The Road Goes Ever On and On

The Power of the Table

I've heard it said that most of the ministry Jesus did was on the streets.  That would be true; he taught in the synagoge, but most of his miralces were done in the marketplace.  If you look at how Jesus evangelized, however, another interesting trend emerges.

The gospel accounts show that Jesus did most of his evangelism in the homes of average people while sharing a meal.  This stands in stark contrast to our stadium-driven events complete with internationally known evangelist.  Are things just different nowadays, or can we learn from Jesus' example?

I think we can.  Here are a few points I take from Jesus' use of the table:

1. He had the potential to wow the crowds with all manner of signs and wonders, yet curiously chose not to. When he did miralces, it was because he was "moved with compassion."  He chose not to perform, but to engage.

2. Presumably, as God, he could have chosen to utilize speaking abilities bordering on the magical; if he can speak worlds into existence, certainly he can hypnotize human hearts with words.  Yet again, he chose not to.  He spoke and he listened.

3. Not only was his intervention in our world incarnational (i.e., he became one of us), his ministry was incarnational too.  In other words, he ministered in very human, ordinary ways, such as while sharing a meal.

4.When Jesus chose the table as his primary means of encountering people, he sanctified the partaking of meals and fellowship and made it holy.  Even our reunion with God in heaven will be a "marriage supper," again a very regular, human event.

5. Finally, if we as the church empower the ordinary, everyday saint in the pew to engage their neighbors this way, perhaps we can see more impact in lives and number beyond the loud, flashy, event driven experience that creates spectators and not individuals.

All this is just food for thought.  Not saying I'm right, but I'm just wondering if there might be a better way to engage people than some of the ways we've tried.  Thoughts, replies, snide remarks and amens welcome (just be civil please). 

Mercy and the Upwardly Mobile

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."

Jesus seems to be saying that it is important to show mercy because you are definitely going to need it one day.  But mercy doesn't seem to be very popular right now.  We live in the spin zone, where everyone tries to impress everyone else.  I find this especially true in the coporate world, and sadly, in the church world too.  If you want a job in a falling economy, you are competing with thousands if not tens of thousands of others.  The pressure to appear super-human or perhaps even as a demi-god of organizational genius is tremendous.  If you have the slightest flaw, well, we can find someone apparently flawless.  And don't even think about putting anything honest or personal on facebook or twitter; the corporate world is watching.  Talk about living in glass houses.

A near cousin of corporate perfection is christian perfection.  For heaven's sake, don't let anyone see your flaws, especially if you are a pastor or church leader!  Don't let people get too close, or the cracks will show.  Hire only the best qualified, Christ-like saints available.  At the slightest whiff of carnality or humanity, call the next candidate. Once hired, If they disappoint or reach their potential prematurely, let them go.  We can't waste time fooling with second-string workers, the harvest is plentiful now.  Oh yes, the church can be just as merciless as the cubicle.

But if you look at Jesus discipling a band of tax collectors, fishermen and blue-collar workers to be his leaders, it makes an amazing contrast.  Look as Jesus patiently takes a towel and washes the disciples' feet after they argued over "who is the greatest."  Look at them failing Jesus in the hour of his greatest need at Gethsemane, yet they go on to lead his church.  See Jesus as he gently restores Peter to productive ministry after his denial.  When Jesus made disciples, it was merciful, time-consuming, grossly inefficient and messy.  And  I thank God for mentors who like Jesus and had enough mercy to deal with my mess too.  Somehow they understood that people are more important to the kingdom than the church's vision statement.

I believe that when God's people create an atmosphere of mercy in his church, it presents one of the most beautiful and inviting witnesses of the gospel on the planet.  And it brings God's kingdom to earth like nothing else.  The world is starving for mercy.  Let's share it!

Meekness Isn't Weakness, And Other Half Truths

What with a computer crash and end of school year demands, my blog has suffered.  If anyone decides to continue following, thanks for your patience.  I had started a series based on the beattitudes.  I'll pick up where we left off:

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth."  Jesus continues with his habit of turning traditional wisdom on its head. 

To recap, Jesus is taking us on a journey of what salvation looks like.  Step one, we are all of us spiritually destitutute, beggars, poor in spirit.  We cannot save ourselves, and are blessed when we accept this truth.  Step two, when the reality of our true condition confronts us, like a drunk finally embracing his problem, we mourn the wasted years of living in denial.  We grieve as we let go of our fantasy, the idolized self that says we are the master of our destiny or the captain of our souls.  We are blessed when we face the truth, allowing it to begin the process of change.

Step three is a total sell-out to God the Father through Jesus Christ, inviting him to come and bring his riches, his righteousness and strength to fix the mess we have made of our lives.  It is an acknowledgement of our limitations, and an active humility to follow his lead.

It is the most unappreciated of the beattitudes, based on the self-help or church growth books that are popular in Christian circles today.  They seem to borrow extensively from the business world or pop-psychology.  The thought seems to be that you can have what you want, you can be a success if you just work hard.  Jesus doesn't seem to be saying that.  If our world is fallen and we are broken, how is any amount of effort on our part going to change that?  We need a saviour.  Then the power of the kingdom invades our world through our obedience and reliance upon Jesus.  We are blessed not when we get our own way, but when we yeild to Jesus' wisdom and power instead of trying to be our own god.

The best illustration I've ever seen of meekness I heard from a Lakota Sioux.  All young males will take a spiritual journey, entering the wilderness to fast and pray four days.  The one question they pray is "Oh Great Mystery, how best can my life be offered to all living things?"  That is meekness.   We do not see all ends.  What we think of as the waste or loss of our lives could actually make the biggest difference in the world.  Look at the cross. 

The Steve Jobs Dilemma

At the risk of stating the obvious, Steve Jobs is the face of Apple.  When news of his health problems spread, Apple's stock took a nose-dive.  He will be taking a medical leave of absence until July.  Our prayers are with him.

The situation makes for an interesting discussion.  How healthy is it for a business, church, organization, or government to be dependent on the "indispensable man?"  As Charles de Gaulle said, "The cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men."  Steve Lohr in Sunday's New York times wrote a good piece on the situation here.

Specifically for churches, is this a good way to go?  Of course the body of Christ needs gifted people.  But at what point do you say a gifted person is building his or her own fan club, or building a team? 

Apparently, Jobs did well at recruiting gifted players onto the Apple team.  God forbid, but if he cannot return to work it seems his company will do well without his day-to-day presence.  Hopefully the gifted people in churches will also pour themselves into their leaders and not just building a following.  I've seen charismatic leaders make themselves indispensable.  And I've seen their organizations suffer when they are gone.  It is much harder, and takes a lot more self-confidence, to work at building an organization that will outlast your tenure. 

Viagra Helps in War on Terror

Joby Warrick of the Washington Post wrote this past week about how the CIA uses any means possible, including Viagra, to help win over the confidence of Afghan chieftains.  In his particular piece, a CIA officer met a chieftain, 60 years old, who had four younger wives.  He gave the man four of the little blue pills, promising that he will love them.  Four days later, he was given an enthusiastic reception and offered up "a bonanza of information about Taliban movements and supply routes - followed by a request for more pills." The full story is here(free registration required).

Well, well, well.  The CIA has tapped into the human condition to help us win information and ultimately the war on terror.  I for one am very ok with that.  I've never really considered myself a "win at all costs" or "the end justifies the means" type of person, but if giving some "needy" Afghan chief a little help with his marital obligations gives us vital info, why not? 

Personally, I don't want to become a people user, but the older I get the more I realize that getting what you want means helping others get what they want.  We are all narcissists to a degree.  It's another way community rocks (see my previous thoughts on community here, here, and here).  Even Jesus appeals to our sense of need, and so does the Father.  Don't believe me?  Check out their appeals and promises in scripture (Psalm 16:11 and John 16:35 for example).  Bottom line, the more we understand the needs and wants of others, and can help them get what they want, the more others are willing to help us get what we want.  You don't have to agree with me, but please leave a comment regardless.

Do I Really Want to be a Pastor?

Poor Rick Warren.  I've read so much controversy surrounding him, you'd think he was a serial killer.  First off, he gets it from the news media because he supported Proposition 8 in California which banned gay marriage.  Not only that, but Richard Cohen in the Washington Post lamented Obama's lack of moral leadership by picking Warren to give the invocation at his inaugural!  Let me get this straight.  The preacher standing for morality is immoral, while those who promote immorality are moral.  Sure sounds like Isaiah 5:20.

Then yesterday I received an unsolicited magazine from a "Christian" organization.  There was an article that really blasted Rick Warren for not being conservative enough.  They targeted his style of building bridges to the culture as wrong; he should just "preach for sinners to repent."   So why did Jesus get crowds of tax collectors and prostitutes following him around?  Maybe because he reached out to them, i.e., built bridges?

Dang!  What is a minister to do nowadays?  It seems to me you'd better have titanium skin, and it better be especially think on your back.  The moment a minister becomes successful, he becomes a target, not just from the rest of the world but from within his own movement as well. 

I'm disturbed by the vitriol against Rick Warren from the news media (check out this example).  Is it a sign that our days of freedom are numbered as conservative Christians?  Will speaking about the dark side of homosexuality be labeled hate speech?  But what bothers me even more are the attacks by preachers against other ministers who are successfully reaching the culture. I feel so saddened and ashamed of the church when I read them; we look so bad.  But my hope is that as messed up as the body of Christ tends to be, somehow we can glorify our Father by reaching the world with the gospel, not preaching our opinions.

Obama Picks Rick Warren to Give Inaugural Invocation

I'm sure you saw the news the past couple of days that Obama asked Southern Baptist pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration this January. Of course Obama also asked Rev. Joseph Lowery to give the benediction.  They pretty much cover the spectrum between conservative and liberal religious belief in America, which is probably why Obama picked them. 

There is so much you could say about Obama asking Warren to pray, but one thing stands out to me; no Billy Graham.  Yes, he is now frail and unable to take part in Obama's inauguration, something he's done many times in his position as spiritual advisor to many presidents.  But it does appear to be a passing of the torch so to speak from one generation of religious leaders to the next. 

From the camp meeting evangelist to purpose driven pastor, it appears that Warren is set to take Billy Graham's place as the figurehead of popular American Christianity.  Whether or not he will have the influence Graham had with several presidents is yet to be seen.  But although I for one will miss seeing Billy Graham in the spotlight, I find comfort in Warren taking his place.  I'm not sure I can think of anyone else who has the recognition and middle-of-the-road appeal that Warren does.

So, what do you think?  Am I reading too much into this?  Who else should Obama have asked?

Todd Bentley and the Lakeland Revival

If you are familiar with the Lakeland revival,  you 've probably heard of Todd Bentley.  The 32 year old Charismatic evangelist recently had a moral failure involving an affair with his live-in nanny, problems with alcohol, and accusations of bogus miralces and healings.  Lakeland, Florida's local paper "The Ledger" has more details here.

My point is not to berate Todd or beat him when he's down.  I do feel he has some significant issues to deal with, and he appears to be in denial.  If you want some solid opinions, check out Todd Rhoades' excellent article here and the comments others have left there.

No, my issue is with the Pentecostal/Charismatic culture that allows such silliness.  Let me say right up front that I'm a Charismatic myself.  Many of the movement's more radical folks wouldn't recognize me as such, but I'm a tongue-talking follower of Jesus who believes in the gifts and movement of the Holy Spirit.  What I don't believe in is a lot of the schenanegins that has come to be associated with the movement.

I could give a top 10 list of problems withing the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement (maybe I will one day), but I want to zero in on what I feel is it's biggest weakness.  Namely, an unwillingness to deal with the real world.  There is such a hunger for God's presence, which can be a strength, but when pushed too far becomes a weakness. 

For instance, there is a strong desire for healing, and no room for sickness.  It is always God's will to heal, and if you aren't receiving it, somethings wrong; probably your faith.  If you have dysfunction you don't need hours of self-examination and counseling, just let us lay hands on you, get slain in the spirit, and your problems are solved.  If you are in debt, don't examine your spending habits.  Just pay your tithes and God will miraculously get you out of debt.  If your spouse leaves you, believe God, don't waver, and he will change their heart (regardless of their choice in the matter).

I could go on.  Let me say that I believe healing and miracles are for today.  As a minister, I believe in change; what is the use of preaching if we don't believe God changes people when they repent?  The problem is when we try to manipulate God to give us a "get out of jail free card" and avoid our issues by hoping for a miralce.  Many times God walks with us through our issues, failures, addictions, disappointments, and weaknesses.  After all, his greatest desire is to redeem us to the full.  That involves choices, perserverance, and change (which rarely comes without pain) on our part, and grace on his part.  Instead of seeking the signs and wonders, let's seek the giver.  Then they will follow.

Local United Way Loses Trust

Trust, integrity, and influence are all things very hard to gain, but extremely easy to lose.  Today's front page of The Charlotte Observer headlines a good example.  The United Way, which had a stellar local reputation, hired a talented and respected CEO, Gloria Pace King.  So how could a first-class organization and a respected CEO lose public trust?

In short, King wanted more money.   Her salary was increased, and her retirement was also supplemented.  Apparently, much of this was done against legal council and without the board's knowlege.  When it finally came out, the United Way lost hard-earned trust, their contributions have plummeted, and King is out of a job (good luck finding another).

Other examples are numerous, from Senator John Edwards who cheated on his wife while she battled cancer to Rev. Ted Haggard who lost his pulpit due to a gay affair.  It seems more difficult to find people of integrity.

Leadership, if you look at its core, is simply the power of influence.  In today's world, few people have raw, unquestioned power.  You must leverage influence.  And if you are going to lead in today's world, you must be trustworthy.  What has taken a lifetime to gain, can be lost in a moment.  All of us, especially parents, teachers, public servants, politicians, ministers, and community leaders must take this to heart if we are going to offer ouselves for a lifetime of positive influence.

Vital Statistics

NPR had a very interesting story regarding the suicide rate in Las Vegas yesterday.   Apparently, it is twice the rest of the country.  Another interesting point was that the rate held not just for residents, but for visitors.  One final curious tidbit  was that those residents who left Sin City for vacation every year significantly reduced their risk of suicide. 

I'm sure we could all wax eloquent on the question of why Las Vegas' suicide rate is so high compared to the rest of the nation.  Does legalized prostitution have anything to do with it?  Gambling?  Alcohol?  Is it something in the air or water?  Do people go there for their last fling before doing the deed?  Then why do the people who live there also decide to off themselves?  On it goes.

This past March, I had the pleasure of attending a church planting conference and hearing from Pastor Devin Hudson, who has successfully planted Grace Point Church in Las Vegas.  He had a lot of interesting things to say about the experience.  But two things stood out.  First, Sin City and the West Coast in general, are usually 5 years ahead of the rest of the country.  Is that scary or what?  Is the rest of the country going to have a similar suicide rate?

Finally, he mentioned a statistic that stuck with me.  93% of the people who live there have recently moved there.  In other words ,they have no support system or social network. Maybe that is part of the reason the rate is so high.  But Grace Point capitalizes on this opportunity by providing human connections as a caring church.   What an example of what the church should be. Instead of analyzing the problem to death, Grace Point is shining a light in a very dark place.