Why do we do what we do?

Many of you know that my mornings are unlike most clergy who get to walk across the street to their offices, or drive a block or two. My office is 26 miles away. In this economy of rising gas prices, I guess I could choose to run two marathons a day, but I choose to drive. Good choice.

Most mornings I fill my long commute with the sounds of Mike and Mike in the Morning. I'm a big sports fan and so this gets my juices flowing as I drive, drink my coffee, and prepare for my day. I love their interviews, their guests, and their way of providing entertainment. I also listen, because more than making me think about sports, it makes me think about much, much more.

This morning, they were interviewing Bonnie Bernstein. She is noted for her sideline reporting during sporting events. I've never thought that those reporters had the easiest job and it was confirmed during the interview.

One of the questions that was asked dealt with the interviews with coaches either at half-time, or immediately following a game. The guys were asking her about how awkward that moment must be. Basically, they were asking, "Why do you do that? Why do we insist on aking coaches questions when we know how hard it is? Why is that a part of a broadcast?"

Her answer was simple. She acknowledged how difficult it is to get a sound bite or an answer out of a coach during those moments of frustration, but that there is always a chance that you are going to get something. There is always a chance that you are going to get that one good answer, ask that one good question, get that one nugget.

That made me think about what we do every day and even ask the question, Why do we do what we do?

On this Pentecost weekend, I think its about getting that one chance to make a difference in someone's life, making a difference in such a way that we continue to press on toward the goal line in hopes of making a kingdom difference. It isn't always easy, we don't always get confirmation or the right answer - but there is always that one little moment . . .

And it all makes sense, God makes a difference. And before we know it, more and more lives are influenced, more and more lives are saved.

Is God done with the Church?

Relevant, alive, growing, vital, faithful, fruitful, Spirit Filled: these are words that describe a church that not only listens to the breath of God, but is making impact in the world.

Irrelevant, dying, stagnant, unimportant, irreverent, rotting, and self-centered: these words describe a church that is listening to its own self interests, not making an impact, and will be soon a vision of the past.

What kind of church do you want to be? Where would you choose to worship? Does either church exist? Further, will the church exist?

I bombastically and probably flippantly expressed recently that the church may not exist in a few years if we don’t follow the leading of God. I wasn’t referring to any particular church, but maybe referring to denominations and even to the church that exists today in our society. I suspect that the person had thought about that recently and had a firm reply. It was so firm that my bombastic and flippant statement was revealed as rather shallow and myopic.

The response made me think a little more than my initial rant. The person said rather eloquently, “God may be done with certain churches or denominations, but God will never abandon the church. The church will always exist.”

Maybe I was giving into the pessimism that exists within society or a news report about declining membership trends. Maybe I was thinking about an upcoming denominational gathering and the lack of movement forward. But what I was not thinking about was how God relates to his creation and how God’s foundation for the church is Jesus Christ, and not me or anyone else.

I think that can be confirmed this week, as we anticipate Pentecost. Pentecost is a season, or a Sunday when we can be reminded and affirm the notion that God sent the Holy Spirit to teach us, inspire us, move us, fire us, temper us, and even move us to be the church that God is calling us to be. The Holy Spirit was sent not only to begin the church, but so that it might thrive.

C.S. Lewis writes in The Weight of Glory, “That structural position in the church which the humblest Christian occupies is the eternal and even cosmic. The church will outlive the universe; in it the individual will outlive the universe. Everything that is joined to the immoral head will share his immortality. We hear little of this from the Christian pulpit today. What has come of addressing the forces on this subject, I found that one of my audiences regarded this doctrine as “theosophical.” If we do not believe it let us be honest and relegate the Christian faith to museums. If we do, let us give up the pretense that it makes no difference.”

On Sunday, we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit that has the power to make us Relevant, alive, growing, vital, faithful, fruitful, Spirit Filled. We must seek what God is sending to us. Let us pray that we might seek that this day and eternally.

This week, we are confirming our hope that God is not through with us yet. We are celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism for two of God’s perfect miracles. I hope that you come and fill yourself with the Spirit that is promised. We will also have an opportunity to thank God for the love that makes Mother’s possible. I look forward to welcoming the Spirit together.

Please pray for me, and know that I am praying for you.
Greg

Getting Close to the Fire

The secretary of the church just returned from a week of vacation in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Her extended family went away for a week of camping and relaxation.

For all intents and purposes, it was a great week to go camping. There were no major storms that hit their area and the weather was generally cooperative. However, the expectations of warm temperatures were met by the unexpected cooler temperatures that we experienced last week.

The secretary was telling me all about the week and how it was just nice to be away. It was a nice relaxing week away. But, she explained, the evening temperatures were much cooler than they expected. They had a bonfire each night, and some in the family even pulled out some heavy coats.

She continued, “But you can imagine what it was like with 27 people all huddled around the camp fire. By the end of the week we couldn’t get close enough to get warm. By Friday night, we had to build three separate camp fires.”

Have you ever had the experience of talking to someone and get stuck on one thing that the person said to you? You think about what they said, and you don’t hear much of what they said after that? That’s what I experienced when I heard that statement about the fires.

I know that I am probably unlike other people. I sit and hear stories and think about the theological implications. I go to movies and look for the Christ figure. I think about everyday situations and conversations, and look for God.

So back to the conversation; I was struck by the theological significance of that one statement. “Try to imagine 27 people huddled around the camp fire. By the end of the week we couldn’t get close enough to get warm. By Friday night, we had to build three separate camp fires.”

There is a message in that statement. I think the message is about the church and about our relationship with Christ. Often our relationship in church happens in a group. We grow and we grow in our relationship, that sometimes we grow so close that we can’t help but split up into separate groups. Our relationship with Christ is the same way. We are attracted so much by the fire of Christ that burns within us, that we can’t help but to want to be closer to the light, the fire. Sometimes, the only way that we can get closer is to divide.

Last’s week’s E-pistle was about small groups. I called them accountability groups. This is another way of thinking about a small group. It is a group of people getting closer to each other and to Christ. At some point, however, small groups can only get so close – and they need to make more fires.

This campfire made me think of the early church and how it grew. Acts Chapter 2, with which many of you are familiar says,

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. . .Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

We are getting closer to camp fire season; the program year is about to begin. As we move closer and closer to the end of summer and the beginning of what you might call the church calendar year, we will have more and more opportunities to grow closer together and to Christ. One of those opportunities will be in October when the whole church will be studying together, “Treasures of the Transformed Life” as we look at how God is calling us to be the church. You can look at it as time around the camp fire. I hope that you will find those opportunities to get warm and to invite others to the fires of Life and Hope.

Remember, It only takes a spark . . .

“Dear Lord, we thank you for all that you have given to us, and for the message of your love and grace. Help us in these summer days, to grow closer to you and to those we call brothers and sisters in Christ. Give us the opportunities to open our circles to others, to share the message and to multiply those who are being saved. You are such an awesome God. Amen.”

This week, I will begin a two part series on our Sacraments in the church. This week we will be discussing and receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Have a blessed week, and I hope to see you in worship.

Please pray for me, and know that I am praying for you.

Greg

Wrinkles and All

Our parsonage is a flurry of activity this week. We are getting new carpet this Thursday on the first floor. That doesn’t sound that complicated, until you hear what you have to do in order to get the carpet. If you’ve been through this – you can relate.

The girls asked initially if we needed to move all the furniture. We were happy to say “no, the carpet installers will do that.” However, there was a “but” at the end of that sentence.

All of the books on the bookshelf need to be taken down. The knickknacks need to be put somewhere safe. The china in the china closet needs to be taken away. The computer needs to be disconnected, and the stereo too.

All of this sounds simple, until I tell you that with the exception of the kitchen and the play-room; the entire first floor, the stairs leading upstairs, and the landing at the top of the stairs are being carpeted. It would be quite easy if we could move the aforementioned stuff into the other room, but it’s just not that simple. We have to find space for all that stuff amongst the space that we won’t have carpeted, and where it will cause the least disruption. “Guess what kids? Your toy room is not just a toy room this week!”

There’s not much of a choice. (Last night however, I found that the dumpster is an excellent alternative.)

We’re getting new carpeting in the parsonage because the present carpeting is just plain worn out. No one has records to know exactly when it was installed, but it is at least 10 years old by some estimations. That may not be that old for some, but this carpeting has seen better days. The main problem is the wrinkles that have developed over the course of the past two years. They have gotten only become worse. It is stained, worn in the high traffic areas, and cleaning the carpet has only made the situation dire.

There have been times when we have tried to limit the amount of eating that happens in the family room, but those efforts have largely failed. Three children under 8 years listen well, until they see dad drinking his coffee in his recliner.

Well – Thursday’s it! The lady of the house has laid down the law! When the carpet is installed, there will be no more eating in the family room!

Wow! Just think of it. No more popcorn while watching a movie. No more fruit loops while watching Hannah Montana. No coffee or oatmeal watching the Today show. Oh the humanity!

We have to change our ways – and now!

This has made me think about how hard it is for us as Christians to truly repent. To repent is to change, truly change – 180 degree change. When we repent, we move away from our former self or a former way of life and we move in a new direction.

In Acts chapter 2, Peter is preaching to a multitude with the message of repentance. In verse 38 he says, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

What a wonderful promise. Like our carpet, we have a chance to start over when we repent. In the end we are washed clean. No more wrinkles (spiritually speaking) and no more stains. But even then we have work to do. We must continue to deny that former self and all that stuff we used to do, so that we can remain clean.

July is not the traditional season of repentance, but what a great time to think about it. What do you need to remove from your life or change in order to be made new?