Fear itself

...The only thing we have to fear is fear itself...

FDR's inaugural speech remains one of the most remarkable moments in American history. These were the right words at exactly the right time. Of course, what a lot of people don't remember--or perhaps don't even know--is that Roosevelt took office in 1933. In other words, his statement about fear actually came before things got really bad.

The point here doesn't make the speech any less powerful or any less true. But it does, perhaps, dry some of the fog of our sensibilities. We sometimes imagine that things should happen exactly at the moment we want them to. And when they don't, we sometimes give up on them altogether. Things didn't "get wonderful" in America for several years after FDR spoke those words. But I wonder... did some folks begin to leave fear behind right then and there? Were some (many?) able to let go of the fear, even though there were still many trials and tribulations to come?

I saw a curious thing this morning. I turned my computer on and began reading the headlines on Google's news page. One of the headlines was about a new anti-cancer pill. The word "miracle-drug" was actually used in the article. Just three headlines later was an announcement that Elizabeth Edwards was gravely "ill" and that she was stopping her treatments. I wonder how she is doing? Is she afraid or is she past all that?

The thing about fear is that it is terribly debilitating. It's perhaps the most debilitating of all emotions. When we are afraid we do not function as well as we might. When we are very afraid, we can barely function at all. This was, of course, one of the critical lessons of Roosevelt's speech. Whether it was Roosevelt himself or Eleanor or a speech writer or just the voice of God trying to break in at just the right moment, someone understood that the only way out was up. As long as the people remained focused on all the frightful signs around them, things were not going to get better and there was a real chance that additional fear would actually make things a whole lot worse.

And it was at that point that FDR did something amazing. He shifted the focus of many people and, thereby, shifted the very direction of the nation. Again, this didn't happen overnight. But the seed had been planted. The word (or words) had in a very real way set people free.

Of course, some will say nothing really changed--that words cannot really do anything. But I would definitely disagree here. Words can do great things and, in this case, just a few words did amazing things for many, many people. To consider, if even for a moment, that our real enemy is not all the things that we set to worrying about but the very worrying itself--this is a remarkable consideration. Moreover, to accept that this might actually be true--this is a life-changing event.

Many are familiar with that phrase, "The truth shall set you free." It comes from John 8 where Jesus is having a discussion with those who do not trust him. The full line is this, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ According to Jesus, the truth that sets us free is what we learn from him. The conversation goes on there in chapter 8 and it appears to come down to a matter of what is inside a person:
Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word. You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

Pretty sharp words here from Jesus and we might be offended. But again, if what he is saying is true, then we should not let our offense get in the way. Perhaps our devotion to fear comes from something other than our own minds. Perhaps what we need is not merely new ideas but a different center--a transformed heart.

We have all seen the difference--the difference between a person whose life is driven by fear and a person whose life is driven by grace and love and hope. Such people can scarcely be shaken. They are somehow free from the kinds of things that plague so many others. We sometimes call them courageous and they certainly are that. But it is also something more. I think what we are seeing here are people that have been set free. Perhaps these are people in whom the very Word of God dwells.

Awkward and Imprecise

[This is a reprint from a recent newsletter]

I recently filled out a self-evaluation as part of my work here as the pastor of Saint Francis. Probably like many of you, I was asked to list my strengths and weaknesses. I thought hard about the question and ended up naming “faith” as one of my strengths. I explained this by stating, “I really believe that God’s ways are better than ours.”

I consider faith as one of my greatest strengths. But the truth is I don’t always practice it. This is a paradox, isn’t it? On the one hand, I have some faith. And what little I have is as important to me and my work as a Christian leader as anything else. But at the same time, I don’t trust God as much as I believe I should. Yet, even here—even in my lack of faith and lack of its employment—I still desire that God’s work and will be done in my life and in the life of the churches that I serve. I live in the world through a hope that springs from a seed of imperfect faith; yet I long for it to grow.

Now that was an awkward and imprecise paragraph. But faith—at least faith on this side of the veil—is awkward and imprecise. And this, I think, is an appropriate way to step into the season of Advent.

The readings, the songs, the poetry—these all point to something that is desired but not yet known, at least not fully. To sing, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus,” is to take what faith we have and lift it heavenward. To say, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” is to offer a hope-prayer that we do not yet fully understand. Yet, there remains something within us that moves us to trust and to seek an even greater depth of trust.

If we do not know the value of trust… if we do not appreciate the beauty of hope… if we do not have a longing for deliverance… then, chances are, Advent will mean little to us. It will be little more than a countdown to Christmas. On the other hand, if we do treasure the seed of faith growing within—no matter how small it might seem—then Advent is perhaps the greatest of seasons. Advent nurtures the awkward and imprecise faith of pilgrims. It blessed the trust of the patient and the longing of the hopeful.

So come again to light the candles as we await the coming of the Savior. Be with others who’s awkward and imprecise faith is their greatest strength. Join those who’s half-lives are longing to be made whole. And you will find that the seed within you can grow…

Grace and Peace,

Mark

Mangers and Tombs

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

We had the annual meeting of our church last night. In Methodism, this is called Charge Conference and charge conferences are typically dreaded by pastors and churches alike. They are probably dreaded by district superintendents as well, although they are less inclined to admit this.

The reason for this is simply the predictability of it all. This is a lot like the regional manager come to check in with the branch office. But a critical element of the Church is the fact that it is NOT a business. And because of this, whenever a clearly corporate activity is applied to the community of faith, there is always a degree of awkwardness and discomfort. Of course, it doesn't help when the district superintendent approaches the gathering with the same tone that Paul speaks to the faithful in places like Corinth... I commend you for this but you really need to work on these things... There is nothing wrong with the district superintendent doing this. It is actually his/her job to speak the truth to the local church. It's just that this only adds to the feeling that all this has more to do with numbers than Jesus. Hence the dread...

So imagine our surprise when we actually felt that Spirit moving and speaking last night. Despite the fact that it was a business meeting of the church... Despite the fact that we did hear a bit of I commend you here but... Despite the fact that the superintendent did seem to look like he has been to a few of these things already this fall... Despite all these things there were nevertheless clear signs that God is present and actively working at Saint Francis United Methodist Church.

These signs were most evident in the stories that were told by the Saint Francis faithful. Men and women of various ages and even youth with the congregation shared sincere testimonies about how they have seen God at work in the ministries and missions of the church. There were many different kinds of stories involving many different groups both in and beyond the local church. However, there were two common denominators in each of these stories. The first was a clarity on behalf of each speaker that God was clearly involved. The second was the fact that authentic human relationships were front and center in each of these testimonies.

As the gathering came to a close, I was reminded of something about the Christian faith. Time and again, the Scriptures testify that God is often found where we least expect. When God looks upon the plight of the Israelites, he summons Moses, essentially an Egyptian prince. When God looks for an appropriate King, he sets his eyes upon Jesse's youngest son, David. Mary is essentially an unknown woman. The Savior is born not in Jerusalem but in a modest manger in Bethlehem. The Son of God is revealed not on a throne but on a cross and an empty tomb. Time and again, the Lord comes to modest places to accomplish amazing things.

That makes me feel pretty good about where I am right now. I'm humbled and grateful to find my home among the modest folks of Saint Francis.

God bless us every one...

In there somewhere...

Thus says the Lord:
For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment;
because they delivered entire communities over to Edom, and did not remember the covenant of kinship. So I will send a fire on the wall of Tyre, fire that shall devour its strongholds. (Amos 1:9-10)

In a recent Bible study, we were reading and discussing the book of Amos. Amos is called to bring the word of judgment to Israel. After overlooking the nation's transgressions time and again, the Lord's patience has finally come to an end. The shepherd turned prophet is called and the Word comes swift and relentless. Things begin to change rapidly in Israel and the people come to see that this is God's judgment befalling them.

The question raised in the Bible study was: where is this today? Where is God's hand? Where is God's response to modern sin or disrespect? Is God patient or irresponsible? Or is it that we just haven't reached the tipping point just yet?

The specifics in our conversation had to do with the environment. Some of the people in the group noticed that we aren't hearing as much about global warming as we did just a year or two ago. Why is this? Is it because the evidence now suggests that the matter is not as urgent as some initially believed? Is it because all this is simply too big and involved and there really isn't anything that we can do about it? Is it information overload?

These are all reasonable explanations. But there is another question--what does God make of all this? What does God make of the 70+ Million Barrels of oil that the planet is burning through each and every day? What does the Lord think about the vanishing rain-forest or the level of pollution escalating in developing countries like China and India?

The members of the bible study struggled--not merely in answering these kinds of questions but in even thinking about them. What does this mean? Does it mean anything? My point is not to suggest I have some kind of insight or righteousness. The fact is that I am as incapable of talking meaningfully about this stuff as anybody else. But something tells me that it does matter.

Next time you pick up a paper or click on your favorite Internet news-source, ask yourself that question--what does God make of this? Because it seems to me that whether we are talking our personal decisions or national priorities or corporate values or whatever... God has got to be in there somewhere. Maybe the Lord is patient or hopeful and, therefore, remaining hidden and inactive in some of these situations. But according to the prophets, if there is real sin or wickedness involved, there does come a time... Indeed, there must come a time when all that patience runs out.

Four Not So Random Observations

Most of what I write here is condensed and focused. I proof the articles several times and have my administrative assistant go over them as well. I try to to pick a single topic each week and write something helpful or at least funny. But occasionally I blog the way that most everyone else seems. Today is one of those days.

The firing of Juan Williams from NPR. This was pretty gross. I tend to appreciate NPR so I felt for both parties. On the one hand, I completely disagree with the decision but I suspected (or at least hoped there would be more behind it). We knew that this would become news, right? Especially, very bad news for one of the more grounded sources out there... Certainly Williams comment about anxiety was not something he should have lost his job over. NPR then responded by claiming that he was fired because there was too much opinion in his work. Fox has since offered him a multimillion dollar contract to occasionally appear as a guest journalist. Two thoughts here. First, this man is going to be rich and it seems to me that wealth is a curious bi-product for being a reporter. Second, NPR has never seen so much external publicity. This is an organization that funds programming much the way we do at Saint Francis. A week ago, you could have typed in NPR in any search engine and the only hits you would have gotten would have been directly to stories that they have covered. Now everyone is talking about NPR. What does this mean? Is this a real story or do the sharks celebrate any kind of blood in the water, even when it's their own?

Wikileaks. Is this a trend? Someone seems to be up in arms about the suggestion that there have been suspicious reports about the War in Iraq coming out of Washington. Hmmm. Imagine that. The fact is there have been websites tracking the true cost of the Iraq War for years. As far back as 2008, some sites placed the death toll between anywhere between 100,000 and over a million. Will the Wikileak phenomenon mean that we will have more access to truth? Will it mean that we are more willing to believe it?

Speaking of leaks... Last night I saw the preview for a film called, "Fair Game." It appears that the film actually tells the story about what happened to Valerie Plame and her family. For folks who are sort of into that whole what's really going on around here thing, this might be something to look into. If there is any merit to the increasingly public version of what took place in there, then it seems safe to say that we are living in some disturbing times. Of course, if it's any consolation to Valerie, she now probably has access to the same country clubs that Juan Williams will soon be joining... Spoiler Alert: Sean Penn is in this film.

BofA, Foreclosers, and the new (again) worries over bad loans... Really? Didn't we just suffer through this? I am just a simple man so banking itself is completely confusing to me... But two quick thoughts. First, what exactly is it that now runs our world because it sure can't be people? We have folks who need a place to live and we have institutions that want to make money through the transactions. But don't these folks sort of need each other? How can a ceaseless march to reclaim every possible asset possibly serve the long-term good of either party? What's the value if the bank sells the same property to every possible family? Second, what will happen this time? Did we not just sell the country because the experts threatened us with financial meltdown? So what now? Are we going to do it again? Are those who have so long heralded the blessings of the system finally ready to embrace it's wrath? Isn't this the system that loves to talk about winners and losers?

Blissfully Bound

I recently had a conversation with a colleague. He had asked me a question about baptism. Apparently a woman in his parish had recently been baptized and and she wanted to know if it would be possible for her grandchildren to be baptized as well. While the woman came regularly and clearly showed conviction and responsibility toward the faith and the life of the church, her own children did not. So the only time her grandchildren were able to come to the church was when the grandmother herself brought them or when there was some kind of drop-off opportunity for the parent such as Vacation Bible School.

My friend explained to the woman that typically he would like to see the parents regularly participating in the life of the church before he would agree to baptize children but that he would think about it and get back to her. He understood that these were unusual circumstances but he wasn't sure what he could or what he should do...

Upon learning that their grandmother had joined the church, the children wanted to be baptized as well. They were old enough for confirmation but there was little chance of the parents getting them there each week for the classes. While my friend certainly wanted to say yes, the theological training that he (and I) had experienced strongly emphasized the importance of the community in the life of the believer. While first and foremost the work of God, baptism is also the responsibility of the congregation and, especially, the parents who are to see that children are raised within the life of the Church. My friend and I had been taught that baptism without parental and communal responsibility is almost nonsensical... It was hard for my friend to imagine himself baptizing pre-teens that he would seldom, if ever, see again. But it was equally hard for him to say no to these children just because their parents didn't care enough to get them to church.

So my friend called me up to see what I thought. Initially I think that he was surprised to hear that I thought he should go ahead and baptize the children. But he was also relieved. I suspect that he felt that way too but needed someone else to confirm his conviction. I suggested that he ask the grandmother to do her best to get the children to worship and Sunday School. In the eyes of the Church, baptized children are the primary responsibility of parents but is it fair to deny children access to the grace of God and the blessings of the church simply because their parents are lazy?

Some time ago, I had a similar experience in my own ministry. I was having a conversation with my wife about a confirmation class that I was teaching. I was concerned because a few parents were not accompanying the confirmands to worship. It seemed that this was a pretty poor example and that it was sending a mixed message to the kids. One of the mothers was a close friend of my wife. So while I was explaining my frustration about all this, she shared with me that she had actually had a conversation with this woman in which the mother made the statement, "Sunday is my only day to sleep in."

The comment struck me as frightfully typical of our time. I call it the religion of the leftovers. Basically, it means that God gets the crumbs. After we've spent all that time and energy at work, the gym and the spa... After we've ran our kids all over town for soccer, piano and SAT prep... After we've spent our rewards at the Mall, Disney and the Country Club... We then take whatever is left to the House of the Lord to make our offering. Or not... After all, Sunday is our only day to sleep in.

And that was pretty much how I responded to my wife's half-defense of her friend's commitment to her son's spiritual health. Diane was somewhat appalled at my sarcastic tirade. She responded, "What do you expect? People have to work. They have to pay taxes. You can't just not pay the government or you go to jail..."

Probably not. Besides, would it really be so bad if we did? What's worse, I wonder, our kids watching us go to jail or watching us sacrifice everything that we've got to a bunch of false gods? Come to think about it, didn't Christians used to be regularly hauled off to jail for their dedication to Christ and to the faith?

I hear my wife's point a lot actually. "Look we have no choice. There's so little discretionary time, energy and resources. Work, school, bills... What can the Church reasonably expect anyway?"

And there is evidence for this... We figure that we have no choice but to work our fingers to the bone, pay the government 25-50%, ensure that our kids are getting all A's and covering those service hours... We sleep in on Sunday because we figure we deserve a break from our very demanding and stressful lives which, indeed, seem to us as very much out of our control.

So then I say, you know, I think you're right. Maybe we're like the Israelites, living in some kind of modern day Egypt. And the truth is that despite all the apparent perks and opportunities, this is , in fact, a slave society and the very people that I am frustrated with are really just slaves, cogs in the wheel of something well beyond their control. Maybe I'm wrong about my expectations of responsibility and what we really need is a savior--Jesus, or at least Moses, to come and deliver us from this mess. As a pastor, maybe I need to be more understanding and more compassionate. After all, the parents of my confirmands are probably just slaves.

So then I try this on. I suggest to people in Bible Studies and elsewhere that what we now have is essentially a slave society. I point out that despite all the rhetoric about freedom and opportunity, the evidence suggests something very different. I note that the capitalist dream that once seemed to promise so much has apparently created a society in which there are now classes of people--masters and slaves.

But then, just as I say something like this... Just as I accept that my people have no other choice but to sleep in on Sunday and offer the Lord whatever crumbs left after a week in the bricks and mortar... They become even more angry, insisting that I am wrong. They shout at me for saying such a blasphemous thing, dutifully citing the merits of the age--the access, the products, the services, the opportunities and freedom... They insist that all is well and that people who are not happy in this perfect world, can only blame themselves. They tell me that this is the best of the best of the best. They explain that they have more power and personal choice then any people who have ever lived. "We are responsible for our own lives.", they exclaim. "We are making our own way, writing our own story and making a name for ourselves. How dare you suggest that we are enslaved! We are not anything like slaves!"

OK, my bad... So then, what is it? What's going on? And which is better? Is it be better to be free and responsible yet selfish and deceived? Or is it better to just be blissfully bound?

Sufficient Grace

...Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’... (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

There is a long and intriguing mystery about Paul's reference here in 2 Corinthians. What exactly was that legendary "thorn?" What was it that the devil used to keep Paul's comfort and joy at bay? That subject of torment...Was it a physical ailment? Was it a psychological disorder or a spiritual weakness? Was it a carnal desire or some deep-seated insecurity? Perhaps it was a loneliness that came from the constant travel. Or maybe it was a steady annoyance inspired by the company that he was forced to keep?

Whatever it was... We don't know. We will probably never know--unless by some chance event we catch the Apostle some day over a cup of coffee in heaven. Fat chance though--something tells me that Paul's heaven will not include time for coffee. I could be wrong though.

But I get the deal. I get the frustration and I get the answer. I live by the answer. My grace is sufficient... For Paul. For Me. For You. For whatever it is that ails us... The Lord has the remedy. And the remedy... it isn't a pill or a fortune or a get-outta-jail-free card.

And that has become the exact thing I was hoping to hear. I first heard it many years ago. I was suffering under my "torment of the year" or decade. At wits end and losing both my youth and strength. Knowing but not really knowing how faith works and all that. And God threw me a line. Pulled my head up out of the mire just enough to get me through. It wasn't complete--and thank God! Who wants to be completely rescued? Of course, I couldn't fully appreciate it at the time but it was enough. Enough to get me through and, more importantly, enough to learn that it is all about enough--just enough to see us through.

There is music in my world. And it's not esoteric harps in my head. It is the music of other people. People who seem awake and able to see and feel the pain and appreciate the wonder.

I don't have a wide list of things that save me but the short list is as precious as oxygen. An honest song or a great story. It's sufficient to see me through another day or at least a few more hours... Patty Griffin and Stephan Jenkins, Noel and Liam Gallagher, Jenny Lewis and Adam Duritz, Tracy Chapman and Jackson Browne... Did God send these folks into the world to keep me alive? No, but their voices have often reached me at the exact moment...

I can only trust that it is the same for the rest of us. Not that you are saved by my music or by any music for that matter. But that there is grace sufficient for you too. In whatever form works. Whatever language can break through the torment that keeps your comfort and joy at bay.

If you follow what I am saying here, here's to hanging on! We've made it through another stretch! If you feel as though the grace in your life is just not quite cutting it...Don't give up. Keep looking and keep bugging God about it. If the journey feels long and weary, let God know about it. You probably won't get the get-outta-jail-free card. But it might just be that you really don't want that anyway.

The Social Network

I don't Facebook. I need to say that right off the bat. A person once sent me an email with links to some photos and the only way that I could view them was to fill out an online form. So I suppose my name is out there somewhere and I do, ocassionally, get "friend requests" but I don't respond to them and I don't use a Facebook account. The reason is twofold.

First, there is sort of an unspoken agreement between my sons and I. Part of this is simply maintaining a healthy distance. There are certain places teenagers just don't want to run into their parents. It's not merely privacy, it is also sort of a "dibs" thing--a belief that there is only so much cool stuff to go around. By the time I learned anything at all about Facebook, my sons were already pretty much insiders. And frankly, it wasn't that hard to pass on the intrigue. At least not for forty-something men. I can see how it is great for younger, single folks and women too because they like communication and all that. But most middle-aged men that I know can only get into trouble with this kind of thing.

The second reason that I don't do Facebook is because it is clearly a time-trap and I already have plenty of those in my life. And it is a unique sort of time-trap because it promotes a sedentary lifestyle. Of course, this isn't just Facebook. Techology generally and computers especially are blackholes for time and attention. There are a few differences between sitting on the couch and sitting in front of the computer but there are a lot of similarities as well. (I realize that we can now do both at the same time.)

While I don't do Facebook; I absolutely do use a computer a lot. And I do think Facebook is cool, just not that cool. So that's the caveat. I am not an expert on Facebook. But I do see a lot of movies. And "The Social Network" is a very good movie.

The story is interesting; the acting is excellent and the truth telling is subtle. The first two are straightforward enough so I will focus on the latter--and without spoiling the film for those of you who have yet to see it.

Good preaching doesn't feel preachy. Good teaching allows you to learn without feeling like you've been abused in the process. In the same way, good film-making portrays a story in such a way as to be both engaging and meaningful. "The Social Network" tells the story of bright, young men. Bright, young men are not gods. They are not even wise, old men. But they have something that neither gods nor old men have. We might call it passion or moxy or creative disatisfaction. But whatever it is, it allows them, sometimes, to do things that the rest of us are unwilling or unable to do. This is what makes Facebook cool and it is what makes "The Social Network" a very engaging film.

What we are really talking about here is adventure. It is taking a path, an uncertain path in a bold direction. For those who are given the chance and take hold of it, a youthful adventure is one of the highlights of human life. (I say one of because it is definitely not the only one. Raising children and seeing grandchildren are perhaps greater highlights. It is just that these are more common and, therefore, generally under-recognized.) Anyway, to set out or step out toward a vision--this is an amazing thing. And while adventure is the subject of countless stories, it is an experience in which only the few actually embrace.

The thing is though, in a true adventure, at least in a true human adventure, there are authentic challenges. Greatness is a mixed bag and the path to it frought with very real struggle and suffering. This is the aspect of "The Social Network" that really caught my attention. Without wallowing in it, the film captures the pitfalls and dark sides of success. It reveals, ever so subtly, the ways in which ambition threatens and even destroys things like friendship and joy.

It's a terrifying consideration really--that the very thing that moves us and motivates us can also potentially destroy us. And this is not some kind of black and white moral decision that we can easily make. It is almost as if the lesson invariably comes after the risk itself. And then sometimes it can be too late... Powerful stuff and real.

The last thing that I will say about the film is less universal but nevertheless connected. The film portrays a great deal of partying. Some of this is because the story is about twenty-something characters. And some is certainly because Hollywood now seems to feel that the best way to get young people to go to movies is to glamorize sex and drugs.

I went to the film with my seventeen year old son. My eighteen year old is already in college. I wonder what they make of all this, really. I wonder what they make of the ambition and the whole idea of success. But I also wonder about the real Social Network. I wonder what they make of the way in which the film portrays friendship, intimacy and sex. Do they imagine that this is what college should be? Do teenagers today believe that the pinnacle of social life is a world where they will have the means to embrace unbridled excess?

I have never considered myself a prude but I found the party scenes unsettling and not just because I was sitting next to my son. The one concrete example that I do want to point out is not to offend or overstate, and it is certainly not a spoiler for the film. It it rather to raise a question about cultural good...

There is a scene in the film in which characters have sex in a bathroom stall. I wasn't exactly sure what to make of the message? I knew how I felt about the scene... But I wasn't at all sure about the rest of the people in the theater. Particularly telling, I think, was that I wasn't even sure how the characters in the story felt about it. Is this evidence of the strength of the film--demonstrating the moral ambiguity plaguing this generation? Or is it simply evidence that I am now just too old and removed from what's going on out there?

Our kids are part of a generation that is being bombarded with a virtually endless range of goods. With so much access and so few boundaries, how can they discern what they should and should not want? "The Social Network" is a story about the most significant thing in many of their lives. I wonder what they made of it.

Christian Glory

Each fall, Duke Divinity School sponsors an annual Convocation and Pastor's School. It is a three day event in which clergy gather for continuing education and fellowship. It is also a chance to see colleagues and friends outside the regular context of the parish. The event includes timely lectures by leaders in Theology or Science as well as brief classes offered by Divinity School faculty. There is also morning and evening worship. Typically, the worship is highlighted by guest preachers who, like the lecturers, have recently made a name for themselves in one way or another.

Each year that I attend, I marvel at the fanfare. The moderator will typically spend two or three minutes highlighting accomplishments. But this is merely to introduce the presenter of the presenter. And then, this person will spend another five minutes documenting the spectacular resume of the actual lecturer. Even the preachers are introduced this way. By the time the actual speaker reaches the podium, there is so much glory and expectation in the air that everyone in the room is sweaty and exhausted. Perhaps this is the point. After all that expectation, it must be great, right? And truth be told, it usually is.

It is a treat to listen to men and women with exceptional minds and oratory gifts. The lectures at Convocation are consistently interesting and I always return with a renewed spirit and some new theological insight.

The worship and preaching, however, are a bit more hit and miss. Probably for the same reason. While the showering of accolades and all that intoxicating glory might make sense and add credibility to a lecture hall, they seem out of place in a sanctuary. There is just something awkward about Christian glory. But it was actually out of this awkwardness that I gained one of my favorite preaching anecdotes.

It happened one year when the Convocation organizers decided to take a different tact. Rather than inviting the Minister to the University at Harvard or the Senior Pastor of Mega Church USA, the organizers decided to invite someone from within our own ranks. We showed up for worship that evening and looked at the bulletin. "Who is this guy?" We all wondered. "Oh, that's such and such. He serves First Church Albemarle..." You could hear the murmerings, almost see the wheels turning in the minds of the clergy. Each man trying to figure out how the organizers had passed over the best preacher in the room.

I was still a member of the Iowa Annual Conference back then so I had no skin in the game. I always came back to Duke to see a few friends, enjoy the October weather in Carolina, and clear my mind. But there were only a few of us--folks who came from distance. The rest of the 1000 or so others came from the two Carolina Conferences. These clergymen (and they were mostly men), came to Convocation not only for the lectures but also to be seen, to shake the right hands and maybe make a case for a better appointment next time around.

Worship began and processed pretty much the way it always did. We read thoughtful liturgies and sang bellowing cathedral hymns; someone offered a perfect prayer... And then came the moment of truth. Pastor Such and Such from Nowhere, North Carolina was introduced and began the coveted march up the steps to the great pulpit in Duke Chapel. I did not know the preacher personally but from the limited bullets in his introduction I gathered that this was a pretty young man. Although he was ordained and, from that standpoint, speaking to a gathering of peers, the fact was that many of these men had been serving churches since before he had even been born.

What followed was a forty-minute diatribe in which Pastor Such and Such condemned the entire gathering for all our misgivings. He scolded us for being weak, unfaithful and generally worthless pastors. Covering just about every area of ministry, he assured the clergy of both the North Carolina and Western North Carolina conferences that they were failing in their calling as shepherds of God's people.

By the time it was finally over, the place was more than ready to be emptied. As we were making our way out, I realized that I had been sitting just a few rows away from the man who had been my preaching professor while I was at the Divinity School. He saw me and simply said, "Never underestimate ridicule as an effective sermon technique." It was a perfect response to a perfectly horrible sermon.

It wasn't that the man was saying things that were not true. It was just that he was saying them without so much as a hint of grace. I wasn't sure which I felt more--anger or pity. The man had not only blown a great opportunity; he had almost certainly misrepresented himself. Back home in Nowhere, he was probably a compassionate pastor and a fine preacher. But all that had somehow been lost in translation for the sake of that glorious shot at preaching to his peers in Duke Chapel.

There was a lesson that night. It just wasn't what the preacher had to say. It was what he did--how he presented himself in the pulpit as a representative of Christ and the Gospel. I suspect that all those men who had earlier coveted the chance to stand in his place recanted before they left the chapel that night. And the Convocation organizers tool. Since that night, I do not recall seeing the names of my colleagues in the chapel bulletin. We Average Joes had had our chance and it was clear that we were not ready.

There are many symbols of Christianity. But the Cross remains the best one. It stands as a reminder--not only of God's love but also of the unique and compelling way in which it was revealed.

Hope at Ground Zero

For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land. Jeremiah 32:15

The people of Saint Francis have done an amazing thing. Of course, some might say that it was irresponsible or even dangerous. But I believe that it is courageous, faithful and exciting. We have been building, painting, carpeting, and renovating... First our youth building and more recently, our main building. And just last night we made the decision to renovate the chancel area in our sanctuary.

What makes this amazing is that we are doing all of this in a down economy. Indeed, we are doing these things in what is without doubt the most challenging economic period that many of our people have experienced in their lifetimes. Nevertheless, out of faith in God and a commitment to the mission and ministry of the Church, we are preparing. To coin a Biblical phrase, we are "making ready" for the things that God has in store for us and for countless others that we have not yet met.

Praise God for his sovereign grace and generosity and thank you to the leadership of Saint Francis for their faith and courage!

Following is a reprint of an article that I wrote for the Saint Francis Newsletter back in July of this year. It is about another time in which someone did an amazing, reckless wonderful thing out of faith...

Chapter 32 of The Book of Jeremiah retells what might be the worst real estate transaction in the entire Bible. Jeremiah the Prophet is locked up in the courtyard for making unhappy observations and predictions that have irritated King Zedekiah. While in jail, he receives a word from the Lord that he is about to be visited by his cousin—a cousin that he has not seen in a very long time. It turns out that his cousin wants to sell him a spot of land on the family farm. Significant here is the fact that the spot is either currently or soon to be inhabited by the invading Chaldeans and Jeremiah knows it. The land is about to be taken over and Israel is soon to be turned upside down. Furthermore, Jeremeiah knows that things are only going to get worse; at least in the short run. So here comes Jeremiah's cousin hoping to get out while he can.

Remember now, Jeremiah, himself, is imprisoned and the land is well out of reach. In fact, he may never be able to use it or even set foot on it. Nevertheless, Jeremiah not only agrees to the purchase, he goes to great lengths to ensure that all the documentation is done correctly and that there are witnesses to seal the deal. The point of Jeremiah’s actions and, indeed, the point of the story itself is a demonstration of hope. Though Jeremiah understands that Judah is being judged and that there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, he also understands that God is faithful. The Lord will ultimately remember his people and keep the promises that he has made to them despite their unfaithfulness.

Like King Zedekiah, most of us would prefer to hear the good word from the prophet. We would like to hear how things are going to get better and soon. And sometimes that is the message. But sometimes the Lord has work to do, and sometimes that work is extended. Perhaps we have so turned away from God or gotten the world so far out of balance that it is going to take some time for God to set things right. The way that we respond to this says a lot about us.

Jeremiah’s actions in chapter 32 are a statement of hope and encouragement for his people. He wants to assure them that God is faithful though it might not seem that way in the moment. To those present that day in the courtyard, it surely must have seemed like Jeremiah was a complete fool. Nevertheless, he understood something that the people had forgotten.

There is a saying, “Live your life in such a way that it makes no sense apart from the existence of God.” The point here is not that we go out and make foolish real estate decisions or spend dwindling cash deposits on renovating our church buildings. It is rather to see, believe and act in ways that demonstrates our faith in God. It is to live as though we truly understand that no matter how things seem at the moment, God is good and God holds the future.

I commend the leadership of Saint Francis for acting courageously. We might have offered a thousand reasons why we can't or should not do such things but instead we stepped forward in faith, trusting God and one another. May God look with favor upon this courage, bless our fellowship and show us how we can serve Christ as we continue to move forward.

Porcelain

I just finished an email. I've been corresponding with a friend about the "Restoring Honor" rally recently held in Washington, D.C. He's rightfully concerned over the use of language. People, and especially people of power, understand the importance of language. The words we use, the stories we tell, and the ways in which we bring the past to the present is powerful stuff. Or, to put it more directly, in any given argument, the one who controls the language tends to win the day.

This is why the rally and the storyline leading up to it has caused great deal of commotion. There is emotion tied up with our understanding of the past and the way that we name our histories. Following is a paragraph from the email that I sent to my friend. In an effort to avoid some of the sharper emotional edges of this debate, I have sought to avoid the details and focus on what I think is an important but largely missed component of all this...

...This is the political cynicism that I am increasingly disturbed by. It is one thing for people like you and I (folks who have no real power) to be cynical about the decisions and directions. It’s playful and helps us blow off steam… But it is quite another thing for folks like Rupert Murdock, Rahm Emanuel or Joel Osteen. These are people who have significant influence. I am concerned less by people with strong opinions than I am with whether or not these strong opinions are genuine. As strange as it might sound, I’d feel better if these people truly believed in whatever agendas they’re espousing. As it is, I am afraid that they’re a bit more concerned with public opinion--the new expediency.. This is the great secret of the political environment of our time. It is the secret of an unaccountable life. Do whatever it takes and paint it any way you like because no one’s really watching--except, of course, the people that you are trying to win over... This is the take I have on the current spectacle. That people get money and affirmation to tell others what they have “tuned-in” to hear... Something comes to mind about the world's oldest profession...

Cynicism is scary stuff... And it's sad because we work on it so hard.

Hey, you've got a lot of nerve
to show your face around here.
Hey, you've got a lot of nerve
to dredge up all my fears.
Well, I wish I could shake some sense into you
and walk out the door.
But your skin is like porcelain.
Yeah, your skin is like porcelain.

Just the other day I felt I had you by a string.
Just the other day I felt we could be everything.
But now when I see you, you're somebody else.
In somebody's eyes and your skin...
But your skin is like porcelain.
Yeah, your skin is like porcelain.

I don't know what I'm saying.
Well, I don't know if you're there.
In the words you are feigning.
Do you even care?

Well I wish I could kill you,
savor the sight.
Get in to my car, drive into the night.
Then lie as I scream to the heavens above.
That I was the last one you ever loved.
Yes, your skin is like porcelain.

"Porcelain" Better Than Ezra

Caring for the Soul

Each week when I sit down to write my blog entry, I pause. I ask myself, now what did I write about last time... I tend to be just a bit paranoid about saying too much about what's wrong. It's not so much the content as the tone. I don't like to write too many downer articles in a row. I've only got a couple of readers anyway and I really don't want to drive them away with too much doom and gloom. I figure it's probably hard on me as well--dwelling too much on the negative. There's more than enough bringing people down already; we really don't need to be bathing in it. So as easy as it might be to rant week after week, I sincerely try to offer something constructive from time...really, I do!

It is hard though. When I think honestly about the difference between the things that make me feel good and the things that depress me, it is a rather sobering consideration. For example, think about how much time and energy we spend on things that really don't do much for our souls. After attending to things like work, worry, and the crisis of the moment, there just isn't that much time left in the day. We almost have to go out of our way to take a walk, enjoy a good conversation or make love. And even if we do take the time, it's usually the last time of the day. In other words, the things that might feed our souls often get the very least of our attention and energy.

What's especially discouraging here is that I'm probably in the top 10% when it comes to actually having time and energy to do these kinds of things. I've got a job that allows unique freedom. We pastors work largely on a schedule that we choose. We have the time to think and pray and converse. In short, we are set apart specifically to attend to the soul. We are given the space to pay attention to things that restore life. And as such, we have a real chance to invite others to do the same. Sadly, many spiritual guides run from the opportunity. Perhaps we are afraid that others will resent the freedom or perhaps we have bought into the same model of production that is plaguing the people that we serve.

So rather than embracing and celebrating the space and taking the opportunity to encourage others to do the same, many pastors just feel guilty about their unique callings. We anxiously strive to fill our space with the same kinds of energy-draining busy work that everyone else seems to be suffering under. All this simply to avoid the strangeness of not being driven by work.

Recently I received a survey. It was sent by a third-party company to research the health of Methodist clergy in North Carolina. The questions were interesting. They dealt with everything from physical fitness and eating habits to self-esteem and congregational support. The survey was trying to assess the overall health of people like me which, of course, includes mental and spirtual health as well as physical health. Although it seems that I am healthier than many of my colleagues, I didn't find this especially encouraging. Compared to the general public, Methodist clergy have higher instances of heart disease, asthma, high blood pressure and depression. At some point, I am sure someone will explain why this is. But I suspect that it has something to do with the fact that the ministry seems to draw a lot of people-pleasing workaholics who don't pay enough attention to their own lives and families. And in this environment, there are very few voices suggesting that they do otherwise.

There is something not quite right about unhealthy spiritual leaders. An old saying about the blind leading the blind comes to mind...Like I said, I honestly think that I am doing better than average. I work pretty hard at not working hard. And yet, I still sense that I still pour too much time and energy into life-sucking rather than life-giving activities. So pray for us. If for no other reason than to make sure we are taking the time to pray for you.

For further reading about this, here's a link to an article that explains pretty well why so many pastors and congregations are as sick as they are right now http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/opinion/08macdonald.html

Double Speak

During the announcements prior to our worship service, I asked the congregation for prayer concerns. One of our members simply said, "We need to pray for the families of the martyrs." The announcement caught me a bit off guard. I assumed that I knew what the man was referring to but Martyr is a big word in the Christian tradition. I hadn't heard it used to describe anything recently so I asked the gentleman to elaborate. He continued, "the ten people who were killed in Afghanistan, they were Christians and it is my understanding that they died because they were accused of proclaiming Jesus."

I had heard about the massacre. I am sure that most of the people in the congregation had as well. But this was the first time that I had heard anything about them being Christian or even that they were there as part of Christian Mission. Of course, part of that was probably me. Perhaps, I hadn't read the story closely enough. But still, I thought it curious. How did I miss that? The media--typically reveling in any news of bloodshed and horror, making the most out of every tasty crumb of pain and suffering--how could I not have heard somewhere that these people died because they were part of a Christian mission effort?

I got up this morning to read more about the incident. The story was already gone from the start page for Google News. The words Afghanistan and Aid appeared on CNN's Homepage but not Christian. I finally found a link that took me to The Washington Post. According to the article there, ten people were slaughtered while working with an organization called Internal Assistance Mission. In fact, it turns out that this is an openly Christian mission effort that has been operating in a deeply conservative Muslim country for forty-four years. Whether they were preaching (unlikely), rendering medical aid or simply offering a cup of water, it would seem that these ten people were doing so in Jesus name. They died for their faith. This would make them Christian Martyrs.

"We are heartbroken by the loss of these heroic, generous people," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said in a statement. "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this senseless act. We also condemn the Taliban's transparent attempt to justify the unjustifiable by making false accusations about their activities in Afghanistan." From http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/08/AR2010080801338.html

Not a word about why these people were there... Hillary Clinton is a lifelong Methodist. I have always respected her work ethic and I like her. However, today I'd like to call her cell and tell her that she ought to be ashamed. Failing to honor these people for who they were is a sad commentary on our government and its paranoia and priorities.

While I do not expect the media or the government to use words like "martyr," I would imagine that they would care enough to get the story right. Which they most certainly did at some point. The media and the government knew what had happened. But in the interest of keeping somebody somewhere happy, they made a point of avoiding the references to Christianity--at least as much as they could. The Secretary of State certainly knew that these people died because they were Christian Missionaries. She purposely chose not to mention this in the briefing, probably because she believed that it might be potentially inflammatory.

I understand the paranoia but I suspect that it is both unfounded and finally self-defeating. Many people believe there is an anti-Christian spirit afoot in our country. This kind of thing only serves to fuel the suspicion.

It goes without saying, but let's go ahead and say it anyway...Imagine the outcry had this been a story about Muslim Missionaries slaughtered by Christians...

What is perhaps most important here is taking a moment to honor the good and peaceful work that these people were doing. I haven't heard anyone saying that the Internal Assistance Mission was really a front for the CIA. So I think it is safe to assume that it was not. So what these people were doing was apparently what they've been doing for the past forty-four years. Namely, they were serving others in the name of Jesus Christ, offering hope and peace in the Lord's name. Someone found this threatening enough to take their lives.

Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.

Deflation

Now there's a little known term that seems to be gaining traction these days. I noticed the word appearing in a number of recent economic articles. Unlike inflation that is a reference to currency, deflation seems to be a more expansive term used to define a larger economic trend. While inflation means that your money isn't worth much. Deflation means that most of us don't have any and those of us who might can't seem to do much with it. Inflation sucks buying power out of the hands of individuals. Deflation sucks the life out entire economies.

Where does it come from and how does it happen? If I understand it correctly, it is kind of like an old movie I once saw called, "Fate is the Hunter." [Spoiler Alert! I am about to tell you how the movie ends so stop reading this if you have not seen the 1964 classic...] In the film, a plane crashes. The authorities are not sure why so they blame it on pilot error. An investigator begins looking into the accident, partly because he knows the pilot and his reputation and he does not want to see his friend falsely accused and historically responsible for something so horrible unless there is adequate reasons to do so. Toward the end of the story, the investigator puts together a reenactment in which he is careful to recreate everything leading up to crash. It turns out that a spilled cup of coffee was the critical catalyst setting off a chain of events that led to the loss of many lives.

Deflationary trends in economics seem to be something like this. Something goes wrong. And then something else goes wrong. Pretty soon it feels like everything is going wrong. But the real problem is the overriding response to all this. [And understandably so, when the plane starts to go down, it seems like a reasonable time to panic!] But, of course, as more and more people pull back for fear of a spiraling economy, it becomes something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Things actually begin to get as bad as people are fearing them to be...

Deflation is a dangerous and scary thing and not only for economic systems. Fear can send us scurrying away from everyone and everything--sometimes from the very people and places that might otherwise bring us hope and joy. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty to be concerned about. And for some, there is more than enough reason to pull back from investing and stepping out into a world where things might go wrong. But what happens when we pull back? What happens when more and more people cease to look for the hope and the opportunities? What happens when everyone allows fear or panic to guide their lives?

Remember Mr. Potter? While all of Bedford Falls was slipping into panic, he was just smiling and waiting to pounce. Even George was sweating and very close to giving into his own fear and deflation. But as we are watching, we know what he needs to do. We know that he needs to keep the faith--to keep on keeping on. Right? Because otherwise, Bedford Falls becomes Pottersville.

Oh yeah, Justice

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

I just returned from accompanying the youth on a trip to Washington, D.C. The week prior, our young people had left The Portico to travel about in the inner city of Charlotte. They engaged in a unique ministry that allows participants to see and meet and work directly with some of the poverty missions within the city. At the end of the week, the group boarded a train and headed to D.C. for something called "The United Methodist Seminar."

The seminar takes place at the United Methodist building. The first thing that strikes you about the building is the location. It sits across the street from the US Capitol and a stone's throw from the Supreme Court, offering a bird's eye view on all things moving and shaking. No mistake here. When the United Methodist women bought the land and paid for the building back in 1923, it was a clear statement to the powers that be that they would be watching. And they would be speaking, especially on behalf of those who had little voice in the decisions effecting their lives. And for almost 100 years now, the UM church has sought to be a voice of justice to the powers of this land.

The seminar itself was a take-no-prisoners look at homelessness. The presenters explained how common it is to look upon poverty rather than behind it. With a brief nod to the importance of pity and generosity, our teenagers were quickly told that charity is not enough. The Church needs to be a voice of justice on behalf of the poor. The Church needs to act, to work on the root causes and seek to eradicate the factors that give rise to the conditions that we are so good at feeling bad about.

The focus of the seminar fit well with the sermon that we had heard the day before. At Asbury UMC, we listened as Fred Smith likened our time to the days of the prophet Amos. Citing everything from interest rates to global warming, Fred noted the apocalyptic tones ringing all around us. Like Amos, the preacher denied any confident credentials in the matters of God, simply noting, "I'm just saying..."

For me, the trip was a bit of a trip down memory lane. This was Christianity as I had known at an earlier point in my life. In college, I used to gather with a group of people who would get together specifically to pray about peace and ways to work for nuclear disarmament. During seminary, my roomate volunteered a couple of times a month at the men's shelter in Durham, staying overnight with the homeless men who took refuge there. When I first entered the ministry, I worked with two inner city organizations in Des Moines, Iowa. My closest friends were people that Micah and Amos would have been happy to hang out with. These were pastors who worked in the farm-workers movement and met regularly with city councilmen to make sure the poor had a voice. They seemed to have boundless energy, fighting for every justice issue they encountered.

It's not that I no longer believe in such things, it's just that it all seems so much harder now and maybe a little more complicated. While the seminar leaders and our youth director, Matt Smith, kept using the word uncomfortable, the word that kept coming to my mind was overwhelming. There is just so much to do--so much need. Like eating the proverbial elephant, I am not sure where to take the first bite.

Meanwhile, the signs of tempest swirl around us. The preacher's analogy to Amos and his time was a fair warning to any of us who might be listening and who might be able to figure out what we might do. And perhaps the most challenging part of all this is the subtlety of it all. No one intentionally sets out to be unjust. People are not trying to purposely ignore or disenfranchise the folks on the fringe. Nobody plans to tear up the planet. It just sort of happens. Maybe it's a by-product of our broken humanity. Not to offer an excuse but some kind of explanation. The self interest, the ambition, the excess...it adds up. And it does do damage, even if unintentional.

I like the words from Micah. I like them because, unlike the overwhelming nature of injustice, the Lord's answer to the question here actually seems doable. Perhaps we can commit ourselves to something as simple as this--to doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly... Perhaps this is something that we can keep in front of us as well--maybe write it on our hands or stick it to the regrigerator with a magnet. So often justice seems to be a monolith--an impossible problem that we all have to fix. And perhaps that's part of the problem. Rather than trying to eat the entire elephant in one bite, maybe we just have to hear and respond to these words from Micah. Each of us hearing and committing ourselves to a simple formula that invites us to live a little more lightly, a little more decently. I think I might be able to do that.

LeCircus

For those who heard my sermon yesterday, the comments here will not be especially new. If you missed it, the sermon centered upon Micah 6: What does the Lord require...but to do justice love kindness and walk humbly with your God...

My sermon contrasted the Scriptural expectation of humility and justice against the me-first values of our time, depicted most recently in the spectacle of Lebron James' free agency as well as the hype and media circus surrounding it. ESPN aired a special entitled, "The Decision" in which Lebron publicly announced that he would be taking his talents to South Beach. The entire process was so over-the-top that it actually drew criticism from the media itself (or at least from rival networks and commentators). My favorite quote came from Eric Stangel, the head writer and executive producer for The Late Show with David Letterman, who wrote, "I'm keeping my 2 yr old up to watch the Lebron James Special. I want her to see the exact moment our society hit rock bottom." Naturally, he posted the comment on Twitter.

All this has little, really, to do with Lebron James. Except that he now represents the latest example--one more symptom, really--of a society that is very, very sick. Celebrities are lifted up and worshiped to the point that they cannot help but believe that they really are the heroes we imagine them to be. It's all a ridiculous circus but no one seems particularly able to point this out. Instead, we just play along. Turn on our televisions and watch as our society slips into the dust of narcissistic history. Even though we might sense the absurdity, it seems that we are nevertheless destined to play out a drama in which the logical conclusion is complete and utter catastrophe. What does the Lord require has been replaced by an unquenchable appetite that begins with a very different question...What's in it for me? We really cannot blame Lebron or anyone else who appears to blessed by all of this because we're all failing to offer any real alternative. Go get yours we say. Because, frankly, that's the best idea we've got...

The Church has failed greatly in this regard. More than anything else, we have failed in memory and imagination. We've forgotten our own story and we lack the courage to explain to one another that every society that has headed down this road has ended in ruins.

Surely the Church has something interesting to say to a society that is tumbling headlong into the abyss of the self... Yet where is that voice? Indeed, some corners of the Church have gone so far as to actually join the circus--promoting the very narcissistic values that are polluting our culture. Some of the fastest growing churches in our society right now are promoting values and practices that are diametrically opposed to the central teachings of the Gospel and the Scriptures. It is difficult to blame the faithful when the very institutions that they trust to tell the truth have sold out to cheap and easy answers simply because they seem popular.

And that's really the thing. If we fail to ask questions like the one that Micah is asking in Micah 6, who will? If we forget the lessons of our own story, who do we expect to remember them? It is one thing for the world to lose its mind but the Church is without excuse. For we do have an alternative story. We do have an alternative message that is compelling and reliable enough to challenge the prevailing nonsense of our time... But will we muster the imagination and courage to recall it and speak it? If we do not, then we deserve Lebron and Lady Gaga.

This is a central tenet of my own leadership at Saint Francis. I want to invite us to be a community that attends to an alternative way of living in the world. I want us to be a community that asks questions about God, about life, and about the world in which we live. I want us to seek that unique path of humility and courage--a path that is revealed in people like Micah and Jesus and Francis of Assisi.

Bottom Feeding

We all know that things are tough and we all wish that they would get better. But that's the easy part. The hard part is trying to keep track of what matters most and resisting the temptation to take our anger and frustration out on the wrong people.

A business friend of mine helps me keep up with the details--the more subtle aspects of what happens during an economic downturn. Perhaps the saddest thing that I have learned through this is what happens when there is less and less to go around. We treat each other pretty well when there is plenty but when things get a little more scarce, we not only fight like fish over the last few crumbs, we begin to bite at one another as well. Not because we are hungry to eat them but because we can't bite anyone else.

None of this is new. It has been a sad side-effect of poverty since people had to leave the Garden and make a go of it in a world where things don't just grow on trees... Struggling people look around them and begin to resent and blame not those who hold the power and make the decisions but rather those who seem to have it as bad or worse than they do. In Germany, poor Christians come to resent poor Jews. In America, poor white folk learned to resent their poor black neighbors. Misplaced anger... We humans have a tendency to take our frustrations out on whatever might be in striking distance.

The best example of this is domestic abuse: You're mad at your boss. You're getting older and less attractive. The bills are piling up and no one listens to you... So what do you do? Why you beat your wife, of course; or your kids; or both!

Naturally this is wrong but people just keep doing it. What else are they going to do? ... Watching the latest on the Gulf Oil disaster, I see that rich people get into this too. Congress is dragging BP execs in so they can take some swings on behalf of the country. Nothing like a good public display of vengeance to clear the soul! Sheeeesh.

Here's an idea. How about some peace? Or some good will? If we're gonna have to suffer through this ______ anyway, why don't we try to make the best of it? How about we recognize that we actually have more in common with the people we can reach than those we can't? There is nothing wrong with a little anger, let's just work a little harder at directing it at the right people.

BTW, that poor fellow there is The Weather Man. He's just been pelted by another chocolate shake thrown from a passing car. Killing The Messenger--another tried and true practice of the downtrodden. Sure... but let me see you hit God with one of those things!

Celibacy and Other Things The Clergy Probably Shouldn't Be Doing For Us

In response to the sex scandal in the Roman Catholic church, a group of women have apparently written an open letter to the pope. The woman are Italian Catholics who have had affairs or relationships with priests. However, unlike the harsh criticisms that has characterized other such letters, these are letters in support of the priests and others who have been caught in a system that has some very real problems. Some have said that the letters will reopen the discussion about celibacy. While that remains to be seen, I do feel that the letter is an important document. Many people have sensed (myself included) that the cause of much of the pain and suffering that we have seen in the Church around the issue of sex is rooted in the strangely applied expectation of a celibate and unmarried priesthood.

The current Pope, along with many before him, has responded to questions of this kind by referencing that celibacy has been the historic practice and expectation of clergy for a very long time (though curiously not since the beginning of the Church). I think it is a bad idea to ask entire groups of people to refrain from sex on the basis of their loyalty to God and to the Church. But what I really think is a bad idea is doing this out of some kind of queer loyalty to values and faith positions that the Church does not promote.

What I mean by this is that the Church certainly does not believe that marriage is a bad thing. Moreover, despite the strange and mixed messages that we've heard from time to time, the Church does not believe that sex is dirty or evil. While there have been times when both Protestant and Catholic Christians have entertained such ideas, the Bible does not support it and as Christians we have largely gotten past our awkward feelings about sexuality. Indeed, in the more recent past, the Church has made it a point to proclaim that sex is a part of God's created order and therefore a good thing. Of course, we also believe that there are more and less appropriate ways of expressing this particular gift but there is no official position in the Church suggesting that sex is a bad thing. Herein lies the twofold problem.

First, by setting a unique standard for the priesthood, the Vatican is indirectly making a strange statement, both to the Church and to the larger world. By implying that marriage and sex are OK for lay people but not OK for Church leaders, the Vatican is suggesting these things are some kind of vice. The unspoken lesson here is that real Christians should not be interested in lesser things like marriage and sex.

Second, and this is the really sad part... The truth is, the Church doesn't believe this. It doesn't believe that sex is dirty. In fact, marriage is actually a sacrament in the Roman Catholic tradition--on the level of Baptism and Holy Communion. Why would you deny something that is upheld as good and desirable from leaders within the Church? Again, in the proper context... Or to put it in the darker context: could it be that we are seeing perversion of sexuality in these men precisely because they have not been allowed to enjoy healthy expressions of it?

This issue is actually just one of a number of double-standards that we have applied to clergy at one time or another. Of course, part of this is helpful; we want our servant leaders to serve as examples of the faith and holding them to a higher standard makes sense in this regard. However, sometimes there seems to be something else going on. Sometimes, we sort of imagine that we want the clergy to live out our faithfulness for us. It seems that we ask them to be pure or poor or nonviolent so we won't have to.

This, it seems to me, is a poor way to live out our faith together. By asking some to carry the disciplinary burden of all might sound attractive but like the Church's expectation of celibate priesthood, it not only sends a mixed message, it also paves the way for some rather bizarre side effects. I am thinking here especially of the Church's confused and compromised relation to war and nonviolence. Although Jesus himself was nonviolent and early Christian disciples were taught to avoid vocations in which there might be shedding blood, the Church today has moved far away from this expectation. Of course, clergy are expected to be peaceful in both personal and collective ways, that expectation is seldom applied to the faithful. Another example, of course, is money. The people in the pews feel that it is their God-given right to pursue and protect wealth to any and all degrees as long as our servant leaders remain nice and poor.

Interestingly, these two examples are somewhat different from the example of celibacy. Whereas the Bible clearly recognizes sex (at least within marriage) as a good and important part of life, violence and the pursuit of riches are generally not regarded as Godly behavior. So what's going on? Does the Church really want to continue to underwrite things like violence and greed while hypocritically judging something as natural as sex?

Enough

Occasionally, I have this image of a plow. It is hooked to an immense tractor and turning the soil over upon itself and that soil is me. It is, in a sense, a dark image I guess; but strangely comforting for me. It is not that I am in a hurry to be returned to the dust from which we all come. It is just good to know that there will some day be an end to it. All the disappointments, failures and damage that I see being wrought upon the earth and my part in it. I am glad that these things will at some point be finished--everything turned back to dirt. And then used for something new--I hope for something better.

This perhaps reads as reincarnation of some kind. But it doesn't feel that way. Reincarnation tends to focus on the I part in all this. What will become of me and all that... But my interest is more in the end of the me--the end to the us as cruel butchers of beauty and one another. It seems that all that focus on the self is sort of the part of life that I find most distressing. So my interest in the soil is not because I am in a hurry to be something or somewhere else. I just like knowing that there will be something else--something beside all the self-seeking that characterizes so much of this life.

Of course, as a Christian, I am also drawn to the image of eternal life, to the vision of paradise. And for the same reasons. Whatever paradise might be, it must be more than an endless parade of personal consumption. It is not that I don't like things or pleasure; and, again, I am not in a hurry to become fertilize for the next generation of whatver. I'm just getting tired. Or, at least I am tired today. I am tired of disappointment. And I am sick to death of the cruelty of people. It just seems there is no end to the self-seeking and death that we humans can visit on one another.

As I was thinking about this, I remembered something that Jesus said about God's people:
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Mt. 23:37

Jesus uses that word, brood, in only one other reference.
You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Mt. 12:34

Strange isn't it? Snakes and harmless chicks--two pretty different images, indeed. Jesus likens the former to those who imagine themselves to be good and holy when, in fact, they are evil and vile. The latter he uses to name the Father's love for his childrenl.

The Weight of Want

We are now beginning to see the scale of the oil spill in the gulf. It will probably turn out to be worse than we are hearing today. But even at this point, it is pretty awful. As I think about the environmental destruction and general horror of the whole thing, I do not feel righteous or judgmental at all. Whatever happened out there, I figure that I did it. Or, we did it anyway. There's no escaping the guilt here--the greed maybe but not the guilt.

Of course, it is ridiculous and wrong that BP has made hundreds of billions in profit already this year. And we probably ought to judge them for that at some level. But the fact is they've made all that money mostly by just giving us what we want. And now the ocean and countless creatures have suffered a pretty horrible injustice because of that same degree of want. Sure, the spill will cost us something. It will cost the people who make a living in and around the coast. It will affect the stock market and probably the cost of gasoline at some point. But to suggest that we are going to suffer for what BP has done is a little like Peter blaming Judas for betraying Jesus. Nah, this is something that I've done. And it is awful.

The awful part is not that we've spilled oil in the gulf. It is the way that we spilled it. This wasn't just a tragic accident. It was the byproduct of runaway self-interest and sin. All we cared about was getting what we want. And we would have gone on caring about nothing else had we not been inconvenienced by this embarrassing little accident in the gulf.

But now that we are being made to look and see what has become of us, we have a window of opportunity. We have an opportunity to tell the truth and consider the weight of our want. The first bit of truth telling is admitting that this is not merely an accident. It is a disaster, a real disaster, and it has come upon us by our own hand. The second bit is pretty standard moral stuff. Namely, it is a matter of what now? What will we do? Will we figure out a better way to get what we want--maybe take a real look at wind power or wave power or solar power? Will we rethink the whole want thing--or at least want at the level that we have been practicing it of late?

I recently began reading a book entitled, "Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire." It was recommended to me by a friend. He's an intellectual so the book is pretty heady. And it's not a perfect book. Nevertheless, the author is struggling with some pretty important questions. There are people out there that are struggling with these things. Just like people once struggled with things like slavery and child labor and women's suffrage, it is time that we start sincerely struggling with things like consumption, globalization and the environment. These aren't political issues. These are moral issues.

I feel responsible for what has happened in the gulf. I am not sure how I've done it and I am not at all sure how to make it right but I think I'm ready to learn. I want to start wanting something else.

Swing Slow; Hit Hard

O.K., I can now say that I am officially connected to the city of Charlotte! I tried getting excited about the Bobcats and the Panthers but it never really took. I went to the Wachovia a couple of years back and enjoyed it but nothing to call my mom about... And then this weekend, a friend invited me to go to the Quail Hollow event. I got to see some amazing shots and catch a bit of the atmosphere on Saturday to keep me interested. And then yesterday...

For a sports enthusiasts, today is a pretty good day to live in the city of Charlotte. Millions of people are going to see and remember what Rory McIlroy accomplished yesterday. They will be talking about this for a long time--and well beyond the city of Charlotte.

I am not much of a golfer but I do have a history with it. One of my closest friends in high school was probably the best player that ever went to our high school. I caddied for him in a number of opens and club tournaments. John was an unlikely golfer. He was the only guy that I knew with a bigger chip on his shoulder than mine and he had a horrible temper. Additionally, John was an exceptional athlete. He was only 5'11" but he could dunk a basketball and probably could have run a 10.8 hundred yard dash had the track season not coincided with golf. John ended up getting a partial scholarship to the University of Northern Iowa where he had a break out tournament at some Playboy Invitational in the Midwest where for 3 days he outplayed the best golfers from several of the Big Ten schools. After that, he sort of turned to more familiar college pursuits. He left college before he graduated and has worked as a greens-keeper and landscaper for twenty some years now. His shoulders are shot from all the manual labor but I still believe that John DeVault might been the Will Hunting of golf. If only someone would have caught him while there was still time to curb all that self-destruction.

Anyway, it was really great seeing Rory win. I was just as happy for Billy Mayfair the day before and was rooting for him until it was clear that it just wasn't going to happen. It will be interesting to see how things go from here on out. We're already hearing those inevitable comparisions to Tiger Woods. It's sickening; why can't we just enjoy the golf? Why does it all have to be about astro-heroics?

This weekend I was reminded that it is good to be a student. I went to the tournament with no pretense about golf or about the culture that surrounds it. I let my friend teach me as much as I could pick up in the few hours that we were out there. And it was great! I found myself surprisingly excited about the whole thing. I am never going to be a big-time golf enthusiast but still, it was a blessing to have my mind expanded and to share in the joy of others who were absolutely thrilled to be a part of this thing. One of my favorite scenes of the whole weekend was watching the crowd react to Rory's putt on the final hole. It was, of course, like watching a movie--how else could you describe a 40-foot birdie putt to ice the cake? But all those people--they couldn't have been happier for this kid! And that is wonderful thing. To be satisfied with simply being there--happy to see someone else have their day--that's special.

I hope that I can extend this attitude to other areas. It seems that some folks just can't figure this out--if they're not the deal, they don't have time for it... I've been like that myself sometimes. But the fact is, that's a pretty sorry way to approach life. There is only so much joy we're going to be able to squeeze out of our own stories. So why not learn to celebrate it in others? Just being there when someone else is having a good day can be a blessing in and of itself.

You First...

I was recently sitting in on one of the Sunday school classes here at the Portico. They were studying John Wesley's, Three Simple Rules. We have a banner hanging in the sanctuary with these rules inscribed:

As I listened to the class discuss the second rule, it struck me that simplicity actually threatens the modern world. Seven billion people on the planet trying to survive. Everyone out to make it...to get theirs... We live in the age of "what's in it for me?"

And we know it. We sense that it is tacky. We know that it is contrary to the teachings of Jesus. We probably don't even want to live this way. But we're afraid of living any other way. We figure that it is just about the time that we let down our guard and start thinking about the other guy that whatever is left of the rug we're currently standing on will suddenly be ripped from beneath us and it will be over.

Of course, for all practical purposes, it is over already. As long as we remain enslaved to that fear of what will happen if, we are certainly not winning whatever game that the modern world has taught us to play. Our salvation lies in something other than the "me first" model that has brought us to this place. Yet, for whatever reason, we can't seem to shake the addiction... My daughter has a hamster. They say it runs something like six miles a night on that wheel on the outer side of the cage. It doesn't really go anywhere but it usually gets tired enough to sleep through most of the following day. It's back at it each night though...

Wesley lived in a far less complex era. Nevertheless, he still saw the value of offering the faithful a simplified version of the faith. Here, try this... here are three simple rules to live by. See if this helps with the craziness...

The way I see it is that we are all waiting for the other guy. We'd be glad to take the plunge--embrace a more simplified, just and selfless existence--just as soon as everyone else agrees to do the same. But that's just it, isn't it? It doesn't work that way. And, of course not...

I remember listening to a millionaire talking about what it took to become as wealthy as he had become. He said, "Don't kid yourself. It's not easy to get to where I've gotten in life. If it were, everyone would be doing it. But that really doesn't matter, does it? Because this isn't about everyone else. The question is how much do you want it."

Though there is certainly a difference between being materially rich and spiritually rich, I suspect the lesson still applies. It is not about the other guy. As long as we are waiting around for everybody else to get excited about living decently, we're probably not going to get too far ourselves. If we desire to be rich in spirit even just simplify our lives a bit, then we will have to take the first step... and probably the second and third as well. The fact is, if these things were easy, everyone would be doing them. So it comes down to you and I, doesn't it? Have we had enough of the "me-first" model? Are we willing to try something else--even if we can't get everyone around us to agree to the same?

Crazy Stuff

One of my favorite Biblical stories takes place in 2 Kings 5. It is the story of Naaman. Naaman is a commander in the army of Aram. The Scriptures tell us that he is a good man but he suffers from leprosy. Aram and Israel are neighboring nations who have fought in the past but are currently enjoying a fragile peace. The King of Aram hears through his Israelite slave-girl that there is a prophet in Israel who could cure Naaman of his leprosy. The king of Aram sends a letter to the king of Israel on Naaman's behalf in hopes of healing. Of course, the king of Israel sees this whole thing as a setup: ‘Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.’

But Elisha hears word of the request and tells the king to send Naaman on. This is where the story gets especially interesting. When Naaman arrives with his party at Elisha's house, the prophet shouts instructions out through the door. He tells Naaman to go and wash in the Jordan seven times. The commander is furious. He is especially angry about the simplicity of the answer and the fact that Elisha didn't even come out to see him and raise some kind of religious spectacle. But his associates manage to calm him down. They tell him basically, "why not?" Why got give it a try? Just because a solution is not complicated does not necessarily mean that it won't work. Of course, when he finally goes and washes the seven times in the Jordan, he becomes clean.

Last night I was thumbing through the channels and I came upon an infomercial. It was Kevin Trudeau selling a series of books written by Robert Barefoot. Both of these people have come under enormous suspicion and criticism by the federal government. The two men were having a conversation about the benefits of Coral Calcium and Vitamin D. At one point, Robert Barefoot said something to the effect of 90% of all disease could be cured by taking Calcium and spending two hours a day in the sunshine--without sunscreen.

The claims coming out of Barefoot's mouth seemed preposterous. I could scarcely imagine that he was making them on television and with a straight face. He was talking specifically about the suppression of scientific evidence proving the benefits of Calcium and Vitamin D in battling everything from MS to cancer. When asked about why people don't know about this stuff, he pointed to the Pharmaceutical Industry and its financial connection to everything from the national media to the FDA. When pressed on how something so simple (and inexpensive) could possibly work better than hundreds of billions of dollars worth of drugs, Barefoot simply said, "God knew what he was doing."

I've seen those Velcro straps that people wear just below their knees. They look like nothing more than a strip of cloth but people swear by them.

In the movie, "Idiocracy," Joe Bauers wakes up 500 years in the future to find that the gene pool has worked its way to the least common denominator. While an average person in 2006, Joe is far and away the smartest person on earth in 2506 but his intelligence only serves to get him into trouble. At one point, he notices that the people are using a Gatorade-like product called Brawndo to irrigate their crops. Consequently, all the crops are dying and it is posing a national crisis. Joe tells them that they could solve the crisis if they would use water instead but the proposition is ludicrous to the people of the twenty-sixth century. Clearly quoting some advertisement that he had heard over and over again, the Secretary of State, proclaims, "But Brawndo's got what plants crave. It's got electrolytes."

I've recently been reading the book of Acts. And I came across something that I had never really noticed before. There are two separate stories in which the Gospel message comes into conflict with the way that people make money (Acts 16:16ff and Acts 19:23ff). The stories are telling in that in each case there is a clear conflict between God's message breaking in to a community and the financial stress that this new reality creates.

Our society says that it wants to be healthy. But I sense that there are some crazy problems that stand in the way. One of these is money. The other one is a misappropriation of faith. We have been led to believe that health is complex and costly. We have been led to believe that we need experts to tell us and sell us on what our body needs. And the assumption driving this escalating race is the belief (and I suspect a false belief) that the more complicated something is, the more likely it is to be helpful in our vain pursuit of health. Curiously, for all the expertise, complicated drugs and expensive treatment, our people seem to be sicker.

Naaman didn't want to believe that his leprosy could be cured by the simple suggestion of a prophet in Israel. Happily though, he had a few friends who helped him understand that his health was really more important than his pride.

The Weight of the World

...And there he came to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." 1 Kings 19

I've always enjoyed the stories about the prophet, Elijah. He is truly the man who stands at the very intersection of earth and heaven. One moments he is boldly proclaiming the Word of God. And the next moment, he is running for cover in fear of his life. The text above takes place shortly after what is perhaps Elijah's greatest moment as a prophet. He has just taken on all the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. He calls upon the name of the Lord and indeed the Lord comes in mighty power. The statement and the lesson are clear--there is no god like the Lord! Nevertheless, as soon as the contest is over, Elijah immediately begins thinking about the consequences. He knows that Ahab and Jezebel will soon be gunning for him for what has happened. So Elijah scurries to a cave, apparently to hide out from all those people that were out to get him.

The Lord comes to Elijah and ask him about all this. Elijah's response is wonderful--at least for those of us who are able to laugh at ourselves. Here is a paraphrase of Elijah's response: Lord, you cannot imagine how incomprehensibly hard it is to be me. I am the only person in the whole world who cares enough to remember you. It's just a matter of time Lord. They'll be coming soon. I'm finished here.

Now to be fair, prophets do feel like this sometimes and Jezebel probably did want to see Elijah dead. But Elijah had just seen the power of God in an unusually dramatic display at the contest on Mt. Carmel. So what's the deal?

Sometimes we misjudge our role. Whether it be as servants or parents or leaders or simply people on the planet--sometimes we imagine that everything turns upon us. I call it the "thank God for me" syndrome. Religious people seem to be especially susceptible to it. And the reason here is because religious people tend to be conscientious.

Being conscientious, of course, is generally a good thing. Conscientious people feel the weight of the world and they want to do their part to carry the load. However, this can also lead to trouble, particularly when we start comparing ourselves to other people. It begins when we start noticing that other people don't seem to be paying as much attention as we are. We begin to tell ourselves that these people don't care as much as we do or that they simply cannot do as good a job as we can. And sometimes this is true. And this further complicates the problem. We already believe that we care more than everyone else so if we also believe that everyone else is doing a poor job anyway, then we might just as well do it ourselves. And the longer this goes on, the more we get the idea that we're carrying the weight of the world all by ourself.

This is sort of what happens to the prophet Elijah. In his noble effort to do the right thing well, he finds himself further and further isolated. To the point, if fact, that Elijah believes that he is the only one left--the only faithful person on the planet. And once you become the last faithful person left on the planet, there is little else to do but run away to a cave somewhere and wait for the inevitable.

This, btw, is a common theme in zombie movies. You can only fight zombies alone for so long. Sooner or later, something has got to give. Either they overwhelm you with their sheer numbers or you discover (as they do in the movies) that they're not all zombies. There are always others who are willing to stand beside you and hold off the dead people. You just might have to leave the cave to find them. And you might have to accept the fact that their concern and technique might not be exactly the same as yours.

Oh, here's how that story ends:
And the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, you shall anoint Haz'ael to be king over Syria; and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel; and Eli'sha the son of Shaphat of A'bel-meho'lah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And him who escapes from the sword of Haz'ael shall Jehu slay; and him who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Eli'sha slay. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Ba'al, and every mouth that has not kissed him." So he departed from there, and found Eli'sha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Eli'jah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen, and ran after Eli'jah, and said, "Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again; for what have I done to you?" And he returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Eli'jah, and ministered to him.