Week three of the series based on Schnase's book Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations brings us to Intentional Faith Development. As always, feel free to share your thoughts, questions and comments.
Intentional Faith Development
This is my favorite of the five practices because I really like the word "intentional". It conveys the message that we must decide whether or not to make our faith development a priority and be disciplined to follow that priority up with action. "Intentional refers to deliberate effort, purposeful action toward an end, and high prioritization" (Schnase, 68). If we desire to see our faith grow then we must be deliberate in doing things to see that happen. We cannot passively sit in the pew on Sunday mornings and expect our faith to magically develop. Schnase points out that the Christian faith is not static but dynamic (64), it is always moving, either closer to Jesus or away from Him but never stagnant. That's why the cultivation of our faith is so important.
Another crucial aspect in the intentional development of our faith is community. Christianity is not intended to be lived out in solitude, we need to be part of a community of believers that will encourage, challenge, support and hold us accountable. We read things like "as iron sharpens iron" (Prov. 27:17) and accounts of the early church community of how they "devoted themselves to...fellowship" (Acts 2:42-47) and see how important community is for faith development. Being involved in community is a way of "placing ourselves in the hands of God so that God can sculpt our souls and recreate us in the image of Christ" (Schnase, 78).
When I read how Paul is "imploring [us] on Christ's behalf" to "be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:16-21) I begin to see the importance of faith development. The idea that you and I could help reconcile someone to God is HUGE! I must first be reconciled to God in order to help someone else be reconciled to Him and in order to do that, I have to take the development of my faith seriously.
So, honestly, how important is your faith to you? How much of a priority is your relationship with Jesus? Who are you learning from and who are you teaching? I don't ask these questions to make you feel guilty but to have you honestly think about where your faith is, where you want it to be and how you are helping the community of believers grow in their faith.
October 19, 2009
Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations: Intentional Faith Development
October 15, 2009
New vs. Renew
I know this is a question that has been around for a long time. Is it better to start something new or attempt to renew something that has been going for a while? Whether it's a brand, a business, a ministry...it's a tough call to know when to scrap something and start over or when there is enough of a foundation in place that renewal is the way to go.
I've been thinking about this issue a lot lately as I hear about more and more new churches that are starting when there are a large number of churches that currently exist but are dieing. Hence the question, is it better to start something new or attempt to renew it? I can see value in both but I wonder when is one approach better than the other especially when it takes so many resources to build and start something from scratch. Where is the line between fulfilling the mission of the Church and filling our egos? Is the reason that it is "easier" to start a new church/ministry rather than renew an already existing one enough?
I certainly do not claim to have the answers as I can clearly see how both options could be viable but I do believe we need to be checking our motives as we ask ourselves this very basic question. I also understand that each situation/church/ministry is different and can be unique but it seems like the general philosophy of people (church leaders) is to opt for the 'new' option over the 'renew' one. I'm not saying this is necessarily wrong but I'm not convinced it is necessarily right either.
So, what do you think...whether you are a church leader, pastor, someone who attends church regularly or not at all, what makes the decision for you to go New or Renew?
October 13, 2009
James 2
Our five week study through the book of James continues by taking a look at chapter 2. (I am using the NRSV)
James 2
Vs 1: once again we see James coming out swinging. Notice that he calls into question the very faith we claim to profess if/when we show favoritism. This is clearly not to be taken lightly.
Vs 3: in the Greek "take notice" = to look on with favor, have regard for
Vs 4: in the Greek "distinctions" = to pass judgment
Vs 12: what does it mean or look like to you to be "judged by the law of liberty?" A couple passages to checkout in regards to the "law of liberty": Luke 4:17-19; John 8:31-32; Romans 8:1-4; Galatians 5:1, 13-15.
Vs 14-26 "Faith and Works": it is often misunderstood that James and Paul are in disagreement about the relationship between faith and works. Some read this passage from James and hear him saying that one is saved through works while others see passages from Paul (ie. Romans 3:27-28; 5:1-2) and read that salvation comes through faith alone. From this point of view it does seem like there is a contradiction between the two but when one takes a closer look one can see that they are actually on the same page just talking to different groups of people at different stages in their faith journeys. Paul is addressing a group of people who are new to the faith whereas James is talking to people who claim to have been believers for some time. Paul is pointing out that no one can earn their salvation by doing good works but that salvation comes through faith in Christ alone. James is not denying this fact but rather is challenging those who have been Christians for a while to start living out their faith. He is making the point that if our faith does not change the way we speak and act then it is dead. Paul is talking to "young" Christians about salvation and James is talking to "older" Christians about living out that salvation. James is challenging us to make faith not just an intellectual exercise but a way of life. We are not saved by good works but for good works. The question comes down to who do we trust for our salvation, God (faith) or ourselves (works)?
Vs 20: in the Greek "senseless" = without any basis, without truth or power
Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations: Passionate Worship
This week was the second week in our church's five week series around the book Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Bishop Robert Schnase, with Passionate Worship as the focus. Feel free to share your thoughts or comments.
Passionate Worship
Schnase mentions that worship is not merely an attempt to fit God into our schedules but rather a seeking to meld our lives into God's (34). He goes on to say, "Worship bends hearts toward God as it stretches hands outward toward others" (35). I like the idea of worship as laying our hearts before God while being aware of and sensitive to the needs of others, to the point where it helps shape our worldview. Schnase describes it as seeing things "through God's eyes" (39).
As I spent some time preparing to lead a study on Passionate Worship I came across something I thought to be pretty interesting. One of the words used in the Greek for "worship" is proskuneo which is derived from the meaning "to kiss the hand, like a dog licking his master's hand". Now, minus the dog licking part, I think this could be a powerful image of what worship might look like; allowing our hearts to fall prostrate before God while kissing Him on His outstretched hand. When viewing worship this way it becomes a blessing for us to bless God.
Sometimes I wonder if we have put worship in a box. What I mean by this is the tendency we have to think of worship as something that only happens on Sunday mornings (or maybe an evening depending on how "contemporary" your church is) and no other time throughout the week. We have squeezed the whole idea and concept of worship into a 60min block of time. I think this is to misunderstand what worship truly is. Does worship happen on Sunday mornings, of course (at least it should) but does it only happen on Sunday mornings, NO. Paul describes worship as being "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1-2) so that in everything we do we have the opportunity to "do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). That sounds like a lot more than just 1 hour a week.
So, as you think about your Monday or your Thursday or Friday, are you finding ways to worship God even on those days? The act of worship is not confined to a particular time or day, it is a part of who we are everyday as we follow Jesus. Don't wait until Sunday to do what you should already be doing today.
Google Wave
Some of you have seen or noticed the talk about Google's new collaboration suite called Google Wave. You may have also noticed that I have been trying to beg an invite, because at this point Google has made it "invite only". So, if you want to float an invite my way, I'd be cool with that.
If you're wondering what exactly Google Wave is, here's a video I saw on a friend's blog that does a good job of explaining it.
Let the invites begin.
October 8, 2009
James 1
Last week I started leading a five week study through the book of James. I will be posting thoughts, questions, and comments from our discussions that happen each Wednesday night throughout our time with James. (I would have posted sooner but just recently recovered from a scratched left eye that had me operating with just one eye, quite poorly I might add.) Please feel free to use this as a place to share your thoughts and questions through our study of James as well.
Background context of James
A couple things to point out before we jump in...
-the author of this book is James, the half-brother of Jesus (Galatians 1:18-19) also known as "James the Just"
-initially James did not believe Jesus was who He and others said He was and it was the Resurrection that convinced James otherwise (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
-not long after his conversion James was chosen by Peter and John to be the leader of the Church in Jerusalem and even met with Paul and Barnabas over the Gentile controversy (Acts 15:1-21)
-James wrote his letter sometime between AD 47-49 more than likely from Jerusalem
James 1
Vs 2-12 "Trials": notice the pattern that is described, trials > stronger faith > perseverance > develops maturity which includes asking and receiving wisdom from God.
Vs 8: in the Greek "unstable" = restless...is it possible that when we find our minds being split between the things God wants and the things we want we find ourselves getting restless?
Vs 12: James' reference of or to a Beatitude (Matthew 5:10-12)
Vs 13-18 "Temptation": notice another pattern that is given, self desire > lures us away > deceives us (Greek impregnates) > sin > attempts at justifying > full-grown sin > death. This image of being impregnated, giving birth and allowing sin to "grow-up" is a powerful image to not only childbirth but raising the child. If we allow this pattern to continue in our life we will be forced to deal with the pain and hurt that "full-grown" sin produces, which eventually leads to death.
Vs 14: in the Greek "desire" = longing, craving or passion...
Every thought-seed sown or allowed to fall into the mind, and to take root there, produces its own, blossoming sooner or later into act, and bearing its own fruitage of opportunity and circumstance. Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bad fruit.Vs 19-21 "Anger": not so much another pattern as it is a sort of formula, listening (to understand) + silence + patience = an aspect of a righteous life. How much drama could we avoid in our homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, churches, schools, etc. if we would actually do this?!? If only we would be more willing to listen to someone in an attempt to understand where they are coming from or their perspective instead of always wanting to share our opinions or "advice" we might actually be able to accomplish some things. Someone brought up in our discussion the idea of reacting vs. responding. We are ready to react but when it comes to being willing to patiently respond, that's another story.~from As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
Vs 22-25 "Doing": here a connection is made between faith and practically living it out. The deception comes when we fail to enact the things we learn from the Word. It is not the Word that deceives but ourselves when we fail to live by it.
Vs 25: "law of liberty" brings about freedom. It is only by continuing in this Law of Love that true freedom is found. The Greek for "continues" is = persevering, to remain beside, or abide. What a powerful thought of abiding in God's Law of love...loving Him with everything we are and everything we have; and our neighbors as ourselves.
Vs 26 "Tongue": the Greek for "rein" = hold in check. The power of the tongue cannot be ignored or overlooked, it can even deceive our hearts to the point of making our faith "worthless" (Greek = idle, empty). Think of the difference that could be made in the world if we would actually check the things we say while being "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry". This stuff has the ability to transform lives and relationships.
Vs 27 "Treating the Unfortunate": in the Greek "distress" = difficult circumstances. If we think this means we only need to care for orphans and widows than we are sadly mistaken, they happened to be the most neglected individuals in James' day, especially in the life of the Church. It's clear that those who are neglected in our day, inside and outside of the Church, include more than orphans and widows, though many of them are still neglected today.
October 1, 2009
Drive Much?
I'm sure you've heard recently that the Department of Transportation is hosting a Distracted Driving Summit in Washington D.C. yesterday and today with one of the main topics being the issue of texting and driving. I must confess before I go any further that I have been guilty of texting and driving but a few weeks ago decided I would not do it again for two main reasons; 1) safety and 2) annoyance & frustration.
1) Safety
Clearly I am not being as safe a driver as I could be if my attention (and eyesight) is taken off the road because I am texting. I think there is a significant difference between talking on a cell phone while driving and texting while driving. Talking on my cell phone requires very little attention from my eyes resulting in them remaining fixed on the road whereas with texting, I have to keep looking at my phone as I type and not at the road as I drive.
2) Annoyance & Frustration
I am originally from Michigan. It has been said that Michigan drivers are more aggressive than others. So, my second reason for not texting and driving might have something to do with my motherland but I think it also has to do with the fact that, on an almost daily basis, I encounter an individual who's driving is annoying and frustrating to say the least. Whether I'm heading into the office or going home it is almost a given that I will be driving the speed limit (or at least around it) while listening to NPR and have to either a) hit my brakes or b) go around an individual who is messing with his/her cell phone. I do not experience road rage but this drives me crazy! I refuse to be one of those drivers who drives under the speed limit because I am distracted by my phone or drifts from lane to lane because of that all-important text I just got or sent (which probably looks something like "omg nw. idk my bff jill?")
So, if you drive around the Indianapolis area and could do me a favor, stop texting and driving because I would feel really bad if I got annoyed or frustrated with you. Don't make me a bad guy.
September 29, 2009
Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations: Radical Hospitality
Our church this past Sunday started a series based upon the book by Robert Schnase entitled The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. In conjunction with the sermon series our Sunday morning class is studying through the five practices that Schnase talks about as well. The topic for this past Sunday was "Radical Hospitality". Over the next few weeks you will see posts talking about these five different practices as we discuss them in class. Feel free to share your thoughts, questions or comments as we go.
Radical Hospitality
Schnase talks about hospitality as a distinguishing mark of a disciple of Christ. It would be hard to deny the outward focus of Jesus' hospitality. You don't have to look far to see example after example of this throughout the Gospels. My favorite story of this is when Jesus interacts with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-26), what an incredible picture of hospitality.
"Jesus' example of hospitality demands an unceasingly invitational posture that we carry with us into our world of work and leisure and into our practice of neighborliness and community service" (Schnase, 14). As a Christian, we are required to be hospitable but never as an end in itself. Hospitality is simply a means by which we might help connect people to the person of Jesus. See, it's by being hospitable that helps others see that you and I are not only approachable but actually care about them. This gives us the opportunity to build relationships, relationships which can lead people to begin a relationship with Christ.
This book is targeting congregations and suggesting five different things they might practice in order to be fruitful. What I am hoping to do is make these five practices extremely personal. My thought behind this is that if you and I practice these things as individuals, for example when we are hospitable, our churches can't help but be places of hospitality because it's a part of who we are. We have got to help people see that they are not in this alone. With all of the mess so many of us must deal with in life, imagine how much of a difference it can make for someone when they realize there is a community waiting to invite them in.
September 25, 2009
The Beatitudes Part 5
This is the final post in "The Beatitudes" series.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9)
The thought of being a "peacemaker" (or a "repairer of the breaches") is both exciting and humbling to me. Exciting because it means that I can really make a difference by the way I treat others and humbling because at times it seems nearly impossible to think that I could ever bring about peace. Chances are not likely that I will bring about world peace but that doesn't mean I can't bring about peace in the little world that I live in. Paul talks about this in Romans 12:16-18 and even says, "as far as it depends on you" which means that though I can't control other people, I can control what I do when it comes to making peace.
In what ways can you bring about peace in your world? Who do you need to repair the breach with?
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:10)
The first thing we need to take note of is that the persecution comes "because of righteousness" not because we are jerks, judgmental, or condemning. The reason for the persecution is critically important. This is persecution that comes as a result of trying to follow Jesus, nothing more and nothing less. Like when following Christ goes against the grain of society, culture or even our family and friends and we catch flack for it. Jesus told us it would be like this because it was like that for Him and to think that He was persecuted but we won't be is naive. It is hard to follow Jesus, to believe otherwise is misguided but blessed are those who continue to try even when it hurts for the gain is great.
September 23, 2009
"Self Help"
Our culture provides us with so many ways of dealing with stuff before we end up leaning on God. It's as if society wants to keep us from realizing our desperate need for God and make fools of us by tricking us into thinking that we can somehow take care of things on our own.
Take the whole concept of "self help" for example. I mean, if you really think about it, it doesn't even make sense. The idea that we can somehow help ourselves get out of the mess that we more than likely created in the first place but didn't help ourselves get out of before we realized we could "self help" ourselves out of is absurd.
Even when we look at the two words separately...
Self - What would ever make us think that we would have the ability to get ourselves out of certain situations, habits, patterns, etc.? We've already seen what happens when it depends on us, we end up in some sort of messy situation, habit, pattern, etc. When left to our own devices, we're only going to experience despair, frustration and sorrow.
Help - Isn't the very notion of 'help' getting assistance from somewhere or someone else other than ourselves? Otherwise we wouldn't need 'help' in the first place. If we truly think we can help ourselves than we're only going to experience disappointment, confusion and pain.
I don't think it's until we realize that we can't make it on our own, that the only thing we really have to fall back on is the strength and grace that God provides, that we'll begin to experience the kind of help that will make any sort of difference in our lives.
September 22, 2009
Backspacer
Pearl Jam just released their ninth studio album entitled "Backspacer". As some of you might know, I am a fairly big fan of PJ and have seen them live a total of six times (so far), the most recent in Chicago a few weeks ago with my brother (@JLipan). Despite all of this, I would like to think my review of their most recent effort will be fairly objective but I guess you can be the judge of that.
The first few tracks on the album come with a distinctively upbeat feel to them with a hint of punk which seem to echo band frontman Eddie Vedder's lyrics, "I'm gonna shake this thing, I wanna shake this pain before I retire" from the first track Gonna See My Friend. This followed by Got Some and The Fixer, both of which I got to see performed live at their Chicago show. The energy is high right out of the gate and the music is in your face without being obnoxious.
The remaining tracks on this album sustain the level of energy but seem to really showcase Vedder's vocals, not unlike his solo work for the soundtrack "Into The Wild". This sounds especially true on the tracks Just Breathe, Amongst The Waves, Unthought Known and Speed Of Sound. These tracks are intermixed with songs like Supersonic and Force Of Nature which lean back to the punk/rock side of things.
Overall I have really enjoyed the album, apart from the album cover art. I was honestly not expecting to like this album very much but am finding the more I listen to it, the more I really like it as a whole. Of course there are some songs I like much more than others but there isn't one on "Backspacer" that I particularly don't like, which is cool. I think it really has "play all the way through" value. I'm having a hard time deciding whether Just Breathe, Amongst The Waves or Speed Of Sound is my favorite track on the album so feel free to help me out by giving this album a listen. I would recommend checking it out.
September 20, 2009
The Beatitudes Part 4
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
Like forgiveness, mercy is one of those things that if we're honest, we want and even expect people to show us unconditionally but then when it comes to us showing mercy to others, we like to hold onto it like we have the power to give or take. It becomes pretty clear throughout scripture that if we want to be shown mercy, showing mercy to others would definitely be in our favor. James 2:12-16, 1 John 3:16-18, Matthew 6:14.
I think the James passage gives an interesting perspective on showing mercy. So, what opportunities do you have to show someone mercy? Family, friends, co-worker, neighbor, stranger...? If you expect to receive mercy, can people expect to receive mercy from you?
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8)
First, I've got to ask what "pure in heart" means to you? Is it even possible? In the discussion about this Beatitude in our Sunday morning class someone brought up the thought of being "of one substance, not a mixture or contaminated." A pretty powerful description if you think about being one in will, purpose and desire with Christ and not allowing ourselves to be "contaminated" by other things.
Feel free to share any thoughts, questions or comments you might have on "Beatitudes Part 4".
September 15, 2009
The Beatitudes Part 3
"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5)
Webster's Dictionary defines meek as: "1. enduring injury with patience and without resentment; 2. deficient in spirit and courage; 3. not violent or strong". None of these sound particularly attractive. The word that is used in the Greek is 'praus' which is a "mildness of disposition" or "gentleness of spirit", which sounds much better than a deficiency of spirit if you ask me.
What does meek look like to you? The idea of being meek flies right in the face of current culture and yet it seems like there might be some wisdom in Jesus' idea of having a gentle spirit. How often have you and I wished that some of the people we have encountered had treated us with a gentle spirit? How many times have you and I had the opportunity to treat others with gentleness but instead acted selfishly one way or another?
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6)
While I'm on the Greek kick...hunger = 'peinao' as a metaphor means "to seek with eager desire" and thirst = 'dipsao' figuratively means "those who painfully feel their want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, strengthened."
I can't help but look at these definitions and think to myself if I am really seeking with eager desire those things that will refresh and support my soul. I believe that it is only Jesus that can refresh and support my soul and so I must make it a point to desire Him. Do you and I have such a thirst for righteousness that nothing will quench it apart from spending time in God's Word, on our knees in prayer and in community with the Body as we strive to be the hands and feet of Christ to a world that is feeding its appetite with things that will only make it sick?
Jesus tells us that if we seek, we'll find (Luke 11:9-10)...so for the sake of those we encounter we must continue to seek Him and nothing less.
September 11, 2009
9/11
I was on my way in this morning to play basketball with some guys (at 6am! if you know me, you should be impressed by that...i'm just sayin') and saw a sign that was hanging off one of the overpasses on I-69 that read, "All gave some, some gave all." with the date 9/11/01 in the middle.
I'm wondering now 8yrs later, how we have changed as Christians and as the Church. Like other times of crisis in our lives did we fall on our faces before God seeking His presence and guidance only to have Him see us through so we could get back to "our" lives? The Church was reminded of its relevancy by people who were in need and despair. The need and despair still remains, does the relevancy of how we meet those needs and calm the despair?
I would be curious to hear about how the events of exactly 8yrs ago from this morning impacted your faith. Are there stories of how your faith was shaken or strengthened as a result? Did it cause you to have feelings of doubt and despair? Or was your faith solidified because you were able to see God's presence through it all? I think it could be meaningful and helpful for others to hear how the tragic events of 9/11/01 have impacted your faith, possibly even still today 8yrs later. Thanks for sharing!
September 8, 2009
rethink: Forgiveness
Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians to “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” What if we rethink:forgiveness in a way that sees it as something to receive and give. Have you ever taken a moment to think about what it really means to forgive “just as in Christ God forgave you”?
Forgiveness is such an interesting thing. On the one hand we want and need it for ourselves and on the other we can find ourselves not wanting to forgive someone for the hurt they have caused us. When I rethink:forgiveness in light of the forgiveness I have been given in Christ, I am struck by the responsibility I have to forgive those who have hurt me. Not only that but as I read Jesus’ words in John’s gospel, “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (20:23) I realize the weight of deciding to forgive or not to forgive. Jesus also said, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matt. 6:14-15).
You and I have the power to forgive because we have been forgiven, so why don’t we more often? If I hear Jesus’ words correctly, we’ve got to forgive if we want to be forgiven. We have got to rethink:forgiveness to the point of seeing that we have no place to condemn and instead are called to forgive.
To forgive, really forgive, means convincing ourselves deep down that we merited the wrong done to us. What is more, it is good to suffer in silence. Jesus taught that the beatitude is reserved for those who are persecuted for the sake of justice.
~From Letters from the Desert by Carlo Carretto
2009 Fantasy Football Draft
I'm not sure how many years my friends and I have been doing this fantasy football league but I know it started while we were still at TU (Taylor University), which has been almost 10yrs now for some of us. We have 10 teams in our league and got together 2 weeks ago to do our annual live draft. I won the league last year for the first time and am hoping to repeat with the 2nd pick overall in this year's draft. We play that a team starts 1 QB, 1 RB, 2 WR, 1 RB/WR, 1 TE, 1 D/ST, 1 K each week.
Here's the team I drafted by position with the one's I'm leaning toward starting listed first. Let me know what you think.
QB - Peyton Manning, Ind
QB - Carson Palmer, Cin
RB - Michael Turner, Atl
RB - Thomas Jones, NYJ
RB - Le'Ron McClain, Bal
RB - Earnest Graham, TB
WR - Anquan Boldin, Ari
WR - Eddie Royal, Den
WR - Kevin Walter, Hou
WR - Deion Branch, Sea
WR - Roy E. Williams, Dal
TE - Owen Daniels, Hou
TE - Zach Miller, Oak
D/ST - Vikings
D/ST - Cowboys
K - Rob Bironas, Ten
September 3, 2009
The Beatitudes Part 2
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)
The consensus of our class last Sunday was that "poor in spirit" was another way of talking about humility. This could be a humility that realizes one's need and dependency on God for everything, including admittance into His kingdom but it could also be a humility that forces us to look outside ourselves and be willing to serve others. Or maybe both? It does seem that in order to experience the "kingdom of heaven" I must come to the conclusion that life is not about me.
Or maybe I'm missing it altogether and Jesus is simply saying that despite how incredibly lacking my spirit is, God demonstrates His mercy, love, forgiveness, grace, etc. by allowing me, even me, the chance to enter into His kingdom.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)
Two thoughts emerged around this verse, one being that when we realize our dependency on God because of our sinful nature we begin to mourn over the sin in our lives. The other had more to do with the idea that God was going to make things fair (as best as we can understand "fair") for those who's lives have not been. Another way of saying this might be to say that those who have been struggling to get by, to make ends meet, you have felt alone, abandoned and abused their whole lives will find comfort from the One who called the Prince of Peace.
Any thoughts, questions or comments you have on either of these two Beatitudes? Feel free to share them with us.
Prayer at the altar of Coventry Cathedral
race from race,
class from class;
FATHER, FORGIVE.
and lays waste to earth;
FATHER, FORGIVE.
of others;
FATHER, FORGIVE.
homeless and the refugee;
FATHER, FORGIVE.
the bodies of men and women;
FATHER, FORGIVE.
ourselves and not in God;
FATHER, FORGIVE.
~Prayer at the altar of Coventry Cathedral
September 1, 2009
A Chance to Connect
I've been thinking about this for a while, saw a friend do this on his blog and with social media being all the craze I thought it could be interesting to take this opportunity to connect with you. Whether you are a frequent reader of A Journeyman's Catalog or just passing through, it could be a chance to connect.
Feel free to hit me up on:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mattlipan
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mattlipan
Email: matt.lipan@gmail.com or matt@castletonumc.org
If you happen to have a blog of your own, I would love the chance to check it out. Leave a comment with your blog's address or any other ways we might be able to connect with you.
rethink: Evangelism
I know that the thought, idea or even the word “evangelism” can freak people out, that’s why I’m suggesting we need to rethink:evangelism. If evangelism is something missionaries do in a far off land amongst an indigenous people group OR the crazy guy on the corner that yells at you when you walk by then take a moment to rethink it.
The idea behind evangelism is simply to proclaim some good news and after we took some time to rethink: Church and rethink: Grace we quickly realized we have some good news to share with people. When we look at the difference Jesus and His grace has made in our own lives and can make in the lives of others, we have to share this good news. This is good news for people who are broken, lonely, wounded, guilty, afraid, questioning, doubting or confused. This is news for all of us to share. News we must share.
So many of us think to ourselves that we are not good at evangelism, that we don’t know what to say or when to say it. What if we rethink:evangelism not in terms of the words we use but rather in the way we live our lives? The things we do, the way we interact with people, our actions and reactions, these become the way in which we proclaim the good news of Jesus. The greatest evangelism tool you have is your own life and the ways in which Jesus has changed you. Allow the transformation Jesus’ grace has brought about in your life speak to the transformation it can bring to the lives of others.
“Preach the Gospel always, if necessary use words.”
~Saint Francis of Assisi
August 30, 2009
The Beatitudes - A Progression of Faith
We started a study on the Beatitudes this morning in class which I'm thinking will last us a couple weeks. This morning we spent time discussing some background info on Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount" and specifically the Beatitudes. For example, the word beatitude comes from the Latin word beatus meaning "blessed" or "happy". I also found it interesting that the book of Matthew lists 8 beatitudes while Luke mentions 4 (followed by 4 'woes'). I will drop a separate post on the 2 we focused on this morning,
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
but before I do that I wanted to share a thought I had...
...One of the commentators I looked at suggested that "poor in spirit" was the idea of realizing we are nothing without God (human depravity if you will) and that the "mourning" came from the feeling of regret and apology for our sins (I would label this one repentance). This got me thinking, is it possible that through the Beatitudes Jesus was laying out a progression of faith? He starts with being "poor in spirit" (sinful man), moves to those who "mourn" (seeking repentance), and then into what it looks like as someone begins to mature in his/her faith: "meekness"(willingness to submit to Christ's will), "hunger and thirst for righteousness"(study and spiritual disciplines), "merciful", and ultimately "pure in heart"(where one's desires become those of Christ's) which leads to being "peacemakers" and even "persecution"(as Paul says, "to live is Christ, to die is gain") for the cause of Christ.
Obviously I haven't spent a ton of time elaborating on this idea but what do you think, have we stumbled onto something?
August 26, 2009
rethink: Church
I am picking up where I left off in the “rethink:” blog series now that I am starting to experience some sense of normalcy after the loss of my Grandpa (He-Man, Inspector Gadget & Grandpa) and finishing up my essays for my last summer class. You may find it helpful to read the other rethink: posts (Sin, Grace) if you haven’t already.
After taking some time to rethink:grace we might begin to how much of a difference this can make in the life of the Church. Taking a moment to rethink:church makes me wonder if Church could be a place where community is found and developed. Can Church really be anything else? Some of us have found a sense of belonging to a community like this, others of us are desperately seeking and wanting.
Now, if you find yourself thinking that Church is just another thing you have to do each week, it may be time for you to rethink:church. Paul describes the Church as a body, a body that is made up of many parts (I Cor. 12:12-27). Each part of the body has a part to play in the life of the Church, you and I cannot simply sit back and experience Church. There is no such thing as spectator community because it requires involvement, engagement and connection. If you are going to attempt to rethink:church, then you must realize that this community needs you. No one can play your part for you so if you’re a foot, be a foot. If you’re a hand, be a hand. This community called the Church needs you.
When we start to think about Church in this way, we quickly realize how good the news of a grace-filled community can be for so many people we know (not to mention ourselves). Realizing how many lost, searching, lonely people cross our paths each day may give us reason to rethink:evangelism.
August 22, 2009
Martin Luther on Authority & Salvation
I have been working on essays for my Church History II class at Asbury Theological Seminary and was asked by a friend to post my essay on Martin Luther's understanding of authority and salvation and how it differs from the Roman Catholic Church of his day. I have written a synopsis of my essay here, if you would like to read the entire 2+ page essay just shoot me an email at matt.lipan@gmail.com or matt@castletonumc.org and let me know.
The 1st wall was the distinction the Catholic Church made between the religious class (popes, bishops, priests, nuns) and the secular class (everyone else) believing that somehow the religious class was more holy and pious. Luther's argument which said, "For all Christians whatsoever really and truly belong to the religious class, and there is no difference among them except in so far as they do different work." (An Open Letter to the Christian Nobility), was based on I Peter 2:9.
The 2nd wall was the claim by the Catholic Church that they were the only interpreters of Scripture because only the religious class had the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and that the pope could not err on issues of faith, regardless of his personal integrity or character. To this Luther asks what the point of Scripture is then if only a certain few could interpret it. He believed that God could speak to any man through His Word, regardless of social class.
The 3rd wall was the claim that only a summoned council could challenge the pope but that only the pope had the power to summon such a council. This setup left the pope in a position of unquestioning power which led to an abuse of authority that Luther believed was harmful to all of Christianity and contrary to Scripture. He sites a passage from Matthew 18:15-17 and then writes it "commands each member to exercise concern for his fellow, much more it is our duty when the wrongdoer is one who rules over us all alike, and who causes much harm and offense to the rest by his conduct" (An Open Letter to the Christian Nobility).
In regards to salvation, Luther believed that the sinner was justified not by any past or future merit but through the person and work of Jesus alone. The Catholic Church believed that the pope had the authority and ability to grant the remission of sins to which Luther wrote in his 95 Theses, "76. We say, on the contrary, that papal pardons cannot take away the least of venial sins, as regards to guilt."
He-Man, Inspector Gadget & Grandpa
It is never easy to lose a loved one. I found out exactly a week ago that my 85yr old grandpa, James "Jay" Joseph Lipan, passed away in his sleep. Spending time in Bay City, MI with my rather large family on my dad's side consumed the majority of my week and yet was somehow refreshing. We had a great time celebrating the life of a husband to my Grandma for 61yrs, father of 6, grandfather of 17, great grandfather of 12, brother, original crew member of the USS Midway during WWII and stranger to no one.
I have some great memories of my Grandpa over the 30yrs that I knew him and was fortunate enough to have lived 4 doors down from him and my Grandma for the first 5yrs of my life. Even as young as I was I can still vividly remember riding my Big Wheel (mine had a flat spot on the front wheel from doing all those sweet skids) down to their house right around dinner time to sit with my Grandpa and watch He-Man, Inspector Gadget and People's Court. I got to pick two, he got to pick one.
The thing that I appreciated most about my Grandpa was his ability to bring people together. My Grandma and Grandpa's house was the place people gathered. It was the 'Grand Central Station', the hub of the Lipan family. The place where there was always something going on and always someone coming or going and always a friendly exchange. It was not uncommon to have 50+ people pass through the doors of my Grandpa's house during a holiday get together and somehow he would make every single one of them not only feel welcome but like they were part of the family. He was the embodiment of hospitality, the very definition of what it meant to welcome in the stranger.
Needless to say that our family did not always make the best decisions and yet Grandpa understood what it meant to love unconditionally. Whether it was one of his kids or one of his grand kids he never passed judgment and instead would simply say, "To each his own." and go on loving us. I don't think this meant he wasn't disappointed at times or didn't disagree with decisions that were made but you knew that the love never stopped. I think this is what allowed him to be one of the most, if not the most hospitable person I have known. Certainly a tough act to follow. Thanks Gramps!
August 12, 2009
rethink: Grace
In light of a new perspective on sin can we only begin to understand how incredible the grace of God truly is. If grace has been some sort of “get out of jail free” card that has allowed you to do whatever you want because you know that God’s grace is always available, then you need to rethink:grace.
Grace is free but it is certainly not cheap. Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians that we have been “bought with a price.” A price that is beyond anything you or I could ever afford on our own; the very blood, sweat and tears of God’s very own Son. If the things that Jesus endured on the cross in order for you and I to experience grace seems cheap, then I would suggest that we need to rethink:grace.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, when talking about grace being costly said,
Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it costs God the life of His Son: "ye were bought at a price," and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us.
Maybe you and I need to begin to rethink:grace in order to better understand its weight. When we stop for a second to rethink the grace we have been shown, despite all that we have done, we begin to see how much of a difference this can make if we are willing to rethink:church.
August 10, 2009
rethink: Sin
I gave a sermon on 8/9 entitled "rethink:" and suggested four topics (sin, grace, church and evangelism) that we may need to spend some time thinking about again or in an entirely different way. Over the next few weeks I am going to blog about some of those different topics that might need some rethinking, some of which I spoke about this morning and others that I didn't get a chance to touch on. Feel free to join in on the conversation at any time.
We often think about sin in terms of good vs. bad or right vs. wrong. I think this can lead us to think that anything that is good can’t be sin. So, who decides what is good or not? If we’re honest, it usually ends up being you and I who decide when it comes to those day in-day out, everyday decisions, right? So that means that anything that I think seems good or feels good is obviously not sin.
We need to rethink:sin as anything or anyone that comes in between us and our relationship with God. If our spouses, significant others, careers, hobbies, etc. come between us and God, they are becoming sin. Even things that are good, like loving my wife, can become sin if my love for her trumps my love for God. The Church, when seeking after Jesus is a good thing but if we make the seeking after Jesus part more important than Jesus Himself…I think we might be sinning.
When we stop for a second to rethink:sin we begin to see it as this thing God detests and that we are all guilty of we realize we may need to take a little time to rethink:grace.
August 7, 2009
New Layout
I've got to ask, are you feelin' it or no?? Do you like the new layout of A Journeyman's Catalog? Let me know what you like/don't like or anything you might like to see here. I would certainly appreciate hearing any thoughts you might want to share.
August 5, 2009
Disorganized Religion?
Maybe it's just arguing semantics but I'm not really sure I understand what people mean when they say they don't like organized religion. Are they actually saying they don't like traditional styles of worship? Mainline denominations? Customs and rituals that can also be known as liturgy? Or the politics that are found within the church framework? Is organized religion seen as a religious or spiritual version of 'The Man' that is holding their spirits down?
It might just be the way my mind works but when someone tells me s/he doesn't like organized religion then I can't help but wonder if that means s/he would rather be involved with a sort of disorganized or unorganized religion, a sort of spiritual chaos where anything goes. This seems more like an attempt to justify doing or believing whatever one wants by freeing one's self from any sort of expectations or accountability. The organization of thoughts and beliefs is going to take place, it becomes an issue of who is going to do the organizing. Will it be at the sole discretion of the individual or a collaboration of church fathers that have gone before with those of us who find ourselves inside the church structure today?
Don't get me wrong, I know mainline organized religion is not perfect (I work for a church), however I do think there is freedom to explore what faith can look like to and for an individual inside this structured framework. Without any sort of framework it can become really easy to find ourselves missing the picture all together.
August 4, 2009
The Dead Weather
So I took another listen to Jack White's most recent project entitled "Horehound" from the band The Dead Weather which is made up of Alison Mossheart on vocals from the Kills, Dean Fertita on guitar from Queens of the Stone Age, Jack Lawrence on bass from The Raconteurs and Jack White on drums.
On my initial listen I was not a fan and after subsequent listens I am still not really a fan. The sound is somewhat unique but I think what makes it that way is that it should have come out 25yrs ago. "Horehound" has a dark, bluesy kind of rock sound that reminds me too much of the 80's, especially with Mossheart's vocals. I have no doubt she has a voice that can rock it out but it never seems like she really has the chance on this album to let it go. And while I am jealous at the freedom Jack White has to pretty much do whatever he wants musically and bring together an extremely talented group so he could play drums, I would rather have heard him on lead vocals. What makes Jack unique from other current artists is his voice and his lyrical way of telling stories, not unlike a number of his tracks with The White Stripes and The Raconteurs. I am really hoping that The Dead Weather does not become his lead project and result in the previous two bands being neglected, especially The Raconteurs (I was surprised at how much I like them).
I would not recommend buying this album but if you find yourself being a die-hard Jack White fan, at least give it a listen first. Despite that, I really liked the guitar on the song "New Pony" and would say that "I Cut Like A Buffalo" and "So Far From Your Weapon" were my two favorite songs on the album.
August 2, 2009
On Health Care
This is not my attempt to explain the health care situation in our country because honestly I have not taken the time I need to understand what is going on. What I do know is that it doesn't seem to be working that well as is and that there are a lot of people that don't have health insurance or access to health care due to its cost. Of course there are as many opinions about this issue as there are potential solutions to the problems and like other major issues, politics play a part as well.
I heard on the news today that the federal deficit is growing as a result of a number of issues, one of them being rising costs of health care. The report went on to say that the federal government was not ruling out the possibility of raising taxes on the middle class in order to help cover the gap in the federal budget.
To be honest, I have no problem paying more of my hard-earned money in taxes if it will help provide health care for an individual or family who otherwise would not have access. I am blessed enough to have access to health care and it seems like if I can help someone get the care s/he needs then that is what Christ would expect me to do. I'm not sure I know which political party has the right answer to the health care question but I am pretty sure that regardless of your political affiliation, if you consider yourself a follower of Jesus you are called to serve all, even the "least of these".
August 1, 2009
The Tech Mask
Technology is great, I really enjoy it and embrace it. One of my few vices is having the latest gadget or gizmo. There has been a ton of buzz over the past few months about all of the social networking sites and technology that has become extremely popular...ala MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and more recently Twitter. And of course there are a variety of ways you can access these social networks from your pc to your phone not to mention all of the different applications that can help you manage your profiles on each of these sites, some even allowing you to update multiple social networks at once. I enjoy all of these though in the last 2 months or so Twitter has become my new favorite passing Facebook. I haven't used MySpace for some time now and I'm still getting use to LinkedIn but I digress.
One of the things I have noticed recently with the combination of advancing technology and the rapid growth of online social networks is the ability they give to individuals to become self-proclaimed "experts". Now, I'm not saying these aren't actually experts, just that I've noticed everyone is an expert of something now. Technology is allowing us to determine our own field of expertise with one of, if not the main credential being the number of followers, friends or connections one has.
If we're not careful we can find ourselves wearing a mask or masks that technology makes possible for us to wear that will eventually fall off because it's not who we are. I'm guilty of this myself as a matter of fact, in my last post even. Technology has allowed me to be a movie critic, or at least wear the mask of one.
July 31, 2009
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
I had a chance to see the latest Harry Potter movie earlier this week and while I'm guessing pretty much all of you have seen it already, I'm going to give a review of it anyways. Before I do that, it is important for you to know that I have not been following the Harry Potter series. I have not read any of the books and am not really sure if I have seen all of the movies or not. They kind of all run together for me, just like the one I saw on Monday has already done with all the other ones.
Overall I thought it was a well-made movie. For being 153mins long it did a nice job of not making me think it was 153mins long. It seemed a lot like the other HP movies I have seen with some magic stuff going on, well done computer graphics, and a lot of character/story development. I was a little disappointed by the lack of "action" in the movie and it was really a combination of this and the rather weak ending that made this movie feel like an "in-between" movie, almost as if it was simply filling space in the series. Don't forget that this is coming from a guy who knows very little about the Harry Potter series, so from that perspective, this was not really a movie that could stand on its own, unlike some of the other movies in the series. I give it a B.
July 23, 2009
Quality Over Style?
My class this week has caused me to think a lot about different aspects of worship; everything from the types of digital projectors we use to the images in our slide shows to the type of music we use in worship. All of this has made me wonder if before the 31 flavors of worship, people value quality above variety.
I know we each have our opinions of the style of worship we appreciate most but I would venture to guess that we would settle for a different style if it is done well, especially if the style we prefer is not done with the highest quality. Would you rather attend a well done X style of service as opposed to your preferred Y style done mediocre at best?
More and more people are saying that 20's & 30's are starting to prefer more traditional styles of worship, while I won't necessarily disagree with that (though I am 30 and would prefer a well done contemporary service) I'm wondering if we are seeing this apparent trend because traditional style services are "easier" to do well. Please don't be offended by that statement, what I mean by this is simply that traditional style services are much more scripted with the use of liturgy, hymns, choirs, etc. Contemporary style services tend to be much looser and more dependent upon the musicians and worship leaders in order to execute well. Am I making any sense? Seriously, tell me.
I guess the point I'm wondering if I am getting to is that people tend to attend worship services that are done well, almost regardless of their style preference. While I prefer a contemporary style of worship, there is no question in my mind that I would attend a high quality traditional service with a dynamic speaker over a mediocre contemporary service with the same speaker. I think my desire for quality trumps my preference of style.
What do you think? Am I way off base?
"Wesleyan Osmosis" Movie
So the class that I am taking this week is called Technology in Ministry with Dr. Boyd. One of our assignments was to storyboard, shoot, edit and produce a group movie project in less than a day's time. Here's what we came up with...
July 22, 2009
Use Me God: Finding Your Spiritual Gifts Week 7
Here we are at the 2nd to last week(7/26) of our study entitled "Use Me God: Finding Your Spiritual Gifts". I hope you have found it interesting and helpful over these past few weeks. This past Sunday (7/19) we took a Spiritual Gifts Survey in class and had some good discussion around the various gifts the survey said we did and didn't have. I have plenty of copies of the survey if you would like to take it and didn't get a chance, just let me know (matt@castletonumc.org).
Here are some things to be looking at and thinking about over the next couple days in preparation for our class on Sunday (7/26).
Matthew 7:21-23
1. Would you call these people fruitful based on their activities?
2. What are these people missing?
3. Is it possible that you are doing stuff for God but aren't connected to Him?
John 15:1-8
1. What does it look like for you to "abide in Christ"?
2. Are you?
3. What does the pruning Jesus mentions in vs. 2 look like in your life?
Psalm 1:1-3
1. How often do you "delight" in God's Word?
2. Are you using this as a way to abide in Christ?
Some things to think about...
Over the past month, have you grown or declined in:
1. Love toward God and others
2. Joy regardless of the situation
3. Peace with your set of gifts and where you use them
4. Patience in the face of frustrations
5. Kindness in affirming and encouraging others
6. Generosity in willing to go the extra mile
7. Faithfulness in doing what you said you would do
8. Gentleness in listening to others
9. Self-control in being a team player
As always, feel free to share your thoughts and questions.
*this study has been adapted from the book Gifts: the joy of serving God by John Ortberg, Laurie Pederson & Judson Poling*
July 20, 2009
Secular Music in Worship
I find myself down in Wilmore, KY for another class at ATS during the second summer session. This week my class is Technology in Ministry and looks to involve video editing, digital photography, photo editing and powerpoint work. Those are the practical aspects of the class, the philosophical aspect of the class involves a discussion around the effective use of technology in a worship service setting. It looks like we will be wrestling with questions of when, where and how things like video clips, music and slides can help create an atmosphere of worship.
The very first example Dr. Boyd used in class this morning was a slide show using the lyrics of a Paul Simon song entitled "Slip Slidin' Away". Of course I know who Paul Simon is and actually I like his stuff but I must admit that I had never heard this song before this morning but that is beside the point. I found it interesting that he chose to use a "secular" song as his first example for us, which played right into something I have been thinking about for a while now...should secular songs be used in worship services?
If you don't know this about me, you should know that I like music a lot. To the point that it becomes annoying for some people around me because I have music playing almost constantly. I am also a self-proclaimed music critic which has led me to avoid the majority of "contemporary Christian" music. I tend to think it's just not very good. Having said all of that, I believe that God can and does use "secular" and "Christian" music to connect with people in one way or another but am still working through the use of "secular" music in a worship service setting. I'm not saying I'm for or against it just yet, just that it seems like surely there has to be enough decent "Christian" music out there to use instead.
I guess I'm not sure that when unchurched visitors join us in our worship services and hear songs from Hootie & The Blowfish, The Beatles or Three Dog Night they leave thinking they experienced the presence of God, just attended church and/or plan on coming back. Sometimes it is easy for me to make a connection between a particular "secular" song and God but that's coming from someone who has an established relationship with Jesus, what about the person who is unfamiliar with church, God or His Son?
I'm not convinced either way at this point but would certainly love to hear what you think.
July 14, 2009
Hurry Up and Wait
Patience is a virtue...blah, blah, blah. I have a hard time waiting. I'm sure some of this has to do with the consumer focused, instant gratification type of society we live in here in the U.S. but I bet some of it has to do with me as well. I tend to be someone that wants things now, almost to the point where today isn't soon enough. I like change, it doesn't bother me and I find it spices things up a bit but I have a hard time waiting for it. Or even when things are hard I would rather face it, deal with it and move on. The thought of waiting around to see how things are going to play out can drive me mad.
This morning I was reading something from Carlo Carretto, who's writings I have just recently discovered, and it made me think about patience in a new way. I think I'm moving toward the conclusion that we were made to have an attitude of patience, of being willing to wait. Carretto says it much better, "We must assume an attitude of waiting, accepting the fact that we are creatures and not Creator. We must do this because it is not our right to do anything else; the initiative is God's, not ours."
I'm not sure I would say this is life changing for me but it might be. So often I am quick to see or make things happen to the point of stressing myself out when it seems like life would be so much more enjoyable if I would simply wait. I am the created, not the Creator and so I have no business worrying about making things happen before their time. I must simply wait and in those times of waiting come to know God.
July 9, 2009
Use Me God: Finding Your Spiritual Gifts Week 6
We continue our study on Spiritual Gifts this Sunday (7/12) and will be spending time talking about what it is that motivates you and I to serve God by taking a look at Galatians 3:1-3; Luke 10:38-42; Matthew 23:5-7; and Acts 6:1-4, 7. Take some time over the next couple days to look over these passages and questions in preparation for our time together this weekend.
Galatians 3:1-3
1. What was the issue here?
2. Does your motivation to serve come from a mind-set of grace or performance?
Luke 10:38-42
1. How would you describe the difference between Mary's and Martha's interactions with Jesus?
2. Do you think it is possible to do "Christ-like" things without actually being Christ-like?
3. Is it possible to do too many "good" things?
4. How how easy is it for you to avoid getting lost in the busyness of doing "good" things?
Matthew 23:5-7
1. What is it that is motivating the Pharisees?
2. Is this ever a motivation for you?
Acts 6:1-4, 7
1. What happens when people serve outside their gifts?
2. Why is it that 20% of people do 80% of the work, even if that means they must serve outside their gifts? Or worse, keeps them from serving within their gifts?
For further thought...
-Jesus' ministry lasted not more than 3yrs and yet he needed rest, what does that say to you about your need for rest over a lifetime?
-One a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the best): I am serving in an area that best fits my gifts? I am doing the things I need to do to find rest?
*this study has been adapted from the book Gifts: the joy of serving God by John Ortberg, Laurie Pederson & Judson Poling*
July 8, 2009
Lifestyle
What kind of lifestyle do you lead? I think this question has the ability to be one that is gut wrenching-ly difficult or one that can be answered somewhat flippantly. My guess is it becomes the former if we take the time to truly examine the kind of life we lead; the things we do, the things we say, the things we value, the way we spend our money, our time, our energy. All of these contribute to the type of lifestyle you and I live on a daily basis.
It seems like, at least to me, the best type of lifestyle to lead is one that focuses on the lives of others first. It really is to everyone's advantage to live a life in this way because it moves the emphasis of my life off of me and on to the needs and concerns of others. What I think this looks like on its most basic level is a lifestyle modeled after that of Jesus. Isn't that really what Christians should be striving for in the first place?
The benefits of a life trying to imitate Jesus are obvious as the things we do, the things we say, the things we value, the way we spend our money, our time, and our energy are all directed by the way Jesus would use those things...for others. It's a win-win for everyone involved: for those whose needs and concerns we are trying to meet and for ourselves because it's in those moments of selfless service that we find true fulfillment and joy.
July 6, 2009
"Freedom Fries"
A sermon I gave yesterday (7/5/09) at our Sunrise Campus.
*************************************************************
So we are starting a series entitled “All American Ideas” and the best title I could come up with was “Freedom Fries”. It really has little to do with what I want to talk about this morning other than the idea of freedom, and specifically freedom in Christ. When I was told what the series was going to be and knowing that I would be preaching on Independence Day Weekend, "Freedom Fries" was the cheesiest (no pun intended...get it? cheese fries) title I came up with so I decided to go with it. Ok, enough about cheese fries...err, I mean "Freedom Fries"...I want to ask you a couple questions before we jump in:
How many of you need to be in control or feel like you have control? How many of you have ever had a decision made for you or taken from you? How many of you have ever had times when the outcome of a certain situation, circumstance or relationship has been taken out of your control?
If you're like me, you could relate to each one of those questions and often times find that you never really had control in the first place. And the times when you did "have control" you just messed things up, at least that's my story most of the time. Sometimes all of this can lead to a sense of being trapped by fear, doubt or worry. When the worries of this world cage us in, we quickly realize that despite living in the "Land of the Free" we often times don't feel so free.
This is what led me to think about what freedom in Christ can mean and look like for you and I this morning. Now there are probably more things that you could think of that Jesus wants to set us free from or set us free to do but I feel like these four points will give us a good place to start. If you other ideas you want to share of what freedom in Christ looks like, please don't hesitate to let me know. Ok, let's jump in...
1. Jesus wants to set you free from religion.
-Matt. 11:29-30 (28-30 "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." The Message)
-This is the idea that Paul talks about when he mentions the ‘Law’ in a number of his letters.
-Jesus says that if you and I know Him, we will obey His commands.
-Jesus is setting us free to focus on a relationship with Him and not the rules or regulations.
2. Jesus wants to set you free from the concerns of this world, but not for this world.
-Sometimes we get distracted by the cares of this world and find ourselves held captive to policies, staff directives, finances, bosses and expectations others have for us.
-John 16:33
-John 14:27
-John 17:15-16
-Jesus recognizes this world desperately needs people like you and me who have a relationship with Him to care for it. I think He also wants us to see that the world doesn't need more religion but rather people who are following Him.
3. Jesus wants to set you free to love and serve.
-This means we are set free to forgive those who have hurt us and to show mercy to those we’d rather seek revenge on.
4. Jesus wants to set you free from yourself
-Rom. 6:17-18 ( 15-18 ”So, since we're out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we're free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you've let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you've started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!” The Message)
-In the very next chapter of Romans Paul talks about doing the very things he hates doing…even when we think we have control we don’t
-You and I are not in control. If even for a moment we had it, we’ve lost it. We can’t even stop doing the things we know we don’t want to do.
-Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full.” In order to have life to the fullest, we must allow Christ to set us free from ourselves.
July 4, 2009
Independence Day
Happy 4th of July! I hope you have the chance to celebrate with family and friends all of the various freedoms that you and I experience on a daily basis and probably take for granted every once in a while. I find it interesting that we say we live in the "Land of the Free" and yet so many of us don't really feel free at all. Sure, no one is telling us how to live our lives but we still can't seem to get free from anxiety caused by things like finances, relationships, jobs, health...and maybe even...guilt, shame or regret.
Tomorrow morning I'm going to be preaching on the freedom that is found in and through Christ. It is a freedom unlike any other you or I might experience. The cages of worry, doubt and fear have been broken by the One who said, "Take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) This is the kind of freedom that makes us free to fully love, fully hope and fully live. Gives a whole new meaning to "Independence Day".
July 2, 2009
Use Me God: Finding Your Spiritual Gifts Week 5
I apologize for the delay in getting Week 5 of our study posted. This past Sunday (6/28) we spent some time discussing the issues of comparison, envy and pride. Along with these topics we took a look at: Romans 13:13, James 3:13-16, 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 and Luke 18:9-14. I would encourage you to spend some time with these passages and their questions.
Romans 13:13
1. Notice the list of things Paul includes envy (jealousy) in with.
2. What does that tell us about the seriousness of envy?
James 3:13-16
1. Where does James say envy comes from and leads to?
2. Could this explain the dire warnings to avoid envy and pride?
1 Corinthians 12:12-26
1. Sometimes comparison leads us to devalue the gifts of others. So, what is the difference between admiring someone and envying them?
2. How easy is it for you to mourn with those who mourn or rejoice with those who rejoice?
Luke 18:9-14
1. Of the two men in the story, which are you more often like and why?
2. How difficult is it for you to be humble or be humbled by someone else?
Spend some time with these passages over the next week as our class will not be meeting this Sunday (7/5) and look for Week 6 to be posted early next week. Please feel free to jump in on the discussion and conversation here on the blog or you can email me at matt@castletonumc.org. Comments and questions are always welcome.
*this study has been adapted from the book Gifts: the joy of serving God by John Ortberg, Laurie Pederson & Judson Poling*
