From Secular to Sacred

Took a walk in the woods today with Joy and Jamie.
So beautiful outside.
Now I'm watching The Blues Brothers.
So ridiculously funny.
The presence of God makes all of life sacred.

Stay and Watch A Little Longer

The four of us took a cruise. It was amazing. Joy and I truly enjoyed being out on one of the decks and just being very near to the ocean for periods of time....observing, reading, and drinking in the sunsets.

One night a larger group than normal came out on the deck to watch the sunset. As soon as the sun went under the ocean, most of the folks went back inside. But it was during the next half hour when the sky truly became transformed with colors of pink and purple in ways I cannot desribe...only to say it was wonder-full.

The Kingdom of God is like this. God does some pretty surprising and beautiful things, and if we choose to keep waiting and watching, we can participate in what the Lord is creating.

May it be so for you.

Truth Has A Body

I'm reading a great book called Emerging Churches by Bolger and Gibbs. They were talking about the sometimes ambiguity of truth...that truth isn't simply a set of propositions, but that truth has a "body." The life of a person best represents the truths that have shaped that life and one's life has shaped the understanding of truth. Think about all the truths that have changed you and continue to bring change in how you view and live your life. And think about how your living has directed your acceptance or rejection of certain truths.

So, here's some questions.

*What truth has most given you passion lately?

*What truth do you believe God is desiring to still give you insight about?

*If you could summarize the truths that your life has so far most clearly demonstrated, what would they be?


One truth is...I am thankful for my friends and companions on the journey.

Bertand's Book

Hi. How you doing? I'm happy tonight. I'm sitting by a fireplace, and I'm reading.
I'm reading my grandfather's Bible. His name was Bertrand David Nysewander, and he was a UM pastor. This Bible consist of the New Testament and the Psalms....just a nice size book to carry for the journey.
I'm really enjoying reading this Bible because I'm reading it in a new way. I'm reading it through the lens of Jesus and the kingdom. It says that Jesus taught, preached, and lived out the "gospel of the kingdom." And then it goes on to paint a painting of what this gospel is. So far it's about healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, peace-making, trust, love for God, secretly praying and giving, being comforted, mercy, and being salt and light for this world that God has created and loves so very much.

I feel like my grandpa put this book into my hands!
I need to have it as a focus to know what "it" and what I am all about.
I need it to help others know what we're about ...that it's about the gospel of the kingdom in the church, but even more than that, the gospel of the kingdom on this earth.
And I need it to help us get past the language that our main business is "making disciples," because when we stop at that we are tempted to only count numbers and think we're accomplishing our goal. But our goal is to make disciples of Jesus who are fully called and devoted to both learn what that gospel means and then give the rest of their lives to proclaim it through word and deed.

Starving Jesus

I received an e-mail today from a young man who has decided to give up his fledgling acting career and go to seminary. He's used his talent to produce a short film titled Starving Jesus (that he's also selling to support his seminary studies). You can watch the video on his blog, Send Blaine To Mars. Pastor Jim is very passionate about "everyone in ministry" and this video is about letting go of what we hold on to that prevents us from getting out of the pew and doing something, instead we hold on and "starve Jesus."

What am I holding on to? How am I starving Jesus? Why is it so hard to let go?

Incarnation (entering the world) of churches

In early September I started visiting my 59 churches. My last visit is tomorrow night! Each of the gatherings has been beautiful...times of sacred conversation. Parishoners Celebrated what God has been doing in their midst during the last year, and at times, we gained a glimpse of what God might be leading them to do/be next.

I've realized that God can work God's ways among churches of ALL sizes.

I've realized that God works God's Creative Kingdom Making Power in a Thousand different ways. (Variety is God's thing...just look around the creation!)

I've realized that churches refuse to give up and almost always fight for Life just like individual human beings.

I've realized.
I've loved.
I've been loved.

Incarnation(having entered the world) of Christ Church

I was with them-we were with them for 12 years from 94 to 06. It was an amazing chapter in our life story. Lafayette and the church were the right places and people in which to raise David and Rachel. The church went on an adventure of thinking, struggling, praying and discerning, researching and organizing, and finally deciding to move 2 miles south to be about the Kingdom business. After constructing a pretty cool building, we did a number of other things like hiring an amazing staff. We also began the long, arduous, and absolutely fun journey of creating worship that spoke to younger seekers of God while continuing to address the needs of those cherishing the tradition. I'm also proud that we began and continue to feed 50 folks each week at the mental health drop in center and provide worship every Tuesday night at the homeless shelter. Young families came to the church with their children and came into their own. And we made such beautiful friends.

Now, we are gone. With their new leader Jim, they are moving into another cool chapter of life together. Three services begin tomorrow!

Now, we are gone. Such is life. Bless them Papa. Thank you Christ Church.

Incarnation(entering the world) of Bob

I was spending some time in the Marion Starbucks. There were three folks who were training and getting prepared to operate the new Starbucks that's opening on the corner of 22 and 69. One of them went outside for a smoke just as I was leaving and heading for my car. I decided to make some human contact happen with him.

His name is Bob. He and his wife just moved from Dayton , because she just got a job here as a repoter for the local newspaper. Bob told me that there's not many jobs to be found in this area. We talked a little about living in this rural part of Indiana....a little isolated but beautiful. We talked a little about church. I told Bob about the other coffee shop near the new Starbucks called Paynes. He says he's heard it's a nice place. It is. But I'll probably go buy a cup of coffee from Bob too. Bob went back in to train for his new job. I headed for my car to go to work.