Love and Fear

We are preparing for yet another trip to Juarez this week. This will be the 11th trip for our congregation and the 12th mission trip for me to Juarez. Yet, more than ever this year, Juarez is in the news and is the focus of much of the violent wave sweeping through Mexico. Those going on the trip and those who are not have expressed their concern over our church going. In understand and hear all of those concerns and believe that our decision to go is an informed decision (though I heard one voice suggest if I was "ignoring" what was going on.

Here are some of my observations regarding this trip:
+There are nearly 7,000 troops now patrolling the city and have been given the authority over the police department (which for years has been linked to the drug cartels.
+Since the troops have arrived the violence has dropped dramatically. The U.S. Consulate recently released information that indicates the violence has been cut nearly 75%. The work of the army has included many raids and arrests and has created a sense of security for the many innocent citizens of Juarez.
+The violence is concentrated on those involved in the drug trade and takes place at night in the Southeast side of town. We are all locked in our house (adorned with the cross and flame) by 5:00PM and our work is on the opposite side of town.
+Our trip in January was in the midst of the peak of violence and not for one moment did we feel threatened.

The bigger picture that I keep thinking about, beyond Juarez and mission work, is this notion of fear. Fear is a real feeling and emotion that we feel in response to danger or threats. I am not talking about my fear of snakes or of heights .... but real fear that shakes our security, threatens our safety and questions our confidence. We experience that fear in failure, in the face of violence and when our future is in doubt. We experience that fear when we have been hurt or when we are uncertain of what we are to be doing.

The words of scripture gave me great comfort in January while in Juarez come in 1 John 4. "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment."

It is easy to keep that in mind in Juarez as mission work is no doubt my passion and I have a deep love for the people in Juarez. In many ways, in my mind, there is no question that such love in my passion casts out any fear that would have been there. Perhaps perfect love is encased in passion.

But what about the other fears in our lives? How do we find a love strong enough to alleviate fears? "I am with you," are the strongest words in scripture in these times. It is God's promise over and over to us that as we walk, struggle, discern, plan, and move ... it is not on our own ... but in the presence of the one who is love. Are we confident in that love?

Religion Mall

I remember taking a class in seminary on the future Church. The class was actually called History of Christianity 3 and while it was meant to cover the history of Christianity in the 20th Century it also took a look at where the church was going. My group project ended up being the vision of a "religion mall" as religion in the 21st Century, we envisioned, would consist more of a picking and choosing churches and aspects of faith based upon one's needs. We envisioned that there would be less "brand loyalty," and more of a movement beyond denominations to open communities. We presented the notion the very idea that people would attend worship one place, Bible Study at another, and other aspects at other communities.

Were we prophets? Hardly. But I see this taking place more and more in the spiritual pursuits of people. The odd thing is while I found much benefit from this concept in my first 8 years in ministry at Faith ( I used to have the confidence in telling people that they won't get a better sermon or music ministry anywhere in town that what Faith offers at all services), that trend has shifted. The last six months I have said farewell to some close friends who have chosen to participate in worship in other places or no where at all. They have told me that their kids' friends attend these other places or the other location is closer to their homes or the dynamic of their faith are better suited at another place of worship.

I find myself wrestling with a sense discomfort and shaken confidence. Early in my tenure at Faith, our visioning team sought to be all things to all people. Our core value which focuses on children, includes the component of "inviting all, welcoming all, and educating all," through living the love of God in all our relationships and ministries. We have done that and done that well. But as I seek to understand this morning how these recent months have unfolded, perhaps it truly is what we had envisioned 11 years ago in that seminary course. How do we step back and allow the natural cycle of God's timing be at work? Ecclesiastes 3 suggests there is a time for everything including, "a time to seek and a time to lose."

Finding a sense of comfort also in Ecclesiastes 3, the writer continues, "God has made everything suitable for its time." There are many issues we face day in and day out that create panic or fear or insecurity. I was telling a friend yesterday that nothing is permanent. Nothing is ever permanent. In this fluid culture, there is flexibility and movement in all things ... but it is God who has prepared us for this very thing.

I better have gotten an "A" in that class ... because I think we had some insight in the way the future would unfold.

Oh the Guilt!

I was talking to a friend today, explaining to him how I was surprised by how many people poured into the Catholic church last night. As a part of the confirmation requirements, I took our class of 8th grace students to observe a Catholic Mass at an area Roman Catholic Church. My surprise was that when the Mass started last evening, there was still 4 minutes remaining in the big Illinois game against the 9th ranked Michigan State. My experiences thus far in Champaign-Urbana suggest that U of I sports take precedent over church activities and services on the list of priorities. My friend, however, then pointed out to me that the Catholic church has something going for them ... Catholic Guilt.

I have been accused of putting guilt on people through the years. If you have been missing church for awhile and if I happen to have your cell phone number, you will receive a friendly text message from me letting you know that I missed you. It really is not my attempt to put guilt on anyone, just purely letting you know that you weren't here and I noticed which meant that I missed you.

Doing a quick search of the word "guilt" in the Bible, that word does not appear in the New Testament at all. In the cases it appears in the Old Testament, it largely refers to "guilt offerings" that are made by people in the time of temple sacrifice. It suggests that there are people seeking forgiveness and release from their guilt. As a human emotion, Wikipedia describes guilt as being closely related to remorse and suggests that it is "a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes - whether justified or not - that he or she has violated a moral standard, and is responsible for that violation. Does that include attendance at church?

I have always suggested that guilt is no way to approach faith ... but it comes out of a desire to seek out, live greater, and be in wonder at the joy of the life offered in Jesus Christ. But there is something about guilt that seems to capture us. Guilt can not be put on another person. "Don't make me feel guilty!" Only you can do that to yourself, when you feel that something you have done opposes who you truly are.

The mission of the church should be contrary to the idea of putting guilt on others, rather to take that guilt away. Jesus Christ offers a way of grace, a away of love, a way of deliverance ... even from that of guilt. In fact the Aramaic translation to Jesus Lord's Prayer suggests that we are to "release the strands of guilt that others cling to." Not only are we to forgive, but to be in a ministry of deliverance. There is an amazing life that awaits us in faith ... can we be wrapped up in such joy?