pastor’s blog

My 1 year-old daughter woke up frightened in the middle of the night. She cried out “DAAADDDY!” Normally she cries out “Mommy” and I happily let “mommy” go so I can sleep. But when I realized she called upon ME, my heart was immensely moved to help her! It was a joy drag myself out of bed at that crazy hour!

Right before Jesus was arrested, tortured and crucified, he called out to God — “Abba, Father…everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 16)

In Jesus’ language  “Abba” meant “Daddy.” “Abba” is a simple two-syllable word–often the first word babies often say, like “mama, dada.”

A simple childlike utterance, showing child-like faith. God wants us to have such a relationship with him that in our time of need we cry out to him “Abba, Dada, Daddy” – It is to his delight that we run to him in our time of need.

May we call upon him more often. May we be his children. It brings him JOY to help us!

I’ve been plagued by a question.

“What is Worship?”

I could get real detailed, quote a lot of scripture, but I’m not interested in a soap box today.  I’d rather hear YOUR thoughts!

What is worship to YOU? Is it possible to worship WITHOUT music?

Kevin Farmer recently preached about “judging others.”  Do we pass judgment on others who worship differently?

I want to know what you think!

What is “reasonable and acceptable worship” to God?

This morning the sunset was beautiful. And real. I took a photo through the window screen. On the desk next to me was a brochure from a theatre showing Jesus with a child and a lamb. In the background was a sunrise/sunset. And it occurred to me that while  my photo was real, this brochure was an edited & enhanced photo of an actor playing Jesus, with a digitally produced sunset. It wasn’t real.

And that is how we operate in life. We follow small routines that say we think Christ is “nice” or “preferable,” but we base our decisions on forecasts, on what our eyes see, or what experts tell us. Christ, while we don’t stand “against” him, is not real to us.

So we bank on the sunrise which looks good, and not on the Son who rose for our good. We forget there were people who did see Jesus resurrected (scripture records over 500 eyewitnesses).  

Lord, let us be confirmed that our faith is grounded in reality. A reality we might not see right now, but one that exists. Help us to act upon that reality.  

I have been thinking about teaching the Truth to our children. So often in Scripture, you hear God’s commands to teach his ways, his commands, and retell his interventions to the next generation. It is important to make sure each generation remembers; God’s commands are for our health, our life, our prosperity. But so often the “meaning of the Christian faith,” the totality of God’s commands and interventions in humanity are reduced to a moral list of “don’ts” or even worse- a blind adherence to ritual. But God broke into this world in the person of Jesus! He provided a remedy to our spiritual blindness……

So now- how do we return to teaching the next generations about God’s goodness? It is obvious that many of us have been deceived by the prince of the power of the air mentioned in Ephesians 2:2(funny that most “deception” is done over the airwaves). I have read reports that say only 6 out of 100 Christian youth believe the truth about Jesus is so important that they want to tell someone else.

This mantle of carelessness is passed down. And so spiritual blindness returns. But I am praying that God will restore our collective sight, and particularly the sight of the upcoming generations. I am praying for a friend of mine who himself has been deceived over and over, come to know Jesus as Lord. He will. And his children will learn of the good message…..

Prayer- Oh, Lord that we would have more teachers passionate about Your ways, who would overcome hurdles of fear and discomfort so Your good ways might be known!

useless chains?

Since people “give things up” for lent,   I want to preach a series- “Giving up the Myth:  Breaking the lies that bind .”  What are some common myths Christians believe?  And how does it affect them, the church and the world?    I’m looking for little stuff  & BIG stuff!     examples—

little myth:   we become angels when we die.

BIG MYTH :   Christ is only one of many ways to God.

So….what myths are out there?    What are we suckers to  believe?

a sticker we saw posted on a pole, near the World Trade Center

?

Dave responded to my first blog with a pretty tough question. I’d love to know what you think.  Here’s a summed up version (edited for brevity).

“Loving our enemies…  forgiveness is a part of that. …. But what about the ones who’s sole purpose in life is to martyr themselves by killing innocent civilians in accordance to a radical belief in a false god? … who… rule over a population by… terror, whisking people away in the middle of the night to be tortured and raped for amusement?

Would God have us simply “turn the other cheek”, forgive and forget? Or would he want us to do something about it[?]”

SOOO….what do you think?

Jonah hid during the storm- in a comfort zone at the bottom of the boat, like so many Christians- who avoid God’s word, will, people, practices.

The disciples- freaked out in the middle of the storm- “we’re all gonna die!” they thought.

But Jesus- he faced the storm, went into it with peace and power, commanding the waves to be calm.

Pre-Christian, John Wesley (Methodism’s founder), was on a ship full of Moravians (from Moravia, surprisingly).…andthere was a tremendous storm, and Wesley flipped out, overcome by fear, cuddled up somewhere, afraid. But the Moravians, as Christians, stayed above deck, and sang loud boisterous songs, glorifying the Lord. They had bravery, courage, even in the face of death! Wow! No fear.

But why do so many of us Christians, who are offered power (Acts 1:8-9) say with our actions “don’t rock the boat, don’t move the boat, keep it still, don’t move, don’t change a thing?”   No organism successfully survives by refusing to adapt to changes. And boats- in the midst of a storm do not stay afloat by simply keeping the anchor nailed down, refusing to move. Instead- you use the winds, maneuver the sails to adapt to the changing atmosphere, and SAIL! Oh, it’s a thrill, dangerous, but what’s the option? Sit there and sink, constantly afraid that you might …sink?

The emerging churches know this and that is partly why they are thriving. House churches and New church starts have the flexibility to adapt to our changing culture, but what about “traditional churches” with buildings and budgets- what would it look like for us to SAIL? What would it look like?  

Jesus said he came that we might have life, and have it more ABUNDANTLY. (John 10:10).

Where in this culture is the abundant life Christ talked about? I saw it recently in an employee at a coffee shop. (I’ll do another blog later- because I swear she’s filled with the Holy Spirit). A woman filled with joy!  Not afraid to actually wish me well when leaving, telling me to fill up on as much coffee refills as I wanted!

I hear a lot of Christians talking about “church” in public places.  But they always seem to prefer to stay in their box, rarely engaging others in their conversations, almost afraid to leave the square of their routine. Why are Christians so afraid to venture into new areas, afraid to speak out in love, and joy? Why are we so quick to criticize and badmouth those who don’t believe what we do? Where are the bold believers who will break out of this mold of death and stagnancy and LIVE? Why has fear cast this shadow of empty ritualism over us, preventing us from LIFE? (Check off the box, devotional done. Now back to humdrum life.) NO! Let our devotional begin with scripture, yes, but continue in our interactions! Why are we so afraid? Afraid of art, afraid of Muslims, afraid of anything different?  Doesn’t the Holy Spirit give us bravery (Acts 1:8)?

This blog is worthless if you don’t respond! I want conversation, not a soap box. And if you’re voice has been overshadowed by the “power brokers,” the people in “control,” then step up, and SPEAK UP HERE! Where do you see abundant life? And why is it missing in a culture of 85% so-called Christians? Why would we rather complain about the president than bless others with our joy?   Where is the abundant life?