Living in Unity

In staff meetings, we are in-between books.  So, we’ve decided to share the load of providing devotionals to guide our time together.  On Tuesday, our Finance Secretary Marge shared this devotional with us.  I have to say, it is AWESOME working in a place where the staff members have this kind of passion for following Christ and living faithfully as a community of God.

Living in Unity

February 7, 2012

In Mark 3:25 Jesus says, “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”

This scripture has been on my heart for sometime.  I asked God what causes a divided house and how can people avoid being divided.

Over the past couple of weeks God has shown me several scriptures where Paul encourages the Church to work together as one and in peace.

If we look at these scriptures, they bring light to the subject and they apply to us today.  In 1 Cor 10:23 & 24 Paul speaks to the church at Corinth about our freedom in Christ and how we should use it.  He says:

“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial.  “Everything is permissible” but not everything is constructive.

In the next verse, in fact, Paul says “Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” I think the key Paul is sharing here is putting our own wants and desires to the back burner.  By doing this (putting our desires to the back) we are setting up an atmosphere to put others before us.  If we are spending our energy focusing on others rather than ourselves, there can be no division, because division is basically a symptom of me wanting what I want and you wanting what you want.

Paul touches on the freedom subject again in Galatians 5:13-26.  He says we are called to be free, but not to use our freedom to serve ourselves.  We are to use it to serve others—“Love you neighbors as yourself.”  Then he warns that if the church continues “biting and devouring each other—you will be destroyed by each other.”  He goes on to say that we need to live by the Spirit.  The Spirit is exactly opposite of our sinful nature.  The Spirit’s focus is others and the sinful nature’s focus is me.  When we accept Christ as our savior, the Bible says we become a new creature.  We take on a new nature.  We no longer have to live by the sinful nature.

Paul lists the acts of the sinful nature in verses 19-21.  Let’s look at those.  There are several that he mentions that are what I would call the “obvious” acts because they are the ones that everyone likes to point out.  Acts such as sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft, fits of rage, drunkenness, orgies and the like.

I want to bring our attention to the things that are big, but we want to think they are not.  Kind of like thinking a “white lie” is ok.  These things are:  hatred, discord, jealousy, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy.  These acts separate us from God as well as from each other.  These are the things that make us think thoughts such as “I am right” or this cause is for “the good of the church”.  When in reality, thoughts like this can cause division in the body.   After mentioning these acts, Paul warns us to keep in step with the Spirit which will prevent us from becoming “conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

If we go to the book of Ephesians 4:1-3 we find Paul once again warning the body to live in unity of the Spirit.  He says to be humble, gentle and patient.  He urges us to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”  At the end of chapter 4 Paul says our speech should be helpful for building each other up especially for the ones who are just listening.  He tells the church to get rid of negativity such as bitterness, anger, brawling and slander.  Paul encourages us to forgive as we have been forgiven and to be kind and compassionate.

If we read Colossians 3:12-15, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive what ever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.”  In this verse we hear Paul telling us again to love our neighbor as ourselves.

If we live according to the Spirit, we will not put ourselves first.  We will put others first.  If we put others ahead of us, if we are busy helping them to achieve what they need, then the arguing, quarreling, slander, faction, dissension, selfish ambition and all of these negative traits will decrease and eventually be non-existent.  Then division would not exist because the Spirit of God would be prevalent.  If the Spirit of God is prevalent, life would be flowing through the church and out of the doors reaching people for Christ.

Let’s (you and I) work hard at changing the way we think.  Our sinful nature wants us to fight for what we want—with no regard for what we are doing to others in the process.  If we love others first, follow the Spirit’s directions and seek God’s will—everything will turn out just right without tearing the church down.  We need to move over and allow God to lead the way.  The key is to put others before us.  God can only bless his own principal.  If we live by the Spirit and allow living water to flow life and peace will flourish.

It all starts with me.  What will I do?

Dissensions -  disagreements, quarreling

Factions – a party or group that is often contentious (quarreling) or self seeking

Traveling

Heather and I love to travel.  It’s always an adventure for us where new experiences happen, we meet and converse with fascinating people, and unexplored regions become known.  These times are memory makers and help us become more appreciative of other cultures and people.  Miriam Beard once wrote, “Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.”  I believe this is true.

It is interesting that the biblical account of God’s people makes so much of traveling.  Sure, they were at one time a nomadic people, but not by choice.  They journeyed out of slavery, into the wilderness, conquered the promised land, inhabited and populated their new home and enjoyed sundry adventures in neighboring regions.

Of course, Jesus’ life was characterized by journey – to Bethlehem for birth, fleeing danger to Egypt, ministry all around Galilee, through Judea and Samaria, and ultimately to Jerusalem.   Some of his most poignant teachings happened ‘on the road’ (think of his post-Resurrection talk with the two traveling to Emmaus).  And his disciples pick up this travel language to speak of the Christian’s life.  Christians are ‘aliens’ in a foreign land, journeying with Christ and the Spirit toward Heaven.

On January 14 and 15, it seemed like we took another step toward preparing for the journey.  We were blessed to meet personally our church’s coach Paul Nickerson.  His seminar on Saturday led over 50 folks from Spring Woods through significant topics – (a) How ministry has been affected by the changing culture; (b) Understanding the mission field (our community); (c) How to build relationships with those in the community; (d) How to program ministry for receiving new members; and (e) Current trends in hospitality.  (We will be sharing more information related to this seminar in subsequent communications.)

The seminar and discussions were very impacting for members of our church, who also feel like we are on a journey, sharing in God’s mission.  We are heading somewhere, and the more we gain clarity of our future, the more exciting the adventure becomes.  Church leaders have said for years, “The number one indicator of a church’s success is how they envision their future.”  It feels like we are moving in a positive direction as we begin to discern God’s future for Spring Woods UMC.

It is an exciting time in the life of Spring Woods UMC, and we are so blessed to be sharing in it with you!

Pastor Jon

Working the Angles

“American pastors are abandoning their posts, left and right, and at an alarming rate.  They are not leaving their churches and getting other jobs.  Congregations still pay their salaries.  Their names remain on the church stationary and they continue to appear in pulpits on Sundays.  But they are abandoning their posts, their calling.”

So begins Eugene Peterson’s book Working the Angles: The shape of pastoral integrity.  Though it was written a good 25 years ago, his critique of American pastoral ministry still rings true today.  At least, in my mind it does.  I read this book in the mid-90′s when my wife and I were in seminary, and it made a powerful impact upon my understanding of God’s calling.  Having picked it up again recently, after nearly 15 years of ministry since the first reading, its words are no less challenging.

Last week our Staff at Spring Woods UMC began reading through this book.  Though technically challenging at times, it lays some poignant foundations for effective ministry in the kingdom of God.  Our discussions have been vibrant and probing.  Our assumptions about the primary ‘tasks’ of ministry have been challenged.  What we expect and what church members expect are wrestled with.  It promises to be an intriquing journey.

Peterson’s premise is… The visible structure of ministry is held together by the invisible disciplines that keep us connected to God and attuned to his work in others.  The three main functions of pastoral ministry are Teaching, Preaching, Administration.  Using a triangle as a metaphor, these three are the sides that are seen by all.  What gives these sides its shape are the invisible ‘angles’, which are Prayer, Scripture, Spiritual Direction.

“These three acts constitue acts of attention: prayer is an act in which I bring myself to attention before God; reading Scripture is an act of attending to God in his speech and action across two millennia in Israel and Christ; spiritual direction is an act of giving attention to what God is doing in the person who happens to be before me att any given moment.”  When these three angles are given weight in the life of a minister, the visible workings of ministry are effective for the kingdom of God.

So, why is Peterson so angry?  “Hot indignation seizes me…” he says, quoting Psalm 119.53.  He’s angry, because so many pastors have neglected these life-giving angles, opting instead for a ministry solely founded upon efficiency and effectiveness, methods and programming, marketing and business.  Peterson deems this “whoring after other gods.”  I don’t think he would discount these qualities as useless, and certainly some pastors have done away with them to their church’s demise.  But I do think he raises significant questions about our foundational practices as pastors, and by extension all those engaged in ministry.

Not surprising, our staff has found this book both challenging and refreshing.  For, ultimately, we all long to see God’s grace at work.  And we all long to be given permission to walk in his presence, to seek his face, to be captured by his vision.  “Seek first the kingdom of God!”  And rather than running the ‘ministry rat race’ to attain arbitrary standards of performance set by traditions of expectations, we all long to have the freedom to pursue ministry out of God’s generous outpouring.  I’m looking forward to the rest of our journey through this book.

Just curious… what do you think about the condition of pastoral ministry today?

Pastor Jon

Building Bridges

Our Pack 1680 Webelos from Richmond (Noah & Daniel are now part of Pack 900 at Spring Woods UMC).

Scouts from all over – mostly Webelos, and mostly Texans – converged last Sunday on Bovay Scout Ranch near Navasota, Texas.  They arrived with parents and leaders in tow, to experience the outdoors, to learn and grow, to share comeraderie with other scouts, and to build bridges.

Noah (a Webelos), Daniel (a Bear) reunited with five other Webelos from Pack 1680 in Richmond to endure intense heat, follow a rigorous schedule of events, and continue in their journey of preparing for manhood.

In so many ways, our time was about facing challenges and learning to overcome them.  The planned programs were certainly stretching.  But at camps like these one quickly learns there is more to it than the programming.  William feared sleeping in the outdoors and was up late the first night hysterical.  Later, when jumping down from the lower portion of a rock wall, his pocket caught on a protruding rock, and he fell flat on his stomach, losing his breath.  He thought he was going to die.  Anthony possessed a unique habit of laggind behind and getting lost, typically accompanied by his kindred spirit named Daniel.  At one point Anthony slipped away unawares and was actually left by the group.  Nick seemed to have sugar withdrawals – in one afternoon he purchased and consumed threee sodas after snacking on a huge box of Nerds (candy).  Matt was a month into an extremely complex and stressful family situation, which may take years for him to fully understand, and tended to act out his frustration.  Noah cried because he was blamed with something he didn’t do.  He struggled to walk confidently in truth.  Daniel felt like he was an outsider, because he was not a Webelos.

Noah with 4 bull's eyes in 5 shots, which earned him a sharp-shooter award.

It was exciting for me to see these boys wrestle with and work through the issues life brings them.  They were stepping beyond their routines, most of which, sadly, are panderingly comfortable.  Many kids today seem to be growing up in a society where responsibility can be shirked if it is too difficult.  Parents actually encourage this and all too often perform the duties kids can and should be learning to do, particularly if there is any perceived pain of exertion.  Children are accustomed to getting their way, especially when they throw a fit loud enough and long enough to embarrass their parents.  And disobedience seems to be the norm.  We leaders and parents have to repeat and ask these boys to restate what we said, because listening and attending to one act of instruction are lost with most young people – they are people of the flamboyant now, after all.  I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

With all this, one could become extremely depressed.  However, my time at Bovay demonstrated the efficacy of scouting… kids are encouraged… no, expected to grow up.  In an environment where they are required to bear responsiblity, lead others, perform multiple tasks to completion, and learn the art of developing character, these boys are pulled forth toward maturity and manhood to make a difference in the world beyond their own personal interests.  Sometimes I wish their parents could see just how well their children do in this environment – the fears they are overcoming, the gentlemen they are becoming, the citizenship they are learning, the self-discovery and adventure they are enjoying.  It is truly remarkable!

Daniel digging for rocks at the Lost Mine - a learning center for geology.

Perhaps Noah said it best when his mother asked how he liked camp.  Having attended church camp immediately prior to Webelos camp, Noah responded, “Church camp was fun, but at Camp Bovay we learned more.”

Scouting builds bridges.  Across fears and challenges.  Toward maturity and character.  Across relationships.  Toward the future of another generation.

Our last night at campfire a poem was read.  It was the favorite poem of the late Harry E. Bovay, Jr, the benefactor of Bovay Scout Ranch and was read in memorium of his life’s contribution.

“An old man, going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim, near,
“You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again will pass this way;
You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you this bridge at the evening tide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head:
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,
“There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.”

Building bridges…

Pastor Jon

A Group Covenant, Really?

The last few weeks our staff at Spring Woods UMC has been working through Great Beginnings, a bible study for new small groups.  Some of our lessons involve sharing who we are, where we’ve been, and what we hope to become.  Much of our study invites us to become a more faithful community of God, united in a common purpose and vision, the first step of which was a ‘Group Covenant.’

Now, this is when many, wincing and disinterested, stop reading!!  Please don’t!  Keep reading, ok?

Rick Howerton, the author of our study, says, “The truth is, none of us were destined to stand alone.  Even Jesus surrounded himself with a few close friends, people he depended on to be by his side.  We all require Christian Community [emphasis mine]….  Covenanting together is vital to our experiencing Christian Community.  When everyone embraces the goal of being in Christian Community, and everyone reads the same map to discover how to arrive there, we’ve traveled the first mile toward our destintation.”

“Wait!  Did he just emphasize the word ‘require’?”  Yes, I did.  I know, it’s not very popular to require anything these days.  It’s much easier to just let things be, so the unfettered chaos of our world will have that fractional chance of coming together in remarkable ways without any orchestration to make our life more meaningful.  [Sarcastic grin.]

However, I’m not the one requiring it.  God is!  And I don’t believe God is holding over his people a punitive set of rules and saying in a dark tone, “Do or die!”  Rather, God designed his kingdom in such a way that in order to experience the fullness of the Christian life, one must be connected to, grafted into, his community.  So, perhaps it is better said this way, “If we want to get out of life all that God wants us to, community is essential.”

So, a covenant is a set of principles that guides a group into a greater sense of community.  Here are a few of our covenant principles…

Priority - While we are in this group, we will give the group meetings prioirity.

Participation – Everyone is encouraged to participate and no one dominates.

Care and Support – Permission is given to call upon each other at any time, especially in times of crisis.  The group will provide care for every member.

Mission – We recognize that our ultimate aim is the transformation of the world for Jesus Christ.  So, as we endeavor to become an authentic community, we will keep in mind the non-religious and nominally religious as worthy recipients of our service.

Of course, our covenant may change, especially as the group grows and our ministry adapts to God’s growing vision.  But for now, this is (part of) our covenant.  We have pushed off from shore and set our sails.  Now to see what God can do!!

Pastor Jon

A Unique Mosaic

What if the whole world was exactly like me?

Whenever I get frustrated because someone doesn’t understand me, think like me, act like me – I ask that question.  Try it.  It’s not fun.  But it is helpful.  Most of us – if we are true to ourselves – would confess we would be bored beyond tears in a world made up of people just like us.  Though we prefer to have things our way, to find comfort in our own routines, we secretly long to experience new things, eclectic people, challenging tasks, and the unexplored.  Because of newness, differences, mystery we find anticipation and hope, joy and beauty, and growth and learning.

Is it no wonder God gave to his church an image to describe authentic community – a living body?  The church, when functioning properly and naturally, is made up of the collection of individual, unique body parts, or traits.  Each of these is necessary for the body to function as a whole.  And only when all parts are working properly do we experience wholeness or unity.

Paul puts it this way, “I… urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love, diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds us.  There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”  (Ephesians 4:1-6)

In our staff meeting recently we were reminded of the need for each of us to be contributing members of the team.  What we accomplish as a unified team will be so much more than what any of us could do on our own.  Now don’t get me wrong on this… when I speak of accomplishment, I don’t mean the ‘task’ of church work per se, as if the overriding principle of ministry is production and programming.  God knows we have too much of that in our churches already!!  Rather, as we learn to rely on each other and work as a team and grow together in the Lord, the experience of God’s blessings through community will so greatly impact our lives, it will also impact our church, our community, our world.

And that’s a mosaic worth sculpting!

Pastor Jon

Bon Voyage!

Last week our staff began a journey together.  It was our first official staff meeting at Spring Woods UMC, a launching of sorts, and we began our time with a Bible study called “Great Beginnings”–originally written for small groups.  Our initial lesson highlighted the importance of community, spring-boarding from Ecclesiastes 4:9-10…

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their efforts.  For if either falls, his companioin can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.  Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm?  And if somebody overpowers one person, two can resist him.  A cord of three strands is not easily broken.”

In our discussion, we recognized that not all Christians actually experience “authentic and life-changing Christian Community.”  So often, we settle for being part of a group without ever getting to know one another.  Or we attend a worship service or Bible study without ever investing ourselves in something bigger than ourselves.

Because of this, so many people today are finding authentic community, yet outside of the church.  And when they give church a try, and they don’t see authentic community, it only confirms their need to go elsewhere.  As a staff, we are endeavoring to model Christian community, to be about the business of caring for each other, valuing people more than things, and seeking God’s direction together.  So, what might this look like?

“I know I’ve experienced redemptive Christian Community when I’m as passionate about praying for you as I am about praying for myself, when I celebrate the extraordinary wins in your life as passionately as I celebrate my own victories, and when I find your tearstains on my shirt and mine on yours.  In this sort of environment, your laughter rings in my ears and mine rings in yours.  It is only when we pray for one another, hold each other accountable, respect on another, and look forward to our [time together] that we can say we’ve truly experience the thrill of Christian Community.”  (Great Beginnings, 14)

I cannot help but think of the busy-ness we all put aside in order to make this happen.  On the other side of the conference room door, each of our staff has awaiting us the outside world of phone calls, appointments, tasks, conversations, planning and preparing, discerning, praying.  Our other lives–family, friends, etc.–beckon us too.  We might be tempted to think, “We are wasting our time!”  “Let’s get to business.”  “We’ve got work to do.”  “I could be visiting someone in need.”  Or something of the like, these viable and sometimes convincing reasons to forego actually becoming the body of Christ.  Yet, we have made the commitment to be there, for that one hour, to learn together, share our hearts with each other, grow together, challenge each other, encourage one another, and set out in ministry together.

It is a journey.  And we have just embarked!  I can’t wait to see how the adventure goes!

Pastor Jon