Quiet Sunday Morning

Here it is Sunday morning and I'm at home--strange feeling. But the ice storm Friday night and Saturday has left the parking lot at the church's building a skating rink. So no services this morning. So early morning quiet time and coffee was great; normally I am afraid that Sunday mornings are given over to final touches to the message. I still have a message to given at 6pm today, but somehow this morning that seems a long time away.

So I relish the quiet time with God--broken only by the drip and crash of melting ice on pine and magnolia. The only down side of the early morning was the sound of a chain saw. An unfortunate neighbor had a tree down on the driveway. The Reeds enjoyed a few hours of "no-power" yesterday afternoon--just long enough to think that we might have to cook dinner on the carport on the Coleman camp stove!

To have a day, or even or few hours of time where you suddenly aren't going anywhere and everything stops around you is truly a gift. I'm enjoying it.

Ministry

Northlake is in the search for a youth minister and I have the task of finding some good candidates. And the thing that gratifies me is that I am finding good candidates. It does my heart good to talk to people who have passion and skills and a calling to minister to youth. From the midwest to Texas, from the Tennessee hills to the coast, I have found ministers doing great work and caring deeply for teens in the critical transition years that lead toward adulthood.

As good ministers know, the true tests of ministry have more to do with God than they do with the minister. But the minister whose passion is the kingdom understands that underneath everything else that is said and done, the goal is the transformation of a person (of a people). Taking someone as they are and being one agent whereby God engages the formation of Christ in another's soul, is the task of a minister.

It happens it lots of ways--listening, learning, leading, laughing. But in the end it has to do with communicating the love and knowledge of God.

Ministers are in the transformation business; a business that aids and nurtures the work of God. It requires savvy, intellect, and heart. And, as I continue in the ministry God has given me, it begins with paying attention to the transformational work God longs to do in me.

So I'm encouraged by the many phone conversations and emails I've received in recent days. May God's kingdom be blessed by these committed ministers of the gospel.

Quote du Jour

"The words with which we praise God shape the world in which we live." --Walter Brueggemann

Morning Moment

I had a provocative conversation this morning with a man who came to see me. He lives in the Tucker area and is homeless. Local people see him standing along Lawrenceville Hwy with poster board signs calling for people to repent and for churches and Christians to make major life style changes in their lives.

Oliver (not his real name) has an absolute passion and understands that his role is one of a prophet, crying out for real, moral change among Christians. He cited the particular sins that are connected with the increased sexuality in our culture—pornography, TV, and in particular, the immodest way in which women dress. He says that Christians have lost our distinctiveness in the world, that no difference can be observed between church and larger society.

He challenges pastors to quit ignoring sinful behaviors and to practice a vigorous church discipline, making clear to all that church is to be pure and holy.

I don’t know if Oliver is a true prophet or not. I suspect that he is mentally on edge. But I also believe that Hosea probably was on edge as well. I don’t know if Oliver had a message from God or if Oliver is simply angry at the church that turned their back on him a year or two ago. And I don’t know if Oliver was really engaged in prophetic work by riding his bicycle around the church’s campus several times or whether he was praying or whether God sent him to speak to me (as he claimed) or not.

Such things are beyond me to know. But I do know that Oliver was right about at least one thing. If there is no difference in my life or the life of the church I serve and the rest of the world, then what have we done with transforming work of the gospel.

Logging Miles and Books

As the week progresses I’m logging a few miles on the trails and a few more books find their way into the “read” column.

McLaren’s The Church on the Other Side is a good read. Erwin McManus might be a good read; I’m never sure whether McManus is brilliant or just blowing smoke. Reread Jim Collins Good to Great, which isn’t about church life, but maybe it is after all! Collins never speaks about systems and yet everything that he recommends and discovers in his research among “great” organizations is consistent with systems thinking. I continue to work through Smith’s commentary on Isaiah (I never thought that I could simply read through a commentary on Isaiah—but this is really rich and full of spiritual insight). Smith is my spiritual food this week. I’m also reading and rereading Philippians and Ephesians—Philippians for Northlake, Ephesians for me.

Churches that Make a Difference by Ronald Sider, Philip Olson and Heidi Unruh has received a little of my attention. I’ve seen enough to know that it deserves a good read. I also skimmed Robert Dale’s works—Leading Edge and Leadership for a Changing Church. All in all, I find myself coming back to the idea that one or two really good ideas are better than thirty!

The real question is what is the one idea! What is the one thing that needs focus and attention? If the right ideal is discovered and pursued, then the other things begin to fall into place.

This afternoon? I think its time to find Hogpen Gap and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

Gateway

Spending time in north Georgia this week is giving me some time to do some reading that I’ve been putting aside for some time. Read Thom Rainer’s Eating the Elephant and some Brian McLaren. But the real highlight didn’t happen until I began reading George Adam Smith’s commentary on Isaiah late last night.

I wouldn’t expect much of anyone to know of Smith. Smith taught Old Testament at Aberdeen a hundred-plus years ago. But Smith’s insights are keen and he makes Isaiah take on life and vitality. Not only does he shed light on Isaiah, but he effectively creates mirrors that reflect light upon his reader.

Here is a cut on conscience and forgiveness:

Conscience with Isaiah is not what it is with so much of the religion of today, a cul de sac, into which the Lord chases a man and shuts him up to Himself, but a thoroughfare by which the Lord drives the man out upon the world and the world’s manifold need of him. There is little dissection and less study of individual character with Isaiah. He has no time for this. Life is too much about him, and his God too much interested in life. What may be called the more personal sins—drunkenness, vanity of dress, thoughtlessness, want of faith in God and patience to wait for Him—are to Isaiah more social than individual symptions, and it is for their public and poitical effects that he mentions them. Forgivenss is no end in itself, but the opportunity of social service; not a sanctuary in which Isaiah leaves men to sings its praises or form doctrines of it, but a gateway through which he leads God’s people upon the world with the cry that rises from him here: Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. –George Adam Smith

Smith’s analysis preaches—at least to me.

In spite of the cold I hike Duke’s Creek Falls yesterday. Hopefully, today it will be to Bear’s Den. I’m glad I didn’t give away all my cold-weather gear when the Reeds moved from Indiana! 11 degrees yesterday morning; I don’t know what it is this morning—it’s probably best not to know!

Systems

Understanding churches as a system, to see a congregation as a whole entity is vital. However, to think systemically is not easy. So I am also looking for ways to sharpen my vision. Here is another way from Peter Senge:

There is something in all of us that loves to put together a puzzle, that loves to see the image of the whole emerge. The beauty of a person, or a flower, or a poem lies in seeing all of it. It is interesting that the words “whole” and “health” come from the same root (the Old English hal, as in “hale and hearty”). So it should come as no surprise that the unhealthiness of our world today is in direct proportion to our inability to see it as a whole.

Systems thinking is a discipline for seeing wholes. It is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing patterns of change rather than static “snapshots.” It is a set of general principles—distilled over the course of the twentieth century, spanning fields as diverse as the physical and social sciences, engineering, and management. . . . And systems thinking is a sensibility—for the subtle interconnectedness that gives living systems their unique character. Today, systems thinking is need more than ever because we are becoming overwhelmed by complexity. . . . Systems thinking is the cornerstone of how learning organizations think about their world. –from The Fifth Discipline

To focus only on one thing or ministry or idea, without asking how it impacts the larger whole, is short-sighted and will have consequences—intended or not. And the particular challenge is to be able to see the whole and not become so paralyzed by the analysis that concrete action never engages. I suppose that it is just as true for churches or mission groups or businesses or even, families.

If only junior would straighten up, then all would be well—failing to recognize that junior’s outbursts are likely tied to dad or mom’s resentful attitudes that are more cleverly hidden from direct view.

Ugh! Humility, prayer, courage, and constant vigilance are the order of the day.

More on Tsunami Theodicy

Last night I spoke to a full chapel on the questions that the tragedy in SE Asia brings to us. Obviously the questions it brings to us are different, at least in intensity, to those living in Indonesia or Thailand. Yet we still are left with wonder and a sense of emptiness in trying to make some sense of it all.

Here are some of my observations:
1. The Christian point of view holds a more realistic understanding about the problem of natural or, for that matter, human disaster and evil. I know that many people, Christian and atheist, pagan and otherwise, are slamming God with blame or with, at least, the cry that God must be powerless. First, I would suggest to all atheists and agnostics to find some other way to explain the reality of such disasters with out making any particular reference to the reality of a divine being. For Christians, it would be good to be reminded that the world we live in is a dangerous place. Yes, God created it. However, in the coming of sin and disorder which finds comment in Genesis 3, the created order is subject to the vagaries of disorder. Indeed, the second law of thermodynamics reminds us that everything is moving from order to disorder, from structure to chaos.

We should not be surprised with natural calamity strikes! It has happened before and will happen again. Paul's words in Romans 8 address the groaning and laboring of the created order, struggling until hope is brought into completion.

2. So we live in a world with natural and human-induced tragedy occur. And most of the time, in the Western world, we live oblivious of it. According to a recent UN report, 29,000 children die every day due to disease and malnutrition. Yet we seldom hear of it. We seldom hear of it because it doesn't seem spectacular. But is it any less of a loss?

3. Asking the why question will not get us very far. William Safire's editorial (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/10/opinion/10safire.html?n=Top%2fOpinion%2fEditorials%20and%20Op%2dEd%2fOp%2dEd%2fColumnists%2fWilliam%20Safire&oref=regi) offers a helpful look at Job.

4. We do have some help with the "how" questions. How do we live in the midst of suffering? We live with faith and we live with hope.

5. The Christian faith offers a distinctive word about suffering. Unlike any other religious tradition Christian faith embraces an idea that God came and comes into our world of brokenness and actually suffers along side of us. Tragedy is real, yes. But so is God. And the place where we will most likely him is in those moments of suffering. Such things are a mystery. But to believe in a God who works through and in the midst of human tragedy is far different from the understanding of a God who simply sets the world in motion and leaves it or a God who rather capriciously maims and kills. The suffering God is most clearly seen in the message of the cross.

6. Thus the Christian response is to lament with those who lament and to show compassion through sacrifical ministry.

7. Judgement or critical assessment has no place in tragedy. Need a reminder? See Luke 13 and Jesus comments about repentence after a tragedy occurs.

Enough for now.

Discipleship 101

It all boils down to discipleship 101. Over the past two weeks, interspersed among the holidays have come these converations that continue to linger with me. The male school teacher, the mother of three children, the returning missionary, and the college student home for the holidays all have similar discoveries. Though each have distinctive stories and widely divergent places in the world a common thread links them all.

Whether the identified stuggle is about addictions or about choices to be made, the crux of the matter is, well--the crux. The cross. Each, in their own place in the world, faces the quest to see who is going to be the boss. Daily the challenge is who sets the agenda and who is going to call the shots. Somehow or another self always asserts itself into the middle of the picture.

Last night in my class on Matthew's gospel we hit the mother lode in chapter 16. As one person commented, "The disciples didn't get what Jesus was up to and we don't get too well ourselves!" No we don't. The decision to follow Jesus is a decision to die to ourselves. But like some horror movie self keeps coming back to life.

Yet unlike the old horror movies, no silver bullet exists. Just the daily commitment to die and the deep reliance on God's power to fashion a new person inside of this shell.

Tsunami Theodicy

Thanks to Pat Graham for the lead on this great editorial piece.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110006097

Haven't heard much yet, but I'm sure it will soon come. Be wary of the building theology out of natural tragedies.