Pastor's blog

February 16 Thursday

2012-02-16T09:42:00.001-06:00

It seems that has been forever since I have written anything on my blog. I decided that I needed to put some ideas down so that I can begin the process of preparation for Lent which starts next Wednesday. This Lent season I will be preaching on the 24 Hours that Changed the World. This will pair up with Adam Hamilton’s Bible study of the same name. We will be starting on Thursday after sun set and end on Friday before sun set. We will then celebrate Easter morning and the empty tomb.

Until then, I will be preaching on the transfiguration this Sunday. I am going to use the lectionary passage from 2 Kings 2:1-12. The story of Elijah and Elisha is insightful for me about what it means to pass the mantle of responsibility. With the transfiguration story found in the synoptic gospels, we see this passage. Appearing with Jesus are Moses and Elijah. Moses the one to whom God gave the Torah and his inherited prophet Elijah were two of the most important spokespersons for Israel. Jesus has inherited that responsibility and more. Yet, also present were the three disciples. Now they are also called upon to take up the mantle following the resurrection and Pentecost. Now we are called to take up the mantle. I believe that this is a wonderful reminder as we enter into the Lenten season.

reflections on Christmas

2011-12-15T10:20:00.001-06:00

I came across this as I was working on my sermon for Christmas Eve. Thought I would share it with you.

From beliefnet.com comes this story about answered prayer:
It was the day after Christmas at a church in San Francisco. Pastor Mike was looking at the nativity scene outside when he noticed the baby Jesus was missing from the figures.
Immediately, Pastor Mike turned toward the church to call the police. But as he was about to do so, he saw little Jimmy with a red wagon, and in the wagon was the figure of the little infant, Jesus.
Pastor Mike walked up to Jimmy and said, “Well, Jimmy, where did you get the little infant?”
Jimmy replied, “I got him from the church.”
“And why did you take him?”
With a sheepish smile, Jimmy said, “Well, about a week before Christmas I prayed to the little Lord Jesus. I told him if he would bring me a red wagon for Christmas, I would give him a ride around the block in it.”

Christmas season

2011-11-30T11:43:00.001-06:00

I thought I would share what I wrote for our newsletter. So if you are reading this twice, as a professor once told me, it could be important. Not sure if this is but enjoy anyway.

From the Pastor’s Desk-December

Christmas cards sent-a work in progress. Decorations up-another work in progress. Gifts bought-check. Christmas treats baked-getting there. Dinners planned-when? Services planned-check. Sermon outlines done-check. Holiday cheers-every day.

Does the above sound similar to what you are experiencing this Advent and Christmas season. The pressure to get things done and gifts wrapped and cookies baked. Yes indeed, tis the season of joy and peace on earth. At church we are doing a sermon series that focuses on four aspects for Advent as we come to the celebration of our savior’s birth. The four aspects are expectations, acceptance, family, and finally ourselves and to think outside the box to seek the gift that cannot be contained or gift wrapped this year. We sometimes become so caught up in the other activities of the season we forget the purpose of the season.

From the hectic scheduling of parties, family gatherings, and shopping, we have been focusing on slowing down and taking time to look at the expectations that we carry into the season. Combined with the sermons, we are also studying “The Journey” by Adam Hamilton that focuses on the journeys that took place in scripture with Mary and Joseph. Can you imagine what it might have been like for Mary, Joseph, and the birth of Jesus? We read the stories so often that we may miss the point of the choices that they made and the hardships that they faced. This is the true story of Christmas. A young couple, traveling during her last month of pregnancy, walks 80 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. And when they arrive they have no place to deliver the baby in a warm, clean, and safe place. Rather they deliver the baby in a barn life environment. Where are the Christmas lights, the feasts, rather the birth is rather stark. Mike Slaughter in his book, “Christmas is Not Your Birthday,” reminds us that these situations continue to exist throughout the world today.

This year when we gather together remembering the birth of our savior, take a moment with your family, tell the story from Luke chapter 2, and offer thanksgiving that God would so love you and I that He would send His Son to be a light unto this world, to show that way, to die for our sins, and to rise up for our redemption. What a gift we have received that cannot be contained in a box.

advent sermon series

2011-11-10T17:48:00.001-06:00

I will be doing the following as an Advent sermon series. Here is the trailer.

November thoughts

2011-11-02T09:45:00.001-05:00

It seems that it has been forever since I sat down to write on my blog. To catch up I did complete the gospel of Matthew and we have one more week in our bible study of the gospel. Every time I study scripture something strikes me that I had not reflected on in the past. This time was when Jesus was tried by the Sanhedrin there were two disciples who witnessed the abuse, Peter who denied him and Judas who betrayed him. What struck me as interesting about this, was the times in my life I was a Peter and even a Judas. The difference between the two was that Peter asked for forgiveness and Judas did not. The question would be have there been times in your life you have either been Peter or maybe even Judas? Have you asked for forgiveness? Know that God will forgive you and wipe the slate clean because of what Jesus has done for you and me.

This month I will be focusing on the Lord’s Prayer. I have often felt that just because we say this weekly does not mean we truly are aware of what we are saying. In fact sometimes, I feel that if I say something that I have memorized it can become so rote that it is only words. During the month we will focus on three parts of the prayer. The first is to whom are we praying. In the gospel of Matthew, the entire prayer is first person plural. Our Father who art in heaven. Not just mine but everyone’s.

The next week we will be focusing on the three divine petitions, hallowed be thine name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. All prayers should first focus on seeking God’s Will not ours.

The last week will focus on the three human petitions, give us this day our daily bread, forgive our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. Note again the plural which states all of us.

It should be an interesting series and would encourage others to be present or to listen on our website ainsworthjohnstownumc.org.

Matthew 10

2011-10-12T11:24:00.000-05:00

Jesus ended Chapter 9 of Matthew asking the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. The start of Chapter 10 Jesus summons his 12 disciples to give authority to do what Jesus has done. This mini commission is to the sheep of Israel and not to those in Samaria or other Gentiles. He sends them out without gold or silver but with just what they have. He warns them that doing kingdom work is dangerous and that they will likely be persecuted for what they do.

One of the reflections that I have about this commission is that when we today choose to do the work of the kingdom, we too will likely encounter persecution and resistance. As we will hear, doing this work is challenging to the status quo of not just the world but in some cases even to the church itself. Jesus reminds us that we need to remember that we should not be afraid of what others can say or do to ourselves but to be concerned about what can damage our souls.

In our bible study we discussed what Jesus says about not staying with those who do not welcome you or listen to you. The discussion centered around are there times when it is better to let go of something rather than spend the resources to try to make something happen when there is no willingness to make changes. This can also apply to the refusal to look at the present situations and only dwell in the past. At what point do we let it go. We discussed times when it seemed that there was no possibility of change and vitality and yet God was able to bring about a new thing. Likewise there are times that whatever one tries to do the resistance is so great that nothing happens.

Jesus reminded the disciples that he was not hear to bring peace but a radical new way of living that is according to what God has willed since creation. The way of discipleship is to be welcoming to those who come in Jesus' name or anyone who is righteous, "and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple--truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward (10:42)."

Matthew 9

2011-10-04T19:02:00.001-05:00

It is interesting that our bible study group is studying Matthew 8-12 this week. This chapter in the study book talks about insiders and outsiders. The contrast as to who are the righteous and worthy of our work and attention and who are not. Jesus begins to push the boundaries of who is in and who is not. The first included all those who suffer illnesses that make them unclean such as the leper and in this chapter the woman who suffered from bleeding for 12 years. He also makes arrangements with Romans and again in this chapter a tax collector. Today so much effort is made by many churches as to who is included in the fellowship and who is not, that we need to reflect on who Jesus has come to save.

The first part of the chapter begins with a man who is paralyzed. He begins by saying that he should be encouraged for his sins are forgiven. This creates a conflict with the teachers of the law as they think that only God can forgive sins. Jesus replies to them which is easier to do say your sins or forgiven or tell the man to get up and walk. His healing of the man demonstrates his authority to do both.

The calling of Matthew is also a controversial act. Tax collectors were often collaborators with Rome and also thieves. They made their money by collecting more money than was owed. Most people held them in the highest contempt. For Jesus to go to eat with such a notorious sinner was unheard. “Eating meals together was a religious matter among the Pharisees and other observant Jews. Righteous Jews enacted many regulations to prevent themselves form being ceremonially defiled at meals.. It was not done so much to exclude others as to show commitment to the law. Most Jews lived by the food laws most of the time. Jesus did too. But he regularly, purposively, and offensively ate with those who are ritually unclean or whose commitment to the law was inferior. Sharing a meal with another indicated both covenantal and social equality….Jesus sharing meals with sinful people enacted God’s grace—he extended God’s love and forgiveness, welcoming open participation in a new society. (New Living Translation Study Bible, 1595.)

Matthew 9:11-13 “But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with such scum.’ When Jesus hear this, he said, ‘Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. Now go and learn the meaning of this scripture I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices (Hos 6.6). For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.’ NLT. Today who are the ones we should ask to our banquets and have a meal with?

The last reflection deals with the woman. She for 12 years could not be with her family, children or around any friends for fear of making them unclean. In the other gospels it talks about her having seen physicians. I can almost imagine how they must have treated her. Go away and stop bothering me. Obviously you have sinned and this is your punishment. Having been rejected so many times, her actions of trying to demean herself by crawling to just touch Jesus’ robe is understandable. Afraid of yet another rejection, she was willing to do what she could not to be noticed and yet be healed. Jesus’ attention to her that likely she never received from anywhere else speaks of the compassion Jesus has for all people.

The chapter ends with the statement the harvest is great but the workers are few. Today the work remains great are we willing to be the worker?

Matthew 8

2011-10-03T20:41:00.001-05:00

It has been awhile since I have written. It seems that in anyone’s life there are interruptions that affect ones desires. I have had a number of other commitments that came up and by the time I got home I was so tired that I did not follow through with my blog and insights regarding Matthew. Many may have continued to read and I would encourage you to complete your readings. I will start taking chapter by chapter and not try to rush through the gospel.

Matthew 8 starts with a series of healing stories. Warren Carter talks about that back in Chapter 4 Jesus proclaims that the kingdom of God is at hand. What that would look like for us are these stories in chapter 8. The kingdom of God would be a place where people would no longer be ill and ostracized from their family and community of faith. For those who suffered from leprosy could not continue to be with their family as they were unclean, they could not live in the villages, and they could not worship in the synagogues or temple. They could only stay alive by the grace of those around them. It was also believed that if one would touch them they too would be unclean. When Jesus reaches out and touches the leper, he breaks many of the laws about what is clean and unclean. His willingness to heal the Roman officer’s servant also extends the kingdom of God to the gentiles. Rome was the occupying country of Judea and were seen as the enemy. Again note the fulfillment of the prophets in verse 17.

Another word about healing that is important to note in reading the stories of healing in the New Testament. Healing was more than just curing someone of their illness. It was more about restoration to the community. Those who were healed could return to their families, to their homes, and could worship once again in the synagogues and the temple. Think about what might be the leprosy of today? For instance the concern of HIV infection and how many stated that they should be isolated from everyone out of the fear of contagion. How many times our fears have led to the desire to ostracize someone.

The chapter also includes two other stories one of calming the sea and the exorcism of the demons. The sea and the storms of the sea often were used to talk about chaos. When Jesus rebukes the wind and waves, he is able to control the chaotic world. This is similar to God’s spirit hovering over the deep in Genesis in the creation.

Warren Carter in talking about the pigs and the demons stated that this was an example of the counter-revolutionary aspect of the gospel Pigs were unclean animals. The demons knew who Jesus was and actually beyond the baptism affirmation of God is the first to state that Jesus is the Son of God. In the other gospels, Jesus asked the name of the demon which was Legion. The Roman legion that occupied Jerusalem had as their token animal a pig. So here Jesus overcomes the power of Rome and their armies and utterly defeats them.

The people of the village are not thankful at all about what Jesus did in healing the men of their possession. A good question would be why were they raising pigs which were unclean? I believe that Jesus’ action is so powerful that witnessing to that power is frightening. That is why the villagers wanted him to leave.

Matthew 6 and 7

2011-09-20T22:23:00.001-05:00

I have to apologize that I did not get home early enough to write my thoughts about Matthew 6. So tonight I am writing for both 6 and 7 to get caught up. The challenge to read a chapter a day can at times be a real challenge especially when life continues on. It is the dedication to continue and even when we fall short is not to give up and forget it but pick it up and start anew.

Carter talks about Matthew 6 continuing the Sermon on the Mount and that this chapter focuses on living justly. The first verse warns us about how we practice our justice. I often think about am I doing this to make me look good or to please God. We are reminded that when we do things for others that we need to remember for whom we are doing this. This will tie into Jesus talking in chapter 25.

6:2-4 talks about the first act of justice being almsgiving. When we give to others don’t go around announcing it but rather have the left hand not know what the right hand is doing. Have you ever done something and not let other know what you have done? Often we want people to notice and give us thanks or accolades for our charity. This is human nature. Jesus reminds us the only reward we should seek is doing God’s will in this world. We are to do justice and mercy not for the honor of others. Think how often one has heard all the great things another has done. It can become almost a time of competing with one another as to who is the greatest based on what charity each has done.

6:5-15 the second act of justice is prayer. The author contrasts two forms of prayer that were common at the time and how this is not the way a disciple should pray. The first is to stand out on the corner or synagogue or church so that others can see how pious they are. They love to stand and pray. It becomes a show look at me. See how pious I am. Jesus says rather it is better to go into a room by ones self and remember that we are praying to God not for people to notice. The second error in prayers to ramble on as the pagans do. There have been times when someone is praying and they go on and on and on. As if they say many words, that their prayer is that much better. Possibly if texting or tweeting were around Jesus might have pointed out that may be the best way to pray.

Here we have the Lord’s Prayer as it is written in this gospel. There is one also in Luke with some differences. I will be doing a sermon series on this prayer in November but here are some things to think about. First the prayer is plural Our Father, our bread, our debts. There are three divine petitions and 3 human petitions. Also note that what we add to the prayer is not present except in the King James translation.

The third act of justice is fasting found in 6:16-18. John Wesley encouraged every member of the church to fast at least once a week. Jesus says if you do this don’t make a big deal of it.

6:19-34 talks about justice and materialism. It is broken down in 19-21 warning about being distracted by material things. 22-23 a single focus on God’s kingdom. 24 how material things and God compete for the human heart. 25-34 trusting in God to supply what necessities of life. This last section has been particularly meaningful in my life regarding living in a world the focuses not on trust but on anxiety.

Chapter 7 focuses on 1-6 a community of compassionate correction not condemnation. How we treat others will be how we are treated. There is a sense that we can become so concerned about correcting others or pointing faults of others and never developing the self-awareness of our own flaws. We are tasked to remember that we are also sinners and that judging others without thought about our own sins is not just and is not love. At the same time we are need to be accountable. When we seek to help others, it may not be well received. There is a time of letting go without judgment. In Jewish life, dogs and pigs were unclean animals.

7-11 talks to about seeking God in life and prayer. Reflect in your experience of times that you have sought God in prayer. One person told me in my first appointment that God does answer prayer and sometimes it is yes, sometimes it is no, and sometimes it is not yet. What do you think about this statement?

12 summarizes the whole of this sermon. This is the golden rule that we were taught in school. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

The last part of the chapter deals with eschatological issues. This is the judgment at the end of time. The assertion is that God’s Will will prevail not the world’s. It is important the choices that we make and people or things we covet or follow.

Matthew 5

2011-09-18T18:51:00.001-05:00

The Gospel of Matthew has five great discourses. The first begins with this chapter. The others are Chapter 10, chapter 13, chapter 18, and chapters 24-25. What sets these apart is clear from the refrain that concludes each discourse “When Jesus had finished saying these things” or similar words found in 7:28, 11.1, 13.53, 19.1 and 26.1. These five discourses could be modeled after the Torah the first five books of the Bible.

The sermon on the mount begins in chapter 5 and ends in chapter 7. All of these chapters tie together in a way to indicated what it would mean to live a disciple life.

Chapter 5 begins with Jesus seeing the crowds and going up a mountain side to speak. Again the similarity of Moses going up the mountain to hear God’s word. Jesus presents first God’s vision of the kingdom which is included in the beatitudes. They contain, according to K. C. Hanson values of honor and affirm conditions and behaviors which God regards as honorable and esteemed and which are to be practiced by the audience. As you read them, note how they emphasize an almost reversal of what the world would hold of value then and now.

Jesus follows this with two images of what the mission of the church is, salt and light. It is the hearer of Jesus’ words that are to be the salt flavoring and purifying the world and light to which the “nations will come to Mount Zion.” It is not the political empire that will do this or even the religious elite.

According to Warren Carter verses 17-48 focus on Jesus interpreting the Torah. It lays out arguments that those who are familiar with the Torah might make regarding what Jesus is teaching. Most of these statements begin with you have heard it said but I tell you which takes the scripture and interprets the meaning. Verse 17 begins with Jesus saying that he has not come to do away with the Law but to fulfill it. Many of the interpretations support a more just action especially to those who are marginalized and without power (poor, women, being examples.) 5:48 ends with be perfect as the Father is perfect (NIV). This echoes Leviticus 19:1-2 which states “Be Holy because I, Lord your God, am holy.”

Matthew 4

2011-09-17T10:52:00.001-05:00

I am sorry that this is later than normal. I was having problems with my internet last night. We are beginning to encounter in Matthew Jesus being commissioned and the beginning of his ministry. I am going to use some insights from Dr. Warren Carter who was my professor in the New Testament who has written extensively on the gospel of Matthew.

Immediately after Jesus is baptized, he is led to the wilderness. Carter talks about how this being led would remind the Jewish readers about God leading the people from Egypt into the wilderness. Actually the verb carries more connotations than being led, almost being driven into the wilderness. The wilderness represents the unknown and often associated with danger, demons, and other evil spirits. Carter also points out another similarity with Moses when the people were led through the water (John’s baptism) to a place of testing and temptation.

While there Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. Throughout the Hebrew Testament the number 40 appears. Noah’s story of the ark and raining 40 days, Moses on the mountain top receiving the commandments for 40 days, Elijah lying on his side for 40 days, and Jonah predicting the destruction of Nineveh in 40 days. The number 40 when applied to years represent a generation such as the Israelites wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. There is a sense of mystery, divine judgment and temptation associated with the number.

The temptations that are presented to Jesus are part of this time in the wilderness. The tempter comes at a time when Jesus is at the most vulnerable. I often think about when people who have given their lives to God who believe that they will never have to be tempted or that somehow by their action they will be blessed without any concerns. Our baptism does not immune us to trials and tribulations, just as Jesus baptism did not immune him from temptation.

The first temptation was to use the power of God (gifts and talents maybe for us today) for our own needs without consideration of God’s Will. How often do we take the gifts that we have and serve ourselves first and than what is left over goes to God? And this is not just us as individuals but sometimes as an institution. Jesus responds to this temptation again evoking the Exodus by quoting Moses from Deuteronomy.

The next temptation has to do with power, political and religious power. Jesus is taken to the center of both political power and religious power in Jerusalem. It is interesting that the tempter uses scripture as a means to tempt Jesus. I am reminded of how often even today leaders both political and others use scripture for their own agenda. Jesus responds again from Deuteronomy.

The last temptation is for total control of the world. Perhaps this is the greatest temptation. What would be like to end hunger, poverty, illness, wars, and even death? Would one be willing to forgo God’s will to seek to establish a status quo where we become gods unto ourselves? Jesus will seek to end hunger, provide healing, raise the dead but not for his glory but for God’s glory. One last time Jesus quotes Moses.

The rest of the chapter begins to focus on Jesus’ ministry. John is arrested and Jesus goes to Galilee. Jesus goes not to the political centers but instead goes to where the people are. He does teach in the Synagogues but he is an itinerate preacher.

We have his first call to the disciples. Those that he chooses are not the rich, educated, religious leaders, or even that popular. He chooses very common poor laborers. His ministry is first to those who are marginalized by those in power and interested in maintaining the status quo. Note that Jesus calls them. Those that are called do not belong to a certain birth status or tribe and later not even gender.

Jesus proclaims the gospel or good news both in seeking those to repent but also in healing and feeding those who were hungry. In my training as a psychotherapist we learned about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Before one can deal with their spiritual needs they must have their physical, safety, and belonging needs met. Jesus provides for not just spiritual healing but healing that is holistic.

Matthew 3

2011-09-15T22:03:00.001-05:00

Today we begin to look at Chapter 3 of Matthew. The very first part of the chapter starts with John the Baptist preaching in the desert to “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Later Jesus will say the same thing. The use of Kingdom of Heaven only occurs in the gospel of Matthew and appears 33 times. Mark and Luke talk about the Kingdom of God. The author equates John the Baptist as fulfilling what the prophet Isaiah spoke.

Nowhere in this gospel are we told of the relationship between Jesus and John. People would go out to him confessing their sins and being baptized. Notice how John reacts to the Pharisees and Sadducees. The author begins to foreshadow the conflicts that later would lead to John’s arrest and the conflicts that would occur with Jesus.

John is the prophet who foretells of Jesus. Jesus is greater than John. At the time, there were disciples of John who questioned whether or not Jesus was the one that John pointed. The author states the differences between John who baptism for repentance and Jesus’ baptism of the Holy Spirit and judgment.

Jesus is baptized by John. When God announces that “This is my son whom I love, with him I am well pleased” only Jesus hears this and sees that spirit descend from heaven. Note how this is different when we get to the transfiguration. The act of baptism confirmed that Jesus was God’s Son and in the public act affirmed Jesus’ ministry.

Take some time to reflect on the differences of John and Jesus. What do you think about Jesus demanding to be baptized when he was righteous and had no need to repent?

Matthew 2

2011-09-14T11:34:00.001-05:00

I hope that those who are taking the challenge have read chapter 1. For anyone coming to this later these posts will be on our website or my blog so that you can catch up at any time.
Chapter 2 of Matthew
Think about your nativity set that you have or see. Notice in the gospel there is no manger, no shepherds, the only angels that are present come in dreams to warn of danger. It is easy to take the birth stories of Jesus and combine them into one story. Here the birth of Jesus is matter of fact as to place and the political situation in which he was born.
The author tells the story of the magi and the interaction with King Herod. Following the star to find their way, reflected the belief that when extraordinary events happen there is often signs in the heaven portending the event. Reflect on how King Herod responds to the information of a new king being born. The magi go to the political capital of Judea seeking this new king. Yet the King of Kings is not in the political capital but in a small village outside of Jerusalem. What do you make of this fact?
Notice that throughout this chapter how many times the author says about this is what the prophet said or this was to fulfill what the prophets had said. Why do you think that the author would continue to speak about the prophets regarding the birth of Jesus?
The magi find Jesus in a house. They are overjoyed and present their gifts to the mother and child. Notice how messy the birth of Jesus becomes. The quiet peaceful birth is reacted to by those in power through fear and death of innocents. The child is rescued by dreams that Joseph has to go to Egypt again to fulfill prophecy. This also foreshadows the future conflicts that will occur with Jesus and those in power both religious leaders and political leaders.
When the family returns from Egypt, they return to Nazareth rather than Bethlehem. There was no mention about why they were in Bethlehem in the first place.

Gospel of Matthew

2011-09-13T13:33:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday I mentioned how important it was to get back to scripture. I mentioned that if one wanted to begin to study scripture and I recommended starting with the Gospel of Matthew. I know that it is important to read the entire bible but starting with Matthew and reading closely what it says will point to Jesus’ scriptures found in the Hebrew Scriptures what we sometimes call the Old Testament. Our church is offering a bible study on Matthew.
I began to reflect on doing something different. So here is the challenge that I would like to present. I would like to challenge people to read a chapter a day of Matthew. The night before starting tonight, I will offer some insights and questions that may help focus on what we are reading. We should be done with the gospel in 28 days.
So the challenge is to read Chapter one of the Gospel starting tomorrow.
Here are some insights to think about. Why does the author start with a genealogy of Jesus? What does it mean to be the son of David, the son of Abraham? Genealogy for the Jews at that time determined status and one’s place in the history of the people. Then as it is today status came from who your parent’s were and what tribe you belonged.
Notice the people that are listed. Were all the ones listed righteous people? See Judges, Ruth, Kings, and Chronicles. What would you make of the idea of 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the Exile, and 14 to Joseph?
The author than tells the story of Joseph and Mary. The focus of Matthew is more on Joseph than Mary which is focused more in the Gospel of Luke. Notice verse 22 and 23. Where is that prophecy? Notice how important dreams are.

Another excellent reflection

2011-08-30T14:25:00.001-05:00

Sharing another article from Scott. This is an excellent resource for leaders in the church and other pastors.

I recently wrote a short blog post about white space. Read the post here.

We each have a mission. It's what God wants to do through us. But we are insanely distracted at every turn. It's the enemy's way of keeping us off target just enough that we are left unfulfilled, discouraged, and burned out.

I believe you can use this distraction as an opportunity. And here's where this week's challenge comes in:

1) First, get used to the inevitable. Distractions come in many forms. They are email messages, phone calls, visits to your office and the list goes on and on. Don't fight them. They are a part of life. It's part of our "Epic Battle".

2) Second, plan for the inevitable. This week, allow for 2 hours of distraction each day. This means, if you work 8 hours each day, only put 6 hours worth of work into it. This will position you nicely. For example, if you only have 1 hour of distraction, you have time to "borrow" from tomorrow's to do list and you are even more productive.

"I press on toward the goal..."

3) Third, process the inevitable. Giving 2 hours each day for the distractions gives you the capacity to take a look at the distractions themselves. Are they really divine appointments? Are they an indication you need to make a systemic change? Are they telling you something about a personal growth edge?

Sharing

2011-08-23T09:38:00.001-05:00

This is a weekly email that I get which often contains information that I have found to be inspiring. Thought I would share this with you.

Stop Look Listen

Featured Resource

Your Life In Rhythm

by Bruce B. Miller

This is the 249th issue sent

since February 22, 2007

"...fulfillment is the carrying out of your life's mission. It is being a responsible steward in each stage of your life. Burnout comes from trying to seize opportunities that do not fit the current season of your life."
Miller, Bruce B. Your Life in Rhythm (pp. 83-84)

To make the most of the quote above by Bruce Miller, we must stop the flow of life and assess where we are right now. So,

This Week's Challenge is to:

STOP what you're doing. Put down the book you're reading. Stop responding you your email messages. Stop studying for your next sermon. Whatever you're doing, stop.

LOOK around you. What do you see? Are you convinced your life is in good rhythm? Would Jesus Christ be pleased with your use of time?

LISTEN to the still small voice down deep inside you. Hear what God is telling you through your emotional reactions of late. What is He saying to you through your scripture reading? What is he telling you through interactions with others?

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4.10

We will be talking about this week's challenge on the Community Call.

TODAY NOON EST

Call 218.862.1300

Enter Code 820646

Stay.Strong.

Last Week's Blog Posts

How To Harness Your Anger

08-19-2011 08:03:20 AM

Set your hand on a hot stove and it won't be too long before you get the message and pull it off. Anger can work the same way. It's like pain. It sends a signal to our minds that something needs attention. When we get angry at a situation, a person, an injustice...whatever, the anger is [...]...»

4 Important Books

08-18-2011 08:15:50 AM

The following is a guest post by a very good friend and mentor of mine, Len Boesger. Len has been speaking into my life not only on a professional level, but more importantly on a spiritual and personal level as well. I asked him to expound on a phrase he shared with me recently on [...]...»

Wednesday With Seth Caddell

08-17-2011 08:15:00 AM

It's time for another edition of the Serving Strong "Wednesday's With" blog series. This is the place to come on Wednesdays and hear how real life ministry leaders are staying strong in their calling. The main reason for this series is to counter all the negative news of ministry failure and burnout statistics we are [...]...»

The Only Thing I Need

08-16-2011 08:15:34 AM

Are you serving God to make Him happy with you? Are you serving so that one day you'll earn your way into heaven for eternity? Do you REALLY believe that unconditional love of God that you preach to your people? Watch this video and follow along with the lyrics and see if it defines what's [...]...»

You're Not All That

08-15-2011 08:02:56 AM

I was creeping on Facebook last night. You know how they put those birthday announcements to the right ("Hey! So-and-so has a birthday. Why not wish them a happy birthday on their wall")? Well an old friend from my childhood showed up. So I went to his page. Lo, and behold, he was BALD! Can [...]...»

Interested in being coached?

http://servingstrong.com

Serving Strong PowerMail has been named an All Star for 2008, 2009 and 2010 by Constant Contact. This prestigious award is granted to companies who communicate regularly with their subscribers and who are clearly interested in hearing from them. Serving Strong maintains sound permission-based email marketing and list management best practices. Be assured Serving Strong will continue to do what's necessary to uphold this honor.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe look helpful and will add value to my subscribers, whether I have personally read them or not. As with all suggested materials, be diligent to assess for yourself whether or not something is right for you.

YEAH MINISTRY!! booo burnout

Riches or the Cross

2011-08-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

This week I will be preaching on Matthew 16:21-28. Last Sunday I discussed the two questions Jesus asked the disciples. The first was "What do others think about who I am?" The second question was then more pointed asked to the disciples was "Who do you think I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God."

This week I will continue to look at what that means when we claim that Jesus is our Lord and Messiah. What do you think it means in your life? Does it change the way you look at life? Does it effect the choices you make? And even with all of this should it make a difference?

What would you say about yourself and also how would you share with someone else? Feel free to comment. Come next week and let us reflect on this taking up one's cross.

Reflections on Matthew 16:13-23

2011-08-17T17:02:00.001-05:00

I had proposed the question as to Peter’s response to Jesus’ question as to who Jesus is. I want to add something to the first question that Jesus asked. He said who do others think I am? That is a legitimate question. I remember as I was growing up, my parents telling me not to do things “because what would the neighbors think.” How one measured up to others opinions was important to them and also to me. Not that I would always be concerned about others opinions but I do believe that as John Wesley would say, “Do no harm and do all the good you can.”

As a therapist, I know what can happened when someone is labeled either a trouble-maker, difficult to get along with, slow, stupid, an idiot. One can be labeled enough that soon one begins to believe what others say. At the same time if one does things in such a way as to create other’s opinions, that too can influence what one can do or not do.

Today we are encouraged to only think of ourselves and not to worry about what other people may think about us. So the reputation that one has often catches people be surprise. It is as if a person has blinders on that prevent them from truly seeing themselves as others see them. This applies to individuals and families but it also applies to churches and other organizations.

We have been doing a survey among ourselves as to what we think we are known for. I have not seen the results of those surveys and I am looking forward to seeing them. Maybe if we really wanted to find out what we are known for we should ask non-members of our church to get a better view. I would pray that there would be enough similarities between our internal and external survey. But it may get more of an answer as to how do others see us.

Who do you say I am

2011-08-15T07:52:00.001-05:00

I was attending a church in Nashville yesterday and was reminded how important it is to use technology to reach and to receive feedback from people. The church I attended is a church in transition. At one time a very vibrant ministry that today is dying. They are looking at the changes that have occurred in their neighborhood and have decided to do something about it. Their mission statement is to make disciples of Jesus Christ by modeling Jesus. Their vision statement is to do this by loving our neighbors. It reminded me as I entered the building of my home church. I could not go 5 feet without someone coming up and introducing themselves and taking me to introduce me to others. They certainly were a welcoming community.

Part of their struggle is that they are an elderly congregation. Yet, they have not given up. They have a new young pastor who has been there 7 weeks. He has brought the idea of web sites, pod casts, and developing an alternative service. The congregation has been supporting this wholeheartedly. They know that even though the foundation of Jesus Christ as savior has not changed, the way we can speak the message can change.

This leads me to remember that Jesus often used what appeared to be radical ideas to convey the Kingdom. Today Jesus might employ our technology to reach those who are in need of hearing God’s mercy, love, and grace.

When I return from vacation, I will be using the scripture from Matthew 16:13-20. Jesus asks two important questions. The first is “Who do others say I am?” The second question is “Who do you say I am?” So readers I would ask you today, who do you say Jesus is?

Let me know what you are thinking.

Blessings

Wednesday June 22

2011-06-22T11:05:00.001-05:00

^{Today from When You Pray, was the scripture from Colossians 1:21-23. I used the Message to comment on.}

^{The Message}

^21-23You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don't walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message. I, Paul, am a messenger of this Message.

As we prepare to celebrate 125 years in Johnstown and alumni weekend in Ainsworth, it is important to remember that we need to stay grounded in the gospel. We don’t just decided to live one life during the week and then live another on Sunday. Christ did put our lives together in reconciliation to the Father. We are reminded not to walk away from this gift of grace that has been given to us.

That does not mean we cannot have fun and enjoy life. It does mean that we need to live a life that is consistent with Jesus’ message. So enjoy the celebrations but take time to bless God.

2011-06-21T13:15:00.001-05:00

Tuesday June 21, 2011

I have begun doing some devotions based on Rueben Job’s When You Pray. Each day he has a scripture reading and then also some reflections based on the Sunday previous. Last Sunday was Trinity Sunday as well as Father’s day. I was struck and have been about what we can do to build each other up and also at the same time hold people accountable. The scripture from Philippians has been helpful to remind myself that first I need to remember that we are united in Christ. So I first need to return to Christ in my life which can help me deal with others.

I would love that we would be of one mind, one spirit, one love. Each of us would interpret that differently which is a blessing. At the same time, I and I am sure others need to be reminded that we are in this together and when we spend time and energy seeking what I want over other’s wants, we are not of the same mind of Christ. Steven Covey in his book 7 Habits of Highly Successful People stated that first you seek to understand and then seek to be understood. One of the wonderful things has been the concept of holy conferencing. This allows those who normally don’t share an opportunity to be heard.

So I need to take time to reflect on what Jesus did for me. And to share that with others and to lift up others to encourage them to work out my salvation with fear and trembling.

Philippians 2:1-13

New International Version (NIV)

Imitating Christ’s Humility

¹ Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
   did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
   by taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
   being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
   he humbled himself
   by becoming obedient to death—
      even death on a cross!

⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
   and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
   in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
   to the glory of God the Father.

Do Everything Without Grumbling

¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Wednesday May 18

2011-05-18T10:26:00.001-05:00

This Sunday is Heritage Sunday as well as confirmation Sunday. Heritage Sunday occurs on the Sunday closest to John Wesley’s Aldersgate experience. For the non-Methodists, John Wesley, a priest in the Anglican church, struggled with feeling assured of his salvation. He had been preaching mostly to the poor and also to the Native Americans. When he returned from the colonies, he attended a class meeting at Aldersgate. Someone was reading Martin Luther’s commentary on Romans and John felt “his heart strangely warmed.” At that moment, he knew that Christ had died for him and that he was saved.

Since that time, Heritage Sunday has taken on differing meanings. Often it is a time that we recognize those who have been a member of the United Methodist Church 50 or 70 years. I do feel it is important to recognize the contributions of those who have been part of the church for a significant time. I also believe that it is important to recognize all members regardless of years. So this Sunday, we will confirm that confirmation class of 2011 who will become our newest professing members as well as our oldest member. For we are all called into ministry the young and old, male and female. The work of the church depends on the talents of all the gathered body of Christ.

We also need to remember that Heritage Sunday honors John Wesley who on May 24th received the assurance of his salvation. May we also have the same assurance of God’s grace for each of us as we celebrate this Sunday.

here it is another Friday

2011-05-13T11:59:00.001-05:00

It is hard to believe another week has gone by. Nebraska is such a great state and especially with the weather the way it is. We sent from almost 100 degrees to this morning being 37 degrees. At least we got some needed rain. I wanted to post some more graduation quotes as we prepare to honor our graduates.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. ~Attributed to Mark Twain, unconfirmed
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. ~Robert Louis Stevenson
Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. ~Albert Einstein
If at first you don't succeed, do it like your mother told you. ~Author Unknown

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

The important thing is not to stop questioning. ~Albert Einstein

During my second year of nursing school our professor gave us a quiz. I breezed through the questions until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was a joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Before the class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our grade. "Absolutely," the professor said. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello." I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy. ~Joann C. Jones

My prayer for our graduates is that they never forget that they are children of God, that they are loved by not just their parents and friends but the entire community of faith. They take the gifts they have and develop them, share them with others not just for their glory but the glory of God. Pastor Eldon

Tuesday Thoughts

2011-05-10T15:33:00.001-05:00

I thought I would include some more quotes about graduation.

The tassel's worth the hassle! ~Author Unknown
The fireworks begin today. Each diploma is a lighted match. Each one of you is a fuse. ~Edward Koch
All that stands between the graduate and the top of the ladder is the ladder. ~Author Unknown
Graduation is only a concept. In real life every day you graduate. Graduation is a process that goes on until the last day of your life. If you can grasp that, you'll make a difference. ~Arie Pencovici

Yet another Monday

2011-05-09T11:21:00.001-05:00

Today being yet another Monday, I am in the preparation for graduation next Sunday. I am planning on preaching from 1 Timothy 4:1-15. I remember when I graduated from high school and when I graduated with my Master's degree both in Social Work and as well as Divinity the sense of having completed something and knowing that I was just beginning.

Graduation is like the sense of completing one thing just to be going onto the next. Sometimes, it seems that we can lose sight of where we have been as we look forward to where we are going. It is important to remember the foundation of growing years and not lose sight of what is really important. It is easy to become enamored with the world. It is also easy to be swayed by our experiences that we have when we leave home. That is the time that we need to remember our values that we have learned, the gifts God has given, and to trust in that love of Christ.

Last week I quoted some articles about mothers. This week I will be putting in some quotes about graduation. Enjoy.

A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that "individuality" is the key to success. ~Robert Orben
Just about a month from now I'm set adrift, with a diploma for a sail and lots of nerve for oars. ~Richard Halliburton
There is a good reason they call these ceremonies "commencement exercises." Graduation is not the end; it's the beginning. ~Orrin Hatch
Your families are extremely proud of you. You can't imagine the sense of relief they are experiencing. This would be a most opportune time to ask for money. ~Gary Bolding

Friday formations

2011-05-06T10:39:00.001-05:00

Some more thoughts on Mother’s Day

Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948) first suggested the national observance of an annual day honoring all mothers because she had loved her own mother so dearly. At a memorial service for her mother on May 10, 1908, Miss Jarvis gave a carnation (her mother’s favorite flower) to each person who attended. Within the next few years, the idea of a day to honor mothers gained popularity, and Mother’s Day was observed in a number of large cities in the U.S. On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress.
President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. He established the day as a time for “public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.” By then it had become customary to wear white carnations to honor departed mothers and red to honor the living, a custom that continues to this day.

An ounce of mother is worth a ton of priest.
—Spanish proverb

No one is poor who has a godly mother.
—Abraham Lincoln

Wednesday wisdom

2011-05-04T10:34:00.001-05:00

Yet another article on Mother’s Day.

Things Mom would never say:
“How on earth can you see the television sitting so far back?”
“Yeah, I used to skip school a lot, too.”
“Just leave all the lights on. It makes the house look more cheery.”
“Let me smell that shirt. Yeah, it’s good for another week.”
“Go ahead and keep that stray dog, Honey. I’ll be glad to feed and walk him every day.”
“Well, if Timmy’s mom says it’s okay, that’s good enough for me.”
“The curfew is just a general time to shoot for. It’s not like I’m running a prison around here.”
“I don’t have a tissue with me .... just use your sleeve.”

Tuesday thoughts

2011-05-03T09:22:00.001-05:00

Here is more on Mother’s Day to reflect on this day.

A man stopped at a shop to order some flowers to be wired to his mother who lived 200 miles away. As he got out of his car, he noticed a young girl sitting on the curb sobbing. He asked her what was wrong, and she replied, “I wanted to buy a red rose for my mother. But I only have 75¢, and a rose costs $2.”
The man smiled and said, “Come on in with me. I’ll buy you a rose.” He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother’s flowers. As they were leaving, he offered to take the girl home.
She said, “Yes, please! You can take me to my mother.” She directed him to a cemetery, where she placed the rose on a freshly dug grave.
The man returned to the flower shop, canceled the wire order, picked up a bouquet and drove the 200 miles to his mother’s house.

Remember that we need to make sure to say and do the things we can to honor our mothers now.

Monday morning in May

2011-05-02T10:45:00.001-05:00

This Sunday is Mother’s day or as sometimes we look at Festival of the Christian home. As I am planning the worship service, I thought I would share some illustrations as to Mothers. Here is the first of the these.

Top Ten Quotes from Biblical Mothers:
10. Samson! Get your hand out of that lion. You don’t know where it’s been!
9. David! I told you not to play in the house with that sling! Go practice your harp. We pay good money for those lessons!
8. Abraham! Stop wandering around the countryside and get home for supper!
7. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego! Leave those clothes outside, you smell like a dirty ol’ furnace!
6. Cain! Get off your brother! You’re going to kill him someday!
5. Noah! No, you can’t keep them! I told you, don’t bring home any more strays!
4. Gideon! Have you been hiding in that wine press again? Look at your clothes!
3. James and John! No more burping contests at the dinner table, please. People are going to call you the sons of thunder!
2. Judas! Have you been in my purse again?
1. Jesus! What do you think, you were born in a barn?

I have come across a YouTube video that I will be using at the early service about mothers. One thing that I believe is important that a sense of humor is important in what we do and at the same time to be sure to honor our mother’s and all women who were important in our own life. God bless all women, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, teachers, medical professionals, pastors, counselors.

Winner of the free cup of coffee

2011-04-29T11:13:00.000-05:00

We did have a winner of the free cup of coffee. Many knew that it was the Lord's Prayer but failed to translate word for word in the post-modern English. My secretary who knows the deviousness of me was able to do make the translation.
She collected her free cup of coffee.

2011-04-26T15:02:00.002-05:00

Distorted Thinking - Pt 5

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that..." (Romans 12.2 NASB bold mine)

This issue concludes the 5-week series of issues regarding 15 types of distorted thinking*. As indicated in each issue of this series, I encourage you to pray first, then read the description of each type, asking God to search your being.

Now, see if any of the following 3 types of distorted thinking are getting in the way of your serving strong...

Global Labeling. The global labeler generalizes one or two qualities into a negative global judgement. They ignore contrary evidence, ending with a one-dimensional world view. They do this with themselves and others. Therefore, their self esteem is hindered and their relationships suffer. Are you a Global Labeler?

Being Right. This type of person perpetually feels guilty until proven innocent. Therefore they always feel on trial to prove that their opinions and actions are correct. Being wrong is unthinkable to this person and they will go to any length to demonstrate their rightness. Worse, being right becomes more important than cultivating honest, caring relationships. Do you always need to be right?

Heaven's Reward Fallacy. The person with this fallacy is always operating as if someone is constantly keeping score. They work for a reward and when the reward doesn't come as expected, they become bitter. The problem with this approach is that while they are always doing the "right thing", their heart isn't always in it - and that causes a depletion of physical and emotional energy. Are you operating with a Heaven's Reward Fallacy?

Can you identify with any of these types of distorted thoughts? If so, lay your mind before the throne of an Almighty God who wants so desperately to work with you and restore you to health. If you need professional help, seek it. There is no shame in journeying to wholeness with the help of others.

I trust over this past 5-week series you gained a great deal of insight into the kinds of thoughts that can keep us from serving strong. Let me know if you have any insights or questions. I'd love to hear from you. Stay strong this week!

Monday musing

2011-04-25T11:24:00.001-05:00

I have a challenge for all you Monday morning readers. Decipher the following for a free cup of coffee. The translation has to be accurate to the word.

Dad@hvn, ur spshl. we want wot u want &urth2b like hvn. giv us food & 4giv r sins lyk we 4giv uvaz. don test us! sAv us! bcos we kno ur boss, ur tuf & ur cool 4 eva! k?’

Good Friday 2011

2011-04-22T09:49:00.001-05:00

I am sitting here at home preparing for a memorial service tomorrow, Easter this Sunday, and will be in the Living Last Supper tonight. Last night we did a Maundy Thursday service with about 50 people present. We started with a lite supper and had communion with unleavened bread. We proceeded into the sanctuary where we did a modified stations of the cross with scripture and extinguishing of the light. We nailed our sins to the cross as part of the service.

I am not sure about others but I find that I need to remember that one does not go directly from Palm Sunday to Easter morning. I need to remember the passion of Christ and what he choose to do for me. The scriptures that speak about this are the suffering servant scriptures found in Isaiah. Christ endured torture, humiliation, pain, and even death for me. One of the reflections I had was when Jesus told his disciples that no greater love can one have than to lay down their life for another. He did this for me and for you.

Let us not forget what Jesus did. Passion week is a reminder for all of us. This is more than Easter egg hunts, Easter lilies, the Easter bunny. It is about our Lord nailed to a cross, who dies and is buried. We also know that is not the end of the story. Thanks be to God.

2011-04-19T09:50:00.001-05:00

The latest from Serving Strong.

Distorted Thinking - Pt 4

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that..." (Romans 12.2 NASB bold mine)

We are currently in a 5-week series of issues regarding 15 types of distorted thinking*. We are taking 3 types per issue. As indicated in each issue of this series, I encourage you to pray first, then read the description of each type, asking God to search your being.

Review Part 1

Review Part 2

Review Part 3

Now, see if any of the following 3 types of distorted thinking are getting in the way of your serving strong...

Shoulds. The "should" person has a list of ironclad rules about how they and other people should act. They are angered when others break the rules. They are shamed if they themselves break the rules. The rules rule. Therefore this person is always in a position of judge. Key words include "should" "ought" or "must". Are you a Should person?

Emotional Reasoning. What you feel = truth, automatically. If you feel stupid, you are stupid. The problem with this kind of thinking is that our emotions interact and correlate with our thinking process. Therefore, if you have distorted thoughts, your emotions will reflect these distortions. Do you engage in Emotional Reasoning?

Fallacy of Change. The person with this fallacy thinks that with enough pressure on others, those people will change to suit them. Change is a must or this person will not be happy. Their underlying assumption is that their happiness depends on the actions of others. They don't see that their happiness actually depends on the thousands of choices, large and small, they make in their life. Are you operating with a Fallacy of Change?

Stay tuned. Next week we'll complete the list of 15 thinking distortions with "Global Labeling", "Being Right", and "Heaven's Reward Fallacy". Stay strong this week!

Distorted Thinking - Pt 3

2011-04-12T10:55:00.001-05:00

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that..." (Romans 12.2 NASB bold mine)

We are currently in a 5-week series of issues regarding 15 types of distorted thinking*. We will take 3 types per issue. As indicated last week, I encourage you to pray first, then read the description of each type, asking God to search your being.

Review Part 1

Review Part 2

Now, see if any of the following 3 types of distorted thinking are getting in the way of your serving strong...

Control Fallacies. A person who has control fallacies will distort their sense of control and power in one of two ways: a) if they feel externally controlled, they will see themselves as a victim of fate, helpless; b) if they feel internal control, the fallacy is they feel responsible for the pain and happiness of everyone around them. The former keeps them stuck. The latter leaves them exhausted. Do you have a control fallacy?

Fallacy of Fairness. Fairness is so conveniently defined, so easily self-serving, that each person gets locked into their own point of view. The person with the fallacy of fairness feels resentful because they think they know what's fair but others won't agree with them. They make assumptions about how things would change if people were only fair or really valued them. Do you have a fallacy of fairness?

Blaming. The blamer holds other people responsible for their (the blamer's) pain. This involves making someone else responsible for choices and decisions that are actually the blamer's responsibility. In the blame game, the blamer denies their right and responsibility to assert their needs, say no, or go elsewhere for what they want. Are you a blamer?

Stay tuned. Next week we'll continue with "Shoulds", "Emotional Reasoning", and "Fallacy of Change". Stay strong this week!

Distorted Thinking part 2

2011-04-06T08:34:00.001-05:00

I am including the second part of the distorted thinking.

Distorted Thinking - Pt 2

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that..." (Romans 12.2 NASB bold mine)

We are currently in a series of issues regarding 15 types of distorted thinking*. We will take 3 or 4 types per issue. As indicated last week, I encourage you to pray first, then read the description of each type, asking God to search your being. To review last week's issue, Click Here.

Now, see if any of these types of distorted thinking are getting in the way of serving strong.

Mind Reading. Without saying a word, a mind reader knows that people are feeling and why they act the way they do. Particularly, they are able to divine how people are feeling toward them. Mind reading depends on a process called projection. A mind reader imagines that people feel the same way they do and react to things the same way they do. As a result, they don't watch or listen carefully enough to notice the differences. Mind readers jump to conclusions that are true for them, without checking whether they are true for the other person. Are you a mind reader?

Catastrophizing. This is where you expect disaster. The catastrophizer notices or hears about a problem and starts the "what ifs" ("What if that happens to me? What if tragedy strikes?") There are no limits to a really fertile catastrophic imagination. The underlying foundation for this style of thinking is that the catastrophizer doesn't trust in themself and their capacity to adapt to change. Are you a catastrophizer?

Personalization. Personalizers possess the tendency to relate everything around them to themself. Like, thinking that everything people do or say is some kind of reaction to them. They compare themselves to others, trying to determine who's smarter, better looking, and so on. The underlying foundation: their worth is always in question. Therefore, they are always forced to test their value as a person by measuring themselves against others. If they come out better, a sigh of relief. If they come up short, feeling diminished. Are you an personalizer?

Stay tuned. Next week we'll continue with "Control Fallacies", "Fallacy of Fairness", and "Blaming". Stay strong this week!

I will also begin starting next Sunday including what a group of pastors and myself are studying on Wednesday mornings on the stations of the cross with some insights. This will be a daily event leading to Easter Sunday.

April 1st

2011-04-01T17:36:00.000-05:00

This is no April Fool's joke. The Pittsburgh Pirates won their opener in Chicago. I am in Pittsburgh spending time with my new grand child Chayse. Pictures will be on facebook. I have had a great time though a short time. I am reminded how important family is. Unfortunately I am leaving tomorrow to come back to Ainsworth so the trip was short. I greatly enjoy my time with Ainsworth and Johnstown United Methodist Church and they have been so supportive and willing to look at the ministries that we are doing and even those that we can do.
This Sunday I will be preaching from John 9:1-41 about the blind man healed by Jesus. I often think about what it means to be blind not just physically but blind to how God is responding in our lives. Lent is the time for everyone to open their eyes and remember what God has done for you. May God be with you this day.

Tuesday March 29th

2011-03-29T10:16:00.001-05:00

This is the third day of snow here in the upper plains. Even though it melts on the roads by afternoon, it is tiring to see so much snow this in spring. I would believe since Sunday we have had at least six inches. The upside of all of this is the moisture that we are receiving will be great for the ground. I am concerned that my daffodils which were coming up will not be frozen. Such is the life in Nebraska and especially in the sand hills.

I am copying this from Serving Strong. I have found the newsletter to be inspiring for me at different times. What he as to say about distorted thinking is something that I used to have people look at when I was a counselor. It is easy to fall into what AA would call stinking thinking. Sometimes it may help us recognize when we have fallen into this type of thinking.

Distorted Thinking - Pt 1

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that..." (Romans 12.2 NASB bold mine)

Hey Eldon, don't you know a lot of the struggle in circumstances comes not from the circumstances themselves, but from what takes place between our ears. The mind is a terribly wonderful organ of the body. It can imagine the greatest of inventions. Yet it can keep the best person chained down like a slave, inhibiting what God desires.

Over the next several issues, we will be looking at 15 types of distorted thinking*. We will take 3 or 4 types per issue. I encourage you to pray first, then read the description of each type, asking God to search your being. See if any of these types of distorted thinking are getting in the way of serving strong.

Filtering. People who do this take the negative details and magnify them, while filtering out all positive aspects of a situation. A single detail may be picked out, and the whole event becomes colored by this detail. When the filtering person pulls negative things out of context, isolated from all the good experiences around them, they make them larger and more awful than they really are. Are you a filterer?

Polarized Thinking. The hallmark of this distortion is an insistence on dichotomous choices. Things are black or white, good or bad. The polarized thinker tends to perceive everything at the extremes, with very little room for a middle ground. The greatest danger in polarized thinking is its impact on how a person judges himself. For example, they feel they have to be perfect or they're a failure. Are you a polarized thinker?

Overgeneralization. The overgeneralizer comes to a general conclusion based on a single incident or piece of evidence. If something bad happens once, this person expects it to happen over and over again. "Always" and "never" are cues that this style of thinking is being utilized. This distortion can lead to a restricted life, as this person avoids future failures based on the single incident or event. Are you an overgeneralizer?

Stay tuned. Next week we'll continue with "Mind Reading", "Catastrophizing", and "Personalization". Stay strong!

UM101

2011-03-23T11:12:00.001-05:00

Tonight is the first session on our UM101 classes. I am excited to be teaching this and am also excited by the number of people who are wanting to learn more about our church and our history. I will have both those who have been members for a period of time as well as new potential members.

I will be handing out these handouts but thought I would put them on my blog and the website www.ainsworthjohnstownumc.org.

THOUGHTS UPON METHODISM
Rev. John Wesley
1. I AM not afraid that the people called
Methodists should ever cease to exist either in
Europe or America. But I am afraid, lest they
should only exist as a dead sect, having the
form of religion without the power. And this
undoubtedly will be the case, unless they hold
fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline
with which they first set out.
2. What was their fundamental doctrine? That
the Bible is the whole and sole rule both of
Christian faith and practice. Hence they
learned, (1.) That religion is an inward
principle; that it is no other than the mind that
was in Christ; or, in other words, the renewal
of the soul after the image of God, in
righteousness and true holiness. (2.) That this
can never be wrought in us, but by the power
of the Holy Ghost. (3.) That we receive this,
and every other blessing, merely for the sake
of Christ: And, (4.) That whosoever hath the
mind that was in Christ, the same is our
brother, and sister, and mother.
3. In the year 1729 four young students in
Oxford agreed to spend their evenings
together. They were all zealous members of
the Church of England, and had no peculiar
opinions, but were distinguished only by their
constant attendance on the church and
sacrament. In 1735 they were increased to
fifteen; when the chief of them embarked for
America, intending to preach to the heathen
Indians. Methodism then seemed to die away;
but it revived again in the year 1738; especially
after Mr. Wesley (not being allowed to preach
in the churches) began to preach in the fields.
One and another then coming to inquire what
they must do to be saved, he desired them to
meet him all together; which they did, and
increased continually in number. In
November, a large building, the Foundery,
being offered him, he began preaching
therein, morning and evening; at five in the
morning, and seven in the evening, that the
people's labour might not be hindered.
4. From the beginning the men and women
sat apart, as they always did in the primitive
church; and none were suffered to call any
place their own, but the first comers sat down
first. They had no pews; and all the benches
for rich and poor were of the same
construction. Mr. Wesley began the service
with a short prayer; then sung a hymn and
preached, (usually about half an hour,) then
sang a few verses of another hymn, and
concluded with prayer. His constant doctrine
was, salvation by faith, preceded by
repentance, and followed by holiness.
5. But when a large number of people was
joined, the great difficulty was, to keep them
together. For they were continually scattering
hither and thither, and we knew no way to
help it. But God provided for this also, when
we thought not of it. A year or two after, Mr.
Wesley met the chief of the society in Bristol,
and inquired, "How shall we pay the debt
upon the preaching-house?" Captain Foy
stood up and said, "Let every one in the
society give a penny a week, and it will easily
be done." "But many of them," said one,
"have not a penny to give." "True," said the
Captain; "then put ten or twelve of them to
me. Let each of these give what they can
weekly, and I will supply what is wanting."
Many others made the same offer. So Mr.
Wesley divided the societies among them;
assigning a class of about twelve persons to
each of these, who were termed Leaders.
6. Not long after, one of these informed Mr.
Wesley that, calling on such a one in his
house, he found him quarrelling with his wife.
Another was found in drink. It immediately
struck into Mr. Wesley’s mind, "This is the
very thing we wanted. The Leaders are the
persons who may not only receive the
contributions, but also watch over the souls of
their brethren." The society in London, being
informed of this, willingly followed the
example of that in Bristol; as did every society
from that time, whether in Europe or
America. By this means, it was easily found if
any grew weary or faint, and help was speedily
administered. And if any walked disorderly,
they were quickly discovered, and either
amended or dismissed.
7. For those who knew in whom they had
believed, there was another help provided.
Five or six, either married or single men, met
together at such an hour as was convenient,
according to the direction of St. James,
"Confess your faults one to another, and pray
one for another, and ye shall be healed." And
five or six of the married or single women
met together for the same purpose.
Innumerable blessings have attended this
institution, especially in those who were going
on to perfection. When any seemed to have
attained this, they were allowed to meet with a
select number, who appeared, so far as man
could judge, to be partakers of the same
"great salvation."
8. From this short sketch of Methodism, (so
called,) any man of understanding may easily
discern, that it is only plain, scriptural religion,
guarded by a few prudential regulations. The
essence of it is holiness of heart and life; the
circumstantials all point to this. And as long
as they are joined together in the people called
Methodists, no weapon formed against them
shall prosper. But if even the circumstantial
parts are despised, the essential will soon be
lost. And if ever the essential parts should
evaporate, what remains will be dung and
dross.
9. It nearly concerns us to understand how
the case stands with us at present. I fear,
wherever riches have increased, (exceeding
few are the exceptions,) the essence of
religion, the mind that was in Christ, has
decreased in the same proportion. Therefore
do I not see how it is possible, in the nature
of things, for any revival of true religion to
continue long. For religion must necessarily
produce both industry and frugality; and these
cannot but produce riches. But as riches
increase, so will pride, anger, and love of the
world in all its branches.
10. How, then, is it possible that Methodism,
that is, the religion of the heart, though it
flourishes now as a green bay-tree, should
continue in this state? For the Methodists in
every place grow diligent and frugal;
consequently, they increase in goods. Hence
they proportionably increase in pride, in
anger, in the desire of the flesh, the desire of
the eyes, and the pride of life. So, although the
form of religion remains, the spirit is swiftly
vanishing away.
11. Is there no way to prevent this? this
continual declension of pure religion? We
ought not to forbid people to be diligent and
frugal: We must exhort all Christians to gain
all they can, and to save all they can; that is, in
effect, to grow rich! What way, then, (I ask
again,) can we take, that our money may not
sink us to the nethermost hell? There is one
way, and there is no other under heaven. If
those who "gain all they can," and "save all
they can," will likewise "give all they can;"
then, the more they gain, the more they will
grow in grace, and the more treasure they will
lay up in heaven.
London, August 4, 1786

The United Methodist Way
Living the Christian Life in Covenant with Christ and One Another
Introduction
Methodism began as a movement of spiritual renewal within a national church marked by
much nominal commitment and spiritual lethargy. Early Methodists adopted a Way of living in
covenant with Christ and one another that yielded rich spiritual fruit in their lives and in their
engagement with the world. One result of this vitality was the emergence of Methodism as a
distinct tradition and its growth in North America into a family of denominations. But over
the course of this growth these denominations gradually abandoned central aspects of the
original “Methodist Way.” They settled into the status of mainstream Protestant churches,
distinguishing themselves primarily by their unique polity. This process was accompanied by
increasing loss of spiritual vigor, evangelical zeal, and missional vitality. As an heir of these
developments, The United Methodist Church finds itself today (particularly in North America)
in the ironic position of being marked by much nominal commitment and spiritual lethargy.
We stand in need of our own movement of renewal!
There are many pockets of vitality within contemporary United Methodism, especially in
broader global settings, that can and must contribute to this renewal. But even in these settings
there is much to be gained from considering anew—and reclaiming—the Way of life that
defined and empowered the early Methodist movement.
Orienting Goal of the Methodist Way:
Transformed Lives and a Transformed World
One of the sharpest distillations of the Methodist Way is John Wesley’s “Thoughts upon
Methodism,” published in 1786, near the end of his long and faithful ministry. In this short
essay Wesley warned that the Methodist movement would become a dead sect, having the
form of religion but lacking its power, unless they held fast to the crucial insights and practices
that birthed the movement. Significantly, the first insight that he emphasizes early Methodists
drew from their broad study of Scripture is “That religion is an inward principle; that it is no
other than the mind that was in Christ; or, in other words, the renewal of the soul after the
image of God, in righteousness and true holiness.”
Every journey is oriented by its goal. For the early Methodists the goal of their Way of life was
to become faithful and mature disciples of Christ. This meant far more than just affirming
Christ as their Lord, or having an assurance of his pardoning love. They longed for what they
saw promised in Scripture—the transformation of their sin-distorted attitudes and dispositions
into ever greater conformity with Christ’s abiding love for God, for neighbor, and for the
whole creation. As Charles Wesley put it in a hymnic prayer, they longed for Christ to “Plant,
and root, and fix in me / All the mind that was in Thee.”
In other words, while the early Methodists celebrated the freedom from sin that comes in the
new birth, they fervently desired that greater freedom for walking in God’s life-giving ways
and participating in God’s saving mission. Implicit in this desire was their conviction that
concern for transformation of the heart is not a distraction from or alternative to concern for
the world around us. As John Wesley frequently reminded them, holiness of heart is
reciprocally connected to holiness of life. As we experience the love of God transforming
our lives we are more inclined to engage the world around us in compassionate and
transforming ways—and as we engage the world in these ways we find our own transformation
in Christ-likeness deepened! 1
Crucial Dynamics of the Methodist Way:
Doctrine, Spirit, and Discipline
Such “holiness of heart and life” is surely desirable, but how is it possible? John Wesley’s
contribution to early Methodism focused particularly around this question, as he led in
developing a balanced Way of life that drew upon the wisdom of Scripture and the broad
Christian tradition. He summarized the central dynamics of this Way in “Thoughts upon
Methodism” by exhorting Methodists to hold fast “the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with
which they first set out.”
1. Centered in God’s Empowering Spirit
It is fitting that “spirit” stands in the middle of this list, for the central characteristic of the
spirit of early Methodism was recognition that their desired transformation was possible only
through the gracious empowering work of the Holy Spirit. In Wesley’s enumeration of the
crucial insights of early Methodism, the opening emphasis on the goal is followed immediately
by: “2) That this can never be wrought in us, but by the power of the Holy Ghost. 3) That
we receive this, and every other blessing, merely for the sake of Christ.”
Well aware that any concern for holy living was seen by some as “works righteousness,”
Wesley consistently stressed that our human efforts are possible and effective only because they
are preceded and empowered by the Holy Spirit. But he immediately added that the Spirit
invites and expects us to “work out” what God is “working in” us (Phil. 2:12–13). Thus,
while affirming that it is most truly the Spirit who “makes disciples of Jesus Christ,” Wesley
encouraged early Methodists to own their role in responding to Christ’s call to discipleship, in
cultivating their graciously-empowered growth as disciples, in supporting one another on this
journey, and in serving as ambassadors of Christ inviting others into the journey.
2. Shaped by Vital Christian Doctrine
Wesley’s careful articulation of our responsive participation in the journey of discipleship
exemplifies the crucial role of doctrine in the Methodist Way. Much of his leadership of the
movement was devoted to challenging inadequate and distorted conceptions of Christian
teaching that he discerned were contributing to the inadequate (and sometimes perverse) lives
of many Christians. He was equally concerned to articulate positively—for believer and skeptic
alike—the central Christian convictions about the nature of God, the nature of humanity, the
nature of sin and evil, and the scope of God’s salvific mission. Wesley emphasized the role of
pastors as theologians/teachers in interchanges with his fellow Anglican priests, and embodied
that role in his own pastoral work.
The prominence of Wesley’s concern for doctrine has been obscured for some by his sharp criticism
of equating “being Christian” with mere affirmation of correct doctrine. But this was
not a dismissal of doctrine, it was an insistence that Christian teaching is intended to shape the
core convictions and dispositions that guide our choices and actions in the world. Wesley
imbibed this conviction about the formative intent of doctrine from the early Church. Their
precedent also led him to appreciate the most effective means of helping to instill abiding
Christian convictions and dispositions. Sporadic exhortations are not sufficient. We are shaped
most deeply by recurrent practices which engage our whole being. So Wesley made regular
participation in such practices central to the Methodist Way—as specified in the General
Rules. Through regular worship, Scripture study, prayer, and the like, the early Methodists
immersed themselves in the whole of the Christian story and allowed it to form (and reform)
the breadth of their convictions and dispositions. As an aid to this end, Wesley also devoted
much of his pastoral energy to providing rich and balanced practical-theological materials
(hymnals, Bible study guides, etc.) for his people to use in these routine practices.
2
3. Nurtured within a Rich Set of Disciplines
If recognition of the vital role of practices in our appropriation of the transforming work of
the Holy Spirit was central to the Methodist Way; Wesley’s appreciation for the full range of
these practices was its deep wisdom. He often summarized this appreciation in a saying from
the early church: “The soul and the body make a [human], the Spirit and discipline make a
Christian.” “Discipline” is used here, as it is in athletics or music, in the sense of regular
practices that create greater capacity for performance. Significantly, it is directly correlated to
the Spirit—who inspires and meets us in these practices, making them effective “means of
grace.” Just as important in Wesley’s proverbial saying is the reminder that we humans are
holistic creatures, that our actions rarely flow from intellectual motivations alone. As such,
renewal of our sin-distorted convictions and dispositions is most effectively nurtured within a
set of disciplines that address all the dimensions of our nature.
Nothing drew more of Wesley’s attention in shepherding the early Methodist movement than
weaving together such a rich set of “means of grace” as the core of their Way of life.
Alongside standard practices of corporate worship he commended innovative practices such
as the Love Feast and Covenant Service. While prescribing personal devotional reading and
regular immersion in Scripture, he stressed the need for concurrent participation in corporate
settings (“no holiness but social holiness”). Ever conscious of the value of practices that
increase rational understanding of Christian truth, he put special emphasis on complementary
practices where the empowering presence of the Spirit is mediated through touch, and
taste, and tears. He gave particular prominence to the formative power of the faith sung, of
small groups that provide support and accountability, and of regular participation in works
of mercy. Finally, he recognized the crucial role of mentors, of those who are far enough
along in their journey with Christ to be able to say with Paul “follow me, as I follow Christ”
(1 Cor. 11:1).
Renewing the Methodist Way in United Methodist Congregations
Wesley and the early Methodists understood their Way of life not as an attempt to earn
salvation, but as the wisdom drawn from Scripture and the broad Christian tradition about
how to respond to and appropriate God’s gracious transforming work in our lives and our
world. It is a wisdom that we would do well to embody more fully in United Methodist
congregations today.
A first step in this renewal would be to recognize and strengthen those dimensions of the
Methodist Way that continue to define and empower our life together as United Methodists.
We should also celebrate, and adopt more broadly, several programs developed in recent
years that have been making a positive impact in our congregations—like Accountable
Discipleship Groups, Disciple Bible Study, United Methodist Volunteers in Mission, and so
on. But the effectiveness of these existing resources has been limited by the reality that they
often stand alone, or are adopted in haphazard combinations within a congregation’s life.
We need to recover Wesley’s broader vision of the Methodist Way, so that these resources
can find their place within holistic attention to Doctrine, Spirit, and Discipline.
As we recover Wesley’s vision, we can engage a second step in renewal. We desperately need
to identify and reclaim in forms appropriate to our time and settings those dimensions of the
Methodist Way that have been lost over the years due to neglect or abuse. This analysis and
creative retrieval will need to take place at all levels of the church, so that it can take into
account the distinctiveness of our various conferences and congregations. It will also require
pastoral leaders at every level to take seriously their role as teachers and practical theologians,
nurturing and guiding their communities like Wesley did the early Methodists.
3
It must be recognized that there are challenges to face in seeking to renew the Methodist Way
in our congregations. Some of these challenges are features of modern culture, particularly in
North America, such as the lingering romantic assumption that persons are innately provided
with moral character (so no formation is needed), or the now more common assumption of
stringent genetic and cultural determinism (so no transformation is possible). Other challenges
are posed by features in church life, such as the ballooning of administrative and institutional
demands upon bishops, superintendents, and pastors, largely at the expense of their role as
“practical theologians” providing leadership in the formative practices of the community. The
biggest challenge is that we live in a setting permeated by powerful shaping forces for ideals
other than the Christian gospel.
Naming these competing forces and ideals, within the church and the culture, will be a
necessary step in the self-recognition and repentance necessary for renewal in the Methodist
Way. But this must be complimented by wise and effective leadership—both in developing
structures, practices, and patterns of life that embody the alternative ideals of our tradition;
and in discerning those current structures, practices, and patterns of life that must be “let go”
in order to embrace the new.
4
Appendix
As we work together to describe what it means in the twenty first century to live the United
Methodist Way, the following thoughts are offered as a springboard for further conversation.
Characteristics of Congregations Embodying the Methodist Way
A congregation that embodies the wisdom of the Methodist Way broadly in its life and ministry
will be marked by at least these characteristics:
• Commitment to ongoing catechesis and formation in Christian doctrine, with emphasis on
the transforming power and goal of God’s saving work in our lives and world.
• Faithful worship that draws on the rich liturgical resources of the tradition within the cultural
context, inviting participants to celebrate and be shaped by the whole of the Christian
Story into the image of the triune God.
• Regular celebration of Holy Communion and use of other occasional ritual means of grace
such as the Love Feast and the Wesleyan Covenant Service.
• “Watching over one another in love,” through small groups that nurture growth in discipleship
by providing mutual support, mentoring, and accountability.
• Emphasis on cultivating intentional relationships and ministry with those whom Charles
Wesley called “Jesus’ bosom friends”—the poor, the imprisoned, children, the powerless, and
the vulnerable.
• Embrace of Wesley’s model of stewardship as a way of life for individuals and the congregation.
• Support for, and modeling of, regular Bible study, prayer, fasting, and other personal “works
of piety.
• Consistent concern for inviting individuals and families into relationship with Jesus Christ,
combined with wise practices for initiating them into the Body of Christ.
• Attention to identifying and cultivating those gifted to take roles of leadership in the range of
ministry of the congregation.
• Appreciation for connection with other congregations and institutions in participating in
God’s mission of personal, societal, and global transformation.
Role of Bishops in Leading the Renewal of the Methodist Way in United Methodism
As those who are consecrated by the church to provide “temporal and spiritual” oversight of The
United Methodist Church, bishops are uniquely positioned to lead in reclaiming the wisdom of the
Methodist Way in United Methodism in the 21st century. The following are means by which bishops,
individually and collectively, can lead the church in this renewal:
• Reclaim and maximize the role of bishop as spiritual mentor whose life and leadership reflect
and model Wesleyan doctrine, spirit, and discipline.
• Appoint and nurture District Superintendents and Cabinet members as spiritual mentors
whose lives and leadership reflect and model Wesleyan doctrine, spirit, and discipline.
• Give priority to the teaching office of the episcopacy and spend significant time in teaching,
interpreting, and implementing in the programs, structures, and emphases of the Conference
and General Church the doctrines, disciplines, and practices that comprise the United
Methodist Way.
• Develop with other bishops systems of support and accountability for growth in discipleship
as bishops and faithfulness in the fulfillment of episcopal duties.
• Develop and implement systems of evaluation, affirmation, support, accountability, and
deployment that maximize the pastoral roles of “practical theologian,” spiritual mentor, and
effective leader in shaping faithful communities centered on the task of making disciples of
Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. 5

Lenten challenge

2011-03-14T10:35:00.001-05:00

One of my members from the Johnstown church decided that instead of just giving something up for Lent that we should be counting our blessings. With the concerns in Japan as well as the flooding along the East coast, there are many families who are in need. The challenge came that every Sunday of Lent and Easter Sunday one would count the blessing that we have and contribute to making health kits to be sent to UMCOR. Here is the list for those who want to take the challenge.

March 13 Count the number of televisions and computers in your home. Give one hand towel and one wash cloth for each.

March 20 Count the number of cars, pickups, any vehicles you have. Give one nail file or pair of nail clippers for each.

March 27 Count the number of pillows you have in your home. Give one bar of soap for each.

April 3 Count each pair of shoes that you have. Give six adhesive bandages for each pair.

April 10 Count each phone, including cell phones, within your home. Give one toothbrush for each.

April 17 Count every Bible within your home or place of work and double for those bibles left on the shelf unopened. Give one comb for each.

Easter Sunday Count the value of grace which is priceless. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Give as you are willing to supply toothpaste for the health kits. UMCOR purchases the toothpaste so each kit needs to have $1 to purchase. Give at least $1 dollar as you will.

I would encourage all of us to truly reflect on the many blessings that we have and this is one way of sharing those blessings with others.

First Sunday in Lent

2011-03-10T21:03:00.002-06:00

The first Sunday in Lent takes Jesus from his baptism and the declaration that he is the Son of God into the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). He is taken by the angels and he fasts for 40 days. Then Satan comes to tempt him.
I remember an acronym called HALT. It stands for hunger, anger, lonely, and tired. We are at our weakest physically, emotionally, and spiritually when we are experiencing these four aspects. What struck me about the gospel and the temptation of Jesus is that he was feeling at least two of the above if not three. He fasted and so would have been hungry and he was by himself in the wilderness. It is a such times that we are most vulnerable to temptation. I know in my life that is true for me. Satan uses biblical passages to tempt Jesus. He can proof text with the best. Unfortunately for Satan he is outwitted by Jesus.
I wondered what Satan must have felt after being dismissed. I came across this blog entry and thought about sharing it with you. The title is Satan debriefs. This was done by Alyce M. McKenzie, March 07, 2011

The Devil Debriefs: Reflections on the Temptation of Jesus (Mt. 4:1-11)

March 07, 2011

Lectionary Reflections on the Temptation of Jesus
March 13, 2011
Matthew 4:1-11
First Sunday in Lent
Who is this tempter in this scene from Matthew 4:1-11? Called Satan in Hebrew and the devil (diabolos) in Greek, this figure stalks the pages of the Bible, growing in hostility and perceived power over against God.
The Hebrew faith attributed both good and evil to God's agency. The Satan (adversary) makes cameo appearances as an agent of God in the Old Testament. His primary role was to uncover the weaknesses of humans who were highly regarded by God, allegedly to preserve God's honor (Job 1:6-12; Zech. 3:1-2). Satan becomes increasingly hostile and harmful in later Jewish views of his identity and role. He interferes with God's relationship to Israel through temptation (1 Chr. 21:1), by accusation before God (Zech. 3:1), and by disrupting the course of events throughout Israel's history.
Gradually, Satan's identity shifts from divine employee to God's chief competitor, in part as the result of Persian influence on Judaism. In that belief system, world history was viewed as a cosmic struggle between the forces of good and light and those of evil and darkness with each represented by various angelic or demonic beings. Satan became the force of evil in the world. All sorts of existing legends and images about evil stuck to him as if he were a snowball rolling down a hill. So Satan is associated with the serpent of paradise, an ancient dragon, an exalted angel expelled from heaven, and the evil impulse that resides within each of us (Gen. 4:7).
In the Gospels, the present time is viewed as a showdown between God's rule as inaugurated by Jesus, and that of Satan. That bigger picture is the context for this temptation scene in Matthew 4:1-11.
Satan gets shown up in this little episode. The Tempter trips up. Lucifer loses out. The Devil gets duped. The Adversary gets something I can't mention in this column handed to him on a platter. Whatever label you want to slap on this debacle, I imagine that the Devil went back to his lair and engaged in a serious self-deprecation session followed by some determined de-briefing. Here is how I imagine it went . . .
"Well, that was certainly humiliating. Thank God no one else was present to witness that debacle.
"I'm not used to losing, but I think I know where I went wrong. For one thing, I think I overplayed the special effects. The appearing out of nowhere with the smoke machine. The flying with him on my back through the air up to, first the pinnacle of the temple and then the high mountain. The mountain was probably a mistake, too heavy handed in its implied connection to Sinai. And on top of that, the actors' guild angels missed their cue. It was in their contract in Psalm 91 to show up, and I even promised to pay them overtime. How did they repay me? By being a no-show for my dramatic moment: "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you, and on their hands they will bear you up so that you will not dash your foot against a stone" (4:5). They were supposed to be gathered at the bottom of the Temple, wings and eyelashes fluttering, arms reaching up to catch. But no, they were out in the break room gathered around the buffet table. And then, as soon as I slink off, my tail between my legs, they show up and fawn all over him.
"But enough of this self-flagellation. It is what it is. I've never faced this big of a challenge before. I shouldn't be so hard on myself. I blew it and I may not get another chance. Still, if I do, this debriefing process will be important to my future success.
"If I had it to do over again, I might try a 'less is more' approach. I was way too obvious with my spiritual seduction strategy. I shouldn't have shown him the things he could have if he renounced his identity and mission on such a big scale. Hundreds of loaves of bread; a bungee jump into the arms of angels, and all the high-end malls, golf courses, and lakefront property in the world. Maybe I should have just invited him to turn one small rock into a donut hole; gently encouraged him to jump off a low ledge, and offered him two weeks at a timeshare in the off season. I'll remember that if there is a next time.
"Another possibility that occurs to me is what I'll call the 'Ghost of Crucifixion Future' approach. Maybe I should have begun by approaching him as a commiserating friend. 'Hello, Jesus. I've been waiting so long for you to show up. Your lips look so chapped. Here, you can keep this (I'd hand him a tube of cherry flavored chap stick). I'm so sad about what the future holds for you. I admire your restraint in still being hungry after all these days. Even though you could make these stones into artisan jalapeno cheese bread or lemon poppy seed muffins or even Cinnabons if you so chose. I admire you for your extreme asceticism. When you starve to death here in the desert in a few days, I'll make sure your remains are treated with honor. I am tempted to point out what a waste that would be, but a true friend doesn't seek to dissuade someone from their sense of purpose, only to remain by their side in their hour of trial.' (That's a good line; I'll need to practice that to achieve just the right blend of sadness and sincerity.)
"If that didn't result in his nobly starving to death, I would take him to the pinnacle of the temple and say to him: 'Some Sons of God would want to prove their identity and power by pulling dramatic, high risk stunts. But you are content to stay in this backwater district and not take any risks at all and so preserve and extend your life and influence. The less you risk the longer you live. I have always wished that I had followed that advice, but I was so ambitious, so eager to move beyond the courts of heaven. I should have stayed there, at his side, where I belonged.'
"If that didn't motivate him to jump just to distance himself from me, I could try one final move. It would not involve my quoting scripture, which, in retrospect, was the wrong rhetorical strategy to get into with him, though he was the one who started it. Rather than establishing a common identity between us, I think he got the feeling I was manipulating God for my own purposes. The other problem with the scripture quoting approach is that he knows it better than I do. There is a first time for everything.
"If I had it to do over again I wouldn't give him the ultimatum: 'All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me.' That was melodramatic, not dramatic. I came off as needy and desperate. The Devil is supposed to be cool. I was out-cooled. It was too much all around: the mountain, the ultimatum, and the over-the-top spread I showed him around the mountain. Who did I think I was dealing with? Some backwoods boy who just bought a lottery ticket?
"Next time I'll take him to somebody's home. Not a palace, but a humble home. One where there is love among the family members. I'll be fine as long as I remember to take my anti- nausea medication first. We'll stand at the window as they gather around their dinner table and I'll say: 'I think it's so admirable that you are willing to give this up without any regrets or second thoughts. Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but you, you have nowhere to lay your head. And you never will.' That's a good line. 'You will have no wife to warm your heart and bed. No children to surround you with love and laughter and care for you when your steps falter and your sight is dimmed with age.'
"And here I'd show him a scene of his hanging on the cross. 'No, you have a different future. It is so amazing that, rather than scare you, it energizes you; rather than frighten you with the prospect of pain, it strengthens you to forego the happy scene before us without any yearning or regret. Your steps will slow, but only because you drag a cross. Your sight will dim, but only because blood pours into your eyes from the wounds on your head. How I admire your utter singleness of purpose! I feel for your future pain. If I could, I would take your place. To save you this suffering.'
"I wonder if that last bit is too much? Does it sound insincere? And wait, what if he says 'Okay, you take my place.' Then what?
"All right. This 'coulda, shoulda' session has helped clarify my thinking. If another opportunity arises; I now have two strategies in the hopper, two arrows in the quiver.

The less is more approach: donut hole, ledge, time share.
The ghost of crucifixion future approach: starve to death, take no risks, and forego happy family and longevity in favor of premature, excruciating, and prolonged death.

Last time I oversold the future benefits of betraying his identity and mission. Next time I go the opposite way. I present him with negative pictures of the future if he stays on the path he has chosen.
Now to wait for an opportune time . . .

Mountain top experiences

2011-03-05T10:10:00.001-06:00

When I was young I enjoyed the times that I could climb up a side of a mountain. I realize that for me any hill could be a mountain. There was something about climbing up and being able to look down that formed a new perspective. One time my parents and I went to Pikes Peak CO. The journey up was by the small gauge train. It was beautiful as we ascended to the top of Pikes Peak. The day we went it was clear and one could see almost forever. I could only imagine what those who were at the bottom were doing as one could not distinguish any of them. I remember that I was disappointed that by the afternoon it was time to return to the base of the mountain. But for that period of time there was an exhilaration of the moment.

This Sunday I will be preaching on another mountain top experience. Jesus after six days when he first announced that he was going to Jerusalem to be put to death, took Peter, James and John up on a mountain. According Matthew it was there that the transfiguration occurred. Sometimes we spend so much time on trying to figure out which mountain and the accuracy of the historical basis that we lose sight of the point that Matthew is trying to make. If we go back to Exodus, Moses took Aaron and Joshua up on a mountain. The reference of six days was also found in Exodus. Moses’ face was also transfigured when he was in the presence of God. From the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus stated that he was not doing away with the Torah and the Prophets but is the fulfillment. So when the disciples see Jesus with Moses and Elijah, we see the fulfillment of the law and prophecies. For the only one left and the one God speaks to the disciples is Jesus, His beloved Son. The final statement was to listen and do what he says.

We need to remember as we approach the season of Lent, that we cannot stay on top of the mountain. We all have at differing times mountain top experiences that help us develop new perspectives. We cannot stay there but must come down and do what Jesus asks. This Lent I would call to all readers to take time to have a mountain top experience in Christ and then come down to share with others.

Facebook reply

2011-02-24T09:38:00.001-06:00

If anyone has read the Facebook for our churches, there may be a cryptic message in the comment section. I wanted to explain myself more about that. I received an email regarding concerns that came across their Facebook page that seemed to indicate that the United Methodist Churches were being used by Satan by offering hospitality to other religious organizations particularly Islam. The person who forwarded to me was concerned about what it had to say and I thought that I wanted to respond to her concerns. BTW she was not the originator of the email. I copied the body of the email that I received.

"What in the world does the United Methodist Church think it is doing????? Taking down their emblems of faith, cleansing their church of all articles offensive to Islam, opening their doors and sharing their sancturay. You talk about a group of people who are decieved. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore ...his servants also disguise themselves...

I am reminded of what happens during political campaigns when massive emails are sent out regarding supposedly a candidates beliefs or statements which end up being lies or exaggerations. The reason that people do this is that for many people they never bother to find out if the statements are true. Also it causes those politicians to spend time and money to discount the falsehoods and tell the truth.

I equate the above email in that category. As a church we do not remove the symbols of our faith or cleanse our churches of items such as all Bibles or stained glass windows. As I stated in the Facebook page, only our General Conference would ever insist that all churches abide by the church rule and I would guarantee that would not happen.

I am sorry that whoever sent this did not read the entire chapter 11 of Corinthians and instead proof-text three verses. Paul is talking about those who wanted to claim to be apostles and who were sowing discord within the body of Christ. It would seem that this email is such an attempt to sow discord among believers. Following the verses Paul questions the people about why they would put up with falsehoods, being taken advantage of, and being preyed upon.

I do know that there have been United Methodist Churches who have participated in joint services involving all three Abrahamic religions. I am not aware of any church that has removed symbols of faith so that they would not offend anyone. I am also unaware of any churches that are offering their sanctuary on a full time basis for Islamic services. That is not to say there are none, I am saying I am unaware and would doubt that those of the Islamic faith would use our sanctuaries for their services except in emergencies.

I am thankful that I was forwarded this particular email. There have been many attacks on our denomination from various groups seeking to split the church and to sow discord. It is not just our denomination but others as well. I would hope that when you receive such emails designed to instill doubt and discord that you first would research to see if it is true and if not do not forward it to others without stating the facts.

I believe in our church and realize that when we are making a difference in spreading the Good News of Christ there will be those who oppose it. Stand firm in the faith and pray for those who out of jealousy or fear react negatively to His grace.

Worry, why?

2011-02-22T08:55:00.001-06:00

I am still preaching from the Sermon on the Mount. The last few weeks have addressed those uncomfortable topics of anger, lust, adultery, oaths, retribution, and loving one’s enemies. I know that often these are issues that many of us would like to believe do not affect us. The reality is that in every church, every community, and often in most if not all families these issues in one form or another exist. The challenge we face is how are we going to respond to others as well as our own issues. To believe that what we do does not affect the body of Christ and that it is my issue no one else’s is delusional. The choices that we make and the way we live effects those around is for better or for worse. That is why we need each other to be accountable in love and that confrontation (Matthew 18:15-20) is vital to relationships and to community.

This Sunday I will be continuing to preach from the Sermon dealing with anxiety and worry. I came across this illustration as I was preparing my sermon and wanted to share it.

My little dog has an eccentric habit. It’s more of a compulsion really. Whenever we give him a rawhide bone, he spends the rest of the day and sometimes the next in a flurry of activity. Whether he is motivated by instinct or his own peculiar quirkiness or some combination of the two is hard to say.
Given a bone, he commences a search through the house for a suitable place to bury it. Once he settles on a spot, he proceeds to “dig” a hole in the linoleum. Undaunted by the fact that all his furious digging scarcely leaves a scuff on the floor, he carefully places his bone in his imaginary hole. Next he painstakingly noses imaginary dirt over it and then turns himself around to kick some more for good measure. This whole exercise in futility can take a quarter of an hour.
It is at this point, when he inspects his work, that he appears to realize something is amiss. His prize is not sufficiently buried and, in fact, is in plain sight. So he picks it back up and hunts for a better spot. And thus the cycle repeats over and over again until it’s time for a nap.
Sometimes as I watch him and shake my head, I wonder if there is some of this craziness in me, too. Are there things that I do over and over out of a compulsion I do not understand — things that are equally unproductive? Maybe you know what I mean. Things like wearing ourselves out trying to impress other people. Or how about chasing after things that never satisfy. Or maybe it’s just a cycle of busyness that doesn’t really get us anywhere. Sometimes I wonder, but then it’s time for a nap.
—Kari Myers, HomeTouch, October 17, 2010.

I believe it is time for a nap.

This is Beautiful..try not to cry

2011-02-15T11:19:00.000-06:00

Living Strong

2011-02-15T09:18:00.001-06:00

I subscribe to an ezine about living strong that focuses on ideas about how to live as a leader in ministry. The author has often spoken to me about ways of reflecting on my cause, passion, and call. He is also a couch for leaders. I want to share his latest edition with you.

The Cause Within

...a brand new car sits idle by the side of the road. Not a thing wrong with it. Engine has less than 40 miles clocked. Tires still have the smell of new rubber. The chrome trim is shiny. Not a speck of mud anywhere on the sparkling paint job. The problem? No gas.

...you carefully walk into the dark room. Can't see your hand in front of your face. Pieces of furniture crouch silently in wait to destroy your toe upon impact. You reach for where you suspect the lamp normally is. Feel your way across the lampshade and underneath. Grab the switch and...nothing. The problem? No power.

We expect a car to run when we turn the ignition key. We expect a lamp to turn on when we flip the switch. Cars get us somewhere. Lights help us see where we are going. But without gas; without power, these capable mediums of energy are useless.

You and I were also created to expend energy. It's a law of nature. The Apostle Paul even shared how he approached life in Philippians 3,

"...one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

What fuels your passion? What makes you want to wake in the morning? What keeps you going when everything around you is failing and fumbling? What is that prize for which God has called you heavenward? It's your passion; your cause. Everybody has a cause. Some people know what theirs is. Others are still searching. And some don't know or believe such a cause even exists. What about you?

After coaching several ministry leaders, studying research, reading up on various subjects I have come to one profound conclusion: Burnout eludes the person who knows their cause and pursues it with their whole heart.

Salt and light

2011-02-05T12:47:00.002-06:00

I am in the process of preparing my sermon for tomorrow. The topic is about being salt and light. It is based on Matthew 5:13-20. This is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount. One of the concerns about breaking down scripture into sections such as this is that one can have the tendency to only read the verses without looking at the whole. I will not be able in the sermon to put this entirely into context but here I would offer some reflection.
Actually the Sermon on the Mount begins with Jesus’ calling of disciples and the healing stories in Chapter 4. The gospel of Matthew has five major discourses or sermons throughout the gospel. There are some who feel that Matthew did this to indicate a new Torah. Jesus becomes the new prophet overshadowing Moses. The Sermon on the Mount is the first of these discourses. There are many illustrations that point to remembering Moses and especially dealing with Exodus such as Moses going up on the mountain. Here Jesus goes up on a mountain but rather than the faithful being barred he invites his disciples to come up with him.
There is a distinction between the disciples that come up to sit with him and the crowds that are curious. The sermon ends with the crowds being amazed in Chapter 7.
The verses that we will be reflecting on this Sunday follow the Beatitudes and need to be seen as a continuation and connection with what was stated and what will follow. Our ability to be salt and light to others can only occur with the blessing that has already been given to us. It is also important to realize that we can only do this when we are in community with one another. More on that Sunday.
I would invite readers who are not able to attend our service to listen on the web for the live broadcast on www.kbrbradio.com.

sermon on the mount

2011-02-02T10:10:00.001-06:00

I am going to be preaching on the Sermon on the Mount for the next 4 weeks. I was in Houston last week at a Do No Harm workshop that focused on ethical decisions in the church regarding sex, boundaries, response to those who violate those boundaries, safe sanctuaries, cyber security, and ways to help church leaders continue to grow in their awareness of appropriate choices in their lives. As you can see that there was much discussed regarding the church today. I believe that there were 58 annual conferences represented and representatives from Germany and the Congo. It was a great experience though one which I would hope that we would not have to discuss. The reality is that church can be no safer than any other institution. I hope that as we continue to grow as faithful disciples we would learn ways of not oppressing others through domination, misuse of power, and through manipulation. BTW when I left Houston it was 72^o. Today the wind chill is –20.

In the lectionary, the gospel reading come from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. It got me thinking what if we treated these scriptures seriously. Rather than passing them over as quaint but unachievable. What if we began to work toward actually making decisions based on the ethical premises that Jesus presents? I believe we would not have to have workshops on Do No Harm, we would be doing it naturally. I would like to have you readers read Matthew chapters 5-7. Take time to really read them and to reflect how what is said can change our lives, our world, and our witness to the Kin-dom of God.

10 Questions regarding Christianity: # 1

2011-01-07T14:53:00.001-06:00

Today is the day after Epiphany. When I preached on epiphany last Sunday I mentioned that there are two main definitions. One is theological and that is something divine that breaks through into our ordinary lives. The second is seeing something in a new way that has been there all along. As I continue to read Brian McLaren’s new book, I am reminded that even in our faith we can see something new in the way we perceive ordinary tasks. This can apply even to the way we read the bible.

The first question that McLaren would pose in our need to rethink Christianity is, “is there an overarching theme in the bible?” He brings out some interesting thoughts that have been an epiphany for me. One is that we tend to read the bible backwards in time. That is we read the scriptures based on the lenses of those who have come before us. For instance, we read through modern theologians, Wesley, Luther, Calvin, Aquinas, Augustine etc. that have led to doctrines that influence the way we read and understand. An example he uses focuses on original sin and that Plato and Aristotle philosophical ideas influence that doctrine which is not mentioned in scripture at all. In fact if we read about Adam and Eve when they were told that if they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil they would die. Yet when they did God did not kill them but instead made clothes for them. Same was true for Cain and Abel. When Cain murdered his brother, did God demand his life? No not only did he not but he even protected him from others who might.

I find what McLaren has to say interesting. What he proposes is that we read the scriptures forward and in that way witness to the narratives and stories that led to Jesus. I know that I feel that for any Christian to truly understand the gospels and the Christian scriptures they need to understand the Hebrew scriptures which was what informed the writers of the New Testament. There is value in seeing how the early stories of Israel lead to Jesus.

McLaren also warns about taking scripture piecemeal. In seminary we called that proof texting. One needs to be familiar with the whole story not just the parts that support one’s particular belief. An example he uses is the pro-slavery and abolitionist debates. Many of those who favored slavery would use scripture to support their beliefs. It was not until events proved them wrong did people change. McLaren suggests that debate continues whether dealing with women in ministry, dealing with sexual orientation, torture, war, abortion, we continue to proof text to support whatever side of these debates we want to believe. His concern is that by doing do we continue to fracture the Christian community.

Whereas he brings up some very interesting points, I feel we need to continue to debate the issues. At the same time, we need to be careful about how we go about it. Based on the previous post remember that when we think we know the absolute right answer, we are wrong. Is there a right way of looking at these? I believe we need to continue to dialog with one another with respect of others points of view. Then and only then we will reach a consensus that approximates where scripture leads us.

A New Year

2011-01-05T09:46:00.001-06:00

It is always amazing how quick the year goes by. I haven’t written anything in my blog for quite some time and realize that I need to get back to some sort of discipline in my life. I have started to do a morning meditation that begins with the Psalms and has a a short reflection. Today I read Psalm 5. I also have been reading from the Book of Daily Prayer which has prayers for morning, mid-day, and evening. I was reading in the reflection that if one would start the day with prayer and/or exercise one is more likely to continue to follow through. The struggle is not giving into that voice that says, Oh you can do it tomorrow. So keep me in prayer as I continue to work on this discipline.

I also have started to read a new book by Brian McLaren. The title of the book is “A New Kind of Christianity,” which focuses on ten questions that he believes that the church needs to respond to. I have just started but I find that what he has to stay about church and the need we have to examine what we do to be insightful. I have often questioned why we speak of changes that need to be done and those changes seem to make little effect for many churches. Yet, I am aware of system theory that states any family, organization, or institution is a system and that all systems tend to develop a balance that allows it to function. Any changes in that system can result in some imbalance that can create something new. But the system tends to return to its original balance (or what it is used to) over time unless one continually challenges that status quo.

McLaren starts his book with this quote, “Never accept and be content with unanalyzed assumptions, assumptions about the work, about the people, about the church or Christianity. Never be afraid to ask questions about the work we have inherited or the work we are doing. There is no question that should not be asked or that is outlawed. The day we are completely satisfied with what we have been doing; the day we have found the perfect, unchangeable system of work, the perfect answer, never in need of being corrected again, on that day we will all know that we are wrong, that we have made the greatest mistake of all.—Vincent J. Donovan.”

I will be commenting at different times about some of the reflections I have regarding his ten questions. Brian states that he is responding to his experiences as a pastor and traveler but that he is not the final answer. See quote above. We are on this journey of re-discovery and nothing is above reflecting.

Christmas Lights

2010-12-10T11:40:00.001-06:00

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

Advent

2010-12-01T11:11:00.001-06:00

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.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T10:38:00.001-06:00

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.

2010-11-16T11:08:00.002-06:00

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.

Reflections on Thanksgiving

2010-11-10T11:34:00.001-06:00

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.

Rejoice

2010-11-06T09:45:00.001-05:00

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.

change of seasons

2010-11-02T11:21:00.001-05:00

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.

Saints

2010-10-28T09:49:00.001-05:00

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?

2010-10-19T11:09:00.001-05:00

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?

2010-10-05T11:22:00.000-05:00

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.

2010-09-28T11:02:00.002-05:00

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.

2010-09-28T10:31:00.000-05:00

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?

2010-09-23T09:03:00.000-05:00

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

2010-09-22T10:30:00.000-05:00

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.

Share:

*
*
*
*

PowerMail (by Serving Strong)
A minute just for you because you help others
Issue #204
Find us on Facebook View our profile on LinkedIn Follow us on Twitter
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?
Let's talk some more about this. Here's where you'll find me:
Facebook: Find us on Facebook or on Twitter: Follow us on Twitter or Email Me.
Have a God-filled week!
Want A Life Coach?
If you're serious about investing in a one-on-one coaching benefit (or group coaching for your staff), contact Scott for more information. Now's the best time. Sessions are by phone so there are no travel or lodging expenses. Serving Strong fees are below what many life coaches charge for the same benefit.
Visit the coaching website for more information.

From The Blog
Spirit Marriage Parenting
Finances Physical LIfe Balance
Conflict Ministry General
Books

Quick Links
Covenant Eyes
Free Downloads
What is life coaching?
What is JourneyJolt?
365 Club on Facebook
Who is Scott Couchenour?

End Notes
Serving Strong PowerMail has been named an All Star for 2008 and 2009 by Constant Contact. This prestigious award is granted to companies who communicate regularly with their subscribers and who are clearly interested in hearing from them. Serving Strong maintains sound permission-based email marketing and list management best practices. Be assured Serving Strong will continue to do what's necessary to uphold this honor.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe look helpful and will add value to my subscribers, whether I have personally read them or not. As with all suggested materials, be diligent to assess for yourself whether or not something is right for you.
image credit
Confirm that you like this.

Click the "Like" button.

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

2010-09-15T11:34:00.000-05:00

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

2010-09-11T13:15:00.000-05:00

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

2010-09-10T10:55:00.001-05:00

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

2010-09-09T13:30:00.003-05:00

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.

Why Church

2010-09-08T09:30:00.003-05:00

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

2010-09-01T10:23:00.002-05:00

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

2010-08-31T11:35:00.002-05:00

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.

Holy Holy Holy

2010-08-26T09:14:00.002-05:00

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."

Sacraments

2010-08-25T11:07:00.003-05:00

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

2010-08-21T10:30:00.001-05:00

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

2010-08-19T10:13:00.002-05:00

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.

With the niabrara on the right

2010-08-18T11:23:00.003-05:00

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?

Eulogy

2010-08-17T10:04:00.003-05:00

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

2010-08-10T10:04:00.003-05:00

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

2010-08-04T11:43:00.002-05:00

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

2010-07-29T13:35:00.003-05:00

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

2010-07-26T13:47:00.002-05:00

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

2010-07-21T10:22:00.001-05:00

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 20th

2010-07-20T13:34:00.002-05:00

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

2010-07-19T16:25:00.004-05:00

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.

Mary and Martha

2010-07-13T10:39:00.000-05:00

Another take on the Mary and Martha. More on what is important in our lives.

Blogging to Sunday

2010-07-13T09:49:00.002-05:00

If I can borrow the term from Christian Century, I have been thinking about my sermon reflection for next Sunday. I have felt the Spirit pulling me in the direction about the marks of a Christian discipleship. This actually began July 4th in talking about new beginnings. Since then and using the scriptures from the Gospel of Luke, I have decided to preach on the 5 practices of a fruitful congregation that Bishop Schanse wrote about. Last Sunday using the parable of the Good Samaritan, I talked about risk taking mission. This Sunday I will be preaching on Martha and Mary about radical hospitality and what they both can teach us about being hospitable. There are many sermons that can be used in this pericope about what is important, challenging gender stereotypes, etc. But I believe they both point to some important considerations about welcoming and receiving.

Today I also wanted to share with you from a resource I have, "Crazy Book: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Biblical terms about Martha (p 184-185.) The following is the entry for Martha.
Martha Status: Martha is keeping her nose to the grindstone.
Profile
Profession: Home-maker, busy-body
Hometown: Bethany
Family: Mary (sister) and Lazarus (brother)
Interests: Cooking, hosting
Favorite Celebrity: Martha Stewart
Turn offs: Lazy people, holier-than-thou people, tardy people, clutter
Favorite quote: "Cleanliness is next to godliness." -- an old proverb.

"Have you ever had the feeling that you were doing all the work while others were just lying around doing absolutely nothing? Martha can relate. Luke's Gospel tells about the time that Jesus was welcomed into Martha's home. Also present was Martha's sister, Mary. While Martha was busy with many things--preparing dinner, dusting furniture, stashing clutter in the cabinet drawers--sister Mary just sat there! Just sat there listening to Jesus speak. Martha complained to Jesus: 'Hey! Jesus! I'm working my fingers to the bone here while Miss Ooh-It's-The-Messiah is siting around as usual! What is up with that!?' Jesus' response: 'Chill!' (Or something like that.) As a result, Martha has earned a reputation over the centuries for prefering household tasks to hearing the word of God in person.

Truth be told, we've always been Martha people rather than Mary people. So we're glad when Martha gets her own private audience with Jesus. It happens in the aftermath of the death of her brother, Lazarus. After Lazarus was good and dead and buried, Jesus showed up. While Mary stayed home (wouldn't you know it?), Martha went out to meet Jesus on the road. She was glad to see him, but perhaps also a bit annoyed. 'Hey! Jesus! Had you arrived a few days earlier, you could have healed my brother, and I wouldn't be wearing this black dress!' Here is where Jesus had a good word for Martha (a word that Mary wasn't around to hear): 'I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me even though they die will live....Do you believe this?' And in response, Martha had a pretty good word too.
Key verse: 'Yes, Lord I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world. (John 11:27; see also Luke 10:38-42 and John 11:1-44.)"

I wanted to share the above as we begin to reflect on Martha and Mary. For I believe both women have a lot to teach us in many ways.

Monday

2010-07-12T14:43:00.003-05:00

Had a great time with the grand children Friday through Sunday. Took time to show my son's family some of the diverse environment in the Sand hills. Attached are some of the pictures taken at Smith Falls.

Thursday

2010-07-08T09:43:00.002-05:00

I am preparing for this Sunday as well as enjoying the festival, "Middle of Nowhere." Great food which unfortunately is not doing anything for my Weight Watchers. I want to make a correction to what I was going to do Sunday. I am going to be talking about one of the five fruitful practices but it will be risk taking mission and service rather than radical hospitality. I plan to do that next week. I hate it when I get a week ahead of myself.

One aspect of the stories from Amos about the plumb line and the expert in law in Luke that struck me was the question that was proposed, "What must I do to have eternal life?" Both speak about the importance of choosing wisely how we live and both end up pointing to living a life that is based on justice and mercy. In my life (and sometimes I am guilty as well), I hear people espouse what others should do. Sometimes that is in the political arena and sometimes it is in the church. At times people state things but when I look at how they live or the choices they make there is a difference between what they say rather than what they do.

I remember when I would counsel families about what is important for their children I always say that what one does says more about one's values than what one says. In other words do we not only talk the talk but do we walk the walk in our lives. This is especially true if we claim we are Christians. Amos and Luke speak to this in the passages from the lectionary.

Tuesday July6th

2010-07-06T10:05:00.002-05:00

It is hard to believe that the year is more than half over. Soon summer will be over, school will begin, and for many churches the fall programs and groups begin to gear up. This is the time of year that one begins to anticipate the upcoming season and prepare for the new Christian year which technically begins in Advent. So I am beginning to reflect and learn about the new community that I have been appointed to. Today the Mid of Nowhere celebration begins and downtown Ainsworth is closed off for the carnival and other displays. Two weeks from now is the Day of the Cowboy celebration and two weeks after that Arts in the Park. Like church never a dull moment.

I am also preparing to preach this Sunday and using the lectionary will be focusing on themes from Bishop Schnase's book Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations with a spin based on the scripture. This week the scripture is coming from Amos 7:7-17 about the plumb line and Luke 10:25-37 on the Good Samaritan. So the first sermon will be on radical hospitality. The next week is the story from Luke on the Lord's prayer and I will talk about intentional faith development or being intentional in what we do in the name of Christ.

As I have reflected on that and as I prepared the bulletin, I came across the following from Homelitics and wanted to share it with you. Actually it would be better next week as the call to worship.

Call to Worship

Praise the Lord!

We never were intended, surely,
To come to church so doggoned early.
Yet here I am beneath this steeple
Gathered with God's dozin' people.
Just look at us! I might have guessed;
We all could use a lot more rest.
Perhaps this morn we'll be so blessed.

Praise God in God's sanctuary!
Praise God in the mighty firmament!

Good! He's going to read a psalm.
I love them, for they seem so calm.
I'll join the other people here
And let my mind slip out of gear.

Praise God for God's mighty deeds!
Praise God according to God's exceeding greatness!

The Smiths are late. They'll have to wait.
(My word, it's hard to concentrate!)

Praise God with trumpet sound!

I've come to find some peace and ease;
And so, dear Lord, no trumpets, please!
Well I recall that dreadful noise
Committed by those Beazley boys
Who tooted here last Eastertide
And gave me thoughts of homicide.

Praise God with lute and harp!

Lutes and harps -- that's much more wise!
And I'll lean back and close my eyes.

Praise God with timbrel and dance!

Do you suppose there's any chance
That someone will get up and dance?
Oh, no one here would be so crass!
Thank God, we're proper middle class!

Praise God with strings and pipe!
Praise God with sounding cymbals!

What?

Praise God with sounding cymbals! (CRASH!)

One more like that, for heaven's sake,
And we will all be wide awake.
Praise God with loud, crashing cymbals! (CRASH! CRASH!)

Well, Lord, I guess to each one here
Your point is now completely clear.
You seem to feel your drowsy sheep
Can't worship well while half asleep.
We thought you were more tenderhearted.
But now we're up, so let's get started!

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
--Psalm 150, as paraphrased by
David Steele,
Slow Down, Moses: A Lighthearted Look at People in the Bible
(Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1990), 109-11.

So are we yet awake?

Thursday

2010-07-01T11:29:00.004-05:00

Today is my official first day at my new churches. I have begun the process of learning names and getting into the flow of the communities. I am still amazed about all the activities that occur here in Ainsworth and the surrounding communities. Even if it is the "middle of nowhere" there is no reason one should be bored.

As I approach the first Sunday services, I am reminded of the number of times that scripture speaks to being called into ministry. What is so interesting is that way people receive the call. From Abraham to Paul, God speaks to us in such a variety of ways and means. From dreams, burning bushes, going about doing our everyday jobs, to traveling down the road, God can reach out to those He chooses. I had the opportunity to talk to a number of pastors in my life and the one thing they have expressed especially non-Methodists is the amount of moving that is common for our denomination. I know that John Wesley encouraged his elders to move and not become settled which was often based on the early apostles that traveled and planting churches. What was always true no matter how often one stays or how often one moves God is at work in all that we do. As the psalmist says, there is no where we can go that God is not already there. I don't know about others but I find comfort in that.

So today is the day of new beginnings as is each day of our lives. God is speaking to each of us calling us to go forth to do His Will.

Wednesday

2010-06-30T09:22:00.002-05:00

A couple of thoughts for today. The first is preparing for the transition between Springfield and Ainsworth. I have been not only trying to continue to bring order out of chaos but also to prepare for my first services. I will be focusing on New beginnings which comes from scripture readings in Isaiah 48:18-25 and Romans 12:1-8. The prophet speaks of God doing a new thing for the people of Israel. That transitions and change can effect large numbers of people. What makes a difference is how we respond to the changes. Paul speaks to the changes that occur within ourselves and ways that effects the body of Christ. I will be writing more on that in the future.

Also from Scott Serving Strong I wanted to share what he had to say.PowerMail (by Serving Strong)
A minute just for you because you help others
Issue #192

Self Sufficient

We admire it.
We teach it to our children.
We write books about how to obtain it.
It makes us marketable.
It produces good credit.
It feeds our self esteem

What is it? Self Sufficiency

Self sufficiency is only half good. We all need sufficiency. But its the self part that's the problem. Self is not always able to deliver. The moment we try to become self sufficient is the moment we climb the throne and knock out Christ as central command of our existence. We may think we can take on the world and its problems. But in the end we will be disappointed. Being in ministry only adds to the problem. Working with people is messy. Dealing in the eternal good and evil requires a kind of sufficiency that is impossible to manufacture on our own.

Lasting strength comes from a posture of brokenness and dependency on our Creator. That's because lasting sufficiency is a gift from outside of us, not a strength within us. So I challenge you with two assignments this week:

FIRST: Take 5 minutes to examine the level of self sufficiency you have allowed to permeate your life and ministry. Recommit yourself back to Christ as your sole source of sufficiency

SECOND: Read this blog post for more insight, which includes some scripture: "Stop Right Now"

If you wish to receive his weekly emails here is the address:Scott Couchenour (coach@servingstrong.ccsend.com) on behalf of Scott Couchenour (coach@progressmax.com)

Monday

2010-06-28T13:31:00.002-05:00

As we continue to make order out of chaos, I am reminded about how important it is to be able to organize one's life. We continue to have a relatively few boxes yet to unpack and yet it was only yesterday that we found our silverware. One thing that this can do is make one creative in how we are able to handle things ie. like eating oatmeal out of mixing bowls with plastic spoons.

My office is now my priority. We have the bedrooms set up, our living room mostly together, our family room with many paths, kitchen and bathrooms done. I am also working to prepare for my sermon this Sunday. I did find out that the radio station KBRB streams the service on air and on the computer starting at 11.

As I prepare and finish up the last few boxes, I have contemplated the scripture from Isaiah regarding doing a new thing. For truly this is a new time, with a new church, that happens on July 4th a time that we celebrate the birth of a new nation. This is also the 50th year from the first time an USA flag was flown over Philadelphia with 50 stars. A series of new times and places we remember. The important part of this is that we do not become complacent and not continue to see the new possibilities that God provides for us. So celebrate the remembrances but also prepare for the new the springs forth before us.

new start

2010-06-25T17:10:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to let people know that Nancy and I are safely in Ainsworth. Tuesday night we ran into a severe storm with winds over 60 mph, rain, hail, lightening. Had to pull over and the car was a rocking. Saw a tree limb fly over our car. No damage thank God. Since then the weather has been warm but no further storms as of yet.

The boxes are slowly but surely being unloaded. Sort like Christmas as each one seems to have a surprize. People have been welcoming, several gifts of certificates to eat out, flowers, and just stopping in to say hello. Just got the internet set up and running. This weekend is alumni weekend and each year has a float in a parade. Tonight is a car show and the Eagles hamburger flies. Sunday evening a meal at the park, Christian music, and fireworks. July 6-8 is the Mid Of Nowhere carnival with a variety of activities. Later this month is a cowboy celebration. Arts in the Park is in August. So if you don't have anything to do come on up. If we haven't completed unloading boxes we might put you to work.

Nancy and I want to thank all of the people who were so helpful with our packing and the variety of gifts as we left. We hope to see you again.

Take care
Pastor Eldon

Tuesday morning

2010-05-25T10:18:00.002-05:00

I had time to think about what I was going to preach about and decided to look at what I did 3 years ago. Can you believe that I preached on the same scriptures and used some of the same call to worship and prayers. Needless to say I revamped what I was thinking. I still wanted to preach on Wisdom and particularly focusing on leadership. I have been preaching on what it means to be church and spent time Sunday talking about Pentecost and how that can inform us about what church might mean for us. I thought Wisdom would be a great follow up to that. So instead of Proverbs 8, I am going to use scripture from the Wisdom of Solomon 6:12-25.

If you are wondering where in the Bible is the Wisdom of Solomon, you will have to have either a bible with the Apocrypha or a Roman Catholic bible. The book was not written by Solomon and appears to have been written close to the time that Jesus was born in the 1st century BCE. There is a great deal of Greek influence in the writing that differs from most of the Hebrew Testament. If you have the time, the entire book is interesting as is Sirach another book in the Apocrypha that speaks of Wisdom.

I have been reading Walter Bruegemann's newest book about Journey to the Common Good. He presents Solomon not as a person who truly desired Wisdom for the common good but rather desired wealth and power by exploiting workers to build the temple. Often conscripting forced labor much like the Pharaoh did to the Israelites in Egypt. So to speak of Wisdom and Leadership King Solomon would not be the example that we would want to follow.

Monday

2010-05-24T09:33:00.002-05:00

Here it is Monday once again and the cycle of life continues. I start each Monday with reading scripture and a prayer as I begin to process what next Sunday will bring and what the rest of the week looks like. I currently am in the between times. I will be moving at the end of June to Ainsworth which is about 205 miles from Omaha in the North Central part of Nebraska not far from the South Dakota border. As a result I am living in the chaos of boxes. Nancy and I are trying to sort through all of the things that we have accumulated. We have decided to try to eliminate, share, or sell what we have not used or even looked at in the last 4-6 years. We have taken a number of boxes of books to the half price book store to sell. The problem is that I have a hard time going to a book store and leaving empty handed. The good thing is that even if I purchase a book, I still leave with fewer than what I came in with.

This Sunday as I prepare for the worship service, there a number of ways that I could reflect on. The first is that this Sunday is Memorial weekend. There is a time that we need to remember those who gave of their lives for our freedom. It is also a time that we need to remember the One who gave his life for our life eternal. It is also Trinity Sunday and Peace with Justice Sunday.

The scripture is Proverbs 8, Psalm 8, Romans 5:1-5, and John 16:12-15. During seminary I did a video of a sermon on Proverbs 8 and I found that passage to be insightful for me. Though I will not preach the same sermon today, I am going to preach from Proverbs 8. The lection is Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31. I am going to use the entire chapter. I would suggest that readers look it up and particularly from The Message.

The question is how are we to live wisely? To what do we depend on? I sometimes think I focus on similar topics so often but it is amazing that Scripture continues in its entirety to point to a way of living our lives in a way that is simpler and less anxious. We seem to go out of our way to make it more difficult. So how would you answer the question. let me know.

Tuesday morning

2010-05-18T10:35:00.002-05:00

Every week I get an email from Scott called serving strong. It is aimed at those who work with others. I have not commented on his newsletter for awhile but this week's struck me especially as I am busy packing and trying to work on the bulletin and sermon and visits and and and. So read it and see if it might help in your life to develop these four habits.

Four Habits

Many of you are new to the Serving Strong PowerMail service. And those of you who have been subscribers for a while may also benefit from this week's issue.

If you hang around Serving Strong very long, you will hear about the "Four Habits". These are habits adopted by people who desire to be effective and to finish strong in their chosen "people-focused" field.

I will briefly describe the four habits in this issue and go into more depth throughout future issues. Here we go.

SPIN. You spin plates in your life. Plates include marriage, finances, spiritual life, parenting, relationships, personal order, etc. It's easy to get so focused on one plate, the others suffer. It's also easy to commit to too many plates at once. Good spin = maintaining appropriate plates with appropriate attention.

SWING. You were born into a world full of rhythm. The sun rises. The sun sets. You wake up. You go to sleep. Everywhere you look, rhythm is a part of your world. Similarly, you are more effective when you go in rhythm from rest to work, like on a pendulum swing, back and forth. Good swing = going full out in your work AND taking time to go full in for rest..

ALIGN. God created you like no other person. When you honor your uniqueness in your life and work you spend the right amount of energy. This leaves you exhausted in a good way. However, when you are working outside your uniqueness you spend more energy than necessary, leaving you fatigued in a bad way. Good alignment = spending 80 percent of your waking hours engaged in what honors your passion, personality, and proficiency (skills).

CENTER. This is the most pivotal habit of the four. It is the habit that puts the other three in perspective. It gives wisdom in selecting which plates to spin, when to swing, and when to stay with (or step outside) our alignment. Centering is the act of submission to God and His mysterious will. We do not have all the answers. So, good centering = a perpetual posture of brokenness and dependency on God.

How is your Spin? Your Swing? Your Align? And your Center? This week, evaluate your life based on the bold statements above.

Monday musings

2010-05-17T10:23:00.002-05:00

Here I am once again at my blog. Nancy and I were just interviewed by a reporter from the Papillion Times to be included in the Springfield News. As we were talking, it did give me a time to reflect on our church and some of the activities that have happened since we arrived. And not just the church but also the work at the library and in the community. There has been some great times and activities and people that we will miss as we begin our new journey in Ainsworth. It is a time of mixed feelings. The sadness of moving and leaving behind family and friends. There is also the anticipation of new challenges and work that God has set before us.

I am reminded of the vows that I took as an Elder in the church. I agreed to be willing to itinerate. So that means that I agree to go where the bishop sends me. Every time that I have moved I have found that God's ministry is present. Last Sunday I preached about trusting and having faith in Christ. It is in that we have our salvation. I humorously suggested that talk shows like Oprah or Dr. Phil will not provide the path of salvation. But neither does membership in a church, status as an elder, or any other position in the local church or general church. It is through what Jesus has done that salvation comes about. And that is extended to all of God's creation whether believed or not.

This Sunday is Pentecost. 50 days following the Passover. Often this is celebrated as the birth of the church. Actually it is the coming of the Holy Spirit that directs the disciples to leave their upper room and to go out into the world as Jesus commissioned them to do. So as we celebrate the coming of the Spirit, I would pray that we would remember that church is more than a building but is a people who have a task to do.

Thursday

2010-05-13T09:04:00.002-05:00

I finished the book Change the World: Recovering the Message and Mission of Jesus by Mike Slaughter. I have to say it was one of the most inspiring books that I have read in a long time. To give a hint the chapters include, Something's not working, Missional vs. Attractional, Inclusive vs Exclusive, Disciples vs. Decisions, Micro vs. Macro, Multiplication vs. Expansion, Mission vs. Mortar, and Courage vs. Compliance. To give a feel for what he has to say I did link his trailer earlier in my blog about this book. I have underlined, tabbed, and written notes throughout the book. What I find challenging is the emphasis less on doing church in a building and doing church in the world.

We often look at some of the mega churches particularly in the United Methodist tradition but also in other traditions that have reached more than 1000 up to 10,000. There is a need for people to hear the Word but are they truly becoming committed disciples. Also from my experience most of these churches are found in areas where there is an increase in population and also there is economic affluence. An example close to Nebraska is the Church of the Resurrection. Adam Hamilton has done a great job of building the church to become one of the largest churches in the United Methodist. Yet, COR is in one of the fastest growing and richest areas of Kansas City metro area. I even see that in Nebraska with the largest churches located in the growing edges of the state and the most high economic levels. While that is not wrong as those who are well to do need to hear the Word as much as others, there is a difference in what Mike Slaughter has done which may be more applicable to many churches particularly inner-city and even rural-urban settings.

Mike is the lead pastor of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church in Tipp City, Ohio. The church is located 30 miles from Dayton which recently was known as one of the fastest dying cities in the US. Yet, by his dedication to being the hands and feet of Jesus, he has developed committed disciples who go out into the world serving those in need locally and throughout the world. His congregation grew from 100 to now over 5000 in an area that most church planters would say would be a waste of resources.

Mike "presents seven choices pastors [and I believe every church must answer] as we consider the future of the church. Will you focus on building disicples or tallying decisions? Will you multiply your impact or expand your facilities? Will you step out in courage or comply with the status quo? Will you focus on mission or will you seek to only attract? Your answers to these and other questions determine how your church will focus its time, its energy, and its budget to work for real change in a hurting world."

I plan to reflect on some of the key parts of the book in the future. I am also reading another book by Walter Brueggemann, "Journey to the Common Good." From what I have read so far it too is a good book to look at what it takes to let go of the anxiety and consumerism of this world and focus on what is needed for the common good of all people. He uses the stories from Exodus, Jeremiah, and Isaiah to make his points.

Monday morning reflections

2010-05-10T08:55:00.002-05:00

Even though Sunday is the start of the week, I have always felt and particularly since being a pastor that Sunday ends a week of reflection, contemplation, and now a time of exhortation. Monday then becomes the start of the process as I prepare for the next week and especially as I begin to pray and reflect on the coming worship services.

Monday is the time that I begin the process of reading the scriptures that I have focused on. Often when I am doing a sermon series and have chosen the scriptures long in advance, I want to refresh myself and spend time once again reflecting on what is God saying to me today that may be different than when I first choose the passage. I do the same when I preach from the lectionary. Usually with the music director and praise band leader, we look at scriptures over a two to three month basis. Sometimes it is not that long of time and at times when something happens in the life of the church, I may change what I will be preaching.

Monday is the time that I commit to themes and solidifying them for Sunday. Again this can be influenced by what I feel that God is saying to me through prayer, scripture, and through other readings. For instance, this coming Sunday I will be focusing on two scriptures from the lectionary, Acts 16:16-34 and John 17:20-26. In the last few weeks, I have been reflecting on what it means to live the life that Christ calls us to do. I have read several articles and will be reading some recent books about rediscovering the mission Jesus calls us to do. One that I am currently reading is by Mike Slaughter titled "Change the World." I am still in the process of reading this but what struck me and will be a reflection is whether we are to be missional evangelists or attractional evangelists. According to what Slaughter states Jesus was not interested in attracting people but in having his disciples go out into the world. Church is not about attracting people into the church but equipping the church to go into the world to make disciples. As he states and I paraphrase the church's purpose is not to make casual observers but committed disciples.

As I read that and reflect on that and how that can inform the reading particularly in Acts, I am moved by what Paul and Silas were willing to do. They did not stay safely in the synagogue, they were not trying to get people in church, they were willing to go out into the world to proclaim the living gospel of Christ in acts of healing, preaching, and praising in the most difficult and trying situations.

Three Year Old Mother's Day Rap

2010-05-06T18:34:00.000-05:00