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
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, September 15, 2008
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!?
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!?
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