shalomization

Transition - Again!

Benjamin Franklin may have been the one to say, "You cannot cross the ocean unless you first loose sight of the shore".  Or at least something to that effect.  I let go of a perfectly good job to become part of a idea that I thought was worth taking a risk for.  Sometimes I wonder if it is the proverbial 2 year itch!  Whatever it is, I believe it is worth the risk.

Texas leads the country in the number of hard working, middle-class folks who have no health insurance.  These are people that fall 200% - 400% above poverty.  Now this may seem like a lot, until you realize that a family of 4 making $35,000 to $40,000 falls into this category.  Add to that, they work for a company or business that does not provide medical benefits.  Usually these are small mom & pop businesses that cannot afford medical benefits for the 3 or 4 employees.  Or this may be a start up business.  About 24% of the people in Texas fit this category.

We will seek to open a medical clinic in south San Antonio to serve the working uninsured.  This will be on a sliding fee scale based on income that will amount to about $10 to $30 for office visit.  For special or acute needs, we will partner with others to provide their specialization at a reduced fee or pro bono.

This will be an expensive endeavor and we will seek the help of others to ensure the success of this worthy project.  You will find more information at http://www.faithfamilyclinic.com/.  Check back soon as we are developing the site now.

Shalom ya'll

The Dance of Church

If you had the opportunity to visit another church on Sunday, where would you go?  I live in Dallas and we have as many (or more) church options than most.  I have had the opportunity to visit a variety of Baptist churches and pretty much find them all the same.  This is especially true among the large and mega-large variety.  Yes, the music and style is definitely different, but beyond that they all remind me of a large lecture hall where the "expert" is up front telling us "poor dummies" how we are living inadequate lives and by following the 3 or 4 steps in their sermon we can be as successful=faithful=spiritual as they are.

I had been growing uneasy with the traditional process of doing church (meaning Sunday morning worship) and all of the hierarchal/authoritarian processes we use.  It is amazing how similar most church services are to a university lecture hall save the band=orchestra=choir=vocalists and perfunctory announcements and obligatory greeting by "welcoming those seating around you".  The other obstacle is the offering.  What do you do with the offering?  Traditionally, after the last hymn/chorus and before the special music.  In contemporary fashion it is taken after the sermon, especially in churches which do not issue an altar call.

My really concern is with the sermon itself.  I agree with Dallas Willard that it seems more like a psycho-social commentary on life and living.  Not much different than Oprah and Dr. Phil except with an overtly Christian or Biblical emphasis. 

It's hard to find a church that deals with spiritual realities and the issues of justice and mercy.  This dance of faith called church seems too much like an old fashioned square dance where the caller and fiddler keep the adrenaline flowing, the heart palpitating and the mind completely disengaged! 

I think I miss the slow dance of old where it was more about intimacy and hearing the soft voice of the one who loved you and whom you loved in return.

Me a Minister?

Someone opened a new barbershop next to my donut place.  One of the great thrills of my life is Wednesday mornings when my grandson and I go out for donuts ( our "special time" as he calls it). 

Today I visited the new barbershop and discovered it was a split from another barbershop in town (and here I thought only churches split!).  It was interesting to hear their conversations with longtime customers who had followed them from the "other place" to their new business.  To say the least, relations were still strained though the new owner said that she had forgiven them but there would be no "making amends".  Meaning - I forgave them but I'm not letting go of the hurt they caused me. 

This sounds like a lot of churches I know.  We may forgive (on the surface) but we're not about to forget (what happens internally).  I have a good idea how this will work out.  They will continue to fester inside untill the poison eats away any joy or fulfillment in starting over. 

During this conversation the question came around to what I do - consult with churches about community missions.  The other barber said that she had decided that she wants to do ministry.  As we talked I realized she believed that this was the role of the "professional cergy" and that she was taking courses at her church in witnessing.  She also confided that she was rebuffed at her church because she was divorced and not 100% faithful in attending church every Sunday! 

As we talked I had the opportunity to talk about Ephesians 4 and the task of church leadership to equip the people of God to do the work of God.  Boy, did her eyes open and interest  perk up.  She had never heard this before.  The idea that the Bible might suggest that she could actually be involved in ministry was a real surprise. 

This lead to an opportunity to talk about our purpose in life and our relationship to God in Christ Jesus.  To talk about meaning and purpose as a result of relationships and how we treat each other. If we are all ministers then our task is to love one another and to seek the best for each other.  I guess we talked about broken relationships and reconciliation without really using those words.  I have to trust the Holy Spirits will use this "ministry" to help them at their point of need.

How is the shalom (well-being) of the community enhanced if all of our relations are strained and/or broken.  Well, I know the conversation helped me!

Rebuilding Community

How does a congregation regain a sense of community following a church-split?  If community is based on a certain number of people or specific persons then you may never reestablish community.  But if community is based upon agape love for one another and a willingness to work together for the Kingdom of God, then it might not be too hard to find.

Church splits always hurt!  Primarily, they hurt God and his eternal purposes.  Evidence is found that we do not live with a true desire that "thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10).  Evidently, temporal kingdoms are the dividing issues and church is primarily about us.

A primary consideration for a church in this situation is to go back to the basics of a church's mission, vision and values.  What is the mission or purpose of the church?  Is it primarily church growth?  Is our success or value placed on our ability to build large buildings and attract great numbers of people?  Are our programs our greatest contribution to the city in which we live?

Or, is the mission and purpose to build a people of faith who will live out the purposes and priorities of God as reveal in Jesus Christ?  Dallas Willard makes this point in his excellent work "The Great Omission" as it deals with discipleship as the part of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) that we have lost.  Evangelism that just focuses on the act of salvation (forgiveness of sins) and looses the importance of discipleship (Christlikness in Kingdom living) seems to be just another "ism". 

Maybe the term we are looking for is Evangelization!  This would imply a process of reconciliation, restoration, and renovation in daily living.  Eternal life (John 17:3) would then be understood from the perspective of relationships and would begin now.  Thus, it would be a merging of the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:36-39; Mark 12:29-31 and Luke 10:27) with the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and the New Commandment (John 13:34-35) to love one another as Christ has loved us to thus prove our discipleship.

Rebuilding community must then focus on the mission/purpose of the church as the kind of faith community that produces disciples that love one another as well as become loving neighbors (Luke 10:29-37) that show mercy to anyone in need.  First steps would tangible acts of confession and forgiveness (Matthew 5:23-24).  This must be modeled by faithful "leaders" who are more concerned about faithfulness to Christ than their image or reputation (ego?).

Finally, grace must become the operative norm.  Grace must permeate our attitudes and actions.  Grace must be practiced and not just pronounced.  Grace must be received and not just requested. 

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all my sin.

Sin and despair like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide,
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! there is flowing a crimson tide;
Whiter than snow you may be today.

Outcasts & Misfits

Most have seen the stories and heard the message Cho gave to the news in the midst of his killing rampage on the Virginia Tech campus this week.  Everyone is looking for answers as to the why of what Cho did.  Maybe the question we ought to be asking, "Are their others like Choi still in our communities and in our school?"  If so, what can we do to help them and ourselves? 

First, let me assure you that there are a lot of others like Cho in our midst.  They don't usually start out as children wanting to grow up to be mass murders.  But for a variety of reasons there are folks who just don't fit and can't play nicely and so we push them out the door of our churches, schools, organizations and friendships.  Why aren't we  very good at helping people who need a lot of help?  Is it because we are not smart enough?  Or is it because it takes so much effort!  The city is full of people who don't fit and are seen as "not quite right".  Yes, there are institutions, but only if they meet certain criteria.  Thus, most fall between the cracks. 

I was amazed that in the prison system there are facilities for the mentally ill and mentally challenged, but there sure were a lot of folks in general populatation who appeared to me to qualify for admission.  Then I understood that those who walked around in general population weren't "bad enough off" and thus they remained in general population to make it as best they could.  Usually they became victims and pawns of the strong or in some cases you knew you just didn't want to "mess with them".

I guess our society at large is a lot like that.  Some are victims, some are pawns and some you just "don't want to mess with".  I'm sure the demon-possessed man from Gadara is that kind of guy.  Fortunately, Jesus took time to "mess with him" and it changed his life.  But, I guess that is just a Bible story and that kind of stuff doesn't happen anymore - or does it?

Detours-Setbacks-Freshstarts

Detours, setbacks and freshstarts are all a part of life. Like many, I find myself in a new "incarnation" of ministry - thought I'm not quite sure what this incarnation looks like yet. Victims and offenders understand something of this.

How does one start over without starting from the beginning (bottom)? There is an assumption that starting over really is about starting from the beginning (bottom). Scripture would remind us that The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (ESV). By the way - I really like the English Standard Version. I think I am replacing my NASB for this one with a high degree of confidence in the quality of translation in a readable format.

Now, I know that the context is the new creation in Christ. But starting over is a common experience of life. For some it involves "overcoming". For others it involves "laying hold of". However, at its very core all of life is about our eternal relationship with the eternal God/Christ/Spirit. Remember the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus in John 17:3, And this is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whomyou have sent.

So maybe this means that eternal life starts now and is primarily about relationships! How would this impact your sense of "starting over"? For me, it's really not starting over but the continuation of a grand relationship-journey that has many twists and turns.

In our ministry with people who hurt and are hurt by the actions of others - we need to keep in mind that reconciliation (restoration and transformation) is the focii of our lives.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ god was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (ESV)

Resurrection Power

"Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke?  It is madness to wear ladies' straw hats and velvet hats to church, we should all be wearing crash helmets!  Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews!  For the sleeping God may wake someday...or the waking God may draw us out to where we can never return." (Annie Dillard, Teaching a Stone to Talk)

Hear the Scriptural account once again from Matthew 27:50-54:

"And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.  And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from the top to bottom.  And the earth shook, and the rocks  were split.  The tombs also were opened.  And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" (English Standard Version)

Easter approaches and we are busy about collecting and coloring eggs.  Families will have cook-outs and watch the little ones chase after colored eggs and sugary candy.  How can we miss what really happened that ominous week in Jerusalem that literally shook heaven and earth.

God became flesh, died on a cross and rose from the dead!  Religious faith was eternally altered.  No longer can religion be mere mental excercise or an activity of good for the impoverished. 

I hope this God rocks your worship this week!

Mature Faith

I'm re-reading Toxic Faith: Experiencing Healing from Painful Spiritual Abuse by Stephen Arterburn & Jack Felton.  There is an excellent listing of 8 characteristics or discriptions of a mature faith that they took from Peter L. Benson and Carolyn H. Eklin, Effective Christian Education: A National Study of Protestant Congregations (Minneapolis: a research project of Search Institute, March 1990). What is interesting to me is the significant focus on community and issues of justic and mercy.  It is a reminder of Micah 6:8, "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (ESV).

A mature believer:

1. Trusts in God's saving grace and believes firmly in the humanity and divinity of Jesus.

2. Experiences a sense of personal well-being, security, and peace.

3. Integrates faith and life, seeing work, family, social relationships, and political choices as part of one's religious life.

4. Seeks spiritual growth through study, reflection, prayer, and discussion with others.

5. Seeks to be part of a community of believers in which people give witness to their faith and support and nourish one another.

6. Holds life-affirming values, including commitment to racial and gender equality, affirmation of cultural and religious diversity, and a personal sense of responsibility for the welfare of others.

7. Advocates social and global change to bring about greater social justice.

8. Serves humanity consistently and passionately through acts of love and justice.

This would probably lead us to a discussion between the difference in a private faith verses a personal faith.  I'm not sure you can find a legitimate defense for a purely private faith in Scripture.  Our faith brings with it an inclusion in the missional work of God - "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:17-19 ESV)

Jesus Creed

In The Jesus Creed, Scot McKnight (Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies at North Park University) adapts the Shema of Judaism as the "creed" of the Old Testament to the "Great Commandment" of Mark 12:28-33 as the "creed" of the New Testament for Christianity.  Basically, he proposes that "loving God and loving others" from Mark 12:28-33 is the focus of our experience of living by faith.  I have to admit that I find a lot of value in that perspective.

However, this must be more than a creed to repeat or a doctrinal supposition to adhere to.  It must be a tangible expresssion of how we live on a daily basis.  I have always heard that we should live in such a way that others will see Jesus in us.  Maybe this is backwards.  Maybe we should live in such a way that we see Jesus in others.  This might cause us to respond in ways that seek their well-being before our own.  This was certainly the case in the story of the "good Samaritan" in Luke 10:30-37.

Maybe that's how the church should live in community.  Not necessarily that others will "see" Jesus in our buildings and programs, but that we will see Jesus in the community and serve "Him" in compassion and humility.

As Dr. Phil might ask, "How is your current 'creed' working for you?"   

I had Hopes, I had Dreams

As a child in Mexico, cruel poverty was his family's reward for hard work.  As a teenager, he said he found his father in tears.  "I found him crying because he just couldn't provide.  And I promised myself that I would do everything within my power to make sure that I provided for not just my parents and my siblings, but for my future family," he said.

"I just take off, just like a sprint -- all this adrenaline going through my body. I just go over the fence, jump about 16 feet to the floor and run towards the United States," Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa said, remembering the day he fled to the U.S.  He was one of many Mexicans who flee to the U.S. out of desperation. He said poverty and the hope of a better life drove him to make the leap.

But Dr. Quinones-Hinojosa doesn't work on a farm anymore. Nineteen years after he jumped a fence into San Diego with a few dollars and no English skills, he is now one of the best brain surgeons at the world-renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.  Read the full story http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17474911/from/ET/