Discussing Poverty This Week

Thanks to my friend Elischa for the video.

"Footprints in the Sand" Meets Star Wars' Sandpeople

 

I know this is for a somewhat limited audience, but my hunch is that several of my friends fall into that audience.

Here's the "Footprints in the Sand" poem for those who need a refresher of this over-used but still quite good illustration.

I think the image originally comes from portraitoftheartistasayoungman and I found it over at SD Smith's blog.

Funny.

A tip of the hat to the one who put this together.

Funny.

"THIS is why I do it" -- On of the Rewards of Pastoring

Image via Wikipedia
I was merely going out to ask the guy across the street not to park his car directly behind our Suburban.  It's hard to see back there.  Plus, really, I think it's kind of rude to park at the end of someone's driveway.   I was asking nicely, but I just never understood why, when there was ample parking space in front of the house they were renting that he thought that the best place was at the end of our driveway, making it difficult for us to get out.  I seemed inconsiderate.  And, more, as the snow will soon begin to fall we have a great interest on our street keeping the road as wide as possible.  We live on a hill.  Sometimes in winter you really want to have a two-lane road because the car going downhill may not be able to stop.  It happens.  You need some passing room.  It's safer.  And, as I said, there was ample room for him to pull off the road right in front of his home.  He didn't have to park where he was parking.  But, I was going to be nice about it and I was.

So, that's what got me out of the house in the dark to talk with the new neighbor across the street on a weeknight.  Slightly confrontational?  Yes.  But something learned by actually living on the street for the past 7 years and seeing how it all works.  We need some room to maneuver.

I, frankly, was a little nervous as the door closed behind me.  I'm really not one that handles confrontation very well.  I'm more of a "smooth-it-over guy."  I didn't want to have anyone upset with me.  I like everyone to love me and be happy with me.  I don't want to be seen as an obnoxious neighbor.

And, as I got out there at night I saw a familiar face among the four persons standing out there.  She's someone whom our church has helped out financially.  She's someone who has worked with my kids in daycare.   She's someone who used to work in a drive-through coffee shop and I used to go get coffee from her every Sunday morning between our 8:30 and 10 AM worship services.  16 OZ SKIM MILK LATTE WITH SUGAR FREE HAZELNUT, HALF THE USUAL AMOUNT OF HAZELNUT (my drink of choice.)  And each Sunday she'd ask me what I was preaching on and each Sunday I'd give her a terribly abbreviated version of my sermon.  Each Sunday.

One Sunday we were discussing poverty in church and I shared some of the statistics about "the working poor" and the struggles they face.  She said, "Pastor Jim, that's me.  I work two jobs and sometimes three in this town just to try keep living here and each month I get farther and farther behind.  There's a lot of us in this town."

Sometimes it was she who preached to me.

Well, in the street at night, addressing the car parking issue, she said to the others from the rental unit.  "Pastor Jim here is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet," and she put her arms around me to give me one of those those "side hugs" that are always pretty "safe" but can still show some genuine affection.  I love flattery, but it's what she said afterward that I really loved.  Afterward she looked at me and said,

Do you remember all those Sunday mornings you came and got your coffee and shared your sermons with me?  Well, those were awesome.  I always looked forward to that time.  I grew up Catholic and left the church a while ago, but those times brought me closer to Christianity than I'd been in a long time.  They kind of restored my faith in the church. Thank you.

As I think back to those Sunday morning coffees, I think I got the sense that she truly enjoyed hearing my condensed sermons.   And I think she got the sense that I wanted her perspective and to hear her stories about them for the week.  I did.  And to hear now, in the dark, a few years later, that God was acting in her life because of those conversations was awesome to hear.  It was a blessing.  It was a blessing for me to know that it made a difference.

I don't really want to take any of the credit here.  I'm very happy calling this a "God-thing" and leaving it there.  But I am going to hold onto this conversation.

Sometimes in ministry I can wonder why it is that I do this...this whole ministry-thing, with its meetings, and planning, and worrying about church finances, and running off to Bible studies, and entering into some dramatic highs and lows in persons' lives.

So, why do I do it?

Because sometimes, God, acting through me, leads to a transformation in someone's life.  Sometimes I see someone drawn closer to God again (like my friend in the street).  Sometimes a person learns something and their eyes are opened to a new reality about Scripture or person and work of Christ.  Sometimes I can see the proverbial "gears" grinding away in their minds as they begin to understand faith at a deeper level.  Sometimes right choices are made and wrong choices are confessed and atoned for.   Sometimes marriages are saved or children come home or those who have lost loved ones are comforted in their time of need.

I do it because the Holy Spirit is alive and kicking and sometimes works through even me as surprising as I sometimes find it. And sometimes, like in the account above, I get to actually see some of the fruits of this whole minitry-thing.

"Ceremonial First Flush" at a Church Dedication?

Image via Wikipedia
Just found out that it looks like we'll have water (and toilet) by the time our church dedication takes place on October 17th.  All along I've (only somewhat jokingly) stated that we should have a "Ceremonial First Flush" since our church hasn't had running water for any of its 59 years and having a flush toilet will be a big plus for parents who are potty-training their kids or those of us that find ourselves in the church for long periods of time.


Anyone have any ideas on how this could work liturgically?

Any Scripture references?

Any prayers?

(Don't suggest baptisms.  I think there are limits to how far we want to go here.)

Happy National Coffee Day (and Twin Daughters' Birthday)

I promise to do my part to support & celebrate coffee today...  Latte in the morning.   Coffee at noon.  Espresso at dinner.

I'm not going to sleep until Friday.

(Oh, I should also mention that it's National "My Oldest Twin Daughters Turn Thirteen Today" Day)

The Institutional Church -- Quote from Eugene Peterson

"What other church is there besides institutional?" - Eugene Peterson

Another Reason to Get an iPad -- So I Can Be a Street Musician in Moscow

The First iPad Street Musician? from Alex Shpil on Vimeo.

So, is it OK to Ask Questions About Faith in Your Church?

It is in ours.

 Thanks to ABSOJESUS for another fitting cartoon.

"When Christians Attack" -- On YouTube

Here's a video of Todd Friel ripping into Adam Hamilton and his work "When Christians Get it Wrong."   Take it with a large grain of salt.



Please note a couple of things about this attack on Hamilton:

• The video he uses is taken completely out of context.
• Adam Hamilton is a believer in the saving grace of God, but as a good Methodist in the Spirit of John Wesley, believes that after being "Justified" by the saving grace of Christ, one is "Sanctified," again through the saving grace of Christ.  After the heart is "strangely warmed" comes the holy living of the life of faith.
• According to the gentleman in the video, loving God and loving others is works righteousness even though Hamilton never says that Christians are "saved" by those.

I believe it's Mr. Friel who "gets it wrong" here.  Isn't there some irony here?

Blogging is Alive & Well

51% of internet users read blogs at least monthly.

12% of internet users update a blog at least monthly.

I'd love to know the percentage who read blogs daily or update blogs daily.  (I'm in both of those categories).

This is from a report over at EMARKETER.

Pure Joy -- Cracking "Puddle Ice"

Had a spirited conversation yesterday with a member of our church about the glory that is Fall.  The leaves turning.  The smell.  The mountains changing color.  The smell of wood stoves (don't have one myself and have to live vicariously through others).  Fall is a glorious time.  And, while I do love the snow, I hope to hold onto the crisp cold mornings and the afternoon sunshine of Fall, glorious Fall.

And one of the best parts of this time of year is that thin, crisp layer of ice on the puddles in the road.  I love hearing the crunch under my feet and as I'm out for a walk I find it almost impossible not to stomp on them...making sure each layer of ice has been crushed as I'm out and about.  I'm like a little kid when I come across a big puddle that has yet been touched by foot or by car.  It is pure joy.

Late this morning the same member with whom I had been speaking gave me a call.  She said, "Jim can you hear this."  There was a crunch.  She said, "It's puddle ice. Go out and get yourself some."

I was a little late to the party as the sun had come up and melted most of the ice.  But there were some puddles that had stayed in the shade and were waiting for me.  These are pictures of one of those wonderful puddles of ice.

My Faith Can Beat Up Your Faith

Image via Wikipedia

The following is by Adam Ellis in his review of Rachel Held Evans' Evolving in Monkey Town.  I think he defines well the problem of Christian polarization in America and then sees Evans' book as a practical theology in how we deal with this polarization. 

This truly resonates with a lot that I have going on internally.  I struggle with the fences that we put up, the barriers between ourselves and those who think or act or behave differently.  We seem to define ourselves as Christians--what we are--by what we are not.  We're sure that, whatever we believe, it's not what that other person or group believes.  I just don't think that this is helpful and I really don't think that it's how Jesus was defined...primarily.

Anyway, the quote is below.  It's a good one.

The problem with polarized arguments is that both sides end up arguing for something stupid…against something equally stupid…with no way forward.  One of the major problems with Christianity in our day is that, in many ways we have begun to let polarized arguments define us.  We are in love with labels, and with categories of “us” versus “them”.  We proudly identify ourselves as “conservative” or “liberal” in terms of politics and theology and claim that if you don’t apply the same label to yourself, you must be one of “them”, and thus not a “true Christian”, like us.  We ratchet our categories ever tighter, to the point that if you even question any point of our collective unspoken creeds, we question your faithfulness and intentions.

This phenomenon has become particularly obvious in the dominant approach to Christian apologetics in America.  Having “faith” has come to mean having certainty about a particular set of beliefs.  It’s a sad situation in desperate need of a fresh perspective that dares to imagine a way forward.

I Want to be a Giant Killer

Image via Wikipedia

Let's see.  Two weeks ago we introduced our "Good Samaritan" theme to the congregation and told them that we're going to be addressing the plight of some of the world's most needy people.  This was not going to be small task.  These were going to be big issues.  A week ago we talked openly and honestly about AIDS and pandemic disease.  We threw out facts and figures with the hopes that persons in the congregation would get a sense of just how many people are dying of diseases that we can actually do something about.  Yesterday we dove head first into issues of justice, highlighting the growing world slave trade, including sex trafficking.  As I look to next week, I'm excited to be looking at poverty.  That's something that hits a little closer to home for our folks and for me as well.  Here is something that we've actually seen in some of its forms...a more familiar enemy.

These are big issues.

These are bad issues.

These are issues that are clearly not what God wants for the world.

However, their size and their scope can make us feel so very small.  In fact, I think the issues are so big that we have this natural flight response that makes us want to run away from them as fast as we can so that we can deal about those issues which are more personal to our own situations.  Give us something smaller.  How about talking about trying to be Godly spouses or our need to read the Bible more frequently?  Tell us some nice stories of Jesus and the coming Kingdom of God.  When's Christmas?  At least these are issues we feel like we can do something about.


But next week I'll be in that pulpit with sermon in hand and I will try with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength to have our congregation get passionate about the poverty issue that face so many of the people in the world and so many people in our own country and, really, so many persons in our own community as well.  And I'm not sure where we'll be at the end of the hour (or hour plus).  Will anyone be moved?  Will anyone have their eyes opened to little things that can be done in our own backyard?  Will lives be changed?  Will a new generation of advocates rise up? 

Or will everyone get a glimpse of the size of the issue at hand and run the other way?

(Sigh.)

One of my favorite prayers is the prayer of a fisherman that I had heard years ago.  It says:

"Dear Lord, the sea is so wide and my boat is so small."

That gets at some of what I feel as these issues are addressed.

From Scripture we also get the account of David and the giant, Goliath.  It's in 1 Samuel 17 and the Wikipedia account of the battle goes like this:

Saul and the Israelites are facing the Philistines at the Valley of Elah. Twice a day for forty days, Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, comes out between the lines and challenges the Israelites to send out a champion of their own to decide the outcome in single combat. However, Saul and all the other Israelites are afraid of him. By chance, David is present, having brought food for his elder brothers. Told that Saul has promised to reward any man who defeats Goliath, David accepts the challenge. Saul reluctantly agrees and offers his armor, which David declines, taking only his sling and five stones chosen in a brook.

David and Goliath confront each other, Goliath with his armor and shield, David with his staff and sling. “The Philistine cursed David by his gods,” but David replies: “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down, and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that God saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is God’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

David hurls his sling with all his might, and hits Goliath in the center of his forehead. The Philistine falls on his face to the ground, David takes Goliath’s sword and cuts off his head. The Philistines flee and are pursued by the Israelites “as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron.” 

We're facing some giants on these Sundays. These are big beasts.  Our ammunition seems so puny in comparison.  I mean, how are we to do battle against AIDS, and injustice, and slavery, and hunger, and poverty, and all the damage that's been done to our earth?  How are we to deal with these big issues that have a way of making us feel, rightfully, so small and insignificant?  What could we possibly bring to the fight?  Here we are, waging battle, and we have a sermon and a video and a Sunday School class, and a take-home devotional.  Can anyone take us seriously in this fight?

We need to remember as we do all of this that David didn't have much either.  He was just a kid who was pretty good with a sling shot and had the faith of God that he'd be victorious.  He just found a few good stones right as he goes off to the fight.

Says David right before the battle:  "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."  (1 Samuel 17)

And we know of that turned out...for both David and that menacing giant that he faced.

So, next week, once again we'll gather and we'll hand our our little stones...small changes in life, ways to get involved, bits of information to spread the news about the issues at hand so that we can better know our enemy.  Together we'll fling these with all the faith and strength we can muster...praying that we hit our enemy right where it hurts...and that we win through the grace of our God.

And, when all is said in done, perhaps we will be giant killers and the world will see the glory of our Lord. 

It's something I pray for.

Great Graphic -- "The Gospel Changes Everything"

Over at The Resurgence, they do a lot with graphics and their posts.  Very media & tech savvy.  Lots of good (and deep) theology to look through.  You'll read a lot of Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church and Justin Holcomb of Mars Hill and The Resurgence. 

This is from a post called  "The Gospel Changes Everything" and focuses on the fact that, at heart, the gospel is the story of how God saves sinners.  Read the post here.  See the graphic below.

The Starbucks Computer -- Sign Me Up

My kind of "Plug and Pour" for a Sunday Morning.

From Make Use Of.

A Stewardship Prayer

Image by Hamed Saber via Flickr
Almighty God, we do not deserve the Promised Land; we deserve endless exile. We say that money does not buy happiness but then live as if money is the chief source of happiness. We are quick to be haughty, thinking ourselves better than others. The poor starve while we supersize our snacks. We place some money in a plate or jar and tell ourselves we've done our part to fight poverty. We are inconsistent stewards when it comes to what you have entrusted to us.

By the blood of Jesus the Steward-Master, forgive us. Please. Yes.

Amen.




This is a prayer by David von Schlichten and found over at Allan Bevere's blog.

The Correct Biblical Interpretation is MY Interpretation

Another comic from ABSOJesus.

The Dilemma of the Cigarette Butt

Image via Wikipedia
Last week our local Lions Club went out on the Highways and the Byways...or at least Alyeska Highway...for our last highway cleanup for the year.  There weren't many of us and it took a little longer than expected.  It's three miles of highway and people can be real slobs.  As you're picking up piece after piece of garbage, you can't help but think to yourself..."Really, someone threw this on the ground?"  Let's see, this time around we found a sleeping bag, a change of clothes, some balls (no golf balls this time), a wooden cut-out of a man, a couple pairs of gloves, and, of course, lots and lots of run-of-the-mill garbage--cups, bottles, cans, papers, wrappers, plastic bags, etc.

Now, as we're out there we have a dilemma on our hands.  There are billions (maybe slight hyperbole) of  cigarette butts on the ground.  They are everywhere.  They're so very small.  And so, each time, we're out cleaning we have to ask ourselves if we're going to pick up the butts.  One could definitely say that they are garbage -- no ifs, ands, or buts about it.  They are trash that some careless person flicked out their car window or dropped while walking or whatever.  The person doing it thought (if they thought at all) that the butt was so small that it just didn't matter.  After all, how dirty could one little cigarette butt get the entire state of Alaska?

However, as was said earlier with only slight exaggeration, there are billions of those things lying around.  It adds up.

And the problem for us cleaner-uppers is that it takes a lot of energy to bend down and pick up butt after butt after butt.  I confess for myself that I start out each time pretty convinced that I'll pick up each butt I find.  But, it doesn't take long to get overwhelmed at the sheer number of butts out there and how much bending over and picking up would be required to get them all.  And so I give up...except if the butt is nearby another piece of garbage.  I let it go unless it's convenient for me to deal with.

How often do we fail to do the little things so that they become bigger?  I have piles of paperwork to be filed here at our house.  And, you know, if I'd just been doing it all along, it would be no big deal.  But now the task is overwhelming.  And in the church do we do the same thing, with letting things like a lack of hospitality or a lazy approaches to worship slip until they go to a point from which it's hard to recover?

Next time I'm out there cleaning the highway, I assume I'll start strong again and finish weak.  Those little things add up.

Darker Logo for Girdwood Chapel

GREAT SONG -- "You Can't Shake Jesus" -- Ricky Skaggs

Heard this song in Nashville in August as it was sung by the songwriter.  He said it was going to be on Skagg's new album, Mosiac, which is now out.  Great song.  (Thanks to Internet Monk for the video)

"Tell Them What Jesus Did"

Cover via AmazonThat was a sign I saw while driving on the New Seward Highway in Anchorage this week.

"Tell Them What Jesus Did"

It made me stop...not physically stop the car but stop thinking about what I had been thinking about -- whatever that was--and made me think about the sign.

Here's a Scripture verse that points us in that direction.  It's Mark 5:18-20 after the healing of the demon-possessed man where a Legion of demons was sent into the pigs...funny story.  Here's how it ends:

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.  Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."  So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

It's cool.

I know that it's been popular to ask "What Would Jesus Do?" and wear the wrist bands and T-Shirts and hats or whatever.  This is all based on the Charles Sheldon book, In His Steps which has the following description on the back cover over at Amazon.

Rev. Henry Maxwell, speaking slowly and determinedly, yet not fully realizing the implications of what lay ahead of him, repeated his astounding proposition, "I want volunteers from First Church who will pledge themselves, earnestly and honestly, for an entire year; not to do anything without first asking the question, 'What would Jesus do?'" Maxwell never dreamed that among those who responded would be the most influential members of his congregation, the wealthy heiress with her millions at stake, the newspaper editor with his job on the line, the president of the local college, the town beauty.  But together they pledged themselves to a new step of faith that would change, not just a handful of people, but an entire town-for good.  This timeless classic by Charles Sheldon has blessed millions of people around the world who have asked the vital question, "What does it really mean to be a Christian?"

While I think this can be a fruitful exercise, I think there's a problem with working one's ethics this way.  Mainly, it pulls Jesus out of history and places him into a situational ethics dilemma.   That's contrived, I would think, even though it may be several steps in the right direction for the person thinking this way.

What would Jesus do about cloning human tissue with the goal of eradicating a disease or two?  What would Jesus do about a global AIDS crises?  What would Jesus do about slavery?  (Remember, it doesn't appear that the early church...closest to the historical Jesus...was full of abolitionists.   I think we could argue that they should have been.)  All of these situations make the situational problem primary in the discussion...we start there.  Here's the problem.  What would Jesus do?

Perhaps, that sign on the highway is onto something.  Perhaps we need to start by telling the world what Jesus did.  And, after telling the world--and ourselves--what it is that Jesus did, we can then ask how we, who have heard those stories and are shaped by them through the Holy Spirit, should address the issues at hand.

And, so, talking about abolition of slavery, we can look at how Jesus spoke about freedom and justice.  We can note how it doesn't appear that he was only speaking of freedom from spiritual chains but also real, man-made ones.  We can look at Jesus' actions to those who were the least, the last, and the lost in society, those who had been abused or who had rights taken away from them.  And then we can ask the question...if THIS is what Jesus DID and SAID...how should we respond to the issue at hand.

Perhaps the difference here is more subtle than I think it is.  But, I think the sign has it right.  We need to tell what Jesus did.

Wait, Did He Just Call Me "John"?

Yes, that's right.  This happened just recently.  We were engaged in a nice conversation about...well...important stuff...and the fact that my MacBook Pro has some "bling."

But when we were done and he was headed out of the coffee shop to go about his day's work and I was left to finish the very important business that I was doing (probably updating Facebook!) he said, "See ya, John!"  I heard him.  I didn't correct him, but I heard him.

I've been in this town for 10 years and, while I'm no old-timer, most of the town has been here for fewer years than I have with my family.  So, I consider myself pretty well known.  And, frankly, I kind of assume that I'm going to be well-known.  I'm "Pastor Jim."  It's how I sign my coffee cards, building up to get that "free" one after I've plunked down the money for 10 "non-free" ones plus tip.  And, I kind of assume that...even if people don't know me well...they will know me as "Pastor Jim"...or "Jim"...or "Spike" (long story).

And so, I was surprised that he called me, "John."  I guess he was good on the first letter.  "Jim" and "John" aren't really all that far apart.  But he really didn't know who I was.

And, you know what, I didn't really know who he was.   I couldn't tell you his name, even if I tried.  We're not friends.  But we've chatted in the coffee shops.  I've seen him with his son.  He's seen me with my kids -- all five or just a few at a time.  But I really don't know who he is.  I know his face and I could only hope I could get as close to correct as he was with my name.

Isn't this the way it is at our churches at times.  We assume we know everyone who is coming.  We assume that we're on a first-name basis with them.  We assume we know families and friends and where they work and all the stuff.  But, more often than not, we really don't.  We may know their faces.  But, we may not know a Jim from a John from a Larry or whatever.  We've never really taken the time.

So, how can we expect the relationships to be deep and meaningful if we know so little about each other?

I may have been called "John" but I think, when I see this guy again, I need to make sure I learn his name.  This isn't about getting him in the church or finding a new best friend.  But it is about caring enough to learn some of the most basic information about a person.

That's a place to start.

Pics from Flightseeing/Glacier Landing -- "WE LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL PLACE!"

Saying "No": Apple Computers, Steve Jobs, and The Church

Image via CrunchBaseThe Street business website has an article entitled:  Apple's Jobs:  1,000 No's on Way to Triumph.  The article is by Gregg Greenberg.   The article is one of thousands that puts Steve Jobs up on a pedestal for all that he's done for Apple computers and the Apple consumers...a club I'm proud to belong to as I type this on my MacBook Pro.

And, regardless of whether you're reading this on a PC or a Mac or a Linux machine, I would say that one has to realize that Steve Jobs, love him or hate him, has done great things for Apple Computers.  Under his leadership we have the iPod and the iPhone and iPad.   We have iTunes which has revolutionized the music industry.  And we have computers with no more floppy drives and operating systems that are much more user-friendly than perhaps they would have been without the leadership of Apple Computers.  The list could go on and on and on...but it won't...not here.

Says the article:

Steve jobs once said the secret to innovation is saying no to one thousand things, which means he focuses just on those products that mean something to his customers and to his clients. That also means eliminating the clutter. That's why iPods, iPhones and iPads are so easy to use. Because instead of adding more features, which is what the vast majority of companies are doing, they actually eliminate features to make it easier to use.

So, the secret to innovation is saying no?  Hmmm....   See, churches are great at adding on things.  We're great at adding worship services and adding stuff to our sanctuaries.  We're great at adding programming and adding new worship elements.  We're great at adding committees and committee members.

Oftentimes, in spite of all of this, we're not really strong in adding members or adding converts or adding professions of faith.

Perhaps we need to do a better job at eliminating some of the tasks of the church...particularly in our smaller churches that are trying so hard to be like the bigger churches they see around them.

One could probably argue that the same goes fro our lives as well...that greater innovation will come when we remove some of those things we've added to our lives over the years.

A Little Humility for the Preacher (Part 2)

Image via Wikipedia
On why Steven Lamb quit going to church after growing up in a Fundamentalist Baptist Church in the South.

Frederick Buechner has said that the sermons that have the biggest impact on us are those that we preach to ourselves in between the lines of whatever is being said from the pulpit, and the consequence of being in church every time the doors opened for twenty-eight years meant that the number of bad sermons I’d heard, filled with poor logic and faulty reasoning – all purportedly straight from God – had added up.  The result being that the sermons I tried to hear “between the lines” were drowned out by other voices that were disagreeing with nearly everything being said.  Every sermon point given, every phrase uttered, brought to mind the echos of a thousand past sermons, bringing with them a scrutiny of each idea presented for consideration, every word weighted down with the complex history of their past usage and the implications of the resulting arguments, as given in the Fundamentalist world. 

Makes me wonder what voices are going on in the heads of my congregation as I preach.  I hope it's good.

Above quote was from a guest post of Steven Lamb over at Jesus Needs New PR.

A Little Humility for the Preacher (Part 1)

A little cartoon from Naked Pastor

Is Tonight (Sept. 22) Really Christmas Eve? This article thinks so.

Image by Ron Dauphin via Flickr

Most Christians, while thankful for the birth of Christ and the fact that "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, so that whoever believes in him would have eternal life" have understood that the date of Christmas in the calendar is probably not historically accurate.  Shepherds in the fields.  Census.  There are clues.  And, I would argue that the date doesn't really matter that much to persons of faith as the gracious gift Jesus' birth is for the world.

Well, what if we really knew the date?  Would we change our Christmas to meet the facts of the birthdate?

Jesus Needs New PR brought something to my attention.

There's an article in the Belfast Telegraph on September 21 which claims that September 23rd is really the day of Christ's birth and that evening tomorrow, September 22nd, is Christmas Eve.

The Gospels inform us that John the Baptist, who was Jesus's cousin, was born six months before Jesus. John's father, Zechariah, was a priest in the Temple in Jerusalem in the order of Abijah. We can find when the order of Abijah served in the Temple in I Chronicles 24:10, and from this we can calculate that the birth of John fell at Passover.

Jesus, then, was born six months later, on Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles, which falls on Tishrei 15.

This may not mean very much to us who use the Gregorian calendar, but Tishrei 15 falls this year on Thursday 23 September.

Biblical days begin at sunset, so the feast actually starts on the evening of 22 September, which would have been the "silent and holy night" we will all be singing about three months later.

So Jesus's real birthday will pass with hardly a soul knowing it.

As one might guess, I took the Belfast article with a grain of salt.  So, I poked around a little.  There are those out there who say that late September is a pretty accurate guess for when Jesus was born, essentially using the logic applied above.  However, there are problems here and assumptions that need to be in place to make it work--which is more complicated than I could ever care to get into.  If that's important to you, please feel free to get right on that.

I think one of our problems here is that we just don't get enough information from the Bible to pinpoint the time of the year for Jesus' birth.  I would argue that the FACT OF JESUS' BIRTH was much more important to the Gosepl writers...and to us...than the time of year.  And so we celebrate his birth...on December 25th and on September 23rd and all throughout the year.

But if you have any Christmas gifts to open Thursday morning, I won't complain.

Calories! Calories! Calories! (An Infographic)

I'm a sucker for infographics. This is another one.

[Via: Weight Loss Blog]

Thinking Creatively (OK Go's "White Knuckles" Video)

I hold OK Go up to a higher standard when it comes to creativity. Low budget. Fun to watch. Uses the gifts of others (in this case, dogs). They don't take themselves too seriously. They practice, practice, practice.

How can I be more creative?

How to Thrive: Be True to Yourself

Image by Jason A. Samfield via Flickr

Prince Raney Rivers (cool name!) has a post over at "Call And Response Blog" entitled "What Makes Pastor's Thrive?"
This is not an easy question.
See, in the United Methodist Church we're famous for moving our pastors every few years...it used to be fewer than it is now.  And, with frequent moves, when the spiritual or intellectual well seems to be drying up, we move on to a new location where everything is fresh and new again.  The problem with this, of course, is that we often start at the beginning...all over again.  We need to learn the tricks of our new environment.  We need to build rapport with congregation and community.  We need to adapt our styles and "learn the ropes."  We need to go through all the trauma of moving families and spouses, sometimes with new jobs and new schools.
This is not an unimportant question for me.  I've been very clear with our own congregation that United Methodist pastors are appointed on a yearly basis.  I know where I'm going to be this year.  I can speak to nothing else at this point.  I'm here and I will serve as best I can where I am...even though I admit that I could get the word that I'm going to move at any time.  I'm not constantly looking over my shoulder for the Superintendent or Bishop coming after me.  But I am honest about it.
But I have wondered about how to thrive in the ministry to which God has called me. I've been here ten years.  How do pastors stay in churches for 10 or 20 or 30 years?  How do they keep fresh? 
I know some of the basic, safe, and very true answers to this:  Pray...stay in The Word...never stop learning...take care of yourself and your family...make sure you take time off...find your passions.

But I like what Rivers writes:

When I entered the ministry, I went to visit my childhood pastor to ask his advice. This is a man whose study is filled with journals he’s kept for decades. I expected him to send me away with a note pad filled with wisdom for the journey.  Instead, without any hesitation, he said, “Be true to yourself.”

I asked myself, “Is that all?” 

I realize now that was all I needed to hear. I can’t tell you how much this simple phrase has blessed me over the years. Ministry often entails trying to be all things to all people. But there comes a point where you really do have to draw the line and be authentic. The more I’ve practiced that, the more I have enjoyed the gift of being accepted for who I am.

One of the very great gifts of Girdwood Chapel UMC has been their ability to accept me for who I am.  For 10 years I have not felt like I've had to be someone I'm not.  I haven't felt a need to apologize for my colloquialism.  I haven't felt like I've had to have a different persona when I'm with church folks and when I'm not.  I've felt like the community has allowed me that as well.   It has been a great blessing.
And, as I look toward the years ahead I need to see what it is that God is calling me to in this place...recognizing that, if I'm true to myself and my God, good things will happen.

The Hat Jesus Wears

Biking Down Mt. Alyeska: I Want to Live Vicariously Through These Guys

This is not me.

But, while watching the video I can make believe that it is.

Alyeska Resort downhill mountain biking from anchoragedailynews on Vimeo.

When a Mugger is Confronted by the Gospel

Image via Wikipedia

It's interesting when you see Scripture so beautifully put into practice in this world.

From the "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew:

You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
—Matthew 5:38-42, NIV

From the "Sermon on the Plain" in Luke:

But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
—Luke 6:27-31. NIV

Julio Diaz is a social worker in New York and each night as he took the hour long subway ride back home to the Bronx he would get off one stop early to eat at his favorite diner.  However, one night in 2008 something happened.  The subway platform was just about empty and, as he made his way to the staris, Julio was approached by a teenager with a knife.

Here's how it happened according to the NPR story Morning Edition:

"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.

As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."

The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"

Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.

"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.
Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth. 

Over the course of the meal, Diaz and the mugger talked.  The young man could see that everyone in the diner knew Diaz and that Diaz was nice to everyone there...including the dishwasher.   This behavior...nice behavior, treating people well...was foreign to the boy.  At the end of the meal the mugger gave the wallet back but took $20 that was offered by Diaz.  All Diaz asked for was the knife.  And the mugger gave that up...perhaps a changed man after being confronted with someone really putting that whole "turn the other cheek" scripture into practice.

Said Diaz, 

"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."

I'm not sure it's that "simple" really.   "Simple" is handing over your money and trying to save your life.  "Simple" is trying to fight back.  It's harder to invest yourself so much in someone who, by all appearances, wishes to do you harm.  It's harder to follow in the footsteps of the Gospel.

"Yes Men" and "Yes Women" in the Church or a Loyal Opposition

                                                         Image via Wikipedia

As the only pastor at a small Alaskan church in a small Alaskan town, I wield a lot of power.  Now, I don't mean that in any nefarious way with an evil laugh added for effect.  What I mean is that I have found little opposition to my hopes and dreams and visions for the congregation I serve.  Most smaller churches tend to be "Pastor-Led."  And people, I think, genuinely like me and respect my opinion (at least I hope that's the case).  I think I prayerfully consider my approach to ministry and where it is that the church is being called by God.  And, I'll humbly say that I think I'm a pretty bright guy and able to make some pretty good decisions.

More or less.

Moreover, I think I can be pretty persuasive.  This can be a good and a bad thing.

This is not without a large asterisk noting that I have made mistakes along the way...some that have hurt individuals (by words and actions) and some that have hurt the church (through some brash decisions or not following through).  I have made many mistakes and I know I will continue to make them.  I'm not going to get into detail here because I just don't want to.

However, one of the things I know I've had difficult time with is making sure I have folks around me who are able to challenge me--to try to keep my feet to the ground when I'm dreaming and force me to think big when I'm being cautious.  These are the folks who need to remind me of budget restraints and point out when a study or sermon or worship idea has fallen flat or is not what the church needs right now.  These are the folks I can turn to, early on, to help me shape an idea before "going public" with it or can tell me to scale back my activities or get more involved in the community of which I'm a part.  These are folks who speak the truth in love...whether or not I'm their pastor or friend.  I think there is a need for this to help with discerning God's will and direction for myself and the church.

I'm not looking for trouble or rudeness or persons who just want to fight.  Those people do exist and I confess those same feelings rise to the surface in myself when I come face to face with them.  But I do think it is good to have persons who can engage the pastor in creative conflict.

When I do premarital counseling with folks, we talk about how conflict in marriage can be a very good thing.  It gets more than one opinion out there.  It allows for growth.  It helps in the decision-making process in life.  The same thing goes for churches.  We're not looking for a fight.  But we are looking to move beyond "Yes Men" and "Yes Women" for the sake of the church.  We're looking for a creative give and take with the pastor and not just a give.

I remember the first church I served where we had some pretty destructive conflict over hospitality and Hispanics.  Some wanted to welcome Hispanics into our church facility.  Some did not.  In our denomination we have a "Pastor-Parish Relations Committee" in the local church and at one of those meetings during the heat of the conflict one of our members angrily said, "This isn't a Pastor-Parish Relations Committee.  It's a Pastor Committee and you all know it."  She was saying that the pastor had surrounded himself with those whom he knew would agree with his vision and ideas.  I believe she was wrong about not welcoming Hispanics.  I believe she may have been right about the pastor (me and a long line of predecessors) surrounding ourselves with those who would agree with us.  It may not be helpful to the church but it is easier.

When I was first starting out in ministry, one of my mentors told me, "Jim, don't think for an instance that you're not getting into this, in part, because of your ego.  We all believe that we're called by God to the ministry.  But we all like the attention.  We all like to be in front of people.  We all like the positive strokes."  He was right to some extent.  We all like it when people agree.  It can even make us pretty sure that we're doing what God wants us to do.  After all, when you're surrounded by Yes-Men and Yes-Women it can give you a false sense that everyone prayerfully agrees with you.

But is this right?

Says Nathan Kirkpatrick over at Faith and Leadership in a blog post entitled "The Leader and the Loyal Opposition":

A radio interview with a recently re-elected president of an African nation caught my attention recently on my way in to work. The interviewer was asking him about the results of his re-election (which he won by more than 90 percent of the vote). She asked whether the final tallies were the result of repression of opposition voices, and, after some back-and-forth, she asked pointedly, “Don’t you, as the leader of your country, have a responsibility to cultivate a viable opposition party?”

Such an interesting question! Setting aside the larger geopolitical and human rights implications, it made me wonder if leaders of institutions have a responsibility to cultivate opposition to their own leadership.

Frankly, I’m not sure most leaders even think about it, because it seldom feels as though they suffer from a shortage of opposition. Further, most have been trained to believe that central to their work is “gaining alignment,” the building of strong coalitions within their organization (and beyond) to achieve a discerned vision. In many leader development programs, days-long sessions are dedicated to the art of attaining and maintaining organizational alignment.

Perhaps, even in a small church, we "have a responsibility to cultivate opposition to [our] own leadership."

I'm not sure how to put this entirely into practice, but I do know there are persons in our congregations I seek out to get an honest and informed opinions with no expectation that they are just going to agree with me just to agree.  I don't think I would qualify them as "loyal opposition."  But they are definitely not "yes men" and "yes women." And I don't think it's enough.  We need to instill in all of our folks that their opinions matter and that their prayerful consideration is important for the overall direction of the church.  It's part of our communal discernment.

Churches and clergy need to be reminded of this.  I think it's even more needed in the smaller churches where there may not be a staff with whom ideas are shared and shaped.

Therefore it's even more needed for myself and the church I serve.

Holy Cow!!!