I'm back from my week in California with 13 youth and 2 adults doing mission work and attending the International Christian Youth Fellowship Conference. The theme was "Read the Book -- Be the Movie". These young ones are doing their best to live out their faith in all of its confusion. They are spiritual and earthy at the same time. They are not afraid to name something junk when they see it and claim something true when they experience it. They aren't doing church the way we did -- and I think that's a good thing. They are not content to attend services on Sunday and say that this is their religion. They want to experience God's world, help God's people, and drink in everything that their Creator made for them that is good.
It was my great fortune to be with them this week. It's kept me out of the pulpit and allowed me to soak up so much of the gospel that I'm overflowing. I can't wait to share it all with you.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
God and teenagers
Well -- sorry all of you avid blog fans, but I won't be preaching this week. Instead, I am joining 5 teens and a recently former teen (he's just turned 21, so he's an "adult"!) for our International Christian Youth Fellowship once-every-4-year event. We'll be doing mission work and then hangin' with God together in worship, workshops and frivolity.
The reason that I'm still hanging with these cool people could be summed up by the 21 year old. I've been doing this for 6 years now, and its such a God-high to see these folks get their own "ah-ha" moments. The 21 year-old used to be in my youth group. He's a fantastic young man, and he's still searching (as are we all) but that's the point. He hasn't given up looking for God or what God is calling him to do. If by attending events like this and camp and other Christian activities these young people continue to seek, then the time spent is all worth it.
Now -- ask me how I feel about sleeping on church gym floors and leaving for the airport at 5:45 a.m.
It's all part of the calling -- part of continually seeking God!
The reason that I'm still hanging with these cool people could be summed up by the 21 year old. I've been doing this for 6 years now, and its such a God-high to see these folks get their own "ah-ha" moments. The 21 year-old used to be in my youth group. He's a fantastic young man, and he's still searching (as are we all) but that's the point. He hasn't given up looking for God or what God is calling him to do. If by attending events like this and camp and other Christian activities these young people continue to seek, then the time spent is all worth it.
Now -- ask me how I feel about sleeping on church gym floors and leaving for the airport at 5:45 a.m.
It's all part of the calling -- part of continually seeking God!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Sowing seed
Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23
I don't know how many of you are gardners. My grandmother was a prolific flower grower, and my father had a huge vegetable garden when I was a child. But me - well, I've got a few bulbs planted but that's about the extent of it. Sometimes I'll get flowering annuals and put them out. I can't remember the last time I planted a seed to grow anything though.
Jesus tells the story about a sower who scatters the seed and then watches what happens. My first question is this -- why wasn't he more careful? Would it have taken that much more time to be sure that the seed all went into the good soil? But that's not the story. Some of the seed falls where it has no chance to bloom, some in shallow soil so that it blooms then quickly dies, some of it grows ok but is choked out by weeds, and the last is the good stuff that stays good.
In the church I think we are most likely to fall into the middle two categories. We get excited about God but then burn out quickly, or we get excited about God but forget God when the cares of life take away our attention. We're always striving to be the constantly faithful ones, but all too rarely do we acheive it.
As we get ready to explore this week's scripture, I wonder what we'll learn about getting our spiritual nutritional needs met.
I don't know how many of you are gardners. My grandmother was a prolific flower grower, and my father had a huge vegetable garden when I was a child. But me - well, I've got a few bulbs planted but that's about the extent of it. Sometimes I'll get flowering annuals and put them out. I can't remember the last time I planted a seed to grow anything though.
Jesus tells the story about a sower who scatters the seed and then watches what happens. My first question is this -- why wasn't he more careful? Would it have taken that much more time to be sure that the seed all went into the good soil? But that's not the story. Some of the seed falls where it has no chance to bloom, some in shallow soil so that it blooms then quickly dies, some of it grows ok but is choked out by weeds, and the last is the good stuff that stays good.
In the church I think we are most likely to fall into the middle two categories. We get excited about God but then burn out quickly, or we get excited about God but forget God when the cares of life take away our attention. We're always striving to be the constantly faithful ones, but all too rarely do we acheive it.
As we get ready to explore this week's scripture, I wonder what we'll learn about getting our spiritual nutritional needs met.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Beast of burden
I never really got into the lyrics of "Beast of Burden" by the Stones. I can hear the tune "Let me be your beast of burden...." but that's about it.
This week I'm studying the passage in Matthew where Jesus says "my yoke is easy and my burden is light." He's asking us to take on his yoke, then tells us its easy and light. Gotta say that at first blush this seems pretty much counter-intuitive to me. Jesus took on the heaviest burden ever -- trying to live a life completely centered on God's desires for the world, working against the power of evil, shunning the power of violence and force. Sorry -- that doesn't sound "easy" or "light" to me.
Can't wait to dig into this one. Maybe you'd like to join me and share your thoughts? Please do!
(Matthew 11:25-30)
This week I'm studying the passage in Matthew where Jesus says "my yoke is easy and my burden is light." He's asking us to take on his yoke, then tells us its easy and light. Gotta say that at first blush this seems pretty much counter-intuitive to me. Jesus took on the heaviest burden ever -- trying to live a life completely centered on God's desires for the world, working against the power of evil, shunning the power of violence and force. Sorry -- that doesn't sound "easy" or "light" to me.
Can't wait to dig into this one. Maybe you'd like to join me and share your thoughts? Please do!
(Matthew 11:25-30)
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Unreasonable Requests
This week I'm studying the passage in Genesis where Abraham is given the order to sacrifice his son Isaac. It's a troubling story. Christians like to think of it as a prefiguring of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (God's only son) -- but it seems like a different story to me.
Isaac is a small child; Jesus is a grown man. Isaac is being led to this by a father who does not give him a choice; Jesus goes to the cross of his own volition, knowing that he could pass it up if he chose to do so. In some ways perhaps Jesus has more in common with Abraham than Isaac. Abraham and Jesus both had a choice to make: to obey God's challenge or to walk away from it.
How many of us have similar challenges? Do we recognize them when we receive them, or are we so adept at following our own agendas that we turn a blind eye and a deaf ear? More often than not I am afraid that I am "Helen Keller" -- without sight or hearing -- when it comes to recognizing the sacrifices that God is calling me to make. It's not about obedience, it's about obliviousness!
Can't wait to see if I am able to see and hear God's leading this week. Want to look with me?
Isaac is a small child; Jesus is a grown man. Isaac is being led to this by a father who does not give him a choice; Jesus goes to the cross of his own volition, knowing that he could pass it up if he chose to do so. In some ways perhaps Jesus has more in common with Abraham than Isaac. Abraham and Jesus both had a choice to make: to obey God's challenge or to walk away from it.
How many of us have similar challenges? Do we recognize them when we receive them, or are we so adept at following our own agendas that we turn a blind eye and a deaf ear? More often than not I am afraid that I am "Helen Keller" -- without sight or hearing -- when it comes to recognizing the sacrifices that God is calling me to make. It's not about obedience, it's about obliviousness!
Can't wait to see if I am able to see and hear God's leading this week. Want to look with me?
Friday, June 20, 2008
Strangers in a strange land
I'm getting ready to prepare a message about Hagar and Ishmael. I find it interesting that Hagar was an Egyptian, brought to Canaan to be a slave of Sarah's. Yet in three generations the descendents of Sarah would be moving back to Egypt to escape famine in the "land of milk and honey" to which they would not return for several centuries.
While the known world was much smaller geographically in those days, we still find ourselves becoming strangers in our own land. We citizens of the United States have taken for granted that we live in the good land, the promised land. And yet we are finding that we are increasingly dependent upon strangers in foreign places for our energy needs and food, among many other things. As our educational systems fall farther behind we will be more dependent upon strangers for scientific advances. As we divest ourselves of industry we become dependent upon strangers for the goods we use every day. The promised land only remains so long as the strangers continue to cooperate.
How does God enter into all of this? As I read Genesis, I see that God promised to bless Hagar and Ishmael and their descendents just as God blessed Sarah and her descendents. Sarah treated Hagar horribly, and yet Hagar's people welcomed Sarah's great-grandchildren and fed them in their time of need. Centuries passed and Sarah's people became the slaves of Hagar's people. Was this some kind of divine "tit for tat" exchange for Sarah's treatment of Hagar?Probably not -- I don't think God works that way. But it certainly was a complete turnaround in human affairs, wasn't it!
As we approach the celebration of Independence Day in the United States of America, perhaps we should do an internal audit to see how we are treating the other peoples of the world. Who are we enslaving because of our monetary policies? Who are we abusing because they will work more cheaply than we will work? What's it going to feel like when someday we find that another country is the "land of milk and honey"?
While the known world was much smaller geographically in those days, we still find ourselves becoming strangers in our own land. We citizens of the United States have taken for granted that we live in the good land, the promised land. And yet we are finding that we are increasingly dependent upon strangers in foreign places for our energy needs and food, among many other things. As our educational systems fall farther behind we will be more dependent upon strangers for scientific advances. As we divest ourselves of industry we become dependent upon strangers for the goods we use every day. The promised land only remains so long as the strangers continue to cooperate.
How does God enter into all of this? As I read Genesis, I see that God promised to bless Hagar and Ishmael and their descendents just as God blessed Sarah and her descendents. Sarah treated Hagar horribly, and yet Hagar's people welcomed Sarah's great-grandchildren and fed them in their time of need. Centuries passed and Sarah's people became the slaves of Hagar's people. Was this some kind of divine "tit for tat" exchange for Sarah's treatment of Hagar?Probably not -- I don't think God works that way. But it certainly was a complete turnaround in human affairs, wasn't it!
As we approach the celebration of Independence Day in the United States of America, perhaps we should do an internal audit to see how we are treating the other peoples of the world. Who are we enslaving because of our monetary policies? Who are we abusing because they will work more cheaply than we will work? What's it going to feel like when someday we find that another country is the "land of milk and honey"?
Friday, May 16, 2008
Beginning a dialogue
Let's talk. It's become clear to me as we look toward the future of our almost 70-year-old church that we need to communicate in every format that we can. So this blog is a wonderful opportunity to do just that. It's set up for two way communication -- actually, it's not limited to 2, it could be 200,000 -- but you get the picture.
I see this blog as a place where I'll let you know what's going on in my head and you can let me know what's going on in yours. It's a place, particularly for those who are interested in our little congregation, to ask questions and explore answers, be they deep or shallow. It's a place where we can set up a continual "town hall" meeting, seeking to understand one another so that we can be more effective in our ministry to others.
I will post at least once a week; more often if the mood strikes me. I'll give you some background for the upcoming or previous week's message. I'll let you know what I'm considering preaching about in the months to come. I hope you'll feel free to comment.
In this year of great political theater, I find myself drawn to 2 books. The first one is an update of a book written in 1983 entitled The Power of God and the gods of Power by Daniel L. Migliore. (Westminster John Knox Press, 2008) This one I have in my possession and am up to page 10. The second one is Jesus for President by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw. (Zondervan, 2008). I don't have this one yet but will be purchasing it soon. I'm thinking about using them either from the pulpit or as a book study. If you have some time to read them, let me know what you think.
I see this blog as a place where I'll let you know what's going on in my head and you can let me know what's going on in yours. It's a place, particularly for those who are interested in our little congregation, to ask questions and explore answers, be they deep or shallow. It's a place where we can set up a continual "town hall" meeting, seeking to understand one another so that we can be more effective in our ministry to others.
I will post at least once a week; more often if the mood strikes me. I'll give you some background for the upcoming or previous week's message. I'll let you know what I'm considering preaching about in the months to come. I hope you'll feel free to comment.
In this year of great political theater, I find myself drawn to 2 books. The first one is an update of a book written in 1983 entitled The Power of God and the gods of Power by Daniel L. Migliore. (Westminster John Knox Press, 2008) This one I have in my possession and am up to page 10. The second one is Jesus for President by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw. (Zondervan, 2008). I don't have this one yet but will be purchasing it soon. I'm thinking about using them either from the pulpit or as a book study. If you have some time to read them, let me know what you think.
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