the message - part deux

So, if we learn to better send our 'message' to people with whom we come in contact, what's next?

well, that in itself is a pretty tall order.... and one which I anticipate wrestling with till I go Home.

But, as the Spirit gives us opportunity after opportunity to not only 'send a message' as a first impression, we better be ready for the next (second, third, forty-third) 'impression', right?

What do we do then? when we have opportunity to study and teach and discuss and shepherd and learn with people, what is important?

As we talk to our Baptist friends, is it important to discuss instrumental music?

As we spend time with our Methodist friends, should we study premillenialism?

...or (fill in the religious/theological difference here) with your (fill in denomination here) friend?

I dunno.... just asking the question...

I know this: it seems that most religious discussions tend to begin (and end) with the differences between the discussors' denomonational beliefs.... and the 'end' part is what concerns me...

What would happen if we sought to begin on common ground?

what would happen, for instance, if we started a discussion with, say, our Baptist friends about the Sovereign God and His coming to earth to walk among us and die for us and be raised for us?

what would happen if we started a conversation with our Catholic friends by acknowledging that the Catholic church has, BY FAR, the most amazing and comprehensive ministry for orphans and unwanted children?

what would the result be if, instead of concentrating on our differences, we worked hand in hand with our friends from different religious backgrounds in a soup kitchen or free clinic?

here's what happens: you strengthen friendship.. you build relationship... and walls are obliterated.

and guess what: then you can discuss almost anything! and remain friends...

and though I am an infant in this way, the most magical thing has happened to me when I allow God to lead me like that... a lot of the 'things' I viewed as important are...

just not.

the message

so what's the message?

Sometimes when First Day sings, Devin introduces one of our songs by saying something like this:

"we get to sing for lots of different audiences.... so what is THE message we want to leave with them?"

then we sing 3:16, a song Bruce composed which essentially puts music to the most famous verse of the whole Bible...

I wonder sometimes if it wouldn't make sense for us to give thought to the same question in our day-to-day....

all the people I come into contact with.... what is the message I want to 'leave' with them today?

I am sort of a student of behavior... not nearly as observant as I should be, but somewhat aware nonetheless...

so if one could infer from another's behavior that they are trying to 'leave a message', what message would one see? ...or more personally, what message would the casual observer 'get' from my behavior?

So I thought about it... and I retraced my steps and my actions from 'a day in the life' of me... just to see...

and here are the 'messages' I conveyed:

• I'm in a hurry
• My time is more important than yours
• I know more than you do
• What I have to say is really really important, and what you have to say is, well, not so much
• I'm materialistic
• I have an inordinate love of food
• I am proud and arrogant
• I think I'm 'all that and a bag of chips'

wow. that was harsh. and insightful. and revealing. and true.

and really really disappointing... 'cause here's what I wanted to convey:

• I'm sold out to Jesus, and He rules my life

what message do you send?

God Bless!

labels

Labels are useful... how do you know what's IN something if you can't read (or look at the pictures) the label on the container!

Many labels exist today... we like to use them on people... and most of those are overused. But, frankly, some are well-deserved.

Still, I am not real fond of labels... I believe it makes us lazy and gives us license to not become familiar with people. It allows us space to not get close.... it gives us excuse to keep people at arm's length... and, as a result - if we're not careful - we become more and more distant from those whom we are called to engage...

after all, I would rather marginalize someone with a label than truly draw close to them and find out why they are like they are and offer help... or at least acceptance... or friendship.

especially poignant is the thought that Jesus did not discount people... and the only people he labeled were the 'religious'...

...brood of vipers... pharisees.... dead men's bones.... white-washed tombs...

the people we tend to label are those different from us... because we see them through our eyes...

Brandon Heath wrote a song called 'give me your eyes'...

it's worth watching the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTsYAZvHsEQ

Blessings!

the Center of His Will

My friend John Harkness sent this video to me... it has beautiful music and a powerful message...

I have believed for a long time that many 'religious folks' (at least from my fellowship) assign value to conservatism. The more 'to the right' one may be, the 'better off' they are... it's a pendulum effect that causes people to run far and fast from a certain behavior or belief they may perceive as 'liberal', and they end up further to the 'right' than ever!

It occurred to me several years ago that we are called to try to 'be' in the center of God's will. I even drew a horizontal line on a whiteboard and placed a short vertical line at it's center... "imagine the vertical line is God's will. Don't we want to be as close to that 'center' as possible?"

I further asserted (and still believe) that being 'this far' to the 'right' of God's will had no more merit than being 'this far' to the 'left'... but somehow we have convinced ourselves that it's fine (and even better and laudable and 'safe') to be conservative - right of the center - while it's bad (sinful and dangerous) to be 'liberal' - left of center...

I am convinced that neither is correct.

God wants us to try and live in the very center of His will... period...

so as you think about that...

watch this video.... it will make you think!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-ufpVNgBBY

God Bless!

History Lesson

I love history... and I know that makes me a nerd. I like reading and watching and learning about most all periods of history....

My favorite movies include historical 'fiction', like "Braveheart", "Saving Private Ryan", "The Patriot", "the Blue and the Gray", "We Were Soldiers" and perhaps my very favorite is the HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers"... (ok, there's a war theme emerging... or a Mel Gibson affinity... not sure what that means)

Perhaps the most intriguing of all 'stories' is the story of His Church. ...and maybe the reason it's so interesting to me is that it is THE story of all time... literally. The recorded story of God's people - His Church (the ecclesia - called out) - begins with Genesis and, well...

continues with you and me today.

The most striking era in this story involves God incarnate. Because while the story is very interesting from Genesis to Malachi, it gets REALLY GOOD when God becomes man and lives among us.... then it starts to get really unbelievable...

for most of us, the most important part of the story is the part which includes us!

and since someone way smarter than me once observed that those who "ignore history are doomed to repeat it", I submit that it is of paramount import that we pay attention!

So as you endeavor to grow and learn and stretch, it would seem prudent that you learn from your own past...

For instance: If, historically speaking, I am in a better 'place' spiritually when I am, say, giving to others rather than thinking of myself, maybe 'history' would suggest that I daily remember to do something for someone else...

...or if I remember that I am less 'happy' and in tune with God when I hang out with this person or that group, perhaps history is suggesting that I not spend time with those folks...

Similarly, our local churches should do the same...

If we, as a local fellowship, are vibrant and happy and most useful to God when we are open to being challenged... then why wouldn't we ALWAYS endeavor to be open and challenged? why would we ever be 'closed' and unchallenged?

if your most treasured memories of your congregation involve times of transition and growth... then wouldn't you yearn for times of change and stretching? why would you ever seek or accept the status quo?

if, when you remember the most joyful time in your congregation's history, and that cherished memory involved a time when things were not altogether calm or smooth... wouldn't it make sense to almost flee from 'calm and smooth'?

if routine and sameness and stagnation are the natural opposites of excitement and movement and change, then why would you now crave the former and not the latter?

Why don't we, instead, crave and seek the MOVEMENT of HIS SPIRIT?
If most churches are a stagnant pond instead of a raging river, it's largely because they forgot their history....

His Holy Spirit wants to MOVE in us. His Spirit seeks to stir us up to action. He does NOT operate best in a calm, serene, stagnant pool of 'status quo'... and when we crave routine and calm and sameness, we are quenching God's Spirit... plain and simple.

Blessings!

about direction and leadership

How do you choose leaders who will take His church in the direction it needs to go? Who do you look to?

yeah, I understand we must look to His Spirit's guiding... and I know we must pray for His Hand to be on the process... but, practically speaking, how do we choose elders for our local churches? There is no modern day Paul-esque itinerant preacher/apostle roaming around the country establishing churches and appointing its leaders...

so... what do we do?

the Bible actually gives scant little information about what steps we are to take in appointing/choosing/installing shepherds or pastors or elders... We like to take I Timothy and Titus and make them 'lists', although I suspect that these (and the I Peter 5 text) were intended to serve more as 'heart windows' into prospective shepherds, rather than the litmus test our fellowship has bent them into...

so what do we look for?

is it someone who can 'get along' with the current elders?

is it someone who knows the Bible front to back?

is it someone who will 'represent' his 'constituents'?

perhaps each of these have merit...

but if this is His Church and His Body, maybe the very most important trait we should seek is... seeking.

What if we chose elders who, above all, were seekers? I'm not talking about 'seekers' in the 'mall-church-felt-needs-looking-for-Jesus' sense... I mean the type of 'seeker' who does not have all the answers, so he is constantly looking to God for them.

What if we chose shepherds who, like their namesake, would climb sheer cliffs and skinny limbs to 'get at' God's will? (remember the parable of the lost sheep in Matthew 18?)

What if our litmus test for leaders was not 'sameness' but 'stretching'?

We have three terrific shepherds at Riverside! and each of them, in their own way, are seekers and stretchers...

as we choose additional shepherds, let us constantly look to God and His Spirit's leading... and seek 'seekers'...

God Bless!

holidays and stress

I love the holidays! I love the music and the family visiting and the decorations and the general goodwill... I like the cold weather and the food and the food and, of course, the food!

But I know it can be a stressful time for some... and I wonder what it is that causes us to fret and stress and get all wrung out during this time of year...

sometimes it is family. your relationship with momma is strained... you haven't spoken to your dad in 6 months... you and sister are still fighting about something you can't even remember!

sometimes it is financial. barely enough money to pay the light bill, and a big dinner to buy and serve... not nearly enough cash to buy the gifts your kiddos want... or need... you can't even fill up your gas tank, much less decorate for the occasion.

sometimes it is loss... the holidays tend to remind us all of the loved and gone...

sometimes it is the stress of shopping for all those on your list!

whatever it is that causes you stress this time of year, let me encourage you to look for the good... look for the good in your family... look for the good in the goodwill... look for the good in loss... (remember, the reason you miss 'em is most likely because they blessed your life!) look for the good... even in the shopping!

if you know someone who lost a dear one this year, call them and tell them you are thinking about them!

if you have a warm place to sleep and stay, praise God and be thankful.

if your warm place is bigger than most, invite people over for a meal and good conversation!

if you have extra money (dig down, now), give it to someone you know can use it!

and above all, remember that people are more important than things... so spend time with 'em during this special time!

God Bless!