Snake on a Stick

We are still one week behind on the lectionary and next week we'll take a detour from it. But here is this week's sermon based on Numbers 21:4-9 and John 3:14-21: Snake on a Stick

Eclectic Echoes -- March 27th

For those who love music check out Pandora Radio My stations currently include Piano Man and What is this Feeling

Check out this week's Crummy Church Signs: Number 1 "God loves weed, too!"

A Vision for Reform of the UMC

Trinity UMC's Sr High Retreat to Chicago! (Shane looks really cool in his coat!)

God is good but that stuff won't work where I work

Is Jesus or Humanity the center of our preaching and worship?

Is Julia Robert's over the hill?

10 Questions from Liberty University exams?
6 Things You Didn't Know About Leave It to Beaver (for Craig!)

A sad (but true) view of Christianity

Does the church need to repent?

3 reasons why every pastor should use Twitter. Not sure I agree, but at least I'll feel less guilty updating my Facebook status!

Names are important! Just ask Steven Colbert!

This week's laugh:

Preparing for Sunday, March 29th

This week, we will look at two passages of Scripture. The first comes from the book of Numbers where we find the people of Israel in the Sinai wilderness. God has been more than steadfast and loving. God has reached out with a mighty hand and brought them out of slavery in the land of Egypt. Furthermore, God has provided them with their daily bread—manna from heaven. Yet despite ample evidence of God’s presence and love, the “Back to Egypt” committee was formed and they began to complain!

From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. Numbers 21:4-9

• Why would anyone wish to return to Egypt after God has delivered them?
Lost in the wilderness surrounded by snakes, the children of Israel asked Moses to request that God take the snakes away. God’s response to their request is to have Moses craft a snake on a pole and instructs them to look at the snake if they were bitten.
• Since God sent the snakes in the first place, why would God save them from the consequence of the snakebite?
• Moreover, if God was going to deliver them from the snakes, why not just get rid of the snakes?
• Whom does God heal? Who is not healed? And who makes that choice?

Fast forward now 1200 years to the time of Jesus and a very familiar (perhaps too familiar) story about the night Nicodemus comes to visit Jesus. Nicodemus wants to stay on safe literal ground but Jesus attempts to pull him into a much deeper and much more complicated discussion. Jesus wants to shed light on the discussion, but good ‘ole Nick prefers to stay in the dark. And after a discussion of birth and new birth, Jesus acknowledges that Nick just doesn’t get it. Then Jesus says:

14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” John 3:14-21

Here we find one of the most famous verses in the Bible. A verse immortalized on signs at football games, bumper stickers and t-shirts. But what does it actually mean in context of Jesus’ discussion with Nicodemus?

• How is Jesus’ death on the cross like the Moses lifting the serpent in the wilderness?
• What does it mean to believe?
• Whom does God love? Who is condemned? And who makes that choice?
• And just what does Jesus mean by eternal life? Life after death? A better life now? Or something more?

Board Of Ordained Ministry as a Means of Grace

In the past months, I have read quite a few blog entries remarking on the long and often arduous process of ordination in the United Methodist Church. Quite a few of those blogs were very critical of the process and of the Boards that administer the process. Prior to this year, my own opinions of the work of the Board in interviewing and approving (or denying) candidates for ministry was colored by my own experience (positive and affirming, but colored by my own anxiety over the process) and those of my friends (mostly positive and affirming but some had very difficult experiences for reasons we did not understand).

This week, however, I was able to see the work of the Board from a whole new perspective as I participated in my first interview retreat as a member of the Board. (Who would have ever dreamed I would one day be one of those scary folks asking the questions?! ) I had the pleasure of serving on the Called and Disciplined Life Committee, which meant I got to hear 12 very different stories of God’s call and how these individuals had responded to God’s call and had grown in their understanding of God and ministry and in their abilities. I also had the privilege of working on a committee with three other Board members who were insightful, Spirit-filled, fun and intelligent (and the same can be said of the folks on the larger Team C—“C” we decided for cooperative, competent, and cool!).

What I am about to say is probably pretty obvious to anyone: but I was quite honestly blown away by the realization of the nature of our sacred task in affirming, clarifying and supporting these calls to ministry! I really felt that our work was an act of worship. We heard their stories of joy, pain, faith and doubt. I heard stories and saw evidence of tremendous growth from folks whom the Board had either said “No” to before or said, “Yes, but we need you to do this . . .” And while those initial experiences had been painful and difficult, those individuals had grown so much in their faith and their ministry. It was obvious they were better Christians and pastors for the experience.

I’m not naïve and I’m sure there are others who don’t feel this way about our work this week. We probed and asked hard questions. There was pain and struggle with each denial. In addition, I am also well aware of the pain of those who were denied. However, I also know that no decision was taken lightly and without prayer, discussion and struggle. My prayer is that we all (candidates and Board alike) will grow from the process.

One of our candidates asked us what we had learned and experienced from our experience at the Interview Retreat. The rest of the team gave him one or two answers but I have several.

I was blessed to participate in something, which can truly make a difference for the Kingdom of God. While I do believe that the overall work of the conference makes a difference for the Kingdom (otherwise why bother!), most of my responsibilities are such that I don’t get to see the impact of what I do on the Kingdom. But hearing the stories—not only their personal stories but the stories of their ministries—reminded me that we are helping identify and equip new leaders for the church and that is a holy and sacred responsibility and it makes a real difference in the real lives of many, many people.

I was reminded of the joy, excitement and fear of hearing and responding to my own call. I was reminded of my mentors who supported and challenged me, of seminary professors who inspired and challenged me, of Board members who prayed with me and who affirmed me, and of the friends who journeyed with me. I reminded yet again what an awesome thing it is to be called by God!

I was convicted! I was challenged by candidates with much better spiritual, physical, and mental disciplines than me. I was challenged by those with fresh ideas to think outside the box when it comes to doing ministry. I was challenged to spend time within the community of my church and not just within the church walls.

I was blessed by the people I encountered. I met new people, heard new stories of God at work in the world, and I was changed by the encounter.

Finally, (and I could go on and on) I was once again reminded that as messy and as difficult as our system of calling and deploying pastors can be, I still believe it is the best system! I am thankful for a connection that allows us to work together for the sake of the Kingdom. I am grateful that God works through that system—even when (as I KNOW it does) the politics of the system gets in the way! I know this is a system that needs improvement and doesn’t always work as it should (due I believe to the pervasiveness of sin in all of us!), but I do believe it works.

Now back to the work of the local church!

Eclectic Echoes -- March 19th

So I'm a few hours early this week. Doesn't happen very often, but there won't be time tomorrow as I have a sermon and an Emmaus Talk to write. So here are some of the things that caught my interest this week:

Andrew Thompson reflects on the need for community and the distrust of institutions and what it means for United Methodism.

Wesley for Calvinists

And why are the Calvinists getting all the attention? (Don't say it was predestined!!!)

Sex sermons cause a stir in Cullman County!

What do you know about UM Clergy Spouses?

Is there a place in our churches for smart folks?

Five types of followers and how to lead them

A Preacher's Rant on Weddings The end of this article has some great insights for couples wanting a church wedding!!! I wish I had enough nerve to copy it and give it every couple that asks me to officiate at their wedding!

Review of the new Wesley Study Bible

Speaking of which, Scot McKnight shares insights on reading the Bible.

My son is still internet famous, his article on former band geeks made Mental Floss's Quick 10 College Weekend.

Larry shared some great class notes on work and faith and in doing so provides some great devotional material for all of us.

And here are some of my favorite cartoons from the Naked Pastor
Disconnected
Western Uncivilization

And for this week's laugh

Preparing for Sunday, March 22nd

We remain a week behind the lectionary readings and will remain so until Palm Sunday. So today finds us with John’s version of Jesus in the temple. Unlike Matthew, Mark, and Luke, who indicate this event occurred on Palm Sunday, John tells the story near the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Whether it was two events or one event told two ways is not nearly as important or challenging as what the event has to say about Jesus, about institutional religion, and about us.

13The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” 19Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21But he was speaking of the temple of his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
23When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. 24But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone. John 2:13-25

In this passage, Jesus is anything but meek and mild!
• How comfortable are you with the image of an angry Jesus?
• This is story is told in all four gospels—everyone thinks it is important for us to know! What can we learn about Jesus from this story that we might not know otherwise?
• What is Jesus angry about? And would Jesus be just as angry if he walked into our church today?
• Are there any groups or people who you would love to come face to face with the angry Jesus?
• How would you feel about facing this angry Jesus? What in your life would he want to turn over?

Keep everyone who is traveling over spring break in your prayers! (Wish I were one of them-although I do get a trip to Sumatanga next week to interview candidates for provisional and ordained ministry!)

What Would Jesus Do?

What Would Jesus Do?

Eclectic Echoes -- March 14th

Heaven: A Breakfast Free Zone (check this out for the worst Christian video I have ever seen!)

A Tribute to my Favorite Monkee: Peter Stork

Left Behind--David Wilkerson predicts the Apocalypse
John Piper responds (and this may be the only time I agree with the view of a neo-Calvinist!)
iMonk also replies

Speaking of John Piper, Times Magazine has declared the New Calvinism as one the 10 ideas impacting the world right now.

Why I Stay United Methodist

The Wesley Report shares one perspective on the proposed UMC constitutional amendments.

How deep is the well clergy draw from?

10 Church People You Shouldn't Trust AMEN!
And 10 Toxic Things You Should Never Discuss on the Internet

Scott McKnight weighs in on the Junia/Junias debate.

We're Number 2 -- Alabama ranks 2nd in the U.S. in the number of people who say religion plays an important part in their daily life. My question would be: But does it really make a difference or are does our culture encourage folks to say that!

Speaking of Alabama and how much our faith may or may not impact our daily life, check out David Barnhart's Monday Afternoon Constitutional Haiku

Reflections on Leadership
Leadership Tension During Tough Times
And Steve West reflects on family systems, spiritual formation and leadership. (I'm so sorry I missed this workshop but I agree wholeheartedly with Steve's observations.)

The Sound Guy Neck Crane (and may I add I agree 100% that microphones DO hate God!)

Cartoon:
Unexpected Arrival

Church is a Tag-Team Sport! (I'll tell two friends and they'll tell two friends and they'll tell two friends . . .)

Tom Wright weighs in on "Surprised by Hope" (I highly recommend this book!)

Let's hear it for Trickle Up Innovation!

And this week's laugh--which is only for now

Preparing for Sunday, March 15th

We are a week behind on the lectionary due to our "snow storm."

This week’s scripture finds Jesus and the Disciples in Caesarea-Philippi. Peter in a moment of insight announces that Jesus is the Messiah, but Peter’s insight only goes so far . . .

31Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
34He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:31-38

Last week, we heard about Satan’s temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. This week, Peter is the one (unknowingly) doing the tempting as he rebukes Jesus (can you imagine rebuking Jesus?!) and insists that the Messiah might be able to complete his mission without experiencing suffering, rejection and death. Jesus then rebukes Peter, calling him Satan, and then turns to the disciples and the crowd and says, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

Why would anyone want to be a follower of Jesus if following him means taking up a cross and losing their lives?
o What would it look like to take up a cross and follow Jesus?

The word translated “life” in verses 35-37 is the Greek word psyche which could also be translated soul or the “inner life” or personality of a person. However you translate it, the statement is paradoxical. How can one lose their life or inner being in order to gain it? Yet this is exactly what Jesus calls us to do.
o What would it mean to be willing to give up your self—your life?
o What would it mean to gain it?
o What would be a healthy way of denying self?
o What would be unhealthy ways of denying self?

Image: White Crucifixion by Marc Chagall
Just a few thoughts to help us prepare our hearts and minds-ourselves—for Sunday!

March 8 -- A Snow Delayed 1st Sunday of Lent

Well, as you know, here in the sunny south a few snow flurries causes a panic and so on March 1st we canceled church. I managed to make it up the mountain, but once I got there I was informed the backroads were a bit treacherous. While Bonhoeffer did say that Jesus bids us come and die, I assume he didn't mean we should do so while trying to get to church on icy roads, so we canceled. As a result,we had a "do-over" and observed the 1st Sunday of Lent (including Holy Communion) on the 8th and we'll be a week behind for a while.

In the meantime, the sermon simmered for a week and as a result I changed the middle as well as some of the beginning and end--oh who knows? That's what happens when you don't use a manuscript! But here is the original: Where the Wild Things Are

Opps!!! Try again

I can count--I promise. I realize there were only 8 anti-essential book, so here are two more from the comments to the blog

God’s Most Glorified When We’re Most Calvified in Him, by John Piper

How to be a Real Man: A Guide to Kicking Your Own A**- Mark Driscoll [credited to the The Wittenberg Door]

Your Top 10 List?!

Eugene Cho has a couple of posts over at Beauty and Depravity addressing the question of the 10 most essential books for Christians. So, I'm curious . . . if you could only have 10 books on your bookshelf related to your faith, what would they be? (I'll share mine later)

And just for fun--here is someone's list of the top 10 ANTI-ESSENTIAL books for Christians:

Everyone Is Going To Hell Except Me - John MacArthur
There’s No ‘U’ in Ministry: A Woman’s Guide - Mark Driscoll
Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid - John Hagee
We Know Jesus Better Than You Do - The Vatican Curia
I’m Cool With Whatever (Featuring Enhanced Doodle Graphics) - Brian McLaren
This Book Looks Longer Than It Really Is - Rob Bell
God Wants You To Pay For My Airplane - Creflo Dollar
10 Keys To The 8 Steps To The 3 Paths To The 1 Way to God (TM) - Rick Warren

Eclectic Echoes March 6th

On Wednesday night, 16 year old, Tara, flipped her car three times and is now in Huntsville Hospital in a coma. Her parents are regular attendees at New Life. Please keep her in your prayers as well as her family and friends.

Five Reasons Not to Give Something Up for Lent (some great insights on the purpose and value of Lenten Discipline and the importance of Sundays as "little Easters"

Crummy Church Signs

We canceled church on Sunday due to the snow, but the snow in Huntsville and grant was not any where near as pretty as here!

The UMC and Easter Hope

What to do with your hands while singing at church (assuming you aren't holding a hymnal!)

What do people expect from a sermon?

Cartoons:
Jesus take the wheel?
Singing Pretty Songs

The big UMC news this week was Grace Point UMC--a new growing congregation--and its decision to leave the denomination. What can we learn from it? This from the Wesley Report. Dan Dick at Methodeviations also chimes in.

Bishop Willimon reflects on lessons learned in leading transformation.

Axegesis--the “uncritical demolition or misrepresentation of a text or portion of a text, especially the Bible”

Confessing "Safe" Sins -- I love the idea of the gift of going second.

Beauty Tips for Ministers has long been one of my favorite blogs. Here Peacebang shows us how to properly apply mascara.

In memory of Dr. Suess: 10 Stories Behind Dr. Suess stories

In Memory of Paul Harvey

This week's laugh--compliments of Steve West

Rethinking Church

Looking through the articles on my Google reader today, I was struck by something! Every time I saw an article with a title, such as “Re-thinking Church” or “Becoming a Missional Church” or “Emergent Church,” I marked it read and moved on. Granted the last few weeks have been crazy busy for me and I’ve not had as much time for reading articles. But the truth is that my eyes are now glazing over when I see a title that indicates the article is going to say that there is something wrong with the way we do church today (and its unrelated to styles of worship!) and things need to change!

Why are my eyes glazing over? Well, it isn’t because I think the church does not need to change. This is not the 50s! We do get our information in new and amazing ways. We do expect variety. We are tired of hearing people talk about Jesus loving the world while sitting and doing nothing. Attendance and church membership are declining across the board in the US while growing in great numbers in other parts of the world!

And, of course, we aren’t the only game in town! Mayberry apparently only had one church and one diner and everyone went there. I bet if we visited Mayberry today, we’d find Nita’s Diner closed while the Golden Arches gleamed over the old site. We’d probably find Andy and Barney at Red Lobster and Applebee’s on Sr. Night or at Hardees on Saturday morning. And that one mainline church has a membership of 15 or so while down the road a huge non-denominational church with all the bells and whistles is building a food court next to its children’s playground and the Jewish Community Center has moved into Floyd’s old barber shop and I hear tell that there is a New Age group meeting near the old courthouse! And all the while, more and more people are claiming to be spiritual and less and less people are going to church.

So, of course, the church has got to change!

But is it? Or are we just talking about it?

I think I’m tired of talking and reading about it! The problem is that most of the successful models of re-thinking church are more suitable for New York, California or even Huntsville than Grant! How does a small to medium size church in a small town, rural environment re-think church? Are there models for that?

I realize small rural towns and medium size churches are quickly becoming a thing of
the past, but how do we participate in this reformation or emergence or whatever it is you want to call it?

Just a few thoughts and questions, before I head off to a day of meetings!

An early laugh for the week . . .

Although come to think of it, this may be deadly serious!

For Laura's boyfriend, Trent ;-D