Land of the Free

The five Marines who were killed in an ugly display of evil last week in Chattanooga are some of the reasons we live in the land of the free.  The Marines, along with the rest of our military, help ensure that we are a nation that enjoys freedom.  Our founding fathers set the United States on a unique course at that point in history:  that we would seek freedom for all.  I am so grateful for the men and women that defend freedom on my behalf and on behalf of much of the world so that I can live a comfortable life in suburban America.  I am forever indebted to them.  I mourn for the families of the Marines who lost their lives.  I'm saddened for the people of Chattanooga, a community in which I have dear friends, because their freedom was interrupted with tragedy.

If there is one thing that I believe America has gotten right -- it's freedom.  Freedom is the gift God gave humanity.  We are free to choose good or bad.  We are responsible for our freedom.  People often want to ask in the face of tragedy like we saw in Chattanooga, "Why would God allow such evil or allow such a thing to happen?"  Well, God allowed freedom.  And we're either free or we're not.  There's not really an in-between.  We're free to choose good or chose evil.  But we have to live with the consequences of that freedom.  The man that killed those five Marines had the freedom to make a tragic choice.  God gives us that freedom because God wants us to freely choose Him.

We can certainly have laws that protect people, but we will never, ever be able to legislate people choosing wisely, because we always, ultimately have the freedom to choose poorly.  So what do we do?  We use our freedom for good.  We have the freedom to choose good every single day.  We honor the Marines who died in Chattanooga by using the freedom that service men and women have given us and that have been endowed to us by our Creator for good.  And choosing good makes a difference.

Recently, I've seen what I believe to be a father jogging around Grayson, but he's not alone.  He pushing his handicapped teenage son on a 3-wheel bicycle contraption.  He is always sweating and he is always smiling.  He could choose anger or bitterness.  He chose good.  He's choosing to soak up as much time with his son as possible.  He's choosing fitness and joy.  And I think about the stresses I have about parenthood.  They are meager.  I have the freedom choose good every day as a dad.  I can't change what happened in Chattanooga.  I can choose good.  And I believe that choosing good honors the freedom we've been given and inspires others.  It's all we've got.  Choose God.  Choose good.  Who knows how one decision might change someone's life to choose good the next time they are considering choosing evil?  That's how we make the world a better place.

Hidden Brokenness

Yesterday, I had about the funniest moment I've ever had in a public restroom.  It would not have been funny had I been on the other end.  I was in one of my favorite restaurants, um, taking care of some business.  I notice someone waiting to enter the stall.  When I opened the stall door, a woman was waiting.  The second she saw me, she was mortified.  She had made a terrible mistake.  About that time another gentleman entered the restroom, only adding to her embarrassment.  She shuffled out as quickly as she could and me and the other guy had a good laugh.  I've entered the wrong restroom before, but I don't think I've ever waited in line at one.

She had obviously been oblivious to the sign on the door.  She had been oblivious to the urinal.  She thought she was right.  It was an honest mistake.  It was not meant to be hurtful or harmful.  It was not malicious.  It was just innocent.  She wasn't paying attention, was too busy looking at her phone or maybe had something else in her mind.  For a good minute or two, she had no idea that she had made a mistake.  In fact, she was convinced she was right, until she abruptly found out differently upon my exit from the stall.  But no matter how unintentional or innocent, she was wrong.  No matter if she thought she'd made the right decision, she'd made the wrong decision.

Let me tell you what scares me about my own brokenness:  I could be making wrong decisions that I think are right.  Because my intentions are broken.  My heart is broken.  My will is broken.  My mind is broken.  I am broken.  I could be oblivious to the fact that I'm going through the wrong door simply because I'm not paying attention.  My mind is so cluttered that it's entirely possible I'll be embarrassed at some of the decisions I've made when I find out how terribly wrong I've been.  But this isn't just my problem -- it's you're problem, too.  We are all broken.

We spend a lot of time (and rightfully so) working through our hang-ups, addictions, and nagging sins.  We try to submit to God the parts of our lives that we KNOW to be outside His will.  What concerns me, though, is that we are the woman in the Panera restroom.  We are mindlessly wondering through life not knowing how wrong we are.  We are too busy to stop and think if we're making the right decision.  We have lost focus and are just entering whatever door seems closest.  Sometimes, we even are convinced we're right, but we're just flat wrong.  We saw things incorrectly.  Does it ever occur to us that we could be seeing things incorrectly?

There is hope.  His name is Jesus.  This is why we need a Savior.  This is why we can't fix ourselves.  This is why we can't be left to work this out.  We don't even know how to work this out.  We are broken.  We need grace and forgiveness -- for the mistakes we KNOW we're making and the mistakes we DON'T EVEN KNOW we are making.  This is why I'm so thankful for Christ, because I'm a mess.  I don't even know how big a mess I am.  I just know I need Jesus.  We all do.  And, this is why we are reminded to be alert and mindful in the Scriptures.  I believe as we embrace Jesus more, we can become more aware of all our intentions, attitudes and motivations.  But we won't straighten it all out.  We're broken in ways that are hidden.  Yet, Jesus makes us whole.

Too Close to Home

The Honorable Rev. Clementa Pinckney

The voice was simply unmistakable.  It had become a staple of my trips to D.C.  At my first orientation at Wesley Theological Seminary, I remember hearing his voice.  Clementa Pinckney had a voice you simply couldn't forget.  It must have been what James Earl Jones sounded like 30-40 years ago.  Clementa and I were working on our Doctorate of Ministry in Church Leadership at Wesley.  After seeing all my Georgia Bulldog apparel, he struck up our first conversation because his cousin, Sanders Commings, played for the Dawgs from '09-'12.  We were suite mates during one of my stays there.  I looked forward to seeing him, sharing a few conversations with him and hearing his wonderful voice when I'd go up for classes.  Clementa was just a beautiful man.

That's why Charleston just hits too close to home.  Clementa was the Senior Pastor at Mother Emanuel AME Church, and he was a friend.  A shooter marched into a prayer meeting killing nine people.  it was close to home.  The shooter once attended the high school where my brother teaches and where my nephew is a rising senior.  It's just too close to home.  South Carolina is my home state.  It's just too close to home.  I'm a United Methodist Pastor and Mother Emanuel was a sister Methodist Church from the African Methodist Episcopal tradition.  It's too close to home.  My church gathers for prayer meetings.  It's too close to home.

Except for one thing.  I'm white.  The last few months have seen our country struggle with violence, anger and racially charged tension.  This is the second of those that has hit close to home.  My time at Wesley also allowed me the privilege of gaining a Baltimore City Councilwoman as a friend.  I am strangely more connected to these issues than ever before.  It's close to home.  But I'm white.

What being white, and particularly a white Christian, means for me now is naming the reality that I don't fully understand the hurt, anger, fear and frustration of our African-American brothers and sisters.  To say that I understand how ALL OF THIS feels is disingenuous and false.  To say that race isn't an issue in all of this is insensitive and wrong.

But I do ache for our land, and I hope you do, too.  So what I want to say is that I weep for our broken world.  I mourn for those who were lost and their families that remain.  I stand with my African-American brothers and sisters.  I work for justice.  I pray for those who think hate and violence are the answer.  I long for healing in our hearts.  I hope for grace and forgiveness to become a reality in this world.

Let those of us who are white not pretend that there aren't real issues involving race.  Let those of us that are Christian not offer trite answers to this ugliness.  Let those of us who are African-American believe that there are many of us from all races that stand with you and want to see justice in our world. Let the people of God BE THE CHURCH in and for this broken world.  And most of all, let the Lord of love heal our land.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Leadership & Life Lessons from My First (and Probably Only) Season of Coaching T-Ball

The Fightin' Super Tigers -- Champs!

I was going to help coach.  You know, be an assistant.  I had two boys that would be playing together.  One 4 and one 6, at the time.  But, I had two other sons playing flag football, and it was a busy season at church.  Then I got the call:  "We need one more head coach.  Would you be willing to coach?"  I love my community, so I begrudgingly agreed.  I really, really didn't have time for this.  And I'm a football guy.  I quit baseball after the 8th grade and most of my glory on the diamond happened in church softball leagues.  But I know enough to coach Kindergartners.  And I know a lot about kids.  So I did it.  We had a blast, gave ourselves a cool name (Fightin' Super Tigers), made a lot of new friends and good memories and won the league championship, with a 14-0 record.  I was so proud of our boys, and I learned a good deal about life, parenting, leadership and even a little about church.

• You can't change the past, so why rehash it.  Point to a better future.  T-ballers make mistakes all the time.  They throw it when they should hold it, hold it when they should throw it.  They run the wrong direction and tag the wrong runner.  After a mistake and play has stopped, if you yell at a T-baller, they're just going to cry.  The only thing you can do is point to them to the next opportunity.  "Hey, next time throw it here."  "Next time get your glove down."  "Next time, run to this base."  People are the same.  They don't need our judgment, but they do need people who care about the them to point toward a better future.  The church could learn something from this.  We need to stop yelling at the world for the mistakes it's made and point toward a better future with Jesus.  People need hope, not condemnation. 
• There are often a lot of voices telling us what to do.  Be sure and listen to the right ones.  People are screaming like crazy in the stands when a fielder has the ball in T-ball, telling them what to do with it.  About half of those are right.  Kids have to learn to trust their coach, which says a lot about authority but also listening to the right voices in life.  All of us have voices telling us a lot of things.  Not all of them are telling us to throw it in the right direction.  Who are the influences you're listening to?
• Every organization needs team members to play their role well.  My youngest wasn't crazy about playing right field and batting last, but he was very inexperienced and the smallest guy on the team.  There is only one circle (pitcher position) and only one kid can play it.  You have to have others do their part.  I heard one comment after we won the championship game that our outfield won the game because they got the ball in to the infield after every ball hit to them.  This is an accomplishment in T-ball.  But the 'role players' made the difference in the championship.
• Listen to experts and learn from them.  Like I said, I don't know much about baseball, but last year, we played on a T-Ball team that went 15-0 with one of the best coaches my boys have ever had.  He knew baseball and I came home after the 1st practice and said, "We're going to be pretty good."  I modeled our practices and gameday routine after him.
• Winning is fun and creates organizational momentum.  The bottom line is that winning is fun.  We went 14-0.  People say the kids don't care about winning, but after every game they were shouting "We won, we won, we won!"  They came up with this on their own.  We had fun anyway, and I've been a part of teams that had a lot of fun, kids got better and we didn't win a lot of games.  Winning isn't everything, especially at this age.  But, winning creates organizational momentum.  When staffs, businesses, teams, churches, or organizations don't ever feel like they are winning, it's hard to create momentum.  So, is your organization winning?
• People don't mind working hard if they they believe in the vision.  Our last week of the season, after a 2 1/2 month season, we had games on Monday, Thursday and Saturday in the end of year tournament.  I scheduled a practice on Friday night.  Nearly all the team showed up and I think it made the difference in the championship game.  We didn't play great that Thursday, and we needed to work to play better.  The vision was not to win.  The vision was to make sure we play our best.  That's all we can control.  We needed to practice to be our best.  Parents bought into the vision of excellence.
• Sometimes others have to step up.  We had games where kids were sick, injured our out of town and kids had to switch positions.  They did great.  Families, churches, businesses, and teams all have times others have to unexpectedly step up.  Nearly every game a kid who wasn't one of our biggest hitters got a key hit and got on base we needed to avoid an out.  If your organization has a mantra of "That's not my job," that's dangerous territory.  People have to step up and share responsibilities if an organization is going to be successful.
• People skills matter.  I don't know baseball, but I know how to motivate young people to be the best they can be.  I truly believe that in our culture today, you have to have people skills.  I am concerned about a generation that spends most of its time with a face in front of a screen.  Will they have the capacity to communicate with people in 10, 20, 30 years?  I hope so.  I believe people skills are the most important.  Love people, communicate with people, encourage people.  And people respond.
• There will be days you are not at your best.  Can you still compete on those days?  No one feels like a million bucks every day.  We had days when we didn't play our best, but we had to pick ourselves up and play as hard as we could.  Life has seasons we're not at our best.  Sometimes it's as simple as putting one step in front of the other.  You have to keep going.
• Running from third base to home is a dangerous trek.  As the pitcher to my team, I ran over two kids running home as I exited the field while looking down the first base line.  One of them was my older son on the team.  Both kids lived to tell about it.  
• My youngest led the league in hat and glove throwing while in the outfield.  I mean, he was a champion at glove throwing.  Best I've ever seen.  He had a blast this season.  And I'm pretty sure he would have had just as much fun if we'd have been 0-14.  Because he was coached by his dad and got to play ball.

                                               

                                                                Brooks, my youngest, the team clown.

It was a fun spring.  Sports teach us a lot of lessons.  And I've learned one more.  I think I'm going to retire from coaching and go out on top!

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (5.14.15)

I hope you're week is going great.  It's hard to believe that school is almost out.  This Sunday, we'll be finishing up our series as we talk about "Why are Christians so fake?"  We'll be talking about how we can be authentic followers us Jesus.

We've got a couple of service opportunities coming up:

• This Friday, May 15 - Come help paint, install new toilets, clean and put the finishing touches in the restrooms at Harmony Grove.  11 am - 4 pm
• Saturday, May 16 - Come help finish up the restrooms.  Contact me about times at Harmony Grove
• Sunday, May 17 - We'll be doing some changes to our set-up at the Gwinnett Campus after worship.  Stick around and or come out to help move around some things to help the Co-Op get ready for their summer ministry.

Thought for the Week
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  Matthew 28:20

This week, a fellow United Methodist pastor in the Atlanta-Emory District lost his son to cancer at 23.  He battled for four years.  It rocks me to my core when a parent loses a child.  It is not the order of life.  We don't expect it.  It's wrong.  We are supposed to bury our grand-parents and parents.  We are not supposed to bury our children.  I can't imagine the pain and loss they are going through.  It is another example of the broken nature of our world.  Nineteen year-olds are not supposed to get cancer -- but the world is broken.  Right before He ascended, Jesus said these words to his disciples and best friends:  "I am with you."  He did not say, "Now everything's going to be fine."  He promised His presence, no matter what brokenness we are going through.  The stress of a job that few understand.  Depression.  Disease.  Broken relationships.  Struggling with parenting.  Family drama.  Whatever it is, Jesus promises to be WITH us.  To never leave us, to walk along side us.  Sometimes, it's the only comfort, but it's the comfort that matters.  We are not abandoned.  We are called His own, and He is here.  It won't fix all your problems.  It doesn't take away the pain of loss and suffering.  But it is a real promise and one that we can rest in.  God is here.  Always has been.  Always will be.

In Christ,

Carter 

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (5.7.15)

I hope you've had a great week.  This series "Why are Christians so..." has challenged me.  It's difficult work for Christ followers to dig deep into what others think of us, especially if it's uncomfortable.  It's so easy to just say, "Well, God knows the truth."  Over and over again in the Bible, we see people like Noah and Job who grew not only in their faith, but in their stature and reputation among others around them.  This week, we're going to continue the hard work of looking within and ask what others are asking:  "Why are Christians so self-righteous?"

Thought for the Week
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing."  Luke 13:34

That's a quote from Jesus many don't know.  He looks over Jerusalem and sees them with a mother's eyes.  God is often described as our loving Father, and rightfully so.  He is the Father that waits expectantly for the prodigals to come home.  But Jesus takes a different angle.  He sees those that are hurting and scattered through the lens of a mother's love.  This Sunday is Mother's Day and a time all of us reflect back on the love of our mother, whether or not she is still with us.  Of course, we're also reminded of the many other women who mothered us through the years.  A grandmother, step-mom, aunt or even Sunday School teacher.  There is something about the nurturing spirit of motherly love.  Do you know that this is how Christ sees you?  He wants to nurture you and guide you back on the path.  He wants to gather you up and put band-aids on all your old wounds.  He wants to sit around the table and nourish you.  He wants to bring you home, with him, to love you and dote on you.  Let us not be among those that scatter and run away from this Eternal Parent that wants us back in the fold.  Let us not be fearful of a Big Judge in the sky.  That is not the image Jesus intends here.  No, the message is clear.  As a mother hen sees her precious little chicks, so I see you.  You are vulnerable, but you are mine.  Come home where it is safe.  No matter how far you've wandered...you can always come home to Jesus.

In Christ,

Carter McInnis
Lead Pastor

Tragedy

Yesterday, the state of Georgia was rocked with the news of five young Georgia Southern students who were killed in a multi-car wreck on I-16.  The five young women were nursing students on the way to a clinical in Savannah.  From the pictures I've seen of them on social media, they were full of life and enthusiasm.  Sometimes you can see it in a smile.  I thought of a few of my dearest friends who have daughters at GSU.  It could have been them.  They're about the same age.  It hits close to home.

Simply, there is not real answer for tragedy.  Shame us when we try to find one.  God did NOT need five more angels.  God's got plenty of angels, and we humans don't become angels anyway.  It wasn't 'their time to go.'  No one has a time.  It wasn't God's will.  My God is not in the business of killing young, vibrant college students.  Everything does NOT happen for a reason.  Sometimes there are no reasons.  Sometimes there is simply tragedy that interrupts life.

We live in a broken world where sin, death, and tragedy are a reality.  There was a plan in which it was not like this.  It was called Eden.  But the brokenness of humanity knocked this world off it's axis, and we've seen heartache and tragedy ever since.  It was not God's original design that we would ever see death.

To believe that God wills our deaths and controls events is a tragic and unfortunate kind of thinking.  It doesn't reveal the true heart of God and the greatest promises of Scripture.  Tragedy simply happens.  Our broken world rears its ugly head sometimes.  Life derails just because it does.  There are no reasons, no greater plan, and no answers.

But there are promises.  God's promise is that He is with us, even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  He comforts us.  He does not and will not abandon us, no matter how bleak it seems.  My hope and prayer for those families of those precious girls is that they would know the abiding presence of God in these days and the days to come.

And there is another promise.  We weren't supposed to taste death, but we did.  The fall of humanity in Genesis carved a path that each of us have followed.  Since the beginning, we have had a death problem.  God fixed that.  That's why Easter matters to us.  Those of us who follow Christ are still in the 'Easter Season' in which we are celebrating Christ's resurrection from the grave.  We believe Jesus defeated death.  And the hope of the Christian is that, in Christ, we will, too.  Not only in eternal life, but in the resurrection to come.  We really believe that.  We believe that God is with us in the valley, and that one day we will rise again, stare death in the face and say, "Where, o death, is your victory; where is your sting?"  

In the face of tragedy, let us not say the trite things that end up being hurtful more than helpful.  There is no reason for these things.  God is as heartbroken as us.  He weeps at our broken world.  He weeps at our death.  But He is with us, and he has been devising a plan to win back His people over death since the beginning.  May those who face tragedy rests in His presence, and may we all hope in His promises.