The Upshot of Being a Stranger in a Strange Land

This is a fascinating read on why women are out-performing men in today’s economy.

As I read it, I couldn’t help being a pastor, researcher and communicator that there might also be connections to why the Christian Church has historically tended to grow the most when it was in a position of least influence. Perhaps there really is something to being “strangers in a strange land,” or to use biblical phrasing, “aliens and exiles.”

Something to consider.

Why Men Fail – NYTimes.com (HT: David Brooks)

Less is Really More, and Beware the Hunt for the Masses

Image via CrunchBase

Seth’s Blog: Most people.

I am an avid reader of Seth Godin (books, blogs, anything really).  I love his ability to crystalize and disseminate wisdom that can be applied to creative (writers, artists) and organizational leaders (marketers, managers, etc.).  In this short blog, he writes on the importance of “less is more” and the danger of following after the masses.

Enjoy!

No Surprises, Please!

No surprises (Photo credit: Pincel3d / Daniel)

I had the privilege the other week of assisting with a friend’s wedding in a Catholic wedding service.  One of the many surprises and joys of that experience was meeting and serving alongside Father Pablo Migone. He is a great guy.  I’ve enjoyed following some of his blog posts and found this one in particular to be very illuminating (Link to the whole article below).

On the nature of being surprised by God:

“I am convinced that God loves surprises…Unfortunately we oftentimes dislike surprises because they tend to destabilize things.  We want everything to be under control.  We get flustered and aggravated when things do not go exactly according to plan.  Yet consider this, had the Virgin Mary not been open to surprise and had she wanted to retain control over her life, she probably would have said “no” to the archangel.  The more open we become to the presence of God in our lives, the more He will surprise us through ordinary and extraordinary events.  The more we trust Jesus Christ has truly overcome the world, the more moldable we will become, gladly allowing His surprises to mold our will according to His own.

via Labyrinthine Mind: God of surprises.

What happens when prayer requests and acceptable sins go beneath the socially recognized surface?

Stained glass at St John the Baptist’s Anglican Church http://www.stjohnsashfield.org.au, Ashfield, New South Wales. Illustrates Jesus’ description of himself “I am the Good Shepherd” (from the Gospel of John, chapter 10, verse 11). This version of the image shows the detail of his face. The memorial window is also captioned: “To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of William Wright. Died 6th November, 1932. Aged 70 Yrs.” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I wonder what would happen in my life, and the life of those in the church, if we really believed that God knows everything about us and our sins, and still loved us enough to send His Son to die for those sins? And what if He really did love us enough after that to also send us His Spirit to be free to struggle with those sins, and gave us the gift of community to help us bear up under that struggle without having to fake, hide or pretend we’re anything other than redeemed men and women?

Saw this posing by a friend on Facebook (HT: Jeff Kerr) and thought it worth re-posting here for further discussion:

In a discussion elsewhere on the interwebs, I saw this statement. I think this gets directly to the heart of why most Christians in most contexts are afraid of confessing anything beyond “disorganization” and the like:

“I visited a Mom’s Bible study at a friend’s church years ago. When it was time for prayer requests, all the other moms said, “better time management” and “get organized”. This was met with understanding clucks and nods from the other moms. When it was my turn I said, “I yell at my kids.” I got a lecture about how wrong and damaging yelling was and how concerned the leader was that I would start “hurting my kids.” There was a moralistic lecture because there was no possibility of repentence and forgiveness.

Here’s what I’ve thought since then: Since grace is so cheap these days, our sin isn’t allowed to be very bad. That leads to confessing things like disorganization. Jesus’ blood can cover that one. But REALLY bad things? There’s no cure for them, so let’s not bring them up.”

via (5) In a discussion….

Waiting Time

 

Waiting (Photo credit: Iguanasan)

Waiting Time.

This is an interesting little parable on the effects of perception and organizational efficiency and effectiveness.

Sometimes, the “issue” isn’t really the issue.

Piss Christ, Revisited

Piss Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My friend Daniel Siedell has written another excellent article over at Patheos discussing the intersection of faith, grace and life through art (see below). It is well worth your time to read what might be the best perspective I’ve heard on Serrano’s Piss Christ.  And his thoughts on what it means to be a Cultural Theologian are even better.

I remember my first exposure into both topics – Piss Christ and being a Cultural Theologian – came from my dad.  He is an artist, and I have benefited greatly from growing up in a home where art was celebrated and questions were asked that forced us to think, not just regurgitate or rearrange preconceived prejudices.  When I fist came to know Christ, I remember one such question my dad asked: “What would you do if you saw a picture of Jesus in a toilet [or jar or urine] as a work of art?”

My answer then was somewhat astute for someone my age and maturity in Christ.  I answered, “Well, Jesus was crucified in a trash heap which was the equivalent of a toilet back in his day.  Whether the artist meant it or not, I think it’s an excellent picture of the beauty and grace of God in the midst of the crap of life.”

My response has not changed to this day, and thanks to Daniel, I know now that I was on to something back then.

Enjoy!

Piss Christ, Revisited.

Addendum: To learn more about how to see and perceive art with eyes of faith, and not through culture-war jargon, I highly recommend Daniel Siedell’s book God in the Gallery (Kindle edition here)  Also, for something philosophically similar but addressing cinema and movies, I would encourage Brian Godawa’s Hollywood Worldviews (Kindle edition here).

Shooting at the Family Research Council: Hate from the left | Washington Times Communities

It is interesting to note what items get media play and attention, and what do not. If the “sides” had been reversed, but the story ended up the same (heroic security guard, taking a bullet and saving lives), would we have seen/heard about this more in the news?

Food for thought.

Shooting at the Family Research Council: Hate from the left | Washington Times Communities.

iPhone Orphans

I confess that I can struggle with this.  I wonder though how this also applies to Pastors and “books”.  I am all for redeeming the time and making the most of every opportunity, but digital devices and/or reading material of any kind, even if it’s sermon prep, can achieve this same catastrophic end.

iPhone Orphans.

In Christianity, what is it we’re really after?

A mixed media piece by Jason Edmond Beaird, reflecting on his personal reading of the Book of Job

This is a question that has popped up in my mind from time to time.  Its also a question I find helpful in thinking through many issues we can face – from household arguments to denominational/theological differences.

Its the simple question of “What are we really after?”

As Christians, we can sometimes take it for granted that we are doing what we are doing “for the glory of God”, when instead what we are doing is pursuing some other agenda, some other end, and merely slapping a “God-approved” label on it.  This is dangerous.  Just look at several GOP Presidential candidates who all felt “called” to be the next President, only to bow out months later.

Job’s answer to the question (though it wasn’t put to him quite the same way) is convincting:

“In my flesh shall I see God.” – Job 19:26

 

This came up from my reading C.H. Spurgeon’s devotional reading for today in Morning and Evening as he reflected on the cry of Job’s heart after suffering immensely.  I found it informative and challenging, and share it here with you.

 ”Mark the subject of Job’s devout anticipation “I shall see God.” He does not say, “I shall see the saints”–though doubtless that will be untold felicity–but, “I shall see God.” It is not–”I shall see the pearly gates, I shall behold the walls of jasper, I shall gaze upon the crowns of gold,” but “I shall see God.” This is the sum and substance of heaven, this is the joyful hope of all believers. It is their delight to see him now in the ordinances by faith. They love to behold him in communion and in prayer; but there in heaven they shall have an open and unclouded vision, and thus seeing “him as he is,” shall be made completely like him. Likeness to God–what can we wish for more? And a sight of God–what can we desire better?”

- C.H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, Day 10

*The graphic image is from Jason Edmond Beaird, who created the work with mixed media reflecting on his reading of the book of Job.  I found it through a Google search and found his piece both visually stunning, beautifully simple and right at the heart, emotively, of what I hoped to convey in this post.  You can see more of his work at: http://v5.jasongraphix.com/

Delegating discipleship?

Discipleship = The process of helping others to come along with you into God's story

I’ve been thinking about discipleship a lot lately.  Not only because its my primary focus at Christ Church Santa Fe, but because I’ve been confronted with a disturbing trend. What I have been confronted with is not merely the lack of training in or even exposure to discipleship, but a lack of desire, interest, or even willingness to engage in it. [Not talking about my church specifically, but things I'm seeing or conversations I'm engaged in on a broader level]

I’m not talking about “volunteerism” or “small groups”, but when someone is practically begging someone else to show them how to know God, walk with Him, grow in their relationship with God, there seems to be a tendency to delegate the task to others.

Where did we get this from?

The task given to the church – and that means all believers in Christ – is the task of discipleship (cf. Matthew 28:18-20).  Not schooling in a particular methodology, or training in a specific program or curriculum, but sharing our lives in such a way that others are growing closer into a relationship with God, or living out their relationship with God in maturing ways.

Its a call to enter into God’s story, live in light of it, and help others do the same. Is this really such a terrifying thing to engage in?

This quote from Stanley Hauerwas was helpful to me in thinking about this:

“We are called to be disciples and even to count ourselves among the righteous.  Our call is not a general admonition to be good, but a concrete and definite call to take up the way of life made possible by God’s redemptive action for us in the cross.  To be redeemed, as I suggested above, is nothing less than to learn to place ourselves in God’s history, to be part of God’s people.”

- Stanley Hauerwas, The Peaceable Kingdom, 33

So you guys tell me, “How do we reverse the trend of delegating the responsibility of discipleship onto others, and take it up ourselves?”

Or in words that express this other picture, “How can we all take a part in helping others get up, and move into and live out their relationship with God?”

In helping others, everyone can play a part...even puppies.