After Thoughts

Finale

2011-09-05T14:51:00.002-05:00

We have been focused on Sunday mornings on Inductive Bible Study. We have been talking about ways to read and understand our Bibles. The three steps are to make observations, interpret the text, and then apply it to your life. I have also tried on Sunday mornings to get some conversation going on the text we were looking at, but most people did not seem to want to talk back.
It seems this has been happening on my blog as well. My intention for my blog was for some back and forth conversation to take place about my message on Sunday mornings or anything else, but comments have been rare. For that reason this will be my last blog, at least for a while.
My final invitation is for you to look at the connections between the book of Genesis and the beginning of the Bible and the Book of Revelation and the end of the Bible. Both books talk about rivers and trees. They talk about God's presence and his activity.
They also both talk about God's connection to humanity. I think looking at the beginning and the end of the Bible shows that God's communicated purpose to us was that we were made to be in relationship with God. That relationship is not always easy because of who God is, in his holiness, and who we are, in our brokenness. Yet, God works to repair that relationship.
In the end we are told that it will work out. We are told that fear, suffering and death will end, but God's love, grace, and mercy will last forever. I pray that we can keep this hope in front of us as we follow God.
Keep digging into God's Word and keep growing in your connection to Christ.

Now What?

2011-08-29T07:52:00.003-05:00

The final step of reading and understanding our Bible is application. After we have made observations and interpretations, we ask the question "now what?" Now that I have read this passage and dug into its meaning, what does it mean in my life? How does this passage connect with me?
You can see that this step is fairly subjective. How you look to apply a passage depends on where you are in your faith journey. This is one of the amazing things about Scripture. It can speak to someone reading the passage for the first time or someone who has read it many times. The only rule is the application must not go against God's nature of love and grace. If you think the passage is telling you to do something that goes against God's nature, then you probably need to study it a little more.
So as we read and understand our Bibles we also need to looking for ways the Scriptures connect in our lives. It could be calling us or challenging us to do something. It might be encouraging us to stop doing something. Maybe the passage just wants to remind us of something we need to remember.
The passage we read yesterday was John 5:1-9 the passage about a paralyzed man waiting to be healed in a pool with healing powers. He can never get into the pool in time to be healed. Then Jesus comes along and asks him if he wants to get well. He kind of says he has been trying, and then Jesus heals him.
Different people mentioned applications in this passage could be to not get too focused on one way to be healed. This man only saw the pool as a place of healing, even when Jesus, The Great Healer, was standing there talking to him. Another application was to never give up hope. The passage said this man had been that way for 38 years, and now he was finally healed. An application that came to my mind compared the pool to the church building. Many times we might feel like we need to get someone there in order to help them be healed or have a relationship with God, but this passage reminded me that we don't have to bring people to the building, we take the presence of God to them wherever they are.
Let me know if you have other applications for this passage.

Read Between the Lines

2011-08-22T07:44:00.004-05:00

The second step in reading and understanding your Bible is to interpret the text. The first step was to make observations, noticing the facts and details of what is actually written in the Scripture passage. After you have made those observations you should ask what they mean. What is the purpose or meaning of the text? I see this as reading between the lines. You are looking for the meaning that is not always on the surface.
There are times the purpose of a passage is given. Sometimes when Jesus shares a parable, he will then interpret that parable. There are also times the writers of a book of the Bible says something like, "this was written so that you will never forget." They give you the reason for the passage. However, most of the time it is up to us as readers to dig into the text and find the meaning.
The passage we looked at yesterday was Mark 10:17-31. This was the story of the Rich Young Ruler. We found several places that we wanted to read between the lines. One was where Jesus lists 5 of the Ten Commandments. We wondered why those five and why did Jesus leave off the other five? There is no apparent reason given, so we were thinking of reasons Jesus might have done this. Like maybe Jesus was pointing out that the man was having trouble keeping the five he did not list. We do not know for sure, but that sounded like a reasonable idea.
Another place we were asking for meaning was in Jesus' response that this man needed to sell everything he had, give it to the poor and follow Jesus. We wondered if everyone needs to do this? Is this a universal truth, or specific to this man? We decided it was a little bit of both. This man's wealth was holding him back from following Jesus, and we all have something doing this in our lives. It may not be wealth for all of us (it may be for some), but Jesus would be able to tell each of us what it is that we need to give away.
Finally we looked at Jesus' saying, "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven." We wondered if Jesus really meant this or if we need to interpret it? I said that Jesus meant this in the sense that really it is impossible for any person to enter heaven on their own merit. Getting into heaven is not about what we can do, but about what God has done. God makes it possible for us to enter heaven. We just need to accept the invitation.
There are more questions we could ask as we interpret this passage, but those were some places we focused. If you have other questions or interpretations of this passage please comment on this blog. Keep on reading your Bible and keep making observations and interpretations.

Camp Experiences

2011-08-15T08:19:00.002-05:00

Yesterday in our worship services we heard from many kids about their experience at Summer Games this past summer. We had around 50 kids go to either Summer Games University for junior and senior high students or the first ever Summer Games Junior for elementary school students. They were excited about many parts of camp like horseback riding, creek stomping, and the food. Many also mentioned the presence of God in worship and prayer. Overall it sounded like our kids had a great time.
I would love to hear any other stories people might have. I have had more than one grandma tell me about the experience of their grandchildren. It is wonderful when even the faces of parents and grandparents light up when talking about their child's experience. So if you have a story to share about a camping experience please comment on this post.
I have great memories of camp. I have been going since I was 14 years old to Christian camps. I missed going as a camper because I started going as a counselor. Now I go as a pastor. Soon I will get the parent experience as Jamison will be old enough for Summer Games Junior next summer.
I too have great memories of food, activities and the presence of God. I keep in contact with many of my camp friends still today. God just seems to do something special when we get out of our routine. When we leave our TVs and computers behind God can really get our attention.
Maybe that is a reminder to find more ways to get away then just camp. Even going for a walk or sitting in a park might give us a little glimpse of that camp-like experience. I pray we all can find ways to be open to God's presence and keep going to camp.

What Just Happened?

2011-08-07T18:54:00.003-05:00

We will spend a few weeks looking at how to study our Bibles. I often tell people how important it is to read your Bible, but then do not spend the time to teach how to read your Bible. The Bible is an ancient text translated into English that takes some effort to understand.
The first step to understanding a Bible passage is to make observations. Look at what exactly the text says. Answer the basic questions of who, what, where, and when. Notice what is specifically mentioned in the text and also take note of what is not in there. Sometimes when we read a familiar passage we put in details that are not actually in the passage.
We tried this yesterday in our worship service. We looked at Genesis 3:1-13 the passage about the fall of man. I invite anyone to share observations about this passage and especially details that might lead to some discussion.
I mentioned that the passage says a serpent came to talk to Eve. We often say the serpent was Satan, but that is not mentioned in the passage, so that is an interpretive step taken.
A couple of people noticed that the serpent talked to Eve, not Adam. We wondered if that was intentional or if she just happen to be the one who found the serpent first.
We mentioned that the fruit that was eaten was not said to be an apple. An apple is often a symbol of temptation because of this passage, but this passage just mentions fruit.
We also saw a lot of blaming going on when God showed up in the garden. Adam blamed both God and Eve for eating the fruit. He said he was given the fruit by the woman God had made. Eve then blames the serpent for deceiving her.
What other observations do you have of this passage? What questions do these observations bring to your mind? The conversation with the text begins with observations. In the next few weeks we will look at the next steps to better understanding God's Word.

What's the Verdict

2011-07-31T18:51:00.003-05:00

In our final look at the views young people outside of Christianity we will focus on the view that Christians are judgmental. 87% of young people outside Christianity think that Christians are judgmental. At the same time, 53% of young people inside Christianity agree. As Christians our actions and words come across as judgmental to many and it is something we need to address.
In Matthew 7:1-5 Jesus addresses being judgmental. There he says we will be judged by the same standards we judge others. Jesus also warns against pointing out the speck in someone's eye while we have a plank in our own eye.
Here Jesus really wants us to look at ourselves when it comes to judging others. He wants us to turn it around and look in our own eye instead of checking on other people. We are usually quick to judge others and point out their imperfections, but often slow to do this in ourselves. We seem to offer ourselves much more grace than we will offer to others. We are quick to judge people's actions and thoughts. C.S. Lewis has a great quote reminding us of the person we overlook imperfections in the most.
“There is someone I love, even though I don’t approve of what he does. There is someone I accept, though some of his thoughts and actions revolt me. There is someone I forgive, though he hurts the people I love the most. That person is me.”
We tend to give ourselves more grace than we are willing to offer to others. If we can grow in offering the grace we give ourselves to others, we would probably be viewed less as judgmental and more as caring and loving people.
One thing I want us to consider here is how this judgmental view of Christianity connects with our churches. We are called to be the body of Christ as a collective group of people. Many Christians will tell you that their church or group is not judgmental and is loving and welcoming, but if 87% of young outsides feel we are judgmental that has to have some connection to how our churches are viewed. How can we make our church more loving?
I think we can address this issue of being seen as judgmental by getting to know people different than us. Many times we tend to judge those who are different than us. We tend to gather around those who are similar. As Christians we need to be connecting and building relationships with those different than us. This is not to be done as a checklist, but as an intentional pursuit of getting to know varying points of view. When we get to know these people with different points of view we can hopefully see the real people behind the faces we often judge.
Currently the verdict is that Christians are judgmental. Christians need to learn to follow Jesus' instruction to look at ourselves first. I also hope we will be willing to learn more about others and get to know the person instead of jumping to judgment. Then maybe we can turn around this view. What do you think?

Talk About It

2011-07-24T20:39:00.005-05:00

I am back to blogging after a few weeks off. It has been a great but busy few weeks.
We have been focused on the views young people outside the Christian faith have of us as Christians. This week the focus is on the view that 91% of young people have and that is that Christians are antihomosexual. These young people think that Christians are against homosexuals. They have heard Christians say things like "God hates gays" or 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina are judgments by God on homosexuals. Then they think that all Christians agree with that.
I want to know how Christians that disagree with these kinds of statements should respond. How do we respond to the issue of homosexuality the way Christ would? I do not believe God hates people. I believe God loves all people, and as Christians we are called to communicate that message.
One of the troubling statistics in the book unChristian by David Kinnaman is that only 1% of Christians respond to homosexuality with prayer. I believe prayer is the first place we should go and so I want to encourage more of us to be praying as a response to homosexuality. We need to be praying for God's guidance on this issue and any other issue with this kind of complexity. We need to be talking with God about the direction we take to respond. Through times of prayer God will help us to see the situation with his heart and mind.
We also need to be praying for those personally facing this issue. I need to be praying for my brother, who is gay. I know some of the struggles and difficulties he has faced and I know he needs prayers for strength and peace. I need to do better at remembering to lift him up in prayer. We also need to lift up family members of homosexuals as they wrestle with the emotions and reactions. We can lift these people up before God and this response can hopefully bring a new spirit into these situations.
I also want to encourage us after having these conversations with God to talk with people about this issue. Let's have open communications about our struggles and difficulties. Let's ask questions to get better understanding instead of making assumptions. If we will truly listen to others we can grow in our ability to respond appropriately.
Above all, we need to respond first out of God's love and grace and not out of condemnation. I think only through love and grace can we communicate God's care for all people. Let's talk about it.

Building

2011-06-27T09:35:00.003-05:00

I missed blogging last week because I was on a mission trip to Puerto Rico. I did not have access to the internet down there most of the time except on my phone and I am not sure I would enjoy typing something up from my phone.
Now I am back and we have been focusing on what we can learn from the David Kinnaman book UnChristian. This book shares some of the views that young people (between the ages of 16-29) outside of Christianity have of us as Christians. One view they have is that Christians just want to get converts. They have felt that Christians are just out to get bigger numbers for the membership roles or to get a notch in their belt.
This view has been propelled by evangelists who have very professional presentations. Young people see this as marketing tricks to get people to "buy" their product. This view also becomes real for young people when they are abandoned by Christians once they turn down an offer to attend church or a Bible study. They feel written off and as if the Christian did not really care about them. The main concern of young outsiders is that they want Christians to genuinely care about them and not just try to convert them.
I do not want to just give you more gimmicks or a to-do list on how to share your faith. I just want to encourage you to build relationships with people outside the Christian faith. Not in order to convert them, but because they are a child of God.
While in Puerto Rico I was reminded of this calling to build relationships. We had two projects to be done by our group in my mind. Half of the group was going to work with some kids; do crafts, sing songs, teach a lesson. That group was going to build relationships. My group was there for work projects. We repaired two church roofs, painted, moved a wall, replaced 31 shutter cranks and a few other things
A couple of days in Puerto Rico our hosts wanted to take us site seeing or to visit a ministry and inside I was frustrated. I wanted to get the work done. If we did not have those distractions we could get more work done. My mind was not on building relationships.
However, God kept calming me down until I finally realized that this trip was about building relationships and not work projects. Sure the work was nice, but I need to take my time to get to know these new friends. One night I had a chance to sit and chat with one of these new friends and I learned so much from that talk. God reminded me to slow down and take the time to ask questions and hear someone's story.
My prayer for you and for me is that this lesson will not just be for mission trips, but everyday. That every day I will take the time to slow down and get to know someone instead of just working on projects. People are not projects, they are loved children of God. They are our brothers and sisters and God wants us to get to know them and care about them. God also wants us to share our faith with them as we build that relationship. This is not to just convert them, but it is to let them know about something that has changed our lives and it could change theirs if they want.
So let's keep building what is important, relationships.

An Accurate Stereotype

2011-06-13T09:30:00.003-05:00

85% of young people outside of Christianity view Christians as hypocrites. I call this an accurate stereotype. I found this description in a list of oxymorons. Stereotypes are by definition not entirely true, but if it is accurate, then it is true. And this describes Christian hypocrites well. A hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does another. And it is true that Christians do this, but I think it is also true that most everyone does this.
These same young outsiders that say Christians are hypocrites also agreed that everyone else is hypocritical from time to time, so it is not that big of a deal that Christians are. It does not bother them that much because Christians are just like everyone else when it comes to saying one thing and doing another.
Their problem comes when Christians do not admit their hypocrisy. It bothers them when Christians try to act as if their actions always match their words. So I want to encourage Christians to get better at acknowledging that we miss the mark. As Christians we need to be open and honest that we make mistakes even as we try to live for God.
Not being able to live perfectly the life God has called us to is nothing new. The Apostle Paul even wrestled with this. In Romans 7:15 he says, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." Paul admits here his hypocrisy of not doing what he knows God wants him to do, and then doing what he knows God does not want him to do.
I think we all wrestle with that, I know I do. It is evidence of the struggle between good and evil in all of us. It is the tension created between our natural being and the supernatural working in us. It shows that the Spirit of God is at work in us, but not yet finished.
I hope as Christians we can address this accurate stereotype by acknowledging that we do not always act perfectly. I also hope that we will not settle for just acknowledging it, but press on to match our actions with the will of God. I hope we can continue to struggle and that God's better calling will be done more often.

To Reach the Next Generation

2011-06-06T06:51:00.004-05:00

The congregation I serve is beginning a focus on how we can reach the next generation with the message of Jesus. We will be using David Kinnaman's book UnChristian: What the Next Generation Thinks About Christianity...and Why It Matters. So over the next two months we will learn what we can from this book.
For today though I want to praise God for the man that reached me with the message of Jesus. Thursday I will go to the celebration of life service for Stan Wierson. Stan was the pastor that looked at a 14 year old scrawny awkward kid and saw something more. Even though I was not a Christian at the time (I was a church attender because Mom made me go). The summer of 1992 Stan hired me to be on the staff of Summer Games.
I was a counselor and supposed to be sharing Jesus with the kids coming to camp, but first I had to get to know him myself. I did meet Jesus my first week at camp and that began my new life in Christ and the new direction of my life. Two years later I felt a call to full-time ministry, again with Stan highly involved in encouraging me in that direction.
Stan was a man with great vision as he started Summer Games. He also had great vision in seeing the gifts and talents in people. I am one of over 200 people Stan helped hear the call to ministry. Stan also was a man of courage and trust. He would allow high school and college students to take real leadership in ministry where many are hesitant. He trusted these students to do their best with God's help, and gave us confidence in working with God's guidance.
I hope that I can grow in reaching and touching the next generation as Stan did. And I hope as a church we can support and encourage the next generations as God reaches out to them with his love and grace.

Life of a Hero

2011-05-29T21:12:00.002-05:00

I found a definition of a hero that says a hero is someone who has given his or her life for something bigger than oneself. On Memorial Day we do celebrate the many heroes who have served our country through our armed services. The men and women who have died in wars protecting our freedoms and rights are heroes we need to remember and honor.
In 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Paul reminds us of Jesus' call to remember the meaning of his death in communion. In communion we remember that Jesus lived a heroic life as well. He gave his body and blood for something bigger than himself. He gave his life for us, so that our sins could be forgiven.
Finally, I want us to remember that as Christians, we too are called to live the life of a hero. We are called to give our lives to something bigger than ourselves. Jesus has freed us from sin in order to have a relationship with God that allows us to live for something bigger. Living for ourselves is not what we are called to do, and yet too often that is how we live.
God wants us to allow Jesus to live in us and lead us to live for the bigger things in life. We had a couple of members this week head down to Kansas for a few days of helping a community recover from a tornado. That is giving your life for something bigger, that is living the life of a hero.
I hope you know what bigger thing you are living for, but if not just ask God to show you where to give your life. You could give your life to the poor. You could give your life to the elderly. You could give your life to the outcast. God's love and grace is so large that it may call us to many different things, but all will fall under building his kingdom.
Go and live the life of a hero, live for something bigger than yourself.

Saying Thank You

2011-05-23T08:35:00.003-05:00

In the passage from Luke 17:11-19 we hear the story of ten people healed by Jesus and only one of them returned to thank Jesus. I don't want to blame the other 9 too much because Jesus told them to go to the priests and that is what they were doing. Yet Jesus still had wanted more of them to come back and say thank you.
Saying thank you is a simple thing, but we often overlook it. I know I am guilty of not saying thank you. When I get presents from my family or even friends on my birthday I do not send thank you notes. I guess I think I deserve the presents because it is my birthday, and I will thank them by giving them a present on their birthday.
The first time Helen got presents from my family on her birthday she asked for their addresses. And I questioned why she need them. She said to send thank you notes. I told her that my family did not need or expect thank you's for their gifts, but she asked for the addresses and sent them anyway.
I also believe that God does not need or expect our thanks, but I know God loves it when we do give him thanks and praise. Normally we may only thank God one out of ten times, but we can grow and improve on that. We can all grow in watching for how God is blessing us and then say thank you.
Thank God in prayer. Say to him how much it means to you for God to be working in your life. Praise him and thank him for all the little and big ways God is working.
Also, thank God publicly. Tell other people how God has blessed you. This invites the other person to join in your thanks, but it also might encourage them to give thanks as well.
We can grow in saying thank you to others, but also to God. Thank you for reading.

What are you doing next?

2011-05-16T09:56:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we congratulated our Class of 2011. We have seven graduating seniors this year in our congregation. We asked each of them to introduce themselves and share what their plans are for next year. All seven of our graduates are going on to college (4 of them to Iowa!).
This got me thinking about our faith journey. As we grow in faith there are times of graduation where we move on to the next phase of our faith. When I first was a Christian I was a follower. I was learning everything I could from other people and studying the Bible myself. Then I started working alongside the people I had been following. Eventually I took the lead, first with youth and later with adults. (I never have graduated from following because I am still a follower as I lead.) There were not too many parties or celebrations for my graduations, but nevertheless I can look back see those times of moving on to my next phase of faith.
So when is the last time you graduated? Have you taken the next step in your faith recently or has it been a while? Is it time for a graduation?
Sometimes we settle into our faith and stay where it is comfortable. This is okay for a time, but God calls us forward. We need to step up to the challenge before us. It can be difficult. It can be scary facing the unknown, but it is where God calls us.
So what are you doing next? Is it time to get into a small group? Is it time to lead a small group? Is it time to find a place to serve? Whatever your next phase of faith is, go knowing God goes with you.
Congratulations to the Class of 2011, both high school and college. God has great things planned for you.

Mother - God

2011-05-09T08:49:00.002-05:00

I was struck yesterday during our prayer time at our early service on Mother's Day. The prayer lifted up how we pray "Our Father," but also how like our mother God is. I even preached that God's heart is very much like the heart of a mother. The ideal mother loves her children unconditionally and this is part of who God is. Wesleyan's usually focus on God's love and grace. We believe those are the foundation of who God is. We might also say those are the foundation for the ideal mother as well.
I believe men and fathers also give love and grace, but that is often not thought of as their primary qualities. And what struck me yesterday after going on about how much like our mother God is, we then went into praying "Our Father."
It is interesting how we can get so stuck on words. For some changing the Lord's Prayer by saying, "Our Mother" would be blasphemy. I admit, even to me, it feels strange to do that, but I do not think God would be offended. Using father or mother to describe God only points to a part of who God is. God is indescribable and uncontainable in words and maybe we need to get used to being free to express how God has reached out to us.
The other piece of this is that our faith seems to more often connect with women. For some reason men often are hesitant to share about their faith and be open to what God is doing. I am still wrestling with why this is, although I think part of it is that men are generally less connected to mushy, loving God ideas that we often communicate as the church. Maybe we need to give some attention to God deserving our respect and his power. That may be more of what men are looking for.
Well, a couple of pretty early thoughts from me this morning. Let me know your thoughts. I still need dig a little deeper into these and pray through them little more. Let us pray, "Our Mother..."

Confirmation

2011-05-02T08:49:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we confirmed 11 youth, with 3 more to come that were not able to be there. Confirmation is a confirming of baptism vows made by these 7th and 8th graders or made on their behalf by their parents. Most of this group had been baptized as babies, but several were baptized later by their choice. Before they were confirmed officially they were preparatory members of our church and now they are full members.
I shared yesterday about a lesson I hope they will never forget from all of the lessons they learned in confirmation. The one I pointed out was to never run with your eyes closed. One of the students after a "faith walk" activity where they were blindfolded, enjoyed it so much that he ran out of the woods with his eyes closed. He ran straight into a board and broke his nose.
There are also spiritual connections to running with your eyes closed. I think many people in the world are running with their spiritual eyes closed, which leads to brokenness. Many people run through life making poor decisions, hurting other people, and thinking there are no consequences. They are running blind to the truth of God. So we need to run with our eyes open and help others open their eyes to the true way to run through life by living God's love and grace.
Another important lesson I would want to share with these young people is to make great Christian friends. My favorite memories and the best times of my life have happened with my Christian friends. We had great fun together with late nights, deep discussions, and making a difference in the world. This does not mean not to have friends that are not Christians because non-Christians need God's love too, but we need good friends who will help us stay on the path of God.
Does anyone else have a word of advice or a lesson you have learned that might help these young people grow in their faith? If you want to comment I can pass it on to the group. What has been an important lesson you have learned and maybe you wish you had learned it earlier. So share your thoughts and also say a prayer for these newly confirmed students.

Easter - He Is Risen

2011-04-25T08:21:00.002-05:00

Since Easter is a special celebration I have to share a story about how special Easter was for me this year. About 6 weeks ago my 97 year old grandma died. She lived on her own until she was 93, I think. Then the last four years her health has been up and down.
She was an amazing woman. She was adopted and raised by her grandmother, and even turned down scholarships to college to get a job and help support her family. She was hard working, dedicated to family and basically just a sweet little old lady.
She has seen a lot of change in her lifetime. One change she had to make was learning to drive at the age of 74. That is when my grandpa died of colon cancer, and he had always been the driver.
About a week before Grandma died I went to visit her in the nursing home. We were focusing on prayer in our church and I had decided I was going to ask Grandma about her prayer life. We did not often talk a lot about personal faith in our family, at least with Grandma it was a very private thing. I wanted to know what Grandma thought was important about prayer, so I was going to ask.
However, when I got to Grandma's room she was napping and I woke her up to at least say hello. She then had a hard time staying awake as I shared about what my family was up to. I knew Grandma would not be able to share about prayer with me, but I asked if I could pray with her. (This too was not a very common thing since it makes me feel like "pastor" and I don't want to be Grandma's pastor, just her grandson.)
I prayed for God to hold her in his arms. I prayed for God to give her rest. And I thanked God for the blessing she was to me and my family. And when I finished praying, Grandma looked at me and said, "I accept that." I am not positive what Grandma meant by that, but it spoke to me that Grandma knew God would soon be holding her in his arms and she was at peace with that.
This was the last time I saw Grandma alive, she died on that Tuesday morning before I could get to the hospital. But I am fine ending our time together on this earth in prayer.
So this Easter is special to me because I do celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but I also celebrate that Grandma is now participating in the resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus proves that God's love for us is strong, even stronger than death. If you are unsure if you will be with God when you die, all you have to do is accept it. Just accept God's love and then learn to love God back.

Humble Ride

2011-04-18T08:57:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was Palm Sunday. The day we celebrate Jesus entering Jerusalem for his final celebration of Passover. (Our children did a wonderful job sharing this story in their musical. Check it out at www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AZ_-z1VvQ4&feature=uploademail)
This story is interesting because Jesus chose to ride on a donkey. He could have chosen another animal, like a big white horse, but he chose a donkey. The scriptures say it was a colt, which is a young donkey. Luke also points out that the donkey has not been ridden. In a sense, this was a pure donkey. At least according to the sacrificial system of the Jewish people they would have asked for a pure animal for a sacrifice. One that had never been ridden. Jesus chose a simple, pure donkey, instead of magnificent and powerful horse.
So this is how Jesus chose to enter Jerusalem. And this humble ride made me think about helping to teach Jamison to ride his bike. Kind of a special moment for father and son.
We were in the high school parking lot to have some big open space. And at first I was holding onto the back of the bike seat and Jamison kept looking back to make sure I was holding on. Instead of keeping his head up, looking where he was going and focusing on pedaling, he kept turning around looking at my hand. After a while I figured out what he was doing, so instead of holding the bike seat I moved my hand up onto his back. With my hand there I could help him keep his balance, but he also began to focus on learning to ride his bike because he could feel my hand on him.
This Holy Week as we prepare for the celebration of Easter I want to remind you that God wants to put his hand on you. Sometimes we get caught looking around worried about where God is and if he is holding on. When we do that we are distracted from what God actually wants to do in us, which part of his work is to create a pure heart in us. Sometimes we also are looking for God to show up in these magnificent powerful ways instead of the humble simple ways God often works.
Instead of being distracted or looking around for God's powerful entrance, just know God’s hand is upon you. Take time to feel his presence. He will help you keep your balance. He will help you move forward in your faith. He will guide you to the cross and then the empty tomb. He will join you in this humble faith ride.

Seek to be Meek

2011-04-11T08:47:00.002-05:00

Jesus says in Matthew 5:5 "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth."
This is a powerful, upside-down announcement by Jesus. The people of Israel hearing this for the first time would not have normally thought the meek would inherit the earth. Their world was being concurred by the Romans, who were not very meek. The world today still seems to belong, not to the meek, but to the strong, the assertive, those willing to cut corners. But Jesus says the meek will inherit the earth.
I think his message is a reminder that his ways, the ways of God's kingdom, are what will last. And we see this message in Psalm 37 where this Beatitude seems to be taken in verse 11. The big picture of Psalm 37 is that the ways of the world, which include schemes, swords, and selfishness, will wither away like grass. However, the characteristics of the meek will last for eternity. The meek characteristics found in Psalm 37 are trust in the Lord, generosity, doing good, taking refuge in God, among others. And as we grab onto these characteristics they pull us closer to God.
I want to recommend two ways to grab onto these characteristics. The first one is to be sure you have a group of Christians you connect with. This group is not just for fellowship, but for studying God's Word together, sharing your struggles with, and supporting others in the group. Fellowship is nice, but if that is all the deeper our Christian relationships go then we are missing an important piece of Christian community.
When we openly share with other Christians our struggles, our learning, and our joys we will notice that God does work in meek ways. When we see someone who is meek being blessed by God and having God provide for them, it will become easier to trust God will do the same in your life.
My second recommendation is to get into reading God's Word for yourself. We all need to have some personal reading time to hear God's voice. Hearing someone else talk about God's Word is not bad, but we all need to hear straight from God.
And to help you with reading this week I want to invite you to read with me through Psalm 37 for the next 5 days. Each day I will invite you to look for something different. (And you can post what you find in a comment back to me.)
Day 1 (Today): Read the psalm to get the general idea.
Day 2: Read the psalm and count the number of times the "wicked" are mentioned. I highlighted each time this word appeared in my Bible, which is NIV. How many times did you find it? What does that tell you?
Day 3: Read the psalm and notice the characteristics of those who are considered "wicked." What stood out to you in these characteristics?
Day 4: Now read the psalm and notice the characteristics of the meek, those who are not wicked. Which characteristics surprised you? Which ones encouraged you?
Day 5: Read the psalm and notice how many times "inherit" is used. Who will receive an inheritance from God?
Join me as we seek to be meek.

Poor in Spirit

2011-04-04T08:57:00.002-05:00

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3
The poor in spirit are those who consider themselves unworthy of God's love. The poor in spirit are convinced that God's blessings, love, and grace is not meant for them. But Jesus says blessed are those who feel they do not deserve to be blessed.
This is a great message for us to remember that we are called as the Body of Christ to participate in this announcement. We are called to bless those who feel unworthy of blessing.
I believe as we live out this Beatitude we are building treasure in heaven. In Matthew 6 Jesus calls us to not store up treasures on earth, but to store up treasure in heaven. The treasures of this earth will fall apart, get lost or stolen. These earthly treasures are temporary. Jesus says strive for storing up things that will last for eternity.
However, in that chapter he does not tell us how to store up treasures in heaven. So I looked in Matthew 19 and Luke 12 where Jesus does tell us how to store up treasures in heaven. In those chapters Jesus tells us that we build treasures in heaven by giving to the poor. This is not the only way to build treasure, but it is the way Jesus shares with us.
I do believe that as we serve the financially poor, the less fortunate, that our treasure is being built, but I also believe our treasure grows as we serve the poor in spirit. We are doing God's work and building the treasures of heaven as we live out this Beatitude, as we bless those who feel they do not deserve to be blessed. (Not that we only do this for the reward, but it is a nice byproduct.)
This Lent I hope you will join me in blessing the poor in spirit. We do this by expressing God's love and grace to those who feel they do not deserve it. We give the poor in spirit our time and attention. We give them invitations to join us in community. We let them know we do not deserve God's love either, yet he loves us anyway. This is the Gospel of Jesus, and the character of God. God's love and blessing is for all of us.
If you are poor in spirit, know God does want to bless you. God wants to touch all people with his love and grace. If you are not poor in spirit, then it is your task to give to the poor and the poor in spirit, so that they might know the love of God.

Peacemaker

2011-03-28T09:15:00.003-05:00

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9) Jesus elaborates on what it means to be a peacemaker in Matthew 5:43-48. In those passages Jesus says, “you have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
When Jesus says we are to be peacemakers he is calling us to bring people together instead of divide people. And yet the world around us continues to try to divide. You are either for us or against us. You are either with us or with them. We assume everyone has to choose sides. This is not new, Jesus said in 1st century Israel they had been taught to love neighbors, hate enemies, that is choosing sides.
However, Jesus says, don’t choose sides. Love your neighbor and love your enemy. It is not much of a choice when there is only one option. Our only option is to love. It would be nice if it were that easy, but it takes focus and intentionality to really love as Christ calls us to love.
Our youth shared the message in our worship services yesterday and one suggestion they had was to not look at people as a group, but as individuals. When you see a group as Iowa fan or Iowa State fan, Democrat or Republican, Conservative or Liberal, it can be easy to divide and label someone. However, when you get to know an individual you start to look past the labels and get to know this person who is also a Child of God.
When I was moving along the ordination process I was assigned a group to meet with. Several of the people in the group were not people I would have chosen to meet with because their theological perspective was different than mine. As we met regularly, I got to know these people and not their perspective and became good friends. We still do not agree on everything, but we love and respect each other.
Jesus says we are blessed when we are peacemakers. We are blessed when we do not divide, but instead draw people together. Pray for God's help to love all people, including our "enemies." This is the calling of all those who follow Christ.

Thirsty

2011-03-21T07:39:00.002-05:00

(Back to blogging after a week off due to my grandma's funeral)
This Lent I am focusing on the big idea of changing our mindset from allowing our past to give us direction into the future, and instead grabbing a hold of our future and allowing that to pull us towards Christ. When we put our faith in Christ he has already made us saints of God by his sacrifice on the cross. So we need to grab a hold of that future and be pulled towards the saint God has made us to be.
We are using Jesus' Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 to learn about how Christ has called us to live out our sainthood. We will be connecting the Beatitudes from Matthew 5:1-12 to other passages of the Sermon on the Mount to put some flesh on what to grab a hold of in our future.
This week I want to connect Jesus' calling for us to be the "salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13) with Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." I wondered if part of Jesus' calling for us to be salt is for us to make people thirsty because if you eat a lot of salt you do get thirsty. The reason I found that we get thirsty is because our bodies need a certain balance of salt and water in our blood and cells. When we eat a lot of salt that increases the salt level in our blood, which then needs more water to get back into balance or equilibrium.
Since salt makes people thirsty, I wonder if Jesus would tell us to help people hunger and thirst for righteousness. The definition of righteousness I would use is the Hebrew idea of shalom. Shalom means peace. However this peace means more than just the absence of war or violence. This peace is about wholeness. It is about having everything as God would want it to be. It is about balance with everything in its right place. So we are called to thirst for this shalom to fill the earth.
In America, and especially in Williamsburg, it can be easy to look around and feel that we are not too far from shalom. Yet we need to become more aware of what is going on around us in the world. I went looking at some ministries that are thirsting for righteousness and found some realities that make me thirsty, and I thought they might make you thirsty also.
Looking at pictures and hearing information about the recent tsunami in Japan makes me thirsty. The lives of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, are out of shalom. Estimates are the over 18,000 people have died and the destruction is horrific. How does our thirst call us to respond? (new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor)
Another ministry is called Living Water International. They are thirsty to get clean drinking water to those who do not have access to it. They say there are 2.5 billion people who do not have clean drinking water. This is the leading cause of death in under resourced countries where 1.8 million people die each year from water born illnesses. This includes 3,900 children each day. (www.water.cc)
I also was thirsty for righteousness when I heard that there are more slaves today then ever before. There are 12.3 million people caught in human trafficking. These people are forced into slave labor and prostitution, while those who sell them make $32 billion a year. International Justice Mission is thirsty to rescue people and prosecute the offenders. (www.ijm.org)
Of course there are many other places and lives that do not know God's shalom. I believe Jesus calls us as the salt of the earth to inform people and help them get thirsty to make a difference. As we thirst together, we can offer God's shalom to others. We can do it halfway around the world, but also in our own neighborhoods if we will just thirst for righteousness and keep our eyes and hearts open to see those who have lost shalom.
This Lent I encourage you to grab onto hungering and thirsting for righteousness as a way to be drawn towards the saint Christ has called you to be.

Answered Prayers

2011-03-06T21:42:00.002-06:00

You may or may not know that Christianity in America seems to be declining or at least struggling. There are fewer and fewer people who attend worship in Christian churches. However, I believe there is still a spiritual hunger among people inside and outside the church. With that spiritual hunger comes many prayers lifted up to God. Some may recognize their requests to God as prayer, while others may just recognize it as hope or a desire for something more.
As people lift up those prayers we have an opportunity to reach out with the love of God. We can be the answer to those prayers. God can respond to prayers in miraculous ways, but most often God responds to prayer through ordinary people like you and me. God uses us when we respond to prayers with action.
When someone is lonely, we can be a friend. When someone is depressed, we can be an encourager. When someone is in need, we can be generous. We can respond to many of the prayers out there if we will respond to the prayers of people.
Remembering that I can be an answer to prayer for other people helps me to watch for what God is doing each and every day. There are so many people that need an answered prayer, and you never know how that answer may make all the difference in the world to that person. So I encourage you as we move from a Season of Prayer to a Season of Action to hold in your heart the prayers we have been lifting up, but also look for ways to act and respond to those prayers. God will use us to answer the prayers of those around us if we hear his voice and take action.

Answering Machine

2011-02-28T08:42:00.003-06:00

There are some Scripture passages that kind of make God sound like an answering machine. Now I don't mean like your phone answering machine, but more like a vending machine for answers to prayer. Luke 11:9-13 is one of those passages. Jesus says there, "Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you." On the surface this seems to say that I just ask God for whatever I want, push the right buttons, and I will get what I want in my prayers.
However, in reality most, if not all, of us have prayed for something we did not get. So how do we wrestle with the difference between Jesus' teaching and what we experience? Why is it that some prayers are answered and others are not?
One scholarly response is that this teaching from Jesus was prophetic hyperbole. This means that in order to teach a message about God Jesus exaggerates his point. He did not literally mean everything you ask for you will get, but he was encouraging us to always ask. He was reminding us of the power of prayer.
A more practical response takes me to Luke 22:42 where Jesus prays, "Father, if it is your will, take this cup from me." Jesus is praying that God would not have him go to the cross and die. Of course, Jesus did go to the cross and die. So even Jesus knows what it is like to not have his prayer answered the way he wanted.
This tells me that getting the answer we want in prayer is not about how much God loves us. We may feel less loved by not getting the answer we want, but God still loves us the same just as he loved Jesus the same. It also does not mean we do not have enough faith. Jesus had plenty of faith.
I believe the "answer" to unanswered prayers is to keep on asking, keep on seeking and keep on knocking. We need to continue to pray in the good times and the bad and God will be with us no matter what the answer is.
Let me know if you have other thoughts on this question or even more questions on this question.

Reflection of Prayer

2011-02-21T08:31:00.002-06:00

In Matthew 6:9-13 we have a major portion of what we call the Lord's Prayer. It is called the Lord's Prayer because the Lord Jesus gave us these words when asked how we should pray. As a Christian I take seriously the words and instructions Jesus gives, so I took some time to reflect on this prayer.
In my reflection time an image of a mirror came to my mind. I think this image can help us grow in our prayer time. The mirror came to my mind as I thought the words of the Lord's Prayer seem to be a prayer for earth to be a reflection of heaven. It is a prayer for God's kingdom to be on earth as it is in heaven. I believe this begins to happen through prayer.
When we pray we need to use prayer like a mirror in a couple of ways. First, most of us will look in a mirror to notice imperfections. We will check a mirror to make sure our hair is the way we want it or to make sure there is not something stuck in our teeth. When I have quality prayer time I often begin to notice my imperfections. I notice the areas of my life that God would like to adjust if I am going to be a resident of God's kingdom on earth. For instance, when I pray for someone else who I think has a hard heart, I hear God ask if I have looked in the mirror? Then I start to pray about my hard heart.
A second use of mirrors is like your rear view mirror in your car. We use mirrors to see other people that are out of our line of sight. We need to find those people that are normally out of our line of sight and pray for them. A major group we often forget to pray for are those who do not have a relationship with God or those who do not have a church they call their home. These folks need to be regularly lifted up in our prayer times. When you pray check your mirrors for those you do not always see at first and allow God to show you other people to pray for.
As God's kingdom is reflected on earth more and more people will be coming into a relationship with God. God loves all people and wants everyone to know about his love, so as we pray for others to know God, we are praying your kingdom come.
So your assignment for this week (I had someone who regularly reads this blog tell me last week that they need assignments to know they did something about the message, so I thought I would give one here) is to be sure you are checking your mirrors in your regular prayer time. I would encourage you each time you pray to spend some time reflecting on what God might want you to learn. Pray about how God might want to work in you, so that you can represent his kingdom here on earth. Then also schedule a time regularly to lift up other people you may overlook. For instance, every Monday pray for those who do not know God. Then pray every Thursday for those who are looking for a church home. Spread out those prayers so it does not get too routine. You may want to pray about other general requests about earth reflecting heaven and space those out during your week as well.
Jesus teaches us to pray for God's kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. We can pray for this to happen in our ourselves and in others.

Personal Prayer

2011-02-14T08:44:00.002-06:00

I had the Sunday off from preaching yesterday as Helen gave the message. She reminded us that there are many different ways to pray. Prayer is personal and I do not need to pray like someone else. My prayers may look different or sound different, but they are just as effective when I lift them up to the Lord.
Although our prayers are different we still can learn from the ways prayer has worked for others. Helen said she often offers "thought prayers." These are short prayers said in her mind inviting God's presence into her thoughts.
However, she has also in the past used prayer journals and books of prayers. The book she mentioned from her childhood was "Dear Father in Heaven" by Schlesselman and Ahrens. She also mentioned "Praying With Paul" by Eugene Peterson. I might also recommend "Unless We Pray" by Maxine Dunnam to help you grow in prayer.
Growing in prayer can be frustrating, especially when we compare ourselves to others. When I first became a Christian and wanted to pray, of course I looked for someone who was a good prayer. I became intimidated by the length, depth and fancy words used by this person. I prayed with them a few times, but then found reasons not to. Eventually through personal prayer time and praying with others I found my voice in prayer.
So do not let prayer overwhelm you, just take your time finding your voice. God is listening.

Season of Prayer

2011-02-07T08:58:00.002-06:00

Our congregation is entering a Season of Prayer with all of the churches of the Iowa Annual Conference. This season is going to be held during the month of February. In this season we are going to pray, obviously, but also focus on growing in prayer.
My first encouragement is for you to find a way to grow your prayer life. Surveys show that 9 out of 10 people pray. And most of us would say that prayer is important, but when you get to more specifics on prayer the answers reveal a difference between our ideals of prayer and our reality of prayer.
Many of those 9 of 10 that pray say they spend 5 maybe 7 minutes in prayer a day. When asked if they sense God’s presence in prayer, they say occasionally, but not often. Then if asked if they are satisfied with their prayer life they say not really. (Information from Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? by Phillip Yancey)
We say prayer is important and then probably the most common result of prayer in our lives is a feeling of guilt for our failures in prayer.
I don't think guilt is going to help us grow our prayer lives. I want to encourage you to find another way to grow your prayer life. We did a quick survey in worship yesterday asking people if they would be inspired to pray by contemplating the majesty and vastness of God, who wants to connect with us in prayer. Or would people think they would grow in prayer by simply praying more. As they pray it will become a habit and God would touch them in that time. The results were split almost 50/50, maybe it leaned a little towards the side of just praying.
So I have two assignments to help both sides of this question. For the contemplators, I want you to read the book of Ephesians. It is only 6 chapters long, but it often reminds us of the greatness of God. When I read those chapters and I take a moment to reflect on the fact that the creator of the universe wants to connect with me. That is a humbling thought and one that draws me into prayer. I believe it can do the same for you.
For the practitioners, find a way to be reminded to pray. I passed out green dot stickers yesterday and have more available. These 1/4" stickers can be placed somewhere so that whenever you see it you know it is time to pray. I put one on the face of my watch, so when I look for the time, I know it is time to pray. I actually only wear a watch on Sunday mornings, so I also put a sticker on my cell phone where I regularly look for the time, so I will be reminded then as well. You do not have to use stickers, but find a way to remember it is always time to pray. Then, pray any time that comes to your mind. You do not need to drop to your knees and speak in King James English, but just quiet thy heart and open thy mind to lift up a prayer. As you lift up prayers regularly God will speak to you and draw you into prayer.
Maybe you need another way to grow in your prayer life, just find what works for you. Do not do it out of frustration or guilt because prayer is not easy. Just know God wants to connect with you and a great way for that to happen is through prayer. So in my prayers this season I will be lifting up your prayer life. I will pray it will grow and blossom as we recognize how great our God is and when we know it is always time to pray.

Let's Go

2011-01-31T08:58:00.002-06:00

This is my final blog in the Awakening series. I have been sharing about ways to wake up to all that God is doing around us. Too often we sleepwalk through our faith and just go through the motions. God wants us to wake up and be fully aware of what he is doing.
I was looking at the call of Levi from Luke 5:27-32 and I thought this was a wake up call. Levi is sitting at his tax collector's booth. All of a sudden Jesus shows up and says, "Follow me." We are not told how long Levi took to answer. But in that time, whether it was seconds or minutes, I see Levi's life flash in his mind. After reflecting on his past and catching up to the present, Levi decides what he has been doing was not what he wanted to keep doing. I wonder if he had been searching for God's call, but had not heard it until Jesus came. The passage says that Levi left everything and followed Jesus.
Maybe God is calling you to leave everything as well. Or maybe God is calling you to make some changes to be more aware of what God is calling you to do. I hope you have heard this call and I hope maybe this past month God has awakened you to a new or more meaningful call than before. I know I have felt a deeper sense of my need to listen more carefully to God's voice each day. If you have heard a call I would love to hear it either in person or in response to this blog.
Now that we know God wants us to be awake to all he is doing, let's go. Let's follow him as he leads us to love the people around us. Let's follow him as we serve those in need. And let's follow him as we transform this world through the grace of Christ. Let's go!

Getting Ready

2011-01-24T09:10:00.002-06:00

When I get up in the morning it takes me a while to really wake up. I have to go through my routine of getting ready. Not until after my shower, brushing my teeth and getting on fresh clothes, that I am fully ready for the day.
As we are awakening to God's call in our lives one thing that can help you get ready to hear God's call is to know yourself. Not just on the surface because we all should know ourselves, but really get to know who you are and how you operate.
I think David shows us this in the passage about David and Goliath. This passage is 1 Samuel 17. You probably know the overall story. David is a shepherd boy and Goliath is a giant warrior that stands over 9 feet tall. Goliath has been challenging the warriors of Israel to a battle, but none will take the challenge. David finally says he will face Goliath.
In verses 32-40 we see the conversation David has with King Saul about accepting the challenge. First, Saul tries to talk him out of it, but then he gives David his armor. David tries it on, but it does not fit him. David is not a warrior and not used to wearing armor. Instead of facing Goliath as a warrior, he takes his shepherd's staff, 5 stones and his sling. He faces Goliath as a shepherd. And it is as a shepherd that he wins the battle.
It is a good thing that David knew he was not a warrior. If he had tried to battle Goliath with armor and a sword, he probably would have lost. But because he knew he was a good shepherd and faced the battle that way, he was victorious.
As we listen for God's calling we need to know who God has created us to be. We need to be confident in how God designed us. When we know ourselves we can know better how to work in our strengths, and we will know how to handle our weaknesses. So I encourage you to use tools that can help you get to know yourself.
In a small group on Wednesday nights we were looking at our time styles. This little test showed if you see time as scheduled or unscheduled and if you focus on the future or the present. I found out that I am unscheduled and live in the present. Then I read about the Accommodater style of person. It helped me realize why I do things the way I do.
Little surveys and tests like those can really help us know how God created us. I have also taken the Myers-Briggs test and several Spiritual Gifts Inventories that have been helpful.
I want to encourage you to keep getting to know how God put you together. When you know who God made you to be you can be confident in yourself. Then you can be confident in the plans God lays before you.

Who Ya Gonna Call?

2011-01-17T12:34:00.002-06:00

As we continue to think about Awakening to all God is doing around us I want to continue to look at Samuel's call story found in 1 Samuel 3. There seems to be three people actively working in this chapter. Of course, Samuel and God are present as God is calling out to Samuel. But if we think this passage is only about those two we are missing an important person, Eli.
Eli was the priest of the temple and Samuel's mentor. He should have been the one God was talking to, but instead God called out to Samuel. However, Samuel did not know it was God calling him. Eli then helped Samuel hear his call by instructing him to say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." If Eli had not given Samuel guidance he may not have ever responded to God's call.
So I want you to think about the people who have played Eli's role in your life. Who has helped you to hear God's voice? Who has given you spiritual guidance?
Then I also want you to think about who God has placed around you for you to guide.
The United Methodist Church of America is facing a tough time getting young people to hear a call to full time pastoral ministry. Here in Iowa I believe we have 20 pastors under the age of 35. In Iowa we have over 800 churches to be served, so you can see that we quickly will not have enough pastors if we do not get more young pastors.
Helen and I went to a conference that was geared to speak to this issue. One survey they mentioned looked at the instruments God uses to help people hear their call. Common responses were parents and pastors. However, there was a trend that they noticed as they looked at the year of a person's call. They noticed that decades ago a major influence was lay people, but that lay people were not mentioned as much by people hearing a call more recently. What they took from this survey is that fewer lay people are helping youth hear God's call to ministry.
This stuck me with two thoughts. First, we do need more lay people involved in encouraging young people with gifts and graces for ministry.
Second, it told me that the voice of lay people is important to those around them. People will listen when lay people speak about spiritual things. As a lay person, your voice needs to be heard. You need to be guiding and encouraging others around you.
So again, who can you help hear God's call? You can be an "Eli" to someone around you.

Hear God's Voice

2011-01-10T08:51:00.002-06:00

As we focus on awakening to all God has for us, a good place to start is hearing God's voice. I believe God wants to speak to each of us. God has a calling in all of our lives. God has a plan and a purpose for you. However, we often miss that calling because we are not awake to the fact that God is calling us or we may not recognize God's voice when he calls.
The passage of 1 Samuel 3:1-11 tells the story of Samuel being called by God. It is the middle of the night, so Samuel is sleeping when he hears a voice calling his name. Three times he thinks it is his mentor the priest, Eli. So Samuel goes to Eli's room, but Eli says he did not call him. After this happens a couple more times, Eli realizes that it must be God calling out to Samuel. He encourages Samuel to say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." Samuel does this and God shares with Samuel his calling.
As God calls out to us we need to be able to recognize his voice. I believe a way to know God's voice is by reading his Word, that is the Bible. As we read God's Word we recognize how God works. We notice the way he calls and the instruments he uses to wake us up. So as this new year begins I recommend getting into the discipline of reading the Bible.
I have found a wonderful website that is helping me with this discipline. www.Youversion.com This free Bible website has many versions of the Bible available to read. I am currently reading the Message paraphrase. It also has daily devotions. I personally use a reading plan. You can choose from several options of reading plans which tells you each day what chapters to read. I am reading the Bible in one year through the Historical plan. That means I am reading the Old Testament in a similar order to the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament in the order scholars think the books were written.
One of the best features of this website is that it has apps for your mobile devises. So I have the app on my i-pad and it can go with me wherever I go.
Samuel did not recognize God's voice as he was called and we may often miss God calling us. However, if we read God's Word we will learn to hear his voice and recognize his call. As we are awakening to more of what God is doing around us, we need to know his voice.

Awakening

2011-01-03T09:03:00.002-06:00

January is a great time of year for me. I do not like New Year's Resolutions because I am not good at following through on those. However, I do appreciate having a time that I can look back and evaluate how my life is going. I can look back over the past year and celebrate the good times and victories. I can also mourn the tough times and see what I might learn from those experiences.
As I look back there will be experiences I will say, "Let's do that again!" Other experiences will remind me to, "Never do that again." I hope you have taken time to consider what you accomplished in 2010 and what you have learned. I also want you to think about what God did in and through you in 2010.
During January this year I want us to focus on this idea of awakening. I believe that we often end up sleep walking through parts of life. We get into a routine and we go through the motions in order to get by in life. This really is not a great way to live and it is not what God intended for us. God wants us to be fully awake and aware of what is happening in our lives.
Paul calls us to this in Romans 13:11-14. He calls us to wake and not miss what God is doing. God is always working for the good in our lives, but we often sleep walk right by.
In January we will be focusing on how to wake up and join in with what God is doing around us. I also hope we will learn to pass this on to help others wake up as well.
So take time to look back and reflect on 2010, and then throw some water on your face and get ready to wake up to what God's Spirit will do in 2011.

Shining Light

2010-12-27T07:11:00.002-06:00

Yesterday Helen shared with us that we are the light of the world. This means that we are to allow Jesus to shine in us for others to see. She shared about our Christmas lights that we put on our house this year. For the last few years I put Christmas lights on our front bushes and trees. This year Helen wanted lights hanging from our roof. So I borrowed an extension ladder and put lights up there.
One of the differences with lights down on bushes instead of up on the roof is that we can see the lower lights when they are on from the inside of the house. So the lights on the roof were left on for a day or so because we could not see that they were left on. During the day the lights were not bright enough with the sunlight for us to notice them. Once it was getting dark, then we noticed that we had left them on.
This can teach us a lesson when it comes to the light of our faith. When our light shines in the good times, the times full of light it is not the same as shining in the darkness. It is great for our light to shine in the good times because our light should always be shining. When it is shining in the good times it may not be noticed by as many people, but we still must shine.
The time our faith really needs to shine is in the dark times, the difficult times of life. When we are struggling or facing difficulty the darkness surrounds us. This is when our faith has a great opportunity to shine. Others can be shown the light when they witness how our faith shines in the dark times. This is also the time other Christians, other lights, are to gather together to bring light into the darkness.
So, no matter what we are called to let our light shine, in the good times and in the bad. Let your light shine before others so they may see your faith and praise your Father in heaven.

Guiding Light

2010-12-20T08:58:00.004-06:00

We have been focusing on the Light of Christmas. An obvious light of Christmas is the star that leads the Magi to Bethlehem. This comes from Matthew 2:1-12. This light in the sky was the guide for the Magi as it led them to Jesus.
So far I have encouraged you to watch for the light and talk about the light. And if that is all we do this Christmas it is not a bad thing, but there is more. God also wants us to follow the light. When we see the Christmas Light shining we should notice it, talk about it, and allow it to guide us to participate in the light.
The Magi saw the star, they probably talked about the star, and then finally they decided to follow the star. If they had not moved they would have just stayed in their home country and never met Jesus.
I have always wondered what motivated the Magi to make this move. They were not from the Jewish faith. The people of Israel were watching and waiting for the Messiah. The people of Israel should have been following the star, at least out of religious duty. But why are these Magi following it? Something about the star has just captured them and drew them to follow.
As we follow the Light of Christmas, there will be times we will need to follow out of religious duty. We will follow just because we know God wants us to. And that is okay. God may call us to do something we would not normally do, but for His glory we will be called to follow.
Other times following the light will be something we are just drawn to, like the Magi. We may not know why, but something will be drawing us to the light.
There will also be times we cannot chase after the light fast enough. With all that we are, we enjoy following the light.
No matter how we are guided by the light, we need to follow. When we follow the Light of Christmas we will be blessed and we will be a blessing. I hope you will make the move and follow the light this Christmas.

Fearless Light

2010-12-06T08:53:00.002-06:00

Last week I encourage you to look for the light of Christmas. This week I want to encourage you to fearlessly share about the light you have seen. If you have been looking for the light, I hope that you have seen it. Now when you see it be sure to share it with others.
The shepherds from Luke 2:8-20 are a great example for us on sharing the story of the light. After angels told them about the baby born in a stable, they went and found that baby. Then it says they "returned glorifying and praising God." They told others about what God had been doing around them. Their story probably sounded strange with singing angels appearing in a night sky and finding a baby lying in a manger, but that was the story they shared. They were not concerned with whether people would believe them or not. They just fearlessly shared their story of seeing the light.
I hope that when you see the Light of Christmas you will point it out to others. You do not have to say it is the Light of Christmas, but just point out that God is involved in whatever is going on.
Last week a friend received an envelop that had a Christmas card in it and some gift certificates. They had no idea where it came from and it was quite a blessing. Helen just said, "God is good." Reminding us that this was a Christmas Light moment.
Also this morning I had to comment on a facebook post that shared how a new member of our church pulled over in the freezing cold yesterday on Interstate 80 to help a young lady. Her tire blew and he changed it for her. He was being the Light of Christmas and I wanted to thank him for that.
We probably have seen many instances of the Light of Christ shining around us, but too often we do not call attention to it. If we do not call attention to it, others may not notice that God was with them. So let's work on giving God the glory when the Light of Christmas shines in us, through us and around us.

Watch for the Light

2010-11-29T09:08:00.002-06:00

We have quickly jumped into Advent. Advent is the time of preparation for the celebration of Christmas. The Christmas decorations are up at the church (and mostly up at home) and we are singing Christmas songs in Sunday worship. It seems early to me, but I am excited for this Advent Season.
The focus I have chosen for this Advent is the Light of Christmas. In Isaiah 9:1-7 the prophet foretells of a dawn that is coming. He says those walking in darkness will see a great light. And I want to encourage us to watch for the light this Advent season.
The light is Jesus Christ. In John chapter 1 Jesus is called the light of all people. That light is seen as God's love shows up in our lives. The light shines when we offer love and grace to those around us. This light will always shine in darkness.
The darkness is anything that draws our attention away from the light. The darkness comes as we focus on our own wants and desires. The darkness is there when we think Christmas is about gifts, gatherings and getting time off of work.
And isn't it interesting that this Season of Light begins with Black Friday. This year 138,000,000 consumers were out hitting the stores before dawn. And there were a few stories of dark events as people fought and stole to get the items they wanted.
So how do we move from Black Friday to the celebration of the birth of the Light of the World? That is what we want to do this Advent. Let's watch for the light. Let's give God our attention and notice the many places the Light of Christ can be seen during this holiday season. God's Light can show up in some wonderful places and amaze us. We can also be intentional of inviting Christ to be the center of all we do as we celebrate. So watch for the light and if you want to let me know where you have seen the light this year that would be wonderful too.

Mary is Different

2010-11-22T08:46:00.002-06:00

I want to encourage you to check out two passages of Scripture that tell us about Mary and Martha. The passages are Luke 10:38-42 and John 12:1-8. Mary and Martha are sisters of Lazarus. You may recognize Lazarus' name as the man who was dead for four days, but then Jesus brought him back to life.
As you read these passages you may notice that both take place around dinner tables. And in both, Martha is serving the meal. In the Luke passage she gets frustrated that Mary is not helping serve the meal, but in the John passage we do not hear Martha complaining. (Maybe she is used to Mary's behavior by now.) In Luke Jesus stands up for Mary not serving. He says it is better for her to sit and listen to Jesus teach. Then again in John's Gospel Jesus stands up for Mary as she offers a generous blessing to Jesus. The disciple Judas was not pleased with Mary pouring a scented oil on Jesus' feet because the oil is worth a year's wages. (Think $45,000 perfume today.) Judas thought it could have been sold and given to the poor. Jesus said what Mary did again was good.
So in both of these passages Mary does what others do not think she should be doing. Mary is different. She does not hesitate to do what she feels God calling her to do, even when others think she is doing the wrong thing.
As I looked at the John passage and thought about the generosity of the gift Mary gave to Jesus I was challenged to be different by being generous. Recent statistics say that 70% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. I think it would be tough to be generous when your money runs out before your next paycheck. Another statistic says Americans spend $1.22 for every $1 we make. How do we do that? Well, we go into debt as we spend money we do not have. Again, being in debt is not going to help us be generous.
So my suggestion to help us be different and generous like Mary is to plan and prepare ourselves to be generous. Have a written budget, so you can look over your income and expenses. Mary had to plan and save in order to have that expensive perfume to offer to Jesus. We too can plan and save, so that we can be generous when the opportunity arises. If you need help with a budget let me know or sign up for our Financial Peace University class that will begin in January.
Mary may not play a major role in the whole Scripture story, but she stands out to me as a great example of a follower of Christ.

$5 Challenge

2010-11-15T08:40:00.002-06:00

[I just checked and I have had only one comment on my blog in the last two months. The reason I do a blog is to try to have some extra interaction with people that is not always possible on Sundays. So I am wondering if it is worth my time and effort if I am not hearing back from people. So let me know if there is something I need to do different to get responses. Or maybe blogging is just not my thing.]

Yesterday I encouraged our congregation to step up their generosity. I believe we have been generous as a congregation, but to continue the ministry Christ has called us to we need to continue to grow.
I used the parables from Matthew 13:44-46 to remind us that we have a priceless gift in the kingdom of God. I define the kingdom of God as our experience of God with us. It is about our relationship to the Creator of the Universe. And it is because of this gift that I am generous towards the ministry of the church. I have experienced the kingdom of God and I want every else to experience it as well. I know it will be a priceless gift for them as they experience it.
So I am challenge people first to tithe, which is giving 10% of our income to God's work. And secondly if you need help moving towards the tithe to start by giving at least $5 more per week this next year.
We have 205 families in our congregation that support our ministries. If 200 of them give $5 more a week that will be an additional $52,000 for ministry in 2011. If we all join in and do our part, great things can be done. Now if $5 a week sounds like a lot. It is just $20-$25 more a month or $260 for the year.
What I would like comments back on is how to save $5 a week in order to give that $5 to God's ministry. I would love to hear some creative ideas on how people could find an extra $5 a week. I keep thinking about my $5 mocha at the coffee shop. If you have a home phone, internet and cable at home and you could go without one of those you could probably save over $25 a month. If you drink a lot of pop you could save money by purchasing the generic brands instead of the name brands. Let me know your ideas of what you have done or what you might do to free up $5 a week to continue the God work that is happening around us.

All Saints Day

2010-11-01T08:30:00.002-05:00

Today is All Saints Day. It is a day to remember those who have gone to heaven this past year. In our congregation we remember six saints: Esther Evans, Vianna Langley, Donna Lehnst, Elaine Lortz, Fern Orr, and Jerry Riggs.
In this group are some great saints. Esther was a great spouse. She was married to her husband Joe for 73 years before he died two years ago. Donna was a great mother who sacrificed and worked hard for her children. Fern also was a servant of her family. I heard Elaine was a great baker and I will always remember Jerry for some toys he crafted for my children. I did not personally know Vianna, but through letters knew she cared deeply for how God was working through our congregation.
I hope we will always remember these great saints and everything they have meant to their loved ones and how Christ worked in their lives. I hope we also remember to live our lives in a way that will be remembered. Jesus says the way to be great is to be the servant of others.
So aspire to be great by serving others. And post a comment if there is someone you want to remember today.

Celebrating 40 Days of Community

2010-10-25T07:28:00.003-05:00

40 days is a sacred time period for Christians. We look back and recognize that Moses spent 40 days on Mt. Sinai when he received the 10 Commandments from God. Jesus took 40 days for prayer and fasting before he began his ministry to the world. Jesus also spent 40 days after his resurrection with his followers. So God seems to do amazing things in 40 days.
I believe God has done it again. As we gave 40 days focusing on what it means to live in community, we learned that we are better together. Not only did we learn that lesson, but we lived it.
Yesterday in worship we had a time for people to share what God did in 40 days. It was a powerful time of hearing testimonies of what God was doing. I want to do the same with my blog this week. I want to invite anyone who reads it to share what God did in your life the last 40 days. So please comment on this blog and just share a sentence or a story praising God for what He did.

I praise God for all of the servants I have seen. Hearing all of the ideas that the 40 Days small groups are coming up with to reach out and serve our community is amazing. And then seeing results from some of those ministries already encourages me that God has plenty more for us to do to show his love to this world.
Our 40 Days of Community focus has ended, but I believe it is just the beginning of the next step for St. Paul's UMC to become the Body of Christ God has called us to be.

40 Days of Community: We Worship

2010-10-18T09:04:00.002-05:00

Day 37. The final purpose we have as a community during this 40 day focus is worship. We worship together. We worship as we are reminded of God's love for us and as we give love back to God. I think worship can be a personal experience, but it also is an amazing experience in community.
One of the most powerful worship experiences I have had in my life was going to Promise Keeper's in Minneapolis. Promise Keeper's is a ministry for men. We had 40,000-50,000 men in the Metrodome singing praise to God. Many times I see men sing shyly in church. But in the dome we were belting it out. And to hear that many men singing praises to God was powerful.
Worshiping with a huge group of people is powerful, but not necessary for wonderful worship. I have experienced mighty worship will small groups as well. I remember an Ash Wednesday service held a few years ago when our old parsonage was our Church Center. We had about a foot of snow that day and only 6 or 8 of us gathered. Yet the worship was wonderful. God was gathered there with us in that cozy setting.
Jesus says, "Whenever two or three of you come together in my name, I am there with you" (Matthew 18:20). When we gather together for worship God is present with us, whether it is 3 of us or 3,000. We need to keep meeting together to receive God's love and to give love back to him.
I would love to hear your wonderful worship experiences in community if you would like to share them.

40 Days of Community: Made for Ministry Together

2010-10-11T08:32:00.002-05:00

Day 30. You were made for ministry. We were made for ministry together. God has given each of us gifts and talents to use to serve other people. Sometimes we may think that ministry should be left to the "professionals," but Scripture clearly calls everyone into ministry.
In Luke 5:17-26 there is a powerful incident in Jesus' life that shares with us many lessons about being in ministry together. In this passage we hear about four men who carry a paralyzed man onto the roof of a home because they cannot get their friend through the crowd that has gathered around Jesus. They dig a hole in the roof and lower him down in front of Jesus. Because of their faith Jesus forgives this man's sins and heals him. He stands up and walks out of the house.
I think it would be interesting to know how this all started. Who took the initiative to go on this mission to get the paralyzed man to Jesus? It could have been the paralyzed man himself that thought up this plan and invited some friends to help. Or maybe he even convinced some strangers to help. The idea could have possibly come from these four guys. Maybe they decided to serve the paralyzed man, and didn't even tell him what they were doing. They just picked him up and took him to Jesus.
We will probably never know how this all started, but it made me think about how ministry starts in the church today. There are several ways people get involved in ministry. Some people are initiators and will jump right in and participate in ministry. Other people need to be asked or invited to serve in ministry. Personally I prefer the initiators, but I know most people need to be asked.
So I need to be sure we are able to help both groups get into ministry. We need to have a system that will encourage and support the initiators and help them get going in ministry. We also need to find ways to invite people to join in the ministry that is ongoing. We need to be ready to help everyone get connected in ministry because God has ministry for all of us.
Take time to think about how you get connected in ministry. If you are an initiator then keep jumping in and serving others. Sometimes ministries may not move fast enough for you, but keep pressing on. If you are one that waits for the invitation, just recognize that and be ready to respond when the request comes.
If you have ideas to help any of us get into ministry, I would love to hear them. We were made for ministry together.

40 Days of Community: Designed For Discipleship

2010-10-04T08:53:00.002-05:00

Day 23. You were designed for discipleship. God put us together in such a way that we need to grow in our faith as disciples in a group. Being a part of a discipling group is essential to growing in our faith. It is essential to have other people with us on our faith journey. And not just people that will cheer us on (although we need that), but people who will ask us hard questions and hold us accountable in our faith.
The two most popular excuses I hear for not being in a discipling small group are fear of not knowing the Bible well enough and because the other people might hurt them.
To the first excuse I try to remind people that the point of the group is to get to know the Bible better. Everyone else in the group is there to learn also. Some may know a little more, but chances are someone will know less. I don't know it all and I need help from others to understand the Scriptures. That is okay. The point of the group is not to show off your biblical knowledge, it is to grow in your faith and grow in your knowledge of the love of God. (You may have someone who "knows it all" but they need your presence as well.)
I know the other concern about being hurt by other people is a real concern. When we are open and honest with other people we become vulnerable to being hurt by them. And if we are honest we have hurt people as well. This is part of being in relationship with imperfect people. The best way to handle this is to be open about it. Share those concerns with the people in your group. Let them know how important it is to you that confidences are kept. Also remember you do not have to bare your soul at the first meeting. Take your time. Get to know the people in the group and when you are ready you can share.
My best advice is to try a small group and if that one does not work try another. And keep trying until you find the right group. If a child gave up trying to walk because they fell once or twice, we would all be crawling around ruining our pants. So keep looking for the right people and the right group for you to be growing in discipleship with others around you. You will truly be blessed by those relationships and God will fill your life with amazing blessings.

40 Days of Community: You Belong

2010-09-27T08:40:00.002-05:00

Day 16. For some reason I was reminded this morning of a horrible youth overnight Helen and I had down in Tennessee. We took the youth to a rock concert and then we were going to camp out at a state park. We had set up three tents and had a great evening, but in the middle of the night a thunderstorm rolled in. It started pouring.
I was in a tent with 5 of the boys and our tent started to leak. We made a barricade with our dirty clothes to keep the water from our sleeping bags. But the levee broke and we were sleeping in water.
Eventually we realized another tent was in water and we all made a run for the church 15 passenger bus. Looking at our tent we saw it was in 3 to 4 inches of standing water and we had put the tents up in the lowest part of the campground. We affectionately called it "Lake Stupid."
We ended up having at least 12 of us sleep in the church bus. We put two of the smaller kids into the overhead luggage racks to sleep and I slept on the cold, metal floor.
I thought about this because that was a terrible night's sleep and really just a miserable evening. However, it was a blast! It was a night that would be remembered for years in the youth group. Why? Because it was a storm we weathered together. It was a wonderful night of fellowship. Our youth group bonded and grew closer together through the night.
This is what fellowship is all about. We were created to go through life together. We are to be with one another in the good times and the bad. We need to be there for one another because we belong to each other. When you think about Christian fellowship just remember it is all about living life together.
You belong to the Body of Christ. You were formed for fellowship.

40 Days of Community: Better Get-Together

2010-09-20T08:50:00.002-05:00

Day 9. We have five purposes as a community: Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry, Worship and Evangelism. This week we are to focus on evangelism. Evangelism is sharing your faith with other people. This is a calling for all of us as individuals, but also as a community. So my question for you is how can you work with a community to share Christ with others?
There are many ways we can work together to reach people with God's love. First, we need to be praying for other people. Second, we need to love them. This is a great way to reach out with a group. Get a group together to go and show God's love to others. Each of our 40 Days small groups has been challenged to do this. (Personally I think my group will have the best ideas and reach the most people, but we will see.)
Along with those two things I want to encourage you to have better get-togethers. Have times of fun and fellowship with your Christian friends, but also be intentional to invite some people who do not have a church home or a relationship with Christ. You can be very creative with this, but just decide to do something you love and use it to reach out. We have a guy in our church that offers free guitar lessons. As people learn guitar they also experience some of God's love. I read about several couples who have season tickets to a professional football team. The couples then purchased two extra tickets to invite non-Christians to join them for the fun. Then if the non-Christians show interest they invite them to their weekly small group.
What do you love to do with other people? Think of how you could purposefully plan to do that with others in order to help someone experience God. Who would have thought going to a football game or learning the guitar could eternally change someone's life? But it can, if we get together and share God's love with them. God will do amazing things if we get together with others and allow God to work.
I would love to hear from you either what can happen through a community reaching out or what ideas you might have to reach out. If we share these ideas they may spark some wonderful things in one another. We are better together.

40 Days of Community - Created for Community

2010-09-13T08:43:00.002-05:00

Day 2
I am excited about what God is going to do as we focus on community for 40 days. I truly believe that if we are willing to live in real Christian community that the struggles of life will not defeat us. We can overcome any obstacle when we live life together. Ecclesiastes 3:12 says, "A cord of three strands is not easily broken." This reminds us that when we stand alone we are not as strong as when we are woven together with others.
This idea of being better together can be a new mindset for most of us. For most of our life we have been encouraged to be independent. It is time to get out on my own, to take care of myself, and to stand on my own two feet. Our country was founded on the Declaration of Independence. We are told it is weak to depend on other people.
This is different than God's teaching. The Bible does not teach us to be independent, but rather interdependent. We are taught in the Scriptures and through the life of Jesus to depend on God and depend on one another. We were created for community, not created for independence.
This means we need to open ourselves up to those around us. We need to be willing to share our struggles and let people know when we need help. We also need to be willing to help when others are in need.
Right now what I see happening is that people are struggling with loneliness, depression, financial situations, broken relationships (especially marriages), and many other situations. They are struggling and because they want to be independent they will not share their need for a community to lift them up. At the same time, we do not have a close enough relationship with that person to know the struggles in their lives.
We need to work on creating a community where we know each other. Where we are open with each other and trust each other. This will weave us together into a strong cord that will not be broken. Then we all will be a community that will hold each other up when facing struggles.
This will not happen overnight, but I believe it is a great goal to pursue. It starts with you, and it can start today. Will you join me in declaring our interdependence?

P.S.
If you actually read the Declaration of Independence you will find in the last line a declaration of dependence on God and each other. "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

facebook: Keep Me Logged In

2010-08-30T08:55:00.004-05:00

I love the little box under the space you enter your email when logging into facebook. When you check that little box you no longer need to reenter your email and password every time you want to get into your facebook account. When you check that box your computer remembers your information and takes you right into your facebook page. That little box says, "Keep me logged in."
This reminded me of our need to keep logged into our faith. We need to remain connected to God always. We do feel disconnected from time to time. I am sure you have felt that before because I have. You feel God is not present or distant, but of course, God is always there. So, we need to find ways to remain logged in with God.
I think there are many ways to remain logged in and it will depend on your personal way of getting connected to God. Reading your Bible on a regular basis may be your way. If you read the Bible regularly and miss a day, you may notice the disconnect. Reading the Bible helps you to connect with God through His Word. The Scriptures should challenge you, convict you and encourage you. You may remain connected through small groups. Meeting with other Christians to share about your faith can help you be accountable and recognize God’s presence. You also may remain connected through worship, whether that is private worship or communal worship. You need to find your way of staying logged in to God's Spirit.
What has recently helped me stay logged in is a 7 word mantra I learned from Leonard Sweet. These seven words are the condensed version of Philippians 4:6-7. He says these 7 words throughout the day and I have found myself doing the same thing. They remind me of how God calls me to live in this world as Christ lives in me. Here they are...
Anxious…nothing
Prayerful…everything
Thankful…anything
Peace
As we remain logged into God we are to be anxious in nothing. Our life should not be overwhelmed by anxiety, worry or fear. This does not mean those feelings will disappear, but they should not rule our lives. Our worrying about tomorrow will not solve any problems. We need to work at remembering God will provide and God will care for us.
Next we need to be prayerful in everything. We need to take everything to God in prayer. Prayer is a uniquely human quality. No other living creature prays. And I believe all humans pray. Even those who don't believe in God have probably cried out "why?" when something bad has happened and I believe that is a prayer. We have a desire built into us to pray, and yet sometimes we forget. All things, big and small, are worthy to be brought before God in prayer. We need to take everything to God in prayer.
Finally, we are to be thankful in anything. No matter the situation we find ourselves in we need to be thankful and joyful. This does not mean we have to like it necessarily, but we have to be thankful. Paul wrote these verses while in prison. Tough times will come to all of us, but God wants us to look for what we can be thankful for. Our faith always delivers blessings in the midst of bad times. God takes even death and turns it to new life, so God can take any of our troubles and bring thanksgiving.
When we follow these 7 words from Philippians 4:6-7 we get logged into God's presence and God gives us peace. Peace that calms our fears. Peace that leads us to our knees in prayer. Peace that finds the joy in the midst of sorrow. Peace that reminds us that Jesus lives in us.
Use this mantra if you think it might help you know this peace. It has helped me in my busy times. I always want to be logged in to what God is doing and I hope you do too.

facebook: Status Update

2010-08-23T09:39:00.003-05:00

On facebook you can share and connect with the people in your life by posting a status from time to time. Some people update their status regularly (some a little too much for me). Others are not as regular, like me. But as people update their status they are letting people know what is going on in their life.
As I thought about updating the status of our congregation I thought about all the change this congregation has seen just in the time facebook has been around. facebook went public in February of 2004. In 2004 our congregation averaged 112 in worship attendance. Today we average around 240. In 2004 we had around 200 people connected to our congregation including children. Today we have around 500. (Not to mention the selling of our old building, worshiping in a funeral home for 18 months, and then getting into our new church home.) What this change has done is transformed us from a pastoral size church to a program size church. So, our updated status says that we are going to be a great program church.
In a pastoral size church the pastor can be in the middle of it all. The pastor can know all of the people of the congregation. The pastor can provide the care needed by the congregation. Also, the pastor can be involved in most of the decisions made in the congregation. A good pastor can lead a pastoral size church.
In a program church the pastor moves into a different role. The pastor can no longer know everyone, care for everyone, or be involved in every decision. This is honestly a good thing because this means the ministry of the church needs to be done by the congregation. The pastor and staff now have the task of training and leading groups of people who will take on the role of being ministers. It will take more people from the congregation for the ministry to be effective.
One of the difficult parts of this status update is that the people of this congregation who have been here for more than 5 years have only known ministry as a pastoral size church. It is tough to make this change. Not only for the congregation, but for me as a pastor as well. I was trained in seminary to be a pastoral size church pastor. Now I am trying to be trained in leading a program size church.
This transition is so difficult for many churches that there are many books written about this transition. The books try to let you know why things are changing and what to expect. These books describe almost exactly what this congregation is going through. So it is good to know we are pretty normal. Also, it is good to know God will lead us through the transition into the church God wants us to be.
So we will continue to update our status as God works on us to be the Body of Christ in our community. God has a plan for this congregation and as we live that plan and follow Jesus, the updates to our status will show God at work.

facebook: Choices of Security

2010-08-15T20:13:00.004-05:00

facebook was created to help you share and connect with the people in your life. One of the concerns people have when being on-line is security. How secure is the information that I am putting out there? I want to share and connect with those in my life, but not share all this information with those not in my life. I was actually talking to someone last Sunday about that. This person’s sister, I think, had her identity stolen, so they were hesitant to put information onto internet places like facebook. It is a very real concern and something to check into.
facebook has at least two places to learn tips about being safe and secure on their website. They have a facebook Security Page and their Safety Center. You can find information there about security issues, but also what to do about on-line bullying or what to do when someone you don't know keeps trying to contact you.
On-line security issues are important. They keep your information safe and they help keep you safe. To stay safe we have to make choices about whether to use on-line places like facebook, but we also have to decide what information we put on-line and who we allow to see it.
In our Christian faith there are choices we have to make when it comes to who we associate with and who we are connected to as well. You could say these are security issues. There are choices you need to make about who you are connected to in your life. The people you connect to are people you will influence and they are people who will influence you.
Paul shares with us in 2 Corinthians 6:14 "not to be yoked to unbelievers." He is saying that we need to be wise in the people we connect with and the influence they will have on us. Being yoked to someone means you are connect to them, like two animals yoked together to plow a field or pull a cart.
Let me be clear, this does not say not to associate with unbelievers, but it says don't be so connected to an unbeliever that will influence the direction of your life. (I personally would say if you are not associated with any unbelievers, then you are living too safe.)
I know this can be a difficult lesson for us to learn. It is hard to be honest with ourselves that a friend that we are close to is someone that might lead us away from God's calling in our lives. We feel we are strong enough to stand against their influence when we may not be that strong in our faith. We also do not want to let go of them for fear of what might happen to them. It is a hard choice to make.
What I want to suggest is that if you have a person that is really close to you and they do not know Jesus, pray about what God wants you to do in that relationship. God may encourage you to take a break from that relationship to gain strength and understanding of your calling. Perhaps God will lead you to have a honest conversation with that person. Letting them know how much you care about them and how God has made a difference in your life and you want that for them as well. Spending time in prayer about that relationship can make a huge difference in both of your lives.
Just as on-line security issues are important, so are the choices you make when it comes to who you connect with in your life. Take seriously the choices of who you allow yourself to be yoked to. Be wise and honest about the relationships you have and pray God will be present in those relationships.

facebook: Forgot your password?

2010-08-09T08:32:00.002-05:00

To get into your facebook account you will always need to remember your user name and password. Your user name is easy because it is your email account that you use to connect with facebook. Your password can be whatever you decide, which can make it more random. Thinking about keeping these straight made me realize that we live in a password crazy world and it can get confusing.
I probably could not list from memory all of the places I use a password. My debit card has a PIN number. My social security number is used as a password sometimes. Both my cell phone and home phone accounts have passwords when I call customer service. I have accounts with Amazon.com, Christian Book Distributors, E-bay, Pay Pal, and many other on-line places that require passwords. It can be tough to remember all of those passwords and the proper user name that goes with them.
I thank God that our Christian faith does not have any passwords. There are not secret words or phrases that are needed to experience the love and grace of God. (I do believe there is power in the name of Jesus, but I would not call it a password.)
But the idea of forgetting your password means that you belong on facebook and have an account, but you have forgotten what gets you to your account. This made me think about the passage of Scripture from Revelation 2:1-7. This passage is about a church that was doing good work, but they had forgotten their first love. They had been in love with God and that had led them to endure hardships and work for God's kingdom, but somewhere along the way they forgot. They kept doing what they were doing before, but they forgot the reason they were doing it. In that passage they are called to remember and come back to their first love.
So I want to remind us as Christians that we too need to remember our first love. We need to remember the first time God let us know His presence. Remember the first time you knew God loved you.
For me it was 18 years ago at a camp called Wesley Woods near Indianola, Iowa. As I think back to that time I remember the joy, peace, and passion that filled my life as I realized the God of the universe loved me. As imperfect as I am, God loves me. Remembering that renews my excitement for sharing God's love even today.
Remember the first time you felt God's love. Not to live in the past of the glory days, but to be renewed and to serve and love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength today for His glory. Don't ever forget that God loves you.
If anyone wants to share their first experience with God just comment on this blog. It might help others to remember.

facebook: Friend Request

2010-08-01T21:03:00.003-05:00

The way people connect on facebook is through friend requests. A friend request is a message sent to another person letting them know you want to connect with them through facebook. The other person then gets to decide if they want to confirm or ignore the friend request.
In John 15 Jesus speaks in a way similar to that of a friend request. In this chapter Jesus says that he calls us friends. He also says that we did not choose him, but he chose us. So you could say he sent the first friend request to us. Then it was up to us to confirm it or ignore it.
Once he have confirmed the friend request from Jesus he says we are to love each other. Loving other people can be a large calling and has many possible ways to be lived out. One way to live it out is to reach out in love and make friends.
We were created for community, and yet there are many lonely people in this world. There are people who have friends and yet they do not feel loved by them. There are also people who may say they have no friends. God calls us to love the lonely. One way to do that is to become their friends. Maybe that can happen through facebook or maybe it will happen face to face. The way you become a friend is not important, but the important thing is that you make friends.
Jesus says that we are his friends and his friends love people. So let's continue to love all people, but keep an eye open for the lonely. You could make a difference in their life simply by talking with them and getting to know them.

facebook: It's free and anyone can join

2010-07-26T08:11:00.002-05:00

If you go to www.facebook.com and are looking to become a member of facebook you will see that it says there "It's free (and always will be)." It is free to get your own personal facebook page. It does not cost you a thing.
A month or so ago this phrase was different. I assume it was changed because there was a message going around on facebook that it was going to stop being free. If I remember correctly the message said that on July 15, 2010 they were going to start charging a monthly fee for facebook. This got some people riled up and I saw several petitions for a free facebook going around. Either that worked or the message was just a rumor and was never really going to happen.
The phase was changed to "It's free (and always will be)" to calm those worries about having to pay for facebook. The previous phrase was "It's free and anyone can join." I like that one a little better than the new one.
It's free and anyone can join applies to our faith as well. Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us that "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." Basic translation: Our relationship with God is a free gift. We cannot do anything to earn it or deserve it.
Yet we try to earn it or deserve it. We try to be good enough before coming into God's presence, but God loves us as we are. We can simply come to him to have that relationship. Once we are there I believe God works on our hearts, but that is work for God to do in us and not for us to do to ourselves.
So, our faith is free, but don't forget that anyone can join. I hope you have joined and if not God freely offers you an invitation. All you need to do is receive the gift of a relationship with him.
If you have already joined then I want to remind you that anyone else can join. There are people around you that need an invitation from you to join. I believe God calls people, but often he does that through us. We need to go to anyone and invite them into the family of God. Remind them it is free and let them know how a relationship with Christ has impacted your life. Spread the word, faith in Christ is free and anyone can join.

facebook: What's on Your Wall?

2010-07-18T15:23:00.002-05:00

Your wall on facebook is the public viewing area of your facebook page. What is put on your wall is there for anyone to see. If you want to send a private message you can use the instant messaging piece of facebook or send a message like an email to their facebook account. The wall is for the whole world to see, unless you have it set for just your friends to see. But still all the people connected to your life will see what is on your wall.
Your wall has your past status updates. It has your recent pictures posted. It has videos you saw and liked.
By reading someone’s wall you can begin to get an idea of that person’s identity. At least you can begin to see what has their attention, where their focus is. You can also start to learn what is important to that person.
So what’s on your wall? This question could be directed at your facebook wall if you have one. What is the general mood of your status updates? Are they negative, complaining, and making fun of others? Or are they positive, encouraging and sharing about God’s blessings in your life? Are your pictures and videos appropriate?
This question can also apply to your life. If someone looked at your life what would they see gets your attention? What would they see is important to you?
I think about myself when I say my wife and family are my top priority and then I find myself scheduling meetings in place of family time. I may say they are important, but is that really what is seen? I finally decided to schedule family time that cannot be rescheduled because I don’t want to just say my family is important, but I want to live that way.
Look at your wall. Look at your life. Do they show who God has called you to be? If you see changes that need to take place do not put up a false self just to make it look good to the outside, but rather ask God to transform your heart. Once God works on your heart it will move to the exterior. It will be seen in your life and on your wall.

facebook

2010-07-13T09:16:00.002-05:00

facebook is a major part of our world today. Over 400 million people use this social networking website launched just 6 years ago. So I thought we would look at pieces of facebook and see what it might teach us about our faith. For the next several weeks I will use something from facebook to start our thinking about how God wants us to live.
The idea is that facebook can be your virtual face. It could be your on-line personality. You choose what your face or personality looks like depending on what you post as your status, what pictures you put up, and all the other things you do on facebook.
2 Corinthians 3:18 says that we have unveiled faces that reflect the Lord's glory. This means that our faces are to reflect God, and I would say that is our real face and our virtual face. We are called to reflect the love, mercy and grace of God in all we do and even what we might put on facebook.
Most of the time I believe many of us have veiled faces. We veil our faces to cover up what is really going on inside of us. We worry that if people really knew what we were thinking or what was going on in our lives that they would judge us, shame us or not want to be friends with us. So we veil our true selves and put on a false face. I think we all do this from time to time to protect ourselves.
However, I believe God wants us to show our true face. God wants us to be real with each other. God desires for us to just be ourselves. Our gifts and talents are wonderful to share, but our weaknesses and struggles are also a part of who we are. If we all were honest and real with each other, we could know better how to serve and love each other. This would allow us a better opportunity to show Christ to each other.
My question to you then is; does your face reflect the Lord's glory? Are you real? Are you the same person on facebook as you are in person? We were created in the image of God, so when we live as God intended we will reflect the Lord's glory.
This is what we will be working on over the next few weeks. We will use facebook to show us ways to transform our faces to truly reflect the Lord's glory.

Free

2010-07-05T09:50:00.002-05:00

Galatians 5:13-14 says, "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
This passage is an important reminder after we celebrated our countries independence yesterday. We heard this message in our ecumenical service yesterday morning. The message is that our freedom is not meant only for our personal gain, but is meant to lead us to love others. One way we love others in our freedom is to invite them into the freedom we have in Christ.
I was impressed by my 6 year old son yesterday. We had many people come to our house during the 4th of July parade because the parade route goes right by our house and we are near the beginning where the candy throwers are still generous. I think we had 14 kids running around the house playing together. There were a few times parents needed to intervene, but overall the kids were very good.
I was impressed with Jamison because most of the kids at one time or another played with his Lego's. He really likes his Lego's and can be protective of them from time to time. However, he never was protective yesterday and actually he wanted each kid to build something and take it home. He wanted to give away his Lego's. He thought that each person took joy in the hard work of building their own Lego creation and they should get to take it home to enjoy, but then bring it back some time.
The freedom we have in Christ should lead us to the same kind of expression. Because we have joy in our freedom, we should want to offer it to others. When we see someone struggling or hurting we can share the freedom of Christ with them. We can give to them something that has changed our lives. Let's be about spreading the freedom of Christ all over this world as we express God's love for His people.

What if...this was your last day on earth?

2010-06-27T19:11:00.004-05:00

The average life expectancy in the United States for women is 28,891 days and for men it is 26,371 days. That is a lot of days to live. Of course, they are not all guaranteed, but that is the average.
Now think about how many of those days will be days you will never forget. How many of those days were memorable? Weddings, births, deaths, and other life changing moments make days memorable. I still remember the first day I saw my future wife on the seminary campus. I also remember the night my life was changed as I gave my life to Christ.
Now, how many of your days were average and forgettable? Days that you just went through the motions. The days that were routine and you were on autopilot. I would guess we all have more forgettable days than memorable ones.
However, if we decided to we might be able to change that. That is the idea behind the question; what if this was your last day on earth? Would you want your last day to be memorable or forgettable?
If we decide to live each day to God's fullest, each day would make a difference in this world and therefore be memorable. Living for God's fullest means that we have given up living for ourselves and decided to help people become aware of God's presence. If I live each day for God then it would be easier for me to have that be my last day on earth.
I know this is a rather larger ideal, and living each day fully for God is a big goal, but I still dream. I still challenge you and myself to live each day as if it were our last. Don't miss the opportunities God places before you each day. Make the most of those opportunities. It is through those daily opportunities to live for God that we will share a piece of heaven with those here on earth.

What if...God was your go-to-guy?

2010-06-21T09:20:00.003-05:00

I thought a good illustration of the way we often look at God is as a hail Mary pass. In football a hail Mary pass is a desperation heave down the field. It is an attempt to throw the ball towards the end zone just praying someone from your team will catch it and score. Every once in a while it works, but most times it does not. (The picture is of Warren Holloway catching a hail Mary from Drew Tate in the 2005 Capital One Bowl Iowa Hawkeye victory.)
I see us relating to God this way when we say something like, "well, I have tried everything else, I guess I could pray." I know I have thought or said that before. We also may not say it, but our actions speak it. We try everything in our own power before turning to God.
What I want to encourage us to do is to make God our go-to-guy. Instead of God being a desperation choice, make God the number one option. Go to God first thing. Make God the first place you turn in good and bad times. God is waiting for you.
If you want to read a great passage about God as a go-to-God read 1 Kings 18:22-39. This story is about Elijah and his trust that God would show up when he needed God.
I want to be a Christian who turns first to God, instead of waiting until I feel I have gone as far as I can go and now God can help me keep going. I still tend to do this as I try to fix things myself. I often jump straight into Mr. Fix-it mode. Instead I need to slow down, take a breath, pray and then go where God leads. When I have taken the time to turn to God first the situation seems to go better.
Where have you seen this work in your life? When has God responded as your go-to-God?

2010-06-14T08:41:00.002-05:00

Did you know that only 5% of Christians tithe? According to a Barna study that has been true since about 2000. And the average United Methodist gives under 2% of their income to the church. Tithing is giving 10% of your resources to God's work. So if all Christians tithed there would be a big difference in resources available for God's work.
Just within our medium sized church there would be a large increase in resources. The average net income in Williamsburg is around $45,000 a year. We have 200 families in our congregation. So if every family tithed on that average amount, we would have $900,000 a year for God's ministry. Our current general budget is $265,000.
Noticing the extra $600,000 I went to the United Methodist Advance webpage, which lists ministries around the world that need support to continue God's good work. You can check it out if you want at The Advance. You can look by ministry type or by region. We could support hospitals in foreign countries or clinics here in America. We could support orphanages in Haiti, teach farming in underdeveloped countries, and get fresh drinking water to people all over the world. We could work towards ending malaria or other diseases. The possibilities are endless.
However, I also know there is more to tithing than just the numbers. If all Christians tithed that would let me know that all Christians have a better understanding that everything we have actually belongs to God. 100% belongs to God and yet He gives it to us to use. We then make the decision on how God's resources are used. And when we tithe we can change the world. We can direct God's resources to His work. And we do this because we were created in the image of a generous God. God gave his Son for our salvation. God believes through giving the world will be changed and we can make that happen as well when we are generous and give.
Let me know if you have any questions on tithing, and imagine the possibilities. We could change the world if we all decided to tithe.

What if...we did not have Annual Conference?

2010-06-09T08:36:00.003-05:00

For the last four days I have been at our Iowa Annual Conference. This is where all of the pastors and a portion of laity from Iowa get together for our annual meeting. It is basically an annual business meeting. It seems to be one part celebration of ministry and mission, one part business and one part politics.
I was 15 when I first went to Annual Conference as a youth representative. I have not been every year since then, but probably missed 2 or 3 years. Some conferences I have left feeling God had some work for us to do. Other times I have left wondering if God had been there at all. I wrestle with parts of ministry that relate to business and politics. I know it is reality that both aspects are present in the church, but I still dream of the day when it will be different.
I do not think the church is a business. There are some similarities because a business and a church are organizations. There are some structure similarities and of course you need a budget to know where your resources are going.
I also see where political views intersect faith. But I am not sure they need to be a central part of the church. Main issues I heard debated were marriage, environmental justice, and immigration reform.
I wonder what if Annual Conference was no longer a business or political meeting and instead a time of healing and training for effective ministry. We do already have prayer and worship there, but then add in time for healing and care of pastors who as caregivers are often left uncared for. And then we could also be training pastors the most effective ways to be be caregivers and leaders of their churches.
I know I don't have all the answers, but what we have always done seems to be getting less effective to me.
Anyone else have thoughts on the business and political aspects of the church?

What if...we lived unplugged?

2010-06-01T08:34:00.002-05:00

The idea of living unplugged is about getting rid of our distractions, so that we can focus more fully on Christ. If you read Luke 10:38-42 you will see the passage about Jesus' visit to the home of Martha and Mary, two sisters. Martha is working diligently to be a good host for Jesus and the disciples. Her sister Mary is just sitting at Jesus' feet listening to his teaching. Martha wants her to help and asks Jesus to tell her to help, but instead Jesus tells Martha that Mary has chosen something better.
The application is clear to me, being with Jesus and learning from him is more important than any other good thing. Of course this calls for balance because if every just focused on learning from Jesus and not on preparing food we would eventually starve. So this does not say get rid of everything that distracts from God, but it does not hurt to reflect on areas that might be getting too much attention and draw us away from God.
So we can work to clear our distracts. The unplugged idea came because a major distraction can be things we plug in: TV, computer, media, video games... However our distractions are not limited to these electrical things. They many be anything, some good, some bad, but all distractions from what God wants us to be focused on.
I know I have wrestled with distractions. I often get focused on details. I regularly work on details because I believe when the details are right the big picture will be clear. This is not always the case, but I feel if I focus on the details that will remove some distractions, so that others can see the big picture better. I need to get better at unplugging my focus on details in order to pay plenty of attention to the big picture.
At the same time, I do need to plug Christ into my details and make sure they are always done for his glory and not for what I hope to accomplish.
Think about your distractions. What might you need to unplug? Or how might you plug Christ into all the activities of your life? Remember that Jesus always wants you to choose what is better. You may have plenty of good things that take up your time, but where are the great things? Give the great things your attention.

What if...everyone used their spiritual gifts?

2010-05-24T09:13:00.002-05:00

If everyone used their spiritual gifts that would tell me that the church was doing a good job with a few things. First, the church was helping people know they had gifts. I am amazed at the number of times I hear someone say they have nothing to offer. Everyone has something to offer. Sometimes it takes some creativity to use the gifts people have for God's glory, but I believe everyone has a good gift that can be used.
I love to hear stories of people using some unique gifts for God's glory. I was talking with a group of people about offering some events for young adults and their families. One of the guys threw out how much he enjoys fishing and he would be willing to help people fish. Now, I am not sure fishing is a spiritual gift (although Jesus also taught some fishing), but we are going to offer a fishing event in June for young adults and their families. I am excited to see the blessings God will bring for this gift being offered.
I also think that if everyone is using their spiritual gifts that "rewards" are being given. I am not sure that is the right way to say it, but I believe when you use your spiritual gifts God returns a blessing for your efforts. It may come in many ways and maybe we might not recognize it at first, but when we use our spiritual gifts God produces some fruit. There are spiritual "rewards" that come with using our gifts.
I also think the church should become gifted at giving thanks. We have a group in our church who is focused on giving thanks. Their work is to try to recognize and appreciate those who have given of themselves to God's work. We still miss saying thank you from time to time, but we can always strive to be thankful for all those who offer what they have to building God's kingdom.
If everyone used the spiritual gifts I believe this world would be transformed. When people use the gifts God has given them people are touched with God's love, both those serving and those being served. Find your gifts and use them for God's glory.

What if...you knew God's plan for you?

2010-05-17T08:59:00.002-05:00

Many Christians talk about wanting to know God's plan. We want God to tell us what to do with our lives, so that we can know for sure that we are doing what is pleasing to God. This is not a bad thing at all. However, it can make life difficult if we worry ourselves so much that we are scared to move without knowing for sure God wants us to or if we just sit around and wait for God's specific instructions.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, "I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. This passage has brought me peace and confidence in knowing that God has a plan. However, I just recently noticed it does not say that I get to know the plan. The verse says that God knows it, but in verse 13 of that chapter it says I have to seek God to know the plan.
I compare the way God shares his plan with us to how I read I Spy books with my son. Jamison loves I Spy books, which have a picture of a jumbled mess and instructions on what random objects to find in the mess. I am excellent at spying. And I could go from page to page telling Jamison where all the objects are, but that is not what he wants. To him the point is not just to find the objects, but for us to look as a team. He wants to find some of them, and he wants me to find some of them. Reading those books is about us doing it together.
I believe God's plan for your life works in a similar way. God can and God may share all the specific details of his plan for you. That does happen and it has happened with me from time to time. However, most of the time God reveals the plan as you live life with God. Jesus tells us to love God and love others. As we do that I believe God reveals his plan before us. Sometimes we see it for ourselves and other times God will point the way.
Either way, God goes with us. And this is a true blessing in life. Instead of a God who micromanages us, we have a God who wants to experience life with us. God wants to join you in the journey of discovering all he made you to be.

Moms

2010-05-10T08:31:00.002-05:00

I know all of you were probably looking forward to a blog full of stories on how my mom is the greatest mom in the world, but I also want you share about your moms. God has called all of us to honor our mothers, so share a story with me and others about your wonderful mom.
I will go first. My mom is the best because she never gives up. When my parents divorced I was 3, my sister was 1 and my brother was 5. Mom worked at home offering childcare in order to care for us and pay the bills. When we were older, she was told she could no longer have so many kids to care for, which meant her income would not be enough. So she had to get a job outside the home. This whole time she also had a Saturday job and worked as the handbell choir director at our church.
Mom is a hard worker and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. I want to be like her when I grow up.
Why is your mom wonderful?

Work in Progress

2010-05-03T09:07:00.003-05:00

The children led our worship services yesterday and their theme was "Kids Under Construction." They focused on the fact that God has a plan for us and that God is working on us. (By the way, they did a wonderful job of sharing God's message with us. I had several people tell me it was the best sermon I ever preached.)
My favorite thought from this construction theme is that as Christians we are works in progress. In those times I fall short, I try to remember that God is not finished with me yet. There is still more work God needs to do in me to grow my patience, my compassion, and my delegating. The list could go on.
There is more work God has to do in you as well. If you ever think you are finished, that God is done working on you, then you better think again. God will continue the work he started in you until you reach perfection. This is a Wesleyan thought. John Wesley believed God will work on us until we reach Christian perfection.
Reaching Christian perfection does not mean we are perfect people who never make mistakes. Rather, it means we act out of perfect Christian love. When we act out of love for others this does not mean everything goes perfect, but it does mean we have attempted to move in love. Even when we move in love we need to be sure it is God's love and not our love that is leading us. Even John Wesley believed very few of us will get to this point in our earthly life, of course in heaven we will be perfected.
With this idea of Christian perfection we need to balance the idea that we are works in progress. So, remember God continues to call you to work and grow towards Christian perfection, that is a great goal to have before us. At the same time, don't get down on yourself because you are not there yet, it does not happen overnight. Just like the kids sang, we are full of possibilities. We can make progress as God's love fills our lives.

Live by Faith

2010-04-26T08:53:00.002-05:00

I want to invite you to think about your life and where you live by faith. What I mean by living by faith is where do you believe God is working in your life. Many areas of our life are under our control. We make the decisions of what to do and go where we think we can get ourselves to go. We rely only on ourselves.
When we live by faith, we are going as far as we can go with ourselves and then trusting God will take us the rest of the way. We believe, by faith, that God will do more in our lives then we can do ourselves. And this is not wishful thinking or even hoping God will work, but it is more like expecting or knowing God will work.
What does this look like? Well, United Methodists have a membership pledge they make as they join the church and they renew those vows each time new members join. So I took the five pieces of that pledge and asked what it might look like to live by faith in those areas. The pledge says a United Methodist will be faithful in their prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness.
Prayers - Is your prayer life a place of faith? You know praying is not about you and yet you feel called to be praying specifically for others.
Presence - Maybe just coming to worship is an act of faith for you right now. You are not really sure about this church thing, but you are living by faith that if you show up to church God might work in your life.
Gifts - Do you give faithfully to others? When you look at your checkbook is your faith represented there?
Service - Are you involved in a ministry that you believe God is working in?
Witness - Is your life as a whole an example of living faith? Or are you pretty much in control of everything allowing little room for God to work?
I have felt challenged in my life to be sure that I am giving my all, but also living by faith that God will do more than I ever could. I hope you will look for the ways you are already living by faith and praise God for his work there. Also, look for an area you might need to add some faith to what you are doing.
When we live by faith, God's light shines through us and God will do amazing things.

Skilled Team

2010-04-19T08:56:00.002-05:00

In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus calls us to be the light of the world and compares us to a city on a hill. As I thought about a city on a hill I noticed Jesus did not call us to be a lighthouse on a hill here. A lighthouse gives off light and would not be able to hide on a hill. But a lighthouse is just one light, where a city is filled with many lights.
This reminded me that we are called to be the light of the world as a city, a community, a team. We are not called to shine alone, but with others. And I love being a part of a team because we can do so much more with a team than on our own.
A few weeks ago I went with a team over to Cedar Rapids to do some flood recovery work. There were 9 of us who went and I was the least skilled person there (which included an 8th grader). If the project had been left in my hands not much would have been accomplished. However, there was a role for me to play. I was the "gopher." I would go for this and that.
I ran to Lowe's and made sure everyone had what they needed so they could do their work. My role felt small at times, but I also know it was a needed role in the group. Because of my help the skilled guys could tear out a bad wall and build a new one. Our group worked together to put in new windows and prepare the home for siding. We got some good work done only because we each did our part, and together we did more than we could have alone.
Part of our Christian faith is letting our light shine with others. We cannot live the Christian life alone. We need to work together because each of us has a part to play in the marvelous plan God has for this world. This plan is too large for just one person, it will take all of us working together to be a city on hill that will shine God's light on the world. Don't forget that you are a part of this skilled team.

Easter Experience

2010-04-02T15:08:00.001-05:00

I missed blogging last week because I left for vacation, but I still want to focus on Easter. Of course, we celebrate Easter on that one special Sunday each year, but every Sunday is also supposed to be celebrated like "a little Easter." Easter is the celebration of the empty tomb and the risen Messiah, and that should be celebrated every day.
So, what does Easter mean to you? What does Jesus rising from the grave mean to you?
Easter reminds me that God overcomes all things. No matter the hurdle placed before God he can overcome it, even death. This gives me courage when facing obstacles because I know if God wants me to get over it God will make a way for it to happen. This does not mean I sit and wait for God to do everything, but I participate with God in getting over the obstacle.
Easter also reminds me of the great lengths God went through to prove his love for me. It took Jesus giving his life to forgive my sins and his resurrection to show his ability to offer that forgiveness. Sometimes it is hard to believe God would go through all of that for me, but it is true. It is true for you too.
Easter also reminds me that because Jesus is risen and alive he is present with me every day. I can have experiences with God because He is alive and active today. If I will just keep my eyes open God will be present with me in everything I do. I love seeing God work and experiencing his presence.
Without Easter our faith would not be the same. It is because of Jesus' resurrection from the dead that we can know God and his love and grace in our lives. What does Easter mean to you?

The Cross

2010-03-29T09:04:00.003-05:00

We have been focusing on the last 24 hours of Jesus' life and today we go through his final 6 hours, which were spent on the cross. Mark 15:25-39 tells us part of the story of Jesus' time on the cross.
Crucifixion is one of the most inhumane forms of execution. The person is made to suffer terrible pain. The point of crucifixion was to help the person live as long as they could before they died. The Romans used this as a deterrent for crime. People who had seen a crucifixion would not want it to be them on the cross.
As we look at the cross I want you to think about what it means to you.
This past weekend I went with a small team to Cedar Rapids to do some flood recovery work. I am from that area, but had not been into the neighborhoods since the floods and I was amazed at home much work is left to be done coming on two years after the floods. One of the jobs I worked on was to cover the outer walls of a house with green guard. The siding will then be put up over this guard.
The guard comes in a long 4 foot sheet folded every 2 feet, but the total length is probably 40 feet or so. The math geek in me came out as I start to try to figure out the best way to cover the walls without wasting any of the green guard. You have to figure in doors, windows and all of that.
Near the end of the project I was using the small scrap pieces to cover the last part of our wall because I did not want to waste any. I hate to waste stuff. I try to get all I can out of the things I have or use. But then I was thinking this morning that when I use the small scraps I may not be doing a good job of being efficient because I used more nails for each small piece than if it were a larger piece.
Anyway, when I look at the cross I see a great sacrifice. I see a price that was paid for me. And again, I do not like to waste things, so I do not want to waste that sacrifice. I want to live my life to the fullest in a way that brings glory to God.
I see many other images in the cross because it is a powerful symbol of our faith. What is it that you see in the cross?

He Can Take It

2010-03-22T08:56:00.003-05:00

We are continuing our focus on the last 24 hours of Jesus' life. Today we are reflecting on the torture and mocking of Jesus found in Mark 15:15b-20.
First Jesus was flogged, which means he was whipped all over his body. Usually they would flog the person's back and then their front. Flogging was not meant to kill someone, but to torture them. It was designed to cause as much pain as possible without killing the person.
Then the scripture said the whole company came out to mock Jesus. This would have been between 300 and 600 men. They put a purple robe on Jesus and a crown of thorns. This was to pretend he was a king.
It is hard for me to fully see this picture in my mind of my Lord and Savior being beaten and mocked. It is hard to image that he endured this pain and suffering even though he could have stopped it if he had chosen to. Yet we do not want to overlook this part of Jesus' final hours.
As we have been putting ourselves into the story it has often been as a follower of Jesus. In this part of the story there is not much room for that. I think we need to see ourselves as one of the company of soldiers. It was our punishment and pain that Jesus was enduring. It is almost like each one of us were represented in those soldiers. The times I sin and go against God's will for me, it is like I have taken a whip or a rod and caused my Lord pain. It hurts him when I hurt others or myself with my thoughts, words and actions.
Those soldiers also represent the cruelty of humanity and show our brokenness. If I continue to live in that brokenness I will continue to be cruel and hurtful. I need to recognize this brokenness inside myself if I am going to change. So I invite you to remember your brokenness, acknowledge it, and then offer it to God. We all have caused our Lord to suffer. But we can give him our brokenness, and he can take it.

Pilate's Proposal

2010-03-15T09:15:00.002-05:00

In Mark 15:1-15 we see Jesus on trial before Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, which is the southern part of Israel. Pilate does not really seem that interested in having Jesus crucified, so he offers a choice to the crowd that has gathered. He offers to free Jesus or Barabbas.
We believe Jesus to be a kind and loving person. He was a man who healed the sick and lame. He challenged people to not just be good, but to be compassionate.
Then on the other side is Barabbas. From what we are told he is part of a rebellion against Rome. To the people of Israel this is not a bad thing because he was fighting for their freedom. He was also a murderer. He had killed at least one person in this pursuit of freeing Israel.
If you watch the Passion of Christ movie by Mel Gibson, you will see his idea of Barabbas is this gross barbarian. One person described him as an animal. I think Mel was emphasizing the fact that it seemed Pilate wanted to put someone next to Jesus that was the opposite. He wanted someone next to Jesus who had never done anything right compared to Jesus who always did the right thing. Pilate was trying to make the choice easy for the crowd.
However, they called for Barabbas to be freed. Again in the movie, as the crowd calls for Barabbas it looks like the whole crowd is calling for him. Everyone except two figures in the middle of the screen. You only see them for a few seconds, but it is the disciple John and Jesus' mother Mary. Both are standing silent.
What would you have done in the midst of that crowd?
I would like to think I could have yelled my vote for Jesus to be released over Barabbas. I would have gone along with Pilate's proposal. He wanted to free Jesus and I would have agreed. But I wonder if my voice would have been heard. Would it have been drowned out by the rest of the crowd? Would I have stopped yelling when it was obvious my voice was not making a difference?
Sometimes in life we will see obvious choices and yet others will not want that choice. Will we continue to cry out or will we be silent?

The Denial of Peter

2010-03-08T08:52:00.002-06:00

As we continue through the final 24 hours of Jesus' life we are in the wee hours of Friday morning. Jesus was arrested between 1 and 3 in the morning. He was taken to a cell at the house of the high priest and held there until the council of religious leaders could be assembled. Once they were assembled they tried Jesus for blasphemy and found him guilty and sentenced him to death.
While this was going on inside the house of the high priest, Peter is warming himself by a fire in the courtyard. He is trying to see what is happening to his teacher. However, he is also trying not to draw attention to himself. He wants to blend into the crowd so not to be noticed and connected to Jesus for fear he will be arrested too.
If you know the rest of the story you know that Peter was not able to stay in the background. A servant girl first recognized him and he denied knowing Jesus. Two more times people asked if he was a friend of Jesus and two more times he denied it even calling curses on himself if he was lying. Then a rooster crowed and Peter remember Jesus had told him this would happen, and Peter wept.
I want to invite you to try to put yourself into Peter's shoes. How would you have responded to such questioning? Maybe a better question is, would you have had the courage to even be in the courtyard when he was? No other disciples is to be found at this time. Peter had courage enough to follow Jesus to the high priest's house, but lost his courage when questioned. Where would you be?
I had one person yesterday ask me why Peter did not go for help. I don't know the answer to that, but that was a good thought. What if instead of staying close Peter had gone to gather the other disciples and brought all of them to support Jesus. I usually like to face tough times with other people, so I would hope I would have thought of something like that. Jesus had more followers than just the 12 disciples. At one time he sent out 70 followers to do ministry. Peter could have gathered a large group to support Jesus, but instead he was there alone.
Of course, I want to say I would not have denied Jesus like Peter did, but I also think Peter is bold and brash and if anyone would stand strong in a crowd he would be someone who would. So if he couldn't then the surrounding situation must have been intimidating.
This story in Peter's life does challenge me to do more than just say I would not have denied Jesus, but rather to work at not denying Jesus in my life. Each day we have chances to deny Jesus by things we say or do that are not pleasing to God. Things we have justified by saying everyone else is doing it or I am not hurting anyone. The crowd is not concerned about our denial, but I know God is. God wants us to follow His example and always treat others with compassion. God wants our lives to show his love and grace to everyone, including ourselves and those we may not like. I accept that challenge and will strive to live it. How about you?

In the Garden

2010-03-01T08:41:00.004-06:00

The second event of the last 24 hours of Jesus' life take place in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-42). This was a garden filled with olive trees. The word gethsemane means olive press, so somewhere in the garden there was an olive press. An olive press was a large smooth stone with a round stone that would be pushed around to squeeze the oil out of the olives. Did you know half of the weight of a fresh olive is oil? Useless fact, I know, but at least you learned something today, right?
I found it interesting that this garden was named for an olive press as this garden is known as the place Jesus came to pray before he was arrested, tortured and crucified. Jesus probably felt like an olive in a press this night as the pressure of what was about to happen was coming down on Jesus. The pressure of what Jesus saw coming was driving him to his knees.
It was after midnight that Jesus and his disciples arrived in the garden. Jesus asked his disciples to pray and yet they kept falling asleep. We know Jesus was praying to God that there was another way to redeem humanity other than his torture and death. However, Jesus was going to give his life if that was what God asked him to do.
Again I want to think about what it would have been like to be one of Jesus' disciples in this situation. When Jesus asked his disciples to pray they had no clue what was about to happen. I probably would have fallen asleep just like the disciples did. For one thing, I am not a night person. I have a hard time staying up until 10:30pm. Another thing is that not knowing what was about to happen I probably would not have been really excited to pray. If I knew what was going to happen I would have been devoted in prayer, but not seeing the significance of that night I would have been more lazy in my prayers. I wish this was not the case, but there are times I am more fervent in my prayers than others.
Routine prayers don't usually get me so excited that I could pray for hours. When I do have a specific prayer concern or my spirit is given direction then I can be drawn passionately into my prayer time. I would have hoped given the situation the disciples were in that my spirit would have been so connected to God that I would have been drawn into prayer, but I can't say for sure that would have happened since it didn't with the disciples. They fell asleep and Jesus was left alone in prayer to struggle with his impending death. At the end of this prayer time Judas enters the scene with a crowd of armed guards. Judas greeted Jesus with a kiss on the cheek and then Jesus was arrested.
How do you react when the pressures of the world are coming down on you? Do you turn to prayer? Also, how faithful are you to be in prayer for those around you? When Jesus needed the disciples in prayer the most, they fell asleep. Will we do the same for those around us or will we dedicate ourselves to praying for others?

The Last Supper

2010-02-22T08:54:00.004-06:00

During the six Sundays in Lent I am going to be focused on some significant moments in the last 24 hours of Jesus' life. The main question I want to wrestle with is what it would have been like to be a follower of Jesus during those final hours? And I think there are two ways to look at this question. First you could look for what that moment was like as it actually occurred. However, you could also think about how that event would have changed in your mind looking back, after Jesus was raised from the dead.
The first event that the final 24 hours of Jesus' life was the Last Supper (Mark 14:12-25). Jesus and his disciples were celebrating the Passover. This was a tradition of remembering the deliverance from slavery in Egypt for the people of Israel. They celebrated this meal every year. The disciples may have just been going through the motions until Jesus changed the tradition and took bread, blessed it and broke it. He gave it to them saying it represented his body. Next he took a cup and blessed it and gave it to each of them. He said this wine represented his blood of the covenant. At this meal we also know Jesus washed his disciples feet as a symbol of his servanthood to them. He also informed them that he would be betrayed by one of them and Peter would deny him.
For me this would have been a lot to take in. I think in the moment I would have been trying to figure things out. I do not think it would have made a lot of sense to me, but I also would have thought it was meaningful. I enjoy it when people take something I think I have figured out and then they make me think a little more. By changing what the disciples were used to Jesus challenged them to open their hearts and minds and to look past what they already thought they knew.
If I were looking back after Jesus' resurrection, I think I would have really treasured the Last Supper. I would have felt like Jesus was drawing strength from having his closest friends surround him as he faced his final hours. And I would probably have never have let that sacred time escape my memory.
What about you? What would you have thought or felt if you were present for the Last Supper?

Get Ready

2010-02-15T08:43:00.002-06:00

First I want to praise God for the youth who led worship yesterday. You did a wonderful job at offering a worship service that did touch many lives. I had many people make positive comments to me. So great job!
I think God was leading our youth to help all of us get ready for Lent which begins with Ash Wednesday this week. Then starting next Sunday we will be focusing during Lent on the last 24 hours of Jesus' life. There is a video introducing this series on our church webpage. During the six Sundays of Lent we will remember the Last Supper, Jesus' prayer in the garden, Jesus' time being tried and tortured, and finally the crucifixion. All of this is to get us ready for a wonderful celebration of Easter.
If we want a joyous Easter we need to get ready by remembering what Jesus went through to get there. Jesus did not just have a nice wonderful life on earth and rise to heaven. He had a life of wonderful ministry, but also difficulty, temptation, and suffering. When we better understand what Jesus went through for us, we become ready to celebrate Easter more fully. My hope is also that we do not just celebrate Easter on that one Sunday a year we call Easter, but that each and every day becomes an "Easter" for us, as we rise each day to praise and serve God.
So I hope you will join me over these next six weeks of Lent and then the grand celebration of Easter. My hope is to reconnect with Jesus' last hours that we might experience God's work in those moments and what God is doing today. Get ready because God has big plans for this Lent.

The Mission is Here and There

2010-02-08T12:23:00.002-06:00

Yesterday the coordinator for disaster relief who has organized much of the ministry for the United Methodist Church following the Floods of 2008 in Cedar Rapids spoke to our congregation. She shared many wonderful stories of how God has worked to help people, not only get back into their homes, but to move their lives in a positive direction. I felt it was very encouraging that God is still working in disaster areas.
She encouraged us as we plan to go for a day of work in March to help with flood recovery. There will be plenty of ministry work to be done and I know we have many gifted people that will be able to go and offer their service, whether that is making cookies, decorating cards, or putting up drywall.
She also reminded us that the ministry of service can be done to touch lives right here at home. We can go to Cedar Rapids to serve, but there is plenty to do here as well. We can serve an elderly person that needs some muscle to fix something. We can serve a parent of a teenager by listening to their frustrations. We can serve someone new to the community by inviting them to coffee. We can serve people right here in our midst.
So, I too encourage you to serve. The mission of service will take you great places, but it is also always around you waiting here at home. I encourage my congregation to get ready to serve as we move into Lent. As a part of our 24 Hours that Changed the World series where we will focus on the last 24 hours of Jesus' life, we will also be challenged to offer 2,400 (twenty-four hundred) hours of service. This service can be here or there, it can be anywhere, as long as you are offering your time and energy to serve others as you serve the Lord.
If you are looking forward to this and want to share ideas of where to serve please post a comment to this blog. You might be doing some unique service that others may want to join. Or you may have an idea of how to get someone else involved in service that is not currently doing something. We all have something to offer and we just need to find the right place to offer our gifts.
Go and serve the Lord, here and there.

Primary Faith Giver

2010-02-01T10:05:00.003-06:00

I found an interesting piece of Cain's story in Genesis 4:17. After Cain has murdered his brother Abel and become a wanderer he tries to settle down. He has a son, Enoch and then builds a city for him. There is not much more said in the scripture about this piece of the story, but my mind begins to wonder why he built a city for his son?
That is a pretty nice gift to give your child. There is no way my kids will receive a city from me. Not that I don't want to give them one. I mean I want to give them the world, but I just can't. Where I finally felt this question lead me to was that Cain, the wanderer, did not want his son to be a wanderer. He wanted more for his son, then what he had. So he built his son a city so that he will always have a place to stay and he won't have to wander. I think that makes sense and a reasonable person might do the same thing.
However since I know Cain's story (Genesis 4:1-16) I know he is not a wanderer because he did not have a city or home of his own. He did have a place to live until he made some bad choices and was cursed by God to become a wanderer. He murdered his brother, lied to God and was sent from God's presence. He was a wanderer because his relationship with God and others had been broken. He seems to think building a city will fix this problem.
As parents we do often want to give our children what we did not have. We want to fix the problems of our childhood by giving our children all the things we never had. I do not think this is completely a bad thing, but I sometimes doubt that is the appropriate way to solve the issues we are trying to solve. Cain tried to solve a spiritual issue with a physical gift. Instead of trying to solve a spiritual issue with a spiritual gift. What if instead of a city he had built his son a sanctuary? What if he gave his son a place to build a good relationship with God and maybe even to mend his broken relationship.
As parents, I believe we can really bless our children by giving them a gift we have in our relationship with God. Of course, we cannot just hand them this gift, but we can pass it on to them by living our faith in front of them. We can pass it on by reading the Bible with them, asking questions about what God is doing in this world, and letting them know why we love and serve God. If our faith is important to us, it can become important to them.
As parents you should be the primary faith giver to your children. The church can help, but it is up to you to live it each day.
We are now finishing our series on parenting, but keep talking with others about raising our children and be encouraged that God has called you to raise your children. Let me know if you have questions of how to pass on your faith more effectively or any other parenting questions. I know the task is not easy, but through Christ we can do all things.

Guilty of Grace

2010-01-25T09:09:00.002-06:00

The Parable of the Lost Son from Luke 15, is in my opinion one of the greatest parables of the Bible. You can view the story from so many perspectives. You can put yourself into the shoes of the younger son, the older son and also the father. It was not too long ago that I felt I could not relate to the father very much, but now that I am a father I can totally feel his pain. To have a child reject you as their parent must hurt like nothing else.
Then on top of that pain a parent would probably heap guilt on themselves. They would wonder what they did to cause the child to reject them. They would wonder what could have been done differently. They would beat themselves up again and again.
It may not be as bad as our child leaving us, but there are other things that happen with our children that we heap guilt on ourselves for something that happened. We worry and fear that we will fail our children with decisions we make as we raise them. We want to the best we can, but there are times we miss the mark. And many times other people can't wait to let us know about it.
I believe God does not want us to live our parental lives buried in guilt or fear. God wants to free us from these feelings. (Some fear and guilt is good to let us know an issue should be taken seriously, but too much of it is harmful.) God wants us to be confident as parents of our children. Confident that God will use us to be the best parents we can be.
In the Parable of the Lost Son after the son leaves and comes back, the father openly welcomes his son home. We see the father show his son grace. However as a parent I also see the need for this father to have offered grace to himself because he could receive his son home. He had to stop asking himself what he had done wrong and trying to change the past. Instead he had to offer himself grace and hope for the future.
Parents, be willing to offer yourself grace, as well as offering grace to your children. Grace is amazing and can transform our relationships. So, be guilty of offering grace.

Purpose Driven Family

2010-01-18T08:59:00.002-06:00

I have been struggling with this idea lately about leadership in my family. I read a book on leading your family with purpose and realized it was the first book of that kind that I have read. I have a whole shelf of books about leading a church or organization, but just one on leading my family. This book challenged me in this area because I spend so much time visioning and looking for clarity around the direction of my church, but I spend no time looking for direction for my family.
So, I want to get better at leading my family. I am planning to use the advice of the book I read, "The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family" by Patrick Lencioni. (I do not feel right putting the questions on the internet because I feel those belong to Lencioni, but if you talk with me I will share them with you.)
The first question helps you to know who your family is. It helps you discover the core values that are important to your family. This is significant in helping you know when to say "no". When an activity or request comes to your family you can ask if it fits with who you are. If it doesn't, then you can turn it down.
The second question is about what you need to focus on in your family at this time. What pressing issue needs to be your top priority for 2 to 6 months? This could be practical like cleaning the garage to be able to get a car into it, or getting your financial or physical health moving in the right direction. It could also be focusing on a relationship or behavior like potty training or helping a child through a tough transition.
After you come up with your focus and time line, then you come up with your defining objectives which tell what specifically you will do to address the issue. And you come up with standard objectives which remind you not to forget your core values.
The final question asks how you will continually keep these answers visible. You need to continue to remember who you are and what you want to accomplish. It is suggested that you have a ten minute meeting once a week to go over this information, decide how you are doing, and come up with what needs to be done to continue moving in the right direction.
This is just a quick overview of the book, so if you have questions let me know. Also if you would like some help setting up this form of leading your family I would be happy to help. Really it should only take an hour to answer and organize these questions into a helpful format, so that is not much time to give for your family to find its direction.
My prayer is that our families can gain some focus and receive the attention they deserve. Too many families are being separated and distracted as every individual goes their own way. Instead, we can grow as families, be a team, and work together for a common purpose.

New Hero

2010-01-11T08:45:00.002-06:00

I have a new hero. His name in Manoah and I did not know his name until just last week. Last week I found his story in Judges 13. Manoah is the father of Samson. An angel told his wife she would have a son. Once he heard this news he got on his knees and in verse 8 prayed for God to send back His messenger to teach him how to care for his coming son.
Manoah did not pretend like he would know what to do as a new parent. He did not just assume he would figure it out. Instead, he turned to God for guidance right away. I want to be like Manoah. He seems humble as he is willing to look for help. He seems confident in God's work because he turns to God for the help he needs. And I think he also seems to understand the magnitude of the calling to be a parent. If we really let the full weight of being responsible for another life settle in on us, we should be overwhelmed.
So, I hope my new hero will inspire me to have humility in my parenting, confidence in God's ability to work even through someone like me, and to know that only by God's grace can I fulfill my calling as a parent.
In response to this I would love for my blog to be a place for parenting questions and encouragement. Feel free to post questions you might have or have heard asked about parenting. I think encouraging one another is also important, so if you see some great parenting going on I would love to hear about that as well. Hopefully we can keep this going for the month of focusing on being better parents.

Discipleship Process

2010-01-04T08:46:00.003-06:00

Jamison received many, many (too many) sets of Legos for Christmas. Half of them are Indiana Jones Lego sets and the other half are for Lego City. He loves putting together the buildings, cars and airplanes they are meant to create. The other day he spent probably 6 hours putting together a set that had nine bags of legos. The only break he took was when we made him eat supper. So far he does not imagine his own creation, but he follows the instructions very carefully. It is all laid out for him and he just goes through each step until it is done.
I want to help layout the simple instructions our church is using for a process of discipleship. These steps will lead anyone to a deeper relationship with God if they follow these steps.
1) Embrace Christ in worship
2) Experience Christ in small groups
3) Serve Christ in ministry
The place most people will start their journey of discipleship with us is in Sunday morning worship. Most people who connect to our congregation begin there. Then we encourage you to find a small group where you will learn about who Jesus is and God's calling in your life. Then we encourage you to find a place to serve God in ministry.
It is as simple as 1-2-3, but it also more complex than that. It is not 1-2-3 and I am done, but rather the process continues as you go deeper into each step. You can worship more fully. Your small group can dig deeper into God's Word. Your ministry can grow and transform the world.
In this new year, I encourage you to look at your discipleship journey. Where are you in the process? Are you still moving closer to God or have you been stuck for awhile? Take some time in prayer to see what next step you should take this year to become a better follower of Jesus.

Simple Gifts

2009-12-21T09:08:00.002-06:00

Every year when I read the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke verse 19 always catches my attention. That verse says, "But Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart." It looks like Mary is treasuring the visit from the shepherds who shared with her the message the angel gave them that her baby boy would bring joy to all people. I believe that message helped carry Mary through many tough times. I believe it changed her life having heard this message of God at work in her life from the shepherds.
My life too was changed when someone shared how they saw God working in me. I had a guy I looked up to sit me down one time when I was in high school and he said he thought God wanted me to be a pastor. I was caught off guard because I had never really thought much about God using me in that way. But from then on I also began to hear God calling me to become a pastor. I wonder if I would have missed that calling if this man had not given me a simple gift of encouragement towards pastoral ministry.
So this week I would love to hear stories of those who have given you a simple gift of encouragement in what God has done or will do in your life. Even more, I would love to hear of people around you that God may be calling you to encourage with some words like the shepherds. There is someone around you this Christmas who needs that simple gift. Take a moment to encourage someone you see God using for His work this Christmas.

Simple Voices

2009-12-14T09:33:00.002-06:00

Yesterday our children offered their annual Christmas program. They did an outstanding job! The characters were played with excitement and joy. The songs were sung stupendously with some marvelous soloists. The whole thing was touching and inspiring. I do also want to thank all of the adult leaders who gave of their time and energy to make the program possible.
It is amazing to me the power of little voices. When our children say things to us something different happens than when an adult says the same things. When I say a blessing over our food at the dinner table no one tells me how wonderful it was. However when Hayden, who is now 4, folds her hands and closes her eyes tight and says with a faint voice, "Thank you God for food...mama...dada. Amen." Helen and I cannot stop talking about it. It is the most precious thing I have ever seen. To be honest I am more focused on watching her than blessing my food.
So it is a joy to hear our children remind us once again of the story of Christmas. The many different characters, the directions given by angels, and in the end the precious moment of the Son of God born in the flesh for us.
As adults we need to continue to share this story and especially with our children that they will know the story is true and that they too will take to heart the words of the Christmas story.

Simple Surroundings

2009-12-07T09:26:00.002-06:00

My favorite part of Christmas growing up was on Christmas morning we would wake up and go downstairs and open presents. This was at my mom's house, which was always the calmest part of our day. It was just Mom, Kate, Mike and me. There were not usually a lot of presents under the tree, the major "load" of presents came from grandparents. But there was something peaceful about just our little family having those few moments together.
Now my favorite part of Christmas is that same time with Helen, Jamison and Hayden. Most Christmas mornings we have been alone at our house. The kids get three gifts and Helen and I may have one or two. The kids also have to find a gift that is the baby Jesus from their nativity scene.
After these nice quiet moments we have to get everyone ready and we hit the road to begin the Christmas travels to different homes for food, fun and gifts. It is a good time, but I prefer the simple quiet time with my family as we remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. In those time I recognize the true blessings I have in my family.
What simple blessings are you reminded of at Christmas? What blessings can you recognize God has given you this year that could be missed in the busyness of the season?

Simply Human

2009-11-30T08:47:00.002-06:00

I love the fact that all throughout Scripture there is story after story of God using imperfect, flawed people just like me. This is especially true in the Christmas story. Each person who played a role in the Christmas story, other than Jesus, of course, was simply human.
Specifically we looked at Zecharias, the father of John the Baptist. Although Luke 1 says he was blameless before God he still lacked faith when an angel said he would have a son. So if a priest who was blameless can be flawed and still used by God then we have a chance to be used as well. We may put them on a pedestal as highly important people since God chose to use them in His story, and they are important people, but we are important people also.
We all fall into that same category of imperfect, flawed people that God will use for miraculous things. Now miraculous things will not all look alike. Not all of us could be the mother or father of John the Baptist who prepared the way for the Messiah. However, our work is just as important in doing the will of God.
So whether you can offer resources, time, talents or all of the above for God's work in this world, your part is significant. God cannot do His work in this world without you. Be open this Christmas simply as a person who can be used by God and see what miraculous things God will call you to do to change someone's life.

Give or Receive?

2009-11-23T10:45:00.002-06:00

Is it better to give than receive? I think this is a tough question if you really think about it.
Who does not enjoy receiving a gift? I look forward to my birthday when I get to be surprised by what my family will give me. My kids often bring "gifts" home for me and no matter what it is I at least offer some enthusiasm as I receive the gift. I am happy they thought about me and wanted to bring me a gift, no matter what it is.
Sometimes our ego can get in the way of receiving a gift. We are too proud to accept a gift even when it is needed. This might be a time we would rather give than receive. Yet, I believe this is a time we need to simply be grateful for the offer and receive the gift.
It is this way when it comes to eternal life. Nothing we can do will ever achieve eternal life, other than accepting the free gift of God's grace, which we do not deserve, but God offers it anyway.
Giving on the other hand, is also a blessing. I find it a joy to give a gift to someone. Especially when a lot of thought and work has gone into the gift. I do not have the talent to make a gift for someone, so it is most often something I have bought, but I usually spend a good amount of time thinking about the perfect gift for that person that will really meet a need in their life. So I feel joy knowing they feel joy because of something I have done. Being generous can fill our lives with joy as we are free to offer blessings to others.
God invites us to be generous in our lives because He has been generous with all He has as well. This includes God's willingness to give His son Jesus to forgive us of our sins. God has been generous with much and invites us to do the same.
So, is it better to give than receive or better to receive than give? What do you think?

Joy in Simplicity

2009-11-16T09:45:00.002-06:00

Yesterday we talked about how God can bring joy in our finances by simplifying our often complicated life. Two areas I mentioned was looking for ways to simplify regular expenses and how to simplify our activities and entertainment.
Regular expenses are the places we spend money routinely. This could be monthly expenses or a hobby. In our house we have simplified by getting rid of our satellite dish and by not having the internet at home. Cutting out these two payments save us close to $100 a month. That is $1,200 a year extra for us to save, spend on something more important or give away.
I also encouraged people to focus on doing instead of spending when it comes to activities and entertainment. We could spend a lot of money going to the movies or going to an amusement park. We could have just as much fun and can build more memories by doing things for free. Have a family game night where you rotate having someone choose the board game to play. Go outside or to the park and play some outdoor games. Head to the library and let each person find a book to read. We need to show our children that we can have fun without spending money.
If you can, take some time, think about what is complicating your life. How can you simplify your life? Feel free to respond with ways you have simplified your life or heard of others simplify their lives so that we can learn from each other. Through simplicity God will bring more joy into our lives.

Dreamin'

2009-11-09T09:11:00.002-06:00

Yesterday we began a series of messages called "Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity." Yesterday I mainly wanted to get across the idea that God wants you to have joy when you consider your financial situation. God does not desire for you to have worry, anxiety or fear when it comes to finances. God has enough and God has a plan for you to have enough as well.
I shared about chasing God's dream and not the American Dream because the American Dream can quickly turn into a nightmare.
One person sent me an email wrestling with the idea of the American Dream. He was saying the dream used to be to give a better life to the next generation. However, I have felt the dream has turned into everyone wanting bigger and better. Sure we might say it is for the next generation, but we also get plenty of bigger and better stuff for ourselves. (I may wrestle more with this idea and share some thoughts in my next message.)
So I challenged the congregation to dream about God's dream for their lives. One of my dreams is to help people know God's love and to know God's plan for their finances specifically. I have the dream to help others with finances because I have seen too many families struggle with finances. I have not just seen poor families struggle, but middle class and upper class people as well. We all can struggle if our finances do not bring joy into our lives.
In my life I have found joy in finances as Helen and I cover our bills and have enough to give where we want. It is a joy to be free to give generously when we see a need. I want to spread this joy to anyone and everyone.
So what are your dreams? Where do you see God calling you to make a difference in this world? What purpose do you feel compelled to fulfill? Feel free to share your thoughts or ask questions about the dreams we chase.

All Saints Day

2009-11-02T08:46:00.002-06:00

All Saints Day is the first of November. It is a day to remember those who have gone on to heaven from the past year. It is also a time to reflect back on the heavenly saints who have impacted our lives.
I am blessed to be able to be present with families with the loss of a loved one. This past year I have only officiated three funerals and have one coming up this month. Robert Uhlmann and Ruth Papritz are the saints connected to our church directly who will be missed. I also was with the Vaile family in the death of Kristi's mother last December and I officiated Marty Schlesselman's dad's services as well. I know these families continue to mourn these losses and I pray specifically for them in this time.
The heavenly saint that I continue to remember was a friend of mine that was killed in a car accident in college. Her name was Jenny and she was in school to become a teacher for deaf children. She felt God had called to that work. When I got the phone call telling of her death I was confused that God would allow this to happen to someone who only wanted to serve Him. However, I do continue to celebrate the life she did have and the many people she touched.
Who are the heavenly saints you remember today? Feel free to write a comment to remind us all of what others who have gone on before us have taught us.

Prayer Takes You There

2009-10-26T09:26:00.002-05:00

In our final look at prayer I wonder where prayer takes you? What image or experience do you have when you pray?
For me, prayer most often leads me to two places. While I am praying with some frustration or worry, God leads me to a place of peace. If my heart is troubled, whether I recognize it or not, prayer brings a sense of peace to my soul. After some time in prayer I feel God the Father wrap me in His arms and hold me close. God reminds me that in the midst of trouble His hand is strong. When I finish praying I have an assurance that God is still in control.
The second place God takes me in prayer is to a place of joy. This is where God takes me as he reminds me of all the blessings I have in this life. He brings to my mind the joy my wife and kids bring to me. He helps me remember how blessed I am to have my occupation match my calling to serve God and His children. When I finish a prayer time like that a smile is on my face and I am ready to receive all that life has to offer.
So where does prayer take you? It may not take you to the same place every time and it will not be the same places I go in prayer, but I want to hear from you. Share your prayer experiences with us.

When to pray?

2009-10-19T08:37:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we looked at the prayer life of Daniel, the famous survivor of the lions' den. Daniel had a routine of praying three times a day. So I encourage you to follow his example and set at least 5 minutes aside three times each day to pray to God.
I think it is important to have a routine daily prayer life, but there are also other times to pray. I think we have discussed this on my blog before that praying when a concern is brought forward is powerful. A common phrase said by many well meaning Christians is, "I will be praying for you." That is a nice offer to someone in need, but how often do we actually follow through with that offer? Too often we probably forget when we do get around to pray or worse yet, we just offered those words as comfort with no real intent behind them.
Instead let's be a people who pray, not people who offer to pray. I know some of my blog followers have shared powerful stories of not waiting to pray, but offering a prayer right then and there. It does take some courage depending on how public of a place you are in, but even in those places there is power in prayer.
A few weeks ago at our Wednesday night activities I was talking with a woman who started to share how tough a week she had. Other people gathered around as she shared and tears filled her eyes. After she shared a while and we asked if there was anything we could do, we made a circle with our arms around each other and prayed for her. There were five of us in the circle.
Helen said that she walked into the sanctuary while we were praying. She said it was a great sight to see. Other people were walking around as classes were ending and choir was about to begin. No one was acting like anything strange was going on as a group was circled in prayer and yet there was a sacred moment of prayer happening in the midst of the busyness in that room.
We will be blessed by daily praying to God three times a day, but we will also be blessed when we take the time to pray whenever a joy or concern is brought to our attention.

How You Pray?

2009-10-12T10:04:00.002-05:00

What have you found to be helpful in prayer?
I said yesterday that I do not think there is a "right" way to pray. You do not need to say the right words or be in the right position to pray. Although words and position can be important, they will not be the same for everyone. Prayer is an art form. What may work for me may not work for you.
Never the less, I will share what works for me. 90% of the time I pray I do so with my head bowed. I have always felt that is a way to show reverence for God. There are a few times I will turn my head up towards the heavens in prayer, but not too often.
I also prefer to kneel when possible. I will kneel at the altar or beside my bed. Again it is a sign of reverence to God and a reminder to myself that I am a servant of the Lord Jesus.
As for the words I use in prayer, they are often just regular talk for me. I do not regularly use fancy words, but just my every day conversation words. I will pray for scripture passages when they speak to a given situation. Like thanking God that the Scriptures say, "when two or more are gathered, God is there." This reminds me of His promised presence.
Another way I pray is in short one sentence prayers. If some blessing happens or a revelation of some kind comes to my mind I will just say, "Thank you Jesus." Or in the midst of a struggle I will just pray, "What are you doing to me?" because I know God is present in my struggle.
So, again, maybe this can help you in your prayer life, and maybe not. Please share what is meaningful to you when you pray. What is special to you in your prayer life?

Why Pray?

2009-10-05T08:51:00.002-05:00

My hope during the month of October is that this blog might be a place for others to share some thoughts about prayer. Prayer is very personal and therefore each of our prayer lives will be unique. What is valuable in my prayer life, may not work for you. At the same time, something in your prayer life might really improve my prayer life. So I would love it if each person who read this would give some input from their experience.
First topic is why you pray? What leads you to pray?
For me, as I said yesterday, my prayer life has been up and down. There have been times prayer has been important and other times it was something I purposefully did not do. I felt I was wasting my time and maybe God's time with my prayers. God already knew everything I was telling Him and He would do what He wanted anyway. Looking back, maybe I just told myself that so I would not feel guilty for not praying.
Now I am drawn into prayer by two things. First, is my desire to build my relationship with God. I want to get closer to God. I want to learn to understand and love God as best I can and one way to build that love relationship with God is through prayer. Second, I am draw to prayer because of my need for God's wisdom and strength. I realize more each day how my strength and wisdom is not enough for all of God's work. Only by connecting to God will I be able to follow the call He has in my life. Without prayer I know I will not be able to do what God has called me to do.
So, why do you pray? What makes prayer important to you?

Winning in the Game of Life

2009-09-28T08:40:00.003-05:00

The final Simple Truth About Life is that in order to win you have to lose. Jesus said in Mark 8:35 that if you try to save your life you will lose it, but if you will lose your life for Jesus and the gospel your life will be saved. We often think about winning at the game of life as having the most power or possessions. However Jesus challenges us to live differently. He says that we win when we give our lives to God.
A question that came to me following my message yesterday was, "how do I know that I have given my life to God?" I think this is an important question. Many people have an experience as a young person of giving their life to God, but then as an adult we live differently and wonder if that gift was really given.
One solution I have is to keep giving your life to God. I do not think giving your life to God is a one time decision. The first time may be a significant change in someone's life, but we do not become perfect Christians after that one moment. Daily (if not more often) we need to consciously decide to give ourselves to God again. I do this through prayer each morning because too many days I want to do my own thing.
The other piece of this question is a theological point of the Wesleyan tradition. John Wesley believed in assurance. Assurance says that we can know that we have given our lives to God and will be with God for eternity. Wesley says that through scripture God will speak with a still small voice to let us know we are His children. God's voice will assure us that our love relationship with God is true. This happens as we read our Bible and study God's Word.
So be assured, that if you have given your life to God a long time ago or today you are a child of God. Continue to give your life to Him and you will be a winner in the game of life.

You Are Worthy

2009-09-21T09:22:00.002-05:00

My beautiful and talented wife and co-pastor, Helen, shared our sixth truth of this series of Seven Simple Truths About Life. The truth is that you are worthy. She talked about how we often believe we are not worthy of God's love and acceptance. We often condemn ourselves because we know all of our faults and sins.
The truth is that we are worthy of God's love and grace, but it is not because of our own goodness or achievements. I see two reasons we are worthy. First, God created us worthy. God is the one who created us and God does not make junk. God gave each of us special talents and abilities. We all have something to offer in this world. If we think we are not worth much we are telling God He made a mistake with us.
Second, God made us worthy through the sacrifice of Jesus. It is through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus that allow us to have a worthy relationship with God. When we think we are unworthy of a relationship with God we are saying that Jesus' sacrifice was not enough. But it was enough for you and for me.
In Bible study on Sunday night we discussed Paul calling the people of the church in Ephesus "saints". Calling them saints did not mean they were extra special Christians or that each of them had performed miracles. Calling them saints was a reminder that they were set apart for a special purpose because of their trust in Christ.
We are saints today as well if we are living for Jesus. We are worthy of that title if we set our lives to live for God. This does not mean we will be perfect, but that we are in a process of growing in Christ-likeness.
Saints, we are worthy of God's love and grace because of all He has done for us. Live with the confidence of knowing God will continue the work He has started in you.

Join the Club

2009-09-14T08:35:00.002-05:00

Truth #5 is that contentment in life can only be found within. True peace and satisfaction can only come from God who resides in us. However, we so often look outside ourselves to satisfy this longing to be content.
One place we look for contentment is in relationships thinking that if we have the right relationship we will be content. This relationship might be a love relationship or it might be fitting into the right group like a club or team. Another place we look for contentment is in the stuff we possess. If we can just buy enough stuff we will be content.
When I was in high school and college I had this desire that seemed to find contentment in buying Christian music. I joined one of those music clubs where you ordered CD's and they were mailed to your house. I could not buy enough of these CD's. I have probably over 200 Christian music CD's. Most of them are older now since I do not spend my money on CD's too often now, but back then I know I spent too much on them. I have Christian CD's that are rock, punk, techno, instrumental, classic, and everything else. I even have Jesus Loves Me in a rap version.
Something inside of me kept wanting more and more of these CD's. I was not content if I did not have the latest and greatest Christian music. Thankfully they were a pretty good deal through the club. Normally their CD's were like $18, but I only bought one when you got 4 free CD's with the purchase of one. So, with shipping payments of $2 for each CD it was like 5 CD's for $28, which is not bad.
I do not know where you have tried looking to fill that place of contentment in your life; cars, houses, gadgets, relationships, but I do know that there is never enough. Eventually we have to realize that those things will not satisfy our cravings and only by turning to God will we truly be content. It is okay to still collect things or want stuff, but only if that stuff is not an attempt to find contentment.
I think officially I am still a member of the music club, but I have not order CD's from them lately. I lean more on my membership of the Christian club that finds contentment and peace in Jesus Christ. I hope you are a full member of that club as well.

A Challenge

2009-09-07T16:17:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I called us to think about the truth that we should not be careless with what we cannot replace. Specifically I mentioned God's image and God creation. We cannot replace God's image which is in us. We need to care for our bodies by what we put in them and how active our bodies are. We also cannot replace the earth, God's creation. By recycling, reducing our use of energy and our waste and by reusing anything we can we are helping to care for the earth.
So I want to challenge everyone to be more mindful of how we can be the best caregivers of our planet that we can. Continue to strive to be conscience of how you treat this planet. I am not sure if there is an easy way to measure this improvement among us, but we can strive to do better.
I do think we can measure our care for our bodies. Two measurements come to mind. The first is how many minutes a day we schedule for activity. I am not completely concerned with what activity that is, but just be sure to have some time you are moving about. I am making a commitment to at least 30 minutes of activity at least 5 days a week. If you want to join me in this commitment be sure to let me know and we can encourage one another.
The second measurement is in pounds. I am currently around 195 pounds. I do not think I am dangerously overweight, but I do have some extra pounds. The Body Mass Index (BMI) says the top of my normal weight range is around 170, but I think that is a bit low for me. My goal is to lose between 10-15 pounds by Thanksgiving. I have never tried to lose weight before, so this will be interesting. With my activity I committed to above I will attempt to cut back my calorie intake and see what happens. If anyone wants to join me in this challenge let me know as well. It would be wonderful if many people in our church decide to take off a few pounds to get our image of God in better shape.
I am sure this will not be easy, but if we can make this commitment and be determined to see it through I believe God will have great things in store for us. Join me in this challenge.

Church of Sandbaggers

2009-08-31T09:07:00.002-05:00

The truth for this week is that we can survive the storms and setbacks of life. We survive them through our faith and through one another. The illustration I used was calling for sandbaggers in your life. There will be times each of us will need to call upon others to come and help us stand through the storms of life. As people in Iowa have been more willing to sandbag for one another after last years flood we need to be ready and willing to sandbag for each other when storms come in life.
One adjustment we are attempting to make in our congregation is for people of the church to remember they are sandbaggers for one another. In the past, when this congregation was smaller the pastor would be the sandbagger. It was the pastor who always showed up in the midst of the storm, not that there is anything wrong with that. However, now our congregation has 200 families connected to it and if the single pastor is supposed to show up for every storm then that pastor will not have much time for anything else besides sandbagging.
So we are trying to encourage each person in the congregation to be a sandbagger. Each of us are qualified and called to show up for others in the midst of the storms. The pastor can and will still be there, but so will several other members of the congregation. When we care for one another as a group the load is lighter and community is developed. So each person needs to remember they are a sandbagger for others in the church.
A second adjustment that is needed is to help the congregation understand that a visit from a member of the congregation is not a "second class" visit. A visit from the pastor is not the only visit that counts. Those visits from members of the church are visits from people who care and represent the church just as much, if not more than, the pastor.
If you have thoughts or suggestions on communicating these ideas please let me know.
In the end the important thing to remember is that each of us are called to be sandbaggers for one another. God invites us to show up for one another in the midst of the storms. God will use you to help others survive the storms of life.

Fat Boy

2009-08-24T10:30:00.002-05:00

So yesterday I shared how I have gained weight and my wife teased me because she has been losing weight. She apologized for teasing me and I forgave her. The second truth for life is that saying "I am sorry" and "You are forgiven" are six important words to say.
Reading Ephesians 4:30-5:2 we are reminded to be imitators of God. We remember we can forgive one another because God in Christ forgave us first. I think most of us who are Christian can see the connection to imitating God when it comes to forgiveness.
However, I am challenged to look at God saying, "I am sorry." This means God made a mistake and did something wrong. For a holy and loving God to do that brings in some tension. I searched the Bible and the only time I found God being sorry is before the flood when God says he is sorry for making humans. Ouch.
And yet we can recognize God's regret that evil had become such a part of the lives of humans. I do not think it was so much that He had created us, but that our hearts turned towards sin more easily than turning towards God.
We too can imitate God by regretting the sin that dwells in this world. And we can do what we can to bring more joy and peace by using these six important words more often in our lives to renew our relationships with one another. This will please the Lord.

Golden Rule

2009-08-17T09:15:00.002-05:00

The first truth we are looking at in this message series is the Golden Rule found in Matthew 7:12. I think the idea of doing for others what we would want them to do for us is well known. However, as Christians, you can combine that with 1 John 3:16 which says "We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us--and we ought to lay down our lives for one another." This sets the standard of how far we are to go in doing for others. We are to go as far as laying down our life for others.
I shared an idea like this at a wedding this weekend as I challenged a competitive couple to compete at loving each other. They were committing in their marriage to give their lives to each other, but what does that really look like? How do we live out the Golden Rule? I would love to hear any stories people might have about this, either as receiving a blessing or giving a blessing.

I was thinking back to when our family was coming back from Kansas City after visiting my dad. Just outside of Altoona about an hour from home we got a flat tire. Thankfully it was not too cold although it was winter. This young man pulled over right behind us and helped me change the tire. And when I say helped, he actually did most of the work. I then tried to bless him by offering some money, but he refused to take it. I still wish I could have forced him to take my gift, but he simply wanted to do for me what he would want others to do for him. He is still a blessing in my life.
What are your stories?

Zion is...Alive

2009-08-09T16:26:00.003-05:00

So far we have noticed that Zion is sacred space, it is for singing and it is for being instructed on how to live. Finally I want us to remember that Zion is alive. 1 Peter 4-12 reminds us that Zion is the people of God being built into a spiritual house. Zion is true Christian community.
What this means to me is that those of us who call ourselves Christian need to be sure we are living the life of true followers of Jesus. I am reading a book called "unchristian" by Kinnaman and Lyons. This book is from the Barna Research Group and shares a lot of information gathered from interviews with Christians and non-Christians. The view many non-Christians, especially younger non-Christians, have of Christians is not good. The most common descriptive words used for Christians are negative; judgmental, uncaring, anti-homosexual, only out for converts, and so on. These are not the same words used to describe Jesus, so we must have gone wrong somewhere.
My challenge to all of us to rethink how we are representing Jesus. If we are building Zion, then we need to do better at representing Jesus as a loving merciful savior. I think eventually I will do a message series on the issues raised in this book, but until then we can work at how to better communicate the message of Jesus to people who have turned away from Christians in the past. We will not be perfect in building Zion, but we can do better. Zion lives in us and we can show the world that Christian community is alive in our world.

Zion is...for instruction

2009-08-02T20:31:00.001-05:00

Micah describes Zion as a place where the law of God will come from (Micah 4:2). Zion can be a place to go for instructions on the path God has laid out for you and for me. God does want to give each of us a direction. He wants to show us the plan and purpose He has for our life. This will come as we draw near to God.

We can also find our direction as other people point us in the right direction as well. Two weeks ago at a summer camp with 350 students, Pastor Helen gave an invitation for any of those student who felt called to full time ministry to come forward. 27 students from 7th grade through college came forward and several pastors gave them a little encouragement to truly pursue that calling. Helen and I have been working on making more of an effort to encourage people to go into ministry positions.

God can use each of us to instruct others. If we are willing to listen to God's instructions He may also call us to point others in the right direction as well. I encourage you to join me in encouraging those you see in ministry and service. Thank them for the work they are doing. Also, look for those who may not be serving where they have gifts and encourage them to get in there and serve.