I just got an email from some old friends from my Wichita church. They moved to Tennessee about 5 years ago or so with the Air National Guard. As it happens, their church is sans Youth Pastor, and my old Sunday School Teachers thought of me.
Hmmm. Me in Tennessee? Anyway, we'll see how things go. I told them to read this blog to get an accurate picture of my goals and beliefs. It may not go beyond that.... ;) Then again, they may love it. Who knows?
So pray for me, everybody. I'm not really sure what to make of this yet. I'm just trying to see what God has up His sleeve.
Oh, by the way, the church is in Knox County, hence the clever title.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
First Set Free Bible Study
Today was my first Bible study with Set Free. It went great. Some of the guys could really identify with the concept of suffering despite being right.
There were around 12 guys there. Almost all of them come from a background of drugs and/or alcohol. But God has done an amazing work in their lives, and it is so obvious. Also, these guys are so refreshingly real. They have no pretensions about any part of their life. That kind of environment helped me to open up as well.
I have met many people in churches who are superficial, and it is really stifling. Church begins to feel competitive and forces you to put up your own barriers. But when you can go to a church and just be yourself, and know that people will still accept you and love you, that's a great feeling.
Here's just an example of what I'm experiencing: one guy commented, "when you can drive by a prostitute out in the cold weather, slip her a 20 and not expect anything in return, then let her know that Jesus can rescue her from this, you know that God has changed your life!"
When was the last time you heard that in a Bible study??
There were around 12 guys there. Almost all of them come from a background of drugs and/or alcohol. But God has done an amazing work in their lives, and it is so obvious. Also, these guys are so refreshingly real. They have no pretensions about any part of their life. That kind of environment helped me to open up as well.
I have met many people in churches who are superficial, and it is really stifling. Church begins to feel competitive and forces you to put up your own barriers. But when you can go to a church and just be yourself, and know that people will still accept you and love you, that's a great feeling.
Here's just an example of what I'm experiencing: one guy commented, "when you can drive by a prostitute out in the cold weather, slip her a 20 and not expect anything in return, then let her know that Jesus can rescue her from this, you know that God has changed your life!"
When was the last time you heard that in a Bible study??
Monday, January 21, 2008
2 Corinthians 1
I thought that I'd take the time to share some of the things from the Bible Study I'm doing with the Set Free church. We'll be going through the book of 2 Corinthians, one of my absolute favorites!
When Paul wrote the letter, the situation at Corinth was a mess. A small group of people were slandering Paul for "breaking promises" dealing with travel plans. They were saying that all his sufferings proved that Paul was not approved by God. So Paul wrote back his most rhetorically amazing letter. In it, Paul seeks to prove his qualifications as an apostle. The big question of the letter is found in 2:16, "who is qualified/adequate/sufficient for these things?" What are "these things"? We'll find out as we go.
The most important part of a biblical letter is the blessing/thanksgiving at the beginning. Paul begins by blessing the "God of all comfort." It's important to note here that comfort is a result of suffering, and not just any suffering, but suffering for the sake of the Gospel: persecution. And this comfort is God's blessing to us to bless others with. It is not merely ours to keep. There is a community for us to share testimonies of God's faithfulness and grace in times of hardship, to encourage others to persevere under pressure. "Patient endurance" is the outward sign of this comfort (v.6).
Then Paul gives a weird promise in verse 7. He says that the sufferings of the Corinthian church are a guarantee of God's comfort to come. Think about that: suffering guarantees comfort.
So what does this mean for you?
1) When you suffer, experience hardship, or are wrongly accused, you're in good company: the apostles, saints in history, the present church, even our Lord Jesus endured suffering, and we can too, because we're not alone.
2) The comfort and consolation and patience you receive through these trials is meant to be passed on to others. God's pattern from Gen 12:2 on has always been to bless one person who will then pass on that blessing to others, and so on, and so on.....
3) Endurance and patience are not passive resignation to the unchangeable, but rather, an active bearing up under hardship, in the confidence that God will absolutely deliver you from this (even if that means through death, like it eventually meant for Paul).
4) Two of the most prominent marks of a true believer in the New Testament are: a) experiencing trials and hardships, and b) patiently enduring them. Do these describe you? If not, why not?
I'll pick up with verse 8 next time. I'm trying to keep these reasonably short.
When Paul wrote the letter, the situation at Corinth was a mess. A small group of people were slandering Paul for "breaking promises" dealing with travel plans. They were saying that all his sufferings proved that Paul was not approved by God. So Paul wrote back his most rhetorically amazing letter. In it, Paul seeks to prove his qualifications as an apostle. The big question of the letter is found in 2:16, "who is qualified/adequate/sufficient for these things?" What are "these things"? We'll find out as we go.
The most important part of a biblical letter is the blessing/thanksgiving at the beginning. Paul begins by blessing the "God of all comfort." It's important to note here that comfort is a result of suffering, and not just any suffering, but suffering for the sake of the Gospel: persecution. And this comfort is God's blessing to us to bless others with. It is not merely ours to keep. There is a community for us to share testimonies of God's faithfulness and grace in times of hardship, to encourage others to persevere under pressure. "Patient endurance" is the outward sign of this comfort (v.6).
Then Paul gives a weird promise in verse 7. He says that the sufferings of the Corinthian church are a guarantee of God's comfort to come. Think about that: suffering guarantees comfort.
So what does this mean for you?
1) When you suffer, experience hardship, or are wrongly accused, you're in good company: the apostles, saints in history, the present church, even our Lord Jesus endured suffering, and we can too, because we're not alone.
2) The comfort and consolation and patience you receive through these trials is meant to be passed on to others. God's pattern from Gen 12:2 on has always been to bless one person who will then pass on that blessing to others, and so on, and so on.....
3) Endurance and patience are not passive resignation to the unchangeable, but rather, an active bearing up under hardship, in the confidence that God will absolutely deliver you from this (even if that means through death, like it eventually meant for Paul).
4) Two of the most prominent marks of a true believer in the New Testament are: a) experiencing trials and hardships, and b) patiently enduring them. Do these describe you? If not, why not?
I'll pick up with verse 8 next time. I'm trying to keep these reasonably short.
Friday, January 18, 2008
What Would Jesus Sing?
This is one of those things that I don't think anyone would find profound but me, but I was thinking tonight about Jesus singing. I don't recall that I've ever heard anyone ever talk about Jesus singing. The more I thought about it though, I just wondered how weird it would be with all those Psalms about the Jewish Messiah. Would Jesus sing about himself?
Surely he sang often. Jewish liturgy would almost demand it. But what about in his free time? Did he have one of the apostles lead in worship before the sermon on the mount. Did he have private worship times when he went alone to pray? I can only guess that he directed the worship toward the Father, but the whole trinity thing is way beyond me.
Then I wonder, would Jesus ever sing about us? Of course not in worship, but if we sing when we're happy, did Jesus sing when he was happy with his disciples? In the preschool Sunday School class, we have songs where we can insert every child's name and sing about them. Would Jesus sing songs like that about his children?
I've heard the phrase "God loves you/me" so many times that it really doesn't strike me as amazing anymore. I get more excited when I think that God actually LIKES me, is proud of me, is working for my good, is on my side, gave his life to rescue me, enjoys my company, likes it when I use the gifts he gave me, is happy when I work with my brothers and sisters, and so on.
While I can't answer any of my own rhetorical questions, it is quite a comforting thought to think about Jesus in heaven singing, "I love Andrew, this you know, for my Gospel tells you so."
Surely he sang often. Jewish liturgy would almost demand it. But what about in his free time? Did he have one of the apostles lead in worship before the sermon on the mount. Did he have private worship times when he went alone to pray? I can only guess that he directed the worship toward the Father, but the whole trinity thing is way beyond me.
Then I wonder, would Jesus ever sing about us? Of course not in worship, but if we sing when we're happy, did Jesus sing when he was happy with his disciples? In the preschool Sunday School class, we have songs where we can insert every child's name and sing about them. Would Jesus sing songs like that about his children?
I've heard the phrase "God loves you/me" so many times that it really doesn't strike me as amazing anymore. I get more excited when I think that God actually LIKES me, is proud of me, is working for my good, is on my side, gave his life to rescue me, enjoys my company, likes it when I use the gifts he gave me, is happy when I work with my brothers and sisters, and so on.
While I can't answer any of my own rhetorical questions, it is quite a comforting thought to think about Jesus in heaven singing, "I love Andrew, this you know, for my Gospel tells you so."
Thursday, January 17, 2008
New Bible Study
As some of you may know, I do the music for Set Free ministry's weekly services. They are a church based out of Los Angeles that reaches out to the kind of people that most churches want nothing to do with: homeless, drug addicts, alcoholics, gang members, ex-cons, and so on. Two of the bigger churches are Set Free Skid Row, and Set Free Yucaipa.
Their program is simple. They bring people off the streets, out of their negative environment, and give them a regimented program of discipline, health, work, Bible study, and positive community.
Since the Kansas City Set Free is so small, pastor Reggie depends on other local pastors or leaders to come in and help out with the daily Bible studies. So starting next week, I'm going to be leading one of their Bible studies, and right now I'm planning on going through 2 Corinthians ("when I am weak, then I am strong").
It's going to be pretty challenging to try to relate the message to people I have so little in common with. However, I'm hoping to really learn a lot about this important group of people, the "tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners" of our generation.
In my opinion, people have a lot more in common each other than we'd like to admit. We all have family problems, hidden sins, embarrassing failures, and hopes and dreams for a better future. While we don't all sin in the same way, all have sinned, and we all need the same Jesus to forgive our sins and restore us to God.
So if you get a chance, send up a quick prayer to God to help me through this. I'm really looking forward to it!!
Their program is simple. They bring people off the streets, out of their negative environment, and give them a regimented program of discipline, health, work, Bible study, and positive community.
Since the Kansas City Set Free is so small, pastor Reggie depends on other local pastors or leaders to come in and help out with the daily Bible studies. So starting next week, I'm going to be leading one of their Bible studies, and right now I'm planning on going through 2 Corinthians ("when I am weak, then I am strong").
It's going to be pretty challenging to try to relate the message to people I have so little in common with. However, I'm hoping to really learn a lot about this important group of people, the "tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners" of our generation.
In my opinion, people have a lot more in common each other than we'd like to admit. We all have family problems, hidden sins, embarrassing failures, and hopes and dreams for a better future. While we don't all sin in the same way, all have sinned, and we all need the same Jesus to forgive our sins and restore us to God.
So if you get a chance, send up a quick prayer to God to help me through this. I'm really looking forward to it!!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Waiting on the World to Change
Go ahead and call me dumb, but John Mayer's Waiting on the World to Change (I kinda like this churchified video) keeps playing in my head, over and over and over. I'm not really a fan of his, but I definitely identify with the sentiment. Is this really the best we can do as a state, as a country, as a world, as a church??
My basic life goal is to make a measurable difference for the better. Thus far, I haven't been put in a position to change things. It's frustrating. I wonder sometimes that if I am put in a position to change things, by the time will I have lost all the naive enthusiasm and optimism that I now have? Is it possible that I might hinder a young idealist like me and turn him into just another old cynical curmudgeon?
But here's the thing: people all over the world have been "waiting on the world to change" since the beginning. Why can't humans get it right? Why can't we achieve that elusive Utopian society? Now that all the Hippies and Yuppies have each had their chance to rule America, are we any better off??
Romans 8:18-25 tells us that all creation is frustrated and groaning, waiting on Jesus to restore everything.
My generation is getting ready to step up to the plate and take our turn with the world. I'm pretty confident that by the time I'm 60-ish the young people will still be complaining about the same things that I'm tired of.
However, while we may not be able to change the world, we can definitely impact our families, our churches, our jobs, and our communities. One person can absolutely make a difference, and several people together can make a big difference. So let's get started making our little differences and trust that Jesus is still coming back to change the whole world into an actual Utopia. In this way, we are "Changing the World While We Wait" for Jesus. Maybe someone can make a catchy song out of that phrase.
My basic life goal is to make a measurable difference for the better. Thus far, I haven't been put in a position to change things. It's frustrating. I wonder sometimes that if I am put in a position to change things, by the time will I have lost all the naive enthusiasm and optimism that I now have? Is it possible that I might hinder a young idealist like me and turn him into just another old cynical curmudgeon?
But here's the thing: people all over the world have been "waiting on the world to change" since the beginning. Why can't humans get it right? Why can't we achieve that elusive Utopian society? Now that all the Hippies and Yuppies have each had their chance to rule America, are we any better off??
Romans 8:18-25 tells us that all creation is frustrated and groaning, waiting on Jesus to restore everything.
My generation is getting ready to step up to the plate and take our turn with the world. I'm pretty confident that by the time I'm 60-ish the young people will still be complaining about the same things that I'm tired of.
However, while we may not be able to change the world, we can definitely impact our families, our churches, our jobs, and our communities. One person can absolutely make a difference, and several people together can make a big difference. So let's get started making our little differences and trust that Jesus is still coming back to change the whole world into an actual Utopia. In this way, we are "Changing the World While We Wait" for Jesus. Maybe someone can make a catchy song out of that phrase.
Monday, January 14, 2008
I Woulda Gotten Away with It, Too...
Let me just say, I'm the kind of person that doesn't get away with anything. While I haven't seen the earth swallow anyone, or fiery hailstones, or poisonous snakes, I can still see a direct correlation between certain willful sins that I do and external events.
Don't get me wrong, I still like God. I don't see Him as some kind of "Soup-Nazi-esque" prison warden, waiting to smack me down whenever I mess up. There's another side to it. That is, when I deliberately disobey something basic to Christianity, God has to hold me accountable for my actions. What's weird is, my punishments can never make up for my mistakes and rebellions. Sometimes I wish God worked like a Catholic priest, where I could just do my penance and never worry about anymore consequences. But that's not how it works.
The thing is, even in discipline there is grace. Thus far, my punishments have never fit the crime. Even more, I still have too many blessings to count!
God's punishments should throw us back into repentance and dependence and trust in Jesus. Jesus makes us right with God, and keeps us right with God. The grace of God frees me to serve Him and others with clean hands and a pure heart.
So praise God when He holds you accountable, because, after all, it means that He still "holds you."
Don't get me wrong, I still like God. I don't see Him as some kind of "Soup-Nazi-esque" prison warden, waiting to smack me down whenever I mess up. There's another side to it. That is, when I deliberately disobey something basic to Christianity, God has to hold me accountable for my actions. What's weird is, my punishments can never make up for my mistakes and rebellions. Sometimes I wish God worked like a Catholic priest, where I could just do my penance and never worry about anymore consequences. But that's not how it works.
The thing is, even in discipline there is grace. Thus far, my punishments have never fit the crime. Even more, I still have too many blessings to count!
God's punishments should throw us back into repentance and dependence and trust in Jesus. Jesus makes us right with God, and keeps us right with God. The grace of God frees me to serve Him and others with clean hands and a pure heart.
So praise God when He holds you accountable, because, after all, it means that He still "holds you."
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The Missing Piece
With my imminent career in ministry as a pastor somewhere, I am increasingly convicted by my lack of vision, as far as big picture Christianity is concerned. I am struggling to find the "missing piece" of the puzzle, the "keystone," the "unified theory" that will put all this stuff that is swimming around in my head together. I feel like I'm at the eye doctor trying out lenses; he keeps asking "better or worse?" and I can't figure it out.
Here's what I know: I am dissatisfied with a lot of what I read about church and purpose. So much is wrapped up in individualism. That is, the way sanctification (or progressive holiness, if that even exists) happens is by personal prayer, personal Bible study, personal avoidance of sin, and personal evangelism. Well, if that is our goal, then all the church can do is train and instruct. This church is bringing people into the Kingdom.
Yet, I find that insufficient. So much of the Bible (especially the New Testament) is group-based and community-oriented. That is, God has made for himself a people, rather than a bunch of persons.
Granted, we don't lose our individual personalities, but what I mean is that the whole (community) is vastly greater than the sum of its parts (the individuals). Each individual has a key part to play in the functioning of the body. Each individual makes a difference in the body of Christ. Sanctification happens in community as believers exercise their spiritual gifts toward each other, as believers serve one another, and as believers take (as a team) the gospel to the lost.
In this way, the function of the church becomes taking the kingdom to the people. This church is focused outward, showing their faith by their works, experiencing the full life, even on earth, that Jesus promised. They are no longer working for the weekend (heaven), they are living in the present. In this way, God is more glorified by a visible community of living faith, rather than enjoying him privately (take THAT, John Piper!)
Here's what I know: I am dissatisfied with a lot of what I read about church and purpose. So much is wrapped up in individualism. That is, the way sanctification (or progressive holiness, if that even exists) happens is by personal prayer, personal Bible study, personal avoidance of sin, and personal evangelism. Well, if that is our goal, then all the church can do is train and instruct. This church is bringing people into the Kingdom.
Yet, I find that insufficient. So much of the Bible (especially the New Testament) is group-based and community-oriented. That is, God has made for himself a people, rather than a bunch of persons.
Granted, we don't lose our individual personalities, but what I mean is that the whole (community) is vastly greater than the sum of its parts (the individuals). Each individual has a key part to play in the functioning of the body. Each individual makes a difference in the body of Christ. Sanctification happens in community as believers exercise their spiritual gifts toward each other, as believers serve one another, and as believers take (as a team) the gospel to the lost.
In this way, the function of the church becomes taking the kingdom to the people. This church is focused outward, showing their faith by their works, experiencing the full life, even on earth, that Jesus promised. They are no longer working for the weekend (heaven), they are living in the present. In this way, God is more glorified by a visible community of living faith, rather than enjoying him privately (take THAT, John Piper!)
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Politics, Comedians, and Persecution
Last night I was watching Conan O'Brien after work, and one of his guests was Bill Maher, a political comedian with a show on HBO. As usual for political humor, his stuff was only funny to those with an intimate knowledge of current political events and the political process: so basically, four people in the US would find him funny.
Anyway, he said some of the harshest words against Christians I think I have ever heard in my life. He really made fun of Mike Huckabee for being a Christian and believing in "talking snakes" and not believing in evolution. Then he said that he couldn't understand how a person can be rational six days a week, go to a normal job, then put that aside for one day and go to a place to "drink the blood of a 2,000 year old space god." (the full episode should be available for viewing by monday or so from www.nbc.com/conan)
Maher claims that his hatred for Christianity (including the Mormonism of Mitt Romney) is purely rational, but his remarks are clearly an egregious overreaction. What on earth causes people to hate Christians so much? What on earth happened to tolerance? When a comedian says something horrible, it's considered edgy and covered by the first amendment. When a pastor says something horrible, it's intolerant and punishable by hate crime legislation. I think the phrase I'm looking for is "double standard," but I wish there were an uglier term I could use.
While my instinctive reaction is to make fun of him back, maybe I should turn the other cheek like Jesus said. Maybe more, I can rejoice that I am considered worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41), even though mine has all been emotional and never physical abuse. I think I'll choose to love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me, rather than responding with litigation or slander.
Anyway, he said some of the harshest words against Christians I think I have ever heard in my life. He really made fun of Mike Huckabee for being a Christian and believing in "talking snakes" and not believing in evolution. Then he said that he couldn't understand how a person can be rational six days a week, go to a normal job, then put that aside for one day and go to a place to "drink the blood of a 2,000 year old space god." (the full episode should be available for viewing by monday or so from www.nbc.com/conan)
Maher claims that his hatred for Christianity (including the Mormonism of Mitt Romney) is purely rational, but his remarks are clearly an egregious overreaction. What on earth causes people to hate Christians so much? What on earth happened to tolerance? When a comedian says something horrible, it's considered edgy and covered by the first amendment. When a pastor says something horrible, it's intolerant and punishable by hate crime legislation. I think the phrase I'm looking for is "double standard," but I wish there were an uglier term I could use.
While my instinctive reaction is to make fun of him back, maybe I should turn the other cheek like Jesus said. Maybe more, I can rejoice that I am considered worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41), even though mine has all been emotional and never physical abuse. I think I'll choose to love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me, rather than responding with litigation or slander.
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