Sermon Response for Mark 9:30-50

Jesus, when you said “follow me,” we answered, “we will.”
When you offered salvation and hope, we gladly accepted.
When you offered bread and wine, we ate and drank.
When you gave your own life so that we would have life,
we received your gift with gladness.
But you call us to obedience, as well.
To love those unlike us, to serve those around us,
to become as children;
seeking not pride of place nor glory,
but the opportunity to lose ourselves
so that others may live.
You called us to be salt and light in the world,
to give up our own desires for pleasure
in order to truly follow you.
Again, we say, “Yes Lord,”
knowing we need your help to obey.
Give us hearts of obedience,
help us to become as children,
salt and light and servants of the world.
We will obey you, God.
Give us strength to heed your call,
courage to choose the right,
endurance to overcome our desires
of lust and pride. We will obey you, God.
We will be your disciples. Amen.

Dave Brubeck, Live

Why I gave up youth ministry

(note: please read just a slight amount of sarcasm in the following post, lest you mistake this for a slight against the faithful men and women who lead the youth of Lakebay Community Church, and all other churches. . .)

Friday night the youth group of Lakebay Community Church were well into their 30-Hour famine, attending a rally (with a loud band, or so I'm told) in Gig Harbor. Over the years I led a dozen or so famines, so I know what that's all about. And the leaders - they were well into hanging out with all those rowdy teens who were hungry and loud and teenager-like.

I, on the other hand was enjoying dinner at Tango Tapas Restaurant on Capitol Hill in Seattle (home of Seattle's #1 dessert according to voters). Eating Spanish Olives and Toasted Almonds, Queso Azul, Enselada con Pato, Oysters, Spanish Cheese, and a host of other delightful and aromatic dishes. My wife, her sister, and their father were enjoying it all along with me.

And following dinner, about the time our youth leaders were hauling kids back into vans to go spend the night at sleepover locations, the four of us wandered over to the Paramount Theater to see Jazz Legend Dave Brubeck (and quartet) in an astounding display of virtuosity. For an 87 year old man, Brubeck can still jam. He even blessed us by closing the set with his standard, Take 5.

And the night closed with the Ramsey Lewis Trio, who serenaded us with the sweet sounds of funk, gospel, and cool jazz, including a few soul-searing piano solos.

I loved my years in youth ministry, so don't get me wrong. And I am excited about the great staff we have working with our youth at Lakebay. For one night, though, it was nice to play adult.

I'm Off (but you already suspected that)

For the next three days I'll be commuting across the pond to Tacoma, to take part in the Annual Meeting of the North Pacific Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church, and the Annual Meeting of the North Pacific Conference Ministerial Association. In other words, meetings and meals. The best part is always connecting with new friends and old.

Just don't be worried if this space remains silent for the next few days.

Meet Clara

Not Helping the Conversation

One of the people who belong to the church I pastor asked me about an article she had read. In the article, Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Fellowship in Riverside, CA, joins the chorus of voices speaking out against the Emergent Church.

You need to know that I have attended Harvest Fellowship, and while mega-churches with their own bookstores and coffee shops and parking attendants aren't my cup of tea, I could tell that God was at work there. I have listened to Greg Laurie on the radio, I once attended a Harvest Crusade in Anaheim where I saw him in person. I have always enjoyed his powerful delivery of the gospel, his passion for evangelism, and his cultural sensitivity. And I've been a fan of the Calvary Chapel non-denomination, to which Harvest belongs.

Which is why I was all the more saddened, disheartened, and angered by the above-mentioned article. I'm not sure what Laurie's intentions were (I suspect he is hoping to "protect" his flock from those heretical emergents), but the result is disastrous. He misrepresents the Emergent movement, he fails to grasp the real issues, he chases after red herrings, and he ends up being divisive and disparaging toward his brothers and sisters in Christ. I'm shocked that he would publish something so shoddy.

Let this be a teachable moment to us all.

1. From the article:

One of these leaders made this statement: "I must add, though, that I don't believe making disciples must equal making adherence to the Christian religion. It may be advisable in many, not all circumstances, to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu, or Jewish contexts."

This sounds very inclusive and loving, but it is flat-out wrong and unscriptural! We want people to become followers of Jesus in a biblical context!

Part of the problem with this article is that it doesn't leave room for nuance or further explanation. Laurie uses quick soundbites to create positions that he then dismantles. The above quote could be construed as unbiblical, but not necessarily so. In fact, this isn't even an Emergent discussion, per se. This is a discussion being held among the leading missiologists around the world. And it's not the "younger, emergent" types leading the charge. None other than Ralph Winter, godfather of U.S. Missions, has been leading the discussion on "Insider Movements." The question is this - is it better to see a Muslim converted, only to have them "come out" and be ostracized, cast out of their family and network, and probably killed? Or could they remain within their life, yet pray to Jesus during the prayer times, and worship Jesus when they go to the mosque? Would it be possible to create underground networks of Christians within those systems, who could then start to witness for Christ from within?

Please note: I'm not attempting to begin a discussion on Insider Movements. I'm only pointing out that whereas Laurie would call out Emergents as being unbiblical, this issue is not even an Emergent issue. It is just entering into the emergent discussion because it's the very discussion that our missionary leaders are having.

2. From the article

Jesus plainly said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the life. …" (John 14:6, NKJV) Yet despite this clear biblical teaching, another "emergent" leader says, "I see the world through the images of Christianity, which teaches me that I encounter God in everyone I meet, regardless of what they believe."

This is New Age mysticism, not New Testament Christianity. The truth is, you will only find Christ living in those who have put their faith in Him.

Again, the problem here is that Laurie has picked up on a couple "red flags" and, without attempting to understand what is really being said, he has chosen to shoot down the entire movement. However, with just the tiniest theological work, the above quote could, in fact, be entirely biblical. Simply begin with "Let us make humans in our image," and you're there already. Or go with the words of Jesus: "Whenever you do this to the least of these, you've done it unto me." I don't think the person being quoted meant to say that we're all one big happy God-filled family (although Laurie's failure to identify sources makes any backtracking impossible - another weakness of the article); from what I understand of Emergent thinking, the premise is simply that God can be seen in and through anyone. It's not a question of salvation, it's a question of the imago Dei. Wasn't it Mother Teresa who said something like "If you want to see Jesus, then go love a leper"? Whenever I took our youth group to feed the people at the Modesto Gospel Mission, I always told them "look in their eyes - those are Jesus' eyes looking back at you." Unfortunately, Laurie is coming in with suspicious eyes and finding heresies that aren't really there.

3. From the article

At the same time, I see other churches becoming distracted from the proclamation of the Gospel and instead focusing their primary energies on issues like "global warming." I'll tell you about global warming; it's when people spend eternity separated from Jesus Christ in hell! Jesus said of hell, "The fire never goes out" (Mark 9:48, NLT).

Here Laurie makes the logical mistake of assuming this is an either/or. You can either care for creation or you can witness to sinners. You can't seem to do both in Laurie's world. However, he misses at least three important points. First, the creation-care mandate was the first given to humans, (read Genesis 2), and it has never been rescinded. We are commanded to care for the earth, so we can't cop out by saying "we need to focus on other things." Second, he misses that creation care can actually be a powerful witness to Christ by children of the Creator. Proclamation of the Gospel is not solely accomplished by door-to-door evangelism, nor crusades. When the Church joins in with those who are working to better treat the creation, we witness to our love for our Creator, which is another way of proclaiming the gospel. Third, we won't have the opportunity to witness for the gospel if millions of people are dying because of the way we mismanage this planet.

One more point to be made - Note the employ of flashy rhetoric, equating global warming with people burning in hell. I hope your non sequitor alarms were going off when you read that one. Laurie is attempting to circumvent logical discussion with fiery (pardon the pun) language, pulling you in emotionally while short-changing you logically.

4. From the article:

We in the Church of Jesus Christ had better get back to basics, or we will lose what little influence we have left in our culture.

The ironic thing is, this is exactly what the Emergent Church is attempting to do - leave behind the packaging of modernity and returning to biblical basics, such as being the community of God, being salt and light IN our communities, living our faith as much as we verbally proclaim it, allowing the scriptures to speak rather than forcing on them arguments of human theological systems.

So, to conclude, Greg Laurie has attempted to speak out on an issue on which he has proven he has no understanding; I fear he has listened to other voices speaking out against the Emergents and allowed their rhetoric to cloud his judgment. He has called his brothers and sisters in Christ a "dangerous counterfeit"; he has clouded the discussion with empty, hollow rhetoric, he is causing division in the Body of Christ, and all by way of proclaiming an expertise in an area where he has yet to prove that he understands the issues.

For this, I am troubled and saddened, for his ministry has been blessed, and has been successful in winning many to the Lord. I just hope he's not becoming more exclusivist as he moves on. The Church does not need more Christians throwing stones at one another. We should set the example of those who listen, sift, discern, do the hard theological work, then listen, sift, and discern once again. And above all, we should be known by our love for one another, not our suspicion of one another.

Random News and Notes

- The Air Force is officially retiring the F-117 Nighthawk today, parking the last four in a secure hanger in Nevada. Bummer. I never had the chance to see one fly. I did see one on static display at the last El Toro airshow, complete with heavily-armed security guards.

- Just in time for Passover, grocery stores in San Francisco have all run out of Matzo bread. "It appears there's been a huge disconnect between the Bay Area grocery community and the Bay Area Jewish community in terms of supply and demand."

- Ever wonder why the women in those polygamist compounds dress like 19th century pioneers? Experts are talking about the same thing.

- Religious leaders in Zimbabwe speak to the growing crisis in their country, warning of impending genocide if the situation isn't resolved.

- We used to have this good friend names Anya. Anya was pretty cool. She was very attuned to the Lord, you might say. (She has a cool younger sister, too, but this story isn't about her.) Anya spent a week in Mexico with us on a youth mission trip one summer. She also did the YWAM thing. Sometimes she would come hang out at our West Main house and eat tacos and talk about Jesus. Good times. Anya was just accepted to Mars Hill Graduate School in Seattle, and we are excited for her. For one, she's finding her future and embracing it, entering into the calling God has on her life. I have no doubt she'll do great things for the Kingdom of God. So congratulations are in order. But, more selfishly, she'll be just across the water from us, so perhaps we'll all have a chance to sit down at Caffe Ladro and catch up, just like old times.

- Link: Church of the Masses. The blog of Barbara Nicolosi, one of the mainstage speakers we heard at the Transforming Culture Conference in Austin. Barbara is a Catholic who works in the Entertainment Industry, living as salt and light in Hollywood. She's got great insight into the intersections between God and Popular Culture, and she can be funny as well.

So about that storm

Drove up to Kingston on Friday, took the ferry across to Edmonds. Got off the ferry, noticed some of the cars had snow on them. Climbed the hill out of town and noticed snow falling from the sky. Met my parents for dinner at Kafe Neo (Greek food - yum!). All during dinner kept commenting "Wow - it's snowing outside."

Drove over to my brother's place in Lynwood through a blinding snowstorm. Imagine "Over the River and Through the Woods," or your favorite Christmas card. Only remember this is in late April.

Spent the night at Mike's house. The kids went out and built a snowman. All night long the power came and went as snow-laden branches fell on power lines and transformers blew.

By Saturday morning, 6-8 inches of snow covered everything. Most beautiful were the maple trees all abloom, and the tulips sticking up through the snow. So much color, laying underneath the covering white.

As Saturday progressed, snow turned to hail, which brought with it thunder and lightning. The kids did find more time to go out and play.

Eventually, we drove back to Lakebay where, alas, there is no snow. Although it's supposed to be in the 20s tonight.

So, imagine that one. April 20. 8 inches of snow, as in deepest winter. I think we'll remember this weekend for years to come.

Now, hopefully back to our regular programming.

In the News

M&M Ministries, an outreach of Lakebay Community Church, was mentioned in the Gig Harbor Gateway this morning.

2 signs of the apocalypse

1. Gas was $3.69 at the station this morning.

2. The experts are predicting snow in Seattle this weekend. Snow. In April. Late April.

A couple of good reads

- Eugene's pseudo-conversation with Rob Bell

- Tony's discussion on "definers of orthodoxy."
Note well, O Definers, you may define me “out” of emerging or evangelical or orthodoxy, but beware, it’ll be you next. Drawing lines and defending borders never ends well for the line-drawers because before you know it, someone has drawn a line right behind your heels and, guess what, you’re suddenly on the other side of the line with me.

A long month, with more to come

Brief history. A little less than a decade ago, Lakebay Community Church purchased some property and began the arduous process of preparing to construct a new building there. A couple things got in the way: The pastor resigned, one of the lead members of the Committee To Build (my title, not theirs) passed away, and the other moved on to another church. Some other stuff happened as well, but just that pastoral transition alone would suffice as a huge hiccup in any building process.

My first two years at Lakebay were spent building health into the leadership, building rapport within the body, and seeking after a prayerful spirit in the community. All the while, we've been slowly chipping away at some of the issues up there on the property. The well was put in and tested. Engineering plans were revisited and revised. The scotch broom was knocked down.

A few months ago, it became obvious that it was time to figure out how to really move ahead with the project. We're almost ready to go for the Conditional Use Permit. Most of the early site work is finished. And we're moving into my 3rd year at the church - transition times are over.

However. . .the church itself has gone through a lot of turnover in the last 10 years. Many who voted to accept the property and accompanying 20/20 vision have left. Many more have come who never were part of that early process. Some of those still around are passionate about finally moving on. A small but vocal minority are just as passionate about not making the move.

And so we have been through a time of listening and discernment over the last few months; specifically, we just completed three Saturday night coffee klatch listening meetings, at which 10-20 people gathered, prayed, and then discussed our future, and, specifically, our plans to move up north.

Let me take us off onto a siding for a moment. The church in which I grew up went through a nasty split when I was but a lad. The first church I worked for went through an even nastier split. The second church I worked for seemed to be in a constant posture of antagonism and positioning. So I have seen my share of dysfunctional meetings. I've witnessed sound people shut off the sound system and walk out the door, in the middle of town meetings. I've witnessed people shouting across the aisles at each other, calling them all sorts of names. I've witnessed older ladies spit on the sanctuary floor to show their distaste for "all these here changes you're making." I've seen friends become enemies, refusing to acknowledge each other as they pass by. I've witnessed division and anger and spite and hatred and animosity over everything from what music to sing, to where the piano should be located, to whether to adopt a green mission statement or a pink one. I've just about seen it all.

All of which feeds my continued amazement and love for the people of Lakebay Community Church. Because they showed up, they shared their opinions, they spoke in kindness and love and humility, they discussed and offered varying viewpoints. . .and they remained dear friends. We had people coming from opposing positions ("We need to move now"; "we should maybe never move, or at least not for a long time. . ."). They shared clearly and concisely, and with some passion, why they felt their position was correct. And then after the meeting they hung around and talked about trips they had taken, or what their kids were doing, or "why don't we get together like this more often?" And over and over again I heard "Look - I'm not going to be divisive about this. . .whatever the church decides, we'll go along."

I almost can't believe the health of this place. They get what church is supposed to be about. And they give me hope that we have a strong future ahead of us, because we're not going to let an issue even as huge as this one divide us.

Let me state this for the record: there was a day when I would have thought it impossible that Christians could meet and talk about selling their church and moving without bickering and spitting on each other. The people of Lakebay Community Church just proved me wrong. And so, while we still seek God's guidance on our somewhat murky future. . .I believe God has laid the groundwork for that future to be bright.

Feel the burn

I took my first bike ride of spring today - a 10 mile route to the south, through Penrose Point, and back. It was cold. My fingers grew numb. It started to rain. I was soaked through. My glasses steamed up and I couldn't see. My knee started to ache from the cold and exercise.

I feel like a true Pacific-Northwesterner now. And it feels good.

Sermon Response to Mark 8:31-9:1

Would you seek to follow Christ, the Lord?
Then be prepared –
prepared to give everything away
prepared to lose your riches
prepared to lose your reputation
prepared to lose your life.
Wash each other’s feet.
Mow one another’s lawns.
Forgive your enemy.
Treat your mother-in-law with kindness.
Give up your pride,
your grasping after wealth and fame.
Pay your taxes.
Give money to causes of righteousness.
Ignore the drive to consume,
fan the hunger for peace-making in this war-ravaged world.
Sell your television and donate the money to feed the hungry.
Would you become great?
Then take up your cross,
and follow Christ.

Music News and Notes

Just bought tickets to see Dave Brubeck and Ramsay Lewis in concert at the Paramount in Seattle in a couple weeks. Should be a night to remember.

Why I could never be a true Calvinist

Once upon a time there was a man named Joseph, who had always wanted children. 18 children, to be exact. And so he had 18 children.

However, Joseph being a wise man, even before he had his children he knew that they would disobey him, bringing great shame and dishonor to his name. He knew they would eventually reject him (don’t all children?), and that he would be forced to punish them for their sins against him. Yet Joseph was a loving man, and so he devised a plan – again, long before his children were born. His plan would pay the penalty for the rejection of his sons and daughters. He would provide a way to take the punishment himself, thus retaining his honor and yet freeing his children of guilt (editor’s note: the specifics of that plan are another story for another day).

And so it came to be. He had his children, they rejected him, and he initiated his plan, paying the price for their sins, opening up a door for forgiveness to flow. But there was another part to this plan. Back before his children were born, Joseph had already decided he would save children 1,3,12, and 17. The rest – well, they could just live and die with their guilt. They could just receive the punishment they so deserved.

And so Joseph, being a wise man, worked in the lives of 1,3,12, and 17, wooing them and drawing them closer to him, until they had no option but to accept his forgiveness. How fortunate for 1, 3, 12, and 17! How grateful they were for being forgiven! And all the neighbors were amazed at this man’s mercy, his glory, his wisdom! He had shown everybody that he was still in charge, and that he would be so kind as to even save a few of his kids.

Oh, except for the rest of the kids, who are now down in the cellar, being tortured mercilessly for their sins. Sure, Joseph had it within his power to save them, but he showed everybody just how glorious he was by NOT saving them. They’re not so sure their father is all that glorious. In fact, he seems a little unfair. After all, he knew they would reject him. In fact, some said it was his plan for them to reject him in the first place. And yet he never had any intention of saving them, like he did their brothers and sisters. These children, the ones in the basement – they all think they got the shaft.

Need some technical assistance

We have a wireless router here at the church. It's in the secretary's office, which is about 100 feet from my office. There are any number of walls in between her office and mine - however, when doors are open, it is somewhat of a direct line. Rather than running cable all the way from the router into my office, I simply use the wireless modem on my laptop.

Which works about 90% of the time. But every once in a while, I can't get a signal here in my office. The VAIO just looks in vain for a wireless signal.

And I've noticed that this problem is a lot more prevalent when it is raining outside.

Why would that be? Why does rainy weather outside affect the router signal strength inside? And is there anything that can be done, besides praying for more sunshine?

Let's begin with the movie discussion

Last week Karina and I watched Rocket Science, a movie that created quite a buzz at the 2007 Sundance Festival.

This little independent movie follows in a long line of films that mine the depths of high school angst, portraying befuddled teenagers attempting to navigate the hallways of life with some semblance of dignity and hope. It could very easily be the Sixteen Candles or Breakfast Club or Say Anything of the early 2000s.

Reece Thompson plays the protagonist, Hal Hefner, a high school freshman with a stuttering problem. The movie wrenches your heart as you watch Hal attempt to order food in the school cafeteria; you feel deeply embarrassed for Hal as he is forced to stand in front of the entire school and answer questions about U.S. history. Added to Hal's issues are a bully of a brother and divorcing parents, and you have the quintessential teenager drowning in a confusing life.

Hal's fortunes might just change, however, when Ginny Ryerson, the beautiful senior captain of the school's speech and debate club (played with sheer genius by Anna Kendrick) approaches him about becoming her debate partner. She claims to have the ability to discover talent in out-of-the-way places, and believes that Hal could help her finally win the state debate championship. As Hal enters into this world, he (expectedly) falls hard for Ginny, and determines to join her as a debater, just to remain close to her.

However, Ginny soon is playing hard-to-get; Hal has a hard time even getting together with Ginny to research and prepare for their upcoming competitions. And eventually suspicion sets in that just perhaps Ginny isn't being perfectly honest in her intentions - did she string Hal along because she wants their team to actually lose?

Before I get to the plot spoiler and begin to draw some conclusions, let me also mention that along the way the story is filled will all sorts of memorable characters - the special needs educator who tells Hal "too bad you don't have autism - then I could really help you!"; the young boy who lives across the street from Ginny and secretly watches her out his window (not to mention his parents, who play music as marriage therapy); Hal's Chinese friend whose father begins to date Hal's mother. . .every character brings in both comedic relief and added angst to Hal's life.

But now. . .

++++++++++++Plot Spoiler Alert+++++++++++++++++++

Here's where all this is so important: At the end of every 80s coming-of-age story, the girl got the guy. Or the guy got the girl. The nerds won respect (and the hot chicks). The computer geek got the cheerleader (because she recognized that depth is more important than wavy hair). Ferris Beuller ended up back home with his loving parents and sister. Friends made up for their disagreements. Everyone ended up hopeful, if not happy. In other words, those stories ended up with redemption. Yes, school and teenageism were shown to be dangerous, painful, full of disaster and competition. Parents weren't always loving, hot girls were out of reach. . .but they all ended up with some sense of things being better, of life turning out for the good, of the loser finally finding victory.

Not so in Rocket Science. Hal does not, in fact, win Ginny's heart. Ginny ends up being every bit as devious as expected. And the final debate ends not with a Rocky-style victory; not even a loss with dignity, but a simple disqualification. Hal doesn't get the girl. He doesn't get the trophy. His parents are aloof as ever. His stutter never goes away. The whole movie simply fades away with a half-hearted conversation between Hal and his father. His only victory is that he finally gets the pizza he always wanted.

Which, to me, tells us a lot about the existential position of society today. 20, 30 years ago, there was still hope that everything would be better. The 80s and 90s were times of great hope, despite the threat of nuclear war and the onslaught of grunge. People still held onto the Disney Model of Life, in which, eventually, the dragon is slain and the prince marries the princess and they live happily ever after. We were still living with echoes of the 1950s, of Mayberry and Happy Days. The American Dream was still alive and well. Or so our movies would lead us to believe.

Rocket Science walks the same path, yet comes out at a completely different place. The PostModern Place, if you will, in which nothing really has any meaning. There are no large stories that give us hope and meaning. Most people don't win the lottery. Nerds don't get the cheerleader. Kids with disabilities never do "finally show 'em all!" Life just is what it is. It has its funny moments, it has its painful moments. Parents leave and don't come back. People play you and then dump you and walk away without a care. Hearts are broken, and never really recover. And that's just how it all goes - eventually you'll become your parents and probably divorce and mess up your kids just the same as they messed you up.

So here's the thing - I think this movie is important. Yes, I think the message is wrong - in fact, I know it's wrong, because I know that there is an ultimate Redemption to all of this; I know that these moments all do have meaning, because there is a God who hurts alongside of us, who gives us meaning in our days. But I think the movie is important because it reveals the heart of those who walk next to us in our world. In fact, if I was leading a 2-day seminar on youth culture, I think I'd show Pretty in Pink and then Rocket Science, and then lead a discussion on exactly what messages we're being sold. And then I'd move into a discussion on the psyche of American youth in the year 2008.

I think Rocket Science is a mirror on our youth, and is thus important as a tool to get inside that culture and understand what it's thinking. Because they've given up hope, they've given up on the dream that all will someday be better. They believe that, unless you win American Idol, life is pretty meaningless and pointless, something to be endured, rather than embraced.

And, I think if we understand that, then we're a whole lot closer to reaching them where they are at, and opening up the world that is so much better just outside the door.

Support Your Local Musician

Might I take this opportunity to highlight a couple friends?

Lakebay's own Kate McCourt

And our old friend from Upland, who now lives up by Bellingham, Chris Hoke

A few pictures

Dan and Dave Clucas at Austin Java, Austin, TX.

The Keynote Speakers - How many can you name?

So much to catch up on - a responsive reading

In the end, the conference was powerful. I'm still digesting. I want to make some comments on it.

But I have to write a sermon.

I need to mention some of the speakers we heard over the week, and the wonderful conversation Karina and I had with one of them, when both our planes were delayed at the airport in Austin.

But I have to write a sermon.

I was going to mention our experiences on Southwest Airlines - with the medical emergency on the way down and the engine problems on the way back.

But I have to write a sermon.

I should mention something about our time with Dave, a friend from way, way back in my first ministry days.

But I have to write a sermon.

I'd love to share some more general impressions about Austin, Texas.

But I have to write a sermon.

I've been wanting to do a movie review on a little film we watched last week - Rocket Science - and how it reflects our current ethos as a culture

But I have to write a sermon.

So, instead, let me share a poem I wrote on the flight down instead.

And maybe I'll just keep this list and work on it all next week.

Seattle to Austin

Three times up, three times down
like children playing leapfrog
we seem unable to maintain
our grip on flight
one moment dancing the vast
western sky inexorably
returning to earth-planted feet
we leap, we soar, buckle
and feel the rush of liftoff
pushing into your bones
we plummet and plod the
crowded taxiway, growing in
awareness of sore butts and
cramped knees

Is how I talk to you, God
friend, companion on this journey
never quite sustaining rapture
growing ever weary of the ground
discontent to remain
unable to fly

Good Stuff and Good Stuff

Last night was Eugene Peterson, telling three stories of artists who have impacted his life, and how they intersect with artists and crafts-persons in the Bible. Yesterday afternoon I met John Wilson, editor-in-chief for Books and Culture Magazine. This afternoon I sat in Luci Shaw's seminar, and had a lovely chat with her both before and after.

Dinner tonight was Texas BBQ. And later we're meeting up with old Upland friend David Clucas.

I'm beginning to wish a lot of people I knew were here. Too much to digest and process and ponder and be challenged by. . .

As far as I know, we're the only Covenanters here, and I'm wishing we had stronger representation. I think a lot of good could come out of the discussions being had in this symposium. I also wish I had 10 more Lakebay people here, so they could get some of the same message. Good, powerful, mind-changing. A vision for re-awakening a heart for art as an expression of God's creativity and our worship; a multitude of sights and sounds and textures and tastes and smells, all for the glory of God. Wondering how to have a place in bringing it to reality in our world. So much to think about, so much to do.

Luci Shaw

Starting the conference

and the church has free wi-fi. . .that's good.

Last night Karina and I drove around Austin, had some Indian food for dinner, toured the UT campus. I suppose southerners could probably be more astute to this, but it all feels just like Knoxville, where I spent a couple weeks for CHIC 5 years ago. Driving around UT felt just like driving around the University of Tennessee. So all you who went to CHIC - that's what it's like in Austin.

Which is a good thing, by the way. Clean town, friendly people, lots of options for food and diverse shopping, large parks. . .oh, and very humid.

Had a nice, short talk with Luci Shaw this morning; she was gracious and truly engaged in the conversation. Now Andy Crouch is on stage and ready to give the first message, so bye for now.

I'm in Austin, TX

And there are tornado warnings for the county.

Just so you know.

A Personal Note to my Personal Critic (the rest of you are free to listen in. . .)

No, hisstoryun, I'm not ignoring you. It's just that, as a preacher, I tend to have more time earlier in the week to work on this blog thing. . .and the later the week goes, and the more I'm in the midst of preparing for the coming Sunday (writing sermons and all), I have less time to wax eloquent in here. It's just the ebb and flow of the tide of my brain capacity as the weeks start and finish. So no, I don't think you're a kook. I was just busy writing a sermon and preparing for confirmation class and planning a Futuring meeting tonight and organizing a mission team meeting for tomorrow night. . .and spending time with all those who came in to visit - the church chair, our visitation intern, our quilting ladies, our homeless outreach. Life gets busy at times.

However, I still don't think you understand how I'm trying to nuance this. You say "Yes Jesus lived as a man with all of the limitations that come with that in terms of physical earth of course. But He also showed us that He was God too." We're in agreement there. I've never said that Jesus stopped being God; or at least I've never meant to imply that.

You also say If God embraced humanity becoming a man like us, giving up His Godhood, for the purpose of teaching us how to live (according to this theology) then it stands to reason that He also must have had a sin nature like us. Here we can start to disagree. Jesus was not just A man, he was the perfect man. He was fully man. In some sense, I don't think the sin nature is something added, but something taken away. When Adam sinned, I don't think he added a new component known as "sin nature," I think he lost something; namely, the ability to walk face-to-face in perfect harmony with the God of life. Jesus was a man in the sense that Adam was a man - lacking sin, walking in harmony with the God who gives life.

Now, let me see if I can say this any clearer. Jesus was God incarnate. No doubts here. But Jesus chose to live as a human, under the same human limitations as the rest of us, solely relying on God the Father to work in and through him as he walked on the earth. He WAS God, he just CHOSE to not act as God, instead choosing to act as the perfect man (which he also was) to lead us unto salvation. I think this is what Jesus was getting at in John 15:10 - "just as I have kept my father's commands and remain in his love."

And with that, I've got to run.

Emergent goes niche

From the Emergent Village Weblog:

"people from many different streams of Christianity started finding some inspiration, hope, and community through Emergent Village—and then they started to find each other. . .All of this has resulted in a number of hybrid groups:

- Luthermergent (Lutheran)
- Methomergent (Methodist)
- Presybymergent (I think you can guess. . .)
- Reformergent (Reformed)
- Submergent (anabaptist)
- Anglimergent (Anglican/Episcopal)
- AGmergent (Assemblies of God)

{end quote}

Not being a person who particularly likes labels, part of me wants to find all this a little troubling. One of the things I've liked about the emergent movement is its ability to cross denominational lines. This all seems to only standardize those lines a bit. And, as you're well aware, I think branding is antithetical to the Gospel, yet all too often Christians get more excited about the brand than they do the Gospel. They run off to retreats and become Purpose-Driven men who are Wild at Heart about their Captivating Women, and their children all Acquire the Fire and become Radically Saved!

The danger, of course, is that people just become excited about the labels and shiny attachments, without ever dealing with the heart of the matter.

All that being said, the emergent village folks find it exciting, and I'm trying to not be too curmudgeonly in my old age, so I'll end the negativity there. Perhaps some good conversations can come out of all this, after all, so long as the Presbys and AGs and Anglicans keep talking to each other about the heart issues, and not just remain in their camps with a new label to set them over/against all the old-fashioned Presbys and AGs and Anglicans.

Finally, anybody have the link to the Covmergent cohort?

The following weather brought to you by the Council for Global Warming

Scot is complaining about the snow in Chicago.

Randall is complaining about the snow in Saskatchewan.

And yes, we got snow and hail yesterday, with the lows tonight and tomorrow below freezing.

Didn't spring arrive last week?

The Legend of YHWH

I finally got around to watching "I Am Legend" last night.

Sure, it's creepy. Yes, it's got flesh-eating zombies wandering Manhattan, looking for anything and everything on which to gorge. And of course it throws enough curveballs at you to make you jump out of your skin.

But after it was over, I told the wife that it was one of the best Christian movies I'd ever seen. In fact, if you were challenged to create a movie that was a metaphor for the biblical story, one that would be accepted and embraced by 21st-Century, post-Christian culture, you'd have a hard time topping this one.

Think of it - a "virus" infects humanity, turning men and women into violent, inhuman beasts. Perfectly fits C.S. Lewis' version of sin turning people into unearthly monsters.

+++++Plot Spoiler Alert+++++

And where is the antidote for that virus? When Robert Neville (aka Will Smith) puts the vial into Anna's hand, what does he tell her? "It's in the blood."

And what price does he pay to deliver that antidote?

And where are Anna and Ethan heading - where is the Survivor's Colony? Bethel. Which is Hebrew for "House of God."

Oh, and this. What is God's name as revealed to Moses? Right. Now go look at the movie title again.

+++++/Plot Spoiler Alert+++++

I've seen other zombie movies, and find they are usually simply gore-fests attempting to scare us or make social commentary on nuclear weapons. I Am Legend is much more thoughtful, focusing more on the angst of loneliness and the sorrow of death than on gratuitous violence and blood splatter. In fact, I was more disturbed by the zombies in Night of the Living Dead than by these CG zombies.

Sure, I would never let Olivia see this movie. And I don't think I'll be showing it at church any time soon. But if you have eyes to see it,

Jesus is all over this movie.

Weekend Update

Our friends The Gibbs from Turlock came up and joined us for Easter weekend. Chelsea came over and spent Saturday night with us, while the rest of the family headed off to their hotel on Hood Canal. Sunday morning they came back (with all the relatives) for our Easter service, at which Chelsea played her flute with the worship team. It was like old times. . .made me a little nostalgic to hear her play In Christ Alone.

On Monday I played tour guide and took them all to Seattle for the day. We did the Traditional Seattle tour - took the ferry into town, lunch at Ivar's, fed the seagulls, an hour at Pike Place Market, walked over to Westlake Center and rode the Monorail to Seattle Center, walked around the Center Fountain and Key Arena, then went up the Space Needle for an hour. . .then reversed the trip and took the ferry home, finishing with dinner at Anthony's in Bremerton. And the day couldn't have been better - sunny with distant clouds, relatively warm, with none of the Summer Tourist Crowd to gum things up.

As to Sunday itself, the High Holy Day, it rained all day, and that put a little damper on things. Plus, a lot of our people are sick these days, which put a further damper on things. For those who showed up, it was a marvelous time of worship and celebration; the food was warm and the fellowship was sincere. But the Sunrise Service was off by 50%, mostly due to the incessant rainfall, and the morning service was one of the lowest services in the last two years. That I attribute mostly to all the sickness going around. I wonder, too, if Easter coming so early didn't affect it some. We usually get a lot of weekenders who've come out to their vacation homes, but with the bad weather, and being so early in March, I'm wondering if most of them didn't just stay in Seattle and Tacoma and Bellevue.

Ah, well. A long time ago I gave up worrying about numbers, trying to interpret every little sign. God was glorified and his people edified, and I continue to be excited and amazed at the way this little community church blesses the people of this area, how they jump in and cover for people who are sick, how they sing an extra 2 or 3 songs and don't even mind, how we can add a pink-haired flautist and they all think that's cool. God is good, and his people are good.

What Did He Know, and When Did He Know it, Part 2

So Erin had to go and suggest I actually bring scripture into the discussion. . .

First, though, let me respond to a couple comments left by Hisstoryun underneath that post.

"(I wonder what led you to your conclusion that Jesus was only a man. It is not biblical (as you put it) for scripture does not support the idea. It is noteworthy too that you offer no supporting scripture for your theory. On the contrary, scripture supports the opposite idea that Jesus is indeed God.)"

You misunderstand my point. If that's because of my lack of clarity, I apologize. I never meant to imply that Jesus only a man. Along with Paul in his letter to the Colossians, I believe that "in him the fullness of deity dwelled." I affirm the ancient teaching that Jesus was fully God, and fully human. I simply suggested that Jesus set aside his prerogative to access his divinity while he walked on earth. He never ceased being divine; he simply chose to fully embrace humanity for the 30-some years he walked on earth.

"If Jesus had somehow given up His role and rightful place as God, how then could He be the Savior of the world because as such he surely would have been a fallible sinner the same as you or me?"

I disagree. It was exactly because he gave up his role and rightful place, and remained the spotless Lamb, that he became the Savior of the World. Now, if you're understanding of the atonement is locked into a Penal Substitution Model, in which the Perfect Infinite God had to pay the Eternal Infinite Price for our sin, then you need the Infinite Jesus to die for you; in fact, you don't really need Jesus to become human. But if you start to lean toward a Recapitulation Theory, then it becomes extremely important that, in fact, he lived the perfect human life in all its fullness - a life not relying on his own powers, but a life grounded in a relationship with his Father, who was the source of strength and life.

I appreciate the work you put into your reply; obviously, you put much time and energy into it. Unfortunately, I think you're arguing against a position that I wasn't taking in the first place. Again - I'm not saying that Jesus was "just a man." I'm saying that, when God took on human form in Jesus, God embraced that humanity to the fullest. Jesus was God, but Jesus chose to lay aside the "special position and abilities" due God - not that he didn't have them; he just chose not to use them. In that way, he showed for the rest of us what True Life looks like - the way humanity was intended to be, living in perfect communion with our own heavenly father.

Okay, back to Erin.

I think, to begin with, it comes to a question of philosophy and interpretation. The scriptures teach that Jesus was God and man. They don't teach how that worked. They don't give us any schematics. They just show Jesus at work, suffering and hurting like a human, yet performing miracles and showing "special insight" that must be attributed to God's power.

Most of us start with the preconceived idea that Jesus was kind of Superman - he looked human alright, but he had all these special, non-human powers. We point toward the verses that seem to imply this - the miracles, the Words of Knowledge - as proof, all the while ignoring (or explaining away) any verses that would seem to indicate otherwise.

But the scriptures also teach a Jesus that is human. A Jesus who gets angry, a Jesus who gets tired and hungry. And there are places where it seems Jesus' truly is lacking in information. Such as at the feeding of the 5000. "How much food do we have?" Some will say "he's just testing them - he already knows the answer." But that's an assumption based on a preconceived idea; it's not what the text says. Same as when the woman who had bled 12 years touches his cloak, and he turns around "trying to find out who touched him." Again, some say "he knew, he was just asking for her benefit." But that's an assumption placed onto the text; it's not what the text actually says.

Finally, there's this verse in John 14: "The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work."

I think there is a huge insight into Jesus' life here. Phillip has just asked "show us the Father," and Jesus replies "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father." He's talking about this interplay, this interconnectedness between himself and the Father, but it seems to me that he's saying that all he's taught and done he's done not by how own authority, but by the power of the Father working in and through him.

This also makes sense of Hebrews 4, where we are told "we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin." Now, if Jesus was operating in his own strength as God, then this is just a game - sure he was tempted, but he was God, so he couldn't sin. What use is that? But if Jesus was operating as a human, and lived and moved not in his own power but in the power he received out of his intimate relationship with God, then there is actually something here we can grab ahold of.

Think of it this way: Jesus the Divine comes and wanders around in all his divinity, smiting demons and raising the dead and speaking Words of Knowledge because he's God. It's nice to look at, but it's totally foreign to us and gives us nothing to emulate. In fact, we could never hope to live as Christ lived. . .so why try? He's like Superman.

Or think of it this way - Jesus, though God, lays aside the rights and privileges of Godhood in order to experience humanity in its fulness (a la Phillipians 2). Now, one could argue that, since he was conceived of the Holy Spirit, he was lacking in the sin nature we all possess. I could go for that. But as Jesus grew, as he walked upon the earth, he lived and moved and had his being not in his own strength, but in the strength that he derived from his intimacy with the Father. The miracles he performed were not out of his own authority, but because he walked so closely with the Father. What he knew, he knew not because he had access to heaven's data bank, but because his mind was in one accord with the Father, and the Father revealed these things to him.

Here's why I like option 2:
- It takes the incarnation seriously. Either Jesus was fully human, or he wasn't. To take seriously his humanity, he could not live into the fulness of his Diety for that time.
- it takes seriously the verses that speak of Jesus' lack of knowledge, and all the times he is portrayed as fully human, rather than trying to "explain them away."
- It gives us a stronger mandate for discipleship. If Jesus was able to accomplish his works not because he has God's Power, but because he walked so intimately with the Father, then we have a call to walk intimately with the Father. We have this model laid before us that drives us to the Father for strength, for power, for understanding. It teaches us of the importance of relying on the Father.

It teaches us, in fact, that should we choose to walk intimately with the Father, as Jesus did, then we are living as Christ lived (what we're called to do in the first place), and that there is strength and power for us there.

I know, it seems foreign, and almost a little heretical, but I think if you go back and read the stories, and see how much Jesus relied on his relationship with the Father, if you go back and look at the anointing of Jesus at his baptism, if you look at the texts that speak of Jesus emptying himself. . .I think it's there, if you have eyes to see it.

You really should see this

Off and on I've asked you all to pray for the family of a worship leader I met through an online forum - his wife has cystic fibrosis, they had a daughter who was brought into this world much, much to early, as it was the only hope of saving mother and daughter.

Nate, Tricia, and Gwyneth's story just appeared on the news. Go watch it, rejoice at God's power working in their lives, and pray for strength and healing to continue there.

End Times Humor

Emergent Atonement Contest

The winner in the Atonement Metaphor contest over at Emergent Village has just been posted, along with a couple runner-ups. You might even recognize one of the judges. . .

What Did He Know, and When Did He Know It?

I was recently involved in a discussion related to how much knowledge Jesus had during his time on earth. Being God incarnate, was Jesus omniscient? That's often the image passed down to us - the baby Jesus laying in the manger, knowing the fate that awaits him, feeling the limitation of this tiny body. Or of Jesus hanging on the cross, thinking about you and about me. It's as if his body is flesh and blood, human, but his mind is still divine, carrying the entire databank of Everything God Knows (almost sounds a little gnostic when I put it that way, doesn't it?)

I've come to believe that that image isn't accurate. I would posit that in becoming human, Jesus gave up all rights and privileges of godhood, choosing to rely completely in God the Father to guide and direct his life. In other words, the miracles of Jesus were not from any miraculous powers Jesus had, they came about because the Father was working through the Son. Because the Son walked so intimately with the Father, because the Son regularly communed with the Father, the Son became the vessel open to fulfilling the Father's will.

(Note: I know it gets tricky with that whole trinity thing. I'm a little uncomfortable with the way this image seems to divide up the Trinity. The only reason I prefer this image is that I think it's biblical. So what if it doesn't "make sense" to my finite mind?)

I believe the same would be said of Jesus' knowledge. I believe Jesus did not, in fact, carry around inside of himself any extra knowledge; I don't think he could do a data uplink into heaven and ascertain any extra knowledge. Instead, I think it's more biblical to look at Jesus as a prophet, who knew the future only insomuch as the Father revealed it to him. In choosing to humble himself a la Philippians 2, Jesus laid aside the ability to know the first from the last and the last from the first. Even in Matthew 11:27 Jesus hints that the Father gave to Jesus all that Jesus had. So, essentially what I'm saying is that Jesus himself grew into an understanding of the Kingdom, and his role in it, as he progressed through life, and that it was his relationship with the Father that allowed him insight into those around him, and what the future held.

So I was struck last night by this thought - when Jesus chose Judas to be one of the 12, did he already know Judas would betray him? That's the message that often preaches - "Imagine - even knowing what Judas would do, Jesus still chose him!" But what if that's not the case. What if Jesus saw a broken man who he thought he could fix? What if Jesus had full hope that Judas would turn from his brokenness and embrace the healing of the Kingdom of God? What if, all along, Jesus actually expected that Judas would finally, one day, get it right? After all, along the way it's not like the other disciples acted any better than Judas. So who's to say Jesus "knew" that Judas would betray him, any more than he was growing frustrated with the others?

And at the last supper, when Jesus said "one of you will betray me?" did he know it supernaturally? Or was he just wise to the ways of men; had he watched Judas' recent behavior? Had he seen Judas speaking to the Scribes and Pharisees? Did he have some inside knowledge, or was it more along the lines of a parent who just "knows" that their child is up to something?

I think it makes all the difference, really. If Jesus already knew, then Judas is blackballed from the beginning. But if not. . .then it tells us something about the heart of Jesus, and his love and compassion for even Judas, his hope and desire that even Judas would someday have ears to hear and eyes to see. It takes Judas from the role of Ultimate Bad Dude and puts him back in the category of just one more disciple who Jesus was trying to win over.

Mostly, if we see that Jesus loved and hoped for Judas, perhaps it will inspire us to be more loving and compassionate toward even those who betray us.

Maundy Thursday Thoughts

Ben Witherington has posted a blog entry, pointing to the fact that Mikhail Gorbachev, former Premier of the Soviet Union, is now openly testifying that he is a Christian. Apparently, maybe he was a Christian all along; he just couldn't say it or they would have, well, shot him.

According to Ben, the Lord is doing great things in Russia these days - things we who remember the Cold War would never have expected.

++++++++++++++++++++

Want to do Good Friday Old School?

Paraclete Press is inviting you to listen in as monastic members of the Gloriae Dei Cantores Schola share the Passion story from the Gospel of John in Latin, in Gregorian chant.

"Paraclete invites you to take part in a tradition that dates back to the eighth century, with the chanting of the Passion Narrative according to Saint John on Good Friday. . .Hear the voices of the Narrator, Christ, and the Synagogue, in this noble narration which brings to life with a dramatic immediacy the events of the Passion, as the Gospel account unfolds. Meditate on the English translation as you listen, and allow the ancient language of the text, and the special Gregorian chant tone reserved especially for this holy season, to add a new depth and solemnity to your understanding of this familiar story."

The audio and text will be available on their website tomorrow (Good Friday)

via

I'm a travelin' Man

I am going to Austin, Texas in a couple weeks to attend a conference:

Transforming Culture: A Vision for the Church and the Arts

Speakers include Andy Crouch, Eugene Peterson, Luci Shaw, Sarah Masen, and John Wilson. Some of the seminars include "Visual Homiletics - How do we Preach to the Eye as Well as to the Ear?"; "The Spiritual Formation of Artists: Nurturing Heart and Mind"; "Leading Artists and the Beautiful Mess of their Mind"; "Beyond B-Movies and Church Bulletins: 10 New Ways the Church can Patron the Arts and Practice Common Grace."

I particularly like this piece from their website:

Does it matter how we treat the artists in our communities?
Most artists, whether in NYC or LA, in Seattle or Austin, want very little if anything to do with the Church. It strikes them more like a rationalist’s university classroom or a pragmatist’s business meeting than like anything resembling the rich world of God’s creation filled with all its supersensory wonder. They look at the Protestant Evangelical church and they see an aesthetically arbitrary arrangement. They see a fickleness about beauty. They see an imagination handicapped by Enlightenment presuppositions. Why should artists want to become members of a Church that either ignores, dismisses or rejects their nature and vocation? Yet they too are sheep Christ seeks to bring into his fold.

And this:

IN SUM, WE WANT TO GIVE THOUGHT TO THESE 3 AREAS:

1. The arts and the corporate worship of the church (its liturgical actions and its sacred spaces).

2. The arts and the pastoral care of artists (the discipleship and community formation of artists).

3. The arts and the renewal of the culture (the impact against the zeitgeist, the redemption of the centers of art).


I think good things could come from this. As a musician, I have always sought ways to make worship more artistic, more beautiful. And we both know lots of artists who fit the above description perfectly - the last place they would visit is a typical evangelical Church. So perhaps we'll grow and learn in our ministry to artists, and perhaps we'll find some great ideas for incorporating art into our church life.

A Case Study in the Power of Language

Over the weekend, Seattle's Mars Hill Church opened up their newest location, in a former downtown bar. Personally, I think that's kind of cool. There's a huge metaphor here. This bar was notorious for the violence and mayhem it attracted. Many in the community were fed up with all the antics going on there. The Seattle Police Department was regularly called to break up fights among the drunken patrons.

Now, that place of darkness has been transformed into an outpost for the Kingdom of God. The Light has shined in the darkness, and the darkness has fled. This is what the Kingdom is supposed to look like: ground once held by the darkness taken and restored for the Kingdom of Light. I wish we would see more of this happening all over the city, all over the world.

However, that's not the purpose of today's post. I simply wanted to begin with some kudos so you don't think this is another Bash Mars Hill post. You can find those all over the internet, and I don't particularly want to join in. (That's not to say I don't have my own disagreements with the MH way of doing ministry, which I have blogged about in the past; just that I don't want you to think I'm a hater or anything). (By the By - if you have the stomach for it, and want to understand the way many people up here in the NW view MH and Christianity in general, just follow the link to the article, and then read the comments at the end. It's. . .frightening)

Here's what I want to focus on today. Tim Gaydos, the pastor of this particular branch, had this to say about the newest MH edition:

"We're all about Jesus," said Gaydos, a 33-year-old Seattle native. "We're not about religion. Religion sucks. ... And this is not your mom's or grandma's church."

This is a theme you hear quite often from a certain segment of Christianity. People who have decided that the Church has become irrelevant and musty and a little, well, nerdy. People who think we need to reshape and reframe the church in order to reach a new generation for Christ. People who have read Donald Miller and Erwin McManus and Brian McLaren and Rob Bell (note: I don't think any of those men would necessarily be represented by where I am about to go with this blog; they just ask some questions that then allow a second contingent to make less-than-profound statements such as the one above). The last time I picked up Relevant Magazine, I read this statement and many variations on it: "We're the NEW Church! We're Cool! We're Hip! We're Relevant! We're not like that old person's church anymore!"

I think there are at least three reasons why we need to cut this kind of language out of any conversation regarding the Church.

1) This language, and the thought behind it, is stolen directly from the Marketing Machine that drives American Consumerism. And the primary tool of that Marketing Machine is the Divide-and Conquer approach. Divide society up into niche markets, then sell your product to that niche market. And make it painfully obvious that anybody who doesn't identify with that niche is a nerd, a loser, an old person (horrors!), somebody to be laughed at and avoided at all costs. Come Be Like Us! Be Cool! Be Appreciated! Show Everybody How Cool You Are For Buying Our Product! Show Everybody That You Aren't A Loser Like Those Other People!

2) Which makes the next obvious point: the product is always sold over and against something else. We're cool because we're Not Like Them! Or we used to be like them, but now we're cool because we've discovered this new product. I used to be a loser; now I shave with Afta and all the hot girls pay attention to me. I used to be a loser, but then I bought the new Nicky Hilton line of clothing, and now I'm cool. The Church used to be a bunch of losers, but now we've rebranded, dumped that boring religion of all those Old People, and now we're cool. Come check us out!

3) All of which goes against the Biblical Call for the Unity of the Body. You see, one of The Primary biblical messages is that there is one church, and that we only reflect Christ when we live out that Unity in the Church. Jesus said the world would know we are his disciples by the way we love each other. Paul spoke powerfully of Christ tearing down dividing walls to create One New Humanity. Paul blasted Peter when Peter chose to stop dining with Gentiles. The Church is the Bride of Christ, and it is beautiful. Derek Webb attempts to speak for Jesus in singing "And you cannot care for me if you've no regard for her/If you love me, you will love the Church."

Therefore, it is wrong bordering on sinful to define ourselves over and against other churches, especially against the saints that have gone on before us. It is a cheap shot to make ourselves more attractive by demeaning our "mom's or grandma's" church. This kind of statement is demeaning, divisive, and the exact WRONG way to attract people into the Kingdom. In fact, we should be doing all we can to portray to the world that we are lovers, that we cherish our ancestors, that we honor those who have gone before; if anything, we honor all outposts of the Kingdom of God, regardless if they are "cool" or not. Sara Miles, in her "Take This Bread," states that one of the tougher things about becoming a Christian was realizing she had to be in the same family as a bunch of people she vehemently disagrees with. Yet, she says, it's God's family, so she'll do her part to get along and honor those who, outside of the Body, she would never have befriended. In other words, because we are all One in Christ, we respect one another, even if we don't particularly like, say, the music somebody else listens to.

I should say that I do admire the missional aspect of MH; I understand the crowd they are trying to reach and I love that they reach people my church probably never will. I applaud them for taking the Kingdom of God out onto the Highways and Byways, and that they get into the broken, stained, sinful lives of hurting people. They have faced a lot of opposition, and continue to thrive. May they continue to do so.

But it is time we all recognize that we dare not market the Church, nor even speak about the Body, in the divisive and destructive terms laid down by Madison Avenue. The strongest message we can send to the world is We're not like you - in fact, the message we bring is a lot better than anything you'll get out there. All that stuff being sold to you will only leave you empty. But here, life is different. We get along with people who aren't like us. Old people are actually kind of popular around here. And so are young people. But God loves us all, so we pretty much all love each other. And isn't that better than the empty loneliness you're trying to fill with aftershave?

Tough Days to Preach

Sometimes there are just too many strands to be pulled in. Today is Palm Sunday - so preach on the triumphal entry. But the focus of the Mark 11 text is on the cleansing of the temple. So preach on that. But we're entering holy week, and I won't preach again until Easter, so we need to push on toward the cross. Can that fit in? And spring begins this Wednesday (here on the West Coast), and I usually like to preach on something related to creation and God's majesty around springtime. Finally, tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, and many choose to preach on something related to the life and ministry of St. Patrick.

Then, there's the problem of music. Music about the Triumphal Entry? (Hosanna, Hosanna. . .) The Temple Cleansing? (Derek Webb has a song or two about that, although our hymnbook doesn't seem to include any. . .) The Last Supper? The Cross? Music about creation, in honor of spring? (For the Beauty of the Earth, This is My Father's World. . .)? Or something to do with St. Patrick's Day? (Be Thou My Vision)

We almost need to have four different services today. Otherwise it's just too broad, and I can't focus. . .

More on the problem, or how I see it

More on yesterday's discussion regarding Jamieson and Hutcherson. . .

I tried to say this on Eugene's blog yesterday, but have been refining it in my head ever since. I'm still not sure this is in its final form, but here it is in process:

As Christians, we believe that our hope, our joy, our peace, our fulfillment is found in one place - in a relationship with the God who created us and loves us and redeems us. In fact, we would go so far as to stake the claim that for anybody, true hope, joy, peace, and fulfillment is found in one place only - in the redeeming love of God who gave his Son to rescue us from our broken lives. Finally, we would say that any hope for the future of our world and the societies in which we live is based in only this - the work of Christ's Spirit to mend back together our broken systems, redeeming and restoring all things back into the perfection in which they were created.

Part of that belief includes the related belief that there are actions, decisions, ways of living that are in harmony with God's work in the world, and that there are actions, decisions, and ways of living that are out of sync with God's work in the world. There are actions we take that lead toward Christ, and thus toward life; there are actions we take that lead away from Christ, and thus toward death. That second category, the actions that lead to death, we call "sin." And "sin" is not bad simply because it's arbitrarily labeled "sin," but because it leads the one who sins away from the Giver of Life.

Christians, then, work at this in their own life. It's called "discipleship." Taking every thought and action captive so that our choices and our actions reflect the will of the One who loves us and redeems us. Sin leads to pain, and obedience leads to life. While we all still sin, our ultimate goal is the pursuit of the life already given to us (I know that seems an oxymoron; blame Paul, since it's his theology. . .).

But we live in a world of people who reject the Christian message, which leaves a bit of a quandary. Do we "live and let live," knowing the choices of the world are only leading them further and further down the pathway that leads to death? Or do we attempt to bring our belief to bear on society, bringing the Gospel that leads to salvation to those who don't yet know?

Here is where the church often fails. For one, we often redefine "sin" as moral code and "sinners" as wrong. Hence, we work hard at "preaching at" sinners, making sure they know that we think they're sinners. For another, we too often focus on the action and not the person. "Sinner" becomes a category, not a real person with real feelings and desires and hurts and passions. "Sinner" implies (in the mind of many church-goers) somebody already on the way to hell, somebody to be avoided or yelled at, rather than a person created in the image of God, somebody already loved by God, somebody looking for hope and healing - just like we all are.

This is where the church has failed historically, and where many fail today.

However, there are those like Jamieson who seem to think that the church should simply change its message. That the church should be all loving and accepting and tolerant. They usually end up at the "judge not, lest ye be judged" place. To which I would respond "Yes - we should be loving, and gentle, and opposed to violence and prejudice at all levels, but at the same time we cannot stand by and in tolerance smile at people who are choosing to live lives that lead them away from the ultimate source of comfort and healing." At some point, it would be unethical and dishonest for us to pretend that all was well when, in fact, we believe that all is not well.

And this is the rub. On this issue, some want to be told "you're fine just as you are." But we can't tell anybody that. None of us are fine, just as we are. We all are held accountable for the decisions we make - whether they lead to life or death. I certainly don't agree with Rev. Hutcherson on a few things, and I wish he would be a little more careful in his public pronouncements, but on this we agree - we stand by the Word of God, which leads to life, and cannot affirm people for making choices that lead to death.

I have a friend who a few years ago told me he was gay. And he had decided he was okay with that. He knew what I believed to be the truth. The day he came out of the closet to me, we had a long talk about all of this. I told him I could not change my belief; in fact, it would make me a hypocrite if I did. He told me he accepted that, and he wouldn't try to change me, but he was content with who he was, and asked me not to try to change him. We affirmed out friendship. And we remained close friends until I moved a few states away.

Somehow, I think this is where we need to get. To love people because they are people, to encourage people to make choices that lead to life, to explain why dealing with sin is so important, but in the end, to respect people's choices, rather than flinging rocks at each other. Most churches need to learn the meaning of "It's your kindness that leads to repentance." But, on the other hand, those who live lives contrary to God's design can't expect Christians to ignore the teachings of God, because we believe that in them is found Life.

But see, already that takes a lot of work, a lot of nuance, a lot of discussion and adjustment and patience and willingness to love people who don't agree with us. . .

and that never makes for good press coverage, does it?

Friday Random 10

Must be the depressing version. Agony, tragedy, starvation in Africa, breakups, unresolved anger. . .at least the bonus track takes us to that beautiful eschatological vision of Christ's final redemption of all our pain.

#1 is from a collection of various artists remaking U2 songs. This is one of only two tracks on the album that I find actually make it work. #4 takes me back to boring days attempting to survive as a sales clerk in a Christian retail store in Southern California. #5 has some of the funniest lyrics written on the issue of male hubris. And speaking of #3 - I've been emailing with one of the members of Union Station about possibly coming up here and doing a concert in Lakebay. It's a long shot, but we'll see. . .

1. Chris Tomlin - Where the Streets Have No Name, from "In the Name of Love - Artists United for Africa"
2. St. Olaf Choir - Let us Talents and Tongues Employ, from "Great Hymns of Faith"
3. Alison Krauss and Union Station - Doesn't Have To Be This Way, from "Lonely Runs Both Ways"
4. Susan Ashton - Grand Canyon - from "Angels of Mercy"
5. Various - Agony, from "Into the Woods - the Original Soundtrack"
6. Sarah Masen - Grains of Sand, from "Carry Us Through"
7. David Crowder Band - B Part: A Beautiful Collision - from "A Collision"
8. Emmylou Harris - Tragedy, from "Red Dirt Girl"
9. Jill Paquette - One of These Days, - from "Jill Paquette"
10. Dixie Chicks - Not Ready to Make Nice, from "Taking the Long Way

Bonus Track: Matt Redman - Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble, from "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever, Disc 1"

Random

- The Tacoma Narrows Bridge toll may go up another $1 in July. Somehow $1.75 just doesn't seem like much to pay for our Trader Joes run. But $2.75 each time starts to feel like a bigger hit on the monthly budget.

- Speaking of which, we just got the bill for last month's heating oil refill. For the first time, it was over $3 per gallon. Makes me even more thankful for all the free firewood we got last year. But. . .it's time to look into replacing the 1960s vintage furnace in the basement. Maybe with a heat pump?

- Robert L. Jamieson has on article on the Rev. Ken Hutcherson in this morning's Seattle P-I. Jamieson works hard at being the P-I's social conscience, and today is taking aim at the anti-gay activism and teaching that Hutcherson encourages in his church. Here's the problem. There is no simple answer to this issue. First, you have to decide what the Bible truly says on the issue, which is no easy task, if you want to do it honestly. Then, you have to decide what your own response will be, especially in light of all that the Bible says about so many other things. Will you actively try to denounce homosexuality? Or will you choose to love homosexuals as people, letting God do his work in their life (that's all assuming you agree that the Bible does, in fact, teach that it is a sin, a position which not every Christian agrees)? And if you choose to work "against" homosexuality, then will you give the same passion to pursuing all the other issues the about which the Bible speaks so clearly? Will you treat divorced people and lazy people and dishonest people the same way? Finally, you have to decide what the role of the Church is in our society. Should we be about passing laws and forcing companies to act "christianly?" Or should we be on the streets ministering to broken people no matter their condition or position?

And that takes a lot of energy, a lot of thought, a lot of nuance, a lot of patience and discussion.

Unfortunately, Jamieson never brings that kind of deep thought into his articles, instead given to cheap shallow rhetoric ("Whatever happened to Jesus' call for compassion, tolerance and humility in faith?"), and Hutcherson doesn't seem to bring that kind of deep thought to his preaching or his political involvement.

Which probably is simply a reflection of where society is at in general. Don't make me think when I can explain my position with a bumper sticker. And don't try to confuse my shallow belief system with all your details. . .

- By the way, take most of what I just said and place it over the Geraldine Ferarro controversy. It's pretty much the same story. People who attempt to make sweeping statements overgeneralize and end up eating their own feet.

- In no way connected to the previous items. . .Our friends down the road at Vaughn Community Church have changed their name, as they are in the midst of changing locations. They are now officially Waypoint Church. You might remember their building burned down two years ago. They are now waiting for the county to finally decide to let them begin construction at their new location along the Key Peninsula Highway.

Pictures

From our recent trip, on which we had the opportunity to hang out with some old friends. . .

Hanging out with Scottie, Betsy, and Kirk on some street in Berkeley

Scottie and me in a coffee shop across the street from Scottie's apartment

Comments on a San Francisco Trip

- Spring is by far the best time to visit the Bay Area. Trees in full blossom, the hills still covered in green, the days warm and sunny. All in all, a lovely place to be.

- The car rental agency upgraded us to a Toyota Prius Hybrid. We drove it for 3 days. In that time we: drove from San Jose to Redwood City (to drop Ron off); from Redwood City to Berkeley (via the San Mateo Bridge); from Berkeley into and around San Francisco, from SF to (and around) Oakland, from Oakland back to SF, from SF back to Berkeley; from Berkeley over to Concord and down to Walnut Creek and back to Berkeley, then over to (and around) San Francisco, and from SF back to Berkeley; then from Berkeley back to San Jose. Just before dropping the car off I filled it up. With all that driving, we used 6.5 gallons of gas. It probably saved us $100 in fuel costs.

- We went out to dinner on Thursday night with Kirk and Betsy and Scottie, former students and friends from Turlock. I asked Betsy for her Top-5 reasons she's glad to be a student at U.C. Berkeley. #1 was "the people living in the trees." Apparently, at Cal, if you want to protest something, you climb up into a tree. The school comes along and puts a fence around the tree, leaving you up there. One group has been living in the trees over by the football stadium for more than a year. Only in Berkeley. . .which is why it's such an interesting place.

- In 1998 or 1999, I led a group from our Gresham Church on an inner-city mission trip to San Francisco with YWAM. One day we went to a daycamp at a church and played with the kids, to give the regular workers a break. Last Thursday, we drove into SF to do our mission pre-visit with the folks at the Center for Student Missions. Their offices are at 1st Baptist Church. Which, as it turns out, is the same place that daycamp was held at. Fun connections.

- I was struck on this trip by the level of noise, both aural and visual. A couple times we were driving through the heart of San Francisco, looking for restaurants/coffee shops/clothing stores/places to park, and for the first time I realized just how much the brain has to filter, from thousands of cars and tens of thousands of pedestrians, to all the street signs and store signs and advertisements and political signs, to streetcars and buses - I think I had to deal with more information in 10 seconds than I usually deal with driving all the way from Lakebay to Gig Harbor and beyond. No wonder country people are more relaxed people.

- Still, I'm excited about our summer ministry trip to San Francisco. Before, it was theoretical. Now, I've been onsite and it's becoming real. I can't wait to get back down there for a week.

- Oh, and one final note. We shared the flight home with part of the the Washington State University Band, who were in town for the Pac-10 Women's Tournament (the rest of the band was in Pullman for the WSU-UW men's game). It was like old times, being a former band geek myself. Except we also shared the plane with part of the Washington State University Cheerleading Squad. Let's just say it was fun, from a sociological perspective, to watch them wander through the airport, to watch them walking up and down the plane aisle, and, mostly, to watch how everybody else reacted to them. And it was a little sad to see just how much Paris Hilton has influenced that culture. The clothing, the makeup, the posture, the hair - you could tell who they looked to for guidance.

Hildi Johnson Memorial

A memorial service for Hildi Johnson, 25, of Lakebay, Washington, will be held Friday, March 7, 11:00 a.m. at Lakebay Community Church. Stuart Curry, Director of Camp Woodworth, will preside. A meal and time of fellowship will follow the service.

Peace to her memory.

News Flash! News Flash!

God didn't actually speak to Moses on Mt. Sinai. The ten commandments and all that - that was just because, get this. . .Moses was high on drugs?

Some people just like to get their name in the news, and all it takes is one sensationalized "announcement."

Perhaps the telling point of the article is the researcher's confession that he understands about the drugs, since he's used them "about 160 times in various locales and contexts." So who's the one with the drug problem?

More Travels

I'm heading out for San Francisco tomorrow, for the pre-visit for our summer mission trip. Most likely, I won't be blogging until I get back. Just so you don't think I've abandoned you.

Resources

WorshipTogether is giving away free music for Easter. You can download the .mp3 of the song "The Power of the Cross," by Keith and Kristyn Getty, and the sheet music to four Easter Songs - "The Power of the Cross," "Crimson Stream," "How Deep the Father's Love For Us," and "See What a Morning (Resurrection Hymn)."

Note: you must register with WorshipTogether to take advantage of this opportunity.

Death on a Saturday afternoon

Last month, if you recall, I had the privilege of leading the memorial service for Edyth Johnson, a longtime member of our community. A few days before that memorial, I met with the family - the two sons, a daughter and her husband, and a granddaughter, Hildi.

While the kids did most of the talking, Hildi shared some of the more poignant stories, stories of visits to grandma in the weeks before she died. During our visit, Hildi didn't say much. But what she said was deeply moving, revealing a tender heart that was deeply in pain over the loss of a beloved grandmother.

Yesterday, the highway was closed just past our house and the church, due to a fatal accident. Like most people, our immediate reaction was "hope it wasn't somebody we know." Which is instantly followed by a guilty feeling, not wishing to hope that tragedy on anybody else.

This morning's paper revealed the answer. Hildi Johnson crossed the center line on the highway, struck a pickup head-on, and died at the scene. She was only 25. Much too young, much to sweet. She had too much remaining to say to the world.

This family will soon be saying goodbye to another. Pray for them, if you have the chance.