Sunday Night @ 7 p.m. – Games at the Mulder’s Home
Address: 4179 Blair Street Hudsonville MI 49426
Phone: 669-7856
Monday afternoon:
The Mulder’s are also having a U of M Rose Bowl Party;
It is for Water’s Edge friends as well as Sara’s friends.
Beginning around 4:30 p.m. with the game at 5 p.m.
Feel free to take munchie food to either thing;
But don’t feel obligated to take food.
We’ve eaten enough recently.
Have a GREAT & safe weekend!
Randy
Friday, December 29, 2006
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Our man died...
Gerald R. Ford died on Dec. 26. We're from West Michigan. Grand Rapids. We was OUR man. He grew up here. He was elected to the House of Reps by our grandparents and their friends. He was OUR man.
Honestly, I wasn't a huge fan. I was a fan though. And I'm sensing sadness within myself tonight. Here is a partial reason he'll be missed. His words as he took over as our President:
August of 1974 - "I believe that truth is the glue that holds government together. Not only our government, but civilization itself. That bond, though stained, is unbroken at home and abroad.
In all my public and private acts as your president, I expect to follow my instincts of openness and candor with full confidence that honesty is always the best policy in the end. My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over."
Sweet words. Words of hope. Words of goodness. Oh, I crave a politcal voice who could lead us with honesty again.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
No Gathering on Dec 24
Water's Edge met last night (Friday). We will not be meeting together on Sunday.
Monday, December 04, 2006
More wisdom... from my boy
So, today I'm in the Jeep with my son for a while, and out of nowhere he asks, "Dad, does God have kids?"
SMACK!
The easy answer? Umm. So, I answered, "Yes, Jesus is God's son."
So, now God has a son. Of course, God has a Son, but a son?
I just found it to be a profoundly deep question. Our simple answer isn't exactly right. We consider Jesus God's son, and yet not in the same sense that we think of kids.
And it also made me think: Perhaps the simple Trinity analogy of Augustine, now nearly 2000 years old, could be improved. People all too quickly get up in arms whenever we begin to hope for a better explanation of the Trinity.
Yet, we have hoped for better understandings of God, a.k.a. better theology, since the beginnings of time. We have idolized the early church fathers, the reformers, and a few theologians here and there... BUT we seem unwilling to reconsider our understanding of the Trinity?
I'm sure we can do better if we only dare. My answer for my son was less than helpful... perhaps helpful for a four year old but totally helpless for me...
SMACK!
The easy answer? Umm. So, I answered, "Yes, Jesus is God's son."
So, now God has a son. Of course, God has a Son, but a son?
I just found it to be a profoundly deep question. Our simple answer isn't exactly right. We consider Jesus God's son, and yet not in the same sense that we think of kids.
And it also made me think: Perhaps the simple Trinity analogy of Augustine, now nearly 2000 years old, could be improved. People all too quickly get up in arms whenever we begin to hope for a better explanation of the Trinity.
Yet, we have hoped for better understandings of God, a.k.a. better theology, since the beginnings of time. We have idolized the early church fathers, the reformers, and a few theologians here and there... BUT we seem unwilling to reconsider our understanding of the Trinity?
I'm sure we can do better if we only dare. My answer for my son was less than helpful... perhaps helpful for a four year old but totally helpless for me...
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Thank you for 'the Jesus'
We're only a day away from Thanksgiving, and tonight my son reminded me of that which is truly significant. He often begins his bedtime prayer with "Thank you for the Jesus."
While I think it's cute; after all, he has no concept of the Trinity, and at four years of age he doesn't 'get' too much of this Jesus thing yet. Still, he's probably more theologically correct than many adults.
Tonight when I reflected on giving thanks for 'the Jesus,' I was reminded of Stan Grenz sharing how we (as followers of Jesus) often pay no attention to who of the three in the Trinity we are addressing in prayer.
So, my son is addressing either the Father or the Spirit, perhaps both. Way to go son... and on a day before Thanksgiving I am deeply thankful for 'the Jesus' in a world that often seems chaotic.
Thanks for 'the Jesus' dear Father, dearest Spirit. May we live into the ways of the incarnate God as he showed us 'the way.'
While I think it's cute; after all, he has no concept of the Trinity, and at four years of age he doesn't 'get' too much of this Jesus thing yet. Still, he's probably more theologically correct than many adults.
Tonight when I reflected on giving thanks for 'the Jesus,' I was reminded of Stan Grenz sharing how we (as followers of Jesus) often pay no attention to who of the three in the Trinity we are addressing in prayer.
So, my son is addressing either the Father or the Spirit, perhaps both. Way to go son... and on a day before Thanksgiving I am deeply thankful for 'the Jesus' in a world that often seems chaotic.
Thanks for 'the Jesus' dear Father, dearest Spirit. May we live into the ways of the incarnate God as he showed us 'the way.'
Monday, November 13, 2006
Honesty and Relationality
Talking through Acts 12 tonight, somehow I brought up the Ted Haggard thing. Since I brought it up, I want YOU to give some serious thought to the way the evangelical church has treated this crisis...
A friend of mine from California, Ryan Sharp, wrote some thoughtful stuff here! Check it out.
I encourage YOU to comment on Ryan's post back here...
A friend of mine from California, Ryan Sharp, wrote some thoughtful stuff here! Check it out.
I encourage YOU to comment on Ryan's post back here...
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Letter from a friend...
Hey Gang,
At the end of August a friend of mine, Christy Statema, showed up at one of our gatherings on Sunday nights. She is currently a Fuller Seminary student... About a month ago I received this from her. (It is also helpful to know that we were mentioned as a community in a recent book entitled Emerging Churches by Ryan Bolger and Eddie Gibbs, professors at Fuller.
Christy wrote:
So yeah Last night I ate dinner at Dean McConnells house and guess who was sitting at my table. None other than Ryan Boldger. I told him the story of how I randomly showed up at your "emerging church." I remembered the t-shirts that you guys have... speaking of which do you have any more of those you would like to send my way!! "Don't go to church... be the church"
Anyways... I told him that I knew you. He asked how you guys were doing and I said good! It was cool because I was able to talk with him about what you guys are doing a little bit and tell him a little about the culture of the area! It was a really great convo. I am so pumped for what God is actually doing in West Michigan! Anyways... it is late but I just thought I would through that out there just in case your ears were ringing last night!
At the end of August a friend of mine, Christy Statema, showed up at one of our gatherings on Sunday nights. She is currently a Fuller Seminary student... About a month ago I received this from her. (It is also helpful to know that we were mentioned as a community in a recent book entitled Emerging Churches by Ryan Bolger and Eddie Gibbs, professors at Fuller.
Christy wrote:
So yeah Last night I ate dinner at Dean McConnells house and guess who was sitting at my table. None other than Ryan Boldger. I told him the story of how I randomly showed up at your "emerging church." I remembered the t-shirts that you guys have... speaking of which do you have any more of those you would like to send my way!! "Don't go to church... be the church"
Anyways... I told him that I knew you. He asked how you guys were doing and I said good! It was cool because I was able to talk with him about what you guys are doing a little bit and tell him a little about the culture of the area! It was a really great convo. I am so pumped for what God is actually doing in West Michigan! Anyways... it is late but I just thought I would through that out there just in case your ears were ringing last night!
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
a goood friend, writer, and blogger....
I've mentioned these friends of our in Washington D.C. There names are Mike & Stacy Stavlund. Madly in love with one another, struggled with pregnancy, and this spring they had twins. A few weeks ago the little guy, Will, died... His sister, Ella, still is growing like a weed...
Check out Mike's blog. He's a great writer, honest to the heart, and he and Stacy exemplify life in this kingdom... i am honored to call them friends... i say no more.
Check out Mike's blog. He's a great writer, honest to the heart, and he and Stacy exemplify life in this kingdom... i am honored to call them friends... i say no more.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Sunday morning this week!
Water’s Edge Friends,
This Sunday, Oct. 1, we will be gathering at ‘the space’ at 10 a.m. (in keeping with meeting in the mornings on the 1st Sunday of the month)
Breakfast stuff will begin around 10 a.m. with worship time following (sometime after 10:30 a.m.)
----> If you have some food to share, take it. If not, not to worry. We always have plenty!
----> If you have any musical gifts, we could use them this Sunday and next… Jon will be visiting family in France for another two weeks.
Blessings!
This Sunday, Oct. 1, we will be gathering at ‘the space’ at 10 a.m. (in keeping with meeting in the mornings on the 1st Sunday of the month)
Breakfast stuff will begin around 10 a.m. with worship time following (sometime after 10:30 a.m.)
----> If you have some food to share, take it. If not, not to worry. We always have plenty!
----> If you have any musical gifts, we could use them this Sunday and next… Jon will be visiting family in France for another two weeks.
Blessings!
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Oh God, hear our cry!
Over the past couple of years Kathy and I have connected with Mike & Stacy Stavlund of the Washingon D.C. area. Good people. Passionate Jesus people. Real to the core. Kingdom exhibitionists 24-7.
Yea see. They are in love. Faithful love. They've struggled to have kids for years. Now this past May their first kids arrived. A comlete family - twins. Will & Ella Stavlund with glowing parents.
But Will had only two fully developed chambers in his heart. Yet, he grew. He glowed. Mom and dad and a thousand people around the world cheering and praying him forward. I know I mentioned it, but these are people that are hard to find. As I said, they are kingdom exhibitionists.
We got home from vacation late Friday night, five days without phone or wi-fi service. Quiet. Relaxing. Good.
But, we also came home to news that Will died rather suddenly this past Tuesday. Airline tickets are hard to find; we're still hoping for a flight. More importantly, if you read this, please say a prayer for Mike and Stacey and Ella. Please!
Oh God, hear our cry!
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Practices for Faithfulness
As we have been reflecting on our journey, our callings, and what we need together to be faithful, I thought it would be good to identify some essential practices that we have been using to some degree or another. Some of these certainly need more attention than they have had, but I think we are at a place where they need to be named. To me, these practices seem to be the baseline practices for shaping a people who have the capacity for honoring authentic mission, developing a biblical imagination, and embodying the life of the reign of God. Of course, each of us will need other practices for our particular challenges and gifts, and those will need to be sorted out together, but I propose that we identify these (or something like these) as practices we will share with intentionality and resolve.
We make space to pray together.
Throughout our gathering, we will speak to God and listen for God to speak to us. We give voice to our prayers in song, in spoken words, and we give attention to God through our prayers of silence and listening.
We make space to share our joys and struggles.
This time is an opportunity to share what you need to share. Some questions we are asking each other now are: What was the best thing you experienced last week? What was the toughest thing you faced? Where did you see beauty? Where did you see people in pain? What has Jesus been teaching you lately?
We make space to reflect on the world around us.
In this time, we learn what to look for in the world around us, and how to identify and engage in the work of the kingdom in the places we find ourselves. We consider questions like: What is really happening? Where are people in pain around me? Where do we see the need for the presence of God's reign? Where do we perceive the kingdom coming around us? What opportunity does our presence bring into these places? What are we powerless to do? What is God calling into being around us? What is rebelling against God around us?
We make space to listen to God through the scriptures.
This is a time for us to rehear the story of God and the people of God; to develop a biblical imagination, to reflect on the meaning of the text, and to listen to the direction of the Spirit through the meditation on the scriptures.
We make space to identify and discern our calling.
This is an opportunity, not an obligation, for people to voice: a sense of calling, requests for direction, and reports on missional engagement.
We make space for service together.
This is not necessarily a formal action, but often it will be. Service together may take the form of mutual service in prayer, sharing a meal, listening, rejoicing and sorrowing. It may take the form of cooperative service to others in serving food, cleaning, building, praying, listening or other actions.
Our lives are shaped by the things we make space for--the things we regularly engage in or disengage from. Because of the many forces at work in our culture that would claim that space from our lives (and thereby shape our lives for us in ways that are counter to the reign of God), we need to engage in specific practices to shape our lives according to the call of God, directed by the Spirit in the way of Jesus. These practices are not just for us, but for the sake of the world God loves--to enable us to be a people who easily and naturally love our neighbors and our enemies, who do justice and mercy, who announce in word, and embody in action, the reign of God.
We make space to pray together.
Throughout our gathering, we will speak to God and listen for God to speak to us. We give voice to our prayers in song, in spoken words, and we give attention to God through our prayers of silence and listening.
We make space to share our joys and struggles.
This time is an opportunity to share what you need to share. Some questions we are asking each other now are: What was the best thing you experienced last week? What was the toughest thing you faced? Where did you see beauty? Where did you see people in pain? What has Jesus been teaching you lately?
We make space to reflect on the world around us.
In this time, we learn what to look for in the world around us, and how to identify and engage in the work of the kingdom in the places we find ourselves. We consider questions like: What is really happening? Where are people in pain around me? Where do we see the need for the presence of God's reign? Where do we perceive the kingdom coming around us? What opportunity does our presence bring into these places? What are we powerless to do? What is God calling into being around us? What is rebelling against God around us?
We make space to listen to God through the scriptures.
This is a time for us to rehear the story of God and the people of God; to develop a biblical imagination, to reflect on the meaning of the text, and to listen to the direction of the Spirit through the meditation on the scriptures.
We make space to identify and discern our calling.
This is an opportunity, not an obligation, for people to voice: a sense of calling, requests for direction, and reports on missional engagement.
We make space for service together.
This is not necessarily a formal action, but often it will be. Service together may take the form of mutual service in prayer, sharing a meal, listening, rejoicing and sorrowing. It may take the form of cooperative service to others in serving food, cleaning, building, praying, listening or other actions.
Our lives are shaped by the things we make space for--the things we regularly engage in or disengage from. Because of the many forces at work in our culture that would claim that space from our lives (and thereby shape our lives for us in ways that are counter to the reign of God), we need to engage in specific practices to shape our lives according to the call of God, directed by the Spirit in the way of Jesus. These practices are not just for us, but for the sake of the world God loves--to enable us to be a people who easily and naturally love our neighbors and our enemies, who do justice and mercy, who announce in word, and embody in action, the reign of God.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Lenses for Acts
I mentioned last night a few lenses that we might look through as we approach the Acts of the Apostles. Here they are again.
1) Kingdom Lens 1: Inauguration & Implementation:: Pay attention to the ways in which the church continues the mission of Jesus. How is the church to implement what Jesus started? How does the church do the "greater things than these" that Jesus talked about?
2) Kingdom Lens 2: the Church as Agents, Colonies, and Heralds:: Look for the ways in which the believers act as agents (doing the work of the kingdom), colonies (embodying the life of the kingdom), and heralds (announcing the kingdom).
3) Culture Lens: Israel mission, Gentile mission:: Pay attention to who is being addressed, and why it matters what is said, what stories are told, and how people respond.
4) Salvation Lens: Kingdom Coming & the Spirit as the Guarantee of God's Future:: Pay attention to what salvation looks like as the kingdom arrives in each situation. How did the prophets understand salvation, and why did the disciples see the events around them as the initial arrival of what the prophets hoped for?
5) Exodus Lens: Hearing the Echoes of the Exodus:: Pay attention to the language of exodus. If the believers then understood what was happening as a New Exodus, what do you hear in Acts that sounds similar to stories from the first Exodus? What is fresh and new? What is rooted in Israel's story?
6) Character Lens: Finding the Character of Obedience:: (I think this is Jon's lens. He'll correct me if I missed it.) Try reading Acts, not looking for a blueprint for organizing an institution, but to see people who were being surprised by God, directed by God, and stumbling forward in the power of God and in spite of themselves.
1) Kingdom Lens 1: Inauguration & Implementation:: Pay attention to the ways in which the church continues the mission of Jesus. How is the church to implement what Jesus started? How does the church do the "greater things than these" that Jesus talked about?
2) Kingdom Lens 2: the Church as Agents, Colonies, and Heralds:: Look for the ways in which the believers act as agents (doing the work of the kingdom), colonies (embodying the life of the kingdom), and heralds (announcing the kingdom).
3) Culture Lens: Israel mission, Gentile mission:: Pay attention to who is being addressed, and why it matters what is said, what stories are told, and how people respond.
4) Salvation Lens: Kingdom Coming & the Spirit as the Guarantee of God's Future:: Pay attention to what salvation looks like as the kingdom arrives in each situation. How did the prophets understand salvation, and why did the disciples see the events around them as the initial arrival of what the prophets hoped for?
5) Exodus Lens: Hearing the Echoes of the Exodus:: Pay attention to the language of exodus. If the believers then understood what was happening as a New Exodus, what do you hear in Acts that sounds similar to stories from the first Exodus? What is fresh and new? What is rooted in Israel's story?
6) Character Lens: Finding the Character of Obedience:: (I think this is Jon's lens. He'll correct me if I missed it.) Try reading Acts, not looking for a blueprint for organizing an institution, but to see people who were being surprised by God, directed by God, and stumbling forward in the power of God and in spite of themselves.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Sunday, August 6
THIS Sunday we will be keeping with our rhythm of meeting in the morning on the first Sunday of the month. We will meet at the water’s edge space at 10 a.m. for breakfast.
Worship will follow the food and coffee.
Have a great weekend!
Randy
P.S. The Buist Group will be bringing pancake stuff.
Worship will follow the food and coffee.
Have a great weekend!
Randy
P.S. The Buist Group will be bringing pancake stuff.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Rethinking Church
Here are some condensed thoughts from what I shared on Sunday night. This is the boiled down version of some stuff I've been thinking about in terms of an ecclesiology for where we live.
Conceptually Deep
The church is understood as larger than one localized organizational expression. It takes no pride in one particular expression, and remains open to taking on or letting go of forms as necessary for the particular calling of that particular group in a particular time. Thus all forms of church are understood as functional for mission, and not elements or tools for social distinction.
Functionally Cooperative
Action undertaken in cooperation with other disciples of Jesus with intention for mission is more important than ‘success’ of a particular brand. Wherever people work together under the direction of the Spirit, the church is doing its work. Cooperative Partnership is on a relational level (not necessarily on an institutional level). Loyalty is to the kingdom rather than a particular organizational brand.
Structurally Open
Invitation without coercion. Opportunity and invitation to deeper commitments to spiritual development and missional activity, but with safeguards against social bullying, arrogance about one’s own development, and social hierarchy.
Structurally Complex
Being a part of multiple communities among people who identify with other particular “congregations” or no congregation at all. The church for such people is multi-locational, multi-relational, and determined by intentionality and cooperative activity in multiple societal contexts.
Conceptually Deep
The church is understood as larger than one localized organizational expression. It takes no pride in one particular expression, and remains open to taking on or letting go of forms as necessary for the particular calling of that particular group in a particular time. Thus all forms of church are understood as functional for mission, and not elements or tools for social distinction.
Functionally Cooperative
Action undertaken in cooperation with other disciples of Jesus with intention for mission is more important than ‘success’ of a particular brand. Wherever people work together under the direction of the Spirit, the church is doing its work. Cooperative Partnership is on a relational level (not necessarily on an institutional level). Loyalty is to the kingdom rather than a particular organizational brand.
Structurally Open
Invitation without coercion. Opportunity and invitation to deeper commitments to spiritual development and missional activity, but with safeguards against social bullying, arrogance about one’s own development, and social hierarchy.
Structurally Complex
Being a part of multiple communities among people who identify with other particular “congregations” or no congregation at all. The church for such people is multi-locational, multi-relational, and determined by intentionality and cooperative activity in multiple societal contexts.
Friday, July 14, 2006
The Conversion of Religious
A pastor friend of mine from the Twin cities wrote the following this morning. I think it's worth a few minutes of consideration.
[quote]
Religious people are big into conversions. I know, I am part of the religious system. I really don't like thinking of myself that way, but it is true. (When I am forced to tell people I am pastor I feel like apologizing, like a great-grandchild from the John Wilkes Booth family.) [end qoute]
I sometimes wonder if we are really serious about helping people become followers of Jesus or if we are looking for lip service with a small commitment that won't incovenience? If we are serious about helping people follow Jesus and the ways of Jesus, it seems that we would be willing to invest the lenght of our lives into their lives. Instead, we stay for three or five of ten years before moving onward.
In other words, we still view ourselves more like missionaries who are converting and moving toward other fields rather than life long friends who walk alongside... and we wonder why people often change the subject when we tell them we are pastors.
Thus, projects such as water's edge. We're hoping and trying to re-imagine church and pastoral roles. We believe the ways of Jesus are exciting for all people if only we could better live into those ways. Let's together live into this journey of following Jesus.
[quote]
Religious people are big into conversions. I know, I am part of the religious system. I really don't like thinking of myself that way, but it is true. (When I am forced to tell people I am pastor I feel like apologizing, like a great-grandchild from the John Wilkes Booth family.) [end qoute]
I sometimes wonder if we are really serious about helping people become followers of Jesus or if we are looking for lip service with a small commitment that won't incovenience? If we are serious about helping people follow Jesus and the ways of Jesus, it seems that we would be willing to invest the lenght of our lives into their lives. Instead, we stay for three or five of ten years before moving onward.
In other words, we still view ourselves more like missionaries who are converting and moving toward other fields rather than life long friends who walk alongside... and we wonder why people often change the subject when we tell them we are pastors.
Thus, projects such as water's edge. We're hoping and trying to re-imagine church and pastoral roles. We believe the ways of Jesus are exciting for all people if only we could better live into those ways. Let's together live into this journey of following Jesus.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
JULY 9: At the Space
Water's Edge will meet at 'the space' today.
We are starting a short set of reflections on the church called "Making Sense of Things."
i'll be sharing some of my thoughts on the Church and some initial reflections on where we're headed.
See you tonight at 5pm.
Peace,
Joel
We are starting a short set of reflections on the church called "Making Sense of Things."
i'll be sharing some of my thoughts on the Church and some initial reflections on where we're headed.
See you tonight at 5pm.
Peace,
Joel
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Hope... for all people...
Today was a good day, a very good day. I took time, or found time for people. Time for play. Time for conversations. Time to make others believe they were meaningful. Time is always in short supply. Lack of time keeps us too busy. Today I decided to chuck my entire agenda and it was so good - so kingdom good, as if it was kingdom kissed.
Tonight was good. Met with a young couple only weeks away from marriage. Great hope for their future. Watched a bit of Grey's Anatomy on the recorder and realized that we are so riveted by television when there is reason to hope. And I watched some coverage of Guantanamo Bay and its ability to drain humans, created in God's image, of nearly all hope.
The ways of the kingdom are about hope. A hope for a better tomorrow. A hope for a future. A hope to prosper. So, are we people who bring hope to brokenness, or do we bring indictments? Do we bring healing or do we make people fully aware of all of their broken parts?
If we are talking work, we need to be aware of our coworkers. How are we talking about them? How are we helping direct their lives in a hopeful direction? If we are talking neighborhoods, how are we bringing real hope to people who have succumbed to the world of bigger and better?
As I end this amazing day, I am saddened by two things: That the day was not longer and that my country is holding hundreds of men who have done nothing wrong (State Department admissions) but we are denying them of all hope for their future. On this matter, I can only say, "God help us."
Good night and good luck.
Tonight was good. Met with a young couple only weeks away from marriage. Great hope for their future. Watched a bit of Grey's Anatomy on the recorder and realized that we are so riveted by television when there is reason to hope. And I watched some coverage of Guantanamo Bay and its ability to drain humans, created in God's image, of nearly all hope.
The ways of the kingdom are about hope. A hope for a better tomorrow. A hope for a future. A hope to prosper. So, are we people who bring hope to brokenness, or do we bring indictments? Do we bring healing or do we make people fully aware of all of their broken parts?
If we are talking work, we need to be aware of our coworkers. How are we talking about them? How are we helping direct their lives in a hopeful direction? If we are talking neighborhoods, how are we bringing real hope to people who have succumbed to the world of bigger and better?
As I end this amazing day, I am saddened by two things: That the day was not longer and that my country is holding hundreds of men who have done nothing wrong (State Department admissions) but we are denying them of all hope for their future. On this matter, I can only say, "God help us."
Good night and good luck.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Calling all youth pastors...
If you have been a youth pastor, are currently, or are considering... watch this video. It's funny as can be, but be sure to watch the entire thing...
While it's the funniest thing I've seen in a while, it speaks volumes of truth. It forces us to consider the role of youth pastors, and I wonder if they are not more signficant to the church than senior pastors... really.
While it's the funniest thing I've seen in a while, it speaks volumes of truth. It forces us to consider the role of youth pastors, and I wonder if they are not more signficant to the church than senior pastors... really.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
A long post: Some thoughts I'm thinking these days.
Groups of Jesus’ disciples needed today will:
1. honor the present situation.
-there is a tendency for the institution to serve itself. To do this it paradoxically offers personal enhancement at the expense of negating the value of people’s contribution to the places they already are (workplace, school, home, neighborhood, etc.).
To honor the present situation is to take seriously the joys and pains of the people around you wherever you are. It is to honor the work that one performs, and invites one to see in that work an opportunity to be directed by and participate with the Spirit of God in God’s work in the world.
It does not dismiss or evade even the small nuicances of daily life, for each situation is an opportunity to cooperate with and depend upon the work of God--to become what we will be and to work to see that the world around us is becoming what it will be.
2. develop a biblical imagination
We need an imagination that is formed in the corporate recollecting of the believing tradition. This begins with a familiarity with biblical stories and the practice of listening and responding to God (prayer and worship). It will involve the remembering of the action of God in the past, and the promises of God for the future. It will involve reflection on the present and its cooperation or misalignment with the promised future of God. It will involve becoming familiar with context of the scriptures(both biblical and historical) and the context of our present situation (economics, ethics, politics, etc.).
3. listen for the Spirit to speak
-there is a tendency for us to defer to the expert—to the neglect of the voice of the “non-expert”. We will not seek to listen merely to the expert, but will listen for the Spirit—however the word may come.
To listen in this way requires humility, patience, courage, and mutual submission. It requires humility that seeks the truth without assuming one already has the answer. It requires patience that gives place for others to come to conclusions and decisions as they are ready. Patience is also required with one another when there is disagreement. The will to love must be stronger than the will to win. It requires courage when action must be taken and there are those who still disagree. Such action ought not be taken without regret and gentleness toward those who disagree. It requires mutual submission that sets aside one’s own preferences for the benefit of the others—for the Spirit’s voice to be heard and not merely one’s own.
4. respect the personhood of everyone.
-there is a tendency to grow impatient with others whose development we perceive as slow or retreating. We will not tell others what they ought to do without their invitation to do so. We will pay careful attention to Jesus’ warnings against condemning people for behavior we ourselves are guilty of—and tend first to the logs in our eyes before pointing out the slivers in the eyes of others. We have spent enough time fighting against other people’s wrongs, perhaps it is time we address the wrongs we have done. Such attention will bring patience and compassion for the other and the difficulty of life in this present age.
5. allow others to offer challenge.
If we will not tell others what they ought to do without their invitation (without their permission to have such authority in their lives), what will be required is that we must give that permission to others. This will require trust and vulnerability. It will require that we learn how to obey others so we may obey God. Obedience, not in the sense of being ‘lorded over,’ but in the sense of admitting that we don’t always do what is right and need someone to tell us what the right thing is and to make sure we do it. It is the desire to do right—even when we find that to be the difficult thing.
We will allow others to challenge us because we trust that they have our best interests in mind, and also that they share with us a larger concern for learning together how to become what we will be—to become more fully human, to enter and receive the reign of God, to will and to work God’s good pleasure, etc.
This will require a mutual submission, of course, and that means more than just one person giving permission for others to challenge and direct. Without such mutual permission giving, there will be little formation and much deception. Without such submission, we will not have the opportunity to hear someone tell us, “No, you cannot do that,” and so learn that we cannot do whatever we feel like. Nor will we find opportunities to hear how we might do things differently. Without such submission, we will stand side by side in our personal prisons of denial and deception (lying both to ourselves and to others).
1. honor the present situation.
-there is a tendency for the institution to serve itself. To do this it paradoxically offers personal enhancement at the expense of negating the value of people’s contribution to the places they already are (workplace, school, home, neighborhood, etc.).
To honor the present situation is to take seriously the joys and pains of the people around you wherever you are. It is to honor the work that one performs, and invites one to see in that work an opportunity to be directed by and participate with the Spirit of God in God’s work in the world.
It does not dismiss or evade even the small nuicances of daily life, for each situation is an opportunity to cooperate with and depend upon the work of God--to become what we will be and to work to see that the world around us is becoming what it will be.
2. develop a biblical imagination
We need an imagination that is formed in the corporate recollecting of the believing tradition. This begins with a familiarity with biblical stories and the practice of listening and responding to God (prayer and worship). It will involve the remembering of the action of God in the past, and the promises of God for the future. It will involve reflection on the present and its cooperation or misalignment with the promised future of God. It will involve becoming familiar with context of the scriptures(both biblical and historical) and the context of our present situation (economics, ethics, politics, etc.).
3. listen for the Spirit to speak
-there is a tendency for us to defer to the expert—to the neglect of the voice of the “non-expert”. We will not seek to listen merely to the expert, but will listen for the Spirit—however the word may come.
To listen in this way requires humility, patience, courage, and mutual submission. It requires humility that seeks the truth without assuming one already has the answer. It requires patience that gives place for others to come to conclusions and decisions as they are ready. Patience is also required with one another when there is disagreement. The will to love must be stronger than the will to win. It requires courage when action must be taken and there are those who still disagree. Such action ought not be taken without regret and gentleness toward those who disagree. It requires mutual submission that sets aside one’s own preferences for the benefit of the others—for the Spirit’s voice to be heard and not merely one’s own.
4. respect the personhood of everyone.
-there is a tendency to grow impatient with others whose development we perceive as slow or retreating. We will not tell others what they ought to do without their invitation to do so. We will pay careful attention to Jesus’ warnings against condemning people for behavior we ourselves are guilty of—and tend first to the logs in our eyes before pointing out the slivers in the eyes of others. We have spent enough time fighting against other people’s wrongs, perhaps it is time we address the wrongs we have done. Such attention will bring patience and compassion for the other and the difficulty of life in this present age.
5. allow others to offer challenge.
If we will not tell others what they ought to do without their invitation (without their permission to have such authority in their lives), what will be required is that we must give that permission to others. This will require trust and vulnerability. It will require that we learn how to obey others so we may obey God. Obedience, not in the sense of being ‘lorded over,’ but in the sense of admitting that we don’t always do what is right and need someone to tell us what the right thing is and to make sure we do it. It is the desire to do right—even when we find that to be the difficult thing.
We will allow others to challenge us because we trust that they have our best interests in mind, and also that they share with us a larger concern for learning together how to become what we will be—to become more fully human, to enter and receive the reign of God, to will and to work God’s good pleasure, etc.
This will require a mutual submission, of course, and that means more than just one person giving permission for others to challenge and direct. Without such mutual permission giving, there will be little formation and much deception. Without such submission, we will not have the opportunity to hear someone tell us, “No, you cannot do that,” and so learn that we cannot do whatever we feel like. Nor will we find opportunities to hear how we might do things differently. Without such submission, we will stand side by side in our personal prisons of denial and deception (lying both to ourselves and to others).
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Hey Friends,
Some critics suggest that the emerging church is all talk and no action. Well, join us on Saturday night at Rosa Park Circle to bring attention to the children of northern Uganda in connection with the Invisible Children.
Dana Doll is the organizer; nearly 900 people already signed up! See you there!!!
Sunday, April 16, 2006
A Few Thoughts on Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus means that Jesus was right.
What Mark had been saying several times before (This is my beloved son; Mark 1:11, 9:7), is demonstrated as God raises Jesus to life (Acts 2:32). If Jesus was right, and his ‘Way’ is the ‘Way’ God holds up and says, “Here it is. This is how it’s supposed to work,” then God’s people should look more like Jesus, and less like the Pharisees, Zealots, Essenes, and Herodians.
I think that this is actually a caution to us in the church. To say that Jesus was right is not to say that we’re right about Jesus. I think we have to keep asking whether what we say and what we do look more like Jesus, or more like something else?
Do we look like the Pharisees, loading people down with religious burdens and refusing kingdom entry to ‘certain’ people who want to come in? Do we look like the Zealots, fighting a holy war, letting the ends justify the means? Do we look like the Essenses, running away from the world into which we were sent to be a blessing, critiquing the ‘bad world’ from a safe and ‘righteous’ distance? Do we look like the Herodians, enjoying the benefits of privilege through compromise and complacency?
The world changed and nobody noticed.
To believe in the resurrection of Jesus is to believe that a cosmic shift has occurred. God’s promised work of healing the rift between heaven and earth began in the raising of Jesus.
Death, Paul says in 1 Corinthians, is the last enemy to be conquered.
1 Corinthians 15:24-26
“Then the end will come [Gk., eita to telos, “the goal will be reached”], when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
The universe became a different place when death, for one, was overcome. It was the taste of things to come, but it means that “things to come” have already come. God’s future, parts of it, are already in our past. The promises that God is going to bring healing and restoration to all creation, have already begun to happen.
The resurrection of Jesus means that our future hope is to share in the resurrection.
What happened to Jesus will happen for those who belong to Jesus. I don’t know if this challenges your ideas about the future, but for me, it is a whole different way of thinking about the big long Future. It is about heaven and earth coming back together, not people leaving earth for heaven.
1 Corinthians 15:20-23
Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
The language of ‘firstfruits’ says that Jesus was the first to experience something that everyone who belongs to him will also experience. This is not “going to heaven when you die.” That very well will happen, but it will happen along the way to resurrection. Heaven and earth were created to be together. Human beings were created as dust filled with God-breath: heaven enlivening earth. What happened for Jesus will happen for those who belong to Jesus.
The resurrection of Jesus means that there will be a kind of resurrection for the whole creation.
What happened to Jesus will happen for all of creation.
Romans 8:19-24
The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved.
Think about the Easter story and how it fits with the creation story. On the sixth day of the week, there is Jesus, the representative of humanity, the Second Adam, obeying God, trusting God, suffering the death, tasting full the curse. There is Pilate proclaiming, “Ecce Homo” (Behold, the man). And there on the seventh day, Jesus rests in the tomb, having completed his work. But then there is something new: an eighth day—or is it a New First Day? The first day of the new creation. Is this maybe what the Gospel writers were trying to say all along? That we are in the middle of God’s new work of New Creation—begun in Jesus, and being carried out by the Spirit who was there (in Acts 2 and in communities of Jesus’ apprentices ever since) hovering over, not waters, but people?
What if in God’s work of new creation, the reversal of the results of the curse involves the perpetrators in the work of repairing the shattered creation?
Of course, we shouldn’t kid ourselves and think that we can or will fix it. Ultimately, the healing (resurrection?) of creation is something only God can accomplish. But I think we are supposed to anticipate that future in how we order and conduct our lives.
The resurrection prevents us from mindless destruction and abuse of the creation (e.g., it’s all going to burn up anyway, so who cares what we do with it?), and from the unrealistic ideas of progressive triumphalism (where things just get better and better until we’ve made heaven on earth). Resurrection—of Jesus, of people, and of creation—is the work of the Creator. We cannot bring it about. But it is the future God will bring—is bringing, and has brought—and (and here’s the cool part) we are invited to get and give a taste of it here and now.
That is the bittersweet beauty of Jesus’ resurrection. It is beautiful because of what it has begun—because of what will happen. Heaven and earth will be reunited. Life and love will win over fear and death. We will find a kind of existence beyond our ability to imagine.
It is bittersweet because it is here only in glimpses. Glimpses of beauty in a sea of chaos, tragedy, violence, suffering, and destruction.
To be a resurrection community is to be a people of hope: A people who do not run away from the bitter seas of human suffering, but who bring attention to the glimpses of God’s beautiful future, and who, where they can, embody those glimpses of God’s future in their patience, in their joy, in their generosity, in their forgiving, in their gentleness, in their mercy, and in their love.
What Mark had been saying several times before (This is my beloved son; Mark 1:11, 9:7), is demonstrated as God raises Jesus to life (Acts 2:32). If Jesus was right, and his ‘Way’ is the ‘Way’ God holds up and says, “Here it is. This is how it’s supposed to work,” then God’s people should look more like Jesus, and less like the Pharisees, Zealots, Essenes, and Herodians.
I think that this is actually a caution to us in the church. To say that Jesus was right is not to say that we’re right about Jesus. I think we have to keep asking whether what we say and what we do look more like Jesus, or more like something else?
Do we look like the Pharisees, loading people down with religious burdens and refusing kingdom entry to ‘certain’ people who want to come in? Do we look like the Zealots, fighting a holy war, letting the ends justify the means? Do we look like the Essenses, running away from the world into which we were sent to be a blessing, critiquing the ‘bad world’ from a safe and ‘righteous’ distance? Do we look like the Herodians, enjoying the benefits of privilege through compromise and complacency?
The world changed and nobody noticed.
To believe in the resurrection of Jesus is to believe that a cosmic shift has occurred. God’s promised work of healing the rift between heaven and earth began in the raising of Jesus.
Death, Paul says in 1 Corinthians, is the last enemy to be conquered.
1 Corinthians 15:24-26
“Then the end will come [Gk., eita to telos, “the goal will be reached”], when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
The universe became a different place when death, for one, was overcome. It was the taste of things to come, but it means that “things to come” have already come. God’s future, parts of it, are already in our past. The promises that God is going to bring healing and restoration to all creation, have already begun to happen.
The resurrection of Jesus means that our future hope is to share in the resurrection.
What happened to Jesus will happen for those who belong to Jesus. I don’t know if this challenges your ideas about the future, but for me, it is a whole different way of thinking about the big long Future. It is about heaven and earth coming back together, not people leaving earth for heaven.
1 Corinthians 15:20-23
Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
The language of ‘firstfruits’ says that Jesus was the first to experience something that everyone who belongs to him will also experience. This is not “going to heaven when you die.” That very well will happen, but it will happen along the way to resurrection. Heaven and earth were created to be together. Human beings were created as dust filled with God-breath: heaven enlivening earth. What happened for Jesus will happen for those who belong to Jesus.
The resurrection of Jesus means that there will be a kind of resurrection for the whole creation.
What happened to Jesus will happen for all of creation.
Romans 8:19-24
The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved.
Think about the Easter story and how it fits with the creation story. On the sixth day of the week, there is Jesus, the representative of humanity, the Second Adam, obeying God, trusting God, suffering the death, tasting full the curse. There is Pilate proclaiming, “Ecce Homo” (Behold, the man). And there on the seventh day, Jesus rests in the tomb, having completed his work. But then there is something new: an eighth day—or is it a New First Day? The first day of the new creation. Is this maybe what the Gospel writers were trying to say all along? That we are in the middle of God’s new work of New Creation—begun in Jesus, and being carried out by the Spirit who was there (in Acts 2 and in communities of Jesus’ apprentices ever since) hovering over, not waters, but people?
What if in God’s work of new creation, the reversal of the results of the curse involves the perpetrators in the work of repairing the shattered creation?
Of course, we shouldn’t kid ourselves and think that we can or will fix it. Ultimately, the healing (resurrection?) of creation is something only God can accomplish. But I think we are supposed to anticipate that future in how we order and conduct our lives.
The resurrection prevents us from mindless destruction and abuse of the creation (e.g., it’s all going to burn up anyway, so who cares what we do with it?), and from the unrealistic ideas of progressive triumphalism (where things just get better and better until we’ve made heaven on earth). Resurrection—of Jesus, of people, and of creation—is the work of the Creator. We cannot bring it about. But it is the future God will bring—is bringing, and has brought—and (and here’s the cool part) we are invited to get and give a taste of it here and now.
That is the bittersweet beauty of Jesus’ resurrection. It is beautiful because of what it has begun—because of what will happen. Heaven and earth will be reunited. Life and love will win over fear and death. We will find a kind of existence beyond our ability to imagine.
It is bittersweet because it is here only in glimpses. Glimpses of beauty in a sea of chaos, tragedy, violence, suffering, and destruction.
To be a resurrection community is to be a people of hope: A people who do not run away from the bitter seas of human suffering, but who bring attention to the glimpses of God’s beautiful future, and who, where they can, embody those glimpses of God’s future in their patience, in their joy, in their generosity, in their forgiving, in their gentleness, in their mercy, and in their love.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Loose a friend, gain a daughter...
I came home from the hospital tonight to read this e-mail from Jason Evans:
My dear friend, hero and fellow church planter, Mark Palmer, has passed away. Mark was a beloved father to Micah - who turned 4 on Saturday, husband to beautiful Amy, son to Mr. and Mrs. Palmer, brother to C.J. and an encouraging friend to countless many. He planted a network of faith communities called, The Landing Place in Columbus, OH. He was a leader and friend amongst these communities up until he passed away this morning. Please pray for Amy, Micah, his parents, brother and the Landing Place community.
Mark's insurance rejected him about midway through his battle with cancer. Some have asked how they can help offset the overwhelming expenses for his care. I guess the best way would be to send checks to: Amy Palmer 64 King Ave Columbus, OH 43201
Brooke and I will be flying out to Columbus on Wed. night most likely. We will carry your prayers with us.
I miss my friend terribly bad right now. But I wrote this on my blog this morning: "... I refuse to be without hope. Even now, Palmer's steady, calm strength envigorates me and pushes me forward. What our enemy, Death, does not realize is that this has simply fueled our flame of chasing after Jesus' and his dream for this world even more passionately. Death will not win here, ultimately. Death's fate is already sealed. You will lose. Yahweh wins." Amen.
Jason
for the Collective
________________________________________________________
Earlier tonight I had written this:
Hey Friends!
Nadia Danae Buist arrived tonight at 6:34 p.m. (March 27) She weighs 6 lbs, 15 oz, and she is 19 inches long. Kathy & Nadia are resting peacefully after a good delivery.
Shalom,
Randy
_________________________________________________
As I weep, I wrote the following comment over at Palmer's blog:
This afternoon we celebrated the birth of our third child, Nadia Denae. Mom and baby are healthy. Tonight I came home to read about Mark's earthly journey coming to an end.
My wife, Kathy, met Mark several years ago. We've stayed up on your family since that time, and we've walked from a distance... all of this to say, I wasn't big on the name Nadia at first, but... it means 'to hope' or to be 'hopeful.' As I doubted the name and considered alternatives this afternoon, I kept thinking of Mark.
Yet, I had no idea of your pain this morning. In the midst of your pain, may you find hope. With more love than I can leave here.
Shalom,
randy buist
(for Kathy, Anna, Jaden, and Nadia too)
___________________________________________________
So, I think it's time to curl up on the couch and pray and cry and thank God and lament and cry and sleep -- hopefully in the arms of my God.
My dear friend, hero and fellow church planter, Mark Palmer, has passed away. Mark was a beloved father to Micah - who turned 4 on Saturday, husband to beautiful Amy, son to Mr. and Mrs. Palmer, brother to C.J. and an encouraging friend to countless many. He planted a network of faith communities called, The Landing Place in Columbus, OH. He was a leader and friend amongst these communities up until he passed away this morning. Please pray for Amy, Micah, his parents, brother and the Landing Place community.
Mark's insurance rejected him about midway through his battle with cancer. Some have asked how they can help offset the overwhelming expenses for his care. I guess the best way would be to send checks to: Amy Palmer 64 King Ave Columbus, OH 43201
Brooke and I will be flying out to Columbus on Wed. night most likely. We will carry your prayers with us.
I miss my friend terribly bad right now. But I wrote this on my blog this morning: "... I refuse to be without hope. Even now, Palmer's steady, calm strength envigorates me and pushes me forward. What our enemy, Death, does not realize is that this has simply fueled our flame of chasing after Jesus' and his dream for this world even more passionately. Death will not win here, ultimately. Death's fate is already sealed. You will lose. Yahweh wins." Amen.
Jason
for the Collective
________________________________________________________
Earlier tonight I had written this:
Hey Friends!
Nadia Danae Buist arrived tonight at 6:34 p.m. (March 27) She weighs 6 lbs, 15 oz, and she is 19 inches long. Kathy & Nadia are resting peacefully after a good delivery.
Shalom,
Randy
_________________________________________________
As I weep, I wrote the following comment over at Palmer's blog:
This afternoon we celebrated the birth of our third child, Nadia Denae. Mom and baby are healthy. Tonight I came home to read about Mark's earthly journey coming to an end.
My wife, Kathy, met Mark several years ago. We've stayed up on your family since that time, and we've walked from a distance... all of this to say, I wasn't big on the name Nadia at first, but... it means 'to hope' or to be 'hopeful.' As I doubted the name and considered alternatives this afternoon, I kept thinking of Mark.
Yet, I had no idea of your pain this morning. In the midst of your pain, may you find hope. With more love than I can leave here.
Shalom,
randy buist
(for Kathy, Anna, Jaden, and Nadia too)
___________________________________________________
So, I think it's time to curl up on the couch and pray and cry and thank God and lament and cry and sleep -- hopefully in the arms of my God.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Global war on terror...
I have this perplexing question in my mind... how does one fight a 'global war on terror'?
My reason for asking is this: As a follower of Jesus, I believe that evil exists. I also beleive it exists within all of us. So, I've shown my hand on this matter. As a theologian, I am at least a partial Calvinist. I believe we are all sinful, broken, and potentiallly destructive people.
So, how does one fight a 'global war on terror'? It seems a war against poverty, an assult on the AIDS virus, providing shelter for those without, and creating schools to educate are ALL more attainable goals. Those are all biblical goals.
It seems, from the biblical text, that eradicting evil needs to be left to Jesus Christ, God himself.
You need to know that I am not trying to take a potshot here. I believe this war has created one more means by which we entirely mess up the gospel story, and it results in us interpreting the bibilcal account wrong for another generation to follow.
My reason for asking is this: As a follower of Jesus, I believe that evil exists. I also beleive it exists within all of us. So, I've shown my hand on this matter. As a theologian, I am at least a partial Calvinist. I believe we are all sinful, broken, and potentiallly destructive people.
So, how does one fight a 'global war on terror'? It seems a war against poverty, an assult on the AIDS virus, providing shelter for those without, and creating schools to educate are ALL more attainable goals. Those are all biblical goals.
It seems, from the biblical text, that eradicting evil needs to be left to Jesus Christ, God himself.
You need to know that I am not trying to take a potshot here. I believe this war has created one more means by which we entirely mess up the gospel story, and it results in us interpreting the bibilcal account wrong for another generation to follow.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Emerging what?
Over dinner tonight, a good friend asked me if I was yet tired of this emerging church conversation. (?) As we talked through the question, it became clear that he, or at least some of his congregants, want clear definition.
In other words, we prefer a simple gospel that is easily understood. We prefer black and white because it is much simpler. Hmmm. So how does that word 'simpler' look? Why not present a gospel that is easy to digest? Why not say one thing is unequivocally wrong and another thing is unequivocally correct? It makes life easy. It avoids thinking. After all, we're too tired after a hard day of work to think about faith. We're too tired to be thoughtful. Just tell us what to believe preacher man!
And then my mind returns to the gospel. You choose the location. Jesus sitting on the beach as the sun comes over the horizon in the morning or Jesus in the town square or Jesus in a boat... And we have parables that we are still trying to fully understand two thousand years later. Yes, 2000 years later.
I sense that we prefer a simple gospel that is easily read. We prefer believing that everyday Christians can fully understand the text. That's what we want to believe. YET.
Yet, we also foster the belief that seminary, Greek and Hebrew included, as well as good exegesis are important to understanding the biblical text. So, good theologicans are important for a good understanding of the text... but they are not too important.
Ultimately, it gets us in a bind. It's like wearing (excuse me ladies) boxers with a constant weggie. OR, it's like the reformers claiming the 'priesthood of all believers' and yet never giving the congregants (those from the congregation) a platform to speak about what the Spirit is proclaiming in thier lives.
Perhaps I am even a bit conflicted as I hope for a church in homogenious Hudsonville to be embracing of mixed Chrisitan traditions, Christian and public school supporters, lovers of sinners regardless if it happens to be heterosexual lust or homosexual lust. Perhaps I am hoping for a manifestation of the kingdom in a community that has chosen to be an upper middle class community.
Yet, I must continue to hope for a better understanding of the biblical text lived out even in this community. I must take the words of Paul seriously.... faith, hope, and love.
I must hope that at least a few faithful are willing to surrender their pre-conceived notions of right and wrong in order to live more fully into the biblical text. And perhaps that means living a life that is not filled with lots of answers for the congregants. Perhaps it means I learn to ask more faithful questions: How is your marriage really doing? How can I walk with you through this valley of death? (or perhaps even, "May I just walk with you?") May I be your friend even though you're gay and I am not? How can you help me break racial barriers for the sake of my children?
But I'm not sure we're really after faithfulness that requires thoughtfulness. I think we prefer knowing 'right and wrong' in simple form... but it seems to fall a long ways from the gospel of Jesus.
In other words, we prefer a simple gospel that is easily understood. We prefer black and white because it is much simpler. Hmmm. So how does that word 'simpler' look? Why not present a gospel that is easy to digest? Why not say one thing is unequivocally wrong and another thing is unequivocally correct? It makes life easy. It avoids thinking. After all, we're too tired after a hard day of work to think about faith. We're too tired to be thoughtful. Just tell us what to believe preacher man!
And then my mind returns to the gospel. You choose the location. Jesus sitting on the beach as the sun comes over the horizon in the morning or Jesus in the town square or Jesus in a boat... And we have parables that we are still trying to fully understand two thousand years later. Yes, 2000 years later.
I sense that we prefer a simple gospel that is easily read. We prefer believing that everyday Christians can fully understand the text. That's what we want to believe. YET.
Yet, we also foster the belief that seminary, Greek and Hebrew included, as well as good exegesis are important to understanding the biblical text. So, good theologicans are important for a good understanding of the text... but they are not too important.
Ultimately, it gets us in a bind. It's like wearing (excuse me ladies) boxers with a constant weggie. OR, it's like the reformers claiming the 'priesthood of all believers' and yet never giving the congregants (those from the congregation) a platform to speak about what the Spirit is proclaiming in thier lives.
Perhaps I am even a bit conflicted as I hope for a church in homogenious Hudsonville to be embracing of mixed Chrisitan traditions, Christian and public school supporters, lovers of sinners regardless if it happens to be heterosexual lust or homosexual lust. Perhaps I am hoping for a manifestation of the kingdom in a community that has chosen to be an upper middle class community.
Yet, I must continue to hope for a better understanding of the biblical text lived out even in this community. I must take the words of Paul seriously.... faith, hope, and love.
I must hope that at least a few faithful are willing to surrender their pre-conceived notions of right and wrong in order to live more fully into the biblical text. And perhaps that means living a life that is not filled with lots of answers for the congregants. Perhaps it means I learn to ask more faithful questions: How is your marriage really doing? How can I walk with you through this valley of death? (or perhaps even, "May I just walk with you?") May I be your friend even though you're gay and I am not? How can you help me break racial barriers for the sake of my children?
But I'm not sure we're really after faithfulness that requires thoughtfulness. I think we prefer knowing 'right and wrong' in simple form... but it seems to fall a long ways from the gospel of Jesus.
Monday, February 27, 2006
War... what is it good for?
Watching the Shiite Muslims and Sunni Muslims attack and kill one another, I quickly wonder if they really believe in anything? Supposely, the Islamic faith promotes peace. And I wonder about the kind of witness they provide as they continue to kill one another.
Then I remember that the genocide in Rwanda was largely among two ethnic groups who claim to be Christians. And I need to be honest... Many of our nation's leaders claim to be 'born again Christians' and yet hundreds, if not thousands, of fellow Christians in Iraq have been killed by us in the past two years...
Then I remember that the genocide in Rwanda was largely among two ethnic groups who claim to be Christians. And I need to be honest... Many of our nation's leaders claim to be 'born again Christians' and yet hundreds, if not thousands, of fellow Christians in Iraq have been killed by us in the past two years...
Sunday, February 05, 2006
food...
When I consider our small faith commuity, I am reminded of the importance of communion over food and drink. Two weeks ago we had another group join us for a gathering, and we had great food as usual. To compliment one of the chef's of the evening, here's one great (and healthy) recipe.
Oriental Chicken Salad –recipe of Amy Wolthuis
2 T butter
1 pkg Oriental flavor Ramen
2 T sesame seeds
1/4 c sugar
1/4 white vinegar
1 T sesame or veg oil
1/2 t pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, cut up
4 green onions, sliced
16 oz cole slaw mix or one med head napa cabbage, shredded (I prefer the cabbage)
11 oz can mandarin oranges
Melt butter in skillet over med heat.
Break block of noodles into bite sized pieces over skillet and add to butter.
Cook 2 min, stirring occasionally.
Add sesame seeds and cook about 2 min longer, until noodles are golden brown.
Remove from heat and cool.
Combine Ramen seasoning mix, sugar, vinegar, oil & pepper.
Combine cabbage, chicken, onions and oranges.
Toss with noodles and dressing immediately before serving.
Serves 6 as a main dish. Omit chicken for a side dish, serves 8-10.
Oriental Chicken Salad –recipe of Amy Wolthuis
2 T butter
1 pkg Oriental flavor Ramen
2 T sesame seeds
1/4 c sugar
1/4 white vinegar
1 T sesame or veg oil
1/2 t pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, cut up
4 green onions, sliced
16 oz cole slaw mix or one med head napa cabbage, shredded (I prefer the cabbage)
11 oz can mandarin oranges
Melt butter in skillet over med heat.
Break block of noodles into bite sized pieces over skillet and add to butter.
Cook 2 min, stirring occasionally.
Add sesame seeds and cook about 2 min longer, until noodles are golden brown.
Remove from heat and cool.
Combine Ramen seasoning mix, sugar, vinegar, oil & pepper.
Combine cabbage, chicken, onions and oranges.
Toss with noodles and dressing immediately before serving.
Serves 6 as a main dish. Omit chicken for a side dish, serves 8-10.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Reflections from the anointing woman's closest female friend
Mark 14: 6-9
Reflections from the anointing women’s closest female friend
- Kathy Buist
When she asked me to come along to Simon’s house for a social gathering of friends, I eagerly accepted the invitation. I didn’t have anything else going on and was eager to meet this Jesus and his disciples that she kept talking about.
As we walked to Simon’s house, I noticed she was carrying a jar but didn’t think much of it. She often brought gifts when invited to someone’s home. For all I knew, most of the people who associated with Jesus brought one of these jars to these gatherings. So, I didn’t ask any questions.
When we arrived, she introduced me to many of the women. When I got involved in a conversation, she slipped away. After a few minutes, all of the conversations in the house stopped and a strange tension filled the house. Everyone slowly moved toward the source of the tension, the table where Jesus was sitting. I couldn’t believe what I saw. My friend’s jar was empty and Jesus’ hair was greased with ointment. Everyone just stared. Silence filled the room. I could sense that everyone wanted to crawl out of their skill.
I thought, “She’s done it again.” She never shies away from expressing herself and her emotions. You could tell that she adored Jesus and wanted to show him so. In a tight-chested community like ours, people never knew how to respond to her outpouring of emotions. I could tell that most of the people in the room felt embarrassed for her, as if she had just made a social fopa.
Have you ever been in a group conversation when someone says something inappropriate and the conversation just ends? Nobody knows how to respond. That’s how it felt at Simon’s house that day. Not only did others feel embarrassed for her, you could tell that they were judging her; saying to themselves, “How could she do such a thing?”
Then Jesus broke the tension and spoke. He defended her actions and rebuked all of us for our thoughts about what she did. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I had been in situations like this before with my friend always felt a sense of embarrassment to be associated with her. The interesting thing was that she never seemed to care to much what other people were thinking of her. If she did, she wouldn’t keep getting herself into situations like this. Now Jesus freed her from any public humiliation for her act and from any she had experienced in the past. His tone was such that I sense him communicating, “It’s o.k. She’s a beautiful person. You all have something to learn from her.”
How would you have reacted that day? What would your attitudes and feelings been like? Would you have judged her for her overt expression? Would you have noted her discernment? Could you have performed an act such as hers, giving everything you have to the Messiah? I think Jesus was right. We all have something to learn from my friend. I think I will continue to accept her invitations to social gatherings and embrace her beautiful expressions.
Reflections from the anointing women’s closest female friend
- Kathy Buist
When she asked me to come along to Simon’s house for a social gathering of friends, I eagerly accepted the invitation. I didn’t have anything else going on and was eager to meet this Jesus and his disciples that she kept talking about.
As we walked to Simon’s house, I noticed she was carrying a jar but didn’t think much of it. She often brought gifts when invited to someone’s home. For all I knew, most of the people who associated with Jesus brought one of these jars to these gatherings. So, I didn’t ask any questions.
When we arrived, she introduced me to many of the women. When I got involved in a conversation, she slipped away. After a few minutes, all of the conversations in the house stopped and a strange tension filled the house. Everyone slowly moved toward the source of the tension, the table where Jesus was sitting. I couldn’t believe what I saw. My friend’s jar was empty and Jesus’ hair was greased with ointment. Everyone just stared. Silence filled the room. I could sense that everyone wanted to crawl out of their skill.
I thought, “She’s done it again.” She never shies away from expressing herself and her emotions. You could tell that she adored Jesus and wanted to show him so. In a tight-chested community like ours, people never knew how to respond to her outpouring of emotions. I could tell that most of the people in the room felt embarrassed for her, as if she had just made a social fopa.
Have you ever been in a group conversation when someone says something inappropriate and the conversation just ends? Nobody knows how to respond. That’s how it felt at Simon’s house that day. Not only did others feel embarrassed for her, you could tell that they were judging her; saying to themselves, “How could she do such a thing?”
Then Jesus broke the tension and spoke. He defended her actions and rebuked all of us for our thoughts about what she did. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I had been in situations like this before with my friend always felt a sense of embarrassment to be associated with her. The interesting thing was that she never seemed to care to much what other people were thinking of her. If she did, she wouldn’t keep getting herself into situations like this. Now Jesus freed her from any public humiliation for her act and from any she had experienced in the past. His tone was such that I sense him communicating, “It’s o.k. She’s a beautiful person. You all have something to learn from her.”
How would you have reacted that day? What would your attitudes and feelings been like? Would you have judged her for her overt expression? Would you have noted her discernment? Could you have performed an act such as hers, giving everything you have to the Messiah? I think Jesus was right. We all have something to learn from my friend. I think I will continue to accept her invitations to social gatherings and embrace her beautiful expressions.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
leadership as a contemplative movement
The following is from Len over at Resonate. The full article can be found with this link.
Tonight I watched as my wife sat down on the couch. Within minutes of her resting her body there, one of our cats came and curled up on her lap. There is something irresistibly hospitable about a warm and restful person.
When I intentionally seek quiet and restful space, I encounter the Spirit of God. When we separate ourselves from busyness and distraction, He comes to brood over us. In that place of shared rest I have nothing to prove, no one to influence, no way to "succeed" except to be loved. Restful people become a welcoming place for the Spirit of God, and in turn can offer peace and rest to others.
The only way forward to a new kind of church is to become people of restfulness and contemplation. So long as we are driven to bring change, driven to be effective, we will only recreate the driven, oppressive, addictive and compulsive systems we have always known.
The greatest hope of influencing change is not our compulsive activity to shape a world different than the one we know, but to become the change we seek. That means becoming still.. risking the quiet and empty spaces... It means facing our own fears that there will be no one to offer approval.. no voice in the silence... no one to clap us on the backs to say "well done." I doubt if there is any greater challenge for an active people, any greater challenge for those who are passionate to see change, any greater challenge for those called to lead. But the only way we will see lasting change is if we become the answer we seek.
Tonight I watched as my wife sat down on the couch. Within minutes of her resting her body there, one of our cats came and curled up on her lap. There is something irresistibly hospitable about a warm and restful person.
When I intentionally seek quiet and restful space, I encounter the Spirit of God. When we separate ourselves from busyness and distraction, He comes to brood over us. In that place of shared rest I have nothing to prove, no one to influence, no way to "succeed" except to be loved. Restful people become a welcoming place for the Spirit of God, and in turn can offer peace and rest to others.
The only way forward to a new kind of church is to become people of restfulness and contemplation. So long as we are driven to bring change, driven to be effective, we will only recreate the driven, oppressive, addictive and compulsive systems we have always known.
The greatest hope of influencing change is not our compulsive activity to shape a world different than the one we know, but to become the change we seek. That means becoming still.. risking the quiet and empty spaces... It means facing our own fears that there will be no one to offer approval.. no voice in the silence... no one to clap us on the backs to say "well done." I doubt if there is any greater challenge for an active people, any greater challenge for those who are passionate to see change, any greater challenge for those called to lead. But the only way we will see lasting change is if we become the answer we seek.
Monday, January 09, 2006
A Few Thoughts on Vocation
1. What you are called to do depends on who you are and where you are. The shape of active missional engagement for a particular community is determined by the giftings and passions of that community, the deep needs in the social and geographical location of that community, and a shared awareness of and commitment to the direction of the Spirit for engagement.
2. The shape of active missional engagement should not arise out of negative pressures such as personal guilt-feelings, sources of fear, or envy of the particular activities of another community.
3. We must not fail to acknowledge the places we already are as the primary places for our missional engagement. Our jobs and our families and our neighborhoods are where we need to be doing what Jesus commanded, first and foremost.
4. Because of this (#3), the nature of discipleship in a missional community will necessitate regular practices of discernment. Specifically, critical questions of how to resolve conflict, demonstrate love, act as agents of peace, etc., in the workplace, the home, the market, and the neighborhood should be talked about with prayer and biblical/theological reflection, and, where appropriate, decisions made regarding specific steps of action.
5. We must recognize the assumptions we have received from previous church experience regarding the corporate activity of a believing community, and identify whether those assumptions are fair or not.
Previous Assumption A: Missions work done by a church must be organized and accomplished by the church.
Previous Assumption B: A church needs programs that are oriented in service to others.
Practical Result: Such work and programming places missional engagement within a parenthesis outside of “the rest of my life.” At the same time, it dismisses “the rest of my life” as the primary place into which I am sent as an agent of the kingdom (see #3).
6. We must pay more attention to the places we already are, and the responsibilities we already have, and help each other to be faithful agents of the kingdom in those situations. I don’t think we honor enough what we’re already doing where we already are as kingdom work (actual or potential).
7. Living from vocation demands that we spend time in prayer and in theological/biblical reflection so that we will have imaginations that are shaped by the resources of the scriptures through which the Spirit teaches and directs us.
2. The shape of active missional engagement should not arise out of negative pressures such as personal guilt-feelings, sources of fear, or envy of the particular activities of another community.
3. We must not fail to acknowledge the places we already are as the primary places for our missional engagement. Our jobs and our families and our neighborhoods are where we need to be doing what Jesus commanded, first and foremost.
4. Because of this (#3), the nature of discipleship in a missional community will necessitate regular practices of discernment. Specifically, critical questions of how to resolve conflict, demonstrate love, act as agents of peace, etc., in the workplace, the home, the market, and the neighborhood should be talked about with prayer and biblical/theological reflection, and, where appropriate, decisions made regarding specific steps of action.
5. We must recognize the assumptions we have received from previous church experience regarding the corporate activity of a believing community, and identify whether those assumptions are fair or not.
Previous Assumption A: Missions work done by a church must be organized and accomplished by the church.
Previous Assumption B: A church needs programs that are oriented in service to others.
Practical Result: Such work and programming places missional engagement within a parenthesis outside of “the rest of my life.” At the same time, it dismisses “the rest of my life” as the primary place into which I am sent as an agent of the kingdom (see #3).
6. We must pay more attention to the places we already are, and the responsibilities we already have, and help each other to be faithful agents of the kingdom in those situations. I don’t think we honor enough what we’re already doing where we already are as kingdom work (actual or potential).
7. Living from vocation demands that we spend time in prayer and in theological/biblical reflection so that we will have imaginations that are shaped by the resources of the scriptures through which the Spirit teaches and directs us.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
A Prayer over a Paycheck
Almighty God, Maker and Savior of the entire world,
You have provided for us in much and in little.
You have entrusted us with the care of this world,
Both through our work and in the fruit of our work.
We lay no claim to the resources represented on this paper.
Not just a tenth—All is Yours.
Not just three-tenths—All is Yours.
Let us use for our needs what you have provided for our needs.
Let us use for sharing what you have provided for the needs of others.
Teach us to live appropriately;
Not chasing the next and the new, but content with life in Your kingdom,
Not grasping for possession, but willing to sell all and follow Jesus,
Not succumbing to greed, but acting with generosity toward all.
Keep us from doing evil by withholding what You mean for others,
And deliver us from the fear of insecurity.
For You are the only Security there is.
Amen.
You have provided for us in much and in little.
You have entrusted us with the care of this world,
Both through our work and in the fruit of our work.
We lay no claim to the resources represented on this paper.
Not just a tenth—All is Yours.
Not just three-tenths—All is Yours.
Let us use for our needs what you have provided for our needs.
Let us use for sharing what you have provided for the needs of others.
Teach us to live appropriately;
Not chasing the next and the new, but content with life in Your kingdom,
Not grasping for possession, but willing to sell all and follow Jesus,
Not succumbing to greed, but acting with generosity toward all.
Keep us from doing evil by withholding what You mean for others,
And deliver us from the fear of insecurity.
For You are the only Security there is.
Amen.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Sigh...
Sigh & a huff... I stayed up late last night watching the developing story on CNN with the miners. I nearly woke up my wife with my excitement that 12 men were alive. This morning I feel more like a lament, and yet I won't go 'there' this morning.
I'm saddened that 12 families know grief this morning. I am saddened that we are incapable of getting a story of life and death correct. I am saddened that executives and leaders knew the news to the families was wrong, and nobody had the courage to tell them the real news. I am saddened that nobody said "Sorry, we @#$% up."
Lord, if you are reading this, "May your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. Because we've got a long ways to go."
I'm saddened that 12 families know grief this morning. I am saddened that we are incapable of getting a story of life and death correct. I am saddened that executives and leaders knew the news to the families was wrong, and nobody had the courage to tell them the real news. I am saddened that nobody said "Sorry, we @#$% up."
Lord, if you are reading this, "May your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. Because we've got a long ways to go."
12 miners alive!
After a day of bad news for those 13 trapped coal miners, 12 have been discoverd alive! You've likely read or heard that news already, but!
Let us take a moment to thank God for his grace, his goodness, and the protection of 12 of the 13 miners trapped for several days. A week ago we celebrated the birthday of Christ - God coming to earth and dwelling among us. And tonight let us celebrate that 12 families have not lost a son, a husband, a dad... they are alive!
I sense those disciples 33 years later shouting to their friends... "He is NOT here. He is risen. Come and see!"
From the solitude of the coal mine contemplating if life would continue to the jubilation of family who will be celebrating long after you read this...
Let us take a moment to thank God for his grace, his goodness, and the protection of 12 of the 13 miners trapped for several days. A week ago we celebrated the birthday of Christ - God coming to earth and dwelling among us. And tonight let us celebrate that 12 families have not lost a son, a husband, a dad... they are alive!
I sense those disciples 33 years later shouting to their friends... "He is NOT here. He is risen. Come and see!"
From the solitude of the coal mine contemplating if life would continue to the jubilation of family who will be celebrating long after you read this...
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