Standing behind the Pulpit

An unexpected thing happened to me this past Sunday.  I was sitting up in the front of the church, during the opening prayer, scripture, and songs, when I began to feel the need to say something.  I knew that my sermon was approaching soon, and I didn't feel that I could go forward with preaching the Word of God until I had cleared something up.  There was a problem between myself and one of my congregation, something that I had apologized for in person earlier, but something that was known to others as well.  Rather than allow some to wonder how I felt, or to hear about my actions secondhand, I decided to step in front of the alter and talk to my congregation directly.  Now before anyone gets any ideas; the problem revolved around a careless comment made on an earlier date, the kind of thing we all do from time to time, but a problem because of my unique role in shepherding this church. 
In the end, the short comment that I was intending to deliver evolved into about a ten minute rambling discussion of the ups and downs that we've seen as a church in my years there, as well as my hopes and fears for our future.  At one point, one of my senior saints decided to chime in with, "stop beating yourself up and start preaching".
It was a different sort of experience; I've known for years that my conscience becomes more keen when I'm going to be serving Communion, anything that has been lingering between myself and God gets cleared up, but this was the first time that I've felt the need to wait before giving my Sunday sermon.  It's a powerful thing to stand in front of others and tell them what the Word of God says, certainly not something to be taken lightly...

The Social Gospel?

I was reading an editorial piece in the paper today by a national columnist about the long-standing argument between "Conservative" and "Liberal" Christians over the Social Gospel.  The Social Gospel refers to the notion that social/economic justice must have the priority in the work of the Church.  In America, this divide has coincided with the political divide between Republicans and Democrats.  One side side of the argument: the desire to keep the Gospel message focused on the Spiritual needs of the Lost and the Flock; on the other, the belief that the very nature of the Gospel message requires that it be conjoined with concerns over poverty and rights.
In the end, both extremes of the divide have lost something vital by reacting against their opposite position.  Those who want to put the Gospel in a hermetically sealed box where it won't have any interaction with the culture in which the Church operates risk becoming detached from the real needs of those they are trying to minister to.  The Church does indeed need to prioritize its spiritual mission, but forgetting that God created people with physical needs too is an affront to the poor, the downtrodden, the hopeless.  Jesus spent a great deal of his effort with such as these.
On the other hand, those who devote the bulk of their ministry to social missions are in danger of forgetting that social solutions will never fix spiritual problems.  The problems in our world today are SIN problems; not the kind of thing that can be fixed with a government program or non-profit's initiative.  If the Church fails to ensure that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is at the forefront of its mission, it'll be of no more use than other well-meaning social groups who offer temporary aleviation for a root problem.
So what is the solution?  As is often the case, the Truth lies between these two extremes.  The Church must be both Spiritually AND socially aware.  The Gospel without the Cross and the Resurrection won't SAVE anyone, but the Gospel devoid of care for those in need lacks the Heart of our Savior.

When it feels like you're just putting a finger in the dike

There are times when it seems like every effort that we make in life is simply crisis management, trying to hold back a tide of depravity.  When you live a life devoted to God, to championing right over wrong, the weak over the strong, it can be double painful to know people who either don't care about this effort, or who actively seek to wreck such good works.  I've lately been afflicted by those who don't care.  It takes a lot of my willpower to be the only man who cares about the people I work with; to be surrounded by apathy and nihilism.  I care more about their lives than they do.  I hear constant tales of drug and alcohol use; of meaningless sex; all in a vain effort to escape from life.
Without God, what is there?  Without a purpose to your life, why are you here?
I know my savior lives.  I know I have a purpose, a place in this life.  I can't imagine trying to face this world with only pathetic substitutes to fill the "God-shaped hole" in each of us.
There but for the grace of God go I.

When you start to whine about your life....

Yesterday was one of those days that reminds me that my life is pretty good no matter how it may seem from time to time.  A 7th grader at Ionia Middle School had to call 911 at 4:30 AM because of an argument between her parents.  When the cops arrived they discovered that her father had shot her mother, her brother, and then killed himself.  It is certainly beyond my imagination how difficult this little girl's life is right now (as of now, both her brother and mother are in serious condition at the hospital).  I was called to the MS on friday morning to cover the classes of one of her teachers.  When you find out that you're working today because three people were shot, it puts things in perspective.
We all tend to be a little myopic about our lives, don't we?  We all have problems, many of them serious, and it really takes a jolt to get us to see beyond ourselves.  None of us are promised a tomorrow, today could be your last day.  Is it worth is to spend this day complaining?  As the Apostle James wrote, "Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."  Take a realistic look at your life.  Thank God for you many blessings (and tell him of your cares and worries in prayer), and never forget that life is a precious gift, one only our Creator can give.

Thoughts on "The Lovely Bones"

As an alternative education teacher, I'm always on the look-out for books that are high quality that my students will actually read.  Over the years I've had some success (notably with Stephen King's "Eyes of the Dragon") and some flops ("Jurassic Park" and "Runaway Jury" haven't gone over as well as I hoped).  I recently had to pick a new book on short notice (to cover classes for another teacher for a quarter; Get well Angi!).  At Barnes and Noble, I stumbled across "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold.  I'd heard about the movie (Directed by Peter Jackson!!), so I sat down and read a bit to see if I could decide if it would work...
In the end, I'm teaching the book right now (going great, they're into it) and I'd like to just share a few thoughts about it for those of you who may read it or see the movie (Yikes!  Always read the book when you have a choice)

The premise of the book is that the death of Susie (revealed on the 1st page, I'm not spoiling it) is the hole in the lives of her family around which their futures are knit together.  They go through some really rough times, deal with raw emotions; make mistakes; and basically do what people do when life beats them down.  Ultimately, they do find peace; but I can't help but wonder how the story may have been different had there been a religious element to it.  Surely, one of the greatest benefits to being a Christian is the HOPE that we have in Christ.  The ability to look past today's sorrows and know that the future is still in God's hands.  I'm not saying that Christian parents wouldn't have a problem with losing a child (obviously they would), but that Christians have someone to turn to when it seems like we've been abandoned in life.  "I will never leave you nor forsake you"; the words of the Savior have special power for those who cling to them through the storm.

The book also contains a variety of other ways that characters try to cope with their loss (from drugs to sex to rage); all of which ultimately doesn't work {a postive message if you choose to see it}, and it certainly contains an interesting view of what Heaven is {good for conversation starting with teens esp.}.  If it sounds like I'd recommend this book to Christian readers, I would.  It does contain some material that isn't suitable for younger kids (the murder of Susie being #1 on that list, rather graphic, and some sex too later on), but it definately contains material that will generate questions, thoughts, comments; etc.  Our world is in desperate need of answers to the big questions about the meaning and purpose of this life and what happens when it's over.  This book certainly will show the frailty of trying to cope with life alone, the kind of thing that a parent, mentor, or friend could use to help show the healing hand of Christ to someone in need.