Who are you, really?

Here is an interesting post from Ryan Dueck entitled: 

I Don’t Want to Be a "Menno"nite

http://ryandueck.com/2013/12/04/i-dont-want-to-be-a-mennonite/ 

It happened again the other day.  That predictable conversation that begins with, “So what do you do?”, traverses through the awkward terrain where it is discovered that I belong to that most bizarre and incomprehensible of categories—“pastor”—thus placing myself outside the boundaries of ordinary humanity, and ends, inevitably, with a tortured query about what kind of creature, exactly, a Mennonite might be.  I can almost write the script by now: “You’re a what?”  “Why would you want to do that?”  “Don’t Mennonites drive horses and buggies and wear only black?”  “How many kinds of Mennonites are there?”  “You’re a what?! Add a few variations here and there, for colour and variety.  Rinse and repeat.

So, I started to write a post about my discomfort with names and labels and the ways in which they limit and restrict conversations… about how I don’t like labels like “Mennonite” very much, even though I am grateful to and for those who have gone before me, even though I know that there is no such things as an un-traditioned worldview, no such thing as a way of understanding oneself and living in the world that does not lean heavily, whether acknowledged or not, upon the intellectual, ideological and historical capital of the past.  But then I realized that I wrote that post five and a half years ago.  So I stopped.

As I reread my previous post and as I reflected upon the tired old conversation rehearsed above, it occurred to me that there’s another reason that I often don’t want to be known as a Mennonite.  It’s not just my discomfort with the limiting nature of labels, not just the fact that I don’t particularly enjoy being associated with certain expressions of Mennonite-ness (past or present), not just the pragmatic reality that the word “Mennonite” can often serve as a barrier for postmodern folks who have little time for arcane historical and theological distinctions, not just that denominational differences can seem increasingly irrelevant in an era of dwindling church attendance and religious commitment.  Each of these concerns resonates with me personally, to varying degrees, but there’s something else, too.

While I admire Menno Simons greatly, and while I think that his historical legacy is important, and while I am grateful for the many women and men who were emboldened to courageously follow Jesus through this man’s teachings,  I simply don’t like the idea of so rigidly identifying myself with his name.

I don’t like the idea of calling myself a Menno-nite any more than I would like the idea of calling myself a Rick Warren-ite or a N.T. Wright-ite or a John Piper-ite or a Miroslav Volf-ite or an anyone-ite (although, admittedly, some of the above options are immensely more attractive than others!).  I am a human being.  I am a follower of Jesus.  I am a husband, a father, a brother, a son, a friend, a neighbour, and a whole host of other things.  But a Mennonite?  Why should I name myself after some guy who lived half a millennia ago, who was a flawed human being, just like everyone else?

Martin Luther, John Calvin, Menno Simons, John Wesley, Jan Hus, Augustine of Hippo… the list could go on and on.  And on.  All of these people played an important role of the story of God once upon a time.  All are worthy of the honour we accord them.  But I suspect that none of them would have been comfortable having a movement named after them.  I suspect the idea that words like “Lutheran,” “Calvinist,” and “Mennonite” being affixed to entire churches and denominations would have been abhorrent to Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Menno Simons.  And whatever these dear gentlemen might have thought of the idea, I think it is abhorrent that these words, these names have been used (and continue to be used) to spawn all manner of tribalistic nonsense that, aside from just being stupid and immoral, is profoundly damaging to the mission of the church.

I could be making too much of this.  But I doubt it :).

I think of Paul’s exasperated exhortations to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:10-17)—Stop saying, “I follow Paul” or “I belong to Apollos” or “I’m with Cephas.”  You’re all in Christ!!  Stop it with the stupid games and allegiances built upon the fragile castles of human personality, leadership style, theology, etc.

Or, more importantly, I think of Jesus words in Matthew 23:8-12:

But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven.  Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah.  The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.

As I read this passage, I think Jesus is going beyond simply putting the scribes and Pharisees in their place.  He is making a profound point about the nature of human allegiance and our temptation to render inappropriate honour in inappropriate ways.  His rebuke is for all of us.  You are all students and you have one instructor.  Stop elevating yourselves, stop climbing all over each other to make sure that the right people are elevated in the right ways with the right names.  Stop implying that some people matter more than others because of what or how they think or do. Just stop. That isn’t how things work in this kingdom.  In this kingdom, things have an upside down look and feel.  We don’t honour people in the same ways and for the same reasons here.  You have one Father, one teacher, one Messiah in this kingdom.  So stop.

I get it that we all come from somewhere.  I get it that none of us comes to Jesus in a vacuum.  I get it that there is richness and diversity in the Christian tradition, and that it’s important to be honest and open about the “lenses” through which we interpret and live out faith in Jesus.  I get it that there are some distinctions that really do matter, and that we have to use imperfect tools and terms to convey this because imperfect tools and terms are all we have.  I get it that these names undoubtedly have too much historical and institutional weight by now to simply jettison because some guy with a blog is tired of explaining what a Mennonite is.  I get all of this.

And maybe it’s just because I’m so tired of the “you’re a what?!” conversation…

And it’s not as if I’m going to be crossing off the word on our church sign or anything…

And don’t worry, I promise I won’t fly into a rage the next time someone refers to me as a Mennonite… At least I’ll try not to…

But I don’t want to be a Mennonite.  I don’t want to be an anyone-ite.  I don’t think that’s how we (should) do things in this kingdom.

This is True

by Daniel Berrigan

It is not true that creation and the human family are doomed to destruction and loss—
This is true: For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. 

It is not true that we must accept inhumanity and discrimination, hunger and poverty, death and destruction—

This is true: I have come that they may have life, and that abundantly.

It is not true that violence and hatred should have the last word…

This is true:For unto us a child is born, and unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, the Everlasting, the Prince of Peace.

It is not true that we are simply victims of the powers of evil who seek to rule the world—
This is true: To me is given authority in heaven and on earth, and lo, I am with you, even unto the end of the world.

It is not true that we have to wait for those who are specially gifted, who are the prophets of the church, before we can be peacemakers.
This is true: I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh,and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young shall see visions,and your old shall have dreams.

It is not true that our hopes for liberation of humankind, of justice, of human dignity, of peace are not meant for this earth and for this history—
This is true: The hour comes, and it is now, that true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.

So let us live with hope, even hope against hope.
Let us see visions of love and peace and justice.

Let us affirm with humility, with joy, with faith, with courage:
Jesus Christ—the Life of the world.

The Upside-Down Kingdom

Jesus turns everything on its head.

We expected the Messiah to be born in a palace - not in a barn.
We expected His parents to be royalty - not poor.
We expected Him to associate with the religious-elite and the wealthy - not the riff raff, the sick, the sinners, or the outcast.
We expected Him to enter Jerusalem on a white stallion -  not on a donkey.
We expected the King to lead an army - not carry a cross.
We expected He would stay dead -  not be raised to life forevermore.

Kingdom of World Kingdom of God
(Power Over) Sword (Power Under) Cross
Allegiance to Caesar Allegiance to Jesus Christ
Flesh / Bondage Spirit / Freedom
Law                                                                      Love
Behavior Modification Inner Transformation
Tribal / National Universal
Conflict  / Chaos Peace / Reconciliation
Childish                                                                  Child-like

God exalts the humbled & humbles the exalted.
The foolishness of the cross shames the wisdom of the world.
The weak are made strong. The strong are made weak.
The last shall be first. The first shall be last.
Sinners are made righteous. The self-righteous are declared sinners.

Almost as crazy as asking us to become as a little child. You've got to be "kidding" in order to enter the Kingdom.

Five Innovative Leadership Lessons

This post comes from Thom S. Rainer, President of LifeWay. 

Millions of people watched the 60 Minutes television report on Amazon and the interview with its leader, Jeff Bezos. Most of the attention turned to the unveiling of small drones that could be used in the future to deliver packages. In fact, Bezos hopes packages will be delivered by drones within 30 minutes from order. That possibility generated its own level of conversation and debate. You can see the entire interview here. It is only about 14 minutes in length.

Unfortunately, the fixation on the drones overshadowed some profound leadership lessons Bezos can teach us. We can learn from him and Amazon whether we like him and the company or not. 

1. Throw away the box. Most of the time we use the well-worn phrase “Think outside the box.” The problem with that type of thinking is that the box is still our point of reference. We need to be asking how we can do things well beyond our existing and traditional systems. It’s a difficult but necessary exercise. Amazon is Amazon because they refused to use current paradigms as their starting point.
2. Hard work is strategy. I’ve never known a successful leader who did not expend years working hard. Sometimes we tend to think that there is a lot of luck in success. While there may be fortuitous circumstances, great leaders work hard to take advantage of them. Just eighteen years ago, Bezos was taking Amazon packages to the post office himself.
3. “Complaining is not a strategy”. A lot of energy has been expended complaining about Amazon. Many have said they have unfair competitive practices. Others object to the way they acquire companies. Great leaders don’t waste time complaining about others. They use the precious resource of time to look to the future. The reason the sentence above is in quotation marks is because it came directly from Bezos in the interview. 
4. Constantly take incremental steps to do everything better. Even if Amazon is not making dramatic changes or causing disruptive innovation, the company is constantly seeking to improve its existing systems. If you decide to watch the segment, see how they are improving their fulfillment centers incrementally but constantly. Continuous small improvements lead to major improvements.
5. Create your own disruptive innovation. It is better for an organization to innovate, even if hurts your existing services, products, or even ministries. If you don’t innovate, some other organization will, and the lifespan of your organization will be reduced.

Amazon may not be the paragon of virtues; but they are an incredible company. And Jeff Bezos is an amazing entrepreneurial leader. We would do well to learn from both of them.

Faith of an Entrepreneur

We've been talking alot about faith lately. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

I was reading the latest issue of  The Marketplace (a publication from MEDA - Mennonite Economic Development Associates)   In an article entitled The Artist as Entrepreneur it said this:

"The entrepreneur, driven by inner vision, sees reality in unique and unpredictable outcomes. G.B. Shaw’s character states it well: “Some people see things as they are and tell me why; I see things as they might be, and say why not!” The entrepreneur artist, often with opportunity as the only resource, is driven by a passion to fulfill innate gifts, to live life creatively, and to transform material into a meaningful product." (emphasis mine)

Entrepreneurs must have "faith"  - the ability to see something as it could be - if they are going to be successful in their venture(s). God created the heavens and the earth "ex nihilo" - out of nothing. Many times entrepreneurs do the same thing. Combining unwavering faith with a steadfast vision brings new life to any organization. Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish". To perish is to die; no longer exist.

As followers of Jesus, hopefully we are beginning to see our work, our jobs, our occupations as making an impact for the Kingdom of God. Colossians 4:5 (MSG) tells us to "Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don't miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity."

Making the most of an opportunity requires faith, requires vision - Go ahead: step out, see it, believe it, create it.

Got Faith? Prove It

Humans are people of faith. We all put our faith in something. As Christians, the object of our faith is Jesus Christ – We believe in who he is and what he has done. But it’s not enough to just believe. James 2:19 says, "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder." So there's much more to it than just believing. Our actions must confirm what we believe. Real faith affects what we do.

From Hebrews 11, here are 4 ways to prove you have faith: (from Ed Skidmore - pastor)

1. Hebrews 11:4 "It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did." The first way to prove our faith is through Worship. Abel worshipped in obedience and with a sincere heart. He brought his sacrifice out of gratitude. To worship is an act of faith. Is our worship acceptable to God? How’s your heart when you come to worship? Genuine Faith leads us to worship. Romans 12:1 says to offer our whole being to God as a living sacrifice.

2. Hebrews 11:5 "It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—"suddenly he disappeared because God took him." In Genesis 5:24. It say that Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him. So we prove our faith by our Walk with God. What does it look like to walk with God? See Matthew 25:34-40 This is what it looks like to prove your faith by walking with God.

3. Hebrews 11:7 “It was by faith that Noah built an ark to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about something that had never happened before”. We prove our faith through our Work. Maybe you never thought about it, but building an Ark is no small task. Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. We are all called to be followers of Christ. That is our vocation, but how we choose to live that out is our occupation. Do your business practices honor God? Do they represent your faith, what you say you believe about who Jesus is? Does your work make an impact for the Kingdom?

4. Hebrews 11:11 "By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise". Perhaps the biggest challenge Abraham faced was that his faith required him to Wait. Faith sometimes requires us to wait: for an answer to prayer; for a job offer; for the results of a medical test; -- sometimes the greatest proof of your faith is that you simply wait, because you know God will come through in the end.

Seven Essentials of Faith

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen".

Why is faith so essential to a follower of Jesus? 

1. Faith is essential to overcome worry. 

 Matthew 6:30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

2. Faith is essential for healing. 

Matthew 9:22 Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

3. Faith is essential to overcome fear.

Matthew 8:26 He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

4. Faith is essential for forgiveness of sin.

Matthew 9:2 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."

5. Faith is essential for miracles.

Matthew 13:58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

6. Faith is essential in the spiritual battle.

Matthew 17:19-20 Father brings his demon-possesed son to Jesus - Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" 20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. 

7. Faith is essential for salvation.

Luke 7:50  Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

NOTE:  You can listen and/or view the entire message by clicking on the appropriate words.

No More Masks

"God hath given you one face, and you make yourselves another." - William Shakespeare

Today is Halloween. This evening many young people will dress up as their favorite super-hero, pop star, princess, TV character, or scary zombie. For one evening they will get to put on a mask and be someone else.

For many of us, Halloween is a daily occurrence. We often wear a mask. It might be the: "I'm happy" mask, "I'm fine" mask, I'm a victim" mask, "I don't care" mask, "I'm the expert" mask, or any other mask to cover up who we really are. Sometimes we wear masks to please others. Is there anyone from whom you hide your "painful junk" so their image of you won't be shattered?

Masks are used to cover up and hide something. Maybe it is shame or guilt. That's what happened to Adam and Eve. Prior to their disobedience, they felt no shame and no need for masks. Genesis 2:25,  "Now, although Adam and his wife were both naked, neither of them felt any shame". Chapter 3 goes on to say that after they sinned, they felt shame, realized they were naked and hid from God.

Sin has a way of doing that to us. It makes us feel guilty, ashamed, and like running away from God. Two Sundays ago, I preached on Psalm 139:23. Here the psalmist asks God to search him, to know him, to test him to see if their is any "sin" in his life. Unresolved sin will cause us to wear a mask.

But thanks be to God, we have a savior who takes our sin and shame and clothes us with his true self. Part of our 12 Scriptures is Colossians 3:12-14, "As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience...Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony". With God's help we can take off our mask and put on Christ for He is the reality of who we are.

Get Away

Jesus often made a practice of getting away from the crowds in order to be with the Father. This was a way for him to be renewed and reminded of his purpose and mission. Crowds expected many things from Jesus. They wanted another miracle, another healing, more bread, more wine - you name it. Jesus had the perfect balance of being with the community and being alone with the Father. We should strive to imitate his example.

Jesus recognized that being in the presence of God is the only way we can find our worth and purpose in life.   Ruth Haley Barton in "Leading in Rhythm: Solitude and Community" says, Because we will attempt to get from other human beings what only God can provide; we will demand that the community meet our needs for love, approval, a sense of self and whatever else we may be missing. Then when the community disappoints us, is unable to meet our needs or refuses our demands, we become frustrated and might take out our frustration on those around us through gossip, manipulation, attempts at controlling others.  We may even start projecting our inner lacks onto others in the community—blaming them for not meeting needs that are not theirs to meet anyway.

Human community can never fully meet the needs that can only be met by a rich and satisfying relationship with God; it is a weight too heavy for any community to bear.

Oftentimes I place too much expectation on others to give me worth and approval. It's especially hard being in the role of a pastor, but we all get caught up in valuing ourselves based on what others think and say about us. Only the One who has given us life can meet our EVERY need. No human being can. That's too much to ask - too much to expect, and we will always be disappointed. Our needs can only be met in relationship with God. Set aside time and get away with God. Read Psalm 139 and allow Him to remind you of your worth and value to Him.

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.

Highlight from Convention (Pt 2)

The second highlight I experienced at MCUSA's Convention in Phoenix this year was being asked by Dustin Galyon of Hesston College to co-lead a workshop. It was entitled, "So Dude, You're a Mennonite". Neither Dustin nor I are from a Mennonite background yet we serve and worship in this context. We each shared our stories as to how we arrived here. The room was packed - mostly because Dustin has given this talk before and he is an energetic and passionate speaker. The youth love him!

We challenged the attendees not to get so caught up in the "Mennonite thing" (which can create obstacles and hurdles for people), but instead focus on what it means to follow Jesus and live as citizens of the heavenly kingdom. I challenged the group to elevate the conversation above denominations (because that tends to separate us and can lead to pride) - and to instead, focus on what we have in common; being eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

I referenced Galatians 3:28 and Colossians 3:11 which state that "there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, there is neither Mennonite or non-Mennonite" (OK, so I embellished the words of Paul a bit), "for you are all one in Christ Jesus". You don't have to be "Mennonite" to be a Christian (which means "little Christ"). We are called to imitate Christ.

You can listen to the entire workshop by clicking here

Highlights from Convention 2013 (Pt.1)

There were two highlights I experienced recently at MCUSA's Convention in Phoenix this year. In this blog, I will share the first one:

In the combined service on July 3^rd, Terry Shue and Nancy Kaufman invited all pastors and conference ministers to come forward to receive a blessing of affirmation. This was a nice surprise. We were each given a sticker with “I said YES” on it. People were encouraged to stop and ask us: Why we said yes and what keeps us saying yes.

Any pastor will tell you that you don't hear affirmation nearly as much as you hear criticism (and this eats you up inside). As I was standing up front, a fellow pastor leaned over said this was God’s answer to his morning prayer because he had been struggling with affirmation. He just wanted to know that he was doing a good job. He just "happened" to be reading Matthew 25:23 that morning that says “Well done, good and faithful servant..” With tears in his eyes, he said, “I guess this is God’s answer to my prayer”. 

As we walked back to our seats (after applause and thanks from the crowd), many people gave us high fives on the way back to our seats. 

Advice on Work, Career, and Success...

Speaking to a secular audience on MSNBC's Morning Joe show, Tim Keller offered the following advice on work, careers, and success:

When you make your work your identity … if you're successful it destroys you because it goes to your head. If you're not successful it destroys you because it goes to your heart—it destroys your self-worth. [Faith in Christ] gives you an identity that's not in work or accomplishment, and that gives you insulation against the weather changes. If you're successful, you stay humble. If you're not successful, you have some ballast …. Work is a great thing when it is a servant instead of a lord.

Looking Outside of Ourselves

Here is a question I was asked recently: "What is Bellwood doing to meet the needs of our community?" I had trouble answering this because I didn't exactly know. Another question was: "What are the needs of our community?" I am embarrassed to say, I didn't know the answer to this question either. Then, of course, not being able to answer either question made me question my leadership abilities and begin to get down in the dumps.

A few days later I came across an article entitled "Beyond Groundhog Day" by Brad Powell. Remember that movie with Bill Murray? Every day is exactly the same for him. Nothing changes. Same ole, same ole and then all of a sudden, one day his outlook changes and it's a new day. It feels like Groundhog Day many times in the church, but as the article said, "Our reality is defined by the Resurrection, not the tomb."

The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is present in us - in the church. I love what the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 3:20 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us". This verse gives me renewed hope. This verse excites me. What is it that we haven't even imagined that God might want to do through us?

Powell says, "The reason church starts to fail is because over time the church tends to turn inward - to focus on pleasing those on the inside. They stop reaching out to the lost. As a result a church becomes a comfortable museum of what God once did rather than an example of what God still does." He goes on to say that "we must get excited about people finding Christ than anything else. After all, God does. Luke 15:7 says, "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent."

What are some things we need to "imagine"? What are some things we need to "ask"? How can we better see this power at work and unleash it?

Another look at Romans 8:28

We are continuing to look at Romans 8:28 that says, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them".

 God never wastes anything that happens to us in life. His goal is to use it all to make us into the image of His Son.

"The events of your life work together in God’s purpose for your life. They are not isolated acts but interdependent parts of the process to make you like Christ. Treating life as a series of disconnected episodes is a habit deeply rooted in many of us. We discern no pattern in the experiences and events coming from outside ourselves. We seem content to live life as a series of uncoordinated happenings. The dark riddle of life is illuminated in Jesus; the meaning, purpose, and goal of everything that happens to us, and the way to make it all count can be learned only from the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Living with this awareness is the key that unlocks the door to grasping the meaning of existence. All day and every day we are being reshaped into the image of Christ. Everything that happens to us is orchestrated to this end. Nothing exists outside of Him or is irrelevant, or without significance". (Colossians 1:16)

Brennan Manning, "Abba's Child" p. 109