Ephphatha

I have heard this song on the radio quite a bit lately. Yes, its true I listen to country music with some regularity. I must admit as I heard this song today driving home from worship a mix of emotions crossed over me until I ended up landing on being sad. I am saddened by the fact that so many people hear this song and many of them will take it as Gospel Truth. I am also saddened that so many people I know would agree with this suggestion- that God must be too busy to worry about me, and my issues- otherwise wouldn't I have heard something back from him? Country Music often times has some interesting theology indeed- but I would tend to agree more with Garth Brook's "Unanswered Prayers" over this one- how about you?

In the face of my sadness over the state of country music as well as the state of so many people we had our monthly healing service tonight. And I got to say...God was not to busy to be in our place obviously! Due to bad weather our numbers were pretty low (seven) yet the spirit was there in a major way. It is so amazing to see in a quiet setting the work of God, as she seemingly reaches into our world and touches us where we are at. This service has become to me one of my most anticipated monthly events and I am convinced that for the future of our church this must be a central part of our identity. From experiences like this I believe God cries out "I am not too busy...come to me you who are weary and weak, come to me and I will fill you".

So...what do we do to further the promise of God's presence in the face of a culture where so many think "God must be busy?"

Labels: the church, theological ramble

I had breakfast today (as I always do on Tuesday mornings) with the other two pastors in the village of Lake Ann. Pastor C who is a United Methodist Pastor and Pastor R who heads the Wesleyan church. I have come to value these meetings and the relationships that have developed out of them. Today however was kind of a downer...Pastor C, apparently after a hell of a week, basically resigned from the church (a little history here- the LA United Methodist Church, has historically been the Church in the village of Lake Ann- lot's of history, almost everyone who has family roots in Lake Ann has at one point belonged to this church). As he put it he stood up Sunday from the pulpit and answered some allegations that had been brought forth from the president of their staff committee. He then walked out and let the chips fall.

Well apparently things have gotten to this point because he feels he is heading in a different direction from the church...after nineteen years that is easy to imagine. But in addition to that he feels he is heading in a different direction than the denomination. Now, that to me is a bit troubling. C's main point is that he wants to be focussed on outreach, social ministry, being the church in the world, missional, etc...and I am confused as to why the UMC is not for those things. Or are they? I don't know enough about the denomination to make a judgment but would be surprised if this was entirely the case. I get the fact that all mainline denominations are struggling to embrace a changing culture and a changing population in which the church has been pushed to the margins. But, to suggest a denomination is not focussed on outreach and mission is startling. Is this the case? Obviously, on some level, C felt this was so- but why? What is it about our denominations which oppress ministry? I would like to say this is not the case...but I think at some level it is- when maintenance ministry becomes the focus- and has become the reality in many of our churches, outreach is lost and mission becomes an afterthought.

So...I am bummed- bummed out that I may be losing a good colleague- bummed out that there is some confusion going on in his head and with his call, bummed that time and again I hear critics of the church pointing to the hypocritical way we operate and also that all we care about is those like us- yet in this is hope...I have hope in the many good things that churches are doing, and hope in people I meet every day who long to make a difference because of the way they feel the spirit leading.

Dear God, continue to send your spirit to stir...stir in our lives, and push us to uncomfortable places where ministry can take place.

Labels: the church

"I found my own voice"- those were the words of Hillary Clinton upon winning the NH primary. Though I am not entirely sure of what she meant- she alluded that it came from listening to the people she ran into on her campaign trail- sometime between getting into it with Barack and Edwards at the debate I imagine. But nevertheless I found her statement quite interesting. Her own voice....our own voice....what does that mean?

As children of God, who have been given the great gift of Christ, and who now are called to share that gift what does our voice truly sound like? Maybe it's not a universal voice- actually it probably must be contextual. But what do we say as christians in the face of the injustices we see in the world and even in the church? I know we can fall back on the response that Jesus is love, this is a broken world....and God is still God- but what do we say to really combat the influence and oppression that is present in our world?

With Hillary's words in my mind I was reading the second reading for this week from Acts. Peter says, "He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead." That sounds great- a calling indeed- but how do we do that in terms that make sense today when so many people don't have a clue about Christ, about what it means for him to be "judge of the living and the dead"- when so many don't think they need Christ as we talked about before. What is the prophetic voice we are called to have?

eager to hear some thoughts

jg

Labels: discipleship

Happy New Year! I hope all is well where you are at. I was very excited by some of the conversations that came out of the last post on here- thanks for your input to you who posted comments and also to the emails I received- it seems that while we can admit there is a problem with what the Church is doing, insomuch that it is not succeeding truly at reaching the un/de churched- there is hope because many of our leaders both lay and clergy are asking the hard questions. Perhaps this is where a change begins, with us, trying to shake things up a bit.

In search of some new energy for our efforts in extending our welcome at Advent I have been reading "I Sold My Soul on Ebay", and have not been disappointed. Mehta is an amazing writer who tells his story and the story of his journey with an awesome energy. I am not finished with the book yet, but so far am inspired by it. He points out the many flaws that the churches of Christianity have, and from his perspective as an atheist much need to change before these churches can move forward to be the communities they set out to be. He challenges the club-mentality which he experienced at the smallest and the largest churches he visited. I wonder why do we think we can get away with that kind of behavior. When did the church become about "us" and "them"? And now how do we begin to change in the minds of those who are so entrenched into that way of thinking that it is about God, and all of us- not just those of us who gather together regularly. As I read scripture, it is clear that God is present now all over and we, as believers, are called and get to share the transformed life and way that comes from our own experience in the Love of Christ. So why do so many still feel so outside- why do so many fear entering the doors of a church, and why are so many of our churches dying? We got something wrong!

Wow, I just reread what I wrote above- kind of a downer! Yet unfortunately it seems to be true across our denomination- churches are declining and struggling to reach those on the edges, heck struggling to reach those on the inside. So where is the good news? I come back to Jesus I guess- our Lord who is a Lord of the resurrection- our God who breathes life into dry bones, and pray that we too as a church, as a denomination, as Christians can embrace the new life that Christ has given us and make an effort to share that by who we are. I hold onto the hope that with those of you I know who are ministering in and out of the church change has already begun, and the future is brighter!

Lot's of rambling once again...but I am convinced the church has to change- can we do it? How?

Labels: the church