Life is what you do!

This blog is in no way saying I have got this figured out. It is more a confession that I realize how bad I’ve messed it up
***quote from below – I usually leave the deep honest stuff for the end. 

Ok that title is not unique. I stole it off a box of Cappuccino mix, or thought I had until I went back and looked and it actually says “Coffee is what we do!”

Hmmm, so either my renewal is making me go blind or I’m finally at the point of needing to write down and share what has been on my mind for the last three weeks. (Just imagine bumping into this hairy bearded guy on a hiking trailing mumbling to myself and talking nonsense – I’m sure I’ve made a few people look twice if not pick up their pace as they walk away)

So let’s get on with it:
From my experience on renewal, the most common question people ask when they meet you is what do you DO? Well, and with my accent I invariably get asked where I’m from. But people seem most curious in the way we apply ourselves; the 40 hours a week or more that tells them so much about us. Funny thing is, I think I have surprised every single person who I’ve talked to. I don’t know if that means I don’t act like a pastor, don’t speak like a pastor, don’t dress like a pastor, or haven’t had a hair cut in almost a year. Maybe it’s all the above.

I guess that what you DO dictates a lot of other things about us. Or it shows how much we stereotype people, or even how much we choose to conform to the worlds expectations imposed on us. I’m not sure I like any of those options, but it demonstrates how important what we DO is.

Maybe we should stop and think a moment, is what we do always in line with what we think or what we want?

I believe it was Jon Gaul ( or Matthew 21) that shares the story of two sons who were told to do a task, one agreed but then went off and neglected it, the other said no way but then went and did it anyway.

When I look at it this way I have to agree with Paul when he says, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” James‬ ‭2:18‬ ‭ESV‬‬.

Maybe that’s why the question came along, “What would Jesus Do?” It really is all about what we DO more than what we say or think; more than anything else.

Ok so what am I getting at?

I’ve been wrestling with the very clear difference between Orthopraxy and Orthodoxy. (Correct actions and correct teaching)

Are they always in unison?

Do we focus on one at the expense of the other?

Where is the church going and what is leading us? I believe the UMC will be making a decision about “Finding a Way Forward” in the next couple of years based upon which of these we place the greatest emphasis.

What was Jesus concerned about?

So often Jesus would rebuke the person who actually had a correct understanding and tell them not to tell anyone or to keep it hush hush. And he obviously condemned the Pharisees for all their focus on Orthodoxy. Maybe he wasn’t concerned about us having a perfect teaching and understanding of God because he knew that until we see God face to face we will never be able to grasp it. “Now you see as in a cloudy mirror, then you will see as face to face” But Jesus taught, (Orthodoxy) primarily on what we are to do (Orthopraxy). Look at the great commandments of Love God and Love Neighbor. It’s all about what we do. Or look again at the beatitudes, they are an admonition to be and do and act as God’s humble children. His parables are about what we do with our money or possessions; what we do with our time or words or actions; whether we bear fruit or not.

If you want to look a little deeper check out the great commission, “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” This passage incorporates both Orthopraxy and Orthodoxy, but there is a correct order. What we do and who we include (everyone) is first. Make disciples and baptize seems to be totally inclusive and a requirement of correct Orthopraxy. Then Jesus says, and teach them to obey all my commands. (Orthodoxy). However, Jesus commands and teachings (also culturally referred to as a “Yoke” that was handed on from a Rabbi to his disciples) “are easy and his burden is light.” Why? because it is about what we do, and how we Love God and Others.

If someone taught you to make great coffee, and you taught 5 others, and they all taught 5 others, and so on… we would have a lot of people who know how to make great coffee. But does it make any difference unless someone actually makes the coffee?

As Richard Rohr says,

The early Franciscan friars and “Poor Clares” wanted to be Gospel practitioners instead of merely “word police,” “inspectors,” or “museum curators” as Pope Francis calls some clergy. Both Francis and Clare offered their rules as a forma vitae, or “form of life,” to use their own words. They saw orthopraxy (“ correct practice”) as a necessary parallel, and maybe even precedent, to mere verbal orthodoxy (“ correct teaching”) and not an optional add-on or a possible implication.

The real heavy thought that has been weigh on me is this: if the Church actually started focusing on our Orthopraxy and made that primary above our concern for Orthodoxy and in fact keeping it in line, would we become the Church Jesus intended us to be?

Now this blog is in no way saying I have got this figured out. It is more a confession that I realize how bad I’ve messed it up. I’ve had to be honest with myself and acknowledge how I have made bad choices or hurt people because I have focused on what I thought at the time was correct teaching or the way something needed to be rather than letting go of the details and asking myself what would Jesus have me do? How do I love and sacrifice in each scenario of life? To that end I need to constantly be aware of what I DO, and all for the glory of God. 

Lord, let me embody the beatitudes, speak peace and love, offer hope and faith, serve with humility and kindness, seek the lost and broken, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those in prison, turn the other cheek, and always give the glory to God. There is so much I, we all, the church, can accomplish if we will unite in the Orthopraxy we find in Jesus.

I challenge you to let go of your pride for a moment and ask yourself what areas of Orthodoxy have you clung to so tightly that you have forced Orthopraxy into the back seat and missed an opportunity to do what Jesus would do?

After all life is what you do!

Lunar Spirituality

We have grown up in a society of light, colors, and beauty. Our society has tried to teach us to turn a blind eye to people in the dark recesses of life.

The fairy tales we tell our children are softened, sanitized versions of the classic tales told by Hans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grimm, the teachable, dark themes polished to a safe, palatable sparkle.

Our religious communities have taught us that a true faith is one that never doubts, never struggles, never hurts, never fails, and never walks in the dark.. We portray that faith must be solar, always bright, and never overcast or dark. I have even heard people say, if you have doubt, then you cannot really believe. But I guess that is where I differ. I believe that faith goes through phases like the moon. There are nights it is full and our faith reflects the glory of God. And there are nights when life seems overcast, and the moon is waxing where everything seems to be fading away and dim. And there are nights when the moon is new and totally dark. On those nights the only light that is left is that of distant stars glimmering though the cloud cover. The light of our faith never disappears completely, but for most people there are times when it more compares to a lunar faith than a solar one.

Paul and Silas on their missionary journeys knew of a faith that was woven with darkness. They experienced days of rejection, house arrest, imprisonment, and persecution. One such incident found them in jail, singing at midnight.. Somehow they were able to be filled with joy even during a difficult time. Their faith was not extinguished in the dark, but tempered by their circumstance.

I wonder,

• If we trust the rhythm of dark and light, what can we learn from it?
• If we accept the phase of the moon in our spiritual life, can we find joy when things are darkest?

In the same way that the fairy tales of yesterday engaged the dark realities of life, what happens if we embrace the night sky of our faith. I wonder, does looking into the the lunar phases of belief and doubt, struggle and pain, give us rest? Is it possible by accepting the phases of faith, that we are able to experience peace rather than fear in the dark?

 

Crossing Lines (like Christ)

 

There I was standing in an old dilapidated brick building, holes in the ceiling and open to the elements. Then Kyle walked in with plastic bags full of paint cans and rollers. He walked with purpose to the center of the space and pulled on elastic gloves. As he started painting a wall, I wondered what made a person paint graffiti?

As a child I remember the joy of coloring. How simple; pick a color and start filling in the blank space. However one thing that always seemed to be a deviation from acceptable behavior was “Coloring Outside the Lines.”

Those who colored outside the lines risked criticism but created something completely their own. They were able to dream something bigger; visualize lines that told a story and came to life. They were the dreamers, visionaries, risk-takers, or simply troublemakers.

When I first saw Kyle I wondered if he was one of those troublemakers who colored outside the lines in Kindergarten and just kept breaking the rules as he got older. I wasn’t sure if he was someone I should talk to or not. (Ingrained habits of childhood – “Don’t talk to strangers.” especially someone painting graffiti in an abandoned building.)

But Kyle was not what I expected. He was a polite young man with a hobby of adding life and beauty to broken spaces. His paint told a passionate story. I learned that he and his girlfriend are traveling artists, painting on contract across the nation. While traveling, they look for broken spaces to add their art, often approaching local businesses that are run down and offering to add life simply for the cost of supplies.

I shared with him that I am a pastor and would be doing a series “Crossing lines – Like Jesus.” I planned to use images of his art and symbolically talk about how God can bring beauty to our broken and abandoned lives. When I came back I found he had painted a cross, almost hidden in a doorway to the building. It cried out – “This is holy ground; yes it was broken, shattered and falling apart, but with the light flowing down through the crumbling rafters on his fresh paint, it looked like stained glass, consecrated and beautiful.”

 

 

 

Super

Super is a study on Christology, or what we understand about the true nature of Jesus Christ. Some Old Testament scholars might say he was a Prophet, Priest, and King. Some might try to simplify it and say he was the promised Messiah. He was all of these things and so much more. Jesus is SUPER.

Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.  –Hebrews 1:1-5

In order for something or someone to be SUPER they need to be extraordinary, special, or out of this world!  Jesus is just that, he participated in the creation of the world and upholds it by his very words.  So when we think of Jesus we cannot just think of a child born in a manger, we should cling to the truth that Jesus is SUPER.

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things… ¹⁷ Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect,  –Hebrews 2:14-17

It is rare for us to find something SUPER hidden in plain sight, looking normal.  We don’t expect Great Power to be disguised in humility.  But Jesus was just that, a humble carpenter with Great Purpose.

But made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross  –Philippians 2:7-8

Jesus defined being SUPER as someone who serves not as one who seeks to be served.  Jesus emphasized a primary character of God is to serve and care for His people.  True heroes are not identified by acts of greatness, they are found making right choices; humbly serving “the least of these, my brothers.”

He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.  –Hebrews 9:12

No greater love is known than someone who is willing to lay down their life for another.  SUPER is a love for others that is willing to make the greatest sacrifice; to fight for their freedom, to seek out justice, to advocate for their defense, to stand by their side, and to protect them from harm, even if it means paying the ultimate price.  Jesus was willing to do just that!

I Hope you will come join us for the

June Sermon Series at Johnston River of Life.

God’s FB Page

Have you ever wondered what God’s Facebook Page might look like?  (This was my most recent Newsletter Article)

What kind of things would he post?  Who would comment?  Would it give us any insight for our faith?  I thought this might be one possible entry at the very beginning of Creation.  What kinds of things do you think God would post? Or what kind of questions would you leave for him?

River of Life

May 25th 6-8 PM at Beaver Creek Elementary

(8701 Lyndhurst Dr. Johnston, IA)

This event is specifically planned in the Johnston community as a way for neighbors and the community to get to know each other.  Everyone is invited to the New Hope United Methodist Church’s first activity in Johnston.  There will be food and drinks (hotdogs and snow cones for the kids)  (Adults are encouraged to bring a dish to share).  We will have yard games and a big playground.  There will be time to laugh, and play as a family, and time to meet a new friend or neighbor.  We will also have a time of fun and relaxed worship, and a time where we share the dream for the Johnston River of Life.

Why?

You may ask why a new church, why here, why now?

It is our believe that God is calling us to an active presence in the Johnston community and to actively reach out to people who don’t have a church home.  We believe church and faith looks different in our post-modern world.  As the lead pastor in this new endeavor, it is my goal to be focused on community involvement, small groups, discipleship, and service.  We hope that you will join us to find out more about the Johnston River of Life.

Euthanasia (Part 2 of To Kill or not to Kill)

Check out this 2008 Time Magazine article on Euthanasia, or Fox News similar article.

After discussing the Death Penalty I thought that Euthanasia would be a breeze.  (But then I realized it had just as many intricate details that had to be thought out.)

Let me remind us once again that we are talking about controversial topics,(Thanks to Adam Hamilton and his book Confronting the Controversies) but we are respecting the views of all.  I invite everyone to this conversation knowing that we will not all agree, but that every perspective deepens the understanding and compassion of the whole.  I would also remind us that these issues are not salvation issues.  No matter what your view on these topics, salvation is only gained through a personal relationship of faith in Jesus Christ, and the grace that he extended to us through the cross.  So let me begin with a scripture text.

Meet me at the Shack!

A couple years back a very challenging book came out, “The Shack”.  It had the Christian community up in arms against each other.  Some loved it and promoted it while others marked it heretical.  While I don’t think it has been canonized, (determined to be the “word of God”) it does contain some conversation starting theology that is comfortable for Christians and non-Christians to sit side by side in conversation over.

Tomorrow night we begin a 5 week look at the book, “The Shack” by William P. Young.  We will meet at 6:30 PM and go until 8:00 PM at my house.  (Some of the members of my previous congregation, Geneseo UMC may remember this as a very challenging, exciting, and enjoyable study)

In this work of fiction, a man is invited to spend a weekend with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. His notions of the Trinity and his preconceptions about religion and Christianity are challenged, and he begins the process of healing several traumatic emo­tional wounds he has sustained in his life.

Here is an excerpt from a review written by Cindy Crosby on July 10, 2008 that was printed in Christianity Today.

Call it the little book that could. William P. Young’s The Shack, a 256-page self-published novel that was turned down by several Christian publishing houses (ostensibly for being too theologically edgy) is finding a grassroots audience that just keeps growing. Seldom has there been such a buzz about religious fiction.