You might be thinking to yourself this morning, The Gift of Peace? Right now in the world we live. Is peace on your Christmas list and can it come this year?
This week I was thinking Wouldn’t it be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if there wasn’t so much killing going on right now in Iraq? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if the Muslims and Christians in the Sudan would miraculously started to live together in peace? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if there were no death squads in Columbia and people weren’t shooting each other? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if there were peace on earth?
Or, if you can’t have peace between nations this year, wouldn’t it be nice to have peace within our families? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a whole week together as husband and wife and not have a fight? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if your children did not fight with each other? Wouldn’t it be nice to go on a family vacation and not have any blow-ups? Wouldn’t that be nice? Wouldn’t it be nice if tempers didn’t flare so quickly, like a match that suddenly ignites? If you can’t have peace in Iraq, maybe we could have peace at home and in our families. That would be nice.
Or, if that isn’t possible, wouldn’t it be nice to have peace within myself? Wouldn’t it be nice if I weren’t so harsh with myself? Wouldn’t it be nice if I didn’t explode at myself in anger? Wouldn’t it be nice if my guts were calm? Wouldn’t it be nice if I could sit around all night and not have a compulsion to eat ice cream or drink in order to calm my nervous stomach? Wouldn’t that be nice? If I can’t have peace between nations or peace within the family, maybe I could at least have some peace within me?
Or, if I couldn’t have these, wouldn’t it be nice to have peace at least a few days before or after Christmas? We all know what time of year this is, Christmas time. During Christmas, we are often short of money, short of time, and short of temper. In preparation for the Prince of Peace, wouldn’t it be nice to have a little bit of Christmas peace at your house or mine?
What about you???
O Come, O Come Emmauel!
On the journey we seek and find peace through Christ Our Lord... but it takes work, through justice, forgiveness, compassion, wisdom, and righteousness, that only comes through God's grace and purifying work in our lives.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Advent... Christmas is only 26 days from today...
Are you ready for Christmas? This Sunday we will start the church calendar countdown to Christmas. Advent, as Christians is the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the coming of Christ. Christmas is not suppose to be about parties, trees, and presents, but is the date we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. During this period of time we celebrate Joy, Hope, Love, and Peace. Beyond the commercialism of Christmas, life can make Advent difficult. In my experience these weeks can be far from holy, joyful, hopeful, peaceful, or full of love.
Last year was one of those years. I had trouble finding a lot of joy leading up to Christmas. The music, ads, wish lists, and constant sales of Christmas in the retail sector did not help with matters. Grief and dissappointment were the feelings that filled my life and the weeks leading up to Christmas.
At this time last year, I was so overwhelmed with family medical situations we did not even put up a Christmas tree. What was the point? There was only two of us and no one was coming to our house for Christmas. It was difficult for us to find the joy in the season, because of the disappointment and sadness of the previous year of life. It was hard to be joyful.
It is hard to believe another year has gone by.
What a difference a year can make in ones life.
We put up a Christmas tree and we are looking forward to Christmas day. See this year we were blessed with a Child. As we prepare for Christmas this year we are seeking to help make Christmas about Christ. Having my daughter in my arms gives me a new image and feel of Christmas. I have a clear idea of how much fear, discomfort, and anxiety that Mary and Joseph were feeling in the days leading up to Jesus birth. At the same time, I understand the peace and joy that came into my life when my daughter was born. I understand how much love and hope surrounds our family and our relationship.
How much more is that love, hope, peace, and joy that is shared by our God. There must have been such joy and peace with Mary and Joseph once they held Jesus in their arms.
This Christmas as I remember how my daughter has changed my life, how much more Jesus birth changed my life and the world. Oh come, Oh come, Emmanuel… to transform me and the world.
The journey continues... I can only wait to see what will happen this next year with Jesus changing, leading, molding, transforming my life.
My Christmas Change your life!
Last year was one of those years. I had trouble finding a lot of joy leading up to Christmas. The music, ads, wish lists, and constant sales of Christmas in the retail sector did not help with matters. Grief and dissappointment were the feelings that filled my life and the weeks leading up to Christmas.
At this time last year, I was so overwhelmed with family medical situations we did not even put up a Christmas tree. What was the point? There was only two of us and no one was coming to our house for Christmas. It was difficult for us to find the joy in the season, because of the disappointment and sadness of the previous year of life. It was hard to be joyful.
It is hard to believe another year has gone by.
What a difference a year can make in ones life.
We put up a Christmas tree and we are looking forward to Christmas day. See this year we were blessed with a Child. As we prepare for Christmas this year we are seeking to help make Christmas about Christ. Having my daughter in my arms gives me a new image and feel of Christmas. I have a clear idea of how much fear, discomfort, and anxiety that Mary and Joseph were feeling in the days leading up to Jesus birth. At the same time, I understand the peace and joy that came into my life when my daughter was born. I understand how much love and hope surrounds our family and our relationship.
How much more is that love, hope, peace, and joy that is shared by our God. There must have been such joy and peace with Mary and Joseph once they held Jesus in their arms.
This Christmas as I remember how my daughter has changed my life, how much more Jesus birth changed my life and the world. Oh come, Oh come, Emmanuel… to transform me and the world.
The journey continues... I can only wait to see what will happen this next year with Jesus changing, leading, molding, transforming my life.
My Christmas Change your life!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
How sloth can affect the journey...
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities).
I feel this way a lot in our current day and age. We are living in the best of time and the worst of times.
We live in a time when technology makes communication with others all over the world possible. Technology and medical allows for lives to be saved and for individuals to live longer than ever before. Because of this technology, we celebrate premature babies that at one time would have had no chance of survival, now do survive and go on to live happy and healthy lives. Technology and scientific advance allow children to learn skills and task which we did not learn until we were adults. Children are exposed to computers from an early age, and when I was a child no one had a home computer. I learned to type on a typewriter and not a computer. We are living in the best of times.
Is it really the best of times? More and more marriages are ending in divorce. We are still at war and there does not seem to be an end in sight. Parents are afraid to let there children play outside. We are watching more natural disasters occur that are linked to global warning. We have to worry about being sued because we served hot coffee. We watch fuel prices rise to record highs. We do not socialize with our neighbors, and in fact we avoid them because “we would rather them not know us at all than to know to much about us (closing line of Desperate Housewives 10-28-07).” We live in a time when 39 million people globally are infected with HIV. We live in a time when the worlds wealth continues to be held by fewer and fewer people.
What are we going to do? Are we going to ignore the suffering, destruction, pain, terrible situations of our current life? Do we ignore our own active and passive participation in fueling systems, and activities which cause the pain and suffering?
This week I am exploring the Deadly sin of Sloth. Sloth in very modern day terms is when we begin to take the attitude of “not caring about what really matters.” In our culture it is easy to fall into the trap of sloth. We are so busy with our own lives, that we do not want to or intentionally ignore things that do not affect us directly. We want to just get on with our lives and let others pick up the fight and battle against injustice, war, and sickness. If we are not careful we begin to “not care about what is important.” We become slothful.
What is the Antidote for sloth or “not caring about what really matters?” Hope! And I am not talking about wishful thinking. This is not easy. Especially when we are talking about the issues which make this time in our society the worst of times. It is hard to move beyond wishing the war would stop and our troops would come home. It is hard to move beyond just wishing someone would help stop the spread of HIV or that a cure might be found. As Christians Hope is longing for something which God has promised to fulfill in the future. To hope therefore is to have a positive expectation (not a wish) about the future, based on trust in God’s goodness and faithfulness.
To hope as Christians does not mean we just believe or trust in God’s action in our world, but it also takes our action. With hope we begin to care about important things like, the environment, the war, the Aids Pandemic in Africa, etc, and then we are willing to work towards bringing about its fulfillment because we expect our efforts not to be wasted.
Hope awakens us from sloth. It moves us to action and making personal commitments to acting in love towards all of God’s creation. This is the hard part. Taking action… because we are not sure where to start or how we can make a difference.
That’s one reason we, as Christians, get labeled as hypocrites because we talked about hope and love, but some of us are slow to action. It is my struggle to find ways to care about things that are important, and then actively seek where God is already at work and then asking how can I join in. It might be that I need to ride the bus or train more often or recycle more. I might need to join the UMCOR in it efforts to provide aid to those suffering in Africa.
So in the weeks, months, and years ahead, it is my desire and prayer that with God’s help and through God’s grace, I might shed my slothful tendencies and step out in action.
I feel this way a lot in our current day and age. We are living in the best of time and the worst of times.
We live in a time when technology makes communication with others all over the world possible. Technology and medical allows for lives to be saved and for individuals to live longer than ever before. Because of this technology, we celebrate premature babies that at one time would have had no chance of survival, now do survive and go on to live happy and healthy lives. Technology and scientific advance allow children to learn skills and task which we did not learn until we were adults. Children are exposed to computers from an early age, and when I was a child no one had a home computer. I learned to type on a typewriter and not a computer. We are living in the best of times.
Is it really the best of times? More and more marriages are ending in divorce. We are still at war and there does not seem to be an end in sight. Parents are afraid to let there children play outside. We are watching more natural disasters occur that are linked to global warning. We have to worry about being sued because we served hot coffee. We watch fuel prices rise to record highs. We do not socialize with our neighbors, and in fact we avoid them because “we would rather them not know us at all than to know to much about us (closing line of Desperate Housewives 10-28-07).” We live in a time when 39 million people globally are infected with HIV. We live in a time when the worlds wealth continues to be held by fewer and fewer people.
What are we going to do? Are we going to ignore the suffering, destruction, pain, terrible situations of our current life? Do we ignore our own active and passive participation in fueling systems, and activities which cause the pain and suffering?
This week I am exploring the Deadly sin of Sloth. Sloth in very modern day terms is when we begin to take the attitude of “not caring about what really matters.” In our culture it is easy to fall into the trap of sloth. We are so busy with our own lives, that we do not want to or intentionally ignore things that do not affect us directly. We want to just get on with our lives and let others pick up the fight and battle against injustice, war, and sickness. If we are not careful we begin to “not care about what is important.” We become slothful.
What is the Antidote for sloth or “not caring about what really matters?” Hope! And I am not talking about wishful thinking. This is not easy. Especially when we are talking about the issues which make this time in our society the worst of times. It is hard to move beyond wishing the war would stop and our troops would come home. It is hard to move beyond just wishing someone would help stop the spread of HIV or that a cure might be found. As Christians Hope is longing for something which God has promised to fulfill in the future. To hope therefore is to have a positive expectation (not a wish) about the future, based on trust in God’s goodness and faithfulness.
To hope as Christians does not mean we just believe or trust in God’s action in our world, but it also takes our action. With hope we begin to care about important things like, the environment, the war, the Aids Pandemic in Africa, etc, and then we are willing to work towards bringing about its fulfillment because we expect our efforts not to be wasted.
Hope awakens us from sloth. It moves us to action and making personal commitments to acting in love towards all of God’s creation. This is the hard part. Taking action… because we are not sure where to start or how we can make a difference.
That’s one reason we, as Christians, get labeled as hypocrites because we talked about hope and love, but some of us are slow to action. It is my struggle to find ways to care about things that are important, and then actively seek where God is already at work and then asking how can I join in. It might be that I need to ride the bus or train more often or recycle more. I might need to join the UMCOR in it efforts to provide aid to those suffering in Africa.
So in the weeks, months, and years ahead, it is my desire and prayer that with God’s help and through God’s grace, I might shed my slothful tendencies and step out in action.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Who are you thinking about today?
Life comes at us fast and we get consumed with our own life.
This video by Sawyer Brown, really hit home this week...
Watch for yourself and then think about who is your neighbor and how might you reach out with the love of Christ.
Or maybe you are someone who understands those feelings of no one understanding you. Jesus was misunderstood.
The good news is that there is someone who understands everything and that is God. God alone knows and understands all the pains in our lives. Stop and talk to God. Be honest with God about your pain. Ask for comfort and allow yourself to be open to receiving comfort through new and strange opportunities. God answers prayers in different ways and using different and unlikely people, so be open to how God might already be trying to provide comfort for you.
As a pilgrim on the journey, it is my hope that I will take time each week and seek to understand individuals I encounter and to slow down in my very busy life.
Just something to think about…
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Is Greed Good? (6/6)
Is greed bad or good?
Who did more for the world Michael Milken (junk bonds man) or Mother Teresa?
Listen to this interesting video by John Stossel.
Striving to not worry... About money
Have you ever had one of those months. You know the one where it seems like everything that could go wrong, goes wrong. The washing machine breaks, the pest man finds termites, the check engine light comes on, ... (and the list goes on).
And with all of these situations, the way to "fix" them is to shell out some money.
With the new expense of a wonderful baby, these little problems seem to have added a little more stress to the equation.
All of this has happened in the middle of a series I have been preaching on the Seven Deadly Sins (http://www.fumcr.com/pages/sermons). This week I am preaching on Greed.
If there is anything I have learned over my journey is that God has a great sense of humor and timing. When better for all of these things to happen then when I am prepare a sermon in which teach us that we are not to worry about the material. That we are suppose to live a life without fear.
This morning in my devotional time the reading for the day was this: Matthew 6:25-34 (NRSV)
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.
I know this is what scripture tells me... It is not easy.
In fact to live this way is hard work. I think if all Christians were honest they would say this is one of the hard examples of Christ in which we are suppose to embody.
What do you think... Is this easy for you? Have you experienced the transformation of Christ in your life in regards to money and generosity.
I can say I have experienced it at different times of my life and I have made it through. It still is a struggle. I just keeping praying for God's grace to help me live more days focused on living in celebration of the abundance God has given me in my life and my family, and less days worrying if we will have enough.
Thanks be to God that he is not finished with me and through God's grace and the fellowship with in a loving community I can continue to grow in this area of my journey.
Rodney
A pilgrim taking it one day at a time.
And with all of these situations, the way to "fix" them is to shell out some money.
With the new expense of a wonderful baby, these little problems seem to have added a little more stress to the equation.
All of this has happened in the middle of a series I have been preaching on the Seven Deadly Sins (http://www.fumcr.com/pages/sermons). This week I am preaching on Greed.
If there is anything I have learned over my journey is that God has a great sense of humor and timing. When better for all of these things to happen then when I am prepare a sermon in which teach us that we are not to worry about the material. That we are suppose to live a life without fear.
This morning in my devotional time the reading for the day was this: Matthew 6:25-34 (NRSV)
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.
I know this is what scripture tells me... It is not easy.
In fact to live this way is hard work. I think if all Christians were honest they would say this is one of the hard examples of Christ in which we are suppose to embody.
What do you think... Is this easy for you? Have you experienced the transformation of Christ in your life in regards to money and generosity.
I can say I have experienced it at different times of my life and I have made it through. It still is a struggle. I just keeping praying for God's grace to help me live more days focused on living in celebration of the abundance God has given me in my life and my family, and less days worrying if we will have enough.
Thanks be to God that he is not finished with me and through God's grace and the fellowship with in a loving community I can continue to grow in this area of my journey.
Rodney
A pilgrim taking it one day at a time.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
I am back!!!!!!!!
I am finally back to my blog.
On Aug 20th, my Daughter was born... What an amazing day, but it has changed my life in so many ways. One of which was having enough time to blog.
She is still amazing, but I am back to work full time and I promise I will blog at least once a week.
So please keep checking back each Wednesday for what is going on with me along the amazing Christian Journey.
An Introduction to Parenthood is where I am on the journey right now, as you might expect. And as I said it is a life changing experience.
Over the last six weeks, I have watched her grow at an amazing rate. In fact if she continued to grow at this rate til she was 18 she would be over 400 lbs and 20 foot talk.
Parenthood is truly an amazing experience. Through my new experience as a parent, I am learning a deeper understanding of God’s love. As I think about how much I love my daughter, I am reminded of the unconditional love of God. I think about how much more God loves each and everyone of us.
In Psalm 139, the Psalmist celebrate the intimacy in which God know each of us. The Psalmist reminds us of how God has been with us from the very beginning of life. The Psalmist writes, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
I have made this scripture part of my prayer time. Every morning I hold my daughter and think about how she is a precious gift from God. I give God praise for how he has made her. At the same time I give thanks for the love in which God has for her, for me, and for all his Children.
I hope you also remember that you too are wonderfully made and a precious gift from God.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
How do you define being a Christian?
Going to church, reading the bible, prayer, listen to Christian music, giving money to the church???? What is your defination?
I can remember early on the simple answer was that I believed in Jesus Christ.
But is that all there is to being a Christian?
Belief or public profession... or getting to heaven... Just being a better person...
What do you think? I would love to hear what others are thinking...
On the journey to be a Christian has been a belief in Jesus, but it has also been even more than that. Being a Christian means my actions and responses are influenced by my faith. My being in tune with God. In my churched background, I have been taught that to be Christian means seeking to follow Christ and to try to become "Christ Like."
Christ like. What does that mean...
Here is what I am trying to do. I am seeking God's transformational power to become the spirit and image of God. I am hoping through God's grace to be transformed in ways that are both visible and invisible. I hope that I can see the world like Jesus sees the world. I hope that I can speak the words that Jesus would speak if he uncounted the people I encounter each day. I would hope I could listen to people and hear what Jesus would hear. I would hope that I could touch people and things the way Jesus would touch. I would hope that my experience of creation and in relationship to all creation would be close to the spirit and image of Christ.
What do you think? Do you want to be a better person? Do you want to do the right things at the right times?
Sure being a disciple of Jesus (a Christian), you will become a better person, but it is my hope I will become the spirit and image of Jesus.
I can remember early on the simple answer was that I believed in Jesus Christ.
But is that all there is to being a Christian?
Belief or public profession... or getting to heaven... Just being a better person...
What do you think? I would love to hear what others are thinking...
On the journey to be a Christian has been a belief in Jesus, but it has also been even more than that. Being a Christian means my actions and responses are influenced by my faith. My being in tune with God. In my churched background, I have been taught that to be Christian means seeking to follow Christ and to try to become "Christ Like."
Christ like. What does that mean...
Here is what I am trying to do. I am seeking God's transformational power to become the spirit and image of God. I am hoping through God's grace to be transformed in ways that are both visible and invisible. I hope that I can see the world like Jesus sees the world. I hope that I can speak the words that Jesus would speak if he uncounted the people I encounter each day. I would hope I could listen to people and hear what Jesus would hear. I would hope that I could touch people and things the way Jesus would touch. I would hope that my experience of creation and in relationship to all creation would be close to the spirit and image of Christ.
What do you think? Do you want to be a better person? Do you want to do the right things at the right times?
Sure being a disciple of Jesus (a Christian), you will become a better person, but it is my hope I will become the spirit and image of Jesus.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Introduction to Colossians
Do You know a lot about Paul's letter?
The Church of Colosse was one of the churches which was not started by Paul himself, but by persons who had come into contact with Paul while he was in Ephesises.
This Sunday I am begining a journey through the Paul's letter to the Colossians. I liked this quick video which gave me a brief introduction to this great letter.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
The saints are coming...
As the months and years roll by will the saints keep going to New Orleans?
They say it could take as many as 10 years to help the gulf coast to fully recover.
This video reminded me that the church cannot forget and move on, but we need to keeping going to the gulf coast to help and to share the love of Christ through unconditional love and service to our neighbor.
Friday, July 27, 2007
The Waiting Game...
Well it is Friday and the weeks seem to be getting longer and longer.
Why?
Well it is not because the Texas summer heat is getting worse. And It is not because summer vacation is still to come.
It is because we are waiting for the arrival of our first child. Our new little girl should be arriving in 4 weeks. What sounds like a very short time, but has created one of the longest week ever.
They say patients is a virtue...
I need prayer for patients.
I need to be patient that she will arrive in due time.
I will need to be patient with her in her crying after she arrives.
I will need to be patient in many different ways.
I guess that is why we have 9 months to wait...
At the end of the day, I know that it is worth the wait. It is worth all the long nights, doctor visits, and hours getting the nursery ready.
Why?
Well it is not because the Texas summer heat is getting worse. And It is not because summer vacation is still to come.
It is because we are waiting for the arrival of our first child. Our new little girl should be arriving in 4 weeks. What sounds like a very short time, but has created one of the longest week ever.
They say patients is a virtue...
I need prayer for patients.
I need to be patient that she will arrive in due time.
I will need to be patient with her in her crying after she arrives.
I will need to be patient in many different ways.
I guess that is why we have 9 months to wait...
At the end of the day, I know that it is worth the wait. It is worth all the long nights, doctor visits, and hours getting the nursery ready.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Different image of the church
This past week I was reading both some stuff by Rob Bell and Leonard Sweet. So, I cannot claim this as completely my original thought, but they have really pushed me to continue to dream about a new image of the church.
What if we did not lose our image of the church as being a hospital for sinners and Christ as the great physicians, but we add an image of the church as also a “singing school” and Christ as our tuning fork. “Jesus came to show us how to be in tune with the song.” (Rob Bell) And God is the song. Over the generations, the song never has changed. God is the same.
For me God is love. The love song has never changed. The song is about love, forgiveness, grace, hope, new life, justice, and mercy…
In the world of music, the rhythms, styles, and genres have change over the years, but the notes are the same. You are either on pitch or off pitch. In this re-imaging, I cannot say one style or genre of music is the best way to present the song to the people in our communities. Instead I want to be part of a movement of people who have accepted that they have the song within them. That the song was with them even in their mother’s womb. I want to be part of a community in which believes the song, but more importantly that the song is in us. I want the church to provide ministries where individuals are daily working on being in tune, no matter what instrument they are playing. I want to be with a community of people who are willing to tell me when I am out of tune and at the same time willing to help me get back in tune. I want to be part of a community in which music is being created. I want to be a part of a community in which believes that the song is not something we internalize, learn, or master, but the song is in us so that it might be shared with everyone. To be with a group of people committed to letting the song transform their lives so that everywhere they go people will hear the song.
See, I think as a Christian I am not so much out of tune. But I have forgotten how to keep the song alive. I think in some ways the church needs to become a training ground for musicians in one or maybe two styles. I think at times I have become focused on getting the song mastered, being able to play every note perfectly and without mistake, and thus forgotten how to perform it. I have at times forgotten how the song can become embodied and can change my life. I think I may have gotten so good and comfortable with the song that I have lost the joy and the transformational power within the song. I just play the song, but I do not perform it.
As a pastor, I think at times the church have gotten so comfortable and good with the song we think everyone should know it and should join us right now and with our current style, instrumentation, and rhythm. And in our current state we have forgotten that there are many different instruments, styles, and rhythms. We have forgotten or are ignoring that not everyone has as much training as we do. We have forgotten or are ignoring that not everyone plays the same instrument.
In my journey I hope to be apart of a new kind of church. A church where we are constantly learning about the song, practicing the song, joining in the performance of the song, and allowing the song to transform our lives and the world around us.
What if we did not lose our image of the church as being a hospital for sinners and Christ as the great physicians, but we add an image of the church as also a “singing school” and Christ as our tuning fork. “Jesus came to show us how to be in tune with the song.” (Rob Bell) And God is the song. Over the generations, the song never has changed. God is the same.
For me God is love. The love song has never changed. The song is about love, forgiveness, grace, hope, new life, justice, and mercy…
In the world of music, the rhythms, styles, and genres have change over the years, but the notes are the same. You are either on pitch or off pitch. In this re-imaging, I cannot say one style or genre of music is the best way to present the song to the people in our communities. Instead I want to be part of a movement of people who have accepted that they have the song within them. That the song was with them even in their mother’s womb. I want to be part of a community in which believes the song, but more importantly that the song is in us. I want the church to provide ministries where individuals are daily working on being in tune, no matter what instrument they are playing. I want to be with a community of people who are willing to tell me when I am out of tune and at the same time willing to help me get back in tune. I want to be part of a community in which music is being created. I want to be a part of a community in which believes that the song is not something we internalize, learn, or master, but the song is in us so that it might be shared with everyone. To be with a group of people committed to letting the song transform their lives so that everywhere they go people will hear the song.
See, I think as a Christian I am not so much out of tune. But I have forgotten how to keep the song alive. I think in some ways the church needs to become a training ground for musicians in one or maybe two styles. I think at times I have become focused on getting the song mastered, being able to play every note perfectly and without mistake, and thus forgotten how to perform it. I have at times forgotten how the song can become embodied and can change my life. I think I may have gotten so good and comfortable with the song that I have lost the joy and the transformational power within the song. I just play the song, but I do not perform it.
As a pastor, I think at times the church have gotten so comfortable and good with the song we think everyone should know it and should join us right now and with our current style, instrumentation, and rhythm. And in our current state we have forgotten that there are many different instruments, styles, and rhythms. We have forgotten or are ignoring that not everyone has as much training as we do. We have forgotten or are ignoring that not everyone plays the same instrument.
In my journey I hope to be apart of a new kind of church. A church where we are constantly learning about the song, practicing the song, joining in the performance of the song, and allowing the song to transform our lives and the world around us.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Church of Misfits
This morning I have been working on a sermon series for this fall. I am looking at the topic of sin and virtues and their relationship to the journey of faith.
Have you ever noticed that the more you "sin" in society the easier it is to fit in? And the more we seek to live in the example of Christ the more society labels us as misfits.
Eric Elmes says, "A healthy church is a church of misfits."
What do you think?
It is my prayer that I might count myself as a misfit. I try each day to be someone who seeks to be humble, grateful, faithful, hopeful, mindful, generous, and loving. But let me be honest, I am not there yet. I still have days of pride, envy, anger, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust.
What keeps me going is the message of God's Love. Even though I do not have my act together God still loves and values me. It is only through God's transforming grace which we bring me closer to perfection.
The truth is I will always be striving to live a virtuous life. And I will probably never practice these virtues to the level of resolve and perfection in which Jesus modeled for us. As misfits we find liberation in our confession of our failures and inabilities.
I do not know about you, but I would rather be a part of a misfit church than a perfect church. I would rather journey together with people who get labeled "bad Christians" because we still live days where sin shows up in daily living. To be with people who still get angry, are envious, or might struggle with greed or lust but are willing to confess these sins. To journey with people who recognize these thoughts, actions, and habits as counterproductive to God’s Kingdom and thus are authentic and honest about our need for Jesus and God’s grace. I would rather journey with this group of misfits, than a group of "good Christians" at a perfect church who have no need for Jesus or God's Grace.
How about you?
Have you ever noticed that the more you "sin" in society the easier it is to fit in? And the more we seek to live in the example of Christ the more society labels us as misfits.
Eric Elmes says, "A healthy church is a church of misfits."
What do you think?
It is my prayer that I might count myself as a misfit. I try each day to be someone who seeks to be humble, grateful, faithful, hopeful, mindful, generous, and loving. But let me be honest, I am not there yet. I still have days of pride, envy, anger, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust.
What keeps me going is the message of God's Love. Even though I do not have my act together God still loves and values me. It is only through God's transforming grace which we bring me closer to perfection.
The truth is I will always be striving to live a virtuous life. And I will probably never practice these virtues to the level of resolve and perfection in which Jesus modeled for us. As misfits we find liberation in our confession of our failures and inabilities.
I do not know about you, but I would rather be a part of a misfit church than a perfect church. I would rather journey together with people who get labeled "bad Christians" because we still live days where sin shows up in daily living. To be with people who still get angry, are envious, or might struggle with greed or lust but are willing to confess these sins. To journey with people who recognize these thoughts, actions, and habits as counterproductive to God’s Kingdom and thus are authentic and honest about our need for Jesus and God’s grace. I would rather journey with this group of misfits, than a group of "good Christians" at a perfect church who have no need for Jesus or God's Grace.
How about you?
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
My First Blog...
I did it. I started a blog.
I am not sure what will come along in this place, but I know that I wanted a place to share my experience as a Christian Pilgrim. As a United Methodist, I believe Christians through the means of Grace are traveling towards perfection. Hence the name of my blog, A Pilgrim on the Journey to perfection.
Please check back to see how the journey is going and the places I have travel.
I am not sure what will come along in this place, but I know that I wanted a place to share my experience as a Christian Pilgrim. As a United Methodist, I believe Christians through the means of Grace are traveling towards perfection. Hence the name of my blog, A Pilgrim on the Journey to perfection.
Please check back to see how the journey is going and the places I have travel.
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