The Story of God and Us

I had the privilege of attending (for the second year), the Apprentice Institute Conference at Friends University in Wichita, KS with my friend and fellow pastor, Tim Springer. Guest speakers included Brian McLaren (Everything Must Change) and Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz). The theme was: "The Story of God and Us - the Importance of Narratives for Christian Spiritual Formation".

In Donald Miller's session he asked, "What makes a life meaningful?" He said that life is about finding meaning, not pleasure. Meaning is what will sustain us but if you can't find it, you'll pursue pleasure instead.

We have a true self that God created within us, but just like Adam and Eve, we often feel shame and allow it to cover up our true self. This creates a false identity that we end up living with for years. This shame is then covered up with our personality, which desperately searches for ways to be affirmed in an attempt to find meaning and worth.

He encouraged by saying, "We are not our failures". Do not listen or believe the old stories in your head. He also said, "We are not our successes". Don't try to live up to others' expectations. The key is to get in touch with your core self; who God created you to be. That is the only story we should be listening to. Don't be afraid to listen to it. Move into that fear and live who God made you to be.

The Core of Christianity

In Ephesians 4:3, Christians are called to "Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace". With so many denominations that come under the umbrella of Christianity, how can we possibly do this? God has been so gracious to create each one of us with different gifts, passions, talents, abilities and experiences. He also has blessed us with free will and thought – likes, dislikes, opinions, and preferences. We are not all created exactly alike because it shows the vastness of God.  But sometimes our differences become a hindrance to us being the church. They get in the way of how we are to function as the body of Christ.  Let’s face it, just because God has called us and chosen us, doesn't mean that we have achieved perfection. We are still human and have to deal with the effects of the Fall. We still have a sinful, selfish nature part of us, yet God has invited us to live in relationship with Him and each other. How do we do this?

The answer is by understanding this diagram. It was recently shared with me by my good friend and fellow pastor, Dave Argue. It is taken from John 14:6 where Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life".

The core truth of Christianity is that Jesus is Lord. He was with God in the beginning. He was God, became flesh, lived and died - rose again the third day - now seated at the right hand of God. (John 1:1-2, 14, Colossians 1:15-20, Philippians 2:6-11,  Romans 10:9). Jesus was not just a teacher, but is Lord of the universe, the Savior of all people and Ruler of life. He is worth dying for.

The next circle is doctrine. This is a group of denominational formulations of faith. They are developed in the midst of Bible study and experience. Such things might include belief about water baptism, the Lord's Supper, Sabbath observance, original sin - to name a few. These are topics to debate.

The third circle is convictions. These are strongly held matters of private conscience, personal beliefs of what is a right lifestyle and behavior. These are for dialogue.

Dave Argue writes, "Hopefully as we understand truth in this way, we will die for what is central to our faith but not kill for what is not. We will debate heartily the formulations of doctrine, but not cease to love those whose doctrinal positions differ from ours. And we will remember that truth reaches to the outer circle too. How enriched we are by the dialogue that sharpens our convictions."

Spiritual Leadership

“Spiritual leadership springs forth in grace from our very desire for God’s presence. This does not take effort or striving. It takes courage, a kind of showing up, attentiveness.

—Gerald May

In God's hands

The future is in God’s hands, not yours.... Try only to make use of each day; each day brings its own good and evil, and sometimes what seems evil becomes good if we leave it to God... 

—François Fenelon (seventeenth-century cleric)

Prayer for Syria

God of Compassion,

Hear the cries of the people of Syria,
Bring healing to those suffering from the violence,
Bring comfort to those mourning the dead,
Strengthen Syria's neighbors in their care and welcome for refugees,
Convert the hearts of those who have taken up arms,
And protect those committed to peace.
God of Hope,
Inspire leaders to choose peace over violence and to seek reconciliation with enemies,
Inspire the Church around the world with compassion for the people of Syria,
And give us hope for a future of peace built on justice for all.
We ask this through Jesus Christ,
Prince of Peace and Light of the World,
Amen

Source: Catholic Relief Services (used with permission)

Fan or Follower?

I am currently reading a book entitled, “Not a Fan” written by Kyle Idleman. It’s riveting. The premise is that too often we are only fans of Jesus, when instead we are called to be a completely committed follower of Jesus. There is a big difference. A fan is “an enthusiastic admirer”. Idleman says it’s “the guy who goes to the football game with no shirt and a painted chest. He sits in the stands and cheers for his team, but he’s never in the game. He knows the stats of all the players but he doesn't know the players. He yells and cheers, but nothing is really required of him. There is no sacrifice he has to make. And if the team starts to let him down by having a few off seasons, you can expect him to jump off the fan wagon and start cheering for some other team.”

Jesus has a lot of fans today. Fans who cheer for him when things are going well, but walk away when it’s a difficult season. Fans who sit safely in the stands cheering, but they know nothing of the sacrifice and pain of the field. Fans of Jesus who know all about him, but they don’t know Him. Idleman says, “My concern is that many of our churches in America have gone from being sanctuaries to becoming stadiums. The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren't actually interested in following Christ. They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from them”.

Jesus was never interested in having fans. In fact, one of the most sobering passages of Scripture is Matthew 7.  Jesus tells of a day when everyone who has ever lived will stand before God. Many who call themselves Christians and identify themselves as followers will  stand and say to him, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' Then His response will be 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.'  Ouch.

Things I Like About Being a Pastor

1. Seeing lives transformed. This is why I "signed up" for this job. The Holy Spirit still does miracles today when grace is experienced. This is the greatest joy in ministry.
2. Preaching. This can help to bring about transformed lives. God's Word promises it will not come back void. It is alive and powerful.
3. Worship.  It's awesome to lead a group of people in singing praises to our Creator.
4. Personal evangelism. To be able to walk alongside someone who has never experienced the Good News is exciting.
5. The people/members. It's a joy to enter into Kingdom work with fellow-laborers who are truly "on fire" for the Lord.
6. Ministering in the community. To me, church takes place Monday through Saturday. It's more important what we do outside of the church building.
7. Ministering to members. It's an honor to walk beside someone who is going through a difficult time. We've all been there.
8. Casting a vision. This one can be a little scary, but when a group of committed Jesus followers get it, look out world!!
9. Staff relationships. I am blessed and thankful to have Taric and Pam to work with, otherwise it would be very lonely.