Forgiveness

I was asked about this notion of forgiveness again recently. "What do you think is the point of forgiveness?" Well that's a darn good question. What do we want to get out of it? Jesus points out that we are to forgive seventy times seven. He also points out that in lieu of gossip, talking behind one's back, or revenge, that we are to go to that person and talk through how we may have been offended or explain how we were hurt. How opposite is that from the way the world works? I think that we would rather get revenge or smear the other person because either that's the way we see it done from others or we THINK it will make us feel better.

In many ways, Jesus was equipping his disciples to live in a way of life that is more in line with kindness. Yet also, when we look back at the Old Testament and through the teachings of Jesus and the writings of Paul ... we see God trying to create a community of people that practices peace and love. HMMM, perhaps God is trying to build a church? Of course not, because the church is full of division, gossip, squabbles, right?

So again, what is the point of forgiveness? To forget? That doesn't happen. A friend told me about our hurts that "we will never get over it, but we will get through it." True.

Yet it keeps coming back to relationship. In our Lord's Prayer we pray, "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Historical Jesus scholar John Dominic Crossan suggests that the Aramaic translation of this line in Jesus' prayer sounds more like this: "Loosen the chords binding us as we release the strands of guilt we hold of others." Isn't that an interesting way to phrase that? Does forgiveness release us or someone else? What is Jesus getting at?

We may not be ready to give that message ... but Jesus, once again, is onto something about where true joy and freedom comes from.

Journey, Will We Ever Get There?

This past Sunday, I asked the congregation to write out their questions for God. It was a good experience to not only see how when we cry out to God with questions of how, why, or when, that many of our questions of God are expressions of hope. We express hope for our world, for our community, for our schools, for our children, for our health, for our faith, for our salvation, for our relationships and for global relationships. We ask questions about the past seeking healing, and questions about the future seeking something to be settled around or in us. We all have hope for something, anywhere from sports to questions of happiness in life... BUT ... when do we start to lose hope?

It seems like I keep coming back to that notion of personal contentment, repeatedly seeking, reaching, desiring things that I do not have. There seems to be a life that continues to elude me. When I get close, it escapes my grasp. There seems to be something there for everyone, but I keep thinking I haven't got it yet. I see a lot of others wondering the same. So my question for God is this: will I/we ever get there?

I feel like a child, sometimes, sitting in the backseat of God's station wagon asking repeatedly, "Are we there yet?" I know that life is a journey, i understand that faith is the journey as well, but what is the destination? is the destination my contentment or the fulfillment of my hope?

Yet, I hear God saying (and I keep preaching this) just grab a hold of what is right there ... embrace the gifts that have been given. That is so right and a real possibility for contentment.

Contemporary

A friend of mine sent this video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-NOZU2iPA8 ) to me asking me if this was what we call Contemporary Worship. After laughing for about an hour and tormenting my staff for a day singing this over and over ... I sent this out with the caption: fusion, the Early Days.

Sad thing is, there are still those misperceptions of Contemporary Worship. I have another friend who thinks we are trying to recapture the church camp feeling and another friend who thinks we sing Kum-ba-Yah every Sunday. When I was in seminary, and told that I was moving to Champaign to lead a Contemporary Worship service I laughed out loud ... much like when Sarah was told by God she was going to have a baby at the ripe age of 90 years old. Was God kidding?

I spent a lot of time researching what Contemporary Worship meant. The first book I read was Marva Dawn's, The Dumbing Down of the Church, and she argued that the theology and practice behind Contemporary Worship was leading people down a road of shallow beliefs and an abandoning of a tradition with rich theology. How sad to realize that the nature of the church is that of constant renewal at the hand of God. The same arguments crept into discussion when organs made their way into the sanctuary. Ironically enough, the hymns of the United Methodist hymnal are Christian words sang to familiar tunes that were found in bars years ago.

Eight and a half years later, I am still here leading "Contemporary Worship," and it is as natural as I could ever imagine. The theology that is preached and the practice of preparing a service is as deep as any service I have prepared in my career. The fears and battles around contemporary and traditional worship really feel like a "robbing of the church" and its ministry more than a dumbing down. For what we seek is to make disciples for Jesus Christ who transform the world. We do that in all styles of worship, we educate our children adults in classrooms for such ministry, we seek that life in our prayers and meditation, we practice that life in the way we give of ourselves and resources.

May all that we do, be a blessing to God and the bringing of God's kingdom, right here, right now.

Reunion

This year would have been my 15 year class reunion. I don't think there was one, if there was, I probably would not have attended. I graduated in a class of 400 and was very active in school as junior class president and senior class vice president including being on homecoming court my senior year (of which i am very proud). Yet, of those I graduated with I really do not talk to any more and those I want to catch up with I have been able to do so through the Internet. For some reason, there is no appeal for me. Maybe because I am significantly larger now or that I know my career makes others uncomfortable and makes for awkward conversations.

However, yesterday I had the opportunity to return to the Walnut Grove UMC where I served from 1997-2000. Walnut Grove holds a special place in my heart as that was my first appointment as a pastor and through the three years there I matured a great deal. I like to tell people that I moved there as a 21 year old boy and left as a pastor. They taught me a lot about Christian community and supporting one another through loss, accepting one another through forgiveness, and loving one another through celebration. I am not sure I did much for them, but I know they did a lot for me.

Yesterday was their 150 year anniversary and former pastors were invited back to celebrate with them. Interesting how when I heard of their celebration date, I didn't want to miss it. I so wanted that chance to experience "reunion" with that community of people. Given the nature and practice of love in Walnut Grove, I wasn't worried about acceptance. I longed to hear their memories and stories of the years that have since passed and to catch up on how life was for them now. It was a bittersweet experience. I loved the connection, but it broke my heart to hear the reading of the name of the deceased and the faces of those I used to serve communion to, preached yo, argued with and served with, but have since left this life.

I don't think we can ever underestimate the power of Christian community. Sure there are times of division and times when we don't understand the community or feel that it is for us, but when we truly are the body ... we are reaching, going, serving, loving, and healing.

Not Just the Children

Interesting how the Old Testament is timeless. The stories upon which we preach, study, and read, continue to provide insight for our living today. One of those examples I have been reflecting on lately was the relationship between Moses and Joshua. As Moses led Israel from slavery and oppression to freedom on a grueling journey, Moses chose leaders to assist him. And perhaps Joshua was the most gifted. Only Joshua went with Moses to Mt. Sinai, Joshua guarded Moses's tent, and Joshua would risk his life to stand with Moses when they confronted the Israelites for their sin. Moses would pass on the leadership of Israel to Joshua after mentoring him for many years.

It's not just the children who are in need of role models. Parenting, role modeling, mentoring never ends even as we emerge in our careers and mature as adults. The idea of mentoring goes back in the history of our faith if we are humbly willing to admit that we haven't learned everything yet and that there is still much that we can learn from our parents and friends.

In these days since my dad has passed, I have latched on to some father figures in my life. Doug, Dave, and Mike have adopted me and I them. their companionship for the last several years has meant a lot to me, but now I find them offering a mentoring that my dad offered for many years. Advice, compassion, listening ears, and sharing in conversation about the mundane and the challenges are essential pieces for me that have helped fill a hole.

May we not lose sight of these relationships in our lives.

Mothers and Fathers, Coaches Too

Last night was our last game of the baseball season, a season that ultimately started in April with Spring Baseball. After taking a month off, Fall Baseball began. We are done, ending our season last night with a victory. A couple of things I have learned this season:

1) Coaching my strong-willed son is more of a challenge than I would have imagined

2) Our children need coaches (well parents, teachers, and adults) who will be role models for them.

The second lesson I learned comes on the heals of an interesting situation that won't seem to go away. Our game on Monday (which we lost) unfortunately included a scene where the opposing coach yelled across the diamond at our coaching staff with sarcasm and anger. Keep in mind, our players were watching. His players were watching. His argument was not only out of line with the rules, but also included an anger and sarcasm that perhaps did not set a positive example for the young eyes and ears that were there. As is usual with such arguments, it didn't matter and they won and advanced in the winners bracket. But it wasn't over for the other coach. He came out to our last game last night (a meaningless game in the consolation bracket) to not only root against us, but to tell the opposing coach that we were cheaters.

I tend to be aggressive and let my testosterone get a hold of me in the spirit of competition, but never to the disadvantage of a child. As our game ended last night, I kept thinking about my interactions through the season and whether I was a positive role model for the players on our team. Did they learn the game? Yes. Did they learn sportsmanship and life skills? To be determined. Maybe that's why I didn't sleep last night.

How are we modeling and living in the way of Christ ( A Christian's goal). But also as parents and coaches, as teachers and adults in children's lives, how are we living in our children's eyes?

Old and New

On two different occasions in the Gospels, Jesus encounters fisherman (who he would become his disciples) who are having no luck out on the lake. In one encounter, he suggests they push out a little further and let their nets down in deeper water and the result is so many fish that their nets are busting. In the second encounter, Jesus suggests they put their nets down on the right side of the boat rather than on the left and again they have great success.

Studying the text offers different insights into this matter. Putting the nets down in deeper water may suggest that there are those at the depths of humanity who need to be caught up in Jesus love and brought into the kingdom. Putting the nets on the right side of the boat rather than the left may be a suggestion about left brain vs. right brain where our old way of calculating and managing (left brain) should give way to a more creative way and a revisioning of of how we do things. Either way, Jesus seems to step into an old world expressing a need for constant renewal.

Maybe a new job is what you desire OR a new way of doing the old one with a need of redefining your position, a re-envisioning of its contours. Maybe a new relationship OR some fresh ways of acting within the old one relationships, so that they get injected with passion again and you begin to laugh and sing and skip and look forward to being with the people in your life. Maybe a different approach to a spiritual side of life, so that everything looks different and throbs with beauty and meaning and vitality again.

Renewal at the hand of God, aren't all things possible within the life we have been given?

Where Were You?

I remember sitting in the bank drive-up with my mom when I was in elementary school. She was doing her banking business when a song came over the radio and my mother began to tear up. "Listen to this, Bradley." There we sat and listened to the song Abraham, Martin, and John. My mother grew nostalgic as she began to share about that very day was the anniversary of JFK's assassination and how she could remember where she was when the news was shared across the country.

We all have those moments. I remember sitting in fifth grade science when they told us over the intercom that the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded 73 seconds into take off; we are all interested as it carried the first public school teacher with them. For the children of the 80’s, it was the JFK shooting equivalent. It was an event that defined a whole generation: generation X.

And yet the same would happen – for the millennial generation. September 11, 2001 two hijacked planes would crash into the World Trade Center in New York City, a third into the Pentagon in Washington DC, and a fourth in Pennsylvania. Do you know where you were?
Again, we were horrified while watching the World Trade Center crashes over and over and over. With today’s media we got closer than we ever wanted to be. An event that defined a whole generation: the millennial generation.

There are moments for each generation that cause telephones to ring in schools across the nations, classes to be cancelled, shopping centers to closed, cause people stop working, clergy to open churches for prayer, for citizens to be in mourning. The sinking of the Titanic, Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, the assassination of JFK, the Challenger explosion, Columbine High School, September 11. They are events that according to sociologist Carl Manheim that shape generations and affect the way they approach everyday life.

As we remember this week a moment in time, where were you and how has it shaped you? Your faith? Your life?

Our Hands

If you think about what your hands are doing right now ... how would you describe their action? I have just been thinking about that a lot lately as I went from two hands to one hand to now a hand and a half. My hands are always busy typing, dialing, shuffling, pitching, holding, carrying, pushing, steering ... all in ways that serve myself, my job, my agenda.

Is that a reflection of our relationship with God? This past Sunday we talked about contentment. We use analogies like "keeping up with the Joneses" or "the grass is greener on the other side" to describe discontent in life or the pursuing of contentment. But in many ways we find our hands grabbing to obtain or achieve. Paul talks about contentment in Philippians 4, that as he concludes with "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," he leads into that text by suggesting he has learned to be content in all situations. "I know what it is to have plenty, and what it is to be in need," he writes, "but I have learned to be content."

Psalm 23, that favorite Psalm suggests that the Shepherd makes us lie down in green pastures ... to be at home where we are led. The Shepherd leads us beside still waters and refreshes our soul ... constant renewal of who we are. The Shepherd comforts us in times of trial ... giving comfort. We shall dwell in the Shepherd's house forever ... contentment that is eternal. The Shepherd provides.

So, back to those hands, are they grasping or are they open and ready to receive whatever it is God gives us?

Paul

It's been two years now since this herbal doctor from the Netherlands ended up on our church lawn. It may seem minor, but the few days he spent with us here at Faith UMC left a mark on my life and as this fall starts to unfold I certainly wish I saw his bike pulling into our lot.

While we were out dining as the reel faith small group, I received a phone call from another pastor who said he sent "this homeless man" to our church. For whatever reason, his church was not open to have a tent pitched in their yard. So at 9:30 at night, this pastor sent this man to Faith United Methodist Church, our church, our community - perhaps knowing that we would make room for this newcomer.

As we got back to the church, we drove around the building, trying to find the staked out tent but found nothing until almost everyone had left. And I saw a man, out under the trees with a flashlight attached to his head, making his arrangements for the night. His name was Paul; he was from the Netherlands and had been in the United States for 8 years. With an understanding of holistic medicine and a heart for Jesus, he had been across the United States 3 times on his bicycle. I called him over to the fence to get his story and it was apparent how frustrated he was with Champaign. How he was treated by city employees and the church left a rather negative mark of how he saw our community as a community of closed doors. I certainly heard more than I anticipated because I was only checking with him to make sure he was comfortable so I could get moving and continue my evening.

I didn’t think it was necessary to bring him in the building as he had set up his tent for the night and the phone call I received was not asking us to put him up for the night but just to provide some space in our yard for him. Knowing that we have a security system that I haven’t been able to figure out yet, it was easy to use the alarm as the excuse when he asked if he could sleep inside for the night. “I’m sorry, Paul,” I began, “but if I need to turn the security off at night, I need about 24 hours notice.” I was heading back to my van at that point and he, on his way back to his tent, looked out of the corner of his eye and said, “Jesus wouldn’t make you wait 24 hours.”

To make a long story short, we invited him into our building where he stayed five nights. But that made people uncomfortable as well. As open and serving as a church we are, fact is we live in an age where we are driven by fear and mistrust. Sure, you could point to 9/11 and our heightened concern for our own personal safety in daily life. But we are also led to question our leaders, looking at every election we gaze with speculation. There is also mistrust of church leadership (yes, we as a church have failed at times, leading people to question), but yet the mistrust also carries over to our peers and those who we know and those whom we don’t know.
We question peoples intentions and believe that their pursuit is purely for personal gain and believe that they will do us wrong in the process or even injure us. And yet, Jesus’ words to us are counter-testimonial to the way we live life in saying that if we can’t trust the intentions of our fellow Christians, if we can’t believe someone who bears the names of Christ on their hearts and is offering us a drink or seeking a drink, then we’ve got some real problems. And the future state of God’s kingdom on Earth is without hope.

I keep coming back to the fact that perhaps Paul came to Champaign to challenge us Christians as to our level of hospitality and to gauge how open our churches really are. Are we as open and serving as we are called to be? Paul's image in my mind keeps reminding me of that.

Living and Dying

We spent part of August in fusion reflecting on heaven and earth in a theme called It's Good to Be Home. We talked about how God's home is among mortals as scripture reminds us many times that God is trying to get to us. Revelation 21 brings this to light in a vision of heaven: "Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

The idea of no more crying and pain death is one of our shared experiences of heaven, but the coming of God right here among us, perhaps is not one of our visions of heaven. Rather we see ourselves going to God rather than God coming to us, though God intersecting in our lives is throughout scripture and the nature of Jesus Christ. Interesting though that if heaven were to come crashing into earth, would that be a good thing for us where we are in life? If God's kingdom come, what it mean for us everyday?

Would you enjoy it? Would you be comfortable? Where would the whiplash be? One of my favorite preachers asks: "If you are bitter—hard in your heart and bitter—and the Earth is invaded by pure, unadulterated joy, would it be heaven for you?" Or put it another way, if you are stingy and tight, and you aren't compassionate and aren't generous, and you find yourself in the presence of sheer, unadulterated generosity, would it be heaven for you, or would you be miserable? Or if you are a racist and you have bigoted, biased feelings and attitudes toward people of other lifestyles, skin colors, political preferences, and ethnic backgrounds, and you find yourself in the presence of people from every tribe and tongue and nation…. if you find yourself at the great wedding banquet table of heaven and you're a minority at the table and the table is populated with people that you have deep, racist feelings for, is it heaven for you? Where are we more at home … heaven or earth? Because in our minds the realm of earth certainly offers more personal control, right? Is this a matter of living and dying?

Hurricanes and Walking on Water

This morning as Hurricane Gustav made it to the U.S. mainland, many television reporters took their traditional places on the streets of the towns that were being bombarded by the storm (New Orleans and Baton Rouge to be specific). One reporter in particular, was standing on a brick wall clinging to a light post. He reported, "I do not want to let go as I will be forced into the Mississippi River directly behind me." And he was right, he gave his whole report clinging to that post, shouting into his microphone in order to give the best description of the conditions as if the picture was not enough. I never quite understood the lengths that reporters would go to cover a story.

I certainly do not want to downplay the disaster that a hurricane brings and I understand the newsworthy need of this storm given that this is the first presence of a major hurricane since Hurricane Katrina tore apart Louisiana and Mississippi three years ago. But what I kept coming back to today was how much attention we give to the storms we are going through personally. As individuals we experience loss, grief, pain, challenges in our relationships, finances, jobs, etc ... we can say we go through storms.

When Jesus invited Peter to come out onto the lake and walk on water to him, Peter only began to sink his attention turned from Jesus and onto the storm. If our time is spent worrying (oh man do I do that well) and stewing about the difficulty we face, we may never see the solution that could be right there in front of us. When Peter cried out because he was sinking, there was hand there ready to pull him up. Is life about the lack of hope we feel or the gift of hope in front of us? We need to keep thinking about that thing called hope and unpack that even further in our dialogue.