Yesterday, things got quite eventful in front of the Hill University Center at UAB.  While I was finishing up a book by NT Wright, a friend spotted me in a nearby foyer.  He and I chatted a bit until finally it was time for his class.  As he was packing up, he asked if I had heard the “street preacher” who was outside.  Intrigued.  I walked out and spotted a growing crowd surrounding a young gentleman who was holding a sign which read – “JESUS CHRIST will cast ALL SINNERS into the LAKE OF FIRE on the DAY OF JUDGMENT.”

Hmmm… let’s see what the “preacher” is preaching.

A few quotes by the “preacher” (Jesse Morrell) that stand out:

- “If you voted for Obama, you need to repent of your sins… you are not born again.”

- “The bible says, ‘Thou shalt not be a socialist.’”…

- “God is a capitalist.”

- “I serve the ‘real’ Jesus.”

- “You all are sinners!”  “I’m going to heaven!”

- “Obama is an anti-Christ!”

Well, there were other similar statements made, as well as numerous rebuttals offered by onlookers.  Yet, after about 15-20 minutes of listening to the young man, I was still listening for the “Good news.”  Granted, he was definitely “preaching” his opinion of things.  But was it “biblical preaching”?

Furthermore, how effective is such “evangelism” which proclaims the love of God in a manner that seems to contradict the message.  Understandably, the judgment of God is a grave and oftentimes neglected truth.  However, do such methods of “sharing God’s love” invite others to forsake their sins and turn to Christ by faith?  What are your thoughts?  Might this method of “evangelism” win the lost?  Or does it do more harm than good?

Also, I imagine Jesse isn’t alone in folks who consider God to be a Capitalist.  But is this the case?  What if God is not the capitalistic, democratic god that many in the western world have devised?  Might the Kingdom of God exemplify a different politic?  Does it matter that Jesus Christ offers a way of life that stands over against the fallen powers by which our world’s governments function?

Still thinking about things,

Shannon

Sorry it’s been a while since our last post.  Hopefully, there are still a few folks who will drop in every now and again to read or share.

Dee is doing well.  Actually, she’s working on her dissertation today (meeting with her adviser this afternoon).  She’s making good progress in her studies and very much enjoys her class that she teaches each week (consisting of both graduate & undergraduate students).

I was thinking today of the impact of our communication with one another, especially as members of the faith family.  Do we consider much the influence our conversations bear upon those around us?  This seems to be an area where one can ever-so-easily drift, slowly but surely, from the shores of guarded words.  When does general conversation concerning someone else transition to being ‘gossip’?  How do we safeguard against going ‘too far’ concerning information, opinion, or ‘concern’ in talking of others?

Oftentimes, we celebrate those who speak well.  Those who can wow us oratorically tend to stand out from the crowds.  Yet, what of those who are silent well?  What of those who seem not to belittle others in order to make themselves look all the better?  How do we cultivate good conversation?  That conversation that exalts Christ and radiates his love toward others.

Just thinking… :happy:

I was talking with a friend recently about issues of denominations, interdenominational fellowships, non-denominational congregations and the like.  We were discussing the benefits and possible detriments of each.  This conversation took place on the heels of a project that I’ve been working on in 1 and 2 Corinthians.

Throughout the Corinthian correspondence, the author, Paul, has been dealing with various in-your-face, nitty-gritty pastoral issues, which require a firm yet tactful approach.  The Christlike heart of the apostle bleeds through his exhortations, admonitions and rhetorical prowess, thereby calling the Corinthian believers to reevaluate their relations with God, others in the faith family, as well as unbelievers.  One thing that stood out to me during this study is how oftentimes we miss the big picture of following Jesus as part of a larger community.  It’s easier uncritically to subscribe to popular labels by which we derive a sense of belongingness and then to allow such identity-markers (be it theological labels, denominational affiliations, patriotic platforms, etc.) to trump the dynamic call to follow Jesus in every area of one’s life. Yet, with Jesus as our Lord, where else should we derive our ultimate sense of idenity other than Him?

Granted, it would be much easier if personal piety were the only requirement in Kingdom living.  And this isn’t to knock personal, pietistic commitments which we have adopted as essential in our lives.  The problem arises when our understanding of “Christian spirituality” becomes weighed down with inwardly focused, performance-driven, non-Christlike lifestyles.  And I’m speaking of myself more than any other.

It reminds me of a movie we recently watched called Forever Strong.  The main character in the movie grew to realize how life is directly connected to the well-being of others.  It’s not about being the star of the show (he was a strong rugby player who was the one who scored most of the points).  It’s about winning as a team.  If we embrace a similar mindset in the church (which is actually the NT witness of being the people of God), then we grow to realize that at the heart of following Jesus is the well-being of others (“saved” or “unsaved”).

As I was studying 1 and 2 Corinthians, I was greatly impressed with how Paul, who had every right to demand the privileges of an apostle (e.g. not having to work another job for money), laid down his rights for the well-being of the community.  And this community included many people who were obviously influenced by those who opposed Paul and his ministry.  Yet, the apostle’s “spirituality” was outwardly focused, Spirit empowered and Christ-centered.  His ministry was characterized by selflessness and suffering love.

And in a society where the label “Pentecostal” is oftentimes loosely connected with such selfless and love-infused ministry like Paul’s, I wonder what would happen if we truly grabbed hold of “Pentecostal fire” and were filled with the Spirit of Christ.  Would there be room for hero worship, individualism, and narcissism in our local assemblies?  Would it redefine our understanding of “missions” and possibly critique our certainties regarding spirituality and grace?

Late night musings,  :sleeping:

Shannon

Dee and I hope to have everything packed up and ready to move by tomorrow.  We’ll be moving most everything on Saturday morning (with the help of a few friends).  We’re excited to say the least about the new place.  It’s a bit closer to the church and still has good access to the interstate for Dee to commute to UAB.  All in all, the entire thing is a miraculous display of God’s provision.

Last night, we had drama practice at the church for the kids, as many of them will be participating in a drama this weekend for Father’s Day.  There were five kids who were not in drama practice with whom I had an opportunity to discuss a lesson from Mark 12.28-34.  The lesson was called “Jesus Rules Myspace.”  We discussed the popular (mis)understanding of compartmentalized Christianity.  So many times, we are tempted to view Christianity as our “spiritual” commitment which has no bearing upon practical, everyday life.  Yet, Jesus’ response to the scribe who asked what was the most important commandment of all was twofold.  First, he quoted the “shema” (Hear, O Israel) from Deut 6.  Many translations (e.g. ESV, NIV, NKJV, etc.) have “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”  In this, he was addressing a polytheistic culture which worshiped many different gods (as it is today), and echoed the importance of living all of life in sole allegience to God.  A viable (alternate) translation of Deut. 6.4 which is brought out in the NRSV is “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.”  Meaning, the crux of the text isn’t simply the oneness of God’s being, as it is a call to live under the one true God’s lordship.  Alan Hirsch does a great job of bringing out this point in his work – The Forgotten Ways.

The second aspect of the command was to “love your neighbor as yourself.”  Here, we spoke of the implications of our commitment to Christ.  If we say that we love God, but treat others like dirt, then we do not rightly understand what it means to live all of life under Christ’s lordship (cf. 1 John 2.9).  We must (re)define salvation as living life under Christ’s lordship by the presence and power of God’s Spirit rather than simply seeing salvation as a “get out of hell free card” (not trying to be crass).  I think Hirsch (and others; e.g. Eugene Peterson) is right when he discusses the trouble that our “sacred/secular” divide has caused many in the church.  That if we “master” the sacred space (which is usually defined by buildings, religious mannerisms, inflexible liturgies, etc.), then the ethic by which we live can be different in the “secular” space (which we often call “the real world”).  Yet, in light of Christ’s (called-for) lordship, all of life is sacred.  There is no space which should be outside the influence of God’s love.  And the ethic of the Kingdom, by which all Christ followers are to live, is one which looks like that of our Lord (total love for God and others).  Thus, as a Christian (Christ follower), we are in process towards total surrender to the Spirit of Christ.  That is, Jesus is to rule “myspace” (my heart, soul, mind and strength).

Blessings,

Shannon

Shannon and I have been out of town for about a week and a half. I had a math conference in Gainesville, Florida for a few days. On our way back to Ga, we visited some friends in Valdosta (Jason, Candy and Joshua). Then, we went to visit our families in Vidalia, GA while Shannon was preparing to preach in a series of meetings at Cornerstone Church. Everything went well, and I thank God for his mercies during both the conference and the church services.

It is amazing to see God work in the lives of people and change them into new creations. That is what happened this week in the services. Shannon spoke three messages from Romans 12 (Holy Rebellion, Rebel with a Cause, The Heart of the Matter) and once from Acts chapters 1 and 8 (Turning the Church Inside Out). They were timely messages about rebelling against the worldly system and living a transformed life in the midst of a secular world (as one follows the Holy Spirit). He spoke about the need for community – that one cannot be “saved” without developing relationships within the community. He cried out for the church to reach beyond our own comfort and into the community which surrounds us that is dying without our intervention. We must reach out even to those people around whom we may be uncomfortable, as they need to see the story of Christ exemplified in our lives.

While we were grateful for this time, we are both happy to be back home in Birmingham. We missed all of our Alabaster Church of God family and our friends in the Birmingham area while we were gone. We missed our fellowship at The Bridge meetings and going to Habaneros after church on Sunday. To all our family at Alabaster: We missed you; we love you; and it was so good to see you last night. (To those who couldn’t make it last night, we look forward to seeing you soon.)

Just one last thought: Where would we be (as Christians) without a family of faith? How has your church family impacted your life? Please take a moment to thank those people who have helped you along your journey to living in Christ.

Peace,

Dee

Entering the room, I didn’t know exactly what to expect.  I knew that it was a wonderful opportunity to be able to meet and talk with some fellow ministers concerning what it means to follow Jesus Christ and lead others in this path.  Young in ministry and in my overall walk with God, there is so much of which I am unaware. Programs, leadership styles, methodologies, conflict resolution, vision casting, spiritual guidance, family nurture, spiritual warfare, biblical exposition, mentorship, communication, time management, ecumenical perspective, organizational facilitation, and the list goes on and on. So many things to consider in the direction of pastoral ministry.  

In many ways, and oftentimes, the how tends to overshadow the why. To me, the why is a given.  God loves us and made a way for persons to be restored to Him.  By faith in Jesus, we enter into a relationship with God.  This relationship is empowered by the Holy Spirit (God), so it is a matter of trust and obedience as opposed to simple will power and personal piety (although both are involved).  As we grow in this relationship, God calls us to a life of influencing others to enter his Kingdom, thereby embracing his lifeline to rescue us from eternal sin and death.  The why seems much clearer than the how.  Thus, in my mind I think I was more focused on learning the latest info pertaining to the how of ministry.  You know, that which makes things more “effective.”

And as I’m walking into the room, I see an older lady who appears sweet and hospitable, yet somehow firm and resolved.  

“Hello, my name is Shannon.”

With a gentle smile, she replies, “Hello, Shannon.  I’m Margaret Gaines.”  

My mind considers the name somewhat familiar.  However, it doesn’t fully dawn on me until we’re all seated and the meeting begins – Margaret Gaines…(trying to remember)… She is the missionary to the Arabs of whom I have heard tremendous accounts of miracles in ministry.  In a short while, Sis. Gaines is asked to share with us some things on her heart concerning ministry.

Of all the things which she shared, the one thing that resonates in my mind pertains to the simplicity of walking with God.  We must be willing to walk with God.  And in walking with God, his love draws us into a loving relationship (with Him and others).  Such a relationship entails a sincere trusting God with our lives that finds expression in faithful obedience to God’s Word.  So, beyond novel methods, models and means, the word shared was one that called us back to the simplicity of faith – as a child lays her head upon the shoulder of her father, we can trust our Father to take care of us in spite of the storms.  

Arriving home later that evening, I thought of the many wonderful things learned throughout the day.  However, some things slipped through… They slipped through the note-taking, concept-oriented rationality which is definitely a necessary component, and they began to percolate in hidden places of my heart.  No matter how well versed I am in the methods, models and means of ministry, the heart of my influence stems from walking with God.  Am I walking with God, day by day, place by place, conversation by conversation?  Have I pledged devotion to Him, even when I don’t fully understand life, death, the world, the church, salvation, sin, people, pain, etc.?  For it is in walking with God that I find myself joined hand in hand, heart in heart, gift in gift with other brothers and sisters of like surrender who know that without trusting God, we are left to our own devices.  Such a picture underlines the gravity of being disconnected from God (by sin) and the gracious redemption offered by a loving Father determined to rescue his children.

Pondering her call to walk with God,

Shannon

I was thinking this morning about how our churches (for the large part) seem to be homogeneous, meaning, the people in our churches all seem to look alike and be very much alike.  I wondered is there a place for the marginalized of our society in our church, or would we marginalize them the same way the world does, just because they are different from us?

For example, what about those people who are mentally or physically disabled?  I have no doubt that our churches would feel compassion for these people.  I have no doubt that our churches would offer to help these people by offering food or money.  I have no doubt that our churches would pray for these people, but I wonder if we would make a place for them amidst us.

These are two very different concepts.  The first allows us to help the disabled.  But, in the second, we are opening up our world and allowing them to contribute and actually help us.  This would take much patience and love, and I am sure that it would be much quicker for me to cook a meal for my family than it would be for someone who is physically disabled. 

This is the crux of the matter.  Do we have time not only to give but to allow someone else to give to and minister to us?  Can we slow down and see that Jesus didn’t just give handouts to people and promise to pray for them; he spent time with them and allowed them to minister to him.

I have recently read about a community begun my Jean Vanier (a priest) called L’Arche (pronounced Larsh).  The name means “ark” in French.  In this community, disabled people live with those who are not disabled and they all contribute to life in the community.  After all, we are to be a community – contributing to each other.

Jean Vanier and Stanley Hauerwas co-wrote a book entitled Living Gently in a Violent World: The Prophetic Witness of Weakness.  In this book, Vanier describes his community and makes some compelling arguments about how this accurately reflects the heart of God.   He even makes an argument along the lines that in order to be a “Friend of God,” a phrase which I think is often misused by many people, one must embrace the weakness and frailty in one’s society the way Jesus did.

Hauerwas takes a somewhat more political view and argues that we must, as a society, allow the disabled to find their place in our communities.  We have become a society where we are focused on cures, and we have no time for care.  When we cannot cure someone, we want to hide him/her away in shame.  But, this is not the desire of God, nor is it healthy for our communities.

I agree with the two authors of this book and would encourage anyone to read it.  It is not long (less than 100 pages after you take out the table of contents and other things of that nature), but the book was heart-wrenching and helped me to see that ministry is not always about doing things for people who have less than you – sometimes, it is about allowing them to minister to you.  You may see yourself change right before your eyes.

Blessings,

Dee

Today, I would like to continue our journey through Vondey’s work, People of Bread: Rediscovering Ecclesiology.  In previous posts (Feb-8 Theological Imagination, Feb-9 Imagine That, Feb-11 To Image or Not to Image), we surveyed the importance and role of images in the Church.  Chapter two is called Companionship: The Social Nature of the People of God.  Before reading the chapter, I was intrigued by the chapter title.  How would the author connect the relationships that exist (or should) within the Body of Christ with the image of bread?  

The author methodically explores key Scriptures which point to the importance of bread as a central theme of fellowship in both the Old and New Testament (e.g. Gen 31.54; Exod 2.20; Ruth 2.14; 2 Sam 9.7, 10; Prov 23.6; et al).  Interestingly, in the Hebrew culture, joining someone for a meal meant the parties involved were entering a relationship together.¹ Of note, the derivatives of the Semitic root for the word bread “are the Syrian ‘to join,’ the Moabite ‘to fight,’ and the Arabic ‘weft,’ ‘weld,’ or ‘relationship’” (p. 37).  With my dad a sheet metal worker for the past 20 years or so, I have observed the effects of welding. So, the Arabic nuance of “weld” sticks out to me.  Welding brings parts together in the undeniable context of focused (intentional) energy (heat).

Furthermore, Vondey notes how the word “companion” “literally refers to partaking in the production and consumption of ‘bread’ (panis) ‘together’ (com-)” (p. 42).  Think about the times when you invite someone over for a meal or meet with others after the morning service in order to eat together.  For ACoG, oftentimes we meet at a local Mexican restaurant (after all, corn chips and salsa is a type of bread, right? lol ).  Something occurs during such fellowship other than everyone simply receiving physical nourishment (for me, the chicken fajitas!).  There is a spiritual nourishment of sorts that takes place as persons share thoughts, questions, stories, testimonies, hardships, etc.  Over the context of the meal, we embrace a vulnerability that is necessary in order to get to know people better.

Now, the reason for the title of the post is because we must be careful not to relegate “church” to merely attending Sunday and Wednesday services (for those of us in the CoG tradition, these are the usual times of corporate gathering).  ”Church” goes beyond meeting at a designated building (“going to Church”) and involves issues, stories, pains, struggles, triumphs, etc. of real persons. People make up the Church and at the heart of our being the body of Christ is the development of meaningful relationships with one another (and those around us).

A few questions: What are some ways in which a local assembly may foster stronger relationships?  What are the major obstacles facing the development of such meaningful relationships (between age groups, interests, handicaps, locales, etc.)?  As a Christian, is fellowship with others essential?  Can I be a Christian and not (intentionally) engage in meaningful relationships with others?

Blessings, 

Shannon

¹ Vondey, People of Bread, p. 37.

Recently, I read a thought-provoking article by John Ortberg called, “Your Hidden Curriculum,” found in the winter 2009 volume of Leadership Journal (a good journal I might add that can be found at Barnes & Noble). Below the title, Ortberg asks – “What do people learn from you about the Christian life?  Sometimes it’s what you never intended to teach.”  The author contends that if there ever is a contradiction between our “formal curriculum” (small group studies, sermons, lessons on prayer, etc.) and our “hidden curriculum,” folks always believe the “hidden curriculum.”  He describes the hidden curriculum of a church as

“Who gets fawned over, and who gets ignored?  How do the staff and leaders get along when they’re off the platform and think nobody’s looking?  How does a small group respond when someone shares a problem that is untidy and unresolved?  Do leaders respond with panic or irritation or confidence or gentleness when a problem strikes?  When there is a conflict, do people face it head on or go into avoidance mode?  Does the church staff run on fear?” (p. 50) 

A few months back, some dear friends of ours visited from Georgia. We were hanging out in the living room for some good ole’ conversation over coffee (or soda for some).  Knowing that the couple recently relocated, I asked if they had yet to find a local church.  The young lady shared with us how she and her husband visited several churches.  One particular congregation (of the same denomination of which they were part in their last locale) seemed to be very promising at first.  However, after the announcements were given before the congregation, our friend said that she was greatly dissatisfied with how inwardly-focused the church was.  

Now, if you took a sweeping glance in the bulletin, there seemed to be no way to arrive at such a conclusion.  There were all kinds of “ministry groups,” “community projects,” etc. that had the trappings of a “successful” church.  But our friends heard and observed something different than what was listed in the bulletin (or on the church website).  They observed folks talking about various fellowships, get-togethers, luncheons, trips, etc. that centered around the satisfaction of those attending.  What was missing was a missional message laced within the conversations and actions of those attending, particularly the leadership.  

Thankfully, our friends did in fact find a local assembly in which to participate; one whose body-life looked more like that of Jesus. However, this conversation, coupled with Ortberg’s article, sparked some questions in my own mind about the traditioning (discipleship) of the church.  What exactly are we passing on?  What legacy of love are our children learning?  If we slow down a bit and prayerfully observe our attitudes, actions, conversations and vision, are we leading people in the way that Jesus is the Way?  Eugene Peterson’s excellent work, The Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways that Jesus is the Way, highlights the ways by which Christ embodied the way of salvation.  It’s an interesting and helpful critique.  

• Do I affirm undying love for Jesus but treat others around me in an unChristlike manner?
• If I claim to love all persons, do I surround myself with friends who are only like me?
• Do I profess that all persons are important and then rush past everyone without slowing to hear their concerns?
• Do I preach reckless abandon in worship and then hoard my resources and satisfy my own impulses for stuff?
• Am I undermining God’s love for all by my negative conversations and snide remarks concerning others?
• Do I pray at home with my family or only at church when called upon?

Asking myself these questions and more,

Shannon

I have often heard people talk about the God of the Bible – how we know who he is by what he does. 

We see the many times that God provided for his people – the ram for Abraham’s sacrifice, in the desert when Israel was wandering, his instruction to Israel to provide for the widow and orphan – and we know God is our Provider.

We see the many times that God healed people – in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New – and we know God is our Healer, our Physician. 

We see the times when God judged those who had done wrong – Saul’s sacrifice rather than obedience, Ananias and Sapphira lying to the Holy Spirit, the Egyptians not letting God’s people go – and we know God is our Judge.

There are so many more dimensions to God’s character and his relationship with us, but my question goes in a little different direction.  If we know who God is by what he does, then shouldn’t the world around us know who we are by what we do and how we relate to them?

So, who are we?

Are we sectarian because the world sees us as exclusive and unaccepting of others?  Or are we humanitarian because we show others that we value the differences in God’s wonderful creation of people?

Are we lazy because the world hears us as preaching loudly but not practicing what we preach?  Or are we role models because we show others that we keep our word and do what we tell others to?

Are we legalists because the world see us as having plenty of rules but no love?  Or are we life-changers because we show the world that we love them and that love can change them?

Who are we?

Just thinking,

Dee