm but also to challenge and confront us. When that kind of friendship was absent, I'll bet that we've all tended to fall into rationalizations, attitudes and behaviors that were not consistent with the high call of Christian discipleship.
I have been blessed in my journey to have such friendships: my college roommate Chad Geaslen, my seminary roommate Jeff "The Punk" Vanderhoff, friends and mentors Bob Morris and Ray and Gail Keffer. All of these individuals contributed to my spiritual growth and development by mutual sharing of heart and mind, so that I could be drawn out of myself and into the world of God and others. I thank God for all of them.
My prayer is that as ministers of the Gospel we are able to repent of the "Lone Ranger" mentality that so often plagues the professional clergy, in order that we can show real solidarity and support of each other as we shepherd God's people. It may not seem like the most "practical" thing to do. But then again, in a culture that places such a high value on superficiality, perhaps living the Anamchara is just the sort of counter-cultural act in which we Christians should be engaging.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Rockin' Worship, Part II
So it's official: Eucatastrophe is #1!
That's right! The youth praise band of Bakerstown UMC took first prize in the first Battle of the Bands here in the North Hills! Over 200 youth gathered at Hampton Presbyterian Church to hear some great youth praise bands and to support the North Hills Youth Ministry Counseling Center!
I was so proud of my band members and the other youth of Bakerstown UMC... they displayed their passion, they got everyone excited, they were respectful of all the participants, and Christ was glorified in their behavior and their worship. What's more, some of my youth invited their unchurched friends, and they all wanted to hang out with us after the evening was over. I get the distinct impression that I'll see those teens again, and that our group will be able to continue to witness to them what life with Christ is all about.
It was such an incredible evening! Kudos to Brian Wallace, youth pastor at Hampton Pres., for organizing the event, and to the other bands that participated.
I agree with the comments of my brother in Christ, Jesse Siefert, who was at the event and who is the youth pastor at Whitehall Presbyterian Church. He said that God is definitely doing a work in this new generation of young people, and he believes that God is going to use them to make a difference here in Pittsburgh!
I heard that other United Methodist Church youth had a great weekend at Blaze in Downtown Pittsbrugh with 400 youth in attendance....even more evidence that Jesse's vision seems to be true.
Will you join me in praying for the young people in this area, that God's Spirit will move in their hearts and will challenge them to do great things in the name of Jesus Christ? Let that be our prayer and our passion!
"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity." - I Timothy 4:12
Friday, March 28, 2008
Rockin' Worship!
Okay, folks...prayer request for all of you:
This Sunday at 5:00 p.m., our youth praise band Eucatastrophe will be taking part in a "Battle of the Praise Bands" at Hampton Presbyterian Church in Gibsonia. Several youth praise bands in the area will be coming together for some friendly competition, in order to raise money for the North Hills Youth Ministry Counseling Center (http://www.nhymcc.org/). We will be playing some great praise songs like Let it Rise, David Crowder's No One Like You, and Fernando Ortega's Our Great God, as well as contemporary favorites like Relient K's Who I Am Hates Who I've Been and Hoobastank's The Reason (with a distinctively Christian slant on that last one).
I am so grateful for this opportunity. It will give these guys with whom I've worked so hard a chance to be seen and heard by people other than this congregation, to be a witness for Christ through their music, and to help a worthy Christian cause in this community. What more could I ask for?
I don't want you folks to pray that we win the competition (well, if you insist)...
Rather, please pray that God will reveal Himself through us, that we will worship well, and that we will be good representatives of Christ and of Bakerstown United Methodist. If you'd like to pray for specific band members, they are:
Nate Bodnar - Drums
Trevor Ditmore - Vocals
Zack Meuschke (grandson of Revs. Paul Meuschke and Ken McGowan) - Guitar
Derek Platt - Vocals
Alex Shipley (grandson of the late Rev. Ralph Shipley) - Bass Guitar
Eric Zarenko - Guitar
Jeff Kahl - Keyboard
Thanks for your prayers! I pray that all of you experience the same passion in your worship of Jesus Christ!
P.S. - If you would like to know what our band's name (Eucatastrophe) means, there's a post somewhere on my blog that describes it! Look under the heading "Inklings."
This Sunday at 5:00 p.m., our youth praise band Eucatastrophe will be taking part in a "Battle of the Praise Bands" at Hampton Presbyterian Church in Gibsonia. Several youth praise bands in the area will be coming together for some friendly competition, in order to raise money for the North Hills Youth Ministry Counseling Center (http://www.nhymcc.org/). We will be playing some great praise songs like Let it Rise, David Crowder's No One Like You, and Fernando Ortega's Our Great God, as well as contemporary favorites like Relient K's Who I Am Hates Who I've Been and Hoobastank's The Reason (with a distinctively Christian slant on that last one).
I am so grateful for this opportunity. It will give these guys with whom I've worked so hard a chance to be seen and heard by people other than this congregation, to be a witness for Christ through their music, and to help a worthy Christian cause in this community. What more could I ask for?
I don't want you folks to pray that we win the competition (well, if you insist)...
Rather, please pray that God will reveal Himself through us, that we will worship well, and that we will be good representatives of Christ and of Bakerstown United Methodist. If you'd like to pray for specific band members, they are:
Nate Bodnar - Drums
Trevor Ditmore - Vocals
Zack Meuschke (grandson of Revs. Paul Meuschke and Ken McGowan) - Guitar
Derek Platt - Vocals
Alex Shipley (grandson of the late Rev. Ralph Shipley) - Bass Guitar
Eric Zarenko - Guitar
Jeff Kahl - Keyboard
Thanks for your prayers! I pray that all of you experience the same passion in your worship of Jesus Christ!
P.S. - If you would like to know what our band's name (Eucatastrophe) means, there's a post somewhere on my blog that describes it! Look under the heading "Inklings."
Monday, March 17, 2008
How Great Thou ART
Jeff Vanderhoff's remarks in my last post (see below, "No Country for Jeff") have led me to reflect on movies as an art form. As is typical with nerds like me, I ended up pondering an even more philosophical question: What is art? And what is its purpose in our lives?
As Vanderhoff commented in my last post, he would much rather watch a good comedy that gives him a little escape from life, rather than a heavy movie like No Country for Old Men which seems to confuse and frustrate more than clarify and edify.
So what is the purpose of art? Why should we watch movies, listen to music, read books, attend plays? Is it to be entertained? To be instructed? Or to just escape from the "real world" for a while?
In general, I believe there are three views of the purpose of the arts in human existence. I know that we all can come up with many specific reasons for liking specific pieces of art, but what I'm listing are just broad categories about the arts in general.
First, there's the view that art is essentially a "handmaid of religion" - that the purpose of art is almost exclusively for religious expression, worship, and for giving glory and honor to God. In other words, art is justified by its faithfulness in representing religious truth. Simple totem poles, ceremonial dances, and mythical stories in the pre-Christian religions. Gothic cathedrals, passion plays and Gregorian chants of the Middle Ages. Even much of the contemporary Christian music business today. All of those would be examples of this first philosophy of art.
Secondly, there's the view that, fundamentally, the purpose of art is to entertain...that art exists for the sake of the audience. The justification of art is, therefore, its ability to reach people subjectively. In this view, what is being said/portrayed is much less important than how it is being said/portrayed. Most of popular music/literature/art falls into this category, although there are excellent exceptions (U2, The Beatles, etc...). Take pop music for example: most of what is actually communicated is trivial, pedantic, and vulgar, yet it is presented with such fanfare and sensationalism that the audience is simply taken up in the experience of the "show."
Finally, there is the philosophy that art is the concretization of the artist's fundamental views of life: that in the specific media of music, painting, literature, etc..., the artist is communicating a basic understanding of human existence, inviting the audience to enter into that understanding, perceive, and enjoy. In this view, the audience can not sit passively and expect pure entertainment. They must engage the work of art with their mind and heart and, in doing so, attempt to discover the major themes that are actually being communicated.
Take two of my favorite films: Hugh Hudson's Chariots of Fire and David Fincher's Seven. In my opinion, each film presents a certain view about the nature of humanity. Chariots of Fire presents humans as having all the potential to be heroic, to live with integrity, to maintain their core beliefs even in the face of opposition, and ultimately to achieve great success. Seven, on the other hand, presents human life as being hopelessly depraved, in which even those with the best intentions are doomed to either failure, cynicism, or despair. Both films use their stories, characterizations, and cinematography flawlessly to present these views. Neither film is "entertainment for its own sake;" but each, in my opinion, is brilliant in what it seeks to achieve.
In Genesis we are told that God is a Creator, and that humans are made in His image. Therefore, I believe that it is in the nature of human life to want to create, to express our deepest longings and beliefs, and to share those with others. I thank God for the brilliant artists, past and present, who have added much to my mind, heart, and life.
As Vanderhoff commented in my last post, he would much rather watch a good comedy that gives him a little escape from life, rather than a heavy movie like No Country for Old Men which seems to confuse and frustrate more than clarify and edify.
So what is the purpose of art? Why should we watch movies, listen to music, read books, attend plays? Is it to be entertained? To be instructed? Or to just escape from the "real world" for a while?
In general, I believe there are three views of the purpose of the arts in human existence. I know that we all can come up with many specific reasons for liking specific pieces of art, but what I'm listing are just broad categories about the arts in general.
First, there's the view that art is essentially a "handmaid of religion" - that the purpose of art is almost exclusively for religious expression, worship, and for giving glory and honor to God. In other words, art is justified by its faithfulness in representing religious truth. Simple totem poles, ceremonial dances, and mythical stories in the pre-Christian religions. Gothic cathedrals, passion plays and Gregorian chants of the Middle Ages. Even much of the contemporary Christian music business today. All of those would be examples of this first philosophy of art.
Secondly, there's the view that, fundamentally, the purpose of art is to entertain...that art exists for the sake of the audience. The justification of art is, therefore, its ability to reach people subjectively. In this view, what is being said/portrayed is much less important than how it is being said/portrayed. Most of popular music/literature/art falls into this category, although there are excellent exceptions (U2, The Beatles, etc...). Take pop music for example: most of what is actually communicated is trivial, pedantic, and vulgar, yet it is presented with such fanfare and sensationalism that the audience is simply taken up in the experience of the "show."
Finally, there is the philosophy that art is the concretization of the artist's fundamental views of life: that in the specific media of music, painting, literature, etc..., the artist is communicating a basic understanding of human existence, inviting the audience to enter into that understanding, perceive, and enjoy. In this view, the audience can not sit passively and expect pure entertainment. They must engage the work of art with their mind and heart and, in doing so, attempt to discover the major themes that are actually being communicated.
Take two of my favorite films: Hugh Hudson's Chariots of Fire and David Fincher's Seven. In my opinion, each film presents a certain view about the nature of humanity. Chariots of Fire presents humans as having all the potential to be heroic, to live with integrity, to maintain their core beliefs even in the face of opposition, and ultimately to achieve great success. Seven, on the other hand, presents human life as being hopelessly depraved, in which even those with the best intentions are doomed to either failure, cynicism, or despair. Both films use their stories, characterizations, and cinematography flawlessly to present these views. Neither film is "entertainment for its own sake;" but each, in my opinion, is brilliant in what it seeks to achieve.
In Genesis we are told that God is a Creator, and that humans are made in His image. Therefore, I believe that it is in the nature of human life to want to create, to express our deepest longings and beliefs, and to share those with others. I thank God for the brilliant artists, past and present, who have added much to my mind, heart, and life.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
No Country for Jeff
So two events happened in the past two weeks that prompted these reflections:
1). On March 2, I turned 35 years old, the age which many people associate with the beginning of the male mid-life crisis.
2). This past weekend, I splurged with some of my birthday money and went to see the movie No Country for Old Men, which recently took top honors at the Academy Awards and which features riveting performances from Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, and Kelly MacDonald.
If you want to read a first-rate review of this film, go to Eric Park's website and check it out. I won't even attempt to equal his analysis of this incredible flick, but I do wish to comment on the three major characters.
1 - First there's Llewellyn Moss, a young man who unexpectedly happened upon a suitcase filled with money at the scene of a botched drug deal. With no moral framework that would help him to do the right thing (turn the money in to the police), impulsively he decided to keep the money for himself. Throughout the course of the film he reveals his propensity for making stupid, spur-of-the-moment decisions that end up doing more harm than good. He even puts his relationship with his wife second to doing what is necessary to keep the money. Llewellyn represents opportunism at its worst.
2 - Then there's Ed Tom Bell, the old sheriff who represents not only law and order but also a sense of decency and morality that was typical of an older America but seems to be fading. Ed Tom even hints that he once had a high hope in God. And yet that hope has long since disappeared for Ed Tom, who observes a culture around him that has no more use for his moral and ethical ideals. Rather than resisting the trend towards moral decay, I sense that Ed Tom chooses instead to wallow in cynicism and merely wait for retirement and death.
3 - Finally, there's the serial killer Anton Chigurh, who I think will go down in history with Hannibal Lecter and Norman Bates as one of the finest villains ever portrayed on film. For Anton, life is senseless and arbitrary, almost a game of chance, and human beings are indistinguishable from cattle if they deter him from his goals. He values nothing beyond his own survival. I'd characterize him by his nihilism. Is he crazy? Evil? Or is he the only person who knows what it takes to survive in a world where there is no objective standard of truth and goodness?
So here I am, 35 years old, looking out at the current culture in which I find myself, and in many respects, these three characters represent the only three options that a secular agenda could offer us. Opportunism, cynicism, and nihilism -- what else is there in a life where God is seen as irrelevant, where truth is reduced to opinion, and where morality is relative?
None of these three options is appealing to me. I pray to God that the moral universe implicit in No Country For Old Men is not the moral universe to which we are headed. There are many signs that it's happening. But there is hope.
Just like there was hope in the movie, embodied in the character of Llewellyn's wife, Carla Jean, beautifully portrayed by Scottish actress Kelly MacDonald (who, in my opinion, should have been nominated for an Oscar). In spite of her husband's opportunism, she shows unconditional love and faithfulness to him. In spite of Sheriff Ed Tom's cynicism, she puts her quiet confidence in his ability to uphold law and order. And when she is face to face with the serial killer Anton's nihilism, she poignantly pleads with him to realize that he is capable of making a better choice.
I pray that in this country of ours, all Christians can have the character and faithfulness of Carla Jean. For those may be the best things we have to offer.
1). On March 2, I turned 35 years old, the age which many people associate with the beginning of the male mid-life crisis.
2). This past weekend, I splurged with some of my birthday money and went to see the movie No Country for Old Men, which recently took top honors at the Academy Awards and which features riveting performances from Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, and Kelly MacDonald.
If you want to read a first-rate review of this film, go to Eric Park's website and check it out. I won't even attempt to equal his analysis of this incredible flick, but I do wish to comment on the three major characters.
1 - First there's Llewellyn Moss, a young man who unexpectedly happened upon a suitcase filled with money at the scene of a botched drug deal. With no moral framework that would help him to do the right thing (turn the money in to the police), impulsively he decided to keep the money for himself. Throughout the course of the film he reveals his propensity for making stupid, spur-of-the-moment decisions that end up doing more harm than good. He even puts his relationship with his wife second to doing what is necessary to keep the money. Llewellyn represents opportunism at its worst.
2 - Then there's Ed Tom Bell, the old sheriff who represents not only law and order but also a sense of decency and morality that was typical of an older America but seems to be fading. Ed Tom even hints that he once had a high hope in God. And yet that hope has long since disappeared for Ed Tom, who observes a culture around him that has no more use for his moral and ethical ideals. Rather than resisting the trend towards moral decay, I sense that Ed Tom chooses instead to wallow in cynicism and merely wait for retirement and death.
3 - Finally, there's the serial killer Anton Chigurh, who I think will go down in history with Hannibal Lecter and Norman Bates as one of the finest villains ever portrayed on film. For Anton, life is senseless and arbitrary, almost a game of chance, and human beings are indistinguishable from cattle if they deter him from his goals. He values nothing beyond his own survival. I'd characterize him by his nihilism. Is he crazy? Evil? Or is he the only person who knows what it takes to survive in a world where there is no objective standard of truth and goodness?
So here I am, 35 years old, looking out at the current culture in which I find myself, and in many respects, these three characters represent the only three options that a secular agenda could offer us. Opportunism, cynicism, and nihilism -- what else is there in a life where God is seen as irrelevant, where truth is reduced to opinion, and where morality is relative?
None of these three options is appealing to me. I pray to God that the moral universe implicit in No Country For Old Men is not the moral universe to which we are headed. There are many signs that it's happening. But there is hope.
Just like there was hope in the movie, embodied in the character of Llewellyn's wife, Carla Jean, beautifully portrayed by Scottish actress Kelly MacDonald (who, in my opinion, should have been nominated for an Oscar). In spite of her husband's opportunism, she shows unconditional love and faithfulness to him. In spite of Sheriff Ed Tom's cynicism, she puts her quiet confidence in his ability to uphold law and order. And when she is face to face with the serial killer Anton's nihilism, she poignantly pleads with him to realize that he is capable of making a better choice.
I pray that in this country of ours, all Christians can have the character and faithfulness of Carla Jean. For those may be the best things we have to offer.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Serious Business
I was reminded recently of quotes by two of my favorite writers:
"Man cannot exist without having the capacity for laughter." - St. Thomas Aquinas
"Joy is the serious business of heaven." - C. S. Lewis
For some people, having a sense of humor is as easy as choosing a presidential candidate. OK, bad example. Let's try that again. For some people, having a sense of humor is as easy as 1, 2, 3.
Now for the record, I do derive much enjoyment from my wife, from working with youth, from reading for pleasure. But if you've read any of my blogs, you know that I sometimes view life with a degree of seriousness that would make the prophet Jeremiah look like Jerry Seinfeld (not that there's anything wrong with that...).
My tendency to dwell on the negative in certain situations, or to over-analyz
e, is well-documented by my friends and family. Part of it is undoubtedly the result of my status as the oldest-child with the over-achiever syndrome. Perhaps some of it is that Catholic guilt of my upbringing, which I learned while kneeling in the confessional booth or looking up at Jesus' accusing eyes from the crucifix. I'm sure a professional psychologist could unearth tons of unconcious motivations as well.
So what's my point?
I've come to realize that a crucial spiritual discipline in my Christian walk is the discipline of having a sense of humor. I don't think you'll find that anywhere in the writings of Richard Foster or Henri Nouwen...certainly not a systematized discipline advocated by any theological tradition. But that doesn't negate the fact that it is spiritually necessary for me to simply sit back and have a good laugh, to acknowledge that there is nothing on this earth so important that it should fully take away the joy of living as a child of God.
Thomas Aquinas actually argued that the sense of humor is one dimension of the Image of God in human beings; it allows us to rise above the struggles of life and see all of this world with a sense of levity and hope. Likewise, Chesterton once wrote that "laughter has something in it in common with the ancient winds of faith and inspiration...it makes people forget themselves in the presence of something greater than themselves; something that they cannot resist."
How do I attempt (with varying degrees of success) to integrate this discipline into my life?
First, I try to watch some TV just for the sake of the humor. Shows like The Office, Seinfeld reruns, and Mad TV are at the top of the list.
Second, in my journaling I try intentionally to recall the lighter moments of the day: a humorous observation, a sarcastic comment from our incredible church secretary, or my own stupid mistakes that I'm able to laugh about now.
Finally, I try to surround myself with friends who breathe real joy into my spirit, who allow me to take my focus off of my burdens and just be Jeff.
What are some practices that bring joy and laughter into your heart and life?
May God keep us all in the serious business of joy and laughter, so our spirits never become so heavy that they fail to rise in worship of Him.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Feeling God's Pain
During this season of Lent, I am focusing my devotional reading of Scripture on the minor prophets. It's a section of Scripture I haven't read in a while, and so I decided to delve into the words of individuals who may not have written as much as guys like Isaiah and Jeremiah, but whose message to us is just as important.
So I started reading through the first chapter of Hosea. Right at the beginning, God does the unthinkable: He orders His prophet Hosea to marry an adulterous wife and to conceive unfaithful children. The reason? "Because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord." Apparently God wanted Hosea to feel the kind of gut-wrenching emotions that God Himself must feel when His people abandon Him, prostitute themselves before the lifeless pagan gods around them, and ultimately beget children who are faithless.
If I were Hosea, I don't know what my resonse would have been.
You see, I have a couple close friends of mine who experienced this firsthand. They married women, they loved them, but over the course of the marriage, the women's hearts changed and they engaged in adulterous relationships.
In both cases, my friends expressed a willingness to reconcile, to go to counseling, to try and rebuild the trust and intimacy and start fresh. But their wives would have none of it. They had made up their minds ahead of time and chose to sever the relationship rather than work things out. In one case, my friend's wife walked away with half of the financial assets in the marriage, even though she contributed very little financially.
I saw what that situation did to my friends. I saw grown men crying like babies, heart-broken, shocked, angry, filled with both love and hatred. My one friend has three boys, and despite the counseling they have received, I'm sure the scars of that experience will always be with them.
All because one party in the marriage chose narcissism, self-gratification, deceptiveness and unfaithfulness over commitment, truthfulness, communication, and reconciliation.
I reflect on this, and then I think... Is this what I do to God every time I sin? Does God's heart ache like my friends' did when I make my self-interest, rather than God's glory and righteousness, the motivating factor in my decisions? And on a more corporate level: how does God truly feel about the church's relationship with the pagan gods of our culture today, or the church's sometimes selfish agenda? Does He view us as adulterous?
Biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann argues that pathos is absolutely crucial to prophetic ministry: the ability to feel, and to energize others to feel, the heart of God that cries out against apathy, numbness, and unfaithfulness. The people of God must be exposed to a candid expression of the way in which their individual and corporate sin has betrayed God on the very deepest levels. This requires more than theological savvy or administrative gifts: it requires a discerning heart driven by a life of rich prayer and disciplined spirituality, as well as a courage to speak deeply and truthfully about unpleasant things. (See Brueggemann, The Prophetic Imagination)
If the experiences of my friends (and of Hosea) are any indication of God's reaction to His people today, I believe that this season of Lent offers us a unique opportunity. I pray that through my reading of the minor prophets and through my prayer life, God may invite me into a deeper understanding of His heart, and also a courage to know how most effectively to use that understanding in a way that is productive and energizing.
May our Lenten journey give us a fresh understanding of the lengths to which God will go, and has gone, to restore us adulterous people to our rightful place as His Bride, the Church.
So I started reading through the first chapter of Hosea. Right at the beginning, God does the unthinkable: He orders His prophet Hosea to marry an adulterous wife and to conceive unfaithful children. The reason? "Because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord." Apparently God wanted Hosea to feel the kind of gut-wrenching emotions that God Himself must feel when His people abandon Him, prostitute themselves before the lifeless pagan gods around them, and ultimately beget children who are faithless.
If I were Hosea, I don't know what my resonse would have been.
You see, I have a couple close friends of mine who experienced this firsthand. They married women, they loved them, but over the course of the marriage, the women's hearts changed and they engaged in adulterous relationships.
In both cases, my friends expressed a willingness to reconcile, to go to counseling, to try and rebuild the trust and intimacy and start fresh. But their wives would have none of it. They had made up their minds ahead of time and chose to sever the relationship rather than work things out. In one case, my friend's wife walked away with half of the financial assets in the marriage, even though she contributed very little financially.
I saw what that situation did to my friends. I saw grown men crying like babies, heart-broken, shocked, angry, filled with both love and hatred. My one friend has three boys, and despite the counseling they have received, I'm sure the scars of that experience will always be with them.
All because one party in the marriage chose narcissism, self-gratification, deceptiveness and unfaithfulness over commitment, truthfulness, communication, and reconciliation.
I reflect on this, and then I think... Is this what I do to God every time I sin? Does God's heart ache like my friends' did when I make my self-interest, rather than God's glory and righteousness, the motivating factor in my decisions? And on a more corporate level: how does God truly feel about the church's relationship with the pagan gods of our culture today, or the church's sometimes selfish agenda? Does He view us as adulterous?
Biblical scholar Walter Brueggemann argues that pathos is absolutely crucial to prophetic ministry: the ability to feel, and to energize others to feel, the heart of God that cries out against apathy, numbness, and unfaithfulness. The people of God must be exposed to a candid expression of the way in which their individual and corporate sin has betrayed God on the very deepest levels. This requires more than theological savvy or administrative gifts: it requires a discerning heart driven by a life of rich prayer and disciplined spirituality, as well as a courage to speak deeply and truthfully about unpleasant things. (See Brueggemann, The Prophetic Imagination)
If the experiences of my friends (and of Hosea) are any indication of God's reaction to His people today, I believe that this season of Lent offers us a unique opportunity. I pray that through my reading of the minor prophets and through my prayer life, God may invite me into a deeper understanding of His heart, and also a courage to know how most effectively to use that understanding in a way that is productive and energizing.
May our Lenten journey give us a fresh understanding of the lengths to which God will go, and has gone, to restore us adulterous people to our rightful place as His Bride, the Church.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Sobering Facts, Real Opportunities
Recently, Dr. Scott Sunquist (evangelism/mission prof at Pittsburgh Seminary) challenged me to read a book as a part of an independent study I am doing with him. He intends to use the text in his regular Evangelism course next year, and I think he's using me as a sort of "guinea pig." The book is entitled Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism by Martha Grace Reese. Meant as a study for church leaders, the book is a result of a four-year study which focused on developing effective evangelism in mainline churches. With endorsements from the likes of George G. Hunter III, Brian McLaren, and Richard Peace, it is definitely a text that commands attention.
For this particular posting, I am choosing deliberately not to comment on the theological implications of Dr. Reese's study, other than to make one observation. Reese notes that theologically conservative Christians have a natural motivation to evangelize, because they still believe in a literal heaven and hell, and therefore are concerned about the eternal state of people's souls. Theologically liberal Christians, according to Reese, must find some other motivation for sharing the Christian message with others, and that can begin only when liberal Christians are able to answer truthfully the following question: "What difference does it make in my own life that I am a Christian?"
This is a question that many mainline Christians (indeed, many mainline denominations) have been incapable of answering of late. Unless (or until) mainline Christians can make a strong case for why belonging to their denomination is any different than belonging to the local Kiwanis or Rotary Club, their evangelism will always fall short.
Here are some of the sobering facts that Reese shares about mainline denominations:
- From 1960-2000, mainline churches as a whole have lost almost 20% of their members. However, looked at as a percentage of the American population, mainline church membership has dropped almost 50% in 40 years.
- From 1972-1993, the percentage of Protestants in the U.S. remained fairly stable at 63%. However, by 2002 the number had dropped to 52%.
- Only 3% of adults born between 1910-1919 were raised without any religion in their lives. 14% of adults born between 1980-1984 were reared with no religion, and 27% of adults born in those years say they have no religious preference. America is clearly becoming a less "religious" country.
- Mainline churches are failing at helping new people become Christians. While new Christians are joining the faith in mainline churches, the vast majority are our own children or new spouses.
- Very few adult baptisms and affirmations of faith are made in the six major mainline denominations.
I know you're probably sick of reading about the ills of the mainline churches. You're probably also thinking (and I agree with you) that "numbers" are not necessarily an indicator of anything. That said, though, I think it's important to recognize that evangelism is something that many Christian leaders (myself included) are simply not well-equipped to deal with. Either because of time limitations or other priorities, we simply do not give significant attention to spreading the Gospel beyond the walls of our church.
I think it is great that evangelism is now a required course of all candidates for ordination in the United Methodist Church (hence my independent study with Dr. Sunquist). I also think it's great that creative new churches in are springing up in our conference with a distinctively evangelistic and missional focus: think Hot Metal Bridge, Radiant Life (at Pittsburgh Mills) and Eighth Avenue Place which Keith McIlwain describes in his latest post. Hopefully these are signs that the winds are changing and that God is challenging mainliners to make the Kingdom, rather than the Church, priority #1.
My prayer for today is that God will make me more intentional about sharing Christ with others, and in communicating to the congregation of Bakerstown UMC a simple but significant strategy to be more about spreading the good news of Christ beyond our community. Will you join me in praying for that kind of renewal?
Monday, January 28, 2008
Retreat Re-Cap
Great photo of the Jumonville Cross, eh?
That's the effect of an extreme fog that fell over the camp on Saturday night.
But the fog was no damper on the workings of God's Spirit this past weekend! We had an incredible weekend of worship, fellowship, and bible study. God really did a work in our hearts, including my own.
We celebrated the 16th birthday of one of the guys in my youth group....But the angels in heaven were celebrating this weekend for another reason! Three of the youth committed themselves to Christ for the first time on this weekend! Praise God! I spent some time in prayer with each of them individually, and I know that their hearts were sincere. Please pray for Eric, Trevor, and Chris, that God will strengthen them and pour out His grace into their lives as His children.
A handful of other youth recommitted themselves to Christ, confessed some personal struggles and sins, and affirmed the significance of this Christian community in their lives. One of my seniors, Derek, challenged all the youth to really be witnesses in their schools and extracurricular activities, and not to be intimidated by peers and adults who hate the Christian faith. Another senior, a very shy but very deep girl named Alana, made cards for each youth and chaperone, encouraging them in their faith.
I especially thank my fellow chaperones, Greg, Jane, and Penny, who gave up a whole weekend just loved all these great teenagers!
Thank you, Almighty God, for meeting us at Jumonville and reminding us of Your all-embracing love and grace!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Walking Up To The Cross
Monday, January 14, 2008
Help My Unbelief!
The other day I had one of those deep theological conversations with one of my best friends. Even though he and I don't see each other as much as we'd like, the conversation immediately went past the superficial niceties of polite chit-chat, and we just shared our hearts and our thoughts about the deeper stuff of life. It was a blessed time and I'm grateful for it.
One thing became apparent during our talk: both of us struggle with doubt. This is not to say that we're "closet atheists" or anything like that. We're both devoted disciples of Jesus Christ. It's just that the profound questions don't go away, and we're not completely satisfied with the simplistic answers that we often get from others within the Christian fold.
Paul Tillich once wrote, "Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith." Looking at Scripture, I suppose I'll have to agree. John the Baptist, Jesus' mother Mary, Job, and the writer of Ecclesiastes all went through periods when their minds and hearts were plagued with doubt, although they wanted very much to believe. This sentiment is kind of crystalized in the one sentence spoken by the father of a demon-possessed boy: "I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24)
Yes, there are many times when I ask those deeper questions and my heart is unsettled with the answers. I have faith but not certainty. Call it a "Dark Night of the Soul." Call it a "Crisis of Faith." Call it whatever the hell you like. But I don't think I'm off the mark in saying that it is a reality that every human being faces, including the men and women in the pulpits.
Yet we are so conditioned in the church to preach "certainty." Modernity, with its emphasis on objective truth and inerrant reason, has trained us to give people answers...rather than affirming and honoring questions.
I don't claim to know the purposes of God. But Scripture does seem to indicate that when individuals go through bad times in their lives, God uses those times in positive ways in the lives of other people. I think of Joseph's words to his brothers after they recognized him as the Pharoah's steward: "What you meant for evil, God meant for good."
Job went through the doubt of suffering, but it is now a testimony for all of those who suffer that God may have a greater purpose in suffering.
Jesus went through the doubt of Gethsemane, perhaps even questioning God's plan for Him, but it led to salvation for the human race.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer went through doubt while in a concentration camp and was ultimately executed: yet his life and martyrdom are modern prophetic witnesses against evil, against injustice, and against a Church that is more interested in compromising with the world than in redeeming it.
So when we go through these periods of doubt....maybe the best thing to do is share it with others. Instead of maintaining the facade of absolute certainty (which we do more to impress our congregations than to truly glorify God), let's admit that even we need help with our unbelief. Is it possible that our authenticity, and our willingness to work through peoples' questions, might be more meaningful and helpful than the "pat answers" that they have come to expect from us?
Of course, we can hope for certainty. But we will never have it this side of heaven, when "in our flesh we will see God." How my heart yearns within me!
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