Healing for an Empty Religion

Nick snuck in, after-hours, to see the new preacher. This preacher was unlike anyone he had ever met. That’s not to say that Nick was not religious. Nick was all about the rules, the rituals, and even the liturgy. He was very religious. He always wanted to do the right thing, to be the right person. Right and wrong seem to be a very clear matter for him. He knew who we wanted to be like and who he didn’t want to be like. He knew what style of worship he preferred and didn’t mind saying so. For Nick religion was a cut and dried.

But Nick had a problem. His heart kept nagging him saying, “Is this all there is?” He knew there had to be something more, something deeper. But he had no idea what that could be. He had filled his life with religion and still his heart longed for more. There was a gnawing emptiness that his religion could satisfy.

The preacher took one look at Nick and said, “You need a new life”.

“I have a life” Nick retorted.

The preacher tried again, “You live in the flesh, not the spirit. You need a Spirit life.

Now Nick was confused, “What is a Spirit life?”

“Let me explain” said preacher. “Your Father in heaven is Spirit. If you want a Spirit life you must have the Spirit of God living in your heart.”

” How do I get the Spirit to live in my heart?” Nick wondered aloud.

“It is not found in rituals or rules. Those are only meant to point you in the right direction. A Spirit life must begin with a relationship. And that relationship begins by believing. You must believe in the one your heavenly Father sent who will be lifted up as a sign of salvation.”

In such a way Jesus expanded Nicodemus’s religious world view. (John 3:1-21) Nicodemus was in desperate need for something deeper, something that would fill the emptiness in his heart. Too often we think being religious is what will fill the emptiness in our lives. But it doesn’t. It was never meant to. It was only meant to draw us into a relationship, to point us toward God. The God shaped void within our hearts can only be filled with God. It cannot be filled with the stuff that we think about God, or do for God, or say about God. We need an encounter with the person of God. God became flesh and dwelt among us so that this relationship could happen.

The Glory of God

The Glory of God

Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? (Exodus 15:11)

To face the glory of God is a terrible thing. Moses is fearful of a burning bush. The Israelites were terrified when God came down on Mount Sinai. “To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.” Exodus 24:17 And you said, “The LORD our God has shown us his glory and his majesty, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a person can live even if God speaks with them. But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any longer. For what mortal has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived? Go near and listen to all that the LORD our God says. Then tell us whatever the LORD our God tells you. We will listen and obey.” Deuteronomy 5:24-27 The Israelites feel the glory of the Lord to be too much to bear and fear for their lives.
Isaiah has his own encounter. “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:1-5) Isaiah knows he is unclean and doesn’t belong in the presence of a holy God.
The glory of God revealed in the man Jesus is no easier to receive. Peter, James and John are overwhelmed by the powerful presence of God’s glory shining out of Jesus at the transfiguration. “After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.” (Matthew 17:1-8) It is the touch of their friend Jesus, no longer transfigured, that dispels their fear.
The shepherds who received the angel announcement of Jesus’ birth are full of fear at the appearance of God’s messengers. “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” These shepherds do not hide in fear but seek to find the promised Messiah.
The glory of God is an awesome thing. Terror and fear are the normal human reactions to an encounter with God. There is only one exception in scripture: the baby in a manger. Paul writes, “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (II Corinthians 4:6) In the face of a vulnerable baby the glory of God is revealed in a way that we can receive it. The holy and awesome God humbled himself and became a helpless baby so that the human race could understand and relate to God. The awesome glory of God had always kept us at a distance. We are not holy. Darkness lives inside each of us so that we can not endure the radiant presence of God. So God came to us in a way that could draw us to Himself: as a baby.
This is why Christmas has so much power. A world that doesn’t acknowledge God the rest of the time still pauses its’ hectic activity and tolerates this baby’s day. Why? Because on this day God is approachable. On this day the gift of God’s love can be received.

Presbyterian Credo Conference #34 held at Lake Logan Episcopal Center, North Carolina.

Presbyterian Credo Conference #34 held at Lake Logan Episcopal Center, North Carolina.

“Credo” is the Latin word for believe. It also means to trust. The word “Creed” comes from it and means a statement of belief. The Presbyterian Credo conference helps clergy reconnect with their original call to ministry from God and trust that call again. Credo’s mission statement reads, “To provide clergy an opportunity to examine significant areas of their lives and to discern prayerfully the future direction of their vocation as they respond to God’s call in a lifelong process of practice and transformation.”
The “Credo” process was developed by the Episcopal Church Board of Pensions to help stem the tide of clergy burnout. They have discovered that those who go through it give ten to twenty more years of service to the church than those who do not. The Board of Pensions for the Presbyterian Church USA believes that these results are worth repeating in our denomination so they have duplicated it for us. This conference was the thirty-fourth one done by the PC USA. Ninety percent of the cost is covered by the Board of Pensions. The participant is asked to invest $500 in order to be part of conference. This is a gift The Board of Pensions gives to the clergy of our denomination in order to help them with their spiritual, vocational, physical and financial health.

Lake Logan is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. The Episcopal Center is host to a retreat Center and Youth summer camp. We stayed in cabins along the lake and along the mountain side. We gathered for meals and plenary sessions in a new log and stone constructed dining hall. The meals were excellent. Worship was in the chapel.
The first half of the week was filled with plenary sessions. Topics like “Who am I,” “Energy, Intelligence, Imagination and love,” “Emotional labor,” and workshops on health and finance filled our minds with new ways of thinking. These topics were intertwined with daily worship services that challenged us to reconnect to our Baptisms instead of our Ordinations and to listen to the voices of our ancient desert fathers and mothers.
Many of us had lost touch with our creative selves over the years. We were given opportunities to let that creative self come back to the surface. We also had time to laugh, eat and enjoy a stress free week from responsibilities for our churches and our people.
The second half of the week had much more time for reflection. The process led us through four major areas of our lives and then challenged us to develop a plan to move forward. Many of the clergy who came were frustrated with their current situation. The normal way to deal with frustration in a particular church would be to understand it as a sign to move. For some the development of a plan to deal with the frustrations helped them see that continued ministry was possible where they are. For others the plan included the search process.

For me my frustrations didn’t include the church I serve. I had no desire to leave. I only needed a rest from the battle. As I developed my plan to deal with my spiritual exhaustion, health issues and financial worries I realized that the call to ministry was not a call to martyrdom. I have always admired those who have given their lives for Christ. I realized that subconsciously I had equated the giving of my life to Christ with sacrificing myself for Christ. But the ministry of a pastor is not a sprint where you spend everything you have in one shot but a journey that requires you to pace yourself. The circuit riders of old could not fulfill their calling to ministry if they rode their horses so hard they killed them. No ministry happens with a dead horse.
My plan started with this statement, “Martyrdom is not the goal of parish ministry but a gift given to the saints in a particular moment of terrible distress in order to witness to the glory of God.” The Credo plan I developed has detailed goals and objectives to handle my spiritual needs, financial issues and health concerns.
While the plan was the practical diamond taken from the conference the rest of the jewels were in the relationships developed with the other participants. In varying degrees we all experienced and deep sense of God’s transforming power. That shared experience bound us together in eight short days. Theological labels were irrelevant in the deep community forged through the Spirit of Christ. Truly the love of God is bigger than all the human boxes we try to fit the church into.
The Credo conference was a great final piece to my sabbatical!

Harvest Vineyard – Ames October 30

Harvest Vineyard Church – Ames – Oct. 30 2011

Harvest Vineyard Church of Ames is located a block south of Hickory Park in a metal “Morton” style building. They have three services each Sunday. The parking was overflowing into the car dealership. The worship area was small and crowded.
The bulletin opened with what to expect in church. It invited people to help themselves in the café to coffee and a snack before worship. It explained that the teaching would come first followed by a time of worship in response to God. The bulletin also contained a self addressed offering envelope and a connection card. The connection card asked for your information so that the church could stay in contact with you. Some of the connection cards had a symbol for a free t-shirt you could pick up in the back by turning your card in.
Worship usually begins with a praise song but this morning the children sang along with a CD to start worship. Twenty elementary aged children formed a line across the front of the stage. The children’s leader enthusiastically encouraged us to wrap along with them as they sang about the creative energy that lives in them.
The pastor called up a young couple with an infant to be dedicated. He explained that a dedication was like a transfer of ownership from the parents to God. The baby was part of God’s family. The parents promised to raise Josia in the faith of Jesus and the church committed to teaching and being a model for him to follow. Then the father of the child prayed over the child acknowledging his new identity as God’s child and asking God’s blessings upon him. Then the pastor prayed for the family.
The message was next. The pastor was dressed in kakis and a dark knit shirt. He read and commented on Esther chapters one and two. After his comments he brought out his conclusions. First, that God is always at work even if we can not see it. Secondly, that God is not obsessed with our appearance. He challenged us to assess where we find our value and worth and by what measure do we value others? Esther was valued for her beauty and she accepted that in the first two chapters. She bought into the cultural norms of the Persian Empire. Only later did she move forward in her faith and risk herself for her people.
The praise band led worship with a hymn and three praise songs. The offering baskets were passed and communion elements were placed up front. If you wanted communion you could come forward and help yourself.
The service ended with an invitation for anyone who wanted prayer, especially for healing, to come forward and be prayed over. The pastor commented that he felt God wanted to say to someone there, “Quit trying to figure it out and just receive.” The rest of us were dismissed to go home and make room for the next service. I wondered if the message was for me, but the pastor was other wise engaged with someone else so I went home.

Kansas: Point of No Return : Lessons From Classic Rock and Roll 2

Kansas: Point of No Return

Kansas takes us back to an age when it was believed that the earth was flat. It was believed that you could sail off the edge of the world and be lost forever. Adventurous men sought to find the edge of the world. They wanted to find the point of no return. Kansas describes it as an ocean grave for all the brave guarded by demons and darkness. The adventure and danger appealed to the young, while parents feared the loss of their loved ones.
The Pharisees of Jesus’ day believed in a spiritual point of no return. Any time you broke the law of God you had to pay for it. Sacrifices were offered to God to appease divine justice. Individuals were required to make recompense to the offended party by paying money to make amends for your sins. Sacrifices were expensive. This system affectively excluded the poor from salvation.
A young rabbi by the name of Jesus was challenging this system of interpretation of God’s law. The Pharisees wanted to trap him in a no win situation. They found a woman they believed was beyond the point of no return and caught her in the act of adultery. Her partner in the crime is mysteriously absent. They bring this woman to Jesus for his judgment. If he shows her mercy then he denies the law of God and Pharisees can denounce him as a heretic. If he upholds the law then he will have to help to stone her to death and their interpretation will be confirmed and the people will quit following Jesus.
The Scripture tells us that when Jesus was confronted with this situation he wrote something in the dust. A Roman judge, of his day, would often write his decision on a wax tablet before announcing it. Then proclaim the terms of the judgment. Jesus does the same kind of thing when he writes his judgment in the dirt. He affirms the law by issuing a judgment of death. That is what he wrote in the dirt. Then he announces the method of execution. “Let he who has no sin cast the first stone.”
One by one they all leave. Jesus asks her, “Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir” she replies. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Many in our world believe they have reached the point of no return. They feel they are too bad and done too many ungodly things. Their shame overwhelms the idea that God could love them. God has surely given up on them and could never forgive them. Their fear is based on a faulty world view. Their belief that they are too bad for God is as erroneous as believing that the world is flat. A faulty world view leads them to a faulty conclusion.
There are new worlds with vast riches to be found if they would set aside their fear and sail out into the ocean. We too have the opportunity to find a whole new world, a whole new life and a vast treasure of love and grace if we have the true view of God. Jesus lived, died, and rose again to show the love and grace of God. God was willing to sacrifice his very life for you to prove his love. There is no spiritual point of no return. You can always come back to God!

Third Day: Come On Back To Me

John 8: 2-8 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Veritas Church of Iowa City 10-23-11

Veritas – Iowa City

The Cornerstone Church of Ames is planting a church in Iowa City. They sent one hundred members, who moved to Iowa City to be the core of the new church. The church is named Veritas: the Latin word for truth. It usually meets in the Marriott Hotel near the campus but for September and October they were meeting at the Englert Theater. The theater was filling with college students and young couples as I arrived. Around two hundred and fifty people would worship in the theater that morning.
The praise band started the worship with a set of songs and then one of the co-pastors gave the announcements. He wore faded jeans and an un-tucked red plaid shirt. The biggest need was for volunteers for the pre-k nursery. He also reminded them that in November they would be meeting back at the Marriott.

The other pastor, Jeff Thume brought the message. He wore black jeans and a gray hoodie shirt. The sermon series called for today to be on Luke chapter nine. The theme slide announced “Luke: The Gospel Creed. Good News. Great Joy. All People.” Jeff said that he could preach ten sermons from this passage. I think he should have. Chapter nine has sixty-two verses and seven significant stories that can stand alone. There was Jesus sending out the twelve disciples, feeding the five thousand, he is confessed as the Christ by Peter, is transfigured on the mountain top, heals a boy with an evil spirit, breaks up the disciples arguing about who is the greatest, and challenges them with the cost of following him. The sermon was like a rock skipping across the lake touching down at many points but never going very deep.
The other pastor introduced communion. We were asked to hold the bread and juice and take them as a group. He reminded us that we are saved by the blood of Christ and then the praise band took over with their rendition of “Nothing but the Blood.” The servers took the elements from the table and passed them through the congregation. When they returned they each served themselves as did the pastor. The praise band ended the service with more praise music.
I appreciated that communion was done as a body. It was disappointing that there were no words of institution and nothing said as we took the elements together. The traditions of the church have been left behind and the sacred moments have been replaced by a blank slate. No doubt they will create their own new sacred moments as the worshiping community grows over time.

Orchard Hill Church 2nd visit 10-16-11

Orchard Hill Church 10-16-11

The web site called it: “a service for the next generation.” I wondered what it looked like. What do you do in a service for the next generation? It starts at 11:01 a.m. in the sanctuary at the Cedar Falls location. I arrived a little early and joined in with the college students as they arrived at church. The sanctuary could hold around three hundred people. It would be over two thirds full. Most were college students, but a few families were there along with some of us older folks. At least two thirds of the college students were female. Many brought their Bibles and followed along with them open on their laps. Good Reformed Church kids.
The praise band was made up of college age people and included an electric guitar, a keyboard, acoustic guitar, bass and drums. It was rock and roll style and loud. The music was mixed louder than the vocals so it was hard to follow along even on songs I knew. The first song was Amazing Grace. It started ballad style but transitioned into loud and rocking.
The announcements were given by the college ministry staff person and revolved around the college ministry and the upcoming missionaries visiting the church. The message was given by the same preacher I heard last week. The message was the same except that it was more focused on a college age audience.
I concluded that the web site’s statement, “a service for the next generation” was not a description of the service but an invitation. Orchard Hill Church was providing a separate service for college students and allowing them to take responsibility for the music. It was there place to belong and worship. The order of service and the message was the same as the contemporary service done for families in the community center room almost at the same time: 10:45 vs. 11:01 a.m.
I had the chance to talk to Dave Bartlett after the service and found out that he is the lead pastor on staff. Orchard Hill became a multiple site church when a small rural church chose to merge with them because they could no longer support their own pastoral supply. The small church did not lose a member through the process and now enjoys all the extra programming which comes with being part of a church with greater resources. The staff rotates through each location so this little church has quality preaching and teaching at its location and has the opportunity to come to the Cedar Falls campus for additional events. As more churches in rural Iowa decline this could be an effective way to keep their ministry in their location alive and active.