I don't know if you are like me, but sometimes there are just things that end up in front of me that haunt me. They take up residence in my brain and ask for constant consideration. This isn't always a bad thing.
Here are some of the more recent additions:
From John Wesley - the thought that evangelical faith must be marked by evangelical actions (think about your definition of evangelical before lowering the hammer!)
From a blog I read over the weekend (I am sorry that I didn't mark it...I think it might have been from 722 or Mark Driscoll) - "how can we expect to reach the folks that no one is reaching if we are doing the exact same thing as everyone else around us? To reach different folks, we have to do things differently."
Which reminds me of one of my favorite definitions from the recovery world: "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
And from another blog (again, in my haste to catch up, I missed saving/starring it for proper credit) - "why is it that all church planters seem to plant churches in the suburbs? Why isn't anyone planting churches in urban areas?"
I have lots of thoughts about these and other insights...but I won't bore you with belaboring those points currently (I will wait for some future blog opportunity to do that!).
What I am curious about, however, is what thoughts are haunting you right now!?!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
When Harm is Unavoidable
As my profile says, I am a firefighter (and soon to be a certified first responder) and a pastor. I also volunteer each week at a place called Sundown Ranch working with teenage boys that are attempting to find recovery from chemical dependence of all types.
Each of these activities places me in people's lives at times when they are often not at their best. I walk along side of those struggling with sin, experiencing medical problems or other loss due to fire and accidents, and I walk the journey of recovery with families and their children. Despite the problems that can be faced in each of these situations, it is still a huge blessing to serve in these ways.
Each of these activities has either an explicit or implicit nature of confidentiality. These activities also have, however, regulations regarding events or circumstances that must be reported to various agencies (medical, legal and otherwise). Homicide, suicide, abuse, etc are all examples of reportable events.
This past week, I had the difficult duty of reporting such an event.
When the General Rules require us to do no harm and to do good, these are not always mutually exclusive. Nor are they mutually compatible. Sometimes, as my recent experience shows, doing good can be harmful (or maybe that should be restated to say doing the greatest good). In order to do good, I needed to report this incident (this is doing good ethically and morally and doing good by protecting others); but in doing said good, I did harm (in a relative sense I am sure some of you will tell me!) to the individual that was reported. The outcome of what happens regarding a reported event (punishment, justice, or sometimes nothing at all) is completely out of my control. But confidence is still broken and trust tarnished and potential consequences set in motion.
All of this is to say that following the General Rules is not as black and white as it may seem. There are not always cut and dry answers regarding how to put them in practice together. Sometimes, when considering the greatest good or the good of others, doing no harm is not possible.
How do you handle situations that seem to put the General Rules in conflict with one another?
Each of these activities places me in people's lives at times when they are often not at their best. I walk along side of those struggling with sin, experiencing medical problems or other loss due to fire and accidents, and I walk the journey of recovery with families and their children. Despite the problems that can be faced in each of these situations, it is still a huge blessing to serve in these ways.
Each of these activities has either an explicit or implicit nature of confidentiality. These activities also have, however, regulations regarding events or circumstances that must be reported to various agencies (medical, legal and otherwise). Homicide, suicide, abuse, etc are all examples of reportable events.
This past week, I had the difficult duty of reporting such an event.
When the General Rules require us to do no harm and to do good, these are not always mutually exclusive. Nor are they mutually compatible. Sometimes, as my recent experience shows, doing good can be harmful (or maybe that should be restated to say doing the greatest good). In order to do good, I needed to report this incident (this is doing good ethically and morally and doing good by protecting others); but in doing said good, I did harm (in a relative sense I am sure some of you will tell me!) to the individual that was reported. The outcome of what happens regarding a reported event (punishment, justice, or sometimes nothing at all) is completely out of my control. But confidence is still broken and trust tarnished and potential consequences set in motion.
All of this is to say that following the General Rules is not as black and white as it may seem. There are not always cut and dry answers regarding how to put them in practice together. Sometimes, when considering the greatest good or the good of others, doing no harm is not possible.
How do you handle situations that seem to put the General Rules in conflict with one another?
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Doing No Harm - The Follow Up
Last week I wrote about a situation that talked about expectations and what to do when those expectations aren't met.
I had some sound wisdom come from my friend at Just Enough Grace for Today and thought I would just follow up with how I handled the situation.
First, I prayed...I prayed for several days before I even sat down to write out my responses.
Second, I sought wise council. Limiting my conversation to just a couple of people that I trust immensely, I advised them of the situation and asked for their input.
Third, I listened. This is perhaps the most difficult of the steps, but I truly listened to what they had to say and incorporated the feedback into the process that follows.
Fourth, I wrote. Because this was a contractual issue and communication was being done via email, it was imperative that I didn't begin with this step. Had I started writing (which is what I wanted to do...yes, even though I knew better...to begin with) first, the results would have been dramatically different and caused harm.
Fifth, I left what I had written alone for a day.
Sixth, I went back and edited the communication piece for both content and size. I was intentional about being clear with what I had expected in the beginning and where the current circumstance had fallen short of those expectations. I didn't use pejorative terms or attack the individual. Instead, I remained professional. At the end of the document I outlined my expectations for the future of our interactions.
The result was a lively, but professional, response and the opportunity for continuing dialog both via email and in person. No hard feelings, no additional harm done, at least to date :o)
Sometimes it is better for everyone involved to take a few deep breaths and think and pray before moving forward. I have not always succeeded in doing this.
I think the only thing that I would add to the list of things that I did would be to get someone else to proof what was written before it was sent.
Are there things that you would do differently?
I had some sound wisdom come from my friend at Just Enough Grace for Today and thought I would just follow up with how I handled the situation.
First, I prayed...I prayed for several days before I even sat down to write out my responses.
Second, I sought wise council. Limiting my conversation to just a couple of people that I trust immensely, I advised them of the situation and asked for their input.
Third, I listened. This is perhaps the most difficult of the steps, but I truly listened to what they had to say and incorporated the feedback into the process that follows.
Fourth, I wrote. Because this was a contractual issue and communication was being done via email, it was imperative that I didn't begin with this step. Had I started writing (which is what I wanted to do...yes, even though I knew better...to begin with) first, the results would have been dramatically different and caused harm.
Fifth, I left what I had written alone for a day.
Sixth, I went back and edited the communication piece for both content and size. I was intentional about being clear with what I had expected in the beginning and where the current circumstance had fallen short of those expectations. I didn't use pejorative terms or attack the individual. Instead, I remained professional. At the end of the document I outlined my expectations for the future of our interactions.
The result was a lively, but professional, response and the opportunity for continuing dialog both via email and in person. No hard feelings, no additional harm done, at least to date :o)
Sometimes it is better for everyone involved to take a few deep breaths and think and pray before moving forward. I have not always succeeded in doing this.
I think the only thing that I would add to the list of things that I did would be to get someone else to proof what was written before it was sent.
Are there things that you would do differently?
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
What's a Pastor?
It seems like it would a reasonably easy question to answer, right? I am not so sure!
After several years of pastoral ministry (and many more years of additional lay/staff ministry that I and some others would consider pastoral---although it was not under appointment) I am finding that "pastoral" is very contextual in meaning.
In the churches I currently serve, there are expectations of a pastor in the areas of preaching, teaching, administration, evangelism, church growth (not equivalent to evangelism, but that rant is for another post), relationships, study, spiritual growth, counseling, and the list goes on ad infinitum.
Having served a very large church, three mid sized churches and one very small church (some suburban and some rural) I have come to recognize that the expectations and understandings of this role differ based upon geography.
I also think that these definitions and expectations differ from generation to generation.
So here is the question of the day: What is a pastor?
I would love to hear about your expectations, definitions, and understandings of pastors. What makes for a good pastor? What makes for an ineffective pastor? Are the expectations that we place on pastors (those our churches pay for this job) different than the expectations we place on laity (after all, isn't everyone baptized into Christ a minister...think hear of the "priesthood of all believers")?
Let me know what you think...and of course, I will write more about this in the near future!
After several years of pastoral ministry (and many more years of additional lay/staff ministry that I and some others would consider pastoral---although it was not under appointment) I am finding that "pastoral" is very contextual in meaning.
In the churches I currently serve, there are expectations of a pastor in the areas of preaching, teaching, administration, evangelism, church growth (not equivalent to evangelism, but that rant is for another post), relationships, study, spiritual growth, counseling, and the list goes on ad infinitum.
Having served a very large church, three mid sized churches and one very small church (some suburban and some rural) I have come to recognize that the expectations and understandings of this role differ based upon geography.
I also think that these definitions and expectations differ from generation to generation.
So here is the question of the day: What is a pastor?
I would love to hear about your expectations, definitions, and understandings of pastors. What makes for a good pastor? What makes for an ineffective pastor? Are the expectations that we place on pastors (those our churches pay for this job) different than the expectations we place on laity (after all, isn't everyone baptized into Christ a minister...think hear of the "priesthood of all believers")?
Let me know what you think...and of course, I will write more about this in the near future!
Monday, July 21, 2008
My Future with the Church
There are a number of churches that have really impacted me over the years since my return to church life. I have been thinking a lot lately about each of their impacts and praying for some discernment on what this might mean for my future as a pastor.
Mercy Street was the first church that I held membership in after about a 15 year absence from church rolls everywhere. It is the place where I was accepted right where I was at and loved when I couldn't even love myself. It was the place that really communicated the gospel to me in ways that I was able to understand it. And it is the place that I encountered Christ as my Lord and Savior and gave my life to him in ways that I had never been able to do before. It is a place where you can truly get a glimpse of heaven as addicts, alcoholics, workaholics, real people with real problems and genuine faith get together to worship together and grow in their relationship with Christ. I had the opportunity to work for this church as an intern and it is by far one of the best things i ever did.
Chapelwood United Methodist (the place where Mercy Street meets) deepened my relationship, honed my gifts, recognized graces in me that I was unable to see and taught me a lot about service and teaching as I worked and volunteered with them for many years. They have supported me in my call to pastoral ministry and have been a continued blessing in mine and my wife's life.
Terrace United Methodist was another church that impacted me. As we began to move from just feeding a group of "sheltered" folks on an annual basis to actually living with them in mission and ministry throughout the year, I learned a lot about vision and compassion...and in hindsight, probably more about how to cast vision in healthy and non-conflictive ways. The real blessing has been to watch what has happened with the church as the laity have really stepped up and owned this vision.
Glide United Methodist Church is a church in San Francisco that has had a part of my heart since I first visited there many years ago. It was on that visit that I first learned of their daily downtown ministry. It was on that visit that I witnessed and participated in worship with other tourists, transvestites, homeless folks, business people, Asians, African Americans, Hispanics, prostitutes...a smattering of races and social and economic backgrounds all under one roof for worship...surely that is what heaven will be like!
Lagniappe Presbyterian Church also dramatically moved me. After the storms that pounded the Gulf of Mexico a few years ago, the pastors and staff of Lagniappe moved in and began to serve the people that had lost homes and businesses in genuine ways. They continue in the rebuilding efforts to this day. We participated in a week long mission trip down there and I am amazed at the way that this church serves as Christ to the world...going out to the ones that are in need and serving them where they are at. It is a look at the great commission that is in your face and radically Christ centered. I can't imagine anyone serving with them in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and not coming back a changed person.
My time here at Edom United Methodist Church has taught me a lot about being a pastor and a lot more about my own wiring and spiritual gifts. Because of my experiences outlined above, I am recognizing more and more my desire to be more connected to those in need. That's probably why when we took the youth to Houston we worked at Medical Bridges, the Bread of Life, and handed out care packages to the homeless in the wards of Houston.
It is clear (clearly muddy, anyway) that my call is being shaped and defined by the least in our midst. I have been having some really clear visions of the church and how I would like to serve. I continue to pray for discernment and guidance...and it is been occurring to me that a church plant might be involved in the future. What would it look like to move into an area and establish a church that serves its community 7 days a week? What would a genuinely authentic community of faith look like in areas that are impoverished or otherwise in need?
I am going to meet next week with someone who is planting a church with the United Methodist Church here in the Texas Annual Conference to talk about these things and see what the process looks like in our denomination. I am also talking to those who have transformed or served established churches that have a real service orientation as a part of their discipleship process. I am trying to remain open to what God is doing. I am anxious and excited to see what the future might have in store and I will update you as this process continues to unfold.
Tell me about your vision of the church and your participation in its life and ministry. What makes a church a church? How do you serve or expect to serve in the future?
Until next time,
Russell
Mercy Street was the first church that I held membership in after about a 15 year absence from church rolls everywhere. It is the place where I was accepted right where I was at and loved when I couldn't even love myself. It was the place that really communicated the gospel to me in ways that I was able to understand it. And it is the place that I encountered Christ as my Lord and Savior and gave my life to him in ways that I had never been able to do before. It is a place where you can truly get a glimpse of heaven as addicts, alcoholics, workaholics, real people with real problems and genuine faith get together to worship together and grow in their relationship with Christ. I had the opportunity to work for this church as an intern and it is by far one of the best things i ever did.
Chapelwood United Methodist (the place where Mercy Street meets) deepened my relationship, honed my gifts, recognized graces in me that I was unable to see and taught me a lot about service and teaching as I worked and volunteered with them for many years. They have supported me in my call to pastoral ministry and have been a continued blessing in mine and my wife's life.
Terrace United Methodist was another church that impacted me. As we began to move from just feeding a group of "sheltered" folks on an annual basis to actually living with them in mission and ministry throughout the year, I learned a lot about vision and compassion...and in hindsight, probably more about how to cast vision in healthy and non-conflictive ways. The real blessing has been to watch what has happened with the church as the laity have really stepped up and owned this vision.
Glide United Methodist Church is a church in San Francisco that has had a part of my heart since I first visited there many years ago. It was on that visit that I first learned of their daily downtown ministry. It was on that visit that I witnessed and participated in worship with other tourists, transvestites, homeless folks, business people, Asians, African Americans, Hispanics, prostitutes...a smattering of races and social and economic backgrounds all under one roof for worship...surely that is what heaven will be like!
Lagniappe Presbyterian Church also dramatically moved me. After the storms that pounded the Gulf of Mexico a few years ago, the pastors and staff of Lagniappe moved in and began to serve the people that had lost homes and businesses in genuine ways. They continue in the rebuilding efforts to this day. We participated in a week long mission trip down there and I am amazed at the way that this church serves as Christ to the world...going out to the ones that are in need and serving them where they are at. It is a look at the great commission that is in your face and radically Christ centered. I can't imagine anyone serving with them in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and not coming back a changed person.
My time here at Edom United Methodist Church has taught me a lot about being a pastor and a lot more about my own wiring and spiritual gifts. Because of my experiences outlined above, I am recognizing more and more my desire to be more connected to those in need. That's probably why when we took the youth to Houston we worked at Medical Bridges, the Bread of Life, and handed out care packages to the homeless in the wards of Houston.
It is clear (clearly muddy, anyway) that my call is being shaped and defined by the least in our midst. I have been having some really clear visions of the church and how I would like to serve. I continue to pray for discernment and guidance...and it is been occurring to me that a church plant might be involved in the future. What would it look like to move into an area and establish a church that serves its community 7 days a week? What would a genuinely authentic community of faith look like in areas that are impoverished or otherwise in need?
I am going to meet next week with someone who is planting a church with the United Methodist Church here in the Texas Annual Conference to talk about these things and see what the process looks like in our denomination. I am also talking to those who have transformed or served established churches that have a real service orientation as a part of their discipleship process. I am trying to remain open to what God is doing. I am anxious and excited to see what the future might have in store and I will update you as this process continues to unfold.
Tell me about your vision of the church and your participation in its life and ministry. What makes a church a church? How do you serve or expect to serve in the future?
Until next time,
Russell
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Doing No Harm
Doing no harm is more difficult than it seems sometimes!
There are situations that I am sure we all encounter, where the very first thought or easiest course of action is to lash out at the individuals that are involved. Obviously, anger is not the best way to react or interact with anyone...it is harmful (violating both the first and second General Rules) and gets us absolutely nowhere.
So what do you do in situations where expectations aren't met? Is it different if the situation involves a contract between you and someone else? What do you think are some good guidelines for doing no harm in these type situations?
Let me have all of your non-harmful conflict resolution thoughts!
Peace,
Russell
There are situations that I am sure we all encounter, where the very first thought or easiest course of action is to lash out at the individuals that are involved. Obviously, anger is not the best way to react or interact with anyone...it is harmful (violating both the first and second General Rules) and gets us absolutely nowhere.
So what do you do in situations where expectations aren't met? Is it different if the situation involves a contract between you and someone else? What do you think are some good guidelines for doing no harm in these type situations?
Let me have all of your non-harmful conflict resolution thoughts!
Peace,
Russell
Doing Good in Our Family
My wife and I were over at church recently for an evangelism meeting. In the course of pre-meeting conversation, time off/days off came into play. I boldly stated (erroneously, I might add) that I take time off. My wife, being one of the greatest accountability partners I have, promptly said out loud something along the lines of "no you don't."
As the conversation continued, she recognized that at times I do take time for myself, but when there are big projects happening, I do a very poor job of this. For example, when we were developing the new website for the church, I spent every possible moment writing code, playing with widgets, testing applications, etc. I worked on it during the day, before dinner, after dinner, on days off...you get the point. I was completely engulfed in the project at the expense of time with my family.
My wife, as usual, was very right. I do not always do a very good job of taking care of myself (or them) by taking my days off as days off. Sometimes this is difficult to do because we live in the parsonage (basically in the church parking lot) and when you live that close to the church, it can be difficult some days to get away from "work".
It can also be difficult because as pastors, some of what we do we consider 'volunteer' work for the church. In other words, if we had another job, we would still be doing some of the things for the church that we are doing, even if we were not on staff. So pastorally speaking, it can be blurry what is volunteer ministry and what is 'work' related ministry (I am still not convinced that there is a clear line). Additionally, I have spent the last 3 years working on my Mdiv degree and taking 12 hours in the spring and 12 in the fall. This is insane I know, but going to school full time, pastoring two churches, and having a family is tough to do with only 24 hours in the day. Unfortunately, with most of the folks that I know, family is always (just as in my case) what seems to suffer the most.
Well, part of doing good has to be doing good towards our families (going back to the living the General Rules). So in an effort to correct this in my life, my wife and I made plans for time in Dallas last weekend (we went in to be with our friend Stacey and her girls...her hubby was out of town on a mission trip) and this weekend we are going to go to the lake with my folks on Saturday.
I have to admit, when I run so hard that I run around my family, I am the one missing out. Not to mention that it is nice to unplug occasionally and just be. Taking time off and away this past week has reminded me just how important it is to me, my family and my ministry.
My future plans for doing good regarding the family (or an application of doing no harm and doing good) is as follows:
1) take my days off as a days off
2) except on nights where there are unavoidable church meetings, spend the hours between 5:30 and 8:00 p.m. with them (if there is something that absolutely has to be done, do it after Bailey has gone to bed and I have hung out with her and Erica).
3) Find babysitters and get back into a regular pattern of date night on Friday evenings
4) Start planning the family camping trip for November
5) continue to be in the cooking rotation (more about this in another post)
I would love to hear how you are balancing family, ministry, work, etc in your life!
Peace,
Russell
As the conversation continued, she recognized that at times I do take time for myself, but when there are big projects happening, I do a very poor job of this. For example, when we were developing the new website for the church, I spent every possible moment writing code, playing with widgets, testing applications, etc. I worked on it during the day, before dinner, after dinner, on days off...you get the point. I was completely engulfed in the project at the expense of time with my family.
My wife, as usual, was very right. I do not always do a very good job of taking care of myself (or them) by taking my days off as days off. Sometimes this is difficult to do because we live in the parsonage (basically in the church parking lot) and when you live that close to the church, it can be difficult some days to get away from "work".
It can also be difficult because as pastors, some of what we do we consider 'volunteer' work for the church. In other words, if we had another job, we would still be doing some of the things for the church that we are doing, even if we were not on staff. So pastorally speaking, it can be blurry what is volunteer ministry and what is 'work' related ministry (I am still not convinced that there is a clear line). Additionally, I have spent the last 3 years working on my Mdiv degree and taking 12 hours in the spring and 12 in the fall. This is insane I know, but going to school full time, pastoring two churches, and having a family is tough to do with only 24 hours in the day. Unfortunately, with most of the folks that I know, family is always (just as in my case) what seems to suffer the most.
Well, part of doing good has to be doing good towards our families (going back to the living the General Rules). So in an effort to correct this in my life, my wife and I made plans for time in Dallas last weekend (we went in to be with our friend Stacey and her girls...her hubby was out of town on a mission trip) and this weekend we are going to go to the lake with my folks on Saturday.
I have to admit, when I run so hard that I run around my family, I am the one missing out. Not to mention that it is nice to unplug occasionally and just be. Taking time off and away this past week has reminded me just how important it is to me, my family and my ministry.
My future plans for doing good regarding the family (or an application of doing no harm and doing good) is as follows:
1) take my days off as a days off
2) except on nights where there are unavoidable church meetings, spend the hours between 5:30 and 8:00 p.m. with them (if there is something that absolutely has to be done, do it after Bailey has gone to bed and I have hung out with her and Erica).
3) Find babysitters and get back into a regular pattern of date night on Friday evenings
4) Start planning the family camping trip for November
5) continue to be in the cooking rotation (more about this in another post)
I would love to hear how you are balancing family, ministry, work, etc in your life!
Peace,
Russell
Monday, July 14, 2008
Doing Good - Starting with Me
Perhaps it is selfish, perhaps it is just plain prophetic, or perhaps it just is.
Today is the first day of attempting to really live into the General Rules (see my earlier post today) and I decided to start, of all places, with me.
No I didn't go to the spa or take some extravagant shopping trip to some quasi local galleria type mall. Instead, I began with my own health.
For the past couple of months I have really enjoyed Los's blog found at http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/. One of the things that Los has going on is the Ragamuffin Top Challenge where his readers are challenged to do something about their weight, shape, and fitness. After 3 years of pastoring two rural churches, all the while attending 12 hours of graduate work, I have noticed that my mid section is much larger than everything else...it has all settled to the belly!
About two weeks ago I received a home gym, thanks to my wife's job, and recently set it up (actually finished the last bench last night!). Since I spend so much time behind a computer, driving, sitting, visiting, etc., I thought that the greatest good that I could do (beginning with me) was to get back into shape and take better care of my health.
To that end, last week Erica and I cooked more (ate out or ate poorly a lot less) and enjoyed some really fabulous meals. Today, with the beginnings of better eating and the home gym assembly tackled, it was time to begin with workout number one after a number of years (I won't tell you, because it is just down right embarrassing!).
At day one, I weigh 185 pounds (again, with a large portion of this misappropriated to the belly area) and am not in the greatest shape. I began with a very short beginners program on the home gym today. I did seven exercises all with 40 pounds of weight at 2 sets, 10 reps each. My goals for the upcoming months/years are to continue to build strength through increasing both weight, sets, and reps. I am hopeful that this will allow me to relocate some of the misappropriated pot lucks on my body!
As time goes on, I will be adding ab exercises and other weight exercises to my routine. My weight/strength training will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
In addition to this I will be running on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
I will be taking Sundays off!
I don't want to lose weight...in fact, I expect that I will gain a little by the time all is said and done...I just want to rearrange it and be healthier for God, myself, my wife and my Bailey girl.
I will measure my goals regarding my strength training with the amount of weight, sets and reps as the milestones. I will measure my running goals (aerobic exercise) by the time and distance that I run. By the end of the year, I hope to complete a 10k run with my District Superintendent!
Let me know how you are doing good to your body, what your goals are and how your journey to those goals is going!
Until next time, grace and peace.
Russell
Today is the first day of attempting to really live into the General Rules (see my earlier post today) and I decided to start, of all places, with me.
No I didn't go to the spa or take some extravagant shopping trip to some quasi local galleria type mall. Instead, I began with my own health.
For the past couple of months I have really enjoyed Los's blog found at http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/. One of the things that Los has going on is the Ragamuffin Top Challenge where his readers are challenged to do something about their weight, shape, and fitness. After 3 years of pastoring two rural churches, all the while attending 12 hours of graduate work, I have noticed that my mid section is much larger than everything else...it has all settled to the belly!
About two weeks ago I received a home gym, thanks to my wife's job, and recently set it up (actually finished the last bench last night!). Since I spend so much time behind a computer, driving, sitting, visiting, etc., I thought that the greatest good that I could do (beginning with me) was to get back into shape and take better care of my health.
To that end, last week Erica and I cooked more (ate out or ate poorly a lot less) and enjoyed some really fabulous meals. Today, with the beginnings of better eating and the home gym assembly tackled, it was time to begin with workout number one after a number of years (I won't tell you, because it is just down right embarrassing!).
At day one, I weigh 185 pounds (again, with a large portion of this misappropriated to the belly area) and am not in the greatest shape. I began with a very short beginners program on the home gym today. I did seven exercises all with 40 pounds of weight at 2 sets, 10 reps each. My goals for the upcoming months/years are to continue to build strength through increasing both weight, sets, and reps. I am hopeful that this will allow me to relocate some of the misappropriated pot lucks on my body!
As time goes on, I will be adding ab exercises and other weight exercises to my routine. My weight/strength training will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
In addition to this I will be running on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
I will be taking Sundays off!
I don't want to lose weight...in fact, I expect that I will gain a little by the time all is said and done...I just want to rearrange it and be healthier for God, myself, my wife and my Bailey girl.
I will measure my goals regarding my strength training with the amount of weight, sets and reps as the milestones. I will measure my running goals (aerobic exercise) by the time and distance that I run. By the end of the year, I hope to complete a 10k run with my District Superintendent!
Let me know how you are doing good to your body, what your goals are and how your journey to those goals is going!
Until next time, grace and peace.
Russell
Living the General Rules
One of my friends and mentors, Bob, recently set out upon an experiment to live out more fervently the General Rules from the early Methodist Societies. I have been watching and reading his blog posts (and the insights by another friend of mine, Melissa) with great interest and if you would like to follow his journey, you can do that by clicking HERE which will take you to the opening article on his blog and you can follow from there.
I am looking at going for commissioning (a final step prior to full ordination in the United Methodist Church) at our 2009 Annual Conference. As Bob mentions, the bishop asks us what the General Rules are and if we will live by them. The answer to the latter question is obviously yes, but the answer to the former question is this:
1) "Do no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind..."
2) "...doing good of every possible sort, and , as far as possible, to all..."
3) "By attending upon all the ordinances of God" (Bob calls this "staying in love with God")
These three simple rules flowed out of John Wesley's understanding that "evangelical faith should be manifest in evangelical living." (2004 Book of Discipline, 48). And it seems to me that as I stand before folks every Sunday-teaching, preaching, exhorting, encouraging, etc-to live a life that encounters and becomes radically altered by God, I am no less called to do the same. It also occurs to me that since I am about to take a further step towards a lifetime of mission and ministry in the world as an ordained elder within the United Methodist Church, I too, should be paying particular attention to the commitment that I give to these rules.
So as of today, in addition to my thoughts on theology and other meanderings here at Radically Altered, I am going to begin writing about my journey as it relates to these three rules. Future posts that involve these three rules will all be tagged with Living the General Rules and then sub tagged with which ever rule applies to that post (ie. do no harm, doing good, attending upon the ordinances of God).
My hope is not to make a move towards legalism, but rather to have a rule of life that helps shape and form me as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Many monastic communities and corporate bodies of worship utilize rules of life for their congregations and as individuals...so I thought that I would give it a whirl!
As I set out on this journey, I wonder if you have a rule of life that you are living by? If so, what is it and how is it shaping you as a disciple of Jesus Christ? If not, what prevents you from embarking on such a journey?
I look forward to your comments!
Russell
I am looking at going for commissioning (a final step prior to full ordination in the United Methodist Church) at our 2009 Annual Conference. As Bob mentions, the bishop asks us what the General Rules are and if we will live by them. The answer to the latter question is obviously yes, but the answer to the former question is this:
1) "Do no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind..."
2) "...doing good of every possible sort, and , as far as possible, to all..."
3) "By attending upon all the ordinances of God" (Bob calls this "staying in love with God")
These three simple rules flowed out of John Wesley's understanding that "evangelical faith should be manifest in evangelical living." (2004 Book of Discipline, 48). And it seems to me that as I stand before folks every Sunday-teaching, preaching, exhorting, encouraging, etc-to live a life that encounters and becomes radically altered by God, I am no less called to do the same. It also occurs to me that since I am about to take a further step towards a lifetime of mission and ministry in the world as an ordained elder within the United Methodist Church, I too, should be paying particular attention to the commitment that I give to these rules.
So as of today, in addition to my thoughts on theology and other meanderings here at Radically Altered, I am going to begin writing about my journey as it relates to these three rules. Future posts that involve these three rules will all be tagged with Living the General Rules and then sub tagged with which ever rule applies to that post (ie. do no harm, doing good, attending upon the ordinances of God).
My hope is not to make a move towards legalism, but rather to have a rule of life that helps shape and form me as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Many monastic communities and corporate bodies of worship utilize rules of life for their congregations and as individuals...so I thought that I would give it a whirl!
As I set out on this journey, I wonder if you have a rule of life that you are living by? If so, what is it and how is it shaping you as a disciple of Jesus Christ? If not, what prevents you from embarking on such a journey?
I look forward to your comments!
Russell
Monday, July 7, 2008
What happens when a Full Gospel and UMC pastor get together?
What happens when a Full Gospel/Non-denominational pastor and a United Methodist pastor get together?
Well they have church of course!
Last night I had the privilege of joining Pastor Mark and Pastor Carol and numerous others at Faith World Outreach Center and Church for worship. A few weeks ago, Pastor Mark and Pastor Carol came with some of their folks to a worship service that we had at Edom United Methodist Church. After that visit, Pastor Mark called me and asked if I would bring the message this past Sunday evening.
I can't begin to tell you what a blessing this has been for me. I love connecting with new people and getting the opportunity to share the gospel with those I encounter. But the real blessing is that for an hour and a half last night Erica and I worshiped with other brothers and sisters in Christ.
Sure the music was different from our Sunday morning traditional service. Sure order of worship and liturgy was a little different. But you know what, God was there!
Pastor Mark and I talked quite a bit both before and after the service. I am amazed at what God is doing through their ministry. At the end of the evening several of us took with us ideas about how to continue to share ministry together in the future. I am looking forward to what these new relationships have in store for each of us!
Ecumenical endeavors are not a foreign thing to me or those out here in our community. Each year a local Baptist church, Assembly of God church, and our United Methodist church get together to join in community worship. We gather for a community Thanksgiving service and a community Easter Sunrise service hosted by our churches on a rotation basis. We won't be hosting again until 2009, when Edom UMC (our church) will be hosting the Easter service. These are spectacular times of worship. The pastors share in the preaching and leading of worship. We experience different styles of worship music. We stand together with our neighbors under one roof and one God. Never do I think we see more diversity or unity than at these times of the year. For me, they are reminders that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.
Pastor Mark put it quite succinctly when he stated that he didn't believe that when we get to heaven there was going to be a "Full Gospel" line, a "Methodist" line, a "Baptist" line, etc. I couldn't agree more! I think that we will all be worshiping together then, so why not have a little heaven on earth right now!?!
I actually think that when we get to heaven we are going to say to someone, "Hey, what are you doing here!?!" Followed immediately by, "where is so and so?"
So here is what I wonder: Are you participating in ecumenical worship, missions, or ministry? If so, I would love to hear about your experience (what works, what doesn't, how have you been blessed by it, etc). If not, I would love to know why not.
Peace,
Russell
Well they have church of course!
Last night I had the privilege of joining Pastor Mark and Pastor Carol and numerous others at Faith World Outreach Center and Church for worship. A few weeks ago, Pastor Mark and Pastor Carol came with some of their folks to a worship service that we had at Edom United Methodist Church. After that visit, Pastor Mark called me and asked if I would bring the message this past Sunday evening.
I can't begin to tell you what a blessing this has been for me. I love connecting with new people and getting the opportunity to share the gospel with those I encounter. But the real blessing is that for an hour and a half last night Erica and I worshiped with other brothers and sisters in Christ.
Sure the music was different from our Sunday morning traditional service. Sure order of worship and liturgy was a little different. But you know what, God was there!
Pastor Mark and I talked quite a bit both before and after the service. I am amazed at what God is doing through their ministry. At the end of the evening several of us took with us ideas about how to continue to share ministry together in the future. I am looking forward to what these new relationships have in store for each of us!
Ecumenical endeavors are not a foreign thing to me or those out here in our community. Each year a local Baptist church, Assembly of God church, and our United Methodist church get together to join in community worship. We gather for a community Thanksgiving service and a community Easter Sunrise service hosted by our churches on a rotation basis. We won't be hosting again until 2009, when Edom UMC (our church) will be hosting the Easter service. These are spectacular times of worship. The pastors share in the preaching and leading of worship. We experience different styles of worship music. We stand together with our neighbors under one roof and one God. Never do I think we see more diversity or unity than at these times of the year. For me, they are reminders that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.
Pastor Mark put it quite succinctly when he stated that he didn't believe that when we get to heaven there was going to be a "Full Gospel" line, a "Methodist" line, a "Baptist" line, etc. I couldn't agree more! I think that we will all be worshiping together then, so why not have a little heaven on earth right now!?!
I actually think that when we get to heaven we are going to say to someone, "Hey, what are you doing here!?!" Followed immediately by, "where is so and so?"
So here is what I wonder: Are you participating in ecumenical worship, missions, or ministry? If so, I would love to hear about your experience (what works, what doesn't, how have you been blessed by it, etc). If not, I would love to know why not.
Peace,
Russell
Renaming God - Part II
I was surprised that fewer people commented on the post "Renaming God" than the post about worship and the Fourth of July.
None the less, I really loved these two quotes:
"All metaphors regarding God outside the canonical heritage of the church--however useful they may be or seem--must remain secondary to scriptural understanding of God's self-revelation to humanity." ---Stresspenguin
"I believe as pastors we need to be very cognizant and empathetic towards people's images of God that have been shaped by their experiences, but I also believe we can present to these and others a loving, redemptive God as Father." ---Anonymous
I may have been a little harsh (and maybe not), but here is what I wrote in the unedited version of my credo (it got cut in order to get below the 9,000 word count maximum):
"Finally, I am obligated to say a word about language; specifically language referring to God. As has already been seen, there is no reluctance on my part in using the pronoun ‘him’ for God. I want to be clear that this is not a decision that was arrived at flippantly or haphazardly. I desire nothing more than to stand in solidarity with all of my brothers and sisters in Christ. I have witnessed the oppression that those who are different from me have experienced and I have heard the cries of lament that have come from communities of women that have for far too long been marginalized or discounted all together. I am all for a hermeneutic of retrieval that seeks to rediscover these voices that have been drowned out by the monotonous intellectual gluttony and self-serving power mongering that has sadly plagued Western theology throughout its history, but I do not believe that this includes using the gender neuter or feminine forms of pronouns for God to accomplish this. On this point I stand in the trenches with Clark Pinnock; although it must be noted that I have appropriated Pinnock’s argument and applied it not just to the Holy Spirit, but to all persons of the Trinity. I believe that masculine, feminine and neutral forms of address for God are all problematic. The masculine forms suggest perpetuating injustice and oppression towards women, the neutered forms reduce the personhood of the members of the Trinity to nothing more than things, and the feminine forms may take away from the masculine and gender neutral nuances and may endanger a strictly feminine view of a member of the Trinity or the Trinity as a whole. As Pinnock concluded, to change to a neutered or feminine pronoun appears to cause more problems than it would solve.[1] In consideration of all of this, I have opted for the continued use of the masculine pronoun in referring to all persons of the Holy Trinity."
Obviously, I am on the side of orthodoxy and tradition...that is to say, maintaining the language and ways that God has revealed himself to us in history. This is not, however, a license to perpetuate or induce oppression (patriarchy or otherwise). It seems to me that the Scriptures are quite clear about what characterizes terms such as Father and Son; and often these characterizations run contrary to our earthly experience or understanding. So as Penny mentioned, we must present these in their entirety---gracefully and lovingly. Only then can we be truly and radically altered by their message and meaning for our faith and our lives.
None the less, I really loved these two quotes:
"All metaphors regarding God outside the canonical heritage of the church--however useful they may be or seem--must remain secondary to scriptural understanding of God's self-revelation to humanity." ---Stresspenguin
"I believe as pastors we need to be very cognizant and empathetic towards people's images of God that have been shaped by their experiences, but I also believe we can present to these and others a loving, redemptive God as Father." ---Anonymous
I may have been a little harsh (and maybe not), but here is what I wrote in the unedited version of my credo (it got cut in order to get below the 9,000 word count maximum):
"Finally, I am obligated to say a word about language; specifically language referring to God. As has already been seen, there is no reluctance on my part in using the pronoun ‘him’ for God. I want to be clear that this is not a decision that was arrived at flippantly or haphazardly. I desire nothing more than to stand in solidarity with all of my brothers and sisters in Christ. I have witnessed the oppression that those who are different from me have experienced and I have heard the cries of lament that have come from communities of women that have for far too long been marginalized or discounted all together. I am all for a hermeneutic of retrieval that seeks to rediscover these voices that have been drowned out by the monotonous intellectual gluttony and self-serving power mongering that has sadly plagued Western theology throughout its history, but I do not believe that this includes using the gender neuter or feminine forms of pronouns for God to accomplish this. On this point I stand in the trenches with Clark Pinnock; although it must be noted that I have appropriated Pinnock’s argument and applied it not just to the Holy Spirit, but to all persons of the Trinity. I believe that masculine, feminine and neutral forms of address for God are all problematic. The masculine forms suggest perpetuating injustice and oppression towards women, the neutered forms reduce the personhood of the members of the Trinity to nothing more than things, and the feminine forms may take away from the masculine and gender neutral nuances and may endanger a strictly feminine view of a member of the Trinity or the Trinity as a whole. As Pinnock concluded, to change to a neutered or feminine pronoun appears to cause more problems than it would solve.[1] In consideration of all of this, I have opted for the continued use of the masculine pronoun in referring to all persons of the Holy Trinity."
[1] Clark H. Pinnock, Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 15-17.
Obviously, I am on the side of orthodoxy and tradition...that is to say, maintaining the language and ways that God has revealed himself to us in history. This is not, however, a license to perpetuate or induce oppression (patriarchy or otherwise). It seems to me that the Scriptures are quite clear about what characterizes terms such as Father and Son; and often these characterizations run contrary to our earthly experience or understanding. So as Penny mentioned, we must present these in their entirety---gracefully and lovingly. Only then can we be truly and radically altered by their message and meaning for our faith and our lives.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Renaming God
Perhaps one of the most challenging issues for me in my seminary career involves the way that we call upon (name) God and represent God with analogies. Many of my colleagues (and some of the staff) thought that we should reconsider how we talk to and about God.
Everything from Father, Son and Holy Spirit; to Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer; to Source, Wellspring, and Living Water (courtesy of D. Cunningham); and so on, have been utilized to both name and describe analogously both who God is and what God does.
Feminists often cite the oppression of patriarchy as the reason to make the move to gender neutral or feminine pronouns for God, while other groups cite inclusiveness (perhaps the image of "Father" is a bad one because someone has had a bad experience with an earthly father) to make similar moves.
Here's the question: Is such a move necessary?
This topic has come up again recently, and somewhat heatedly in the blogosphere and in personal conversations, because of a Christian fiction entitled The Shack (you can click here to read a short and longer version of a review by Tim Challies---or you can click here to get a different take on the book by Greg Boyd).
In this story, the main character (Mack) encounters God in the same shack where his little girl had been murdered after an abduction. In this fictional work, God the Father is presented as an African American woman, God the Son is presented as a 30-something male carpenter, and God the Holy Spirit is presented as a humorous (Greg uses the words 'etherial' and 'hilarious' to describe her) Asian woman.
As I was going through my daily blogs today, I noticed that Tim had posted a quote from Bruce Waltke’s Old Testament Theology. Here is part of what Tim quoted (to read the entire post called Quote - Inexcusable Hubris, click here ---it is a short one!):
"We cannot change God’s names, titles, or metaphors without committing idolatry, for we will have reimagined him in a way other than the metaphors and the incarnation by which he revealed himself. His representations and incarnation are inseparable from his being."
What do you all think?
Please leave your comments about the following questions:
Should we (and can we) change the names, titles, and metaphors that we have for God? Why or why not?
In a few days I will post some more snippets of comments and my own continuing thoughts on the matter.
Everything from Father, Son and Holy Spirit; to Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer; to Source, Wellspring, and Living Water (courtesy of D. Cunningham); and so on, have been utilized to both name and describe analogously both who God is and what God does.
Feminists often cite the oppression of patriarchy as the reason to make the move to gender neutral or feminine pronouns for God, while other groups cite inclusiveness (perhaps the image of "Father" is a bad one because someone has had a bad experience with an earthly father) to make similar moves.
Here's the question: Is such a move necessary?
This topic has come up again recently, and somewhat heatedly in the blogosphere and in personal conversations, because of a Christian fiction entitled The Shack (you can click here to read a short and longer version of a review by Tim Challies---or you can click here to get a different take on the book by Greg Boyd).
In this story, the main character (Mack) encounters God in the same shack where his little girl had been murdered after an abduction. In this fictional work, God the Father is presented as an African American woman, God the Son is presented as a 30-something male carpenter, and God the Holy Spirit is presented as a humorous (Greg uses the words 'etherial' and 'hilarious' to describe her) Asian woman.
As I was going through my daily blogs today, I noticed that Tim had posted a quote from Bruce Waltke’s Old Testament Theology. Here is part of what Tim quoted (to read the entire post called Quote - Inexcusable Hubris, click here ---it is a short one!):
"We cannot change God’s names, titles, or metaphors without committing idolatry, for we will have reimagined him in a way other than the metaphors and the incarnation by which he revealed himself. His representations and incarnation are inseparable from his being."
What do you all think?
Please leave your comments about the following questions:
Should we (and can we) change the names, titles, and metaphors that we have for God? Why or why not?
In a few days I will post some more snippets of comments and my own continuing thoughts on the matter.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Independence vs. In-dependence
Earlier this week I posted a blog asking your thoughts about the Fourth of July as it relates to the church. How much influence should we allow this holiday to have in our worship services on the weekends that surround the 4th?
Here are some of the comments that were left regarding the extent of influence that July 4th should have on our worship services:
"I just bristle at folks that seem to equate 'American Christianity' with 'so much better than everyone else'." --Ben
"Perhaps celebrating July 4th is a way of acknowledging to God our thankfulness for living in a country where we can practice our faith freely." --Tammy
"If a church wants to do a patriotic celebration I'm all for it. But please don't do it in a worship service...don't create synchretism by mixing patriotism with Christianity." --Pete the Brit
"I will have a separate celebration, but I won't even call it a worship service (because the point of that kind of service is not to gather together to honor God, but to gather to celebrate ourselves..." --Cynthia
"Even though we would never say anything like it, I struggle with the inference that the kingdom of God is somehow equated to the kingdom of the USA." --Jessica
The comments just keep rolling in! There simply isn't enough room to list snippets from all of them, but you can view the comments in their entirety (and I encourage this---there is some great stuff here) at the bottom of the previous blog posting!
So now you are asking yourself where do I weigh in, right!?!
Let me first say that I can appreciate the opinion of those that feel it is alright to have a patriotic worship service. I can appreciate it because although there were relatively few comments in support of such an act, I pastor two churches in East Texas where that is the general understanding...it is alright to have worship that is patriotic...many would agree that it could be a way in which we show our gratitude toward God for our freedoms (including our freedom to worship).
While I can appreciate that point of view, I cannot bring myself to completely agree. Perhaps it is because I have seen 'patriotic' worship done so poorly (as many of you all have commented how it is often prone to take the focus off of God and place it towards ourselves) or perhaps it is because of something deeper.
For me, I think it really boils down to the difference between 'Independence' and 'In-Dependence'.
You see, 'Independence' relates to the ideology that I am my own (or corporately, we are our own). I don't know about you, but this line of thinking gets me into trouble. It is the root of my consumerism, consumption, self-serving, self-centeredness, egotism, etc. The thought that I don't need, or am not dependent upon anything or anyone else can lead me down some dark paths. Over the years, it has also gotten many countries and churches into trouble.
'In-dependence', on the other hand, reminds me that I am not my own (we are not our own). I am (we are) dependent upon Christ. If there is anything good or holy in me (us), it is because of the grace of God...not because of something I did (or we did).
Perhaps,then, the question of identity is somehow wrapped up in all of this. Do we view ourselves based upon our country of residence or do we understand ourselves as Christians first?
I can't help but think of the passage in Galatians (3:28-29) which states: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise."
First and foremost we are children of God. Everything else---our identities as mothers, fathers, children, Americans, etc---everything else is secondary. It seems to me that that ought to be clear in our discipleship and in our worship. Anything that takes the focus off of God or seeks to place our other identities ahead of our identity as children of God, I think should be left out of worship.
Ministry, as my friend Wademan reminds us, however, is messy and contextual. To negate the feelings or cultural understandings of my two congregations is problematic to say the least.
So how am I handling this Fourth of July weekend?
First, I am participating as a pastor and community member in a community gathering on Friday, July 4th, where I will be giving the invocation/opening prayer. It is taking place at our local community center and is a patriotic celebration...not a worship service. I will help out with the video and slide show projection and then head out to help light fireworks and continue to celebrate the 4th with our community.
Second, on Sunday morning we will worship without the use of any of the patriotic hymns (America, America the Beautiful, etc). I will utilize the prayer for Independence Day (#442 in the United Methodist Book of Worship) that recognizes God's sovereignty over all the peoples of the earth and asks for God's guidance for the leaders of all nations. I will be preaching a sermon that talks about life in the Spirit (Romans 8:1-11), followed by Communion and that's it. This is perhaps easier this year because the 4th doesn't fall on Sunday or Monday. I am sure that in those years where the 4th does fall on a Sunday or Monday, greater consideration will have to be given to the matter.
At any rate, this is the best way that I can figure to do ministry in the context of my community and my own understandings of being Christian. It allows me to remain connected to the community and the community's patriotism (which probably exceeds my own), while maintaining my theological integrity (at least I hope).
With many more years of ministry ahead of me (God willing!) I am sure that this wrestling match is far from finished. I thank you for your contributions thus far (I really like the hymnody service idea...perhaps I could get permission to use it in the future!?!) and I look forward to our ongoing journey together.
Here are some of the comments that were left regarding the extent of influence that July 4th should have on our worship services:
"I just bristle at folks that seem to equate 'American Christianity' with 'so much better than everyone else'." --Ben
"Perhaps celebrating July 4th is a way of acknowledging to God our thankfulness for living in a country where we can practice our faith freely." --Tammy
"If a church wants to do a patriotic celebration I'm all for it. But please don't do it in a worship service...don't create synchretism by mixing patriotism with Christianity." --Pete the Brit
"I will have a separate celebration, but I won't even call it a worship service (because the point of that kind of service is not to gather together to honor God, but to gather to celebrate ourselves..." --Cynthia
"Even though we would never say anything like it, I struggle with the inference that the kingdom of God is somehow equated to the kingdom of the USA." --Jessica
The comments just keep rolling in! There simply isn't enough room to list snippets from all of them, but you can view the comments in their entirety (and I encourage this---there is some great stuff here) at the bottom of the previous blog posting!
So now you are asking yourself where do I weigh in, right!?!
Let me first say that I can appreciate the opinion of those that feel it is alright to have a patriotic worship service. I can appreciate it because although there were relatively few comments in support of such an act, I pastor two churches in East Texas where that is the general understanding...it is alright to have worship that is patriotic...many would agree that it could be a way in which we show our gratitude toward God for our freedoms (including our freedom to worship).
While I can appreciate that point of view, I cannot bring myself to completely agree. Perhaps it is because I have seen 'patriotic' worship done so poorly (as many of you all have commented how it is often prone to take the focus off of God and place it towards ourselves) or perhaps it is because of something deeper.
For me, I think it really boils down to the difference between 'Independence' and 'In-Dependence'.
You see, 'Independence' relates to the ideology that I am my own (or corporately, we are our own). I don't know about you, but this line of thinking gets me into trouble. It is the root of my consumerism, consumption, self-serving, self-centeredness, egotism, etc. The thought that I don't need, or am not dependent upon anything or anyone else can lead me down some dark paths. Over the years, it has also gotten many countries and churches into trouble.
'In-dependence', on the other hand, reminds me that I am not my own (we are not our own). I am (we are) dependent upon Christ. If there is anything good or holy in me (us), it is because of the grace of God...not because of something I did (or we did).
Perhaps,then, the question of identity is somehow wrapped up in all of this. Do we view ourselves based upon our country of residence or do we understand ourselves as Christians first?
I can't help but think of the passage in Galatians (3:28-29) which states: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise."
First and foremost we are children of God. Everything else---our identities as mothers, fathers, children, Americans, etc---everything else is secondary. It seems to me that that ought to be clear in our discipleship and in our worship. Anything that takes the focus off of God or seeks to place our other identities ahead of our identity as children of God, I think should be left out of worship.
Ministry, as my friend Wademan reminds us, however, is messy and contextual. To negate the feelings or cultural understandings of my two congregations is problematic to say the least.
So how am I handling this Fourth of July weekend?
First, I am participating as a pastor and community member in a community gathering on Friday, July 4th, where I will be giving the invocation/opening prayer. It is taking place at our local community center and is a patriotic celebration...not a worship service. I will help out with the video and slide show projection and then head out to help light fireworks and continue to celebrate the 4th with our community.
Second, on Sunday morning we will worship without the use of any of the patriotic hymns (America, America the Beautiful, etc). I will utilize the prayer for Independence Day (#442 in the United Methodist Book of Worship) that recognizes God's sovereignty over all the peoples of the earth and asks for God's guidance for the leaders of all nations. I will be preaching a sermon that talks about life in the Spirit (Romans 8:1-11), followed by Communion and that's it. This is perhaps easier this year because the 4th doesn't fall on Sunday or Monday. I am sure that in those years where the 4th does fall on a Sunday or Monday, greater consideration will have to be given to the matter.
At any rate, this is the best way that I can figure to do ministry in the context of my community and my own understandings of being Christian. It allows me to remain connected to the community and the community's patriotism (which probably exceeds my own), while maintaining my theological integrity (at least I hope).
With many more years of ministry ahead of me (God willing!) I am sure that this wrestling match is far from finished. I thank you for your contributions thus far (I really like the hymnody service idea...perhaps I could get permission to use it in the future!?!) and I look forward to our ongoing journey together.
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