The Lampstand

I've Moved

2005-06-27T10:32:00.001-07:00

Due to technical issues, I've moved. click the graphic below to go to my new home.

Technical Issues

2005-06-26T11:53:00.000-07:00

It looks like I am experiencing technical difficulties here again.

Sorry if anything weird happens. Please let me know if something does.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Thrombosis and Haemostasis

2005-06-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

According to an Israeli doctor, Jesus died of a pulmonary embolism. Professor Benjamin Brenner wrote in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis (I just like saying that) that Jesus' death was probably caused by a bloodclot from His leg that spread to His lungs.

I always find it fascinating when people attempt to explain Biblical events in terms that are easy for us to understand. I understand that in this case the good doctor published this diagnosis not to prove or disprove the Bible, but to educate people on long haul flights about the dangers of a pulmonary embolism. There have, however, been many searches undertaken to prove different events, even to the point of trying to find Noah's Ark. It seems that people may be looking for some validation for their faith, something tangible they can grab hold of. No matter what they find, I'm afraid this search will prove fruitless.

Nothing that we can understand will ever explain what happened on the cross.

Imagine this scenario. You're in court, guilty of all charges against you and the judge is about to pronounce your sentence, death. However, instead of pronouncing sentence the judge comes down from the bench, and he takes the punishment for your many crimes and frees you.

That is such a weak illustration. Can you blame me? The God incarnate in Jesus Christ is impossible for humans to quantify. Man-made gods are easily explainable, capricious, vengeful deities, who sneer at your best attempts, and crush you for your worst. These gods are seen everywhere, even Christian churches. They do not, however come close to representing the real God.

Jesus is God, the real God.

Still, we need to try don't we? We love to be able to explain and understand things. Many people judge Christianity to be false because it doesn't make sense. I say it must be true for the same reason.

God is love.

You and I love people and things because we find them attractive, God loves us despite our unattractiveness.

Amazing isn't it?

Maybe the medical explanation is that Jesus died of a bloodclot. You and I know the reality, He died for love.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Persecution and Prayer Alert

2005-06-23T08:28:00.000-07:00

Click Here

Which Theologian Are You?

2005-06-22T14:22:00.000-07:00

You scored as Anselm. Anselm is the outstanding theologian of the medieval period.He sees man's primary problem as having failed to render unto God what we owe him, so God becomes man in Christ and gives God what he is due. You should read 'Cur Deus Homo?'

Anselm

93%

Jürgen Moltmann

80%

Karl Barth

67%

John Calvin

67%

Jonathan Edwards

53%

Charles Finney

40%

Martin Luther

33%

Augustine

33%

Friedrich Schleiermacher

33%

Paul Tillich

Which theologian are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

Interestingly, I thought I was going to come out Martin Luther. I am not too familiar with Anselm, I must study him some more.

Apparently we have a lot in common.

Comments? Email Me:pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

The Happy Eunuch

2005-06-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

"Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.
"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth."
The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing" (Acts 8:30-39 NIV, emphasis mine).

Joy, a characteristic of many (if not all) of the early Christians. What was significant about this particular believer, why was he so joyful? To find the answer to this question we must begin by looking back into the law that God gave to Moses:

"Say to Aaron: 'For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God. No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles" (Leviticus 21:17-20, emphasis mine).

No man who shared the condition of the eunuch would be allowed to go into the sanctuary of the temple and make an offering to God. Under the law, the man from Ethiopia would always be excluded from having a relationship with God. However, under the new covenant brought into force by Jesus, and explained by Phillip, our friend from Ethiopia would not only be able to enter into a relationship with God, but would have assurance of his sins being washed away.

That is a lot to be happy about!

Why don't we modern followers of Jesus know this same joy? As Gentiles, under the old covenant, we were just as much on the outside as any eunuch. Under the new covenant, we have the same assurance of forgiveness that Phillip's friend from Ethiopia has. However, most Christians plod through life, head down, with as much joy in their gait as the condemned on his way to the gallows.

What is it that destroys our joy? I have a few theories (I bet you're shocked!), that I'd like to share.

Doctrinal infighting. We spend so much time arguing with each other about who is right, how could we not help but be stressed out? We've put so much stock in the need for our particular school of theology to be the "right" one, maybe if we begin to practice a little more deep ecclesiology, we'll be a bit happier.

Worldliness. Now I personally don't think that a bit of worldliness is a totally bad thing. Understanding our culture will help us relate to it in ways that are relevant and new. However, when too much of our hope and joy is caught up in this world and what it offers, we can't help but be disappointed. It's impossible to not have life get you down from time to time, just remember where your final destination, and real inheritance is.

That's it, short and sweet. Two ways that I believe our joy as believers could be increased. Release yourself from man-made burdens you weren't meant to carry and go on your way rejoicing, just like our friend from Ethiopia.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Bunk

2005-06-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

This is not the post I had originally written for today. The post I had prepared was an insightful commentary on conservative and liberal Christians. It applauded a different way, the way of middle ground. It was well written, interesting, and stunk of spiritual superiority.

It was a bunch of bunk.

As Jesus said "No one is good—except God alone" (Mark 10:18 NIV). All we think we know, all of our impressive exegesis, all the hours we spend squinting at God's Word looking to "prove" our position and to "disprove" the position of others, amounts to a drop of water in Niagara Falls.

And that ain't much.

Tonight I was reading the Ragamuffin Gospel again, for about the fifteenth time. If you haven't read this book, run, don't walk to your local bookstore. It is the second most important book I have ever read (behind the Bible). It healed my image of God and gave me a new understanding of Christianity. I can not emphasize enough how important I believe it is for you to read this book.

Can you get that I want you to read it?

As I was reading, my heart once again was captured by the greatness of the Gospel. I am renewed by the realization "that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-40).

I have an increased sense of mission. Like when I first believed, I want everybody to hear this Good News for themselves. I have come to the realization though, that the best way to share this News is by entering into authentic relationships with people, without ulterior motive. Live the Good News as best you can, while being an authentic human being.

Maybe one day I'll get there.

In the meantime, I'm going to attempt to stop waste so much time pointing out where others are "wrong." What I need to do is be more focused on making my own way, while respecting the way of others.

Wish me luck.

Comments? Email Me:pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Jesus Loves Pornstars

2005-06-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

XXXchurch.com the #1 Christian porn site!

With that catchy, and controversial slogan, Mike and Craig have been serving as missionaries to people on both sides of the porn industry. Their website has been online for a few years now, reaching out to those who find themselves unable to stop viewing pornography, and to those who make their living in the porn industry.

Not surprisingly, they have made their share of enemies along the way. Interestingly, however, the majority of those who have spoken out against what they are doing are Christians. In fact they have an entire section on their site dedicated to just a portion of the hatemail they receive (which I have to admit I wish they updated more often, I find it strangely entertaining). By far the great majority of emails are from angry Christians who object to them using Christianity and pornography in the same breath.

Recently the missionaries from xxxchurch were at the Erotica LA convention. They spent the weekend sharing Gods love with people through conversation and giving out t-shirts and New Testaments. One of their booths is pictured below.

On their blog Mike and Craig have posted reflections from themselves and those who accompanied them to LA. Some of the more compelling quotes:

"The girls where like a machine. People can come up and grab touch and take a picture with."

"With going to this convention I feel I did pay a price. The images I can picture in my mind now are disturbing and sad."

"While walking through the show my soul is being suffocated slowly and the only way to breath is to step away from the beautiful facade of the porn industry."

There is a lot more on their blog, take a minute and read it.

It took a lot of courage for these missionaries to go into the lion's den. I am convinced that if Jesus were here today, this is where He would be. "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (Matthew 9:12). We can't be afraid to go where the need is, even if that place is outside of our personal paradigm.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Free To Tell Her Story

2005-06-17T16:34:00.000-07:00

Late today Mukhtaran Bibi has had her travel restrictions lifted after pressure from the US Government.

Well done Washington.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Raped, Kidnapped and Silenced

2005-06-17T11:17:00.000-07:00

June 14, 2005

Mukhtaran Bibi in September 2004
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

No wonder the Pakistan government can't catch Osama bin Laden. It is too busy harassing, detaining - and now kidnapping - a gang-rape victim for daring to protest and for planning a visit to the United States.

Last fall I wrote about Mukhtaran Bibi, a woman who was sentenced by a tribal council in Pakistan to be gang-raped because of an infraction supposedly committed by her brother. Four men raped Ms. Mukhtaran, then village leaders forced her to walk home nearly naked in front of a jeering crowd of 300.

Ms. Mukhtaran was supposed to have committed suicide. Instead, with the backing of a local Islamic leader, she fought back and testified against her persecutors. Six were convicted.
Then Ms. Mukhtaran, who believed that the best way to overcome such abuses was through better education, used her compensation money to start two schools in her village, one for boys and the other for girls. She went out of her way to enroll the children of her attackers in the schools, showing that she bore no grudges.

Readers of my column sent in more than $133,000 for her. Mercy Corps, a U.S. aid organization, has helped her administer the money, and she has expanded the schools, started a shelter for abused women and bought a van that is used as an ambulance for the area. She has also emerged as a ferocious spokeswoman against honor killings, rapes and acid attacks on women. (If you want to help her, please don't send checks to me but to Mercy Corps, with "Mukhtaran Bibi" in the memo line: 3015 S.W. First, Portland, Ore. 97201.)
A group of Pakistani-Americans invited Ms. Mukhtaran to visit the U.S. starting this Saturday (see www.4anaa.org). Then a few days ago, the Pakistani government went berserk.

On Thursday, the authorities put Ms. Mukhtaran under house arrest - to stop her from speaking out. In phone conversations in the last few days, she said that when she tried to step outside, police pointed their guns at her. To silence her, the police cut off her land line.

After she had been detained, a court ordered her attackers released, putting her life in jeopardy. That happened on a Friday afternoon, when the courts do not normally operate, and apparently was a warning to Ms. Mukhtaran to shut up. Instead, Ms. Mukhtaran continued her protests by cellphone. But at dawn yesterday the police bustled her off, and there's been no word from her since. Her cellphone doesn't answer.

Asma Jahangir, a Pakistani lawyer who is head of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, said she had learned that Ms. Mukhtaran was taken to Islamabad, furiously berated and told that President Pervez Musharraf was very angry with her. She was led sobbing to detention at a secret location. She is barred from contacting anyone, including her lawyer.

"She's in their custody, in illegal custody," Ms. Jahangir said. "They have gone completely crazy."

Even if Ms. Mukhtaran were released, airports have been alerted to bar her from leaving the country. According to Dawn, a Karachi newspaper, the government took this step, "fearing that she might malign Pakistan's image."

Excuse me, but Ms. Mukhtaran, a symbol of courage and altruism, is the best hope for Pakistan's image. The threat to Pakistan's image comes from President Musharraf for all this thuggish behavior.

I've been sympathetic to Mr. Musharraf till now, despite his nuclear negligence, partly because he's cooperated in the war on terrorism and partly because he has done a good job nurturing Pakistan's economic growth, which in the long run is probably the best way to fight fundamentalism. So even when Mr. Musharraf denied me visas all this year, to block me from visiting Ms. Mukhtaran again and writing a follow-up column, I bit my tongue.

But now President Musharraf has gone nuts.

"This is all because they think they have the support of the U.S. and can get away with murder," Ms. Jahangir said. Indeed, on Friday, just as all this was happening, President Bush received Pakistan's foreign minister in the White House and praised President Musharraf's "bold leadership."

So, Mr. Bush, how about asking Mr. Musharraf to focus on finding Osama, instead of kidnapping rape victims who speak out? And invite Ms. Mukhtaran to the Oval Office - to show that Americans stand not only with generals who seize power, but also with ordinary people of extraordinary courage.

E-mail: nicholas@nytimes.com

For information on how you can help, click here

The Jesus Creed

2005-06-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

We have confidence in Jesus who healed the sick, the blind, and the paralyzed, and even raised the dead.

He cast out evil powers and confronted corrupt leaders. He cleansed the temple. He favored the poor. He turned water into wine,walked on water, calmed storms.

He died for the sins of the world, rose from the dead, ascended to the Father, and sent the Holy Spirit.

We have confidence in Jesus who taught in word and example, sign and wonder. He preached parables of the kingdom of God on hillsides, from boats, in the temple, in homes, at banquets and parties, along the road, on beaches, in towns, by day and by night.

He taught the way of love for God and neighbor, for stranger and enemy, for outcast and alien.

We have confidence in Jesus, who called disciples, led them, gave them new names and new purpose and sent them out to preach good news. He washed their feet as a servant. He walked with them, ate with them, called them friends, rebuked them, encouraged them, promised to leave and then return, and promised to be with them always.

He taught them to pray. He rose early to pray, stole away to desolate places, fasted and faced agonizing temptations, wept in a garden, and prayed, "Not my will but your will be done." He rejoiced, he sang, he feasted, he wept.

We have confidence in Jesus, so we follow him, learn his ways, seek to obey his teaching and live by his example. We walk with him, walk in him, abide in him, as a branch in a vine.

We have not seen him, but we love him. His words are to us words of life eternal, and to know him is to know the true and living God. We do not see him now, but we have confidence in Jesus.

Amen.

From the Emergent Convention, May 2004

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

The Changing Face of Evangelical Christianity

2005-06-16T08:43:00.000-07:00

Once again, Beliefnet has come up with a very interesting read. Top Questions About Evangelicals, attempts to clear up some of the misconceptions that exist about Evangelical Christians. I believe that books and articles like this are a backlash to what has become the public (and often ugly) face of Evangelicalism. The thing that I appreciated the most about this article is that time and again, Evangelicals are painted as individuals who believe and think differently on some subjects than each other, much like any Christian denomination that exists (let's face it, while Evangelicalism is generally non-denominational, it really has become a whole denomination of it's own).

Maybe I don't have to emancipate myself from Evangelical Christianity after all.

That post arose out of a deep dissatisfaction over what the face of Evangelicalism had become. I didn't (and don't) want to be associated with the colonialism and intolerant rhetoric that people associate with Evangelicals. The thing is, I don't think I am the only one who feels this way. Maybe the winds of change are a blowing.

Here is the thing though, if all Evangelical Christians are free to believe differently on different subjects, someone needs to tell them. It has been my experience that many of those who call themselves Evangelicals feel as if they have to believe and think a certain way or face excommunication. Certain writers, evangelists, and pastors are raised to pope-like proportions within these circles. Their words become dogma, and any disagreement with them is frowned upon.

If Evangelicalism is to really free itself from it's ugly reputation, those with more moderate voices (who are actually in the majority) have to begin to speak louder. They have to take back their school of faith and not allow those who do not speak for them, or their beliefs, to be their voice.

Or as the article puts so articulately "Maybe evangelicals should stop talking about him (Jesus) so much and start living more as he lived. This is what Jesus would want."

What has precipitated this shift in thought? As I said before, people do not want to be associated with certain individuals anymore. Another reason, I believe, is the Emergent conversation. As anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows, I'm a big fan of Emergent. The freedom of thought and practice that this conversation encourages is very appealing to me. The interesting thing about Emergent, is that much of it's roots lie in Evangelicalism. Time Magazine noted this by including Brian McLaren, Emergent's unofficial "pope" as one of their 25 Most influential Evangelicals in America (unfortunately you have to be a subscriber to read the article, but trust me he's in there).

There is so much good in Evangelicalism. I love the missional nature of it (even if their methods are sometimes flawed), the centrality of scripture, and the undeniable Lordship of Jesus Christ. As it's voice becomes more measured and less alienating, I believe many more like me, will not feel the need to be emancipated anymore.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

The Internet - Land of Free Speech?

2005-06-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

MSN is the latest computer giant to assist the Chinese Government in their attempts to control the speech of the Chinese people. Knowing the human rights record of the Government of China, the fact that large American based corporations would be party to this kind of infringement of basic human rights is especially troubling. As Amnesty International states: "Despite a few positive steps, no attempt was made to introduce the fundamental legal and institutional reforms necessary to bring an end to serious human rights violations. Tens of thousands of people continued to be detained or imprisoned in violation of their rights to freedom of expression and association, and were at serious risk of torture or ill-treatment."

The Chinese Government has an especially terrible record when it comes to their policy on religious freedom. The Voice of the Martyrs has a report on China available here. In 1950, the Chinese government invaded Tibet, forcing that country's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, into exile. The Muslim community in the Uighur community of Xinjiang have seen increasing governmental pressure via restrictions. The Christian community in China has not fared much better. Most notably the South China Church (SCC) and their founding pastor Gong Shengliang, have suffered imprisonment, torture, and government restrictions.

Why do MSN, Yahoo, Google, and others allow themselves to be controlled by the Chinese Government? One word, money. Over one billion people live in China, and up to now they have been party to very little western influence. Playing ball with the Chinese Government allows MSN et al. and their advertisers unfettered access to this fertile ground.

My hope is that those in the blogosphere would help let the world know about this situation. Orwellian control of any human being diminishes the freedom of thought and expression of us all. We must be the voice of those who have had their ability to speak stolen in the name of the almighty dollar.

Spread the word.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

My New Favourite Word

2005-06-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

Deep ecclesiology.

Ok, so it's not really a word, more of a phrase actually, but I love what it represents. Andrew over at tallskinnykiwi.com is credited with coining the phrase deep ecclesiology, and has an excellent post on all the things these words have come to mean here.

Here is what deep ecclesiology means to me.

It means that I embrace Biblical truth and the experience of the believer. I practice contemplative prayer, lectio divina, and contemporary praise and worship. I love the beauty of liturgy but attend a non-liturgical church on a weekly basis. I believe in justification by faith and the call to the believer to impact their world for good. I have respect for Billy Graham, Brian McLaren, and the Pope.

It means that I embrace the beauty inherent in all Christian traditions.

Yesterday I posted the results of a theological worldview quiz that I had taken. It categorized me in the Emergent/Postmodern camp. I hesitate to label myself with anything, however, this label comes closest to where my thinking has evolved into. In the description of what Emergent/Postmodern means, the quiz creator wrote "You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well." Actually, I don't feel alienated by any forms of church. I have worshiped in just about every kind of Christian church that is out there at one time or another. I've always been blessed by sharing in the worship traditions of others. However, the truth is, I am afraid most forms of church don't connect to modern culture very well.

But then, that is fodder for another post. This one is going to be entirely positive (I know, I'm just as shocked as you are), or at least I'm going to try.

There is so much great stuff that we can learn from each other. When we explore all that our brothers and sisters in Christ have to teach us, our own spiritual walk will become deeper and more interesting. If nothing else, understanding why other Christians believe the things they do, and why they do the things they do, will help tear down denominational barriers and promote greater unity.

Imagine a world where Christians were unified in voice and intent. A place without denominational posturing and the need to be theologically and doctrinally "right". Christians could really be a force for good and positive change in a place like that.

Comments? Email me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

What Would I Do Without James Dobson?

2005-06-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

The Vail Daily News ran an interesting article on June tenth regarding James Dobson and his attempt to help sculpt the United States Supreme Court. While I did enjoy the article, I didn't find anything worth writing about until I came across this quote from Dr. Dobson "there is a majority on the Supreme Court that is unelected, unaccountable, arrogant and imperious and determined to redesign the culture according to their own values and biases and they are out of control."

Is it me, or is this statement the height of irony?

Now before I go any further, I want to say that I believe that Dr. Dobson has a lot of excellent teaching pertaining to family life. However, I did lose respect for him over the "Spongebob" controversy. I have trouble seeing how a video teaching children respect and tolerance for all people is a danger to families everywhere.

It is obvious that Dr. Dobson is doing everything he can to redesign the culture according to his own values and biases. Is he out of control? I guess that depends on your point of view. While I applaud the fact that he stands up for his beliefs in the public arena, he is being disingenuous by attacking the attempts of others to affect society with their values, when he is doing the same thing.

Please Dr. Dobson, call it what it is. I encourage you to stand for what you believe, whether I agree with you or not, but don't pretend you are doing anything else but trying to change the cultural landscape to more closely resemble your beliefs and values.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Wow, This Actually Worked!

2005-06-13T08:21:00.000-07:00

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern. You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this.

Emergent/Postmodern

82%

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan

75%

Neo orthodox

57%

Reformed Evangelical

46%

Classical Liberal

43%

Fundamentalist

25%

Modern Liberal

25%

Roman Catholic

25%

Charismatic/Pentecostal

21%

Take the quiz yourself:
What's your theological worldview?

created with QuizFarm.com

This picture of Brian McLaren came with my score. I guess it means I'm down with him.

One thing I disagree with is "You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well." I, in fact, feel that older forms of church are very valid when approached with the right understanding. I'll write more about what I mean tomorrow.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Mushe's Dilemma

2005-06-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

Mushe and his little brother Baha came to see us yesterday. Since I wrote this post about their life story, we have had some encouraging developments in the quest to bring their sisters to Canada. I have had a group that is involved with refugee sponsorship get in contact with me. I am going to a meeting on June twentysixth to see if they might be willing, and/or, able to help us out. Mushe has also received a letter from the Canadian government, telling him that they will be reviewing the girls' refugee claim within the next six months. One way or another, it is beginning to look like our prayers are being answered.

Unfortunately, Mushe is also facing a bit of a dilemma right now.

When Mushe, his brothers, and grandmother came to Canada, the Canadian government agreed to support them financially for one year. That time is now up and he is having difficulty making ends meet. This month he wasn't able to pay their rent on time. He tried to find a job during this time (and since), but has found it difficult without any Canadian work experience to get hired. He is currently going to school in the hopes of gaining a skill set that will make him an attractive candidate for an employer. Since he is attending a post-secondary educational institution, he has been denied social assistance on two occasions. Ironically, if he was not making this effort to better himself, he probably would have had his application accepted.

Is it just me, or does it seem illogical to penalize someone for working to become a contributing member of society? If he quits school tomorrow, he will probably be given social assistance, while greatly minimizing any chance he has to one day become a tax paying citizen. Since he is working to become a productive member of society, they will not help him, even though helping him now means that he will one day be paying into the governments' well stocked coffers. With the Canadian government posting it's seventh straight budget surplus last year (9.1 billion dollars, yes that's billion with a capital B), you would think that they may be able to come up with a little extra cash to help out someone who is sincerely trying.

Mushe got on the internet here yesterday and found a few jobs he is going to apply for. Please pray for him and his family as he continues to struggle through life. Amazingly, his faith remains undeterred.

We could all learn a lot from Mushe.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Take Five Minutes and Read This

2005-06-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

10 Questions for Brian McLaren

My favourite part:
"Right now, I'm involved with a group of people who are very concerned about the situation in Darfur in the Western Sudan. I knew there was a genocide going on there twelve months ago, and four hundred thousand more people have died since then. I think I just assumed somebody would do something about it. And it’s just stunning to me about how little can get done. Meanwhile, Christians are arguing about what seems to me to be incredibly pathetic, trivial things compared to 400 thousand people dying, when, if they can get so much stuff out there about their national agenda, if they were to push this to the front, four hundred thousand lives could have been saved."

Thanks to Jordon Cooper for the link.

Comments? Email Me:pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

May 21, 2005 - Toronto, Ontario - Updated!

2005-06-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

In 2004, the Canadian government posted it's seventh consecutive budget surplus, a staggering 9.1 billion dollars. Despite this fact, since 1989 the number of children in Canada living below the poverty line has actually increased. One million children (roughly one in six) in Canada live below the poverty line. The year 2003 was a record one for food bank usage in Canada. Of those who used food banks that year, 317,242 were children.

According to the April 1999 issue of Share International, the number of homeless people in Canada began to spiral upward in the late 1980s' and has persisted into the 1990s. A lack of affordable housing in major cities is a consistent factor associated with the rise in the homeless population. Interestingly, the composition of the homeless population has changed from being "derelict" older men to predominantly young men, with teenagers, women and children becoming more prominent. By 1990, the average age of the street men in this country was 29. These men could not be written off as hopeless derelicts or as lazy, non-contributing members of our society, because at least 80 per cent of them were able-bodied people who did not abuse alcohol or drugs or have serious mental problems. There is an increase in homeless subgroups which require not only decent housing but a variety of social support, medical and counseling services. Native Indians, refugees and ethnic minorities are over-represented among the homeless.

The statistics are there. The truth cannot be denied. As the minority of our population enjoys the fruits of an economic boom, far too many Canadians are suffering the effects of poverty. We cannot chalk the homeless problem in Canada up to substance abuse or mental illness anymore. The truth is that in many (if not most) parts of Canada, minimum wage is not a living wage. As our government turns record surpluses, and the misuse of our money becomes more evident on a daily basis, the reality of poverty in Canada is shameful.

Across the world, 2005 has seen the rise of the Make Poverty History campaign. Canada has joined this initiative. Please take a minute and add your name to the list of Canadians who will not allow this injustice to continue.

If you would like to read more about the reality of the homeless population in Canada, check out Today at the Mission.

Update

Rick Warren, the pastor of Saddleback Church (he's also the Purpose Driven Life guy), is getting together with Christian leaders, including Billy Graham, to bring the ONE campaign to the attention of President Bush. Once again, you to can add your name to the list of people who will not allow the imbalance to continue.

Isn't the internet great?

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Jesus Was Proud

2005-06-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

Awesome quote overheard on CNN today.

A young man working with people victimized by the AIDS epidemic in Africa:"The way to greatness is through serving others."

I don't know if this guy is a believer or not, but that was a very Christian thing to say.

Jesus was proud.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail Dot com

Hi, My Name is Paul, and I'm a Heretic

2005-06-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

Interesting survey on MSN about the accuracy of the Bible. At the time of this writing the tally is:

Every detail is literally true - 36%
Some details may be inaccurate or exaggerated, but the fundamentals are true - 34%
The Bible is fundamentally fiction, incorporating some historical facts - 25%
None of the above - 5%

So, seventy percent of those surveyed believe the Bible is at least basically true.

Too bad our interpretation of it is flawed.

The more I study, the deeper I get into God's word, the more convinced I am that our theology is inherently flawed. Yes, Jesus came to save souls, but there is more to it than that. We've become so comfortable with salvation by grace (which I believe in with all my heart), that we have lost many of the other important aspects of the Gospel.

Let me explain what I mean.

Over the last few days, I have been thinking over and over again about this particular speaker I saw in the church I used to attend. Now this denomination (actually, technically the church didn't belong to any denomination, however, it is an evangelical church, holding deeply to the tenets of that school of the faith) believes that they interpret scripture in the most literal way possible. They hold the Bible as the center of the faith, and that their faith is more Biblical than others. This speaker was talking about the fact that the earth belongs to God and that he is ultimately in control. We cannot do anything to harm the earth because of this fact, and concerns about global warming and environmental damage are baseless. He said that he recycled, not because it was necessary, but because "it is the right thing to do."

Too bad this is a completely unBiblical point of view.

I am studying Genesis right now for school. I believe that this book in particular gives us an excellent understanding of God's environmental "policy."The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it" (Genesis 2:15 NIV). Adam, the first man, was to take care of his little corner of the earth. Not destroy it, not recycle because "it is the right thing to", but to care for it because it is fragile. Often we hear of stewardship, in terms of tithing to our church (which again, is something that I believe in). Over and over we are challenged to be good stewards of what God has given us. Are we being good stewards of God's creation, which He has given us to live in and care for? I don't think so. Unfortunately, the thoughts and attitudes in many of our churches are contributing to the problem.

As anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows, I've been thinking a lot about Hell lately.

Super fun topic by the way.

It's all thanks to Brian McLaren's The Last Word and the Word After That. I have to be honest, as I have gone through this area of study, I have been vacillating between Brian being a prophet or a heretic.

There is a very fine line between the two, isn't there?

Basically, the thrust of his argument, is that our interpretation of Jesus's words in the Gospels regarding Hell are inherently flawed because we do not understand the words the way that the people hearing them would have understood them. We are being too literal and losing the metaphorical teaching style that Jesus used so often.

I have been struggling with this idea. I am having trouble letting go of my stock understandings of scripture. Some things I like to be literal about because frankly, it makes me more comfortable.

Then I came across this passage in Matthew:
"As the Pharisees were regrouping, Jesus caught them off balance with his own test question: "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" They said, "David's son." Jesus replied, "Well, if the Christ is David's son, how do you explain that David, under inspiration, named Christ his "Master'?

God said to my Master,
"Sit here at my right hand
until I make your enemies your footstool."

"Now if David calls him "Master,' how can he at the same time be his son?"
That stumped them, literalists that they were. Unwilling to risk losing face again in one of these public verbal exchanges, they quit asking questions for good" (Matthew 22:41-46 bold emphasis mine).

The Pharisees were so snug in their interpretation of scripture that they were unable to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Are we so snug in our interpretations that we are missing, or misunderstanding the teachings of God?

We talk about a God that loves infinitely and yet if you believe the wrong thing, He will consign you to an eternity of torment in Hell. Is this a complete oxymoron?

What about verses like:
"Read it for yourself in Scripture:
"As I live and breathe," God says,
"every knee will bow before me;
Every tongue will tell the honest truth
that I and only I am God" (Romans 14:11 MSG).
or
"so that all created beings in heaven and on earth--even those long ago dead and buried--will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ" (Phillipians 2:10)

If all people will ultimately declare Jesus as Lord, won't we all be redeemed?

Or maybe I am just a heretic too.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Persecution and Prayer Alert

2005-06-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

Click Here

Return On Investment

2005-06-08T09:24:00.000-07:00

I found this quote on the Next Wave today: "In 2002 Barna wrote, it is quite astounding that although Protestant and Catholic churches have raised - and spent close to one trillion dollars on domestic ministry during the past two decades, there has been no measurable increase in one of the expressed purposes of the church: to lead people to Christ and have them commit their lives to Him."

The Barna they speak of is the Barna Group, a think tank that studies trends related to the Christian church.

The buildings have gotten nicer, the services have become more flashy, and the carpet is beautiful, but there has been no "measurable increase" in believers in Christ. If churches were run as a business, their return on investment wouldn't be very good.

I have seen it a few times myself, a church body gets behind remodeling or rebuilding their church. After years of fundraising and hard work the congregation and staff are exhausted. The building becomes their holy grail, they begin to protect it with a religious fervour. Protecting the carpet in the sanctuary from stains becomes more important than using the sanctuary for outreach. Attempts to organize and hold events at the church prove futile as elders become concerned about scratching the paint on the walls.

On one hand I can understand why people feel the way they do. They have worked very hard, expended a lot of energy in fundraising, and in some cases, actually participating in construction. The last thing they want is for all of their hard work to be wasted. Ironically, at the beginning of the building project if you had asked them what their main motivation behind renovating their building was, it would have been outreach. Unfortunately, the truth is, outreach seems to go to the back burner once the project is finished.

I don't wish to judge those who feel this way. Although I have been personally frustrated at a church I used to attend when I tried to organize events there, distance has given me clarity. Every paint chip and carpet stain had a real value to them, both in dollars and in sweat equity. I do though, propose a different way.

Who cares if the carpet looks like crap?

While a leaking roof must be fixed, and routine maintenance must be done, does it matter if the church is what I like to call seventies chique? Maybe shag carpeting will come back in style in a year or two. In the meantime, lets focus our expenditures on things that will be a real outreach. Providing meals to the hungry, English classes to the new refugee, or awesome free kids programs that will bring the whole family into the church building. Instead of painting the library and hallways, why not build a coffee shop inside the church so people have a place to hang out and build a community?

Ironically, I was thinking about what would be my ideal church building the other day. My idea was to take over an old warehouse or similar facility. In the foyer, there would be a coffee shop. I would put pews complete with kneelers for those who felt like worshiping that way. I'd also have couches, easy chairs, and mats set up on the floor for people who wanted to be a little more casual. I'd have lots of candles to set the mood. Paper and paints so people could be creative, and of course really cool music, and maybe even a dj. It wouldn't be shiny or fancy, but it would be really cool.

Maybe I could start a fundraising campaign and mobilize a congregation to get behind this idea.

Then again, maybe not.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Unhacked!

2005-06-07T16:00:00.000-07:00

I believe that my blog is now officially unhacked. I think I got rid of all the weird code hiding in my blog.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Still Hacked!

2005-06-07T07:53:00.000-07:00

Ok,

This is weird!

When you view my blog with Internet Explorer, you will see links to sites that I did not put there. I did not realize this because I use Mozilla Firefox (if you haven't switched, you really should), and for some reason these links don't appear in Firefox.

Now here is the weirdest part, when I go into the post to remove the link, it isn't there! My apologies once again if you have followed any bad links. I have emailed Blogger support and hopefully they will have a fix soon.

Why am I strangely flattered that someone would hack my blog?

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Hacked!

2005-06-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

My wife just brought the fact that my blog has been hacked to my attention. My apologies if you have followed any links that are not what you expected. Please hold your mouse pointer over the link, and check what it is in the bottom left hand corner of your browser before you click it.

I will go through the pages tomorrow and remove any bad links.

Sorry again,
Paul

Comments? Email: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

Morally Retarded?

2005-06-06T12:21:00.000-07:00

There is an outcry at Brooklyn College over the promotion of a sociology professor named Timothy Shortell as chair of their sociology department. The outcry originates from an essay Professor Shortell wrote in 2003. The essay entitled Religion and Morality: a Contradiction Explained includes references to Christians as "moral retards".

Not surprisingly, given the usual content of this blog, I disagree with much of what he says. However, I do believe that the professor should be free to have his own beliefs. In fact, as long as these beliefs do not negatively impact anyone in his place of work, they should not effect his ability to be promoted. Especially when you consider that as a sociology professor, thoughtful critique of society makes up much of his subject matter.

Now here is the surprising part. I actually agree with some of what he says.

No, not the moral retard part (I knew what you were thinking). I don't believe I am guilty of that. Professor Shortell wrote:"Christians, in particular, like to think that religious violence is a problem restricted to other faiths. This is, in part, because the bloodiest days of Christianity, it would seem, are in the past. Most believers conveniently forget just how much blood is on their hands, historically speaking."

He's right. It's too easy for us to blame the crimes of the Crusades (and all the other bad things Christians have done) on the generations before us. We need to be honest about the dark parts of our history, and where appropriate, make amends for them. Whenever hateful fanaticism rears it's ugly head, we must as the Apostle Paul said "restore them gently" (c.f. Galatians 6:1 NIV), while being careful ourselves to not resort to hateful rhetoric. The sins of the present must be called what they are, without attempt to gloss them over. When we miss the mark, we must confess our sin, repent, and do better.

We must be real.

If you ask the average person to describe a Christian today you will probably hear something like "anti-gay, pro war, conservative politics, and pro-life." Most people don't think of Jesus, or His message. We hear a lot against the agendas of other groups in Christian churches, but the Christian agenda has become just as pervasive, while having very little to do with actual Christianity. As long as the face of Christianity that the world sees has so little to do with the message of Jesus. We cannot be surprised, or angry for that matter, when we read essays like Professor Shortell's.

It's time for a radical change. When people think of Christians and Christianity, our goal should be for them to think of Jesus, not George Bush, James Dobson, Brian McLaren, or even Mother Theresa. All doctrinal and social differences aside, our message must be unified. This message must be about the life changing truth of Jesus Christ and His Gospel. The only thing that people should be critiquing us on is how weird we are for believing in love above all things.

Until this happens, Professor Shortell, and those who think like him, will be able to have a lot more negative subject matter for their essays.

Comments? Email Me: pfconnors AT gmail DOT com

One Down

2005-06-03T16:25:00.000-07:00

I turned in my first assignment for Bible school today. It's weird, but I felt a ton of pressure to have it be perfect. Finally, I just had to let it go and turn it in. I have to realize that making mistakes is an important part of the journey.

In fact I've been thinking a lot about journeys lately. The journey of learning, the journey of life, etc. I've realized that far too often we focus on the result and not on the journey itself. Frankly, I think we are missing out. The blessings aren't always in the destination. Many, and some of the best blessings, are in the journey.

I've also been thinking a lot about Heaven and Hell lately. I'm going through The Last Word and the Word After That, and the main thrust of the book is Hell and how we may have misinterpreted much of the Biblical writings in this area (I have a big post on this subject that I haven't gotten around to finishing yet).

Yet again, we are focused on destinations. Heaven or Hell. Who is going there? Will Hell be eternal? Etc. All of our exegesis in this area is really a waste of time (I can say this as someone who has spent, and will probably spend, a lot more time on exegesis in this area). To paraphrase one of the characters from the book, it's none of our business who is going to Hell. We need to take the warnings on damnation in the Bible seriously on a personal level, while never slamming the door to Heaven on anyone.

Really though, it's the journey that's important. The way I look at it, there are three stages to the Christian life. Justification, sanctification, and glorification. We are far too quick to skip sanctification and look forward to being glorified in Heaven with God. Sanctification though, is a critical aspect. This where we become the people we will be for eternity and become more Christ-like on a daily basis. This is where the hard work happens, this is also where the blessings will be.

Steve from Ragamuffin Ramblings sent me this great quote when he heard that I was going to Bible school "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged by the size of the task, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you..." (1 Chronicles 28:20 NLT). I am going to enjoy this ride of learning, growing, and living. Sure, mistakes will happen, but life wouldn't be very interesting without them.

Comments? Email Me

Blessed Failure

2005-06-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

The other day, a friend of mine was telling me how he felt that his life was a great disappointment to God. He recounted to me the times where he had made an attempt to do things in God's name. He told me stories of people he had tried to help and a ministry he had attempted to launch. The common thread to these stories was that they had ended in failure. He had not been able to help the people he wanted to help and the ministry he started, ended in failure. These events left him depressed. He felt that when God looked at him, all He saw was failure. He imagines that on the day he meets his saviour, Jesus will just shake His head in disgust and look away.

One day Saint Francis and Brother Leo were walking down the road. Noticing that Leo was depressed, Francis turned and asked: "Leo, do you know what it means to be pure of heart?"

"Of course. It means to have no sins, faults or weaknesses to reproach myself for."

"Ah," said Francis, "now I understand why you're sad. We will always have something to reproach ourselves for."

"Right," said Leo. "That's why I despair of ever arriving at purity of heart."

"Leo, listen carefully to me. Don't be so preoccupied with the purity of your heart. Turn and look at Jesus. Admire him. Rejoice that he is what he is -your Brother, your Friend, your Lord and Savior. That, little brother, is what it means to be pure of heart. And once you've turned to Jesus, don't turn back and look at yourself. Don't wonder where you stand with him.

The Good News of Jesus Christ means that you can accept yourself just as you are. No matter how little you feel like you are able to reach out to God, or for God, any attempt, no matter how feeble, pleases God more than you can imagine. In human terms, this is really hard to believe, but it's the truth.

One time Jesus met a woman, she gave what she had, which frankly wasn't much. "Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything, —all she had to live on" (Mark 12:41-44 NIV).

Her two pennies, your feeble faith, and my friends failed attempts are all pleasing to God. The widow pleased God by giving out of her monetary poverty. When we attempt to give out of our spiritual bankruptcy, it is like the finest gold to God. When you pray, no matter how small your faith, or how short the prayer, or how lacking eloquence your words are, that prayer leads to a chorus of amens from a thousand choirs of angels.

It's easy to be afraid of God. In fact many preachers will even encourage it. Part of it, is that they have never experienced the incredible love of God personally. I think the other cause is verses like this one "As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is his love to those who fear him" (Psalm 103:11).

What people miss is that the psalmist isn't talking about being afraid. The psalmist is referring to what Brennan Manning calls silent wonder and reverent awe. The lesson from this is to not be afraid of God, but always approach the throne of the almighty with respect.

So what happens if you get to the end of your life and all of your noble attempts have ended in failure? Like everything else in God's creation they will be redeemed and sanctified.

They will be a blessed failure.

Comments? Email Me

My Friend Mushe

2005-06-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

Beliefnet has a story on their site about the carnage in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over 3.5 million people have been killed there since 1998. Several of those people belonged to my friend Mushe's family.

This is their story.

Mushe (pronounced moo-she) lived in a village in the Congo with his parents, brothers, grandmother, and three sisters. About seven years ago now, rebels stormed their village and began indiscriminately shooting unarmed civilians. One of the first casualties was Mushe's mother, who was leaving church at the time. She was shot to death on the steps of their church. Mushe's father was also killed not long after his wife. He too was shot in cold blood.

Mushe, in a state of utter terror, ran into the nearby jungle with his two brothers Muli (pronounced moo-lee), Baha, and his grandmother Badasere. The next year of their lives was spent hiding from the rebels in the jungle, ducking behind bushes to avoid gunfire, and scrounging whatever they could to eat.

After the year in the jungle, they made their way to the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. Here they lived in makeshift shelters and survived on less food daily than you and I would have in a typical snack. After four years of what can only be described as hell on earth, they finally managed to attain refugee status so that could come to Canada.

On they day they were leaving the refugee camp, Mushe's three younger sisters arrived there after living in the jungle for four years. Up to this point they had assumed they were dead. Not surprisingly, he had very mixed emotions that day. Joy at leaving the camp, joy at seeing his sisters, and utter sadness and disbelief that they could not come to Canada with him.

When Mushe, his brothers, and his grandmother finally arrived in Canada, they were very ill with Malaria. It took months for them to get over this tropical disease. They get by on very little money, all of them (except for Badasere) are going to school, with the hope of making a life here in Canada. Badasere has many health problems (her diabetes is especially problematic for her).

Mushe's sisters are still in Kakuma. We tried to bring them over to Canada. Unfortunately, whenever someone showed interest in helping, it never really went anywhere. Please pray for these girls. Not only are they surviving on very little food, but females are subjected to physical and sexual abuse on a regular basis in Kakuma.

When praying, I know that many of us benefit from visual aids. Here is a picture of the girls.

Thanks for taking the time to read their story.

Comments? Email Me

Persecution and Prayer Alert

2005-06-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

Click Here

My Cup Runneth Over

2005-05-31T08:01:00.000-07:00

The next time you feel like your life really sucks, visit this blog. Today at the Mission, is a new discovery for me, but it is fast becoming one of my favourite blogs.

One of the entries from May 30:"I've been keeping an eye on our milk supply, watching it dwindle. During dinner tonight we ran out. Just as the volunteer turned to me and said, "We're out of milk" -- at that precise moment -- the manager of a local grocery store appeared at the kitchen door with 20 liters of milk in a crate."

I'm reminded of the story from 1 Kings where God provides an unlimited supply of olive oil and flour so that Elijah, a widow, and her son do not starve because of a famine. The ability of God to miraculously provide is awe inspiring.

At this moment, I am so thankful to God for the blessings that He brings into my life. I am speechless when I consider the fact that I am not a wealthy man by North American standards, but the fact that I live as I do means that I am far wealthier than the majority of citizens on our planet.

I realize that the reality of the homeless situation is that many of those who are homeless choose to live that way due to mental illness. However, when I reflect on what the Iraq War has cost, and is costing US taxpayers, and the sponsorship scandal that is rocking the government here in Canada, I cannot help but consider the fact that an imbalance exists.

By the way, as I write these words it is Memorial Day in the United States. I am concerned that the Iraq War was started under dubious circumstances, and I wonder at what benefit the American people will derive from this massive expenditure of their tax dollars. However, I firmly believe that the soldiers serving their country deserve our utmost respect and admiration. To those who have served so that I have the freedom to write these words, I say thank you.

Digression ended.

Here in Saskatoon, they are encouraging us to refrain from giving our spare change to the homeless people begging downtown. While I respect those who hold seats of power on our city council, I am unable to comply with this request.

Are we becoming blind to the suffering of our neighbour? Have we become so deeply enmeshed in our day to day life that we are unable to see the suffering occurring right in front of our face? Christians are just as guilty of this behaviour as anyone else in our society. Has the focus on a personal salvation that exists in our churches today, caused us to only be concerned about what personally affects us?

As some choose the homeless lifestyle, others are forced into it by the circumstances of their life. Regardless of how they ended up in that situation, it is incumbent upon us to assist the less fortunate as much as we can if we are to call ourselves a civilized people. Let alone disciples of Christ.

The next time a homeless person hits you up for a quarter so that they can buy a coffee, why not help them out? Better yet, buy them a coffee and maybe something to eat.

Comments? Email Me

Emergent in Tennessee

2005-05-30T11:39:00.000-07:00

"Let's drop the battle axes, learn from other churches (even Catholics) and enjoy the adventure of discerning God's message in this strange world called the 21st century."

The quote above comes from this article in the Tennessean (thanks to TallSkinnyKiwi.com for the link) about the Emergent Church national convention in Tennessee.

Some other quotes from the article:

"Emergent" folks are Christians who are impatient with rigid megachurch formulas and noisy doctrinal in-fighting. They want to nurture a "vintage Christianity" that promotes the love of Christ for the emerging (non-churchgoing) generation. They're hammering out a theology that's friendly to ancient faith practices (contemplative prayer, labyrinths, hospitality) in a postmodern world of quantum physics, 24/7 media and coffee-house culture."

"So Emergent worship evokes spiritual imagination (using candles, darkness, art work on curtained walls). It is interactive (some churches have couches, not pews). It engages the body (a Minneapolis congregation offers yoga and massage therapy). Emergent leaders value Holy Communion and Bible reading."

This seems almost too good to be true. It's like they have taken everything I've been thinking for the last few months and verbalized it.

If there is one thing I've learned, many times, when things seem too good to be true, they are.

Often movements begin with great intentions and ideas. After a while, the movement becomes stagnant, no new ideas are introduced, the old ideas become dogma, and slowly it loses relevance. The emergent church could easily go down this same road, however I hold out hope that it won't.

If the emergent church remains fluid, having more questions than answers, and remains friendly to Christians (and non-Christians) of all stripes, I believe the emergent church will not only survive, but thrive. As long as the emergent church doesn't take itself too seriously, it will be able to continue to grow and expand. The Bible must remain the centre of the emergent church. It must be approached with respect while trying to understand the truths that have been hidden within it by millennia of dogmatic interpretation.

Above all the emergent church must be known for it's love. When this happens, they will truly become disciples of Christ.

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35 NIV).

I can't help but be excited about what this movement promises. The future of the faith has the capability, and the possibility, to be very exciting. Those who have turned away from Christianity because of the hypocrisy they have seen, may feel a call to come back. People who have never attended church in their life, may feel comfortable to come into a worship space that isn't intimidating. This new language of Christianity, could speak to millions who have become deaf to the voices they have heard too many times.

Now, that would be very exciting indeed.

Comments? Email Me

Faith, Hope, Love

2005-05-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

In this age of nihilism, and consumerism
We live in man made prisons, built inside our minds

Our idols aren't golden calves
They're glass and steel,
bricks and mortar
A tribute to our new world order

Where the almighty dollar, is the god we prize

Day after day, our heros show the way
and our hard earned cash rewards their lies

You should be ...

(just like me)

Isn't it time you bought ...

(a piece of the fraud?)

Like lambs to the slaughter, we follow without thought
Forgetting we were created in the image of Almighty God

Is this what we were made for?

I won't buy into this lie!

"There must be more than this!"

is the faithful's cry

The truth is scarier than you could ever imagine

Life isn't really about how much you can cash in

The truth is

To love and to laugh
is the mission you've been given

Remember:

Faith, Hope, Love
and He is risen

Amen

Renegade or Conformist?

2005-05-27T08:15:00.000-07:00

"Christianity over the past two thousand years has moved from a tribe of renegades to a religion of conformists" Erwin McManus - The Barbarian Way

Renegade or conformist? What exactly does it mean to be a renegade Christian? Does it mean that you put up signs like this, going out of your way to offend people in the name of Jesus? I can guarantee you that the pastor who put that sign up considers himself to be a renegade. In fact he is quoted in the article as saying: "I knew that whenever we decided to put that sign up that there would be people who wouldn't agree with it, and there would be some that would, and so we just have to stand up for what's right."

Maybe a renegade Christian is someone like Fred Phelps (honestly, I chose one of his least offensive websites to link to). Standing in his pulpit, week after week, showering hate filled diatribes on his congregation. He seems comfortable talking about who God hates, does he ever wonder who God loves?

I propose that Christians who respond to those around them in this manner, are in fact the least renegade and most conforming of believers. Why do I say this? When you react to those who do not fit within your paradigm with derision, you are acting in the flesh. You are behaving in a way that will win you praise from those who hold your world view.

The real way of the renegade is the way of love and respect. You are a renegade if you take the time to learn what and why people believe, or to learn about their life experience. A renegade invests themselves into relationships with everyone around them, not just those who hold to a sectarian world view, or who fit into a certain lifestyle. To share the love of Jesus Christ with everyone, is a renegade lifestyle.

The renegade lifestyle will cost you. Friends may become enemies, a congregation may turn on a pastor.

The way of the renegade is the way of the cross.

Comments? Email Me

Persecution & Prayer Alert

2005-05-26T08:45:00.000-07:00

What the Hell?

2005-05-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

I finally picked up Brian McLaren's newest book The Last Word and the Word After That. This book is the conclusion of his new kind of Christian trilogy. I have really enjoyed this series (especially the first book, which ranks as one of my all time favourites), and I'm excited to get into this book.

After reading the introduction and the first chapter, I can see that the general theme of this book is going to be to examine Hell and our understanding of what that place exactly is, and who will be spending eternity there. While it is nothing new to hear a scholar say that we have misinterpreted the original Greek or Hebrew, therefore losing the true meaning of the passage. I am wondering if our understanding of Hell has been flawed all along. The teachings of Jesus on this subject do seem pretty clear. Still, I am open to new understandings of ancient ideas, so I will keep an open mind.

I searched my Zondervan NIV Study Bible for references to the word Hell. I found that the word that has been translated as Hell is ge'hinnom in the Hebrew and Gehenna in the Greek. If you translate these words literally into English it comes out as the Valley of Hinnom. This valley was a place used for pagan worship in which children were sacrificed in fire. Later, it became a garbage dump that appeared to burn perpetually (sounds kind of like the Springfield Tire Fire).

Why is it that I am uncomfortable with redefining our understanding of Hell? It feels like I'm treading into territory where I don't belong. Why is this area different than any other area I have studied, and sometimes come up with different understandings than the stock Christian stance? I have a feeling that this anxiety stems from the fact that we are all a little anxious when it comes to discussing Hell. Lets face it, none of us wants to end up there!

I'm sure I will be writing more on this subject as I get further through this book.

Comments? Email Me

Life In the Matrix

2005-05-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Matrix. Where everything is not exactly as it seems. Depending on your beliefs and prejudices (or lack thereof), when you look at the man across the street, you either see a brother or an enemy.

The Matrix is a combination of your hopes and fears, beliefs and unbelief. Everything you see is coloured by your perception. You have two choices, the blue pill, or the red pill. Which will you take?

If it is the blue pill, you will continue on just as you are. Blissfully unaware of all that is really happening around you. Your world view is safe, your beliefs are unshakeable, and you will be free from challenge.

Take the red pill on the other hand, and everything will change. The sinner, your enemy, suddenly becomes a human being and someone you call friend. Instead of being able to fit everything into nice little categories, us and them, saved and unsaved, everyone becomes an individual. Someone who needs to love and be loved.

Just like the fictional Matrix, there are battles to be fought. Just like the fictional Matrix there is a chosen One here. There is a difference though, unlike Neo this hero is real and the only way to win the battles that you will fight, is with love.

So which will it be, the blue pill or the red pill? Don't make this decision to quickly, the choice you are about to make will effect the rest of your life. It's the difference between the status quo and the courage to grow. Your eyes will be opened, for the first time you will really be able to see. Unfortunately, you may not always like the view.

Right now you are probably wondering what colour I chose. I'll give you a hint. Nothing is the same. Everything is new. My beliefs, my very foundation even, have been shaken to the point of destruction. Amazingly, after all that, they came out stronger than they were before.

It's not always easy though, some days it feels like I've taken that pill for the first time again. I will make one guarantee, no matter how hard the journey is sometimes, it's one hundred percent worth it.

Well my friend, the time has come for you to make your choice. What colour will it be?

Comments? Email Me

I'll Take a St. Peter Iced Coffee Please

2005-05-23T20:30:00.000-07:00

This, is a really cool idea.

A quote from the article: "As part of that process we have completed a feasibility study for a fair trade cafe that will be built on the grassy area between the two sets of stone steps on the East side of the building, facing Central Park. The cafe will provide barista/restaurant management/entrepreneurial training for new canadians [expanding our current program/ministry], have culturally diverse entertainment in the evenings and, on Sundays, we will offer cafe-style [or cafe-based] worship."

First of all, it is exciting to see faith communities thinking of new and exciting ways to help newcomers to Canada get training and assimilate themselves into our way of life. Having culturally diverse entertainment will enable the people running this cafe to meet people from all walks of life and build relationships with them. Then there is the cafe style worship.

I have to be honest, I had to do some research on what exactly cafe style worship is. I know that it is an alternative form of worship that has become popular in the emergent community. Basically, it is an informal service held in a cafe setting. There may be some music and a video or speaker will be used as a conversation starter. Then the people in the cafe will dialogue with each other. Questions are asked, answered, and the congregation instead of being "churched at" become active participants in the service. It allows people to worship God with body, soul, and mind.

While I believe that conventional worship services will always play an important role in Christian culture, I think that alternative style worship services are going to be an exciting part of the future. They allow people who are intimidated, or uncomfortable, in traditional worship settings to still "do church." People who have become bored after years of attending conventional church services will be energized by a new experience. Those who are actively involved in, and still have a deep love for, traditional church styles may even enjoy the opportunity to do something differently every once in a while. The coolest thing is that seekers will have questions answered immediately in non-threatening environment.

This is one of those things that when I read it, I get inspired and excited. I feel like the future is going to be very exciting. I look forward to being a part of it.

Comments? Email Me

The Courage to Believe

2005-05-23T09:12:00.000-07:00

"Religion is the opium of the masses." - Karl Marx

Karl Marx compared religion to hallucinogens. My friend the atheist will tell you that you believe because you are afraid.

I say it takes a lot of courage to believe.

It takes courage to admit that you, as an egocentric human being, are not the centre of the universe. It takes courage to admit that not only is there something greater than yourself in the universe, but that something greater has the right to judge you for all you do wrong. But most of all, it takes courage to believe in love.

Many remake God in their own image as a capricious and vindictive being. Bent on reducing you to a pile of smoldering ash for the sin you commit. This is an easy God to believe in because it allows you to reduce humanity into two camps. In and out. Saved and unsaved.

The redeemed and the damned.

Just like a clique roaming the halls at your local high school, people get a sense of security from being saved. When you can point your finger at the "sinner" before you, suddenly you are better than them, and if you can see that you're better, surely God will. As your chest puffs out with pride at your perfect church attendance and diligent service, deep inside you know that your thoughts are wrong. As guilt creeps in, you scan the horizon for even worse sinners than before to regain your place of importance. This is an exhausting exercise that ultimately proves futile.

There is a better way. The way of courage.

Day after day, as you pick yourself up, admit your failures, and choose to keep going, believing that the love of God is bigger than your faults, you choose the way of courage. When you can say with Paul "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 7:24-25)! You choose the way of courage.

When you decide to love yourself, and your fellow human beings, as Jesus does, you are courageous indeed.

Comments? Email Me

Risen? Indeed!

2005-05-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching the 20/20 episode about the resurrection of Jesus. It was really quite well done. Surprisingly for me, it seemed that the show came down on the positive side for the resurrection being a real event. Granted, this may be more about the reality of not wanting to alienate the powerful religious right in the United States than anything else, but still I expected to hear a lot more opposition to it.

The show interviewed a variety of scholars to get as many perspectives as possible on the different beliefs surrounding the resurrection of Jesus. I enjoyed hearing the different perspectives (even the ones I disagreed with) and I came away with an interesting observation.

Bishop John Shelby Spong is someone who I often find more to disagree with, than agree with. However, he impressed me with his statements on this show. He talked about the incredible love of God, a love so deep that it continues even through the crucifixion. As much as I disagree with a lot of Bishop Spong's theology, I believe he gets the essence of the Gospel. As he wrote in this article on Beliefnet: "There is always the possibility that we Christians are deluded--but I do not think so. I trust the God revealed to me by Jesus as the source of life, the source of love, and the ground of being--and I shall worship this God by living fully, loving wastefully, and daring to be all that I can be now and forever. When I do so, I will know the truth and power of the resurrection." Amen.

My favourite part of the show? The end. They showed Christians of all colours and traditions celebrating the resurrection in their own way. Seeing this outpouring of joy, this celebration of the same event, conducted in so many different and beautiful ways, I was deeply moved.

Is He Risen? Indeed!

Comments? Email Me

Fastest Growing Religion? Who Cares?

2005-05-20T08:36:00.000-07:00

According to most reports I've read and seen over the last couple of years, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world today. However, according to a recent article on World Net Daily, Christianity is in fact the fastest growing religion.

My answer to all of this is, who cares? Why does it matter what the fastest growing religion in the world is? It seems that people are beginning to think that if everybody is going along with their beliefs then somehow they must be right.

Tell that to those suffering for their Christian faith around the world.

For example, fifty six year old Than Van Truong. Than became a Christian in the summer of 1995. In his native Vietnam, witnessing for Christ is highly frowned upon. Despite this, he courageously shared his faith with everyone he met. As a result Than was jailed in 2003. Despite what many of us in the western world would see as an insurmountable setback, Than continued to share his faith and saw seventeen of his fellow inmates come to faith in Christ.

When he was released in 2004 after 239 days in jail Than was in poor health. Sentenced to house arrest, he was required to report to his province's police office every two weeks. Instead of resting because of his illness, or staying underground because of being placed under house arrest, Than continued to share his faith. He went from house to house meeting with families as well as preaching in house churches.

Less than six months after his release, Than was again arrested for sharing his faith. Once again, he fearlessly witnessed to his fellow inmates and seven more came to faith in Christ. His jailers finally became so frustrated with their inability to quench his love for witnessing, they had him committed to an asylum for the insane. In this asylum, Than is injected with "dubious medications" in an attempt to quiet him. Amazingly he still is able witness and lead people to faith in Christ.

I wonder if Than Van Truong cares what the fastest growing religion in the world is? I wonder if he can bothered to spend countless hours arguing theology with those who disagree with his particular stance. My guess would be, probably not.

He is far too busy witnessing and leading people to find their own faith, despite the harshest of persecution.

We could learn a lot from Than Van Truong.

What if Christianity really is the fastest growing religion? Seeing converts is one thing, seeing people become followers of Christ is something else completely. Far too often, we who call ourselves Christians, do much that would make Christ ashamed.

We must stop measuring our success in terms of how the world measures success. Quantity is not the objective here, quality is. Yes, seeing people come to faith in Jesus is an admirable thing. However, instead of focusing on the convert won, we should be seeing the millions who haven't yet met Jesus.

Comments? Email Me

Was Newsweek Wrong?

2005-05-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about the Newsweek magazine controversy that has arisen over the last two weeks or so. Sadly, directly or indirectly, this story led to the loss of at least fifteen lives in rioting all over the Muslim world.

I wonder though, did Newsweek really get it wrong? In a postscript attached to this story, Newsweek points out that they were not the first to report on alleged Quran desecration. On May first of this year the New York Times ran a very similar story to the Newsweek article. As well, a quick look at Amnesty International's website found this report on human rights violations at Gitmo.

There seems to be a lot of evidence pointing to the fact that prisoners in Guantánamo Bay are being abused by their captors. While on one hand, the need to do anything to stop the rioting and ensuing loss of life is understandable, having Newsweek take the fall when real abuse is occurring is not right either.

Not to mention the fact that having the government exert this kind of pressure on a news agency is a scary proposition in itself.

Comments? Email Me

More Kudos For the Lampstand

2005-05-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

For your own fun with the Liberals click here.

Comments? Email Me

Persecution of the Saints

2005-05-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

For a couple of years now I have been receiving the Persecution and Prayer Alert from Voice of the Martyrs Canada. It has been an eye opening experience for me to read about the amount of persecution that goes on in the world today.

One particularly awful detail from this week's alert "Nearly 900 Eritrean Christians are known to be currently held in prisons, military confinement camps or shipping containers because of their faith."

Please take a few minutes to read the alert, and to pray for those in chains. "Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering" (Hebrews 13:3 NIV).

Comments? Email Me

The Face of God?

2005-05-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I watched the documentary Supersize Me. For those of you who haven't seen it yet, the premise of the movie is that the filmmaker, Morgan Spurlock, will eat nothing but McDonalds three times a day for a month. The deterioration that his body goes through is startling. To be honest, I haven't been able to bring myself to eat McDonald's since I saw this movie.

And I'm a guy who loves his cheeseburgers.

Part of the mission of Mr. Spurlock was to not only show the unhealthy nature of fast food, but to also show how unhealthy the food that children eat at school is. While investigating this, he interviews a variety of people, including school administrators, cafeteria staff, and students. While he is interviewing the students, one of the most startling moments of the movie occurs.

Spurlock sits across the table from the students and shows them pictures of well known people and corporate symbols. The idea being to see if they can name the famous people as well as they can recognize the corporate symbols. At one point he shows a picture of Jesus to one of the young boys. The boy identifies the picture as being George Bush, the President of the United States.

Frankly, I felt an emotion akin to being kicked in the stomach. As I considered what I had seen, I realized that while it was disturbing, you couldn't really blame this kid for thinking that George Bush and Jesus are one in the same. For many around the world, Christians and non-Christians alike, George Bush has become the face of Christianity.

Don't believe me? Check this website out. Their logo is really something.

Many Christians probably do not realize the early use and significance of this symbol. When the Roman government was persecuting Christians, many were forced to keep their faith a secret. The fish symbol became a type of secret code. When two strangers met, one would draw an arc in the sand. If the other person drew the other arc to complete the fish, they knew that both were believers.

This is an important symbol to the history of my faith. To see it used as part of a political statement is disturbing. When I was a kid, I'd hear people talk about the separation of church and state. I didn't understand what the big deal was, I figured a Christian in power would be a good thing because they would always try to do the right thing.

I'm beginning to get it now.

Comments? Email Me

Subversive Worship

2005-05-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

I just posted an article about the worship events being organized by Cedar Ridge Community Church to protest the genocide taking place in the Sudan. This type of gathering (I like the name subversive worship) is very exciting to me. Think about it. What better way is there to demonstrate the love of God to the world? Having believers from all sides of the theological spectrum putting aside their differences to worship and pray together for the good of someone else shows Christ very clearly to those around us.

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35 NIV).

Subversive worship should become the model for any Christian protest. By meeting quietly and reverently we come much closer to speaking as God speaks to the world.

"The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave" (1 Kings 19:11-13).

God is not in earthquakes, or picket signs, and screamed slogans. God speaks in a gentle whisper to those who are willing to listen. The world does not hear our raised voices either, their first instinct is to turn away from it like they would any annoying sound. If we speak quietly, or not at all, we speak volumes. For this to be effective though, we must do it in a spirit of love. As soon as it becomes a platform of hatred or intolerance, subversive worship will no longer be effective.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that our worship should always be a little subversive. Anytime we meet together as believers, one of our goals should be to change the world.

Comments? Email Me

Save Darfur

2005-05-17T07:18:00.000-07:00

Cedar Ridge Community Church in Maryland (which happens to be Brian McLaren's church) is planning five worship events in Washington, DC to protest the genocide currently occurring in the Darfur region of Sudan. Here are the details on the events:

Sunday, June 12: Lincoln Memorial
This will be our kickoff Sunday. We'll recall Abraham Lincoln's concern for liberation and justice--and our call to continue that tradition today in relation to our neighbors in Africa.

Sunday, June 19: Capitol Reflecting Pool--Congress
We'll call on Congress to make Darfur a top priority, and we'll identify specific actions the U.S. can take to help bring about change in Darfur.

Sunday, June 26: Freedom Plaza--Press Club
We'll call on the media to be morally accountable for what they report, and what they ignore. We'll urge them to keep Darfur on the minds of Americans, and not to let Sudan be another Rwanda.

Sunday, July 3: Sheridan Circle--Sudanese Embassy
This will be our week to pray for the government of Sudan, and to urge the leaders of Sudan to protect the defenseless in Darfur.

Sunday, July 10: LaFayette Park--White House
We will pray for our President and urge him to provide moral leadership regarding Darfur. We will recall President Clinton's words about our failure to intervene in Rwanda eleven years ago; we will challenge President Bush not to let the genocide in Darfur continue on his watch.

For more information on these events click here.

The situation in Darfur has been very troubling to me on a personal level. As I see wars waged for what seem to be dubious reasons, I am troubled by the fact that the plight of the defenseless Sudanese has been mostly ignored by the world at large. Ironically, as I write this I am hearing on the radio that leaders in the region have voted to not have any foreign intervention in the area. I can't help but wonder, however, that if there was something valuable to the powerful in this area, they would have intervened long ago.

In addition to the events I listed above there are a couple of other ways you can help this situation. Sojourners magazine has put together a campaign to enable people to easily write a letter to President Bush. You do not have to be an American citizen to participate in this. As well I recommend checking out the Save Darfur website.

Comments? Email Me

Relevant?

2005-05-16T10:48:00.000-07:00

Interesting article from the Houston Chronicle, once again it appears that the search for relevance has a caused a schism among Christians.

What exactly does it mean to be relevant?

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, defines relevance as :the quality or state of being relevant : relation to the matter at hand. I wonder though, does being relevant mean different things to different people? One groups relevant church service is another groups heresy. A heresy so serious that two pastors have been put on leave.

In the brilliant little book In the Name of Jesus, Henri Nouwen lists relevance as a temptation that we must face. How can relevance be a temptation? I believe that this happens when we are willing to compromise the essential truths of Christianity in an attempt to achieve relevance. What are these essential truths? For some people it is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For other people the essential truths include the teachings of Paul and others on sin. Once again, we have a topic that will incite a great deal of argument on both sides of the issue.

Will we ever be able to come to a consensus? Honestly, I am afraid the answer is no, and here is why.

"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism) Cretans and Arabswe hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" Acts 2:1-12

The first gift that the Holy Spirit gave to believers was the ability to speak to different people in their own way. God knows that not everyone will be attracted to the same presentation of the Message. We are all individuals, and God created us as such. The infighting among believers will end only when we accept this realization. You may not agree with everything another group is doing but judgment belongs to God alone. The only time this rule does not apply is when someone is using twisted teachings to harm or subjugate another person.

One other thought on the subject of relevance. Many of us (myself included) when searching for our own voice and relevance, use our platform to attack believers on the opposite side of the theological spectrum. This search for relevance may in fact render us irrelevant when people tire of hearing the same weak diatribes over and over again. My advice? Stick to the Message God has given you and don't attack your fellow believer. Otherwise, you may just be hindering the work of God.

Comments? Email Me

Me, We, All of Us

2005-05-13T08:21:00.000-07:00

One of the more interesting points of debate that has come out of Brian McLaren's New Kind of Christian series, is whether or not Jesus meant to start a new religion. I have written on this before. The more I think about it, the more I come to realize that He probably didn't intend to start a new religion per ce', but instead meant to usher in a new way of thinking.

A theologian from Duke University named Stanley Hauerwas had this to say: "The work of Jesus was not a new set of ideals or principles for reforming or even revolutionizing society, but the establishment of a new community, a people that embodied forgiveness, sharing, and self-sacrificing love in its rituals and discipline. In that sense, the visible church is not to be the bearer of Christ's message; but to be the message."

Or as Jesus Himself said "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35 NIV).

I do disagree with Mr. Hauerwas on one point however, I believe that Jesus intended to revolutionize society with this new community. As He said many times, "the Kingdom of God is at hand." The ideal should be that our little corner of society, and society as a whole, should be radically changed by our presence within it. Instead of a world focused on monetary gain and each individual striving to attain only what is best for themselves, without thought or care for the cost, our influence on society would shape it into a community "that embodied forgiveness, sharing, and self-sacrificing love in its rituals and discipline."

So why hasn't this happened? Is it because we as a community do not embody these characteristics? Is it because one of the best selling Christian books of all time is a short little tome based on a prayer that will help you "break through to the blessed life?" As a group are we too focused on the me, or the we, but not the all of us? Has the idea of a personal saviour made us so self centered that we are only interested in the welfare of other people as far as it affects us?

Before I go on, I must confess something. I am as guilty of this mindset as any of us. I bought that little book I referred to previously. Far too many of my prayers are focused on me and not on those around me. Still, I aspire to the higher ideal of "not being the bearer of Christ's message; but to be the message."

Maybe one day.

Comments? Email Me

Comfort Zone

2005-05-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

"Josie commented that she had experienced more of the power of God in the Holy Spirit's meetings in the pubs, clubs, and streets than she ever had in a church meeting." The Relevant Church - Page 43

Last Saturday morning, as I was dozing in bed I had a really weird dream. I'm generally not one to remember my dreams, but this one was unusually vivid. We were in church, except it wasn't church. We were sitting on folding chairs set up in the street. The preacher was standing on a chair instead of behind a pulpit and people who weren't "churchy" were taking a seat and joining in.

"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams." Acts 2:17

I'm no prophet, but I do think this dream had some interesting ideas. As believers we are called upon to reach out to people and many of us want to do just that. The problem is, we often force people to come to us so that we can reach out to them. Frankly, that is a backwards idea.

Church is a very intimidating place for someone to visit. Think back to the first time you attended church, or attended a new church for the first time. Chances are, it was probably a very uncomfortable moment for you. How can we expect to run an effective outreach that forces people to enter an uncomfortable situation? The short answer is, we can't. We must bring church to the people on the outside. This is going to cause a tremendous paradigm shift for those of us in the church. We will have to think of new ways to "do church", ways that are relevant to people who have turned their back or have no interest in conventional church.

An interesting aside at this point. As someone who was born and raised in our North American society, virtually everyone I know has attended church at one point or another in their lives. For some reason there was something there (or that wasn't there) that caused them to turn away from church. We need to examine why church is meaningless to so many in our society. To say that it is because they are lost is a cop out. There are far too many committed believers who avoid church like the plague.

It is better to think of church in the ale-house than to think of the ale-house in church. Martin Luther

I'm not sure if this is exactly what Martin Luther had in mind when he coined the above phrase, but I'm going to run with it anyways. We need to learn from the success that 24-7 Prayer mission teams have had by going into the pubs, clubs, and other places you generally wouldn't find a group of Christians. There are many Christian musicians who play music that wouldn't sound out of place being played in a pub or club. Instead of playing just to the converted in church basements, maybe they should seek gigs that will take them into these places. We need to go outside of our comfort zone to reach new groups of people.

Alternative worship should be embraced by all congregations. For example, I have heard of a church in the USA that worships in a coffee house setting. The coolest part is that if people have questions during the message, they are set up to be sent via instant message to be answered immediately. This kind of thing may be uncomfortable to those who have been attending church for years, but frankly, if it reaches out to new people, I don't care.

As believers we have the opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission in new and exciting ways. Let's let go of our prejudices and step outside our comfort zone.

Comments? Email Me

The Quality of Mercy

2005-05-10T12:51:00.000-07:00

The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is enthroned in the hearts of kings; It is an attribute to God himself, and earthly power doth then show likest God's when mercy seasons justice. (The Merchant of Venice IV.i.179-181)

I learned an interesting lesson about mercy the other day. On Sunday I was driving down the highway on my way home, it was beautiful sunny day. I am not sure if it was the effect of the beautiful spring weather or my own impatience, but I started speeding. It got to the point where I wasn't paying much attention to the speed I was traveling anymore. As I rounded a corner, heading towards me in the other lane was an RCMP (for those of you who aren't Canadian that stands for Royal Canadian Mounted Police) highway patrol car. As I looked down at the speedometer I saw that I was doing 115 KM/H. The problem was the posted speed limit was 100 KM/H. My heart began to race, I new that there was no way the officer would miss how fast I was going. As I saw him pull a u-turn, I knew that I was about to be pulled over for the first time in my life. His lights began to turn and I found a safe place to pull off the highway.

As I sat there a million thoughts raced through my mind. I thought of my wife, who as an RCMP officer was on the opposite side of this situation countless times. I looked at my WWJD bracelet I was wearing and realized that this was one of those moments where I had no choice but to confess my sin.

A smiling officer is standing outside my window. I roll it down and cheerfully say hi to him (amazingly, it wasn't an act, I really was cheerful). "Can I have your license and registration please sir?" Hmm, this guy is really nice and friendly. I hand him the papers he asked for. "Sir, do you know how fast you were going back there?" "I think it was about 115?" "Actually I clocked you at 121." "121 eh? Well that is definitely possible."

The officer walks back to his car to run my license through his computer. This strange calm has come over me. I actually feel good, even thought I know that it will take a miracle for me to avoid an expensive ticket. Five minutes go by, then ten, finally after fifteen minutes, I see the officer begin to walk towards my car with a yellow slip in his hand. I wonder how much is this going to cost me $150, $200? I wonder how many points will get taken off my license?

I roll down my window and he hands me the ticket. "Well Mr. Connors, I am going to let you off with a warning today. Please sir, slow down and keep safe." It was a warning ticket. You could have knocked me over with a feather. This officer had every right to issue me a very expensive ticket, yet he didn't. I stuttered a shocked thanks and began to pull away.

As I drove down the highway, carefully monitoring my speed, I began to reflect on what had just occurred. I thought of how nice that officer was. I thought of how many people probably sass him off and flip him the bird when he is just doing his job. I thought about the fact that he seemed genuinely concerned about my safety. I thought of my wife.

As I said before, she used to be an RCMP officer. She quit this job partly because of having to go to some horrific, fatal auto accidents. I thought again of the guy who had just shown me so much mercy, how he has probably seen a lot of the same things. I thought of how the last thing he wanted to do on that sunny Sunday afternoon was to clean another dead body off the highway. He really wanted me to keep safe.

I started thinking about God. First, to thank him for divine intervention in me avoiding that ticket. Second, I thought about why the Bible lays out direction from God on how to live our lives. Specifically, I thought about the actions that we are told to avoid. I think that God gives us this direction to keep us safe. I'm sure God does not enjoy cleaning up the wreckage of lives twisted into a crumpled mess by years of living separated from their Creator. God understands that moments of exhilaration often end with tears of tragedy.

I had confessed my sin to that RCMP officer and maybe that had played a small part in me being let off the hook. Amazingly, God does the same thing when I confess my sin. Far too many times to count, I have been let off the hook.

As the Psalmist wrote: "The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer." (Psalm 6:9)

Comments? Email Me

Insufficient Funds

2005-05-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

"But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" Exodus 3:11

I love the book of Exodus, it is definitely one of my favourite books in the Bible. How many of us can sympathize with Moses feeling inadequate for the task that God has called him to? I know I can.

That's where I am at right now.

As I begin my Bible college studies, I am excited by the opportunity to dig deeply into the Word of God. I am also pumped for the future, wondering how God will use me and the knowledge I acquire. I am also frankly, a little freaked out.

Like Moses I feel completely insufficient for this task. Who am I that God can use me? Moses bargained with God so much that his cousin Aaron ended up being part of his challenging of pharaoh. Unfortunately, I don't have that luxury. Right now I feel as though I have written a cheque that is going to come back marked insufficient funds.

As I write this confession, I am reminded of an incident a few months back. A very close friend of mine who leads a high profile ministry here in town, came to me feeling the exact same way. He told me that he felt he was not fit, or able, to lead his ministry anymore. I congratulated him, telling him that he was now in a place where God could use him mightily.

I guess it is time for me to put my money where my mouth is. I am insufficient for any task that God calls me to. I am not deserving of His grace, yet He freely gives it to me on a daily basis. Without God, I cannot accomplish any task that He calls me to.

Once again I turn to my namesake, the apostle Paul, who put it very well in 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10
"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Instead of worrying, running away from the difficult task that God has called me to. I must confess my weakness, give it to God, and trust in God's strength.

Comments? Email Me

Strange Days

2005-05-04T11:46:00.000-07:00

This is certainly an interesting time for me. On Monday, my doctor ordered me to stay off work for at least the next four months. To avoid losing my mind, I am going to do something that I've felt God leading me to do for a long time. I'm going to enroll in Bible school.

Now before you think I've lost my mind, I'm not going to be going to class full time or anything like that. Briercrest here in beautiful Saskatchewan is an excellent school with an awesome distance learning program. Distance learning is ideal for me for two reasons, first I can work as I feel up to it, and second, my short attention span doesn't like class room learning. I am not sure where this is going to lead, but I am looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity to learn.

Wish me luck.

I know I haven't been writing much lately. Frankly, I haven't felt up to it most of the time. Hopefully with this time off I will begin to feel like myself again.

Comments? Email Me

St. Anger?

2005-04-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

I love Metallica. I first fell in love with this band when I was about fourteen or so. They were on some awards show on TV playing the song One. I was blown away by the aggression of the music. I loved how fast they played, and yet, still maintained a melody. From that moment on, they were my favourite band. I don't listen to them much anymore, the truth is, I used to listen to them everyday, and I kind of wore them out. Despite this, I think I will always have a soft spot in my heart for this band, and they will always be one of my favourite bands.

The reason for this moment of confession is that I watched the Some Kind of Monster documentary today. It chronicles the trials that the band went through as they recorded their latest CD, St. Anger. The most interesting part of the documentary for me was when Metallica went to the San Quentin maximum security prison to film the video for the track St. Anger. I imagine that this must have been a very intimidating place for the band and their crew to go into.

At one point in the making of the video, concerns arise. Here they are, in a maximum security prison, surrounded by violent criminals, about to perform a song entitled St. Anger. The worry is that the inmates will become inflamed by this song and riot. James Hetfield, in a moment of extreme courage, gets up in front of the population and explains the meaning behind the song. He tells the assembled throng about his own struggles with anger, how if he didn't have music as a constructive outlet, he very well could be in prison with them, or even dead. It's at this point that he makes a very poignant comment.

"We all start off with the same sized soul."

I've never thought of James Hetfield as a spiritual giant before, but I think he might have touched on some truth here. I started thinking back to when I was a kid. The compassion that I had, the respect for all life. The complete individuality, not afraid to choose what is right as far as treating other people goes, even if it was an unpopular choice. It seems the older I get, the more I want to be the person I was when I was a kid.

Genesis 1:26 tells us that people are created in Gods image. This means all people, not the people who do good, not the people who go to church every Sunday, all people. If we do indeed start off with the same God-given image and potential, what happens along the path of life that causes some of us to get so far away from who we should be? Unfortunately, I don't have the answer to this question. What I do know, is that God wants us to have compassion on the fallen members of our society. This is certainly not an easy idea, our first instinct is hatred and retribution against those who do evil. Jesus' teaching on this subject is very clear though:

"Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Matthew 25:34-46

There are some in our everyday life who are difficult for us to love. They may have wounded you deeply, or they may just be annoying. Whatever the case, we must make a choice to forgive and love these people with the love of God. Don't be surprised when you make this choice that your feelings towards this person aren't magically changed. This kind of thing takes time. Have faith that God is working in you, and them, for good.

One other thing. Anger is seen by many people as being a completely negative emotion. This is not true. There are two kinds of anger. Destructive and positive anger. Destructive anger will cause many problems in your life. Over time as you allow this anger to fester and boil away inside, you will find that it destroys your innate image of God. As well, it often causes people to act out negatively, like those who are incarcerated in San Quentin.

Positive anger on the other hand, will give you the push you need to change things. To break the cycle and become a better person, to reach out to those around you who need it. This is the emotion that has fueled many of the great social change movements that we have seen. Still, positive anger must be tempered with the realization that any anger can become negative if not controlled constructively.

Comments? Email Me

The Wrong Road

2005-04-28T10:33:00.000-07:00

Once again I have this bad feeling that we are getting it all wrong.

I was reading something the other day, and it got me wondering, did Jesus mean to start a new religion, or have we hijacked the concept He had in mind?

Jesus, and His early followers were Jews, of this there is no doubt. His ministry took place in a primarily Jewish context. In fact, in Matthew 10 when Jesus sends the apostles out on their first mission, He directs them to work in Jewish areas. There are probably several reasons why He told them to do this, one of which may have been that He knew that He was going to eventually need many missionaries to reach those who did not know God. The Jewish people, who had at least some knowledge of God, were probably the best candidates for this missionary journey.

What exactly was Jesus's mission? His atoning on the cross was the culmination of His mission, we must never lose sight of that. Was there more to it than that? In Matthew 3 after Jesus has been baptized and tempted, as His earthly ministry was really about to get underway, He went to the Gentiles in Galilee. The text then goes on to say "From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." Matthew 3:17

The conventional meaning of repentance is to turn away from sin and ask forgiveness. When I read that verse, the thought comes to my mind, that in this case, repentance means turning from the way of life you have come to know, into a new way of life. Jesus was ushering in the era of the Kingdom of Heaven being right here among us (maybe it was always here, we just didn't realize it). Jesus is calling all of us into a new understanding of God. One in which, God becomes the pursuing lover of our souls. God is not concerned with burnt offerings or sacrifices anymore. The only thing that our Creator wants is to be in relationship with us.

This takes us back to the original question, did Jesus intend to start a new religion? I am sure that God knew that Christianity would spring forth from the experience of the first century disciples of Jesus. I wonder though, if instead of starting a new religion, God's real intention was to do away with religion all together (religion being mans attempt to pursue, and connect with, God). By saying that the "Kingdom of Heaven is near", did Jesus mean that the Kingdom of Heaven is in everything we do, there is no more need to go to temple to be in God's presence because God is present in every moment of our lives?

If this is so, then should we stop meeting together in church? I think the answer is, that we should reform the way we do church. Instead of church being a place we go to connect with God, we should be connecting with God in all of our lives. As God saw after the creation of Adam, it isn't good for us to be alone. Church should be about entering into a community. A place where we can build authentic relationships that help us navigate through the murky darkness that permeates our lives. Our church doors should be open to anyone, judgment belongs to God alone.

Here is another interesting thought (I can't take credit for this, I first heard this from Brian McLaren). Can someone be a follower of Christ without being a Christian? What I mean is, can you be a follower of Christ while staying within your cultural context? For example Messianic Jews are followers of Jesus who maintain their Jewish context. Does this open the possibility for Buddhist followers of Jesus, Muslim followers of Jesus etc.?

Maybe our concept of missions has been wrong since the start. Instead of ripping people out of the cultural context in which they exist, and labeling them Christians, maybe what we should be doing is exposing people to the love of Christ within their culture. Showing people that the Kingdom of Heaven is indeed near. Blessing them so that they may be a blessing to others within their culture.

I've heard many evangelists say that Christianity is not about getting religion, it's about having a relationship with God. It's time for us to put our money where our mouth is, so to speak, and see if we really mean what we say. Let's not make any more Christians, instead let's help people become followers of Christ, and then leave the next step up to them.

Comments? Email Me

Constant Companion

2005-04-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read the books of I and II Chronicles in the Old Testament? For many of us they are the most tedious, and least often read, sections of the Bible. The endless listing of who begat who may help the insomniac drift off to sleep, but otherwise they seem pretty useless.

I'm starting to see these books in a different light.

The reason why these books are so important to our Jewish brethren is because it was (and is) important for them to be able to trace their genealogy back to Abraham. To be able to show that they were purely one hundred percent Jewish.

I get something else from these books, however.

When I read through these listings of people, some I have heard of, most I have not. I begin to realize something, I begin to see just how important each and every person is to God. Imagine going through a listing of every person who every lived. That would be pretty tedious for you or I (not to mention impossible), but to our God in Heaven it is the greatest joy. Every life, and every person, is more precious than gold to God.

As some of you may have noticed, I have not written on this blog in over a week. The reason for this is that I have been suffering from some ill health. As I have gone through this time of difficulty, I have been keenly aware of the presence of God. In fact at one point, I had to spend a few hours in the hospital hooked up to an IV. I am generally not one to feel relaxed in a hospital setting, and yet this time, I didn't feel the anxiety that I usually do. As I got up to leave the hospital, I turned and saw a crucifix hanging above the bed. This symbol helped to drive home for me the fact that God was watching over me the whole time.

I am reminded of Job, who in his affliction, refused to curse God. Many of us feel that when things are difficult, God has abandoned us. The truth is, when times are tough, and when times are good, God is your constant companion.

Comments? Email Me

What a Treat

2005-04-17T17:31:00.000-07:00

Today at church, we had a unique treat. Christian Hip-Hop artist Redcloud, performed a freestyle rap for the congregation.

Redcloud (click here to check out some of his music) is in town to do a variety of performances and speaking engagements, (I just found out he's playing at my kids school tomorrow! I'm off so I will be checking that out for sure.) including our weekly youth service that we have at our church.

After the pastor spoke, he invited Redcloud up to speak to the congregation. This guy has an amazing story (He was a gang banger in grade 6, did his first drive by at age 7). I don't think there was a person in the place who wasn't deeply moved by what he had to say.

What impacted me the most, was how real this guy is. He stood there wearing shorts and a t-shirt, dreadlocked and tattooed, sharing the reality of who God is and what God has done in his life. After he was finished speaking, the pastor invited him to perform for us. His DJ got on the drum kit and Redcloud did a freestyle rap for us. A few of the older members of the congregation got up to leave. Somewhat surprisingly, they were very much in the minority. (I'm starting to think that this might be a pretty hip church!) The coolest part was when he was finished, he received a standing ovation. Redcloud may not be your stereotypical evangelist, but he was unabashedly himself.

To say I was inspired would be an understatement.

I used to have this weird feeling. I wanted to reach people for God, but I felt like I had to change a lot. I thought that you need to be glossy and shiny like Michael W. Smith, (this isn't meant as a shot at Mr. Smith, I love his Worship CD, in fact we played it at our wedding) to have a ministry. The problem is, no matter how hard I try, I'm not that shiny. In fact, the harder I tried, the less real I felt. Guys like Redcloud make me realize that we have to be as God made us. For me that means I'm a metalhead, I love Nascar and Spiderman, but I also love Jesus too. My dream is to be in some kind of ministry someday and I'm going to be me when I do it.

Come to think of it, I'm involved in full-time ministry right now, it's called life.

"Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him."
1 Corinthians 7:20

Comments? Email Me

Free Speech?

2005-04-15T08:28:00.000-07:00

This is a very disappointing story.

I have applauded the Episcopal Church in the past for having the courage to live out their conviction. However, silencing conservative critics, denying them their right to free speech, does no one any good at all.

What will this facism accomplish? Many see the Episcopal Church headed for the graveyard. If the reports I have read are true, attendance and membership in this church are declining. The future of this church was, and is, I believe, tied to bringing those who have felt castigated by other denominations in, while respecting the more conservative segment of their family. My hope was that this denomination could be an example of how believers with differing opinions could co-exist peacefully. Instead, I am afraid that the bell tolling the end of the Episcopal Church may just get louder.

Many who support the idea of changing ideas, will be as disturbed by this close-mindedness as I am. Those who would be otherwise attracted to this church will be turned away because of trading one form of intolerance for another.

The only way I can see to stop this critical error is for those in positions of power on the liberal side of the church to stand against this action. Their support for those who disagree with them would tangibly demonstrate the love of Christ, and placate many disturbed consciences. Imagine if Gene Robinson had the courage to stand up for these priests? That would make an incredible statement.

Then there is this story. Once again, whether you agree or not with the statements that were uttered, this censorship is disturbing.

What is happening in Christendom? Everywhere you look people seem to be attempting to silence their critics and those they disagree with. Free Speech appears to no longer exist in Christianity (maybe it never has?). If you disagree with conventional theology you remain silent or are shunned. If you are in favour of equal rights for all people, you become a heretic, and if you disagree with the appointment of a certain person as a bishop, you lose your vocation.

The loss of free speech for one is the loss of free speech for all. While I have no issue with the consecration of Bishop Robinson, and I personally believe the Pope is in Heaven, I wish to retain the right to make these statements. We must allow everyone to say what they think, even if we disagree with them. When we stop questioning, we stop growing.

Comments? Email Me

My Crazy Dream

2005-04-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

I have a dream that I want to share with you.

My dream is to one day pastor a church. I have a vision for what this church would be. Christians of all stripes would be there. Conservatives, liberals, and everyone else, would coexist peacefully. I would be the pastor, not because I have all the answers, but because I ask the most questions. My idea is that this church would be a place for dialogue, where people listen to differing opinions, and learn what they can from them.

That is a crazy dream.

A lot would have to change for this to work. Those whose opinions differ from those around them, would have to let go of their need to be right, and instead choose to be part of a dialogue. If, as a pastor, I am going to question and work towards spiritual growth, congregants would have to let go of the need to hear the same sermons over and over again, week after week. They would also have to be ready to hear things they may not agree with, at least at first.

Unfortunately, this may be a recipe for disaster. We humans have an inexorable need to be right. We are also very passionate, so when we hear opinions that we deem to be wrong, we attack, with deed and thought.

People often go to church looking for solace. When the time is right church certainly can, and should, give that. However, a church whose mission is to break down barriers, staying away from tried and true messages, may just be an empty church. Frankly, a church like this could very well implode.

There is one way where I think this crazy dream could work. Two words, house church.

A church meeting in a home is less formal, which would lead to more dialogue. When people attend the same church, tithing to it and helping it grow, they tend to feel an ownership of it. Now this isn't necessarily a bad thing, except people often feel betrayed when directions change. Factions form, leading to fractures. However, if we have zero investment, financially or emotionally, we may be more open to going off in new directions.

This church would need a clear mission statement, so people would know what they are getting into. Something that captures the inclusive nature of it, while setting some ground rules. Maybe there could be a different leader every week, so that we wouldn't focus too much on one point of view or another. Maybe even meet in a different home every week. This is a group that you'd probably want to keep relatively small.

The coolest part of this idea is, I think, that over time, this church would turn into a really authentic community. Where people prayed for each other, helped each other, and love each other. Even if their opinions and theology are different.

Like the school boy dreaming of a date with Pamela Anderson, this dream is probably an impossibility.

Still, it's an interesting idea isn't it?

Comments? Email Me

"Pluralisms"

2005-04-12T16:10:00.000-07:00

Great article on Gen Y and God.

Depending on how you look at this article, the future of religion is either very bleak or very rosy.

Call me an optimist if you will, but I see a lot to be excited about here.

I am excited by the fact that according to this article "more than half (of those surveyed) said they regularly pray before meals, and a third or more said they talk about religion with friends, attend worship services and read religious materials every week."

This is great news, young people, who may or may not consider themselves religious, are seeking God and taking time to thank God for their food before a meal. Others attend worship and talk about God with their friends.

It seems to me that if young people are talking God with their peers, there is a definite hunger to connect with something greater than themselves.

Good news indeed.

One thing I am concerned about though, is the use of pluralism as if it is a bad word. I haven't just seen that in this article, it is a common theme that has been running through a lot of what I have read online lately. To me religious pluralism is respecting the beliefs of others, learning what you can from their traditions, while seeing it all through the lens of Jesus Christ.

A quote from the article: "It also could mean an even deeper culture war, said Mr. Galston, as young Americans push their religious pluralism and a backlash emerges from other young Americans who don't want to lose traditional and religious moorings."

My prayer is that they are wrong. I look forward to a future where Christians become known for being tolerant of the beliefs of others. This fear of those around us who believe differently than we do, does nothing to advance the Gospel. In fact, it probably turns a lot of people off. Let's face it, the face of intolerance is an ugly one.

Later in the article the writer appears to choose a different definition of pluralism: "Generation Y members also were strongly religiously pluralistic -- only 7 percent said "all" their friends were of the same religion, and about 10 percent said they belonged to a non-Christian religion."

Instead of religious pluralism meaning a mish-mash of beliefs, it seems to refer to people of all religions being friends. This is the way it should be. We should feel free to associate with anyone, no matter their race, creed, or orientation.

Whichever of the "pluralisms" you choose, I see Christianity growing and becoming more vibrant in a society that affirms and respects all people. Christianity needs to shed the elitist reputation by which it has become known. I am afraid that far too often, we more closely resemble the Pharisees that Jesus spoke out against, than Jesus.

I had an interesting conversation with an associate at work the other day. The gist of what I was thinking was, I wonder how Christians would react if Jesus were here today. If He came back as He did the first time, God incarnate, incognito, how would we react? If He wanted to tear down our religious establishment that we cling to so tenaciously, would we want to send Him to the electric chair?

Probably not, we'd just shoot Him. It'd be easier that way.

Comments? Email Me

As God Leads

2005-04-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

Interesting article (you'll have to register with your email to read it) in the Baltimore Sun.

It is my feeling that the majority of Catholics (not just women), and the majority of Christians for that matter, increasingly practice their faith on their own terms.

And that's the way it should be.

Our relationship with God is a personal one, probably the most personal intimate relationship we will ever have. While we must respect those in authority over us, ultimate authority and our allegiance belongs to God.

Interestingly, the Declaration on Religious Freedom from the second Vatican Council reads "In all his activity a man is bound to follow his conscience faithfully, in order that he may come to God, for whom he was created. It follows that he is not to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his conscience. Nor, on the other hand is he to be restrained from acting in accordance with his conscience, especially in matters religious." The Catholic church, long seen as the last bastion of authoritarianism in Christianity, encourages us to live a personal faith.

My goal is to live my life as God leads. It is tempting to be legalistic, sticking to the tangible. This will only cause us to miss out on many of the blessings God has planned for us. We must be willing to trust and allow our preconceived notions to be changed.

What if we get it wrong?

Remember one thing, God loves you infinitely and extravagantly. When (not if) you make some mistakes along the way, take heart. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

As we blaze our own personal trail of faith, God is our constant companion. Gently guiding us through the difficulties of this life so that we become the person we were created to be in the next.

Comments? Email Me

I Am A Christian

2005-04-07T06:25:00.000-07:00

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin."
I'm whispering "I was lost,"
Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain,
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
who received God's good grace, somehow.

Author ~Maya Angelou~

Comments? Email Me

A Christian In The Mosque

2005-04-06T08:18:00.000-07:00

We Christians spend so much time fighting among ourselves (not to mention the lack of meaningful and respectful dialogue among people of different faiths), that it is easy to become cynical and lose heart.

Then I read something like this. This story took away a bit of my cynicism and restored a little bit of my faith in humanity. This brother in Christ truly fulfilled the Great Commission when he sat with his friends in that Mosque. He did not compromise his beliefs and he did not alienate the people he was talking to. Instead he respectfully shared his faith with his audience.

Some of my more conservative friends may say that he should not have prayed with the Muslims, but I think he did a great thing there. Again, he did not compromise his faith (he still prayed in the name of Jesus Christ), and showed humble respect that I am sure made Jesus proud.

Please take a minute to read the full story. I am sure you will be as blessed as I was.

Comments? Email Me

Cheapskate

2005-04-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

I'm a cheapskate. Not with money (although there are times when my wife might disagree with that statement, sorry about those unscented dryer sheets Hun), I'm cheap with God's Grace. I don't understand the real cost that was paid so that I can take advantage of His Grace. Instead, I still live day to day as if God owes me something, taking the blessings He puts in my life for granted.

I want to stop this.

I don't want to be lukewarm anymore. I want to bridle my tongue and live a life of discipline dedicated to pleasing God. I want to be as "good" of a Christian when no one is watching, as I am when I'm around those I want to impress.

We Christians often speaking about Jesus being our Lord and Saviour. Is He really? I think I am happy to accept the Saviour part, but when it comes to the Lord idea, I become a little uncomfortable. Like the student who cheats on an exam he never studied for, we want all of the benefits without the hard work. Brian McLaren says this in A Generous Orthodoxy:

"Doesn't the very importance of my personal salvation pose a kind of temptation-to want heaven more than I want good; to want escape from hell more than I want true reconciliation to God or my neighbours? An overweight man was concerned about his weight, so he had stomach bypass surgery, after which he continued to eat unhealthy foods. In the end he died sooner from a heart attack than he would have died from obesity. Couldn't this approach to salvation tempt us to be like this man? By wanting thinness more than he wanted health, he ended up with neither-this is the danger of wanting personal salvation above all."

Yes, Jesus is my personal Saviour. However, He is also much more than that. He is opening me up to new realities of how to live in this life. He is showing how to be a better person and how to be the person He created me to be. While the concept of a personal Saviour is important, so is fulfilling my mission in this life. I must not turn Jesus into a commodity, another "personal" piece of property that somehow I begin to feel I am entitled to.

Discipleship should come with some kind of cost. We must be intrinsically changed when we encounter Jesus Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer is well known for coining the phrase "cheap grace". He wrote in his classic The Cost of Discipleship:

"(cheap grace) is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate."

I have to be careful though. It's funny really, an interesting thing tends to happen when people are trying to be "good" Christians. Like children pointing out the misbehaviour of their sibling, we begin to focus on the sin of those around us. Why does this happen? I think when we are conscious of our complete poverty before God, we become embarrassed. Guilt wells up within us and to help alleviate these negative feelings, we point out the sins of those "really bad" sinners.

This too must stop.

Our journey of discipleship must never become a witch hunt. Nor should it become a quest to earn our salvation. Instead, it must be about achieving greater communion with God, and becoming the people that He created us to be. This journey should be an inward one of self discovery and personal growth. Attacking those around you will only stifle any growth that could occur. You will never be able to be a more complete disciple of Jesus by focusing on those around you. Accept your fellow human beings as God accepts you, sins and all. Allow God to convict them of areas in their lives that need to be changed, just as he convicts you of yours. Jesus accepted sinners into fellowship without judging them, and so should we.

Comments? Email Me

Factual?

2005-04-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

On the New Kind of Christian discussion list, an interesting (at least to me) topic has come up.
We are discussing where in the Bible metaphor ends, and factual recounting of events begins. Specifically, are the Genesis accounts of creation and Adam and Eve actual events or are they allegory? If they aren't factual events, does this make them any less important, or true?

I remember hearing the Genesis recounting of creation and the fall as kid and thinking that they probably weren't actual events (yeah, I know, I was a weird kid). Somehow though, this realization didn't make these stories any less true or important. I remember thinking that God gave us these stories to explain something to us that we otherwise could not understand with our limited human minds (I told you I was a weird kid).

As I became an and rediscovered Christianity, I sided with the opinion that the Bible was one hundred percent factual, literal, and infallible. I let go of the idea from my youth that Adam and Eve could be myth, in fact I felt that it was almost blasphemy to think so. Now though, as my thinking gets reformed, I am returning to the possibility that these stories may not be factual events.

To me, this idea does not diminish the truth or importance of these parts of scripture. I believe that God created the earth and everything in it. People were created in Gods image, given the power to choose between good and evil. More often than not, people choose to do what is wrong. God being perfect and holy, had to separate Himself from our evil deeds. Thus launching His romance with humanity, leading to the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ.

For many this idea will be a difficult one. They need the Bible to be exactly as it appears. I can understand the reasoning behind this, I used to need this myself. There is security in an infallible, entirely factual Bible. Still, I wonder if by thinking this way, we are losing some of the beauty of our scripture. Many faith traditions employ myth and allegory to communicate their teachings. Jesus often taught in parables. Maybe other parts of our tradition use allegory?

Regardless of whether God created the earth in six days or not, I trust the Bible. It is inspired by God and contains His plan for salvation.

This is factual.

Comments? Email Me

Hellish Thoughts

2005-04-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

On Friday, the president of an SBC (Southern Baptist Convention) seminary was speaking about the Pope on his radio show. He extolled the virtues of the then ailing Pontiff, how he respected him and how he admired his stand for life and morality. He then went on to say that despite his deep respect for him, he has flawed theology, and because of this flawed theology and denial of certain aspects of justification by faith alone, Pope John Paul II has no hope of making it to Heaven.

I do not agree with all aspects of Catholic doctrine. I do not agree with all of the decisions he made and opinions that Pope John Paul II held. The Bible teaches us, however, to respect and pray for those in authority. The Bible also teaches us that God alone judges.

"Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, "Move from here to there" and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20

Jesus taught his disciples that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. I also believe that faith as small as a mustard seed can save souls. On the day of judgment, many who held their salvation smugly throughout their lives, may just find that their faith was not pleasing to God. Many "sinners" who called out to God in their darkest hour, with voices weak and faith that was feeble, will hear "well done my good and faithful servant."

When we get to Heaven all that we know will disappear. Our doctrine that we hold so dear will be blown away like the chaff that it is. All that will be left is the magnificent goodness and mercy of the God who became incarnate in Christ Jesus.

Comments? Email Me

RIP

2005-04-02T16:08:00.000-08:00

Click here for more on Pope John Paul II

Walk The Walk

2005-04-01T08:30:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot about missions lately. Not the military kind, (although I have been thinking about those too), I mean the Christian kind. Specifically, what exactly it means to be a missionary.

Some people are genuinely called to go to other places to share the Gospel. Sometimes they do it while combining the Gospel with one of their other talents like medicine, well digging, etc. Not everyone, however, is called to leave their hometown to be a missionary. Does this mean that they aren't missionaries?

I've come to realize that my life is my mission field. God has called me to be the best husband and father that I can be. Many feel that they aren't really "doing anything for God" when they are, in fact, living the Christian life that God has called them to. The time has come for people to release themselves from this kind of self defeating guilt. Living your best in the life that God has called you to is "doing something for God."

What about at work? My goal is not for my faith to be overt to the point where people are thinking "oh no, here comes that Christian guy." This kind of interaction with people does absolutely nothing to share the Gospel. It probably hinders it more than helps it. Nor do I wish to hide who I am. Instead I attempt to live with integrity, and for my faith to be a part of who I am, just like any other characteristic that makes up my personality.

I have heard people speak of getting into "relationships with a purpose". The idea being that you should befriend people strictly to share the Gospel with them. This seems wrong to me. Suddenly Christianity has become a multi-level marketing scheme. Jesus gets into relationships with people because He genuinely cares for them. This is the example we must follow. I am interested in other people strictly because they are human beings. If they see a little bit of God in me, great. If I have the opportunity to share my faith with them, that's great too. I will not alienate people by forcing my faith on them, or become their "friend" with some ulterior motive. That is just wrong.

As an aside to this whole missions idea, I am getting away from the concept of Christian missions being about saving souls. Don't get me wrong, we must not ever minimize the cross and resurrection. Jesus came to save souls. I do not advocate a "crossless" Gospel. The thing is, Jesus also came to bring people into relationship with God. When I talk to people, it seems this is what they are most hungry for. Not salvation, but to know God, to know that there is something bigger than them out there that loves them and cares for them. Jesus, I believe is exactly that. Once, they have entered into relationship with God, salvation will come.

What will missions look like in the new millennium? I think that traditional missions as we know them will continue. I hope though, that in the future people will be sensitive to those they are helping, and the culture they live in (I know many missionaries do an admirable job of this, it is the minority I speak of here). Technology will open new mission fields, such as the internet. I believe though, that as our theology reforms and our understanding of our relationship with God deepens, more of us will begin to view our whole lives as a mission field. A mission field we walk through in integrity, with compassion and love, as faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ.

Comments? Email Me

Tacky With a Capital T

2005-03-31T04:39:00.000-08:00

This is really, ummm, nice.

Comments? Email Me

Evangelical Emancipation

2005-03-30T10:30:00.000-08:00

It's official, I no longer wish to be known as an evangelical Christian. I am grateful to evangelical Christianity, and all I have learned from it. The first church I ever joined was an evangelical church. I learned a lot about God there. A lot of my closest friends are evangelical Christians. They are great people sincerely seeking God. I just don't like what the term evangelical Christianity has come to represent.

There are a lot of great things about evangelical Christianity. I especially appreciate the clear presentation of the Gospel. The fact that salvation comes by faith in Christ Jesus and by no other means is well explained in every evangelical church I have ever visited.

The missional nature of most evangelical churches is admirable. Here are groups of Christians committed to sharing the Good News with the world around them. Sometimes their methods may fall a little short, but no one can argue with their sincerity. Ninety-nine percent of the evangelical Christians I know are great people.

At this point you are probably asking yourself, why does he want to be distanced from evangelical Christianity? It sounds like he has seen a lot of good in it. Before I move on to the con, let's look at the Webster's Dictionary definition of evangelical.

Webster's Dictionary defines evangelical as:
- Of, relating to, or being in agreement with the Christian gospel, especially as it is presented in the four [canonical] Gospels.
- Protestant
- Emphasizing salvation by faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ, through personal conversion, the authority of scripture, and the importance of preaching as contrasted with ritual
- Of, adhering to, or marked by fundamentalism.

I think the last definition is the reason I wish to distance myself from evangelicalism. Fundamentalism has become one of the dirtiest "f" words in my vocabulary. Fundamentalism represents those who are intolerant, harsh, and critical of those who disagree with their personal viewpoint. It characterizes those who are smug in their own salvation. So smug that they see those on the outside of their narrow sectarianism as truly being on the outside of God's salvation.

Fundamentalism leads to death of personal thought and responsibility. Instead of taking charge of your own spiritual growth, asking tough questions, and learning what God is saying to you. Fundamentalism leads people to follow along with the group consensus, rather than risk being wrong (or right).

Fundamentalism has come to represent Christians who believe that war is a great way to solve problems rather than a last resort to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Fundamentalism has come to represent those who are conservative in their thought and politics to the point of being closed minded. Fundamentalism has come to represent those who deny the rights of others if it disagrees with their ideal world view. Fundamentalism has come to represent what is ugly about religion.

It is ironic to me that the evangelical church has become a lot like what the Catholic Church used to be. They have the balance of political power (at least in the USA). They feel that their world view is God ordained and that when they speak, they are speaking for God. By all appearances, when they adhere to a belief or position, they recognize it as being infallible.

As the third point in the Webster's definition says, evangelicalism emphasizes Biblical preaching as opposed to ritual. I agree that hearing a message based on the Bible should be an important part of every church service, I am also rediscovering the value of Christian ritual. Not as a means to earn salvation, but as a channel to achieve communion with God. I wonder if in the future, many evangelical churches will themselves rediscover Christian ritual? For many of these churches it will be a difficult, if not impossible transition. They have painted themselves into a corner by teaching that ritual is wrong. They may have to admit their error as it pertains to this teaching, or risk alienating and losing many of their congregants. Maybe I'm wrong, but I personally see a lot of Christians of all stripes in the future practicing the disciplines of the Christian faith.

Some of you may be asking the question, so what kind of Christian is he now? The answer is, I am a Christian, plain and simple. I understand the need for labels. When you find a church or theology that you identify with, it is comforting to link yourself with that denominational tag. However, labels have a way of separating us into an either/or decision and I am not comfortable with this. I am not convinced that any one denomination or school of thought is one hundred percent right. I do not want to stifle my growth by identifying too closely with any single theology. I want to be free to study, question, pray, and grow.

So where does this leave me? As with anything, it is a lot easier to critique something from the outside, or to run away when things get uncomfortable. That is why I am choosing to still be involved in the evangelical movement on some level. I know that there is good in there, I just think that like a like of things that started out with noble intentions, the original idea got lost along the way. I will continue to worship in evangelical churches when given the opportunity, participate in evangelical Bible studies, and to assist in evangelical ministries whenever possible. I am going to take the good and leave the bad. Why? From talking to other Christians I am finding that there are a lot of others out there who feel as I do. The emergent church movement that is springing forth out of evangelicalism is more evidence of this.

The world will be a better place when we learn to let go of our need to be right, our need to have all the answers. It may not be the safest or easiest course to chart, but like anything that is difficult, the rewards will be great.

Comments? Email Me

Life And Death On CNN

2005-03-29T08:28:00.000-08:00

As I write this, it's Monday night and Terri Schiavo has not passed away yet. From all of the news reports I have heard today, her death appears to be imminent. The media circus that has surrounded the unfortunate circumstances of this woman's life has displayed contrasts in ugliness, and not much to really admire. The only positive I think we can take from this, is the undying love that her parents and siblings have for her.

Whether or not you believe in euthanasia, the concept that starving someone to death as a reasonable means of mercifully ending life is not only mistaken, it's idiotic. If I was to end the life of a sick dog by "mercifully" choosing to starve him to death, I would be (rightfully so) charged under animal cruelty laws. The idea that it is reasonable to starve another human being to death is morally repugnant to me. One only has to turn on the TV and see commercials urging us to donate money to help those suffering around the world from malnourishment, to see just how much people without the necessary sustenance to survive suffer.

The United States is the only western country that still employs the death penalty. Inmates on death row in the USA can expect an easier passage into the next life than Terri Schiavo.

On Easter Sunday, Terri's brother came out to address those who have been protesting outside the hospice where his sister has been living. He thanked them for their help, and then conceded that the legal battle had been waged and that they had probably exhausted all hopes of saving his sister. He encouraged the protestors to go home, spend time with their families, and given the religious significance of the day, go to church. The protestors ignored his pleas, instead they continued to maintain their vigil outside the hospice, taking advantage of every photo op they could.

Their protest is not really about a woman named Terri Schiavo. Their protest is about furthering their own cause. Mrs. Schiavo's story is a convenient one for them to latch onto to further their own agenda. If they truly cared for, and respected her, and what her family was going through, they would have treated her family's request with the respect it deserves.

On Monday, as I dozed on the couch with CNN on, I heard a Jesuit priest speak about the removal of feeding tubes being part of some Catholic teaching. This priest went on to encourage those watching to create a Living Will so that in the event they ended up like Terri Schiavo, they too could have their feeding tube removed.

The Catholic Church, which has long held itself up as the protector of lives of unborn children is actually supporting the killing of disabled adults? I'm more than a little bit confused here. I am sure that not all Catholics support this teaching. However, this does seem like some very mixed messages.

One of the weirdest parts of the segment for me was where Miles O'Brien , the CNN correspondent, actually got the priest to agree that the religious right had "hijacked Catholic teaching in this area."

Terri Schiavo will probably pass away within the week. After about another week or so of coverage, this story will join so many others in the abyss known as yesterdays news. I am ashamed, once again, of how Christians have conducted themselves in the public eye. Instead of reasonably standing up for someone who cannot speak on their own behalf, they have taken every opportunity to grandstand and make a spectacle of themselves. I firmly believe that so much more would have been accomplished and more hearts and minds would have been changed, if they had coherently presented their beliefs to the media.

Those who advocate for euthanasia have not been much better. They also have used this unfortunate situation as a means to further their agenda. They are just a little more media savvy than the religious conservatives so they came across a little better on CNN.

Personally, I don't support euthanasia, but I can understand why people believe in it. If there is one thing that human beings wish to have control over, it's their death. The idea of wasting away in a hospital somewhere, is a horrifying idea for all of us. However, I personally wish to leave the end of my life in God's hands.

If euthanasia is going to be something that we as a civilized society decide to undertake, we must find a more merciful way to make it happen than starving someone to death.

I'm not sure if we can blame Hollywood for the violence in movies, CNN for the way we were able to watch the deaths of those on the other side in the two Iraqi wars play out like some kind of video game, or some other cause. But, our society seems to have forgotten the sanctity of human life. Whether it is an Iraqi citizen, a disabled woman in Florida, or the homeless person living in your city. Until we once again see our fellow human beings as being created in the image of God, and respect their lives as being precious. We cannot call ourselves a civilized society anymore. The fact that a human life has become a political commodity cheapens us all.

I'll end this post with the words of John Donne:

No man is an island, entire of itself
every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main
if a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were,
as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were
any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind
and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls
it tolls for thee.

Comments? Email Me

Of Mustard Seeds And Faith Healings

2005-03-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

This was an interesting and blessed Easter weekend.

On Friday, my wife and I ducked out of work to attend Good Friday services at the church we usually attend, Circle Drive Alliance Church. For those of you here in Saskatoon, if you have kids, I recommend you check out this church. They have the best kids programs I have ever seen.

But I digress.

At the Good Friday service, all of the Alliance churches in Saskatoon were represented. It was cool to have a variety of pastors speak, and to see a lot of unfamiliar faces. One pastor from the Spanish Alliance church in particular really made an impression on us. He spoke with a great deal of passion, he had a fire in his heart for God that really came across in the short time that he had to speak.

At the end of the service, the pastor of Circle Drive, invited those who were suffering from any type of ailment to come to the altar to have an elder pray over them. For those of you who don't know me, I suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have tried a variety of drug therapies to attempt to stop the progression of this disease. As of yet, I have not found any relief. The latest treatment I have undertaken is once a week injections of the cancer drug Methotrexate.

I digress again.

I am pretty skeptical about people praying over other people for healings. I watch that Benny Hinn guy on TV and wonder to myself, "if he is such a great healer, why doesn't he fix his hair?" So, I wasn't exactly running up to the altar, but my wife encouraged me to go. As I walked up the pastor said "you may not get healed, but maybe you will receive Gods Grace to help you make it through." That statement touched me.

As I approached the altar the Spanish pastor and his wife came to pray over me. I was wearing my shirt from work. Ironically, one of the young ladies who works with me is their daughter. So, it started to seem a little more God ordained. I told him that I didn't have much faith in this area, he said that "the Bible tells us the smallest faith can move mountains." As they prayed over me I kept wondering if I was going to fall down like the people on TV do. I also felt incredibly self-conscious!

Right now you are wondering if I am healed. I'm not. I did, however, feel really blessed by the love that these two strangers had as they prayed over me. I walked away feeling God's Grace in spades, realizing that come what may, Jesus walks for me (sorry Kanye, I love this tune, to me it's one of the great new hymns).

Sunday morning. Tiffany and I wake up early. We need to go to an early service because we have to go pick up our daughters from their dad's house. The last two Wednesdays, I have been going to St. John's Anglican Cathedral, I have been really touched by the beauty of the liturgy there, and the open community that is the Anglican Church of Canada.

This morning they had an 8 AM service, which we checked out. Once again, the beauty of the cathedral, the solemnity of the Anglican mass, and the presence of God were keenly felt by me. The Bishop of Saskatoon shared a message. He spoke on faith the size of a mustard seed.
Seems like a theme this weekend.

He was talking about how in the Anglican church, any baptized child is permitted to take communion. One time, a particularly wise bishop was asked, "can children understand the full meaning of communion?" His reply, "my friend, I don't understand the full meaning of communion." The bishop speaking went on to talk about how many sitting in the pews that morning may not fully understand the resurrection, and what the significance of it is. He also said that the mere fact that they were there showed that they had faith the size of a mustard seed. Which as the Bible tells us, is enough to move mountains.

I don't fully understand or comprehend everything about God or Christianity. For instance, the Trinity, is something that I have trouble wrapping my head around. The best description I can come up with is that God the Father is the mind, Jesus is the body, and the Holy Spirit is the soul. This description seems woefully inadequate to me. It's the best that my three pounds of grey matter can do.

What about this mustard seed? I'm not sure if I've ever seen one or not. from what I understand though, they are really small. Apparently these small seeds grow into pretty big trees. How many of us are like that? Our faith is so small in some areas, me with my health, you with the whole Jesus thing, somebody else with the Bible, whatever it is that troubles you. Don't sweat the fact that your faith is small. Like I said before, the Bible tells us that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. It also tells us that anyone who asks of God will have the doors to understanding opened to them.

If there is one theme that we can take from this Easter season, it's that God understands us. He understands fear, He understands doubt, and He understands pain. Jesus is patient, He bears with us through it all. Nothing is beyond His capacity to love and understand us. Whatever your "thing" is, God wants you to give it to Him. He may not wear a flashy white suit, or have His own TV show, but that's a faith healing if I've ever seen it.

Comments? Email Me

Risen

2005-03-27T16:40:00.000-08:00

"After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” Matthew 28:1-7

On Good Friday, one of the pastors at the service I attended spoke of us gathering to "celebrate the crucifixion of our Saviour." With all due respect to that pastor, I don't personally feel the urge to celebrate the crucifixion. His torture was an aweful, grisly act, His death took Him into unspeakable horrors that we will never understand. Good Friday was not very "good" for Him, and in my heart, I cannot celebrate what He had to suffer for me. We cannot even begin to understand what it all really meant. What it was that He went through.

Today is the day for celebrating. The stone has been rolled away, the tomb is empty. Death and sin no longer have any power. Humanity is free like we have never been free before. We can come into the presence of God without fear.

He is Risen.

Comments? Email Me

Silence

2005-03-26T04:36:00.000-08:00

It's Saturday, the Sabbath. I can't stand just sitting here anymore. Running the events of the last few days over and over in my mind. Maybe if I write some of these thoughts down I'll feel better. Somehow though, I doubt anything will help right now.

What happened? How could everything have gone so wrong? I thought He was going to give us victory and freedom from the Romans! What were these last three years about anyway?

How could I have betrayed Him so easily?

The silence is deafening today. I am so confused, so sad, so ashamed. I wonder how everyone else is doing?

These last three years were the best years of my life. They weren't always easy and we definitely had a lot of opposition, but I never felt closer to God. I know that Jesus is the Christ, I know He is the Son of God. Or at least, I thought he was. I'm not sure what to believe right now. They killed Him. They didn't just kill Him, He was crucified. The death of a criminal! When I think of how they tortured Him before He was nailed to that cross, it makes me want to throw up.

My head is swimming. So many emotions, so many thoughts running around in my head. Great memories. Remember the mountaintop? Moses, Elijah and the voice of God! What an incredible moment. All the healings that He performed. He raised Lazarus from the dead. Why couldn't He save Himself?

I'm so confused!

This day is dragging on forever. I just want this Sabbath to be over so I can go see the others. I have to admit, though, I'm also afraid to face them right now.

What will I do with my life now? I guess I'll go back to what I did before I met Jesus. Seems like a pretty pale existence compared to what I've been doing lately. My life had so much purpose and meaning. I can't imagine living like I used to. I guess after the way I acted, I don't deserve anything better.

I just wish I could say sorry. This guilt is eating me up inside. God please forgive me for my weakness. I'm so sorry Jesus for turning my back on you.

I guess the revolution is over. I thought we were going to change the world. I thought we were going to finally be free and Israel would be returned to glory. Now, I don't know what to think about anything. I wonder if they will let me back into the synagogue?

Poor Mary. What she must be going through today. I wish I could do something for her, but I can't imagine looking her in the face after everything that's happened. Maybe I can send something over to her. Some food maybe.

When is that sun going to set! I can't stand just sitting here anymore.

This silence is deafening!

Comments? Email Me

Sounds Intense

2005-03-25T17:59:00.000-08:00

"From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which means, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, He's calling Elijah.
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him.
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, Surely he was the Son of God!" Matthew 27:45-54

I wonder just how dark it got that day. In my life I've seen some pretty bad storms roll in, where the sky gets incredibly black right in the middle of the day. Still, I imagine the darkest storm I've seen pales in comparison to what they saw on Calvary.

I don't want to write too much today. I feel that the usual poverty of my words would be magnified by the enormity of the event I would be speaking of. I do, however, want to look at one important aspect of Good Friday that I am afraid many of us do not understand the significance of (I know I heard it myself a million times without knowing what it meant).

"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom."

The curtain in the temple separated the main sanctuary from the "Holy of Holies". No one was allowed to go beyond the curtain except for the high priest, and even then he could only do it once a year. When he went in there, his normal priestly garb was accented by some interesting, and necessary accoutrements. He wore a bell and a rope. The bell was so that the people in the main sanctuary could hear him moving around, if the bell stopped ringing the rope was to pull him out because he had dropped dead. You see, it was a very likely possibility that due to his sinfulness God would strike him dead while he was in there.

Sounds intense.

When that curtain ripped, God was symbolically showing us the reality of what had just occurred. Namely, there was no more need for any kind of separation between man and God. Our sins were no longer a barrier to fellowship with Him and we can enter His presence without fear.

Now that is intense.

Comments? Email Me

Thanks

2005-03-24T07:17:00.000-08:00

"When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals"one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:33-34

Forgiveness. The defining theme of the Easter season. In fact, in many ways, it is the defining theme of Christianity. We have been forgiven so much, a great burden has been released from us. How can we possibly say thanks enough for this?

As I ponder over this reality, I realize that there is nothing that I can do to adequately express the gratitude that I have (or should have) for being forgiven. Yet in my heart, I feel compelled to somehow thank God. Words will only fall short, actions that I can perform are only a shadow of what Jesus has done. It seems there is nothing I can do.

Then I have one of those eureka moments.

Having an attitude of gratefulness is the best way to be thankful. Realizing that we are forgiven, and yet, having done absolutely nothing to merit this forgiveness. Being thankful for this truth, and instead of it making us self-righteous, it causes us to fall prostrate at the feet of our Saviour in humble adoration. This is the attitude, the lifestyle even, that will properly express our gratitude.

How easily we forget how much we have to be thankful for. How often the cares of this world define our lives. Let's face it, when things are hard, it is easy to forget how blessed we are. Does God castigate us for this? Actually, part of the beauty of Jesus is that He understands when and why these things happen. Would He prefer that we were able to live in gratitude in difficult times? Yes, but not because it is something He needs, it is what we need. Like a loving father, God shows us the way to righteousness because it is what is best for us.

There is another we can demonstrate our gratitude to God.

Live your life.

God has called us all to live for Him. For some of us that means very different things. Many of us aspire to be in full-time ministry, or to have some other tangible way that we serve God on a regular basis. This in and of itself, is not a bad thing. We must remember though that not everyone is called to full-time ministry (and that's ok). We must also remember that sometimes God will call us to worship differently than those around us (and that's ok). Sometimes too, our interpretation of scripture may be different than those around us because God is speaking to you in a different way (and yes, this is ok too.) You are an individual, that is who God wants you to be. Jesus calls us to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, it's ok to think about scripture, its ok to not accept the conventional interpretations, and to prayerfully find what God is saying to you.

This time of year is all about liberation. As I write these words I feel so much gratitude for this freedom. I am free to be me, I am free to follow God as He shows me. I am free from the condemnation that sin brings.

For all of these things, I say thanks.

Comments? Email Me

This Is Cool

2005-03-23T20:00:00.000-08:00

The folks over at Good Friday? Have an online stations of the cross going. I encourage you to take a few minutes and meditate on the Passion of Jesus Christ.

Comments? Email Me

C n E'ers

2005-03-23T15:34:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid I attended a Roman Catholic church with my family. Every year at Christmas and Easter the church was always a lot more full than usual. This spike in attendance we attributed to the "C n E'er's", which stood for Christmas and Easter. The only two times of year that "these people" would attend church. At the time I got the distinct impression that these people were no better than pagans who sacrificed their children to some unknown God.

As I have grown older my feelings on this matter have softened considerably. I am, however, left with an interesting question. Why is that people feel compelled to attend church on these specific dates and at no other time? The obvious answer is that they do it out of a sense of duty. Still, I think their may be more to it than that. Somehow, even those who don't practice their faith, feel that something sacred is at work this time of year. Let's face it, if there is one day out of the year that you are going to go to church, Easter seems like a very good choice to me. It's probably your best chance on any given Sunday to get a very clear presentation of the Gospel.

After I read over that last sentence I wrote, I can see where the last three years or so I have spent in evangelical church circles have really rubbed off on me. For those of you who aren't familiar with evangelical churches, I'll give you a bit of background on them. Evangelical churches, as the name implies, are very focused on proclaiming the Gospel to the world. I don't say this as a commentary in any way, just as a statement of fact. Most of the great evangelical leaders (Billy Graham, Max Lucado, etc.) have dynamic ministries that use a variety of means to share the Gospel.

I wonder though, is getting people to believe in the Gospel all that we should be focused on? I am saying this having been a part (and still in many ways am a part) of the evangelical movement. I have just been questioning lately whether there is something even bigger that we can aspire to. Instead of being focused on saving souls and getting people into heaven, maybe our biggest focus should be on bringing people into a relationship with God. While I believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. I also believe that what God desires most is to have a relationship with us. The God that I have come to know is not cold and impersonal, focused on our faults or good deeds. The God I know is interested in who I am and in walking through my life with me everyday.

How do we temper this? How do we balance our need to fulfill the great commission while not neglecting the reality of who the God incarnate in Christ Jesus is? We must also be cognizant of the fact that many times in our attempts to fulfill the great commission, we come off being judgmental, which does far more to hinder the Gospel than to spread it.

The United Church of Christ in the United States has begun an ad campaign that has stirred up quite a bit of controversy. This commercial in particular has led many to comment. I am not going to wade in here myself (I've done enough social commentary lately). I saw the commercial on CNN today, I have to say I liked it. This is the kind of thing that is going to bring people to church. I also believe that this is the kind of approach that will help bring people into a relationship with God. Nowhere is the Gospel mentioned per ce' and yet the Gospel is presented very clearly at the same time. People are shown that in Jesus there is no condemnation, that they can come to Him just as they are.

This Easter season, as I ponder what Jesus did for me on the cross I want to understand it on a new level. Not just as a means to my salvation, but to also see it as God removing any barriers that could ever come between us.

Comments? Email Me

Convicted

2005-03-22T06:41:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post reports on thirty Muslim employees of Dell Computers who quit their jobs rather than compromise the tenets of their faith.

I have a lot of respect for adherents to Islam. While at times in my life I have debated Muslims in an attempt to prove to them that their faith is wrong, I repent of this sinful action realizing that I was wrong to do this. Christian beliefs must never be spread by the sword or with a raised voice. As followers of Jesus we are called to live humbly and respectfully with those around us. I may not agree with all they believe, however, I understand that Islam calls for a deep commitment and whenever I think of Muslims, the word discipline comes to mind. Every Muslim I have ever known has been a kind and thoughtful person. As far as this article goes, I am incredibly impressed with the courage and conviction that these workers demonstrated. As the article states:

"For Halane, he said, the ultimatum came as a surprise at a 1 a.m. meeting, in the middle of his usual overnight shift, when he and his Muslim co-workers were called into the plant's cafeteria.

"They said, 'From now on, you have to stay without praying, or you are terminated,' " Halane said in a telephone interview. " 'If you want to leave, leave, if you want.' We put down our badges and left."

They put down their badges and left. No questions, no attempt to compromise. We are Muslims, this is who we are. We cannot, and will not, be separated from this reality. We will happily search for work rather than live a lie or compromise who we are.

The article closes with:

"While Halane said that he would go back to his job if Dell and Spherion decide to make allowances for Muslims who need to pray, Abdi H. Nuur, another former worker at the plant said he would not. "The only thing that keeps us alive is our faith," he said. "It's easy to find another job."

I feel like I have a lot to learn from these people. How often do I compromise? How many times do I neglect to openly thank God for a meal in the lunch room at work? How often do I ignore my values in the name of success? How often do I live as the salt and the light that Jesus called me to be? The truth is, far to often, I trade the reality of who I am because it makes my professional life easier.

These folks have it figured out. So many of us (myself included) feel like our security comes from our jobs. Knowing that we will get a paycheck every two weeks can lull us into forgetting the truth about where our security really comes from. As Abdi h. Nuur said "the only thing that keeps us alive is our faith." No matter how successful I may be at work, everything is still a gift from God. I must never take that reality for granted.

I am deeply convicted by the courage and the commitment that I see here. As we come to the Easter season, I realize that Jesus embodied this kind of all or nothing commitment. Over and over again we see in the Gospels how Jesus never compromised His message even though it meant that those around Him thought He was insane, or threatened to stone Him, or push Him off a cliff. If Jesus could go to the cross for me, the least I can do is thank Him for my lunch at work.

As Christians we should never minimize how much we can learn from those of other faith traditions. While we may not share all of the same beliefs, courage and conviction are universal. Taking away the freedom of someone from any faith tradition to worship as they choose infringes on our ability to worship as we choose.

That is a reality that should make us all uncomfortable.

Comments? Email Me

What If I'm Wrong?

2005-03-21T06:26:00.000-08:00

It's a beautiful spring day. The sun is shining, the temperature is finally comfortable enough to spend more than five minutes outside. You decide to seize the opportunity to change the oil in your car. As you begin to putter, your six year old, comes outside and begins to ride her bike around you. Soon she is hanging out under the hood, taking an interest in what you are doing. She is learning about life, about you, but you are also just enjoying the time spent together. She sees you need a tool and volunteers to get it for you. So you ask her for a 13mm wrench, she's a child, chances are she may pick the wrong one. Do you scold her? No, you just take pleasure in the fact that she is trying and continue to enjoy the time together.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:7-11

What if our Biblical interpretation and exegesis are all wrong? Will God forever cast us into a lake of fire because we misunderstand what He is trying to say to us in a particular passage? Or, will God delight in the fact that we care enough to try?

The other day as I was agonizing over a particular passage of scripture, I closed my eyes and began to pray that God would enlighten me as to what He was trying to say. Before I got very far, my dog jumped up on my lap and licked my nose. I opened my eyes and she was sitting there, with a sheepish look on her face. As I laughed at her, I suddenly realized this was God's way of tapping me on the shoulder and telling me to lighten up.

How does a baby learn to walk? By taking a few steps and then stumbling. Lets face it, the chances are very good that any interpretation we make is going to be flawed in some way. Rather than attack someone else for their interpretation of a particular passage, we should allow them to have it. Humbly understanding our own limitations and realizing that God speaks to different people in different ways.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

Comments? Email Me

Blessed and Distressed

2005-03-20T19:31:00.000-08:00

This is an awesome article. Gene Robinson, does an awesome job of explaining why the resurrection is such a critical aspect of Christianity:

“The Early Church rarely preached anything but Jesus' resurrection from the dead. All else seemed irrelevant and insignificant next to the magnificent news that the bonds of death had been broken, and the Reign of God had begun. In the time since then, however, it seems we have become obsessed with focusing on Jesus' teachings and on finding his instructions on life's little problems, and feeling a near-embarrassment about preaching the resurrection. In our attempts to distance ourselves from irresponsible and future-oriented pie-in-the-sky theology, we perhaps have lost the ability or inclination to proclaim the resurrection.

The fact is, at least for me, the resurrection makes all the difference in how I live my life. The resurrection is how I can "be not afraid," but instead be a bold and active witness to the love of God.”

Death has no control over us anymore. We can live a life free from fear knowing that we are just visitors passing through. Our destination, in fact our true home, is Heaven. The things of this world are not our focus or our hope. Jesus did come to teach us many things, however, His ultimate goal was to reconcile us to God through His death on the cross and His resurrection.

Many love Christmas because it is so festive. I can understand this, the Christmas season is a joyful time spent with family and friends. For me though, Easter is my favourite holiday. It is the time of year when the love and acceptance that God has for all of us becomes so abundantly clear to me. When I understand what Jesus went through for me. Suffering the punishment for my many sins and rising from the dead so that I can enjoy eternal life with Him, I realize why Christianity is so different from every other belief system, and why Jesus is so different from anyone else who ever lived.

Now here is when I got distressed:

“When I was preparing for my consecration as the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire, I was getting a lot of death threats. Preparations were being made for the consecration security, and I was asked for my blood type, so that preparations could be made for immediately beginning medical treatment on the way to the hospital, should something violent take place. I remember saying to our two grown daughters, who were worried and anxious about my well-being, "You know, there are worse things than death. Some people actually never live -- and that is the worst death of all. If something does happen, remember that the God who has loved me my whole life, will still be loving me, and I will have died doing something I believe in with my whole heart.”

For those of you who don't know who Gene Robinson is, he is the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire. The reason that this is significant is because he is the first openly gay person to hold the office of bishop. Why am I distressed? I am blown away (no pun intended) that Bishop Robinson had to endure death threats. I cannot believe that people who claim to follow Jesus Christ could reconcile themselves to the idea of threatening the life of someone else. This so obviously goes against everything Jesus stood for. What bothers me even more than this though, is the lack of a public outcry in the Christian community that this happened. I heard many Christian leaders speak out against the consecration of Bishop Robinson. In fact, at the time of his consecration, I agreed with them. Yet, not a single leader that I am aware of had the courage to stand up and speak against those who threatened to take his life. Whether you agree with him becoming a bishop or not, the protection and sanctity of all human life is paramount to what it means to be a Christian.

Many have issues with Bishop Robinson serving in the church because of his lifestyle. Many see the way that he lives as being sinful and against the teachings of the Bible. Regardless of whether or not this is true, if we only allowed those without sin to serve or be part of the church, the church would be vacant.

The truth is, God works through sinners because thats all He has available.

Comments? Email Me

Compassion

2005-03-19T07:02:00.000-08:00

It sounds like God is doing an amazing thing in this prayer room.

Last summer I had the opportunity to go to Vancouver on business. After a day of meetings, some work acquaintances and I went out for supper and to look around Vancouver. We ended up in a very touristy part of town known as "Gastown", which unbeknownst to us is leads into the area known as the worst postal code in North America. We went into a nice restaurant and had some dinner, when we were leaving the restaurant we were warned not to turn to the left, as this would take us into a very undesirable area. No sooner had we left the restaurant when a panhandler, who was obviously very intoxicated, offered to put on a performance for us in exchange for money. He was quickly joined by another panhandler who offered a similar service, only slightly cheaper. At this point they began to argue about who should be allowed to beg from us.

Panhandlers are nothing new to me. I have been seeing them my entire life. What was different about these panhandlers was the sheer desperation they embodied. They needed our money. They needed a fix, and they needed it bad. I wanted so badly to do something that would help them, giving them money in this instance, however, was not the answer. I couldn't shake though, the dichotomy at work here. Here we were a group of people, without this desperate need for drugs, here they were our fellow human beings, needing a hit so bad they would have done anything we told them to do. One of them even followed us for a while until it became quite clear that he was not going to get anywhere with us.

What is different about that guy and me? The phrase "there but for the grace of God go I" springs to mind. Since my experience there I have kind of kept an eye on what is happening in this part of Canada. I know the mayor of Vancouver wanted to introduce safe injection sites with free clean needles to the drug addicts. Many people, understandably, were up in arms at this idea. I wonder though, is not having safe injection sites, and having them shoot up anywhere with dirty needles a better option? While we shouldn't encourage their drug use, frankly, ignoring the problem is not going to make it go away. Maybe if they were in a safer area, with clean needles, less of these people would die as a result of their addictions. Maybe in this safe area, counselors could be made available to them, maybe some of them would even be able to kick the habit and turn their lives around. We cannot turn our backs on the least in our society and still refer to ourselves as a civilized nation. As Christians, Jesus implores us to do everything we can for the least of our brothers, in fact He tells us that everything we do for them, we do for Him.

I don't know what the answer to this complex issue will be. Chances are it will never go away. I certainly agree with the idea that it will take a mighty movement of God to have an impact there. However, these people are still human beings deserving of compassion.

Comments? Email Me

Reread

2005-03-18T10:52:00.000-08:00

We are reading the Bible wrong. It has become a textbook or encyclopedia from which we believe we can get all of the answers for our life's questions. We aren't doing the Bible justice when we read it this way. Yes, the Bible does contain answers, but it is a text full of questions too.

We speak of a personal relationship with our Saviour, but attack a personal understanding of scripture. We have become so regimented in our Biblical interpretation that we are unable to reconcile ourselves to the fact that we may be wrong. I wonder how many of the interpretations that we hold so dear, that have become our dogma, are in fact misunderstandings or misappropriations of Gods Word.

1 Peter 1:23 “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

If Gods word is indeed living, won't it say different things to different people at different times? We look for a movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives, but deny it when He speaks differently from our preconceived understandings of the Bible to us.

I have to be honest, for the last week or so I have begun to feel a bit anxious. As my theology has begun to be torn down and rebuilt, I have worried that I am re manufacturing God in my own image. Reverting to legalism at this point is tempting. I must admit that I have a new empathy for why legalism is so attractive to many of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Legalism gives a measure of control. It is much more tangible than simply trusting in the love of God. But at what cost does this security come? Legalism breeds anxiety, causing you to look outside yourself to the mistakes of others. This should not be!

Brennan Manning writes in Ruthless Trust: "Of what avail is our life of prayer, our study of scripture, theology, and spirituality, if we do not trust the insights we have received? Waffling back and forth between a decisive yes and a discouraging no keeps us in a state of terminal procrastination. Likewise, an exclusive emphasis on the burning theological issues of the day (many of which are neither burning nor theological) or a one-sided emphasis on the pressing issues of social justice can temporarily or even permanently postpone a decision to trust in the love of God, thus keeping us in a state of spiritual limbo."

As I began to waffle in my own ruthless trust I came upon this piece of scripture:
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a doubleminded man, unstable in all he does.” James 1:5-8

God is calling us into a new understanding of Him, scripture, and each other. The old ways aren't working anymore, at least they are not for many of us. The number of people who desire a relationship with God, yet stay away from our churches in droves, speaks very eloquently to this reality.

How then do we change how we read scripture? I have written before how a modern understanding of the sacraments and Christian practice could be an integral part of rethinking church. There is a way of approaching scripture known as lectio divina that could assist us in rethinking scripture. When we read the Bible we use reading plans and plow through the text with idea of covering the most we can in the shortest time possible. This is an understandable compulsion in our busy age. However, lectio divina forces us to prayerfully and slowly go through the Bible. Allowing God to whisper to you through the words on the page. You may only get through a verse or two at a time reading the Bible this way and you may even have to reread the same passages over and over again. I am confident though, that the insights you gain will make the time spent very worthwhile.

Comments? Email Me

Merciful?

2005-03-18T09:08:00.000-08:00

In 1990, at the age of 26, a woman by the name of Terri Schiavo collapsed in her home. Oxygen flow to her brain was interrupted for five minutes, which resulted in severe brain damage. Since this date she has been in what has been described as a "persistent vegetative" state. Her prognosis for any sort of recovery is nil.

Today, in the name of mercy, this woman is set to have her feeding tube removed. The idea being that starving her to death is a better option than continuing to live with the mental capacity of a six to eleven month old child.

When my cat went into liver failure, I took him to the vet and he was euthanised with an injection. The procedure was quick and painless. If I had chosen to starve him to death over a period of days or weeks I would have been charged under animal cruelty legislation.

Merciful?

Comments? Email Me

Cool Experience

2005-03-16T19:51:00.000-08:00

Today I had a cool experience. I haven't had much opportunity to go to church lately, I've worked the last couple of Sundays and had been unable to make the Tuesday night service this week. Lately, I have been doing a lot of investigating into the Anglican church. Part of the reason is that one of the main characters in Brian Mclaren's book A New Kind Of Christan, Neil Oliver (NEO) is an Episcopalian (Anglican church of America). Also, the tolerant stance that the Anglican church has taken towards all people is attractive to me.

St. John's Cathedral here in Saskatoon has a mid-week service at 12:10 every Wednesday afternoon. I walked into this beautiful old church unsure of what to expect (I've never been in an Anglican church before). A nice lady showed me that the service was actually going to be in a small chapel off to the side of the main sanctuary. There was only about eight of us in the service. The minister came in and guided us through the liturgy using the Book of Common Prayer (which I found very helpful, it made following along a lot easier). In a lot of ways the service was similar to what I have experienced in the Catholic church I grew up in. The Anglican church allows any baptized Christian to take part in Holy Communion, so I was able to go forward with everyone else and take part in this beautiful, and extremely meaningful sacrament. After the service the minister shook my hand and she told me how nice it was I was there today (I think she was surprised to see someone quite a bit younger than the rest of the people there!)

I was really touched by the solemn reverence of the service. Sometimes I must admit that I do miss some of the liturgical beauty of the Catholic tradition. Reading the amazing book The Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster has really opened my eyes to the beauty inherent in the ancient practices of the Christian tradition. I have come to embrace these traditions more and more as I see them as being able open our minds and hearts to the incomparable Grace of God, while not being necessary to receive His grace. What turned me away from these practices is the idea that we must complete them to be able to receive the grace and love of God. This is untrue in my opinion, God's love and grace is there for everyone. Being able to share the Holy Eucharist with these brothers and sisters in Christ who are otherwise strangers to me, really opened my eyes to what the church could, and should, be.

I will definitely go back.

Comments? Email Me

What On Earth Am I Here For?

2005-03-15T19:55:00.000-08:00

This is the subtitle to Rick Warren's best seller, The Purpose Driven Life. I haven't read this book yet. Not because I am against Rick or any of his teachings, as many who comment on line are, I just haven't felt the urge to get into it yet. I do think that Rick may be on to something in his book.

Why are we here? What is our purpose in life?

Think of the greatest dream you have ever had in your life. No matter how outlandish or improbable it seems now, just think back to when you were a dreamer. Does that dream seem a million miles away now? How about the person that had that dream, can you still recognize him in the mirror? Now ask yourself an even more difficult question, do you like the dream, or is it the idea of the dream? What would you have to accomplish for your life to be a success? Money, power, fame? Some combination of the above? I know that for myself, the idea of something is often better than the reality. Still, life is richer with dreams, no matter how outlandish they may be.

We were created by God. We can only achieve our true purpose in life with God. You may achieve worldly success without God. If you work hard enough you can probably become at least somewhat successful at what you put your mind to. Will you achieve your purpose though? An easy way to figure this out is to look at what you are doing and why you are doing it. If your ego is overly boosted by what you do, or if your walk with God is negatively affected by what you are doing, than you may not be living in your purpose. Or, if you are, you are not fully achieving your purpose because your motivation is flawed.

I know that often, my personal motivation is flawed. I measure my success by how my peers measure my success. If those around me see me as being successful, I am successful. If not, then my mood falls and I feel the sting of failure. This is wrong. If I am walking as God wants me to walk. If I am kind to those around me, basically, if I am living my Christian purpose, I am successful. I may never be rich, powerful, or famous, but I am successful.

“..whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Living like this will be a very liberating experience for you. If your life is not measured by success or possessions, you will have far less anxiety. When the times of failure do come, instead of being dashed by them, you will be able to see God's greater purpose in these experiences.

After all, isn't that what we are here for?

Comments? Email Me

Romans 8:38-40

2005-03-14T19:56:00.000-08:00

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-40

Not even murder.

What an interesting story to come out of Atlanta, Georgia. A man goes on a murderous killing spree, after horribly assaulting a fifty three year old grandmother. He embarks upon a reign of terror that lasts several hours and ends up in the apartment of a single mother, holding her at gunpoint. After some tense moments, he begins to relax, and even allows the woman to read a book called The Purpose Driven Life to him. Deborah Caldwell from Beliefnet writes:

"Ashley Smith picked the book off her nightstand and began reading chapter 33 to Brian Nichols, who earlier in the day had murdered four people in a shooting spree, sought shelter in Smith's apartment, and then took her hostage. On Day 33 of the book, Warren writes, "We serve God by serving others. The world defines greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige, and position. If you can demand service from others, you've arrived. In our self-serving culture with its me-first mentality, acting like a servant is not a popular concept."

As the hours rolled on, she read him portions of the book--and convinced him that his life had a purpose, given to him by God. Smith suggested to him that God's vision for her life was to help Nichols see his own purpose--evangelizing in prison."

Whether or not you are a believer, whether or not you believe in divine appointments, it is hard to argue with the idea that something greater was at work here. Here is a man, who in his past had professed faith in Jesus, brought to the home of a woman who is a believer. Not only that, but a woman who was able to eloquently reach this man who was obviously in a sociopathic state.

What can we learn from this? As the verse I quoted at the beginning of this post states, nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. You've probably never killed anyone, you've probably never even done anything really bad, yet there are many times in your life that you feel like the love of God is a million miles away. This story is living proof that God loves everyone. If He is willing to work to reach someone on a rampage, He is willing to meet you. After all the hype about Rick Warren (both pro and con) and The Purpose Driven Life has died down, this will be the greatest lasting lesson we can take from this.

Now don't get me wrong, this doesn't excuse what Brian Nichols did. If convicted He will have to pay the consequences for his crimes. My prayers go out to the family and friends of his victims. I am just encouraged by the fact that God is willing to work in anyone's life.

Comments? Email Me

Well Said

2005-03-12T05:24:00.000-08:00

Check this out.

Comments? Email Me

The Logical Song

2005-03-11T18:07:00.000-08:00

Over and over again, as we debate theology and doctrine we come back to the same conclusion. We feel that our point (whatever it is) is the only logical one.

Logic. The last bastion of human control.

Now don't get me wrong. I love a spirited theological discussion. Even if I completely disagree with what you say, I enjoy the opportunity to hear your opinions. My faith grows whenever I consider new ideas. Still, what is our logic worth at the end of the day? Can our understanding ever compare with our all-knowing, Almighty God? The real question is, where does logic end and faith begin?

Human logic forces certain assumptions. For something to be logical, it has to be explainable. God is One who cannot ever be fully explained no matter how hard we try. While we are created in God's image, we cannot compare to God's intellect. There are some things that will always be beyond our grasp.

For many, this is an essential stumbling block on the road to faith. Atheists cannot reconcile the idea that there is a God who loves them and created everything around them. This school of thought does not mesh with their understanding of our fallen world.

Some days, to be honest, I don't blame them.

Logic looks around me and sees evil deed after evil deed, inhumanity upon inhumanity, and wonders how people sink to these levels of depravity. The atheist (or agnostic) sees this and wonders where a loving God fits into this chaos. If God is so loving, why doesn't He stop bad things from happening? Ironically, it is because He is a loving God that these things happen.

We are given free will. When God created us, he did not want a planet populated by marionettes who He controlled like some supernatural puppet master. Instead, He gave us the power to think, act, and choose for ourselves. Unfortunately, we often choose to think and act in a wrong manner. Instead of wiping us all out, or forever abandoning us to our evil desires, God became incarnate and died for our sins. Now, to people of other faiths, this idea is completely illogical. They cannot understand how someone could pay the price for the sins of another. To me, however, it makes perfect sense. How can I, an imperfect and continuously sinful creature, ever do anything to reconcile myself to God?

Logic, like a lot of things is relative, I suppose.

To answer my own question, to me logic ends and faith begins at the cross. Its a cliché' we've heard a thousand times before. Still, whenever I see a crucifix, I am reminded that I am accepted. That all of my mistakes, screw ups, and lack of faith is understood. I no longer have to live in fear of a harsh judgmental Deity, who salivates at the opportunity to point out my mis-deeds, or to smite me for them.

I am also learning another thing about faith. Real faith begins in the dark. When life is stressful and difficult, when the voice of God is a faint whisper, when the felt presence of God is a distant memory, if I can still trust in the fact that I am loved and accepted, my faith is real. True faith doesn't happen on the mountaintops. As great as these moments are, trust lives in the valley.

I want real faith. I do not want my faith to be measured by my moods, feelings, or circumstances. I resolve to accept acceptance and to love being loved. Whether it is logical or not, this faith for me is enough.

How about you?

Comments? Email Me

Respect

2005-03-10T16:34:00.000-08:00

Profiles Of The 4 Slain Officers

Comments? Email Me

Back To The Future

2005-03-08T20:39:00.000-08:00

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. James 3:10-12

We humans are an interesting bunch. While we are capable of acts of great selfless beauty, sometimes we can be selfish and ugly.

What a dichotomy.

Our words can be so gentle and so biting. Our actions, attitudes, even our facial expressions can be used to bless those we love the most. Then there are the moments we regret. When these same actions wound those we cherish so deeply.

All of us have moments in our life that we regret. Slammed doors, stupid arguments, things we said (or left unsaid). If we could just go back in time, take a mulligan, and do that moment right, our guilty conscience could be cleared.

Unfortunately, unless you drive a DeLorean equipped with a flux capacitor, chances are you can't do that.

So how do we fix it?

As hard as it is, we have to own our screw ups. At the root of most of these actions is pride. If we hadn't allowed our pride to control us in the first place, we probably wouldn't be in this mess. Jesus taught a lot about pride. It is obviously something that He knew would be a stumbling block to us. It blocks us in our walk with God and in our relationships with each other.

Fortunately, I have some good news. Pride is a universal condition of the human race. Sure, you did something seriously boneheaded because your pride got in the way. So has everyone else. As Paul wrote to the Ephesians: "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." (Ephesians 4:2) Remember that you are subject to the same faults as those around you. Forgive infinitely, love unconditionally, imitate the acceptance you have received from God.

By the way, when I say forgive, I don't just mean those around you, let yourself off the hook while you are at it. See every mistake as a learning experience, begin each day anew, and thank God that you have that chance.

We Christians are very fortunate, in no other religious tradition does any god ever subject themselves to all the frailty and ugliness of the human condition. Not only did Jesus do that for us, so He understands exactly who we are, but He loves, forgives, and accepts us anyway.

Comments? Email Me

A Buddhist Christian?

2005-03-08T08:27:00.000-08:00

Over at the Boar's Head Tavern, they are discussing one of my favourite authors, Brian McLaren. Specifically, they are looking at McLaren's contention that “It may be advisable in many (not all!) circumstances to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu or Jewish contexts.” In other words, converts would become Buddhist followers of Jesus or Muslim followers of Jesus etc, rather than identifying themselves as Christians per ce'.

What did Jesus say about this?

“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” Matthew 7:6

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues.” Matthew 10:16-17

We are not to deny our Lord to the world, yet at the same time, He cautions us to be careful how we deal with unbelievers who may be violent to us.

In the comments section on Boar's Head I wrote: “I think this context can make a lot of sense. In places where Christian converts could lose their jobs, have their families hurt, or be murdered, being a Muslim (or whatever) follower of Jesus may be the best option for them.
I know that Jesus said not to deny Him, but He also said that he is sending them out as a sheep among wolves. "Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."

I have a lot of empathy for our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who suffer unspeakable horrors because of their faith (for more information on this check out the Voice of the Martyrs). I can understand why people would choose to be followers of Jesus while remaining in the same outward religious practices they followed previously. Maybe this would even lead to some sort of subversive revolution, where the Gospel of Jesus Christ, would begin to “infiltrate” all spiritual practices.

What is a Christian? Loosely defined, a Christian is a follower of Jesus, however, over time the word Christian has come to be identified with much more than that. In North America, it has become intertwined with peoples voting habits, opinions on social issues, and choice of lifestyles. Some would argue that many Christians are not very “Christ-like” in their way of interacting with the world. I know many followers of Jesus who choose to not be identified as Christians because they disagree with the connotations that go along with that word in our society. Are they right? I don't know, but their opinions are valuable. I must admit, sometimes I don't like what being a Christian has come to mean in our society.

So can one be a follower of Jesus inside another religious context? I think it is possible, and at times may even be necessary. However, I don't know if it can be a permanent solution. I will not judge the practices of those in persecuted lands. I think of the times I have shied away from declaring my faith more openly when all I had to fear was some ridicule. Over time though, I wonder if it may begin to feel as if you were living a lie, denying who you really are. Still, God can work in and through anyone (even this chuckle head!), and this idea of a revolution in other faith practices does seem very interesting. Time will tell if McLaren's revolution is a viable idea.

This Is Brilliant

2005-03-07T21:08:00.000-08:00

Probably the best blog post I've ever read.

Comments? Email Me

Scar Tissue

2005-03-07T07:19:00.000-08:00

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."
But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
The man asked him, "What is your name?"
"Jacob," he answered.
Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
Jacob said, "Please tell me your name."
But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.
So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."
The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob's hip was touched near the tendon. Genesis 32:24-32

I've walked with God, I've got the scars to prove it - Kanye West, Jesus Walks - The Remix

Jacob wrestled all night with God, and ended up walking with a limp. Kanye West raps about the scars that he has earned while walking with God.

There is a consistent theme here.

Walking with God is not easy, sometimes the greatest rewards come when we suffer the most. God wants us to struggle with Him.

Those of you who have children can think of all the stages that a child goes through as they grow. From teething, to first steps (and the bumps that inevitably happen), learning to ride a bike (and the bumps that inevitably happen), etc.

There is a consistent theme here.

As we go through all of the stages necessary for us to develop as people, there are some difficult, and often painful experiences that we must endure. Without them we will not develop properly into the people we are supposed to be.

Walking with God is a lot like life. If your concept of God hasn't evolved, changed, or grown in a long time, you probably aren't progressing in your walk as you should. We have to be prepared to get some scars wrestling with scripture that we find difficult. Your ego may get cut when we realize just how inflated it has become. There may be some dark nights of the soul when we realize that our judgment of others is also hurting ourselves.

What is the alternative?

I believe that our life here on earth is like spring training for baseball players. Here is where we build muscle, acquire and perfect the skills that we will need as we go through eternity. Just like the baseball player who doesn't work hard enough in spring training, we will not be ready when the season starts. We won't be able to fulfill God's plan for us.

I have to be honest now, I don't relish these struggles anymore than you do. I would love to wrap God up in a nice, tidy little box and go through life being "right". Sure I want the growth, but the struggle is definitely not pleasant.

How does this growth happen? The first suggestion I have is to be listen to those who disagree with you. I mean really listen. Think about what they are saying. Don't judge it, glean everything you can from it. Read some books on Biblical interpretation that don't necessarily jive with your standard concepts. Worship in a church that is not your own. In fact, go to one that is diametrically opposed to yours. Reserve judgment for God alone. In other words, shake your concepts, and shake them hard!

Opening your mind to other points of view does not mean that you have to completely abandon your own. It has been my experience that if your foundation is solid, if your beliefs are based on truth, other points of view can only grow them and make them stronger. As I've said, it can be hard to open your mind, it can also be very exciting too.

Comments? Email Me

Still A Little Dissatisfied

2005-03-04T07:32:00.000-08:00

Ah, I feel much better now after my complaining session.

As I was searching for links to use in my last post, which will forever be referred to as the "complaint post" I came across this link.

Simply hilarious.

Comments? Email Me

Dissatisfaction

2005-03-04T07:06:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make. For the last week or so, I have felt really restless and dissatisfied. I am dissatisfied with the idea that being a "good" Christian means that I have to trounce the beliefs of others. I am dissatisfied with the idea that being a "good" Christian means that I have to be judgmental about the lifestyles of others. I am really dissatisfied with the idea that "good" Christians are afraid of programs that promote love and tolerance for all people, regardless of sexual orientation.

If this is what it takes to be a "good" Christian, please count me out.

I hate the idea that when someone begins a relationship with God, they end up being less tolerant and loving to those around them. Instead, they become more judgmental, as if they are on a mission from God to tell everyone their problems and fix them for them.

Wait a second, isn't that what we are supposed to be doing? What about the Great Commission?

"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." Mark 16:15-16

I don't see the part where I am supposed to tell my Muslim friend that he is a heathen because he follows the wrong God. Somehow, I am not convinced that this approach would be effective. Instead, I choose to be his friend because he is a nice guy, if I have the opportunity to share my faith with him, that is great. Still, I respect him for who he is, even if I don't agree with his beliefs. I don't see the part where I have to condemn my lesbian friend to hell because of her sexual orientation, unless of course she "repents" (I am still waiting to meet the Christian who has repented of all their sin). Are Christians so devoid of sin that they can judge others, or is it that we have lost sight of what the Bible says? "Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven, for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Luke 7:47

Do I feel compelled to share my faith? I'd have to answer yes, or else I probably wouldn't be writing this. When sharing my beliefs with my lesbian friend however, I had to admit that I can understand why she is afraid to go to church, even though she wants to. I have to agree with the hypocrisy that non-Christian friends see in the church. I have to agree with their observation that the face of Christendom is often ugly.

Speaking of church, I have to admit, that I don't get as much out of church as I used to. I remember when I first started going, I would be pumped for Sunday morning. Now, I work at least two Sundays a month, so I don't get to go as often as I like. When I do go, I don't feel the same as I used to. I can understand why a very committed Christian friend feels like church is irrelevant. I think it is because church has become a place with all the answers, and never any questions. I am not convinced that anyone has it all figured out. Maybe our churches need to adopt the mindset found on this t-shirt:

Now before you think I am going off the deep end, and that all is bleak beyond any hope of returning. I should take a minute to tell you what I am satisfied with. I feel closer to God than I ever have before. I feel like I am in touch with an authentic God, the God that I have found in the Bible. The God who forgives all of our sins through our faith. I feel a lot more satisfied than I used to about the path that I am on. I am happier to be full of questions and not full of answers. I am glad that I am becoming a better person for my relationship with God, and not the less tolerant person that I thought I had to be when I wanted to be a "good" Christian. I don't know if I really fit in any church movement, but then Jesus probably wouldn't either.

Whats the answer then? Do I blow off church, label all other Christians heretics and curl up in a ball in the attic? As much fun as wearing tissue boxes on my feet sounds, that would be far too easy. I need to continue on the path that I am on. I need to be a part of the body of Christ. Even if it doesn't give me the warm fuzzies. Why? I think it is what Jesus would want me to do. Believe me, I know that saying that is as cliche' as it gets, but I think it is true.

Comments? Email Me

The Valley

2005-03-03T20:45:00.000-08:00

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

Psalm 23, easily one of the most famous passages of scripture. Why does this particular Psalm resonate with us so deeply? Most often, when I have heard this Psalm read aloud, it is in a funeral setting. The friends and family grieving the loss of their loved one are comforted by hearing about how God is our constant companion, even in our darkest of days. Knowing that as we ache with incredible sorrow, the Creator of the universe is with us, touches even the most nonreligious deep in their core. Still, I don't think this Psalm needs to be kept for funerals alone. Anytime we are going through difficulty, we can be comforted by the presence of the One who knows our deepest pain.

In our life we will experience many personal valleys. Often times we will be moving along at a very fast pace, feeling confident and relaxed, when suddenly, for no explicable reason we are bogged down by something we cannot easily define. Why is it that right in the midst of a time of great spiritual growth, we suddenly feel dry and lifeless? For no reason at all, one day we are feeling God's presence in a very real and profound way, and the next we can barely remember what that experience felt like. At times like this, our first reaction is to employ the face of our chameleon, the fake impostor of ourselves that we present to the outside world. Instead of confiding in those around us, who would be happy and willing to help, we suffer in silence.

A time like this is ideal for turning to God in prayer, however, instead we blame ourselves for this period of spiritual dryness, thinking that some terrible unconfessed sin is blocking us from the presence of God. In fear, we turn away from God instead of running to Him in meditation and prayer, which would easily expedite us through this time of difficulty. Or if we do turn to God in prayer, we run through a long list of prayers hoping to placate His anger with the right sequence of words. This type of prayer, really only serves to deepen the divide

I have no good answer for why these times in the valley occur. I do know though, that a valley is a place between two high points. Without the valley in between, we may not be able to appreciate the view from the top. One thing that I am sure of, is that God does not want these low points to be spent running from Him in guilt. Our God is an ever loving, ever forgiving God, any time we sincerely turn to Him, He happily allows us into His presence. If we let go of our self made idols of guilt, we would find that our periods of suffering would be remarkably shorter and our trust in God incredibly strengthened. As much as these moments can frustrate us, the Bible tells us that God is able to use all things to the good of those who love Him (Roman 8:28). So instead of seeing these times as spiritual torture, we could instead see them as times of spiritual growth, necessary for our development. Thomas a' Kempis writes in The Imitation of Christ: “When consolation is taken away, do not at once despair but wait humbly and patiently for the heavenly visit, since God can restore to you more abundant solace.” The peak on the other side of the valley may be higher than we can see from down here. Chances are the sun shining on our face up there will easily erase the memories of our suffering down here.

Whatever the case, I am resigned to walk humbly, without complaint in the valley as long as God wants me there. If I never get to the mountaintop again, I will take confidence in the fact that I am not defined by spiritual acumen or eloquence with the written word. Instead, my identity belongs to the One who makes me who I am.

In that I am content.

So Many Denominations, So Little Time.

2005-03-02T19:25:00.000-08:00

Let me rush on to say something about the church. Americans, I must remind you, as I have said to so many others, that the church is the Body of Christ. So when the church is true to its nature it knows neither division nor disunity. But I am disturbed about what you are doing to the Body of Christ. They tell me that in America you have within Protestantism more than two hundred and fifty six denominations. The tragedy is not so much that you have such a multiplicity of denominations, but that most of them are warring against each other with a claim to absolute truth. This narrow sectarianism is destroying the unity of the Body of Christ. You must come to see that God is neither a Baptist nor a Methodist; He is neither a Presbyterian nor a Episcopalian. God is bigger than all of our denominations. If you are to be true witnesses for Christ, you must come to see that America.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - Paul's Letter To American Christians - 1956

I visited a friend in the hospital the other day. He is facing what could be a very serious illness. Not surprisingly in a situation like this, our conversation turned to spiritual matters. He knows that I am a Christian, we have talked about faith before, and he has even asked me to pray for his relatives and friends at different times. As we talked, he told me that he has his beliefs, but he doesn't go to church because he doesn't know what to believe. He feels like all of the Christian denominations give a different Christianity. That each of them claim to be right, and they can't all be.

He's right.

So many denominations, so little time.

The time has come for Christians to put down their swords. Over and over again, all the outside world sees is strife. We focus so much on what makes us different (which at the end of the day is often very little), we forget what we have in common (which is the important stuff). We need to be united in who Jesus Christ is and what our faith is about. We need to focus on the atoning work that Jesus Christ performed for us on Calvary and on what His teachings can mean to us today in the way of tolerance, love, and compassion. Where denominations choose to disagree over matters of doctrine and practice, we need to allow them the freedom that Christ has given them and allow them to blaze their own path. Our imitation of Christ-like acceptance would go along way to soothing the mind of the seeker.

The need for denominational infallibility stems from the human ego. We have a need to be right, we have a need to be on the winning team. Getting involved in religion is a lot like getting married, you invest a great deal of yourself into this relationship. Choosing the wrong mate could well be the worst decision you could ever make. I think though, that there is no right or wrong decision. As long as your faith is based on Jesus Christ and the essence of His Gospel, you are on the right team. I hate to use the R word, but I feel like a reformation of our thinking needs to happen.

How can this happen? We have to let go of the need to be right. We must allow for our egos to be deflated. We must remember that our interpretation of scripture is not infallible, and that God alone can judge the hearts of men. This is a hard idea to grasp. I believe though, that a consistent message showing this acceptance of each other, will be the equivalent of a hundred ALPHA courses and a thousand Billy Graham Crusades.

But then, I could be wrong.

Comments? Email Me

A Solemn Prayer

2005-03-02T08:46:00.000-08:00

O God, if I worship You for fear of hell, then cast me to the fire. If I worship You in hope of paradise, exclude me from Your paradise. Yet if I worship You for Your own sake, deny me not Your everlasting beauty.
Rabi’ ah Al’ Adawiyah (717-801 AD) a Sufi scholar

I hear preachers speaking of unleashing God's blessings in my life, and I get excited. Dreaming of the big house and nice car that God "wants to bless you with". Sermons on the forgiveness of God, relieve me of my guilt. "Winning souls", "working for God", all become catch phrases that we use to give our lives meaning.

We might be missing the point.

Why did God create us? For the sheer pleasure of communion with us. Creation sprang forth from the loving kindness of our Creator. Knowing this, the first goal of our religion should be communion with God.

When God becomes our companion, we become free. When God becomes love, we are free to love. When God accepts us, we are able to accept ourselves.

Liberation to live out our true purpose will actually allow us to be more effective in the other noble pursuits we embark upon.

As Jesus said, we should make disciples of all nations. First though, we need to know the reason why.

Comments? Email Me