Forward in Faith

Hasn’t it been a busy week?! But the good kind of busy. Holy week, from Palm Sunday to Easter, is one of the busiest times in the life of a church. There are extra worship services, visitors, programs, and people to manage. A pastor friend of mine on facebook posted a picture of himself taking a well-earned, but too-short nap!

There is also this strange phenomenon after a busy season, especially one with spiritual emphasis, where we feel a bit of a let-down once it is over, we feel a bit deflated. Do you feel like that?

It makes me wonder if the disciples of Jesus felt anything like that in those weeks following the resurrection. Talk about your emotional roller coaster! They went from Palm Sunday when the crowds were hailing Jesus as the possible Messiah, to the serious talk around the Passover table, to a surprise arrest and hurry-up trial, and a gruesome execution that must have flung his friends and family into the depths of despair. A few days later, rumors started flying that Jesus was alive. Could it really be? Then came the unbelievable moment when Jesus himself appeared among them, and they knew it was true. Wow! How do you recover from a week like that?

Just a short reflection on the experience of the disciples makes me wonder how that same thing works out in the lives of each one of us. Where do we go from here? How do we go forward after a week like that? For that matter, what does it mean to go forward? What is it we are supposed to be doing in the Christian life?

I had a very interesting conversation this week with someone who was struggling with growing in their faith. She wanted to know which church, which pastor, or which book would help her grow. I took the viewpoint that each of us is responsible, at some level, for our own spiritual growth.

If we expected our doctor to be responsible for our physical health, we would most likely be disappointed. Our doctor can make suggestions, prescribe medication, but it is up to us to follow through. We are the ones who have to eat right. We are the ones who have to exercise and lose weight. We are the ones who have to take the proper medication at the proper time. I hear all the time that we have to take control of our own health care.

I think it’s also true, at least to a certain extent, that we have to take responsibility for our own spiritual health. A pastor or Sunday School teacher can point us to good books, helpful Scripture passages, and insights on prayer, but it is up to us to actually do the things we are encouraged to do. It’s a little blunt, but I sometimes refer to this as “Nike spirituality” based on their advertising campaign, “Just do it.” Sometimes in our spiritual lives, we need to “Just do it.”

At the same time, I am reminded of the passage in 1 Corinthians where Paul talks about his own experience with encouraging the Corinthian Christians in their faith. He tells them that even though he planted the seed of faith, and another pastor, named Apollos, watered that seed, it was God who caused the growth.

We can put ourselves in a position to grow. We can learn, we can pray, we can share, but it is ultimately God who brings the growth. God is always responsible for the miracle.

In the Easter story, Jesus didn’t raise himself from the dead, the Bible consistently says that God raised him from the dead. So when we need raising, or when we need encouragement, we need to look to God, who is “the author and perfecter of our faith.”

Following Jesus

What a great weekend we had at Cursillo! If you haven’t heard about Cursillo, it is an intensive short course in the Christian faith. But it’s not necessarily what most people think.

We talk a lot in the church about being a disciple of Jesus or following Jesus, but we don’t do a very good job of explaining exactly what that means. Most of us have the idea that discipleship is about learning something new, probably something we didn’t know before. I think that’s true to a certain extent, but I also think we often confuse information with formation.

We go to Bible studies, and Sunday school classes and we expect to learn new things. That is a good thing, up to a point. The problem is that we think that once we have learned something new, or even been inspired or blessed, that is the end of the story. But new information is not the goal of true discipleship. I’m pretty sure that when we get to heaven, St. Peter isn’t going to give us a Bible quiz to see how much we know. I think he’s going to ask us if we love Jesus.

I have spent a fair portion of my life learning new Bible information. I went to seminary. I actually paid somebody to teach me all that stuff. But information is not formation, and I think of discipleship in terms of formation.

If you have ever seen the movie, The Karate Kid, (the original) it’s the story of a boy named Daniel from New Jersey who moves to California and doesn’t fit in. He gets teased, and finally beat up by bigger kids who know Karate. There is a little Japanese man in his building who comes to his rescue one day and sends the other bigger kids packing. Daniel begs him to teach him how to fight, and the man agrees. You may remember the scene where Mr. Miyagi invites Daniel over to his house and has him wax his car and sand his deck. Daniel wants to learn Karate, but Mr. Miyagi knows that a foundation must be laid first. He must be formed before he can be informed. All that hard work, it turns out, was strengthening and training his muscles, so that when the actual training began, he would be ready.

It is much the same with the Christian life. I wonder how many people consider that “disciple” and “discipline” come from the same root? If we want to be disciples, we must be disciplined in our actions and in our faith. We must do the hard work of following Jesus.

I wonder how many folks set aside time each day to be with Jesus, to spend time in prayer. I wonder how many people take the time to read their Bibles, not for more information, but to learn how Jesus was able to love those who ridiculed him, spat on him, and nailed him to a cross.

As we come to Holy Week, when we remember the last days of Jesus’ life, don’t just spend time learning about him, let’s try to learn from him. Let’s make this year’s Holy Week an experience to remember, not because we learned something new, but because we met someone new. Come and meet Jesus.

Lenten Practice

Most of us get the concept of Lent. Lent is the 40 days prior to Easter that begins with Ash Wednesday. It is a time to prepare our hearts for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus during Holy Week and Easter.

As I said, we get the concept. We understand that to do anything well, you have to prepare, you have to get ready. But how do we get our hearts ready for Jesus?

Traditional Christian teachers for centuries have advocated what they call “Lenten practices” or “spiritual exercises” to prepare our hearts and spirits. Just as physical exercise improves the body, spiritual exercises are meant to improve the spirit. In the church, it is our job to encourage these exercises and to provide opportunities to perform them. This month, I want to highlight three opportunities that are available for our folks to exercise a Lenten discipline.

First, there are the Ecumenical Lenten services sponsored by the Sand Springs Ministerial Alliance. These services will be every Tuesday at noon and a light lunch will follow. The schedule is on page 4 of this newsletter, and responsibility for these services is shared by the Presbyterian, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, and Episcopal churches. If you have not done so before, you may want to take advantage of these services.

Second, Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery is sponsoring their annual Cursillo weekend on March 12-15. This would be a wonderful way to deepen your spiritual walk. The retreat is designed to encourage people in their personal relationship with Jesus Christ, to deepen their faith, and give them the tools and the inspiration to move forward in their spiritual journey. There are more details in the newsletter, and application forms in the church office. I would love for us to take a group to Dwight Mission for this year’s event!

Third, I will be preaching a series of sermons during Lent on the topic of the cross, which is both a significant Lenten theme, and one of those aspects of our faith that many of us struggle with. Why did Jesus have to die? Was that really necessary? What does the cross really mean in our modern context, and how can I understand it? I hope you will make an extra effort to be in church every Sunday during Lent (a spiritual discipline in itself) and take advantage of these messages. If you are unable to be present, you can always view them online by accessing our church web page at www.fpcsandsprings.org, and clicking on the “video sermons” link.

I hope you will take advantage of these opportunities to grow in your faith, and we also have many others, like Sunday School, Bible Study, and Lifetree Café. Whatever method you choose, make this the year you took the extra time to prepare your heart for the coming of the Savior.

The Andrew Project

     This past Sunday, I outlined a clear and reasonable way for us to reach out to our friends and neighbors and to increase church attendance. I call it the Andrew Project, because it is based on the life and ministry of St. Andrew.

    If you aren’t familiar with the life of Andrew, he was the brother of Simon Peter. But he is mentioned a few times in the Gospels for some of the things he did in his own right. For example, he is best known as the disciple who brought people to Jesus. It was Andrew, in fact, who brought his brother to meet Jesus, and it was Andrew who brought the little boy whose lunch fed 5,000 people. It’s what he was known for.

    That doesn’t seem too hard to me. I think that is something we could all do, something we should do, in fact—bring people to Jesus. That’s where I got the idea for the Andrew Project. I want to encourage every person in our church to think of one individual or family that they could invite and bring to church. Andrew brought people to Jesus, and when we bring people to church, we bring them to a place where they can meet Jesus.

    On Sunday, I used an acronym to help us remember to invite others, and how to do it. It was the word, “BRING.” Each letter helps remind us what we need to do to bring others to Christ.

    The first letter stands for “Believe.” That is the first step in bringing others to Christ. Andrew believed, and went and found his brother. When we believe, it gives us the motivation to find others and bring them to Christ.

    The second letter stands for “Relationship.” I suppose we could just ask random people we know or meet to come to church, but I doubt we would have very much success. Besides, that would be far too intimidating for most of us. What we can do is invite someone we know, someone with whom we have a previous relationship. That makes a lot more sense. I can tell my friend or someone I know at work how much I enjoy my church, and invite them to come with me some time. That’s not too scary.

    The third letter stands for “Invite,” because that’s what we are going to do. We invite someone we know, take that extra step and just ask them. You never know until you ask. But sometimes they may need a little help. That’s why the fourth letter stands for “nurture,” which also means “encourage.” We may have to keep on encouraging them until they actually come.

    Finally, the “G” in BRING reminds us of our “goal” which is to “glorify God” (that’s a lot of G’s). The Bible says there is great rejoicing in heaven for every sinner who repents. When someone accepts our invitation, and doesn’t just come to church, but actually comes to God, that is awesome. That is the goal toward which we work.

      So, over the next few months, think of somebody you know who isn’t going to church regularly. Maybe it’s a friend or a co-worker, or even a family member. Encourage them, nurture them, invite them, and BRING them to church to meet Jesus.

Thinking Forward

     Over the past week I have been thinking a lot about the future. Not in a long-term or apocalyptic kind of way, just some thoughts about where we are going in the church and what kinds of things we ought to be doing in the coming year.

     I have been having these thoughts for a variety of reasons. First, we have been preparing the church’s Annual Report, and doing some looking back and looking forward. Second, we had what I thought was an excellent planning meeting with the session last Sunday as we looked at our mission statement and made plans for the year ahead. Look for some of those plans coming to fruition in the next few months.

     When most of us thing about starting a New Year we think about how we would like to improve our lives or our selves. Exercise equipment goes on sale and Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig run special sign-up programs. Some people sign up for classes or purchase audio books to improve themselves during the time they spend alone in the car.

     When I think about how I would like to improve, the category of “spiritual” is at least somewhere on my radar. What that means changes from year to year, but it is usually there. Some years I think of important books on theology I need to read, sometimes I feel the need to work on my prayer life or Bible study. Just like our physical muscles, our spiritual muscles need a workout in order to remain strong.

     I am proud of the variety of opportunities we have at FPCSS to flex our spiritual muscles. We have heavy-lifting Bible study on Sunday nights at 6:30. We just started a verse-by-verse study of the Book of Exodus that will take most of the year, so this is a great opportunity to get started. We read and discuss and dig deep to understand and fill our minds and hearts with God’s Word.

     For the long run, there is a good cardio workout available in Sunday School. That is an ongoing program, week in and week out, year after year, that produces results over the long haul. If you are not involved, there are classes for a variety of ages and interests. In the parlor, the Pairs and Spares class meets and studies a traditional Presbyterian produced curriculum of a variety of Bible passages. The Library class downstairs is working their way through the Bible and are presently in the New Testament. The Saints and Ain’ts class is participating in the Lifetree Café curriculum and studying contemporary topics from stem cell research to keeping the love alive in your relationship. So there really is something for everyone.

     I am also excited about a fairly intensive boot camp training experience that is sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery, and is called Cursillo. Cursillo is a Spanish word that means “short course,” and the weekend is a short course in Christianity. It helps answer the question, What does it mean to be a Christian, and How can I grow in my faith? There are details in this month’s newsletter, and some of our own members will be participating in the event.

     So, if you are looking for a way to turn up the heat in your spiritual life this year, there are plenty of opportunities to do so. Pick one and go for it!

Lifetree Café Grand Opening

There is an old adage that defines insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. By that definition, we, in the church, have been insane for many years.

Most churches wish they had more members, or younger members, or both. But when we do things the same way and wonder why more people don’t show up, we let our insanity show. If we want different results, we have to do something differently.

Thom and Joani Schultz of Group publishing understand this, and so they have been working hard to find that combination of elements that will produce different results. This fall, the Evangelism Committee spent some time studying their book, Why Nobody Wants to go to Church Anymore. In that book they identify four specific issues many people have with the church, and how the church can change (aaarugh!) in order to be more welcoming, and, dare I say, more Christ-like.

These changes led them to develop the series of video and conversations they call Lifetree Café. Not really a Bible study in the traditional sense, they call it an “experience,” a scheduled hour of “stories and conversations to feed the soul.” The hour typically includes a short original film and guided conversation that offers participatory events related to life and faith.

Topics, which change weekly, focus on popular life issues. Topics may include such things as loneliness, immigration, health, angels, guilt, prayer, and life after death. The exclusive documentary-style films feature everyday people with unusual stories, as well as some nationally known figures.

This month starts out with a lesson on How to Declutter Your Life. Other weeks include discussions on Sexual Abuse and Why Men Hate Church. There is quite a broad spectrum of subjects in any given month.

Not only is the program exciting, but so is the venue. Remember that part about doing things differently? This month we will kick off our Lifetree experience in a whole new way in a whole new place. Mary Jo Rowe, owner of Sand Springs Espresso, has graciously offered to let us use the coffee shop as a location of our new Lifetree Café. It is an ideal location that offers comfort, convenience, and an excellent venue for conversation, which is what Lifetree Café is all about.

Thom Schultz, one of the developers of Lifetree Cafe said, “We’ve found that people today want to participate in the conversation. It’s not enough to simply hear someone lecture on an important topic. People want to share their thoughts, ask questions, and tell their own stories. The experience gives people practical help and insight on life issues, and provides a hopeful spiritual connection. Lifetree offers a safe place and time to do that.”

Starting this month, we will have three times and venues in which people can experience the conversation of Lifetree: on Wednesday nights at 6:00pm at the church, on Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm at Sand Springs Espresso, and at 10:00am on Sunday morning at the church.

I hope you will be able to join us for one of these great conversational experiences, and bring a friend!

Let's try something new. Let's try something different. And maybe, just maybe, we will experience different results!

Just a Moment

Quite possibly the most significant thing about Christmas is the incarnation. God, the infinite, eternal and unchangeable became human, frail, finite, and fickle. It may be the most fantastic miracle imaginable. Max Lucado has some interesting thoughts on it that I have cross-posted here. I hope you enjoy them.

"It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment.

As moments go, that one appeared no different than any other. If you could somehow pick it up off the timeline and examine it, it would look exactly like the ones that have passed while you have read these words. It came and it went. It was preceded and succeeded by others just like it. It was one of the countless moments that have marked time since eternity became measurable.

But in reality, that particular moment was like none other. For through that segment of time a spectacular thing occurred. God became a man. While the creatures of earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb.

The Omnipotent, in one instant, made himself breakable. He who had been spirit became pierceable. He who was larger than the universe became an embryo. And he who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl.

God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created.

God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of his mother.

God had come near.

He came, not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter. The hands that first held him were unmanicured, calloused, and dirty.

No silk. No ivory. No hype. No party. No hoopla.

Were it not for the shepherds, there would have been no reception. And were it not for a group of stargazers, there would have been no gifts.

Angels watched as Mary changed God’s diaper. The universe watched with wonder as The Almighty learned to walk. Children played in the street with him. And had the synagogue leader in Nazareth known who was listening to his sermons…

Jesus may have had pimples. He may have been tone-deaf. Perhaps a girl down the street had a crush on him or vice versa. It could be that his knees were bony. One thing’s for sure: He was, while completely divine, completely human.

For thirty-three years he would feel everything you and I have ever felt. He felt weak. He grew weary. He was afraid of failure. He was susceptible to wooing women. He got colds, burped, and had body odor. His feelings got hurt. His feet got tired. And his head ached.

To think of Jesus in such a light is—well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn’t it? It’s not something we like to do; it’s uncomfortable. It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation. Clean the manure from around the manger. Wipe the sweat out of his eyes. Pretend he never snored or blew his nose or hit his thumb with a hammer.

He’s easier to stomach that way. There is something about keeping him divine that keeps him distant, packaged, predictable.

But don’t do it. For heaven’s sake, don’t. Let him be as human as he intended to be. Let him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let him in can he pull us out.

Listen to him.

“Love your neighbor” was spoken by a man whose neighbors tried to kill him.

The challenge to leave family for the gospel was issued by one who kissed his mother goodbye in the doorway.

“Pray for those who persecute you” came from the lips that would soon be begging God to forgive his murderers.

“I am with you always” are the words of a God who in one instant did the impossible to make it all possible for you and me.

It all happened in a moment. In one moment…a most remarkable moment. The Word became flesh.

There will be another. The world will see another instantaneous transformation. You see, in becoming man, God made it possible for man to see God. When Jesus went home he left the back door open. As a result, “we will all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”

The first moment of transformation went unnoticed by the world. But you can bet your sweet September that the second one won’t. The next time you use the phrase “just a moment,” …remember that’s all the time it will take to change this world."

May God richly bless each and every one of us this Christmas!