You know, sometimes being involved in a church community can be really annoying. Here are the top 10 things that really bug me about our church:
10. At our weekend services, there is never enough time to say hi to all the people I want to talk to, and those I do talk to are so happy and energetic that they keep me talking too long.
9. People remember things about me, like my birthday and my love of strong coffee (and then make jokes about it.)
8. People keep inviting their friends to come and check out our church, causing problems with parking, kid's spaces, and seating.
7. Even when I preach a message that I feel was poor, they insist on telling me that God used it and spoke really amazing stuff through me.
6. Every time I confess a fault, sin or a weakness, they thank me. They actually tell me I'm a better leader for being real.
5. When I challenge people directly and feel like maybe I've been a little too personal or confronting, they thank me for that, too. They say weird things like, "I really needed to hear that."
4. When we make appeals to give generously to other ministries outside the church, they give way too much to those groups.
3. They are so open to change and new ideas. It's hard to feel like I have enough of them! Or they say annoying things like, "I've just been waiting and praying for us to do something like this!"
2. They are so agreeable. I have to work really hard just to get a single nay vote for anything we ever do.
1. They want to know how I'm doing...really. They aren't satisfied to just hear "I'm good" and move on. They actually want to talk about my family, my time, and my soul.
If you are part of the EHA community, I hope you appreciate this tongue-in-cheek recognition as much as I appreciate you. If you are reading this and not part of our community, my hope and prayer is that you find people on the faith journey that will treat you like this- that will be Christ to you.
May your journey be filled with such annoying people-
Nick
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Wednesday, February 06, 2013
The Conundrum of Lent
Once again this year, we have decided as a church community to observe the season of Lent. Without fail, this announcement will elicit a few raised eye-brows from the crowd, and a few more questions about why we do this. Why observe Lent when we aren't a formal, traditional church? Why do Lent if we're not Catholic? Why do Lent and put ourselves under a kind of "bondage" when we are free in Christ?
For many of us, however, we have found the experience of Lent to have an odd appeal to us, and in this post I want to try and explain why.
In Hebrews 11:25, 26 we read,
Moses chose to share the oppression of God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.
While living in Egypt as a young man, Moses had the opportunity to choose a life of comfort, riches and ease. He could have lived out his days in the Pharaoh's palace and enjoyed the benefits of that life. Moses, however, chose differently. He realized that he was not at home in Egypt- that his real people and his real purpose lay somewhere else. So he intentionally did some very difficult things. He identified with the slaves. He followed the leading of God's Spirit. He stared down the Pharaoh and he took a million people through the Red Sea. Why? Because in his heart he believed in a better land, a better place, where God was leading him and the people. Sacrifices and hardship would be worth the journey. Giving up the treasures of Egypt would be a small sacrifice in comparison to living fully alive as the people of God.
In many ways, I see us facing the same choice. In a metaphorical way, we live in the palace of Egypt- our modern life offers us a continual feast of self-satisfying pursuits and possessions. We have the choice to live out our days here, or we can choose as Moses did to sacrifice for a better land.
I don't know about you, but the "treasures of Egypt" have a way of gripping my mind, and eventually my heart. Things that I once knew nothing about have become essentials in my day-to-day living- coffee, email, Kindle, Words with Friends, ESPN- the list could go on and on. As I hold these treasures in my hand, I realize that none of them are bad or sinful in and of themselves. They are tools and objects. But at the same time, I also realize that my hands, and my life, can be pretty full. Lent is an opportunity to willingly lay some of these things down for a time so that I might come before God with empty hands. Lent is a time to say, "God, show me how to follow you into a better land. This Egypt is not my home- I want to belong to your people."
So, may I encourage you to enter willingly into a time of self-denial on some level? We might be tempted to see this as a yoke of slavery- doing without something we love- but we need to see that it is a bold attempt to throw off true slavery. You see, the treasures of Egypt will always keep us bound to Egypt, and this kind of slavery keeps us from belonging fully to God. Sure, on a spiritual level we are fully His already, but on a practical level we know this is not our full experience. We are captive to our possessions and our pursuits. What would it look like to throw off these captors and to journey with God into the wilderness of transformation? That is the purpose of Lent.
What will you choose?
If you know what you are laying down for Lent, post it below!
May you know that God longs to lead you on a journey into His great reward-
Nick
For many of us, however, we have found the experience of Lent to have an odd appeal to us, and in this post I want to try and explain why.
In Hebrews 11:25, 26 we read,
Moses chose to share the oppression of God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.
While living in Egypt as a young man, Moses had the opportunity to choose a life of comfort, riches and ease. He could have lived out his days in the Pharaoh's palace and enjoyed the benefits of that life. Moses, however, chose differently. He realized that he was not at home in Egypt- that his real people and his real purpose lay somewhere else. So he intentionally did some very difficult things. He identified with the slaves. He followed the leading of God's Spirit. He stared down the Pharaoh and he took a million people through the Red Sea. Why? Because in his heart he believed in a better land, a better place, where God was leading him and the people. Sacrifices and hardship would be worth the journey. Giving up the treasures of Egypt would be a small sacrifice in comparison to living fully alive as the people of God.
In many ways, I see us facing the same choice. In a metaphorical way, we live in the palace of Egypt- our modern life offers us a continual feast of self-satisfying pursuits and possessions. We have the choice to live out our days here, or we can choose as Moses did to sacrifice for a better land.
I don't know about you, but the "treasures of Egypt" have a way of gripping my mind, and eventually my heart. Things that I once knew nothing about have become essentials in my day-to-day living- coffee, email, Kindle, Words with Friends, ESPN- the list could go on and on. As I hold these treasures in my hand, I realize that none of them are bad or sinful in and of themselves. They are tools and objects. But at the same time, I also realize that my hands, and my life, can be pretty full. Lent is an opportunity to willingly lay some of these things down for a time so that I might come before God with empty hands. Lent is a time to say, "God, show me how to follow you into a better land. This Egypt is not my home- I want to belong to your people."
So, may I encourage you to enter willingly into a time of self-denial on some level? We might be tempted to see this as a yoke of slavery- doing without something we love- but we need to see that it is a bold attempt to throw off true slavery. You see, the treasures of Egypt will always keep us bound to Egypt, and this kind of slavery keeps us from belonging fully to God. Sure, on a spiritual level we are fully His already, but on a practical level we know this is not our full experience. We are captive to our possessions and our pursuits. What would it look like to throw off these captors and to journey with God into the wilderness of transformation? That is the purpose of Lent.
What will you choose?
If you know what you are laying down for Lent, post it below!
May you know that God longs to lead you on a journey into His great reward-
Nick
Monday, December 17, 2012
Why So Much Evil?
Last week, of all weeks, I made a presentation to an apologetics class on the Problem of Evil. If God is so good and so powerful, then why is there so much evil? It would be just two days later that the horrific school shooting in Connecticut would occur.
So, while these thoughts were not collected as an answer to the school shooting, they might give us some perspective on evil in general and where God stands in all of this. I'm offering this, not as a response to the tragedy in Newtown, but as some helpful ideas to wrestle with what see going on around us.
William Hasker has said, "For at least a century and a half, the existence and prevalence of evil in the world has been generally recognized as the single most formidable obstacle to theistic belief." In other words, more people might believe in a good and just God if not for all the evil they see going on around them. I give these 5 potential answers for the problem of evil as a way in which we might reconcile the presence of evil with the reality of a loving God.
1. The Experiential Factor
One important question to ask it, "How do I define evil?" We live in a day and age where whatever I experience or believe is the most true thing that exists. This is true also of what we would call evil. We consider evil anything that is bad, harmful, or damaging to others. Yet, what one culture considers evil may be considered normal in another culture a hundred years later. The point is, sometimes, in complaining about evil, we are merely saying that God isn't running the world the way we think He should from our perspective.
Scripture defines evil not as something that is bad or wrong, but as anything that is contrary to the will and nature of God. Take for example Adam and Eve in the garden- eating an apple wasn't bad, hurtful, or damaging, BUT it was contrary to the voice of God.
So, the first possible answer to the problem of evil is to make sure that we define evil appropriately, based on something higher than our own personal experience.
2. The Evidence of Creation
-Limits- we are limited in existence, power and intelligence.
-Temptation- an unholy desire to exceed limits and become gods
-Anxiety- in Eve, a fear that she didn’t have everything she needed for life
So, while these thoughts were not collected as an answer to the school shooting, they might give us some perspective on evil in general and where God stands in all of this. I'm offering this, not as a response to the tragedy in Newtown, but as some helpful ideas to wrestle with what see going on around us.
William Hasker has said, "For at least a century and a half, the existence and prevalence of evil in the world has been generally recognized as the single most formidable obstacle to theistic belief." In other words, more people might believe in a good and just God if not for all the evil they see going on around them. I give these 5 potential answers for the problem of evil as a way in which we might reconcile the presence of evil with the reality of a loving God.
1. The Experiential Factor
One important question to ask it, "How do I define evil?" We live in a day and age where whatever I experience or believe is the most true thing that exists. This is true also of what we would call evil. We consider evil anything that is bad, harmful, or damaging to others. Yet, what one culture considers evil may be considered normal in another culture a hundred years later. The point is, sometimes, in complaining about evil, we are merely saying that God isn't running the world the way we think He should from our perspective.
Scripture defines evil not as something that is bad or wrong, but as anything that is contrary to the will and nature of God. Take for example Adam and Eve in the garden- eating an apple wasn't bad, hurtful, or damaging, BUT it was contrary to the voice of God.
So, the first possible answer to the problem of evil is to make sure that we define evil appropriately, based on something higher than our own personal experience.
2. The Evidence of Creation
The problem
of evil is based on the idea that a good and loving God would make a perfect
world. But consider the marks of God’s creation before Adam and Eve sinned. (From Douglas Hall)
-Loneliness- “it is not good for man
to be alone.”-Limits- we are limited in existence, power and intelligence.
-Temptation- an unholy desire to exceed limits and become gods
-Anxiety- in Eve, a fear that she didn’t have everything she needed for life
Couched in
every one of these is the prospect for suffering. Suffering which God allowed
for.
But we would
all agree that these “evils” exist for our own benefit- loneliness that we
might draw near to others, limits that we might stay safe and value life,
temptation in that we are free to exercise free will, and anxiety which teaches
dependence on God.
An all
loving and all good God created this way! Struggle is
part of creating life- how we learn to become fully human! And in this
struggle, there will pain, and perhaps even things we would describe as evil.
The second
possible answer to the problem of evil is seeing the evidence of creation.
3. The Existence of Good
Ho w do you
know something is good? No one argues
that we should do away with good. No one suggests we should stop being kind, or
loving or gracious. But how would we recognize any of these things without the
potential for evil?
You have heard how scientifically,
“Dark” and “Cold” do not exist.
-
Darkness
is only the measure of the absence of light
-
Coldness
is only the measure of the absence of heat
-
We
know dark and cold experientially but only through these do we also experience
the goodness of light and heat.
A third
possible answer to the problem of evil is recognizing at as the absence of
good. We experience evil, but only because we also know what is good.
4. The Elevation of Free Will
Most of the
arguments of evil I hear relate to gratuitous acts of violence or unjust
suffering.
“Why did God
allow Hitler to live?”
“Why didn’t
God stop the drunk driver before he drank?”
“Why didn’t
God stop _________________.”
So, in other
words, we want God to step in and disrupt human free will when we think its
obvious that He should do so. We see certain times and decisions that God
should make, and the fact that He doesn’t causes us to doubt his existence.
Have you
ever hurt someone? Maybe you shouldn’t have been born! Maybe God should have stopped you.
"But I’ve
done lots of good!" we say. "I deserve to live."
So now
again, WE are the standard of what God should do.
But God has
prized and valued our free will- our ability to choose Him or reject Him, to
choose love or to choose hate, to choose peace or to choose evil- so much that
He treats us all the same. He soveriegnly chooses to keep his hands off.
I heard a
speaker telling his story, and he was crying out to God, “God, why didn’t you
keep me from this abusive person?” And he heard God say, “You can’t see how
much I kept off you.” We only see
what God does allow. Does that mean it’s good? No necessarily.
If anything, gratuitous and unjust displays evil ought to cause us to redouble our efforts
to preach the Kingdom and spread the Love of Christ, so that more and more
people will freely choose to follow Him and surrender to his rule. Which
by the way, how significant is it when we choose to love Him? In light of the
freedom God allows for each one of us to choose evil, how awesome is it that we
can actually find Him?
The fourth
possible answer to the problem of evil is seeing how highly God values our
freedom- our freedom to choose Him. God refused to create obedient little
robots.
5. The Example of the Cross
In John 1:18 we read, "No one has ever seen God, but the unique One, who is himself God, is near to
the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.”
Never has
God been more clearly revealed than on the cross. If we want
to know how God feels about evil, the cross of Jesus is the clearest answer. He permitted
this evil to happen, but He gave his very life to overcome the evil that was at work. Honestly, for me faith falls apart without the cross. But in the cross, I see God's answer to the problem of evil.
The fifth
possible answer to the problem of evil is to point to the cross of Jesus Christ
and say, “That’s how God feels about evil.”
May these potential answers help you to process the evil that you encounter on your journey.
And may you know His peace-
Nick
Thursday, December 06, 2012
What to Make of Endings
A few weeks ago, a very good friend of mine came to me and told me that he was leaving the church. He said that God was stirring new things in his heart, and his season of ministry in Kelso had come to a close. This news, while not completely unexpected, came as a real blow. Over the next few days, I found myself really wrestling with this news, mostly focused on what I had done wrong or could have done differently.
It was during this time that I noticed a book on my shelf; one another friend had passed on to me several months earlier called, Necessary Endings by Henry Cloud. Out of curiousity, I picked up the book and began to read. Never has a book been more perfectly suited to a time of need.
As our whole church family processes this news, I offer some gleanings from this reading, particularly as it has spoken to my own soul about endings in general. Even if you are from beyond the EHA circle, which many of you are, I think these insights will help you face the unexpected shifts and changes that come into every life.
Change is a necessary part of life. Accept it. One of the mistakes we make is to perceive every change, every ending, as negative. In this mindset, we have no choice but to fear transitions and fight them when they happen. But look at the world around you- cycles and season of change dominate every aspect of life. Life is filled with necessary endings. Endings are the reason most of us are not married to our prom date (and I am very glad for that.) Learn to recognize change as a natural, normal part of life.
Figure out why you are opposed endings. Deeper motivations are usually lurking underneath the fears that surface in our life. When a change or an ending causes us to clench up in anxiety or worry, this is a prime opportunity to assess what is really driving us. Often times, motivations like comfort, safety, and a need for control are more at play than we realize. Good-byes are certainly hard, but the other emotions we feel, in addition to the sorrow, are worth our attention. Figuring out what really going on can be extremely helpful.
The pain of pruning produces the joy of new life. Each year in the late fall, I pull out a big set of brush clippers and make my way around the yard. I chop back the apple trees, lop off rose bush branches, and ready the blueberries for winter. It seems like such a shame to discard so many good, healthy branches. But I know from experience this brings greater life to the plants. While endings are hard, they are very often the catalyst for new growth and change. Though I will greatly miss this friend, I am excited and confident about what God wants to do next. I can't totally see it yet, but I know it will be good.
It was during this time that I noticed a book on my shelf; one another friend had passed on to me several months earlier called, Necessary Endings by Henry Cloud. Out of curiousity, I picked up the book and began to read. Never has a book been more perfectly suited to a time of need.
As our whole church family processes this news, I offer some gleanings from this reading, particularly as it has spoken to my own soul about endings in general. Even if you are from beyond the EHA circle, which many of you are, I think these insights will help you face the unexpected shifts and changes that come into every life.
Change is a necessary part of life. Accept it. One of the mistakes we make is to perceive every change, every ending, as negative. In this mindset, we have no choice but to fear transitions and fight them when they happen. But look at the world around you- cycles and season of change dominate every aspect of life. Life is filled with necessary endings. Endings are the reason most of us are not married to our prom date (and I am very glad for that.) Learn to recognize change as a natural, normal part of life.
Figure out why you are opposed endings. Deeper motivations are usually lurking underneath the fears that surface in our life. When a change or an ending causes us to clench up in anxiety or worry, this is a prime opportunity to assess what is really driving us. Often times, motivations like comfort, safety, and a need for control are more at play than we realize. Good-byes are certainly hard, but the other emotions we feel, in addition to the sorrow, are worth our attention. Figuring out what really going on can be extremely helpful.
The pain of pruning produces the joy of new life. Each year in the late fall, I pull out a big set of brush clippers and make my way around the yard. I chop back the apple trees, lop off rose bush branches, and ready the blueberries for winter. It seems like such a shame to discard so many good, healthy branches. But I know from experience this brings greater life to the plants. While endings are hard, they are very often the catalyst for new growth and change. Though I will greatly miss this friend, I am excited and confident about what God wants to do next. I can't totally see it yet, but I know it will be good.
Enjoy the season you
are in. I had the privilege of enjoying seven years of ministry with this
friend. It was an enjoyable season. Now, we find ourselves in a season of
transition. Transitions, while more uncertain, can also be rich seasons of
learning, growing and change. Several months from now, we’ll find ourselves as a church in
another season as ministry moves forward. The point is, all of life occurs in
season. Sometimes we can be so in love with a season that was, or so anxious
for a season that is yet to be, that we forget the call we have to live fully alive in this present season. So while I may not
be looking forward to every change, I am looking forward to how this new season
will develop my soul, enrich my faith, strengthen old relationships and bring
new friendships onto the scene.
What changes, or necessary endings, are you encountering? What are you learning from them about God and about yourself?
May your journey be all the better because of what God teaches you through change-
Peace,
Nick
Friday, November 09, 2012
What Kind of Roads Do You Build?
It occured to me today how often we build roads like these. The "us" versus "them" mentality sneaks into so much of what we do- our political system, how people vote on a bill, the way we defend certain rights, our side of the car, or the bed- we create parallel, dividing lines to keep us separated from those whom we perceive to be our enemies. Though they are often quite close to us, we look across our carefully crafted lines and rehearse the mental mantras we have against them. We stay on our side, they stay on theirs, and everyone can get along.
In contrast to this, I thought today about the kind of roads that Jesus built. During his life, Jesus seemed to build many roads, but these roads never seemed to divide- they intersected. They transected. (Ok, you could argue that Jesus created a divide between himself and religious leaders of his day, but that's another blog for another day.) Jesus created pathways that reconnected the sick and the healthy, Gentile and Jew, rich and poor, down-trodden sinners to a loving God. Everything Jesus did seemed to be an effort to draw people together into a new kind of Kingdom; a kingdom marked by love, forgiveness, truth, and mercy. People didn't have to hide their stuff from him, because he knew about it already and forgave them anyway.
I wonder- what kind of roads are you building in your life? Roads that divide, or roads that connect? Do you find yourself working towards healing, hope and restoration? Or do your actions create sides that draw up battle lines? I'm just wondering today because I think it's our human nature to create "us" versus "them" kind of divides. If this is true, than part of denying myself in order to follow Jesus will mean that I be willing to lay down this kind of construction. Even when I'm angry, even when I want to hate or ignore or turn against- even then I work on paths that reconnect people. That's what Jesus did for me with God, and I'm so glad that He did.
May you be aware of the roads you build today. And when necessary, may you tear down the ones that divide in favor of ones that connect.
Journey in His peace-
Nick
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