Church Politics

We're having a political war at the church

4 Minute Devotions: Numbers or Nurturing?

Numbers or nurturing? Do church youth groups have to be big before they are successful? Isn’t nurturing kids more important than numbers?

Deuteronomy 32:10 In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye.

I was reading another pastor’s blog this morning. She was discussing a meeting that she had with a congregation who wanted to know how to attract young people into the church. The pastor was trying to get across the idea that building up young lives was more important than building up numbers, but the people at the meeting were impatient and frustrated. They wanted a successful youth group, full of teenagers, and bursting at the seams. In other words, numbers were more important than nurturing.

At Erin Church, I believe we have a great Youth leader. Becca has served our church for several years, building up relationships with the young people under her care. She treats them with respect and encourages them to grow in faith, fun, and fellowship. It’s a remarkable ministry that blesses our congregation year after year.

If Becca was more interested in numbers rather than nurturing, our Youth group would not work. She makes and takes time out of her busy schedule to invest many hours, conversations, teaching moments, and emails with our church youth. She knows what they need and more importantly, understands what the church needs for the future. I feel that we are blessed by her commitment, compassion, and Christianity. In my humble opinion, Becca understands how God cares about our young people. Like Him, she is willing to guard and care for them, as the apple of her eye. The respect that she gets from our young people is wonderful and the faith that they experience is eternal. Concentrating on mere numbers is superficial; focusing on nurturing young spirits is priceless.

Perhaps you are part of a church that worries about the numbers in your youth group. Forget about the numerical values and concentrate on the eternal values of those young souls. That’s how God looks at the church and His people. Consider this: if God was more interested in numbers, then why did He choose the nomadic Hebrews for His people above all the other mighty nations and civilizations of the time? The answer is simple: nurturing relationships means more to God than gathering numbers.

Prayer: Lord God, it’s amazing to see how You worked with the Jewish people across the centuries. They were tiny and insignificant, unworthy and unsuccessful compared to the mighty Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians. And yet You called them to be the apple of Your eye.
Teach us today that same lesson where numbers do not triumph nurturing. Give us a new understanding of the holy work that is done in each of our churches. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: Gospel Musketeers

Alexandre Dumas' famous Musketeers have been a favorite of mine since I was a boy. Their motto "All for One, and One for All" is a great message for our churches today. Christ died for all, so therefore all should live for Him.

Podcast version here

I always wanted to be a musketeer. Alexandre Dumas’ story of D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers has enthralled me since I was a boy. I think I first saw them fighting together in the 1939 movie, “The Man in the Iron Mask” which starred Warren William in the lead role. I was captivated by their sword fighting skills and camaraderie. It was an exciting swashbuckler from beginning to end and I knew that after it was over, I had to become a musketeer.

Ever since then, I think I’ve seen almost every movie about the Musketeers, even the Chinese version, as well as a French cartoon series. I just love their fight for justice and every time I hear those famous words, “One for All, and All for One,” I want to jump out of my seat and join them. It’s a wonderful moment which epitomizes everything that is noble, faithful, and true about friendship.

2 Corinthians 5:14 For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

I also feel this each time I read Paul’s message about Christ dying for all. He is the One who died for all of us; therefore all of us should live for Christ alone. It’s the same musketeer message and I sometimes wonder if Dumas came up with his idea through reading the same scripture.

This is what makes me want to be part of a church, too. I’m not a Christian just for myself. I want to belong to a fellowship of faith where friendship can be experienced in the worship, service, and communal devotion to God. It’s a beautiful feeling and when the benediction is spoken and shared, it’s as if the whole congregation is saying, “One for All, and All for One.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You died for all and we are so enthralled with Your sacrifice that we want to share Your message with other people. Help us to overcome our fears about being Your messengers; enable us instead to become Your musketeers of the Gospel, fearlessly defending Your words and faithfully serving Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Pentecost Screensaver

Based upon a vision experience that I had for our church...

Daily Devotions; Party On

Last Sunday, we had one of our best Easter services ever. A lot of families were in town and it was great to see them sitting together in the pews, praising God for the resurrection of Christ. It was a wonderful worship service. We even had to print extra bulletins and set out more chairs to accommodate the crowd.

Podcast version here

Some people are cynical about the Christmas-Easter crowds that show up to church. I used to be one of them. In the past, I’ve been known to preach a hellfire and brimstone service at Easter, just to make the visitors feel guilty. Thankfully, I grew out of that years ago, so now I just preach the Gospel story and keep to the message that God has planned. People have enough pressure going on in their lives. In church, they need to find that the peace of God, which passes all understanding, is still there to be experienced and rediscovered.

Bible Verse of the Day

Nehemiah 8:10b This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

When Ezra and Nehemiah brought out the Laws of Moses and re-read them publicly in the ruins of Jerusalem, the people thought that they were in for a rough time. Instead, Nehemiah encouraged them to celebrate the day as a resurrection of their faith. He urged them to go home and party with their families, and to share whatever they had with those who had nothing. It must have been a wonderful time of renewal for the Jews, bringing them a new hope to rebuild God’s Holy City and giving them the courage to re-dedicate their lives to God.

I think that’s what Easter brings to some people. They come to church to be with their family, and also to get reconnected to God. They want to go home knowing that God loves them and that Christ has forgiven them. They want to feel welcomed by the church and blessed by His people. And for those of us who have faith, we’re meant to share it with those who have little or none. To me, that is the message of Easter – a celebration of Christ that we don’t keep to ourselves.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for calling many people to church last Sunday. Thank You for touching their hearts and bringing them back to worship You. Continue to affect and influence their lives with Your ways and words. Help us to share what faith we have with all those who have little or nothing when it comes to believing in You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Sleeping in Church

I love the story of Eutychus because he reminds me of myself. When I first became a Christian, I was a ‘twicer,’ which meant that I used to go to church services twice each Sunday. I went to my Presbyterian Church in the morning, and then worshipped at an evangelical church in the evening. The preacher usually spoke for about an hour, and I always ended up sleeping against the church wall. I made sure that my seat was against the wall in order to do this.

Podcast version here

Bible Verse of the Day


Acts 20:9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead.



Of course, it wasn’t the preacher’s fault. It was mine. I had a great big Sunday dinner just before the service, so by the time I reached the church, I was ready to snooze. I tried everything to stay awake. I would grip the pew in front of me until my knuckles were white. Sometimes I blinked my eyes really fast or opened them as wide as I could to keep awake. Other times, I would move my toes within my shoes in order to be attentive. Eventually, all of my efforts would fail me, and I would nod off to sleep. Thankfully, I didn’t snore; otherwise someone would have woken me up.

God has a great sense of humor. When He saw the Eutychus in me, He was also busy planning to make me a preacher. Now, on Sunday mornings, I get to look at the congregation and sure enough, during the sermon, someone’s fighting and fidgeting to stay awake. If they end up sleeping, I don’t mind. Perhaps they’ve had a busy week, or were up late, or the sermon is boring. Whatever the case, to sleep in the House of the Lord is a good thing. It’s the one place where peace and love, comfort and security are meant to be experienced.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for allowing us to sleep in church and for quietly refreshing our spirits in Your Presence. Some of us come to church looking for answers, needing encouragement, and seeking rest from all our worries and busy-ness. Grant us the blessing of Your Love, and enable us to become all that You need us to be. In Your Holy Name, we rest and pray. Amen.

Erin Church's Daily Devotional : Give without Sparing

Proverbs 21:26 All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. (NIV)

Recently, we’ve had to fix a major repair over at Erin Presbyterian church. Our current building is about 55 years old, and in this part of the country, that’s almost antique! I know that Scottish churches go back centuries, but over here the extreme weather conditions and heat causes buildings to deteriorate at a much faster rate.

Anyway, we’ve got to raise about $40,000 to pay off the repair and so far we’ve brought in about $14,000. We set aside about $16,000 in our budget to cover the costs, but as usual we didn’t know what the damage was until we started to repair it.

What has amazed me is the response that people have made in the last three weeks. Some of our people who have fixed incomes sent in $130 – a dollar for each year our church has existed. Those givers don’t have a lot to spare, but they have given cheerfully. Others have contributed $400 – one percent of the repair costs – showing their commitment to the upkeep of the church over and above what they give each week. Still others have contributed higher amounts without any fanfare. They just want to see the church ‘get better’ as we grow bigger.

I am truly humbled by these responses, and I know that there are others both in our congregation and from the outside who will make donations (even some people who read these devotionals have given to the church – wow!). It is a joy to serve the Lord and to faithfully give of our resources for the enhancement of His work. Glory be to God for the bounty He has given and the blessings we receive!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, all our churches belong to You and we want them to become mission centers, safe sanctuaries, and ministry headquarters. Grant us the gift of righteousness – to give without sparing and to completely love You through the life, ministry and work of all our churches. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Daily Devotional : Working in Us - letting go and letting God

Hebrews 13:21 (May God) equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (NIV)

Our church has been growing steadily for the past four years. Through God’s blessings, we’ve managed to breathe new life into our congregation and we are beginning to outgrow ourselves. We’re at an awkward stage because of the current transitions that we are experiencing. Change is never easy, even when it comes as a reward from the Lord.

My struggle with this is how to be the leader of the pack and shepherd to the fold at the same time. Wolves and sheep don’t get on very well, so I’m constantly trying to keep ahead of the changes, whilst at the same time helping others to keep up with the transitions. Like the church, I feel as though my own ministry is changing, so I need to develop new skills of leadership, whilst making sure that I don’t neglect the pastoral gifts God has given to me.

Sometimes I lay awake at night worrying about how to complete and accomplish all of the programs and projects that need to be done. Then I come across a verse like today’s chosen text and realize that God is up ahead preparing the way, equipping the church and myself with all that we need, in order to work in us what is pleasing to Him. In other words, God is the leader of this pack and Christ is the true Shepherd of this fold.

Perhaps you’re involved in a ministry or a mission and you’re wondering how to keep it going. Maybe you’re part of a church team, Bible study, or a small group that is looking for direction. Like me, you might be trying too hard to steer the course and supply the remedies to the problems you’re encountering. My advice to you is this: let it go and let God equip you. As I’ve recently discovered, it’s far better to let God do the leading; that way we end up pleasing Him instead of satisfying ourselves.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for calling us to be Your people and to be part of Your flock. You perfectly know the duties, responsibilities, and tasks that we need to complete this day. Bless us with Your guidance and equip us with all that we need for You to work in us. We want to please You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Offering Gifts

Audio version here ... or here

Matthew 5:23, 24 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. (NIV)

Years ago, our church put on a production of the musical “Godspell.” It’s an exciting Broadway show and it tells the story of Jesus through some wonderful songs and very clever skits. It’s largely based upon passages from the Gospel of Matthew and to this day, when I read some of Matthew’s verses, it takes me back to that production.

In my mind’s eye, I can see how we performed today’s verses in the show. We used comical gestures and facial expressions to convey our disapproval of the actor who was trying to present an altar gift, after having an altercation with one of the cast members. It was choreographed and the timing had to be exact in order to get the message across. It worked perfectly each night and we all enjoyed the funny side of the story.

But the real Gospel message isn’t funny. Jesus is being serious here. He wants people to understand that God cares for everyone and that when we have a conflict, disagreement or dispute with family, friends, or other church members, He wants us to sort those things out before we come to church with our gifts, our prayers, and our praises.

It’s a hard thing to do and something that we often set aside. When we go to church, we want God to be on our side, instead of us being on His side. We want Him to address our complaints, instead of having God question our motives. In other words, we don’t want to believe that God won’t accept prayers that are tainted with bitterness or praises that are insincere. However, if we say that we accept the Gospel of Jesus, then we have to live according to His standards and not our own.

So, I guess the challenge for myself and for all of us who are reading or hearing this devotional is this: is there a conflict going on in my life that I need to resolve? Is there something happening now that is causing a division in my home, my heart, my work, my school, or my church that needs to be healed? If there is, then I need to sort it before I come to God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, following You is never easy and accepting Your Gospel is always going to interfere with our lives. You challenge us to reconsider our ways and to review our deeds. You call upon us to heal our divisions and to restore our broken relationships. Grant us the courage to do something about this today. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Sunday Sermon - Freely & Confidently

Ephesians 3:7-13

7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power.

I once played a butler in a play called “Shall We Join the Ladies?” written by J.M Barrie, the author of Peter Pan. It’s a murder mystery set in the dining room of a country manor. The guests all have a connection to the victim and they try to elicit clues from one another as they talk at the dinner table. The butler does not say a word in the play and must be attentive to each of the guests by bringing and removing silverware, plates and glasses. It’s only a one act play, but it’s one of the most intense murder mysteries I have been involved in and being the butler I had to fully concentrate on what was being said, done and expressed by the whole cast.

I literally had to become a servant to all of the other actors on the set to make the plot work.

Paul does the same when he’s writing to the Ephesians. The plot of the Gospel is to save the entire world and the mystery is how God accomplishes this through grace. When Paul declares himself to be the servant of the gospel, he’s letting the Ephesians knows that his life is dedicated to serving God’s purpose, attending to Christ’s demands, and fulfilling the tasks that are set before him. Paul doesn’t leave it to someone else to get things done – he’s on a mission for God and that mission is to spread the Gospel, preach the Kingdom, and glorify Christ all over the Mediterranean.

The Ephesians understood what it meant to be servants; after all, they had served Diana, their goddess, for hundreds of years. Their culture, their economy, their reason to exist was built upon serving the Great Temple of Diana, one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, and devoting their energy, gifts and resources to maintaining her relevance in the civilized world. Without Diana, Ephesus would have been bypassed long ago. Without the temple, the Ephesians would just have been just another small Mediterranean town.

So they understood service and being servants, which is why Paul emphasizes his own servitude to Christ. He wants to link with their experiences and relate his faith to their life style. He wants to match his purpose with theirs. He is looking for ways to make faith in Christ attractive and acceptable to the Ephesians by meeting them on their own terms, in their own cultural ways. He is finding a way to tear down the walls of being a Jew in a Gentile world. Paul is making inroads with his Gospel message by using the culture to convey his beliefs.

This is something that our own church did nearly 130 years ago. Out of all the names that we could have been known by, our spiritual forefathers and foremothers chose the name “Erin.” It was the name of this district a long time before it became known as Bearden, but when we were established we could have easily been called Bearden Presbyterian Church. So why did the charter members choose the name “Erin?” It all had to do with cultural relevance and Missional outreach to the surrounding community.

Erin is the ancient Gaelic name for Ireland and it means “the beautiful island.” It’s a poetic and lyrical name for the old country. Anyone who was a Scots-Irish Protestant in this area would have been drawn to the church by the old Gaelic name. We were established to serve God by serving as a spiritual home for the Scots-Irish in this area. It’s part of our heritage. It’s a wonderful part of our history. And if you have a look at the church register for the last 130 years, you’ll see that Scots-Irish names still make up the majority of those written in its pages.

So, in order to be culturally relevant, the original charter families chose the name “Erin.” For Paul to be culturally relevant to the Ephesians, he used the term ‘servant’ to describe membership in God’s Kingdom through Christ.

8 Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

Some servants are more important than others. In Victorian households, the butler was the chief manservant who organized all the servants below him. He acted as concierge and confidante to the family; he saw to it that all the duties assigned to the household servants were accomplished. His role was chief servant and steward to the entire household. He ensured that all the family’s resources for domestic purposes were not squandered or wasted.

In Paul’s time, there was a also chief servant attached to every successful household. His duties as overseer were practically the same, so the Ephesians would have understood that with service and servant hood, there was some sort of order and hierarchy. So they expected Paul, as preacher and teacher to their church, to be the chief servant – but Paul would not accept that mantel of esteem. In Christ’s kingdom, all servants are equal because all are preachers, teachers, ministers and priests for the sake of the Gospel. No one servant lords it over another. There is only One Lord – Jesus – and all of His followers are servants.

That’s why I love being a Presbyterian. We don’t have a hierarchy in our denomination or church. Ministers of the word and sacrament are set apart, not set above the people, when they are ordained. Elders are chosen by the congregation, as is the pastor, so that all the people have a say in the shaping of the church, the direction it is headed in, and the vision for the future. We don’t have bishops, cardinals, or popes who individually decide things for us. We are all servants of God here; we are all called to do Christ’s bidding.

In recent years, our denomination has encouraged members of local churches to think about becoming commissioned lay pastors. Instead of going to seminary, those members in our midst, who have served at least three years as an elder, are given the opportunity to serve the church in a wider capacity as lay pastors. I’m delighted to tell you that both Charles Snodgrass and Katina Stair from our own wee congregation. In years to come, their service to our presbytery and church may be crucial for the PCUSA in this area. As servants of Christ, they will have opportunities to minister in specialized areas of our church’s life, work, and ministry. And I am hoping that they are the first among a whole group of Erin elders who will undertake, endure, and accomplish this special training.


9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.


When Paul was writing to the Ephesians about being servants, they must have asked themselves what that serving entailed. It’s easy to accept serving God, after all the Ephesians had served Diana for generations – all they had to do was transfer their devotion from one deity to another – but what was their purpose as servants, what was God calling them to do?

Paul is ahead of them with regard to this question – he states what service to God is all about – the church’s purpose is to make God known in the world and to let their community know that Jesus Christ is Lord of life. That’s the Gospel in a nutshell – that’s the message reduced to its most simplistic form. Where I come from in Glasgow, Scotland, my city has this motto: “Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the Word and the praising of God’s Name.” It’s the exact same message that Paul was expressing to the Ephesians in his letter – serving God meant preaching the Word; being servants involved the praising of God’s Name.

Perhaps we could adopt something similar as a new mission statement for Erin, something like: “We are called to be servants of Jesus, growing in God’s Wisdom and praising Christ’s Holy Name.”

And talking about service for Christ at Erin, in the next couple of minutes, we are going to welcoming new members into our church. They have expressed a desire to join with our congregation and we are absolutely delighted that they have chosen to do this. But how can we help them become servants of the Lord, as well as members of our church? What experiences, ministries and missions can we offer them to enhance their connection to God and their relationship with Jesus? Are we content just to let them worship with us on Sundays, or are we going to make it our intent to invite and include them in our classes, our studies, our fellowship, our teams, our programs, and our plans? They have reached out to us: how are we going to reach out to them, to learn their names, to know of their gifts, to encourage and support them in their walk with God? We are all servants here – let us therefore serve one another by reaching out to these new members with our hearts and hopes, our faith and friendship, our laughter and love.


12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Finally, Paul writes to the Ephesians about why service to Christ in God’s Kingdom is important. They knew what to do and how to serve, but why were they called to serve Christ?

Almost every religion in the world has this common theme: that one day, every person who has ever lived on earth, will stand before God and be held accountable for every thought, word, deed, misdeed, and mistake that they made during their existence on earth. In most faiths it’s called the Time of Reckoning and Christianity is no different from many others on this point. People worship God, or gods, or goddesses to preserve and protect them from the trials and snares that this life imposes upon them. They also devote themselves and serve their God, gods or goddesses, in order to placate, appease and please them.

Just the other day, a devout Hindu in India, sought to win favor from his goddess Kali by making a sacrifice. The sacrifice he chose was to cut off his right hand. He’s now in hospital undergoing emergency surgery. But if he was a Christian, if he served Christ, he wouldn’t have to fear his God. We serve Christ because He has sacrificed Himself for us, so there is no greater sacrifice that God would ask of us. We can freely and confidently, as Paul writes, approach God and be in his presence without fear of reproach, retribution or reckoning. Our everlasting destiny has already been prepared when we decided to become Christ’s servants. We look forward to a moment in glory when we will be united with Christ through the unsearchable riches of His grace. We have nothing to fear… and this is why we are called to be servants of the Lord, so that others who fear death, punishment, and eternal separation may hear, know, and accept the Gospel – which tells us that we are not doomed to death and destruction, but that we are made for light and everlasting love.

Our calling as a church, as a congregation called Erin is to be that beautiful island of faith that everyone needs in their lives. Our task is to maintain the infrastructure of the Gospel, so that a bridge between heaven and earth can be experienced by as many people in our community that we know. And if we accept this calling of our hearts to serve Jesus, then one glorious day we will step forward, confidently and freely in the holy presence of our Almighty God to receive His eternal blessing and everlasting love. We will truly be Ephesian people, Erin Church members, and Christian servants, both now and always. Amen.

Blogachute #8 - Emergentism

Well, it’s that time of week again! The blogachute has been unpacked and I’m ready to jump into cyberspace, free falling through layers of blogs on the net. I’m starting off with some emergent blogs again, but only the good Lord knows where I’ll end up. Here goes!

Emergenimo!

8000 feet The Church of Starving Artists – I love this title. Jan Edmiston is a fellow Presbyterian blogger, as well as a RevGal (I’ll need to blogachute one week through that zone!).

She mainly writes about what’s happening in her world as a pastor. This week, Jan’s tackling the weird and wacky world of VBS. She has some great photos and humorous comments about the whole process.

Jan recently wrote a very moving blog about Tammy Faye, which is worthwhile reading. I think Jan’s portrayal of Tammy is one of the most gracious that I’ve read in the blogosphere.

Jan constantly updates her blog and is immensely readable. Worthwhile placing a bookmark or bloglink here.

7000 feet 40-Something Teenager – Todd has a great website, I just wish he would update it more often. He’s a pastor of a new emergent church, so some of his reflections are very relevant to what’s happening in Christ’s church today. The site has great links to books on the emergent church and current issues. I think I’d like to read a wee bit more of Todd’s ideas about the books he publicizes.

He’s also into Brian McLaren, the new guru of the Emergent Church. I personally don’t buy into a lot of what McLaren has to say, but then I’m an old-fogey who’ll be stepping off of this planet in a few years.

Todd has also been doing a study about freedom. His comments would make a great start to anyone contemplating a Sunday school series or House group study.

6000 feet Caught in the Middle – if I thought I was in for a smooth blogachute today, I would never have thought of landing here. There’s a lot of theological turbulence going on in this blog which I encountered immediately with a YouTube video of a Nazi Youth rally from the 1940’s. Paul uses it to humorously poke fun at the Youth camp he’s attending this week.

The site is well arranged, but it is overstocked with YouTube videos. I guess that’s what emergent folks are into these days. I remember something similar from a blogachute last month. When Paul does write a commentary, it’s very meaningful – I would like to read more of his ideas, experiences and opinions rather than look at another Youtube.

Some interesting links here and Paul’s profile makes a great read. He is a story-teller – I just wish there were more of his stories to read.

5000 feet Think. Laugh. Weep. Worship. – Now Emily Hunter McGowin is a story teller and, as she writes on her profile, a very opinionated person. This is what Christian blogging was invented for – personal expressions about life and faith. Emily writes as a Christian woman, not an extreme feminist, and presents her theology in well researched, thoughtful and intriguing ways.

Take for instance her blog entry on Greek papyri – I never thought I would ever enjoy someone writing about ancient bills and forms, but Emily tells their stories and relates it to the apostle Paul’s experiences.

This is a great site for thoughtful, articulate, and meaningful theology. She also has some useful links to other like-minded bloggers.

4000 feet internet monk – Michael Spencer hails from Kentucky, is fifty years old, not running for public office, but is willing to rule a small country. So says his VIRB site. His blog is read by many people across the world. He’s a writer, broadcaster, podcaster and commentator. He has a lot to say and write about church, especially about how it is reflecting our culture rather than affecting it.

His most recent blog Mainline Churches – We’re Having a Moment Here – should be read by every church pastor and elder/ deacon of mainline denominations throughout America. His finger is on the pulse. He writes prophetically, which is really refreshing to read in the midst of a lot of whingeing blogsites all over cyberspace that complain about what’s wrong with our ways of doing church.

Michael is Missional which to me means that he has been chosen by God to communicate a message that will stir up the church and shakedown our communities. I think ‘revival’ is what it used to be called.

I will be linking this internet monk to my own blog…I’d like to stay here for a while, but my blogachute wants to go on.

3000 feet Monastic Mumblings – a Friar’s Journey – I thought I was falling through the emergeosphere, but I seem to be meandering back into the mainline mainstream.

The blogger (unidentified) is a member of the Blogging Episcopalians ring. He is a widower with three grown up children, who is hoping to enter into a monastery or a religious order soon.

The writer confronts evangelicals with some challenging grace. He tackles the issues of immigration, and gives some great viewpoints in his “Fear? Islamists to Immigrants” entry. At the end of the blog, he offers this profound thought:

“Maybe we should be less concerned with a person's immigration status, and more with their spiritual and eternal status.”

The Monastic Mumbler also has a great entry about Mary Magdalene, who’s day of commemoration was recently celebrated on July 22.

A very-thought provoking and challenging site.

2000 feet Jolly Blogger – David Wayne is an EPC pastor whose heart and soul are passionate about Christ. The site is well laid out – typepad seem to have cornered the market on this – and very pleasant to read through. He obviously takes time to flesh out his ideas on the screen, which makes the blog reader-friendly.

He’s an evangelical with a jolly heart. He comes across as a cyberspace Friar Tuck. He’s serious about what he believes, but he doesn’t play the Bible thumping and pounding game. He’s one hundred percent dedicated to Christ, and David seeks to attract others to Jesus through rational, thoughtful, and articulate blogs.

I like what he has to communicate and enjoy his humor. He also has some great underwater photographs that convey his passion about scuba diving.

1000 feet Levellers – I must be getting close to terra firma with a blog name like this. Michael Westmoreland-White is a peace educator who was formerly a soldier. He is married to Katie, a Baptist pastor.

Michael’s blog is about confronting injustice in a peaceable way. His comments about the recent Whitehouse policy changes with regard to torturing prisoners are very candid and challenging. Michael cares a great deal about using non-violent means to change the world, as well as US policies.

The blog has also a plethora of links to peace sites all over cyberspace. I might use it as a springboard for my next blogachute. Michael also usually lists a Church history “today in history” blog.

There are excellent resources, comments, and material at this blog for anyone contemplating a Sunday School series for peacemaking.

Zero feet – Phew! That was amazing! Glad to get back on the ground. My head is swimming with creative ideas…see you next time.

Unyoked

Audio version here

2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? NIV



Sometimes Paul reminds me of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Old Testament. They were the messengers of God who ‘purified’ the Jewish people by casting out foreigners from their community. Men, women and children were all thrown out of Jerusalem if they did not have “pure” blood in them. Paul does the equivalent here by insisting that unbelievers and Christians should never be partnered or yoked together. Paul wants to keep the faith pure; he doesn’t want any ‘outsiders’ influencing the church.

Over the centuries, this scripture has been used to shun outsiders and isolate the church from the popular community. It’s been emphasized by spiritual elitists who have used it to promote racism, abuse, and intolerance all over the world. Whatever Paul originally intended, his words have been used to justify lynching blacks, destroying families, killing Jews, and even promoting White supremacy. I wonder if Paul realized what his words would one day represent, would he have retracted them from this letter?

It seems to me that Jesus had a different mission from Paul. Jesus was constantly surrounded by unbelievers, sinners, and outcasts. His ministry tended to reach out to those who were unholy and He sanctified them (made them holy) with His love, mercy, and grace. There was nothing elite about Jesus; there was nothing that suggested supremacy. In fact, we are constantly reminded by Paul of all people that Christ humbled Himself to come among us. The Sinless One came to save sinners. The Perfect One came to die for the imperfect. The Holy Son of God came to make unholy people sons, daughters, and heirs of God’s Kingdom.

Today, we are all going to meet other people. When we do, let’s try to reach out with grace and love, tolerance and mercy. It’s not going to be easy, especially when we come across folk who are radically different from us, but with practice we will learn the art of tolerance, love, unity and peace. And aren’t those goals worthy of our Savior? Aren’t those qualities why the Church exists?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to get out of our spiritual comfort zones and reach out to those who are on the ‘outside’ of Your church. Grant us the courage to get along beside them to offer them help in times of trouble, cheer in times of gladness, and love in times of fear and uncertainty. Remind us that we were all unbelievers at one point in our lives and that without someone reaching out to us, we would never have known of Your acceptance, forgiveness, grace, and love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Striking Shepherds

Scottish audio version here

Zechariah 13:7 "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!" declares the LORD Almighty. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. (NIV)

This is one of my least favorite verses from the Bible. It disturbs me and every time I go through some trouble or turbulence in ministry, this verse keeps popping up at the back of my mind.

I’ve seen this happen in other churches. I’ve watched pastors lose their position at a church because of their theology. I’ve seen congregations become divided over denominational issues that the pastor couldn’t stop. I’ve known sessions and elders to be split over money, ministry or mission conflicts. In most of those situations, the pastor has left, defeated and demoralized. The shepherd has been struck, so the sheep begin to scatter.

Ministry is not easy, just like any other caring, counseling or teaching profession. On any given day, you can go through a whole gamut of emotions. Every phone call can be a crisis. Every email can be demanding. Every visit can be serious. The church is never quiet, for there’s always someone, somewhere in the congregation who is carrying painful burdens and facing personal problems. To be a good shepherd means to lead people through tough times, as well as celebrating the joyous moments in their lives.

What I fear is happening across the country is that pastors are becoming the scapegoats in a theological tussle that is presently splitting every mainline denomination in America. We are loading our leaders with an unbearable burden of trying to please and satisfy everyone, which cannot be done. The shepherds are showing fatigue and losing their energy. They’re being struck by discontent and malcontent. They’re being paralyzed by people who use churches to feed their ego and slake their thirst for power. Pastors are easy targets, so the shepherds are being struck, causing the sheep to disarray and scatter.

Maybe we should pray for our pastors today and ask God to uphold them.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You call women and men from different places, backgrounds, and cultures to serve Your Kingdom as pastors in the church. Their lives are different from most folks and the demands that are sometimes placed upon them are unbearable. Pastor our pastors and save them from being struck; for without our pastors, the sheep would scatter all over the place. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Do Not Lose Heart

Scottish audio version here

2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. NIV

At this time last year, our church underwent some serious trouble. One of our staff members had terrible personal problems, which in turn affected the whole congregation and created a small division. It took a great deal of focus, energy, and determination to endure and overcome the fall out. A lot of prayer was said and eventually the tide turned. We lost eight members, but by the end of the year, we still managed to have an overall gain of eighteen people. God’s mercy enabled us to carry on our ministry and mission at Erin Presbyterian. Through His grace, we did not lose heart.

Since then, we’ve undergone recovery. We’re still picking up the pieces and are only beginning to restart some projects that fell by the wayside. For the first time in a long time, we’ve let God carry us, as well as lead us. It’s been a humbling experience, but in the end it will prove to be a worthwhile one.

When Paul wrote to the Corinthians so long ago, he was addressing them as someone who had been through a lot of trouble, grief, and pain. He had been beaten up for his faith, cast out of different cities, shipwrecked, and almost lynched on several occasions. He had also been arrested, thrown into jail, and was now awaiting trial. If anyone had a right to lose heart, it was Paul, but he also relied upon God’s mercy to get him through the bad times, as well as the good ones.

He was also writing to a church that had its share of problems. The Christians at Corinth were going through a cultural war, where members of the congregation were struggling with adhering to Christ’s demands, as opposed to accepting the world’s ways. They wanted to be holy, but not different; they aspired to be faithful, but not unfashionable. Paul reminded them of their special calling in order to help them get back on the right track. And even though he was hundreds of miles away from them, Paul embraced them in his heart and loved them back to the Gospel.

Today, you may be doubting yourself, your faith, your church, your purpose, your personal ministry and mission. Remember that God is merciful and that through Christ, He will sustain you. Do not lose heart, for remember, He who called you to do His will is patient, gracious, faithful, and forgiving.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we feel so unworthy, so unprepared, and so faithless at times to fulfill the ministries that You ask us to undertake and accomplish. We get frustrated and impatient, bedeviled and beguiled by our fears, our doubts, and our problems. Grant us Your grace to sustain us through our worst experiences and most troublesome of times. Lead us by Your love, so that we will not lose heart, nor let go of our calling. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

A Crossful of Promises

Photograph taken this evening at Parkway Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee...



Lead kindly light amidst the gloom...

Or....I trace the rainbow through the rain...

Unworthy

Scottish audio version here

Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. (NIV)

Some of the congregations in the highlands and islands of Scotland are amongst the best attended churches in Britain. They are isolated from a lot of the cultural pressures that hamper faith on the mainland, so the people tend to turn out to church on Sundays. Except for Communion, which is very strange.

The reason that they don’t come to Communion services is because it requires full membership status. Many of the people who regularly attend church are adherents to the congregation, not members. They don’t believe that they are worthy enough to become members, which is a throwback to the times when the first Calvinist ministers came to the islands. Because they preached an uncompromising message of double predestination, the highlanders and islanders feared that they were damned and cast off from God forever.

Joining the church was deemed to be presumptive and taking salvation for granted, so the people didn’t become members. This understanding has passed down generation after generation until the present day. So, the churches are well attended throughout the year, except when it comes to Communion, which only occurs about two or three times annually.

When Paul and Barnabas took the gospel message to the Jews across the cities and towns of the Mediterranean, their preaching was rejected. It was too radical for many conservative Jews, so the two missionaries took their message to the Gentiles, where it was gladly accepted. Paul complains that the Jews did not consider themselves worthy of the promises of eternal life, but what he really meant was that they did not want to place themselves under the grace of Jesus Christ. The Gentiles on the other hand, knew that they were unworthy and they rejoiced in Christ’s grace.

Sometimes, especially when we need forgiveness for our sins, we may not feel worthy of God’s mercy. We may even not want to go to Him and ask for grace because it involves admitting our mistakes and submitting ourselves to Christ’s will. But if we don’t seek forgiveness, we shall never know of the joy, peace, and delight that Christ’s grace can bring into our lives. It’s a humbling experience, but it’s also a beautiful one.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we all have regrets in our lives and have made many mistakes. We carry the burden of guilt and shame in our hearts, minds, and souls. Grant us the strength to humbly come to You and help us to truly ask for forgiveness. Let the beauty of Your grace release us from the sadness of the past, bringing us to the joy of everlasting love and life. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Castle

Scottish audio version here

Isaiah 32:14 The fortress will be abandoned, the noisy city deserted; citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever, the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks, (NIV)

I’ve a beautiful painting hanging over the fireplace in my home. It’s a picture of Dunure Castle, an old medieval fort that sits above a cliff on the west coast of Scotland. At one time, it was owned by the mighty Kennedys of Cassillis. They lorded over the region for several centuries and some of them were despicable despots. In the sixteenth century, Gilbert Kennedy roasted a local minister, Alan Stewart, on a spit in the castle dungeon. Gilbert did this to obtain the deeds of church lands to add to his possessions.

The painting was given to me by the people of Dunure when our family left Scotland to immigrate to America. Whenever I feel homesick, I look at the painting and remind myself of the great times and moments that I shared with the villagers over nine years.

During the summer, many of the village children and parents used to gather in the grounds of the castle on Sunday evenings to play rounders. It’s sort of like baseball only you use hula-hoops for bases and hit a tennis ball with a racket. We would play for hours on the green and it was a great way of blending the families in community activities.

Always in the background, the ruins of Dunure castle would watch over us and I sometimes wondered what the mighty Kennedys would have thought if they could have seen the local minister and villagers trespassing on their grounds. No doubt another Stuart would have been roasted!

The Kennedys built a fortress that they thought would endure forever, but as time went by, it fell apart and was ruined. Sometimes in our own lives we build emotional and spiritual fortresses around ourselves to keep us free from corruption and make us impervious to the world’s woes. Eventually time will have its way and even the strongest of us will grow weak and become frail. That’s when we need the mighty fortress of God to enable us to endure. That’s when we rely upon the Name of Jesus to keep us strong.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we depend upon You to get us through the good and bad times of life. You shield us from sin and help us to overcome our problems. We look to You for guidance and assurance, for safety and security. Be our mighty fortress and the guardian of our souls. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Feeder of Fire

Weekend screensaver project

Pentecostal picture

Restoration

Audio Version here

Isaiah 57: 18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him (NIV)

Two weeks ago, I spent five days at a Clergy Coaching Center in Columbus, Georgia. I had some past issues that I had to deal with because they were beginning to affect who I am and how I minister to other people. I dreaded going to the center, mainly because of my mother’s horrifying experiences with psychologists and psychiatrists. I was worried that perhaps I was heading down the same tormented path.

I almost didn’t get there, for my car nearly broke down outside of Atlanta. For seventy miles, I was completely stressed out through franticly praying to God to keep the car going until I reached Columbus. When I arrived at my hotel, I was totally exhausted – physically, mentally, and spiritually. I just wanted to get my car fixed and head back up the road. As far as the counseling and coaching was concerned – forget about it!

However, the people at the Turner Pastoral Institute were very understanding and, after taking a whole battery of tests (I’m an INTJ, by the way), the coaching sessions began. My anxiety and apprehensions were considerably reduced. My fears were set aside and my faith was restored. After a whole week of counseling, I felt renewed, refreshed, and restored to God.

In the middle of the week, my coaches honed in on something that I had suppressed for decades - my lost childhood. During my formative years, I had tried to help my mother overcome her mental illness and multi-personalities, but to no avail. I carried this failure within me and attempted to anaesthetize the pain with alcohol. I spent years battling with the guilt and grief.

As my counselors explained, those lost years were still hurting me, but they may have led me into ministry – how? Well, churches are full of multi-personalities – I’m still trying to fix, heal and restore people that I love.

This was an epiphany for me – both shocking and surprising. I came away from Columbus thanking God for my mother’s schizophrenia. I had never done that before, but then I had never realized how much her illness has shaped who I am today.

I realize that this is just the beginning of a new journey for me. God has seen my ways and is healing me. He is guiding and restoring me. And if He can do that for someone like me, I know that He can do the same for you and your loved ones.

Prayer: Loving God, You know the troubles of our lives and the worries of our hearts. You see issues that we are facing and the problems that confront our loved ones. Hear the unvoiced cries of our hearts and the burdens on our minds. Help us and heal us. Encourage and embrace us. Renew us and restore our loved ones. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Flexibility

Luke 13: 14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."

Years ago, I conducted a wedding at the seaside for a young couple who were into Celtic symbolism. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful setting for the ceremony. We had chosen a secluded area of the beach, so that interruptions would be minimal. A piper marched the couple into the center of the circle we had formed and I led the service.

I used readings from the Bible about nature and God’s creative powers. I talked about the sands of time and the solid rocks of love that strengthens a marriage. We prayed to the Holy Spirit and referred to the power of the wind and the waves. It was a holy and sacred moment for all of us. It was one of the best weddings I have ever attended.

A couple of days later, I received a telephone call from another minister. He was angry with me because I had performed the wedding. The shoreline was technically in his parish and even though I knew the young couple, he insisted that he should have been given the right to say whether or not the marriage could be performed. When I told him that I knew the family and that we had a Celtic wedding, he was livid.

“Had they come to me,” he growled, “I would never have sanctioned that kind of a wedding!”

I simply answered, “That’s why they didn’t come to you.” At that point, he hung up on me.

Sometimes a bit of flexibility helps the faith. The other pastor stuck strictly to the rules and it cost him his church. Within eighteen months, his congregation of 200 was down to 40 people. It was sad to see it happen.

Jesus also came across this type of narrow-mindedness in the synagogue when He healed the ailing woman on the Sabbath. Instead of rejoicing at her being cured, the cleric insisted that Jesus had broken a sabbatical law. No wonder that Jesus called him a hypocrite. Instead of seeing the good that was done, the cleric wanted the rules to remain unbroken. Instead of showing compassion, he shunned Christ.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep us from loving rules instead of people. Prevent us from holding on to fixed traditions, instead of embracing the work of Your Spirit. Help us to free ourselves from the trappings of religion, in order that we may experience Your mercy and grace. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.