When someone helps the pastor,
Lonnie Davis Wesley, III, The Seven: Taking a Closer Look at What It Means to Be a Deacon, p. 81
THE CHURCH GROWS,
THE WORD GROWS,
and THE LEADERS GROW!
Category: Church
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When Someone Helps the Pastor
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Inclusion and Boundaries, Law and Grace: Where Hospitality Meets Identity
“Boundaries help define what a household, family, church, or community holds precious. However, the modern world is deeply ambivalent about boundaries and community. Although we yearn for home and a place to belong, often we find ourselves more comfortable with empty space where we can ‘sing our own songs’ and pursue our own plans. Hospitality is fundamentally connected to place to a space bounded by commitments, values, and meanings. Part of the difficulty in recovering hospitality is connected with our uncertainty about community and particular identity.”— Christine PohlI often find myself unhappy with the way so many of the contentious issues of our time are framed. I have argued on this blog that I do like rights language because it simply is not biblical, and such language undermines a decisively Christian position on any matter of importance. I have also suggested that the modern liberal/conservative, left/right continuum is logically incoherent and has made too many Christians more liberal or conservative than Christian; and that such modern liberalism and conservatism are lenses that distort Christianity much more than they illuminate it.
The insightful quote above by Christine Pohl highlights for me another discussion I am not happy with; and it is one that is particularly big in my circle of United Methodism– the inclusive nature of the church and how that relates to boundaries. Instead of doing the hard work of figuring out how the church is at one and the same time an inclusively hospitable church and a people whose identity by necessity includes boundaries that cannot be crossed and remain Christian, too many people don’t seem to have room for both in their world … (Read more)
This was written by Energion Publications’ author Dr. Allan R. Bevere, pastor, professor and author of Colossians and Philemon: A Participatory Study Guide, The Politics of Witness: The Character of the Church in the World, and The Character of our Discontent.
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Edward W.H. Vick: Doubt
by Dr. Edward W.H. Vick, retired professor, philosopher, and author of Philosophy for Believers, From Inspiration to Understanding: Reading the Bible Seriously and Faithfully, History and Christian Faith, and more!
Sorrowing Old Man by Vincent Van Gogh
How utterly disheartening it is when you are in the thick of serious questions and doubts to be told that you should not be questioning and doubting. If you’re in the middle of a storm, it’s no help to be told that you should not be there. What you then need is a helping hand, a sharing mind. And the more important the questions are to you, the more urgent will be your desire for clarity, proper consideration, and decision.
When we were children we did not have to be taught to accept what our parents and teachers said. There was no other alternative but to accept. They were there first. But we grow up and we learn more than we knew as children. We begin to have the problem of sorting out the answers we learned and even the questions we should now be asking. This produces more questions and, most likely, confusion and frustration. No one who thinks at all gets through this stage of life without doubting.
At this stage, the people who think they know every answer, or worse still, every question, are the ones who may be able to help us the least. People who have gone through an experience similar to ours a long time ago, and who have now found working answers to their questions, may have forgotten how hard-won their conclusions and attitudes were. It’s easy once you’ve found a working answer to problems which were once important to us and forget or overlook the process of struggle that led up to our present positions. It is easy then to be unsympathetic. That happens when once has become very certain of the answer one has attained.
There is, of course, a very different attitude. Having experienced a struggle, more or less intense, to achieve one’s present position, one can then reflect on that process. It becomes obvious on reflection that others who have achieved some certainty through the process of doubting have also had tensions, struggles, opposition. Realizing that is often the case, one may be ready to be sympathetic to them, and willing to give support and help as it is needed.
Those who have not gone through what we go through in this period simply live in a different world from us, and speak to us in a language which does not connect. We hear the words and see the concern. We know their affection and appreciate it. Yet sometimes the very finality and placidity with which we are told what they believe what their new attitudes and positions are disarms us. Their position differs from ours and is considered unsatisfactory. It may even, if we are deeply troubled by dogmatism, lead us to reject not only the answer that but also the very quest in which we are participating. It may even lead top alienation. Fortunately sometimes respect and even affection can survive the emergence of drastic differences of belief. This is a gesture of despair, but quite an understandable one.
To those who have difficulty finding people who will treat their questions seriously and with understanding, I say: ‘Do not be put off from the quest for truth and for life. Keep asking. Keep searching. And try, meanwhile, to be loving. If you don’ t appear to be understood, then turn the tables by trying, as far as possible, to be understanding.’
It might help if I made an explicit distinction for you to think about. It is one thing to ask questions about what faith means. It is another thing to give up the faith.
Because you have questions about the faith does not mean at all that you are giving up the faith. Do not let anybody persuade you that it does. If you are alert you will have serious questions. If your faith is vital and healthy, it will give rise to inquiry, to careful thought, to examination of answers you did not question as a child. One of the emancipating discoveries you can make is that Christian faith is big enough to permit the believer to live with questions, and to go on living with questions.
To some questions there simply is no intellectually satisfying answer. For example, I have yet to read an intellectually satisfying answer to the problem of suffering. Indeed I do not believe that one is possible. There will always be room to doubt the goodness of God. I believe that God is good. But my faith in God does not depend upon the answer to this problem being satisfying to my mind. This does not mean of course that I shouldn’t seek the very best explanation I can get.
While to some questions there is no finally satisfying answer, there is an answer to the mystery of life–the answer of faith in Jesus as Lord. When Jesus is found, then the process of inquiry and of questioning is put into a context where it has both significance and direction.
Life is not God’s reward for cleverness in solving problems. It is a gift he offers us because we need it. When we accept and live out of the grace he gives, joy is larger than frustration.
How do you mark off what is beyond doubt from what you may doubt, and what you must doubt, what is indubitable from what may be doubted? Why do you not doubt if you feel you should? There is no virtue in resolving, ‘I will not doubt’. you maintain a belief because no alternative has yet been offered to you or come to your attention. You have asked questions and may be in the process of finding answers that provide you with satisfaction. Questioning is not doubting, but it is often a pathway that leads us to revise our understanding, to revise our beliefs. But you maintain a belief or set of beliefs because it is comfortable to be accepted by other believers. You may forget that life and understanding become richer as new perspectives emerge. But guidance is often needed even if it is not sought.We have distinguished faith from belief. We distinguish ‘the faith’ from beliefs held with in its context. Because you have questions about the faith does not mean that you are giving up the faith. Do not let anybody persuade you that it does. If you are alert you will have serious questions. If your faith is vital and healthy, it will give rise to inquiry, to careful thought, to examination of answers you did not question as a child, or have not questioned since. One of the emancipating discoveries you can make is that Christian faith is big enough to permit the believer to live with questions, and to go on living with questions.
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Ronald Higdon: Surviving a Son's Suicide – Three Years Later
by Dr. Ronald Higdon, retired pastor and author of In Changing Times: A Guide for Reflection and Conversation and Surviving a Son’s Suicide.
A favorite phrase of some who want to encourage you to move on from a jarring life experience is: “Get over it.” As the years increase, most of us learn there are some things you never “get over” – if by that you mean shifting gears, zooming ahead, and forgetting that it ever happened. “Get over it” at first seems to be sound advice for something that slams you to the floor and puts a hold on everything in life. But it’s not.
Grief is a very individual experience and there is simply no right or scheduled way to deal with it. So much depends on family rituals, the culture in which we have lived, our faith community (or lack thereof), what we have learned in dealing with former losses, our relationship with the deceased person, other things going on in our lives at the time, our emotional state of health, and all of the other factors that make up our world experience.
This is why “one size doesn’t fit all” when it comes to what we need to do in order not to get mired down in grief that permanently sidelines us from living. What is helpful for one person may not be helpful for another. There is usually no end to the number of well-meaning people who are eager to provide a recipe for recovery that is the intended resolution of your grief.
Cindy Lightner’s 13 year old daughter was killed by a drunk driver. (Cindy is the founder of MADD.) In her book Giving Sorrow Words she describes what occurred when a minister came to comfort her:
I asked him over and over again, “Why her?” He simply sat on the couch and said, “This is God’s will.” I was already angry and perhaps he noticed. He repeated, “You should remember when things like this happen, it’s God’s will.” “What do you mean by God’s will?” I said. “God’s will isn’t to run down children in the street and leave them there to die.” And I got him up from the couch and physically shoved him out the door.”
We soon realize that some people cannot handle our grief at all so they offer for themselves what they need in order not to be overcome by fear of the loss you are experiencing. It is unfair to expect everyone to be able to stand with you in a loss that is frightening the wits out of them. The best they can do – and the best they ought to do – is simply to show up in silence with whatever they feel comfortable in offering in the way of a hug or a shared tear – or simply to stand with you a few moments. The worst thoughtless statement I have ever read is one Lightner cites in her book that she assures us she is not making up: “I know just how you feel,” one woman said. “My dog died two weeks ago.”
Pat (my wife) and I were spared any such “comfort” but were instead blessed with friends who not only stood with us but who provided the many needed “services” that are a part of visitation and funeral arrangements. There was an abundance of food both for our family at home and for those who visited the funeral home. Errands were run, phone calls were made, lists were kept of those who cared for us in so many ways. In short, comfort was put into action at a time when our energy for the basics was almost non-existent.
During those days that still seem a blur, presence was everything. Notes and cards were treasured reminders that we were not alone. Whenever I talk about that time I emphasize one of the things that provided so much support: we could actually feel the care and love around us. In those early days it was literally our lifeline.
Pat has always kept a personal journal and she wrote a lot in those early days. She talked with close friends. She read for comfort and strength and found one of the most helpful books for her was Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff. I also read and wrote. After about six weeks I returned to an interim position at the First Baptist Church in Morehead, Kentucky. Fortunately, I had already spent several months with them and knew they would receive me back where I was. My sermon that first Sunday was “A Personal Journey into Grief.” Putting my grief into words before an affirming and loving congregation I count as a major step in beginning to move forward.
Over the course of several months I wrote what later became the book Surviving a Son’s Suicide. Subsequently, I began to offer free workshops where the discussions were honest and, sometimes, emotional. I always confessed at the beginning of the workshop (even now after three years) that I never know when grief may suddenly emerge from the wings and momentarily once again take center stage. I let the attendees know that this is okay with me in my grief journey and I trust it will be okay with them.
My study is on the lower level of our home and at the bottom of the stairs is a large portrait of our two sons that was given to us on our fiftieth wedding anniversary. This means that several times a day I am reminded of a son who led such an accomplished life. His bi-polar condition and suicide do not define his identity. Pat and I know there is so much more about his life than those last few tragic months. Three years after our loss we have not forgotten what a blessing he was to us and how much we continue to miss him. The best way we know to honor his memory is to be as fully alive as we are able and to be available to stand with others who need companions in their personal grief journeys.
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Ron Higdon: The Challenge of Change
by Ronald Higdon, retired pastor (including intentional interim ministry), adjunct professor, and author of In Changing Times: A Guide for Reflection and Conversation and Surviving a Son’s Suicide
A reporter was interviewing an elderly Kentucky farmer and posed an obvious-answer question: “You’ve been farming for over sixty-five years; I bet you’ve seen a lot of changes in that period of time, haven’t you?” The farmer replied, “I certainly have. And I’ve been against every one of them.”
This is not unlike the song sung by Groucho in an old Marx Brothers movie that has this recurring line: “I’m against it!” This is the theme song of many who see change as only danger and threat. I often quip that I have pastored some churches with the unstated but obvious philosophy: “Come weal or come woe, our status is quo.”
The above examples keep one in the negative and “kickative” mode because change is the one constant in life that can always be counted on. It is one of the great inevitables written large in the universe. Only of God’s consistency in his grace, mercy, and love can it be said: “As it was in the beginning, so it is now, and so shall it ever be, world without end.”
A friend was recently talking about some changes that are about to be made in the church of which we are members. Her comment was: “Nothing in my world has remained the same. It seems that everything I have loved and cherished is no more. I guess I had always assumed that at least I could count on my church remaining the same.”
Books have been written on the impact of the not only increasing amount of change in our world but of the rapidity with which it has come. I told my friend who was lamenting the changes in her life, even in the church, that each day when I get up I look out the window to make certain I’m not living on another planet. Many have brought to our attention our basic dilemma: those of my generation were educated to live in another time and now we find ourselves living in this time. My seminary education was excellent but it certainly did not prepare me for ministry in the church-world of today.
The reference has been lost but not the story of the Bishop who was meeting with a group of pastors and began his session with the announcement that he had good news and bad news for them. He asked them which they wanted first. After a brief pause, one of the pastors spoke up: “Give us the bad news first.” “It is more difficult to be in pastoral ministry today than in any other time I have known.” After a brief period of silence and heads nodding in approval, the request came: “What is the good news?” The Bishop smiled and confidently announced, “If the fifties ever come back, we’re ready!”
The impossibility of this kind of “back to the future” does not have to be spelled out even though the attempt to live it out remains in evidence. We shouldn’t have to be told, “There are no trains to yesterday.” We know the intellectual truth of this, even though some continue to wait at the Nostalgia Station for the Express to the past. It’s not coming.
The time is now. It is not the same as it was in the past and, when the future arrives it will be different than what we are experiencing but, of course, will not be called the future but the present, the now. This is the only time zone in which we can live and in this “new time” in order to live with purpose and hope I believe, that basically, we have to see the changes in our lives as challenges and opportunities.
In 1980, William Bridges wrote a book titled Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes. He offered what I believe continues to be solid advice: “Whether your chose your change or not, there are unlived potentialities within you, interests and talents that you have not yet explored. Transitions clear the ground for new growth. They drop the curtain so the stage can be set for a new scene. What is it, at this point in your life, that is waiting quietly backstage for an entrance cue?” The challenge in this he spells out in one sentence: “To have a new beginning you need to acknowledge an ending.”
Why is it so difficult for us to acknowledge that some things are simply over? Endings are usually never swift or easy and are hardly ever complete. I maintain that successful beginnings always depend on reasonably successful endings. The grief process in mourning our losses plays a large part in successful endings and varies greatly with the nature of the loss (ending) and the way we have dealt with previous losses.
It is not always easy to view change as a time of transition and the opportunity for a new beginning. But that is what it is – if we are determined to be truly alive in the moment in which we are living. Just because something is difficult (and what worthwhile thing isn’t?) doesn’t mean it is not meant to be a part of our learning and growing in God’s world for this time. Who knows what fresh beginnings await us? A lot depends on how we handle the changes that will only keep coming.
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Bruce Epperly: First Do No Harm! (Job, Anne Graham Lotz …)
by Dr. Bruce G. Epperly, pastor, professor, and author of Finding God in Suffering: A Journey with Job, Process Theology: Embracing Adventure with God, Healing Marks: Healing and Spirituality in Mark’s Gospel, and more!
One of the first principles of medicine and ministry is “first do no harm.” This is sagely advice, since it is easier to say things that harm than cure, especially in sermons, interviews, and books. Words matter and this is especially true when we try to explain the tragedies of life. The Book of Job is a treatise aimed at exposing harmful theology. While the Book of Job may not give us the right answer – and in some ways the text suggests that humans can never fully fathom the intricacies of creation and providence- the Book of Job, like the (possibly) contemporary dialogues of Plato uncovers the wrong answers to the questions of “why the righteous suffer” or frankly “why do we suffer period?” since, for the most part, the morally ambiguous often receive greater suffering than they deserve, and the downright violent and greedy often to get away scot-free in this lifetime, which for the author of Job is the only one there is.
Recently, Anne Graham Lotz, tried to explain the problem of evil as it relates to terrorism. She tied it to national infidelity. According to Ms. Lotz, when we turn from God’s way, “God abandons us and backs away, and takes his hand of favor away, [God’s] blessings. [God takes] his hand of protection away from us and abandons us…..We’re struggling with our own pride and self-sufficiency. I think that’s why God allows bad things to happen. I think that’s why he would allow 9/11 to happen, or the dreadful attack in San Bernardino, or some of those other places to show us that we need him. We’re desperate without him.” [link to Huffington Post report]
Ms. Lotz claims to have an orthodox Christian position and to be able speak for the God of Universe, discerning clearly God’s thoughts and inclinations. Frankly, that’s above her pay grade and mine, as the author of the Book of Job confesses. Still, her comment is worth considering, especially since the Book of Job is a sustained critique of literal acts-consequences approaches to the problem of suffering. According to the text, Job is the best of persons, and yet he suffers almost beyond his ability to endure. He recognizes that there is no justice in his suffering. Job’s experience is proof that “righteousness leads to rewards” and “sin leads to punishment” approaches to suffering cannot not be theologically sustained, if it taken literally. The majestic dialogue that crowns that climaxes the text suggests that in this intricately connected and wonderful world there are pockets of chaos with which God must even contend. Such pockets of chaos insure that, as Jesus asserts, the sun shines and the rain falls on the righteous and unrighteous alike. Evil institutions and nations prosper, as do persons, and likewise faithful institutions, nations, and persons may also flounder. (Matthew 5:45)
Acts do have consequences and a nation’s fidelity shapes its future, to a certain extent. A godly nation – if there is such a one – creates a social order of hospitality, economic justice, and earth care that leads to flourishing. The quest for the peaceable kingdom that inspired the prophets – fair business dealings, concern for the poor, affirmation of the needs of vulnerable persons – leads to less violence in the streets, healthier relationships between law enforcement and minorities, and happier homes, but does not insure complete security for the nation and its citizens. Ms. Lotz’s linear cause and effect understanding of divine blessings and curses does not square with reality, either individually or corporately. Job is clear that it is the wrong answer; and a harmful answer.
Although the Book of Job struggles to find a compassionate God, the text leans toward a vision of God as creative, intimate, concerned with the details of creation, and caring for the world in all its diversity. This theological inclination renders Lotz’s pontifications problematic in terms of their characterization of God. While our actions may enhance or limit what God can do in the world, just as our behaviors place limits on the love others can manifest toward us, no good friend, parent, or grandparent “abandons” her or his child or friend because of her or his mistakes. The Good Shepherd seeks the lost one. The father runs out to greet his wanton (prodigal) son. Jesus is fully present on the cross, praying for the forgiveness of those who crucify him. My guess is that Ms. Lotz’s relationship to her own family is reflects a higher morality than she attributes to God.
If Jesus said anything about God’s morality and love, it is that God is more moral and more loving than we are. This is God’s nature, not something God can arbitrarily withhold. A deity who withholds his care to allow terrorist acts in Orlando, San Bernardino, or on 9/11 can be feared but hardly loved, and in character is little better than abusive parent whom we would prosecute for child endangerment and manslaughter.
The Book of Job reminds us to be careful about what we say about God. Our words about God can hurt or heal, can incite violence or promote love, can open the door to seekers or turn outsiders away. Popular religious leaders would do well to consult Job – and Jesus – before making pronouncements on the reality of evil.
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David Alan Black: A New School Year and a Favorite Book
from David Alan Black‘s blogsite, jesusparadigm.com.
I’m really looking forward to a fun and exciting fall semester, not least because I’m teaching NT Intro again for the first time in several years. The course covers Acts – Revelation, which means that, if I time things just right, the semester will end before I have to discuss the Apocalypse (wink, wink)! Let me tell you how we’re beginning the class. Day One consists of students reading the book of Acts and then also reading my Seven Marks of a New Testament Church – which, I would remind you, is nothing but an exegesis of Acts 2:37-47, eleven of the most action-packed verses in the entire New Testament. Students will then produce a “reaction paper” to what they have read and I’ll ask for a few volunteers to share with the rest of us what they learned. Thus, from the very first day of class, we’ll be asking ourselves the question: “What does an obedient church look like?” Christian discipleship means placing ourselves under orders. It’s not merely a psychological experiment in self-improvement (along with watching our weight and catching up on our Honey-Do lists). As disciples, we are not on our own. The goal is not self-actualization but obedience to the instructions of the church’s Head and only Boss. (Read more … ) -
Doris Murdoch: Capernaum, the Town of Jesus
by Doris Horton Murdoch, author, Testify: By the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our Testimony and Constructing Your Testimony
The town of Capernaum, called the “village of comfort” and the “cradle of Christianity”, has been recognized as the “town of Jesus.” In Matthew 4:13-17, prophecy was fulfilled when the great light, Jesus Christ, settled in the territory of Naphtali and Zebulun which is the town of Capernaum. Jesus left his childhood home of Nazareth and made Peter’s house his ministry residence or home. Investigating the history and archaeology of the town of Capernaum and Peter’s house aids in understanding to the events involving Jesus in the town of Capernaum from the gospel scriptures. Then, one is led to the question, “What did the town of Capernaum and Peter’s house mean to Jesus and His disciples?”
Capernaum (Capharnaum, Kefar Nahum, Bethsaida, Talhum, Elkosh) was a fishing village on the northern banks of the Sea of Galilee. The town was located on the Beth-Shan or Damascus Highway; this was much more suitable than Nazareth with so many people, especially merchants, passing through the Capernaum community. The Roman garrison was housed in Capernaum while the Roman capital was farther away in Tiberius. This location puts some distance between Herod Antipas in Tiberius and those spreading the gospel message of Jesus Christ in Capernaum.
The town of Capernaum was inhabited continuously from 2 B.C. – 7 A.D. During Jesus’ time, the population was composed of fishermen, farmers, artisans, merchants and publicans, all different in trades but appearing to be getting along in the area. Capernaum was a cultural melting pot. Romans and Greeks influenced the culture (manners, dress, architecture, and politics) of the town. Again, the varied cultures appear to be working together for the good of the community. The Roman centurion found in Luke 7:1-10 actually built the synagogue that the Jews worshipped in.
The disciples, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John and Matthew were all from Capernaum. God had a purpose in placing Jesus in Capernaum to begin the selection of the disciples and in preparing those disciples for ministry. Capernaum was also known as the village of Nahum (650 B.C.), the Old Testament prophet who was sent to the Assyrian capital city of Ninevah. Nahum means “comfort” or “consolation” for Nahum brought consolation to the nations oppressed by Ninevah. Nahum 1:1 states Nahum is from Elkosh; it is believed Elkosh was renamed Capernaum to honor the prophet Nahum with his popularity being greater in Judah because his prophetic message was against Assyria. At this time, God’s favor was for His chosen people in the land of Judah. Capernaum was a place of comfort or refuge for Nahum, Jesus, His disciples and for the people ministered to during this time period.
In Matthew 8:14-16 (NRSV), we read about Jesus visiting Peter’s house in the town of Capernaum,“When Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever; 15 he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve him. 16 That evening they brought to Him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and cured all who were sick.”
Peter’s house also became known as the first house in the Christian world for the followers of Jesus, domus-ecclesia. Besides housing Jesus and His followers, Peter’s house provided a home for him and his family, his brother, Andrew and his family and for his mother-in-law. It was a large home running north to south. I envision a door on the northern and southern ends, with the north end opening to a street. Then the south door opens to a courtyard that ends as a gate on the street across from the synagogue. My understanding is that there would be rooms opening to the courtyard that housed the various extended family members. The main house structure of Peter’s home had a moveable rooftop; in Mark 2:1-12, we read about the paralytic being lowered down on a mat through an opening in the rooftop for healing by Jesus. Stairs in the courtyard would have led to this rooftop. It is in Peter’s house that Jesus identifies His true family, the family of believers, who are on the inside, not outside. In Mark 3:31-15, the Christian community is inside Peter’s house and Jesus’ mother and brothers are outside looking for their family member, Jesus. Those that desire to be in the family of God must come inside to be with Jesus.
Archaeological ruins and scripture reveal much about the town of Capernaum. In 1838, the American scholar, Edward Robinson, discovered the ruins of Capernaum and identified the synagogue. In 1905, Germans Kohl and Watzinger began excavation of Capernaum. Ongoing since 1968, has been the excavation of Peter’s House by Corbo and Loffreda. As one walks the ruined streets and excavated structures and graffiti of Capernaum, the mind of a believer can envision the bustling streets of the biblical Capernaum.
In scripture, we read about Jesus teaching and performing miracles in the synagogue of Capernaum (just 30 meters south from Peter’s house) in the books of Mark, Luke and John. In John 6: 22-71, Jesus taught the doctrine of the Eucharist in the synagogue of Capernaum. Jesus also performed many miracles in the town of Capernaum (Luke 7:1-10; Mark 1:21-28; Mark 1:29-34). Mark 2:14-17 tells about a meal at Matthew’s house where Jesus dined with tax collectors and sinners. In this scripture, Jesus reminds us that He did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. In Mark 5:21-43, we read about Jesus healing the bleeding woman when she touches His garments and then we read of the twelve year old daughter of one of the synagogue officials named Jairus’ being brought back to life. The house of brothers and disciples, John and James, has never been identified through archaeological studies, yet archaeologists are sure they’ve brushed off stones that have come from their ancient residence.
The house of Peter was home, a place of rest, for Jesus and His disciples. They came here for meals, sleep, and fellowship with fellow believers. Their ministries were rejuvenated as they shared testimonies of new believers, listened to Jesus teach and observed the power of Jesus as He healed the sick and freed others of demonic spirits. The town of Capernaum was a ministry classroom; the disciples first learned to minister in the town of Capernaum. They shared the gospel of Jesus Christ in the streets as people of many cultures passed through on the Damascus Road. They ministered in the homes and the synagogue of Capernaum; their audience may have been Roman soldiers and their families or it may have been a blue-collar worker like a farmer or fisherman or highly respected publican, tax collector or merchant that we might call a white-collar worker. Capernaum was truly the mission field or town of Jesus for the village had all the ingredients for the making of the Church of God.
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Educate! Energize! Empower!
by Henry Neufeld, Energion Publisher
We rolled out a new theme over the weekend. More about that in a few paragraphs …
A couple of months ago I sent out an e-mail to a few of the people whose advice I count on regarding the slogan we use on the Energion Publications web site: Educate! Energize! Empower! I asked them whether we should keep it or change it. I’ve been told a number of times that those are buzzwords that have no real meaning. The general consensus was that I should keep the slogan as it is.
[ene_ptp]Buzzwords get used so much that they begin to lose meaning, but one of the reasons they get overused is that they have very important meanings. I agree with the people who told me we should keep these words. Let me expend just a few words defining them as I use them.Educate!
No matter what doctrinal or ethical positions they take, many in the church are not well informed as to their faith and the world around them. In order to carry out the mission of the church, there are things we need to know. Unfortunately, many of us who are church members are there because we grew up that way. It’s habit. We wonder why we cannot attract new people to the church. Part of that reason is that we don’t really know why we are there ourselves.
The educational mission of Energion Publications is to help us understand both our own faith and that of people around us. We occasionally also use the slogan Scholarship in Service. That slogan tells something of the method. We aim to find authors who will bring the benefits of good biblical and theological scholarship and make it available to the church as a whole. Wonderful ideas die useless deaths when confined to the halls of academia.Energize!
As we educate, we aim to motivate and inspire people to action. We pursue this aim by looking for authors who are active in benefiting their church and community, those whose ideas grow out of a living experience and in turn give birth to action. Ideas and values are important; putting them into action is imperative.
Empower!
By empowerment, we mean that accepting ideas and choosing actions are the privilege, responsibility, and indeed the joy of everyone. Neither we, in choosing what to publish, nor our authors in writing, take away the responsibility of all readers to study and decide for themselves.
To illustrate what I mean I want to quote from a manuscript I’m currently editing, Meditations on the Letters of Paul by Dr. Herold Weiss:
Paul trusts the ability of his audience to use their minds and reason properly. He writes, “I speak as to sensible [thinking] men; judge for yourselves what I say” (1 Cor. 10: 15). After having had a serious disagreement with the Corinthians, he writes to them, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are holding to your faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?— unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed [to meet the test to which faith is to be put]” (2 Cor. 13: 5 – 6). Paul does not wish to have others evaluate the Corinthians as to their faith. Neither is he going to do it himself. He trusts the ability of all those who live in Christ to test themselves. He also expects them to evaluate the reasonableness of what he tells them. Their judgment is valid.
Dr. Weiss is talking about the way Paul approaches his audiences, of course, but we extend this same idea of empowerment. We don’t want to force an agenda on the church. Readers, students, friends, brothers and sisters are all able to make their own decisions. Advocate and exhort, yes! But trust in the Holy Spirit in each person for the decision.How Does This Apply to the Energion Discussion Network?
Yes, it’s time to get to the point. You’ll see a new theme. By some time tomorrow you can expect an improved comment section including better e-mail management for our subscribers. You’ll also notice a change in the way we schedule posts. Rather than irregular scheduling, we’re asking some of our authors to dedicate the time to produce regular articles, some every two weeks, and some every month. We will still have additional articles by our other authors who are not committed to a regular schedule.
We’re asking these authors to educate, energize, and empower, just as they do with their books. We’re asking those who aren’t contributing regularly to comment on posts, write posts on their own blogs, and also to provide occasional posts to provide the fullest possible examination of issues that confront the church today.
Please read, study, discern. Give others the benefit of your wisdom and discernment through comments or through posts on your own blog. Don’t hesitate to provide a link if you blog about one of our topics. Relevant links are welcome!
Test everything. Keep hold of what is good. Keep away from every variety of evil. – 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
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Goodbye to Politics
[Editor’s Note: This is another post in our series of “Why I changed my mind.”]
by Steve Kindle
I am the grandson and great grandson of two North Dakota state senators. In fact, my great grandfather, Steen Nelson, was the first state senator in his district when the state was accepted into the Union in 1889. His son and my namesake followed him in office. Steve Nelson’s only child was a woman, so that ended our family’s lineage in the senate. (Women earned the right to vote six years after my mother was born,) Norman Brunsdale, the state governor at the time, was my grandfather’s best friend. My family ate dinner at the governor’s mansion so often, it was like a second home. Later, when Brunsdale became a U.S. Senator, he called on my brother where he was serving in the army in Germany. The chief justice of the North Dakota supreme court was often a guest in our home.
My family was steeped in conservative Republican views. We loathed FDR and JFK. Barry Goldwater represented our views perfectly. I cast my first presidential election vote for him. I became the son and grandson that made the family proud. Naturally, I was encouraged to follow the men of the lineage into politics. This led me to a very conservative Christian college where I first majored in political science. My intention was to return to North Dakota with eyes on public office.
But, something happened. I became a Christian. I was convinced that politics was a secondary pursuit, and that I should change my major to Bible and enter the ministry. However, Right Wing politics would be my handmaiden in my ministry, as I saw it as what God wanted for America. My controlling understanding was this: If America can get its politics right, everything else that follows would be good and right.
A lot has happened over the years to move me away from right Wing politics in particular and politics in general. It parallels my move away from fundamentalism and into progressive Christianity. Where I once felt that what was best for the individual was best for the nation, I now believe that the community’s needs are prior. As an example, quality health care in America is based on one’s ability to purchase it. This leaves out millions of Americans who can’t afford it. For me, health care is a right, on par with any right articulated in the Bill of Rights. To achieve this end, those who can afford it, will be the source for those who can’t. My model for this is the idealized conception of early Christianity practiced by the Jerusalem church where everything was held in common, and everyone’s needs were met by the whole church.
Today, I am as far removed from the political as possible. It has become increasingly apparent to me that not only is politics not the answer, it is largely the problem. As long as we believe that a political solution will cure our ills, we will never attempt to implement God’s realm on earth.
I recently conducted a seminar I call “Jesus versus Caesar.” In it, I attempt to show that Jesus’ ministry was the counterpart to how Rome ruled the world. Jesus vision of how God wished the world to work was in opposition to Rome’s view, and led to his crucifixion as an enemy of the state. Rome’s use of military might, oligarchy and its patronage, usury, and income inequality, all reinforced by Imperial Religion, served as a contrast to Jesus’ message of the Kingdom of God as an egalitarian community ruled by Jubilee. Luke 4:16-19 In this community, the only rule is the Golden Rule. The only ethic is love God and our neighbor as ourselves. There are no enemies, only each other and our call to work for the well-being of one another.
Politics works on another plane altogether. Its notions of “to the victor goes the spoils,” divide and conquer, us versus them, winners and losers, has no place in God’s vision for the world. Therefore, I engage in political conversations merely as a good citizen. I have no illusions that anything resembling the Kingdom of God will emerge from political activity. With the church’s consumerist mentality and unwholesome entrance into the political sphere, I have my doubts that it can do any better than Rome.
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