Worldview 101: the cross and the call

What to write....what to write?

I feel as if I need to put my thoughts down- but there swirling all over the place.

This weekend went really well- Easter Sunday was awesome... from church service to spending time with family I didn't want the day to end. I was able to get in some time with my brother, and I haven't had one on one time with him for awhile. We talked ministry, about his wedding, about church, work and a variety of other things. I'm truly blessed to be surrounded by so many great individuals from my wife (of course!) to my siblings, my brother-in-law and his wife, to our parents, to friends and church family. I'm feeling this momentum building in mine and Tina's lives and it started a few months back with starting out at SoulQuest and then with things evolving with this new pregnancy.

I have a lot on my mind and I'll try to put it down here...

A couple weeks left of school- four class periods left to go. Other than Life of Freedom classes (in May-June) I was going to attend some classes this summer but Tina and I decided to take things slow this summer and allow for God's plan to take hold. I hope that this means that I will be able to become more involved with SoulQuest- its difficult being so passionate about something and not having an opportunity to utilize or make known the things that you've learned and being able to get your feet wet with experience. I still have so much to learn but I honestly feel that the bulk of my learning will come through engaging and teaching others. I hope to spend quite a bit more time in the Bible over the summer, and I've been scouring the market for a solid Bible dictionary for exegesis.

I wish this entry was a bit more organic in nature- but I think it will instead be all over the place. I think this means that I need to get on here more often and write on particular subjects instead of waiting til my mind is racing with a million and one things. From thinking about the concept of what it means to "do church," to the possibility of writing a book, moving in the near future to a new residency, work and all the stuff going on there, putting together a Bible study in the future, and the excitement of becoming a parent and all the things that Tina and I are looking to do differently from most people with our children.

Life takes on a different form when you start to look at life from the perspective that the physical nature of man and the spiritual side of things act as one. There is no separation between the physical and spiritual- when we realize that the stuff we do, the things we say and the thoughts we conger up have significance...well this leads to a higher order of life and puts significance in our daily happenings as having divine recollection to God. It is in my day to day moments at work that I realize the bulk of humanities problems- I consistently interact with individuals who have very little to say about why they do what they do or if any of "it" matters. I'm nearly obsessed with finding out what makes people tick, I want to better understand society, social structures, the frame work of how and why people attempt to play "god" in their own lives and the increase in adhering to traditions. After all these years (which I make sound like "a lot" of years... and it most certainly hasn't been) I've had some very powerful things happen in my life to lead me to God- I've also always had a thing or two for A) heightened level of empathy B) an issue with how things are consistently done, and this understanding that there must be more to "living" than what most live by.

I've attempted to be quite a few things in my life but every time I come back to this desire to preach, teach and lead others to God. For this I've encountered friends, family, and co-workers into some awkward conversations... I've had people change their entire approach to me because of hearing that I'm looking to become a minister or that I'm attending Bible school. So many individuals (and for good reason) have this preconceived notion of what it means to be entering ministry. They start to label you religious, they may or may not put on a front and in the end you may lose the connection that you have always had with that individual. With going to school for ministry- doesn't mean that I'm on the fast track to becoming a Pastor, I could become a ton of other things (if God would will it) I could become a youth pastor, teaching pastor, associate pastor, I could teach Bible classes, write books and hold conferences, etc.

Who am I to suggest that I have any idea about what God is going to do?
Its sometimes nice to just enjoy the mystery of God.

For instance... here is something that I've been really having a hard time with...

Easter bunnies and Toy giving fat men. To quote Tina...
"Easter is becoming Christmas and Christmas is becoming Crazy"
How true!
Tina and I have come to grips with the fact that with our children we're not going to celebrate Santa or the Easter bunny and with mentioning this I'm probably going to get a lot of flack. From those that don't understand there going to suggest that Tina and I are raising our kids to be "little adults" and what's the matter with having a little imaginative fun with kids, etc.
If you know me personally- you would know that I'm pretty imaginative and as a Dad I will have A TON of fun with my children. It's just that I don't think it needs to be found through lying to my children. And lying is exactly what your doing when you promote the concept of something that doesn't exist for "fun." I want my kids to grow up understanding the reality behind why we celebrate Easter and Christmas and I want them to be bigger givers than takers. I will allow my kids to take part in the "fun things" of Christmas and Easter- they will be able to take pictures with Santa and color eggs, etc (if they want to).. but they will do these things with knowing that it's imaginative and not "the reason" why we celebrate. I want them to understand that we are already blessed and that we must bless others. So many people today go "I just don't know what to get them, they have everything" Can nobody see the issue with this? An expectation has been created that if I don't give my children "everything" I'm neglecting them and they may not think I love them. This is such a lie and has lead to parents working 60 hour weeks to afford stuff for their kids whereas what there kids truly want are their parents to be around more often.

xbox360 or time with Dad? Powerwheel or storytime with Mom?

I have a lot of strong opinions about things that I've also researched. So many people do things because that's the way others do it, or how their family has always done it. Yet just because something has always been done this way or that way does not make it right. I'm perfectly okay with each family doing what they feel they need to do... but I think people should question more often why they do what they do. Seek second opinions and believe that God does provide and engage his children with answers.

So many individuals take what they believe about something because they saw a movie or read "a book." People have "concrete" opinions about things they know very little about. It is in this train of thought that I must ask- "are you willing to bet your life on what you believe?"

To take from Pastor Dave- (I also) do not serve a deaf, mute God (and I'll add) or a powerless God. No my God, my Jesus listens, talks and empowers his people.

I have quite a bit to say about the abuse of medicine. About finances. About God. About Business ethics. About leadership. About Jesus. About relationships. About Spirit Healing. About Church. About life and love. About family and the dynamics of parent and child.

I'm not an expert in anything but I poke, prod and test things out. I try my best to make decisions not based on what necessarily feels comfortable or easy but on what I believe to be right (and this is after I've "poked and prodded" for awhile) and of course consulted scripture and weighed out the differences. You see the bulk of my studies involve not just seeking out my side of the argument but in analyzing the other side of the argument- I believe that it is imperative to know both sides of the argument if you are ever to be convincing to someone who thinks differently from you.

What am I worried about with scripture? I'm not worried about what my poking and prodding might do. I go to the word with honesty, integrity, respect, and open mind. I ask for the Holy Spirit to help lead my thoughts and my eyes across each word and in the end- I know that I can poke, and prod because I'm not going to fall out of touch with what's being said. The word is true and if its true then I will have no issues with engaging the text at a deeper level.

I believe that there is no question that I could ask God that would cause him to stir in his seat. "Oh... why did he have to ask that" "Oh... Lance... let me think on that one for a few days" No of course not... and for somethings I may not find the answer and at the end of the day- I don't have to have all the answers because I'm not meant to know all the answers. He's God and I'm man. He's infinite and I'm finite. Case closed.

It's with this understanding that I have come to accept that apologetics seems futile. This whole "art" of defending the Faith- we come to the battle as if we're A. Losing. and B. That God NEEDS us to fight for Him. Sure it's fun stuff to watch youtube video's of Christopher Hitchens VS Doug Wilson, or any other theologian. Yet in the end I most often find myself laughing at the fact that two men believe that they have "figured" out God and have him cornered off. It's crazy... but interesting none the less.

So as Christians we come at apologetics with feeling as if we need to "explain" everything. What kind of life is that? How can you ever find rest if your entire life is built around defending something day in and day out. How can you enjoy the life that God has blessed you with if all you do is spend countless hours stressing whether or not someone is going to tear down your protective religious walls if you fumble up your words just once.

Yet for the atheist. How do you explain away creation in full? How do you explain away the human body and it's complicated design, How do explain away 500+ individuals seeing Jesus after the cross? How do we explain miracles not only then- but NOW? People coming back from the dead, Cancer and AIDS being lifted off of individuals, Lives being healed and families becoming whole again.

A marriage being healed through tragedy. A woman with a womb needing healing. A man dealing with things "mastering" him, that same woman with blood level issues, 9 months of waiting.

A womb healed. A man conquering life with the Spirit. Blood levels becoming "fixed" nearly over night. A menstrual cycle restarted by God.

A pregnancy and a healthy one at that.

Tell me that God does not exist... and I will point at my own life and prove you wrong.


Explain that away? Tell me that the Christian way is the wrong way and I will show you where it has worked and worked better than any other means of conquering that this world has ever seen. The Christian way is the only way of Faith that represents a non-violent approach- to truly know what this means would put in question why warfare is never the answer. Yeah I've said it- warfare... the way of the sword- Roman Peace through Victory is never the answer. Guns, Bullets, Bombs and strategic warfare have no place in Kingdom life. I'm not suggesting that its easy to explain away- but I'm willing to admit that there is always "another" way.

We just tend to look at everything from "our" own perspective.
Which is a perspective that has us on top- oh you know... dominating others.

Because don't you know that everyone wants to be a democracy? How dare us.

(Boy this is sounding anti-patriotic... well perhaps it is- I guess I'm more pro-Jesus.)

In attempting to understand the concept of the church for 2009- we must look at why the church ever came to be.

Early Church = Men and Women desiring to continue the Way of Jesus in community with one another, a community built on relationship and family oriented living. Sharing of gifts, talents and supplies. They had a dependence on God, on teachings, on growing and they had established leaders. They were persecuted and through persecution they persevered- they were the oppressed and the impoverished.

Think about it.

Today = The Church may just come across as the privileged, as a Sunday morning thing (just a Sunday morning thing) filled with structured programs and systems of thought, congregants that have secular and church jobs. The American church stands alongside its empirical roots of established US might and control. No longer are we the oppressed and or the impoverished.

It's tough to understand a Jesus that went against the super powers of his day while living in a super power today. (paraphrased from Jesus wants to save Christians)

This is why I believe its important to teach children about giving and the power behind blessing others. We are in the midst of a recession and people continue to act as if something hasn't happened. There spending behaviors have not changed- it is the definition of insanity when people continue doing the same things and expecting a different results.

Keep spending and at some point... saving might just happen. Hmm..

Spend more money to make more money.
OKAY.
Taking from a negative amount gives a negative amount.
Basic Math.

Back to the Church...

I'm not suggesting that we should go about becoming desolate by any means. Not at all... God is not seeking for any one person to not be successful or to consciously degrade themselves. God just wants us to not put our stuff first then Him second. I've said it before... it's all about agenda and about being intentional.

So how do we do Church today?

We continue to remember about our roots.
We become aware of how broken we were, and how lost we were, and how hopeless we were and we show our wounds, our compass and our Jesus to them. Where the government has stepped in and taken control of things that were traditionally held as Church domain things... we take back.
We lead the way with Jesus at the head.

How long will it be before the government fully takes over weddings? funerals? Elderly care? (oh wait isn't this Hospice?)
I mean really... it is at the Church where the needy becomes fed. Where the lost become known. Where the unloved become loved. The untouched become recognized. The sick are healed. The power and constructs of society are exploited and dethroned by His name.

Christianity is not just a t-shirt or a country club. Church is not just a Sunday thing. Once you are transformed, once you have a relationship with the Divine... there is no looking back, only growth and passion for what He is doing.

Have I done a good job at covering a dozen different subjects? lol

I sometimes have an issue with how people claim to be one thing but act as another. I've heard it all before that I'm just "more serious" about my Faith. I'm a warrior whereas some people will just be simpler in their beliefs. Some will act 24/7 and others just on Sundays.

Sorry but tell me where this is in scripture?

My goal is definately not to come across as self righteous... as I have dozen vices and things in my own life that God's working on. Yet we must become aware of what we do, what we enjoy, how we act and what we say.

These things matter.
It does matter if you call yourself Christian and you play Grand Theft Auto. It matters.

I'm not saying that seeing a bloody movie will negate Faith. God is bigger than what you watched on Saturday night at the movie theater. But we must become aware of what Grace means- and what forgiveness entails. His Grace is abundant but not cheap. His forgiveness is vast but not without sacrifice.

Think about it.

This doesn't mean that you just surround yourself with "Cultural Christianity" either... claiming all that is good because all that is true, and real and alive is Gods.

As the Church- we must lead the way. We must take the instruments that have been used by the secular world and infuse the mission of the Church into them.

Youtube? yep. Myspace? yep. Facebook? yep. Twitter? yep. Kroger grocery aisle? yep. The break room at work? Yep.

Get it? Got it? God is Good.

My thoughts are flooded each and every day as to what it means to dialogue with God? What does it mean to pray?

Your driving by a man limping down the road. Pray.
You confront the depressed cashier at the supermarket. Pray.
You just saw a car accident. Pray
Your driving for 40 minutes and God just wants to hear from you. Turn down the I-Pod and express to God what you are feeling. God most certainly wants to talk to you as well. Turn down the I-pod and turn off your voice.

Listen. Talk. Pray. Worship.

Engage in relationship and grow in Faith.
Put the power of God out there... because God will never Fail.

So we must be aware of agenda's and we must become assertive with being intentional. Why you may ask...

Be intentional... because you must be.

The world will not stop for a second for you to "figure things out" Trust me I've been there and I've done that.

The world does not care at all about your marriage, about your personal life, your study with scripture and or relationship with God.

The world does not wait, so you must be intentional.

Sounds pretty down and out, eh?

No I'm just being realistic... and heres the good news.

Sure the world will not wait, sure we must be intentional and we must seek structure for our relationships to flourish.

I'm not done yet... once more...

The world does not wait- but we don't have to worry about the world. Because we believe in the One who overcame the world. What does the world have to say to those that know the creator of it? Nothing new, nothing original, nothing life threatning.

It means everything.

We believe as Christians in the resurrection. We believe that dead people walk and eat and live and teach and love us. We believe that one man in particular claimed to be God and proved it through dominating sin and death and breaking into the world through flesh and spirit. Together as one.

That's it for now... I should go to bed. Sorry for being all over the place. Really excited for tomorrow Tina and I have our first meeting with our mid-wife. Praise the Lord, Thank you God for this pregnancy and for being the author of life and the conqueror over death.

- Peace be with You,
Lance