...thoughts from Sunday.
=============================================
Our culture tells us in a thousand ways, big and small, that "money makes the world go 'round."
We are bombarded with images and slogans convincing us that we need the bigger grill, the better vehicle, the more expensive shoes, or the newer house; then we will be happy!
We are told we earned it; that the wealth we possess is our right.
We are taught to define ourselves by the income we make and the associated status symbols. Our individual and cultural identity is wrapped up in symbols of wealth.
Even those caught up in poverty often mistakenly believe that the solution to their problems is money!
“If your relationship with God doesn’t bring you into conflict with your culture, then you need to reevaluate your relationship with God.”
Pastor Rob Owens
The truth is that these things will complicate our lives and end up making us less satisfied with our lives! Once basic needs for food, water, shelter, health, and freedom are met, any increase in wealth leads to a decrease in felt happiness.
We operate from within a vastly unjust global economic system, and it is tilted in our favor! We haven't earned the wealth we have, it is a gift; the job, the economy, even the strength, health, intelligence, or skill that we possess that enable us to procure and maintain the levels of wealth we are accustomed to, are not things we are responsible for. They are a gift!
...and our value has nothing to do with the amount of stuff we control. We have value because God says we do! Our identity is in our reflection of His image, not in our hoarding of His possessions!
=============================================
The simple fact is that money is not central, it is peripheral. God is central. Whenever we allow our culture to convince us otherwise, our lives and our world suffers for it!
Even in the church money can gain the place of prominence. Churches command tithes to line the pockets of clergy, others preach a message that says "Jesus died to give you a big house and a nice car." Even the extreme ascetic streak that has run throughout the history of the Church can often be simply an unhealthy emphasis on the role of money (albeit a negative one) instead of putting money in its proper place.
=============================================
So what does God want us to do with money?
...a brief perusal of the way the topic was handled in the Jewish Scriptures is illuminating.
From the very beginning Jews recognized that all wealth comes from God. God is the creator of the earth, wealth included. He owns it all and has merely placed it in human hands to act as God's caretakers. We are YHWH's gardeners.
The wealth of the Nation of Israel was literally handed to them by God. They were a nation of slaves who left Egypt with the riches of their oppressors on their backs. God carved out a country from the surrounding nations and handed it to a people with no country.
The Law then proscribed that Jewish households were to periodically set aside 10% of their wealth for God and His purposes in the nation. (Some estimates are that this amounted to approximately the equivalent of a 25% yearly income tax) This was done for three specific purposes:
1) Maintaining the system of priests and Temple. This was essentially a tax to support the religious, educational, and judicial system of the country (as the priesthood fulfilled these roles in some capacity).
2) Redistributing wealth to those who had little or no capacity for generating income, orphans, widows, foreigners, etc.
The first two purposes fit well within our modern conception of taxation, the third, however, is uniquely surprising:
Deuteronomy 14:22-26
3) The Jewish People were commanded to use a portion of their Tithes to throw a tremendous nationwide party! Eating and drinking was not merely encouraged, but commanded!
=============================================
God loves stuff, that is why He made it! He wants us to enjoy it! Food, drink, beautiful scenery, physical pleasures, fine art, colors, smells, textures. Not only did God invent these things, He also designed us with the capacity to enjoy them! (Check this out.)
The problem is not with wealth. The problem is never in the stuff. The problem is in what we do with it, how we get it, why we want it, how much of it we use, whether or not we share it...
In short...
...the problem is us!
(More to come)
4.10.2008
4.03.2008
Exclusion and Embrace
Click on the title link to read the intro to the book, really just the first few paragraphs. Intriguing, the book is coming...
4.02.2008
Judas and the Gospel of Jesus
...the Gnostic presentation of Jesus (setting aside for now the opinions of the historical scholars on the date for the Gnostic texts in comparison to the canonical ones...) fails in a singularly striking way:
What the canonical gospels communicate almost in every paragraph the Gnostic gospels never do -- explain the reason for Jesus crucifixion.
The Gnostic communities were notoriously free of persecution precisely because they posed no political threat to either the Jewish establishment or the Roman one, whereas the disciples of Jesus (and Jesus himself) were so threatening to the status-quo that they were vehemently eradicated wherever possible.
The Gnostic (or New Age, for that matter) picture of Jesus as a kind of Platonic Buddha figure simply can't explain why anyone in power would be threatened by Him; the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, however, provide a picture of Jesus as a Jewish Reformer-Prophet-King who is a constant threat to those in power, and hence crucified.
What the canonical gospels communicate almost in every paragraph the Gnostic gospels never do -- explain the reason for Jesus crucifixion.
The Gnostic communities were notoriously free of persecution precisely because they posed no political threat to either the Jewish establishment or the Roman one, whereas the disciples of Jesus (and Jesus himself) were so threatening to the status-quo that they were vehemently eradicated wherever possible.
The Gnostic (or New Age, for that matter) picture of Jesus as a kind of Platonic Buddha figure simply can't explain why anyone in power would be threatened by Him; the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, however, provide a picture of Jesus as a Jewish Reformer-Prophet-King who is a constant threat to those in power, and hence crucified.
3.25.2008
I dream of disaster
I was asked the other day to tell of the one dream I have had that I felt was God given, so here goes...
(Sorry this is long!)
This happened years ago (6 years?), so some of the details are a little fuzzy, but I certainly remember the main details of it. Tamy and I had only recently moved back to my hometown in California. We were planning on settling there permanently. We had saved a significant chunk of money to use as a down payment on a house, I was going to school to teach and coach, Tamy had begun her career as an RN. In short, we had begun the life we had always planned for ourselves; we were building our own little kingdom, carving out our space and making preparations for our future.
We were planning on purchasing property, designing, and building our dream home. My head was full of visions of a nationally successful High School wrestling program, Tamy's was full of plans for building a family.
At the same time, however, we had begun in earnest to learn to live a life of intimacy with Jesus. We were involved, more and more, with the community of believers, and we wanted, more and more, to live our lives with Jesus and for Jesus.
======================================
Not only did the dream carry a very real "message," and a very significant emotional gravity, but the message ended up bearing very specifically to situations soon to arise in my life. What I do remember is that I never have dreams that I remember, nor have I ever had a dream that I felt was in any sense imbued with spiritual significance. This one, however, was different...
======================================
Everything was very dark ...it was dark visually but also emotionally; I was walking forward.
Throughout the entire dream I never really saw any of my companions, but they were there, we were in a group walking together. Each of my companions had a piece of armor or a weapon; this one wore a helmet, that one carried a sword, and another a breastplate.
On my arm I held a shield.
Throughout the entire dream I heard a voice, speaking to me from just behind me.
I never saw the angel, but it spoke to me constantly, telling me what was going on, encouraging me, giving me advice, information, and filling my heart with courage. In my right ear was the voice of wisdom and strength.
"You must work together," the voice said.
"When you come to the enemy, you must use your shield to protect your companions from danger. Your job is to cover them, and keep them from the weapons of your enemies. Your companions, each of them using his or her own item, will work along with you to fight and defeat the enemies you will meet."
We continued to walk forward.
A large figure loomed out of the dark. It was much larger than a human, clad in dark armor.
"...you must use your shield, keep walking forward, if you will do your part, you will be victorious over this creature."
The angel continued to speak to my heart, "do not be afraid, be strong and courageous."
My companions and I moved forward, toward the dark creature, I don't really remember a 'battle.' I remember that we stood our ground, together, and emerged unscathed and victorious. The voice in my ear continued to encourage me...
We continued to walk forward, and again were confronted by a large humanoid creature, clad in black, wearing armor, and wielding medieval weapons. Again we heeded the angel and won the battle.
======================================
As we continued to progress on our journey, a large black shape loomed up out of the shadows in front of us, it appeared to be a hill. I could see the silhouette.
...and then the hill began to move.
I can still recall being terrified at what was in front of me. It was like watching my destruction unfold before me, and having no course of action available to stop it. Like watching a character in a cinema thriller making the stupid decision that will get him killed, and you know because you are outside the plot. Only this was happening to me.
It was a huge dragon-like beast. It was enormous, at least the size of a 3 or 4 story building. It raised up and began to come toward us.
"Be strong and courageous! Do not doubt! You can defeat this dragon!" the voice in my ear whispered encouragement. I steadied myself for a blast of fire-breath as the beast reared back and inhaled deeply.
The blast of fire came...
...and I fled.
I ran as fast as I could away from the dragon and away from my death and destruction...
...away from my friends.
======================================
The voice began again, not condemning, not excusing, but simply telling me, "if you would have stood your ground, you would have survived, not only survived, but overcome the beast. You were the key to victory, and you ran."
The angel did not explain the fate of my companions.
I began to sob, realizing that I had lost us the battle, and perhaps taken the lives of my friends as well. My cowardice, and selfishness had brought all of us low.
I remember the deep conviction that arose inside of me, that I could not ever allow this to happen again.
======================================
This dream stayed with me when I awoke.
It stayed with me for a long time, even to this day.
======================================
About the same time I had this dream Tamy and I were faced with a decision. We had a large sum of money saved up for our home, but there was something that we felt God was asking us to do with it. He was asking us to give this money to something other than our house. This may seem like a small decision, but to us is was about more than simply money; God was asking us to choose: His plans and dreams, or ours.
Would we give up the very thing we had scraped and saved, and went to school, and gotten into debt, to accomplish?
This was one of the moments of decision for us. Would we live for ourselves and wear Jesus like a campaign button? ...or would we orient our cares around His cares?
======================================
The meaning of the dream was clear, as was the fact that it was more than just a dream. We simply couldn't act as though our money was 'ours.' It was His and we had to use it to 'protect our companions.'
I had said I could not ever allow this to happen again.
When Tamy and I actually gave away that money I could feel it in my stomach.
I physically felt it.
Somebody could have punched me in the gut to the same effect.
But, with 20-20 hindsight, I would not go back and change my decision even if it were for $100,000 (and it wasn't anything close!)
=======================================
(Sorry this is long!)
This happened years ago (6 years?), so some of the details are a little fuzzy, but I certainly remember the main details of it. Tamy and I had only recently moved back to my hometown in California. We were planning on settling there permanently. We had saved a significant chunk of money to use as a down payment on a house, I was going to school to teach and coach, Tamy had begun her career as an RN. In short, we had begun the life we had always planned for ourselves; we were building our own little kingdom, carving out our space and making preparations for our future.
We were planning on purchasing property, designing, and building our dream home. My head was full of visions of a nationally successful High School wrestling program, Tamy's was full of plans for building a family.
At the same time, however, we had begun in earnest to learn to live a life of intimacy with Jesus. We were involved, more and more, with the community of believers, and we wanted, more and more, to live our lives with Jesus and for Jesus.
======================================
Not only did the dream carry a very real "message," and a very significant emotional gravity, but the message ended up bearing very specifically to situations soon to arise in my life. What I do remember is that I never have dreams that I remember, nor have I ever had a dream that I felt was in any sense imbued with spiritual significance. This one, however, was different...
======================================
Everything was very dark ...it was dark visually but also emotionally; I was walking forward.
Throughout the entire dream I never really saw any of my companions, but they were there, we were in a group walking together. Each of my companions had a piece of armor or a weapon; this one wore a helmet, that one carried a sword, and another a breastplate.
On my arm I held a shield.
Throughout the entire dream I heard a voice, speaking to me from just behind me.
I never saw the angel, but it spoke to me constantly, telling me what was going on, encouraging me, giving me advice, information, and filling my heart with courage. In my right ear was the voice of wisdom and strength.
"You must work together," the voice said.
"When you come to the enemy, you must use your shield to protect your companions from danger. Your job is to cover them, and keep them from the weapons of your enemies. Your companions, each of them using his or her own item, will work along with you to fight and defeat the enemies you will meet."
We continued to walk forward.
A large figure loomed out of the dark. It was much larger than a human, clad in dark armor.
"...you must use your shield, keep walking forward, if you will do your part, you will be victorious over this creature."
The angel continued to speak to my heart, "do not be afraid, be strong and courageous."
My companions and I moved forward, toward the dark creature, I don't really remember a 'battle.' I remember that we stood our ground, together, and emerged unscathed and victorious. The voice in my ear continued to encourage me...
We continued to walk forward, and again were confronted by a large humanoid creature, clad in black, wearing armor, and wielding medieval weapons. Again we heeded the angel and won the battle.
======================================
As we continued to progress on our journey, a large black shape loomed up out of the shadows in front of us, it appeared to be a hill. I could see the silhouette.
...and then the hill began to move.
I can still recall being terrified at what was in front of me. It was like watching my destruction unfold before me, and having no course of action available to stop it. Like watching a character in a cinema thriller making the stupid decision that will get him killed, and you know because you are outside the plot. Only this was happening to me.
It was a huge dragon-like beast. It was enormous, at least the size of a 3 or 4 story building. It raised up and began to come toward us.
"Be strong and courageous! Do not doubt! You can defeat this dragon!" the voice in my ear whispered encouragement. I steadied myself for a blast of fire-breath as the beast reared back and inhaled deeply.
The blast of fire came...
...and I fled.
I ran as fast as I could away from the dragon and away from my death and destruction...
...away from my friends.
======================================
The voice began again, not condemning, not excusing, but simply telling me, "if you would have stood your ground, you would have survived, not only survived, but overcome the beast. You were the key to victory, and you ran."
The angel did not explain the fate of my companions.
I began to sob, realizing that I had lost us the battle, and perhaps taken the lives of my friends as well. My cowardice, and selfishness had brought all of us low.
I remember the deep conviction that arose inside of me, that I could not ever allow this to happen again.
======================================
This dream stayed with me when I awoke.
It stayed with me for a long time, even to this day.
======================================
About the same time I had this dream Tamy and I were faced with a decision. We had a large sum of money saved up for our home, but there was something that we felt God was asking us to do with it. He was asking us to give this money to something other than our house. This may seem like a small decision, but to us is was about more than simply money; God was asking us to choose: His plans and dreams, or ours.
Would we give up the very thing we had scraped and saved, and went to school, and gotten into debt, to accomplish?
This was one of the moments of decision for us. Would we live for ourselves and wear Jesus like a campaign button? ...or would we orient our cares around His cares?
======================================
The meaning of the dream was clear, as was the fact that it was more than just a dream. We simply couldn't act as though our money was 'ours.' It was His and we had to use it to 'protect our companions.'
I had said I could not ever allow this to happen again.
When Tamy and I actually gave away that money I could feel it in my stomach.
I physically felt it.
Somebody could have punched me in the gut to the same effect.
But, with 20-20 hindsight, I would not go back and change my decision even if it were for $100,000 (and it wasn't anything close!)
=======================================
3.21.2008
Well, we got some snow...
We finally got dumped on this winter. This was our first real snow of the winter, just one week before the official beginning of Spring...
We got about 20 inches in 2 days.
It has been quite some time since I have written an update for all of you who might potentially be reading this from parts elsewhere...
Winters in Buffalo are like summers in Redding; you don't go outside if you don't have to...
...but God has still been at work in our community of saints. We have continued to connect, slowly but none-the-less, with new people. About two months ago we celebrated a large milestone in the health of our Church. We officially released a second home group under Mary's leadership. (I know this goes without saying for all of you back home who know her, but, "Mary rocks!" she has been such a blessing here! It is wonderful to watch her step out into the places God is beckoning her!)
This has made room for new people and for new leaders.
...we have an upcoming leadership teaching that our church will be involved in. Myself and the Pastor of the Niagara Falls Vineyard will be teaching an evening on the subject of leadership. I see this as a very timely thing. There are several people in our church who are people of influence and may very well be the future leaders of the Buffalo Vineyard. (Although they might not know it yet!)
God has been stirring our hearts (particularly my wife) in the area of prayer and intercession. God has continued to raise her awareness on the issue of human slavery that still goes on in America and other parts of the world. We don't know what role we might play in these great global issues, but God is certainly asking us to pray!
I have personally been meeting with a small group of pastors in the city (two others from Buffalo, and then Pastor Jim from the NF Vineyard) to fellowship and pray together. This has been a great encouragement to me, and I see it as a potential source of something truly special as we continue to grow together.
We are looking forward to the warming weather and the opportunities for being out among the people of Buffalo that it will bring.
Please pray specifically for two things:
That God would open doors into new relationships in the city and new neighborhoods in the city.
That God would spark fire in the hearts of the people of our church, and raise up women and men who would take responsibility for the community of God and the mission of God here in Buffalo.
Here is Adrianna, her son Judah (in utero) and her husband Joe, (she cooks a mean stew!) and their friend Cabe; they are sitting in our living room during our Wednesday small group meeting.
Here is the Cafe that we have our Sunday night gathering at. Mary and I were warming up for worship, Alan is singing along.
This is a picture of some of our friends enjoying a meal at our old house.
Lilly and I playing guitar. Lilly is currently studying Art History for a semester in Italy!
3.19.2008
|seks|
commodity |kəˈmäditē| noun ( pl. -ties) a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper or coffee. • a useful or valuable thing, such as water or time.
Sex is a commodity. While the rise and fall of oil and gas continues sex is rapidly becoming cheaper and cheaper everyday. Sarcasm is really the only way I know how to handle the topic of sex and the same within the context to which I would like to talk about it. I will try to refrain from using all the sarcastic things I have stored up in my brain. Sex is no longer about love and commitment; it's about having it your way, wherever and whenever you want it. You can confuse sex and Burger King. They basically have the same slogan: "Have it your way." People even talk about it as if it were a hamburger or going out to grab a bite to eat. " I think I am going to get laid tonight." " I think I am going out to get a hamburger tonight." It's sick and I am not referring to just men. Women are just as capable in the area of cheapening sex as men are. It sucks and it's not fair that this is how it has become. A consumer product. We even have names for our genitals. Nicknames that dehumanize our human and God-created body parts. As weird as it is to say it our beautiful parts. They are ugly and vulgar names, that to me are upsetting and I hate to think of them. I will spare the names because even the sexually healthiest and purest people know all of the derogatory names. It disgusts me. I have come away from a few movies that have left me wanting to spend the rest of my life celibate than to ever experience the brainless, loveless sex that billions of people experience everyday.
I am sure that everyone that reads this blog has heard this by now but I will reiterate it anyway.
In certain countries you can purchase a 5 year old little girl for 5$. That is the going rate. There are women and children, right at this very minute, that are being smuggled into our "Christian Nation" only to be bought at a cheap price. Right now someone is being forced to do sexual acts against their will. Someone at this moment is being forced to give up their virginity to a person that will never ever be capable of loving them. By the way this is probably happening in the city you live it.
Sex has become so accessible you can find it ANYWHERE you like. We have become so demanding of "our needs" our wants. Sex isn't even between one man and one woman anymore. It can be anyway you want it. Have it your way. In fact why not just buy somebody that you can just have sex with whenever you want and it doesn't really matter how you treat them because they are from a foreign country. They don't really speak our language and don't really understand what is going on.
Rape speaks all languages. Suffering. Pain. Humiliation. They are all universal languages.
The thing is that everyone has a name. Everyone has a personality. People with names and unique, God-given personalities are being destroyed.
I am just so angry and so disgusted by all of this. My brain has been rolling around sarcastic things about sex for the last two days. That won't help anything. This world needs Jesus. This world needs healing. Sexual healing. I need sexual healing and the thing is I have never had sex! I guess that most people really haven't ever experienced sex either. Even the word "sex" it seems so cheap. Tons of people who have had sex have really experienced selfishness, and short lived pleasure, they have really experienced lust and pride, shame and domination. They have never really experienced what sex was intended to be. I can't take much more exploitation of one of God's beautiful gifts. I can't take much more of the stories I hear on a weekly basis from girls in my life saying that they weren't loved by some man.
Basically this whole sex thing all boils down to a few different things:
1. Sin
Oh wait that is pretty much it. I guess then there is a few different solutions:
1. Jesus
Oh wait He is the only solution. God please heal us. Please move in this country. Move in all of the nations of the world. Please God end human trafficking. Restore to this world the gift of sexuality in it's purest most beautiful form and show us, your church, Lord what we can do to partner with you in this.
Now if you will excuse me, I am going go buy 50 shares in the sex industry, it's such a hot commodity and at such a cheap price it would be a shame not to.
Sex is a commodity. While the rise and fall of oil and gas continues sex is rapidly becoming cheaper and cheaper everyday. Sarcasm is really the only way I know how to handle the topic of sex and the same within the context to which I would like to talk about it. I will try to refrain from using all the sarcastic things I have stored up in my brain. Sex is no longer about love and commitment; it's about having it your way, wherever and whenever you want it. You can confuse sex and Burger King. They basically have the same slogan: "Have it your way." People even talk about it as if it were a hamburger or going out to grab a bite to eat. " I think I am going to get laid tonight." " I think I am going out to get a hamburger tonight." It's sick and I am not referring to just men. Women are just as capable in the area of cheapening sex as men are. It sucks and it's not fair that this is how it has become. A consumer product. We even have names for our genitals. Nicknames that dehumanize our human and God-created body parts. As weird as it is to say it our beautiful parts. They are ugly and vulgar names, that to me are upsetting and I hate to think of them. I will spare the names because even the sexually healthiest and purest people know all of the derogatory names. It disgusts me. I have come away from a few movies that have left me wanting to spend the rest of my life celibate than to ever experience the brainless, loveless sex that billions of people experience everyday.
I am sure that everyone that reads this blog has heard this by now but I will reiterate it anyway.
In certain countries you can purchase a 5 year old little girl for 5$. That is the going rate. There are women and children, right at this very minute, that are being smuggled into our "Christian Nation" only to be bought at a cheap price. Right now someone is being forced to do sexual acts against their will. Someone at this moment is being forced to give up their virginity to a person that will never ever be capable of loving them. By the way this is probably happening in the city you live it.
Sex has become so accessible you can find it ANYWHERE you like. We have become so demanding of "our needs" our wants. Sex isn't even between one man and one woman anymore. It can be anyway you want it. Have it your way. In fact why not just buy somebody that you can just have sex with whenever you want and it doesn't really matter how you treat them because they are from a foreign country. They don't really speak our language and don't really understand what is going on.
Rape speaks all languages. Suffering. Pain. Humiliation. They are all universal languages.
The thing is that everyone has a name. Everyone has a personality. People with names and unique, God-given personalities are being destroyed.
I am just so angry and so disgusted by all of this. My brain has been rolling around sarcastic things about sex for the last two days. That won't help anything. This world needs Jesus. This world needs healing. Sexual healing. I need sexual healing and the thing is I have never had sex! I guess that most people really haven't ever experienced sex either. Even the word "sex" it seems so cheap. Tons of people who have had sex have really experienced selfishness, and short lived pleasure, they have really experienced lust and pride, shame and domination. They have never really experienced what sex was intended to be. I can't take much more exploitation of one of God's beautiful gifts. I can't take much more of the stories I hear on a weekly basis from girls in my life saying that they weren't loved by some man.
Basically this whole sex thing all boils down to a few different things:
1. Sin
Oh wait that is pretty much it. I guess then there is a few different solutions:
1. Jesus
Oh wait He is the only solution. God please heal us. Please move in this country. Move in all of the nations of the world. Please God end human trafficking. Restore to this world the gift of sexuality in it's purest most beautiful form and show us, your church, Lord what we can do to partner with you in this.
Now if you will excuse me, I am going go buy 50 shares in the sex industry, it's such a hot commodity and at such a cheap price it would be a shame not to.
3.17.2008
From Sunday...
SIN
BOUGHT INTO A LIE:
“Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
C. S. Lewis – The Weight of Glory
Sin is fun, just like the mud pies, but we are missing out! I know people think they are really enjoying themselves when they sin, but they are like Esau, who traded away the blessings of his father (and ultimately the blessing of God) for a bowl of soup...
...it is not that soup is bad, I am sure Esau left full and satisfied from the meal; later, however, he must have hated that soup!
...so it is with sin.
It is like honey on the tongue and bitter in your stomach!
===============================
1Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
2The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "
4"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5"For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"
10He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
Genesis 3:1-10
Why did Adam and Eve hide? What happened inside of them?
We are still hiding from God!
...and for the same reasons!
==========================================
GOD HATES SIN! The question is why?
“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations--these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit--immortal horrors or everlasting splendours. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of the kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously--no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinners--no mere tolerance, or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment. Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.”
C. S. Lewis – The Weight of Glory
God hates sin because it destroys the very things that He cherishes!
For many of us, when we hear the words, "God hates sin," we translate that into, "God hates me!" That is the furthest thing from the truth! God hates sin so much because He loves us so much that He can't stand seeing our lives distorted and cramped by sin!
BOUGHT INTO A LIE:
“Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
C. S. Lewis – The Weight of Glory
Sin is fun, just like the mud pies, but we are missing out! I know people think they are really enjoying themselves when they sin, but they are like Esau, who traded away the blessings of his father (and ultimately the blessing of God) for a bowl of soup...
...it is not that soup is bad, I am sure Esau left full and satisfied from the meal; later, however, he must have hated that soup!
...so it is with sin.
It is like honey on the tongue and bitter in your stomach!
===============================
1Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
2The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "
4"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5"For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"
10He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
Genesis 3:1-10
Why did Adam and Eve hide? What happened inside of them?
We are still hiding from God!
...and for the same reasons!
==========================================
GOD HATES SIN! The question is why?
“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations--these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit--immortal horrors or everlasting splendours. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of the kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously--no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinners--no mere tolerance, or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment. Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.”
C. S. Lewis – The Weight of Glory
God hates sin because it destroys the very things that He cherishes!
For many of us, when we hear the words, "God hates sin," we translate that into, "God hates me!" That is the furthest thing from the truth! God hates sin so much because He loves us so much that He can't stand seeing our lives distorted and cramped by sin!
3.16.2008
3.15.2008
3.13.2008
3.09.2008
Misconceptions
"The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name."
Zechariah 14:9
"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."
Habakkuk 2:14
If the hope described in passages such as these are truly what God intends, then there are some common misunderstandings that run rampant throughout the spiritual understanding of women and men, both inside and outside of the church...
MISCONCEPTIONS::
The Nature of Salvation
Misconception #1 - Salvation is about leaving earth and going to heaven; God is primarily concerned with what happens to individuals after they die.
If these verses are true, then salvation is actually about God putting all things right; it is about heaven coming to earth. Salvation is about all of creation sharing in the Life that is found in God.
The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
Zechariah 14:9
The Nature of the Church
Misconception #2 - The church is an institution
The common misconception is that church is an institution or a building, with leaders whose primary function is to minister to us Christian members of the Church. Their work consists of providing programs for our care and preservation until we die and go to heaven; the leaders minister to Christians.
The reality of the Church is that is is God's means by which He is becoming king over the whole earth! The leaders primary function is to equip Christians to minister to the world. The primary function of the average Christian is to bring God's kingdom of blessing, peace, joy, freedom, hope, and restoration to the places we work, live, play, eat, shop, and pay our bills.
The Church is not a "place where" but rather a "people who..." ...the Church is the people of God committed to the purposes of God. (With these verses being a great encapsulation of those purposes!)
The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
Zechariah 14:9
The Sacred/Secular Distinction
Misconception #3 - There are certain activities, things, people, and places that are ‘good’ and ‘spiritual’ and others that are not.
God is primarily concerned that we involve ourselves in sacred activities; sitting in Churches, praying, creating or consuming Christian art.
The reality is that God wants the whole earth to be put right, not just church buildings! God wants to be a part of every aspect of society and ecology.
We are NOT talking about putting a fish on your business card, or even becoming a ‘christian’ interior decorator. But rather doing a job with the purposes of God in mind; engineers who design new ways of water filtration to address the needs for drinking water around the world. William Wilberforce going into politics in order to honor God's call on his life to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire.
The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
Zechariah 14:9
The Clergy/Laity Distinction
Misconception #4 - Pastors are really Holy and really devoted; they speak for God!
The reality is that a certain level of maturity is required of leaders, but they need not be the most mature; leaders are equippers! Clergy are not speaking to people on God's behalf, but helping people to come to God on their own.
We so often received the Kingdom from ‘professional Christians’ and so have been told (explicitly or implicitly) "If you love Jesus - Hurry up and quit your job to do real ministry!"
Paul was a tentmaker, Jesus was a carpenter!
The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
Zechariah 14:9
Knowledge versus Obedience
Misconception #5 - God is primarily concerned that we agree with certain statements.
Hear the word, believe in God, just have faith!
The reality is that God wants us to participate, not observe...
...share in, not hear about, the Kingdom of redemption!
The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
Zechariah 14:9
Zechariah 14:9
"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."
Habakkuk 2:14
If the hope described in passages such as these are truly what God intends, then there are some common misunderstandings that run rampant throughout the spiritual understanding of women and men, both inside and outside of the church...
MISCONCEPTIONS::
The Nature of Salvation
Misconception #1 - Salvation is about leaving earth and going to heaven; God is primarily concerned with what happens to individuals after they die.
If these verses are true, then salvation is actually about God putting all things right; it is about heaven coming to earth. Salvation is about all of creation sharing in the Life that is found in God.
The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
Zechariah 14:9
The Nature of the Church
Misconception #2 - The church is an institution
The common misconception is that church is an institution or a building, with leaders whose primary function is to minister to us Christian members of the Church. Their work consists of providing programs for our care and preservation until we die and go to heaven; the leaders minister to Christians.
The reality of the Church is that is is God's means by which He is becoming king over the whole earth! The leaders primary function is to equip Christians to minister to the world. The primary function of the average Christian is to bring God's kingdom of blessing, peace, joy, freedom, hope, and restoration to the places we work, live, play, eat, shop, and pay our bills.
The Church is not a "place where" but rather a "people who..." ...the Church is the people of God committed to the purposes of God. (With these verses being a great encapsulation of those purposes!)
The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
Zechariah 14:9
The Sacred/Secular Distinction
Misconception #3 - There are certain activities, things, people, and places that are ‘good’ and ‘spiritual’ and others that are not.
God is primarily concerned that we involve ourselves in sacred activities; sitting in Churches, praying, creating or consuming Christian art.
The reality is that God wants the whole earth to be put right, not just church buildings! God wants to be a part of every aspect of society and ecology.
We are NOT talking about putting a fish on your business card, or even becoming a ‘christian’ interior decorator. But rather doing a job with the purposes of God in mind; engineers who design new ways of water filtration to address the needs for drinking water around the world. William Wilberforce going into politics in order to honor God's call on his life to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire.
The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
Zechariah 14:9
The Clergy/Laity Distinction
Misconception #4 - Pastors are really Holy and really devoted; they speak for God!
The reality is that a certain level of maturity is required of leaders, but they need not be the most mature; leaders are equippers! Clergy are not speaking to people on God's behalf, but helping people to come to God on their own.
We so often received the Kingdom from ‘professional Christians’ and so have been told (explicitly or implicitly) "If you love Jesus - Hurry up and quit your job to do real ministry!"
Paul was a tentmaker, Jesus was a carpenter!
The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
Zechariah 14:9
Knowledge versus Obedience
Misconception #5 - God is primarily concerned that we agree with certain statements.
Hear the word, believe in God, just have faith!
The reality is that God wants us to participate, not observe...
...share in, not hear about, the Kingdom of redemption!
The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
Zechariah 14:9
3.07.2008
Trade
I just watched the movie Trade, it is about the human trafficing business around the world and even in america. I have to say I am so disturbed about this movie. I am not an uninformed person relating to this I have done some reading and am aware of the fact that it happens, I have been for upset about this topic for awhile which is why I wanted to see the movie in the first place.
However seeing the movie has now marked my heart in a new way, it has left a print on my heart of the reality of it. I can not imagine the depths of evil and despair that exist in this world and now I find that this movie has brought the reality home to me in a way that I can not forget because I have seen it with my own eyes. This movie is not based on a true story but rather hollywoods take on the subject. Even though this movie is not a true story I do not doubt that things far worse than the movies portrayl are really happening.
So here I am marked and overwhelmed by this whole thing and I feel like I can surely make people more aware of the fact that this is happening, and it may not be to our daughters here in america but these women and children that are being stolen are someones daughters and they matter. I know that I would go to the ends of the earth for my own daughter and search high and low and never give up.....so I have been pondering would I do that for someone elses daughter, does she matter just as much as my daughter isn't she just as valuable but maybe she doesn't have someone to search for her, maybe her family actually sold her into it.
That shouldn't matter she is just as cherished by God as my daughter and she is His daughter first as we are all his and so I know that I must care just as much about these women and children as I would my own family and fight just as hard to bring and end to this form of slavery and oppression.
We in america love to stand up for things and fight for things but do we really fight the fights that matter, are we fighting to bring justice to the oppressed or do we fight the fights that benefit us and our pocketbooks...Speaking of money how much is a little girl or women worth anyhow???? How much cash is a human being worth??? In this movie for 25-30 thousand dollars you can purchase your own human being to treat anyway you wish and do whatever you want with.....WOW!!! What kind of world do we life in?? My heart is turned towards Jesus to hear an answer to how to fight this fight, anyone who would like to join me in this or has something else to offer.....
I reccommend watching this movie to everyone and then trying to go about your normal day, as you think and ponder through the fact that this is really happening, IT is a reality for many women and children.. If this doesn't call us to the feet of the Father in petition for His justice to come, then what are we going to the Father for????? Are we there for ourselves and our comfort, are we really praying for more money, a better job, a better church to belong to???? WHAT ARE WE SEEKING THE FATHER FOR??????
I feel like God has spoken to me to raise awareness about things that are happening in our world today that many of us are ignorant to, partly I feel like if people could just be aware then surely the spirit of God in us would bring us to our knees for the things that are really grieving God's heart. Also I am praying for these things and would like people to join me in asking God for his hand to move and bring justice to our world, bring mercy and compassion to those hurting and broken. So if you would like to receive this email that I send out then please email me at schenk.tamy@gmail.com.
Today we are more aware, will we forget by tomorrow???
Here are links to more information about human trafficking:
Archdiocese of San Francisco
Human Trafficking.org
3.03.2008
The Good Book Part II
Collections of interactions with another individual online:
Laura: the fact that so much literature is devoted to the need to 'reconcile' difficult things in the Bible is an implicit admission that there are contradictions in the Bible, otherwise there'd be nothing to reconcile.
Steve: Point well taken, yet, have you never had to 'reconcile' two statements you made that people misunderstood as contradictory? I think you reach too much when you make that point. I am perfectly okay with you saying "I choose to interpret these passages in ways that make them contradict each other." That is your perogative.
I think, however, it is only fair to give a little bit more than a cursory read to a document that is separated from us by 2,000 years of cultural change and several languages.
Laura: I'd call 17 years of Bible study more than a cursory read…anyway I would say it's also only fair to note that across the internet, arguments between Christians who are very familiar with the Bible, over what the Bible teaches, are alive and well. And once I realized I didn't have to believe the Bible couldn't contradict itself, it became very clear to me that the reason these debates go on and on unresolved is that each side uses different verses to support their case and the verses contradict each other. Ironically, since both sides firmly believe the Bible cannot contradict itself (even though their debate rather demonstrates that it does), their solution is to label their own verses as 'key' texts; then they write off the other side's verses as less key than theirs and/or able to be explained away by the context, or whatever.
I've watched this for years; it's real; it's happening and to me it is very strong evidence the Bible does in fact contradict itself.
Steve: …and shouldn't that be the goal? Trying to understand what the author was trying to say?
Laura: Steve, if you are convinced there is one author, who spoke through many others, somehow never contradicting himself, then you have forced your goal to be "explaining away contradictions" rather than taking each piece of writing at face value.
Yes, I think we should try to understand what the author wanted to say and if two authors disagree let's accept that they do.
Our positions are not equivalent; yours is a faith position, based on the belief that the Bible does not contradict itself. Like all people who believe this, you make every effort to resolve apparent 'contradictions' other people claim to have found.
My position is not based on faith. It's based on the observation that if the Bible was clear and non-contradictory, Christians who all say they believe it would not have unresolvable debates over what it says. If all the disagreeing Christians came to agreement today, I'd change my opinion.
Like David, I find that most lists of contradictions have some trivial ones on. I'm happy to set those aside as unimportant. The ones which concern me have to do with the core beliefs of Christians.
Oh, I just thought of another one: does the Bible teach that Jesus is God? That has never been resolved. Historical orthodox Christianity is based on the conviction that the Bible teaches he is God. However, considering how vital this belief is, the Bible is amazingly vague (imo) about it. The proofs are relatively indirect, given its centrality as a doctrine. The Jehovah's Witnesses strongly argue that Jesus is not God. They have their own translation but - in regard to anything related to this issue, the only difference is that they added the word 'a' to one verse! And besides, people who use the same Bible have argued throughout church history that it teaches Jesus is the Son of God, but not God.
Each of these arguments over fundamentals of the faith is easily explained if we are allowed to say the Bible is remarkably unclear about key doctrines of the faith and/or it contradicts itself.
All other explanations rely on one 'side' having superior insight to the other. I don't see any reason to think that's the case, since in my experience each side has smart honest people on it. It's not like you could do an IQ or holiness test and find all the high numbers on one side and all the low ones on the other.
That the Bible is written by different people, in different times and places, by people with different perspectives and different styles of communication explains why there are contradictions/discrepancies.
What I cannot 'reconcile' with a belief that the Bible is God's inspired word and that we are to receive direction from it, is why it would be so easily open to interpretation (let's leave out the word 'contradictions' here, since we do not agree on the meaning of that word)? Humans are fallible, but your Christian God is not. Why was he not more clear?
Laura: the fact that so much literature is devoted to the need to 'reconcile' difficult things in the Bible is an implicit admission that there are contradictions in the Bible, otherwise there'd be nothing to reconcile.
Steve: Point well taken, yet, have you never had to 'reconcile' two statements you made that people misunderstood as contradictory? I think you reach too much when you make that point. I am perfectly okay with you saying "I choose to interpret these passages in ways that make them contradict each other." That is your perogative.
I think, however, it is only fair to give a little bit more than a cursory read to a document that is separated from us by 2,000 years of cultural change and several languages.
Laura: I'd call 17 years of Bible study more than a cursory read…anyway I would say it's also only fair to note that across the internet, arguments between Christians who are very familiar with the Bible, over what the Bible teaches, are alive and well. And once I realized I didn't have to believe the Bible couldn't contradict itself, it became very clear to me that the reason these debates go on and on unresolved is that each side uses different verses to support their case and the verses contradict each other. Ironically, since both sides firmly believe the Bible cannot contradict itself (even though their debate rather demonstrates that it does), their solution is to label their own verses as 'key' texts; then they write off the other side's verses as less key than theirs and/or able to be explained away by the context, or whatever.
I've watched this for years; it's real; it's happening and to me it is very strong evidence the Bible does in fact contradict itself.
Steve: …and shouldn't that be the goal? Trying to understand what the author was trying to say?
Laura: Steve, if you are convinced there is one author, who spoke through many others, somehow never contradicting himself, then you have forced your goal to be "explaining away contradictions" rather than taking each piece of writing at face value.
Yes, I think we should try to understand what the author wanted to say and if two authors disagree let's accept that they do.
Our positions are not equivalent; yours is a faith position, based on the belief that the Bible does not contradict itself. Like all people who believe this, you make every effort to resolve apparent 'contradictions' other people claim to have found.
My position is not based on faith. It's based on the observation that if the Bible was clear and non-contradictory, Christians who all say they believe it would not have unresolvable debates over what it says. If all the disagreeing Christians came to agreement today, I'd change my opinion.
Like David, I find that most lists of contradictions have some trivial ones on. I'm happy to set those aside as unimportant. The ones which concern me have to do with the core beliefs of Christians.
Oh, I just thought of another one: does the Bible teach that Jesus is God? That has never been resolved. Historical orthodox Christianity is based on the conviction that the Bible teaches he is God. However, considering how vital this belief is, the Bible is amazingly vague (imo) about it. The proofs are relatively indirect, given its centrality as a doctrine. The Jehovah's Witnesses strongly argue that Jesus is not God. They have their own translation but - in regard to anything related to this issue, the only difference is that they added the word 'a' to one verse! And besides, people who use the same Bible have argued throughout church history that it teaches Jesus is the Son of God, but not God.
Each of these arguments over fundamentals of the faith is easily explained if we are allowed to say the Bible is remarkably unclear about key doctrines of the faith and/or it contradicts itself.
All other explanations rely on one 'side' having superior insight to the other. I don't see any reason to think that's the case, since in my experience each side has smart honest people on it. It's not like you could do an IQ or holiness test and find all the high numbers on one side and all the low ones on the other.
That the Bible is written by different people, in different times and places, by people with different perspectives and different styles of communication explains why there are contradictions/discrepancies.
What I cannot 'reconcile' with a belief that the Bible is God's inspired word and that we are to receive direction from it, is why it would be so easily open to interpretation (let's leave out the word 'contradictions' here, since we do not agree on the meaning of that word)? Humans are fallible, but your Christian God is not. Why was he not more clear?
2.28.2008
Homosexual Insight
The following is an interaction I had with a friend of a friend:
I would still love to hear you respond to my thoughts, although I understand that you probably (like I do) have more pressing things to think about. I feel like the debate on this issue is consistently sidetracked and does not deal with the real issue at hand. So here are a couple of points if you can find time to respond to:
==========================================
Biology is a Distraction
...as it is corrupt...
I agree with Mr. Williams above: "The findings of Kinsey about the greyscale nature of sexual orientation are valid biologically, but do not meaningfully inform the praxis of our faith commitments."
While (I hope) all christians can agree that the current state of human nature is an important point of consideration that must be weighed into the conversation, it is ultimately a distraction to argue about the 'what and where' of the locus of homosexual desire. We don't care why/how people come to desire other people's possessions when we condemn theft, nor do we care about the motivations behind adultery when assessing it's morality (of course we acknowledge the reality of those desires, and even acknowledge the inability of individuals to control those desires or their natural trajectory into behavior; isn't this the point Scripture is making when it speaks of 'slavery to sin?')
The point is precisely that human nature is corrupt; arguments from the reality of human desire should not prevent us from deeming certain acts and states as sinful; the very need for the redemption of human nature is exactly its state as fundamentally out of sync with God's beauty and purpose.
==========================================
Jesus is Lord
...not personal desire...
As you point out one of the common critiques is "that we’re allowing culture to dictate our understanding of scripture." But it is even more insidious than this, it is that we are allowing our personal desire to do so.
This is, of course, true of all people, not just homosexuals; and is even true of all people in the realm of sexuality. I fight with my wife about sex. That is just as much an elevation of my own sexual desire above God's beautiful reality as is homosexuality; my contention is that both are perversion. Heterosexual sex is not the goal! (Replace heterosexual sex with anything else, sobriety, tithing, reading scripture, not cussing, praying, etc. depending on the setting.) The goal is being redefined by Jesus, the true man, allowing His humanity to become the source and scope of ours.
This, of course, comes dangerously close to threatening our identity. But what else did we think Jesus meant when he explains 'no one can be my disciple unless they follow me to the place of execution,' or Paul when he speaks of being crucified with Christ? It is our identity that is precisely the problem! Both for the Gentile and for the Jew, for the Gay and the Straight, the Virtuous and the Foul, etc.
At the center of Paul's theology we find the phrase 'in Christ' and it is this that must become for us, the center of our theology and praxis. If we operate from this place, we are Christian, if we operate from some other place, we are not.
It is for precisely this reason that the homosexual community may perhaps have greater theological insight than the straight community; perhaps the better question is not why are so few homosexual people willing to follow a Christ who 'bids them come and die?', but rather why are so many heterosexual people claiming to follow Christ without dying?
Jesus is Lord, even of my sexuality.
The real question needs to be what does God want?, as opposed to what do I want? Which is why we turn to Scripture. (I would add, Scripture, properly enacted and interpreted in community.)
==========================================
The Answer Book
...the problem with systematic theology...
You acknowledge that "one of the many critiques of those of us who are affirming of LGBT persons is that we are completely disregarding scripture." I am simply reiterating that critique, however, I do so in a different vein of thinking that I really desire to hear a thoughtful and engaging response to.
"One of the strengths of Rogers’s book is that he actively engages with Scripture all throughout his book." I am obviously dealing with your presentation of his material and not directly with his book, but, quite simply put, I am not convinced. As I said in another thread, I do not see Roger's dealing with Scripture, but rather dealing with isolated passages, removed from their context, and ignoring the general trend of Scripture as a whole. The story of God's Creation and Covenant, the story of Exodus and Atonement, the story of Redemption and New Creation.
"However, Rogers shows that the interpretations of the few passages typically used to speak of the sinfulness of homosexuality are simply incorrect interpretations." What I need to see instead is someone starting from the point of God's activity and working through the significance of that in the creation of gender. I need to see (as Paul continually does with ethical questions) the natural outcome of being 'in Christ;' not simply trying to figure out what is right or wrong, but what is Christ!
There is a paradigmatic difference between reading the Scriptures as a 'Cosmic Answer Book,' by thumbing through trying to find to the 'Homosexual Question;' and allowing Scripture to 'read us,' by defining our reality for us. Systematic analysis of Scripture is helpful, but must be kept in check!
I need to see the process mapped out for me by which someone could come to Scripture seeking to understand God, and come away with an endorsement for personal sexual fulfillment. My contention is that the debate has been framed in inappropriate ways by both sides, and has devolved into looking to Scripture for an endorsement of what both sides wanted to find.
==========================================
Conservative Bigotry
...if you disagree with me you are a Nazi...
You are obviously not saying anything remotely this obtuse I just like to exaggerate for effect! (And I wouldn't personally claim the Conservative label without some real clarification) However what you do say "...spend some time actually getting to know someone who is gay," implies that if we loved gay people we would not say that homosexuality is a sin; and conversely we only say homosexuality is a sin because we do not love homosexual people throughout the course of our day-to-day lives.
This isn't true.
I have several relationships with gay men and women, most of whom know my stand on Scripture, none of whom are offended by me. One of them is walking out a commitment to Christ (that he believes includes a denial of his homosexual practice and identity) in the midst of our community. We call each other 'friend and brother' and this man is at my home several times a week.
It is precisely my love for them, and my commitment to them, that compels me to preach Christ's pre-eminence over and above their sexual desire, and even more, over and above their own identity (homosexual or otherwise).
I would still love to hear you respond to my thoughts, although I understand that you probably (like I do) have more pressing things to think about. I feel like the debate on this issue is consistently sidetracked and does not deal with the real issue at hand. So here are a couple of points if you can find time to respond to:
==========================================
Biology is a Distraction
...as it is corrupt...
I agree with Mr. Williams above: "The findings of Kinsey about the greyscale nature of sexual orientation are valid biologically, but do not meaningfully inform the praxis of our faith commitments."
While (I hope) all christians can agree that the current state of human nature is an important point of consideration that must be weighed into the conversation, it is ultimately a distraction to argue about the 'what and where' of the locus of homosexual desire. We don't care why/how people come to desire other people's possessions when we condemn theft, nor do we care about the motivations behind adultery when assessing it's morality (of course we acknowledge the reality of those desires, and even acknowledge the inability of individuals to control those desires or their natural trajectory into behavior; isn't this the point Scripture is making when it speaks of 'slavery to sin?')
The point is precisely that human nature is corrupt; arguments from the reality of human desire should not prevent us from deeming certain acts and states as sinful; the very need for the redemption of human nature is exactly its state as fundamentally out of sync with God's beauty and purpose.
==========================================
Jesus is Lord
...not personal desire...
As you point out one of the common critiques is "that we’re allowing culture to dictate our understanding of scripture." But it is even more insidious than this, it is that we are allowing our personal desire to do so.
This is, of course, true of all people, not just homosexuals; and is even true of all people in the realm of sexuality. I fight with my wife about sex. That is just as much an elevation of my own sexual desire above God's beautiful reality as is homosexuality; my contention is that both are perversion. Heterosexual sex is not the goal! (Replace heterosexual sex with anything else, sobriety, tithing, reading scripture, not cussing, praying, etc. depending on the setting.) The goal is being redefined by Jesus, the true man, allowing His humanity to become the source and scope of ours.
This, of course, comes dangerously close to threatening our identity. But what else did we think Jesus meant when he explains 'no one can be my disciple unless they follow me to the place of execution,' or Paul when he speaks of being crucified with Christ? It is our identity that is precisely the problem! Both for the Gentile and for the Jew, for the Gay and the Straight, the Virtuous and the Foul, etc.
At the center of Paul's theology we find the phrase 'in Christ' and it is this that must become for us, the center of our theology and praxis. If we operate from this place, we are Christian, if we operate from some other place, we are not.
It is for precisely this reason that the homosexual community may perhaps have greater theological insight than the straight community; perhaps the better question is not why are so few homosexual people willing to follow a Christ who 'bids them come and die?', but rather why are so many heterosexual people claiming to follow Christ without dying?
Jesus is Lord, even of my sexuality.
The real question needs to be what does God want?, as opposed to what do I want? Which is why we turn to Scripture. (I would add, Scripture, properly enacted and interpreted in community.)
==========================================
The Answer Book
...the problem with systematic theology...
You acknowledge that "one of the many critiques of those of us who are affirming of LGBT persons is that we are completely disregarding scripture." I am simply reiterating that critique, however, I do so in a different vein of thinking that I really desire to hear a thoughtful and engaging response to.
"One of the strengths of Rogers’s book is that he actively engages with Scripture all throughout his book." I am obviously dealing with your presentation of his material and not directly with his book, but, quite simply put, I am not convinced. As I said in another thread, I do not see Roger's dealing with Scripture, but rather dealing with isolated passages, removed from their context, and ignoring the general trend of Scripture as a whole. The story of God's Creation and Covenant, the story of Exodus and Atonement, the story of Redemption and New Creation.
"However, Rogers shows that the interpretations of the few passages typically used to speak of the sinfulness of homosexuality are simply incorrect interpretations." What I need to see instead is someone starting from the point of God's activity and working through the significance of that in the creation of gender. I need to see (as Paul continually does with ethical questions) the natural outcome of being 'in Christ;' not simply trying to figure out what is right or wrong, but what is Christ!
There is a paradigmatic difference between reading the Scriptures as a 'Cosmic Answer Book,' by thumbing through trying to find to the 'Homosexual Question;' and allowing Scripture to 'read us,' by defining our reality for us. Systematic analysis of Scripture is helpful, but must be kept in check!
I need to see the process mapped out for me by which someone could come to Scripture seeking to understand God, and come away with an endorsement for personal sexual fulfillment. My contention is that the debate has been framed in inappropriate ways by both sides, and has devolved into looking to Scripture for an endorsement of what both sides wanted to find.
==========================================
Conservative Bigotry
...if you disagree with me you are a Nazi...
You are obviously not saying anything remotely this obtuse I just like to exaggerate for effect! (And I wouldn't personally claim the Conservative label without some real clarification) However what you do say "...spend some time actually getting to know someone who is gay," implies that if we loved gay people we would not say that homosexuality is a sin; and conversely we only say homosexuality is a sin because we do not love homosexual people throughout the course of our day-to-day lives.
This isn't true.
I have several relationships with gay men and women, most of whom know my stand on Scripture, none of whom are offended by me. One of them is walking out a commitment to Christ (that he believes includes a denial of his homosexual practice and identity) in the midst of our community. We call each other 'friend and brother' and this man is at my home several times a week.
It is precisely my love for them, and my commitment to them, that compels me to preach Christ's pre-eminence over and above their sexual desire, and even more, over and above their own identity (homosexual or otherwise).
2.24.2008
Roots
Where do you come from?
That is a question that is sometimes best answered by telling stories of the people who have influenced us...
...in that context I thought the following quote from my pastor would shed some light on who I am:
"...put that in your spiritual ponder-pipe and smoke it!"
That is a question that is sometimes best answered by telling stories of the people who have influenced us...
...in that context I thought the following quote from my pastor would shed some light on who I am:
"...put that in your spiritual ponder-pipe and smoke it!"
2.19.2008
A Generous Orthodoxy
A Generous Orthodoxy
This is a phenomenal book for anyone who is serious about living out the life of Christ in the US. I find McLaren to be the contemporary equivalent to C. S. Lewis. The peculiarity common to both men is the unique ability to approach various concepts from a fresh perspective; interestingly enough both men are scholars of literature and poetry speaking to an audience of logicians and theologians; perhaps that is the cause of their peculiar knack for insight?
The Last Word and the Word After That
The Last Word and the Word After That
This book finishes a series in McLaren's "creative non-fiction" genre; fictional characters entering into a dialogue on topics that McLaren wishes to add his voice. This book deals primarily with concepts of the afterlife and how these concepts and doctrines were originated, and how they impact individuals and groups. I found his thoughts intriguing...
The Story We Find Ourselves In
The Story We Find Ourselves In
My least favorite (although still enjoyable) book of McLaren's. The book focus is "evolution;" a topic I have little interest in pursuing any more. The book is still full of great concepts, questions and stories; and is worth reading even if, like me, you have no real desire to delve into such a non-issue as the theory of evolution.
A New Kind of Christian
McLaren has become the spokesman for "emergent" christians. I have found him to be both insightful and humble. Regardless of the way in which his views may appear to you, I see in McLaren a sincere desire for truth that has allowed him to maintain Jesus as the center and yet still rethink everything about our faith in light of changing culture.
A New Kind of Christian
McLaren, by way of his pseudo-fictional dialogues, was able to free me to use evokative and emotional language to communicate the person of Jesus and the gospel of his kingdom.
A New Kind of Christian
McLaren, by way of his pseudo-fictional dialogues, was able to free me to use evokative and emotional language to communicate the person of Jesus and the gospel of his kingdom.
2.15.2008
2.11.2008
What are you holding out of the water?
The old timers will say, 'if Jesus is not the Lord of all then He is not Lord at all.' We can not play at christianity, it is not that sort of endeavor; one cannot treat it like a buffet, eating the foods we like and leaving others untasted; it is rather like water, one either drinks it down or does not.
Jesus does not want to make our lives better, he wants to destroy our lives and give us His own to replace it...
God is more like a wild lover than a remote philanthropic benefactor.
=========================================
"You remember that among the Franks, whole armies were sometimes given baptism at one stroke, and many warriors went into the water with their right hands held high, so that they did not get wet. Then they could say, 'This hand has never been baptized,' and they could swing their battle axes just as freely as ever. The modern counterpart of that partial baptism is seen in many people who have been baptized, all except their pocketbooks. They held these high out of the water."
-Halford Luccock
What are you holding out of the water?
=========================================
This of course begs the question:
I am totally committed! But I find that my commitment is not enough to bring change, my moods overwhelm me and I slip back into old habits! What am I to do?
We are in good company...
We read in the twelfth chapter of Romans, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship." The tricky thing about a 'living sacrifice' is that (unlike a dead one) it can crawl right back off of the altar; which makes our act of self-sacrifice a constant state of decision and repentance, as opposed to a singular event.
Just so, we are to jump into the baptismal waters of death and resurrection, knowing full well that our resolution to live whole-heartedly for our Master will need constant renewal and continued recommitment. But ultimately, it is the Spirit of Christ within us that brings change, from the inner person outward.
Jesus does not want to make our lives better, he wants to destroy our lives and give us His own to replace it...
God is more like a wild lover than a remote philanthropic benefactor.
=========================================
"You remember that among the Franks, whole armies were sometimes given baptism at one stroke, and many warriors went into the water with their right hands held high, so that they did not get wet. Then they could say, 'This hand has never been baptized,' and they could swing their battle axes just as freely as ever. The modern counterpart of that partial baptism is seen in many people who have been baptized, all except their pocketbooks. They held these high out of the water."
-Halford Luccock
What are you holding out of the water?
=========================================
This of course begs the question:
I am totally committed! But I find that my commitment is not enough to bring change, my moods overwhelm me and I slip back into old habits! What am I to do?
We are in good company...
We read in the twelfth chapter of Romans, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship." The tricky thing about a 'living sacrifice' is that (unlike a dead one) it can crawl right back off of the altar; which makes our act of self-sacrifice a constant state of decision and repentance, as opposed to a singular event.
Just so, we are to jump into the baptismal waters of death and resurrection, knowing full well that our resolution to live whole-heartedly for our Master will need constant renewal and continued recommitment. But ultimately, it is the Spirit of Christ within us that brings change, from the inner person outward.
2.10.2008
1.31.2008
Rainmaker
I watched this film the other day, at the end, Matt Damon's character states:
"In every case a lawyer finds himself crossing a line that he doesn't really mean to cross, if he crosses that line enough, it will disappear." (my paraphrase from memory)
What this points to is the human capacity for spiritual development. In this particular instance the development is both negative and unintentional, however, it is entirely possible for spiritual development to be both positive and intentional.
Our spirit is the core of our being, the seat of our desires and our will. Every decision we make has an impact on it, whether that impact is negative or positive, whether that decision is intentional or accidental.
Allowing ourselves, in the heat of the moment, to make decisions that we disaprove of, will lead to us eventually approving of the behavior in question (in this case a law-abiding lawyer justifies breaking the law in order to bring justice, and soon finds that he no longer needs to justify breaking the law as it has become acceptable behavior). So too, chosing to do the right thing, even when we don't feel like it, will lead to us eventually desiring to do the thing in question (chosing to give away money because I recognize my own wealth and others need, even though it causes personal discomfort, has lead me to the place where I enjoy giving away money).
We can even take this to the level of intentional and practical discipline. Instead of simply waiting for those 'moments of decision' to arrive on our doorstep unnanounced, we go forth seeking them out.
What are the lines that you don't want to cross? How can you set up boundaries in your life to prevent you from doing so? (Don't try to say, "no" to sex in the back seat of a car; simply decide beforehand not to end up in the back seat in the first place.)
What are the lines that you do want to cross? How can you find creative ways to 'practice' doing those things? (Set aside a regular time each week to write encouraging notes to people; this will help you to be more encouraging throughout the rest of your week as well.)
This is why Christians engage in discipline; to allow God to form us into the proper image, the truly human image, that of Jesus.
"In every case a lawyer finds himself crossing a line that he doesn't really mean to cross, if he crosses that line enough, it will disappear." (my paraphrase from memory)
What this points to is the human capacity for spiritual development. In this particular instance the development is both negative and unintentional, however, it is entirely possible for spiritual development to be both positive and intentional.
Our spirit is the core of our being, the seat of our desires and our will. Every decision we make has an impact on it, whether that impact is negative or positive, whether that decision is intentional or accidental.
Allowing ourselves, in the heat of the moment, to make decisions that we disaprove of, will lead to us eventually approving of the behavior in question (in this case a law-abiding lawyer justifies breaking the law in order to bring justice, and soon finds that he no longer needs to justify breaking the law as it has become acceptable behavior). So too, chosing to do the right thing, even when we don't feel like it, will lead to us eventually desiring to do the thing in question (chosing to give away money because I recognize my own wealth and others need, even though it causes personal discomfort, has lead me to the place where I enjoy giving away money).
We can even take this to the level of intentional and practical discipline. Instead of simply waiting for those 'moments of decision' to arrive on our doorstep unnanounced, we go forth seeking them out.
What are the lines that you don't want to cross? How can you set up boundaries in your life to prevent you from doing so? (Don't try to say, "no" to sex in the back seat of a car; simply decide beforehand not to end up in the back seat in the first place.)
What are the lines that you do want to cross? How can you find creative ways to 'practice' doing those things? (Set aside a regular time each week to write encouraging notes to people; this will help you to be more encouraging throughout the rest of your week as well.)
This is why Christians engage in discipline; to allow God to form us into the proper image, the truly human image, that of Jesus.
1.30.2008
1.28.2008
1.17.2008
Turn on, Tune in, Drop out
Sure brings new meaning to what ol' Tim used to say...
...what responsibility do we have to 'drop out' of a sick cycle of evil?
1.09.2008
Off The Wall
The first Christians were called 'disciples of Jesus.' What would it mean for us today to call ourselves Jesus' disciples or 'students?'
We believe that Jesus lived a full life, an eternal life, an infinite
life; and we believe that He wants to share that life with us.
We believe that Jesus is the most amazing person who ever lived. We
believe that, if we allow Him to, He will teach us how to live the
best kind of life possible; and a life that never ends.
What would it look like for a group of people to start a community
that was committed to nothing but Jesus? What would that community
look like? What would it do? How would those inside it treat each
other? How would they treat those outside of it? How would they deal
with violence, politics, pollution, housing, occupations, diet,
child-rearing; how would they worship, serve, pray, live?
12.29.2007
Whatever do you mean?
"...the true view of the Gospel will be that which explains the course of events in the first century and the second century, rather than that which seems to have spiritual and imaginative value for the twentieth century."
12.10.2007
12.09.2007
Spanking
"Beware of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence."
Wow. Oswald Chambers says it best. How hard it is to let go of ourselves. After spending my entire life trying to lose it to Christ, I will still be caught clutching it tightly in my cold dead fingers. That is hard to swallow!
Wow. Oswald Chambers says it best. How hard it is to let go of ourselves. After spending my entire life trying to lose it to Christ, I will still be caught clutching it tightly in my cold dead fingers. That is hard to swallow!
12.05.2007
12.01.2007
Renounce your Citizenship!
The other day I watched JFK for the first time, in it is a scene with Lee Harvey Oswald in a Russian embassy renouncing his American citizenship as an act of antagonism and protest against the US. It got me thinking about the call to follow Jesus, and how Christians were first perceived in the larger Roman world of their day...
What if becoming a disciple of Jesus was no less (but rather more) a defection from citizenship in this world, and this nation. This amounts to 'traitors in the midst' to the government in Rome! This is why Rome destroyed so many Christians they were a political threat...
What do you do with people who have dedicated themselves to the overthrow of the established order? They propose an alternative way of living that is based around loving service instead of power and control. Their lives are so beautiful and attractive that they (by simply being who they are) are inviting people to ignore the status-quo and shift into their paradigm... But they aren't approaching the city with swords, nor are they attacking with diatribes, they don't wish to leave and start an alternate community but proclaim their intention to subvert this one from the inside, and they are unwilling to compromise, they won't bow to threats of death, nor cave in to promises of reward... such a people must be eradicated, or else they will be the cause of the greatest political/social upheaval in world history.
This is why for centuries Christians went into the flames, in front of the gladiators, and in the midst of the wild beast, while jeering crowds or cool aristocracy looked on...
Repent, for the Kingdom of God is here!
- Jesus of Nazareth
What if becoming a disciple of Jesus was no less (but rather more) a defection from citizenship in this world, and this nation. This amounts to 'traitors in the midst' to the government in Rome! This is why Rome destroyed so many Christians they were a political threat...
What do you do with people who have dedicated themselves to the overthrow of the established order? They propose an alternative way of living that is based around loving service instead of power and control. Their lives are so beautiful and attractive that they (by simply being who they are) are inviting people to ignore the status-quo and shift into their paradigm... But they aren't approaching the city with swords, nor are they attacking with diatribes, they don't wish to leave and start an alternate community but proclaim their intention to subvert this one from the inside, and they are unwilling to compromise, they won't bow to threats of death, nor cave in to promises of reward... such a people must be eradicated, or else they will be the cause of the greatest political/social upheaval in world history.
This is why for centuries Christians went into the flames, in front of the gladiators, and in the midst of the wild beast, while jeering crowds or cool aristocracy looked on...
Repent, for the Kingdom of God is here!
- Jesus of Nazareth
11.26.2007
11.24.2007
11.13.2007
Where does the solution lie?
The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems.
-- Mahatma Gandhi
What problems are we talking about here? ...are we capable of solving our own problems? ...or not?
-- Mahatma Gandhi
What problems are we talking about here? ...are we capable of solving our own problems? ...or not?
10.26.2007
10.23.2007
Holiness IS
Holiness IS NOT:
Don't drink alcohol, or play cards, or dance, or wear clothes that reveal your calves. (A contemporary version of this list could include: vote Democratic, use drugs, listen to Eminem, engage in homosexual activity.) Don't associate with the types of people who do these things. Don't associate with the types of people who don't condemn these things. Don't associate with people who aren't holy like us...
Holiness IS:
'Keeping in step with the Spirit,' and producing the fruit of that. Embracing the 'abundant life,' the 'spring of living water,' and the overflow of God's goodness. Jesus tells us that God desires mercy and not sacrifice; He desires for us to overflow with goodness to show how holy we are, not to give up good things to show how holy we are.
=====================================
Holiness is a positive thing, not a negative thing; it is a quality or state of being, not the absence of something. Holiness is something true about your being, not something true of your circumstances. If we are 'Holy as God is Holy' then that holiness will send us into the midst of the community of sinners, it will not cause us to flee it in a panic, afraid the unholiness will rub off on us, but rather impell us with hope that the holiness will rub off on them.
=====================================
Holiness is something, unholiness is the absence of something; not the other way around.
Here are some applicable passages:
Romans 12:1-2 Living Sacrifices, embracing what God is doing, not what the culture is doing (not rejecting, but embracing)
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Sexual sin is wrong because it denies the reality that God wants us to embrace
Galatians 5:22-25 The Fruits of the Spirit and 'keeping in step with the spirit'
Matthew 5:20 Righteousness surpassing the Pharisees
Luke 6:43-45 Good fruit v Bad fruit, we are not simply cutting off branches, but producing good fruit
Matthew 9:9-13 Mercy not Sacrifice; have compassion on people instead of focusing on avoiding sin; overflowing v cutting off
Luke 10:25-37 Good Samaritan; the 'evildoers' are those who refuse to take responsibility, they are holy and undefiled, but the are not holy!
John 7:37-39 Streams of living water overflowing
John 10:10 Life abundant
Luke 13 healing on the sabbath v propriety
Luke 11 frauds pharisee dinner, clean the outside but the inside is dirty
Don't drink alcohol, or play cards, or dance, or wear clothes that reveal your calves. (A contemporary version of this list could include: vote Democratic, use drugs, listen to Eminem, engage in homosexual activity.) Don't associate with the types of people who do these things. Don't associate with the types of people who don't condemn these things. Don't associate with people who aren't holy like us...
Holiness IS:
'Keeping in step with the Spirit,' and producing the fruit of that. Embracing the 'abundant life,' the 'spring of living water,' and the overflow of God's goodness. Jesus tells us that God desires mercy and not sacrifice; He desires for us to overflow with goodness to show how holy we are, not to give up good things to show how holy we are.
=====================================
Holiness is a positive thing, not a negative thing; it is a quality or state of being, not the absence of something. Holiness is something true about your being, not something true of your circumstances. If we are 'Holy as God is Holy' then that holiness will send us into the midst of the community of sinners, it will not cause us to flee it in a panic, afraid the unholiness will rub off on us, but rather impell us with hope that the holiness will rub off on them.
=====================================
Holiness is something, unholiness is the absence of something; not the other way around.
Here are some applicable passages:
Romans 12:1-2 Living Sacrifices, embracing what God is doing, not what the culture is doing (not rejecting, but embracing)
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Sexual sin is wrong because it denies the reality that God wants us to embrace
Galatians 5:22-25 The Fruits of the Spirit and 'keeping in step with the spirit'
Matthew 5:20 Righteousness surpassing the Pharisees
Luke 6:43-45 Good fruit v Bad fruit, we are not simply cutting off branches, but producing good fruit
Matthew 9:9-13 Mercy not Sacrifice; have compassion on people instead of focusing on avoiding sin; overflowing v cutting off
Luke 10:25-37 Good Samaritan; the 'evildoers' are those who refuse to take responsibility, they are holy and undefiled, but the are not holy!
John 7:37-39 Streams of living water overflowing
John 10:10 Life abundant
Luke 13 healing on the sabbath v propriety
Luke 11 frauds pharisee dinner, clean the outside but the inside is dirty
10.16.2007
Jump in to the Deep End...
"All we're offering is a chance to change things, and a guarantee that something god-driven and spiritual will occur."
Author of The Breakist Manifestos
Author of The Breakist Manifestos
10.14.2007
Christian Paganism: Cinderella and Original Sin...
I had an opportunity to discuss the concept of 'original sin' with a woman who used to be a Christian, but is now an atheist. Her understanding of the doctrine is essentially that the world is evil, there is nothing good in it, especially in humanity. We are totally evil, with no redeeming features whatsoever. (Helen, if you are reading this and I mis-characterized your characterization, feel free to correct me...) This was one of the things she criticized about Christianity, its focus on evil; pointing out the problems in the world, and ignoring the beauty...
I responded that my understanding of Jesus' spirituality was quite contrary to this bleak view of the universe, and that I was compelled by my spirituality to see the world in terms of it's inherent beauty, power, and goodness. The ensuing dialogue rumbled about in my brain, sparking along the dusty synapses, and shining light into the remote regions of my intellect...
=========================================
The next morning I was deeply engaged in a wonderfully insightful film with my three year old daughter. I was suddenly struck by the relationship Cinderella had with the creatures living in and around her home. She sang with the birds, cared for the mice, chided the cat, loving them and evoking love in them in return.
The rusty four-cylinder engine between my ears turned over once or twice again...
=========================================
Pagans (loosely defined) see gods behind everything. There is a god in the elm and the maple, a god in the water and in the sky; the salmon and the osprey are manifestations of divine spirits; the moon and the stars are filled with spiritual significance and power. We can interact with these powers, calling them forth, making demands upon them and submitting to their demands; calling upon them for aid, and looking to them for guidance. The universe is alive with divinity, beauty and potency spring forth from every rock and flower; mysterious energy is present in all things.
=========================================
One of the first major intellectual challenges the disciples of Jesus faced in the early centuries of Christian thought was brought upon the spiritual community by a group who came to be called the "gnostics." They espoused a fundamentally Greek view of the Universe. A dualism between matter and energy, between the physical world and the spiritual world, was the backdrop for their understanding of Jesus. They believed matter and everything associated with it to be inherently evil. Jesus was not a man at all, but pure spirit, sent to rescue us from a material world of pure evil. They at times encouraged highly ascetic practices, giving up sex completely, eating sparse and restricted diets, avoiding pleasure.
This stands in stark contrast with the Universe of the ancient Jewish scriptures...
In the beginning God creates a world of dirt and plant, water and fish, birds, flowers, stars, clouds, and all manner of things; His spirit/breath is present within this Creation. God creates Adam and Eve, breathing His spirit into them, they bear His image and are responsible for the world arround them. Adam is in intimate relationship with the plants and animals, He 'names' them, and rules over them as a king over subjects. He is duty-bound to protect them and provide for their care; and they honor Him as the reflection of the Creator. The world is alive with divinity, beauty and potency spring forth from every rock and flower; mysterious energy is present in all things. God pronounces this caucophany of material and spiritual union, 'very good!'
...and so, when the first Christians were faced with the gnostic framework for seeing the Universe, given the spiritual and intellectual heritage they had as followers of a Jewish prophet-king, they naturally rejected such a view. Jesus came to affirm and bring 'life to the full,' not to reject it.
=========================================
The simple reality is that the western world (and western Christians within it) have unreflectively embraced the gnostic paradigm. We have not rejected an intimate Creator outright, but we have embraced a cruel mechanistic world, and so (unintentionally) God has no place in our conceptual framework. We have become deists...
Afraid of the messy comedy, raw sensuality, and blatant hedonism of the natural world, we have slayed it with our dissecting scalpels, our microscopes and telescopes. We have tamed the gods of the trees and the rocks. We have killed the sea god, 'analyzed' and 'studied' the heavens, and demystified the animals. The beasts and trees, the rocks and skies, still sing, but we have lost the ability to hear the melodious voices. The Spirit of God still 'hovers over the waters,' the Breath of God still whispers throughout the earth, but our cold eyes are closed the very medium of His goodness...
...and yet, if we are approached by the God who invented garlic and cumin, roses and peaches, nebulae and waterfalls, children and laughter, alcohol and orgasms, rhythym and melody; then perhaps He can awake in us the sense of divine play, the capacity for joy and energy required to hear the voices of the trees again.
=========================================
...and so we should not be surprised at the growing interest in pagan ideas (neopaganism, wicca, etc.) in fact, we should not even be that alarmed. Christians worship the Lord of Life, to any and all who seek to find true power and beauty, they are pursuing Jesus, the giver of new wines and new eyes, the waker of the dead, the party-goer, the True Vine, and the Spring of Living Water. The call to follow Jesus is the call to awaken our hearts to the haunting melodies, the inventive harmonies, and the heart-pounding rhythyms to be found in life; embracing wonder and awe at the awakening of the trees, the glorious skies and the monsters of the deep floor of the sea; embracing the joy and pleasure to be had simply by breathing in and out, exploring the wonderous diversity that humanity and its home has to offer.
What a terrible horror that ever did occur (were it even in but one mind, although it has unfortunately been in many) that Christianity became confused with asceticism, that the warm embrace of a loving Creator became the dark chastisement of a vengeful and distant Progenitor. How could we ever think that God doesn't enjoy that which He has made, and that we are invited to enter into His joy...
"A nightmare, long engendered in the modern mind by the mythology that follows in the wake of science, was falling off him. He had read of 'Space': at the back of his thinking for years had lurked the dismal fancy of the black, cold vacuity, the utter deadness, which was supposed to separate the worlds. He had not known how much it affected him till now - now that the very name 'Space' seemed a blasphemous libel for this empyrean ocean of radiance in which they swam. He could not call it 'dead'; he felt life pouring into him from it every moment. How indeed should it be otherwise, since out of this ocean the worlds and all their life had come? He had thought it barren: he saw now that it was the womb of words, whose blazing and innumerable offspring looked down nightly even upon the earth with so many eyes - and here, with how many more! No: Space was the wrong name. Older thinkers has been wiser when they named it simply the heavens - the heavens which declared the glory - the
'happy climes that ly
Where day never shuts his eye
Up in the broad fields of the sky.'
He quoted Milton's words to himself lovingly, at this time and often."
Out of the Silent Planet
I responded that my understanding of Jesus' spirituality was quite contrary to this bleak view of the universe, and that I was compelled by my spirituality to see the world in terms of it's inherent beauty, power, and goodness. The ensuing dialogue rumbled about in my brain, sparking along the dusty synapses, and shining light into the remote regions of my intellect...
=========================================
The next morning I was deeply engaged in a wonderfully insightful film with my three year old daughter. I was suddenly struck by the relationship Cinderella had with the creatures living in and around her home. She sang with the birds, cared for the mice, chided the cat, loving them and evoking love in them in return.
The rusty four-cylinder engine between my ears turned over once or twice again...
=========================================
Pagans (loosely defined) see gods behind everything. There is a god in the elm and the maple, a god in the water and in the sky; the salmon and the osprey are manifestations of divine spirits; the moon and the stars are filled with spiritual significance and power. We can interact with these powers, calling them forth, making demands upon them and submitting to their demands; calling upon them for aid, and looking to them for guidance. The universe is alive with divinity, beauty and potency spring forth from every rock and flower; mysterious energy is present in all things.
=========================================
One of the first major intellectual challenges the disciples of Jesus faced in the early centuries of Christian thought was brought upon the spiritual community by a group who came to be called the "gnostics." They espoused a fundamentally Greek view of the Universe. A dualism between matter and energy, between the physical world and the spiritual world, was the backdrop for their understanding of Jesus. They believed matter and everything associated with it to be inherently evil. Jesus was not a man at all, but pure spirit, sent to rescue us from a material world of pure evil. They at times encouraged highly ascetic practices, giving up sex completely, eating sparse and restricted diets, avoiding pleasure.
This stands in stark contrast with the Universe of the ancient Jewish scriptures...
In the beginning God creates a world of dirt and plant, water and fish, birds, flowers, stars, clouds, and all manner of things; His spirit/breath is present within this Creation. God creates Adam and Eve, breathing His spirit into them, they bear His image and are responsible for the world arround them. Adam is in intimate relationship with the plants and animals, He 'names' them, and rules over them as a king over subjects. He is duty-bound to protect them and provide for their care; and they honor Him as the reflection of the Creator. The world is alive with divinity, beauty and potency spring forth from every rock and flower; mysterious energy is present in all things. God pronounces this caucophany of material and spiritual union, 'very good!'
...and so, when the first Christians were faced with the gnostic framework for seeing the Universe, given the spiritual and intellectual heritage they had as followers of a Jewish prophet-king, they naturally rejected such a view. Jesus came to affirm and bring 'life to the full,' not to reject it.
=========================================
The simple reality is that the western world (and western Christians within it) have unreflectively embraced the gnostic paradigm. We have not rejected an intimate Creator outright, but we have embraced a cruel mechanistic world, and so (unintentionally) God has no place in our conceptual framework. We have become deists...
Afraid of the messy comedy, raw sensuality, and blatant hedonism of the natural world, we have slayed it with our dissecting scalpels, our microscopes and telescopes. We have tamed the gods of the trees and the rocks. We have killed the sea god, 'analyzed' and 'studied' the heavens, and demystified the animals. The beasts and trees, the rocks and skies, still sing, but we have lost the ability to hear the melodious voices. The Spirit of God still 'hovers over the waters,' the Breath of God still whispers throughout the earth, but our cold eyes are closed the very medium of His goodness...
...and yet, if we are approached by the God who invented garlic and cumin, roses and peaches, nebulae and waterfalls, children and laughter, alcohol and orgasms, rhythym and melody; then perhaps He can awake in us the sense of divine play, the capacity for joy and energy required to hear the voices of the trees again.
=========================================
...and so we should not be surprised at the growing interest in pagan ideas (neopaganism, wicca, etc.) in fact, we should not even be that alarmed. Christians worship the Lord of Life, to any and all who seek to find true power and beauty, they are pursuing Jesus, the giver of new wines and new eyes, the waker of the dead, the party-goer, the True Vine, and the Spring of Living Water. The call to follow Jesus is the call to awaken our hearts to the haunting melodies, the inventive harmonies, and the heart-pounding rhythyms to be found in life; embracing wonder and awe at the awakening of the trees, the glorious skies and the monsters of the deep floor of the sea; embracing the joy and pleasure to be had simply by breathing in and out, exploring the wonderous diversity that humanity and its home has to offer.
What a terrible horror that ever did occur (were it even in but one mind, although it has unfortunately been in many) that Christianity became confused with asceticism, that the warm embrace of a loving Creator became the dark chastisement of a vengeful and distant Progenitor. How could we ever think that God doesn't enjoy that which He has made, and that we are invited to enter into His joy...
"A nightmare, long engendered in the modern mind by the mythology that follows in the wake of science, was falling off him. He had read of 'Space': at the back of his thinking for years had lurked the dismal fancy of the black, cold vacuity, the utter deadness, which was supposed to separate the worlds. He had not known how much it affected him till now - now that the very name 'Space' seemed a blasphemous libel for this empyrean ocean of radiance in which they swam. He could not call it 'dead'; he felt life pouring into him from it every moment. How indeed should it be otherwise, since out of this ocean the worlds and all their life had come? He had thought it barren: he saw now that it was the womb of words, whose blazing and innumerable offspring looked down nightly even upon the earth with so many eyes - and here, with how many more! No: Space was the wrong name. Older thinkers has been wiser when they named it simply the heavens - the heavens which declared the glory - the
'happy climes that ly
Where day never shuts his eye
Up in the broad fields of the sky.'
He quoted Milton's words to himself lovingly, at this time and often."
Out of the Silent Planet
10.12.2007
Homosexuality
Some thoughts and questions…
Loved the distinction between scriptural uses “establish/generate,” that is a very helpful and insightful distinction that gives some flesh to the “exegesis/eisegesis” distinction.
I am intrigued by the notion that Christian homophobia has more to do with cultural roots, than with scriptural mandate (this seems clear to me in our present context, however, I am less familiar with other contexts).
I do find it very problematic, however, to use the term ‘homophobia’ to refer specifically to those who call homosexual acts immoral. I find that use of terminology to be confusing (whether this is intentional or not is a point for debate, but it does seem to me to be an intentional strategy). It seems only prudent to distinguish between those who dislike, disparage, or discriminate against, and those who engage in deep friendship and partnership while simultaneously holding to the position that homosexual activity is unethical. Would you agree that this distinction should be made? Or would you lump both groups under the heading ‘homophobe?’
I am a little confused at the statement that there are no clear condemnations of homosexual activity in Scripture. I agree that it (homosexual activity) is far from central, and in fact quite peripheral to the narrative arc of God’s activity within history, but it seems to me that to claim what Jennings claims is not counter-intuitive, but rather simply inaccurate. God’s primary concern, His most cherished hope for humanity, is hardly that all people engage in heterosexual married sex. How banal! However, it seems to my reading of Scripture, that a life submitted to God’s activity would be moved in directions other than homoeroticism. I’d love to hear your response to that…
FInally, it seems to me that the claims of an integral role for homoeroticism in the Biblical story are simply an example of the homosexual community engaging in the same eisegesis that the fundamentalists are accused of…
To read David and Jonathon as homosexual lovers is to expose oneself as having never had deep, non-erotic, friendship. I have kissed a male friend in the midst of a deeply fervent time of prayer together. I have given my heart to other men in ways perhaps as deep as to my wife and children. I have also actually tried to see another man as in any way sexually arousing, and that attempt really made me laugh! I don’t have that desire (although we could enter into the nature/nurture conversation on that point…)
Again, I would love some feedback from you. This is clearly a topic of great concern to the future of the Church. I hope and pray that the way forward preserves a true integrity of faith in Jesus, and yet leaves behind the alienation that has at times and places come with spiritual fervor in His name. Thanks…
Loved the distinction between scriptural uses “establish/generate,” that is a very helpful and insightful distinction that gives some flesh to the “exegesis/eisegesis” distinction.
I am intrigued by the notion that Christian homophobia has more to do with cultural roots, than with scriptural mandate (this seems clear to me in our present context, however, I am less familiar with other contexts).
I do find it very problematic, however, to use the term ‘homophobia’ to refer specifically to those who call homosexual acts immoral. I find that use of terminology to be confusing (whether this is intentional or not is a point for debate, but it does seem to me to be an intentional strategy). It seems only prudent to distinguish between those who dislike, disparage, or discriminate against, and those who engage in deep friendship and partnership while simultaneously holding to the position that homosexual activity is unethical. Would you agree that this distinction should be made? Or would you lump both groups under the heading ‘homophobe?’
I am a little confused at the statement that there are no clear condemnations of homosexual activity in Scripture. I agree that it (homosexual activity) is far from central, and in fact quite peripheral to the narrative arc of God’s activity within history, but it seems to me that to claim what Jennings claims is not counter-intuitive, but rather simply inaccurate. God’s primary concern, His most cherished hope for humanity, is hardly that all people engage in heterosexual married sex. How banal! However, it seems to my reading of Scripture, that a life submitted to God’s activity would be moved in directions other than homoeroticism. I’d love to hear your response to that…
FInally, it seems to me that the claims of an integral role for homoeroticism in the Biblical story are simply an example of the homosexual community engaging in the same eisegesis that the fundamentalists are accused of…
To read David and Jonathon as homosexual lovers is to expose oneself as having never had deep, non-erotic, friendship. I have kissed a male friend in the midst of a deeply fervent time of prayer together. I have given my heart to other men in ways perhaps as deep as to my wife and children. I have also actually tried to see another man as in any way sexually arousing, and that attempt really made me laugh! I don’t have that desire (although we could enter into the nature/nurture conversation on that point…)
Again, I would love some feedback from you. This is clearly a topic of great concern to the future of the Church. I hope and pray that the way forward preserves a true integrity of faith in Jesus, and yet leaves behind the alienation that has at times and places come with spiritual fervor in His name. Thanks…
10.06.2007
Aidan Michael Schenk
Well...
the first two were both a week late, this one however, was a week early. That is why he was so small, only a skimpy 7 pounds 15 ounces. Okay, that isn't really small, but the other two were 8 1/2 and 9 1/2 pounds. Everything went great, we went into the hospital at 8:00pm and delivered around 4:45am, Aidan is totally healthy, and so is Tamy.
So far (fingers crossed) Aidan has been extremely quiet. Even when he isn't sleeping he just looks around quietly observing. That is the way his big sister was, his older brother, on the other hand, still hasn't stopped wiggling, hollering, and instigating...
The first two pictures are of some freinds who stopped in to visit, they have two of their own about the same ages as Zane and Zoe...
the first two were both a week late, this one however, was a week early. That is why he was so small, only a skimpy 7 pounds 15 ounces. Okay, that isn't really small, but the other two were 8 1/2 and 9 1/2 pounds. Everything went great, we went into the hospital at 8:00pm and delivered around 4:45am, Aidan is totally healthy, and so is Tamy.
So far (fingers crossed) Aidan has been extremely quiet. Even when he isn't sleeping he just looks around quietly observing. That is the way his big sister was, his older brother, on the other hand, still hasn't stopped wiggling, hollering, and instigating...
The first two pictures are of some freinds who stopped in to visit, they have two of their own about the same ages as Zane and Zoe...
10.03.2007
The Story
Here is what was shared at our Sunday evening gathering. If you were there, I would love to hear your thoughts on any of this...
Outline:
1) God and His Creation
A) God is Beauty, Power, Creativity, Life, Goodness, Joy, Love
B) God creates a world that reflects His character, "It is good."
C) God creates humankind, He breathes (spirit/wind) into Man, Humanity is the caretaker, image-bearer, God-reflector
2) The Breaking of the World
A) Humanity rejects God and His image, steps out of fellowship with God and His place in creation
B) Humanity loses the Beauty, Power, Creativity, Life, Goodness, Joy, Love
Pain, Fear, Rage, Doubt, Despair, Alienation, Loneliness, Opression;
Confused about who we are and what our place is;
We use each other, sex objects, for money, we lie, and cheat and steal, we hurt and injure each other;
There is murder and rape, people hate each other for the color of their skin or their gender, religion, or sexual-orientation;
There are countries where whole people groups have been exterminated by the millions
There is disease, aids, cancer, ebola; there is poverty and starvation;
Even the world itself is broken, the skies and the waters are polluted and diseased, the animals and the plants are dying off
C) The Creation loses the reflection of God into it, instead humanity reflects brokenness and pain
The world is broken because humanity is broken; we have reflected our brokenness into the world...
3) God's Promised Restoration
A) From the beginning God pronounces His plan to put things right
B) He promises to bless Abraham and use his family to put the world right
4) The Call of a People
A) God choses the descendant's of Abraham, the twelve grandsons, to be His people
B) He places in their midst His Law, His Prophets, His Temple, His very Presence (Image/Spirit/Wind)
C) They are to be a light to the world, Blessed to be a blessing, the promise fulfilled through them, image-bearers, God-reflectors
D) They have a choice; their own agenda or God's, will they see God's blessing and chosing them as a reason for arrogance and pride, to keep the blessing to themselves, to hide the light they have been given; or to step into God's mission?
5) The Son of God; the Second Adam
A) Jesus comes, he is the Second Adam, taking upon himself the restoration and role of the first, God's Spirit (breath/wind) decends upon Him, He is God's image, Son, reflection into the world
B) He takes upon Himself the mission of God, to put things right, reconstituting the nation of Israel (the people of God) around Himself, to possess the indwelling of God (Jesus IS the Law, Prophets and Temple), the light and blessing of the world
A) Jesus chose 12 symbolic students (a renewed Israel, a renewed people of God), God gathered thousands to Jesus after His resurection.
C) He confronts the counterfeit people of God, people must chose between the People of God and the Mission of God as Jesus presents them, as opposed to the ethnocentric, political, nationalistic vision of the Pharisees, Zealots, Sadducees.
D) Jesus is executed as a Rebel, a false claimant to the throne, but in so doing He fulfills the promise, the Crucifixion is God taking the brokenness of the world upon Himself, putting things right through His own pain, reflecting the image of a loving-forgiving-redeeming-suffering God
E) Jesus OVERCOMES the brokenness and death; Resurrection! Jesus is vindicated! He IS God's true light, Israel's true King, He is God's Son doing God's work, redeeming the broken world, putting EVERYTHING back together
6) The Call of a People
B) A choice must be made, my vision of the world, or God's, will I allow God to remake me in His image, will I accept my own brokenness and allow Jesus crucifixion and resurrection to become my defining reality? Dying with Him in repentance and resurrecting with Him by His Spirit?
C) These are the people of God on the Mission of God, they are going to be used by God to fulfill His promise for the world, God's 'Rushing Wind' (spirit/breath) falls on the Church, they are God-reflectors, the Body of Christ, the light of the world, and the source of Blessing
7) The Mission of God
A) The Church has a Mission, "NO!" The Mission has a Church! It is not that God's people have a purpose attached to them, it is that God's purposes have a people attached to them! The Church is the only communty that exists primarily for the sake of it's non-members!
B) God is setting the world right. Restoring broken individuals, restoring broken relationships, restoring broken societies, restoring a broken environment.
C) As Jesus suffered to redeem the world, so too the Church must enter into the brokenness and suffering of the world to redeem it. We must pray with one hand in heaven and one hand on the brokenness and pain that is around us.
8) The Buffalo Vineyard Church
A) We have a choice! Will we repent and allow God to define us, to heal us, to set us right? Allowing ourselves to be connected to God by His redeeming death and resurrecting Spirit, will we submit to His Spirit (Breath/Wind)?
B) The Church is in danger of the same judgment as the nation of Israel if we do as they did, we must recognize that we are chosen to serve. We cannot create a bubble of Christians, marginalizing everyone else. We must be the church for the world, or esle we are not the Church! The Church for too long has rejected God's purposes in the world, and rejected the peopple that God loves and wants to bring in...
C) Becoming the people of God, connected to each other through community, truly and deeply knowing and loving each other.
D) Joining the mission of God, connecting to the broken places and people around us in our own lives, in the larger city, and in the larger world.
E) I say YES! We are a small group of people who meet in a home weekly to worship and learn and pray, to eat and listen and encourage and challenge, to serve the needs of the poor and the broken, to warmly invite others to participate, to include anyone who desires, to see that reproduced around the city. We are beginning to experience God's restoration, God's healing breath and spirit, (I invite you to participate and receive Him) There are people in our church who are dreaming about making an impact on the world around them; connecting the arts and spirituality, serving the broken and needy people in our city; THEY GET IT! The Church is for the world!
F) To have an expanding network of small communities of people who are commited to the Mission of God, reflecting His image, allowing the Christ-life to dwell in their midst, to invite others to participate and to see that same thing reproduced a thousand times throughout our city and our world...
So now it gets practical---
We want to see more, in more places, we don't want to hold on to this
GIVE AWAY THE BLESSING!
*MAYBE YOU NEED TO BE PUT RIGHT, HEALED, WE ALL DO!
How do we share what we are experiencing? What we are commited to?
Handout: See the end.
10) Conclusion
A) Story - You are invited to find yourself in God's Story!
B) Mission - You are invited to put the world right!
C) Repentance - It begins with the choice to allow God to put your own soul right, to take your brokenness upon Him and to create you anew, and Breathe (Spirit/Wind) in you again
Handout:
Begin your day by praying the Lord’s Prayer
Pray through the book of Psalms
Pray over the daily Buffalo News Headlines
Read the Gospel of Mark every day for a week
Ask someone to recommend a book to read
Worship God
Compose a song or poem praising God
Spend time in contemplation on who God is
Be silent for an extended period of time
Spend a week without listening to any radio/TV
Give up food for a day and buy a homeless person lunch and/or pray for starving children
Confess something to someone else
Go out of your way to encourage someone
Pray for God's insight, and then write an encouraging letter to someone
Invite someone to join you in any of the activities on this list
Invite someone here to your home for a meal
Open your home to start a second home group
Spend time with someone who has nothing to offer
Offer to perform a menial task for the Church
Spend time with someone you wouldn't normally
Get someone here's phone number and go have coffee together, ask each other deep questions
Rake leaves in your neighborhood
Visit sick people in a hospital and pray for them
Share with someone your spiritual journey
Invite a friend to be a part of our community
Sponsor a child with World Vision or Be-A-Hero
Help someone move
Offer to pray a blessing over a random stranger
Tip 100% at your next meal
Volunteer at the Homeless shelter
Listen to someone
Meet someone’s practical needs
Organize an art show exploring spirituality
Research ways our community can practically make an impact on: AIDS, Environment, Global Poverty
Pick up trash on your block
Organize a drive to replace light bulbs with energy efficient ones
Volunteer with Aids Community Service
Travel to another country to serve their needs
Pay the toll for the car behind you
Start a blanket drive
Volunteer with Big Brothers-Sisters
Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity
Start a Sunday School for children that meets at one of the housing projects in the City
Outline:
1) God and His Creation
A) God is Beauty, Power, Creativity, Life, Goodness, Joy, Love
B) God creates a world that reflects His character, "It is good."
C) God creates humankind, He breathes (spirit/wind) into Man, Humanity is the caretaker, image-bearer, God-reflector
2) The Breaking of the World
A) Humanity rejects God and His image, steps out of fellowship with God and His place in creation
B) Humanity loses the Beauty, Power, Creativity, Life, Goodness, Joy, Love
Pain, Fear, Rage, Doubt, Despair, Alienation, Loneliness, Opression;
Confused about who we are and what our place is;
We use each other, sex objects, for money, we lie, and cheat and steal, we hurt and injure each other;
There is murder and rape, people hate each other for the color of their skin or their gender, religion, or sexual-orientation;
There are countries where whole people groups have been exterminated by the millions
There is disease, aids, cancer, ebola; there is poverty and starvation;
Even the world itself is broken, the skies and the waters are polluted and diseased, the animals and the plants are dying off
C) The Creation loses the reflection of God into it, instead humanity reflects brokenness and pain
The world is broken because humanity is broken; we have reflected our brokenness into the world...
3) God's Promised Restoration
A) From the beginning God pronounces His plan to put things right
B) He promises to bless Abraham and use his family to put the world right
4) The Call of a People
A) God choses the descendant's of Abraham, the twelve grandsons, to be His people
B) He places in their midst His Law, His Prophets, His Temple, His very Presence (Image/Spirit/Wind)
C) They are to be a light to the world, Blessed to be a blessing, the promise fulfilled through them, image-bearers, God-reflectors
D) They have a choice; their own agenda or God's, will they see God's blessing and chosing them as a reason for arrogance and pride, to keep the blessing to themselves, to hide the light they have been given; or to step into God's mission?
5) The Son of God; the Second Adam
A) Jesus comes, he is the Second Adam, taking upon himself the restoration and role of the first, God's Spirit (breath/wind) decends upon Him, He is God's image, Son, reflection into the world
B) He takes upon Himself the mission of God, to put things right, reconstituting the nation of Israel (the people of God) around Himself, to possess the indwelling of God (Jesus IS the Law, Prophets and Temple), the light and blessing of the world
A) Jesus chose 12 symbolic students (a renewed Israel, a renewed people of God), God gathered thousands to Jesus after His resurection.
C) He confronts the counterfeit people of God, people must chose between the People of God and the Mission of God as Jesus presents them, as opposed to the ethnocentric, political, nationalistic vision of the Pharisees, Zealots, Sadducees.
D) Jesus is executed as a Rebel, a false claimant to the throne, but in so doing He fulfills the promise, the Crucifixion is God taking the brokenness of the world upon Himself, putting things right through His own pain, reflecting the image of a loving-forgiving-redeeming-suffering God
E) Jesus OVERCOMES the brokenness and death; Resurrection! Jesus is vindicated! He IS God's true light, Israel's true King, He is God's Son doing God's work, redeeming the broken world, putting EVERYTHING back together
6) The Call of a People
B) A choice must be made, my vision of the world, or God's, will I allow God to remake me in His image, will I accept my own brokenness and allow Jesus crucifixion and resurrection to become my defining reality? Dying with Him in repentance and resurrecting with Him by His Spirit?
C) These are the people of God on the Mission of God, they are going to be used by God to fulfill His promise for the world, God's 'Rushing Wind' (spirit/breath) falls on the Church, they are God-reflectors, the Body of Christ, the light of the world, and the source of Blessing
7) The Mission of God
A) The Church has a Mission, "NO!" The Mission has a Church! It is not that God's people have a purpose attached to them, it is that God's purposes have a people attached to them! The Church is the only communty that exists primarily for the sake of it's non-members!
B) God is setting the world right. Restoring broken individuals, restoring broken relationships, restoring broken societies, restoring a broken environment.
C) As Jesus suffered to redeem the world, so too the Church must enter into the brokenness and suffering of the world to redeem it. We must pray with one hand in heaven and one hand on the brokenness and pain that is around us.
8) The Buffalo Vineyard Church
A) We have a choice! Will we repent and allow God to define us, to heal us, to set us right? Allowing ourselves to be connected to God by His redeeming death and resurrecting Spirit, will we submit to His Spirit (Breath/Wind)?
B) The Church is in danger of the same judgment as the nation of Israel if we do as they did, we must recognize that we are chosen to serve. We cannot create a bubble of Christians, marginalizing everyone else. We must be the church for the world, or esle we are not the Church! The Church for too long has rejected God's purposes in the world, and rejected the peopple that God loves and wants to bring in...
C) Becoming the people of God, connected to each other through community, truly and deeply knowing and loving each other.
D) Joining the mission of God, connecting to the broken places and people around us in our own lives, in the larger city, and in the larger world.
E) I say YES! We are a small group of people who meet in a home weekly to worship and learn and pray, to eat and listen and encourage and challenge, to serve the needs of the poor and the broken, to warmly invite others to participate, to include anyone who desires, to see that reproduced around the city. We are beginning to experience God's restoration, God's healing breath and spirit, (I invite you to participate and receive Him) There are people in our church who are dreaming about making an impact on the world around them; connecting the arts and spirituality, serving the broken and needy people in our city; THEY GET IT! The Church is for the world!
F) To have an expanding network of small communities of people who are commited to the Mission of God, reflecting His image, allowing the Christ-life to dwell in their midst, to invite others to participate and to see that same thing reproduced a thousand times throughout our city and our world...
So now it gets practical---
We want to see more, in more places, we don't want to hold on to this
GIVE AWAY THE BLESSING!
*MAYBE YOU NEED TO BE PUT RIGHT, HEALED, WE ALL DO!
How do we share what we are experiencing? What we are commited to?
Handout: See the end.
10) Conclusion
A) Story - You are invited to find yourself in God's Story!
B) Mission - You are invited to put the world right!
C) Repentance - It begins with the choice to allow God to put your own soul right, to take your brokenness upon Him and to create you anew, and Breathe (Spirit/Wind) in you again
Handout:
Begin your day by praying the Lord’s Prayer
Pray through the book of Psalms
Pray over the daily Buffalo News Headlines
Read the Gospel of Mark every day for a week
Ask someone to recommend a book to read
Worship God
Compose a song or poem praising God
Spend time in contemplation on who God is
Be silent for an extended period of time
Spend a week without listening to any radio/TV
Give up food for a day and buy a homeless person lunch and/or pray for starving children
Confess something to someone else
Go out of your way to encourage someone
Pray for God's insight, and then write an encouraging letter to someone
Invite someone to join you in any of the activities on this list
Invite someone here to your home for a meal
Open your home to start a second home group
Spend time with someone who has nothing to offer
Offer to perform a menial task for the Church
Spend time with someone you wouldn't normally
Get someone here's phone number and go have coffee together, ask each other deep questions
Rake leaves in your neighborhood
Visit sick people in a hospital and pray for them
Share with someone your spiritual journey
Invite a friend to be a part of our community
Sponsor a child with World Vision or Be-A-Hero
Help someone move
Offer to pray a blessing over a random stranger
Tip 100% at your next meal
Volunteer at the Homeless shelter
Listen to someone
Meet someone’s practical needs
Organize an art show exploring spirituality
Research ways our community can practically make an impact on: AIDS, Environment, Global Poverty
Pick up trash on your block
Organize a drive to replace light bulbs with energy efficient ones
Volunteer with Aids Community Service
Travel to another country to serve their needs
Pay the toll for the car behind you
Start a blanket drive
Volunteer with Big Brothers-Sisters
Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity
Start a Sunday School for children that meets at one of the housing projects in the City
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