It's the End of the World!

I'm a good person...

Whenever people find out I am a pastor they say all sorts of things.  Often people will try to convince me of what a good person they are, its almost cute.

Recently I had someone tell me "I'm a good person, I always let people into my home, and help whoever needs help."  The interesting thing was that this person was saying all of this to me to justify their present state of drunkenness, and the vulgarity that had been dripping from their mouth for the 30 minutes they were talking to me before they knew I was a pastor.

But when they said this, something clicked…

In the culture I grew up in, people would often say "I'm a good person…" but the rationale was different, "I'm a good person because I don't steal, use drugs, or hurt people."

But what this person told me was indicative of a different cultural norm, and they were definitely not the first person to show this to me, it was just the first time I had noticed it this clearly.

The culture of my upbringing defined 'goodness' as purity and righteousness.

The culture of many I interact with now define 'goodness' as hospitality and charity.

I'm not sure that one is better or worse, but the difference is there...

How to Help

Go to the people

Live among them

Learn from them

Love them

Start with what they know

Build on what they have

But of the best leaders

When their task is done

The people will remark

"We have done it ourselves."

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Above is an anonymous proverb that captures the heart of discipleship.  It also points at a Kingdom perspective in helping those in need.  If we help in such a way that those we have helped are forever indebted to us, forever idolizing us, and forever looking to us for more help, then we haven't done for them what Jesus would do.

BUMP

The Vineyard offered to help us publicize what we are doing here in Buffalo, check it out!

A Different Kind of Partnership

Love Your Neighbor pt II

The small group I belong to had a blast this week…

…Donna (one of the women in our group) has started making a list of her neighbors who need help on projects around their homes.  One of those people was a woman who has gotten to the point where she can no longer bend over to do work on the ground, her husband has passed, and she has no family in the area to help.  Additionally, the City has been pestering her about some of the peeling paint on her home.

So we went over to brush and repaint her foundation wall.

Almost 20 of us showed up (including kids) and we got about half the job done (you can see pictures below).  There weren't quite enough tools to go around, so several people ended up hanging out with our neighbor while we worked.

Our plan was to order pizza and head back down the block to Donna's house, but instead we were told we had to come inside and eat.  (This is typical Italian hospitality, and our host is proudly Sicilian…) So inside we went!

It was a wonderful blessing to me to watch our small group love each other, and love this woman.  Over the course of the evening people engaged with our host, asking her about her life, chatting with her, encouraging her, loving her…

…at one point she said to me, "this is like a godsend… wait a minute, this IS a Godsend!"

Several of us were able to pray for her, blessing her home and her life.  We are headed back next Wednesday to finish the job!

I was struck by how naturally our small group community was able to serve together, love together, and minister together.  There wasn't anything forced or awkward about the way we were present with our neighbor.

I left with a full heart.

Love Your Neighbor

A friend and I visited a neighboring City.  We ended up staying at a hostel and got to have some really exciting spiritual conversations with the host.  He was not a person who had committed to the Kingdom, but was clearly interested in Jesus, and was open to spiritual things.  We sat on the porch enjoying a beer, and some really deep conversations.  Over our time in the hostel we were able to pray with him, and to invite him to the Christian fellowship we had connections to in that City.  It was really quite a blessing to have that experience, although I have no idea what has happened to him in the time since our visit.

...but here is where the story gets sad.

We found out during our stay there, that there was a Christian 'discipleship house' immediately next door to the hostel.  Unfortunately, we found this out because at some point in our conversation with our host he commented, "you aren't like the other Christians."  Of course we asked him to clarify what he meant by this.

He replied, "there is a christian house next door, and we tried to get to know them, but they told us that they aren't allowed to talk to us.  I think they are afraid we will rub off on them."

A litany of emotions flooded through me... anger, frustration, confusion, depression, compassion, hope, despair.  How could it be possible that a house full of committed followers of Christ could live next door to this man for so long, but it took two men coming from Buffalo to share the love of God with him?

Sabbath

In the years since I have stopped working a second job for the cable company and have focused solely on my ministry work, I have consistently taken a sabbath each week.  On occasion I have to forgo my day of rest, but I would say that 9 times out of 10, on a Monday I am available only to my family, and do no thinking or laboring towards my ministry efforts.  While it has always been a needed time of rest and retreat, it hasn't always been as life-giving as other disciplines in my life like worship, prayer, study, fellowship, service...

I was in conversation with my spiritual director about my practice of sabbath, and he suggested that I find ways to engage on my sabbath; not just retreat from the world, but engage in some particular activity that I find enjoyable for its own sake.  In particular he asked about a 'creative' outlet.

Now, I have some ability at drawing, but its never excited much passion in me, I have a passable ability at guitar, but my passion there lies in worship not in creating music, I like to write, but very little of my writing is 'creative.'  I have, however, long been passionate about building things.  In recent years that has largely taken the form of fixing up the two houses that we own, which, obviously, is not very 'creative' either.  Even more problematic for the practice of sabbath, it just isn't retreat from work.  I derive an income from it, I have deadlines and expectations, it is work.

And so, I have turned my hand back to building furniture...

I have built a few pieces over the years, only one or two that I felt 'proud' of, but have always enjoyed it.  In the last two months of sabbaths I have built a small table, and a wooden offering box for use in our worship service.

Here is the lid and the box before I added the straps to the lid and attached the lid to the box:

Preaching to 'Us' and the Three Magic Words

I was once asked by a younger leader, "how can I teach or lead someone in something that I haven't figured out?  I would be a hypocrite!"

Now, the truth of this statement should not be ignored!  It is quite true that we cannot lead someone where we have not been ourselves.  It is quite true that we cannot teach what we do not know.  It is quite true that we cannot give away what we do not have.  However...

...my response to my friend was this, "when we preach Jesus, we will always be preaching something that is beyond ourselves.  This is not hypocrisy, but faithfulness to the Scriptures.  If we were only preaching what we had ourselves mastered, then we would not be faithful to the whole counsel of the Kingdom."

So how do we reconcile these two opposing truths?

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I was taught by my pastor to preach to 'us,' and to rarely if ever preach to 'you.'  I have learned that there are rarely appropriate times to speak in the language of 'you people' but they are most certainly not when speaking difficult truths.  Even though I am a preacher, I am myself included in the congregation who is being preached to.  I must hear the words pronounced; I must receive the revelation, correction, admonition, challenge, encouragement, teaching, blessing, and wisdom.  Are you a teacher or a leader?  Number yourself among those who are taught and led!

Hearing my pastor preach this way modeled for me a humility before Christ, and before the church that I hope to emulate.  It also, however, provided an open door to hear the difficult call to carry the Cross of Christ.  The posture of humility from the preacher, including himself in the challenge, allowed me to be challenged as well.

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Then we come to the three magic words...

...I will never forget them.  I heard them often on the lips of my pastor, but the first time I heard him say them, he was standing in the pulpit.  I had never heard a pastor utter these words before.  I don't think I had ever heard a Christian speak them, certainly not about spiritual or theological matters.  They were a shock to my system, but a good shock.  Like cool water on a hot day, or the unexpected arrival of beautiful music that perfectly matches the mood of the moment, or a word of encouragement when rebuke was expected, came these words:

"I don't know."

Again, the posture of humility allows for our walls to come down, and for Christ to be revealed before us in all of His glory, all of His mercy, and all of His judgment.  We can hear the difficult words of challenge, when they come with a recognition of our common need for His grace, His wisdom, and His Kingdom.

Only Jesus...

...throws parties with Pastors, Prostitutes, and Politicians!

Structure

Here is what I would say about the 'organization' of the church, and its relative importance to keeping the church on mission, and to advancing the kingdom in the lives of individuals, in communities, and in the world...

http://damascus9.blogspot.com/2010/03/broken-tomato-cages-pt-i.html

http://damascus9.blogspot.com/2010/03/broken-tomato-cages-pt-ii.html

http://damascus9.blogspot.com/2010/05/broken-tomato-cages-pt-iii.html

http://damascus9.blogspot.com/2010/05/broken-tomato-cages-pt-iv.html

The posts above are something I wrote several years ago, and they express my frustration at the rigid structures of church that kill the life within it. However, the metaphor works the other way too, as I have come to see in recent years...

Acts 6 is the tipping point where the early church discovered a need for tomato cages. But here is where I continue to hold the line. While the cages may be necessary at times, they are ALWAYS a means to an end. The point is the life in the garden, and the structures must serve that end. We must be ruthless in this.

What this means is that the 'spontaneous expansion' that results from people falling madly in love with the Kingdom and the King, and then selling everything for that cause, is the life of the church. We can build structures and strategies around that to support, nurture, and foster this central vitality, but we must always prioritize the life of the Spirit, and never the supporting structures...

Leaders

Good leaders give away all of the credit, but collect all of the blame.

Unity

Efforts at Christian unity across denominations and ethnic groups fall into several categories,  it is helpful to distinguish them from each other, and to categorize them in a spectrum.  Having done so, we find that efforts at unity often remain at levels 1 and 2, occasionally rising to level 3, but rarely entering into levels 4 and 5.

Level 1: Having business together

     It is in our mutual interest to share resources or to provide services to each other. i.e., sharing a building.

Level 2: Symbolic acts of ecumenicism

     Public declarations of Christian unity and affection. i.e., worshipping together.

Level 3: Enjoying relationship

     Private fellowship and intimacy.

Level 4: Strategic partners

     Strategizing together, giving each other 'veto power.'

Level 5: organizational unity

     Where we simply come under the same leadership structure.
     This need not be the goal of efforts toward Christian unity,
     although, it shouldn't be kept off the table either.

Yeast, Salt, Seed, and Light

“This then is what I mean by spontaneous expansion. I mean the expansion which follows the un-exhorted and unorganized activity of individual members of the Church explaining to others the Gospel which they have found for themselves; I mean the expansion which follows the irresistible attraction of the Christian Church for men who see its ordered life, and are drawn to it by desire to discover the secret of a life which they instinctively desire to share; I mean also the expansion of the Church by the addition of new Churches.” ― Roland Allen, The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church: And the Causes That Hinder It

Easter: You are Worth Fighting For!

We watched this recently, and, while I thought the movie as a whole was 'good' this scene was 'great.'  God ministered to me through it; helping me to experience the brokenness of humanity, and the power of the gospel.

Prayer Reflection

Stillness:

Relax; be still let the tensions of the day slip away from you. Know that you are in God's presence. He rejoices that you have come to him, however forgetful you may have been of him during the day or week

Thankfulness:

Remember with thanksgiving the gifts of God to you today. A meeting with a friend: a glimpse of deep joy or sadness in a passing face; a flower at the wayside; a babys first steps; a grandparents smile; a friendly shop assistant; a considerate driver; a moment of insight; a job done; a problem solved; a child's hug; a lovers touch; a warm memory; a rising moon; a falling leaf....Be still in the memory and offer God your thanks in your own way.

Lightseeking:

Ask God to help you see and understand how his love has been working within you today. This is a gift of the Spirit, and it has been promised to all who sincerley seek it.

Reflection:

Reflect peacefully on what has been happening to you and in you today or this last few days, trusting that your prayer for the light of his Spirit has been granted. Let him show you whatever he may want to show you. The questions that follow are only suggestions to prompt your reflection, if you feel drawn to particular question stay with it, and let God speak to you heart about it.

How were you drawn to God today: by a friend, the beauty of nature, a book...

-Did you meet him in fears, joys, work, misunderstandings, weariness or pain?

-Did you sense the presence of God in the wider world, perhaps in what you saw on TV or read in the paper? can you bring him your feelings..your anger, your compassion

-Did anything happen to make you feel loved ? Were you able to show love to another person today?

• How were your moods today, what made you feel peaceful? where did you experience turmoil? What seemed to cause you to react with these feelings, open them up to God for affirmation or healing.

Sorrow:

With hindsight you may realize that much of your reactions to the events of the day has been centered on your own kingdom. This may have led you to fail to respond to the cry of another person, or to allow your own preoccupations to take the center stage and crowd out other people's needs. Your day may have left little space for an awareness of God or of his creation. Whatever inadequacies you find in your day's living, let them be there before God now, not for judgement, but for his Spirit to hover over the mess, bringing wholeness out of brokenness , as once that same Spirit brought creation out of chaos. Express your sorrow to God, and confidently ask for his healing and forgiveness.

Hopefulness:

Look forward to tomorrow. Ask him to open your heart to whatever surprises it may bring; to open your eyes to notice him in unexpected places; to open your ears to become tuned in to the unceasing song of his kingdom. Pray for sensitivity to recognize the Lord in whatever ways he may greet you or call you. Something of God lies still concealed for you in tomorrow”s journey. Look forward to discovering it.

*This reflection was lead by Tamy during our Sunday worship gathering as a part of her sermon this past Sunday.  Several people asked to see a printed version of it.  This was taken from the book Inner Compass by Margaret Silf.

His Holiness is His Love

It is impossible to overestimate the goodness of God.

Sex and Hollywood

I thought this was interesting.

Opportunity Knocks

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

-Thomas Edison

Celebrating Black History?

Why would a White man write an article celebrating Black History?

...thats a fair question, but I think the answer is obvious enough.  A better question, however, is why would anyone want to read an article from a White man celebrating Black History?

Hopefully that question is answered in the next paragraphs.

Permit me an observation.  Some of the most articulate African-American voices I interact with are often given a platform to speak to White people about issues of race and racial reconciliation.  White culture, and in particular, White Christian culture, is coming to terms with the fact that the gospel demands that we share meals with Christians of every cultural background (see Galatians 2).  In light of this, articulate African American voices are sought after by some White Christians...  but those voices are quite often only invited to speak about one thing: race and racial reconciliation.

The White Church will have a panel discussion around issues of race, and invite a multi-cultural group to speak, or will have an event focused on the issue and invite an African-American scholar to present some ideas the topic.  In and of itself, this is a good thing.  We need people of all cultures speaking to the issue of a reconciled and reconciling church.  In particular we need the voices of the Black community to share their perspectives and their pain regarding the racial history of our world and the Church.  The problem lies, however, in the fact that this is often the only space where White Christians are willing and able to hear Black voices.

Back to Galatians.

Paul's argument is not that Jews and Gentiles must resolve past hurts for the sake of the gospel, but rather, that Jews and Gentiles must eat together for the sake of the gospel!  Indeed, the entire point of resolving past hurts is precisely so that we can enjoy fellowship in Christ!

What this means to me is that, while it is indeed vitally important for me to hear Black voices explain the history of race from Black perspectives, it is equally, if not more important, for me to hear Black voices speaking about worship, poverty, Christology, prayer, Ecclesiology, discipleship, addiction, Missiology, evangelism, technology, leadership, business, philosophy of ministry, socio-economics, etc. from Black perspectives!

The Church needs the wisdom of the Black community's voice, not just on issues of race and racial reconciliation (although this is one of the great gems that the Black community has to offer the global church!), but on all issues.  The Body of Christ needs every member healthy and fully engaged for us to be healthy as a whole.  If we belong to Christ, then we belong to each other.  While this must be asserted when one part is suffering, it should also be asserted when there is no suffering!  Should we only give attention to our hands when they are injured, or might we consider using them for work, and play, and art when they are healthy as well!

So... back to the question at the top; why would anyone read an article celebrating Black History that is written by a White man?

Simply put, if we are to ask for the African-American voice to speak to every facet of life in God's good creation, then we ought to expect to hear the White voice speak to issues of race and reconciliation.  If I have asked African-Americans to speak about the breadth and depth of life and ministry, then perhaps I ought to speak to the issue of race and reconciliation.

Admittedly, this article has not actually been much of a 'celebration' of Black History or Black culture, so much as a push in the direction a multi-cultural future!  So I will end with a few practical thoughts that might help:

1) Recognize our failure at a multicultural church as a failure at believing the gospel (Galatians 2:14); as a failure at Christian maturity.  We must begin to talk like this and think like this.  "I won't eat at the table with 'them' because I won't trust in the power and truth of the gospel."

2) Start with eating together with those different from you.  Jesus scandalized his contemporaries precisely by who he chose to eat with.  This is because table fellowship builds intimacy.  Let us learn to eat the bountifully diverse fare of the Lord's Wedding Feast!

3) Look for collaborative projects with Christians of different cultures and traditions.  The word conspiracy literally means "to share breath with another."  This is the definition of intimacy.  Let us find conspirators amongst Christians of all cultures!

4) Move towards giving away control, power, and influence.  This means you will get things that you dislike and disagree with.  Do so anyway, for the sake of the gospel.

5) Be true to who you are in Christ, don't hide yourself or pretend to be something you are not.  But be humble and accept others as they are in Christ, allow them the same luxury to be themselves!

6) Expect this to be a painful process.  Don't be afraid to communicate your pain, but be even more attentive to the pain of others!  Think of it like a poodle dating a gorilla, it surely requires a great degree of sensitivity and creativity!

Local Church

"Go to the nearest smallest church and commit yourself to being there for 6 months. If it doesn’t work out, find somewhere else. But don’t look for programs, don’t look for entertainment, and don’t look for a great preacher. A Christian congregation is not a glamorous place, not a romantic place. That’s what I always told people. If people were leaving my congregation to go to another place of work, I’d say, “The smallest church, the closest church, and stay there for 6 months.” Sometimes it doesn’t work. Some pastors are just incompetent. And some are flat out bad. So I don’t think that’s the answer to everything, but it’s a better place to start than going to the one with all the programs, the glitz, all that stuff."
Eugene Peterson

See more at: http://jonathanmerritt.religionnews.com/2013/09/27/faithful-end-interview-eugene-peterson/#sthash.aZIKrRqe.dpuf