Communio Sanctorum

Chesterton Was Correct

2012-02-15T09:06:00.001-06:00

“A man is angry at a libel because it is false, but at a satire because it is true.” - GK Chesterton

I think I saw this in action a couple of days ago. Somebody I know read an article by Pastor Kristina Robb-Dover who wrote what I thought was a satirical piece titled, "If Jesus were a CEO Pastor..." The person who read the article posted a response and linked to it on Facebook. Three people liked it and there were some comments. I read the article and noted the comments.

Some notable comments came from a pastor who took issue with the article. There's nothing wrong with having objections to something with which you disagree. What caught my attention however, was the degree to which this pastor disagreed. His response wasn't even at the level with the satire I understood to be in the article. His response seemed a bit extreme, almost manic and a bit angry. This is what initially alerted me, when this pastor used the following cliche: "Not sure...how something like this actually builds up the Body of Christ." Whoa! Way to stop thinking and get sanctimonious.

His statement was not appropriate to the issue because it was a reaction, not a response. This kind of over-the-top behavior left me with the impression the fuel for his comments wasn't the article by itself. Over-the-top reactions like this are usually about something else and not the topic at hand. What was bothering him was not the article. It was something else he chose not to reveal. Granted, Facebook is not the place to do the reveal but don't leave the door ajar. This leads me to my next point.

This statement and others he left represented a disconnect of rationality and a loss of perspective. Throw out a religious cliche when you have nothing to say or you don't know what to say; whine, strike a pose, get defensive. The cliche itself was a gasp for air like getting punched in the throat. You're kind of lost for words. As I have stated, Robb-Dover's article never approached the level of injury justifying the reaction. Satire is diagnostic and this pastor, judging from his reaction, didn't like the diagnosis. Well, just because you don't like what you hear doesn't mean it's not true or beneficial. I think he read the article but he didn't take time to really read it. He made up his mind, so much so, he ignored her closing remarks.

Lastly, I think Robb-Dover perhaps engaged in some cherry-picking but that was the worst thing she did and she meant no harm. The responding pastor donned a superhero cape for unrevealed reasons. Instead of reflecting and responding with graciousness, he chose to barricade himself behind cliche and sputtering words about logical fallacy. It's been my experience, the first people who cry foul even for small things like this are usually the ones who are prone to foul or have fouled the most.

Reason doesn't always reveal truth but light generally does. We are all inclined to do and say strange things when we are angry or when we lose perspective rendering us unable to deal with the light. Satire properly used and applied brings light. Chesterton was correct.

Flying Away on Sunday

2011-05-23T16:49:00.002-06:00

Well, we are all still here and no one's been left behind except another bad idea offered up by somebody with a microphone.

On Sunday following the Harold Camping spectacle, one of the esteemed worship leaders at our church provided me with a significant head scratching moment. What would motivate a worship leader to put the following on his song choice list? Yes, the Albert Brumley 1929 hit, "I'll Fly Away." Come on, sing along:

Some glad morning when this life is o'er,
I'll fly away;
To a home on God's celestial shore,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).

Chorus
I'll fly away, Oh Glory
I'll fly away; (in the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by,
I'll fly away (I'll fly away).

And there are too many other verses from this feel-good song from the early 20th century to prove my point.

My point: I am no fan of Harold Camping or those like him who use the Scriptures to figure out when the rapture will occur. They all need to be quiet, quit boring us and let the Lord of all creation take care of business. But I am also no fan of somebody with a microphone who fancies himself a worship leader and then makes such a screwy choice. I mean, what possessed this guy? Some kind of joke?

I am not critical of this man. But I am critical of bad and thoughtless ideas no matter who originates them. Bad idea pal. I hope you weren't trying to be funny. Save it for another day.

Prayer For The Week (Epiphany Last; March 6, 2011)

2011-03-06T09:07:00.001-06:00

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,for ever and ever. Amen.

In The Confessional 1 - Christina Aguilera

2011-02-20T13:45:00.002-06:00

I am not sure why I am writing this but I am going to proceed with the slightest caution. Anytime you bare your soul there is always the risk some small-hearted, malevolent person is standing by to take advantage of it. Be that as it may because I know God can take it. Confession is my offering to God who knows my fickleness and lack of wisdom.

A little under a week ago a friend of mine on Facebook mentioned to his audience he is a fan of Gloria Estefan. My response to that was, "Let us pray." However, I thought it was an interesting admission. It got me to thinking; there are pop stars I like. So I thought about it a little more, searching the depths of my soul. (I said I searched my soul, not the pantheon of pop stars. With pop stars, there's no real depth; mass marketed cellulite is not what I consider deep. Well, maybe deeply distressing. I digress.).

To my surprise, out of the shallowness of my own soul, rises the image of Christina Aquilera. I had to admit it. I like Christina Aquilera. There's my confession. Commence tongue-clicking segment. It was frightening to me at some level. Images from Jack Arnold's 1954 horror classic, Creature From The Black Lagoon came to mind. But that was devil's ploy. The images stood in the way of a much needed palliative. I needed to say something.

What is it about Ms. Aguilera that has caused me to like her over many years? I know what some of you are thinking. You are thinking he doesn't really like Christina in a very wholesome, life-affirming way. It's possible because there's really very little that is wholesome or life-affirming about many of her performances or lyrics of which I have seen some on YouTube (Yes, some of you have also. Admit it.). Some of you are thinking I am just a drooling neanderthal. In the spirit of healthy confession, it could be true. But that's all low-hanging fruit, easy pickin's, unimaginative, knee-jerk and reactionary possibly rendering you incapable of going farther with me. If so, stop reading. But for those who are brave, come with me a little more because it will all be over soon.

If you were paying attention, I said I liked her and I do. I am not going to argue with you about how attractive she is or how much the camera likes her or her great voice because that's all true. What I like about her is what she shows me about myself. No I am not GQ-quality, the camera only likes me for mug shots and I can't sing.

Too many of her songs and videos are sexually charged, steamy, provocative, shallow, base but say something deeper. There's a need for recognition and belonging and the fighting she may have had to do for fame (I don't even want to go there). I even get the sense she was never ready for what she got and what she has. She's imperfect. Witness her divorce and the mess she made of the national anthem at the Super Bowl. I believe there's an honesty in her music and performance but it's buried in crassness, incredulity and pandering. It's her confession.

So how is this like me? I have a need for recognition and belonging and sometimes I get angry when I don't think I am getting it. I don't have a platform and I have fought at times for the recognition I think I deserve (in the workplace, the church, the family). I have always felt out of step with my peers, seemingly never ready for what I get or encounter, never quite feeling prepared. I am imperfect. So what else is new?

But this confession as palliative only, frees me to confess again, grow in wisdom, maybe cry and laugh. Pop stars like Christina even with all of the glitz, light shows, fame, flesh, false sentimentality and Bacchanalian sensibility do witness to me. I am not afraid to look, not anymore.

You small-hearted and malevolent ones I mentioned at the top, you will confess only small things in an effort to convince others you have nothing bigger to confess. My opinion, you're worse off than Christina.

Well, that's all for now. Join me and the Lord in the confessional next time when I take on Perez Hilton. Until then, rest in the kindness and grace of God.

Prayer For The Week (Epiphany 7; February 20, 2011)

2011-02-20T10:53:00.001-06:00

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (Epiphany 4; January 30, 2011)

2011-01-30T09:05:00.001-06:00

Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Beyond A Near Rant On Unity

2011-01-09T16:11:00.001-06:00

I am the suspicious type. So when someone repeats something to convince me they are either telling the truth or what their motivations are, I get suspicious. Why? Because they are stalling for time. They need the time to process how what they are telling you will be "truthy" enough for you to swallow or throw you off the track.

My suspicion meter went off last week at church when the guy speaking mentioned at least three times that his "sermon" wasn't intended to be a rant or words to that effect. He tried to convince us that while he had been thinking and mulling over the ideas his was going to present for at least two years, that he hadn't been ruminating and he wasn't about to dump on us. Well he didn't actually dump on us. What he gave was not preaching but came off more a jumbled group of thoughts and it came off a near rant; too close for my tastes.

But the near rant got me to thinking. His talk was titled, "We Are One" based on Jn. 17:20-26. Why are we one? Well, the gospel of Mark (3:31-35) holds part of the answer. We aren't one just like that. We don't throw in some worship and praise music, do a little hand holding and use the "U" word and presto chango we have unity. Something needs to happen before we even start thinking about it or doing it (which is even better).

The short version is we need to be on the inside with Jesus. Unity starts here. In the Mark 3 section, Jesus' family thinks he is nuts. Mark isn't specific about why and this isn't his concern. It is apparent however, there was tension in Jesus' family. Jesus was hanging out with a growing group of insiders, an expanding community of faith. What is coming clear is Jesus was moving away from his family of origin because of his work. It was a result of what he was doing. His mother Mary and the rest of his family were on the outside. To Jesus, being inside with him is crucial and if you doubt it see Mk. 4:10, 11.

Being inside with Jesus means you are part of a group (family) that goes beyond our earthly families. Those on the outside are supposed to see the dynamic which characterizes those on the inside. They will see such a powerful and cohesive and loving dynamic they will want to be on the inside. The outsiders will want to heed the call to become insiders based on this witness. What is it that makes us insiders and members of Jesus' spiritual family? "Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother" (v. 34). The activity of living out what Jesus taught means we do the will of God. The blessing resulting from this obedience will be sharing in the unity Jesus has with the Father (Jn. 17:20). Unity is a result of being an obedient and willing insider of Jesus.

Thanks Near-Rant-Pastor-Dude for getting me to think and meditate somewhat beyond your text and my suspicion. Also thanks to Derek Lehman for a good meditation on last week's parashat that included Mark 3.

Prayer For The Week (Epiphany 1; January 9, 2011)

2011-01-09T09:04:00.001-06:00

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Prayer For The Day (Epiphany, Jan. 6, 2011)

2011-01-06T06:40:00.001-06:00

O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the Peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (January 2, 2011)

2011-01-02T07:55:00.001-06:00

O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share
our humanity, you Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Day (Feast of St. John; December 27, 2010)

2010-12-27T07:15:00.001-06:00

Shed upon your Church, O Lord, the brightness of your light, that we, being illumined by the teaching of your apostle and
evangelist John, may so walk in the light of your truth, that at length we may attain to the fullness of eternal life; through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (December 26. 2010)

2010-12-27T07:10:00.002-06:00

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word; Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (Advent 3, 12/12/2010)

2010-12-12T09:25:00.001-06:00

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins,
let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and
the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (Advent 2, 12/05/2010)

2010-12-06T10:31:00.002-06:00

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (November 21, 2010)

2010-11-21T00:00:00.001-06:00

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (November 7, 2010)

2010-11-07T09:19:00.001-06:00

O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (October 31, 2010)

2010-10-31T13:28:00.003-06:00

Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (October 3, 2010)

2010-10-03T08:23:00.002-06:00

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (September 26, 2010)

2010-09-26T06:46:00.004-06:00

O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers or your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Pray For the Day (Holy Cross Day)

2010-09-14T00:00:00.000-06:00

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (September 12, 2010)

2010-09-12T07:03:00.002-06:00

O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (September 5, 2010)

2010-09-05T06:00:00.002-06:00

Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (August 29, 2010)

2010-08-29T18:59:00.002-06:00

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (August 8, 2010)

2010-08-08T11:48:00.002-06:00

Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever an ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (August 1, 2010)

2010-08-01T10:14:00.002-06:00

Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it always by your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Day (Feast Day of Saint Mary Magdalene)

2010-07-22T11:11:00.002-06:00

Almighty God, whose blessed Son restored Mary Magdalene to health of body and of mind,
and called her to be a witness of his resurrection: Mercifully grant that by your grace we may be healed from all our infirmities and know you in the power of his unending life; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen!

Prayer For The Week (July 4, 2010)

2010-07-04T07:58:00.002-06:00

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (June 27, 2010)

2010-06-27T08:31:00.003-06:00

Almighty God, you have built your church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (June 20, 2010)

2010-06-20T11:15:00.002-06:00

O Lord, we ask you, make us to have a perpetual fear and love of your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (June 13, 2010)

2010-06-13T08:11:00.002-06:00

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Pentecost (May 23, 2010)

2010-05-23T07:07:00.003-06:00

Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of the Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who live and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week 5th Easter (May 2, 2010)

2010-05-02T00:00:00.001-06:00

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who live and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

What "I'm Not Being Fed" Really Means (Part 1)

2010-04-26T10:34:00.000-06:00

What "I'm Not Being Fed" Really Means (Part 1): "

My own comment before you read: I think this happens when teaching and preaching are elevated to being sacrament; neither of them are.

This article comes from PreachingToday.com. Check out more on PT blog.

I have a confession to make. I am fed up with hearing people say, 'I'm not being fed.' While I do not hear it often, the comment surfaces just enough about my preaching and the preaching of others to make me want to scream. Once my emotions settle down, though, I try to discern what people are really saying. In my experience, the complaint 'I'm not being fed' is usually a code phrase for some other frustration that lurks below the surface.

This realization hit me a few years ago after observing a strange turn of events. First, a young couple left the church I served for another because (drumroll here) they were 'not being fed.' I puzzled over this because I felt like I was in a season where my preaching really was connecting Scripture well to the lives of our people. I went through a checklist of possible problems. Had I lost my passion? No. Was I short-changing my sermon preparation? No. Had I slipped into merely talking to people about the Bible rather than talking to people about themselves from the Bible? No. Was I neglecting to preach the gospel? No. Still, this young couple—whom I'll refer to as Brett and Danielle—claimed they were not being fed, and they got involved in a nearby church plant.

A year went by, and I accepted the call to a church in another region of the United States. Then, shortly after my move, I started getting emails from Brett and Danielle. Danielle, a diligent Bible student and a Bible study leader, emailed me with perceptive questions about a Bible passage she was studying. At the end of one of her emails she wrote: 'We sure miss your preaching and teaching!' Huh? I thought they were not being fed.

Imitation 1.15

2010-04-25T07:51:00.002-06:00

Works Done in Charity

This is not titled "Works of Charity". There is no value in any work unless it is done in charity. The motivator behind how we act must be charity. God doesn't weigh the deed; he weighs the love behind the deed.

How much we do is a result of how much we love. How much we do is determined by how well we do it. How well we do something is measured by how much it serves the common good as opposed to our own interests.

This is a good point. Thomas calls us to be suspicious of our own motives because charity can be a cloak for what he calls sensuality; a cloak for what we want, our own desires or hope of reward. It's like the person who does little for anyone but as soon as s/he is given a position of authority or power all of sudden is doing works associated with that position because of recognition; whereas, before that time, the person sat on his/her hands.

A person of true charity will not self-promote, will envy no one, will not seek recognition but desires the glory of God in and above all things.

I wonder if Thomas saw true charity in anybody including himself. He says a person with a spark of true charity would see that all the things of earth don't last and don't amount to much of anything (i.e., vanity).

Prayer For The Week (4th Easter; April 25, 2010)

2010-04-25T07:45:00.003-06:00

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, live and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (3rd Easter; April 18, 2010)

2010-04-18T13:57:00.002-06:00

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (Easter 2, April 11, 2010)

2010-04-11T07:18:00.001-06:00

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation; Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For Saturday, Easter Week (April 10, 2010)

2010-04-10T12:39:00.002-06:00

We thank you heavenly Father, that you have delivered us from the dominion of sin and death and brought us into the kingdom of your Son; and we pray that, as by his death he has recalled us to life, so by his love he may raise us to eternal joys; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer For Friday, Easter Week (April 9, 2010)

2010-04-09T05:41:00.002-06:00

Almighty Father, who gave your only Son to die for our sins and to rise for our justification: Give us grace so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve you in pureness of living and truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer For Wednesday, Easter Week (April 7, 2010)

2010-04-07T05:53:00.002-06:00

Prayer for Tuesday, Easter Week (April 6, 2010)

2010-04-06T05:52:00.003-06:00

O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light: Grant that we, who have been raised with him, may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be dominion and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for Monday, Easter Week (April 5, 2010)

2010-04-05T05:41:00.002-06:00

Grant, we pray, Almighty God, that we who celebrate with awe the Paschal feast may be found worthy to attain to everlasting joys; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (March 14, 2010; Lent 4)

2010-03-13T23:26:00.003-06:00

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Encouragement: The Key To Caring

2010-03-07T15:15:00.005-06:00

So a group at our church started reading this book and we need to get through the first 25 pages by March 16. The last book I read with Mr. Allender's name on it elicited strong opinions from some people; at least in the group I was with at the time. We'll see what happens this time.

I am taking it upon myself to share some opinion here just to get it out of my system and to let others with more depth and intelligence than myself air their opinion when our group reconvenes on 3/16. All I have to do then is refer to my notes. (The opinions expressed here are my own. They are subject to change.)

"Encouragement: The Key to Caring" came out in 1984 and is still in print. I think this is a good thing; although I am not sure why. You could say it must be a good book and that's why it's still in print. That's possible. But you can still get "Mein Kampf" and that book is horrible on so many levels. So it must be something else. I have an idea but I will hold that for a later time.

Based on what I have read so far, this is a good and thoughtful book. I don't know who wrote the preface and it doesn't really matter. But both authors see the activity of encouragement as the unique value of Christian fellowship. They see it has having eternal impact and I agree. Their core text is Hebrews 10:19-25 which they say urges us to consider three things. First, approach God with a conscious awareness of our absolute acceptance in Christ. Second, because God is faithful we are to cling tenaciously to the prospect of our eternal acceptance in heaven and finally, give serious thought to how we can encourage one another (9).

Crabb and Allender see counseling as a key ministry in the church. The book may be primarily written for churches who have counseling ministries or want to have them. But it need not have that narrow of a focus because encouragement is not something limited to counselors. It is a spiritual gift (Rom. 12:6-8) and therefore a means of grace. The exercise of spiritual gifts isn't relegated to those over 18 or to those with advanced degrees. The gift belongs to the Spirit and He gives as He wills no matter your age or what initials follow your name or what title precedes it. It is a gift and a skill and if the church and the people of God are going to carry out kingdom work, skillful and loving encouragement is key. It serves a role in restoring the hurt and the spurring on for all of us to effective worship and service (10).

Prayer For The Week (March 7, 2010; Lent 3)

2010-03-07T11:46:00.002-06:00

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reighns with you and the the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (February 28, 2010; Lent 2)

2010-03-01T06:48:00.004-06:00

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ you Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (February 21, 2010; Lent 1)

2010-02-23T17:51:00.002-06:00

Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan; Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (February 14, 2010)

2010-02-14T13:42:00.002-06:00

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (2nd Sunday after Epiphany)

2010-01-17T13:58:00.005-06:00

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshiped and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit live and reigns, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The Feast of St. Stephen (December 26. 2009)

2009-12-26T13:16:00.003-06:00

We give you thanks, O Lord of glory, for the example of the first martyr Stephen, who looked up to heaven and prayed for his persecutors to your Son Jesus Christ, who stands at your right hand; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (Dec. 13, 2009; Advent 3)

2009-12-14T07:01:00.000-06:00

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (November 29,2009; Advent 1)

2009-11-29T16:49:00.003-06:00

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (November 22, 2009)

2009-11-23T07:13:00.002-06:00

Lively Discussion At iMonk About Church and Kingdom

2009-09-25T10:22:00.001-06:00

Check it out. One additional item; Mr. Spencer lauches a volley against one of our favorite idols...tithing. Yes!

http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/is-a-passion-for-the-church-the-same-as-a-passion-for-the-kingdom

Remembering Paul and Peter Today

2009-06-29T11:16:00.002-06:00

I actually don't care whether you think praying to the saints is okay. Because if that is all we get out of reading St. John Chrysostom's prayerful tribute to Paul and Peter, then let me suggest we take stock and trade of what we are willing to endure for the sake of Christ. Maybe we can all remember while we sit safely on our collective theological, philosophical, economic, political, self-satisfied, rearends what it took to establish the church in all nations. Maybe we can remember the blood of the martyrs willingly shed the next time we choose to gossip and tear down our brothers and sisters just so we can protect some petty project or ministry. Maybe we can remember the imperfect but steadfast devotion of Paul and Peter to Jesus the next we consider engaing in our favorite sins and rudely expect God's blessing. Maybe we can remember how Paul and Peter submitted themselves to death the next time we want or get some elevation in ministry or position in the church when at the core all we are doing perhaps is seeking the approval of men.

Maybe we can remember to follow the example of our Master Christ. Here's to you Paul and Peter from a disciple who lacks more then he knows and fears he will never do enough for and love enough, the Jesus we as his disciples imperfectly, worship, serve and love.

"O holy Apostles, how shall we thank you, you who have labored so much for us! I am filled with admiration whenever I think of you, Peter; when I remember you, Paul, I am moved to tears. My lips are mute when I consider your sufferings. How many prisons you have sanctified! How many chains you have adorned! How many pains you have suffered! How many curses you have borne! YOU bore Christ in your hearts; you refreshed the Christian communities through your sermons. Praised be the work of your tongues. For the sake of the Church your garments were sprinkled with blood. You imitated Christ in all; your voices penetrated a world, and your message crossed all boundaries of the earth. Rejoice, O Peter, that you were worthy to partake of the Cross of Christ; you desired to hang upon the Cross after the pattern of your Master Christ, not upright like the Lord, but head downward, as if you wished to journey from earth to heaven. Rejoice, O Paul, you who were beheaded with a sword. This sword which severed your neck, this instrument of the Lord, is admired by heaven and revered by earth. For me this sword should be a crown, and the nails of Peter’s cross, diamonds for a diadem."

St. John Chrysostom

Prayer For The Week (May 31, 2009; Pentecost)

2009-05-31T13:03:00.002-06:00

Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (May 17, 2009; Easter 6)

2009-05-18T06:09:00.002-06:00

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reighns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (May 10, 2009; Fifth Sunday in Easter)

2009-05-12T05:41:00.001-06:00

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (April 5, 2009)

2009-04-05T15:16:00.003-06:00

Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Prayer For The Week (October 26, 2008)

2008-10-26T12:27:00.002-06:00

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (October 12, 2008)

2008-10-12T16:43:00.000-06:00

Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (Sept. 28, 2008)

2008-09-28T16:28:00.005-06:00

O God, you declare your almighty power in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure: through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (September 21, 2008)

2008-09-21T15:35:00.001-06:00

Grant us, O Lord, not to mind earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to cleave to those that shall abide; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (September 14, 2008)

2008-09-15T19:15:00.000-06:00

O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lor, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Metamorpha 6

2008-09-07T19:16:00.000-06:00

In this chapter, Strobel takes a look at the third worldview informer. For review, the informers are the tools used by Jesus to alter or inform our vision (39). The other informers are the Word and the Spirit. The third worldview informer he calls community. Well so do a host of other people. I am not sure why the word is used. Why don’t we just say “church” and cut to the chase? Besides, I like the word “church”. But I’ll go along with Mr. Strobel. One other thing, Strobel uses the word “church” in earlier chapters so I am not sure what the big deal is. Let’s move on.

Strobel uses the word “church” and “community” synonymously. However, I do get the impression by using community he means more of what the church can and should be. External solutions to community don’t work (i.e., neighborhood based small groups, demographic-based home churches, not spending enough time together). Our worldview needs to change. We’re just fiddling w/ the branches on the tree and not getting down to the roots.

Stobel appeals to the concept family and its forms as the model for community; the fundamental view the early Christians had of themselves (112). North Americans put a lot of emphasis on the individual. It's how we tend to see ourselves but this is not the early Christian view.

Family – the local body of believers, the churches we attend, the lowest common denominator
Clan - family of God in a given location, like a town
Tribe - family of God in a given land or continent

However nice we may find these categories, they are two-dimensional and Strobel says this (130). As the people of God we all share a heritage w/ Adam. The point is good. We cannot nor should we ever forget those who have gone before us and paved the way. We are the brothers and sisters of Adam, Noah, the apostles, the fathers and mothers of the church, the prophets, the martyrs. In light of this, we have to shake the ridiculous and inane notions we are the first to live according to the Scriptures, the first to preach, the first to read the Bible correctly.

The journey of metamorpha includes the right ideas about community. We can't have community just for the sake of community. The role of community is greater knowledge and experience of God as we relate to one another as family, clan and tribe with God among us. If we are serious about being light to the world, it will be directly proportional to how serious we take community (134).

Questions I found myself asking:

Can I stop hiding behind the false sense of security individualism brings? Can I embrace love and honesty as Jesus did to avoid shallowness? Can I do this enough to keep my journey on the right path? With God's help through His word, Spirit and family, clan and tribe, I will.

Prayer For The Week (Sept. 7, 2008)

2008-09-07T16:28:00.002-06:00

Grant us, O Lord, to trust you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (August 31, 2008)

2008-09-01T08:21:00.001-06:00

Prayer For The week (August 24, 2008)

2008-08-24T13:52:00.001-06:00

Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Imitation of Christ 1.02

2008-08-17T22:36:00.001-06:00

Imitating Christ means we have a humble opinion of ourselves. Knowledge isn't a bad thing for a Kempis. But knowledge without the fear of God doesn't cut it. He is referring to head knowledge, knowing all kind of facts and figures.

There is no profit in knowledge without love (1 Co. 13:2) but I wonder if we believe this. We attach a lot of value to intellect and we equate it to wisdom. We can know many things but be completely clueless about the heart and what it means to love or to live in the fear of God. The life connected to God, the life devoted to following Christ is one of ease and contributes to a clear conscience.

Holy living is important to a Kempis. Greater knowledge carries a greater judgment unless it is connected to humility. Something a Kempis suggests is to remind yourself there is always someone who knows more than you. Keep yourself in check and admit your ignorance.

Here's major issue in this part an issue many of us fear and are unwilling to discuss or even consider. Are we willing to love being unknown? Are we will to be considered nothing? By whom? a Kempis doesn't say but let's say it's the ones in your own church, your brothers and sisters. Are you willing to be unknown among them? Are you willing to be considered nothing by them? It happens all too often but that's not the question.

To love being unknown or considered nothing is indeed possible when the goal is to outdo one another in showing honor (Rom. 12:10). Thinking of others more highly than yourself is perfect wisdom (Phil. 2:3). In fact, it is the way we will go if we are indeed following Christ. If we want to be like Him, then we will exercise this humility even to the point of being in obscurity.

Prayer For The Week (August 17, 2008)

2008-08-17T13:21:00.003-06:00

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Imitation of Christ 1.01

2008-08-10T15:19:00.000-06:00

I think most, if not all of us who call ourselves followers of Christ, want to live like Him. I do, like never before. I read a book by Dallas Willard when I was in seminary. It's called, The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives. Willard believes we can live like Christ lived. It is embodied in following him into the overall style of life he chose for himself. "If we have faith in Christ, we must believe that he knew how to live. We can, through faith become like Christ by practicing the types of activities he engaged in, arranging our whole lives around the activities he practiced himself in order to remain constantly at home in the fellowship of his Father.”

Well, Thomas a Kempis in The Imitation of Christ (TIOC) says essentially the same thing. He said it before Willard and it is the basis of the whole work. I read TIOC years ago and I picked up a new copy. I am reading it again and I am going to post from time to time my impressions on this most amazing and perhaps ignored book. It is practical, scriptural, vibrant and very Christ-centered. It reached across the centuries to me before and I hope it happens again and in new ways.

I welcome you to this exploration. If you wish and have the time, ask questions, converse.

“Whoever follows me, will never walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (Jn 8:12). It is with these words that à Kempis says we are “…advised to imitate his life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart.” All other advice (anybody’s by the way) pales in comparison to this call. If we are going to get what Jesus is saying, we must try to pattern our whole lives on that of Christ. Jesus said it first.

What puts us in good fellowship with the Trinity? Not learning per se and concept upon concept and precept upon precept but a life modeled and patterned like Christ’s. Thomas said, “I would rather feel contrition than to know how to define it.” How many of us have equated memorizing Bible verses and learning principles with living like Christ but somehow nullifying the grace and love of God?

Thomas understands Jesus’ words. Following Christ gets us into the light because it gets us learning how to live like him. It has very little to do with principles and everything to do with seeking what really counts; life with Christ and life like Christ’s.

Prayer For The Week (August 10, 2008)

2008-08-10T13:25:00.002-06:00

Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ
our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Metamorpha 5

2008-07-27T19:28:00.001-06:00

This is the second time I have written this entry. My first one disappeared on me when I went to post and I couldn't find it even in my drafts. I wasn't happy. But then, I am not happy about much at the moment. As I soon learned once again, life isn't necessarily about being happy. It's about being holy.

This is where Strobel takes us in this chapter. The Spirit of God is another informer on the developmental journey of transformation. In fact, Strobel say the Spirit is the most important of all informers (the Scriptures and the community (i.e., the church being the other two, 103).

The Spirit is one of the persons of the Trinity and he indwells us. The God of all creation indwells us; the purpose being to bring us into intimacy with God. The Spirit guides us in how we relate in love with the God who is love. We don't relate to God nor are we transformed by memorizing doctrines or making sure we do all the externals of the Christian life.

The Western church has the habit of relating to the Spirit as a force or a gift or fruit. We have difficulty grasping the Spirit is a person. We think too much in terms of autonomy and individuality and because the Spirit is seen as a force we don't see him as a friend.

Do you remember how God pitched a tent in the wilderness with Israel? Well now He pitches a tent in our very person. For God to pitch a tent anywhere seems to show He wants to hang out with us. God came to us as a man, Jesus. This is good incarnational thought. Here is the good thing. We can live life the way Jesus did because we have the same Spirit (94).

Intimacy with God is central to our lives because God indwells us. It is possible and it is all-important. God doesn't offer us only information about him. He gives us intimacy and the way to intimacy is prayer.

This kind of life is not about us and our agendas. It is about God and his agenda. We don't teach him anything and he wants to impress us with what is really important. The transformation he works is done to get us not only to adopt his view but his economy. Redemption and love is the foundation to his economy (104) and we need to be impressed with this. With the Spirit we can as we submit, interact and grow in the understanding that our transformation is done through his power and agenda.

Prayer For The Week (July 27, 2008)

2008-07-27T13:09:00.003-06:00

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (July 20, 2008)

2008-07-20T13:31:00.001-06:00

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (July 13, 2008)

2008-07-13T15:55:00.004-06:00

O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (July 6, 2008)

2008-07-06T13:05:00.001-06:00

Prayer For The Week (June 29, 2008)

2008-07-02T17:42:00.003-06:00

Prayer For The Week (June 22, 2008)

2008-06-22T08:14:00.003-06:00

O Lord, makes us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Prayer For The Week (June 15, 2008)

2008-06-16T16:48:00.001-06:00

Cardinal Wolsey and a Crossword Clue

2008-06-15T15:37:00.001-06:00

Crosswords are becoming an addiction to me. I can only conclude, I must be very impressionable (Note: Impressionable doesn't mean gullible). After seeing the documentary "Wordplay", it reawakened the desire to do crosswords. Doing crosswords helps keep the mind active.

But this isn't about crosswords, addictions or gullibility. It's about a clue I saw in a recent puzzle I did. It was a partial quote from William Shakespeare's, Henry VIII. The clue was this:" Cherish those hearts that hate thee." I was thinking perhaps this wasn't the whole line. Here's the full line. "Love thyself last: cherish those hearts that hate thee; corruption wins not more than honesty." the setting is Cardinal Wolsey is leaving court and is repenting to Cromwell. Wolsey had become a slave to power and ambition. His wealth, power and intellect outdid even King Henry's.

Corruption causes us to lie and exercise the power of lies over ourselves and others. With lies we can wield great control but in the end all we have is a house of cards. Wolsey was eventually branded a traitor and died a regretful man. He didn't even get buried in the tomb he designed for himself.

What corrupted him? If you take Shakespeare's word for it, he didn't love anybody but himself. He loved himself before others. He loved his power and influence more than anything or anyone else and it led to his regret and his demise.

The Scriptures nowhere mention or speak of love leading to corruption or to regret. Given God is love, could he possibly live with himself if what he was by nature led him to corruption or regret? Absolutely not! How absurd.

The point of all this is if we don't love others we end up doing corrupt things or becoming corrupt. We don't have to take Shakespeare's word for it. But we must take Jesus' word and apostolic exhortation. Our being connected to God has everything to do with love (John 15). Staying connected with others has the same foundation (Phil 2). I will not go the way of Wolsey, if I love as Jesus would have me love; nor will I have once ounce of regret when I die.

Prayer For the Week (June 8, 2008)

2008-06-08T08:05:00.002-06:00

O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (June 1, 2008)

2008-06-01T07:12:00.002-06:00

O God, your never-failing providence sets in order all things both in heaven and earth: Put away from us, we entreat you, all hurtful things and give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (May 18, 2008; Trinity Sunday)

2008-05-19T20:20:00.003-06:00

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (May 11, 2008; Pentecost)

2008-05-11T07:30:00.003-06:00

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, on God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (May 4, 2008; 7th Sunday of Easter)

2008-05-07T20:37:00.001-06:00

O God, the King of glory, who has exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph into your kingdom in heaven: We ask you, don't leave us comfortless, but send to us your Holy Spirit to comfort us, and exalt us into the same place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen

Prayer For The Week (April 27, 2008; 6th Sunday of Easter)

2008-04-27T13:22:00.006-06:00

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding; Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Metamorpha - 4

2008-04-26T09:08:00.004-06:00

I am not sure I mentioned what Strobel calls the worldview informers (or just the informers). There are three and they are; the Word, the Spirit and the community. Because the life of metamorpha is a life that attends to God, I wish he called them something different. In one place, he calls them the "roots for the tree seeking life-giving water" (48). He already took the church to task for believing people change just by listening to a sermon (i.e, delivery of information and "magic" sanctification). I think he should have chosen a different word for these three things since too many of us choose to go to church to be informed.

He starts part 2 of the book deconstructing the believer; his own life destabilized because he didn't know the Bible (one of the informers), He was never given the tool in high school, never taught how to use it. Just attend the right events, behave a certain way; read the Bible but only for informational purposes. Going to college and committing to learn as much as he could about the Bible revealed darkness in his life. He knew at this point either go with what made him comfortable or go with God into a heretofore unknown and learn to see things God's way. He learned to read the Bible as history, shepherd and friend. He let Jesus deconstruct him and he went from just reading to listening and relating (62).

He goes to seminary and focuses on New Testament studies and is influenced by N. T. Wright's book, The Challenge of Jesus. He learns to see history as a friend but history isn't enough. He begins to see biblical study as a shepherd and opens himself to Scripture to be led and guided. He figures out the Bible is not interested in our agendas but rather calling us to a new way of seeing. He sees the parables of Christ as ways to "break open the prevailing worldview and replace it with one that was closely related but significantly adjusted at every point" (64, 65; quoting Wright). The Bible guides us down paths we may not like but are beneficial to us. This is not just informational reading but reformational reading, relational reading which is how Scripture is a friend.

He concludes this chapter of believer deconstruction with a brief study in the gospel of Mark. Strobel says Mark is the gospel of worldview deconstruction. (Personal note: I have always liked the rapid fire style of Mark. He gets to the point real quick; the Kingdom of God has arrived, Jesus is the Anointed One, this is how and that's it. Let's move on.). He divides his study into several parts (structure, style, plot, conflict, twist, purpose). He concludes we all come (shepherded) to a place where we must admit we don't understand the words of Christ and we don't want to follow them. But, like Peter, we must also admit Christ's words are eternal life to us (82, 83). We don't have to agree or understand all of them but we must be willing to follow and trust God's way of seeing is much better and more informed than our own.

God isn't going to say and do what we want Him to say and do. The Scripture is no different. The only way to get around a life characterized by arrogant wordviews is by the grace and Spirit of God and then be willing to embrace and submit to what we don't understand.

Prayer for The Week (April 13, 2008, 4th Sunday of Easter)

2008-04-13T06:48:00.004-06:00

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (March 30, 2008, Second Sunday of Easter)

2008-03-31T20:24:00.000-06:00

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery has established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Metamorpha - 3

2008-03-30T07:05:00.003-06:00

Strobel concludes the first part of this book by telling us metamorpha is one of two visions we can have of life and our journey with God. The other vision is a stagnant vision (which in my opinion is no vision at all because it lacks creativity and humility but I can go with Strobel).

Characteristics of metamorpha:
- adopting a developmental/journeying model of the Christian life (49),
- see our lives w/ Jesus as a journey; not arrival
- essentially relational; changing core beliefs is through relationships, not just listening to the right sermons
- guard against the lack of change (establishing boundary, accountability, support systems)
- community is learned
- sin is seen a corporate issue not just individual; dealt with using grace and availing ourselves of Word and Spirit
- evaluates relationship with God by recognizing the presence of God and the reality of the kingdom in everyday life; not evaluated by study and works of righteousness.

Strobel says, "...Christian life is not about arrival, but about learning to journey with God and becoming increasingly united with him" (56).

Union with God - theosis. Good word; let's see if Strobel can help.

Prayer For The Week (March 23, 2008)

2008-03-26T20:13:00.002-06:00

Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ has overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

Metamorpha - 2

2008-03-22T10:46:00.004-06:00

Strobel wants us to understand that embracing metamorpha is about befriending our Creator. As we do, we see the reality we are becoming new and viewing the world in a whole new way. Negatively, it's not merely doing church a new way or deconstructing everything we think stands in our way of getting closer to God.

We are becoming something new and our lives w/ God is a developmental journey. Strictly functioning on the facts is never enough and it doesn't take seriously the reality to which Christ invites us.

Metmorpha is the life of transformation which is one of continual deconstruction/reconstruction. Jesus invites us into His life so we can join Him in this process of making a new life.

Staticus is the opposite of metamorpha. It's the life of avoidance; living only on a set of assumptions considered fully Christian but are really unbending and definitive. If we are to embrace metamorpha we must be open to having our assumptions/presuppositions deconstructed and in my way of thinking perhaps destroyed. We need to be open to the telling of a new story. Jesus does make an assumption we all need to accept. We bring baggage to the table and He wants us to hand it over.

The stories into which we enter will vary because we are all different. We agree to to turn our stories over to Christ (baggage, assumptions, worldviews). We also remember our faith is historical, grounded in truth and reality.

For too many Christians conversion is the end, but it isn't. It is just the beginning of a relationship with Christ and growing in the relationship will mean we submit our worldviews to the developmental journey we take with the Spirit.

God gives us the equipment for the journey (Scripture, Spirit, church/community). This equipment will be what informs and shapes us. It will also tear down, rebuild our views of reality (40).

Bottom line: the life of metamorpha is developmental and progressive; it is life with a Person not to a set of rules or a system.

Prayer For The Week (March 16, 2008)

2008-03-16T16:25:00.002-06:00

Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first He suffered pain, and entered not into glory before He was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (March 2, 2008)

2008-03-02T20:08:00.004-06:00

Metamorpha - 1

2008-03-02T08:00:00.003-06:00

We all have a need. Our need according to Strobel, is a new way of seeing. A new way of seeing the person who is central to our lives; Jesus. After all, the book is subtitled, "Jesus as a way of life."

But we're blocked by limited perspective. Our perspectives are limited by what we have learned (seminary, church, family, etc.). We form presuppositions about who God is and we live our lives accordingly. Our presuppositions have caused a spiritual calcification (21) and situations arise that begin chipping away at it and breaking it down. Often we think learning something new about God will work. It might be but we may also have to unlearn somethings. However, we often choose against this and maintain our "world."

This is because we have blind spots like Job's friends. Their visions of life froze them and they were incapable of offering any help beyond their small ideas. Other contributing factors:

directional lens - our vision of life tells us, rightly/wrongly, how the world should be; we have an Enlightenment view of the church where information transmission is the highest good and we discern reality correctly with the right information; so we have a view of how the Church is to be and how it isn't to be and if something doesn't fit w/i those parameters we flip out; church splits, angry departures, churches not talking to or working w/ each other.

rigor mortis of the eyes - solidified presuppositions about life as a Christian and our hermeneutic is shaped by this; we fail to see the text of Scripture for what it is, it becomes a series of proof texts for what we already believe.

We need a way to journey and not wander under the blindness of our desires and assumptions (31). We need something other than multi-step programs to discipleship; a new way to engage reality, throwing aside arrogance and relying on God for redemption, letting God's story become ours.

We'll see where this goes. I have the feeling the book is written from the "What will I get out of this" mentality or "What's in it for me." I want to see if Strobel pushes us to engage Jesus so much that we finally understand living Jesus means doing what He did. (Not just understanding but doing).

Metamorpha - 0

2008-02-17T19:27:00.008-06:00

I am going to give this book/chapter excursion thing another chance. A number of people (more known and respected than myself) do this. I think they do it for many reasons. I am doing it because I like to write more than I ever did. Being married to a writer (a good one by the way) does help. But I never let her see much of what I write. I fear criticism.

My reading now takes me to a book titled, Metamorpha: Jesus as a Way of Life. It is written by Kyle Strobel, a self-confessed child of the seeker church (13) and of evangelicalism (16). He writes from this context. However, the book is about spiritual journey; his and ours. It's a journey of transformation as we follow Christ. He says many Christians have been told information leads to transformation. We just have to download enough of the right data into our heads and voila! we become Christlike. But he says the process of transformation is more like a journey than a data download (16). So true. I want him to hold that thought because I am eager to learn more and experience more of a true journey with Jesus. I want Strobel's story with Jesus; not to make it my own because that should not be. I want a story to encourage me on my journey. Let's see what happens.

Prayer For The Week (February 17, 2008; Second Sunday in Lent)

2008-02-17T19:11:00.002-06:00

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (February 3, 2008)

2008-02-03T14:06:00.000-06:00

O God, who before the passion of you only-begotten Son revealed His glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into His likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer For The Week (January 27, 2008)

2008-01-27T17:28:00.000-06:00

Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.