The world in which the CGGC USA operates is changing. Radically. At the speed of light. And, the CGGC USA, as it currently functions, is not configured to live the gospel in its world.
More than ever, the CGGC USA is church obsessed because it is shepherd dominated.
Without a doubt, men and women who are gifted to be shepherds are crucial to the advance of the Kingdom of God.
Shepherds have the vital role of sustaining and enhancing community among people who have become disciples through the giftedness of apostles, prophets and evangelists.
Shepherds tend, they care for, disciples but they are not empowered by the Spirit to make disciples. They are by God's design when they live in the Spirit, internally focused. And, if they don't submit to the Head of the Body and are left to their own devises, they will actually destroy the church by focusing on flock, investing Kingdom resources inwardly and ignoring the world of unredeemed people beyond the boundaries of the flock.
If you wonder what this would look like in the real world, take a glance at Western culture in the year 2015.
The "church" has responded to the rise of the belief that pleasure is the basis of ultimate truth in two ways. Liberals have, very simply, gone along with the world and, for example, happily endorsed same sex marriage.
Conservatives, especially those who are most shamelessly shepherd dominated, simply have turned inward and address the challenge of same sex marriage institutionally by taking measures which save them from having to ritualize gay marriage. They write constitutional amendments and create policies while, all around them, more and more people choose to walk in the flesh thinking that to do so is obedience to the Gospel Christ died for.
In the CGGC today, there is not even conversation about a constructive response to the legalization of same sex marriage beyond what insulates the CGGC as an institution.
And, this is what happens when shepherds form a mafia and silence prophetic voices and subjugate apostolic and evangelistic voices, which is what the CGGC USA has done for about the last eighty years.
The Lord has ways of making His truth heard with power in the world. Since centuries before Christ, He has spoken through prophets.
But...
...what happens to prophetic voices in the CGGC these days?
Can you imagine Winebrenner's generation responding as impotently to the acceptance of the gay agenda as the CGGC has today?
We have empowered the shepherd mafia that is digging the CGGC USA's grave. If there is not change soon, the digging will be finished and the burial will take place.
So, what will the shepherd mafia do now?
Form a new Commission?
Create a Task Force?
Hire a Director of LGBT ministries? (Probably not that. They've already spent all their money for staff people.)
What seems certain is thay what they do will, in the end, increase the institutionalization of the CGGC.
Repent.
Smell the coffee, shepherds. Step aside. At least, empower other voices.
While there is still time.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Outside the Box Gathering 6-28-15
When you walk in the Spirit, you just don't know when, where and how He will lead, even when you are in the midst of a gathering.
Recently, I mentioned that one of the causes of the fatigue that is weighing down Evie is a woman from the area who has heard of the acts of mercy that seem to be what we are known for and has contacted us with a request for monetary assistance. So far Evie and she have only exchanged a large number of texts. This woman, call her Janey, is in management at a local national restaurant chain.
This morning we were gathering and Evie had her phone on with the ringer turned up. Her phone indicated a text had come it. She checked it and saw that it was from Janey.
Janey said, "If your group is meeting this morning, why don't you come to the restaurant. I'll be there and Destin (the daughter of one of our participants) can be your server."
This was no small challenge because we had some of our physically and mentally handicapped people with us but our group is not easily deterred by obstacles and, certainly, not tradition bound. So, we made a reservation for about an hour ahead, shared some praises, prayer concerns, read some Scripture and sang one more song and loaded up the cars.
What a wonderful time!
Janey spend about fifteen minutes with us. We finally actually met her. She came across as transparent and eager to be ministered to, not only to be given a cash gift. She also bought three of the meals for the group.
It is a blessing to be able to take our ministry's show on the road, in a moment's time and even in the midst of gathering.
There is such joy for us in His salvation. And, walking in the Spirit, we certainly are not bored.
Recently, I mentioned that one of the causes of the fatigue that is weighing down Evie is a woman from the area who has heard of the acts of mercy that seem to be what we are known for and has contacted us with a request for monetary assistance. So far Evie and she have only exchanged a large number of texts. This woman, call her Janey, is in management at a local national restaurant chain.
This morning we were gathering and Evie had her phone on with the ringer turned up. Her phone indicated a text had come it. She checked it and saw that it was from Janey.
Janey said, "If your group is meeting this morning, why don't you come to the restaurant. I'll be there and Destin (the daughter of one of our participants) can be your server."
This was no small challenge because we had some of our physically and mentally handicapped people with us but our group is not easily deterred by obstacles and, certainly, not tradition bound. So, we made a reservation for about an hour ahead, shared some praises, prayer concerns, read some Scripture and sang one more song and loaded up the cars.
What a wonderful time!
Janey spend about fifteen minutes with us. We finally actually met her. She came across as transparent and eager to be ministered to, not only to be given a cash gift. She also bought three of the meals for the group.
It is a blessing to be able to take our ministry's show on the road, in a moment's time and even in the midst of gathering.
There is such joy for us in His salvation. And, walking in the Spirit, we certainly are not bored.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Same Sex Marriage
Condemn the Justices of the Supreme Court all you like, but, to this point, all the mountaintoppers of the CGGC can think to do about the Western world's embrace of hedonism--the belief that right and wrong is determined by what brings a person happiness and pleasure--is to recommend constitutional language for congregations that will insulate our so-called sanctuaries from hosting same sex marriage rituals.
If you know ANYTHING at all about the early days of the Church of God movement, you know that our mothers and fathers would absolutely abhor what we have become.
We need to repent from the highest mountaintop to our deepest valley.
If you know ANYTHING at all about the early days of the Church of God movement, you know that our mothers and fathers would absolutely abhor what we have become.
We need to repent from the highest mountaintop to our deepest valley.
Friday, June 26, 2015
Two More Cancelled Gatherings
Gatherings associated with our ministry were on the books for the last two evenings. We cancelled both of them for the standard reason.
We have tons going on. Evelyn does especially.
A few weeks ago, our 93 year old next door neighbor fell on a tile floor, gashed his head open, bled like a stuck pig and was rushed to the hospital. Both of us have taken his wife to visit him but Evelyn has done it many times as well as driving the wife to grocery stores.
Last Saturday, my dad fell and was rushed to a different hospital about 30 miles away from where our neighbor is. We spent most of Saturday in the ER and Sunday with mom and dad and my brother and his family, in lieu of gathering. Since then, Evie has been coordinating with the visiting nurse, the home health care aid, the OT and PT and the social worker and visiting mom and dad.
In addition, a person we have still never met has been in contact with Evie, hoping for several thousands of dollars to help her catch up on bills. Evie has been gathering information and has been relaying that information to participants, primarily, of the Thursday gathering, the people most likely at this point to show mercy.
In addition, all of us have been working full-time jobs.
In short, we, especially Evie, have been too busy, and too exhausted, practicing the love your neighbor as yourself command to gather.
I don't think any of us are happy about the cancellation of the gatherings, and I suspect that none of us we are practicing perfect obedience, but we are living the "Simply Jesus" life as sincerely as we can, trusting that His grace and mercy will be poured out into our own lives.
So three straight gatherings bagged. I'm hoping desperately that Sunday's will happen.
-----------------
Why do I say all this? Not to boast in my own righteousness. Read the tone. I want no praise for this, nor do any of the rest of us.
I believe that what we are doing is fruit of a belief that going to church is not an act of righteousness. For most American Christians today, it is the central act of righteousness.
And, that the ease with which we cancel a gathering, compared to the way mainstream church people would, illustrates fruit that distinguishes us from so many.
We have tons going on. Evelyn does especially.
A few weeks ago, our 93 year old next door neighbor fell on a tile floor, gashed his head open, bled like a stuck pig and was rushed to the hospital. Both of us have taken his wife to visit him but Evelyn has done it many times as well as driving the wife to grocery stores.
Last Saturday, my dad fell and was rushed to a different hospital about 30 miles away from where our neighbor is. We spent most of Saturday in the ER and Sunday with mom and dad and my brother and his family, in lieu of gathering. Since then, Evie has been coordinating with the visiting nurse, the home health care aid, the OT and PT and the social worker and visiting mom and dad.
In addition, a person we have still never met has been in contact with Evie, hoping for several thousands of dollars to help her catch up on bills. Evie has been gathering information and has been relaying that information to participants, primarily, of the Thursday gathering, the people most likely at this point to show mercy.
In addition, all of us have been working full-time jobs.
In short, we, especially Evie, have been too busy, and too exhausted, practicing the love your neighbor as yourself command to gather.
I don't think any of us are happy about the cancellation of the gatherings, and I suspect that none of us we are practicing perfect obedience, but we are living the "Simply Jesus" life as sincerely as we can, trusting that His grace and mercy will be poured out into our own lives.
So three straight gatherings bagged. I'm hoping desperately that Sunday's will happen.
-----------------
Why do I say all this? Not to boast in my own righteousness. Read the tone. I want no praise for this, nor do any of the rest of us.
I believe that what we are doing is fruit of a belief that going to church is not an act of righteousness. For most American Christians today, it is the central act of righteousness.
And, that the ease with which we cancel a gathering, compared to the way mainstream church people would, illustrates fruit that distinguishes us from so many.
The Two Most Frequently Asked Questions
Since I posted the letter from ERC Conference Secretary Pastor John A. Selcher informing me that I have been defrocked by the unanimous vote of the Conference Administrative Council, I have been asked the same two questions by several people. They are:
1. Has anyone from the Conference spoken to you in person about what the Standing Committee and Administrative Council have done?
2. Has anyone from the Conference reached out to the congregation?
As of today, two months and four days after the vote, the answer to both questions remains:
No.
1. Has anyone from the Conference spoken to you in person about what the Standing Committee and Administrative Council have done?
2. Has anyone from the Conference reached out to the congregation?
As of today, two months and four days after the vote, the answer to both questions remains:
No.
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Exhaustion vs Burnout
I've been thinking about the themes that appear consistently in my Gathering posts and I know that one of them is fatigue. Both Evelyn and I are often very, very tired to the point, as was the case last Sunday, we called off the gathering because we didn't have the emotional and physical wherewithal to host it.
I have also been thinking about the fact that church, uh, leaders these days devote a considerable amount of energy and resources in attacking the problem of pastoral burnout.
When I was working as a pastor, I struggled to develop strategies to avoid burning out. And, honestly, I wonder if my own act of repentance from traditional, Christendom-rooted, seeker-sensitive, parish-priest led ministry is itself not fruit of burnout.
I want to clarify the fact that, while I am often very tired, this fatigue doesn't feel as if it is a stage in burning out. As tiring as this way of living can be, I continue to feel as zealous and fresh in this lifestyle as I have ever been.
And, I think that the difference between this life and the pastoral life is that this life is life in the Spirit whereas the life of the pastor is a humanly created way of living.
According to Paul, Christ gave His Body some who are apostles, others who are prophets, others who are evangelists and others who are shepherds and teachers. As the church became institutionalized, it invented the role of parish priest/pastor.
And, I believe, that is the difference that accounts for the difference between my life as a subject of the Kingdom and my old life that was church-centered. Becoming fatigued in a church role created by human beings to serve an institution is to become tired apart from the will of God. To become weary in doing good while walking in a role created by the King for Kingdom service connects a man or woman to the refreshing power of the Holy Spirit.
My guess, as I move forward, is that I will still become tired. After all, I am a geezer and this is a very full life. But, as long as I fulfill a Kingdom, not church, role, the Lord will keep me burnout free if I continue to connect to His strength.
I believe that if church leaders want to defeat the problem of pastoral burnout they will have to repent of church focus and eliminate the role of pastor/priest and empower Kingdom people to live out ministries empowered by the Holy Spirit.
I have also been thinking about the fact that church, uh, leaders these days devote a considerable amount of energy and resources in attacking the problem of pastoral burnout.
When I was working as a pastor, I struggled to develop strategies to avoid burning out. And, honestly, I wonder if my own act of repentance from traditional, Christendom-rooted, seeker-sensitive, parish-priest led ministry is itself not fruit of burnout.
I want to clarify the fact that, while I am often very tired, this fatigue doesn't feel as if it is a stage in burning out. As tiring as this way of living can be, I continue to feel as zealous and fresh in this lifestyle as I have ever been.
And, I think that the difference between this life and the pastoral life is that this life is life in the Spirit whereas the life of the pastor is a humanly created way of living.
According to Paul, Christ gave His Body some who are apostles, others who are prophets, others who are evangelists and others who are shepherds and teachers. As the church became institutionalized, it invented the role of parish priest/pastor.
And, I believe, that is the difference that accounts for the difference between my life as a subject of the Kingdom and my old life that was church-centered. Becoming fatigued in a church role created by human beings to serve an institution is to become tired apart from the will of God. To become weary in doing good while walking in a role created by the King for Kingdom service connects a man or woman to the refreshing power of the Holy Spirit.
My guess, as I move forward, is that I will still become tired. After all, I am a geezer and this is a very full life. But, as long as I fulfill a Kingdom, not church, role, the Lord will keep me burnout free if I continue to connect to His strength.
I believe that if church leaders want to defeat the problem of pastoral burnout they will have to repent of church focus and eliminate the role of pastor/priest and empower Kingdom people to live out ministries empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
In Lieu of Gathering: 6-21-15
We cancelled the gathering in our home this morning.
We, especially Evie, are exhausted, too much so to go to the time and trouble of preparing our house to host a gathering. It is actually to the point that we have become too emotionally and physically weary to be able to benefit from gathering with other disciples. Paul, of course, warns against allowing yourself to get to this point. He does that in Galatians 6. We know that this is not a good thing. We also recall Jesus telling His disciples, at one point, that they needed to go off by themselves to a quiet place to get some rest. This is an attempt of sorts to do this to the best of our abilities. And, I should add that we are being supported by one person in our grouping of gatherings who is offering care to us.
-------------------
I see an irony in this that connects to one of the reasons the people at the top of the ERC mountaintop have decided to take away my ordination. According to Kevin Richardson, I have been convicted on the mountaintop of breaking my ordination vow to adorn myself with "exemplary piety."
And, as I understand the teachings of Jesus and the behavior of New Testament Christians, it is because we are adorning ourselves with piety that we are too weary to invite our brothers and sisters into our home today.
It strikes me that the mountaintoppers conviction that my piety is wanting reveals the essence of my conviction that they need to repent and lead the Conference in repentance.
We define piety from Jesus' definition of it in His prophecy of the separating of the sheep from the goats on the Day and from Paul defining worship as offering your body as a living sacrifice and from James definition of (true) religion as caring for orphans and widows in their distress. And, we have been practicing that form of piety with a vengeance lately, particularly, "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat...I was a stranger and you invited me in," and "I was sick and you visited me." Fold into that recipe, "Honor your father and mother."
I'd love to know, from Scripture, the definition of piety employed by the people who have passed judgment on me.
--------------------
Anyway, we have become so tired practicing piety in the way we understand it to hold the gathering today.
We, especially Evie, are exhausted, too much so to go to the time and trouble of preparing our house to host a gathering. It is actually to the point that we have become too emotionally and physically weary to be able to benefit from gathering with other disciples. Paul, of course, warns against allowing yourself to get to this point. He does that in Galatians 6. We know that this is not a good thing. We also recall Jesus telling His disciples, at one point, that they needed to go off by themselves to a quiet place to get some rest. This is an attempt of sorts to do this to the best of our abilities. And, I should add that we are being supported by one person in our grouping of gatherings who is offering care to us.
-------------------
I see an irony in this that connects to one of the reasons the people at the top of the ERC mountaintop have decided to take away my ordination. According to Kevin Richardson, I have been convicted on the mountaintop of breaking my ordination vow to adorn myself with "exemplary piety."
And, as I understand the teachings of Jesus and the behavior of New Testament Christians, it is because we are adorning ourselves with piety that we are too weary to invite our brothers and sisters into our home today.
It strikes me that the mountaintoppers conviction that my piety is wanting reveals the essence of my conviction that they need to repent and lead the Conference in repentance.
We define piety from Jesus' definition of it in His prophecy of the separating of the sheep from the goats on the Day and from Paul defining worship as offering your body as a living sacrifice and from James definition of (true) religion as caring for orphans and widows in their distress. And, we have been practicing that form of piety with a vengeance lately, particularly, "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat...I was a stranger and you invited me in," and "I was sick and you visited me." Fold into that recipe, "Honor your father and mother."
I'd love to know, from Scripture, the definition of piety employed by the people who have passed judgment on me.
--------------------
Anyway, we have become so tired practicing piety in the way we understand it to hold the gathering today.
Friday, June 19, 2015
More Fruit of the Shepherd Domination of American Christianity
And, the CGGC has chosen this time to become even more institutional!
We need to change our ways.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/06/17/americans-confidence-religion-poll/28872253/
We need to change our ways.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/06/17/americans-confidence-religion-poll/28872253/
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Lance Meets the CGGC Brand as it is in 2015
I have a pretty big life these days with a physically demanding full-time job and three gatherings that we are in the process of nurturing and the challenges of caring for my fiesty octogenarian parents. As a result, I have less energy and passion available to me for the blog than I used have. (And, all CGGC institutionalists who read that just heaved a sigh of relief.)
I don't have time and energy to publish that revised list of the Characteristics of the CGGC Brand at the end of the Rosenberry Era that I promised. Yet, I think the question the CGGC needs to work out is that of what will happen as Lance's vision confronts the values that bear fruit in the Rosenberrian CGGC Brand.
I suspect that Lance will have problems with several of them, such as:
1. TO TALK IS TO WALK-ISM. As I have said, Lance is being realistic. He's being honest. And, I believe that he intends to match actions with his words. This will be a challenge in the CGGC where, in recent years, for example, we claimed, as our mission, living out "the New Testament plan" and then continued to follow parish priest focused traditions as if we had never used the words New Testament. If Lance actually attempts to expect us to behave in a way that is consistent with his talk, there will probably be resistance.
The David/Goliath struggle will probably begin to heat up at that very basic point.
-----------------
There are some other places at which I think there will be tension for Lance with the CGGC Brand if he actually pursues his vision and values. At this point, I'm not optimistic but we will see.
I'll highlight others later, as time permits.
I don't have time and energy to publish that revised list of the Characteristics of the CGGC Brand at the end of the Rosenberry Era that I promised. Yet, I think the question the CGGC needs to work out is that of what will happen as Lance's vision confronts the values that bear fruit in the Rosenberrian CGGC Brand.
I suspect that Lance will have problems with several of them, such as:
1. TO TALK IS TO WALK-ISM. As I have said, Lance is being realistic. He's being honest. And, I believe that he intends to match actions with his words. This will be a challenge in the CGGC where, in recent years, for example, we claimed, as our mission, living out "the New Testament plan" and then continued to follow parish priest focused traditions as if we had never used the words New Testament. If Lance actually attempts to expect us to behave in a way that is consistent with his talk, there will probably be resistance.
The David/Goliath struggle will probably begin to heat up at that very basic point.
-----------------
There are some other places at which I think there will be tension for Lance with the CGGC Brand if he actually pursues his vision and values. At this point, I'm not optimistic but we will see.
I'll highlight others later, as time permits.
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Gathering 6-14-15
One reality that describes us these days more than when we were a traditional seeker-sensitive parish priest-led Christendom church is that we devote ourselves to the service and care of Jesus in the form of "the least of these."
One of the regular participants in our gatherings is 70ish year old man, call him Benny, who is extremely extroverted and whose love language is acts of service. He is challenged and it is sometimes a blessing and sometimes a challenge to walk with him in community.
One of the life skills Benny has not mastered is, um, to put it delicately, knowing the proper amount of toilet paper to use. As a result, our toilet backs up on a regular basis during our Sunday gathering, so often, in fact, that we have begun to use his name as a verb meaning to clog the toilet as in, "Hey hon, don't use the front bathroom now. The I bennied the potty."
Well, Benny did his finest work this morning as soon as he arrived and sheepishly told us about the problem even before the gathering began. I found the plunger and took on the task of de-bennying the bathroom we use for gathering. And, believe me, it was a herculean task. I worked the plunger for about fifteen minutes without success while others began singing. Evie, the usual song leader stopped the singing to take a shot at fixing the problem for a few minutes and turned the task back to me and I continued without success until I had been at it for about a half hour while everyone else was holding it.
During that time, I continued to remind myself that Jesus went to the cross for me and that manning the plunger in a meeting of brothers and sisters was a small inconvenience compared the act of love and mercy that purchased my salvation.
Then after about a half hour, I am genuinely embarrassed to admit, it occurred to me that I had not prayed about the bennied potty. I, then, chided myself for my lack of reliance on the Lord and then questioned whether my faith was childlike and pure enough to believe that God would hear my prayer about the clogged toilet. I settled those things and then prayed that the Father would unclog the toilet...
...About three plunges later I heard the blessed sound of the suction that meant all was clear!
Later on, I confessed the slow pace of my impulse to rely on the Lord and celebrated His care for us in the most simple of problems.
Ah...God is good. ALL the time.
Such is life in intimate community in our simple house gathering.
I would not trade it for the slickest mega church.
One of the regular participants in our gatherings is 70ish year old man, call him Benny, who is extremely extroverted and whose love language is acts of service. He is challenged and it is sometimes a blessing and sometimes a challenge to walk with him in community.
One of the life skills Benny has not mastered is, um, to put it delicately, knowing the proper amount of toilet paper to use. As a result, our toilet backs up on a regular basis during our Sunday gathering, so often, in fact, that we have begun to use his name as a verb meaning to clog the toilet as in, "Hey hon, don't use the front bathroom now. The I bennied the potty."
Well, Benny did his finest work this morning as soon as he arrived and sheepishly told us about the problem even before the gathering began. I found the plunger and took on the task of de-bennying the bathroom we use for gathering. And, believe me, it was a herculean task. I worked the plunger for about fifteen minutes without success while others began singing. Evie, the usual song leader stopped the singing to take a shot at fixing the problem for a few minutes and turned the task back to me and I continued without success until I had been at it for about a half hour while everyone else was holding it.
During that time, I continued to remind myself that Jesus went to the cross for me and that manning the plunger in a meeting of brothers and sisters was a small inconvenience compared the act of love and mercy that purchased my salvation.
Then after about a half hour, I am genuinely embarrassed to admit, it occurred to me that I had not prayed about the bennied potty. I, then, chided myself for my lack of reliance on the Lord and then questioned whether my faith was childlike and pure enough to believe that God would hear my prayer about the clogged toilet. I settled those things and then prayed that the Father would unclog the toilet...
...About three plunges later I heard the blessed sound of the suction that meant all was clear!
Later on, I confessed the slow pace of my impulse to rely on the Lord and celebrated His care for us in the most simple of problems.
Ah...God is good. ALL the time.
Such is life in intimate community in our simple house gathering.
I would not trade it for the slickest mega church.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Gathering 6-10-15
As I have said, in many ways, the Wednesday group is the answer to a dream, even more than to a prayer. It meets in our home and is made up entirely of people we work with. Our places of employment are mission fields for us and this gathering is fruit of our joint Gospel missions.
Last night conversation drifted to baptism as it is defined and practiced in the New Testament. Those who have been baptized as believers each gave sweet and powerful testimonies.
Today my coworker in the gathering asked if I would baptize her. What a blessing!
What excites me most is when we practice the universal priesthood implied for us in the promise of the New Covenant and if Evie, perhaps, was doing the baptizing but this makes sense and I am thrilled!
Last night conversation drifted to baptism as it is defined and practiced in the New Testament. Those who have been baptized as believers each gave sweet and powerful testimonies.
Today my coworker in the gathering asked if I would baptize her. What a blessing!
What excites me most is when we practice the universal priesthood implied for us in the promise of the New Covenant and if Evie, perhaps, was doing the baptizing but this makes sense and I am thrilled!
Lance, Part 1
FYI, for the many of you who never even look at The CHURCH ADVOCATE, you should know that there is a "meet the new guy" interview of Lance Finley in the new issue, which is to be continued.
It's pretty good stuff. I recommend it to you all. Busy day here. If God is willing, I will have comments later.
It's pretty good stuff. I recommend it to you all. Busy day here. If God is willing, I will have comments later.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Have You Heard of this Lutheran Pastor?
I've been reading up on her lately and it strikes me that she is more thoughtful and passionate about and much more committed to historic Protestant beliefs than are many of the increasingly Medieval leaders of America's Evangelical Churches.
I am absolutely convinced that, in the battle to win the hearts and minds of millennials, her energetic, (I believe) false apostolic vision will run circles around the bland, increasingly tradition-bound churchism of many denominational leaders (including --especially--leaders in my own group) as we look toward the future.
May God have mercy on the emerging generation.
May He wake us up and lead us to repentance and to empower the apostles Christ is gifting us with.
Check this face of the future out:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/bolz-webers-liberal-foulmouthed-articulation-of-christianity-speaks-to-fed-up-believers/2013/11/03/7139dc24-3cd3-11e3-a94f-b58017bfee6c_story.html
-----------------
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/11/04/tatted-up-foul-mouthed-pastor-takes-a-radically-different-approach-to-teaching-scripture/
--------------------
http://www.npr.org/2013/12/20/255281434/pastor-leads-a-new-brand-of-church-for-sinners-and-saints
---------------
https://www.facebook.com/sarcasticlutheran
I am absolutely convinced that, in the battle to win the hearts and minds of millennials, her energetic, (I believe) false apostolic vision will run circles around the bland, increasingly tradition-bound churchism of many denominational leaders (including --especially--leaders in my own group) as we look toward the future.
May God have mercy on the emerging generation.
May He wake us up and lead us to repentance and to empower the apostles Christ is gifting us with.
Check this face of the future out:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/bolz-webers-liberal-foulmouthed-articulation-of-christianity-speaks-to-fed-up-believers/2013/11/03/7139dc24-3cd3-11e3-a94f-b58017bfee6c_story.html
-----------------
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/11/04/tatted-up-foul-mouthed-pastor-takes-a-radically-different-approach-to-teaching-scripture/
--------------------
http://www.npr.org/2013/12/20/255281434/pastor-leads-a-new-brand-of-church-for-sinners-and-saints
---------------
https://www.facebook.com/sarcasticlutheran
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Gathering 6-7-15
Theoretically, gathering begins at ten a.m.. Due to culture and personality, people trickle in between ten minutes early and twenty minutes late. Right now, it's 8:45 and we, the, um, hosts, are VERY busy.
We are experimenting with the main course of the meal. We bought a cheap--CHEAP-- charcoal grill at Big Lots and are attempting to prepare about 8 lbs of chicken, hamburger and hot dogs on it to be eaten later as the main course of the meal and it's not going perfectly well.
Paul says not to be anxious about anything and I'm not succeeding at his admonition by the book, though this, on the edge experimentation, is right up Evie's alley.
I'm just taking a moment to journal this now for future reference.
I love the hosting of gathering. Especially with Evie. A big part of her package of Spiritual Gifts is an incredible mix of service and mercy and she does this sort of thing, in the Spirit, as easily as she breathes. It's a blessing to participate in her gifting.
It's strikes me that one major difference between our gatherings and a worship service is that what we do is less about the Lord and more about the disciple's life of righteousness in relationship with the Lord. And, that is what I see in Jeremiah's prophecy of the New Covenant and also what I see lived out in the New Testament.
-----------------
What an unexpected day.
The food was wonderful, well worth the expense and effort. The bread and cup were profoundly edifying, to me at least.
The gathering was edifying in a way that only a meeting of people living intimately in community over a period of time can be.
One of the families has recently had a large amount of money stolen from their home and they are very certain they know that the person who stole the money is someone who is very close to them and is someone whom they have trusted in the past.
They are heartbroken, less by the loss of all that money than by the act of betrayal.
Evelyn and I knew about this before today and during the gathering I offered our friends an opportunity to speak with the brothers and sisters about how they feel and the spiritual struggles they are dealing with as they work this through and dealing with the need to forgive and to show mercy and to love the person who has harmed them.
And, they opened up. Nearly the whole gathering focused on them, culminating in a lengthy and passionate time of prayer for them.
As I often note, central to our purpose is the effort to spur each other on to love and good works.
We achieved that today.
We are experimenting with the main course of the meal. We bought a cheap--CHEAP-- charcoal grill at Big Lots and are attempting to prepare about 8 lbs of chicken, hamburger and hot dogs on it to be eaten later as the main course of the meal and it's not going perfectly well.
Paul says not to be anxious about anything and I'm not succeeding at his admonition by the book, though this, on the edge experimentation, is right up Evie's alley.
I'm just taking a moment to journal this now for future reference.
I love the hosting of gathering. Especially with Evie. A big part of her package of Spiritual Gifts is an incredible mix of service and mercy and she does this sort of thing, in the Spirit, as easily as she breathes. It's a blessing to participate in her gifting.
It's strikes me that one major difference between our gatherings and a worship service is that what we do is less about the Lord and more about the disciple's life of righteousness in relationship with the Lord. And, that is what I see in Jeremiah's prophecy of the New Covenant and also what I see lived out in the New Testament.
-----------------
What an unexpected day.
The food was wonderful, well worth the expense and effort. The bread and cup were profoundly edifying, to me at least.
The gathering was edifying in a way that only a meeting of people living intimately in community over a period of time can be.
One of the families has recently had a large amount of money stolen from their home and they are very certain they know that the person who stole the money is someone who is very close to them and is someone whom they have trusted in the past.
They are heartbroken, less by the loss of all that money than by the act of betrayal.
Evelyn and I knew about this before today and during the gathering I offered our friends an opportunity to speak with the brothers and sisters about how they feel and the spiritual struggles they are dealing with as they work this through and dealing with the need to forgive and to show mercy and to love the person who has harmed them.
And, they opened up. Nearly the whole gathering focused on them, culminating in a lengthy and passionate time of prayer for them.
As I often note, central to our purpose is the effort to spur each other on to love and good works.
We achieved that today.
Friday, June 5, 2015
Gathering 6-4-15
Smiles, then heartbreak and tears...and a long story.
One thing we discovered from our own experience is that being a missional congregation doesn't work-- at least, we couldn't make it work for us.
By that, I mean that doing "least of these" activities as a congregation doesn't, in the end, attract new attenders to your congregation. It does attract people interested in free food and clothing and cash handouts but not in people interested in repenting of sin, believing the gospel and following Jesus. That has been our experience anyway.
It has also become my conviction that righteousness will never be judged on the congregational level, which is what many have come to believe.
As a result, I have begun to oppose the idea that any of our gatherings join together to do acts of righteousness as a congregation. Incidentally, even Evelyn disagrees with me.
However,...
...one of the least of these guys from the home was celebrating a birthday. (He is so handicapped that he doesn't know how old he is and every time someone asks his age he gives a different answer and with a number that can't possibly be true.) The Thursday night gathering decided to take him out to a restaurant and buy him a birthday dinner.
And, the dinner was fine. He had a wonderful time.
But...
...when we entered the restaurant, Evelyn noticed that a person eating there is a woman who used to be a waitress at a diner we used to frequent. Her name is Fern. Fern and her daughter worked together at that diner and we used to ask them how we could pray for them before we prayed over our meals.
While we were celebrating the birthday, Fern came over to our table and showed us a recent photo of Dana, her daughter. In the photo, Dana is bald a gaunt and pale. Fern gave us the name of a type of sarcoma and said that Dana has been told that there is no cure but that, with treatment, Dana can be given time.
And, my Priesthood of all Believers wife got up from her chair, asked Fern to sit down and laid hands on Fern and led our table in prayer for Fern and Dana and everyone involved.
Fern thanked us. Interestingly, she told us that I had given her my card during the diner days and asked if I still have the same number and if she can call us. Of course, we said that she may.
On the way home, we talked about how we just experienced what Evelyn calls, "a God thing."
Wow.
Interestingly, after the prayer, the wait staff was very, very attentive to us.
One thing we discovered from our own experience is that being a missional congregation doesn't work-- at least, we couldn't make it work for us.
By that, I mean that doing "least of these" activities as a congregation doesn't, in the end, attract new attenders to your congregation. It does attract people interested in free food and clothing and cash handouts but not in people interested in repenting of sin, believing the gospel and following Jesus. That has been our experience anyway.
It has also become my conviction that righteousness will never be judged on the congregational level, which is what many have come to believe.
As a result, I have begun to oppose the idea that any of our gatherings join together to do acts of righteousness as a congregation. Incidentally, even Evelyn disagrees with me.
However,...
...one of the least of these guys from the home was celebrating a birthday. (He is so handicapped that he doesn't know how old he is and every time someone asks his age he gives a different answer and with a number that can't possibly be true.) The Thursday night gathering decided to take him out to a restaurant and buy him a birthday dinner.
And, the dinner was fine. He had a wonderful time.
But...
...when we entered the restaurant, Evelyn noticed that a person eating there is a woman who used to be a waitress at a diner we used to frequent. Her name is Fern. Fern and her daughter worked together at that diner and we used to ask them how we could pray for them before we prayed over our meals.
While we were celebrating the birthday, Fern came over to our table and showed us a recent photo of Dana, her daughter. In the photo, Dana is bald a gaunt and pale. Fern gave us the name of a type of sarcoma and said that Dana has been told that there is no cure but that, with treatment, Dana can be given time.
And, my Priesthood of all Believers wife got up from her chair, asked Fern to sit down and laid hands on Fern and led our table in prayer for Fern and Dana and everyone involved.
Fern thanked us. Interestingly, she told us that I had given her my card during the diner days and asked if I still have the same number and if she can call us. Of course, we said that she may.
On the way home, we talked about how we just experienced what Evelyn calls, "a God thing."
Wow.
Interestingly, after the prayer, the wait staff was very, very attentive to us.
Thursday, June 4, 2015
"Institutionolatry" and the ERC Srategic Plan
Back in the day, when I was a member of the ERC Commission on Church Renewal, the Commission visited a rather typical declining ERC congregation that was made up of mostly elderly people and was located in a very small town.
The congregation had reached the point that it could no longer afford to pay the pastor's salary. Yet the guy who was the pastor was optimistic about the future.
When we met, his eyes sparkled with confidence as he told us that he had been working on a series of sermons from (I think it was) 1 Timothy and he was certain that after he preached those truths the fortunes of the church would reverse themselves.
He was certain. We on the Commission were skeptical.
It was at that time that I was being shown APEST by the Holy Spirit. With that biblical framework in my mind, I saw that the pastor was gifted to be a teacher, perhaps with even a little suppressed prophet bubbling up within him. Because of who he was in the Spirit, the pastor could see the path to an obedient future exclusively through the presentation of truth.
And, certainly, knowledge of truth is necessary to obedience. But knowledge of truth in and of itself doesn't make people disciples.
In the end, the pastor preached his series, nothing changed, decline continued and, ultimately, his ministry crumbled. As I understand it, that pastor no longer has a ministry in the CGGC.
------------------
I thought of that meeting, and its aftermath, recently when I was reflecting on the revised ERC Strategic Plan because, as a group, the people who make up ERC leadership, and who were consulted in the creation of the Plan, are all so similar in their spiritual giftings that they act from one spiritual gift and they do it with the same narrow, limited focus as the pastor who was certain that his church would be transformed merely because he preached a certain set of truths.
ERC leaders are either shepherds or they go along to get along with shepherd driven values. The ERC truly has a shepherd-dominated leadership culture.
Because of that, leaders see the advance of the Kingdom coming about through the perfection of the church as an institution which regulates, manages and administers the way human relationships function primary through the oversight of budgets and the function of Commissions, Councils and Committees and their staff members.
Are these people bad guys? Do they seek failure? Of course not.
On the other hand, is what the ERC powers that be have come with a "Simply Jesus" vision, as the theme of recent Conference sessions claim? Is there anything at all of the spirit of the Gospels in the Strategic Plan? Is there any "Simply Jesus" walk attending the official talk?
Understand:
There was nothing at all institutional in what Jesus lived or taught.
Nothing in the ministry of Jesus permits institutional religion. Jesus didn't authorize the creation of Commissions and Committees led by Chairmen and Directors. In fact, to the limited degree that the Jews of His day had institutionalized their religion, Jesus denounced them.
There are two ways I'm thinking about the new Strategic Plan:
One surrounds the question of what Jesus would teach if He had a Sermon on the Mount for our day. Would He teach the tweaking of budgets and restructuring of Commissions, the addition of yet another staff member and the partial defunding of the General Conference, all of which are entirely absent from what He did and taught? Certainly not.
He would define righteousness and command that righteousness be lived out.
The second way I think about this is to return to the vision Reggie McNeal described in his book, The Present Future, once so faddishly popular among forward thinkers in the CGGC. Reggie denounced planning itself entirely and envisioned planning being replaced by preparing, essentially, to join God in the work He is doing.
But, when shepherds, who are not living in mutual submission with teachers, evangelists and prophets, and apostles are in charge, they plan. Planning is what they know--ALL they know. And when they won't acknowledge that apostles and prophets are the foundation of the spiritually gifted, this Strategic Plan is the sort of thing they come up with.
The new plan calls ERCers to serve an institution not to obey Jesus and to submit to the authority of an institution, not to the leading of the Holy Spirit. In this plan, the ERC, as institution, is elevated to new heights. Under it, more than ever before, key people would spend time in meetings, not in the world walking in the Spirit and living mercifully in the service Jesus who lives in the flesh of the "least of these."
Honestly, the word INSTITUTIONOLATRY comes to my mind.
Every way I look at the revised plan, I see continued spiritual decline and, if the Lord who dictated those letters at the beginning of the Book of Revelation is still Lord, perhaps even judgment.
Our shepherd dominated leadership culture must step aside. Others besides me must demand the deconstruction of the ERC institution.
We must repent.
The congregation had reached the point that it could no longer afford to pay the pastor's salary. Yet the guy who was the pastor was optimistic about the future.
When we met, his eyes sparkled with confidence as he told us that he had been working on a series of sermons from (I think it was) 1 Timothy and he was certain that after he preached those truths the fortunes of the church would reverse themselves.
He was certain. We on the Commission were skeptical.
It was at that time that I was being shown APEST by the Holy Spirit. With that biblical framework in my mind, I saw that the pastor was gifted to be a teacher, perhaps with even a little suppressed prophet bubbling up within him. Because of who he was in the Spirit, the pastor could see the path to an obedient future exclusively through the presentation of truth.
And, certainly, knowledge of truth is necessary to obedience. But knowledge of truth in and of itself doesn't make people disciples.
In the end, the pastor preached his series, nothing changed, decline continued and, ultimately, his ministry crumbled. As I understand it, that pastor no longer has a ministry in the CGGC.
------------------
I thought of that meeting, and its aftermath, recently when I was reflecting on the revised ERC Strategic Plan because, as a group, the people who make up ERC leadership, and who were consulted in the creation of the Plan, are all so similar in their spiritual giftings that they act from one spiritual gift and they do it with the same narrow, limited focus as the pastor who was certain that his church would be transformed merely because he preached a certain set of truths.
ERC leaders are either shepherds or they go along to get along with shepherd driven values. The ERC truly has a shepherd-dominated leadership culture.
Because of that, leaders see the advance of the Kingdom coming about through the perfection of the church as an institution which regulates, manages and administers the way human relationships function primary through the oversight of budgets and the function of Commissions, Councils and Committees and their staff members.
Are these people bad guys? Do they seek failure? Of course not.
On the other hand, is what the ERC powers that be have come with a "Simply Jesus" vision, as the theme of recent Conference sessions claim? Is there anything at all of the spirit of the Gospels in the Strategic Plan? Is there any "Simply Jesus" walk attending the official talk?
Understand:
There was nothing at all institutional in what Jesus lived or taught.
Nothing in the ministry of Jesus permits institutional religion. Jesus didn't authorize the creation of Commissions and Committees led by Chairmen and Directors. In fact, to the limited degree that the Jews of His day had institutionalized their religion, Jesus denounced them.
There are two ways I'm thinking about the new Strategic Plan:
One surrounds the question of what Jesus would teach if He had a Sermon on the Mount for our day. Would He teach the tweaking of budgets and restructuring of Commissions, the addition of yet another staff member and the partial defunding of the General Conference, all of which are entirely absent from what He did and taught? Certainly not.
He would define righteousness and command that righteousness be lived out.
The second way I think about this is to return to the vision Reggie McNeal described in his book, The Present Future, once so faddishly popular among forward thinkers in the CGGC. Reggie denounced planning itself entirely and envisioned planning being replaced by preparing, essentially, to join God in the work He is doing.
But, when shepherds, who are not living in mutual submission with teachers, evangelists and prophets, and apostles are in charge, they plan. Planning is what they know--ALL they know. And when they won't acknowledge that apostles and prophets are the foundation of the spiritually gifted, this Strategic Plan is the sort of thing they come up with.
The new plan calls ERCers to serve an institution not to obey Jesus and to submit to the authority of an institution, not to the leading of the Holy Spirit. In this plan, the ERC, as institution, is elevated to new heights. Under it, more than ever before, key people would spend time in meetings, not in the world walking in the Spirit and living mercifully in the service Jesus who lives in the flesh of the "least of these."
Honestly, the word INSTITUTIONOLATRY comes to my mind.
Every way I look at the revised plan, I see continued spiritual decline and, if the Lord who dictated those letters at the beginning of the Book of Revelation is still Lord, perhaps even judgment.
Our shepherd dominated leadership culture must step aside. Others besides me must demand the deconstruction of the ERC institution.
We must repent.
Monday, June 1, 2015
41st Wedding Anniversary
Forty one years ago this afternoon Evelyn, when asked in front of nearly 200 witnesses, said, "I do." And, I realize, much more today than I did on that day, how blessed I am.
She is more beautiful and more gracious, more loving, more merciful, more Christlike than ever.
Looking back, I can only imagine what these years would have been like for me without her faith and testimony. I can't begin to count the number of times the Lord penetrated my stubborn heart to show me His will through her.
In her heart, she is a self-confessed people pleaser. Yet, she has graciously and faithfully taken the hits and ridden through the bumps that have come our way, especially in recent years, as I have explored my conviction that I am a prophet.
No man has ever been more blessed in marriage than I have been--and still am.
Thanks Evie, for everything.
She is more beautiful and more gracious, more loving, more merciful, more Christlike than ever.
Looking back, I can only imagine what these years would have been like for me without her faith and testimony. I can't begin to count the number of times the Lord penetrated my stubborn heart to show me His will through her.
In her heart, she is a self-confessed people pleaser. Yet, she has graciously and faithfully taken the hits and ridden through the bumps that have come our way, especially in recent years, as I have explored my conviction that I am a prophet.
No man has ever been more blessed in marriage than I have been--and still am.
Thanks Evie, for everything.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)