Ministry Ministry Matters ~ supporting Christian ministry with resources, community, and inspiration ~ This Sunday, 27 October 2013
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23rd Sunday after Pentecost (Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 65; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14)
When the Spirit of God Shows Up by Philip Wise
Joel 2:23-32
There is much in life that is unpredictable—our health, world affairs, and the behavior of others to name three. This unpredictability becomes significant only because much of our life is predictable—our routines at work and home. Other people are predictable—the relative who will talk your ear off, the friend who loves controversy, the colleague who always has a smile.
But what about God—is God predictable? Is there a set pattern to God’s encounters with us? Do our encounters with God have a predictable effect on us? That is one of the issues the prophet Joel addresses in this passage. The prophecy that bears his name is short—only three chapters. The three chapters focus on a single problem. There is a national crisis—a plague of locusts. Joel sees this plague as an onset of the “day of the LORD” (Joel 2:31), which is mentioned five times in the book. It is a familiar theme for the Hebrew prophets. The day of the Lord is a day when God will go to war with God’s enemies.
This event in the history of Israel is meant to be a warning to God’s people—including us. We, too, have locusts in our lives that serve as wake-up calls—a tragedy, a failure, people who seek to harm us. The result of these locusts in our day is that our joy is “withered away” (1:12 NIV). Joel’s word to believers of both his day and ours is simple: these “locusts” are pointing us to God. That doesn’t mean, of course, that God has sent the locusts—although God may have. It does mean that God can use these events in our lives to draw us closer to him.
If that is true, what should our response be to the locusts in our lives? Some fight back when they feel attacked. Others work harder in their personal or spiritual lives. Some become depressed and shut down. Still others play the blame game and try to find someone responsible for the difficulties they are facing.
Faithful folks, wisely, turn to God. When a person does this, they can expect criticism. Friends may suggest that it is hypocritical to turn to God in a time of personal crisis. “Why didn’t you turn to God in the good times?” they ask. Interestingly, God never suggests this in Scripture. God encourages us to turn to him in our times of crisis. Joel says that God can and will do something about the locusts. God waits on us to place our faith in God. Then, God acts on our behalf.
Joel contends that God always responds when his people repent. God responds by putting things right. The Lord protects us from our enemies. God comes to provide for our basic needs. God comes to comfort us in our sorrow and despair.
If this is the way God responds to the negative events in our lives, how should we respond to God’s intervention? Some might lapse back into spiritual lethargy. Some might take God’s intervention for granted. Joel envisions a day when the people of Israel respond as they should. They will respond to God’s intervention by living in a new way. This new way of living is the life of the Spirit.
Joel contends that when we respond to God in faith he will pour out his Spirit on us—regardless of our age, gender, or status. This is a new idea; in the Old Testament God’s Spirit is poured out on individuals— prophets, kings, leaders. The Spirit resides in a person as long as they are doing God’s will. Once their task is completed, the Spirit leaves them. Joel envisions a day when the Spirit is poured out on all God’s people and remains with them.
The result of this gift from God is that wonderful, unexpected things will be seen. Everyone will testify to God’s goodness. Men will testify, as we might expect in an ancient cultural context. But, surprisingly, women and children will also testify. This is a sign of a new world.
Of course, Christians understand that new world to be the kingdom of God. They understand this new world to have begun at Pentecost, when followers of Jesus received the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. These disciples went out into the streets of Jerusalem and witnessed to what they had seen and heard. Peter’s sermon at Pentecost is the summary of what these first Christians were telling their Jerusalem neighbors. It is a reaffirmation of Joel’s message: repent, turn to God, experience God’s blessing, receive the Holy Spirit, and enter the kingdom of God. Peter makes clear that this has all been made possible through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, who, he claims, is the promised Messiah.
Joel’s little book presents us with a timeline. It is a timeline for Israel, but it is also a timeline for our own lives. Each of us must decide where we are on that timeline. Are you living with the locusts? This is the initial stage where a person realizes that there is a problem and that they need help.
Are you turning to God? Have you come to the conclusion that God can and will help and that you need to ask for his help? This is the second stage.
Have you turned to God and, as a result, are enjoying God’s blessings? This is where many Christians are today. They have turned to God and God has responded, and they are enjoying their blessed status.
Or, are you living in the Spirit? This is where God wants us to be. If we are living in the Spirit, we are telling others about what God has done and wants to do. We are sharing what God has done for us and encouraging others to join us in this wonderful new life in the Spirit.
~~~
Worship Elements: October 27, 2013 by Hans Holznagel
23rd Sunday after Pentecost
COLOR: Green
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 65; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 65; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14
THEME IDEAS
Those who think boldly about Reformation Sunday might find here an invitation to re-form an ancient Judeo-Christian vocation of caring for the temple. What if the temple is God’s bountiful earth? What if the earth is the temple where God’s people should be satisfied, where a righteous prayer of confession is offered? What dreams, visions, and prophecies might lead humanity to repent of
habits that worsen this dwelling place, reclaiming instead the bounty and goodness of God’s house.
habits that worsen this dwelling place, reclaiming instead the bounty and goodness of God’s house.
INVITATION AND GATHERING
Call to Worship (Psalm 65, Joel 2)
Praise is due to you, O God, O you who answer prayer.
Happy are those who live in your courts—
those who are satisfied with the goodness
of your house and your holy temple.
You are the hope of all things, Holy One,
from the ends of the earth to the farthest seas.
You make the gateways of the evening
and the morning shout for joy.
Rejoice in God, O people, and be glad.
Let us shout and sing together for joy.
Happy are those who live in your courts—
those who are satisfied with the goodness
of your house and your holy temple.
You are the hope of all things, Holy One,
from the ends of the earth to the farthest seas.
You make the gateways of the evening
and the morning shout for joy.
Rejoice in God, O people, and be glad.
Let us shout and sing together for joy.
Opening Prayer (Joel 2)
God of all generations,
on this Reformation Sunday,
we remember mothers and fathers in the faith
who took bold steps in new directions
to re-form your church.
Pour out your spirit upon us,
that we too may dream dreams, see visions,
and view the whole created order
as your bountiful temple.
With responsibility and joy,
we pledge ourselves to renew this temple,
in Jesus’ name. Amen.
on this Reformation Sunday,
we remember mothers and fathers in the faith
who took bold steps in new directions
to re-form your church.
Pour out your spirit upon us,
that we too may dream dreams, see visions,
and view the whole created order
as your bountiful temple.
With responsibility and joy,
we pledge ourselves to renew this temple,
in Jesus’ name. Amen.
PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE
Prayer of Confession (Psalm 65, Joel 2, Luke 18)
Creator God,
we confess this day to engaging in habits
that diminish the bounty of your creation.
Not satisfied with the goodness of your holy temple,
your seas and mountains, your rain and soil,
we have fashioned a system of sustenance
that seems good to us,
but cannot be sustained.
Be merciful to us, for we have sinned.
Answer us with awesome deeds of deliverance,
O Hope of the Earth.
Give us vision and a prophetic spirit.
Renew our vocation,
as stewards of your creation. Amen.
we confess this day to engaging in habits
that diminish the bounty of your creation.
Not satisfied with the goodness of your holy temple,
your seas and mountains, your rain and soil,
we have fashioned a system of sustenance
that seems good to us,
but cannot be sustained.
Be merciful to us, for we have sinned.
Answer us with awesome deeds of deliverance,
O Hope of the Earth.
Give us vision and a prophetic spirit.
Renew our vocation,
as stewards of your creation. Amen.
Words of Assurance (Luke 18, Psalm 65)
Do not lose heart.
Those who humbly admit their sins
find favor with God.
For God answers prayer, and forgives transgression.
Believe this good news:
We are forgiven and freed to newness of life.
Those who humbly admit their sins
find favor with God.
For God answers prayer, and forgives transgression.
Believe this good news:
We are forgiven and freed to newness of life.
Response to the Word (Psalm 65)
Enrich us with wisdom,
and bless us with growth,
O God of our salvation.
and bless us with growth,
O God of our salvation.
THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION
Invitation to the Offering (Psalm 65)
Aware of the bounty of God’s created earth, we are invited now to give generously from our abundance. Let us share God’s blessings, as we collect our tithes and offerings.
Offering Prayer (Joel 2)
Whatever challenges we face, O God,
we have also known your many blessings—
threshing floors full of grain,
vats overflowing with wine and oil.
Accept these gifts as tokens of our thankfulness,
that they may be used to prophesy in your spirit
and to share your bounty with those in need.
Amen.
we have also known your many blessings—
threshing floors full of grain,
vats overflowing with wine and oil.
Accept these gifts as tokens of our thankfulness,
that they may be used to prophesy in your spirit
and to share your bounty with those in need.
Amen.
SENDING FORTH
Benediction (Psalm 65:12-13, Joel 2)
Breathe in the words of the psalmist:
“The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
the hills gird themselves with joy,
the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
the valleys deck themselves with grain,
they shout and sing together for joy.”
Let these words fill you as you go forth,
inspiring you to do no less.
Dream dreams, see visions, renew God’s temple,
God’s church, God’s earth.
Go in peace.
“The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
the hills gird themselves with joy,
the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
the valleys deck themselves with grain,
they shout and sing together for joy.”
Let these words fill you as you go forth,
inspiring you to do no less.
Dream dreams, see visions, renew God’s temple,
God’s church, God’s earth.
Go in peace.
CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS
Contemporary Gathering Words (Psalm 65, Joel 2)
Here is your invitation.
Unplug in this moment from daily life:
from display screens and overload,
from earphones and isolation.
Reconnect to visions and dreams:
meadows and pastures, hills and valleys,
mountains and seas.
Reconnect to the bounty of God.
Be glad and rejoice in God.
Unplug in this moment from daily life:
from display screens and overload,
from earphones and isolation.
Reconnect to visions and dreams:
meadows and pastures, hills and valleys,
mountains and seas.
Reconnect to the bounty of God.
Be glad and rejoice in God.
Praise Sentences (Joel 2, Psalm 65)
Men and women, old and young,
see God’s visions, dream God’s dreams.
Young and old, women and men,
feel the Spirit fall like rain.
People everywhere on earth,
join creation, shout for joy:
Praise is due you, O God,
for all that you do,
for all that you have done,
for all that you promise to do.
see God’s visions, dream God’s dreams.
Young and old, women and men,
feel the Spirit fall like rain.
People everywhere on earth,
join creation, shout for joy:
Praise is due you, O God,
for all that you do,
for all that you have done,
for all that you promise to do.
~~~
Worship for Kids: October 27, 2013 by Carolyn C. Brown
From a Child's Point of View
Old Testament: Joel 2:23-32. This passage includes two rather distinct sections. The first (vss. 23-27) is Joel's prediction of the end of the locust plague that has eaten the country into a famine. Good weather and good crops are promised for the coming year. With a little explaining, children can understand the images. But today's nonagricultural children do not appreciate the significance of Joel's promised relief.
The second section (vss. 28-32) is part of Joel's vision of the Day of the Lord. One of the benefits of that day is that God's Spirit will enable great dreams and visions. From this, children learn that God's Holy Spirit is the source of our best dreams for ourselves and for the world. In fact, one job of the Holy Spirit is dream-making. So our dreams are to be taken seriously as gifts from God.
Epistle: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18. These are the observations of Paul, who, realizing that he soon will be executed, is looking back over his ministry. He expresses satisfaction that he has done his best, forgives those who did not stand up for him when he was arrested, and credits God for the power to use his long imprisonment as an opportunity to tell the good news to the Gentiles. It is hard for children, at the beginning of their lives, to appreciate Paul's statements, but they can see, as an example, his forgiveness of those who failed him. Adults would like them to comprehend the satisfaction of having done their best, but few children will appreciate that until they have more personal experience with having done both their best and less than their best.
Gospel: Luke 18:9-14. This passage describes the prayers of a proud Pharisee and a repentant tax collector. Children respond quickly to Jesus' caricatures and grasp his point that God is not impressed by show-offs, but by people who are honest—even about their faults. Young children accept the terms Pharisee and tax collector as labels for the two men, without asking about the significance of the words. The understanding of older children is enriched by definitions of these labels.
Psalm: 65. This is a prayer of praise and thanks that could be prayed by Paul, the tax collector, and by all those who trust the promises of Joel. It is a prayer of humble contentment with what God provides. Children will catch occasional phrases and the overall mood, if the psalm is read well. (The Good News Bible translates Old Testament agricultural images into terms today's children can understand.)
Watch Words
Define dreams and visions as ideas about what could be. They are not weird experiences in which we see things that are not there, nor do they enable us to see into the future in a magic way.
Paul's race and crown-of-righteousness images are difficult to translate and do not communicate to children what Paul wants to say. So use them for the adults and speak to children through other passages and images.
Let the Children Sing
Sing of dreaming God's dreams with "Be Thou My Vision" or "Open My Eyes That I May See." Before singing the latter, rephrase the repeated "illumine me" to emphasize the recognition of dreams.
"Jesus Loves Me, This I Know" is a song the tax collector and Paul might have sung. Sing it with the same reliance on God that they had.
"Have Thine Own Way, Lord" is a song of submission to God's will for our lives. Children will benefit especially from singing it if you featured a potter earlier this year.
The Liturgical Child
1. Pray responsively about dreams for the world:
Leader: God, who created us and this world, you have promised that you will pour out your Spirit upon us with dreams of how the world could be and visions of how to attain these dreams. So we share these dreams and ask that you help us to bring them about.
We dream of a world in which everyone has enough food to eat and a safe, warm place to live. But we see pictures of people starving all over he world. In our own town, we know that people are living in shacks and on the streets. And we hardly know how to help.
People: Lord, pour out your Spirit among us.
Leader: We dream of a healthy world. We dream of finding cures for cancer and AIDS. We dream of medical care for everyone, so that children do not die from curable diseases like measles.
People: Lord, pour out your Spirit among us.
Leader: We dream of a beautiful world that is safe for all people, plants, and animals. We worry about all our garbage and polluted rivers and poisoned air. We want to save the whales and the elephants—and ourselves. But we cannot seem to find a way to do it.
People: Lord, pour out your Spirit among us.
Leader: We dream of a world at peace. We hope for the end of racism, for the settling of old feuds between nations and tribes, for sharing between rich and poor, and even for peace in our families. But we have trouble setting aside our own selfish wants to work for the good of us all.
People: Lord, pour out your Spirit among us.
Leader: Lord, be with us and these dreams you have given us. Give us the courage to make changes in the way we do things and to demand that others also make needed changes. Give us the strength to keep dreaming and working when it looks hopeless. And keep us open to new dreams and visions and possibilities.
People: Lord, pour out your Spirit among us.
ALL: Amen!
We dream of a world in which everyone has enough food to eat and a safe, warm place to live. But we see pictures of people starving all over he world. In our own town, we know that people are living in shacks and on the streets. And we hardly know how to help.
People: Lord, pour out your Spirit among us.
Leader: We dream of a healthy world. We dream of finding cures for cancer and AIDS. We dream of medical care for everyone, so that children do not die from curable diseases like measles.
People: Lord, pour out your Spirit among us.
Leader: We dream of a beautiful world that is safe for all people, plants, and animals. We worry about all our garbage and polluted rivers and poisoned air. We want to save the whales and the elephants—and ourselves. But we cannot seem to find a way to do it.
People: Lord, pour out your Spirit among us.
Leader: We dream of a world at peace. We hope for the end of racism, for the settling of old feuds between nations and tribes, for sharing between rich and poor, and even for peace in our families. But we have trouble setting aside our own selfish wants to work for the good of us all.
People: Lord, pour out your Spirit among us.
Leader: Lord, be with us and these dreams you have given us. Give us the courage to make changes in the way we do things and to demand that others also make needed changes. Give us the strength to keep dreaming and working when it looks hopeless. And keep us open to new dreams and visions and possibilities.
People: Lord, pour out your Spirit among us.
ALL: Amen!
2. Ask the adult choir to present "The Pharisee and the Publican," by Heinrich Schutz. The work features two male solos which capture wonderfully the character of the two worshipers in the story. (Do point out that publican is another word for tax collector.)
3. Take the parts of both the Pharisee and the tax collector as you read the Luke text. For the Pharisee, stand to one side of the lectern with haughty posture, and read the words with a rather loud, pretentious tone. For the tax collector, stand to the other side and speak with genuine sorrow, in a calm voice.
4. Prayer of confession and petition:
God of the universe, forgive us when we are so sure we are right that we stop listening to the ideas of others. Remind us that we do not know everything.
Lord, forgive us when we are too impressed with our own ideas and what we can do. Keep us from becoming braggy.
Loving Father and Mother, forgive us when we want something so much that we ignore warnings that we may want the wrong thing. Help us to control our "wants."
God of the Bible, forgive us when we think that stories about your love are meant for us and that demands for change are meant for other people. Be with us as we read the Bible, and help us hear what you are saying to us. Amen.
Lord, forgive us when we are too impressed with our own ideas and what we can do. Keep us from becoming braggy.
Loving Father and Mother, forgive us when we want something so much that we ignore warnings that we may want the wrong thing. Help us to control our "wants."
God of the Bible, forgive us when we think that stories about your love are meant for us and that demands for change are meant for other people. Be with us as we read the Bible, and help us hear what you are saying to us. Amen.
Sermon Resources
Tell stories about people who work to realize dreams. Recall how the "I Have a Dream" speech of Martin Luther King, Jr., gave people the courage to work for civil rights. Describe the importance of being able to "see yourself doing it" in order to succeed in sports. Tell about children in the fifth-grade Sunday school class who worked successfully on their dream for a beautiful world by writing to the board of their church, asking that the church not use styrofoam cups and plates.
~~~
Sermon Options: October 27, 2013
FOCUS ON GOD'S FAITHFULNESS
2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8, 16-18
What you see certainly determines how you feel about what you get. It is the "cup is half empty" versus the "cup is half full" principle. Focusing on evil and discouraging events causes you to lose sight of God's faithfulness. But focusing on God's faithfulness causes you to see the blessings of your past and your future.
As the apostle Paul wrote from a Roman prison, he knew his days were numbered. In closing his final epistle to Timothy, Paul looked forward to his future in God's faithfulness and backward to his past in God's faithfulness. What encouragement for all who would follow that way!
I. Looking Forward—Focus on God's Faithfulness (vv. 6-8)
Paul looked forward to his departure. He knew that his earthly life would end soon. That was not a bad prospect. In fact, Paul was eager to lay his life down as a drink offering before the Lord. The Old Testament drink offering was a liquid sacrifice of oil, wine, or blood. The apostle's blood was about to be poured out because of his commitment to Christ. This free-will offering signified his confidence in God's faithfulness to save him.
Paul looked forward to his departure. He knew that his earthly life would end soon. That was not a bad prospect. In fact, Paul was eager to lay his life down as a drink offering before the Lord. The Old Testament drink offering was a liquid sacrifice of oil, wine, or blood. The apostle's blood was about to be poured out because of his commitment to Christ. This free-will offering signified his confidence in God's faithfulness to save him.
Paul looked forward to completing his faithfulness. As a spiritual warrior, he had battled for the gospel to the end. As a spiritual athlete, he had finished God's prescribed course. And, as a spiritual steward he had faithfully administrated the blessings that God had entrusted to him.
Paul looked forward to the faithfulness of God. His eagerness to depart was grounded in his confidence that God had already set aside an eternal reward for him. What Paul had accomplished would be acknowledged and rewarded.
This eager, forward focus on God's faithfulness was not merely the apostle's private hope. All who laid their lives on the line for the gospel's sake, faithfully longing for Christ's return, could anticipate the same reward.
II. Looking Backward—Focus on God's Faithfulness (vv. 16-18)
Paul took a look backward. Again he focused on the faithfulness of God. All through his life, and especially in the last days, God had met his needs.
Paul took a look backward. Again he focused on the faithfulness of God. All through his life, and especially in the last days, God had met his needs.
Looking back Paul saw himself standing alone before Nero's hostile court. No other believers had appeared to support him. While some may have been involved in ministry far from Rome, others had simply feared the persecution that made any identification with Christ risky. At any rate, Paul had experienced abandonment. Still, his focus was on God's faithfulness. If Jesus could say, "Father, forgive them," while dying on the cross, Paul could say, "May their desertion not be held against them."
Looking back at that time of loneliness, Paul realized he had not been forsaken. God had been faithful. The Lord had stood beside him as he faced Nero. In that moment God gave him strength, sustaining him in every way. Paul not only had stood, he had also spoken. Once again he proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ before the Gentiles. And after that, God had delivered him once again from a death sentence. Yes, God had been faithful. Looking back, it was easy to see.
Looking back at all of God's past deliverances caused Paul to trust God's ultimate deliverance. One day soon the Lord would rescue him from the evil attacks of earth and deliver him safely to his heavenly kingdom.
As Paul looked forward, his focus was on God's faithfulness. As he looked backward, his focus was on God's faithfulness. As he sat in prison, waiting for the day of his departure, all Paul could think to do was praise God. (Timothy S. Warren)
TWO MEN GO TO PRAYER MEETING
LUKE 18:9-14
Jesus allows us to overhear the secret prayers of two men. Of course, they are fictitious characters but their kind was known throughout the land. One was a Pharisee who by all measure was good. The second, a tax collector, who had given up his heritage in order to become rich, was most despised by the Jews.
I. Each Man Described Himself
The Pharisee by all the common tests was a righteous man. He gave a tenth of his income to charity. He had imposed excessive disciplines on himself, more than the law required. For the Pharisee the key word is "I." Instead of gratitude to God his thoughts were actually on himself. He cited his righteous traits. He recalled his tithing and his fasting. He was a patriot and an upright man. I am sure he was chairman of many strategic committees within the Temple. His prayer informed God of his goodness.
The Pharisee by all the common tests was a righteous man. He gave a tenth of his income to charity. He had imposed excessive disciplines on himself, more than the law required. For the Pharisee the key word is "I." Instead of gratitude to God his thoughts were actually on himself. He cited his righteous traits. He recalled his tithing and his fasting. He was a patriot and an upright man. I am sure he was chairman of many strategic committees within the Temple. His prayer informed God of his goodness.
The tax collector was a thief and a crook. But he has sincere confession. The tax collector was so guilt-ridden that he could not lift up his eyes to heaven. He kept pounding his breast. He did not pray as much as he cried. He pled with God to cleanse his soul of the dark spot. The Pharisee's center was himself; the publican's center was God. Our perfect punishment for being so self-centered is that we must endlessly talk to psychiatrists about ourselves.
II. Each Man Perfectly Described His Neighbor
The one despised the other. The Pharisee looked at mankind and thanked God he was not like the crowd of unworthy people such as the tax collector. The Pharisee carries all our prejudices of race and class with an indifference to wretchedness. The Pharisee made himself look taller by pulling others down. While the tax collector felt unworthy, the Pharisee felt superior.
The one despised the other. The Pharisee looked at mankind and thanked God he was not like the crowd of unworthy people such as the tax collector. The Pharisee carries all our prejudices of race and class with an indifference to wretchedness. The Pharisee made himself look taller by pulling others down. While the tax collector felt unworthy, the Pharisee felt superior.
III. Each Man Described His Thoughts About God
Each saw God as a machine, as a corporation, as an institution. The Pharisee wanted to become a director waiting for well-deserved honors. What we think about ourselves and others stems from what we think about God. Jesus did not condemn the sinner's life but loved the sinner. He did not condemn the Pharisee's charities and honor but would have approved them had they been rooted in true motive. But the tax collector had a soul facing toward God while the Pharisee was locked in himself.
Each saw God as a machine, as a corporation, as an institution. The Pharisee wanted to become a director waiting for well-deserved honors. What we think about ourselves and others stems from what we think about God. Jesus did not condemn the sinner's life but loved the sinner. He did not condemn the Pharisee's charities and honor but would have approved them had they been rooted in true motive. But the tax collector had a soul facing toward God while the Pharisee was locked in himself.
I have been to the high mountains above the treeline and discovered that few flowers can grow there. That describes the Pharisee. I have also been to the low valleys where the flowers can grow profusely and God's mercy can prevail. It is better to let God do the exalting than for us to try to do it ourselves. (William L. Self)
~~~
Times of Harvest by Sara Webb Phillips
You visit the earth and make it abundant, enriching it greatly by God’s stream, full of water. You provide people with grain because that is what you’ve decided. Psalm 65:9 CEB
The fall harvest had been plentiful for apples that year. Thus my middle daughter and I undertook our annual ritual of making apple butter. Although Granny Smith apples had been our preference in the past, we discovered the Fuji variation and were wowed. The variety in apples alone, much less in creation, should be enough to make doubters believe in a higher power. Botanists have long known that naturally reproducing apples adapt their genetic makeup to be almost as individual as humans are.
There is much I enjoy about our harvest production: quartering the apples and snacking on the slices; the sound of bubbling apples cooking down; the smell of blended spices filling the house for hours; time we spend together as family. Yet I admit I revel in the final product. We pull the jars out of the water bath processing, hear the “pop” of the sealed lid, and see the results of an afternoon’s work: thirty pints of goodness to spread on biscuits ourselves and to give to others as gifts.
So often the work of faith is the farmer’s work of planting seeds—hoeing weeds or pruning branches, waiting on nature to water and warm the growth. But every so often we can experience the results of the harvest. Parents bring a child for baptism because of the nurturing they received from their parents or a Sunday school teacher; a family in crisis gets back on their feet with the help of the church; ones who suffer loss are comforted and surrounded with tangible signs of compassion.
Truly the psalmist knows to acknowledge God’s goodness found in those times of harvest that bring us joy.
devotion from: WordAlive ©2013 by Abingdon Press. Used with permission
~~~
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Large-Type Devotional Message: A Free Option—a large-type devotional message is available on regular letter-size WordAlive! bulletins at no extra charge
Easy to Order—email Subscription Services or call 1-615-749-6036, and you can start your subscription at any time-no need to wait for the beginning of a quarter!
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Review: Preparing Couples for Love and Marriage by Bromleigh McCleneghan
There are pastors who don’t like doing weddings, and I can empathize. The wedding industrial complex has turned what might be (and once was) a simple and lovely public declaration of commitment and affection into a multiple-thousand-dollar sacrifice at the altar of material excess and gender stereotypes, an excuse for brides to be petty and grooms to be drunk. Even if the couple is wonderful and gracious, it feels like every rehearsal provides the possibility for an etiquette landmine: for a belligerent uncle or unruly cousin.
Still, for the most part, I take great joy in marrying couples: in working with them through some premarital conversations, in planning the service, in hearing their stories. In my years of working in churches with beautiful center aisles, I’ve met a lot of them. In our work, I’ve used Growing Love in Christian Marriage, Prepare/Enrich, and an inventory put together by a beloved colleague. Each is useful in its way; each has its limitations. But I loved Cameron Lee and James L. Furrow’s new book Preparing Couples for Love and Marriage (Abingdon Press, 2013) and couldn’t wait to use it with the next couple who comes looking to use my pretty sanctuary.
Preparing Couples is not abundantly entertaining, and when the authors share a story from one of their marriages, I had trouble keeping them apart as the book is written jointly, without separation of the narrative voices of each authors. But that’s scant critique of a book that proves so helpful. First and foremost, the authors model a gracious respect for the couples that come to them for marriage preparation as they walk readers through tier preparation tool, the Conversation Jumpstarter. They remind pastors that our job is not to solve all the problems we perceive a couple to have, nor to lecture them. Our job is to coach: to provide resources for healthy communication that newlyweds can practice these skills over and over, to resolve conflicts before they explode, or before they even fully develop.
Lee and Furrow suggest that theirs is not a specifically theological work, but I found much in it that spoke to my progressive Wesleyan heart… and to my roles as wife, mother, and daughter-in-law, particularly the underlying attention to “dealing with difference.” There were, in fact, explicit rejections of notions that healthy, Christian couples can read each other’s minds, or will inevitably face some conflict because “men are from Mars and women are from Venus” – unexamined notions that too often appear in books about Christian marriage.
The authors are straight-forward, smart, and gracious; this is an incomparable tool for helping couples to see beyond the excitement of the wedding day, toward the excitement of the marriage adventure.
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Thanksgiving
We've created a bin of helpful resources for planning a mid-week service or for adding to your Sunday worship.
Ideas to tailor to your setting and media. Sara Webb Phillips' devotion, A New Realm, includes a sample bulletin for Christ the King Sunday. Christ the King Sunday falls on the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day.
Thanksgiving Day FREE Service by Nancy C. Townley
The free order of service, is excerpted from Praise Now! 2 by Nylea L. Butler-Moore and Nancy C. Townley.
The service includes a skit, welcome, prayers, suggested music, worship center or altar design ideas, and message movers (sermon starters).
Theme: The power of 'ordinary' days
Theme: The power of 'ordinary' days
Scriptures: Psalm 104:19-20; Luke 13:1-18
Use the service as is, or adapt it to your setting.
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A New Realm by Sara Webb Phillips
Today is Christ the King Sunday, the last day of the liturgical year. More than a climax at the end, however, it serves as a transitional Sunday leading to the beginning of Advent next week. Today highlights that Jesus is Lord: he came in human form, suffered, died, and rose again that our sins might be forgiven and that we might live in God’s way on earth and beyond this life. Next Sunday we look forward to a season of expecting Christ’s coming again in sovereign glory. Many of us may find this a foreign image, since we live in a democracy that does not recognize a monarchy, even in a figurehead status. So what does saying “Christ is King” mean to us?
Our Old Testament heritage reminds us of the Hebrew people’s desire to be ruled by a king like other nations around them. The Lord grants their wish, but warns them not to place their ultimate trust in earthly leaders who will only disappoint them. Saul, the first king, went mad; not a good start! Next was David, the shepherd king, to whom all others were compared. He was a good king who brought unity, prosperity, and peace to the kingdom, though he did let his personal problems interfere with justice, as his affair with Bathsheba sadly illustrates. Every king after, even David’s own son Solomon, struggled with the corruption of personal power and wealth, all the while straying from the commandments and compassion of God. The prophet Jeremiah foretold of one who would reign as king to execute justice and righteousness in the land (Jeremiah 23:5). This prophecy points to Christ’s rule to come. In the New Testament Zechariah confirms this when he declares that his son John will be the prophet who prepares the way for the savior from the house of David (Luke 1:69, 76).
The birth of Christ ushered in a new era, a new understanding of “kingdom,” not seen in earthly powers and places, but in a way of living under God that will give “light to those who are sitting in darkness and . . . guide us on the path of peace” (Luke 1:79). Thus we say “Christ the King” to proclaim that our loyalty and trust lie not in rulers of this world but in Jesus. This Lord taught us to build an earthly realm of justice, righteousness, compassion, and peace that reflect God’s intention for creation.
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Gratitude Stories by Martin Thielen
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the following gratitude stories might be helpful to you. They all fall under the theme of 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (NIV). Of course, this verse doesn’t mean that everything that happens to us is God’s will. It’s not God’s will that we lose our jobs, or get a diagnosis of cancer, or that our children make poor choices. What this verse does say is that it’s God’s will for us to thankful people in all circumstances, even in hard times—especially in hard times. Consider these three examples.
When Robinson Crusoe was wrecked on his lonely island, he drew two columns and listed the good and bad of his situation. He was cast away on a desolate island, but he was still alive. He was separated from humanity, but he was not starving. He had no clothes, but was in a warm climate and didn’t need them. He had no means of defense, but saw no wild beasts that threatened him. He had no one to talk to, but the destroyed ship was near the shore and he could get out of it all the things necessary for his basic needs. He concluded, therefore, that no condition in the world was so miserable that one could not find something to be grateful for.
When the late John Claypool lost his ten-year-old daughter to leukemia, gratitude was the only way he survived. He tells about that experience in his profound book, Tracks of a Fellow Struggler. After his daughter’s death, John walked down three different paths. The first path was to say, “Well, it was just God’s will. I have to accept it.” But that was not helpful. He could not believe that God willed ten-year-old girls to die of leukemia. A second path was to try to find an intellectual answer as to why this happened. He tried to make sense of it. But that didn’t work either. His daughter’s death didn’t make any sense. Finally, John walked the path of gratitude. He realized that life is a gift. We are not entitled to it. That we have any life at all is pure gift and pure grace. Therefore, John chose to be thankful for the ten good years they had together rather than being consumed with resentment for the years he did not have with her. This path of gratitude wasn’t easy, but it was the only path which offered any help.
Many years ago, an elderly English pastor was famous for his pulpit prayers. He always found something to thank God for, even in bad times. One stormy Sunday morning, when everything was going extremely bad in the community and in the lives of many people in the congregation, himself included, he stepped to the pulpit to pray. A member of the congregation thought to himself, “The preacher will have nothing to thank God for on a wretched morning like this.” The pastor began his prayer, “We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this.”
______________________________________________________
Martin Thielen serves as senior pastor of Brentwood United Methodist Church, Brentwood, Tennessee. A complete manuscript of his Thanksgiving sermon, “Choosing Gratitude,” is available at his preaching and worship website, www.GettingReadyForSunday.com. Martin’s most recent book is “What’s the Least I Can Believe and Still Be a Christian?” A Guide to What Matters Most. Complete information about the book, including a free Leader’s Guide for leading a seven-week congregation-wide initiative based on the book, can be found at http://thielen.wjkbooks.com.
~~~
The Power of Gratitude by Greg Paul
The figures at the far end of the city park I was about to enter, lurking just outside the bright cone of a streetlight, had the hulking, rounded look acquired by homeless people wearing many layers of clothing. I assumed I would know the two people, and so personal safety never crossed my mind—I’m a pastor and member of the Sanctuary community, which makes a particular point of embracing people who are, as we say, “street-involved”. In other words, most of the “bad guys” are my friends. As it turned out, these two were men I have known for years. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that we love each other like brothers—brothers in a large, fractious, family where addictions and violence are too common.
We stood there in the cold dark bantering about nothing in particular. My pals were sober and at ease. They weren’t in a rush to be anywhere else; that little park was, in effect, their living room, and apart from some of the more colorful expressions, the tenor of the conversation was pretty much what you’d hear at a neighborhood dinner party.
After five or ten minutes, I said I had to go. Where was I going, one of my friends wanted to know? It was ten o’clock at night; in what I’m sure must have been an isn’t-it-obvious tone of voice, I said, “Home. I’m going home.”
My street brother gave me a cool look and said, “Must be nice.”
“It is,” I replied, after a short, awkward pause.
My brother’s coolness evaporated. He stepped forward, gave me a hug, and told me to go home. And have a good evening. He meant it.
Although I’m so fortunate as to encounter it with regularity, I am frequently astonished by the grace of my friends who have so little. Their grace leads me to gratitude—the generosity with which they bless me, eschewing bitterness or resentment of the good things I have, reminds me of how truly wealthy I am.
In this Thanksgiving season, it strikes me that we, the citizens of the wealthy First World nations, are a profoundly ungrateful people. I’m sure I’m not the first to point out that the 99% who are currently protesting North American economic inequity would almost all be numbered in the richest 15% in the world. (You could be making less than $3,000 US annually, and still qualify.) I know that’s a gross over-simplification, but still, we take for granted possessing more stuff than any people in history.
Lord Beaverbrook, the press baron of the past century, was once asked by a journalist how much a man required to be considered wealthy. Beaverbrook thought for a moment.
“Just a little more,” was his reply.
A truthful, insightful response, and one that reveals a core problem in our First World culture. We have come to expect a constantly expanding “more”; contentment with “enough” is almost an insult to our avaricious, entrepreneurial society. “Enough” does not serve the Darwinian drive of capitalism.
The people who make up the 1% are only the sharp point on this pyramid – the “fittest”, whose version of survival depends on their ability to dominate the 99%. But of course, the “survival” of the First World 99% depends on our ability to dominate, by one means or another, the 85% of the world’s population who live in a poverty so deep we can hardly imagine it. There’s no question that there is deep, and deeply disturbing, inequity within our First World culture, but it’s certainly a question of degree; in global term, we’re all complicit in the same game of greed.
I don’t believe trying to make people feel guilty about what they have is any kind of solution. Guilt just pushes people into a corner, where they feel compelled to protect themselves one way or another. (The exercise of power is only one option; there are a plethora of conscience salves to be cheaply bought as well.) I do believe that the practice of gratitude—thanksgiving!—has the power to transform us. If the 1% were truly grateful for what they have now, if they practiced acknowledging their wealth, and giving thanks for the specific goods and opportunities they have, it would undoubtedly defuse the sense of entitlement that drives greed, ameliorate their lust for more, and result in greater economic justice for the 99%.
If we, the 99%, also practiced being consciously grateful, more scraps would fall from the rich man’s table; more corners of more grain fields would be left for the poor to glean; the systems which put a foot on the neck of people struggling in multi-generational poverty would begin to weaken, and jubilee might break out. Entitlement propels a selfish acquisitiveness. True gratitude, I have come to believe, prompts a desire to see others similarly blessed, while also loosening the hold possessions have on the grateful one.
When I arrived home after bumping into my homeless friends, I stood for a minute beside my car (a vintage Corolla, but still, a car), listening to the ticking of the engine as it cooled, and looking at the windows of our house, glowing brightly in the night. Recalling the gracious blessing of my street brother, I was loosed for a moment from taking for granted all I possess, made aware of the enormous wealth of material and relationship that is mine. It was, for that moment at least, enough. I gave thanks. And committed myself, with fresh conviction, to seeking justice and blessing for my homeless brothers and sisters.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Greg Paul is a pastor and member of Sanctuary (Toronto), a ministry where the wealthy and poor share their experiences and resources daily and care for the most excluded people in the city. A former carpenter, Greg is the father of four and married to Maggie. His latest book is Close Enough to Hear God Breathe, and he is the author of two previous critically-acclaimed titles, The Twenty-Piece Shuffle and God in the Alley.
~~~
Blessing Discovery by Missy Buchanan
A few years ago, an older friend lost his wife to a sudden, unexpected illness and death. He was overwhelmed with grief and wondered how he would go on living without her.
One of their old friends phoned him when she first heard the news. She was living in Europe at the time and had been unable to return for the memorial service. They talked for a while, and she voiced her heartfelt condolences before making an unusual request. She asked my friend to send her an e-mail each day listing three blessings that he had experienced during the last twenty-four hours.
My brokenhearted friend said it was not something he really wanted to do. It was difficult to think about blessings when he didn’t even feel like getting out of bed. Still, he tried. Over the next few days, he began to list things like the morning sunrise, the smell of fresh-brewed coffee and a bowl of homemade soup shared by a neighbor. A few days later he noticed the first bloom on the rose bush and the way golden light spilled across his wife’s photograph in the late afternoon.
After weeks of emailing his friend a list of daily blessings, he says he felt his spirit slowly being lifted from the pit of despair. It didn’t happen overnight, but one day he realized that he was actually enjoying looking for simple blessings. Though he still misses his wife terribly, he says the blessing activity was key to helping him want to live once again.
There are many other older adults who are also grieving losses. For some like my friend, it is the death of a spouse or loved one. For others, it is the loss of independence and mobility that accompanies aging, including giving up the keys to the car. Some may also mourn the loss of their homes and belongings, and all that is familiar as they transition to new living situations.
As Thanksgiving approaches, it seems the perfect time to invite older adults to discover blessings that often go overlooked. When I speak to senior adult groups at churches or at residence centers, I encourage the older adults to keep a blessing book, a journal in which they write a set number of blessings each day. Being intentional in keeping a written account of blessings helps one to create a habit of looking at life with eyes of gratitude.
The church should not forget that even the most faithful saints grow weary under the weight of depression or sadness that often comes as they grow frail or experience loss. Helping seniors actively look for blessings in their midst is an important part of ministry to the aged. I can’t help but think of how wonderful it would be if every church provided a special blessing journal for each of its older adults? Or if churches developed a blessing buddy ministry in which seniors share their blessings with another person like my friend did?
May we be people who will come alongside our elders who are struggling in the journey. May we help them to see God’s faithfulness in their lives. For if we do, we, too, will be blessed.
Each month, Missy Buchanan shares insight and strategies for rethinking 50-plus ministry. Her latest book, Aging Faithfully: 28 Days of Prayer, is now available. You can find Missy online at www.missybuchanan.com.
~~~
Good Enough by Matt Appling
God created everything, and he saw that it was all good.
And ever since then, people have been trying to make things that are good too.
It’s a pursuit that has driven humanity for eons. We try to transform bad things into good things and good things into great things. Even things that turned out to be very evil and destructive were motivated by the desire for good results. The drive for “good” has been the source of our greatest triumphs…
…usually. Unless, of course, we just become lazy. Then the pursuit of “good” is replaced by our pursuit of “good enough.”
And there is an incredible difference between the two.
Steak and Salad
It took me a long time to understand the story of Cain and Abel. Cain was a farmer, and Abel raised livestock. But when the brothers came to worship God with sacrifices from their harvests, God responds favorably to Abel, but not to Cain.
God’s reaction to the brothers seems kind of arbitrary. Why did he like Abel’s offering of steak but not Cain’s salad?
The answer isn’t about God being a meat eater or a vegetarian. It’s a question of good versus good enough.
Abel had carefully selected the marbled cuts of steak from the firstborn of his flocks. Cain, meanwhile, merely picked out some of his fruits with no attention to the quality of his offering. His offering wasn’t exactly fit for the grocery store. Some of his fruits and vegetables were perhaps blemished or weird sizes and shapes. Maybe some bugs had chewed on them. A farmer today would call those “B” fruits. They’re good for making fruit juice or feeding to animals, not taking to church to make an offering.
Abel’s offering was good. Cain’s offering was good enough.
“Good” Versus “Good Enough”
The funny thing is Cain and Abel both came to God hoping for approval. A pat on the back and a “well done” from God would be a nice boost. Cain obviously expected a favorable response from God. So he was offended and angry when God didn’t react the way he expected.
Cain was able to convince himself that his offering was good, and the best he could produce. But God saw right through it. God has a knack for that. When Ananias tried to upstage Barnabas by selling his property and giving part of the profit to the apostles, he pretended he was giving the whole amount. God saw through that too. Barnabas’ generosity was good. Ananias’ was just good enough. There are dozens examples in the Bible of good and merely good enough.
Not Good Enough
As an elementary art teacher, I hear one question dozens of times a day.
Students will hold up their work to show me their progress. There is a look of anticipation in their eyes. They want my approval. They ask me again and again every day…
“Is this good?”
It took me a while to catch on, but what many of them are really asking is not, “Is this good?” but “Is this good enough?”
In other words, “Can I stop working now?”
But the question, “Is this good?” does nothing to answer the question, “Is this my best?” And I have told students ten times in a single hour, “No, it’s not good enough. Keep working.”
So many of us are in that same mode, having trained ourselves since third grade art class. If we can trick other people into thinking we are doing “good,” then we are satisfied. If other people think that we’re kind or generous or spiritual or hard working, that’s where we stop. We never strive for our best. We stop at good enough.
A Good Life
When God creates things, they are good.
And when he made us in his image, we were given the ability to make good things too. Maybe that’s why God isn’t impressed with things that are just “good enough,” or offerings that are “good enough,” or lives lived “good enough.”
We can always convince ourselves that we are doing our best. We can go to church or pray and expect God to give us a favorable response. But God sees through our “good enough.” He wants our best. He wants our best work, our highest efforts, our firstfruits.
Giving God our best is the only true expression of sincere gratitude. A life lived without sincere gratitude isn’t really blessed. It’s not really good. It’s just good enough.
~~~
The New Handbook of the Christian Year - eBook
Based on the Revised Common Lectionary
Binding: E-Book
ISBN: 9781426730740
This item is available through subscription only
The New Handbook of the Christian Year: Second Edition, by Hoyt L. Hickman, Don E. Saliers, Laurence Hull Stookey, and James F. White. Lectionary, prayers, responses, and Communion services updated for consistency with books of worship from several denominations. Includes: glossary of Christian symbols, glossary of liturgical terms, annotated bibliography, index of Scripture readings, index of Psalms, and an ecumenical service for the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
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Just in Time! Ministry Matters Subscription
Author: Cynthia Danals
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Publication Date: 9/2011
Binding: E-Book
ISBN: 9781426751004
Retail Price: $204.00
This item is available for a one-time purchase individually, or as part of a Ministry Matters Premium Subscription.
The Just in Time! series will help you plan worship services and other elements of worship. Busy pastors or worship leaders, as well as creative worship planners will find lots of ideas that can be used as is or used to tailor to their worship setting from entire services to individual prayers and more. Just in Time! series includes individual volumes of the series for Ministry Matters.
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New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible
General Editor: Katharine Doob Sakenfeld
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Publication Date
4/2011
Binding: E-Book
ISBN: 9781426741845
This item is available through subscription only
This digital version makes the content of The New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible truly portable and fully searchable! Search by Book of the Bible, Article Title, Article Body, Contributor, Illustration and more.
The most complete coverage of theological topics
This dictionary is the definitive starting point for research on any topic, place or person in the Bible, with emphasis on the crucial theological concepts. Based on the NSRV.
This dictionary is the definitive starting point for research on any topic, place or person in the Bible, with emphasis on the crucial theological concepts. Based on the NSRV.
Unparalleled quality of information
Written by 900 scholars, experts in their fields, from 40 nations and a variety of perspectives and diverse theological commitments.
Written by 900 scholars, experts in their fields, from 40 nations and a variety of perspectives and diverse theological commitments.
Totally new entries
7100 fresh, original articles. Also contains 1300 distinct cross-reference entries.
7100 fresh, original articles. Also contains 1300 distinct cross-reference entries.
Balanced and relevant content
For any pastor, rabbi, preacher, teacher, or student who is preparing to serve the congregation. Theological content and thorough discussion of various interpretations is tailored for congregational use.
For any pastor, rabbi, preacher, teacher, or student who is preparing to serve the congregation. Theological content and thorough discussion of various interpretations is tailored for congregational use.
It will become your most trusted companion!
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Thanksgiving Quotes Countdown
Author: Beamer Films
Publisher
Publication Date: 2/2011
Binding: Online Resource
ISBN: 843504024383
Retail Price: $12.99
This countdown features powerful Thanksgiving quotes that are sure to inspire. Surely a perfect addition to place just before your Thanksgiving services!
Sample
Note: the sample contains a watermark which is not present in the download.
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Thanksgiving: A Heart Fully Alive
Author Beamer Films
Publisher
Publication Date 2/2011
Binding Online Resource
ISBN 843504023256
Retail Price $16.99
Thanksgiving is more than department store sales and parades... Thanksgiving is vitally important to cultivating a humble and faithful heart.
Sample
Note: the sample contains a watermark which is not present in the download.
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Thanksgiving Wise
Author Beamer Films
Publisher
Publication Date 2/2011
Binding Online Resource
ISBN 843504023249
Retail Price $16.99
This Thanksgiving video features wise sayings, quotes and Scriptures over beautiful autumn imagery. A perfect addition for your Thanksgiving services!
Sample
Note: the sample contains a watermark which is not present in the download.
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Thanksgiving Wise Countdown
Author Beamer Films
Publisher
Publication Date 2/2011
Binding Online Resource
ISBN 843504024413
Retail Price $12.99
This video features wise sayings, quotes and Scriptures on Thanksgiving. A perfect addition for your Thanksgiving services!
Sample
Note: the sample contains a watermark which is not present in the download.
~~~
Win the Lost at Any Cost? by Joshua Young
Win the lost at any cost!!
I'm sure many of us have heard that statement before. It's a mission statement geared towards pressing salvation upon a person, or group of people, no matter the expense. Do I believe in the witnessing and sharing the gospel with people? Of course I do. What concerns me, however, is the method of how we introduce people to Jesus. We say that the only thing that matters is to save souls. Win the lost at any cost? Does that cost include lying and manipulation, which ironically is sin? If a person accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior through either of the two previously mentioned tactics, is that person really saved?
Consider the fascinating case of the Panare Indians. In 1975, a group of Christian missionaries made their way to the Colorado Valley in Venezuela to evangelize to the local population. After many attempts, however, the missionaries were unable to convert the Panare Indians to Christianity. There were multiple issues that stalled their plans:
(1) The language barrier. Even though the missionaries took time to compile books in the Indians' mother tongue, there were still mistranslations between English and Panare words. Because of this, certain Christian concepts didn't pierce the hearts of the Indians.
(2) Lack of guilt or sin. In the Panare tongue, culture, and dialect, there was no concept of guilt, sin, repentance, or redemption. Can you imagine witnessing and sharing to a group of people what it takes to be saved, when they have never heard of Jesus nor guilt or sin? If that ethnic group doesn't even know those concepts, how do you effectively share the gospel with them?
So just how did the missionaries overcome the cultural differences? Simple. They translated and re-wrote the Bible....
SAY WHAT??? You heard me correctly the first time. They took the Bible and re-wrote it. Translating the word of God isn't bad, but it's the rewriting to fit your own selfish ambitions that is highly dangerous and underhanded. When the Panare Bible, as it was assumingly called, was completed certain figures were erased. The missionaries removed Judas, the Romans, the trial of Jesus, and Pontius Pilate. Inserted in their places was. . . I'll give you one guess; that's right, the Panare Indians. One section of the New Testament was written as such:
The Panare killed Jesus Christ because they were wicked. Let's kill Jesus Christ, said the Panare.
The Panare seized Jesus Christ.
The Panare killed in this way. They laid a cross on the ground.
They fastened his hands and his feet against the wooden beams, with nails.
They raised him straight up, nailed. The man died like that, nailed. Thus the Panare killed Jesus Christ.
Pretty despicable. The new NT continues:
God will burn you all, burn all the animals, burn also the earth, the heavens, absolutely everything.
He will burn also the Panare themselves. God will exterminate the Panare by throwing them on the fire. It is a huge fire. I am going to hurl the Panare into the fire, said God.
God is good. 'Do you want to be roasted in the fire?' asks God. 'Do you have something to pay me with so that I won't roast you in the fire? What is it you're going to pay me?'
God is good. 'Do you want to be roasted in the fire?' asks God. 'Do you have something to pay me with so that I won't roast you in the fire? What is it you're going to pay me?'
One woman was so gripped with terror she jumped up and screamed, "I don't want to burn in the big fire. I love Jesus!"
Thus is the story of the 'successful' conversion of the Panare Indians. I've heard some church leaders bend the truth a little, but this example is completely disgraceful and ridiculous. To come into a culture that originally had no idea or concept of guilt or sin, then re-write the books Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to make them feel guilty is....I'm at a loss for words.
The missionaries completely threw out all biblical ethics to convert a group of people. This is wrong, and I don't believe for a second that Jesus would actually approve of this madness. The great commission says to teach...I repeat, teach. Not coerce, lie, or manipulate God's holy word to do so.
Win the lost at any cost. Indeed; such a cost will be paid for the gross deception and misrepresentation of scripture itself.
~~~
Grace and Faith: What's the Connection? by Shane Raynor
Paul says in Ephesians 2:8, “You are saved by God’s grace because of your faith. This salvation is God’s gift. It’s not something you possessed.” Some translations use the words “through faith” rather than “because of your faith,” and those who obsess over semantics and syntax have been known to come up with lengthy explanations as to why these two phrases mean different things. I see them as essentially the same. The Common English Bible includes a footnote for this phrase with an alternate translation: “or through his faithfulness.” Some other translations don’t use a footnote there because they’ve left a little more ambiguity in the verse by using, “through faith.”
Whose faith?
John Wesley writes in his sermon Salvation by Faith, “Grace is the source, faith the condition, of salvation.”
There’s some tension, because salvation is supposed to be a free gift, but here’s Wesley (along with Scripture) putting a condition on it. The source is grace, the condition is faith. Faith is what we use to access the gift. Otherwise, we don’t have a say in the matter, we aren’t really free, and anything that seems like a human response is really just an illusion.
But salvation (whether we mean justification or sanctification) isn’t forced upon anyone. Throughout the Bible, human response is a key factor whenever God saves, delivers, or heals. God takes the initiative, and we respond with faith.
In the Gospels, Jesus commends people when they demonstrate faith. He isn’t taking glory away from God when he does this, he’s giving these people encouragement because they have believed God. In the kingdom of God, faith is like a currency.
God responds to faith, plain and simple. But we can’t get prideful, because without God taking the initiative—without grace—there would be nothing to receive, nothing to believe God for. Romans 12:3 tells us that God has measured out a portion of faith to each one of us. But at the same time, God has given us ways to increase that faith. (There’s the response factor again.) So we’re responsible, to a point, for the amount of faith we have. It’s not so much a matter of what God wants to give us—often the question is, are we accessing and appropriating what God has already made available to us.
At the justification level, we can correctly say Jesus died for all people. But sadly, all people won’t accept that gift in faith. At the sanctification level, God has given all believers freedom from the power of sin. But many of us have trouble believing that, so we don’t know how to make use of the power God has made available to us so we can keep sin out of our lives.
But the beauty of God’s grace is that there’s plenty of it. And if we don’t have enough faith, we can ask God to help us increase what we have.
Salvation boils down to grace and faith. Grace is the source, but faith is the condition.
Shane Raynor is an editor at Ministry Matters and editor of the Converge Bible Studies series from Abingdon Press.
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Starting a Ministry by Kimberly MacNeill
One of the exciting moments in the church is when you see a member of the congregation move from spectator to participant. Where they once only attended on the weekend and occasional seasonal events, they now feel they have found their purpose: God has given them a vision to start a new ministry.
With both great excitement and some apprehension, they approach you, the Pastor, to see how to get started. They are ready to go! But often times, if this moment and the following six weeks are not handled well, chaos and/or hurt feelings will occur. The most important thing you as the pastor can do is be ready to receive and guide this emerging leader and possible ministry.
If the following elements are included in the conversation, the process for determining the viability for this new ministry will be smoother.
Pastor, consider these five things:
1. Affirmation.
Your affirmation of this individual is critical. After all, you are their shepherd and mentor from the pulpit or more. In their eyes you have been part of inspiring this idea and moving them to action. It won’t make sense to them if you are less than affirming—in their mind, this is what you have been trying to get them to do and they believe you will share in their excitement. This may be easy to do, or you may be less than thrilled with the idea they have brought to you. No matter what you think of the idea initially, keep in mind that to this person, it is the best idea ever! It is probably born out of personal experience; therefore it carries sensitivities with it. Fueled by great personal passion, it is a strong, yet delicate matter: handle with care!
2. Process.
Starting a ministry is a lot of hard work and calls for a thoughtful process to both outline the big picture and hammer out the details. Essentially, the start-up leader needs to think through and prepare a “proposal” for discussion. Addressing the following items (at the least there may be more) will bring clarification to the possible new ministry start-up:
Purpose. What is the purpose of the ministry?
Values. What are the values?
Needs Assessment. Why do you think this ministry is needed?
Alignment. How does this new ministry align with the vision of the church?
Short-Term and Long-Term Goals. What are the intended results for the first year? What is your ultimate dream for this ministry?
Resources. What will the budgetary needs be for start-up costs and yearly expenses? How many volunteers will be needed and how do you plan to recruit them? Is staff time required and if so, who will be the champion?
3. Expectations.
You must lead the conversation for defining expectations. What do they expect from you and from the church? What do you expect from them? Be sure to cover the following:
Finances: Are they expecting the church will allocate financial resources to this new ministry? How much and when, or is there no budget for this? Can they fundraise? Are there guidelines for fundraising? Will the church office handle the money for this ministry or will they do it from their personal account?
Facilities: Do they need to use the church facilities for this ministry? What kind of facilities availability are they expecting? What can you offer? What are the expectations for using the facility? How do they schedule for space? What if this new ministry has a space conflict with another ministry or event? Will you give them their own church key?
Marketing: Will this ministry be advertised in the church and/or in the community? How often? Will there be a cost for marketing? Are there any guidelines for advertising a church function? Can they hand out flyers on the sidewalk Sunday mornings? Can they pay for their own ad in the newspaper and do you need to approve it?
Prominence: Will this ministry be a priority for the church? How often will it be in the bulletin? Will you, pastor, promote it from the pulpit? Will you be part of and present at the ministry functions? Or is this a group that requires space only (like AA, or a regional ministry)?
4. Leadership Training.
A purpose of the Church is to equip and develop believers for service in God’s Kingdom. This includes raising up and training leaders. We want people to own what they are doing and know what they are doing. If this new ministry takes flight, your primary role will not be with the ministry itself but with supporting and developing the ministry leader. Items to cover in the first year of leadership training would be:
Casting Vision for the Ministry.
Organizing the Ministry for Success.
Building a Healthy Team.
Dealing with Conflict.
Making Use of Feedback and Criticism.
5. Follow-Up Plan.
After the first meeting is over, be clear on what will happen next. When will the next meeting be and what will be discussed? What do they need to work on between now and then? After that, if it is decided to start the ministry, immediately determine and schedule follow-up meetings for the next three months or more. Regular follow-up meetings keep critical matters at the forefront, which in turn keeps the new ministry on track for effectiveness. For your follow-up meetings, consider discussing the following:
Affirmation. Yes, again. In case you have been busy, here is your chance to provide tangible, continued affirmation. Do they feel your support?
Process evaluation. Where are we in all this? How is it going? What is needed? Are there any problems, glitches?
Expectations. Are expectations being met on both sides? Are there any unmet expectations? Are there any disappointments or frustrations from the starter’s perspective or the church’s perspective? (This can be a difficult part of the conversation, but keeping short accounts by having open dialogue along the way will prove so much better than bottling up grievances that lead to a future “explosion.”)
Leadership Lessons. As a good listener you will be able to hear the heart of your new leader and discern their personal successes and needs. Acknowledge their leadership strengths and encourage them to continue doing that same thing. In the same way, if they are having a leadership struggle, hopefully you can help them identify what that struggle is and match it with a leadership lesson from your own experience that will aid them.
Celebration. Taking time to celebrate all the good results along the way is a must! Are there any small victories to recognize? Any good stories of God changing people’s lives or meeting their needs through this new ministry? Share them, celebrate them, and praise God for them!
Moving from spectator to full participant in a church community can be an exciting and scary time for people.
How are you and the church leaders making that transition easier?
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See, Know, and Serve by Tom Bandy
How did St. Paul do it? How did he manage to start and sustain so many different churches, in so many different cultures, in such a time of change? We have the same desire to become all things, to all people, so that by all means, we can bless all the publics around our church . . . in an area defined by the average distance people drive to work and shop. However, most of us lack St. Paul’s intuitive genius to be extraordinarily cross-cultural and seeker sensitive. Now we have the tools we need.
The first tool is lifestyle segmentation. Today there are over 19 distinct lifestyle groups and 71 unique lifestyle segments in the United States. The speed of diversification is revealed by the fact that this is about a 30 percent increase in just seven years! Even small towns and rural areas contain at least three to four lifestyle segments that diversify the majority population. In urban centers, lifestyle segment diversity can mean that each neighborhood, street, or apartment complex can gather entirely different lifestyle groups—with different habits, attitudes, musical tastes, social perspectives, retail priorities, work ethics, recreational enthusiasms, relationships, social service needs, and religiosity.
Today’s demographic search engines can take us far beyond sensitivity to age, gender, race, family status, education, income, occupation, or home ownership. Do you want to reach the youth? Then you have to know which youth! There are over 20 distinct lifestyle segments with high proportions of people under 21—and they may not get along with each other! Do you want to bless Hispanics? There are over 10 different segments containing Spanish-speaking people that are quite different from each other. Do you want to bless African Americans? The growth and diversification of the African American middle class rendered obsolete all the stereotypes of the 1960s!
Every time you swipe a credit card, sign your name, or show up on the grid of government, business, health care, and social service, a databank accumulates information about your habits, preferences, issues, and opinions. Lifestyle segments all have suggestive names. (1)
Birkenstocks and Beemers: Upper middle-class, established couples living leisure lifestyles in small towns and cities;
Status Seeking Singles: Younger, upwardly mobile singles living in mid-scale metro areas leading leisure-intensive lifestyles;
Sports Utility Families: Upscale, middle-aged couples with school-aged children living active family lifestyles in outlying suburbs;
Diapers and Debit Cards: Young, working-class families and single-parent households living in small, established city residences;
Nuevo Horizons: Middle-aged, mid-scale income Hispanic families living mainly within U.S. border cities;
Urban Ambition: Mainly Generation Y African American singles and single families established in mid-market cities.
Status Seeking Singles: Younger, upwardly mobile singles living in mid-scale metro areas leading leisure-intensive lifestyles;
Sports Utility Families: Upscale, middle-aged couples with school-aged children living active family lifestyles in outlying suburbs;
Diapers and Debit Cards: Young, working-class families and single-parent households living in small, established city residences;
Nuevo Horizons: Middle-aged, mid-scale income Hispanic families living mainly within U.S. border cities;
Urban Ambition: Mainly Generation Y African American singles and single families established in mid-market cities.
The detailed descriptions of every lifestyle segment help organizations in any sector anticipate their questions, concerns, needs, and priorities.
This rich, detailed information about lifestyle segments is used by boards of education, social services, governments, businesses, publishers, and the military to target markets, customize programs, and train effective leaders. So far the church has been unable to use this material due to a lack of adequate ministry and mission “filters” with which to interpret and apply the information. While every other sector has been fine-tuning relevance to target markets, the church has been stuck with outdated and useless categories to describe leaders and ministries. The short list of useless terms includes: “ordained” and “lay” leaders; “radical” and “ordinary” hospitality; and “traditional” and “contemporary” worship. Equally generic, vague, and unhelpful terms have simply been borrowed from the best practices of mega-churches, terms like “small groups,” “contemporary worship centers,” and “high” technologies. The public is so diverse, and community contexts are so different, that such terms mean completely different things to people who live just a few miles from each other.
Finally, we have a second tool. We have a new set of “filters,” shaped by the realities of diverse lifestyle segments, to define preferences for spiritual leadership, ministry programs, communication media, and even facility design and financial management. (2) Churches can now do effective strategic planning with genuine confidence that their plans are indeed relevant to the lifestyle segments in their mission fields.
For example, there are at least seven distinct preferences for spiritual leadership in America today. Some of them (like caregivers, enablers, and CEOs) are trained in M.Div. and D.Min. programs and involve professionals. Others (like disciplers and visionaries) are apprenticed through large churches and para-churches and have cross-sector training. Still others (like mentors and pilgrims) emerge in church plants and innovative Christian communities from cross-cultural experiences. The point is that different lifestyle segments gravitate to different kinds of spiritual leaders. Ordination is only one factor of relevance among many. And bishops need to know who to appoint where, so that these pastors can be effective to a particular public.
Just as different publics gravitate to certain kinds of spiritual leaders, so also they appreciate certain kinds of Sunday morning experiences. There are at least four different kinds of hospitality preferences (the basics, multiple choices, healthy choices, and take-out). Now that terminology for “traditional” and “contemporary” worship is obsolete, we know that there are at least seven distinct mission-driven worship preferences in America: educational, transformational, inspirational, coaching, healing, caregiving, and mission-connectional. Each one can be described in detail. Each lifestyle segment gravitates to a certain kind of worship. You can only blend two at most. Churches can now accurately discern the changes or additions necessary to make Sunday morning relevant to distinct groups of people—and anticipate their stress in doing it.
Different publics prefer different kinds of Christian education (curricular or experiential formats, biblical or topical contents, and generational or peer groupings). There are different choices for midweek small groups (designated or rotated leaders, curricular or affinity based); and different for outreach (survival, quality of life, recovery, health, interpersonal relationships, human potential, and human destiny). Church planners can even anticipate preferences for ecclesiastical or utilitarian church facilities, Christendom or contemporary symbols, and modern or postmodern technologies. We can design stewardship campaigns for people who prefer unified budgets or designated giving; or we can provide informed philanthropy or lifestyle financial coaching.
I think the most exciting aspect of these new tools of lifestyle segmentation and ministry design is the discovery that it really is not about marketing. It really is about mission. The point is not to attract people into church membership; it is really to bless the publics around us. Blessing people is the goal; church growth is the side effect. These lifestyle segment preferences are not just selfish whims, personal privileges, and comfort foods. These preferences are driven by profound existential anxieties about emptiness, meaninglessness, fate, death, guilt, shame, and rejection. The people eagerly (or desperately) seeking the spiritual leader, ministry, or mission that is most relevant to their needs are broken, lost, lonely, hopeless, abused, fearful, and alienated.
The era of church shopping died with Christendom. If people connect with a spiritual leader, a Christian ministry, or a church, it is because they are compelled by some urgent issue to do so. The issue is shaped by, and revealed in, their lifestyles. The answer is Christ . . . but the unique experience of Christ, and the particular blessing that is relevant, must be discerned and delivered by the church. St. Paul understood this. It is why the churches in Philippi, Corinth, Ephesus, Rome, and elsewhere were all different. It is why effective churches provide multiple options of ministries that are each unique. One church plant does not look like, or behave like, another—even in the same conference. This effective church does different things, in different ways, for different publics, with different results, than that effective church that is only a mile away. God does not call the church to be big. God calls for the mission to be big. And the mission will only be big if the ministries are unique for each lifestyle segment that God has entrusted to your church to bless in the name of Christ.
(1) These names, and the 19 lifestyle groups and 71 lifestyle segments mentioned here, are defined by Experian Marketing Resources and described in their resource Mosaic USA.
(2) These filters are described in my book See, Know, and Serve the People Within Your Reach and are also applied to every lifestyle group and lifestyle segment in Mission Impact. Most United Methodist conferences subscribe to MissionInsite. Ask your Conference Office of Connectional Ministries.
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