See the Face of God in the City

New Blog Address

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Friend's,

My blog has moved! You can now find me at www.GlennBalzer.com. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Peace,

Glenn

Control

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 21:35:00 +0000

One of my projects this year is to co-lead an Urban Ministry Tour for Mennonite Church USA (MCUSA). Our purpose and goal is to listen to urban church leaders and make recommendations that will help to shape the future of urban Mennonite Church.

As we go around to various locations we are asking a common set of questions:

· Who are you?
· How are you?
· What are the things that you do well?
· How can Mennonite Church USA be helpful?
· What is of spiritual importance to you in your community?
· What is important to know about ministry in the urban context?

These questions have sparked some vigorous discussions.

Last week in Minneapolis, in response to the question,”How can MCUSA be helpful?” Mark Van Steenwyk, a local church leader responded with his own question. “Is it possible for Mennonite Church USA to engage the space without trying to control the space?”

This question has been gnawing at me ever since. The need to control seems to be a universal desire.

I know that this craving impacts every area of my life. As a parent, I want to control my boys; who their friends are, what movies the watch, where they go to school and what they eat. As the National Director of DOOR, I want control over our image, the finances and the program.

Some control seems appropriate. Too often my (our) need to control becomes destructive and manipulative. I am reminded of Paul’s words in Philippians 2:7, “But (Jesus) emptied himself…”

If there ever was a person who had the right to control, it was Jesus. But Jesus, the son of God, emptied himself. Or to think of it another way, Jesus chose to engage humanity without trying to control humanity.

Why is it that we so willingly accept the freedom given to us while still hankering to control?

The temptation to control is something which must be resisted at every level, from the individual to the institution.

Snow Day

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 13:46:00 +0000

I am writing this entry on March 24, 2010. It is 7 AM and the house is quiet. Denver Public Schools just announced that classes have been canceled because of snow. When I told my boys, they grunted in acknowledgment and rolled over in bed. I will not hear from them until noon. It still amazes me how they can sleep for 14 hours straight.

Days like today are a gift. A break from the routine.

It is nice to be reminded that our lives do not have to be defined by how busy we are. It is OK to take a day and just be. No agenda. No rush hour traffic to deal with. Today will be a day to just hang out and see what happens. Maybe watch a family movie and eat popcorn.

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus reminded his followers that they did not have to be defined by their busyness either. He said, “Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

If this is true, then why are our lives so defined by how busy we are?

It is not unusual for me to be in a conversation with a pastor or ministry leader and hear about his or her desperate need for a mental health break. Life has become so overwhelming that they just need to escape.

Did Jesus just get it wrong? Is the weariness and the burdens of life just too much for him to handle? Or maybe Jesus was talking about the rest we will get after this life is over. I personally do not think so.

Is it possible that we are too busy because we are unwilling to share the load with Jesus? Could it be our pride that prevents us from resting? I am not sure, but I am going to think about it today!

Rights and Responsibilities

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:30:00 +0000

In the early 1980’s, while I was attending college in Canada, a national debate was raging about the newly written constitution. The debate over the partially written Bill of Rights was intense. People were debating what should and should not be included. Some felt that the American Bill of Rights was the template to follow, while others strongly opposed this approach.

As this debate raged, one of my professors notably started his class with the following comment, “What this country needs is a contract of responsibility, not a bill of rights.”

Every once in a while, I wonder how different our world would be if personal responsibility took precedence over the need for personal rights. In a world filled with rights, we talk about freedom of speech. In a world of responsibility, what we might say would be tempered by a concern for how words would be received by others.

In a world of rights, we have the freedom to bear arms and defend ourselves. In a world of responsibility we would never consider defending ourselves first. The needs and security of the other would come first.

In a world of rights, the individual becomes a mini-god. Everything is about me first and my own personal rights. Responsibility moves beyond the individual, and it shifts the focus to the good of the community.

Is it possible that most of the issues that threaten to destroy our communities, churches and country could be solved with a shift from a focus on rights to a focus on responsibilities?

Obstacles

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:07:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, my pastor made an interesting statement, “An obstacle is what the eye sees when it is distracted from the goal.”

The more I have thought about this, the more I believe the statement to be true – especially for those of us who call ourselves Christians. But how can we know the difference between an obstacle and the goal?

According to my Reformed brothers and sisters, the highest end of man (humanity) is to glorify God and to fully enjoy him (God) forever. This sounds a whole lot like “the goal.”

Now, figuring out what the obstacles are is a tad more difficult.

For example, if Sunday worship helps us to glorify God, then it cannot be an obstacle, right? If this is the case, then why do we spend so much time arguing about worship? Some folks want their worship experience to be quiet and reflective; well others want their worship to be loud and expressive with a little dancing thrown in. Does this make worship a means to the goal or an obstacle?

Worship is simple compared with some of the other issues faced by the church. Is God a God of life or choice? Should we pray for victory in war or the courage to be a people of peace regardless of what others have done?

Keeping our eyes on the goal is important, but obstacles are a fact of life. Debating the merits of the obstacles is an inescapable reality. Is it possible that healthy discussions about obstacles help us to better see and understand the goal?

Maybe the problem isn’t the obstacle itself, but rather how we choose to engage the obstacle.

Can you imagine a church where people with different understandings and beliefs about the obstacles choose to worship together anyway?

Jumping

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:53:00 +0000

This year, a colleague and I have been asked to lead an urban ministry study project for Mennonite Church USA. So far we have visited folks in Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles. It has been a privilege to listen to these leaders share about the joys and frustrations of urban ministry.

Last week I was at another one of these gatherings. As we were going around the circle sharing, one of the African pastors made the following statement, “We jump into mission! You North Americans need to process everything before you decide to jump”

It took a minute for me to comprehend what he was saying.

We do like to process. I have always thought of processing as a way to include everyone in the conversation. I still believe this to be true.

As I have reflected on this statement, it is also true that we sometimes use process as a stall tactic. If we talk about it, then we don’t actually have to do anything. When we don’t do anything, then we cannot be blamed for making a bad decision.

Our politicians are famous for doing this. Should this be something that the church is known for as well?

Sometimes it is more important to jump in and start working than to hold a committee meeting to decide if we should vote on whether or not to take action.

The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time for everything. In that same spirit I would like to suggest that there is a time to process and a time to jump in.

Losing your faith

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:52:00 +0000

I was back at Gunther Toody’s again this week. One of the men in around the table is a former pastor who no longer believes in God. This week he began to share about his journey from faith to rejection of God.

It was not easy to listen to his story.

He was the senior pastor of a growing church. He was well respected and loved. He cared for people. He prayed with people. He preformed weddings and presided at funerals. Somewhere in the middle of it all, he lost his faith.

Someday, I hope to hear the whole story, but today I heard part of the story.

It began with a question directed to me, “What is the purpose of the church?” This is a dangerous question.

After all, what is the purpose of the church?

I have two teenage boys. They are starting to do all the things that teens do, but they love the youth program at our church. As a parent it is thrilling to know that my boys want to go to church. Attending a church that my boys want to go to is important.

For me one of the purposes of church is to provide quality programming for my boys.

As I answered his question, he began to smile.

“Really?” he said, “what about Jesus’ call to be salt and light? Isn’t the church supposed to serve its community? When did the church become a club just to look after our own?”

I am a parent; I believe that the church has a responsibility to care for its own. That said, when the church becomes a closed system, or, to put it another way, when the church becomes so inward-focused that it no longer has space for new people or time to get involved in neighborhood or money for needs and programs beyond the four walls of the church, we might as well own the fact that we are on the road to losing our faith.

The church was never intended to be a country club to serve my needs and the needs of my family. The church, the body of Christ, those of us who use the term “Christian” to define ourselves, are called to be salt and light. As one writer said, “Salt is only helpful if it gets out of the saltshaker and into the world.”

One more time, what is the purpose of church?

Socialism

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:07:00 +0000

My alarm went off at 5:45 AM. I was not ready for Monday. One more day to sleep in would have been nice. To make matters worse, I couldn’t find the snooze button. There I was, stuck listening to the news at 5:45 AM. The lead story was about President Obama’s new health care initiative. As the fog slowly cleared from my mind, I began to recall why I had set the alarm so early. This was my morning to run. As I rolled out of bed, the weather guy mentioned that it was 12 degrees outside.

This was going to be a cold run.

It took about 10 minutes to get dressed and ready to enter the great outdoors.

When it is 12 degrees outside, the only way I can ignore the cold is to intentionally choose to think about other things.

Two things came to mind. What was I going to write about for my blog and the news story I had just heard. Before long I decided to combine the two. When it’s 12 degrees, you simplify!

Why are we so afraid of socialized health reform? If I understand our politicians correctly, “socialized” is anything that is controlled by the government. Using this definition our military is socialized. I don’t hear anyone complaining about supporting a socialized military. I have heard both Democrats and Republicans claim that we have the best military on planet earth. Socialism seems to have worked in this case.

Everyone seems to agree that the current system is broken. What is so wrong with trying a Socialist experiment with health care? The worst it can do is fail. That just puts us back to where we are now.

Chaos

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:29:00 +0000

I was at Gunther Toody’s, a famous Denver breakfast spot, the other week for breakfast. Every Thursday, a group of retired pastors and church leaders get together to talk about what was, what is, and what should be. For me, it is fun to be part of a group where I am the youngest person by 30 years.

Every once in awhile, they ask my opinion on a matter they are discussing, but for the most part I enjoy listening to their bantering back and forth. Every once in a while someone shares a real zinger.

During my last visit, one gentleman who had been quiet for most of the first hour jumps into the conversation, and with a funny grin on his face, makes the following statement, “Religion provides solace for the chaos it creates.”

At first I thought I was hearing the cynicism of a grumpy old man. Then I started to think.

A lot of crazy stuff has happened in the name of religion. I remember as a young person going to book and record burnings because someone had told us that Satan was in the books and records. Most wars are fought in the name of God or we ask God to bless our war.

Our world is divided as much by religion as it is by politics.

Is it possible for religion to be less chaotic and more unifying? Do we always have to use religion as a reason to divide, separate and fight? Is it possible to start every discussion by finding out what we have in common?

Maybe labels like liberal, conservative, pro-life, pro-choice, Republican, Democrat, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Methodist or Mennonite have no business being part of the church.

I had a friend who used to tell me that this world needs a little less religion (read chaos) and a whole lot more Jesus (read inclusion).

Slave

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:58:00 +0000

One of my fondest memories of growing up is hanging out with a musical group that came and preformed at our church. It was my first experience with professional musicians. I attended every rehearsal and concert that week. By Wednesday, they asked me to help out the sound guy. I felt like a member of the band.

The other thing I remember about this group was their name – Bondservant. It was taken from Philippians 1:1, “Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus.” As far as I know, only the New American Standard Version uses “bond-servant.” Most versions use “servant” and give a footnote saying that it could also be translated as “slave.”

All of this connects to a pastor’s meeting I was at last week. During the sharing time, one of the pastors told the following story.

He was at a local convenience store trying to purchase something. The line was slow and he was in a hurry. His turn at the check-out counter finally came. As he was checking out, the clerk asked what he did for a living.

“I am a pastor,” he replied

“Well, it can’t be too much work. After all, you’re a slave,” the clerk responded with a grin. As he finished paying for his purchase, the clerk leaned over and whispered, “The work you do is not your work, but it is important work.”

In a culture that emphasizes personal rights, the idea of service to others (slavery) seems archaic and out of step with reality.

In John 13:15, Jesus sets an example to for us. Jesus came to serve us and we are called to serve each other. To be bondservants. To serve without regard to our own needs.

What are the implications for those of us in ministry?

Space

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:09:00 +0000

Last week I met with a group of church leaders. Near the end of our time together, I asked the following question, “What do you do well?”

One person immediately responded, “We provide breathing space. This is what we do well.”

At first I wasn’t sure how to respond. I didn’t get what was being said. What does breathing space mean?

Luckily I didn’t have to wait long for clarification. Other folks quickly jumped into the conversation.

“I have felt the freedom to be me.”

“People have been patient with me as I have struggled with God’s call on my life.”

“I could be angry with God and wasn’t condemned for feeling this way.”

Hearing stories of how people were given the space to work through their faith without manipulation and condemnation was powerful. Allowing people to truly walk their own faith journey is a rare event in our culture.

We often ask, “But what happens if they come to different conclusions and understandings than me? Or think, “It is important that Christians know the truth and that truth better line up with my truth!”

This is why we have confessions of faith. It gets everyone on the same page. It creates unity.

But I cannot help but wonder if we sometimes confuse uniformity and unity. Do we all have to agree before we can be unified or does something powerful happen when we give people breathing space?

Read Acts 10. Who gets converted: Peter or the Centurion? Maybe conversion is what happens when two people come together, share their faith journeys, and both end up in a place they never expected.

Pressing on

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:39:00 +0000

Last Sunday I ran my first half marathon, 13.1 miles. The first 10 miles went much better than I expected. I kept up with the group of runners around me and even passed a few folks. That all changed at mile 10. It was like I ran into a brick wall. Miles 10 through 12 were pure agony. All I could think about was quitting -- after all I had run most of the race! But those mind games where nothing compared to what I went through during the final mile. Each step was an intentional decision. I do not know how to put into words that joy I felt when I crossed the finish line. The race was over. I could rest. I could cry and I did!

During that last mile I kept repeating Paul’s words in Philippians 3, “Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward.”

It is interesting that Paul focuses on finishing the race. Starting is easy. Finishing is what separates the sheep from the goats.

The day after the half marathon I attend a funeral for a woman who died from Mantle Cell Lymphoma. She left behind a husband, two children and four grandchildren. As her eulogy was read, one line stuck out for me, “On January 25, 2010 she won the battle, dying peacefully…”

She won the battle! She pressed on. She finished the race.

There is a lie circulating out there that suggests that once we give our lives to Jesus everything will go well. For many of us, most of the race does go well, and I am thankful for that. But most of the race is not the all of the race.

We are called to finish the race. That is not always easy.

Sometimes life sucks. When that happens, we need to make intentional decisions to move forward, to press on towards the goal, to finish the race.

Nothing replaces the knowing that you have crossed the finish line. The knowledge that you didn’t give up.

Are you ready to run until you have crossed the line?

I was thinking… about citizenship

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:09:00 +0000

You can learn a lot about a church by visiting its sanctuary. I enjoy getting guided tours. One can learn a lot about a particular congregation just by how the worship space is set-up. A few weeks ago a pastor was giving me a tour of the church he worked at. As we entered the sanctuary I noticed that they had two flags – a church flag and an American flag. This in and of itself is not all that uncommon. Lots of churches have flags.

On this particular day, the flags got me thinking. Would Jesus have put flags in his church?

In Matthew 6:24, Jesus makes the following statement, “No one can serve two masters…” As Jesus wraps up this verse he says, “You cannot serve God and money.” The common interpretation of this verse goes this way: Jesus was speaking only about money.

Interpreting Jesus’ words this way certainly make the “No one can serve two masters” statement more palatable.

How would our lives change if we interpreted “No one can serve two masters” at face value? Can you call yourself a Christian and serve both God and Country?

My initial reaction was to ignore the thought. It is one thing to talk about the seduction of money, but suggesting that service to our country might equal serving the wrong master will not win any popularity points.

In Philippians 3:20, the Apostle Paul declares that our “citizenship is in heaven.”

Now I am left with the following question, “Is it OK with God to hold dual citizenship?”

Myths

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:36:00 +0000

Every once in a while, someone makes a statement that stops me in my tracks. Last Wednesday, in a diner just outside the Philadelphia airport, I heard one of these statements.

“It is a myth that people with different understandings of theology can’t worship together.”

We live in a culture that divides over everything.

Democrat or Republican. CNN or Fox News. John Stewart or Rush Limbaugh. Ford or Chevy.

In a perfect world these differences are what make us unique. But lately it seems that our differences have become dividing walls that keep people apart. Democrats cannot be friends with Republicans. Those who watch CNN look down on those who watch Fox news (and vice versa). Rather than celebrating our differences, we demonize those who are different.

This is not helpful.

The church in not immune from this either. We have bought into the temptation to divide over our differences.

“The music is too loud! Let’s look for a new church.”

“You can’t go to that church; the pastor is too liberal (or conservative).”

I cannot help but wonder what God thinks of all this dividing. I suspect that it breaks God’s heart.

What will it take to get past the pride of my “rightness” and learn to worship with people who think differently than me?

Maybe we can even change the words to a song many of us first learned as children.

Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world
Conservative and liberal
Pentecostal and traditional
Democratic and republican
Those for universal health care and those for the private plan
All the people of the world.

Can all these people worship together in unity?

Listening and learning

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:40:00 +0000

The Christian faith has always been a part of my world. My dad was a pastor and my mother taught Sunday school. Wednesday Bible studies, Friday youth groups, and Sunday morning and evening services were weekly, non-negotiable realities.

After graduating from high school, I went to Bible college. To graduate, I passed a 600-question Bible content exam. I spent three years in seminary studying theology.

On occasion, I have been known to get a little prideful with my biblical and theological knowledge. Pride is very rarely a good thing. It tends to blind us.

A few weeks ago, I was on the phone talking to a co-worker. I was trying to make a point by demonstrating my deep biblical understanding. For the life of me, I cannot remember the point I was trying to make, but I do remember her response; “Jesus, the son of God, was on earth 30 years before he started preaching.”

The comment stopped me in my tracks.

Jesus, the son of God, spent 30 years listening and learning before he started preaching. Wow.

Every time I discover some new theological insight, I want to share my “wisdom” with everyone around me. When I take the time to be honest with myself, this sharing has more to do with wanting to show off than anything else.

My mother was fond of telling me that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. We should spend most of our time listening and learning, not spouting and bragging.

My mentor and spiritual hero passed away last year. He lived a good life. One of the things that everyone remembers about him was his ability to listen. Listening made him wise and when he spoke people listened.

If listening, learning and observing first was a good approach for Jesus, the son of God it, might just be a good approach for the rest of us.

I have a sneaking suspicion that those who achieve sainthood do so because they are slow to speak and quick to listen.

My God give me the grace to be a better listener.

What this planet needs…

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:25:00 +0000

This is that time of year for predictions, dreams and hopes.

Will the economy turn around?

Will terrorist strike in North America again?

Will there be an affordable health care option this year?

Will our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq finally come to an end?

Will 3-D TV become a reality in 2010?

Who will win the smart phone war – Google or Apple?

I would like to add a personal hope for 2010. Just before Christmas I was given a poster and the quote on the bottom summarizes my hope for 2010, “What this plant needs is more mistletoe and less missile talk.”

Is this even possible?

Can mistletoe defeat bullies?

I have always been told that only way to deal with evil is with strength. Sometimes bullies need to be beat down.

Does this work?

As a kid, one fight always led to another fight. Beatdowns always seemed to incite a need for revenge, which led to more fights.

This need for revenge is not something we grow out of. Retaliation happens at all levels of society.

It isn’t working.

Someone once told me that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.

Revenge, troop surges and terrorism don’t seem to be working. Here is my proposal: let’s try something new for 2010.

Are you ready to replace the need for revenge with something closer to mistletoe?

You might be Wrong

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:36:00 +0000

One of my co-workers forwarded me a blog about writing blogs. There were 10 great tips. I wish that I could recall each of them, but I deleted the email and blog address. The one suggestion that stuck with me was the need to focus. Apparently, Blog writers that do well stay focused on their subject matter. I am supposed to be writing about “Seeing the face of God in the city.”

As I write this entry, 2009 is coming to a close. It is a good time to reflect. If I could only share one learning with you it would be this: you might be wrong…

I grew up in a faith culture that demanded certainty. We needed to know who was and was not a Christian. In and of itself, this is not bad or wrong, but more often than not the litmus tests were culturally biased.

In my world, Christians were people who didn’t drink, dance, listen to rock and roll, get tattoos, or wear blue jeans to church. Men never grew their hair long and women were submissive. Every Christian I knew looked like me and had the same values. It never occurred to me that these rules and assumptions weren’t part of God’s plan for God’s people.

Some of you are probably appalled that someone could grow up with this kind of faith. Others are saying, “You got off easy, we had way more rules.”

One of the most difficult things that Christians are asked to do is untangle culture and faith. That is what the Apostle Paul was trying to do in 1 Corinthians 8. Some thought that eating food sacrificed to animals was wrong; others thought it was OK.

We no longer talk about food sacrificed to idols, but we do have our issues, don’t we? We are not always good at separating our cultural convictions from our faith. Some of us would like to believe that our cultural understandings and our faith are the same. They are not.

Living in the city has forced me to emerge from my narrow, culturally defined faith. I know Christians who drink, dance, listen to rock and roll, get tattoos and wear blue jeans to church. (I have even been known to preach a sermon while wearing blue jeans.) God is not concerned about the length of a person hair or if it is a man or a woman who leads the church. After all, God has a reputation of ignoring the outward appearance, and choosing to focus on the heart. Worshipping with people of different class, social and racial backgrounds have expanded my understanding of the depth and breadth of the Kingdom of God.

I do not have a perfect track record with keeping resolutions, but in 2010 I want to hold more loosely to my faith convictions. Not because God is wishy-washy, but because I am not very good at separating my culture from my faith.

Heaven on earth

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:32:00 +0000

I like the Christmas season. It is a time of year that brings out the best in humanity. The ideas of peace on earth and good will to all become real possibilities.

Later this week our family will go and see a stage production of “A Christmas Carol.” This is quickly becoming a favorite Balzer family tradition. The evening has become an entire event, we dress-up, go out to eat (read – eat at a restaurant with linen napkins), and then head over to the theater.

A Christmas Carol is a powerful story. If a grumpy self-centered man like Scrooge can change and embody the Christmas spirit, then change has to be possible for the rest of us. Have you ever met an endearing self-centered person? I suspect that it just isn’t possible.

At every level self-centeredness stinks.

This might be why Jesus called his followers to deny themselves. Something powerful happens when we choose not to think of ourselves first.

C.S. Lewis, in his essay, “The Great Divorce,” tells the story of a bus ride from hell to the plains of heaven. Everyone on the bus is given the opportunity to enter heaven, if they choose. Most choose to return to hell. The excuses are varied; the theme of self-centeredness runs through every excuse.

If your world is only about you and your concerns, hell on earth is possible.

When we deny ourselves and think of the needs of others before our own needs, heaven on earth is possible.

What kind of Christmas are you looking forward to?

Unfinished Business

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:02:00 +0000

It is amazing how life can turn on a dime. One minute you are flying home trying to remember where you parked your car and the next you are wondering if you will ever make it home again.

Last Tuesday, I was on my way home from Chicago. About 15 minutes into the flight, I felt a shudder and the plane started turning. Then the pilot came on the intercom and said that he had declared an emergency. Apparently, we were losing all our hydraulic fluid and our plane needed to return to Chicago immediately.

This was my first and, hopefully, last experience with an in-flight emergency.

Never have I felt so completely out of control. Here I was at 31,000 feet, strapped into a seat with no ability to do anything to fix the situation. All I knew new was that the pilot and co-pilot were working through a checklist and trying to get us back on the ground safely.

I was completely and utterly powerless. Not a fun emotion.

After the pilot finished speaking, the plane went silent.

People started looking for their cell phones – by the way, they do not work at 31,000 feet.

After finding my cell phone, I started thinking about my relationships.

Had I told my wife I loved her?

Did my boys know that I was proud of them? Was I a good example? Did they see Christ in me?

These are big questions, but they are the kind of questions you ask when you think you might not make it home.

Until last week, I could only imagine what goes through a mind when you think you are going to die. Now I know.

Of all the things I could have been concerned about, the only thing that mattered were my relationships.

Was there any unfinished business?

Is this essentially the theme of advent? Jesus coming as a baby in a manger. Humbling himself, becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross. In Genesis 3 we have the story of the first sin and the fracturing of the relationship between humanity and God. Advent is a period of expectancy - anticipating the arrival of Jesus, the Savoir of the world; the mender of broken relationships.

As you celebrate Christmas this year, take time to tell your loved ones that you love them. If there are broken relationships, work at restoration.

You never know when life will take an unexpected turn.

Emergent

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:17:00 +0000

I like conversations that include the concepts of emergent, post-modern and post-Christian. I have found much hope in the emergent movement. From my perspective those involved in these conversations are interested in redefining Christianity in a way that moves it beyond the “good old boys club.” A more inclusive faith is good for everyone.

Earlier this month, I was part of a conversation about the emergent church movement. About 30 minutes into a free-flowing discussion, a lady chimed in and made the following observation about the leaders in the emergent church movement, “They are just a bunch of cowboys.”

Given the sharp tone of her voice, it was easy to tell that she was not using “cowboy” in an endearing sort of way. It soon became clear for her the emergent movement was led primarily by, white, conservative men. These men were discovering that their understanding of the Christian faith was incomplete at best and wrong at worst. Before long, all the non-white men were nodding in agreement with her.

I was one of three “white men” sitting around the table. It would be fair to say, that I began to feel uncomfortable. As my discomfort increased, my participation shifted from talking to listening. It wasn’t easy hearing what some of the folks had to say. If I were asked to sum up the conversation in one sentence, here is what I would say:

“For too long, white men have defined what it means to be a Christian and God is much more than these definitions.”

This was hard to hear, mostly because there is truth in what was being said.

If the emergent movement is about white men coming to a better, more inclusive understanding of the Kingdom of God, then it can’t be all bad.

It is my hope and prayer that people like me, white and male, emerge and free ourselves from the need to define and control everything. The leaders of the emergent movement must find the courage to step aside and allow more non-whites, non-males and non-conservatives to lead and guide the church.

Two Worlds

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:46:00 +0000

I have always been fascinated by Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, where he talks about living in multiple worlds.

When he is with the Jews, he is a Jew.

To the weak, he becomes weak.

I have always appreciated the concept of being all things to all people. In many ways these words have informed how I have tried to live my life. Identifying with people, especially those who are different from me is important. I want to understand where the other person is coming from.

Until last week I never really thought much about the cost of “becoming like” the other person.

I was at a meeting with about 40 other folks, 37 of them were Anglos and 3 were persons of color. During one of the breaks, I went for a walk with a friend, one of the 3 minority leaders in attendance. We needed to stretch our legs.

We shared about our families. Both of us have boys who are growing and asking for more independence. After a bit the conversation changed. I asked what I was like to be one of three African-Americans in a group so dominated by Anglos.

His response was simple.

“I am tired.”

For my friend, moving out of his culture and engaging another culture had cost him.

In the Anglo world, he was always going to be the “African-American” voice. On the other hand, he had spent so much time going between two worlds that he could never fully go back to the world he came from.

Identification has cost him dearly.

I suspect that identification cost the apostle Paul as well. This may be why he talked about a heavenly citizenship. Paul knew that becoming all things to all people would exact a heavy cost.

Ministry will take a person out of what is familiar and known and ask that same person to engage cultures that are new and different – to become all things to all people. The cost: not being able to go back to where you came from and never being able to fully participate in where you are.

The only solution that I can come up with is to call people to a new culture. A culture where there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for we are all one …

Living in an Inter-Cultural World

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:49:00 +0000

A number of weeks ago I a spent a day with a group of pastor’s from southern California. Most of our time was spent listening to stories of what God was doing.

As the day progressed I became increasingly fascinated by the diversity around the table.
· A Korean pastor
· An Indonesian pastor and his wife
· A couple of ethnic Mennonites
· A Swedish pastor with a strong French accent
· An African pastor
· Some denominational staff

Near the end of our time together, the Swedish pastor raised his hands in frustration and said, “you people need to learn how to use simple English.”

Those around the table for whom English was a second language all nodded in agreement.

My initial reaction to this exchange was that we need to provide programs that help recent immigrants better understand North American English Culture.

The more I thought about this the more uncomfortable I became with the arrogance of my thinking. Is the solution to all miscommunication teaching people to think like me? I hope not.

Finding ways to communicate across multiple cultures will not be easy. How do we train for this? How do we conduct meetings when multiple cultures are represented? Is it possible to have a group of inter-cultural friends? Can church happen in an inter-cultural setting? I hope so.

To be honest, I am not sure how we arrive at a place where inter-cultural appreciation and understanding is normal. That is where I want to end up. It is certainly the kind of world I want my boys to live in.

Rethinking “Short-term”

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:31:00 +0000

Lately I have been reading a number of articles on the damage that can be and has been caused by short-term mission trips. One writer talked about churches that spend millions of dollars traveling to other countries, performing work that locals could do best and creating a welfare economy that deprived people of the pride of their own accomplishments.

When I read stories like this, I find myself agreeing with the writer and questioning my career choice. I lead a ministry that arranges short-term experiences for 3,000 young people annually. Am I part of the problem? The honest answer is both “yes” and “no.”

For those committed to long-term ministry, short-term experiences always seem incomplete and lacking in integrity. Although I run a short-term program, I have been a part of Denver’s Westside neighborhood for 15 years. Nothing replaces time when it comes to effectiveness.

But I do wonder about all the critics of short-term missions. From my vantage point, their claims greatly overestimate the power of the groups coming to “serve” and underestimate the strength of local communities.

Many well-meaning leaders seem to understand power only in terms of wealth. If this were truth, then the short-term visitors do have all the power. But power is much more than wealth. In my context, urban America, power comes from all kinds of sources – family, culture, community, language, and faith to name a few. I have yet to see a short-term group destroy this.

Short-term programs are plagued with all kinds of problems. I have witnessed the damage that racism, stereotyping and ignorance can inflict. These concerns cannot be ignored and must be addressed.

If I were to push this conversation a bit farther, I would question the common definition of “short-term,” the one day to two week time period. I would suggest that anything less than 10 years should be viewed as short-term.

In my neighborhood, I am always intrigued by the people who move in so that they can “do” ministry. God has led them to work among the “urban poor.” And I am equally intrigued by how God always leads them to move as soon as their children become school-age. What does this say to the community they were called to? What kind of damage does this inflict?

It is easy to pick on the people who do mission one week at a time, but I am not so sure that these are the people with the power to do the real damage.

Ministry, in all its forms, needs people committed to long-term presence. At DOOR we host short-term groups, but we do this in the context of full-time city directors and in partnership with local pastors and helping agencies who have been on the ground for years and even decades. These people help to inform what groups do and do not do during their time with us.

Jesus was a communist

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:40:00 +0000

Last week, I attended a gathering of urban church leaders. The afternoon session began with sharing.

The first pastor to share started with these words, “Jesus was a communist.”

It certainly got my attention. I do not normally think of Jesus in quite that way.

When I hear the word “communism,” I first think of Stalin. Some historians claim that this guy is responsible for killing more people than Hitler. Placing Jesus in this camp seems wrong.

But as the pastor started unpacking this idea, I began to wonder about Jesus’ political leanings.

Would Jesus have voted for the Democrat or Republican candidate? (This question by itself assumes a lot: Would Jesus have come to earth as an American? Probably not.)

Would Jesus have supported the Western ideas of capitalism and individuality?

As this pastor continued sharing, he reminded us that scripture has a bias toward the poor, the immigrant and the widow. He then went on to suggest that capitalism and individuality do not easily make space for the poor, the immigrant and the widow.

If we define communism as a system that puts the needs of the community ahead of the desires of the individual, then it becomes possible to define Jesus as a communist.

Jesus was known for putting the needs of others ahead of his own.

Jesus was known for including the outsiders and outcasts.

If being a Christian means being Christ-like, maybe we all have to become a little less capitalist and a little more communist.

Just thinking…

I was thinking…about my Christian faith

noreply@blogger.com (Glenn) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:57:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered if your faith makes a difference? Or to put it another way, would you be a different person if you had no faith?

In today’s world, being “faithful” or “radical” are too often equated with death and destruction.
Think of all the things that have been done in God’s name.

The crusades.

The inquisition.

Segregation.

Last year I was in Belfast, Northern Ireland. There are 40-foot walls dividing neighborhoods, keeping Catholics and Protestants separated. These walls still stand, years after the “trouble” officially ended. They read the same Bible and pray to the same God, but cannot get along with each other.

In Northern Ireland, the divisions are obvious, but division happens here as well. We quickly divide over conservative and liberal ideologies. Religion is too often a sword that divides people into these camps.

Is it possible for our faith to be transforming and healing? Can my Christian faith be a unifying force?

I want a faith that brings people together. I am tired of defining myself by my “distinctives,” the things that make me different.

I do not want to deny unique qualities and individuality. I like the things that make me, me.

But can our belief in a creator God allow for difference? If difference is OK, can we learn to celebrate and enjoy variety?

Only when we can find the courage to do this, then our faith can truly be radical.