Keep Moving

(I'm using Youversion to read through the Bible in 2011.  I'll be posting thoughts here on the blog and on my Youversion profile (www.youversion.com/users/lamo5973) I hope you'll join in on some discussion!)

Genesis 12 (The Message)

Abram's father, Terah, had originally set out from Ur of the Chaldees to the land of Canaan (Gen. 11:31). But when he got as far as Haran, he settled his family down there. In chapter 12, God calls Abram to leave his family and country for a new land- the land of Canaan- the place where Terah had originally set out for.
Terah settled down before reaching his destination. Abram "kept moving, steadily making his way south, to the Negev." (Gen. 12:9).
The ability to "keep moving" is so important to our spiritual life. Abram knew that God had called him and "kept moving" in order to fulfill that call. Abram did not allow himself to settle down. He probably had his opportunities. In Egypt, Abram became a very rich man- but because of his deceit of Pharoah, Abram was kicked out and put back on the move.

We need to keep "keep moving" in our lives. If God has called us to something, we need to keep moving until we get to where God is leading.  Settling down before reaching the goal is not what God has called us to. We should recognize that things in our life happen in order to help us to "keep moving." As we grow as disciples, we should "keep moving" in our study of the scripture, prayer life, fasting, and service so that we do not become stagnant but become vibrant disciples of Jesus Christ.

Cannot Help But Speak

I'm preaching on Acts 1:1-8 this week as we continue looking at pictures of the Church in the Bible.  This week, we're talking about being a church focused on sharing what we've seen and heard regarding Jesus.  Acts 1:8 says, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

This is the another example of the Great Commission to go into all the world to proclaim the good news.  The disciples are called to share this testimony to the ends of the earth- and they do this through the power of the Holy Spirit.  As I read Acts, I am struck by Peter and John in chapter four who, when told to quit witnessing about Jesus said;

"Which is right in God's eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

This is such a change from the Gospel accounts where the disciples fleed Jesus when he was arrested.  Peter even denied knowing him.  Yet here, filled with the Holy Spirit, he (and John) declare that they cannot help or stop speaking about what they have seen or heard.  Their lives have been changed and they want everyone to experience the same thing that they have!

This passage is challenging.  We live in a culture where it is often much easier to remain quiet about our faith.  We use the "Preach the gospel at all times, when necessary use words" as a defense to our silence.  Yet, if our lives have been changed by God- if we've experienced unmerited grace and mercy- if we've been healed, restored and redeemed- how can we stay silent?

My prayer for myself, Hope Church, and the Church around the world is that the Holy Spirit would so flood our lives that we will not remain silent about God's love and salvation available through Jesus Christ.





The Importance of Story

I was thinking about the importance of story.  I was watching the newest Star Trek that came out a while back.  It is the remake of the original series of Star Trek movies.  As I watched, I was captivated by the back story of James T. Kirk and of Spock.  Amidst all the special effects and nostalgia of the movie, it is the story of the people that drew me in.  One could not help to be pulled in to the opening sequence of George Kirk piloting his ship into the enemy craft to save his wife and newly born son, James.  While Spock showed no visable emotion when his mother died, I certainly wanted to.  It was exciting to see Leonard Nimoy reprise his role of Spock (from the future) during the movie.  In contrast, what made Transformers 2 such a bust was the lack of emotional connection with the story.  While the movie had great special effects and I loved seeing the Transformers come to life, the story was lacking.

In the Church, we cannot ignore the importance of story.  While this is certainly nothing new, as Church
leaders we must continue to tap into the rich stories that reside in our communities.  As Christians, we are each invited to participate in God's grand narrative.  From Genesis we can see how God has been at work redeeming creation- leading to the Incarnation of Christ, to the Cross and the resurrection.  We now live in the days where we wait God's full redemption of Creation- and have a role to play in this great story.

In great and small ways, people in our communities are living out this grand narrative of God.  Just as a great movie draws in the viewers- the stories of God's redemptive work has the ability to speak to those who have heard of God's saving love for humanity.  We need to tell the story- the story of Christ and the Cross, and our own stories of how our lives have been transformed by the cross.

What are some effective ways that the story of God's love and the transformation of lives has been shared?






   

Up...Up...Up....And Away!

Andrea and I finally saw the movie Up last night and it was fantastic!  For someone like me who really enjoys movies, we've really fallen behind on seeing any movies.  We might go to the theater about once a quarter.  When Abbie gets a little older, we'll be able to catch some good kid flicks.

Up was an all-around enjoyable movie.  While you probably already know that, it's a movie worth considering the messages/images that are in it.

1. Marriage- I loved that the movie showed marriage in a positive light.  Extremely positive.  Carl and Ellie were childhood friends who married and enjoyed a lifetime of love and adventure.  Even after Ellie died, Carl continued to express his love for Ellie.  Even though it's a cartoon, we need positive images of marriage and love.  It's important in our churches and our personal lives that we find our own "Carl and Ellie's" to be inspirations, mentors, and illustrations of how fulfilling marriage can be.
2. Life's Adventures:  Ellie and Carl had a dream to go to Paradise Falls because of their affinity for adventurer Charles Muntz.  Ellie had made an adventure book around this idea.  The final pages of the book called "What we did" was blank- wating to be filled.  Isn't that really how our live's are?  Our lives are blank pages waiting to be filled.  They are not pre-determined- yet God has a plan for us that  goes beyond what we could hope or imagine.  Do we continue to have a sense of adventure about our faith, our God, and our life? What kind of story do we want written in our book?
3. The Mundane:  The boy in the movie, Russell, when recounting memories of his father says "Come to think of it, it's the boring stuff that I remember the most."  How many times do we look for adventure, greener pastures, etc. when what is most meaningful is the day to day living of life together?  For me, some of my best times with my daughter are just laying on our living room floor and laughing together.  Sure, we could go to the park, or a play place, or the beach, but it's the everyday intentional living together that she will remember the most.  Can we find contentment in the mundane?  The routine?  Can we experience God while we do the dishes?  Mow the lawn?  Or are we waiting the the next big "experience"?

These are just a few thoughts from the movie. There are other themes that could be explored (Charles Muntz's obsession with this elusive bird (Kevin), What young and old can learn from each other). I'll definately be looking forward to watching this movie again!

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)

 

Thank God for Answered Prayers

Yesterday, I was driving down towards the beach to stop at our local Comcast Cable office to pick up a HDTV cable box.  I have to admit, I was pretty excited.  The Steelers played last night and I was going to watch them in HD.  As I sat at the light, a block or so from the office, my car stops running.  Completely stops.  And it won't start back up.

I got out my car and motioned to the cars behind me that I the car wasn't moving.  Then I pushed my car off to the shoulder, more or less.  I tried starting the car again, but with no luck.  So I proceeded to call AAA to send out a tow truck because there was no where else I could push the car.  Within minutes, I had a State Trooper behind me.  Everyone was rubbernecking to see what kind of trouble I had gotten into.  Speeding?  Drug Bust?  Texting while driving? DUI?  Nope, just a boring breakdown.

The tow truck driver was very nice and helped me get my car back to my friends garage, and even drove me a mile back to my house.  Now we wait to hear what the damage is.  I guess there is a chance that the car is dead and that I might have to go find a new one.  This would be very sad for 2 reasons.  First, it would cost a lot of money that we were not planning on spending right now.  Second, I have had that car since the summer before my Senior Year of college.  We've been together for nine and a half years and nearly 160,000 miles.  It is my last surviving item from college that I regularly use.

I have to admit, when I first broke down and the car wouldn't start, I was truly thankful.  Sounds strange.  Each Tuesday morning, I leave the house early for a 98 mile trip up to my seminary.  I drive the ever busy I-95 as well as the Blue Route.  On Wednesday, I take the Skukyll, Blue Route, and I-95 back home.  Every once in a while I see a car that is disabled along the side of the road.  More than once, I have offered a prayer to God requesting that I would not break down while on a trip to Philly for school.  God answered my prayers!  Rather than breaking down in Philly, I broke down a day early in a place where it was easy to get off the road and a tow truck came in under 30 minutes.  That would not have happened in Philly. (As an added bonus, no one flipped me off or called me names that I can't repeat here like they would've in Philly).

Thank you God for you mercies which are new every morning!  Thank you that even though I dread the thought of replacing the car, that the car broke down in a place that was safe and less stressful than where I am going tonight.  Continue to provide safety on all my travels.  Your grateful child, Steve.  Amen.

Be Still

For the last two days, I have been constantly going back to Psalm 46.  It's one of my favorites.  The Psalmist begins,

"God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."

As a Christian, those words are comforting and are a constant reminder that I find solace, peace, and protection in the presence of God.  Though the world is in turmoil, we do not have to fear because God is our strength and refuge.  This is good news for us!

What really challenges me about this passage is found a little further down in the Psalm.  In verse 10 it says this-

"Be still, and know that I am God."

I certainly have a tendency to get worked up over things.  I worry about things that I cannot control.  Maybe you're the same way.  We can watch the news and we buy into the fear that the media broadcasts.  We let our lives get so busy that we don't know which way we are going.  Our relationships, jobs, families may seem like they are falling apart- yet the Psalmist says- in the midst of the storm, be still and know that I am God.

With the economy failing; unemployment is on the rise; bills are piling up; the car needs new brakes; childcare payments are due...

Be Still and know that I am God.

As we look around at our family and friends who struggle with addiction, brokenness, abuse, divorce, pornography, adultry...

Be still and know that I am God.

There is a battle going on with cancer, swine flu, HIV/AIDS, and other health concerns...

Be still and know that I am God.

For the times when we cannot tell which way we are going...to our children's practices, church groups, civic meetings, job responsibilities, visiting relatives, overtime, and preparing for the holidays (they're closer than you think!), or when you feel like that world is crashing in around you...

Be still and know that I am God.

My prayer for myself and for you is that today, tomorrow, and the next day that we will take time to quiet ourselves and know that God is God- that God is in control.  Because of that, we can find refuge in God's presence.  "Be still and know that I am God."  

Overfed and Underactive

About seven years ago, I went to a youth ministry conference with a friend. While I was there, I purchased a book call An Unstoppable Force by Erwin McManus. When I read the book, it really changed the lens in which I view some of the questions I have about the church, leadership, and my role as a pastor. For the past six months, our staff at Avenue has been reading various books in order to help us rethink church- since that is our new United Methodist slogan (hopefully it will be more than that). Each staff person has recommended a book. As you may have guessed, An Unstoppable Force was my contribution.

For our staff meeting this week, we read the first 30 pages or so and set aside some time to discuss some of Erwin's thoughts. There was one thought that really has stuck with me this week. McManus said that in some of our churches, the problem is not undernourished Christians- its that we have overfed Christians who do not exercise (practice) their faith. This really made me pause for reflection. He cites that about 60% of the US population is considered obese. While undernourishment is certainly a health problem, so is overnourishment. They both lead to sickness and even death. Our problem with obesity in America is often an issue of a lack of physical activity (and poor diet habits- we consume too much of some things like sugar and carbs and do not have a healthy balanced diet.)

In our churches and our world, there are certainly people who are starving for the Gospel. They are starving for an encounter with God. Yet our churches are also full of people who consume everything they can spiritually and fail to put their faith into action. They fail to exercise their faith. Whatever they consume in church, bible study, small group, etc. becomes spiritual fat rather then lean spiritual muscle that is useful for building up God's Kingdom.

How are you exercising spiritually? Do you just show up to church on Sunday morning to consume and let it go to your "spiritual hips?" Or have you develped a plan that keeps your spiritually fit? Are you putting your faith into practice or just sitting on the sidelines?

God, help us to exercise our faith this week. To do more than just consume. Let us be an active part of Your body. Let us be Your hands and Feet to a world that is in need of You. Amen.

Eat My Flesh and Drink My Blood

No...it's not the newest title in the Twilight series or some new horror movie. It's part of this week's text from John 6:51-58. Here is a piece of that passage-

"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him."

These words of Jesus caused a little bit of controversy over the years. First, the Law of Moses prohibited anyone from drinking the blood of anything, let alone the blood of another person (Lev. 17:14, Deut. 12:23). Romans misinterpreted Christian language surrounding the Eucharist "eating the body and blood of the Lord." They thought that Christians were cannibals and this caused the early church much persecution in the Romans Empire.

Jesus, throughout chapter 6, is using this motiff of bread to point to God's gift of eternal life. Just as God gave Moses manna from heaven, God has sent the bread of heaven to earth (John 6:33). Jesus declares, "I am the Bread of Life" in vs. 35. Just as life is obtained by eating physical food, eternal life is obtained by "eating" the flesh and blood of Jesus. This is a graphic way of explaining that we must take Christ into our inner most being since Jesus is the source of life.

How are we fed by God? How do we encounter God in a way that won't diminish before our next meal?

We live in a society that demands instant gratification and quick results. We love our microwave ovens, our fast-food restaraunts, and text messaging. We want a diet that will work in 8 easy steps, or better yet, 4 steps! Magazines tells us how to ______________ (lose weight, have better sex, get washboard abs, etc) in _____ (insert number) steps. Yet, in the Bible, there are no 5 step processes to spiritual growth. Jesus says in John 6:56,

"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him."

This sounds familier to John 15:5...

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches ar epicked up, thrown into the fires and burned."

Both verses in John talked about remaining in Jesus and remaining in the Vine (God). Spiritual growth, allowing God to feed us isn't so much about what we do, but our proximity to God. How do we "remain" in God's presence? How do we get close enough to Christ to "eat" his flesh and blood? How do we linger in the Spirit's presence?

How are you fed by God? What ways have you found to linger in God's presence? To feast in His presence? Talk it out in the comments!

Book Review: Simple Spirituality

One of the most recent books that I've read is Simple Spirituality by Christopher Heuertz. Heurtz is the International Director of Word Made Flesh, which is a community who ministers to the poorest of the poor around the world. I really looked forward reading this book as Andrea went with WMF to India and I have had friends serving in India, Brazil, Peru, Romania, and Sierra Leonne through WMF. The book did not disappoint as I have read it twice in recent weeks.

The books is organized by WMF's five Lifestyle Celebrations; Humility, Community, Simplicity, Submission, and Brokeness. As Heuertz writes in the introduction, "As I pray for the grace to live into a spirituality that embodies these simple commitments, I invite you to join me." These Lifestyle Celebrations are central to WMF and their commitments and mission to serve the poorest of the poor. It would do good to do a quick synopsis of each from the book

Humility
"Humility affirms our need for God." Heuertz goes on to write, "Humility is not a means to an end. Rather humility is the door through which we must enter to be welcomed into God's presence." How often do we allow pride to get into our way of seeing God and seeing our desperate need for God. The only remedy for our pride is humility that bows before God.

Community
Community is that which provides orientation and clarification for our identity. Our identity is not found in what we do or what we own- our identity is found in community with God and with others. The book challenged me to be willing to step into other people's community rather than expecting them to come into mine...to try to view the world through a different lens.

Simplicity
Here in the Western world, much of our value and worth is ascribed by our paycheck, possessions and neighborhood. When we live simply, we live without extravagence and with an eye and heart to our neighbors. Heuertz writes, "We want to make the issue about what we give, but in truth the issue is about what we keep." Are we engaged in a lifestyle that frees us to give? Or are we trapped in a cycle where we strive to accumulate more and more possessions?

Submission
"Submission is giving up oneself to the power of another." When we submit to God, we give up our desires and wishes and allow God's desires and plans to shape us. Submission is realizes that our lives are not our own- our lives belong to God and that we must seek each day to submit our lives to God.

Brokeness
"Brokenness is different- a voluntary surrender to God's will over our own will...brokenness is open even to the grace in pain." Brokenness is proactive rather than reactive.

Certainly the review above could be more in depth. But you'll just have to read the book in order to get more. This was just to whet your appetite.

Heuertz does a great job of weaving personal experience to convey the points that he is making. Some of the stories are light hearted while many of them are a gut wrenching reminder of how the majority world lives.

One critique, and I don't know if it is a major one. Heuertz speaks a lot of seeing Jesus in the poor. That is certainly true, but it is not the only place where we can see Jesus. Each of us is made in the image of God, and thus we can see God work in and through us in the way we live our lives. Heuertz's emphasis on this certainly ties in with WMF's mission to reach the poorest of the poor. It's not major...there is another side to where we see God in our world today. The poor may be our most visible reminder, though.

I'm interested in your thoughts...have you read the book? What's your take?

Seven Pounds for Holy Week

This past Sunday, Andrea and I watched the Will Smith movie, "Seven Pounds," while Abbie took her afternoon nap. It wasn't a movie I particularly wanted to watch, but I was intrigued by it's storyine, especially since we are in the midst of Holy Week leading up to Easter.

**Stop reading here if you've not seen the movie**

The basic premise of Seven Pounds is this: Will Smith's character (Ben/Tim) was part of an accident that killed seven people, including his fiance. Ben feels responsible for the accident and is living with the guilt he feels. He begins to offer random people gifts that only he can give. To one woman, a social worker, he gives part of his liver. To someone else, a lung. He gives a mother and 2 children his beachfront home as they begin a new life together after escaping an abusive boyfriend.

Ben meets a woman named Emily who has Congestive Heart Failure. She has been placed on an organ donor list, but because of her rare blood type, the docter tells Ben there is only a 3-5% chance that she will receive the heart in time. As Ben begins helping her out in little ways and they end up falling in love with each other. At the same time, Ben contacts a man named Ezra who is blind, yet gifted at the piano and stuck in a deadend job. It is here that we begin to see Ben's intentions.

The gift that Ben gives requires that he give up his own life. Ben ultimately commits suicide in a way that his organs can be harvested and Emily and Ezra are given a new lease on life. The movie ends with Emily staring into Ezra's eyes, knowing that they are they eyes of the man she loves and the of the one who gave up his life so the she might live.

This was, again, and interesting movie to watch as we prepare to celebrate Good Friday and Easter...where God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die so that we might live. It is certainly a fresh way to look at the idea of giving up one's life so that others might live. Jesus said in John 15:13 that, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 1 John 3:16 says, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." It is very clear in the movie that Ben was moved towards love to give his heart to Emily.

I wonder what initially motivated Will Smith's character to give himself away as a gift? Was it out of shame or guilt from feeling responsible for his fiance's and 6 others' death?

I believe that he was seeking penance what happened the night of the accident. Penance is, as Webster's puts it, an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. Will Smith's character's action resulted in the death of seven people...and his character gave the gift of life to seven people as an act of penance. While this act may have began out of guilt, by the end of the movie he is motivated by love.

While this is not a exhaustive look at the movie Seven Pounds, this may create some great discussion for you and those you watch the movie with. This is certainly a postmodern parable that we can relate to the self-giving love of Jesus Christ. If you've not seen the movie, this is a great week to rent it and watch it as we consider the sacrifice that Jesus made for each of us so that we might experience life abundant!

Thoughts on John 12:20-33

I will be preaching this Sunday at our 9:30 and 11:07 worship gatherings. Since it's the season of Lent, I often follow the lectionary for the scripture. This Sunday, the selected reading is John 12:20-33. It is a passage where Jesus begins to point to his coming death on the cross. In the midst of the passage, Jesus tells a brief parable.

"Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground
and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many
[fruit]. Those who love their life will lose it, while those who hate their
life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves
me must follow me; and where I am, my servant will also be.
My Father will honor the one who serves me."

What strikes me the most is the implied cost of discipleship. Following Christ requires that we give up our lives. It requires sacrifice. It requires thinking of others ahead of our own agendas and desires. Discipleship is not something that we attend a small group for...it must become a lifestyle that is lived out.

I wonder what our Sunday morning worship gatherings would be like if we really preached (and lived) the cost of following Jesus. First, I think we'd have less people because they would be turned off by the discussion of giving up our lives. But on the other hand, if people caught a vision for what discipleship looked like (true discipleship, not a course or a small group), then our churches and communities might be turned upside down.

As we journey closer to Good Friday and the Cross of Christ, may we consider the cost of folllowing Jesus. May we live each day, offering our lives over to the only One who can save it. In losing our lives, may we find eternal life in God through Jesus Christ.

The Honest Golfer

Have you heard the news (ok, sports news) story about J.P. Hayes? (If not, read it here) Hayes is a golfer a Q School, which is where golfers attempt to qualify for the PGA Tour. Q School is an intense compitition because if you qualify, you play on the PGA Tour making good money for playing golf. Here's what happened there. Hayes hit his ball out of bounds and began to use a nonconforming, non-approved golf ball for one hole. But Hayes did not know he was using it. When Hayes realized that the ball was not approved for play, he said something to the officials. Using the wrong ball was a 2 stroke penalty...using a non approved ball meant Hayes would be disqualified. Hayes owned up to using a non-approved ball and was disqualified for his honesty (Golfers have to police themselves).

People have been debated whether or not Hayes should have admitted using a non-approved ball. After all, it was one hole. How much of a difference could it make? Others have said 'rules are rules' and he should turn himself in. Is honesty a big deal when it's the rule? While it's assumed that all golfers would do the same (it's the rules), if no one notices the infraction, would they admit it?

How do we do with honesty? As Christians, why do we allow dishonesty to creep into our lives? I knew Christians who cheated on test in college, copied term papers, cut corners, and were generally dishonest. If we look around at churches, we see pastors/leaders who allow dishonesty to creep into their ministries and their churches.

I remember a class in college where I didn't know the answer on a multiple choice question and I was searching for the answer on the ceiling tiles above my head. At some point as I search for the answer in the air, I caught a glimpse of my neighbors paper and the very question that I was stuck on. I thought about using that answer (because I also knew it was correct once I saw it), but since I came to that conclusion from someone else, I left the answer blank and lost 2 points off the test.

Now, I don't write that to pat myself on the back. But I write that to say that it could have been easy to put that answer down...but to do that would be cheating. It would be dishonest. Yes, it cost me some points, but I was able to say with integrity that the answers I gave were my answers.

Why is the J.P. Hayes such a story? I think it's because we've made it culturally acceptable to cut corners or act dishonestly as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. Rather than being honest, we lie, cheat, and cut corners to get ahead rather than doing the hard work to be successful. We have lost the meaning of INTEGRITY in our society. We just finished an election season where candidates talk about integrity, yet many ultimately get involved in some sort of scandal or compromises on their convictions.

What does it mean to live a life of integrity? What does that look like? How do we do at it? Why are we so quick to take short cuts for short term success rather than doing the hard work? Why does our culture exalt those who get away with cheating (again, look at some sports, politics). Why is this seen as being crafty or sly rather than dishonest?

Your thoughts?

Changing Paradigms

When I graduated from Commodore Perry High School, one of our speakers spoke about changing paradigms. Back then, I really didn't know what a paradigm was, but now I have a better understanding of it. A paradigm is a model or an ideal. The American Heritage Dictionary defines a paradigm as "A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline." Each of us has a paradigm in which we view our lives.



Christianity in America needs to change it's paradigm.



I don't want this to just be a rant, but a conversation (maybe with myself), about some of the practices of American Christianity and what sort of change needs to be made. I read an article recently that Phyllis Tickle believes that we are on the cusp of another great religious reformation or movement. She said that a movement like this happens about every 500 years, the last being the Reformation where the Protestant Church was birthed out of the Catholic Church. This movement, she calls The Great Emergence, is also the name of her new book where she explains ways in which Christianity are changing (I'll be ordering that book soon).



What are some areas of Christianity that need to change? I'm hoping to give a brief description below, and then in the upcoming days/weeks, expound on them a little further.

1. Corporate Worship: How has corporate worship become about the traditions/things of worship rather than the object of worship (That's God). Does our worship gatherings really send us out to serve the poor, feed the hungry, or to bring justice to our communities? How do we move away from consumeristic worship gatherings where the congregates want fed? How do we re-connect worship of God and Social Justice?
2. How Christians Think: The beef sometimes is that Christians do not critically engage the Word of God, the Theology we believe in, the world we live in, or the issues that are before us.
3. Community: What does it mean to be apart of a community, especially in the facebook/myspace era? If we were really to follow what the Bible says, would community look different?

Those are there topics I've been thinking about. Some others might be Spiritual Disciplines or the environment. I'm sure there are others that could be discussed. But, we'll start with Worship later next week.

Moses and Mind-Bending Drugs

So I don't really recommend using mind-bending narcartics to create a more intense spiritual experience. Evidently, at least one scholar believes that Moses was high and in a mind-altared stated when he heard God's voice in the burning bush. You can read the article here.

I'm aware that opiates and other mind-altering drugs have (and are still) used in various religious exercises of different faiths. What I don't agree with the researcher is that Moses had to be high to hear from God. The researcher said,

"As far Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic
event, which I don't believe, or a legend, which I don't believe either, or
finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of
Israel under the effect of narcotics," Shanon told Israeli public radio on
Tuesday.

Basically, the researches believes the event happened (which means it is not legend), but that it was not a supernatural cosmic event. Hence the need for drugs to have the experience Moses had. There are some that beleive that the crowds that saw Jesus ascend into heaven were experiencing a group hallucination.

I think what we see is that we have lost the ability to believe in the supernatural power of God. We have found, through science, that many times there is a quantitative explanation for each event. And while I affirm what science does- it is simply amazing, but science does not mean that God does not work inside and outside the realms of the laws of nature. One should seriously consider reading Francis Collins' book, The Language of God.

Here is my big problem with Shanon, the researcher in the article above...our stance on this comes down to our view of God. First, if God is the Creator of the universe, then God can altar the rules of nature to communicate to His created beings. If God created the sea, then God can part the sea. If God breathed life into humanity, than God can certainly bring a person back from the dead. Miracles occur because God exist outside our concept of time and space. God is transcendant, above and beyond our limitations and boundaries.

Is the God we serve and worship big enough to work in miraculous ways? I believe that God is.

Thanks Mr. Lewis!

I always enjoy reading C.S. Lewis. The Chronicles of Narnia are one of my favorite book series. I have read some of Lewis' other writings, but not as much as I would like to. About 2 years ago, Andrea and I purchased A Year With C.S. Lewis, which provides a reading from Lewis for everyday of the year. It's similar to a devotional, but with no Scripture reading. I really enoyed yesterday's reading (January 31).

"This is my endlessly recurring temptation; to go down to that Sea (I think St. John of the Christ called God a sea) and there neither dive nor swim nor float, but only dabble and splash, careful not to get out of my depth and holding on to the lifeline which connects me with my things temporal."

Andrea loves to go to the beach. Naturally, I go with her. But we go for different reasons. She goes with the purpose of laying in the sand and soaking up the sun. I go to the beach to relax, eat, swim in the ocean, and eat some more. I can't imagine going to the beach and not jumping in the ocean with reckless abandon. I want the waves to crash over me and to swim where I can't touch the bottom. Yet there are those who go to the beach and never get wet.

In the passage, C.S. Lewis is describing our tendencies as humans. We can come to the Sea that is God; Vast, powerful, and teeming with life, yet we are often content to just get our toes wet rather than diving in deep in our relationships with God. We become comfortable, not wanting to venture further in our walk with God. Yet God's vastness is there for us to explore, to comtemplate, and to experience.

I see this in my own life. I have many excuses for it; I'm too busy, I'm too tired, I'm too comfortable, and the list goes own. There is a part of me that is bored with this 'toe in the water' faith and I want to be able to swim out to where I can't touch the bottom and allow waves of God's love, mercy, grace, and power to sweep over me.