Fellowship

Those of you who know me know of my disdain for the sanctified gorge-fest that is known as a church fellowship. Somehow, the concept of bearing each other's burdens in Christian love has been boiled down to green bean casserole served lukewarm in a potluck. I would imagine that more than 90% of the church use of the word fellowship involves food. Which is not what fellowship is about.

According to dictionary.com, here are the definitions for fellowship:

.	1. the condition or relation of being a fellow: the fellowship of humankind.

2.	friendly relationship; companionship: the fellowship of father and son.

3.	community of interest, feeling, etc.

4.	communion, as between members of the same church.

5.	friendliness.

6.	an association of persons having similar tastes, interests, etc.

7.	a company, guild, or corporation.

8.	Education. a. the body of fellows in a college or university. b. the position or emoluments of a fellow of a college or university, or the sum of money he or she receives. c. a foundation for the maintenance of a fellow in a college or university.

–verb (used with object)

9.	to admit to fellowship, esp. religious fellowship.

–verb (used without object)

10.	to join in fellowship, esp. religious fellowship.

Did you see food mentioned in there? Neither did I.



I was watching The Fellowship of the Ring today and this thought struck me. Frodo was at his most vulnerable when he was separated from the fellowship. When he put the ring on and had to face the Nazgul alone, he was injured and nearly killed. But when he stayed with the fellowship, they were there to guide and protect each other.

That is what saddens me about what our churches have done with fellowship. It has been taken from a concept of community where we guide, protect, love and support each other to a concept of expanding each other's waistlines. It's about food. We sit with the same people at the "fellowship" events anyway. Instead of involving ourselves in each other's lives, we feed our faces. We waste a valuable opportunity to build up the spirital side of the body. Instead, we choose to build the body mass, and let the spirit wither.

For more of my thoughts on this, go here and here.

This is a hard nut to crack, as I have discovered. It is an ingrained practice handed down from the Lord himself, just ask the fellowship diehards. It could be so much more. But alas, it is a celebration of Aunt Edna's Three Bean Salad.

Upon the advice of my doctor, I am swearing off potlucks. At least that is my plan.

A picture is worth a thousand words

So I will save you the words. This cartoon says exactly what I was talking about in a previous post.

Vanity

Is this just the most vain gift idea you have seen? I hear this ad on the radio frequently, where you can name a star after someone you love. Aside from the sheer folly of giving a gift that is basically a name in a book somewhere, there is an issue with this that struck me today.
Can we really name stars? I see in the Bible where Adam was given the authority to name the animals. We have continued this to name plants and minerals, merely to help classify them. But naming a big ball of gas billions of light years away after your uncle because you can't think of anything else to get him seems a bit pretentious to me.

After all, the heavens for the most part are God's domain. There are very few instances in the Bible where a man exerts some control over the heavens. Elijah made the rain stop for 31/2 years, but typically the heavens are assigned grandeur and majesty. They are not a wall to pick a gift from.

Psalms 19:1 The Heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Nope, nothing in there about gift giving, or Aunt Edna.

I encourage you to go outside on a clear night, stare at the grandeur of what God created for our viewing pleasure and thank Him for that. It will make you feel pretty small. And it will make you feel very special.

The more they stay the same

22 years ago at Christmas we were graced with the song "Do they know it's Christmas" by Band Aid. Organized by Bob Geldof, it was an admirable effort by British music artists to raise money to help the starving Ethopians enduring a drought and government-engineered famine. It was soon followed by the awful "We are the World" by USA for Africa.

Fast forward to 2006 and a crisis of similar proportion is unfolding in Sudan. A government engineered famine, ethnic cleansing and a feckless United Nations, and you have hundreds of thousands suffering in Darfur. Except this time they don't have a cheerleader raising money for them. But the need is just as great.

If you want to help out the suffering people of Darfur, you can go here to see some organizations that are working in that region. Not every relief organization is willing to send its people into this volatile are. And please don't give any money to the United Nations relief efforts. The graft and corruption in that organization is shameful.

The more things change...

Some things are just so predictable. The sun will rise in the east, and set in the west. Winter is cold, summer is warm. And the Secretary General of the United Nations will blame the United States for whatever is wrong in the world.

In a predictable fashion, Kofi Annan scolded the United States about abandoning its democratic ideals in the war on terror. Is this the same guy who ran the corrupt Oil For Food program with Saddam where billions was siphoned off from humanitarian purposes to feed Saddam loyalists and his army? The UN didn't sanction its members who participated in this, but individual countries have.

Is this the same United Nations that did nothing in the Balkan crisis, and the US and NATO intervened without their blessing to stop a genocide?

Is this the same United Nations whose "peacekeepers" were sytematically raping and torturing young girls in the Congo while they were supposed to be protecting them?

Thanks for the input Kofi. Now take your corrupt team and get off of the world stage. Your time has been a disgrace at an organization seriously in need of a purpose. This is just one more evidence of why we need to put our faith in God, not in man, or institutions created by man. They will always disappoint us and are prone to corruption. Even those started with high ideals.

A good Children's Advent book

If you are looking for a good book to read to your children for Advent, this is an excellent one. Jotham's Journey is a fantastic tale of a shepherd boy who winds up on a spine-tingling tale because of his disobedience. It is broken out in sections to be read each day, and our kids loved it.

It draws you into a strong narrative set at the time of the birth of Christ that will reinforce the message of Advent and keep the kids interested.

Another Good Book

Pick up a copy of The Shadow of the Galilean by Gerd Theissen. It is a first-person narrative of a first century Jewish grain merchant who is forced to spy on Jewish groups by Pilate. While he never directly interacts with Jesus, he crosses paths with him many times and talks with people who have met Jesus.

If you are looking for a narrative way of talking about Jesus in easy to understand terms, this is an excellent resource. It is a quick read that will transport you back to the first century. It won't replace the gospel accounts, but it will add to the depth of your understanding without a bunch of big theological terms.

Enjoy it as I did.

Roy

The Important Things

I know I have been on a bit of a rant about the BCS and how Michigan lost 2 positions in the coaches poll without playing. I'm done with that, I promise. I just hope that OSU andUM put serious beatdowns on their upcoming opponents. Rooting for OSU is hard, but I will do it this year.

I just read a great article on The OOZE about keeping the important things first. As Christians, that means keeping Christ first, in all aspects of our lives. Easy to say, hard to do. Especially when we leave the confines of the church building walls. We as a society take our eyes off the ball very easily. We focus on where Britney Spears and Paris Hilton are going and how they are dressed. Meanwhile we have hundreds of thousands of troops in harms way in Iraq and Afghanistan, a madman with nuclear weapons in North Korea, a madman pursuing nuclear weapons and assuring the destruction of our country and Israel in Iran, and a massive humanitarian crisis in Darfur. I don't want to get into the politics of these things other than to say that there are significant threats to our world, both in military and moral terms, staring us in the face. How we react to them is how history will judge us.

I don't know what to make of Darfur. I can't understand the lack of interest in this country or in the United Nations. This is a humanitarian tragedy on a massive scale, and the world is turning a blind eye toward it. This is a cause that churches can get their arms around. It can be preached from the pulpit, money can be raised, and politicians can be called to demand action. Pray for the 600,000 + people suffering there. They need our help.

As for Iran and North Korea, they scare the daylights out of me. Irrational people with Messianic complexes and no fear of death holding nuclear weapons is not a good thing. When these same people support terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah, it scare me even more. Pray for our leaders, so that we do not awaken one day to a mushroom-shaped cloud in our country. I don't know how to fix it. But I know we are called to pray for our leaders.

Hypocrisy

I promise I will stop on the UM/OSU/Florida fiasco. But read this. It seems that the University of Florida trumpets their rematch against FSU that gave them a national championship in 1996. They lost their last regular season game to FSU (Sound familiar) and then beat them in the Sugar Bowl.

Enough, I'm done. But what amazes me is that Urban Meyer can do this with a straight face. He should run for office.

Bummer

It looks like Urban Meyer's campaigning has paid off. Florida will play Ohio State in the BCS Championship game while Michigan will face USC in the Rose Bowl. I'd be happier with this if Meyer hadn't been shooting his mouth off for the past few weeks that a rematch of UM and OSU would be a miscarriage of justice. He seems to forget that the only national championship Florida has won was in a rematch against Florida State.

Oh well. Bring on the Trojans.

Thank you Bruins

Thanks to the UCLA Bruins for knocking off the USC Trojans. This keeps the University of Michigan hopes for a rematch with Ohio State alive in the BCS championship game. We'll see what comes out of the BCS rankings tomorrow, but hope is still alive.

More on Slavery

If you have never read this book, I heartily endorse it. I read it during an ethics class at Asbury Theological Seminary and it really rang my bell. It reminded me of the line in the Rich Mullins song "Boy like me, Man like you" that says "Stories like that make a boy grow bold, stories like that make a man walk straight" because the stories of Charles Finney, Jonathan Blanchard, Theodore Weld and the Methodist reformers who were vehemently anti-slavery in the early 19th Century give me great pride in my religious heritage. Of special note is the group of abolitionists at Oberlin College who carried the fight against slavery to extremes at great peril to their own lives and freedom.

We now live in an era where slavery is not as prevalent, but it is still practiced in many parts of the world. Lord, give us the holy boldness that these men and women had to stop an injustice. Their stories inspire us.

What are Christian Issues?

Recently, the president-elect of the Christian Coalition parted ways with the organization over the direction and emphases he wanted to implement. You can read the story here.

What I find striking is that the issues that divided them are all "Christian" issues. It seems that Rev. Hunter wanted to go beyond abortion and homosexuality and deal with poverty and environmental issues. Eventually they came to the conclusion that he was not a good fit there. Hooray for both sides realizing their limits and not prolonging this into a disastrous marriage.

But it begs the question. What are the Christian issues of today? Certainly abortion and homosexual marriage have been in the forefront of legal, political and fundraising issues for some time now. And both sides of the political spectrum are engaged on them.

But there are other issues such as the ones Rev. Hunter wanted to discuss that are in need of a serious look by Christians. I know the Church of the Nazarene is making strides in Africa with HIV/AIDS and sustainable community development in their mission areas. But why is it that gay marriage and abortion are the things that attract the most attention and $$$$?

Is it because they happen in our country? Are we that narcissistic? It it because the issue is easier to get our heads and wallets around? After all, one more Supreme Court Justice and the Christian Coalition will be smiling. Or is it because the other issues seem insurmountable? I just don't know. I know the right wing of the American church is a latecomer to the HIV/AIDS issue. I just wish they had the same fervor for that that they do for politics and legal wrangling.

Elephants

I like elephants. Big, lumbering creatures, Indian or African. I love seeing them in the zoo, with all of the power and majesty that goes with an animal that large. It's really hard to hide an elephant in most situations. Maybe that is why I love the Non Sequitur comic pictured here so much.

I have been in so many situations where there is an elephant in the room that everyone moves around. Sometimes I see them, and others don't, which drives me crazy. Especially when the elephant materially affects me or the organization and inhibits our ability to accomplish our mission. Many elephants just sit there and impede progress, and people are just content to move around them because they believe the price is too high to deal with them.

What are your elephants? Share some good elephant stories in the comments. I would love to hear them.

Slavery

Slavery isn't dead. More than 140 years after a horrific war fought in this country to end slavery, there are an estimated 27 million people still in slavery around the globe. Next February a new movie about William Wilberforce, who led the charge to end slavery in the British Empire, will be in theaters. Go here to read up on the anti-slavery campaign that is being mounted to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Wilberforce's triumph.

A few years ago the church flocked to theaters to see "The Passion of the Christ" which was the first rated R movie many had seen. I wonder if churches will put the same effort into getting people to see this movie and behind this issue. It is a consequential issue for millions of people, but not many in this country. I say that not to be judgmental, but to highlight that because it isn't happening here, we probably won't pay much attention. Which is sad. Slavery and genocide are still happening, but we don't talk about them much.

God hates slavery. It is an awful thing that needs to be ended once and for all. Sign the petition and look at the steps you can take to help end this detestable practice.

Rumors, speculation and innuendo

No I'm not talking politics or the lobby in church on Sunday morning (hateful boy, hateful boy).

I'm talking about the plethora of internet rumors about this company or that dissing Christmas, Christians, supporting homosexuals, disrespecting the war or veterans or whatever the latest and greatest rumor may be.

What really surprises me is the number of Christians who blindly send these along without ever verifying the authenticity of what it says. Almost all of these are injurious to the reputation of an individual or corporation.

Here is my simple suggestion. Before you pass along any email of this type, go here to verify the truth. This website does its best to determine the accuracy of internet rumors and dispel myths. Please avail yourself of it. I'm really tired of reading how some company is evil when it isn't true. There is enough evil in the world. We don't have to add more.

Saving the planet

Many people are concerned about the environmental impact that humans have on the planet, with good reason. We have not been good stewards in many ways, but I have good news. I have a very simple process that will make your life easier and lessen your eco-footprint.

Interested?

Here's the deal. (No I am not selling anything.)

Click on the image above. It will take you to the Direct Marketing Association website where you can pay a $1 fee and have your name removed from mailing lists. I have personally done this, and after 3-6 months, you will see a noticeable difference in the amount of junk mail you receive.

Every piece of mail you don't receive is one less that has to be produced, requiring recycled paper, trees, fuel and all of the resources required to get something you don't want delivered to your home. This isn't an original thought with me, I took it from a wonderful little book called "50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save The Earth."

While I am not one of the environmental doomsayers, it does seem foolish and wasteful to send me things I do not want, and then ask me to recycle or dispose of them. This is your way of greatly diminishing the amount of unsolicited mail you receive. Consider it my gift to you

Roy

Free Music

Go to Derek Webb's site to LEGALLY download his new album Mockingbird. It's well worth the time. You can also visit his MySpace site here.

A just war

Over the weekend I Tivo'd some of the classic war movies that air every year on Veterans Day. I was watching Twelve O'Clock High with Gregory Peck and I began to think about what they were doing with daylight precision bombing and whether it was a just tactic in a just war.

The arguments against the bombing were 1) the horrendous civilian casualties; 2) the incredible loss of life among aircrews and 3) the ineffectiveness of the bombing at stopping the war. As I watched this movie, I wondered if I could have separated my patriotism from my faith enough to question and denounce this practice that killed millions of people without any military benefit. We were attacked and prosecuting a total war, but are there some things you just don't do in war? Firebombing civilians a la Hamburg seems to be one.

The guys flying the planes just wanted 25 missions and the chance to go home. But I suspect some of them questioned the tactics. But did the church? I can't find any evidence of any non-pacifist churches questioning this in a public way. And I wonder if that wasn't a mistake.

Now we are in a different war arguing over civilian losses and what constitutes torture. 60 years have gone by and here we are again.

Come Lord Jesus. Come

Superstar Pastors

Read this piece on Superstar Pastors. I saw in in my local paper, and it made me shake my head.

The following paragraph illustrates the problem as I see it.
So when Haggard fell spectacularly from grace in a scandal involving drugs and allegations of gay sex, many wondered if New Life, so tied to his public persona, would crash with him.

The answer has significance far beyond the Haggard tragedy. As evangelical megachurches have sprung up around the country, concerns have grown over whether superstar pastors help or hurt faith communities.

The article goes on to talk at length about megachurches with superstar pastors. But the question is probably rhetorical. Are we really that shallow? Do we really go to churches just because a particular person is in the pulpit? I realize that pastors make a huge difference, but are we really that shallow?

I really hope not. But I do have some appreciation for strong denominational oversight of pastors. I don't necessarily advocate moving pastors around against the congregational wishes, but I can see the perils of a cult of personality that forms in many of these churches.