Lent Devotions: Broken Pieces - Mark 6 v 43

Mark 6:43       And the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.

Yesterday, a controversy was brewing at a Texas College where atheists were running an exchange program. They offered to exchange Bible for pornographic magazines to students on the campus in order to protest First Amendment Rights. The atheists believed that because Bibles were placed in dorm rooms, then they should be allowed to distribute pornography. They argued that the Bible’s puritanical statements about sexuality needed to be vehemently challenged and opposed, so they offered to exchange Bibles for sex magazines.

I guess that kind of behavior and controversy highlights the society that we are living in. I was visiting with an elderly church member at the time and she was angered by this news. However, I pointed out to her that God is big enough to take care of this kind of an issue on His own. We don’t need to get enmeshed in a maelstrom of indignity and self-righteousness. There’s more than enough suffering and trouble in Haiti and Chile for us to focus upon instead of being distracted by atheists.

I think that the hurt that she was feeling was for God and Christ’s Church. We keep thinking that the world is fragmenting, diminishing, and belittling all of our cherished beliefs. We are afraid and anxious that the divisions amongst us will break the Church into pieces and end our faith entirely. That’s never going to happen.

Look at the Gospel passage again (Mark 6: 37-44) and re-read today’s highlighted verse. Even the broken pieces that are left over are more than sufficient to meet our needs and to keep Christ’s ministry going on. Jesus specializes in broken pieces, broken people, and even a broken world. He is the great faith provider and godly healer that we all need, so instead of becoming anxious and indignant about what atheists do or don’t do in Texas, we just need to remind ourselves that in all of history and all over creation, Christ is victorious and He will eternally endure.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we are all broken people, belonging to a broken Church, and living in a broken world. You have the divine capacity to lovingly heal us through forgiveness and faith, godliness and grace. Help us to remember that the Church has always been attacked by the world. Remind us that Your words, ways and works will endure from this time forth and into all eternity. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is the latest drawing in John’s Bird Art Series. It’s called “Peacock Pride.” A larger version of the image can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/traqair57/4402879204/sizes/l/in/set-72157623366524553/

Daily Devotions: Outside the Box

Psalm 37: 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this.

Our congregation is about to embark on a new adventure. We are trying to raise $1 million in order to renovate our church in such a way that the next generation of church members will not face mounting bills which will limit their mission. We’ve come a long way to get here and sometimes people don’t truly understand how much effort it takes to keep a church growing.

During the last fourteen years, we’ve seen a steady increase at Erin. In contrast, our denomination (PCUSA) and Presbytery have been diminishing. Previous pastors had followed the denominational path and subsequently the church stopped growing. Erin took a great risk in 1995 when I was invited to be the pastor because my thinking would usually be outside of the denominational box.

I know that throughout the years some people have left because I don’t toe the denominational line, but my response to them is this: would you have rather had a mediocre church that was dying, or would you prefer a church that has constantly grown and has a dynamic future?

I’ve mentioned before that our wee church is at a major crossroads. We stand at the threshold of a new and vibrant future, but in order to progress forward we need to get over the past. If I’m expected to totally give of myself to this campaign and this church, then I cannot keep looking back. I’m committing my way to the LORD and focusing on the future of this congregation. I firmly believe that if everyone else gets on board, then God will truly do great things here.

Finally, I had lunch with the local Presbytery Executive last week and he sees how important our work is at Erin. He asked me to consider being a part of the New Development Strategy for Presbyterian churches in our area. Toeing the denominational line has not helped to grow our local churches. He wants someone involved who can “think outside the box.” I see that as an affirmation of what I have tried to accomplish here with the people of Erin and by the Spirit of God. It’s nice to have a PCUSA representative officially recognize what’s happening here. Maybe we can help other churches to do the same.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the One who permits churches to grow and Your Holy Spirit’s presence is essential for those congregations who would grow in the future. Without You, we are just another religious club trying to keep afloat. Help us to think outside of the box and go outside of our church in order to find where Your Spirit is working in the midst of our community. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

After Emergent - the Post Emergent Church?

There's a lot of narcissism going on with Western Christianity. We are more into navel-gazing theology and self-centered systematics than ever before. We want the Church to be what we want and if we do not find the right shape to fit our individual soul, we'll make it into whatever pleases us or we'll go and start a new one.

Western Christianity is dying on the vine right now and we're scrambling to find the last great hope to make us relevant, effective, and heard. Elsewhere in the world, Christianity is thriving because people know that our faith is really about life and death, not lifestyle and dying traditions.

I've read some of what the Emergent classes are producing and it's mere piffle. It's the same old sixties stuff - the 1860s where Enlightenment and evolutionist enthusiasts tried to tell Victorian society that the Church was dying, soon to be dead and gone.

Wrong! Twenty years later, Revival took place, displacing those who were dead certain that the Church was certainly dead. Millions of people were led back to Christ using the tested and tried ways of testimony, witness, confession, contrition, and born again beliefs.

So, I'm looking forward to the up and coming Post Emergent Church. That's when we'll see real revival and a thirsting for the Word of God. Pluralism, progressivism, and pamperism will give way to prophecy, public testimony, and personal commitment to Christ as the True Savior and Only Lord that people everywhere need.

In the meantime, for those of you quaintly stuck in Emergentism, here's the Eagles singing one of their best songs: There's A New Kid in Town.

Looking Back & Glancing Forward

I watched one of my favorite movies recently that I haven’t seen in decades. It’s called “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” and stars Alan Arkin as a deaf mute, and Sondra Locke as a teenager. It’s a precious movie which deals with loneliness, mental illness, injustice, racism, love and life all at the same time. I would heartily recommend that it be viewed by parents of High Schoolers, as well as teenagers themselves.

It’s a beautiful story that has a sad ending. It evokes a lot of emotions, but what captivated me when I watched it this time, was the Americana throughout the movie. It was filmed in 1968 in Selma, Alabama, and watching it was like going back in time. The buildings, the stores and the streets were attractively small town America; the people, their hairstyles and clothes were all Southern mid-sixties styles - the likes of which we shall probably never see again.

Sondra Locke’s character, Mick, is a young girl who wants to learn to play music. Sadly, her dreams are shattered when her father cannot work due to disability. In a poignant moment, she pleads with her mother to let her stay at High school: “I feel as though I’m going to be somebody, momma. I want to do something with my life.” Stoically, her mother responds, “Well, you’ll soon grow out of that.”

It’s at that moment that Mick realizes she will have to give up her dreams and work for the sake of her family.

Verse of the Day

2 Corinthians 12:14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

Most of the time, parents try to work hard for the sake of their children. They make sacrifices and save up, so that their kids can start off on the right foot when it comes to establishing themselves, their careers, their hopes and dreams. Paul mentions this when he is writing his second letter to the church at Corinth. He feels like a parent to them, and is willing to expend his resources of time, talents, and money so that the church will grow. He sees it as his gift to them. He wants them to grow strong in faith, in numbers, and influence. Happily, his work and devotion, sacrifice and blessings enabled the church to fulfill its potential.

So, how do we apply this lesson today? Firstly, if we are parents, we should remember that we brought our children into the world, therefore we need to support them when they seek to find and fulfill their dreams. Secondly, we should be thinking about the future of the churches to which we belong. Instead of looking for what we can get from church, we should be investing in its future. That way, we allow future generations to benefit through the blessings and gifts we bestow today.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we pray for our children. We ask that You will enable and empower us to love and support them, to honor and encourage them. We pray that they will find and fulfill their dreams. We also pray that they will find faith in You and seek to serve You through Your Church. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.