Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Pastor's Perspective - What DO You Do?



In the early 80’s when MTV was barely standing up in the crib, and actually played music videos, a rather bizarre British music artist named Adam Ant had a popular video for his song ‘Goody Two Shoes’. The catchy chorus included the lyric, ‘Don’t drink. Don’t smoke. What do you do?’ Barely out of high school, admittedly I liked the hip beat and pretty girls in the clip the best; but, the chorus stuck with me – always has.

I could have been one of the Flying Wallendas! I literally grew up on the balance beam. I lived in the middle tension of being the oldest son in a liberal, fun-loving, stein-rocking Germanic family. On the other side I was a staunch allegiant to a highly conservative channel of Christianity. Polar opposites! But, both somehow scratched a certain itch in me. I became really good on the beam. I adored and took great pride in my European heritage, along with its openness to all things fun and the people who would rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints (Joel). Yet, on the other side of the beam, and somehow equally enjoyable, was my engrainment in a channel of faith that took pride in its Spartan adherence to discipline and rule-following. I lived and walked in the daily tension of both – without a net! I was a sinner and a saint. I was a louse and a legalist. In one way I was the drunkard scandalously eating with Jesus. In the other, I was a snazzy-robed Pharisee, mocking Jesus’ choice of dining partners. Simply put, I was a hypocrite –legalism had blinded me to my ominous and metastasizing spiritual condition.

Christianity, in my earliest experience and understanding, was about following God’s ‘Pool Rules’ meticulously, even when the rest of the screaming kids were running around the water’s edge without an adult. Being somehow pleasing to God, was about laws; that He loved the obedient people who read the Bible and color only inside the lines. For me, because I was such a good fair-haired ‘church boy’, in my prideful opinion, I only needed a Nyquil cap of Jesus’ forgiving blood. However, the other people who didn’t know what I knew, do what I did and worship the way I worshiped, all those hell-bound folks, well, they needed the hydrant! Religion was about appearance. It was about impressions. It was fluency in Christianese! It was about knowing the ‘No’s’ – like don’t drink, don’t smoke – including, don’t chew tobacco, and don’t dance with girls who do! Thankfully, through God’s patience, grace and numerous humbling valley experiences throughout my life, I no longer base my righteousness in my flawed efforts and self-imposed righteousness; but instead in something so much better.

As a local pastor trying to help real people like myself, I find that we in the clergy and in nice churches peppered throughout Solano County, are known too prominently for what we say ‘No’ to, than what we say ‘Yes’ to. It’s abundantly clear what we Christians are really against; we’re professionals at making that crystal clear; but, do the people around us know what we are really for? I’m spit-ballin but, could this be why so many hurting people, hemorrhaging from real wounds, avoid the help and message the church was created to offer? Could it stem from the fact that we preach only from the “Anti” side of the ledger?  “Why would I darken the door of a local church? I know what they think about me – my struggles – my attractions – my propensities – my less-than-stellar past. I don’t fit neatly in their box of standards. Why bother?” Could it be that we’ve specialized in what we’re against and have forgotten what we’re for? That somehow beating the ‘Thou Shalt Not’ drum and extending a sturdy Heisman Trophy stiff arm shows the world the open nail-pierced hands of the Savior? Instead, it keeps us in a defensive posture – the bad guys out – the good guys in – and an unraveling world from seeing our own personal and congregational flaws and challenges up close. Recently I shared this quote I heard, “As Christians we despise people who sin differently than we do.” I agree.

If you’re a fundamental Christian reading this, I read the 66-book memo from headquarters too. I know what you’re against. Some of those things are very clear. Some of those things are founded in very gray areas of Scripture. But, my question is, what are you for?

I know I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one (John). I think that if the blood-washed would speak more discerningly, more articulately, more humbly, more gracefully and more lovingly about what we’re for –Who we’re for – What He is for – then perhaps more would see our churches not as cold iron-shrouded bastions of regulations and judgment – but instead what Jesus wants them to be – welcoming hospitals for the spiritually sick.

Don’t drink. Don’t smoke. What do you do?  

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Pastor's Perspective - Who You Gonna Call?



This past Monday evening, my community group and I studied the passage in Acts about  Eutychus – a boy in ancient Troas who for the past two thousand years has been immortalized in Scripture (Acts 20:7-12).

For those unfamiliar with him, he was sitting in a window sill late one evening while the Apostle Paul taught the church till midnight. Luke, the author, tells us that as Paul went on and on because he was leaving the next day, Eutychus became drowsy, fell from the three-story ledge and died. Paul casually called a time-out, went down to the dead boy, threw himself on the corpse, assured everyone that Eutychus was okay, then went back upstairs and continued teaching. Talk about a wild church service! (I have a similar story from years ago while I preached that I’ll write about someday).

As we looked for practical applications in these six verses our minds raced. In our imagination, we saw an elderly Eutychus telling his awed grandchildren about the night the infamous apostle visited his church. We made observations about the importance of proximity when it comes to our relationships with God, and, the call to ‘stay awake’ during perilous times as Christ’s return looms closer. Lastly, in a very practical way, we saw together the importance of having faith-filled friends when an unanticipated crisis strikes. Eutychus was simply a kid falling asleep in church, a phenomena I witness weekly; but, without warning, tragedy struck! Crazy how tragedy does that.

In the New Testament we read about four faith-filled friends who creatively and selflessly took their lame friend to Jesus – literally vandalizing a house to do it!

When everything suddenly goes wrong in your life – who you gonna call? When tragedy cruelly strikes, the Ghostbusters are useless.

Do you have a friend or two, maybe a team, that will call out and trust the God of the impossible on your behalf when you’re in crisis? Those who will carry you to Jesus? Those in your life who will throw themselves on top of whatever you’re facing – no matter how ugly? Those who won’t freak-out, but will respond in sincere and authentic faith?

Eutychus had Paul.

Who do you have?