The best part of my job as editor is working with writers and the thrill of seeing someone get published the first time and giving people opportunities to write authentically and coaxing new writers to dig deeper. Giving new editors the chance to work with writers is another joy of my work . . .
Today I'm announcing a search for a new book review editor for Wineskins.
If you are interested, please answer the following questions and send to my email: gtaylor@garnettchurch.org
1. Have you written or published reviews before?
2. If so, include one of your best here . . .
3. Do you have any editing/literature teaching experience?
4. What about your desire, reading and writing life, would lead Wineskins to give you a shot at this?
5. How do you handle deadlines and how would you feel about managing several writers and editing their work for publication?
Can you handle this compensation? Free books sent directly to you for the life of the job from all the best publishers related to types of books Wineskins reviews: Brazos/Baker, Zondervan, Thomas Nelson, Leafwood/ACU Press, Westminster, Bethany House, Jossey-Bass, Paraclete, Eerdmanns, Waterbrook, IVP, NavPress
I'd like to put someone in place before the end of the year, so please answer the questions and send to gtaylor@garnettchurch.org by November 1, 2006.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Friday, September 22, 2006
Who really cares what media is legal to use in church services?
Many churches have a maverick attitude about the resources they use in public worship. They grab photos from the internet, rent a movie from Blockbuster, and with little thought to the legalities, boom, Sunday showtime!
For years churches have needed wisdom and advice about how to properly use internet, video, sound, and music media. ZOE has done sessions over the years on this, and we have brought in various resource people.
Now here is a biggie: many churches--some with developed praise teams and paid leaders--use whatever songs they want, tape them, copy sheet music, do whatever they want, and never think very much about the paperwork that is required to present songs in a church when using copyrighted songs that are owed royalties through CCLI and other songwriting organizations.
How does your church rate? Let's start today with music.
Here is one resource I'd like for you to check out. Come back and comment on what you've learned, what your church practices, and let's learn together what we can about church copyrighting. Let's do the right thing, even if it's not the easy thing.
For years churches have needed wisdom and advice about how to properly use internet, video, sound, and music media. ZOE has done sessions over the years on this, and we have brought in various resource people.
Now here is a biggie: many churches--some with developed praise teams and paid leaders--use whatever songs they want, tape them, copy sheet music, do whatever they want, and never think very much about the paperwork that is required to present songs in a church when using copyrighted songs that are owed royalties through CCLI and other songwriting organizations.
How does your church rate? Let's start today with music.
Here is one resource I'd like for you to check out. Come back and comment on what you've learned, what your church practices, and let's learn together what we can about church copyrighting. Let's do the right thing, even if it's not the easy thing.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
ZOE Conference and Lauren Winner
We start planning the ZOE "Look to the Hills" Leadership and Worship Conferences in the Spring and the first one is in Nashville the first weekend in October each year.
This year the theme is "Closer," not to be confused with the homonym name for a popular TV show. This is closer as in intimacy and drawing near to God. I'll let the cat out of the bag here a little bit because I'll be happy to have input as we put some finishing touches on the sub-themes.
In the last two years I've invited my friend and co-worker, Wade Hodges, who Mark Riddle calls one of the greatest thinkers in Tulsa. Yeah, that's about right, but once you get out of Tulsa, he's about par with guys like N.T. Wright and McLaren and they could probably outwit him on a given day, if not outpublish him, though not digitally, because like Riddle I've used my own superlatives for Wade, one of the best bloggers "we" have, the "we" meaning Christian progressives I guess, and Wade is currently my favorite preacher, and he's also in good company there, where some of my favorites and friends have been Mike Cope, Rubel Shelly, John York, John Barton, Mark Moore, Deron Smith, not to leave out prominent other friends and family of mine who I've worked with but these are guys out there preaching regularly or semi-regularly.
Back to subthemes for ZOE leadership part of the conference . . .
Wade had the idea for breaking the Closer theme into these four subthemes: we draw near to God through Heart, Head, Hands, Home. So we'll have "discerning communities" led by four people who I'll announce in a few days. Our keynote speaker who will deal with the main theme that leads to these breakout discerning communities (everyone will go to each of the four subtheme breakouts), is Lauren Winner. If you haven't read Lauren Winner's writing, you are missing one of the great, authentic and engaging writers of our day. Her first breakaway book was Girl Meets God and her most recent is Real Sex. I'll be featuring excerpts from her writing in Wineskins in the parallel universe Wineskins issue also called "Closer."
I primarily draw near to God through home: right now I experience God with, in, and through my wife and children and how we are drawing near to God and being shaped into Christ's image together. I have exchanged much of my "personal" time with God for family Scripture reading, storytelling, and prayer.
Where do you most often draw near to God? Through head (study, Bible), heart (emotion, prayer, spirit), home (shared experiences in family), or hands (service experiences)? What stories can you tell about that?
This year the theme is "Closer," not to be confused with the homonym name for a popular TV show. This is closer as in intimacy and drawing near to God. I'll let the cat out of the bag here a little bit because I'll be happy to have input as we put some finishing touches on the sub-themes.
In the last two years I've invited my friend and co-worker, Wade Hodges, who Mark Riddle calls one of the greatest thinkers in Tulsa. Yeah, that's about right, but once you get out of Tulsa, he's about par with guys like N.T. Wright and McLaren and they could probably outwit him on a given day, if not outpublish him, though not digitally, because like Riddle I've used my own superlatives for Wade, one of the best bloggers "we" have, the "we" meaning Christian progressives I guess, and Wade is currently my favorite preacher, and he's also in good company there, where some of my favorites and friends have been Mike Cope, Rubel Shelly, John York, John Barton, Mark Moore, Deron Smith, not to leave out prominent other friends and family of mine who I've worked with but these are guys out there preaching regularly or semi-regularly.
Back to subthemes for ZOE leadership part of the conference . . .
Wade had the idea for breaking the Closer theme into these four subthemes: we draw near to God through Heart, Head, Hands, Home. So we'll have "discerning communities" led by four people who I'll announce in a few days. Our keynote speaker who will deal with the main theme that leads to these breakout discerning communities (everyone will go to each of the four subtheme breakouts), is Lauren Winner. If you haven't read Lauren Winner's writing, you are missing one of the great, authentic and engaging writers of our day. Her first breakaway book was Girl Meets God and her most recent is Real Sex. I'll be featuring excerpts from her writing in Wineskins in the parallel universe Wineskins issue also called "Closer."
I primarily draw near to God through home: right now I experience God with, in, and through my wife and children and how we are drawing near to God and being shaped into Christ's image together. I have exchanged much of my "personal" time with God for family Scripture reading, storytelling, and prayer.
Where do you most often draw near to God? Through head (study, Bible), heart (emotion, prayer, spirit), home (shared experiences in family), or hands (service experiences)? What stories can you tell about that?
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Who will stand with Ron Clark against sexual violence?
Ron Clark is living where Wineskins right now is calling us to live . . . he is a church planter and one who meets people in the messiness of life. For twelve years they have been ministering to those suffering quietly in houses of sexual violence and abuse.
I want to encourage you to read Ron's article on the Rape of Dinah (Genesis 34) that was published in the Swiss journal for feminist Biblical studies. He was recently asked to join the Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force.
Who will pray for Ron? Who will pray for the violence to end in their communities? And will we pray for the dark secrets to slowly edge out of the shadows or to be thrown out like a drunk through a window?
Beginning in September Wineskins looks unblinkingly at intimacy of God and his people, and we will not be silent where the Bible is not silent, where God is not silent. Ron says,
Read Ron Clark's article. The introduction is in German and some computers may not render the Hebrew terms correctly, but don't let those things distract you from a moving article and application to today's violence and injustices.
I want to encourage you to read Ron's article on the Rape of Dinah (Genesis 34) that was published in the Swiss journal for feminist Biblical studies. He was recently asked to join the Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force.
Who will pray for Ron? Who will pray for the violence to end in their communities? And will we pray for the dark secrets to slowly edge out of the shadows or to be thrown out like a drunk through a window?
Beginning in September Wineskins looks unblinkingly at intimacy of God and his people, and we will not be silent where the Bible is not silent, where God is not silent. Ron says,
In my experience with ministry in abuse and sexual assault, I have noticed that people tend to blame abuse on alcohol, drug addiction, race, or economic status. Domestic violence affects all races, social groups, and sexes. My clergy trainings with Communities Against Domestic Violence (CADV); a non-profit organization committed to creating awareness in our communities, have focused on faith communities and leadership. Faith communities are viewed as being slow to respond to abuse and sexual assault. Faith communities do not teach and preach texts such as Genesis 34. Is this silence similar to Jacob’s?I'd like to publish Ron's article in our Intimacy issue of Wineskins because we need to show more than the beautiful side of relationship with God and with one another. We need to expose and speak out against the injustices going on among us.
Read Ron Clark's article. The introduction is in German and some computers may not render the Hebrew terms correctly, but don't let those things distract you from a moving article and application to today's violence and injustices.
Monday, July 03, 2006
Beyond the Rituals:Letting God Reign in Our Lives
“Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees you’ll not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”—Jesus
In a culture being lulled to sleep by mediocrity, passivity, acceptance, political correctness, moderation and tolerance Jesus would be considered an intolerant radical fanatic:
He ran the money changers out with a whip – "Intolerant, rage-aholic!"
In essence, He told the rich ruler, “My way or the highway.” – "Narrow. Extremist."
“I am THE way, THE truth, THE life..” – "Who does He think He is!? God?"
“You have sins and I’ll forgive them.” – "Holier-than-thou. Judgemental."
“If you don’t repent ,you’ll not be forgiven” – "Militant, hateful bigot!"
“If anyone wants to follow me he must deny himself” – "Radical right-wing conservative."
“You preachers are in it for yourselves.” (Matthew 11:45ff) – "Meddler!"
“Don’t worry about the bills, refuse to cook the books and trust God.” (Matthew 12) – "Naïve. Idealistic."
He said, “God gave one man 5 talents and another he only gave 1 talent.” – "Republican!"
He said, “God gave talents.” – "Democrat!"
He said, “God.” – "Christian!!"
If not literally, then essentially, Jesus would have been “nailed” today for his positions.
Watching over 6000 Christians come through our place during the past ten years, I’ve been saddened and actually become somewhat worried. I'm especially worried about the youth.
The majority lack the independent spirit of Jesus. They follow the crowd, stay in the pack, do what everyone else is doing, take their bottles of spiritual milk and go play church. They lack holy defiance. They lack vision. There is little or no personal motivation, much conformity.
They’ve settled for goodness when they should have sought fire. They have a fondness for Christ, not passion. Though spiritually well-fed they have no strength. They are surrounded with God-stuff yet self remains at the center. They are polite, but not pure. They are acceptable not radical. There is knowledge, but no resolve; an eagerness to serve the poor, but little sense of man’s lostness. I do not see Christ formed or forming in them; instead, I see the righteousness of the Pharisees. I wish I saw more of that intolerant, fanatical, raging Meddler who went against the tide, died for it, and shook the world awake.
In a culture being lulled to sleep by mediocrity, passivity, acceptance, political correctness, moderation and tolerance Jesus would be considered an intolerant radical fanatic:
He ran the money changers out with a whip – "Intolerant, rage-aholic!"
In essence, He told the rich ruler, “My way or the highway.” – "Narrow. Extremist."
“I am THE way, THE truth, THE life..” – "Who does He think He is!? God?"
“You have sins and I’ll forgive them.” – "Holier-than-thou. Judgemental."
“If you don’t repent ,you’ll not be forgiven” – "Militant, hateful bigot!"
“If anyone wants to follow me he must deny himself” – "Radical right-wing conservative."
“You preachers are in it for yourselves.” (Matthew 11:45ff) – "Meddler!"
“Don’t worry about the bills, refuse to cook the books and trust God.” (Matthew 12) – "Naïve. Idealistic."
He said, “God gave one man 5 talents and another he only gave 1 talent.” – "Republican!"
He said, “God gave talents.” – "Democrat!"
He said, “God.” – "Christian!!"
If not literally, then essentially, Jesus would have been “nailed” today for his positions.
Watching over 6000 Christians come through our place during the past ten years, I’ve been saddened and actually become somewhat worried. I'm especially worried about the youth.
The majority lack the independent spirit of Jesus. They follow the crowd, stay in the pack, do what everyone else is doing, take their bottles of spiritual milk and go play church. They lack holy defiance. They lack vision. There is little or no personal motivation, much conformity.
They’ve settled for goodness when they should have sought fire. They have a fondness for Christ, not passion. Though spiritually well-fed they have no strength. They are surrounded with God-stuff yet self remains at the center. They are polite, but not pure. They are acceptable not radical. There is knowledge, but no resolve; an eagerness to serve the poor, but little sense of man’s lostness. I do not see Christ formed or forming in them; instead, I see the righteousness of the Pharisees. I wish I saw more of that intolerant, fanatical, raging Meddler who went against the tide, died for it, and shook the world awake.
Is Anybody Listening?
I was completely blown away when a Swiss journal for feminist Biblical studies asked me to submit my article on the Rape of Dinah (Genesis 34) this Spring. I was also struck when a representative of the Attourney General's Sexual Assault Task Force asked me Thursday to join the committee. God pushes, but I never knew it would be this hard.
Ever since my first sermon on domestic violence (in 1995) my wife and I have been on a roller-coaster ride. We have both been immersed in ministry to a dark world of pain, injustice, suffering, and fear. Yet God shines in the darkness and has brought healing to many women and children suffering alone. We see the power of God in the lives of many, only to be proded to tell others about the secret things of the dark world of abuse, sexual violence, and human trafficking. Then God sends us back not only to listen but to tell those in the darkness that their voices and screams are heard.
It makes me wonder, and you can wonder too, if God is the only one listening. How often have we been silent on this issue? How often have we heard a sermon or class on sexual violence? Even worse, since we have about 5 Biblical texts that address this, how often have we heard them taught? In Genesis 34 Dinah never says a word. Neither does her father Jacob (at least not until the end). Why doesn't she scream? Why doesn't he call for justice?
What do you think?
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Jesus Among Us
In the Gospel of John he tells us that the word became flesh and dwelt/tabernacled among us. Instead of living in a tent, building, or reconstructed temple, God came to live in flesh. Jesus is God in the flesh. Have we ever really contemplated what that means.
This picture was done by one of our artists at Metro Church of Christ, in Portland, OR. It reminds me of what this incarnation really meant. Can we see the creator of the world holding children, talking to women, healing the sick and lame, and patiently listening to the poor (Luke 7)? Is it too much for us to imagine that God became vulnerable and open to abuse? Is it hard to imagine God taking the time to be with the "insignificant people" of the ancient world? The Talmud says it is a waste of time to teach or spend time with children. The disciples tried to keep children away from Jesus. But Jesus held children in his arms, even the ones with messy diapers and snotty noses. While this may have offended ancient people does it offend us?
It reminds me of Joan Osborne's song, "What if God was one of us".
How do you think God would do this today?
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Praying With The Church: A Book Review
Scot McKnight of The Jesus Creed fame brings us another treat with Praying With The Church. In this highly accessible book, McKnight draws the reader into the world of prayers from the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions in such a way that makes entering into foreign ecclesial turf a comfortable experience. In a sense, he gives us permission to wander outside of our zone of prayer comfort without the seeming requirement of weirdness.
McKnight, a master teacher, provides early on a metaphor which makes understanding the differences between praying in the church and praying with the church. It is a metaphor that reappears in just about every chapter at just the right times. After using this metaphor to set the stage, he goes on to make a convincing case that Jesus prayed many of his prayers at regular times, mostly from the Psalms, the prayer book of his day, and that we should do the same.
The gift of this book is threefold:
1. Dismantles (gently) most objections to praying prayers other people have written. For people who have grown up praying spontaneously in public and private, there are usually reasons why they don’t pray their prayers from books or any pre-written prayers. Whether it is skepticism about the sincerity of praying someone else’s prayer or discomfort in reading a prayer or fear of being "too Catholic," McKnight enters into those objections gently, but fearlessly. Another objection people have to pre-written prayers is their concern that it is meaningless repetition. Not only does he make a great case for these prayers not being meaningless repetition, he makes a case that our spontaneous prayers become the very same thing. In this part of the book I felt like he had been spying on me. It is not the repeating that becomes meaningless, but rather what we invest into the pray that make it meaningless. Another fear people have is that they might feel they have to give up their current way of praying in order to pray with the church. Not so. McKnight anticipates all of these potential objections and loosens up the reader to consider trying a new way of praying.
2. Introduces prayer resources from Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions – and Phyllis Tickle. By the time the reader gets through this book, he or she will know right where to go next in order to enter into praying with the church on a regular basis. Although McKnight does not go into deep detail about any of the prayerbooks from these traditions, he gives enough to get a feel for what direction one might want to take as a first step.
3. Provides clear and simple tips for getting started. The final chapter outlines nine needs we have in praying with the church. These nine needs free the reader to begin praying with the church without fear of failure or like they are giving up the good things they have going on already in their prayer world.
Finally, Praying With The Church honors Christianity in its various expressions without blurring lines between denominations. There is a very generous tone in the book toward all forms of Christian practice, privileging each of them for their meaningful contributions to the Christian discipline of prayer.
McKnight, a master teacher, provides early on a metaphor which makes understanding the differences between praying in the church and praying with the church. It is a metaphor that reappears in just about every chapter at just the right times. After using this metaphor to set the stage, he goes on to make a convincing case that Jesus prayed many of his prayers at regular times, mostly from the Psalms, the prayer book of his day, and that we should do the same.
The gift of this book is threefold:
1. Dismantles (gently) most objections to praying prayers other people have written. For people who have grown up praying spontaneously in public and private, there are usually reasons why they don’t pray their prayers from books or any pre-written prayers. Whether it is skepticism about the sincerity of praying someone else’s prayer or discomfort in reading a prayer or fear of being "too Catholic," McKnight enters into those objections gently, but fearlessly. Another objection people have to pre-written prayers is their concern that it is meaningless repetition. Not only does he make a great case for these prayers not being meaningless repetition, he makes a case that our spontaneous prayers become the very same thing. In this part of the book I felt like he had been spying on me. It is not the repeating that becomes meaningless, but rather what we invest into the pray that make it meaningless. Another fear people have is that they might feel they have to give up their current way of praying in order to pray with the church. Not so. McKnight anticipates all of these potential objections and loosens up the reader to consider trying a new way of praying.
2. Introduces prayer resources from Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions – and Phyllis Tickle. By the time the reader gets through this book, he or she will know right where to go next in order to enter into praying with the church on a regular basis. Although McKnight does not go into deep detail about any of the prayerbooks from these traditions, he gives enough to get a feel for what direction one might want to take as a first step.
3. Provides clear and simple tips for getting started. The final chapter outlines nine needs we have in praying with the church. These nine needs free the reader to begin praying with the church without fear of failure or like they are giving up the good things they have going on already in their prayer world.
Finally, Praying With The Church honors Christianity in its various expressions without blurring lines between denominations. There is a very generous tone in the book toward all forms of Christian practice, privileging each of them for their meaningful contributions to the Christian discipline of prayer.
The Submerging Church?
I have enjoyed the book The Greying of the Flock by James Knapp. We used this in my class at George Fox Seminary and my students did presentations on it last week. The ones over 55 had some great insights about their futures, the future of aged Christians, and the futures of churches. I also had one of the staff say, "We have spent a lot of time targeting the 'Emerging church' (young people) but what about the 'Submerging church' (those older folks who have been in church for years)?
Knapp brings a great message for the church and church leaders. He points out that by 2010 Baby Boomers will be reaching retirement age. There will be a huge number of retired folks due to the Baby Boom in the early 1940s. Will the progressive generation of the 20th Century be willing to accept retirement? What will we do with this large body of Christians in our churches?Knapp suggests that in the past we have tried to minister to retired Christians and become caretakers. Yet, he writes, this has always been a powerful force for the kingdom that we have neglected in our ministries, outreach, and missions. Will we continue to neglect them or will we empower them to continue to lead and finish life as active servants of God?I guess this hits home for me.
First, I am at the end of the Baby Boom and will be "retirement age" in over 20 years. Second, I have been reading "The Emerging Church" and reading the research for planting churches. Third, I too have been asking "what about the 'submerging church'?" (those who may be neglected in future ministries). Fourth, I have seen senior saints hit retirement and instead of giving back to God with full time service (retirement is a blessing from God and one worthy of honor to God) they retire from church ministry. Finally, I have spent years blessed by senior saints who help in our abuse and ESL ministry, yet find that most churches try to minister to them rather than empower them to ministry.
I think Knapp's book should be read by all of us, not because we ought to feel guilty, but it helps us to be appreciative of how we need older brothers and sisters in the church to mentor, guide, and serve Jesus and us.
Ron Clark
Portland, OR
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
2006 New Wineskins Retreat
Male & Female: Made in God’s Image (Genesis 1:27)
The 2006 New Wineskins Retreat will be held on the campus of Pepperdine University on Friday & Saturday, July 14 & 15, 2006. This year’s theme is “Male & Female: Made in God’s Image (Genesis 1:27).”
Our 2006 featured speakers include Dr. Jeanene Reese (Abilene, Texas); Sylvia Rose (Detriot, Michigan); D’Esta Love (Malibu, California); and Irie Session (Dallas, Texas). Each of these women has experience serving in various roles in the church and as Christian leaders throughout the United States. They will lead us in thoughtful and intelligent discussion on our theme.
The $150 New Wineskins Retreat conference fee includes meals and two nights lodging on the campus of Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Attendees can register and pay by mail. Send contact information and conference fee to Emancipation Fellowship Ministries, c/o Al Jumper, 8117 W. Manchester #221; Playa Del Rey, CA 90293.
The New Wineskins Retreat is not affiliated with New Wineskins magazine. It began as predominantly African American men in 2000. The retreat provides a non-threatening environment wherein church leaders in our fellowship can experience spiritual formation as well as intellectual stimulation.
“We believe the New Wineskins Retreat is a national event that serves as a good starting point for leaders within churches of Christ to experience at a spiritual and intuitive level a small community given to the practice of authentic racial and gender harmony,” says Dr. Jerry Taylor, coordinator of the New Wineskins Retreat and assistant professor of Bible, missions & ministry at Abilene Christian University.
The mission of the New Wineskins Retreat is to provide a spiritually healthy environment for growth, refreshment and healing, while promoting a resourceful national support network for ministers and leaders, and preserving an open atmosphere conducive for honest dialogue and strategic planning.
The 2005 retreat was held at the Richland Hills Church of Christ in North Richland Hills, Texas. Over 75 church leaders attended to discuss the theme “Undoing Racism in churches of Christ and beyond.”
(repeated from posts at gal328.org and Christian Standard)
The 2006 New Wineskins Retreat will be held on the campus of Pepperdine University on Friday & Saturday, July 14 & 15, 2006. This year’s theme is “Male & Female: Made in God’s Image (Genesis 1:27).”
Our 2006 featured speakers include Dr. Jeanene Reese (Abilene, Texas); Sylvia Rose (Detriot, Michigan); D’Esta Love (Malibu, California); and Irie Session (Dallas, Texas). Each of these women has experience serving in various roles in the church and as Christian leaders throughout the United States. They will lead us in thoughtful and intelligent discussion on our theme.
The $150 New Wineskins Retreat conference fee includes meals and two nights lodging on the campus of Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Attendees can register and pay by mail. Send contact information and conference fee to Emancipation Fellowship Ministries, c/o Al Jumper, 8117 W. Manchester #221; Playa Del Rey, CA 90293.
The New Wineskins Retreat is not affiliated with New Wineskins magazine. It began as predominantly African American men in 2000. The retreat provides a non-threatening environment wherein church leaders in our fellowship can experience spiritual formation as well as intellectual stimulation.
“We believe the New Wineskins Retreat is a national event that serves as a good starting point for leaders within churches of Christ to experience at a spiritual and intuitive level a small community given to the practice of authentic racial and gender harmony,” says Dr. Jerry Taylor, coordinator of the New Wineskins Retreat and assistant professor of Bible, missions & ministry at Abilene Christian University.
The mission of the New Wineskins Retreat is to provide a spiritually healthy environment for growth, refreshment and healing, while promoting a resourceful national support network for ministers and leaders, and preserving an open atmosphere conducive for honest dialogue and strategic planning.
The 2005 retreat was held at the Richland Hills Church of Christ in North Richland Hills, Texas. Over 75 church leaders attended to discuss the theme “Undoing Racism in churches of Christ and beyond.”
(repeated from posts at gal328.org and Christian Standard)
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Guilt-Free Pleasures
I don't read nearly as many books as I used to read (though I am really looking forward to reading Darryl Tippens' Pilgrim Heart very soon). But I do read, pretty voraciously - through copies of old Wineskins.
So I won't be misunderstood, I'm talking about the magazine in its first incarnation before the good folks at The ZOE Group became its caretakers.
On and off for about three years, I've been keying in the articles from these archive editions so that they could be added to the New Wineskins Web site, and it has become one of my few guilt-free pleasures. The articles are like a trip on Mr. Peabody's Not-Too-Wayback Machine ... though many of the topics and thoughts are just as fresh as if they had been written for the current issue.
I've had to key in these articles because the VERY expensive OCR (optical character recognition) software I bought for my old Mac worked only a few times when I purchased it some years ago, then it refused to re-install, and then the software company's name disappeared from the web.
A few weeks ago, the renamed company made the mistake of sending me an e-mail to offer me the same software at a discounted price. After discovering that the discounted software was only the Windows version, I began the process of trying to file a service request online ... long story short: The serial number they sent me with the paid version years ago was apparently good only for the trial version, and it expired. The permanent one was never sent, but still available on a site called "www.findmyorder.com" - and if you've ever ordered software online through Digital River, yours is probably still there, too!
Today I was able to reactivate my OCR software, and breezed through more than half of one issue in one afternoon, rather than a couple of hours a night for a couple of weeks. Though I'm not laboriously keying in each word anymore, I still enjoy getting to (proof)read every article to correct the 0.1 or 0.2% error rate - and that's much faster.
So I'm hoping to accelerate the posting of archive issues for those of you who subscribe - I just added the July-August 1998 issue "A Life Beautiful" on Saturday. Look forward to the May-June 1998 issue very soon.
Feel free to indulge your own guilt-free pleasure!
So I won't be misunderstood, I'm talking about the magazine in its first incarnation before the good folks at The ZOE Group became its caretakers.
On and off for about three years, I've been keying in the articles from these archive editions so that they could be added to the New Wineskins Web site, and it has become one of my few guilt-free pleasures. The articles are like a trip on Mr. Peabody's Not-Too-Wayback Machine ... though many of the topics and thoughts are just as fresh as if they had been written for the current issue.
I've had to key in these articles because the VERY expensive OCR (optical character recognition) software I bought for my old Mac worked only a few times when I purchased it some years ago, then it refused to re-install, and then the software company's name disappeared from the web.
A few weeks ago, the renamed company made the mistake of sending me an e-mail to offer me the same software at a discounted price. After discovering that the discounted software was only the Windows version, I began the process of trying to file a service request online ... long story short: The serial number they sent me with the paid version years ago was apparently good only for the trial version, and it expired. The permanent one was never sent, but still available on a site called "www.findmyorder.com" - and if you've ever ordered software online through Digital River, yours is probably still there, too!
Today I was able to reactivate my OCR software, and breezed through more than half of one issue in one afternoon, rather than a couple of hours a night for a couple of weeks. Though I'm not laboriously keying in each word anymore, I still enjoy getting to (proof)read every article to correct the 0.1 or 0.2% error rate - and that's much faster.
So I'm hoping to accelerate the posting of archive issues for those of you who subscribe - I just added the July-August 1998 issue "A Life Beautiful" on Saturday. Look forward to the May-June 1998 issue very soon.
Feel free to indulge your own guilt-free pleasure!
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Pepperdine Lectures
I'll have to leave tomorrow; leave the sunshine, cool breezes and coastal views of the Pepperdine University campus to go home and be a part of my daughter's 10th birthday celebration.
It's a fair trade.
I've never been to a lectureship before. I'm certain that I will try to again. But if it's not in God's will, hopefully it will be within it for me to remember these things for the rest of my life:
I'd better go, or I won't be able to find a seat to discover what Mike Cope has to say about sex and baptism.
That ought to be memorable, too.
PostScript: Missed Mike's session; it was full by the time I got there. Victor Knowles' second session was an excellent replacement. Check out his POE Ministries site.
It's a fair trade.
I've never been to a lectureship before. I'm certain that I will try to again. But if it's not in God's will, hopefully it will be within it for me to remember these things for the rest of my life:
- Being there with three elder couples from my church - and one retired elder couple. Seeing many friends ... some of whom I met for the first time face-to-face (like fellow blogger John Dobbs and James Wiser); others for the first time ever.
- The companionship and encouragement of good folks like David Underwood and Keith Riley, the former of whom has long encouraged me to attend these lectures, and the latter of whom encourages me to collect some thoughts in a book. Maybe I will.
Hearing the grandson of a dear family friend - Philippe Dauner - deliver an outstanding keynote address in the fieldhouse, with his grandmother Colette Daugherty proudly watching.
- Telling him that the mother he tried not to be like and look like was once a teenage girl I had a crush on, and the qualities he has indeed inherited from her endeared me to her then.
- Getting an excellent overview of the causes of the rift between independent Christian Churches and the Churches of Christ a century ago from both Rick Atchley and Victor Knowles (by whom I was privileged to sit on the plane from Dallas).
- Hearing Bob Russell speak about the fundamental concepts that the two church fellowships hold dear.
- Attending excellent workshops like Jeff Childers' on the different "quadrants" of spiritual perception among Christians (a kind of JoHari Window analysis) and Dwight Robarts' ponderings on preaching about politics ... all the great reasons why we shouldn't; and all the biblical reasons why we must.
- Being shocked out of my reason to receive an award from the good folks at New Wineskins at the ZOE Group devotional Wednesday morning. I was totally humbled. I will keep the gargantuan plaque as a reminder of God's grace, for it is certainly not a merited award ... especially in view of the lifelong achievements of others honored at the lectures. (I was led to believe they were flying me out here to work at the ZOE table and talk about New Wineskins since Greg couldn't come.) And I will forgive Mike Cope, Larry Bridgesmith, Eric Noah-Wilson, Greg Taylor and anyone else who recruited my wife Angi to join the conspiracy to keep this truth from me.
A moment early this morning when a young doe paused in the parking lot to let me take her photograph ... and emerged from behind the Science Hall again at noon when I was by myself to snap a few closer ones.
- Fellowship. The theme of the lectureship, all drawn from the first epistle of John. It could not have been better chosen, nor better lived out by the hosts and participants.
I'd better go, or I won't be able to find a seat to discover what Mike Cope has to say about sex and baptism.
That ought to be memorable, too.
PostScript: Missed Mike's session; it was full by the time I got there. Victor Knowles' second session was an excellent replacement. Check out his POE Ministries site.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
New Wine in Old Wineskins
This picture was taken on a 7 hour layover in Vienna, Austria on my way to Albania. It was on a Sunday afternoon while the cathedral was having worship. Notice the scaffolding. They are trying to revive, renovate this ancient church building. Notice, also, the people milling around the square oblivious to the renovation on the outside and the spiritual renovation on the inside. Can the church reach them?
Rick Warren, minister for the Saddleback Church in Orange County and author of the Purpose Driven Life, said this about the resignation of a national leader and the state of the church in America:
"You can't put new wine in old wineskins. When you try to do that, the skin bursts, and somebody gets blamed. The sad symptoms we see in so many Christian organizations, churches, and denominations today are caused by a number of theological, cultural, and structural problems that are deeper than just personality issues. The causes are both systemic and endemic, and should surprise no one who has been watching the past 25 years. We will either have another genuine Reformation, or the American church will eventually go the way of Europe. Nothing less will solve the problem, so I'm praying and working as hard as I can for the first option."
As a minister of 20 years, college instructor, and now a future church planter; I have wrestled with the following question. "Are our resources best used to plant new churches to reach new people or to revive declining congregations (many which resist change)?" While I understand that the answer to this is yes and yes I am still drawn to have conversation about what is working. While I understand that one life is worth saving, I wonder how many lives are lost (or could be won) because we are trying to convince that one person to do what they should already be doing? Is the Great Commission a suggestion or a command?
What Think Ye?
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Morning Coffee: Cup of Wonder, Cup of Grace
Some cups hold coffee; others hold meaning.
Coffee cups come in all sizes, some are silly, some plain. There are cups received for service, in remembrance of events, in celebration of happenings.
My children have given me cups. I keep them on bookshelves, on my desk, and store in boxes with other treasures.
We use our metal cups from Kenya when we drink our hot African Chai. Someone gave us a dozen ceramic promotional mugs which help us serve large groups of guests. My most used cup is a plain white one with a crack in it. I like the crack. It is my favorite.
Cups hold coffee, tea, or even cold drinks, but for some of us they hold meaning.
My wife once bought a cup-decorating kit. The kids used it to make a personal cup for Grandpa. It became his instant favorite because is reminded him of them. A few years later, they gave him a different one with the phrase “We love you!” written along the inside lip so he’d see it every time he took a sip. A new favorite had arrived.
What’s incredibly important to one person may hold little value to another. I once had a cup that my children gave me. I loved it. It felt good in my hands and to my heart. A visitor to our home dropped it and it shattered. They apologized, but they didn’t share my sense of loss. That cup has special meaning for me; it didn’t for them. Some cups are that way—they have special significance.
This past Easter Sunday we celebrated a cup with special significance and meaning.
Jesus said, “Take this cup and drink it.” It was wine. It was a token – a symbol.
Jesus said, “This is my blood of the covenant.” It sounded….it still sounds…bazaar! What did He mean?
Later, that same evening, he talked about that cup again. His second conversation added to the understanding of the first. He prayed “May this cup pass from me.”. He was praying about his death that would occur that night….that hour!
Pain. Shame. Ridicule. Rejection. Suffering. They were in His cup. Bitter stuff to swallow.
“Let it pass—if possible, but, if not, then let it be.”
“This is my blood of the covenant” meant, “This is the extent of my commitment to the covenant. This is the level to which I’ll go for God’s will. Shame. Ridicule. Loss. Death…even a bloody one. If that’s what it takes, it’s what I’ll give.”
“And when ever you drink this cup” —your personal cup of suffering, loss, scary dose of walking on faith – “remember me.” Recall what I’ve done. Everything is not too much…when necessary.
Truly, some cups hold meaning.
Coffee cups come in all sizes, some are silly, some plain. There are cups received for service, in remembrance of events, in celebration of happenings.
My children have given me cups. I keep them on bookshelves, on my desk, and store in boxes with other treasures.
We use our metal cups from Kenya when we drink our hot African Chai. Someone gave us a dozen ceramic promotional mugs which help us serve large groups of guests. My most used cup is a plain white one with a crack in it. I like the crack. It is my favorite.
Cups hold coffee, tea, or even cold drinks, but for some of us they hold meaning.
My wife once bought a cup-decorating kit. The kids used it to make a personal cup for Grandpa. It became his instant favorite because is reminded him of them. A few years later, they gave him a different one with the phrase “We love you!” written along the inside lip so he’d see it every time he took a sip. A new favorite had arrived.
What’s incredibly important to one person may hold little value to another. I once had a cup that my children gave me. I loved it. It felt good in my hands and to my heart. A visitor to our home dropped it and it shattered. They apologized, but they didn’t share my sense of loss. That cup has special meaning for me; it didn’t for them. Some cups are that way—they have special significance.
This past Easter Sunday we celebrated a cup with special significance and meaning.
Jesus said, “Take this cup and drink it.” It was wine. It was a token – a symbol.
Jesus said, “This is my blood of the covenant.” It sounded….it still sounds…bazaar! What did He mean?
Later, that same evening, he talked about that cup again. His second conversation added to the understanding of the first. He prayed “May this cup pass from me.”. He was praying about his death that would occur that night….that hour!
Pain. Shame. Ridicule. Rejection. Suffering. They were in His cup. Bitter stuff to swallow.
“Let it pass—if possible, but, if not, then let it be.”
“This is my blood of the covenant” meant, “This is the extent of my commitment to the covenant. This is the level to which I’ll go for God’s will. Shame. Ridicule. Loss. Death…even a bloody one. If that’s what it takes, it’s what I’ll give.”
“And when ever you drink this cup” —your personal cup of suffering, loss, scary dose of walking on faith – “remember me.” Recall what I’ve done. Everything is not too much…when necessary.
Truly, some cups hold meaning.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Life on the Farm: Spiritual Insights from Rural Living
“Make straight the way for the Lord.” Jn 1:23b
Mowing on mountains is dangerous. Two autumns ago I borrowed a neighbor’s tractor—a big four-wheel drive orange Kuboto monster tractor...with a lift on the front! Men who ride such beasts develop muscles (mostly around the mid-section). What phone booths do for Superman, big powerful machines, like the one I borrowed, do for farming men. “Arrrggggh!”.
Well, first, I drove it across my pasture dragging a bush hog attachment-- a heavy mower deck with two steel blades--each about 3 feet long and ½ an inch thick—able to take out two inch sapling trees like your Murray mower snips off lawn grass! I was feeling pretty “Arrrggggh!”.
After a manicure of these relatively flat fields my confidence had risen above my intelligence and I determined to take on the hill behind my house. The hill is steep. Very steep. Too steep in fact for safety, but Superman was wearing fourwheel drive orange cape with plenty of horsepower and well, the old saying about men climbing mountains nudged out a win over safety and wisdom.
A friend--who owned his own orange cape--advised me to mow up the hill in reverse and then, without turning around, mow down in forward. I cautiously backed up nearly one hundred yards on a 45 degree - at some points more!- angle. I prayed the brakes would hold. They did. I shifted back into a low forward gear and slowly crept back to the foot of the mountain. Whew. I had to lean back hard into the seat or be tossed overboard. It was nerve racking, but I became more relaxed with each completed pass.
The mowing went well. The mountainside was looking very nice and the tractor wasn’t overheating or staggering under the steady push and pull. I stopped for lunch, taking time to admire my now neatly trimmed fields and half a mountainside. I was feeling pretty satisfied and very “Arrrggggh!”.
I should have remembered that pride goes before a great ‘fall’. I didn’t, or maybe I did but disregarded it. I don’t recall exactly. I do however recall the leap of my heart into my throat. On literally the very last run up the mountain, the hill had begun to slope away steeply to one side in addition to the up and down sloping. I didn’t allow for this when I turned the tires just a little to one side so as to reach a last small area. That’s when the right rear tire lifted off the ground!
I hung in midair as my heart smacked the roof of my head. I shifted my body weight to compensate, but immediately realized it had no effect. My mind raced through a dozen escape scenarios in less than a second while the 5 ton steel death trap decided my fate.
I swore-- I mean, I promised-- I’d never try it again. Proof that the tire returned to earth before the tractor rolled is that you're getting the story via blog rather than eulogy. Had the tractor tipped I'm sure I'd have been crushed.
Level ground is much easier work than hill sides or ditches (which also produce accounts of getting stuck, breaking equipment, and bucking riders off seats).
John the baptizer appreciated the difficulties of working unleveled ground. He came proclaiming that men should make way...level paths...for the arrival of Jesus. Hard, unrepentant hearts are hillsides and ditches that impede the easy arrival of Jesus. Not that Jesus can’t climb hillsides or jump gullies. He can. It’s just that progress is difficult and ill prepared hearts are constantly at risk of falling, loosing their grip, making a faith-crushing misstep, getting stuck or being tossed. Trying to live in Christ with a divided heart is dangerous, even foolish, business-- like mowing on mountains.
When faith seems an uphill climb, it may be that you’re not leveling with the Lord in some area of your life. Be honest with yourself, and with Him. Is there sin? Sin easily entangles progress in Christ. Put it aside. Make level the way for the Lord. Your faith walk will be more secure and you'll experience true “Arrrrggggh!”
Mowing on mountains is dangerous. Two autumns ago I borrowed a neighbor’s tractor—a big four-wheel drive orange Kuboto monster tractor...with a lift on the front! Men who ride such beasts develop muscles (mostly around the mid-section). What phone booths do for Superman, big powerful machines, like the one I borrowed, do for farming men. “Arrrggggh!”.
Well, first, I drove it across my pasture dragging a bush hog attachment-- a heavy mower deck with two steel blades--each about 3 feet long and ½ an inch thick—able to take out two inch sapling trees like your Murray mower snips off lawn grass! I was feeling pretty “Arrrggggh!”.
After a manicure of these relatively flat fields my confidence had risen above my intelligence and I determined to take on the hill behind my house. The hill is steep. Very steep. Too steep in fact for safety, but Superman was wearing fourwheel drive orange cape with plenty of horsepower and well, the old saying about men climbing mountains nudged out a win over safety and wisdom.
A friend--who owned his own orange cape--advised me to mow up the hill in reverse and then, without turning around, mow down in forward. I cautiously backed up nearly one hundred yards on a 45 degree - at some points more!- angle. I prayed the brakes would hold. They did. I shifted back into a low forward gear and slowly crept back to the foot of the mountain. Whew. I had to lean back hard into the seat or be tossed overboard. It was nerve racking, but I became more relaxed with each completed pass.
The mowing went well. The mountainside was looking very nice and the tractor wasn’t overheating or staggering under the steady push and pull. I stopped for lunch, taking time to admire my now neatly trimmed fields and half a mountainside. I was feeling pretty satisfied and very “Arrrggggh!”.
I should have remembered that pride goes before a great ‘fall’. I didn’t, or maybe I did but disregarded it. I don’t recall exactly. I do however recall the leap of my heart into my throat. On literally the very last run up the mountain, the hill had begun to slope away steeply to one side in addition to the up and down sloping. I didn’t allow for this when I turned the tires just a little to one side so as to reach a last small area. That’s when the right rear tire lifted off the ground!
I hung in midair as my heart smacked the roof of my head. I shifted my body weight to compensate, but immediately realized it had no effect. My mind raced through a dozen escape scenarios in less than a second while the 5 ton steel death trap decided my fate.
I swore-- I mean, I promised-- I’d never try it again. Proof that the tire returned to earth before the tractor rolled is that you're getting the story via blog rather than eulogy. Had the tractor tipped I'm sure I'd have been crushed.
Level ground is much easier work than hill sides or ditches (which also produce accounts of getting stuck, breaking equipment, and bucking riders off seats).
John the baptizer appreciated the difficulties of working unleveled ground. He came proclaiming that men should make way...level paths...for the arrival of Jesus. Hard, unrepentant hearts are hillsides and ditches that impede the easy arrival of Jesus. Not that Jesus can’t climb hillsides or jump gullies. He can. It’s just that progress is difficult and ill prepared hearts are constantly at risk of falling, loosing their grip, making a faith-crushing misstep, getting stuck or being tossed. Trying to live in Christ with a divided heart is dangerous, even foolish, business-- like mowing on mountains.
When faith seems an uphill climb, it may be that you’re not leveling with the Lord in some area of your life. Be honest with yourself, and with Him. Is there sin? Sin easily entangles progress in Christ. Put it aside. Make level the way for the Lord. Your faith walk will be more secure and you'll experience true “Arrrrggggh!”
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Preachers Wife Syndrome?
I guess many of you have been following the news concerning the minister who was shot by his wife recently. Here at Metro there are folks who are suggesting that maybe the wife was abused or that we don't know all that went on behind closed doors. Others suggest depression, PPD, or something else. Maybe it is one of those rare cases of domestic violence where the woman has been controlling (and this killing may be an incidence of abuse). I know that we will find out more as the story unfolds. In any case it is a tragedy.
What caught my attention was the story in People magazine about the "role and pressure" of preachers' wives. Lori and I had a great discussion about that. She indicated that she had never felt the pressures described in the article. Interesting. Have we been lucky in our 18 years of ministry together (21 for me) or have we not fallen into the "trap"? Is it possible that ministry is complex enough that the couple need to draw lines of expectations? I hear at times that ministers and wives make the statement, "my wife is (I am) not a traditional preachers' wife" but what does this mean. Is it possible that the congregation is a black hole that sets the expectations of the wife so high that our response is to be different and proud of it? Or is it the couple's responsibility to serve, work hard, and clarify the role of ministry?
I once visited a widowed preachers' wife with my baby one afternoon. After a few minutes of talking she mentioned how important it was that I spent time with my family and it was nice that I took my son visiting. She then began to talk about how her husband (who was a powerful preacher in the church while alive) had put tGod and the church above her family and their children. As I listened I began to ask myself if "traditional roles" are actually the result of preachers who have neglected the most important people in their lives. Is it possible that the pressure on the "preachers' wife" is actually neglect from her husband? Is it possible that PKs and their struggles are actually actions of neglected children?
I love Lori and feel she is my best friend and partner. She works hard and loves the ministry that we do together. Yet, I have to sacrifice (I hate to use that term) and make sure I have the kids and she gets to fulfill her giftedness in ministry. I also know that she gets neglected from the congregation at times, but for me to neglect her is a greater sin. Its hard taking the kids visiting but it gives her a break and them time to see what we do. It frees her up to meet with women and counsel them. I think that 1 Cor. 9 tells us that Peter was accompanied with his wife and no greater joy can there be than when husbands and wives do ministry together.
Are there pressures or neglect? Thanks Lori--I couldn't imagine doing this without you. You help me to see things and understand people's feelings that bring glory and honor to Jesus.
I love you!
What caught my attention was the story in People magazine about the "role and pressure" of preachers' wives. Lori and I had a great discussion about that. She indicated that she had never felt the pressures described in the article. Interesting. Have we been lucky in our 18 years of ministry together (21 for me) or have we not fallen into the "trap"? Is it possible that ministry is complex enough that the couple need to draw lines of expectations? I hear at times that ministers and wives make the statement, "my wife is (I am) not a traditional preachers' wife" but what does this mean. Is it possible that the congregation is a black hole that sets the expectations of the wife so high that our response is to be different and proud of it? Or is it the couple's responsibility to serve, work hard, and clarify the role of ministry?
I once visited a widowed preachers' wife with my baby one afternoon. After a few minutes of talking she mentioned how important it was that I spent time with my family and it was nice that I took my son visiting. She then began to talk about how her husband (who was a powerful preacher in the church while alive) had put tGod and the church above her family and their children. As I listened I began to ask myself if "traditional roles" are actually the result of preachers who have neglected the most important people in their lives. Is it possible that the pressure on the "preachers' wife" is actually neglect from her husband? Is it possible that PKs and their struggles are actually actions of neglected children?
I love Lori and feel she is my best friend and partner. She works hard and loves the ministry that we do together. Yet, I have to sacrifice (I hate to use that term) and make sure I have the kids and she gets to fulfill her giftedness in ministry. I also know that she gets neglected from the congregation at times, but for me to neglect her is a greater sin. Its hard taking the kids visiting but it gives her a break and them time to see what we do. It frees her up to meet with women and counsel them. I think that 1 Cor. 9 tells us that Peter was accompanied with his wife and no greater joy can there be than when husbands and wives do ministry together.
Are there pressures or neglect? Thanks Lori--I couldn't imagine doing this without you. You help me to see things and understand people's feelings that bring glory and honor to Jesus.
I love you!
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Let's Go:Thoughts on Missional Living from the Center
Let’s go!
Let’s go to the store.
Let’s go to the mall.
Let’s go eat, watch TV, hang out.
Let’s go for a drive, see a movie or some friends.
Let’s go to work.
Let’s go to school.
Let’s go home.
Let’s go to sleep….let’s go, let’s go, let’s go…..
Go.Go.Go. Constantly, “On the Go.”
….and
….and making
….and making nothing.
Living in motion, in a circle, insignificantly.
Going nowhere. Making nothing.
…Going
….Going
….and gone, without significance.
Still, there is more "going"?
Let’s go to church.
Let’s go to devo.
Let’s go to youth camp.
Let's go join that class.
Let's go read that book.
Let’s go hear that Speaker.
Let’s go listen to that Band.
Let’s go to help over there.
Let’s go to see that work.
Let’s go to experience that blessing.
Let’s go serve those people.
Let’s go!
Let’s go!
Let’s hurry and go……
Going….
Going….
Doing…
Doing…
Going and Doing….
Will no one ask, "Why? Why go?"..............
or, "How shall we go?"...
or, "With what shall we do?"
Oh no! Go! Just Go.
and Do. Just Do!
Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Just Hurry!
STOOOOOOOP!!!!”
"Stop it!"
Stop.
Listen.
Stop your "going".
Stop your meaningless motion.
Stop your empty prayers.
Stop your revolving door of events.
Stop the endless moving about.
Stop! Stop!! Stop!!!!!!!!
Just Stop.……please…..
Please, stop.
Think
Slow down…and consider.
Why are you going? Why?
How shall you go?
Consider, "With what shall you do?"
Stop going; start considering.
Stop doing; begin being.
Be with Him.
Be still.
Be quiet.
Be deep.
Be filled.
Be absorbed.
Be nothing.
Be different.
Be alone with God.
Be God's alone.
Just Be.
Be. Be. Be!!
and then….
and then with God...
and then with God and with great humility.....Go.
then...by all means...Go!!! Go!Go!Go! Run!! Charge!!!
Go with purpose!
Go with preparation!
Go with plans!
Go with passion!
Go with Power!
“Oh, Yes! Go!!”, pleads Jesus.
Go, love without condition.
Go, give without reservation.
Go, serve without prejudice.
Go, save my lambs.
Go, feed my sheep.
Go, tend my flocks.
Go, find my coins.
Go, rescue my children.
Go, change the world.
Go, shape the future.
Go, topple kingdoms.
Go usher in Righteousness.
Go…Go…Go!!!!
"Oh, Yes! Yes! Yes!!! A thousand times….YES! Go make disciples…
…and
…and I….
I, personally,….
will be with you."
Now let's go to the store,
to the mall,
to the church,
to them all.
Let’s go to the store.
Let’s go to the mall.
Let’s go eat, watch TV, hang out.
Let’s go for a drive, see a movie or some friends.
Let’s go to work.
Let’s go to school.
Let’s go home.
Let’s go to sleep….let’s go, let’s go, let’s go…..
Go.Go.Go. Constantly, “On the Go.”
….and
….and making
….and making nothing.
Living in motion, in a circle, insignificantly.
Going nowhere. Making nothing.
…Going
….Going
….and gone, without significance.
Still, there is more "going"?
Let’s go to church.
Let’s go to devo.
Let’s go to youth camp.
Let's go join that class.
Let's go read that book.
Let’s go hear that Speaker.
Let’s go listen to that Band.
Let’s go to help over there.
Let’s go to see that work.
Let’s go to experience that blessing.
Let’s go serve those people.
Let’s go!
Let’s go!
Let’s hurry and go……
Going….
Going….
Doing…
Doing…
Going and Doing….
Will no one ask, "Why? Why go?"..............
or, "How shall we go?"...
or, "With what shall we do?"
Oh no! Go! Just Go.
and Do. Just Do!
Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Just Hurry!
STOOOOOOOP!!!!”
"Stop it!"
Stop.
Listen.
Stop your "going".
Stop your meaningless motion.
Stop your empty prayers.
Stop your revolving door of events.
Stop the endless moving about.
Stop! Stop!! Stop!!!!!!!!
Just Stop.……please…..
Please, stop.
Think
Slow down…and consider.
Why are you going? Why?
How shall you go?
Consider, "With what shall you do?"
Stop going; start considering.
Stop doing; begin being.
Be with Him.
Be still.
Be quiet.
Be deep.
Be filled.
Be absorbed.
Be nothing.
Be different.
Be alone with God.
Be God's alone.
Just Be.
Be. Be. Be!!
and then….
and then with God...
and then with God and with great humility.....Go.
then...by all means...Go!!! Go!Go!Go! Run!! Charge!!!
Go with purpose!
Go with preparation!
Go with plans!
Go with passion!
Go with Power!
“Oh, Yes! Go!!”, pleads Jesus.
Go, love without condition.
Go, give without reservation.
Go, serve without prejudice.
Go, save my lambs.
Go, feed my sheep.
Go, tend my flocks.
Go, find my coins.
Go, rescue my children.
Go, change the world.
Go, shape the future.
Go, topple kingdoms.
Go usher in Righteousness.
Go…Go…Go!!!!
"Oh, Yes! Yes! Yes!!! A thousand times….YES! Go make disciples…
…and
…and I….
I, personally,….
will be with you."
Now let's go to the store,
to the mall,
to the church,
to them all.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
A Tale of Two Little Brown Churches in the Dell
Actually, there was only one ... to begin with. And it was white; white frame, though some of the paint had faded and chipped off to reveal the brown wood beneath.
I went to church there my freshman year in college with some friends who were older and had cars - since this church was more than twenty miles away in a tiny town across the river.
The name isn't important.
What happened there is, and is the sad story I'm telling. This little church was so small - maybe 30 souls on a Sunday morning - that our visits made quite an impact on attendance. Most of those members were older ladies, a few teen girls, a minister, and the two elders.
The two of them are at the heart of the story, you see.
One of them said something about the other in a barber shop in a town so small that you can't even mutter to yourself without everyone knowing what's on your heart.
I don't know what it was that he said. I didn't live there, you see.
And it's not important to the story.
So the elder who was spoken of by the other pulled up roots and moved about half of the souls in that church with him, over to the abandoned, faded white concrete block building that the Baptists used to use. And in a town too small to have a second stop sign, there were two churches with the same name on their signs.
In the years since then I've told myself that, at 19, I was too young to interfere. Too young to know what to do. But, truth is, I knew what to say. I had read Matthew 18. I had read the letters to Timothy. I could have gently entreated those two church fathers to go to each other and iron out the wrinkles in their relationship; to demonstrate the power of penitence and forgiveness; to show their small community how important is the unity that Christ died to establish among His brothers and sisters.
But I didn't. And neither did anyone else.
It's an intimidating prospect. It's not something you would feel confident about doing. It's not something in which very many people have experience and expertise.
There are a few.
I can recommend a couple of excellent resources for churches - large or small - which need help dealing with conflicts - whether those are large or small. For the ones with problems that might be solved internally, there are outstanding materials available through Peacemaker Ministries. For churches who need help from an outside party (interested, rather than disinterested, in the unity of the saints), I recommend the Center for Conflict Resolution at Abilene Christian University. (My wife Angi had a hand in helping establish it, and some genuinely gifted people like its director Joey Cope and Jerry Strader and Charles Siburt and many others put their very hearts into its mission.)
I've never gone back to that little town in Arkansas with the two little brown churches ... maybe because I still feel a bit guilty about my silence.
I'd like to hope that in the 30+ years since, the rift has healed; that there is still one and only one church there; and that on one or the other of those two miniature buildings a fresh coat of glistening white is applied from time to time.
I went to church there my freshman year in college with some friends who were older and had cars - since this church was more than twenty miles away in a tiny town across the river.
The name isn't important.
What happened there is, and is the sad story I'm telling. This little church was so small - maybe 30 souls on a Sunday morning - that our visits made quite an impact on attendance. Most of those members were older ladies, a few teen girls, a minister, and the two elders.
The two of them are at the heart of the story, you see.
One of them said something about the other in a barber shop in a town so small that you can't even mutter to yourself without everyone knowing what's on your heart.
I don't know what it was that he said. I didn't live there, you see.
And it's not important to the story.
So the elder who was spoken of by the other pulled up roots and moved about half of the souls in that church with him, over to the abandoned, faded white concrete block building that the Baptists used to use. And in a town too small to have a second stop sign, there were two churches with the same name on their signs.
In the years since then I've told myself that, at 19, I was too young to interfere. Too young to know what to do. But, truth is, I knew what to say. I had read Matthew 18. I had read the letters to Timothy. I could have gently entreated those two church fathers to go to each other and iron out the wrinkles in their relationship; to demonstrate the power of penitence and forgiveness; to show their small community how important is the unity that Christ died to establish among His brothers and sisters.
But I didn't. And neither did anyone else.
It's an intimidating prospect. It's not something you would feel confident about doing. It's not something in which very many people have experience and expertise.
There are a few.
I can recommend a couple of excellent resources for churches - large or small - which need help dealing with conflicts - whether those are large or small. For the ones with problems that might be solved internally, there are outstanding materials available through Peacemaker Ministries. For churches who need help from an outside party (interested, rather than disinterested, in the unity of the saints), I recommend the Center for Conflict Resolution at Abilene Christian University. (My wife Angi had a hand in helping establish it, and some genuinely gifted people like its director Joey Cope and Jerry Strader and Charles Siburt and many others put their very hearts into its mission.)
I've never gone back to that little town in Arkansas with the two little brown churches ... maybe because I still feel a bit guilty about my silence.
I'd like to hope that in the 30+ years since, the rift has healed; that there is still one and only one church there; and that on one or the other of those two miniature buildings a fresh coat of glistening white is applied from time to time.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Beyond the Rituals:Letting God Reign in Your Life
Laughing at God
There is a temptation is to laugh at God’s requests, “Surely, God, you don’t mean it!”
"Osaiywa!" (Pray for me). Yelled a babbling crazy man.
Two hundred Africans packed into a mud and wattle building intended for a quarter that number; every chair, bench, and spot on the dirt floor occupied. The crazy man sat near the rear of our packed crowd. His eyes, smoky windows into a hollow room, his mind, clouded by years, yet he persisted, "Osaiywa!".
"Pray for me!" An appropriate request in such an assembly, but the timing was off. We were in the midst of the sermon. Prayer requests were for later. We ignored his first interruption, stared in annoyance at his second, and finally, on his third tirade we hushed him with the promise of our prayers, later, at the appropriate time. This satisfied him, and he sat silently through the next two hours of preaching.
Then, when we were ready, prayer requests were taken. We noted each, then sang another song, prayed a general prayer, listened to a guest youth chorus, and asked for announcements. Instructions were given to visitors regarding a special lunch for them, and someone was selected to lead the closing prayer. That’s when some thinking soul interrupted and sheepishly mentioned the crazy man -- we had almost forgotten his request.
He rose with effort and crept forward with the groping gait of one moving through a dense fog. Carefully, slowly, haltingly, he navigated through an obstacle course of legs and small children who littered the path between his seat and the front. The eyes of the crowd were on him; not compassionate eyes, but sarcastic, rolling eyes that saw absurdity and humor in the old man's manner.
When he reached the front, three of our elders circled around the hunched Patriarch and placing their hands on his trembling shoulders, bowed their heads to petition in his behalf before God. Being good men, they earnestly sought Divine intervention for the old fellow.
I noticed several teenage girls exchanging glances from beneath bowed heads (Yes. I have an amazing ability to close both eyes, bow my head and still see what’s happening in the room.). They labored to hide their amusement, but the continued trade of glances and smiles brought them to the verge of uncontrolled giggles. They obviously felt that the number of "crazies" was now up to four.
Perhaps their assessment of the situation had to do with youth -- when everything serious is silly. Perhaps, it was a bit humorous -- that old man, in the throws of senility, shuffling up before our crowd. Before the prayer concluded they recomposed themselves, donned the costume of religious solemnity, and closed their eyes just ahead of the "Amen".
Laughing at God’s isn’t something new--
-- A frantic father’s daughter is dying. Before reaching home news arrives that she is dead. Catching the words before they crush him, Jesus assures, "The little girl is not dead but asleep." The Scriptures say, "But they laughed at him."
-- "Jesus! Jesus! Heal me!" Pleading words of a beggar man rose from the streets of Jericho. "It's old blind Bartimaeus," Someone snickered, "Someone shut him up!".
-- An ailing woman, weakened from blood loss and penniless from years of paying doctors, convinces herself that if only she can touch Jesus' shirt she can be healed-- though the experts tell her she is being ridiculous and should accept her situation. She tracks him down anyway. Ever so reverently, she tugs on His sleeve. Her touch stops the Healer in his tracks. "Who touched me?" Snickers sputter and embarrassed smirks crisscross the faces of the pushing, jarring crowd, betraying their thoughts; "Is he nuts? Everyone is touching him! Ha. Ha."
-- "Roll away the stone!" Jesus commands. In the rear, smiles flare. The hired mourners catch themselves sharing the crowd's amusement, but quickly recompose and regain their professional sorrow. Even Mary questions his sanity, "Why, Lord, it's been four days. I mean by now he's..."
-- "But Lord, we've fished here all night!" Peter looks back over his shoulder and under his breath cracks a joke to his angling buddies about folks who think they know all about fishing. "All right Lord, we'll try it one more time, just for you. OK fellas, let's humor the Teacher. Pitch your end on the count of three."
-- A room bursts into panic. Those seated fall backward in startled retreat. Those standing duck low. The roof collapses; and when the dust settles, a paraplegic and his blushing friends stare straight into the face of an amused crowd and an angry homeowner. "What idiots!"
Like getting the giggles at church -- inappropriate, but uncontrollable -- the roll of awkward moments continues, when Jesus, on the brink of Divine demonstration, is heckled by snickering sinners and doubting devotees. Listen to their words:
"But how far will so little go among so many?"
"Never Lord! This shall never happen to you."
"When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, 'He is out of his mind!'"
But the old adage applies that, "He who laughs last, laughs longest." Can't you imagine Bartimaeus giggling like a kid as he leapt and ran for the first time in
his life? Or can you see the little girl's flushed lips breaking into a wide grin when she opened her eyes and looked up into her Mother's face? Can't you envision a tidal wave of wrinkles rippling across the healed woman's face every time she cornered one of her former physicians and reminded him, "See, I told you so!"? Mary must have fairly soared with delight as she peeled away the linen strips from Lazarus' face, revealing that familiar lopsided grin of his. How many times do you guess Peter entertained audiences over the years with the retelling of his whale-of-a-tale fishing story? Or, in all history's laboring, can you imagine any job that may have been done with more exuberance than the re-roofing of that house by the former paraplegic?
The crowds were amazed, and we have to wonder what other rib-tickling marvels Jesus was poised to perform, but couldn't, because folks were too preoccupied giggling.
Would you laugh if someone suggested there are things, wonderful things, miraculous things, new things, world changing things God may desire to do in our own time? For the times I have laughed let me request, "Osaiywa".
"Faith is confidence -- founded upon the unfailing almighty character of God -- that the possibilities are limitless" --O. Michel
"Believe me when I say that anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these...." Jn 14:12
There is a temptation is to laugh at God’s requests, “Surely, God, you don’t mean it!”
"Osaiywa!" (Pray for me). Yelled a babbling crazy man.
Two hundred Africans packed into a mud and wattle building intended for a quarter that number; every chair, bench, and spot on the dirt floor occupied. The crazy man sat near the rear of our packed crowd. His eyes, smoky windows into a hollow room, his mind, clouded by years, yet he persisted, "Osaiywa!".
"Pray for me!" An appropriate request in such an assembly, but the timing was off. We were in the midst of the sermon. Prayer requests were for later. We ignored his first interruption, stared in annoyance at his second, and finally, on his third tirade we hushed him with the promise of our prayers, later, at the appropriate time. This satisfied him, and he sat silently through the next two hours of preaching.
Then, when we were ready, prayer requests were taken. We noted each, then sang another song, prayed a general prayer, listened to a guest youth chorus, and asked for announcements. Instructions were given to visitors regarding a special lunch for them, and someone was selected to lead the closing prayer. That’s when some thinking soul interrupted and sheepishly mentioned the crazy man -- we had almost forgotten his request.
He rose with effort and crept forward with the groping gait of one moving through a dense fog. Carefully, slowly, haltingly, he navigated through an obstacle course of legs and small children who littered the path between his seat and the front. The eyes of the crowd were on him; not compassionate eyes, but sarcastic, rolling eyes that saw absurdity and humor in the old man's manner.
When he reached the front, three of our elders circled around the hunched Patriarch and placing their hands on his trembling shoulders, bowed their heads to petition in his behalf before God. Being good men, they earnestly sought Divine intervention for the old fellow.
I noticed several teenage girls exchanging glances from beneath bowed heads (Yes. I have an amazing ability to close both eyes, bow my head and still see what’s happening in the room.). They labored to hide their amusement, but the continued trade of glances and smiles brought them to the verge of uncontrolled giggles. They obviously felt that the number of "crazies" was now up to four.
Perhaps their assessment of the situation had to do with youth -- when everything serious is silly. Perhaps, it was a bit humorous -- that old man, in the throws of senility, shuffling up before our crowd. Before the prayer concluded they recomposed themselves, donned the costume of religious solemnity, and closed their eyes just ahead of the "Amen".
Laughing at God’s isn’t something new--
-- A frantic father’s daughter is dying. Before reaching home news arrives that she is dead. Catching the words before they crush him, Jesus assures, "The little girl is not dead but asleep." The Scriptures say, "But they laughed at him."
-- "Jesus! Jesus! Heal me!" Pleading words of a beggar man rose from the streets of Jericho. "It's old blind Bartimaeus," Someone snickered, "Someone shut him up!".
-- An ailing woman, weakened from blood loss and penniless from years of paying doctors, convinces herself that if only she can touch Jesus' shirt she can be healed-- though the experts tell her she is being ridiculous and should accept her situation. She tracks him down anyway. Ever so reverently, she tugs on His sleeve. Her touch stops the Healer in his tracks. "Who touched me?" Snickers sputter and embarrassed smirks crisscross the faces of the pushing, jarring crowd, betraying their thoughts; "Is he nuts? Everyone is touching him! Ha. Ha."
-- "Roll away the stone!" Jesus commands. In the rear, smiles flare. The hired mourners catch themselves sharing the crowd's amusement, but quickly recompose and regain their professional sorrow. Even Mary questions his sanity, "Why, Lord, it's been four days. I mean by now he's..."
-- "But Lord, we've fished here all night!" Peter looks back over his shoulder and under his breath cracks a joke to his angling buddies about folks who think they know all about fishing. "All right Lord, we'll try it one more time, just for you. OK fellas, let's humor the Teacher. Pitch your end on the count of three."
-- A room bursts into panic. Those seated fall backward in startled retreat. Those standing duck low. The roof collapses; and when the dust settles, a paraplegic and his blushing friends stare straight into the face of an amused crowd and an angry homeowner. "What idiots!"
Like getting the giggles at church -- inappropriate, but uncontrollable -- the roll of awkward moments continues, when Jesus, on the brink of Divine demonstration, is heckled by snickering sinners and doubting devotees. Listen to their words:
"But how far will so little go among so many?"
"Never Lord! This shall never happen to you."
"When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, 'He is out of his mind!'"
But the old adage applies that, "He who laughs last, laughs longest." Can't you imagine Bartimaeus giggling like a kid as he leapt and ran for the first time in
his life? Or can you see the little girl's flushed lips breaking into a wide grin when she opened her eyes and looked up into her Mother's face? Can't you envision a tidal wave of wrinkles rippling across the healed woman's face every time she cornered one of her former physicians and reminded him, "See, I told you so!"? Mary must have fairly soared with delight as she peeled away the linen strips from Lazarus' face, revealing that familiar lopsided grin of his. How many times do you guess Peter entertained audiences over the years with the retelling of his whale-of-a-tale fishing story? Or, in all history's laboring, can you imagine any job that may have been done with more exuberance than the re-roofing of that house by the former paraplegic?
The crowds were amazed, and we have to wonder what other rib-tickling marvels Jesus was poised to perform, but couldn't, because folks were too preoccupied giggling.
Would you laugh if someone suggested there are things, wonderful things, miraculous things, new things, world changing things God may desire to do in our own time? For the times I have laughed let me request, "Osaiywa".
"Faith is confidence -- founded upon the unfailing almighty character of God -- that the possibilities are limitless" --O. Michel
"Believe me when I say that anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these...." Jn 14:12
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Morning Coffee:Gourmet thoughts for your day.
SUNRISE
It's early. Coffee is brewing. Our mountain's hem is glowing in faint silver. The sun will rise soon.
When’s the last time you watched the sun rise? Yesterday? Been awhile? Watching this one with me?
Maybe I should clarify, because I may be asking a different question than you think. I’m not asking when you last saw a risen sun—which is also a beautiful thing. I’m asking, “When was the last time you watched the sun’s rising?"
To witness that fiery ball rupture the horizon and gradually climb into full view you have to stop and focus. Although the earth is spinning at terrific speed, the sun’s rising is almost imperceptible. In fact, without careful observance, little appears to be happening. One second the first bright edge bursts from below the horizon, the next it’s fully launched into the sky’s blue. Silently, steadily, quickly the whole thing transpires with our without our notice.
Other life events can slip by without our notice. Aging, for example. One day we want to be sixteen, then, in no time, we wonder how we got to sixty!
Our children’s growing up is like our own—here and then gone. They break in like bright rays on a steady horizon. Newborns spark a twinkle in a Dad’s eye and spread a warm glow across Mom’s face. Then, before we know it, they’ve launched out on their own...into the blue.
We miss the sun’s rising because we’re too tired, too busy, and too preoccupied. We miss our children’s growing up for the same reasons.
While it’s unfortunate to miss a morning sunrise, it’s a tragedy to miss our children’s childhood. The sun will rise again tomorrow, but their childhood is once.
Today, notice your children. Hold them. Talk to them. Read them a story, or even better, tell them one. Instead of watching T.V., throw the ball. Turn off the phone and tune into their day. Tell them how wonderful they are.
Stop! Look into their eyes. Read their posture. Search their hearts. Sit at their bedside and watch them sleep, listen to them breathe, pray over them. Cherish them.
Many of life’s most beautiful and most precious things pass silently by us unless we resolve not to miss them. No matter their age or distance pause today and enjoy your children. Go ahead. Do what’s brewing in your heart. It’s still early.
It's early. Coffee is brewing. Our mountain's hem is glowing in faint silver. The sun will rise soon.
When’s the last time you watched the sun rise? Yesterday? Been awhile? Watching this one with me?
Maybe I should clarify, because I may be asking a different question than you think. I’m not asking when you last saw a risen sun—which is also a beautiful thing. I’m asking, “When was the last time you watched the sun’s rising?"
To witness that fiery ball rupture the horizon and gradually climb into full view you have to stop and focus. Although the earth is spinning at terrific speed, the sun’s rising is almost imperceptible. In fact, without careful observance, little appears to be happening. One second the first bright edge bursts from below the horizon, the next it’s fully launched into the sky’s blue. Silently, steadily, quickly the whole thing transpires with our without our notice.
Other life events can slip by without our notice. Aging, for example. One day we want to be sixteen, then, in no time, we wonder how we got to sixty!
Our children’s growing up is like our own—here and then gone. They break in like bright rays on a steady horizon. Newborns spark a twinkle in a Dad’s eye and spread a warm glow across Mom’s face. Then, before we know it, they’ve launched out on their own...into the blue.
We miss the sun’s rising because we’re too tired, too busy, and too preoccupied. We miss our children’s growing up for the same reasons.
While it’s unfortunate to miss a morning sunrise, it’s a tragedy to miss our children’s childhood. The sun will rise again tomorrow, but their childhood is once.
Today, notice your children. Hold them. Talk to them. Read them a story, or even better, tell them one. Instead of watching T.V., throw the ball. Turn off the phone and tune into their day. Tell them how wonderful they are.
Stop! Look into their eyes. Read their posture. Search their hearts. Sit at their bedside and watch them sleep, listen to them breathe, pray over them. Cherish them.
Many of life’s most beautiful and most precious things pass silently by us unless we resolve not to miss them. No matter their age or distance pause today and enjoy your children. Go ahead. Do what’s brewing in your heart. It’s still early.
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