What happened to Tuesday & Wednesday?

You have to understand my context.  I grew up in a community that did not have churches with a strong liturgical presence.  Then, I went to college and started going to a United Methodist Church, which celebrates many of the holy days in the Christian year.  However, the church I attended in college was largely contemporary and laid back with and felt a lot more like the Southern Baptist Church I grew up in, only with drums and an acoustic guitar.  So, when I served my United Methodist Church, fresh out of college and barely in seminary, I looked at them like they'd lost their mind when they asked me what we were doing for Advent.  Advent?  Is that when we celebrate people like Thomas Edison?  And when I first heard about Maundy Thursday, I thought, "What happened to Tuesday and Wednesday?"

I had a lot of learning to do.  The background for the term "Maundy Thursday" is even a little sketchy.  Experts can't even really agree on where the term Maundy came from.  You can read the Wikipedia page about it here.  My guess is even a lot of people going to services on Holy Thursday (which makes a lot more sense to say to me) don't know what Maundy means and maybe even the significance of the events of the day we are celebrating.

The story of Jesus' last meal with His disciples is rich with meaning for us, but the one that has stuck in my head has been that of how Jesus handed betrayal.  I recently read a book by Rev. Heidi Neumark about her 20 years as pastor of Transfiguration Lutheran Church in the South Bronx.  In it she tells a story of a grafitti memorial to one of the prominent gang members who was killed in the community.  He was killed in a gunfight that ensued because of his retaliation for being betrayed by a fellow gang member.  For years, people lit candles, left stuffed animals, and brought fast food to leave at the makeshift altar.  But that is not the only way to respond to betrayal.

Jesus was betrayed as well on the Thursday before Easter, and he chose sacrifice.  Judas was the first betrayer, but not the last.  All of His disciples (even mighty Peter) would desert him that night, yet Jesus still chose the cross.  The burgers and fries left at the altar of the slain gang member represent the choice to act in revenge to those that betray us; the bread and cup at the altar of Christ represent the choice to act in sacrifice to betrayal.  We have a choice when we are betrayed (and you will be).  We can retaliate with revenge, and perhaps it'll feel good in the short term.  Or, we can choose the way of Jesus and retaliate with love, forgiveness and sacrifice.  Holy Thursday is a reminder that Jesus chooses to love us and sacrifice for us even though we all betray him by our own sin, but it is also a reminder that we have the choice to respond as Jesus when we are betrayed.  The revenge of the world leaves us with sad memorials; sacrifice in the way of Jesus leads to resurrection.

I don't fit in

In the last year, I've become a pretty avid coffee drinker.  It makes me happy :)  However, I'm not really a Starbucks guy.  I like the coffee there just fine.  It's not that.  It's that I don't fit in.  I've scheduled a couple of meetings at Starbucks the last couple weeks because it seemed like the easiest location, and it was a good excuse to get an afternoon cup of coffee, which is not my norm.  When I walk in, I feel like I'm just not cool enough to be there.  I don't fit in.  I'm not trendy enough.  I'm not exactly sure how to order and what to order.  I don't go enough to remember which of their strange names for sizes are actually small, medium and large, so I have to look at the board, which is in a type-face meant for people with better vision than me.  I always feel like they're ready for the uncool, not-dressed-trendy dad to leave.

What a powerful example this is to the church and so crucial for Easter weekend.  Millions of people who haven't been in a long time and maybe ever will pour into churches this Sunday.  They come for the same reason I went to Starbucks:  the location is convenient and something is there that they think they want.  However, will their experience be like mine?  Will they hear language that doesn't make any sense or that they can't remember.  Will they feel like they are dressed appropriately?  Will they feel like they're being judged and pushed out the door as soon as possible?  Will they get what they came for, but leave with an empty cup?

This is not an indictment on traditional church.  In fact, one of my fears for the modern church is that we embrace trendiness so much that people who aren't 25, fit, and dressed out of a Banana Republic window don't fit in.  I think people just need space to be themselves.  I think people need to be coached in the things that hold meaning for us instead of us assuming they get it.  I think people simply need to feel the trends of grace and love instead of insider language, clothes, and atmosphere.  It's not that complicated to make people feel welcome.  Let's hope the Body of Christ uses the leverage of Easter to do it.

Stay Hungry

"Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, for they will be filled." Matthew 5:6


I'm finding that I'm hungry lately. Not for burgers, fries, pizza or brownies. I've been hungry for more Jesus. I'm finding that the busier I get, the more necessary it is to slow down and seek Jesus' heart. I'm finding that the more my schedule fills the more I need to make time for time with Him. There is no secret to prayer. There are no special words or formulas. It is relationship at it's purest. Pouring your guts out and listening without interrupting. And there is no substitute for it. There are times when life calls for prayers on the run. It's a blessing that God is with us wherever we are; however, I want more. I hunger for more. I need to drink from the deepest well God has.

If you are too busy to pray, you are too busy. If your life is too loud to find time for a few moments of quiet, your life is too loud. If your schedule is too full to make and appointment with God, your schedule is too full. Christians too often call themselves people of faith but live very 'fleshly.' We depend on talent and strategy instead of dipping into the supernatural relationship we have with our Heavenly Father. We end up living surface lives with shallow faith. I have found that I need more than surface stuff from God. I need to the deepest stuff He's got. That takes time and patience and listening and reading. It takes a concerted effort. It takes being hungry for it. Work as hard as you can to be the best you can, but hunger for the things of God to which your best efforts and hard work can't come close. My prayer is that we would be a church full of people that are hungry for righteousness.

I missed it

Well, it happened last night.  My oldest son hit is first home run.  He's got rec specs this year, so he can actually see the ball.  That helps.  Hit it straight to center field and rounded the bases as fast as he can.  In the same game, my second-born hit a triple.  Great night at the plate for the Mac boys.  And I missed it.  I wasn't there.

No, I wasn't at a church meeting, denominational meeting, or emergency pastoral call.  I was helping coach my 4-year old's T-ball team at another park at the same time.  It is part of the challenge of having four boys during baseball season.  At least this year we only have two teams to follow.  Next year we will probably have four.

My children totally understand because they know no other world than being in a big family.  Somebody had to take the Walkman (that's what we call our 4-year old, Walker, sometimes) to his game, and my responsibilities as one of coaches for his team makes that decision a no-brainer.  It will be the first of a couple of simultaneous games I miss this year for my older boys.  But they need to learn this lesson.  I was raised in a family where my folks were at virtually everything I participated in:  chorus, church, sports and anything else.  I believe in doing the same thing.  However, my boys have to learn the lesson, now or eventually, that Momma and Daddy will NOT always be there.  I am not omnipresent.  In fact, I'm not omni-anything.  I'm just a dad.  My hope and prayer for my boys is that they develop a deep relationship with the Father who IS omnipresent, who can be with all His children at once.  A Father that will always be there, even when they feel all alone and like the whole world is against them.  A Father who will never leave them or miss a game.  My goal as a parent is not to make every game.  I want to, but it's not what's most important.  My goal as a parent is to make sure they know they are loved by a Father that is always there, even when Momma and Daddy pull out of a parking lot at some dorm at some college a long time from now.

Justice

"If you open your heart to the hungry and provide abundantly for those who are afflicted, your light will shine in the darkness." Isaiah 58:10

God has been telling me something about justice lately. One of the books I had to read for my doctoral studies was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Stride Toward Freedom about the civil rights story during his time in Montgomery. Of course, we're hosting Family Promise beginning this Sunday, and I've been given the honor of speaking at the Family Promise National Convention (which is in Atlanta) this May. Last night, this passage was one of the ones in our LIFE Group study that meets at our house. Okay, God, I think I get the hint. The Church has done more for the poor than any organization in the history of planet earth. However, we have also rightfully gotten a bad rap for not being for justice in the world.

Christians often give to a missionary overseas, send a shoebox filled with goodies to a far off country, or volunteer a day at a local soup kitchen and feel like we've done our good deed for the day...or year. But followers of God never get a pass. In fact, this is one of the primary ways we are a light for the community. We live in a world where people feel alone, downtrodden, helpless, and outcast. People live in darkness. The simplest of deeds, as the Body of Christ in the world, can help people see light in the darkness. But we don't do this to feel better about ourselves. We don't do this for show. We do this because it honors God, who is FOR justice, who is FOR people. When we become FOR the things God is for, we start to look like Him. You want to grow closer to God? Then be about the things He is about -- you'll find Him standing right next to you.

Got Questions?

Church of the Way is doing a series starting in April called "Preacher, I've got a question."  It's about the questions that people always want to ask about God, the Church, the Bible, Jesus or just Life.  We want to shape it around the real questions of the community, so we need your help.  We're going to take the best and most often used questions for the series and answer the rest through this blog.  What questions do you want answered?  Feel free to reply in the comments and be anonymous if you like!

The Bible

So, I watched "The Bible" last night on the history channel (I got started about 30 minutes into it), and I'll have to say I was disappointed...in my colleagues.  During a commercial break I thumbed through my News Feed to see what was going on in Facebook world.  There was a lot of chatter about The Bible, which I thought was cool.  However, every negative comment I read was from a fellow clergy person, while generally the laypersons I'm friends with commented positively, or at least with intrigue.

That breaks my heart.  There is something terribly wrong when pastors with academic theological training can't see opportunities for ministry when they are so blatantly laid out for us.  Moreover, I fear that pastors don't understand the power of their words (even a random Facebook post).  The message was loud and clear:  "Don't watch this, don't get to thinking about the Bible.  By all means, turn it back to The Walking Dead or the Heat vs. Pacers game.  I am."  What if the message sent was different:  "Wow, interesting stuff in this Bible special.  It raises some questions.  Let's talk about them."  Furthermore, it makes pastors seem snooty.  Most pastors I know aren't snooty, but when we make snide remarks about instances when culture steps into the world of theology it makes us seem snooty.  Then, why would a parishioner even dare ask us a genuine question about faith or the Bible if we're snooty when people get things wrong about Scripture?

Look, it's a TV show, but it's on TV.  One of the most powerful persuasive forces in our culture is showing 10 hours called 'The Bible'.  It was made by believers who wanted to portray it the best they could for the culture.  It's an opportunity for dialogue.  It's an opportunity to get people in our communities and churches talking, thinking, and (gasp) actually reading the Bible.  That's where the power is unlocked.  We believe that all things necessary for salvation are revealed in the Scriptures, so why in the world would we want to downgrade an honest attempt to turn people to them?  It just bugged me.  I'm blessed to serve alongside some great pastors who lead their churches with integrity, and we can do better.  Society doesn't need snooty signals about all things theological.  Society needs us to lead the conversation.  Watch the show, ask questions, and read the Book.