A preacher I know was recently visiting with one of the “regulars” from his church.
Mr. Regular had a relative visiting that week, who attended service that Sunday.
Mr. Regular told the preacher: “I asked Relative what he thought of service on Sunday. He just asked me a question…”
Well, does the sermon always mess with your mind and thoughts that much?
“I told him…”
No. It’s often worse than that.
On that day, a preacher smiled.
And dare I assume… the Word may have been preached.
Just finished listening to a Catalyst podcast featuring an interview with Rob Bell, an enjoyable enough fellow to listen to with some good ideas to share. He spoke about South Africa, church in the West, and more. Then he got speaking about poverty and the church’s response to it. These were no doubt the most powerful words to this listener…
I don’t think this is necessarily to save the poor; I think it’s for our salvation. I think that we have been blessed beyond measure, and if we don’t give it away and steward it well, our own souls are going to shrivel up. This is about the state of our own souls. According to Jesus’ teachings, we’re in trouble if we hog it or keep it to ourselves.
There’s 2103 verses on the poor and oppressed. This is how Jesus began his first sermon: ‘I’ve been anointed to preach the good news to the poor.’ God is with the poor; we’re with God when we’re with the poor.
God has no interest in us building our empires.
This is a huge issue. The rich man and Lazarus… I mean, the rich man is in hell because he ignored the needs of Lazarus by his front gate. So for Jesus, there’s a very literal, earthly hell for those who ignore the need of those around them. I would even argue the man who builds bigger barns… the only clear passages where Jesus speaks of somebody in hell are about a religious person with extraordinary wealth that doesn’t share it with those who are in need. That’s where he gives specific cases of those who are in hell even if they are parables.
Man…
PS: On a lighter note (but don’t let it derail the above thoughts)… Rob Bell has never listened to a podcast in his life, and he doesn’t do much on the internet… his own words.
My friend Wade passed this on to me a while back. Some of you may enjoy reading it… or slamming it. All responses welcome, in the form of wandering and wondering.
Here’s the opening bit…
Nashville — THE strobe lights pulse and the air vibrates to a killer rock beat. Giant screens show mayhem and gross-out pranks: a car wreck, a sucker punch, a flabby (and naked) rear end, sealed with duct tape.
Brad Stine runs onstage in ripped blue jeans, his shirt untucked, his long hair shaggy. He’s a stand-up comic by trade, but he’s here today as an evangelist, on a mission to build up a new Christian man — one profanity at a time. “It’s the wuss-ification of America that’s getting us!” screeches Stine, 46.
A moment later he adds a fervent: “Thank you, Lord, for our testosterone!”
It’s an apt anthem for a contrarian movement gaining momentum on the fringes of Christianity. In daybreak fraternity meetings and weekend paintball wars, in wilderness retreats and X-rated chats about lust, thousands of Christian men are reaching for more forceful, more rugged expressions of their faith.
If you want the whole thing, click and read: Manly Man Movement.
The “emergent church”… that’s a huge catch-phrase these days. No, it’s more than a catch-phrase. It’s a train-load of ideas, and I must claim to understand it insufficiently. Brian McLaren has been deemed by many to be the voice (or at least one of them) of the movement. To be honest, I’ve only read one of his books in its entirety; the rest has been clips and quotes and articles. However, I know some of you are big fans.
Here is a link to a parody of an interview with “Cryin’ McLaren”. While a touch thick on sarcasm, it might be thought-provoking to some… and angering to others.
Hey, it’s just a post from one who is wandering and wondering.
Comments?
That’s the theme around our church this year: Offering Ourselves to God. Below was something we looked at together recently…
There’s a story about the famous violinist Fritz Kreisler. After a concert, a fan rushed up to him and gushed, “I’d give my whole life to play as beautifully as you do.”
Kreisler replied, “I did.”
None of us are strangers to the feelings expressed by the fan. We are often like Peter, who declared that he’d do whatever it took—only to learn that he had no idea what he was talking about. The sentiments were great, but intentions alone are insufficient. Good intentions make great pavement for roads we’d rather never travel, according to the old saying.
What’s needed is the actual act of offering ourselves. Anyone even vaguely familiar with the God revealed in Scripture knows that He is One who requires the commitment and devotion of any who long to side with Him. Piles of biblical concepts are built upon the idea that God’s followers will offer their entire lives to Him, as their chosen Master. Examples of this include sabbath, tithes, circumcision, sacrifices, confession, repentance, prayer, worship, baptism, fasting, charity, service, forgiveness. Minus a heartfelt desire to offer ourselves to God, these holy acts are reduced to legalistic tasks or bargaining chips that we bring before God and others.
Even more, the Scriptures display a powerful pattern: We are drawn to God and empowered by Him to the extent that we offer ourselves to Him. How many of Scripture’s wonders would not even exist, if not for the willingness of God-seekers to trust Him and step out in faith? Better question: How much of what He’d love to do in our lives and world might be limited by a lack of such servants today?
Kreisler reminds us of the level of commitment it takes to be part of something beautiful. Nothing compares to the beauty of seeing God’s work within our lives and the lives of those we love. So this year, we offer ourselves to God.