Monday, March 17, 2014
Storefront church
This was a storefront church in an older part of the city that is undergoing some revitalization. The homes look old, for the most part, although some are being rehabbed and you can find some new construction next to the dilapidated homes which look like they should be condemned if they haven't been already. The church is in a small strip mall on the main street. There is an ice cream store next door and a restaurant at the end of the mall with a real estate office around the corner. The building is new and attractive. Church members (loosely speaking because there are no members) arrive at 9 am to set up the rented space. They put the coffee on and arrange the baked goods on a table. People start straggling in about 10 and continue to straggle all the way through the morning service. We are greeted warmly by many of the people. I know the pastor because I met her at a clergy luncheon just this week. I told her I would like to come and see what was going on. There were several brochures and sign up sheets on another table alerting people to ministries and services awaiting volunteers in the community. It is a community with no end of needs, it seemed. The announcement time reflected more community needs and the sharing and prayer time allowed people to talk about personal needs of which there were many, as well. It could seem like a needy place but there was much laughter and talk of hope and prayer, too. The people, 50 or so, knew each other well and were comfortable with each other so some good natured teasing flowed easily. Two women got up and played guitar and led a couple worship songs. A man in a wheelchair worked the computer projecting the words on a screen. Someone read the scripture for the day, from Genesis 12, and the pastor preached on covenant. What does covenant mean to you, she asked. Promises, a couple of people responded. I wondered at that. Here were people who mostly knew a promise as something not kept. Covenants were made to be broken. The boarded up and broken buildings around us were mirrored by the broken lives in the church. Mostly, we felt the pain of broken promises in that room. People living after promises failed in families, marriages, jobs and even churches. Lots of people here have had negative experiences in churches we were told after the service. In this place, on this day, we were learning what covenant meant as the pastor preached about God's call to Abram and Sarai. It was no small thing, the pastor reminded us, to leave everything and follow God's promise. It took a lot of trust. The pastor, looking at it from Sarai's point of view, said Sarai had to trust her husband (who wasn't always the most trustworthy man if you read the rest of his story) who said he had heard from God and this is what I heard: We are leaving! So get packed up! Promises need trusting responses even when there is little evidence of fulfillment (20 some odd years til their promised child was born). So hang in there. Don't give up on God. Mostly, what we felt was that this group of believers was still believing. Strongly. They had not given up. We sensed hope there, and grace, much grace. Like the scripture in Genesis 12 said, God speaks a promise to us, that is grace, and we respond because what else are we going to do.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Knowing God's will
God's will is not hard to understand, it is often said, only hard to do. Well, it is not all that easy to understand either. The most frequent question I was asked in pastoral ministry was, What is God's will for my life and the decisions I have to make. We wish there was an app for that. Instead, there are numerous books, courses, and sermons that would help us discover the way to know God's will. Having read some, taken some and preached some, I can say there is no definitive answer.
In an interesting chapter in his new book, Paul and the Faithfulness of God, N.T.Wright suggests Paul struggled with this issue, too. In Paul's day, knowing the will of the gods was a growth industry. It was a concern of everyone from the Emperor down to the lowliest servant. So, there were many people you could consult. There were diviners, and wise men who could tell you the will of the gods by consulting an animal's entrails or the flight path of a bird. These priests could explain what seemingly ordinary events like a thunder clap might mean for you. There were sacred texts which in the hands of the right interpreter could show you the path to take. It was a very religious age and people did not want to end up on the wrong side of a god. It could mean a poor harvest, or infertility, or famine or some other catastrophe.
Paul did not practice the ways of his religious culture to determine God's will. But, he certainly believed God guided him, and us. In Acts, there were a few definite times when God directed Paul's way with a word or vision. There were other times when Paul saw the hand of God after the fact. There were also times when he gave it his best guess like when he wrote to Philemon about Onesimus and said, maybe this is the reason he was separated from you… Wright comments, "to believe in providence often means saying perhaps".
Wright's point is that even though there are those moments when God is crystal clear about what His will was for Paul, those times were infrequent. Most of the time God's guidance for Paul was "oblique". That's why Paul urged his readers to work hard on thinking things through, and try to develop a wise Christian mind, Wright says. Paul was doing the same thing himself. It would seem that Paul was less sure of God's guidance on a day to day basis than his pagan counterparts were - or thought they were, Wright adds.
But we have to keep in mind Paul believed our minds were being renewed daily (Rom 12:1) and that the Holy Spirit is always with us guiding us, even if it is tough for us to sense that all the time. We have the Scriptures, as well, which is no small matter in the work of knowing God's will for us. Here is Wright's perspective: "Paul saw the Scriptures as much more than a rag-bag of sayings and cryptic wisdom, oracles waiting to be decoded and applied randomly to this or that situation. They told the story of God, his world, and his people, in such a way, as to lead the eye not only up to Jesus but on beyond, all the way, to the expanding apostolic mission." Knowing Jesus, Wright suggests, gave Paul a clear sense of how his own life and calling were to be shaped.
That's a key thought. There is more than enough in what Jesus said and did to show us what God's will is. There are issues of everyday life in which God's will seems not so clear. We may not know for sure whether to move or not, or to take this job or that, or which church to attend. We might not be certain if we are to marry or if so, whom? But, if we do, we know how to treat that person, and how to treat others. We know what to do with the money we make from that job we decided to take. And if we move to a new community, and attend a different church, we know what the shape of our lives will look like. Be imitators of us and the LORD, Paul wrote to the church (1 Thess 1). That's about the best guidance anyone could have.
In an interesting chapter in his new book, Paul and the Faithfulness of God, N.T.Wright suggests Paul struggled with this issue, too. In Paul's day, knowing the will of the gods was a growth industry. It was a concern of everyone from the Emperor down to the lowliest servant. So, there were many people you could consult. There were diviners, and wise men who could tell you the will of the gods by consulting an animal's entrails or the flight path of a bird. These priests could explain what seemingly ordinary events like a thunder clap might mean for you. There were sacred texts which in the hands of the right interpreter could show you the path to take. It was a very religious age and people did not want to end up on the wrong side of a god. It could mean a poor harvest, or infertility, or famine or some other catastrophe.
Paul did not practice the ways of his religious culture to determine God's will. But, he certainly believed God guided him, and us. In Acts, there were a few definite times when God directed Paul's way with a word or vision. There were other times when Paul saw the hand of God after the fact. There were also times when he gave it his best guess like when he wrote to Philemon about Onesimus and said, maybe this is the reason he was separated from you… Wright comments, "to believe in providence often means saying perhaps".
Wright's point is that even though there are those moments when God is crystal clear about what His will was for Paul, those times were infrequent. Most of the time God's guidance for Paul was "oblique". That's why Paul urged his readers to work hard on thinking things through, and try to develop a wise Christian mind, Wright says. Paul was doing the same thing himself. It would seem that Paul was less sure of God's guidance on a day to day basis than his pagan counterparts were - or thought they were, Wright adds.
But we have to keep in mind Paul believed our minds were being renewed daily (Rom 12:1) and that the Holy Spirit is always with us guiding us, even if it is tough for us to sense that all the time. We have the Scriptures, as well, which is no small matter in the work of knowing God's will for us. Here is Wright's perspective: "Paul saw the Scriptures as much more than a rag-bag of sayings and cryptic wisdom, oracles waiting to be decoded and applied randomly to this or that situation. They told the story of God, his world, and his people, in such a way, as to lead the eye not only up to Jesus but on beyond, all the way, to the expanding apostolic mission." Knowing Jesus, Wright suggests, gave Paul a clear sense of how his own life and calling were to be shaped.
That's a key thought. There is more than enough in what Jesus said and did to show us what God's will is. There are issues of everyday life in which God's will seems not so clear. We may not know for sure whether to move or not, or to take this job or that, or which church to attend. We might not be certain if we are to marry or if so, whom? But, if we do, we know how to treat that person, and how to treat others. We know what to do with the money we make from that job we decided to take. And if we move to a new community, and attend a different church, we know what the shape of our lives will look like. Be imitators of us and the LORD, Paul wrote to the church (1 Thess 1). That's about the best guidance anyone could have.
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Civil wars
There was a battle fought a few miles from my home here in north Florida a couple weeks ago. You could hear the cannon's fire from my house. No one was in danger and, as far as I know, no real bullets were used in the rifles. It was a re-enactment of a civil war battle, the battle of Olustee. Every year the hotels fill up with people who come to watch the re-enactors sleep in tents, eat their meals on the battle field, wear authentic uniforms and even fall on the field as if dead. The outcome of the battle is never in doubt: the Confederacy wins as they did back in the day. Locals come out to cheer on the victors, enjoy the sunshine and talk to re-enactors. There is the obligatory beauty pageant, as well. Miss Olustees of all ages are crowned.
Today Olustee is a state historical site that marks that important Confederate victory - a complete victory over a much larger force - is the way the historical revisionists have it. T. D. Allman in his book, Finding Florida, points out that this historical re-enactment misses a few important facts. The Confederate troops were slightly out manned by about 300 troops, 5500 Union to 5200 Confederate. The Confederates had the advantage of knowing the lay of the land. The Confederates had far fewer casualties than the Union forces (93 dead, 842 wounded to the Union's 203 dead and 1,152 wounded) but the really surprising fact was the Union soldiers missing in action. The missing Union soldiers numbered 500 more than the Confederate missing (506 to 6). Most of these were part of a black regiment that fought at Olustee. Allman says that instead of continuing their offensive, Confederate soldiers halted their advance in order to specially target the black soldiers wounded on the field of battle. General Hatch, commander of the Florida Union forces later said that most of the wounded black soldiers were murdered on the field (pages 230-232 in Allman's book). General Beauregard wrote to Jefferson Davis and informed him the fruits of the victory at Olustee were insignificant because there was no serious attempt to pursue the federal forces as they withdrew. The black soldiers laying wounded on the field were from the regiment made famous in the film Glory. It seems it was more important to make sure the fallen black soldiers were dead rather than pursue the larger Union army. This sordid chapter of the fighting is not re-enacted. Neither is the report of a U.S. lieutenant that a shallow grave was disinterred by wild hogs a few weeks after the battle and the bones of soldiers strewn all over the field.
There is a large Confederate monument at the battle site honoring the Confederate men who lost their lives there. There is a movement by some people to place a Union monument there, too. But, that has been consistently vetoed by the powers that be. There is nothing there that mentions the sacrifice of black soldiers. Nor, for that matter, is it mentioned in most history books.
The weekend of the re-enactment was a fine couple of days to be outdoors. Although invited to go and see what was going on, we declined. It's fun, we were told, and educational.
Today Olustee is a state historical site that marks that important Confederate victory - a complete victory over a much larger force - is the way the historical revisionists have it. T. D. Allman in his book, Finding Florida, points out that this historical re-enactment misses a few important facts. The Confederate troops were slightly out manned by about 300 troops, 5500 Union to 5200 Confederate. The Confederates had the advantage of knowing the lay of the land. The Confederates had far fewer casualties than the Union forces (93 dead, 842 wounded to the Union's 203 dead and 1,152 wounded) but the really surprising fact was the Union soldiers missing in action. The missing Union soldiers numbered 500 more than the Confederate missing (506 to 6). Most of these were part of a black regiment that fought at Olustee. Allman says that instead of continuing their offensive, Confederate soldiers halted their advance in order to specially target the black soldiers wounded on the field of battle. General Hatch, commander of the Florida Union forces later said that most of the wounded black soldiers were murdered on the field (pages 230-232 in Allman's book). General Beauregard wrote to Jefferson Davis and informed him the fruits of the victory at Olustee were insignificant because there was no serious attempt to pursue the federal forces as they withdrew. The black soldiers laying wounded on the field were from the regiment made famous in the film Glory. It seems it was more important to make sure the fallen black soldiers were dead rather than pursue the larger Union army. This sordid chapter of the fighting is not re-enacted. Neither is the report of a U.S. lieutenant that a shallow grave was disinterred by wild hogs a few weeks after the battle and the bones of soldiers strewn all over the field.
There is a large Confederate monument at the battle site honoring the Confederate men who lost their lives there. There is a movement by some people to place a Union monument there, too. But, that has been consistently vetoed by the powers that be. There is nothing there that mentions the sacrifice of black soldiers. Nor, for that matter, is it mentioned in most history books.
The weekend of the re-enactment was a fine couple of days to be outdoors. Although invited to go and see what was going on, we declined. It's fun, we were told, and educational.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Anger on trial
The sermon in church on Sunday was from Matthew 5, part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus talks about anger. He seems to equate anger with murder. What Jesus is doing in this section of the SOM is upping the ante. You have heard… he says again and again as he goes through some of the Ten Commandments… but I tell you, and then he does tell us how we are breaking those commandments more easily than we thought. I say, he says, that if you are angry, if you insult, if you call someone a demeaning name it is just as serious as murder. Well, wait a minute, how can that be. We are angry sometimes, and we call someone an Idiot! sometimes and we talk about others disrespectfully sometimes and that IS not the same as murder! Right. And as the preacher helpfully explained the form of the word Jesus was using implied a continuing state of anger. No restraint. No powering down. An explosive anger that is out of control and does its damage. To the angered and those he is angry at.
I was thinking as the preacher was preaching about the verdict handed down in a Jacksonville court the day before. A jury could not decide whether a young man's death by gunshot was murder or committed in an act of self defense. The judge declared a mistrial. The young man was African-American as were the other three young men in the car parked outside a convenience store. They had stopped to buy gum. Another car pulled up driven by a 47 year old white man who was on his way to a hotel with his fiancé after attending his son's wedding. As his fiancé got out of the car to go into the store to buy some wine he said he hated that "thug music", referring to the loud rap coming from the car next to him. While in the store his fiancé heard gunshots and when she came out the four young black men were speeding away in their car as her fiancé was continuing to fire at it, 12 shots in all. Three of the shots hit one 17 year old. He died. The man and his fiancé did not know that at the time although they heard about it on the news later. They drove on to their hotel, ordered pizza, slept and drove to their southern Florida home the next day. The police showed up at their home the day after the shooting because a witness had written down their license plate number.
The preacher pointed out that anger is closely associated with fear, and unchecked, anger often leads to violence. He said, in order to justify our anger we often disrespect those who are the objects of our anger. Like Jesus said, we insult them, we call them Idiots or Thugs, or other words. In our minds they are less than we are and already at fault and their faults justify our anger. A sustained anger. An unrestrained anger. I hate that (their) thug music. People become thugs in our minds, or jerks, or other words but the point is they deserve our contempt, our anger.
The prejudice of the man in the car led to an escalating confrontation that resulted in the death of a young man. The man said he was afraid for his life. He claimed he saw a weapon in the young man's hand although no other witness saw one and the police said there was no evidence of any weapons in the young men's vehicle. It was like the man's fear of the people he thought they were had conjured up a weapon in his mind.
Jesus went on to say that we should do what we can to defuse anger, to curb it, to reign it in. Goes without saying we need to work on our fears, too, most of which are imagined rather than real. The preacher had some good suggestions for dealing with our anger. I was thinking how different things might have been if that man in the car with the loaded 9mm in his glove compartment could have heard this sermon. One young man might have lived to celebrate his 19th birthday on Sunday.
I was thinking as the preacher was preaching about the verdict handed down in a Jacksonville court the day before. A jury could not decide whether a young man's death by gunshot was murder or committed in an act of self defense. The judge declared a mistrial. The young man was African-American as were the other three young men in the car parked outside a convenience store. They had stopped to buy gum. Another car pulled up driven by a 47 year old white man who was on his way to a hotel with his fiancé after attending his son's wedding. As his fiancé got out of the car to go into the store to buy some wine he said he hated that "thug music", referring to the loud rap coming from the car next to him. While in the store his fiancé heard gunshots and when she came out the four young black men were speeding away in their car as her fiancé was continuing to fire at it, 12 shots in all. Three of the shots hit one 17 year old. He died. The man and his fiancé did not know that at the time although they heard about it on the news later. They drove on to their hotel, ordered pizza, slept and drove to their southern Florida home the next day. The police showed up at their home the day after the shooting because a witness had written down their license plate number.
The preacher pointed out that anger is closely associated with fear, and unchecked, anger often leads to violence. He said, in order to justify our anger we often disrespect those who are the objects of our anger. Like Jesus said, we insult them, we call them Idiots or Thugs, or other words. In our minds they are less than we are and already at fault and their faults justify our anger. A sustained anger. An unrestrained anger. I hate that (their) thug music. People become thugs in our minds, or jerks, or other words but the point is they deserve our contempt, our anger.
The prejudice of the man in the car led to an escalating confrontation that resulted in the death of a young man. The man said he was afraid for his life. He claimed he saw a weapon in the young man's hand although no other witness saw one and the police said there was no evidence of any weapons in the young men's vehicle. It was like the man's fear of the people he thought they were had conjured up a weapon in his mind.
Jesus went on to say that we should do what we can to defuse anger, to curb it, to reign it in. Goes without saying we need to work on our fears, too, most of which are imagined rather than real. The preacher had some good suggestions for dealing with our anger. I was thinking how different things might have been if that man in the car with the loaded 9mm in his glove compartment could have heard this sermon. One young man might have lived to celebrate his 19th birthday on Sunday.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Confessions of a church shopper
After three decades and a few odd years serving several different churches as a pastor, I have become what I formerly disdained, a church shopper. Church shoppers were a frequent target of my pious potshots for they were only looking out for themselves, asking themselves which church had the best music, or best youth group, or best preaching. Church is not about YOU, I boldly proclaimed. It is about GOD, I asserted with the conviction of an Isaiah or a Micah. You go to church NOT to meet your needs but to worship and to serve. Sounded good and it soothed a sore ego when the church shoppers didn't stop long at my church before they went on to another one. Who needs them, I proudly thought. We are looking for true Christians, Christians who really get IT, aren't we?
So how do things look from the other side of the fence? How does it feel to be a church shopper? I confess that is what I am. I looked deeply at myself and realized that I have been in our new home for eight months now, surrounded by all sorts of churches, and I have not settled into one of them. I am, gulp, still shopping around. I am not blooming where I am planted; I am wilting.
So, what have I learned these many months. I have learned that feelings, prejudices, personal histories and, oh yes, those dreaded likes and dislikes, all of those, play an important role in where a church shopper ends up. It is always about GOD but it is about YOU, too. Often, way more than YOU think.
I went to one church where we attended for awhile and it was an Advent Sunday and I was looking forward to the Advent music because they excel in music and the pastor announced that today was "special" and they were going to focus on one scripture passage and there would be no music. No music! Are you kidding me? I was peeved, sitting in my pew steaming. That's what I had come for! That's all I could think about. I did not get much out of the experience of solitude. I had a hunch what was going on. The next service was the Christmas children's program and they were gearing up for that and they needed to get us out of our service early. Aha, I thought that was the real reason for the music free service.
Another church I have attended nearby is literally in the woods. There is little signage to let you know where it is. The first time we went we could not find it. There is no website, canned music, no children, and a very small congregation. I like the part time pastor who travels over 50 miles to get there on Sundays. The people are very friendly, too, but there is a hint of desperation in their invitations to come back. They need help, fellow servers, Christians who will throw themselves into the life of the church with abandon. Yet, what they are lacking is so evident….(but what they are lacking are servants and isn't that what we sign up for?)
There is another church I go to from time to time. We know people there. It has rousing contemporary Christian music with a worship band. There are lots of families with young kids. The pastor is friendly and a lively preacher. Trouble is there is no liturgy, the service is a few songs, the sermon, and the offering. The sermons are evangelistic and lean toward the right wing of evangelicalism. I am not always comfortable….(and isn't comfort what we seek?)
There's another church, too. It's in the city. In a storefront that is part of a revitalizing neighborhood. It is small but dynamic, informal with liturgical elements, needy but not clingy, diverse yet unified in outreach, techno savvy but rooted in tradition. It is inclusive and the pastor, she, preaches good sermons. It is also small and meets in a rented space that is available only on Sunday mornings and has to be set up and taken down before and after each service. There are few children, and the music lacks the polish and vitality of other churches we have visited.
I'm tired of church shopping. But, I have noticed a few things. I've noticed a lot of "me" and "I" as I have evaluated "my worship experiences". Why don't I check my personal preferences at the door?
Am I that picky person, whose personal preferences trump everything else, that one I frowned on before. I have learned that THAT is there in all of us, every one of us, even pastors who thought they were above that kind of thing. And it's not a bad thing, it's just a human thing. And, there isn't any church that is going to appeal to everyone. I have seen that Church is kind of a miracle: the fellowship of the body of Christ is a supernatural thing which takes a whole lot of individuals with their personal stuff and makes us ONE. Read 1 Corinthians, again. I have learned that Church is about YOU because it has to be, because YOU and I are WHO make it up, and we really can't get away from that, but Christ is showing us that it is not ALL about us, or even MOSTLY about us, or FIRSTLY about us, and as we see that, and realize that and act on that, fellowshipping and serving, Church becomes more and more about GOD. I guess that is the process we are all part of.
Maybe we are more caught up in our idea of Church more than we need to be. Having to church shop tends to clarify for us what Church really is. Bob Goff, in Love Does, writes, "Because I am a lawyer and follower of Jesus, people often ask me about my religion. I am not sure what they hope to learn from me, and I tell them I am not the best person to talk to about that. I think of Church as a vibrant community of people consisting of two or more of varied backgrounds gathering around Jesus. Sometimes they are part of a place that might have a steeple or an auditorium but its just as likely that church happens elsewhere…. any place works just fine …when it's a matter of the heart, the place doesn't really matter… it's Jesus plus nothing - not even a building. "
So how do things look from the other side of the fence? How does it feel to be a church shopper? I confess that is what I am. I looked deeply at myself and realized that I have been in our new home for eight months now, surrounded by all sorts of churches, and I have not settled into one of them. I am, gulp, still shopping around. I am not blooming where I am planted; I am wilting.
So, what have I learned these many months. I have learned that feelings, prejudices, personal histories and, oh yes, those dreaded likes and dislikes, all of those, play an important role in where a church shopper ends up. It is always about GOD but it is about YOU, too. Often, way more than YOU think.
I went to one church where we attended for awhile and it was an Advent Sunday and I was looking forward to the Advent music because they excel in music and the pastor announced that today was "special" and they were going to focus on one scripture passage and there would be no music. No music! Are you kidding me? I was peeved, sitting in my pew steaming. That's what I had come for! That's all I could think about. I did not get much out of the experience of solitude. I had a hunch what was going on. The next service was the Christmas children's program and they were gearing up for that and they needed to get us out of our service early. Aha, I thought that was the real reason for the music free service.
Another church I have attended nearby is literally in the woods. There is little signage to let you know where it is. The first time we went we could not find it. There is no website, canned music, no children, and a very small congregation. I like the part time pastor who travels over 50 miles to get there on Sundays. The people are very friendly, too, but there is a hint of desperation in their invitations to come back. They need help, fellow servers, Christians who will throw themselves into the life of the church with abandon. Yet, what they are lacking is so evident….(but what they are lacking are servants and isn't that what we sign up for?)
There is another church I go to from time to time. We know people there. It has rousing contemporary Christian music with a worship band. There are lots of families with young kids. The pastor is friendly and a lively preacher. Trouble is there is no liturgy, the service is a few songs, the sermon, and the offering. The sermons are evangelistic and lean toward the right wing of evangelicalism. I am not always comfortable….(and isn't comfort what we seek?)
There's another church, too. It's in the city. In a storefront that is part of a revitalizing neighborhood. It is small but dynamic, informal with liturgical elements, needy but not clingy, diverse yet unified in outreach, techno savvy but rooted in tradition. It is inclusive and the pastor, she, preaches good sermons. It is also small and meets in a rented space that is available only on Sunday mornings and has to be set up and taken down before and after each service. There are few children, and the music lacks the polish and vitality of other churches we have visited.
I'm tired of church shopping. But, I have noticed a few things. I've noticed a lot of "me" and "I" as I have evaluated "my worship experiences". Why don't I check my personal preferences at the door?
Am I that picky person, whose personal preferences trump everything else, that one I frowned on before. I have learned that THAT is there in all of us, every one of us, even pastors who thought they were above that kind of thing. And it's not a bad thing, it's just a human thing. And, there isn't any church that is going to appeal to everyone. I have seen that Church is kind of a miracle: the fellowship of the body of Christ is a supernatural thing which takes a whole lot of individuals with their personal stuff and makes us ONE. Read 1 Corinthians, again. I have learned that Church is about YOU because it has to be, because YOU and I are WHO make it up, and we really can't get away from that, but Christ is showing us that it is not ALL about us, or even MOSTLY about us, or FIRSTLY about us, and as we see that, and realize that and act on that, fellowshipping and serving, Church becomes more and more about GOD. I guess that is the process we are all part of.
Maybe we are more caught up in our idea of Church more than we need to be. Having to church shop tends to clarify for us what Church really is. Bob Goff, in Love Does, writes, "Because I am a lawyer and follower of Jesus, people often ask me about my religion. I am not sure what they hope to learn from me, and I tell them I am not the best person to talk to about that. I think of Church as a vibrant community of people consisting of two or more of varied backgrounds gathering around Jesus. Sometimes they are part of a place that might have a steeple or an auditorium but its just as likely that church happens elsewhere…. any place works just fine …when it's a matter of the heart, the place doesn't really matter… it's Jesus plus nothing - not even a building. "
Monday, February 3, 2014
A Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is done, and after millions of words of pre- game analysis and predictions and after millions of words of post - game analysis and defensive excuse making by anyone who predicted a Broncos victory, what was clear - before all that analysis - is that Seattle had the better, much, much better, team. There is no "I" in team and after hearing about how Peyton was going to cement his legacy in this Super Bowl, and how he was the best QB EVER, and how he set every offensive record this year, and how Denver was the most prolific scoring machine in NFL history, Seattle showed why there is no "I" or "Peyton" in team. Seattle dominated every aspect of the game. Their big, strong secondary took Peyton's precision passing game away. Their pass rush gave Peyton no time to drop back and pass his precision passes. They made the Bronco running game non-existent. Seattle made Denver look ill prepared to play this game - from the first snap of the game!
The crowds were out enjoying the balmy NJ winter weather. Many of the NFL fans paying hundreds for parking, thousands for a game ticket and $20 for hot chocolate. Millions more fans were watching the game on TV, or online - those cable or satellite challenged happily discovering FOX was streaming the game Live! So, most of America (and who knows how many people all over the world were watching America's biggest sporting event) while munching, drinking, and watching, if we are honest, a fairly boring game after the first quarter, had little left to do but to evaluate the commercials.
Perhaps the biggest winner in last nights game was Nike, who outfitted both teams. Seattle's uniforms got a major overhaul in 2012 when Nike became the exclusive outfitter of the NFL. The Super Bowl is truly super for Nike who had the best commercial seen every time a camera was pointed on the field.
Seattle's uni was totally redesigned in 2012. Their uniforms have been widely hailed as adventurous and "out there" in the context of the mostly stodgy old NFL. The Bronco's last redesign was in 1997 and their team may need a whole redesign for the 2014 season. Their conservative play, like their uniforms, did not hold up well against Seattle's cutting edge fashions.
Peyton's Bronco jersey is the number one best selling NFL jersey but Seattle has three jerseys in the top ten, no other team has that. And, that was before the Super Bowl and a previously unknown, except to devoted Seattle fans, Malcolm Smith was declared the MVP. Seattle may be a trend setter. Jacksonville had a minor redesign in 2013 (didn't help them much) and the Dolphins and Vikings tinkered a bit with theirs, too. No doubt, though, that Seattle's exciting uniforms matched their exciting and fast paced play.
One more thing. Nike, of course, was the Greek goddess of victory. She had her own temple next to the Parthenon which Biblical scholar N.T. Wright called a "stunner, one of the two most beautiful constructions ever made by human hands," the other being the Parthenon itself. Both of which, the apostle Paul called in Acts 17, a waste of space! They were pagan temples, after all, built to house no -gods. Yet, Paul cautioned that is not the same as saying their was nothing there. In Wright's words, the idol reality is dependent on people to give them the powers they posses.
In the games of Super Bowl 48, the power of NIKE was displayed on every play. Of course, she has no power in and of herself, only what we give to her. And by the looks of Super Bowl 48, we give her a lot.
The crowds were out enjoying the balmy NJ winter weather. Many of the NFL fans paying hundreds for parking, thousands for a game ticket and $20 for hot chocolate. Millions more fans were watching the game on TV, or online - those cable or satellite challenged happily discovering FOX was streaming the game Live! So, most of America (and who knows how many people all over the world were watching America's biggest sporting event) while munching, drinking, and watching, if we are honest, a fairly boring game after the first quarter, had little left to do but to evaluate the commercials.
Perhaps the biggest winner in last nights game was Nike, who outfitted both teams. Seattle's uniforms got a major overhaul in 2012 when Nike became the exclusive outfitter of the NFL. The Super Bowl is truly super for Nike who had the best commercial seen every time a camera was pointed on the field.
Seattle's uni was totally redesigned in 2012. Their uniforms have been widely hailed as adventurous and "out there" in the context of the mostly stodgy old NFL. The Bronco's last redesign was in 1997 and their team may need a whole redesign for the 2014 season. Their conservative play, like their uniforms, did not hold up well against Seattle's cutting edge fashions.
Peyton's Bronco jersey is the number one best selling NFL jersey but Seattle has three jerseys in the top ten, no other team has that. And, that was before the Super Bowl and a previously unknown, except to devoted Seattle fans, Malcolm Smith was declared the MVP. Seattle may be a trend setter. Jacksonville had a minor redesign in 2013 (didn't help them much) and the Dolphins and Vikings tinkered a bit with theirs, too. No doubt, though, that Seattle's exciting uniforms matched their exciting and fast paced play.
One more thing. Nike, of course, was the Greek goddess of victory. She had her own temple next to the Parthenon which Biblical scholar N.T. Wright called a "stunner, one of the two most beautiful constructions ever made by human hands," the other being the Parthenon itself. Both of which, the apostle Paul called in Acts 17, a waste of space! They were pagan temples, after all, built to house no -gods. Yet, Paul cautioned that is not the same as saying their was nothing there. In Wright's words, the idol reality is dependent on people to give them the powers they posses.
In the games of Super Bowl 48, the power of NIKE was displayed on every play. Of course, she has no power in and of herself, only what we give to her. And by the looks of Super Bowl 48, we give her a lot.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Those P and E words
I wonder if Paul knew what a debate - often contentious - he was beginning when he wrote the first part of his letter to Ephesus. It is one of the great passages in the Bible which we now call Ephesians, chapter 1. In it Paul refers to the spiritual blessings we have in Christ. Among those blessings are "predestination" and "election". or the "chosenness" of Christians. Those two blessings have caused a whole lot of consternation among believers in Christ. I was leading a Bible study on this text this week with men who have met together for a long time and who are serious students of the Bible. The lively discussion circled around the questions of "what about free will?, and "doesn't predestination mean that we have no choice?" One man, obviously vexed that we would talk about these things at all, said it just leads to division and doubt. One man brought up the hyper Calvinist angle: what about all the people this passage excludes, those who are non-elect, not chosen and not predestined to salvation? A few men said that they believed all are chosen, or predestined but not all accept (which begs the question why Paul even brought this up then?) There were one or two who shrugged and said it is a mystery, the mind of God, after all, who can understand that? Most concurred that we are not going to understand it and a discussion of these things usually leads to more heat than light and what's important is that we believe in Jesus. In other words, a pretty typical discussion of election and predestination. I sensed some frustration among the group and I wondered if people left feeling like, "well that was a waste of time!"
I don't think it was. I think it's an important passage for a number of reasons. We tend to take what Paul said out of context. He was not writing about predestination or election. They are part of the spiritual blessing package Paul unpacks in Ephesians 1. Some theologians have taken those concepts farther than Paul ever did. Second, Paul is writing about what God has done. He has predestined us… etc. This is from our point of view in history. When we become believers in Christ, it is not long until we realize who was responsible for our believing. God was at work in us by his Holy Spirit way before we acknowledged his activity in our lives (before the foundation of the world, Paul wrote). That's predestination. That means He is still at work in us even if we don't sense that at times.
Next, Paul uses the idea of our being chosen to make us aware of God's grace. He chose us because he chose us. It had nothing to do with us. We made a choice for God somewhere down the line but it was in response to Him. It was not our idea nor our performance nor anything else within us that got us chosen. We are not in charge of our spiritual lives, God is. That means we are still chosen on our bad days.
Next, the whole point of his chapter is Jesus Christ. What God has done for us, he has done in Christ. These spiritual blessings come by means of our relationship with Christ. That means our lives are Christ centered, not me and my spiritual life centered.
Finally, Paul is painting the Big Picture here. This is what God is doing, calling out a People for the praise of His Glory. Not our glory. This is not about us. It is about God. We are chosen, not for our individual talents, abilities or just general all around nice qualities, but we are chosen to be the People God is shaping to live out the gospel of Christ in the world. Now and forever. Amen. That means no matter what is going on for us or with us today, we are part of something much bigger and greater that God has going on.
I think Paul knew what he was doing.
I don't think it was. I think it's an important passage for a number of reasons. We tend to take what Paul said out of context. He was not writing about predestination or election. They are part of the spiritual blessing package Paul unpacks in Ephesians 1. Some theologians have taken those concepts farther than Paul ever did. Second, Paul is writing about what God has done. He has predestined us… etc. This is from our point of view in history. When we become believers in Christ, it is not long until we realize who was responsible for our believing. God was at work in us by his Holy Spirit way before we acknowledged his activity in our lives (before the foundation of the world, Paul wrote). That's predestination. That means He is still at work in us even if we don't sense that at times.
Next, Paul uses the idea of our being chosen to make us aware of God's grace. He chose us because he chose us. It had nothing to do with us. We made a choice for God somewhere down the line but it was in response to Him. It was not our idea nor our performance nor anything else within us that got us chosen. We are not in charge of our spiritual lives, God is. That means we are still chosen on our bad days.
Next, the whole point of his chapter is Jesus Christ. What God has done for us, he has done in Christ. These spiritual blessings come by means of our relationship with Christ. That means our lives are Christ centered, not me and my spiritual life centered.
Finally, Paul is painting the Big Picture here. This is what God is doing, calling out a People for the praise of His Glory. Not our glory. This is not about us. It is about God. We are chosen, not for our individual talents, abilities or just general all around nice qualities, but we are chosen to be the People God is shaping to live out the gospel of Christ in the world. Now and forever. Amen. That means no matter what is going on for us or with us today, we are part of something much bigger and greater that God has going on.
I think Paul knew what he was doing.
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