A Worthy Prayer

Generally Speaking

"Generally speaking we are in God's will whenever we are leading the kind of life He wants for us. And that leaves a lot of room for initiative on our part, which is essential: our individual initiatives are central to His will for us."

Dallas Willard, Hearing God.

What a blessing God has given us in our collaborative existence with Him: scary & exciting all at the same time wouldn't you agree?

Let's not settle for something short of the Life He intends for us to live.

The Bullfighter

"It is not the same to talk of bulls as to be in the bull ring."

Spanish Proverb

Missional

     "In short, the Psalms provide the language, the aspirations, the energy for the community as it comes together in prayer, & they then call into being & are formative for the activities of the prophets, wise men, & historians. The Psalms initiate; the prophets follow. The inner action of prayer takes precedence over the outer action of proclamation."
     "The implication of this for pastoral work is plain: it begins in prayer. Anything creative, anything powerful, anything Biblical, insofar as we are participants in it, originates in prayer. Pastors who imitate the preaching & moral action of the prophets without also imitating the prophets' deep praying & worship so evident in the Psalms are an embarrassment to the faith & an encumbrance to the church."

Working the Angles
Eugene Peterson

Back To Eden

Back To Eden

Linda is becoming a very good gardener lately. Too, we are discovering the importance & power of food; where it comes from, who grows it, & how it is produced. In America we have the cheapest food costs of any developed nation & at the same time the highest medical costs. You are what your eat.  This documentary, like this one called Fresh, have quirky characters, but they are sincere.

Although not directly related, these subjects can do much to inform our theology. God has a long history of relating to his people through the rhythms of the seasons. In today's world we rely heavily on engineering, both in the field & in the church. Gardening has much to teach us about why seasons are important.

Giving 100%

Life's been full to say the least.

Recently I was presented with a statistic I've heard a thousand times: "20% of the church does 80% of the work." I contested the statement, but I think my objections fell short to a statistic that, within our current popular church culture, is as good as gold.

To me, this statistic is complete nonsense. It didn't use to be. When I was the pastor of a large church & much of our time was devoted to in house administration work within the church, I understood the stat very well; & in this context it might be true. However, as my theology has been rocked by my current theological context my understanding of "church" & "work" have been greatly renewed. Not only does this stat no longer hold its weight, I would argue it does much damage to those within the church who don't feel called or led to take up a role within the church, but are being used by God in their daily lives.

In light of this, my stat is: "100% of the church is doing 100% of the work God intends it to do 100% of the time." This statement lays a heavy load on God & takes much of the weight off of us. God is constantly at work in & through his church.

Some questions to wrestle with: What exactly is the work of the church? Who are the people doing the work? Are certain forms of work more valid than others? Do we esteem some work over others? Is being a small group leader more important to God than being an outstanding baker (or brewer)? What's the difference, in God's eyes, between an Usher & a construction worker who are both born-again?

Let me expand on this question: Is preaching more important than being a stay at home mom? Most "ministry" minded women who become mothers wrestle with this & by ministry I mean in house (church) work. Let me create a short story:

Let's look at the short life of Brenda who is a shining star within the church. Brenda came to church with a friend, loved the music, connected with the Timothy Hybels (or Bill Keller) style preaching, & gave her life to Christ. She brought her husband the next week & he too got saved. They immediately joined a small group & shortly after, Brenda & Jim became interns & then leaders. Brenda then got pregnant with her first child vowing to keep her church schedule. After the birth of Tyler, Brenda soon found out what all parents know: A child changes everything. Because Tyler didn't sleep well, neither did Brenda. She was exhausted all day & night. Too, her relationship with Jim was becoming stressed due to the new baby. Just maintaining a normal relationship with her husband was now very tiring. She tried to maintain her roles within church: Sunday service, & small group leadership, but Tyler, like most babies, wasn't created to sit quietly. Tired & worn out by the normal issues associated with motherhood Brenda had to stop "ministry" & focus on her new child & family.

When exactly did Brenda stop doing ministry? This is a very important question. When did ministry start & when did ministry stop for Brenda? The answer is very simple: Ministry started the moment she became alive in Christ & it hasn't ended.

I think all of this stems from a dearly loved western theology: Dualism. God is in heaven I am on earth. Preaching is spiritual, baking bread is normal. Small group leadership is glorifying to God, being a salesman is not. Being a missions leader is important to God, being a stay at home mom isn't. Is our definition of the 20% God's definition? No.

Communion is one of the biggest slaps in the face to dualism. Simple everyday items demonstrate the promise of God to us here & now: Bread & Wine, not transformed into otherworldly items, but enjoyed as they are in their daily context as they we're meant to be enjoyed. Simple, everyday items. Simple, everyday use. Simply found anywhere & everywhere. Simple everyday items displaying the glory of God. This is the sign of God's everlasting promise to us. Please read: Alexander Schmennan "For the life of the world"

Ministry is us simply doing what it is we do as transformed people.

Have you ever noticed Paul never asked anyone in his churches to abandon their job for the ministry? Baptism is ordination. The people of the church are ministry.

"100% of the church is doing 100% of the work God intends it to do 100% the time."

This is a work in progress; but could you imagine what could happen if we all understood that our daily lives lived in simple ways are exactly how God intends to share redemption with mankind? What would that look like:

Church.

Good Questions

I recently went down to San Diego to hang with some church planters I'm friends with. One of the people within their church emailed me some questions & I thought it would make good food for thought here. 

Thanks for the question, I'll do my best to answer it. 

"It seems to me that the Bible teaches conformity in many ways, in other words, there are only so many leaders and the rest should follow."

Two questions here, first Conformity. The Bible does teach conformity however we have the choice to either obey or do our own thing. The Bible is many things & one of them is "how best to live life." Now WE think we know how to live life, but do we? Do you? I don't. God created humans; I'm learning what it means to be human. I assume He knows best how we should live life in a world which is corrupt by sin. Too, do we actually think we are free from conformity if we don't conform to the Bible? This is foolish. We are mastered by whatever masters us. As I often say, just because you realize your ability to choose doesn't make you mature. I constantly choose the wrong thing. God has never chosen the wrong thing when I've followed his ways. Lastly, here's something I tell people: When I choose to express my "freedom," choosing to do my own thing I discover bondage; when I bind myself to Christ I always find freedom. When conformity always leads to freedom what do we call that? 

Leadership within the church. The irony in this question is that ANYONE can become a leader within the church. That said, most people choose not to take responsibility for anyone other than themselves. Leadership is both a calling & a choice. God calls some to leadership; however God calls everyone to grow up, become like the Father, & take responsibility for the story of redemption ("we are ambassadors in Christ."). Sadly, most people remain infantile in their theology & are solely concerned about their own welfare & not the welfare of others both inside & outside of the church. Anyone can become a leader within the church, including, & hopefully, men of God like you. 

" individual nature of human beings." 

This is an odd cultural assumption we read into the Bible. God himself isn't an individual. The story of mankind has never been about individuals: Adam was given Eve; Noah & his family; Abraham & his family; Joseph & his brothers; Israel being THE main character within the Old Testament; Jesus & the twelve; Paul & his companions; The Trinity. In America we STRESS individualism. Is this right, wrong, or different. I say different; however we have to understand how this effects our theology. Do we have individual nature? Yes. That said, Paul make it plain that Christ is honored above all creation because He gave up His rights for us. Once again, am I most important to me or us? Who am I living for me or us? Is my faithfulness for me or us? Will my life be given so I can feel important or can I see the value in those who will never know me, maybe not appreciate me, but can benefit from me using my individual nature to love what God loves: People. & how does God show his love to people? The people of God living for the purposes of God: CHURCH. Watch the movie: Of Gods & Men. What a privilege we have in being able to be church with each other & the world. Too, we don't lose ourselves in others; we truly find ourselves as we give our life for others like Christ gave His life for us. "Whoever saves his life will lose it, whoever loses their life will find it." Do we believe this? 

Hopefully this answered your questions. If not write me back & ask away. I think God intentioned for us to meet & you are an incredible man of God. 

Blessings, 

Sean 

Growing Up

"Isn't there a subtle pressure in both the Church & society to remain a dependent child? Hasn't the Church in the past stressed obedience in a fashion that made it hard to claim spiritual fatherhood, & hasn't our consumer society encouraged us to indulge in childish self-gratification? Who has truly challenged us to liberate ourselves from immature dependencies & to accept the burden of responsible adults? And aren't we ourselves constantly trying to escape the fearful task of fatherhood?"

"God's compassion is described by Jesus not simply to show me how willing God is to feel for me, or to forgive me my sins & offer me new life & happiness, but to invite me to become like God & to show the same compassion to others as he is showing to me."

"The return to the Father is ultimately the challenge to become the Father."

The Return of the Prodigal Son: Henri Nouwen

Jump Out of the R-t Race

Pastoral Publishing

Below is a great article written by Skye Jethani on the topic of celebrity pastors & Christian publishers. Celebrity is a big deal for us Americans (& I've often wondered about publishing $$) & Christians are no exception. It's worth a look.

Publish Me

Are you pointing at me?

Here's an email my wife recently received: 

"Linda,

I really want to thank you for offering up the rosemary. 

(Ok, stop here. My wife loves to garden so she planted a bunch of rosemary starters & then posted the free starters on freecycle. Several people, including this person accepted the gift.) Resume email... 

I am the only person in my little enclave of a neighborhood of 10 homes that ever does any road maintenance, weed abatement, culvert repair, etc. of the property that is used by all and technically/legally supposed to be cooperatively maintained/paid for. Since I spend my own money (rather than on attorney’s fees and small claims costs to force/sue them to do what they are legally obligated to do) and be as productive as possible, any contributions of free material are most welcome.

The rosemary is going to help prevent erosion and hopefully outcompete Scotch broom I removed on a slope above the culvert that my husband and I installed before last year’s ridiculously wet winter. Fortunately, we alone prevented the roadway from collapsing further and washing out. The broom covered slope is a serious fire hazard and just below the home of an older man in poor health, so I voluntarily protect and maintain that portion of his property for him. Your contribution will benefit many other people than just myself (though most in the enclave don’t recognize, acknowledge or take the time to be grateful).   

We don’t always know the impact our actions have on others; I wanted you to know that your generosity and kindness made a difference."

I am often mystified by people, how complex we are, & how broken we are. I find that I often get blamed for things. Now no doubt I am to blame for all of my actions, & if we engage in a healthy mature conversation I will gladly take all responsibility for my actions; however, what I often find is when people play the blame game the pointer is generally pointed outward. 

One morning I went surfing & paddled by a man as I was trying to get at good spot to sit in the lineup. Well, evidently I made this man mad because he started cussing at me. I calmly paddled up to the man & apologized, which oddly made him cuss at me more, which of course made me more resolute in my apologies until finally he stopped, accepted my apology, & said, "Its not you man. Its just that everyone out here is an idiot." Really. Out of 30+ people out here, you & I are the only non-idiots? I'll surf with them thank you very much.

Surf, culvert repair, work, relationships, church, family: Whose fault is my frustration? 

As I read this email I thought of this woman coming to our church. What would she see?

What would you see? I think what we see often says more about us than what is actually there. Talk to me about your dad, neighbors, co-workers, spouse, friends, etc.

Jesus offers to clean us from the inside so that we might see the outside with healthy eyes. If we're unable to see the outside as it truly is, than we are robbed of ever experiencing real relationships because, how can we truly love something we can't trust, & how can we truly love someone if they bare the burden of our brokeness perceived or real?

Jesus offers to clean us from the inside so that we might see the outside with healthy eyes & truly be able to enjoy surfing, culverts, rosemary, relationships, work, & see people as the image of God everywhere instead of the engine driving the vehicle of my pain.

Oh, So True

Mark Twain

"Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured. "

A Synopsis of our Pastor's Book Club

Here's my friend's recollection of our last Pastor's book club & his invitation to other pastor's in Santa Cruz. Needless to say we have a great time discussing some serious issues. Thankfully we understand disagreement can be a fun process, which leads us away from the fallacy of unity & into the difficult beauty called community.

When I read this I had many thoughts, & wouldn't normally post something with my name in it so often, but it's too funny to pass up, seeing that this is the invitation to our book club many pastors in our city will receive. 

"During a fun-filled discussion of the spiritual implications of fat and dieting, we ate great food and drank deeply at the well of Sean's hard work at mastering the magical qualities of yeast. And let me assure you, Sean is the magician's apprentice when it comes to harnessing the magical qualities that God has created into the world on the microscopic level. Sean makes great beer. In fact, if we all weren't so happy because of our dancing tastebuds, I'm quite sure our tongues would have formed into sharper shapes when a divisive topic like dieting is the ring around which we were all rosey-ing. But happy tongues have a hard time lighting fires, so instead we sang each others praises for disagreeing so tactfully."

 Here's Pastor Jason at one of his church BBQ's.

Help me to Grow Up, Before I Grow Old

This is a list of how to raise grateful kids. I know a few "adults" who would do well to practice the list too.


“What are purposeful, practical ways you’ve tried to train your kids to be grateful?”
Here are several common themes – and a few additions of my own.

1. Travel: expose your kids to different cultures. This will provide perspective that “our way” isn’t the only way to live. Kids will also inherently understand that life isn’t as bad as they might have originally thought.
2. Have your kids spend time hanging around with grateful and wise adults. Invite wise and trusted grownups over for dinner or a BBQ on Saturday afternoon. Role models are significant; surrounding your kids with grateful role models makes sense.
3. Teach gratitude rigorously. Point thankful spirits out in other people. Kneel down and look your kids in the eyes and tell them they did a good job thanking someone else. When they fail to say ‘please’ or ‘thank you,’ lovingly correct and guide them to respond with appropriate words right then and there. Don’t miss the teachable moment.
4. Confront entitlement immediately. Snuff out any spirit of whining or an attitude of “I deserve this” in your kids. Be kind, but firm. Simply do not tolerate it.
5. Make events and outings special, but not assumed. When kids assume special events or trips will always be there, entitlement begins to creep in.
6. Model it. It may seem obvious, but it can be easy for mom and dad to forget that modeling is the most significant way to guide our children. Eliminate sarcasm or complaining in your conversation. Remember: more is caught than taught. 
7. Read Scripture together. The Bible has numerous verses about gratitude. Consider reading from the Psalms regularly or before dinner.
8. Minimize (or eliminate) time with television, advertisements and commercials. The goal of marketing and advertising is to make you discontent with what you currently have. Studies reveal that, regardless of income level, there is a direct correlation between the amount of hours people watch television with the amount of money they spend each month.
9. Give and serve as a family. Seek out ways to serve as a family (and not just around the holidays). Whether its for a few hours at the local soup kitchen or homeless shelter on a Saturday morning or a week-long mission trip, it builds memories, allows for healthy modeling and provides perspective that breeds thankfulness.
10. Find the right balance between work and play. Communicate to your entire family that there will be times where we will play hard and there will be times where we will work hard. Expect both. Create age-appropriate chores – and schedule fun times to make memories together.
11. Refrain from buying everything your kids want. Pushing the cart through the toy section at Target can be dangerous, but don’t give in. At appropriate times, bless your children, but don’t give in to every request for something. The worst thing we can do as parents is to give our kids everything they think they want – when they want it.
12. Refuse the comparison trap. Refuse to allow your kids to compare themselves with other kids, especially regarding possessions and ‘their stuff.’ The root of discontentment is comparison.
13. Watch the language. Have a keen ear for phrases like “I need that doll,” “I want that toy,” “She has ____ and I don’t…” or any other form of whining. If you hear it in the grocery aisle or from the backseat of the van, address it immediately. This includes non-verbals like pouting or smirking.