My Top 5 Favorite Christmas Songs

O Holy Night
Carrie Underwood rocks it, and the backup singers really lend to the power of this song.




We Three Kings
I always loved the California Raisin version.  The best parts: Joe Camel wearing the fez, and the trippy smoke during the second king's verse.  The only bummer is that they left out the third verse.  Because of that, I embeded this video instead.  It's got some pretty sweet artwork.




The Restroom Door Said Gentlemen
I never said they were all churchy songs.  It does mention nuns, however.  Two of them, in fact.



I Heard The Bells 
Originally a poem written by Longfellow during the Civil War, this is my favorite modern carol.  It's awesome; simply awesome.  Except for the sparkly angel towards the end, this is the best video I've seen of the Casting Crowns version. 




Do You Hear What I Hear
Glinda (with a 'guh') singing about Christmas.

Joseph & Plans

"But God is present in reality no matter what unreality our practices and our ponderings imply. He is forever trying to establish communication; forever aware of the wrong directions we are taking and wishing to warn us; forever offering solutions for the problems that baffle us; forever standing at the door of our loneliness, eager to bring us such comradeship as the most intelligent living mortal could not supply; forever clinging to our indifference in hope that someday our needs, or at least our tragedies will waken us to respond to his advances.

The Real Presence is just that, real and life-transforming. Nor are the conditions for the manifestation of his splendors out of the reach of any of us! Here they are; otherness, openness, obedience, obsession."

From The Captivating Presence by Albert Edward Day

I imagine Joseph had a hard time in the months leading up to his first Christmas. I know how much I like things to go according to the plans I have laid out. I think Joseph did too. When his beautiful young fiancee tells him, "Joe, I'm pregnant, and it's not yours." I'm sure his world crumbled. All his plans *poof* disappeared.

Yet look what God did in that situation! If Joseph had followed through on his contingency (divorce Mary and move on), imagine what he would have missed out on: The message from the angel, the trip to Bethlehem, the wisemen and camels, not to mention being the father of Jesus!

It's frustrating when things don't go my way. Whether it's the closing date on my new home (was supposed to be Friday, now...???), or the time I get to leave the office (always either too early or too late), or whatever other plans get messed with throughout the week, Joseph's story is encouraging for me.

Sometimes God needs to rescue us from our own plans; we need to be saved from our own self-assuredness. Edward Albert Day's alliteration aside, I believe it is God's ultimate hope for us to trust enough to relax, lean back, and let God set the course.

Ebenezer Scrooge

I'll admit that I have never read Dickens' A Christmas Carol.  However, I have watched the Mickey Mouse cartoon version, and Scrooged is my second favorite Christmas movie (after Die Hard, of course). 

I do love the transformation that takes place in the character of Ebenezer Scrooge.  It is unfortunate that he is only remembered as being a stingy heel who exclaims "Bah!  Humbug!" at any sign of Christmas joy. 

A Christmas Carol is now on my winter reading list.  Not only is the message a timeless reminder of God's purpose being worked out through ordinary people, but it shows the power of transformation wrought by Christ's grace.  Christmas is not a miracle that took place 2000 years ago in some Middle Eastern country.  It's a miracle wrought by God each and every day all over the planet; and the best part:  It can happen to you!

Movie Videos & Movie Scenes at MOVIECLIPS.com

Advent

Several people who have gotten a sneak peek at the bulletin for this week have already commented, "You know we sang hymn #9 last week, right?"  Hymn #9 is, of course, the most singable Advent song in the Presbyterian Hymnal.  I was on vacation last week, but I do know which songs we sang. 

We're also going to sing #9, O Come, O Come Emmanuel again next week.  And the week after.  We are singing this song every Sunday in Advent because it is our Advent prayer.  We remember the faithfulness of God's people when the awaited for God's Messiah to be born and set their world right.  We remember the promise of God fulfilled some 2000 years ago in a far off country.  We remember the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who showed us God's immense love for us; love so powerful not even death could stop it!

As we remember, we pray:  Come, O Lord, in to our lives.  Come, O Lord, into our world.  Come, O Lord, and disperse the clouds of night.  Come, O Lord, and set our hearts at peace. 



Rejoice, my friends, rejoice!

Signs of the End?

Aside from being an awesome video, this perfectly sets up our text from Luke 21:5-19.



9 "When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately." 10 Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

Remember, now the context for this teaching:  Jesus is saying that no matter what, the good news of the Gospel will be proclaimed.  It will be difficult, bad things will happen, Christians will suffer and face persecution for their faith, but God will continue to work out God's plan of salvation for the world.

To that end, reflect on the following from Louis Evely (In the Christian Spirit):

To believe in God is to believe in the salvation of the world.  The paradox of our time is that those who believe in God do not believe in the salvation of the world, and those who believe in the future of the world do not believe in God.

Christians believe in "the end of the world," they expect the final catastrophe, the punishment of others.

 Atheists in their turn, invent doctrines of salvation, try to give meaning to life, work, the future of humankind, and refuse to believe in God because Christians believe in him and take no interest in the world.

All ignore the true God:  he who has so loved the world!  But which is the more culpable ignorance?

To love God is to love the world.  To love God passionately is to love the world passionately.  To hope in God is to hope for the salvation of the world.

I often say to myself that, in our religion, God must feel very much alone:  for is there anyone besides God who believes in the salvation of the world?  God seeks among us sons and daughters who resemble him enough, who love the world enough, that he could send them into the world to save it.

Headed to Church?

In preparation for my sermon this week I was reading a 2006 survey done by Gallup.  They found that nationwide, 76% of Americans identify themselves as Christians.  They also discovered that only 42% of Americans attend worship (church, etc) on a weekly or almost weekly basis.

I'm not quite what 'almost weekly' means, but I'll pretend that it means 'as often as they're in town.'

Surely, that reflects the secular nature of the West Coast, and maybe Vermont and New Hampshire, but not here in the Bible Belt!  Au contraire, mon ami.  Gallup also broke the survey down into states.  Anyone want to guess where Tennessee fell?  The same place as Georgia:  52%.  That's how many people actively attend church on a regular basis.  52%.

I'm not great with math, so I'm just going to call that half.  Half of everyone is sleeping in on Sunday morning without any regard to God or Christian community.

Application for Northside?  Next time we're bemoaning, 'everyone must be attending the church down the street,' remind yourself that only half of everyone is attending anywhere. 

That means the fields are fertile for sowing the seeds of the Gospel.  Look at the opportunity!  I guarantee you know someone without a church home.  Several someone's, probably.  Go ahead, invite them to yours.  We're a pretty cool place to meet Jesus.

Northside is an awesome church

I was talking with Erica this evening after my Session meeting and I feel so blessed to be Northside's pastor! Taking feedback from the congregation, leaders, and elders in the congregation, I crafted three goals for our 2011 year.

1. Discover and celebrate what makes Northside unique as a church. Advertize that and let people know why our church is so great!
2. Have exciting, strong, applicable worship that is light, fun, joyful, appeals to a broad selection of people, and embraces the best of traditional and modern music.
3. Intentional discipleship focused on relationships between old and new members, small groups, accountability, and commitment.

 When I asked the elders what they thought, I received universal support.  One woman said, "It's so nice to have a direction like this.  We've never had that before.  It's good to know where we're going."  Hearing this I felt the mixed emotions of sadness and pride.  Sadness because this church is so awesome, they deserve to have visionary leadership like this; and pride, because I know God has called me here for this very reason.

How blessed am I to be leading a group of faithful Christians who are looking forward to a growing and productive ministry together!  Northside deserves the very best -- because they're neat, faithful people.  Our Lord deserves the very best -- because, well, he's God.  And that's what I'm giving:  100% of my best.  Why?  Because I love Jesus, and I love Jesus' church, and I love Jesus' people in North Chattanooga.

Am I rambling?  Probably.  Am I gushing in a totally un-manly way?  Most likely.   Do I mean it?  Absolutley!

Top 10 Reasons to Give to Your Church

10. It's a tax write off (ok, so is Unicef, the Red Cross, and Peta, but this is just #10!)

9. You might get one of those fancy brass plaques with your name on it

8. Air Conditioning certainly is nice in Chattanooga during the summer

7. You get a chance to make positive, lasting change in the world

6. If you don't who will?

5. It's more blessed to give than receive

4. You're investing in the future—of the church, of these kids, of our world

3. Because when we give, we remember that we've first received

2. Because what God is doing here is bigger than what we have resources for now

1. WWJD? Seriously. 'nuff said.

Musical Interlude

It's sad when I pick most of our songs, not because they are inspiring, but because they are not objectionable.  :(  Consider this my urgent prayer for musical deliverance at Northside!!

And let me clarify, our organist and choir director are great!  I'm railing against our abysmal songbook here.

A Tenth

When it comes to giving money, the church has taken many different courses over the years.  In the 1st Century, many Christians practiced what we could call 'proto-communism.'  That is, members of the Christian community sold or gave what they had so that everyone ended up what what they needed.  Yes, it's in the Bible (Acts 2:43-44).  Thought all good Christians were white, capitalist, Americans? 

For several centuries, beginning in the 6th, the church began selling indulgences.  Talk about a capital campaign!  The church tells you for the right price you can buy your dead relatives a ticket to heaven.  Perhaps not the most ethical way to approach fundraising, but it beats the way most politicians raise money these days.

In the Old Testament, the people practiced what was called 'tithing.'  When they brought in the harvest or gathered the flock, they would dedicate 1/10th of everything to God by presenting it at the temple to support the priests and the ministry taking place there.  Now there are some who suggest that the practice of tithing went out of fashion with prohibitions against eating lobster (Leviticus 11:10-12).

It seems that the 'anti-tithers' believe the New Testament practice of giving is more open than this strict 10% philosophy.  When they say that I simply point them to Matthew 19:21--"sell everything and give it to the poor," or Luke 12:33--"sell all that you own."  Jesus thinks 10% is about 90% too little.

Am I saying that 10% is what God expects us to give?  No.  Should we literally give everything we have, including the shirt off our back?  No.

Maybe a good compromise is to take Paul's advice to the Corinthian Church:

[T]he one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.                     2 Cor 9:6-7

No, I haven't forgotten..

I was on vacation last week and this week ended up being a lot of catch up, and then an unexpected funeral.  The good news is that we'll have AC in the sanctuary for Sunday and I'll be back to my regularly scheduled blogging next week.  Until then, may the Lord bless you and keep you. 

The Bent Over Woman

I have a dear friend who suffered from a back condition from childhood until she was nearly 40.  I'm not sure what it was, but the doctors could only find temporary fixes.  It severely affected her sleep, she could only lift and carry medium amounts of weight, and could not hike or walk for more than an hour without severe discomfort.  Whenever my friend reads the story of the woman in Luke 13:10-17, she gets tears in her eyes.  She is that woman.

Through much prayer, the support of her husband and friends, and the continued hopeful care of many physicians, God delivered her from this crippling ailment!  Her life has never been the same since.  This experience has fundamentally shaped her life and deepened her experience of God. 

It is also an incredible testimony to the amazing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  I pray that everyone who is sick and suffering would someday experience what my friend has.  I know that this may never be a complete reality in this life, but I sincerely believe that where Jesus is, the Kingdom is; where Jesus is, things begin to take on the character of life in God's Kigndom; where Jesus is, things begin to be made right.

Be Prepared

Jesus uses the same words, but he means them in entirely the opposite way that Scar does. The message, however, is the same:  Get ready because something is about to go down and you're going to want to be a part of it.

Ask the Boy Scouts about being prepared.  Nothing beats preparation, and, if you've ever been caught unprepared, there is nothing that can make up for it.  Now the challenging part is what to be prepared for.  Being prepared for one thing is usually simple enough.

A spare tire, jack, and minimal knowledge while driving.

Or a can of this while enjoying the Riverwalk.

What is it Jesus wants us to be prepared for?  Stop.  That's a rhetorical question.  There are a lot of well-meaning, but incorrect answers out there.  Let's take a look at Luke 12:35-40 and see what Jesus actually said rather than what we think he said. 

Be prepared appears in the context of not worrying about our clothes or food.  Indeed, the exhortation in 32-24 is to sell our possessions, give to the poor, and to strive to put both our treasure and our hearts firmly in God's Kingdom.

The most difficult part of this lesson is that the things we are typically consumed with worrying about are, ultimately, not permanent.  The Apostle Paul assures us that love never ends, enduring even after all else has drawn to a close. 

Returning to Jesus' teaching, we discover him saying two things: 
1)  Be concerned about eternal things (like creating more love)

because

2)  How we live today prepares us for the life to come!

The Atonement Revisited

When I was in Seminary, one of my systematic theology classes was taught by a Korean Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) student.  His English was sub-par.  My toleration for it was also not too high.  So I would complain to my friends about my systematic theology class and by Korean D.Min teacher.  One of them went several weeks before asking, "I know you're teacher is bad, but is it really OK to call him the Korean Demon?"  Maybe it was one of those subconscious things. 

In this class the Korean Demon presented three theories of Christ's Atonement.  Basically, this means he gave us three ways of thinking about how Christ's death and resurrection work.
1) Ransom - Christ paid a ransom to the Devil (or Sin, or God) because he (it) owned our souls.  Christ has paid the ransom price and freed us
2) Moral Influence - Christ's death was of such exemplary obedience to God that we are all now empowered to live as God's people
3) Substitutionary Anotement - We are sinners and cannot approach God.  The penalty for sin is death, so Christ dies in our place, allowing us free and unfettered access to God.

Not to keep knocking the KD, but check wikipedia and you'll find at least 4 other actual, orthodox theories.

I dislike how we get caught up in one way of viewing how Christ's life, death, and resurrection are efficacious. 

There's nothing wrong with this picture, or it's use in telling others about Christ.  In fact we need to be doing this more often!

But, when I read a passage like Colossians 3:1-7, it strikes me that it's not talking about bridging gaps or paying prices.  It says, quite simply:  You have died with Christ and your old way of living died as well.  Now you have been raised with Christ and you are participating in a new way of living.

I know there's no fancy drawing to accompany it, but this is the type of stuff that really impacts people!  There's a way of living that is not the way of God.  But we have been transferred from that.  The key here is with Christ -- we participate in Christ's death and resurrection because we belong to God as God's people, symbolized through baptism.

We don't need to do anything to be raised with Christ, we just need to look around.  What do you see?  How is life different?  What is God doing?

Audio Adrenaline (one of the Christian bands that I can tolerate) has a song entitled My World View.  The first verse goes like this:

I want to see the world through Jesus eyes
see through Jesus tears
I want to see the world through Jesus eyes
my vision's not as clear
I want to feel the world with the hands that made it
know the pain and appreciate it
hear their cries and hope to understand

My friends, this is my prayer for you.  Open your eyes, realize that you are participating in Kingdom life with Jesus Christ.  Look around, through Jesus' eyes, and see what life is like!

Faithful Much?

I don't envy Hosea.  I mean, a prophet's job was typically unenjoyable, but his takes the cake.  Take for instance, the second verse of the book bearing his name:  "Go marry a whore and get her pregnant, so your kids will be sons and daughters of a whore." 

Awesome.

It sounds like something you'd find of the Best of Craigslist.  Only on Craigslist you know it's a joke.  When God tells you to do it, however, it gets a little scary.  It reminds me of the Crash Test Dummies Song, in which the people ask God, "We're not quite clear about what you just spoke; is that a parable or a very subtle joke?"

In my experience, jokes are supposed to be funny; I don't hear Hosea laughing.  Or his kids, for that matter.  Their names?  "Not My People", "Not Pittied," and "God Sows."  At least the last kid got off OK.  Not really.  His name is a reference to the site where King Jehu killed two kings, beheaded 70 of Ahab's princes, and slaughtered the rest of his leaders and officials.  It'd be like naming your kid "Dachau."

Alright, so God asked Hosea to do some...odd things with his family life.  So what?  Hosea's wife and kids become a metaphor for God and God's people.  We never hear that Hosea's wife (her name is Gomer, BTW) quit being a prostitute.  She kept sleeping with other men for money.
God says that's what his people do to him all the time.

Us, the unfaithful wife?  Worse:  Us, the common street walker?  How so?


Because God wants us to be his alone!  Not his and someone else's.

I know an ordained Presbyterian elder who will not pray with people in her church because she is afraid of offending them.  I also know a minister who will not pray "in Jesus' name" when asked to pray outside of regular Sunday morning church because non-Christians might be present.

Or how many of us grabbed a copy of The Secret, or Tuesdays With Morrie, and thought, "What a great way to enrich my spiritual experience, and this totally fits my Christian life!" 

There's a difference between having 'doubts' and actively searching for 'spiritual alternatives.'  Call me hard-line on this, but if you want a spiritual book, grab the Bible.  If you want 'new spiritual practices,' try doing what Jesus says.  Start with this one:  "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; ...For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?  Even IRS agents do the same.  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."  Sounds like a lifetime of work, right there.

Simple Kindness

In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), the mark of being a neighbor is 'kindness.'  Like your State Farm agent, the Samaritan was there when most needed.  One would think that kindness is one of those no-brainers in life.  Except, we're not all that good at it.  Like the man who questioned Jesus, we're always looking for a way to be neighborly on our terms.  As long as we get to define who our neighbor is and how exactly we are expected to treat that neighbor, we're good.  It's when those choices are taken from us that we begin to get uneasy.

Maybe it's because of the world we live in.  Try showing kindness on the battlefield in Iraq.  Or the boardroom in the office.  Or the lunch line in the cafeteria.  Our world is driven, not by love (sorry, Madonna), but by competition, greed, and individualism.  Although it is sometimes enjoyable, I'm not being cynical here. 

At best, modern ethicists are concerned with rights, justice, and equality.  That's all well and good, but where do mercy, forgiveness, and compassion enter into the scene?  At what point do we say, 'Fair just isn't going to cut it, we need to be kind.'?  

Now you're starting to sound like a hippy, Ben.  Maybe so.  But what Jesus challenges us to do here is to move from simply living to living abundantly.  To live and love as God does.  It's more than being helpful; more than being nice. 

God transforms us in Jesus Christ.  In doing so, we are moved beyond who we are and what we're comfortable doing, and into the fullest experience of life -- loving and being loved infinitely. 

What is God Doing? 2 Kings 5

The incident is this: A dude named Naaman is the general of the Aramean army.  He's the right hand man to the King.  The only thing is, he's afflicted with a skin condition that's both uncomfortable and embarrassing.  Naaman is a great warrior.  He's also responsible for the death of the father of the king of Israel (Jehoram)

So, when Naaman shows up on Jehoram's doorstep with a letter from the Aramean King saying, "I heard your God can heal my #1 general," Jehoram is understandably upset, thinking this is a set up.

Now, as Paul Harvey says, is the rest of the story.  Naaman journeyed to Israel because his wife had an Israelite woman as a servant.  This young woman, who is never named, says that her God can heal Naaman of his condition.  I'm sure Naaman's wife was excited about that!  The faith this nameless young woman shows is amazing.  She doesn't apologize for worshiping the God of Israel, she doesn't justify her claims or put strings on them, she simply says, "I know what my God can do."

This leads Naaman to his confrontation with Jehoram.  Things are tense, but Elisha the prophet is walking by and he says, "Take seven baths in the Jordan river, and you'll be healed.  More than that, you'll also know that God is at work here and I'm God's prophet." 

Naaman balks at the idea.  Why?  Because:
1) Everyone knows foreign rivers aren't as good as rivers back home
2) Seriously?  All it takes is 7 baths in a row?  Too easy.  Where's the epic quest.  Shouldn't he be assigned a hobbit or something and have to toss a ring into a volcano?
3) Naaman is kind of a big deal.  Elisha should recognize it.  His cure, likewise should be a big deal.

Naaman ends up doing it.  God ends up cleansing him.  God ends up glorified.  Elisha gets credit.  King Jehoram still looks a little paranoid.  The unnammed servant girl continues to serve. 

So what have we learned?  The lesson, I believe, is not to think too highly of ourselves, or too highly of how we think God should act.  The anonymous young woman provides a prime example of faith in God.  Naaman didn't get it.  Elisha didn't get it.  King Jehoram didn't get it.  But she did.  Whatever else may be said about her, her faith was confident.

Praying together.

At our last meeting, I challenged the Session to participate in the following:
1) Pray daily for our congregation at 8 a.m.
2) Study the Bible at least weekly

This past Sunday, I challenged the congregation to do the same.

The reason for these challenges?  Because the leadership of Northside should be growing in our own faith, and we should be setting an example for the rest of the congregation to emulate. 

PRAYER
8:00 is not a special time, it's just a time when I figured most everyone would be awake and ready to pray.  It doesn't need to be a long or elaborate prayer, it just needs to be a prayer.  James, the brother of Jesus, reminds us that 'The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (Jas 5:16).  Since we have all been made righteous through Jesus Christ, our prayers are both powerful and effective.  Praying together, even if we are not in the same place, is then a corporate act of worship that has a powerful effect upon us as a church trying to bring the hope of Jesus Christ into our world.

Prayer both petitions God and shapes the one who prays.  It's a formational experience.  We already know that God desires to make God's love and grace known among all people.  Praying that God would use our church to do that in our city makes us participants in what God is doing here.  It takes us out of our normal routine, just for a minute, and allows us to glimpse the ministry God is going to do through our church. 

So pray with me each morning.  Pray with your session.  Pray with your church.  And may all our prayers be the same:  God, do amazing things in and through Northside Presbyterian Church.  Make your love and grace known more and more.  Amen.

King Ahab

I can safely say that our text from 1 Kings 21 this week is not one of my favorites.  Actually, it reads a bit like the script for a Sopranos episode.  Except here Tony is played by King Ahab, Jezebel is Sil, Naboth is the poor schmuck who ends up whacked, the two witnesses are Paulie Walnuts and Christopher, and Elijah is Carmella. 

Silvio Dante is Tony's right hand man.  He's usually the voice or reason, and he's also the guy who does what needs to be done to make Tony happy.  Paulie and Christopher are there as Tony's goons, making sure the blame gets put right where it needs to be and ready with muscle just in case something goes awry.

I figured Carmella would be good for the role of Elijah because she was always on Tony's case.  On more than one occasion she told him, in all seriousness, that he was going to hell for the things he did.  That's the same message Elijah gives to Ahab in this account.  "You may have gotten away with this cold-blooded killing today, but you will have to answer for it." 

Why put the Sopranos in this little biblical drama?  Because it proves the point that evil stuff like this is not too far removed from our own day and age.  Still can't picture it happening?  What about Tonya Craft right in our own back yard of Ringgold, GA?  Vindictive accusations made against her, ruining her life, her family, her reputation, and her profession.  You want it on a slightly smaller scale?  Walk down the halls of one of our local high schools--yeah, even the prestigious private ones.

So what do we make of this?  Are we just supposed to say, "Bad things happen, good people get screwed, and that's the end of it?"  Should we just sit back knowing they'll get it in the end?  Or is this a warning about greed, and covetousness as well as a call to repentance for our participation in evil.  I'd be naive, if not outright stupid, to believe that we all didn't have thoughts along these lines every now and then.  Is it time to step back, look in the mirror, and be challenged to live differently?

Building Character

Tonight's Hard Sayings of Jesus is based on Matthew 5:34:  "But I say to you, do not swear at all..."  Well damn!  Actually, Jesus is asking us, his followers, to be men and women of our word.  James, the brother of Jesus, exhorts us to let our "yes be yes" and our "no be no" (James 5:12).  We should not be known as people who must swear an oath before others will believe what we are saying.  We should seek to be the type of people who are known simply for being honest. 

Behaving in this manner allows our faith to show through and evidences not only our commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord, but the character of our faith. 

The old saying goes: "Honesty is the best policy."  Our world, however, paints truth in shades of gray.  Honesty may be the best policy, but it's not always the easy policy.  It will not always lead to promotions, raises, or making friends.  It wouldn't be too far of a stretch to say that sometimes honesty leads to suffering--our own!  Our Romans text for this Sunday is from Romans 5 (vv1-5):
         ...but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us...

Our faith demands that we make decisions that will cause us to suffer--at least according to the world's point of view.  But this builds character, and refines the faith we have been given, that we may be grow into mature men and women of faith.  Suffering is only bad when it happens for no purpose.  As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that everything in life is an opportunity for our faith to grow and be seen.
 

Websites

We've been without a church website for about 3 months.  That's basically cyber-suicide in the 21st Century.  Anyone who is checking out our church for the first time is going to do so online.  Plan A hit some road bumps, so we're onto Plan B. 

I wish I had any kind of computer skills.  You know, because chicks dig guys with skills--nunchuck skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills...  Web building is on my wish list of skill sets.  So is guitar playing.  And speaking Chinese. 

Unfortunately, it'll be a cold day someplace very warm before I achieve all these skills.  Until then, I'll have to rely on the gifts of others.  Which sounds vaguely biblical.  ...huh...

Strike Two

I missed last week blogging and am now posting this on Thursday evening instead of Tuesday morning.  No excuse.

Last Friday we did our innagural Journeys of Paul Wine Tasting.  It was awesome!  We traveled from Crete (where Paul left Titus) to Philippi, to Boerea, to Corinth, Athens, and Patras (where St. Andrew was killed).  We finished the tasting in Galilee with a fantastic Yarden Merlot and an incredible Golan Moscato that tasted like liquid sunshine!

One of the coolest things was the fact that we didn't drink much of the most popular American grape varieties.  We had Roditis and Savatiano grapes, St. George grapes, Kotsifali and Mantilaria grapes (indigenous to Crete), and many others.  It was fun to taste the very unusual flavors.

Wine + church + fun people = excellent time had by all!  Now I see why Jesus turned 180 gallons of water into wine and why he didn't just serve grape juice at the last supper.  :-)

No More Ocean?

Revelation 21:1 "...and the sea was no more..."

Everyone has heard Revelation 21 used in a funeral before. It is actually one of my favorites scripture passages to use. Well, it came up on the lectionary schedule for this weekend. I mean, is that even allowed, preaching this on a Sunday without a casket present?

Let's get one thing straight, this passage is not about global warming. It always made my ex-navy buddies in Virginia Beach a little squeamish as well--wait, what's happening to the water? The surfers were a bit disgruntled, too. Although, if you're surfing the coast of Virginia, you should be disgruntled to begin with.

To understand why this would be written in the context of God's new creation, we need to rewind all the way to the beginning. Remember what there was before God spoke creation into existence? No, it was not nothing. There was dark, there was chaos, and there was water. If you asked an ancient person about the sea, they would probably use these same words to describe it: dark, chaotic, wet.

Translating that into today, what would you describe with words like that? Wall Street investment offices. What else? Think about it.

Consider, also, the contrast with the "water of life" from 21:7. There's something the world gives that brings chaos and death, yet something similar is given by God that brings wholeness and life. Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death."

"...but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life. I am the way, the truth, and the life." John 4:14 & 14:6

Part of the Crowd

The text for this week is Revelation 7:9-17. The scene is this: Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, is sitting on the heavenly throne surrounded by people from every corner of the earth. Humans from every time and place imaginable, this group is gathered. The only characteristic they share is the only one that matters: they are worshiping God for salvation in Jesus Christ.

Many times we turn to Scripture looking for a set of instructions--"What should I do?" However, this passage is one of those rare, "Look and see!" sections. I find it especially poignant because this passage is for us to look and see. We don't come across it in the middle of a parable, or a history book when someone else is told to look and we catch things from the third person perspective. We're standing next to John, looking out over the multitude, standing in stunned amazement at the heavenly worship of our Lord.

It should take our breath away; and rightly so!

But more than just the image should strike us. We should be rejuvenated with hope that God's word will accomplish the purpose for which God has sent it. In days when it seems like more people may be leaving churches than coming to them, it is amazingly encouraging to know that God will continue to draw women and men to himself and that one day we will all gather in worship. Presbyterians, Methodists, Orthodox, Baptists, Episcopalians, Amish, Catholics, Lutherans, and everyone else! Where can we find community? Where is there common ground for hope? Right here, in our passage from Revelation.

You and me? We get to be part of the crowd!

Pearl In The Storm

My brother lent me a book called A Pearl In The Storm. He couldn't stop gushing about what an amazing book it is and how it's a life-changing read. Always a bit skeptical, but willing to trust my bro's recommendation, I accepted his loaner book.

It's an autobiographical story of a woman who rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean--from North Carolina to France. I'm about halfway through it right now and it is a fairly interesting read. The part I'm still a bit unsure about is the solitary quest by a rugged individual to find meaning and wholeness in life.

It runs opposite the way Donald Miller or Henri Nouwen describe their spiritual pilgrimages. In fact, it also runs opposite to the community building ministry of Jesus Christ in the Gospels. Jesus was always pulling people out of isolation and into true community. All of Paul's letters address the joy and difficulty of living in Christian community.

Perhaps this book's appeal is because of the increase in individual athleticism among adults in our culture. It's the mentality of 'I can do it alone because I'm strong enough and good enough and I need to prove what I'm made of.' Marathons are run alone. Even the Tour de France is raced by solo cyclists who just happen to be grouped into teams. The only ones engaged actively in team sports anymore are kids and professionals. Maybe it's time for us adults to engage more seriously in kickball, volleyball, and basketball. Perhaps we could train together, practice together, and grow together.

Easter Recap.

Our Easter service on Sunday was glorious! The choir was awesome, the music was great, and attendance was an all-time high for me since coming to NPC: 204! We also had 62 people come to the Duck Pond for our Sunrise Service. God totally blessed us with awesome weather for that!

In related news, I think it's time we switched off the heat in the sanctuary. People (including the preacher) were melting Sunday morning. This got me to thinking, is there an ideal temperature for worship? I suppose it depends on the type of service. If you've got lots of movement and clapping, cooler is probably good. If everyone remains seated the whole time, warmer is better. For traditional Presbyterians...?

BTW, I am in North Carolina this week for my brother's wedding. Very exciting stuff! See you all when I return. In the mean time, you're in the very capable hands of Delilah Jane.

Light and Dark

It always seems that light shines brighter when it's dark. I don't know if the light is, in fact, brighter, or it's just our perception of it. Back in college (which seems like another lifetime!) I remember going running with a professor and group of runners on Spring mornings. We'd start in a neighborhood and then work our way out onto one of the main highways leading out of Manhattan (KS) and then up a 4x4 road to the top of a ridge. There and back was somewhere around 4.5 miles.

In early spring it was pitch dark when we began at 5:00 a.m. When we left the neighborhood, we were instantly swallowed by the pre-dawn blackness. Every once and awhile a car would pass, barreling down the highway with its headlights on. I could always see the car coming from quite a distance, but when it was about to pass, its lights were blinding! I'd see spots for the next minute as I attempted to stick to the shoulder of the road.

Many cars now come with Daytime Running Lights. I think it's a way of convincing people that not being able to shut their headlights off is a good thing. Is it safer? I don't know. Probably. My point? Headlights aren't any brighter at 5:00 a.m. than they are at noon on a sunny day. They give off the same illumination. It is our perspective that makes the difference.

This Easter, consider the glorious light of Christ's resurrection. Meditate upon God's power and love--so strong that not even death could defeat it! How has the power of Christ's resurrection shined in your life? Are you still blinded by Christ's presence, or have you gotten used to walking in his light? Is the world around you brighter because of Christ's presence with you?

Palm Sunday, etc.

Palm Sunday is coming up! It's one of my favorite celebrations of the Christian year. It's a time to do more than just 'regular' worship. The palms, the excitement, the anticipation of Easter morning. It's almost enough to make me forget about Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Almost.

Northside's Maundy Thursday service next week will be at 6pm in the Sanctuary. Session has agreed to serve communion, and I'm getting to choir to help with a tennenbrae type service. By the end, all the elements will have been removed from the chancel/sanctuary, and it will be left bare. Deserted. Just like our Lord in the tomb.

But that's next week. Right now we're preparing for the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem! It makes me realize that I'm just as fickle as the crowds who cheered Jesus' arrival one day and called for his crucifixion by the end of the week. It's like helping someone out in a move of genuine charity, and then getting pissed when someone causes you a minor inconvenience.

That's happened to me before. It'll probably happen again. I just pray that God would continue to work in me so that he can work through me.

Welcome!

This blog will be updated weekly with thoughts from Pastor Ben. It may be something he's reading at the time, a devotion for the week, or perhaps just perspective on Northside Presbyterian Church.

Check back every Tuesday for a little cyber time with Ben.