Hey Church!
I'm so excited to share with you this Sunday in our conclusion to "Surviving the Election." It's the last Sunday before Election Day, and I believe God wants to continue to shape us in His image. I hope you'll be there.
Also, don't forget to set your clocks back 1 hour this Saturday before you go to bed or you'll show up to church REALLY early!
If you want to start bringing supplies for the Turkey Fry, feel free to drop them off at either location this Sunday:
o Boxed potatoes
o Canned corn
o Canned green beans
o Jiffy cornbread mix
o Stuffing mix
o Canned cranberry sauce
o Brownie or cookie mix
Thought for the Week
"In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10
I was enthralled, as many of you were, watching Game 7 of the World Series last night. We were truly watching history. Most of us don't know someone who was alive the last time the Cubs won the series 108 years ago. A cursed franchise and patient fan base were finally rewarded. Sports are about competition. That's why you play - to win. The jubilation of finally winning after years of hard work (or a century of waiting) was breathtaking. It was different, too. The players seemed to understand the moment. They weren't just men happy to win a boys game. They cried for their city. In the stands, they wept. The smiles could hardly be wiped off their faces. And they wept in utter joy. They had finally won the most important one of them all. I believe there is a cosmic competition much more series than our games. This competition is for the hearts and souls of men and women. God has waited, fought, died and resurrected to win each and every heart. Each person is eternally more important than any Game 7. And when I saw the celebration last night, this verse immediately popped into my head. This is what heaven looks like when a sinner comes home to Jesus. There is hugging, dancing, tears of joy, laughter, and dog piles. There is jubilation and rejoicing. There is a party in heaven. I'm addicted to helping parties in heaven happen. If you are worried what God might think if a sinner like you comes home, what He thinks is that he's going to throw a party that would be the envy of Chicago. If you are wondering if it is worth it for the Church to do any and everything to reach people for Jesus, there are parties being planned and waiting our help to make them happen. Outside Wrigley? That's about what it looked like when you came to Jesus, except better. Let's be people helping God plan more parties!
In Christ,
Carter McInnis
Lead Pastor
First United Methodist Church of Griffin
Showing posts with label Evangelism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Evangelism. Show all posts
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
On Politics, Faith and Who's Right
Just as we've celebrated our nation's birthday again (can you believe in a mere 10 years we'll be 250 years old -- that'll be a great party!), I soberly remember that we are almost exactly four months from perhaps the most contentious election in U.S. history. This Friday will be the four month marker to November 8th. The glow of the fireworks and our unity in red, white and blue will soon fade to mud-slinging and name-calling. I wish it weren't true. But it is.
Pastors hold an interesting place in the political spectrum of America. I lead a congregation and seek to reach a community that is surely comprised of Democrats, Republicans and everything in between. My goal in ministry is never to sway votes because earthly elections seem so small in the face of my eternal calling. I'm trying to sway people to Jesus, not Trump or Clinton or whatever local leader that's up for election. That doesn't mean I don't have opinions. I just kind of pride myself in the idea that you'd have to have a crowbar to get them out of me. My political opinions are my opinions, and they're not much helpful to my cause as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus. Moreover, I'm increasingly convinced that I am grossly ill-informed and uneducated as to the depths of most political issues. I am inclined to not have strong opinions about things in which I know my knowledge is limited.
I am greatly concerned about the next four months, though, as it relates to the Body of Christ. I am troubled at how we might portray ourselves in these next four months. Church, can we please be the Church, at it's best, this election season? Can we live Proverbs 13:3,
"Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin."
If you are not a Christian, that's still some pretty good advice. If you're a Christian, it's in the book. We're supposed to do it.
A key concept for me to recall is that most of the political issues that any of us get all hot and bothered about are very complex. I recently starting reading John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage. In the foreword, his brother, Robert, says that any democracy exists "in the struggle for solutions which are very rarely easy to find." John Kennedy later writes, "There are few if any issues where all the truth and all the right and all the angels are on one side."
It's why speaking rashly comes to ruin. When we sit an think things through, we can at least see other angles to the story. Our 'side' in a political debate almost never has all the right on its side. We'd do well to recognize and admit that. We can understand that it's very complex. And we understand a bigger picture. For the Christian, the bigger picture is eternity.
Church, convincing someone to vote for your candidate will not secure their eternity. Convincing someone to follow your Christ will save their soul. But you and I won't do it with words. I'm not saying it's not an important election. I'm just saying there's something far more important at stake on which to focus our energies, so let's guard our lips.
*John F. Kennedy. Profiles in Courage. New York: Harper Collins, 2003.
Pastors hold an interesting place in the political spectrum of America. I lead a congregation and seek to reach a community that is surely comprised of Democrats, Republicans and everything in between. My goal in ministry is never to sway votes because earthly elections seem so small in the face of my eternal calling. I'm trying to sway people to Jesus, not Trump or Clinton or whatever local leader that's up for election. That doesn't mean I don't have opinions. I just kind of pride myself in the idea that you'd have to have a crowbar to get them out of me. My political opinions are my opinions, and they're not much helpful to my cause as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus. Moreover, I'm increasingly convinced that I am grossly ill-informed and uneducated as to the depths of most political issues. I am inclined to not have strong opinions about things in which I know my knowledge is limited.
I am greatly concerned about the next four months, though, as it relates to the Body of Christ. I am troubled at how we might portray ourselves in these next four months. Church, can we please be the Church, at it's best, this election season? Can we live Proverbs 13:3,
"Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin."
If you are not a Christian, that's still some pretty good advice. If you're a Christian, it's in the book. We're supposed to do it.
A key concept for me to recall is that most of the political issues that any of us get all hot and bothered about are very complex. I recently starting reading John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage. In the foreword, his brother, Robert, says that any democracy exists "in the struggle for solutions which are very rarely easy to find." John Kennedy later writes, "There are few if any issues where all the truth and all the right and all the angels are on one side."
It's why speaking rashly comes to ruin. When we sit an think things through, we can at least see other angles to the story. Our 'side' in a political debate almost never has all the right on its side. We'd do well to recognize and admit that. We can understand that it's very complex. And we understand a bigger picture. For the Christian, the bigger picture is eternity.
Church, convincing someone to vote for your candidate will not secure their eternity. Convincing someone to follow your Christ will save their soul. But you and I won't do it with words. I'm not saying it's not an important election. I'm just saying there's something far more important at stake on which to focus our energies, so let's guard our lips.
*John F. Kennedy. Profiles in Courage. New York: Harper Collins, 2003.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
We Don't Know What to Do
We don't know what to do. We are becoming numb to terror. At least 34 dead in Brussels. At least 16 dead on the Ivory Coast. And we don't know how to to respond. But this is the same with all of life. In the United States, we are in the middle of the most brutal political season ever, namely because of social media. More people are more aware of what is going on because of media coverage and more people than ever are sharing their opinions because of social media. And we don't know how to respond.
When I say 'we,' I mean all of humanity, but I can't ever say 'we' without meaning the Body of Christ. We Christians aren't sure how to respond. We are broken-hearted over lost life and lost innocence in places where terror strikes. We are angry and vengeful to see the terrorist pay. We are remorseful that our world has come to this. We are outraged at political commentary and our friends' contrasting opinions on the candidates for our country's presidency. And we ask ourselves, "Are they really my friend if they see this issue differently?"
And outrage seems to be what the Church does best these days. We Christians are really good at outrage. That's kind of our 'go-to' response, but deep down we know it doesn't feel right. We just don't know what to do, so we're outraged. We're outraged at a religious group killing innocent people. Outraged at this or that government's response. Outraged at that politician comments. Outraged at this politicians lack of comments. Outraged at this governmental policy. Outraged at school board decisions. Outraged at teacher's teaching methods. Outraged at our kids lack of playing time. Outraged our pastor said something political. Outraged our pastor won't say anything political. We're just really good at outrage. I think non-believers have gotten the message: Christians are outraged.
I'm outraged, too. I'm outraged that people are killing other people in places like Brussels and the Ivory Coast. I'm outraged at terror. But I'm not surprised by it. In fact, I'm outraged at myself and my lack of courage, compassion, and selflessness. I'm outraged at my own sin and selfishness and hardness of heart. This world is broken. Sin reigns because we've let it. All of us. It's a world that needs Jesus. And I'm convinced my outrage won't help.
I'm convicted by Philippians 1:27, when the Apostle Paul wrote, "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Whatever happens. We control how we conduct ourselves. What if 100 people in one church took that seriously in their neighborhood? What if 1,000 from a few different churches took that seriously in their community? What if 100,000 took it seriously in a region? What if millions of Christians took that seriously in the U.S? What if the 2-3 billion Christians took that seriously worldwide? What if we conduct ourselves at work, at the ball field, at home, on social media, in the grocery store line in a manner that is worthy of the gospel of Christ?
We do know what to do -- we just won't do it. Outrage is so much easier than obedience.
When I say 'we,' I mean all of humanity, but I can't ever say 'we' without meaning the Body of Christ. We Christians aren't sure how to respond. We are broken-hearted over lost life and lost innocence in places where terror strikes. We are angry and vengeful to see the terrorist pay. We are remorseful that our world has come to this. We are outraged at political commentary and our friends' contrasting opinions on the candidates for our country's presidency. And we ask ourselves, "Are they really my friend if they see this issue differently?"
And outrage seems to be what the Church does best these days. We Christians are really good at outrage. That's kind of our 'go-to' response, but deep down we know it doesn't feel right. We just don't know what to do, so we're outraged. We're outraged at a religious group killing innocent people. Outraged at this or that government's response. Outraged at that politician comments. Outraged at this politicians lack of comments. Outraged at this governmental policy. Outraged at school board decisions. Outraged at teacher's teaching methods. Outraged at our kids lack of playing time. Outraged our pastor said something political. Outraged our pastor won't say anything political. We're just really good at outrage. I think non-believers have gotten the message: Christians are outraged.
I'm outraged, too. I'm outraged that people are killing other people in places like Brussels and the Ivory Coast. I'm outraged at terror. But I'm not surprised by it. In fact, I'm outraged at myself and my lack of courage, compassion, and selflessness. I'm outraged at my own sin and selfishness and hardness of heart. This world is broken. Sin reigns because we've let it. All of us. It's a world that needs Jesus. And I'm convinced my outrage won't help.
I'm convicted by Philippians 1:27, when the Apostle Paul wrote, "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Whatever happens. We control how we conduct ourselves. What if 100 people in one church took that seriously in their neighborhood? What if 1,000 from a few different churches took that seriously in their community? What if 100,000 took it seriously in a region? What if millions of Christians took that seriously in the U.S? What if the 2-3 billion Christians took that seriously worldwide? What if we conduct ourselves at work, at the ball field, at home, on social media, in the grocery store line in a manner that is worthy of the gospel of Christ?
We do know what to do -- we just won't do it. Outrage is so much easier than obedience.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Do we get to vote about what "Christian" means?
It's Super Tuesday, and Americans are heading to the polls to vote. And this election seems more important than ever. The candidates are about as different as possible. The stakes are high for the Church, and let me explain why.
Let's all be honest with each other, our next president will be one of five people: Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump. All but Sanders identify as Christian, who identifies as Jewish by birth. Over America's 240 year history, we have never had a Jewish president, so that would be a particularly big event. All but Kennedy (who was Roman Catholic), identified as Protestant. What does that tell me? History says our next president will be one of the other four. But rest assured, they will all carry the Christian banner on the campaign trail for one reason: if you are Christian, they want your vote.
But they also want your vote if you are Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Atheist, or Agnostic as well. They just want your vote. Now, I've never met any of these candidates, and even if I had, only God knows the condition of the human heart. I have no idea if they are genuine Christ-followers or what they are thinking when their head is on the pillow at night?
But all of this scares me. You see, when they say they are Christian, they become front line faces for our faith, and I'm not sure, based on what I've seen from all the candidates, that's entirely accurate. Now let's put it all out in the open here. None of us Christians are entirely accurate representations of what a disciple of Jesus is supposed to look like. But I'll bet you've got a grandma, uncle, friend, small group leader, pastor or niece whose walk with Jesus looks a lot closer than these candidates. I'll bet you know someone that you'd like to show your non-believing friends and say, "Hey, y'all, THIS is what a Christian looks like." Maybe that person is even you.
I hope you vote and vote your conscience, but for those of us that are believers, let us be careful not to parade these candidates around as representations of what a Christian is. I'm afraid it will fall terribly short of what a Christian is supposed to be. Full obedience obedience to the Heavenly Father usually doesn't get you elected -- it gets you crucified. Following Jesus doesn't mean picking up electoral votes, it means picking up your cross daily. Making decisions based on your discipleship usually doesn't win you a nationwide popularity contest, it wins you crowns in heaven.
Most importantly, believers must do two things in this season:
1. WE need to be the ones who display what genuine faith in Christ looks like. We need non-believers to see in Christian friends and acquaintances a true representation of discipleship. No candidate is going to usher in revival. Let's actually BE the Church in our communities.
2. We need to PRAY for all candidates. Pray for God to lead them, convict them, and to search their hearts. Pray for them to be faithful to God and serve ALL the people of the U.S. I believe you can do both with integrity.
Finally, if you're not a church person, I don't know where these candidates really stand on their faith in Christ. I've seen enough in debates to make me curl my nose and say, "Don't do/say that." They might very well be Christians and feel badly for some of those very things. But know this: just because they are upfront and on-stage, they don't represent the totality of what it means to be Christian. They are not our savior. Jesus is our Savior. Visit a local church in your area, and I promise you you'll meet some fine Christians. You'll meet people who will love you no matter what, who want what's best for you, who will cook a casserole for you and hug your neck when you need it. You'll meet people who will pray for you and cry with you. You'll meet people who care about you and your soul. You'll meet the real deal. They won't be perfect either, but they'll be authentic. That's the whole point. You'll meet broken people who know they are sinners but have put their faith in the grace of Jesus. People who believe Jesus died for their sins and forgave them. People who believe He did the same for you. And whatever path you choose, I hope you'll know that THAT'S a lot closer to what we believe it means to be Christian.
Let's all be honest with each other, our next president will be one of five people: Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump. All but Sanders identify as Christian, who identifies as Jewish by birth. Over America's 240 year history, we have never had a Jewish president, so that would be a particularly big event. All but Kennedy (who was Roman Catholic), identified as Protestant. What does that tell me? History says our next president will be one of the other four. But rest assured, they will all carry the Christian banner on the campaign trail for one reason: if you are Christian, they want your vote.
But they also want your vote if you are Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Atheist, or Agnostic as well. They just want your vote. Now, I've never met any of these candidates, and even if I had, only God knows the condition of the human heart. I have no idea if they are genuine Christ-followers or what they are thinking when their head is on the pillow at night?
But all of this scares me. You see, when they say they are Christian, they become front line faces for our faith, and I'm not sure, based on what I've seen from all the candidates, that's entirely accurate. Now let's put it all out in the open here. None of us Christians are entirely accurate representations of what a disciple of Jesus is supposed to look like. But I'll bet you've got a grandma, uncle, friend, small group leader, pastor or niece whose walk with Jesus looks a lot closer than these candidates. I'll bet you know someone that you'd like to show your non-believing friends and say, "Hey, y'all, THIS is what a Christian looks like." Maybe that person is even you.
I hope you vote and vote your conscience, but for those of us that are believers, let us be careful not to parade these candidates around as representations of what a Christian is. I'm afraid it will fall terribly short of what a Christian is supposed to be. Full obedience obedience to the Heavenly Father usually doesn't get you elected -- it gets you crucified. Following Jesus doesn't mean picking up electoral votes, it means picking up your cross daily. Making decisions based on your discipleship usually doesn't win you a nationwide popularity contest, it wins you crowns in heaven.
Most importantly, believers must do two things in this season:
1. WE need to be the ones who display what genuine faith in Christ looks like. We need non-believers to see in Christian friends and acquaintances a true representation of discipleship. No candidate is going to usher in revival. Let's actually BE the Church in our communities.
2. We need to PRAY for all candidates. Pray for God to lead them, convict them, and to search their hearts. Pray for them to be faithful to God and serve ALL the people of the U.S. I believe you can do both with integrity.
Finally, if you're not a church person, I don't know where these candidates really stand on their faith in Christ. I've seen enough in debates to make me curl my nose and say, "Don't do/say that." They might very well be Christians and feel badly for some of those very things. But know this: just because they are upfront and on-stage, they don't represent the totality of what it means to be Christian. They are not our savior. Jesus is our Savior. Visit a local church in your area, and I promise you you'll meet some fine Christians. You'll meet people who will love you no matter what, who want what's best for you, who will cook a casserole for you and hug your neck when you need it. You'll meet people who will pray for you and cry with you. You'll meet people who care about you and your soul. You'll meet the real deal. They won't be perfect either, but they'll be authentic. That's the whole point. You'll meet broken people who know they are sinners but have put their faith in the grace of Jesus. People who believe Jesus died for their sins and forgave them. People who believe He did the same for you. And whatever path you choose, I hope you'll know that THAT'S a lot closer to what we believe it means to be Christian.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Ashley Madison, the Virginia shooting, and our mirror
"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." -Hebrews 4:13
I thought all the Ashley Madison clients whose names and emails were laid bare when I saw this passage. I thought about all the men who thought they could 'get by' in secret with their lusts and betrayal. I thought of the secrets that are now no longer secrets that are wrecking marriages as we speak. And I thought about how we all have secrets that could destroy us.
Then, in broad daylight in Virginia, a disgruntled former employee went up and shot two innocent people, a reporter and a camera man, right on live television. Sometimes our sins aren't even secret. The tragedy in Virginia and the tragedy of the Ashley Madison scandal is a reminder of how broken our world is. We are a sinful bunch, killing each other, physically and emotionally. We are selfish and vindictive. We are lustful and quick to react. We are a mess. We need Jesus. We need His forgiveness, and we need him to shape us.
It's so easy to point fingers in these situations. Men seeking sex outside the covenant of marriage is wrong. A man walking up and killing two people is wrong. But we don't really need to be reminded of that, though it does make us feel good sometimes to point a finger. What I am reminded of in these situations is how much we have these things within us, and when we see ugliness on full display, it's a good time to look in the mirror. You might not seek out a secret online affair, but what secret sin are you holding onto? In what ways are we looking outside our closest relationships for affirmation and intimacy? What do we have the capacity to do if we thought we could do it in secret? And how have we let rage boil up in us so hot that we could just kill someone? Maybe we wanted to hit them. Maybe we did. Maybe we just cursed them, to their face or behind their back. Maybe we gave them the ol' 'unfriend' on social media. Maybe we wished they were dead.
This is uncomfortable, but it reminds me that not only does our world need saving, not only do people whose sins have been in the limelight need Jesus. I need saving. I need Jesus. If my life were laid bare, I'd be ashamed of the mean-spirited and hateful thoughts. I'd be ashamed of my anger. I'd be ashamed of my pride. I'd be ashamed of my selfishness. I'd be ashamed. You would be, too. I am convinced that the ONLY way this world will find peace and rest is if we each, individually, allow Jesus to change our hearts. I believe that kind of change has the capacity to rub off on people.
I thought all the Ashley Madison clients whose names and emails were laid bare when I saw this passage. I thought about all the men who thought they could 'get by' in secret with their lusts and betrayal. I thought of the secrets that are now no longer secrets that are wrecking marriages as we speak. And I thought about how we all have secrets that could destroy us.
Then, in broad daylight in Virginia, a disgruntled former employee went up and shot two innocent people, a reporter and a camera man, right on live television. Sometimes our sins aren't even secret. The tragedy in Virginia and the tragedy of the Ashley Madison scandal is a reminder of how broken our world is. We are a sinful bunch, killing each other, physically and emotionally. We are selfish and vindictive. We are lustful and quick to react. We are a mess. We need Jesus. We need His forgiveness, and we need him to shape us.
It's so easy to point fingers in these situations. Men seeking sex outside the covenant of marriage is wrong. A man walking up and killing two people is wrong. But we don't really need to be reminded of that, though it does make us feel good sometimes to point a finger. What I am reminded of in these situations is how much we have these things within us, and when we see ugliness on full display, it's a good time to look in the mirror. You might not seek out a secret online affair, but what secret sin are you holding onto? In what ways are we looking outside our closest relationships for affirmation and intimacy? What do we have the capacity to do if we thought we could do it in secret? And how have we let rage boil up in us so hot that we could just kill someone? Maybe we wanted to hit them. Maybe we did. Maybe we just cursed them, to their face or behind their back. Maybe we gave them the ol' 'unfriend' on social media. Maybe we wished they were dead.
This is uncomfortable, but it reminds me that not only does our world need saving, not only do people whose sins have been in the limelight need Jesus. I need saving. I need Jesus. If my life were laid bare, I'd be ashamed of the mean-spirited and hateful thoughts. I'd be ashamed of my anger. I'd be ashamed of my pride. I'd be ashamed of my selfishness. I'd be ashamed. You would be, too. I am convinced that the ONLY way this world will find peace and rest is if we each, individually, allow Jesus to change our hearts. I believe that kind of change has the capacity to rub off on people.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
The Difficult Issue of Religious Liberty (in which I don't solve much)
Religious liberty has become the 'hot-button-issue-of-the-day" in America. From what I've seen, people are really quick to form an opinion. I have been very slow in forming one, and I'm still not quite sure what I think. The controversy mostly centers around the issue of gay marriage. A common theme might include whether or not a cake baker has the freedom to deny baking a cake for a gay wedding in states where gay marriage is legal. Or, is that baker forced to bake a cake for all who walk in the door.
I'm no politician, and I have not interest in being one. My calling is to discover what it seems like God has called people of faith to do. So, how should we respond? What is the faithful witness Christians should have on this issue and those that relate to it. Well, I think it's a very complex issue, which is why I've been slow to form an opinion.
First, let's be honest: gay marriage will be legal in every state in a very short time. So, we've got to figure out how to navigate this issue. If you want to know my thoughts homosexuality and gay marriage, you can check them out here, here, and here. The short version is that I believe homosexuality is not in line with Christian teaching, but gay people and the issue of homosexuality have been treated terribly by the Church. I believe there is a way for us to be in community and dialogue together. Though I can't faithfully affirm homosexuality and believe that God has a better plan, that doesn't mean we can't be friends with people with which we disagree. And it doesn't mean that we can't love each other genuinely. The Church ought to be a place where people from all walks of life dealing with all kinds of issues can come to connect with their Creator.
As for the issues we're facing now, I would ask a Christian cake baker, "For whom do you bake cakes?" The problem here is that I don't think the issue is Christian marriage. Would these same cake bakers bake a cake for a man and woman who were living together before marriage or had engaged in pre-marital sex? Would this cake baker make a wedding cake for an atheist couple who planned to have a civil ceremony with no mention of God? Would this cake baker make a cake for a couple that had been divorced? What if it was their 3rd, 4th or 5th marriage? Would this cake baker bake a cake for a serial cheater? What if the wedding is "Christian" at a local church but everyone plans to get rip-roaring drunk at the reception down at the country club? What if the cake baker doesn't think people from different races ought marry because they have been (wrongly) taught that? Is it okay for them to deny mixed couples? Does this baker only bake cakes for Christian couples who kept themselves pure in courtship, are actively engaged in a local church, and have a Christian wedding in which the name of Jesus is invoked?
Is the witness Christian business people in our country want one of the exclusion? Do we want to be known for closing off our lives to those in the outside world? Is that what Christians did in the New Testament? Is that what Jesus did? Is that why Jesus went to Levi's house to have dinner with his tax collecting friends and sinners? Was Jesus 'endorsing' their sin because he went and ate with them? There was one group that thought that :) I don't really wanna be in that group. It seems we should bake the best cake we could as a witness to our love for people. It seems like one cake could start a relationship which might lead to a conversation which might lead to our Jesus. And when people meet Jesus -- things change.
Of course, the problem we're having here is that we're seeing how ill equipped our laws are to deal with what are moral issues. And this is just the beginning. Soon, people will be asking, "If the government can't tell me what gender I can marry, why should the government tell me how many people I can marry at once?" OR, "Who is the government to tell me what the legal age of marrying should be?" In other cultures, polygamy is common and people marry at much younger ages. As the U.S. becomes more and more diverse, those questions will continue. Do we reach a point where the laws can make no moral judgments about love and marriage? And to what extent do have the freedom to live by the convictions of my faith. I don't really know, I just know that this issue is at the heart of the matter.
And that points to how complex it is -- because then there's me and pastor's like me. Now, I'm pretty up-front in my premarital counseling. If couples are living together, I ask one to move out until the wedding. I ask them to be abstinent. I've counseled couples to not get married, that I didn't think they were ready or didn't feel like I could stand in good conscience and ask God to bless their union. Does the government have the right to force me to marry anyone? What if my faith, denomination and personal convictions stand against that? Should our church building be subject to the same demands as the baker? It's a little different. The church isn't in a for-profit business, but it raises questions, doesn't it?
Where do we draw the line? A good friend of my has a daughter who runs her own photography business. She does weddings, senior portraits, and family photo shoots. What if someone approaches her to shoot some pornographic images between consenting adults? It's completely legal? At what point does she have the freedom to stand on her convictions about who and what she photographs?
See there. It's complex. I'm not sure what the answers are. I just know that I hope for three areas of discretion and patience.
1. I would hope that all people, but especially my brothers and sisters in Christ, would be diligent in forming an opinion about an issue about which it is so easy to draw quick conclusions.
2. I would hope that Christian business owners would prayerfully consider how they can help live out, display and spread the Gospel in every situation. But we don't have to protect it. The Gospel will take care of itself. Death couldn't hold it down.
3. I would hope that those on the other side pushing hard in the name of equality would understand the concerns about where the line stops. Most Christians I know don't won't to hurt people, but they wonder what will come next and, if this isn't where people of faith draw the line, where exactly do they?
See there. I told you I didn't solve much. We need to be prayerfully consider these things. We need space for conversation and understanding. It's too easy to jump to conclusions. God wants more thoughtfulness from us. This issue deserves it. People deserve it. Our calling to reach all people demands it.
I'm no politician, and I have not interest in being one. My calling is to discover what it seems like God has called people of faith to do. So, how should we respond? What is the faithful witness Christians should have on this issue and those that relate to it. Well, I think it's a very complex issue, which is why I've been slow to form an opinion.
First, let's be honest: gay marriage will be legal in every state in a very short time. So, we've got to figure out how to navigate this issue. If you want to know my thoughts homosexuality and gay marriage, you can check them out here, here, and here. The short version is that I believe homosexuality is not in line with Christian teaching, but gay people and the issue of homosexuality have been treated terribly by the Church. I believe there is a way for us to be in community and dialogue together. Though I can't faithfully affirm homosexuality and believe that God has a better plan, that doesn't mean we can't be friends with people with which we disagree. And it doesn't mean that we can't love each other genuinely. The Church ought to be a place where people from all walks of life dealing with all kinds of issues can come to connect with their Creator.
As for the issues we're facing now, I would ask a Christian cake baker, "For whom do you bake cakes?" The problem here is that I don't think the issue is Christian marriage. Would these same cake bakers bake a cake for a man and woman who were living together before marriage or had engaged in pre-marital sex? Would this cake baker make a wedding cake for an atheist couple who planned to have a civil ceremony with no mention of God? Would this cake baker make a cake for a couple that had been divorced? What if it was their 3rd, 4th or 5th marriage? Would this cake baker bake a cake for a serial cheater? What if the wedding is "Christian" at a local church but everyone plans to get rip-roaring drunk at the reception down at the country club? What if the cake baker doesn't think people from different races ought marry because they have been (wrongly) taught that? Is it okay for them to deny mixed couples? Does this baker only bake cakes for Christian couples who kept themselves pure in courtship, are actively engaged in a local church, and have a Christian wedding in which the name of Jesus is invoked?
Is the witness Christian business people in our country want one of the exclusion? Do we want to be known for closing off our lives to those in the outside world? Is that what Christians did in the New Testament? Is that what Jesus did? Is that why Jesus went to Levi's house to have dinner with his tax collecting friends and sinners? Was Jesus 'endorsing' their sin because he went and ate with them? There was one group that thought that :) I don't really wanna be in that group. It seems we should bake the best cake we could as a witness to our love for people. It seems like one cake could start a relationship which might lead to a conversation which might lead to our Jesus. And when people meet Jesus -- things change.
Of course, the problem we're having here is that we're seeing how ill equipped our laws are to deal with what are moral issues. And this is just the beginning. Soon, people will be asking, "If the government can't tell me what gender I can marry, why should the government tell me how many people I can marry at once?" OR, "Who is the government to tell me what the legal age of marrying should be?" In other cultures, polygamy is common and people marry at much younger ages. As the U.S. becomes more and more diverse, those questions will continue. Do we reach a point where the laws can make no moral judgments about love and marriage? And to what extent do have the freedom to live by the convictions of my faith. I don't really know, I just know that this issue is at the heart of the matter.
And that points to how complex it is -- because then there's me and pastor's like me. Now, I'm pretty up-front in my premarital counseling. If couples are living together, I ask one to move out until the wedding. I ask them to be abstinent. I've counseled couples to not get married, that I didn't think they were ready or didn't feel like I could stand in good conscience and ask God to bless their union. Does the government have the right to force me to marry anyone? What if my faith, denomination and personal convictions stand against that? Should our church building be subject to the same demands as the baker? It's a little different. The church isn't in a for-profit business, but it raises questions, doesn't it?
Where do we draw the line? A good friend of my has a daughter who runs her own photography business. She does weddings, senior portraits, and family photo shoots. What if someone approaches her to shoot some pornographic images between consenting adults? It's completely legal? At what point does she have the freedom to stand on her convictions about who and what she photographs?
See there. It's complex. I'm not sure what the answers are. I just know that I hope for three areas of discretion and patience.
1. I would hope that all people, but especially my brothers and sisters in Christ, would be diligent in forming an opinion about an issue about which it is so easy to draw quick conclusions.
2. I would hope that Christian business owners would prayerfully consider how they can help live out, display and spread the Gospel in every situation. But we don't have to protect it. The Gospel will take care of itself. Death couldn't hold it down.
3. I would hope that those on the other side pushing hard in the name of equality would understand the concerns about where the line stops. Most Christians I know don't won't to hurt people, but they wonder what will come next and, if this isn't where people of faith draw the line, where exactly do they?
See there. I told you I didn't solve much. We need to be prayerfully consider these things. We need space for conversation and understanding. It's too easy to jump to conclusions. God wants more thoughtfulness from us. This issue deserves it. People deserve it. Our calling to reach all people demands it.
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Together
I've been off the blogosphere for a while, as it's been a little hectic lately. I'm happy to be back, and wanted to share what we've been up to.
On Sunday, March 1, we had a crazy day. I got to be a part of something that most pastors never get to be a part of - serving as pastor of a merged congregation on launch Sunday. In fact, I have been a part of three things most pastors never get to be a part of. I was blessed with the honor of starting a church 10 years ago, and I have been grateful to see that church launch a 2nd campus in Grayson. Over the last six months, I have had the privilege to lead that church into a merger with a church that has been around for 166 years for a newly merged permanent campus. Planting a church and merging churches are both crazy endeavors.
There is so much power in merging congregations. In many ways, it is much like a marriage. The first few years of marriage you have to find your way a little. A church merger includes lots of 'finding your way' in the relationship. It's incredibly complicated. Merging finances, getting a new name, and combining leadership are actually the easy part. The hard part is merging cultures. Whether it's 10 years or 166 years, churches develop ways of doing things. Just like a marriage, a merged church has to learn how to do things together.
But merging a church is a beautiful thing if God's Spirit is in it. I am reminded that I have new friends with which to do ministry. Many of these new friends are already near and dear to my heart. I would never have known them had we not walked down this path. They are beautiful disciples of Jesus. Like a marriage, a merger is an admission that we need each other to be our best, that life was not better alone. And it's beautiful when it works. There is great power and beauty when the Body of Christ unites and says, "We are in this together."
I'll admit it's messy. There is no easy way. There are bumps and long hours of prayer. There are hiccups. Every marriage has them. You expect it in marriages. We should expect it in mergers. But we keep learning. We learn to be better spouses. And we learn to be better brothers and sisters in Christ.
And, like a new marriage, their remains the promise of offspring. When young parents have children, the realize that through the messiness of the early years and the hiccups and the hard work, there are actual humans that wouldn't be here without them being together. Their love and commitment to one another allowed a little one to be nurtured. Young parents have a child or adopt a child and realize they have a bigger purpose. It wasn't just to be together. It was for the new life that emerged that they are now raising.
That's a church merger. It's not just being together. It's not just that together we can be better, pay the bills sooner or be with one another. It's that together, we can bring new life into relationships with Jesus that we could not have done apart. Suddenly, we have a new purpose. This week, my wife and celebrate 14 years of marriage. At this point, I can't remember life without her. There was a time, though, in the early years, that I could. Time and life and welded us together. I don't even remember me before her. I think that's how church mergers are supposed to work. There will come a time when we can hardly remember life apart. We'll be raising new kids together, and no one will recall there was a time it wasn't like this. We'll just embrace the present.
That day will be here before we know it. But it wouldn't happen without the faithful pioneers at Harmony Grove United Methodist Church and The United Methodist Church of the Way. Somebody had to go through the dating and courtship, pre-marital counseling and wedding. Somebody had to go through the early years. I'm so honored to serve the men and women of God who have done just that. After one whole week, on a Saturday night before our SECOND Sunday together, I find myself more excited than ever about ministry. I feel like a newlywed. If you're around the area, I hope you'll come check out what God is doing at Harmony Grove Church of the Way or Gwinnett Church of the Way. You can get directions and worship times here.
On Sunday, March 1, we had a crazy day. I got to be a part of something that most pastors never get to be a part of - serving as pastor of a merged congregation on launch Sunday. In fact, I have been a part of three things most pastors never get to be a part of. I was blessed with the honor of starting a church 10 years ago, and I have been grateful to see that church launch a 2nd campus in Grayson. Over the last six months, I have had the privilege to lead that church into a merger with a church that has been around for 166 years for a newly merged permanent campus. Planting a church and merging churches are both crazy endeavors.
There is so much power in merging congregations. In many ways, it is much like a marriage. The first few years of marriage you have to find your way a little. A church merger includes lots of 'finding your way' in the relationship. It's incredibly complicated. Merging finances, getting a new name, and combining leadership are actually the easy part. The hard part is merging cultures. Whether it's 10 years or 166 years, churches develop ways of doing things. Just like a marriage, a merged church has to learn how to do things together.
But merging a church is a beautiful thing if God's Spirit is in it. I am reminded that I have new friends with which to do ministry. Many of these new friends are already near and dear to my heart. I would never have known them had we not walked down this path. They are beautiful disciples of Jesus. Like a marriage, a merger is an admission that we need each other to be our best, that life was not better alone. And it's beautiful when it works. There is great power and beauty when the Body of Christ unites and says, "We are in this together."
I'll admit it's messy. There is no easy way. There are bumps and long hours of prayer. There are hiccups. Every marriage has them. You expect it in marriages. We should expect it in mergers. But we keep learning. We learn to be better spouses. And we learn to be better brothers and sisters in Christ.
And, like a new marriage, their remains the promise of offspring. When young parents have children, the realize that through the messiness of the early years and the hiccups and the hard work, there are actual humans that wouldn't be here without them being together. Their love and commitment to one another allowed a little one to be nurtured. Young parents have a child or adopt a child and realize they have a bigger purpose. It wasn't just to be together. It was for the new life that emerged that they are now raising.
That's a church merger. It's not just being together. It's not just that together we can be better, pay the bills sooner or be with one another. It's that together, we can bring new life into relationships with Jesus that we could not have done apart. Suddenly, we have a new purpose. This week, my wife and celebrate 14 years of marriage. At this point, I can't remember life without her. There was a time, though, in the early years, that I could. Time and life and welded us together. I don't even remember me before her. I think that's how church mergers are supposed to work. There will come a time when we can hardly remember life apart. We'll be raising new kids together, and no one will recall there was a time it wasn't like this. We'll just embrace the present.
That day will be here before we know it. But it wouldn't happen without the faithful pioneers at Harmony Grove United Methodist Church and The United Methodist Church of the Way. Somebody had to go through the dating and courtship, pre-marital counseling and wedding. Somebody had to go through the early years. I'm so honored to serve the men and women of God who have done just that. After one whole week, on a Saturday night before our SECOND Sunday together, I find myself more excited than ever about ministry. I feel like a newlywed. If you're around the area, I hope you'll come check out what God is doing at Harmony Grove Church of the Way or Gwinnett Church of the Way. You can get directions and worship times here.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Hope for the Hurt
This past week, I had the honor of praying at a Candlelight Vigil for those from Gwinnett County that had been murdered in the last year. It was sponsored by the District Attorney's Office of Gwinnett County. We prayed, sang songs, lit candles, reflected and read the names of every murder victim from the last year. There were too many names. One is too many. People from all walks of life and every nationality gathered in remembrance. Past victim's families also gathered, as they have become a part of this make-shift yearly congregation of hurt and loss. I asked myself a question as I left, "Why do we hurt each other?" How could that many people be murdered in the last 11-12 months in my county? Why are we killing each other?
The events in Ferguson and the death and anger over Eric Garner continue to raise difficult issues. I would not begin to understand the emotions, evidence and politics behind it all. I grew up white in the deep South. Those are the only shoes I've ever walked in, and the only experience from which I can speak. I'm not an attorney and wouldn't dare to dive into legal issues I don't understand. But I know this: we've got to stop hurting each other.
A couple of months ago I flew out to a conference, and I was struck by a sense of despair as I prepared to put my shoes, everything I had on me and my belt in the X-ray machine. My shoes. We are now afraid of my canvas crocs. We don't trust each other. We are afraid that if we trust others, we will get hurt. So, we choose to not trust and when when there is one step past the imaginary line we have drawn, we hurt others to protect ourselves.
We do this emotionally and spiritually, and in recent tragic cases, we do so physically. A teenager is dead because of a lack of trust. Maybe it was well-founded. Maybe it was completely unfounded. Rioters have taken to the streets to inflict hurt because they lack trust in authorities. The natural order of our DNA is to hurt others if we fear getting hurt. I'll bet you know someone who does this with their heart and tongue.
But, Jesus gave a different kinds of commands, "Love one another as I have loved you" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." Don't protect yourself from hurt -- love! The thing about love (and you learned this at 13 with your first 'steady') is that if you love and trust, you can get hurt. But it's the only way. I don't now all the answers to stopping crime. I don't know the answers we're all seeking in race relations. I don't know the issues to fix our legal system. I do know the answer the world needs, though. We have to show radical love. I have to believe we live in a world hungry for it. And I have to believe that if the Church would do as our Lord commanded us to do in our communities around the world, that people might want to know where that love comes from. And we might get the opportunity to tell them that it's not a 'where' but a 'who' that is the source of our love. Love someone. Trust someone. Risk for love. If you follow Christ, this is the only way.
The events in Ferguson and the death and anger over Eric Garner continue to raise difficult issues. I would not begin to understand the emotions, evidence and politics behind it all. I grew up white in the deep South. Those are the only shoes I've ever walked in, and the only experience from which I can speak. I'm not an attorney and wouldn't dare to dive into legal issues I don't understand. But I know this: we've got to stop hurting each other.
A couple of months ago I flew out to a conference, and I was struck by a sense of despair as I prepared to put my shoes, everything I had on me and my belt in the X-ray machine. My shoes. We are now afraid of my canvas crocs. We don't trust each other. We are afraid that if we trust others, we will get hurt. So, we choose to not trust and when when there is one step past the imaginary line we have drawn, we hurt others to protect ourselves.
We do this emotionally and spiritually, and in recent tragic cases, we do so physically. A teenager is dead because of a lack of trust. Maybe it was well-founded. Maybe it was completely unfounded. Rioters have taken to the streets to inflict hurt because they lack trust in authorities. The natural order of our DNA is to hurt others if we fear getting hurt. I'll bet you know someone who does this with their heart and tongue.
But, Jesus gave a different kinds of commands, "Love one another as I have loved you" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." Don't protect yourself from hurt -- love! The thing about love (and you learned this at 13 with your first 'steady') is that if you love and trust, you can get hurt. But it's the only way. I don't now all the answers to stopping crime. I don't know the answers we're all seeking in race relations. I don't know the issues to fix our legal system. I do know the answer the world needs, though. We have to show radical love. I have to believe we live in a world hungry for it. And I have to believe that if the Church would do as our Lord commanded us to do in our communities around the world, that people might want to know where that love comes from. And we might get the opportunity to tell them that it's not a 'where' but a 'who' that is the source of our love. Love someone. Trust someone. Risk for love. If you follow Christ, this is the only way.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Hope in the Brokenness
There is a great deal of hurt and brokenness going on in the world. I'm reminded of that with ugliness going on around us. Ferguson, MO is struggling, to say the least, with peace in its community. There are ugly things happening and being said there concerning race issues we thought or wished were long gone from our country. The ISIS threatens peace everywhere. We are scared and searching for the ways to deal with terrorist. We're not even sure we CAN deal with terrorist. The NFL, the world's most popular sports league, is dealing with the backlash of how poorly it handled an incident of abuse from one of its marquee players on his then fiancee. The video of Ray Rice seen 'round the globe has opened our eyes to the ugly world of domestic violence. The situation with Ray Rice has shed a dark shadow on even our justice system. Prosecutors and the judge HAD SEEN the video that rocked our world this week, and they still accepted Rice into a pre-trial intervention program that will eventually lead to the assault charge being dismissed from his record. We're learning that our justice system sometimes doesn't bring justice. And just this week, in a story that hit close to my heart, police and the FBI arrested a man that lives in the small town in South Carolina where my brother and his family live. The man had killed his five children, driven them to Alabama, and dumped their bodies off a dirt road. A man capable of killing his own five innocent children was living minutes away from my two nephews.
I'm not in the politics business, so I stay away from politics. There are a lot of politics surrounding the situations in Ferguson, the ISIS, and Ray Rice. There will be politics in the trial of this man in South Carolina. Politics are complicated. And they don't fully work. Our world doesn't need more political maneuvering. Our world needs healing. Because it is broken. This is the truth from the Bible that so many miss. We point to the beautiful things about life that point to how the world really is. That's not quite right. The beauty we see or experience points to how things could be. They are a 'foretaste of glory divine.'
Politics, policies, legislation, suspensions, and boycotts don't save people. Jesus saves people. Our world needs saving. Our world needs Jesus. The problem is that getting Jesus to the world is complicated. You won't get a chance to meet Ray Rice. You're probably not looking to meet someone from the ISIS. You probably don't have a vacation scheduled to Ferguson, and I don't think a revival in Ferguson is the answer.
The answer is you and me. The answer is teaching our sons how to honor all people (including women) because the Bible tells us to honor others above ourselves. The answer is to treat our co-workers and neighbors as children of the Most High God, made in His image, instead of according to our differing skin colors. The answer is in praying for our enemies because Jesus told us to pray for those that curse you. The answer is loving our neighbor as ourselves, instead of ignoring their drug and alcohol abuse, before they do something horrific in a substance-induced rage. The answer is in being Jesus for a broken world, one person at a time. The answer is in showing others another way of life, a new world, a Kingdom in which love of God and love of neighbor reign supreme.
I'm not in the politics business, so I stay away from politics. There are a lot of politics surrounding the situations in Ferguson, the ISIS, and Ray Rice. There will be politics in the trial of this man in South Carolina. Politics are complicated. And they don't fully work. Our world doesn't need more political maneuvering. Our world needs healing. Because it is broken. This is the truth from the Bible that so many miss. We point to the beautiful things about life that point to how the world really is. That's not quite right. The beauty we see or experience points to how things could be. They are a 'foretaste of glory divine.'
Politics, policies, legislation, suspensions, and boycotts don't save people. Jesus saves people. Our world needs saving. Our world needs Jesus. The problem is that getting Jesus to the world is complicated. You won't get a chance to meet Ray Rice. You're probably not looking to meet someone from the ISIS. You probably don't have a vacation scheduled to Ferguson, and I don't think a revival in Ferguson is the answer.
The answer is you and me. The answer is teaching our sons how to honor all people (including women) because the Bible tells us to honor others above ourselves. The answer is to treat our co-workers and neighbors as children of the Most High God, made in His image, instead of according to our differing skin colors. The answer is in praying for our enemies because Jesus told us to pray for those that curse you. The answer is loving our neighbor as ourselves, instead of ignoring their drug and alcohol abuse, before they do something horrific in a substance-induced rage. The answer is in being Jesus for a broken world, one person at a time. The answer is in showing others another way of life, a new world, a Kingdom in which love of God and love of neighbor reign supreme.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Faith & the Flag
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| The flag in front of our home. |
Still...I can't help but wonder what kind of message we are sending when the Church joins arms with patriotism. The religious leaders of Jesus' day wanted faith to be nationally focused. It was for Israel. Jesus made a new way. It was for Non-Jews, too. The Apostle's struggled in the Early Church with this concept, but God gave Peter and Paul a vision to reach the Gentiles. Jesus commanded His Disciples to "make disciples of all nations" and told them they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
This church thing has always been about 'all nations.' The Church is a global movement, not a national icon. My faith does not bid me to raise the flag of my country but to raise the flag of my surrender to my Redeemer. When we link faith to patriotism we run the risk of confusing the message. Is this church only for Americans? That's critical in the community in which I serve, which has people from all over the world. What if I do not align myself as American...am I welcome in a church lined with flags? Does being an American make you a better or more superior Christian? One can make an argument that being American hinders our ability to surrender our lives to Jesus because we have so much, so many blessings to surrender. When we place the flag beside the cross, do we endorse all they both stand for? We fully endorse the work of the cross and all it means. Are we ready to say that we stand for all the flag has stood for and stands for? Certainly not. The flag and our country are like us, limited and fallible. America does things we're proud of, and America does things we're ashamed of.
This is critical for Christ followers. We are Disciples first. I believe Jesus meant what He said in Matthew 16:24, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Deny everything, pick up a cross and follow Jesus. Deny all that makes us ourselves to embrace a new self. God didn't create us as Americans -- God created us in God's image. All of us. Every tribe, every nation, all peoples on earth. We are about helping all nations experience the restoration of that image. When we stand before God, our allegiance to Jesus, not our allegiance to the flag, will be the only thing of any importance.
Celebrate this July 4th. Celebrate the country in which we live. We have the best justice system, the most freedom, and the greatest country that I believe has ever existed. America has done more for goodwill in the world than any other nation in history. We have become freedom fighters not only for our people but for people all across the globe. I am so proud to have been born here and to live here, but let us not forget that our nationality is of secondary importance to the one in whom we were born again and offers us life. It is this life that the world needs from Christ's Church. Let us offer this life, for it alone is the only hope salvation for the world.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Blood Moon Rising
"The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD." Joel 2:31
That verse is reason enough for pastors like John Hagee of Cornerstone Church in Texas to declare that Tuesday's 'Blood Moon' marks the beginning of the rapture, surely to happen in the next 2 years during four Blood Moon's we'll experience from 2014-2015. Apparently, a lot of people are buying his book and believe the same thing. I've been wrong before (a lot), and I could be here, but I'm not buying it. I'm sure Pastor Hagee is a good man. I've listen to his sermons on occasion. He's passionate. I like that. But I don't get this mindset.
That verse is reason enough for pastors like John Hagee of Cornerstone Church in Texas to declare that Tuesday's 'Blood Moon' marks the beginning of the rapture, surely to happen in the next 2 years during four Blood Moon's we'll experience from 2014-2015. Apparently, a lot of people are buying his book and believe the same thing. I've been wrong before (a lot), and I could be here, but I'm not buying it. I'm sure Pastor Hagee is a good man. I've listen to his sermons on occasion. He's passionate. I like that. But I don't get this mindset.
Christianity is, by nature, weird. This week is the high and holy festival of our weirdness. We believe a man rose from the dead and ascended into heaven after spending a few weeks risen and hanging out with his friends. Their testimony is why we believe what we believe. We believe it to be true because it happened, and they saw it with their eyes, told everyone, and gave their lives for it. Would you give your life for something you weren't sure of? I didn't think so. But this is still weird to the rest of the world. It's okay to be weird because of what we know to be true, what we believe happened.
When we propagate stories like this surrounding the Blood Moon, we become weird in the wrong way. Not weird because we're different. Not weird because we love our neighbor as ourselves. Not weird because we put others first. Weird because we believe something we don't know to be true and what we believe will happen. That's totally different. When we lean toward that weirdness, we lose our voice with those outside of the Church or Christianity. That seems crazy (it's borderline) and like fear-mongering (it is).
I don't think it is our role to lead the Jesus movement based on what we don't know. I think we're supposed to reach out to our culture with what we do know.
- We are made in God's image. I want everyone to know that.
- God loves us. Ditto.
- Jesus died for us to forgive our sins. Isn't that good news?
- Jesus arose to give us victory over our sins. That's great news.
- He wants to restore His image in our lives. Couldn't we all use a makeover.
- He's coming again -because he said so, just not when. So I want to live in such a way that if it's tomorrow, I'm content with how I've lived and in such a way that if it's a million years from now, I'm content with how I left planet earth, Christ's Church, my community, and the people I love.
If we push people to make decisions on unsure data, then those are unsure decisions. If we lead people toward standing on the firm foundation of our faith, they will stand on the Solid Rock. And it'll be a lot less weird.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Noah
So I went to see Noah. I felt like as a spiritual leader I needed to see what everyone was talking about. Also, as a Christian, I felt like I ought to see it. The story of Noah is near and dear to my heart. I worked at a Summer Youth Ministry called Noah's Ark for four summers in college. My son's nurseries were decorated in Noah's Ark themed gear, and I have a huge picture of the animals piling into the ark in my office.
For the first 3/4 of the movie, I was enthralled. The imagery and effects were amazing. The story was different, but I didn't mind the poetic license. It was kind of like watching a movie with Biblical themes rather than a Biblical movie. I didn't mind that. I like movies.
The last 30 minutes got weird, so be prepared for that to happen when you watch it. Noah and the story take a very divergent route from the Biblical narrative. Noah's heart is not the heart of Noah in the Bible. God's heart, at least interpreted by Noah, is nowhere near the heart of the God in the Noah story in Genesis. I've read several reviews by theologians and seminary professors with different theories. I believe the director's picked and chose from a lot of religious thought, and not all of it was from the Old Testament.
But, and this is the point that's so crucial for Christians, isn't it good that the world is talking about the Bible? Isn't a conversation open to God's true heart? The movie is well made. It's got some Biblical themes. It takes one of our stories and adds it's own spin. It's an open door to say, "You know, that was really interesting, but I think X or Y really represents how a lot of the world misunderstands or misinterprets who God really claims to be in the Bible." When we Christians immediately poo-poo a movie like Noah, we lose credibility in the marketplace. We need to be able to engage the world, have open conversation, hear questions, live with doubts, and listen to fears. We need to be able to be transparent about what we don't know and clear about the things that we absolutely know. But we've got to be able to talk. And we can't talk, we can't have a conversation if we don't know what the world is thinking. And we don't need to be afraid. Darren Aronofsky didn't change the Bible. He made a movie. And he dipped into our story to make one. How can we use it to listen to what the world is saying?
The people I know who don't go to church or aren't really down with God want to be heard. They want to be able to ask their questions. Noah is like the world asking a question. Let's use it. Let's know what the Bible actually says. Let's listen to God. Let's listen to others. And let's show the world in word and deed who God really is. What his heart is really like. And what he really did for us...and does in us...and through us. But let's not put our hands over our ears and not listen.
For the first 3/4 of the movie, I was enthralled. The imagery and effects were amazing. The story was different, but I didn't mind the poetic license. It was kind of like watching a movie with Biblical themes rather than a Biblical movie. I didn't mind that. I like movies.
The last 30 minutes got weird, so be prepared for that to happen when you watch it. Noah and the story take a very divergent route from the Biblical narrative. Noah's heart is not the heart of Noah in the Bible. God's heart, at least interpreted by Noah, is nowhere near the heart of the God in the Noah story in Genesis. I've read several reviews by theologians and seminary professors with different theories. I believe the director's picked and chose from a lot of religious thought, and not all of it was from the Old Testament.
But, and this is the point that's so crucial for Christians, isn't it good that the world is talking about the Bible? Isn't a conversation open to God's true heart? The movie is well made. It's got some Biblical themes. It takes one of our stories and adds it's own spin. It's an open door to say, "You know, that was really interesting, but I think X or Y really represents how a lot of the world misunderstands or misinterprets who God really claims to be in the Bible." When we Christians immediately poo-poo a movie like Noah, we lose credibility in the marketplace. We need to be able to engage the world, have open conversation, hear questions, live with doubts, and listen to fears. We need to be able to be transparent about what we don't know and clear about the things that we absolutely know. But we've got to be able to talk. And we can't talk, we can't have a conversation if we don't know what the world is thinking. And we don't need to be afraid. Darren Aronofsky didn't change the Bible. He made a movie. And he dipped into our story to make one. How can we use it to listen to what the world is saying?
The people I know who don't go to church or aren't really down with God want to be heard. They want to be able to ask their questions. Noah is like the world asking a question. Let's use it. Let's know what the Bible actually says. Let's listen to God. Let's listen to others. And let's show the world in word and deed who God really is. What his heart is really like. And what he really did for us...and does in us...and through us. But let's not put our hands over our ears and not listen.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
What Churches and Christians Can Learn from WestJet
By now, I'm sure you've seen the WestJet Christmas Miracle video. If not, take a moment to see a pretty special scene. We'll be waiting afterward with some tissues for you:
It's awesome moment, isn't it? It's beautiful, generous, and kind. And people wonder if there is such a thing as beautiful, generous and kind anymore. It's also genius marketing. The power of that marketing is this. When the time comes for you to fly, especially if it's into, out of, or around Canada...I'll bet you check on WestJet's flights. And that's all they can hope for. If it fits your price or schedule, you might pick them. But what their generosity and hard work have done is put in our minds that WestJet is worth checking out. They have given WestJet a good name in the cyber-world by this extreme act of Christmas cheer. And there's a lesson in there for Christians and churches.
It's awesome moment, isn't it? It's beautiful, generous, and kind. And people wonder if there is such a thing as beautiful, generous and kind anymore. It's also genius marketing. The power of that marketing is this. When the time comes for you to fly, especially if it's into, out of, or around Canada...I'll bet you check on WestJet's flights. And that's all they can hope for. If it fits your price or schedule, you might pick them. But what their generosity and hard work have done is put in our minds that WestJet is worth checking out. They have given WestJet a good name in the cyber-world by this extreme act of Christmas cheer. And there's a lesson in there for Christians and churches.
- We need to be generous to outsiders. Churches often want to make money for their mission trip to a foreign country by the yearly BBQ in which they expect the community to buy it for $6/plate. This sends the perception that the church exists to bleed the community of already strapped resources so they can fund ministries which their people are interested in. Same thing with a car wash or yard sale. What if we had a BBQ and gave it away and fed the community? What message does that send? This kind of mindset will cost money. It's expensive to be generous to outsiders. I happen to think people's souls are worth it.
- We need to give Jesus and the Church a good name. Too often we are guilty of actions that give Jesus and His Church a BAD name because of scandals and sin. More often, though, we are obsessed with results. We want an outreach event to immediately produce increased attendance. That can't be the goal because it's short-sighted and uncontrollable. But, we can guarantee that we give God a good name, and we can do that on a consistent basis through our ministry in, with and to the community. If we do that long enough, we give our local church a good name.
- We need to embrace the power of recommending. How many people will recommend WestJet to a friend now? What about the people that were on that flight? We need to understand that we can't get people to turn to God and come to church. What we can do is be in the business of recommending that this church might be the kind of church that they might be interested in. We CAN help people say to themselves, "You know, if I ever DID go to church, I think I'd go to that one." And, the vision is even bigger than our local context. Our goal is to help people turn to Jesus so that people say, "If I ever did need help, I think I'd turn to the God of those people who always do so much in our community."
- We need to not be fair. What if WestJet had spent the same amount of money and discounted ever ticket for holiday travelers by $5? That would have been more fair. Would you have watched that video and pretended you weren't crying at work? Radical hospitality and outreach are key to giving God a good name and raising awareness of God's goodness. Jesus didn't heal everyone. He healed some, and word spread that God was on the move.
- We need to tell stories of hope. What if this had not been videoed? We've got to find ways to share stories of the good things the Church is doing in the community. If people don't see and hear the stories, we missed the opportunity for it to impact them. And do you think these people will ever forget what happened to them? What will be their story? They'll tell this story forever. When we reach out in radical generosity, we create stories that people will tell for generations.
- We need a plan. This flight. These people. This is what we're doing. That was WestJet. Whether it is one person we're going to invest our lives in personally or one community that we're going to love on as a church. We need a plan to express kindness and love. For WestJet, that took one flight, but it was laser-focused. For us, that plan might take years. We can be an example of God's love to a few, over and over again. That's not manipulative, it's smart. Jesus said to be smart (as wise as serpents). It's just saying, "This is my spot where I want to make sure that we're doing it right." That means we need strategies. WesJet had a plan
Let's be churches that radically love our community. Let's be people that ooze generosity and hope. After all this is too important. We're not selling airline tickets. We're giving away Life.
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