Preaching 2.0

27 10 2008

Have you ever wanted to ask a question during a sermon but couldn’t? Has a preacher ever said something that you didn’t quite understand? Has your mind wondered and needed an update? Well for any of these three or for numerous other reasons you wish their was more interaction or dialogue between the preacher and you the audience, then you may find our idea interesting.

Our leadership team has decided to open up a chat room during our weekly worship service Encounter. We believe that God works through community and that each of us can play a role in helping one another to understand the word of God. We see the reason for a corporate worship service as a method of glorifying God through worshiping as one, and participating in the word of God. We realize that we live in an “everyone thinks for him or herself” world. So we have decided to project a chat room that every but the speaker can see. During her or his message the audience can interact with one another through an internal conversation. So if you have a question, didn’t hear clearly, don’t understand, need to catch up, or just disagree, then you will have a way to get involved. During the message a few of our leaders will be monitoring the chat room to see what if any hot topics or issues arose and at the end of the sermon we will review them together. This will help the teaching to become a dialogue rather than a monologue.

Our hope is that by allowing students to participate in a chat room that it will be easier for them to engage. We realize that many will be tempted to check out facebook or im with outher friends but we believe that it is worth the risk. We are not naive enough to think that just because they don’t have a computer in front of them that their minds are not already wondering. Where does you mind wonder during a sermon? We also realize that our audience will need to be mature and respectful but we are praying that this will not be a problem.

Church is a community of believers coming together to glorify God and build one another up. We hope that this will give us an even more interactive way to do so. Jesus said that if we hide our talents He will take them from us. We see a talent the same as a tool, so we’re going to take the risk and pray that God will be faithful.


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Categories : Practical Theology, church

Greater evil? Greatest love!

24 10 2008

Confession of stupidity

I remember one time in junior high driving home with my mother from school. We were talking about a persons sexuality when I said I hated them because they were a “fag.” My mother proceeded to tell me that was not nice and I shouldn’t talk like that. But I quickly reminded her it was okay because God hated “fags” too. My mom didn’t have much of a rebuttal because it was what God thought. But she did tell me that I needed to watch how I talk in public. (I apologize for using the term “fag” but I am just being real about my stupidity.)

What in the world ever gave me such an idea? Where would I come up with that kind of thinking and why couldn’t my mom have rebutted my stupidity? The answer is simple: this is what the church had taught us. But the only problem is that no where in the Bible does it say such a thing. Yes, I realize what it says in Leviticus but check out the other things it says and let me know how your doing. Are you mixing your threads?

Our witness?

Over the past few months God has continuously given me encounters with the issue homosexuality. I have met several individuals that struggle with it or live in it, and others that are having a hard time understanding how to properly view the issue within a Christian worldview. Many are asking the questions and churches in some sectors are dividing over the answers, but the majority of the church has taken a strong stance. It has let these children of God know their sin is not allowed and until they get it taken care of they cannot receive the love Jesus has for them. Christianity has become known more for being anti-homosexual than anything else.

Greater evil?

There are many things to say about this issue but I think that before anything else can be said we need to level the playing field. Jesus was great at doing just that. If you recall when He encountered the adulterous women and the Pharisees, then you may recall that He responded by accusing the crowd and setting the woman free. I find it interesting that Jesus never mentioned anything about homosexual lifestyles, but He did mention something about divorce. In fact, divorce was such an important topic that Matthew, Mark, and Luke all discussed Jesus’ view. Jesus told His followers that if anyone divorced and remarried they were committing adultery. Paul tells us that neither homosexuals nor adulterers will enter the kingdom of heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9). So which would Jesus consider to be the greater evil? My guess would be the one that three of the four gospel writers felt needed to be included in their work. Why does the church continue to ignore the divorce and remarriage epidemic but continue to bash the homosexual community? For a remarried couple to repent of remarriage does not seem to do justice because they’re still living in the lifestyle of adultery (a second marriage). It seems that Christians have a plank to get out of their own eye before they can start helping with splinters in the eyes of others.

Greatest love!

But what if we all turned to Jesus and allowed Him to take the planks out of all our eyes for us? I believe that Jesus died for the adulterer and the homosexual individual. If we look at how Jesus treated the woman at the well, the adulterous woman, and the woman who wiped His feet with her tears, then what we see is the greatest love ever given. Jesus was not concerned with five different husbands or a live-in boyfriend, adultery, or prostitution, what He was concerned with was showing them all the greatest love they had ever known. Each woman’s encounter with such amazing love left them touched in a way that changed them from the inside out. Jesus was not saying that adulterers would not enter heaven, instead He said everyone who looked a woman (or man) lustfully was committing adultery.

As a junior high student I could not have been further from the truth to believe that God did not love these people. Saying “these people” seems so ignorant and ridiculous even as I write it. The gay community is not “they”, “them” or “those people.” “They” have names and deserve the love of God’s community just as much as the drunkard, cheater, and adulterer because God is crazy in love with them. God’s love is unfathomably big and if we use it, it will cover a multitude of sins.

Am I a liberal?

I’m not sure. If that is what Jesus is considered, then sure I’m a liberal. But I would rather refer to myself as a left-wing conservative I guess. I believe that homosexuality is a sin-meaning that this type of relationship is opposite of God’s intention and desire for his creation. However, there are plenty of these sins and I have contracted a few of them myself. I stand looking at the woman with a rock in my hand, but have to drop it and leave for I am not without sin. How about you?

There is no question that God desires our holiness. As a follower of Christ perfection is the goal that we never stop pursuing. God has called us to be a holy people and the Holy Spirit is hard at work in those who are willing to submit to Him. Our right relationship with Him has nothing to do with rules or laws but has everything to do with our willingness to submit to Christ and the Spirit. We must always be willing to cut out any part of our life that God requests. This could be a job, hobby, possession, or relationship. By denying God any of these, we are denying God Himself.

I pray that we may all be able to submit the greatest love ever known to creation.


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The church is still a whore…

23 10 2008

Politics are Seductive

St. Augustine once said, “The Church is a whore, but she is still my mother.” After another debate and another Sunday, I conclude that the church (in the United States) is still a whore. I do not understand why those in the Emergent Church bash the Evangelicals for going to bed with the Republicans when they are so quick jump in bed with the Democrats? Each time I watched the Presidential and V.P. debates both conservative Evangelicals and “liberal” Emergents were there cheering on their savior of choice over facebook and blogs. Why are politics so seductive?

Do we have to pick a side?

My pastor for whom I have much respect is a crazy Republican and I get a great big dose of it every Sunday. I can give him a pass in some manner because he comes for the traditional conservative background. Since the Evangelical talking heads sold their soul to the Republicans in the 70’s the majority of God-loving, God-fearing pastors have assumed a strong Republican stance. This was not necessarily a negative thing because for many they were and are defending the rights of the unborn. I too am absolutely pro-life. In the 2000 and 2004 elections the homosexual agenda took off and has just added fuel to their fire. These two issues have blinded the Church to a larger picture of other core Christian values.

My Emergent friends on the other hand supposedly see the larger picture. They realize that poverty, health, education, war, and the environment are also important issues to God. Many of the emergents are frustrated with much of traditional Christianity and the country club mentality that has infected the Church in America. They are out to do things differently. However, I am not seeing the authenticity of their proclamation in these elections. How is jumping ship from one party to another doing thing differently?

A friend of mine was telling me that one of her friends used to always voice his frustrations with the religious right using such a heavy hand in the pulpit and through their media venues to tell people how to vote. Now her friend is campaigning for Obama, trying to get young Evangelicals to see the “larger” picture and how Obama is the right savior for the next 4-8 years. Another example comes from a strong figure within the Emergent crowd, Steve Knight, who recently wrote an article/blog expressing his increasing suspicion about when life actually begins. So rather than trying to see a larger picture he is now formulating justifications for leaving all Republicans issues null and void.

Is one really more important than another?

I believe that abortion, homosexuality, poverty, environment, war, health, education, and much more are very important issues for the Church. But I think we need to really consider our actions and the importance of our involvement in politics. First, do we have a right to govern morals and laws outside of the Church, or should the Church instead attempt to model and portray these morals and practices in love? Second, how do we say one issue is more important than another? If we don’t start taking care of the environment, their will be nothing left our children. My understanding is that more children die of poverty-food and medicine, than do to abortion. I could be wrong, but I do know that poverty is the main reason for abortions. Third, by picking a side we demonize the other side. We create division amongst brothers and sisters, the body of Christ, and that is a horrible example to the rest of the world.

What about the individual seeking Jesus?

I always feel sorry for the democrats that come to my church. If you are a democrat and attend the church that I attend, you will leave thinking you are rebellious or you will leave pissed off and will never come back. The goal of the church is not to elect some superficial manipulative politician, but to promote the good news of Jesus Christ. This goods news is salvation for all regardless of political party. What happens if a democrat comes to church seeking to find life and love because the world has beat them up. War has taken their child, spouse, or parent or the lack of hope for a future caused them to have an abortion. So they came seeking help but were told that unless they support the war which has taken their loved one they cannot be a part of this love of Christ.

Today’s political prophets

I am neither Republican or Democrat so that would make me Independent I guess, but I would rather consider myself a foreigner to this process because my hope is not in John McCain, Sarah Palin, Barack Obama, or Joe Biden. My hope is in Jesus Christ. My way is His way. I do not seek power, but choose to serve with love. At least I try. I believe that God has sent prophets for this time and their names are Greg Boyd and Shane Claiborne. I believe the Church would do itself a great favor by wrestling with the messages of both. Greg Boy did a series in 2004 called The Cross and the Sword, which was the basis for a book he wrote in 2006 called A Myth of a Christian Nation. The sermon series can be found on his church’s website. Claiborne’s book Jesus for President is another great outlook on the Kingdom. However, I am a little disappointed in one of Boyd’s recent blogs where he admits that Obama is very attractive and exciting but concludes that Jesus is still the only answer. Seemed to me to be a back door endorsement but like I said politics are seductive and we are whores.

Lord, I pray for us all.


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Who gave you the right to judge?

5 10 2008

A few months ago one of my closest friends told me that he had decided to move in with his girlfriend. He knew my thoughts on the whole issue of cohabitation but I proceeded to tell him again. I talked to him about why I felt it was not the best way to step up the relationship but in the end he respectfully disagreed. However, he was very worried that I would no longer to treat him the same, and that I would not respect his girlfriend. I made it clear that it was not my right to judge.

Do we have the right to judge?

This is a question that I have been very flimsy on throughout my walk with Christ. Jesus told us not to judge or else we will be judged; and with the measure we judge, we will be judged (Matt 7:1,2). In a parallel account Jesus is quoted as saying, “Do not judged and you will not be judged… Forgive and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37). In John he says that “(You/we) judge by human standards; but (Jesus) passes judgment on no one” (John 8:15).

Paul, on the other hand, empowered the church of Corinth to judge within the church. 1 Corinthians 5 is a great example of Paul’s use of judging those within the church. There was a man who had been sleeping with his mother. This was most likely his step-mother. Paul asks, “Are we not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked man from among you” (1 Cor 5:12,13). He told the Corinthians they “must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.”

However, Paul also condemns those who judge. “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? …why do you judge your brother? Why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat” (Romans 14:4,10). When the Corinthian church seems to be judging him he replied, ” My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.”

Should the church judge within?

The answer to this question is yes and no. Be warned, it is a difficult and dangerous thing to judge within the church. It is difficult to know the heart of an individual, and it is the intention of the heart that needs to be judged. When Paul told the church to judge the man sleeping with his mother, he was talking about a man who was proud of his sin. Many individuals are not proud of their sin. In fact, many people are more disturbed about their sin than you are. Sin often times becomes a persons outlet for dealing with difficult situations that cause them great pains. I recently spoke with an individual that told me she knew God was calling her back to Himself; yet she had never received the amount of love from the church that her friends outside the church give her. As she explained her lifestyle, I quickly realized that the church would eat her alive. Her sins were overwhelming even for her. What this person needed was not someone telling her what she was doing wrong. The church had done that before and she got tired of it. What she needs is someone to listen to her and pray for her. She is broken and humbled. What she needs is love and exhortation, not judgment and conviction. Why does the church feel it is their obligation to convict people of their sin? This is the job of the Holy Spirit, not you!

It is also a very dangerous position to be in personally when you attempt to judge another. Paul warns us to restore an individual with a gentle spirit and to be very careful not to think too much of ourselves (Galatians 6). When we begin to judge or discipline others in the church we put ourselves on display. Others begin to watch and see what your actions look like. I do not believe that any of us are able to withstand this scrutiny for long. And this is why so many outside the church rightly accuse us of being hypocrites! Before you begin poking your self-righteous nose in other peoples affairs you better make sure your legit and full of love.

Can you throw the stone?

The church leaders (Pharisees and teachers of the Law) brought the adulterous woman before Jesus seeking proper discipline (John 8). They explained to the crowd and to Jesus that the Law (the word of God) said that they should stone the woman to death, but they wanted to know what Jesus would do. In a beautiful change of momentum, Jesus simply turned the situation against them by saying, “You who have not sinned that the first stone.” So when the church leaders came seeking discipline of a “wicked” sinner, he turned it around on the audience and everyone quickly left the scene.

Many of you teachers of the Law are shouting at your screen right now saying, “Yeah but He told her to go and sin no more you moron!” And I say, “Yeah your right, so how are you doing in that category?” Have you left your life of sin? When that woman walked by you with that itty bitty waste and round thing in your face, did you get sprung? Thinking, dang that baby got it going on? (…uh wow, sorry about that. Flash back to middle school dance parties with Sir mix-a-lot.) Or ladies, have you stopped all gossip? The goal is always to “go and sin no more.’ Perfection is the goal and holiness is the key, but the truth is that we still live in this sinful flesh which at times will get the best of us.

Shall thou judge then?

So was Paul wrong when he told us to judge the immoral man? Absolutely not! What? The difference is the attitude of the individual acting in sin. Some act out in pride, arrogance, and wicked intention. Others do so out of pain, oppression, and/or depression. Paul spoke about these types of individuals in 2 Tim 3:6. He spoke of the worms who wiggled their way into the homes of women weighed down who are weak and easy to sway. The worm is the one who needs to be judged, while the woman is the one who needs to be loved. Love concurs a multitude of sins! So maybe rather than judging and trying to weed out sin, maybe we should start loving and concurring sinful lifestyles. However, let’s cast out the snakes that bog down these heavily burdened children of God.

Scripture reading: Romans 14, John 8, 1 Corinthians 5


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Too busy worshiping Jesus to live like Jesus

4 10 2008

Why is it when someone loves to worship God in the context of a worship service, we say they are in love with Jesus? But when someone loves to serve the poor, we say they have a big heart or they are in love with people? As I was getting ready to write this post, I started out like this: “This summer I met an individual after a church service. It was very apparent that he was in love with Jesus.” To be quite clear from the beginning I have become incredibly annoyed with the idea of worship services. Not because worshiping God is bad but because we have gotten our priorities all screwed up.

This summer I met an individual after a church service. It was very apparent that he was in love with (worshiping) Jesus. He came from the background of charismatic worship and revivals. Not only did he tell us how amazing the church we were visiting was, he also told us how awesome a few of churches were as well. His statement went something like this: “Man I always feel the presence of God here at ‘ABC church.’ ‘DEF church’ is another church about 30 minutes from here and they also have a great service, and God is always there. There is also a church about an hour away called ‘GHI church’ and they’re pretty good but the music isn’t always great.”

I was surprised to find out that he drove an hour away on a weekly basis just to attend another worship service. He told us that in an average week he would attend 3-4 worship services. I am a college pastor at a state university, and the same can be said for many college students. Many attend two worship services during the week and two on Sundays.

Created to worship?

The church has been inundated with the idea that we are created to worship. By “created to worship,” the church leaders mean expressing our love and joy to God through praise and worship songs. Many sincere Christians can’t wait to get to Sunday morning to spend time in the presence of God. Whether they go to one or four services a week, the pinnacle of their relationship with God is worship service. But are we really in the presence of God when the band is rocking and the people are praising?

During the eighth century Israel had become quite comfortable in their lifestyles and religious practices. The eighth century prophets were quick to respond to this apathetic and vain approach towards God. I find it interesting to hear Isaiah say, “Declare to my people their rebellion…for day by day they seek me out, they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them (Isaiah 58:1,2).”

What? God is acknowledging the fact that people are seeking Him out on a daily basis but He is calling them out for their rebellion. Throughout the rest of the chapter it is clear that while Israel was interested in seeking God and desiring His blessing, they were quarrelling with one another and they had forsaken the poor.

Commanded to worship?

Sounds a lot like many contemporary congregations and people. Not to get into the old argument of church worship style battles not being Christ-like. I would like to address another concern. Are we too busy worshiping Jesus to live like Jesus?

When did Jesus ever command us to worship? Jesus did say we will worship in Spirit and truth, but this is not a command. Worship is a response to the grace, mercy, love, and power of God. It is often spontaneous awe, amazement, or wonder. It is less about on command response and more about the contemplation or realization of the greatest of God that moves from an inward emotion or reaction that moves towards an outward response.

Jesus commanded us to serve

Jesus did not command us to worship through song and praise, but He did command us to serve. Those of us who desire to be in a worship service to stand in His presence need to realize our incomplete thinking. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus tells us that when we clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and visiting the lonely or imprisoned, then we are doing it to Him. In other words, we are in His presence when we do these things. Mother Theresa lived a life in the full presence of God at all times.

Isaiah concluded in Isaiah 58 (vs.6-8):
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness [a] will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

Unfortunately most of us don’t have time to visit Jesus, because we’re too busy worshiping Him. Or we would rather spend an hour worshiping Him that an hour serving Him. Mother Theresa didn’t have a big heart, she had a genuine love for Jesus and her response was to love people.

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 1:10; 58; Amos 5:18-24; Matt 25:32-46


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Christian Narcissism

3 10 2008

Random comments become amazing conversations

So tonight I met an amazing person in the coffee shop. To be honest it was quite an unexpected turnout. She had overheard the conversation a friend and I were having about Christian bands. She proceeded to tell us about a band that she knew of, which I was familiar with as well. I am not a fan of the band but with grace I showed my appreciation for her input. I genuinely love when others join the conversations I am having because this is how many of the most amazing conversations get started. However, I know the guys she was talking about and it is my feeling that they exude me-driven Christian personalities. So her intro into the conversation was not strong but I’m glad she stuck around.

What followed was an amazing conversation that has led to this post. It quickly became evident that the Lord had been weighing heavy on her heart as she began to speak. She told us that she never imagined being the girl struggling with her faith during college. But at the moment she is living in a very difficult lifestyle. She explained that it all began when a tragedy occurred in her family. One situation began a downward spiral for her family that eventually led her into the lifestyle she is now living. She said that she had actually been to our service once but didn’t stay long because she didn’t want to be a burden to anyone, but even more so I think she didn’t want to be God’s lesson plan for anyone.

A lesson from the past

She told us about a couple of her friends from high school days. One of the friends needed a lot of attention and always had something going wrong. She remembered how her and the other friend would always complain about how needy she was and how annoying it became. Then one day the one friend told her that she realized God had put the needy friend in her life to teach her patience. Our new friend realizes she is the needy one now but is afraid of becoming the lesson plan for someone else’s relationship with God.

How many of us have said something like this? Can we stop right now and confess the stupidity of our Christian narcissism?

Christian Narcissim

Much of the church is now suffering from years of seeker friendly preaching styles that have resulted in a consumer driven church. Now before I move forward, I want to thank God that for the most part this move caused many of the moronic hell, fire, and brimstone messages to leave the building. However, what it has been exchanged for is a church filled with members who think God and the world evolves around them. Seeker friendly messages revolve around the ‘you’ singular form as opposed the ‘you’ plural form and we now have a church doctrine which says that everything in my world is about me. God is always trying to tell or show me something, or He is calling me to do something regardless of what it does to us. Are Christians capable of thinking of anyone other than themselves?

Can we wake up and smell the BS?

Sorry, but let’s get real. Can someone stand up and shout from the top of their lungs that when we give our lives to Christ, we have died to ourselves. God didn’t put that person in your lives to teach you patience you egotistical maniac. God put them in your life so that you can love them with the love that only Christ can offer them. The love that you found so irresistible that you gave up your own life for it. Paul tells us to in humility consider others better than ourselves (Phil 2). Jesus tells us that there is no greater love than to lay down ones life for the sake of their friend (John 15:13). He tells us to love one another in order that the world may know that we are His disciples (John 13:33-35).

Loving arms

Our new friend explained that she knew that God was calling her back to Himself, but that it would mean giving up some friendships. She told us that these friends welcomed her with loving arms when she most needed, while at the same time the church had turn their nose at her. She told us that she felt like the church would only judge her if they knew how she was really struggling. My question is, “When are we, the Church, going to start loving with the love that doesn’t keep a record of wrongs (1 Cor 13:5)?” Then maybe we can work on the rest of love’s true actions (1 Cor 13:4-7). How can we sit by and let the world love better than the body of Christ?

Lord, may your Church stand up and walk in Spirit and in Truth. I pray that we would bear witness to the world the fruits of your Holy Spirit within us. For You are love. And God, I thank you for those that walk in you love continuously. I pray that one day I can do the same. Until then I beg your mercy. Amen.


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Heart transformed by Faith = Deeds

2 10 2008

The Letter of James is an amazingly practical and forthright letter for Christian Living. Many have found a great controversy between James, the assumed brother of Jesus, and Paul, the theologian of grace and faith. Much is made of the discretion between the two. I do not see so much difference between them. Paul speaks of a transformation that should take place due to God mercies (Rom12:1), as well as a faith believed only in vain (1 Cor 15:2). Now Paul was indeed speaking of the resurrection but nevertheless he was speaking of a vain faith.

James is simply speaking of a reaction to God mercies—no different than Paul in Romans 12. It is said that there are 30 or so imperatives in Romans 12 alone. James is simply saying that faith should result in the transformation that Paul is requesting. Love should be without hypocrisy (Rom 12:9). A man whose faith has not resulted in deeds exposes a heart with no transformation and thus little faith. Faith simply initiates the transformation of the heart by the Holy Spirit.

By referencing Abraham and Rahab, James is implying that nothing has changed within the relationship of God and man other than that their salvation has been manifested and made known through Christ. Few would deny that Abraham or Rahab were not saved through faith (Heb 11). James is not saying that deeds are the requirement, but simply that a good tree bears good fruit (John 15). Numerous times Jesus says that if we love Him, which faith would require, we would follow His commands. These commands were simply to love, which John tells us should be spoken through deeds (1 John 3:18). Otherwise our faith may be in vain.


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