On "Wandering on Purpose"

My preparation for speaking on the SnowTrip in a week's time has brought me to the book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.
       Nehemiah was a forced wanderer. He was exiled from Jerusalem with the rest of his people and sent to Babylon (today's Iraq).
       He followed God's lead into a nomadic life, which is a great step of faith to begin with. And then he follows God to return to the land, to re-establish His people.
       My friend Brian Rice posted some quotes from Jean-Pierre de Cassuade which speaks so well to this issue of wandering. It has resonated deeply with me.
"God's action is forever new.
It never retraces its steps
but always marks out new paths.
Those who are led in this way
never know where they are going.
Their roads are to be found
neither in books nor in their minds . . ."
- Jean-Pierre de Cassuade

Preparation for Ski Week Teaching

Susy and I are heading to Switzerland in a week to be with 40+ people from Crossroads Amsterdam for their annual ski retreat. We are staying in the village of Stechelberg at Alpenhof chalet.(see photo - not too shabby digs!)
       I am preparing three talks/interactions for the group on a few evenings. I've called it, "Wandering on Purpose" (or, "Not all who wander are lost" from Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings"). We will look at 3 themes in Nehemiah to consider how God leads us to His purposes through our life's wanderings.
       It's exciting for us to be together in such an awesome place as the Swiss Alps with good friends - from long ago and those we do not yet know. It should be a blast!

Benefit Concert Tonight

If you are in Denver please join us this evening for a benefit concert for women in the Dominican Republic.
       Check out the website HERE. The concert will be held at Lookout Mountain Community Church in Golden (Genesee), just off exit 254 of I-70 beginning at 7:00 pm.


OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
A group of women and girls from churches in Denver are traveling to La Victoria, Dominican Republic February 4-11, 2011. They plan to enter into community with the women to  show God's extravagant love. Their hope is to present ideas and ways in which they can create something that will be income producing for them. To read the details of this mission trip go to this link for the support letter.
       

JFK's Inauguration 50 Years Ago Today

Fifty years ago today John Fitzgerald Kennedy was inaugurated as the 35th president of the United States. The speech is best known for the iconic phrase, "Ask not what your country can do for you ..." But just minutes earlier Kennedy said this to Americans:

"So let us begin anew—remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.
Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.
Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms—and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.
Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce.
Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah—to "undo the heavy burdens ... and to let the oppressed go free." Well said, Mr. President.

Dr. Craig Blomberg at Lookout Tonight

Dr. Craig Blomberg, distinguished professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary, is doing a seminar tonight at our church, Lookout Mountain Community Church in Genesee. He is speaking on, "Neither Poverty nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possessions."
       Blomberg has studied and written extensively on wealth and poverty and the proper value of possessions in life. If you are in Denver you do not want to miss this. The seminar will be from 6:30 to 8:00pm in the fellowship hall at Lookout. No RSVP is necessary. Just show up!

Distortions Created in Our Cyber-World

According to my Facebook account I have 687 "friends" as of today. Ya right, and I have great swampland for sale in Florida!
       What is more sad than thinking I have 687 friends is hoping for 13 more people to "friend" me so I can reach 700! Then I can be in the "700 Club." Oh wait, that's a TV show.
       Here's another distortion of our cyber-world. On Skype I can make myself "invisible." Wow, isn't that great? I can see you but you cannot see me. So for all you invisible people on my Skype contact list, "come out come out wherever you are!" I promise to keep myself visible on Skype and not disappear to my friends. After all, some of us have abandonment issues.

David Brooks on Civility

Our country and our world lacks civil discourse, to the extreme. This is the best description of civility I have ever read.
"Civility is a tree with deep roots, and without the roots, it can’t last. So what are those roots? They are failure, sin, weakness and ignorance." ~ David Brooks, New York Times editorial

Three Cheers for Francis Chan

Francis Chan of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California recently stepped down from his role as senior pastor to pursue his calling in the Kingdom. Francis is a great preacher and the church grew large over the years because of this preaching gift.
      The following interview with Francis discusses why he left the church. Mark Driscoll is one of the interviewers. Mark is the pastor of a large multi-site church in Seattle. Francis' vision and courage is so incredibly inspiring to me. Mark's myopic and small view of the pastor's role is ... well, less than Kingdom minded, in my view.


What's Next for Francis Chan? Conversation with Mark Driscoll and Joshua Harris from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

On Preaching again

I used to think that preaching was about communicating truth and people understanding (gaining knowledge) - and that usually took about 40 minutes (but preferably 30 minutes).
I used to think that preaching was about what God had me say to a community about Him.
I have had a change of heart and mind.
Now I think preaching is a small part of the people of God entering into this mysterious process of WORSHIP.
I think preaching is about being part of people asking God's light to shine in their darkness.
I think preaching is about creating the environment for people to experience God and His mercy in their sabbath rest.
I have some major doubts about what I have to say and more confidence in God seeking out His people - with or without my involvement.

A Great Self-Awareness Test

My friend Miriam showed me this video about how difficult it is to see something when you are not looking for it. This is exactly THE issue for all of us called to lead. Self-awareness and self-observation are key to being a healthy, character-driven leader. But our blind spots and our inability to reflect on our growth areas can be great hindrances.

Getting to Yes - With Abraham!

This is an incredible video about "getting to yes," using the story of Abraham as the prime example for creating peace. This video is longer - about 18 minutes - but well worth it. It's from the good folks at TED.

A National Hero Passes From Earth

Major Richard Winters of the 101st Airborne Division from World War II died on January 2, 2011. He was 92 years old.
       Winters is the leader of Easy Company in the mini-series "Band of Brothers." He led his men for more than 3 years through the most grueling situations imaginable in the theater of war.
       When someone of this stature and leadership passes from earth it is good to pause and be grateful for their lives, and what they contributed to so many people around them.
       Well done on this earth, Major Winters.

Ministry Economics #3: Lay Offs and Severance Pay

I have had the misfortune of having to shrink a church budget quickly and, consequently, lay off people. The numbers in this situation were staggering - a $1.6 million payroll needed to be reduced to less than $1 million in 6 weeks. Ugh.
       Churches and ministries over-extend themselves and then have to make cuts. In the recent economic downturn it has become even more pronounced.
       I have found that lay offs and severance pay are similar i the Christian world as they are in the "secular" world. And that saddens me.
* A pastor's position is cut by 50% and he decides to negotiate with the elders for a "buy out." He will resign if they will pay severance for 6 months.
* A pastor is removed by his denomination for theological error and is given many months severance pay. He moves down the road and starts a church within 2 months. If my math is correct, that pastor has TWO salaries for a bunch of months.
       Some years ago a former employee threatened to sue the church where I was serving. We all signed papers that we would not discuss the matter with anyone for a number of years. She received a settlement of several months pay.
       Another employee (a female) hired a lawyer to determine if she had been under-paid and if a case could be made for sexual discrimination. She HAD been under-paid, she had a case! (why would a church underpay someone due to their sexuality?) The church agreed to pay her several months salary and health benefits in exchange for her agreeing to never sue the church.
       Are we having fun yet? If you are still reading this post you may think that I am totally crazy or that Christian institutions are pretty messed up. Perhaps both is true.
       The people who I mentioned above all believe in Jesus, and the power of His Kingdom. Some are Reformed, other Pentecostal, some believe that in the end ALL are saved because Jesus said "I am making all things new."
       If in fact he is making all things new, then he has a lot of work to do with us bumbling Christian workers in how we treated one another in the midst of institution.

For You Dog Lovers ...

I love this sign - saw it in an airport on one of my trips recently. Minneapolis maybe?

A Travel "Comedy of Errors"

If you have had a bad day you might want to read this and maybe feel better. I am traveling from Denver to Baltimore today – maybe, kind of sorta. Here is my woeful tale:

       A snowstorm was heading to town yesterday so I decided to stay at a hotel near the Denver airport last night. Great idea, thanks to my awesome wife. We drove Carly out to the airport in the afternoon for her flight to California and Susy dropped me at the hotel. Problem was that I had forgotten my jacket at home (30+ minutes away) and it was snowing now. We drove home and I cancelled the hotel reservation, opting to just sleep at home and get up early in the morning and head to the airport then.

       This morning I woke at 5am and planned to take the public bus from Lakewood to the airport. The bus left at 6:07am. I arrived at 6:10am, missing that bus. I waited for the next bus, the 6:37am, which picked up 20 minutes late due to snow.

       The bus CRAWLED its way along into the center of Denver, ever so slowly. Suddenly I felt violently ill, as if I would puke and crap all over the place at once! I asked the bus driver to let me off at the Greyhound bus station and I would take the next bus. I rushed into the public bathroom, filled with homeless guys, and did my business. A homeless guy says to me as fluids are coming out of my body, "I know how you feel!" Classic!

       I called United Airlines and told them I would not make my 9am flight and they said it was no problem and there is a 10am flight. I changed my flight with no issue.

       Then I waited at Greyhound for the next bus. It was supposed to come in 30 minutes. Not quite! 75 minutes later it arrived, at 8:25am. I have a flight at 10:00am, normal travel time from Greyhound to the airport is 45 minutes. Still enough time.

       Until we drove on snowy Interstate 70 the 10 miles east of the city to get to the airport - at 10 miles per hour.

       I arrived at the airport at 9:45am for a 10:07am flight. My seat had been given away. I needed to get on the next flight.

       That is at 11:53am. But It’s sold out... and goes via Chicago. I'm on standby for that.

       There is a 4:20pm flight. But it’s sold out too.

       There is a 7:53pm flight that has seats! YEA! It arrives in Balitmore at 12:45am, like almost the middle of the night.

       Now I am waiting at Denver Airport to see if I get on the flight to Chicago ... sitting very close to the men’s room so that I can dart in there at a moment’s notice. There are no homeless people in this bathroom though.

       Sure wish I had remembered my jacket yesterday.