I'm Going to Somewhere in My Mind

I just got back from a trip to Naples this morning. It was a great trip. I was able to check out Mt. Vesuvius and Pompeii while I was there. What an amazing place. I arrived there right after my trip to Burgundy, France. Burgundy makes some pretty great wine and the towns there are so quaint and have such ambiance. The boat trip down one of their major canals was pretty fun. Yesterday I was up in Alaska and checking out one of the glaciers there that is slowly closing off a major river. Then I went snowmobiling with one of the state troopers, checking out a hunting party and one of the state residents who lives about 31 miles from their nearest neighbor. It looked pretty cold out there.

I've also been taking weekly trips to Ireland, exploring the country and meeting the people, many from Ireland but a number of them new residents to the Green Isle but who consider themselves part of the Irish clan.

Now, I bet some of you think I have lost my mind but rest assured, I have not, though certainly my mind was very much involved. The cool thing was, I never left my house. My butt never left my couch. I went there through the miracle of TV travel shows and travelogue books. I am addicted to these travel shows and books. I'm currently traveling throughout Ireland with Pete McCarthy ("MCarthy's Bar) and I have traveled with Bill Bryson, hiking the Appalachian Trail ("A Walk in the Woods"), exploring Australia ("In a Sunburned Country") , checking our Europe ("Neither Here or There") and several other places, all through their books. I record travel shows, some I keep. I rent videos, some I keep.

And I dream about these places that I would love to visit. There's a really good chance I'll never get to these places. Money, schedules, and the lack of money, seem to have a lot to do with it but it doesn't prevent me from going there in my mind. It was James Taylor who sang, "I'm going to Carolina in my mind," and since I'm already in "Carolina", I'll just go somewhere else in my mind instead. The mind is a terrible thing to waste, they say, so why not imagine hiking in the mountains, riding a train in the valleys of Alaska, biking in Naples, camping out on the beaches of Southern California, or rafting down the Colorado River?

I get itchy feet sometimes, meaning, when I feel really stressed out, or depressed, or bored, or just needing a break, I imagine my wife and I packing up and taking a trip. We don't get to actually do much "traveling" because our schedules are different - she works during the week and has off the weekends; I can take a couple of days to get away during the week but I have to be back at "work" on Sunday (being that I am a preacher and I only work on Sundays, Wednesdays and when someone is sick or in the hospital... so I have been told by some....), so it's hard for us to get our schedules in sink. Add to that a teenage daughter that is developing her own life and, well, staying around home is more often norm.

Anyway, there are times I want to get away, go for a scenic drive, take a couple of days and head to the mountains or the beach. That's one of the nice things about where I live, 3 hours from Myrtle Beach and Charleston and 2 plus hours from the mountains. But when I can't do that, a good book about traveling somewhere or a travel show, especially in high def, will tide me over.

I've found this really great spot near my church where I go and hang out for a few hours each week. It is a park that is on the lake. It is really pretty and calming. This last fall was especially beautiful. I've been blessed with such places at the churches I have pastored over the last number of years. I need places like that. It helps me step out of my ministerial role, out of my world, and reconnect with myself, my thoughts, my soul, and more importantly, my God. It's funny, and troubling, how quickly I can get disconnected and distracted. And when I do, it can take me several hours or even a couple of days to get back into that place of sacred space, holy peace, and spiritual calm. My wife doesn't always understand but she is usually patient and gives me the time I need. I know that I am a strange beast but she loves me anyway!

It has been two months since my last blog entry. It's hard to believe how fast time has gone and how busy and distracted I have been. My mind has been racing and filled with many things, like working out sermon ideas, ministry ideas and goals, worry and anxiety (something that ministers are not to be dealing with because we are God's ministers and shouldn't be struggling with such things, right?), busy schedules and so on. In other words, life. But for brief moments, I have been able to take a trip, dive into the crystal water of a stream in New Zealand, hike up the mountain that St. Patrick spent time on praying for the people of Ireland, explore a village in Vietnam, and, in real life on that rare occasion, sit in a hot tub on top of a mountain with my son and brother and shoot the cold rapids of the Nantahala with the Elder guys.(My brother David is in the back, then my brother Bruce in yellow, then my Dad on the left and me on the right, then my nephew Chris, David's son, on the front left, my son Jonathan, and just behind him is my nephew Jake, Bruce's son)

Of course, I always have the arms of my loving wife to fall into. And I have God's Holy Mountain to hide on and His amazing kingdom to explore.

God is good.

Politics and the Church

I got an email today from Leadership Journal that included an article entitled "Non-prophet Preaching" by John Ortberg. I found it very insightful and so I wanted to pass it along. Don't worry, it is neither from the left or the right, Democrat or Republican, or anything like that. It is just a very thoughtful discourse on politics and the Christian/Church.

"Non-prophet Preaching" by John Ortberg

It's All Because of Us

It's Friday morning, it's grey and rainy, there's not a gas station within a few miles of my house that has gas, another bank has tanked, and the stock market is expected to take another dive. One would think that things are pretty bleak. And they are but, strangely, I don't feel bleak. A tad anxious, yes, but not bleak. I suppose that is in part because I realize that this isn't as bad as it may get and, secondly, I have a strange inner peace from God that encourages me to believe that, no matter how bad things may get, He will stay true to His word. In fact, what is unfolding around us is true to His word.

Here's what I mean. God is very aware of what is unfolding around me and what is unfolding is due in large part because of our selfishness, greed, and outright sin. His word tells us, directly and by example, that sin has consequences, it damages us and our world. I'm not so sure why we are so surprised at all these events when it seems to me that these events are the outcome of our choices.

I do believe that we will "fix" things - that's what we do - we pull our selves out of the messes we got ourselves into, only to turn around a little later and find ourselves in an equal mess. When all this financial stuff gets dealt with - and we're naive to believe that it will all come together in next week or two and we're naive to believe that this will be the fix that will "fix" it all, we'll probably find that we will wipe the sweat off our brow and say "that was a close one" and move on and not learn much from the experience. This crises has been brewing since the 90's and before because man is selfish, greedy, and sinful.

By the way, I did preach my message on greed last Sunday. I had no choice - to many things kept taking me in that direction, from a Bible study, discussions, world and US events, and even my devotional reading for the week. It was a hard message to preach because it really challenged me and where I was in my heart. People were responsive, appreciative, complimentary (is that a good thing?), and attentive. All I ask is that they be attentive, it's God that asks them, and me, to be responsive to His word.

Speaking of responsive, I think we live in a growing church culture that is uncomfortable with making a demonstrative response to challenges or invitations in a message. The altar seems to serve more as a decoration than a place of prayer and commitment. Why is that? For a while the altar served as a protective wall between the pastor and people but I removed that by coming down into the congregation when I preach. Which may cause some to ask, why doesn't the pastor use the pulpit to preach God's word? I have my theology and biases to why I don't but that's for another day.

The Greed Connection

It has been almost a month since my last entry. A lot has happened since then. We have had two presidential conventions, two hurricanes, financial institutional crises, and falling gas prices - well, until last Wednesday when gas started to go up even while oil prices continued to fall.

Having watched both political conventions and the aftermath of both, I have had a lot of thoughts running around my head about politics in general and our presidential candidates specifically. It is probably best to leave those thoughts in my head but suffice it to say, I'm not happy with either candidate and their approach to campaigning and I have grown tired of the news media and their blatant hypocrisy and misrepresentation of the facts. Now I'll move on.

Sunday was our stewardship campaign kickoff at my church. I preached on the subject of stewardship. I've never done a sermon on the subject in conjunction with a financial campaign so I was a little apprehensive going in to it. I did a lot of reading and studying on stewardship, wanting to approach it from a more "holistic" view. So I talked more about stewardship in the context of all that we have been given from God to care for, distribute and enjoy. My hope was that I would be able to challenge my listeners to a deeper understanding and commitment of all that we have in this life and view ourselves as caretakers of God's blessings. I don't know if I succeeded in that or not.

However, I had a couple of people say to me afterwards that it was a good message on money and one visitor who said that they looked forward to hearing me preach on something other than money. Interesting, I only mentioned money twice in my message, the first time explaining that stewardship isn't just about money, and the second time as part of a list of a number of things that God has given us to care for! However, this response actually confirmed something for me.

In the process of my reading and listening to a few sermons on stewardship, I began to get a growing sense that our problem with the issue of stewardship, whether it be with our stewardship of our money or the stewardship of the earth, is greed - our growing desire to have and to own and to think of "me" first in connection to all the things that I "have" in my "possession." To paraphrase Donna Summer, I "work hard for the money," therefore, I'm not so willing to let go of the things that I have worked so hard for to make my life easier, more complete, and more satisfying.

I've watched with interest, and with some worry, the demise of Lehman Brothers, the amazingly rapid sell of Merrill Lynch, the propping up of Fanny May and Freddie Mac, and the growing uncertainty in the market about other financial institutions. And I wonder what is behind it all. What is behind the housing collapse? What caused Enron to go under and the dot coms of the 90's to implode?

Greed.

What causes a person to max out their credit card and then open a new credit card account (the average American has seven!) ?

Greed.

Why does a church goer spend $100 dollars a week on eating out but can only put in two or three percent of their paycheck in the offering every payperiod because they don't have any money left?

Greed.

Why do people in power, whether a leader in a company or a member of the government, begin to take kickbacks, twist the truth, add earmarks to bills, or behave in a morally inappropriate way?

Greed.

Let's be honest - America, "the most powerful country in the world," is also the richest, the most in debt, and the most wasteful. We exemplify greed. Our culture, with Wallstreet, Madison Ave., and Hollywood, is built on the concept of having and getting more.

Please understand me, I'm not against earning a living, working your way to the top, or enjoying the things that are available in this world. But I have found myself beginning to see, in myself certainly, that much of the way I approach living in this world comes out of some form of greed, the desire to have and to have more, first for me and then, whatever is left over, to God and to others. That seems to be a rather mixed up understanding of how we are to live as Christ Followers, doesn't it?

I think we Christians need to rethink about a few thing in our lives as it pertains to our finances and material possesions but also, just as much, in reference to our use of time, talants, power, opportunities and God's creation. I think that greed may play a larger part in who we are than we ever realized or are willing to admit.

Now I'm just wondering if I should take the risk and preach about this on Sunday!?

Music and Lyrics that Touch the Soul

A number of weeks ago I came across the music of John Mark McMillan. I was instantly drawn in by his lyrics and stirred by the emotion of his music. I was quite pleased to find that he is a Charlotte homeboy and will be doing a CD release concert here in early September. I thought you might like to listen to some of his music. Be sure to listen to track 9, "How He Loves." It is powerful. His music is a blend of rock, blues and folk.

Another singer/songwriter that I just stumbled upon today is Sarah McMillan. She is married to John Mark McMillan but her music is very different but just as powerful. I think you will enjoy here as well. Her music is more folk, country, and rock influences.

So sit back, turn up your speakers and be touched and moved.

The Shack

I have just finished a wonderful, thought provoking, and moving book called "The Shack" by William P. Young. Once I started to get into it, I couldn't put it down! It is a thriller, a mystery, an emotional and spiritual roller coaster, that caused you to search yourself as the main character is going through his own personal search.

Oddly, the book is not without some controversy. Having read the book, I can't see what the fuss is all about. It helped me grasp some "theological" concepts while it made think about others. Christianity Today has done several articles that might be worth a read:
1. Reading in Good Faith
2. Fiction for the Faith-Starved
3. The Trinity: So What?

There may be some things that some Christian readers will find disturbing, especially theologically. You can get a hint of that from reading a few of the reviews on Amazon.com. But for me, the book was more about hope and love, forgiveness and healing, and about an intimate relationship with an Almighty God.

So I encourage you to get a copy, read the above articles, even the Amazon reviews, and then get settled in a favorite reading place, hold your cup of whatever in one hand, the book in another, and begin to be touched and moved.

Pastor Dude and the Amazing VBS

It is 11:30 PM as I write this. My body is exhausted but my mind is racing. It has been a long day and a long week but what a great "long" it has been!

We had Vacation Bible School this week, during the day. There was an average of 161 children that came. They sang, they danced, the painted, the listened, and they learned. I talked to quite a few, shook hands with most, and, this evening after our closing, I received hugs from many.

Each day I told jokes. Each day they booed at my jokes. It became a game, each joke silly and down right poor, each time receiving a thumbs down. But always with smiles. I was always greeted with, "Pastor Dude!" We had a gnarly good time together!

This evening was our closing. We spent a lot of money on this evening festivities, along with the overall VBS program. I admit we were worried that not many would show this evening. We had a beach bash, with a free cookout, bouncy obstacle course and a bouncy house, or whatever they are called. We had 300 people show up. It was fantastic.

Several people from the church said, with understandable excitement in their voices, how successful the evening was, having this many people show up. And yes, it was exciting to see so many turn out and have a great time. But that wasn't how I measured our success this evening. I thought the evenings festivities were a success because, as people walk down to the pavilion and find a place to sit or watch their kids play, I watched the Good Samaritan people go and welcome them, strike up conversations with them; I watched connections being made. I watched GS people offer up food and drink with smiles on their faces and speaking words of grace to each that they saw. I watched GS people get up from their seats so that our "guests" could have a place to sit. I watched as God's people acted like God's people! And because of that this evening was a success. In fact, this week was a success not because of 161 kids showed up but because men and women gave up of their time to plan, to work, to teach, to fill in, to lend a hand, because they were being Christ to those kids and to their families.

I had a grandmother and grandfather come to me with tears in their eyes thanking me for this week because their grandkids don't go to church and this was their first connection with church, and loved it. I had parents say how much their kids loved the week and how they would come home to tell them the stories they heard, the songs they learned, and the stupid jokes Pastor Dude told. I had families say how impressed they were with what we were doing for them this evening.

What I heard was testimony from people about the grace the GS people demonstrated to these families. Connections were being made, relationships were being built, evangelism was taking place, and demonstrative service was being performed.

I expect that sharing God's grace will be a more frequent event for the Good Sam church. And I have no doubt, after watching everything this evening, that this church has much of God's grace to share, and will do so willing, joyfully, and thankfully.

Smell of Remembrance, Smell of Longing

Have you ever taken a deep breath and smelled some type of food and then gotten a mental sensation that reminded you of a time past? I get those from time to time - a smell that reminds me of my Mom roast covered with my Grandmother's relish, the smell of oranges that take me back to time walking into my Grandmother's kitchen and being drawn to her orange drop cookies, or the smell of vanilla cooking and then hungering for my Mom's vanilla pudding. It worries me how often the smell of something reminds me of some type of food from my past. I don't recall eating that much when I was younger but looking at myself in a mirror now, I guess maybe I did!

I have another smell sensation that really stirs some strong feelings within me. In fact, it creates an intense desire, a deep yearning, to act upon those sensations within me. It's the smell of woods, leaves, fresh water and the like. I causes me to want to load up my car with tent, sleeping bag, food, chair, books and journal, and head to the mountains.

I try to explain this desire to my wife but she just doesn't fully understand me. I try to explain the sense of calm and peace that I feel when I can get away for a couple of days for "retreat" but she wonders why I want to leave her for those few days.

It has nothing to do with leaving her or not wanting to be with her - but it has everything to do with recharging my spiritual, mental and emotional batteries so that I can love her better, and me, my vocation, and my life. It isn't because I am dissatisfied with my life, it's that I want to become more satisfied. And sometimes I feel the need to have more than a few hours to do that somewhere different than at home or the area in which I live my life every day.

Does that make sense?

I get this urge, interestingly, about every few months, especially after an intense time in my life and/or work. Let me also say that, about as often, I have the strong desire to take off with my wife/family and go away someplace to be with them, for very similar reasons: to recharge our connections to each other, to be "alone" and away from the familiar, to draw closer and more intimate.

I was having the "family time" yearning a month or so ago and Heather and I were able to take a few days and go to Myrtle Beach. It was a grand time, the two of us just lounging around by the pool or hanging by the ocean. Haley, our daughter, joined us for a day and it was almost perfect - having my other daughter and my son and his wife join us would have signed the deal!

Our schedules are crazy and now that Haley is in Color Guard, well, we are about to learn a new definition to what crazy is. But it will be even more important that we as a family spend time apart from the world and reconnect with each other, be lazy together, and enjoy someplace a little different than were we live out our lives.

But I still have that "I need to get away into the mountains for a couple of days" feeling and the smell of trees, lakes and streams, and mountains, calls to me. My soul wants to escape from the noise and business of the day and be in God's creation and commune with Him.

Can There Be Such a Thing as a Pessimistic Christian?

My wife says that I am a Pessimist. What she said to me was, "Jim, you can be rather pessimistic sometimes." See what I mean, she did call me a Pessimist. OK, that isn't what she called me but that is what I heard.

Had she called me a Pessimist, she probably would've been right, I guess, but she didn't call me that, just that I can me pessimistic at times. She says I watch too much news on TV. If I am a TV addict at all it is in watching too much news and it does make be a little, ah, negative about life, at times. But how can you not feel that way when that seems to be all you hear and read about concerning the state of affairs we find ourselves in in the good ol' US of A?

Here's what I think, and understand that it is only my opinion based on the news I have read and heard and watched over the last several weeks, months, even the last few years. Take it or leave it, add your own two cents to mine and we still couldn't afford a piece of gum but here it is:

I don't believe that we will ever see gas go down below $3 again, and probably never below $3.50, except for a "false" blip in the ever increasing cost of oil. If we were to drill tomorrow in the Rocky Mountains, where they say there is three times the amount of oil that is in Saudi Arabia, and drilled off shore and in Alaska, I don't believe that gas would decrease much and wouldn't stay there for long. We Americans have proven that, despite the ever increasing cost, we still will spend our money on gas and drive like bats out of hell. And most of us would never consider mass transit, especially since so many of our cities aren't equipped for such. Unfortunately, as the price of oil continues to climb (from $11 eight years ago to $141 as of today), everything else increases in price (my favorite sub place increased their subs about 50 cents about two weeks ago, oh my), which continues to have a ripple affect on everything else.

I watched about five minutes of news this morning and there they were, people lined up out side banks in California to take out their money for fear of the collapse of their bank. Now, if my bank closed I'd lose about $10 but I wondered: is their fear warranted or is it simply a response to rumors? The "expert" they were interviewing said it was from fear based on rumor and that their money was guaranteed up to $100,000 so there was really nothing to worry about. And yet, I heard that there could be close to 100 bank closings within the year because of poor financial management. All that to say this: I don't think we Americans will learn from this financial and credit mismanagement because we went through something similar in the 80's and, guess what? We're here again.

Again, the affect of the financial crises is having its ripple affect on other areas. Combine that with the oil crises and what you have is a financial catastrophe waiting to fall out of the closet. Already you have GM laying off people and discontinuing people's retirement benefits. There have been airlines and banks already laying off hundreds, even thousands, of people, from fear that they may become insolvant and exposed to buyouts or takeovers. I have someone in my church who works in a bank in Charlotte, a bank that has been in the news a lot lately, whose stock is so low that the company fears a takeover. He's working on his resume.

Another area that I have grown pessimistic about is the war on terror. No matter who gets elected, I don't believe that we will see much improvement. If Obama is elected and he withdrawls the troops, Iran will be overtaken by terrorists and civil war. We are seeing similar happenings in Afganastan. If McCain is elected, the idea that we will somehow be able to end terrorism and its growth is a fairy tale.

Speaking of Obama and McCain, I believe our government, if not broken, is at least no longer functioning in reality. That happens when you spend so much of your time in a cave like Washington, DC that causes you to lose perspective and become selfish, possesive and materialistic. Of course, there is a good chance that Congress will become even more controlled by Democrats, who, by the way, haven't done much to change the status of Congress any more than the Republicans did when they were in control. I've come to believe in term limits for those who serve in Congress - let's say it should be 12 years then they have to sit out for 4 years. Make them go back into the real world and live with their constituents - preferably having to eat at the local fast food restaurant at least several times of week so they can rub elbows with the "real" people, whoever we really are.

I could go on but I find my blood pressure is rising and my lip is starting to bleed, so I should stop. But all this causes me to wonder, is it possible to be a Christian, a true Christ follower, and be pessimistic?

I recall that there were several discourses that Christ had where His outlook about life was a lot less than rosey, about the present and about the future. In fact, His discription about the future was rather bleak. One might say it was almost pessimistic. Read Matthew 24 to see what I mean.

But in the midst of my pessimism I still have a Hope. Although I am pessimistic about what will unfold, what is unfolding, in what I believe are the last days, I am not pessimistic about the outcome. I know that my God is real and active and is working in the world. Though most of what is going on is caused by us - our selfishness, our abuse of the world's resources, our materialistic culture, etc. - I know that God is using it all to work out His will, which is to draw all people to Him, although some will choose to draw futher away from Him. But God does not give up on us.

I am filled with hope about Christ's Church, His Body of followers. Though we have much to apologize for, and though we have driven some people away by our "holier than thou" attitudes and confrontational approach, God still chooses to use us in the world, and His Church will prevail, even in the midst of persucution and an ever growing hostile world - hostile in part because we have presented not a Gospel of Love but, at times, just the opposite.

Yes, I am pessimistic. But I am a pessimist filled with a Holy Hope. If that's possible.

Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet

Back when my son Jonathan was a youth, somewhere around 10 years ago, give or take a year or two, I went with him and his youth group as a chaperon to a youth camp. I can't remember where it was held but it was a great camp. We would do missions in the morning and then fun and games in the afternoon. In the evening we would have worship. The worship was full throttle contemporary but with out the full scale band, just a guitar and maybe percussion. But we were on our feet and we were singing and clapping. The messages were built around the theme of what Dorothy and the characters in The Wizard of Oz and The Wiz discovered about themselves. They were great messages, with video clips and lots of energy.

One night they played a song that we were to close our eyes and just listen to. I don't remember how long it went but it went on for a little while. It was a homeless old man's voice that started out, singing the following words:

Jesus blood never failed me yet, never failed me yet,
Jesus blood never failed me yet.
This one thing I know, for he loves me so.

It just repeats and repeats, with stings slowly joining in. It was haunting and stirring. No one made a sound as it played.

For years I have wanted to find that song. I didn't know where to look because I didn't know who wrote it or what the title was but I never forgot the feelings it stirred within - sadness, hope, joy.

This morning I received a devotional by John Fischer (Catch of the Day - well worth getting) and low and behold what did he write about? This song! There before me was the name of the author (Gavin Bryars) and the name of the piece (Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet). What I didn't know is that it actually runs for about 75 minutes, with the homeless man simply singing those words over and over again, and with music playing underneath, around, through, over... It is beautiful. It is stirring. It is haunting. It is meditative. It reassures me. It builds my confidence. I am now on my third listening since I've downloaded it this afternoon.

Below you can listen to track four of the piece, entitled Tramp with Orchestra IV (Full Stings). It runs for just over 6 minutes so sit back, relax, read your bible for a few minutes and then close your eyes and just listen. Let me start you off with Romans 8:31-39 (Message):

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

Or just listen and make it your prayer. Let the words become your "mantra" and lift them up as praise to a God who never fails!

First Day Jitters

Today is officially moving day for pastors that have been appointed to new churches. For many, that means packing up one house and moving to another, as well as an office. For me, however, it was simply an office. Thankfully!

Actually, I moved in yesterday afternoon, missing the leaving pastor by an hour or two, passing by each other like two ships in the night. I arrived around 2:00 and spent the first 2 hours with the secretary, going over everything I need to know. She would often stop and ask, "Is this too much?" To which I would smile, reply, "No, I'm with you," and wish I had been writing this all down. But she made me feel "at home" and realize that I better get more organized because she sure was!

I began bringing a number of boxes into the office and various wall hangings and shelf decorations, choosing to wait for my wife to arrive a little later to help set things up. I figured why waste all my energy in setting it up when she will come in, change it and have it looking a whole lot better.

(Side note about setting up my office: Heather and I have deep discussions when it comes to setting up my office. I arrange my books by subject areas - history, commentaries, family, devotional, etc. She, however, arranges by size, laying a stack of books on their side, a stack kiddie-cornered, all books working their way down from the tallest to the shortest, like you do with a group picture. Looks real nice but makes finding books more of a challenge though. But hey, I like challenges - hide and seek is one of my favorite childhood games.)

I met with our pianist and discussed music for Sunday and for the future. We practiced a few praise and worship songs together, with me on guitar. What a thrill. Heather showed up by then and sang with me. I'm a little nervous singing on our first Sunday there but I want to set a affirming tone, an "everyone can find something to connect with" statement about worship style.

Following that we met with a couple that work with the audio/visuals of the service. Wonderful people (as was the pianist) and we spent time brainstorming about the future. We figured out how we will do the power point and then just talked about the church, hopes and dreams, and our roles in it all.

It was all a positive day but still it there was a strangeness to it. When I left to go to the office yesterday I had this overwhelming anxious feeling, one of those experiences where you are flooded with questions, questions I quickly turned to God with:

Lord, are you sure this is where you want me to be? Am I equipped to do the work you want me to do there? Will they like me? Do they have a clue what they are getting into, having me as their pastor? And could you please open my eyes to see you, my ears to hear your voice, and my mind so that I can get a whole lot wiser than I actually am at the moment?

I was reminded of several "sayings" that I have heard over the years, sayings that I have actually used with other people: "Where the finger of God points, his hand will make a way." Then this one began rolling around my head: "Where God guides, he provides." And one by Hudson Taylor certainly reminded me where to stay focused: "God's work done God's way will never lack God's support." Funny how I didn't get some scripture verse that would shake me back to the truth but it was these sayings, all of them true, and all of them could be supported by scripture.

I have no clue what lies before me in this new ministry. I do know that it will be different than any other church I have pastored because they are all different. But I know that the job before me is one ordained by God, that he is in it, that it is his kingdom. So, I think it will be best if I do much consultation with the Divine Architect of this kingdom I am honored to be called to be part of.

Dave Barry: A journey into my colon - and yours

My wife's Grandparents sent me an email that had an article written by Dave Barry. It was a hilariously wonderful read. I decided to simply email to a lot of my friends and family because I wasn't sure of the copyright ramifications of reproducing here in my blog. Then a long time friend, Mary, sent me the link for "the rest of the story." Though I'm still not going to reproduce the article here, I am going to include the link after Dave Barry's opening paragraph - so go and check it out and read the entire article as it was meant to be read. If you are part of the circle that I emailed it to, go and read it again, it's better the second time - especially when it's the complete thing!

Oh, by the way - in the midst of your laughter, don't miss his point!

Dave Barry: A journey into my colon - and yours.

OK. You turned 50. You know you're supposed to get a colonoscopy. But you haven't. Here are your reasons:

1. You've been busy.

2. You don't have a history of cancer in your family.

3. You haven't noticed any problems.

4. You don't want a doctor to stick a tube 17,000 feet up your butt.

Let's examine these reasons one at a time...

For the rest of the story, click here... Dave Barry

Ducking for Cover

I started to reread a book the other day that I had started to read several years ago but only made it about a quarter of the way into it. Probably while reading this book I started to read another and just never continued with this one (I do that a lot, it seems). The book is entitled "Mid-Course Correction" by Gorden McDonald. As the sub-title puts it, the book is about "re-ordering your private world for the next part of your journey." For some reason, now that I am 50, this book seems pretty relevant to me.

In the introduction McDonald is talking about "vital optimism", what he calls hope: "the confident expectation that history is going somewhere and that God , our Creator and Redeemer, is powerfully directing it." He writes about how vital optimism is usually pretty much a given in childhood through young adulthood. But somewhere into our late 30's life begins to get pretty banged up and the struggle to hold on to any kind of vital optimism becomes pretty intense.

He quotes a friend that expresses this intense transition in a way that I totally can concur with. His friend said,

"I started life thinking I'd hit a home run every time I came to bat. Now I just want to get through the game without getting beaned on the head by the ball."

I love that line! And it's so true, so true.

The Sharing of Hearts and Minds

It's been a few weeks since my last blog entry. I'm still working on centering my thoughts in a way that will allow me to be a little more consistent in my entries. I do have a couple of things that are unfolding and hopefully will get written in the next week or so, including about the Second Gathering of Elders that took place last week.

However, I want to reflect on something that happened last night (Tuesday).

I am currently attending the South Carolina United Methodist Annual Conference in Florence, SC. It is a time when the business of the conference is taken care of - beginning Sunday evening and running through Wednesday afternoon. The worship services have been great and I have enjoyed the Bible study times. The meeting sessions tend to be long and, at times, drawn out but this year hasn't been as bad as it seemed last year.

One of the frustrating things about conference, for me, is that I really don't know very many ministers and the few I do know already have their circle of friends and peers that they hang with. So I tend to feel a little out of place. Certainly I did last year but not so much this year. I've gotten to know a few more folks/ministers and have had the privilege of having dinner with a few of them. It was a good time of sharing and connecting and I hope these new relationships will continue to grow.

During conference I have been sitting in one of the sky box seats that is located next to the prayer room. Since I can't vote because I am not a member of conference (ordained in the UMC) it really doesn't matter where I sit, just as long as I can hear what's going on. Anyway, I've been sitting in the sky box seats because they are SOOO much more comfortable on my tender and sore backside (story forth coming in a future blog). As a result I met a pastor, Jeff, and we started to talk during the breaks. It was a good time of give and take and getting to know each other. We exchanged names and numbers, with the hopes that we'll contact each other after conference.

Last night around 9:30, I received a call from Jeff and he invited me down to his room, along with two other pastors, for a time of sharing and prayer. I got dressed and headed down. There were four of us in all. We talked a while, laughed, answered questions about life and ministry, and then went into a time of prayer that consisted of laughter, discussions and sharing. I guess we went for over an hour. The praying was open and honest, confessional and repentant, uplifting and full of praise. Needs were shared and prayed for, struggles laid out and discussed. And God's presence was felt.

Now, I really didn't know these guys, and yet, that didn't prevent us from connecting together in the Spirit of God. It was what I needed. It was what I long for in my own life - a circle of men to be accountable to and to pray with.

I left last night filled with the memories of a time long past when a dear friend and I as teenagers would slip into the church that we attended (where my Dad was pastor) late in the evening and we would kneel at the altar and pray together for hours, talking and sharing, being silent and looking at the cross, reading scripture. Those times were special times with a dear friend who still remains a dear friend, even though he lives far away and we haven't seen each other in years, though we continue to email each other and, on rare occasions, call.

As I left Jeff's room, I was stirred within me again the strong desire for such relationships in my life.

It's hard, being in a strange land, leaving friends and family behind, and having to start from scratch in building friendships. It isn't as easy as it used to be because peoples schedules are so complicated and busy; circle of friends are already have been established; and, as a pastor, that deep type of intimacy is not easily developed among your congregation because of all the congregational dynamics that are involved. And yet, the need for those of us in ministry and, in fact, for all Christians, to have accountable relationships are important to have but so easily ignored and difficult to cultivate.

One of the issues that prevents us from developing those types of relationships is fear of exposure - we are uncomfortable with being too open with others about the struggles, fears, and doubts we have in our lives. We don't like to talk about our near failures, short comings, and sins with others, let alone be honest with ourselves about them. But having such people in our lives are important because they help keep us more sensitive to the Holy Spirit, His leading, and His convicting.

I walked back to my room after our time together with a refreshed sense of God's Spirit, a renewed conviction to stay intimate with Him, and with a sense of urgency to find such men (for me) and families (for my family) that will help us stay focused on the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

Transition

The news is out, the gig is up, it was announced yesterday at our church that we will not be coming back as their pastor after conference. It was not an announcement I was looking forward to having made. Nothing can change the mood of a worship service than such an announcement, even if the majority already knew what was coming for several weeks.

The people of Camp Creek are good and loving people who captured our hearts in the short time my family and I served as their pastor. Over the last year and a half I watched a hurting, discouraged people change their focus from themselves and more fully onto Christ; I had the joy of working side by side with them as we struggled together in understanding God's purpose for the church and how to go about fulfilling that call; and I have watched them grow in expectation and enthusiasm for what God was and is going to do with them. I have been honored to be used by God in ministering to these wonderful people and we, my family and I, have been blessed by being a part of that family of Christians.

So you can understand how we are saddened by this upcoming transition in pastoral ministry, and their sadness, even frustration, with this pastoral change for them. I remember well being part of a church and having the pastor be moved after only three successful years, even after he announced that he was returning for a forth, then two weeks later announcing the ensuing move to a new church. Such transitions can be hard, for both the pastoral family and the congregation, when such moves aren't easily understood.

As a pastor of the United Methodist Church, I submit my pastoral appointments to the discretion of the Bishop and her committee. All pastors do. We don't always like the appointment that we have received, not that we don't like where we are going, but because we like where we are. Sometimes it is because it has such a huge impact on the pastor's family, especially when there are teenagers involved. Sometimes the appointment seems less of God's will and more out of convenience. Of course, there are appointments that are received with joy and excitement, sorry to leave the people you have grown to love but anticipating the new challenge at the new charge. In a nutshell, it is often a mixed bag of emotions , whatever the reasons for the move.

I have high hopes for Camp Creek. I believe they have moved forward in their outlook and planning; have grown to understand more clearly their purpose as a church; and have experienced healing, as a congregation and for some individuals.

But transitions are hard. No one likes change, and as we grow older change seems to grow a little more difficult to accept - which upsets me because I don't want to get set in my ways to the point that I keep God from using change to bring greater growth, in me or within his church. Still, transition can make even the most stable a little unnerved and anxious, which, by the way, is not necessarily a bad thing. I've learned that transition forces me out of my comfort zone; it causes me to relinquish my hold and control on the situation and I have to lean more on trusting in God and his leading. Maybe that's why I've had to go through so much transition in my life - I like having control and being comfortable in my life!

So, here I am, faced again with another transition. A new church, new faces, new names, new personalities, new location. It makes me nervous. It also makes me excited, to be able to work with people for the Kingdom of God; to touch the lives of people - helping believers grow more deeply in their faith, and being a part of others lives as they come to believe in Christ for the first time.

I know that God is in and can be seen in the transitions that we go through. When those transitions are given over to him, he is able to work them out for his glory and for our growth.

A Stiringly Good Read

I love to read. My problem is that I am a slow reader and I tend to read several books at the same time, which can cause me to be a little slower in getting a book finished. I wasn't always a reader. I can't tell you what books I read before high school but I can tell you when I got the "real itch" to read. I was a junior in HS and dating a girl named Sue (no relation to the boy name Sue). She was a jewel of a girl, kind, smart, and pretty. We would have a period during the day when we both had freetime and we would wander off to the band hall and I would lie on the floor and she would read The Hobbit to me. It made me feel like I did when I was a kid and went to my grandmother Stratton's and she would read to us. I would lie there and listen to Sue's voice as she read chapter after chapter. I was enthralled with the story (I had never heard of JRR Tolkien nor any of his books). When the school year ended, and the book was finished, Sue gave me a copy of the first book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I was going away on a family trip for part of the summer and she gave me the book to read. To keep me "inspired" she had put little notes throughout the book, with little hints about characters or situations that were about to happen and there we even a few love notes put in for good measure. I devoured the book. And I was hooked on reading.

When I got back to school that fall I came across a book I think was called Little Woman. I'm not sure what caused me to pick it up but the subject matter interested me, the true story about a woman responding to the call to be a missionary in China and her struggles to get there and while she was there (there was a movie made about her, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness - great movie). Anyway, I devoured that one, too.

One of my favorite authors in the area of fantasy and historical fiction is Stephen Lawhead. I started to read his stuff as an adult and what is so cool about it is that my son loves to read his stuff as well, so we would be reading his books and talking about the story. What a fun way to bond.

I still love to read fantasy (reading Hood by Lawhead now) but I have moved into reading, for a lack of a proper description, biological musings. Kathleen Norris' books Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith and The Cloister Walk were very inspiring and insightful. I still go back to Amazing Grace for quotes and ideas.

If you haven't read Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality your missing a real treat (they're making that one into a movie - that should be interesting). I read one of his earlier books, Through Painted Deserts: Light, God and Beauty on the Open Road, and was often transported to my month long road trip the summer of my graduation from high school with two very dear friends. I wish I had the skills then to have kept, at a minimum, a journal of that experience. The dust of time has covered much of my memories of that trip but every once in a while something shuffles the dust enough for me to remember a remnant of that time.

I am currently reading Anne Lamott's Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith. I came across one of her books back in the late 90's while I was on a college tour as a high school counselor. I was becoming more consistent in my journaling at the time and was even starting to write "reflections" that I'd email to people who were kind enough to receive them (this was before blogging became the rage). I was just looking at books and picked up Bird by Bird, which deals with writing and life and I found it very thought provoking and humorous.

Now, these "biographical musing" authors don't necessarily fit into my "mold" of what a Christian should be like or behave or even think, at times. When I read their works I am often challenged to rethink what I believe and why, which is why I like reading their stuff. They make me laugh, cringe, they can shock me and anger me, affirm my doubts and questions, but they always cause me to look upward. They make me work at my faith and they draw me back into the reality of the world where I don't usually like to be. Whether I agree with them or not, I can't argue that they challenge me to put feet to my faith.

Which is one of the main reasons I enjoy reading. But I admit I also love books - the feel of them, the visual stimulus of them. I like the ambiance I get when I walk into a room that is filled with books - their smell, their mosaic design in the bookshelves. When you and I go into a home and visit, whether family or friends, there are certain things we look for to give us a clue about these people - pictures, nick-knacks, CD's, and books. You can get an idea of what their interests or hobbies are by what "coffee table" books they have lying around. (At my house you wouldn't get much of a clue because we don't have any - they're all on my bookshelves in my office but if I could, I'd have 5 or 6 lying around) And I love to go into bookstores and hang around. Or libraries. I haven't done so much here in SC but at other places I have lived I would go a couple of times a week and hang out at the library and work. I found inspiration there from being surrounded by so many books. When I lived in Burlington, VT I had 4 college and a university library to go to within a mile or two from my home. I was almost in heaven.

My Aunt Marti is my Mom's youngest sister. She is a librarian, retired now but still exercising her library skills in a number of ways. Whenever I see her, which is not very often because she lives in Ohio, she usually asks me about what books I might be reading or tells me about a book or author that she has read or heard speak. When I started doing my email reflections she would write back with words of encouragement, or about something that touched her and challenged her that I had written, and occasionally suggestions on what I should do in the future to make my writing better (my Mom still does - usually about spelling). She and my mother were often the main reasons I kept writing.

So, all this has spilled from my mind as a result from reading something Anne Lamott wrote in her book, Plan B, about her mother and her mother's friend, who was a librarian, and the impact they had on her:

"They both taught me that if you insist on having a destination when you come into a library, you're shortchanging yourself. They read to live, the way they also went to the beach, or ate delicious food. Reading was like breathing fresh ocean air, or eating tomatoes from old man Grbac's garden. My parents, and librarians along the way, taught me about the space between the words; about the margins, where so many juicy moments of life and spirit and friendship could be found. In a library, you can find small miracles and truth, and you might find something that will make you laugh so hard that you will get sushed, in the friendliest way. I have found sanctuary in libraries my whole life, and there is sanctuary there now, from the war, from the storms of our families and our own minds. Libraries are like mountains or meadows or creeks: sacred space. So this afternoon, I'll walk to the library."

I write all this because what I read caused me to start thinking about those people that have drawn me into a world of conversation, debate and even escape at times. I thank my Mom, Grandmother Stratton, Aunt Marti, Librarians, and an old high school girlfriend for inspiring me to read. And the authors who take me places that I might not otherwise choose, or be able, to go.

Ramblings About Today's Goings On

I'm parked out in some neighborhood street, watching the sun fight it out with the rain clouds, and checking my email and a few blogs while I wait for my daughter do tryouts for Color Guard at the high school. Every several minutes or so I have to either close or open my windows, depending on which element is winning at the moment, the rain or the sun. There is something comforting about sitting in your car and listening to the rain fall. It's better when you're in a tent while camping, assuming that it doesn't last for long and your tent stays dry inside, and even more so if your lying in bed with the one you love.

It was a little strange dropping my daughter off at the high school. In just a few rapidly passing months she will be heading there as a student. It's hard to see your children grow up and struggle their way through adolescence into adult hood, even harder if they are your daughter. You want so much to protect them, protect them from the heartaches, the bumps and grinds of adolescence, the people who will try to manipulate and use them. You want them to be independent but still you worry about the choices they make, will they stand true to their upbringing and faith or how far will they wander from "our"path we've tried to steer them in order to discover their own path. These are wondrous, joyous, frustrating, confrontational times. I hadn't talked to her all day, except for two short text messages and yet, as soon as she got into the car, I was blamed for a friend not being able to ride with us to the tryouts, all because I said that I needed the girl's mother to call me and give me and the school permission to allow her to ride with me. It reminded me of something Anne Lamott (click here to learn more about her), one of my favorite authors, writes in her book Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith about her son and dealing with his adolescence, and I can relate to her frustration. Talking to a friend of hers she asked what Jesus would do with thirteen-year-olds. This was his reply:

"In biblical times, they used to stone a few thirteen-year-olds with some regularity, which helped keep the others quiet and at home. The mothers were usually in the first row of stone throwers, and had to be restrained."

And receiving insight from a another friend who works with friends she received this bit of insight in reference to her son, Sam, she writes this:

"...Sam doesn't need me to correct his feelings. He needs me to listen, to be clear and fair and parental. But most of all he needs me to be alive in a way that makes him feel he will be able to bear adulthood, because he is terrified of death, and that includes growing up to be one of the stressed-out, gray-faced adults he sees rushing around him."

Good insight, where they are in the chronological march through adolescence!

On another front, but still dealing with teenagers, there has been some interesting news about Miley Cyrus and some recent photos, first on the net and then soon to appear in a Vanity Fair mag. First, if my daughter had pictures posted on the net like she did, I'd be pretty upset and there would be a lot of grounding going on, including those that took and posted some of those photos. But as for the Vanity Fair photos, what were they thinking?!!!!!? She is 15 years old. She and her family claim to be Christians and, as one commentator put it, if this type of Christianity is what they want to promote, please don't. Vanity fair says that her parents/father/handlers were present and saw the photos and were fine with it.

The fact is, I can't help but wonder if we do a disservice in holding up someone at her age as a "role model" for other grils her age and younger. Every word, action, behavior and misstep is seen by the public in usually vivid detail. No family, I doubt, can hold up to that kind of scrutiny and challenge. And yet, we do need role models for our children. So it's a quandary. Add to that pressure a media savvy, media push to all woman that, if you want to be attractive, if you want to be accepted, if you want to be somebody, if you want to be taken seriously, you need to reveal a little bit more than you are at the moment. And it only takes one too many "at the moments" before you have crossed a line and modesty, good judgment, and your Christian witness are pushed towards the door, if not out completely.

She said she was embarrassed and sorry. I'm sure she is. She now needs to be more specific and do the same with the Christian community.

Which leads me to another issue. Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I watched him during his Q & A session with the press corps today. Here are my thoughts:

- Even though there were a couple of things I could agree with him on, the way he stated them and his attitude prevented me from accepting them.
- Even though he is a pastor and preacher of the Gospel, the way he stated to Gospel and his attitude when doing so prevented me from being able to agree with him.
- As much as he claimed that he was defending the black church and its traditions, the way he presented it and his attitude while doing so made it difficult for me to receive what he was saying.
- Although I believe that there are times when the people of God must speak up about moral and ethical failures in society, culture and government, it is always to be couched in the context of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which offers forgiveness and wholeness, justice and compassion. As I listened to him speak, his attitude and the words he spoke did not allow me to hear the Gospel he claimed he was proclaiming.
- If Jesus' words are to be taken as truth, that He is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one can come to God except through Him, then there is no other way, and Jesus statement that there "other sheep that are not part of this fold" is referring to the Gentiles who would become believers and followers of Him, not that Islam is another way to God.

After listening, what I walked away from was that his whole presentation was more about him that about the black church or about Christ. Which made me realize that every pastor has the same risk of thinking that their ministry is all about them. When you take your eyes off of Christ and place them on yourself, the fall is great, even if not very quick.

Those are my thoughts on that issue.

Well, time to pick my daughter from tryouts. Hope it was a good time for her. I could use a little positive attitude on her part at the moment. And I need to make sure mines right as well!

Clarifying the Purpose of the Church and the Christian

It has been a while since my last blog entry. For the 5 or 6 readers that I have, I apologize for the long silence and I appreciate your encouragement to get back on the horse. It's not that I haven't had anything to say. Trust me, I have lots. It's just that I have had difficulty taking what's in my head and writing it out. That has carried over even into writing my sermons at times but God finally breaks through my fog and I'm able to grasp hold of the message that he had been giving me. But, as for the blog, well, it's been a little tougher. It's interesting how, while I'm driving in my car, I seem to be able to take my thoughts and ramble off out loud much of what's been rolling around up there but by the time I get home and get back into that frame of mind, it's late in the evening and, though my mind is going strong, my body just isn't there and I start to nod off. "My spirit is willing but my flesh is weak."

So here I am, hoping that, on this wonderful evening, sitting outside by the fire, I will be able to take what has been running around my head, at least one of those thoughts, and articulate them on the page (screen, monitor, whatever).

At my church's Wednesday Night Bible study we are being guided in our discussions by the book "Discover Your Windows." (I wrote about this and another book in an earlier blog - Lining Up With God's Vision.) We've been having pretty amazing and intense discussions from what we have been reading in the book AND from God's Word. I've been very pleased with how people are responding to the challenges that we have been forced to talk about and deal with. As a result, it has caused me to go back and reflect on my own "theology" of the purpose of the church and my mission as a Follower of Christ. This is what I want to write about in this blog entry.

I have always found it interesting how some churches spend weeks, even months, working through a "mission statement", with times of intense discussion, arguments, and disagreements. I don't fully understand why nor do I fully understand how a church can be unsure of what their purpose and mission is to be. It seems to me that there are two key verses in Scripture that lay out what our mission and purpose is to be pretty clearly as a Church and as Followers of Christ.

The first is known as the Great Commandment, which is found in Matthew 22: 36-40. Here's what Jesus says:

"Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?"
Jesus replied, "‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." (NLT)

There are three things in these few verses that I believe we are called to pursue, to strive for, and to make as our purpose and goal. The first is to love God and to love Him wholeheartedly. We're not given much wiggle room here. It's to be a total commitment. And, as it pertains to the church, we are to use every means possible to challenge our people to do just that - to call them to a deeper commitment to Christ, His Gospel, and His Church (the body of believers).

Secondly, we are told, or rather, it is implied, I believe, that we are to love ourselves: "Love your neighbor as yourself," Jesus said. It seems to me that before I can truly love others, I have to begin to love myself and in order to do that, I need to understand who I am in Christ, what He has done for me, and accept the forgiveness that He offers. It doesn't mean that I don't start loving others until I start loving myself, it means that seeing who I am in Christ opens the door for me to better see others as Christ sees them. I'm talking about issues of recovery, working towards wholeness/holiness, and allowing God to heal the brokenness in our lives.

Thirdly, we are told to love our neighbors. It's called evangelism, it involves service, it's acceptance of the person, even if we don't accept their sinful behaviors (remember Jesus' challenge to the crowd who was ready to throw stones on the prostitute? "He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone"). However, even if we don't accept or approve of their behaviors, it's not up to us to change them, or even to judge them. That's God's doing. Our call is to love others as God has loved them.

The next passage is what is known as the Great Commission, found in Matthew 28:19-20:

"Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world. (CEV)

There are three commands here that Christ gives his followers (the Church, the Believer). First, we are told to go and make disciples (Acts 1:8 comes into play here, too). That word "go" is an often over-looked word. I think the thought processes in many churches is to wait until people come to it - "We've been here for years - they know where we are - our doors are always open." Problem is, most people today don't even take notice of where the church is, it has become a part of the landscape. Also, why go to church if you don't have a clue about what it is that church has to offer. And certainly, who wants to walk into a place filled with a bunch of strangers doing things you don't understand? Christ said we are to go to where the people are and make disciples. To make anything takes time, planning, and it usually involves us being a part of the process - meaning, as it relates to us who are Followers of Christ, we are to develop relationships with people where they are.

Secondly, we are commanded to baptize those that have come to accept Christ. Now, I'm not sure how the United Methodist Church hierarchy would feel about Christians going out and baptizing new believers of Christ but I have a strong suspicion that it might be frowned upon. But involved in this process of "baptizing" is the important step of becoming a part of the fellowship of Christ's Body, and that is something all of us can have a part in. This is done by building relationships with others, connecting new Followers of Christ and seekers with other Followers of Christ to help in nurturing them along. It's having open and accepting and loving arms.

Lastly, we are commanded to teach them the Gospel - "teaching them everything I have taught you." This is discipleship. This is instruction. This in mentoring. And it's not done just by the Pastor and the Sunday School teacher. It's done by every person who claims to be a Follower of Christ. And it's not done just with words but also by our example, by our behavior, by our lifestyle.

When I first entered the ministry, I floundered. I was like a ship that knew I was to head in a certain direction but I didn't know how or exactly where I was to lead the church. I didn't have a deep nor clear understanding of the purpose and mission of the church and, for that matter, my life as a Follower of Christ. But as a result of a period of time outside of pastoral ministry, working in the "secular" world, serving as an active layman in the church, and reflecting a great deal on the church from both sides of the pulpit, I began to sense a clearing in my mind (a rare thing, indeed). When I was called back into pastoral ministry (something I was not happy about at first), I went in with a compass and a clear map on where I was to lead the church. Now, please understand, I am still learning. It's not that I have attained complete clarity on this issue, but I "press on" towards the goal I know we are called to achieve, which is to glorify God, and we do it based, at a minimum, on what I believe is the foundation on which we are called to be as a church, that which I have just written about.

Kent Hunter writes in "Discover Your Windows" the following:

"When you aren't focused on the primary purpose (of the church), you have a tendency to become focused on everything else."

If you are involved in a church, you know how true this is! Which explains why so many churches don't grow or decline, and why there is often power struggles and dissension. They have lost their purpose.

So, what should the mission statement of the church be? Here's my suggestion:

"The church exists to go to where the people are and introduce them to Christ through their words and life, to help them experience wholeness through a real relationship with Christ and His Body, and to assist them in cultivating ways to more deeply love God, love themselves, and love others."

That's what I've come to believe, anyway.

Picking and Choosing at Lent

I have a number of minister blogs that I read every week or two. Many of them are United Methodists, a few are not. They often make reference to the Lectionary and the sermon they are working on based on that week's lectionary text. Over the last month or so a number of them have been writing about the Lenten season and referring to their Lenten sermon series that they have been doing. For the first time in many of my pastoral years I'm not doing a Lenten sermon series. And only occasionally do base my sermons on the Lectionary.

First, let me address why I'm not doing a Lenten series, that is, a series of sermons based on what typically is viewed appropriate Lenten texts (often based on the Lectionary). Like I said in the previous paragraph, I have, in the past, done some sort of "Lenten" series that led up to Easter. But as I was entering into this new year and planning out my rough draft schedule of the "possible" sermons that I would do up to Summer, I felt very compelled to do a series on the Holy Spirit. There were things that I was sensing, in my reading, in the sermons that I would often listen to, in discussions with church members and fellow pastors, that kept leaving a strong impression that I should do this series. Also, I was curious about what type of sermons were being preached on the Holy Spirit - what depths were being explored in those messages or were they more superficial in their approach. What I was picking up was somewhat disturbing to me, that being, there seemed to be a lack of understanding on who is the Holy Spirit and what he does in the life of the Christian and the church.

Now, I don't have a clear answer about what other United Methodist pastors are preaching about the Holy Spirit but I have come to the belief that one reason so many churches are not having any impact in their community and in the lives of those around them and within the church is, first and foremost, because of a lack of understanding or a lack of control by the Holy Spirit.

Now, in the very beginning of this sermon planning I thought I would do the series leading up to Pentecost (when the Holy Spirit was given to those early Christians who had followed Christ and also to all those who would come after) but when you get the kind of impression that I was getting (or should I say Holy Spirit prompting?), you don't ignore it.

The response has been great and I have truly felt the Spirit in my preaching and moving in the minds and hearts of the people. I'm taking a break in the series for the next 3 weeks because of revival services (my Dad is coming to preach) and to focus on Holy Week (Palm Sunday - Easter). Then I'll start up again and focus some time on the fruit and gifts of the Spirit.

Now, concerning the Lectionary.

I remember when I was in a seminary class back in 1979. It was a class on the writings of Paul. One of the assignments was to write a dozen or so sermons on various passages in Romans and then do an order of service for each message. I got a B on the paper with the comment about my order of service and about "following the traditions of my church." I found that to be a baffling remark so a went and asked the professor about it. He basically said that every denomination has various traditions in which they base their worship on, their interpretations of Scripture, even in the way they approach evangelism, prayer, and so on. And that's why I got the B, because he felt I wasn't following the traditions of my church - every order of service was different, with chorus', hymns, skits, even "interpretive movement." I happened to be a Free Methodist pastor then (where I was ordained a Deacon and an Elder) and told him so, then added, "there is a reason why we called ourselves 'free'." I think I also said something about being relevant to a younger generation (I was way a head of my time, that was my problem) but I knew I had crossed a line.

His view about the Lectionary was similar and, I admit, it turned me off to it completely back then. Now, years having gone by, my feelings have changed and so have my views. I tend to use the Lectionary as a guide during those special seasons of the Church - Advent and Lent - and I certainly lift up those special days as well, like Pentecost, Epiphany, and so on. But my approach to preaching has developed into more of a series approach, whether it be by a specific book of the Bible or a topical series, like the one I'm doing now on the Holy Spirit or on prayer. It's what I feel most comfortable with - no, I should say that I feel more challenged and productive in my preaching with this approach. I have a greater sense of direction. Plus, I can't help wonder how the early church approached their preaching. I doubt it was preaching as much as it was teaching, from the Torah and from the letters that were being sent around.

I heard a professor say that preaching the Lectionary kept a pastor from picking and choosing their favorite passages or topics. And I know that I have to be careful not to do that when I am planning my sermons. But I also know that, even in the Lectionary, there is a choice to be had from three or four passages, and that even in it's three year cycle, there are a lot of passages that are covered.

Just my thoughts and opinions on the subject, not that you asked.

Lining Up with God's Vision for Us

In my last blog entry, "Ramblings", I mentioned that I had been reading a book over the last couple of weeks (I’m a slow reader) that has gotten me to really think, concerning me as a pastor, my church, and the church in general. The book is called “Comeback Churches” by Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson. The authors looked at over 300 churches that had become stagnant in their growth or were declining and what it was that brought about a turn around in their situations. The book is geared more towards pastors (and church leaders), which is why it has been a challenging, inspiring, and convicting read for me.

The authors analyzed the pastor's approach to ministry in these churches and found a number of things that contributed to the turn around in their churches (trust me, I am taking what they said about the pastor to heart). As best as I can, here are some of the things they found about pastors/leaders of comeback churches - churches that have and are experiencing renewal, revitalization, and growth. They:

• were committed to Christ
• strongly believed in and lead by example in the area of missions/evangelism/outreach
  
• were willing to acknowledge that their church was "stuck in the muck" of stagnation or decline
• recognized that the congregation must be part of the turnaround
  
• distinguished between obvious symptoms and underlying problems
• were proactive and intentional in their planning
• shared in ministry - involved others
  
• delegated non-ministry tasks to others
  
• intentionally planned spending their time doing "people stuff" (visitation, staff management, mentoring, leadership training, counseling)
• had a clear vision on the purpose of the church and shared that vision with others often
• were patient with the process - stagnation and decline in the church took time, change will too
• helped their people grow in love for their community and the lost through preaching, teaching, and prayer, turning the church focus outward
  
• led their churches to pray, pray, pray and then act on those prayers
• set goals to their vision - planning
  

There is, of course, more, and each of these areas are dealt with using examples, suggestions, statistics and good old fashion experiential insight. You can probably see why I feel very challenged by what I have been reading!

Then the authors looked at the churches themselves (the congregations/members) and it was very interesting what they found, as well. Comeback churches:

• think and live missions/evangelism/outreach
• took prayer seriously
• had an attitude of servanthood
• cared more about their communities that their personal preferences
• valued worship and their presence in the worship opportunities
• were willing to incorporate a more contemporary than traditional style of worship (the vast majority of churches went to blended or contemporary styles, leaning more towards the contemporary but not forsaking creeds and liturgy)
  
• emphasized a celebrative and orderly approach to worship that was both informal and expressive
• lifted up biblical preaching and held to biblical principles
• tried to involve all members in ministry and new people is small groups
• didn’t just lead people to make decisions to accept Christ; they engaged them in discipleship
  

There is much more that is addressed but I think you can get the idea.

As I have been reading this book, I have been asking myself a number of questions about both myself and the church where I pastor, and even about churches I have been part of throughout my adult life. I've wondered how we/they are measuring up in these and the other areas addressed in the book. Although I feel positive about the direction I and my church have begun to head, I realize that there is still much more work that must be done. In fact, it is work that is never done but progress must be continuing.

Another book that I read some time ago that had just as much impact on my approach on ministry and how the church functions is by Kent Hunter, "Discover Your Windows". He looks at the windows through which we see the world and see the church and how that "view" impacts us. How biblical is our worldview? He looks at 10 "windows" and how they relate to how we view, approach, and act as the church.

Let me simply list each of the windows that serve as the chapter titles and their subtitle:

1. The window of purpose - your purpose determines your mission
2. The window of comfort - your comfort determines your sacrifice
3. The window of image - your image determines your impact
4. The window of priorities - your desires determine your priorities
5. The window of stewardship - your blessings determine your giving
6. The window of financing - your abundance determines your possibilities
7. The window of change - your past determines your future
8. The window of leadership - your pastor determines your potential
9. The window of teamwork - your giftedness determines your involvement
10. The window of attitude - the power of God determines your attitude

As I read through this book I was forced to address some, OK, many of my preconceived ideas about the church and my role, both as a member and a pastor, in it. And yes, I have had to make some adjustments and reframing in my philosophy and approach to ministry. But as I have, I have felt that I have become a better pastor - or, if not better, certainly more open to the leading of the Spirit and a better understanding of the purpose and call of the Church and the Christian.

I have decided that my church will begin a study of "Discover Your Windows" on Wednesday nights. I expect the discussions to be interesting, insightful, and even intense because making adjustments and reframing with what you believe isn't an easy thing.

I think it would do every church a whole lot of good if they took a serious look at these books. I think what they hold before us can change the direction the church is heading, which has been stagnation and decline.

Ramblings

My mind is in a very wandering mode this evening. I want to write, have had things I've wanted to write down but it's been difficult to get them in order and to keep focused.

I went with the youth of my church to Columbia, SC for the concert Winter Jam that consisted of about 6 Christian bands: one I don't remember, Mandisa, Newsong, Skillett, Barlowgirl, and MercyMe. 15,000 people were there, mostly under the age of 25. Truly felt like the odd man out, as I sat and watched these kids/young adults dance, sing, and worship. It was a great night, except I lost my hearing about half way through when Skillett took the stage. Straight hard metal rock. If you've seen the film "Spinal Tap" you might remember the scene where the group is talking about their sound system and how all the other groups turn up their sound to 10 but they can do them one better because all their equipment can go to 11! Well, I believe all the groups had their volumes up to 11. However, MercyMe actually turned it down a notch or two. They said that about 1000 kids accepted Christ for the first time that night!

I have read many books on church growth and about changing the direction of a church. I have often found them discouraging, beyond my abilities, or I was unable to connect with what they were saying. A few weeks ago I picked up yet another book about church revitalization, with some apprehension, entitled "Comeback Churches," by Ed Stetzer. I have been very surprised. I have found it very insightful, challenging, and inspiring. It is a book that should be read by every pastor and even church leaders. The author(s) looked at 300 plus churches that had stagnated in their church growth or that were dying (or almost dead) and what they did to turn around and grow again. They first looked at "comeback" leaders/pastors and what their role is in the process and then at the church itself and what was done in attitude, outlook, and outreach to turn things around. What they find is quite an eye opener.

Another book along the same lines that I read a couple of years ago was "Discover Your Windows: Lining Up with God's Vision." It is another book that I found very helpful. In fact, at the church I pastored in Birmingham (Lee's Chapel) we had the congregation read the book and then discussed on Wednesday nights. I believe it was instrumental to turning that church's thinking and direction around. Whereas I think every pastor and church leader should read "Comeback Churches," I think every member should read "Discover Your Windows."

I've been doing a series of Sunday messages on the Holy Spirit at my church. Started a few weeks ago - not sure how long I will go but I have found it not only challenging to my own life but have found the church very responsive as well. I haven't had a Sunday go by during the series that I haven't had someone tell me that what they heard was new to them. And what it has be asking is, when it comes to the things of the Holy Spirit (doctrine, experience), I wonder if we in the UMC are really making Him know as we should through our preaching and teaching. How can we expect God to use His church if we aren't open to the power of the Spirit and how can we be open if it's not be preached?

Just some thoughts running around my head...