The Golden Compass

I finished reading the book on Friday and went to the movie on Saturday. First, I thought the book was way better than the movie (but that is usually the case). Second, I understand why the Christian right and the Catholic church could be up in arms. The movie opens speaking of the "Magisterium" which tells people the truth they want them to know. This movie and the book does offer a challenge to the form of Christianity that is dogmatic in belief and leave no room for independent thought or for questioning.

The author has been quoted as saying that church history shows Christianity to be violent and oppressive. I can't argue with that. Christians have been and I would argue still are violent and oppressive. How many theological arguments have ended up with one side being deemed as heretical and killed or otherwise silenced.

I would encourage everyone to see this movie and to decide for yourself. Maybe it is time for the church to listen to an outsider (Pullman is a self proclaimed agnostic) and see what we may actually look like.

Bummer

Well, no snow to speak of, oh well, it is only the beginning of winter. The ice has melted, the clean up continues. Central Oklahoma looks to be clear for a while now, but I have to say it was nice to see the sun again!!!

The next winter storm approaches

My folks didn't have power for almost 80 hours, but we spent a night at my brother-in-law's folks and then 2 nights with my sister and brother-in-law (Janet and James and my nephews Josh and Jayson) since they had power. The power came back on about noon yesterday and then we spent the better part of the afternoon cleaning out the refrigerator and cleaning up some of the branches in the yard. The next storm approaches. We are supposed to have 2-4" of snow in the next 24 hours or so. I will post pictures soon. I missed taking the picture of the 1/4" of ice on my car.

Oklahoma Ice Storm 2007

There are over 500,000 people in Oklahoma without power. My family included. My folks lost power Monday morning around 3:30 am. We went to my sister's who had power (the other lost power about the same time we did) and then she lost power about 2:30. We have ended up at my brother-in-law's parents. They are out of town and one of his brother's and his family are here too. Huge house, and they have power so we are staying the night.

The weather isn't supposed to really improve until late afternoon Tuesday. Tons of tress are down which have caused a lot of the power outages. For all of you outside the state of Oklahoma, pray for those caught in the midst of the largest power outage in the state's history.

For now, me and my family are fine. I also talked with Tim Blodgett and he had power earlier today.

Providence

Although I am tired of waiting, this may be a part of the grand design of things. It has been helpful for me to be in Norman especially as my nephew has had continuing health issues. There have been several days that I have stayed with him to allow for less disruption in other schedules. In the meantime, I have done some pulpit supply, substitute taught, reconnected with church family and other friends and had time to read. God's plans for us are always more than we can see or imagine.

Odds and Ends

I have enjoyed being in Austin. It was a great chance to see some friends and it was a privilege to participate in Arun Jones' installation service. I didn't realize how much I missed singing with Meredith, Monica, and Renee until we started singing. I didn't realize how much I missed APTS and many of the people who are still here. I didn't realize how happy being in this place made me.

On the drive here I had thought about new church development and have had some wonderful conversations with people here about it. It is an idea to think about, but there are some other new ideas that are percolating as well.

On the home front, I just found out that my 10 year old nephew was admitted to the Children's hospital in Oklahoma City to see if they can figure out why he has had headaches for 6 weeks. A mix of emotions from family members, but I think they need to do what ever needs to be done to help him. And a friend of mine who had heart surgery a few weeks ago had to be taken to the emergency room and had surgery to remove fluid. I ask for prayers for my nephew Josh and for my friend John. And I offer prayers of thanksgiving to the many people who have touched my life through this seminary. God Bless.

mmmmm Thanksgiving

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving. Mine was filled with turkey, mashed taters, all the trimmings, football, xbox, and playing with my nephews. My dad and I lost 35-21 to my oldest nephew and his dad in the now annual backyard football game. Blessings to all!

oh yeah, it can be Christmas, I heard the B.C. Clark jingle!

Oklahoma Centennial

Today is the 100th Anniversary of Oklahoma's statehood. This is a picture of the south oval at the University. The flowers were planted specifically for the day. There have been parades and all sorts of civic celebrations. For Thanksgiving, the Pride of Oklahoma will be representing the state in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.

On another note, I needed my trip to Austin and although there were several people who I saw only briefly, it was a nice change of pace and of scenery. I look forward to going back in a little over a week.

I'm Tired

I am tired. Tired of living with my parents. Tired of not yet having a call. Tired of people asking me if I have heard anything. Tired of waiting. Tired of the sense of doubt that lurks in the dark corners.

My Nephews

These are pictures of my nephews Josh (10) and Jayson (4). We carved pumpkins for them. I took the pictures on different days and I was amused that they were both wearing orange shirts when we did the pictures. One upside of being home is getting to hang out with these 2 more often. We have been to museums and the zoo, we have done puzzles, made paper airplanes, played baseball, played xbox, and eaten pizza. What a joy to be around them!

Fall Sites in Norman, OK

This is a shot of pregame as the Pride of Oklahoma runs out of the tunnel and onto the field. Every time I watch them do pregame I am reminded of growing up watching it happen from our seats in the north endzone and then the feeling of the first game when I stood on the field in the middle of the formation.

The arial shot of Memorial Stadium in Norman. Where 84,000 people gather on a Saturday. For those in Austin, TX the atmosphere is much the same, just not so orange. People tailgate most of the day and the crazies come out.


The monarch butterfly migrates through Norman, OK every year. This is one that lit in mom's flower bed. This was also the largest one we've seen this season.




The trees that run along the side of my high school, Norman High, are gorgeous in the fall. They are not done changing color and in the coming weeks they should turn a fiery orange, yellow, and red.

Reformation Day

It is the 490th anniversary of Reformation Day.
Let the doors of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany be opened!



When will the next reformation begin? Who will be the unlikely leader? Martin Luther stood against the abuse he saw in the Catholic church, he was deemed a heretic by the Catholic church. What are the abuses that the church today is guilty of and who are they calling heretic? What is the purpose of the church?

Luther wanted the power of the church to be shifted away from clergy to the masses. He wanted a priesthood of all believers where people would have access to the Bible, the Word of God, for themselves. He wanted them to know God as loving and kind, a God of compassion. Martin Luther never intended to start a new denomination, he never intended to be schismatic, he just wanted to correct the injustice he saw. He argued against relics, they led to worshipping something other than God. He argued against indulgences, paying for grace that is God's gift to us.

What are the relics we worship today? How do we deal in indulgences in this day and age? What do we worship that isn't God and why do we ignore the grace we are given? When will the next reformation start?

Part 2....more sin

I decided that I needed to do some reading so I read Barbara Brown Taylor’s Speaking of Sin and reread part of Migliore on humanity and sin. Here is how sin was defined in the readings.

Barbara Brown Taylor – “Sin is the existential state of distance from God. Sins are willful human choices that maintain that distance.”

Migliore (157) “Sin is basically a refusal to live in right relationship with God and others, the denial of God’s grace and the refusal to live in just and peaceful community that participates in and reflects God’s own life in communion.”

Sin is our choice to live with broken relationship to God and others. We deny the grace that God has extended to us and (as stated in the Confession of 1967) “we claim mastery of our own lives and turn against God. It becomes idolatry of self or others. Something else is put first, something that is not God. I think this is a willful choice, either by ourselves or by others as their choices affect us too. This is where the corporate nature of sin comes into play. The choices we make affect the lives of others, both positively and negatively. It is only by grace that I can make any turn, any realization that I have placed something in the place of God. Only by grace through Jesus Christ can I hope to be restored in relationship with God or with others.

So now my question as this related to the church is do we place false standards on people, make requirements of them to be in relationship with us. I am drawn to the parable of the Prodigal Father. The youngest son is welcomed back with open arms after he comes to himself (I love that phrase), it is his moment of realization that he has distanced himself from his father. He plans his confession, the prepared speech he will make upon seeing his father and his offer for repentance, to live as one of the hired servants. And when he returns, because he has made his confession and repentance, he is given the restoration.

I see the church as the older brother. We are jealous when the father welcomes our brother home. We have been there all along, but have we truly been in relationship with the father (yes I know, I am using exclusive language)? Sometimes the greatest distance is where it seems to be least likely, is that the case now? Are those of us who claim to be Christians really in right relationship with one another or with God?

What would happen if we were to have the type of community that Bonhoffer writes about in Life Together? What would happen if we truly sought confession, pardon and repentance with one another that our relationships might be fully restored. What road blocks to we put up that keep us from being in right relationship? What standards do feel people have to meet before we will accept them?

BTW - If you haven't read John Shelby Spong's "The Sins of Scripture" I would recommend it. Interesting whether you agree with him or not.

On the topic of SIN

I have been attending a Sunday school class at my home church. It is taught by our parish associate and his wife. He is a retired pastor and she is a retired University professor of Religious Studies. They are teaching a class on the history of Christian doctrines. Today we were discussing Atonement theories. What was interesting today was at the end of class. We had a few minutes so Ray launched into a brief discussion of sin.

He asked if anyone had every knowingly and willingly done something to harm God. His contention is that sin is an act that is willingly done against God, and that we don’t try to harm God or neighbor generally. Sin requires a willful intent. To go with this he talked about how big is the god who you can sin against? He further contends that the concept of sin is something the church has put in place to create fear and guilt and to promote a wrathful God.

So what is sin? How does it affect your view of God? How does your understanding of God affect the understanding of sin? I’m still chewing on this one.

A gift from a friend

I had lunch with a pastor friend of mine who is the pastor of a 5 point parish. She has been in ministry for 29 years and has endured much that has paved the way for me and other women entering the ministry. She gave me a great phrase and outlook on my situation.

I am God's servant in waiting. That is what the servant does, waits for the master to call and the right servant is called for the task at hand. So I will wait. I will wait for the master to summon me for the task that I have the gifts to do.

The Search Starts Over

I have now been turned down by Boise, ID. I kinda knew it was a long shot since I didn't have the experience they were looking for and on some of these, the gender issue may still be lurking. So, I start over, sending PIFs to some new churches I have found online and hope to hear from some that I have been referred to. As I have gone through this process I think I am starting to have a clearer picture of what I am looking for in a church....finally!

I am disappointed and frustrated, but trying to patiently wait on God. I know that this is on God's time not mine, but it doesn't make the day to day of it any easier.

DeColores!!!!

I have spent the last 5 days at Canyon Camp near Hinton, Oklahoma. I went to Oklahoma Presbyterian Cursillo #38. Cursillo is a 72 hour spiritual retreat. A chance to get away from the busyness of life and to bask in the glory of God. A chance to be surrounded by Christian hospitality and love and to hear from laity and clergy what is means to live into Christ. As a staff member you are the givers of hospitality which a blessing in itself.

This time I was on staff not as a musician, but as a spiritual advisor. The weekend is run by lay people but there are 3 clergy who lead morning chapel, celebrate communion (the one ordained pastor on our staff did that), are available for individual intercessory prayer, and give some of the talks, This year, there were 2 of us who were on staff as spiritual advisors who have not yet been ordained. It was a great joy to serve as a spiritual advisor. It offered me a chance to preach in a new setting and within a short time. To work to bring in elements of what others have said into what I am saying. I also had the chance to do something I have never done, to preach in my pajamas.

The participants are told to "come as you are" so as the staff, we all model that too. The participants are given robes of righteousness, as was I. It is like wearing a bedspread. :) Good thing it was about Jesus telling us to come as we are.

If you have the chance I would recommend you pray about going.

Neenah said No

Let this be a lesson in trusting your own instincts. I got a phone call from one of the committee members in Neenah, WI and we are finished. They liked my energy, but felt there was a disconnect. As I have thought about it, I was having to talk myself into it. It wasn't a match.

In the long run this is for the best. It is always a little hard to take rejection, but when I stop and really look at it, I think I knew it wasn't right.

So it is back to the proverbial drawing board and waiting to hear from Idaho.

I am looking forward to being at Cursillo this weekend. Time away to regroup and to listen.

After the Interview

I felt my interview in Neenah, WI went well. I felt like I had a good rapport with the committee and with the pastors. I had lunch with the pastors. I think the Sr. pastor is more introverted and therefore I had some problems reading him and getting a feel for whether I could work with him or not. From some of the material they gave me and the interactions I had with folks, the church seems to be content with where they are and what they do. There are some who seem to want to expand and experiment, but I don't see either pastor really taking that on.

The big surprise of the weekend was being thrown in on Sunday morning. I ended up taking over the lessons in Middle School and in Pre-K because they wanted to see how I interacted with the kids and if I understood developmental levels. That is where my teaching background comes in handy! They wanted to see if I could pick up a lesson and run with it with no prep time.

Coming away from the interview, I didn't have an overwhelming feeling that I am called to Wisconsin, but I also didn't walk away thinking, "There is no amount of money that could get me there" Part of the problem is not having another face to face visit to compare it with. Time will tell. But I did get a phone call from the Sr. pastor tonight to get my address so he could send me a couple of audio tapes of his preaching. Interesting that he called and not a secretary or a committee member. He said they were very impressed with me and I was high on their list, but they had other candidates. He also said the next step would most likely include me being asked to come back. I'll keep you posted.

Some Pictures of Neenah

After 2 hours interviewing this morning, then dinner with the pastor and associate pastor, I got a tour of the church. Some of the pictures I took on the tour. Then I went on a driving tour then walked back down to the church from the hotel and took pictures of the outside of the building.

This is downtown Neenah.








First Presbyterian Neenah from the outside.












Who knew that the "Great God Org" lived in Wisconsin. This one happens to be of the Aeolian Skinner variety. The sanctuary is big. French Neo Gothic.

Neenah, Wisconsin

I arrived in Neenah, WI and was met at the airport by Scott and Dave, members of the APNC at First Presbyterian in Neenah. I am interviewing with them for an associate pastor for Christian Education position. I had a good phone interview with them and outside of not preaching much, it looks like a good position. Neenah is one of the communities in what is knows as the Fox Cities. Combined, the Fox Cities area is about 125,000 people.

I will post more after the interview and should have some pictures. What I have seen of the area, it is gorgeous. And I am loving that it is about 50 degrees outside.

4 Truths Discovered by Building Cathedrals

This is taken from an email I got. I pulled this part of it as I feel it applies to a more general audience.
The picture is of Castle Church in Wittenburg.


Four life-changing truths, I learned in reading a book on cathedrals:
(1) No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
(2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
(3) They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
(4) The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."
 And the workman replied, Because God sees." I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.

It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done is too small for me to notice and smile over.

A Next Step

Next weekend I am flying to Neenah, WI for a face to face interview with First Presbyterian for their associate pastor for Christian Education. They emailed me the agenda for the weekend which includes a written "teacher training plan" and then have you "train the committee" as if we were CE teachers giving a lesson. Target taking 30 mintues to "train the trainers" and assume that the committee represents ages pre-school through adult. So that is the project, getting a topic figured out and getting everything made.

I am choosing to do a unit on parables. The younger ones will only have a few parables while the adults can cover more. I am thinking of the parable of the sower from Matthew 13 as the focus for what I will "train the trainers" with. I am reworking a sermon on the same text, but I don't preach this go round.

My only concern with this position is that I would preach only 1 every 6 weeks. Otherwise, I like the information on the CIF and I think it would be a good match. I also have to consider whether for a first call it is more important for me to preach weekly or to gain experience in a larger church. Often times the shifts in position happen laterally in the church, so in that regard starting in a multi-staff church may set me up better for being the head of staff of a larger church down the road. There are oh, so many things to think about in this process.

I am tired of waiting, but this is a chance to work on my ability to wait on God. I hate waiting.

Feeling out of Rhythm

I went for a walk this evening and felt like I was just out of sync. Then it dawned on me that for the last 3 years, the Tuesday after Labor Day marked the beginning of a new school year. Before that there was the rhythm of teaching in public schools. This year, I don't have a rhythm. There isn't a normal pace to my days. There are days that I accomplish nothing, which isn't always a bad thing, but there are also days that I feel positively aimless.

The call process is partially about learning to wait on God. The next step is not on my time, but as one who likes to be in control of things, particularly my own life, this creates a feeling that life is out of sync. Oh well.

To all my friends beginning another year in their seminary career, blessings to you. To the seniors, enjoy time with your fellow seniors. To echo Tim, a realization after graduation is that the path of the pastor is a lonely one indeed. Cultivate relationships and bask in the glorious time that is graduate school. Learn all you can and live life to the fullest. Blessings!

Back into Teaching

I decided to do some substitute teaching while I await a call to a church. My first job was for 3 days in a severely emotionally disturbed class with 7 boys 3rd through 5th grades. It was a little odd to be in the classroom again, but after a little bit it felt very normal. It helped that I was at one of the schools where I taught so there were several familiar teacher faces around.

I had this kind of kid in my PE classes, so I knew that there were reasons that they were in this class. I also reminded myself that every child can learn. My 3 days with these boys served to remind me that every child can indeed learn, but you have to find the "hook" that will get them started. That is truly the art of teaching. The aides in the classroom remarked that a couple of the boys had done more work for me than they had been doing previously.

Every child truly can learn, but it takes time and patience to get to the place where they can learn. These boys, once you got past all the junk that has been placed upon them with medical issues, family life, labels from parents, teachers and kids, and self and can get underneath all that, I found that these boys was each a bright child with untapped potential. It is a matter of trying to help them tap into that resource within themselves.

A Privilege and an Honor

I had the privilege of participating in the ordination service of my friend Paul Burns today as a member of his ordination commission. It was truly an honor to be a part of this momentous occasion for a friend whom I have known since high school and with whom I spent many hours studying and singing with in seminary. It was nice to see Paul's family and celebrate alongside them as well.

Back from Austin

Okay, so Tim is right, my brain probably won't ever be straightened out, but it was nice to see people in Austin. Once again when I went seeking answers I came back with more questions. The questions I came back with will however serve to sort out where I might be called.

To the Seniors facing ords: Relax and take them for what they are. They are tests. If you don't pass, you can take them again, they are no the end all, you will still graduate. Review information so it is more easily accessible, read the question and answer all the parts of the question, and know that there are people praying for you.

To the Middlers: Enjoy your middler year. This is the year when you know the ropes and you aren't having to look forward quite so much. Junior year is a long haul with lots of new experiences. Take this year to grow in your relationships and prepare for what you will encounter in SPM and CPE.

To everyone else: It is always good to see friends and to have a chance to catch up a little.

Blessings!!

Quick Trip

I decided on a change of scenery from Norman, OK so I drove to Austin, TX. I knew it would be different. I realized as I drove in that this place was no longer home. Part of what made it home was my classmates, part of it was the routine of life as a student. Those have both changed. It still however is a place of refuge and comfort. I have enjoyed seeing friends so far and worshipping with 2 congregations that welcomed me during my time here. A nice chance to get away and hopefully get my brain a bit straightened out.

Top 5 Interview Questions I have been asked.

Here is my list of top 5 interview questions that have been posed to me in phone interviews so far in my search...

5. What are the 5 essential elements of a Christian Education program?
This was a question from the Sr. Pastor of a church as I interviewed for a CE associate pastor position. But there are 5 no more, no less.

4. Why do you think you would be a good fit?
This has been asked by every church to date. It is hard not to get a little defensive, but I have to remind myself that they are wanting to know what my strengths are and what I can bring to the church.

3. The gay ordination question.
Asked when I interviewed with Boise, ID. Knew it had to happen at some point.

2. What is your philosophy of Christian Education?
I felt like I was in the public schools interviewing for a job with this one. In fact, I think I modified my philosophy of education to fit and included the 5 essential elements, no more, no less.

1. Would you ordain someone as an elder if they said they didn't believe in the virgin birth?
Welcome to the world of not quite so black and white answers. Yes, the virgin birth is part of the creed, but is it the literal virgin birth or the understanding of what it means?

Bottom line - you never know what kind of question you will get.

What a Day!

Today marked the end of CPE! I passed. Some good evaluation comments and some challenges for continued growth as well.
I also had an interview tonight with Southminster Presbyterian Church in Boise, ID. This church caught my attention as they are interested in worship and are willing to have fun and enjoy worship. They are a church with a sense of humor and a church who want to have an impact locally.

I thought the interview went well, but they asked some tough questions. This is a church that is looking for a pastor with 2 years of experience or more and so several questions focused on what experience I had in administration and in pastoral care that would meet that expectation. I talked about my view of ordination and I brought up the fact that in someone is homosexual and celibate, they can still be ordained according to G6.0106b. They also asked me if I would ordain someone as an elder who didn't believe in the virgin birth.

It is still a bit of a stretch as to whether I will progress past this interview or not, but I felt good about the interview and that theologically it would be a match. It would represent a HUGE learning curve for me, but I think it would also present lots of opportunities for growth as well. We shall see.

Peace Out Yo!

Woo Hoo!!!!! I finished my last day on the floor...

Today was my last day of visiting folks for CPE. All that is left is Tuesday final evaluations, but I figure if I weren't going to pass my supervisor would have already said something about it. One more hurdle almost cleared.

The search continues

As a few more friends receive calls and embark on their journey into pastoral ministry, an update on my process. First, congratulations to those who are proceeding forward. To Paul who will be just outside of Nashville, to Tim who it looks like will be in OKC and to those already called somewhere, blessings to each of you.

As for me I have had phone interviews with the APNC's of Columbia, SC and Neenah, WI. Both of these positions are associate for Christian Education. I talked to Brenham, TX, but there are happenings in the life of that congregation that has slowed their process. I have sent my PIF and a sermon DVD to 2nd Nashville. Heard back from them today that they would like to set up an interview in the next couple weeks about their associate position. I have also just sent my PIF to Boise, ID. It is a solo pastorate that looks absolutely cool.

I will just have to wait and see what God has in store for me.

Just finished Harry Potter

I just finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Good book. Ties things up nicely. A couple of things I didn't see coming. Some interesting theological points. Made me think of Julie and any number of people who argued with her junior year.
Okay, i will say no more.

It's Saturday, July 21, 2007 and Death STILL SUCKS!!

I am not feeling quite so unbalanced. I spent a 12 hour day at the hospital. Today I was the chaplain. I ended up with 10 crisis calls and of those 4 deaths. Death is inevitable for everyone, but it still hurts like hell and well...sucks. What clicked for me today and yesterday (worked 2 deaths yesterday that I felt like I was talking to myself) is that no matter how much I believe the Heidleberg Catechism or Romans 8, death is still painful.

The sense of loss and grief speaks to our humanity. The realization that we are finite, even when we trust in the promise of eternal life. Henry Van Dyck wrote about death as a ship. As the ship sails from the shore and those on this side of death watch until the sail dips below the horizon, we morn the loss of a loved one. But on the other shore, there is Christ, standing with arms open saying "There she is!!"

Once again, this is about finding the tension between what seems to me initially as opposites.

But no matter...
DEATH STILL SUCKS!!

Being unbalanced

In my struggle with thanatology....death...I decided to bring it up in group supervision in CPE today. My supervisor got me out of my head and pushed me to talk about walk I feel about death. First, I hate talking about feelings. Second I hate talking about feelings about death. Fun huh? The image that started was feeling isolated, cut off, then I got to feeling like I was off balance.

We talked about a triangle on its point, but ended at feeling like I was standing on one leg waiting for the other to be kicked out from under me. I brought this image up in IPR (for you non CPE folk it is a group discussion time). I talked about feeling off balance all summer. Not only did I leave seminary where I have been for 3 years, but I moved home. And I have been somewhat transient every few weeks. On top of that, CPE is a disconcerting process that as Greg brought up, is like the first semester of theology. You kind of get your beliefs shaken and you have to figure out what is important and how things fit. On top of this is the anxiety of seeking a call and not knowing where the next step takes me.

I don't like feeling out of control and out of balance. I don't like feeling like I am going to get kicked down. But if I do get kicked down, it is a matter of getting up, dusting myself off and going again. I also need to remember that I am surrounded by lots of friends and family who are willing to help me in whatever situation I may find myself.

A while left of being unbalanced. I guess I better get used to it.

the voices...stop the voices

I was given the privilege of the pulpit at my home church this morning. My pastor had asked me to preach my senior sermon. So I changed the end and tweaked some of the wording that I had gone over with Kristin Saldine. Then this morning when I climbed into the pulpit, the voices in my head kicked in. Comments made by Jennifer and Kristin about my preaching which invaded while I was preaching. Crazy!

CPE question 3

Ahhhh, week 6. Over half done. The next question of the summer is what is my understanding of thanatology? I don't know as I can clearly define my pastoral understanding of death. I have not yet made sense of all of it yet. There are several scriptural references that run in my head as well as how death is linked to life and to hope. This one may take a while.

The Next CPE question to ponder

Last week was about the question "What is your image of God?" This week, the question is "What is your biblical model for being a pastor?"

I am one of the disciples. Working hard, following Jesus, but not yet understanding what lies ahead. I am exploring the life of Peter. One who followed from the beginning, who jumps in quickly often not understanding why or what he is doing. He denies Christ, denies who he is called to be. Once reconciled to Christ however (John 21), Peter becomes one of the great leaders of the church. We see a totally different Peter in the Book of Acts than we do in the gospels.

Who is your biblical model?

What's Your Image of God?

This was a question posed to me by my CPE supervisor. She challenged me to look beyond the typical answers that I gave. She gave me "Maestro" or "quartet leader." The quartet leader image has caught my attention. Just as a quartet needs a leader, there is also an element of every one being vital to the functioning of the quartet.

Where I went with it is I become the 4th member of the quartet, the members of the Trinity being the other 3. Just as the Trinity can be thought of as engaging in a divine dance, why not in musical terms. By being brought into the quartet, I, in my totally depraved humanity, am brought into the life of the Godhead and I have agency. My part is important to the whole. In this it does not take away from the importance of any of the other 3 parts at the same time. I am still playing with this image, but I challenge everyone to take a look at their image of God.

Peace

Dealing with Death

I ended up on a crisis call today and worked a death at the hospital. It is strange how someone can be alive one second and dead the next. Reminded me of a M*A*S*H episode where Major Hoolihan remarks how it never ceases to amaze her that you are alive one minute and dead the next, no fanfare or anything. Just gone.

There are so many things that happen in the hospital after a death, that was more where I was uncomfortable than with the family although, I did have to confront my theological view of death as well as heaven and hell. One of the family members asked if I thought their mother went to heaven even if she didn't believe. As I have continued to ponder this, I end up looking to the invisible church and the fact that we don't know who is elect and who is not. I have to believe that God's love is bigger than I can even fathom and I have to hold hope that God leaves the 99 and looks for the 1, whether we want to be found or not.

Lots to process.
Peace

A few weeks in...

CPE is a tiring thing. I have found it emotionally and spiritually draining. It will be good for me to learn to set up emotional boundaries. I am struggling in part because this is new and I am still trying to learn the basics. I have much to learn, but it will not make for an easy summer.

CPE Day 2

Today was a better day. We had a more specific orientation to what we are doing as well as a chance to tour the hospital with one of the staff chaplains and a tour of pre-op with another chaplain. After lunch, they printed off the rooms of people who needed initial visits (Baptist has chaplains try and visit everyone) and we were each given part of the lists and off we went. The first few cold calls I did weren't very good, I was way nervous and anxious. The visits got better as I did more of them. That is more what I will be doing for the summer.

CPE has begun

Today I started my 11 weeks as an intern hospital chaplain at Baptist Integris in Oklahoma City. CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) is an intense 11 week time period in hospital and crisis ministry. We start door to door cold visits tomorrow (day 2) and continue with orientation and beginning to work on learning goals for the summer. This will be a time of growth and introspection as I discover more about who I am and continue to live into who I am as a pastor.

Growth is often a painful process and I became aware that I have once again entered the wilderness. It'll will be a bumpy ride.

I'm going to have to change the name of my blog...

Now that I am a seminary graduate, I am going to have to come up with a new blog name. Baccalaureate was fun since I got to play trombone alongside my dad. It was special for him too. Graduation day there are several monetary awards that are given out during the proceedings, but alas, I did not receive one. I did however receive a gift from 3 of the professors. They decided that for all of the "stuff" that I did around the seminary and was involved in that I deserved the "MVP" award. So I received a hat with MVP on it, Dr. Suess's "Oh the Place you'll go" along with a Dr. Suess type poem in the front of it, Godiva chocolate, Mozart CD's, Indigo Girls CD, pen, magnet, bookmark, all in a beautiful bowl. To get a gift like that from 3 professors who I respect very much means more than any monetary award. Very cool.

I am back in Oklahoma with a few days off before starting a clinical rotation as a hospital chaplain (CPE). It will be an interesting summer living at home. It was really hard to leave Austin, and especially to leave all the people who have become my family over the last 3 years. So I am home at least until August, and still in the process of searching for a call. I have had some conversations with a couple of churches and now we play the waiting game.

Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doot, doo, doo, doo, doo,doo

That is the Jeopardy theme incase you didn't recognize it!

It's almost official

Picked up my graduation regalia this morning. All that is left is to be approved by the faculty.
It is weird to think that I am about to graduate. I'm not sure where the time went.
Exciting and terrifying all at the same time.

Now to keep packing.

Bright Sunday Sermon - "Keeping Up Appearances"

This is the sermon that I preached yesterday at Westminster Presbyterian in Austin, TX. This is the congregation where I have been interning all school year. I have learned a lot working with this congregation and they have helped me to grow.

Here we are the week after Easter. Back to normal, no brass filling the sanctuary, the lilies are gone. We celebrate Christ being risen from the dead, but wasn’t that last week? So now we can go back to normal. Or can we? It is easy to think of Easter as a single day, after all anything Easter related is up to 75% off at most stores now, but Easter is bigger than that. We have entered Eastertide, the “Great Fifty Days” as we move toward Pentecost. This is a season of the church year for continued celebration and to explore what it means for us to live as resurrection people. The gospel of John provides the experiences of several Bible figures who we have come to know well, Mary, the disciples, and Thomas.

We start on that first Easter day. Three days removed from the crucifixion of Jesus. Mary, the disciples, and Thomas are all struggling with grief, fear, and doubt. We enter the story with Mary. She has gone to the tomb and finds the stone rolled away. Scared, she runs back to find Peter, who with the beloved disciple, return to the tomb with her. They find the tomb empty. Then the men leave. They leave Mary, standing in front of the empty tomb. They leave Mary standing at the empty tomb weeping.

The stress of the last 8 days overwhelms her. A week ago she was with the crowd as they entered Jerusalem shouting “Hosanna.” Little did she know that by the end of the week she would see Jesus arrested and crucified. A wave of grief sweeps over her. This man was her teacher, her Lord. She had followed him for many months. A few days ago she had lavished pure nard on his feet and wiped it away with her hair. She could still smell the scent in her hair. All she wanted to do now was care for his body. Finding the tomb empty, she is hit by a flood of emotion. She is drained physically, spiritually, and emotionally. She is tired. She is scared. It feels like a nightmare, but she can’t wake up. All she can do is cry.

She peers into the empty tomb to see two angels in white who ask “Woman, why are you weeping?” Through her tears she stammers that she is looking for Jesus. She can no longer bear to look into the tomb. She turns, her head down, still sobbing. She notices someone standing there. He repeats the question of the angels “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She does not recognize the man. She is consumed with her grief and exhaustion. She responds to him thinking he is the gardener.

While Mary is weeping at the tomb, the disciples are hidden away behind locked doors.
They like Mary are trying to process everything that has happened in the last few days. They are afraid of being persecuted if they are identified a followers of Jesus. Their teacher is gone, what are they to do now? They sit in silence; they are spent. They are afraid. Fear permeates the room, it has paralyzed them. Then Jesus appears to them. He stands in their midst, they can’t believe their eyes. Jesus speaks, “Peace be with you,” but they have yet to recognize their Lord.

Later in the day we meet Thomas. He was not with the others but has heard their story.
He is skeptical of what they have told him. Thomas looks at them as if to say, “Yeah right, whatever!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” Thomas is not one to be easily swayed. He needs proof.

When Mary, the disciples, and Thomas first meet the Risen Christ, none of them recognize him. Mary is consumed by her grief. The disciples are paralyzed with their fear. Thomas is filled with doubt. They cannot recognize Jesus on their own, they need Jesus to meet them where they are. Christ comes to each in a different way, but it is exactly what they each need in order to have faith.

For Mary, Jesus calls her by name. This is the moment when Mary encounters the Risen Christ. She hears her name, “Mary.” It is the voice that speaks it. She has heard this voice call her name so many times before. Soft and tender. Full of compassion and love. His voice finds its way through the tears, through the fatigue. It reaches the very core of her being and draws her back. Like a parent’s voice that breaks through the screams of a child’s nightmare drawing them out of their fear, finds its way through the tears. In calling her name, Jesus breaks through her nightmare of the last few days and she recognizes him. Because Jesus has met her and drawn her out of her grief, her spirits are lifted and she is able to set off to tell the others.

For the disciples hidden in fear, Jesus greets them twice with the words, “Peace be with you.” The second time he adds, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Then Jesus breathes on them and tells them to receive the Holy Spirit. Just as God breathed life into Adam in Genesis, Jesus breathes new life into the disciples. The peace of Christ dispels their fear. Jesus sends them out into the world to offer the forgiveness of sins to the world. They are excited because they have just met the risen Christ. It is in their excitement, not fear that they talk to Thomas about their experience.

Thomas is doubtful of the story and wants physical proof. The next week the disciples are again meeting, but this time the doors aren’t locked, just shut, and Jesus comes and stands among them. He greets them with Peace again. Turning to Thomas, Jesus is relaxed and at ease.

He is not angry with Thomas, Thomas is just being Thomas. Jesus smiles, he knows Thomas well. Because he knows Thomas and he loves Thomas, Jesus says “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” We don’t know if Thomas touches him or not. But we do know Thomas’ response. “My Lord and My God!” Thomas is a believer.

In these stories, all of them believe in the end, when they have met the Risen Christ. Jesus meets Mary in her grief by calling her name; meets the disciples with the gift of peace and the Holy Spirit; meets Thomas with a physical presence. Jesus meets them where they are. He meets them as they have need. But these aren’t the only people who have met the Risen Christ.
Christ meets us where we are and gives us what we need for faith. The author of the gospel of John states that these stories are written down that others might believe. Scripture is one way that we are enabled to encounter Jesus. When we read about Mary, the disciples and Thomas, we can see ourselves in their stories as well. We have all known sorrow, fear, and doubt. Scripture is a reminder to us that Jesus meets us too.

While teaching the 2nd and 3rd graders a few weeks ago, we were walking through the timeline from Palm Sunday through the appearance stories. I asked the children as we read the Thomas story, if they would have believed the disciples even when Thomas didn’t. One of the girls said “Yes, but we know the story!” Her response struck me. She is right. We do know the story. We have been given Scripture that we might experience Christ that we might believe in the resurrection.

However Scripture is not the only way the appearance of Christ continues. Just as the disciples were sent we are sent too. We as fellow believers, as the church, are called to keep up the appearance of the risen Christ. We are called to reach out to people by name. People hurt. They grieve. We as church are called to speak their name. To remind them that they are beloved children of God. We do this every time we speak names of people we love and care about in intercessory prayer. We do this when we send cards and notes or call those who cannot be physically present with us. When we sit with someone in the hospital. It is amazing what being called by name can do. When we call them by name, they are remembered into the body of Christ. We keep up the appearance of our resurrected Savior.

We as a church are also called to bring the peace of Christ. In the midst of community, just as the disciples were gathered in community, we pass the “peace of Christ.” Think about the words of the liturgy. The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. As we have been reconciled to God through our confession of sin and reminded of our forgiveness in Christ and assured of our pardon, we then share the peace that Christ brought to the disciples to one another. We are gathered together, reunited as the body of Christ. We keep up the appearance of our resurrected Savior.

We all have times of doubt; we have moments when we are Thomas. We need a physical presence. We need to be met individually. Seeing another who has struggled with faith, yet we can see the depth of their conviction. Watching one another live out their faith. We are the physical presence when we reach out to others in mission. I thought about this as storms rolled through Friday night. Northern Texas was hit hard, we are the physical presence with one anther in the midst of situations like the storm Friday night. We are physical proof to one another when we cry together, laugh with one another, and celebrate as the family of God. We are strengthened by the faith of others, we see Christ shining through them. They embody Christ for us. We keep up the appearance of our resurrected Savior.

These stories are given to us that we might have faith, that we would believe Jesus to be the Son of God and that we may have life in his name. We read the stories of the first Easter day and the week that followed, Jesus has met his followers in a variety of ways. He has given them what they need for them to believe. Christ still meets us today. Meets us through Scripture and through others that we too will have faith. As the Risen Christ lives within us, may we, the beloved children of God, be gathered as the body of Christ in our worship, so that as we go forth into the world we can embody the Risen Christ and keep up the appearance of our Risen Savior. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Easter Peeps

Easter peeps, I think are perhaps the most disgusting thing ever created! Found out a friend of mine likes them. Also found out that you can do peep jousting in the microwave. Have found a zillion peep links on the internet, some of which are quite funny. So being a senior and needing a creative outlet, I have begun working on a movie/documentary about peeps. Well, more of a creative diversion. I have discovered that peep jokes are endless.

They like to play "hide and go peep"

They like the village peeple. One of their favorite songs is "Peeple."
If you were to eat a purple one, you would be a purple peeple eater.
They just keep getting worse.

Being me is enough

Senioritis has struck as the end of my seminary journey draws near. My PIF (pastor information form...aka resume) was released by my presbytery and is now out in the wild. This means I can begin sending my PIF to churches I am interested in and the national office will begin matching me with prospective churches and the call process begins.

It is interesting to read what churches write about themselves and about what they are looking for in the pastor they seek to call. A deep and abiding love of Christ (probably a good thing for a pastor), communication skills, and a sense of humor. These seem to be pretty common, but what is striking about so many of the positions is it seems that churches are looking for someone to be everything to everybody.

In recent weeks I have had the revelation that being me is enough. My problem is I don't think I believe that all the time. Being me is all I can do. I need to remember this as I proceed into ministry. I can only be me, and being me is enough. I am the only me there is. I think this has been a cause of my stress lately.

I need to listen to the folks at WPC more. I have only been there since August and several have said they are sad to see me go in a month or so. It meant a lot to have a couple youth moms comment that they wished I could stay another year and one said her son really liked me. Another parent commented Sunday that her 8th grader had said she liked that I had enthusiasm and she could tell I really believed what I was saying. It has meant a great deal to have feedback from the congregation that includes comments that some church will be blessed to get me. Others believe it about me...now why don't I believe it?

Palm Sunday

Today we remember the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The crowds shouting "Hosanna!" When the Pharisees tell Jesus to quiet the crowds he states that the stones themselves would shout. This is the same crowd who later this week will shout "Crucify Him!"

Great Cartoon

I love the site Reverend Fun. This was up a couple days ago. My question is what is the perfect sermon?

Playing in the Rain

Today was SMURF-TACULAR!!!! Yep, I am bringing smurf language back, just because. It was a rainy day in Austin, TX and I love rainy days! Playing in puddles is a favorite past-time. So after class, it was back to the room to change clothes and shoes and back out into the rain to play in the rain.

One of my good friends came out and played in the puddles too. We were soggy. Several of our classmates thought we were really crazy. Sherry snapped the picture from her dorm room. My advice to everyone is "don't get too old to play."
My other piece of advice is watch out who is around you when you splash in puddles, so you don't get someone wet who didn't want to play. Although one time I did get a couple people a little wet, but they were good sports and didn't get mad at me.

Senior thoughts

Okay, being a senior isn't all it is cracked up to be. Trying to get a PIF (like a resume) done and online, looking at churches, seeking a call, dealing with moving and graduation stuff, and trying to remember to be a student when senioritis has a firm grip on you. Crazy! Had a nice but very brief visit home last week during my spring break. 8 weeks left of school and a bunch of stuff to do. It is the downhill race! Peace.

A Sermon for Lent

A whole 5 days after preaching my senior sermon, I had the priviledge of preaching at Westminster Presbyterian where I am the seminary intern. Wednesday night service, totally different text. This one is on Luke 4:1-13, Jesus' temptation in the WIlderness.

Tests. We encounter them in all forms. As a student there are standardized tests and tests created over specific knowledge. Outside of school we test people’s patience, we are put to the test, and we test the waters. But there is something that happens with any test, trial, experiment or examination. We go into a test one way and we come out differently on the other side. Tests are a way of discovering what we are capable of, what is possible, of what is important.
In our text we find Jesus, having just been baptized, being led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness where he faces 3 tests at the hands of the devil. It is important to note the wilderness experience begins with the Holy Spirit’s leading. Jesus didn’t just go but was led. These were tests, a time that he was guided into. We too are sometimes led into the wilderness, into times of spiritual testing.
When we find ourselves in the wilderness, we usually think of it as a time when we are spiritually dry, hence the wilderness. In the wilderness we may feel abandoned, that we have been left to struggle on our own. We may feel that our prayers go unanswered. We may feel there is no hope. When I think about wilderness times I have encountered, they are times I have felt spiritually isolated, hungry and thirsty.
We read that at the end of 40 days in the wilderness, Jesus was hungry. This is when the devil jumps in with the temptations. The devil tells Jesus to turn a stone into bread, he almost dares him to do it. Can’t you just see it? The devil, not the half goat, half man with horns and a pitchfork, but the slick, well- polished, designer suit and silk tie variety.
“Hey Jesus. You look hungry. Why torture yourself. You’re the son of God, tell the stone to become bread.” Jesus doesn’t go for it, so the devil tries to deal a bit. So he takes him to a high place so they could look out over the land. This time the devil says he will cut a deal. “you can have power over all that you can see if you will do one thing. I am the one who can give you all of this. All you have to do is worship me.” Again, Jesus turns him down citing the Scriptures.
The devil is finding this to be a hard sell. So he tries one last time. But this time the devil uses Scripture to make his pitch. At the high point of the temple in Jerusalem he says, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down for it is written: ‘For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Even though the devil quotes Psalm 91, Jesus again refutes him using Scripture. After having no luck, the devil departs, “until an opportune time,” doing his best Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation “I’ll be back.”
The 3 temptations represent 3 areas where we are often challenged as well. The first is to provide for yourself. It is not wrong to want food, it is not evil to provide sustenance. But if Jesus provides for himself at this point, he does not rely on God. The 2nd temptation is about power, and to whom you are loyal. Again earthly power isn’t in and of itself wrong or evil, but to trust in human power, to be loyal to earthly things is to put something else before God. The 3rd temptation is about making demands of God. To go to God with prayer is what we are to do, but it is the motive behind the action that makes the difference. We are urged to pray without ceasing and to take everything to the Lord in prayer, but these are not to be petitions that put God to the test. As Jesus refutes the devil, he quotes another wilderness adventure found in Deuteronomy, the exodus of the Israelites.
The 3 quotes are significant because they not only link Jesus to the heritage of Israel , but they reference areas where the Israelites lacked faith. The first temptation, to provide bread, is refuted using Deuteronomy 8:3, “It has been written that man shall not live by bread alone.” Matthew’s account goes further, “but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” At this point in the exodus story, the Israelites have been reminded that being hungered humbled them, but the Lord did provide for them and gave them manna. God’s is faithful in all things and will provide for all our needs. In this day and age, who do we trust for our needs? Ourselves or God?
The second temptation brings a response from the 10 commandments as Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13. “You will worship the LORD you God whom alone you will serve.” Jesus refuses to bow and serve the devil unlike the Israelites who fashioned a golden calf for themselves. It is easy to get pulled into the power of the world, but what or whom do we worship and serve? Another or God?
The devil quotes, or rather mis-quotes Scripture for the third temptation. In reading all of Psalm 91, it is about the protection of God for the righteous. It speaks of God as refuge and fortress, as the one who delivers and protects. But this protection is not meant for foolishness. God’s protection is for the faithful. “When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them (v 15).” Jesus refutes this trial with Deuteronomy 6:16 “Do not put the LORD your God to the test as you did as Massah.” This reference is to the story in Exodus 17 when the Israelites were complaining to Moses about not having water. They were thirsty. God responded by telling Moses to strike the rock with his staff and when Moses did as God commanded, water sprang forth. Once again, God provides, but God is not to be foolishly tested.
The temptations may link Jesus to the wilderness experience of the Israelites, but it also proves that he is the Son of God. as he remains faithful to God throughout these tests. For Christ to be fully human, to truly enter into our human condition, it was crucial that he suffer as the Israelites did, as we do. As we read in Hebrews 4
Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.
We, like the Israelites sometimes struggle to remain faithful and obedient. We are more inclined to be more reliant on ourselves, to look at being successful rather than faithful, and to look to worldly rules and compromise on faith . However, we are given Christ as our model for faithfulness.
The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Jesus was tested in the wilderness for forty days. We too have entered the wilderness or at least a time to remember the wilderness. We started our 40 days a couple weeks ago at Ash Wednesday with the reminder that we are dust and to dust we shall return. Dust that was once lush green palm branches has become dry and ashen, disintegrated by heat. These forty days are a time to examine the dry areas of our lives, to struggle with areas where we need to be more faithful and obedient to God.
This self-examination is a chance to come out of Lent different than when we entered.
We journey through Lent with Jesus, following the narratives of the season. We have come from the waters of his Baptism and entered the wilderness, led by the Holy Spirit. As the forty days for Jesus ends, we find him beginning his ministry, once again, led by the Holy Spirit. But Jesus has changed. The wilderness has prepared him for what lies ahead. The devil has departed until an opportune time. We will see this character again in the story, we will see Jesus tested again and again through the Gospel narrative. But through it all we will continue to see that God is ever faithful and present. That is the promise that we have.
We have been baptized and we now walk with Jesus through the wilderness. We too have been led by the Holy Spirit. The forty days of Lent can change us, and we can leave this wilderness differently than when we came in. Through these days we will not be abandoned, forsaken, or thirsty. God will provide.

Sr. Sermon

My senior sermon went well on Friday. I preached a totally different sermon than what I presented in class. Wednesday in class we ran it through the ringer and it was well worth it. I walked out of class with the story of Eisleben, Germany and the text. 48 hours later I preached the most tightly focused sermon I have ever done. Now the bar of my expectations has been raised as well.

Bound by Circumstance, Free in Christ

Faintly, you could hear the rhythm of the pickaxe, mining copper and silver. As you moved closer to the village, you began to hear the voices of the crowd gathered in the market square. Then, over the din of the noise, from the tower, the church bells began to peal. This might have been the sounds of Eisleben when Martin Luther was born or even upon his death, but they are not the sounds today .

On a cold gray day in January, our seminary group toured the Luther death house museum and 2 churches in town where Luther was known to have preached. The churches felt like museums too. St. Andrews was housing the historical memorabilia from the Luther birth house, which made the church feel even more like a museum.

Besides a few people hurrying through the damp cold of the day, there was very little activity in the town. After spending the morning as tourists, we met with the local Lutheran co-pastors, Scott and Claudia at the house church they use during the winter. They use the house church to save on the cost of heating the cathedrals. We found out that this town, once in an area that was a hotbed of religious activity, was struggling in many ways. Where there had once been a thriving mining and smelting industry, there was now high unemployment. We learned that our tour guide had no other job than being the local guide. Where the church had once been vibrant, it now languishes. When Scott and Claudia arrived 3 years ago, there were 1000 people on the membership roles, but average worship attendance was 15.

If I were to see this church on a church information form I would look no further. I would look for another church. This church scares me. The church in Eisleben is oppressed by financial burdens; there are 3 cathedrals, but only enough money to maintain 2. It is subdued by societal norms; Scott told us of a Lutheran study found that it takes an average of 17 invitations to church before someone will attend in America, in Eastern Germany it is cultural taboo to do it once . It is shackled by an a-religious culture; a survey was taken at the train stations, one of the questions was “Are you a Christian or an atheist?” One of the responses was “I’m not Christian or atheist, I’m normal.” The church scares me because there are so many factors that bind it.

As Paul wrote to the Philippians he was bound too, in a literal sense. He was in prison. If we look at the book of Acts we find that Paul was arrested for preaching the gospel. His opponents thought imprisonment would hinder Paul and the gospel message. When it didn’t, there were people who preached to spite Paul, to upset him while he awaited the verdict of his trial. Paul could have been oppressed by his situation.

But for Paul, chains and preachers with false motives were not of concern. In fact life or death as he awaited the outcome of his trial was not an obstacle, for one reason. Christ. The situations did not determine Paul’s response, Christ and the power of the gospel did. While it didn’t change the situation, we know from the book of Acts, it changed Paul. As Fred Craddock puts it “Paul was in bonds, but the gospel was not.”

This imprisonment was not in a small cell with bars, nor was it chained to a stone pillar. Paul was shackled, 24-7, wrist to wrist with one of the elite Roman praetorium guards. These were the bodyguards of the emperor and high officials.
The guard on Paul rotated every 4 hours. This is how the whole palace guard knew about him and his imprisonment for the defense of the gospel . So Paul is shackled to a different guard every 4 hours, what do you think he was he going to do? He was in chains for preaching, so in chains, he continued to preach. What should have been a hindrance to proclaiming Christ, has “actually served to advance the gospel.”

Eisleben and its congregation with 15 in worship 3 years ago could have been a hindrance to Scott and Claudia proclaiming Christ, but has served to advance the gospel. Again, an obstacle seen in light of the gospel, became an opportunity. In 3 years the average attendance has changed from 15 to 60, but where the gospel is truly evidenced is not in the numbers, that is only a quantifiable measurement, but it is in the spirit of the members of the church. A church dedicated to continuing their witness in the life of the town. The people are working to advance the gospel. The people have been encouraged.

Paul has encouraged fellow believers as well. He tells the Philippians of those who have been encouraged to speak more boldly. And just as there are those who speak from good will and love, there are also those who preach out of rivalry and envy. But Paul is not concerned with them. No matter the motive of the preacher, if they are proclaiming Christ, nothing else matters. The gospel has its own authority and is not dependant on human motives. The message is more powerful than the messenger.

The message is more powerful than the messenger was a sentiment that Scott expressed to us as well. He told our group that he didn’t worry about numbers, money and the like because if “God wanted a church in Eisleben in 20 years, there would be a church in Eisleben in 20 years.” He and Claudia understand that they are witnesses to the gospel. They are the acting agents, but it is Christ working within them that makes the difference. They, like Paul, have discovered that they need nothing else, only Jesus Christ.

In their community the church, like the land, bears the scars of the mining industry, but there are signs of healing and hope. Scott and Claudia have been able to reach out to the youth in the town. They told us about the kids who aren’t members but who come with their friends. And even though the pastors know these kids are out of Eisleben as soon as they are able, they also know that they are opening them up to the good news of Jesus Christ. All that matters is that Christ is proclaimed. As they talked about their work in Eisleben, I got the sense that while they are deeply saddened by the state of the church in their town and in the area, they are not bound to the circumstances. They are free in Christ and they have a vision of what the power of the gospel can do. They encourage not only the people they pastor, but they encouraged me.

Before we left, we prayed together. Their only request of us was to continue to pray and to encourage others to as well. Christ is at work in this village in Germany, the gospel is being advanced. Christ was at work in Paul, in those who heard him, and in the church at Philippi, the gospel is being advanced. Christ is at work here and now at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, the gospel is being advanced.

As I sat in Stotts (our campus dining hall) yesterday at lunch, surrounded by the community. I looked around the room, and thought about how each of us is called to boldly proclaim the gospel message, even though we have no way of knowing where that call may lead us or the situation in which we will find ourselves. I have listened to many stories shared around those tables. People confronted with obstacles, yet they are able to press on, knowing that Christ would see them through and knowing that they had the support and encouragement of the community.

To hear those stories, to listen to Scott and Claudia who minister in spite of their circumstances, to read the letter to the Philippians as Paul continues to preach even in prison, is to be encouraged to speak more courageously; and it is to know that it is not just Paul or Scott and Claudia or us who are called to advance the gospel, but every believer from Eisleben, to Philippi, to Austin, and to where ever we are sent. May we all see with new eyes so that our obstacles become opportunities, that where we may be bound by circumstance we find freedom in Christ. May we be encouraged to go out into all the world and boldly proclaim Jesus Christ so we might serve to encourage others and to advance the gospel. Amen.

Long Time no post

Back from Germany and Switzerland and hit the ground at a sprint. It is the last semester of seminary. I have recently finished my PIF (like a resume) and it is being read and edited by some trusted folks. In the meantime there is an ethics paper due Tuesday, the first draft of my sermon due to my classmates Tuesday so we can discuss on Wednesday. Sr. Sermon on Friday ( and after Sarah preached today...the bar is set way high). Next Tuesday presentation for the older adults at WPC and preaching for the Lenten series on Wednesday March 7th. If I live until spring break it will be a miracle!

I will try to be better about posting, but no garuntees.

Snow in Switzerland

IT SNOWED TODAY!!!! Great fun to walk in the snow, in Switzerland and to have a snowball fight. Off to the French Alps tomorrow. The trip has been great but my brain hurts. Pictures upon return. Peace out!

Skipping across the pond...

The day has finally arrived to head to Europe. Two weeks in Germany and Switzerland following the footsteps of Luther and Calvin. I look forward to walking in the footsteps of history and thinking about the implications for the future. Pictures and updates upon my return. Peace.