Have you ever felt as though you lived in a strange land where there is a familiarity with the things around you but somehow you were out of step with all that was going on? I find myself there so many times, especially as I read the newspaper and listen to the media. The things which pass for reality I have to shake my head at. What is allowed or thought of as normal/okay floor me because I simply do not agree. I am "out of step" with the world around me!
Today I have been reading George Barna's book entitled "The Seven Faith Tribes" in which he describes the seven major faith perspective groups in the US. One group he identifies are what he calls "Casual Christians" which composes about 2 out of every three adults in America, according to Barna.
As Barna describes this segment of our society, he lifts up several key elements which describe this segment. Two of the finding jumped out at me and further reinforced that I am out of step but this time it is with those who profess to be part of the faith family.
Item one: Self-reliance is a big deal among Casuals. As a result, they live lives with the notion that their spiritual life is up to them and that God's highest desire for them is to be happy. Barna states, "Casuals are twice as likely to believe that God wants them to achieve happiness as those who believe that He wants them to achieve holiness." Now I have to confess that I have always chafed against those who advocate the "health and wealth" gospel or the "feel good" gospel but this study helps me understand why such groups grow so dramatically. I am out of step!!
This same group "generally have a low view of the importance of belonging to a genuine community of believers." Barna goes on to say, "less than one out of every five believe that spiritual maturity requires a commitment to a particular community of faith and investing themselves in those relationships. I suspect the massive amount of church shopping, hopping, and swapping is largely attributable to the Casuals - people for whom longevity in a family of faith is much less meaningful and attainable than investing in their biological families." How many times have we heard the adaptation of the phrase - I cannot ___ (fill in the blank) because Sunday is our family time. Or how many folks glance off of congregations because they do not see the importance of being deeply connected to a faith community.
I am out of step! I strongly believe that Christianity has to be lived in the context of community! Yes, you heard me place myself at the opposite end of the spectrum from the prevailing attitude of our culture, more frightening, our Christian culture.
Jesus admonition to "take up our cross" calls me to invest all that I am into this faith journey which I understand to be lived out in the context of the Christian community. It is by placing my life before others that I am allowing myself to be accountable for my actions and understandings as well as to learn from those around me as they discover the deep insights of faith.
I guess that I must get used to being out of step! How about you?
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Our Ministry Together
We share the ministry of the church together. I have always held this conviction that as a pastoral leader, I am simply one part of the puzzle which is God's church. My hope has always been to create and atmosphere where the gifts of everyone contribute to make a stronger whole.
I cannot remember a time when I did things on my own for very long. I am wired to need others and to live in community. As a youth, I craved the company of our youth group so I found myself always with different members of that community. I experienced college as part of a group, closely connected to others. It was the same way in seminary. The church has been no exception to that process. I feel most comfortable working in the context of a team.
Jeff Jones in his book entitled "Heart, Mind, and Strength" talks of ministry in the context of the congregation. He shares the understanding that our work is done together, a collection of gifted individuals who are bound together for the common cause of ministry.
The church is in a transitional time. Our role in the society and culture have changed since many of us first became connected with the local church. It feels at times that the challenges are great or even unsumountable at times. How do we adapt or change in order to continue to reach our community? How do we continue to remain effective in this constantly changing society? It puts pressure upon us to discern or discover answers in a tough time. My observation is that in times like this, it is easy for people of become discouraged and disheartened in the work of the church.
Jeff ends this wonderful book with this paragraph. "Ministry in all its forms is a wondrous thng. For both clergy and laity is makes greater demands and at the same time bestows astonishing gifts. Our ministry as leaders in the church is in a very real sense an impossible challenge. And yet if we attend to the who and the what, if we nmurture both the heart and the mind, the strength we need for the chaallenges we face will come tous. By the grace of God, it will come."
I cannot remember a time when I did things on my own for very long. I am wired to need others and to live in community. As a youth, I craved the company of our youth group so I found myself always with different members of that community. I experienced college as part of a group, closely connected to others. It was the same way in seminary. The church has been no exception to that process. I feel most comfortable working in the context of a team.
Jeff Jones in his book entitled "Heart, Mind, and Strength" talks of ministry in the context of the congregation. He shares the understanding that our work is done together, a collection of gifted individuals who are bound together for the common cause of ministry.
The church is in a transitional time. Our role in the society and culture have changed since many of us first became connected with the local church. It feels at times that the challenges are great or even unsumountable at times. How do we adapt or change in order to continue to reach our community? How do we continue to remain effective in this constantly changing society? It puts pressure upon us to discern or discover answers in a tough time. My observation is that in times like this, it is easy for people of become discouraged and disheartened in the work of the church.
Jeff ends this wonderful book with this paragraph. "Ministry in all its forms is a wondrous thng. For both clergy and laity is makes greater demands and at the same time bestows astonishing gifts. Our ministry as leaders in the church is in a very real sense an impossible challenge. And yet if we attend to the who and the what, if we nmurture both the heart and the mind, the strength we need for the chaallenges we face will come tous. By the grace of God, it will come."
Monday, August 17, 2009
Language!!
Jeff Jones has written a good book entitled "Heart, Mind, and Strength" in which he deals with the subject of leadership in the church. One section he spends time with is called "language." He opens the section with these words, "It is impossible to underestimate the power of language." He goes on to suggest that "it can change attitudes and shape behaviors." I believe Jeff is correct.
He shares seven ideas from Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey of the Harvard Business School which I found to be great. The seven ideas deal with how we talk and how changing the way we talk can change the way we work. In reading this, I think this has powerful implications for the church if we were to pay attention to these ideas.
All seven ideas are suggestions to move from one style of language to another.
1. From the language of complaint to the language of commitment. It is moving from complaining about what I do not like to the place of being committed to preserving what is most valuable, most precious and most deserving of being promoted and defended in this organization. How often in the church do we just complain about the way "they are doing it" instead of committing ourselves to the tasks at hand?
2. From the language of blame to the language of personal responsibility. "Blaming encourages a desire to fix the problem as quickly as possible by getting rid of or changing the one who is at fault." Moving from blame to understanding my personal responsibility in facing the issues confronting us. In the church it is easier to blame someone else rather than to honestly evaluate the possible ways in which our actions are causing difficulty.
3. From the language of New Years' resolutions to the language of competing commitments. The authors suggest that there is fear in the change which may come if we actually do what we resolve to do because it reveals other commitments that we have or things we cherish. Now I understand that, the resolution to lose weight means fear, the fear of having to let go of one of my favorite pastimes - eating! It reveals that I have competing commitments. The talking about the possibilities of change but also the pain of loss and fear of letting go.
4. From the language of big assumptions that hold us to the language of assumptions we hold. They suggest that big assumptions are assumptions that we hold to be true and are never questioned. What assumptions do we hold as a church? I laugh because in reality we have many of these which we couch in the language of we have never do it that way or that will never work. Many times, we do not know until we try!
5. From the language of prizes and praising to the language of ongoing regard. They take great care to spell out that praise and prizes allow us to confer upon others their source of worthiness, we decide what is good and not for the church. They suggest we speak in regard of the effort or work of the individual rather than saying what was good or bad. This one I must confess connected with me the least, not sure I got what they were driving at.
6. From the language of rules and policies to the language of public agreement. "Rules and policies are about compliance." "Rules and policies are about an external standard." We in the church live by the shared values of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ rather than upon the rules I or anyone else might create. But this is an easy one to stumble over because a rule is easier to create than to talk about the common understandings of what the Christian life should encompass.
7. From the language of constructive criticism to the language of deconstructive criticism. Now before you get turned off by their language, listen to what they mean. "constructive criticism is all about one person - the person who is critiquing - claiming to have the right answer. Constructive criticism assumes that the person receiving it doesn't have a clue. Most often the one who gives is in a position of power. Even in the best of circumstance, the one who gives constructive criticism claims both power and responsibility." What they advocate is rather than beginning with a critique of the person's behavior, begin with a statement like "I do not understand ..." which allows for understanding and or clarification. Now this one rang very close to home. I unfortunately have given way too much constructive criticism and must confess to having received far more of it than I would like. The authors are correct that moving away from this type of behavior will foster greater willingness from all to contribute their insights and understandings.
The reason I found this list helpful is that we live in a time of change in the church. Churches are looking to find the "right answer" for attracting persons, for strengthening ministries, for balancing budgets. In such an environment it is easy to fall into the less helpful patterns of communication, utilizing language patterns which harm us rather than aid us in our trying to discern where God is leading us. Take a few minutes to reflect upon your own language patterns.
He shares seven ideas from Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey of the Harvard Business School which I found to be great. The seven ideas deal with how we talk and how changing the way we talk can change the way we work. In reading this, I think this has powerful implications for the church if we were to pay attention to these ideas.
All seven ideas are suggestions to move from one style of language to another.
1. From the language of complaint to the language of commitment. It is moving from complaining about what I do not like to the place of being committed to preserving what is most valuable, most precious and most deserving of being promoted and defended in this organization. How often in the church do we just complain about the way "they are doing it" instead of committing ourselves to the tasks at hand?
2. From the language of blame to the language of personal responsibility. "Blaming encourages a desire to fix the problem as quickly as possible by getting rid of or changing the one who is at fault." Moving from blame to understanding my personal responsibility in facing the issues confronting us. In the church it is easier to blame someone else rather than to honestly evaluate the possible ways in which our actions are causing difficulty.
3. From the language of New Years' resolutions to the language of competing commitments. The authors suggest that there is fear in the change which may come if we actually do what we resolve to do because it reveals other commitments that we have or things we cherish. Now I understand that, the resolution to lose weight means fear, the fear of having to let go of one of my favorite pastimes - eating! It reveals that I have competing commitments. The talking about the possibilities of change but also the pain of loss and fear of letting go.
4. From the language of big assumptions that hold us to the language of assumptions we hold. They suggest that big assumptions are assumptions that we hold to be true and are never questioned. What assumptions do we hold as a church? I laugh because in reality we have many of these which we couch in the language of we have never do it that way or that will never work. Many times, we do not know until we try!
5. From the language of prizes and praising to the language of ongoing regard. They take great care to spell out that praise and prizes allow us to confer upon others their source of worthiness, we decide what is good and not for the church. They suggest we speak in regard of the effort or work of the individual rather than saying what was good or bad. This one I must confess connected with me the least, not sure I got what they were driving at.
6. From the language of rules and policies to the language of public agreement. "Rules and policies are about compliance." "Rules and policies are about an external standard." We in the church live by the shared values of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ rather than upon the rules I or anyone else might create. But this is an easy one to stumble over because a rule is easier to create than to talk about the common understandings of what the Christian life should encompass.
7. From the language of constructive criticism to the language of deconstructive criticism. Now before you get turned off by their language, listen to what they mean. "constructive criticism is all about one person - the person who is critiquing - claiming to have the right answer. Constructive criticism assumes that the person receiving it doesn't have a clue. Most often the one who gives is in a position of power. Even in the best of circumstance, the one who gives constructive criticism claims both power and responsibility." What they advocate is rather than beginning with a critique of the person's behavior, begin with a statement like "I do not understand ..." which allows for understanding and or clarification. Now this one rang very close to home. I unfortunately have given way too much constructive criticism and must confess to having received far more of it than I would like. The authors are correct that moving away from this type of behavior will foster greater willingness from all to contribute their insights and understandings.
The reason I found this list helpful is that we live in a time of change in the church. Churches are looking to find the "right answer" for attracting persons, for strengthening ministries, for balancing budgets. In such an environment it is easy to fall into the less helpful patterns of communication, utilizing language patterns which harm us rather than aid us in our trying to discern where God is leading us. Take a few minutes to reflect upon your own language patterns.
Monday, August 10, 2009
How Do You Respond?
The time on the Isle of Iona in northern Scotland was a powerful time for me. We took long walks in the afternoons all around this rugged but very beautiful small island. I had spent just a few moments learning of Celtic spirituality prior to this trip but the aspect of seeing God in the world around us intrigued me as I have always loved the out of doors.
Ian Bradley, in a book entitled "The Celtic Way," describes much of the understandings of the early Celtic Christians and how these persons lived their faith in the time of 300 - 600 AD. He is open about the ways in which the Celtic views were seen as outside the norms of the early Roman Church. One particular area of theology he lifts up is the conflict between Augustine and a Celtic theologian named Pelagius. Pelagius disagreed with Augustine around the issue of original sin. I know it is an oversimplification but essentially Augustine saw that all of humanity was infected with a sinful nature that was passed on so that each person even at birth was inherently depraved and damned if not baptized to remove the sinfulness.
Pelagius believed that "babies were born innocent and that baptism was a sign and a seal of God's gracious love for them rather than an operation which had to be performed to avoid their dispatch to Hell." (Bradley, pg. 63) To Pelaguis, Christ's mission was to liberate the world from the bondage of sin and evil under which it was being held rather than coming to appease an angry God.
Pelaguis viewed the work of Christ "as the great liberator and emancipator, the one who draws us into the glorious liberty of the children of God. They say saw too very much as the Christus Victor, triumphant on the Cross having done battle with the Devil and won." (Bradley, pg. 65)
I find that I understand both sides of this argument as I have been influenced by threads of thought from both camps. I understand that we are a fallen people, the story of the fall is one which helps me understand the nature of our world when nothing else makes sense but I also understand that God is the author and creator of a world which was good as stated in Genesis one and two. I believe that it was humanity's choice to turn away from God and that it is a choice we continue to make today!
One interesting outgrowth of this thought process relates to why Christ came to die. Was it to appease an angry God? If you have talked with people who are not connected with the church, one of the arguments they will often share is centered around this idea. They do not want to be connected with that type of God. And honestly, neither do I. I understand and resonate with the thought that Christ came to deliver us from evil, that he did battle with and conquered sin and death through his earthly life.
The questions that arise for me then are - how do I understand God and how do I view Christ's role and then how do I communicate that with the world around me?
Food for thought around an issue which has been debated for 1600 years!
Ian Bradley, in a book entitled "The Celtic Way," describes much of the understandings of the early Celtic Christians and how these persons lived their faith in the time of 300 - 600 AD. He is open about the ways in which the Celtic views were seen as outside the norms of the early Roman Church. One particular area of theology he lifts up is the conflict between Augustine and a Celtic theologian named Pelagius. Pelagius disagreed with Augustine around the issue of original sin. I know it is an oversimplification but essentially Augustine saw that all of humanity was infected with a sinful nature that was passed on so that each person even at birth was inherently depraved and damned if not baptized to remove the sinfulness.
Pelagius believed that "babies were born innocent and that baptism was a sign and a seal of God's gracious love for them rather than an operation which had to be performed to avoid their dispatch to Hell." (Bradley, pg. 63) To Pelaguis, Christ's mission was to liberate the world from the bondage of sin and evil under which it was being held rather than coming to appease an angry God.
Pelaguis viewed the work of Christ "as the great liberator and emancipator, the one who draws us into the glorious liberty of the children of God. They say saw too very much as the Christus Victor, triumphant on the Cross having done battle with the Devil and won." (Bradley, pg. 65)
I find that I understand both sides of this argument as I have been influenced by threads of thought from both camps. I understand that we are a fallen people, the story of the fall is one which helps me understand the nature of our world when nothing else makes sense but I also understand that God is the author and creator of a world which was good as stated in Genesis one and two. I believe that it was humanity's choice to turn away from God and that it is a choice we continue to make today!
One interesting outgrowth of this thought process relates to why Christ came to die. Was it to appease an angry God? If you have talked with people who are not connected with the church, one of the arguments they will often share is centered around this idea. They do not want to be connected with that type of God. And honestly, neither do I. I understand and resonate with the thought that Christ came to deliver us from evil, that he did battle with and conquered sin and death through his earthly life.
The questions that arise for me then are - how do I understand God and how do I view Christ's role and then how do I communicate that with the world around me?
Food for thought around an issue which has been debated for 1600 years!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Beginning to Reflect
We are back in Terre Haute after successfully completing our travels in England and Scotland. The experiences are ones that will remain in our memories for a lifetime. Now it is time to begin to process the experiences, reflecting upon them to draw insights and understandings from them.
The week on the Isle of Iona to participate with the Iona Community was a highlight for me. Standing in the abbey which dates back about 1500 years, to stand before a cross which has been standing for over 1000 years gives one a different perspective on time than we have here in the US.
The austere beauty of the island and the simple lifestyle of the community intrigued me. We had to watch our step as we walked the pathway from our lodging to the abbey because the sheep and cattle had free range of the property. What fences the island had were accompanied by steps and gates so that the fence would not impede your walking about the land. There was a sense of connection with the land inherent in the style of community life. It reminded me of younger days when I spent much time in the out of doors and I was reminded why I love nature so much.
The rhythm of life was built around meals and worship. The meals were simple, mostly vegetarian in nature (not a real hit with our children!) composed of soups and casserole style dishes with wonderful home baked breads. The week was a return to a simpler rhythm of life, away from the pressure of calendar and clock.
The other part of the experience which was so rich was the blending of cultural backgrounds. I have mentioned in an earlier post that the group was made up of people from all around the globe, from places like New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Holland, Sweden, Germany, England and the United States. There we overcame language barriers to develop community focused upon our common faith in Jesus Christ.
I am reading a book entitled "The Celtic Way" by Ian Bradley which is an introduction to Celtic Christianity. Bradley lifts up the experiences of St. Brigid, one of the early Celtic saints. When Brigid was asked what were the three things most pleasing to God, Bridgid replied, "true faith in the Lord with a pure heart, a simple life with piety and generosity with charity."
In reflecting upon the time in Iona, I am reminded of the wisdom of our ancestors. Have we lost some perspective in our time of busyness filled with so many distractions? Have we made faith too complicated as a mental assertion rather than a heart response? Have we lost touch with the fact that all of humanity was created as God's children for whom Christ died?
The week on the Isle of Iona to participate with the Iona Community was a highlight for me. Standing in the abbey which dates back about 1500 years, to stand before a cross which has been standing for over 1000 years gives one a different perspective on time than we have here in the US.
The austere beauty of the island and the simple lifestyle of the community intrigued me. We had to watch our step as we walked the pathway from our lodging to the abbey because the sheep and cattle had free range of the property. What fences the island had were accompanied by steps and gates so that the fence would not impede your walking about the land. There was a sense of connection with the land inherent in the style of community life. It reminded me of younger days when I spent much time in the out of doors and I was reminded why I love nature so much.
The rhythm of life was built around meals and worship. The meals were simple, mostly vegetarian in nature (not a real hit with our children!) composed of soups and casserole style dishes with wonderful home baked breads. The week was a return to a simpler rhythm of life, away from the pressure of calendar and clock.
The other part of the experience which was so rich was the blending of cultural backgrounds. I have mentioned in an earlier post that the group was made up of people from all around the globe, from places like New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Holland, Sweden, Germany, England and the United States. There we overcame language barriers to develop community focused upon our common faith in Jesus Christ.
I am reading a book entitled "The Celtic Way" by Ian Bradley which is an introduction to Celtic Christianity. Bradley lifts up the experiences of St. Brigid, one of the early Celtic saints. When Brigid was asked what were the three things most pleasing to God, Bridgid replied, "true faith in the Lord with a pure heart, a simple life with piety and generosity with charity."
In reflecting upon the time in Iona, I am reminded of the wisdom of our ancestors. Have we lost some perspective in our time of busyness filled with so many distractions? Have we made faith too complicated as a mental assertion rather than a heart response? Have we lost touch with the fact that all of humanity was created as God's children for whom Christ died?
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Worship
Today we visited the Hillsong community again for worship. I am impressed by the numbers of young adults which this congregation attracts each week. The quality of the music and the video productions of this community is amazing!
The past week on Iona was spent in twice a day worship experiences that relied upon guided liturgies in a very formal process. Today, we witnessed young people standing on their feet, loudly singing songs that they are familiar with, and jumping up and down as they celebrated the opportunity to be in worship.
It was indeed a stark contrast! Yet as our family reflected upon the experiences, we found that we found the quality of the one experience to be great, the impression was that we were watching a show rather than being really drawn into worship.
I do not want to discount the experiences of the majority of those gathered today because the sheer numbers point to the fact that the message is compelling. (The introduction to the offering was as straight forward and hard hitting a message on tithing as I have heard in a long time.) What struck me was that while I was not drawn deeply into worship in this environment, I suspect that the opposite would be true for many of these young people if they had attended the experiences of Iona. So worship is not just about the style. It is about the heart of the worshiper. It is about being ushered into the presence of God so that I offer my praise to the God of love who has redeemed us through Jesus Christ. So I have to ask the question, does style really matter? Or is it about the heart of the one coming to worship?
The past week on Iona was spent in twice a day worship experiences that relied upon guided liturgies in a very formal process. Today, we witnessed young people standing on their feet, loudly singing songs that they are familiar with, and jumping up and down as they celebrated the opportunity to be in worship.
It was indeed a stark contrast! Yet as our family reflected upon the experiences, we found that we found the quality of the one experience to be great, the impression was that we were watching a show rather than being really drawn into worship.
I do not want to discount the experiences of the majority of those gathered today because the sheer numbers point to the fact that the message is compelling. (The introduction to the offering was as straight forward and hard hitting a message on tithing as I have heard in a long time.) What struck me was that while I was not drawn deeply into worship in this environment, I suspect that the opposite would be true for many of these young people if they had attended the experiences of Iona. So worship is not just about the style. It is about the heart of the worshiper. It is about being ushered into the presence of God so that I offer my praise to the God of love who has redeemed us through Jesus Christ. So I have to ask the question, does style really matter? Or is it about the heart of the one coming to worship?
Living With The Unknown
One the last blog, I talked of the experience of arriving at a hotel only to be notified that our reservation had been canceled. After a lot of discussion and viewing our records, the manager of the hotel placed us in a Five Star facility for one night and then moved us back to our regular hotel today. We are in place for the next few days. We are very comfortable in our three star accomadations but had a glimpse of the more expensive digs for one night. I am not sure it was worth the difference as I find I am content where we are.
We also made a humorous discovery yesterday. We have been traveling by train within England and Scotland by using a rail pass. The seats have been good, four seats located around a small table. the family has secured two of these tables on each of our trips. Saturday we were traveling from Glasgow to London by train. The trip takes about 5 1/2 hours. We were 4 hours into the trip when a steward came by to check our tickets once again. He looked at us and asked why we were sitting in coach because our seats were "first class." He then told us to move up to the first class section for the duration of the trip.
We laughed at ourselves because we never expected to travel first class but were content to travel coach, thinking this was just fine.
It caused me to reflect upon our faith journeys. How often do we just go through life with the actions and attitudes to just get us through when God's intent for us is "first class." We have been adopted as children of God, joint heirs with Jesus. We do not need to travel "coach" but we have received the most glorious gift of all! Do we really understand the magnificent gift that has been given to us by God? Do we live with the full awareness of God's lavish love which has been poured out upon us?
We also made a humorous discovery yesterday. We have been traveling by train within England and Scotland by using a rail pass. The seats have been good, four seats located around a small table. the family has secured two of these tables on each of our trips. Saturday we were traveling from Glasgow to London by train. The trip takes about 5 1/2 hours. We were 4 hours into the trip when a steward came by to check our tickets once again. He looked at us and asked why we were sitting in coach because our seats were "first class." He then told us to move up to the first class section for the duration of the trip.
We laughed at ourselves because we never expected to travel first class but were content to travel coach, thinking this was just fine.
It caused me to reflect upon our faith journeys. How often do we just go through life with the actions and attitudes to just get us through when God's intent for us is "first class." We have been adopted as children of God, joint heirs with Jesus. We do not need to travel "coach" but we have received the most glorious gift of all! Do we really understand the magnificent gift that has been given to us by God? Do we live with the full awareness of God's lavish love which has been poured out upon us?
Friday, July 24, 2009
Reflections from Iona
We have just returned to Glasgow from the Isle of Iona. The time on this isolated island was a wonderful experience. The Iona Community is centered around the Abbey on the island. We experienced a week of intentional living in Christian community guided by faith understandings growing out of Celtic roots.
The rugged beauty of the island called to mind the thin line between earth and the heavens, feeling so very close to God. Standing in front of the abbey is a cross which has stood in the same place for over a thousand years. This cross stands pointing to the skies, reminding one to lift up your eyes to the heavens from which the Lord reigns.
The week was dominated by worship twice a day at nine in the morning and nine at night. We were called to meet God in the worship service but then to see God in all of the world around us. One feature of this experience was the free roaming sheep and cattle on the island. Nature points to God, a reminder of the Creators magnificent work!
Our last evening included a worship service with communion. During the silent reflection time, we could hear the bleating of the sheep just outside the Abbey walls. I was powerfully reminded of Jesus' words in John 21 where he calls Peter to "feed my sheep." We are each one called to feed those around us, those who are God's children with the same type of love that Christ demonstrated to us.
I will cherish the sights and sounds of Iona because I have been powerfully reminded of two things which have always been important to me - the beauty of God's creation and the value of the Christian community.
To see some pictures from Iona, you can view them at Bernie_Jackson at www.photobucket.com
The rugged beauty of the island called to mind the thin line between earth and the heavens, feeling so very close to God. Standing in front of the abbey is a cross which has stood in the same place for over a thousand years. This cross stands pointing to the skies, reminding one to lift up your eyes to the heavens from which the Lord reigns.
The week was dominated by worship twice a day at nine in the morning and nine at night. We were called to meet God in the worship service but then to see God in all of the world around us. One feature of this experience was the free roaming sheep and cattle on the island. Nature points to God, a reminder of the Creators magnificent work!
Our last evening included a worship service with communion. During the silent reflection time, we could hear the bleating of the sheep just outside the Abbey walls. I was powerfully reminded of Jesus' words in John 21 where he calls Peter to "feed my sheep." We are each one called to feed those around us, those who are God's children with the same type of love that Christ demonstrated to us.
I will cherish the sights and sounds of Iona because I have been powerfully reminded of two things which have always been important to me - the beauty of God's creation and the value of the Christian community.
To see some pictures from Iona, you can view them at Bernie_Jackson at www.photobucket.com
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Music and Worship in Two Settings
Sunday morning we attended worship at the Hillsong Community in London. This church meets in the Dominion Theater in central London. As we entered the auditorium it was clear that I was one of the oldest persons present in the sanctuary. The service began with very energetic music and a vivid light show as the congregation was buzzing in anticipation. One thing I noticed was that I did no know the songs but the congregation knew them well. They sang loudly! At several points in the musical portion, the instrumentalists and the praise team would stop and allow the congregation alone carried the music. There was electricity in the sanctuary as the singing rang out.
On Monday, we attended the evensong at the Westminster Abbey. This old sanctuary holds so much history but what struck me was the inspiration it produced, I stood amazed at the beauty of this structure. We were able to be one of the first few people admitted to the service so that we sat in the wooden pews right beside the choir. When the pipe organ peeled forth it’s first notes, I had cold chills and goose bumps. The choir lifted their voices in praise to God, echoing in an amazing acoustical environment.
I was struck by how both service utilize music as the primary vehicle for bringing persons into the presence of God. I was reminded of the words from Ronald Allen and Bordon Borror in “Worship: Rediscovering the Mission Jewel” talk of the value of music in the act of worship. They say, “The people of God have always been and will always be a people of song. If the enjoyment of song is gone, that is a symptom of a far greater disease. A congregation’s singing is not an absolute thermometer of their spiritual temperature, but it is one indicator. As Luther said way back in the Reformation days of the 16th century, ‘If any would not sing and talk of what Christ has wrought for us, he shows thereby that he does not really believe…’”
Contrasting styles of music but both offering the legitimate praise of a gathered people of God.
We worship a wonderful God who blesses us with so many varying gifts.
On Monday, we attended the evensong at the Westminster Abbey. This old sanctuary holds so much history but what struck me was the inspiration it produced, I stood amazed at the beauty of this structure. We were able to be one of the first few people admitted to the service so that we sat in the wooden pews right beside the choir. When the pipe organ peeled forth it’s first notes, I had cold chills and goose bumps. The choir lifted their voices in praise to God, echoing in an amazing acoustical environment.
I was struck by how both service utilize music as the primary vehicle for bringing persons into the presence of God. I was reminded of the words from Ronald Allen and Bordon Borror in “Worship: Rediscovering the Mission Jewel” talk of the value of music in the act of worship. They say, “The people of God have always been and will always be a people of song. If the enjoyment of song is gone, that is a symptom of a far greater disease. A congregation’s singing is not an absolute thermometer of their spiritual temperature, but it is one indicator. As Luther said way back in the Reformation days of the 16th century, ‘If any would not sing and talk of what Christ has wrought for us, he shows thereby that he does not really believe…’”
Contrasting styles of music but both offering the legitimate praise of a gathered people of God.
We worship a wonderful God who blesses us with so many varying gifts.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Reflections from Isle of Wight
Ronald Allen and Gordon Borror in a book entitled "Worship: Rediscovering the Missing Jewel" speak of preparing for worship. In one section they ask the question “who is that person who comes to the community to worship God? It is that man or woman who practices the presence of God in private moments. That is, in addition to holding God in awesome reverence, they know him in daily living.”
As we arrived in London I must confess to being nervous as to the next steps in our journey. We had to catch a train from the airport to a downtown train station, then find a way from one train station to another in London, catch a train to another city, find a ferry, find a rental car agency, then navigate on unfamiliar roads on the opposite side of the road to find a house on the other end of the island. This all proved to be an adventure without much difficulty. We had basic framework parts in place (plane and train tickets in addition to city names) but had to discover all the rest (which trains to take, which subway to use, where the rental car agency was and the exact location of the house) on our own.
We found each of these and at the conclusion of the day we were settled into a wonderful setting in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight in southern England. Every window in the house has a beautiful view out over the ocean with quaint British houses all around. We spent the first day walking along the ocean on a walkway which encircles the island. Our second day was spent exploring another town, Newport, with its castle from the 1300’s and searching for internet access. The exploring the castle was fun and interesting while finding WiFi service for the internet proved to be a challenge! So far, we have to travel across the island to find service.
Allen and Borror remind readers of Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” They state, “The verb translated ‘acknowledge’ is a word that speaks of knowing actively the presence of God. One is to know God in daily activities. We are to experience His presence in the most mundane of chores.”
I found a sense of wonder in viewing the beauty of the countryside and the ocean. The kids have grown tired of my saying how great this is or how pretty this is. The groans are audible as I ask them to pose one more time to capture a picture of a particularly beautiful sight. (Can’t just take a picture – have to have someone in it!) It indeed has been a time of worship as I have strongly sensed the presence of God in all of our tasks. The wonder of God’s creation is evident around us, the wonder of the family is also evident as we have spent wonderful time together laughing, walking and telling stories.
The beginning of this journey has already proved to renew the wonder in our God, to rekindle the passion for Christ and to refresh the my spirit for His service.
As we arrived in London I must confess to being nervous as to the next steps in our journey. We had to catch a train from the airport to a downtown train station, then find a way from one train station to another in London, catch a train to another city, find a ferry, find a rental car agency, then navigate on unfamiliar roads on the opposite side of the road to find a house on the other end of the island. This all proved to be an adventure without much difficulty. We had basic framework parts in place (plane and train tickets in addition to city names) but had to discover all the rest (which trains to take, which subway to use, where the rental car agency was and the exact location of the house) on our own.
We found each of these and at the conclusion of the day we were settled into a wonderful setting in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight in southern England. Every window in the house has a beautiful view out over the ocean with quaint British houses all around. We spent the first day walking along the ocean on a walkway which encircles the island. Our second day was spent exploring another town, Newport, with its castle from the 1300’s and searching for internet access. The exploring the castle was fun and interesting while finding WiFi service for the internet proved to be a challenge! So far, we have to travel across the island to find service.
Allen and Borror remind readers of Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” They state, “The verb translated ‘acknowledge’ is a word that speaks of knowing actively the presence of God. One is to know God in daily activities. We are to experience His presence in the most mundane of chores.”
I found a sense of wonder in viewing the beauty of the countryside and the ocean. The kids have grown tired of my saying how great this is or how pretty this is. The groans are audible as I ask them to pose one more time to capture a picture of a particularly beautiful sight. (Can’t just take a picture – have to have someone in it!) It indeed has been a time of worship as I have strongly sensed the presence of God in all of our tasks. The wonder of God’s creation is evident around us, the wonder of the family is also evident as we have spent wonderful time together laughing, walking and telling stories.
The beginning of this journey has already proved to renew the wonder in our God, to rekindle the passion for Christ and to refresh the my spirit for His service.
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