The past few days there have been some divine appointments, some meetings that God provided that were just ordered for me to make contact with some folks I otherwise would not have.
And then, this morning, a really rare time, one of those that when I spent time in scripture and prayer with someone suffering, we found a "way into" the life of Jesus. That's a phrase I have been batting around for a bit, a phrase that is about something like breaking past sentimental notions of Jesus and into the real power. Sometimes it is about breaking through mechanical descriptions of doctrine.
Today, it was His words "greater love has no one than this, the he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13)
Growing up around airmen and soldiers, I know this is a favorite verse of those in the military. And so, it is doubly likely that I would see this as the ultimate, sacrifice, enduring the moment of death.
But today, we wondered if it does not also express a kind of continuous self-denial, a continuous suffering endured for the sake of loved ones?
Come, Lord Jesus.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Liberating ______ Theology
I picked up an interesting book, "Liberating Black Theology," by a guy I follow on Twitter, Dr. Anthony Bradley. He says something about black liberation theology that struck a chord in me:
"many [black liberation] theologians denied orthodox starting points such as the final authority of scripture, biblical definitions of sin and redemption, the doctrines of God and redemption by means of substitutionary atonement" p.28
What I found particularly interesting is that this same thing can be said about United Methodists. Our quadrennial General Conference is coming up in 2012, and we will again be torn apart over the issue of homosexuality. And yet, homosexuality is not the real issue. It is one of many, simply the one that is the flashpoint.
The issue really is the places in our church and theology where we depart from "orthodox starting points such as the final authority of scripture, biblical definitions of sin and redemption, the doctrines of God, and redemption by means of substitutionary atonement."
The issue of accepting homosexuality as a legitimate Christian lifestyle is merely one place where we deny the authority of Scripture and biblical definitions of sin. Other places are where we want to claim that Wesley did not teach "sola scriptura" but rather "prima scriptura" or maybe even "sorta scriptura." Or, when we claim that we are saved by faith AND works we also reject Scripture and the substitutionary atonement of Jesus' death on the Cross.
The real issue is, finally, scripture. Is it the final authority for us? Answer that question and you will see much more clearly what we are really fighting about.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
"many [black liberation] theologians denied orthodox starting points such as the final authority of scripture, biblical definitions of sin and redemption, the doctrines of God and redemption by means of substitutionary atonement" p.28
What I found particularly interesting is that this same thing can be said about United Methodists. Our quadrennial General Conference is coming up in 2012, and we will again be torn apart over the issue of homosexuality. And yet, homosexuality is not the real issue. It is one of many, simply the one that is the flashpoint.
The issue really is the places in our church and theology where we depart from "orthodox starting points such as the final authority of scripture, biblical definitions of sin and redemption, the doctrines of God, and redemption by means of substitutionary atonement."
The issue of accepting homosexuality as a legitimate Christian lifestyle is merely one place where we deny the authority of Scripture and biblical definitions of sin. Other places are where we want to claim that Wesley did not teach "sola scriptura" but rather "prima scriptura" or maybe even "sorta scriptura." Or, when we claim that we are saved by faith AND works we also reject Scripture and the substitutionary atonement of Jesus' death on the Cross.
The real issue is, finally, scripture. Is it the final authority for us? Answer that question and you will see much more clearly what we are really fighting about.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, January 21, 2012
A Gospel Preached in Oakland Lives In Me
For a variety of reasons, I like Oakland, CA. Some of it is being a Raiders fan. Some of it is its contrast with San Francisco.
At any rate, Jessie, the boys and I went there about 3 years ago I guess it was. We were looking for some contacts we had, got lost, and ended up somewhere that was important to us for some personal reasons, we just did not know that's where we would end up: Tyrone Carney Park.
Tyrone Carney Park, I saw in a news report today, has been fenced off because of a gang that has taken over the park. There's a lot of sadness in that because of everything Tyrone Carney represents.
Tyrone was studying for the ministry. He was 20 years old. He volunteered to go to VietNam so that another young man would not have to go. He was "in country" just 6 weeks when he was killed in combat in the Quang Tri Valley.
Isn't it terrible that a man who made that sacrifice-- "greater love hath no man than that he lay down his life for his friends"-- the park in his name is a place of murder and destruction?
Tyrone's brother, Glandion Carney, is my spiritual director. Glandion said in those terrible days in 1968, he had to make a choice between joining anger and fighting back and following Christ.
We're going to DC over Spring Break. Panel 56W, line 012 will be our first stop.
At any rate, Jessie, the boys and I went there about 3 years ago I guess it was. We were looking for some contacts we had, got lost, and ended up somewhere that was important to us for some personal reasons, we just did not know that's where we would end up: Tyrone Carney Park.
Tyrone Carney Park, I saw in a news report today, has been fenced off because of a gang that has taken over the park. There's a lot of sadness in that because of everything Tyrone Carney represents.
Tyrone was studying for the ministry. He was 20 years old. He volunteered to go to VietNam so that another young man would not have to go. He was "in country" just 6 weeks when he was killed in combat in the Quang Tri Valley.
Isn't it terrible that a man who made that sacrifice-- "greater love hath no man than that he lay down his life for his friends"-- the park in his name is a place of murder and destruction?
Tyrone's brother, Glandion Carney, is my spiritual director. Glandion said in those terrible days in 1968, he had to make a choice between joining anger and fighting back and following Christ.
We're going to DC over Spring Break. Panel 56W, line 012 will be our first stop.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
China Pentecost
Friday evening, we had a dinner at our house for our church's missionary to Mexico. There are really amazing things afoot. It turned out that we had 7 Chinese folks come to the dinner as well. It struck me that we could not simply sit there and talk about missions in Mexico without explaining why we do missions and that means Jesus, so I took the opportunity to talk about salvation in Jesus' name twice that night, and it gave me a chance to pray with them about their needs.
It brought to mind the vision God has given me about Pentecost, about reaching people from all nations and languages. Jerusalem was full of people who heard the message in their own language. America is full of people from around the world, and if we can reach them-- in their own language, welcoming them into our church, into a relationship with the Lord-- when they call or write home, when they go home, they will share the gospel, perhaps seem will become pastors! We are in the midst of a new Pentecost that is crating a huge missionary explosion. There are so many "unreached people groups" in America! Will we reach them? Do you care?
We have a mission in Mexico because some years back Morehead UMC started an Hispanic ministry, ministered to a man from Oaxaca, who is on his way to being a pastor back home...
Will we be able to say the same for China?
Ting, who will be baptized on Easter, said last night at Wednesday Night Service, that she wants to teach a Chinese language Sunday School after she has learned more about the faith.
Let's pray and lift this up! What if one day we can say that we have a mission and have a relationship with a church--or more than one!-- in China that started because we were faithful to the mission field here?!
It brought to mind the vision God has given me about Pentecost, about reaching people from all nations and languages. Jerusalem was full of people who heard the message in their own language. America is full of people from around the world, and if we can reach them-- in their own language, welcoming them into our church, into a relationship with the Lord-- when they call or write home, when they go home, they will share the gospel, perhaps seem will become pastors! We are in the midst of a new Pentecost that is crating a huge missionary explosion. There are so many "unreached people groups" in America! Will we reach them? Do you care?
We have a mission in Mexico because some years back Morehead UMC started an Hispanic ministry, ministered to a man from Oaxaca, who is on his way to being a pastor back home...
Will we be able to say the same for China?
Ting, who will be baptized on Easter, said last night at Wednesday Night Service, that she wants to teach a Chinese language Sunday School after she has learned more about the faith.
Let's pray and lift this up! What if one day we can say that we have a mission and have a relationship with a church--or more than one!-- in China that started because we were faithful to the mission field here?!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Snowpocalypse and You Might Be A Redneck If...
While everyone else is heading to the store to get milk and bread, I was getting cat litter. Why? Because I have been outflanked, out-strategeried by wife and kids.
They have been working me over about a cat or a dog. We have had two rabbits.
So Jessie comes into the office and tells how Kay Stiner is spoiling Nay and giving her anything she wants, and how Saundra Newton is not any better because The Nay was playing with a kitten and screamed when she had to leave, and Saundra just off-hand said, why don’t you take the kitten? so there’s a cat in the garage.
I was cooked, done. Like the dad in The Christmas Story. Jessie got the cat for Nadia so she could say that the boys need a dog to keep things fair. And needless to say we are already talking along those lines.
But at the end of the day, I love animals, I just am not sure the boys get the responsibility that will come with it. We have a cute black kitten.
A great scene unfolded in the Fuzzy Duck today. I got a book and Sara Peyton was ringing up the sale. One of the owners was telling me about how he got a job because he bought his boss some Coors when you could not get it, Smokey and the Bandit days, and all that. The other owner, his wife, thinks that she should tell him, “Hey wait, this is Aaron, Sara’s minister, be careful about a beer story, etc”
But she was unaware how it started. I was buying maybe my fifth copy of Wendell Berry’s What Are People For? I have given all the other ones away. It’s a huge book for me. Wendell Berry is horrified that it evangelized me. well, not horrified. But the way I came across the book as a young atheist was that a friend who lived out in the country asked me to pick up a case of beer on my way to his place. When I got there he did not have any money to pay me so he said I could have a book and I took What Are People For? and things have never been the same. So, I say “You might be a redneck if you ever traded a case of Natty Light for a Wendell Berry book.” True story.
That’s how it got started. So, instead of the preacher being embarrassed by a beer story, Sara was embarrassed by her pastor’s beer story.
My work here is done.
They have been working me over about a cat or a dog. We have had two rabbits.
So Jessie comes into the office and tells how Kay Stiner is spoiling Nay and giving her anything she wants, and how Saundra Newton is not any better because The Nay was playing with a kitten and screamed when she had to leave, and Saundra just off-hand said, why don’t you take the kitten? so there’s a cat in the garage.
I was cooked, done. Like the dad in The Christmas Story. Jessie got the cat for Nadia so she could say that the boys need a dog to keep things fair. And needless to say we are already talking along those lines.
But at the end of the day, I love animals, I just am not sure the boys get the responsibility that will come with it. We have a cute black kitten.
A great scene unfolded in the Fuzzy Duck today. I got a book and Sara Peyton was ringing up the sale. One of the owners was telling me about how he got a job because he bought his boss some Coors when you could not get it, Smokey and the Bandit days, and all that. The other owner, his wife, thinks that she should tell him, “Hey wait, this is Aaron, Sara’s minister, be careful about a beer story, etc”
But she was unaware how it started. I was buying maybe my fifth copy of Wendell Berry’s What Are People For? I have given all the other ones away. It’s a huge book for me. Wendell Berry is horrified that it evangelized me. well, not horrified. But the way I came across the book as a young atheist was that a friend who lived out in the country asked me to pick up a case of beer on my way to his place. When I got there he did not have any money to pay me so he said I could have a book and I took What Are People For? and things have never been the same. So, I say “You might be a redneck if you ever traded a case of Natty Light for a Wendell Berry book.” True story.
That’s how it got started. So, instead of the preacher being embarrassed by a beer story, Sara was embarrassed by her pastor’s beer story.
My work here is done.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Jerusalem
I’m running a flickr slideshow of the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, a church built on Caiaphas’ house, where Jesus was taken after he was arrested in the Garden, and where Peter denied knowing Jesus. Thus, “in gallicantu,” which means “rooster’s crow.” [flickr is a web site that has all kinds of uploaded photos from users around the world]
I think I could go to Israel three times a year and not wear it out. I guess in some ways I want to become as familiar (and more) with Jerusalem than I am with some other big cities I know... San Francisco, Stuttgart, New Orleans...
Of course, there is so much more to Jerusalem. Somehow I feel like I live in its shadow, or maybe more properly under its blessing?
On the trip to Israel I took last year, thanks to the generous offer of Tom Smith, I was asked to pray on the bus ride into Jerusalem. Whoa... how did they choose that? How did they know I was committing Psalm 121 to memory in Hebrew?
And how did they know that Matisyahu’s “Jerusalem” was rolling through my mind?
I am sure they had no clue about all that, but it seemed stunning to me... one of the things I really wanted to see, to experience, was going up the hills into Jerusalem... to get to pray about it...
So when I got up to pray on the bus, climbing the steep hill, realizing, seeing what it means to come into the city set on 7 hills... I don’t remember what i said, babbling something about looking to the hills..
A few years back, I was in California at about the same time of two different summers. It was kind of cool, because i try to read 5 Psalms a Day, and was pretty regular about that for a few years. So regular that going to Cali, I was reading the Psalms of Ascents both times. I was looking at the Adelaida Mountains, thinking about how when I was a kid I would lift up my eyes to the hills... those hills seemed so solid... there was always some call they had on me. I wanted to go into and over them, to follow them north as they change to the Ventana Mountains and Santa Lucia mountains--the only place you’d see snow was on the peaks-- and go over them to the sea at Big Sur. Isn’t it weird? As a child I would think vaguely, one day I will go into those hills and disappear.
It has been a strange metaphor for my spiritual journey, disappearing from the world, to the place where I am known and fully known (I Corinthians 13:12)
I plan on going to Jerusalem a lot, Lord willing.
I think I could go to Israel three times a year and not wear it out. I guess in some ways I want to become as familiar (and more) with Jerusalem than I am with some other big cities I know... San Francisco, Stuttgart, New Orleans...
Of course, there is so much more to Jerusalem. Somehow I feel like I live in its shadow, or maybe more properly under its blessing?
On the trip to Israel I took last year, thanks to the generous offer of Tom Smith, I was asked to pray on the bus ride into Jerusalem. Whoa... how did they choose that? How did they know I was committing Psalm 121 to memory in Hebrew?
And how did they know that Matisyahu’s “Jerusalem” was rolling through my mind?
I am sure they had no clue about all that, but it seemed stunning to me... one of the things I really wanted to see, to experience, was going up the hills into Jerusalem... to get to pray about it...
So when I got up to pray on the bus, climbing the steep hill, realizing, seeing what it means to come into the city set on 7 hills... I don’t remember what i said, babbling something about looking to the hills..
A few years back, I was in California at about the same time of two different summers. It was kind of cool, because i try to read 5 Psalms a Day, and was pretty regular about that for a few years. So regular that going to Cali, I was reading the Psalms of Ascents both times. I was looking at the Adelaida Mountains, thinking about how when I was a kid I would lift up my eyes to the hills... those hills seemed so solid... there was always some call they had on me. I wanted to go into and over them, to follow them north as they change to the Ventana Mountains and Santa Lucia mountains--the only place you’d see snow was on the peaks-- and go over them to the sea at Big Sur. Isn’t it weird? As a child I would think vaguely, one day I will go into those hills and disappear.
It has been a strange metaphor for my spiritual journey, disappearing from the world, to the place where I am known and fully known (I Corinthians 13:12)
I plan on going to Jerusalem a lot, Lord willing.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Awesome Outreach
My youngest son Joseph is 9, and he is a basketball fanatic. Morehead is a great place to be if you are a basketball fanatic. A group in our church had a dinner for the men's and women's basketball teams last night, and they invited our family to come. It was a great time for the athletes and the sponsors of the dinner.
And it was a great outreach. It was not just that we fed some kids who are away from home. It was not just that we invited them into the church. There was a lot of chance to talk, get to know people, and have some spiritual conversation. It started quickly. As soon as I said "Amen" to my prayer, a player came up and asked me about praying in Jesus' name. Is it the same as praying to God? We talked a few minutes and then I think we got to something... He is from a large city far away from here. And he is in Morehead, so there is some culture shock. Let us pray for spiritual openings and that they are filled with the good things of Christ!
My heart is warmed and I am encouraged to be among a group of believers who will do what it takes to reach others for Christ!
And it was a great outreach. It was not just that we fed some kids who are away from home. It was not just that we invited them into the church. There was a lot of chance to talk, get to know people, and have some spiritual conversation. It started quickly. As soon as I said "Amen" to my prayer, a player came up and asked me about praying in Jesus' name. Is it the same as praying to God? We talked a few minutes and then I think we got to something... He is from a large city far away from here. And he is in Morehead, so there is some culture shock. Let us pray for spiritual openings and that they are filled with the good things of Christ!
My heart is warmed and I am encouraged to be among a group of believers who will do what it takes to reach others for Christ!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)