Pilgrimage Ponderings

I just read this by Russell Moore:

"Too often, and for too long, American “Christianity” has been a political agenda in search of a gospel useful enough to accommodate it. There is a liberation theology of the Left, and there is also a liberation theology of the Right, and both are at heart mammon worship. The liberation theology of the Left often wants a Barabbas, to fight off the oppressors as though our ultimate problem were the reign of Rome and not the reign of death. The liberation theology of the Right wants a golden calf, to represent religion and to remind us of all the economic security we had in Egypt. Both want a Caesar or a Pharaoh, not a Messiah."

You can read the whole blog post here: http://www.russellmoore.com/. 

I was meeting with some church folks the other day and one of them raised a question that was more or less this.  When did things begin to go wrong with the church?  When did we stop focusing on making disciples?  I told him I thought it might have started with a piece of fruit.

Lord, have mercy.

In the midst of my busy-ness, O Lord, remind me to slow down and savor each moment as a gift from You.

As I move frantically from thought to thought and project to project, remind me that You are a God of abundance, not scarcity, and there is time enough for all that You have called me to do.

In the midst of worry, anxiety, fear, and discouragement, remind me, O God, that You are ever-present, walking with me through times of ease and times of distress.

When I become so focused on my own problems and needs, remind me, O God, that there are needs around me greater than mine and needs that I am uniquely gifted by You to address.

Help me to remember that I am not alone, that I need to be connected with others who are struggling, even as I need to remember that You are the source of life and strength and peace.

Amen.

William is the youngest grandson of my friend Bonnie.  Bonnie became a local pastor a few years ago.  William has known well exactly two preachers in his eight short years.  One is his granny and the other is his pastor, Pastor Debra.

When he was about five and riding in the car with his brother and granny, he was saying something cute and sweet, as only preschoolers can, about God and love and Jesus and church.  His grandmother said, "Well, maybe, William you can be a preacher when you grow up."

William looked at her with a stunned expression and said, "I can't do that, Granny.  I'm not a girl!"

Perspective is everything.

What is the Church, the gathered Body of Christ?

Is it a sanctuary for the blessed?  A safe place for the sanctified to gather in secret and safety?

Is is a hospital for sinners?  A place for broken people to come and be healed and then leave again?

These two are fairly common images.  Here are some more I've been thinking of, some interesting and intriguing, some a bit disturbing.

The train station in the Harry Potter stories:  The place where the ordinary meets the extraordinary, where family and friends gather to see one off on an adventure of love, challenge, loyalty, and service to the greater good.

A campfire:  A place to share stories and build community, to seek warmth and light when things around us seem dim and a little frightening.

A stone cathedral:  An empty, fossilized place that is rich in meaning but poor in people.

A family (or class) reunion:  Where some are happy to be there, some are not excited about who they might see and some are wondering who all these people are and why are we doing this anyway?

What's the picture in your mind of what it means to be the Body of Christ?

 

I heard an interesting sermon yesterday about what love looks like.  The pastor listed five things:

• trust
• patience
• rejoicing with and for
• crying with
• encouragement

I think that's a good list.  I found myself thinking about what my list would include.  And I thought about how important it is for people who love each other to really listen to one another.  There is something powerful and healing about a person being able to say what's on their mind and heart and really be heard without judgment.

What's on your list of practices that demonstrate love?

I'm not sure if it's my age showing, fatigue, stress, or something else.  I had a great idea for a blog yesterday afternoon.  At least I think I did.

I just don't remember what it was.

Happy Monday!

I'm thinking about what happens at my house when I have unexpected visitors.  I quickly assess which room in my house is least cluttered and therefore the most comfortable to show them into.  Then I have to quickly clear the laundry off the sofa or the papers off the table.  If they are my friends, I am happy to have them, even in the midst of my clutter.  If they are strangers, I am pretty anxious about what they think about how I keep house.

When I am expecting company, I do things completely differently (most of the time).  I try to pick things up, put things away, vacuum, dust, and plan something tasty to eat or drink.  Everyone in the house gets involved in preparing for guests when company is coming.  We work hard to be welcoming.

It seems to me that these are two different approaches to hospitality that might also have implications for churches.

Do we expect company?  Do we prepare for guests?  And does it make a difference if we see unexpected visitors as strangers or friends?

I recently read an article in a local newspaper about a church's effort to have a "Be Nice to People" day and the response of some church members that doing so would be "watering down the gospel."  In order for people to be convicted of their sin and turn to Jesus, the argument goes, Christians should not be nice to "sinners."

And then I remembered these words from one of my favorite Christian folk songs:

We will work with each other, we will work side by side. (repeat)

And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride.

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.

Yes they'll know we are Christians by our love.

I'm trying to decide if these two perspectives have anything in common or not.

Years ago, I started concluding my emails and letters with "Blessings."  I thought a lot about this.  I didn't like ending things with "In Christ" (I found it presumptuous and churchy) or "Sincerely" (too formal).  I thought of how some people depart from others with the words "God bless you," and it seemed to me a good way to end a correspondence.

One definition of bless is to invoke divine care for.  I like that.  And I recently read some words from Barbara Brown Taylor that spoke to me.  She talks about how much our world needs people who will bless.

Anyone can ask and anyone can bless, whether anyone has authorized you to do it or not.  All I am saying is that the world needs you to do this, because there is a real shortage of people willing to kneel wherever they are and recognize th holiness holiding its sometimes bony, often tender, always life-giving hand above their heads (An Altar in the World, pp. 208-209).

Who do you know that needs divine care?  Everyone I know does.  As well as everything.  Bless someone or something today!

Blessings to all my internet friends!

Star Wars.
The Matrix.
Harry Potter.

Resurrection stories rooted in The Resurrection Story.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Our world is hungry to know the Story of love that changes everything, new life, rebirth, and hope.

Go and tell.

Unbury the Alleluias.

Christ is risen indeed!