Northside Pastor's Blog

Two Year Anniversary

2012-01-28T21:12:00.001-05:00

Well, I've been at Northside for two years! I am looking forward to many more years of ministry at Northside that are as productive and wonderful as these first two. Since my first day here, I have felt blessed to be called to Northside, and time after time in conversations with members of the congregation or with visitors who are new to us, I feel that call confirmed again and again. It's also a tremendous blessing to have so many other families our own age and stage of life -- Jack and Dylan have some great friends to grow up with!

Favorite things in the last two years:

Our 2011 Easter Celebration -- tympanis, brass, bells, choir, packed out church, all praising God for Jesus' resurrection.
Trey's baptism (and the hospitality of the White Oak Baptist congregation to let us use their pool).
Journeys of Paul wine tasting.
Bright red Wacky-Waving-Inflatable-Arm-Flailing-Tube-Men at Pentecost this last year (and trying to teach Mike and Ty to tie balloons...).
Our annual church retreat.
Our new bulletin (although, I guess it's not so new now)
Tuesday morning Pastor's Bible Study -- what a great group of Christian men and women to grow with! So far we've covered 1 Corinthians, James, Amos, and we're halfway through Hosea.
The excitement of many new faces in the congregation!
Preaching the lectionary and seeing God speak to me and to the congregation on a weekly basis.
Being there to celebrate the life and resurrection of 11 of our members as they have heeded God's call home.
Trunk or Treat!
Mary Piper's 95th Birthday party!
Cozy Christmas this year.

There have been difficult and challenging moments, but those are what help us grow as people and as Christians.

So, here's to the last two years, and the many years to come.

Blessings to you all!

Cheers.

Christian Sex

2012-01-15T13:10:00.000-05:00

I preached the following at Northside Presbyterian on 1/15/12. Normally I don't have a manuscript, but I needed some precision with this subject. So, here you are. The scripture text is 1 Corinthians 6:12-20.

We have a two friends from Seminary who live just outside of Memphis. They play doubles tennis together, and so were in Chattanooga this past fall for the State Tennis Tournament. We met them over at the Champion's Club near Lupton City and watched them play, then we spent some quality time catching up.

While we were visiting with our good friends, they shared with us something that had caught them completely off guard when they started playing tennis together: Apparently many couples switch partners on and off the court!

Erica and my reaction was the same as theirs when they first discovered the seedy underbelly of amateur tennis—slack-jawed disbelief. But no doubt about it, they had a few couples on their team and knew of several others at the tournament who regularly 'switched it up' in the bedroom. When asked if they were interested, our friends politely and awkwardly declined. (Is there a non-awkward way to turn that down?)

I mean, as committed Christians, what should our response be? How do we think, much less talk about issues of sexuality? So far, it seems the Church has come down into two main camps: 1) hardline legalism, or 2) don't ask, don't tell. I'd say, by and large, that us Presbyterians fall into the latter category. We're not sure where we stand on issues of sex, but we'd hate to tell others where we might be out of fear of sounding judgmental; so let's just not talk about it. Better living through denial.

However, not talking about something doesn't make it not important. Quite the opposite is true. By talking honestly about sex, within the context of the church, maybe we can begin a conversation about one of the most important and powerful drives in human nature. And by opening a conversation, maybe we can begin to find direction, experience grace, and discover healing.

Let me start off by saying the purpose of today's sermon is to begin a conversation. It's not to tell you what you should and should not be doing, nor is it to tell how you should be doing things. There are plenty of folks out there – Christian and non-Christian; helpful and unhelpful – who dispense the how-tos.

No, our purpose today is to give you a theological and biblical starting point to think about sex. Specifically, to begin to consider the role of sex in your spiritual life. When we consider our sexuality as part of who we are, and our understanding of sex is grounded in God's Word, we actually begin to transform our families, our church, and our community.

When we read scripture, we discover God's design for sex: Sex is good. Sex is natural. Sex is an intimate part of a healthy covenant relationship. Sex should build us up as people, it should build us up as a couple, and it should build up the community around us. Sex, according to Scripture, is sacred. If you want to see a picture of God's design for sex in Scripture, turn to the Song of Songs (Song of Solomon—it follows Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes). It's not a metaphor for God's love, it's an expression of love between a man and a woman, and the Hebrews deemed it inappropriate for children to read. Sexual intimacy is an expression of commitment and faithfulness designed to be shared only between two people and God. The phrase the Bible uses to describe this sexual sharing is “one flesh.”

Our text from 1 Corinthians 6 is a poignant reminder that we are 'one flesh' in our covenant with our spouse, and we are 'one flesh' in our covenant to God. To engage in sex outside of God's design violates both relationships.

What does this mean for us monogamously married folks?

Let me clarify what I mean by monogamously married: Committed covenant relationships are not limited to people who are married (nor are all marriages committed covenant relationships), but since this is the most common and most socially accepted option, I will use the terms married and marriage I mean, I would hardly count Kim Kardashian's 72 day marriage as either committed or covenant, and I would would be remiss if I didn't use those terms to describe Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell's relationship over the last 29 years.

To you married folks: Celebrate God's gift! Sex with your spouse should be wonderful, freeing, and fun! Celebrate it together! Talk about it more, brag on your wife or your husband. I'm not suggesting you divulge embarrassingly intimate details, but tell your friends how much you love being together. Use your best judgment here – you know the people and situations where this is appropriate. Talk about why you love being married to your spouse, how it has enriched your sexual life, and why that's so great. Not only does this affirm your relationship with your spouse, but it builds up the marriages of those around you. Celebrating your sexual relationship with your spouse celebrates the covenant you two have together. It lifts up the relational way God intends for us to live, and it reflects much of the fullness and pleasure God intends for life.

Yes, how you express and celebrate your sexual life together will change over time—if you're 20 and newlywed, or if you're 45 and have teenagers, or if you're 70 with an empty nest – have fun, and enjoy being together!

What about people who don't have that kind of marriage? What if it's hard to celebrate? Or sex doesn't happen frequently, or when it does, it's certainly not worth celebrating.

Does that mean we're failures?

Not at all! But it does mean you might want to pay more attention to your relationship. Maybe it is time for a marriage enrichment retreat, or maybe you should talk to a sex therapist or counselor. At the very least, it is time for a heart-to-heart with your spouse. Marriage should be filling and fulfilling and should make you both better people and better Christians. If you're struggling with this, there are some great resources out there to help. CBI has skilled Christian counselors, and First Things has a whole bunch of support materials for you.

What does this mean for single folks?

There are many different kinds of singleness. You can be single at 20, or single at 40, or single at 85. Just as there are many ages, there are many reasons for being single: you may never have been married, you may be divorced, or you could be a widow or widower. Like for married folks, your age and stage of life will have a huge impact on how your sexuality plays out in your Christian life.

What does sexuality look like when you're single? It might look like a lot of different things. Celebrating who you are and how God created you is key. It definitely means understanding God's guidelines for sexuality and not buying into our culture's one-dimensional portrayal of sex.

The phrase the Bible uses to describe the sexual union is: “the two became one flesh.” “One flesh” is a very powerful description of how God views sex. The way God has us designed is to only be 'one flesh' with one person. You can't be 'one flesh' with more than one person. If you try, you begin to damage yourself and others. If we become 'one flesh' when we have sex with another person, then there is a sharing; that person takes some of who we are and likewise, we take some of them. If we are not in a committed, covenant relationship and we are sharing our one flesh, we keep giving away who we are. It's like taking bites out of a cookie. Pretty soon all you're left with is crumbs.

Look at the person of Jesus. From the sexuality stand point, he was a man; full of masculine traits and masculine biology. He also enjoyed the companionship of both men and women, and he gave and received appropriate touch from both. He was open and honest about his feelings. He was, abstinent. Does that mean self-control? Yep. Does it mean discovering healthy outlets for fulfilling your sexual needs that do not violate God's intended design for you and those around you? Yes. Can singleness and sexuality be integrated into a deep and fulfilling life – either for a season or longer? The testimony of Jesus Christ, Mother Teresa, and countless other Christians says YES!

For our youth – you still need to listen to your parents. But let me toss this out there for you: You are not in a covenant relationship. I know, you love your boyfriend or girlfriend so much it hurts. Trust me here, that does not a covenant make.

For our parents – talk to your kids. Lay a foundation for them that allows them to understand who they are as children of God and what God intends for their lives. Remove the guilt and shame, and seek open communication. Celebrate the love you have with your spouse, and be the example your kids will turn to when they are making decisions in life and sex. And believe me, they are both watching you and making these decisions.

Now let me offer one disclaimer. There has been a lot of damage done by inappropriate or abusive sex. It is never God's intention that sex be harmful to his people. But I say with sadness, that much harm has been done. You or someone you know may have been sexually abused. You might have tremendous baggage that you bring into your relationship.

God's grace is sufficient for you. *pause* God's grace is sufficient for you.

There are people you can talk to, groups you can join, and support and healing out there. If you need help getting connected, call me or come talk to me. We will have a completely confidential conversation, and I will help point you in a direction of healing and wholeness.

So how's that for the basis of an open and honest conversation about Christian Sex? Let's close by coming back to the question I posed at the very beginning. How do we respond to issues of sex in our friendships, in our community, in our lives? What do we say in a situation like the one my friend's from Seminary faced?

Is it possible for us to be women and men of faith, holding convictions about God's intended design for human sexuality and yet not come across as either A) judgmental or B) condoning of other's activities? We must always hold our convictions in tension with God's grace reaching out through us.

This is a very delicate balance. And the more we practice and live out our Christian faith. The more we discover who we are and what God has created us to be, the better we will get at it.

Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Seminary, gave the address at my graduation. In it, he challenged us to enter the world of ministry with “convicted civility.” His choice of those two words was very intentional: He said there are lots of people in this world who hold strong convictions, but they are complete jerks when they share those convictions with others. There are also a whole bunch of people who are so civil and polite as to never want to say what they actually believe because they wouldn't want to disagree with someone or hint that another's position is not equally valid.

My challenge to you, as we consider what sex means to us as Christians, is the same as Richard Mowu's challenge to my graduating class years ago: Enter your relationships, your workplace, your family, and your community with convicted civility.

Amen.

God's Timing

2012-01-10T13:49:00.000-05:00

I have usually thought about waiting for God's timing in terms of careers, kids, marriage, buying a house, etc. Last night, however, I was reminded of how active our Lord is in all areas of our lives and ministry, and that maybe God knows what he is doing.

This striking revelation came because our Session met last night and we are going to be starting a book by Glenn McDonald called The Disciple Making Church. I had wanted to use this book for our Session because many of the ideas and practices McDonald writes about are things that our Session and our church has been trying to get going. I thought, "This is perfect!" I also thought we could begin the study with our first Session meeting of the year.

Murphy prevented us from beginning last night -- some books were ordered but not yet delivered, some books were the same title but by a decidedly different author, and some people had difficulty finding the book. All of that to say, we did not begin our study last night. However, we did raise many of the topics McDonald writes about so eloquently, and as a whole, the Session seemed to be asking the same question: What do we do next? How do we better live out ministry? How do we make a lasting difference in lives?

Why didn't we start our book study last night? Because God still had some preparation to do among our church council (yeah, I used the new fancy B.O.O. word!).

I shouldn't be, but am surprised that I found God in so simple a thing as when we begin a book study. If you've ever found yourself frustrated because things aren't working according to your carefully laid out timetable (like I do, on occasion!), it's OK. God hasn't left or forgotten what's going on. This gives me a little piece of shalom, and I hope it does you as well.

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning;

the patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit.

Ecclesiastes 7:8

A Thought Not My Own - Doctrinal Preaching

2012-01-08T15:49:00.002-05:00

I think this will be a new series on the blog -- good quotes that have somehow inspired me over the course of my weekly reading. Just little tid-bits for you to think about. Enjoy this first one:

If doctrinal preaching is deadly dull, it is because it has been excised from its living situation, labeled, laid out on the examination table, and tediously lectured on by someone trying not to fall asleep before the audience does.

~ Clyde Fant, Professor Emeritus, Stetson University

I had a theology class like this in Seminary. I firmly believe the best theology is practical theology and the best practices are ones grounded in theological truth.

Church Holidays

2012-01-06T00:08:00.003-05:00

If I had to rank my Church Holidays, I think my list would look something like this:

1. Pentecost -- Because it's the one day I get to wear my fun red stole, plus we deck the church out with balloons, everyone is festively attired in red, we have red-velvet cake, and we had two wacky-waving-inflatable-arm-flailing-tube-men this last year. Oh, and seeing Presbyterians spend a day celebrating the Holy Spirit is fantastic!

2. Epiphany -- I get the whole 'God's revelation of Christ to the world/Gentiles' side of it. I just get excited because I get to show off my frankincense and myrrh (my in-laws got me some new myrrh this year). Last year I burned the frankincense on the communion table just before the choir sang their anthem. They were decidedly less impressed than the children were. I wish I had some gold to score the epiphany trifecta, but at $1800/ounce, I think even the magi would have opted for something more affordable.

The other reason I LOVE Epiphany is because we finally get to sing "We Three Kings." I've loved this song since grade school when I saw the California Raisins perform it on their Holiday Special. I typically start singing it to myself in the shower, truck, living room, office, etc. from Thanksgiving through Lent, but this week the whole church gets to sing it! I've got to say, though, that "From A Distant Home" is growing on me as an Epiphany song. Good thing we get to do both on Sunday!

3. Easter --Hello, Jesus' resurrection? What's not to love!

4. Christmas -- Incarnation = AWESOME; being a pastor at Christmas = 10x crazier than regular Christmas

Finally, for your visual and aural delight...

Mary & Joe's Trip South

2011-12-20T13:48:00.004-05:00

Erica asked me earlier today how long it took Mary and Joseph to reach Bethlehem. So I looked it up. It's somewhere around 100 miles, meaning you or I could drive it (roadblocks not withstanding) in a couple of hours.

However, Mary & Joe didn't have a car and probably hitched a ride on a caravan. Caravans, like wagon trains, move pretty slowly, but they were a safe and effective way to travel. Plus, riding on an oxcart beats walking the whole way.

At around 20 miles per day, it probably took the Holy Family 4-6 days to reach Bethlehem for Caesar Agustus' Census. This census was carried out in A.D. 6-7 because Syria and Judea had just become a taxable part of the Roman Empire.

Why did Mary & Joe have to head to Bethlehem for the census? The Bible tells us because that's what Rome told them to do. Rome generally did not order everyone to return to their ancestral homes, but they also worked with the traditions of their constituents, so maybe when Quirinius, the newly minted Legate of Syria, asked Herod Antipas how they counted people, Antipas said, "By tribes." And when the Legate asked how they know who belongs to what tribe, Antipas said, "Oh, they each have their own area of land. Tell everyone to go to the home of their tribe and you'll be able to count them better." To which Quirinius probably said 'Thank you' and then had Herod flogged. Because that's how the Romans roll.

Shine Your Light!

2011-12-17T18:48:00.002-05:00

I was reminded today of this quote by Marianne Williamson, a minister in the Unity Church:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

What a great thought as we approach the dawning of the celebration of Christ's light in our world!

Total non sequitur -- How in the world did She get http://marianne.com/ as her website?!?

Christmas Cantata 2011

2011-12-11T21:07:00.000-05:00

If you missed it, or want to relive a fun song from it, here you are:

"damnable and pestilent heresies"

2011-11-22T10:32:00.000-05:00

For Advent this year we are going to use an adaptation from the Scot's Confession (A.D. 1560) for the 'Affirmation of Faith' in worship. Here is my adaptation, and below that is the original. The title of this blog post is the best phrase that didn't make the cut. Enjoy some good Presbyterian theology this Advent season!

When the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, God's eternal wisdom, the substance of God's own glory, into this world. Jesus took the nature of humanity from the substance of a woman, a virgin, by means of the Holy Spirit. And so was born the Messiah promised, whom we know to be Emmanuel, true God and true man, two perfect natures united in one person. We acknowledge that this wonderful union between the Godhead and humanity in Christ arose from God's eternal decree that we should be saved.

Further, the Messiah underwent punishment for our transgressions, suffered for our disobedience, and died to overcome death. In his death, the infinite and invincible power of God, has purchased for us life, liberty, and perpetual victory. So we confess, and most undoubtedly believe.


John Knox: He wrote the original. And could beat me up.

The Original:

CHAPTER VI

The Incarnation of Christ Jesus

When the fullness of time came God sent his Son, his eternal wisdom,the substance of his own glory, into this world, who took the nature of humanity from the substance of a woman, a virgin, by means of the Holy Ghost. And so was born the “just seed of David,” the “Angel of the great counsel of God,” the very Messiah promised, whom we confess and acknowledge to be Emmanuel, true God and true man, two perfect natures united and joined in one person. So by our Confession we condemn the damnable and pestilent heresies of Arius, Marcion, Eutyches, Nestorius, and such others as did either deny the eternity of his Godhead, or the truth of his humanity, or confounded them, or else divided them.

CHAPTER VII

Why the Mediator Had to Be

True God and True Man

We acknowledge and confess that this wonderful union between the

Godhead and the humanity in Christ Jesus did arise from the eternal and

immutable decree of God from which all our salvation springs and

depends.

CHAPTER VIII

Election

That same eternal God and Father, who by grace alone chose us in his

Son Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world was laid, appointed

him to be our head, our brother, our pastor, and the great bishop of our

souls. But since the opposition between the justice of God and our sins

was such that no flesh by itself could or might have attained unto God, it

behooved the Son of God to descend unto us and take himself a body of

our body, flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone, and so become the Mediator

between God and man, giving power to as many as believe in him

to be the sons of God; as he himself says, “I ascend to my Father and to

your Father, to my God and to your God.” By this most holy brotherhood

whatever we have lost in Adam is restored to us again. Therefore we are

not afraid to call God our Father, not so much because he has created us,

which we have in common with the reprobate, as because he has given

unto us his only Son to be our brother, and given us grace to acknowledge

and embrace him as our only Mediator. Further, it behooved the

Messiah and Redeemer to be true God and true man, because he was able

to undergo the punishment of our transgressions and to present himself

in the presence of his Father’s judgment, as in our stead, to suffer for our

transgression and disobedience, and by death to overcome him that was

the author of death. But because the Godhead alone could not suffer

death, and neither could manhood overcome death, he joined both together

in one person, that the weakness of one should suffer and be subject

to death—which we had deserved—and the infinite and invincible

power of the other, that is, of the Godhead, should triumph, and purchase

for us life, liberty, and perpetual victory. So we confess, and most undoubtedly

believe.

Sheep Go To Heaven, Goats Go to Hell

2011-11-18T23:09:00.000-05:00

"When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, "Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,

I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'

"Then those "sheep' are going to say, "Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, "I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me--you did it to me.'

"Then he will turn to the "goats,' the ones on his left, and say, "Get out, worthless goats! You're good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because--

I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.'

"Then those "goats' are going to say, "Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?'

"He will answer them, "I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me--you failed to do it to me.'

"Then those "goats' will be herded to their eternal doom, but the "sheep' to their eternal reward."

[Matthew 25:31-46, The Message.]

I have no idea what is going on in this video, but I have loved this song forever. Enjoy some Cake, ladies and gentlemen.

Communion Questions

2011-11-09T09:32:00.000-05:00

I got this message from my friend AnnaLisa the other day:

I've got questions for Pastor Ben. Today it struck me that every Presbyterian communion I've participated in, the pastor says "...proclaim the death of the Lord, until He comes again." That feels weird to me. I'd want to word it something like "...proclaim our faith in the risen Lord, until He comes again. I mean, isn't that essentially what makes Christians Christians--faith in the resurrection?

Or am I being too big-picture literal, and it's stated that way because the communion is modeled after the Last Supper, at which time resurrection hasn't happened yet?

And, a more mundane question. Is this the standard Communion wording in the Book of Order (or whichever guide it is...I get them confused), or are there a several models--kind of like the many versions of the Apostles Creed--and I just happen to have known five pastors who all chose the same one?

I don't mean to be a smarty-pants, just curious to hear the REAL answers. That is, not my partly made-up "I'm not sure whether I'm a real Presbyterian or just an uninformed, generic Christian" ones!"

So, AnnaLisa, and anyone else who is wondering, here's the skinny on Communion.

The reason for the "proclaim his death until he comes again..." is because we take the "Words of Institution" directly from 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. Theologically, however, you are correct. The resurrection of Christ is what makes us unique as Christians. However, the significance of Jesus is summed up in his life, teaching, death, and resurrection, which must all be taken together for the most complete understanding of who Jesus is and what Jesus accomplished. But saying all that every time just gets wordy.

There is a standard communion service contained in the Book of Common Worship. The BOCW is not an actual "you have to do it this way" book, but it contains language and services that are deemed to be in keeping with our reformed tradition and theology. Most pastors are too lazy/uncreative to use anything else. I fink there might actually be a couple of service options in there, but again the lazy/creativity factor comes in.

I actually use more of a free-form style in my communion liturgies. The only "have tos" for Presbyterians are the words of institution (bread = body, juice = blood) done by an ordained minister or other duly designated person (ie. commissioned lay pastor). I've also adapted a couple communion liturgies from the Wild Goose peeps in Scotland and one or two from some random Episcopalians and Lutherans. Or I just make up the invite and the prayers.

5 Years

2011-11-03T17:29:00.000-04:00

I was home with my sick two year old on Tuesday and so had to miss our Presbytery meeting. That's unfortunate, because apparently it was a doozy! Both committees I am on were on the receiving end of the kind of crazy you only see in the church. I'm glad to know I can still cause mayhem even when I'm not present! :)

The other thing I missed at Presbytery, however, was acknowledgement of my 5 year ordination anniversary. Bummer! But it got me to thinking, on November 26 I will have been ordained for 5 whole years! At times it seems like the shortest amount of time ever, and other times it seems like all of eternity has come and gone and I'm still here.

A brief recap, then, to give myself some perspective.

I was ordained at Bayside Presbyterian Church, Virginia Beach, VA on 11/26/06. Unfortunately I didn't get much say in the ordination service timing or content. I mean, really, who would pick the Sunday after Thanksgiving?!
I have served with 5 pastors whose total ministerial experience comes close to 200 years. They are: Dick Keever, Guy Delaney, Harry Daniel, Dan Dickenson, and a few months with George Fitzgerald. I definitely had my favorites.
While in Virginia Beach, I ruffled some feathers, started a contemporary service, decided that I look good in a clergy collar, helped organize a public stations of the cross, sat on the PEVA vision taskforce, studied the lectionary weekly with Philip Oehler and Fred McCall, and ministered alongside many amazing men and women both inside and outside the church.
Along with Erica and Jack, I followed God's leading to Chattanooga where I have found the joy of my calling: Northside Presbyterian. We have a lot of fun ministering and growing and doing life together.

I hesitate to post any 'accomplishments' at Northside, because it hasn't been that long and many projects are still in process. Needless to say, there is excitement, enthusiasm, new people, experienced people, new bulletins, dynamic programs, and I can't take credit for even half of all that.
I am currently serving on the Committee for Preparation for Ministry and the New Church Development Team for Presbytery of East Tennessee.
I have great colleagues and friends here and throughout the US who are truly wonderful
Erica and I now have two sons: Jack and Dylan, who are the greatest boys in the world.

By the numbers:

24 Funerals
22 Couples Married
18 ish Baptisms (I don't have an exact count of baptisms, but I believe it is close to 18), 5 of whom were adults, 1 of which was by immersion!
183 Sunday Sermons

I can think of hundreds of people I've left off this post who have influenced my life and ministry. You who you are, and I know who you are. All I can say is this: Thank you!

I'm not sure what other milestones or figures I can put up here. If there's a glaring omission, or you're curious about something, please leave a comment.

Spiritual But Not Religious?

2011-10-25T15:42:00.000-04:00

My mom subscribed to the Christian Century magazine, and after her death, all her mail comes to me. Out of bored curiosity, I flipped through September's issue and found this article. It really spoke to me, and I haven't been able to get it out of my head since.

I hope you read it and find something of value. Please share your thoughts and opinions on the subject of 'spiritual but not religious' and what limitations there are when it comes to our own private and unique experience of God.

http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2011-08/you-can-t-make

Pastoral Care

2011-08-22T16:35:00.000-04:00

I've ministered to dozens of families as they have said goodbye to a loved one, and to persons who know their time is drawing to an end. But this is the first time I've lived that experience. It is encouraging that I'm feeling the same things many of the people I've ministered to said they felt.

OK, seriously, what's up with that dude's eyes?

The juxtaposition of so many different feelings -- sadness, unbelief, shock, hope, gratitude, anger, and others -- is difficult to describe. I guess it is a burden, in the most literal sense: a load that is carried.

I am grateful to God for all the people who have offered support during this time. They cannot take the burden, it is mine to carry, but they can certainly make the journey better. So thank you, God, for all these kind and supportive folks. They remind me of what Job's friends should have been doing. Thank you, also, to each one of you, you know who you are.

Cancer

2011-08-17T09:43:00.000-04:00

Most of you probably already know the reason my posts have been missing for the last couple of weeks: My mom has cancer and has come to Chattanooga for treatment. The thing is, they are still trying to figure out what kind of cancer it is and where it started. Honestly, things are not looking good. However, her faith is strong and she's surrounded by friends and family that love her and are praying for her.

It might not be easy, but either way, this ends up good for her.

As her doctor said: "The Good Lord never said bad things wouldn't happen, he just promised to send us help when they do."

Walking on Water

2011-08-04T15:58:00.000-04:00

Our text this week is from Matthew 14, where Jesus sticks around on shore to pray and the disciples all head out into the Sea of Galilee in a boat. A huge storm comes up, everyone freaks out, and Jesus walks on water to rescue them. Although it has been done to death, I think there are still valuable things to learn from this incident -- which is why I'm going to preach on it Sunday.

However, I don't know how to blog on it without either retyping my sermon, being cheesy and lame, or referencing someone else's (John Ortberg) much more eloquent and marketable work.

That leaves me with little else to do other than to give you some pictures and challenge you to consider the context of Matthew's boat story. It's right after Jesus feeds 5000 people with a couple fish and several slices of bread. It's right after Jesus tells everyone that the Kingdom is like a tiny mustard seed that grows into a huge bush. What does this have to do with walking on water? You tell me.

Oh yeah, your pictures. Here they are:

The Sea of Galilee -- not just a puddle in the desert.

The view from the Disciples' position.

The single most awesome picture I could find showing the incident.

VBS Pics and Video

2011-07-28T19:57:00.000-04:00

2011 Northside VBS

View the VBS Online Album Here

Combatting Biblical Illiteracy

2011-07-20T10:36:00.000-04:00

I don't know how many times I've heard people say, "I wish I knew my Bible better," or "I know I should know what's in the Bible," or even "Now where is Isaiah again?" Well here you go! Two simple steps to combat biblical illiteracy!

Solution: Read & Study the Bible
Step 1: Get a good study bible that you enjoy reading (put down the KJV if you don't like wading thru Ye Olde English). I recommend the NRSV New Oxford Annotated Study Bible -- you can pick it up hardcover for around $30, or leatherbound for $75, or the NIV Study Bible is really good and will run you about $30. Between the two, the NRSV is a better translation, but the NIV has excellent notes and historical information.

Step 2: Start somewhere you can learn something
Want to know more about Jesus? Start in the Gospel of Luke. Why Luke? Because he takes a very orderly approach the the life and ministry of Jesus. Luke was a physician (in the 1st Century that basically meant less people died after he helped them), and so he investigated everything he could about this Jesus fellow. He has a particular emphasis on Jesus' ministry to the outsiders and unworthy.

Looking for a better grasp of what it means to be a Christian and what the church is? Start in Romans. I'm not even going to spoil it for you. Enjoy yourself.

Are you just searching for a deeper connection with God? Turn to the book of Psalms. Unlike most of the other books in the Bible, Psalms is a collection of 150 works of song and poetry and they don't need to be read in order. Sip a cup of coffee and sit in God's presence.

Is the Old Testament daunting? Did the little piggy cry 'wee, wee, wee, all the way home?' Read Exodus. It's the basic history of the people of God under Moses' leadership. You get all the exciting stuff in context -- plagues of Egypt, parting of the red sea, 10 commandments, manna in the wilderness, all the food laws, the golden calf, and the ark of the covenant (yes, that ark!).

Farming

2011-07-07T15:14:00.000-04:00

Sowing oats the old-school way. Quaint and time consuming.

I had a great conversation today with a real-life farmer. He's a corporate suit by day (although I doubt he wears suits that often), and moonlights on his farm up in the Knoxville area. His kids think it's cool, and so does his wife, except when he's up there for several weeks straight.

I both envy and understand his need to get away and get his hands dirty. I also like getting my hands dirty, but doubt I could be productive enough at it to actually consider making a living from it. I'm more of the 'play in the dirt' type.

The one thing I appreciated was when my farmer buddy, Scott, told me that after drilling the seeds in and covering them up, you fertilize and pray for rain and sun. Even though he uses a 3.5 ton tractor to plant rather than an ox and sack of seed, much has not changed about farming in the last two millennia.

Jesus' parable of the sower from Matthew 13 uses the agricultural metaphor of sowing seeds and waiting for growth. It's also a good reminder that, "neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth" (1 Cor 3:7).

I say this not as a cop out to ministry, just as farmers do not use it as a cop out to doing the work of farming. The reality is that we can only control what we say and do, and who we interact with. And even those are limited by things beyond our control. We must trust that God's ministry through us will be the grace-filled work of Jesus Christ, and that the Holy Spirit will accomplish God's purpose.

Modern sowing. Still hard agricultural work, but you get to ride a tractor.

It's also a reminder that we can only do so much. We have no more control over the soil of people's hearts than the farmer does over the composition of a new field. We do have control over our own hearts, however, and should carefully cultivate within ourselves an openness and receptivity to God's way.

It is not our job to 'make people believe' -- it's our job to love them and tell them about Jesus. Not brow beat them with threats of hell. Not offer nice but meaningless platitudes. It is time to invest in ministry to others like farmers invest in farming: ALL IN!

Jesus vs. John the Baptist

2011-06-30T23:08:00.000-04:00

John was about 6 months older than Jesus

John wore itchy camel hair

Jesus wore a sturdy linen robe

John ate grasshoppers and wild honey alone in the wilderness
Jesus shared meals with any two-bit scam artist or tramp that had the time

John wasn't allowed to drink wine (he was under a Nazarite vow)
Jesus turned water to wine when the party ran out

John was a strict fire and brimstone type of guy
Jesus was a bit more of the go with the flow sort

John was always so serious
Jesus laughed and had fun with his buddies

John was arrested and killed because he ended up on king Herod's bad side
Jesus was arrested and killed because he refused to give up on God's plan for us

John told everyone they were going to hell if they didn't straighten up
Jesus told everyone God loved them and would help them straighten up

John announced that the Kingdom of God was about to happen
Jesus said, "Look around! God's doing things right now!"

John is 'bad cop'
Jesus is 'good cop'

John is accused of being demon posessed
Jesus is accused of being a drunk

Although they came from different places, and went about things in quite different styles, John and Jesus both listened to God and helped lead others into a new understanding of God's love.

If you've got some comparisons (biblical or inferred) between these two, please share!

A Copy of Sunday's Sermon

2011-06-20T14:07:00.000-04:00

Here is the result of 5 years of intentionally working on getting away from a manuscript in my preaching. Some weeks I do better than others, but this is the reason why I cannot provide a copy of my sermon for you.

Yes, it is a one-sided 4x6 index card. Yes, those are my actual preaching notes from Sunday. Sometimes I print the date on the top as well--just for kicks, you know.

If you think a copy would be helpful, invest in new sound equipment for the Sanctuary so we can record my sermons and post them online/burn them to CD.

Mission Work

2011-06-16T18:49:00.001-04:00

When I was in college I really felt led to do mission work. Yes, the overseas, living in mud huts type of mission work. That's what led me to take a 'cross-cultural ministry' minor as well as spend a summer in Shanghai, China. I discovered two things 1) I was still passionate about missions, and 2) God was not calling me to do it overseas right now.

I also felt very affirmed in my call to be a parish pastor here in the US. And in a country where, at best, only 50% of folks are engaged in the life of a church on a regular basis, I believe that qualifies as mission work.

I fully support the PC(USA)'s stance that education, justice, and healthcare as a means to the end of furthering the Kingdom of God, however, I think we have neglected the saving of souls as part of the mission given to the Church.

Perhaps all of us need to reconsider what it means to be a missionary. Maybe it doesn't mean being called to a mud hut overseas, but to the job you currently hold; to the relationships you are currently in; and to your very own community. There are men and women and children out there who have never heard the good news of Jesus Christ. These are the ones for whom Christ died, to ensure that they could live to the fullest extent God intended. They need forgiveness, they need purpose, they need love.

And you are the one called to show them that.

Mike Rowe on Work

2011-05-13T14:11:00.000-04:00

This video is awesome. Not only is it Mike Rowe, one of my personal heroes, but it is Mike raising several important issues for us to consider. (also, heads-up, he talks about sheep castration in a very graphic manner, so be prepared.) The video is 20 minutes, so make sure you've got a little bit of time. I promise it will be worth your while.

The first: When have you had that 'ah-ha!' moment? As he calls it, the "Sixth Sense" or "Neo in the Matrix" moment. I think of it as the Kaiser Söze moment. When has it happened for you? When has your reality shifted in a major way? What impact has your relationship with Jesus Christ had on this shift? If you've never experienced this, why not?

The second: Consider how you think about 'white collar' and 'blue collar' jobs. Does Mike's monologue strike any chords? What does he give you to ponder? How does his take on 'follow your passion' (@ the 13 minute mark) play out for you? For your kids? For your employees? Reconsidering some decisions? (Yeah, I know this is tough!!).

The third: Has God used this video to show or teach you something? What?

A Response to Bin Laden's Death

2011-05-03T12:01:00.000-04:00

Other than the destruction and chaos of the storms in Chattanooga, Georgia, and Alabama, and the birth of my second son, Dylan, the big news this weekend was the death of Osama bin Laden.

People seem to have many reactions to the news. You probably have your own opinion and are dealing with your own feelings. I thought it would be helpful to theologically frame a Christian response to this news.

We should not rejoice in death -- no matter whose death it is. We should always see death as the enemy of life, and an indicator that God's kingdom is not yet complete on earth. To clarify: Christians should not celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden. To celebrate death is to celebrate the very evil that fueled his terrorism.

What we can celebrate is justice. Not the eye-for-an-eye justice that gives us a sense of self-satisfaction, nor the 'he got what he deserved' justice of hatred. It is the justice seen in Jesus' words to Peter, "Put away your sword! All who take up the sword will die by the sword." (Mt 26:52) It is the justice we read about in the Old Testament: carried out in right relationship to others. In killing thousands of innocents, Bin Laden violated his relationship with them and with the world at large. So the justice done is of a relational manner, between the one harming, those harmed, and God.

We do not rejoice in Osama bin Laden's death.

We struggle, even, to correctly celebrate justice done.

What we can unequivocally celebrate is that evil will not triumph in our world! Evil people and evil deeds will not have the final say! Even if the lesson is taught in the horror of death (the death of an evil person, who, nonetheless was still created in God's image), the lesson stands as a powerful testimony to the hope and renewal of all things.

Northside Easter Anthem

2011-04-30T19:10:00.000-04:00

You'll have to forgive the camera work, but the organ, choir, bells, tympani, and brass sound amazing! Also forgive the pastor for singing along as instructed.

Holy Week

2011-04-21T17:04:00.000-04:00

I know, it has been late coming, but hey, check it out, the blog looks all fresh and new!
For you Northsiders, remember tonight is our Maundy Thursday service at 6:30.

Tomorrow we are doing Stations of the Cross at Coolidge Park. Rev. Laura Becker and the folks from Northminster are co-sponsoring this public witness to Jesus Christ along with us. We will begin at noon, and it is open to anyone in the community who wishes to journey with Christ on his final day.

Sunday morning we will have our Easter Sunrise service (the longest running sunrise service in Chattanooga) at the Duck Pond at 7:30am, and then our normal Easter celebration at the church at 11:00.

Here's a fun Resurrection video for you. Oddly, resurrection is harder to find on the internet than crucifixion. Go figure.

What makes NPC worship so special?

2011-04-07T15:06:00.000-04:00

Our Wednesday Night Program last night was sponsored by our worship ministry. The goal was to get people to focus on the most positive and meaningful parts of worship so shared meaning might be found and feedback gleaned so we can focus on our strengths as we seek to make worship better.

People were asked where in our worship service they had experienced any of these things. The first, and most common response was how meaningful the prayers of the people were. Everyone loved different parts of the service for different reasons (they felt peace and comfort from the Apostle's Creed, blessed by the prelude, hopeful from hearing the 'good news', grace upon entering the sanctuary, joy during the children's time, forgiveness from the assurance of pardon, just to name a few).

I was a bit taken aback by the significance of the prayer time for so many. Our church members said they felt a great connection to one another and to God during the prayers. One person said they have an overwhelming sense of peace during our prayers; another that it is comforting to share like that. Someone also shared that it was inspiring how many people participated in offering their prayers of thanksgiving and concern.

I don't mean I was freaked out that people find such meaning in prayer, only that I was surprised. So many churches focus on the music or the sermon as being the real take away, but here people are moved and transformed by praying together (not that our music or preaching are bad). Maybe this is a strength we can play to--keep praying together and watch what God does with us! What a novel idea!

Thank you, Northside. You are blessed and a blessing!

Borrowed Wisdom

2011-03-29T22:53:00.000-04:00

This is not original to me, but I think it is well worth sharing. I hope you find it as spiritually edifying as it was for me today.

First, from Dr. Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Theological Seminary. His full blog can be found here: http://www.netbloghost.com/mouw/?m=201103

I owe the “generous-stingy” distinction to the late Kosuke Koyama, who said in a speech I once heard him give, that in approaching the Bible we need to decide whether the God of the Scriptures is a generous God or a stingy one. I like that way of putting things. But I like it because it is a way of focusing on the conception of the divine attributes that we bring to our theological discussions.

Although this is not the major point of Mouw's article, I believe this attitude is foundational not only to how we read about God in the Scriptures, but how we view all of life. If we decide we don't like something, we will undoubtedly see all the things wrong with it (the same also goes for people).

Put another way: we see what we believe. We do not see and then believe. As in the gospels, we believe and then we see. It is true with the Kingdom of God. It is true with goodness. It is true with all of life. Believe in what you are looking for, and you'll begin to see it in the most unlikely of places.

St. Patrick's Day Chapel

2011-03-17T10:01:00.000-04:00

We just had preschool chapel, and given that it is St. Patty's Day, we talked about St. Patrick. All of the preschoolers knew he was from Ireland (even though he was born in Roman Britan), and that he lived a long time ago. I also shared with them that we remember St. Patrick because he did lots of good things and told all the Irish people about Jesus.

I shared with them a section from St. Patrick's Breastplate, a prayer attributed to the 5th Century Saint. As I said to the preschoolers, so now I say to you: It is pretty cool that we can say the same prayer that St. Patrick said so long ago!

I bind unto myself today

The strong Name of the Trinity,

By invocation of the same,

The Three in One, and One in Three,

I bind this day to me forever,

By power of faith, Christ's Incarnation;

His baptism in the Jordan river;

His death on the cross for my salvation.

His bursting from the spiced tomb;

His riding up the heav'nly way;

His coming at the day of doom:

I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power

Of the great love of cherubim;

The sweet "well done" in judgment hour;

The service of the seraphim:

Confessors' faith, apostles' word,

The patriarchs' prayers, the prophets' scrolls;

All good deeds done unto the Lord,

And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today

The virtues of the starlit heav'n,

The glorious sun's life-giving ray,

The whiteness of the moon at even,

The flashing of the lightning free,

The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,

The stable earth, the deep salt sea,

Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today

The power of God to hold and lead,

His eye to watch, his might to stay,

His ear to hearken to my need;

The wisdom of my God to teach,

His hand to guide, his shield to ward;

The word of God to give me speech,

His heav'nly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,

Christ behind me, Christ before me,

Christ beside me, Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort and restore me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love me,

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,

The strong Name of the Trinity;

By invocation of the same,

The Three in One, and One in Three.

Of whom all nature hath creation;

Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:

Praise to the Lord of my salvation,

Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Amen.

Reversed Thinking

2011-03-15T12:43:00.000-04:00

This is pretty sweet!
Enjoy.

My Lent

2011-03-11T06:42:00.000-05:00

I've been wrestling with what to do for Lent this year. Suggestions on my Facebook page ranged from 'give up giving things up' to 'making Lent a celebration of Christ'. I finally settled on something that fits for me.

I need to be more grateful in my life. God has richly and abundantly blessed me, and it is about time I take notice and intentionally say 'thank you.' So, from now until Easter, I am going to start and end every day with three things I am thankful for. I might even write them down so I end up with a huge list of things I am thankful for. That might be aiming a little high, however!

I'll start with this morning: I am grateful for the peacefulness of early morning, for my sleeping family, and for good friends--everywhere they happen to be.

Shelter From the Storm

2011-02-28T22:20:00.000-05:00

We had a crazy storm today! Trees are down all over North Chatt, Red Bank, and along the Hixson border. I hope everyone is safe and warm, especially those without electricity tonight.

We lost power at the church instantly when the tornado-force winds hit. We also headed downstairs quite briskly. After the wind and rain subsided, it was evident why we lost power: two trees took out the powerlines at Mississippi and Tremont. (as a total aside, maybe a good infrastructure investment would be buried powerlines throughout the country... but what do I know, I'm just a pastor...).

When we emerged from the basement, we were getting our bearings upstairs and marveling that the heavy iron patio furniture had been tossed around the church patio, when a slightly shaken looking couple came through the door. Turns out they are from Wisconsin and they're house hunting because the husband is starting a new job with VW in a couple of weeks. Apparently they were driving and then got hit with the rain and the wind and at the first available moment, made a dash into the safest place they could see: Northside Church! They said they needed shelter from the storm.

What a wonderful role for our church building to fulfill! I hope we continue to be a shelter, not just from the storm, but for all who need a safe place to be.

Now kick back and enjoy some Bob Dylan.

Bono Interview

2011-02-25T15:12:00.000-05:00

A friend directed me to this interview with Bono, lead singer of U2, which is an excerpt from a new book about him.

Here's a link to the excerpt: http://www.thepoachedegg.net/the-poached-egg/2010/09/bono-interview-grace-over-karma.html

I was pleasantly surprised, because as much as I like U2, I've always thought of Bono as kind of a tool. I stand corrected. Here is one of my favorite lines from the interview: "If only we could be a bit more like [Jesus], the world would be transformed." Indeed it would!

Community vs. Members

2011-02-07T21:26:00.000-05:00

This evening at our monthly Session meeting one of my elders raised a very thought provoking issue. We had just approved the adult baptism of a guy who, along with his two children and his girlfriend, has become a wonderful part of our church over the past few months. The issue she raised was if someone had to become a member of the church when they were baptized. I explained that's how it works--you are baptized into the church, and therefore become a member. Another elder pointed out that's why we don't do private baptisms; one cannot be a Christian outside of a Christian community.

Which makes me wonder: Is the issue about semantics? Does 'church member' carry negative connotations that 'part of this Christian community' doesn't? Maybe 'church member' brings up images of an exclusive club, membership cards, joining fees, obligations, insiders and outsiders.

Maybe being a 'member' is passe. Maybe no one cares about 'church membership.'

What does matter is being part of a community where you are cared for, where you are safe, where you can grow and become the person God wants you to be. That's what the church is (or should be!). And what is baptism? The rite of initiation into that community. God's grace at work within an individual saying, "Hey, come here, this is where you belong."

People aren't into joining the church. Can't blame them, actually. With all the baggage 'joining' and 'church' bring along? No thanks. However, people are desperate for true community; desperate for a place to belong, where they can say, "Here. This is it. These are my peeps."

But when does someone move from not part of the community to part of the community? It happens organically, sure. It might be tough to place a date and time on it. But it does happen, and that is a milestone for the individual and the community. Everywhere else in life we mark important milestones--with gold rings or gold watches, ceremonies and certificates. How do we do it in a meaningful, appropriate, and appealing way in the church?

So maybe we update the words. One no longer 'joins the church,' one 'becomes a part of the local Christian community.' Changing the way we talk about it is one thing. Changing how we use our new words/concepts when interpreting our church polity, that takes a bit more effort, but can be done.

Bonus Content
What about children who are baptized and welcomed as members of God's family? The answer is in the question: They are members of God's family. Because their parents are part of the church community, the children will be raised as part of the community. They are not old enough to take personal responsibility for the community (that comes at Confirmation), but they are, nonetheless, members of the faith community.

Do Not Be Frightened or Dismayed

2011-02-03T17:18:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite pieces of Scripture is God's assurance to Joshua as young Josh takes the mantle of Moses and prepares to lead the people into the Promised Land. I'm sure Josh felt a lot of things, among them fear and dismay. Yet in the first 9 verses of Joshua chapter 1, God tells him three times to be "strong and courageous" (vv6, 7, & 9). The final time attaches the words from the title of this post as well as a promise of God's abiding presence.

Frightened and dismayed. If your life is anything like mine, it has a tendency to get both frightening and dismaying at times. Closing on a house is the current dismay for me. It'll pass, I know. But frustration dragging out for 3 months weighs one down. Of course, it could be much smaller and simpler: the ocular celulitis Jack had last week. It just looked like his eye was bruised, but apparently it's a very dangerous infection. Jack was the personification of frightened and dismayed when he got antibiotic shots at the doctor's 2 days in a row.

You've got your own life and your own things that are frightening and dismaying. You don't need to borrow mine.

God's commandment to "Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed" could almost be rendered: "Don't let this crap overwhelm you." God knows it's going to be tough, that's why this commandment is followed by "for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

To you, to me, to anyone who struggles to be strong and courageous in the face of a life that can be scary and distressing, hear these words: Don't let this crap overwhelm you. You're not alone! It's OK to ask for help; from God and from each other.

The State of Preaching

2011-01-20T07:36:00.000-05:00

I've spent the past two days in New York under the tutelage and coaching of Karen DeMauro and John Stapleton. Karen possesses a deep understanding for how our spirituality affects our speaking and presence in the pulpit. She also has a depth of experience and training that makes her coaching seem almost shamanistic. John is a United Methodist minister who has taught preaching at several seminaries for more years than I've been alive. Beyond knowing what makes a good sermon, he knows what it takes to unlock the greatness of our individual personality so that the Gospel may be powerfully proclaimed.

With me at this preaching workshop, entitled Delivering the Gospel, were ministers from a variety of denominations including 2 Catholic priests, 2 Methodists, 3 Lutherans, 2 UCC-ers, and an American Baptist clergy couple. The caliber of preachers gathered this week was simply stunning! The minds, personalities, and passions that composed our little group of 12 were already amazing. Adding delivery coaching from Karen and John honed us (and will continue to hone us) into masterwork preachers. The Holy Spirit's presence and shaping during these two days was palpable.

Yesterday, after two wonderfully full, intense, and exhausting days, we wrapped things up. In closing, each of us shared a couple items we had learned as well as any thanksgivings we had. After hearing these fabulous preachers share their work and then receive the coaching that would take their proclamation to new and incredible heights, I am awestruck at what God is doing in our churches and in our pulpits. I learned, and am thankful for this.

What a cross-section of clergy; of denominations; of America (from Seattle, Ohio, GA, PA, NC, SC, and TN)! When preachers like this, receive training like this, I rejoice that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being proclaimed powerfully and effectively.

My Top 5 Favorite Christmas Songs

2010-12-21T20:15:00.000-05:00

O Holy Night
Carrie Underwood rocks it, and the backup singers really lend to the power of this song.

We Three Kings
I always loved the California Raisin version. The best parts: Joe Camel wearing the fez, and the trippy smoke during the second king's verse. The only bummer is that they left out the third verse. Because of that, I embeded this video instead. It's got some pretty sweet artwork.

The Restroom Door Said Gentlemen
I never said they were all churchy songs. It does mention nuns, however. Two of them, in fact.

I Heard The Bells
Originally a poem written by Longfellow during the Civil War, this is my favorite modern carol. It's awesome; simply awesome. Except for the sparkly angel towards the end, this is the best video I've seen of the Casting Crowns version.

Do You Hear What I Hear
Glinda (with a 'guh') singing about Christmas.

Joseph & Plans

2010-12-15T21:02:00.000-05:00

"But God is present in reality no matter what unreality our practices and our ponderings imply. He is forever trying to establish communication; forever aware of the wrong directions we are taking and wishing to warn us; forever offering solutions for the problems that baffle us; forever standing at the door of our loneliness, eager to bring us such comradeship as the most intelligent living mortal could not supply; forever clinging to our indifference in hope that someday our needs, or at least our tragedies will waken us to respond to his advances.

The Real Presence is just that, real and life-transforming. Nor are the conditions for the manifestation of his splendors out of the reach of any of us! Here they are; otherness, openness, obedience, obsession."

From The Captivating Presence by Albert Edward Day

I imagine Joseph had a hard time in the months leading up to his first Christmas. I know how much I like things to go according to the plans I have laid out. I think Joseph did too. When his beautiful young fiancee tells him, "Joe, I'm pregnant, and it's not yours." I'm sure his world crumbled. All his plans *poof* disappeared.

Yet look what God did in that situation! If Joseph had followed through on his contingency (divorce Mary and move on), imagine what he would have missed out on: The message from the angel, the trip to Bethlehem, the wisemen and camels, not to mention being the father of Jesus!

It's frustrating when things don't go my way. Whether it's the closing date on my new home (was supposed to be Friday, now...???), or the time I get to leave the office (always either too early or too late), or whatever other plans get messed with throughout the week, Joseph's story is encouraging for me.

Sometimes God needs to rescue us from our own plans; we need to be saved from our own self-assuredness. Edward Albert Day's alliteration aside, I believe it is God's ultimate hope for us to trust enough to relax, lean back, and let God set the course.

Ebenezer Scrooge

2010-12-10T19:37:00.000-05:00

I'll admit that I have never read Dickens' A Christmas Carol. However, I have watched the Mickey Mouse cartoon version, and Scrooged is my second favorite Christmas movie (after Die Hard, of course).

I do love the transformation that takes place in the character of Ebenezer Scrooge. It is unfortunate that he is only remembered as being a stingy heel who exclaims "Bah! Humbug!" at any sign of Christmas joy.

A Christmas Carol is now on my winter reading list. Not only is the message a timeless reminder of God's purpose being worked out through ordinary people, but it shows the power of transformation wrought by Christ's grace. Christmas is not a miracle that took place 2000 years ago in some Middle Eastern country. It's a miracle wrought by God each and every day all over the planet; and the best part: It can happen to you!

Movie Videos & Movie Scenes at MOVIECLIPS.com

Advent

2010-12-02T21:26:00.000-05:00

Several people who have gotten a sneak peek at the bulletin for this week have already commented, "You know we sang hymn #9 last week, right?" Hymn #9 is, of course, the most singable Advent song in the Presbyterian Hymnal. I was on vacation last week, but I do know which songs we sang.

We're also going to sing #9, O Come, O Come Emmanuel again next week. And the week after. We are singing this song every Sunday in Advent because it is our Advent prayer. We remember the faithfulness of God's people when the awaited for God's Messiah to be born and set their world right. We remember the promise of God fulfilled some 2000 years ago in a far off country. We remember the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who showed us God's immense love for us; love so powerful not even death could stop it!

As we remember, we pray: Come, O Lord, in to our lives. Come, O Lord, into our world. Come, O Lord, and disperse the clouds of night. Come, O Lord, and set our hearts at peace.

Rejoice, my friends, rejoice!

Signs of the End?

2010-11-10T09:58:00.000-05:00

Aside from being an awesome video, this perfectly sets up our text from Luke 21:5-19.

9 "When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately." 10 Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

Remember, now the context for this teaching: Jesus is saying that no matter what, the good news of the Gospel will be proclaimed. It will be difficult, bad things will happen, Christians will suffer and face persecution for their faith, but God will continue to work out God's plan of salvation for the world.

To that end, reflect on the following from Louis Evely (In the Christian Spirit):

To believe in God is to believe in the salvation of the world. The paradox of our time is that those who believe in God do not believe in the salvation of the world, and those who believe in the future of the world do not believe in God.

Christians believe in "the end of the world," they expect the final catastrophe, the punishment of others.

Atheists in their turn, invent doctrines of salvation, try to give meaning to life, work, the future of humankind, and refuse to believe in God because Christians believe in him and take no interest in the world.

All ignore the true God: he who has so loved the world! But which is the more culpable ignorance?

To love God is to love the world. To love God passionately is to love the world passionately. To hope in God is to hope for the salvation of the world.

I often say to myself that, in our religion, God must feel very much alone: for is there anyone besides God who believes in the salvation of the world? God seeks among us sons and daughters who resemble him enough, who love the world enough, that he could send them into the world to save it.

Headed to Church?

2010-10-27T16:36:00.000-04:00

In preparation for my sermon this week I was reading a 2006 survey done by Gallup. They found that nationwide, 76% of Americans identify themselves as Christians. They also discovered that only 42% of Americans attend worship (church, etc) on a weekly or almost weekly basis.

I'm not quite what 'almost weekly' means, but I'll pretend that it means 'as often as they're in town.'

Surely, that reflects the secular nature of the West Coast, and maybe Vermont and New Hampshire, but not here in the Bible Belt! Au contraire, mon ami. Gallup also broke the survey down into states. Anyone want to guess where Tennessee fell? The same place as Georgia: 52%. That's how many people actively attend church on a regular basis. 52%.

I'm not great with math, so I'm just going to call that half. Half of everyone is sleeping in on Sunday morning without any regard to God or Christian community.

Application for Northside? Next time we're bemoaning, 'everyone must be attending the church down the street,' remind yourself that only half of everyone is attending anywhere.

That means the fields are fertile for sowing the seeds of the Gospel. Look at the opportunity! I guarantee you know someone without a church home. Several someone's, probably. Go ahead, invite them to yours. We're a pretty cool place to meet Jesus.

Northside is an awesome church

2010-10-11T21:51:00.000-04:00

I was talking with Erica this evening after my Session meeting and I feel so blessed to be Northside's pastor! Taking feedback from the congregation, leaders, and elders in the congregation, I crafted three goals for our 2011 year.

Discover and celebrate what makes Northside unique as a church. Advertize that and let people know why our church is so great!
Have exciting, strong, applicable worship that is light, fun, joyful, appeals to a broad selection of people, and embraces the best of traditional and modern music.
Intentional discipleship focused on relationships between old and new members, small groups, accountability, and commitment.

When I asked the elders what they thought, I received universal support. One woman said, "It's so nice to have a direction like this. We've never had that before. It's good to know where we're going." Hearing this I felt the mixed emotions of sadness and pride. Sadness because this church is so awesome, they deserve to have visionary leadership like this; and pride, because I know God has called me here for this very reason.

How blessed am I to be leading a group of faithful Christians who are looking forward to a growing and productive ministry together! Northside deserves the very best -- because they're neat, faithful people. Our Lord deserves the very best -- because, well, he's God. And that's what I'm giving: 100% of my best. Why? Because I love Jesus, and I love Jesus' church, and I love Jesus' people in North Chattanooga.

Am I rambling? Probably. Am I gushing in a totally un-manly way? Most likely. Do I mean it? Absolutley!

Top 10 Reasons to Give to Your Church

2010-10-09T20:55:00.000-04:00

10. It's a tax write off (ok, so is Unicef, the Red Cross, and Peta, but this is just #10!)

9. You might get one of those fancy brass plaques with your name on it

8. Air Conditioning certainly is nice in Chattanooga during the summer

7. You get a chance to make positive, lasting change in the world

6. If you don't who will?

5. It's more blessed to give than receive

4. You're investing in the future—of the church, of these kids, of our world

3. Because when we give, we remember that we've first received

2. Because what God is doing here is bigger than what we have resources for now

1. WWJD? Seriously. 'nuff said.

Musical Interlude

2010-10-04T15:21:00.001-04:00

It's sad when I pick most of our songs, not because they are inspiring, but because they are not objectionable. :( Consider this my urgent prayer for musical deliverance at Northside!!

And let me clarify, our organist and choir director are great! I'm railing against our abysmal songbook here.

A Tenth

2010-10-01T12:40:00.000-04:00

When it comes to giving money, the church has taken many different courses over the years. In the 1st Century, many Christians practiced what we could call 'proto-communism.' That is, members of the Christian community sold or gave what they had so that everyone ended up what what they needed. Yes, it's in the Bible (Acts 2:43-44). Thought all good Christians were white, capitalist, Americans?

For several centuries, beginning in the 6th, the church began selling indulgences. Talk about a capital campaign! The church tells you for the right price you can buy your dead relatives a ticket to heaven. Perhaps not the most ethical way to approach fundraising, but it beats the way most politicians raise money these days.

In the Old Testament, the people practiced what was called 'tithing.' When they brought in the harvest or gathered the flock, they would dedicate 1/10th of everything to God by presenting it at the temple to support the priests and the ministry taking place there. Now there are some who suggest that the practice of tithing went out of fashion with prohibitions against eating lobster (Leviticus 11:10-12).

It seems that the 'anti-tithers' believe the New Testament practice of giving is more open than this strict 10% philosophy. When they say that I simply point them to Matthew 19:21--"sell everything and give it to the poor," or Luke 12:33--"sell all that you own." Jesus thinks 10% is about 90% too little.

Am I saying that 10% is what God expects us to give? No. Should we literally give everything we have, including the shirt off our back? No.

Maybe a good compromise is to take Paul's advice to the Corinthian Church:

[T]he one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Cor 9:6-7

No, I haven't forgotten..

2010-09-03T14:17:00.000-04:00

I was on vacation last week and this week ended up being a lot of catch up, and then an unexpected funeral. The good news is that we'll have AC in the sanctuary for Sunday and I'll be back to my regularly scheduled blogging next week. Until then, may the Lord bless you and keep you.

The Bent Over Woman

2010-08-20T08:50:00.000-04:00

I have a dear friend who suffered from a back condition from childhood until she was nearly 40. I'm not sure what it was, but the doctors could only find temporary fixes. It severely affected her sleep, she could only lift and carry medium amounts of weight, and could not hike or walk for more than an hour without severe discomfort. Whenever my friend reads the story of the woman in Luke 13:10-17, she gets tears in her eyes. She is that woman.

Through much prayer, the support of her husband and friends, and the continued hopeful care of many physicians, God delivered her from this crippling ailment! Her life has never been the same since. This experience has fundamentally shaped her life and deepened her experience of God.

It is also an incredible testimony to the amazing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that everyone who is sick and suffering would someday experience what my friend has. I know that this may never be a complete reality in this life, but I sincerely believe that where Jesus is, the Kingdom is; where Jesus is, things begin to take on the character of life in God's Kigndom; where Jesus is, things begin to be made right.

Be Prepared

2010-08-05T10:12:00.000-04:00

Jesus uses the same words, but he means them in entirely the opposite way that Scar does. The message, however, is the same: Get ready because something is about to go down and you're going to want to be a part of it.

Ask the Boy Scouts about being prepared. Nothing beats preparation, and, if you've ever been caught unprepared, there is nothing that can make up for it. Now the challenging part is what to be prepared for. Being prepared for one thing is usually simple enough.

A spare tire, jack, and minimal knowledge while driving.

Or a can of this while enjoying the Riverwalk.

What is it Jesus wants us to be prepared for? Stop. That's a rhetorical question. There are a lot of well-meaning, but incorrect answers out there. Let's take a look at Luke 12:35-40 and see what Jesus actually said rather than what we think he said.

Be prepared appears in the context of not worrying about our clothes or food. Indeed, the exhortation in 32-24 is to sell our possessions, give to the poor, and to strive to put both our treasure and our hearts firmly in God's Kingdom.

The most difficult part of this lesson is that the things we are typically consumed with worrying about are, ultimately, not permanent. The Apostle Paul assures us that love never ends, enduring even after all else has drawn to a close.

Returning to Jesus' teaching, we discover him saying two things:
1) Be concerned about eternal things (like creating more love)

because

2) How we live today prepares us for the life to come!

The Atonement Revisited

2010-08-01T09:59:00.000-04:00

When I was in Seminary, one of my systematic theology classes was taught by a Korean Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) student. His English was sub-par. My toleration for it was also not too high. So I would complain to my friends about my systematic theology class and by Korean D.Min teacher. One of them went several weeks before asking, "I know you're teacher is bad, but is it really OK to call him the Korean Demon?" Maybe it was one of those subconscious things.

In this class the Korean Demon presented three theories of Christ's Atonement. Basically, this means he gave us three ways of thinking about how Christ's death and resurrection work.
1) Ransom - Christ paid a ransom to the Devil (or Sin, or God) because he (it) owned our souls. Christ has paid the ransom price and freed us
2) Moral Influence - Christ's death was of such exemplary obedience to God that we are all now empowered to live as God's people
3) Substitutionary Anotement - We are sinners and cannot approach God. The penalty for sin is death, so Christ dies in our place, allowing us free and unfettered access to God.

Not to keep knocking the KD, but check wikipedia and you'll find at least 4 other actual, orthodox theories.

I dislike how we get caught up in one way of viewing how Christ's life, death, and resurrection are efficacious.

There's nothing wrong with this picture, or it's use in telling others about Christ. In fact we need to be doing this more often!

But, when I read a passage like Colossians 3:1-7, it strikes me that it's not talking about bridging gaps or paying prices. It says, quite simply: You have died with Christ and your old way of living died as well. Now you have been raised with Christ and you are participating in a new way of living.

I know there's no fancy drawing to accompany it, but this is the type of stuff that really impacts people! There's a way of living that is not the way of God. But we have been transferred from that. The key here is with Christ -- we participate in Christ's death and resurrection because we belong to God as God's people, symbolized through baptism.

We don't need to do anything to be raised with Christ, we just need to look around. What do you see? How is life different? What is God doing?

Audio Adrenaline (one of the Christian bands that I can tolerate) has a song entitled My World View. The first verse goes like this:

I want to see the world through Jesus eyes
see through Jesus tears
I want to see the world through Jesus eyes
my vision's not as clear
I want to feel the world with the hands that made it
know the pain and appreciate it
hear their cries and hope to understand

My friends, this is my prayer for you. Open your eyes, realize that you are participating in Kingdom life with Jesus Christ. Look around, through Jesus' eyes, and see what life is like!

Faithful Much?

2010-07-21T15:10:00.000-04:00

I don't envy Hosea. I mean, a prophet's job was typically unenjoyable, but his takes the cake. Take for instance, the second verse of the book bearing his name: "Go marry a whore and get her pregnant, so your kids will be sons and daughters of a whore."

Awesome.

It sounds like something you'd find of the Best of Craigslist. Only on Craigslist you know it's a joke. When God tells you to do it, however, it gets a little scary. It reminds me of the Crash Test Dummies Song, in which the people ask God, "We're not quite clear about what you just spoke; is that a parable or a very subtle joke?"

In my experience, jokes are supposed to be funny; I don't hear Hosea laughing. Or his kids, for that matter. Their names? "Not My People", "Not Pittied," and "God Sows." At least the last kid got off OK. Not really. His name is a reference to the site where King Jehu killed two kings, beheaded 70 of Ahab's princes, and slaughtered the rest of his leaders and officials. It'd be like naming your kid "Dachau."

Alright, so God asked Hosea to do some...odd things with his family life. So what? Hosea's wife and kids become a metaphor for God and God's people. We never hear that Hosea's wife (her name is Gomer, BTW) quit being a prostitute. She kept sleeping with other men for money.
God says that's what his people do to him all the time.

Us, the unfaithful wife? Worse: Us, the common street walker? How so?

Because God wants us to be his alone! Not his and someone else's.

I know an ordained Presbyterian elder who will not pray with people in her church because she is afraid of offending them. I also know a minister who will not pray "in Jesus' name" when asked to pray outside of regular Sunday morning church because non-Christians might be present.

Or how many of us grabbed a copy of The Secret, or Tuesdays With Morrie, and thought, "What a great way to enrich my spiritual experience, and this totally fits my Christian life!"

There's a difference between having 'doubts' and actively searching for 'spiritual alternatives.' Call me hard-line on this, but if you want a spiritual book, grab the Bible. If you want 'new spiritual practices,' try doing what Jesus says. Start with this one: "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; ...For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even IRS agents do the same. Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Sounds like a lifetime of work, right there.

Simple Kindness

2010-07-08T17:29:00.000-04:00

In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), the mark of being a neighbor is 'kindness.' Like your State Farm agent, the Samaritan was there when most needed. One would think that kindness is one of those no-brainers in life. Except, we're not all that good at it. Like the man who questioned Jesus, we're always looking for a way to be neighborly on our terms. As long as we get to define who our neighbor is and how exactly we are expected to treat that neighbor, we're good. It's when those choices are taken from us that we begin to get uneasy.

Maybe it's because of the world we live in. Try showing kindness on the battlefield in Iraq. Or the boardroom in the office. Or the lunch line in the cafeteria. Our world is driven, not by love (sorry, Madonna), but by competition, greed, and individualism. Although it is sometimes enjoyable, I'm not being cynical here.

At best, modern ethicists are concerned with rights, justice, and equality. That's all well and good, but where do mercy, forgiveness, and compassion enter into the scene? At what point do we say, 'Fair just isn't going to cut it, we need to be kind.'?

Now you're starting to sound like a hippy, Ben. Maybe so. But what Jesus challenges us to do here is to move from simply living to living abundantly. To live and love as God does. It's more than being helpful; more than being nice.

God transforms us in Jesus Christ. In doing so, we are moved beyond who we are and what we're comfortable doing, and into the fullest experience of life -- loving and being loved infinitely.

What is God Doing? 2 Kings 5

2010-06-30T15:03:00.000-04:00

The incident is this: A dude named Naaman is the general of the Aramean army. He's the right hand man to the King. The only thing is, he's afflicted with a skin condition that's both uncomfortable and embarrassing. Naaman is a great warrior. He's also responsible for the death of the father of the king of Israel (Jehoram)

So, when Naaman shows up on Jehoram's doorstep with a letter from the Aramean King saying, "I heard your God can heal my #1 general," Jehoram is understandably upset, thinking this is a set up.

Now, as Paul Harvey says, is the rest of the story. Naaman journeyed to Israel because his wife had an Israelite woman as a servant. This young woman, who is never named, says that her God can heal Naaman of his condition. I'm sure Naaman's wife was excited about that! The faith this nameless young woman shows is amazing. She doesn't apologize for worshiping the God of Israel, she doesn't justify her claims or put strings on them, she simply says, "I know what my God can do."

This leads Naaman to his confrontation with Jehoram. Things are tense, but Elisha the prophet is walking by and he says, "Take seven baths in the Jordan river, and you'll be healed. More than that, you'll also know that God is at work here and I'm God's prophet."

Naaman balks at the idea. Why? Because:
1) Everyone knows foreign rivers aren't as good as rivers back home
2) Seriously? All it takes is 7 baths in a row? Too easy. Where's the epic quest. Shouldn't he be assigned a hobbit or something and have to toss a ring into a volcano?
3) Naaman is kind of a big deal. Elisha should recognize it. His cure, likewise should be a big deal.

Naaman ends up doing it. God ends up cleansing him. God ends up glorified. Elisha gets credit. King Jehoram still looks a little paranoid. The unnammed servant girl continues to serve.

So what have we learned? The lesson, I believe, is not to think too highly of ourselves, or too highly of how we think God should act. The anonymous young woman provides a prime example of faith in God. Naaman didn't get it. Elisha didn't get it. King Jehoram didn't get it. But she did. Whatever else may be said about her, her faith was confident.

Praying together.

2010-06-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

At our last meeting, I challenged the Session to participate in the following:
1) Pray daily for our congregation at 8 a.m.
2) Study the Bible at least weekly

This past Sunday, I challenged the congregation to do the same.

The reason for these challenges? Because the leadership of Northside should be growing in our own faith, and we should be setting an example for the rest of the congregation to emulate.

PRAYER
8:00 is not a special time, it's just a time when I figured most everyone would be awake and ready to pray. It doesn't need to be a long or elaborate prayer, it just needs to be a prayer. James, the brother of Jesus, reminds us that 'The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (Jas 5:16). Since we have all been made righteous through Jesus Christ, our prayers are both powerful and effective. Praying together, even if we are not in the same place, is then a corporate act of worship that has a powerful effect upon us as a church trying to bring the hope of Jesus Christ into our world.

Prayer both petitions God and shapes the one who prays. It's a formational experience. We already know that God desires to make God's love and grace known among all people. Praying that God would use our church to do that in our city makes us participants in what God is doing here. It takes us out of our normal routine, just for a minute, and allows us to glimpse the ministry God is going to do through our church.

So pray with me each morning. Pray with your session. Pray with your church. And may all our prayers be the same: God, do amazing things in and through Northside Presbyterian Church. Make your love and grace known more and more. Amen.

King Ahab

2010-06-10T22:45:00.000-04:00

I can safely say that our text from 1 Kings 21 this week is not one of my favorites. Actually, it reads a bit like the script for a Sopranos episode. Except here Tony is played by King Ahab, Jezebel is Sil, Naboth is the poor schmuck who ends up whacked, the two witnesses are Paulie Walnuts and Christopher, and Elijah is Carmella.

Silvio Dante is Tony's right hand man. He's usually the voice or reason, and he's also the guy who does what needs to be done to make Tony happy. Paulie and Christopher are there as Tony's goons, making sure the blame gets put right where it needs to be and ready with muscle just in case something goes awry.

I figured Carmella would be good for the role of Elijah because she was always on Tony's case. On more than one occasion she told him, in all seriousness, that he was going to hell for the things he did. That's the same message Elijah gives to Ahab in this account. "You may have gotten away with this cold-blooded killing today, but you will have to answer for it."

Why put the Sopranos in this little biblical drama? Because it proves the point that evil stuff like this is not too far removed from our own day and age. Still can't picture it happening? What about Tonya Craft right in our own back yard of Ringgold, GA? Vindictive accusations made against her, ruining her life, her family, her reputation, and her profession. You want it on a slightly smaller scale? Walk down the halls of one of our local high schools--yeah, even the prestigious private ones.

So what do we make of this? Are we just supposed to say, "Bad things happen, good people get screwed, and that's the end of it?" Should we just sit back knowing they'll get it in the end? Or is this a warning about greed, and covetousness as well as a call to repentance for our participation in evil. I'd be naive, if not outright stupid, to believe that we all didn't have thoughts along these lines every now and then. Is it time to step back, look in the mirror, and be challenged to live differently?

Building Character

2010-05-26T17:25:00.000-04:00

Tonight's Hard Sayings of Jesus is based on Matthew 5:34: "But I say to you, do not swear at all..." Well damn! Actually, Jesus is asking us, his followers, to be men and women of our word. James, the brother of Jesus, exhorts us to let our "yes be yes" and our "no be no" (James 5:12). We should not be known as people who must swear an oath before others will believe what we are saying. We should seek to be the type of people who are known simply for being honest.

Behaving in this manner allows our faith to show through and evidences not only our commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord, but the character of our faith.

The old saying goes: "Honesty is the best policy." Our world, however, paints truth in shades of gray. Honesty may be the best policy, but it's not always the easy policy. It will not always lead to promotions, raises, or making friends. It wouldn't be too far of a stretch to say that sometimes honesty leads to suffering--our own! Our Romans text for this Sunday is from Romans 5 (vv1-5):
...but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us...

Our faith demands that we make decisions that will cause us to suffer--at least according to the world's point of view. But this builds character, and refines the faith we have been given, that we may be grow into mature men and women of faith. Suffering is only bad when it happens for no purpose. As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that everything in life is an opportunity for our faith to grow and be seen.

Websites

2010-05-20T21:38:00.000-04:00

We've been without a church website for about 3 months. That's basically cyber-suicide in the 21st Century. Anyone who is checking out our church for the first time is going to do so online. Plan A hit some road bumps, so we're onto Plan B.

I wish I had any kind of computer skills. You know, because chicks dig guys with skills--nunchuck skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills... Web building is on my wish list of skill sets. So is guitar playing. And speaking Chinese.

Unfortunately, it'll be a cold day someplace very warm before I achieve all these skills. Until then, I'll have to rely on the gifts of others. Which sounds vaguely biblical. ...huh...

Strike Two

2010-05-13T22:23:00.000-04:00

I missed last week blogging and am now posting this on Thursday evening instead of Tuesday morning. No excuse.

Last Friday we did our innagural Journeys of Paul Wine Tasting. It was awesome! We traveled from Crete (where Paul left Titus) to Philippi, to Boerea, to Corinth, Athens, and Patras (where St. Andrew was killed). We finished the tasting in Galilee with a fantastic Yarden Merlot and an incredible Golan Moscato that tasted like liquid sunshine!

One of the coolest things was the fact that we didn't drink much of the most popular American grape varieties. We had Roditis and Savatiano grapes, St. George grapes, Kotsifali and Mantilaria grapes (indigenous to Crete), and many others. It was fun to taste the very unusual flavors.

Wine + church + fun people = excellent time had by all! Now I see why Jesus turned 180 gallons of water into wine and why he didn't just serve grape juice at the last supper. :-)

No More Ocean?

2010-04-27T13:44:00.000-04:00

Revelation 21:1 "...and the sea was no more..."

Everyone has heard Revelation 21 used in a funeral before. It is actually one of my favorites scripture passages to use. Well, it came up on the lectionary schedule for this weekend. I mean, is that even allowed, preaching this on a Sunday without a casket present?

Let's get one thing straight, this passage is not about global warming. It always made my ex-navy buddies in Virginia Beach a little squeamish as well--wait, what's happening to the water? The surfers were a bit disgruntled, too. Although, if you're surfing the coast of Virginia, you should be disgruntled to begin with.

To understand why this would be written in the context of God's new creation, we need to rewind all the way to the beginning. Remember what there was before God spoke creation into existence? No, it was not nothing. There was dark, there was chaos, and there was water. If you asked an ancient person about the sea, they would probably use these same words to describe it: dark, chaotic, wet.

Translating that into today, what would you describe with words like that? Wall Street investment offices. What else? Think about it.

Consider, also, the contrast with the "water of life" from 21:7. There's something the world gives that brings chaos and death, yet something similar is given by God that brings wholeness and life. Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death."

"...but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life. I am the way, the truth, and the life." John 4:14 & 14:6

Part of the Crowd

2010-04-20T17:16:00.001-04:00

The text for this week is Revelation 7:9-17. The scene is this: Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, is sitting on the heavenly throne surrounded by people from every corner of the earth. Humans from every time and place imaginable, this group is gathered. The only characteristic they share is the only one that matters: they are worshiping God for salvation in Jesus Christ.

Many times we turn to Scripture looking for a set of instructions--"What should I do?" However, this passage is one of those rare, "Look and see!" sections. I find it especially poignant because this passage is for us to look and see. We don't come across it in the middle of a parable, or a history book when someone else is told to look and we catch things from the third person perspective. We're standing next to John, looking out over the multitude, standing in stunned amazement at the heavenly worship of our Lord.

It should take our breath away; and rightly so!

But more than just the image should strike us. We should be rejuvenated with hope that God's word will accomplish the purpose for which God has sent it. In days when it seems like more people may be leaving churches than coming to them, it is amazingly encouraging to know that God will continue to draw women and men to himself and that one day we will all gather in worship. Presbyterians, Methodists, Orthodox, Baptists, Episcopalians, Amish, Catholics, Lutherans, and everyone else! Where can we find community? Where is there common ground for hope? Right here, in our passage from Revelation.

You and me? We get to be part of the crowd!

Pearl In The Storm

2010-04-13T08:39:00.000-04:00

My brother lent me a book called A Pearl In The Storm. He couldn't stop gushing about what an amazing book it is and how it's a life-changing read. Always a bit skeptical, but willing to trust my bro's recommendation, I accepted his loaner book.

It's an autobiographical story of a woman who rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean--from North Carolina to France. I'm about halfway through it right now and it is a fairly interesting read. The part I'm still a bit unsure about is the solitary quest by a rugged individual to find meaning and wholeness in life.

It runs opposite the way Donald Miller or Henri Nouwen describe their spiritual pilgrimages. In fact, it also runs opposite to the community building ministry of Jesus Christ in the Gospels. Jesus was always pulling people out of isolation and into true community. All of Paul's letters address the joy and difficulty of living in Christian community.

Perhaps this book's appeal is because of the increase in individual athleticism among adults in our culture. It's the mentality of 'I can do it alone because I'm strong enough and good enough and I need to prove what I'm made of.' Marathons are run alone. Even the Tour de France is raced by solo cyclists who just happen to be grouped into teams. The only ones engaged actively in team sports anymore are kids and professionals. Maybe it's time for us adults to engage more seriously in kickball, volleyball, and basketball. Perhaps we could train together, practice together, and grow together.

Easter Recap.

2010-04-07T08:10:00.000-04:00

Our Easter service on Sunday was glorious! The choir was awesome, the music was great, and attendance was an all-time high for me since coming to NPC: 204! We also had 62 people come to the Duck Pond for our Sunrise Service. God totally blessed us with awesome weather for that!

In related news, I think it's time we switched off the heat in the sanctuary. People (including the preacher) were melting Sunday morning. This got me to thinking, is there an ideal temperature for worship? I suppose it depends on the type of service. If you've got lots of movement and clapping, cooler is probably good. If everyone remains seated the whole time, warmer is better. For traditional Presbyterians...?

BTW, I am in North Carolina this week for my brother's wedding. Very exciting stuff! See you all when I return. In the mean time, you're in the very capable hands of Delilah Jane.

Light and Dark

2010-03-30T13:04:00.000-04:00

It always seems that light shines brighter when it's dark. I don't know if the light is, in fact, brighter, or it's just our perception of it. Back in college (which seems like another lifetime!) I remember going running with a professor and group of runners on Spring mornings. We'd start in a neighborhood and then work our way out onto one of the main highways leading out of Manhattan (KS) and then up a 4x4 road to the top of a ridge. There and back was somewhere around 4.5 miles.

In early spring it was pitch dark when we began at 5:00 a.m. When we left the neighborhood, we were instantly swallowed by the pre-dawn blackness. Every once and awhile a car would pass, barreling down the highway with its headlights on. I could always see the car coming from quite a distance, but when it was about to pass, its lights were blinding! I'd see spots for the next minute as I attempted to stick to the shoulder of the road.

Many cars now come with Daytime Running Lights. I think it's a way of convincing people that not being able to shut their headlights off is a good thing. Is it safer? I don't know. Probably. My point? Headlights aren't any brighter at 5:00 a.m. than they are at noon on a sunny day. They give off the same illumination. It is our perspective that makes the difference.

This Easter, consider the glorious light of Christ's resurrection. Meditate upon God's power and love--so strong that not even death could defeat it! How has the power of Christ's resurrection shined in your life? Are you still blinded by Christ's presence, or have you gotten used to walking in his light? Is the world around you brighter because of Christ's presence with you?

Palm Sunday, etc.

2010-03-23T22:28:00.000-04:00

Palm Sunday is coming up! It's one of my favorite celebrations of the Christian year. It's a time to do more than just 'regular' worship. The palms, the excitement, the anticipation of Easter morning. It's almost enough to make me forget about Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Almost.

Northside's Maundy Thursday service next week will be at 6pm in the Sanctuary. Session has agreed to serve communion, and I'm getting to choir to help with a tennenbrae type service. By the end, all the elements will have been removed from the chancel/sanctuary, and it will be left bare. Deserted. Just like our Lord in the tomb.

But that's next week. Right now we're preparing for the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem! It makes me realize that I'm just as fickle as the crowds who cheered Jesus' arrival one day and called for his crucifixion by the end of the week. It's like helping someone out in a move of genuine charity, and then getting pissed when someone causes you a minor inconvenience.

That's happened to me before. It'll probably happen again. I just pray that God would continue to work in me so that he can work through me.

Welcome!

2010-03-16T22:15:00.001-04:00

This blog will be updated weekly with thoughts from Pastor Ben. It may be something he's reading at the time, a devotion for the week, or perhaps just perspective on Northside Presbyterian Church.

Check back every Tuesday for a little cyber time with Ben.