Planting The Seed...

A lesson from Acts...

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:38:00 +0000

Well, it has been a long, long time since I last posted anything to this blog. The reasons are many, time and scheduling as much as anything. However, I thought I'd take a minute and upload a lesson here from Acts 6. Many of you know that I have been doing some graduate work at the Fresno Pacific seminary. It has been a great time of learning, perhaps as significant as any I've had. So, with that in mind, I'm sharing the last study that I have completed. Please note that this is a formal study, more for the "instructor" than for the "student." We use the acronym FORRMAL to describe the process of attempting to do both "exegesis" (original intent, meaning, understanding at the time of the writing) and "hermeneutics"(what does it mean to us today. So the FORRMAL is the process for doing this work. This study is my own, but I use resources of those much smarter than me. So, if you don't like it, that's my fault. If you think I sound pretty smart, well, that's most likely because I'm using smart resources. The study is on the pericope (passage) of Acts 6:1-7. If you want the first 6-7 sections are exegesis, the last section, "Living the vision," is the hermeneutical part. I hope you enjoy it, sorry for all the jargon.
Acts "FORRMAL" study

Did we forget to graduate? Are we that guy/gal?

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 22:42:00 +0000

Remember that guy in high school that everyone thought was really cool. He had an awesome car, won Valley in some sport, and was the guy all the guys wanted to be and the girls wanted to be going with. Remember when that guy graduated, but then decided to hang around after school in the high school parking lot for YEARS! He went from being that "awesome guy" to being that creepy guy. It was sad.

I had lunch with a couple of friends this week and one of them said that he felt like a lot of people never graduate from church. When they should be moving on to start something new, they just hang around and poison the water for the freshman. I started to wonder if that wasn't me. Did I forget to graduate? Did I forget that the church was supposed to go into the world? Had I become the 5th or 6th year senior, afraid of moving on to start something new? Is there a large group of us hanging around our old stomping grounds, forgetting that the world is waiting for us to bring Christ to them? Did I forget to graduate? Did you?

The most dangerous post I've ever written...

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 22:28:00 +0000

When I sat down to write this post, I was really concerned about it. It seems like such a simple task, and yet I think it is in many ways a difficult and daring one. How do I reveal my beliefs without stepping on others? how do I explain it without judging? what if people judge me? what if I decide later that I don’t believe that way anymore?…. I was then reminded of something I taught recently in a class, the three reasons why most projects never get started: apathy, pessimism and despair. I do not want to be subject to any of these. So for that reason I am committed to initiating, to go forward, to take the risk. I only will add one caveat: these are my thoughts and beliefs, today.

I believe that God is and that, as the Deuteronomist (author of Exodus) said, God will be who God will be. I believe in God the Creator, God as Elohim (God of Gods) and God as Adonai, the holy YWH. I believe that God is bigger than
any faith tradition can fully comprehend, explain, or understand. I believe that God is aware of this.

I believe that God came to earth as the incarnate Jesus Christ, fully human and fully God. I believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I admit that I do not understand this completely, but I believe it.

I believe that scripture is the word of God, a product of inspiration, a process involving God and man. I believe it tells God’s story, through the eyes of man, pointing us to the Word (Jesus). I believe that anyone can read the Bible. I believe that understanding scripture is not a passive act, nor is understanding it easy or it's meaning self-evident. I believe that the Bible is one of the most complex and difficult-to-understand assemblies of books ever written. I believe that the books of the Bible were written to certain people at a certain place and a certain time. I was taught this in my first day of NT at Columbia Christian College and I continue to believe it today.

I believe that the Gospel story is simple.

I believe that sin separates us from the blessings of a life in the flow of God’s spirit. I believe that scripture demonstrates that God judges evil in this lifetime and has provided a solution in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

I believe that Jesus died for everyone, all people, the entire world, past, present and future.

I believe that Jesus on the cross was God’s response to evil, that Jesus took the full force and brunt of the result of evil in this world, and exhausted it.

I believe that Jesus calls us to a way of life, an opportunity to reconcile ourselves to the creation God intended. This is a practical, daily life that evidences the love, grace and mercy that we’ve received, demonstrated in our love for others and love for God. This life is a response to the life we’ve been given today, the solution to evil, the healing of our brokenness in this world and the daily experience of salvation. It is real, tangible, and present. I do not live into the fullness of this understanding, but I work toward it.

I believe that baptism is a powerful, God-supported, life-changing experience in which we demonstrate our recognition of Christ on the cross, feel the cleansing of his sacrifice, and display our commitment. I believe that Christ’s baptism, in it’s time and place, evidenced Christ’s implementation of a new path, God’s solution to evil, and God’s ordainment of his beloved. I believe that this is consistent with scripture and a historic understanding of the act in that culture and time. I believe that baptism is so much more than we have understood. I do not believe that baptism is “the” salvation event.

I believe the church is here to minister to believers as well as the world, to provide a place for respite from evil, a community for fellowship and support, and a tool for discipleship. I believe that the church is made up of many talents and abilities, each of which is necessary in its work.

I believe that men and women were both created in the image of God, equally, and each receive the same Holy Spirit. I believe that biblical references to “women’s roles”, whether or not tied to the creation story, are a reflection of the cultural and historical time in which they occurred. I believe that no office, no position, no responsibility in the church is reserved for one sex. I believe that men and women were created uniquely, to partner together in the raising of a family, recognizing the need for each other and submitting equally to one another. I believe that my wife is the image of God, a partner uniquely created for me and I for her. I believe that my children are also created in God’s image, entrusted to Erin and me for a time, for a purpose set not by us but by God.

I believe that we should read all the epistles through Jesus, and not Jesus through the epistles. I believe there is a priority relationship for understanding, not an ignoring of one for the other. I believe that Jesus is the answer that all scripture is pointing to.

I believe that each of us is individually important to God. I believe that Jesus would have died if it had only been for just you. I believe that you are the beloved. I believe none of us is so small that we can’t partner with Jesus in this world. I believe that God works through each of us, big and small, young and old, to heal this world, our friends and neighbors, our family, and ourselves. For these reasons, I believe that each one of us is of ultimate importance to Elohim.

I believe that some will read this and cringe, others will smile, and some will wonder. I believe that if you do not believe as I do then that simply shows that you are a living, breathing, thoughtful person. I believe that we can still be friends, brothers and sisters in the faith, partners with Jesus in the restoration and reconciliation of this world. I believe that God's grace is sufficient where my beliefs, and yours, are not.

Does it really matter?

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:04:00 +0000

Well, I couldn't drag out many comments on my last couple of blog posts about the "spiritual life" and how we cultivate or grow it, so let's table that for now. I think it is a very important conversation, fundamentally important in fact, but it has to be a conversation and so I'll wait until I can facilitate one.
But that brings me to today's thoughts, "what really matters?"

I had a wonderful opportunity to visit a church this weekend that was totally new to our family. The demographics of the congregation were very similar to VCCOC, with the exception of a stronger 20's something presence. The facilities were nice, the people friendly, and the worship was enjoyed by all. The preacher was young-ish and brought a heartfelt message which he communicated with an adequate amount of feeling and polish. In our discussions afterward, our group focused on some things we liked and some things we weren't as excited about, but in all we felt good about the experience and would likely go back given the chance. None of us had been there before, so it was a sort of "blind date" with a church. If any of you have done this before, you know the results can be disastrous. In our case however, the selection was well made. One of the best things about this opportunity is that it gave me a chance to reflect on what really matters to me about a church.
So I'm asking you, what really matters? Is it the style of music in worship (this church had both instrumental and a capella)? Is taking the Lord's supper weekly a must have? What about baptism? Do we need to mention that? Should we examine the list of 10 (it's almost always 10) core beliefs and see if we can live with them? Is there a necessary bible version that should be endorsed? Women's roles? Men's roles? Doctrinal compatibility? What really matters?

More to the point...how?

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Wed, 25 May 2011 14:30:00 +0000

So let me be specific about the question I was trying to pose in the last post:
"How do we cultivate our spiritual life?"

More on our spiritual life...

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Mon, 23 May 2011 20:58:00 +0000

I really appreciate all the feedback I received on the last post. Taken as a whole, most commenters agreed that our "spiritual life" is not some subset of our life in general, but is perhaps our overarching, upper-story life. Perhaps it would be safe to say that it is that "life" that is God centered and led, that "life" that connects us with our Creator. John Ortberg talks about living in the "flow" of the spirit and draws on the imagery of the river of life, flowing from the garden. When we are connected to and in that flow, we are God centered and God led. Would it be too much to suggest that we experience the true blessings of a Christ centered, Christ led live when we bring our other "lives" (family, work, school, church) into that same flow?
So the follow up question is: how do we bring our "lives" into that same flow? (How do we connect the upper-story with the lower-story?)
Can't wait to hear your thoughts....

The question of the day....

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Mon, 16 May 2011 16:11:00 +0000

What does the phrase "spiritual life" mean to you? Thoughts?

The solution to small groups?....

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Fri, 13 May 2011 17:19:00 +0000

Thanks to Hannah for sharing this. If a group like this doesn't work for you... stay tuned...

What if....

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Tue, 10 May 2011 20:18:00 +0000

An interesting question was presented at more than one class I attended last week. It's a question that has popped up in different forms from different sources over the past few months. I'm going to ask my "version" of it here:

"What if there was no afterlife?"

More broadly, what if we could determine definitively that there is no heaven and no hell when this life is over. What if we went back to scripture and we were able to determine, with absolutely certainty, that there was no afterlife and Christ was never referring to one. What would the implications be for you?

I Won't Say "I told you so, but..."

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Mon, 09 May 2011 23:28:00 +0000

I hope you had a great week last week, I know we did. I have to say that this trip to the Pepperdine Lectures was one of the best. We had a great time fellowshipping with friends old and new. The VBS program was a total hit; the kids in our suite loved it and were eager to go back everyday. One of my favorite things was sitting around after a particularly inspiring class and sharing with family and friends. There was definitely a spirit moving through the classes and I was amazed at how certain ideas seemed to resonate over and over. I really came away feeling renewed, but also challenged. I think God is calling on the church for big things in the future and it is an exciting time! If you missed the lectureships, make sure to talk to someone that went. We will have many of the classes available by CD in the coming weeks that can be checked out from the office. Exciting things are happening people, stay tuned....

Heading To The Promised Land....Have a Great Week !

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:46:00 +0000

Well, maybe that's a little far fetched, but if I had to choose between streets of gold and the ocean-side setting of Pepperdine, well, let's just say I'd be packing my sunscreen. Each year I wrangle and twist, persuade and promise, even beg and plead, and yet I fail repeatedly to get many (if any) young families to go to the Pepperdine Bible Lectures. Maybe it's the title? What if I invited people to a week of "Dialogue and Relationship Building"... would that work? How about, "A Time of Rejuvenation and Rest?" Maybe I should focus on the kids and say, Pepperdine offers "The Ultimate Enrichment Program for your Children;" is that the way I should go. I could try to approach it from a long-term view and say, "Can you remember what you did the first week of May last year?" and then follow it up with "I can and it had a tremendous impact on my life...how about you?" I could contrast the present and say, "what will you do next Wednesday through Friday? Will it expand your understanding of Christendom, deepen your love, broaden your horizons, increase your faith, deepen your relationships and be just plain awesome?"
To be honest, I'm not sure any of these tactics or re-labelings would work. If they do, great, see you there. I can assure you that from my experience, and the experience of others, these are all accurate statements. But in the end, I'm struck by how much this sounds like all the things we say and do to encourage young families to be more committed to "church" and its various activities and programs. Not helpful.

So this year, I'm just going to say this: "have a great week." If I see you at Pepperdine, let me know what you think. If you can't make it, and I know some of you want to and can't, have a great week. If you're on the fence, well, I will just say this: "have you ever struggled before about whether to do something and, in the end, after having done it, wondered why you hadn't done it before? Pepperdine is that thing." Whatever you choose to do next week, enjoy it!

A New Paradigm for the Proverbially Pooped...

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 23:14:00 +0000

Well, it's been over three months since my last post and I can hardly come up with a new title. I've been thinking a lot about church lately, about how to reach young families and the "emerging church" in this day and age. Frankly, I've been stumped. We've had events, planned classes, tried new material and studied the issues, but in the end we still have the same people on the fringe and the same people at the center; it's a little depressing. I hear that my tradition (The Church of Christ) is not growing and Christian churches in general are not growing and I began to wonder what's happening.

About a month ago I had the opportunity to participate in an event to feed the needy. My family and I went to the dinner before hand to raise money, then we went to the event itself to help serve the food. We had 20+ turn up to help feed the hungry at our church building; it was a great turnout...well, unless you count the number of needy people that were there. In the end we did have a few, but most, if not all, drove themselves there and texted on their cell phones while they enjoyed their meal (not the mental picture I had created). The majority of us helpers started visiting in various places around the building and before you know it, it was over. I wondered where all the hungry people had gone? As we started talking about the night, someone in the group suggested that maybe we should do the next dinner at a nearby labor camp, or in layman's terms, take the food to the hungry. What a novel idea?

Not one to let a good idea pass me by, I've been ruminating on this for some time. It occurs to me that what we are doing in our discipleship efforts is trying to bring the "hungry" to the church. We offer new programs, new classes, new series. We advertise, promote, and spend our tightened budgets. Everyone rejoices when that "fringe" family shows up, only to be disappointed when they are not at church the next week. Now I'm wondering, what if we take the church to them? What if we stopped having more events, more programs, more classes, and started encouraging our members to spend time together, attend one another's events, take church to the activities they are already participating in? What family wouldn't enjoy being let of the hook to attend their regularly scheduled tee-ball or swim meet. What child wouldn't love having his cheering section multiplied by other church families who showed up to offer their support? What if that burnt-out mom could feel like dinner with her girlfriend was enough church? What if we stopped trying to compete with all the events in the lives of our members and just started bringing the church to those events? What if we freed people from the obligations of programs and offered them a relationship with Christ instead? What if we began to model Christ by what I'm calling, "meet the need and plant the seed?" Does this make sense to anyone?

A New Year, A New Way of Thinking...

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:02:00 +0000

Well it has been some time since I lasted posted to this site, and I apologize for my tardiness. We've had a full and wonderful holiday season, with friends and family all around. As we begin a new study on Sundays, I have been forced to examine my spiritual journey, both its peaks and valleys, its triumphs and its struggles. In the past year I've become more aware of what I bring to my journey, the lens through which I look, and the influences that have shaped my present understandings.

One question that we barely had time to touch on last week was the idea of "Right Doctrine." It is a concept we have explored throughout 2010 and in light of our last class, I'm churning it over once again. Is there such a thing as "Right Doctrine?" In our faith communities, doctrine has been seen as a codification of beliefs, a summation of our position. However, according to Merriam-Webster, doctrine is defined as, "teaching or instruction; something that is taught." When looked at in this light, it appears to be more of a process than a result. Although it may be semantics, I think the idea of "Right Doctrine" suggests that our goal is to find a singular understanding and practice. While this tempting idea has found life in our tradition, I'm not sure that the Bible, as a whole, supports this idea. It's not a matter of right v. wrong, which I believe truly exists, but a matter of "one-size-fits-all." This is the inherent tendency in calling something "right," and scripture clearly demonstrates, from Genesis to Revelation, that our spiritual journeys are not "one-size-fits-all." Further, when God chooses to interact with His creation, it is not a "one-size-fits-all" approach.

I'm reminded of my search for the "perfect bible." I asked a lot of people about their opinion, explaining that I wanted something that provided insight and background, but was not promoting one opinion or understanding. I wanted a lot of information, but not a lot of opinion. I was told that what I should look for, based on my criteria, was a "version" not a "translation." Why? Because a version has been formed by many scholars, it's ideas have been vetted and considered by more than a single mind, and the result is the work of a group, not an individual. The current version I'm using has been the work of dozens upon dozens of leading scholars, and that's just what I wanted. I enjoy the Message for it's particular viewpoint, but it's a translation by a single person, which can be helpful and intriguing, but not necessary a good foundation for learning. There are many translations and single-piont-of-view commentaries out there, each with their own understanding, agenda, and benefit, but in the end they are just that, one person's opinion. I'm cautious of basing my understanding a single personal point of view.

So how does this all fit with "Right Doctrine?" Like reading a single individual's commentary or a translation, it assumes that one size should fit all, removing our personal experiences, the benefits of multiple educated views, and the room to let God exercise a prerogative. I think in the end I prefer "sound doctrine." We all have a different, personal relationship with God; that is a foundation of our tradition. As a result, we may not all understand scripture the same, we may not all glean the same teaching and we may not all agree as to how that teaching speaks to us today. Simply put, no amount of effort will EVER result in everyone agreeing on the exact same understanding of scripture. It hasn't happened in the last 2000 years, there's no reason to believe it will be different today. So with that in mind, an attempt at "Right Doctrine," seems to me to be, as the writer of Ecclesiastes might say, "chasing after the wind." But "sound doctrine," using scholarly methods of exegesis (attempting to understand what the text meant to those it was written to) combined with ongoing personal experiences, community involvement and developing faith, might just result in a hermeneutic (application to today) born of a sound process. Simply, sound doctrine would be the result of a sound process. Our understanding will surely not be the same, but that is not a problem. It will be a personal understanding born of a sound doctrine, influenced by many and personalized by our own experience with God. Moreover, because it is a process, it lacks the finality of "rightness" and develops the idea that it will be ongoing, ever open to examining the process and its results, providing opportunity for more learning and more refining. Whereas "Right Doctrine" anticipates an arrival at an understanding upon which the seeker never has to waiver, "sound doctrine" eludes to an ongoing activity, built on a firm foundation but with room for further improvement and understanding. Sound doctrine allows God to continue to work in us and allows God to do so individually, without losing sight of the goal.

The Wheel of Unity....

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:12:00 +0000

Unity is something we talk a lot about these days. This is not unprecedented and in fact the forefathers of our tradition had a lot to say on the subject. I’ve shared before my interest in Thomas Campbell’s “Declaration and Address” in which he made an impassioned call for unity in the church of Christ. Notice that wasn’t the Church of Christ, but the church of Christ. In his declaration he makes 13 points that he believed are the key to unity. One of my favorites is No. 7:

7. That although doctrinal exhibitions of the great system of di-

vine truths, and defensive testimonies in opposition to prevailing
errors, be highly expedient; and the more full and explicit they be,

for those purposes, the better; yet, as these must be in a great

measure the effect of human reasoning, and of course must con-

tain many inferential truths, they ought not to be made terms of

christian communion: unless we suppose, what is contrary to fact,

that none have a right to the communion of the church, but such

as possess a very clear and decisive judgment; or are come to a

very high degree of doctrinal information; whereas the church

from the beginning did, and ever will, consist of little children and

young men, as well as fathers.

I love this one because it recognizes the value of scholarship, and at the same time makes it clear that he believes that there has been, and always will be, varying levels of understanding in the church. Moreover, that there is should be no requirement that everyone understands or has reached a specific level of scholarship to be a member of the body.

Scripture is unwavering about the value of unity, and Campbell wrote pages and pages about it in his address in 1809 to the group of believers called together for the Great Communion. His entire declaration was given to the need for unity. Yet right smack dab in the middle he acknowledges, and even supports the idea, that there never has been, nor will there ever be, a complete agreement and understanding of all of scripture among the church. So how can we have unity without everyone believing the same thing?

This is the distortion that has been applied to Unity today. Unity may be hard to define, but I think I can safely say what it isn’t:

It is not total agreement on the meaning and understanding of scripture. Christ recognizes this when he speaks to the Pharisees. Paul understood this when he called the early churches to move on from milk to meat. Thomas Campbell states this in the paragraph above.

2. It is not a tool to oppose change. Unity does not mean that we can’t continue to renew our understanding and practices. As we move from milk to meat, surely our understanding and practices will change.

3. It is not a basis for intolerance. Unity is a broadening of what is acceptable, not a narrowing. Campbell recognized that there are few things in scripture that Christ commands. In his 13^th point, he states that when our practices involve things that are not “found on the open page of express revelation” then we need to say they are man’s practices. He believed that in so doing, we will not hold people to beliefs or requirements that are not Christ’s commands, and when we decide to change them, it won’t cause division.

4. It is not a call for conformity. In his first point, Campbell recognizes that churches will “exist in particular and distinct societies, locally separate one from another,” but that we should all receive each other as Christ received diverse people, having the same mind and love as Christ.

Please don’t think I agree with Campbell on everything, and in the end some of the things he said in his other points he later had to “clarify.” My fear today is that we are using Unity as a weapon. We charge people with threatening the Unity of our body, which is just another way of saying, “if you don’t believe what I do, then you're wrong and threatening unity” or "if you want to change what we're comfortable with, you're threatening the Unity of the body." I believe that Unity should be what allows us to fellowship with all Christians, finding that what matters at the core is Christ. I believe that Unity is what allows us to worship in ways that may not be our favorite, because we have love for one another. I believe that Unity is what fosters growth, allowing us to step out on faith knowing that our love for Christ and each other will bring us closer.

Unity in the church is like a wheel, with Christ as the hub. The further we move from our core (Christ) to matters of worship and practice, the further we move out on the spokes. Some of us might even be 180 degrees away from each other when we get out to things like Grace, Sunday school, instrumental worship, women’s roles, but that is ok. As long as we have Unity in Christ at the center, we can all be part of the same wheel.

The Real World...

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 21:26:00 +0000

Remember this guy? His name is Puck and he is the reason that most people in America watch TV today. Well, that might be overstating it a little, but not much. Puck was "THE" star on a little show on MTV called, "The Real World-San Francisco." It was 1994, the show was in its third season and maybe the most popular ever. The idea of the show was summed up at the beginning of each episode with a voice-over that went something like this:

"This is the true story... of eight strangers... picked to live in a house...work together and have their lives taped... to find out what happens... when people stop being polite... and start getting real...The Real World."

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the man you have to thank for "reality" TV. Although the first seasons were unscripted, it's hard to look at a show like the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" and believe that these shows have anything to do with reality, let alone housewives. So why the trip down memory lane and wandering discussions about pop-culture and media? Well, over the course of the next few weeks or months I'm going to be putting up some posts that address what I believe America is looking for and has been for decades. Reality TV, Facebook, and texting are all just symptoms of what I think good people all across this country are wanting. And it goes much, much deeper. It shows up in the cars we buy, the clothes we wear and even the food we eat. And it's not Religion.

A Lawyer's approach to Scripture...

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 17:11:00 +0000

Today as I was reading Morris' blog today and thinking about how I wanted to comment, I realized that my approach to scripture has been highly influenced by my legal education (please hold the jokes to the end of this post). It has actually been a very useful approach for me and I owe it, mostly, to Professor Wendel. Anytime a case presented itself, Professor Wendel always wanted us to look at three levels of addressing the case. Let's take a simple example that I've used many times before. It won't be a case, but it will be somewhat illustrate the point. A two year old child stands at Main street, a very busy street, and starts to cross. Her mother, upon seeing this, rushes up, grabs the child by the hand and says, "you are never to cross this street without me." Now, let's use the Wendel method on these events.

The first level of dissection is the "Fact" level. At this level, you addressed the facts of the case, the specific set of circumstances with which the court was dealing. Here we have a very young child, and a very busy street that the child is contemplating crossing. These facts are extremely important because the let us know exactly what is happening here and help us understand why the mother said what she did. However, in order for this situation to be useful to other situations, we need to go to the next level, the "Rule" level. While it may be useful for this mother to say that "no two year old daughter standing at Main Street is allowed to cross the street without me," that isn't very helpful in situations that vary from this one. What about First Street? What about a three year old? What about a calm street? So a rule is developed that has a broader application, perhaps: "No young child may cross the street without a parent." This rule can be applied to the other circumstances and is useful beyond these specific facts. However, even the rule itself isn't perfect. Consider a situation where this same child, two years on, is standing on a playground near a street crossing. Suddenly a dog breaks from it's owner and aggressively makes it's way toward the child. Having only a few moments to react, the child sees a policeman just across the street, notices that no cars are coming, and runs across the street to the safety of the policeman who fends off the hostile dog. Did she break the rule? Yes. Did she do the right thing? It depends (Wendel's favorite answer). Under the facts and rules level of review, we would have to say, "no, she didn't." But there is something inside of us that says this was the proper action to take. That something is the Holy Grail of legal thought, that something is "Public Policy." At this level, we have to look beyond facts and rules to what some might call "Truth." We have to look at those principles that we as a society value. They are hard to put into a rule that covers every set of facts and every set of circumstances. In a Venn Diagram, Public Policy is the largest circle, within which Rules then follow, and Facts are at the innermost level. In our scenario, the Public Policy that would support the action of the child would be "Personal Safety." Personal Safety supports her not crossing a busy street without her parent. Personal Safety also supports her fleeing across a street to avoid a rabid dog without her parent's assistance.

So, what does this all have to do with approaching scripture? Focusing on facts helps us understand the specific situation in the story. It does little to help us live today. Looking at a rule that the author may state is more helpful, but requires that we understand the facts, the circumstances, the culture, etc. Trying to understand the principle, the broader policy at work, this is where we are able to find something of greater applicability to our lives today. When we back out to the Public Policy level, we see the greater principle at work. Christ says it well in Matthew 22:36-40. Christ explains the greatest commandments (Love God, Love Others) and finishes by saying that "all the law and prophets hang on these." These are the Public Policies that Christ wants us to remember. They don't give us the specific rule or todo list when we encounter a certain set of facts, they provide a general principle by which we can live our entire lives. The next time you're reading scripture and looking for a better understanding, ask yourself what level you're considering. Now you're thinking like a lawyer!

One caveat- The problem with Public Policy size principles. They don't allow us to quickly cast judgment on the actions of others. Hmmm... I wonder why that would be?

"Forget ever being a Christian again...

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:59:00 +0000

and never ask a friend, family member or coworker to become a Christian again..." That was the message from a book I was reading today called, "The Big Idea." It was written by, well, a Christian, but this was what he hoped the takeaway would be from that chapter. He went on to say that, "85% of all Americans call themselves Christians. However, research in North America shows that Christians are no more likely to give assistance to a homeless person than non-Christians; those who call themselves Christians are no more likely to correct the mistake when given too much change by a cashier; a Christian is just as likely to have an elective abortion as a non-Christian; Christians divorce at the same rate as non-Christians; even though there are more big churches than ever before, 50% of Christian churches didn't help a single person find salvation last year; when groups were surveyed on over 152 different topics there was almost NO difference between Christians and non-Christians, no difference in attitude and no difference actions. If there is essentially no difference between the attitude and actions of Christians and non-Christians, is "Christian" really the word you want to use to describe your willingness to sacrifice everything you have to see God's dream fulfilled?" Powerful food for thought. Now many of us know people who are "acting" like Christians, who's lives and attitudes are committed to serving Christ, but can the same be said of you?...of me? Good friends of ours, John & Kari Sowers, are doing some amazing things for the fatherless children of their community in Portland, and teaching other leaders to do the same. John has written a book about theses issues and also talks about some of the solutions that they're working on. I encourage you to take a look at the book here as well as the group's website. What about us? Being a "follower" of Christ suggests action. What actions, what attitudes are we developing to bring salvation to the lost of this world? Are we being the kind of people that cannot be confused with non-believers? Please pray for the Spirit to move me to this new level and I will do the same for all of you.

What do you REALLY want???

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:15:00 +0000

"Do you like God? That may sound like a strange question, and I don't mean to be glib about God. But if I do not like being with God, I simply will not be with him much...The point of this is not to make you feel guilty that you should want God more. 'Should' simply does not have the power to get you there." - John Ortberg

So what do you think? Do you like God? Does the thought of being with God create a sense of love and joy and excitement in your heart, or is it more of an obligatory, luke-warm, have-to-go-to-church kind of feeling? I think I've definitely been on both sides of this fence. Growing up as a kid, going to YFE (Yosemite Family Encampment) was the absolute, unparalleled joy of my summer. I looked forward to it, longed for it, and was completely bummed when it was over... and then started anticipating the next summer again. I loved the devo's, the fellowship, even the church services (and I was a kid). I loved everything about it. Just like church camp, this was my utter joy, the closest I would feel to God all year. The desire for this kind of event was a God-inspired desire, it was something that God put in me and the satisfaction of that desire through these events was an absolute blessing.

Other times in life, I did what I thought was the "Godly" thing to do (e.g. going to church, attending church events) because I felt I should do them... and often times the should feeling wasn't enough. The more the obligated I felt, the less I really wanted to go, do, participate. In fact, the more I did these things out of obligation, the more resentment I felt about it. Have you been there? I'm not saying we can't find joy and love in attending our local church events, we absolutely can... if we want to...

Can we find ways today to recognized God in the things we love? Has God given you a desire, agift or talent, the expression or satisfaction of which brings you great joy? When we recognize that God gives us desires, and thank God for the satisfaction of those desires, we are enjoying and experiencing God more in our lives, a thing scripture says is pleasing to the Lord. Our desires can become selfish and self-centered, self-agrandizing and self-promoting, none of which is pleasing to the Lord. However, giving God thanks for meeting our desires, for giving us a life of abundance, recognizing Him in the blessings we enjoy, these are the things that allow us to grow closer to God and help us turn our should into want. And God wants us to want Him.

Your Spiritual Life... taking your temperature

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:43:00 +0000

This morning I got back to reading a book I started months ago. It's a great read, humorous and poignant, focusing on becoming who God created us to be. The author's point in the first chapter is to say that God purposefully created each of us to do good work that He has prepared in advance (Ephesians 2:10). What an awesome idea. We are not our handiwork, our life is not our project. God has created us with a purpose in mind and our goal is to allow the Spirit of God to direct us. Can you imagine becoming what God, Adonia, Elohim, the Creator of the Universe has planned for you to be? Sometimes I get so wrapped up in trying to figure it out, trying to decide who I am and what I need to be doing and how to achieve MY goals that I forget that it's not about MY desires and plans, it's about God's. Would you rather be the pinnacle of what YOU can achieve, or the perfect realization of what God has designed you to be? It's silly, but I focus more of my time of the former rather than the latter; no wonder that leads to frustration. When we become who God designed us to be, when we learn to live in the flow of His Spirit, we can then be used in God's work to redeem the world. The author finishes by saying that "The me God wants me to be" is measured by my capacity to love (John 13:35) (Uh-oh...). To know if I'm living in the flow, the author suggests that I ask myself two things to indicate how my spiritual life is going:
i. Am I growing more easily discouraged these days?
ii. Am I growing more easily irritated these days?

Those are powerful and convicting questions... so, "how is your spiritual life going?"

Be encouraged, God has a plan for you and the more you learn to live in the flow of His Spirit, the closer you will be to being the you God created you to be...
Blessings!

Classes this Fall.... Wednesday nights!

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:24:00 +0000

Hey everyone. We're looking at classes for the fall and I'm thinking about doing a combined marriage/parenting class. Each series lasts six weeks, so we can do them back to back. I have a couple of suggestions and I'm attaching them here. Let me know if this is something you are interested in, or if you have another request. I prefer classes like this that are "real-life" based, not someone's idea of what a perfect Christian family should be. These look pretty good, and I think they apply to a broad range of families and "families-to-be," but give me some feedback. You can comment below.

Marriage- Built to Last

Parenting- The Early Years

This Sunday... Families of Faith at the building

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:52:00 +0000

Hey everyone, I hope you're enjoying your family devotionals. It's a great opportunity to bring faith into your home. This Sunday night beginning at 5pm, we will be getting together again at the building for a brief devotional, followed by food and water play. We would love to have everyone there, so bring your family, lawn chairs, and bathing suits and towels and join us for a great time. Our last meeting had nearly 40 people and it was a blast! Remember, we start at 5pm in the auditorium. If you missed the material last week, send me an email and I'll send the devotionals to you. An RSVP would also be appreciated.

Families of Faith, This Sunday, July 11 at 5pm at the Building

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 21:40:00 +0000

This Sunday night, from 5-7pm at the building, we will be starting our 6 week series on Families of Faith, a program put together by Peggy Scheppegrell and myself. This will be a time of fellowship and fun, as well as an opportunity to get information and ideas on building your family of faith. A national survey conducted by the Search Institute showed that when boys and girls from 7th-12th grade were asked who the "Most Significant Spiritual Influences" were in their lives, 81% of boy and 74% of girls said it was their mother. That was followed by their Father, Grandparents, siblings, relatives and friends. Their pastor didn't even make the top 5, movie and music stars ranked above any church activities with the exception of camps, their Youth Group Leader was 13th, the Bible was 16th and God himself didn't even make the top 20. So what does all this mean? It means that parents MUST take an ACTIVE role in the spiritual formation of their children. The idea that sending Johnny and Jane to Sunday school or dropping them off with Grandma will ensure they have a strong faith is, at best, a misconception. Our hope is to show you the importance of being involved in your child's spiritual life, give you ideas about how to make your home a place of faith, and help you connect to other families working toward the same goals. We will be eating together and spending some time in devotional and then release the kids for a time of water play, including an inflatable slide. We believe this will be a blessing for you and your children. Please drop me an email letting me know if you and your family will be able to make it so we can be prepared with materials, etc. Everyone with children in their lives is invited.

Many blessings,

Brice

Is your child your Status Symbol?

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 18:39:00 +0000

Mitch and Gayle were in a dying, if not dead, marriage. They had already split when they came in to talk to the counselor. Working session after session, the counselor struggled with finding the root of their issues, until he asked to look at their calendars. Mitch and Gayle revealed that each morning before school, Mitch took their 13 year old to French lessons and then went to work for 9 hours at a CPA firm. After work, he grabbed the daughter, drove 40 minutes to private dance lessons, spent 2 hours there, and drove home. The money for French and dance was tapping their bank accounts and the time apart was tapping their marriage. Most important to them was the success of their child. Does this true story sound familiar? Have we let our child become our status symbol. My child goes to (fill in the school)... Little Pete is on (insert championship team) and (insert other sport) and... Does scripture support this model? Does this sound like God first, Marriage Second and Children third? What did God say to Eli in 1 Samuel 2:29? Does the status symbol child bring glory to God? Does it create Godly marriages? How can the church help families get back to a God centered hierarchy? Stay tuned....

I take it back...

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Wed, 12 May 2010 22:21:00 +0000

Forget everything I said in my last post... toss it out with the rubbish. I want the first century church back, all of it, right NOW! Well, maybe not all of it... but the part with the lions and the persecution of Christians... that's the part I want back. Forget UFC on Saturday nights in Tulare (btw, did anything really happen on Saturday nights in Tulare before UFC?), let's get some good old lions and the Christians back in the ring. I want Christians to be afraid again, afraid of the government, and I don't mean "Tea-Party" style, I mean afraid of oppression. I want us to have to go underground, fear for our safety, have hand-signs and secret passwords. I want us to be so busy trying to keep each other from prison, help each other survive, and caring for each other's needs that we have to band together like elephants surrounded by lions. I want "Afghanistan-style" Christianity where being a believer means risking your life. Why, you ask, would anyone want this type of Christianity? You tell me....

Restoring the Early Church.... No thanks!

bayocum@gmail.com (bayocum) — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:06:00 +0000

I've been thinking about this a little today and does "restoring the early church" really make any sense? Can you imagine any other group, business, organization, university, etc saying, "what we really need to do is go back to the way our organization was 2000 years ago." Does it make sense culturally, philosophically, educationally, or spiritually to go back to the way things were? Think about Paul's words to the Philippian church regarding his spiritual journey:

"Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. Only let us hold fast to what we have attained." Philippians 4: 12-16

Paul is letting the brethren at Philippi know that he's ok in prison, and that he continues to strive forward in his relationship with Christ. The early churches had their own wealth of problems and issues, at times even fearing for their own survival. They lacked the texts we have today, they lacked the freedoms, and they lacked the decades and centuries of experience and education we have. The culture of the early church was one that few if any of us have experienced today. Do we really want to turn back the clocks on all we have "attained?"

What I realized this past week was that we, the Church, have lost some of our community. Being together morning, noon, and night, was a tremendous blessing. We got up early and stayed up late (maybe too late) talking with our brothers and sisters, sharing a meal, enjoying activities, worshiping God, and sharing our triumphs and our burdens, and it was, in my mind, pure heaven. Everyone was family and I was blessed to meet new members of that family while reconnecting with lifelong members. Now I could go for a little more of that type of restoration.

Admittedly the church (little "c"- institution) and the Church (big "C"- the people) have had our setbacks and struggles and continue to do so today. But with the exception of the closeness of the community, the idea that somehow things were better back in the "good ol' days" seems like faulty logic to me. In fact, even the closeness of those early communities were more likely a response to necessity than to mere "enlightenment." (Today we likely have an even greater ability to fellowship and share with one another, we simply continue to make choices, material and otherwise, that make that more difficult, but that's another post.) Culturally, spiritually, and educationally I think that tremendous strides and additions have been made. I think the bigger question is, are we prepared, as a Church, to reveal Christ, to be Christ to God's people "for such a time as this?"