Red Dirt Road

Country music is not my favorite music. I have no dislike of it. In reality I was raised listening almost exclusively to it with my father. I was able to see many of the old time country music greats (George Jones, Bill Anderson, Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, Buck Owens, Carl Smith, Loretta Lynn, Kitty Wells, the list could on) in the mid 60's live with my Mom and Dad.

Now, I am just basically a rock and roll fan.

That being said, I think country musicians are the best story tellers as song writers. (I write that in spite of the old joke about backward masking country music getting your truck, girl, and dog back.) In my opinion, the only music to come close was the old R&B in the late 60's and early 70's. There were some great stories woven in there as well!

Two years ago, while on my flight to Africa, I came across a song by the country duet Brooks and Dunn. The song gripped me like only a song can do. It held my attention the entire flight over on the in-seat music programming, and did the same on the return flight. That song is entitled Red Dirt Road. It tells the story of an aspect of the author's childhood and his outlook on life. In many respects it could be my story. (Full lyrics are below.)

This weekend I will be driving to North Carolina, where I was born to perform my baby brother's wedding. (He is 46 years old.) I will be traveling with my grandson Gavin. He and I have made this trip a couple of times now. I left NC in 1976 at the age of 22 and have never lived there since. It is still HOME in many respects. And for the first time last fall, I felt a tinge of homesickness on a return trip. Many things played into it, at that time, but feel it I did.

As I thought about that experience, and my song experience with Red Dirt Road, I tied it to something I have been trying to do for some time. I have been wanting to get a tattoo. I have wanted one that connected me with my heritage as a southerner. In my later years, I am more proud of that than I have ever been. Over the last decade I had many ideas of what the tattoo should be, but nothing fit or it could have been misconstrued and been offensive to someone. Thus it never happened. But now it will. I have chosen what the tattoo will be. (I am not about to tell you what it is now!) I am making plans for my tattoo and preparing to visit my old stomping grounds. It will for me be a Red Dirt Road sort of experience.

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Red Dirt Road
by Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn

I was raised off of Route Three
Out where the blacktop ends.
We'd walk to Church on Sunday mornings,
Race barefoot back to Johnson's fence.
That's where I first saw Mary,
On that roadside pickin' blackberries.
That summer I turned a corner in my soul,
Down that red dirt road.

It's where I drank my first beer.
It's where I found Jesus.
Where I wrecked my first car: I tore it all to pieces.
I learned the path to Heaven,
Is full of sinners an' believers.
Learned that happiness on earth,
Ain't just for high achievers.
I've learned; I come to know,
There's life at both ends,Of that red dirt road.

Her Daddy didn't like me much,
In my shackled up GTO.
Oh, I'd sneak out in the middle of the night,
Throw rocks at her bedroom window.
We'd turn out the headlights,
Drive by the moonlight.
Talk about what the future might hold,
Down that red dirt road.It's where I drank my first beer.

It's where I found Jesus.
Where I wrecked my first car:I tore it all to pieces.
I learned the path to Heaven,
Is full of sinners an' believers.
Learned that happiness on earth,
Ain't just for high achievers.
I've learned; I come to know,
There's life at both ends,
Of that red dirt road.

I went out into the world,
An' I came back in.
I lost Mary: Oh, I got her back again.
An' drivin' home tonight,
Feels like I've found a long-lost friend.

It's where I drank my first beer.
It's where I found Jesus.
Where I wrecked my first car:I tore it all to pieces.
I learned the path to Heaven,
Is full of sinners an' believers.
Learned that happiness on earth,
Ain't just for high achievers.
I've learned; I come to know,
There's life at both ends,
Of that red dirt road.

Kodachrome

As I have begun to look on the process of my blogging, I have had to do some serious evaluating. When I first began doing this in 2005, it was meant as a means to help the church where I was serving as Pastor. Since I am no longer in that position, it has caused no small amount of consternation. It has caused me to ask such questions as:

• "What is the purpose of doing this?"
• "Why should I continue?"
• "Should I continue?"
• "Does anyone read it?"
• "Does it really matter if they do not?"

While pondering this I have come to compare this stuggle with the lyrics of the Paul Simon song circa 1973 Kodachrome. The song sums up a lot of the message with the lyric "Everything looks worse in black and white." (The entire lyrics are below.) Simon seems to be saying we color things in our mind to be a certain way, and when we see them as they really are it is not very pretty. Let me keep the colorized version.

I have come to think that the writing of this blog is actually like that. I have been viewing it through Kodachrome eyes and when I really look at it in black and white, it is not that pretty. In reality, much of what is said here really does not matter to those who read or do not read it. I am only kidding myself to think otherwise. I am sure the content of the writing has revealed that very stuggle.

As I have pondered this issue (while mowing the lawn, or on a long bike ride) I have come to a conclusion. It can best be summarized like this: I am actually writing for me. It is my outlet. I really cannot be doing this in the hopes that someone else reads it or likes it or is changed by it. Truthfully . . . in black and white . . . I write for the same reason every great and not-so-great writer in all of history has written. "I have something I want to say" and this just so happens is one of my venues.

So . . . my writing will change . . . or not. But I will be doing this because I really want to say something and leave whatever happens, or does not happen, to others.

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Kodachrome
by Paul Simon

When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school
It's a wonderI can think at all
And though my lack of education hasn't hurt me none
I can read the writing on the wall

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day
Oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away

If you took all the girls I knew when I was single
And brought them all together for one night
I know they'd never match my sweet imagination
everything looks worse in black and white

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day
Oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away

Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Mama don't take my Kodachrome away

The Death of Jerry Falwell

I know. I know. I know.

With the passing of Jerry Falwell there will be no end of folks lining up to take pot shots at him and the "religious right." I have no intentions of doing any such thing.

Did I agree with all of his theology? Did I agree with all of his politics? Did I agree with all of his methods? Do I agree with yours? Do you agree with mine?

The answer to ALL of these questions is, of course, "No."

In spite of the areas where I disagreed with Jerry Falwell, I would like to point out one area where I did agree and he actually did Christians a major service. He taught us to GET INVOLVED IN OUR CULTURE. You may not have liked what he did or how he did it, but at least he got off his duff and did something.

Personally, I cannot always say the same thing. I will wager, that neither can you.

If I do not approve of his issues . . . then pick my own issues.

If I do not agree with his stances . . . then take my own stance.

If I do not think his attitude was always loving . . . then by God's grace let me be loving.

Jerry Falwell is a hero to some and a villian to others. I do not really know what your opinion is on this one. And I will guess, you do not care what mine is, so I will not state it (especially since it is not simple and clean cut.) But ALL of us can learn from him that as Christians we should become involved in our culture and not simply sit on the sidelines and take pot shots at it.

Which unfortunately is all most of us actually do I fear. At least he did not simply do that. He tried in his way to get involved and make a difference.

I wish I could do that half as well.

The World of the Bible - Parts 2 - 4

To conclude . . . finally. (Nope! I am not giving an excuse or a reason for my absence! Read smile here.)

Not Right/Wrong but Honor/Shame

We spend all of our discussions centered around whether something is right or wrong. That was seldom, if ever, in the equation during the Biblical era. The question for them was "Will this honor or shame my family?"

For example: When I was about 7 or 8 years old, I stole a candy bar from a local grocery store. My Dad found out. Uh oh. After the obligatory "punishment," I had to go back to the store, apologize and pay for it. He made sure I did too. It would never occur in that fashion in a Bibilcal era. They dealt with things privately. If it were to become public, it would shame the family.

Read the passage where it is Jesus vs. lawyers or vs. the Pharisees. It almost always is an attempt to take his honor.

In their culture, honor was so important, that the position of honor was seated, not standing. To stand was to say you were the lesser. Teaching was almost always done from a seated position. Check out the stories in the Bible, e.g. Jesus sits on a boat to teach. There are exceptions, but not many.

Not Future/Present/Past but Present/Past/Future

In most of our discussions, we talk about tomorrow, the future, first. We talk about where we are headed, our vision, our hopes, etc. Then we talk about today. We barely discuss or learn from the past. We look to the past as a final resort usually.

Biblical personalities, are living in the present. It is like this, for the most part, they were poor. Today was important, not planning for tomorrow." Today we look to the future and plan for it. They live in the present, which comes out of the past, and have little time to discuss the future. They asked for "daily bread," we plan for retirement.

At Passover, a place is set for Elijah, and at one point, someone gets up and goes to the door to see if he is there. It is about the present welcoming the past.

Not Individual but the Group

There is no private rights. The rights of the group is key. All of life is very public. There is no discussion of a right to privacy in the Middle East even today. Everyone is in everyone else’s business. The idea is that the group is what is important.

All of these four items are crucial, but the final one gets me more than the others. What does that say about me?

The World of the Bible - Part 1

It has been a while since I wrote anything that resembled a series. Perhaps it is time for the drought to end.

With the change in my "career," "ministry," or "work," I have had many people ask me how it is going, what do I miss, etc. Those questions are easy to answer. I miss one thing more than all the others combined - teaching and preaching. This is not bragging, but I know what I am good at, and this is something I do well. That is one of the ways God has gifted me. That being the case, I miss it greatly. Last weekend while doing some work, I was listening to a friend's teaching podcast. It was then that I was reminded once again, how much I miss teaching. So, I thought, if this new position does not provide that, what could? I thought of my writing. This is one place where that can happen. So here it goes.

If there is one characteristic of my teaching that stands above the others it would be my commitment to accurately exegete Scripture. That comes from my training. It was drilled into my head in four collegiate years, five seminary years, and four years of doctoral work. It has imbedded itself in me in 30 years of ministry.

There are two things that really burn my toast. The first is Christian "eisegesis" in place of "exegesis." Exegeis is the ability to study and draw OUT of Scripture what it says. Eisegesis, is the reading INTO Scripture our views, our politics, our pet peeves, our interpretation, and so on. The second is small groups and "Bible studies," sitting around sharing their collective ignorance. I will avoid the temptation, and not go there now.

When we start to try to accurately understand the world of the Bible, although it spreads out over 1,500 years, there are some marked differences from our own. I intend to talk briefly about some of them over the next few days. I have discussed these for years, but the language here is not my own. I heard someone else give several of these thoughts "handles." So, whoever it was that gave me the verbiage, thank you.

Difference #1 - It is not Industrial / Technological but Agricultural

Some of you read that and said, "Ho-hum, next. This is so obivous." That may be true in substance but in practicality it gets lost. We can so easily read today into pages where "today" does not exist.

When you read or study the Scripture, it becomes quickly aparent that all issues were about agriculture. They often talk about the crops, the flora, etc. The holidays were built around the agricultural season. The daily concerns were about agriculture. No wonder it is a big concern when there is a drought. The concerns with the poor were surrounded by the need to provide for them with the yields of the earth. To grasp Ruth, you have to understand the rules of gleaning set up to care for the poor.

Read through Scripture and notice the numerous references to the land and the crops. In our time of machinery and computers and knowledge, this simple fact can get lost, and cause us to lose an oppotunity to understand what is taking place on the pages of the sacred text.

How to Pray in 2007

According to World Vision . . . here are seven ways to pray in 2007.

1. When you take a shower, pray for clean water for those who are deprived of this necessity.

2. When you go to work, pray for child laborers around the world.

3. When you eat lunch, pray for hungry and malnourished children.

4. When you watch the news, pray for education for those who do not have access to it.

5. When you arrive safely home, pray for displaced children.

6. When you take your vitamins, pray for access to medical care for those who do not have it.

7. When you go to bed, pray for orphans who have no regular bed.

These are good simple, easy reminders for something we probably should not need to be reminded.

Traveling With a Four Year Old

Those who know me know that this past fall has been tumultuous to say the least. One item that occurred was a severe stroke suffered by my younger brother. (All my brothers are younger so maybe I should skip that line.) On one of three trips to Kannapolis, NC (near Charlotte) to visit my family since September, I traveled with my grandson Gavin. Gavin is four years old. He has been adopted by my wife and me, so legally he is my son and we treat him that way, although he calls me Granddad . . . etc. Anyway, the boy simply adores me, as I do him. (A side note, I adore all four of my grandchildren, I just see him on a daily basis in a much more intimate role.)

Back to the story, he and I were staying two nights in a motel near my family. This caused him to be up a bit later than customary for him. The first night, he was so pumped up that he was jumping on the hotel bed saying, “I am so excited!” We finally settled down sometime after ten o’clock. But alas, there was someone in another room who never settled down. This other unknown person, across the hallway, was talking, slamming the door (or is seemed like slamming) as they went in and out, in and out, in and out. This was in addition to their loud TV and other noisy late night behavior. I cannot recall ever being in a hotel where I thought of calling to complain, but I did this time. I didn’t, but I thought about it.

The second night, Gavin was a bit less exuberant, to say the least. He was ready to sleep and soon. So at 8:00 I had him in bed, and he looked at me and said, “No bumping tonight, please.” He then fell asleep almost immediately.

As I looked at this precious little boy sound asleep I thought about a comment I had a friend make to me a few years back, “There is nothing as sweet as a child sleeping.” I also thought about a Christian song in the 80s entitled “Where There is Faith.” A line in the song says, “A peace like a child sleeping.” Is anything else that true? There is nothing as peaceful as a child sleeping.

Here is the point of the song; the point of God’s challenge to me that evening, and the point of what I am writing. What issue in your life has you troubled? What issue has you where you need the “peace like a child sleeping?” Can I trust God when all seems bad? Can I trust Him with the peace of a child sleeping?

Healthy Diversions #2

Almost one month ago exactly, I wrote about me taking a much needed diversion, biking Skyline Drive in Virginia in two days with three friends. The past two weekends I have taken a couple of well needed diversions of health that are of a totally different nature. The past two months have been incredibly intense and diversions of a healthy nature were very much needed. Here is what I just completed of a diversionary nature.

Diversion #1 – I love concerts. That is not news to anyone who knows me. I wrote a few months back that I do not simply attend concerts, “I emote them,” was my words. With that as a background, one of my favorite bands of all time is Fleetwood Mac. I love all their various styles (Peter Green, etc.), but I especially like them beginning with the Buckingham – Nicks era. That being said, when I was informed via his web site, that Lindsey Buckingham was releasing a new solo CD I was very excited. I made plans the other week to travel to hear Lindsey Buckingham in concert. The fact that I was able to see Lindsey in concert was extraordinarily cool. I believe he is one of the most overlooked and underrated guitarists of all time. He is a bit eclectic, which may be another reason I like him so well; but he is incredibly talented and this concert was one of the highlights of my year for many reasons. It was worth every mile of the five hour drive to simply enjoy music and "emote" a concert.

Diversion #2 – Gavin, my four-year-old grandson, and I traveled last weekend to NC to visit my brother Randy, who is in rehab recovering from a pretty severe stroke he suffered in late August. Gavin and I travel well together and quite honestly, I enjoy the little fellow’s company. He adores me, and I do him so it is a good match. He is so much fun. I will write in a day or so concerning him in a hotel room. What a blast! Anyway, this diversion was made possible because I accepted my new position (more on that in a future blog as well) and I had the time to take the, albeit brief, trip.

Sometimes, I am continually learning, it is necessary to take a change from the routine, a diversion if you will . . . for health.

Healthy Diversions

“Life comes at you fast,” the commercial so creatively states. It is likewise, very true. Sometimes it is just good to do something you enjoy without the hectic stuff of normal activity. Three friends and I just spent two days riding the 100+ miles of Skyline Drive in Virginia. In the two days we climbed over 6,000 vertical feet on our bicycles. It was a purging as much as anything.

Day 1 was cool and much more difficult. Day 2 started in the rain, but became very nice and was not nearly as tough of a climbing day. It was a great couple of days. Here are some photos. In the group shot the guys are Left to Right – Me, Greg Toomey, Don Creasy and John Creasy (my son-in-law).

Taco Bell and Integrity

As I am making a major life change, I had the following words sent to me by several folks. It was a quote from a message I delivered 2-1/2 years ago. The text: "What is your integrity worth?'

Here is the context.

I stood in line at a Taco Bell a few years back patiently awaiting my opportunity to order. (Yes, I am a connoisseur of fine dining.) I noticed that the woman in front of me act a bit squeamish and quickly shift down the line. As I completed my order and stood behind her, I overheard her whisper to the person in line with her, “The clerk just gave me a dollar too much change.” They looked at one another, said “Yes!” then gave one another a quick high five.

I thought to myself, “How much is your integrity worth? That woman just told me that she would sell her integrity for $1.00. Her integrity was worth $1.00.

How much is your integrity worth? What value do you place upon it? Where is there the line where you say “I am done”? That is a line I will not cross. If that is how you are planning it, then count me out.”

On the White Album, the Beatles sang,

We all want to change the world.
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out?

For all of their talk about what they wanted to do, they had their line. There was a point where they could go no further.

What is your integrity worth?

Little Victories Need Applause Too

Prologue: “Emo” – emotion as used here is not in the current juvenile vernacular where someone is so emotional that it affects their life in negative ways. It is hilarious to me that the age of individual who are the most driven, plagued, and hindered by emotions are the very ones who list being emotional as a bad thing.

Q: How many non-emotional teens does it take to change a light bulb?
A: No one knows. There is no such thing as a non-emotional teen.

==============================

I am a man who thrives on passion. When I am at my very best is when I am driven by a passion for particular event or philosophy or idea or ministry. When I am at my absolute worst is when I am void of that passion and that ability to dream. And everyone knows that to be passionate is to be emotional about something. This does not necessarily mean in a bad sense, but in the best sense.

The very essence of motivation is emotion. How many underdogged, out manned, over achieving athletic teams have won games against a superior opponent by sheer emotion. Ever watched Hoosiers or The Replacements? And it is not only on the movie screen where that is a reality. The late George Allen and Dick Vermeil made careers out of keeping players playing above their ability by motivation.

Read the passage where Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. Read where he overturns the table of the money changers. Listen to him talk about the harvest being plentiful, but the laborers few. Do you hear any emotion? If not, read it again, this time with your eyes open.

All that being said in defense of well balanced emotions . . . I sometimes am a sap for those sorts of songs. (Notice I said sometimes. Sometimes they are just plain cheesy too.) The other week at my faith community, I played a song by a 1980-1990 vintage singer songwriter named Wayne Watson. It got me to listening to some of his other stuff. He had some really good things to say in his day that are still applicable.

I was listening to Watercolour Ponies while watching my grandson Gavin playing and the phrase “And little victories can go by with no applause.” It is in reference to children growing up and our support of them often lacking by our busyness.

I watched Gavin, at a month shy of four years old scream down our drive in his bike and ease on his brakes. This was a big deal for him to learn to ease on the brakes not slam on them as he had. It was a little victory. I walked over to him and clapped.

When was the last time you clapped for someone’s little victory? It does not have to be a child. It can be an adult. When was the last time you clapped for someone’s little victory?

Yeah. That is what I thought.

Missing Concerts

This past week was a difficult week in many respects. There is a lot of personal stuff taking place, but the real issue for the difficulty is regarding missing a couple of concerts. Last week in Pittsburgh Tom Petty and Sheryl Crow both had concerts here. I would have loved to attend both. Actually this summer there were six separate concerts I wanted to attend. Heck, I would have even taken my grandson to see the Wiggles! How bad is that?! Financial realities prevented it, but it did not prevent my desire to attend.

My wife has always sort of laughed at my love for attending concerts. Her philosophy is that you can buy a CD cheaper and listen to it over and over. My response is always the same, "A concert is not simply about the music.” It is an experience! A complete and total experience.

My friend Terry Timm said in a recent post of his that he is an “emo” kind of guy. Well, anyone who knows me knows that to be the absolute truth for me as well. (I will talk about that in my next post too.) But the “emo” thing is why I love concerts. I don’t just attend concerts . . . I “emote” concerts. Even in my younger days I NEVER attended a concert bombed out of my mind or incapacitated with substance abuse. I have never done that anyway, but even if I did I would never have done that at a concert. One beer, maybe two, is it! The concert is to be experienced and I want nothing to reduce my ability to experience it.

So, I am doing a very shallow thing. I am grieving missing concerts this year. I love Tom Petty’s stuff, I wear the shirt shown here with pride. I will not miss the next one!

Writer's Block

Several years ago a ministry colleague mentioned to me that he knows some folks who simply HATE to write articles. I remember thinking, “Not me.” I love writing. It is one of my main joys. I had heard about people experiencing writer's block, but never imagined I would ever feel it.

Until now that is. I know you don't believe it, but it is true.

The past few months have been extremely difficult ones for me. Consequently, since I am a private person by nature, I have been struggling with my blog and writing. Most people accuse me of being too prolific not too brief, so this time has been tough. This has been something totally foreign to me. (Many of you could never see me with “talkers block” either but that is another subject entirely.)

It is not that I did not have some things ready; I have at least twenty or twenty five articles in various stages of completion. It is that I just have not felt (there is my Myers Briggs getting me in trouble again) any of them have been appropriate.

So I guess these brief paragraphs are me confessing “writer’s block.” It is my AA sharing or my “coming out of the closet” moment. (I am not making light of those difficult decisions by folks, so PLEASE do not comment and make some hair brained accusation here that is totally inappropriate and totally misses my point. It is a metaphor people!!)

I promise to get back at this regularly, but at least folks now have a SMALL bit of explanation.

My Love-Hate Relationship Being a “Presby”: Part 3 – The General Assembly – This is Not Just Another Boring Denominational Read . . . Really!!!

Today is my birthday. It is really not a big deal to me, and has never been for my entire life as best I recall. It is basically just another day. However, my birthday will be forever linked in my mind with the PC(USA)’s national gathering called the General Assembly because in 2001 I spent my entire birthday mired in that annual symposium of contention and strife as a voting commissioner. It proved to be one of the more forgettable experiences in my life.

Yesterday began this year’s installment of this bi-annual national gathering. Each time this event seems to serve more for contention than for unity. All of this in spite of the fact that everyone who publicly talks weaves a tale of unity and harmony.

This year has a lot of talk circulating saying the Assembly is expected to cause a lot of dissension. The fact that will occur is probably a given. But the end result of that dissension is totally up for grabs.

This denominational gathering is when both sides of the various theological debates strut and parade around and use the term “church” and “PC(USA)” synonymously. That is a fact that irked me then, and does so even more now.

I am one that does not fit neatly into either side of these debates. I likewise cannot be called someone who fits in the middle of the road. If pressed, I could probably be found on either side depending upon the issue. I see myself as on a continuum between the two extremes.

Many folks talk (as they have every other year it seems) that this Assembly could finally lay the foundation for schism in the denomination.

My response: “Ho hum.”

There are four primary reasons for my response.

The Herman’s Hermits Response – I have heard it all before. As Herman’s Hermits sang in the 60’s. “Second verse, same as the first.” This is the same thing they say every year. The names, faces, issues, and reports may differ, but little else has changed.

The Over Sized Ego Effect – The PC(USA), in my opinion, just like most other denominations, have overestimated their importance. In reality, I wonder what difference it would have on the kingdom if the denomination actually did split. In talking to literally hundreds of non believers, our denominations are such a non-issue that they would not even notice if the religion reporter for the newspaper did not get a great amount of attention. It matters to those steeped in the Christian subculture. It matters to those geographic areas where there are large numbers of a particular denomination that is affected, but I kid you not, most non Christians really could not care less if we split, merged or ceased existence. They do care what the Christians they interact with say, because on some level it is a real person talking about Jesus not an entity.

Yassar Arafat Principle – You remember Yassar don’t you? He was the long time leader of the Palestinians in the Middle East. (Did anyone else ever smile so much with so little to smile about?) During Arafat’s leadership there were several attempts at peace with the Israelis. None came to pass for reasons on both sides. But I think one issue was Arafat himself. I believe he had allowed his identity to become blurred with the conflict and he could not envision life without it. Thus, he unconsciously, could never fully barter a truce. I think that is exactly where BOTH sides are in this denominational debate. They cannot split. They would lose their identity. Their identity is so merged with these denominational issues that they cannot allow schism to take place.

The Flat Rate Income Tax Principle – We will never have a flat rate income tax in the United States. If we were to have a flat rate income tax, it would put hundreds of thousand of accountants and government officials out of a job. Just the same way there are so many folks whose entire livelihood (“ministry”) is tied up in the conflict, they would not know what to do. I think many of them have truly forgot how to serve Jesus. I wonder when was the last time many of them actually led an unbeliever to Christ? When did many of these churches last have a non-Christian join them? I honestly believe many of them could not function in a world void of Christian conflict. How much do the various factions actually enjoy gathering to talk denominational stuff? So much so that last summer when the denomination’s General Assembly took the year off, both sides of the debate had their own separate gatherings! I rest my case.

I am now about to be tarred and feathered. But as I said it is my birthday. I am 52 years old. I am too old for these continual games and quite simply I am tired of playing. It is not what I signed on for when I agreed to ministry.

My Love-Hate Relationship Being a “Presby”: Part 2 - Getting Inside the Mind of a Bureaucrat

Okay, I will now pick up what I started a few weeks ago. Go to archives for May 16 to read Part 1. When I graduated from high school, I wanted to be an attorney. It had absolutely nothing to do with making a difference or any of that other stuff. It was purely a financial / power issue on my part. I had figured out that I lived in a poor home, and wanted to have money. I saw being a lawyer as a way to achieve that. It did not take me long to realize that career was not for me. That is a longer story, but the basics are that even at that early age I sensed that I was not one for bureaucracy. I am not sure why, or how, but I did.

That is still true today. I do not care for bureaucracy.

That puts me in an odd situation in the PC(USA) which is a bureaucratic heaven and haven. Here is what I have noticed. Many of the folks in the branch of the church I currently call home, are very impressed with their polity (read "church government" for those non theologically trained types). It is at the core of so many discussions that I am not sure whether to laugh or cry.

PC(USA) Bureaucrats admire and love their polity and their system (and it does have its good parts) so much that they remind me of a mechanic bragging about his great tool box as the end of all greatness and totally missing the smooth running engine located beside him. (Although our PC(USA) engine is in need of a few well selected tools, a jackhammer would be a good starting point. But I digress.)

I also compare it in my mind to one of the primary critiques I have regarding some veins of Christianity that are so much about the aspect of faith that it seems to me they have "faith in their faith" . . . not faith in God. Of course they would deny that, but it sure looks real to me.

The same is true of the denominational bureaucracies. They are so proud of their system that they miss the very thing their system was intending to do.

Is good government bad? No, of course not. But when a heavy bureaucrat gets involved, and things focus on the system at all costs to ministry, I liken it to idolatry. Is it worshipping the tool box? Is it faith in my faith? Is it noticing the image and missing God? It sure seems to list in that direction.

If it looks like a dog, barks like a dog, wags its tail like a dog, smells bad when wet like a dog, licks your hand like a dog, uses the bathroom in the yard like a dog . . . guess what? It just might be a dog.

Next Up: The Upcoming General Assembly

Missional with a Capital “M” – Part 6

Here are the final quotes from Origins and Ethos.

“Have we asked, 'who are the furtherest people from conversion?' Who are those folks that come to Christ and we celebrate it?” – Erwin and Staff

“One fear I have from what I see, is that there is no sweeping movement of creation in the postmodern church. There appears to be only a sweeping movement of deconstruction.” – Erwin

“Are we creating a place of questions more so than answers?” – Erwin and Staff (compiled)

“You can either control the organization or you can control the character of the people.” – Erwin

“You attract who you value. If you value an artist, you will attract them. If you value dancers, you will attract them.” – Mosaic Staff

“Love is the context of our mission.” – Eric

“Structure must always submit to spirit.” – Mosaic Core Value

“God could have called us. He could have emailed us. He chose to encounter us.” – David

“There are three ways to think about the future: 1. By studying human nature. 2. By studying macro trends. 3. By creating it.” – Alex

“A key in studying trends is trying to analyze if it is a trend or a fad.” – Alex

“Humanity tends to move toward the darkness of the horrific past.” – Alex

“Human nature is of the sort that it will always move toward eliminating the freedom of other human beings.” – Alex

“The west and the east both tend to objectify women. They drape them. We strip them.” – Alex’s Wife

“The greatest danger of humanity is not the environment it is humanity itself.” – Alex

“One of the reasons that we are not appreciative of art is that we have lost an appreciation of western culture and a lack of a belief we have something to give the future. When you lose that appreciation, you are not appreciative of artists who depict it.” –Alex complied

“Put the wrong people in power and the weak are abused.” – Erwin

“Serving others will produce humility.” – Erwin

“Part of wholeness is to forgive and ask forgiveness.” – Erwin

“Character may not affect your talent, but it will affect your contribution.” – Erwin

“Do we as a pastor see people for what they can do or do we invest in them?” – Erwin

Missional with a Capital “M” – Part 5

I am nearing the end of the posts that are primarily quotes from Origins and Ethos. This entry and next will simply be those final quotes.

“Movements are sustained by having non-negotiables. If you have non-negotiables that means that everything else is negotiable.” – Erwin

“If you do not know what is most important to you, you hold on to everything.” – Erwin

“There is so much potential, so much untapped, unused potential in the church.” – Erwin

“Blogs are a form of human migration. It used to be that migrations were geographic, especially in ancient human history. Then in the 20th century humans migrated into cities. Now humans are migrating into cyberspace and we see that with blogs. There are 27 million blogs. That number doubles every 5.5 months. 13.7 million of them are still active after three months. As we ride the wave into cyberspace, we have to ask how can we push it down again so folks do not live on their pc screen?” – Alex

“How do we model for folks that we need to live our lives beyond me? Everything is calling us to move to – to momentum – to live beyond ourselves.” – Alex

“Creativity is the result of Spirituality.” - Alex

“You can’t teach a person to share Christ until they love someone who does not know Christ.” – Erwin

“If you live a low risk Christian life, you are 98% guaranteed that your kids will walk away from the church.” – Erwin

“Buddha is the one who sits, not Jesus. So why have we made coming to sit as our goal and not activity?” – Erwin

“Why do we not see every person as being creative? We confuse being artistic with being creative.” – Erwin

“You have no control over whether you have 1, 5 or 10 talents. But you have 100% control over what you do with them.” – Erwin

“To talk about ourselves as if we do not have a talent or a gift is dishonoring to God.” – Erwin

“We have created a religion of passivity. If I do good, it is God. If I do bad, it is me. So, we sit and do nothing.” – Erwin

“We have to value and unleash creativity in everyone if we expect people to release it in themselves.” – Erwin

“What is the ½ step we can take that will move us in the direction we need to go?” – Erwin

“What is the one thing we can do that would make a difference?” – Erwin and Staff

Missional with a Capital “M” – Part 4

I am writing this from Nags Head, NC where I am on vacation with my family. It has rained thus far, but rain on vacation, is better than sunshine off it! Or so THEY say.

This is Saturday evening. Tomorrow will be the first of two weeks for me to be away from Fountain Park, the faith community I lead. I learn a great deal about where folks are in their spiritual walk by what I hear upon my return. It is a gauge for me of sorts.

Funny, just a week ago, I was returning from LA and Origins. I stood last week with my feet in the Pacific Ocean. Today they were in the Atlantic Ocean. So stinking cool!! That being in my head, here are some more misc. quotes from Origins and Ethos. Everything in this entry is from Erwin.

“When you are in bondage, the first thing to go is the vision that you could be more. In Acts 2 you have Peter telling a nation that has become accustomed to being in bondage that their visions will return and dreams will come back.”

“When most churches talk about their great fellowship, it is great fellowship with one another. It is great fellowship with their great Christian friends that they have not seen in seven days. However, to an outsider it feels like walking in on two people who are making out.”

Our language informs us regarding our culture and informs our culture. We have a lot of language for what is important to us. In Alaska there are 30 distinct words for snow. In the Christian world how many different words do we have for “salvation?” (“Saved,” “redemption,” “come to faith,” “believe in Jesus” – the list could go on and on.) How many words do we have in our church cultures for being missional to non Christians? –
(Compiled)

“The stories we tell on Sunday, affect the culture on Monday.”

How do we move our church culture from requirement to value? We brush our teeth when we are young because we are required to do it by our parents, but at some point we see a cute girl or guy and it moves to being a value. Our culture wore seat belts as a requirement at first, but for most it has now moved to a value. How do we affect values? – (compiled)

“Adults only learn in crisis.” Child seminars reach those with that issue. Marriage seminars reach those who have that issue in the forefront of their mind. It is their particular “crisis.” A part of leadership is creating crises for folks in the areas where we feel the leading of God.

“Every word in the Bible that describes what happens when a human being meets God is all about change. So, why does the church not change? Here is a scary thought, Maybe we are no longer helping people change.”

“We need commonality in our values, not in the way we look.”

As a leader we have to ask, “What structural changes can we make that will affect the Ethos of our community?”

“Do not try to be a church for everyone. There are plenty of ‘blue’ churches.”

“People do not burn out because of stress. They burn out because they are doing the wrong job. We should seek to get them on the right job.”

More to come . . .

Missional with a Capital “M” – Part 3

As of 6:45 this morning Terry and I are back home in Western Pennsylvania. (Sigh)

As you progress in reading my comments, let me urge you to go to his blog and read his comments as well. Terry Timm is a great thinker who has a wonderful way with language when it comes to unraveling a lot of this stuff. I owe him a world of thanks for turning me on to this gathering.

This is where I must be to unpack the last few days. This was not a conference where we go to learn a new way to do things or learn some new methodology. These core discussions are much much deeper than mere methods.

Wednesday afternoon after one of the sessions on Synergy and the various types of leaders Terry and I were doing some discussing. Erwin was talking about the three basic types of leaders: catalytic leaders, corporate leaders and causal leaders. They had us unpack each of them with a Q & A with their staff folks in each of those arenas. There was good discussion regarding the need in each of these three arenas for leadership.

At one point in that discussion, Erwin made these statements in reference to his two staff members who were listening, nodding their heads and agreeing.

“The worst thing you can say to Eric (corporate leader) is, “Start this from scratch.”

“The worst thing you can say to David (causal leader) is, “Commit to this for life.”

I attempted to get in a question, but was unable to do so. The question was this, “What is the worst thing you can say to a catalytic leader?” When I mentioned that to Terry he said, “You are that sort of leader, what is the worst thing that can be said to you.”

My reply, “You can’t do that,” or “That is impossible.”

Those comments to me are not a road block. They present a challenge. Come hell or high water, it is an obstacle to overcome. It then makes me all the more incensed to do it, and unfortunately, if I am not careful, for many of the wrong reasons.

As Terry and I talked further, we began to realize that there are times when leaders may be a combination of one of these types and not fit into the exact areas. I am sure others realized that as well.

Okay enough for now. Here are a few more quotes:

“I turned to God thinking he was a fool for wanting me.” – McCall

“We must connect everything we do to the human story, so folks do not forget it is about people.” – Erwin

“We need more chaos and movement, not more organization.” – Erwin

“The Western Church has become at best an employment agency for those who like to study and at worst a movement of managers and administrators, but it is void of dreamers and visionaries.” - Erwin

“The common denominator of declining churches: ‘They have great fellowship.’” – Erwin

“Theologians say, ‘We think.’ Experientialists say, ‘We feel.’ What we need to do is to take ‘thinking’ add ‘feeling’ and combust it by adding ‘doing.' Then we really learn.” - Alex

“Many if not most of the folks in our churches are bulimic. You feed them on Sunday. They vomit on Sunday night. They starve themselves all week. Then come back next Sunday so they can gorge themselves again.” – Erwin

“If you are in a church and you are not affecting the Ethos of that congregation, regardless of the grief you may take, you are not the leader. The leader may very well be someone who is dead or gone.” – Erwin

“Part of spiritual leadership is creating a crisis for people that forces them to grow and address issues in their life.” – Erwin

I am just getting started here . . .

Missional with a Capital “M” – Part 2

It is Thursday morning. Origins and Ethos are over. My brain and my spirit are far from over. I have so much to process and decide how it fits into our faith community that the task could seem daunting if I were of that ilk. But those who know me, know I have a hard time visiting, much less living there.

I took notes at this conference unlike I have ever at any conference in the past. I am not really sure why, but I did. Maybe it was a God thing. I do like it when those happen.

In any event, what I did in addition to the “normal note taking” was to just write down quote after quote that spoke to me and made something really live. I gave some on the previous post. Well, for the next day or so I will give some more. If I put them all out here now, it would be like drinking from a fire hydrant, which is what I have been doing for three days.

Do not look for a particular order, I intentionally mixed them up. Why? Because I am just that way. I did start and end with two that really spoke to me.

“If you change what people believe, you are an apologist. If you change what they care about you are an apostle.” - Erwin

“You know what you care about by what you DO.” - Erwin

“Fellowship is what we do with each other to reach the world.” – Eric

“God is not trying to catch up to us. He slows down for us.” – David

“Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the absence of self.” – Erwin

Alex on Relevance:

“The first question is not, are we relevant to culture? It is are we relevant to Jesus Christ and who he is and his mission to the world?”

“The second question is, are we relevant to the future? If we build a church that we like but our kids hate in ten years, we have failed.”

“The third question is, are we relevant to the outsider? After all it is not about us. We have become very good at running programs but not so good at throwing parties.”

“God is not a fireplace to warm you, or a firework to entertain you, He is a consuming fire.” – David

“I am more committed to your character than I am to your talent.” – Erwin to Ricky

“We need to wake up to our dreams not wake up from our dreams.” – Ricky

“Sometimes a person’s talent is too heavy for their character.” – David & Eric

“It is not that teaching” the Bible in church “is not a good thing, it is just not enough.” – Erwin

“There are some things about God that will only be revealed in community.”

“We have a European, mostly Germanic, approach to communicating Scripture.” - Erwin

“When you love someone, you design and experience. It is not just about sharing the information.” – David

“We need to be serving others with others.” – Erwin, David, Ricky, Eric, Dana, etc. etc. etc. (Get the point?)

“If you are not living the word and serving, you are missing the point.” - Erwin

“Ingratitude is a toxin.” – Eric