Hey, keep your wits about you, God's Kingdom is at hand.
It may come in the form of God's steadfast love, joy and peace.
Perhaps it will arrive as a moment for you to serve in just the right way.
You never know when it will show up.
It could be like what happened to Joy and I
when we were walking in the woods yesterday, and all of a sudden, three deer ran by.
It might be an opportunity to forgive and reconcile.
It might be a brand new understanding that you weren't ready for until now.
There is a Rule of Love....a Mission of God that is emerging on the earth
and inviting us to join forces with.
I invite you to re-read the book of Matthew.
It has one main theme and that is that
the Kingdom of God is at hand. And all the rest of the book describes that Kingdom and how Jesus and his students help bring about God's Rule of Love.
God's Kingdom...ready to emerge
in our hearts,
our relationships,
our churches,
our communities,
and our world.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Monday, October 23, 2006
Our Mission Is About God's Dream
I just finished preparing for the upcoming gathering/conversation in Indy about McLaren's book The Secret Message of Jesus. It is so inspiring! As I travel around to the 59 churches in my district, a couple of things stand out. One is that the people and power of God are both alive and well in churches both large and small. The second is that the church must learn that the goal is not ultimately about the church. If the church "gives up its life, it will find it."
The main vision the book says Jesus was about is "What is God's Dream for the world and what can we do to work along with God to bring it about?"...not... "How can the world make the church be all it can be?"
So, the church is on a mission. We do want a strong church, but that is not the ultimate mission. The mission is God's Dream. I'm watching Star Trek-The Next Generation right now. The mission is not for there to be a strong starship Enterprise. It is for a strong Enterprise to fulfill the mission of exploring the universe. Our Bishop phrases it like this..."making disciples for the transformation of the world."
The main vision the book says Jesus was about is "What is God's Dream for the world and what can we do to work along with God to bring it about?"...not... "How can the world make the church be all it can be?"
So, the church is on a mission. We do want a strong church, but that is not the ultimate mission. The mission is God's Dream. I'm watching Star Trek-The Next Generation right now. The mission is not for there to be a strong starship Enterprise. It is for a strong Enterprise to fulfill the mission of exploring the universe. Our Bishop phrases it like this..."making disciples for the transformation of the world."
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Breathe in, Breathe out
Breathe in-breathe out
I was looking at the 9 Jesus ways(Blog date July 21)from the line of thought that some might be more personal and some more interactive-this eventually lead to the idea of breathing in from God and breathing out to community: the combination of breathing in and breathing out being necessary for life
This configuration came to mind:
Breathe in
Community-this gave me a whole new
appreciation for community-I had been
thinking of it in the sense of me giving to
it-but this configuration helped me see
how much I get from community
Breathe out
Sevanthood
Breathe in
Knowing that God is in control and God is good
Breathe out
Bringing healing and wholeness to all, esp the outcast
Breathe in
Seeking God’s will
Breathe out
Confronting darkness
Breathe in
Connecting to God
Breathe out
Forgiveness
I’ve used this as a prayer, actually doing the breathing-it’s been effective.
The ways have also taken on new meaning for me in their different pairings-Breathe in community, breathe out servanthood; Breathe in community, breathe out forgiveness,etc.
I was looking at the 9 Jesus ways(Blog date July 21)from the line of thought that some might be more personal and some more interactive-this eventually lead to the idea of breathing in from God and breathing out to community: the combination of breathing in and breathing out being necessary for life
This configuration came to mind:
Breathe in
Community-this gave me a whole new
appreciation for community-I had been
thinking of it in the sense of me giving to
it-but this configuration helped me see
how much I get from community
Breathe out
Sevanthood
Breathe in
Knowing that God is in control and God is good
Breathe out
Bringing healing and wholeness to all, esp the outcast
Breathe in
Seeking God’s will
Breathe out
Confronting darkness
Breathe in
Connecting to God
Breathe out
Forgiveness
I’ve used this as a prayer, actually doing the breathing-it’s been effective.
The ways have also taken on new meaning for me in their different pairings-Breathe in community, breathe out servanthood; Breathe in community, breathe out forgiveness,etc.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
I Touched The Number 5
As I was in bed last night, I prayed to God. I asked God again to take away my fear of death...to show me something as I slept. Then I had a dream.
I dreamed I was out of my flesh and blood body, and I was a spirit being. I was trying to figure out how to get/fly around. Then I spotted a sort of door or something with the #5 on it, and I decided to fly toward it and touch the number to prove to myself that I had some kind of control over this new "body" I lived in. I got down to the 5, touched it, and then I saw myself in a mirror. I was a different version of Craig all aglow in green light. (still kind of a little dude...oh well!) Then, I woke.
Perhaps God was revealing a glimpse.
I shared the dream with Joy and she recognized the #5 connecting to the 5 things I've talked to her aboutly lately as being very important guiding truths to me at this point in my journey. They are:
1) God loves us and life is a gift despite the reality of crisis in our midst. I choose to view life in this way vs. the other way around. May we embrace the wonder of it all and be here now.
2) We are invited to connect to God's transforming power on a regular basis.
3) Living a Jesus kind of life is what it's all about....serving, healing, seeking, forgiving...
4) We are asked to create many God communities/conversations both inside and outside the church building and people.
5) We're to do our part in transforming the world and to get on board with what the Boss is initiating on this planet just like he is in that other existence where light filled creatures continue their journey in seeking the deepest meanings.....
Dreams are cool crap.
I dreamed I was out of my flesh and blood body, and I was a spirit being. I was trying to figure out how to get/fly around. Then I spotted a sort of door or something with the #5 on it, and I decided to fly toward it and touch the number to prove to myself that I had some kind of control over this new "body" I lived in. I got down to the 5, touched it, and then I saw myself in a mirror. I was a different version of Craig all aglow in green light. (still kind of a little dude...oh well!) Then, I woke.
Perhaps God was revealing a glimpse.
I shared the dream with Joy and she recognized the #5 connecting to the 5 things I've talked to her aboutly lately as being very important guiding truths to me at this point in my journey. They are:
1) God loves us and life is a gift despite the reality of crisis in our midst. I choose to view life in this way vs. the other way around. May we embrace the wonder of it all and be here now.
2) We are invited to connect to God's transforming power on a regular basis.
3) Living a Jesus kind of life is what it's all about....serving, healing, seeking, forgiving...
4) We are asked to create many God communities/conversations both inside and outside the church building and people.
5) We're to do our part in transforming the world and to get on board with what the Boss is initiating on this planet just like he is in that other existence where light filled creatures continue their journey in seeking the deepest meanings.....
Dreams are cool crap.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Bridges Out Of Poverty
Back in August, Tim posted a passionate call to serve the poor. The responses were not really a surprise (to me). It's a huge issue, so huge that we, together and as individuals, often have a difficult time getting our arms wrapped around it. This is understandable, because those in the middle class - and I think anyone reading this falls into that category - do not understand the world of poverty, no more than those in poverty understand the world of the middle class, or the middle class understands the world of the wealthy. We are a class society, and each class has its hidden rules and assumptions that make it difficult not only to understand each other but also to move between classes, either up or down.
This idea is not new. I recently attended a lecture by Phillip Devol, co-author of Bridges Out Of Poverty, and I have begun to read a book written by another of the co-authors, Ruby K. Payne, titled A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Often we in the middle class who want to "help" the poor operate under the hidden rules and assumptions of the middle class without realizing it. They are the very mindset, or "mental map," within which we unconsciously follow as we go about our day-to-day lives. The poor and the wealthy have a different set of hidden rules. I've found all of this extrememly enlightening. Many of the hidden rules of poverty are often misinterpreted by the middle class who are often trying to help people get out of poverty, and many of our government programs designed to help those in poverty do not take this into account either.
In general, the poor live in the present. What is most important to them is what is happening right now. In effect, they are in "survival mode" and don't consider the future implications of the choices they make in the present. That is not a criticism; as I said, their mindset is necessary for daily survival. Often we think of poverty as solely a scarcity of financial resources. While financial resources are certainly important, it is acutally the scarcity of a variety of resources that define poverty - resources such as emotional, spiritual, support, mental, and physical, including financial. All three classes can be defined by how they use and manage these resources. For instance, to the poor, money is meant to be spent . Emergencies will always happen, so you might as well spend it now while you have it. To the middle class, money is to be managed, because the middle class mindset is focused on the future - for vacations, retirement, kids college, remodeling the house, etc. In the wealthy class, money is for investing and preserving, because the wealthy mindset is focused on preserving key connections and the status that comes with those connections.
So what does this mean? Well, one thing that struck me was the importance of relationships among the poor. People are a resource for those in poverty. Any wonder why Jesus spent time with the least, last and lost? Because he found them entertaining? (Entertainment - and the ability to entertain others with your stories and personality - is an important resource to the poor.) Or was he developing relationships? This is kingdom stuff here.
So in answer to Tim's challenge - our first step is to understand the poor and the world they live in, and the resources that are available or not available to them that go beyond the financial. Develop mentoring relationships with the poor to help them transition to the middle class. Help them understand the "hidden rules" of the middle class so that they can function. Once a person transitions from poverty to the middle class, they lose the relationships and resources they once had. It's like when a person graduates from high school and goes to college. The high school friends who don't go on to college are left behind, and maybe resentful that you did because they know the relationship won't continue. And when you get to college it's a different world from high school, with different assumptions and rules that you have to learn during that awkward freshman year.
But when you're in college, there are upper classmen who might provide help along the way, even mentor you on the "ins and outs" of college. That's what the poor need as they transition to the middle class, and where we can help. It's also where government programs fail. Once a person "gets out" of poverty, the government cuts the support they got to get out in the first place! A person transitioning out of poverty needs 2 to 3 years of support before they begin to understand how to live in the middle class.
I could write a lot more. Just go find the books I mentioned if you haven't already read them. Your eyes will be opened. God bless!
This idea is not new. I recently attended a lecture by Phillip Devol, co-author of Bridges Out Of Poverty, and I have begun to read a book written by another of the co-authors, Ruby K. Payne, titled A Framework for Understanding Poverty. Often we in the middle class who want to "help" the poor operate under the hidden rules and assumptions of the middle class without realizing it. They are the very mindset, or "mental map," within which we unconsciously follow as we go about our day-to-day lives. The poor and the wealthy have a different set of hidden rules. I've found all of this extrememly enlightening. Many of the hidden rules of poverty are often misinterpreted by the middle class who are often trying to help people get out of poverty, and many of our government programs designed to help those in poverty do not take this into account either.
In general, the poor live in the present. What is most important to them is what is happening right now. In effect, they are in "survival mode" and don't consider the future implications of the choices they make in the present. That is not a criticism; as I said, their mindset is necessary for daily survival. Often we think of poverty as solely a scarcity of financial resources. While financial resources are certainly important, it is acutally the scarcity of a variety of resources that define poverty - resources such as emotional, spiritual, support, mental, and physical, including financial. All three classes can be defined by how they use and manage these resources. For instance, to the poor, money is meant to be spent . Emergencies will always happen, so you might as well spend it now while you have it. To the middle class, money is to be managed, because the middle class mindset is focused on the future - for vacations, retirement, kids college, remodeling the house, etc. In the wealthy class, money is for investing and preserving, because the wealthy mindset is focused on preserving key connections and the status that comes with those connections.
So what does this mean? Well, one thing that struck me was the importance of relationships among the poor. People are a resource for those in poverty. Any wonder why Jesus spent time with the least, last and lost? Because he found them entertaining? (Entertainment - and the ability to entertain others with your stories and personality - is an important resource to the poor.) Or was he developing relationships? This is kingdom stuff here.
So in answer to Tim's challenge - our first step is to understand the poor and the world they live in, and the resources that are available or not available to them that go beyond the financial. Develop mentoring relationships with the poor to help them transition to the middle class. Help them understand the "hidden rules" of the middle class so that they can function. Once a person transitions from poverty to the middle class, they lose the relationships and resources they once had. It's like when a person graduates from high school and goes to college. The high school friends who don't go on to college are left behind, and maybe resentful that you did because they know the relationship won't continue. And when you get to college it's a different world from high school, with different assumptions and rules that you have to learn during that awkward freshman year.
But when you're in college, there are upper classmen who might provide help along the way, even mentor you on the "ins and outs" of college. That's what the poor need as they transition to the middle class, and where we can help. It's also where government programs fail. Once a person "gets out" of poverty, the government cuts the support they got to get out in the first place! A person transitioning out of poverty needs 2 to 3 years of support before they begin to understand how to live in the middle class.
I could write a lot more. Just go find the books I mentioned if you haven't already read them. Your eyes will be opened. God bless!
Sunday, October 08, 2006
4 THOUGHTS
4 thoughts:
1) God loves us and has given us this most amazing existence called life. One of my friends, who was in the process of dying, opened all his prayers by saying....God, thank you for the gift of this day. .
2) We are to help people become more like Jesus. Christians can get way off base. I'm reading a book about the election of Gene Robinson as Episcopal Bishop who, by the way, is gay. One of the groups that was protesting this is out of Topeka Kansas and their webite is GODHATESFAGS.COM
May our churches actually create Jesus-like people who, by the way, are called to love the people in Topeka.
3) I believe we are called to create 1,000 different kinds of community so folks don't have to go on the journey alone.
4) We are called to take God's love to the world and all we encounter.
1) God loves us and has given us this most amazing existence called life. One of my friends, who was in the process of dying, opened all his prayers by saying....God, thank you for the gift of this day. .
2) We are to help people become more like Jesus. Christians can get way off base. I'm reading a book about the election of Gene Robinson as Episcopal Bishop who, by the way, is gay. One of the groups that was protesting this is out of Topeka Kansas and their webite is GODHATESFAGS.COM
May our churches actually create Jesus-like people who, by the way, are called to love the people in Topeka.
3) I believe we are called to create 1,000 different kinds of community so folks don't have to go on the journey alone.
4) We are called to take God's love to the world and all we encounter.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Who We Are and What We Do
Joy and I continue to be guided by The 9 Ways of a Jesus Follower. We daily write them out from memory and use them as a formula for prayer. Last night I put them into two different categories that I think are important.
Who we are as Jesus followers:
* We are people in community.
* We assume a Yes about the God of the Universe. (faith)
* We seek God's will.
* We are connected to God for power and transformation.
What we do as Jesus followers:
* We offer healing and shalom to all especially the outcasts.
* We teach and demonstrate the Kingdom of God.
* We are servants.
* We confront darkness.
* We forgive and are reconcilers.
After deconstructing and reconstructing my faith, this is what came out on top and has stuck. I pray that it continues to shape how I live.
Who we are as Jesus followers:
* We are people in community.
* We assume a Yes about the God of the Universe. (faith)
* We seek God's will.
* We are connected to God for power and transformation.
What we do as Jesus followers:
* We offer healing and shalom to all especially the outcasts.
* We teach and demonstrate the Kingdom of God.
* We are servants.
* We confront darkness.
* We forgive and are reconcilers.
After deconstructing and reconstructing my faith, this is what came out on top and has stuck. I pray that it continues to shape how I live.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Monday, October 02, 2006
LIVE BIG
In a sense, death for us all, swiftly approaches. So, we are invited by that reality to hold life precious and dear.
We do that by making each day and relationship count.
I witnessed a young couple angry and sniping at each other in the grocery parking lot. I don't want to be judgemental of anyone, but I feel like I've seen too much of this lately.
But I also see so many folks, including some of those same couples, seeking to make a difference in the world.
I was at a funeral of a UM pastor last week who kisssed his wife goodnight and died. At the end of the worship service, the pastor who was officiating told us to go forward to "live big...don't live small" he said, "but live big!"
I am so very thankful that we have a big God and the Jesus community empowering us to do just that.
We do that by making each day and relationship count.
I witnessed a young couple angry and sniping at each other in the grocery parking lot. I don't want to be judgemental of anyone, but I feel like I've seen too much of this lately.
But I also see so many folks, including some of those same couples, seeking to make a difference in the world.
I was at a funeral of a UM pastor last week who kisssed his wife goodnight and died. At the end of the worship service, the pastor who was officiating told us to go forward to "live big...don't live small" he said, "but live big!"
I am so very thankful that we have a big God and the Jesus community empowering us to do just that.
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