Pastor Jason's Blog

Sheep, Goats, and My Guilty Conscience

2016-03-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

Matthew 25:21-46 is a well-known text. Jesus is teaching the disciples about what will happen when God establishes His Kingdom "on earth as it is in heaven." To wrap up this long discourse (scholars call this whole section of Matthew 24-25 the Olivet Discourse), Jesus tells a story to illustrate the final judgment. The Son of Man returns in glory with all the angels and the nations gather before Him for judgment. He separates them into 2 groups - the sheep and the goats.

He welcomes the sheep into His Kingdom because they cared for those that were considered the least - the poor, hungry, sick, stranger, imprisoned, etc. The sheep didn't realize it but when they were caring for these people, they were actually caring for the King Himself.

He sends the goats away into eternal punishment because they did not care for those who were in need.

Pretty harsh if you ask me. Every time I read this passage I feel guilty and get worried that I haven't done enough to make God happy. What if the guy sitting at the intersection with a sign saying he was homeless and desperate was really Jesus and kept going because I was late for a lunch appointment? I will get sent to hell for that?

Fortunately, I don't think that is what Jesus is teaching here. This story comes after several stories that were focused on being ready and being faithful. The sheep and the goats story was not meant to make us worry about doing enough. It was an exclamation point at the end of teaching about living a kingdom life because the King is returning and wants to find His people with the heart of the King.

In judging the sheep and the goats, the King seems to be looking at how they responded to the needs in front of them. This says more about their heart than their effectiveness in fighting poverty or injustice. The sheep were blessed because they responded to the needs they saw with compassion. The goats were cursed because their response was to ignore the needs they saw. The issue was not how many hungry people the sheep fed or how many strangers they welcomed in; the issue was their heart in the face of brokeness.

It boils down to whether I am self-seeking, self-absorbed, and self-serving or others-focused and humble. God's people are the latter. Kingdom people are the latter. Rather than worry that I've met God's "quota of kindness," the parable is a challenge to reflect on the kind of life I lead and the tenderness of my heart. God's people are tender-hearted.

I can't fix all the brokeness in the world, but I can see the broken people in front of me and care for them. That is God's measuring stick: not effectiveness, but tenderness and willingness to respond.

I can evaluate my faith, my walk with Christ and how pleased God is with me by looking at my tenderness. I can't always control my effectiveness, but I can work on my tenderness.

I have a long way to go...

Doubt, Worship, & the Great Commission

2016-03-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

Matthew 28:16-20 ESV - 16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

This passage, usually called "the Great Commission," has served as the rallying cry for the Church since Jesus said it 2000 years ago. Most people begin quoting this passage with the words of Jesus in verse 18, but too often we forget about verses 16 and 17.

The eleven disciples (Judas was gone) gathered at a mountain where Jesus had directed them. You can't help seeing allusions to Moses and the giving of the Law to the Israelites. Now, instead of the Law of Moses, the identity markers of God's people would be centered on being a disciple of Jesus. One could write a book on the parallel of these two incidents in Scripture (and there are several out there!), but for now, just consider the weight of Jesus' commissioning of the disciples. He was creating a new Israel, one that included Israel but now also included "all nations." Going and making disciples OF JESUS is what defines us as Christians.

Yet in the middle of this amazing experience, (and here is where it gets even more interesting!) Matthew comes right out and tells us that in the midst of worshiping Jesus and hearing this clarion call to action, "some doubted." Jesus gives the Eleven a clear mission even though some of them still had doubts about this whole "resurrection thing." Jesus did not wait for all them the get their mind around all the life-changing implications of His resurrection and their inclusion in God's family because of it. Jesus did not wait for all of them to walk lock-step in agreement on all of the finer points of this new reality.

In the midst of doubt, Jesus still called His followers to go and testify to His resurrection.

I don't know what doubts you might be wrestling with right now. I know mine, most of which revolve around my own abilities to fulfill Jesus' calling and whether or not Jesus really will "be with me to the end of the age" - or at least what that looks like. But even in the midst of our doubts, Jesus issues His call: Be a witness to the new reality of living in the shadow of the Resurrection.

This Sunday as you gather to worship, don't be afraid to admit your doubts, but also, don't be afraid to hear Jesus' call to testify to your new identity in Him. The Great Commission is not limited to those who "get it," it is also for the rest of us who try to worship but also still doubt sometimes.

Pitching Tents on Mountain Tops

2016-02-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

In Matthew 17 Jesus takes Peter, James and John up on a mountain where He is transfigured right before their eyes such that His appearance was radiant like the sun. Moses and Elijah appear and are conversing with Jesus. Peter blurts out that this is amazing and he will build tents for everyone. Just then, a cloud covers them and God speaks in an audible voice saying, "This is my Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him." And then, poof, the whole thing is over and Jesus is walking back down the mountain with them telling them not to say anything about this whole incident until after the resurrection.

I can't blame Peter for wanting to pitch a tent there. He just wanted to make sure everything was in order so the experience could continue. He wanted to make sure that Elijah and Moses had a place to hang their hat for a while so this whole experience could continue.

The problem was that continuing this experience was not Jesus' mission. Camping out here with Moses and Elijah was not the goal. The mission involved getting to the cross and then the empty tomb. Camping on the "Mountain of Transfiguration" was not going to move them toward that goal.

Even beyond the mission, God made it very clear that Jesus was not just another great prophet or leader to go on Israel's Mount Rushmore; Jesus was God's Son and the Messiah. Jesus deserves our attention, even our worship, because of who He is as revealed by God and because of His work in the crucifixion and resurrection. Being among the elite of the prophets or great teachers is secondary (at best) to who Jesus was and is.

This incident poses some important questions for us now.

Where am I trying to pitch tents and camp out for a while? Are these places distractions from the mission and purpose of my life?
Who is determining my identity? From whom do I find my significance and value?
Am I following Jesus as the Son of God and only way to the Father or only as a good teacher, leader, and role model who might give me tools to have a better life?

After God spoke, the text says that they lifted up their eyes and saw no one but Jesus only. Can you say the same?

Comfort Before Answers

2016-02-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

*I submitted this article to the Delaware Gazette for their weekly religion column*

When mental illness ends with a completed suicide, it is often difficult for the surviving family and friends to find comfort or peace within the context of their faith community. This can be due to confusion on the part of the members of the faith community as they try to understand suicide as a symptom of an illness rather than a “selfish choice” on the part of an individual. When family members turn to a faith community for solace, the faith community will often try to provide answers instead.

Our western, American culture values answers. We have developed a paradigm that believes answers reveal the truth and therefore should offer the greatest comfort. This schema falls apart like a house of cards when mental illness and suicide enter the picture.

When we try to use faith filled answers to demonstrate to someone struggling that attempting suicide is illogical or (worse yet) sinful, we miss a huge opportunity to offer comfort instead. Rather than offering truth-laced arguments that should convince the person to “do the right thing,” we need to learn to offer comfort and a listening ear instead.

Our obsession with being right often gets in the way of being loving.

We can fall into the same trap when trying to comfort family and friends of a loved one who completed suicide. When they ask questions like “Why?” they really aren’t looking for you to answer them; instead they are looking for you to enter into the pain with them and wrestle with the questions together.

Galatians 6:2 tells us to “bear one another’s burdens.” Romans 12:15 tells us to “weep with those who weep.” Over and over in the Bible we see the command to show love for those who are struggling and broken. 2000 years later we think we have a lot more information, but the most effective way of helping people remains the same: simply be with them and care.

When faith communities grasp this concept, they can become strong allies for anyone struggling with mental illness or suicidal ideations as well as their loved ones. One of the best ways faith communities can help is by offering comfort before offering answers.

This year I was honored to be invited to join the Delaware Suicide Prevention Coalition. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or know a loved one who is, please contact Helpline today. You can find help at http://www.helplinedelmor.org or 740.369.3316.

The Great Go-MISSION

2016-02-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

I used to love watching Mission: Impossible. The old one, before Tom Cruise. It was always so exciting to see the agent get the mission recorded on a tape or some sort of recording device. The voice on the tape always started, "Your mission, should you choose to accept it..." And after making the mission very clear, the device would self-destruct.

The agent was presented a very clear mission and he had to choose to accept it.

In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus gives what is commonly called the Great Commission. I have always interpreted this passage essentially to be about making converts. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to go convert people."

As I was reflecting on Luke 5:1-11 (where Jesus teaches from Peter's boat then tells them to cast their nets out again even though they had already fished all night to no avail and they end up with an amazing catch and follow Jesus), I realized that Jesus was not telling us to make converts, He is calling us to invite people into the "Way of Jesus."

So I started asking myself, "What is the way of Jesus"?

It's the way of GRACE.
It's the way of FORGIVENESS.
It's the way of HEALING.
It's the way of HUMILITY.

It's the way of LOVE.

So our job as followers of Jesus is teach people how to live the way of Jesus...the way of grace and forgiveness and healing and humility. Our job is not to make them into Bible scholars or theologians, but instead to help them become experts in living a life of love.

Part of my calling as a pastor is to challenge the people of my church to look for opportunities to demonstrate the way of Jesus to the world and invite others to join them in living that life. The challenge is not to make new church members or new converts, but to make known the way of Jesus to everyone we meet. We can do this in a variety of ways, but ultimately, we do this when we live out the way of Jesus for others to see. We live as a person of grace, forgiveness, healing, humility, and love. In living this way we invite others to join us and see what kind of difference Jesus can make.

Jesus finishes this challenge with some amazing words of comfort: "I am with you always." Regardless of the results of your efforts, in the midst of pain, and in the thrill of success Jesus will be present with you. His continued presence is not contingent on your success or even your need, it is a certainty because He said He would be with you. The message doesn't self-destruct after it is delivered!

So GO. Live the way of Jesus and teach other people how to live it as well. Be an agent of grace, forgiveness, healing, humility. Be an agent of LOVE. That is your mission, should you chose to accept it.

Motivation, Faith, & Suicide

2016-02-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

I am part of the Delaware Suicide Prevention Coalition and this article appeared in their February 2016 newsletter. The coalition is part of HelpLine of Delaware County.

NPR's Allison Aubrey did a report recently on weight loss wagers as one of the newest trends in shedding pounds. A person would “wager” an amount each month over a period of time that they would lose a certain amount of weight. After the allotted time, if they reached their goal they doubled their money. If they did not, they lost all that they had wagered.

This is a new trend so there is not enough data to say that it is effective in the long run, but it does demonstrate something very important about motivation. I can set all the goals I want. I can read all the books and find all the latest diet fads, but unless something motivates me to put the donuts down and eat better, I will not lose weight. Apparently putting your own money on the line is becoming a trend in motivating people toward better eating habits.

Motivation is one of the most difficult issues to deal with when you struggle with any kind of mental illness. When the chemistry in your brain is off even a little, making small adjustments - even though they would make your life better - can seem impossible. This can be frustrating for the person trying to make the change as well as loved ones who are trying to support the person in the process.

As a pastor, I talk a lot about faith and God and eternity, but I will also be the first to admit that when I talk with someone who struggles with depression and suicidal ideations, sometimes those concepts fall short of motivating them toward health. My faith is a motivating factor in my life, but I cannot presume that it is for everyone. My faith is also a strong foundation upon which I have built my life, but, again, that does not mean it is for everyone. I can never try to force my faith to be a motivating factor for another person.

So how can a faith community support someone who is struggling? The simplest way is to begin by listening to the person and finding what might motivate them to get through one more day. That means I have to set aside my motivations and listen for theirs.

The best way I have found to determine a person’s motivation is to ask them what is worth enduring discomfort to attain? What would need to be waiting for me in order to endure six more hours of my pain and sadness? Ten hours? Twenty-four hours?

Often, finding that motivating factor ends up being important, but not nearly as important as taking the time to listen to the person who is struggling and talking to them about what is important to them. That small act can go a long way in helping them find hope in the midst of struggle.

Simply taking the time to listen may seem insignificant, but it is a “sure bet” for helping someone find the motivation to keep going.

Serving IS Greatness

2016-01-27T11:30:00.000-05:00

Mark 10:43 ESV - 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant.

In the Kingdom economy, greatness is found in serving. Power is meaningless because we all serve God who is omnipotent. To exercise power over another person is really a delusion and an act of treason against God. Thinking of myself above another is to act as thought I am God. This was and is the primary sin of humanity!

Jesus operates outside of the power paradigm of this world, therefore I don't have to cow tow to it either. Serving and seeking the good of others is the essence of imitating Christ. This is true freedom. I can rarely control how much power I have, and I certainly can't maintain power indefinitely. But I can sustain a serving mindset.

In Mark 10 Jesus is responding to a request from James and John. They asked if they could have seats of power in Jesus' Kingdom. He told them that this was not His to give. The other disciples heard what was going on and became very upset. Jesus used this moment to demonstrate the upside-down structure of His Kingdom. Serving is the only way to be "upwardly mobile" in God's Kingdom. The more you serve, the higher up you go, and yet, moving up doesn't mean less serving, it means more!

What I love about this incident is that Jesus did not respond to their request by demanding the get rid of selfish ambition, instead He told them to pursue serving others as their primary goal. Jesus wants all of us to pursue a Kingdom Life. He knows that ambition in and of itself is part of what makes us human. So rather than commanding us to quell our ambition, He gives us a new target: serving.

Serving and humility are the foundation of God's Kingdom economy. To be great in the Kingdom of God is to serve. May we all become great in God's Kingdom! May we all seek to serve and value others above ourselves (see Philippians 2:3). Set your ambition on serving.

Loving vs. Pleasing

2014-11-17T07:34:00.000-05:00

I am a card-carrying people pleaser. I know it and I am trying to overcome it, but it is a hard habit to break.

I am just now beginning to see deeper into the negative effects of this trait - not on me, but on those I am trying to love. A pleaser is really using his pleasing to keep the other person at arm's length. We don't know this, we do it instinctually. The problem arises when the other person doesn't want you to please them, they want you to love them. What do you do then?

My knee-jerk reaction is to try harder to please them (in Christian-talk we call it "serving"). While most people appreciate the acts of kindness, it is not what they were looking for in the long run. They are looking for an emotional connection. And this scares the crap out of us pleasers.

I am just seeing this and I haven't figured out how to move from pleasing to loving yet. But I'm willing to learn! I just hope those around me can be patient enough with me in the process. Let's be honest, at 43, I should have learned this a long time ago!

So for all you fellow people pleasers out there, remember: Pleasing someone isn't loving them.

For all you people we are trying to please: be patient with us, this is new for us and we aren't sure what to do.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

When 5 Smooth Stones of Strategies Aren't The Point

2013-09-06T11:00:00.000-04:00

In the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) little, untrained David reject Saul's armor and goes out to meet the giant with his slingshot and 5 smooth stones he finds along the way. I've heard (and used) applications of this story 100 times. Most of them involve identifying 5 actions to take in overcoming the giant of (fill in blank here...addictions, sins, relationships, etc). I've heard (and taught) about putting off Saul's armor because God wants to use you and me just as we are, not wearing someone else's strengths and gifts. I've even taught about how God used past experiences in David's life to prepare him for this moment.

These applications are not wrong, per ce, but what if we looked a little deeper to see how the narrative fits into the larger story of salvation? How would that affect my reading of the narrative?

The larger narrative of Scripture and for that matter, Redemption History, is our representative in Christ defeating death and sin through His death and resurrection. This would mean that in the David and Goliath story, the person I should identify with is not David. It's not Goliath either. If David represents a Christological figure and Goliath represents sin and death, then where do I fit in the story?

When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. [1Sa 17:11 ESV]

I'm one of the scared Israelites hiding in the camp. I'm not looking for strategic stones to overcome this evil. I'm not getting out my sling to slay a giant of addiction. I'm hiding in my tent hoping someone will come deal with this!

This is where it gets good!

Look what happens when David defeats the giant.

And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. [1Sa 17:52 ESV]

Once the battle was won, the scared Israelites came charging out of the camp full of confidence and strength!

This narrative took on new meaning for me as I reflected on my role as a pastor. I'm constantly looking for 5 strategic stones to grow the church, have more effective ministry, and build a lasting impression on our community. Maybe I need to quit looking for stones, and instead look up and see that Jesus already conquered the giant that mattered. Maybe I need to find my confidence in the One who defeated death rather than a smoother stone. Maybe I need to leave the camp and start doing what God called me to do - share the good news of freedom from sin and death!

What does this mean for you? If you aren't David trying to conquer a "giant" in your life, but instead you were one of the scared men hiding in the camp, then how does it change your perspective on life if Jesus already won the battle that mattered? How does this affect your confidence? How does this impact your willingness to talk about the battle Jesus won on our behalf as opposed to how you applied a 5 step process to overcome an addiction?

Confidence comes in the victory won by Jesus, not in better stones.

(note: thanks to Jared Wilson's book "The Pastor's Justification" for this idea and reading of the text)

Can the Church Speak to Tough Issues Like Sexual Orientation Without Alienating?

2013-08-30T08:47:00.002-04:00

I'm finishing up a teaching series at Terra Nova this week called "Hostage." If you want to see any of these, you can check out the TN Video archive on Vimeo here. This week I tackle the subject of LUST and how sexual sin can enslave us.

I'm a little nervous simply because the topic can become so controversial and emotional. When ever we talk about our sexuality, we often tie it so closely to our identity that any pushback we hear regarding our thoughts seem like direct shots at our identity. This becomes especially true when we talk about issues like sexual orientation.

I have been praying for weeks about this message. I probably have 2-3 sermons packed into this one message, but hopefully as I edit and massage it today I can make sure I'm able to communicate clearly exactly what God wants me to say.

Speaking about difficult issues has never been a problem for the Church. Listening to the feelings and questions of others on difficult issues has been more of a problem. We are too quick to speak words of condemnation in the name of Truth. We are too quick to create "sides" on an issue forcing it into a either/or situation and thus sending people to one side or the other. I will admit, this is much easier and far less messy!

My prayer on issues like sexual orientation is that somehow the Church (and specifically me since I'm the one writing this!) can take the time to study the issues, listen to and discern the real questions that need answered, and then speak authentically and knowledgeably into the situation.

I have wrestled with this topic for several years. I have never experienced SSA (Same Sex Attraction) so I have no idea what it is like. I have studied much regarding the Bible's teaching on this. The more I've studied, the stronger my conclusions have become, yet also, the more I've come to understand the struggles and questions of those with SSA. While I believe the Bible makes it clear that homosexual sex is wrong (as is pre-marital or extra-marital sex), I also believe the Bible does not pick out this sin as any more condemning than any other sin. As a Christian and as a pastor, I will not condemn or judge those with SSA. I will gently confront and rebuke any of those I love of any sinful practices because I love them. God has called me to help people build a Christ-centered life, but sin demands to be at the center and therefore will impede one from building a Christ-centered life.

If I don't say something, I am not acting in a loving way. But also, if I say something without authentic love for the person, I'm sinning.

It is a delicate balance that is not easy and requires grace to be shown on both sides!

Under the Mercy,
Pastor Jason

Election Day Musings

2010-11-02T11:39:00.002-04:00

I’m sitting at the church watching the RV’s come and go today - covered in election/political signs. Each one is filled with young men and women trying to look serious and official while hiding their giddy excitement about being involved in something so much bigger than themselves.

Whether you are Republican or Democrat or Libertarian or Constitutional or Independent or whatever, as an American, you have the distinct privilege of participating in the governing process. There is no precedent in Scripture to look to if you want to know “how to vote.” In the First Century, the Church had no say in the governmental process and eventually became objects of its wrath. It wasn’t until after 300AD that Christianity had any influence in the Empire.

Here is what I find interesting...the Church flourished and grew when she was oppressed and suffering. Once she had influence and power in the world, she really stopped flourishing. There were (and are) pockets of faith communities growing and thriving in healthy relationships, but those became less and less the norm.

Even today, the Church in America is very visible and stable, but I wonder how truly vibrant and transformational she is. I am constantly thinking about who much it DOESN’T cost me to be a follower of Jesus. I wonder how much stronger my faith and my relationship with Christ would be if I needed it more.

Living in America is a great privilege that I do not take lightly. Yet, if I am honest, I must confess that such a great blessing can also serve as a my greatest curse. I have never had my faith tested in such a way that my life truly depended on it. I might never experience that living in America. And so I wonder how strong my faith really is.

This election day don’t forget to vote, but also take a few minutes and remember that we live in a society that makes it easy to be a Christian. While this is great on some levels, we can never forget that Christ’s call of discipleship was a call to come and die. While you might never face that reality in our culture today, don’t ever get complacent with your faith and your relationship with Christ. Take time each day to stop and connect with God lest you forget that your relationship with Him is built on a bloody cross, not in a voting booth.

Viagra for your Faith

2010-06-22T22:15:00.000-04:00

I'm so tired of getting spammed with messages about growing certain parts of my body. Apparently enough people click through those ads to pay them to keep sending them. Well, maybe we can turn this viral craziness into something good!

This Sunday we are starting a new series we are calling "Big Faith." We are going to explore 5 things that God uses to grow your faith to ginormous sizes! These are things that you don't "do" but things that you experience and God uses them as catalysts to expand your faith.

While this list is not some list quoted from the Bible, it is based on things we see in the Bible - as well as some things I've observed over the last 17 years of ministry. I do want to give credit to Andy Stanley for giving such great titles to these 5 things (I couldn't come up with such catchy phrases).

Practical Teaching
Providential Relationships
Private Disciplines
Personal Ministry
Pivotal Circumstances

God's desire for you is that you become more dependent on your relationship with Jesus.

If you are hoping to see your faith grow... join us for this series.

Sundays (beginning June 27) at 11am.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

A Brief Story of our BuildOUT Campaign

2010-05-12T16:39:00.000-04:00

Miraculous Developments...

This Sunday, Terra Nova will have our first ever "Pledge Day" for our BuildOUT Capital Campaign. We are trying to raise $90K to pay one year of rent and the build-out costs for a new location. This new space will more than double our capacity to reach people in Delaware County. The whole process has been a roller coaster ride of faith, doubt, fear, amazement, and ulcers! Here is a taste...

The process of acquiring this building (5542 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center OH 43065) and figuring out what the space would look like has been far from easy! Here are some of the highlights of the hard work the Leadership Team has put into this project as well as times God intervened in a miraculous way.

Over 1 year ago, we called about this property...the owner was not interested in talking to us.

We pray...

Over the course of the year, we see several new families attending TN who have some expertise in areas of lease negotiations, construction, and such. Four months ago, we called again (on a whim...) and the owner not only wanted to talk, he was willing to take half of the asking price for rent.

Conceptual drawings are started. The costs are overwhelming and almost kill the project.

We pray...

We cut every “extra” we can trying to get down to the bare minimum of what it would take to get into the building and still be able to hold services.

The Health Department informs us that there is no way we can have a church there because the septic system cannot handle the sewage.

We pray...

After multiple emails, phone calls, meetings, and revisions to the plans, we meet with the Health Department and EPA at the site. They discover a section of the septic system they did not have record of existing and decide to simply “keep an eye on it” with the understanding that the landlord would pay to tap into the public sewer system in the very near future.

Construction estimates are still beyond our budget.

We pray...

Some tough cuts are made in the drawings trying to make the space useful, economic, and expandable as we grow.

The owner is approached by another potential renter...with a lot more money than us.

We pray...

In order to close the deal, we agree to the owner’s updated timeline for the commencement of the lease knowing that God will have to work with the government agencies to expedite permits and such. Initial signs from these agencies are very positive.

We ask the congregation to commit to giving $90,000 over the next 6 months to pay for the build out of the new space and the first year of rent.

We pray...

BuildOUT Pledge Day

What will God do through you? Keep watching and see!

If you would like to make a donation to our project please send checks to

Terra Nova Community Church

825 Houk Rd. Suite 215

Delaware, OH 43015

Philippians 1:27-30

2010-04-23T06:00:00.001-04:00

Philippians 1:27-30
27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 28 Don't be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. 29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. 30 We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

As I write this it is a bit ironic because my wife and oldest daughter are watching American Idol and the performer is singing "The Boxer" by Simon & Garfunkel. He is singing about a fighter who is beaten and bearing scars, but he still remains standing. As I hear those words, I read these verses...

"Don't be intimidated by your enemies..."
"For you have been given the privilege of suffering for him."
"We are in this struggle together..."

There are days, lately, that I have begun to feel a little bit more of the struggle and fight of being on the front line of "fighting together for the faith." I am in no way saying that I have been persecuted like too many of our brothers and sisters around the world, but lately I'm simply feeling the struggle of living out my faith.

What does this struggle mean to you? Have you felt the presence of the enemy in your life? How are you in this struggle with? Who do you look to as an example to inspire you?

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Philippians 1:20-26

2010-04-22T06:00:00.004-04:00

20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better.23 I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. 25 Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith.26 And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.

This passage almost always gets me thinking! Can I honestly say that for me, TO LIVE MEANS LIVING FOR CHRIST, BUT DYING IS EVEN BETTER? Really? Is my concept of being with Christ so palpable that I can almost taste it? Am I living my life with so much faith that death is even in the realm of possibility due to my living out the Gospel each day?

One issue that I find myself working through as I read this passage today is this: do I believe that God is actually using my life to "continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith"?

What questions does the passage evoke in you?

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Suggested Resources:

Philippians 1:8-19

2010-04-21T06:00:00.001-04:00

As I look at today's text I can't help but ask myself a couple of questions...

Is my determination to share the Gospel anywhere near as focused as Paul's when he says that even his imprisonment is a chance for the advancing of the message?
Do I see setbacks and obstacles as simply new opportunities or do they discourage me?

As you meditate on today's text, think about your commitment to the Gospel. Paul was facing people who were trying to make him look bad, but as long as the Gospel was being proclaimed, he didn't care. Maybe you don't have anyone trying to get you trouble by talking about God with others, but what is going on in your life that you might need to work on your attitude and focus in light of what God wants to do in and through you?

Let God's Word transform your mind today.

Jason

Some Suggested Resources:

Philippians 1:3-7

2010-04-20T06:40:00.000-04:00

In these verses, Paul let the Philippians know how he is praying for them. As you consider this text, here are some questions to get you thinking...

With whom do you have a close enough relationship that they are praying for you like this?
Who are you praying for like this?
With whom do you have a "partnership in the gospel"?
What good work is Christ doing in you?
What will it look like when He completes it?
What role do you have in the process?
What other areas of the text jump out at you? Why?

I thank you for your partnership in the Gospel. As your pastor, my prayer for you is that "your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God."

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Daily Meditation - Philippians 1:1-2

2010-04-18T23:36:00.001-04:00

April 19, 2010

Philippians 1:1-2
As we begin spending time in this letter, we need to set the stage.

Paul is writing to the Church in the city of Philippi. This city was given special privilege by Octavian. After 31 BC he ordered the citizens of Philippi to surrender their land to his veterans. Apparently citizens in Philippi had supported Antony and Cleopatra rather than Octavian, so their land was taken and given to Octavian’s soldiers. The city was then given the title “Colonia Iulia Augusta Philippensis” which basically meant that people who lived there lived as though they were on Italian soil - they had some breaks when it came to taxes and such.

Philippi was a favored city and the citizens were very proud of their colony. As you read this letter from Paul, look for allusions to this fact.

To better understand the establishment of the church in Philippi, one must go to Acts 16. While we could spend much time reflecting on this passage, I refer to it only to provide context for Paul’s words in our passage. Lydia is the first convert. She is a probably a Gentile who was more than sympathetic to Judaism, but she was also a very successful businesswoman.

Upon establishing the church in Lydia’s house, Paul soon ran into trouble with the law. He cast out a demon from a young slave girl who would tell fortunes. Her owners realized that they lost a major source of income and got the city into an uproar against Paul. In the end, the city was embarrassed because they improperly treated Paul who was a Roman CItizen (something highly prized in a favored city like Philippi!).

As you read verses one and two, here are some things to consider:

Paul calls himself (and Timothy) “slaves of Christ Jesus.” Despite our modern concept of slave, this term does refer to ownership and servitude, yet Paul uses it to introduce himself. When you are introducing yourself to others, what images do you want them to have of you? What matters to you when it comes to how others think of you? Would you consider yourself a slave of Christ? How do you see this play out in your daily life?
Next, Paul refers to the people in the church at Philippi as “God’s holy people.” The Greek really says to the “saints” at Philippi. Throughout the New Testament the word “saint” (haigos) is always in the plural, referring to a group of people. How do you see yourself as part of the “Saints” of Terra Nova? What does that mean when it comes to how you view yourself and others in our church?
What connections do you see between Paul and Timothy being “slaves of Christ Jesus” and the members of the church being called “Saints in Christ Jesus”?
Lastly, Paul calls special attention to the overseers and deacons. This is the leadership of the church. In what ways do you view the leadership of the church? Do you pray for them? Do you support them by helping out and encouraging them?

As you go through your day today, allow this passage to guide you. What key thoughts impress you as you slowly read the passage? What is God saying to you through the Holy Spirit?

Under the Mercy,
Jason

The Yen and Yang of the Christian Life

2010-04-17T09:55:00.000-04:00

If anyone actually reads these, I apologize for my lack of writing recently. Blogging has simply dropped on the priority list. Beginning Monday, I will update a daily guide for meditation on the book of Philippians for Terra Nova. We will all explore this book together for a week or two for the purpose of "renewing our minds" with the energizing impact of Scripture. We are currently working through John Ortberg's new book "The ME I Want To Be." All of our Life Groups are doing the small group curriculum and it has been a really study. For more go to www.terranovacc.com and click on the podcast button.

Now, a few random thoughts on John 1:17.

John writes that Moses brought the Law but Jesus brought GRACE & TRUTH. The comparison of Moses and Jesus and Law and grace & truth is very fascinating. The image that came to my mind as I thought about this passage was the Yen/Yang symbol.

The symbol represents wholeness of life - the tension that keeps balance in the universe. The concept has been used to represent many opposing forces that bring balance. Jim Collins uses it to represent how a great organization balances preserving the core with stimulating growth. I wonder if we couldn't hijack the symbol and use it to show the tension between these two aspects of God that bring balance and wholeness.

Grace: receiving what you do not deserve. Demonstration of undeserved love and acceptance.

Truth: absolute without compromise. Foundational. Rock solid.

Jesus brings in His incarnation the completion of both of these concepts. He is grace - giving what we do not deserve. He is truth - absolute, complete, no falsehood, all that is right.

Most of my life seems to lean to one of these concepts or the other, but rarely do I find myself completely immersed in both simultaneously. I'm either full of grace (and feeling like I'm compromising on Truth by giving in a little here and there) or I'm full of truth (unbending, uncompromising, and declaring what is right and wrong). It is rare that I bring to a situation (as Jesus did and still does) BOTH grace and truth.

Maybe if we, as members of the Church, began to consider how we might be more like Christ in this way, we might be more of a positive influence on the world today.

Grace & Truth...tension? Balance? Completion? Christ.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

I Finally Stopped and Listened to God

2010-03-19T11:30:00.001-04:00

Lately, God has really been asking me to spend more time with Him in quiet meditation and prayer and study. I have to admit that I have not really been listening to invitation until this week. But this week I have finally slowed down enough to listen. Here are some things I’m learning.

First, relying on my own power to do His work is silly and leads to either arrogance or humiliation (and sometimes one leads to the other!). I have been spinning my wheels trying to be “all that and a bag of chips” while forgetting the still small voice of the Spirit. This week as I have started to do more listening I am realizing how quickly that slippery slope falls.

Discipline in your spiritual life is not about gaining points with God, it’s about choosing to cultivate your relationship with Him. I have been forced to ask myself how important is my relationship with God? Answering that question is less easy when you do it through the rubric of how you spend your time, what you feed your soul with, and where your money goes. As I evaluated these things, I realized I was heading in a direction I ultimately didn’t want to go. I have had to work hard this week on re-disciplining myself.

Second, I realized that God wants to work in and through me. God really loves me and wants an intimate relationship with me. I don’t have to convince Him I’m worth His time. I don’t have to prove something to Him before He will look my way. I don’t even have to get His attention. I already have it! Instead, I just need to turn my attention toward Him.

Last, I have learned that I am not nearly as great as I often think I am nor am I as terrible as I sometimes think I am. It is quite amazing how much of a role external forces play in my self-perception. When I am being praised I feel great. When I sense someone is not happy with me, I see myself as a loser. One minute I have the confidence of a champion in battle, the next I’m a whimpering puddle of pathetic self-loathing. All because of what I think someone else thinks of me.

As I have spent more time simply being in the presence of God, I am sensing a much more healthy and consistent self-understanding in myself. As I learn to listen to the Spirit’s still small voice, I begin to quit worrying about what others might think or say and seek only to be obedient to Him. My self-concept is no longer shaped by what others think (or what I think they think!), but by my creator and and savior. When my priorities are shifted toward simply cultivating my relationship with God, I am free to see myself as God sees me. This protects me from utter conceit and arrogance as well as self-defeating attitudes of worthlessness.

I share all of this hoping to encourage each of you. I understand what it is to have times of spiritual dryness and even drought. I know what it is like to get busy and simply forget about cultivating your relationship with God. I know that it is hard to be disciplined about spending time alone in God’s presence. I know where it leads when we get on that slippery slope. But I also know that God isn’t looking for a bunch of perfect people, He is inviting us to be with Him and enjoy His company.

This week, I’ve been re-introduced to keeping company with God...and I am enjoying it so much! I would love for you to share in this feeling.

Thoughts on Short Term Mission Trips

2010-03-12T15:22:00.002-05:00

I had a wonderful lunch today with a couple from Terra Nova. They are a solid family who really love Jesus and want to serve Him in whatever way they can.

Recently, they have felt drawn to an amazing work in South Africa that is doing great stuff ministering to the homeless, to AIDS victims, to orphans and a whole lot more. This couple just returned from a meeting in Tennessee where the founders of this mission shared about what has happened and what is happening at the mission.

They have sensed a moving in the Spirit in their lives that they should go to this mission on a short-term mission trip. There are a ton of reasons they shouldn't go - it's expensive, they are not rich, they have children for whom they would have to arrange childcare, it's Africa (that's a long way away!), I could go on. But they can't shake this feeling that God is asking them to go.

So they asked me about it.

I have many thoughts on short-term mission trips. The primary principle that I have learned over the years is that short-term trips benefit those going far more than they benefit the people you are "ministering to." I'm not saying houses don't get built, leaders don't get resourced and equipped, and generally positive things don't happen. I'm just saying that the work of the Kingdom of God revolves around building relationships and the mutuality of community. That cannot develop during a week-long trip between those visiting and the "natives."

But here's the rub...

The impact these trips have on the people who go is infectious. They come back with a whole new perspective on life. They see life and stuff and priorities completely differently.

And most of all, they have learned a little bit more about being submitted to the Spirit. They have learned about sacrifice. They have learned about obedience.

I don't care if you are going downtown to serve at a soup kitchen or around the world to spend a few weeks at an AIDS shelter, if you feel God asking you to step out...GO! While you may not change the entire cycle of injustice and poverty in Africa, you just might begin to hear more loudly and more clearly God's still small voice. And that could end up changing eternity for those around you.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Reflections on Ministry (pt. 4)

2010-03-08T10:07:00.000-05:00

Okay...last thought on this set of entries.

Dr. Lobody recounted the beautiful history of Coventry Cathedral (Coventry, England - for a virtual tour click here). It was bombed during World War 2. As the town decided how to rebuild, they were faced with some options.

Leave the ruins as a tribute.
Remove the ruins and build something new on top of them.
Abandon the site and start fresh somewhere else.
Find a way to incorporate the ruins into the new design.

They chose number 4.

I wonder how many times in our lives we see failure or difficulty or pain and choose one of the other options.

We leave the ruins and can't ever get past them. Maybe it was a failed relationship so we never open up again. Maybe it was a painful experience that we just can't get past.

We remove the ruins as though they were never there and just keep plugging away. It's easier to go forward if we pretend like nothing ever happened. Of course this means we probably don't learn anything from the experience...

We move on, never looking back. In other words, we run away - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. We don't want to be the person who lived there or experienced that. We just want to start over somewhere else.

Or maybe, we have the courage to do what Coventry did. We celebrate the past, we commemorate the ruins and rubble, and we allow our past experiences to inform us as we move into our new future. Our lives are not isolated incidents. They are a narrative building with each chapter and scene. Each scene must inform the next. Each chapter must help shape you into the person God is calling you to be.

As you move forward in your story, embrace your experiences (good and bad) as resources for a bank of wisdom. Celebrate what has happened around you and learn from everything. You are not alone. You are surrounded by "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering you on - in Heaven and here on earth! Keep moving forward, but do it with the wisdom of a life of experiences used for God's glory as you become all God has called you to be.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Reflections on Ministry (pt. 3)

2010-03-06T11:51:00.001-05:00

I could not relate to Dr. Lobody in the story she told to illustrate this next point because she talked about what it was like to be a woman and be ordained in the last part of the 20th Century. While I understood what she said, because I am male, I could not completely grasp all the dynamics of her struggles.

But her lesson was much deeper than a gender issue.

This is an issue I have struggled with my entire life, and once again I will turn to Henri Nouwen's amazing little book In The Name of Jesus for some more insight.

Dr. Lobody's lesson was this: We are to be faithful even in the ministry for which we are not remembered.

I remember looking over the time line so beautifully illustrated by the artistic team at the church. I remember seeing all the pictures blown up into huge posters like a life-sized scrapbook detailing the last 5 years of ministry at this young church where I had been serving. The church was only 5 years old and I had been there three and half of those years. We had seen amazing growth and God had done some wonderful things in that community.

But all I noticed was there were not any pictures of me.

I was supposedly someone important, but if you had not been part of this community and only saw this gallery of pictures, you might never know that I had even been there.

At first I was hurt. Then I was mad. Then I realized that maybe I was a little less important than I made myself out to be. God had to remind me that if I was in this vocation for recognition and fame, I needed to leave His service.

Back to Henri Nouwen. Using Jesus' temptation as a model, Nouwen notes that Jesus' second temptation was to be spectacular. Jump off this parapet and let the angels catch you!

In ministry, we often want to be the professional, the expert whose talents and skill save the day and fix everything. We want the people to stand in awe of us as we keep a safe distance from them. We want to be popular.

I want to be remembered.

But that is not our calling. Our calling is more like John the Baptist. I must decrease that He might increase.

We are called to be faithful, not remembered.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Refections on Ministry (pt 2)

2010-03-05T09:36:00.000-05:00

Another lesson Dr. Lobody mentioned revolved around a story from 9/11. She was teaching at The Methodist Theological School of Ohio then and came onto campus that fateful Tuesday morning hearing the news on the radio. Being from New York, she knew lots of people who lived, worked, and had ministries all around Manhattan and the towers.

After a day of processing and praying with students and faculty (and not being able to really talk at all), she prepared to teach a class on Wednesday. Obviously, the syllabus was thrown out the window for a while.

As she began to lecture the class, tears streamed down her face and she wept as she taught.

A lady in her class was blind and had a service dog named "Walter." Service dogs are working animals and generally one is not interact with the dog like a pet. So each day Dr. Lobody greeted Walter as though he were part of the class but did not pet him.

This day, as Dr. Lobody lectured and the tears streamed down her face, Walter got up from under the table, walked over to her and simply put up his paw. She took his paw and for the rest of the class, Walter simply held Dr. Lobody's hand as she taught.

This is a beautiful picture of the role many of us neglect: the ministry of simply holding someone's hand.

Henri Nouwen, in his book In the Name of Jesus, comments that Christian leaders need to move from competence to contemplative prayer. In other words, we need to shift our focus from being the fixers to being incarnation - the presence of Jesus for those around us.

Sometimes we forget that the most powerful act of ministry is to simply hold someone's hand.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Thoughts on Ministry

2010-03-04T11:04:00.002-05:00

For the Delaware Ministerial Association meeting yesterday we had asked a veteran seminary professor from Methodist Theological Seminary of Ohio to come and speak. Dr. Diane Lobody shared with us a summary of some ministry lessons she has learned in her 35 years of being an ordained minister.

Over the next couple of blog entries, I want to share a couple of these and what they mean to me (I am approaching 20 years in the ministry).

Dr. Lobody sat on the desk at the front of the room and simply began with a story. Let's face it, stories are what make up our lives, so any life-lessons have to be in the form of a story. I won't tell all her stories, but this one deserves a summary.

Thirty-five years ago she was in her Bronx apartment with her family preparing to go down the street to her church for her ordination service. Her elderly grandmother, who was from Slovakia and was a losing grip with the world around her due to age, asked where they were going. Dr. Lobody's dad, with all the pride a father can muster, told her, "Diane is getting ordained." Grandma didn't quite understand what this meant and they tried to think of the Slovakian word for ordained. Since nothing came, he told Grandma, "Diane is becoming a Priest!"

Diane's grandmother walked up to her and in the holiness of that moment uttered some of the most profound, spirit-filled words that Diane could hear as she began her journey into ordained ministry...

"Don't take shit off nobody!"

And she walked away.

Dr. Lobody's take on this piece of advice was to listen to the grandmothers in the church, they have a lot to offer. I agree 100% with this and have made it a habit to listen them. As a young man in ministry, I remember always looking at the older generation for wisdom that a young punk like me would need.

I want to go down a different path with this. I want to comment on the advice itself.

Jesus was a pacifist and literally gave Himself up in the face of violence so that through His death and resurrection we might be saved from God's wrath. But Jesus did this when the time was complete and at His command. If you look through Jesus' life, He never backed down and He never took "S**t from anyone." Without being mean or hurtful, Jesus was able to be confident in Himself, His purpose, and His task.

I wonder how many of us can truly say that we are confident enough in our purpose and our self to stand up in the face of criticism and resistance and not lose our focus. I have struggled with this for years. I feign humility, but in reality it is a lack of confidence in the calling that God has placed on my life.

Today, I want to encourage you to be strong in your calling (everyone is called into ministry, some of us just happen to do as our vocation as well - so this is for everyone!).

For the Spirit God gives us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. (2 Timothy 1:7-8)

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:1)

You have been called by God to serve in His Kingdom. Be confident in this.

And don't take any s*** of nobody.

Under the Mercy,
Jason