My (Other) Heroes

First there was my list of heroes. Those were the ones who are still living who have influenced my life. They have- and usually still are- making a difference for me and for others. But there are other heroes who are no longer with us. These are sometimes historical people, other times they are family members or friends who are deceased. They are all men and women who made me (and are making me) who I am.

• Pauline Welsh (Othermom). This is the woman who made it possible for me to be a Christian. She prayed for me. She loved me. She still serves as an inspiration and pattern for my faith and life. Her affection for me knew no limits or conditions. She taught me to love others and to love God in the same way.
• Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was our greatest president. (I will have a conversation about this one, but I guarantee that you cannot convince me otherwise.) He stood up to those who opposed him, even to the point of death. He was not afraid to keep trying, even in the face of disappointment and defeat. He cared more for the union of our country than he did for political expediency or popularity. (Today's politicians would do well to learn some of those lessons.
• CS Lewis. I am a great fan of Lewis because of his writing, but that is not all. He was a thinker. He evaluated all options before making decisions, but was not afraid to make the right choice, even if it meant reversing an earlier position.
• Thomas Jefferson. Washington and Franklin get all of the attention, but it was Jefferson that made America happen. A brilliant thinker, Jefferson was a renaissance man long after the renaissance. Although his attitudes and personal life make him politically incorrect today, we should honor him as a great man in American history.
• John Wesley. Not only was Wesley the founder of Methodism, he was a tireless organizer, leader and preacher. His movement continues to be one of the most important Christian groups in the world. Wesley influence goes beyond his churches to protestants around the world.

Famous Last Words

Much has been made of the final words of people, particularly famous people. John Adams, for example, said, “Thomas Jefferson still lives.” Except that Jefferson died the same day- July 4, 1826. Others have not had such famous last words on earth, but are remembered for things they said upon leaving. Douglas MacArthur promised, “I shall return,” as he left the Philippines. The classic film, Casablanca, ends with Humphrey Bogart’s character, Rick, saying, “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

And so now I am facing the prospect of offering some final words. However, I am sure that I have nothing new, original or especially profound. We have loved living in Howe and serving the church Howe and Pretty Prairie United Methodist Churches. You are great people and we love you. But the opportunities for saying things to you all are dwindling now. There are a few sermons left, there are some conversations, but this is the last article. Let me offer to you some basic, foundational words that you will be familiar with by now. In the coming years, I encourage you to practice the Four Most Important Things.

1. Bible Study. Spend time reading God’s word. Study it. Memorize it. Read about it. Discuss it. Time spent with God in his word will never be wasted time. Get to know God in a new way. We are currently in the midst of a one-year campaign to read the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. I hope that you will not stop just because I am not here to remind you.

2. Prayer. Learn to devote time to God. Talk to him. Listen to what he has to say. Ask advice. Request help. Get to know God in new ways. You will find if you spend time with God, you will always have enough time. He will make the time productive and a blessing to you, every time.

3. Fellowship. Learn to enjoy the company of other Christians. Spend time with the people who love God. They will support you in your faith and walk with God. You can support them in their times of trial and difficulty. Together the people of God can stand against temptation and become powerful instruments of God’s grace and healing.

4. Ministry. Always remember that following Christ is not the end of the line. We are to study, prayer and fellowship to know the Lord, but the result of all these things is that we reach out to and care for those inside and outside the body of Christ. In a very real sense we are the hands and feet of God on earth.

One more thing- the United Methodists who worship at Howe and Pretty Prairie churches have a great opportunity coming up. The United Methodist Church is organized as a “connectional” system. One way that this works is for us to demonstrate the value of our connection. Our churches do not have to struggle and search for leadership. Our new pastor will arrive next month. We know that Jean Ness is competent, trained, educated and experienced in all areas that will make her an effective pastor. By receiving her, sharing in her ministry and caring for her family we demonstrate to the world, and to ourselves, that we serve a great God who is bigger than our differences and changes that the world may consider to be insurmountable.

God bless you all.

Basic Christian Stuff: The Christian Year

There are some things that we Christians all share in common. We all believe that Jesus is the Son of God that God created the earth and that prayer is an effective mode of communication with the Almighty. There are also some things that are not observed universally in the church. Each denomination, each arm of the church has particular emphases or doctrines that we hold. For example, we United Methodists are in the Wesleyan- Arminian theological segment of the protestant church. This means that we believe that all people are given the ability by God to choose their own destiny. Calvinists, on the other hand, believe that our destiny is determined before hand by God. This is often called “predestination.” We are still in the same part of the Christian tradition, but this is a significant distinction.

Another area of similarity in the church is the Christian Calendar, or the Christian Year. Orthodox Christians, those who live and worship in the East, celebrate holy days on a different schedule than western Christians do. That is one difference. Another is that evangelical, Pentecostal and independent churches tend to observe only certain parts of the Christian Calendar.

For mainline churches, United Methodists, Presbyterians, American Baptists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ members, there is more to the Christian Year.

The Year begins with Advent and the celebration of the coming of Christ. For four weeks we prepare for the birth of Christ and at Christmas we share in and celebrate the birth. Epiphany is celebrated each year on January 6. It is a celebration of the visit of the kings to the baby Jesus. You will notice that there are twelve days (of Christmas) between Christmas day and Epiphany.

Following Epiphany is a season that we call Ordinary Time. This is a prelude to Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday. For 40 days, not counting Sundays, Good Friday or Maundy Thursday, Christians reflect on their lives, make sacrifices for the sake of Christ and prepare for the resurrection on Easter Sunday. The Easter season continues for seven weeks until it culminates with the celebration of Pentecost. On Pentecost we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. After Pentecost we return to ordinary time. There are other days that are special within ordinary time, like All Saints Day. All Saints Day is the first Sunday in November.

There are other things about the Christian Year that you should note:

• Thanksgiving is not a Christian holy day. It is essentially a secular observance to remember the grace and providence of God.
• There is a schedule of Scripture readings that coincide with the church year. The lectionary has four readings for each day.
• There are also colors to represent the seasons and days of the Christian year.

It is good for Christians to know and celebrate the times and seasons of the church year. By doing so, we will enhance our celebration of holy days and be reminded of all the works of God.

Inside Out

I've been thinking about problems in our world. I guess I do that more than I should, or maybe more than is healthy for me. I came across a new one, though. Here are some of the problems that have been occupying my mind of late.

• The divorce rate in America is profanely too high.
• Pornography is ruining lives, relationships and communities in epidemic proportions.
• Prostitution is more widespread than anyone, including law enforcement personnel, is aware.
• Cosmetic surgery, fashion, diets and makeup are all HUGE industries in our country.
• Promiscuity, in all its forms, is rampant in every community.
• Pop culture is consumed with the latest scandal involving Britney, Lindsay or Charlie.

All of these problems are caused by the same few things. I am sure that there are more problems that can be included, but this will give us a start.

1. To begin with, we American humans are focusing almost exclusively on external stimuli. We do not see the inside of Britney, only how her external parts excite and titillate us. Very few people (maybe no one) know who she really is. And sadly, most of us do not care. We choose our favorite movies on the basis of who the stars are. We might choose our mate based on the way they look or how they make us feel. This is most unfortunate.
2. Although we are initially attracted to others based on appearance, often we do not get beyond that surface impression. The value of another person is only the aesthetic of external beauty. When my wife no longer turns me on, we conclude, she is no longer of any value to me.
3. A consequence of this appearance-driven ethic is that we developed warped ideas about our own value. We feel as though we are less important when we are less attractive. We get uncomfortable when people are interested in our internal stuff. Life gets complicated below the surface. Self esteem and self confidence are harder when they have to do with attitudes, opinions, values, personality and beliefs more than the way we look.
4. Looking at someone and appreciating their beauty, although a worthwhile endeavor, should never take the place of knowing someone and caring for their person.
5. My value is not based on what someone else thinks of me, or even the way I look. My value is based on God's love for me, and my ability to know and be myself, the way God intended.

Basic Christian Stuff: Sacraments

The sacraments are very tricky in the church. Some denominations celebrate, or recognize different sacraments than others do. There are some groups that do not refer to them as sacraments at all. They prefer to call them “ordinances.” This somehow provides some distance between the current celebration of the acts and the traditional approach to them. My personal feeling is that this is a way to provide some emotional distance from the Catholic aspects of the sacraments.

Since I am a United Methodist, and I serve in a thoroughly United Methodist context, my comments should not be construed as normative for all people, groups or times. I am sharing my thoughts on the sacraments, nothing more.

United Methodists recognize only two sacraments, baptism and Holy Communion. There are groups that would include as many as seven sacraments. Those churches also recognize things like “last rites,” matrimony and confirmation. All of these are valid representations of elements of worship, but for me they do not meet the criteria for sacrament. There are two specific requirements for a sacrament:

1. Its observance is commanded by Jesus. As far as I can tell, baptism and communion are the only ones that meet this requirement.
2. It is an outward sign of the inward work of the grace of God.

When we celebrate baptism, we are not just symbolically getting wet and remembering what Jesus did. We are experiencing the grace of God. God is at work in the act of baptism. Our obedience to his Word activates the miracle power of God. When we eat and drink in communion, we are not receiving elements to remind us of God’s work, we are experiencing the work of God itself.

Remember that receiving the sacraments is not optional. Jesus instructed us to do these things. When we are baptized, we are obeying God (Matthew 28.19). When we eat the Lord’s Supper we are fulfilling God’s will (Luke 22.19).

One more thing: There is some controversy surrounding the frequency of celebrating the sacraments. People want to have communion less often than they do, and be baptized more often than they are. John Wesley believed that every time believers are together they should have communion. I see no reason to think that this is not a good and workable arrangement. It is not necessarily true that increased frequency of communion would diminish the significance of its meaning. We should eat at the Lord’s Table often.

As to baptism, we would do well to consider the words of Scripture. Ephesians 4.5 makes it clear that there is only one baptism. This essentially means that we receive God’s grace when we are baptized and that being “re-baptized” would be a questioning of God’s power. It is completely possible, however, that a person may desire to renew commitments that were made at her/his baptism. This could even be done with water, either in a sprinkling or immersion experience. This is not a repudiation of the grace of God, but rather a celebration of it.

In Praise of Nooma

I am not sure when I first heard about Nooma videos. There was some talk. That's all I remember. Someone said that the videos were cool. I don't know who it was. I can't tell you when it was. Then someone (I think it was Jeff Newton) told me I should read Velvet Elvis, by Rob Bell. So I did.

The book was good, but didn't get me too excited. Bell has an interesting approach to the church, to Christianity in particular and faith in general. He looks at the big picture of things, but also sees the tiniest detail at the same time. I liked that. That is about the time that I realized Rob Bell, author of the book, was also the person behind the Nooma video series. I decided it was time to try one out.

I went to my local Christian store where I found a video called "Rain." I brought it home and watched it with my wife. I was immediately hooked. In Rain, Bell is carrying his toddler son on his bike as they hike through the woods. When they get as far away from their cabin as they can get, a storm begins. Naturally the son is terrified. During the whole trip back father tries to assure son that everything will be fine. Daddy is in charge. Finally, Bell makes the comparison to our Father, God, caring for us as his children. It was powerful. I was hooked.

There are currently 24 films in the series. They are all rather short (10-15 minutes). Some of my favorites include Rain, Lump, Luggage and Dust. They are all available at any Christian store or online at http://flannel.org/. Each video comes with Scriptures and discussion guides for groups.

I have used nearly all of these films with various kinds of groups. Discussion is almost always good. The quality of these videos is excellent. Bell is good as the narrator and the stories that are told, both by him and by the images we see, are dramatic and appropriate. It is good to see that there are Christians who are using their gifts in very creative ways.

The Christian faith is clearly spoken in these films. It is not the "in-your-face" faith of fundamentalist preachers from an older generation, but it is a completely orthodox, Christian account of the world we live in.

Nooma is a kind-of corruption of the Greek word, pneuma. In the New Testament the pneuma is the Holy Spirit and also the breath of God. Pneuma is another word for wind. There is a fresh wind from God that blows through these videos and makes them worthwhile watching.

I recommend these films highly. Watch them and be challenged. Watch them and be entertained. Watch them and grow.

Natural Disasters and the Will of God

• Hurricanes in the US Southeast
• Tsunami in the East
• Cyclones in Southeast Asia
• Earthquakes in China
• Tornadoes and floods in the Midwest USA
• Drought in Africa
• Global warming everywhere

There can be no doubt that there are natural disasters all around us. In fact, it seems that there are more such events now than ever. It seems that you cannot turn on the evening news or open the morning paper without being assaulted with some new tragedy somewhere in the world. Hundreds, thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people are suffering and dying because of some catastrophic event.

Before we get too carried away with how terrible things are, let's temper our panic. It is probably not as bad as we think. The modern news media excels at reporting dramatic (which often means terrible) news. And if it is something that they can show on television through a video, that makes it even better. It could be that there are no more catastrophic disasters now than ever before. Our sensitivity could just be increased because of the nature of the news media.

This proved to be true a few years ago in the USA. During that summer we were hearing reports of shark attacks every few days. There were dramatic pictures and interviews with survivors and warnings about sharks every day. However, it turns out that there were actually fewer shark attacks that summer than in the average summer. It was just that there was no other news to report, so the sharks became a menace. As much as they like to deny it, we cannot underestimate the importance of the media in shaping the news.

But, let's assume that there are more natural disasters today. Let us assume that more people are killed, injured or displaced than ever before. Let us suppose that the news media is accurately representing the problems that we see. Where does that leave a loving God? Shouldn't we expect God to protect people from such catastrophes? Does this mean that he does not care? That he cannot do anything about it?

First of all, I do not believe that as a general rule God punishes people through natural disasters. Earthquakes in San Francisco and hurricanes in New Orleans have been labeled as God's punishment on homosexuals. What an outrage! If this were the case, we would have to believe that God was so full of wrath against one particular sin that he devastated thousands who were completely innocent of that sin. In fact, there were people killed, people lost everything, who were adamant in their personal stance against that very same sin. I do not know this for sure, but it would not surprise me to learn that Hurricane Katrina was more destructive to the church than it was to those who support a homosexual lifestyle. Be careful when you lay the blame of these disasters on God's doorstep.

So, are these natural disasters the will of God? No. I believe that these disasters come because of the Fall of man. If there were no sin in the world, there would be no disaster. I do not believe that sin is the cause of disaster, but without people sinning, God would be in complete control. As it stands now, we have tried to take control from God. As a consequence, disasters are inevitable.

Prayer??

I have decided that for me- and my congregations- 2008 will be a year of prayer. There is no special significance to this designation. I have not received any prophecy that would indicate that this is an especially important time for prayer or the church. It is merely my attempt to re-focus myself, and others, on the value of a deep relationship with God.

To that end, let me make a suggestion to you. When you hear of a need, you may be tempted to encourage another person with a phrase like, "I'll be thinking of you." Thinking of someone, I believe, is an empty sentiment that may hold meaning emotionally, but does nothing to effect change in either the thinker, or the one being thought about. It would be much better to say, "I'll be praying for you." However, this only works if it is true. That means that you must pray for the person, situation or need that you promise to pray for. The world would be a much better place if we all promised to pray, and then did.

I want to also suggest that praying for someone is a sign of caring for them. It was no mistake when Jesus suggested that we pray for our enemies. Revolution would come if we could begin to pray for those who have wronged us. But that is not even the point of this essay. Be encouraged to equate prayer with caring, if only in your own internal dictionary. When I begin to pray about something, I will begin to care about it.

Often I find myself feeling guilty about apathy in my own life. I know that climate change is a problem, shouldn't I care more? I hear about genocide in the Sudan, I would like to be more concerned. I want to care about natural disasters around the world. I want to care about the neighbors who get on my nerves. All of these things can begin to be remedied if I will begin to pray.

Let us look at the reverse of this proposition as well. If prayer causes you to care about an issue, isn't it true that caring about something is the first step to prayer? When I grow concerned about the children in my neighborhood who are unsupervised for too long every afternoon, I am just a short step away from praying for them.

This year, prayer is the theme. And if you and I are going to pray, we need to care. When we care, we cannot help but pray.

An Interesting Thought

I spent last week at a continuing education event for pastors and church leaders. I had a great time. I received a lot of inspiration and learned many things. I was exposed to new foods and experiences as well. Many of my experiences will wind up in this blog, I am sure. One of the things I heard turned out to be a sort of revelation.

A thing can only be a revelation, in my opinion, if it meets one or both of these criteria:

1. It is a completely new piece of information. It opens the door to new things that you have never considered before.
2. It is a revelation if it is a result of information that you already have, but you begin to think of the information in a completely new and unique (to you, at least) way of thinking.

This revelation fits into the second category. I had all the components of this thought in my mind before last week, but at that time it was presented in a new way that caused me to process the implications differently than I ever had before. Here it is.

Interested is not the same as committed.

I know. I know. You know that. However, we often convince ourselves that they are the same. Committment is a level of involvement in a cause, purpose or relationship that values the cause above many, perhaps all, other things. Many times we decide that we are interested in a topic and somehow convince ourselves that we are committed to it. But interest is not commitment.

For example, I am very concerned about global warming. I am interested in the effects that humans are having on our world and environment. However, to this point I have not been committed to the cause. I have not changed my lifestyle to be more eco-friendly. I am interested and even concerned about this issue, but I am not committed to it.

The life of faith is much the same. We can convince ourselves that we are committed to our faith, to a particular lifestyle or values, but until our choices change what we have is interest. The importance of Christianity is that we are to be committed, not just interested.

Jesus is a Taker!

That phrase just flies in the face of everything that we have always learned in Sunday School, doesn't it? We know that Jesus is all about giving, loving, caring, sharing and all that other warm mushy junk. But in the middle of all that, we too often lose sight of some of the really important aspects of the work of Jesus in our lives. We seldom consider the hard parts of the Christian faith, or the difficult claims and actions of Jesus.

The church has done a very good job of making Jesus pretty harmless through these last two millenia. He makes no significant claims on our lives, our time, or our money. He has very low expectations and a lot of grace and forgiveness. In fact, Jesus loves us so much that we can do almost nothing that is wrong. Sin has become an out-moded, out of touch doctrine that is inconvenient at best. Or at least, so goes the popular notions of Jesus in the church.

We keep running back to Jesus the lover of my soul, the friend of sinners, because that is a lot more comfortable than Jesus the Judge. We prefer the Jesus of Easter morning than the Jesus of Good Friday. Good Friday Jesus is filled with sin. He was a bloody, sinful mess. In fact, on Friday, at his crucifixion, Jesus was so full of sin that his Father could not even look at him. And most of us find that Jesus hard to look at too. It could be that this is the most important Jesus to see, however. You see, it is when Jesus is at his worst, that he has about our best.

In the crucifixion he takes our sin. All the nasty, secret, dirty, ugly sins that you and I have ever committed are taken away by Jesus on the cross. His sacrifice allows us to be made whole. The ugly Jesus is a great sight for us.

In the crucifixion Jesus takes our sickness. The prophet of the Old Testament tells us that by the stripes, the scourging, of the Messiah we can be healed. How appropriate then, that Jesus' body was beaten and broken so that ours' could be made whole. Our healing and restoration is taken by Jesus.

In the crucifixion Jesus takes our sorrows and sadness. When we know that our guilt has been taken away, we have cause for celebration. There can be no sorrow, no sadness, among those who are redeemed. The forgiven are by definition joyous.

The crucifixion is a terrible, ugly event. But it is through the bloody sacrifice of Jesus that so much of what is bad in my life is taken away.

Yes, Jesus is a taker. And I, for one, am glad about that!

Sacred or Secular?

It is a question as old as people. Where is the division between what is secular and what is sacred? Is there a difference? If something, someone or some activity is not devoted wholly to God is it somehow not holy at all?

Here is my answer: Everything is holy. Everything is sacred. God is the creator of all that is and therefore, all that is is holy. Before you get too worked up, I believe that there are limits, but only because of our sin. You see, the creation of God has been corrupted because of our willingness to take all that is good and change it. We have screwed everything up.

Let's just consider the world of the arts for a moment. First of all, there is music. Music was invented by God so that we could have a way to praise him using all of our faculties, mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. I believe that this means that the lyrics to our songs do not have to be explicitly Christian or even religious, but that all music should and can glorify God. We run into difficulty when we change our music so that it does not glorify God, but it defies him. Our music is sacred until it becomes alien to God, his nature and his purposes.

Drama, film and television all work the same way. It is holy until it violates the nature and purpose of God.

In fact, this same criteria can be used for nearly every situation in your life. Should you attend that party? Yes, as long is the party, or your participation in it, do not violate the purpose and nature of God. Can you eat in a tavern? Yes, if you do not defy God in doing so. Can you associate with people who are not Christian, not Godly and not at all holy? Again, does it glorify God.

One more note of caution. Although there is relatively little that is prohibited in this way of thinking, all of these activities should be considered in realistic terms. Can you associate with ungodly people? Yes. Could those persons cause you to compromise your faith? Definitely. Always remember that this is not a license to do whatever you want. It ought to be considered in two ways.

• It is the beginning of reclaiming the world for the glory of God. It is time that we stopped allowing the persistent violation of all that God has made. Enjoy the arts. Enjoy the world. Revel in nature. Feel the presence of God in fellowship with all mankind.
• This is also the start of a revolution calling all persons to faith in Christ. The prechurched, ungodly, non-religious, secular people in your life need a godly influence. Do not be afraid of the world. Get into it and change it.

How to Survive

It is interesting to me how many fears and phobias have been identified in recent years. People are afraid of everything. I suppose to some degree everyone is afraid of something. People are afraid of the dark, of spiders, of heights, of water, of being outdoors, of snakes, of mice, of small places, of large places, of crowds, of loneliness, of fire, of sharks, of the elderly, of young people, of cities, of trying something new, of God, of tradition, of the unfamiliar, of the quiet, of guns, of motorcycles, of the Amish, of clowns, of ________ (you can fill in your own fear.

Although we know that most of our fears are unfounded and silly, we harbor them nonetheless. We support our fears and even encourage them. Often we seem to be proud of our fears. We brag about how foolish they are. And yet we keep on fearing.

Our vocabulary is filled with cliches about fear and the lack of fear.

• Have no fear
• Be bold
• Carpe diem
• Live the adventure
• Have fun all the time
• Do not worry about what other people say, think, gossip, or do where you are concerned
• Live to be happy and for no other human

The Christian faith is based on two things, fear and faith. Both of these have been somewhat misused through the years. We have tended to encourage people to be afraid of the wrath of God at the expense of a clear and fair picture of God's love and grace. We also want to chastise each other (and ourselves) for our lack of faith.

Here is what I think. Faith in itself is a gift from God. You cannot manufacture it yourself. Faith in God does two things. First of all, it eliminates most of the fears in your life. The Bible teaches that fear does not come from God. It is opposed to God. Faith in God will keep you from fears and phobias that paralyze and trouble you.

The second thing that faith does is to help you to have a healthy fear of God. Fear of God, in this context at least, should be interpreted as an awesome respect, or a submissive and complete love for God. We should not be living in terror that God is going to wreak havoc on our lives. But rather, that our love is a response to the power and love that God has for us.

So, the bottom line is this: Fear God and nothing else!

Saul's Stumbles

The story of King Saul in the Bible is fascinating and terrible. It is fascinating in much the same way a television soap opera is. The story is filled with beautiful people who have lots of advantages. But it is terrible in that those beautiful people keep making mistakes. Saul's mistakes cost him is family, his throne and his life.

You need to know, first of all, that Saul was the first King of Israel. The people had clamored for a king, and God finally obliged them with Saul. King Saul's reign was initially marked with success, growth and faithfulness to God. But ultimately, paranoia, power and distraction caused Saul to lose sight of the God who put him on the throne to begin with. There are at least eight mistakes that Saul made.

• Saul made an unlawful sacrifice (1 Samuel 13.9-10). Saul grew impatient waiting for Samuel, who was the priest, to arrive to make a sacrifice. It is an instance of Saul believing himself above God's established leadership in the priesthood.
• Saul did not kill the Amalekite King, Agag (1 Samuel 15.9). Although God had given explicit orders to destroy the people and possessions of Amalek completely, Saul did not. This is a certain sign of disobedience to the law of God.
• Saul made a rash order for his people (1 Samuel 14.24ff). The story is long and a little complicated, but the basics are this; Saul ordered his people to fast until they gained victory over the Philistines. Jonathan, his beloved son, was not aware of the command and ate. In this instance, Saul showed a lack of reason and a self-will that was unacceptable to God.
• Saul made a monument to himself (1 Samuel 15.12). Saul was so full of himself that he did what so many other kings before and after have done. He began to believe that he was invincible. As such he built himself a monument so that he would be remembered. This is anathema to the God of the humble.
• Saul opened himself to various kinds of spirits (1 Samuel 16.14). It may be a natural consequence of disobedience and self-exaltation, but when a person rejects God, he opens himself up to other powers. Saul became oppressed (maybe possessed?) by demons.
• Saul lost his faith in God (1 Samuel 17.11). In the story of David and Goliath we often focus on the faith of the young boy. David believed that God had called him and would deliver himself and all Israel from the giant. The contrast that is often overlooked is that Saul, the King, the chosen one of God, was filled with fear. 2 Timothy 1.7 reminds us that fear cannot come from God.
• Saul became jealous of David (1 Samuel 18.7-9). Rather than celebrate the fact that God was working in David's life, Saul chose to be jealous and bitter. How sad for him that he could not enjoy and be blessed by God's obvious blessing on another.
• Saul was left by the Lord (1 Samuel 18.12). One of the saddest thoughts of any life is that God could leave. Saul had been disobedient for too long, he had neglected his faith too many times. The blessing of God was gone forever.

The problem for most of us is that we can see ourselves in the mistakes that Saul made. Maybe we have decided that the way God wants us to worship doesn't 'feel' good to us. Perhaps we have been disobedient, or have thought too highly of ourselves. It could be that we are jealous of the work of God in the life of another. Whatever the situation, it is time that we wake up and return to God. Do not become the next in a long line of spiritual "Sauls."

The Pastor's Dilemma

I am a pastor. I try really hard to live with integrity and to do, say and believe things that are right, not just what is expedient. But the world is a political place. Unfortunately, the church is just as political (maybe more political) as the world at large. It is all too easy to fall into the trap of doing the politically correct or practical at the expense of taking a costly stand for what is right.

Security, professional and political, may be the biggest obstacle for pastors. This security can lead to complacency, which is often a forerunner to apathy. Pastors, including myself, or just a few steps away from ministry death when we begin to worry about ourselves, our futures, or even our families at the expense of our ministries.

Here is our problem: We are so in love with our paychecks, our parsonages and our pensions that we often cannot do what is right.

• We need our paychecks. We worry about our employment and how we are going to make ends meet. We become consumed with all the same concerns that every other human faces. How will we pay the bills? Keep food on the table? Put gas in the car? Maybe even, keep up with the Joneses? When we are so concerned with the day to day and week to week issues of keep our heads above water, it is hard to keep our eyes on Jesus.
• We need our parsonages. I do not make enough money to make a mortgage payment. If there were no parsonage I don't know what I would do. I like my parsonage. It is large enough, adequate enough, comfortable enough and nice enough to keep me satisfied. And I need it. I need a place to live and to raise my family. God help me, though, when I become too needy, too worried about where I will live.
• We need our pensions. In my denomination, retirement from ministry is mandatory at age 70. I plan to live at least 10 years beyond that. I am going to need some money to live on. I need to keep my job so that my future can be secure. But it would be pathetic if I got so dependent on the prospect of that pension that I lost my prophetic voice in the meantime.

Sometimes I just need to remember some things that Jesus taught. He said not to worry about tomorrow. He said that he would meet my needs. May the Lord help all of us to be completely reliant on Him all the time.

The Christian's Mandate

I recently read an article entitled The Preacher's Mandate. It was essentially a call to faithfulness in ministry. I think that the concepts are transferable to the lives of every person who calls Jesus Lord. So, I offer the The Christian's Mandate.

• Pray like nothing good will happen if you do not pray. Pray like everything depends on God to act.
• Work like nothing good will happen if you do not do it.
• Do everything like you were doing it for God himself.
• Do not look for a personal message from God, but rather the message of God.
• Do not be satisfied until you are helping to bring the Kingdom of God. When you are helping to bring the Kingdom of God, do not be satisfied until it comes.
• Remember that your life is always on display. You are a testimony to God's work in your life. Be an example of Godly living.
• Prepare your heart with the Word of God. Be ready for every struggle that may come into your life.
• Make Jesus the highest priority in your life. When you do this others will see your commitment and be won to Christ.
• Always maintain a Christ-like attitude and lifestyle.
• Work to show other people Christ in your life. Doing this you will be showing less of yourself.
• Exhibit true humility at all times. Do not be full of yourself, your accomplishments or possessions. Remember that Jesus is your all in all, and the source of your being.
• Trust that God's will is the best possible action for your life.
• Maintain an attitude of concern and love for all people at all times. Work to never lose your patience, your temper or your testimony in any of your relationships.
• Do not use people to further your agenda, life or career. God loves others as much as he loves you.
• Share Christ with other people, not what you think about Christ, or what someone else told you about Christ.

Mini-church vision

The church is in a rut because we believe that the world should come to us. We sit back and wait for the lost and hurting to come to our worship services and our programs. Then we get frustrated because we are offering all these great opportunities and no one is coming. There are too many options (distractions) for most people to even realize that they need Jesus, let alone church. That is why it is time to make some changes.

The church must do things differently to reach the world.

• First of all, the church must go to where people are. After all, this was a command of Jesus (Matthew 28.19). If people do not come to us, it does not remove our responsibility. We must reach people, wherever they are.
• We need to get over our traditions and rituals. For the last 30 years there have been arguments about appropriate music in church and worship settings. That dispute is nothing compared to what we need to be discussing. Where can we have worship? What makes spiritual growth? Do we need to sing? Do we need a sermon? How can we be more accountable?
• Our concerns with proper authority, responsibility and offices are probably hindering more than helping us when reaching new people. We need to consider calling, gifts and passion when assigning and accepting leadership rather than education, experience and political affiliation.

At least for my lifetime there will be a church, at least in the traditional understanding of church. However, the church will continue to decrease in attendance, in importance and relevance. The Kingdom of God will not decline. The Kingdom of God will march on. The question for us is will we be marching along.

Reasons People Do Not Pray

One of the greatest problems with Christians- at least in USA- is the lack of prayer and the subsequent spiritual anemia. There is no one that is against prayer. In fact, nearly every person I know, Christian and not, would say that they should pray more than we do. We understand that we should pray and we feel guilty that we do not. So why do Christians not pray?

1. We do not pray because we do not know how. No one ever taught us how to pray. They taught us that we should pray, and helped us to feel guilty when we did not. But for the most part, our churches, pastors, Sunday Schools and Bible studies have failed to teach us how to pray.
2. We do not pray because it is boring. Too often this response is a result of the MTV world. Prayer often requires silence, waiting, stillness, and we get too anxious for that kind of commitment.
3. We do not pray because it does not work. After a life time of prayer 'wish-lists' that have gone unfulfilled, you may have given up. If God didn't answer by now, why would he answer at all.
4. We do not pray because we think that God is too busy for us. Our needs are less significant than those of other people we know. Surely, we shouldn't bother God.
5. We do not pray because we think that we can solve our own problems. We have been taught to do it ourselves, after all. Prayer could be construed as a sign of weakness or dependence.
6. We do not pray because we do not understand it as communication in a relationship with God.
7. We do not pray because we are lazy. Prayer is hard. It takes time. It is sometimes frustrating and disappointing. It is easier if I just don't do it.
8. We do not pray because we do not want to be considered 'religious fanatics.' Other people will look down on me or think that I am weird if I spend too much time praying.
9. We do not pray because we do not have time. There is too much to do and prayer is so 'non-productive.' We can't afford to spend our time on it.
10. We do not pray because we do not know all of the proper religious language. You have to sound spiritual or godly to pray. I just don't have the vocabulary.

Obviously, every one of these reasons is ridiculous. Prayer is the lifeline for every Christian. Get off your seat and start doing what God has called you to do.

How the Think Like a Christian About Hunger and Poverty

Did you ever notice that you never hear television evangelists preach about what Jesus really said about being poor? It would wreak havoc on their income stream I suppose. They need people to keep sending them money. But Jesus said that we should give our money to the poor. He said that we should feed the hungry, care for the homeless, love the orphans, visit the prisoners and meet the needs of the ill. In fact, Jesus’ life can be summed up by saying that he did those things. Jesus’ teachings can be summarized by saying that he taught those things.

In the west (Europe and North America, and Japan and China to a lesser extent), we have more money than anyone else in the world. I believe that the poorest person you know, would be wealthy in most communities in the rest of the world. We have been entrusted with great wealth, and our biggest problem is that we too often squander it. When we get a little extra cash we buy a bigger, fancier, costlier television, or a new outfit, or an mp3 player, or a video game, or go on a trip. All of these are things that we do not need, but we “have” to have them.

So how can we make a difference? What can I do to help solve the most serious problems in the world (and these are the most significant issues in the world)?
Live more simply. Your parents would have thought that a 25” color television set was extravagant. How could you explain spending more for your flat-panel HDTV plasma number than they did for their first car?

• Be generous. Give away some stuff. Give away some money. Volunteer some time at a shelter, food pantry or soup kitchen.
• Be observant. Notice who there is around you who needs some help. Help others to feel good about themselves and their situation.
• Give. In addition to church, you can find other charities- Christian and otherwise- who are making a difference. Try Heifer Project, Compassion International and Food for the Poor to start with.
• Pray. Pray for those who are hungry, who do not have clean water, who live in poverty. But also, pray for the rest of the world, those of us who have money. Pray that we will learn that we cannot continue to turn our heads, but that we must do something- give something.
• Go somewhere. You do not have to go to Sudan or Haiti to find poor and hungry people. They are here in the USA, in Indiana. Go and make a difference.
  

I do not have this all figured out. I certainly am not perfect in my generosity or my giving to others. But I am working on it. I am committing to making 2007 a year of sharing what I have and helping to meet the needs of others. I hope that you will join me.

Christians don't have to be stupid

I got a little honked off the other day. Someone told me, in the middle of an otherwise normal conversation, that people who believe in God are idiots. I was not a little offended. After all, I have devoted my life to the proposition that not only is God real, but that he can be known. I tried to remain clam, but it was difficult. I spend my work time seeking to know God, to know more about God and to get others to know God as well. Not only that, I spend my free time trying, sometimes in vain, to develop my mind. You see, I believe in God, and I want very much to not be an idiot.

This conversation, troubling as it was, pointed up for me some issues of intolerance in our world, particularly where religion is concerned. To begin with, in our culture, people of faith are assumed to be less astute than non-religious people, especially intellectually. In defense of this position, let me say that all too often it is true. There are many Christians who have chosen faith to absolve themselves of knowing information. You see, it is easier to answer the hard questions with 'we're not supposed to know,' or 'we'll understand it better by and by.' What a cop-out. I have known Christians who have never taken the time to comprehend their faith. They believe what they believe just because they believe it. Someone told them it was true and that was enough.

I reject this premise for the large majority of Christian people. Christian persons excel in all areas of academia. Christians can be found in every profession, even those where education and intellect are a premium. I refuse to allow society at large to consign me to some anti-intellectual ghetto. You do not have to agree with my faith, but do not belittle me or assume that I am inferior in education, intellect or ability.

This becomes more problematic for me when I recognized that in the Christian community the same kind of bigotry exists. Those who hold certain theological positions (liberal, conservative, fundamental, evangelical, etc.) believe that those who are of different persuasions are less astute than themselves. Here we go again. Christians shooting each other in the name of orthodoxy.

So, here it is: I am not stupid. I am educated. I continue my education on a daily basis. You see, I believe that God made me. He made every part of my. He made my body, spirit, soul and mind. If it is a sin to abuse my body, then it must also be a sin to abuse my mind. I will not allow someone else to label me as stupid. And I will not allow myself to fit that label.