Reflections from Sunday's Worship

It's 8:00 a.m.  Abbie is still in bed as she is sick this morning.  While I wait for her to wake up, I thought I would evaluate the 9:30 worship service where I preached.  If you read my previous post, you have a general idea of what I preached on.  In Advent week number 2, the lectionary focused on John the Baptist and his preparations for the coming Messiah.  So here are a couple of thoughts on the service.

Order of Worship-  I changed the order of worship around some this week.  It accomplished what I hoped it would (change of pace, more space for the sermon/communion). 

Environment-  I had my friend, Joe, bring in all sorts of construction signs and barrels to place throughout the sanctuary and hallway.  One of our high school students, David, dressed as a construction flagger and directed traffic in the hallway with his Stop/Slow sign.  All he needed was a lunchbag to look truly authentic.  The signs really piqued people's interest in what was going on that morning. 

When I came out for the sermon (I was hiding in the back room), I had on an orange safety vest and a hard had.  With my dark jeans and a tie, I said that I was the project foreman.  While it felt a little strange preaching in a hard hat- it couldn't have been stranger than John Wesley preaching on top of his father's grave stone!

Heat-  We have an old water boiler heat system.  And for some reason, it kicked out overnight and the sanctuary was really cold at 8:00 (even colder when I arrived at 6:45 a.m.).  When the boiler was reset, heat started pouring in- and it did not stop!  Our system tries to get the room to 68 degrees as fast as possible.  Which means that it's kicking out 80-85 degree's of heat.  It would take both hands to count the number of people I could see falling asleep at various times during the service- which may have been better than sweating as badly as I was because of the heat!

There are plans to replace this system in the relative near future.  I will be quite happy to have a trustworthy system in place so we don't have Sunday's like that.  No heat might have been better!

If you were able to attend the service, I'd love to hear your feedback!  As a staff, we're always looking to improve what we do.

Site Preparations

"He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: 'A voice of one calling in the desert, "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.  Every valley shall be filled in, every mountian and hill made low.  The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.  And all mankind will see God's salvation.'""
                                                                                         Luke 3:3-6

The passage from Luke is the beginning of John the Baptist's ministry- one calling people to repentance.  Luke quotes Isaiah 40 as John is one calling out in the desert to prepare the way for the Lord.  On Sunday, we're going to focus on how we prepare ourselves for God. 

Just outisde of Milford, a new shopping center is going up.  For the last several weeks/months, there have been heavy equipment on the property clearing brush, leveling the ground, and moving dirt.  These preparations are necessary for the buildings that will be placed on the properties.  This site preparation has a practical function.  There is another function of the site preparations- people begin to ask questions; "What's going on here?"  "I wonder what they are building?"  "When will they be complete?"  In a way, the preparation of the site is a marketing technique.  It piques ones interest in what is going on.  If it is a store or restaraunt that we enjoy, then we wait in anticipation for the construction to be completed.

The quotation of Isaiah and Luke speaks of a construction project.  The valleys will be raised, the mountains will be made low.  The crooked places will be straightened out.  The rough patches will be made smooth.  And everyone will see God's salvation.  These verses tell of a great reversal of nature.  The lowly will be raised up and the high and mighty brought down. 

Out near the Jordan River, John called people to prepare their hearts for someone greater.  He called people to prepare their heart by repenting for the forgiveness of their sins.  Repentance is more than a state of mind, or something abstract- it repentance requires action.  Repentance is turning away from sin and turning back to God.  Repentance clears the way for us to experience God's salvation.

On this second sunday of Advent- God is drawing near.  Jesus Christ, the Incarnate God, has come to earth and will come again.  Creation will roll out like a red carpet to note God's arrival.  Likewise, we too must have our hearts prepared and ready for Christ to dwell in us.

Friday's Quotation: Black Friday Edition

Today is Black Friday, a day when people get up at ungodly hours to buy the things that they think they need.  I have quoted Eleazar Fernandez before, and I believe there is another nugget from him that is worth a read on this Black Friday.

"The solution to beoredom in a consumeristic society, especially when the communal bond is weak, is to consume.  This statement sounds simplistic, but it says a lot, and it is true to the experience of common people.  If one is bored, one may engage in the act sonsumption by watching (consuming) a movie and munching (consuming) something while watching.  Or, one of the majoy ways in which people address boredom is to "shop around" (consume)."

"The more one buys and consumes, the deeper one falls into bondage to the job in order to pay the bills, Eventually, a second job is needed.  But the second job leaves less time for the family, with whom to enjoy life.  Just as one has something to pay for the monthly mortgage for the cabin by the lake and a boat to enjoy on weekends, one has to work during weekends to pay for the bills.  It is an irony that mnay people live everyday."

"John B. Cobb, Jr., offers a critique of the religious metaphysics of this global market.  Economism is the name of this religion and its god is endless economic growth.  The priests are the economists; evangelists are the advertisers; and the laity are the consumers.  The shopping mall is the cathedral; virtue is competitive spirit; and sin is inefficiency. "Shop 'til you drop" is the only way to salvation."

-Eleazar S. Fernandez, Reimagining The Human: Theological Anthropology in Response to Sytemic Evil, pgs. 86-87

In thinking about this small section from Fernandez's book, I was talking with someone in our community who was telling me about a large boat that they had purchased to take out on excusions on the ocean with.  This person was all excited about the boat and told me all the amenities that the boat had, how fast it could go, and how many people it could hold.  Then the truth came.

This person hadn't had a day of in weeks because they needed all the money possible to afford this luxary.  The very thing that was to bring their family together through rest and relaxation was pushing them further apart as he had to work more and more hours to afford this lifestyle.

Are we not missing something here?  The Beatles sang that "You Can't Buy Me Love," and that is true, but you also cannot buy happiness.  Material possessions do not make us happy.  Material possessions really do not make our life better if we sacrifice our family and relationships in order to have them.

As we head into Advent and the Christmas Season, check out the website for Advent Conspiracy for ways to combat consumerism/materialism this holiday season.

Giving Thanks

It's Thanksgiving Day, and at some point today you'll likely gather with family and friends to munch on some turkey, cranberry sauce (I prefer the stuff in a can), mashed potatoes with lots of gravy (Andrea doesn't like gravy) and the ultimate- pumpkin pie with a large spoonful of Cool Whip on top. (Note: Food with Cool Whip has been scientifically proven to be 67% better than food without Cool Whip.)

Like many, I've been thinking of the many things that I am thankful for.  I done it before on this blog, and I don't think this list will be drastically different, but here goes.

Things I Am Thankful For

1. God- Sure, it sounds trite.  But if God is the author, creator, and sustainer of life; if God created each of us in God's image; if God sent Jesus, God's Son, as a sacrifice to atone for my sin- then the very least I can do is to give thanks.  In fact, I should give God my life, my being, my all.
2. Andrea-  My wife is such an amazing person.  She has so many talents and abilities that put mine to shame.  She is a great mother to Abbie, and has a heart for God and God's people.  Our anniversary is in December and we'll have been married for 9 years, and I can't imagine life with her in it!
3. Abbie- She is a 2 1/2 year old ball of energy and joy.  Some of the best nights we have as a family are when we stay at home and wrestle on the floor, or when Abbie hides and wants Daddy to find her.  Or better yet, when Abbie says her evening prayers and says, "Dear God, thank you for cookies and milk."  Abbie has taught me a lot about myself and a lot about God.
4. 42'' LCD HD TV's- Are you surprised that it is on the list?  If you attend Avenue, especially our Christmas Eve services- you know that I've wanted one for like 7 years.  We made the ultimate non-impulsive buy by waiting until our other TV deteriorated before actually making the purchase.  (Saving up money so we didn't have to finance or purchase with credit helps too!)  Now Abbie gets to watch Dora in 1080p HD, just as TV was meant to be enjoyed. (although she only sees about an hour of TV a week!)
5. Good Friends- Being in ministry is hard...and often it can be very lonely.  I am so thankful for good friends who love us for being Steve, Andrea, and Abbie and not the pastor and his family.  Thanks for busting on me, loving on Abbie, and being a listening ear for me and Andrea!
6. The Bible- This might seem like an obvious answer on a list of Thanksgiving, but through my own study and the opportunity to teach a Bible Study (as opposed to a Book About the Bible Study) has really re-opened my love for God's Word.
7. America- Do we ever really stop to grasp the immense blessing that we have just by simply being born in America?  Even our poor are richer than the majority of the world.  Simply by having a refridgerator puts us among the richest people in the world.  While much of the world lives on $2 or less a day, we routinely pay $4 or more on a daily basis for coffee and milk.  We should count our blessings and use our blessings to bless those who are in need.
8. Switchfoot, David Crowder Band, MuteMath, Thrice, etc...- I'm thankful for music that makes me think, that makes me sing, that turns my heart towards God and God's people.  Plus listing these bands seemed more culturally acceptable for a 31 year old than listing Miley Cyrus.
9. La Ortalana Pizza- You are not the best tasting pizza in town (Mama Maria's in my opinion), you are not the worst pizza in town (Dominos takes the cake on that one), but you are simply the best deal for 2 slices of pizza at lunchtime.  Yes, I know that I could eat better than 2 slices of pizza for lunch- but if I would have to live on one meal for the rest of my life- I think it would be pizza. (Just not Dominos)
10. Seminary- I have heard plenty of stories of pastors who could not stand their seminary experience.  I have heard stories of people practically losing their faith because of the seminary that they attend.  I am thankful that I've had a seminar experience that has stretched me while building up my faith.  

I hope that you have a blessed Thanksgiving and that you take time to give God thanks and to thank those who matter the most to you!

Heading to Pennsylvania

We'll be leaving in a few hours for Pennsylvania to see my family for Thanksgiving.  It will be nice to get away for a few days as we head into the holiday season.  I'm pretty excited for Abbie to see her cousins, Ava and Ayden.  She will also get to see some extended family on Saturday.

As we're gone, there will be blog post on Thanksgiving Day and on Black Friday.  Be sure to stop back and read them. 

I hope that you have a blessed Thanksgiving!  Don't eat too much Turkey!

More

I was reading Ephesians 3:14-21 as part of my morning devotion time this weekend.  In the passage, Paul is lifting up a prayer for fellow believers- especially the church at Ephesus that they might comprehend how high, deep, and wide the love of God is.  In love, God desires to do infinately more that we could ever imagine in our lives, through the presence of the Holy Spirit at work in us.

How easy it is for me to forget this.  It is easy to go through my day on autopilot and not consider how immense God's love is for us.  I am guilty of going through my day and taking for granted the opportunities and encounters that God puts in my path.  I can miss opportunities to recognize how God wants to do even more in my life.  God wants to work more in my life, my family and in the ministry that God has entrusted me with.  I must not allow sin or anything else keep me from experiencing this love of God that desires to do more.

We're often taught to be content in our circumstances, not to be greedy, to be happy with what we have.  But I think when it comes to God's love- we should want and desire more each day.  When it comes to God's presence and power through the Holy Spirit- we should want more.  My daughter, Abbie, before she could really verbalize it, learned the sign for the word "more."  When she wants some more dinner, drink, kisses, and tickling- she signs and asks for more.  Like Abbie, as Christians we need to ask God for more.  We must put ourselves in a place to receive more from God.

Recently, I have had to look at my own spiritual life and realize that I am often a hindrance to the "more" that God desires to do in me.  As I begin to make some changes, I pray to know God even more; to experience God's Spirit in my life even more; to see the power of God manifested in ministry even more.

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever.  Amen."

Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)

 

Top 15 Things Learned At Catalyst One Day

I traveled with some friends to the Catalyst Oneday event in Baltimore (actually, Fulton) Maryland this past Monday.  I had been hoping to get to a Catalyst event and had originally planned on going to the big one in Atlanta in October. That didn't work out- so the Oneday event filled my void.

Let me just say it was a great day.  Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel were funny, challenging, transparent, and encouraging throughout the day.  Not just a training event, there was a real sense that God was at work in our lives throughout the day.

So, I have gone back through my notes and pulled out some things that I continue to think about or that challenge me.  I tried to keep it to 10, but I'm just going to let it rip with 15.  Read the list after the jump.