Friday, December 10, 2010

Christmas Lights

Here is an article I wrote for the local newspaper.  I pray that it helps all of us remember this Christmas to reflect the light of Christ to those we meet.

I can tell that it is Christmas by the lights that have appeared in our neighborhood. As I drive at night, the city is bright with outdoor lights as people take time to decorate. Even the city displays and the displays at the courthouse are lit up casting out the darkness of the shortening days. I also enjoy the Christmas decorations at our church and other churches. As the days grow shorter and the nights longer, it is nice to see the many colored lights and displays throughout our community.

As I marvel at the decorations, I am reminded about how often light is used in scripture to symbolize the power and presence of God. From the very first manifestation of God’s creative word separating light from darkness to the stories of God’s appearances to the people of Israel, the images of fire and light have been prevalent. This imagery continues in the New Testament especially in the Gospel of John. In the first chapter, “Life itself was in him [Jesus] and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines through the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:3-4 NLT).” The image extends beyond the birth of Jesus and includes all Christians who often were referred as children of the light.

Christmas is a time to remember that Jesus is the light of the world and we are called to walk in that light. Isaiah 58:10-11 tells how we can live as bearers of that light. “Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as day.” Jesus also in Matthew 5:15-16 says, “Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead put it on a stand and let shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Christmas is the time of lights and candles celebrating the coming of the light to us and reminding us as we wait for Christ’s return to reflect that light to others.

Pastor Eldon Davis

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Advent

I have been working on my advent series of the ABC’s of Advent.  Last Sunday we discussed waiting and the difficulties we have of waiting especially in our society.  The idea of delayed gratification is often hard to imagine.  Advent is a season of reminding us about gratitude and blessings that God extended to us.  This is the in-between time in our lives.  We celebrate Jesus’ birth and at the same time anticipate his return.  It is a season of preparation and means more than the abject consumerism that is so prevalent. 

As I have had to time to reflect through our Advent bible study and preparation for my sermons, I continue to come back to the idea of being on a journey.  The above image struck me and I realize that indeed I am on the path to Bethlehem.  This journey is the most important journey that I take.  Along the way I find others who are also on the same journey and together we can praise God who came to us to show us the way.

When we tell the story of Jesus’ birth, we need to remember not just the cute manger scene but the circumstances of the time.  Mary and Joseph forced to leave their homes to be registered by the Imperial Rome so that they could collect taxes. Their traveling in the last months of Mary’s pregnancy.  The hardship that they endured forced onto them by a government that was more concerned about what they were able to collect than in the people that they oppressed.

Upon their arrival, there was no where for them to reside.  Homeless and about ready to deliver the child, our Savior.  Can we even imagine the extent of the poverty to which Jesus was born?  Yet, many in the world experience the same poverty, lack of shelter, lack of food, born in environments filthy, crowded, where diseases are rampant.  Not the sterile environment of a hospital.  No wonder so many children died within the first five years of their life.

It is this very world that God came.  Not the palaces, not the temples, not the merchants homes, but in a stable.  This is where we go to worship our Savior.  This Christmas may be a time to remember the story and to reflect on our journey to Bethlehem.  We can celebrate with family and friends, but I pray that we remember the world where too many people experience the same environment that God choose to come to us.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Thanksgiving

I am sitting at me desk as we prepare for our Thanksgiving service and the first Sunday of Advent.  I thought I would share with you from Crazy Talk about thanksgiving.  The editor’s have a way taking common theological ideas and presenting them in such a way that may have one pause of reflect.  Here it is.

“Thanksgiving n.

Any prayer or action that admits you didn’t do it all yourself and , yes, you did need a little help along the way.

Humans say ‘Thanks, God’, in so many ways.  Some are better than others.  In ancient times people would sacrifice animals in gratitude to the gods for a favor received.  How cool is that?  Don’t for a second think our consumption of a bird on the fourth Thursday of every November is a manifestation of this ancient tradition.  That holiday is entirely secular.  In our gluttony we commemorate Pilgrims—good people, to be sure, but not God.  Not into animal sacrifice?  You can always say an I-just-wanna-prayer.

Giving thanks is not something that we should save for single day on the calendar.  Giving thanks is even more than our prayers before meals.  Ideally, our entire lives are an offering of thanksgiving. ‘In everything, give thanks,’ it says in 1 Thessalonians 5.  Easier said than done, that’s for sure.

Maybe it’s a matter of perspective.  When we realize that God is the ultimate source of all things, and when we realize that we are ultimately dependent upon God for daily food and drink, homes, families, good government, peace, loyal friends, lovely neighbors, good weather, and so on, we realize: Dang!  God’s got a pretty Big Job there, whet with taking care of me, everyone else, and all that exists.  Perhaps thanksgiving begins with simple gratitude that God is God (and we’re not).”

Amen.

cornucopia

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Man in Wheat Field with Arms Outstretched
Harvest is done or almost done for most of the farmers.  This is also a time of hunting season.  Our prayers have been that there would be no major problems or accidents during this season.  This is also a time of year that there are so many activities that it is easy to become so busy that we forget to take time to thank God for the blessings we have received.
As we continue to look at thanksgivings and blessings, we come to the time of wondering how should we respond in our lives to this great outpouring of grace.  I will be looking at what Moses had to say to the people of Israel prior to their entering the promised land found in Deuteronomy 26:1-11.  Moses was concerned that the people once they were in the land of milk and honey would forget that they were there only by the grace of God.  He felt that the people would begin to believe that they accomplished all of this on their own and would not remember their travels in the wilderness.
We also need to remember that God has blessed us.  As the ancient Israelites, we today need to remember that without the blessings God has given us we would not have what we have.  Now how do we approach God and remember? Moses speaks of coming to the altar with the first fruits (the tithes) and offering them to do God’s will.  We are to use our talents and treasures in service.
Jesus constantly spoke of our need to be willing to let go of that which binds us.  For many it can become our possessions.  As in the parable of the foolish farmer, we may not want to continue to build bigger barns  but to use the resources that we have in the ministries in the name of Christ.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Reflections on Thanksgiving

The following are some reflections from Homiletics regarding Thanksgiving.  Thought I would copy this for your reading.

Things proven to change the course of Thanksgiving:
1. During the middle of the meal, turn to Mom and say, “See, Mom, I told you they wouldn’t notice that the turkey was four months past its expiration date. You were worried for nothing.”
2. When everyone goes around to say what they are thankful for, say, “I’m thankful I didn’t get caught” and refuse to say anything more.
3. Load your plate up high, then take it to the kitchen, toss it all in the blender, and take your “shake” back to the table. Announce that it’s the new Thanksgiving Weight Loss Shake.
4. Prepare a several-hour-long speech to give when asked about your thankfulness. If necessary, insist that no one leave or eat until you have finished the speech.


The first settlers in America landed in December of 1620 in Massachusetts, and within one month 10 out of the 17 fathers and husbands who were on that ship, the Mayflower, died. Within a couple months only four of the mothers and wives were alive out of the first 17 couples. And by Easter almost half of the pilgrims had died. They landed in the middle of winter without provisions, without shelter and that took a toll. It took a huge toll and yet in 1621 they celebrated and they gave thanks to God. It was amazingly difficult, amazingly difficult those first years.
On another continent about 25 years later there was a Lutheran pastor named Martin Rinkart. He lived in Eilenberg in Saxony and it was during the siege of the Thirty Years War. Eilenberg was a walled city that was surrounded by Swedes and there were 800 homes were burned, and the people within suffered from the plague, from starvation, and it got to the point where the pastors within that town, within that village were burying 12 people a day. Pretty soon the pastors themselves started to die and Martin Rinckart was the only pastor left. He was conducting 50 funerals a day, can you imagine? Fifty funerals a day. He buried over 5,000 people that year, including his own wife. When the war ended a year later in 1648 he sat down, and listen to the words that he penned:
Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
This was a man who knew horrors beyond all we can think and imagine, getting on his knees and leading people in praise and thanks to our God.
—Deb Kielsmeier, “Thanksgiving,” November 25, 2004, Christ Presbyterian Church Web Site, christpresbyterian.com.

The shelves of the Christian bookstores are full of books arguing over worship styles and methods (churches have been destroyed over these things), and as I have had a chance to peruse these many volumes of drivel I have found one thing lacking in their pages — namely, God. For all the hubbub about traditional vs. contemporary — evangelistic vs. covenantal — liturgical vs. low-church, the one thing that no one seems to care about is the ONE they’re supposed to be worshiping in the first place. They substitute personal preference for God.
The NT is surprisingly indifferent to worship as far as outward ritual goes. We don’t have a worship manual per se. My Bible lacks musical arrangements with harmonies and guidance on what type of instruments should be played. What we find — I think to our amazement — is a focus on an inward experience of the heart as we praise God and receive his Word.
—Brian Thomas, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord,” November 7, 2004, Kaleo Fellowship Web Site, kaleochurch.com.

In his book, The Grand Essentials, Ben Patterson ... tells of a time when the great Jewish rabbi, Abraham Heschel was confronted with a complaint from his congregation:
“Some of the members of the synagogue told him that the liturgy did not express what they felt. Would he please change it? Heschel wisely told them that it was not for the liturgy to express what they felt, it was for them to learn to feel what the liturgy expressed. As Jews they were to learn the drama and say it and ‘play’ it over and over again until it captured their imagination and they assimilated it into the deepest places in their hearts. Then, and only then, would it be possible for them to live their own individual dramas.”
Heschel said: “Praise precedes faith. First we sing, then we believe.”
—Daniel D. Meyer, “A disciplined joy: What should I bring to worship,” September 28, 1997, Christ Church Web Site, cc-ob.org.


Jesus had a plan for John [Ungureanu]. He travels into Romania twice a year for 6-8 weeks each trip and in the name of Jesus goes into the villages of the poorest of the poor. He finds families in need and meets that need as best he can — all in the name of Jesus.
One large family suffered the loss of the mother at a young age. The entire village felt badly for the situation. In the name of Jesus John carted in a refrigerator and made sure it would be filled up through the winter. As word spread about this amazing gesture many have come to faith in Jesus in that village. When John came across a blind woman in her 80s, he saw that her house was falling down. So, in the name of Jesus John had that home rebuilt and provided for her through the winter. The next time he returned she had turned her life over to Jesus and wanted to be baptized.
On each trip John is able to touch from 150 to 200 families with the love of Jesus, meeting their needs with no strings attached.
—Tim Timmons, “Jesus seen walking around in the villages of Romania and India,” ASSIST News Service, August 23, 2004, across.co.nz.


But I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things.
—Vincent van Gogh.


“In worship,” writes Kathleen Norris in Amazing Grace, “we let loose with music, and the words of hymns, the psalms, canticles and prayers. We cast the Word of God out into the world, into each human heart, where, to paraphrase the prophet Isaiah, it needs to go to fulfill God’s purpose. Isaiah uses the metaphor of rain to convey this — rain that disappears into the ground for a time, so that we can’t see it working. And then, it bears abundantly.”


Jesus is cool; Christians are not.
According to Dan Kimball, in his book, The Emerging Church, California college students think Jesus is cool but Christians are messed up, dogmatic, closed-minded, the wicked ones. See page 80.


Saturday, November 6, 2010

Rejoice

This Sunday I will be doing a sermon series on thanksgivings which is appropriate for the month of November.  Each Sunday until Thanksgiving day, I will be looking at what we need to remember about being thankful for the blessings that we have.  I came across a quote by James Allen, author of “As a Man Thinketh.” “Your are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.” I have had time to reflect on this statement.

I know that when I was counseling others, how they viewed events and the way they thought about those events affected their mood and relationships.  Beyond the Holy Spirit our thoughts are one of the strongest influences on the behavior and attitudes that we have.  If one is always negative, than everything they experience is interpreted as negative.  Paul in Philippians 4:4-9 speaks to this very idea.  He reminds his fellow Christians to place their minds on the better thoughts.  To take one’s cares and anxieties in prayer to God.  If one is able to do that, we can live a better life and even in times of trials (Paul was believed to be writing from prison), one can endure hardships with an improved ability.

So rejoice in the Lord.  Allow him to take your worries and anxieties away in prayer and to lift up thanksgiving.RejoiceAlways1451

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

change of seasons

I was reminded about how life follows certain seasons when I was asked to do a funeral of community member who was well known.  The day that I went to talk to the family about their father was a day when the winds were howling at 60 mph and it began to snow.  The day before was chilly and windy though by the time of the funeral it was sunny and about 65 with very little wind.  The weekend the temperature rose to about 70 on Saturday.  Welcome to Nebraska.

The one aspect of living in this climate is the experience of four seasons.  There is a beauty of all the seasons and I appreciate each for what they have to offer.  From the new growth of spring to the starkness of winter, it is a reminder of God’s creation and life cycles and how important those cycles are for all of creation.  We cannot have a spring without a winter, a fall without summer.

What brought this to mind was the scripture the family wanted to use at the memorial service was Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.  As I was reflecting on this father’s life, I began to reflect on the seasons of all our lives here on earth.  Beginning with spring, we are born and quickly begin to grow physically, mentally, and spiritually.  Like a plant that sends down its roots and reaches up to the sky, we too begin the process of developing our roots that will help us continue to reach up to God.

Summer is a time of ripening and a time of cultivating so that the growth can be maintained.  The plant begins to mature and develop fruit.  So in our summer time we begin to develop fruit and to mature in our growth.  Often a time of developing families, careers, and community, we are in need of cultivation.  This is the time of challenges to not allow the weeds of life to take over.  At times one needs to find ways and means to remain faithful so that the fruit that will mature is worthy of harvesting.

Fall is the time of the mature fruit.  It is a time of harvest and change.  How one has lived their life until this time will determine what the harvest will have.  Is it worthy of harvest?  The answer comes from how the person has lived their lives and the choices that they have made.  From the seeds of the this fruit is the legacy that gives life to others.

Winter is a time of starkness often seen as a time of dying.  Jesus stated in the gospel of John, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains but a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”  Though he was talking about his passion there is much truth in all of our lives.  That the plants seeds must die and be buried in the life giving soil to be able to be reborn.

What the gospel of hope is that winter is not the last word.  In creation spring always follows winter.  So in our life death is not the final answer.  Spring is around the corner.  We are reborn to new life in Christ.

As winter approaches, let us never forget that spring is around the corner with the guarantee of new life.  Thanks be to Christ.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Saints

I am going to be preaching on All Saint’s Day this Sunday even though it is not November 1st.  I had thought about going the Reformation Sunday and preaching on Martin Luther but with the number of funerals that I have done since I have arrived I feel called to honor those who have been called home.

As I was preparing my sermon, I came across this definition of a saint from Crazy Talk.  I wanted to share it with my readers.

“Saint: Every Christian, including you, and many other persons whom you wouldn’t want to hang out with.

So you think you already know what a saint is? Let’s guess: someone who is (a) so admirable that if you died you’d want them to take care of your puppy (b) but with whom you wouldn’t want to go to an R-rated movie.  And you certainly wouldn’t want to be one!  As a T-shirt we saw on a little kid said, ‘I tried to be good, but I got bored.’

In this view, saints are people like Mother Teresa who are so selfless that we feel downright wicked by comparison.

But in the New Testament, the word saint never refers to a special class of super-duper Christians, rather it always refers to all Christians.  For instance, the Letter to Ephesians (which is what I will be using in my sermon) is addressed ‘to the saints of Ephesus.’  Saints are not saintly because of what they do but because of what Christ has done for them.  Christian saints are identified not by their wisdom, good works, holiness, and wholeness but by the fact that they belong to Jesus.

And that means, of course, that you are qualified to be a saint, too.  As is your worst nightmare of a neighbor.  Grouchy Marx may have said, ‘I don’t want to be a member of any club that will accept me as a member,’ but Jesus said, in effect, ‘Only sinners need apply—and I will make you saints.” (p. 153)

As the article stated and certainly what is true that we are all saints not by our works, but in our faith in Christ.  The reflection I want to leave you is given your status as a saint, how are you living that out in your life?IMG_0036

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

It has been some time since I updated my blog. There have been so many things happening between clergy meetings, church meetings, and charge conferences I have found myself being called to do many different tasks. One celebration is that attending charge conferences both our churches and others allows one a glimpse into how God is alive in our communities. I stand in awe in how rural churches deal with their challenges and continue to provide vital ministry. I also am aware of how important it is to remember our vision and mission as a church. I know that we can sometimes lose sight of what is important in our church's life as well as our own. I received this from Serving Strong and wanted to share it with you.

SS Logo horizontal




A moment just for you
Because you serve others.
Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6.10)
October 19, 2010
Today's Discussion
(issue 208)


Falling Quietly

It's Autumn. The trees where I live are putting on their annual fireworks display. This is the time of year when our family shares the phrase, "Mind the trees." One moment they are brilliant reds, oranges, burgundy, and yellows. The next moment they are bare branches shivering in the biting cold wind. We are trying to live in the moment.

As I prepared for this issue, I stopped to watch as a gentle breeze touched the trees. A few leaves fell to the ground slowly...quietly. No fanfare. No noise. No trumpet call. Just quietly covering the ground one leaf at a time.

I saw the following picture and decided to use it because of the phrase printed on it: "falling leaves hide the path so quietly".

Falling Leaves On Path

No one sets out to lose their way. No one wakes up and says, "Let's see, how can I burnout by the end of the day." On the contrary, burnout happens over time. Little by little, as quietly as a falling leaf, unresolved conflicts, little unforgivenesses, a small jealousy here, a little bitterness there... gradually cover the path we are on. Before we know it, we're lost, burned out, disillusioned.

Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 4.16:

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."

How have the past several days been for you? Is your path clearly before you? Or have you allowed a few small "leaves" begin to accumulate, making it difficult for you to serve strong?

Take inventory of your leaves. Maybe this week it's time to do some "raking and mulching". Maybe it's time to renew inwardly. I'm going to take that challenge. Will you join me?

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Last night our worship committee met to discuss where we are going with worship for Ainsworth. We began to discuss what might be some themes that we would work on for the months coming up. As we did this we decided to focus on the next 5 months certain themes that might be where God is leading us. I thought I would share some of the themes with readers and if you have any suggestions I would appreciate hearing them.

I just finished a sermon series on Why Church and focused on community, being around real people, remembering that we are called to be in service to others, and being a mentor to help grow disciples. The last sermon ended on World Communion Sunday October 3rd. October 10th we will be celebrating Children's Sabbath. We will have the children sing, watch a video on VBS, have a baptism, and talk about re-membering those who have no voice. October 17th we will have our youth group talk about their mission trip to Omaha working with the Open Door Mission. October 24th we will be having a mission moment by our Mission committee. The 31st we will have a speaker do a brief presentation from UMW on mission. We will also take time to have families list members who have been called home in the past year and will end the service reading their names and having one of the youth take a chime bell and ring it after each name.

November we will focus on thanksgivings and blessings. I am in the process of picking scriptures that I will be using. The foci will be thanksgiving for ourselves, our families, and our community. On November 21st we will do a hanging of the greens service following our late service. We will have a carry in lunch and family activities. November 24th is the ecumenical service.

Advent we will be looking at the ABC's of Advent. Await with purpose, Be a blessing, Cast your light. One of the Sundays will be the children's program and that evening will be a choir cantata. Christmas eve will be focusing on Go to Bethlehem.

January will be epiphany, baptism of the Lord, honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. February will focus on the coping with difficulties, grief, loneliness. We will be looking at what we can depend on during those times of our life that are challenges.

March 9th is Ash Wednesday. We will be doing a sermon series that will hopefully tie in with a bible study. Right now I am reflecting on Adam Hamilton's 24 hours that changed the world or Borg and Crossan's The Last Week.

I have been having an exciting time with our worship committee and their enthusiasm for being not only into the word but wanting to touch people with our worship experience. Again I would invite people to be with us as we do our worship on kbrbradio.com. Keep us in prayer that all that we do glorifies God.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

For a little pastor humor:
One Sunday after his service, the rural pastor decided to unwind by taking a drive in the country. Before he knew it, he was going down the country lanes at over 60 miles per hour.

As luck would have it, the sheriff had his radar set up and soon had the pastor pulled over. As the sheriff approached him, the pastor said in his most innocent-sounding voice, "You won't really give me a ticket, will you? I'm just a poor country preacher."

The sheriff looked him in the eyes for a minute, pulled out his ticket book and said, "I sure know that Reverend. I was just at your service."
--Vic Rohret,
Naches, Wash.,
in Ecunet [database online],
meeting name: Eculaugh,
filename: A000000s.MSG, #1073.
As I am sitting at my desk, I received the latest Power Mail from Serving Strong. I have been working on sermons dealing with Why Church. But I was struck by what Scott had to say about what we say to ourselves. Last Sunday I talked about serving but one of the quotes that I did not use was that we are what we think. Actually I stated we are what we think and do. Certainly how we treat others can be a reflection on how we treat ourselves. Jesus stated from Leviticus 19:8 you are to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Love comes from above. When we do not take time to realize we are loved, we struggle with being able to love (in agape way) others.

Here is the article:
The Well and Tap



A Faucet
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (Proverbs 4.23)

We each talk to ourselves. It's true. All day long we are telling ourselves things. You're probably doing it right now.

So what are you saying to yourself? Is it uplifting? Are you an encouragement to yourself? Are you ministering to yourself? Are you treating yourself the way God would treat one of His own children?

I hope you are. Because the truth is, the wellspring of our lives flows from our hearts. Dirty water in the well = dirty water at the tap. We aren't serving strong when we put ourselves down, or tell ourselves lies. Ouch!

This week, I challenge you to record what you tell yourself through out the day. Are you guarding your heart from the inside out? Are you dwelling on Whose you are? Or are you tearing yourself down?

Thursday, September 23, 2010

As I am sitting here writing, I can hear the gentle rain out my office window. This area can get some interesting storms. Apparently 10 miles from Ainsworth last night, the city of Basset received hail the size of soft balls. It destroyed crops, windows in the school, and damaged many vehicles. All we got was fog and some drizzle. One can never know what is going to be the weather in Nebraska or how close one will be from mild conditions to severe. My prayers are for those who suffered damage and losses but also thanksgiving that no one was injured that I am aware of.

Today I am also preparing my sermon for Sunday. I will be continuing to preach on Why church: Service. The scripture is 1 Timothy 6:6-19. Actually the idea from Homiletics was money matters. The famous line in this passage is that the love of money is the root of all evil. I actually read the sermon John Wesley did on The Dangers of Riches Sermon 87 based on 1 Timothy 6:9 that states,"They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful desires, which drown men in destruction and perdition." Certainly there is some truth that there is danger for those who base who they are and what they are on acquiring money and possessions. Sometimes even using this as a means to control even the church. The key is that it is the love of money not money itself that leads to evil.
What I am going to preach on is not about money but is found in the verses 17-19. "As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides use with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life. (NRSV)"

I believe that church helps us become involved in service for God. There is quote from the Wesley Study Bible regarding good works, "For Wesley we cannot stay in faith unless our faith leads to hope for the world and to love for others and for the whole creation that God loves. Good works are expressions of our faith. They emanate from our new being in Christ, just as a good tree bears good fruit. The Wesleyan spiritual disciplines exist so that we "may take hold of the life that really is life" (1 Tim 6:19) by manifesting our faith through good works. (1466)"

As a church, we are most able to act out the faith we have in community and with people. Service in the name of Christ, I believe is demanded of all of us. So why church to reach out to others in service and to make disciples of the Jesus Christ.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Wednesday

How time flies. It is hard to believe that a week has gone by and I have not written anything. This time of year is busy with the start of the fall schedules, bible studies, funerals, and meetings. As I was trying to get caught up, I came across this article that I want to share. Our attitude does influence a lot of what we can do and what we are willing to do.

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PowerMail (by Serving Strong)
A minute just for you because you help others
Issue #204
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Just One More House
via Concrete Forms House Under Construction
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more relaxed life with his wife and extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to cheap workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.

When the carpenter finished his work, the employer came to inspect the house. He handed the front door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you." The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we'd do it much differently. But we cannot go back. We are all carpenters. Your attitude and the choices you make today build the "house" you live in tomorrow.
I talk to many ministry leaders who so deeply desire to finish strong. This requires a day-by-day commitment. I challenge you to make that commitment all week long. As you embark on this week's challenge, here are some scriptures that speak to attitude and deed:
Colossians 3.17 (Whatever you do...)
Philippians 2.5 (Your attitude...)
Ephesians 4.23 (The attitude of your minds...)

RELATED BLOG POST:

Attitude Reflects Leadership
What are some barriers that keep us from putting our whole heart into what we do?
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Every Tuesday I receive this Power Mail in my mailbox. Scott has a way of helping me pause and think about a variety of things in my life. I have shared other thoughts and reflections that he has had in the past.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Wednesday

Sometimes it seems that time gets away. After spending 9 hours driving to attend a meeting of 5 hours, it does take away time to do other activities. Today I am working with the sermon series on Why Church and doing visits as well as confirmation class tonight. As I was reading in Homiletics, I came across some illustrations about being real and the importance of being real to one another. The focus of the sermon is going to be on a church's willingness to be honest and to accept others and our need to be around people who are journeying to santification.

Any way here are the illustrations. I was struck about the idea of the differnce between ethics and virtue and agree that if we are able to teach our children to strive toward being virtuous that we would not need a list of rules to live by. Also the poem speaks about what we choose to follow is much like choosing what we swallow. I immediately thought about our addiction to fast food that is full of fat with little substance. Also the need for instant gratification.

Why church real people
It’s common, in businesses or professions, to have something called a “code of ethics.” Usually, it focuses on specific behaviors: do’s and don’ts.

“You are allowed to receive a gift from a client of no more than $25 in value.”

“It is not permitted for a supervisor to engage in a romantic relationship with a subordinate, unless the subordinate is first transferred to another division.”

“If a salesperson completes a contract with a customer who was first contacted by another salesperson, the commission goes to the first salesperson.”

These are examples taken from corporate ethics policies. These lists of rules are quite different from virtue or morality.

There’s only one problem with this approach. Not everyone, in society at large, agrees on what the rules ought to be — such as whether it’s always wrong to tell a lie. If it means closing the deal ... getting the candidate elected ... preserving the company’s public image ... keeping one’s spouse from learning about the affair ... it’s complicated, don’t you know?

No, it isn’t complicated. Ethics can sometimes be complicated. Morality — virtue — is simple. It’s a matter of character, of integrity, of trust.

Virtue — not ethics — is what we teach in the church. In doing so, we intend to raise up boys and girls, men and women, who don’t have to consult a policy to know how to do good.

Belonging May Not Be All It’s Often Believed to Be

Belonging
Is a human longing.
It once secured us to
Our mothers
And later
Moves us toward others.
Aloneness can be such a fear
That we become less cautious
About who we are near.
Who we choose to follow
Is akin to deciding
What to swallow.

—David A. Reinstein, LCSW, associatedcontent.com/article/2818984/odd_man_out_being_different_can_be.html. Retrieved April 7, 2010.

A full-of-herself religious woman was deeply shocked when the new neighbors called on Sunday morning and asked to borrow her lawn mower.

“The very idea of cutting grass on Sunday,” she ranted to her husband. “Shameful! Certainly, they can’t have it. Tell them our lawn mower is broken.”

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Saturday

I am finalizing my sermon on Why Church: Community. As I was at the office, I had some time to spare and began to explore some of the literature that was out in the Narthex. As I was doing this, I came across Alive Now the Jan/Feb 2010 issue which was on shaping community. Sometimes when I have ideas about where I am being led by God regarding the sermon, He can surprise me with something new to reflect on. Unfortunately, I don't have unlimited time. So I am going to share some of what was in the literature that was about community that struck me with some truth. Another aside is that today is Patriot Day remembering 9/11. I would hope that every day is patriot day but this needs to be a day of prayer and remembrance of those whose lives were lost and those lives who were forever changed.

Here are some quotes:
"What passes for community [in the modern world] is, 'You stay out of my life, and in exchange for that I'll stay out of your life, and we'll call that community." Will Willimon
"We might define true community as that place where the person you least want to live with lives!" Parker Palmer
"We consider a person who takes no interest in the state not as harmless, but as useless." Pericles
"We are being asked to become transforming agents within human society rather than revolutionary ones acting outside it." Esther de Waal.

May this day be one of remembrance, prayer, and one of remembering community in a nation of individualism.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Friday

I am writing this on a cool cloudy Friday. After having near record degree heat we now have what seems to be the beginning of fall. There are some trees that are even beginning to have their leaves change. I am planning on getting some pictures for a calendar that I am going to make that will be titled the Middle of Nowhere.

Sunday is coming and I am looking forward to my sermon series on Why Church. As I was reflecting on the material and the scripture, one thing struck me. I had some conversations with a number of people who lament that we are not reaching a certain age group. Certainly this is what Re-Think Church is about. As I was thinking about this lament, I remember reading a book Good to Great. In that book, the focus was on what made companies great. One common aspect of that was that the companies that were great focused not on trying to be everything to everyone but instead focused on what they did well and put their energy into that. I am also reading Mike Slaughter's book Unthink Church. He also points out the same issue and certainly in his book Change the World discusses how he was able to take a church that appeared to be dying and put the energy in what they could do with what they had.

I have been thinking about this and about to what extent do we take our resources to try to meet the needs of everyone. Rather it may be more fruitful to focus on what we do well and put our resources, time, and energy into that. Jesus did not try to please everyone. He was not interested in building a large congregation and in fact if judged by his followers as he was crucified would appear to be a failure in church development. Instead he focused on what he did well which was loving his Father and his disciples and reaching out to those no one else wanted to claim.

Maybe church should be more like that. I believe if we are faithful to what God calls us to do we will have a plentiful harvest.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Thursday

I often find myself working on two to three sermons at the same time. I try to focus on where I hear God calling and find that I become distracted by off shoots of other thoughts and ideas. I have felt the call to talk about why church is important and that whenever possible one should surround themselves with committed Christians. As I do that, I find myself reflecting on a world that seems only committed to themselves and what they can get for themselves. It seems that somewhere we have lost our way in church, in our world, and even within ourselves. We seem so concerned about me, myself, and I that caring for others has become secondary.

There have been plenty of issues that have been reported in the news that seems to support this idea whether it be politics, business, or even churches. I remember times when people would disagree but would still have respect for those of a differing point of view. Today that common decency seems to be antiquated. Everyone wants to have the spotlight shown on them and they do this by any means possible, whether burning the Qu'ran or protesting at soldiers funerals, or calling people's ideas stupid without ever expressing something that could be an alternative. Greed seems to be the bottom line of many businesses and the witness of the current economic situation certainly points to that.

So where can we find our way back to thinking about the common good of all people? If there is any hope to be found, I believe it will need to come from people who truly live according to the values, principles, and actions that Jesus taught. If we as a church becomes so caught up in trying to be the spotlight of ourselves than we can become like the Pharisees of the gospel stories. It is not about how great we are, but how great God is. Maybe the time has come that the church take on a more prophetic voice of Christ, caring for others, sharing and loving God and our neighbor. So maybe that is where we are called to be. As Paul says in Romans 12:9-21.
Romans 12:9-21 (New Living Translation)

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection,[a] and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.[b] 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”[c]
says the Lord.

20 Instead,

“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”[d]

21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
I especially like don't think you know it all. I certainly don't and know that I need the Lord in my life. I also believe that we can live in harmony with others without giving up my beliefs and values. I am willing to share my love of Christ but I do that not just with words but in the ways I try to live my life.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Why Church


I am going to be doing a sermon series on Why Church. The focus is going to be on why do we choose to go to church or not go to church as the case may be. I will be using the lectionary and the ideas came from suggestions from Homiletics. The first sermon will focus on Luke 15:1-10. The topics we will be covering are community, real people, money matters, and mentors. With all the effort with the Re-Think church, I thought it might be important to discuss church not just the building but also the people.

What struck me as I am preparing for this Sunday was the context of the scripture of the lost sheep and the lost coin. The preface was the grumblings from the Pharisees that Jesus was eating and inviting to eat with him sinners and tax collectors. For one was not to associate with sinners because that would make you impure and a sinner yourself. As I was contemplating this, I was struck by how I felt when I was young about the church and the hypocrisy of the people that went to church. I felt in my self-righteousness that I was better than that. What is interesting is that recent surveys that is often the number one reason young adults do not go to church. Little has changed in 40 years and it seems that this was an issue even in Jesus' time. For I came to the realization that I was the Pharisee of this story and as much a hypocrite as those I accused. If I sat in judgment of others I needed to sit in judgment regarding my own self.

Needless to say, when I had that insight, I decided that maybe church was a place to help me grow in ways that I did not have to continue with my self-righteousness but instead focus on getting right with God. I don't believe I would have done that without being surrounded by loving, caring, committed Christians who were also growing in their faith. I did not find it in a book, on TV, or even today on the Internet.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Wednesday


The more that I spend time in my ministry the more I realize what changes have occurred. As I am reflecting on the sermon, I began to spend time wondering about the cost of being a disciple as well as the cost of being a church. We tend to focus so much on how we are to reach the people of the 21st century that sometimes I wonder if we are neglecting the gospel. I firmly believe that we are to present the gospel in ways of reaching the people of today but at the same time we need to be careful not to lose the message that has inspired Christians for centuries.

I love technology, obviously as I am writing a blog, I have a face book page, I have used multi-media in services. Sometimes I wonder if, no matter how important these technological advances are, there is a cost. At the same time I am amazed since I have come to Ainsworth what it means to use media as a means of reaching those who are unable for whatever reasons to come to church. Our late service is broadcast on the local radio station KBRB and at the same time streamed live on their web site www.kbrbradio.com. My best friend can now listen to the service in Lincoln Nebraska some 200 miles away as can others throughout the world. He and I spend time then through the Internet discussing the sermon and the scripture. It is a great opportunity for he and I to chat about our faith.

The use of media has been around a long time with televangelists. The concern I have is that we are called to be the body of Christ and to have time to be together. Modern technology, social networking, and sometimes even worship itself can over emphasize the individual salvation without looking at the continuing work or sanctification. Using technology to reach people is a wonderful tool but it is a means to end and never should be the end in itself.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Tuesday

I am in the process of visits and preparing for confirmation as well as the sermon. I will be preaching from Luke 14:25-33. In my Wesley Study Bible the summary is the cost of discipleship. I have been preaching on themes of being a disciple and what that means in real life situations. This passage is one of those passages that seems harsh and yet is important if we are serious about being a disciple. The focus is on to what is our loyalty. As I was working on this, I was reading in Homiletics about a particular cathedral being built in Spain that took over 125 years to build and still is not complete. They are going to have their first mass coming up. What struck me initially was that often what we do for Christ we may never realize. This was an illustration that was given regarding this.

Clark and Mason were sitting in the break room talking about business strategies for their small company. Mason, ever the worrier, was expressing his frustrations over how “quick success” seemed to be eluding them. Mason said to Clark, “I can’t see any evidence of our hard work. It seems like everything that we have done has been to no avail.”

Clark, a more seasoned businessperson, sat listening to his business partner, while peeling a big red apple. He understood Mason’s frustration. Early in his business career, Clark had similar feelings and often gave up on his goals prematurely because he did not believe in himself. Fortunately, Clark gained understanding of the need for belief and patience.

Holding up the apple he was peeling, Clark said to Mason, “See this apple, Mason. When I cut it in half, we can count the number of seeds in it.” Clark cut the apple in half and noted the number of seeds in the core of the apple. He held up one seed for Mason to see. “However,” Clark continued, “we cannot count the number of apples in one seed.” Mason looked at Clark as he momentarily struggled to understand how Clark’s example related to his concerns.

Clark continued, “We cannot know how many ‘trees’ will grow and bear fruit from our efforts thus far. Now is the time to assume that our seed will bear fruit, to see the orchard filled with trees loaded with apples, which have been fertilized with belief and confidence, and watered with enthusiasm. We must be careful not to allow the weeds of negativity and doubt to strangle the new plants as they struggle to grow into fruit-bearing trees.”

—M. Peer Mohamed Sardhar, “How many apples are in one apple seed?” Improving Organizations Web Site. citehr.com.

So if you ever wonder about what we do and begin to doubt our efforts remember that if we continue to have faith and confidence and continue with our enthusiasm for Christ, there will be a rich harvest to come. Don't let the weeds of negativity hamper you in your life.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Holy Holy Holy

I was doing my devotions and came across this from "This Day: A Wesleyan Way of Prayer by Stooky." It struck me as I will be doing a sermon series on Why Church? I hope that the readers can get something from this as well.

"There is much misunderstanding about the meaning of the term 'holy.' Too many seem to think it means entirely good, without flaw. That may serve us well when speaking of a holy God. But a perfect church? Hardly. At root, holiness instead has to do with being set apart, indeed with being different. In the commandments, when God called for one day of the week to be holy, God meant that this day was to be set aside as different from the other six, distinctive in its practices. So also the Hebrew people were to exhibit holiness by refusing to bow down to idols worshiped by all of the neighboring nations. Similarly, the church is called to live out in the world ways of being and doing that are alternatives to accustomed standards and customs.

This means that, for from being embarrassed when its ideals are at odds with accepted ways, the Christian community should revel in what it distinctively has to offer to the world. When the lives of people are ruined by oppression and the church protests, we are exemplifying holiness. When greed goes unchecked, even applauded, and Christian people cry out 'Enough!' we should rejoice that we are fulfilling our calling to be different for the sake of what is right. How willing are we to be considered out of step with society in order to be holy? Who wants to be labeled 'odd' after all? But we are called to be a holy church, not a club that panders to whatever is currently popular."

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Sacraments

I have been reflecting on the sacraments and what they mean to the body of Christ, our church. What has caused me to reflect is that I have been asked by a number of people recently about doing baptisms outside of the worship service. I have always felt that sacraments are to be done in the scheduled worship services unless there are some extra-ordinary reasons to do them elsewhere.

For myself sacraments are sacred moments that remind us of the grace that God and Jesus Christ has extended to us. The best way that we can celebrate and remember that grace is during worship. As United Methodists, we are encouraged to do the sacraments during the worship services in the presence of the congregation. Our Book of Worship states that "The Baptismal Covenant is God's word to us, proclaiming our adoption by grace, and our word to God, promising our response of faith and love. Those within the covenant constitute the community we call the Church; therefore, the services of the Baptismal Covenant are conducted during the public worship of the congregation where the person's membership is to be held, except in very unusual circumstances."

I realize that baptism is a special moment for the child, the parents, and their family. But if we believe in what we state during the covenant, we as a the body of Christ also assume responsibility in helping raise the child and to grow their faith. If the parents do not have a relationship with the church, how can we be able to help the child continue to grow in grace? My concern is that if we do family baptisms are we being faithful to what the covenant suggests. That is a major concern and the reason that I refuse to do private baptisms unless there is an unusual situation.

I would invite others to reflect on their practices either in their church or as pastors.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Saturday


Did you know that origin of the word hypocrite is different than how we use the word today. From the NIB Dictionary of the bible the literal meaning of hypocrisy/hypocrite is “a judgment, sentence, or power of distinguishing” or “a decider, judge or umpire.” That does call one to mind about sporting events and some of the controversial calls that have been made. The most common usage of the term in antiquity was to designate an actor. A person who made judgments about characters they played from behind a mask was considered acting or playing a role or performing on a stage. This evolved to today the term denoting metaphorically persons who pretended to be like someone they were not. Below are some quotes that speak to this.
Hypocrisy in anything whatever may deceive the cleverest and most penetrating man, but the least wide-awake of children recognizes it, and is revolted by it, however ingeniously it may be disguised.

—Leo Tolstoy.

Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo.

—Ambrose Bierce.

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.

—Dr. Seuss.
So in Luke 13: 10-17 when Jesus calls the leaders of the church hypocrites it takes on the meaning more of acting or playing a role. Today when we examine ourselves do we play at being Christian, make judgments about being a Christian, being a decider as to who is a Christian? Are we being actors or are we living like a Christian? There was a study done among those who would call themselves unchurched as to why they do not belong. Over 75% state that they do not go to church as it is hypocritical and not trying to live as Jesus shows. Most state that they believe in Jesus. The article in Homiletics stated that it was interesting that the unchurched are saying that those who are members of a church don’t act like they are churched. Surveys have shown that there is no significant differences from those who profess being Christian (even born again) in the way they act in the world and those who state that they do not belong to a church. [Barna research study confirms this perception. A 2007 study showed that lifestyles of “born-again Christians” were statistically equivalent to those of nonbelievers. When reporting activities from their previous 30 days, both groups were equally likely to gamble, view pornography, take something that didn’t belong to them, physically fight or abuse someone, get drunk, use an illegal drug, intentionally lie, seek revenge or gossip.]
Now one of the differences is that some Christians are more likely to recognize what they are doing is wrong and to ask for forgiveness knowing that Christ died for our sins. For myself, I am encouraged by the mercy Christ has shown me. I would hope that I would not “play act” as a Christian but continue to strive to act in loving God and loving neighbor both in words and deeds.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Thursday


I am preparing for this Sunday. I am preaching from Luke 13:10-17. The focus on the sermon is on rules and how times people spend more time focused on the rules literally rather than seeing them as guidelines to help us remain within certain boundaries. Boundaries are not a problem but when they become so rigid that no one can enter or be part of the community then we have lost sight of the intention of the rules or laws.
Luke includes this story of Jesus following two stories of the barren fig tree and the parable of the mustard seed which speaks of faith. Luke often presents Jesus' teachings that have bookends of what is to be learned. The barren fig tree is to be uprooted except for the master gardener pleads to let him try to through care and attention save the tree. The mustard seed speaks that is out the littlest seeds can great things grow. So in the story of the healing of the woman speaks to what is important in faith and it is more than worshipping rules but in caring to the little things.
I had a situation that happened today. We had a traveler going through town. The heat wore him down and he was African-American. He was able through our ministerial association to get a room for the night. He came to the church as he was still feeling dehydrated and worn out from walking from Chadron to Ainsworth. According to the rules, we are supposed to only offer one night stay. We could so get caught up in the why and not see the who. The rules are set up as there are limited resources and to make sure that others can also be helped. Another concern is being conned. I decided that I would approve another night as the temps again are to be close to 100. In talking with him, I got to see who he was more than just someone traveling through or someone who was trying to take advantage of the system.
Rules are important but there are times rather than being so concerned with the letter of the law we look to the intent of the rule or law. Much like Sabbath.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

With the niabrara on the right


When my best friends came to visit last weekend, we had a great time. We went to Smith Falls and on the way back to Ainsworth we decided to go to the Nordan bridge. I had been on the river road only once and there were times that we may have questioned where we were heading but we did find the bridge and found our way home. I actually used that as a sermon illustration that we knew if we kept to the path before us and kept the Niabrara on our right we would eventually find our way home. Much like no matter the twists and turns or the bumps in the path, if we remain focused on Christ we will find our way home. We are recording my sermons so that if anyone wants to hear the sermon in its completeness let me know.

Prior to turning off the road, we went to an overlook outside of Valentine NE. While there,I took a picture of the blue tailed skink. I guess I was surprised that we had indigenous lizards in Nebraska. I found out that the blue tail is the male and that if one would grab the tail it would break off allowing the lizard to escape. As I reflect on that, I began to think about the idea of allowing things to break off in my life that I can escape from the idolatry especially of possessions. If the skink could not let go of the tail, he would be eaten by predators. Are there things that we hold onto so hard that we are unwilling to let go of them? If so what might those be? I know in my life my faith in the saving grace of God through Jesus is one of the things that I will not let go of. My love of my wife is one of those things that I will not let go of as well as my children and grand children. But if I lost all my possessions would I miss them you bet! But they are not that important. So what are those beliefs or things do you hold on to?

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Eulogy

I received the following article from Serving Strong about eulogy which means good words. Having had almost a funeral a week recently, it struck me about what we say when someone we love dies. Wouldn't it be great that we remember to say these "good words" even while our loved one is alive. Also there is a form that we can use to say those things even to ourselves. As long as we remember to owe our life, our gifts, our talents, and our relationships to God.






PowerMail (by Serving Strong)
A minute just for you because you help others
Issue #199


Good Words

What comes to your mind when you think of the word Eulogy? Probably morbid. A casket. People wearing black. Tears. Heartache.

Let me share another perspective with you. In the Greek, the word Eulogy means "good words." A Eulogy is normally a speech or writing in praise of a person, especially one recently deceased or retired. They may be given as part of funeral services. But they can also praise a living person or people who are still alive, which normally takes place on special occasions like birthdays.

Good Words

Life goes fast. Before we know it, we're in our mid 40's looking back on memories that are growing decades old. "Life is what happens when you're busy getting ready for it", someone once said. If we're not careful, we will miss out on a bunch of opportunities to live the life God truly intended for us to live.

Therefore, I want to really challenge you with this issue. Make a commitment to think about your own personal "good words". First, think of what you want people to say about you and the life you led for Christ. Second, think of the character traits it takes to fulfill those words. Third, start digging into scripture, prayer, and good books to continuously grow in these character traits.

To help you, I've created a very simple form. You can download it free here. It's part of the free downloads on my Resources Page.

Make the most of your life. Start this week!

Feel free to continue the discussion on serving strong in ministry leadership through:
Facebook: or on Twitter: or Email Me

Serving Strong | PO Box 665 | North Lima | OH | 44452
My Eulogy Worksheet
1) First, find a time and location where your best creativity seems to flow best. Think, with as much detail, what you would like to have said about you at your funeral. Don’t worry about grammar, spelling or punctuation. Just write fluidly.
2) Second, once you have several sentences, pick out the character traits required to fulfill this eulogy.
3) Third, begin your journey into scripture, prayer, and reading for each character trait.
WHAT I WANT SAID ABOUT ME
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTER TRAITS REQUIRED
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________
This form is suggested by Scott Couchenour, Certified life Coach, with Serving Strong – a resourcing and coaching service to people who serve in ministry leadership.
Visit the website: http://www.servingstrong.com
Visit the blog: http://www.servingstrong.typepad.com

As you take time to do that and write what you would want to be said about you the question becomes are you living to what you want said? I believe it is important to not just want good things to be said but to live a life that is worthy of that. Much like being a disciple of Christ is more than just saying I am a disciple but also to live like one.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Tuesday


I was reading articles about the lectionary gospel from Luke and came across this article in Homiletics. The premise is knowing what one is going to do and even if I am not going this direction for Sunday I wanted to share the article with you.

Call the Tribe of Issachar Together
Luke 12:49-56 | 8/20/1995
Christians must become members of the tribe of Issachar, a tribe which had an "understanding of the times to know what ... to do."
Edward L. Shirley, of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at St. Edward's University, has collected over the years actual, bona fide newspaper headlines.

- Something went wrong in jet crash, experts say
- Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers
- Safety experts say school bus passengers should be belted
- Drunk gets nine months in violin case
- Iraqi head seeks arms
- Teacher strikes idle kids
- Reagan wins on budget, but more lies ahead
- Killer sentenced to die for second time in 10 years

Shirley's collection of noteworthy news is both silly and startling. They let us conjure up ridiculous images in our mind's eye, but they are also filled with the violence and indifference that is a constant part of our daily lives. They are, in their own right, "signs of the times."

Ignoring the approach of a tornado doesn't offer any protection from its winds. You will fly just as high into the air with your eyes closed as with them open. Few can testify to the power of shifting winds more effectively than those who were ousted from public office in the fall '94 elections. Many politicians suddenly found themselves the latest victims of what I call a worldwide Devolution Revolution.

It was the same devolution revolution that helped bring down the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union and that continues to gnaw at the foundation of all "big government" and "big institution" enterprises. Nature once experiment- ed with grand-scale bigness, too -- but the results of those trials are found now only in our collections of fossilized dinosaur bones. If you can't adapt, if you can't read the signs of the times, you face certain extinction.

The Greek version of Jesus' diatribe against the crowd in this week's gospel text is perhaps the experience of the Greek philosopher Thales. He ventured outside one night with a knowledgeable, elderly woman who had promised to teach him about the stars. In the darkness, he fell into a ditch and started screaming for help. The old woman responded dryly, "You want to know all about the heavens, but you can't see what's right under your feet" (From Diogenes, Laertius 1:34, cited in Frederick W. Denker, Jesus and the New Age [Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1988], 258).

- British left waffles on Falkland Islands
- Enraged cow injures farmer with ax
- Plane too close to ground, crash probe told

Big governments and big institutions made long-range planning (and its "goals and objectives") their darling. Is there anyone out there who doesn't plan every single day? Is there anyone out there who has ever had even one day go exactly according to plan? Yet nothing is more comforting (albeit futile) than carefully plotting out exactly what you're going to be doing two, five, or even 10 years into the future. Isn't it remarkable that long-range plans almost never predict that the stock market will plunge, or assets will devalue, or products will become obsolete, or expectations will radically alter, or scandal will rear its head, or people will demand better. Little wonder that there is a new book out by Henry Mintzberg called The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning: Re conceiving Roles for Planning, Plans, Planners (New York: Free Press, 1994). In the words of the old adage, "If you want God to laugh, tell God your plans."

We cannot live life based on the models of control and predictability that the myth of long-range planning assumes. The world is not predictable or controllable. Only now, with the rise of "scenario thinking" pioneered by Peter Schwartz (The Art of the Long View [New York: Doubleday, 1991]) and the Global Business Network, are businesses slowly moving from planning to preparedness.

Unfortunately, one of the slowest and most awkward of these behemoths is the church itself. The "mainline" denominations have found themselves relegated to a "sideline" position in postmodern life because they have adopted dreams like those of any other "big institution." The church increasingly seems irrelevant because it has lost sight of the signs of the times or chosen to ignore them.

God will not be without a witness. It is God's mission, not the church's mission. So God will be there in this emerging new world. If we would resuscitate the church, make it a vital active force for Christ in this new world, then it must relinquish its identity as a dignified "institution" and "organized religion" and claim a new name for itself as a tribe.

Specifically, the church must try to mold itself into the tribe of Issachar (1 Chronicles 12:32). The tribe of Issachar, we are told, "had an understanding of the times, to know what ... to do." When David became king, each of the tribes of Israel paraded before David and presented him with a special gift. It was the unique gift of the tribe of Issachar that they knew "what ... to do" (v.32).

- Miners refuse to work after death
- Juvenile court to try shooting defendant
- War dims hope for peace

What is keeping us from becoming a tribe of Issachar? What signs of the times are we ignoring or misreading in a futile attempt to safeguard our institutional assumptions?

Sign 1: Cultural Confusion

In his book There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America (New York: Doubleday, 1991), Alex Kotlowitz recounts the experiences of black children, Pharaoh and Lafayette Rivers, living in the Henry Horner Homes housing project in Chicago. One boy recalls the conversation about futures he had with his friend Lafayette: "And then I asked Lafayette what he wanted to be. 'If I grow up, I'd like to be a bus driver,' he told me. If, not when. At the age of 10, Lafayette wasn't sure he'd make it to adulthood."

In the face of this sign of the times, too many churches continue to offer these old/young children nothing more than 19th-century Sunday school pablum. We let them color pictures of men in bathrobes herding sheep when what they are seeing every day are children cruising the streets in luxury cars, firing automatic weapons at each other.

When is the church going to claim busters (those born between 1964 and 1984) for Christ? Busters are the first electronic generation, the first generation to be light-trained (screens) rather than print-trained (book pages). When is the church going to leave the Industrial Age (nuts and bolts) and join the Information Age (bits and bytes)? Busters have no idea what we are talking about when we say "she has a screw loose." Busters do, however, know what it means when "he has a bad chip."

Sign 2: Moral Malaise

According to Time magazine's report of a Daily Express survey, 84 percent of those polled did not think that Prince Charles' TV confession that he had committed adultery sullied his reputation (Ginia Bellafonte, "People," Time, 18 July 1994, 61).

The church as an organized institution has become too comfortable, too at home with the standards and values of the world. Our silence in the face of such signs of the times suggests that moral failure is really no more serious than rolling through a stop sign at a deserted intersection. The truth is, moral muck-ups are a symptom of a very serious condition -- heart failure. It is a sign that the central pump of our being is sick and faltering -- a sign of despair.

Sign 3: Apathetic Attitude

In 1993, the total attendance at worship services in the United States came to 5.6 billion. The total attendance for all pro-basketball, baseball and football games combined was only 103 million, less than 2 percent of the number who attended worship ("To Verify: Statistics for Christian Communicators," Leadership 15 [Fall 1994], 50).

We complain about a shrinking church membership when the numbers actually point to a shrinking sense of excitement and exuberance for Christ's sake. In the name of sports, those 103 million get stadiums built, get team franchises moved, give local economies a boost and get whole regions of the country stand-up-and-shout excited. In the name of Christ, how much more could 5.6 billion accomplish in this country -- in the world -- if they were as "on fire" as the sports fans?

What "signs of the times" are we facing as a congregation? And is our congregation facing them? Will we become a member of the tribe of Issachar? Or will we join the dinosaurs?

What is interesting is that this was written 15 years ago. What the author talked about then still seems prevalent now. What are we willing to choose that we can be of the tribe of Issachar or has the church ceased to have revelancy? This is what Re-Think Church is trying to address. I believe the church has the opportunity to be on fire for Christ and see that in the churches that I have served. Let us not be like the building above divided into factions and self-interest but strive for Christ.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

wednesday

Having just completed my third funeral since I have been here, I am reminded that life on this earth is short and that one needs to depend on the promises that we can hold to for eternal life. This Sunday I will be preaching, "Are you ready?" from Luke 12:32-40. The gospel reminds us that we need to remember that God wants to give us the kingdom. It is ours and with that knowledge we need not worry or be afraid to do what would be pleasing to God. Treasure that which is eternal and not what is temporal. We need to remain faithful and alert living our lives is such a way that Jesus has shown us.
We believe that Jesus will return to earth and that we do not know the time when he will do so. But rather than worry and fret, allow the promises of the kingdom be in your heart, mind, and soul. Every day no matter what we experience, know that the spirit is within each of us and that spirit gives us the ability to have confidence, patience, and strength to endure anything. Today in the funeral the key scripture came from 2 Corinthians 5:1-9. The key verses are 5-8a. This is the NRSV translation.

"He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident: even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord--for we walk by faith, not be sight. Yes we do have confidence."

When we talk about the Spirit and when we may feel discouraged remember that both in Hebrew and Greek (ruah or pneuma)means not only spirit but breath and wind. So to help remind us of the guarantee take time to take a deep breath, go outside and feel the wind upon your body. Realize that the Spirit of the Lord has descended upon you.
God bless.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Thursday

I am preparing for my sermon using the info about the brother fighting over money and what is owed to them and about the rich fool and the barns. I posted on face book and received several comments regarding the issue of how much is enough. One of the comments talked about Adam Hamilton's study on Enough. I had also read of a number of books of simplicity and how to uncomplicate one's life. An excellent resource for those who don't want money to control them is the Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey. I know that in our church we will be offering the classes and where I served previously they are planning to do so as well.

The concern is when do we realize that what we treasure speaks of our spiritual being. There was a movement about small being better and many people began to try to live a more simple life. I came across these quotes from Homiletics.
Jesus denied that "bigger is better" with his whole being.

- If "bigger is better," why did the Messiah come to Israel -- a tiny, insignificant desert country?
- If "bigger is better," why did God choose the Jews, a tiny minority of the citizenry, as the covenant people?
- If "bigger is better," why did Jesus choose only 12 special companions to teach?
- If "bigger is better," why did God send the Christ before there was satellite television to project his message?
- If "bigger is better," why did Jesus pour out extra love and attention to the poor, the sick, the friendless, the helpless, the very old and the very young?

The focus on these weeks has been on the 5 fruitful practices of congregations. This will tie into extravagent generosity.

Some people have asked about our radio broadcast and it is on KBRB at 11 on Sundays. It is also offered on the web at kbrbradio.com

Monday, July 26, 2010

Monday

I have been working on my reflections for this Sunday. I will be preaching from Luke 12:13-21 about greed and so far the title of what I am preaching is How much is enought and what are to do with it. This follows some of the themes that I have been doing based on 5 practices of fruitful congregations. I have talked about Risk-taking mission, radical hospitality, intentional faith development. This speaks to the idea of extravagant generosity. Most of the scriptures have come from the lectionary and from the Gospel of Luke.

As part of that I want to share some illustrations that came from Homiletics. The first is a joke and pardon the slam on lawyers.
A stingy old lawyer who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness was determined to prove wrong the saying, “You can’t take it with you.”

After much thought and consideration, the old ambulance-chaser finally figured out how to take at least some of his money with him when he died. He instructed his wife to go to the bank and withdraw enough money to fill two pillow cases. He then directed her to take the bags of money to the attic and leave them directly above his bed. His plan: When he passed away, he would reach out and grab the bags on his way to heaven.

Several weeks after the funeral, the deceased lawyer’s wife, up in the attic cleaning, came upon the two forgotten pillow cases stuffed with cash.

“Oh, that darned old fool,” she exclaimed. “I knew he should have had me put the money in the basement.”
I know that I have said that the adage of the one who wins is the one who has the most toys at the end is false. When we die, we cannot take it with us.

The other quote is one that I continue to think on. I have often thought what would I think or do if everything was taken away from me here and now. Do I love my "stuff" more than the Lord?

The real measure of our wealth is how much we would be worth if we lost our money.

—J.H. Jowett.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Wednesday July 21

Can you read this?
dad@hvn,ur spshl.we want wot u want&urth2b like hvn.giv us food&4giv r sins lyk we 4giv uvaz.don't test us!save us!bcos we kno ur boss,ur tuf&ur cool 4 eva!ok?

Talk about a foreign language.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Tuesday July 20th

I have been continuing to work on my sermon on intentional faith development. The scripture that I am using comes from Luke 11:1-13. Jesus reminds us about being persistent in our prayers. As I was reading this from the Wesley study bible, I came across some quotes from the sermon Wesley preached on the Sermon on the Mount. Following that there was a paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer. I was struck by the beauty of what he had written and wanted to share it with you. Granted that the language was appropriate for his day and age but I found it moving.

John Wesley’s: A Paraphrase on the Lord’s Prayer
1. Father of all, whose powerful voice
Call’d forth this universal frame;
Whose mercies over all rejoice,
Through endless ages still the same.
Thou, by thy word, upholdest all;
Thy bounteous love to all is show’d;
Thou hear’st thy every creature’s call,
And fillest every mouth with good.

2. In heaven thou reign’st, enthroned in light,
Nature’s expanse beneath thee spread;
Earth, air, and sea, before thy sight,
And Hell’s deep gloom, are open laid.
Wisdom, and might, and love are thine:
Prostrate before thy face we fall,
Confess thine attributes divine,
And hail thee Sovereign Lord of All!

3. Thee Sovereign Lord let all confess,
That move in earth, or air, or sky;
Revere thy power, thy goodness bless,
Tremble before thy piercing eye.
All ye who owe to Him your birth,
In praise your every hour employ:
Jehovah reigns! Be glad, O earth!
And shout, ye morning stars for joy!

4. Son of thy Sire’s eternal love,
Take to thyself thy mighty power;
Let all earth’s sons thy mercy prove,
Let all thy bleeding grace adore.
The triumphs of thy love display;
In every heart reign thou alone;
Till all thy foes confess thy way,
And glory ends what grace begun.

5. Spirit of grace, and health, and power,
Fountain of light and love below;
Abroad thine healing influence shower,
O’er all nations let it flow.
Inflame our hearts with perfect love;
In us the work of faith fulfill;
So not heaven’s host shall swifter move
Than we on earth do thy will.


6. Father, ‘tis thine each day to yield
Thy children’s wants a fresh supply:
Thou cloth’st the lilies of the field,
And hearest the young ravens cry.
On thee we cast our care; we live
Through thee who know’st our every need;
Of feed us with thy grace, and give
Our souls this day the living bread!

7. Eternal, spotless Lamb of God,
Before the world’s foundation slain,
Sprinkle us ever with thy blood;
O cleanse and keep us ever clean!
To every soul (all praise to Thee!)
Our bowels of compassion move:
And all mankind by this may see
God is in us; for God is love.

8. Giver and Lord of life, whose power
And guardian care for all are free;
To thee in fierce temptation’s hour,
From sin and Satan let us flee.
Thine, Lord, we are, and ours thou art;
In us be all thy goodness show’d;
Renew, enlarge, and fill our heart
With peace, and joy, and heaven and God.

9. Blessing and honour, praise, and love,
Co-equal, co-eternal Three,
In earth below, in heaven above,
By all thy works be paid to thee.
Thrice Holy! Thine the kingdom is,
The power omnipotent is thine;
And when created nature dies,
Thy never-ceasing glories shine.

(from The Works of John Wesley, v -5-6 Sermons 1-2 pg 342-343. Baker Book house 2002.)


Note that once again it is about God not us and it is about God meeting our needs not our desires.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Monday

I have been preaching on signs of discipleship that are in Bishop Schnase's book. I have talked about Risk taking mission and last Sunday focused on Radical hospitality and what Martha and Mary can teach us about that. This week continuing to follow the gospel of Luke, I will be talking about Intentional faith development with the Lord's prayer being part of that and the idea of being persistent in prayer. As I have begun looking at what I want to say this coming Sunday I wanted to share with you an interesting insight.

Last night I was channel surfing and came across Joel Olsteen. He was talking about prayer and since I was thinking about that I decided to listen. As he was talking, he was saying that we should have the faith to pray of things now and that releases our faith to allow God to respond. He was emphasizing that we should be more willing to do things now rather than future. Up to that point, I was agreeing with the concept. Where he lost me, was when he said that we should be praying for God to grant us prosperity or the new promotion now. In what I heard there was never the thought or desire to seek God's Will in our lives. It was all about what I want and not even what I need but what I want. Now he may have said something before that set this up but even so I find it to be bad theology that we should pray for prosperity and for our wants. We are called to lift up prayers for healing for others and ourselves, to celebrate blessings, to seek guidance in our lives, but always with the caveat of seeking God's Will.

I wanted to share this from The Renovare' Spiritual Formation Bible from the footnotes on pg 124-125 regarding prayer. "The pattern for prayer that Jesus gives his disciples is short on our wants and big on God's wants. Half of what Jesus tells us to do in prayer is worship God, keep him holy, and ask that his kingdom and his will take shape, not ours. God the Father looms large. For us, it is enough that we get what we need for spiritual and physical sustenance, and that we ground our days in asking for and receiving forgiveness, as will as calling for freedom from evil and all that pulls us toward wrong. It is a very bare bones sort of prayer compared to many of the ways we pray today. Jesus does back it up with a parable and some picturesque language that encourages us to persist in prayer, so that we may receive what we need (vv5-13). If we know how to give good gifts, God knows even more so how to give the Holy Spirit. But it is still a very basic and elemental affair. There is nothing here about material wealth or perfect health or things that get me more of me. Instead, it is about there being more of God."

The danger of the prosperity movement is how to explain if one does not get the promotion or becomes rich. Is it because one was not faithful enough? Is something wrong with me and God is punishing me? Jesus challenges this ancient belief about rewards and punishment. This is especially true in the gospel of John. We are called to pray and we are to persist in our prayers but let us first seek God's Will not ours.