In the sermon on the Mount Jesus gives core truth about Christian living in the world. One of his best known principles is that his people are to be as salt and light in the world. The world is to notice how we live, and how we live both draws them to Jesus and validates his mission. It is such a well-known principle that we can forget how important our salt and light is and how potent it should be. Moreover, when we believe the delusion that we live in a Christian culture, we don't feel the imperative to live differently. It is easy to slide into a belief that if we look pretty much like the rest of the world, nothing is really wrong. We forget the powerful call and impact of being salt and light.Two recent articles served to remind me of this most important core truth and that it really does make a difference. Both cases are from other cultures where Christianity does not have an easy way.Chuck Colson reports that many Muslims are turning to Christ. A professor of Islamic studies wanted to find out why. His research determined that the number one reason for conversions was the lifestyle of the Christians in their midst. A couple quotes: "There was no gap between the moral profession and the practice of Christians" they knew. "Christians treat women as equals" and "adopted a simple lifestyle."The second article reports from China (Christianity Today, May 2008) that in spite of government roadblocks, people are very open to Christianity. When answering the question as to why, an interviewee responded "Many Chinese people think Christians are trustworthy. If they want to hire an employee or they want to have a babysitter at home, they prefer to invite a Christian. Christians have good reputations. During many disasters in China, churches were involved in relief work to poor areas, and even the government was encouraged. Churches are having an influence by being examples of moral behavior." (p.31)This is still the best way to "do evangelism" and spread the kingdom of God. It is our individual integrity as a Christian that is the biggest opportunity or, conversely, roadblock to drawing people to Christ. You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
Nearly every year that I have been at the Campbell church we have only been able to fulfill the annual church budget by means of one or two special offerings in which we had to “make up” for the consistent shortfall. This fact is often a cause of concern and discussion among the elders. It is a sore spot for some members. I can’t imagine that anyone likes it.
I remember a discussion Browning and I had about this and would like to give a sense of that conversation. There are three basic options.
The first is to say that whatever the regular weekly average is, we cut ministries back to that level of funding. This would mean some significant cuts. Such cuts would not only affect the specific areas that are reduced, but begin to undermine our optimistic, creative attitude in ministry and church life. When the response to ideas starts to consistently be “there’s not money to do it,” then a sort of malaise can easily set in.
But the other problem with reducing the ministry resources is that the congregation has proven for years that we really can support the level of ministry that we do. It may not be easy and it may even irritate us to do it the way we do, but the fact is we have supported the budget year after year. And no one has given themselves into a state of poverty. Our track record indicates we have the resources for our budget level in this church body.
I specifically remember Browning saying something along the lines of how could he (the elders) face the Lord having made significant cuts when the church had always supported the higher level of ministry. In other words, God might easily respond “O you of little faith! Did I not always provide?” And the only answer would have to be “Yes.” So simply cutting back to the average of the regular contributions seems faithless in light of the congregation’s proven ability and willingness.
The second option is to encourage a higher regular level of giving so as to make the specials unnecessary. It is the case that some people give nothing. Others give irregularly. (By the way, I have no idea what anyone gives and don’t want to know.) If we all gave regularly and up to our true ability this issue would go away! The elders try to teach and encourage this without wanting to harp on it. Of course, part of the reality is that some people are hypersensitive to any discussion of “giving” at church. So there is always the challenge of knowing what the right amount of exhortation is.
The third option is to continue the level of ministry that we have historically been doing and supporting by continuing to have “make-ups” when needed. No one likes this, but it seems to be our church family’s way of doing things.
One final thought. While none of us likes to have a special offering to make-up a budget shortfall, it can actually be viewed as a positive exercise in spiritual maturity. Why shouldn’t we have to struggle with the question of sacrifice a couple times a year? Why shouldn’t we have to wrestle with the hold materialism has on us and evaluate our “wants?”
It is good for us to have to make the mature decision “This is what I can do.” And it is a matter of spiritual maturity to be at peace with the decision and not feel guilty for not doing more if we have truly wrestled with the decision in prayer. Is this easy? No, it is not. But rather than have the challenge removed, maybe God wants us to struggle with it – and then rest in his peace and grace having been matured by the struggle.
As the most frequent spokesman for the elders, Browning was scheduled last Sunday to announce my sabbatical and the coming of an intern to preach this summer.
The term sabbatical comes from “Sabbath” and refers to a time of stepping outside the normal duties of life for the sake of spiritual (and physical) renewal. Several years ago the elders adopted a sabbatical policy for full time ministers. After each 7 years of service, a two-month sabbatical is given for special opportunities of research, training, reading, seeing how other successful churches operate, etc.
One purpose of a sabbatical is to counter the phenomenon of “burnout” by resourcing staff with renewal opportunities which will allow a minister to return with fresh ideas and a fresh spirit. In the old days, the only way to treat burnout and get a fresh start was to move to a new church. The sabbatical policy is one effort to foster long-term ministries which bring stability and long-term relationships with the church.
This has been immensely successful. Garry has had two sabbaticals and is in his 17th year at Campbell. This will be my second sabbatical as I am now in my 15th year. Walter had a sabbatical and is in his 10th year. Yes, he is now leaving, but not to go to another church. Rather he is going with the blessing of the elders to a new form of ministry.
When I was growing up as a “preacher’s kid” we moved frequently. The average stay was about 3 years – and that was typical. But the cost of such frequent moves – for minister families, for church momentum, in cyncism about ministers always going on to greener pastures, in stability of programs, and financial – was tremendous. Long-term ministries usually bless a church.
Kathy and I will be combining vacation time with the sabbatical in order to allow the absence in the pulpit to be filled by the intern and to fit my course schedule. Among other things I will be taking three separate week-long courses at Regent College in Vancouver. (In addition to the courses, I will be writing a course at the elders’ request, reading and doing work on two upcoming sermon series.)
Bryan Shackman, from southern California, will be the preaching intern. He graduated from Pepperdine University and is completing a Master of Divinity degree from Abilene Christian University where he is a graduate teaching assistant and has been preaching for a west Texas church in a small community.
Bryan’s coming will not only meet a practical need for the congregation, but will give him great experience with a larger, healthy church. I encourage you to encourage and bless him and to have him over for dinner!
The first Sunday of my absence will be May 11. Bryan will begin May 25 immediately after his graduation.
A dear friend died. What is amazing is that he was chairman of the elders of the church and I am the preaching minister. Unfortunately such warmth in that relationship is more rare than many might imagine. It wasn't that we were buddies or hung out together, but over the years the relationship had become close. We communicated personally nearly every week and often multiple times in a week - by phone or email or in person. There was complete honesty and trust. No egg shells to walk on. No shading true feelings or opinions in order to keep things civil. As a minister for whom an elder is "boss" Browning was a person I knew without reservation cared about my family and our well-being. One daughter said it was like losing a grandfather. Just last week I had picked something up at his house and he talked about his concern for his brother and sister-in-law as his brother was seriously affected by Alzheimer's. And I had talked with him in the past few years about dealing with my parents' care up to their deaths.I remember when I interviewed 15 years years ago, Browning was my chauffeur to the hotel or airport and our conversations from the beginning were comfortable. He was my liaison elder for all these years and I am bold enough to say that our good relationship was of much value to the well-being of the church.I will greatly miss him.It is amazing how potent very small actions can be in their significance. When I deleted his name from my cell phone and from my email contacts, it broke my heart. Such a small act. The push of a button. It felt so wrong and disrespectful. One keystroke and he is off the list. But the hole in my heart and in my life is huge. That will always be there.
In the March 2008 issue of Wired magazine, editor Chris Anderson explains how "free" is the new economy and the future of business. As digital storage and processing plummet in cost the two "main scarcity functions of traditional economics--the marginal costs of manufacturing and distribution--are rushing headlong to zip." But money is not the only scarcity. The other two chief scarcities in our world today are time and respect or the "attention economy" and the "reputation economy."In some ways the church has recognized this all along and has provided many open doors and opportunities free of charge in order to get people's attention and respect. Examples would include Vacation Bible School and Marriage/Family seminars. This is the basic "economy" of addressing felt needs in order to connect with people in hopes they will then see the beauty of Christ.But this task is getting harder and harder as the challenge of winning time and respect gets more difficult. In the market place of ideas, images and advertising in a busy world the challenge of getting anyone to give you the time of day for a word about God is a huge barrier. The increase in telemarketing, mail solicitations and catalogs, sales attempts or charity solicitations at the door all cause one to tune out and turn off. You can't buy a pair of socks at the store without a solicitation to apply for a credit card - even if you already have one from that store! In a world where "everybody wants something from you" it is hard to get a hearing for God. My own experience is that people in our local church often don't even read the church bulletin or open mail from the church.Then there is reputation. "Church" has a credibility problem stemming both from bad press such as moral hypocrisy in national religious figures to well-intended but poorly received individual efforts. Yesterday my wife was at the grocery store and was helped to the car by an store employee. She asked "How are you doing today?" The reply, "I'm ready for the Judgment!" That may well have been a well-intended "witnessing" but in reality it was a conversation killer. Both issues, time and respect, are hurdles for a national campaign underway to distribute a book titled The Agony and Glory of the Cross. It is distributed free, so money is not the issue. But to expect people who are not already connected to Christianity to take the time to read and to be drawn to a book about the "agony" of the cross is an unrealistic expectation. You and I might find it interesting and appealing and we have a basis for appreciating the "agony and glory" of the cross, but why would the "unchurched" person on the street take the time to read it?The path to overcoming the hurdle of time and reputation is personal ministry to individuals. It is for the church to be of obvious and practical value to the community. The open door that our church is exploring in ministering to kids (and by extension, to families) through service in the local schools is a way to not only "do what Jesus would do," in other words, be faithful in Christian living and service, but also to connect with people who are busy, overwhelmed by entities trying to get their attention, and often suspicious of church - or for whom a church is simply irrelevant.The church has long had the "free" part down. Wisdom is needed in getting through the time and respect barriers.
I suppose it is nearly impossible not to prioritize threads of teaching that run through the Bible. We may have multiple layers of such threads, but let's imagine an A, B and C layer. The "A" layer consists of those threads of teaching to which we give the most attention, consider the most important, and work on the most. The "B" layer is one that we also consider significant, but not quite up to the "A" level. Our mistakes or failures in the "B" level are a concern, but may not be considered fatal like the "A" level failures. Then there is the "C" level which we know is there, but we are not sure what to do with it or how to apply it or how it dovetails with other material or which we simply find uncomfortable.
Now imagine that you switch the "A" and "C" level material. Everything would have a different perspective. We learn and grow and are challenged when we do this, either by talking to someone whose teaching thread priorities are opposite ours or by reading a book which reverses our poles.That is the challenge that the book Jesus for President poses for me (written by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw). They move care for the poor, justice, stewardship of creation, love of enemies, peace-making and not being "of" the world to the "A" level call and demand of being a disciple of Jesus.
I knew for some time I wanted to read such a book which challenges the assumptions and the foundations of "middle class" Christianity. Frankly I found the OT, NT and early church history sections better done and more convicting than I expected. I found myself thinking, "yes, that is really what the text says." Example: "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors....But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind and you will be blessed." (Luke 14:12-14) How often have you actually obeyed that teaching of Jesus??? Or disobeyed???
Of course, it is the application to real life in our culture where the stress comes and where the debate primarily lies. Many people will bristle and be offended by the authors' convictions. There were places they went that I am not willing to go.
But even so, I came away with a heightened sense of awareness of how I live and think and more critically aware of what I take for granted. It challenged, at least for the moment, some lifestyle and material assumptions or habits. This is minor, but I chose not to watch a certain TV show, not because there was any overt moral issue in the show, but because I had to deal with my stewardship of time and the deeper moral issue of cultural values that underlie the show's premise.
At a much deeper level one is challenged as to what it means to have Jesus as Lord instead of Caesar. To what extent can I reap the rewards and benefits of a middle class American lifestyle and not ask hard questions about economic justice, politics, military power, and "God and America" theology.
Some of you will find the book radical and offensive. Some will find it convicting. Many will find some of both. Try hearing the case from a consistent social justice perspective remembering the judgment parable of Jesus in Matthew 25 which bases our final judgment on how we responded to the hungry, naked, lonely, imprisoned and sick. Let the "C" level become your "A" level for a few days. Maybe "A" and "C" will not remain reversed, but "C" will no longer run a distant third in your theology and life.
ps. I sent this to "publish" and immediately, I mean it hadn't even finished processing, a person came into the office looking for food. What are you trying to teach me, God?
I finished reading the novel The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks around midnight just as I turned 57. It is a love story tracing a true love from teen years through Alzheimer's. I read it because a friend said it changed his life as a husband. I think because of the juxtaposition of the reading and the birthday it set me to thinking.
We think of 57 as middle aged and I suppose it is although technically I'm way past the mid-point - not likely to make it to 114. But we mean it more in terms of adulthood so it is probably fair to say this is somewhere in the second half of middle age.
So today I am reflecting on my own true love. Everyone married has a love story, although seldom quite measuring up to a novel. But, without going TMI, mine is pretty good. We knew on our first date that we would be on a marrying track. Not the sort of thing you want to hear from one of your kids, but quite powerful to experience yourself!
Every season of life has its challenges: the finding of yourself in early adulthood, the adjustments of newly married, the birthing and pre-school years, parenting through the school and teen years, launching kids post high school, etc. At 57 there are highlights to anticipate, but one also knows that the nature of the challenges ahead will often be physical as the body begins to rebel against all the use it has had.
Spark's novel is a poignant portrayal of love facing one of the "big"ones toward the end of life. We all need models of the fulfillment of commitment and love in hard times.
So for me 57 is a vantage point from which to be very thankful for many blessings in life and to renew marital love and deepen the spiritual base or footing for the journey ahead. Life is so fascinating because you never "arrive." There is so much more to learn, grow, develop, experience, appreciate, and understand. Keep growing spiritually (relationship with God) and in the relationships closest to you in life. Don't "settle in" and coast downhill from where you are. Go deeper.
The headline across the top of local section of yesterday's paper read "Abortion Clips Screened in Class." Before even reading the article I could be sure it had been done by a person who opposes abortion. Why was I so sure? Because you never have pro-abortion people wanting to screen photos or film of abortions. One side wants the reality exposed; the other prefers it ignored. That speaks volumes.
I am not condoning what the first year teacher did. It was ill-considered, against policy, and counter-productive. But you could be sure screening the results of abortion wasn't an attempt to promote abortions!
You should read The Shack by William P. Young. This short novel may be one of the best and most challenging books of theology you ever read. Echoing Eugene Peterson's recommendation, it may become the Pilgrim's Progress for the post-modern age. I, for one, will confess that I bogged down in the Pilgrim's Progress and never finished reading it. It was powerful in its time, but I am not of its time.The Shack is a simple tragic story in which a devastated individual encounters God in the midst of his hurt, pain and questions. The course of their encounter ranges over the big issues of life: the true meaning of love, freedom, forgiveness, sacrifice, relationships, justice, judgment, suffering, deception, power, how God can "allow" evil to take place in the world, and even the nature of "trinity."You will have "aha" moments, touching moments, "wait a minute" moments, and discussions about it with others. There are some powerful statements that will bless a marriage if a couple will chew on them together.If you have ever thought about how it would be to see the world and life through the eyes of God, this novel will give you a credible shot at it. But, like the protagonist in the novel, you will have to wrestle with how to retain that glimpse at work on Monday morning. Yet, there is a good chance your life will be changed by this book.The reason this work resonates in our post-modern age is that the messages are embedded in a concrete story. We feel the struggle. This is not a systematic theology textbook with bullet points. I suspect most (I say most because some of us are still "modern" in our thinking) who read it will have a friend or family member whom they think will be challenged and blessed by the book. It has the potential to deepen "average" faith or possibly start a person on a journey of faith. The book touches the heart while challenging the head.
I suppose I should include the disclaimer that, of course, there are places to quibble and gaps in what is said. It is not a complete theology of the biblical principles. But I am confident you will find the protagonist saying things you have thought and said in your journey of faith. And some of the answers will be very satisfying.
I was 14 when the Mustang debuted. My best friend in high school had a red '65 convertible in which we cruised many a Houston street on muggy weekend nights. I especially liked the '67-'68 versions and when the retro 2005 Mustang came out, I was hooked.
Who could have imagined in the mid-60's in the midst of the Vietnam War that the chief engineer on the retro version 40 years later would be a kid living in Saigon when the American military evacuated. Truth is stranger than fiction.
Hau Thai-Tang grew up in Saigon during the war. Dad taught school and mom worked for Chase Manhattan bank in Saigon. When the war was winding down and the US was evacuating, some Chase people offered to help emigrate Hau's family. He was nine years old.
They were told "You're going to America. Listen to this radio and when you hear White Christmas by Bing Crosby, you'll have an hour to get to the airlift destination." They could each take one carry-on bag and kept them lined up at the door in readiness.
One day in April 1975 White Christmas came on the radio. (How surreal is that?) They sped to the airport and got on an American military plane. The next day Saigon fell.
His hope had been some day to maybe own a car. But now this Vietnamese war refugee has engineered the most iconic American car. While in some ways this is a bizarre story, it seems to me to be a most American story. We all came from somewhere else to a land where any kid can grow to be anything.
