In the previous post we began to consider the centrality of the Holy Spirit in the early church and His role in planting and leading the church from the time of Jesus' ascension. To remind us of the significance of this moment in history, consider this: God's promise to Abraham all the way back in Genesis 12 is fulfilled in the coming of the Holy Spirit. "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come...so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit"(Gal 3:14). So the promise given to the father of the faithful thousands of years earlier - "All peoples on earth will be blessed through you" - came to fruition at that first Pentecost after Jesus' resurrection. All people now have access to God's Spirit (talk about blessed!!).
After explaining this outpouring of the Spirit as a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy, Peter goes on to explain that Jesus - since he earlier received the Spirit from the Father (remember the dove?) - is the one who just did the pouring: "Exalted to the right hand of God, he (Jesus) has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear." (v.33) That would have all been great news, except for the other detail that Peter shared in his sermon. "This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross." (v.23)
So when the people realized that they could share in this gift of the Holy Spirit, but that they were responsible for assisting in the murder of the giver of said gift, "they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'brothers, what shall we do?' I believe there are really 2 questions here. First is what can I do about the guilt of having killed the gift-giver, and the second is how do I get access to this gift. The beauty of the gospel, as opposed to the law that was currently these people's master, is it's simplicity! To this urgent and most significant question, Peter replied with this simple response, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
How simple is that? One answer for both questions! And notice that the answer doesn't include a long list of things that had to change in their lives before receiving the gift. Peter didn't say, quit smoking, stop living with your girlfriend, tell your parents they're lost, quit your job, Tote dat barge, Lif' dat bale! He simply said repent - meaning to change your mind - and get dunked in water. As soon as you do that, you'll be forgiven and you'll receive this amazing gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling in you! No wonder 3,000 responded that same day.
(Stay tuned - more to come. And please comment so we can learn together.)
Monday, August 22, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Spirit-led
It's been a long time since my last post - evidence that I have not yet found the secret to simplicity that I am looking for - but alas, I'm still searching.
The last post focused on simplicity and the church - and ended with an acronym: S-I-M-P-L-I-F-I-E-D. Each letter in that acronym represents a principle that lies at the heart of what I believe Jesus had in mind when he started the church.
The "S" in SIMPLIFIED stands for Spirit-Led. First and foremost, Jesus' church is Spirit-Led. This term takes on different meanings - and feelings - based on what faith tradition within Christendom has had the greatest influence on you. For some, this means that since the Spirit inspired the word of God (2 Tim 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20), we simply have to read and obey the bible to be Spirit-led. For others it means the miraculous manifestations of the Spirit, as recorded in various scriptures (most notably 1 Corinthians 12-14), must be present. For many others the concept is just too hard to grasp, so while intellectually assenting to the notion of being Spirit-led, they have no real personal experience with it. I myself have been taught to trust the Spirit's leading through the inspired scriptures, but beyond that, one needs to exercise great caution in attributing things to the Spirit.
While this is a "safe" position, I don't believe it is consistent with the record that the scriptures themselves bear. Consider the book of Acts. Commonly referred to as the "Acts of the Apostles", there are nearly 40 occasions where the Spirit interacts directly with individuals, speaking to them as one person might speak to another. Jesus didn't leave a cut and dried blueprint for church. In fact, his succession speech was fairly short and to the point, "He said to them: 'It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'"(Acts 1:7-8)
Prior to his crucifixion he had a similar conversation as he prepared the Apostles to carry on His Father's work. “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you." (Jn 16:12-15) Jesus here makes it clear that the disciples would be relying on the Spirit himself to guide them into truth. He didn't write it in a manual, or create a new law. He said their discovery and understanding of truth would come directly from interacting with the Spirit.
Back to Acts 1, the only command that we see Jesus include in this critical moment of transition was, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait..." Isn't waiting one of the most difficult things God calls us to do? Consider how many years Abram waited from the time of the promise to the birth of his son, Isaac. Consider how long God's people had to wait to be released from their oppression in Egypt. Consider how long Moses had to wait just to see the promised land. Clearly God works on a different timetable than we do. Our tendency is to rush ahead. Take control. Devise a plan. But that's not how Jesus set the church in motion. He said do not go anywhere, just wait - "wait for the gift my Father promised, which you heard me speak about..." Right from the beginning Jesus was making it clear that the Spirit is going to lead this thing - not you guys! Isn't it ironic that we humans have attached the name "Acts of the Apostles", as if humans were leading the church, when it should more rightly be called "Acts of the Holy Spirit". Think about that for a minute.
Did you happen to notice the next question the apostles ask after getting the command to wait? "Lord are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" In other words, "Is it time yet?" No sooner do they hear the words, "wait", and they want to know if it's time yet. Reminds me of children on a long trip, "Are we there yet?" No, not yet. Five minutes later, "are we there yet?" No, not yet. "Are we there yet?". How often to do we miss the present, because we focus so much on what's supposed to happen next. Jesus said wait for the Spirit. He will "make it known to you." Lord, help us to learn what it means to wait on the Spirit!
When the Apostles returned to Jerusalem to wait, we see an interesting situation that helps us understand the ways in which the Spirit leads God's people. While they wait on the Spirit to be poured out, they decide to use the time wisely and find a replacement for Judas. "Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about 120) and said 'Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas..." As I mentioned early on, the Spirit is the author of scripture, so when we follow the scriptures we are submitting to the Spirit's leading. But notice that in this case the scriptures only gave the broad principle "May another take his place of leadership" (Acts 1:20, Psalm 109:8). It didn't tell them who to choose, or even how to choose them. (This is true of most scripture, by the way - they provide principles and guidelines - though our tendency is to make those into rules and regulations). To narrow it down, they rely on the words of Jesus (another way to be led by the Spirit), who said that the role of the apostles was to be witnesses of his resurrection. So the only parameter they use to narrow the field is that it must be a person who has been among them from the time of John's baptism until the present time. Now that they've narrowed the field to two men, notice their highly logical and strategic approach to making the final selection. "Then they cast lots and the lot fell to Matthias, so he was added to the eleven apostles." What would you have done in the same situation? Had a debate about the pros and cons of each candidate? Had a vote, with 2/3rds majority winning? Given each candidate a month to campaign, and then vote? Asked Peter to choose? These are all tested and tried approaches, but each of them relies more on human wisdom and intellect. But the apostles were in essence leaving the choice to God. They trusted that wherever the lot fell, that was the Spirit's choice in the matter. How many choices in the church are made using human intellect, versus trusting in the Spirit's leading?
The day of Pentecost comes and the waiting is over. The Spirit comes upon the believers and they begin to miraculously speak in the languages of all those gathered at this Jewish harvest festival. Then Peter addresses the crowd and starts his sermon by explaining the strange phenomenon that they all just shared. While some heckled and others sat bewildered, everyone present that day shared in one of the most significant events in the interaction between heaven and earth (others being the incarnation of Jesus, his death on the cross, and his resurrection from the dead). At this moment in history, God opened the door for every single person on earth and throughout the rest of history, to have a personal, intimate relationship with Him through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. It was no longer the case that only select leaders in God's movement - people like King Saul and Sampson - would receive the Spirit (only to have Him withdraw later on) - but that anyone, large or small, near or far, royal or common, Jew or Gentile could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell IN them. God and man connected not by law, regulation or through a mediator like Moses, but the immortal taking up residence IN the mortal. The creator living IN the creature. The king dwelling with and IN his subjects. It doesn't get any more intimate than that. As the prophet Joel foretold, and as they experienced that day, "I will pour out my Spirit on ALL people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy...And EVERYONE who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." God living in us! And working through us! All of us!
The Spirit living in us. The significance of this shift cannot be overstated. This is the NEW wine (Mk 2:22), the NEW ministry (2 Cor 3:8), the NEW covenant (Heb 8:8). And "By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete..."(Heb 8:13). In the next post we will look at some of the ways the Spirit led the early church in hopes that we can learn what it means to be Spirit-led today. I'm sure for many this will be review of truths already discovered. But hopefully for some, there will be something new!
The last post focused on simplicity and the church - and ended with an acronym: S-I-M-P-L-I-F-I-E-D. Each letter in that acronym represents a principle that lies at the heart of what I believe Jesus had in mind when he started the church.
The "S" in SIMPLIFIED stands for Spirit-Led. First and foremost, Jesus' church is Spirit-Led. This term takes on different meanings - and feelings - based on what faith tradition within Christendom has had the greatest influence on you. For some, this means that since the Spirit inspired the word of God (2 Tim 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20), we simply have to read and obey the bible to be Spirit-led. For others it means the miraculous manifestations of the Spirit, as recorded in various scriptures (most notably 1 Corinthians 12-14), must be present. For many others the concept is just too hard to grasp, so while intellectually assenting to the notion of being Spirit-led, they have no real personal experience with it. I myself have been taught to trust the Spirit's leading through the inspired scriptures, but beyond that, one needs to exercise great caution in attributing things to the Spirit.
While this is a "safe" position, I don't believe it is consistent with the record that the scriptures themselves bear. Consider the book of Acts. Commonly referred to as the "Acts of the Apostles", there are nearly 40 occasions where the Spirit interacts directly with individuals, speaking to them as one person might speak to another. Jesus didn't leave a cut and dried blueprint for church. In fact, his succession speech was fairly short and to the point, "He said to them: 'It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'"(Acts 1:7-8)
Prior to his crucifixion he had a similar conversation as he prepared the Apostles to carry on His Father's work. “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you." (Jn 16:12-15) Jesus here makes it clear that the disciples would be relying on the Spirit himself to guide them into truth. He didn't write it in a manual, or create a new law. He said their discovery and understanding of truth would come directly from interacting with the Spirit.
Back to Acts 1, the only command that we see Jesus include in this critical moment of transition was, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait..." Isn't waiting one of the most difficult things God calls us to do? Consider how many years Abram waited from the time of the promise to the birth of his son, Isaac. Consider how long God's people had to wait to be released from their oppression in Egypt. Consider how long Moses had to wait just to see the promised land. Clearly God works on a different timetable than we do. Our tendency is to rush ahead. Take control. Devise a plan. But that's not how Jesus set the church in motion. He said do not go anywhere, just wait - "wait for the gift my Father promised, which you heard me speak about..." Right from the beginning Jesus was making it clear that the Spirit is going to lead this thing - not you guys! Isn't it ironic that we humans have attached the name "Acts of the Apostles", as if humans were leading the church, when it should more rightly be called "Acts of the Holy Spirit". Think about that for a minute.
Did you happen to notice the next question the apostles ask after getting the command to wait? "Lord are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" In other words, "Is it time yet?" No sooner do they hear the words, "wait", and they want to know if it's time yet. Reminds me of children on a long trip, "Are we there yet?" No, not yet. Five minutes later, "are we there yet?" No, not yet. "Are we there yet?". How often to do we miss the present, because we focus so much on what's supposed to happen next. Jesus said wait for the Spirit. He will "make it known to you." Lord, help us to learn what it means to wait on the Spirit!
When the Apostles returned to Jerusalem to wait, we see an interesting situation that helps us understand the ways in which the Spirit leads God's people. While they wait on the Spirit to be poured out, they decide to use the time wisely and find a replacement for Judas. "Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about 120) and said 'Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas..." As I mentioned early on, the Spirit is the author of scripture, so when we follow the scriptures we are submitting to the Spirit's leading. But notice that in this case the scriptures only gave the broad principle "May another take his place of leadership" (Acts 1:20, Psalm 109:8). It didn't tell them who to choose, or even how to choose them. (This is true of most scripture, by the way - they provide principles and guidelines - though our tendency is to make those into rules and regulations). To narrow it down, they rely on the words of Jesus (another way to be led by the Spirit), who said that the role of the apostles was to be witnesses of his resurrection. So the only parameter they use to narrow the field is that it must be a person who has been among them from the time of John's baptism until the present time. Now that they've narrowed the field to two men, notice their highly logical and strategic approach to making the final selection. "Then they cast lots and the lot fell to Matthias, so he was added to the eleven apostles." What would you have done in the same situation? Had a debate about the pros and cons of each candidate? Had a vote, with 2/3rds majority winning? Given each candidate a month to campaign, and then vote? Asked Peter to choose? These are all tested and tried approaches, but each of them relies more on human wisdom and intellect. But the apostles were in essence leaving the choice to God. They trusted that wherever the lot fell, that was the Spirit's choice in the matter. How many choices in the church are made using human intellect, versus trusting in the Spirit's leading?
The day of Pentecost comes and the waiting is over. The Spirit comes upon the believers and they begin to miraculously speak in the languages of all those gathered at this Jewish harvest festival. Then Peter addresses the crowd and starts his sermon by explaining the strange phenomenon that they all just shared. While some heckled and others sat bewildered, everyone present that day shared in one of the most significant events in the interaction between heaven and earth (others being the incarnation of Jesus, his death on the cross, and his resurrection from the dead). At this moment in history, God opened the door for every single person on earth and throughout the rest of history, to have a personal, intimate relationship with Him through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. It was no longer the case that only select leaders in God's movement - people like King Saul and Sampson - would receive the Spirit (only to have Him withdraw later on) - but that anyone, large or small, near or far, royal or common, Jew or Gentile could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell IN them. God and man connected not by law, regulation or through a mediator like Moses, but the immortal taking up residence IN the mortal. The creator living IN the creature. The king dwelling with and IN his subjects. It doesn't get any more intimate than that. As the prophet Joel foretold, and as they experienced that day, "I will pour out my Spirit on ALL people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy...And EVERYONE who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." God living in us! And working through us! All of us!
The Spirit living in us. The significance of this shift cannot be overstated. This is the NEW wine (Mk 2:22), the NEW ministry (2 Cor 3:8), the NEW covenant (Heb 8:8). And "By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete..."(Heb 8:13). In the next post we will look at some of the ways the Spirit led the early church in hopes that we can learn what it means to be Spirit-led today. I'm sure for many this will be review of truths already discovered. But hopefully for some, there will be something new!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
The Church...SIMPLIFIED
“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mk 10:45
Jesus came to the earth to reconcile man to his creator. To restore a right relationship between the Father and his children. His goal was to get to the cross, where he willingly gave his life as a payment for our sins. He gave his life as a ransom for many.
But he also came to serve. Every day he served. He served people everywhere he went. He served them in their homes. He served them in the synagogue, in the neighborhood, at dinner parties, in the street, at the seashore, in the mountains. He served them wherever they were. In addition to the cross, his purpose was to serve.
He called his disciples to follow him - to do what he did. To be servants that serve everywhere they went. He didn’t charge them to start a new religion, or to somehow improve on the religions that were already available. In fact, he was quite anti-religion. He simply called his followers to be like him - to serve people. He called them to love each other, and to show that love to others by serving them. He called them to love their neighbors as themselves. He called them to love their enemies.
He also said that mixing new wine with old wine skins was a fruitless effort (no pun intended). In other words, trying to take his new teachings and mixing them in with the old “religious” way of relating to God and people would not work. Instead, he said “a new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another”. This is the new wine. But taking something that is relational in nature and trying to fit it into a system or institution does not mix any more than mixing new wine with old wine skins. No, Jesus did not “move into the neighborhood”(John 1:16 MSG) just to create a new group of “church goers”. Instead, he came to help us be “church be-ers”.
And in the early years of the church, that’s exactly what the disciples did. They lived together, loved each other, served their neighbors … and the number of disciples continued to grow. They were not organized institutionally as a religious group, but as small organic groups of fellow disciples who were connected relationally and who saw each other as members of the same family, rather than the same organization.
Jesus didn't create or implement a schedule of exclusively religious activities that had nothing to do with real life or that were separate from the people or culture where he lived. Unfortunately, in many cases, this is what “church” has become - a series of religious rituals and traditions that people view as their primary “Christian” duty. We have created a set of “sacred” activities and separated them from “secular” activities. This was not Jesus’ way. Jesus looked at every activity in human experience as sacred. Touching lepers was sacred. Healing on the Sabbath was sacred. Making 150 gallons of wine for people who had already had too much to drink was sacred. Dining with tax collectors and other social outcasts was sacred. BBQing on the beach was sacred. Foot washings from prostitutes were sacred. Jesus brought God to every event and every interaction. To follow Jesus is to bring God to every event and interaction – not just in “church”.
Jesus liked to simplify things. To Martha who was distracted by all the details of “serving God”, Jesus said “only one thing is needed”. To the Samaritan woman, who wanted to discuss the right place to worship, Jesus explained there is no specific place anymore. To the Pharisees who wanted to trap Jesus with theological chicanery, Jesus said ‘Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself’ – this sums up all the theology in the entire scripture. To reveal the deepest truths of the divine he told simple children's stories about birds and sheep and pots of gold. Has the church become too sophisticated for it’s founder and king? Perhaps things could be SIMPLIFIED:
Spirit-led
Incarnational
Missional (& Multiplying)
Participatory
Loving
Intimate
Family–patterned
Interdependent
Empowering
Discovery-minded
Check future posts for more on each of these principles - and please, join with me in the conversation by clicking on the "comments" link below.
Jesus came to the earth to reconcile man to his creator. To restore a right relationship between the Father and his children. His goal was to get to the cross, where he willingly gave his life as a payment for our sins. He gave his life as a ransom for many.
But he also came to serve. Every day he served. He served people everywhere he went. He served them in their homes. He served them in the synagogue, in the neighborhood, at dinner parties, in the street, at the seashore, in the mountains. He served them wherever they were. In addition to the cross, his purpose was to serve.
He called his disciples to follow him - to do what he did. To be servants that serve everywhere they went. He didn’t charge them to start a new religion, or to somehow improve on the religions that were already available. In fact, he was quite anti-religion. He simply called his followers to be like him - to serve people. He called them to love each other, and to show that love to others by serving them. He called them to love their neighbors as themselves. He called them to love their enemies.
He also said that mixing new wine with old wine skins was a fruitless effort (no pun intended). In other words, trying to take his new teachings and mixing them in with the old “religious” way of relating to God and people would not work. Instead, he said “a new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another”. This is the new wine. But taking something that is relational in nature and trying to fit it into a system or institution does not mix any more than mixing new wine with old wine skins. No, Jesus did not “move into the neighborhood”(John 1:16 MSG) just to create a new group of “church goers”. Instead, he came to help us be “church be-ers”.
And in the early years of the church, that’s exactly what the disciples did. They lived together, loved each other, served their neighbors … and the number of disciples continued to grow. They were not organized institutionally as a religious group, but as small organic groups of fellow disciples who were connected relationally and who saw each other as members of the same family, rather than the same organization.
Jesus didn't create or implement a schedule of exclusively religious activities that had nothing to do with real life or that were separate from the people or culture where he lived. Unfortunately, in many cases, this is what “church” has become - a series of religious rituals and traditions that people view as their primary “Christian” duty. We have created a set of “sacred” activities and separated them from “secular” activities. This was not Jesus’ way. Jesus looked at every activity in human experience as sacred. Touching lepers was sacred. Healing on the Sabbath was sacred. Making 150 gallons of wine for people who had already had too much to drink was sacred. Dining with tax collectors and other social outcasts was sacred. BBQing on the beach was sacred. Foot washings from prostitutes were sacred. Jesus brought God to every event and every interaction. To follow Jesus is to bring God to every event and interaction – not just in “church”.
Jesus liked to simplify things. To Martha who was distracted by all the details of “serving God”, Jesus said “only one thing is needed”. To the Samaritan woman, who wanted to discuss the right place to worship, Jesus explained there is no specific place anymore. To the Pharisees who wanted to trap Jesus with theological chicanery, Jesus said ‘Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself’ – this sums up all the theology in the entire scripture. To reveal the deepest truths of the divine he told simple children's stories about birds and sheep and pots of gold. Has the church become too sophisticated for it’s founder and king? Perhaps things could be SIMPLIFIED:
Spirit-led
Incarnational
Missional (& Multiplying)
Participatory
Loving
Intimate
Family–patterned
Interdependent
Empowering
Discovery-minded
Check future posts for more on each of these principles - and please, join with me in the conversation by clicking on the "comments" link below.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Storms
Storms have a way of interrupting life. Take last month for instance. Along with a host of other people, I'd spent the previous couple months planning for an annual benefit softball tournament. Fields reserved, umpires secured, t-shirts ordered, rosters submitted, money collected, food organized and ordered. An awful lot of preparation went in to making the 2-day tournament run smoothly. After the first day of games and the seeding determined for the championship round, the players all assembled at the designated starting time on Sunday afternoon. Players had traveled from five different states for this championship game. At the precise moment when the first game was scheduled to begin a bolt of lightening lit up the sky. Then rain began to fall. We waited for the customary 30 minutes to determine what would happen next. A half hour later the captains and umpires gathered to make the call. Two minutes into the meeting the skies opened up and poured forth so much water that the parched and dusty fields from the day before had become a swamp in a matter minutes. Championship round canceled, tournament over. Just like that.
Yet something special happened during that 10 minute rain delay meeting. The captains of the various teams, who though they worked together to raise money and honor a dear friend, in many ways still acted primarily as competitors. But during this meeting - this meeting forced upon us by this abrupt and powerful storm - brought everyone together to talk about the tournament. It forced us to take the time to discuss what was important and what wasn't. To restate and agree upon the priorities. It helped lead the group to a shared commitment to the tournament and all that it stood for. So did the storm interrupt the tournament or guarantee it's long term survival?
That same storm knocked out power in my neighborhood for almost nine hours. No electricity - no cable, no internet, no A/C. Just think of pre-historic times. What would we do now? What an inconvenience - what an annoyance. Maybe go to a movie, or to the mall.
Not intentionally - at least not on our part - my wife and I, as well as my college aged daughter and some of her friends, ended up on our front porch. Some sat swinging on the porch swing while others of us were rocking in the Amish made rockers. Those who were of age, and so inclined, sipped on one of my wife's favorite Australian wines. We told stories, got caught up, learned of my daughters summer experiences in India and her friend's time on an organic farm in Vermont. We laughed together and got connected - all without an electronic device to assist us. Not long after we convened this informal gathering two of the next door neighbor's children heard the noise and decided to investigate. Margarita and Sebastian invited themselves into the party and found some comfortable laps to sit on. It took a while before their mom showed up - but she did. Another glass of wine poured, more stories, more laughs, more connections. Then Dad came over, wondering where the family was, and what all the noise was about. Even though he had a pizza cooking on the BBQ (once the kids know it's pizza night even a power outage won't be enough to change their minds) he felt compelled to stay. Oh yea, and the guests they had coming over for dinner would just have to find their way over to our front porch themselves - which they did, along with their kids and their parents.
We had a full house - although we weren't in the house. It was a magical time. A memorable time. A peaceful, relationship-building time that would not have been any more special had we planned it. Had the electricity not gone off, though, it wouldn't have happened. We would likely have been indoors, plugged in or logged on in an attempt to connect - yet would we have really connected - like we did on the porch?
Storms are unpredictable. They can wreak havoc on those they touch. Yet they can also have the profound effect of simplifying our lives and helping us to zero in on what's most important. Though I don't for a minute want to trivialize the pain and suffering brought on by storms like Katrina, one of the immediate outcomes is ofter a huge outpouring of mutual concern and real connections made between people who had previously shared the same space, but not really known each other. Life can sometimes bring simplicity to us, and in those times we remember that what matters most is people. What if we chose simplicity and began to reap the relational rewards right now. Don't wait for the storms. Try out your front porch swing today - and invite a neighbor to join you.
Yet something special happened during that 10 minute rain delay meeting. The captains of the various teams, who though they worked together to raise money and honor a dear friend, in many ways still acted primarily as competitors. But during this meeting - this meeting forced upon us by this abrupt and powerful storm - brought everyone together to talk about the tournament. It forced us to take the time to discuss what was important and what wasn't. To restate and agree upon the priorities. It helped lead the group to a shared commitment to the tournament and all that it stood for. So did the storm interrupt the tournament or guarantee it's long term survival?
That same storm knocked out power in my neighborhood for almost nine hours. No electricity - no cable, no internet, no A/C. Just think of pre-historic times. What would we do now? What an inconvenience - what an annoyance. Maybe go to a movie, or to the mall.
Not intentionally - at least not on our part - my wife and I, as well as my college aged daughter and some of her friends, ended up on our front porch. Some sat swinging on the porch swing while others of us were rocking in the Amish made rockers. Those who were of age, and so inclined, sipped on one of my wife's favorite Australian wines. We told stories, got caught up, learned of my daughters summer experiences in India and her friend's time on an organic farm in Vermont. We laughed together and got connected - all without an electronic device to assist us. Not long after we convened this informal gathering two of the next door neighbor's children heard the noise and decided to investigate. Margarita and Sebastian invited themselves into the party and found some comfortable laps to sit on. It took a while before their mom showed up - but she did. Another glass of wine poured, more stories, more laughs, more connections. Then Dad came over, wondering where the family was, and what all the noise was about. Even though he had a pizza cooking on the BBQ (once the kids know it's pizza night even a power outage won't be enough to change their minds) he felt compelled to stay. Oh yea, and the guests they had coming over for dinner would just have to find their way over to our front porch themselves - which they did, along with their kids and their parents.
We had a full house - although we weren't in the house. It was a magical time. A memorable time. A peaceful, relationship-building time that would not have been any more special had we planned it. Had the electricity not gone off, though, it wouldn't have happened. We would likely have been indoors, plugged in or logged on in an attempt to connect - yet would we have really connected - like we did on the porch?
Storms are unpredictable. They can wreak havoc on those they touch. Yet they can also have the profound effect of simplifying our lives and helping us to zero in on what's most important. Though I don't for a minute want to trivialize the pain and suffering brought on by storms like Katrina, one of the immediate outcomes is ofter a huge outpouring of mutual concern and real connections made between people who had previously shared the same space, but not really known each other. Life can sometimes bring simplicity to us, and in those times we remember that what matters most is people. What if we chose simplicity and began to reap the relational rewards right now. Don't wait for the storms. Try out your front porch swing today - and invite a neighbor to join you.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
We Need a New Name
When someone hears the word “American” there are probably a hundred other words that might pop into their minds depending on where they are from and what relationship they have to the United States. Some of those words are likely to have a negative connotation, and others might reflect a sense of admiration or even envy. But regardless of how the hearer might feel about Americans, there is one synonym that seems to be universally accepted – by Americans and non-Americans alike. It is a word that is used in our media on a daily basis. And every time I hear it, I cringe and feel embarrassed and at times even ashamed – but at the same time, I am "guilty as charged". Some of us may be democrats and others republicans, some may be Christian and some Jewish, some may be black and some may be white. Some may be white collar and others blue collar, and some no collar at all. But this one particular tag, this one identifier, this particular label seems to stick to all of us without regard to race, gender, age, class or any other distinction. As Americans we are Consumers.
It is telling that when you observe a shift in another culture, and it gets described as “westernization” what is likely being observed is a shift toward greater consumerism! To be more like America means to be bigger consumers. After 911, one of the earliest messages even from our countries leaders, was "buy more". Consuming is the answer to homeland security. The message throughout the recent recession - that was brought on by irresponsible lending and borrowing practices, and deplorable greed - is "spend more". In 2008 companies in this country spent more than 410 billion dollars on advertising - to help us be better consumers.
We are so indoctrinated in this role that we begin to believe statements like "The more you buy the more you save". This may come as a surprise to some, but you can’t save money at a retail store. You can only spend money there. To save money, you go to a bank and put your money in a savings account, CD or money market account - or you could even stick it in a plastic bag under your mattress. But there's only one thing you can do with your money at a store - consume.
This consumerism is so much a part of our national identity that our English language struggles to even find a good antonym for the word. The most common I've found is producer. But how many of us produce anything - except waste from the things we consume? The American language doesn't even give us an option.
Did you know that the single fastest-growing segment of the commercial real estate market in the past 35 years is Self-storage facilities. These are the places we put all the stuff that we consume when we run out of space for that stuff in our homes, closets, attics, basements, sheds, garages and parents homes. Between 2000 and 2007 the self-storage industry grew 81%. Today self-storage is a $22 billion industry with over 50,000 storage facilities in the US. In fact, there are so many self-storage facilities in the US, they cover more than 78 square miles - that's 2.2 billion square feet.
In Matthew 6:19, Jesus said "do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth..." This is one of those Jesus sayings that we have conveniently dismissed as metaphorical. But ask yourself a few questions. What is my stuff doing for me? Does it set me free or does it enslave me? How much time do I spend managing and maintaining my stuff? How much do I spend just on insuring my stuff? Do I own my stuff, or does my stuff own me? We have a stuff crisis in this country. It's a virus that is starting to spread to other countries and peoples as well. How can we deal with this crisis? I have a couple simple recommendations. One is to view a creative, but hard-hitting little video on "The Story of Stuff". You can see it at www.storyofstuff.com.
Another recommendation is to begin to take Jesus' words more literally? In Luke 12:15 Jesus said, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions (stuff)."
With these words ringing in our ears, and our attic and shed near capacity (no self-storage unit yet, but getting dangerously close) my family and I have decided to try a new version of the old "one a day challenge". I'm sure all of us have given ourselves a daily challenge before. Maybe a nutrition or other health related challenge. Maybe daily prayer. Perhaps to smile and say hello to a stranger or spend some quality time with your spouse or children.
Our new one a day challenge is this. Every day we will try to...
1. Give something away,
2. Throw something away or,
3. Sell something and give the money to someone in need.
Every day, get rid of one of our possessions. We started small. I found a few books on my shelf that I wasn't going to read again and gave them to someone who would. Then we went through our attic and found a bunch of cardboard boxes we'd been saving for who knows what and gave some to a friend who needed some moving boxes, and the rest ended up on the curb on recycling day. After that it was a small TV, then a computer. Give it a try - it's very freeing! Get rid of stuff that you said you might use someday, but 15 years later it's still taking up space in your attic. Give away one book, CD or DVD. Find the things you have two of and give one to someone who has none. The next time someone asks to borrow something - give it to them instead. Or the next time someone says, "hey, I really like that tie", take it off and give it to them.
We earned the name "consumer" because it is probably the one thing most of us do every single day. What if we turned it around. Instead of consuming every day, we let go of something every day. As I try to shed all of the stuff that enslaves me, I want to shed the name consumer as well. We need a new name. How about Remusnoc?
It is telling that when you observe a shift in another culture, and it gets described as “westernization” what is likely being observed is a shift toward greater consumerism! To be more like America means to be bigger consumers. After 911, one of the earliest messages even from our countries leaders, was "buy more". Consuming is the answer to homeland security. The message throughout the recent recession - that was brought on by irresponsible lending and borrowing practices, and deplorable greed - is "spend more". In 2008 companies in this country spent more than 410 billion dollars on advertising - to help us be better consumers.
We are so indoctrinated in this role that we begin to believe statements like "The more you buy the more you save". This may come as a surprise to some, but you can’t save money at a retail store. You can only spend money there. To save money, you go to a bank and put your money in a savings account, CD or money market account - or you could even stick it in a plastic bag under your mattress. But there's only one thing you can do with your money at a store - consume.
This consumerism is so much a part of our national identity that our English language struggles to even find a good antonym for the word. The most common I've found is producer. But how many of us produce anything - except waste from the things we consume? The American language doesn't even give us an option.
Did you know that the single fastest-growing segment of the commercial real estate market in the past 35 years is Self-storage facilities. These are the places we put all the stuff that we consume when we run out of space for that stuff in our homes, closets, attics, basements, sheds, garages and parents homes. Between 2000 and 2007 the self-storage industry grew 81%. Today self-storage is a $22 billion industry with over 50,000 storage facilities in the US. In fact, there are so many self-storage facilities in the US, they cover more than 78 square miles - that's 2.2 billion square feet.
In Matthew 6:19, Jesus said "do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth..." This is one of those Jesus sayings that we have conveniently dismissed as metaphorical. But ask yourself a few questions. What is my stuff doing for me? Does it set me free or does it enslave me? How much time do I spend managing and maintaining my stuff? How much do I spend just on insuring my stuff? Do I own my stuff, or does my stuff own me? We have a stuff crisis in this country. It's a virus that is starting to spread to other countries and peoples as well. How can we deal with this crisis? I have a couple simple recommendations. One is to view a creative, but hard-hitting little video on "The Story of Stuff". You can see it at www.storyofstuff.com.
Another recommendation is to begin to take Jesus' words more literally? In Luke 12:15 Jesus said, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions (stuff)."
With these words ringing in our ears, and our attic and shed near capacity (no self-storage unit yet, but getting dangerously close) my family and I have decided to try a new version of the old "one a day challenge". I'm sure all of us have given ourselves a daily challenge before. Maybe a nutrition or other health related challenge. Maybe daily prayer. Perhaps to smile and say hello to a stranger or spend some quality time with your spouse or children.
Our new one a day challenge is this. Every day we will try to...
1. Give something away,
2. Throw something away or,
3. Sell something and give the money to someone in need.
Every day, get rid of one of our possessions. We started small. I found a few books on my shelf that I wasn't going to read again and gave them to someone who would. Then we went through our attic and found a bunch of cardboard boxes we'd been saving for who knows what and gave some to a friend who needed some moving boxes, and the rest ended up on the curb on recycling day. After that it was a small TV, then a computer. Give it a try - it's very freeing! Get rid of stuff that you said you might use someday, but 15 years later it's still taking up space in your attic. Give away one book, CD or DVD. Find the things you have two of and give one to someone who has none. The next time someone asks to borrow something - give it to them instead. Or the next time someone says, "hey, I really like that tie", take it off and give it to them.
We earned the name "consumer" because it is probably the one thing most of us do every single day. What if we turned it around. Instead of consuming every day, we let go of something every day. As I try to shed all of the stuff that enslaves me, I want to shed the name consumer as well. We need a new name. How about Remusnoc?
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Welcome to Simplify
Did you ever notice how many people complain about how complicated their lives are? I am certainly guilty of that. It is so easy to get caught up in the momentum of our busy lifestyles, swept along by the cultural current, and believe that we are somehow all victims of something beyond our control. And yet, our life really consists of a series of decisions that we make - or fail to make. We have more control over this thing than we would like to admit.
I am at a point in life where I no longer want to blame culture, "the system" or anyone else for the direction and pace that my life is going. Instead, I am exploring how to simplify life in spite of all the noise around me that says "keep up", "do more", "try this", "you need that". I am on a quest to learn to live more simply. I am only at the beginning of this journey - but it's one I'm excited about taking. I would like to invite you along and get your thoughts, feedback and input on how and why to take this journey.
As I get started I am reminded of another journey I took a few decades ago. It was a simple journey that was very difficult to complete - in fact, by some measure I didn't complete it. I set out with a close friend of mine to circumnavigate the United States by bicycle. The trip started in Yosemite National Park and immediately headed to the coast and then north along the pacific highway toward Seattle. When you travel long distance by bicycle you are living a very simple life - everything you need to live on is contained in the bags that adorn your bicycle. On the other hand, it's very difficult, because it's slow and strenuous work to peddle yourself and all your gear up mountains, down narrow roads, through hurried and often angry motorists, and against the wind (headwinds seem to be standard equipment on touring bicycles). Simple does not mean easy. In fact, simple is extremely difficult.
On this first leg of our journey heading north on the coastal highway we got one question from people more than any other. The question was "why are you going north?". The reason for the question is that the prevailing winds along the west coast come from the north. So most cyclists who ride the coastal highway out west actually make their way to Seattle by car or train so they can start in the north and then head south - with the prevailing winds. Once when asked this question, a fellow rider that we had met along the way and were currently traveling with, gave this reply: "My grandfather was a salmon". Ever since that day, our small band of riders became known as the Salmon Cycle Touring club. We would just wave to the southbound riders with a certain smug smile, knowing that we had chosen the more difficult direction. We even had t-shirts made. A small cycle on the front of a pink shirt, and a large salmon on the back with these words underneath, "Dead fish can float downstream".
I know that "simple" is somewhere north of here, but I am determined, that in spite of the narrow roads, steep climbs and a constant headwind in my face, I will make progress toward this place. I invite you to join me.
I am at a point in life where I no longer want to blame culture, "the system" or anyone else for the direction and pace that my life is going. Instead, I am exploring how to simplify life in spite of all the noise around me that says "keep up", "do more", "try this", "you need that". I am on a quest to learn to live more simply. I am only at the beginning of this journey - but it's one I'm excited about taking. I would like to invite you along and get your thoughts, feedback and input on how and why to take this journey.
As I get started I am reminded of another journey I took a few decades ago. It was a simple journey that was very difficult to complete - in fact, by some measure I didn't complete it. I set out with a close friend of mine to circumnavigate the United States by bicycle. The trip started in Yosemite National Park and immediately headed to the coast and then north along the pacific highway toward Seattle. When you travel long distance by bicycle you are living a very simple life - everything you need to live on is contained in the bags that adorn your bicycle. On the other hand, it's very difficult, because it's slow and strenuous work to peddle yourself and all your gear up mountains, down narrow roads, through hurried and often angry motorists, and against the wind (headwinds seem to be standard equipment on touring bicycles). Simple does not mean easy. In fact, simple is extremely difficult.
On this first leg of our journey heading north on the coastal highway we got one question from people more than any other. The question was "why are you going north?". The reason for the question is that the prevailing winds along the west coast come from the north. So most cyclists who ride the coastal highway out west actually make their way to Seattle by car or train so they can start in the north and then head south - with the prevailing winds. Once when asked this question, a fellow rider that we had met along the way and were currently traveling with, gave this reply: "My grandfather was a salmon". Ever since that day, our small band of riders became known as the Salmon Cycle Touring club. We would just wave to the southbound riders with a certain smug smile, knowing that we had chosen the more difficult direction. We even had t-shirts made. A small cycle on the front of a pink shirt, and a large salmon on the back with these words underneath, "Dead fish can float downstream".
I know that "simple" is somewhere north of here, but I am determined, that in spite of the narrow roads, steep climbs and a constant headwind in my face, I will make progress toward this place. I invite you to join me.
Progress?
Why was it such a scandal that Jesus met with the woman at the well in the middle of the day? It was because the custom at that time was that the women would all meet together early in the morning to draw water and in that simple task found a place to share their lives, their stories, their worries and their dreams. It was not just a watering hole, but a meeting place where community was built and sustained. Today we buy our water in bottles, pre-packaged by the case so we don’t have to come back for a week or more, and in the self check-out express lane with the sweep of a credit card – never even having to say hello to a store employee or another water gatherer. What happened to the watering hole? Progress.
Jesus’ ministry was a sensual smorgasbord as he “touched” the lepers to make them clean, as he “looked at…and loved” the rich young ruler, as Jesus wept with the grieving mother, and as the room was drenched in the fragrance of the sinful woman’s perfume poured on Jesus’ feet. He didn’t just “touch” people’s lives metaphorically, but was intimately involved in people’s deepest fears, concerns and pain. Today we send people religious chain emails to encourage them and use “emoticons” in our text messages to express our feelings. What happened to the dangerously intimate interactions that Jesus had with people? Progress.
God said by the sweat of our brow we would produce food to eat from the ground that we were left to care for. And by this struggle we would be forever reminded of our weakness before God and our need for him to help us survive, as we enjoyed the natural, “God engineered” food. Today we buy our chemically-processed, genetically engineered, nutrient-free food from the air-conditioned, café equipped, surround sound wired, well-lit grocery store, as flat-screens, cut-outs and coupon dispensers tell us to “buy more and save”. What happened to the hard work, sweat, healthy food and connection to God? Progress.
What is progress? How do we measure it? Faster, bigger, cheaper, sleeker?
If bigger is better than why do those children growing up in larger, more affluent homes experience greater depression and drug use than their lower income counter parts? Luthar and Becker suggest that the increased pressure to achieve, coupled with a sense of isolation from parents are contributing factors. Progress as measured by high achievement comes at the expense of healthy family relationships.
Is “Bigger” really Better?
Is “Faster” really Freeing?
Is “More Connected” Really Connecting Us?
LESS IS MORE
Small banks know their customers and value every one. Not only that, they are safe from the ponzie schemes, derivatives, mortgage collapses, etc – and they’re in the neighborhood.
Small fitness centers know their clients and work with each individually helping them achieve their health goals – and they’re in the neighborhood
Small businesses stock quality goods, special order what you need, know you by name and stand behind their products – and they’re in the neighborhood
Small local farmers reduce transportation costs and dependence on environmentally unsound practices while providing fresh, healthy, real food - and they’re in the neighborhood.
Small family doctors offices offer sincere, unrushed health care and advice – and they’re in the neighborhood.
Small, simple church provides a safe and nurturing place to grow deep relationships as the group draws closer to God and manifests his love in the local community – and they’re in the neighborhood.
In an age of super stores, multi-national companies, huge banks, fitness “factories” and the like, why is there a resurgence of small, family-owned businesses, community banks, store front fitness centers and neighborhood farmers markets? Is it because these large and efficient, and often “cheaper” mega outlets miss the most essential element of any human transaction? Genuine relationships. Why do people pay $5 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks? Is it because the coffee is that much better or because with it they are welcomed by a local person who knows their name and their drink and because they get a chance to sit down and connect with another human being?
As the world continues to “shrink” due to ever evolving technology, we’ve gained far more neighbors around the world, but know our next door neighbors even less. While we count our social media “friends” by the 100s, the number of people we can engage with on a deeply personal level has diminished dramatically. New technologies developed at hyper-speed promise us more time, but we’re so addicted to our new tools (toys), we have less time to be with people.
So what is the cost of all this progress? Is it our relationships? If so, how much progress can we afford?
Jesus’ ministry was a sensual smorgasbord as he “touched” the lepers to make them clean, as he “looked at…and loved” the rich young ruler, as Jesus wept with the grieving mother, and as the room was drenched in the fragrance of the sinful woman’s perfume poured on Jesus’ feet. He didn’t just “touch” people’s lives metaphorically, but was intimately involved in people’s deepest fears, concerns and pain. Today we send people religious chain emails to encourage them and use “emoticons” in our text messages to express our feelings. What happened to the dangerously intimate interactions that Jesus had with people? Progress.
God said by the sweat of our brow we would produce food to eat from the ground that we were left to care for. And by this struggle we would be forever reminded of our weakness before God and our need for him to help us survive, as we enjoyed the natural, “God engineered” food. Today we buy our chemically-processed, genetically engineered, nutrient-free food from the air-conditioned, café equipped, surround sound wired, well-lit grocery store, as flat-screens, cut-outs and coupon dispensers tell us to “buy more and save”. What happened to the hard work, sweat, healthy food and connection to God? Progress.
What is progress? How do we measure it? Faster, bigger, cheaper, sleeker?
If bigger is better than why do those children growing up in larger, more affluent homes experience greater depression and drug use than their lower income counter parts? Luthar and Becker suggest that the increased pressure to achieve, coupled with a sense of isolation from parents are contributing factors. Progress as measured by high achievement comes at the expense of healthy family relationships.
Is “Bigger” really Better?
Is “Faster” really Freeing?
Is “More Connected” Really Connecting Us?
LESS IS MORE
Small banks know their customers and value every one. Not only that, they are safe from the ponzie schemes, derivatives, mortgage collapses, etc – and they’re in the neighborhood.
Small fitness centers know their clients and work with each individually helping them achieve their health goals – and they’re in the neighborhood
Small businesses stock quality goods, special order what you need, know you by name and stand behind their products – and they’re in the neighborhood
Small local farmers reduce transportation costs and dependence on environmentally unsound practices while providing fresh, healthy, real food - and they’re in the neighborhood.
Small family doctors offices offer sincere, unrushed health care and advice – and they’re in the neighborhood.
Small, simple church provides a safe and nurturing place to grow deep relationships as the group draws closer to God and manifests his love in the local community – and they’re in the neighborhood.
In an age of super stores, multi-national companies, huge banks, fitness “factories” and the like, why is there a resurgence of small, family-owned businesses, community banks, store front fitness centers and neighborhood farmers markets? Is it because these large and efficient, and often “cheaper” mega outlets miss the most essential element of any human transaction? Genuine relationships. Why do people pay $5 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks? Is it because the coffee is that much better or because with it they are welcomed by a local person who knows their name and their drink and because they get a chance to sit down and connect with another human being?
As the world continues to “shrink” due to ever evolving technology, we’ve gained far more neighbors around the world, but know our next door neighbors even less. While we count our social media “friends” by the 100s, the number of people we can engage with on a deeply personal level has diminished dramatically. New technologies developed at hyper-speed promise us more time, but we’re so addicted to our new tools (toys), we have less time to be with people.
So what is the cost of all this progress? Is it our relationships? If so, how much progress can we afford?
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