I like going to weddings. They are romantic and remind me of my own wedding (probably the single best day of my life) and my bride. Right around the time I graduated from college I knew the bride, the groom or both in 33 weddings. It was just that time in all of our lives.
Being a person who likes to analyze and dig into details I have become accustomed to pin-pointing the movement in the wedding ceremony when the couple is actually married. It usually sounds like, “I now pronounce you husband and wife.” “Done!” I shout in my mind, with the image of a judge’s gavel slamming down. At this point there is no turning back, the couple is married. Until those words are spoken they could back out, second-guess or bring things to a halt. When these words are spoken, however, the bride and groom cross a clearly defined line from being single, solitary individuals to being a couple, a united whole, a team.
I find it interesting to think about this clearly defined line in terms of salvation. To put it bluntly, I do not think there is such a line when it comes to redemption, even for those who have dramatic conversion experiences. I believe there is a very thin line, almost transparent, between evangelism and discipleship.
Paul writes in Ephesians1: 4-5
Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!)”
Jesus, in telling a story, includes this line from Matthew 25:34,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation.
To me this speaks of salvation not as a moment in time but a process. As is common in today’s language, salvation is not an event, but a journey. I can easily envision a person in one moment saying, “ No, I am not a Christ follower,” and next say, “Yes, I am a Christ follower.” What changed? It was not just their mind. Something had to happen. Maybe they are not even able to discern what shifted.
The moment of “conversion” is not the start of the Spirit's working in one’s life. It was not at that time that they heard, saw or felt something that moved them to repentance. Rather it was the culmination of evangelism and the beginning of discipleship. The end of one is the beginning of the other.
With this in mind what does it mean for our evangelism methods? I think we, as Christians need to stop looking for the magic bullet that will save everyone; the best sermon, the correct apologetic or the formulation of scriptures weaved into a neat presentation you can fold and carry in your pocket. No, we must understand the work of the Spirit is more often than not a cumulative effort. I don’t mean that we can take credit for a life redeemed, but that God works over time, through many resources to draw and save.
The line between evangelism and discipleship is thin.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
A House of Worship
Psalm 84:1-2 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
After meeting with some friends for a birthday lunch (not mine), I went into a local house of worship.
From the moment you step on the grounds you can tell that this place was meant to be sacred.
What I enjoined about my short visit most was the need to worship that was stirred in me. All around me were vibrant colors, beautiful sites, amazing smells and sounds intended to created a space to meet with the divine. Some parts were cold, others comfortably warm and mostly silent. There was architecture to marvel at, holy books to admire and icons to draw your attention.
As I stood looking around I reflected on my own church tradition, mostly Baptist. Mostly plain, white bread, very non-charismatic, frozen chosen Baptist. Rarely did we have color, other then basic stained glass, brown wood or orange pews. Never any smells, unless it was from the potluck in the fellowship hall across the way. Although, usually there was a cross to look at.
Today in this house of worship, I wanted to worship. Honestly, at this point in my life, today was a day I needed to worship. I needed to worship in a place that calls me to meet with God. A place that is a match maker between God and myself. I longed to meet with God in an environment suited to the occasion and one that facilitated our meeting.
I felt empty leaving, knowing I had not worshiped and could not worship in this place. Regretful I had not met with God. But most of all, I was sad admitting I had no space inviting me to converse with the Almighty.
It was strange to have these feelings today. It was stranger experiencing them in a Buddhist temple.
After meeting with some friends for a birthday lunch (not mine), I went into a local house of worship.
From the moment you step on the grounds you can tell that this place was meant to be sacred.
What I enjoined about my short visit most was the need to worship that was stirred in me. All around me were vibrant colors, beautiful sites, amazing smells and sounds intended to created a space to meet with the divine. Some parts were cold, others comfortably warm and mostly silent. There was architecture to marvel at, holy books to admire and icons to draw your attention.
As I stood looking around I reflected on my own church tradition, mostly Baptist. Mostly plain, white bread, very non-charismatic, frozen chosen Baptist. Rarely did we have color, other then basic stained glass, brown wood or orange pews. Never any smells, unless it was from the potluck in the fellowship hall across the way. Although, usually there was a cross to look at.
Today in this house of worship, I wanted to worship. Honestly, at this point in my life, today was a day I needed to worship. I needed to worship in a place that calls me to meet with God. A place that is a match maker between God and myself. I longed to meet with God in an environment suited to the occasion and one that facilitated our meeting.
I felt empty leaving, knowing I had not worshiped and could not worship in this place. Regretful I had not met with God. But most of all, I was sad admitting I had no space inviting me to converse with the Almighty.
It was strange to have these feelings today. It was stranger experiencing them in a Buddhist temple.
PDX Zoo Bombing
This one explains it, but the video sucks.
This one shows it, once you know what it is!
One more reason to love Portland!
This one shows it, once you know what it is!
One more reason to love Portland!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
I love Jesus, but not my wife.
Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? James 3:11
I am sick and tired of hearing Pastors and Church Leaders take aim at their biggest and most important supporters, just to appear clever and humorous!
Today I listened to a Lead Pastor being interviewed in front of a group of other Pastors and wannabe Pastors. Twice the lead Pastor disparaged his wife in front of the group during the introduction.
Question: You and your wife have done a lot in your life?
Lead Pastor: My wife is very old! (Hinting he was younger than his wife.)
Group: Chuckle, chuckle.
Q: How long have you been married?
LP: 18 years, but it feels like 50!
G: Chuckle, chuckle.
Here’s what scares me. People trust what Pastors say about God. People listen to Pastors when they speak about Scripture. They believe what they are told by Pastors about sin, forgiveness and Jesus. So why would it be any different when the Pastor is taking about his wife?
Do you really expect me to listen to you talk about your love for Jesus, when you just made fun of your wife, whom you are supposed to love too?
Why are wives such easy targets for Pastors?
This is not the first time I have heard Preachers do this.
Before Debra and I were married we went to a one-night marriage seminar at her church. The keynote speaker spoke directly against using your spouse as a target for humor and jokes, especially in front of other people. "Good point," I thought. It is humiliating, disrespectful and does not express love. So, what did the Pastor of the church do when he got up right after the speaker…he cracked a joke about wife!
I was sitting there thinking: 1. “Wow, that was a cheap shot.” 2. “Wasn’t he listening?”
Now, do I think the Lead Pastor today loves his wife? Sure. I get what he was trying to do. Was it a dumb thing to say just for a cheap laugh? Absolutely! Did it hurt his witness of Jesus? To me it did.
How can you love Jesus, if you don’t love/respect/treat with worth/defend your wife?
I am sick and tired of hearing Pastors and Church Leaders take aim at their biggest and most important supporters, just to appear clever and humorous!
Today I listened to a Lead Pastor being interviewed in front of a group of other Pastors and wannabe Pastors. Twice the lead Pastor disparaged his wife in front of the group during the introduction.
Question: You and your wife have done a lot in your life?
Lead Pastor: My wife is very old! (Hinting he was younger than his wife.)
Group: Chuckle, chuckle.
Q: How long have you been married?
LP: 18 years, but it feels like 50!
G: Chuckle, chuckle.
Here’s what scares me. People trust what Pastors say about God. People listen to Pastors when they speak about Scripture. They believe what they are told by Pastors about sin, forgiveness and Jesus. So why would it be any different when the Pastor is taking about his wife?
Do you really expect me to listen to you talk about your love for Jesus, when you just made fun of your wife, whom you are supposed to love too?
Why are wives such easy targets for Pastors?
This is not the first time I have heard Preachers do this.
Before Debra and I were married we went to a one-night marriage seminar at her church. The keynote speaker spoke directly against using your spouse as a target for humor and jokes, especially in front of other people. "Good point," I thought. It is humiliating, disrespectful and does not express love. So, what did the Pastor of the church do when he got up right after the speaker…he cracked a joke about wife!
I was sitting there thinking: 1. “Wow, that was a cheap shot.” 2. “Wasn’t he listening?”
Now, do I think the Lead Pastor today loves his wife? Sure. I get what he was trying to do. Was it a dumb thing to say just for a cheap laugh? Absolutely! Did it hurt his witness of Jesus? To me it did.
How can you love Jesus, if you don’t love/respect/treat with worth/defend your wife?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
From abstract to concrete
So what good are spiritual ideas which are left in the abstract?
In a conversation I was having with a new friend last night, we spoke about the need to move spiritually true ideas from some nebulous places in our heads to a more concrete express in our lives.
Take salvation for example.
We are saved by grace, through faith. That idea is true, effectual and wonderful, just as it stands. But if we fail to ask, “So, what does salvation mean to my everyday life?” we are missing something. If we do not channel this idea of our salvation by grace into an expression of faith that impacts our relationships, how we work and what we do with our money,etc., the idea of salvation loses much of its intended impact.
Again, if we allow our view of God to stay “out there” and not allow it radically change our day to day lives, does it matter what we believe about God?
God is love. He is gracious and merciful. He is just and jealous. So what? These truths have to manifest themselves in a concrete fashion in order to wholly embrace them.
Look again, but this time take the idea of recycling. We can see recycling is needed. We know it is beneficial. We can give it lips service until the cows come home. But it is when we start to recycle that it takes on a new dimension of reality. We sort plastics and mental from paper. We buy products with a higher post-user percentage. We encourage others to so the same. This is an idea, an ideal lived out in practical application.
Christ followers need to take their spiritual/theological ideas and give them life that affects civil rights, social justice, creation care and the rest of the real world in the name of Jesus.
In a conversation I was having with a new friend last night, we spoke about the need to move spiritually true ideas from some nebulous places in our heads to a more concrete express in our lives.
Take salvation for example.
We are saved by grace, through faith. That idea is true, effectual and wonderful, just as it stands. But if we fail to ask, “So, what does salvation mean to my everyday life?” we are missing something. If we do not channel this idea of our salvation by grace into an expression of faith that impacts our relationships, how we work and what we do with our money,etc., the idea of salvation loses much of its intended impact.
Again, if we allow our view of God to stay “out there” and not allow it radically change our day to day lives, does it matter what we believe about God?
God is love. He is gracious and merciful. He is just and jealous. So what? These truths have to manifest themselves in a concrete fashion in order to wholly embrace them.
Look again, but this time take the idea of recycling. We can see recycling is needed. We know it is beneficial. We can give it lips service until the cows come home. But it is when we start to recycle that it takes on a new dimension of reality. We sort plastics and mental from paper. We buy products with a higher post-user percentage. We encourage others to so the same. This is an idea, an ideal lived out in practical application.
Christ followers need to take their spiritual/theological ideas and give them life that affects civil rights, social justice, creation care and the rest of the real world in the name of Jesus.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
There's more in here than you might think...
So, I have begun to identify a “voice” in my head. Lately, I have been discovering new ones (my "Bullshit Meter", my "Writers Voice" and others) this is just the latest one.
Don’t worry I am not hearing voices telling me to eat crayons, mold tinfoil to my head or run around my front yard naked (as fun as those things may be). As a matter of fact (as if voices in your head are factual), it’s not telling to do anything. Just the opposite is true, it is telling me what not to do.
This voice is not soft and melodious or suave and does not come with a intriguing Scottish brogue. It is more like the sound of a Gremlins feed after midnight, a snail under a salt shower or a vampire too close to garlic. It is unmistakable.
I experienced this voice the other day again.
I have known about some friends in crisis for a short time and was recently updated on how things were regressing. Upon hearing the news I thought to myself, “I need to call them. No, I need to go see them.” It was at that moment the voice started wailing like a banshee,
“You don’t have time.”
“They live too far away.”
“Don’t leave you family tonight.”
“Who are you to offer them hope” it said.
Listening to this voice, I found myself stalling, getting distracted and trying to find a reason or way out of doing what I knew should to do. It was not as if I had a good idea that should be followed through on if convenient. The idea was not mine at all. The impulse to connect with my friends was, I believe, God’s Spirit speaking in his still small voice. My voice, was just crying out against what was right, just and faithful.
Discerning the two sides of the dialogue in my head, one screaming and the other whispering, I called my friend. We spent a couple hours listening, talking and caring for each other.
It is often this way, with this voice. It speaks falsehoods to me. It is my "father of lies."
Truth be told, there were few places I would rather have been then with my friend that night. Our time was good, sacred and right. God's mummer to me was for my benefit was much as my friend's. His voice does not lie, disappoint or confuse. It is correct, clean and refreshing, if listened to.
This latest voice I have labeled my “Pastoral Voice.” More accurately it should be called my “Anti-Pastoral Voice,” because it shrieks when I have opportunity to follow the leading of God the Spirit.
This voice is not new. I have heard it before. I have listened to it and been disappointed with myself. I fought against it and been used by God for his glory.
The challenge in the future will be to harness this voice and instinctively know what needs to be done in spite of it.
I am just thankful God still speaks.
Don’t worry I am not hearing voices telling me to eat crayons, mold tinfoil to my head or run around my front yard naked (as fun as those things may be). As a matter of fact (as if voices in your head are factual), it’s not telling to do anything. Just the opposite is true, it is telling me what not to do.
This voice is not soft and melodious or suave and does not come with a intriguing Scottish brogue. It is more like the sound of a Gremlins feed after midnight, a snail under a salt shower or a vampire too close to garlic. It is unmistakable.
I experienced this voice the other day again.
I have known about some friends in crisis for a short time and was recently updated on how things were regressing. Upon hearing the news I thought to myself, “I need to call them. No, I need to go see them.” It was at that moment the voice started wailing like a banshee,
“You don’t have time.”
“They live too far away.”
“Don’t leave you family tonight.”
“Who are you to offer them hope” it said.
Listening to this voice, I found myself stalling, getting distracted and trying to find a reason or way out of doing what I knew should to do. It was not as if I had a good idea that should be followed through on if convenient. The idea was not mine at all. The impulse to connect with my friends was, I believe, God’s Spirit speaking in his still small voice. My voice, was just crying out against what was right, just and faithful.
Discerning the two sides of the dialogue in my head, one screaming and the other whispering, I called my friend. We spent a couple hours listening, talking and caring for each other.
It is often this way, with this voice. It speaks falsehoods to me. It is my "father of lies."
Truth be told, there were few places I would rather have been then with my friend that night. Our time was good, sacred and right. God's mummer to me was for my benefit was much as my friend's. His voice does not lie, disappoint or confuse. It is correct, clean and refreshing, if listened to.
This latest voice I have labeled my “Pastoral Voice.” More accurately it should be called my “Anti-Pastoral Voice,” because it shrieks when I have opportunity to follow the leading of God the Spirit.
This voice is not new. I have heard it before. I have listened to it and been disappointed with myself. I fought against it and been used by God for his glory.
The challenge in the future will be to harness this voice and instinctively know what needs to be done in spite of it.
I am just thankful God still speaks.
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