This weekend, I am alone. My wife and girls have gone back to VA to visit family. When I am alone, like I am this weekend, I get lonely. I know I am not alone per se for the Lord is always with me. I however think that family is so important and being amongst believers and community.
I miss my wife the the following verse is so relevant. I hate being alone and away from my wife for we are one flesh.
Genesis 2:18 God said, "It's not good for the Man to be alone; I'll make him a helper, a companion."
I hate to admit it but, it is tough for me at times to be social. Most folks may not believe that but it drains me to be me at times. I am actually fairly reserved and not very talkative on the home front and I know my wife wishes I would talk more at times, but I do so much talking at work and at Church that when I am home I want to relax to be non communicative at times. Can you relate to that.?
I believe this weekend it is important for us to remember those military personnel who are away from home and many in harms way for our sake and out freedom. As a Methodist, I should be praying for peace and I do, but I pray for the men and women who secure that peace for us around the world. I pray for a day when the world knows no violence and I believe when our Savior returns that will be the day, but we can in our hearts pray for peace and reconciliation throughout the world.
No matter where we are nor how lonely we are God is with us. It is easy to forget that sometimes. When you are lonely or away from home use that time for prayer. Reconnect with the Father through Christ our Advocate and our Reconciler.
Romans 5:10 (The Message)
9-11Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!
In closing be thankful for those quiet times and those times you are separated from your loved ones. I know you miss the ones you are separated from, but God willing they will return and you can reconnect with them. Though while apart pray for them and reconnect with God. He desires you. Let us not forget our military personnel and keep them in our prayers. Because of them we can worship God without fear, unlike many places that exist in this world today.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Means Of Grace
Wesley spelled out the "ordinances of God" as the Means of Grace. The Means of Grace are spiritual practices that allow us to experience God’s presence in everyday life. The most important Means of Grace are:
Public worship of God
Hearing the Scriptures read or expounded
Holy Communion
Family and private prayer
Devotional reading of the Scriptures
Fasting or abstinence
Public worship of God
Hearing the Scriptures read or expounded
Holy Communion
Family and private prayer
Devotional reading of the Scriptures
Fasting or abstinence
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The Church of the Reconciler
The following is a summary of my experience at the Church of the Reconciler. As part of a seminary class I chose a place to do mission work. I hate to admit, this was my first experience in this setting. I thank God for the experience for it has changed me and allowed me realize how important mission is for the church. Without missions, the Church is just a building where the Body of Christ is doing nothing. Be in action! Be in Mission!
http://www.churchofthereconciler.org/
The Kingdom of God! What does the Kingdom of God really mean, is it theory or is reality or is it a personal perception of how the world will be upon the return of Christ. What is our duty as Christians within the context of the Kingdom of God? As I begin to discuss my Kingdom project I thought it was necessary to begin with the aforementioned questions and statements. As they are what came to mind as I thought about this topic. I will not attempt at this point to answer my own self imposed questions, but those questions are imperative to understanding one’s call, whatever that call may be in the making of Disciples for Jesus Christ.
When I first read the assignment, I thought to myself, what I will do. I grew up in a middle class family and went to middle class church and up until this point figured I would pastor a middle class church and deal with people mostly like me. In reality, I was and have been only working and worshiping within my comfort zone. To serve Christ and to do his will, I have to, as well as other persons in vocational ministry, step outside the comfort zone of the Church walls. We can’t go wrong outside the Church as we have Christ on our side for comfort, and guidance no matter the situation. I was still scared to a point of how I would respond to this project and what I would do.
After some thought and checking out options, I chose to work at the Church of the Reconciler (COR). The COR is “a multicultural, multiracial United Methodist congregation” which believes "God shows no partiality." (Acts 10:34.)[1] “Church of the Reconciler's special task is equipping laity for the ministry of reconciliation so that we may be "sent into the world as Jesus was sent" (John 20:21)[2]. Why did I choose this venue for my Kingdom Project, so I could step outside my comfort zone and learn to overcome any personal fears I may have had in order to bring Christ to others and to open my heart and my mind to all of God’s people?
My first day at the COR began around 7:00am on March 29, 2009. I met the Senior Pastor, Kevin Higgs at the entrance to the Church. We greeted each other and went straight to work setting up the musical instruments for the band, which consist of Kevin and homeless members of the church. Each week the equipment has to be packed and unpacked and secured in a metal cage to prevent it from being stolen.
A Sunday school class from my Church (none of them whom I knew but recognized as our church is about 2400 members) showed up around 8:30 am to distribute breakfast to the homeless people who congregate in the fellowship hall to be served breakfast before the service. I assisted the Sunday school class unload their vehicles with the breakfast items and pass them out to the people in attendance. I observed after just a brief period of time the Body of Christ in action and the United Methodist Church connectional system in play.
The worship service was one of a contemporary service was well laid out and organized, yet different from the traditional Methodist Worship service I was so used to and love. The topic of mission permeated the message, even though I was there to help, my faith in the mission of the church and my own calling were positively affected in a way that I had not considered and yet, do not have enough time to discuss in this brief summary of my Kingdom project. Newbigin states that “mission involves learning as well as teaching, receiving as well as giving.”[3] (139) I certainly learned from this experience as I was giving my own time and volunteering to assist the COR I learned of Gods grace and confirmed the need for the church universal to be in mission.
The COR serves communion each and every Sunday as people from many faiths and denominations attend, but the commonality of most Christian faiths is the act of Holy Communion. Leslie Newbigin noted in his book The Open Secret “the nature of the church’s mission, is clearly this: in every situation the church must call all people- oppressors and oppressed alike-to that and continually renewed in the Eucharist.”[4]
The COR gets that and truly understands how Holy Communion is a way to bring all of us together to share in that Holy Mystery.
After the service, I had an opportunity to interact, listen to and talk about Christ with some of the members and listen to their stories. At the end of the day they are people just like me and have aspirations and goals and are in need of God’s saving and abundant Grace. One member actually came up to me and Rachel Martin, the associate pastor and asked us to pray with him. How awesome an experience that was and how moving an experience to know that the Holy Spirit was amongst us as we all are active members of the Kingdom of God.
My second and third Sundays were similar in nature. The majority of the work I did was helping to set up the church for worship service. After arriving at the church around 7:00 am, it took approximately an hour to set up. I then had some limited time to walk around and socialize with the members, before handing out breakfast which is usually brought in by others churches in the community. This socialization of course is unique compared to a traditional church setting. Some people want to talk, others don’t, but you have to be open to what happens.
The COR is truly a mission church filling a need in downtown Birmingham. My experience has touched me in a way I never imagined possible. The reading we have done and all of the class discussions came to life in this missional setting. I truly experienced the “the leaving of one’s comfort zone, sacrifice, hard work, the possibility of persecution, endurance and putting others first” of which was discussed by Frost and Hirsch. [5] Unlike many of my classmates, I have never preached before. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, this class and my experience at the COR has inspired me to write my first sermon. The pastor at the COR has also invited me back to preach. How exciting and unexpected during this Kingdom Project and so early in both seminary and the UMC candidacy process to be asked to preach.
The Kingdom of God from my own contextual perspective, of which I learned not only in class but through the time and efforts of this kingdom project, is that the Kingdom of God is the here and now, the future and the past all working as one to fulfill his will and to bring about the New Jerusalem. We, the church, as the Body of Christ must seek out to do his will, to make Disciples of Jesus Christ while in mission and outside the church walls. We must seek to be incarnational in nature as noted in the book, The Shaping of Things to Come. Our duty as Christians within the context of the Kingdom of God is to fulfill the Great Commission and to break out of the church as we know it and be in mission.
I praise God for this experience and for having a class which required me to step outside my comfort zone. I have a new zeal and understanding now of the needs of people and the need for the church to serve those needs, both physical and spiritual.
[1] http://www.churchofthereconciler.org/
[2] http://www.churchofthereconciler.org/
[3] Newbigin, Lesslie The Open Secret, Grand Rapids MI: William B Eerdmans Publishing Company
[4]Newbigin, Lesslie The Open Secret, Grand Rapids MI: William B Eerdmans Publishing Company
[5] Frost, Michael and Hirsch, Alan, The Shaping of Thing to Come: Innovation and Mission For the 21st Century Chruch (Peabody Massachusetts, Hendrickson Publishing 2003) 51
http://www.churchofthereconciler.org/
The Kingdom of God! What does the Kingdom of God really mean, is it theory or is reality or is it a personal perception of how the world will be upon the return of Christ. What is our duty as Christians within the context of the Kingdom of God? As I begin to discuss my Kingdom project I thought it was necessary to begin with the aforementioned questions and statements. As they are what came to mind as I thought about this topic. I will not attempt at this point to answer my own self imposed questions, but those questions are imperative to understanding one’s call, whatever that call may be in the making of Disciples for Jesus Christ.
When I first read the assignment, I thought to myself, what I will do. I grew up in a middle class family and went to middle class church and up until this point figured I would pastor a middle class church and deal with people mostly like me. In reality, I was and have been only working and worshiping within my comfort zone. To serve Christ and to do his will, I have to, as well as other persons in vocational ministry, step outside the comfort zone of the Church walls. We can’t go wrong outside the Church as we have Christ on our side for comfort, and guidance no matter the situation. I was still scared to a point of how I would respond to this project and what I would do.
After some thought and checking out options, I chose to work at the Church of the Reconciler (COR). The COR is “a multicultural, multiracial United Methodist congregation” which believes "God shows no partiality." (Acts 10:34.)[1] “Church of the Reconciler's special task is equipping laity for the ministry of reconciliation so that we may be "sent into the world as Jesus was sent" (John 20:21)[2]. Why did I choose this venue for my Kingdom Project, so I could step outside my comfort zone and learn to overcome any personal fears I may have had in order to bring Christ to others and to open my heart and my mind to all of God’s people?
My first day at the COR began around 7:00am on March 29, 2009. I met the Senior Pastor, Kevin Higgs at the entrance to the Church. We greeted each other and went straight to work setting up the musical instruments for the band, which consist of Kevin and homeless members of the church. Each week the equipment has to be packed and unpacked and secured in a metal cage to prevent it from being stolen.
A Sunday school class from my Church (none of them whom I knew but recognized as our church is about 2400 members) showed up around 8:30 am to distribute breakfast to the homeless people who congregate in the fellowship hall to be served breakfast before the service. I assisted the Sunday school class unload their vehicles with the breakfast items and pass them out to the people in attendance. I observed after just a brief period of time the Body of Christ in action and the United Methodist Church connectional system in play.
The worship service was one of a contemporary service was well laid out and organized, yet different from the traditional Methodist Worship service I was so used to and love. The topic of mission permeated the message, even though I was there to help, my faith in the mission of the church and my own calling were positively affected in a way that I had not considered and yet, do not have enough time to discuss in this brief summary of my Kingdom project. Newbigin states that “mission involves learning as well as teaching, receiving as well as giving.”[3] (139) I certainly learned from this experience as I was giving my own time and volunteering to assist the COR I learned of Gods grace and confirmed the need for the church universal to be in mission.
The COR serves communion each and every Sunday as people from many faiths and denominations attend, but the commonality of most Christian faiths is the act of Holy Communion. Leslie Newbigin noted in his book The Open Secret “the nature of the church’s mission, is clearly this: in every situation the church must call all people- oppressors and oppressed alike-to that and continually renewed in the Eucharist.”[4]
The COR gets that and truly understands how Holy Communion is a way to bring all of us together to share in that Holy Mystery.
After the service, I had an opportunity to interact, listen to and talk about Christ with some of the members and listen to their stories. At the end of the day they are people just like me and have aspirations and goals and are in need of God’s saving and abundant Grace. One member actually came up to me and Rachel Martin, the associate pastor and asked us to pray with him. How awesome an experience that was and how moving an experience to know that the Holy Spirit was amongst us as we all are active members of the Kingdom of God.
My second and third Sundays were similar in nature. The majority of the work I did was helping to set up the church for worship service. After arriving at the church around 7:00 am, it took approximately an hour to set up. I then had some limited time to walk around and socialize with the members, before handing out breakfast which is usually brought in by others churches in the community. This socialization of course is unique compared to a traditional church setting. Some people want to talk, others don’t, but you have to be open to what happens.
The COR is truly a mission church filling a need in downtown Birmingham. My experience has touched me in a way I never imagined possible. The reading we have done and all of the class discussions came to life in this missional setting. I truly experienced the “the leaving of one’s comfort zone, sacrifice, hard work, the possibility of persecution, endurance and putting others first” of which was discussed by Frost and Hirsch. [5] Unlike many of my classmates, I have never preached before. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, this class and my experience at the COR has inspired me to write my first sermon. The pastor at the COR has also invited me back to preach. How exciting and unexpected during this Kingdom Project and so early in both seminary and the UMC candidacy process to be asked to preach.
The Kingdom of God from my own contextual perspective, of which I learned not only in class but through the time and efforts of this kingdom project, is that the Kingdom of God is the here and now, the future and the past all working as one to fulfill his will and to bring about the New Jerusalem. We, the church, as the Body of Christ must seek out to do his will, to make Disciples of Jesus Christ while in mission and outside the church walls. We must seek to be incarnational in nature as noted in the book, The Shaping of Things to Come. Our duty as Christians within the context of the Kingdom of God is to fulfill the Great Commission and to break out of the church as we know it and be in mission.
I praise God for this experience and for having a class which required me to step outside my comfort zone. I have a new zeal and understanding now of the needs of people and the need for the church to serve those needs, both physical and spiritual.
[1] http://www.churchofthereconciler.org/
[2] http://www.churchofthereconciler.org/
[3] Newbigin, Lesslie The Open Secret, Grand Rapids MI: William B Eerdmans Publishing Company
[4]Newbigin, Lesslie The Open Secret, Grand Rapids MI: William B Eerdmans Publishing Company
[5] Frost, Michael and Hirsch, Alan, The Shaping of Thing to Come: Innovation and Mission For the 21st Century Chruch (Peabody Massachusetts, Hendrickson Publishing 2003) 51
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Do you share your faith at work?
I had a friend ask me a question. Please see my response. The questions in blue below.
Brady,
You point out one of the hardest things for us Christians to do. Be a peculiar people! When you state "I wonder what would happen the American church if things turned the other way and it became rough to be a Christian. Many of us embarrassed to share our faith in appropriate ways at the work place because we want to fit in. This wanting to fit in starts when we are young and is something that compels many of us to act in certain ways." I too wonder what would happen, but even more. Why do most, and I have been guilty of this, Christians fail to openly profess their faith in Christ in the workplace? I know there are HR polices etc to prevent us from offending others, but in reality we are allowing those others to go to hell if we do not witness to them. On the flip side, most bible believing Christians want to keep their jobs, and I have been in that position.
Where then do we draw the line. We do not have not be yelling it down the halls and passing out tracts to everyone who will take one. We can witness by our actions, and by what we don't say or what we don't laugh at and just by bowing our heads in silent prayer before we eat. I do not have all the answers, but have been on both side of this topic. I have gotten bolder with age and through grace and knowing that I am not living for an earthly reward but a reward in heaven helps me!
How do we make our congregations understand that it is okay not to fit in on earth, but to want to fit in when the "roll is called up yonder" by being a peculiar person here on earth and professing Jesus Christ as our one and only Lord and Savior.
Brady,
You point out one of the hardest things for us Christians to do. Be a peculiar people! When you state "I wonder what would happen the American church if things turned the other way and it became rough to be a Christian. Many of us embarrassed to share our faith in appropriate ways at the work place because we want to fit in. This wanting to fit in starts when we are young and is something that compels many of us to act in certain ways." I too wonder what would happen, but even more. Why do most, and I have been guilty of this, Christians fail to openly profess their faith in Christ in the workplace? I know there are HR polices etc to prevent us from offending others, but in reality we are allowing those others to go to hell if we do not witness to them. On the flip side, most bible believing Christians want to keep their jobs, and I have been in that position.
Where then do we draw the line. We do not have not be yelling it down the halls and passing out tracts to everyone who will take one. We can witness by our actions, and by what we don't say or what we don't laugh at and just by bowing our heads in silent prayer before we eat. I do not have all the answers, but have been on both side of this topic. I have gotten bolder with age and through grace and knowing that I am not living for an earthly reward but a reward in heaven helps me!
How do we make our congregations understand that it is okay not to fit in on earth, but to want to fit in when the "roll is called up yonder" by being a peculiar person here on earth and professing Jesus Christ as our one and only Lord and Savior.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
A Peculiar People: the church as culture in a post modern society
A Review of Chapter 10 “The Church as Mission & Message” from the book of A Peculiar People: the church as culture in a post modern society By Rodney Clapp
As a Church, the body of Christ, we are called to go into the world for the mission of evangelism. In the early days of the church there was much persecution, which changes when the Roman government under Constantine became a supporter of the Christian movement.
Christianity has seen it dark days of evangelism in terms of forced conversion both by the Spanish Inquisition and that of the American Indians in the US. In relation to this evangelism, “except in its Anabaptist form the Protestant reformation did not break with the medieval understanding of the church and state and that animated Columbus and the conquistadors.” (161) As the author goes on to say “Who can deny their use of gunpowder against pagans in the burning of incense to Our Lord.” (162).
With the onset of Pietists we move from a Constantinian approach of Church and State to a state where “there are only individual Christians at the mercy of the state and the surrounding culture.
There is stark difference between the Constantinian approach to evangelism with the dark days of evangelism vs. that of the Pietists and our modern day thinking on evangelism. As we move beyond these approaches we must as the author states “understand it once again as the earliest Christians did, as “the persuading of people to become Christians and take their place as responsible members of the body of Christ.” (167)
We are called the body of Christ because through many we are one and are called to be in corporate worship and witness. “faithful and effective Christian evangelism can occur only as part and parcel of Christian culture.” (170)
Christianity cannot be forced and it can not be affected through any government. It must come from the love of one to another in the faith and discipleship of Jesus Christ.
As a Church, the body of Christ, we are called to go into the world for the mission of evangelism. In the early days of the church there was much persecution, which changes when the Roman government under Constantine became a supporter of the Christian movement.
Christianity has seen it dark days of evangelism in terms of forced conversion both by the Spanish Inquisition and that of the American Indians in the US. In relation to this evangelism, “except in its Anabaptist form the Protestant reformation did not break with the medieval understanding of the church and state and that animated Columbus and the conquistadors.” (161) As the author goes on to say “Who can deny their use of gunpowder against pagans in the burning of incense to Our Lord.” (162).
With the onset of Pietists we move from a Constantinian approach of Church and State to a state where “there are only individual Christians at the mercy of the state and the surrounding culture.
There is stark difference between the Constantinian approach to evangelism with the dark days of evangelism vs. that of the Pietists and our modern day thinking on evangelism. As we move beyond these approaches we must as the author states “understand it once again as the earliest Christians did, as “the persuading of people to become Christians and take their place as responsible members of the body of Christ.” (167)
We are called the body of Christ because through many we are one and are called to be in corporate worship and witness. “faithful and effective Christian evangelism can occur only as part and parcel of Christian culture.” (170)
Christianity cannot be forced and it can not be affected through any government. It must come from the love of one to another in the faith and discipleship of Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
A review of The Drama of Scripture- Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story
I recently read this book and have written a summary of the book from my perspective. For anyone who wants a good overview of the bible I reccommend reading this book.
A review of The Drama of Scripture- Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story Authors Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen.
Act 1- God establishes his Kingdom
Act 1 is an introduction into the creation story and how man and women are brought into a relationship with God.
Act 2- Rebellion in the Kingdom
Sin has broken the relationship man had with God and it has negatively impacted in a way that has brought separation between God and the people he created.
Act 3- The King Chooses Israel
The chapter discusses sin and its impact on the world which leads to a discussion of the flood and how it notes how God is “both a holy Judge and a gracious Redeemer.” (50). several pages of discussion around the covenantal nature of God including the Covenant with Moses and Abraham. The patriarchal Judaic fathers are discussed as well as the story Israel. A discussion of the great Exodus and the giving of the Law come in this book as well. Act 3 goes through the Old Testament rather wholly, in a cliff notes version, so that one can understand the essence of the Old Testament. Essentially, Act 3 is a summation of the most important historical facts of the bible.
Act 4- The Coming of the King
To understand the coming of Christ in the New Testament, it helps to understand the Old Testament and the expectation of a Messiah for the Kingdom of Israel. Act 4 discuses the Gospel with a discussion of Baptism, Jesus’ mission, his teachings, and ministry. We come to a better understanding of who Jesus is and his message. For example he says “The way of discipleship is costly”: it demands total commitment, complete devotion and allegiance to Jesus and the kingdom of Go.” (153) In the last part of the book we learn of the disdain the Pharisees and the Sadducees had for Christ and how the disliked each other but banded together to bring Christ to trail in which was crucified. Luckily for us, the story does not end with death but continues on with the resurrection and the commissioning of his disciples.
Act 5- Spreading the News of the King
Act 5 is an introduction into missions. Christ will come again, but until that time we have to spread the word and makes disciples of Jesus Christ. In the absence of Christ we received the Spirit and the “mission is first of all a work of the Spirit.” We learn what it means to be a light to the world and to follow Christ. Christ is coming soon! Come Lord Jesus Come!
Top 10 + Significant Issues Raised by the Author ( in my opinion and in the order they come in the book)
“God is the divine source of all there is.” (32)
“Men and Women are made for intimate relationship with God, and our earthliness is no obstacle to that relationship.” (36)
“We humans are made for relationship, but sins effect is to drive us apart.” (43)
The Ten Commandments are good news. They tell Israel how to live so as to please God and display to nations God’s creational purposes for Humanity.” (68)
“Worship of God is what Israel is all about” (71)
The people of Israel thought of history as being comprised of two very distinct periods: the present age and the age to come.” (122)
“Baptism is a vivid symbol of this new beginning, suggesting cleansing from sin. The people of God are (symbolically) crossing the Jordan once more, entering into the land cleaned and ready to take up their task again.” (133)
“He has come to seek and to save what was lost” (143)
“In his death Jesus will bring the new covenant, the forgiveness of sins, the kingdom of God for which Israel longs.” (158)
“The Church Looks at the cross through the lens of resurrection” (163)
“When one begins to look at the cross through the lens of the resurrection, what at first appears to be foolishness is really the wisdom of God.” (163)
“Chris rules over all creation and redeems all creation.” (192)
“Human beings were created to enjoy fellowship with God in full context of creational life.”(212)
“Jesus is coming soon” (213)
Saturday, March 7, 2009
I love snow and Alabama winters.
Another week has gone by. Last Saturday when I getting ready for bed they were calling for snow here in Alabama. I never thought it would happen. Well I was wrong. I woke up last Sunday with about 2" of snow on the ground. It was great and the kids loved it as well as me.
As a Virginia native, I miss snow, but I do love Alabama winters. Today it was 80 degrees, versus snow last week and today we were wearing shorts. Only in Alabama.
As a Virginia native, I miss snow, but I do love Alabama winters. Today it was 80 degrees, versus snow last week and today we were wearing shorts. Only in Alabama.
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