Short-term Mountains

Posted on January 10, 2012 by admin

On Sunday, I taught about the transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 9:28-36).  What joy James, John, and Peter felt when they saw Jesus in all his glory!

Unfortunately, in the next story, they walk down the mountain and face a problem that seems impossible. What a let down! Peter wanted to stay on the mountain for awhile longer — this was part of the motivation behind “Let’s stay here and build three shelters.”

However, God’s will for Peter and his two friends was to go down the mountain, where they faced human need and their own inadequacies.

Aren’t we just like Peter? Don’t we relish the “mountain top experiences” where the glory is crystal clear and problems are hidden in a fog bank? And yet, in Jesus’ three years of ministry with the disciples, only 3 hours (at most) were spent soaking up his glory. The rest was slogging it out against suffering and sin.

I’m looking forward to heaven which (I think) will be all mountain top and (maybe) no struggle. But until then, I choose to be faithful in remaining content with where 99% of life is supposed to be — in the valley of need. May we all find find ways to make each other’s journey through the valley just a little less painful and little more fulfilling.

 

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Ukuleles and Ordinary Shepherds

Posted on December 12, 2011 by admin

Our church’s children’s program featured a Ukulele Angel Choir this year!

The charming Christmas play also featured the typical church kids-turned-shepherds for a day. They were not polished actors, but they told the story.

Actually, I believe they told the story because they were not polished actors. The first shepherds were not polished. Shepherds were famous for their imperfections, and for their lack of social graces.

God’s Son was born to ordinary citizens in an imperfect situation. All this matters, because we need reminding that the Incarnation is all about the perfect taking on imperfection (God becoming flesh).

We tend to discount the value of events or people whenever we see their imperfections. What would happen if we looked for God poking out of the imperfect cracks of our worship services, attempts to share Jesus, and our friends? Would we see more incarnation? Would we become incarnation?

 

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Siblings, Not Rivals

Posted on December 9, 2011 by admin

Here is Mark’s annual Christmas Clip.

(insert cliche about harmony comes from different people working as a team here)

What really caught my eye was the 5 sibling’s response to Ann Curry’s question about sibling rivalry. “We’re not competing on stage: I am in awe of their talent and feel honored to perform with them.”

Isn’t that a wonderful way to look at others with the same giftedness as you? All week, I have been hearing advice for parents about how to help children with sibling rivalry, “because you know its going to happen.”

But at some point in time, these siblings grew up — they changed — they moved beyond competition to honor. People can change — do change. As leaders, lets hold out hope for spiritual growth, rather than endorsing spiritual complacency.

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God is No Longer Part of My Life

Posted on November 27, 2011 by admin

Today’s WordAction’s Sunday paper, Standard, includes excerpts from Wesley Tracy’s Younger Than I Used to Be.

 He shocks with the title (“God is no longer part of my life”), then convicts with “an epiphany explodes when it dawns on you that God is not part of your life. Instead, you’re a small part, a tiny part of God’s life!”

 I must admit, I have spent a good chunk of my life thinking I was doing God a huge favor by asking him to be part of my life. As if my life was center stage in the universe and God was backstage, just waiting for his opportunity to join history’s feature attraction: Mark Kelley!

Recently, I’m starting to think more in terms of “I wonder how God will involve me in his Story today?” I’m discovering wonderful adventure and breath-taking liberty when I join God in what he is already doing.

The “production” I wrote, produced and starred in (Here’s Mark Kelley!) had become boring and predictable. In fact, I flamed out trying to play the part. On the other hand, God’s production never fails to challenge, surprise, and inspire me. As soon as I ask “What’s my role today?” God stretches me with the answer (and funny . . . . whenever I ask, he always has an assignment. . .).

I frequently felt over-burdened with the multiple roles of writing, producing, acting, and promoting my own life. When I join God’s Story, I only have to do what the Director asks. I don’t need to justify my actions, or force the right results. I obey, then trust.

Since I’m thinking Advent-thoughts today, I’ll close by saying “I’m anticipating eternal thrills as I play my small part in God’s Story.”

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You Don’t Get; But You Do Get

Posted on November 15, 2011 by admin

“When [the disciples and Jesus] were together for the last time they asked, ‘Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?’  He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:6-8, The Message).’”

As I reading this last encounter between Jesus and the disciples before Jesus’ ascension, my eyes lit up with the contrast: “You don’t get the know the time; What you get is the Holy Spirit.”

What a beautiful phrase and promise! Jesus knew that the disciple would be disappointed with God’s timing, so he quickly shifted their attention to the greatest promise of all, “you’ll get the Holy Spirit.”

I believe that we still won’t get the time of Jesus’s second coming. But we do the get the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, I take this an inspiring promise in the midst of all our disappointments.

You won’t get instant success . . . . but you get the Holy Spirit.

You won’t get an answer to every prayer . . . but you get the Holy Spirit.

You don’t get a job immediately . . . but you get the Holy Spirit.

Personally, there are many things I’d like to have . . . but I will take the Holy Spirit!

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Weight Watcher Parable — Celebrate Good Actions

Posted on October 11, 2011 by admin

My wife and I joined Weight Watchers this summer. Today I received a special sticker for having lost ten pounds!

There are many ways in which a Weight Watchers meeting resembles a church worship service.

  1. All the members sit in rows (semi-circles) facing the presenter.
  2. Members come from all walks of life; all we have in common is a desire to lose weight.
  3. Both are hope based: Christians look forward to Jesus’ return; Weight Watchers look forward to reaching their target goal.
  4. No one loses weight because they go to meetings; they lose weight by keeping good daily habits. Christians grow more from daily habits than they do from worship gatherings.

However, there are some things I am learning at Weight Watchers that might help me in church leadership. The first lesson I learned at Weight Watchers is this: celebrate good habits as well as good results

At the beginning of each Weight Watcher meeting, the leader rewards people for results: pounds lost.

But the next question is “What success have you had at doing the right things?” Weight Watchers know that good actions do always produce immediate good results. So people who counted all their points are cheered, regardless of their weight loss or gain. Your good habit today might not have achieved good results, but eventually, it will.

What would happen to the church that celebrated everyone who was faithful the past week in engaging in devotions each day? Or if we celebrated someone’s resistance to their besetting sin for a full week? I like small groups that begin, “Did you follow through on the commitments you made last week?”

Weight Watchers know how discouraging it is to do the right thing and not see an immediate reward, so they reinforce good behavior with weekly celebration. I think a church that did the same would reap many benefits.

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Anyone Can Become (more) Missional

Posted on October 4, 2011 by admin

I have always believed that God calls the church to serve the world, and that every disciple is privileged to be part of that call. I have also always struggled to get out of the church cocoon and actually get involved with my neighbors. That is why I like this article by Tim Chester that makes missional living seem possible .

For instance, “Adopt a local café, pub, park and shops so you regularly visit and become known as a local..” I have tried this, and was surprised how it gave me opportunities to share my love of Christ.

No one knows better than me how hard it is to make significant contact beyond all my Christian friends. But I’m working at changing bits of my routine so that I’m placed where I can truly become “salt.” It takes concentration, but I’m finding its also fun.

 

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I Admit — I Can Be Irrational

Posted on September 27, 2011 by admin

Leadership Journal recently published a Christian leader’s take on Albert Ellis’ irrational beliefs, and it hits home.

Irrational Belief #1 is thinking that I a miserable failure anytime I am not perfect. Realistically, there is a lot of room in between perfect and abysmal failure, but my emotions don’t get that.

Irrational Belief #2 is that when other people do not treat me most kindly, they are wicked people. I see church folks putting this to work often when someone at church treats them a little roughly, or awkwardly.

Irrational Belief #3 is that the conditions in which I live ought to be wonderful at all times, or there must be someone evil to blame.

The good news in the article is that scripture says none of the above are true: We are loved, other people need our love, and rough circumstances can push us closer to God.

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Becoming Missional

Posted on September 26, 2011 by admin

“The Missional Church” is a hot phrase right now, and rightly so. God sent the church on a mission. Every once in awhile (probably, once a generation), the church forgets that we have a job to do and begins to think in terms protecting its comfort zone.

This video by Reggie McNeal expresses clearly what a missional church does that makes it missional. Reggie has written a couple of terrific books on becoming missional. His “The Present Future” was the first book that helped me see the necessity and beauty of the changes that God is producing in the American church.

Here are a couple of insights from the video (but you owe it to yourself to click on the link and spend 15 minutes watching it yourself.) “A missional church joins God’s redemptive work in the world.” “A missional church does somethings for the community, but it also does much with the community.” “People are less interested in the church service (worship) and more interested in the service of the church.”

 

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The Church’s Main Function

Posted on September 13, 2011 by admin

“The sin of the Church–the horrible apostasy of the Church–has consisted in denying its own function which is  to proclaim to men their spiritual condition, the eternal foundation which it rests, the manifestation which has been made of it by the birth, death, resurrection and ascension of the Son of God, and the gift of the Spirit.”

(Quote of F.D. Maurice, by H. Reinhold Niebuhr, in Christ and Culture.)

The quote uses old-fashioned language because it was written in the 19th century. This leads me to conclude that the church has always needed prompting to remember its primary mission is reminding people of their absolute need for God, and the provision of that need in the work of Christ and presence of the Holy Spirit.

I can’t help but wonder how many church committee and team meetings last week across America dedicated time to considering how to remind people that they need Jesus? (I know some did — how exciting!)

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