Jeff Lincicome's Reflections

It's cold back there but warm right here

2012-01-17T05:42:00.001-08:00

This week I am in Orlando for the Fellowship of Presbyterians Conference http://www.fellowship-pres.org/, where over 2000 Presbyterians on the more Evangelical side of the faith are gathered to discuss the future of our church. I am here because I feel torn actually; torn between the desire for me and my church to be on the "right" side theologically, but also recognizing that being reconciled with my brothers and sisters who disagree with me on this sexuality/ordination issue is equally as important. Some say we should stand for the truth, others say that if we are going to error, we should error on the side of grace. Both are true; so what do we do?

Today is the start of the conference (and it is a good thing I left yesterday morning--I'm confident there is NO WAY I would be leaving Seattle today with the snow that is dumping there), a gathering of under 45 year olds in our denomination. I will not have been around this many of my peers since seminary, not to mention familiar faces. The common purpose is exciting and I'm hoping to gain some encouragement, insight, and light some new (and old) friendships.

I'm also excited to hear some solutions. SPC is a church divided in some ways over this issue, and frankly, so am I. As I heard someone say, "Am I going to be right or am I going to be reconciled?" Can't we do both? I'm hopeful to hear what other people are struggling with and find some answers.

I miss my family. The demands of ministry are such that I have been away a lot these days. I'm praying for them.

Thankful to be here!
Jeff

Singing New Songs

2012-01-09T08:45:00.007-08:00

Last week I was able to get away to sunny California (thanks to the prompting of my lovely wife). I was wiped out, discouraged, and had forgotten who I was a little bit. My world was colored grey even though there was so much brightness all around, and I needed to push the eject button and get my self right.

While I was there, I had a chance to rest, pray, eat lots of In-N-Out, look at the ocean, read, and spend time with my aunt and uncle, and even my cousin. It was a gift, and I come back with a renewed vision of what the Good Life looks like, and how I am going to choose joy over discouragement.

One of the other things I figured out is I need to get back to writing in this blog. I think the creative outlet and place to download my thoughts will be useful. So even though my last entry was 2008, thank the Google powers that be for saving my stuff. A little updating and I am back on line!

This morning, I am starting to think about this week's sermon at SPC. Our topic for this month is worship (see www.spconline.org for more details) with the series called Worship Like It Matters, and our specific theme this week is "How We Are To Worship", specifically what is the content of our message and what we are to be about when we enter into God's presence.

The text this week is Psalm 96. Here it is...

1 O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. 4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 6 Honor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9 Worship the Lord in holy splendor; tremble before him, all the earth. 10 Say among the nations, "The Lord is king! The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity." 11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 12 let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy 13 before the Lord; for he is coming, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth.

(In case you are wondering, I've highlighted certain parts that seem to go together and repeat a theme.)

It is really interesting to me that the first line is about singing new songs. When I was in 7th Grade, I liked this girl who I found out was really into this band U2. I can't remember the girl's name now, but her introducing me to this great band will not be forgotten! War was their album at the time, and the song 40 became one of my favorites. I wait, God hears, I sing a new song. Up until that point, I'm not sure if I'd ever heard a band (and especially a rock band) take a piece of Scripture and set it to music as a prayer. But that is exactly what they did, and it became a prayer for the troubles in Northern Ireland, and a prayer for all of us who need to be reminded that waiting on the Lord and singing a new song in a new day is power.

Historians believe that Psalm 96 was written after the Babylonian Captivity, after the Israelites are freed and return to their homeland after 50 years of captivity. They come out of darkness and into the light of freedom. Sing to the Lord a new song, the Psalmist writes. For their God is higher, more powerful, and more beautiful than any god of the earth. And in this new song, the people are to not just keep it to themselves but to shout it to the nations, "The Lord is King!" Even the entire planet gets into the praising--the fields, the heavens, the waters, the fields. Everything points to the hope of the new song. For God has not stayed away, but has come close and will come again to rescue his people and judge with righteousness.

When I come into worship, I'm not sure how often I come ready to sing new songs. Literally, we are actually pretty careful in our worship planning as to how many "new songs" we introduce at once to our congregation. We don't want them to feel like they can't sing because they don't know the words. But I'm not sure if that is what the Psalmist is talking about. Because singing new songs is about mentally, spiritually, and physically working to create a new space for the beauty of God bending through our being. Singing happens when vocal chords align with air and brain waves form words and sounds. It involves us, it engages us. But it also requires that we open our mouths and sing. To sing new songs means that we need to open our lives and sing.

Sometimes those songs we sing are triumphant. Sometimes those songs we sing are filled with sorrow. But it makes no difference, God wants us to do it.

I'm not sure I do that so well. I often come into worship tired, worried, and focused on myself. How will people like what I am going to say? Will I mess it up? The song my life is singing is more mumbling something that I've sung before, rather than proclaiming a new fresh song. Creating beauty, seeing beauty, expressing beauty--what if I saw my worship experience as one where I am called to express the beauty I see of God in the world and in my life?

And that is how we need to approach our worship of the living god. We need to open up and let ourselves sing. God wants to sing beautiful new songs in us. Will we let him?

Last Days

2008-12-29T05:31:00.002-08:00

and no this is not a prophetic blog post... :)

Yesterday was my last official day as a pastor at Crossroads Presbyterian Church. My family and I want to thank each and every one of you who took part in the services yesterday, playing all my favorite songs (hey, that is what you get to do when you are leaving!), producing the wonderful video and memory book, throwing a great reception, and giving us many hugs, well wishes, and promises to visit (we are holding you to it!). We will always thank God for our Wisconsin family.

Have a wonderful Christmas week. On to 2009!

Jeff

Two digits

2008-12-16T12:18:00.003-08:00

Today my oldest daughter Lucy turns 10. She was so excited to finally be two digits. Personally, I can't believe it is true that my little girl is getting so old. She is such a beautiful, sweet, caring big sister and friend. Her name means "light" and she is certainly that to us and all those around her. I am thankful to God every day for blessing us with her, and can't wait to see what God will do in the future.

Happy Birthday my Lucy!
Daddy

The only difference between rain and snow is...

2008-12-05T08:45:00.007-08:00

about one degree.

As many of you have heard, my family and I are moving at the beginning of 2009 to Sammamish, Washington where I am going to be the new Senior Pastor at Sammamish Presbyterian Church (www.spconline.org). We cannot believe God's blessings to us...giving us the gift of launching from one incredible church to another, giving us 10 wonderful years here in Wisconsin with a people we will forever consider family, and for allowing us to serve in this next season of life back in the Pacific Northwest next to our biological families and at a church that fits my skills and calling. We are filled with gratitude to God for his adventurous Spirit.

For our new SPC family, know that we are being sent out from an incredible church who already feels tied to you in Christ and in service. You are already an amazing church, and I am privileged, honored, and so looking forward to serving Christ with you.

To our Crossroads family, we will be forever grateful for the foundational place you hold in our lives.

SPC and Crossroads are linked in my head and heart--the biggest difference being that one degree that makes precipitation look distinct.

I can't wait to see what God will be doing next--both in Seattle and in Mequon. One thing is certain--Jesus will be in both places.

Blessed Advent to all,
jeff

What Thanksgiving Looks Like

2008-11-29T05:25:00.005-08:00

This past week has been an exciting one for many reasons. For family, for new adventures, for Thanksgiving dinner (especially cranberry sauce. I LOVE cranberry sauce), and for love. I love Thanksgiving!

One of the events that has encapsulated all of those for me this year is the story of our friends the Plamanns who are, as we speak, in India finalizing the adoption of their new daughter, Pratima. The Plamanns heard about Pratima last November from a young woman at our church who visited Pratima's orphanage and put out an email to all her friends asking if there was a family who would consider adopting this beautiful 10 year old. In prayer and love, the Plamann's started the long process, and it has finally come to pass.

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks to God for his great gifts to us. But it is also a time to put that thanksgiving into action with our lives. The Plamann's are living it out, and they are showing me what grace and love look like. I am thankful for them.

You can follow their adoption story at www.plamannadoption.blogspot.com. Please pray for their safety this next week as they are in India.

Happy Thanksgiving (albeit a few days late),
jeff

Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers

2008-11-13T18:40:00.007-08:00

This past weekend my family and I went down to Kenosha to visit our dear friends the Prince's (above) who also happen to be Violet's godparents. We stayed with them for a total of about 20 hours, during which we talked, laughed, ate, watched the kids run around like crazed animals, ate some more, went shopping (ladies), watched football (gents), fell asleep on the couch while watching said football (Jeff), and basically just felt at home in each other's presence. We were there literally less than 24 hours--and yet I feel filled up in a way that only happens when you are with friends that you love.

One of the things I've been thinking about lately is how beautiful it is to have friends. Kristi and I have been blessed with some doozy's here in Wisconsin, as well as those around the country.

Friendships that God gives are more than just niceties, aren't they? What they really are is the answer to our prayers. When we ask God for wisdom, how often does that wisdom come through the loving counsel of trusted friends? When we rejoice, is it not our friends who share God's laughter and joy with us? When we need to know that we are worthwhile, is it not the job of our friends (specifically those who believe they are to love us as Christ does) to wrap their arms around us and breathe life back in? When we are in the furnaces of life and can't even think of believing in a benevolent God, is it not our friends who are called to believe for us until we can believe again?

I'm reading Shane Claiborne's new book right now which he coauthored with Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove entitled "Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers." As I read this book about what it means for us to become the people God calls us to be together, I can't help but think of all the friends he has given us. They are a part of our becoming who God has called us to be. They truly have become answered prayers for us.

To all of you who have loved and befriended us these past 14 years of marriage (and beyond!), please know how much you are loved and appreciated. You are many of the answers that we have sought.

And thanks Prince's for a fantastic weekend that was just what we needed! And even though my Huskies got killed yet again, I'm glad your Spartans won. God is good.

j

"What Do You Want?" and other simply complex questions

2008-10-28T13:46:00.008-07:00

The above image is a shout out to all the Halloween candy I ate this week from my kids candy stash. Sorry ladies! :()

This week at Crossroads I get to preach on the first words Jesus utters in John's Gospel. They are not what you'd expect (something like "peace" or "repent" or "hey, look at me!" is what I was looking for). Instead, what Jesus says to a couple of guys who are following him at a distance is, "What do you want?"

What do you want? What I love about his question is that it is not a statement of personal transcendence, or a show of power, or even a bit of heady, complex theology. Instead, he chooses to ask the most basic question you can ask (and one that I ask my 6 month old regularly even if she can't answer me yet). In essence, it is a question that strikes at the core of what God wants to do and be for us.

What do you want?

It seems to me that more often than not, Jesus chooses not to wax eloquent on the profound (although he does that from time to time) but to ask and answer core questions.

What do you want?
Do you want to be healed?
Which one was the true neighbor?
Who do you say that I am?

It is these sorts of simply-complex questions that make me admire Jesus more and more. I could stand to ponder each of them in my own walk.

Ok this is just funny...

2008-10-22T10:47:00.003-07:00

This is real stuff apparently. I found it when I was looking for Presbyterian images doing a Google search. Remind me never to use this slogan for a church ad campaign...

Being a Pastor's Kid

2008-10-17T08:20:00.004-07:00

I think one of the weirdest things in the world is to be a pastor's kid. I personally am not a pastor's kid, but I get to watch 4 of them every day. Here are a few things that help you know if you are a pastor's kid...(unfortunately, these are all real life examples)

Top Ten ways to know if you are a pastor's kid...
1)You come to funerals just for fun.
2)You baptize your baby sister in the back seat with rain water from outside.
3)You call the Sunday night service "the most fun you've had in a long time."
4)You can say the words of institution by heart and perform them perfectly for your dolls.
5)You ask what kinds of cookies they are going to have at the wedding and gauge whether it is going to be a worthy event.
6)You know that it drives your dad crazy when you say "Our Mother" instead of "Our Father" when you say the Lord's Prayer at night.
7)Your favorite thing to do when friends come over is go "explore the church."
8)You think the gym across the street at the church is actually your gym.
9)You are used to having lots of people know you at the grocery store.
10)You are often enlisted to lock up all the doors around the church at then end of the day.

What a life! I'm thankful for my 4 beautiful, wonderful, perfect (ha!) kids. Thank you God for them!

The true enemy of relationships

2008-07-24T13:55:00.008-07:00

(this month, many Crossroadians are reading the book Margin by Dr. Richard A. Swenson in an all-church summer book read. Below are a few of my own ponderings as I read the book...)

One of the a-ha's I've had so far reading Margin has to do with what is the true enemy of my spiritual and relational life...

Swenson writes, "Progress's biggest failure has been its inability to nurture and protect right relationships. If progress had helped here, I would have no quarrel with it. As we have already seen, progress builds by using the tools of economics, education, and technology. But what are the tools of the relational life? Are they not the social (my relationship to others), the emotional (my relationship to myself), and the spiritual (my relationship to God)? None of the tools of progress has helped build the relational foundation our society requires.
Margin, however, knows how to nurture relationship. In fact, Margin exists for relationship." p.30

Now, I might take a little issue with Dr. Swenson's belief that today's progress does nothing to help build relationships. In fact, through cheap long distance, email, facebook and the like I feel more connected now to people far away from me than ever before. Through facebook alone I've re-connected with friends I haven't seen for decades. It's remarkable and enriching.

But I think I understand what he means. Our progress has a tendency to allow us to speed up. I can now connect with more and more people, with faster and faster turn-around of information.

Progress itself is spoken of mostly in terms that are anti-depth. Relationships do not progress through speed but through slowness. They grow more like a plant taking root, through the slow steady watering of experience, time and sharing life.

Because of that, I think the true enemy of relationships is not progress but speed. Progress leads to speed, certainly. But it is speed that kills relationships.

When we are moving too fast to take time for our kids, speed kills.
When we are doing so many things that nothing gets our full attention, speed kills.
When we can't even spend time listening to God because our day is so packed, speed kills.

"Margin exists for relationship," Dr. Swenson says. Relationship is the pinnacle of our human experience. Relationship with God and with each other is at the heart. What will I do today to make sure I have enough room in my life for those relationships?

Lots to think about. Let me know what you think!
jeff

Margin Talk Back

2008-07-10T12:28:00.008-07:00

Crossroads is starting a month long all-church summer book read tonight (we are starting it with a potluck, the quintessential church event). The book we are reading is called Margin and I would highly recommend it to you. It is written by an MD, Dr. Richard Swenson, who was finding that most of the maladies that brought people into his office had to do with the stress of living overloaded lives. Indeed, high blood pressure, heart problems, overeating, under sleeping -- many of these can be easily traced back to the stress we place ourselves under as 21st Century human beings in America. When I was writing my dissertation on affluence and Christian Discipleship, I found a lot of the same things -- that people are doing tons more compacted into less time than ever before. Unfortunately, this doesn't lead to happier lives, just more worried and unhappy ones. This does not just lead to physical sickness, but spiritual sickness as well.

We the church need to fight this sickness. To do so, over 100 people so far have taken a copy of Margin and have committed to read it and pass it on.

What I'd like to do in this blog is encourage you to read along with us and post any responses/questions you might have in the comments section (I may post a few thoughts as well). Let's agree that our overloaded lives are not all they are cracked up to be, and are maybe not even glorifying to God. Then together, lets commit to change.

If you haven't picked up a book yet, they are at the church information window. $5, or whatever you can afford.

Blessings,
jeff

Little flower

2008-05-15T21:28:00.003-07:00

Our littlest little wonder entered our world today, Violet June Lincicome. She was born at 6:11p.m. and weighs 10lbs 12 oz (!) and 22 inches long. Everyone is doing well. We are grateful.
jeff

Jesus for President

2008-05-14T12:19:00.003-07:00

My covenant group of pastors is reading a great new book by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw Jesus for President, about what it means for us to have a political imagination as Christians in a world torn by partisan politics. It has really got me thinking more and more about this topic, especially during this important election year. Here is a link to an interview with Shane at the recent National Pastors Convention. Take a look, and better yet, read the book. Tell me what you think. WARNING: This book is an equal opportunity offender. Everyone will find something that will challenge their political views. But that is a good thing...

j

Stepping Out of Africa

2008-04-09T07:39:00.005-07:00

As a church we just completed our hosting of the World Vision Experience: AIDS (www.worldvisionexperience.org). I must say that while I'm exhausted, I'm also thrilled. I am proud of our church, the leadership, and the community for rallying around this important issue with a commitment to learn and to act. This is the church being the church, and that is exciting stuff.

Totals: 1809 visitors, 161 new children sponsored (with 92 of those being Crossroadians, which brings us close to 300 sponsor children as a faith family), 270 volunteers to make the event happen, one amazing concert with Sarah Groves. God at work.

There is another team from Crossroads heading off to Swaziland in mid-June. They will get to visit our sponsor kids and see the work World Vision is doing there. If you'd like to know how you can help, or if you'd like to sponsor a child in Sithobella, Swaziland, give me a call at church and we can set you up.

Blessings!

jeff

Come, Learn, Act

2008-04-01T12:11:00.003-07:00

I want to invite all of you who live in Southeastern Wisconsin to come to the World Vision Experience:AIDS that we are hosting at church this weekend. It is a way we can understand a bit of what it might be like to live with this disease. FYI, World Vision statistics show that by 2010 there will be 20 million AIDS orphans, the population of New York State. 250,000 people die every month from AIDS related illnesses. What will the church do? What will you do? Come, learn and act.

We are also hosting Sara Groves in concert that Saturday night. If you have never heard Sara, you need to come.

info at www.crossroadspres.org

blessings,
jeff

The Story of Stuff

2008-01-30T20:25:00.001-08:00

Ever wonder where your stuff comes from? Here's a humbling and creative look at the whole process. Yikes.

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Ready To See Ourselves

2008-01-28T14:49:00.001-08:00

Pretty soon we will be entering the season of Lent. I read this piece below recently and it helped clarify the journey for me that I/we are about to enter. Let's enter into this holy season ready to see ourselves.

Peace,

jeff

In many cultures there is an ancient custom of giving a tenth of each year's income to some holy use. For Christians, to observe the forty days of Lent is to do the same thing with roughly a tenth of each year's days. After being baptized by John in the river Jordan, Jesus went off alone into the wilderness where he spent forty days asking himself the question what it meant to be Jesus. During Lent, Christians are supposed to ask one way or another what it means to be themselves.

Frederick Buechner, Listening to Your Life

Reading for Insomniatic Moments

2008-01-15T11:52:00.000-08:00

If you are interested in reading the dissertation that I finished writing this past year, Wealth and Discipleship in Affluent America, we've printed up a few copies available for check-out at the church information window. Let me know what you think!

Blessings,

jeff

Funny Costumes

2007-12-16T09:10:00.000-08:00

My family and I went out to Portland, Oregon for my graduation this past weekend. It was so much fun to see friends, professors, and to celebrate. Here are a few pics.
Blessings,
jeff

Politics as (un)usual

2007-12-12T04:02:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it but the next Presidential election is only some 300 days away.

Which means we have been hearing from the potential candidates for over 300 days so far! Such is life in American politics in the 21st Century.

If you are like me, you find that sometimes it's hard to separate out the issues, and find the candidate that truly backs your positions. A while ago a friend sent me this website below that has proven to be really helpful. You answer a few questions on where you stand on issues, and it helps "rank" the candidates on the things that are important to you. As we seek to be discerning and active members of our wonderful nation, this tool could be helpful for you as well.

Blessings this Advent.

jeff

http://www.govote.com/Quiz.htm

Into Great Silence

2007-12-04T19:42:00.000-08:00

If someone in your house is a movie buff and you haven't found the perfect Christmas present for them yet, I’d like to recommend a movie to you that just came out on DVD this year. It’s called Into Great Silence and is a documentary from a German filmmaker Philip Gröning. In 1984 Gröning wrote a letter to the Carthusians, which is the strictest of the Catholic Monastic orders, to make a documentary about them and their way of life. Carthusians maintain a strict vow of silence throughout the day, except during the hours of prayer, seeking to live their entire life in the embrace of God without words. They said they’d get back to him and sixteen years later, they did. And so for six months in 2000, Gröning lived at the Grande Chartreuse monastery in the French Alps living their life, filming their daily prayers, tasks, and rituals.

As I watched this film these past few weeks, I was entranced. It was almost devotional. There is virtually no dialogue. And yet, there was much conversation, as the brothers knelt in silence in prayer, as they slowly, carefully went about their daily work of gathering firewood, of making their clothes, of cooking food for the community, of gathering in the chapel to chant and pray the psalms. And in watching them live their lives, I learned a valuable lesson. For me, I think I always saw silence as the absence of noise. But for them, the silence was filled with the Presence of God. I wonder how often I/we miss that Presence because of our noise, because of our busyness, because we do not take time to be still and know that God is God.

I resolve to not let the noise of Christmas interfere with the silence that is filled with the Presence.

Blessed Advent.

Cool Site

2007-11-19T13:43:00.000-08:00

Here is a neat, creative way to help and learn. Check it out.

And Happy Thanksgiving!

Jeff

http://www.freerice.com/

Don't Worry, We Didn't Do the Lambeau Leap...

2007-11-07T04:41:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, my best buddy from college Jeff Schramm made a 24 hour visit from Seattle. How fun, refreshing, and joyful it is to be around a good friend who shares lots of common ground with me and my family. One thing we did was go up to Lambeau and do the stadium tour. It was so much fun! The church could learn a lot from the Green Bay Packers.

Sounds like a sermon series. hmmm.......

Thanks Jeff!

Fire

2007-10-23T04:07:00.000-07:00

Friends, I'd like to ask for your prayers for a particular group of folks involved in the recent Malibu fires. Malibu Presbyterian Church is a wonderful group of Christians with a heart for reaching out to Pepperdine University students and to those living the Malibu lifestyle. As of Sunday, their church building burned to the ground. My Uncle Dave Worth was the pastor of that church for many years.

While the church is not really the building, to lose one's structure is devastating. Please pray for that group of Christians and their pastor, that they might one day rise from the rubble and see new life begin once again.

Thanks,

jeff

The Book

2007-10-17T04:45:00.000-07:00

"The Bible is not a therapy program nor is it a human success story, a moral tale with an inevitably happy ending. It is the account of a faithless people and a faithful God who seek constantly to renew their relationship each with the other. Perhaps we are prepared to hear that story for the first time." Peter Gomes The Good Book

In the Disciple Bible Study Class I get to be a part of and teach at Crossroads, we are in the midst of the writings of the Old Testament. We spend a week or two in Chronicles, Ruth, and now Esther. There are so many amazing and shocking things in their pages -- bloodshed, idolotry, poligamy (um, is having hundreds and hundreds of wives and concubines still considered poligamy, or does that move into the "what-are-you-crazy"amy realm?), incest, desolation, and finally hope. While the hope appears in individuals from time to time (Ruth and Esther are great examples), mostly the hope is in God, and not in the circumstances the people find themselves in.

The beauty of Scripture is just that. As Peter Gomes says above, the Bible is not a book of best business or family practices. It is not a book filled with moral people doing moral things (most of the time, God's people seem to be a bit shady. hmmm...). It is a book about God's faithfulness throughout. How often do I misappropriate this wonderful, holy book, and turn it into my own library of self-help and self-justification. God forgive me. Forgive us all.

My prayer for myself and my Disciple class is that we might be able to read these writings as they were meant to be read -- as a means to hear of God's great faithfulness, maybe for the first time. My prayer is the same for all of us.

Have a great week,

jeff

wealth and affluence teachings

2007-09-27T13:33:00.000-07:00

I have been having fun teaching a Sunday School class on the topic of discipleship in the midst of affluence. Last week, we talked about what Scripture says about wealth and discipleship. Below are the key principles from Scripture that we talked about, including a few Scripture references. Of course, more could be said (and in fact, we had to stop before we got to Pauline thought and the rest of the epistles), but here is what we discussed. If you would like the whole powerpoint, send me an email and I can get it to you.

Have a great week,
jeff

What does Scripture say about wealth and discipleship?
1. God is a God of abundance. (Genesis 1)
2. Humans are called to be stewards of what God owns. (Gen. 2:15)
3. Humans are never satisfied with God’s limits. (Gen. 3:6)
4. We are blessed to be a blessing. (Gen. 12:3)
5. God orients our lives towards himself and each other. (the Law, Exodus, Leviticus,
Deuteronomy)
6. God recognizes there are going to be different economic classes.
7. Affluence can lead to separation and abuse. (I Kings 12:4)
8. Treatment of the poor is bound up in the worship of God. (Amos 2:6-8)
9. Jesus celebrated abundantly, but shunned excess.
10. Riches are not just about money, but devotion. (Matt. 6:24,25)
11. Riches can be used for good. (Matt. 6:4)
12. Our wealth (i.e. “talents”) must be used knowing they don’t belong to us. (parable of
the talents matt. 25)
13. What we invest our resources in matters. (parable of rich fool luke 12)
14. Conversion reorients one’s financial life. (Luke 19: 1-10, Mark 10:17-31)

Hard To Get

2007-09-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

As I sit here, one of my best friends in the world is sitting in Children's Hospital in Seattle with his wife and child, as his 2 year old recieves treatment for cancer. The stories they tell are filled with pain, suffering, a lot of courage, and glimmers of hope. But mostly it sounds like hell on earth. What do you say or do in a situation like this? Why does stuff like this happen in the world? I don't get it. I know plenty of sound theological answers, but few answers that make sense. It is at times like this that you just throw up your hands, and bow your head, and ask for help.

My favorite Christian song is the only thing that makes sense right now. Rich Mullins, before he died in a car accident, was asked to write a song about prayer. I bet the person who asked him to write it thought that it would be filled with grand crescendos of God's majesty and power (think "our God is an awesome God"). Instead, Rich gave him a piece of paper with the following song on it. These are Rich's words on prayer, and maybe these are mine today too.

God, help Ben.

HARD TO GET

You who live in heaven
Hear the prayers of those of us who live on earth
Who are afraid of being left by those we love
And who get hardened by the hurt

Do you remember when You lived down here where we all scrape
To find the faith to ask for daily bread
Did You forget about us after You had flown away
Well I memorized every word You said
Still I'm so scared, I'm holding my breath
While You're up there just playing hard to get

You who live in radiance
Hear the prayers of those of us who live in skin
We have a love that's not as patient as Yours was
Still we do love now and then

Did You ever know loneliness
Did You ever know need
Do You remember just how long a night can get?
When You were barely holding on
And Your friends fall asleep
And don't see the blood that's running in Your sweat
Will those who mourn be left uncomforted
While You're up there just playing hard to get?

And I know you bore our sorrows
And I know you feel our pain
And I know it would not hurt any less
Even if it could be explained

And I know that I am only lashing out
At the One who loves me most
And after I figured this, somehow
All I really need to know

Is if You who live in eternity
Hear the prayers of those of us who live in time
We can't see what's ahead
And we can not get free of what we've left behind
I'm reeling from these voices that keep screaming in my ears
All the words of shame and doubt, blame and regret

I can't see how You're leading me unless You've led me here
Where I'm lost enough to let myself be led
And so You've been here all along I guess
It's just Your ways and You are just plain hard to get

I can't believe it but...

2007-09-06T14:00:00.001-07:00

I turned in my dissertation yesterday. Woo Hoo! Can't quite come to terms with the fact that my early mornings and late nights are back in my control. A big relief. But on the other hand I'm gonna miss it. I was trying to tell Kristi yesterday the writing was like birthing a child and she would have nothing of it. I don't blame her.

The Relationship Between Wealth and Discipleship in Affluent America. Expect it on your store shelves very soon.

or don't.

Thanks for celebrating with me.
jeff

Sabbatical Reflections Part III, the Family Truckster

2007-08-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

Remember the movie National Lampoon's Vacation? Where the Griswold's led by Chevy Chase got in the green station-wagon called the family truckster and set out from Chicago to Wally-World in California on the vacation of a lifetime?

The road trip my family took on part of our sabbatical was nothing like that-except for the family truckster part (which turned out to be Kristi's dads Honda Odyssey mini-van, which actually ran like a dream!). We too drove to California, though our trip took us from Seattle down the Oregon Coast, through the Redwood forest, ending up in San Jose. But instead of being a comedy of errors, it turned out to be one of those great lifetime gifts that provided adventure, refreshment and love. I want to spend this entry discecting the road-trip part of our trip.

At the outset of our sabbatical, Kristi and I knew we had three major things we wanted to accomplish. We wanted to 1)give me time to study/work on my dissertation 2)see our family and friends in Seattle, 3)and we wanted to spend time as a family of 5 by ourselves, exposing our kids to a little bit of America in the process.

After the first 5 1/2 weeks of pounding out a good part of my dissertation, the kids got out of school and we flew to Seattle. 4 days later we started off on a 3 week trip to try and accomplish goal #3 -- spend some family of 5 time together. We were able to borrow my father-in-law's van (a great gift!) and set off down the Oregon Coast, heading for San Jose where we had a house to stay at, made available to us by some generous folks from our church.

Some might accuse me of living in the past (or not being very creative) -- but the trip I planned down the Oregon Coast mirrored almost exactly a trip my parents, brother, and I took in 1990, as we drove him down to college for his freshman year at Stanford. All the places we visited (along with a few new ones) were one's I remembered from before; Cannon Beach, the Sea Lion Caves, the Dunes and Dune Buggy Rides, The Redwoods (complete with a huge talking Paul Bunyon (or "Onion" as Dayle calls him), seaside diners, beautiful vistas, and Crater Lake (on our way back up). To have the time to explore, have adventures, and just be together in new, and beautiful places was a memory I will have forever. Here are some things I learned:

The Oregon Coast is maybe the most beautiful place in America. The beautiful beaches, gorgeous outlooks, and the huge rocks coming out of the ocean like fingers ripping out of the earth were breathtaking. To be able to see this in the glorious weather we had was a piece of grace. (The picture above is from Cannon Beach, Oregon).
Sand Castle buckets can double as barf buckets if you need them to. Only 2 people threw up in the car on the trip, which I suppose isn't bad for any car trip with kids. We want to teach our kids to share, but illnesses are ok to keep to oneself...Hey, it was all part of the adventure.
Taking a dune buggy ride with your 3-year old might not seem smart at the time, but do it anyways. Outside Florence are hundreds of miles of sand dunes, where dune buggy rides and outfits line the landscape. The most adventurous thing we did was take a professional dune buggy ride as a family. 1/2 an hour of thrilling terror at 60 mph! I will never forget Dayle with her goggles on, strapped in so tight she can't move. During the ride, she said it's not so much fun. After it's over, it was really, really fun. Go figure.
The Redwood Forest is a piece of heaven. To have my kids see some of these miracles, and get to see it with them, was better than any Disneyland trip.
On our way back up from California three weeks later, we went to Crater Lake, Oregon. Crater Lake is a lake on the top of a collapsed volcano. There is nothing else there but the lake, and it is on the way to nowhere else -- at least a half-day travel out of the way. But it is the most beautiful thing we've seen in the entire world. Who would have thought water could be that blue? God's creation is amazing.
I also was re-reminded that I have one great family. I'm thankful every day for them, but having a concentrated time to spend exploring, being, laughing, barfing (ok, that's the one part I could have done without), and loving each other was a gift from God. This one week was equally as important to me as all the work I accomplished on my dissertation, and anything else that happened for those 12 weeks. Our family hasn't ever had an experience like this by ourselves. When you live away from family, most of your time is spent going back to see them. While we wouldn't want to change that at all, we learned that times to just be the 5 of us on the road was a must.

Next time...European Vacation!

Prayers for Ben

2007-08-19T06:54:00.001-07:00

Hey friends, just going to break into my sabbatical reflections to ask for your prayers. Some of our best friends, Jeff and Carin Towne, have a sweet little boy Ben, who is two. Ben was just diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, Neuroblastoma, and began chemo immediately two nights ago. If you could pray for Ben, Jeff and Carin, and their family, that would be great. Carin is also 6 months pregnant, so prayers for the new little one as well.

Thanks,
jeff

Sabbatical Reflections Part II, The Studying

2007-08-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

For the next few weeks, I decided to use this time to share some of my experiences on my recent sabbatical.

One of the main intentions of my recent sabbatical was to spend a focused amount of time researching and writing my doctoral dissertation. For those of you who don't know, in September of 2004 I started working on a Doctor of Ministry degree in leadership and spiritual formation at George Fox Evangelical Seminary in Portland, Oregon. I always knew I wanted to continue on with my formal education, and George Fox had the school, the program, the professors, and the location that made a lot of sense for me. So rather than waiting too long, my family and I decided to jump in. The first two years were a wonderful adventure, with classmates that I resonated with, and a program that taught me a lot and encouraged me to keep learning. At the end of those two years, I started working to craft a dissertation topic that I hoped would be helpful for me, as well as helpful for the church I pastor. Finally, I settled on "making disciples in an affluent church environment" as there was much I felt I still had to learn about helping people risk fuller disicpleship amidst great wealth.

This sabbatical came at the exact perfect time, as thinking about trying to write a major paper amidst full-time ministry and family seemed impossible. So for the first 5 1/2 weeks of my sabbatical, I worked all day during the weeks reading, taking notes, and finally writing my dissertation. Sounds like a drag -- but I had an amazing time.

First off the locale -- most mornings after my Bible reading (see below) and getting my kids on the bus, I went to Starbucks to read, take notes on my computer and organize my work. For one, this was tons of fun because sitting at Starbucks is one of my favorite things to do in the world. But secondly I felt like I was out in the community that I was trying to write about. For some of us, atmosphere is really important, and sitting at Starbucks added the atmosphere I needed (and the coffee wasn't bad either!). I read everything from Plato to Michael Novak to The Prayer of Jabez. Quite an eclectic mix -- but so interesting to see how the world (and the church) views wealth and how we might teach discipleship in the midst of affluence.

In the afternoon, I would hit the local library, where I did much of my writing in their wonderful study cubicles. I haven't studied in the library since seminary, so it felt like the good-ole days packing up my bags of books and spreading out there. I tried to keep this schedule up monday through friday, making sure I was home at the end of the day to get my kids off the bus. I had a few nights of editing and finishing up chapters to submit, but besides that I tried to have this not ruin my family life, and I believe I succeeded in that. In short at the end of the day I finished about 85 pages (out of 130 or so), completing in draft form 3 of my 6 chapters. My plan is to have the rest finished up by the end of this month. Then the editing begins...

What have I learned from this process? For one thing, I learned how refreshing and important it is to have time to focus on one topic for a prolonged period of time. The nature of pastoral ministry is that every day is a variety of opportunities and interruptions, which makes every day an adventure. Yet I believe it is also valuable for the church to have its pastors spend time focusing on one thing -- both for their spiritual benefit, as well as for the church's benefit. I also learned how much I like studying and writing. I hope that this won't be the last time I get to take on a project like this.

After the first 6 weeks, I put the writing aside. While I read a lot on the second half of our sabbatical, it was time to take a break. I'll let you know when I finish it up.

jeff

Sabbatical Reflections Part I, How I Started My Day

2007-08-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

For the next little while, I think I'll take some time to write about what I had the chance to do on my sabbatical, and maybe some of the things I learned along the way.

One thing I decided to do during the 12 weeks was to try and read the entire Bible from cover to cover. This was a great opportunity I thought to break in a new Bible (my old one was falling apart), to maintian focus, and to get me in a good rhythm. My friend Ed had made up a reading plan for me, giving chapters to read each day from May 7 to July 18 (about 15 chapters per day). I have read the Bible through many times before (especially in the past decade of seminary and ministry), but never this fast and with no other agenda but to experience it.

With a busy family and kids who needed to get up for school pretty early, I thought it was going to be a bit of a struggle. Questions rang through my head. What if I get behind? What if I get bogged down in Leviticus? Will I learn anything from such a fast read? But on Monday, May 7th at 6a.m. with cup of coffee (or two) in hand, I started Genesis 1.

And I can honestly say it was one of the best experiences of the entire sabbatical.

I think I had forgotten a little bit of what it is like to read the Bible devotionally rather than academically or professionally. The story of God's love, of humanity's brokeness, of God's redemption rang throughout the Old and the New. Even the "boring" parts like Numbers and Leviticus showed themselves to have purpose and content that still rings true in our current context. The persistency of a God who loves people won me over once again, and my spirit received new life. Every day, I couldn't wait to get up and get back to the text. Rather than a chore, it turned into a relationship that has been a struggle over what can be the grind of professional ministry. I got to the end on July 18th and was elated and bummed at the same time that it was over. What it really did though was make me hungry for more. It made me realize the power of the written Word and its ability to breathe life into souls that need its fresh air. I think to myself, "Why didn't I do this sooner?" But having enough time set aside to want to do it rather than have to made all the difference.

First Day Back

2007-07-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hey friends, this is my first day back from Sabbatical, so hopefully I can get back in the saddle. Will try to write soon to do a little debriefing.

Blessings,

jeff

Sabbatical

2007-05-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

Starting last Monday, I began a 12 week sabbatical leave from my pastoral duties. I am spending 6 weeks researching and writing my Dmin Thesis on making disciples in the affluent church, and spending the next 6 weeks with my family. I might make an entry or two along the way, but will probably stay pretty quiet (although I haven't been that vocal lately anyway!).

Blessings In Christ,

jeff

Prayer

2007-03-12T12:06:00.000-07:00

Hi friends.

We just got done with our 180 degree weekend with Shane Claiborne. I am tired but full and thankful for God's hand in all of this. I had the chance to take Shane to the airport this morning and he said people always ask him "how it was" and he says "I'll let you know in a year." In other words, this weekend needs to not be about a "retreat high" or a great message that gets lost. Now we get to do the hard work of digesting and continuing to figure out the kind of community Christ is calling us to be. Exciting days are ahead!

Shane taught us a prayer on Sunday morning in worship that Mother Theresa prays (along with a great portion of the Catholic Church universal I suppose) every morning. It's from the 14th Century, called the Anima Christi (or the "soul of Christ"). May this be our prayer as well.

More to come on this weekends ponderings...

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from Christ's side, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
and with Thy angels
Forever and ever
Aman

What is our agenda?

2007-01-24T13:02:00.000-08:00

I wrote this for the people in our church who are starting to read Shane Claiborne's Irresistible Revolution, but thought I'd put it out here for anyone to take a look at. Blessings.

Jeff

To: 180° Weekend Book Study Participants
From: Jeff Lincicome
RE: What is our agenda?

Dear 180° Weekend Book Study Participants,

If you are reading this letter, that means you have picked up the book The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne and have begun to read it. No doubt you are finding that you are in for a wild ride, filled with much laughter, and much to challenge our faith.

As you begin the adventure of reading this book, I wanted to take a minute to try and explain a little bit about why I think we are doing this 180° Weekend and having Shane come. I have heard one or two people wonder out loud, “Why are we reading this book? What are we hoping to get out of it? Are we trying to change people’s view on the war? As we being chastised? Is that it? What is our agenda?” This “agenda” question is a fair one I think and I would like to attempt an answer.

Beyond the questions raised in Shane’s book concerning poverty, injustice, inequality, and war, I believe this book is not about specific issues, but it is a book about community. Underneath it all, I believe it is a book challenging our Christian understanding of community.

Let me try to unpack that a little.

For us as disciples of Jesus, community is at the heart of the Christian faith and ethic. Jesus says that loving God and loving my neighbor are the entire sum of the law of God (Mark 12:30,31). In other words, being in communion with God (‘loving God’) and being in communion with my neighbor (‘loving neighbor’) is the beginning and the end of the Christian life. Therefore, my understanding of community, and my commitment to its supremacy, is going to dictate how I live my life and what I choose to do.

To experience community with God, I must give my life to Jesus Christ who died to restore my communion with Holy God. If I want to nurture that community with God, I must spend time with Him, loving Him and letting Him love me. We might call these the internal spiritual disciplines of Bible Study, Worship, Prayer, and other spiritual disciplines.

In the same vein, to experience community with my neighbor I have to put myself in positions where I can love him/her and be loved by them in return. I need to reach out to them in need, encourage them, educate them (and be educated by them), forgive them when they wrong me (and ask for forgiveness when I have wronged them), share with them, and in general be brothers and sisters in Christ on this journey.

Community – Love God, love neighbor. I believe that all of us as Christians would agree with these commands of Jesus. And to tell you the truth, I think churches like ours do an incredible job of living this out, loving God and loving each other. I am amazed, and I think God is proud in many ways of what is happening here.

The challenge of this book for me and for us I think comes in my definition of that community. You see, if my definition of “my community” is limited to just me and my family, or me and my church family, then I don’t have to ask questions that affect the others outside, issues of poverty, race, economic injustice, and war, except insofar as they affect me. If my definition of community stops at the doors of my house, my church, or even my country, I have put up a wall around who I will advocate for, who I will suffer for, who I will die for.

On the other hand, if my definition of community includes the poor in the inner city of Milwaukee (for example), and I know I’m in community with them because I am in a relationship with them and love them because they are my brothers and sisters, then I must (and will) do everything in my power to support them as I would my own family. If they don’t have a coat, and I have two, I will give them mine (like I would with my own family). Why? Because we are brothers and sisters. We are in community together. This goes beyond charity into relationships that God has designed for life. If my definition of community is expanded, my life will change to reflect that.

The same goes even with other countries, even ones we consider our enemies. And this (I think) is where Shane’s message gets controversial. If my community includes others even in war zones, will I not view them in a different way and advocate for them accordingly? Again, at its core, this is not about peace vs. war, it is about my definition of who is “in” my community and who I am supposed to love. If even my enemies are part of my community, how can I show them love? Some would say, “You show them love by not letting them hurt others.” That is absolutely true according to the Scriptures. Others would say, “You receive their blows and you refuse to hurt them in return to redeem the relationship.” That is also absolutely true according to the Scriptures. Both of these arguments (one “pro-war” if you will, one “anti-war”) are both true. But both force me to make a decision according my understanding of my responsibility for my community.

For Shane, this has meant standing up and protesting the poverty and inequality in Philadelphia and beyond. It meant moving into the inner city to live among the poor that he was becoming one with. It meant going to Iraq as a peacekeeper to identify with brothers and sisters there. My guess is that some at Crossroads will identify and applaud his actions. Others will probably cry out in anger, disagreeing completely about what it means to love our neighbors in Iraq.

To me, the answers are not as important as the questions that Shane raises. His actions are not meant to be (necessarily) blueprints for our Christian life of discipleship.

But his testimony of Christian community, and the fact that it calls us to action with our lives is a question we need to wrestle with.

And that is the reason I believe Shane is coming to Crossroads. He is coming here to help us continue questioning our understanding of community and what that means for us as followers of Christ. Because Christ said that it is the Church that will withstand the gates of Hell itself, and is the transformative community of grace in the world. May we be a church who continues to seek after that sort of alternative community of light in a world ruled by darkness.

Blessings in Christ as you dive in,

Jeff Lincicome

Avoidance Techniques

2007-01-17T19:02:00.000-08:00

“The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship [I read here "my spiritual avoidance techniques"]. Christian scholarship is the Church’s prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes, it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament.”
Soren Kierkegaard quoted in Shane Claiborne's, The Irresistible Revolution, p.71.

One of the things I am most excited about this year is happening March 10 and 11, what we are calling here at Crossroads (the church I serve) "180 degree weekend". At this in-house weekend retreat, we are setting aside time to try and take a very different look at our Christian faith than we are used too. It is GOOD to step back once in a while and examine ourselves and our faith in new and different ways with different voices in the Church. That is how we grow.

Our speaker that weekend will be Shane Claiborne, an internationally know speaker, author and Christian activist, from Philadelphia. Shane's book The Irresistible Revolution has done more to change and challenge my life of faith this year than any other non-Biblical work. And I can't tell you how excited I am to have him here, to challenge and encourage us in our faith.

Now, don't confuse my excitement with comfort. I'm not excited that Shane is coming because I feel that he is a kindred spirit, performing the same kind of ministry I do here. I am not excited that he is coming because his message fits with how I am trying to live my life or that our church will come out of his talks saying "hallelujah." I am not even excited to have him here because I think we will have that much in common as person, or that we will be "buddy buddy" at the end.

In fact, if I am honest with you, my feelings and thoughts are just the opposite. I am flat out nervous about hearing Shane's message from the Scriptures.

I'm not nervous because I doubt it to be true. In fact, I think he is a prophetic voice for us, especially we who reside in evangelical affluence. We need him to be here.

I'm not nervous because I am scared of how people will react (okay, because I'm an ardent people pleaser, maybe just a little).

No -- The real reason I'm nervous is because I know that the message of Jesus Shane shares is one that invites me to change and to give up to take on something greater. And I don't know about you, but there are certain things in my life that I am not very willing to change or give up.

my comfort for one.

my personal happiness for another.

And then there are some other things that are less esoteric and more tangible...

my latte's.

my choice of different coats that I have available in my closet (while some people have none).

my expendable income.

my heat at 67 degrees in my house.

my 2 cars.

my vacation this summer.

my books on my shelf.

my ipod. (what would I do without it?!?!)

and on and on and on...

My first reaction is, "None of these things are bad in and of themselves. God doesn't make moral judgments on ipods." And I suppose that is true to some extent.

But how easy is it for me to justify myself -- to allow the things I own and "need" in this world to own me. How easy is it for me to say that I don't have the resources to help someone in need, when I have the resources to download another song from itunes or send my child to science camp?

No, the fact is there are certain things that I won't give up because I think they would cost too much. And I'm not willing.

Yet, I wonder if God isn't calling us to do what we are not willing to do for the sake of his kingdom.

In fact, Shane's message from Scripture calls into question my comfortable middle class life -- not that I have it, but what I am doing with it.

And I am the king of avoiding that question (and maybe you are too). I love the Kierkegaard quote at the beginning -- we are adept as Christians of not bringing the Bible close enough to have it alter my existance too drastically. If I keep it at arms length, I don't have to get too uncomfortable.

And so I go into this weekend with Shane both excited and scared as to what God will do in me and in us.

My prayer for each of us is that we don't avoid it -- that we let Jesus speak to us, even let it make us uncomfortable, in order to change us more fully into God's people and allow us to experience more completely his love. Before we say, "I can't do what Shane does," we need to ask, "What is God speaking to me, and where is he causing me to grow and change?" If we do that, we will experience Christ in a whole new way -- I'm convinced of it.

So let's see what happens!

Blessings,

jeff

p.s. Everything in the 180 degree weekend is open to the public. Check out Crossroads Website in the next few weeks for more information.

We are small and God is big

2007-01-15T11:37:00.000-08:00

Check this out if you want your faith to expand...

Hubble Deep Field

Happy Birthday to...

2006-12-14T07:33:00.000-08:00

my wonderful wife Kristi is now in her mid-thirties! Happy Birthday pooky wooky hunny bunny-snuggle-kins (that's not really what I call her but...)

I will never say I'm middle class again...

2006-12-06T14:16:00.000-08:00

Have you ever used the words, "We really don't have that much. We aren't that well off." Never again will I use those words! Check this site out and see where you rank with the rest of the world. http://globalrichlist.com/. All of the sudden, our $35 a month sponsorship of a child in a country where most people live on a dollar a day or less doesn't seem that big of a deal...

Blessings,

jeff

World AIDS Day

2006-11-27T12:59:00.000-08:00

This Friday is World AIDS Day, where people around the planet are going to stop and pray diligently for the plight of AIDS in the world. At Crossroads we are holding a prayer vigil from 6a.m. to 9p.m. in the Quiet Room. If you can make it, stop by and pray with us. If not, keep this in your prayers.

If you don't think this issue is big, watch this short video from the LA Times on Swaziland. We have a lot of work to do!

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-aids25th_africa-fl,0,3792277.flash?coll=la-home-headlines

New Sponsor Packets

2006-11-19T05:04:00.000-08:00

Hey Crossroads Family (and extended family),

We've just received a new batch of child sponsor packets from World Vision. These children are all in our ADP (Area Development Project) in Sithobella, Swaziland. If you'd like to join us in our in our movement by sponsoring a child in our area, please give me a call at church. Only 900 more children to be sponsored in Sithobella! It is the best $35 you'll invest every month.

Have a beautiful Sunday,

jeff

Wetsembekile

2006-11-14T11:41:00.000-08:00

Wetsembekile means "God is faithful" in the Swazi language and he certainly was during our entire trip to Africa.

It has now been a week and a half since we returned from Swaziland and the images and experiences are still fresh in my mind. We went there expecting to be guests of World Vision, to see what they were doing in the Sithobella Area Development Project (ADP), to meet our sponsor children and share some hope with them. But when we arrived, we found out that much more was afoot. Instead of being viewed as guests, we were considered partners in ministry. Instead of just seeing with our eyes, we had the opportunity to see with our hearts. Instead of meeting sponsor children, we found that we were meeting parts of our extended family. Instead of going there to share hope, we recieved hope (and joy) in abundance.

And when we left them to return to the States, we left a part of ourselves there. They are now our family, and we have a responsibility to help them, as we would our own kin.

I want to tell the story of when I got to meet my own sponsor child, Zwakele Mamba. Next to my wedding and the birth of my kids, meeting Zwakele was the most holy and beautiful thing that has happened in my entire life.

On Saturday, each of us on the team had a chance to go and visit our own sponsor child (by the way, if any of you want to visit your sponsor child, you can do it! Just contact World Vision a few months ahead of time and they will arrange a visit. You would just need to get into the country and make your own travel arrangements. They would pick you up and take you on a personal visit for yourself). As we prepared to go out to Zwakele's homestead, I remember having a barage of inner questions. What would she be like? Would she be as serious as she looked in the picture on our refrigerator? Would we have anything to talk about?

My family and I had been praying for Zwakele daily for many months, such that my girls called Swaziland "Zwakele's World" long before they knew the lands official name. They had picked out presents for me to bring to her that represented themselves -- a little doll, art supplies, miniature horses, some bouncy balls -- all packed in a little backpack made by our church craft corps. This trip that their Daddy was taking was all about this for them -- meeting this little girl that they prayed for and considered a pseudo sister to them.

When we turned off the main road down a long dusty path heading out to nowhere, I knew we must be getting close. As we approached a little homestead out in the distance, all of the sudden I saw a little girl coming out to the road to meet us. She had an old, pretty flower on, and an orange skirt and at once I knew it was her.

Another woman on our team, Heidi, said how amazing it was to see these hundreds and hundreds of little kids faces that look so similar, but then all of the sudden when she saw her sponsor child, she knew him. There was a relationship and a love there, even before there was a relationship. And that was happened to me as we drove up to Zwakele's house. When I saw her something happened. It was a deep and abiding love that I can't explain. As I got out of the truck and was introduced to her, I remember thinking that next to my wife and my 3 little girls, this was the most beautiful girl I had ever laid my eyes on. It was like she was one of my own. And immediately I could tell she knew who I was. Somehow the letters and the idea of having a sponsor father has sunk in -- and she knew me.

Together we walked down the dusty road back to her house -- a rickity old hut really, with stick walls held together with mud and dung and a thatched roof. As we walked alone with the world vision staff and other participants lagging behind, we kept looking at each other and smiling. It was one of those experiences where words didn't need to be said to connect and understand.

We arrived at her hut and greeted her mother, Tengetile and her 2 younger brothers Nkosinathi (5) and Phiwatinkhosi (3). Tengetile is 25 years old and like many women in Swaziland, were abandoned by her husband (he was "not responsible" - a phrase we heard many times in our travels), a world problem it seems. Zwakele's youngest brother was fathered by another man, making me believe that there is a good chance that the statistics that are devistating this country (hiv infection rate at 33%, 42% among pregnant women) might be true for Tengtetile too. Zwakele and her mother and brothers have no one. Her grandparents were dead, and the homestead they lived on was occupied only by them. Neighbors came to check in on them and provide them food from time to time, but besides that, they were alone in the world. Tengetile had no job and the maze (i.e. corn) in their fields were brown and dry because of the drought. They had nothing.

Yet, I have never seen a little girl as confident as my little Zwakele. She was the perfect mixture of my Dayle's confidence, my Lucy's artistry, and my Clara's motherliness. As we sat down, I asked Zwakele lots of questions - her favorite thing to do (sing), what she wanted to be when she grew up (a teacher - "so I can boss the kids around" she said!:) ), her favorite subject in the 1st grade (Suswati - the national language), her favorite Bible verse (Proverbs 10:1 about children who do right being the pride of their fathers). I asked her to draw me a picture, which she did to perfection. When I asked her to sign it, she took great pride and care to get her letters just right. We jumped rope with the jump rope I gave her, and she giggled with joy at the doll my kids gave her. She showed me around her house, we played frisbee and ate suckers. I enjoyed talking to her mother who thanked my family over and over again for the prayers and support. As we wrapped up our visit they gave us a cooked chicken (probably their only food for the day) as a gift which we recieved with pain but in gratefulness. Right before I left, Zwakele also gave me a reed banner that says "God Bless My Family" on it -- "because I am part of your family, I want you to have this," she said. She reminded me to tell my family that she loved them and thank them for letting her be part of the family through sponsorship. I told her that we loved her too, would pray for her and write often, and would always remember.

As we waved our goodbyes with tears, I realized I would never forget this little girl or this day. Places of my heart opened up that I didn't know were there. As we drove away, I thought about the experience that would be seered into my heart from the visit.

Early on, Zwakele told me that her favorite thing to do was sing. So, through a little coaxing from the interpreter Nocthula, she stood up and sang me the most beautiful song I'd ever heard.

Wetsembekile umsindisi wami,
wetsembekile ngamalanga onkhe,
siphila ngaye, sisilwa
nguye uyasinakekela
wetsebekile.

As she sang, the translator was quietly translating the words for us.

The Lord is faithful, He is my savior,
He is faithful, all the days,
We live by Him, He helps us,
He takes care of us,
because He is faithful.

In that instant, the faith and hope coming from her little mouth deepened my love for Christ. For it was His love and care that she was speaking about, amidst the darkness of her life experience. I will never be the same.

May I never forget that moment as long as I live.

Jeff

The Way Home

2006-11-02T11:10:00.000-08:00

Well we are sitting in the Johannesburg airport waiting for our flight back home. This has been a trip that has brought up so many things in all of us. We are grateful and amazed at the World Vision Staff on the ground in Swaziland. They are to a person world class individuals, highly competant, and passionate about what they are doing. We can each one verify that when we send money to sponsor children, it is helping them in amazing ways.

I know you will be hearing a lot of stories from me in the next while about this trip, but I want to share one thing I learned. The last day in Swaziland, we had a chance to go out on a short wildlife ride in a gamepark. We saw wildebeast and zebras grazing close to each other. He told us that they do that on purpose -- the zebras have good eyes but bad noses, and the wildebeast have bad eyes but good noses -- so they live together to help each other out. I can't help but think that that is a great analogy for how we should view our relationship as a church with Sithobella. We are good at different things and can learn from each other. In fact, we need each other to survive in this world. I know for myself and the team, we can't see our lives the same without this experience and the people we've met.

And we can't wait to tell you about it.

Cheers from J'burg.

Jeff

Sunday in Swazi

2006-10-29T11:34:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! Our team is continuing to go through an amazing experience here in Swaziland. The children are beautiful, we've had a chance to meet our sponsor kids along with many of the sponsor kids from Crossroads. We attended a worship service today that lasted 3 hours but felt like about 15. We continue to be amazed by these people's faith and hope in the midst of what amounts to a dire situation. If the stats are right, 1 of every 3 people we see is infected with HIV. The drought is causing food shortage, people are starving. But there is hope in Christ.

Blessings and keep the prayers coming,
jeff

we're here

2006-10-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

I've got 2 minutes before I'm kicked off the hotel computer, but we made it! This country is even more beautiful than expected and the people are just as amazing. We went out into Sithobella today and even met some of our sponsor children! We also met orphan led homes, saw the good work World Vision is doing, and met people who God loves dearly. Thanks for the prayers!
Jeff for the Swazi team

We're leavin' on a...

2006-10-22T05:29:00.000-07:00

jetplane. Tomorrow! I can't believe it is finally here. We are mostly packed (except me I think!), mostly rested, mostly prepared, and VERY EXCITED to see what God will do in us. Please pray for safety, energy, our families back at home, and eyes and hearts wide open to be changed by this experience.

If I can, I will try to make a blog post or two on our trip. If you want to check for updates, be my guest!

Jeff

Map

2006-10-12T19:17:00.000-07:00

Here is the map of Swaziland.

The Statistics

2006-10-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

Obviously one of the big reasons why there is a crisis in Africa is because of HIV/AIDS. And Swaziland where our work is being done is at the peak of this crisis. According to UNAIDS, there are 220,000 people living with HIV in Swaziland, which makes up 33.4% of all adults (the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa by almost 10%). 120,000 of these individuals are women (read Mothers as well) who were introduced to the virus through their husbands. Another 15,000 are children who received the disease from their infected mothers. Thusfar, there have been 16,000 deaths and 63,000 new orphans due to AIDS. In all of Sub-Saharan Africa there have been more than 2,000,000 deaths thusfar, and 12,000,000 children orphaned due to AIDS.

And in the face of each of these people is Jesus' face. How can we turn away?

Late Night Questions

2006-10-03T01:50:00.000-07:00

Currently, it is 3:45 in the morning (I have no idea what that translates to in Swazi time), but I can't sleep. I woke up thinking about our trip, and found questions racing through my head. What Bible studies should I prepare? Will we stay healthy? What should I do for my kids while I'm gone to make this experience special for them too? Have we prepared ourselves enough? When will I pack? What will we learn? So many questions for God and so many things to think about.

I'm going to guess that as we get closer to October 23rd, these late night questions and conversations are going to get more frequent.

I have a prayer I say over and over again, especially when I get anxious. Lord Jesus Christ, be still in me. This is called a "breath prayer" and it's 7 syllables matches the amount of time it takes you to breathe in and out (try it!). I find that if I utter this prayer over and over again, it becomes part of my breathing itself, and in effect, one can see what it's like to "pray without ceasing" as Scripture says.

My late night question asking sessions need to turn more and more into late night breathing sessions, trusting that Jesus himself is with us and will still our spirits, that we might be free to experience and see what he has waiting for us on the other side of the Atlantic.

Less than 3 weeks.

Jeff

the little pink pills

2006-09-30T05:31:00.000-07:00

Okay, one of the things I'm realizing about the trip I am about to take is the amount of pills I take just shot up by about 7. I'm going to be a little walking pharmacy! We've got pepto (the little pink pills) which I hear are worth taking whether you need them or not every day, malaria pills, sleeping pills, asodophollyis (sp?) pills -- I think my body will be well covered!

I am also trying to prepare myself for the spiritual journey we are going on. There are no little pink pills to do so (!), but there are prayers that go up, and stories that are read, and intentional acts that are taken (like buying a new journal, and preparing my kids here at home for my absence), that I hope will prepare me too. Mostly, I pray for God to make me/us open to hear and see what he would have us hear and see. In some ways, no amount of preparation will be able to accomplish what God can accomplish in us.

side benefits

2006-09-23T06:50:00.000-07:00

This might seem crazy but God can use trips to 3rd World Countries to work on your personal hygeine.

One of my great temptations in life that I have succomb to since I was...6 or so (my mom will have to verify) is biting my nails. I know, yucky gross habit, and it is probably the reason why I have a cold a lot of the time. Now, I'm not going to hypothesize how I started to bite my little tasties (I probably need some counselling to figure that out), but it has been a lifelong struggle. And I've tried it all -- the bad tasting stuff you put on them, incentive plans, sheer willpower, and nothing has worked.

But when we started to put this Swaziland trip together, and as I was talking to my family about the possibility of me going, they were all for it, except for one thing -- If I was going to go, I needed to stop biting my nails.

Period.

Of course I said, sure! No problem! Love to!

But it has proven to be difficult, UNTIL these past 2 weeks, when we entered the "it's coming up really close zone."

And the more I started to see the trip face to face, and think about meeting Zwakele, and seeing the country that we are investing in as a church -- the more I met with our team and thought about the amazing times and impact the trip would have on our lives, the easier it got to stop my lifelong habit.

And so, I'm happy to say for 2 weeks now, I've gone cold turkey. I am using a little polish just to remind me (clear nail growing polish -- don't worry!), but so far so good. And I must say it was the hope and excitement of the future that is making it happen.

And to be honest, biting my nails doesn't have the draw it used to. Tomorrow in church, we are talking about temptation, and one of the things that combats temptation in my opinion is hope -- hope for something better. Right now, Swaziland is that for me, and I am grateful.

And so are my nails!

jeff

big day to be abd

2006-09-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

Okay I have to break in on my swaziland thoughts to tell myself (or my blog, or you or whatever) that early early this morning I finished my LAST paper for the academic portion of my doctor of ministry program! This was a big one for me, and while I've loved all the things I've learned, my classmates, the professors, I must confess it is nice to be done with this part. Now I can start on my LAST big paper, my dissertation. But to have this done is exciting for me! Woo Hoo!

Cheers and blessings.
j

Zwakele

2006-09-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

One of the things I am most excited about our trip is the chance to meet our family's sponsor daughter, Zwakele. Zwakele is 4 years old and lives with her father and 3 siblings. The fact that she doesn't have a mother suggests that something must have happened to her, which is sadly very common I fear. My family and I have been praying for Zwakele almost every meal and night, and are in the process of puting together a little picture album to give her, along with a few other goodies. We have written her a few times (I am astonished I can send a letter to Swaziland for 84 cents (!) and they say it gets there in 4-7 days -- I can't send stuff to Seattle for that!), and my kids especially can't believe I get to see her. To us, she is an extension of our family -- her picture sits on our fridge next to our own.

And maybe that is the part I am so deeply thankful for. Not only do we get the chance to help in a small way one of God's children, but my kids get to be friends and sisters with a little African sister as well. I realize that the extent of this relationship is very limited. But it is very real.

I can't think of any better Christian training right now than this. And I can't wait to meet her!

If you want to sponsor a child in Sithobella, Swaziland with World Vision along with us, let me know!

Sharpening My Pencil for Swaziland

2006-09-12T19:34:00.000-07:00

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." -- Mother Teresa

For the next 35 days myself and a team of 5 others from our church are getting ready to take the trip of a lifetime -- to Swaziland, Africa on a vision trip with World Vision. 119 families in our church sponsor 122 children in a small county in Swaziland called Sithobella. We are going there to see what God, World Vision, and our church partnership is doing there. We are going there as learners and lovers -- to learn from the people in the midst of a poverty and the health crisis of HIV/AIDS, and to love them as our brothers and sisters for whom Christ died.

In the next few weeks, I want to make it a goal to put a little pen to paper (or in this case, keystrokes to blogsite) and journal a little on what is going through my mind and in my heart as we prepare. Our team has been in place for six months, and each of us in our own way is both anxious and excited about what is to come. My hope is that I can encourage and challenge you (as you hear me encourage and challenge myself) to examine what it means to be lovers of people and a nation that is so radically different than ours.

We'll see what happens.

Jeff

The things you find...

2006-08-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

I don't know what got into me, but I started cleaning up my office today. All of the sudden I was rearranging books on the bookshelf to make room for new ones that have come to live there, cleaning out old stacks of papers that haven't been touched for too long, and just tidying up in general (it doesn't happen very often, so I have to go with it).

But one of the side benefits of cleaning up is that sometimes you find things that you didn't know you had. In this case I found something that I'd written that I didn't know I had. In a stack of papers, there was a one page list entitled "Why am I (still) a Christian?" I have no idea when I wrote this or what was going on in me at the time, but it got me thinking. Every once in a while, it is important to reflect on that very question -- Why do you believe what you believe? Believe it or not, even pastor-types like me ask this. And while the question can remain buried in us like a paper on the bottom of a big stack of forgotton thoughts, it is important to bring it out once in a while, dust it off, and remember.

I will share with you my list, but I would suggest you come up with your own sometime too. I am going to make an effort to dust these points off a little bit in the near future. Who knows, maybe they will become blog fodder in the near future? Blessings to you.

Jeff

p.s. The office above isn't really mine. I just scooped it up off Google. :)

Why am I (still) a Christian?

Verses: I Peter 3:15
John 6:67-69

Because it makes me real. It provides purpose and a life worth living. I am more myself when I am with Christ and following his ways.
Because I have been "seized by the Great Affection" -- as Jonathan Edwards says. It is a love story.
Because it provides a plausible answer for the reality of life.
Because the Bible has proven trustworthy to me.
Because it is based in dirt, earth, and history.
Because it was passed down to me.
Because of the gift of God (Ephesians 2).
Because of pain (i.e. because it does not seek to escape the world's realities, but to transform and embrace them).
Because it is good for creation. It is life-giving for the world.
Because Grace is the most holy, life-giving, subversive, transformative, eternal, diving concept in the world. There is nothing better out there.

This Little "Light" of Mine

2006-07-25T08:25:00.000-07:00

On this day 7 years ago, my daughter Lucy (whose name means "Light") was baptized into the Christian faith. On that day, she ceased being "our" child (although Kristi and I will always call her that with pride) and became God's.

"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are." -- I John 3:1

New Heroes

2006-07-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was in Portland at my Doctor of Ministry courses and had the privilege of having Tony Campolo as one of my professors for the week. Tony was a fill in for Brennan Manning (one of my heroes), and originally I thought, "Well, this will be good but..."

I was wrong. It was an incredible, life(style) changing experience.

I have heard Tony before a few times (my Freshmen year of college and on my seminary campus), and have read a few of his books. (by the way if you want a sneak peak of him, he was on the Colbert Report on Comedy Central. This is classic... http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_colbert_report/videos/celebrity_interviews/index.jhtml?start=49)

And his teaching was wonderful. I learned a lot.

But there is something about being in the presence of faithful, passionate people who actually try to live out the gospel message that teaches you without necessarily using words. And having some time with Tony and my classmates did just that. I came away with a deep respect for this man and his passions, for the poor, disenfranchised, and the kingdom of God. It changed me, and I am grateful.

We also all went to the movie Nacho Libre together, and any time you can go to a stupid movie at 11 p.m. with one of your heroes, it is a good thing.

Below is a story from Tony that I told in worship on Sunday. It is from the book The Kingdom of God is a Party which I read a million years ago, but has new force for me now. The first paragraph is mine, and sets up the story a little bit. Blessings...

I want to close with this story. It’s from Tony Campolo, who is an international speaker and author, and one of my heroes. He is from the east coast and found himself in Honolulu one day at 3:30 in the morning, wide awake from the time change, and wandering the streets for a bite to eat. He finally found a greasy spoon diner that was open, and here’s what happened…

As I sat there munching my donut and sipping my coffee at 3:30 in the morning the door of the diner suddenly swung open and, to my discomfort, in marched eight or nine provocative and boisterous prostitutes.

It was a small place and they sat on either side of me. Their talk was loud and crude. I felt completely out of place and was just about to make my getaway when I overheard the woman sitting beside me say, ‘Tomorrow’s my birthday. I’m going to be thirty-nine.’

Her ‘friend’ responded in a nasty tone, ‘So what do you want from me? A birthday party? What do you want? Ya want me to get you a cake and sing ‘Happy Birthday’?”

‘Come on!’ said the woman sitting next to me. ‘Why do you have to be so mean? I was just telling you, that’s all. Why do you have to put me down? I was just telling you it was my birthday. I don’t want anything from you. I mean, why should you give me a birthday party? I’ve never had a birthday party in my whole life. Why should I have one now?’

When I heard that, I made a decision. I sat and waited until the women had left. Then I called over the fat guy behind the counter and I asked him, ‘Do they come in here every night?’

‘Yeah!’ he answered.

‘The one right next to me, does she come here every night?’

‘Yeah!’ he said. ‘That’s Agnes. Yeah, she comes in here every night. Why d’ya wanta know?’
‘Because I heard her say that tomorrow is her birthday,’ I told him. ‘What do you say you and I do something about that? What do you think about us throwing a birthday party for her – right here – tomorrow night?’

A cute smile slowly crossed his chubby cheeks and he answered with measured delight, ‘That’s great! I like it! That’s a great idea!’ Calling to his wife, who did the cooking in the back room, he shouted, ‘Hey! Come out here! This guy’s got a great idea. Tomorrow’s Agnes’s birthday. This guy wants us to go in with him and throw a birthday party for her – right here – tomorrow night!’

His wife came out of the back room all bright and smiley. She said, “That’s wonderful! You know Agnes is one of those people who is really nice and kind, and nobody ever does anything nice and kind for her.’

‘Look,” I told them, ‘If it’s OK with you, I’ll get back here tomorrow morning about 2:30 and decorate the place. I’ll even get a birthday cake!’

‘No way, said Harry (that was his name). ‘The birthday cake’s my thing. I’ll make the cake.’
At 2:30 the next morning, I was back at the diner. I had picked up some crepe-paper decorations at the store and had made a sign out of big pieces of cardboard that read, “Happy Birthday, Agnes!” I decorated the diner from one end to the other. I had that diner looking good.

The woman who did the cooking must have gotten the word out on the street, because by 3:15 every prostitute in Honolulu was in the place! It was wall-to-wall prostitutes….and me!
At 3:30 on the dot, the door of the diner swung open and in came Agnes and her friend. I had everybody ready (after all, I was kind of the M.C. of the affair) and when they came in we all screamed, “Happy Birthday!”

Never have I seen a person so flabbergasted...so stunned…so shaken. Her mouth fell open. Her legs seemed to buckle a bit. Her friend grabbed her arm to steady her. As she was led to sit on one of the stools along the counter we all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. As we came to the end of our singing with ‘happy birthday dear Agnes, happy birthday to you,’ her eyes moistened. Then, when the birthday cake with all the candles on it was carried out, she lost it and just openly cried.

Harry gruffly mumbled, “Blow out the candles, Agnes! Come on! Blow out the candles! If you don’t blow out the candles, I’m gonna hafta blow out the candles.’ And, after an endless few seconds, he did. Then he handed her a knife and told her, ‘Cut the cake, Agnes. Yo, Agnes, we all want some cake.’

Agnes looked down at the cake. Then without taking her eyes off it, she slowly and softly said, ‘Look, Harry, is it all right with you if I…I mean is it OK if I kind of…what I want to ask you is…is it OK if I keep the cake a little while? I mean is it all right if we don’t eat it right away?’

Harry shrugged and answered, ‘Sure! It’s OK. If you want to keep the cake, keep the cake. Take it home if you want to.’

‘Can I?’ she asked. Then, looking at me she said, ‘I live just down the street a couple of doors. I want to take the came home, OK? I’ll be right back. Honest!’

She got off the stool, picked up the cake, and, carrying it like it was the Holy Grail, walked slowly toward the door. As we all just stood there motionless, she left.

When the door closed there was a stunned silence in the place. Not knowing what else to do, I broke the silence by saying, ‘What do you say we pray?’

Looking back on it now it seems more than strange for a sociologist to be leading a prayer meeting with a bunch of prostitutes in a diner in Honolulu at 3:30 in the morning. But then it just felt like the right thing to do. I prayed for Agnes. I prayed for her salvation. I prayed that her life would be changed and that God would be good to her.

When I finished, Harry leaned over the counter and with a trace of hostility in his voice, he said ‘Hey! You never told me you were a preacher. What kind of church do you belong to?’
In one of those moments where just the right words came, I answered, ‘I belong to a church that throws birthday parties for whores at 3:30 in the morning.’

Harry waited a moment and then almost sneered as he answered, ‘No you don’t. There’s no church like that. If there was, I’d join it. I’d join a church like that!’
Wouldn’t we all?, Campolo says. Wouldn’t we all.

Thanks God for Tony!

The power of relationships

2006-06-18T21:38:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! I have been absent from doing this for almost a month --what a slacker! But no looking back -- forward into the future. Incidently, today is fathers day, and so thanks be to God for my father who loves me, and my kids whom I love. Both are glimpses for me of what the Heavenly Father's love looks like in my life. I am grateful.

In fact, my relationships with these folks has got me thinking about relationships in general. I am currently at school right now (which makes my kids giggle) in Portland Oregon at George Fox Seminary studying leadership and spiritual formation for my doctor of ministry degree. This is my last time on campus with my fellow collegues and it is proving to be a bittersweet time. On the one had, I am thankful that I will be done with the on campus time (2 weeks 2 times a year is not all that convenient). But on the other hand, these relationships with pastors from around the country have proven to be more valuable and precious than I could have imagined. One person in my class has called these the "$18,000 friendships" (the cost of the program) that are worth every penny. I am confident that this will not be the last time I see these precious friends who are worth every penny.

The thing I've realized most of all this week is (again paraphrasing someone in my class's reflections) that relationships, especially Christian relationships, make us more human. That we are called the body of Christ, brothers and sisters in faith, because alone we are incomplete, but that together we bring each other to life, because the same Spirit alive in you is alive in me too. When we connect, it is Jesus who is in our very midst, and our awareness of our humanness lifts.

With my own father, with my wife, with my kids, and now with my doctoral friends, this has been the experience. I feel more human around them.

And around the rest of you too!

Blessings in Christ. I'll try to be more regular...in my postings.

Jeff

When you wish upon a star...

2006-04-25T18:14:00.000-07:00

For the past week my family and I have been in sunny, hot, Orlando spending time with overgrown rodents, princesses, and one person who thinks she's a mermaid. I was reminded again how wonderful my family is (even after 2900 miles in the car). how great my parents are (who flew to meet us), what wonderful friends we have (who sent us off with goody bags, and who gave us places to stay and great conversation on the road),and the thrill of seeing the country and heading towards to magical places. Sounds a lot like the Christian life to me...

Reentry tomorrow. Here we go!

Poured Love

2006-04-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

This morning at our staff devotions, we read these words for Matthew 26:6-13.

6 Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. 8But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, ‘Why this waste? 9For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor.’ 10But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. 11For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. 13Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.'

The question I have for myself (and for all of us) this Holy Week is will I live my life like the disciples - in pious disgust of this woman's simple act of love and faith, thinking I know better? Or will I pour my love out on Jesus and on those he loves, unafraid of what others might think? Her loving act certainly followed Jesus to the cross and to his burial -- maybe the only piece of human love that followed him the whole way. Who knows --maybe the smell of her poured love gave him the strength, courage, and resolve to die for love of us.

All too often, I am convicted in myself of being related to the disciples' ugly reaction instead of the woman's beautiful action. What about you?

Have a blessed Holy Week.

j

The Things I Just Can't Give You

2006-04-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

OK, my mom and dad like to read my sermons once in a while (which is nice of them), and since our website at church is pretty much down, I figured I'd post this. Here you go M/D!

Love, J

Sermon: “The Things I Just Can’t Give You”
Text: Luke 18:18-30
Date: April 2, 2006

Our Gospel lesson for this morning is one of those passages of Scripture, to be honest with you, I wish was NOT in the Bible. I just wish it wasn’t in there. Have you ever come across passages like that before? Words of Jesus or his followers that make you nervous because of its implications; it makes you cringe because it strikes a nerve.

I read this passage and my immediate reaction was in this order 1)Hunt down John and say, “Thanks a lot for assigning this passage today!” 2)To just avoid it all together and try to find something else to talk about in the Scriptures, 3)or make the story palatable with my lifestyle by spiritualizing it, giving my spirit a little shot of novacane if you will, so that I still endure the passage but be numb to its message.

But while I’d love for us to ignore it or hyper-spiritualize it, we can’t. Because whether we like it or not, you and I are the Rich Young Ruler in our stories, and in this story as well.

Let’s hear the story again.

We are told that a ruler came up and asked Jesus, “What must I do, Good Teacher, to inherit eternal life?” We don’t know much about this man. Matthew’s Gospel (in his telling of this story) says that he was young in age. Mark’s Gospel says that he came and literally knelt before Jesus as he asked his question, a clear sign of respect for the Rabbi Jesus. But all three gospels are clear one thing; that this man owned a lot of stuff that presumably gave him status, security, influence, and comfort in the world. And while there was much that he was giving to God by living out his life in faithfulness to the Commandments (at least the ones that Jesus’ mentioned), presumably serving at his church/synagogue, there was something that he just couldn’t give – his possessions.

After the ruler answered in the affirmative to following the Commandments, Jesus said there was one last thing he needed do to inherit the kingdom, “Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

“Follow me,” Jesus says. You would think it was different, but actually in the Gospels, Jesus does not make this personal invitation very often – for someone to actually follow him as his personal disciple. Who knows -- maybe Jesus was already sensing Judas betrayal coming, and he knew he would need a replacement disciple very soon, and he saw the traits in this man that would fit the bill. And so he invites him to follow.

Sadly, this last action requested by Jesus proved to be too much for the young wealthy man. He could not trust and let go of that much. His possessions were things that he just couldn’t give up to Jesus, and he walked away – the only story in the Gospels where someone walks away from Jesus personal invitation to follow him.

Now we might feel ok about our own security for the moment since this invitation wasn’t aimed at us, but then Jesus comes back with a blanket warning that certainly covers every one of us in this room, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” If that doesn’t make us squirm in our seats I don’t know what does.

Now certainly this passage does have other elements to it, beyond just dollars and cents. For the stuff we own (or the stuff that owns us) is legion and can take different forms. Some of us especially hold money and things close as this rich young ruler did, some of us maybe could care less about that stuff, but hold other things like our families and comforts close (which is what Jesus teaches touches on in the second half of his teaching when he says no one who has left home and family for my sake will go without), some of us hold our comfort zones themselves close, or our futures, or our place in the community. And in many ways, I guess it is up to each of us to figure out what it is that is standing in the way of full discipleship to Jesus Christ.

But I think we do this passage a disservice if we cruise too fast past the rich young ruler and his vice of wealth and possessions. For I would argue that all of us, all of us hold things close (especially in a community like ours), the stuff that we have worked so hard to get, the stuff we count on, that we just can’t give up. Our homes, our cars, our kids college savings accounts, our luxuries like $3 coffee and country club living, our antiques, our investments, our securities – we are owned by the things we feel like we own. This is a suburban American problem to be sure, but it is a human problem as well, which is why Jesus hits it so hard.

When the listeners hear it, they know exactly what Jesus is saying. They throw up their hands and say, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus says, “by yourselves, impossible. With God, very possible.”

So…what is the answer? How do stop owning our stuff? How do we sell it and follow Jesus? Is the answer abject poverty for all of us? Instead of a rummage sale at church, should we have a reverse rummage sale and sell all the stuff we really like and keep the rummage we old stuff we can’t wait to get rid of? What should we do, and how should we do it?

I guess my first thought is that selling everything is probably the answer for some of us. That might sound crazy, but there have been folks even in our church who have done exactly that out of response to God’s call to serve him. Maybe that is the answer for some of us.

But I’m guess that probably isn’t the answer for others of us, at least not in total. Certainly poverty itself isn’t a holy thing, if Jesus is telling the young ruler to give money to the poor to get them out of poverty, and the Scriptures Old and New are filled with instructions to serve and care for those who do not have enough.

But I think the answer lies in verse 22, Jesus command to this man and to us, to sell what we own and distribute it to the poor. For in this one command, Jesus is telling us about our core relationships, our relationship with our stuff and our relationship with our neighbors in this world. Because for this young ruler, it turned out that his stuff ended up meaning more to him than helping those who were living in poverty. When forced with a decision to choose his lifestyle and helping his brothers and sisters in need, he chose his lifestyle.

And therein lies the clue for us today I think.

Here is Jesus’ rule of thumb, WHEN MY STUFF GETS IN THE WAY OF ME LOVING AND TAKING CARE OF THE POOR AND DESTITUTE, I AM IN DANGER OF WALKING AWAY FROM JESUS.

For Jesus tells us that what we have done to the least of these, we have done unto him. In other words, when we refuse to allow those in the world who are suffering from physical and spiritual poverty to remain so; when we are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that they have what they need to live both in body and spirit; when that is our first concern, then we are seeing the world as God sees it, not as a place to find worldly security, but a place where we care for our brothers and sisters in need.

And friends, when we start to do that, we see Jesus, and we live in God’s kingdom.

Shane Claiborne, in his book The Irresistible Revolution tells a story of serving in Calcutta with Mother Teresa before her death. He says, Mother Teresa was one of those people who sacrificed great privilege because she encountered such great need. People often ask me what Mother Teresa was like. Sometimes it’s like they wonder if she glowed in the dark or had a halo. She was short, wrinkled, and precious, maybe even a litter ornery, like a beautiful, wise old granny. But there is one thing I will never forget – her feet. Her feet were deformed. Each morning in Mass, I would stare at them. I wondered if she had contracted leprosy. But I wasn’t going to ask, of course. “Hey Mother, what’s wrong with your feet?” One day a sister said to us, “Have you noticed her feet?” We nodded, curious. She said, “Her feet are deformed because we get just enough donated shoes for everyone, and Mother does not want anyone to get stuck with the worst pair, so she digs through and finds them. And years of doing that have deformed her feet.” Years of loving her neighbor as herself deformed her feet.”

Now, we might say, “Come on that’s Mother Teresa! I can’t do that!” But I disagree.

For the question asked to the rich young ruler and to each of us today is the same – are we willing to let ourselves be deformed out of love for our neighbors? When it comes to the things we own, whether it is our wealth of money or family or security, are we willing to risk them out of love for those in need.

For friends, Calcutta isn’t just in India. There are Calcutta’s everywhere—filled with economic and spiritual lepers. It is easy to keep it at arms length, as we cling to our luxuries and securities. It is easy to skip over this teaching of Jesus and say it’s not for me.

But hear Jesus’ words, “Truly no one who forsakes these things will not get back very much more in this age and the age to come.”

Today, here in church, we commission a team of folks to go to Cancun to serve the poor and love people and build a church in the process. They have in a small way forsaken some of their wealth of time and money out of love for the poor. At 11a.m. we are baptizing a child, which in itself is a revolutionary act if you think about it, in essence saying that we the parents are forsaking the future we have planned for our child, and placing her future in the hands of God to with as he pleases, out of love for God and love for our neighbors who she will bless. Both of these events are revolutionary acts. And those involved will get much more back in the transaction than they will ever give, Jesus says.

But that is only the beginning.

May we have the courage as individuals and a church to face the things we just can’t give up. And through the power of the Holy Spirit, may we too be willing to be deformed out of love for the least of these, and in turn see Jesus more and more and more in this world.

AMEN.

Mother's Feet

2006-03-13T13:18:00.000-08:00

I don't know how your life of faith works, but mine is all about the rabbit trails. Every once in a while something catches my attention -- in Scripture, in culture, from an experience, or from a speaker I've heard -- and I find myself engaged in the subject wanting to know more and more about it, trying to get underneath it to really understand what God is teaching me from another point of view. I've done this with authors (Brennan Manning), music (U2 and Rich Mullins), churches (I studied the Catholic Church for over a year to try and understand its teachings), Saints (St. Francis -one cool dude) and monastacism. I find that the more I try and understand these Christians, or these different expressions of the Christian faith, the more my own faith grows. Plus, you can become really interesting at dinner parties (just kidding).

Anyways, my current rabbit trail has to do with what it means for us to identify with the poor. This is a tough one for me, someone who has grown up in the upper middle-class, privaleged USA. I love the poor and "the least of these" and I'm sure all of us who profess Christ say we do. But how do I love them with my life?

In about September, the magazine Christianity Today had a cover story on a guy named Shane Claiborne, who is the co-founder of The Simple Way, which is a group of Christians who have chosen to live together in the poorest section of Philadelphia, to unite with the poor, the homeless and the oppressed, in an effort to live out their Christian faith in the radical way that Jesus did. A few months later I heard Shane speak (on-line, not in person) on a book he has just written about his convictions and the genesis of The Simple Way. The book is called The Irresistable Revolution and if you want a book that will rock your world, pick it up. I guarantee you will be offended in your sensibilities, but also convicted in your spirit.

In a nutshell, Claiborne is about 30 years old (I'm guessing), grew up in East Tennessee living the quintessential Christian life. He had a nice big church, was popular at youth group, went to lots of camps and church activities, and stayed pretty well sheltered in his Christian life. But after reading more and more about Jesus, he came to see that he was believing in Jesus, but wasn't doing too much to follow him. At college in Philadelphia, he and his friends started hanging out with the people that Jesus hung out with -- the left-outs of society, the homeless, the poor, the disadvantaged. Eventually the call was so strong that he started a community living among these people (who were now his people), and encouraging sheltered, privileged white folks like me to come and experience community, love, and Jesus amidst the one's Jesus called "blessed" (the least of these).

One summer, Shane went to Calcutta to work with Mother Theresa. He tells this story (p.167).
"Mother Theresa was one of those people who sacrificed great privilege because sheencountered such great need. People often ask me what Mother Theresa was like. Sometimes it's like they wonder if she glowed in the dark or had a halo. She was short, wrinkled, and precious, maybe even a little ornery, like a beautiful, wise old granny. But there is one thing I will never forget -- her feet. Her feet were deformed. Each morning in Mass, I would stare at them. I wondered if she had contracted leprosy. But I wasn't going to ask, of course. "Hey Mother, what's wrong with your feet?" One day a sister said to us, "Have you noticed her feet?" We nodded, curious. She said, "Her feet are deformed because we get just enough donated shoes for everyone, and Mother does not want anyone to get stuck wiht the worst pair, so she digs through and finds them. And years of doing that have deformed her feat." Years of loving her neighbor as herself deformed her feet."

Mother Theresa's challenge is Claiborne's challenge in this book. Loving our neighbors makes our feet deformed. And our hands, and mouths, and legs, and everything that we hold, say and go do. For Claiborne this is the Irresistible Revolution -- loving each other in our brokenness with the love of Jesus Christ. It is contageous.

Have you ever read a book that is so powerful, but you don't know quite what to do with it? This is proving to be one of those books for me. My prayer is that I might know what it means for me and my family (and our church) to have our hearts broken (and our feet deformed) with the brokenhearted who Jesus loves. I hope you wrestle with that too.

Jeff

Music Jesus would dance to

2006-03-01T07:35:00.000-08:00

Well, I think I just picked up a CD that would make Jesus' playlist if he were here in physical body right now. Matisyahu Miller (who performs under the name Matisyahu) is a Hassidic Jew who is also a raggae-hip hop artist. No...he is not a circus side show -- I promise you he is the real deal! This guy is amazing. He is first and foremost a Hassidic Jew (a very disciplined Jewish religious sect commmitted to the study of Scripture, strict moral lifestyle in accordance with the Jewish religious tradition, including strict sabbath observance, wearing traditional black garb and long beard, not coming into contact with the opposite sex besides one's spouse, etc.). Secondly, he is a performer and artist who shares his Jewish belief and faith in Hashem (Hebrew for "the Name" which is what many Jews call Yahweh, out of respect for his name) in clubs and concerts around the country. Live at Stubbs is a live concert performed at a club in Austin, Texas. And let me tell you -- if a Hassidic Jewish Raggae artist can win over a bunch of Gentile Texans, it must be good. And if you haven't heard of Matisyahu (which is the Hebrew pronounciation of Matthew) yet, I bet you will.

What I love about this album is that it is full of such joy. It is filled with songs of praise and celebration of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Songs like "Exaltation" lift up direct quotes from the Psalms, and he is constantly lifting up the God we worship. I could just see Jesus blasting this at a beach party with all these fish he just miraculously caught. This is music about his people -- and therefore my people as well.

As a Christian listening to Matisyahu, I am filled with such praise, knowing the Messiah for which Matis is singing about and longing for. It is totally clean as well, and my kids are already starting to like dancing to it. To hear someone that passionate about his faith, willing to put it first (Matis doesn't perform on Fridays and Saturdays, which would be tough I would think if you were a musician), I love it.

If you were to download one song to listen to, get King Without a Crown -- this is his comeout hit.

Tell me what you think!

jeff

Valentines Day

2006-02-14T06:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day!

This Sunday I had the chance to preach at our church, and the text I chose was the entire book of the Song of Solomon. After I finished preparing for it, Kristi (as she often does) asked me how I liked it. I said, "Well, I don't know. They'll either run me out of town, or it will be ok."

I haven't been run out of town (yet!).

I don't usually do this, but below is the text from Sunday's Sermon. Song of Solomon is a hot, steamy, passionate book...OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. Amen to that. On this Valentine's Day, celebrate Godly Romantic Love.

jeff

note: Quotes from Scripture are taken from The Message Paraphrase of the Bible.

The Best Song in the World
Song of Solomon
As you know, this week we celebrate Valentine’s Day, a day which makes flower stores entire years, which Hallmark has stock in, but is also a day set aside where we get to celebrate love and romance.

My guess is that we all have memories of Valentine’s Days past, both bad and good ones.

Some of my earliest memories of Valentine’s Day are going to the drug store with my mom and getting to pick out the box of Valentine’s Day cards to give to my classmates at school (which I just did with my daughter Lucy this past week. She chose the dinosaur cards). And I vividly remember how, even then, young love and infatuation was starting to show its face. If you recall ever taking part in this tradition, for most of the people in your class, you didn’t really care which Valentine you gave them. But it seemed like even then there was always that special person that you wanted to give the most special Valentine to. For me it was Missy Armstrong in the fifth grade getting the coveted Wonder Woman Valentine from me. I picked it out special for her, thought about it, wrote her name on it, sealed it up, held my breath as she opened it. And then I watched as she placed it aside with the rest. I was crushed. And I still have a hard time wondering how she didn’t just swoon for Wonder Woman!

The point is the desire for romance and love run deep and early don’t they? We want to be known. Scripture tells us in its very first pages that God created us to be in relationship with each other, that we were literally created to be together, and that the relationship between a man and a woman, husband and wife, goes beyond partnership and procreation but to mutual fulfillment, pleasure, and joy.

Unfortunately, our world today has taken, shall we say, a “limited” view of love. For love in our world is often only relegated to sex, with an easy sexuality being the order of the day. You can’t turn on the TV or the computer, open a magazine, or look at a billboard without being confronted fully frontally in the face with the world’s limited view of love. Unfortunately, this opening of easy sexuality has not expanded but atrophied the world’s experience of true love.

On the other hand, the church, while it has maybe done better in celebrating true love, has done no better with the issue of sex, for we have tended to err on the other side, completely divorcing sex from true love. Our Puritan roots in America run deep, as H.L. Mencken once said, “Puritanism is the haunting fear that someone, somewhere might be happy.” And sex itself has taken a hit in this theological vein. Going way back to St. Augustine in the 3rd Century, the church began to see and teach that sex is a necessary evil to keep the race going, but has little to do with love and fulfillment. In other words, in the church’s efforts to confine sex where it should be confined, in the marital relationship, it robbed it of its unique, wonderful, intimate, joyous properties, which God ordained and gifted a husband and wife.

We’ve got the world on one side promoting a loveless sexuality, and we’ve got the church on the other promoting a love without sex.

It seems that neither the world or the church has gotten it right.

But what does God have to say to us on this Valentine’s Day week?

That is where this very beautiful book of Holy Scripture comes in. The question I get asked most about the Song of Solomon is, “How did this book get in here?” And indeed it is different than any other book of Scripture in its passionate and sometimes erotic imagery. We often ignore it in the church, or at least blush when we think about it. Children’s Bibles don’t even include it. In fact, for centuries it was forbidden for Jewish boys to read this book of Scripture, lest it got them too worked up. But as a piece of love poetry, it is without parallel. And as a way to describe God’s love for us, and His image of our love for one another, it is inspiring. Therefore, we cannot and will not ignore it.

The Song of Solomon (or the Song of Songs as it is sometimes called) is the story of a young, common maiden who is noticed and courted by a king (presumably Solomon, for whom the book is named and attributed to). Throughout its eight chapters, you see their relationship go from courtship, to the wedding ceremony, to the honeymoon night, to their first marital spat, to their mutual forgiveness and final declaration of the deepening of their love. Like many poems it is full of lofty and colorful language, that engages all the senses, from sight to smell to touch to taste to voice.

And it has a lot to tell us about Godly Romantic love,
Godly Romantic Love that begins with desire, is tempered with restraint, and lived out of respect for the one we love.

First, Godly Romantic Love starts with desire. The word desire gets a bad wrap in our world I think because of its lustful, overindulgent connotations. But desire does not have to be bad. As you read this love story in the Song of Solomon, the couple’s desire for each other is apparent. These young lovers can’t get enough of each other. The woman says, “Kiss me on the mouth, for your love is better than wine, headier than your aromatic oils. The syllables of your name murmur like a meadow brook. No wonder everyone loves to say your name!” The man says of his love, “Your beauty is too much for me – I’m in over my head. I’m not used to this! I can’t take it in. Your hair flows and shimmers like a flock of goats in the distance streaming down a hillside in the sunshine.” (6:5) In their description of each other, it is apparent that everywhere they look they see their lover’s face. They desire deeply to be with each other and to express their love face to face.

And desire for each other is a good thing. Even sexual desire is, at its core a good thing. God made us to be known by each other, to long for a union that transcends surface unions. And these young lovers waste no time in describing these longings and desires for each other.

My guess is for the Romantics among us, this makes our hearts melt. But for others of us, my guess is that this seems rather sophomoric, innocent, and immature.

And in some ways, maybe that’s true. Certainly this sort of desire that these young lovers describe happens at the beginning of their courtship.

Yet, I still must believe that desire is a part of love, young and old. For desire is not limited to physical attraction. It is the longing to be one, to be together, to “be” together. God has placed in us the desire to be with others. And part of our responsibility in love is to find those things in the one we love that attracted us to them in the first place. It might take more work, and more creativity, but love is called to live in desire of the other.

What would it be like for each of us to sit down this Valentine’s Day and write out the things we love about our spouse? What attracts us to him? Maybe it will be easy, and maybe it will take some deep creativity, but my encouragement is to tell him, tell her what it is that that you love.

Each of us could do this, with our spouses, or with our children, even with our friends. We need to be in the habit of reminding ourselves and them what it is we love about them and what makes us want to be with them.

You know, that is one of the main reasons we come to worship. When we worship God and declare His glory, we open up our hearts to a greater experience of His love in our lives. That sort of contemplation and expression deepens the feelings of love for God, but also for one another.

Secondly, Godly Romantic Love is desire tempered with restraint. This is another huge lesson for us as we consider love and romance in God’s vocabulary. Throughout the Song of Songs, you can feel the temperature go up in the room as the young lovers dream and fanaticize about abandoning themselves into the others arms. But at each turn, as their fantasies heat up, a warning is given to the young lovers – “Don’t excite love, don’t stir it up, until the time is ripe – and you’re ready.” It points out the need for restraint in love. And that is such an important lesson for us, young and old, in love.

For this young engaged couple, it is pointing out that the time and place for passion and full intimacy to occur is in the marriage relationship, not before. That restraint is needed until love’s full expression can be felt and had in the covenant of marriage. For those of us already in that marriage relationship, love shows restraint by living in fidelity to the one whom we have been united with in marriage. That restraint is not just sexual, but emotional as well. We cling to our spouse, we restrain ourselves for him or her alone. We keep ourselves solely for the other. Why? Because souls cannot be split into pieces. Our restraint in love honors the other and shares with them the love that sacrifice brings. True love restrains itself for the one it loves.

Finally, Romantic Love is desire tempered with restraint out of respect for the other. Ultimately, the way we treat those we love must be done out of and in respect for their personhood. In fact, I would argue that love, romantic and otherwise, is always respectful of the one that it loves.

At every turn in the Song of Solomon, the lovers are affirming and respecting each other. They are building each other up. The woman in the Song of Solomon is of a low caste, forced to work in the fields because of her family’s place in the community. “Do not look on me because I am dark,” she laments, “darkened by the sun’s harsh rays.” In ancient times, fair skin was deemed beautiful because it meant you didn’t have to work like a servant out in the fields. The woman in this story seems to be admitting she is nothing great to look at. She is dark and leathery from the hard work required by her caste.

But her beloved is constantly affirming her, respecting her, lifting up her self-esteem. “Oh, my dear friend! You’re so beautiful! And your eyes so beautiful – like doves!” (1:15). And in response, you can hear the woman’s self-talk change. She says, “I’m just a wildflower picked from the plains of Sharon, a lotus blossom from the valley pools.” (2:1) Isn’t that a beautiful testimony of love? Out of respect for his love, he affirms her, and in turn, she sees herself as lovely.

Even in their marital intimacy, there is this beautiful sense of respect and affirmation, each for the other. It seems that even sex is more than just physics or biology, it is poetry and affirmation in motion.

Romantic Love is desire tempered with restraint out of respect for the other.

So what about us? For some of us here, my guess is that we know this already, and we hear these words as ones of encouragement and empowerment, to renew or keep our desire for our spouse, to restrain ourselves for him or her, to respect them at every turn, to keep those home fires burning. For the young among us, I hope we hear these words as encouragement and a recommitment to restrain ourselves physically until Romantic Love can find its full expression in marriage. For others of us who are not married, or not married anymore, or are in the midst of great difficulties in our marriages or relationships, these passages of Scripture may cause us some pain to hear, at what is not or what has been lost.

Yet, this Valentine’s week, more than any cards or candies that we might (or might not) get, I believe that this passage of Scripture, this romantic poetry is the best news for each and every one of us. For it points out not only that God desires good things for us in our human relationships which gives us hope for the future, but it also gives us a glimmer of what God’s love for us is like. For He desires not only to have a “Fatherly” relationship with us, but He desires to be our bridegroom as well. And God is the God of second chances. If the Song of Solomon teaches us anything, it teaches us that.

It sure makes Valentine’s Day seem bigger to me. The God of Romantic Love is in love with us.

AMEN.

We are surrounded

2006-02-01T13:37:00.000-08:00

On my desk sits an icon of the 12 apostles. Every once in a while I look up from my computer or a phone call and there they are -- a dozen of them staring me in the face. Each of the apostles depicted has their own personality. Matthew has his nose in the Book - the Hebrew Scriptures, which his Gospel is full of. Andrew's hair is grizzly and wild, as if he'd been out all night fishing his nets. Thomas the Doubter is on the outside of the rest, looking in. And (on the one that I have) Jesus resides over them all, with his arms spread out, as if commissioning and protecting them at the same time.

I really love these apostles staring at me, not because they really speak to me or anything (um, that would be a little...wierd), but because they remind me that in the momentary struggles and the joys of life, I am surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses spurring me on. I need to know that.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of thejoy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1,2

What do you have in your life to remind you that there is something bigger out there? Where do you see the cloud of witnesses spurring you on?

What will your picture look like as a follower of Christ when the icons of the 22nd Century are made?

We are surrounded. Let's take solace, courage, and hope from that fact.

j

The Color of Money

2006-01-23T23:18:00.000-08:00

What is it about money that is so hard to talk about?

As I mentioned a few hours ago in a previous post, our church is having a congregational meeting this Sunday to talk about the serious budget shortfall we are facing as a church going into 2006. To be honest, I think we as a church are going to look back someday on this meeting and see it as one of those defining moments that every family has. Why? Because facing reality has that effect on faithful people. And Crossroads is a place that seeks to be faithful to God's call. So I am very hopeful -- not just that we will come up with the right answers to our shortfalls, but that we will grow in faith together.

As I began thinking and praying about this issue, I got to thinking that lots of us might be asking, "So what DOES God think about our money? And what does it mean for us to be faithful to God's call on our lives with our finances?" I realize I am wading into uncomfortable territory for most of us. But to be honest, it is necessary for us to get a handle on money and what it means for our spiritual lives (yes, money has everything to do with our spiritual lives), especially as middle/upper class Americans. I might even argue that money and stuff is the #1 challenge our segment of society (and our church) faces, and if we don't have a proper theology of wealth, we will atrophy in our spiritual growth.

With that teaser, here it goes.

What does God say about our money?

First, money is not bad or good. It just is. Money, when it comes right down to it, is just paper (or metal) that has been assigned a value by society. In and of itself, money isn't bad or good. It has no inherant power, it isn't magic, it doesn't walk around when we aren't looking (and as we know, it doesn't grow on trees!). That is to say, money is neutral on the good/evil scale.

Secondly, that must mean that how we view money is very important, because as we know, money has a great affect on our lives. I Timothy 6:10 is a piercing verse; "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains." It seems that when we are devoted to money (and the things that money can buy), we are pursuing a path away from God, and ultimately, we will be hurt. That is a holy warning of God.

Third, what is the answer to our dilemma? How do we keep ourselves from falling into the trap that I Timothy warns about? We practice a radical act of discipleship: We give it away. I Corinthians 6:19:20 reminds us that "you are not your own. You were bought with a price." In other words, our lives and everything about them do not belong to us to use as we see fit. Everything we are and have belongs to Christ -- our souls, our bodies, our time, our talents, and even our money. None of it is ours. As Christians we believe all of it (even if we "earned it" by working hard) is God's.

Now, God allows us to keep some of what he has given us to live and rejoice in life. He is not a God of sour faces, nor is he a God who wants to keep us from enjoying our lives and the fruits of our labor. Even Jesus enjoyed a good party now and then.

But the center of our lives is not in the keeping but in the giving. In fact, we are told that Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." This does NOT mean "You will get more goodies if you give stuff to people." What it means is that the act of giving lets you experience God's blessing in a powerful way. Therefore, our life as givers has everything to do with our lives of faith. Giving keeps us from the strangle hold money can have on us (as I Timothy warns). Giving is born out of the fact that all of what we have and are is God's anyway because of his loving sacrifice for us. And in giving, we actually experience God's blessings in our lives. We know his love in a very real way when we risk giving, as he gave to us.

So...what does that mean? It means that before I do anything else in my life, I give back to God and God's work in the world. Before I pay my bills, before I pay my taxes, before I go out to coffee with my friends -- the first thing I do is give to God. I do this as a recognition that my life itself is a gift from God, and that the love God has for me in Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of my existance. This is the posture of faith and the way we give reflects that. We give to God in gratitude, faith and trust that he has and will continue to take care of us. Giving of our treasures is a response of faith.

Now the question arises, how much should we give? The Bible tells us that each of us is to give as we have made up in our mind to give (II Cor.7:7). In other words, God doesn't want us to be coerced into giving any particular amount, as if it were a tax we have to pay. In that respect, it really is between us and God.

But that doesn't mean that God has not set up standards that he expects from us out of the bounty he has lent to us. The tithe (which means "tenth") or 10% of one's income was set up in the Old Testament as the standard for God's people to give for the work of the temple, as well as for their own spiritual discipline. Some argue that, now that we are in New Testament times, the tithe has been abolished as a practice.

In some ways, that is absolutely true. No longer is the tithe a requirement for the people of God, as those who live under the grace of Jesus Christ.

But that does not mean that we can hold ourselves to a lesser standard. In fact, in Jesus Christ, our giving expectation is raised and not lowered. In many respects, 10% is now the bottom of God's expectations, not the top. Every story in the New Testament where we see Jesus commenting on the positive giving of money (and people's usage of it), they are pictured giving well over 10% in response to God's grace to them (Zaccheus gives half of all his wealth to the poor -- Luke 19:8, the widow gave her last two pennies -- Luke 21:1-4). The only people he rails on are the Pharisees, and they are the ones only giving 10% and thinking they are so special doing it! They think they are doing God a favor, but he sees right through them -- they have not experienced the redeeming love and grace of God for them, otherwise they would recognize that their entire life is Gods to be used as a gift for him. Therefore, while the law of the tithe might no longer be obligatory, our call to be generous and live a life of gracious giving has not. If anything, we are now in Jesus Christ called to an even higher standard.

And here is why this is such a hard issue for us as middle/upper class Americans. We have a lot of other things that take first priority in our lives. Mortgages, car payments, retirement accounts, business ventures, college savings, sports fees for our kids, club memberships, vacations, and on and on and on. Chances are 90% of these obligations are on auto-deduction with the bank and we never see them in our accounts. Then after we buy groceries and gas, we have nothing (or very little) left to give to God's work in the church and the world.

Let me humbly suggest that that is not the way God designed for us to live. This very common pattern is a symptom of spiritual sickness that God wants to heal in us.

The cure? We put God first in our life (even our financial life), even above retirement accounts, college savings, and car payments. It might even call us to live as counter-culturally as Jesus lived, according to the "law of downward mobility" (which is the lifestyle Jesus calls us to -- living below our means). To live within (or below) our means does not mean that we just do what we can in our giving to God, but that we reorganize our lives to make our giving to God the first priority and not the last. It means literally, placing God first in our lives.

When we put God last with our money, theologically we are saying that we place ourselves first, and give God the rest.

When we prioritize God with our money, we put God first and ourselves last. That is the proper color of money in our lives as Christians.

For many of you reading this, you will say, "That is totally crazy. I could never do that." But I challenge you to seriously, and prayerfully consider taking this leap of faith -- of letting God control your money.

And I guarantee that if you do this, you will find that God will grow faith in you in amazing ways. You might not have everything you want, but you will ALWAYS have exactly what you need. You will never ever regret it.

What would it look like for you and your family to put God first with your finances? What would it look like to risk giving 10% (or more) of your treasures to God?

Think about it.

Blessings on your journey.

jeff

Black Clouds or Bright Days?

2006-01-23T20:58:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Portland!

For those of you from Crossroads, you know that this is a big week in the life of our church. This Sunday we are having a congregational meeting to talk about a significant budget shortfall we have as a church going into 2006. It is absolutely NO FUN to talk about, but it is really good that we are. I hope all of us plan on attending one of these important meetings being held after each of the morning worship services.

Now, we could look at this as a huge black cloud come to rain on our parade. Or...we could look at it as a bright day God has given us for growth, nurture, and challenge in our lives of faith.

Guess which one I would choose?

Let's be in prayer for our church and session as we seek God's guidance and wisdom.

j

What are you learning?

2006-01-19T10:35:00.000-08:00

As we speak, I am in Portland, Oregon with the rain pelting down outside the window of my very luxurious Homestead Suites chalet (ok, it's not luxurious, and it's not a chalet, but...). I am here because I am enrolled in a Doctor of Ministry degree program at George Fox Evangelical Seminary here in Portland, and this is my 3rd of 4 on-campus cohorts, which runs until the 26th.

For those of you who have never heard of a Doctor of Ministry degree before, I would liken it to an Ed.d degree for teachers. It is an academic program open to practicing clergy and church leaders after they have received their Master of Divinity degree (which is the standard for most denominational clergy), but who want to keep learning and growing without leaving their professional life and moving on campus (the Ph.D route). It is a 3 year program, with two years of academic coursework and (at least) one year of research and writing of a dissertation. I am 1 1/2 years into it and am having so much fun I can't stand it! It is a lot of work, but I am learning a ton that impacts my own life of faith, as well as my life as a pastor. I am grateful to Kristi and my girls, the church, and God for allowing me to do this.

OK that just sounded like a Golden Globes acceptance speech from last week, but you get the picture.

Anyways, I was Instant Messaging with a friend from church a few days ago and he asked me what I was learning at school. As I am about half way through my time on campus for this session, I thought it would be good for me to think about the "ahas" of my time here, and then I thought (maybe stupidly) that you might like to know as well. There have been many, but here are two of the things I've been thinking about.

1. The body's terror alert system. As you know, the US (since 9/11) has come up with a color coded terror alert system to warn the public of the level of terror threat in our country. Well, did you know that our bodies have the same sort of thing built right in? It's called anxiety. Anxiety and its bodily repurcussions are our alert network that something is not right. Individuals have it, but groups (and churches) have them too. When we get anxious, our bodies do all sorts of funky things, like our heart pounds, we can't think straight, and I'm sure each of us could add our list of symptoms to the list. We also react to our anxiety in wierd ways with others. We might be compliant, but inwardly be frustrated (and thus act passive-agressively). We might rebel, or blame, or disengage emotionally from the one that we are in conflict with (the one who is causing us the anxiety). We might even turn to addictions to supress or anxiousness (I would have to say food and biting my nails are my preferred modes).

Now, it would be HORRIBLE to live an anxious life for too long. In fact, God doesn't want us to -- he has given us the chance to live in the freedom of his love for us (perfect love casts out fear, he says).

But the fact is the places where we are anxious are the places that we can be transformed.

Our anxiety comes from disharmony, in one way shape or form. As followers of Jesus, those are the places we should not avoid -- but steer into, to get underneath, to examine, to lift up to Jesus, because those are the places God can transform us and make us whole.

What are you anxious about? How are you presently dealing with it? God wants to heal our anxieties, and he will, if we allow him to.

This was powerful for me.

2. Searching for Jesus. For a lot of people in the church, the world "Evangelism" is a scary thing. First, it is scary to think about actually talking to people about Jesus, when most of the world today could care less (it seems) or you don't feel like you "know" enough to share. It is also a big burden to think about the fact that Jesus is counting on me to introduce them to Christ. That is a big responsiblity, and one that most of us feel unprepared (or unworthy) to do.

But that understanding of evangelism is incomplete, and even misinformed. The fact of the matter is that it is not our job to bring Jesus Christ to people, or even bring people to Jesus Christ. The fact is that Jesus is already there with them. He knows them by name and is walking with each of us, whether we know it or not. We don't bring Jesus to anybody. We as Christians believe that when Jesus rose from the dead, he is now speaking to us in the eternal present (remember he claimed God's name I AM for himself), and he is already there, whether people know it or not.

Therefore, my primary job in evangelism is not to say, "Do you know Jesus?" but to say "What is going on in your life?" For we can guarantee that Jesus is already there, somewhere. Our adventure is getting to look for Jesus in that person's life, and then finding ways to help them listen to their life and help them recognize His presence.

That requires that I listen to them, befriend them, get into their culture, and pray that Jesus will show himself in the situation. Evangelism then is like the game "Where's Waldo?" -- we get to try and find Jesus in the picture of people's lives. Because he is already there, whether they know it or not.

Those are just a couple of things I have been noodling on from Portland. What do you think?Agree? Disagree? Let me know!

Prayers from Portland,

jeff

And the winner of the Lincy is...

2006-01-12T19:12:00.000-08:00

OK I recognize that most everyone will NOT CARE who gets my awards for best music of the year but...it's my blog so I get to post it! My version of the Grammys are called "The Lincys" (my nickname from home), and I am going to hand out my top five nominees for best album and best song of the year. Unfortunately, we couldn't get Billy Crystal or Ellen to host the show this year. Just me...

Actually though in all seriousness, this year has been a year where music has made a huge impact on my life of faith. I especially love looking for music that is called "non-Christian" but actually has roots that run deep in faithfulness to Christ. Some of these artists aren't even TRYING to be Christian, but they hold messages we hear from God. Ain't it amazing?! Anyways, most of these are new songs in 2005, but some are very old and (re)introduced to me this year. I would recommend all of these songs and albums.

Here we go!

TOP FIVE SONGS OF THE YEAR

5.The Queen of Iowa-Andrew Peterson (off the Far Country): Andrew Peterson is called the heir apparent to Rich Mullins (my favorite Christian label artist). He has been to Crossroads a few times, and is a masterful songwriter and singer. This song says that sometimes those who are dying are living more than those of us who live.

4.Chicago-Sufjan Stevens (off the Illinois album): Sufjan Stevens is (currently) my favorite artist. He is a Christian, but makes the most interesting music I have heard in a long time. And the well runs deep. This song is about seeking to find yourself and finding out that it is you who have been found.

3.Forgiveness Waltz-Jonathan Rundman (off the Sound Theology album): This album is a number of years old but pretty new to me! Rundman made this concept album with 52 songs on it, each one corresponding to a different week in the church year. Conceivably, you could listen to one song per week and discuss the questions for that week in the church year in the liner notes. It is great! This song is so powerful -- Forgiveness is more like a dance than a deal, he says. Anyone who has gone through the process of forgivness knows what he means.

2.All Because of You--U2 (off of How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb): The answer to the album question by the way is Love. But this song epitomizes the depth of Christian thought and theology in U2's music, and preaches a sermon better than I ever could. "All because of you, I AM."

And the Lincy goes too...(drumroll)
1.Mercy Now -- by Mary Gauthier (off of her CD Mercy Now). I heard this artist interview and play on NPR's the World Cafe coming home from work late one night. She is a powerful musician and folk singer, with a world of experience. She is Brennan Manning (my favorite author) if Brennan was a female folk singer. Mary is from New Orleans which also makes this cry for mercy even more powerful. This song has haunted me all year (in a good way). Mercy is what we need.

TOP ALBUMS OF 2005
5. Okemah and the Melody of Riot by Son Volt -- Son Volt is an indi band that sprouted out of the band Uncle Tupelo in the mid 90's and this is their first album since 1998. I love it first and foremost because it is super fun to listen to, but also because it gets me thinking about a world that likes to place blame on everyone else instead of ourselves. Good words for me to hear.
But first and foremost, it is just a great listen!

4.The Far Country by Andrew Peterson -- This album is really, really good. It has a pseudo Narnia theme (for all of your Narnia buffs out there), but even if you detested all things Aslan, you would still love this album. It is an album about heaven. I needed it.

3.Drunkards Prayer by Over the Rhine -- If you've never heard Over the Rhine, you've got to dive in! This is a husband/wife from Cincinatti who are singers/songwriters who write as Christians but sing in bars (and a few college campuses as well). This album was written after a period in their marriage that was extremely trying, and after they made it through, found their love and experience of God was deeper than ever before. It is a love story album -- love for Christ and love for each other. It is easy to listen to and takes a lifetime to learn.

2.How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb by U2 -- of course I'm partial to the lads from Dublin, but seriously -- this album is incredible. Every song is full of meaning, purpose, and faith. U2 never ceases to inspire me and to get me to think about my faith and the world in a fresh way.

And the Lincy for best album of 2005 goes to...

1.Illinois by Sufjan Stevens. I cannot stop listening and thinking about this album. And it seems neither can people like Rolling Stone magazine, who place it #9 on their albums of the year (quite remarkable wouldn't you say for a Christian singer?). This is at the same time the wierdest AND the most compelling album I've heard for a long time. It has marching band tracks, banjo, folk, and rock based rhythms all rolled into one. That is to say, it is an entirely unique and so creative that I can't get over it.

But that is not the only thing. Stevens started an ambitious project to write an album for each of the 50 states (Illinois is is 2nd -- his first being Michigan, for his home state. In fact, he went to Hope College I hear!). So the state of Illinois and events that have happened there become the backdrop for him to talk about issues pertaining to God, faith and culture. He questions God in Casmir Pulaski Day, the day his girlfriend died of cancer. He writes about the dangers of consumer culture in Come On Feel the Illinois. He even writes a haunting song (John Wayne Gacy, Jr.) about a serial killer who murders young boys, but at the end of the song he writes confessionally, "But in my best behavior, I am really just like him. Look beneath the floorboards for the secrets I have hid." If only more Christian music were this honest, this raw, and this interesting. It is my favorite of 2005.

Anyways, let me know what you think!

Blessings in Christ,

Jeff

ipod faith

2006-01-05T10:19:00.000-08:00

OK I have to admit it, I love my ipod. Over the past 9 months that I've been a "user" it has been responsible for making me love and respect music for its power and beauty in a fresh, new, life-giving way. I love everything about it. I love making playlists, finding new stuff on itunes, listening to podcasts, even seeing what celebrities are listening to (on itunes, they post celebrity playlists. And I always thought Jennifer Garner was so hip -- but Justin Timberlake is on her playlist!? I'm so depressed). Anyways, I haven't yet posted my own playlist, but you might see that in the near future.

But my ipod has also got me thinking a lot about Christianity in the 21st Century. My generation (Generation X) and those generations younger than me are engaging in Christian faith in a new, different, and sometimes confusing way. Even current discussions and court battles like "intelligent design" theory and whether it should be taught in the classroom represents a modernist theological construct that puts things together logically, cognitively, and orderly.

To be honest, I think most of that sort of logical theological reasoning is lost on my generation. My generation is more interested in experience over cognition, relationships over rationalities, gray over black and white. Words and thought processes like "justification by grace through faith", although theologically accurate, don't carry the same punch and effectiveness with the next generation as they do with boomers and older. That is not because my generation doesn't care about things pertaining to faith (on the contrary, this next generation seems more concerned and interested in spiritual things than the previous ones), but because they operate in a different mindset and worldview than previously experienced. When teens say "I just don't get my parents", they aren't kidding! But maybe now moreso than other generations, cultural norms are shifting and ways of gathering and processing information are evolving into something completely different.

As the church, it seems we have two options. First, we can force the next generation to learn, process, and digest the Christian faith just like we did (or do). We can use the same words and explanations that worked for us in our upbringing and expect those we are teaching to learn like we want them to learn.

I don't think is a good idea on two levels. First, it doesn't work well. How many of us were driven from the church at an early age because we thought it was "boring, old fashioned, not relevant for me."? The truth underneath that statement was probably that it wasn't the message itself that was boring, but that the communication of the message (the style of the delivery) wasn't on the same wavelength as we were. It was trying to speak relevant words in irrelevant ways (irrelevant for the person listening). When we try to force people to learn like we do instead of like they do, we will fail at some level.

Secondly, it's not a good idea because it is not what Jesus did. Instead of speaking in the theological language of the day all the time, Jesus was notorious for creating earthy parables, easy for his listener to grasp hold of. He argued law with the lawyers, and spoke of crops with the farmers. He met people where they were at, in their own language, in their own context, in their own learning style. Jesus was as relevant as they come, and for us to do otherwise goes against his grain.

And so instead of forcing them to think and learn the way we do, we --like Jesus did -- need to proclaim the Good News in new and fresh ways.

That brings me back to the ipod.

I think we as Christians need to come to grips with an ipod kind of faith when we seek to proclaim good news to the next generation. The way it operates and its subsequent popularity can teach us a lot about how this generation wants to be ministered to.

First let me say -- What I DON'T mean by that is that to minister to the next generation, we need to get all high-tech, flashy, and just jump on the next technological breakthrough. Too many churches have done this to try and reach out to the next generation, and have remained just as irrelevant as before.

Instead, we need to hear from the culture how it wants (and needs) to receive the Good News that we the church have to offer. And the ipod is the cultural symbol (I believe) of our world today.

The beauty of ipods is that you have versatility, flexibility, portability, choice, and beauty wrapped up in a tiny, sleek little package. At the click of your computer mouse and the spin of the flywheel you can download individual songs off the internet (instead of buying the whole album), you can make your own lists of songs to fit your moods, you can avoid songs you dislike, you can experiment with new music that you might never try if you had to spend 17 bucks for the whole album. The packaging itself is a beautiful work of art -- the ipod feels good to hold, to work with, to look at. It isn't clunky or hard to understand. It is personal, sleek and intuitive. In some weird way, it makes you feel good listening to it. It is more than just a high-tech music box. It has a personality that adds to your life -- I would bet anyone that if someone from Apple read this, they would agree with me (at least that is the kind of product they are trying to create).

What does that say to me about what is important and effective for this generation of potential followers of Jesus Christ? First, we need to present a Christianity that is both grounded but contextual. All ipods (as far as I know) run off of the same operating system and are hooked into itunes as the platform for use. That is what unites us as an ipod community. Yet, every single person’s ipod is going to include slightly different components (i.e. music, podcasts, photos, videos) that identify and speak to its personal user. I would guess no two ipods have exactly the same information in them, just like no two humans have the same information in them. Each of us/them is entirely unique.

We need to see the church and Christian faith in this way if we seek to reach this next generation. Our common "operating system" is not the church, service style, or denomination, but Jesus Christ himself. He is the only operating system we need. He is what defines us, unites us, powers us, and personalizes us. Nothing else. Now, there are certainly common avenues through which we encounter Jesus (worship, Scripture, sacraments to name a few of the biggies). But this generation is less concerned about how we connect than that we connect with the spirit that unites us.

What does that mean for us? It means we need to let people be introduced into that relationship with Jesus on their own terms, the way they need to enter it. We need to offer a variety of avenues to allow people to enter personally, to try him out, and to not have to put all the same things in their religious system as we have in ours (things like music or worship styles, the same spiritual disciplines, or maybe even some of the same sidebar doctrines). We need to show them the power of Jesus (the operating system) by being relaxed and letting them experiment with him, and then let them personalize their experience of him for themselves. And even if they come up with a slightly different "usage", a different understanding, we need to let them be there in that place. Much like ipod users can learn from each other on how to get the most out of their pods, we might gain new insight into Jesus from those who are seeing him in a slightly different way than we are. When we take this less-dogmatic, more accepting posture, we free up the next generation to explore the faith, and we might even learn and grow ourselves through the process.

Now, some might accuse me here of setting up a sort of "supermarket" type of theology and Christianity, where you can just pick and choose what you want to believe and throw the rest away. That is not what I am saying at all. Certainly, many of the teachings of Jesus are tough words that create a cost to my life that I would rather live without. Some of them I would just as soon throw out -- but I can't because it is Jesus who has authority in my life, and not me.
The same is true in our ipod analogy. While there is much flexibility, the unit can only do what the unit is created to do. It plays music -- it can't drive my car or mow my lawn (unfortunately). And it plays music in one certain way (you use the flywheel, it's not voice operated, it doesn't read your thoughts, etc.) Like Jesus, it has its own self-defined parameters of what it is and what it is called to be. We can't just write those out of our personalized experience of Jesus any more than we can make an ipod do something it wasn't created to do.

But while we can't pick and choose what to believe, we can personalize our faith. Whether we like it our not, every one of us does it. In fact, I would argue that that is exactly how Jesus created us to experience him, in a personalized way. No one else in the world has the relationship with Jesus that I do (because of my background, personality, experiences, etc.). Jesus speaks to me in ways different than he will speak to you. He works on things in me that are different than what he is working on in you. Certain parts of faith that come easy for me might be hard for you, and vice versa. Faith is personal.

Yet, why is it so hard for us to let the next generation mess around with our worship services? Our understandings of Scripture? Our experience of spiritual disciplines? We need to ease up on each other and instead recognize that life and faith today are much more interconnected, complex, and experiential than the way we went through it before. What was once a fairly black and white path (you were born, went to the church your ancestors went to, experienced worship like we always have done it, were taught the catechism, etc.) is now very grey. People enter faith at all levels, with different mindsets, with different driving beliefs. I believe we need to be less concerned about those grey areas, and more concerned with fostering an environment that lets people experiment with Jesus in our midst. We need to move from asking "Do you believe the truth?" sort of questions, and towards "What is Jesus saying to you in your life?" sort of questions -- believing that the Truth of Jesus will become clear through the Holy Spirit to each individual. Certainly, we cannot make Christ do anything or say anything that he hasn't really done or said, but we give people the beauty of Jesus exploration, on their own terms and in their own personal way.

That is what I love best about my ipod. I feel like I am exploring beauty in my own personalized way. I feel like my world has grown a bit in these past 9 months and I have taken a big shift in the way I listen to music. It might sound silly, but it’s true.

I pray that Christianity today might be able to do the same.

AMEN

Merry Christmas

2005-12-24T15:30:00.000-08:00

It is Christmas Eve, we are between services at church, and I wanted to take a moment to say Merry Christmas to you and your families. May God's peace and love surround you, such that you may feel his real presence.

AMEN

Christmas Trees

2005-12-14T08:05:00.001-08:00

Ok, those of you who know me know that I am super easy going, and stuff doesn't bug me too much. I'm willing to live with ambiguity, and can normally see things from every side (at least I make it a point to really try too). Some might call that "wishy washy." I call that "counterfactual reasoning." (look it up -- it's a real thing!).

Anyways, there is something that has just come up around Milwaukee this time of year that I must admit totally bugs me. What is it you ask?

Holiday trees.

Not Christmas trees.

Holiday trees.

Here's the thing, I'm ok with people saying "Happy Holidays" to each other at this time of year, recognizing that others are celebrating different religious events at the same time as we are (Hanukkah being the most obvious). "Seasons Greetings" works for me too, knowing that there are plenty of people we come into contact every day for whom Christmas is neither "Merry" nor do they really want to know or worship the Christ of Christmas (therefore maybe for them "Seasons Greetings" is more honest). And unfortunately, I think that sometimes Christians use "Merry CHRISTmas" as kind of an "in-your-face" challenge to any and all opponents of the messiah, and as a way to impose dominance on the rest of the world.

All that is to say I'm all for being sensitive to proclaiming the Merry Christmas message in a life-giving way, and for respecting others rights NOT to do so.

But...holiday trees?

As far as I know, trees have no place in any other modern day mainline religious context (especially around late December). Therefore when I hear it called a "holiday tree", I think to myself, what does that mean?

I guess I know what it means -- it means we have this anxious need to make everyone feel comfortable and not offend anyone (which I agree with in part. We should always be looking to give people life, not make them feel marginalized). But then the answer to that struggle is the troublesome part -- lets just change the name of the Christmas symbol so that no one will be offended. Let's call it a holiday tree instead, therefore everyone will be happy, and everyone's beliefs will be affirmed.

I guess that is where I disagree.

Because in the process of making the Christmas tree work for everyone, it ends up not really working for anyone. In fact, in the process of changing name of a symbol, not just Christian belief but everyone's beliefs are demeaned. It could be argued then that we should start calling public displays of Menorah's "Winter Candle Stands", or Manger Scenes "mini-motel prototypes"? Fact is, when we change the meaning of our religious symbols, we suck the power right out of them for the believer, and all of us lose in the end.

Here's what I wish we could do. I wish our city centers could have a Christmas Tree, a Menorah, a Kinara (a Kwanza Candle Stand), and maybe other symbols and representations of the religious communities of Milwaukee. I wish we could agree to encourage people to celebrate their own faith, with each of us even trying to find the best of what other people's faith has to offer as well. We could learn a lot from those different that us. Instead of watering everything down, I wish we could encourage others to celebrate their "holidays", and I wish they could encourage us to do the same.

That doesn't mean as Christians we have to accept others religious beliefs as the full truth. That doesn't mean we have to bow to any other God except the God of Jesus Christ. That doesn't mean we have to say, "All roads lead equally to God." That doesn't mean we can't use Christmas as a chance to share the best story ever told that God became incarnate in Bethlehem.

But it does mean that we need to respect each other enough to allow each other to celebrate and practice their faith. When we water down our differences, we degrade and demean each other. It is not being respectful.

And holiday trees are not respectful. I wish we could call them what they are, or just not have them at all.

That's enough on that. Wow, I must be cranky today! I promise a more hopeful post next time!

Have a blessed week.

jeff

What I learned from "Rent"ing

2005-12-05T13:24:00.000-08:00

My apologies for my lack of posts these past few weeks...

This past weekend, Kristi and I went with some friends to see the film version of the musical Rent which just came out. For those of you who aren't familiar with the storyline, Rent is the retelling of Puccini's Opera La Boheme, but set in New York in 1989. It tells the story of a group of bohemian friends who are filmakers, dancers, musicians, drug addicts, drag queens, and other societal castaways trying to survive in a world that tells them that they are worthless unless they conform. Another main "actor" in this musical is HIV, which affects 4 of the 7 main characters, eventually developing into AIDS and killing one of them. HIV is the ominous "big brother" that you never see in the musical, but is always there -- a telling truth in the times that we live in.

Rent is a rough and tumble story, and not for the faint of heart. In many ways though, it has become the lens through which the Gen X, postmodern culture has been identified (it's longevity and Broadway, Tony Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and cult following attest to that). If you want to know what Gen X looks like and thinks like, Rent is the poster child (in my opinion).

My guess is that 95% of Christians who have seen Rent absolutely hated it and think it is the worst of what culture and humanity has to offer in the 20th (and now 21st) Century.

But let me make a confession... I love Rent, and not just because I am a Gen X'er myself, or because I'm trying to be ultra hip or something. Instead, I must admit I am very thankful for this musical in my own life of faith, and listen to it (and now see it) in order to be a better pastor, and (hopefully) to be a better follower of Christ as well. Let me tell you why.

First, I must issue a disclaimer. There is much in Rent that I dislike and disagree with. The drugs, the sexual promiscuity and confusion, the extreme self-centeredness, the language...these elements are all in this movie (as they are in our society at large), and I don't condone any of them. WHEW! I'm glad I got that off my chest.

But if I can get past these elements on the surface, I believe there is a river running below the surface in Rent that feeds me and teaches me something about myself and God, and about what I think the church is called to be.

Rent is the tale of a community of broken people -- Broken by heartbreak, by poverty, by confusion, by an illness (HIV) that both isolates individuals as well as mortally wounds them.

Yet, it is in the brokenness of their dreams and in the ever present knowledge of their own mortality, that the Rent'ers come to see life in clear and sharp focus.

One example of this is in their experience of community and belonging. A number of the characters attend a "Life Support" meeting a few times throughout the musical (a support group for people with HIV/AIDS). Life Support is a place where people who have been broken and are alone come together to support and love each other. This group is their "church". At Life Support, they are able to voice their fears and be accepted by others. They are able to belong and know that others will not judge them for their pasts or their present. They know how they got into the situation they are in -- no one needs to remind them of that. They just need to be someplace where they experience love and community in a world that isolates them and tells them to live in regret and shame. These moments in the music and in the movie are holy moments of deep connection. These characters on screen are experiencing unconditional love (agape love as Scripture calls it) -- all in a community center.

As I sat and watched again this weekend, I was reminded once again at how much I wish and long for the church took that posture. In fact, that is what the church is supposed to be -- "life support" for broken people, not the country club for the religious elite. We believe that the source of real life, our life support, is in the embrace of Jesus himself -- Jesus who will love us in the midst of our brokeness, heal our brokeness, and then never walk away. Mark, Roger, Mimi, Angel, Tom, Maureen, Joann -- these characters give us a hint of what God's love for us looks like. Their love and embrace each other as the best of of what Christian community can and should be.

But I also know that even this community of love and acceptance that Rent has found will pass away (as happens in the story). It is full, but it is also empty. As a follower of Christ, I watch this and I envy their deep level of commitment and community, but yearn for them to know a relationship much deeper than human love and belonging -- being loved and knowing I belong in the embrace of Jesus himself, who will never leave.

Unfortunately, much like the critics of this musical who say it is unChristian in nature, we turn our heads to those who are Rent in our world, subtley telling them in the process that they must clean up their act before we will love them. Becasue of that, I am confident these Rent'ers would reject the church, as most of the postmodern, Gen X world has. They don't feel like they belong because our love has been conditional. This is a tragedy.

In that respect, Rent has it right and modern day religion has it wrong. Jesus himself was known as "a man of no reputation" (Philippians 2), by the wise considered a fool (as the old Rich Mullins song goes). "He welcomes sinners and eats with them", the religious elite scoffed at Jesus. (Luke 15:2). I can't help but think these sinners looked alot like these characters in Rent, and I bet Jesus would have loved them very much, and hung out with them often.

What about us?

If you are up to it, I'd like to issue you a challenge. If you choose to see Rent, as you watch it, try picturing Jesus walking with every character in the story. Picture him laughing with them when they laugh, crying with them when they cry, mourning with them when they mourn. Don't make any moral judgments (certainly, there is morality in Jesus' teachings, but for the moment focus on his love for them). Just picture him loving these "sinners."

My conviction is that we as Christians too often start with judgment instead of love. Yet, Jesus led with love, and in that love, sinners were changed (and even desired to stop living in their sin. One example being Zaccheus (Luke 19)). While Jesus never relaxed his standards of right and wrong, he always led with love and acceptance.

I believe if we can get down below the surface of this story, below the drug use, below the cross dressing, below the loose lifestyles, we might learn something, and maybe even see the face of Jesus in the process.

Tell me what you think.

jeff

A Perfectly Imperfect Thanksgiving

2005-11-22T16:45:00.000-08:00

I hope you have a perfectly imperfect Thanksgiving.

Let me tell you what I mean.

For me, Thanksgiving is one of the best days of the year. Whoever thought it up in American history (was it Benjamin Franklin?) -- THANK YOU! We as individuals, as families, as a nation, absolutely need to stop once in a while and say thanks, enjoy our families, eat some turkey, and count our blessings (oh yeah, and watch football...take a nap...eat more turkey...). In the fast paced world we live in, Thanksgiving is a breath of fresh air. I am thankful for the blessings of my life and for the day to recognize and celebrate them -- and my prayer is the same for you -- a perfect Thanksgiving!

Yet, as I read the news today, I am also filled with sorrow and horror as I hear about others in the world for whom Thanksgiving will be far from perfect. I just read a story of a young African woman who is the product of rape in war, living under an oppression that I can't even imagine (see BBC NEWS http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/africa_tales_of_rape_in_dr_congo/html/1.stm). A little warning here -- this BBC story is gut wrenching, and not for the faint of heart. Don't read it if your gut says so.

As I hear her story, and as I think about others both close and abroad whose lives are filled with similar horrors, I am both outraged and humbled at the same time. Outraged that this happens in a world that I too call my home, and yet humbled that I am blessed with relative safety and security, and can celebrate Thanksgiving in peace and joy.

So -- What should I do? I wrestle with myself.

On one hand, I want (and need) Thanksgiving to be perfect, because it is a reminder to me of all of God's blessings, for which I am so grateful, and I want to enjoy it fully.

Yet, on the other hand I also need my Thanksgiving to be imperfect as well. I don't want to get so cozy in my comfort that I forget this young woman's story, or to forget those who live in poverty and oppression, or who are alone and afraid.

I need it to be perfect, but imperfect as well.

So how will I celebrate Thanksgiving this year? By going into Thursday's festivities with a heart of humble thanks at God's blessings, enjoying my family, eating yummy food, and even catching a nap (I hope!) and a football game to boot.

But I will also spend the day aware and cognicent of the pain of those here and abroad who are at the heart of God's love -- the least of these.

Maybe that seems impossible -- to be filled with thanksgiving and pain at the same time.

But I don't think so. In fact, I believe that it is when both are present that we are most fully experiencing the love of God for us and for the world that is hurting.

That is what I hope for my Thanksgiving.

May you have a perfectly imperfect Thanksgiving too.

AMEN

My Prayer for Dayle

2005-11-15T06:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of my daughter Dayle's baptism. That was one of the most wonderful days of my life as a pastor and as a father. Here is a story I love about Dr. Will Willimon, former dean of the chapel at Duke University. This is my prayer for Dayle as well (and also my prayer for myself, that I don't react like the father in this story!).

"One day, Dr. Willimon received a phone call from a very irate father. The father exploded on the other end of the line, saying to him: "I hold you personally responsible." He was angry because his graduate school-bound daughter had decided to (in his words) 'throw it all away and go do mission work in Haiti with the Presbyterian Church.'" The father screamed, "Isn't it absurd! She has a B.S. degree from Duke, and he is going to dig ditches in Haiti! I hold you responsible for this!"

Willimon said, "Why me?" The father said, "You ingratiated yourself and filled her with all this religion stuff." Will Willimon is not easily intimidated. He asked the father, "Sir, weren't you the one who had her baptized?" "Well, well, well, yes." "And didn't you take her to Sunday School when she was a little girl?" "Well, well, yes."

And didn't you allow your daughter to go on those youth ski trips to Colorado when she was in high school?" "Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Sir, you are the reason she is throwing it all away. You introduced her to Jesus, not me." "But," said the father, "all we wanted was a Presbyterian!"

Willimon, who has an instinct for the jugular, replied, "Well, sorry, sir, you messed up. You've gone and made a disciple."

AMEN

Blue Like Jazz

2005-11-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

I recently had to write a little reflection on the book Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller for one of my doctor of ministry courses. I know many from the church read it this summer, and so I thought I'd post my paper for you all to read if you'd like. If you haven't read the book -- it is a great read and a wonderful evangelism tool. Here it is...

A friend remarked that Blue Like Jazz was a book that “described the Christian faith without using Christian language.” It’s true -- Miller’s journalistic account of Christian spirituality lived in a postmodern world is Christian in essence without feeling Christian in packaging. It is a brilliant piece of work, and I loan it out whenever I can. In fact, many of our church small groups went through it this summer and (by in large) loved it.
There are a number of things I appreciate about the book. First, it carries with it a sense of authenticity that comes from sharing one’s struggles and doubts. Miller is very open and honest about his own flaws, shortcomings, and incompletion. He writes candidly about his periods of self-righteousness, his moments of posturing, and his falls from grace.
Yet, instead of tarnishing his Christian witness, these stories make Miller more real and believable. Much like the Scriptures which are filled with flawed individuals, Miller is a struggling believer who knows all too well that he doesn’t have it all together. His humility and willingness to wrestle with God in real life rings true.
Secondly, Miller is constantly finding God in the murkiest of environments. He has friends who cuss, smoke, protest, are hippies, live in moral laxity, and even attend Reed College (the college where people are most likely to ignore God per The Princeton Review). Yet, instead of judging them by their sins or by the environment in which they live and thus staying away from them, Miller is able to see under these “flaws” to the people and places that are on a quest for truth. If Blue Like Jazz were a novel, the heroes would definitely be these cast of sinners. They are the ones who shine light in the darkness (the “darkness” poignantly enough being the religious elite). And in a strange and beautiful way, it is these cast of ragamuffins who help Miller grow in his Christian faith most of all (or as he calls it, “Christian spirituality”). Their stories of finding Christ and their practice of the Christian virtues (whether they are really Christians or not) compel Miller to go forward in his own faith in Christ. This is not just brilliant insight, but also compelling evangelism in a world suspect of religion and the institution of faith.
Finally, I love it that Miller never resolves his faith completely. He is constantly searching, wrestling, and ultimately uncomfortable saying he is certain about anything, except maybe Love as he has experienced it in encounters with Jesus. Lack of foundation is a post-modern principle, and Miller happily lives in it. You get the sense that Miller sees himself and his faith as a constant work in progress – and he is fine with that (albeit uncomfortable in the process).
The reason I love this so much is that I see myself and my faith in much the same way. It is the living Word, Jesus Christ who I want to define my reality and who walks with me into the future. Because of that, I feel like I have the privilege to wrestle with my faith, to question, and to learn as I go. I don’t mind the dissonance, and in fact, if there isn’t some dissonance, I wonder if I am missing something.
Christian spirituality is not as much a set of doctrines and beliefs as it is a lived experience with the risen Christ. Miller’s book sets this experience in motion in a way my generation can understand and latch on to. I am grateful.

I Yam who I Yam

2005-11-03T16:00:00.000-08:00

We just got back from our church's annual "Great Getaway", a weekend retreat at a Christian conference center in Green Lake, Wisconsin. I think it is one of the great highlights of our church year. 220 of us were there amidst the grey skies and (at times) the pouring rain to have some great fellowship and fun (including the wildest game of bingo you ever saw, touch football, and knitting lessons for all ages) and great teaching (which we have been blessed with every year).

This year was no exception. Our teacher for the weekend was Dr. Dale Bruner, Professor of Religion Emeritus at Whitworth college and now a retired library junkie at Fuller Seminary in Pasedena.

Dr. Bruner has been called by some the best Bible teacher in the world, and after this weekend, I would wholeheartedly agree. His love for Christ, sharp mind, and kind and generous spirit exuded a passion that was infectous. He made his mark on me, my family, and each of us who were there.

One of the lessons Dr. Bruner presented came from the end of chapter 1 of John's Gospel, when John the Baptist is asked three times who he is. Dr. Bruner pointed out that John the Baptist first says who he is not (I am not the Messiah, I am not Elijah, I am not the Prophet), and then who he is (I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, I am the one who baptizes with water, I am unworthy to untie his sandels). Dr. Bruner took this as a great encouragement for each of us as disciples of Christ that it is ok for us to own up to who we are and who we are not. And when we do claim our identity, we are being empowered with a healthy self-awareness which frees us up to be the person God has made us to be.

Popeye couldn't have said it better -- I Yam who I Yam (my line, not Dr. Bruner's so don't blame him!)

Dr. Bruner then encouraged us individually to come up with our own list of who we are and who we are not. I had a chance to think about it for myself and found it to be a very helpful and freeing exercise. It is so easy to try to be something that we aren't, or get embarassed about who we are. But I/we need to fight that tendency. So...here is my list

I am not...
1)Perfect. Sometimes I think I should be, but I just can't seem to pull it off. :) Seriously though, that is one of my biggest hangups in my Christian life -- thinking I should have it all together. Instead I need to own and rejoice in the fact that I WON'T EVER be perfect, and instead trust in God's love and grace (which has the mysterious power of healing us and making us closer to whole than we ever were before). Luther said, "Our righteousness is more of a problem for us than our sin." I tend to agree.

2)A Business Administrator. Thankfully I am learning I need to surround myself with folks who ARE good administrators to keep me from stalling and are in the process teaching me a few new tricks. But still, this is not my gift.

3)A Rockstar. You might be saying, "uh, Jeff, that is pretty obvious." But what I really mean is that I am not a flashy personality who likes to jump around and be on display. Sometimes I wish I were, but the reality is I'm not (I wouldn't look good in the leather duds either).

However, I AM...

1)Steady. There is not much that surprises me or knocks me for a whirl. Some might say that's "boring" -- I prefer steady. And since it's my list I can say what I want! Actually, I consider this to be a great gift.

2)Contemplative. I love to think deeply about things which pertain to God and life and how the two meet. I love to read and ponder and write. These are things that give me life, but are also (I hope) gifts to the community at large.

3)Nurturing. More than anything I want people to grow -- in faith, in life, in love. I love investing in people and walking through life with them. It gives me great joy. I think this is why I love be a pastor so much. It blends my gifts and makes me feel like I am being who God created me to be.

OK enough about me -- What about you? Who are you? Give it a shot and let me know how it goes.

Blessings,
jeff

Loss

2005-10-30T07:32:00.000-08:00

One of the great themes and guarantees of life in this world is that we will all experience loss.

In many ways this has been a week of loss for me. I don't want to go into detail on the World Wide Web, but suffice it to say that around every corner (it seemed) this week I was faced with the reality that the securities we count on in life are eventually stripped away. In my own life, in the life of the people I get to sit with in their sorrow at church, and in our world that is filled with tragedy and heartbreak on a daily basis, there is little question that nothing physical we count on a humans is permanent in this life. At any moment, the rug can be pulled out from under us, and we will face a new reality in the absence.

Now, my pastoral and Christian tendency is to right away proclaim the happy truth of the Gospel to myself and to others, which is that because of Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we are never alone. We always have hope, even in the presence of great earthly loss -- so never fear.

This is absolutely true, and is the foundation of Christian hope.

But I wonder if sometimes in my desire to get out of my pain or to solve others pain, I jump to that proclamation too early. What I mean by that is in our desire to ease pain, I think we tend to turn truth into platitude, and in turn prescribe ibuprofin for our aching souls rather than offering the transformative elixer of the Spirit of God. We say, "Don't worry, God is with you," as if this one remark can make all the pains go away.

But it can't. And frankly, I think that is by the design of God.

For in the end, loss is always tied to longing. We long for things to be the way they used to be. For that relationship to be back the way it was, for our financial situation to be safe again, for our job to be the way it was before the new boss came on, for our health to return. We ache because we long for what we had, or, we have caught a glimpse of the way things could be, and it hurts when it is doesn't last. We feel alone.

And yet, while we don't want to live in the ache of loss forever (and don't have to per the Good News of our Christian faith), I believe there is something redemptive in our experience of loss. For the longing that comes from loss grounds us down into the ache of all of humanity. It grounds us in the ache that Jesus himself felt as he cried out, "My God My God why have you forsaken me?" To feel loss, and to long for redemption is to feel what Jesus felt. It is also to feel what the world feels -- a world that lives in poverty of body and spirit, and longs for a way out.

And ultimately, after I've spend a little time there, it grounds me in a longing to go home to God's embrace once again. Our lives of faith are gracefully (and painfully) tied to our lives and emotions. This is an amazing gift that God offers us. It behooves us not to run away from it, but to stay there a little while and fully drink in the absence. If we want to experience the fullness of the Presence, we need to take a sip of the absence as well.

I've been listening to Andrew Peterson's new album The Far Country lately, which is outstanding. The theme of the album is heaven, and the title song speaks to this truth of loss and longing.

If you are in a similar place of loss this week, I pray that you may trust in the effectiveness of the slow Elixer of God's Holy Spirit. But in the meantime, while it is taking effect, explore the pain of loss and see what you find there. You might be surprised.

Here are the lyrics to that song. Blessings.

Father Abraham
Do you remember when
You were called to a land
And didn’t know the way

‘Cause we are wandering
In a foreign land
We are children of the Promise of the faith

And I long to find it
Can you feel it, too?
That the sun that’s shining
Is a shadow of the truth

This is a far country, a far country
Not my home

In the dark of the night
I can feel the shadows all around me
Cold shadows in the corners of my heart
But the heart of the fight
Is not in the flesh but in the spirit
And the spirit’s got me shaking in the dark

And I long to go there
I can feel the truth
I can hear the promise
Of the angels of the moon

This is a far country, a far country
Not my home

I can see in the strip malls and the phone calls
The flaming swords of Eden
In the fast cash and the news flash
And the horn blast of war
In the sin-fraught cities of the dying and the dead
Like steel-wrought graveyards where the wicked never rest
To the high and lonely mountain in the groaning wilderness
We ache for what is lost
As we wait for the holy God

Of Father Abraham
I was made to go there
Out of this far country
To my home, to my home

Believing is Seeing...

2005-10-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

Friday, my family and I made a trip to Minnesota, to visit our beloved and cherished "adopted" daughter Erin, who is a freshman at college. Literally, Erin WAS our adopted daughter this weekend, as it was parent's weekend and WE got to be her parents for it!

We've known Erin since the minute we arrived in Wisconsin seven years ago, when she became our first regular babysitter when we just had one child. Since then, Erin has become part of our family, is Clara's Godmother, and is one of the people we are most thankful for in life (as a shining example for our 3 girls and for us as well).

Anyways, since we have known what Erin's world has looked like for the past 7 years, it felt really unsettling for us to think of her off at college, with no idea what "college" was like. Our girls kept asking questions, and when we'd talk to her on the phone, it was hard for us not to be able to picture her new world.

So we decided we'd better go check it out. And we are glad we did.

First off, it was fun for Kristi and me to see someone we care about so much to be doing so well. It was encouraging to meet a few of her new friends from Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, to see her dorm room plastered with Scripture verses and pictures of friends and family, and to see her in her new element. It was apparent that she was right where God wanted her to be, and she was content.

Secondly, it was so good for our girls to get some "Erin time", and to know that even though she lives away, she hadn't forgotten them. She was the same Erin they loved and loved them. There is something very comforting about that, especially when you are 1, 4, and 6! We walked around campus and she showed us her classrooms, we ate lunch in her cafeteria, we saw the library where she studies. In other words, we had our black and white phone conversations painted in color for us, and Erin's world came alive for our family.

Now, when we talk to Erin on the phone, her world is an extension of our own, and our world was made a little big bigger and more wonderful. That is the joy of Christian fellowship and love, (even across state lines!).

Sometimes, believing is seeing.

PLUS, Lucy and Clara got to spend the night in their first college dorm. "It is loud sleeping in the dorm, Daddy." Yes, it is. This was maybe a little early for their first college visit, but...

Thanks Erin! (And thanks God for Erin!)

God in 3 words or less

2005-10-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we had a Confirmation retreat here at the church with 58 8th graders and 10 leaders (and as I am writing this early Sunday morning, I can vouch for the fact that there are lots of scrubby, tired kids wandering around!). Everyone should sleep at their church at least once in their life though! And they are a great group.

Our topic this weekend was almost impossible to cover in one day and that is "Who is God?" In some ways, that is the topic for the ENTIRE YEAR of Confirmation, but that was the focus for the retreat.

What does one say to 8th graders to try and explain to them who the God we worship as Christians is? Do you introduce them to words like Omnipotent and Omniscient? Do you talk about immutability and creating everything ex nehilo (out of nothing)? Do you talk about the unmoved mover? As I was scanning through my theological training, these were the words and phrases that came to mind.

And all of them are absolutely true.

But I can just hear the 8th graders as I was explaining all of these grand theological truths...

"WHO CARES? Why do we care about all those big words and the God at the center of them?"

That is the great thing about kids -- they don't care about big words and eternal pronouncements. They want to know who this God is and why they should care about him at all.

So I decided to take a different angle. I decided I would try to describe God in 3 words or less using the word pictures of the Bible. Obviously, there are tons I could have chosen, but here's what I came up with...

First, God is LOVE. "Beloved let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him.” -- I John 4:7-9

For my money, that is the best reason to believe in the Christian God. We do not worship a God who is aloof, angry all the time, indifferent, or waiting for us to screw up so he can throw lightening bolts at us. God's very nature is LOVE. As Brennan Manning says, God loves us as we are and not as we should be -- because no one is as they should be.

And all of Scripture attests to that fact. Jesus is love incarnate, God's ultimate expression of love. God is love.

Second, God is LIGHT. “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. -- I John 1:5-7

What a compelling reason to believe in the God of our Christian faith. God shows things to be as they really are, he does not want us to walk in darkness to trip over ourselves and those potholes in our paths. God has plans for us and desires nothing more than for us to live life at its very best with him.

But the fact that God is light is also a reminder that God is pure and does not accept the darkness. God is holy, and calls us to live in holiness as well. His light shines and we are called to find ourselves in it. Jesus is the ultimate example of this light (he too is called "light" in Scripture -- John 9:5). He is the beacon that shines the way to God and calls us to holiness. God is light.

Finally God is YES. "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not ‘Yes and No’; but in him it is always ‘Yes.’ For in him every one of God’s promises is a ‘Yes.’ For this reason it is through him that we say the ‘Amen,’ to the glory of God. – II Corinthians 1:19,20

Throughout Scripture this is the story of the God that we worship. He says YES to us, we respond with a no on a regular basis, but he keeps coming back and saying YES. It is a beautiful love relationship between God and humanity, that no matter how far we stray, his response is the same because of his love for us. Certainly, he has given us the choice to say no if we want (even into eternity it seems). But that doesn't change God's posture towards us.

In fact, it is Jesus that is God's big YES to the world, as II Corinthians recognizes. What a beautiful way to encapsulate Jesus' ministry. He is God's YES.

What really separates our view of God as Christians then is Jesus himself. He is God's LOVE, He is God's LIGHT, He is God's YES. I can believe in a God like that!!!

Now, I am sure I left out some important piece of doctrine in my 15 minutes of fame with the 8th graders -- but I gave it my best shot! That is the brillance and fun of Christian proclamation -- figuring out how to proclaim the Good News in each unique culture and context.

So what about you? If you had to describe the God we worship as Christians in 3 words or less, what would they be? What passages of Scripture would you look to? What stories would you tell? My encouragement is to give it a shot! It will be a great exercise for your faith life and it would be a great thing to place in your back pocket as you share with people the hope that you have.

We live in a world that is very open to talking about things pertaining to God, it seems. What would you say? Feel free to post your responses on the comment board. I'd love to see them!

Blessings,
jeff

Nod

2005-10-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite stories in the Bible (in a wierd sort of way) is from Genesis 4, the story of Cain and Abel. We just read this passage again in a Bible Study I am in, and it reminded me of how sadly beautiful it is. Now, you might say why in the world would someone actually LIKE the first murder in the Bible? I'll admit, it is a story of jealousy, rage, pride, and profound sadness, as Cain kills his brother Abel over his bruised ego. But it is not this part of the story that I like, but the "afterwards."

"Cain said to the Lord [after the Lord told Cain he would wander the earth as a fugitive], 'My punishment is greater than I can bear! Today you have driven me away from the soil, and I shall be hidden from your face; I shall be a fugitive and wanderer on the earth, and anyone who meets me may kill me.' Then the Lord said to him, 'Not so! Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.' And the Lord put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord, and settled in the land of Nod (Hebrew for Wandering), east of Eden." (Genesis 4:13-16).

Anyone who has ever felt like a wanderer knows what this story is all about. Cain in his rage breaks his relationship with both God and humanity (which is always the ultimate consequence of sin -- broken relationships), and his new reality beyond the safety and security of the land and family is too much for him to bear. He doesn't believe he can survive on his own -- he will be destroyed.

Yet the beauty of this story is in God's response. For while Cain is destined to wander the earth (the word Nod means "wandering"), he is never going to be alone. He has the Mark of God blazened on him as a warning to everyone who's child this is. Even East of Eden, Cain is not alone.

What a lonely but secure place that must have been for Cain. There is a longing to go home and be back in paradise, but the reality of Nod is all you've got.

That sounds a lot like every single tv show that caries any weight and impact these days, doesn't it? Alias, the Sopranos, Lost, Desparate Housewives... -- all of these shows describe characters who wander, who are lost, who want things to be different, who cling to hope that redemption will come.

I believe these stories connect with us because they are the human story. We too are wanderers in the land of Nod -- far away from home and security. We too have made mistakes that have driven us there. Yet, we too have hope because we know under whose Mark we rest.

That is the hope of our Christian faith. Even East of Eden, even on this side of Eternity, God loves us.

On Ash Wednesday, many Christian traditions mark those who come to worship with a cross of Ash on their forheads, as a reminder under whose mark we walk. May that be our perpetual reminder, both of our calling and our security.

AMEN

What I learned from Rome

2005-10-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, spiritual growth comes in spurts. I'll feel dry for a while, until all of the sudden God allows me to see something in a place I'd never looked before, and come to realize his grace and his presence in a bigger, deeper way. Sometimes it will be a passage of Scripture I have read a million times but hits me between the eyes all of the sudden, sometimes it is a person or a testimony of what God has done in a life, sometimes it is a song or a picture that sheds new light on my soul.

Right now, I am seeing God in the Roman Catholic Church.

That is probably not a statement you hear a lot these days -- amidst the terrible scandals that have dominated the press in the past few years.

But in the heart and soul of that rich tradition there is a well spring of life I believe our Protestant faith can learn from.

As a youngster, I never learned a thing about the Roman Catholic Church. The only thing I did learn (and I don't think this was overt teaching but more underground) was that they needed to be avoided because they had a Pope other than Jesus and they didn't read the Bible. Books like "the late,great, planet earth" and other extreme books even likened the Pope to the antichrist spoken of in Scripture. Again, while these views were not taught in Sunday School classes, I picked it up in my subconscious along the way. Suffice it to say, I looked warily upon the tradition as a whole.

That all changed when one of my best friends recently decided to leave our church and become Roman Catholic. Up to that point, he had been a purebread protestant, attended Wheaton College, and had a background Luther, Calvin, and Wesley would have all been proud of. But for him, somehow in the history and tradition -- but mostly in the worship itself -- he found a sense of wonder and connection with God that gave him joy and purpose.

It was all way beyond me, and so I decided to enter into my own study of this tradition that was for 1500 years my own people's tradition (for we were all consided Roman Catholics -- at least in our Protestant Circles -- until 1517).

And while I am not ready to "jump ship" and change churches, I found much in that tradition, especially in the expression of worship, that has fed my own protestant faith immensely.

Here are the 3 biggest things I have learned from our Catholic brothers and sisters that have enriched my own faith:

1)The understanding of the Kingdom of God. When Catholics come to worship, they believe that they are joining a worship service that is already taking place in heaven -- which of course is absolutely true. The Kingdom of God is made up of heaven and earth combined, all of us part of God's grand kingdom. That is why we come to worship -- to worship the God of heaven and earth, who has won us through Christ.

Yet, for most Protestant, I think we see that idea of worship fairly flatly. It is "us and God." While we may confess that we are worshipping God with folks from around the globe, it is still "this worldly" worship. We (down here) are worshipping God (up there). It is one-tiered worship.

Not so for Roman Catholics. For them, coming to worship is a cosmic event. They are joining all the angels and saints in heaven -- including all who have gone before them -- in worship and praise of God almighty. Their liturgy is filled with the smells (incense) and sounds ("Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty" -- the prayer of the Angels) of heaven's worship. They even petition the saints in heaven to pray for them in their hours of need -- all because they believe they can REALLY HEAR THEM and will pray for them, much like we share prayer requests with each other in worship. There is a deep sense that the entire kingdom of heaven and earth is coming together in those moments of worship. It is powerful stuff, and absolutely true.

2)Roman Catholic worship involves all the senses. When Roman Catholics come to worship, they bring their whole selves. Their nostrils are involved (incense) their large motor skills (kneeling, crossing themselves, standing, coming forward for communion), their eyes are involved (icons to remind us that we are in the presence of the saints in heaven even in worship), their ears (to hear the gospel and liturgy) -- their entire being comes into worship.

One of the critiques of Protestantism is that it stays a pretty cognitive affair sometimes. While we stand and sing and even clap once in a while, I think that critique remains true. Now, there is nothing wrong with using our brains and concentrating on the words proclaimed from Scripture. In fact, I would argue that that is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING we do in worship.

Yet, I can't help but think we miss out on a lot of learning and "driving the worship of God down into our very bodies" by not practicing some of these tried and true worship practices. It is holistic worship, and we can learn a lot from this tradition.

3)The Roman Catholics believe that Christ is really present in worship. While I am not a believer in what is called Transubstantiation (that the bread/wine are really turned into Christ's body and blood in communion and are no long bread and wine. We Presbyterians believe that Christ's body and blood is spiritually present in communion through the power of the Holy Spirit when recieved by faith), I do believe that coming to worship expecting to meet Jesus and even see him on the table/altar, is a powerful thing. Again, the underlying truth is there -- Jesus IS present in our worship. He is with us. Communion is a powerful Sacrament of God's presence with us in a very realy way. We can learn a lot from our RC brothers and sisters in their conviction and belief.

Certainly, there is much I can disagree with in the Roman tradition. There is much in our own Presbyterian tradition that I wouldn't trade for anything. In fact, they (Roman Catholics) could probably stand to learn a few things from us as well! But I still believe that what unites us (Jesus) is stronger than what divides us (our human traditions).

I am thinking about this stuff because today happens to be World Communion Sunday. Today, we celebrate that there are Christians around the globe who share this common meal in the name of Christ. And we have much to learn from those of different colors, denominational pursuasions, and worship practices. I pray for the day when what unites us will be stronger than what divides us. Until then though, I am going to keep my eyes open and seek to learn from my brothers and sisters, in the hopes of deepening my own worship of God and understanding of Jesus Christ.

Agnus Dei, Dona Nobis Pachem.

J

You Too

2005-09-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Two nights ago, I had the thrill of a lifetime when a wonderful group of friends from church sent Kristi and me to the U2 concert here in Milwaukee at the Bradley Center. First, a little background -- I have been a U2 fan since 7th grade when I found out that the cute 9th grader from another church youth group liked them, and so I went out and bought a tape the next day (their 3rd album "War") and proceeded to listen to it constantly for about 3 months until it broke. I can't remember the girl's name, but the mates from Ireland have remained close musical friends. Actually, when Kristi and I were in Dublin for a mission trip in college we made a pilgrimage to Bono's house and wrote our names on his garden door (don't worry, that is what everyone did and I hear he didn't mind!). Needless to say, I am a fan.

So having the chance to go and hear them and see them perform was a huge blessing (and a lot of fun too!).

What I love about U2 and I think the key to their staying power, is that they see music not just as an outlet for youthful aggression or a way to keep the party alive, but the belief that music has great power and purpose. The power of poetry set to music can change the world. This is not a new phenomenon. As you know, our own Psalter (the Psalm book of the Bible) is a music book, and has been THE music book for the church since the beginning. Truths put to music are easier to remember, they literally "sing" with praise and purpose. Think about how many songs from your youth you remember, and how few speeches or sayings have stayed locked up in your brain. Music, especially thoughtful, holy music, is a must for us.

And for me, U2's music is a song book for the soul. The first four songs off of "All That You Can't Leave Behind" are like an order of worship for me. "Beautiful Day" is the song of praise, "Stuck in a moment you can't get out of" is a call to confession, "Elevation" is an assurance of pardon, and Walk On (my favorite U2) is the sermon and our charge of hope that God will be with us, even in struggles.

Whether the text is overtly Scriptural (like "40" from Psalm 40 -- the closing song of Sunday night's concert), about the God we love and serve ("Yahweh" from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb), or a protest against the injustice that surrounds us (like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" concerning the Troubles in Ireland), U2 infuses faith in Jesus and his crazy love for humanity, blends it with our responsibility to love our neighbors as ourselves, and tops it off with great music. There is no other band that I know of as intentional or with as far reaching influence as the boys from Dublin. I was thinking Sunday night that these are evangelists of love with far more weight and pull (sadly enough) than the church in 2005.

Of course, some will argue that they curse a little too much here and there. Others will not support their policies concerning debt relief in Africa, or complain that their arms are open wide to those whose sin is overt or whose views of God are less than what we consider orthodox.

But I can't help but think that their posture of love and embrace of broken humanity has a lot to teach me and the world we live in as disciples of Jesus. In a culture dominated by individualism, isolation, and blame, they embrace a world of community, responsibility for the least of these, and a belief that love covers over a multitude of sins. That sounds a lot like Jesus to me, and I would dare say they follow Christ closer than most of us churchgoers do.

Therefore, I see it as one of my jobs is to pray for these guys, that they might continue to stay true to their call, that they might seek Jesus at every turn, and that they might keep pushing on the issues of the day that break the heart of God (like poverty and the plight of AIDS in Africa).

And I will keep buying albums (and going to concerts too -- hopefully!), and find encouragement to do my part to change the world as well.

My favorite song from Sunday was "Where the Streets Have No Name," which was sung as the flags from African nations danced on the backdrop, and as a call for each of us to come along side them in their hour of need. My prayer is that I (and all of us) can continue to tear down the walls that hold us inside and keep touching the Flame of the Spirit in those places God yearns for us to go the most.

I wanna run,
I want to hide
I wanna tear down the walls
That hold me inside.
I wanna reach out
And touch the flame
Where the streets have no name.
I wanna feel sunlight on my face.
I see the dust-cloud
Disappear without a trace.
I wanna take shelter
From the poison rain
Where the streets have no name

Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name.
We're still building and burning down love
Burning down love.
And when I go thereI go there with you
(It's all I can do).

The city's a flood, and our love turns to rust.
We're beaten and blown by the wind
Trampled in dust.
I'll show you a place
High on a desert plain
Where the streets have no name

Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name.
We're still building and burning down love
Burning down love.
And when I go thereI go there with you
(It's all I can do).

AMEN

Car Talk

2005-09-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm not talking here about that great show on NPR where Click and Clack give callers advice about their cars and life. I'm talking here about the conversations I have with my kids on the way home from church.

As often happens in a pastor's family, there are normally two cars in the church parking lot that belong to me and Kristi at any given time. Rare is the day that we don't take two cars to church, and often my kids get to come to church twice on one Sunday (!), so...there is plenty of car time for me with them.

And believe me, I learn plenty of things on those 12 minute trips.

Yesterday, my 6 year old explained infant baptism for me.

I'm serious.

We were on my way home, and I was asking them what they learned in Children's Worship, and they were talking about the parable they heard about the shepherd who goes to rescue the one lost sheep because he loves the sheep so much. "And Jesus is the shepherd Daddy, and he will always be with us because Jesus is in our hearts, and just like the shepherd he will always find us no matter what, because he loves us." That's how it went.

And then Lucy asked a great question, that was simple and profound at the same time. She said, "Daddy, did you invite Jesus to be in my heart or did I?"

And the mysterious yet wonderful answer to that question is...YES.

As believers in God's covenant of grace, we know that God's covenant extends from generation to generation. God said to Abraham "I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you." (Genesis 17) Those "offspring" include you and me, as Jesus opened the doors to Gentile types like us. And just like in the "old days" where circumcision was given as a sign of that generational faith, baptism is our spiritual circumcision (Colossians 2 :11ff), a sign that we desire God's covenant blessings from generation to generation. For those of us who have had our Children baptized into the faith, did we ask Jesus to come into our kids' heart? Yes.

But does that mean that they have no say in the matter? No. For each of us as we grow up also have a decision to make. Will we allow Jesus to be our Lord and Savior? As he wrote to the church men and women of Laodicea in Revelation, will we answer the knocking at our heart and let Jesus in to dine with us? (Rev. 3:20) We each have choices to make whether we let Jesus reside with us, or whether we cast him aside.

Do we ask Jesus in into our hearts on our own then? YES as well.

It is one of the wonderful mysteries of our faith, isn't it?

In our Presbyterian tradition, it is Confirmation that signals the time when kids become adult Christians, taking on the responsibilities of their life of faith. But whenever a child makes that decision, we celebrate it and let them know the joy with which God welcomes their adult profession.

Let's be in prayer for our 58 confirmands at Crossroads, and our kids everywhere, that the invitation that was extended to Jesus long ago to live in our kids hearts and lives, may be made into a personal invitation by each child to reside with the Shepherd himself.

Amen.

Talk or Walk

2005-09-11T07:05:00.000-07:00

"The one who talks, especially if he talks to God, can affect a great deal, but the one who acts really means business and has more claims on our attention." Reflections for Ragamuffins.

Today at the church I serve (Crossroads) we have the honor of hearing from the moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Rick Ufford Chase. Rick is an elder from Tucson, Arizona and works with Border Ministries there, promoting peace, education, and fair treatment for migrant workers.

It turns out I get to introduce Rick at a leadership breakfast this morning, and so I jumped on the internet to get some more background on Rick.

I was impressed. Here is a man who does not just talk the talk, but walks the walk. He and his family have made sacrifices for their faith -- not the least of which is letting Rick be on the road for two years as moderator of the denomination! On Ricks personal website http://www.rickuffordchase.com/, I saw Rick's personal constitution, "I believe that we are called to live as Jesus lived, to risk as Jesus risked, and to care as deeply as Jesus cared." For Rick, this has meant caring for some of the least of these on the border of Mexico. Yet, there is a joy about him that is contageous it seems. This has not been hum, drum work. It is the excitement of the call and the One who has called him that makes Rick come alive.

Needles to say, I am very excited to meet and hear from him in worship this morning.

But as any good testimony and life lived does, it makes me look back at myself and at the church that I serve. How am I living for Jesus? How am I risking for him? How am I caring deeply for the ones that Jesus cares deeply for?

Those questions don't haunt me (maybe they should) -- but they do make me stop and take note. I/we need to examine myself/ourselves and ask, "How are we doing in our life lived in abandon to Jesus?"

"He will show you mercy because you obey the LORD your God, keeping all his commands that I am giving you todya and doing what is right in his eyes." --Deuteronomy 13:17-18.

Speechless

2005-09-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

It has been over a week since my last post. I made a committment to myself to post at least twice a week, and here I am in the fourth week of this journal and I've already blown it! I guess I could chalk it up to Labor Day weekends and home painting projects (which explains the pink paint on my arms -- you can tell whose room we were painting!). Aaaaaaah, grace abounds.

But it has also been over a week since Katrina wiped out large portions of the gulf coast and left the city of New Orleans a cesspool. Every report I see, every CNN update I receive via email shows the "Big Easy" becoming more and more contaminated, with less and less hope remaining. Not a minute goes by that we are not forced to contemplate what will become of that whole region, how the poor and impoverished will survive, and what we will tell our children in the aftermath.

As I see these sights and think about these challenges our nation faces, it takes my breath away. Like the Psalmist writing from Babylon, "How can we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?" (Psalm 137) The fact is the horror leaves us speechless as we don't know what to do with the images and realities we face.

And it makes me wonder to myself, maybe I haven't written in this journal because I don't know if I have the words to do justice to what these people must be experiencing. In fact, NOTHING can be said that adequately describes what is happening.

Last week, a friend asked me where in the Bible we might go to find comfort and wisdom in these days. I thought about it long and hard -- for her question was my question as well. But then it came to me -- the image of hope for us is found in the image and reality of the Cross. For on the cross, God took on human suffering that defies explanation and any words to do it justice. In the cross, we find hope for the dying and diseased, the sick and the sorrowful. In the cross, we see God loving us and identifying with us in the injustice of our existence. And in the cross God has connected himself to us in a Reality beyond time and space.

And in our suffering, we can experience a connection with him like (maybe) no other point in our lives.

So I am choosing to meditate on Christ's cross these next days and months in the aftermath of Katrina. I hope in so doing, I can find hope, intimacy with the Savior, and communion with those who are suffering.

What about you?

A Prayer

2005-08-29T13:47:00.000-07:00

Our prayers today go out to all those in Hurricane Katrina's wake and path. May God provide you mercy, protection, and hope.

Lost Backpacks and Little Miracles

2005-08-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

There are little miracles that happen all around us.

This past week coming back from vacation in Seattle, I had the sinking feeling when I got home that something was not right. Lo and behold, I realized unpacking that I had forgotten my backpack on the plane. Uggh. And it gets worse. I left it on the first plane of my two plane connection, so it was not in Milwaukee (double uggh.). Then I realized what was in my backpack -- my checkbook, my palm pilot, my ipod, my car/house keys, my prescription sunglasses, the recharger for my camera, the new Harry Potter book, and my favorite Bible. (triple uggh.). Combine that with the airplane having a "Northwest Airlines" logo on the side (whose machinists and airplane cleaners are presently on strike), and I was not hopeful. I spent that night praying for a miracle -- that some good person would turn it in and everything would be there, but my heart sank the next morning when the Northwest Air service agent could not find it and said she was "not hopeful" that I would get it back. I went ahead and filed a lost bag claim anyway and just for fun, asked where the plane went after Minneapolis. Boston. So I dialed NWA Boston baggage claim and left a message about my lost backpack.

I was distrought. My morning was a wash. What was I going to do without all my stuff? MY LIFE was in that backpack, the $$ and the hours it would take to rectify this stressed me out.

But after the panic, there was a convicting silence. For the next few hours, something stirred in me. I figured out that that backpack meant a lot to me -- that is, the stuff IN the backpack. My palm pilot, my ipod, my books, my sunglasses -- all creature comforts that I held on to very closely. These are things I knew I could never afford to go out and replace. If they were lost, they were lost for good. And although I could close my checking account and open a new one easily enough, I saw all the hours I would lose having to update my life with a new account -- auto bill payments, new pin numbers, new checks...Those hours too would be lost for good.

But then I got to thinking, why am I holding these so closely? What is my motivation? Could I live without them? Did I own them or did they own me?

And lo and behold, I came to have a renewed desire for God in those few hours, unlike I had had for a long time. Because without the other "stuff" of life owning me, it turned out there was more room for Him. I realized that being stripped of certain things is a holy event, a window for God to enter in through and brighten up my life.

And I was ok with losing my backpack.

Later that day, Ms. Kirkland, the NWA worker from Boston called and said they had found my backpack (it had stayed in the overhead compartment on the connector somehow!) with everything in it. She even fed-exed it back to me at NWA's expense. Now THAT is a miracle.

But the bigger miracle may be the tiny change of heart that happened in me in those few hours I lived without. And even though I have it back (and am listening to my ipod as we speak!), I hope I don't lose the lesson I found having lost it.

What about you? What do you hold on to closely? What have you lost that may have helped find you in the process?

"All moments are key moments, and life itself is grace." -- Frederick Buechner

j

Thanksgiving

2005-08-25T06:46:00.000-07:00

Every night before bed, we sit down with our kids at prayer time and ask them what they were thankful for today. Brennan Manning says, "Thankfulness is the song of the saved sinner." If it's good enough for the kids, it's good enough for me...

Today I'm thankful for...

the love of Christ and the fact that he knows me.
the love of a wife who cares for me and wants the best for me.
3 beautiful daughters who are so much fun to watch grow up.
a job and a calling that I still count a privilege.
a house that didn't burn down while on vacation (!) and is a gift from God.
good health.
an extended family who we like to be with and loves us.
breath.
our friends the Townes who we saw on vacation with their new baby Ben.
a computer and new dsl line that cruises!
Northwest Airlines (yes, I said Northwest Air!) and especially the woman in the Boston luggage finder division who found my backpack on the airplane and is FedEx'ing it back to me!
an inquisitive mind.
a knowledge that the world is not as it should be, and a gut sense that I need to do something about it.
worship that is coming up tonight.
music.
the morning.

Lord, I pray that during this day, I might be an aware thanker of you (or thankfully aware!). You are a great gift, and all of life is yours. May I treat it that way.

INFSHSAMEN (that is my shorthand for In the Name of the FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT, Amen.)

Next week

2005-08-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Seattle next week for the Hoff family vacation in Black Butte Oregon. If you want to see what it looks like...

http://www.blackbutteranch.com/

Needless to say, it will be fun.

Blessings.

Potential

2005-08-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

"One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential."
-- Maya Angelou

Having potential is one of the greatest gifts of life. With potential, anyone can look at a situation, or a person, and see something that isn't there yet, but could be someday. We do this all the time -- with our kids, with our jobs, with the Washington Huskies football team (maybe there is little potential there this year, but you never know!).

In fact, potential is always based in the fact that the seed has already been planted for whatever we think might happen. We catch a glimpse of the glory that could be, and that causes us to have hope in the future, even if we are struggling in the present. It gives us hope -- but not a hope based in nothing, but in Something that we have seen.

Yet, how much of our world lives without potential? I wonder if that is why people buy lottery tickets -- because they need to have something in their life that has potential.

Yet, it is easy for me to look at others, and fail to look at myself. What are the "lottery tickets" in my own life that I look to to provide a shallow potential, instead of the deep potential that God wants for me?

"But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Isreal: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." Isaiah 43

As God followers, we believe that God has claimed us and redeemed us. Somewhere, in the depths of our soul he has written his name on our hearts. He has called us by name, and claimed us as his own. We as Christians even believe that God saw so much potential in us that he sent his Son to live and die on our behalf. In other words, God saw potential in us. He has given us meaning and purpose because of he saw potential in us. And in him, we have been given hope.

That hope is not static, but active and growing. And when I ground myself in seeing me as God sees me, it gives me courage.

For courage comes when I am confident that I can face the scary tasks ahead -- that there is a good chance that I will come through.

Lord, help us all to see in ourselves the potential that you see in us. AMEN

Submission or Surrender?

2005-08-07T05:55:00.000-07:00

"Christians often speak of the necessity of submitting ourselves
to God. But there is an essential difference between submission and surrender.
The former is the conscious acceptance of reality. There is a superficial
yielding, but tension continues. I say that I accept who I am, but I do not
accept it so fully that I am willing to acutally act out who I am.
It is halfhearted acceptance. It is described by such words as resignation,
compliance, acknowledgment, concession. There remains
a feeling of reservation, a tug in the direction of non-acceptance.
Surrender, on the other hand, is the moment when my forces of resistance
cease to function, when I cannot help but respond to the call of the
Spirit." -- Brennan Manning, The Importance Of Being Foolish

I've got to admit something -- I am living in fear of this week. Not because there are monsters at my door, or that I have any person in particular to fear. I don't live in a country where my faith is in danger of getting me harrassed or harmed (in fact, it is quite to opposite).

So what am I fearing? The to-do list sitting on my desk! My family and I are heading to Seattle to see our family this Friday, and I am quite certain the list I just made this morning is NEVER going to get done. I am fearful that I will be so far behind by the time we get back from some R&R that all the plates I am trying to spin (like on the old variety shows) will slowly wobble and fall to the ground.

Yet, ultimately my fear is not of any list (I guess I could burn the paper up and show it who's boss!). My fear is that I will fail,. And ultimately, behind that fear, resides another, deeper fear -- that God will think I'm a failure.

I have this fear that if I don't get these things done, my "failure" will create a displeasure in God of myself. In fact, I would argue that all performance fears are linked to this theological premise --am I loved by God and does he find pleasure in me?

It's not that God can get my to-do list done for me. It's not that He doesn't care what I do (for he gave me a life to live and be a steward of). But I don't think that is his greatest concern. His greatest concern is for me to know that I am loved by him. "For God so loved the world that he gave..." (John 3:16). His desire to show us his love caused God to give up his Son. Yet here I sit worried about what he thinks of me.

That is where submission and surrender comes in. Am I simply submitting myself to God against my will, trying to just convince myself that he will love me regardless, or am I willing to surrender myself to him, and jump off the preverbial cliff into his loving arms?

I don't have the answer to that. My gut says that I am a mixture of submission and surrender (or lack thereof) at every stage of the game. My prayer is that more and more, I might be able to surrender to God, rather than just submit to the plan that seems laid out before me -- like trying to complete a task list! Surrender involves trust and risk.

How are you doing on the submission/surrender continuum these days?

I knew my to-do list would be good for something!

Jeff.

wisdom from Starbucks...

2005-08-04T14:57:00.000-07:00

When Starbucks came out with the "The Way I See It" program on their to go cups, I thought it was sort of strange. I liked reading them but never found anything that breathtaking that I couldn't hear on NPR.

Until yesterday when, lo a behold, on my tall coffee I recieved a piece of Light:

"All humans realize they are loved when witnessing the dawn: Early morning is the triumph of good over evil. Absolved by light we decide to go on." --Rufus Wainwright #32.

John 1:5 says, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." Each of us as humans blessed with recognizing the Light of the world realize that Wainwright has it right (no pun intended). Light shines. Light overcomes. Even in the darkest of situations. The Psalmist says, "My soul waits for the Lord, more than those who watch for the morning." (130:6). Like a night watchman, we have sure hope that the light will come when the night is over. The dawn triumphs over darkness. And the Light of God, Jesus, has triumphed over the darkness of our lives.

What are you watching for? What areas of darkness in you need to see Christ's light?

And who ever said Starbucks wasn't good for anything?!

Jeff

foto of the fam

2005-08-02T13:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of my family last April at the church's "All High School Prom". It was taken about 9:30 p.m. (thus the cute kids in jammies). This is my favorite picture ever!

Ready, Set...

2005-08-02T13:08:00.000-07:00

GO! That is the favorite thing my 1 1/2 year old daughter Dayle says right now. You say "Ready, Set," and she yells out the GO! much to everyone's delight. It makes me think of this new year in ministry. We've just finished a busy summer around the church, and I can hardly imagine it, but the GO! call has gone out once again, as we are preparing for the fall. My hope and prayer for myself is that I might listen to the right "starter" and not give into the temptation of busyness. Each of us needs to take the time to say GO! to our life of faith first and foremost. GO! to time with Jesus. GO! to listening to our lives. GO! to intentionally involving ourselves in the things of true value. As I begin this journey, that is my prayer. Maybe it is for you as well? Blessings, Jeff