Re - Monk

Why Mary Matters: Part One

2013-05-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (Mother's Day), the boys and I fixed French toast smothered in syrup, covered in peaches and sprinkled with powdered sugar, and an omelet filled with chopped onions, ham and cheese and brought it to my wife in bed.  A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, a flower from our garden, a pecan pie scented candle, a hot cup of coffee, a gift certificate for a pedicure, and some heartfelt cards for Mother's Day also accompanied our entourage. She was blessed, not because she thought she deserved it, but because we chose to honor her for her role in our lives and in our home.

Of all the mothers who were honored amongst Protestant Evangelicals this past Sunday, I cannot help but think of one mother who was most likely ignored on this special day set aside to honor those who bring us into this life, who nourish us as tender shoots, and help carry us through this thorny trek we call life.... Mary...the mother of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

To mention her name among most evangelical Christians, conjures a variety of mixed thoughts and emotions; unfortunately, many of them are negative. Almost immediately, our "anti-catholic" radars are set off like air-space defense alarms in our fundamentalist minds to quickly shoot down any proposition that may cause us to think anything but suspicious thoughts about this woman we often ignore in Scripture. As evangelical Bible-believing Christians, we have oft been guilty of bearing an almost haughty attitude towards all things Mary, going so far as to highlight the times when Jesus supposedly rebuked his mother as our only recollection of this woman in Scripture. Because of our ignorance of, and lack of due-diligence in researching more "catholic" expressions of Christianity, we quickly assume that these "sub-Christians" are engaging in some sort of perverted pagan or tribal goddess worship when Mary is given a place of honor in their church experience. While, some extremes do and will always exist, we can no longer immaturely ignore 2,000 years of Church tradition or certain Biblical mandates to venerate Mary. It is much to my chagrin that I myself, in the past could even imagine an afterlife where Mary did not exist, or was somehow hidden away in some distant corner of heaven so that I would not have to deal with her in the eternal reality. Oh how foolish I was!

Let us lay Church Tradition aside for this article, for I doubt that my evangelical readers are interested in what the Orthodox doctrine states or what the early church fathers have to say about Mary. Therefore, let us turn our attention to the Scriptura! First, we must start with the Biblical mandate of veneration. To venerate someone means to honor, esteem, revere, or to show respect. 1 Peter 2:17 couldn't state it more clearly, "Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, and honor the emperor." In Romans 13:7 Paul commands believers to "Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes, if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor." And again in Ephesians 6:2 Paul re-emphasizes the Law of Moses, by writing, "'Honor your father and mother', which is the first commandment with a promise..." From these three passages alone, we can clearly see that it is not only right to give honor to others, (especially to whom it is due), but it is a command! Mary, being the very mother of our Lord, and the first person on earth to ever invite Christ into her life, continues to serve us as an example of saying "Yes!" to God, and is due much honor, as a forerunner and disciple of Christ.

In light of this let us now consider the following question: Did Jesus honor his mother? In Matthew 5:17 Jesus emphatically states, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." We also have Romans 10:4 which echoes Messiah's statement, "For Christ is the fulfillment of the law as far as righteousness is concerned for everyone who believes." Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled the law, and in doing so, perfectly honored His Father and his mother. So the answer to our question is yes! Therefore, we, as dearly loved children, are commanded to be imitators of God! We too should imitate Christ in honoring Mary.

But Mary is dead, how can we honor her? Before we discuss the practice of honoring Mary, let us first consider our eternal personhood. Honoring the dead in Christ brings into consideration an entirely separate topic which we do not have time to fully consider in this post, however, I have addressed this topic in detail in two earlier posts called Praying to the Dead? Parts One and Two. Please take some time to research this reality if you do not already have an understanding of the Communion of the Saints. Let us continue. Mary did not cease being Jesus' mother when He was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven. Nor do our loved ones in Christ cease being who they are when they pass on to glory, for as Mark 12:27 reads "God is not the God of the dead, but the living! " We only have to look to the story of the rich man and Lazarus for this confirmation. My grandmother Francis Busby will still be my grandmother in eternity by virtue of her role in my earthly life and she will be honored as such, likewise will my father and mother. Our human sentiments will not be magically erased when we are conformed to his glorious body; on the contrary, they will most likely be intensified. To assume that Jesus does not continue to honor His earthly mother is not only naive, it reduces the magnitude of the incarnation, and reveals a gnostic tendency that is all too evident in our Western religious culture. We cannot forget that Jesus, who is fully God, is also fully Man with passions, emotions and memories!  The motherhood of Mary not only testifies of this, but it seals the incarnational reality of Christ in our minds forever, if we allow it!

Let us now take a closer look at the role of Mary in the Church from a theological standpoint. If Jesus is our elder brother (as Hebrews 2:11 says that "He is not ashamed to call them brothers"), and Father God is our Father, then who is our mother? Common sense and sound theological reasoning points to Mary. How can we ignore such a truth? Not only this, the Scripture declares in 1 Corinthians 12:27, "Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it." And in Colossians 1:18 the Bible says, "Jesus is the head of the body, the Church." If Mary was the mother of Jesus, who is the head of the Church, is she not also the mother of the body? Therefore, if Mary gave birth to Christ who is the head, did she not also give birth to us the body? Augustine said in His work On the Epistle of John, "The word was made flesh, and dwelled among us; to that flesh was joined the church, and there is made the whole Christ, head and body." And although we live in a strange world in strange times, I have never personally heard of a woman giving birth to a head without the body!

Furthermore, if we have received the Spirit of Adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father", and the Spirit Himself bears witness that we are children of God and heirs of Christ, then were we not also given the right t share in the motherhood of Mary, our elder brother's mother?  In John 19:25-27, Scripture says, "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother...When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, 'Woman behold your son!'" Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" Church Tradition holds that this was the "adoption ceremony" between Mary and all disciples of Christ. At the cross, Jesus was not surrendering his sonship to Mary, rather He was passing it on to His disciples just as He did His great commission!

At the cross, Jesus commissioned Mary to mother His disciples as sons and daughters, and there He also commissioned his disciples to honor her as their adoptive mother.  There are countless evangelical and charismatic brothers and sisters who identify with the concept of having a spiritual father or mother, but have we considered Mary as a model for motherhood, holy living, faithfulness, obedience, prayer, and discipleship? Please don't misunderstand me, I am in no way trying to elevate Mary into a God-like status, I am simply trying to point out that this is no small mystery and it deserves our study and contemplation. Is it any wonder why millions of faithful Christians around the world entreat Mary to pray for them? Would not any of us with godly parents ask them to do the same for us? And what of the millions of orphans and lost souls who have no mother to speak of at all? Did God not provide a mother for them? In Christ's family there is no missing member! For God places the lonely in families! It would do us well to consider these things!

This is a difficult concept for many of us to digest, however, we must confront it and consider its implications. To merely suggest that Christ's physical birth was of little importance is to bring the entire message of the incarnation into question. It is the incarnation, that made God, Christ and Lord! He cannot be Messiah, if He is not come in the flesh! From early times, Theotokos has been the name by which the Church calls Mary. In Greek, it literally means, God-Bearer or Mother of God because she willingly became the source of Jesus' human nature. The Orthodox Study Bible says of this dear woman, "Mary is also our model in that she was the first person to receive Jesus Christ. As Mary bore Christ in her womb physically, all Christians now have the privilege of bearing God within them spiritually" (The Orthodox Study Bible, 2008, p. 1361, Thomas Nelson).

The term Theotokos was formally affirmed in 431 at the Third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus. Opponents of this term, namely Nestorius and his followers (later condemned as a heretics) sought to restrict Mary to only being the mother of Christ's human nature which in essence divided Jesus into two distinct persons and nullified the doctrine of Christ's hypostasis (fully God and fully man). To the Council's Bishops who opposed Nestorius, this was unacceptable since it would destroy the perfect union of the divine and human natures in Christ and "sabotage the fullness of the incarnation, and by extension, the salvation of humanity." Sadly, as in the fourth and fifth centuries, many Christians today unintentionally undermine the integrity of the incarnation by refusing to give Mary her proper place of honor.

Okay, so I'm willing to consider that I may have overlooked the importance of Mary, but what does it mean to venerate her? How does that fit into my practice as a believer? What does it look like? And is there any clear Biblical mandate for doing such? Well, that's what we will explore next time in Why Mary Matters: Part Two. Until then, may you and yours be blessed + In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen!

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

Fr. Mark

P.S. Happy Mother's Day Mary!

On Tradition: Part Three

2013-03-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

Tradition is giving your ancestors a vote.

~G.K. Chesterton

As we conclude our discussion On Tradition, it might do us well to refer back to part one and part two so that we don't get lost in the questions that have already been addressed in the previous posts. With that said, let us dive right into the matter of Holy Tradition.

As stated in the previous post, I wish to remind you that the only way to combat the traditions of men, is to apply the traditions of God. But how do we do this? And how do we determine if a tradition is of God? Most Protestant Evangelicals will answer with the simple assumption that if it's in the Bible, then it's God's tradition, and if it's not, then it's man's tradition. Although sincere, this statement cannot fully safeguard the church from heresy and doctrines of demons that so often deceive the faithful.

For example, the Mormons and the Jehovah's Witnesses also believe that the Bible is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, yet most Evangelical Christians would label them as cults, and rightly so. History has taught us, that the written Word or logos, alone, is insufficient as a defense for correct doctrine and theology because Scripture can be wrongly interpreted by anyone who can read.
So what prevents those who hold to the strict adherence of sola scriptura from mishandling the word of God? Does a theological degree from a seminary or Bible institute give a particular individual or denomination the corner on Biblical truth? If so, then what of the hundreds and thousands of well educated ministers and theological professors who preach and teach false doctrines to their flocks and pupils in our churches and universities while using the Scripture to back up their claims? How else do you think that universalism, liberation theology, the homosexual agenda, reductionism, and other demonic philosophies have crept into the church?  Do not be so naive to think that these preachers and teachers do not use the Bible (in their own twisted interpretations) to convince others that their teachings are sanctioned by God!

This does not even take into consideration the millions of Christians who have left the church to find their own way in the wilderness of independent denominations, stand-alone Bible churches, and home fellowships. Although these expressions of faith may be genuine and well meaning, they often lack Biblical and Historical integrity in their doctrine, government, and pattern of worship. The potential for relational wounds, isolation, exclusivity, and deception that can result from this sort of Lone Ranger approach to Christianity is staggering, all the while its adherents claiming the Bible as their sole source for guidance. Sincere as it may be, this Lone Ranger Christianity lacks faith because it seems to suggest for the past 2,000 years, the Holy Spirit has failed to lead His Church into all truth; it lacks fortitude and discipline because it is too lazy to research and study the beginnings of the Church outside of her recorded history in Acts; it lacks humility because it may be confronted with the fact that there actually has been an ongoing faithful and apostolic church that continues to exist today that may be quite different from their perceived notions on what church should be like; and it lacks courage because to discover something that has been in existence under its nose this whole time might cause it to consider what it has never had, though it has been always been available.

So what then? If Scripture in and of itself cannot be the safeguard of apostolic doctrine, then by what measure has the Lord Jesus Christ left to safeguard His Church from the ever encroaching gates of hell? The truth of God can be identified or categorized in two distinct, yet interrelated and in fact, symbiotic traditions: The written tradition (Scripture) as we have discussed above, and the oral tradition which was handed down to the Church from the apostles. When combined and used in a symbiotic relationship, ever led by the Holy Spirit, a three-fold cord, that cannot easily be broken emerges as the guardian of orthodoxy and a trustworthy method for determining the difference between the traditions of men and the traditions of God. Allow me to explain.

In Acts 2:42, the Bible says that the early disciples "continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." So we know that the earliest Christian church in Jerusalem was meeting regularly to break bread, to fellowship, and to sit under the teachings of the Apostles' doctrine. Therefore, we must conclude, that the worship and practice of the early church was based upon the doctrine of the Apostles, since they had been with Jesus who had "...opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures." Now let's build upon this precept with another precept from Scripture.   Jude 3 affirms the delivery of the apostolic message to the saints when he reminds them "...to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." We must ask ourselves then, who delivered this faith to the saints once and for all? As we just read in Acts 2:42, it was the apostles who delivered to the saints the faith that should be earnestly contended for and defended against "ungodly men who creep in unnoticed, who turn the grace of God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." It was Jesus Christ Himself that gave the apostles the authority and the Great Commission to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you..."

Hopefully by now, it is clear that the traditions of God were not only handed down to the apostles, but they were also safeguarded by them as well. Now, let us refer back to an earlier Scripture that we discussed in Part II. In II Thessalonians 2:15, the Apostle Paul states, "Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle." It is clear here, that there are two distinct types of Holy Tradition as mentioned above. There is the tradition that was written in the form of an epistle (or letter) and there was the tradition handed down orally, as stated "by word". By this passage and others that we will soon discover, it is clear that not all of that which was considered a Holy and apostolic tradition of God was written down. For example, Philippians 4:9 states, "The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the peace of God will be with you." Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 11:34, when giving the church instruction on celebrating the Eucharist, Paul states, "If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come." It cannot be any clearer that Paul was unable to communicate everything in written form, thus, he said that the rest of what was needed for correct belief and practice would have to be communicated in person, by word, and by example.

These Scriptures teach us that the written word alone, was insufficient, in that it could not fully communicate that which was necessary for correct doctrine and worship (as we stated above that anyone who can read can offer their own interpretation of Scripture). In other words, the Scripture (or epistle) itself had to be interpreted correctly and safeguarded from heresy and deceptive doctrines by the apostolic witness, or later, by Bishops of the church who received the Apostolic succession. This line of Bishops, were given the responsibility of not only safeguarding the Apostolic oral and written tradition, but also passing it down to future generations. This was accomplished by the Apostolic succession of Bishops and their conciliar church counsels and creeds. One might retort, but the early church was full of heretics, and I would reply that it was only because of the Bishops' conciliar approach to interpreting and defending the truth of the Apostolic teachings, that heresy was even identified and recorded in history. In other words, to know and define what was heresy, one must first have known what was orthodox! And this they knew because of the Holy tradition passed down to the Apostles by Jesus Christ Himself, and further transmitted to the apostolic fathers and their successive bishops, all of this mind you, was established prior to the cannons of Scripture.

In this method and in a conciliar approach, the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic faith was passed down to the church in an unbroken chain until 1054 when the Roman bishop decided to assert himself over his fellow eastern bishops and claim supremacy over the Church. This move by the Roman Catholic church was unprecedented, representing the first major break from the apostolic tradition. Its consequences continue to reverberate in her Western children and have resulted in much schism, division, and splintering since.    Most Protestants now look at the ancient church through the lens of the Roman Catholic Church and rightly interpret many of her "late traditions" (which have no root in the apostolic tradition) as extra Biblical and sometimes down right heretical. However, the decisions of the Roman church to break from its conciliar and apostolic tradition, do not give us as individuals and denominations license to become the interpreters of Biblical truth. We must look past the 1,000 year lens of Roman Catholic heritage in the West, into the ancient and conciliar faith to find the true doctrines and patterns of worship established by the apostles and early fathers of the Church. We must remember that the early church was self correcting because of its apostolic visits, epistles, and its conciliar nature modeled by the apostles in Jerusalem and continued by their successive and ordained bishops.   We must also be careful to remember that although much of the apostolic tradition is not directly recorded in Scripture, it is always consistent with Scripture, and is also available in a plethora of ancient texts with impressive manuscript authority.

Therefore, in summary, we conclude that God is the source of all Holy tradition, and that He has dispensed this tradition primarily through the life of His Son Jesus Christ, the doctrines of the apostles, and the leading of the conciliar church by His Holy Spirit. The Church, which according to 1 Timothy 3:15 is "...the pillar and support of the truth.", has had and continues to have the responsibility of safeguarding the truth of God and enforcing His traditions. Bishop Kallistos of Diokliea says, "If it is the Church that tells us what is Scripture, equally it is the Church who tells us how Scripture is to be understood". Therefore, if we trusted the Church to show us what the Scriptures are, should we not also have trusted the Church in her understanding of worship and practice as embodied in her traditions, creeds, and councils?

Quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est.

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

Mark

Book Release!

2013-02-28T12:27:00.000-08:00

Our journey toward a new monasticism often requires tools and resources to help us along this thorny trek. i cannot begin to tell you how books and other multi-media resources have helped to light my path and encourage me to continue on this narrow road we walk in the Kingdom of God. It's been nearly two years since i began re-monk.com, and it is now my great privilege to offer you a tool that has come to life as a result of my decision to "re-monk" my life. Part of my calling and the primary purpose of this site is to encourage and equip other whole-hearted believers on their journey with Jesus. With that said, i am humbled to announce the release of my third book of centering prayers, called Song of Songs: Centering Prayers for the Bride of Christ.

After more than ten years of studying, preaching, and praying through the Song of Songs, i wrote this book of centering prayers to coincide with each chapter and verse of the Biblical book written by King Solomon. Now, i'm inviting you to experience its passion and power through the poetic prayers of Song of Songs: Centering Prayers for the Bride of Christ. This book is about three times the length of my other two books for sale on the side bar------->, and by far my favorite of the three.

For a donation of $10.00 or more to Eleventh Hour Mission, we will send you a signed copy of the book as our gift to you (Don't forget to mention offer SOS). Should you prefer to order online, we are offering a discounted price through the months of February and March in honor of Saint Valentine and Saint Patrick. Click here to order your discounted copy directly from our distributor! You can also order on Amazon at full retail price by clicking here.

I want to personally thank each of you who have read the articles, listened to sermons, ordered books, prayed for this ministry, and/or have taken the challenge to re-monk urselves! May God richly bless you and continue to assist you in your journey toward a new monasticism by the power of the Holy Spirit!

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

Mark

On Tradition: Part Two

2013-01-14T16:31:00.002-08:00

In our last post, we discussed how the Protestant Church essentially divorced itself from the traditions of the ancient Church by throwing anything that resembled the Roman Catholic Church away, and by doing so, also discarded many of the rich, historical, mystical, and meaningful worship patterns established by the early church. As a result of the abuses and errors promulgated by the Roman Church from 1200-1500 A.D., we can understand the reasoning, and perhaps even the felt need for the reformers to throw out the proverbial "dirty bathwater." However, the splintery, factions, divisions and violence that erupted as a result of the reformation are still being imitated by her evangelical children.

We spoke of how most protestant, evangelical, independent, and/or charismatic believers today recoil at any hint of ancient tradition because it has been programmed in us to associate it with Roman Catholicism. We balk, "Tradition is man-made!" or counter traditional arguments with statements like, "Jesus was against traditions." or "All that religious stuff came in after Constantine and made Christianity into an institution." My friends, if you will take the time to journey with us, you may be surprised by the truth you encounter,with a careful examination of the Scripture and historical reference.

In Matthew 15:3-9, Jesus gives His famous rebuke of the Pharisees and their traditions, when he exposes their hypocrisy saying, "Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites!" And in Colossians 2:8 the apostle Paul rails against those false teachers who, "cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of this world, and not according to Christ." Many armchair theologians use these passages as justification to demonize tradition. Yet these same folks who hold to the sanctity of sola scriptura fail to realize that there are other passages in Scripture that admonish believers to hold fast to tradition! Let's take a closer look.

Tradition in its most elementary form, simply means things that are handed down or passed along. Therefore, we can deduce by the authority of the Scripture that there must be two kinds of tradition: the traditions of men, and the traditions of God. In II Thessalonians 2:15, Paul states quite plainly, "Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle." And later in chapter 3 verse 6, he reiterates his command, "But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he has received from us."

The Greek word paradosis that Jesus condemns in connection to its Pharisaical hypocrisy in Matthew 15:6 is the very same word that the apostle Paul uses in II Thessalonians to instruct believers in proper worship. So do we have a scriptural contradiction? No, we simply have a different context which validates both. Jesus was condemning the traditions of men derived from "the basic principles of this world."; he was not condemning tradition. God Himself understands the importance of custom and tradition for He not only wrote it into the DNA of humanity, He wrote it into the prescribed patterns of worship for the people of Israel.
Armed with the simplest of Old Testament surveys, anyone can deduce the patterns and prescriptions for worship that Yahweh required for His people which included daily sacrifices, monthly offerings, and annual feasts to be celebrated at very specific times, in very specific ways, and in a very specific place. These set patterns of worship and remembrance cannot be underestimated in their value of keeping the Jewish faith intact for thousands of years. Jesus himself was a man of tradition, in that He was a regular attender at the synagogue. Luke 4:16 states, "As was His custom, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read." And in Acts 20:16 we are told that Paul was in a hurry to get back to Jerusalem for the Day of Pentecost!"

So how do we delineate the traditions of men from the traditions of God? Some may say, "Well, if it's in the Bible, then it's a tradition of God, if it's not then its a tradition of men." Not so fast. Most Christians fail to realize that the present cannon of Scripture that protestants enjoy today was not officially finalized until the 16th and 17th centuries! However, it is important to note that the tradition of the Church up until that time had in mind by the fifth century the books in the New Testament that were considered to be Scripture.

This leads us to an interesting question. Was the practice of the church prior to the16th century based upon the traditions of men? And if so, then what makes the official canonization of Scripture the tradition of God since it too was formed by man?

The point I'm trying to make here is that we have to move beyond our Catholiphobia if we want to return to the purity and unity of the early church. We must begin again to embrace the fullness of apostolic tradition and seek connectedness to the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church that has existed since the day of Pentecost. We must examine ancient church traditions in the writings of the early church fathers, the councils they attended, and the creeds that they fashioned. It would also do us well to explore the Hebrew roots of our worship as they developed in a New Covenant context within the first five centuries of the Church, and apply these findings to our worship in the 21st century if we truly desire to be orthodox and orthoprax in our faith. We need not cower from tradition in these days, for tradition may prove to be the very prescription for division that so ails the Church in the West, and could very well provide an anchor for our faith in the turbulent times ahead. Let us therefore reach back beyond the Reformation, beyond the Roman schism, and find the treasures of the first conciliar and unified church.

To be continued...

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

Fr. Mark

Feast of the Holy Innocents

2012-12-29T06:25:00.003-08:00

The Feast of the Holy Innocents, also known as Childermas, is a high holy day in the liturgical church year set aside to remember the innocent boys of Bethlehem who were murdered by King Herod around the time of Jesus' birth. Along with Saint Stephen's feast and the feast of Saint John, the Holy Innocents are honored during the season of Christmastide, or the twelve days of Christmas.

The western church celebrates the feast on the 28th of December while much of the eastern church venerates the innocents on the 29th. It is important to note that the universal church began to honor the memory of the slaughtered innocent sometime between the fourth and fifth century. They did this not only to decry the senseless act of infanticide that Herod ordered and to remind the church that such atrocities should never be allowed to happen again under her prayerful watch, but to re-present the reality that there is always a cost associated with following Christ.

The baby boys that were ruthlessly slaughtered in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago are now honored by the church as the very first martyrs of Jesus Christ, for they not only died for the sake of Christ, they were a fulfillment of prophecy as stated in Matthew 2:16-18. Saint Augustine said that, "They are the first buds of the Church killed by the frost of persecution; they died not only for Christ, but in his stead."

This morning, as I was reading a devotional in Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals by Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, and Enuma Okoro I came across an excellent statement that I wanted to share with you. It reads: "Since its earliest centuries, the church has remembered these 'holy innocents' who died because Jesus' coming posed a threat to those in power. Today we remember all the little ones, born and unborn, who are sacrificed in a culture of death that has not yet welcomed the good news of Jesus."

It is true, we live in a culture of death. Television, movies, video games, music, gun violence, euthanasia, and abortion, are all signposts that point to our guilt as a nation for worshipping at the altar of death and the church's failure to keep watch. In light of the recent tragedy in Connecticut, lawmakers and lobbyist are scrambling for answers and solutions, seeking to put yet another band aid on a gaping wound by making firearms the scapegoat for the moral decay instead of addressing the infection that lies at the root of such monstrosities: a culture of death. A generation of desensitized "zombies" are being raised by television, horror movies, and video games that not only promote, but invite people to participate in virtual sex and violence, so that genocide not only becomes a daily mental and sensual reality, but also a means for entertainment and fantasy.

The Holy Innocents is a mournful feast in which we "feed" on the sorrow of the slaughter of the innocent and call to remembrance the souls of children who have died at the hands of oppression, tyranny, greed, perversion, and convenience. It is also a time to renew our charge as the Church to stand up for those who cannot defend themselves, to cry out for justice, to demand an end to sanctioned genocide, and to earnestly pray for a cultural shift that causes death, horror, and sexual immorality to be abhorred instead of cradled.

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

Fr. Mark

In Defense of December 25th

2012-12-10T16:23:00.001-08:00

In the last several decades, much to do has been made of the Pagan origins of Christmas, which I hope to prove to you could be no further from the truth. Arm-chair theologians who carelessly abstract their claims from hearsay and various Internet sites, often ignoring the primary resources and/or their proper contexts, often wrongly conclude that the advent of Constantine brought about the demise of the one true apostolic church, the introduction of pagan idolatry into the church, and the idolatrous celebration of Christmas.

Although many of the practices of our modern Christmas celebration do include pagan activities, which later crept into the holy day as a result of the Western Church's attempt to Christianize its pagan contemporaries, it is naive to think that the early church embraced these as part of their celebration of the nativity. The earliest mention of the date for Christmas came circa 200 while the earliest documented celebrations came between 250-300 A.D., a period when persecuted Christians were intentionally distancing themselves from their pagan roots, not trying to mingle with them via syncretism.

The earliest record supporting the 25th of December as the birth of Jesus was written in the early third century by Hippolytus in his commentary on Daniel 4:23. He states: "The first coming of our Lord, that in the flesh, in which he was born at Bethlehem, took place eight days before the Kalends of January, a Wednesday, in the forty-second year of the reign of Augustus, 5500 years from Adam." Hippolytus' date for the nativity was Wednesday, December 25th, 5 BCE. Even before Hippolytus, Clement of Alexandria who lived from 150-215 CE, wrote that "...there are those who have not only determined the year of our Lord's birth, but also the day; and they say that it took place...in the twenty-fifth day of Pachom." Another early mention of Jesus' birthday came in the mid-300's from a Roman Almanac that lists the death dates of various bishops and martyrs. The first date listed is December, 25th and writes, "natus Christus in Betleem Judeae".

Hippolytus

Although the calculations of the early fathers may not have been precise, it is evident that the Church began to recognize the nativity long before it began the practice of converting pagan holidays into Christian ones under Pope Leo in the early seventh century. The point is, that the recognition of the winter birth of Jesus was recorded by the end of the second century, which was over a century prior to Constantine's rule and long before it became identified with any pagan festival.

Many Christians reject the significance of December 25th because of its connection to the Roman Mithraic Feast of the Sun god, and the celebration of Saturnalia which both coincide with the winter solstice, however this coincidence should not invalidate the significance of the December 25th date because as we have shown above, the date was "calculated" prior to the Western Christian (Roman Catholic) practice of syncretism. Could it be that God, in His eternal wisdom and heavenly sense of humor chose December 25th as the day when the SON of God triumphed over the god of the Sun by bringing redemption to those pagan gentiles, who were covered in darkness, through the light of the Christ Child?

Early Christian tradition holds that the annunciation of Christ's birth and his subsequent conception came to Mary by the Angel of Gabriel in the sixth lunar month on March 25th in 5 BCE, which would have been the 15th of Nisan, the exact day of Pesach (Passover). Now projecting nine months from that date, the early fathers calculated December 25th to be the date for the nativity of Christ. This calculation would give the mid-winter birth of Christ some validity. However, the questions of the shepherds watching their flocks by night have caused some to dismiss this because the normal times for shepherds to watch their flocks in the fields was in the spring and summer. It is important to note however, that it was also traditional for shepherds at this time to reserve a winter pasture near large towns so that their flocks could continue to graze year round, especially in more mild winters. The mid-winter calculation all depends upon when Zechariah was actually fulfilling his duty as a priest in the temple, for there are two possibilities that exists according to the "divisions of Abijah" mentioned in 1 Chronicles 24.

Some scholars believe that Zechariah's stint at the temple occurred during the 10th week which was the 8th course of Abijah according to 1 Chronicles 24:10. This places Zechariah's service on the second Sabbath of the month of Sivan (May/June) and John's birth on Passover, Nisan 15 (allowing for the two week period of separation before returning home). This position is interesting to note because during the Passover Seder, a special place is always set in anticipation for the coming of Elijah, whom Jesus said was none other than John the Baptist. This calculation would place the birth of Jesus six months later on the 15th day of the seventh month which is the first day of the feast of Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles). It is interesting to note as well, that in John 1:14, the Scripture says that the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt (literally tabernacled) among us..." Furthermore, Messianic tradition holds that Hanukkah, or the festival of lights is believed to have been the time when the Maccabees hoped for the return of God's Shekinah glory. Hanukkah comes approximately three months after Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement - late September/early October). This means that if Jesus was in fact born in Sukkot, that he may very well have been conceived during Hanukkah!

Others state that each of the 40 families of priests who were to serve at the temple throughout the year, served two terms which would put the second course of Abijah at the 34th week. This would place his service at the temple on Yom Kippur (late September) which seems to agree with the conversation between Zechariah and Gabriel found in Luke 1:8-24, meaning that John was perhaps conceived on or around the 17th of Tishri (early October) and born on the 17th of Tammuz (June/July). This interpretation would mean that Jesus was not only conceived on Nisan 15 (March 25), but was born nine-months later on December 25th.

I know, it's as clear as mud...It still confuses me, but hang in there for one more point!

As we stated earlier, the first record of Jesus' birthday was calculated sometime in the beginning of the third century by Hippolytus who indicated a December 25th nativity in 5 BCE. When I discovered what I am about to share with you, it nearly floored me! As we discussed earlier, there is great probability for the birth of Jesus having occurred on the first day of Sukkot (the feast of Tabernacles) which places Jesus' conception during the Festival of Lights, or Hanukkah). Check this out! In 5 BCE, the first day of Hanukkah (Kislev 25) fell on December 25th! Chew on that for a while...

The point I'm trying to make is this: whether Jesus, was actually born on December 25th or sometime in late September is not near as important as the fact that He came! And whether the Jewish Calendar or the Christian Calendar is correct is of little importance. What is important, is that some how, and in some way, God has unfolded His mysterious plan, in that both Jew and Gentile became beneficiaries of Christ's advent. Furthermore, that December 25th should hold great weight in both traditions. Whether it be a celebration of his actual birth from the Virgin's womb, or a celebration of His conception, both can and should be considered an advent of the promised Messiah; one being the return of God's shekinah glory to the earth into the womb of a young Jewish girl named Mary, and the other being the great fulfillment of God's promise to "tabernacle" with His people.

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

Mark

Notes

1. Clement, Stromateis 1.21.145

2. Philocalian Calandar

3. Hebrews For Christians, John J. Parsons, "Christmas Day" hebrew4christians.com/articles/Christmas/christmas.htm

4. The Seven Feasts of Messiah, Edward Chumney, Treasure House, 2001

On Tradition: Part One

2012-11-27T09:08:00.000-08:00

It has become a byword in many independent, evangelical, and charismatic churches... something to avoid at all cost...an unholy word that should find no place to rest in our postmodern Christian landscape...in fact the absence of it has become our litmus test for being relevant, original and even "apostolic".

The word...TRADITION....

Meanwhile, in the western church's fight for relevance amongst a cacophony of other options, she has become more irrelevant than ever. A generation of youth are screaming for stability, while their gen-xer parents are still trying to find themselves. American evangelicalism, with its lack of passion and power, deflated by the recent election results, is beginning to wake up to the fact that something is missing. When drawing crowds becomes more important than discipleship so that we can pay the mortgage on a building that is rarely used, when "trunk or treat" becomes the great harvest, when pagan egg hunts become the highlight of the Easter season, and when inflatables, fire trucks, and cotton candy become our main means of evangelism, something is amiss!

We long to be rooted. We want to be grounded. We need to identify with something greater than our little selves, our little church, and our little denomination. However, we are often ignorant of our spiritual roots system, and too narrow-minded to look at Church history through any other lens than the protestant reformation. Our "personal" relationship with Jesus Christ has become too personal! We have our personal interpretations of Scripture, we have have our personal convictions, we have our own personal way of worship, and our personal pet doctrines. Our faith has become so personal that we rarely feel the need to share it with others, because....it's personal.

Our personal, individualized, and isolated faith has made us evangelicals orphans, runaways. We pride ourselves on independence and being self-made men and women. With so few connections to our apostolic fathers, the historic creeds and councils of the early church, and an absence of liturgy, we have in essence divorced ourselves from our ancestors, those early patriots of the faith who listened to the Word and the Spirit; who wrote treaties in defense of the faith, who established patterns of worship for new covenant believers, who battled heresies, who established the canon of Scripture, who did not parlay with politics, and who often signed their own death warrant by the way they worshipped!

We cannot forget where we came from or we will not know where we are headed. We cannot forsake the foundations of our faith because one of the dioceses of the conciliar church decided to go it alone in 1054! It is because we have forgotten the family, that we evangelicals decided to start our own without the blessing and the heritage of our spiritual parentage. In doing so we unknowingly joined ourselves into the the gang of independence, politics, and rebellion; then we labeled it Christian, forgetting that the kingdom to which we belong is ruled by a sovereign.

Thus, anything ancient, orderly, or liturgical tends to either offend our protestant sensibilities or remind us of the dogmatic errors of the Roman Church and how right we were to distance ourselves from anything of that flavor. And so we discard 1500 years of our family tradition, occasionally wandering our way back to Acts chapter 2 so that we can remind ourselves how far off track we have gotten instead of how far we have come!

We forget that the early Church was an infant church, a fledgling minority of Jews and Gentiles who met in homes, caves and grave yards. It was a church constantly battling heresy, false teachings, paganism, and immorality. It was a Church that had nothing more to go on than the Holy Spirit, the Old Testament and the testimony of 12 men. Please don't get me wrong here! I am in no way discrediting the purity and example of the early Church as described in the book of Acts! However, I recognize that it was a foundation that was to be built upon by the Church universal through the work and leadership of the Holy Spirit over the next 2,000 years.

In John 16:12 Jesus said to his disciples, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth..." In other words, even the apostles could not bear all that the Lord Jesus Christ had planned to do in and through His Church, but that the Holy Spirit would lead and guide Christ's body into all truth.

The Apostolic Tradition, the Apostle's Creed, the Didache, numerous epistles, and conciliar documents produced by the early church fathers during the first five centuries provided the church with an apostolic "prescription" for orderly worship, moral conduct, church organization, liturgy, communion, baptism, catechism, fasting, and church life (in short orthopraxy, or right practice). These traditions were handed down to the Church from the Apostles of Jesus Christ and subsequently to their successors, the Bishops; who being overseers of the early church and guardians of the one true faith, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Old Testament patterns of worship, and ecumenical councils, established not only a universal (catholic) faith with common practice, but an orthodox one as well.

The great success of the Protestant Church is that it recovered the apostolic doctrine that had long been smothered in Roman dogma and papal supremacy (not realizing that the conciliar faith still existed in the East). However, in its haste to be rid of all things Roman, the Reformers mistakenly threw out the apostolic traditions and decided that right belief (orthodoxy) would be a sufficient replacement for right practice (orthopraxy). Much to the reformer's chagrin and to our misfortune, right doctrine alone does not unify or even reform the church, (especially when it is left to so many discontented and disconnected personalities to interpret and apply it to church life, discipline, and worship) rather it creates an environment for division, schism, and war. Right doctrine must be married to right practice or the Church of Jesus Christ will continue to splinter and divide.

Then how does that happen?

The Church, that is, the whole body of Christ, must return not only to right doctrine, but to right practice. She must humble herself and return to the foundations of our faith as outlined by our fathers. We must dig up the "graves" of the apostolic fathers and re-search the wisdom of the early creeds and councils! We must rediscover the great traditions discarded by the Reformers and reintroduce the early forms of worship, evangelism, and discipleship! We must learn to love the liturgy and reexamine the reality of Holy Communion! We must embrace biblical and historical church government! And we must look carefully to find the churches that have continued in the traditions for over 2,000 years so that we can learn from their wisdom, and some how can get it back to good...

"Stand ye at the crossroads, and see, ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." ~Jeremiah 6:16

To be continued...

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

Fr. Mark

Praying to the Dead? Part Two

2012-10-31T14:51:00.000-07:00

It's ironic that on All-Hallow's-Eve I am writing about praying to the dead. I know, it sounds a bit morbid, or at least medieval for our modern minds to perceive the possibility that praying to the dead could actually help our walk with Christ; however, my hope is that you may gain a clearer understanding of an ancient practice so that you also can enjoy the benefits of communing with those who have gone before us in Christ. If it sounds too spooky for you, just bare with me and keep reading!

In the 8th century, the Church appointed November 1st and 2nd to be feast days honoring the dead in Christ. November 1st was set aside to honor the saints and was thus named All Saints Day, and November 2nd was termed the Feast of All Souls, in honor of all those who would soon become saints. It was evident by the institution of these Holidays, that the church highly valued the saints that had passed on to be with the Lord.

For all of the accusations of syncretism and pagan origins that are so often hurled at the church for its adoption of various Holidays, I might remind us that we arm chair theologians may have the convenience of historical scrutiny, but we lack the cultural context and understanding of the Holy Spirit's guidance of His Church during that particular point in time. We might also be wise to consider Psalm 116:15 which states, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints."   Could it be that the church was simply trying to emulate this verse by giving proper honor and observance to those who had fought the good fight of faith?

Although these Holidays have recently become overshadowed by the commercialization of Halloween, it is important to remember and bring into our own experience the life and times of those heroic Christians who have gone before us. It was an early tradition that on the eve of All Saints Day, Christians in the British Isles would hold vigil to remember the dead and to celebrate the fact that "Death is swallowed up in victory." By memorializing the "dead in Christ", we do not worship them, we simply honor the life in God that they led. It would be unjust to create a culture of honor only for those who are physically present among us, for by ignoring the "dead" in Christ, we ignore the victory that was won by Christ. By honoring the saints we proclaim Christ's victory and shame our enemy by echoing the prophet Hosea who first said, "O Death, Where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" Honoring the dead in Christ brings the reality of Christ's present risenness into our midst, and serves to "re----member" the mystical Body of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Apostle's Creed (also known by early Christians as the Baptismal Creed), perhaps the oldest credal statement in Church History, affirms the reality mentioned above, in that it clearly states the following: "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of the saints...". The historical church has taught that the communion of saints "is the spiritual solidarity which binds the faithful on earth...and the saints in heaven in the organic unity of the same mystical body under Christ its head..." (newadvent.org)  Now, if I may, I will try to explain why we evangelicals have such an aversion to "praying" or communing with the "dead" in Christ.

The Roman Church had taken its veneration of the dead to a perverse extreme during the middle ages, as it did many of the sacred traditions of the church during that time of her separation and independence from the greater catholic church in the east. As a result, the reformers, in an attempt to purify themselves from anything "Roman Catholic", threw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater.  Communing with the saints, iconography, certain sacramental elements, the sign of the cross, liturgical forms and prayers, incense, and many of the great traditions practiced by even the earliest church were relegated to defiled antiquity. As a result, most Protestant Evangelicals today are not only divorced from any form of worship that existed prior to the Reformation, they are deprived of the rich traditions and sacred graces that empowered the church for a millennium and half prior to the Reformation.

If you're still not convinced by history and Biblical precedent, that engaging the saints in prayer is something that is Biblically relevant, then please allow me a few more Scriptural references that might sway your opinion, if not get you curious enough to do your own research. In Matthew 17, Jesus took His closest friends up to a mountain to pray; and there, Moses and Elijah appeared before them. Then Scripture tells us that Jesus was talking with them. Next, a voice from heaven came out of the clouds and said, "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased." Everything that Jesus did on earth was pleasing to the Father, including talking with the "dead". Now, we know that Jesus was not worshipping Moses and Elijah as Peter was tempted to do on the mount of transfiguration, however, we can ascertain that Jesus was receiving encouragement, counsel, and prayer from His heavenly visitors.

I would like to make it clear that Christ is our only mediator and that every individual believer can approach the throne of Grace boldly. Furthermore, we need not the help of the saints in order to have access to God. However, just because we have free and unlimited access to the throne of God by the blood of Jesus Christ, does not mean that we do not need the prayers of our friends and family, thus we often entreat them to pray for us. For Jesus himself taught us that there is more power and presence in prayer when we join together with others in agreement. Why not ask those who are unencumbered by the restraints of time and worldly pressures who are always and already praying before the throne of God (Revelation 4:4,10,11; 5:8-10,13; 6:9-11; 7:9-12) to intercede for those of us who are not yet there? "Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses..." should be asking of those who are cheering us on, for their prayers! God bless you friends, and until next time, I will be...

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

Mark Whitten

Praying To The Dead?: Part One

2012-09-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

It wasn't too long ago that a friend of ours, when discussing the nature of our new monastic ministry (Eleventh Hour Mission) asked if we prayed to the dead. I gathered that she was referring to the photo of votive candles posted on our website (you know, the bank of candles that you might find in a Roman Catholic Church?). At first I casually laughed off the question, but later found myself giving pause to the theological implications that such a question raises, especially among those of us who are in more liturgical/sacramental expressions of the church universal.

Although votive candles, or vigil lights are often lit to demonstrate special devotion or to make an appeal to a specific saint, more often than not, the candles are lit as a visible sign that prayers are being said for a specific purpose. Any well-trained Catholic would tell you that there is no magic in the candle themselves, rather they are used as a sign to engage the praying person with the light of Christ; the ascension of smoke symbolizing the incense that rises before the throne of God, that is the prayers of the saints. The lighting of the candle helps the intercessor to imagine his or her pray as a small flame, that when joined together with other small flames, a noticeable light is made which may attract a heavenly response.

Now, back to the question of praying to the dead. Do Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican believers actually pray to the saints? And is there any Biblical precedent for this? Let us explore the matter.

Growing up as an evangelical fundamentalist, the thought of Roman Catholics praying to their patron saints or to the virgin Mary was laughable to me. I would snidely remark within myself how foolishly deceived these poor Catholics were. It wasn't until my "conversion" into a more liturgical/sacramental faith did I even consider the possibility of such prayers even being valid. My beloved Bishop was patient to teach me that when catholic believers invoke the saints in prayer, they are not actually praying to the saints, but rather asking the saints to pray with them and for them, as we might ask a friend or family member to do the same. He continued to show me very graciously that the Scriptures do in fact attest to the validity of entreating the dead in Christ to pray with us and for us, and that the practice is not only valid, but a powerful means of intercession. Here is what I have learned:

#1. When confronted with the question of whether it is Biblical to pray to, or with, or for the dead, many fundamentalists would point to the Old Testament passage in Deuteronomy18:11 that says "to conjure spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead" is detestable and an abomination to the Lord. In looking at this passage, we must consider two things: 1) This Old Testament command was given prior to the Resurrection. This in no way invalidates the command for today mind you because such practices remain detestable to the Lord, however, because of its pre-resurrection context, it cannot be associated or attached to the practice in discussion here as we will soon discover. 2) The passage was written in the context of other evil practices related to witchcraft and sorcery, all noted demonic activities. The Catholic, Anglican, or Orthodox view of praying with the saints (the dead in Christ) could not be further away from consulting witches and psychic readers who are in deed guided by the demonic.

# 2. In Mark 12:18-27 the Sadducee's (a Jewish Sect who did not believe in the resurrection) tried to trap Jesus by asking Him a question about marriage in the afterlife. His response was not only brilliant, but very pertinent to our discussion. He said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven. But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken." Not only were the Sadducee's rebuked for their ignorance of Scripture, the entire fundamental basis of their theology was dismantled. In light of this, it would be wise for the dogmatic theologian to consider the whole counsel of Scripture on a subject matter before he proves himself a fool, as did the Sadducee's!

# 3. In Matthew 27:51-53 a mysterious passage appears. It states that after Jesus gave up His spirit on the cross, that "...the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of their graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many." It is evident from this passage, that when Christ died, he brought freedom from the grave to those who were asleep in Him. In other words, those whose faith was counted unto them as righteousness because they looked forward to the coming of Messiah, were raised from the dead soon after Christ Himself rose. These saints now had access to the throne of grace in the heavenly realm because of the blood of Jesus!

2 Corinthians 5:8 brings a bit more simplicity and clarity to the above passage stating that: "...to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord". Therefore, in light of this passage and others that attest to the living faith of the "dead in Christ", we can safely conclude, that the dead in Christ are not dead at all, but very present to the Lord and to us! We, through Jesus Christ can say again to those who deny the present resurrection and to the dogmatic religionists of our day that indeed, God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living! For He is a living God! But the question still remains, is praying with departed saints a Biblically acceptable practice in new Testament Christianity. Stay tuned for part two of "Praying to the Dead?" as we try to unpack Scripture, the testimony of the early Church fathers, and the experience of the Church throughout history.

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

mark

P.S. If you haven't checked out our new local ministry site please do so! http://eleventhhourmission.com

Mark's Vision of the Tilted Cross

2012-08-12T10:58:00.002-07:00

First, I would like to apologize for not posting last month. I have been wrapping up my ordination process to become a priest in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches. After two and half years of study and finishing a lengthy Canonical Exam, my "anam cara" Kirk and I were ordained in the great tradition by our beloved Bishop Wayne of the Diocese of Saint Patrick, in Sparta, Tennessee yesterday at the Crossroads Cathedral at Bryn Athyn!

This morning, somewhere between sleep and wake (what I have come to call another "thin place" wherein the veil between heaven and earth seems to be stretched thin) I heard these words in an internal audible voice: "The cross in the earth will tilt, and many will fall from it." Then I had a vision of a three-dimensional cross tilting or leaning over on its side at about a 45 degree angle. As I looked closer, I could see tiny people all over the cross; many had fallen off, others were sliding, some were dangling by one hand, and still others were embracing it and clinging to it with all their might.

I sat up from my resting position and I began to ponder what the Lord was speaking to me in the morning hours. The dream's content was very sobering to say the least and as I inquired the Lord in my spirit, I was reminded of a few Scriptures that I will share in a moment. Then, i heard Him say that "when the cross tilts, the only way to remain on the cross will be to lean into it, and to embrace it fully."

In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 the apsotle Paul gives us a glimpse into the things that must soon take place before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. "Now bretheren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to soon be shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ has come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first..."

Beloved, it is not difficult to perceive that we are living in the last days. One must only watch the nightly news to discern the difficult days that draw nigh. However, while most Christians in the West are putting all of their escahtalogical eggs in the rapture basket, they are doing very little to prepare themselves for the Great Falling away that both Paul and Jesus prophesied would take place BEFORE "the gathering together".

Let us look closely at what Jesus says about the Great Apostacy or falling away. In Matthew 24:7-13, He says, "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All of these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver YOU up to tribulation and kill YOU, and YOU will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then MANY will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures until the end shall be saved."

I encourage you to read this again carefully and insert yourself into the story (note the added emphasis and bold lettering as you ponder this passage).

Here we find that Jesus is clearly talking about Christians in the last days. He is talking about YOU and me. What we are seeing in the earth today is "the beginning of the sorrows". Nations are rising up against nations, famines are occurring all over the globe, the number of diseases and pestilence is more wide spread than any time in human history, and there have been more earthquakes recorded in rapid succession in the last decade than ever before! We are seeing the sorrows mount before our very eyes! Yet we Westerners tend to think that we are somehow exempt from the plagues mentioned in this book. While so many Christians are focused on being swept away, just in the nick of time, from any prospect of having to endure the terrible times to come, we are becoming more and more ignorant and grossly ill prepared for what is coming upon the earth within the next decade.

Notice that Jesus says, "...and many will be offended..." He said this very thing after John the Baptists' disciples came to ask Him if He truly was the Christ or if they should be looking for another. Remember the words of Christ recorded in Matthew 11:6 "And blessed is he who is not offended because of me." If we look at this passage in Matthew, we can see that John the Baptist, the forerunner and baptizer of the Messiah, the one who proclaimed, "Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!", was offended with Jesus. Here was this great desert nomad, prophet of God, bold and fearless before man, who was asking Jesus if He was really the Christ! Why would John begin to question Jesus' leadership? Why did he send his disciples to ask such a faithless question? Especially after all that he had seen and witnessed?

John was offended. He was offended at the leadership decisions of Jesus Christ. And Why? John was in a prison cell awaiting execution.

When the stuff hits the fan, when the economy collapses, when we loose our jobs and livlihood, when our loved ones die or are taken captive, when our homes are destroyed, and our bodies are beaten, when we find ourselves rotting away in a prison cell, will we too ask the Lord Jesus, "Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?" Those who are offended will be prime targets for the false teachers and prophets who will arise in the earth in those days.

When the cross is tilted, will we be counted among those who fell from it? Will our love grow cold? Will we be offended? Will we be numbered with those who fall away?

The Bible clearly warns us of the things that are coming upon the earth (and this does not exempt America!). In Hebrews 12 the author quotes a passage from Haggia, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven." Now this "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain."

Beloved, with all fear and trembling I exhort you to ammend your lives and embrace the cross of Christ. For there is coming a shaking to our land, yes America and the West! Let us lay aside every weight that hinders and every sin that entangles so that we will not fall from Grace when the cross is tilted for us to bear.

Let us not be ignorant of the things to come by foolishly exempting ourselves because of our current prosperity and Olympic success. Rather let us position ourselves as wise virgins so that we may cling only to Jesus Christ and not be offended at His leadership in these last days.

My heart is saddened when I think of the possibility that my country may represent the largest portion of those believers who fall from faith in the Great Time of Testing that will soon come upon the earth. May God have mercy on us and may we begin to act soberly in the days in which we live. May you and I be counted among those who cling to the cross and endure until the end.

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

fr. mark

P.S. i have never done this before to my knowledge, but I ask you to please share this message with as many people as possible. Feel free to cut and paste it on your own document or email. i am not asking for credit or for traffic to my blog. There is a tremendous burden in my heart to release this word to as many as will have ears to hear it. And i thank you for helping to get it out there in a timely manner. Blessings and love to you.

The 12 New Marks of Monasticism

2012-06-30T05:27:00.000-07:00

“The power to transform societies and to redeem the human condition
finds roots in the stored wisdom of the human past.”

~Thomas Oden

1. Supremacy of the First Command :: Although we long for social justice and peace on Earth, we long for the One who is Justice Himself, and understand that there will be no ultimate peace until His Kingdom comes in fullness. Therefore, as we tarry, we position ourselves to minister to and receive ministry from the One who loves us first and foremost. We join with the Holy Spirit in saying, “Come Lord Jesus, Come!” We place prayer, worship, and communion with God as the top priority of every Christian endeavor. We also understand that if the Kingdom of God does not flow in us, it cannot effectively flow through us to a lost and broken world. The new monastic values intimacy with God not only as a means to a ministry end, but also as an end in and of itself. “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” ~Matthew 22:36-38

2. Sacred Space:: Weather it be an abandoned warehouse in an urban context, a closet in a single mother’s apartment, or a log cabin in the country, we value places set aside for worship and prayer, and believe that these places can become sacred “thin places” as the early Celtic Christians used to call them. Places where the vale between heaven and earth is pulled back so that the presence of God is made manifest. When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” ~Genesis 28:16-17

3. Simplicity :: Rather than making an official vow of poverty, the new monastics live in the reality of Proverbs 30:8 “…give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” new monastics understand that we are owners of nothing but are stewards of everything that the Master places within our sphere of influence and responsibility. Therefore, we choose to be financially responsible, environmentally conservative, and relationally careful. Our simplicity does not arise from a political agenda or social trend, rather it comes from the Holy Spirit’s love and concern for human beings and the creation that they inhabit; and so we tread this earth with an open hand and a gentle foot. Possessions do not govern the life of the new monastic nor does the tyranny of the urgent. For this reason, the new monastic not only craves silence and solitude, but his or her rule of life demands it in order to maintain the delicate balance of being “in the world but not of it”. Simplicity for the new monastic is cultivating a deliberate lifestyle wherein life’s worries, riches and pleasures find difficult ground to grow. It is in this simplicity that the Word of God is free to grow without being choked out by the business of life and the deceitful allure of riches. ~Matthew 13:22

4. Radical Generosity :: The command of Jesus is simple: “Give to everyone who asks you…” Luke 6:11. Because new monastics value simplicity and aim to follow the Sermon on the Mount radically, giving is not an option. We give when we have plenty to share; we give even when it hurts. Giving includes our time, our talents, and our money. The deceitfulness of riches and the pain of extreme poverty can present great danger to the Christian soul. In light of this, the new monastic sets his heart and his hand to battle with all vigilance, these two extremes with the weapon of generosity.

5. Availability :: As Christ followers, we must be available to God and for people. New Monasticism may best describe the art of availability or hospitality through The Rule of Saint Benedict, which states in Chapter 53 “All guests who arrive should be received as Christ.” He also stressed the importance of listening and being “present” to those whom God would send our way. According to Holyhead and Muir in The Gift of Saint Benedict, “A listening ear, a quiet place for prayer, a healing space to balance the frenetic clutter of everyday pressures, an environment of simple beauty, these are all aspects of Benedictine spirituality.” Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. ~Hebrews 13:2

6. Night and Day Prayer :: in a world of words, activism bears little fruit unless it is born, bathed and nurtured in prayer. Every new monastic work will in some way reflect the value and practice of night and day prayer that calls out for Jesus and justice. This prayer movement will be fueled by intimacy, aided by liturgy, made enjoyable by music, and energized by the imminence of Christ’s second advent. ~Luke 18:1-8 Isaiah 62, Revelation 5:8, 2 Peter 3:11-13.

7. Justice :: The New Monastics will actively pursue justice and freedom from oppression for all humanity. However, before racial reconciliation, gender equality, or economic ills can be addressed, the sanctity of all human life must be the first focus for the New Monastic Movement. Without this chief cornerstone of justice in place, any attempt for ministries to call forth justice in the earth will lack authority and authenticity. Therefore New Monasticism must champion the rights of the unborn, the elderly and those faced with war and genocide! We believe that any ministry attempt to bring social justice that is not rooted in the sanctity of human life and the Imago Dei paradigm has lost its compass. ^“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all^[a] the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” ~Genesis 1:26-28

8. Relational, Nurturing Community :: The New Monastic must understand that the eternal journey is not a solo one. Our pilgrimage must happen in the context of community. It must be disciple making in its thrust and mirror the three-fold nurturing model found in Acts 2:42: Continuing in the teachings of the apostles, sharing fellowship and Holy Communion together, and attending corporate prayer gatherings. The community could be a loosely structured group of family and friends or could be a highly organized structure; however, no matter its look or feel, it must be relational and accountable in nature. The New Monastic community needs to be a safe place where relationship with God and others is nurtured and authenticity is encouraged. Restoration and healing should be its hallmarks. The family is to be recognized as one of God’s primary weapons of warfare in the community and single celibates are embraced as treasured individuals with unique callings and needs. Each New Monastic community, whether it be an inner city mission, a large rural family, or a suburban mega church, should be progressing toward or already have in place each of the following: 1) a rule of life together 2) a catechism/discipleship tract for spiritual formation 3) a rhythm of life as outlined by the Christian or Jewish year 4) a formal rite of initiation and/or membership in the community to foster a sense of belonging, commitment and stability.

9. Submission to Christ’s Body:: Members of a New Monastic community will be marked with a spirit of humility and submission to one another. Each community should follow the example given to us in Philippians 2:2-4 by “…being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.” The community will also show honor to its elders and leaders in the Lord. The New Monastics are not afraid of Godly leadership and welcome healthy and responsible spiritual authority as a means of accountability, discipline, counsel, and consolation. Hebrews 13:17, 1 Peter 5:5, Ephesians 5:2

10. Fasted Lifestyle :: New Monastic communities will be committed to a common lifestyle of simplicity, sexual purity, sharing, silence, solitude, praise and worship, contemplation, confession, intercessory prayer, and fasting. Along with these spiritual disciplines, New Monastics will be radical in their adherence to the Sermon on the Mount (found in chapters 5-7 in the book of Matthew) as prescribed by its leaders and agreed upon by the members of the community.

11. Missional :: On the surface, the history of monasticism may appear to be a movement of individuals who sought to separate themselves from the toxic influence of the world by withdrawing into isolation. However, the history of monasticism paints a much different picture for those who have taken the time to study the evangelistic effect and influence of monasticism. The monastic movement has been the birthplace for numerous missions’ movements throughout the history of the Church. Therefore, New Monasticism will also be marked by a strong compulsion to spread the Gospel and make disciples, whether it be to our neighbors across the street or the un-reached people groups of the 1040 window. New Monastics must obey the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-19 and maintain a compassionate calling to minister to the poor and persecuted throughout the world.

12. Ancient-Future Orthodoxy :: Along with “right practice” (or orthopraxis), the New Monastic movement must also be diligent and careful to maintain orthodoxy (or right belief) by safeguarding the apostolic teaching as established and defined in the five-fold dictum: One Bible, Two Testaments, Three Creeds (Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian), Four Councils, and first Five Centuries of the Church. The Vincentian Rule should also apply to the New Monastic movement: “In the world-wide community of believers every care should be taken to hold fast to what has been believed everywhere, always, and by all (Ubique, Semper, Ad Omnibus). As Thomas Oden says in his book The Rebirth of Orthodoxy, “Classic Christian teachings holds fast to what has been believed and consented to around the world by Christians of all times and places.” Ancient Future Orthodoxy guards the message of the apostolic tradition and keeps it from being highjacked by new doctrines that have no Biblical or historical basis. The New Monastic movement must be diligent to maintain classical orthodoxy and not deviate into strange adaptations of the Gospel influenced by social trends or political expedience. While being ever vigilant to guard the sacred Biblical message of the past, ancient-future orthodoxy must be progressive in its missional, formative and stylistic approach towards living out the Gospel. With that said, the New Monastic movement should also strive to operate in the spirit of the following statement offered by Count Zinzendorf, who many believe to be the father of New Monasticism: “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things love.” The New Monastics will not cave into the lures of ecumenicalism at the cost of orthodoxy, but will look for common ground with those who share in the unity of the faith though they may differ on particular elements of practice and/or worship expression. Titus 2:1, 2 Timothy 1:13, 2 Timothy 4:3-5.

The New Marks of Monasticism

2012-05-31T09:40:00.005-07:00

[Below this Article you will find the 12 New Marks of Monasticism]

As New Monasticism takes root in our nation and around the world, many believers still lack a clear understanding about this ancient-future movement. Thanks to pioneers like Robert Webber, Mike Bickle, Pete Greig, George Hunter, Thomas Oden, Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, and many others, New Monasticism has been given some language to help define the current move of the Holy Spirit to transform the Bride of Christ on earth into a living and breathing organism reminiscent of the early Church.

It was Dietrich Bonhoffer who said, that “The restoration of the Church will surely come from a new kind of monasticism, which will have nothing in common with the old but a life of uncompromising adherence to the Sermon on the Mount in the imitation of Christ. I believe the time has come to rally people together for this.” In other words, Bonhoffer saw that in order for true unity, renewal and power to return to the Church, something new out of the old must come forth. Bonhoffer echoes Jesus’ prophetic declaration in Matthew 13:52: “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

“Stand at the Crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it…” In the above Scripture passage from Jeremiah 6:16, we see the LORD exhorting His people who are standing at a pivotal crossroads in their generation. He says, look to the ancients! Look to the paths that have been proven and well worn in the History of my people. Proverbs 4:5-7 says, “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forsake her and she will preserve you; love her and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”

New Monasticism is a getting of wisdom from the ancient paths of Christianity and an application of these principles in our post-modern culture and context. It is not the methodology of the monks and nuns that we are necessarily after, rather it is the message that they carried in their hearts, which spilled over into their practice. Their radical stance against the spirit of the age is what attracts and mystifies those of us who seem to be trapped in the vortex of information technology and its postmodern demands on the human psyche. Their lives give us an example and hope that we too can break free from the world system in order to be truly free in Christ.

The entire expression and understanding of the Church in our generation is beginning to change. Therefore, it is imperative that the New Monastic Movement stands ready to embrace the massive upheavals that will soon take place in the world and in the Church. The movement must also prepare itself for the great end-times harvest of souls prophesied in the book of Revelation, chapter seven. We have been charged with a task to ready wineskins to receive new wine; to repair and prepare the nets for the greatest challenge and opportunity the Church has ever known. In light of these unprecedented challenges and opportunities that face Christ’s one holy and apostolic Church, we must begin a mature discussion about the nature of New Monasticism that brings with it language, definition, and methodology that the entire Church can understand and implement as we approach the end of the age, regardless of ethnicity, culture, or denomination.

Although we are grateful for the pioneering literary works of Shane Claibourne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove on the “12 Marks of New Monasticism”, we do not feel that they are expressive of, or inclusive to the whole body of New Monastic believers and worship communities. Some of their “Marks of New Monasticism” seem to be somewhat narrowed to a Western, urban context, failing to consider the other half of the world that lives in rural or suburban locals. It is also our observance that the 12 Marks of New Monasticism, according to Claiborne and Hartgrove, offer a more humanistic approach to Christian community than a Theistic worldview. We are also slightly troubled by the political undertones found in their 12 marks of New Monasticism and feel that several of their statements are better fitted for their individual ministries as opposed to the entire movement of New Monasticism. Therefore, we feel compelled to offer the Body of Christ and those who are on the journey toward a New Monasticism a more inclusive and God-centered approach to this movement. With that said, we offer:

The New Marks of Monasticism

Supremacy of the First Command :: Although we long for social justice and peace on Earth, we long for the One who is Justice Himself, and understand that there will be no ultimate peace until His Kingdom comes in fullness. Therefore, as we tarry, we position ourselves to minister to and receive ministry from the One who loves us first and foremost. We join with the Holy Spirit in saying, “Come Lord Jesus, Come!” We place prayer, worship, and communion with God as the top priority of every Christian endeavor. We also understand that if the Kingdom of God does not flow in us, it cannot effectively flow through us to a lost and broken world. The new monastic values intimacy with God not only as a means to a ministry end, but also as an end in and of itself. “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” ~Matthew 22:36-38
Sacred Space:: Weather it be an abandoned warehouse in an urban context, a closet in a single mother’s apartment, or a log cabin in the country, we value places set aside for worship and prayer, and believe that these places can become sacred “thin places” as the early Celtic Christians used to call them. Places where the vale between heaven and earth is pulled back so that the presence of God is made manifest. When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” ~Genesis 28:16-17
Simplicity :: Rather than making an official vow of poverty, the new monastics live in the reality of Proverbs 30:8 “…give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” new monastics understand that we are owners of nothing but are stewards of everything that the Master places within our sphere of influence and responsibility. Therefore, we choose to be financially responsible, environmentally conservative, and relationally careful. Our simplicity does not arise from a political agenda or social trend, rather it comes from the Holy Spirit’s love and concern for human beings and the creation that they inhabit; and so we tread this earth with an open hand and a gentle foot. Possessions do not govern the life of the new monastic nor does the tyranny of the urgent. For this reason, the new monastic not only craves silence and solitude, but his or her rule of life demands it in order to maintain the delicate balance of being “in the world but not of it”. Simplicity for the new monastic is cultivating a deliberate lifestyle wherein life’s worries, riches and pleasures find difficult ground to grow. It is in this simplicity that the Word of God is free to grow without being choked out by the business of life and the deceitful allure of riches. ~Matthew 13:22
Radical Generosity :: The command of Jesus is simple: “Give to everyone who asks you…” Luke 6:11. Because new monastics value simplicity and aim to follow the Sermon on the Mount radically, giving is not an option. We give when we have plenty to share; we give even when it hurts. Giving includes our time, our talents, and our money. The deceitfulness of riches and the pain of extreme poverty can present great danger to the Christian soul. In light of this, the new monastic sets his heart and his hand to battle with all vigilance, these two extremes with the weapon of generosity.
Availability :: As Christ followers, we must be available to God and for people. New Monasticism may best describe the art of availability or hospitality through The Rule of Saint Benedict, which states in Chapter 53 “All guests who arrive should be received as Christ.” He also stressed the importance of listening and being “present” to those whom God would send our way. According to Holyhead and Muir in The Gift of Saint Benedict, “A listening ear, a quiet place for prayer, a healing space to balance the frenetic clutter of everyday pressures, an environment of simple beauty, these are all aspects of Benedictine spirituality.” Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. ~Hebrews 13:2
Night and Day Prayer :: in a world of words, activism bears little fruit unless it is born, bathed and nurtured in prayer. Every new monastic work will in some way reflect the value and practice of night and day prayer that calls out for Jesus and justice. This prayer movement will be fueled by intimacy, aided by liturgy, made enjoyable by music, and energized by the imminence of Christ’s second advent. ~Luke 18:1-8 Isaiah 62, Revelation 5:8, 2 Peter 3:11-13.
Justice :: The New Monastics will actively pursue justice and freedom from oppression for all humanity. However, before racial reconciliation, gender equality, or economic ills can be addressed, the sanctity of all human life must be the first focus for the New Monastic Movement. Without this chief cornerstone of justice in place, any attempt for ministries to call forth justice in the earth will lack authority and authenticity. Therefore New Monasticism must champion the rights of the unborn, the elderly and those faced with war and genocide! We believe that any ministry attempt to bring social justice that is not rooted in the sanctity of human life and the Imago Dei paradigm has lost its compass. ^“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all^[a] the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” ~Genesis 1:26-28
Relational, Nurturing Community :: The New Monastic must understand that the eternal journey is not a solo one. Our pilgrimage must happen in the context of community. It must be disciple making in its thrust and mirror the three-fold nurturing model found in Acts 2:42: Continuing in the teachings of the apostles, sharing fellowship and Holy Communion together, and attending corporate prayer gatherings. The community could be a loosely structured group of family and friends or could be a highly organized structure; however, no matter its look or feel, it must be relational and accountable in nature. The New Monastic community needs to be a safe place where relationship with God and others is nurtured and authenticity is encouraged. Restoration and healing should be its hallmarks. The family is to be recognized as one of God’s primary weapons of warfare in the community and single celibates are embraced as treasured individuals with unique callings and needs. Each New Monastic community, whether it be an inner city mission, a large rural family, or a suburban mega church, should be progressing toward or already have in place each of the following: 1) a rule of life together 2) a catechism/discipleship tract for spiritual formation 3) a rhythm of life as outlined by the Christian or Jewish year 4) a formal rite of initiation and/or membership in the community to foster a sense of belonging, commitment and stability.
Submission to Christ’s Body:: Members of a New Monastic community will be marked with a spirit of humility and submission to one another. Each community should follow the example given to us in Philippians 2:2-4 by “…being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.” The community will also show honor to its elders and leaders in the Lord. The New Monastics are not afraid of Godly leadership and welcome healthy and responsible spiritual authority as a means of accountability, discipline, counsel, and consolation. Hebrews 13:17, 1 Peter 5:5, Ephesians 5:2
Fasted Lifestyle :: New Monastic communities will be committed to a common lifestyle of simplicity, sexual purity, sharing, silence, solitude, praise and worship, contemplation, confession, intercessory prayer, and fasting. Along with these spiritual disciplines, New Monastics will be radical in their adherence to the Sermon on the Mount (found in chapters 5-7 in the book of Matthew) as prescribed by its leaders and agreed upon by the members of the community.
Missional :: On the surface, the history of monasticism may appear to be a movement of individuals who sought to separate themselves from the toxic influence of the world by withdrawing into isolation. However, the history of monasticism paints a much different picture for those who have taken the time to study the evangelistic effect and influence of monasticism. The monastic movement has been the birthplace for numerous missions’ movements throughout the history of the Church. Therefore, New Monasticism will also be marked by a strong compulsion to spread the Gospel and make disciples, whether it be to our neighbors across the street or the un-reached people groups of the 1040 window. New Monastics must obey the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-19 and maintain a compassionate calling to minister to the poor and persecuted throughout the world.
Ancient-Future Orthodoxy :: Along with “right practice” (or orthopraxis), the New Monastic movement must also be diligent and careful to maintain orthodoxy (or right belief) by safeguarding the apostolic teaching as established and defined in the five-fold dictum: One Bible, Two Testaments, Three Creeds (Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian), Four Councils, and first Five Centuries of the Church. The Vincentian Rule should also apply to the New Monastic movement: “In the world-wide community of believers every care should be taken to hold fast to what has been believed everywhere, always, and by all (Ubique, Semper, Ad Omnibus). As Thomas Oden says in his book The Rebirth of Orthodoxy, “Classic Christian teachings holds fast to what has been believed and consented to around the world by Christians of all times and places.” Ancient Future Orthodoxy guards the message of the apostolic tradition and keeps it from being highjacked by new doctrines that have no Biblical or historical basis. The New Monastic movement must be diligent to maintain classical orthodoxy and not deviate into strange adaptations of the Gospel influenced by social trends or political expedience. While being ever vigilant to guard the sacred Biblical message of the past, ancient-future orthodoxy must be progressive in its missional, formative and stylistic approach towards living out the Gospel. With that said, the New Monastic movement should also strive to operate in the spirit of the following statement offered by Count Zinzendorf, who many believe to be the father of New Monasticism: “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things love.” The New Monastics will not cave into the lures of ecumenicalism at the cost of orthodoxy, but will look for common ground with those who share in the unity of the faith though they may differ on particular elements of practice and/or worship expression. Titus 2:1, 2 Timothy 1:13, 2 Timothy 4:3-5.

“The power to transform societies and to redeem the human condition finds roots in the stored wisdom of the human past.”

~Thomas Oden

Break On Through: Part Two

2012-04-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

Jesus: Listen to what I’m saying to you. Whatever your heart’s desire is, ask for it! But when you ask for it, have faith that you are going to receive it. And you will get what you ask for.

~Mark 11:24

How many times have we read this verse, or heard it in a sermon, or saw it quoted in a book and gone away feeling cheated, or confused, frustrated, or even deceived? We believe that the Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of the living God and would defend our truth claim vehemently, however in our own hearts, if we are truly honest with ourselves, we often don’t’ believe it, especially when we come across verses like the one mentioned above. The fierce truth is that we somehow either think that God is lying to us or tricking us somehow; or that there has to be some theological explanation for why these verses don’t work like they are supposed to; or that we just are not doing it right.

For example, in John 14:12, Jesus says: “Most assuredly (I’m really serious about this) I say to you (listen up, here is a promise I’m giving you), he who believes in me (that’s every believer including you and me), the works that I do (healing the sick, casting out devils, cleansing lepers, raising the dead, supernatural feeding programs, preaching to the multitudes) he will do also; and greater works than these (signs, wonders, acts, etc. that are more impressive or far reaching than Jesus did) he will do, because I go to the Father.”

You don’t hear it preached in most churches, because most pastors and preachers don’t know how to handle it. Most of us simply ignore this verse (and ones like it) because it doesn’t make sense to us. “Surely He didn’t mean that literally,” we reason with ourselves, all the while calling the transcendent, uncreated God a liar in our hearts; or at best we might spend a minute or two daydreaming about how cool it would be if we could go around doing the works of Jesus.

The point I’m trying to make, is that there is often a disconnect between our Western understanding (or lack thereof) and the simple words of Jesus found written in the Holy Scripture.

Sow how do we get it to work (for lack of better phraseology)? We must come to the conclusion that either God is a liar, or we are not doing something correctly. And since most genuine Christians believe that the Bible is the infallible and inspired word of God, we must logically conclude that we are the problem! “…let God be true but every man a liar.” ~Romans 3:4

Let’s go back to the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18 as we discussed on our last post. Jesus taught this parable so that people would not give up when they pray, as the Scripture tells us in verse one: “Then he spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not loose heart.” Jesus continues with the story of a widow who goes day in and day out to the courts of a heartless judge so that she would get justice from being wronged by her enemy. She eventually gets what she desired, and not because of the judge’s goodness, but because of her incessant pleading.

Jesus explains that if we have a Father who loves us and has hand picked us, how much more will He give us what we desire if we will come to Him with such persistent prayer. Are we not worth far more than the sparrow? Then, the Lord ends the parable with the strangest statement: “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on earth?"

So why did He throw the word faith in there if the subject of the parable was persistence in prayer? Was it to confuse us? Was it to show his incomprehensible genius? Was it just another one of those statements that Jesus makes so that we can’t put Him in a religious box? Or is there a connection between persistent prayer and faith?

I submit to you that it is the latter. Allow me to explain. The Scripture tell us in Hebrews 11 that it is impossible to please God without faith. What pleases God most? Relational connection with His children. Therefore it is easy to ascertain that God, in His deep desire to have fellowship with His people starves us out of prayerlessness by not answering our prayers immediately so that we will have to engage with his heart in order to get what we want in prayer. I know, it doesn’t sound very spiritual, but He’s so lovesick for us, that yes, he will result to bribery of sorts to get us to connect with Him on a heart level!

In this parable, Jesus is equating faith (our ability to please God) with our persistence in prayer. In other words, our regular going to God for fellowship and the things that we need and/or desire on our earthly pilgrimage is what pleases Him the most. When we have an intense need or desire, our heavenly Father desires to be the One who brings the answer. He longs for us to connect our fulfilled desire with His answer, but the only way for us to connect the dots in our finite and feeble minds is to spend a considerable amount of time in prayer for a matter, so that when such an answer is given, we know the source from whence it came.

This interwoven cycle of persistent prayer and answered prayer serves not only to increase our faith when we see our desire fulfilled, but it deepens our intimacy with God, even though it may have begun with selfish motives on our part. As we begin to see our prayers answered, we begin to know that He really is interested in our little lives!

“And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father might be glorified in the Son.”

Read that verse again and notice the last part: “that the Father might be glorified…” When the Holy Spirit revealed this to me I was floored! I was like, “You mean to tell me that when my prayers are answered it actually glorifies God! What!” And He was like, “Yes!” And I was like, “OMG!” And He was like, “Yes I Am.” So many times we have this incorrect picture of God begrudgingly answering prayers after checking the naughty and nice list like some cosmic Santa Clause. NO! Jesus wants to answer our prayers, because it brings the Father glory when He does it! He wants to be our answer, but He forces us to do it His way (persistently and sometimes for a long time) so that 1) we don’t deceive ourselves into thinking He is some genie in a bottle or Santa Clause character 2) so that we can grow not only in asking Him for stuff, but in genuine relationship and 3) so that through persistent prayer, He can realign our selfish prayers into prayers that actually line up with His will and reflect His name. That’s why he says, “whatever you ask in my name, that will I do…”

Persistent prayer is God’s formula for changing our desires into His will and for preventing us from getting answers to prayers that are not good for us! It is through the process of persistent prayer that He downloads His desires into our hearts. This may give new meaning to the often quoted verse “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”

Beloved, it is in the place of persistent prayer, where His desires become our desires, and where our prayer become His answer.

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

mark whitten

Break On Through

2012-03-30T19:15:00.007-07:00

As i was on the ridge this week, praying in my little chapel in the woods, the Holy Spirit began to teach me about the prayer that He answers. For the last two weeks i have been reading about George Müller and his powerful accounts of God answering over 50,000 documented prayers. My spirit was stirred and I thought to myself, "If God is no respecter of persons, then why not me? What would it take for me to see God move in power and might in my lifetime and actually see tangible, recordable answers to the prayers that i prayed, by the thousands?! What effect might i, a middle school history teacher and part time preacher from Podunk, Tennessee have on the planet!

As the fire in my belly began to stir, i began to catch God's vision for all of His children to become history makers through persistent prayer. He took me to Luke 18, you know, the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge. Now, i have read this parable many times before but as i read the words "He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.", something clicked! "Duh! Hello!", i thought to myself. Unanswered prayer causes most of us to loose heart! But why?

Jesus said that we always ought to pray...and not lose heart. So what does it mean to "not loose heart"? Us Americans, throw up a prayer and if we don't see immediate, microwave results, we think to ourselves, "It must not be God's will." We ask God for someone to be healed, or for a financial breakthrough, or a change in our situation, and after a time or two in earnest prayer we quit, we lose heart and wonder why God doesn't hear or us, or even more self deceptively, retreat into a false "sovereignty of God" claim that relieves our conscience of duty in prayer.

It means not to stop praying for the thing that you are praying for until you get an answer! The old-time Pentecostals used to call it "Praying Through". They prayed on through to the other side! They took hold of God, like Jacob and would not let go until they got their answer! Man! We need a revival of fortitude and good old fashion persistence in prayer.

George Müller 1805-1898

When the people of God have a Godly desire that lines up with the Holy Scripture and the heart of God, we can have confidence that our Father, who loves us, longs to answer our prayers for blessings, power, and breakthrough. When the apostle Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to pray without ceasing, he was not hanging the proverbial carrot out before us in order to trick us into some laborious effort that produced no results. God literally wants his Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth, but it must come through us! John Wesley, the great Methodist reformer said that "God does nothing except in answer to believing prayer."

It is interesting to note, that Wesley was greatly influenced by the Moravians who prayed in community, 24-7 for over 100 years! The motto for the Moravian prayer movement came from Leviticus 6:12, "The fire on the altar shall never go out." How quickly we allow the fire on the altar to go out, and often just before the Lord is about to send an answer! Next time we meet, we will discuss how persistent prayer is linked to the faith required to see our prayers answered in power.

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

mark whitten

Compline: Prayer That Closes the Day

2012-02-10T09:54:00.002-08:00

Compline, the final prayer office in the liturgical day, is believed to have been first instituted during the 6th century by St. Benedict, the father of western monasticism. The Latin word completorium was used by Benedict to indicate the completion of the day incorporate corporate just prior to "The Great Silence" that would soon fall upon the monastic community as monks retired to sleep or the night watch.

For many of us, our daily quiet-time with the Lord comes in the morning, because we understand that once our day begins it is very difficult to put on the breaks until the day is done. After our daily tasks and errands, we eat supper, do the wash, put the kids to bed, feed the dog, try to carve out some time for our spouses, and prepare for the next day often with little energy left to say more than a short prayer, much less recall, reflect, and repent. It can be exhausting, especially when the only thing our tired minds and bodies feel like doing is crashing in front of the television to zone out and unwind before we have to wake up and do it all over again. However, there is an ancient prescription for this problem!
Compline…

Grab a prayer book with prayers for compline allotted for each day of the week and let the liturgy take you into a brief time of closing prayer before you retire. Even if you don't "feel" it, the short liturgical prayers of the compline will 1) push you onward as your weary mind struggles for sleep, 2) keep your focus anchored Holy things, and 3) cause your spirit to awaken as you bring your heart before the Lord on a tired night. Although historically, compline is done corporately or in small groups, it may be used as an evening prayer liturgy for individuals, couples or families (it can be completed in about 10-15 minutes or less).

Usually compline is organized into a seven day format, one for each day of the week. Yes, they will be repeated throughout the year, but that is ok. The goal for compline is not to feed ourselves with more spiritual knowledge that we have to work to unravel, digest, or to comprehend. The chief aim is to awaken our hearts to commune with the Father as we lay down to rest, not to do mental or devotional gymnastics. “I will bless the LORD, who has given me counsel, Yea, my heart instructeth me in the night seasons.” ~Psalm 16:7

There are numerous prayer books available with compline. Here are just a few: “Common Prayer: A liturgy for Ordinary Radicals” by Shane Claibourne andJonathan Wilson Hartgrove, The Divine Hours by Phyllis Tickle; Celtic Daily Prayer, Book of Common Prayer. There are also innumerable compline resources online from a variety of streams and traditions of the Christian faith.

Simply put, the compline is the prayer office that wraps up our day in God. It brings closure and reconciliation to the dangling spiritual conflicts that we often leave unresolved. The compline is a way of setting things right in our relationship with God while inviting His peace and protection into our hearts and homes before the “Great Silence” of sleep falls upon us. The compline gives us one last glimpse of the day, one more opportunity to express our adoration, and one final chance to receive the loving kisses from our Lord.

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

Mark Whitten

re-monk challenge: re-monkurself for the next 30 days by committing to doing compline each night before bedtime.

Resources for Compline: The Book of Common Prayer, Celtic Daily Prayer, Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals. Follow this link for an example of a simple compline service for evening prayer.

Poustinia (Poo-steen-ya)

2012-02-04T07:30:00.001-08:00

i took my eight-month old son into the woods with me to pray last weekend. It was a cold morning and we were both bundled up in our winter gear. Usually at this time of the morning he is extremely busy and a bit noisy exploring and discovering new things that have been left about the floor by our other children. But as we hiked through the woods and up to the bluff that overlooks our little valley he was quiet. Jed Asher seemed to be in awe of this new world that i was showing him. We arrived at the log where i usually sit to pray and read my Bible expecting him to begin his normal routine of wiggling, grunting, and slapping, and arching and thrusting himself toward dangerous things. However, something quite different occurred. He became unusually quiet as the sun crept through the maze of naked trees. There, in the silence, with his head upon his papa's heart, my little Jedediah fell asleep...amid the quiet forest...on our log...in my arms.

Pousitnia is Russian for desert, or desolate place. In its most literal sense, Poustinia is a geographical term, however, to many devout Russians it has another connotation. As Catherine Doherty (the mother of Western Poustinias) writes, "To a Russian, then, the word can mean a quiet, lonely place that people wish to enter, to find the God who dwells within them." In essence, the poustinia is the place where we go so that we can "Be still and know our God; that He may be exalted in the earth."

In an era that rages against silence, where technology wins the battle for our time, and when the church exchanges the peace of God for anti-depressants, we find ourselves lost and looking for an anchor to ground our weary souls. Beloved, we have allowed the sacred space that God created in us, for himself, to become everything but a place of silent solitude, where we can retreat to find the One who longs to bring us comfort, peace, and fulfillment. The noises of our lives have become idols that keep us from hearing the whisper of God. May we, like the wise and holy Russians of old, reclaim the poustinia in our lives, that we too may find rest in the Father's arms and listen to His heart that beats with love for us.

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

mark

Re-Monking Re-Monk

2012-01-29T07:24:00.002-08:00

Friends.

After beginning the re-monk journey last May, i can honestly say that my life has radically changed. The Lord Jesus has lifted me out of the doldrums of life, healed many broken places in my soul, administered discipline, showered his tender mercies upon my family and me, and has placed a vision in my heart for ministry that i believe He had planned for me all along. Even this day, he is calling me deeper into His burning heart and putting his divine finger of love on the places in my heart that he wants to be sanctified.

Beloved, the point i'm trying to make is that God CHANGED me in less than a year's time, radically! Not simply because i followed the pattern outlined on the re-monkurself page, but because He loves me, even when i felt unworthy, bored, disconnected, dark and ugly. He came after me. But i'm not going to sugar coat this past year with some ethereal message about God bringing a bored Christian into the intimacies of Christ and suggest that the change came about by living the same way i was living and hoping for supernatural intervention. In other words, i didn't sit around and wait for change to happen! I went after it!!! And HE met me.

In the book of James 4:8 Holy Scripture says, " Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." We are the door to God's power for transformation on the earth. We must invite Him to act upon our actions. John Wesley said, "God does nothing except in answer to believing prayer." If we want to be changed, if want want to walk radically and humbly and generously before our God, we must extend the invitation! He doesn't need us, but He wants to walk with us. He desires mature partnership!

Often times we come to a place in our Christian walk, where we don't know how to break out; we feel lost or in the dark, or in the doldrums of our faith. It is precisely in these times, when the Lord is calling us to exercise maturity; to stretch and discipline ourselves in order to connect with Christ! We must do this no matter the cost lest our hearts grow dim and we forfeit the eternal rewards that await those who live uprightly and faithful before their God. If we keep getting what we are getting by doing what we are doing, then something has got to change for Christ's Sake!

It is at this point of frustration, that we propel ourselves in the grace of the Holy Spirit to go after God regardless of the cost. Our pet doctrines, our fears, and our comforts may need to be slain again on the altar of sacrifice. Pain may be necessary. Fortitude must be cultivated! There is no way around it if you want to appear before God on that great and terrible day and hear the words, "Well done my good and faithful servant."

We created the re-monk path as a practical way to begin this walk back towards God for those who have once felt the fire, but now have only smoldering embers to show. It is not THE method, rather just one way to help stoke the fire through small acts of sacrifice and commitment to incremental growth.

With that said, we will be adjusting the format of re-monk in the coming weeks and months to include shorter and more timely messages to encourage you in your journey toward a "re-monked" life. The posts will still maintain the style and heart of previous longer messages but will be contained in smaller easier to digest packages. We also hope to change the design in some small ways to make it easier to participate in the re-monking process and more astetically pleasing in an ancient-future sort of way. This year's focus will be on trying to engage our visitors to participate in radical lifestyle changes for the glory and love of Christ Jesus.

i am excited also about the number of page hits we have gotten for a seemingly obscure topic such as new-monasticism. It appears that the interest in the ancient future worshipping community and the desire to reconnect to our historical roots in a postmodern reality is beginning to slowly catch fire around the globe. we are currently receiving visitors every day from all over the globe and hope to extend our reach even further in the coming year. We are seeing a surge in the amount of Ukrainian and Russian visitors to our sites as well as those from India, Germany, China, Brazil, the Philippines, the Netherlands and many more! i humbly ask for your prayers as we launch out into deeper waters this coming year. Love and grace be your in the Holy Spirit!

In the Lion, in the Lamb,

mark

Of Kings and Priests: Part Three

2011-12-27T13:44:00.000-08:00

It was Oswald, King of Northumbria, who caught the spirit and the vision of God's Kingdom in the early 600's AD when he invited Aidan, the Irish monk-priest from Scottish Iona, to come and share the teachings of Isu Mac De (Jesus Son of God) with the people of his kingdom. As mentioned in "Of Kings and Priests: Part One" Aidan and King Oswald began a partnership that modeled God's intention for synergy between the marketplace and the ministry.

In the furtherance of this discussion, i should reiterate that all who follow Christ are considered to be a royal priesthood, however, we also recognize that throughout the biblical record and church history there are and have always been those specifically set apart to minister to the Lord and His people as an occupation or in a "full time" capacity. So it is with this understanding that we continue our discussion of the role of kings (those not called into full-time vocational ministry) and priests (those who are called to equip and govern the church in truth and faithfulness to the apostolic tradition).

As I was in the woods yesterday, i came across a passage of Scripture that i had not read in some time, yet its validity is more pronounced now than ever. It encapsulates the entirety of what I am and have been trying to communicate in this Re-Monk series on the role of Kings and Priests in the Body of Christ. Let's take a look at this passage from Romans 10:12-15 together.

"For whoever calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.

How then shall they call on Him whom they have not believed?

And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?

And how shall they hear without a preacher?

And how shall they preach unless they are sent?"

There is a misconception among Evangelicals that commonly leads to confusion, shame and a crisis in Christian identity for the individual believer. It is the assumption that unless you are out there evangelizing and saving souls, you are of no worth to the kingdom of God. This assumption, although well meaning and clothed in partial truth, has served to bring confusion and paralysis to a large portion of the body of Christ. It simply is not true; allow me to explain. There are various and numerous spiritual gifts and ministries given to us by the Holy Spirit, outlined in Scripture, that have little or nothing to do with evangelism. Not all are called to be evangelists. Do I believe that we should all share our faith? Absolutely, but it may not be the unique ministry for which God has equipped me.

First we must understand that our primary ministry as Christians, is to God. Praise, thanksgiving, and good ole fellowship with the Father, through the Son, and in the Holy Spirit is our primary objective for our lives lived on earth. It is the First and greatest commandment according to Jesus, not evangelism. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment."~Mt. 22:37-38.

When the second commandment, which is to love your neighbor as yourself, supplants the first commandment, you have turned the message of the Kingdom into a formula instead of allowing it to exist organically through a living relationship with the Almighty. Therefore, evangelism, although extremely important and necessary for the Church's mission, is not the primary task of the individual believer or the corporate body. To make it so, is to inadvertently turn the Gospel of our Lord into a humanistic endeavor reminiscent of the enlightenment so that we can make sure as many people on earth as possible have their fire insurance. This path of thought is man-centered and not God-centered. True enlightenment can only occur when Christians are fulfilling the first command to love their God by delighting in His love relationally. All the other stuff like evangelism, ministry to the poor, etc. comes as a byproduct (or fruit) of loving relationship, not as a list of things that I can check off to make sure I'm a "good Christian".

For example, there are a great many "kings" in the body of Christ who are called to make money to support the work of the ministry. However, these kings have felt ostracized, shamed and belittled in the church because they have not "won any souls". These kings have not been embraced by the Church in their role to provide bread for the house of God! The simple truth is that without "kings", the house of God becomes a storehouse with nothing to store. It is time we get over our hang-ups about the rich and celebrate them as a vital part of God's plan to grow the kingdom. Which brings us back to the passage in Romans that we were looking at earlier.

How can the lost call out for the only name under heaven by which men can be saved if they do not know the Name? And how can they know the Name unless someone shares it with them? And how can the person who desires to go and share it with them go, unless they are sent?

Guess who does the sending! It's the kings! Those who have been blessed with resources, whether its the widow with her two-mites or the billionaire CEO of a fortune five hundred company. "How can they preach unless they are sent?" You may not be called to be a fiery evangelists who works the streets and knocks on doors to share the good news, but you should be about the Father's business, which may include supporting a missionary or tithing regularly to your local congregation or ministry.

Beloved, we must become mature with this thing we call money. We must grow up and stop thinking of it in terms of who has what and how much and who should be giving what, and "i would give if i only had more to give, or i would give if i knew my money was going to be spent well, etc." We have to realize that the Kingdom of God takes money to advance...period! Jesus talked more about money than any other subject in the gospels except the Kingdom of God. It is important to God, because it is the great litmus test of our hearts. He inferred that if we could but learn to be faithful with money, then we would be entrusted with the true riches of heaven.

We must end this cold war between the kings and priests. The priests are not recognizing and honoring the spiritual gifts of the generous in their ministry of sending, and are inadvertently holding many captive in their own financial prisons because they are afraid to teach about money and financial stewardship from the pulpit. Kings are withholding their resources out of ignorance, a lack of trust, greed, fear or insecurity in God's ability to provide, or a refusal to relinquish their money without having a control over how it is spent. Both of these dynamics are hindering the advancement of God's kingdom.

We need a revival of priests who will use kingdom finances with a spirit of the fear of the Lord. Priests who will pray and seek council before spending Kingdom resources on their own "kingdoms". We need priests who will be faithful and transparent in monetary matters, priests who care more about building God's house of spiritual stones than starting yet another building campaign for a "family-life center", priests who keep the first command first, and the second command pure and undefiled by reaching the unreached and caring for the widow and orphan.

We need a revival of kings, who will let their giving be as unto God and not as a means to gain political power and influence in the church! We need kings who will give with a spirit of the fear of the Lord; not like Ananias and Sapphira who lied to Holy Spirit and were struck dead because of it. The body of Christ needs kings who give anonymously without ambition, without agenda; men and women who have been blessed financially and who do not let their left hands know what their right hands are doing; kings who give in the spirit of the early church who sold homes and properties and came and "laid the proceeds at the apostles feet".

Beloved, there is coming a great harvest of souls into the Kingdom of God as these end-times approach us with more intensity and ferocity. It is going to take a massive amount of resources to not only reach these future brothers and sisters in Christ, but to properly steward their souls that they might "endure until the end." It will take the cooperation and the synergy of both kings and priests to answer the glorious challenge that awaits the church in these end days.

As i write this article, my heart is heavy for the many "priests" that i know who are no longer in ministry or are struggling to hang on because of the lack of financial support. These brave men and women who at one time answered the call of God to equip His church and who often sacrifice their family's comfort and well being to minister to the people of God or preach to those who desire to be saved, are leaving the ministry in droves, because of the unnecessary lack in God's household. i know of pastors and missionaries who have to apply for food stamps in order to feed their families. Some may say, well that's ridiculous, they should get a real job and get off the government doll. Well, i say that it's ridiculous that the people of God are not filling up the storehouse so that no one has lack! If a fledgling middle eastern church in Palestine 2,000 years ago can operate in a such a way where no one among them had any lack, then why do those who are called to minister to Jesus and His people, who live in the wealthiest nation the world has ever known, experience such lack as to force them out of their calling in order to provide food and shelter for their family!

Is it any wonder why Western governments are imploding under the weight of welfare and entitlement programs? it's because the Church has failed in doing her job! Responsibilities that governments should have never shouldered such as caring for widows and orphans, treating addicts, sheltering the homeless, educating children, etc. were all neglected by the church; and because we have failed in this mandate we are reaping the consequences of bankruptcy in our society in every aspect. God will get His tithe, whether its through the church, a flat tire, a broken air conditioning unit, an unexpected bill, or taxes from the government. God doesn't need our money, but His people do. It is up to us to turn the tides so that God will rebuke those things that devour our finances. If we don't follow his commandments, then we leave ourselves and our money vulnerable to the one who comes to kill, steal and destroy.

So then how now shall we live?

There are two simple solutions that can be applied in every individual, every family, and every church. It is possible to take back ground that we have already lost, and take it back with great speed and power.

#1. We must restore the Great Commandment back to first place immediately. This means that we must take a serious look at our priorities, our time, and our money. We must call the auditors and evaluate the things mentioned above with great sobriety. Once we evaluate our lives, families and churches we must begin to radically implement our new strategy for putting God first, no matter what the cost. The pursuit of God must supersede everything, including events, programs, ministry and even relationships.

#2. We must fill the storehouse again. This must begin with those anointed for business and generosity. When these gifts are once again released into the body of Christ, it will begin an impartation of generosity that will spread to even the poorest of the poor in the church, which will result in more prosperity and more provision not only for those in the church but for those who will be saved! Read the passage from Malachi again and see how this principle not only holds great consequence for the individual, but also for the entire nation!

"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say, in what way have we robbed you?
In tithes and offerings.
You are cursed with a curse,
for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
that there may be food in my house,
And try me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts,
"If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such a blessing
That there will not be enough room to receive it.

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,"
Says the LORD of hosts;
"And all nations will call you blessed,
For you will be a delightful land,"
Says the LORD of hosts.
~Malachi 3:8-12

My Personal Re-Monk Challenge to Priests:

Audit your Church and/or Ministry. Cut off every ministry, program, or event that is not bearing considerable fruit, and/or was birthed out of human idealism or need instead of the leading of the Holy Spirit. In its place, open your doors for ongoing/sustained prayer energized with music, worship, the reading, teaching and studying of Scripture that magnifies Jesus and testifies of His beauty (not the self help garbage that is so prevalent in our bookstores). Develop a system of financial accountability and transparency so that your parishioners can give with confidence. Persistently ask for spirit of wisdom and revelation to know this man Jesus in His true beauty so that you can lead his people into the throne room of God. Invest in ministering to Jesus, He's a big tipper! Don't shy away from teaching about money, but don't do it only when the coffers are low; this can lead to manipulation. Make it part of your DNA.

My Personal Re-Monk Challenge to Kings:

Give unto God and once you release it to him, do not try to control or manipulate how it is used within a ministry or church setting. Don't be foolish when you invest in the Kingdom; use your discernment and trust the leading of the Holy Spirit even if it doesn't look like a fruitful ministry on the surface.

Don't be afraid to risk in your giving. Even very reputable churches and ministries had to start somewhere.

Diversify! Invest in People, Purposes, and Places. Your tithe should in most cases go to your local storehouse or church where you are being spiritually nourished and nurtured. But don't let that hold you back from investing in other ministries or causes of Kingdom worth. It may not even be part of your denomination; God may be leading you to sew seeds somewhere else. If you simply cannot give to your church for conscience sake, channel those resources into anther trustworthy ministry.

Adopt a pastor, priest or missionary and support them with regular financial assistance. Pay for a young person to intern as an intercessory missionary at a house of prayer.

Support those who feel called to pray and worship as their ministry! These prayer warriors change cities, yet rarely get the encouragement, honor, and support they deserve because theirs is not a visible ministry.

Become an annonymous benefactor to someone who simply wants to serve God and not have to worry about finances. Don't use your money to control people or politics within the church. this could be deadly for you, remember Ananias and Sapphira? Donate, repair, or fix a building. There are numerous fledgling ministries who are in desperate need of a meeting place, a storehouse, and there are countless opportunities for these ministries to flourish if they only had a place to start their base of operations.

Give BIG! I'm waiting to hear of the man or woman who begins to live off 10% of their income and gives 90% of it!

In the Lion, in the Lamb

mark

Of Kings and Priests: Part Two

2011-11-21T08:54:00.000-08:00

Financial abuses have run rampant in the Church for the past three to four decades. Scandals, a lack of accountability, and misappropriation of church funds have left a wound in the hearts of many would-be givers, namely those in whom the Lord has given the gift of generosity. Monies that should have gone to the extension of God's kingdom have been diverted to other secular causes and charitable institutions as a backlash for the years of poor financial stewardship and a lack of financial transparency by our church leaders. This lack of trust has only been exacerbated by the media's attempt to demonize the Church in its exposure of "big name" ministers who have misappropriated funds. This attempt by the enemy to divert Kingdom finances has dramatically slowed the Church's progress in reaching every nation, tribe and tongue.

Amidst the abuses of power and money, the Church is making efforts to repair its financial reputation as various councils and organizations, such as the EFCA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability), seek to shore up the lack of accountability that exists, especially in a great number of independent, charismatic and evangelical fellowships. i must say that it is incumbent upon the individual believer to know and understand where and how the money they give is appropriated. If church leadership is unable or unwilling to give an account of finances to its parishioners, then the saints of that particular congregation should request such an account so that they continue to give with a clear conscience.

If giving should lag, leaders may need to re-assess whether they have appropriately given account to those who give of their monetary resources. Quarterly statements and semi-annual budget meetings could help encourage believers who may otherwise be distrusting or afraid to give into ministries where they are not assured as to how resources are allocated. This may also instill confidence and show "on paper" where and how the the giving should increase. However, if such transparency does exist, it is not the right of the believer to withhold finances from their worshipping community should those resources not be used in accordance to their own desires, unless the allocation of the aforementioned resources were being used in a way that violates the conscience of the particular giver. It is extremely important for the individual to understand the difference between a disagreement and a violation of one's conscience.

Many believers do not understand the principles of giving set forth in the Scripture. This leads to much confusion when it comes to purposed and regular giving, namely the tithe. It is important to note that the tithe is a Biblical principle established prior to the institution of the Mosaic Law . The tithe is considered by Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical Christians worldwide as the standard starting point of giving for new Covenant Christians. Some argue correctly that 100% of their money belongs to the Lord, not just 10%. Unfortunately, however, it tends to be the same group who do not even give 10% of their income to the body of Christ on a consistent basis even though they make such bold claims that 100% of their money belongs to God. Some immature or otherwise selfishly inclined Christians use minor discrepancies in the church budget as an excuse not to give, which brings a curse not only on the individual's finances, but also the Church as a whole. Still there is a growing population of Christians who contest that the New Testament eradicates the tithe established in the Old Testament.

It was Abraham, the patriarch of our faith who brought 10% of his spoils to Melchizedek the priest of the most high God. Now consider this, our Lord Jesus, according to Hebrews 7 and Psalm 110 is priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Thus, to bring the tithe to the Body of Jesus as established in this ancient account, is to bring the tithe to Jesus himself who is our "priest forever in the order of Melchizedek". As we give our tithe to Christ's body which is presently on earth, we continue the precedent set forth by Abraham (who was justified by faith and not by the law) in giving to the priesthood, that it, Christ's Body. This established principle of giving 10% to the priesthood is ancient, and should not lightly be forsaken by those who claim to be more enlightened than their predecessors with assertions that the tithe is "outdated" or part of the law that was nullified by Jesus' death and resurrection.

This same group of Christians long for the days of the early church to return yet refuse to begin their trek toward early church life with a simple 10% of their income, claiming their "freedom" from such "religious" and legalistic practices, all the while forgetting that the early church in Jerusalem were not only paying tithes and temple taxes, but were also selling land, homes, and personal property so that they could lay the money at the apostles' feet. It's sad to say the we would be hard-pressed today to find many believers in America who would give up their lattes or their next smart phone upgrade in order to help support a needy family in the church. Others, when excusing themselves out of regular giving will say, "God wants me to feed my family and pay my bills first." While these arguments may sound good and true, they lack Biblical integrity and mock God's ability to provide for those who have entrusted Him with their finances. It is with these excuses and an innumerable amount of others that the Kingdom of God suffers from a lack of financial support. This, my friends, is a missing of the mark.

Let me make this clear, under the New Covenant, we are not required by law to tithe, for Scripture clearly says in 2 Corinthians 9:7, "...let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver." Notice the word "purposes". In the Greek form, it means to "resolve to or intend to do". In other words, giving is something that should be predetermined; it is something that we should resolve in our hearts to do, not merely as a result of spontaneous "feeling".

Many years ago, i purposed in my heart to give 10% of my income to the Lord, no matter what. It was the first "bill" to be paid when i received any type of gift or income. i do not look at my monthly expenses to determine weather or not i can afford to tithe that month; i simply write the check every pay period by faith understanding God's promise to provide for my needs. When i give of my tithe, i consider it my rent for breathing, and my security in being provided for that month. I know it doesn't sound very spiritual, but it is an extreme act of faith, especially when the budget doesn't always work on paper, or when there seems to be more month than money. When we tithe, God obligates himself by His own word to provide for our needs. It is the only portion in Scripture where we are permitted to test God. And without exception, God has always been faithful in my finances, because He has given me the grace to "purpose" in my heart to give. This brings me joy and enables me to trust God with more of my money which produces more joy, more cheer in giving, and so on.

Many well intentioned teachers and pastors have also misinterpreted the word "cheerful" in the passage mentioned above. Some assert that the Greek word hilaros, from which we derive our English word hilarious, means that giving should be done with extreme spontaneity and laughing as the offering plate is passed. Is this really what Paul meant? As RK Bently writes, "Tithing is joyous, but not a joke." The word hilaros in this scripture is given in its neuter and actually means "properly, propitious, disposed because satisfied, describing someone who is already persuaded or won over and ready to act." In other words, our giving should be something that has already been settled in our hearts to do. In other words, giving should not only be spontaneous when the Spirit moves us for a particular cause or person, but also something that is regular and done with a sense of commitment and fortitude. Although the English word hillarious is derived from this Greek root, our English version is somewhat different from how the original audience would have heard it. With this common misunderstanding of "hillarious giving" there are those who withold their gifts to God because they didn't feel like laughing when the offering plate was passed.

With that said, it makes sense that so many New testament Christians struggle with the concept of the tithe, mostly because of faulty teaching or a lack of teaching all together on stewardship. Many pastors and preachers avoid this subject altogether because they are afraid that in emphasizing this teaching they may scare off people from their churches or bring an undue suspicion to their parishioners. Although well intentioned, this mindset is biblically incorrect and is retarding the mission of the Gospel, bringing a curse to the personal finances of individual believers, and reinforcing an entitlement mentality in the Church. If the said teachers truly want to become more Christlike, they will not fail to teach on money, for Jesus taught on money more than any other subject after the Kingdom of God.

Because tithing was also a part of the Old Covenant Law, some feel it their duty and their right to shrug it off as something that Christ has abolished. However, those same well meaning Christians may consider Jesus' own words that He did not come to abolish the Law, rather to fill it full or to complete it. So we must all look deeper with spiritual maturity in our sights to resolve the question of giving in the New Covenant. From my years of study, reflection, and experience on the subject, i have come to resolve that giving is more of a heart condition than anything else. Those of us who resolve in our hearts to give on a regular basis without exception, often recognize the weaknesses of our flesh and the need to establish consistent guidelines so that we can maintain our dependence on the Lord and a healthy separation from our money. i have come to recognize that regular tithing helps to me to keep money in its rightful place, not as something to be slave to, rather as something that can be used as a tool for Kingdom purpose.

It would do us some good to follow this principle not only for our own financial health, but for the health of our worshipping communities and the Church worldwide. Why should there be any lack in God's household if everyone who is receiving ministry and fellowship from the Body is also giving a portion of their income in a regular and consistent way? In an age where excuses abound, we are more apt to pay for cellular bills and cable TV than we are to give to the very Body of Jesus. This, my friends and fellow travelers of the narrow way, is a sign of serious illness in the Church and is need of serious and immediate attention by both priest and parishioner. To be continued...

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

mark

The Coming King of Offense

2011-10-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

Friends, i pray you are well in the Lord. This week, i felt impressed to include a message i preached about two years ago called "The Coming King of Offense." i pray it will serve not only as a warning, but as a blessing of encouragement to those who have ears to hear.

Please check back next week for part 2 of "Of Kings and Priests". If you haven't had a chance to read part one, please do!
To hear mark's message "The Coming King of Offense" simply click on the link below and enjoy the message. http://vimeo.com/8188131

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

mark

Of Kings and Priests

2011-10-07T15:43:00.000-07:00

In 604 a King was born in Deira, Northumbria. A few years earlier, in Ireland, a boy was born who would later become the “apostle to the English”. It was a time of great division both in the kingdoms of the British Isles and within the Church. For such a time as this, did God send Oswald and Aidan. A King. A Priest.

Shortly after his coronation, Oswald asked for the Irish to send a Bishop to facilitate the conversion of his people to Christianity, for the majority of the population had backslidden into paganism and idolatry, and the kingdom was on the verge of crumbling into chaos and division. Enter Aidan. Aidan’s gentle, relational approach to evangelism slowly won the hearts and minds of the people of Northumbria and endeared himself to the beloved King Oswald.

The relationship between Oswald and Aidan shaped the course of Christian history in the West. Only heaven will fully reveal the enormity of impact that this priest-king duo had upon the church universal and the world for that matter. Later, we will discuss how this unlikely pair modeled how kings and priests can and should work together for the glory of God and the extension of His Kingdom on earth.

Revelation 1: 5-6 states, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God his Father; to him be the glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

Which are you? King? or Priest?.............................................

You might be saying to yourself, “Well I’m not a priest, and I’m certainly not a king,” but my friend, i would have to disagree and submit to you that if you are a Christian, you are one or the other! We may not be acting like it or functioning as we should be at this time, but our destinies and callings are wrapped up in this reality. In fact, we are a kingdom made up of Kings and Priests. Now that's good news!

Please know that i understand and believe in the priesthood of all believers, but there is also a small percentage of the Body that are called to be equippers or overseers. These, in a typical evangelical church, would be known as pastors, teachers, and evangelists. In more liturgical churches, they would be known as priests and Bishops. Some charismatic churches may even be so bold as to title their leaders prophets or apostles. Regardless of the title given to these equipping and overseeing “priests”, it suffices to say that they have a distinct call from others in the body of Christ.

This distinction does not make them better or more loved or more precious to God, it simply makes it a matter of function. In Scripture, we can come to the conclusion, that we will not be judged according to our calling, rather by our love for God and our stewardship of the gifts, talents, and abilities He has given us. i am fully convinced that a praying grandmother who faithfully tithed and cared for the poor will receive the same, if not greater, reward than a great evangelist who reached a million souls for Christ and did not love well. The role we play is of little consequence; rather the faithfulness we demonstrate in our role is what matters most to God and His Kingdom.

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry..." Have you been called to minister in the marketplace and help support the priests in their function to equip the saints, or have you been called to equip the church for the works of ministry as an Ephesians 4 five-fold minister (apostle, prophet, teacher, evangelist, pastor)?

Let there be no mistake, all Christians are called to ministry. Notice the above passage says, "for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry." There is a small percentage of Christians called to equip the saints in a full-time, vocational capacity. This precedent is set forth in the Old Testament with the separation of the Levites for their ministry in the temple. The remainder of Israel was called to provide for and support the work of the Levites, as well as live their lives in such a way that the nations would be drawn to God and give Him glory. When God sets up a principle, it is usually eternal, and in the case of the equipping ministers, we can see how they fit the role of the Levites by ministering "in the temple (the Body of Christ/Church)". Since Christ has died and risen, WE are now the temple, but the temple still needs those who have been intrusted with its care to properly steward, nourish, train, and send those who make up its stones.

With that said, let us examine the role of the “king”. In my assumption, a “king” is anyone who exists within a realm of influence and is responsible for providing for the priests. In other words, if you are a single mom, who works as a medical assistant at the cardiac clinic and attend a fellowship with spiritual oversight, then you are a “king”. If you are the CEO of a fortune 500 company and happen to be a Christian, then you also are a “king.”

Suppose you are a financial planner, or an 8^th grade Social Studies teacher, or a little league coach, or a bank teller, or someone who hangs dry-wall with a crew, you are a “king”. We have a responsibility to govern and rule our spheres of influence as such. We also have a responsibility under the sovereign reign of the KING of kings to support the Levites (or God's priests/equipping ministers). As kings, we have been granted a territory of influence, and the better we steward that territory, the more "land" we will be given to steward.

As kings and priests, we are not two classes of people, rather ONE community: the community of the redeemed, who happen to have different functions and roles to play within the Kingdom of our God. There are far too many kings in the Church worldwide who think too little of themselves as a cop-out not to be used mightily by God. They think to themselves that ministry is for the priests, and miss out on their high calling in God. Instead these slaves that would be kings bury their talent in the ground and are unaware of the fearful judgment that awaits them when the KING of kings comes to call them to account. What is the root cause of this faulty understanding between kings and priests within Christendom?

The understanding of clergy and laity in my opinion has done more harm to the Kingdom than perhaps anything. It is the idea that those who are not clergy (or of the cloth) are simply to "pray and obey." Scripture clearly insults this assumpption as we have seen in the passage from Ephesians 4 mentioned above. The term laity was meant to identify those who "sit and listen" while the clergy did the "real ministry". The clergy-laity divide has crippled the Church's mandate to extend the Kingdom.

Instead of equipping the people to do the works of ministry, many traditions mistified the role of the priest and made them untouchable, creating a sort of "class warfare" within the Church that eventually erupted into the Protestant Reformation, where the division only continued to perpetuate except for a few name changes and a little less ritual! It was not until the Asuza Street Revival and the Pentecostal awakening in the early 1900's that Christians began to break out of the clergy-laity divide and began to do the works of the ministry themselves!

Thankfully, much of the church worldwide is beginning to creep back to its early apostolic roots where the saints are being equipped as ministers to affect the destiny of the world around them. The children of God are slowly beginning to realize that the Church is not the building where they go to worship on Sundays, rather it is the eclesia or called out assembly made of living, spiritual stones! Even now, forerunners in the spirit of Elijah and John the Baptist are calling the Church out of her grave clothes and into her destiny as a nation of kings and priests; a royal priesthood!

However, there still remains a divide between the kings and priests that is continuing to slow the forward momentum of the Kingdom of our Messiah. Please check back soon for part two of "Of Kings and Priests" as we dive in to discover the wound that needs to be healed so that the Bride of Christ can go forth in wholeness and power!

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

mark whitten

We Moved

2011-09-26T06:06:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends. The past month has been a time of transition for our family. In order to simplify our lives and clear up some small debts, we opted to move from our home in Spring Hill to a less expensive rural area south of where i teach school. As you may know, uprooting and unpacking is not a short or easy process. The last three weekends have been so full of fixing, unpacking, organizing and going to the dump and/or Good Will that i have scarcely had time to pray, think, or write! Obviously, i have not been regularly posting for re-monk.

It is my hope that you will stick around with us and continue to visit our site for more articles and updates that will be coming shortly! We desire to have no less than one post per week (and hopefully more than that in the future), however, this has not been a reality for us over the past few weeks due to our move. i am currently working on a new piece called "Of Kings and Priests" and am excited for its release! We love you and miss being in touch, but look forward to getting back into a regular pattern of posting!

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

mark whitten

Battle For The Body: Part Three

2011-09-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

It's been 30 days since re-monking my diet. I'm nearly fifteen pounds lighter and i need some new pants! My mind is sharper than it has ever been, and my energy levels are much higher than they were a few weeks ago. However, i must confess that i cheated the other night.

My son Adam had been begging me to cook some of the deer meat we harvested last hunting season, so after marinating it in Ginger Ale and Italian dressing for two days, i slapped some venison on the grill and perfection was the result. Slightly pink in the middle and so juicy; i could not resist! It's a good thing i did not take vows for this cycle. But, other than that small portion of the leanest, most organic red meat, you can eat, Julie and i have done really well with what we have put into our temples this month, and we are experiencing the rich benefits of an almost-vegan diet!

In Battle For The Body: Part Two, we talked about how important it was to guard what we eat because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We mentioned that since the Kingdom of God is within us, it just makes good sense to strive for the well treatment of our bodies so that the Kingdom life can flow more easily and readily within and through us.

This week, i want to close this series by discussing the impact that our American diets have on the environment, and the poor of the world. Before you roll your eyes or stop reading this post, please understand that i am not a tree-hugger, nor am i a liberal, or a global warming Nazi; but i am a citizen of God's kingdom, and i do believe in stewardship and conservation in every aspect of life here on earth.

According to a 2006 United Nations study, the modern practices of raising livestock is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation worldwide. From deforestation, to water and air pollution, to the loss of top soil and the exorbitant use of water and oil, the livestock industry accounts for one of the most significant drains on world resources. A person living chiefly on protein from animals requires ten times more land than a human getting their protein from vegetable sources.

According to the World Watch Institute, "massive reductions in meat consumption in industrial nations will ease the health care burden while improving public health; declining livestock herds will take pressure off range lands and grainlands, allowing the agricultural resource base to rejuvenate. As populations grow, lowering meat consumption worldwide will allow more efficient use of declining per-capita land and water resources, while at the same time making grain more affordable to the world's chronically hungry."

While I am not a proponent of "economic veganism", i can see how the reduction of our dependency on animal products could drastically ease the health care crisis in our country. If one in every two males in our nation dies from heart disease caused by an excess of cholesterol (which is only obtained by consuming animal products), it just makes sense for us to reduce the amount animal products we eat (or eliminate them alltogether.

The average American eats 260 pounds of meat per year (the highest rate in the world), and of that 260 pounds, 97 of it is from grain-fed beef. Did you know that it takes on average 2,700 gallons of water and 7 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of beef? Did you catch that?! That's 261,900 gallons of water and 679 pounds of grain per person in the United States of America, just so we can enjoy some red meat! With 5.2 million children a year dying from malnutrition, scientists from Cornell University have estimated that the U.S alone could feed 800 million people with the grain that livestock eat. WOW...

Psalm 41:1 says, "Blessed is he who considers the poor." Do we consider the poor when our diets affect those who are less fortunate? do we fully consider ourselves and our health when we make our food purchases? In Luke 12:15 and 23 Jesus said to them, "Beware and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does life consist of his possessions. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing."

As i was researching the dietary habits of the ancient Benedictine monks, i came across an interesting tradition that accompanied the most pious among them. The monks would always leave food on their plates in consideration of the poor; the leftover food would then be distributed to the hungry living in or around the monastery. Today, we consider it wasteful to leave food on our plates, and rightly so, but do we consider the poor as these ancient monastics did? Do we sacrifice a little, so that those with so little can have more?

You may be asking yourself, well what can i do? How can i consider the poor by simply changing my diet? by taking better care of my body? What practical changes can i implement today that could have profound and lasting impacts on not only myself but the poor of the earth? Well, i'm going to offer us a few practical suggestions that we can work on together:

1. By eliminating grain-fed beef from our diet i can save the planet 261,900 gallons of fresh drinking water and nearly 700 pounds of grain.

2. Grain-fed beef costs me anywhere between $300 and 500$ a year. I could take the money (about $30/month) that i would normally use on beef (or a portion of it) and feed hungry children throughout the world via a monthly donation to a reputable charity.

3. I might use the extra energy i have from not consuming so many animal products to do something creative for the Kingdom of God. Perhaps start a new business, write that book, volunteer at my church or another local ministry that i just haven't had the energy to do.

4. Perhaps i could radically change my diet so that i can be around long enough to see my children's children grow up and leave them a lasting legacy or give them a Godly heritage.

5. By taking better care of my body, maybe i will be able to hear God's voice more clearly and discern His will for my life without all of the brain-fog and lethargy that comes along with a poor diet.

6. Hopefully, by eating healthy and living well, i will be able to spend my golden years on the mission field instead of the hospital or nursing home.

7. i bet if i were to abstain from meat, i could loose those pounds i've been wanting to shed and give some relief to my knees and other sore joints.

The future is up to us my friend. Will you join us in re-monking our health for the glory of God and the advancement of His Kingdom? We must begin realizing that if we really want to see positive change in our lives, in our world, we must start with ourselves! Pablo Picasso said, “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working”. Let's start working today by making small, incremental changes that will profoundly affect our future and the future of others!

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

Mark

Ordinary Radical or just ordinary?

2011-08-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

Friends,

i apologize for not posting this past weekend! School recently started back and as my friend Darren Davis used to say, i have been "blowin and goin bro". Whew...

Saturday, i spent the day weed-eating Johnson grass at my Dad's (poppy) farm for some extra cash, and swimming with Seth and Seanna in the pond. They loved jumping off the boat and splashing around with Poppy and me. After swimming and a big vegan lunch that grandma made us, i took Seth shooting; it was his first time shooting a .22 rifle! Then we went home, got dressed and went to our Saturday night gathering at the Greenhouse Abbey.

Sunday, the day i usually write my posts for re-monk, somehow got filled with everything but what i wanted to accomplish. It happens. i paid some bills, posted some things on Craig's List, did the monthly budget, made some phone calls, dropped the kids off, picked up the yard, did some laundry, and finally pooped out with little energy to do anything else but watch a movie that we had ordered from Netflix (the whole time feeling convicted about not making room for Sabbath rest). No wonder i was so tired Monday!

i guess if i am an ordinary radical, the last two weeks have been less radical and more ordinary. But that's okay. God is still crazy about me...and you too!

The vegan thing is still going well; i've lost about 12 pounds since the 7th and almost two belt notches! We have also received the "Advanced Reader Copy" of my new book on centering prayers from our publisher. Julie and i are also nearly finished with our children's book about blended families! We can't wait until they are both available for you! We will keep you updated.

Check out my new Contact Mark page. i have moved the "Bliturgy" page to a new website that i will be working on in the future! Thanks for all of your support and encouragement! We love hearing from you. Please pray for our family as we prepare to move into our new home (cheaper rent!).

Stay tuned for Battle For The Body: Part Three!

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

mark

P.S. Baby Jedediah will be four months September 5th!

Battle For The Body: Part Two

2011-08-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

It's been a week since we started the latest re-monk cycle (going vegan for thirty days) as i mentioned in the last post "Gaining Ground". And although i'm really craving a Big Mac, a large fry with about 8 barbecue dipping sauces, and a triple-thick strawberry milkshake, i'm 12 pounds lighter and one inch tighter in my waist in just 7 days! My energy levels have soared, and my mind is clearer and sharper than i can ever remember it being. So, i have reasoned that i can deal with these momentary cravings while my appetite adjusts, in exchange for feeling great! Plus, it's good practice for "dying daily", you know that thing we are all supposed to do when we follow Jesus.

As i was preparing myself for this re-monk cycle, i came across the verse in Luke 17:21 when Jesus makes the profound statement: "The Kingdom of God is within you!" And then it struck me...If God, who does not dwell in temples made with human hands, but rather dwells in the physical bodies of Christian believers, would it not make sense to keep the temple clean for our most Holy roommate?

I thought to myself, "If our bodies truly are the temple of the the Lord, then why do we trash them and abuse them so much?" Can you imagine walking into a church building, a monastery, or cathedral and seeing trash strewn all over the place? Just think if you walked into your place of worship next Sunday and the carpet was mildewed, the ceiling was leaking, the sewage had backed up and spilled over into the aisle, and the pews were sticky and stained with chewing gum and human material. How well could we really focus on ministering to the Lord?

This is the very living environment in which many of us have given the Holy Spirit of God to dwell. By His sweet grace and mercy, He has not moved out! When we fill our bodies with garbage, we clutter God's living space.

I didn't understand why God commanded the Jews not to eat pork until i visited a pig farm in the Philippines. When i saw the swine lining up at each other's rear-ends to feast on their neighbor's fecal matter, i understood what God meant by "unclean animal." i understand that Jesus said that it is not what goes into a man that makes him unclean, but He was talking about the soul of a man. You see, the Jews had believed that keeping dietary laws was what made one righteous, when in fact, the law of eating unclean animals was originally given to Israel to benefit their health, but they had perverted the law by thinking their diets and traditions could make them righteous. The Levitical dietary code has been proven over and over by science to be an optimum diet for good health. There is a reason why we shouldn't consume pork, fish without scales (catfish), and crustaceans: it's because they eat crap and give gout! And God doesn't want His home to be filled with it.

Please don't misunderstand me, Jesus made all things "clean" when he died and rose. In other words, it is no longer our efforts to fulfill the law that make us holy, but rather the finished work of the cross of Christ that makes us presentable to God. However, the finished work of Christ does not negate the fact that we should not feed on bottom-feeders. The finished work of the cross does not magically make a Big Mac good for you (although i wish it did!). Poor food choices still have consequences!

Next week, in part three of "Battle For The Body", we will look at the human and environmental impact (no i'm not a tree-hugger) that our American diets have had on our world and the poor. We will also explore the diets that some of our Biblical heroes had and look at some practical steps we can begin to take in order to create more sacred space for God and our fellow man.

In the Lion, In the Lamb,

mark