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Character tests

Our community is being tested right now. Nevaeh Buchanan, a 5 year-old girl, has been missing for a week. The police and volunteers have conducted a massive search of the community, processed hundreds of tips, and are continuing to search for this precious little girl. For more on the searches and news, go here.

But there also have been a number of rumors spread through the community about persons of interest in the case. I'm not entirely sure what a "Person of Interest" is other than to say that he/she is not a suspect. But the media seize on these individuals and then all sorts of fun begins.

Monroe is inundated with TV trucks from Detroit and Toledo, and helicopters fly over the city, especially near the noon and 5 p.m. newscasts. Maybe it's just a human reaction that, in the absence of new information, to start to let our minds run wild. But some of the rumors that have appeared in this case are appealing to our baser instincts, not the better angels of our nature.

Don't misunderstand my thought please. I'm not saying we should be like Pollyana. But we should withhold judgment until the facts are in. In the mean time, prayer is needed. Pray for the police for wisdom. Pray for the searchers. Pray for Nevaeh. Pray for her family. And most of all pray that God's will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. This world is sick with sin, and Nevaeh's disappearance is one symptom of that sickness. It is a spiritual battle as well as a temporal issue to stop things like this from happening.

May we be known as a community that fought that fight on our knees. Not one that turned on itself with recrimination and accusation.

Bullies in the Home

This article is a follow up to an article published in Holiness Today last year. The previous article was about bullies in the church. This one is about bullies in the home, which happens in more of our congregational homes than we would like to acknowledge.

The author offers some practical advice I want to share here (I encourage you to read the entire article). For those of us in the ministry, and most of us who have friends and family, we will have someone we know who is 1) a bully or 2) being bullied. I like his thoughts on how we can minister in these situations

Once again, our first essential task is to comprehend the bully's annoying, and even deadly, game. Afterwards, led by the Spirit of God, we are equipped to prayerfully devise effective, Christian countermeasures. Consider these:

1. As Augsburger advises, we must learn to "carefront." To stand up to the bully in a loving—rather than harsh and retributive—way. Being firm, but also fair and compassionate. Never retaliating with "overkill." As Holiness people, this response should come natural to us.
2. It is imperative that we seek to protect, defend, encourage, and minister to the bully's victims. In war, despite the risk, soldiers rescue their wounded. Can we be less committed? It's no secret that fear of abandonment is overpowering to the victimized.
3. It behooves us to cultivate special skills in recognizing and dealing with bully tactics. There are superb books, seminars, and 12-step groups focused on such things as conflict resolution, empathy training, and coping skills.
4. We must resolve to be role models, never succumbing to the devious and destructive tactics of the bully. Make no mistake, we shall always be tempted to use our clout to superimpose our will on others in an intimidating way. Even those of us who embrace the scriptural admonition of holiness. If not careful we can come across as harsh, judgmental, and self-righteous, all of which are interpreted as hurtful put-downs to others. Authentic holy living requires us to take a different pathway.

I love the imagery of standing up to a bully without overreacting. In some ways I see movies where Amish men confront those who seek to torment them because of their beliefs. They don't strike them, don't shout, but do not back down either. I like that image here. I also like the image of rescuing our wounded. How do we help people who have a bully in their family? That is something we as congregations should pray about and develop a system/plan to deal with. The sad reality is that we will come across it. How we deal with it is where the rubber meets the road.


The last image is in the article of the dethroned sparrow. It brings a smile to my face.

Edit - As I was reading the E-edition of the Detroit News, I came across this beauty:

Maybe I should just post this every year

This Memorial Day tribute brings a tear to my eye every time I watch it.

This is a really iffy call

Check out the story here and then watch the video clip below. It seems that the refs overreacted to the home crowd on this one.

A great article on Church Fights

Eight years ago Holiness Today ran this article on "No One Wins A Church Fight." The words are maybe more timely now than they were then. Stress - physical, economic, spiritual - seems to bring out the worst in people, and this is a time of national stress. I pray that you will read these words and heed the wisdom in them. It is a terrible witness of the body of Christ when Christians engage in this type of activity. It always gets out because people talk, so don't think it can be contained within the walls of the church building. The author gives some very sound advice on how to avoid the situation.

Nobody Wins a Church Fight

As my wife and I drove away from our church, we promised each other that we would never return. Although both of us were raised in the Church of the Nazarene we concluded that we couldn’t remain where we so strongly disagreed with the pastor. Several other lay families left at the same time. Soon, the pastor left too. The laity who remained behind were left with a small congregation, a large mortgage and the task of convincing another pastor to come be their spiritual leader. My wife and I found another Nazarene church, but after more than 30 years some of the others remain alienated from our denomination.

Unfortunately, this scene is repeated in other Nazarene churches many times every year. When unresolved conflicts exist between the pastor and members of the congregation, the lay members leave the church, the pastor moves or both. Long after the combatants are gone, the scars of battle remain. Many times the innocent bystanders are hurt the most. They are the ones left with the task of helping a wounded church survive. Nobody wins a church fight.

Church fights are avoidable. Over the past 30 years, I have been blessed to belong to stable, growing churches. I have attempted to identify what is different about these churches that never have church fights. This list of “do’s and don’ts” is a summary of my observations. Where pastors and laity act this way, there are no church fights.

Build a relationship of trust. When a pastor has a relationship of trust with the members of his or her congregation, small differences tend to be overlooked and the large ones are resolved more easily.

A relationship of trust is built by doing things together. Worshiping together is important, but simply being in public worship services together isn’t sufficient. Time and energy spent in Christian fellowship is essential. Praying and playing together has lasting benefits. Pastors who become personally involved in the lives of the congregation tend to enjoy enough goodwill to be given the benefit of the doubt when conflicts arise.

The same holds true for laity becoming involved in the life of the pastor. I once heard a layman say, “I don’t get close to my pastors because I know they will be moving in a year or two.” That kind of attitude causes the statement to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

1 Peter 1:22 describes the kind of relationship that should exist between a pastor and members of the church, “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.”

People who truly love one another will have differences of opinion, but the relationship of trust helps them find their way past disagreements.

Seek consensus before making changes. Many church fights arise from changes. The Manual establishes the minimum legal requirements for making decisions in the church, but implementing changes with the support of a simple majority is rarely successful. Those who attempt to implement changes in a church without consensus invite conflict.

Consensus means a) that most people support the proposed change, b) those who don’t support the change feel that their views have been fairly considered and c) all are willing to accept the decision of the majority. Changes implemented when even a small minority are strongly opposed are often the cause of long-lasting conflicts.

Pastors and church leaders who learn to seek input from all of those interested in important decisions find that implementation of the changes is much easier. Churches where decisions are made in a secretive way by a small group of people are ripe for conflict.

Sincerely seek to understand others. There is a natural tendency for one to spend energy trying to convince others to understand his position. Throughout the educational process, students are taught to present ideas effectively; however, few have been trained to listen.

When it comes to avoiding or resolving conflicts, energy spent in understanding the views of others is often more productive than energy spent perfecting one’s own arguments. Churches where people sincerely seek to understand one another rarely have unresolved conflicts.

Take the initiative in resolving differences. In Matthew 5:23, Jesus said to take the initiative in resolving differences. He said, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

Some have suggested that being the first one to actively seek resolution of a dispute is a sign of weakness. That idea has caused people to fight for years over issues that could have been easily resolved if either of them had been willing to make the first attempt to be reconciled.

Discuss differences face to face. Matt. 18:15, states, “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you…” Most people completely ignore “just between the two of you.” It is an essential part of the scripture.

In this day of technology, there is often a temptation to call on the telephone, or send an email. Electronic communication is great for transferring information, but is ineffective when dealing with emotions. Being in the physical presence of another person is still the most effective way to communicate when there is conflict. Making the effort to visit with a person face to face demonstrates that you value them as a person and are sincere in wanting to reach agreement with them. There is no better way to resolve a dispute than to look another person in the eyes and say, “I am here because I want to hear what you have to say.”

Don’t involve others in your conflicts. In addition to the suggestion to meet face-to-face, the “just between the two of you.” language of Matthew 18:15 instructs not to involve additional people in your conflicts until you have made a reasonable effort to seek resolution. The wisdom of not involving additional people in disputes is obvious, but the temptation is strong to seek advice, request special prayer, or just share with a friend. Every time one discusses his or her conflict with another person, the conflict is escalated to another level. Each additional person who becomes aware of the conflict makes resolution more difficult.

Don’t spiritualize differences. There is often a temptation to assume that conflicts are due to the other person’s carnality. While a person may sin as a result of conflict, it is also true that saved and sanctified Christians can have emotion-filled differences of opinion. Assigning evil intent to those who have different opinions is inappropriate. Focus on the merits of the arguments and the importance of the relationship, not on the motives of those who differ with you. Only God knows a person’s heart.

Don’t take extreme positions. Because litigation has become so much a part of society, some people tend to take litigation-like extreme positions. In litigation it is typical for the parties to take extreme positions then bargain back and forth to reach a compromise somewhere between the extreme positions.

Because of the insincerity involved, the back and forth bargaining process doesn’t work well in resolving disputes in the church. Even when involved in a conflict, a Christian should express positions in a sincere and an honest way.

Don’t confuse positions with principles. Many people think they have “principles” while others have “positions.” Positions are subject to change, principles shouldn’t be. One should constantly reexamine his or her positions and change them when there is fresh insight. Compromising one’s position is often wise and appropriate. Those who compromise their principles have no integrity, but those who consider their positions to be beyond compromise are destined to live with conflict all of their lives.

Don’t flee. Several years ago, the Commission on the Call of the Pastor, took a survey of Nazarene pastors. A majority of pastors who answered the survey admitted that they had left at least one pastorate to avoid a conflict.

Fleeing puts distance between the combatants, but it does not resolve the conflict. One who flees without making a sincere attempt to apply the conflict resolution principles described in Matt. 15 leaves a trap of unresolved issues to faced by those who follow. Some Nazarene churches change pastors every year or two over the same unresolved issues. Some laymen move from church to church creating conflicts everywhere they go. When people flee, a church fight may be postponed, but it is rarely permanently avoided.

Churches that have a history of stability and growth are not the ones where people never have differences of opinion. Every church has conflicts. The stable, growing congregations are the ones where the pastor and laity have worked together to prevent their difference from becoming church fights. When conflicts in a church rise to the level of a church fight, no one wins.

Author – J. David McClung, attorney and chairman of Triton Marine Construction Corp., Gig Harbor, WA.

Truth in Comic Strips

There is so much wisdom to be gained from reading the comics. Here are today's gems that caught my eye. I think I know the delicatessen guy. And Dilbert is prescient as always.

Jumping to conclusions

I should remove this exercise from my fitness regimen. I'm really good at it and it usually gets me in trouble. Whether it is making a decision based on incomplete information at home, church, or work, I'm learning to wait before drawing conclusions.

Last weekend I had a humorous example of this. I went to my local Kroger store. As I exited my car, near the cart corral, I heard someone talking loudly. As I walked toward the store, I saw a disheveled man gesturing wildly and talking loudly. I thought "Great, crazy guy in front of the store hassling people." I gave him a wide berth and headed toward the door. I noticed his clothes were torn, he hadn't shaved in days, and he was ignoring everyone around him as he did his thing.

But as I passed him I noticed that he had a bluetooth device in his ear. He wasn't the crazy guy in front of the store. He was the really loud phone talker who seemed to think that if he shouted it would make his phone work better. He may have still been a little nuts, but he certainly what I thought he was on first glance.

I'm getting ready to preach this Memorial Day weekend. I'm spending more time with my text, because I kind of jumped to a conclusion when I first read it. I'm pretty sure the Holy Spirit is telling me to alter my direction with the text. Preaching is like life in so many ways. We accomplish so much more by listening than we do by talking and rushing into things. This is an area where God is still working on me.

Pray for me.

This is pretty amazing

Olivet Nazarene University students + beer pong - beer + copious amounts of time = this. Click on the video link above to view. It is amazing.

High School

Yesterday I had the great privilege to sit and share a meal and some great conversation with a friend from high school. It's been many years since we have seen each other, but that didn't put much of a damper on our time together. I have great memories of some fun times with Pete, and he and his family are some of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.

As we sat and talked, the conversation turned to people we know and where they are now. We were both wracking our brains on some folks, but Facebook has helped with others. One of the things we noticed was that some of the prominent, high-achievers in high school seemed to have peaked a bit early. Others, who were under the radar, have done quite well for themselves, and some of our classmates, well, let's just say their life is a train wreck (think incarceration.)

As I sat there I realized that I would not want to go back to high school. And I thought of my daughter who starts this fall. There is so much peer pressure and social dynamics that I'm pretty sure that, despite the fun I had, I wouldn't want the hassle.

My advice to those in high school? Remember that this is a fleeting phase of your life. Stay true to your beliefs, don't go knucklehead, and realize that in 20 years, the world will look very different.

The video clip below captures that thought pretty well for me.

Check this out

This is an interesting marriage of Google Maps and the Bible. Select your version, book and chapter, and it will display the location for you. It might be a fun addition to your bible study routine.

Thanks to the Gadget Pastor for this.

Heroes

Recently we marked the sad anniversary of the Columbine shootings in Colorado. Columbine is but one of many, granted it was the largest, of the high school shootings. It's a sad phenomenon when adolescents feel so persecuted that their recourse is to kill others or injure themselves.


The video clip is a song by Superchick, and the message is one that each of us should take to heart. We all have a role to play in helping the disaffected, the bullied, the "unlovely" in the world see their value in Christ. That is how heroes are made.

Do I need to elaborate?

Changes

This week was the 60th District Assembly of the Eastern Michigan District of the Church of the Nazarene. I attended as a delegate from our congregation and have several observations from the proceedings.


1. Without belaboring the obvious, it has been a tough year. Many churches have seen significant declines in their giving, and attendance. Some reported an exodus of people leaving Michigan for states where jobs are more plentiful. But the tone was one of optimism in the face of adversity, which truly embodies the Christian message. We have hope in Christ as we are aliens in this land.

2. New Birth. We officially organized a new congregation in Flint. It was encouraging to hear testimony from the believers in that nascent congregation about the power of God in their lives and the redemption that He has brought them. Praise be to God!

3. Passages. We said goodbye to some saints who have gone on to their eternal reward, and authorized the closing of a congregation in Detroit. My heart goes out to Sister Vera during this time. She has been a ray of light for her community, and I applaud her for the dignity with which she has handled this process. God Bless you Vera!

4. Mission. Despite all of the struggles, we heard numerous reports of lives being reclaimed from sin, of people finding hope in Jesus, and of the Kingdom of God advancing during difficult times. Praise God for his faithfulness and for the faithfulness of his people during difficult times.

I came away energized and raring to go. Come Lord Jesus, Come in your fullness.

Here is your chance to get a free book!

Bible Study Magazine and Eternal Perspective Ministries are giving away 40 signed copies of Randy Alcorn’s book, Heaven. Not only that, but they're also giving away five subscriptions to Bible Study Magazine and a copy of their Bible Study Library software! Enter to win on the Bible Study Magazine Randy Alcorn page, then take a look at all the cool tools they have to take your Bible study to the next level!

Faith Like a Child

This past weekend I took temporary leave of my senses and hosted a lock-in for the children of the church. We had 14 kids, ages 4-12, spend the night and party with us. It was a great time. We made pizzas, played games, watched movies, fired up the DVD version of Family Feud, and baked the communion bread for Sunday. I was preaching on Sunday, and the kids administered the communion elements to the congregation. It was a powerful moment, and one that I am proud to have been part of.

I love these kids, and I love God for putting them into my life. Pray for them as they continue their journey of faith, with Faith like a Child.

Click on the video to see a little glimpse into our activities. I'm still tired, but I have a smile on my face. :)

The Hound of Heaven

Take a minute and read Francis Thompson's classic poem "The Hound of Heaven" on this Saturday between Good Friday and Easter. Think about the Lord who laid in the grave, and then, when resurrected, pursues each of us out of love.

The Hound of Heaven
Francis Thompson (1859-1907)


I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter.
Up vistaed hopes I sped;
And shot, precipitated,
Adown Titanic glooms of chasmed fears,
From those strong Feet that followed, followed after.
But with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbèd pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
They beat--and a Voice beat
More instant than the Feet--
"All things betray thee, who betrayest Me."

I pleaded, outlaw-wise,
By many a hearted casement, curtained red,
Trellised with intertwining charities
(For, though I knew His love Who followed,
Yet was I sore adread
Lest having Him, I must have naught beside);
But if one little casement parted wide,
The gust of His approach would clash it to.
Fear wist not to evade, as Love wist to pursue.
Across the margent of the world I fled,
And troubled the gold gateways of the stars,
Smiting for shelter on their clanged bars;
Fretted to dulcet jars
And silvern chatter the pale ports o' the moon.
I said to dawn, Be sudden; to eve, Be soon;
With thy young skyey blossoms heap me over
From this tremendous Lover!
Float thy vague veil about me, lest He see!
I tempted all His servitors, but to find
My own betrayal in their constancy,
In faith to Him their fickleness to me,
Their traitorous trueness, and their loyal deceit.
To all swift things for swiftness did I sue;
Clung to the whistling mane of every wind.
But whether they swept, smoothly fleet,
The long savannahs of the blue;
Or whether, Thunder-driven,
They clanged his chariot 'thwart a heaven
Plashy with flying lightnings round the spurn o' their feet--
Still with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbèd pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
Came on the following Feet,
And a Voice above their beat--
"Naught shelters thee, who wilt not shelter Me."

I sought no more that after which I strayed
In face of man or maid;
But still within the little children's eyes
Seems something, something that replies;
They at least are for me, surely for me!
I turned me to them very wistfully;
But, just as their young eyes grew sudden fair
With dawning answers there,
Their angel plucked them from me by the hair.
"Come then, ye other children, Nature's--share
With me," said I, "your delicate fellowship;
Let me greet you lip to lip,
Let me twine with you caresses,
Wantoning
With our Lady-Mother's vagrant tresses'
Banqueting
With her in her wind-walled palace,
Underneath her azured daïs,
Quaffing, as your taintless way is,
From a chalice
Lucent-weeping out of the dayspring."
So it was done;
I in their delicate fellowship was one--
Drew the bolt of Nature's secrecies.
I knew all the swift importings
On the wilful face of skies;
I knew how the clouds arise
Spumèd of the wild sea-snortings;
All that's born or dies
Rose and drooped with--made them shapers
Of mine own moods, or wailful or divine--
With them joyed and was bereaven.
I was heavy with the even,
When she lit her glimmering tapers
Round the day's dead sanctities.
I laughed in the morning's eyes.
I triumphed and I saddened with all weather,
Heaven and I wept together,
And its sweet tears were salt with mortal mine;
Against the red throb of its sunset-heart
I laid my own to beat,
And share commingling heat;
But not by that, by that, was eased my human smart.
In vain my tears were wet on Heaven's gray cheek.
For ah! we know not what each other says,
These things and I; in sound I speak--
Their sound is but their stir, they speak by silences.
Nature, poor stepdame, cannot slake my drouth;
Let her, if she would owe me,
Drop yon blue bosom-veil of sky, and show me
The breasts of her tenderness;
Never did any milk of hers once bless
My thirsting mouth.
Nigh and nigh draws the chase,
With unperturbèd pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy;
And past those noisèd Feet
A voice comes yet more fleet--
"Lo naught contents thee, who content'st not Me."

Naked I wait Thy love's uplifted stroke!
My harness piece by piece Thou hast hewn from me,
And smitten me to my knee;
I am defenseless utterly.
I slept, methinks, and woke,
And, slowly gazing, find me stripped in sleep.
In the rash lustihead of my young powers,
I shook the pillaring hours
And pulled my life upon me; grimed with smears,
I stand amid the dust o' the mounded years--
My mangled youth lies dead beneath the heap.
My days have crackled and gone up in smoke,
Have puffed and burst as sun-starts on a stream.
Yea, faileth now even dream
The dreamer, and the lute the lutanist;
Even the linked fantasies, in whose blossomy twist
I swung the earth a trinket at my wrist,
Are yielding; cords of all too weak account
For earth with heavy griefs so overplussed.
Ah! is Thy love indeed
A weed, albeit amaranthine weed,
Suffering no flowers except its own to mount?
Ah! must--
Designer infinite!--
Ah! must Thou char the wood ere Thou canst limn with it?
My freshness spent its wavering shower i' the dust;
And now my heart is a broken fount,
Wherein tear-drippings stagnate, spilt down ever
From the dank thoughts that shiver
Upon the sighful branches of my mind.
Such is; what is to be?
The pulp so bitter, how shall taste the rind?
I dimly guess what Time in mist confounds;
Yet ever and anon a trumpet sounds
From the hid battlements of Eternity;
Those shaken mists a space unsettle, then
But not ere him who summoneth
I first have seen, enwound
With blooming robes, purpureal, cypress-crowned;
His name I know, and what his trumpet saith.
Whether man's heart or life it be which yields
Thee harvest, must Thy harvest fields
Be dunged with rotten death?

Now of that long pursuit
Comes on at hand the bruit;
That Voice is round me like a bursting sea:
"And is thy earth so marred,
Shattered in shard on shard?
Lo, all things fly thee, for thou fliest Me!
Strange, piteous, futile thing,
Wherefore should any set thee love apart?
Seeing none but I makes much of naught," He said,
"And human love needs human meriting,
How hast thou merited--
Of all man's clotted clay rhe dingiest clot?
Alack, thou knowest not
How little worthy of any love thou art!
Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee
Save Me, save only Me?
All which I took from thee I did but take,
Not for thy harms.
But just that thou might'st seek it in my arms.
All which thy child's mistake
Fancies as lost, I have stored for the at home;
Rise, clasp My hand, and come!"

Halts by me that footfall;
Is my gloom, after all,
Shade of His hand, outstreched caressingly?
"Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,
I am He Whom thou seekest!
Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest Me."

Francis Thompson (1859-1907)

Some Good Friday videos to ponder

Just click on the videos and contemplate about Jesus' mission on this fateful day.



Here is one in English :)



An artsy look



And a beautiful, older song

This is different

Here is a link to Glenn Beck reading the arrest, trial and crucifixion narrative of Jesus Christ with Pink Floyd music in the background.

It's different.

Maundy Thursday

Today is the day when we remember the Last Supper, and the betrayal and arrest of Jesus. What a night that must have been for Jesus and the disciples.

It's Passover, so Jerusalem is filled with people from other towns coming to Jerusalem for the Passover services. Jesus and the disciples are relaxing, having a meal, and then Jesus rolls a grenade into the party when he announces that one of them will betray him. He also tells Peter that he will deny him three times before dawn, and none of them can believe it.

They leave, go out to pray, and Jesus is arrested and the disciples scatter. In the span of just a few hours everything went from hunky-dory to a train wreck in the disciples' eyes. Their emotions had to be just whip-sawed by all that was taking place. And I'm pretty sure that Jesus' words about his impending trial and death began to make a lot more sense to them

This Maundy Thursday, take a moment to reflect on the interaction between Jesus and the disciples. Imagine yourself in their shoes, as all of this swirled around them. Imagine their, joy, confusion, agony, guilt and regret.

Then thank God for Jesus dying on a cross for you, and them.

Some good advice about Gossip

No, this isn't a how-to article. It's more of a how-not-to article that cuts into motivation, especially among Christians.

It's great advice for those who feel the need to pass along every internet rumor they come across.

A thought for Holy Week

This video clip brought me to tears again today as I watched it. As we move through Holy Week, the visual of Christ holding back the enemies of our soul is one that chokes me up every time I see it. There have been a lot of ugly things in our lives the past few months. Brain injuries, overdoses, cutters, and people in distress have all crossed my path. So many things are the enemy of our soul, and every so often I need to see Christ the Victor to remind me of that.

As you prepare for Good Friday and Easter, let this thought dwell in you. "What do you need Christ to keep away from you?" Then bring that to God.

Sometime God just amazes me

This has been a strange semester for me. While I was away at Nazarene Theological Seminary in January, a couple body-blows landed pretty hard in just a couple of days. The first was news that an elderly neighbor that we have known since we moved to Monroe in 1996 had fallen, hit her head, and ruptured a blood vessel in her brain. At that time she had brain surgery and was on life-support with a very uncertain prognosis.. The other was that the economy here in Michissippi had caught up with one of my largest clients and they were giving up on the state, PR-wise. And would no longer need my services. The combined weight of those staggered me pretty hard while I was in Kansas City.

I felt so helpless being 800 miles from home and unable to minister to my neighbor and her family. I prayed, and asked my classmates to pray as well, but I so desperately wanted to be there. But I could not. Needless to say I was a bit distracted during class.

What I am excited to say is that in just 2 months, my neighbor has recovered enough to be out of the hospital and living in her daughter's home. I pray that she will recover enough to come back to our neighborhood, but if not, God has been exceedingly gracious to her thus far. She still has a ways to go with her speech and mobility, but she could have easily ended up like Natasha Richardson who died from a similar injury.

I can't say why God heals some people and not others. That is a decision made way above my pay grade. But I am grateful for the mercy he has shown my neighbor. And I am grateful for the prayers of my fellow students and my church in praying for a dear lady who has been a part of my life for quite a while.

This Holy Week I have something to celebrate beyond the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And I am so grateful for that.

The times in which we live

Watch the video link first. It is an amazing presentation about the times in which we live. We do not have the luxury of choosing the times we live in and the challenges they present. But we do have the task to taking a timeless message from God into each new challenge.

We have a lot of work ahead of us.

Breathing again

I just finished my exegetical paper on Philemon. It seems strange to write 4500+ words on a book that has only 355 words in its original Greek language. But that is the joy of seminary.

I love Philemon. It's a fascinating story about a runaway slave, the Apostle Paul, the slave's master and Paul's attempt to get Philemon, the slave master, to take back Onesimus, his slave and cancel the debt. It is applied Christian ethics in a nutshell, and the background of slavery appeals to my love of history. I encourage you to read Philemon when you have time.

Here is my concluding paragraph from the paper:
Paul’s intimate and extraordinary letter to Philemon allows us to glimpse the view of the kingdom of God that Paul held. In this kingdom, we are called to forgive as we are forgiven, and there is no distinction based on gender, class, slave or free. Just as we have been set free from spiritual bondage, Paul is asking Philemon to free Onesimus from his physical bonds, and to do it in the Lord so that the church may benefit. Paul is not making a political statement and attacking the institution of slavery outright. Rather, he is counseling a believer on how to handle a former slave who is now a brother in Christ. And he is implying that the “proper” thing to do is to set Onesimus free so that he can minister to Paul. It is an extraordinary request from an extraordinary man. And we benefit by having it available to us.

If you want to have a little fun with hermeneutics, then go here. (thanks Signe for the tip)

He's back

Justin Laiply is back with the Evolution of Dance 2 video.



Here is the original if you haven't seen it.



Just click on the links and enjoy.

It is a little out of season...

But pretty funny. Just click on the link and enjoy.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

This prayer is often called "St. Patrick's Breastplate" because of those parts of it which seek God's protection.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through the confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of demons,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.

___________________________

How to tell nothing is going on in your town

When this is what dominates a local government meeting.

Sheesh

The excitement in our neck of the woods this week

Click on the link to see some of the flooding in Dundee, Monroe, and the surrounding areas. Beginning at the 1:20 mark, my office is just off the screen on the right side of the image. Thankfully our church and my office were spared, but many in the area have flooded basements and sewers that backed up into their homes.

Say a prayer for those folks who have been damaged by this. It's a big mess.

A moving version of Amazing Grace

Click on the player below and enjoy a performance at the Coliseum in Rome.

Some provocative thoughts on North American Christianity

Thanks Roxann for the tip. Click on the links below to Hear Drew Marshall's appearance on a Canadian Christian show. He is spot on in many of his diagnoses of the state of the church, especially as a place where the spiritually struggling can find peace. Cultural Christianity is killing us is a statement we should wrestle with especially during Lent. There is a lot we need to repent from in our churches, and I am part of the problem. Lord forgive us for taking your sacrifice and making it into something that does not reach out the the people that you died for. God help us to see the people as you see them.



Here is part 2 of the interview



You can find Drew's response to the interview here. I encourage you to listen.

The coming evangelical collapse?

I don't buy everything this article says, but I do agree with a couple of his points.

We Evangelicals have failed to pass on to our young people an orthodox form of faith that can take root and survive the secular onslaught. Ironically, the billions of dollars we've spent on youth ministers, Christian music, publishing, and media has produced a culture of young Christians who know next to nothing about their own faith except how they feel about it. Our young people have deep beliefs about the culture war, but do not know why they should obey scripture, the essentials of theology, or the experience of spiritual discipline and community. Coming generations of Christians are going to be monumentally ignorant and unprepared for culture-wide pressures.

Evangelicals have identified their movement with the culture war and with political conservatism. This will prove to be a very costly mistake. Evangelicals will increasingly be seen as a threat to cultural progress. Public leaders will consider us bad for America, bad for education, bad for children, and bad for society.

The evangelical investment in moral, social, and political issues has depleted our resources and exposed our weaknesses. Being against gay marriage and being rhetorically pro-life will not make up for the fact that massive majorities of Evangelicals can't articulate the Gospel with any coherence. We fell for the trap of believing in a cause more than a faith.

There is a lot of truth in what he says. What are your thoughts?

The problem with American Christianity

This excerpt from this article, encapsulates much of what is wrong with the American church:

However, I remain unconvinced that the right question is, "What's the most important thing you want from your church?" This emphasis on an individual's expectations and preferences reveals a core problem in American Christianity—the unchallenged assumption that people can accurately evaluate their church based on whether or not it meets their needs. How does this prevailing attitude alter the biblical purpose of the Church in the world? We are a culture of Christ-followers who pay far too much attention to whether or not our needs are being satisfied. And we have become a culture of church leaders who spend far too much time orienting our ministries around the ever-changing preferences of our people.


A few years ago I was listening to WMUZ FM in the afternoon. The host of the show was asking for a full hour what people looked for in a new church. I heard the entire hour, and never once did a person talk about what the church was doing in the community, how it was fulfilling the Great Commission, or how it was meeting the needs of the dispossessed. It was all about how it met their needs, entertained their kids etc. It was a full hour of narcissism, and it drove me crazy. Side note - I have not listened to that show since.

The consumerist mentality that is rampant in the American church is horribly destructive. It is what leads people to shop for a church like the pick a television. Does it look good and make me feel good? We roll through pastors because they "aren't meeting my needs." Could it be possible that your needs are contrary to the Kingdom of God? Could it be that your pastor is trying to fulfill the Great Commission, not massage your ego?

I have precious little time for people who continually voice this objection. By and large, the people who aren't having their needs met are treating the church like a lawn service- once a week is good enough. A better metaphor might be that of the gardener, who is out there every day looking for bugs, pulling weeds, training plants, straightening crooked stems, watering, feeding and tending. Not someone who shows up with a bunch of flashy machinery and is done in an hour.

I'll step off my soapbox now.

Only 10?

Read this list and shake your head. It's no wonder our state is in a fiscal crisis. The largest city is governed by the gang that couldn't shoot straight and a collection of folks who just can't seem to stay out of the news, for all the wrong reasons.

And the Band Played On

If you wonder why Detroit is in decline, read this. Remember, Barbara Rose Collins was a member of Congress from Detroit who was voted out of office largely because she didn't show up for the job. In one year, she had the third-worst voting attendance record in Congress.

I guess you do get the government you do elect. God help the City of Detroit.

Political thought for the day

"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to
public office." --Aesop

There might be a little truth in this

Though I don't harbor delusions of grandeur, I'm sure there are a few out there who do. Enjoy the video clip.

The Day of the LORD

A Lenten reading:

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

¹ Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy hill.
Let all who live in the land tremble,
for the day of the LORD is coming.
It is close at hand-

² a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness.
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
a large and mighty army comes,
such as never was of old
nor ever will be in ages to come.

¹² "Even now," declares the LORD,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning."

¹³ Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.

¹⁴ Who knows? He may turn and have pity
and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings
for the LORD your God.

¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion,
declare a holy fast,
call a sacred assembly.

¹⁶ Gather the people,
consecrate the assembly;
bring together the elders,
gather the children,
those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room
and the bride her chamber.

¹⁷ Let the priests, who minister before the LORD,
weep between the temple porch and the altar.
Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD.
Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
'Where is their God?' "

What do you make of verses like this? I know they were written for a people about 2500 years ago in a very different place. But why were these words preserved as scripture for believers in the LORD?

Maybe the key lies in the possibility of vv. 12-14. That if we return to him with all of our heart, that the calamity can be avoided. I'm going to camp out there for a bit in my prayers. Last night at the Ash Wednesday service I attended, we were challenged to examine our own lives to see if the sins of Pilate were in us? Were we in too much of a hurry? Did we fear loss of our own prestige when we ignored the words of the Lord Jesus. Are we unwilling to look at his truth?

Those are hard words to chew on, and a bitter meal to digest. But that is the beauty of Lent. It's a season of reflecting on what Christ has done for us. It's a time to measure ourselves against what God expects of us. It's a time of sacrifice and penitence for us.

This year, let the LORD speak to you during Lent. Quiet yourself before him and let his words penetrate your inner being as you "seek first the Kingdom of God" in all that you do. I won't promise you exorbitant blessings for doing it. But you will draw closer to the one who loves you, created you, and redeemed you.

Join me in this prayer focus. I think God has something to tell us, individually and corporately.

A good source for fasting information

If you are thinking about fasting during Lent, here is a good source of fasting tips and information that you will find useful.

I encourage each of you to think about fasting for a portion of the Lenten season.

Support?

Sadly, this is all many people get at home and at work.

Lent? Fasting?

Are any of you feeling led to take on a Lenten Fast? If so, I would like to share that experience with you. I'm at a point where I feel like God is deconstructing my life and I cannot understand what he is doing. So many things are in flux, and I'm just tired of trying to hold this all together.

I'm going to use my fast to wait upon the Lord for answers to whatever it is He is trying to do. I'm praying for some clarity and resolution, one way or another.

If you want to join me in a fast, drop me a note. You don't have to divulge details. But the encouragement of knowing others are in there with me will help.

Cognitive Dissonance

Note: I'm not making light of the gruesome death of a human being.

How can a guy who creates a TV station designed to counter negative portrayals of Muslims think that beheading his wife is a good idea? This is a disgusting story, and one that makes me ill just thinking about it.

Somewhere along the way, he lost sight of his goal if he thought this was going to help.

I'll be praying for his soul and for mercy for her soul.

I've had projects like this

The drunken monkeys with a jigsaw puzzle is just a great mental image. Thanks Dilbert. These videos are available for free as podcasts via Itunes.

Cue up the Barry White tunes

I can't even begin to think that this is a good idea. I know zoos need to attract winter business, but this?

Sometimes you just fall into a place like this

I'm there right now.

I can empathize with this guy

I felt like this at the end of my most recent 2-week modules at Nazarene Theological Seminary. My Hermeneutics class about made my head explode.

This is pretty funny

I'll confess I've never watched the Ellen Degeneres show, but this clip is pretty funny. I know people like her caller. Heck, some of them are relatives.

Free copy of Vintage church

Bible Study Magazine and Mars Hill are giving away 20 copies of Mark Driscoll’s new book, Vintage Church. Not only that, but they are also giving away five subscriptions to Bible Study Magazine and a copy of their Bible Study Library software! Enter to win on the Bible Study Magazine Mark Driscoll page, then take a look at all the cool tools they have to take your Bible study to the next level!

One church I will not be attending

Just click on the player.

Something to keep an eye on

The Obama administration is reviewing the faith-based initiative created by President Bush. How he handles this will give some insight into how much power the MoveOn.org and other left-wing groups have in his administration.

I truly do miss his work

Berkley Breathed is a tremendous artist who created one of my all-time favorite characters in Opus. Sadly, he has retired Opus and moved him on to his eternal reward (details are on his website). This is one of my favorite comics from the Bloom County era. I may go pull those books out of the attic and revisit the genius that was Bloom County.
For those unfamiliar with Bloom County, Opus is the penguin.

Enjoy.

It's no wonder that our federal budget is out of kilter

When you are this bad at math, and you are the Speaker of the House, what else can happen?




FYI - there are only slightly more than 300 million Americans total.

Something worth revisiting

If you never read anything else that I write, this series was probably the most lucid series of posts that I have composed. Plus, if the networks can get away with repeats, so can I :)

#1 Missional Churches

#2 Missional Churches

#3 Missional Churches

#4 Missional Churches

#5 Missional Churches

Concluding thoughts

Something fun to do

Go here and enter your last name. It will show you a map of where your last name is frequently found and how your name ranks nationally.

What do you want me to do for you?

Last night in church at Jacob's Well in Kansas City, Tim Keel was preaching on Mark 10:46-52. It is commonly known as the story of Blind Bartimaeus. The text is:
46Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

48Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

49Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." 50Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

51"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."

52"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road

The question "What do you want me to do for you?" may seem almost ridiculous on its face. Bartimaeus is blind and living as a beggar. Of course he wants to be healed. But Jesus makes him articulate it, and you have to wonder why.

One thought, that rings my bell, is that Jesus wanted Bartimaeus to articulate his need so that he would "own" it. If he were to be healed, his life would dramatically change. He would have to find a job, since begging would no longer be an option. I think Jesus was asking Bartimaeus if he was ready to give up his limited, but familiar, lifestyle for one that would be dramatically different.

When we ask God for things, we would be wise to walk through this in our own heads. Are we prepared for the consequences of what we are asking for. The miracle we are requesting may change our lives, and the lives of our loved ones, in ways we cannot predict. Are we ready to say that whatever God brings, we are willing to go along with his will?

Something to mull over.

Why can't we be friends?

At least like this pair. If they can overcome these kinds of differences, we can take a clue and overcome some of our differences.

It's a cute story.

Things I have done

Thanks to Bishopman for the link.

I believe the idea is to boldface the ones that one has actually done and comment as one wishes, so if any readers haven’t entirely lost respect for me and wish to take this on, go ahead.)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower –the mountains of North Carolina was the site
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm –Michigan and South Dakota are great venues.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch –does building trebuchet’s count?
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning – never want to do that again
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill –

24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community – grew up near Shipshewana
36. Taught yourself a new language - and forgotten it
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby – Deb has twice.
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a mobile phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day –Several times every year. –Unfortunately.

A New Year wish for all Detroit sports teams

May his wish come true for all of us.