Shannon Mimbs | Joining the Conversation on God, Church, & Culture » Testimony

A letter to our daughter: the meaning behind your name.

Shannon Mimbs — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:38:34 +0000

My dearest little girl:

This week numerous persons will get invitations to a baby shower for you and your mom. In addition to the excitement of seeing family and friends when we travel to Georgia, and of course you being “showered” with many necessities (maybe with some toys thrown in here and there! necessities?!), we’re particularly stoked about the invitations. Invitations? Yep. There’s something especially sweet on the invitations (other than the cool design and layout provided by Mrs. Vicki). On the invitations, we’ve announced your name for the first time. Yes, I’m beaming even while typing this.

The fact is that your mom and I have been praying for a while concerning what your name should be. And then, through various means, we simply knew. Beyond only liking the ring of a name, we sought something that captures the essence of who you are – the gift you are to us and the world. And I believe that we’ve done just that.

A few years ago, your mom and I helped edit a New Testament commentary that was written by a friend of ours. (Check it out because your mom and I wrote many of the review questions after each chapter.) The commentary covers 1 and 2 Corinthians. During the extensive study for this project, we learned afresh the heart-breaking scenario facing the Corinthian congregation.

There were those in the Corinthian church who apparently were quite infantile in their faith. They fell prey to worldly bickering, categorizing, competition and infighting that undermined the stick-togetherness of the faith family. Basically, worldliness crept into the church. Brothers and sisters were not viewing others through the eyes of Jesus.

They had forgotten the transformative nature of the gospel; that those who belong to Christ are brought into a faith family whose values and ways of living stand over against the world. And at the heart of these “values” and “ways of living” involves our relationships with others. Our relationship with Jesus transforms how we treat others (or at least it should). We take our cues from how Jesus treated people. And this is more than simply self-willed politeness. It’s the relational direction that the Spirit leads us. As the Spirit led Jesus, the Spirit leads the church.

Numerous folks in the Corinthian church had to realize how bad things really were. But, then again, one’s eyes adjust to the darkness the longer one is in it. People were dividing into camps. Each rallying around certain prominent figures in the church. Rather than focusing on their identity as a faith family, splinter groups emerged that were more concerned with personal preferences than the overall well-being of the community.

In 1 Corinthians 1.11, Paul mentions how he receives word about the fragmentation of the Corinthian congregation.

My brothers and sisters, Chloe’s people gave me some information about you, that you’re fighting with each other. (CEB)

Although this division was widespread, it’s obvious from the correspondence that someone finally had enough. They were tired of the church being less than what she was supposed to be. Instead of following Paul as he followed Jesus, the church was following worldly standards of judgment and categorization – returning to the poisoned waters of bigotry and pride. So, a report went out. The report came from “Chloe’s people.”

Some translations render this “Chloe’s household.” What stands out about the reference is that during these times “households” were primarily associated with male figures. Thus, the reference immediately grabs your attention. So, why does Paul say this? What might this mean?

Many commentators suggest that the reference lets us know that Chloe was a prominent lady in the community. New Testament scholar, Ben Witherington III, says that most likely she was “a businesswoman prominent in the Christian congregation in Corinth and perhaps one of Paul’s first converts there. Her loyalty to Paul is shown by the oral report that she sends him” (Conflict & Community in Corinth, Eerdmans: 1995). As one of the first converts of the great apostle, Chloe was a lady of influence, hospitality, and witness. When seeing the fragmentation of a young congregation, she cared enough to send (at the least, to support) a group of persons to take word to the apostle Paul that the church needed help.

This, my dear, is where we got your first name. We want you to know that the New Testament witness gives primacy of place to the calling and empowerment of the Spirit upon persons in order for them to be and do what God desires. For too long, and at the expense of so many anointed women of God, the church has placed unnecessary, unbiblical and undermining limitations upon people in order for them to “qualify” for ministry. Know this, sweet Chloe: you can be whatever God calls you to be. It’s important to remember that the church is to be an extension of the anointed ministry of Jesus to the world. And this means the entire church. The self-imposed dividing lines, limitations, power plays, prejudicial categorization, competition and suchlike have no place among the people of the Spirit.

I say this to encourage you to listen carefully to God’s call upon your life. And don’t allow the delimiting expectations of a few cause you to doubt what God can do in and through your life. He is your source, strength and portion. Although his bride fails to see how special you are at times, love her with the power of Jesus’ love. Such love is transformative and diffuses through the community. It is unimaginably powerful to open the eyes of the blind.

Ok, so we’ve covered your first name. What about your middle name? Well, this shouldn’t take so long to discuss. It’s rather straightforward. Before you came along, your mom and I had a pretty tough year. Without going into great detail, suffice it to say that our prayer could be summed up by our asking God to help us breath. Meaning, help us make it through another day, hour, minute by His grace. We had suffered through quite a bit of loss and heartbreak. And we needed God to reach into our lives and graciously empower us to flourish in faith and ministry; to be reminded of his ever-present strength amidst the storm.

See, baby girl, we live in the middle of a warzone. Literally, our world is at war (physically and spiritually) and it breaks God’s heart. So much so, that he went to great lengths in order to start the healing process in creation; to the point where he gave his very life to hit the reset button for humanity. The very fact that God engages our pain – caring enough to commit to us in such a way – lets us know who he is. He doesn’t sit idly by while rebellion wreaks havoc in our lives. He approaches us in vulnerability, passionate, driven by suffering love. And his disposition of such loving redemption is best captured in one word – Grace. This is what you are to us – an expression of God’s grace.

There you have it, Chloe Grace, a brief story of your name. Oh, I almost forgot. “Chloe” literally means “blossoming.” It’s fitting that you are God’s grace blossoming before our very eyes. And this is simply the beginning. Our dreams for you abound. The world awaits your arrival this January. We truly believe you will transform the world for the glory of Christ.

With infinite affection,

Dad

“How He Loves”

Shannon Mimbs — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 03:10:41 +0000

Many will recognize the title of the song – How He Loves. I’m sure it’s been on the hearts and lips of millions of believers around the world. John Mark McMillan penned the words to this song following the death of his dear friend, Stephen Coffey. If you look up the song on Wikipedia, you’ll find a bit on the background of the song:

“Coffee was a youth minister for Morningstar Ministries. On November 1, 2002, during a church prayer meeting, Coffee prayed out loud, ‘I’d give my life today if it would shake the youth of the nation.’ That very night, he was in a multi-car accident and died of serious injuries.”

According to the same source, McMillan was recording in a studio in Florida upon hearing the news. The following day McMillan wrote How He Loves as a means of expressing his pain and frustration to God.

It was this song that Dee and I played over and over again throughout the day (and night) after losing our child. Whether crying, angry, silent – the song was on repeat for weeks in our home. We both agree that it was God’s means of grace to us in our darkest hour. Although our house is filled with hundreds of theology books and numerous bibles in multiple translations, it was this song that seemed to seep through the cracks of our broken souls and bring a soothing reminder of God’s love.

What’s weird is that the Wednesday night prior to the horrific news, Dee and I told the story of John Mark to a group of students in a bible study. In fact, we even played a video of his testimony regarding how the song came about. I remember receiving a gentle text from a friend who upon hearing the news simply said – “We love you guys. Just remember the message you two taught the teens last week. O how He loves!” The text came a few days after the song had already filled our home. It was a gentle reminder of the Spirit that we needed to continue focusing on God’s love.

It’s interesting (and often painful) to hear what people say to those who are drifting the seas of loss and suffering. I don’t want to go into great detail about this, because I know that each person who spoke with us during this time was doing so from genuine concern and love. Suffice it to say, we do well to sit with the hurting, wrap our arms around them and simply weep. And when the time arises for us to speak, may I be mindful of the danger of pithy sayings that misrepresent the heart of the Father. Thankfully, there were those in our lives who simply loved us. They listened to us – even in our silence. They sat with us. They reached out through sweet letters, calls, and texts. They filled our home with His love.

So, let’s connect this with the Scripture text from our last blog – “Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad” (Matt 5.4). Our grief or mourning, although including times of crying and wailing before God and others, is not necessarily the same as shedding tears. It’s being “deeply saddened and concerned to the point of action” (G. Stassen, Living the Sermon on the Mount, p. 47). Glen Stassen draws upon Clarence Jordan’s eye-opening exegetical work and notes something extremely helpful to capture the essence of the passage:

“Penthountes [the Greek word oftentimes translated ‘mourning’ or ‘grieve’] does mean being sad because of a loss, as when your father dies or your sister is fired from her job. The reign of God will bring healing and comfort. But it also means repentance: Christians who pray for God’s reign to come are all the more aware that what is happening in themselves and their society is far from God’s reign. Their prayer life compares God’s compassion for all people with the suffering, violence, injustice, and lack of caring that hurt people; they are realists as to the causes of the wrong. They truly want to end their sinning and serve God. They want to share in a community that experiences the mustard seeds of the kingdom, the small daily breakthroughs of God’s reign.”

I don’t share this to say that people who suffer or experience loss need to repent of something that caused such. That’s not what I’m trying to say at all. I think the heart of Stassen’s take on the passage is that our mourning over the brokenness of our world (even our own lives!) drives us to the point of utter dependency upon God. In a posture of repentance, we should seek to align ourselves with God’s reign and participate in His action of deliverance for the world. In doing so, we enter into the joy (happiness) that Jesus speaks about in Matthew 5.4.

Sucker Punch!?

Shannon Mimbs — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:54:40 +0000

“Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad” Matthew 5.4 (CEB)

During our “Kingdom Q&A session” at youth camp last week, one of the questions was whether Dee and I have ever lost someone that we love. I know that the student had no clue what happened to us earlier this year. It was obvious when the student came up to me after the session and apologized for asking the question. Of course, there was no apology necessary. He didn’t know what we’d experienced. And it offered us an opportunity to share of joy in God amidst grief and mourning.

Earlier this year, Dee and I experienced the most horrible tragedy of our lives. We lost our first child. Words can’t capture or do justice to the depth of pain that such loss brings. And there is no preparing for moments like these, which have a beginning point but seem to go on endlessly.

This is the first time that I’ve written about this publicly. I spoke with Dee about doing so, and we agree that it may be an opportunity for us to minister out of our pain. And since it’s something that we addressed during our Q&A session, I’ll share a bit in connection with Matthew 5.4.

I shared with the students how so much that we believe theologically is connected to our doctrine of God. How you perceive God to be means everything regarding how you go about relating to God (and others). Now, surely, followers of Jesus want to have their doctrine of God primarily shaped by the Scriptural witness. But even those who tout scriptural warrant regarding their doctrine of God find themselves among a host of opinions about how God relates to humanity. And there are many who name the name of Christ who maintain images of God that seem to be shaped by so many other influences than that of the bible.

Is God the one who perpetrates evil? Does God cause suffering? Does God suffer? Does God’s will change? Is God ever surprised? Is it possible for God’s will to be derailed? The list of questions goes on and on.

I’m not attempting to answer such questions. I do want to say, however, that I do not maintain the picture of God as being that of the divine puppet-master who causes every single thing to occur (both good and bad). The created order that God brought about is more dynamic than that. I’m not a mathematician (that’s Dee’s department, of course), but think about all of the variables involved in free creatures making an unbounded number of decisions around the world. The possibilities are mind-numbing. And this isn’t to mention chaos or randomness.

Yet God, in all of his wisdom, masterfully works within such a (complex) created order with the purpose of redemption. I say this to emphasize the relational sovereignty that God exercises over creation. His workings are dance-like. Overall, God seeks to lead graciously, while humanity (and angels alike) must choose to follow Him.

Given the war-torn landscape of the created order, there are definitely an untold number of things for which we grieve. Things simply aren’t the way God intends. The brokenness, rebellion and fragmentation of our world often result in mourning among God’s people. Yet Jesus says in Matthew 5.4 that persons who grieve or mourn will be made glad.

And such persons, shattered by the fragmentation of our world, aren’t mourning passively without further response. Meaning, our mourning or grievance with the current mess of our worldly system drives us to a place of repentance. Or at least it should. We don’t want to replicate the rebellion. We don’t want to participate in the viral corruption of God’s creation. Therefore, we pledge our lives to God – through a relationship with God’s Son – and swim against the tide of self-sufficiency, wayward affections and godless actions. We find sustaining joy (happiness) in knowing that God will make things right in the end.

to be continued…

“From a Mighty Long Way”

Shannon Mimbs — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:40:13 +0000

Recently, my parents and grandmother came to visit us here in Cleveland. They came in support of an ordination ceremony that Dee and I were part of. As always, it was a blast having the family in town. My dad has to be one of the funniest people to be around; and Mother and Grandmother are two of the sweetest persons on the planet.

We didn’t sight-see that much. Overall, we simply hung out, sipped coffee (decaf, unfortunately), broke bread (well, Famous Dave’s Ribs!), watched movies, and enjoyed being around each other. I think my favorite time, however, was our time of reading the bible together. I’ve been telling my parents about a new English translation of the Scriptures that Dee and I have been enjoying. It’s called the Common English Bible. And I also know that Dad has trouble reading bibles with smaller print. So, we read the CEB from my kindle, with a larger font of course.

As Dad read through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), I couldn’t help but think of how far God has brought him (and our entire family, for that matter). This December marks 10 years that Dad’s been following Jesus. Many folks know of my dad’s testimony of how God delivered him of so many things (e.g. years of alcoholism). But what came to my mind the most is how Dad’s life is other-oriented now. He’s always looking out for those around him. The once self-centered gravitation now bursts forth with other-affirming, Jesus-like love. And quite frankly, it’s amazing.

Of course, I could go on and on about how my family’s life has been revolutionized by Jesus. But today, I want only to acknowledge that it’s very helpful to slow down and remember where God has brought us from. We definitely have a ways to go. But, all in all, God has brought many of us quite a distance from who we used to be. And that’s definitely worth celebrating!

Dee’s dissertation defense

Shannon Mimbs — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:01:32 +0000

We’re excited that today is Dee’s dissertation defense for her PhD in Mathematics. She is scheduled to present her research (Laminations: A Topological Approach) at 1 pm CST and, hopefully, will complete the defense around 4 pm. Her presentation is around 45 minutes long, followed by a series of questions from the general audience, then her committee. So, she’s just a few hours away from being “Dr. Dee.”

Also, we finally moved all our stuff into the house in Cleveland. Whew! It was quite an ordeal. Before we left Pelham, we held a pretty large yard sale and sold (or gave away) quite a bit of stuff. It’s amazing the things that we collect over the years.

In light of our recent move, last Sunday was our first (official) Sunday at Gateway church. We’re excited to join the faith family at Gateway in service for God’s Kingdom. We’ll be working with the lead pastor, Jason Daughdrill, in areas of discipleship/teaching. Special thanks to everyone who has been praying for us concerning this transition from BHM to TN. Time seems to be flying by and what was once an “upcoming transition” is actually here. And, as always, God’s grace (and infinite wisdom) is definitely in the mix.

Blessings

Hey there!

Dee Mimbs — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:41:41 +0000

Hello everyone,

Sorry for the lack of posting in the past few months. Shannon and I have been very busy and “wow!” do things change quickly! :biggrin: I wanted to give you all an update to let you know how God is working in our lives. I have been hired at Lee University as Assistant Mathematics Professor for the Fall, so Shannon and I will be moving (back) to Cleveland, TN this summer when I finish my dissertation. Thank you, God, for a job.

With the economy in a lull, it is becoming increasingly harder to find jobs, not to mention good jobs. Thus, I am very grateful that God has provided an awesome job at Lee. I so much enjoyed my time there during my undergrad degree, that I think I will have much fun going back.

Please keep praying for us, as we have lots of work and many decisions to make in the next few months. I have half of my dissertation to finish, and then I have to defend it, which is so much work that I can’t quite see the end of the road just yet. :blink: We need to find a house in Cleveland, which is a little difficult while we still have so much to do in Birmingham. So, rejoice with us, but please don’t stop praying for God’s blessings and guidance.

We love and miss you all,

Dee

Thirtysomething

Shannon Mimbs — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:12:21 +0000

Well, it’s been an eventful few weeks. Dee and I traveled to Georgia the weekend of the 16th in order to preach the homecoming service at Cornerstone church. My mom and grandmother were able to join us in service, which is always a tremendous blessing. The message, The Cruciform Life, was from Ps 19 and 1 Cor 6. It just so happened that I injured my neck the day before service. Wouldn’t you know it? A neck injury to bring in the 30th birthday! Thankfully, our chiropractor is anointed to deal with such issues. Yet, it still was a bitter reminder that life is on the move. :blink:

I was blessed by my family with a very helpful birthday gift. They gave me the German edition of Rosetta Stone, which I’ve been considering for a while now. After working through several lessons with the program, it seems to be an excellent resource for introducing one to the language. From what a RS representative told Dee, one could have “conversational fluency” after several months utilizing the program (of course, that’s studying for an hour a day, at the least). So, we’ll see how things go.

This past Saturday, several friends from our local church surprised me with a “you’re over the hill-now-you’re-30!” birthday party. It was hilarious. They put up signs in our neighborhood (thanks Carrie and Brandy!), grilled out (thanks Brett and Ken), and, all in all, helped Saturday to be a blast for us (kudos to all!). [a special shout out to Sonny for the bookstore-breakfast distraction! It worked like a charm... :biggrin: ]. I’m grateful for their friendship. At the core of being in the faith family is doing life together. And what better way of doing life together than partying your socks off? :w00t:

As many of you know, D’s been swamped writing a computer program with a “research language” (Python) that is required for her comprehensive exams (in order to become an official PhD candidate). Good news. Yesterday, she completed the program (thanks Clinton for all the help!) and is submitting it for approval this morning. As of right now, she will be graduating (Lord willing) next August.

Well, that’s an abridged update. We hope everyone is doing well and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Blessings

Amazed

Dee Mimbs — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:33:14 +0000

Shannon and I went to Georgia this past weekend to visit our new baby nephew, Alex Emanuel Acosta. He was born Wednesday, June 14, 2009, weighing 8 pounds and measuring 21.75 inches in length.

I was amazed! How beautiful he is, and precious, and innocent. I am amazed at how wonderful God is – that God can form a child. Wow. And to top it all off, God knows each and every child that is conceived, even if they do not live long enough to be given a name.

Moreover, each one is different from all others. Even identical twins are not “identical.” They may be similar enough to make it difficult for me to discern between them, but there are differences. I just want to thank God for his unimaginable creativity and ask him to help me celebrate the differences in all of us.

Dee

Allergy Musings

Shannon Mimbs — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:22:51 +0000

I‘ve been fighting this allergy / sinus funk for several days now. This morning I broke down and went to the doctor. Sure enough, I’m allergic to nearly everything that is out and about for the next month or so (living in Pollen, AL). Got some nose spray, antibiotics, antihistamine/decongestant and a steroid shot. Hope to be rid of this crud in the next few days.

On the upside, these last few days have been an opportunity to finish up Mere Discipleship by Lee C. Camp, as well as listen to the videos from Woodland Hills Bridge (see my last post). I think Camp’s book should be read by everyone upon entering God’s Kingdom (especially in the Western world). He has a knack for confronting many things which plague the church in America (even our own congregation). The read is very accessible and has a helpful study guide in the back (with chapter summaries, discussion questions, and recommended readings). I hope to revisit the study with a friend who is purchasing the book soon.

The next few months should be quite eventful. I’m still studying for the GRE, which I hope to take in August. As most know, the GRE includes the horrible four letter word… MATH! Thankfully, I spend most of my time with someone who knows quite a bit about the subject (lol). Dee has fit me in her schedule for math sessions. Which is really cool considering she has a way of making the craziest math insights (and jokes) accessible for the hubby. Her incredible genius combined with her God-given patience gives me hope.

While preparing for the GRE, I’m also trying to get two more languages under my belt, which should help in my application for a PhD program. I’m interested in the field of Christian Ethics (maybe getting into a program in Fall 2010). Further, we’re scheduled to be in several ministry services next month at SMCoG; and, hopefully, another church in the area come June. It’ll be good to visit Georgia.

D and I are still teaching students on Wednesday nights at ACoG, and I’m still researching a possible 2-year curriculum which will help add proportionality to our theological trek. I’ve been wondering a lot about the direction of our sessions (a.k.a. Kingdom Seminars). One of the challenges of student ministry (and any ministry for that matter) is getting a good mix of enjoyable activities (conducive to fruitful fellowship) while, at the same time, teaching the students the called-for commitment of discipleship. How discipleship is more than “coming to church,” or having an “awesome event.” I’m afraid that many of our ministries expect too much from big gatherings (whether it’s Winterfest, sports teams or youth “rallies”.) What is the lasting fruit of such things? I’m not saying “throw the baby out with the bath water.” Only, are we really learning what it means to live a life in submission to the Lordship of Jesus? Have we embraced the challenge of going beyond ourselves (e.g. in our preferences for church events) and caught on to the mission of God’s Spirit in everyday relationships in which we share the love of Jesus with those around us? I digress…

Dee has comprehensive exams this summer. Although she is at the half-way point of her PhD studies, she has to pass these exams to be officially considered for candidacy. I’m sure she will do fine. However, she doesn’t enjoy the tests (who would?). So, please keep her in your prayers. Let’s see, what else is going on? Well, I’ve got an interview this week about a possible (hospice) chaplaincy job. Not sure how this will turn out. I’m hoping to hear back from some other apps as well (in the teaching field). We’re praying for the Lord’s guidance.

Blessings,

Shannon

Kingdom Investment

Shannon Mimbs — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:12:06 +0000

I recently found out that Dr. Adewuya (my advisor at Seminary) preached a message last month in Edmonds, Washington. Fortunately, the church made the sermon available for download. So, we have his message available via The Bridge LIVE and encourage all to check out this timely word. (*Remember that once you visit the site of The Bridge LIVE, you can subscribe to the podcasts via iTunes. For those who cannot access the podcasts onsite, iTunes works well in allowing you to download the messages to your computer.)

Dr. Adewuya and his wife, Sis. Grace Adewuya, (M.Div.) are some of the most committed Christians that I know as it relates to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As a brief intro:

He and Sis. Grace have four children, Toluwalope (“Praise belongs to the Lord”), Iyanuloluwa (“the Lord is wonderful”), Ruth, and Jonathan.
He is a member of East Cleveland Church of God.
He is the Associate Professor of Greek and New Testament at the Church of God Theological Seminary.
He is a seasoned preacher, pastor, missionary and church planter.
From 1984-2001, he served in the Philippines as a missionary and church planter.
He served several years as adjunct faculty at Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary and Asia Seminary of Christian Ministries.
He is an active member of Society for Pentecostal Studies, Wesleyan Theological Society, and Society of Biblical Literature.

Dr. and Sis. Adewuya have extensive ministries which serve various persons in need of God’s love. You can find more information about these ministries at the following sites: Amazing Grace Christian Foundation and Hope and Abundant Life Ministries International. As co-laborers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I encourage all to pray for these tremendous ministries as they are impacting so many lives with the love of Jesus and furthering the Kingdom of God. Also, as God leads, I would invite all to contribute to these ministries in every way possible. I know without a doubt that Dr. and Sis. Adewuya are persons of integrity, and they serve as conduits of God’s love and mercy to all those around them.

Blessings,

Shannon