MiracleList

Joy in the Journey - Day 1 - Sunday

2011-02-03T15:51:00.006-05:00

This is Day 1 of our month-long trek across country. David and I have two purposes on this trip:

1- Build up our marriage after a difficult 18-months, and
2- Build relationships within LCMC and ask for prayer support for Rivers.

Joy in the Journey, from Michael Card, is what we are finding on the way.

We began last Sunday at St. Martin's, Annapolis, on the day of their second vote to leave the ELCA. We saw more joy there than we had in any previous visit and felt the Spirit moving in worship and prayer. People were still glowing from Gemechis Buba's sermon the week before. He is the new missions director for the NALC, and previously the Director for African National Ministries in the ELCA. "He had stolid Lutherans cheering!", reported one member of St. Martin's.

We joined a powerful prayer vigil between services and worshipped our Lord. We were treated to lunch and watched registration for voting move along efficiently. The expectation was that they would pass the vote. We waited expectantly in the lounge with two active non-members of the church who couldn't vote. 380 votes were cast, the vote failed by two. There were many tears as people streamed out. There was also a strong sense from some that they will now build a new congregation. We briefly greeted Bishop Wolfgang. It was the first time we had seen him since he became Bishop and we left the synod. He returned our hugs, but didn't have time to talk.

On greeting us after the meeting, Pastor Miller's first words were, "God is still God!" Amen. We pray for St. Martin's as they discern God's direction for their life together. The lyrics of Card's song seem to fit:

There is a joy in the journey,
There's a light we can love on the way.
There is a wonder and wildness to life,
and freedom for those who obey.
All those who seek it shall find it,
a pardon for all who believe.
Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind

To all who've been born of the Spirit
and who share incarnation with him;
who belong to eternity, stranded in time,
and weary of struggling with sin.
Forget not the hope that's before you,
and never stop counting the cost.
Remember the hopelessness when you were lost?

There is a joy in this journey. May we all see it and delight in our Lord!

Baptism by Fire

2011-01-19T05:14:00.003-05:00

We just returned from a weekend drive down to
Tennessee for the baptism of my cousin, Amy.
What a joy to see everyone gather for her.

While the MiracleList has been dormant for a while,
miracles have not. We have been inundated with
love, joy and powerful working by the Holy Spirit.
What Jesus is doing in us and with us is amazing.

I'll try to be better about posting as we embark
on a month-long tour of the U.S., meeting pastors
and congregations in the LCMC across the country.

Yours in Christ,
David

Charging Our Batteries

2010-06-08T21:23:00.005-04:00

Anyone who knows me, knows I enjoy my iPhone. Sadly, as it has gotten older the battery life has diminished. This inconvenience has led me to have chargers handy everywhere - at home, at work, in the car and an extra one just in case. Why is this relevant? Read on.

For over a year now our list of prayer partners has lifted up requests on behalf of our ministry. It is amazing how quickly the answers sometimes come. The most recent request was extraordinary, which is to say for God, it was par for the course.

I was discouraged by the drop in worship attendance - the last two Saturday evenings it was two families, ours and one other. I started thinking, "Maybe we aren't ready for weekly worship. Maybe we should focus our energies on other events." But that was not the Holy Spirit talking. The Holy Spirit did speak though. The many email responses I received reflected each author's own personality but the underlying message was identical. And it was a message I needed to hear. Just in case the emails weren't clear enough for me, God also sent it to my front door in person through a Christian census worker who reiterated the message. (She has now been added to the prayer partner list!)

Here is the answer to my prayer:

Worship is the center of Christian living. We are created to praise God. To do otherwise is to go against our very nature. Worship builds up the Christian community. It charges our batteries. We are like my poor phone - when we are weak we don't need to charge less...we need to charge more!

Come on Rivers of Life...Get Charged Up!!

Worship Saturdays, 6:30 - 8, Asbury Chapel
21 Craigtown Rd., Port Deposit, MD

Prayer Retreat

2010-03-11T06:22:00.002-05:00

A pastor friend invited me and seven other ministers
to an overnight retreat for prayer and fellowship.

What a great time!

Nine people who all have started new congregations
or trained new worship leaders just spending time alone.

We'd pray or read by ourselves for three hours,
then talk in groups of threes for an hour,
then eat for an hour, then just relax
together talking about whatever.

It was very peaceful.

And with the prayers of the sponsoring congregation,
it felt like spending time alone with God
was the most valuable time on earth.

We really do hear God differently when we stop
to actually try and hear Him speak.

Three Decisions, One Day

2010-02-25T05:36:00.002-05:00

Rivers of Life had a big week! In one day, the
denominational leaders who first proposed this mission,
cancelled funding for the project...
just weeks after pledging they were in for the full 3 years.

They cited the economy, the unexpected lack of growth
in new home construction in the region, and the pressure
that two churches felt by having a 'new congregation' start
in between their two towns.

Now that may discourage some people, to be laid off,
but we believe that God works EVERY situation to good.

So we went to chocolate fair at a local church,
one of many, many, who have helped us start this year.
And they offered for us to worship at their building!

Then, our Rivers of Life family organized a huge dinner.
Just about everyone was there, because they wanted to
be together whatever the news from the officials was.

And it was a blast. Sure people feel hurt and angry.
No one says they shouldn't. But they felt an even stronger
sense of love for each other and thankfulness for God
giving us this group in the first place.

So, we invited a couple of the denominational leaders
and expressed our gratitude for them 'getting us this far.'

As we were planning to begin our weekly services in April,
those plans continue on track. And our hope is that even
without a full-time pastor, we will be able to work together
to launch this new church.

Isn't that how most Christian congregations have started?!

We had three big decisions... all out of my hands and
out of my control, but we placed them all in God's hands,
and God is doing something amazing with all three.

It's like Jesus feeding the 5,000+ with just a few fish and
loafs of bread. If he can do that with food... just imagine
what he can do with you and me!

God Gives Rest

2009-12-21T06:28:00.002-05:00

People often think the first book of the Bible is about
the exact way God created the universe and our earth.

But this first Creation story is really about how God
created us... in God's own image, male and female.

And at the end of this good work, God makes
something holy.

And passes that holy thing on to us.

Time. God 'hallows' a day, the seventh day, and rests.
And thus gives us a day to rest.

No matter how busy we are, or necessary, or needed,
we are not more important than God.

And even God took a break.
And built, what Rabbi Heschel calls,
Architecture in Time.

God made a holy day.

I was recently reminded of this as the stress and strain
of helping to form a new Christian Community here
wore me down.

Several friends, and a few enemies, prayed for me,
and God answered their prayers by giving me rest.

We got snowed in at a friends house the whole weekend,
while over a foot of snow covered the roads
and blanketed our normally warm region.

So, I got to rest.
And I realized it was just the beginning of what I need.

I also need to remember that, with Ps 127:
Unless the Lord build a house, the workers labor in vain.
Unless the Lord guard the city, the watchmen watch in vain.
It is vain to rise up early and go to bed late,
for God gives rest to those he loves.

And God loves me.
And God loves you.
And the most beautiful thing in all creation
that God made, was the first holy thing on earth,
Time to rest and reflect and enjoy all the good that
God has done.

God blesses you with a sabbath day each week.
Accept this good and joyful gift.
And be like God.

Who Watches Who?

2009-12-18T04:46:00.004-05:00

When people say, 'we go to Church' they may mean:
- the congregation is the audience
- the pastor and musicians are the actors on stage and
- the Lord is our cosmic director watching from a box.

But we don't go to Church... we ARE the church.
And God is not passively controlling our lives.
God is cheering us on!

Soren Kierkegaard said that
- the congregation are the actors on stage,
- the pastor is behind the scenes cuing lights and
- God is our audience.

We are performing for God, and whether our lives
are a drama, a tragedy, a comedy, a love story
or an action adventure... God is enthralled.
And deeply wants it to come out well in the end.

Where do you think we get our love of theater?
We were created in the image of God.

God is sitting on the edge of his seat,
wondering what you will do next.
God loves you!
God made us to enjoy us!
And God wants to see you in action!

Shakespeare penned, 'All the world is a stage,
and all the men and women merely players [actors].'
We are the Church as we go around life in the world,
not just as we gather for worship on Sunday.

But our Triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit -
is not an audience passively watching or not caring.
- Our Creator wrote the script.
- Our Savior is on stage with us.
(Jesus became an actor just like us!) and
- Our Comforter (the Holy Spirit) is cheering us on.

And as any actor can tell you,
the audience's joy and rapt attention
is the really energy that drives you to perform well!

Our (Lord's) Prayer

2009-12-18T04:03:00.007-05:00

When Jesus' friends asked how to pray, they spoke for us.
We often don't know how to talk to God.

So, Jesus said a simple prayer, we can pray everyday.

Our Father,
... Who art in heaven.
...... Hallowed be thy name.
......... Thy kingdom come.
............ Thy will be done.
............... On earth as
.................. it
..................... Is in heaven.
............ Give us this day our daily bread.
......... Forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
...... Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
... For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.
Forever.

Amen.

As you pray this prayer everyday and think in new ways
about how God is working in you and speaking to you,
you'll see many different things in the Lord's prayer.

Many.

I've outlined above just one way to realize that the
parts of the prayer are connected to each other
and how they connect to our lives
and connect us to God.

God is our Father. Forever.

God has an incredible kingdom and power in heaven
- Jesus preached that God's kingdom is 'AT HAND.'
- God's kingdom and power and glory is not far off.
- God's kingdom and power and glory is WITH US!

Ps 23 (The Lord is My Shepherd) says,
- 'you lead us in paths of righteousness'
- (which means safe and true paths)
- 'for your name's sake.'
- we follow God. God leads us.
God's name is hallowed... made holy among us
- when God protects us from danger
- and saves us from trouble.
- if the only prayer we can utter is, 'Oh, God help me!'
- God's name is hallowed, and God will hear our cry.

Earthy kingdoms and ruling bodies are set up to
- make sure people pay their debts and
- punish people for breaking the rule of law.
God's kingdom, God's economy and rule calls us
- to forgive debts and things people owe us,
- to forgive people who trespass against us.
- even against 'our property'... because
- it's not ours, it's all God's.

We ask God, the maker of heaven and earth
- to make things 'as' they seem on earth
- like life really 'is' in heaven.
- Make US earth creatures like JesUS, a child of heaven.
And God does this by making US part of JesUS

But Jesus comes first.

Our little "i" must join Christ's Cross "t".
- that's the "it" at the center of our lives.

Amen. ('So be it.') Amen.

Accountability

2009-12-11T16:45:00.003-05:00

To whom do you report?
When something goes wrong, or the unexpected occurs,
we often just shrug it off as 'not really our responsibility.'
It's not our fault.

But what in your life is?
What do you accept as your responsibility
no matter the difficulty or challenge?

Harry Truman was famous for his expression,
'The Buck Stops Here.'

Where does the buck stop with you?
Your relationships?
Your thoughts?
Your life?

Professionals can protect themselves by acting in a
'generally ethical manner' and documenting all we do.

But in our personal lives, this CYA approach doesn't work.
At the end of the day, our life is our responsibility,
even when other people are involved.

We're like a coach who is judged by the team's winning record,
a production manager accountable for the quality of all lines,
a governor responsible for the conduct of employees
he or she has never seen or doesn't even know.

Christians are held accountable, not just for what we do,
but what we do not do... and the negative situations that arise.

Our job, our responsibility, is to make peace.
The Bible says, We are given the Ministry of Reconciliation.

That's hard. It's not fair. It's 'unjust.'
But when we take seriously all that we do and
recognize opportunities to make things a little better,
we are joining in the work God came to do in Jesus Christ.

And that is what Christmas is really about.

Open Doors

2009-12-05T05:46:00.004-05:00

God always has more opportunities than we imagine.
Everytime something unwanted happens, relax.

God's at work doing incredible things
with even the most horrible events.

So, smile. When you face any difficulty, know
God is leaning against the lamp post of your future
already waiting to lead you ahead.

5 "F" Words for Success

2009-11-27T05:53:00.006-05:00

This week Christians start their New Year in the Church!
Join me in preparing for a fresh start.

Take honest stock of who we are. Write down goals!

I don't know everything or even do what I know.
So instead of being afraid of failure, we embrace it!

In fact, the first motto of this mission was: Fail Faster.
We're going to mess up. Why not do it sooner?
... and get over it and learn to succeed.

Martin Luther sparked this with: 'SIN BOLDLY...
and trust even more boldly in the grace of God.'

Below is a version of a tidbit Rick Warren sent that explains
why we'd rather... Fail Faster than Fear Failure.

Peter and Paul may be the greatest founders of our faith,
besides Jesus and John the Baptist.
And in Phillipians 3:12-13, Paul shows some secrets to success.

1. Face your Faults. Face Facts.
'I don't claim to be perfect.'

Even as a man who wrote much of the Bible and
started churches acriss the Roman empire,
Paul still said he had room to grow.

Sometimes your best friend will point out faults.
Sometimes your best enemy will. Thank God for them both!

2. Forget the Past
'This one thing I do: forget what is behind.'

Leaders learn from mistakes, but they don't live in them.
Let go of hurts, habits and hang ups that hold you back.
And they don't sit on their past success!

3. Focus on the Future
'Straining toward what is ahead, I press on for the goal.'

We aren't ignoring the past... we're looking ahead!
Rivers get their power by being focusing on flowing foward.
Rivers of Life is not called to be Dead Sea or swamp.

4. Fight to the Finish
'I press on!'

Nothing great happens without effort. We coast downhill.
Ordinary people are extraordinary when they don't quit!
Go the extra mile. Never give up.

5. Faith

Faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not yet seen.

Write down what you are trusting God to do.
And then press for that goal!

Family Gathering

2009-11-16T15:58:00.004-05:00

It's that time of year again - the planning season. You know, it's here when the air becomes cool and crisp and the leaves are mostly gone. Then it's time to map out what to do for the holidays.

Some families may do the same thing every year. Everyone knows the routine - where to go, what to bring. But being in the ministry several hundred miles from friends and family is not conducive to this arrangement. So we sit on the phone, calendar in hand. What days are you off? Where will everyone sleep?

This year, the planning season is about a different kind of family gathering. As the new congregation starts to form, I realized that this is part of God's family coming together. It's a joyful thing to meet brothers & sisters in Christ!

We are still trying to figure out how to contact everyone so they won't be left out. And since we haven't talked to them yet, we are making our best approximation for when their calendar might be free. We would like the 'new additions' to the family - the ones that have never seen us all together before - to feel welcome and at home. And of course there are preparations so that there is space for everyone.

With God's help and guidance the plans are coming along. If I weren't here I would expect this new congregation of just a few families to feel fragile at this early stage. But it doesn't. Our foundation is firm. It's going to be an amazing party!

Even so, this is just a preview of the family gathering to come. It's going to be big - not like a Thanksgiving dinner or a birthday party, but a wedding! You see the church is described as Christ's bride as millions and millions of us will gather around God's throne, praising his name, for the ultimate reunion.

I've been to some fantastic celebrations, but I really want to see the shindig that God throws to welcome all his children home.

Don't you?

How to Help

2009-11-13T11:42:00.002-05:00

When friends or family lose someone they love
or have a dream taken away, they feel pain at the loss.

How can you help? Usually, not by fixing it... or them.
What most people who hurt say is:
I just want someone to talk to.

Can you do that?

It's not OUR EYES that matter, but THEIRS.
What do they see? What do they feel?

Ask: How is my friend speaking about their loss?
Ask them: What died for you?

Then reflect their answers back. Use their words.
Resist the urge to share a story of your own.
Or to solve the problem of their pain.

You cannot relate.
And even if you can. This is their pain.
Loving is not talking but taking.
Accept what they give.
Accept who they are.

Christians follow Jesus example.
And our Lord did not stand TALL, he got LOW.
He knelt before his friends and washed their feet.
So can we.

We can:
Listen rather than Tell.
Observe more than Act.
Wait before we can Lead.
do nothing and not Leave.

Pay attention to when people say the loss and grief began.
Give them permission to 'Be o.k. where they are.'

There's a great story in Bible called Job.
His friends came and just sat with him
when his entire world fell apart.

And that was enough.
But then they decided his 'time was up.'
He needed to 'get over the grief'
and realize he was 'part of the problem.'

But people are not the problem
and Job's friends should have kept their mouths shut.

So, God had to come down and talk to them.
And tell them to ask Job to pray for them!
Because they had really missed the point
of just being a friend.

Grief and Loss

2009-11-13T09:39:00.002-05:00

What you feel tracks with how healthy people grieve.
All loss causes pain. But you know this. Beyond our control.
Behind all we think or do. Before we know it's even there.

The first shocked numbness leaves you breathless.
You can't believe or grasp what really happened.
Or you can and it's just too much.

Then we come into searching, begin yearning.
Who (or what) we lost was a part of us,
even when we didn't really realize it was there.

So we look for what we lost.

Sometimes people hear the voices of those who've died.
They go into the next room to find them. Sometimes
we have an urge to go looking and track them down.

Or I've seen shadows in faces and forms on the street.
Is that him? Was that her? Their posture. Their hair.
That shirt. We're oriented to what we lost. But can't find it.

Then disorientation comes. Letting go begins but our compass
has been set, pointing so long (in our heart, not only our head)
for so long, hard oriented toward our loved one lost...
now we don't know where our soul should go.
Where do we send what we want to love?

Here is a place in our journey with grief
that we're not only lost but don't know where we to go.
What are we living for? Where are we trying to be?

And during all this time, people grieve in a hundred ways.
Sometimes they shop. Sometimes they sleep.
Some cry. Some never do.
All of these are good.

Whatever way we need to grieve in the moment.
And there is no 'time limit' when we should be done.
There is no clock to 'get over' what we're going through.

After about six months, those who care for others, do
by asking questions about where they are, check in.
Is what you're doing helping you grieve?
What would you do without the things you're doing now?
Not judging, just seeing. Where are you? What do you need.

There's no right or wrong. Whatever way we grieve at the time,
we do. But I can tell you that all these also stop.

Even tears and emptiness stop. There is a hope.

There is a point where the 'valley of the shadow of death'
begins to slope upwards, ever so imperceptively,
the canyon walls lower and we even begin to see some light.
Sometimes we look around and suddenly we are out.
This is not a cause to feel guilt but release.

This is the beginning of reorientation and resolution.

Where before we couldn't move or forgot appointments
or how to do things we wanted to do, now we reorganize.
Our thoughts and plans begin facing toward a new goal.

And more importantly for the healing process, though we
never lose contact with memories of a touch of those we love,
we begin to pour our love into new relationships, new things.

We relocate energy from the relationship with one we lost
and direct it to building new relationships. Taking new risks.

New ventures await.

The wounded healer, though is with you through this all.
Jesus, God, has gone through loss and pain... and been with you.
We're not claiming some empty platitude to say: Jesus
is standing by you now.

He is with you and always will be. Wherever you go.
Walking. Waiting. Wondering. With you.

What's a Church (not)?

2009-11-02T04:52:00.003-05:00

Someone again asked, "So, where's your church going to be?'

I explained, "For us, Church is the people, not a place.
We'll be all over, doing different things."

"Yeah, but where?"

"All over. We do weekly services in three different places.
We host very unusual activities in several different more."

"But where's your Church going to be?"

"The Church is the people, they come and go. They're on the move!"

"But where's the building?"

"We'll hold the musical and monthly preview services
December through March at Perryville High School.
But we'll move around to different parts of the area,
because people around here travel in seven directions,
and there is no central 'there' where people work and play."

"But where will the Church be?"

"The people are the Church and we have to go find them,
moving around to different places to find who God wants
to gather together into the Rivers of Life."

"But where are you going to build your church, a building?"

"The Church is not a building. We're building a people."

80% of the average congregation's time, money and energy
is focused on the building: decorating, buying, heating,
repairing, going to it, talking/worrying/complaining about it.

What if from the very start of a new congregation,
we focused that 80% time, money and energy on people?
Building, training, healing, supporting, encouraging,
firing up, fixing, FOLLOWING, talking/laughing/crying with
People.

God does not fill buildings will His permanent Holy Spirit.
We are the dwelling places of God.
We are Christ's body.
We are Church.

How to Save Souls (short)

2009-10-14T09:27:00.006-04:00

The Beatles said it well,
We get by with a little help from our friends.

We all need help from time to time.
But are you prepared to help others... or even yourself?

Study the tiny book of James over six (6) days,
or just think about one (1) word each day...
and you will be.

This little book CLEARS the clutter of our lives:
the clutter of worried minds
the clutter of harmful words
the clutter of social divisions
the clutter of piles of inaction
the clutter of poor decisions
the clutter of obligations

In six little sandwich bites, the tiny book of James
teaches us how to save souls... ourselves and others.

The first and last verses of each section are the bread,
and you can study the meat and cheese each day...
if you want.

But I just repeat the first word to myself all day.

It CLEARS our lives in 6 easy steps.
Consider each challenge a joy (1:2-18)
Listen to others (1:19-27 )
Equalize relationships(2:1-13 )
Act on what you believe (2:14-26 )
Respect other opinions (3:1-17)
Save yourself and friends (3:18-5:20)

Day 1. CONSIDER
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever
you face trials of many kinds... He chose to give us birth
through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of
firstfruits of all he created.Consider your troubles a joy...

God is doing something new!
Growth always brings change and loss and pain. But grow!
Sheds your skin. Break out of the egg. Leave the cocoon and fly!

Day 2. LISTEN
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone
should be quick to listen, slow to speakand slow to anger...
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is
to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to
keep oneself frombeing polluted by the world.

Pure religion, Jesus' brother says, is not telling others
how to live and what you think... it's visiting and listening.

You will never save people who are not first your friends.

Day 4. EQUALIZE
My brothers and sisters [we're all family], as believers in
our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism...
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone
who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

Treating people with different incomes, jobs, backgrounds or
any of a million ways we people discriminate, is not God's way.

Treat all people as equally as Jesus died to save every soul.
Mercy trumps judgement!

Day 5. ACT
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith
but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?...
As the body without the spirit is dead, so
faith without deeds is dead.

How many piles of To-Do lists clutter your day?
Do it or dump. Fish of cut bait. Then trust God to do the rest.

Day 6. RESPECT
Not many of you should presume to be teachers,
my brothers and sisters, because you know that we who
teach will be judged more strictly... But the wisdom that
comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving,
considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit,
impartial and sincere.

When we think we're the boss and rely on our understanding,
we often make bad choices and disasterous decisions.
Humility and respect for the wisdom of others
will save us a great deal of heartache.

This sandwich warns us not to 'teach' but 'submit' to others.
We best teach people to learn by showing we can learn.

And when dealing with people in trouble,
they are the best expert on themselves!

Listen! Know-it-all evangelism is not Jesus' way.
He always asked, 'What do you need from me!'

Arrogance is a big turn-off to hurting people,
and it blinds us to our own troubles.

Day 7. SAVE
Peacemakers who sow in peaceraise a harvest of righteousness...
Remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error
of his waywill save him from death and
cover over a multitude of sins.

Even when imprisoned by our own troubles,
we can save up spiritual and financial treasures
that will prepare us to help people when a need arises.

This sandwich speaks a great deal about being available
to do what God wants when God wants you to go.

You tell what's important gy looking only at two things..
a person's bank statements and their calendars.

How we committ our time and treasure tells all.

James says... CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE AND YOUR DEBTS.
Don't lock yourself in saying, I'll go here a year and do this.
You don't know what God has in mind.

From Genesis 1 to the Ten Commandments, God says
DON'T OVERBOOK!

Set aside time to listen to yourself and to God. Relax!
Divert Daily.
Withdraw Weekly.
Move on Monthly.
Quit Quarterly.
Adventure Annually.

To be useful to God, we've got to regularly break out of
who we are and society's demands on us.
Who we are is not who we will be!

When we borrow money, we say we know our future
and promise to spend our time repaying that debt.

Don't steal from God! Take a break.
Our time is not ours to commit.

And it breaks my heart to see people wracked with guilt.
Don't steal from God! Jesus paid for ALL your sins.

Take time to rest and think and be open to life changes!

How to Save Souls (long) please read over 7 days

2009-10-12T07:50:00.026-04:00

Day 1. We all need rescuing... healing... saving.

The Beatles said we get by with a little help from our friends.

Our lives are cluttered...
with problems we didn't cause and many we did.

But how do we help others? How do we face our own troubles
let alone find the time, wisdom and chutzpah to help friends?

We're no better... and when people are panicked,
they're rarely able to listen to reason anyway.
Fear is an animal instinct that rarely helps
face our complex human problems.

Last Sunday, a friend asked me not to prepare a sermon,
but to come to his congregation and just let God speak.

Here's what God led me to share a 6-day study of James.
I'd never noticed how this tiny book in the Bible,
CLEARS away the clutter of our lives and
CLEARS a way for us to save others.

Sunday Night
Bonnie and Joe led amazing worship music.
They looked so comfortable together, and Nat said:
"I could listen to Bonnie's voice forever."

This new church launch is going to work!
We've got a great launch team and a
growing vision of what God will do.

I preached that morning at St. Paul's Lutheran in Newark,
a most touching liturgical service and sweet church spirit.
Pastors John and Greg show such true brotherly love
but have a real mischievous, casual quality : )

My sermon on COURAGE was well-received, but I accepted
Pastor Rich's challenge to find the courage myself to
'wait on a word from the Lord.'

Heading for Trouble
Jeremiah was a bit of a complainer, but he had
the longest-running career of any PROPHET.

Now a prophet doesn't predict the future
(though that's often a part of what they share.)
A prophet shares what's on God's heart and mind.

And God's heart was breaking for the people.
They were in deep spiritual trouble, and
God knew their path leads to death!

Do you know people heading for disaster?
But they don't see it or know how to break free?
Are you or others in debt but see no way out?

Jeremiah told the leaders that all of Israel would fall,
the land would be conquered and the people enslaved.

All this came true, but no one wanted to hear it.
The leaders said Jeremiah was a not a team player.

But he still insisted the WHOLE LAND WOULD FALL!
So they beat him, mocked him, and threw him in jail.

All because he shared God's warning and
God's burning desire to save the people from their sins.

My Redeemer Lives
There's an old tradition in Judaism that when you're in
serious FINANCIAL TROUBLE, a relative bails you out.

That person is your REDEEMER,
like buying back an item you sold to a pawn shop.
Redeemers cancel all debt and saved relatives from slavery.

We all need a redeemer sometime. A lifeguard if you will.
In my life, during a very bleak business time, I sang a song
every day from Job.
Job, in his suffering lost his family, health and wealth.
When his loving wife could stand his suffering no longer
and advised him to just 'curse God and die!'

But he prophetically predicted Jesus' coming
and said, 'I know my Redeemer lives!'

We need a redeemer who CLEARS away our debts...
and heals our brokenness
and swims out to where we're drowning an pulls us in.

And we can all be a redeemer for someone else.

Jeremiah's uncle came to him in prison and said his cousin
needed to sell his land quickly or he would become a slave.

Well, Jeremiah had said the whole land would be worthless
and that everyone was going to die or become a slave.

So everyone was shocked when Jeremiah pulled out
cash he had saved... and said yes!

Why? Because it is always on God's heart... and our job,
to be a Redeemer for others.
It sounds very un-Lutheran... but we are sent to save souls.

To Save means many things.
Save from a living hell or future loss.
To rescue from imminent disaster or danger.

But 'to save' literally means 'to heal.'
We are called to bring peace and healing to peoples' lives.

Six Sandwiches... one for each day
Jesus and James were brothers. They grew up together.
So, James probably knows what he's talking about.
And we'd do well to listen.

His little book in the Bible
CLEARS the clutter of our lives:
clears the clutter of our thoughts
- our minds are so worried -
clears the clutter of our words
- our words cause such trouble -
clears the clutter of our society
- so many rules telling who's in and who's out -
clears the clutter of our inaction
- so many half-started projects pulling on us -
clears the clutter of our judgements
- so many poor decisions hurting us -
clears the clutter of our obligations
- so many commitments tying our hands -

FOR SIX (6) DAYS, study the little book of James.
Six little sandwiches to teach us how to save souls.
The first and last verses of each section are bread,
and you can study the meat and cheese each day,
if you want.

But I just repeat the first word to myself all day.

It CLEARS our lives in 6 easy steps.

Consider every trouble a joy (1:2-18)
Listen to others, slow to talk or get mad (1:19-27 )
Equalize relationships, treat others as equals (2:1-13 )
Act on what you believe (2:14-26 )
Respect other opinions (3:1-17)
Save yourself and others (3:18-5:20)

Day 2. CONSIDER
James 1:2-18 Clears harmful, worried thoughts
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever
you face trials of many kinds... He chose to give us birth
through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of
firstfruits of all he created.

Consider your troubles a joy... God is doing something new!
Growth always brings change and loss and pain. But grow!
A snake sheds it's skin. A tight cocoon will let you fly!

Day 3. LISTEN
James 1:19-27 Clears our harmful talk (& email!)
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this:
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak
and slow to become angry... Religion that God our Father
accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans
and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from
being polluted by the world.

Pure religion, Jesus' brother says, is not telling others
how to live and what you think... it's visiting people
and listening to them when they're in trouble.

Just be a friend.
You will never save people who are not first friends with.

Day 4. EQUALIZE
James 2:1-13 Clears away social distinctions
My brothers and sisters [we're all family], as believers in
our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism...
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone
who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

Treating people with different incomes, jobs, backgrounds or
any of a million ways we people discriminate, is not God's way.

Treat all people equally as our glorious Lord Jesus Christ,
died to save every single soul.
Mercy trumps judgement!

Day 5. ACT
James 2:14-26 Clears away half-finished projects
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith
but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?...
As the body without the spirit is dead, so
faith without deeds is dead.

How many piles of To-Do lists clutter your day?
How many half-started projects clutter your house?

Don't let even hopeful inactions tangle your life. Act.
Do it or dump. Fish of cut bait.

And then trust that that God will do the rest.

Day 6. RESPECT
James 3:1-17 CLEARS AWAY BAD DECISIONS
Not many of you should presume to be teachers,
my bro and sisters, because you know that
we who teach will be judged more strictly...
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure;
then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy
and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

When we think we're the boss of the whole world
and always rely on our own limited understanding,
we often make bad choices and disasterous decisions.

We need to be humble and respect the wisdom of others.

This sandwich warns us not to always 'teach' others
but to 'submit' to them and sincerely learn.

When you're dealing with people with problems,
they are the expert on themselves!

Here/s where Day 2 Listen skills really come into play.
Know-it-all, my-way-or-the-highway evangelism
is not Jesus' way... and it just won't work.
It's a big turn-off to anyone in trouble.

And it blinds us to the troube we're in ourselves.

Day 7. SAVE
James 3:18 -5:20 CLEARS AWAY OBLIGATIONS
Peacemakers who sow in peace
raise a harvest of righteousness.... Remember this:
Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way
will save him from death and
cover over a multitude of sins.

Even when we're in our own troubles, like Jeremiah,
we will have saved up a store of spiritual treasure
-- and good stewards save financial resources --
that will prepare us to truly listen to needs
and possibly help save them.

We can be Redeemers for brothers and sisters in Christ.

But we can't do that fighting and demanding.
And we can't do that if we book up our schedule
with all of our own opportunities and obligations.

This sandwich speaks a great deal about being available
to do what God wants when God wants you to go.

You can tell what is REALLY important to a person
by looking only at two things...
their bank statements and their calendar.
How we committ our time and treasure tells all.

CLEARING OUR SCHEDULES AND DEBTS
James says, Don't lock yourself into saying,
I'll go here a year and make money. You don't know
what God has in mind.

And from Genesis 1 to the Ten Commandments,
God tells us not to overbook.

Set aside time to listen to yourself and God. Relax!
Divert Daily.
Withdraw Weekly.
Move on Monthly.
Quit Quarterly.
Adventure Annually.

To be useful to God, we've got to regularly break out
of who we are.

Who we are is not who we are going to be!!

And when we borrow money, we are saying
we know what our future earnings will be
and we're promising to spend our time repaying that debt.

Don't steal from God!
Take a break. Our time is not ours to commit.
It belongs to our gloriuos Lord's Jesus Christ.

And it breaks my heart to see people who admit their
failings and weaknesses but are still wracked with guilt.

Don't steal from God!
Jesus bought and paid for ALL your sins.
And when you take them back on yourself
and live with guilt or try to 'fix it' yourself,
you are taking what Jesus rightly bought.

You are redeemed!

And as a debtor, sinner, troublemaker, failure, victim
who has been fully redeemed from all your troubles,
you are able to help save others.

By pointing to your own life and saying,
"I know that your Redeemer lives, too!"

A Little Child Will Lead Them

2009-10-09T21:01:00.005-04:00

So the morning of the Fall Festival in Havre de Grace,
I'm running late. Only by about an hour and fifteen minutes!
But I learned long ago to not worry and just 'go with the flow.'

Everyone's setting up, behind schedule, but it's a new thing.
So I decide to just take off and visit a neighborhood.
Levin says he'll join me and off we go at 10am on a Saturday.

Doing early morning door knocks in the projects does not
sound like a great strategy for successful marketing.
But we saw this grandmother out with two little kids.

So, I ran across the parking lot before they went in.
And we invited them to the party and said there's a
jumpy thing...

(BTW, the week before the event, the Mission called
and said they'd run out of money and we could NOT
have a jumpy thing / moon bounce.

So I called a local church and they said no can do.
But then I preached there that weekend, and they
came up and gave me $300 for the Mission!

So the Mission's event person got a moon bounce
and two games for $300 delivered. But when I went to
pick it up, to save money, they said my van was not
allowed by insurance.

** see my rant entitled 'Egg Shells' **

But I walk across the street to a real estate company,
and they say I can use their moving truck for free.
Then the rental place gives me a 25% discount
without me ever even asking.

So the Mission gets $300 of stuff for $135!!
And a Moon Bounce is critical for a successful kid event.)

Back to the kids.

So, I ask the little boy, he's much younger than Levin (7)
if any of the neighbors have children.

And his grandmother let's him and his littler sister
take me and Levin all around to every one of his friends,
-- waking up moms and dads, uncles and grandmoms --
but with these little kids, no one cares.

Then we say goodbye and go join the party,
which is really doing well... until after lunchtime.

And just in the lull, I look up and around the corner
little Chris and his sister are leading a crowd of
15 people... all coming to event.

We not only made so many cross-connections with neighbors,
we learned about some things desperately needed that
we had no idea they were problems, or how to solve.

This was such a blessing... and God did so much of it,
all through a little child!

For the Record

2009-10-08T17:29:00.004-04:00

So I don't forget what one day can bring...

Just today:
- a member of our launch team created our first directory
- Band Jam time and location locked
(Sat. Oct 17, 2:30-5 at Rising Sun High School)
- we were asked to apply for three program grants
(funding a month's rent, mailers and the musical)
possibly totally more than our entire seed funds to date!
- a pastor met with me to prepare a dialogue sermon
to be delivered with him at all three of his services
discussing the exciting stories of this new mission
(St. John Sweet Air Phoenix, Oct 18)
- the Order of Stephen Deacons approved us to
develop a tailor-made program with them
to officially train and call Rivers of Life people
to works of word and service!
- the community college included me in a readers' theatre
- heard I may start a part-time economics MA this spring
(a long-term plan recommended by my home synod)
- and found out this program may be paid for in full!
- a local pastor called another local pastor and asked if
we could use their facilities sometime... he said yes!
- the Musical Gift of the Magi seems to be going forward!
- the Chicago and Baltimore offices are discussing changing
how this mission site is funded and structured
(maybe scary, but a joyful opportunity to see God work
to create a better strategy for service & success)
- Natalie made great progress on her job
- the kids are happy and home
- Levin received Challenge Math at school!
- I connected with MANY people in the community and
felt God moving and moving us in great ways!

Plus probably many more things big and small : )

Launch Prep

2009-10-08T06:12:00.003-04:00

We've not started the count down, but I can fee the
engines rumble in my mind.

The most exciting thing is watching God work
and watching people connect with each other.

In the last week alone, to think about it, probably
300 people and I have met in some close way,
and the results have been astounding.

It's electric to be around people, knowing that
God's own Holy Spirit is truly moving and that
we together are experiencing Jesus being with us!

A self-described 'formal' liturgical service full of
older retirees said, 'It's good to cut loose.'

A nursing home fellowship hall full of Baptists
who have never worshipped with robes and albs
were visibly touched by God after a liturgical communion.

Three small groups of people shared themselves and
connected with others to teach and learn about life,
about the amazing opportunity and struggle God gives!

A small boy and his even smaller sister, having faced
ENORMOUS tragedy volunteer to lead me house to house
to visit all their neighborhood friends one Saturday
and then at the Fall Festival I look up to see them
leading a group of 15 people to the fair!

I'd love to map out the plans, and we're doing that.
But the view is so incredible! I can't stop looking out the window.

I love where God is driving us!

Driving us? No. Lauching us.
This is going to be an unbelievable launch,
and we are going to hit atmosphere and go beyond
like a rocket destined for great places!

Final Stretch

2009-09-20T06:30:00.012-04:00

Things are so ready to take off here.
We're like archaeologists dusting off bones,
uncovering what God already put in the ground.
The vision cast last spring is coming to life.
Flesh on bones. Fossilization in reverse.

In January, when monthly 'preview services' start,
we will see a new thunder-lizard live!

As mission developers, we meet so many people
Natalie and I are quickly coming up to speed
on what's what in our extended region.
And it is extended! People drive!!

God has blessed us - i.e. done us a big happy favor -
by connecting amazing people to our lives.

So many have welcomed us into their homes and lives
and answered God's promise that wherever we go
God will provide us with new family and friends.

Some unusual happenings...
a college student from India is living with us.
I've been in community theatre, and
we're helping start a new soccer program with area churches.

I find the area's successful congregations,
who know what they're doing and doing it well,
are incredibly generous and supportive of our new work.

We're still looking for places to meet.
But I'm not going to turn that opportunity,
of not being down to one area or building,
into an obstacle.

They say, 'Patience is waiting on God's timing.'
It's scary, but I'm trusting God is working
in the roving chapel concept we follow.

If people won't come to the church,
then the church will come to the people.

And a wonderful teacher developed an innovative web site,
limited only by my material, which will soon improve : )
LutheranChapel.net

It's true I told three bishops I wouldn't do a parachute drop...
and that this is a parachure drop (where we're not only
kicked out of a plane at 20,000 feet and building our
own parachute as we fall to the ground,
but we're loving it!

We have the exciting opportunity as St. Paul said,
to not build on any one else's foundation.

And with the incredible re-alignment of international
denominational partners, this is an excellent time
to be a new pastor in Christ's universal church!

Godly Glory

2009-08-02T05:47:00.008-04:00

Watching sports isn't really my thing, but when I play,
sports teach me so much about God.

And I learned more about being a pastor
from coaching kids than six years of seminary.

So our congregation has a motto: 'Church is a Team Sport.'
We do things together, working for a common goal.

Like sports, being part of Jesus' team
strengthens us as we practice and exercise,
empowers us to do more than we can alone,
follows the guidance of our coach (God)
and is fun.

If you don't enjoy Church, you may not be familiar with
the Church created by Jesus, a guy who named his
best friends 'Rock' and 'Sons of Thunder.'

I'm not a big sports junkie. (Like I don't talk about weather.)
My main focus is God.

God is my goal, what I want most in life.
But I'm not perfect.

So I used to read the word 'GODLY' and cringe.
It felt like watching Olympic athletes do floor exercises.

'It can be done... just not by me. '

Finally, I looked up the word and was surprised.
Godly doesn't mean good or perfect at all.
Godly simply means 'God-focused.'

What draws your attention. And directs your aim.

What are you shooting for? What are you striving for?
Are you driven to money or power?
Do you want to be attractive or liked?
Do you work out to be strong or live long?
Are you seeking thrills?

All that evaporates over time. You'll need more.

What are people around you really about?
You may know them better than they know themselves.
And they may know you, too.
So, ask someone. See what they say.
You may be surprised.

King David (an exceptional athlete and team captain) said,
'Let everyone who is godly pray to you.'

To be 'GODLY', you don't have to be great or even good.

You just have to pray,
to focus on God,
to involve God,
to follow God.

David's playbook for becoming Godly is Psalms.
This particular play ('Pray!') is from Psalm 32:

"Blessed is one whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered... and not counted against him.'

A great thing about sports is how sins are forgiven.
The metaphor breaks down, of course, but
yes, you have to pay the penalty or may go to the box,
but fouls do not follow you every game.

They don't even go beyond one play.

We teach kids in sports to get up when you mess up.
And you will mess up!

'Let it go and get back in the game.'
I say, 'Like water off the back of a duck.'
Batman's dad said, 'We fall down to learn how to get up.'
A Japanese proverb goes, 'Fall down 7 times. Get up 8.'

Being a Christian, a part of Jesus' team,
is not about perfection but practice.

Friday night football used to begin with prayer.
Everything we do should still start with prayer.

Because ultimately it's not about our glory.
It's about God's glory.

Being Godly is about focusing on God's glory, not ours.

There may be no 'I' in TEAM, but 'UR' part of CHURCH.
And the Apostle Paul says the Church shows God's Glory.

We don't produce this Glory with jazzy ESPN clips
or multi-million-dollar contracts. God already has it.

God's glory is greater than winning the gold or a super bowl,
clinching a series or getting a hole in one.

When I go to Neyland Stadium for UT football
and see 100,000 bright orange Volunteers...
or watch thumping ESPN clips of best plays...
or have an amazing comeback on a critical score...

WE glimpse glory and realize God's is so much more.

And it's going on around us all the time.
The Church's job is to be His team on earth
to reveal this glory to 'all the powers in heaven.'

This amazing revelation is in Ephesians 3:10.
Paul goes on to say God's POWER is at work in us
to do more than we can ever ask or even imagine. (v. 20)

It's not up to us. It's not about us. It's not because of us.

All we do is join Jesus' team.
We put on a jersey accepting Christ as Lord and being baptized.
We get on the field, training to use the God gifts in our position.
We score by focusing on the goal... simply looking to God.

And when we fail, we pray God will forgive us.
Then we get right back up and play on
with all our hearts.

The Early Bird

2009-07-24T10:59:00.006-04:00

... gets the worm. But how does the worm feel?

Yesterday, a beautiful blue jay swooped onto our walk.
I didn't see the worm, and it certainly didn't see the bird!

But there he was, flying off as a big juicy meal.

I thought of this as we did a chapel service at our nursing home.

For this new congregation, chapel services are a mobile way
to meet people where they are.

Drinks and shade on a hot day at the fair.
A morning prayer at the train station.
A weekly service at a thrift store.
A kind word at the park.

A burden shared is a burden lightened.
Whatever people need. Wherever they are.

Our motto is...If people don't come to church,
the church will come to the people.

(Church, of course, is the people, not a building or place!)
So we've got a few locations around the area for 'chapel.'

And as I led a prayer workshop at the nursing home,
I thought of this little, unfortunate worm.

It's like us. We can feel like a little worm.
Not just people strapped to a wheel chair in a nursing home,
but I meet people everyday who feel stressed out
and overwhelmed by the big world around them.

So, in this workshop, we talked about Jesus' on the cross.
He quoted Psalm 22 (reading a Psalm is a good way to pray!)
which says, "I'm a worm and no man."

It's the prayer that begins, 'My God, my God!
Why have you completely abandoned me?'

Jesus said this. Jesus was the little worm.
So, it's definitely ok for us to pray that way, too.

Sometimes people ask me, 'I never complain to God.
How can I pray when I'm mad or disappointed or hurt?'

I think they just did.

Just saying to God what you think and how your feel
is ALWAYS a good step in prayer.

But the second step in Psalm 22 that Jesus prayed
was a fascinating insight repeated nowhere else.

That 'God lives in our praises.'

Part of prayer is saying exactly what we think is going in,
and the other part is stating what we do know about God.

Recall some time in your life when God has helped you or someone you love.

Remember Psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd)
or some othe verse you know that describes God
as being trustworthy, faithful, loving or strong.

It's not just like the worm saying, 'What a great view!'
as the bird whisks it away : )

The truth is, both parts of prayer give us peace.
Realizing we are not alone in our struggles.
That our pain is real... but God is more real.

A mountain climber sliced 5 of his 7 strands of his rope.
He was convinced he was about to fall and die
before his friends could get him another rope.

But as he prayed, reconciling himself to God
and to his death in a few seconds, he relaxed.

And by not panicking, his remaining strands were not cut
on the rock... and in two minutes, he was saved.

Even when your life is literally hanging by a thread,
it is always to early to give up and never too late to pray.

This is a great reminder that prayer is not only good
in a crisis... but as a great way to start every day!
Before the crisis begins!

And then, as they say, the early bird will indeed get the worm.

Eggshells

2009-07-16T21:09:00.015-04:00

Ever around people that make you behave? Or feel you should?

I call them 'eggshells.' Proper-parlor people.
But I don't walk on eggshells.

I'm more an omlete than hard-boiled type.
You gotta break a few now and then.

But some people don't.

Many people say those types are dull, straight-laced Christans,
but I find them inside and outside the Church.

Lots of do's and don'ts. Buckle up and recycle folks.
Save the wrappers... save the planet.

They say things with a straight face like,
'The insurance company won't let me do that.'

How easily some applecarts are upset.
Heaven help us; we might lose everything
... or anything.

But real church people say, 'Yeah. So what? It's all God's.'

A friend today referred to 'churched people' (positively)
as people who behave.

But did Jesus? Ever?

What does being proper have to do with looking for Jesus
in the face of strangers?

We don't even talk to strangers.
We certainly don't let our children.
(And so we never teach them how to make
strangers into friends when they go out on their own.)

Playing it safe makes a world full of strangers
and makes our world stranger every day.

What does walking on eggshells have to do with chasing
the Wind Blowing, Fire Breathing, Water Walking, Living God?

To me, God is a person who never leaves well enough alone.
Always stirring things up. Always doing something new.
Always jumping out of a perfectly good boat.

If that doesn't sound like any church you know,
maybe you don't know the real Church.

... at least the faith community God's forming here.

Yeah, we need a lot of people who keep things tidy.
But some of those are braver than you think.

Perhaps behind the mind-your-manners, mild-mannered
'behaves' are B-HAVs... big, hairy audacious visions.

Perhaps they know something others only suspect,
that right in front of our frightened eyes is an vision,
largely unseen, of what God will do.

The Resurrection One. Waiting to turn every dead seed,
into a towering oak.

Who'd a thunk it?

An amazingly greater Divine Potential Opportunity in
every moment wants to break through our eggshell lives.

Fragile. Safe. Thin. Crumbly.

So strong we act like we've got it all figured out.
So weak we can't be called an unfair name.
Don't talk to me that way. I might break!
At least I'll break away from you.

So we're left with an isolated society of self-serving,
never-sacrificing, small-minded, myoptic mini-me's.

Perhaps real 'churched people' are the ones who see that.

They grin impishly like they could walk on water.
I recognize people who're alive in Christ
They're different.

They're not afraid to die.
More importantly... they're not afraid to live.

We forgot that from Jesus' death for 300 years
that's what it meant to be Church... a target for death.

To be part of Christ's church was to have everything taken
(or given freely)... just because you belong to God.

Today the Barnabas Fund prays for Christians in Egypt,
Church People who are not allowed to pray together.
Not allowed to work. Not allowed to marry.
Not allowed to move.

We should pray for them. Pray they'll be free.
But we should also thank God for what they see,
a vision of a life worth dying for.

Some want church people to just behave.
To walk on eggshells and act like they're 'safe' or 'saved.'

Saved for what? A rainy day?
Church people are rain makers!
They let God make every day what it can be.

I don't want to be safe. I want to run the bases.
I don't want to be 'saved.' I want to swim the tides.

Church people suspect... that with Jesus we can.
The 'hidden church' knows that's what we do.

I googled 'hidden church' and was pleasantly surprised
to find a friend's blog
thefeatherblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/tillich-and-church.html

Charles and I agree that Tillich's Small, Averse Vision of church
as a SAVed community organization for an eggshell world is not
the hidden treasure God planted to grow out of bounds.

Charles and I often don't agree, but we less often conform.
And it was that egg-breaker St. Paul who said,

'Offer your bodies as living sacrifices to God.
Don't conform to the culture of this world.
But be transformed by renewed minds.
Then you can test and prove what is
the good and acceptable and perfect
will of God.'

Romans 12 sounds NOTHING like
play it safe... behave... go along... act like you're fine.

Only when you've offered your whole little life,
not as a sacrifice that lays down and dies,
but as a sacrifice that gets up and lives;

Only when you hear God's unbelievable words
(which 'incredible' means) and have your mind changed
can you have an inkling of what's 'good and acceptable.'

Proper eggshell-heads think they know.
But here's a hint: it's not your IRA.

We can know. But only when we break out
and lay it all on the line and stretch our wings,
can we test how high God wants us to fly.

Life is not a dinner party where God's serving hors d'oeuvres
and when he comes around with the silver platter we say,
'No thanks, G. I'm stuffed. But how bout some nice Chardonnay.'

God pushes back tables to make room for us to dance!

Church people are often criticized as being hypocrites
for striving for a standard higher than we can reach.
That is a problem if we pretend we can do it alone
or are somehow better than anyone else.

But Jesus says, 'If you want to cower and bury your gifts
and act like you've got it all together and are fine like you are
(which is what a 'hypocrite' literally mean, a 'super-actor')
then you're a stuffed-shirt, stuffed bird...
and don't have the guts to hang with me.'

Whether you're a tough biker or a smart lawyer
(and around here we have both, often in one person),
if you don't have the courage to jump out of the boat
(no matter how nice it is) and walk on water with Jesus,
I wouldn't say that you're weak and dumb,
but you're definitely missing out.

Because one day you will die.
In fact, you're dying right now.
And only Jesus can let you stop dying and finally live.

For church people, eternity begins today.

Because we're following the Resurrected Jesus who
doesn't edge along the shore or walk on eggshells.

But walks on the waves.

Trying Patience

2009-07-13T19:50:00.003-04:00

Before kids, we'd eat anytime we wanted.
Anything we wanted. And we'd skip meals.

Now... kids don't just eat every day,
they need regular meals.

And they need healthy, balanced nutrition.
Oh, my!

It seems every moment of our 'free time' is spent
preparing, consuming or being interrupted by meals.

And that tries my patience!

But, of course, it's better to limit my schedule
and see our kids grow into all they can be.

If I let them (and myself!) just eat and do
what they want... we'd never reach our potential.

So it is with starting a new congregation.

We intentionally seek to partner with others.
Our motto is: We're Better Together.

And we're going to pursue that vision.
Even if it takes a little longer.

But many people tell us to focus on ourselves.
They want to see results...
'Get your members. Get your numbers.'

But if we start this congregation focusing on ourselves,
we'll never grow into a congregation that focuses on others.

Our relationships with neighbors and partners,
even those that never think they can 'help' us
must be fed and nourished.

Even if we'd rather just 'get on' with our own agenda.
Even if they'd rather we just 'get on' with our own stuff!

As we develop relationships, we're hopefully modelling
the kind of bloom-where-you're-planted creative mission
we hope our future congregation will embody.

So, we take the time to get to know other churches.
We take the time to find out their passions and gifts.
Not to use those gifts for ourselves but to see them succeed!

My goal is not to discover how they can meet 'our needs'
but what they most enjoy so we can help them to achieve.

Or at least cheer them on.
I want to be proud of my brothers and sisters in Christ!

Because we really are better together.

If we start this new congregation by only focusing on ourselves,
we will create yet another church primarily focused on itself.

Frankly, there are too many of our congregations
that ignore Jesus' clear command that we must
die to ourselves to give birth to our true seeds.

People tell me to wait until we're set to try cooperation.
But the time to cooperate is from the very beginning.

When we intentionally support another group's dreams,
many people ask me, 'What's in it for you?'

The answer is both 'nothing' and 'everything.'

By living out self-giving partnerships, we gain much.
It is our mission to support the mission of others.

That's the self-giving love Jesus demonstrates,
and it's the kind of mission -- from Day 1 --
that Jesus asks us to do here today.

God knows we need to gather people and find a place
to develop partnerships and create our own programs.
But our mission is to demonstrate loving support
among God's family... including other denominations.

That's why I spend so much time learning about the
Episcopals and Catholics, Baptists and Charismatics,
Pentecostals and Independents... and, yes, even
the Missouri Synod Lutherans!

Not to duplicate their work. Quite the opposite.
I don't want to do what they are doing but to
do what they are not doing.

But I want to encourage them to fulfill their dreams.
Every part of Christ's body has an important role to fill!

Encouraging those gifts in others is all this
little new congregation in rural Cecil County can do.

But it is a gift we give gladly!

Even if waiting to understand our neighbors
and to support our partners
and to wait on our friends
takes a little longer or
goes a little slower

... and tries my patience!

We will try patience.

And we will grow together : )

The Big Move

2009-06-29T16:57:00.003-04:00

Well, it's here!

Natalie has packed the whole house.
We washed the windows and deck.
Sally's crew loaded up her truck.
Davo and Sarah got the keys.

It's official. We're moving to Maryland.

What do I think? Well, mixed.
There is nothing good about leaving Chicago.

There's plenty good about going to Maryland
and about staring a new congregation.

But there's nothing good about leaving my new home.

In the past, whenever, I'd get stressted, I'd imagine I'm
biking along the streets and alleys of my boyhood home
in Paris, Tennessee. I knew every building and turn.

Those familiar images comforted and calmed me.

Paris is still my hometown, but I was surprised to find
recently as I returned from a few weeks in Maryland
that Chicago is now my home. It's where I 'belong.'

It just feels like home.

I love the city and it's history, it's impulses and politics,
it's diversity and directness. This is my place of rest.

And I'm leaving... if not for good.

So what does themove bring?

Well, I never in my wildest dreams thought the church
would call me to start a new congregation.

I was totally unprepared and delved into what I call
Seminary II... learning everything I could about
launching a new community of new Christians.

We're not hoping that believers will join. But doubters.
We're not looking for religious people. But rebels.
We're not planning to repeat the past. But watch God
paint the future.

And we're not prepared. But we are completely ready
to take this leap of faith!

Too Tired

2009-06-23T22:01:00.002-04:00

I'm beat but want to list some miracles from today.

Woke up late for an appointment. Local Episcopal Carmelite
(basically a prioress who lives in a nunnery focusing on prayer)
had a morning mass, but I clearly felt God saying not to go.

That's unusal for me. I don't get a strong sense of God's will.
But I *clearly* felt that I should stay home a pray a little.

By the time I arrived, it was well after time to start, but
Sister Teresa met me in the driveway. They had been delayed.

Then she let me read the scripture... of Abram and Lot
splitting up. Abram told Lot to go wherever he wanted,
and he would take the opposite place.

This touched me as I'm looking at places to start the
new congregation... and we're limited by 'neighboring'
congregations that don't want us to go into certain areas.
I was starting to feel defensive about this, but the
story of Abram reminded me to go along and get along.

Turn the other cheek. Go the extra mile.

And we had some answers to prayers this week.

I prayed for help meeting motorcylists... we have a lot here.
And this week I met a couple who does motorcylce ministry.

I prayed for someone with whom I could discuss the
complicated details of developing the new congregation.
And then I met a church consultant who thinks like me
(though we don't always disagree) about church systems.

I prayed for the beginning of a group of men with whom
I could learn to train them to train others to be disciples.
And then I met a man who agreed to start that with me.

And finally, the Carmelite Prioress told me to come back
for tomorrow's St. John the Baptist festival mass.

John is my favorite person in the Bible, and I would love
to name the new congregation after this great prophet.

I dutifully followed her advice, and not only was it easy
to re-arrange four people's schedules to make the change,
the new schedule actually seemed to work better for everyone.

And God answered a big prayer for guidance as I met today
with three pastors of potential partner churches.

I can't put into words -- especially this tired! -- to express how
God's Spirit seems to be guiding and blessing even my mistakes : )

A Day in the Life

2009-06-22T15:37:00.005-04:00

People ask what a normal day is in the field. Thankfully,
there is no normal!

Last week, I travelled and stayed with four different families.

Mostly, I stay with a wonderful family here in Cecil County.
They let me live in the in-law apartment that they built to
care for Grandma... and they've let many others stay here, too.

Giving and receiving hospitality, I'm finding, is the best way
to really get to know each other.

And that's the primary goal of a new mission!

I love plans.
Churches love programs, but
God wants us to love people.

Build relationships and all the other things fall into place.

So, when I'm not 'sleeping around' : ) what does a new pastor do?

Opening the little red calendar book...

Sunday
8:30am - out the door!
attend 9 & 11 am services with nearby Lutherans
- enjoyed worship, met people and made contacts
lunch (exploring new area!)
- on phone with potential staff person
- worked on marketing (name and pens)
visit
- Korean pastor's home
- Episcopal pastor's home
Homeless Shelter with our scaffolding Band Leader
- heard her band and met her friends
- (preacher was Amazing!... made appt for coffee)
- witnessed several people accept Jesus as Lord
- prayed together
- we were ALL richly blessed by each other!
Restaurant with Band and friends
- couple with TOO COOL story bought me dinner : )
- talked for hours!
Home by midnight
Talked with Nat
- we chose a web name and secured the addresses
- we whispered sweet nothings
2:30 am - Crashed!

Monday
Army Post (Aberdeen Proving Ground)
- guest of a man I met at the Lutheran church Sunday
- saw his work, heard wise counsel, met his wife and friends
Base Chapel
- met command chaplain (an ELCA pastor!)
- set appointment in July to talk
Drove around to see different areas and an 'old' new mission start
2 appts re-scheduled
Lunch at home (salad and left-overs from last night's dinner : )
Phone calls to schedule appts/check-in with potential partners
Paperwork for ELCA home office
- they changed my flight so I can surprise Nat and the kids!
(hope they don't read this : )
Meet area Lutheran pastor
Help with a local VBS (Bible School)
Home and bed by 10?

You get the drift.

Just floating around learning, listening and loving every minute of it!
(except the paperwork for churchwide : )

House in Order

2009-06-19T06:13:00.009-04:00

What's surprised me most, and it shouldn't have, is that
in the first steps of forming this new congregation,
God has done more IN me than WITH me.

For example, when I went to the Church Plant training
before ordination, I expected some flattery, a little pump up.
I mean it takes special talent to start from scratch, right?

Wrong.

It takes a person who realizes he can do nothing without God
to gather people who are living their own lives.

So, the first speaker (Rick Warren) said he woke at 2am
and completely scrapped the advertised presentation,
'How Great the Church Is.' There were no handouts,
and the volunteers scurried to give out blank paper.
(I learned this is SOP at Saddleback : )

The new topic was 'Temptations that Destroy New Leaders.'

Can God call it or what?!

(Even odder, just a few weeks before I had actually read this
from an archived Rick Warren sermon, the only time I ever
read a sermon text on-line. Was God telling me something?)

After talk of possessions, pride, pleasure and power, I sobbed.
And then I let people be with me during this 'conversion.'

The 'conversion' of a 38-year old pastor may sound odd,
but we all sin. And daily repentance (mind-changing) is what
Martin Luther said is at the heart of following our Lord Jesus.
The 1st of the 95 Theses that changed the world says that
Jesus calls us each day to repent ('to change our minds.')

Plus, how in the world could I lead people to Christ,
if I didn't know what it's like to go through a conversion?!

We can't change the world unless we let God change us.

Another example of God getting my house in order before
letting me organize a new house of God, was money.

All my mentors said money is key to a new church start.
But as I was drafting our new congregation's budget,
God first led me to examine my personal finances.

I listened to hours of CDs on God's Financial Plan:
keep good records, budget, tithe, save and enjoy!

Then Natalie and I got a $2,500 surprise bill and
decided it was time to get our 'house in order.'

We listed all our expenses and made a budget.
We listed all our expected sources of income.
And they added up to the exact same thing.

It may take 10 years, but God provided a way out of debt!
We only have to have the discipline to keep good records
and stick to our budget.

God promises to meet all our needs, not all our greeds.

This was really the second big step for us toward a total
make-over of our approach to money. Last year,
we had been challenged by a friend's example of tithing.

Record-keeping and saving, I think, are next in line.

Again, how could I lead others to tithe and save,
to budget and keep records, to enjoy and be satisfied
with what they have -- if I hadn't gone through this myself?

Yes, it will be hard after 6 years seminary... and no budget.
That student loan money was just too easy to accept!

And yes, it's embarrassing to say I'm not a financial wizard,
but it's better to admit mistakes and fix problems now
than to let pride lead you into hiding them... or from them.

Problems are like mushrooms: they only grow in the dark,
esp. when you throw on a lot of BS manure to cover it up : )

We were both scared by the size of our debts, but we are
overjoyed that God had given us exactly what we need.

Some may say these two experiences disqualify me from ministry.
But being convinced of my own sin and facing a financial mess
actually prepared me better to begin a new ministry.

I experience first-hand what people go through when they
face their own failings and turn their lives to God.

Praise God for letting me be the change I seek!

Play Ball!

2009-06-12T09:19:00.001-04:00

So, the dream house was fake, someone posting a prank.
We talked to the agent, and it's definitely not renting.

Disappointing? Yes. It was a cool story. But I had reservations about such a big place and I'm still forever connected with that beautiful sunrise experience.

The question is: it was counterfeit, but is it coincidence?
Perhaps God used this miscreant to keep my attention
on a neighborhood where God is working to meet needs.

And we're so thankful for all the good. We can't overlook
the miracle day series of events (from a power outage to ER).

God turns plays. Every situation, no matter how uncomfortable,
God turns obstacles into opportunities!

No matter what life throws at you, God can turn two...
sort of a divine Ozzie Smith : )

We're in this thing now, suited up and ready to play.
Swing for the fences. Dive for the ball. Run through! Shake it off!
Come what may, we're here to play.

Guess all I ever really needed to know...
I learned in Little League baseball :)

Church is a Team Sport, and what a team we have!

I'm amazed at all the friends we've made in just two weeks.
And getting a rental near Nat's train, central to the region and kids
across the street (7, 8, 14) for Macy (8) and Levin (7) to play with.

Nat and I are thrilled to have two incomes (first time in 8 years!)
in work that's challenging and fun. We can finally pay off debts!

So being fooled is neither embarrassing or sad. It's just part of life.
A swing and a miss.

I'm ready to step up to the plate... and Play Ball!

Heads Together

2009-06-11T16:58:00.002-04:00

Meeting with area pastors and our bishop went really well.
They identified so many pressure points... key areas of focus.

Nine heads definitely are better than one!

Maybe I'll call such groups 'Hydras'...
informal gatherings group of experts
to advise us in this new mission start
and to bounce around ideas together.

With partners like this, we can slay dragons!

A Place for You

2009-06-11T07:00:00.006-04:00

When the church asked me to start a congregation
near Rising Sun, Maryland, I drove over early
to see where we may be called to serve.

How could I lead something that didn't exist?
How could I move to a place I didn't know?
How could I gather people I hadn't met?

Arriving before dawn, I parked at a subdivision entrance
just as the sun started to rise over a golden field next door.

Later I learned that Rising Sun got its name from farmers
who met at sunrise to take their crops to Port Deposit.
Before cell phones, they just met at sunrise to travel
together for safety and joy.

This was the most angelic white light I'd ever seen.
It filled the field in a wash of brilliant brightness I'll not forget.

I turned and saw the subdivision was Bryan's Grace.
I thought, 'God's grace indeed! Maybe this is my place.'

(Later, I told this to a local man who seemed to tear up a bit.
He said it was built on his family's farm that he sold when his
father, Bryan, and mother, Grace, died a few years ago : )

Then I looked right and was in front of a house for sale.
But even as a pre-foreclosure, we couldn't afford it.
When my family came to meet with the Bishop,
we visited this special house again.

We talked with several realtors but no home worked out.
So we looked to rent. But even rental prices here are so high!
Everyone says, 'Prices have come down." But I say, "Not enough!"

Then through a series of events, we found a place to rent.
It was the day of a big storm, and I was looking for a place
for the new congregation to meet, in the old 'Miracle Theatre.'

Turns out, it was the wrong space but the right place.
I met several new friends. During the storm the power went out,
and they invited me in from the lightening and hail.
After a couple hours with the two couples, I felt I'd meet
the kind of people with whom and for whom
we could build a new church family here.

Then as I was leaving, they suggested I call their landlord.

The home I first visited at sunrise was a ridiculous long-shot.
Besides, who needs a mushroom house? (Then I heard it was sold.)

But this landlord did have a rental we could (barely) afford.
So I put in an application for the rental, but due to the storm,
the realtor could not show me the house right then.

Maybe God sends wind, lightening and rain to re-arrange our plans!
Instead, as I was leaving, the realtor's adult child called to say
she was going to an ER miles away. I offered to drive.

Again, right place for a completely unexpected reason.
I had a chance to talk to my new landlord and make a friend : )

On the way to the ER, we passed an obscure little church.
Someone told me about it the night before.
It was a very unusual ministry, and I was intrigued.
So on the way back, I stopped and was blessed by the
example of faith of these pastors and a volunteer.

Again, new friends! I think they all will be important to the
work God is planning to do in this place.

The rest of the day went that way, divine random encounters,
one after another, until I arrived back at the home of a
local Lutheran family who let me stay in their in-law apartment.

Nat and the kids move out in July 1, but I didn't feel at all anxious.
There was definitely a sense of peace.

Then, before going to bed, Natalie called to say that the
rising sun home we'd visited was for rent.

The home that was sold and that we felt was beyond our reach,
was posted on craigslist for less than the rental I just applied for.

Was it too good to be true? We email and prayed.
We trust that God is leading us... but to where we don't know.

One thing we do know... the Holy Spirit has a place for us.
It's not always where, and certainly not why, we think.

But one thing I know for certain...
whether in beautiful, peaceful sunrises or life's fiercest storms,
Jesus is busy behind the curtains...

preparing a place for you and me!

Skipping Stones

2009-06-10T18:46:00.004-04:00

By 2pm, I realized I'd skipped breakfast and lunch.
I just kept bouncing from one amazing encounter to another.
By the end of the day, if you asked who I met that morning, I'd say,
'Was that today? It seems like ages ago.'

So much is happening.
My concern is that I'm not managing all the information well.

Perhaps I shouldn't.
The goal of contacts is to begin forging friendships.
But it'd be great to remember later who told me what.
I need to keep records; I need help in setting up good admin!

By the end of the day, after skipping happily over the waters
like a spinning thrown stone, I just collapse in the pond and relax.
Right now, I'm just skimming.

Maybe the joy of encounters and small ripples of first impressions
will sustain me, if not with facts, at least with the fascination
that those I met made a happy little splash in my day : )

And likewise, maybe they will remember me like that feeling
you get when you skip a really good stone... that,
'yeah... that was a good one' memory.

With the peace of only a ripple that remains.

Full Tank

2009-06-10T07:52:00.000-04:00

I was running late and out of gas. I felt silly, but I told God that if I didn't hit empty before finding gas in the countryside, I'd add this to our miracle list. Natalie and I had kept that list for months, noting many things that happened (big and small!) as we move to Maryland to birth to a new church.

So many people are praying for us, it feels like we're floating on a mosh pit of hands lifting us up and passing us on.

The whole 'please don't let me run out of gas' prayer seemed odd and minor, but I did it anyway. It seemed right. And I've come to believe that all the little pieces matter. Even disasters can turn into something amazing.

Like this day. I met a lady through an odd series of coincidences. And it so what we needed.
There was a tornado warning. That came at just a right time to form new relationships.
The power went out... and it led to getting to know two people who I think may be our first members... wonderful people who are not part of any church... exactly who we came to gather and encourage as they explore the gifts God's given them! This led to finding a house to rent. And the night went on like that... as I did office hours in the local bar meeting people from the next state over... until I collapsed in joy back at the apartment.

It's so great to be so empty but so full.

I just go with the flow.

Sometimes I rest a soft little eddies. Sometimes God sends me out on the rapids.

Without giving details, I'll just say...
I see how the chroniclers of Jesus who spent so much time with the Miracle Master often only said, 'he went around doing miracles.'

After a while, the details of all God does gets overwhelming.

But God really is at work! And doing great things.

Go with the Flow

2009-06-09T21:46:00.001-04:00

One day, our son Levin came back from church and said,
"Every day we go to church, I think, 'I don't want to go.'
Then I get there and have fun. So I guess the point is,
'Go with the Flow.'"

From that point on, Go with the Flow, became our theme.

Jesus described God's own Spirit filling us like a fountain,
that bursts out to overflow like a stream to others.

The first act of obedience we're called to as new Christians
is the simple step of being baptized...
letting the waters and words of God flow over our lives.

This may sound unnecessary or silly... but it's all God asks.

There was a general in the Old Testament who caught leprosy.
He heard a prophet in Israel could heal him but was furious
when the prophet simply said, 'Go dip in this river.'

But his servants suggested it was a simple thing.
And he obeyed and was healed.

Being flexible and fluid, being refreshed and refreshing,
are marks of being a Christian.
But too often we're the opposite.
Too often, we don't 'Go with the Flow.'

'Spirit' means wind or breath.
So that old expression 'Holy Ghost' is literally a 'Holy Gust.'
And God's Spirit blows and flows where it will.

When Jesus tells us to be 'born again, born from above'
('above' and 'again' are the same word in the Greek)
he says we're to be born of Water and of the Spirit.

Why?

Because to be born of Water and the Spirit
is to become like the Water and the Spirit.
... to Go with the Flow.

When we were first born, born from below
we came from water in the womb to take our first breath.
(I often wish people a 'Happy Breath Day' : )

Jesus says we must be born again... in the Flow from above.

When I was serving as a hospital chaplain,
a clear image developed of 'a Flow.'

I quickly learned that in a hospital there's a Flow
(I think) compromised of God's work, the patients' needs
and the dedication and care of the staff and loved ones.
I felt free to step into that Flow and be a part of it...
and step out anytime.

That Flow carried me to encounters I never imagined,
gave me ways of communicating I never knew,
and - most importantly for my sanity -
allowed me to step out of the flow
whenever I needed a break.

I realized the Flow did not depend on me.
Like in a river, the current does not rely on us!

One trap for ministers is to think it does.
Another trap is get hung up in one place.
Such a desire for control will drown you.

When I was little, my canoe overturned.
I became trapped, my chin wedged under a fallen tree.
I would have drowned had my uncle not pushed me free.

Sometimes we need that push to rescue us when we're stuck.
So we can be free again... to Go with the Flow.