Tuesday, August 25, 2015

From Law to Love


The Ten Commandments--just the mention of the commandments in today's political climate can bring controversy. The commandments have been a part of the history of God's people for a very long time. They are a part of all of the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Islam, and Christianity). These laws, attested by the scripture as being written in the handwriting of God himself, are supremely important to a vast majority of the world's population. These are not only ethically and religiously significant, but they are also a big part of the history of law itself.

Images, monuments, or displays of the Ten Commandments abound throughout the country, despite that fact that some particular displays have been ruled as illegal. Although it is not as prominent as some suggest, there are multiple architectural and sculptural references to the Mosaic law even in the Supreme Court building itself in Washington, D.C.

Law is a loaded word in the church. Christians continue to find ourselves in a difficult relationship with the Old Testament law. For example, some of my GLBTQ friends find Christians to be profoundly hypocritical when we hold up Old Testament law (such as verses speaking against homosexual practice) and eschew laws concerning not eating pork (Leviticus 11:7) or wearing garments made with a mixture of different materials (Leviticus 19:19). We are accused of "picking and choosing" scripture as convenient to make our argument. As a student of the scripture, I pray I am not guilty of such narrow-mindedness. I want to take the long view and see the whole of the Bible. As a Christian, I want to be a person who is known by my love for people. I do, however, want to live my life by Biblical ideals. That takes a little more work than proof-texting my opinions with isolated Bible verses.

As Christians, we read the entirety of the Old Testament through the lenses of what we know about Jesus Christ. When a scribe tried to trick Jesus into answering a question that would show a flaw in his logic about the Old Testament law, Jesus's answer was brilliant. The scribe asked for which commandment was the "first of all." Jesus gave him two answers:
Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31 NRSV)
Jesus confirmed what we Christians have come to know and understand about God. All of God's law is offered in love. If God told the ancient Israelites not to eat shrimp, then God must have known it would harm them in some way. And yes, the New Testament offers some steep corrections and new appropriations of the Old Testament law. Some things once seen as unclean are no longer seen as such under the new covenant. The jury is still out among many theologians as to the scope of this understanding of the scripture as it relates to some of the more controversial issues. One thing I hear nobody disagreeing about, however, is that the commandments of God are summarized into action by loving God and loving neighbor.

Throughout the sermon series I have now just finished on the commandments, I have offered a benediction each week that would send us out to be people of grace as we seek to live our lives by God's law. This past Sunday, however, as I concluded this series, I sent my congregation forth with the challenge to be known by our love. Legalistic-minded Christians have never been a lot of good to anyone. Legalism only binds us in artificial chains that, despite our success in keeping the laws, continue to rob us of our joy in doing so. Grace and love should be the hallmarks of an obedient church.

So, I hope that loving God and loving neighbor made it beyond the benediction on Sunday morning. Imagine what the church of Jesus Christ in the United States and around the world might be like if the world could only look at us and say, "wow, those church people are so full of LOVE!"

Monday, June 15, 2015

God Is With Us

John Wesley's dying words are recorded as simply:

The best of all, God is with us!
 
Once upon a time, people were very concerned about what their last words were. Knowing their death was imminent, sometimes men of old would repeat their intended dying words several times to make sure their last words were exactly as they were intended and recorded clearly. An account of an observer of Wesley's death testifies that he repeated these words as if to be sure they were clearly noted.
 
Perhaps we would do well to think upon these words. I am on a new adventure as the pastor of a new church. And, as I noted in my message Sunday, my church is in the midst of this "arranged marriage" that we United Methodists create when we appoint pastors to churches. It is easy for both of us to become consumed with figuring one another out. And there is time for that and need for that, but we should do it together remembering that God is with us. God was here before we were and God will be with us and God will be here after we are gone. This is a humbling reminder of our place in the eternity of God.
 
As Moses passed the torch to Joshua, the reminder is given that the Lord will be with them. As Jesus nears his ascension into heaven and is preparing the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit, he reminds them that he will be with them to the end of the age. There is something about the human experience that needs a constant reminder of the presence of God in our lives.
 
And it is a comfort. Many Christians live long stretches of their lives wondering where God is. People are often unable to sense God's presence because the pain of the human journey has accumulated to the point that the sensitivity is no longer there to be aware of God. If you fall and break your ankle, you might forget that you are hungry and haven't eaten breakfast. The pain will overcome the sensation of hunger at least for a time.
 
I confessed a degree of apprehension Sunday morning. I want to do a good job as the pastor of this new church. I also know my own faults and so I worry if I will be up to the task. We all experience real fears as to whether we can be all that God has for us to be.
 
But as I reminded myself and the people of Epworth on Sunday morning, God has not called the church to do small things. God has assured us of his presence on our journey, and because of that, we can be bold and do courageous things. My fears of inaptitude for the job are only lies from the adversary that would keep me from trying. God has called us to be strong and to, at least metaphorically, take possession of the land we have been called to take. That "land" might be places where the hungry are fed, the naked are clothed, the lost are saved, or injustice corrected.
 
I don't know what you might be struggling with today. I don't know what lies you are believing that are keeping you from being or becoming all that God wants for you, but I want you to remember that God is with you.
 
If nothing else got beyond the benediction Sunday, I hope the assurance of God's presence stuck. God's people should know that God is with us. This is the best of news!

Monday, June 8, 2015

Find Us Faithful

Steve Green sang a song a number of years ago called "Find Us Faithful". The refrain of that song goes like this:

Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful.
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave
 lead them to believe,
 and the lives we live inspire them to obey.
Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful.
 
Yesterday, the benediction was something special for me. In both of the churches on my charge, I gave the final benediction I will give as the appointed pastor. The service included special music brought by me and my children (who are both musicians) and a liturgy for bidding farewell to a pastor. The service was deeply emotional for me and many of those in attendance.
 
Near the end of the service, I sang the song quoted above. It is an old song, but I've found nothing yet that I feel better conveys my hopes for my time in any place of ministry service. The song is really a prayer that simply expresses my heart's desire that after I am gone, people will look back upon my time there and although there were mistakes made (sins of commission and omission), that in general, the footprints that we left behind pointed people toward Jesus.

As I write this blog entry, the movers are at my house packing all of our belongings and preparing them to be delivered to our new home on Wednesday. My family and I will begin walking in ministry in a new place. We will be making new footprints.
 
My personal thoughts over the past few weeks have been deeply reflective of my time in Alma, Georgia. I know I did some things right. I know I did some things wrong. Perhaps what is most troubling to me are the things that I never did at all. I have tried to learn all I can about myself as I think back on my ministry here. I am doing that because I want to walk better in a new place. I want to leave more footprints leading in the right direction so that more will come to believe.
 
Pundits often speak of politicians trying to "rewrite" their legacies as they near the end of their term or even after they leave office. It can also be that preachers are sometimes remembered more fondly after they are gone than they were appreciated during their active ministry. Regardless, I want to begin with the end in mind as I start a new chapter. I want to be mindful that first impressions last only so long and that how we are "normally" is what folks will mostly remember. I don't want a legacy that needs whitewashing after I am gone.
 
I want to leave a genuinely authentic walk with Christ as my legacy so that those who come behind me will find me faithful. I want my own discipleship journey to last beyond the benediction - out of the sermon and into my life. I want there to be no doubt that even though I wasn't perfect, I was faithful.
 
And I know I can't do it alone. Come, Lord Jesus, and guide my feet while I run this race. Come, Holy Spirit, melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. Come, Lord, and speak to me that I may speak.
 
Lord, where I have been, let it be that I am found faithful.


Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Until We Are Parted by Death

The parting of death weighed heavily on my mind this past weekend.

My involvement in a wedding this past weekend left me unable to attend three different funerals of people that I knew. I was asked to officiate at one, provide music at another, and simply wanted to be present at the other one.

It should come as no surprise then that as I sat at the piano watching this bride and groom get married on Saturday evening, the moment in which they were asked if they would keep their vows until they were parted by death caused my mind to wander for a few minutes.

The three funerals represented three different people who were all at varying degrees of time into their married adult lives. One of the deaths was the 23 year-old son of one of my closest friends in the world. He had yet to have his 2nd wedding anniversary. The second death this week was my dentist's wife (also a dentist - they practiced together) who was far too young (in her late 50s), but who had, with her husband, made a life together and raised their children to adulthood. The other funeral was of an elderly man who had earned his final goodbye by living to 90 years of age and enjoying 63 years of marriage.

All of this went through my mind as this young couple stood at the altar. My wife and I have been married for 17 years and counting. Neither of us have experienced significant health scares, but nobody ever knows what tomorrow holds. And trust me... we have had a few surprises through the years that have challenged the bonds of our matrimony.

One of them was when I told my wife of my call to be a pastor. She married a church musician, so pastor wasn't too far off the radar. Still, one of her life goals was never to marry a preacher. Ooops. In less than three weeks, we will be making our third move to a new location under the banner of the itineracy in The United Methodist Church. I know she didn't sign up for this. But she has lovingly followed the bishop's appointment for me and will do so again. She will do it for many reasons, but most of those reasons are based in the promises of March 21, 1998, where she said she would love me, comfort me, honor and keep me, and forsake all others until we are parted by death.

It is so easy to take for granted the ones we partner with to do life together. I have sat with many couples through the years either preparing for marriage or working to put the pieces back together to one that is badly damaged. Many of those marriages would be blessed if they could simply decide to treat each other as well as they would a guest in their home. So often, the genuine thankfulness of God's provision of a partner is gone. Although my own marriage isn't perfect (and it won't be as long as I'm part of it), each time I have conducted marriage ceremonies, I am reminded of how thankful I am for my own wife and family. Each time I have buried the love of somebody's life in the funeral rite, I have been thankful that my own wife continues to be full of life and energy for me and my family.

There is a high calling for singleness in today's world. I believe there may be many who are genuinely fit for this lifestyle. There are freedoms to the single life that are helpful for the kingdom of God. Fewer obligations and less time involved in family commitments could free great resources for the kingdom of God. In the New Testament, Paul suggests singleness as the preferred way for those who are "all in" for the kingdom of God. But, thankfully, he realized that singleness isn't for everyone and that some will need to follow the marriage vocation.

Let me use this forum today to simply remind myself and my growing body of readers that if there is a significant other in your life, whether you are married or moving quickly in that direction, you have a tremendous gift. Never take it for granted as I too often have. Give thanks for the provision of God for a partner to meet the challenges of life with. See the freedom that an "until we are parted by death" commitment can bring to your life. Most of all, tell and show them you love them.

The parting of death is something over which we have little control and from which none of us ultimately has any escape. If you are married, remember the vows you shared at your wedding ceremony. Remember the benediction said at the end of your ceremony. Let your marriage be proof those promises made it beyond the benediction. Let it be today. Tomorrow may not provide another chance.

Monday, May 11, 2015

You Are Loved Here

I had a wonderful experience with God's people this weekend!

My family traveled to Columbus to visit with some people at the church we will be moving to in June. The Epworth United Methodist Church seems like an exciting place, but right as our visit began, an unwelcome excitement emerged.

Just as we came into town, the temperature gauge began to creep up on our van. Now our van has a lot of miles, but has given us good service through the years. I patiently watched the gauge as it slowly moved up, up, up. It would move up a little outside the normal range, and then come back down. The next time, it would go up just a bit more. This cycle repeated several times before I even mentioned anything to my wife. Eventually, the "peaks" of this little cycle began to get very near the red line and the "valleys" began to be nonexistent. We finally made it to the restaurant where we were having dinner with the current pastor and his family. I shared with them what was going on. Then, the funniest thing happened.

People acted like Jesus. Together, Scott Hagan (the current pastor) and another church member helped me out as we got some coolant for the van and filled it up hoping that would help get us through. Before the night was done, however, we realized the leak was serious. We nursed the van to the church parsonage where it would sit... and bleed... the remainder of the night. The pastor loaned us their SUV which we drove to the hotel.

There, in the hotel, I began to let some good, old-fashioned despair and "woe-is-me" thinking take over. I didn't come to Columbus to be a burden on anyone. I had just come to check out our new church, meet some folks, and take a directory picture. To top it all off, within the last week, I had a member of my current church trying to get me to buy a new car! I lay in bed as the night wore on a bit thinking, "is this a sign?"--"Can it get any worse?" I texted Scott and thanked him for his hospitality and apologized a bit for the inconvenience. That is when he sent me a text that changed my weekend and produced the crux of my sermon for Sunday. The note said simply this:

"You are loved here."
 

I'll admit that tears welled up as I read that message. Moving is stressful. There are lots of things that tug on your time and attention. You want to end well and start well. You want to keep your head in the game where you are currently serving even as you begin to try to figure out what is coming in the new place. There is the real stress of discovering your new neighborhood, working out plans for schools, jobs for spouses, and meeting so many new people--it can be overwhelming. Sometimes, one more "extra" can be the infamous straw that breaks the camel's back. I knew that the car repair might not even be expensive, but I was concerned about getting it done and getting home to Alma for church on Sunday. I love Alma and all the folks here. Leaving here will be very hard. I didn't want anything to cause us to miss one of our last worship services together.
 
Scott had told me we were loved at Epworth, and then he and others proved it. Scott got up early and fetched another gallon of coolant to nurse the van on toward the church. A very kind and generous member of Epworth then gave up several hours of his Saturday afternoon to repair my van at a steep discount (probably parts only - yes, it was the radiator). He did that while my family was being shown around town by another couple who were also extremely kind. Not only was I TOLD we were loved, but that love was put into ACTION. There were more kind acts over the weekend--too many to name.
 
So I can hear what you are thinking... "but you are the new pastor and you got special treatment." To some extent that is likely true. But, I kind of think from what I learned about these people this weekend that the same courtesy would have been extended to others. And if it's NOT that way, then it should be.
 
When folks are among the people of God, they should know that they are loved here.
 
Bishop James King, Jr., our South Georgia Conference bishop, is often known to say that our churches should be "love stations." He has invited and encouraged all of us to be in small groups that meet often which he calls CLU (Christlike Love Unit) groups. Indeed, our churches should be about love. The Bible says God IS love. The Bible says the world will know we are Christians by our love. When compared with other spiritual qualities, love is the greatest of them. It is the first in the list of spiritual fruit. Love is mighty important to God and it is clear that it is important to God's people.
 
My whole family has surely felt and been loved in Alma. I know others have been loved in word and action by our churches here. So, if anything made it beyond the benediction Sunday, I hope it is that church folks in all places be reminded and realize that when others interact with the church of Jesus Christ, they should know by our words and our actions that they are loved here.

Monday, May 4, 2015

Not My Best Show

Some of you of the right age and television demographic may remember one of now Senator Al Franken's legendary Saturday Night Live characters. Stuart Smalley was a self-help television show host who usually seemed to need a little help himself before it was over with. I'll never forget one of the most memorable episodes of this show. Smalley doesn't usually have guests on his show, and "that's OK." But things get really funny when he attempts to help legendary basketball star, Michael J. (to protect his anonymity), to feel better about himself. Click here to watch...

I'm going to do a little bit of self-revelation today. I am not sure that Sunday was my "best show." I messaged a friend Sunday night that I didn't think I had preached very well Sunday morning. He confided that, for one reason or another, he felt the same way about his own sermon. Maybe there was something in the air yesterday that made things feel like they just didn't "click."

I am almost sure I didn't say anything heretical. And I don't think anybody fell asleep (at least nobody new - there are a couple that I lose to slumber on a regular basis, but I don't take it personally). I don't think anybody is going to answer the call to be a missionary in Africa from the message yesterday.

But you know what? I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it... -people like me! So what if it wasn't my best show. Is that what church is supposed to be... a show? I hope not.

Yesterday, I offered the word of God. I expounded upon the lectionary text of the day. We reflected upon how God is the vinegrower, Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. John 15:1-8 simply says to abide in Christ and he will abide in us. We must remain connected to the vine so we can bear fruit for the kingdom. If we don't bear fruit, we risk being pruned away and discarded and burned.

Then, we did one of my favorite things. We gathered around the table of the Lord. We feasted on the bread and wine. We moved from whatever proclamation of the word I mustered to the mystery of God's grace present in the sacrament of Holy Communion. God had the last word.

As I gave the benediction Sunday, I simply called us to go into the world, to be faithful branches, and to bear fruit. The fruit doesn't always come in the time we think it should or the quantity we think is right. But if we remain connected to the vine and allow God to prune and shape us, we can be fruit-bearers.

I might not have preached my most memorable sermon. And this blog is not an effort to get a bunch of cheap affirmations from you folks who were there! Please don't respond in that way. I have had many meals in my life. Even though all are not memorable, I have been fed and nourished just the same.

So even though the sermon might not have "done it" for me this week, the celebration of God's grace in bread and wine did. God's grace, if received and welcomed into your life, can always make it beyond the benediction and to the point of our need.

When we fall short, God's grace is sure. Thanks be to God for all-sufficient grace!

Monday, April 27, 2015

Dear Kaylee

Dear Kaylee,

Your baptism on Sunday is a big deal.

One of the ways you know that is that I took off a week away from my own responsibilities as pastor of my church to be with you on your special day. I wish I was able to come to all of your plays and programs and special things, but we live too far away to get to everything.

But your baptism is so important. Your Aunt Lisa and I didn't want to miss it.

You see, I have been writing a blog about how church people can find ways for the things that we learn and talk about in church to become a part of our lives. I call it "Beyond the Benediction." I know, it's a cool title. But it's something that we church people have a lot of trouble with.

Apparently, you went forward in church a few weeks ago and accepted Jesus Christ as your savior. That is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make in your life. One of the only decisions that will ever come close in importance will be choosing someone to marry.

But I want you to remember that accepting Jesus Christ as your savior is only part of the picture. Each day when you get out of bed and go about the tasks of your day, you have a new choice every day as to whether or not you will follow Jesus and let him be the lord of your life on that day. You go to a Baptist church and I am the pastor of a Methodist church. We have different understandings of baptism and some different understandings about salvation, but I know we would all agree that the world will be a better place and your relationship with God will mean more to you if you will decide each day to follow Jesus.

Baptism is one of those things that is done in just a moment. From now on, you can say you are a baptized person. You can never "undo" a baptism. But, whether or not you choose to live like a baptized person will be up to you every day. Some days, living like a follower of Jesus might not be so hard. Other days, it may go against everything you want to do. Some days and years it might just seem like following Jesus is easy. And then one day, you might find that following Jesus is the hardest choice in some situation. You might even come upon a circumstance where following Jesus makes decades of your life more difficult than you ever imagined. We are living in a world that is changing so fast. Even though our country here in the United States has been a "friendly" place for Christians in the past, it seems it is becoming less so. But if we take an honest look at history, genuinely following Jesus has not ever really made many folks popular with the world.

So, I count it a great privilege that I was there to witness your baptism. But, as a blogger who is writing words about benedictions, I couldn't help but notice how appropriate the prayer was that closed the worship service in which you were baptized. The gentleman prayed that you and the other three who were baptized would grow in your faith and follow Jesus throughout your life.

In short, he was praying that your baptism would last beyond the benediction. I pray the same thing for you. I look forward to all the ways I will get to watch you grow in stature and learning. But I am especially looking forward to all the ways you will grow more and more into the likeness of Jesus Christ. One day, I pray you will look back and realize that what was begun at your baptism will be finished in the remainder of your life. The Bible tells us that the one who has begun a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. I am excited about seeing that happen!

So, Kaylee, your Uncle Tony and Aunt Lisa are proud of you and the commitment you have made. You have our prayers and the love and support of a wonderful congregation there at First Baptist Church in Norman Park, Georgia (some of those people were my school teachers and friends growing up!). You have a wonderful mother and father and godly grandparents who are showing you what it looks like to serve God.

So each day, remember that you are a baptized child of God. Remember the blessings of salvation that have been opened up to your life. Live each day for Jesus.

You'll NEVER regret it.

Monday, April 20, 2015

The Call to Preach

Yesterday, I told my church that we are all preachers.

Wow. If it were only that easy.

One of the key points of my sermon was that we protestants are living quite a quandary when it comes to one of our historic protestant doctrines:

We believe in the priesthood of all believers,
but we practice the priesthood of the preacher.

The scripture lesson for the day was one of our beloved Easter texts. Luke shares that Jesus has appeared to his disciples. They think he is a ghost, but he eats some fish, offers to let them see and touch his hands, feet, and side, and thereby proves he is a living being with flesh and blood. He reminds them of his own prophecy of his death and resurrection. Then he says to them repentance and forgiveness are to be proclaimed, first to Jerusalem and then to the ends of the earth. (Luke 24:36-48)

One of the ways the church has skewed from God's purest intent is the investment of the ministry of proclamation in the hands of the professional clergy. Now, speaking as a clergy person, it might seem I am shooting my own livelihood in the proverbial foot. If I am, so be it. But as a leader in the church, part of my job is to equip the saints for every good work - not to do it for them. This is where we have gone astray.

The tumultuous times of the protestant reformation were brought about not only by developments within the church itself, but also by developments in the culture at large. Many historians have noted the very invention of the printing press and the emerging ability to replicate the Bible in mass quantities made a reformation of some kind an inevitability. The very ownership and reading of the Bible had been the purveyance of the church elite. However, as the printed text of the bible became the physical property of more and more people, the power structure of the church shifted significantly as laity began to know more of the bible for themselves. People couldn't get enough.

Fast forward through history to today. I would argue that, in some ways, we are in a bit of a reverse trend. The advance and growth of the internet has proliferated so much information into our lives that we are overwhelmed with content. A typical visit to any "Christian" bookstore shows a nauseating array of "study bibles" for almost any topic, genre, or demographic imaginable (check out this frightening iteration). Delving into the content of an old, ancient book and finding a way to even discern the the message of that book is difficult enough, not to mention the challenge of relating that message to today's people. It's a tall order and one the modern church is still trying to find a way to fill.

And so, in response, much of the church has handed the ministry of the proclamation of the word back to the preacher. Only now, it is an act of exasperation on the part of the laity rather than one of control on the part of the clergy. But we still find ourselves with the same problem. We have many in the church who are only marginally involved in service or ministry with our communities. The acts of proclaiming repentance and forgiveness to the ends of the earth are most often the work of clergy and "professional" missionaries.

We live in a world that wants to make everything easy. The picture above is the now infamous "easy button" that was made popular by the Staples office supplies company. Amazon.com recently created the "Dash" (much like the easy button) that would be proliferated throughout our home so that we could order more laundry detergent, toilet paper, or Ritz crackers by the simple push of a button. I suppose now the convenience of going to your phone or computer to place your order is now simply too much to bear. It must be easier.

Unfortunately, there is nothing easy about finding a way to connect the apostolic message of repentance and forgiveness of sins offered by Jesus Christ to our current culture. If anything, it might be more difficult than ever to convince a people who want to press a button and order more fabric softener to do the hard work of building relationships with our neighbors and friends so that we might be able to share our faith. The longer I do this work, the more I realize that authentic relationships is the only way that survives the test of time and the advent of changing cultures. Getting to know people, listening to their greatest needs and concerns, and loving them through whatever challenges they have authenticates the preaching ministry of the whole body of Christ. When we offer repentance and forgiveness, we are believable.

It's not easy. But it is possible.

We are all called to preach. And so we must.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

A Cake Makes it Through

I thought today that nothing in the service might make it beyond the benediction.

I was wrong.

Today was a difficult and emotional Sunday for me and for the Alma and Elizabeth Chapel United Methodist churches. Even though we United Methodists know that pastors will come and go, the coming and going is difficult. I have served these churches in this community here in Bacon County in South Georgia for the last five years. Today brought news of a pastoral transition that will take me to serve a congregation in Columbus, Georgia and a yet to be known pastor to move here to serve in Alma.

I knew going into the service that I didn't want to begin with this news. Throwing it in during the announcements would cast a mournful tone over the worship. Following some of the advice of others and my own best instincts, I made the decision to make this announcement right after the closing hymn and before the benediction.

I preached today about dealing with doubt. My message was focused on accepting doubt as part of our faith and how doubt can actually prove helpful in growing us in our discipleship journey. One of the points I made was that in actually living out our faith in the face of our doubts, we can often dispel our own doubt and the doubts of those around us, thereby authenticating the integrity of the church in word and deed. I suggested that, given the events of the past week, we ought to all find some way to show some love to our local police and sheriff department. I made a rather whimsical comment that these folks ought to have a freshly baked cake in their headquarters this week from the church so they will not doubt the goodness of God in a scary world. Law enforcement officers see the very worst of what our community has to offer daily. It's no surprise these folks have very little trust in anyone.

Imagine my surprise tonight when one of my most faithful parishioners told me at evening worship that I had inspired her and that this afternoon she had baked a cake to take to a law enforcement agency headquarters! Even in the aftermath of such an emotional announcement that I would be leaving the church, something from the sermon made it beyond the benediction!

This is exactly what I was hoping for as I began to write this blog. Sometimes, we just don't notice what's going on unless we are looking for it. Perhaps that's the heart of the "doubting Thomas" message anyway. On the very first Easter day, Thomas was probably more of a "pouting Thomas" than a "doubting Thomas". His disappointment in Jesus and all his friends overwhelmed him and he removed himself from the community. It was only after all the disciples begged him to come back and told him they had seen the risen Lord that he agreed to at least show back up for their next Sunday meeting. Lo and behold, Jesus appeared among them and he met Thomas's doubting with evidence for belief.

The disciples didn't give up on Thomas. Jesus's message to them made it beyond the benediction of their first meeting in the upper room with their risen Lord and back to Thomas. The first inactive church member was restored not because Jesus went after him personally, but because people who were excited for their risen Lord persisted.

Imagine what might happen today if the excitement of our risen Savior could make it beyond the benediction of our Sunday services.

Well, a cake made it through today. I have hope.

Monday, April 6, 2015

Beyond the Benediction

It all begins when it ends.

Well, at least that's how it seems to be when it comes to worship and life.

As a pastor, I work very hard each week to fill the worship service in my congregation with many things. I follow some of the historic patterns that are given to me by tradition. Sometimes I do some of my own things. Some Sundays stand out among others. Others stand in the background, but have nourished and shaped spiritual journeys nonetheless.

But almost every Sunday worship experience is bookended by a couple of significant moments. First there is the call to worship. It may be preceded by some announcements or not. It may be spoken and it might be musical. It could even be silent. But each worship service calls us to a moment in time at which we decide to move from the routine of our daily lives into an experience together with our brothers and sisters in Christ that we call worship. During that time we will sing, pray, share, preach, and dine together. We will participate in the things that have sustained the church for centuries.

And then, at the end of this experience together, there is a benediction. I am not sure I have ever been to a worship service of any style in which there wasn't a benediction. It may be a prayer by the pastor or a lay person. It might be words spoken directly to the congregation. It might be a musical number. But there is a point at which we know the worship time has ended and we are to leave. We will get up from our chair or pew and walk out of the room in which we have gathered to worship and we will leave.

It all begins when it ends.

A hymn in our United Methodist Hymnal with words by Omer Westendorf phrases it like this:

Sent forth by God's blessing, our true faith confessing,
the people of God from this dwelling take leave.
The service is ended, O now be extended
the fruits of our worship in all who believe.
The seed of the teaching, receptive souls reaching,
shall blossom in action for God and for all.
God's grace did invite us, and love shall unite us
to work for God's kingdom and answer the call.

Just this past Sunday, we celebrated Easter. It was my eleventh Easter as a pastor, but my 39th in this life. As the pastor, I had just preached yet another Easter Sunday sermon. My benediction was simple.

Jesus Christ is alive! Now go and live like it!
 
That is what I hope to do over the course of the years on this blog. I want to "connect the dots" between what we do in worship with what we do in living. I want to understand better how to turn learning into living. I want to understand how to get the good news of Jesus Christ BEYOND THE BENEDICTION and into the daily lives of Christians who will in turn get the good news of Jesus to their neighbors.
 
The church is often hounded with accusations of irrelevance. Christians believe the lie that our faith is "private" and is to be exercised within the safe bounds of the church building. This is not the faith that was handed down to us by the apostles. This is not the faith of an evangelistic people whose final mission from our master was to make disciples of the whole world.
 
So, I hope you'll join me on my way of learning, exploring, and discovering ways to get the Christian faith beyond the benediction and into daily living. God knows we need it.