02.03.09
The Blog about Thinking Biblically
I just finished reading a very intriguing book called, “The Year of Living Biblically.” The author, A.J. Jacobs, tried to follow the Bible literally for one year. No haircuts, a full, bushy beard, dietary restrictions, observance of all the religious holidays. He even followed the command to “be fruitful and multiply.” During the year, he and his wife found out they were pregnant with twins. I’m not sure Jacobs was completely successful in his quest but it made for an entertaining read.
One of the things I enjoyed most about the book was Jacobs’ slow transformation during his biblical year. His initial approach to this endeavor was a bit tongue-in-cheek. Jacobs, a self-proclaimed agnostic, is never disrespectful or mocking, but he starts out with a healthy skepticism about this revered and authoritative book.
But over the course of the year, as he spends more time studying and following the scriptures, Jacobs gradually begins to see the benefit of living a religious existence. At one point Jacobs found himself saying little prayers of “thank you” throughout the course of the day. He admits he’s not sure to whom he was praying, but he remarked this shift in his outlook changed him as a person.
I found Jacobs’ exercise both fascinating and revealing. I think many people think of the Bible, especially the Hebrew Scriptures (what we know as the Old Testament) as a bunch of laws and regulations and repeated commands of “thou shalt not.” And, to a certain point, that’s what it is. One way of understanding the Bible is that it provides guidance for how to live our lives in a way that will please God and honor our neighbor.
But, as Jacobs found out, the Bible is so much more than that. If we only look at it as a giant Miss Manners book, we miss the meaning behind the law. God didn’t want the Israelites to live a certain way because God is a strict disciplinarian. God wanted the Israelites to grow closer to God through a sacred lifestyle that set them apart from the surrounding pagan cultures.
In other words, the Bible is a means to an end – living a life in relationship with God. I don’t know if Jacobs got that far, but I hope he learned along the way that there’s something more to scripture than just following the rules. There’s the faith and relationship which undergirds and informs our decisions.
I give Jacobs a lot of credit. At least he picked up the book and cracked the spine. I believe a lot of Bibles go unread because people see them as archaic, inaccessible documents. And even if they are brave enough to give it a go, as soon as they hit the first list of “begats” the Bible goes back on the shelf.
I can’t say I blame them. I did the same thing the first time I tried to read the Bible. But what I learned about this dynamic book is that it wasn’t meant necessarily to be read from cover to cover. Instead of thinking of it as one big book, I saw it as a collection of smaller books and letters – a holy library, if you will. Different books were written for different reasons and serve different purposes.
So if someone were to ask me where to start, I wouldn’t say Genesis. I would start with a gospel. Luke is a good choice. Then I would recommend reading the book of Acts, which is the story of the spreading of the good news after Jesus’ resurrection. Then read another gospel, maybe Matthew this time. Then read Romans, Paul’s letter that lays out his understanding of following Jesus.
Regardless of where you start, just reading something in the Bible is the first step. Now that I read it daily, I can’t imagine what life was like without it. It has changed me in ways I couldn’t even have imagined. Yes, we are called to live a lifetime of faith, but the best way to accomplish that is not committing to a year, like Jacobs did. I think we can start with just one day at a time.
11.24.08
Do I Know You?
I had one of those experiences today that was so awesome, so coincidental, so serendipitous that I just have to share it.
About six years ago, my former youth group from North Christian Church in Columbus, Ind., came to visit me here in the Chicago area. They drove in Friday night and we spent Saturday downtown. We cruised Navy Pier and then went for lunch at Ed Debevic’s. I had never been there before, but I immediately loved it. Ed’s has a 50’s-diner theme and all the wait staff are in character. The cool thing is that they treat all the customers very rudely (and hilariously!).
The insult you. They throw straws at you. The pay very little attention to you. It’s like eating out with your kids! When our group visited, we got the royal treatment. For example, everyone gets a paper hat to wear when they arrive (like Steak N Shake). When we were there, one of the waiters kept taking one of our girl’s hats and ripping it up. Each time she get a new one, he would walk by, take it, and tear it up.
The most memorable part of lunch for me was our waiter, Reggie. He was very quick on his feet and could keep up verbally with our rowdy bunch. But I could also tell he was a really nice guy – and a great dancer. I can still remember our lunch at Ed’s to this day and Reggie was a big part of that (he even complimented me on my choice of the Chinese Chicken Salad). He was awesome! That day has been a defining moment for my time here in Chicago and when I think of it, I always think of Reggie. I have been to Ed’s several times since then, but have never seen Reggie again.
Fast-forward to today. I was driving to church this morning and thinking about that visit and our lunch at Ed’s. I was also thinking through the coming morning and hoping I would get to see Scott and Amy Breiler, a new couple to our church with two adorable boys, Campbell and Cooper. Amy and I have been exchanging emails this past week because she and Scott would like to have their youngest son, Cooper, dedicated. So the Breilers were on my mind. That’s when the brainstorm hit!
Later that morning, I saw Scott and Amy come into the sanctuary. I greeted them and their boys and then this conversation took place:
Me: Scott, I’ve been meaning to ask you were you work.
Scott: Actually, I’m in the restaurant industry.
Me (with growing excitement): Any chance you’ve ever worked at Ed Debevic’s?
Scott: Actually, that’s where I work.
Me (barely able to contain myself): Really? I think you waited on me once.
Scott (perplexed): Really?
Me (virtually shouting in this poor man’s face): REGGIE!!!!
Scott (taking a step back from me and sounding like I’d just outed him as a Sesame Street-hating cannibal who doesn’t recycle): Oh my gosh, how do you know that?
I went on to tell him the story about our visit and how much I enjoyed and remembered “Reggie.” Scott confirmed that he was indeed Reggie and was most concerned about whether or not he was mean to me. I said, “Yes, you were. That’s what made it so fun!”
I’m not sure why, but I can’t stop thinking about this connection. Of all the people, of all the restaurants, of all the congregations, the man who I so vividly remember has ended up attending our church. What makes it even better is that he and his family are an absolute joy to be around. And Scott isn’t nearly as mean as “Reggie,” but he’s just as funny.
I just had to share this story as an example of the joy of serendipity. I believe God led the Breilers to our church for many reasons, but whether it was God-ordained or just coincidence, I got a big smile or reconnecting with “Reggie” today.
09.11.08
Call Waiting?
If I were to ask you want your calling was, how would you answer? What do you believe you have been called to do in your life?
I think would we choose to answer that question differently based on our understanding of what the word “calling” means. Some of us might answer that our job is our calling. Others may say they are called to serve a particular way or work with a particular organization. Still others might say they were called to be parents or gardeners. What does it meant to be “called” to do something?
We speak a lot in the ministry about a “calling.” I can’t imagine anyone entering in the Lord’s service without being called to do so. “Yeah, I was reading through the want ads and saw a job opening for a pastor, so I thought I’d give it a try.” For those of us in the ministry, it just doesn’t work that way! We feel called to do what we are doing.
That’s not to say we’re the only people who are called to serve God. I believe everyone is. As a minister, I have the unique opportunity to merge my call (how I serve God) with my job (how I support my family). For some people, their job gives them the resources to live out their call; for others, their job is their calling.
There’s no right way to define your calling. If you feel you are serving God through what you are doing (be it through work or church or volunteering or family) then you are answering a call. In fact, the only wrong way to define your calling is to say you don’t have one! God’s kingdom is big enough for each one of us to have a role. You have a call.
So how do you identify your call? First of all, a call is never self-serving. God never calls us to do something that stops with us. When we answer our call, we’re taking the gifts God gave us and multiplying them to share with other people. We know we are answering God’s call in our life when other people are being blessed through it.
Secondly, being called doesn’t necessarily mean adding something to your plate. I believe a lot of people spend their lives looking for their call without realizing that sometimes God calls us to keep doing exactly what we’re doing! For example, I look at parenting as a call. Leigh and I are called to raise our girls to know God and have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Whether or not we are successful remains to be seen! But that is one of the calls God has put in our heart.
Thirdly, a true call from God brings God glory. Every call is important, whether it draws a lot of attention or goes unnoticed. Some people are called to serve in more public ways; others are called to serve in ways that don’t get much attention. We serve, not to please ourselves or others, but to please God. And God sees it all!
Finally, a call from God is one that you can’t do alone. If your response to God’s call is, “That’s a snap!” it’s probably not God doing the calling. I know many minister, myself included, who heard God’s call and said, “You want me to do WHAT?” A call from God is one that can only be answered with God’s help.
I encourage you to stay open to God’s leading in your life and to answering the call God places before you. You may be called to do something you never imagined or something with which you are intimately familiar. Most of all, I pray that God blesses you through your call just as I know you will be a blessing to others when you answer it.
08.04.08
Praying Out Loud
I’ve never been a quiet person, which may explain why I struggled in seminary with the class on spiritual formation. I believe there’s a bias in spiritual development toward the introverts, people who can sit still for long periods of time for prayer or meditation. That’s not me; I like movement, and mental stimulation and engaging conversations. So I’ve had a hard time learning how to grow spiritually without using the traditional introvert models.
I was thrilled to find a book called “Spirituality for Extroverts” by Nancy Reeves. Reeves, a psychologist and spiritual director, is also an extrovert, and also had a difficult time finding resources on how to feed her extrovert spirituality. So she wrote a book about it.
Reeves has several suggestions for how people can grow their faith in ways that are more outwardly focused. Some of those include:
Singing – I love to sing. I always have. I’m not making any claims about the quality of what comes out, but I find singing to be a wonderful way to praise God and connect with my own spirituality. Find a good Christian or worship CD, learn the songs you like, and then add your own voice to the mix. I find myself humming a Christian song at various points during the day, and the lyrics to that song become my prayer.
Spiritual Friendships – When we have a God question or a faith struggle, to whom do we turn? Those conversations are spiritual practices, and our own soul can be nurtured by the dialogue that occurs. I have a close circle of people who provide with soul sustenance and help me grow as a pastor and Christian simply by being a part of my life.
Moving Prayer – We may think prayer has to be a hands-folded, head-bowed experience, but there are really as many ways to pray as there are people praying. Walking in nature is a great way to connect with God (provided you are not chasing around a golf ball and cursing!). Walking is not only good for our God-given bodies, but can help us escape the demands of our lives. What about walking from room to room in your house and praying for the daily activities that take place there?
Reading and Writing – While these activities don’t always involve others, they are still ways of interacting beyond yourself. I am an avid reader and enjoy my time with a good spiritual book, which for me becomes a conversation with the author. Similarly, writing for me is a way of articulating my thoughts and feelings about God and my own faith.
Exercise – While Reeves doesn’t specifically list exercise as a spiritual discipline, I have found it to be that for me. When I exercise with others (like playing basketball), I am nurturing my friendships with other Christians. When I exercise alone (like on the treadmill), I can use that time to pray or listen to Christian music. And the commitment and discipline of an exercise routine is good practice for us as we seek to live committed, disciplined lives for God.
As with any spiritual growth, there needs to be a balance between the inward and the outward. In my relationship with God, I often times spend too much time talking and not enough time listening. But I’ve also found that there are times when I need to be active in order to better connect with God. I’m thankful for Reeves’ book, which lets me know that extroversion and spirituality aren’t mutually exclusive.
05.30.08
Read any good books lately?
Every once in awhile, I like to share with you some of the books I’m reading. I love to spend time with a good book, and I’m always on the lookout for my next read. In the past few months I’ve read a couple of books that are worth recommending. So here’s a sampling from “The Pastor’s Bookshelf.”
The Overload Syndrome by Richard Swenson, M.D. – The subtitle of this book says it all: “Learning to live within your limits.” The book’s cover shows a stack of coffee cups leaning precariously to one side. Has your life ever felt like that? If you’re like me, you just thought, “Yeah, every day!” Swenson, a medical doctor, looks at the issue of stress from a spiritual perspective, offering some simple techniques to help the reader stop, rest, and heal. Swenson helps the reader see how the continual fast-paced progress of our society contributes to our overwhelming feeling of being overloaded.
His chapter on accessibility is especially insightful. He talks about how cell phones, email, and answering machines have made it impossible for us to get away from people who want to contact us. The concept of solitude has disappeared, and our own self-importance has been inflated by the many different ways we can “be needed” by other people. Swenson addresses several topics like this – some of the others are change, commitment, fatigue, debt – and then offers his own prescriptions for how to deal with them. The end result is a life characterized by peace, harmony, and meaningfulness.
Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger – Geiger and Rainer conducted an extensive study of successful churches to find out what they were doing to thrive and grow. The answer was simple. No, really, the answer was the churches were simple in their approach to helping people grow in their faith. These churches didn’t have dozens of different programs; they had a limited number of programs centered on a single purpose. Everything the church did served the purpose.
Imagine a boat full of rowers all working at different speeds and aiming in different directions. The boat wouldn’t get far, would it? This is what many churches are like in how they program and do ministry. Rainer and Geiger paint a picture of a church full of people rowing at the same speed and the same direction, following the four guiding principles of clarity, movement, alignment, and focus.
The challenge of being a simple church is being willing to say “no” to the ideas that don’t fit into the simple purpose. The authors talk about several churches that ended very popular, very successful programs because they didn’t fit into their goal. Rainer and Geiger offer a challenge to this church and every church: simplify.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck – I am almost ashamed to admit I’ve never read a John Steinbeck novel until this one. I was supposed to read a few of them in high school, but I figured that’s what Cliff’s Notes were for. So I finally took up the 600-page “East of Eden,” and found it to be one of the best books I’ve ever read. Having just spent a lot of time in Genesis during Bible Study last year, the stories and characters were still fresh in my mind, and I was amazed at how Steinbeck was able to weave the biblical story of Genesis into his epic tale of the Trask and Hamilton families. It’s hard to put into words just how much I liked this book, and easy it is to get caught up in Steinbeck’s storytelling. His evocative writing style is compelling, and ending of the book is simply beautiful.
Have you read a book recently that you really liked? I’d love to hear about it!
05.23.08
Getting a Handle on Life
One of the reasons my family and I are excited for the return of warmer weather is the ability to resume our traditional bike rides. I’m always amazed at how much my girls develop over the winter. Each year, Sydney gets stronger and stronger, and develops the ability to ride longer and longer – unfortunately for me!
Molly is also showing some progress in her development. Last year she could hardly even pedal her tricycle, but on our first few outings she’s taken control of her bike and pumped those little legs as fast as they will go.
The problem is that she hasn’t quite figured out yet how to pedal and steer at the same time. Now, you have to understand that Molly has never been cautious in her mobility. She is constantly walking into walls and furniture because she doesn’t pay attention to what’s in front of her. She gets so excited and revved up that where she’s going becomes secondary. She’s the only 3-year-old I know who needs a GPS navigation system.
When she’s riding her tricycle, she builds up a lot of momentum with her pedaling, but has yet to figure out how to keep the bike on the sidewalk. She’s usually too busy looking at a bird or car or nothing in particular to notice that she’s about to drive off into the grass. Her driving is so erratic the local police suspect we’ve been spiking her sippy cups. We’re considering installing guardrails on all our sidewalks.
Thankfully, Molly’s tricycle comes equipped with a navigational aid – a long handle that extends from the back of the bike that a parent can hold onto and use to steer any wayward toddlers back onto the right path. If I notice Molly veering toward a mailbox or unsuspecting jogger, I can grab the handle and direct her away from danger. So far, she hasn’t run over anything more valuable than my foot.
As I’ve grabbed that handled and steered her I the right direction, I’ve found myself wish that I came equipped with the same handle. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had handle that God could grab and reorient us when we started going in the wrong direction? How much easier would life be if we weren’t the ones steering?
But often the greatest lessons in life are learned by going down wrong paths. If God jumped in and rescued us every time, would we be the persons we are today? The only way Molly is going to realize the importance of staying on the sidewalk is to experience the difficulty of trying to pedal on the grass. I believe God allows us to make our mistakes as a way of helping us learn the benefits of living the life God has called us to live.
While God didn’t give us each our own handle, I do believe God gave us an invaluable navigational aid. The Bible is our compass that steers us in the right direction. Deuteronomy 30 says, “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.”
We have choices laid out in front of us like sidewalks leading in different directions. We should strive to choose the path of life, holding fast to the love of God. And when we choose the wrong path, we can remember the forgiveness that is offered to us through Jesus Christ.
04.05.08
God Is Doing A New Thing
He told them this parable: “No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. – Luke 5:36-38
My first reaction to Jesus’ words here is to say, “But what’s wrong with the old wineskins? I don’t want new wineskins. We’ve always used the old wineskins!”
That tends to be our reaction to change in our lives. And yet, you know the old saying – “Change is inevitable – except from vending machines.” Change is a fundamental part of living life on this earth and with each other.
This year is shaping up to be a year of change for CCC. On July 1st, we will be implementing a new constitution, which presents a fairly drastic shift from how we’ve governed in the past. In addition, by now you are probably aware that our associate minister, Tim Akers, has submitted his resignation and will be leaving us on July 27th.
That’s a lot to undertake in one year, let alone one month! And yet I am confident that God will guide us through this change and lead us to a place even better than we can imagine. However, for us to get there safely and intact, I believe there are some things we can do to ensure a smooth journey.
Communicate – Nothing slows down a process faster than lack of communication. I promise to keep you as informed as possible and the direction in which the church is heading. Let’s keep talking about our concerns, our joys and our questions as we move forward. If you are unsure of anything, you can always come to me or one of the leaders of the church. That’s what we are here for.
Be open to “new wineskins” – We are all about to enter into a time when things are different than they have been in the past, and it’s natural for us to feel somewhat anxious about that. While everything may not be exactly how we would like, we can trust that God is “doing a new thing” in our midst, if we stay open to receiving it.
Practice a spirit of forgiveness – I have yet to meet the perfect person. That means that each one of us is going to err from time to time, and often those mistakes are highlighted during times of transition. There is a lot of unknown in front of us, and our greatest learning may come from our false starts, missteps, and slip-ups. A spirit of forgiveness will foster an atmosphere of grace here at CCC, and allow everyone to move forward with confidence, even in the midst of our trials and errors.
Pray! – We simply cannot do this alone. We need God’s guiding, empowering Spirit to lead us. Pray that God continues to show this church family God’s will for us, and that we have the wisdom and strength to follow it.
William Shakespeare wrote, “We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” What excites me most about the future of CCC is that God is in the unknown, working to bring about God’s will in the midst of our transition. We know not what we may be, but God knows, and with faith and a spirit of service, we will find out. My prayer is that we all become new wineskins, so that we are ready to receive the outpouring of God’s spirit that awaits us. Bring on the new wine!
03.17.08
My Own Easter Story
I wrote this newsletter article several years ago after preaching a sermon about Easter. I thought it was appropriate to share it this week.
I was lying in the hospital bed on Friday, March 2, 2000. It was late in the evening, because I can remember how dark and somber the room felt. It was just my mom and me in the room; the steady flow of visitors throughout the day had ebbed. My last visitor had been the worst. It was the doctor. He showed me an MRI which revealed the lesions in my brain. He explained this meant there was a good chance I had multiple sclerosis.
I didn’t know what that meant, or what it would mean for the future, so with my mom there, I just cried. I prayed, “God, what does this mean? What do I do?”And when I opened my eyes, there stood Rick. Now, I imagine most people in Rick’s position would have quickly assessed the situation and politely excused himself. It was obvious I was in a lot of distress, and the last thing I wanted was a visitor. But, thank God, Rick stayed.
You see, Rick was used to distress and hospital rooms. Only two months earlier, he had lost his wife Linda to pneumonia. She was a sweet lady, only in her 40s, and beloved by the church. Rick had shown incredible strength during the whole ordeal, and managed to be an inspiration and comfort to us when we were supposed to be doing that for him.
So there Rick stood, hands in his jacket pockets, watching me cling to my mother and cry. I tried to gather myself as best as possible and but on my hospitality face, but Rick didn’t care. He simply said, “God sent me.”
“Did you know,” he continued, “that Linda was in the room right next to this one before she died? I pulled into the parking lot tonight, and I didn’t think I’d be able to come in. But God told me to, he said I had to see you. So I came in the hospital. But when I got on the elevator, I couldn’t bring myself to push the button for this floor, for Linda’s floor. But I had to. And then I saw your room, and I saw her room, and I knew I couldn’t walk into a hospital room again. But God told me it would be OK. So here I am.”
Indeed, there he was. I didn’t know what kind of journey I was facing in my life, but I couldn’t imagine it being any more difficult than the journey Rick had just made to see me. I remembered my prayer, “God, what do I do?” And I remembered Rick’s words, “God told me it would be OK. So here I am.” In the midst of my darkness, Rick brought Easter to me.
He didn’t cure me of MS. He didn’t promise me that life would be a cakewalk. He only told me that it would be OK. So here I am.
03.01.08
Dessert First?
Why can’t I have dessert first, and then eat my dinner? That’s the question Leigh and I are trying to answer for our three-year-old daughter, Molly. She doesn’t quite understand why you have to eat the grilled chicken and broccoli first before you can get to the chocolate ice cream. Come to think of it, I’m not sure either.
Dessert is not the only area where we struggle with patience. For those of us who have the resources, being made to wait for what we think we should have right away can be a challenge to us. When Molly or Sydney call for Leigh or me, the expect us to show up in the next five seconds. When they ask for a snack, they don’t understand why it doesn’t magically appear in front of them. The words “just a minute” may be the most used phrase in our household.
But our impatience doesn’t necessarily go away when we leave childhood. In our instant gratification society, when dinner is ready in 30 seconds and packages can arrive the same day they are mailed, the concept of waiting for something can seem like not just an inconvenience, but a violation of our rights. When we know the ice cream is just waiting for us, it can make the broccoli taste even worse.
This is why the season of Lent is a difficult one for us. We know that Easter is waiting at the end of Lent, but we have to wade through six weeks of introspection and self-examination to get there. Wouldn’t it be easier if we celebrated Easter first, and then focused on understanding our sinfulness?
Ah yes, that would be nice, wouldn’t it? But if you put the destination first, you miss the importance of the journey. Before we can celebrate the joy of Easter, we must first work to understand why Easter was necessary in the first place. Lent is meant to be a time of taking a close look at our lives and the ways we have fallen short of meeting God’s expectations. This isn’t meant to makes us feel unnecessarily guilty or pour salt in or wounds. We are simply asked to look at ourselves in the mirror and acknowledge that we aren’t perfect, that we are in need of saving from our own human condition.
Only then can we fully appreciate the gift of Easter. As is true in the season of Advent which precedes Christmas, it’s only when we appreciate the pervasiveness of the darkness in our lives that we can truly celebrate the meaning of the light Christ brings. It’s only when we’ve admitted that we need saving that we can accept a Savior. Otherwise, Easter becomes another religious holiday that comes and goes without any real relevance to our lives or our faith.
Ice cream is a delicious treat, but you can’t live off of it. We need the nourishment of our meal to give us protein and energy. Likewise, while the season of Lent may not taste as sweet as Easter, it is in Lent that we can find the nourishment we need to survive both the mountaintops and the valleys of our lives.
As it stands now, there’s a good chance we may still have snow on the ground come March 23rd. I don’t remember Bing Crosby ever singing about a White Easter! But if the ground is indeed white come Easter morning, it only underscores the magnificence of that day. If a cross and a tomb couldn’t keep Jesus dead, then a little snow can’t keep us from celebrating the gift of new life, even if we have to wait a little bit longer to truly see it.
01.31.08
Me or We?
Are we consumers or a community?
I read an interesting article recently about a consulting firm that conducted a national survey on church health. The discovered five key indicators of a healthy church, one of which they labeled “consumerism vs. community,” or as the article said so well, “the American ‘me’ versus the biblical ‘we’.”
Consumer churches are a collection of people who act as individuals, using the church to meet their basic needs without contributing significantly (that means beyond writing a check) to the church’s mission. Consumer will attend a church until it stops meeting their needs, and then will find another one with the right blend of programs and activities.
The consumer mentality is one that certainly pervades our suburban culture. Almost any and every store in existence is within driving distance, and what we can’t find at the mall can be bought with the click of a mouse. We have a plethora of services available to us, and we have come to expect that if we pay our money, we should get something in return that meets our standards. If I pay for food, I want it warm and tasty. If I pay for a lawn service, I don’t want to see dandelions and crabgrass.
Does that mentality extend to our relationship with the church? We pay our offering and we get a sermon, communion, and a few good conversations on Sunday morning. Our kids get quality Sunday School and youth groups, and we are offered fellowship events and opportunities to serve others. And if the church stops meeting our needs, we can always go somewhere else. Is the church another service that’s offered to us, or is it more than that?
According to the survey, the opposite of consumerism is community. Community in a church is defined by deep, caring relationships, social connections, and a stronger personal commitment to the church’s mission. That commitment is lived out through participation in the church’s ministries. In other words, everyone does their part to help the church reach its vision.
The vision of our church is “to be a thriving congregation that changes lives through Christ.” I have been blessed to witness this vision lived out in numerous ways over the last few years. Lives have definitely been changed through Christ, and it’s been the hands and feet of this congregation that’s helped make it happen.
Opportunities for us to participate in this vision are arising every day. For example, this past fall we started a new Sunday School model that enhances the children’s learning about the biblical characters and stories. It’s an amazing program, and I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback from parents, teachers, and most importantly, the kids themselves.
But to make such a program successful takes a lot of work. Because I can’t be involved in the program on Sunday morning, I think I sometimes forget how much work it takes to make it successful. The people who work with our children do such a tremendous job that I assume it must be as easy as they make it look. But I know it’s not.
Our Sunday School program needs you – to help teach, to be a shepherd, or to help in some other way. But it’s not just our Sunday School that needs you. It’s our Public Relations team. And our Stephen Ministry. And our choir. And our Outreach program. And all the other groups that serve God through their various ministries. Of course, you don’t have to do all of them. But being a community together means that everyone does something.
Jesus said you don’t light a candle and then put it under a bed (Luke 8:16). You let it shine. God has ignited a gift in you – to teach, to sing, to serve. Don’t hide the gift. Become part of the biblical “we” with us.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
