The Word on Wednesday: Mark 11:15-19

One of the stories from scripture associated with Holy Week is that of Jesus "cleansing" the Temple. This story appears in all four Gospels, with the synoptics placing it during the final week of Jesus's life while John recounts the story early in chapter 2.

In the synoptic accounts, Jesus cites an Old Testament passage as his explanation for his actions: "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations." But Jesus sees that this house of prayer has been turned into a den of robbers.

As I pondered this story, I remembered the set-up of the Temple in Jerusalem with its many levels/layers. At the center was the Holy of Holies that only the High Priest could enter. Then there were other locations that only the priests and temple workers entered. Outside this was the court for the men, then the court for the women, and finally the court for the Gentiles or the nations. It was in this last area where people were exchanging money and selling animals for sacrifice.

The Temple was supposed to be a place where all peoples - not just Jews - could come to pray, to worship, and to encounter the Living God. It was to be a holy place, but this was no longer the reality. So Jesus took action - harsh, abrupt, even violent action - to remind everyone why the Temple even existed and to call them back to its purposes.

It is easy for anything of a religious nature to become institutionalized. That's what happened to the Temple so long ago. It happens to the church. It happens to religious people, especially the clergy. I am thankful for the reminder from Jesus that my life and work need to be more about prayer, worship, and being open to encountering God than the things about which I have made it. As we journey toward Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and ultimately Resurrection Sunday, may Jesus turn over the tables of institutionalism in our hearts and breathe into us a spirit of prayer and worship.

Thursday Theology - Heaven and Hell

One of my first blog posts this Lent was about Rob Bell's new book Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived. You may remember that the buzz around the book before it was even released caused quite a controversy, and that has continued since the book's release.

A friend gave me a copy of the book last week, and I read it over the weekend. I found it to be a wonderfully engaging book that has got me thinking. And really, what more could you want from a book? It is well-crafted and full of probing questions, compelling stories, and astute analyses.

Much of the controversy is about Rob Bell's position on what happens after we die, specifically whether or not he is a universalist. In my reading of the book, he certainly does not use that term to describe his theology, nor does he even carve out a position that I would interpret as universalism. At most, I would say that he leaves the door open for that possibility (mainly because who is he - or any of us - to say what God can or cannot do).

I really enjoyed chapter 6, entitled "There Are Rocks Everywhere." The title is in reference to the rock that Moses strikes in Exodus 17 that gives the Israelites water. Bell then identifies this same rock in 1 Corinthians 10 from which all the Israelites drank. Funny thing is, though, that this rock is then identified by Paul as Christ. In other words, a millennium before Jesus was born, Christ was with the Israelites providing for them. Likewise, in the prologue to John's Gospel, Christ (the Word) is identified as being co-eternal with God and the agent of creation. All this to say, Christ is at work all around us - and all around others who don't even know it. This leaves open the possibility for Christ's work in people's lives without their calling him by name (like the Israelites) or even without their knowledge. Our God is a big God, and there are rocks everywhere.

One of the other things I like about the book is that he continually emphasizes the here and now as opposed to what happens after we die. He claims - and I think rightly so - that the Gospel is bigger than a message about what our ultimate destination will be. He continually affirms that heaven and hell can be experienced in this life, and that matters. Focusing exclusively on the afterlife gives very little meaning to the things of this life, yet Jesus, the prophets and all of Scripture spends much more time and energy focused on this life rather than the afterlife. We would do well to pay attention to that.

In the end, one of the things I take away from the book is that it has sparked this great theological debate, but it's not really a theological book. By that, I mean that Bell didn't set out to explain or defend a certain doctrine or theological perspective. Not that you can always separate these two, but he is writing as a pastor and not a theologian. His concern is for people who have been hurt in the past by hateful messages from the church about hell. His purpose is to open us up to the possibility of different ideas and to remind us that there is a different story about God's love that we need to tell.

This summer during the month of June, I plan to lead a 4-week Sunday School class on the book and the issues that it raises. I look forward to many good conversations. Feel free to post thoughts or questions here!

Methodist Monday - Methodist History Overview

Each Monday, I hope to write a little bit about The United Methodist Church. The topics will range from our history and theology to our current structure and challenges. If there is a particular topic you'd like for me to cover, just let me know!

Today: History Overview

This is a brief overview of the history of The United Methodist Church off the top of my head...

After Jesus's death, resurrection, and ascension, his disciples shared their beliefs about Jesus and what it meant to follow in his way with others. This Good News spread across the known world, and the church was born. For a millennium, the church (for the most part) was one - unified by its common leadership and theology. Then, in 1054, for various theological but mostly political reasons, the church split east and west into the Roman Catholic Church in the west and the Orthodox Church in the east. In the west, the Roman Catholic Church stayed (for the most part) unified until the Protestant Reformation in 1517 and the English Reformation in 1534, which gave birth to the Church of England.

In the 1700s, John and Charles Wesley, themselves sons of an Anglican priest, were studying for the priesthood at Oxford when they formed a small group that met together to pray, study, performs acts of mercy and justice, and hold one another accountable. This group became nicknamed the "Holiness Club." Through this experience, they realized the importance of small groups and having a methodical (that's where our name comes from) approach to discipleship. Their desire was for faith to come alive and transform their lives, the nation, and the world.

Thus began the Methodist movement as an attempt to revive and reform the Church of England. They organized small groups, preached in public (rather than only in cathedrals), went on missionary trips, and much more. Both Wesley brothers had their hearts "strangely warmed" in 1738 as they became convinced of God's love for them and ignited a fervor across England and her colonies. The movement grew and spread within and beyond the Church of England, all with John's brilliant organizational abilities providing legs to it and Charles's beautiful hymns providing a voice.

The Methodist movement was thriving in America in 1776. As war broke out, the Church of England recalled her priests back to England, leaving those of a Methodist persuasion in America without ordained leadership to order the church or perform the sacraments. The Methodists pushed forward with strong laity, but there was great need for clergy as well. John Wesley petitioned those in the Church of England repeatedly to send priests to America and provide pastoral leadership to the people there, but his requests were denied. So, in 1884, Wesley took matters into his own hands. Citing extraordinary circumstances and reasoning that he was already acting as a de facto bishop for the Methodists, he consecrated Thomas Coke as superintendent for the Methodists in America and sent him across the Atlantic, where Coke organized a new church with the Methodists already there: the Methodist Episcopal Church. Coke and Francis Asbury were made the first bishops.

As the nation began to expand westward, so did the church. Little Methodist meeting houses popped up across the frontier and travelling preachers known as Circuit Riders were assigned areas of responsibility. They would travel from place to place - on a circuit - to hold quarterly meetings with congregations, to celebrate the sacraments, to preach, and to share in fellowship. As cities began to form and churches became established, pastors were appointed to serve these station churches. The methods and focus of disciple-making shifted from the small group class meetings of early Methodists to Church School. Hospitals, colleges, nursing homes, and orphanages were founded, and the church continued to grow.

As you can see, the history of Methodists in America closely parallels that of our nation. The church was born around the time of our nation, has a similar governing structure and philosophy, and struggled with many of the same issues. One of the biggest issues for the first several decades was slavery. The African Methodist Episcopal Church and the African Methodist Episcopal Church Zion broke away and remain separate denominations. The church split north and south in 1844, foreshadowing the Civil War. In fact, at the time, the Methodist Episcopal Church had more people attending worship than any other denomination, and some scholars have speculated that if the church had been able to work out its differences on this issue, perhaps the nation would have as well.

North and south reunited in 1939, along with a smaller break-away Methodist denomination called the Methodist Protestant Church, to form the Methodist Church. Then, in 1968, the Methodist Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) to form The United Methodist Church. We get the "United" from the EUB church.

Today, The United Methodist Church is the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States behind the Southern Baptists. We have just under 8 million members here and more than 11 million worldwide. Our mission statement is to "make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."

Sunday's Sermon - The Woman at the Well

The primary scripture text for Carol's sermon today was the lectionary text from John 4, which is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. Carol began the sermon by talking about college basketball and rivalries, specifically between Duke (her alma mater) and North Carolina. She likened this rivalry to the Jews and Samaritans of Jesus's day. She went on to talk about the woman - what we know about her and what we can speculate about her. In the end, she is someone who is broken and thirsting for something in her soul - just like all of us. Jesus offers her living water, life-giving water, and reveals himself to her (a Samaritan woman of all people!) as the messiah. And, of course, Jesus offers the same to us.

One of the lasting impressions I have of this woman is how much she is changed - for the better - by her encounter with Jesus. She begins the story as an outcast of sorts, drawing water from the well by herself in the heat of the day rather than with the other women during the cool of the morning or evening. She begins the story ashamed of her past, not willing to tell Jesus her tale. She begins the story with resentment toward the Jews, and probably even toward men in general. She begins the story thirsty. But in the end, she comes to believe in Jesus because he already knows her tale, and she tells her entire village. She is the first evangelist, completely changed by her encounter. Our God is a God of transformation. How am I part of God's transforming work in the world and in people's lives?

Secondly, I am reminded of the profound importance of knowing someone else's tale. When she realized that Jesus knew her - not just knew about her, but knew her down to her soul - it made all the difference. She opened up to him and had a life-changing encounter. And so, I am left wondering, "Who knows my tale? Whose tale do I know?"

Finally, I am challenged by this woman's willingness to tell others about Jesus. I picture her going through the village, knocking on people's doors, shouting in the streets and the marketplace, talking to everyone she passes about Jesus, the promised messiah. When is the last time I shared about Jesus like that?

Feel free to comment below with responses to any of these questions, or pose your own!

Thursday Theology - Guilt

Oops! I haven't posted in a week! Daily disciplines have always been a struggle for me on my journey of faith. This blog is a nice microcosm of that. My typical pattern is to begin a practice, have it interrupted for some reason, stop doing it altogether, and then feel guilty about it. For example, I began blogging daily at the start of Lent and did pretty well for a couple of weeks. Then, this weekend, I had a fever and stomach bug and didn't blog. I haven't picked up the practice again until now, which I, of course, feel guilty about.

So, time to get back on the horse!

Since I am feeling guilty for not blogging, why don't I start there today! Guilt is a tricky topic as it relates to faith, especially when we begin to wade into the waters of ontological guilt in concepts like original sin and the atonement. But that's not the kind of guilt I want to write about today. I want to write about feeling guilty - like I have failed, let someone down, or been inadequate.

Guilt can serve two purposes. One is good; the other, not so much. Good guilt motivates us to change. In it, we recognize our deficiency and work to rectify it. As Christians, we might call this conviction and repentance. It can be a means through which God's grace works in us to make us more holy, turning away from destructive behaviors toward life-giving ones. This good guilt doesn't stay with us because we are changed by it.

The bad guilt, though, is what I think most of us experience more often. This guilt hangs around, doesn't let go, and can even attach itself to our soul like a parasite and suck the life and joy out of us. It tells us that we are not good enough, that we have failed, that there is something wrong with us, that we are not worth redeeming. This guilt comes from many different places and for various reasons. Sometimes it is an act we have done in the past that we are ashamed of and cannot move beyond. Sometimes it is simply not living up to someone's expectations. Sometimes it is realizing our own place and role in the misfortune or oppression of others (e.g. white guilt). Whatever it is, I do not think this guilt is what God wants for us.

Yet, as Christians, we often get this guilt from one another and from the church. We receive a message that if we do not live up to a certain standard - like never doing anything bad but having a picture perfect life where everything is in order and we spend hours each day in prayer, study, and serving the poor all the while with great joy - then we are failing. I don't know anyone who lives up to that standard; I'm not even sure Jesus did! But I suspect that most Christians walk around with some sense of guilt that they are not a good enough Christians.

But do you know what? That is the exact opposite of what God wants for the life of faith! Romans 8:1-2 tells us, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death." Guilt is a symptom of condemnation, but we who are in Christ have been set free!

So, I know that getting past and getting rid of guilt isn't as easy as snapping your fingers are simply saying, "You shouldn't feel guilty." But really, we shouldn't feel guilty! Ours sins have been forgiven and we are loved right where we are. So may we begin to overcome our guilt and live into the newness of life, free to be ourselves!

Thursday Theology - Lent and Sacrifice

My sister sent me a link on Facebook yesterday to blog post entitled Eating Chocolate for Lent. I hope you'll take a moment to read it, as I did, because it offers an astute challenge from a feminist perspective to the practice of giving up something for Lent. For many, especially women, who are already habituated to sacrificing and submitting to the authority of others, this Lenten practice can be demeaning and self-deprecating rather than life-giving and life-affirming.

To me, Lent is an opportunity and even a challenge to us to be more intentional about our faith. Some do that by sacrificing something; some do that by taking on a habit or discipline; and some may simply need a reminder that they are loved by God and to find ways to dwell in that love. One thing is clear to me: a one-size-fits-all approach won't work. We must each try to discern what it is we can do (or not do) to be more intentional about our faith development during this season.

For me, I am blogging. It forces me to set aside time to think, pray, reflect, and write...each of which is a way that God can work in my life. Some years I have given up something, which has been a fruitful practice for me. Some years, I have not done anything. But whatever we do in Lent, it ought to be something that is grace-filled and not condemning...many of us get more than enough of that from others or even ourselves. How are you partnering with God this Lent?

The Word on Wednesday: John 2:1-11

Up until now, I have been pretty random with my blog posts, but last night it occurred to me that I might do well to have more of a structure or pattern to them. So, you will begin to notice some alliterative titles guiding me in the future.

I have been using Christ UMC's Lenten Devotion for my own devotional time during Lent. Today's reading was from John 2:1-11 in which Jesus performs his first miracle at a wedding in Cana of Galilee by turning water into wine. As I read the story this morning, I was struck more by what Jesus says in response to his mother telling him that they are out of wine than by the actual miracle: "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come."

What does Jesus mean by this cryptic statement? Perhaps he means that it's not time for him to reveal his true identity as the Messiah, and so he doesn't want to perform a miracle. But, he does perform a miracle, which indicates to me that either a) this is not what we means or b) he is doing it reluctantly only because his mother asked him to do so.

Another option for what he means, though, comes from a common phenomenon in John's Gospel. It seems as though people are often talking on a plain, literal, physical level while Jesus is speaking on a spiritual, deeper level. This Sunday's text from John 3 when Jesus says that you must be born again (or from above) and Nicodemus takes it as literally going back into your mother's womb.

If that is what is happening here, then while Mary is talking about actual wine, Jesus is perhaps talking about wine in a spiritual sense...the wine that is his blood, the cup of salvation. And his time has not yet come to offer it on our behalf (though we are anticipating it during this season of Lent). Jesus knows this is what the people at the wedding truly need - the gift of grace - and not more wine, but he gives them wine. Indeed, his gift of physical wine is a sign to them and to us of his gift of spiritual wine. May we all drink of this gift with grateful hearts!

Where Has All the Sci-Fi Gone?

Tonight marked the season, and possibly the series (it hasn't been renewed for next season yet, and there is much speculation that it won't be), finale of V. The original V was a mini-series and short television series back in the 1980s. Both series are about lizard-like aliens, disguised in human flesh, who come to earth in the spirit of peace, but who have ulterior motives. This updated version has (at least in my opinion) a better storyline, more relevant themes, and much improved special effects.

As you can tell from my brief description, V is a science fiction show. Sci-fi is my favorite genre for television and movies. One of things I love about science fiction is that it is able to make a commentary about our own world through telling a story about a different reality. The Star Trek franchise is particularly adept at this, with commentaries on topics ranging from the environment to war.

One of the aspects of V that has particularly piqued my interest has been its wrestling with issues of faith. One of the main characters and members of the Fifth Column is Jack, a now-defrocked Catholic priest. Through him, we see a constant tension and struggle between the greater good and the morality of individual actions - do the ends justify the means? The soul has also been a focal point as well. It appears as though the alien visitors do not have one, and their queen has been trying to isolate the human soul so that she can destroy it and thus crush the hopes of humanity - is their something in us that is eternal? Perhaps one of the most telling commentaries is that while Jack's faith guides and sustains him, the alien queen is able to hijack his religion through influencing the Vatican and make it her ally in her quest to dominate humanity - what role should organized religion play vs. individual spirituality?

All of these issues/questions and many more raised by the series are why I enjoy the show (once I get past the gore and violence) and the science fiction genre in general. There aren't a lot of great sci-fi shows these days...they simply don't get a large viewership and so they aren't as profitable as other shows. But I am thankful for the ones that are still around because they help me to see the world a little bit differently. I guess they are a little like parables in that way.

So, I leave you with a parable to ponder from Matthew 13:45-46 - "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it."

Sermon Reflections

I took the weekend off from blogging because my in-laws were in town, and we had a really nice weekend with them, including dinner at Sopapilla's and everyone at church on Sunday morning (this is quite a big deal for my father-in-law).

On Sunday, I preached about the paralyzed man in John 5 who spent 38 years waiting to get into the pool by the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem so that he might be healed. I talked about how his paralysis - his inability to move forward - was not just about his physical ailment but also about his mental and spiritual state. He was stuck because he placed boundaries and borders around God and God's activity, thinking that he could only be healed if he was able to get into the water. Then Jesus shows up and rocks his world!

I invited the congregation to think about the boxes that we put God in and reflect, during this season of Lent, on how we need to open ourselves up to different ways of thinking and new ways of doing things. I have been pondering all of this for myself as well, and here is where I am today. One of the boxes that I have is what it means to be a pastor; more specifically, what I do day in and day out as a pastor. I've realized that I am very comfortable at the church, where I can write sermons, prepare Bible studies, make phone calls, send e-mails, organize events, and the like. I enjoy all of these and do them well. But being a pastor (and in the end, being a disciple) isn't about staying inside the box that is the church building. It's about moving beyond the box to share God's love with those who aren't part of the church.

To be honest, much of what that looks like is uncomfortable and unknown to me. I have been part of the church my entire life, surrounded by a community of love and forgiveness. The last period of my life where I spent real, quality time with people who weren't Christians was in college. I am sure I interact with people who aren't Christians all the time...at the grocery store, at a restaurant, walking in the neighborhood...but I don't think I have a meaningful relationship with anyone who is not a Christian. Isn't that sad? And really, I'm not even sure how to go about making that happen.

As a pastor, it seems like one of the things I should be doing is cultivating relationships outside the church with at least part of the motivation being to invite my friends into a life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ. That's certainly what I encourage church members to do, but I don't do it myself. Part of it is simply a by-product of professional clergy - we don't have co-workers who aren't part of the church. Part of it is my natural tendency to be more introverted than extroverted. But part of it is a lack of openness to an expanded vision of what it means to be a pastor, and that's where I can change.

So, my hope is that God might give me a little push to get beyond this stuck point in my own life, and my prayer is that God will do the same for you!

The Beginning of a Good Work

"The One who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion" (Philippians 1:6)

On Wednesday, I mentioned the hunger meal of rice and beans that we do at Christ UMC on Ash Wednesday. I'm not really sure when or how this tradition started (maybe some of the Christ UMC folks can fill in the details), but I know it has been happening for several years. Volunteers provide the food and cook the meal (it's really quite tasty!), and it is free with donations going to a hunger ministry. This year, the Outreach Committee decided the funds would go to the Open Table, which is a ministry in Nashville seeking to mobilize resources to help the marginalized, specifically the homeless, especially those who were displaced from Tent City during the flood last year. They are doing some really great things.

Recently, I have been feeling something stirring inside of me around the issue of homelessness. I can't really define it and don't understand it yet, but something is happening. I think I am in the beginning stages of God calling me to do something about this issue. Again, not sure what. This Sunday, I am preaching about the paralyzed man in John 5 that Jesus healed. Part of the amazing thing about this story is that the man had great faith and thought he knew how God would heal him (through the waters of the pool). In the end, Jesus pushed him beyond his expectations, outside his mindset and the box in which he had put God's activity. I'm hoping to avoid that very pitfall by trying to keep an open mind and a willing heart and see what happens. I guess that's all anyone could ask of me at this point.

I am encouraged by the words above from Philippians 1:6. I know God has begun something in me, something good. I don't know what will happen or how it will end up, but I trust that together we will see it through to completion.

Rob Bell and Universalism

A friend from church e-mailed me last night to ask my opinion on Rob Bell's new book Love Wins: A Book about Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, which was originally set to be released on March 29th but has been moved up to March 15th after a promo video and some advanced copies got the Christian blogosphere up in arms with claims that Rob Bell was embracing universalism. He forwarded me a review of the book and asked me to respond. So, here are my thoughts:

There has been a lot of buzz about Rob Bell's new book, and it hasn't even hit the shelves yet! So, obviously, I haven't read it and can't really comment on the content of it yet. From the review, it looks like Tim Challies read an advance copy, which is not always the same as the final product.

One of the things I like about Rob Bell is that he thinks about things in a different way. He is very creative and uses wonderful images and stories. He also likes to ask a lot of questions and doesn't always give the answers. I actually think that is a really good thing, but it seems like the reviewers disagree: "Christians do not need more confusion. They need clarity." One of the biggest dangers that pastors/teachers/leaders in the church face is being utterly convinced that our way of thinking and our theological position is right/good/correct and all others are wrong/bad/improper. I think one of the signs of spiritual maturity is being able to wrestle with theological issues and being comfortable not always having an answer. Sometimes the best we can do when faced with the mystery of God is wonder.

Back to the issue of questions...I do think the reviewers are helpful when they point out that it matters how the questions are framed. And the way Rob Bell is framing the questions, he is challenging the standard evangelical doctrines of heaven and hell. My guess is this is really the whole point of his book - to get folks to re-examine these doctrines. Some would say this is a dangerous and destructive enterprise, but I personally believe that it is good and healthy and that the Church always needs to be open to the moving of the Holy Spirit, whether that movement is to change or to reaffirm.

The issue (heaven and hell) that the book addresses is a difficult one because you are dealing with the eternal destinies of people and the very character and nature of God, and there are many different perspectives throughout scripture and the history of the Church. Rob Bell seems to be challenging the one that has become dominant in today's evangelical circles, which basically states that Christians go to heaven when they die and non-Christians go to hell. Especially in our world today, where church attendance in the US is lower than in previous generations and we are exposed to and even in relationship with people of different religions, I think we need to examine this position. In the end, if we agree with it, it should increase our drive and motivation to share the Gospel with others. If we think another position is better, that's important too and should shape how we live.

It is certainly a theological issue that I still struggle with personally. Some days, I think there are very few of us who will be going to heaven (narrow gate, hard road, eye of the needle, etc.). Other days, I think we will all be there (1 Tim 2:3-6, John 12:32, Rom 5:18, etc.). Most of the time, though, I settle somewhere in the middle. As a United Methodist, Arminianism is part of our heritage. It stands in contrast to Calvinism and states that God's desire/will is for all of humanity to be saved and grace is extended to each of us, but we must ccoperate and respond to the grace offered to us. To me, it best satisfies the tension between the nature of God's love (which one might think means all go to heaven) and the passages of scripture that talk about the eternal destiny of the wicked. But even within an Arminian framework, there is still wiggle room on the exclusivist-inclusivist-pluralist spectrum.

The one thing that I do believe strongly and hold to unswervingly is that salvation comes through the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Again, within that lies some wiggle room. Does one have to believe in Jesus Christ and confess him as your Lord and Savior? What does that mean for infants and children who die? If God's salvation is extended to them without belief and confession, can it be to others? What about the person who never hears about Jesus? Or who is taught that Christianity is evil? Is God's grace big enough to extend to them? What about the faithful and devout Buddhist or Hindu or Muslim or Sikh? What about Jewish folks, God's chosen people? In the end, I tend to land somewhere in the inclusivist camp because I think that God's grace is big enough to extend beyond what we call Christianity and that people of other faiths are sometimes (often?) responding to God's grace in Jesus Christ without knowing or naming it.

When all is said and done, I have more questions than answers. And it certainly is not my place to judge others and decide their eternal destiny. I will leave that to God. But I am left to trust in God's grace offered to me through Jesus Christ, and to share that Good News with others.

Ash Wednesday

This year for Lent, I am once again taking on the discipline of journaling online. I hope you will join me on this journey toward the Cross and the Resurrection.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season. This evening, Christ UMC will be worshiping together with St. John's Anglican Church at 6:30 after a hunger meal of beans and rice (more on that another day). The Ash Wednesday service is a somber and solemn service designed to help us confront two realities that we would usually prefer to avoid: our mortality and our sinfulness.

These two realities are difficult for us to think about, let alone discuss. But they are two things that unite all of humanity. We will all die, and we all fail to live up to God's hopes and expectations for us. Fun thoughts, I know. But it is important for us to consider both of these, even if it is just once a year. When faced with each of them, and especially both of them together, we gain a greater understanding of God's grace. Both of them point to our great need for something divine beyond ourselves, because without it, we really do not have a reason for hope. Without God's grace, death is the end, our life ending in defeat. Without God's grace, we are lost in our trespasses, with no chance of overcoming. Without God's grace, our very existence is toil and futility.

But praise be to God that we are not left on our own, but that through Jesus Christ we have the promise of redemption, reconciliation, forgiveness, regeneration, and even eternal life. In order to realize fully each of these, we must see our need for them that God alone can supply.

So, as we begin the Lenten season, my prayer is that we might become more aware of who we are in Jesus Christ and trust more fully in God's grace.

New Season

I haven't written a blog post since my Lent discipline of daily blogging. As I enter into this new season as associate pastor of Christ UMC in Franklin, I hope to maintain more of an online presence and to be able to connect to people more in this way. My plan is to blog, tweet, and update Facebook much more regularly.

Just a quick update on our life right now...

We moved to our new home in Spring Hill on June 21st, said farewell to the wonderful folks of Bethpage UMC on June 28th, and received a warm welcome at Christ UMC on July 4th. Those transitions alone would have been enough to raise the stress level and anxiety in our household, but in addition to all of that, our daughter Becca has been in the hospital for almost a week and a half, looking at her lack of weight gain and growth. After much prayer, thought, conversation, and consternation, we have decided that the best thing for her will be to get a G-tube. Now, we are waiting for them to schedule the surgery (hopefully today, but more likely tomorrow).

I am also getting ready to head out of town to go to MAP for a week. It should be a lot of fun, and I am really looking forward to spending a week with some folks from Bethpage and reconnecting with friends from Atlanta, but the timing is not the best with trying to get Becca's surgery done, adjusting to a new routine, and settling into a new church. But, that's life! The craziness of this summer will continue with a week here in Tennessee followed by a week at Aldersgate Camp in KY, a week back here, and then several days in Chicago for a wedding and to celebrate our 5th anniversary. I think everything will be great, but I'm sure it will also be nice to be home for awhile afterwards and allow things to get back to some sense of normalcy. But for now, back to the madness!

Father, Forgive Them...

At our Good Friday service this evening, we sang songs about the cross, read the story of Jesus' crucifixion, and meditated on the stations of the cross. For me, it was a moving and powerful experience that brought tears to my eyes. I was especially struck by Jesus' words, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." Forgiveness is a hard thing even in the best of circumstances. And pretty much every instance of forgiveness I can think happens after the fact. Someone wrongs you, you are hurt and upset, and eventually you are able to forgive. Here I recall Gregory Jones' definition of forgiveness as more than simply not wishing harm upon someone, but as truly desiring their good and their benefit.

But at his crucifixion, Jesus offered this forgiveness while the people were doing him wrong and harm, while he was suffering and dying. What an amazing testament to our Lord and Savior, and what a high calling we now have placed upon us.

The Last Supper

At our Maundy Thursday service this evening, I talked about last meals and mentioned what some people from history and from movies chose as their last meals. Then I asked what we would choose to do for our last meal. Finally, I talked about what Jesus did at his last meal. He shared in the Passover meal and transformed it into a powerful symbol for us as his future followers: the bread, his body; the cup, his blood. He ate with his disciples: those whom he loved and cared about and acted as representatives for all of humanity. And he chose to serve them by washing their feet. Jesus' last meal was an act of love. Will his example of service and our sharing in his body and blood inspire us to live our lives as an act of love?

The Widow's Mite

The story of the Widow's Mite is found in Luke 21:1-4 and reads as follows:

He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed our of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on."

I have preached and taught on this text before, usually on the subject of stewardship. I, along with other pastors, often talk about the importance of the percentage that you give rather than the dollar amount. We talk about giving sacrificially and not just out of your abundance. And I think these are all true and valid points.

But I noticed something different in the text today. The text tells us that the widow gave all that she had. It wasn't just a large percentage; it wasn't just a big sacrifice; she gave everything. And in the end, that is what Jesus Christ offered to us on Good Friday and what he asks from us in return...all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. All. Are we willing to give as Jesus did?

Parable of the Wicked Tenants

One of the parables that Jesus tells during his last week of life is the Parable of the Wicked Tenants in Luke 20:9-19. In it, Jesus tells a story of a man who plants a vineyard and then leases it to some tenants while he is living far away. He sends a series of servants to the vineyard to collect his rent or share of the produce, but the tenants beat up the servants and send them away empty-handed. The man then sends his own son to collect, but the wicked tenants kill the son. The man then comes, kills the tenants, and gives the vineyard to others.

Now, I think the symbolism in the parable is fairly obvious. The man is God, the tenants are Israel or at least the leaders of Israel, the servants are the prophets, the son is Jesus, and the new vineyard workers are the followers of Jesus.

As I read the passage today, something caught my attention. In verse 14, the motivation for the tenants' murderous act is revealed: "let us kill him so that the inheritance may be ours." Their motivation is not to get the owner off their backs. It is not because they hate the son or really wish him harm. It is not even that they simply want to be able to do what they want to do. Their motivation is greed.

Especially in Luke's Gospel, Jesus is portrayed as an itinerant preacher who goes around proclaiming the good news. And this good news is about the kingdom of God coming near and is told particularly to the poor and marginalized. Jesus' message is that you don't have to be part of the religious elite or the ruling powers to participate in what God is doing in the world. In fact, if you are part of those groups, it might even impede your ability to be part of God's kingdom. These are radical teachings, both then and now!

So we can see why the religious and political authorities weren't too fond of Jesus. He was a threat to them and his teaching called into question their power and even their standing with God. It's no wonder they had him killed! They were greedy and afraid they might lose their power, wealth, status, and authority. As a middle-class white American, I can certainly relate. Lord, help me not to be greedy with what I have - money, possessions, power, education, status, and much more - so that I might not miss out on being part of your Kingdom.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

During Holy Week, I have decided to write about a particular story or teaching of Jesus from the final week of his life. As a church, we are following Luke's account of Holy Week for our worship services for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter, and I will be using Luke's account of the rest of Jesus' last week as well.

The story of Jesus cleansing the temple is probably familiar to most of my readers. In some of the gospels, it is much longer, describing Jesus turning over tables and making a whip to chase out people. Luke's gospel, however, provides a much shorter, simpler, and more direct version. Luke 19:45-46 reads as follows:

Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; and he said, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer’; but you have made it a den of robbers.”

Jesus here references two passages from Old Testament prophets: Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11. Without these references and the accounts from the other gospels, this passage would be quite confusing. Why is Jesus upset? What drives him to such action? But we know that people had perverted the practice of worship through sacrifice for the benefit of themselves and their own wealth, and Jesus couldn't stand by and let it continue.

When is the last time you saw or heard of something that so offended your sense of justice (in the biblical meaning, not the political one) that you couldn't help but act? If I'm honest with myself, this really hasn't happened in quite some time, and I'm ashamed to admit it because there is so much injustice, oppression, and evil in the world. Instead of noticing it, though, I too often turn a blind eye and pretend like it is not there. And so this day I offer a simple but dangerous prayer: "Lord, give me eyes to see and ears to hear."

Ain't No Rock

Today was Palm Sunday, and this morning I preached on the text from Luke describing Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. I focused on the reply that Jesus gave to the Pharisees when they asked him to silence those who were praising him: "If these were silent, even the stones would shout out."

I spent some time talking about how we, as humans, are created to be in relationship with God and to worship God. We lifted up several Bible verses that tell us that creation itself - from the heavens to the mountains to the trees to the rocks - offers glory to God. Then I made the point that we are the chief creation of God, and we are called to lead the rest of creation in the worship of God - not just by singing praises or attending church one hour a week, but by our entire lives being offered to God. Finally, I challenged the congregation not to let the rocks cry out in their place, but to live their lives as an act of worship to God. I invited everyone to take a small rock with them and to place it somewhere they would see it everyday to remind them not to let the rocks cry out in our place.

I, too, took a rock and am placing it in our bathroom (not sure Nancy will be too thrilled about having a dirty rock laying around, but whattaya gonna do). The bathroom is pretty much the first place I go in the morning when I wake up and the last place I go before climbing into bed in the evening. My hope and prayer is that this simply rock will remind me to live my life as an offering to God each and every day, and at the end of the day it will challenge me to reflect back and see where I have fallen short and resolve to do better through God's grace tomorrow. If you received a rock today, I pray the same for you.

Wesley Fellowship Groups

This is a make-up post. I had done great all through Lent, and then I simply forgot to do a blog post yesterday. Earlier in the day I had decided on a topic, but when the evening rolled around and Kentucky lost and Becca was sick, the blog just slipped my mind. I'm sure God still loves me, though :)

Yesterday morning I attended a training event led by Bishop Wills at Bethlehem UMC down in Franklin about Wesley Fellowship Groups. It was a great event with a packed house - well over 100 clergy and laity in attendance. The topic was small group discipleship in the Methodist tradition. Wesley called his groups "Class Meetings" and "bands." Today, we have several different names for them, but Bishop Wills calls them "Wesley Fellowship Groups."

Before being elected to the episcopacy, Bishop Wills served Christ Church in Ft. Lauderdale Florida and implemented a huge program of Wesley Fellowship Groups, with over a thousand people participating in them by the time he left the local church to serve as a bishop. He got the idea when he travelled to South Africa and saw the Methodists there had continued the practice instituted by John Wesley of meeting together in small groups for covenant discipleship.

After hearing all the stories of lives changed and ministries happening through these groups, I am convinced that this is the best way to do discipleship, especially in our United Methodist tradition. Each group has a leader who invites others to be part of the group. The leader is not expected to teach or preach or be an expert, but simply to facilitate the group as they study together and watch over one another in love. Part of what gets built into the group is a desire to spawn new groups, so the leader often has an apprentice who will one day lead a group. The groups meet together weekly, usually in someone's home and often around a meal (or at least some snacks).

Bishop Wills described five key ingredients in the recipe for these groups: Fellowship, Worship/Prayer, Study, Accountability, and Mission/Outreach. Each ingredient is essential and none should be neglected, although different groups will have various amounts of the ingredients depending on the emphasis they desire.

I truly do believe that these kinds of groups are the key to renewal in our churches. Through them, people form deep relationships and true community happens. People grow in the love, grace, and knowledge of God. And people live out their faith in real, tangible, and challenging ways. If we were to start these groups in all of our churches, what an amazing work God might do through the power of the Holy Spirit. There is no limit to what God can accomplish through small groups of committed disciples of Jesus Christ!