A Wonderful Day

Well, I got my wish. I spent a day with friends. Actually, we had a progressive dinner together (it was our small group Bible Study group) that started at 4 and ended at 10. We spent little if any time talking about "shop" and spent the day talking about our lives, our interests, Memorial Day, and sharing our stories. After writing about not talking enough about things other than business, it was indeed refreshing to spend the day together talking about other things. What fun!
In the midst of it we talked about the meaning and importance of Memorial Day. The other two guys that were there were both veterans. Hearing their stories and experiences made it all the more meaningful. I flew the flag today as a way of reminding others (and myself) of the sacrifice that has given me this day. Joanie and I watched "Band of Brothers" today. All of it left me with a profound sense of the real meaning of Memorial Day. I found that refreshing and moving.
I want to thank my brothers, Toby and Scott, for serving their country (Toby was in Vietnam). I want to thank my father, Frank, for serving his country (he was in the service during WWII). I want to thank my father-in-law, John, for serving in the Army Air Corps in WWII. I want to thank all those who have served. I don't like war. I don't want to be at war in Iraq or Afghanistan. I want all the troops to come home. I want peace on earth. I want to thank all those who put themselves in harms way to protect the freedoms and the rights we have. And, most especially, I want to thank those families who have sacrificed so much for me and my family. To all of you on this Memorial Day, I say "God Bless".

Anticipating Change

You ever notice how the subjects of your conversations tend to gravitate to work? Mine do. There are times I get tired of talking about the church with other church members. Isn't there something else to talk about? I am a fairly well read individual with a varied degree of interests. I like history, current events, sports, NFL fantasy football, movies, plays, dramas, family, and the life stories of other people. That's a pretty well rounded subject base. I can talk fairly intelligently about politics. I like to discuss ideas about a wide variety of subjects. I don't blush talking about sex or relationships. I don't shy away from controversies or controversial positions. I am equally at home talking to women or men. I relate well to those who are younger than I am. Having had two children from birth and one from the teenage years who are all married (or about to be) I can talk about family issues with some depth. I love my wife and can talk about her for days. I listen fairly well, especially for someone who talks as much as I do. So, why do so many of my conversations end up being about the work I do?
As Joanie and I anticipate changing course directions in our lives, one of the things we will be looking forward to is having conversations about lots of "other" things. Making new relationships is always challenging but now we will be going into a place where we are not the pastors and not everyone we meet wants to get to know us or talk to us. We will have to reach out to make many of these new relationships. And to do that, we will have to find other things to discuss. And I, for one, am looking forward to talking about those things and not the drama of the church or the latest problem in some program or ministry group. Talking about what is happening in the fullness of life should make life more full. At least, that's what I'm anticipating.

The DaVinci Code Part III - The Sermon

Well, I preached on the DaVinci Code this morning. It was quite interesting. Maybe the most interesting thing about the message was when I asked how many people from the congregation had read the book. Three hands went up. Just three. When I asked who had seen the movie, just one hand went up (beside Joanie and me). Maybe believers are just not interested in this kind of thing. And I began to wonder, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
The church always struggles with the same thing that Jesus found problematic. It is this. If you are going to be the servant of God and live your life for him, there are some places and things you ought to avoid. If you are to live a holy life, as the scriptures implore you to do, you must be willing to live above reproach. At the same time, Jesus has given us a command to go into all the world and an example of engaging sinners with the gospel truth even in social settings for which Jesus' participation was roundly criticized. So, which are we to do? Are we to live apart from sin or in the midst of sin and sinners? Should we be above reproach or in the middle of those who are most reproachable?

Jesus didn't have much time for the Pharisees as a leadership group. They lived apart from anything that was, according to the Law, tainted. However, their "holier than thou" attitude tainted everything they said or did. They could not understand how Jesus could put himself in the homes and places where sinners dwelt and where sin prevailed. The church holes itself up in ivory towers and brick buildings to develop believers who will go out to confront the world with the powerful word of Christ. However, we spend so much time preparing and running the training school that we rarely go out into the fields, white with harvest. There must be a balance between maintaining holiness and reaching out to those in sin. How we accomplish that is called mission, vision, outreach, and the priesthood of all believers. When we fail to maintain that balance we are called hypocritical, false prophets, and shams. Ministry is a dangerous place to live. But it is the only sure place that God has given to his children. Be holy and find some sinners to love!

The DaVinci Code Part II

After going to see the movie, "The DaVinci Code", I was walking out of the theater and I overheard a lady behind me say, "If that challenges your faith, your faith is pretty weak". Touche.
Tonight, after Jonathan and Maria went to see the movie, he called and we talked some. He told me about the ways in which the movie differed from the book. After our discussion, I understood why all the controversy had erupted. There are, apparently, some things in the book that are very strongly emphasized that Ron Howard, to his credit, chose not to include in the movie. The whole idea of "the sacred feminine" was barely touched upon. If it had been emphasized, it would have created a huge yelling match. Apparently, in Dan Brown's book, the truth of Christianity has devolved into a sexual cult that practices sexual acts as part of their faith or in keeping alive the "fullness" of God.
Well, I must admit, I thought the movie was C- at best and I would give a thumbs down (not for the religious content of the movie, just as movie-making goes, it wasn't very good). However, for Ron Howard to have left out some even greater offensive parts of the book gives me some hope for his sensitivity to the masses. Even the portrayal by Tom Hanks of the main character ends up giving him a skeptics eye. It gives some balance to the false teachings concerning Christianity and the church. All in all, I can't recommend the movie and I think I'll pass on the book.

The Da Vinci Code

I have not yet read the book, "The Da Vinci Code" nor have I seen the movie but I have read and watched much about the controversial nature of this story. It seems that the Christian community is very divided about how to deal with this material. My son, who has read the book, was visiting another church and heard a woman who had seen the trailer about the movie say, "I could feel the evil coming through the screen". (Can you really do that? Does evil make its presence that known? I always thought evil tried to dress itself up and look respectable until it has you in its grasp and reveals its ugly, true nature to the haplessly entrapped soul). Here in Fresno, pastors are developing sermon series on it; one church is even renting out an entire theater for opening night in order to invite people to come and than discuss the film. There are many churches and church leaders who see this film as an opportunity to dialogue with those unfamiliar with the bible and church history (that would include the mass of both believers and non-believers); about the real story of Jesus and the real story about the church through history. What should I do?

Well, I think I will preach on it. My reasons are simple. It points up an issue far more problematic than the fiction Dan Brown uses in his book to create an interesting yarn. It is this. How do we process information in this new age? If we do, indeed, live in the Information Age and we have unbelievable resources for information gathering, are we being responsible with the information gathered? For instance, is something true because someone says it? I've been listening to the History Channel's discussion on the book and it has a group of "scholars" on it that are making many statements, some of which have no scholarly merit to them at all. For instance, one man who is an author was commenting on the idea that Da Vinci had painted John as a woman in his Last Supper fresco. He said he took out his art books and, "Sure enough, I looked and it was a woman!" I looked and it was a woman? You've got to be kidding me! Is there no research into how medieval artists depicted young men in an effeminate manner? Is there no research into how this compares to other depictions that DaVinci has done of young men? But, because he said it, it had enough merit to be placed on the show as a statement of truth or support (Do you think the director had a point he/she was trying to make?).

With so much information coming our way, we must take a greater responsibility for differentiating between information and interpretation. One is neutral and the other is not. Granted, all biblical information is written so that others may believe but, at least, they are up front about it. The Bible is a document of historical truth designed to enable those of us who follow to believe in that truth which changed the world. The rest (like Dan Brown's book and Ron Howard's movie) is just speculation. You should know the truth and you should be careful what you believe to be true.

The Kentucky Derby - An Excuse for a Party

I used to live right across the river from Louisville. This weekend, the first one in May, was always a chaotic and celebrative Saturday. You couldn't rent a tent or some kind of outside covering anywhere within 50 miles. You see, the Kentucky Derby was always a great excuse for a party, for a family BBQ, and for bringing in the joy of spring. Now, I've been to Churchill Downs (The last time I went there was with our youth group here in Fresno. We were on a trip to Nashville, Tn. for a the Youth Convention and spent a few days in Louisville where we visited the Louisville Slugger Bat Factory and Museum, Churchill Downs and the Derby Museum, and an absolutly fascinating cemetery that is historic in its nature. The kids liked the Bat Factory more than the cemetery - go figure). Churchill Downs isn't much to look at. It is an old facility that they have tried to spruce up a bit in recent years. But as a place to visit - it isn't much.

In all fairness I should tell you that I have never been to the Derby. It is more of a mad house than it is anything else (unless you get to go with the rich and famous). Like the Indy 500 it is an all out party among masses of people who love to drink and, well, drink. Not being a drinker, the idea of going to the Derby or to the 500 looses its appeal. However, the idea of having a party has not and, I hope, never, looses its appeal. I love having a party.

When was the last time you had an excuse for a party. If there is one thing I have noticed about living in Fresno it is that we don't party very much. Maybe its the extreme heat in the summer or the nature of the culture, but we don't party enough. Maybe its because we don't have the Derby as an excuse. They say that the new Save Mart Center is the busiest concert venue around. We like our parties inside, sitting in an auditorium, watching someone else have a party. Sad, if you ask me.

Even in the church we find few reasons to have a party. What a shame. Jesus was a party goer. Just read the Gospels and you will be hard pressed not to come to the same conclusion. He loved being with others, sharing food, gathering for weddings, having a late luncheon with some new friends - any kind of party. I wonder what that says about our concept of Jesus as a dour, serious figure who never smiled? As a matter of fact, I think worship should, first and foremost, be a party. A celebration. A good time. After all, if you are in a place where praise is happening shouldn't that be a party atmosphere? The next time you go to church, I hope your worship experience has an element of celebration to it. I hope it is joyous. I hope it is more like a party than a funeral. I hope it is like the Kentucky Derby - an excuse for a party.

The Church is an Odd Place

The Church is an odd place. It attracts people with a message of grace, forgiveness, and love. It employs people with a message of meet these expectations or we will get rid of you. These are not mutually compatible philosophies. And the church rarely treats them in the same way or with the same attitude. Let me share a couple of examples:
When you come into leadership, you take on certain responsibilities and concerns. If you break those commitments, you forfeit the right to be in leadership. By accepting a leadership role, you must also accept the "baggage" that goes with it.
When you are employed by a church in some capacity, you accept certain responsibilities and concerns. But do you become a leader? If you are on the pastoral staff, obviously, the answer is "yes". But if you have another role, a support staff role, you don't automatically receive the role of leader that a pastor does. Should you be viewed in the same way? Should you be treated in the same way?
Where the "rubber meets the road" is how you deal with conflict. When a leader is acting in a negative manner, we rarely let them go or fire them from leadership. However, when an employee is acting in a negative manner, we are more than ready to fire them. Is this right? Even more than that, there are ramifications to the actions of leaders and to the actions taken by them when they act towards those whom they employ. We can, have, and do affect the way others feel about God, the church, and eternal truths by how we treat one another and how we deal with the failures of others. And so far, the church is not getting a passing grade.

"If you've got good health . . ."

Today I found out from the doctor that I have pneumonia. I've never had pneumonia. As a matter of fact, if I count down the number of health problems I have had in 53 years they amount to some childhood sicknesses, allergies, and bad ankles. Not bad, all things considered. But now, I have pneumonia. I can't sleep because I can't lay down (it both hurts and I start coughing and can't stop). I remain as tired as can be but with little relief. Not that I do well at sleeping anyway - I must have a touch of insomnia (Ooohh, another malady to add to my list!). I cancelled a trip to Indiana for a meeting and some time with my son because I couldn't see sitting on a plane for hours and hours and in meetings for hours and hours the way I feel. I remember when we were younger and Doug was living with us, he got mononucleousis when he was in High School (Is that the same thing as pneumonia? I don't really know but I do know he didn't have any fun with it either, as I recall, and neither am I). Come to think of it, my Aunt had carbuncles and I think my mother had a hairy mole! (Don't you hate it when people give you a travelogue of all their diseases and the full family history of every illness?)
So, for the next few days I get to stay home (I don't think I realized that pneumonia is highly contagious) and find ways to stay sane. I think I will get some sleep (eventually) and do some writing. You may hear more often from me. I promise not to bore you with the fascinating details of my recovery! I guess with every thing there is a silver lining. I will enjoy the chance to write creatively. I hope you will, too.

Emotions and Distances

It has been nearly a year to the day when we went on Sabbatical and I started this blog. My hope was to give a running diary of information for the folks back in Fresno as Joanie and I traveled around the country. However, it turned into much more than that. As I took opportunity to share my thoughts and tell my story, ideas and concepts formed in my head that took me to another place with this writing. Some of you have been gracious to read these thoughts from time to time and even comment on them. I appreciate your attention. After a year of writing, here are my thoughts as I look back on the past and forward to the future:

1. I miss my boys. It has been since August that I have seen two of my three sons. It is hard to be away from them and their wives for so long a period of time. It will be months, at best, before I see them again. I take joy in being able to spend time with Jonathan and Maria next week. It helps greatly the sense of loss that you have when you are so far from the others.
2. I have grown weary of living in a glass house. After 31 years of ministry I will be transitioning to being a student. People ask us if we are excited. The question has a double edge to it. We are, but it is a scary thing at our age to get up and change careers without any assurance of a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But it is also exciting to leave behind the less enjoyable parts of pastoral ministry. I grow weary of being a target; of having my every movement or inflection analyzed and scrutinized; of having ulterior motives placed on things I do and don't do; of being judged by those who are looking to pick a fight. I know this might sound harsh, but it rings true in me. I will not miss these things.
3. I want to learn afresh and anew what it means to live by faith and not by sight. It is so easy to grow comfortable and dependent on the routines and things of everyday life - knowing where the paycheck is coming from and when; having a routine and schedule that fills the days and many of the nights with activity and administrative duties; knowing pretty much what is going to be happening for the next 12 months or 3-5 years. Today, the future lies unseen ahead and I know not where it leads. I only know who holds the future and who holds my hand.

What to do with Anger when You are in Worship

I became very angry today in church. No one really knew, but inside I was very upset. Not at something that someone said or did to me but what had happened to someone else. They had been hurt, betrayed, and were suffering at the hands of another who was inflicting pain for no appreciable reason other than to hurt the person. What do you do with that?
After more than 30 years of ministry in which I deal with people on a daily basis and still fail to understand how some people can act with such anger and hatred toward someone they once cared about in some small or large way. And, inevitably, innocent people get caught up in the pain and become further victimized by them. What is the gain? What is the upside to this? I have been told that people get a sense of importance and value from even negative reinforcement. What a sad state of affairs to get your sense of self from inflicting pain on others for no reason.
But let me return to my initial question. What do you do when you are angry and in a worship service? Well, anger can lead you away from worshipping God. So, you can't let the anger get the best of you. This morning, I shared what happened with two other leaders in the church who were equally angered by the action that was hurting a friend. One of them went toward the front of the church and immediately went into a time of prayer. The other, went and stood by the person who was hurting and was there to both love, support and help them. As I looked back, I noticed that they, too, were in prayer. Maybe the best way to deal with anger is to be a sponge. You pick up the hurt and pain of another, soak it up inside your soul, and then go into your prayer closet and squeeze out all the anger and frustration. It rolls down off your soul and lands in a puddle at the foot of the cross. And anger laid at the cross becomes hope for the victim and healing for the soul.

On the Cusp

Adventures. They are the stuff of legends and novels. In The Lord of the Rings they have The Fellowship of the Ring. They set out for Mordor and the adventure of a lifetime. In The Chronicles of Narnia the children discover the wonder of a magical wardrobe closet that can transport them to another world and a lifetime of adventures. Jason and the Argonauts on a quest for the Golden Fleece; Huck Finn and Jim on a raft floating down the Mississippi; Jason Bourne out to discover his real identity; the list of adventures goes on and on. And, at least for me and my life, I can add one more. Tomorrow I take the first fledgling steps in an adventure - a new adventure for me.
It may not rank with the annuls of Gimli or Edmund or Lucy or Huck . . . but for me it is the grandest quest I could imagine. Tomorrow I meet with Dr. Clay Schmit and I will take the first steps toward becoming a full-time student in the Fall at Fuller Seminary. Like those heroes of fables and myths, this journey will surely have its shares of ups and downs, twists and turns. I can only hope that it has a happy ending! But even now, I realize that these next few years are really about the journey, the adventure and not just the destination.
When was the last time you had an adventure? When was the last time you lived a prolonged period of your life completely and totally dependent on God in faith believing? We spend so much of our lives in predictable places doing predictable routines. Living on faith is living without the knowledge of what is coming next - yet somehow knowing that because God knows, that is enough. Joanie and I have lived a great deal of the last decade or more in predictable ways, knowing what has been generally around the corner. Today we don't. And that is new, refreshing, and, just maybe, the way life is intended to be lived. Come, join the adventure.

The Lot of Preaching and Pastoring

One of the problems in being a preacher is that you are always talking to others. Maybe the most frightening thing is that people actually listen to what you say. However, the second scariest thing is that they listen, but do not hear. As a preacher, teacher, and pastor I am willing to accept the fragile truth that I will spend a lot of time talking to people about important matters. I accept the fact that what I say can and often does make an impression on others who are in the course of making important decisions about their lives. It is often disappointing to know that what I say and what people hear can be so very different. I don't mind being quoted but it is rather frustrating to be misquoted. I guess the issue is taking responsibility. I am willing to take responsibility for what I say but I think it is proper to hold others accountable for hearing what is really being said.
Recently, the news reported the story of a young boy who called 911 to report his mother being ill. The operator heard his very young voice and chided him about calling the emergency line. The young boy was doing what his mother had taught him to do. The operator heard him but never really listened. A tragedy resulted. I get continually frustrated with news shows that bring in opposing "talking heads" to allow the discussion to be "fair and balanced". Those who debate the issues never listen to one another. They talk over one another and the resulting gaggle is indecipherable. It seems no one listens. How sad.
As I read the story of Jesus, I am constantly struck by how much he was listened to but how little those most interested in him actually heard him. The disciples were always listening but never understanding. The Pharisees asked tons of questions but couldn't accept his answers and decided to silence him rather than listen to him. God gave us two ears and one mouth. Maybe we should get the hint.