No brother of mine would do this!

This world is concerned with politics, ideologies, and relativism.  We cannot define anything with an absolute anymore without having an argument or being called arrogant.  In recent news there was a man, Anders Behring Breivik, he has been arrested for bombing and shooting that took place in Oslo, Norway and resulted in the deaths of 93 people.  He claims to be a Christian.  People have called him a radical or extremist Christian at that.  Really?!  We can call a man who is clearly working contrary to what Christ and his Church are doing in this world a Christian?  I refuse to associate this man with Christianity.  If it were up to me I would cast him out of the Church. 

Christianity is obedience to Christ.  A Christian ought to put Holy God first in all things.  Ander Behring Brevik was acting out on an extremist conservative ideology which he spent time formulating and writing.  He did not act on behalf of the Church.  He worked against it, because now people like me have to clarify this issue rather than plan for a discipleship program I have in the works.  Anders Behring Brevik is a wolf in a sheep’s skin.  He is exactly what the Church stands against.  He is using the Christian persona to elevate his own pedestal and it’s working.  He gathers more reporters and generates more talk about his actions and ideologies by creating controversy.  No one talks about Christ or the Church in this controversy they simply associate the two with Anders Behring Brevik.  Anders did not advance the Gospel he advanced an agenda and called it Christian.  We let him get away with and now brothers and sister we have to pick up his refuse and carnage, because we’ve been struck in face once already by this man. 

I do not know the intricacies of Islamic faith and will not go into the debate about the use of “Extremist Islam” to label terrorist who are Islamic.  Personally I call them terrorist.  Al-Queda, the former IRA, and Anders Behring Bervik (and many others) are terrorists with specific ideologies associated with them.  Do they claim a faith?  Yes, but let’s refuse to allow them to do that again!  Let’s excommunicate men like Anders who are clearly working contrary to Christ and his Church.  Anders is no brother of mine. 

I look forward to the day extremist Christianity is known as radical grace.  A day when political dogma takes a backseat to charity and love because the things of man have fallen away. 

Here is the absolute truth: Anders Behring Bervik killed 93 people in the name of an ideology and called it conservative Christianity.  I am calling his bluff.  He is no Christian he is a terrorist.  Christ died by violent hands, blood stained hands and they called that moment justice.  So I can thank God for this moment because he has reminded me that ours is not a struggle against flesh and blood but rather spiritual forces of evil.  Anders Behring Bervik is a terrorist not a Christian brother.            

Rolling Paths and Pudding in your Face

Yes! I get to write you all again while music plays! Current track is "20 Years" by The Civil Wars.  Ok let's get this going.

Last time I wrote to you all I was in a good place even if the post did not exactly read that way.  You see some more things have become apparent to me.  First off I have a deep desire to walk this path as a leader even though this path is not the desired path of faith.  I do not do this hesitantly just cautiously.  Understand?  Cool.  So let me explain myself a bit by giving you an outline of my recent tales.

This week the church has hosted VBS in the mornings and ESL in the evenings.  For me this means coming to work at about 8 am to set up for the 20 or so kids that will be arriving at 9:30.  I play guitar for the singing portion of VBS which is always fun because we do take requests (practice has been consistent).  Then at about 10:20 we take the kids outside to play games.  Now this is where job descriptions fail.  I do not remember discussing the possibility or theological implications of a child throwing pudding in my face.  Needless to say it happened and I loved it (yet to find a picture of this though....sad).  We then have a craft and snack which needs to be monitored.  The boys like to be loud and boisterous (sounds a lot like me when I was little).  To keep the peace we talk about Star Wars and baseball between activities.  We end the day with the kids with a few more songs and a recital of the day's memory verse.  It is 1 pm by the time I have fulfilled my responsibilities and can begin to focus on ESL.  I usually eat lunch, take some time to reflect on the day or conversations I have had, and then make sure the night's lesson is ready.  Today was particularly good though.  I made another discovery as to what a pastor is.  A pastor is an evangelist.

You see today I ran into a pamphlet for Arab World Ministries on one of the tables in the church today.  It has a petition for more missionaries to work for their ministries.  Maybe I just really miss Israel and the Middle East in general a lot, because I spent a good hour of my day checking out the opportunities this and other ministries had in the region.  I even looked up the price of an Arabic language learning program.  Then I was reminded of the work I already have here in Waltham.  There are 20 some kids who are learning what it means to serve rather than be served.  There are kids who have more time before them than I do.  These kids have opportunities before them I did not.  These kids are the future of the Church.  I get to be a small part of that.  Then there are 6 immigrant students in my ESL class.  They have opportunities here in this country they wouldn't have had back in their home country.  Teaching them English is a way in which more of those opportunities become available to them.  Maybe they have not been to college and desire to go?  Maybe they will raise a family and within a generation or so they will have an English professor for a child or grandchild?  Maybe one of these kids or students will come to know Christ?  That's enough to make me concentrate on the here and now.  I want people to know Christ.  I want to call people brother and sister.  I am content, but not passive.

Pastors are evangelists to the extent by which they live their faith in their community.  A pastor who knows his community ought to be known by his community, because he is involved in the community.  A pastor ought to encourage evangelism in the Church by evangelizing himself.

I may not make it to the Middle east as a long term missionary, but that does not mean I will not be evangelizing.

Blessings in your active contentment!      

Not the Desired Path

During a conversation I was asked if I was supported by family and friends in my calling to be a leader in the Church.  For a second the question caught me off guard not because I don't have support but because of the type of support I have.  You see my family is my first ring of support and well my family is very wise.  I asked my parents a few years back what they thought of my aim to be a pastor or chaplain in an evangelical setting.  I was told they'd have never wished it upon me.  Interesting answer to say the least, but they were sincere and I began to understand the reasoning used to come to this conclusion.  I believe the main inspiration for my parents' response to my question is James 3:1.

The passage reads, "Not too many of you should presume to be teachers my brothers because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." (NIV)

Teachers are more strictly judged.  It is spelled out for you in the verse.  In the Greek it would best translate "My brothers not many of you will/should become teachers because we [James is teacher thus the 1st plural indicating teachers] will receive greater/mighty/much more judgment."   And yes it is a blunt warning to any who desire to teach the in the Church.  This is not fine print that one might miss when they decide they might want to try their hand at teaching in the Church.  No this is the reality teachers in the Church live.  In my own life this blunt truth serves as a reminder of the responsibility I am beginning to receive.  If one denies the justice in God then one should not teach lest he experience the fullness of that justice in the day of Christ's return.

The cost of faith is great already, and they become greater still for a leader in the Church.  We are all called to live an authentic life as a testimony to our faith in Christ.  For culture at large the litmus test for seeing if the Church is authentic is to look at its leadership.  Why do you think Paul spends so much time explaining to Timothy the importance of appointing righteous men as overseers and deacons?  These men are to be the core of the congregation.  Inevitably if the core shifts away from faith the majority of the congregation will.  That is a fact of nature.  Teachers, specifically senior pastors who have the authority to recommend elder appointees have the task of finding righteous men.  If these pastors are not themselves righteous men how could they appoint a righteous man?  As it is commonly said, "it takes one to know one" I believe that sums it up nicely.

To add to this there is the cost of relationships.  It is common practice for a pastor to also be a counselor to the congregation he serves.  Have you ever listened to a person's grieving heart?  Or how about their slander?  Has someone ever told you a secret they truly expect you to take to your grave?  Do you know what those sorts of conversations do to your relationship not only that person but the other people around you?  On the flip side your number of brothers and sisters grows exponentially when you come to the Church and this is both exciting and daunting to those of us who have biological siblings and those who don't.  Leaders in a sense become the older siblings in the family.  1 Timothy 5:1, "Do not rebuke an older man harshly but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters with absolute purity."  Did you catch those last two words?  Yes, absolute purity.  ABSOLUTE PURITY.  Purity can also be read as holy if that helps (the Greek allows either and even sacredness).  Each brother and sister is precious and sacred in the Church and the first persons to recognize this in them ought be the leaders of the Church!  Even if this was a widely held practice in the Church today so much would change!  I digress though.  If you love people you know how it is difficult to love.

The crux of the issue is discipleship.  Is a teacher making disciples of Christ who in time will also make disciples?  The work of the Church is this to make disciples.  There are no shortcuts to this work.  Lifetimes are spent making disciples.  That is the cost of this path.  A lifetime, but to live is Christ and to die is gain.  I lose nothing in the end.  I pick up this cross now understanding I stumble to my death in this world.  Material wealth will not follow me nor will fame both are desires of this world and cannot come where I am going.  Some of you may be thinking why continue this if it looks so gloomy?  My friends it is obedience.  Leaders are called and obediently answer knowing full well the implications of this obedience.  This is not the desired path for the journey of faith, but a path none the less.  It is the path I find myself a few steps into already.  I do not turn back though.  I close with Philippians 3:13, "Brothers (and Sisters), I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it [the goal or fulfillment Christ has for me].  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead."

May you strain towards obedience.

Blessings

Belonging

Companionship: feeling of friendship or fellowship.

I have been moving around a lot lately.  This past year I have set up residence at four different places.  I can say it is hard to find companionship when you move around so much.  I do keep in touch with people, but it is hard to find someone who has walked with you the entire time.  God has a funny way of working me into friendships.  I don't always go looking for friendship.  I just find it.

Have you ever watched over another person's pet?  It's strange especially if you have your own of the same species.  Here in Waltham my host family has two dogs.  They have a 6 year old Black Lab and an Australian Shepard puppy.  Let me say that the puppy and I did not get along that well the first couple weeks.  He likes to wake up at 6 and whine until someone comes to his kennel.  Now before you blame me for not knowing the needs of a puppy let me explain.  He wakes up at 6 and whines and then when someone does reach his kennel and lets him out he bolts straight to the lab and begins to gnaw on her.  Not your typical morning behavior.  He's a little strange to say the least. Something is changing though.  He's less dominating and more content.  He still wakes up too early in my opinion, but that's not a big deal (he has become my alarm clock).

Chillin' in my basement office

This is probably a poor analogy, but I am going with it anyway.  After being here in Waltham for a month I beginning to feel the same way towards the church here.  Sure I don't share the same views all the time, but we can work together for a common goal.  I am making friendships here. I am getting to know the congregation.  I am letting them know me.  I realize I am an intern and will be back in Grand Rapids in a little over a month, but I don't care.  I'm here now.  One of the best ways to create in myself the love for friends is to pray for the person individually.  Prayer itself is not hard, but remembering all of the people to pray for can be.  Thankfully I work with them weekly and my memory can recall that much.  I noticed that in the bulletin this past Sunday that there was a list of prayer requests on the back.  My name appeared on that list and I did not even submit a prayer request.  I felt like one was looking out for me by seeing that the church cared enough to pray for me even though I did not necessarily ask for it.  In the same way one of my first goals for this internship was to pray for the church each day.  It is a challenge, but also a blessing.  I am making friends.

I am allowing myself to heel a bit and in return I am learning a lot.  I think the best way to put it is we're chilling out nicely together.  May you find companionship in unlikely places.  May the annoying become the friend.  May your pride shatter over and over each day.  May you serve.  May you be blessed.

In HIM

Reacting to Authority

Act beyond yourself each day.

Recently I experienced significant change.  I was oriented to a goal.  I am talking about my work as an English teacher to 9 eager students from the greater Boston area.  Friday night was my first true experience as a formal teacher.  All my students are older than me.....There is a good place to start.

It is common for people my age to quote Paul's first epistle to Timothy "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young..." (1 Tim. 4:12).  I pray we do not stop there.  The whole verse is important, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."  It is not in my power to stop one from looking down on me in regards to my stature, but I can strive to live as an example.  

In class I work on my own diction and pronunciation of the readings.  I make sure I smile.  I also try and set a  serious tone when necessary.  All in all I have been given the task of teaching English to this class and I have the most experience with the language.  For the two hours of class I have a goal and the authority to fulfill this goal.  Strange feeling but one I can work with.  

This new feeling has given a new angle to look at my call to ministry.  Under no merit of my own will I receive authority.  I have known this, but I never truly understood it.  Now I realize that just because the authority is not granted to me by my own merits does not mean that there is no authority at all.  Timothy was given authority though he was young.  Paul trusted Timothy and left him instructions.  Most of all Paul told Timothy to keep doing what he had already been doing which was setting an example for believers in speech, life, love, faith, and purity.  The most vital insight I have gained from all of this is that it is not my work that achieves my goal.  Looking at the charge to Timothy I realize the example he or I set is not the goal, but rather the encouragement this work provides to other brothers and sisters is.  That encouragement received by others is not in my control.  I cannot say to someone be encouraged look at what I do.  Though at times I might come off this way to people and for that I am sorry.  No, it is not me, but the Holy Spirit.  I can control the way people will react to me.  I can only control my reaction to the charge given to me to share the good news.  For now I do that with the small authority granted me.  I am thankful to serve.

Everything has its costs and this I have discovered too.  A story for another time though.

Blessings!      

Moody Street

Yesterday I walked Moody street with fliers.
The fliers were advertising a Vacation Bible School at the church.
I passed a handful out but feared going into a store asking if I could post one.
I think people are generally hostile to the Bible.
I think people have been hurt by those thumping a Bible.
I got in the way of my own task.
I walked Moody street with fliers.
Yesterday.

That was my ministry yesterday.  I was a walking distribution center for VBS and I learned so much.  I did not talk much just explained the event to the parents and gave them a flier.  I got better at it as time went on.
I was timid at the beginning but then I realized what I was doing.  I was inviting a parent to enroll their child for a free VBS that lasts 4 days, but may last a life not only for the child, but also the parent.  I know it probably does not happen over night, but children are much more open minded than their parents most of the time.  On my way to a sporting event with my host family I was asked if I think humans are geared to believe in a personal divinity.  Ask the children haha!  Yes, I think there is something inside of us that believes in a greater being.  I do not think one can know the Christian God by this general way that is what scripture reveals.  What I want to say is I am certain of the truth of scripture.  I am certain of the truth of resurrection.  I want to share this! I want to share it with other religions.  I want to share it with those hurt by religion.

The only thing I am unsure of is myself.  That does not go far though, because I know this work in me is not myself.  Within every one of my brothers and sisters is the Holy Spirit waiting to be unchained.  Let the chains break.  Walk the streets with the scriptures in hand.  Read them out loud to all who have ears to hear!  Fall madly in love with our Savior!  Go together because two is better than one, and there is always a third.  Be aware of your environment and find a need you can serve to fill.  Build one another up by listening, eating, resting, and serving each other.  Fill your minds on scripture.  Get in the habit of reading the Bible.  That on its own will stir you.  Do you not realize that this is life?  He rose from the grave!  Dwell on that for a while.  
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We are not merely flesh with an average life span of 70 something years.  No we are much more than that.  We are the good creation of Holy God.  He is inviting you to fulfill your purpose.  Maybe you will walk your Moody street with fliers.  Maybe you will be a convicting speaker.  Maybe you will sit with the wounded quietly weeping alongside them.  Maybe you will invite a neighbor in your life and you both will learn something.  We leave something behind at the cost of these things.  Our privacy, security, old desires, and most of all our pride.  We receive his grace which is more treasured than any earthly thing.  I walked Moody Street yesterday with fliers in hand.  God used me yesterday.  I thank him for that blessing.

May you be Blessed.      

An Alien Waiting

"But our citizenship is in heaven .  And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ."
-Philippians 3:20 (NIV)

Preface: It is best if you read or have Philippians 3 open (here is a link http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+3&version=NIV)

Paul followed the letter of the law to the best of human capacity, and earned honor among those who knew the law (the Pharisees).  Paul had established himself in a nice niche.  He had benefits and job security so to speak.  Then Paul encountered Christ.  Paul saw the reality of resurrection and everything changed.  The earthly honor Paul had is now counted loss.  Only the righteousness of Christ given to Paul through faith by grace is worth pursuing.  Paul strives for this above all things.  All else is loss.

The beauty of Paul's writing to the Philippians is found when he invites them to join others in patterning their lives after Christ's Gospel.  Discipleship is a part of the Christian life.  By human nature we learn best from one another.  For me all of this writing is key to understanding Philippians 3:20.

Paul writes of enemies to the cross with tears in his eyes (I believe he physically had tears in eyes when he wrote v.18 and should be noted in your reading).  They are concerned with the things of the earth.  BUT ours is a citizenship is in heaven!  Brothers and Sisters our πολιτευμα (politeuma) our government, institution, our citizenship is in heaven!  We are aliens in waiting here.  Our hope is in heaven.  Our savior is in heaven. And heaven is coming here.  Our wait is never in vain.  God is faithful.

On the eve of July 4th I ask that we all take a step back.  Let us remember to praise God and his glory first.  I am not asking you to rescind your citizenship to your earthly nation.  Even Paul owned up to being a Roman.  Rather I ask that we claim our Christianity before anything else.  I wish to digress.  To you who despise the United States that is fine.  I need to say that because I become very frustrated with the polarization of this nation.  I am frustrated with earthly things though but my savior is in heaven.  I do not need political commentary telling me how things are or ought to be.  I do not need your cutting comments about a culture I am a small part of.  I do love the United States.  I truly do.  I love the open farm fields near my grandma's home.  I love the Italian cooking I can find here in Boston.  I do love the variety of people I can talk to in this country.  The stories of the immigrant from Moldova, the blind wood worker, and the 25 year pastor are all a part of the America I love.  Sure I have my political hang-ups with this nation, but I do not put my hope in this nation for that reason.  Tell me if I am wrong but God never told us to despise the nations.  We are allowed patriotism in moderation.  I place my hope and aim in heaven knowing that my and your savior is there and not in the next bill proposed in Congress.  I am an alien in waiting who will experience no victory until Christ's victory is complete.

may we be patient enough
may we place our hope in heaven.
may we love

May you be blessed.

Edge

Stand on the edge of your cliff and laugh!

Early on in my blogging hobby I wrote a fun post about jumping off of a cliff.  I never actually found a cliff and jumped off of it physically, but there was a great shift in my attitude from that time on.  I have since touched down on another landing and have found the edge here.

You see I have been writing and typing random stuff like this for over seven years, and there is one thing I have really truly learned from all of this writing; speaking is harder.  Before coming out to Massachusetts I shared with the other Jubilee Fellows that my biggest fear in ministry was the microphone.  No, I don't have a problem talking to people.  I have an issue with the intimacy of spoken word.  When I write I can go back and delete it before I post it.  The spoken word is like a grenade and leaves an impact whether or not I intended to lob it in that pew (pardon the bad image created there).  In other words I don't get a backspace key.  What's said is said and there is no going back just like there is no returning to yesterday or jumping to tomorrow.  Spoken word stands on the edge of the now time.  Of all the things we can do with our present time a spoken word is the simplest way to change the entire mood for a period of our future time.  We often read the quotes of famous people in history, but how many more words do you think they spoke in their life time?  How many words do you wish you had back?  How many words do you wish you had actually spoken?  The microphone terrifies me, but don't worry about me.  I am laughing at the edge.

I have begun to practice.  I read things out loud when I think no one is listening, and I have found my favorite text to read out loud.  The Holy Bible.  Seriously!  I figured if I can attempt at reading it in Greek I should be doing it in my native tongue.  There is power in those words.  These words bring you to the edge and flow from the heart which Christ indwells.  Then comes up the throat and onto the rebellious tongue which is brought to serve the Lord by the Lord.  The text lives in the mouths of proclaiming believers and is brought to action by the works God brings us to.  Brought to the edge I laugh, because my words fail, but His do not.

I fear the microphone because for too long I have thought the words I had were insufficient.  I laugh because the words are not my own.  The words are His and by his voice all things were made.  I laugh and prepare for another jump.

May you laugh at the edge!