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 

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

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.

The Story of Christmas

Grab a glo stick & enjoy the Gift.

We are waiting

We are waiting for peace to break out
we are waiting for flowers to bloom
we are waiting for the moon to come
from behind the clouds of war
We are waiting for the light
We are waiting
and as we wait we sing songs of celebration
We are waiting
and as we wait we hold out our hands in love and friendship…
…and as we wait we dance: we dance with the cold east wind
and the creaking singing branches of giant firs
we dance with the devils
of dust and the angels of clouds
We are waiting
and as we wait we are learning the language
of burning roses and sunflowers slowly turning
toward the sun…
(Carlos Reyes)

Christ Has No Body

Christ has no body but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks

Compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

        Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)

Why?

As a follower of Jesus I'm regularly challenged by why I do things. Why did I move to Santa Cruz? Why share the love of Christ? Why serve? Why love? Why do I do the things I do for Jesus?

I ask this question of myself because this is where I find a great deal of tension in my own life. I feel as if my desire to do these things often results in less than expected results; this leads to my disappointment & I then wonder if what I've done was"worth it." Too, I often wonder if what I'm doing is only for myself so that I feel o.k with the insecurity of  whether or not I matter.

Yet today, as I was sitting out on the ocean waiting for good waves, I was struck by the revelation that I generally do what I do not because of my devotion to God, but for the results themselves. Results aren't bad; they are the outcome of our actions. Yet am I living my life in order to get results or am I living my life because I'm loved & in love with God? One never ceases to amaze; the other never satisfies.

Today I dropped into a really big wave (9ft+) & barely made the  landing. People were hollering, as they often do on a great wave, & I felt the rush of my results; yet by the end of my surf session I was tired, & those who had witnessed my earlier exploits were gone, & I was surrounded by a new group of people who were snagging all the waves making me feel kinda' lame. The fulfillment of my results didn't last even 2hrs; why not just enjoy the water?

I'm not convinced results are the goal in almost any venture. 

This is no simple task, but I want to do what I do because I'm loved; Too, I want to do because I deeply believe in what it is I'm doing regardless of what "happens." I assume real art results from this perspective. I want to be who I am because it's worship. I want to alleviate myself of what was never mine: The Outcome.

Easier said than done.

All Over the Country

I just got off a webpage about a Christian conference happening near Santa Cruz & must admit I'm kinda over church culture (it's been a slow process). Really, it's kinda gross. As I scrolled through the bios of each speaker & musician it was really weird. "So & so wrote this book & speaks (or plays) all over the country." I guess my question would be: Is that some sort of arrival point? Is it the goal of Christian leaders to write a book or song & then play "all over the country?" & this magically gives them some sort of clout to be a "main presenter?" It just seems weird.

I think this is coupled with a recent visit to a blog where the author was blasting a conference for not being Heidi Baker, because "if everyone did what she did this conference (on social justice) wouldn't even matter."  It made me sad because this girl isn't Heidi & she won't really get to be herself until she realizes that's best.

Celebrity.

I guess I'm over the "so & so; & who's who," within the faith & my opinion is that as long as we continue to teach Christians to listen to "so & so who wrote this & that & spoke here & there," we belittle the little ones who make up the brunt of the face of Christ in the streets; because they never will be celebrities & that's just fine.

I realize certain people do have fabulous things to share & therefore do travel to & fro in order to share their wisdom; however, "so & so, has spoken or played all over the country," has become a mantra for our church culture to make us believe they're something special (or maybe we're helping them believe they're special?). 

What if the speaker's bio said: "So & so, been faithful in the little things for 25yrs." 

I'm not sure how that would sound on a conference bio: My name is Sean; I just got back from my neighbors house where he showed me his birthday homebrew with 4oz of weed in it.

How do we within the church help everyone to see they are as important as Heidi? How do we within the church help our teachers present us with a bio that reflects day-to-day faith? How do we in the church learn how to appreciate simple acts of faith like going next door?

The Perils of a Godly Man

I recently opened a message from a woman I assumed I went to Highschool with. What followed was a rather interesting dialogue as I discovered I was being given a "proposal." I think we get proposals often, sometimes from simple things, & other times we get a proposal that will shipwreck who we are. I wish I always made the right choice when presented with a enticing proposal, but "very often" will have to sustain me to the finish lines as we practice the ways of Jesus in Santa Cruz. 

Below is the actual dialogue between my suitor & I via Facebook:
--You look good in your profile picture, are you still single? Smile!!!!
--What's up Nancy. Thanks for the compliment. I've been married for 11 years & have 3 incredible kids. I hope you're doing well. Blessings.
--Yes, i am doing good and you?
--We're doing great. We live in Santa Cruz & are a part of a really cool faith community here following Jesus. What have you been up to?
--Nothing much just wish we could get to know each other and see how it goes, how are your kids doing as well?
--How do we know each other Nancy?
--well, maybe we can exchange email
--Hey Nancy I don't know if you caught on or not, but I'm a happily married man. Too, I have three kids. What would it have been like for your dad to accept some invitation from another woman? What would that have done to your life? Is that what you'd like to do to my family?

Maybe she's still thinking about my questions...

Now you tell me...

“Pastoral work is slow and tedious. Be patient. It’s not easy or exhilarating. It’s plodding. In some ways its easy. Just stay there and be faithful. Pray. Know the names of the people in your community. Trust them and see them as blossoming saints, even if they don’t act like it.” Eugene Peterson

God, help me learn this lesson for our church in Santa Cruz.

Better Church

"Men are looking for better methods; God is looking for better men." E.M. Bounds

Church Success

"When the church is driven more by the idea of success rather than obedience, it really hasn't traveled far off the road called failure."

A homeless person in Santa Cruz California

Practice makes...Real

What is the devotional life? What does it mean to be "saved?" What's the resurrection got to do with: Work, bills, the environment, sex, beer, coffee, career, hate, or any of the other aspects of "life?" Sadly, we've become professionals at seeing certain things as spiritual & other things as, well, just normal life. This isn't how it's supposed to be & as a community in Santa Cruz we want to live out our faith now.

Here's a great quote:

"Why is it that we look upon our salvation as a moment that began our religious life instead of the daily life we receive from God?" Dallas Willard

When we think about what it means to be a church we should be certain about these things: We're alive in Christ NOW. We're a part of the resurrection NOW. The church & our church in Santa Cruz is the body of Christ NOW. We are a part of the New Creation NOW. Work is worship TODAY. 

All of this become even clearer when we take Communion as a church. Communion isn't a reassurance that one day we'll enjoy God without any issues; Communion is God's evident reassurance that we are to enjoy Him NOW. The Bread & the Wine aren't mystical things taken from the world transformed into something other-worldly; the Bread & the Wine are normal things of the world taken into ourselves that we might realize life is spiritual. His whole self was crucified & risen to redeem my whole self all the time...all of me...all the time. 

What's it mean to live the resurrected life in Santa Cruz (or anywhere else) NOW?

The Last Supper

 

In Grad school I read a book where two followers of Jesus enjoyed communion with some homeless brothers & sisters; they used Pepsi & Donuts. There is a tremendous breadth to Jesus, the Kingdom, & Communion. As I reflect on "who" is able to take communion, I must admit my circles are growing wider. Why? Because "sinners" cannot corrupt the body & blood of Christ; it is they who will become corrupted by: Truth, Love, Grace, Kingdom, & the Reality found in God through Jesus.

Stumble Not

 ⁹ Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. ¹⁰ It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

Great thoughts from a local pastor.

My sister-in-law recently graduated from one of the top medical schools in the country. It has achieved that status not by being the biggest, but because of the quality of students it turns out and the number treatment-breakthroughs that are discovered there.

Similarly, our churches (or Bible studies, or worship teams, or whatever other ministry-effort we're leading) should not be evaluated by their size, but on what is happening in the lives of those who are there.

Here are a few other parallels that have crossed my mind:

1. Most med-schools also have hospitals attached. What a great picture of church! Everyone is welcome... nobody is shamed or turned away. However, entrance into the hospital does not guarantee entrance into the attached med-school. At our church, what we're looking for in people who would aspire to ministry leadership are servant-heartedness (my spell-check doesn't know that word), teachability (a desire to learn things that I don't already know), accountability (a desire to be linked up with others in a growth-process), and repentance (an eagerness to have my thinking changed by God).
2. We have more "students" than "doctors" and the learners are the ones doing the hands-on work. While patients at med-school hospitals might prefer to have full-fledged doctors doing the surgeries, often students are involved in the process. At church, it's the same. Our pastoral team and Delta leaders' jobs are not to do the ministry directly, but to mobilize and connect people who are learning how to pray and counsel with those who need it (all of us). Interestingly, studies have shown that (despite patients' nervousness) the care at med-school hospitals is better than at non-teaching hospitals.
3. For patients, healing is the goal. Everybody hopes that a trip the hospital is brief! Some treatments can take time, but every patient should aspire to wholeness. The point of coming to the hospital is to be healed so that we can get on with our lives. Sometimes church can seem like an endless cycle of going into the hospital! Instead, let's all set our sights on fruitful ministry (getting off the sick-bed and into the white gown and stethescope).
4. For students, each day is lived with graduation day in mind. The point of this school is not just to build a bigger and bigger school and hospital... but to SEND out these students into the wide world where they are needed. I am asking God to give me big dreams for those who call our church home... and the wisdom to equip them for what God is asking them to do. And I want to get better at planning a church-program that will love, mend, train, and send people in a period of a few years.

It's helpful to spend time thinking about what we're trying to do with this thing called "church." Without proactive thought, we'll end up just doing stuff out of tradition or routine. Neither will get us to our objective ("Go therefore and make disciples...").

Who's Your Momma?

"He can no longer have God for his Father, who has not the Church for his mother."St. Cyprian

I've recently realized the most prominent issue within mankind. One would assume it is: Greed, perversion, hate, sexual sin, or something else, but it isn't. It's rebellion. I'm the captain of my own ship.

I too wrestle with this, yet as I sink within the waters of my own choices, countless have been the times when the church has wrestled me from my own determination to find freedom through my distorted lens of reality.

Thank you mother church for offending my sinful nature. You are the water-wings that keep me afloat as I have been so determined to drown when I wrench the wheel of my ship from the Holy Spirit. Thank you Father, Spirit, & Son...& Mother.

"He can no longer have God for his Father, who has not the Church for his mother."St. Cyprian

Santa Cruz: A New Kingdom

I'm a part of a group of pastors in Santa Cruz who read a book a month & then gather to discuss, amongst other things, the book we've read. This month we're reading: "Surprised By Hope" by N.T. Wright. It's been a great read so far, & I must admit I'm a bit ignorant as to the meaning of the Resurrection now & for the life after.

N.T. Wright is tackling many questions including: "What do people believe in when they talk about life after death?" Moreover, what do we Christians believe when it comes to life after death? As N.T. Wright demonstrates we believe much more in "Heaven," then in the Resurrection of all believers. As my daughter said the other night at dinner, "People who believe in God go to Heaven. Those who don't go to Hell." Needless to say, I'm glad to be reading the book. Although her statement has some merit it's more a product of popular thought then thorough Biblical thinking.

One of the things I most appreciate about N.T. Wright's writings is his insistence upon the bridging of Jesus' arrival & our, the church, response in light of this in the world. He says, "It (The Resurrection) is not an absurd event within the old world but the symbol & starting point of the new world. The claim advanced in Christianity is of that magnitude: Jesus of Nazareth ushers in not simply a new religious possibility, not simply a new ethic or a new way of salvation, but a new creation."

Jesus is the beginning of a new creation. He is the catalyst of the Kingdom of God. This is incredible in so many ways, but the thing I find most amazing is that we, the church, are that new creation. We are the the greatest living example of the Resurrection. We are the Kingdom of God here & now. This was a huge issue in the first century. The church was one of the most obvious signs that something real had actually happened: A new community was now in existence where beforehand there was not. A group of people who desired to have their lives shaped by the Lord of the Cosmos; a people who desired to live out the values of the Kingdom. That's a big deal.

But what does the church mean in the world today? Jesus is the start of a new creation. We are the deposit in this world of that new creation. However, currently, to what end? Are we the lightning rod for the Kingdom God envisions to demonstrate here? Is the church, like a window into a house, a way for people to see: "Aha, that's what the Kingdom looks like." Clearly the answer is, in most cases, no. At least in Santa Cruz, when people think church they don't associate it with: The clear example of what God's Kingdom looks like here & now.

Somehow we (I) don't get the Resurrection; because if we did this world would look a lot more like the one Jesus came to inaugurate.