It was an interesting and challenging meeting for me.
Interestingly, as we were doing our "When you come together, everyone has a hymn," part Evie noticed that all of the songs but one had words by Fanny Crosby. I don't like music from that era because I think the theology is pitifully shallow. But, not so with Fanny's lyrics. Hers are profound and personal. The singing was an unusual blessing for me.
Evie led Word time around the story of Ananias and Sapphira and the issue of truth and telling the truth and telling lies. The time was even more interactive and participatory than usual. We were all, I believe, challenged and convicted on the issue. I certainly was.
But, I have to admit that, by the end, I found myself dwelling on that horrendous statement in the introduction to HERE WE STAND, which I have highlighted in the past. And, I found myself feeling resentful about it.
Each gathering takes its own course, following only a very broad outline. We take for granted that the meal will come at the end and that the taking of the bread and cup will probably come right before it.
Unusually, we spent little time in prayer today. (Sometimes we spend most of the time in prayer.)
Evie asked me to lead bread and cup time and I did simply by focusing on the words of Jesus explaining the meaning of the bread and cup.
The meal was simple and enjoyable and fellowship was sweet, however, for a time, we talked about how the absence of Maggie changes the quality of our gathering and the woman we bring into our house from the nursing home suddenly burst into tears and blurted, "I miss Maggie!"
Before that, the whole group, apart from me, agreed that we should get another dog. I told them that, in that case, the whole group can walk the dog and clean up its poop. (No one said, "Amen.")
Undoubtedly, I'll lose this one but I won't go down without a fight.
-------------
One other note that I've been musing over for a while: I'm concluding that we are now far off of my personal goal of replicating early Christian gatherings.
I criticize worship services because they make the attending of the gathering out to be an act of righteousness in which the consumers of worship are convinced that by attending they have served the Lord. In our own way, we have developed a sort of antimatter take on that sin.
Our gatherings have become about serving the "least of these" people we bring into the meeting. So, for us, the gathering has become not a time to consume, but to serve--a sort of sacrament of service--but not to spur each other on to love and good works.
This grieves me. But I don't know what to do about it. Hopefully I'll have opportunity to blog about this on later occasions.
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Recalibrating the CGGC's Focus: Tithing (Kingdom Living Demands Kingdom Giving)
Below is a note I recently received:
Not long ago, I noticed that when she came to work, Betty would already be dripping with sweat, looked pale and was hunched over. After about a week of that, she was on the list of people scheduled to work who had called in sick. This went on for more than a week. A manager eventually told me that he didn't really know anything other than she had been to the ER.
When she returned to work, I asked her what had happened and she really didn't say, other than to admit what was already known--that she had had to go to the ER and had missed a lot of work.
From past conversations, I knew a little about her health problems and that, financially, she lived on the edge, that she was living in an income adjusted apartment and barely made ends meet even though she lived very frugally.
Evelyn and I talked it over and decided to buy a gift card to be used at the grocery store where Betty and I work. I quietly handed the card to Betty on a rare shift that we worked together. The above note details her response.
---------------------------------
We ourselves live on a fraction of the income we had when I was a full-time pastor. In those days, we gave sacrificially but primarily to the congregation I was serving and, occasionally in small amounts, to other causes and needs we became aware of.
In more recent days, we have repented of being people of the church and have begun to live as people of the Kingdom of God. We no longer receive any compensation for the work we do in obedience to the Lord and we also no longer contribute to the work of a local church.
Instead of giving money to the institutional church, we look to Jesus to understand how we should conduct our financial lives. Two broad principles guide us: One is that Jesus supported tithing The other is that matters of "justice and mercy and faithfulness" are equally important and connected to how Kingdom people give. (Mt. 23:23)
Because we no longer give incestuously to the institutional church, we have a boatload of money to use for the causes of justice and mercy and faithfulness.
Our gift of mercy to Betty, which brought her to tears, is one example of what we understand Kingdom giving to entail.
---------------------------------------
I fully endorse Lance's notion that the CGGC needs to recalibrate its focus from church obsession to the Kingdom
I suspect, though, that even the people of the CGGC who would most easily embrace the notion of Kingdom focus will find it difficult to turn their finances over to Kingdom values.
As Lance has pointed out, Jesus barely mentioned the church in the Gospel.
And, Jesus certainly didn't teach tithing to the church. He did talk, in the very same breath, about tithing and issues of justice and mercy and faithfulness. And, He said, "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,..."
There is no church leadership hierarchy to support financially in the way and teachings of Jesus. There is tithing but not tithing to the church, nor tithing of the church to a Conference. There are no staff salaries paid to Executive Directors or other members of a leadership hierarchy.
-----------------------------------------
Where I work, I am known to be a follower of Jesus and not because I can answer the question, "Where in the Bible does it say,...?" or because I am continually thumping the Bible, calling sinners to repent. I am known to follow Jesus because several of my coworkers have benefitted from the fact that we put our money where our mouths are and live out Jesus' teachings about justice and mercy and faithfulness. (And Evelyn is known to follow Jesus at her workplace for the same reason.) While we always do it very quietly, there is a good kind of gossip that spreads even that sort of news.
I am convinced that our body will never take even a baby step toward being a Kingdom people until our wallets become Kingdom wallets.
We must repent.
Bill,
I knew you and your wife were special people--even before you worked here. When I opened the card and saw how much $ I cried. I will use this money wisely.
God bless you and stay safe,
Love you guys!
(Not really her name) Betty, as is obvious from the note, is someone I work with. She is a very bright person who is only a little older than we are. She is divorced, has little contact with her children--and is in poor health to the degree that working about a dozen hours a week is more than her body can tolerate, so it breaks down from time to time.(Betty Bailey)
Not long ago, I noticed that when she came to work, Betty would already be dripping with sweat, looked pale and was hunched over. After about a week of that, she was on the list of people scheduled to work who had called in sick. This went on for more than a week. A manager eventually told me that he didn't really know anything other than she had been to the ER.
When she returned to work, I asked her what had happened and she really didn't say, other than to admit what was already known--that she had had to go to the ER and had missed a lot of work.
From past conversations, I knew a little about her health problems and that, financially, she lived on the edge, that she was living in an income adjusted apartment and barely made ends meet even though she lived very frugally.
Evelyn and I talked it over and decided to buy a gift card to be used at the grocery store where Betty and I work. I quietly handed the card to Betty on a rare shift that we worked together. The above note details her response.
---------------------------------
We ourselves live on a fraction of the income we had when I was a full-time pastor. In those days, we gave sacrificially but primarily to the congregation I was serving and, occasionally in small amounts, to other causes and needs we became aware of.
In more recent days, we have repented of being people of the church and have begun to live as people of the Kingdom of God. We no longer receive any compensation for the work we do in obedience to the Lord and we also no longer contribute to the work of a local church.
Instead of giving money to the institutional church, we look to Jesus to understand how we should conduct our financial lives. Two broad principles guide us: One is that Jesus supported tithing The other is that matters of "justice and mercy and faithfulness" are equally important and connected to how Kingdom people give. (Mt. 23:23)
Because we no longer give incestuously to the institutional church, we have a boatload of money to use for the causes of justice and mercy and faithfulness.
Our gift of mercy to Betty, which brought her to tears, is one example of what we understand Kingdom giving to entail.
---------------------------------------
I fully endorse Lance's notion that the CGGC needs to recalibrate its focus from church obsession to the Kingdom
I suspect, though, that even the people of the CGGC who would most easily embrace the notion of Kingdom focus will find it difficult to turn their finances over to Kingdom values.
As Lance has pointed out, Jesus barely mentioned the church in the Gospel.
And, Jesus certainly didn't teach tithing to the church. He did talk, in the very same breath, about tithing and issues of justice and mercy and faithfulness. And, He said, "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,..."
There is no church leadership hierarchy to support financially in the way and teachings of Jesus. There is tithing but not tithing to the church, nor tithing of the church to a Conference. There are no staff salaries paid to Executive Directors or other members of a leadership hierarchy.
-----------------------------------------
Where I work, I am known to be a follower of Jesus and not because I can answer the question, "Where in the Bible does it say,...?" or because I am continually thumping the Bible, calling sinners to repent. I am known to follow Jesus because several of my coworkers have benefitted from the fact that we put our money where our mouths are and live out Jesus' teachings about justice and mercy and faithfulness. (And Evelyn is known to follow Jesus at her workplace for the same reason.) While we always do it very quietly, there is a good kind of gossip that spreads even that sort of news.
I am convinced that our body will never take even a baby step toward being a Kingdom people until our wallets become Kingdom wallets.
We must repent.
Sunday, June 19, 2016
Gathering 6-19-16--Post Maggie
There is a kind of intimate fellowship that takes place in our gatherings that I, at least, never experienced in a traditional church. And, I think that intimacy is even more intense for us in the gathering that takes place in our home.
This is the first time that the Sunday group gathered since we lost Maggie. For the "least of these" we drive here from the home, Maggie was a real presence. She anxiously awaited their arrival on Sundays. They never experienced that devotion in any other way in their lives, probably ever.
When I drove them into our driveway, for the first time ever, Maggie didn't come trotting out the sidewalk to greet them. Instead, Evie came out and we told them, while they were still in the car, that Maggie had gotten sick and died.
It was a sad moment.
--------------------
Honestly, this was a rather lifeless gathering. Evie tried hard to provide substance in the way we usually find it. But, my heart wasn't in it.
We did all the things we do. Evie led the taking of the bread and cup and she did it well, but doing it in remembrance of Him was less meaningful than usual.
The meal we shared was especially tasty, and I was more involved in the preparation than I usually am --something that should have been a joy, but the act of service felt rather empty.
The people from the home had lost someone. And, they have so few who love them.
I felt their loss.
There is so much unexpected joy and also sorrow in this way of living in community. All the colors are so much brighter.
This is the first time that the Sunday group gathered since we lost Maggie. For the "least of these" we drive here from the home, Maggie was a real presence. She anxiously awaited their arrival on Sundays. They never experienced that devotion in any other way in their lives, probably ever.
When I drove them into our driveway, for the first time ever, Maggie didn't come trotting out the sidewalk to greet them. Instead, Evie came out and we told them, while they were still in the car, that Maggie had gotten sick and died.
It was a sad moment.
--------------------
Honestly, this was a rather lifeless gathering. Evie tried hard to provide substance in the way we usually find it. But, my heart wasn't in it.
We did all the things we do. Evie led the taking of the bread and cup and she did it well, but doing it in remembrance of Him was less meaningful than usual.
The meal we shared was especially tasty, and I was more involved in the preparation than I usually am --something that should have been a joy, but the act of service felt rather empty.
The people from the home had lost someone. And, they have so few who love them.
I felt their loss.
There is so much unexpected joy and also sorrow in this way of living in community. All the colors are so much brighter.
Friday, June 17, 2016
Something You Probably Don't Know about Me
I can move one eye without moving the other.
And, I can do it with both eyes.
And, I can do it with both eyes.
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Recalibrating the CGGC's Focus: GREATNESS
I have been following Lance's eNews articles on recalibrating the CGGC's focus from church-obsession to God's Kingdom with great interest. In principle, I support it with all my heart. I have been using this blog to call for that change since I wrote my first post here.
It is clear to me that much that is going on among Lance and the members of his staff is going to have to change if we are going to make the change he is calling for. They will have to do it first. If they don't no one else will.
One change that touches the foundation of what Lance and the others are doing has to do with the difference between what is understood to be greatness in the church and what Jesus says about greatness in the Kingdom.
-------------------------------------
One goal of the people in Findlay who consider themselves to be leaders (and for me, in the ERC, in Harrisburg) is Leadership Development. Please understand, from the teachings of Jesus, that nothing could be more futile, worldly, heathen or theologically corrupt.
Consider these words from Mark 10:
In much the same way, the institutional church seeks leaders. Those church leaders exercise authority over others in the church. And, if the people of the church want the institutional church to prosper, they seek to develop more church leaders who will, of course, look to them as church leaders among church leaders.
Jesus' take on that, as far as God's Kingdom is concerned? "...it shall not be so among you."
Jesus Himself, as He says in this passage, did not come to lead. He did not come to be served. He came to serve. He came to give His life. And, for Jesus, greatness in the Kingdom is built on the pattern He established.
He could not have been more clear about what greatness in God's Kingdom means. Jesus says that to be great in the Kingdom is not to lead, but to serve. And, among those who aspire to be the greatest in the Kingdom, the goal must to become "slave" of everyone.
Yet, we have a guy on staff in Findlay who has, as an essential task in his job description, not the creation of servants and, even more importantly, slaves, but the development of leaders.
Here in the ERC, we don't have a Servanthood/Slavery Commission, we have a Leadership Commission. And, we have an ED and staff specializing in leadership development.
Is it any wonder that the Lord refuses to bless what we are doing?
Grab a Bible and look up Romans 1:1 and note how Paul introduces himself. He doesn't see himself as a church leader. Instead, he calls himself, "Paul, a. . .."
In Galatians 5, Paul assures us that we were called to freedom but, in verse 13, English translations tell us that he commands us to serve one another. But check out that verb translated as serve in that verse. Its root is the same as the Greek noun for a slave. We are called in the body to slave each other, just as Jesus said those who want to be greatest among us would do.
------------------------------
If we are going to recalibrate, very early on, we are going to have to set aside the idea that greatness among us has to do with leadership. Greatness in the institutional church has everything to do with leadership. But, in the Kingdom, greatness has to do with service, even slavery.
We must go to the very core of what we think and believe. And, we must repent and turn.
It is clear to me that much that is going on among Lance and the members of his staff is going to have to change if we are going to make the change he is calling for. They will have to do it first. If they don't no one else will.
One change that touches the foundation of what Lance and the others are doing has to do with the difference between what is understood to be greatness in the church and what Jesus says about greatness in the Kingdom.
-------------------------------------
One goal of the people in Findlay who consider themselves to be leaders (and for me, in the ERC, in Harrisburg) is Leadership Development. Please understand, from the teachings of Jesus, that nothing could be more futile, worldly, heathen or theologically corrupt.
Consider these words from Mark 10:
42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”The people of the world seek leaders. Those people exercise authority over others. And, if they want to prosper in what they do, they seek to develop more leaders who will, of course, look to them as leaders among leaders.
In much the same way, the institutional church seeks leaders. Those church leaders exercise authority over others in the church. And, if the people of the church want the institutional church to prosper, they seek to develop more church leaders who will, of course, look to them as church leaders among church leaders.
Jesus' take on that, as far as God's Kingdom is concerned? "...it shall not be so among you."
Jesus Himself, as He says in this passage, did not come to lead. He did not come to be served. He came to serve. He came to give His life. And, for Jesus, greatness in the Kingdom is built on the pattern He established.
He could not have been more clear about what greatness in God's Kingdom means. Jesus says that to be great in the Kingdom is not to lead, but to serve. And, among those who aspire to be the greatest in the Kingdom, the goal must to become "slave" of everyone.
Yet, we have a guy on staff in Findlay who has, as an essential task in his job description, not the creation of servants and, even more importantly, slaves, but the development of leaders.
Here in the ERC, we don't have a Servanthood/Slavery Commission, we have a Leadership Commission. And, we have an ED and staff specializing in leadership development.
Is it any wonder that the Lord refuses to bless what we are doing?
Grab a Bible and look up Romans 1:1 and note how Paul introduces himself. He doesn't see himself as a church leader. Instead, he calls himself, "Paul, a. . .."
In Galatians 5, Paul assures us that we were called to freedom but, in verse 13, English translations tell us that he commands us to serve one another. But check out that verb translated as serve in that verse. Its root is the same as the Greek noun for a slave. We are called in the body to slave each other, just as Jesus said those who want to be greatest among us would do.
------------------------------
If we are going to recalibrate, very early on, we are going to have to set aside the idea that greatness among us has to do with leadership. Greatness in the institutional church has everything to do with leadership. But, in the Kingdom, greatness has to do with service, even slavery.
We must go to the very core of what we think and believe. And, we must repent and turn.
Sunday, June 12, 2016
CGGC Faddism and Cynicism and the Call to Make Disciples
Spiritual Gifts
35,000 by 2000
Natural Church Development
The Externally Focused Church
Missional Leadership Initiative
Hear the Call
Just an off-the-top-of-my-head, certainly incomplete, list of ideas embraced by CGGC leadership in recent decades.
And...they all came to nothing.
And...here we go again.
The CGGC is in a free-fall decline and has been for all of the time these ideas were being adopted.
Our body has a track record of jumping on bandwagons. More accurately, of jumping from bandwagon to bandwagon.
And the decline not only continues. It accelerates.
Two of my characteristics of the CGGC Brand are inseparably connected. They speak to a gross dysfunction in the way our body behaves.
Leadership embraces legitimate concepts and presents them as the answer to all of the body's woes. And, most of the people in the body--having seen this before MANY TIMES--roll their eyes, mutter the here we go again thing, ignore what is currently rolling down from the mountaintop and, really, become angry about the faddish bagonwagonism that, it seems, will never end. This is cynicism. And, it is every bit as much a sin as leadership's faddism. And it is as much a part of the core of our identity as the faddism.
---------------
To the point: leadership is now calling the body to make disciples. To make disciples is, unquestionably essential to a life of obedience to the lordship of Jesus.
But the body knows that nearly every past fad embraced by church leadership has been biblical and essential. And, the body believes, with a ton of evidence to support the belief, that it's extremely likely that in six months to a year leadership will not be encouraging disciple making but will have already hopped on to another bandwagon.
So...we won't get serious about making disciples.
And, our decline will continue to accelerate.
We must repent of this futile, failed and dysfunctional cycle.
35,000 by 2000
Natural Church Development
The Externally Focused Church
Missional Leadership Initiative
Hear the Call
Just an off-the-top-of-my-head, certainly incomplete, list of ideas embraced by CGGC leadership in recent decades.
And...they all came to nothing.
And...here we go again.
The CGGC is in a free-fall decline and has been for all of the time these ideas were being adopted.
Our body has a track record of jumping on bandwagons. More accurately, of jumping from bandwagon to bandwagon.
And the decline not only continues. It accelerates.
Two of my characteristics of the CGGC Brand are inseparably connected. They speak to a gross dysfunction in the way our body behaves.
Leadership embraces legitimate concepts and presents them as the answer to all of the body's woes. And, most of the people in the body--having seen this before MANY TIMES--roll their eyes, mutter the here we go again thing, ignore what is currently rolling down from the mountaintop and, really, become angry about the faddish bagonwagonism that, it seems, will never end. This is cynicism. And, it is every bit as much a sin as leadership's faddism. And it is as much a part of the core of our identity as the faddism.
---------------
To the point: leadership is now calling the body to make disciples. To make disciples is, unquestionably essential to a life of obedience to the lordship of Jesus.
But the body knows that nearly every past fad embraced by church leadership has been biblical and essential. And, the body believes, with a ton of evidence to support the belief, that it's extremely likely that in six months to a year leadership will not be encouraging disciple making but will have already hopped on to another bandwagon.
So...we won't get serious about making disciples.
And, our decline will continue to accelerate.
We must repent of this futile, failed and dysfunctional cycle.
Mike Breen vs. the CGGC on what a Disciple is and How Disciples are Made
Yesterday I read the Mike Breen interview on discipleship in the new issue of The CHURCH ADVOCATE.
Good stuff. Very good stuff.
What Breen says seems profoundly biblical to me.
---------------
One of the problems the CGGC has had with making disciples in the last 25 years has been that we employ a horrifically corrupt definition of what a disciple is, one that is entirely disconnected from the teaching and way of Jesus.
MORE AND BETTER DISCIPLES: 35,000 in Worship by 2000.
That program has long since been thrown on the trash heap of CGGC failures but the essential idea that a disciple is someone who goes to church has never been challenged nor replaced. And, that idea is, very simply, biblically corrupt.
Hence we decline, even by our own standards. And, the Spirit does nothing to empower us.
---------------
I encourage everyone to look at Breen's idea of what a disciple is and to repent of the reigning CGGC idea. Repentance, after all, is a change in thinking.
Breen uses 1 Corinthians 4 as a touchstone and points out that in the way of both Jesus and the early apostles discipleship involved three realities: Passing on INFORMATION, IMITATION of Christ and of other disciples, and INNOVATION, or the freedom to try, risk and make mistakes in the process.
Breen says that the place we fail in the Western church these days is that we ignore the imitation component.
And, looking around me in the CGGC, I agree.
As one example, the theme of ERC sessions in 2015 was, "Simply Jesus." The work product of the Conference that year was a revision of the Strategic Plan. That revision amounted to little more than the restructuring of the Conference Commission structure.
Imitation of Christ? Imitation of Christ!
Check out Breen as a place to begin a CGGC conversation on discipleship.
And, if it is not already too late...
Repent.
Good stuff. Very good stuff.
What Breen says seems profoundly biblical to me.
---------------
One of the problems the CGGC has had with making disciples in the last 25 years has been that we employ a horrifically corrupt definition of what a disciple is, one that is entirely disconnected from the teaching and way of Jesus.
MORE AND BETTER DISCIPLES: 35,000 in Worship by 2000.
That program has long since been thrown on the trash heap of CGGC failures but the essential idea that a disciple is someone who goes to church has never been challenged nor replaced. And, that idea is, very simply, biblically corrupt.
Hence we decline, even by our own standards. And, the Spirit does nothing to empower us.
---------------
I encourage everyone to look at Breen's idea of what a disciple is and to repent of the reigning CGGC idea. Repentance, after all, is a change in thinking.
Breen uses 1 Corinthians 4 as a touchstone and points out that in the way of both Jesus and the early apostles discipleship involved three realities: Passing on INFORMATION, IMITATION of Christ and of other disciples, and INNOVATION, or the freedom to try, risk and make mistakes in the process.
Breen says that the place we fail in the Western church these days is that we ignore the imitation component.
And, looking around me in the CGGC, I agree.
As one example, the theme of ERC sessions in 2015 was, "Simply Jesus." The work product of the Conference that year was a revision of the Strategic Plan. That revision amounted to little more than the restructuring of the Conference Commission structure.
Imitation of Christ? Imitation of Christ!
Check out Breen as a place to begin a CGGC conversation on discipleship.
And, if it is not already too late...
Repent.
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Depressed
The "me" who comes across on this blog is not the entire me. In fact, it's certainly authentic but probably only a splinter of the whole.
This blog is one vehicle I employ to speak prophesies and to journal my walk with Him as a subject of the Kingdom. The prophesies denounce the follies of the American institutional church. And, the manner of my walk is so far out of the norm that I'm certain it feels foreign to most of you who read this and I have no doubt that the way I live under the Lordship of Jesus offends some.
But, this blog depicts only a small part of the whole of me.
If you talked to my neighbors or my coworkers, I'm certain you'd be stunned to hear their take on me.
----------------
I am reaching the conclusion that, for the first time in decades, I am depressed. I have lost my, well, joie de vivre (sorry for the French lingo).
The tipping point, it seems, was losing our dog.
I wrote a tribute to Maggie and put it on another of my blogs the other day.
Maggie truly had become an integral part of the gatherings that take place in our home. Our focus has settled on ministering to a small group of "least of these" people. And Maggie, who was everything a Golden Retriever could be, provided the perfect balance to me. Even at my softest, my focus, in the Spirit, is on repentance and righteousness. And, Maggie's presence provided balance that allowed me to be me without stifling the presence of the Spirit.
Evie and Maggie and me had, what seemed to me, to be a nice, good cop/bad cop/sweet cop way of functioning for the building of the Body. (I was the bad cop, Evie the good, Mags the sweet.)
And, the loss of Maggie, not as a pet, but as a ministry partner, leaves me a bit disoriented.
Her demise was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Evie is still not well. Mom and dad slide deeper and deeper into dementia. Today is the memorial service for my Aunt Greta. All of these, and others, are straws.
But, at the moment, how we live in ministry as people of the Kingdom going forward is unclear to me. I'm sure He will make it clear in His time, but He hasn't yet.
And, so, for now, I am depressed.
This blog is one vehicle I employ to speak prophesies and to journal my walk with Him as a subject of the Kingdom. The prophesies denounce the follies of the American institutional church. And, the manner of my walk is so far out of the norm that I'm certain it feels foreign to most of you who read this and I have no doubt that the way I live under the Lordship of Jesus offends some.
But, this blog depicts only a small part of the whole of me.
If you talked to my neighbors or my coworkers, I'm certain you'd be stunned to hear their take on me.
----------------
I am reaching the conclusion that, for the first time in decades, I am depressed. I have lost my, well, joie de vivre (sorry for the French lingo).
The tipping point, it seems, was losing our dog.
I wrote a tribute to Maggie and put it on another of my blogs the other day.
Maggie truly had become an integral part of the gatherings that take place in our home. Our focus has settled on ministering to a small group of "least of these" people. And Maggie, who was everything a Golden Retriever could be, provided the perfect balance to me. Even at my softest, my focus, in the Spirit, is on repentance and righteousness. And, Maggie's presence provided balance that allowed me to be me without stifling the presence of the Spirit.
Evie and Maggie and me had, what seemed to me, to be a nice, good cop/bad cop/sweet cop way of functioning for the building of the Body. (I was the bad cop, Evie the good, Mags the sweet.)
And, the loss of Maggie, not as a pet, but as a ministry partner, leaves me a bit disoriented.
Her demise was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Evie is still not well. Mom and dad slide deeper and deeper into dementia. Today is the memorial service for my Aunt Greta. All of these, and others, are straws.
But, at the moment, how we live in ministry as people of the Kingdom going forward is unclear to me. I'm sure He will make it clear in His time, but He hasn't yet.
And, so, for now, I am depressed.
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Evie is Retiring
It's official.
On the second day that Evie was in the hospital, I took Maggie out for her early morning walk and--in what I now understand to be an answer to Evie's prayer-- had the thought that Evie's upcoming (now past) birthday would make it possible for her to claim Social Security early and that she should go on Social Security.
In that instant, I immediately had a sense of peace as immense as any I have ever known. I finished up the stuff I needed to do around the house and drove to the hospital and told Evie. I expected resistance because we already had a bit of a plan about retirement. That's when she told me that, recently, she had been thinking the same thing but had been praying that the suggestion would come from me.
So, we talked it through and then bounced it off of my brother and his family for feedback.
This past Monday Evie walked into the office of the President of the company and told him that she was retiring. He thanked her for her years of dedication to the company, congratulated her and wished her well.
Her last day on the job will be June 24.
She is well paid on this job, especially for what it is that she does and the Social Security benefits will not make up for the income she loses but we believe that the Lord is a part of this and that He works in all things for the good of those who love Him.
So, a new chapter in our spiritual journey is about to begin.
On the second day that Evie was in the hospital, I took Maggie out for her early morning walk and--in what I now understand to be an answer to Evie's prayer-- had the thought that Evie's upcoming (now past) birthday would make it possible for her to claim Social Security early and that she should go on Social Security.
In that instant, I immediately had a sense of peace as immense as any I have ever known. I finished up the stuff I needed to do around the house and drove to the hospital and told Evie. I expected resistance because we already had a bit of a plan about retirement. That's when she told me that, recently, she had been thinking the same thing but had been praying that the suggestion would come from me.
So, we talked it through and then bounced it off of my brother and his family for feedback.
This past Monday Evie walked into the office of the President of the company and told him that she was retiring. He thanked her for her years of dedication to the company, congratulated her and wished her well.
Her last day on the job will be June 24.
She is well paid on this job, especially for what it is that she does and the Social Security benefits will not make up for the income she loses but we believe that the Lord is a part of this and that He works in all things for the good of those who love Him.
So, a new chapter in our spiritual journey is about to begin.
Sunday, June 5, 2016
The CGGC Executive Director as THEOLOGIAN-IN-CHIEF
I'm very excited to read Lance's last two eNewses with their promise of leading a refocus of the CGGC from church obsession to Kingdom service.
As I've noted, that shift has been a concern of this blog from its beginning. And, I'm certain that, as Lance develops the topic, I will agree with him as much as anyone in the CGGC does, and more than most others, even in CGGC leadership, will.
More than that, I suspect that Lance will advocate doing things we have been doing here for years.
Taking all of that for granted, I have a profound 40,000 foot concern.
THE CGGC IS A CONFERENCE, AN ELDERSHIP, A BODY THAT BELIEVES THAT ULTIMATE HUMAN AUTHORITY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE GREATEST HUMAN WISDOM, RESIDES IN THE COMMUNITY OF THE CALLED.
In recent years, through the eNews, the CGGC Executive Director has assumed the role of CGGC Theologian-in-Chief. In this role, that person has taken on himself the authority to speak truth for the entire body. (Not that anyone seems to care because few in the CGGC care about truth.)
An example of this which sticks most painfully in my crawl is the pronouncement, several years ago, that leading the church is like leading a bank.
The dangerous reality in this is not that EDs speak as if they define truth for the body but that no one in the body except me objects.
Lance, to this moment at least, is not inviting the Conference into a conversation on Kingdom/church. He is speaking truth TO the Eldership as if he has the authority to.
As I said, I expect to agree with what Lance says, and I expect he will advocate that others do what we here have been doing or, at least, had been doing.
But, I am convinced that if he goes about it as our Chief Theologian, this Kingdom thing will simply die out quickly as nothing more than a minor, come to nothing, CGGC fad.
We must begin our repentance with what can be seen from 40,000 feet.
As I've noted, that shift has been a concern of this blog from its beginning. And, I'm certain that, as Lance develops the topic, I will agree with him as much as anyone in the CGGC does, and more than most others, even in CGGC leadership, will.
More than that, I suspect that Lance will advocate doing things we have been doing here for years.
Taking all of that for granted, I have a profound 40,000 foot concern.
THE CGGC IS A CONFERENCE, AN ELDERSHIP, A BODY THAT BELIEVES THAT ULTIMATE HUMAN AUTHORITY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE GREATEST HUMAN WISDOM, RESIDES IN THE COMMUNITY OF THE CALLED.
In recent years, through the eNews, the CGGC Executive Director has assumed the role of CGGC Theologian-in-Chief. In this role, that person has taken on himself the authority to speak truth for the entire body. (Not that anyone seems to care because few in the CGGC care about truth.)
An example of this which sticks most painfully in my crawl is the pronouncement, several years ago, that leading the church is like leading a bank.
The dangerous reality in this is not that EDs speak as if they define truth for the body but that no one in the body except me objects.
Lance, to this moment at least, is not inviting the Conference into a conversation on Kingdom/church. He is speaking truth TO the Eldership as if he has the authority to.
As I said, I expect to agree with what Lance says, and I expect he will advocate that others do what we here have been doing or, at least, had been doing.
But, I am convinced that if he goes about it as our Chief Theologian, this Kingdom thing will simply die out quickly as nothing more than a minor, come to nothing, CGGC fad.
We must begin our repentance with what can be seen from 40,000 feet.
Gathering 6-5-16
Evie's birthday was on Thursday. She shares her birthday with a niece who is two years younger than she and who was more like little sister when they were growing up.
Evie and Joyce, her niece, decided quite some time ago, to organize a family reunion around the celebration of their birthday this year. Evie's the youngest of her generation and she is no spring chicken. (On our drive home, she opined that this may turn out to be the last time the family gathers--and I suspect that she's correct.) Two of Evie's four siblings have been gone for years. The oldest remaining is 78.
Yesterday was a long, hot and humid day and, coming off of the hospitalization and the ongoing physical problems that she is addressing, she woke up today exhausted.
So, we decided to invite the regulars of the Sunday gathering to join us at the diner we sometimes eat at for Sunday dinner, on us.
---------------
Certainly, this is not a way of meeting that is traditional in church circles.
However, it strikes me that, based on the Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus, what we will do is more like what Jesus and his first followers did than what takes place in a worship service.
That is an interesting thought to me, but accurate, I think. We will share the kind of fellowship that made the Pharisees cringe.
Evie and Joyce, her niece, decided quite some time ago, to organize a family reunion around the celebration of their birthday this year. Evie's the youngest of her generation and she is no spring chicken. (On our drive home, she opined that this may turn out to be the last time the family gathers--and I suspect that she's correct.) Two of Evie's four siblings have been gone for years. The oldest remaining is 78.
Yesterday was a long, hot and humid day and, coming off of the hospitalization and the ongoing physical problems that she is addressing, she woke up today exhausted.
So, we decided to invite the regulars of the Sunday gathering to join us at the diner we sometimes eat at for Sunday dinner, on us.
---------------
Certainly, this is not a way of meeting that is traditional in church circles.
However, it strikes me that, based on the Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus, what we will do is more like what Jesus and his first followers did than what takes place in a worship service.
That is an interesting thought to me, but accurate, I think. We will share the kind of fellowship that made the Pharisees cringe.
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Evie's Appointment with Her Doctor
The doctor's office actually called her to set up a post hospitalization appointment and we both attended.
We are very happy to have the doctor we have. We've known him for about 15 years and have come to know him fairly well. His kids grew up during that time and he has been unexpectedly transparent with us about that aspect of his life so we feel as is we have a relationship with him of sorts.
He was extremely helpful during the cancer years, helping us understand how what all of Evie's various surgeons and specialists were doing fit together in her treatment.
He is extremely well read and is a natural healer.
And, as we hoped, he made sense of Evie's test results and helped us to see a way forward.
I guess you could say that there was a confluence of symptoms that led to the belief that Evie was having a stroke--that along with some findings in her CAT scan, of course.
She seems to have, among other problems, an inner ear problem (Eustachian tube dysfunction) and that accounts for the ongoing dizziness. Our doctor's idea about the headache is that it is the result of muscle tension in Evie's neck. He prescribed a muscle relaxer for that. We haven't picked it up from the pharmacy yet.
Of course, there is a lot causing tension in Evie's life. My parents are a handful, the dog's demise, changes on her job that have everyone there in transition, and other stresses. I have talked about those stressors in the past.
----------------
Yesterday was our 42nd wedding anniversary. Today is Evie's birthday. You can guess which one.
----------------
Evie has received a nice bunch of Get Well cards, including one from the General Conference staff. Many of our friends have gone out of their way to be a comfort and blessing to us. Thanks to everyone for the kindness and support and prayers.
We are thankful.
We are very happy to have the doctor we have. We've known him for about 15 years and have come to know him fairly well. His kids grew up during that time and he has been unexpectedly transparent with us about that aspect of his life so we feel as is we have a relationship with him of sorts.
He was extremely helpful during the cancer years, helping us understand how what all of Evie's various surgeons and specialists were doing fit together in her treatment.
He is extremely well read and is a natural healer.
And, as we hoped, he made sense of Evie's test results and helped us to see a way forward.
I guess you could say that there was a confluence of symptoms that led to the belief that Evie was having a stroke--that along with some findings in her CAT scan, of course.
She seems to have, among other problems, an inner ear problem (Eustachian tube dysfunction) and that accounts for the ongoing dizziness. Our doctor's idea about the headache is that it is the result of muscle tension in Evie's neck. He prescribed a muscle relaxer for that. We haven't picked it up from the pharmacy yet.
Of course, there is a lot causing tension in Evie's life. My parents are a handful, the dog's demise, changes on her job that have everyone there in transition, and other stresses. I have talked about those stressors in the past.
----------------
Yesterday was our 42nd wedding anniversary. Today is Evie's birthday. You can guess which one.
----------------
Evie has received a nice bunch of Get Well cards, including one from the General Conference staff. Many of our friends have gone out of their way to be a comfort and blessing to us. Thanks to everyone for the kindness and support and prayers.
We are thankful.
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