A Short Prayer

Habits are hard to form, and easy to break. At least that’s the case for me and this blog. It’s also the case with prayer. Sometimes we get too busy doing the stuff that we think we should be doing that we forget to slow down, take heart, and wake up to what God is doing in the world. What have you neglected that needs tending to? What about your relationship with the Creator?

Change…

Earth Hour

Tonight the lights go out. People from across the globe are participating in Earth Hour, a global cooperative program designed to shed awareness on climate change. Major cities from across the world, from Sydney to New York, from Los Angeles to Dubai, have planned to participate. A complete blackout of those major cities would be a dramatic scene. More importantly, the awareness that it is attempting to raise is needed and welcomed.

This is the third year of the Earth Hour (and admittedly the first year I had heard about it), so I did a simple google image search. There were pictures from many of the same cities that are participating this year dramatically darker. But, what stood out to me more than the darkness were the lights that remained glowing. All of a sudden, the small window lights of a major skyscraper became more noticeable for the fact that the light remained.

To extend this light and dark motif to the Christian faith, perhaps in a hurting world, where things appear to become darker and darker, the light that followers of Jesus testify to might become all that more noticeable. How about your light? Are you letting it shine?

the dirty word of evangelism

Evangelism might as well be labeled a four letter word. It has become, in many circles, synonymous with televangelist marketing that seems to care more for the pocketbook than the heart. It had gotten to a point with me that I had begun trying to develop a new vocabulary to talk about the work of evangelism without having to use the word itself. Then, I read Elaine Heath’s The Mystic Way of Evangelism, and it has refocused my thinking about evangelism because it has offered me a way to think about evangelism as primarily God’s work. The thing that needs to change is my perspective or the way I interpret God’s work – or in theology terms – I need a new hermeneutic. I now champion Heath’s understanding of the hermeneutic of love.

Here’s what this means for you and me (all block quoted text is from Heath’s book):

1) We need to understand love as a verb – actively giving and receiving modeled in the Trinity:

Love is God’s meaning, so that every attribute of God must be understood in terms of kenosis – the divine, self-giving love of Father , Son and Holy Spirit . Humans can be whole and fully alove only as we join in with the triune God’s kenotic, salvific mission in this world.”

2) Love then, becomes the defining moment for how we are to see and interact with ALL people:

The hermeneutic of love is grounded in the belief that Jesus really does live in the people around us, that Jesus thirsts in our actual neighbors. Jesus is bound with eternal love to every person I encounter.

3) This means that ministry to people isn’t about (to borrow Rob Bell’s phrase) notches in some spiritual belt, rather it’s about real people and real relationships.

This is the starting point. When I see people that way, everything changes. How I evangelize changes. My ecclesiology changes. Now I see people already being called by the Holy Spirit, already being loved and known by Jesus before I ever meet them. Now I understand that prayer and friendship are the foundation for my relationship with others, in the name of Jesus. With a hermeneutic of love I give myself in prayer and friendship to the people around me not so that I can get something from them, not even a commitment to join my church, but so that I can minister to Jesus in them, Jesus who thirsts.

and 4) It means that the sin and faults that I see in others is nothing compared to the love and transformational power in Christ:

To do this I have to think about what it means for myself and other people to be sinners. I have to re-think sin, what Luther called the soul curved in upon itself, and its relationship to wounds. A hermeneutic of love means that God looks at human sin “with pity and not with blame,” because God sees the complexity of sin and wounds. A hermeneutic of love includes a doctrine of atonement that is non-punitive, meaning Jesus chooses solidarity with us sinners so that he can set us free from sin. When Jesus sets us free, we are free indeed. With the hermeneutic of love I see others’ sin the way Jesus does, not as insurmountable obstacles or permanent stains, but as the consequences of life in a broken world. I see the full power of resurrection for them, before it ever happens. This means I believe in the potential for their healing as well as their forgiveness. No one is beyond the possibility of being made new in Christ. A hermeneutic of love is fully aware of the devastation of sin and evil, yet refuses to give them the last word.

With Elaine Heath’s wisdom, I want to welcome evangelism back to my vocabulary.

Sermon Notes March 15

It was requested that I post today’s sermon notes, so here they are. If you need any help deciphering them, just let me know!

John is the “maverick” gospel – stories are different from the other gospels, as John’s stories are usually  more concerned about Jesus’ divinity.  An exception is the story of Jesus overturning the tables in the Temple:

Lots of ways to go with the story of John’s story of Jesus overturning the tables in the Temple: what is the proper role of sacred space?  What kinds of giving is ok?  Auctions? Some churches are putting ATM’s is that ok?

Jesus’ emotion in this story is contrary to the way we often think of Jesus.  This is not a safe Jesus. This is not “sunday school Jesus.” This is a passionate Jesus.  If we learn anything Jesus is not apathetic.

I’d rather deal with someone who was passionate and we disagreed than deal with someone who was apathetic

Apathy is the number one killer of the gospel

1.      Apathy communicates we don’t care

a.  June 6th Hartford Connecticut pedestrian hit – caught on video – people kept walking

2.      Apathy communicates that the gospel is not life changing

a. If I believe anything it’s that the gospel transforms people. Romans 12:1

3.      Apathy communicates that the church is  just about status

a. Being a Christian is not just a title. It’s a lifestyle.

4.      Apathy communicates that we don’t take a stand

a. Faithful people can come to different conclusions, but what we believe should influence the way we make decisions in all areas of our life.

5.      Apathy thwarts action
a. “So much attention is paid to the aggressive sins, such as violence
and cruelty and greed with all their tragic effects, that too little
attention is paid to the passive sins, such as apathy and laziness,
which in the long run can have a more devastating effect.” – Eleanor
Roosevelt

Why I remain a United Methodist

Jenny Smith started a whole series of young United Methodists offering reasons why they are still United Methodists with her blog. I like her list, and mine will be similar in scope and fashion.

Let me begin by making clear that I am first and foremost a follower of Jesus. To borrow Rob Bell’s metaphor, I want to be caked in the dust of Jesus.  Secondarily, I am a United Methodist.

Here are the reasons why (without a whole lot of explanation and necessary caveats – perhaps I will write an individual blog post for each one later on down the line) I am a United Methodist:

1. I believe in the the mission statement that was adopted at the 2008 General Conference is that the church exists “to make disciples for the transformation of the world.“

2. I love the global character of the denomination. The fact that I can learn from and be in connection with people from Ghana to Korea is inspiring.

3. I believe in movements, and at its best (which is not always), the United Methodist church is a movement.

4. The theology of the UMC is grace-filled. We hope to live out our faith in open hearts, open minds, and open doors.

5. There is room for dissent. While we have strong doctrinal groundings, there is room for discussion and disagreement among faithful people.

6. I believe in the holiness, yet openness of the sacraments, which I believe is well articulated in By Water and the Spirit and This Holy Mystery.

7.  I love that the denomination has a voice on particular global and justice issues.

8.  I love particular doctrine and polity stands, such as ordination of women, the callings of deacons and elders, the itinerant system, the makeup of annual conferences, and the organization of global boards and agencies.

This is what I’ve got so far.

Lent Devotions Week 3

Celebration and Worship

Day 1
Read the Verse
Exodus 20:4-6 (New International Version)
4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Practice the Discipline
Meditate on the what idols exist in your life and reflect on how those prevent you from worship of God.

Reread the Verse
Exodus 20:4-6 (New International Version)
4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Pray the Prayer
Holy God, help me to cast out my idols so that I might worship you in spirit and truth. Amen.

Day 2
Read the Verse
Nehemiah 9:5-7 (New International Version)
5 And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said: “Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.” Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. 6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. 7 “You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham.

Practice the Discipline
Make a list of all thing that you are thankful for. How might you worship God with thanksgiving.

Reread the Verse
Nehemiah 9:5-7 (New International Version)
5 And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said: “Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.” Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. 6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. 7 “You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham.

Pray the Prayer
Giving God, we thank you for the gifts you have given us. Help us to celebrate those gifts and their Giver. Amen.

Day 3
Read the Verse
Psalm 100:1-3 (New International Version)
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Practice the Discipline
Think about your favorite hymn or praise and worship song. Write out as many of the lyrics as you can remember. With those words, worship God.

Reread the Verse
Psalm 100:1-3 (New International Version)
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Pray the Prayer
God of Joy, may the words that I sing in hymns and songs be directed toward worshiping you. Amen.

Day 4
Read the Verse
Matthew 14:32-34 (New International Version)
32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” 34When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.

Practice the Discipline
Think about the times where you thought there was no way out of the metaphorical pit. How was God able to pull you out of it? Praise God for those moments.

Reread the Verse
Matthew 14:32-34 (New International Version)
32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” 34When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.

Prayer the Prayer
Gracious God, remind me that you are there and worthy of worship even when the winds surround me. Amen.

Day 5
Read the Verse
Revelation 4:9-11 (New International Version)
9Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11″You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

Practice the Discipline
Write down all the attributes of God that you can think of on a piece of paper. Then, spend some time worshipping God for each attribute you have come up with today.

Reread the Verse
Revelation 4:9-11 (New International Version)
9Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11″You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

Pray the Prayer
God of love, while I cannot ever know you completely, help me to know you and love you more completely than I do now. Amen.

A prayer for Winnenden

15 people have been killed in a school-shooting spree in Winnenden, Germany.  Even though it is a world away, I feel as though it might as well have been much closer.  In the past week, the professions that both my wife and I find myself in have experienced gun violence – a church and a school.

These are but a small sample of the violence that erupts daily around the world.  Genocide continues in both the Congo and Darfur regions.  The news is full of reports of violence even in communities that we consider insulated.  Moreover, there are natural disasters that rip communities apart from their base, from the Tsunami to Hurricane Katrina.  I am a pastor at a church, and I believe in the peace of the gospel, yet history proves much violence has been created in the name of Jesus.

So, what should our response be to this continuing cycle of violence and destruction?  As a follower of Jesus, how do I truly serve?  The answer to that question is going to be different for everyone, but I’ll start by saying that action is better than inaction; doing something is better than doing nothing.  I believe that the way that we respond to situations like these might just indicate how willing we are to step beyond our comfort zones to respond in love.

In the meantime, I am saying a prayer for those who have been affected by violence – any kind of violence.  May God’s peace prevail beyond our understanding.

One Laptop per child

I was first introduced to the one laptop per child initiative by Suzanne Buchele, who is a professor at Southwestern University in Georgetown. It is a program that hopes to make the world a little more accessible by offering laptops to children across the world who would otherwise have little access to a computer. It is a tremendous program. A recent new story about the initiative suggests that the program is working. If you’re looking for a creative way to ender into a global ministry, but are unable to go overseas, consider giving to this initiative. It just might change a child’s future for the better.

What is incredible to me about this initiative is that it is proactive. It goes out to offer something that they believe strongly children need. If we are serious about the message of the Gospel, then we might have a lesson to learn here: meeting people where they are is the most fundamental way to change lives. If it works with computers, it just might work with Jesus.

Lent Week 2

Part of the Lenten Journey, we are going through some of the spiritual disciplines in some small groups. We meet once a week to go over the concept and then we’ll be using the rest of the days of the week to spend some time practicing the discipline. If you would like to join along, but are unable to attend any of the small group sessions (Thursdays at 11am and Thursdays at 7pm), I’ll be posting the weekly individual, short devotionals. This week we focus on study and prayer.

Day 1
Reading the Verse
⁴²Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: 
   ” ‘The stone the builders rejected 
      has become the capstone^{the Lord has done this, 
      and it is marvelous in our eyes’ Matthew 21:42}

Practicing the Discipline:
Read Matthew chapter 20 through Matthew Chapter 22.  How does the context affect the meaning of the verse?

Rereading the verse
⁴²Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: 
   ” ‘The stone the builders rejected 
      has become the capstone^[a]; 
   the Lord has done this, 
      and it is marvelous in our eyes’ Matthew 21:42

Praying the prayer:
God of Love and Power, helps us to understand the scriptures as we study them so that if Jesus asks us if we have ever read them, we may answer yes!

Day 2
Reading the Verse
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)

Practicing the Discipline:
Think about the words teaching, reproof, correction, and training.  How might Scripture be profitable in each of these areas?

Rereading the verse
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)

Praying the prayer:
Lord, may we utilize scripture so that we might grow closer to you.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Day 3
Reading the Verse
6 The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.  Psalm 12:6 (ESV)

Practicing the Discipline:
Reflect on the things most precious to you.  Does scripture rank up with silver?  If so, why is that the case?  If not, why not?

Rereading the verse
6 The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.  Psalm 12:6 (ESV)

Praying the Prayer:
Lord, you are more precious than silver, as are the Scriptures. May we se them to worship you.  Amen.

Day 4
Reading the Verse
5 Then I said:  “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.  Nehemiah 1:5-7 (New International Version)

Practicing the Discipline:
There is a link between scripture and study.  So today, pray like Nehemiah.

Rereading the Verse
5 Then I said:  “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.  Nehemiah 1:5-7 (New International Version)

Praying the prayer:
O Lord, help us to remember our trespasses, and while remembering them, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Amen.

Day 5
Reading the Verse
15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (Ephesians 1:15-17 New International Version)

Practicing the Discipline:
List out several people on a piece of paper.  Pray for each of them and their situations by name.

Rereading the Verse
15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (Ephesians 1:15-17 New International Version)

Praying the Prayer
Holy God, help me to be the kind of person who prays for others, so ultimately that I might be the person that better loves my neighbor.  In Christ, Amen.