A Church in Transition

I am attending the 27^th General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene. OK do not tune out, this is going to be interesting. This meeting is a gathering of followers of Jesus from all over the world, 155 world areas. We gather as pastors and lay people to try and figure what it means to be the people of God together. There are young and old, rich and poor, west and east, new world, old world, aged saints- baby followers all together for a week or two to decide what it means to be a church. This is a high calling.

Now I can sit here during this gathering and find fault in so many areas. There are so many easy targets for my quick wit. I could go on and on at the many things that are archaic and out of step from what I am about and from most of you, but that is not helpful and not the way of Jesus. Instead I look around and see what God is doing throughout the world.

Because of where I live and love like Jesus, I am most encouraged about what is going on in the United States. There seems to be an upwelling of the Holy Spirit that is taking hold in the younger generation. They are rejecting the dualistic position of Liberal and Conservative. Instead they are post Liberal, post dualistic and are trying desperately to find a life in Jesus that does not embrace one of these two positions, but looks at the world more holistically. Now this movement is worthy of a much longer conversation. But for a start, please read a blog by a colleague of mine in Pasadena, Scott Daniels .

My point is, what is refreshing and gives me hope is that we can come here and talk about this. There is a healthy debate around these issues. I received a DVD on the dangers of spiritual formation practices, the emerging church and the post modern theological movements. I am also in a seminar with Dr. Daniels and others who are presenting the counter to this movement. That is how I want to address all of these issues. That we as a people would dialogue around them, listen to the points that each person is making and then pray that the Lord will help us discern where the truth is found. I know enough to know that I do not know everything, but I do have strong opinions on many of these issues. Although I think that I am right, I am old enough to know that I might be wrong. I want to hear from the other side.

And so we gather and we discuss and we pray and we worship together. We come together and we leave together with the core value that we are the Body of Christ. Like I said, I am very hopeful despite my cynicism and critical mentality. In my heart I know that Jesus is the center of all that we do and say. It is in Jesus that I hope, it is in Jesus that I trust and I ask that you would pray for us as we are praying for you.

 

Peace

Edwin

Redemption Song

Bob Marley's hit was on my mind this morning. I was thinking that as a follower of Jesus I use the word redemption in my understanding of who I am and whose I am. However what is a practical, everyday example of redemption?

My son Ean is seven now, he just had his birthday. Last month he came home from a school fair. Much like every school fair, there were games that everyone played to win tickets. The tickets were turned in at the prize booth for a choice of prizes. If you are having trouble figuring it out, think Chuck E. Cheese but instead of new toys, this school takes donated toys, kind of like the island of misfit toys on Rudolph's Christmas special. Anyway Ean comes home with this doll.

I know, a doll baby carrying a doll baby. This is a boy that loves cars and balls and every stick he can get his hands on. So I say to him, "why did you pick out a doll?" He said matter-of-factly, she was lonely and no one wanted her so I bought her to give to Kelsey down the street (Kelsey is our three year old neighbor who is a regular at our house). He then went downstairs placed the baby doll in a gift bag and took it over to Kelsey, who of course loved her new doll baby.

I was in tears over my son's act of love. Love toward a doll that no one wanted. He redeemed this little doll that no one wanted and found her a home where she would be loved. The fact that he had empathy for a doll gives me hope. Hope that he will grow into a man who has compassion on all those whom he meets. Hope that he will be a part of a generation that will look to bind up the broken, lift up the downtrodden, find the lost and love those whom no one else will love.

I hope that this week we can follow my son's example. Find someone that no one else loves and love them. I hope that we can be a people who sing redemption songs daily into the lives of those who need them the most.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost"

Jesus as recorded in Luke's Gospel chapter 19 verse 10

Peace

Edwin

A Little Kindness Goes A Long Way

It is interesting to me personally how far a small act of forgiveness can go. I have seen it time and time again when I mess up, how nice it is to get the benefit of the doubt or to be given grace. It is as if someone lifted a load off of my back, a weight off of my shoulders. Recently I was supposed to do something and even said that I would take care of it. Somehow in the business of life, it slipped through, despite my outlook task box and notes to remind me.

I got the email: "I am ready, did it get done?" Crap, that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I had forgotten to get it done. The child in me wanted to lie. But I knew better. I called, I am sorry I did not get it done, so sorry. The thing is that this person had every right to yell, condemn, pitch a fit. I had said I would get it done and did not get it done, no real excuse. Instead of condemnation they said, don't worry about it, I can do it this way instead. Wow, I was blown away, expecting the worst, I was instead given the best: forgiveness, grace. It was something so small but completely felt big. Probably I was overreacting but with all that is going on, I am a little fragile and that is the point isn't it.

We don't know what kind of day our friends and coworkers are having. We do not know the lightness or heaviness of their heart. They could be having a great day or the worst day of their life. Jesus calls me to love and forgive at all times. The big things somehow seem easier then the little things. The day to day disappointments and let downs somehow have a tendency to knock me off my axis more readily than the bigger more dramatic things. But Jesus' call to forgiveness is both in the big and the little things. The debt of millions of dollars and the slapping of a cheek are to be forgiven equally. When we meditate on the Sermon on the Mount, we come face to face with a new paradigm. We are to live our daily lives without judgment or condemnation. As one who received the better end of this, I can testify that it made me more able to serve out my day in joy. (I also took care of the unfinished business first thing).

May the peace of God and the love that He gives fill your hearts, overflowing.

Edwin